laws of God. Be thankful, then, that ye have this evidence that ye are the Lord's.]
2. Let none doubt of victory, who fight in depen- dence on the Lord's strength, and in conformity to his commands —
[Be strong, and very courageous to do his will
But take special care what kind of fortitude it is that you main- tain. There is an unhallowed boldness, which savours of pride and vain-glory. You cannot be too much on your guard against this. Yours must be a passive fortitude, such as Christ mani- fested when " he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and opened not his mouth." You are to " love your enemies, to bless them that curse you, and to pray for them that despitefully use you." " You are not to be overcome of evil, but to over- come evil with good." In you are to be seen " the meekness and gentleness of Christ." Only fight with these weapons, and, " even though ye be slain like sheep, ye shall be more than conquerors'1."]
d Rom. viii. 86, 37.
Josh. ii. 8 — 14. And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof: and she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For ive have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that ivere on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Noiv therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father s house, and give me a true token : and that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
GOD is pleased to accomplish his promises by the use of means: to neglect the means therefore is to tempt him, rather than to trust in him; and to expect