HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 14.-Sin discovered, This leads us to remark that- I. En:1tY SIN IS KNOWN TO Gem. Joshua was ignorant that Achan had secreted spoil, but the searching glances of God reached further than the most watchful o,·ersight of the leader. As afterwards, when the disciples did not suspect the character and intents of Judas, the Lord discerned the sinister purposes of his heart. The omniscience and omnipresence of the Almighty have been strangely disregarded eYen by His own sen·ants. Witness the curious flight of Jonah, as if he could really" flee from the presence of the Lord." "I know thy works" is the heading to the practical address in nearly each of the seven letters to the Churches of Asia. "Thou God seest me." II. Sm RE,EALED BY FAILURE IN AN UNDERTAKING, The overthrow of Jericho inspired the Israelites with such confidence that they disdained to employ all their forces in assaulting Ai. To their surprise, their attack was repulsed with loss. The greater the prenous secmity, the more intense the subsequent alarm. They were unconscious of the presence of a traitor in the camp. The theft of Acban was a stronger opponent than the men of the city. Sin destroys our power. As one bas quaintly observed, " In running a race, an inward pain hinders more than if a dozen men jostled you." When men have taken cold, they immediately reflect where they could ha,e been exposed to draught, and non-success in any enterprise causes us to inquire, ·what have we done amiss? Trouble leads us to scrutinise our past life, conscience accuses of sins which have deserved, if they have not actually drawn upon us, this proof of Divine displeasure. Self-examination is healthful if not carried to excessive lengths; it may produce " carefulness, clearing of ourselves," &c. (2 Cor. ,ii. 11). The effect of sin is not confined to the particular guilty member. Sin taints the community, or often involves it in its suffering. As a drop of ink discolours a whole glass of water, so thousands of innocent persons may be affected by the neighbourhood of one sinner. This concerns us individually, for if one limb offends, the body is defiled; and collectively, as members of Churches, and as belonging to a nation. III. THE OFFENCE MADE KNOWN IN ANSWER TO PRAYER. Deep was Joshua's solicitude. V.'ith the elders of Israel be rent his clothes and fell prostrate before the ark all day. To a lover of God, the belief that His favour is withdrawn is the most overwhelming sorrow. Nor is the grief merely selfish in its origin. Joshua lamented the dishonour which would be affixed to the glorious name of Jehovah when the news of Israel's defeat was bruited abroad. Prayer is the believer's un- failing resource. Receiving any wofql tidings, he" spreads the letter," like Hezekiah, before the Lord. He ventures to plead, to expostulate, to argue. And the answer surely arrives though it appear long to tarry. In this narrative we tlnd J osbua reproved for imaginjng that God would arbitrarily desert His people. He mig~t have known that something was wrong in the conduct of the nation, and his inquiry should have been, ·wherein have we offended? We must not at once rush to the conclusion that the events which befal us are "judgments," for when we think God's smile is absent, it may be that the clouds of our marshy land inter- rupt the heavenly rays. Nevertheless the advice of the preceding paragraph holds good, and the rebuke administered to Joshua may be often seasonably applied to ourselves. IY. THE OFFENDER MANIFESTED. The drawing of a lot was the means resorted CH, VII, 16-1!6.] THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 125
to on a.ll importitnt occitsions for !tppointment to positions of honour or shame. Picture the gracluitl contritction of the circle of fire till it enwritpped only "the troubler of Isro.el," and he stood before all the people as the cause of a national disgro.cs. The slow a.nd sta.tely discovery, as well as the proceedings of the day before, afforded time to the criminal to reveal himself, if he would. What must hitve been his feelings as he saw detection drawing nearer and nearer till it pointed its finger to his breast, saying, "'fhou art the man I " The method of manifestn.tion a,lso afforded time for the spectators to be thoroughly aroused, so that they might appreciate more deeply the awfulness of the sin committed, and be ready with one shout to inflict the penalty clue thereto. Goel may advance slowly, but His step ie sure. Delay is no presumption of final impunity. V. We see lastly, THE FOLLY OF SIN, Achan "wrought folly in Israel" (ver. 15). The word means stupidity-as Abigail uncomplimentarily remarked of her husband, "Nabal is his name and folly is with him." Sin is certain of detection. Known to the Almighty, He often brings it into the light of clay here, and will surely manifest it hereafter. Sin imperils real, enduring bliss for the sake of transitory gratifications. A little pleasure, and severest pain; for brief fame, lasting infamy; for temporary wealth, eternal loss.-A
EXPOSITION.