HOMILETICS. Yers. 10-15.-Joshua's command to the.people. I. ·wE MUST WORK WITH THE GRACE OF Gon. All these promises of God were not int.ended to supersede human effort. God had promised to be with Joshua, but J oslrna must act on the proll?se. He bad promised to plant the people in the Holy Land. hut not without exertion on their part. Where their own action was impos- sible, as in crossing the Jordan, He did all for them. When a sign of His presence with them was necessary, as at Jericho, He did likewise. Dut in the rest of their warfare He did but prosper their own endeavours. So we are both to pray and work, snYe in cases where to work is denied us, and then our weapon must be prayer alone. II. WE 1'EED PROVISION FOR THE WAY, Without meat we should "faint by the vrn:,." Bnt we liaYe "meat to eat" that the world "knows not of," even the flesh and blood of Christ. And this we must "prepare; " that is, we must take pains to obtain it. "This kind goetb not forth but by prayer and fasting," and by endein·onrs to se1~e Christ. Whether in the sacrament of His love, or in any other ·way in which He Youchsafes to impart His humanity to us, there needs on our part (1) an earnest petition for the gift ; (2) steady self-denial in our lives; (8) steadfast efforts to do His will. It is remarkable that the miraculous provision failed as soon as there was no more need for it. So exceptional provision for our spiritual needs is wiLhdrawn so soon as we find ourselves within reach of the means of grace. Tl.iese we must use with due diligence and forethought if we would derive benefit from them. • • III. WE FIGHT, NOT FOR OURSELVES A.LONE, BUT FOR OTHERS. The two tribes and a half had received their inheritance, yet they were not allowed to settle down in it. They had been solemnly bound to help their brethren. Nor may we Christians sit down in the exclusive possession of religious privileges, but must impart them to our brethren, whether (a) by nature, as the heathen, or (b) by grace, as in the case of Christians less favoured than ourselves. We cannot cease our labour till they are as well off as we. Thus the duty is incll.Illbent upon us of co-operating in every good work, where by the temporal or spiritual benefit of others is attained. IY. EACH HAS BIS APPOINTED TASK. As Christ gave to His disciples to set before the multitude (John Yi. 11, &c.), so Joshua" commands the officers" to "command the people." All are not apostles or prophets, but each has his proper office in God's Church. Some are set o,er the :Bock to guide and exhort them, while others ha,e to listen and carry out the voice of exhortation. They were to go up chamu- shim, in battle array (rnr. 14), with ,nn and rear, with wings and ce1:1tre, e!1ch in his appointed rank. And we, too, shall only throw the army of Jesus mto disorder if we fail to keep the place which God's providence has assigned us. V. So:1IE, BY THEIR POSITION, A.RE DENIED A PA.RT m THE GENERAL CONFLICT. As Christ forbade the demoniac to attach himself to His person, but bade him "go home to his friends" (St. Mark v. 19), so there are those, like the women and children here, whose work for Christ is the simple discharge of domestic duties, whom Christ has not called to any more public efforts in His cause.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Yers. I0-18.-Jo~hua and the Reubenites. The Reubenites arnl Gadites had already settled on the banks of the Jordan. They were at rest; they had not to a wait the ordeal of the conquest. A,; far as they were concerned, they had already receirnd the promise. And yet they were not to be allowed to remain in idleness, and in selfish enjoyment of their own good. They were not to forget their brethren. "Ye fihall pass 1,efore your brethren armed,'' said Joshua, "and help them." "And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do." Sucl.J was the response of these ,·aliant and true-hearted men. We have here an admirable illustration of the great bond of solidarity which makes all the people of God one, OH, I. 10-15.] THE BOOK OP JOSHUA, -------------------·---------------- -