for sin ; and that we should give up ourselves to Christ, to be washed by his blood, and to be renewed by his Spirit. In order to further this work within us, he has prescribed means to be used by us both in public and in private : in public, we must attend on his ordinances ; because, as he is peculiarly honoured by them, so he is pleased to make them in a more especial manner the channels of his gracious communications to our souls : in private, we must read his blessed word, and meditate upon it, and pray over it ; and, through the influence of his Spirit, endeavour to mortify the whole body of sin. We are not to be questioning the use and efficacy of these means, but to use them in obedience to our God. True faith will not say, like Naaman, " Are not Abana and Pharpar better than all the waters of Israel ? and may I not wash in them and be clean''?" but it will go to Jordan, according to the direction given, and expect the blessing only in the use of those ordi- nances which God has prescribed.]
2. A confident expectation of the promised end —
[At the appointed time the Jewish army " shouted," not doubting but that they should see the predicted event accom- plished''. In all the instances of faith recorded in this chapter, this is a very prominent feature. Noah believed that he should be saved in the ark : and Abraham believed that Isaac should be restored to him even from the dead.
Thus it is at this day. Faith never questions either the power or veracity of God : it assures itself, that " he is faithful who has promised ;" and that what he has promised he is " able also to perform." It is not from the means that faith expects the end; hut from God, in and by the means. The adequacy of the means to the end comes not within its contemplation. If a posterity, innumerable as the stars of heaven, is promised to Abraham and Sarah, they consider not their own advanced age, but believe, that the promise, however improbable ac- cording to the course of nature, shall be fulfilled. Though the promise, after it was first given, was deferred for twenty years, they still hold fast their faith, and expect its accomplishment in due season. Thus shall we also, whatever difficulties may arise in our Christian course, expect a successful issue, assured, that '* none who come to God through Christ shall ever be cast out," and that " of those whom the Father has given to Christ, not one shall ever be plucked out of his hands." This is the very description which the Prophet Isaiah gives of faith as to be exercised under the Christian dispensation : " It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God ! we have waited for him, and he will save us : this is the Lord; we have waited
"^ 2 Kino's v. 12. c Josh. vi. 20.
2329.] WALLS OF JERICHO CAST DOWN BY FAITH. ^i^.'i
for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain (the Church) shall the hand of the Lord rest ; and Moab (the x^epresentative of all the Church's enemies) shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill : and he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim : (making the very resistance of his enemies the meajis of advancing his own glory :) and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands : and the fortress of the high fort of thy walls (be they even as strong as those of Jericho,) shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dusf^."]
In addition to the properties of faith, our text leads us to notice,