honour of God." We me.y learn hence that Ver. 6.-Banctlfy yourselves. The Hith- irre.erent familiarity with se.crcd things is pahel, which is used here, is frequently used not the best way to obtain guide.nee in the of ceremonial purification, as in Exod. xix, way in which God would he.Ye us walk. 22; 1 Chron. xY. 12, 14; 2 Cbron. v. 11; "What awfull respects doth God require to and especially 2 Sam. xi. 4. It is also con- be gfren unto the testimony of His presence? nected with purification, but ironically, in Uzzah paid deare for touching it; the men Isa. lxYi. 17. To-morrow. These words of Bethshemesh for looking into it. It is a were uttered while a.Ii was in preparation. dangerous thing to bee too bold with the We learn from vcr. 7, though it ia not ex- ordinances of God•· (Bp. He.ll). "Neither pressly stated, that the actual crossing took was it one)y for reverence that the e.rke must place the next day, We ought, probably, to be wayted "on afarre, but for convenience" place this verse in a parenthesis, and to (fl,id.). "The work of ministers is to boll! translate "Joshua had ea.id," because the forth the word of life, and to take co.re of the sanctification (see Exod. xix. 10, 14) in- administration of those ordinances which volved some definite period. Knobel, how- are the tokens of God's presence and the ever, assumes, as usual, that there is at instruments of His power and grace, and least e. faulty arrangement here. Wonders, herein they must go before the people of God in their way to heaven" (Matthew or rather, miracles, from ~~!;I to separate, Henry in lac.). (Cf. Num. iv.19, 20; 1 Sam. distinguish. They were, therefore, acts dis- Ti. 19; 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7; also Exod. xix. 21.) tinguished from the ordinary course of God's The original here is more emphatic than the providence. We may observe that, while translation. "Only there shall be a dis- among the Ce.ne.anites all was terror and tance (LXX. µa"pav forw) between you and confusion, in the camp of J osh°(I' all was it." Ye have not pe.ssed this way hereto- confidence and faith. " Either succeese or 1ore. Literally, ye have not crossed since discomfiture begins ever at the heart. A yesterday, the third day. Pe.ulns would man's inward disposition doth more than translate this "lately," and thna get rid of presage the event. If Satan see us once the miracle, regarding it e.s an intimation faint, be gives himselfe the day. There is that they were crossing e.t one of the fords. no way to safety, but that our hearts be the But they had not crossed the Jordan at all last that shall yield" (Bp. Hall). before. Consequently the translation lately Ver. 6.-Aild Joshua spake. We return is inadmiss-ible. And even if they had been now to the ordinary course of the narrative, crossing Jordan by one of the fords, there To the priests. This was because the occa- is, as we have seen, a wide difference be- sion was an extraordine,ry one. On ordi- tween crossing e.t the ford in ordinary times nary occasions this was the duty of the and crossing it when Jordan had overflowed Kobathites (Num. iv.1"). And went before its banks. This is a fair sample of the criti- the people. The people were to " follow the cism which seeks to explain away miracles, priests as far as they carried the ark, but no as well as finds discrepancies where there further; so we must follow our ministers only are none. as they follow Christ" (Matthew Henry).
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-6.-The command to cross Jord(J/1'/,, We have here a chapter replete with instruction, whether we take the words in their natural and literal or in their figurative and allegorical sense. The instruction is of a kind which it is difficult to gather up into one point of view, so various and many-sided is it. It will be best, therefore, to follow the e,ents of the narrative seriatim, and endeavour to notice the various points which may be observed for instruction and exhortation, rather than to gather up the whole into the materials for one or two sepu.rate discourses. We may therefore obser\'e- I. THAT JOSHUA WAS AN EXAMPLE OF DILIGENCE AND PROMPTITUDE, Thie is urged upon us in matters (1) of this world; (2) of the soul. The maxim (1) u.s regards the affairs of this world, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," has been exemplified in the history of God's servants in all ages. They have not been wont to let the grass grow under their feet. "Not slothful in busi- ness," is the precept of St. Paul, and he laboured energetically at his craft while.lie preachi,d the gospel When we have a work to do, it is our duty to do it, and not to take our rest till it is done. Procrastination is not only foolish, it is wrong. on. m.1-6.] THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 45