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priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD [is] among us, with his gracious presence and favour, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD, which would have brought down some heavy judgment upon us; now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD, from his wrath, which would have been kindled against us had you committed the sin 32 we suspected. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them 33 word again. And the thing pleased the children of Israel, they all rejoiced in this happy event; and the children of Israel blessed God, that they had found no guilt in their brethren, and were freed from their fears, and from all the calamities of a civil war, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, to denote the intention of the altar, and prevent any future misconstruction, called the altar [Ed,] that is, a witness: for it [shall be] a witness between us that the LORD [is] that God which we own for our God, and will worship according to hie own rule: thus the matter was amicably adjusted, to the satisfaction and joy of both sides.

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REFLECTIONS.

E learn, that fidelity to our promise, and steady obedience to God, are worthy of applause and commendation. For this Joshua commends the Reubenites and their neighbours. It is much for our honour and advantage to be constant and faithful in the discharge of our duty; he that is so, is approved of God and accepted with men.

2. Zeal for God's honour and the purity of his worship, become every true Israelite. Thus the nine tribes and a half, though they had but just sheathed their swords and rested from the fatigues of war, determined to draw them again, and attack their brethren and associates, rather than God should be affronted or his worship corrupted. We, christians, are forbid to draw our swords against any of our brethren, who worship God in what we apprehend a wrong way; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual. Yet it becomes us to take all prudent and christian methods to show our zeal for God; but let it be founded in knowledge, and regulated by all prudence and tenderness.

VOL. II.

3. The prudence of those tribes, in examining before they attacked their brethren, is worthy of our imitation. Solomon observes, in all cases, with good advice make war, more especially against brethren. Wisdom should guide our zeal. Before we censure our brethren, we should inquire whether there is a cause; give them opportunities to explain themselves and their conduct. Most men are too ready to censure at random. A little prudence and inquiry would prevent innumerable mistakes and quarrels. Let us guard against rash censures, else our zeal for God will lead us from him; and we may be promoting Satan's cause, while we think we are doing God good service.

4. If we are ever so severely censured and reproached, let us put on meekness, and rule our own spirits; so these Reubenites did. Had they answered with reproaches and passion, perhaps it might have occasioned the loss of thousands of lives, and perpetual difference and contention between the tribes of Israel. A soft answer turneth away wrath. They did not bid the other tribes mind their own business, or give them an impertinent an swer; but explained the matter, and with all calmness vindicated themselves; a good example to us when we are reviled, not to revile again.

5. It is a very desirable thing to be able to appeal to God and man for the uprightness of our intentions and actions, when we are censured and condemned. There is something prodigiously affecting in the manner of the Reubenites' address; it carries all the marks of innocence and purity. It is no uncommon thing for those that erect another altar or place of worship to be censured and condemned, though they may keep close to God and not depart from him; they are often charged, by violent bigots, as schismatics and rebels. It is fit we should give a mild answer to such unjust censures. The Lord God of gods knows that we have not built or supported a church, to promote faction or party, to draw men from God and religion, but to lead them to him. We hold communion with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And it should be our concern to let Israel know this; to let them see, by the purity of our worship and the regularity of our lives, and especially by christian charity to our differing brethren, that our principles are good, and our motives upright.

6. Good men, and especially pious parents, are greatly concerned and solicitous that religion may not be lost in their families. For this end the Reubenites built their altar, lest their children should forget God and lose religion. Therefore we should willingly contribute to the support of God's house; should take all precaution that our children may not cease from following the Lord. Every one that knows the benefit of religion, will be more solicitous about this, than securing estates for them.

7. It is the surest sign of God's presence with any people, when they are kept from sin, v. 24. preserved from those prac

tices that bring the judgments of God upon them. When any of our brethren are found less blameable than we apprehended, when we see their constancy and zeal, let us consider it as a token for good, and give God the glory of it. Blessed be God, who keeps us from sinning against him, who enables us to persevere in religion, and who, we hope, will make us faithful even unto death.

CHAP. XXIII.

In this and the following chapter we have Joshua's farewell addresses to the people, and what he did to promote and preserve religion among them when he was gone.

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ND it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old [and] stricken in age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel,* that is, for their representa, tives, [and] for their elders, their great council or sanhedrim, and for their heads, the princes of each tribe, and for their judges, inferior magistrates, and for their officers, who saw to the execution of the law, and said unto them, I am old [and] stricken in age; this may be the last time I shall ever speak to 3 you, And therefore I hope you will be peculiarly attentive; ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God [is] he that hath fought for you; first reminding them of what God 4 had done, and then adding, Behold I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward, the Mediterranean sea.

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And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you; though I die, and leave the work unfinished, yet God will be with you, and fulfil his promises, if you do your part. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom, [to] the right hand or [to] the left; this is the condition on which God will be with you; and it will require great courage to expel the Canaanites, to refrain from commerce 7 with them, and to keep all the law; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, lest such communications

It is generally thought the place was Shiloh, where the ark was, and at one of the three great feasts, when all the males assembled there.

should corrupt your hearts; nor cause to swear [by them] suffer not your children to swear by them, and let not your judges admit such oaths; neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them, give them no inward reverence, or outward adoration: (Psalm xvi. 4.) But cleave unto the LORD your God, with entire affection, constant worship, and faithful obedience, as ye have done unto this day, since ye came into Canaan. 9 For the LORD hath driven, or, then the Lord will drive, out from before you great nations and strong but [as for] you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day; and this is a pledge of what he will further do; therefore, however 10 formidable your enemies may be, fear not, for One man of you shall chase a thousand for the LORD your God, he [it is] that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. But be not secure and careless, for you will have more temptations to forget God than you had in the wilderness, from your prosperity, and 11 your wicked neighbours; Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God; your whole happiness depends upon this care.

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Else if ye do in any wise go back from God, desert his worship and service, and become friends and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, [even] these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, 13 and they to you: Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will withdraw his assistance, and will no more drive out [any of] these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes; they will lead you into sin, and you shall suffer for it, as much as a man who is punished by scourging, or who has a thorn run through his eye; until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you; which would be peculiarly grievous, after you have come to it through so many perils, obtained it by so many miracles, and are comfortably settled there, after many expectations and dis14 appointments, And, behold, this day I [am] going the way of all the earth, and can bear my solemn testimony to God's faithfulness; and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, [and] not one thing hath failed thereof. 15 Therefore it shall come to pass, [that] as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you; the accomplishment of his promises is a 16 pledge or assurance of the fulfilment of his threatenings. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which

he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you; ye shall be speedily and remarkably punished,

REFLECTIONS.

T is the duty of aged and dying christians to do what

repeated pains did Joshua take! He used every argument, and put them in mind of his own experience of the goodness and faithfulness of God. Christ's old disciples should spend their last days in serving him, in propagating a sense of religion among those that they leave behind; they cannot spend them better, So Paul commanded Titus, ch. ii. 3. to exhort and charge aged women to be teachers of good things. It is the duty of christian fathers to speak of the goodness of God; to let the world know the experience they have had of it, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord their God spake concerning them. This will encourage the young to hope and trust in God. The word of aged, experienced saints, is likely to make a lasting impression. Death is hastening on; therefore let them do what they can for God while they live; and remember, with the holy apostle, as long as they are in this tabernacle to stir up all around them, well knowing that they must shortly put off this tabernacle, 2 Peter i. 13, 14.

2. Religion, or the service of God, requires great care and watchfulness, in order to be steady and constant in it. Joshua plainly intimates this, when he exhorts Israel to be courageous, to keep and do all that was written in the law of Moses; to take good heed to themselves. They had many temptations to neglect it; they had a strange disinclination to it; and were ready to hearken to the solicitations of the Canaanites, who were enemies to God and religion. This is our case. Let us then put on resolution. Never does manly courage more become us, than when exerted in the cause of God and religion. Let us keep our hearts with all diligence; watch all their secret workings and desires; take good heed to our souls, that they be furnished with useful knowledge, that our good habits be strengthened; and guard against those things that would debase, enslave, and corrupt them. Keep yourselves then in the love of God, and in patient waiting for Jesus Christ.

3. Let us urge the experience we have had of God's goodness, as a powerful motive to induce others to serve and fear him. Joshua calls the Israelites to consider how kind and faithful God had been to them, as a motive to cleave to him. If we have any sense of decency and gratitude, it will make us ashamed to affront

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