The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 365

test their strength, the pledged word and omnipotence of God, nnd all yom· frigilt 'lvill Yanish. (4) It ,'s eve?· seasonable to recoi·d with gratitude the fulfilment of G?d's promius. If we only acted upon tilis statement in proportion to Olll' con- sc1011sness nf its trutil, there would oftene1· issue from our complaining lips o. burst of thnnksgi,;ng. The declaration of tile text was reiterated by Joshua. iu ilis ~olemn charge to the people (xxiii. 14), and a similar testimony wo.s borne by SoloU1011 at tile dedication nf tile temple (1 Kings viii. 66). What monuments were constructed and institutions established in order to commemorate the faith- fulness of Jeilovnh I And we to wilom "the fulness of the time" is come, ould surely tune om harps to louder, noble1· anth6ms, by reason of tile more excellent gifts poured upon us from the treasury of Infinite Love, in accordance with His prophecies. '' Praise om God all ye people! '' His glory and our welfare concu1· in demanding this ti;bute of gratitude. Tms SUBJECT RAISES OUR THOUGHT TO HEAVEN, as the place to whicil perfect rest and enjoyment of our iniler:itance are reserved. We ilave here "the spirit of promise as tile earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of Olll' purchased possession.'' ThiR is the niorning twilight, that the noon; this the portico, that, the inner palace ; this the foretaste, tilat the banquet ; this the iype, that the reality. Here " we groan being burdened," tilere we ilave tile ilouse eternal, tile body that is the out-flashing glory of the spirit. Here we slake our thirst and appease our hunger, and soon we crave again; there "they hunger no more, neither thirst any more," for the Lamb doth feed them, and lead them to living fountains of water. Here we revive under the physician's touch, and fall ill again; there the inhabitants never have to say," I e.m sick."-A. Yer. 45.-God's faithfulness. This cannot mean that the Divine plan in refer- ence to Israel's possession of the land was now in all respects completely fulfilled. The Canaanite still dwelt in certain parts of it, and was never really cast out. But in the main the work was done. The country, as a whole, was subdued, and the invaders no longer had any formidable opposition to contend with. Moreover, God's part in the work wa.s fully accomplished. Whatever partial failure there may have been was due to Israel's faithlessness and weakness. There was no failure in God. He had been inflexibly true to Hie purpose. His word had not been broken. "There failed not ought," &c. The absolute fidelity of God to His pUIJlOses and promises is our theme. Let us take a broad view of it. I. THE GENERAL CONSTITUTION AND ORDE¾_0F THE UNIVERSE ILLUSTRATES THE Drrn.,: FAITHFULNESS. The universe of being lS but an embodiment ot the thought cf God. A Divine purpose governs every part of it. His laws are not only expres- Eions of His will, but e.re of the nature of pledges and promises, and no law is ever frustrated, no promise ever broken. They partake of the eternal steadfastness of His essential Being. "They ste.nd fast for ever and ever, and e.re done in truth and nprightness." (1) It u so in the material realm. Physical laws are simply the inlpress of the eternal mind on matter and the method by which tho.t Mind sees fit to mould and govern it. The " course of nature" is but a continual unfolding of the steadfast tilought and purpose of God. The world passed througll many struc- tural changes before it was trodden by the foot of man, and has passed through many since, but the laws that govern it have been the same from the beginning. Ages pass before those laws are ilisMvered, but they existed of old, Great liberty of action is given to man within t.Le uatural order, but he cannot change it in one iota. It is a rock against which the waves of his self-will and vain ambition only dash themselves in pieces-so beneficent and yet so terrible in its inflexibility ; rewarding his trust, yet rebuking his presumption ; inflicting on his ignorance and feebleness so severe a penalty, ann yet guarding and befriending it. Our place in this great system of things is that of learners. Olll· highest science and skill are but a feeble answer to its truth and certainty. Life proceeds on the principle of trast in the constancy of nature, which is but another name for the faithfulness of God. (21 It u so in the moral sphere. The material order is but the shadow nod re&ction of the moral, Moral laws belong to a world not of shadows e.Jld appear• OIi. XXI, 1-45.) THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, 313