his own blood." Let us then labour to diffuse this saving knowledge, as opportunity shall offer, that our fellow-creatures may reap the benefits designed for them, and God may have the glory due unto his name.]
Israel's first proceedings in canaan.
Josh. v. 8 — 10. It came to pass, when they had done circum- cising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wlierefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
THERE are, in the Scripture history, many im- portant incidents which we overlook, as not sup- posing them to be capable of any spiritual improve- ment. To those, indeed, which are directly typical, we pay attention, because they are illustrative of the Gospel : but if they command not our respect in that view, we rarely consider what great practical lessons may be derived from them for the regulation of our conduct. But if, in reading the Sacred Oracles, we were frequently to ask ourselves this question, What is the state of mind which is manifested in this or that action ? we should gain an insight into many truths which now utterly escape us ; and derive to our souls far greater benefit than we can readily imagine. Take, for instance, the conduct of Joshua on his entrance into Canaan. Doubtless it was novel and curious, and such as we should not have expected : but we little think what exceedingly rich instruction it is calculated to convey. To point out this, will be my endeavour at this time. Yet, in pointing it out, I have in view, not merely the elucidation of this par- ticular event, but a general suggestion as to the mode in which the Scripture history may be improved. Let us then consider,
I. The conduct of Joshua on his entrance into Ca- naan—
246.] Israel's first proceedings in canaan. 557
God had opened for him, and for all Israel, a pas- sage through Jordan, at a time when it overflowed all its banks; just as he had for Moses through the Red Sea, at the time of his departure from Egypt. Now, therefore,
What should we expect to be the conduct of Joshua ?
[Certainly, I apprehend, if he acted on principles which were common to all other Generals, when invading an enemy's country, he would either prosecute his advantage instantly, whilst all his enemies were filled with terror, and crush them before they had any time to concert measures for their defence ; or he would fortify his own camp, to prevent surprise, and pre- pare for carrying on his conquests by such a disposition of his army as his skill in war might suggest.]
But, what is the information given in our text ?
[Behold, instead of adopting any military plans whatever, the very day after he had invaded a country in which there were seven nations greater and mightier than his, he appointed every male in the whole nation, that had been born in the wil- derness, and consequently that was under forty years of age, to be circumcised. He did not even wait a day, to know what the effect of his invasion should be, or what efforts his enemies were making to repel it ; but by one act disabled the greater part of his whole army from even standing in their own defence. It may seem strange, that Moses, whose own life had been endangered by neglecting to circumcise his sona, should suffer the whole nation of Israel, who till the hour of their depar- ture from Egypt had observed the rite of circumcision, utterly to neglect it for forty years. Whence this neglect arose, we are not informed : but I conceive, that if in the first instance it arose from the unsettled state of the people till they came to Mount Horeb, and was permitted by Moses for about three months on that account, it was suffered afterwards by God as a just judgment on account of the worship paid to the golden calf, and because of the murmuring of the people at Kadesh- barnea when they were discouraged by the report of the spies who had searched out the land. On the former occasion, Moses brake the tables of the covenant, to shew that the cove- nant which God had made with them was dissolved ; and on the latter occasion, God sware that not a soul of those who had attained the age of twenty at the time of their departure from Egypt should ever enter into the promised land. Being thus disclaimed by God as his peculiar people, they were suffered