CHAP. XXIII.

JOshua the Twenty Third, containeth General Joshua's calling a Parliament most pro∣bably to Shiloh, the usual place of such Solemn Assemblies, where Joshua made his Oration to the Elders, Heads, Judges and Officers of Israel, the Representatives both of Church and State, ver. 2. whose words being uttered at Shilo (the place of God's Resi∣dence on the Ark of his Presence) to this Grand Councel before the Lord, might more like∣ly have the greater influence on them.

The Remarks hereupon are,

First, This great Act of Parliament that passed at this time is expressed in Joshua's O∣ration, the Prologue whereof offers it self first to our prospect, wherein he prepares them for what he had to propound to this Parliament both from a consideration of his own Old Age, (which should have the more Authority with them) ver. 1 2. and then of God's Faithfulness in performing his Promise, saying, [The Lord hath done much already for you, and he will still do more if ye keep Covenant with him, and Rebel not against him,] ver. 3, 4, 5. Thus this good Man's Grace, like good Liquor ran fresh to the bottom, though Old Age disenabled him from any farther Conquering, yet was he still Vigorous and Vivacious enough for Counselling; saying to them with Old Augustus,

If Old Men heard me while I was young, much more must Young Men hear me when I am Old; as the Emperour settled his Mutineers hereby, so Joshua by this Argument and his Counsel, set Israel in a way both how to keep what they had got, and to gain in time also those Lands yet Unconquered, and he Intituleth the Lord of Hosts unto all his Conquests (as David did after him) intimating thereby, that Israel must be dutiful to God, as God had been merciful to them, and not Receive much, yet Return but little, this is to buy with a large Bushel, but sell with a small one, which, Solomon saith, is Abomi∣nable, Prov. 11.1. and 20.10.

The Second Remark is, Joshua's Proposal to this Parliament in two Branches.

First, What Israel must observe to do; namely, they must keep tight to the Law of Moses, without declining from it either to the Right hand or to the left, ver. 6. and they must cleave unto the Lord, ver. 8. that he might cleave unto them, and they must like∣wise watch over their own wicked hearts, ver. 11. Seeing their Temptations were now more and stronger in Canaan than they had been in the Wilderness. Then

Secondly, What Israel must avoid to do; namely, they must not hold any Commerce with the cursed Idolatrous Canaanites, ver. 7. to wit, in any familiar Conversing among them, much less in any Contracting of Marriages with them, because Sin is as catching and as Contagious as the Plague; but most of all must they avoid their Idols, and not so much as Name them) as David saith, Psal. 16.4.) with their Mouths, for that would cause their Minds to think they were something, when the Apostle saith [an Idol is nothing] 1 Cor. 8.4. Intimating by all these various Cautions, how likely their Persons would be brought even by insensible steps to the Worship of their Idols.

The Third Remark is, Joshua's pressing his Proposition home, by backing it with two Cogent Arguments drawn from the two Topicks of profitable is the one, and perilous is the other.

First, His Argument ab Utili, is his reminding them of God's Promise to give them a compleat Conquest of Canaan, whereof their conquering of great and Strong Nations already was a good Pawn and Pledge that they should assuredly Conquer those Nume∣rous Nations, yet Unconquered, if they hindered not their own Happiness by breach of Covenant and by back-sliding from God, ver. 9, 10.

Page  55 Secondly, His Argument à periculoso, as the former, being a promise of larger Victo∣ries, had great profit in it for enlarging their present Lots, whereof some of them com∣plain'd that they were too narrow, Josh. 17.14, &c. So this Latter, being a Threatning of most direful Evils in case of their Commerce and Converse with the Canaanites, had great peril in it. For,

1. He Threatneth them, that they will be Snares and Traps to you, ver. 12, 13. Inti∣mating, that as the Fowler catcheth Wild Birds, and the Hunter Wild Beasts in their Snares and Traps, so those Canaanites will catch you in their Commerce with you, and draw you to participate both of their Sins and of their Plagues, as Numb. 25.1.2.18. And,

2. If they cannot draw you by their Alurements, they will drive you by their Vexations, they will lash your Sides with Scourges and prick your Eyes with Thorns, as Moses had threatened them, long before Joshua did here, Numb. 33.55. Exod. 23.33. and Deut. 7.16. all Importing this one Truth, That if the Jebusites were spared by them, and allowed Indulgence among them, they would certainly prove most Notorious Mischiefs to them. N. B. The same must be said of the Jesuites, who are no less Mischievous to all Christian Countries than the Jebusites, where they are Harboured by Authority at this Day, &c. And

3. Joshua threatens them with an utter loss of their New-Conquered Land, at the last, saying, those Jebusites, if permitted, will not only push you forward (as with Whip and Spur) into their ways of Wickedness, but also will make God your Adversary for the sins they seduce you into, and then the Land shall Spew you out, as it had done the Wicked Inhabitants before you. No doubt but this last branch of the Di∣vine Threatning went like a Dagger to their Hearts, when they reflected upon their Hardships in Egypt, their Wants and Wandrings in the Wilderness, their Weariness in Conquering of Canaan, and now hear of a new Exile, and must be Banish'd again out of this Fruitful Land, when they were but beginning to taste the sweetness of it, now they must be put to wander again, and yet not know whither, &c.

The Fourth and last Remark upon this Chapter is, The Summing up of this Sessi∣on of Parliament, ver. 14, 15, 16. wherein Joshua concludes the Convention, and his Oration to it with a smart Epilogue, telling them,

First, That himself was going the way of all the Earth,] ver. 14. the way which all Men are appointed to go, Hebr. 9.27. So 1 Kings 2.2. N. B. Let the Words of a Dying Man (that speaks from former experience, with most Simplicity, and without all sinster ends) be as Living Oracles in your Hearts. As Peter saith, 2 Pet. 1.13. the last Words are the best, and make most impression.

Secondly, He Recognizes to them, how God had been Faithful in fulfilling his Promises to a Tittle to them, ver. 15. For though some part of Canaan, was not yet Conquer'd, yet God had not promised to give the Land all at once, but by little and little, Deut. 7.22. as was most convenient for them. N. B. Thus God makes not his Promises good too soon to us (which is four our good) though not so soon as we list, or do wish.

Thirdly, He lets them know God would as surely fulfil his Threatnings, as he had done his Promises, seeing both of them were bottom'd upon the same Faithfulness of God.

Thus Joshua appeareth as good an Oratour, as he was a Warriour; using according to the Rules of Oratory. Mild Expressions in his Prologue, but piercing Passages in his Epilogue, well knowing that sweet and sowre make the best Sauce; Promises and Me∣naces mixed, keep Man's Heart in the best Temper.