The Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassites, had re- ceived their portion on the other side of Jordan on the express condition, that a just proportion of their tribes should pass over Jordan to fight in concert with the other tribes, and not return unto their in- heritance till the whole land should be subdued. This they had done ; and now that they were about to be disbanded, Joshua acknowledges to their honour, that " they had kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded them, and had obeyed his voice also in all that he had commanded them." But whilst he commends them for their fidelity to him, he endeavours to impress upon their minds a sense of duty and allegiance to God ; and enjoins them to " take diligent heed to serve the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul."
From this parting exhortation we are led to re- mark,
I. That a progress in holiness is above all things
to be desired —
[Had Joshua merely judged it proper to insert an admo- nition relative to their religious duties, one or two expressions would have sufficed: but from the multitude of expressions used in the text, we see of what unspeakable importance he considered religion to be to every child of man. He not only mentions the subject first in general terms, that " they should do the commandment and the law," but enters particularly into it : they must have, as the principle of their obedience, the love of God: the extent of it must be to all God's ways: and, as to the manner of it, they must cleave to him with an unalterable determination of their wills, and the most ardent
exercise of their affections This is holiness; but nothing
short of it will suffice. We do not say that the Christian must be perfect : for where should we then find a Christian? but he must aim at perfection, and be continually pressing forwards for the attainment of it. This was the great object of Joshua's solicitude both for himself and his soldiers : this was the great end for which o\ir Lord Jesus Christ died upon the cross, even " to purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works:" and this must be the one object for which we should desire to live.]
II. That, whatever progress any person may have
made, he still needs to hear words of counsel and exhortation —