CHAP. VII.
JOshua the seventh contains an Account of Achan's Sacrliedge, described in three parts. (1.) How it was Committed, vers. 1. (2.) How it was Detected, vers. 2. to 23. (3.) How it was Punished, vers. 24.25, 26.
The first Part affords these Remarks.
The First Remark is, That the Sin of one Man, or of a few Men may be attributed to the whole Congregation: [The Children of Israel are said to have sinned] when one Man only had done so, ver. 1. Reasons hereof be, because (1.) This does show how hateful to God sin is, how hurtful to Men it is also. (2.) The Body Politick, like the Body Na∣tural, doth Communicate one Member with another, both in Joys and Griefs, as the Head and Heart are Affected or Afflicted with the Weal or Woe of Hands, Feet, &c. (3.) All are here involved, that all the Members (of Church or State) may learn not only to be solicitous each for himself, but also one for another, Levit. 19.17. every Man is bound to be his Brother's Keeper (Gen. 4.9. wicked Cain will not be so,) for the advantage and weal of the whole Body. (4.) Because one sinner may destroy much good, Eccles. 9.18. as Achan did here, till his Sin was punish'd, and so put away by the Peo∣ple whom the Lord did justly correct for the neglect of their Duty. Besides, they were such a People as could not want grievous Sins of their own, for which God now pu∣nish'd them, or divers of them might sin by coveting with their Minds, what Achan acted with his Hands, or by concealing it, and not mourning for it and endeavouring to purge themselves from this fault, which probably was known to others, &c.
The Second Remark is, The Description of this Sinner; (1.) By his Name, Achan here is call'd Achar, (which signisies to trouble) 1 Chron. 2.7. because he was a troubler of Israel, as Joshua call'd him, vers. 25. (2.) By his Pedigree, he was Nobly descended from the Tribe of Judah, vers. 1. yet became he a foul stain to his fair Ancestors, where∣by a good caution is given to all Parents for the most careful Education of their Chil∣dren in God's fear, that they may not prove a dishonour to them when they are Dead. (3.) By his Temper, which the Tempter well knew to be Covetous, he felt his Pulse, so fitted him a Pennyworth suitable to his Temper. Now this Covetous Temper was the worse in Achan, because he had Oxen, Asses, Sheep, and a Tent well furnished with goods, ver. 24. and therefore he had less need to covet Consecrated Goods.
The Third Remark is, The Narrative of his Sin: Namely, his taking of the Accursed thing, vers. 1. there in General, but ver. 21. 'tis confess'd by himself more distinctly in particular, shewing the Progress and Gradation of it: As, (1.) It began at his Eyes, (having made no Covenant with them, as Job did with his, Job 31.1.) He first looked at li∣berty upon those glittering Objects, the Wedge of Gold, the Babylonish Garment, &c. Then (2.) He lusted after them, his Concupiscence did covet them, when it was inflam'd by the Burning-Glass of his Eyes. (3.) That Covetousness (call'd the Lust of the Eyes, 1 Joh. 2.16.) puts him upon actual taking them as his own, which was a Sacrilegious Stealing from God against his express Command, Josh. 6.18, 19. And (4.) His hiding them in his Tent, that he might convert them to his own private use.