A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
JOſhua the Twenty Third, containeth General Joſhua's calling a Parliament moſt probably 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 Reſidence on the Ark of his Preſence) to this Grand Councel before the Lord, might more likely 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 Oration, 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, Audite ſenem Juvenes, quem Juvenem ſenes Audierunt.
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 Abominable, 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 likewiſe 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 Numerous Nations, yet Unconquered, if they hindered not their own Happineſs by breach of Covenant and by back-ſliding from God, ver. 9, 10.
Secondly, His Argument à periculoſo, as the former, being a promiſe of larger Victories, had great profit in it for enlarging their preſent Lots, whereof ſome of them complain'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. Intimating, 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 Divine 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 Seſſion 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 Menaces mixed, keep Man's Heart in the beſt Temper.