A briefe exposition of such chapters of the olde testament as vsually are redde in the church at common praier on the Sondayes set forth for the better helpe and instruction of the vnlearned. By Thomas Cooper Bishop of Lincolne.

The Exposition vpon the firste Chapter of Iosuah.

After the death of Moyses the seruant of the Lorde,* 1.1 it came to passe. &c.

THe fyrste Chapiter of the Booke of Iosuah conteyneth three parts. First, the Calling & Comforting of Iosuah: secondly, the accepting of the Charge by Iosuah, and thirdely, the Submission of the people vnto his gouernement.

After what manner God spake to Iosuah

at this tyme, it is not in the Scripture expres∣sed: whether it were by inwarde inspiration, or by vision, or by the ministerie of an Angell, or some good man. Only we haue to vnderstand, that the wordes here vttered to Iosuah, procee∣ded from God, and from hys authoritie, and teache vs these good lessons.

Firste, that Moyses the good seruant of God dyed, and went the common waye of all fleshe, and therfore that we,* 1.2 that folow, may not looke for any * perpetuitie or long continuance in this life, but must loke and * long alway for the bles∣sednesse and Happie estate of the Lyfe to come, where Death shall * ende his kingdome bothe of Soule and Bodie.* 1.3 Secondly, wee are in∣structed, what to iudge of Moyses, after his death, and by him of all other the Saintes of God, that is, to Iudge thē the good seruāts of God, and the blessed Ministers of his vnesti∣mable Benefites towarde Mankinde: but yet not so, that wee make them Gods by worship∣ping of them, by putting trust and confidence in them, and by calling on them in the time of our distresse.* 1.4 For those pointes of * honor belongeth to God alone, & can not be giuen to other with∣out manifest perill of Idolatrie. And therefore it may be thought, that the prouidence of God did hide and keepe secrete the bodie of Moyses from the Ievves,* 1.5 Deut. 34. that they myghte not haue that occasion to abuse it to Idolatrie.

Thirdly, wee haue to obserue by the exam∣ple

of Moyses, that albeit God sometyme doth punish good mē temporally for offences cōmit∣ted, yet he doth not perpetually reiect them, but after their death acknowledgeth thē for his ser∣uants,* 1.6 as he did here call Moyses, notwithstan∣ding that for his mistrust at y^e * Waters of strife, he did cut him off frō enioying y^t lād of promise.

Fourthly, lette vs learne, That when good Princes or Magistrates be taken away, that it is in the hand of God to * place others,* 1.7 and that his diuine Prouidence hath singular care ther∣of: as we may vnderstand, as wel by this place as by a number of other examples in the scrip∣tures. God punished Nabuchadnezer.* 1.8 Daniel. 4. Vntill he vnderstode that the moste high ruled in the kingdom of men, and gaue it to vvhō he lusted.

All the places that the soales of youre feete shall treade vpon.* 1.9 &c.

In this place, the Lord as it were, boūdeth out that land & countrey, that by his promise he gaue to the seede and issue of Abraham. On the East part, vnto the great riuer Euphrates, vnto which the bounds of the dominion of the Ievves were extended vnder Dauid, and Salomon, and not before. On the West, with the great Sea, that is, the middle Sea, whiche is here called Great, in comparison of those pooles, which in the Hebrue tongue are called Seas, as the Sea of Tyberias, On the Northe, with Mounte Liba∣nus, On the Southe, wyth the Desertes of

Arabia, and the Countrie of Aegypte. In these bounds is cōteined the whole land of Chanaan.

There shal not a man be hable to with∣stand thee all the dayes of thy life.* 1.10 &c.

Forsomuche as Iosuah might iustely be a∣bashed to take vpon him that Charge, and go∣uernement, whiche besides the way wardnesse of the people, was ioyned with so greate Diffi∣cultie and * danger,* 1.11 it pleaseth God in this place to Comfort and strengthen hym with the assu∣red* promise of his assistāce,* 1.12 and good Successe in his doings against all his enimies whatsoe∣uer they be. Out of which words al good Prin∣ces, Magistrates, & Officers, may gather sin∣gular instruction of comfort, to Animate them against the difficulties & troublous Storms of their charge, which are such, as oftētimes hath caused euē Heathen persons rather to desire to liue a Priuate life, than to abide the hazard and daunger thereof. And surely, there is no State of men that needeth so greate comforte of the Prouidence and care of Almightie GOD for them, as Princes and Magistrates do. Their office is not only to * Establish and Spread the true Religion and worshipping of God,* 1.13 but also to * represse the contrarie. To make and defende good lawes agaynst all kynde of enor∣mities. To iudge iustly, and to defende the cause of the poore and innocente, againste the violence and iniurie of the oppressoure. Yea

and oftentimes to leuie warre either againste the * foraine enemies,* 1.14 or to represse wicked and rebellious * subiectes, which things if they doe faithfully and diligentlye, it cannot be but they shall cast themselues into so great perils & daun∣gers, as will greatly abashe and trouble them, if by this place and suche other they doe not * con∣ceaue an assured trust in the helpe and assistaunce of God,* 1.15 whose Magistrates and Officers they be. For this cause doth God so oftē repeate here vn∣to Iosue, that he should be Strong, and Stoute, and Bolde, and of good Courage, for that he vvould be vvith him, and not faile him in anie distresse. &c.

Onlie be thou strong,* 1.16 and of a stoute cou∣rage, that thou mayest obserue. &c.

Aboue all things God will haue a Prince or Magistrate to be constante, earnest, and of stoute courage in the obseruation and maintenance of his holy lawe, and so to cleaue to his word, that he depart not from it, Either on the right hand, by adding Superstitious holines vnto it, Either on the lefte hande, by Altering or Diminishyng any thing therin conteined. For this cause doth he so straitely charge Iosua in thys place to bende his studie especially to his lawe, and to occupie his minde therin both daye and nighte. By whych wordes their * wicked errour is reproued,* 1.17 which bothe dehorte Princes from the Study of the Scriptures, as a thyng not fitte for them, and

also pull from them the charge to see vnto the Maintenance of true Religion and Holinesse, as a matter that litle belongeth to their office. But God here doth not onely require it of Iosue, but also addeth a promyse, that So he shall doe vvise∣lie, in all that he taketh in hand, and make his vvaies and doyngs prosperous.

Then Iosuah commaunded the Officers of the people,* 1.18 saying. &c.

This is the second part of the chapiter, wher∣in Iosuah vndertaketh the office, and sheweth example of his Faith and Obedience to the cal∣ling of almightie God. For albeit there mighte appeare many things in sighte of the worlde to deterre him from it, yet, because he had the cal∣ling of God and the promise of his assistaunce, he cleaueth to that, and is not driuen backe wyth the apparance of anye worldlye daunger like to fall vnto him. Vpon this Pillar ought all good Princes to staye themselues in their calling, and in doyng anie thing that apperteineth to their office. Iosuah putteth the people also in mind of their duetie, and appoynteth them in good order and Policie what to doe.

Wherin Magistrates also haue to learne, that al∣thoughe their chiefe staie and comforte be in the prouidence & promise of God, whose Ministers they are: yet they may not neglect suche lawfull and Politique meanes in doyng of things, as by

the which God commōly vseth to giue Salftie, Successe, & Victorie to his people. For, to neg∣lecte ordinarie meanes, so long as a man maye haue them & vse them, is rather to tempt God, than truelie to put confidence and trust in him.

The Rubenites and Gadites Iosuah appointeth to goe before their brethren, bicause they had their possession assigned them on that side of Ior∣dane, and forsomuche as they had that prehemi∣nence, first to know their portion of the lande of Promise, it might seeme good reason, that they did abide the greater burden vntill their brethrē also were settled in their places, that shoulde be allotted vnto them. And so the Rubenites and Ga∣dites did promise to Moyses. Num. 32. by reading of whiche place,* 1.19 this wil be the better vnder∣standed.

And they answered Iosuah saying,* 1.20 All that thou hast commaunded vs. &c.

In this thirde parte of the chapiter the peo∣ple shewe their obedience vnto that Prince and leader, that was by God appointed vnto them: All things, saye they, That thou hast commaunded vs, vve will doe. Whereby we maye learne an ex∣ample of obedience to Magistrates, & not onely of obedience, but also of carefull loue toward them. For that it was that here moued the people to praye for Iosuah, saying, The Lorde thy God be vvith thee, as he vvas vvith Moyses.

Whereby we are taught also to pray to God for the good estate of oure Princes, that we maye quietlye liue vnder them,* 1.21 as S. Paule saith, in ho∣nestie and godlines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verse. 1. 2.
• * 1.2

  Psa. 88. g. 47 Job. 10. d. 20 Phil. 1. d. 23.
• * 1.3

  1. Co. 15. g. 54
• * 1.4

  Esai. 42. b. 8.
• * 1.5

  Deu. 34. b. 6
• * 1.6

  Nu. 20. b. 12 Nu. 27. c. 14 Deu. 1. f. 37.
• * 1.7

  Eccle. 10. a. 4
• * 1.8

  Dan. 4. g. 34
• * 1.9

  Verse. 3. 4.
• * 1.10

  Verse. 5. 6.
• * 1.11

  Exo. 17. b. 4
• * 1.12

  Heb. 13. a. 5.
• * 1.13

  4. Re. 23. a. 3. 4. re. 22. b. 13 1. Re. 23. a. 4. Jere. 22. a. 3.
• * 1.14

  2. Sa. 10. b. 12 2. reg. 20. a. 6
• * 1.15

  Psa. 118.. 50. 2. reg. 22. a. 1.
• * 1.16

  Verse. 7. 8.
• * 1.17

  Psa. 118. 24. 92. 104.
• * 1.18

  Verse. 10. 11.
• * 1.19

  Nu. 32. f. 31.
• * 1.20

  Verse. 16. 17. 18.
• * 1.21

  1. Tim. 2. b. 2