The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 392

heed." &C'. The rurpo~e of most addresses is to strike a note of warning, to put men on the alert to guard against some danger. Oux sleepy senses get so steeped in forg-elfnlness tluit there is constant need of the pealiup: alnrrn, "Tnke heed I " I. THE DIPORTANCE OF THE CAUTION. (1) It directs attention to the cenfre and s11b.,ta11re of religion. Onr Saviour endorsed "Thon shalt love the Lord thy God" as "the first and great commandment." His condemnation of the Jews wns ex- pressed. " I know ~-on thn.t ye have not the loYe of God in you." 'l'lte first sin consisted in a tnrning away from God in consequence of the tempter's insinuation that want or lo,c was the moti,·e of the seemingly harsh prohibition. Hence the incarnation nnd crncifixion were the stupendous exhibition of Divine love intencl,ed to r<'gnin the Joye of man. Affection alone can secure ready and earnest aud con- stant ohedience. •· Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of !if,,_·, LoYe becomes "the fulfilling of the law.'' It is the mainspring of a godly life. the fountain whence flow streams of holy activity. St1iking is it to observe how Jo,-e is demanded and insisted on even under the old dispensation. The law- giwr knew that the sternest threats and seYerest penalties could not ensure com- pliance with the commands of the Almighty, unless love were enthroned in the heart as the ruling passion of t.he life. All the .attributeg of God require corre- spon,ling recognition on the part of His creatures; and love as His chief, all- emhracing excellence challenges our love in response, and we are guilty if we withhold it. (2) It;$ highly necessa1·y on account of man's nature amd aurround- i11gs. He is engTossed by the senses and their gratifications, and is averse to what is spiritual. To worship God requires an effort of the mind, e.n abstre.ction from thin,::s carnal. The spirituality of the Divine nature was a source of difficulty to the Israelites. Even thongh they had seen the cloud; the fire, the Shechinah, they wanted to set up idols, visible images ever present. And as many of the miraculous elements had diEappen.red, there was the greater tendency to forgetfulness of Jehovah. To-day men urge, "How can we love a Being whom we have never seen ? " His laws appee.r in many instances stringent, and to obey is painful. E,ide:t!ces of thonghtful, loving design seem rebutted by contrary appears.noes of disharmony a.nd wrath. It is acknowledged to be difficult to hush the voice of passion. and to hear the " still small voice " that betokens the presence of God. The difficulty is increased by our surroundings. If Israel had been alone upon the earth, it might have maintained intact the worship of the true God. But, encircled by idolatrous tribes and abominable practices, there was constant liabilitv to mix with the evil and catch its infection (see vers. 7, 8). Our position is strictly analogous. We are " in the world," and daily brought into contact with those who make self their aim and treat pure religion with contempt. Easily may the con- ' tagion spread. The smoke of the city obscures the heavens, and amidst its din the tones of the angels fall but faintly on the ear. If this applies to believers who know and serve God, how mighty the barriers that interpose between Him and His "prodigal" sons! What dire need of sounding aloud the caution that they m11,y speedily "come to themselves," and return to their Father I (3) History confirma the necessity of attending to the caution. J osbua. well knew bow frequently the Israelites had already become estranged from God. Many were the mementos C?f rebellion left in the wilderness, many the stones which bore the traces of the!l' srnmbling. Thus reasoning bad its conclusions ve1ified by experience. And which uf us has not memorials of folly? If a pillar marked each scene where was. dis· played absence of regard for our Maker, bow thronged with such. tokens would be the route by which we have travelled. Call up the remembrance of the acts of childhood and youth and manhood. Each sin was a step upon the path of enmity against God, for it evinced a liking for that which is displeasing to Him. His mercy checked us from utter aberration. The warning of Joshua was proved necessary by the actual event. Standing on the mountain-top, be thence BIJ!,'• Yeyed both the past and the future. In spite of the special covenant recorde~ lll tbe following chapter, tbe Israelites ceased to love the Lord, and lapsed mto idolatry and licentiousness. "'ould that no similar case could be pointed to 8.lllongst those who haYe been professing Christians I Of how many may it be said, on, xxm. 1-16.] THE BOOR'. OF ,JOSHUA. 343