them the heavenly inheritance2. Thus will all of them be put into possession of " that rest, which remained for them3," in the hope and expectation of which they endured the labours of travel, and the fatigues of war.]
Having traced the resemblance between Joshua and Christ, I will,
II. Take occasion to suggest from it some salutary advice —
1. To those who desire to possess the promised land —
[Grieved I am to say, that many desire that good land, yet never attain unto it ; first, because they do not seek it with sufficient earnestness ; and next, because they do not seek it in God's appointed way. Respecting the former of these our blessed Lord says, " Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many shall seek to enter in, and not be able15:" and of the latter, the Apostle Paul, speaking of the great mass of the Jewish people, says, that, though they " followed after the law of righteousness, they did not attain to the law of right- eousness ; because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law c." He bare them record that they had a zeal of God : but it was not according to knowledge : for, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they would not submit them- selves to the righteousness of God. Christ was the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believed. "But they, instead of believing in him for salvation, stumbled at him as a stumbling-stone and a rock of offence; " and thus they perished, whilst the Gentiles by believing in him were saved d. Now, my brethren, I cannot too earnestly impress upon your minds the necessity of abandoning altogether the law of Moses as a ground ofhape before God, and of trusting entirely in the Lord, Jesus Christ for salvation. If Moses himself was not suffered to lead his followers into the earthly Canaan, or even to go in thither himself, much less can he lead you into the heavenly Canaan. As a guide through the wilderness, Moses is excel- lent : but as a Saviour, he will be of no use. Joshua alone can give you the possession of the promised land ; that is, Jesus alone can effect your complete salvation. If you read the epistles of St. Paul to the Romans and Galatians, you will find the main scope of both is to establish and enforce this truth. Bear in remembrance then that you must " die to the law,"
2 Matt. xxv. 34. a Heb. iv. 1, 9, 11. b Luke xiii. 24.
c Rom. ix. 30—33. d Rom. x. 2—4. VOL. II. Q