in the universe should not fear the conflict, nor the weakest hesitate to put forth his strength. Go on then without fear ; and " ye shall never fall, but so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ1."]
4. How richly heaven will compensate for all your labours —
[What was Canaan, in comparison of the rest that is above ? It is no uncommon thing for the ungodly to find fault with the Lord's people as too strict, and to dissuade them from the exercise of so much zeal in the cause of Christ : but what would they think, if, like Paul, they were caught up to the third heavens, and beheld for a single hour those blest abodes ? Would they think us then too much in earnest? Would they not rather stand amazed at the lukewarmness of those, whom they now condemn as "righteous overmuch? " They themselves cannot but feel the full force of this appeal: much more must you who are engaged in the service of the Lord, be well con- vinced, that " it is good to be zealously affected always in a good cause." To you therefore we say, as the spies did to the neglectful Danites, " We have seen the land, and behold, it is very good: and are ye still? Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the landV]
* 2 Pet. i. 10, 11. k Judg. xviii. 9.
Josh. xxii. 4, 5. Now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the ser- vant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan. But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his com- mandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and ivith all your soul.
THE duties of soldiers and of their commanders are well illustrated in this passage. The soldier's chief excellence is a prompt, steady, persevering, uniform obedience to the commands of his superiors, without regarding any difficulties, any dangers, any sacrifices : and amongst the chief excellencies of a commander is an attention to the spiritual and eter- nal interests of those who are under his authority.