420 A SHORT vIE:IV OF SCRItTURE HISTORY. to be excommunicated or shut out of the congregation of Israel, and the privileges thereof ; as, for eating leavened bread at the time of the passover ; Exod. xii. 15. or for a man's going unto the holy things with his uncleanness upon him; Lev. xxii. 3. where it is expressed, that that soul shall be cut off from the presence of God. But this question bath some diffi- culties in it, and learned men differ about the sense of these words, being cut oli: 22. Q. If the Jews were permitted to give forty stripes, how came Paul five times to receive but forty stripes save one,, from the Jews who so much, hated him ; 2 Cor. xi. 24 ? A. Because they pretended to be very scrupulous in observing the law exactly, and therefore they never inflicted more than thirty nine stripes, lest they should happen to mistake in the tale while they were inflicting forty, and thus transgress the law. 23. Q. What were their most common ways of putting cri- minals to death? A. Byhanging them on a tree, or by stoning themwith stones ; Num. xxv. 4. Deut. xxi. 23.. Deut. xiii. 9, 10. Num. xv. 35. 24. Q. How many witnesses were necessary to condemn a criminal to death ? A. At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death, but not at the mouth of one witness : Deut. xvii. 6, 7. 25. Q. What was the design of God in giving them so many peculiar laws about their civil or political affairs ? A. 1. To let them know that God was their king as well as their God, and to keep them distinct and separate from the rest of the na- tions as-his own people and kingdom. -2. Many of these laws were in themselves excellently suited to the advantage of that people, dwelling in that country and under those circumstances. 3. Some of these laws had a moral or spiritual meaning in them, which might partly be known at that time, - and which was further discovered afterwards. 26. Q. What instances can you give of moral lessons taught by these political laws ? A. Thou shalt not take the dam with the young ; Deut. xxii. 6, 7. is to teach men mildness and com- passion. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn ; Deut. xxv. 4. is to chew that ministers who provide us spiritual food, ought to be maintained themselves; 1 Cor. ix. 9, 10. for so the apostle Paul has explained it. Csar. VII Of the Sins and Punishments of the Jews in the Wilderness. I. QUESTION. AFTER all this account of the moral, ceremonial, and judicial laws, can you tell we whether the people of Israel
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