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salvation; and he is exalted in his name, person, and glory, in the redemption of lost sinners. Golon signifies joy, and may denote that joy, life, and liberty, which the soul receives by Christ," for in him all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory," Isaiah xlv. 25.

CHAPTER XXI.

It had been often said that the tribe of Levi should have "no inheritance with their brethren," no particular part of the country assigned them, as the other tribes had, no not the country about Shiloh, which one would have expected should have been appropriated to them as the lands of the church; but though they were not thus cast into a country by themselves, it appears, by the provision made for them in this chapter, that they were no losers, but the rest of the tribes were very much gainers by their being dispersed. We have here, 1. The motion they made to have their cities assigned them, according to God's appointment, ver. 1, 2. 2. The nomination of the cities accordingly out of their several tribes, and the distribution of them to their respective families of this tribe, ver. 3-8. 3. A catalogue of the cities, fortyeight in all, ver. 9-42. 4. A receipt in full of all that God had promised to his people Israel, ver. 43–45.

VER. 2. "To give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle."]-First, the Levites had a claim to these cities and their suburbs to dwell in upon a good foundation; not as a tribe to enjoy a share in the land of Canaan, but upon the "appointment and command of the Lord by Moses," Numb. xxxv. 2. Secondly, the maintenance of ministers is by a divine command, and is not a matter of indifference left to the precarious will of a people whether they should support them or not; for it is the command of God, that "they that preach the gospel should live by the gospel." Thirdly, the patience and humility of the Levites, for they waited till all the tribes were served, then they demanded their part. Fourthly, the generosity and kindness of the children of Israel to the Levites; they gave them the best of the cities to dwell in.

Ver. 45. All came to pass."]-As the promises of the land of Canaan were figurative of the blessings of the gospel, so the fulfilment of them did denote the punctual and exact fulfilment of the promises of salvation by the covenant of grace through our Lord Jesus," in whom all the promises are yea and amen.'

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CHAPTER XXII.

Many particular things we have read concerning the two tribes and a half, though nothing separated them from the rest of the tribes, but only the river Jordan, and this chapter is wholly concerning them. (1.) Joshua's dismission of the militia of those tribes from the camp of Israel, in which they had served as auxiliaries during all the wars of Canaan, and their return thereupon to their own country, ver. 1-9. (2.) The altar they built on the borders of Jordan, in token of their communion with the land of Israel, ver. 10. (3.) The offence which the rest of the tribes took at this altar, and the message they sent him thereupon, ver. 11-20. (4.) The apology which the two tribes and a half made for what they had done, ver. 21-29. (5.) The satisfaction which their apology gave to the rest of the tribes, ver. 30-31. And (which is strange) whereas in most differences that happen, there is a fault on both sides, on this there was fault on no side; none (for ought appears) were to be blamed, but all to be praised.

VER. 5. "To serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul."-The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who at their own request had their inheritance on the other side Jordan, but having united with their brethren, and come over Jordan to assist them in the wars with the Canaanites, till their inheritance might be settled among them; which being done, Joshua, as a tender father, governor, and guide, calls them, and sends them, with his blessing, to their families which they had left on the other side Jordan, giving them this charge, "That they should serve the Lord with all their hearts." Note, the best blessing that we can wish our friends to enjoy, is to love the Lord, who is worthy to be adored, served, loved, and praised, for his love and grace to us.

Ver. 10. "Built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to."]-Which altar was built, not for sacrifices or burnt-offerings, but with a good intention, that it might be a standing witness of their relation to the tribes on the other side Jordan, and that they came out of Egypt with them, though they had chosen their lot on the other side Jordan, ver. 27, 28. And it should seem that this altar was built to put them in remembrance of the altar of sacrifice, which was in the tabernacle, where they were to offer their burntofferings, and their peace-offerings.

Ver. 16. "What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel?" &c.]-Observe, that it was the command of the Lord that there should be but one altar for sacrifice, and that that altar should be in the place

where he should choose to set his name, Deut. xii. 5, 6. and the tribes of Israel thought that the Gadites, the Reubenites and the Manassites, bad broke this command of God, Levit. xvii. 3, 4. and if so, they were come to war against them, which shewed their zeal for the Lord and his worship.

Ver. 19. "And take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord."-That is, if they thought (because the altar of the Lord and the sanctuary were not on that side Jordan) that their land was unclean, because there was no altar of atonement for sin, then they invited them " to come and dwell among them." This was a brave, noble, and loving spirit, and they shewed themselves as brethren, and esteemed the honour of God and their spiritual welfare above their own private interest, and personal good. O that there were more of such a spirit among christians!

Ver. 21-29. "God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord."]-This and the preceding verses were the answer the children of Gad, of Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh, returned to the princes of the tribes of Israel, which was very solemn, pathetic, and great; for first they appeal with a double affirmation to the Lord of gods, that is, to El Elohim, Jehovah; which expresses their faith in him, believing him to be the self-existent, independent, eternal Being, and as such the only object of worship and adoration, which is expressed with ardency and earnestness, to shew their detestation of departing from the worship or place which he had appointed; for say they, He knoweth, that is, he knoweth our sincerity and the intention of our minds in building an altar; that it was not in opposition to his command, nor with any desire to depart from his worship, but as a resemblance of the altar in God's tabernacle; that it might be a standing witness to us and to our children of our holding communion with you, both in the tabernacle now, and in the temple hereafter; and therefore they say, "God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord."

Ver. 33, 34. "And the thing pleased the children of Israel."-That is, they were satisfied in the good intention of their brethren, and blessed God that they did not depart from the true worship of his name, and that there was no division among them; therefore they called the altar Ed, that is, a witness, which was to be of their faith in the Lord, of their zeal for his honour, and of their love and unity with them as their brethren in the true worship of the God of their fathers. Note, great heats and warm zeal among christian brethren often arise from mistaken

often arise from mistaken apprehensions. Secondly, the way to peace and harmony among our brethren is to enquire first, like Phinehas, into the real meaning of their words and designs, when we do not rightly understand them; this would prevent many differences among chris

tian brethren.

CHAPTER XXIII.

In this and the following chapter we have two farewel sermons, which Joshua preached to the people of Israel a little before his death. Had he designed to gratify the curiosity of succeeding ages, he would rather have recorded the method of Israel's settlement in their new conquests, their husbandry, manufactures, trade, customs, courts of justice, and the constitutions of their infant commonwealth, which one would wish to be informed of; but that which he intended in the regis ters of this book, was to entail on posterity a sense of religion and their duty to God, and therefore overlooking these things, which are the usual subjects of a common history, he here transmits to his reader the methods he took to persuade Israel to be faithful to their covenant with their God, which might have a good influence on the generations to come, who should read those reasonings, as we may hope they had on that generation which then heard them. In this chapter, we have, 1. A convention of the state called, ver. 1, 2. probably to consult about the common concerns of their land, and to set in order that which, after some years trial, being left to their pru dence was found wanting. 2. Joshua's speech to them at the opening, or perhaps at the concluding of the sessions, to hear which was the principal design of their coming together. In it, 1. Joshua minds them of what God had done for them, ver. 3, 4, 9, 14. and what he was ready to do yet farther, ver. 5, 10. 2. He exhorts them carefully and resolutely to persevere in their duty to God, ver. 6, 8, 11. 3. He cantions them against all familiarity with their idolatrous inmates, ver. 7. 4. He gives them fair warning of the fatal consequences of it, if they should revolt from God, and turn to idols, ver. 12, 13, 15, 16. In all which he shewed himself zealous for his God, and jealous over Israel, with a godly jealousy.

VER. 3. "For the Lord your God is he that bath fought for you."]-First, the kindness of Joshua in reminding Israel of the Lord's love, power, and faithfulness to them; which was figurative of what the spiritual Israel of God daily stand in need of, and the Lord Jesus, our spiritual Joshua, reveals and makes known to us by his Spirit, "who leads into all truth, and brings all things into our remembrance."

Secondly, whatever victory of faith and triumph we enjoy over our spiritual enemies, we are to observe that it is

the Lord that has fought for us, and are to ascribe all the glory to him.-Ver. 5. Whatever difficulties and trials remain in the christian's way, the Lord will fulfil his promise in bringing him safe through them all.-Ver. 6. A view of the Lord's promise and power should ever encou rage the christian to obedience in the Lord's ways.-Ver, 7. Idolatry should ever be the subject of detestation among christians. Ver. 8. The christian stands in need of being often exhorted to acts of love and obedience to the Lord.-Ver. 9. The church of God shall ever be victorious over all her enemies in the Lord's strength.-Ver. 10. That the christian's faith, courage, and complete conquest over all his enemies, is the fulfilment of Jehovah's promise and counsel concerning him.-Ver. 11. The christian that is through grace blessed with the knowledge of the Lord's being his God is under strong obligations of love and praise to his name.-Ver. 12, 13. It always becomes the christian to be ever fearful of a backsliding frame of soul, as it deprives him of the presence of God, brings darkness upon his mind, weakens his faith, strengthens his corruptions, and is the cause of a most disconsolate state of soul. ‘Ó Lord, keep me and guide me, watch over me and guard me, be my shield and my defence, that I slide not.'

Ver. 14. "And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth."]-Death is here set forth under the idea of a journey, and it is our last journey to our long home: but it is a journey that no living one knows, as none knows what dying means: for the pillars of the house to tremble, for nature to fail, are what old age may bring on; but what it is for the soul to depart, to launch into eternity, and appear before God, these are what no man living knows; but it is a journey we must all go, it is the way of all the earth, there is no discharge in this war, "as it is appointed for man once to die." Joshua, a good man, a great man, and a leader in Israel, must die: but behold with what pleasure and serenity he approaches the "dark valley of the shadow of death; no fear disturbs his mind, nor darkness clouds his soul: "I go," he says; intimating all was ready, his sins were pardoned, his soul was justified through the blood and sacrifice of the Messiah who was to come. O happy they that die in the Lord, "and sleep in Jesus."

"And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which

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