Canaan did not supersede the necessity of their exertions, nor did the efforts they used prevent it from being a gift. They knew that it was a gift ; and that very consideration encouraged them to fight for it ; and they laboured cheerfully, because they " knew that their labour would not be in vain in the Lord." Thus then it must be with us. " The covenant whereby hea- ven is made over to us, is ordered in all things and sure :" yet we must "fight the good fight of faith" and " quit ourselves like men," if ever we would enjoy any one of its blessings. It is "to those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, that eternal life will be given1:" nor is there one single hour on this side eternity when we are at liberty to put off our armour : we must " be faithful unto death, if ever we would obtain the crown of life." The will of God is made known to us : every assistance is offered for the performance of it : in obeying it we must find our pre- sent happiness, and ensure that which is to come. Tins order of things is absolutely irreversible : " we have need of patience therefore, that, after ive have done the will of God, we may receive the promise"."]
3. The enjoyment —
[This, though long delayed, they attained at last; and doubtless considered themselves as well repaid for all their labours. But what was their rest in comparison of that which God has reserved for us? Of ours David speaks, when he repre- sents God as swearing that the impenitent and unbelieving shall never enter into it : and in the Epistle to the Hebrews, this declaration of David's is brought to prove, that there must be some other, and better, rest than ever was enjoyed in this world. The rest which Joshua promised and gave to Israel in the land of Canaan, was only a type and shadow of that which God has prepared for us : "If Joshua had given them rest," says the Apostle, " David would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of Godx." Now here the whole parallelism which we have illustrated, is marked by God himself. Their Captain has the very same name with ours, and was a most illustrious type of him : and the rest of Canaan which he gave them after all their conflicts, was a distinguished type of heaven ; to the everlast- ing possession of which we shall be advanced, when, under the direction, and by the aid of Jesus, we have subdued our spiri- tual enemies. Then all difficulties, temptations, trials, conflicts, will be for ever banished ; and rest in the bosom of our God will be our everlasting portion.]
* Rom. ii. 7. u Heb. x. 36.
x Heb. iv. 7 — 9. In ver. 8 the name " Jesus " should be trans- lated " Joshua." Thev are both the same word in the Greek.