its way against a similar reluctance, and we call to mind how often the mercy of God has forced it, and is still forcing it, upon us at the point of the sword of temporal chastisement. The Church is militant both without and within us. Awful indeed are the terrors in which this blessing is clad to the eyes of disobedient man, even as the pillar of the Lord's guidance, which was light to Israel, and darkness to the Egyptians. We may learn at all times a wholesome fear from entering into the trembling perplexity of the neighbouring nations, when they heard the distant tramp of the march of God's people, which came up from the recesses of the unseen wilderness, and they knew not on whom the dreaded irruption would first fall. It broke forth, and they perished. A disobedient people has since that day driven in utter unbelief the Church into the wilderness. But it has ever returned amid the ruin of the apostates. The Church militant will ever be found in the end too strong for opposing man, and the Word of God, if not accepted with his cross, will urge his triumphant way with his garment dyed in blood, and with a sharp sword proceeding from his mouth.1

Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, and grew up to ripe manhood in the bonds of the Egyptians: but bondage had not that pernicious effect upon him that it had on the great body of the nation. He never joined his countrymen in those senseless, thankless, and capricious rebellions against Moses, which show how deep the brand of slavery had marked them,

1 Rev. xix, 13.

how utterly it had unfitted them for any polity which required even a small degree of self-respect and self-control in the subject. But his contrary conduct early recommended him to the notice of Moses, so that shortly after the passage of the Red Sea he was appointed to lead Israel against the Amalekites. From that day, which is the first of his appearance in history, Moses kept him near his person, and employed him as minister in those actions for which he felt himself unqualified; and never did minister yield a more zealous obedience to his master. He stood up for the authority of Moses with all the fiery devotion of a soldier, and occasionally received a gentle check from his meek temper. Thus, when Moses took the seventy elders, of whom Joshua was one, to the tabernacle, and distributed to them the gift of prophecy, Joshua's indignation was aroused when he heard that two men in the camp were also prophesying. Intolerant of such rivalry, and of any power exercised without his master's express commission, he cried out, "My lord Moses, forbid them." Both the request and the answer remind us of that occasion on which the disciples of the Lord forbade a man whom they saw casting out devils in his name 1. Neither the loyal soldier, nor the affectionate apostle, rightly understood at the time what spirit they were of, and perhaps were unconsciously maintaining their own privilege quite as much as their master's honour. But the great proof of Joshua's fidelity was, his faithful report as spy of the Promised Land. With

1 Luke ix. 49.

the signs of its wonderful fertility laid before their eyes, the timid and distrustful people lent an eager ear to the tale of people of gigantic stature, fenced cities, and other formidable objections, which was told by the ten, who, with Caleb and Joshua, made up the whole number of spies. A mutiny was raised against Moses. Joshua and Caleb appeared before the multitude with rent garments, deprecating this senseless rebellion, assuring their faint hearts, and promising them an easy conquest, for that the Lord was with them. They were saved, on the point of being stoned, by the appearance of the glory of the Lord, who bore bright testimony to his faithful servants. The whole generation was sentenced to die in the wilderness, without entering the land; but Joshua and Caleb were to enter and enjoy. Thus Joshua won by faith a greater blessing than even his great father Abraham. Abraham believed, but obtained not the promise in the flesh. And this faithful soldier of Moses is an example at this day to the soldiers of Christ. The great multitude of us is readily startled and discouraged at the difficulties which intervene between us and our promised rest. We complain of the hardship of the task, of the strength of our opponents, we distrust the help of God's grace, and decline the fight; the Gospel of truth is forsaken for a code more suitable to our corrupt hearts; we make for ourselves a captain, and return to the bondage of our sins.

By these, and many other unrecorded acts of faithful service during the space of forty years, Joshua advanced in favour with God and man, and

his full reward came in the end. When this period was on the point of running out, Moses received from God a commission to ordain Joshua as his successor; accordingly, the whole congregation of Israel met before the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared in a pillar of a cloud over the door, and, in the face of these witnesses of heaven and earth, Moses, venerable with the impression of an hundred and twenty years, advanced, and, presenting Joshua to Eleazar, the high-priest, and to the whole assembly, laid his hands upon his head, and gave him, in the name of the Lord, a solemn charge, "Be strong (he said) and of good courage; for thou shalt ▾ bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them, and I will be with thee." Shortly after this Moses died, and, when the thirty days appointed for mourning for him had expired, Joshua the active duties of his office.

entered upon

Henceforward Joshua becomes a character of overpowering interest; from this moment commence those acts which he performed in the meaning of his name of "Saviour," and by which he foreshadowed the several parts of the great act of the redemption of man. Moses indeed had begun the series. The passing of the Red Sea from the land of Egyptian bondage is the parallel to the remission of sins: the instruction of Israel in the law, to the instruction of us in the Gospel. But the passing of the Jordan reminds us of our sanctification; when we are put into possession of the promised land of the Church; and the allotment of it suggests the allotment to the saints of the mansions of rest. It was now that the Lord spake unto Joshua, commanding him to pass

the Jordan. From one of the lofty peaks in the neighbourhood of Abel-shittim, he showed him the land for immediate occupation, which, about five centuries before, he had shown to his forefather Abraham in distant promise. From this quarter the vale of the Jordan is seen in its utmost extent; a long strip of rich plain of the breadth of twelve miles, flanked on each side by jutting and retiring headlands, which are sometimes bare and rugged, and sometimes descend into the level with overhanging woods. It is a scene of striking beauty. The snowy ridge of Lebanon gleams over the chains of hills to the north, and the barren mountains of the Desert form the boundary to the south. The Jordan is seen as he issues from the glittering basin of the Sea of Galilee, and again his termination is beheld in the waters of the Dead Sea. All this beautiful land, from Lebanon to the Desert, and from the Euphrates to the sea, Joshua was commanded to occupy, and allot to his people. He was dismissed with a repetition of the charge which he had received at his ordination, "Be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do, according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest."

He shortly found proofs of the Lord being with him as he was with Moses, according to his promise. Spies, which he had sent to Jericho, brought him news of the extreme consternation of the people, and he was convinced that the Lord had broken their spirit and delivered them into his hands. He re