A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 1
The IId Volume.
Joſhua, Chap. I. The Hiſtory and Myſtery of Iſrael's Conduct to Canaan by Joſhua.
HAving finiſhed the five Books of Moſes (which contain the Hiſtory of the firſt 2554 Years of the World according to Sir Walter Rawleigh's Reckoning, ſuch Variety being in the Computation of Chronologers.) I come now to the Hiſtory of Iſrael's Conduct into Canaan under General Joſhua, who was Moſes's Succeſſor in the Government, Conſtituted their Supreme Governour by God himſelf. The Book of Joſhua gives us a Narrative hereof, on which Book the General Remarks are firſt to be obſerved; and they are threefold: The firſt is concerning the Scope of the Book: The ſecond is concerning the Author of it: And the third is concerning the Subject of the whole Book.
Firſt; As to the Scope of it in the General; 'tis a ſolemn Doxology, or giving Glory to God for the manifeſtation of his four Glorious Attributes, [his Mercy, his Juſtice, his Power, and his Truth] namely, (1.) His Mercy to Iſrael his Old Teſtament Church; tho' they provok'd Him to the higheſt Diſpleaſure with their moſt Heinous Sins, both in Egypt, and in the Wilderneſs, &c. yet God would not write Lo-ammi upon them, Hoſ. 1.9. ſo as to Unchurch or Unpeople them, but his Mercy ſtill Triumph'd over his Juſtice; Jam. 2.13. bearing with their Evil Manners in the Wilderneſs forty years; Act. 13.18. God's Pardoning-Mercy did follow them from their Departure out of Egypt, until they came to the Borders of Canaan; Numb▪ 14.19. (2.) His Juſtice to thoſe Curſed Canaanites, who (when their Sins were full, Gen. 15.16. filled up their Ephah; Zech. 5.6. and the meaſure of their Iniquity; Matth. 23.32.) were univerſally cut off by the Juſtice of God, ſave only ſome Reſerved not only for the Exerciſes, but alſo for Drudgery to that Royal Nation. (3.) His Power, that ſuch a poor contemptible People, born all of Bond-ſlaves and Brick-makers in Egypt, all Foot-men, ſhould be impower'd to conquer ſo many War-like Nations, who had Iron Chariots and Horſe-men; Joſh. 10.6, 9. and 17, 18, &c. (4.) His Truth in performing his Promiſe, that God made to Abraham of giving Canaan to his Seed; Gen. 12.7. & 13.15. & 15.18. tho' that Promiſe had been made four hundred years before this, yet now God fulfils with his hand what his mouth had ſpoken, and now doth as he had ſaid. Beſide all this reſpecting God's Glory, &c. the Scope of this Book aimeth at a moſt Graphical Deſcription and Character both of a right Godly Man, and of a right Godly Magiſtrate, ſuch an one as Joſhua appeareth to be, as will be demonſtrated occaſionally in the ſequel of this Diſcourſe.
The ſecond general Remark is concerning the Author of this Book, which reſpecteth Joſhua under a twofold capacity; (1.) As the Sacred Pen-man or Writer of it; And (2.) As the Principal Sword-man or Warriour in it. (1.) Of the Writer of it, &c. There be indeed various Opinions in this point. As (1.) Some make Iſaiah the Author, but without any Argument; this is Gratis Dictum; Or (2.) Eleazer the then High-Prieſt, whoſe Office was not only by ſpeaking vivâ voce, but alſo by writing to teach the People. (3.) Some ſay it was either Samuel or Ezra: We grant ſome parts and paſſages might be added to this Book by either of them, to wit, what happened after Joſhua's Death, as Joſhua wrote the laſt of Deuteronomy, The Occurrences after Moſes's Death. (4.) Others affirm it was written by Phinchas, grounding their Opinion only upon mentioning the conſequences of Joſhua's Death, which Joſhua himſelf could give no particular account of. But (5.) The moſt probable Opinion is, that Joſhua was its Writer; for (1.) He is call'd Moſes's Succeſſor in Prophecyings, that is, in writing the Sacred Scriptures, Eccleſiaſtic. 46.1. (2.) Joſhua being all along Moſes's Miniſter, might well learn from his Maſter to write his own Acts, as Moſes had done his. (3.) 'Tis ſaid, Joſh. 24.26. Joſhua wrote all theſe things, &c.
The third General Remark reſpecteth the Subject of this Book, which as it bearech the Name of Joſhua, ſo Joſhua is the Subject of it throughout, conſiſting upon three Topicks wherein he is deſcribed, (1.) By his Office or Figure he bare in the World; (2.) By his Actions both in the time of War and of Peace; and (3.) By his End.
Firſt; As to his Office, He was ſolemnly called and inaugurated by God himſelf to be Moſes's Succeſſor in the Chief Magiſtracy and Conduct of Iſrael. This was ſignified by the change of his Name from Oſhea into Jehoſhua or Joſhua; Numb 13.16. the former Name fignifying [Save us, O God, or let God ſave us] the latter, [God ſhall ſave us] to teach us, that under the Law (which brings us, as it were, into the Wilderneſs) we may deſire, wiſh, and pray that there were a Saviour; but under the Goſpel we are ſure of Salvation: For as Moſes foreſeeing by the Spirit, that this Man (his Succeſſor) would certainly ſave Iſrael from all the Curſed Canaanites, named him Joſhua (in Greek Jeſus; Act. 7.45. and Heb. 4.8. which ſignifies a Saviour; Matth. 1.21.) So he became a Type of our Jehoſhua or Jeſus, who hath (as the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10.) bound himſelf to fulfil all Righteouſneſs for us; Matth. 3.15. that He might enſure Salvation to us, and Land us ſafe at the Key of a better Canaan, the Kingdom of Heaven. It was the manner of Monarchs to change the Names of their Miniſters, Gen. 41.4, 5. and Dan. 1.7. upon the account of Honour; but Moſes learnt this from God himſelf, who had changed the Names of Abram, Sarai, Jacob, &c. Gen. 17.5, 15. & 32.28. thereby putting a greater Dignity on them. God at Moſes Requeſt conſtitutes Joſhua his Succeſſor in his Supremacy; Numb. 27.15, 18. at which time Moſes gave to his Miniſter his Honour or Glory; v. 20. As if the ſhining of Moſes's face, Exod. 34.30, 35. had been transferred upon Joſhua. Hereupon the Rabbins ſay, that the face of Moſes ſhone as the Sun, and the face of Joſhua ſhone as the Moon, being inferior to Moſes; Deut. 34.10. yet our Joſhua or Jeſus is counted worthy of greater Honour than Moſes; Heb. 3.3.
Secondly; Joshua's Actions in his Publick Office are of three ſorts. (1.) Military; (2.) Sacred; (3.) Civil, relating to his Time both of War and Peace. As to his Inauguration into Moſes's Imperial Office (whereof an Account is given, Joſh. chap. 1.) hath been already diſcourſed upon in the end of Deuteronomy, therefore do I omit it here.
The firſt ſort of Joſhua's Actions were Military, whereof we have this ſhort Scheme. (1.) His ſending forth the two Spies to ſearch the Land; chap. 2. (2.) His Miraculous March through the midſt of Jordan, chap. 3. for a Memorial of which twelve Stones were taken out of the River, and ſet up in Gilgal, chap. 4. (3.) His Beſieging and Deſtroying of Jericho, chap. 6. where Sacriledge was committed, but Expiated, chap. 7. After this (4.) His Storming of Ai, in chap. 8. (5.) His Conquering five Kings, chap. 10. (6.) Then one and thirty Kings of Canaan, till he had ſubdued the who…e Land, &c. chap. 11, and 12.
The ſecond ſort of his Actions were Sacred or Religious; As, (1.) His Celebration of the two Sacraments, Circumciſion and the Paſsover, chap. 5. (2.) His Faſting and Prayer to pacifie God's Anger for the Sin of Achan, chap. 7. (3.) His building an Altar, and publiſhing the Law, chap. 8. (4.) His conſcientious keeping the Covenant (tho' fraudulently gained) with the Gibeonites, &c. chap. 9. & 10. (5.) His Erecting the Tabernacle at Shiloh, chap. 18. (6.) His Renewing the Covenant between God and Iſrael, &c. Joſh. 24.14, 15.
The third ſort of his Actions were Civil; as (1.) His Dividing Canaan now conquered, chap. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, &c. (2.) His Diſmiſſing the two Tribes and half, chap. 22. (3.) His holding a Parliament at Shechem, chap. 23.
The third and laſt Topick is the laſt End of Joſhua, wherein his Death is deſcribed by Antecedents, Concomitants and Conſequents; Joſh. 24. Now follow the particular Remarks upon all thoſe three General Topicks or Heads of Argument, namely, Joſhua's Office, Actions and End.
Firſt; As to his Office. The firſt Remark is, Joſhua in his Office was a clear Type of our Goſpel Jeſus, who was his Antitype. Here this grand Enquiry comes in to be anſwered, How far there is a Parity (or Congruity) and a Diſparity betwixt the Type and the Antitype. Firſt; Of their Parity.
As Firſt; Where Moſes ended, there Joſhua began: So where the Law of Moſes falls ſhort, (it being too weak to bring to Canaan, Rom. 8.3.) there the Goſpel of our Jeſus ſupplieth effectually; Heb. 7.25.
Secondly; Both their Names do ſignifie Saviours; Matth. 1.21. and Joſhua the Type hath the Name of Jeſus the Antitype twice in the New Teſtament, Act. 7.45. and Heb. 4.8.
Thirdly; As Joſhua was the Son of Nun, Joſh. 1.1. which ſignifies [Eternity] ſo our Jeſus was the Son of the truly Eternal Father, is called the Eternal King; 1 Tim. 1.17. and who by his Blood hath purchaſed an Eternal Inheritance and Redemption for us, preparing us for it by his Eternal Spirit; Heb. 9.12, 14.
Fourthly; As Joſhua was the Servant or Miniſter of Moſes; Exod. 24.13. & 32.17. So our Joſhua or Jeſus was (after a ſort) a Servant of Moſes, when he came in the Form of a Servant into the World, Phil. 2.7. to fulfil all Righteouſneſs, Matth. 3.15. and not to deſtroy but to fulfil the Law, Matth. 5.17. by finiſhing the work God gave him to do in the World, John 17.4.
Fifthly; As Joſhua was the Captain General, who conquered the curſed Canaanites, ſubdued Canaan, and gave the Land in poſſeſſion unto the Tribes of Iſrael, Deut. 31.7. So our Jeſus is the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10. conquers all our Spiritual (as well as Temporal) Enemies for us, going before us into the Heavenly Canaan (as Joſhua did before Iſrael, &c.) there to prepare Manſions of Glory for each one of us, John. 14.2.
Sixthly; As Joſhua ſaved Rahah and all her Relations that were found in her houſe which had the Red Cord hanging at the Window, Joſh. 2.18. & 6.25. So our Joſhua or Jeſus ſaveth every penitent ſinner that believeth in his Blood (ſignified by the Scarlet Cord) for pardon of ſin. But more of this Type and others in their proper places.
Seventhly; As the Cloudy Pillar (which had been Iſrael's Conduct all along through the Wilderneſs under Moſes) did quite vaniſh under Joſhua, who (inſtead of the Cloud that had conducted Iſrael through the Red Sea) had the Ark of the Covenant (which repreſented the Angel of the Covenant, Chriſt Jeſus) to conduct Him and all Iſrael through Jordan, Joſh. 3.3 So tho' under the Law of Moſes a Cloud of Obſcurity and Shadows of Darkneſs abode all that time upon the Church of God; yet this Cloud departed… through the Light of the Goſpel under our Joſhua or dear Jeſus; Heb. 10.1. Col. 2.17. The Cloud was indeed Iſrael's Guide in Moſes's time; for God was then ſeen Vailed in Moſes, but the Ark muſt be their Guide in Joſhua's Time; for God was then heard ſpeaking from his Mercy-Seat, the Covering of the Ark, wherein were the Tables of the Teſtimony. Our bleſſed Jeſus leads us not now ſo much by the Eye as by the Ear; for Faith now cometh by Hearing; Rom. 10.17. Our firſt Parents gave then a liſtning Ear too much to the Father of Lyes: We ought now to lend a liſtning Ear much more to the God of Truth, and not neglect so great Salvation; Heb. 2.3.
Eighthly; As Manna ceaſed under Joſhua when Iſrael were come into Canaan; Joſh. 5.12. So Ordinances and Sacraments ſhall ceaſe when our Jeſus ſhall bring us into the heavenly Canaan; Rev. 21.23. Both the Cloud and Manna were for Paſſage, not for Reſt. As Manna ceaſed, when the Corn of Canaan was before Iſrael to make ordinary food thereon: So do Miracles (which were extraordinary) ceaſe when and where there is good ſtore of ordinary and appointed Means (the Ordinances of Chriſt) before us: Hereupon Auguſtin ſaith well, He that now calleth for a Miracle, is a Miracle himſelf. The Divine Doctrine of Truth (which we now Embrace and Believe) is one and the ſame with that which was firſt delivered by our Lord himſelf, and then by them that heard him, who confirmed it by many extraordinary Miracles; Heb. 2.3. So that now we are not to try Truth by Miracles, but Miracles by Truth, becauſe there be many Lying Wonders; 2 Theſ. 2.9. Satan is God's Ape, can work miranda, not miracula.
Ninthly; As it was not Moſes's work to Circumciſe Iſrael, for that Sacrament was intermitted during their forty Years wandring in the Wilderneſs, the Lord diſpencing with that Ordinance becauſe of their frequent and ſudden Removals; therefore this work was reſerved for Joſhua to be done in Canaan; Joſh 5.3. So the Law cannot bring us to Canaan, cannot ſanctifie us, nor circumciſe our hearts; Rom. 8.3. No, this is work reſerved for our dear Jeſus by the Grace of the Goſpel; Heb. 7.19. Our Lord is the End of the Law to every Believer; Rom. 10.4.
Tenthly; As Joſhua led Iſrael through Jordan's Waters at a time when they did overflow all their Banks; Joſh. 3.15. ſo our Jeſus leads his Redeemed through many and great Floods of Affliction; Pſal. 34.19. Yea, through the Valley of the ſhadow of Death it ſelf; Pſal. 23.4. and brings them as ſafe to the heavenly Canaan, as Joſhua did Iſrael to the earthly Canaan.
Eleventhly; As Joſhua accepted of the Gibeonites, who humbled themſelves to him, and earneſtly imitated to be entertained into Peace with him, and Protection under him; ſo our Jeſus accepts of all) penitent ſinners, who ſeek Grace in time of Grace.
Twelfthly; As Joſhua made his Captains put their Feet upon the Necks of the Conquered Kings of the Curſed Canaanites, Joſh. 10.24. not vainly or proudly to inſult over them, as that Pope did over the Emperor Frederick at Venice (blaſphemouſly belching out thoſe words, Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and the Baſilisk) but to ſhew them the compleat Conqueſt of them: So our bleſſed Jeſus cauſeth all his Choſen and Called to be more than Conquerors over all their Corruptions; Rom. 8.37. Yea, to be Triumphers in Chriſt; 2 Cor. 2.14. and will tread down Satan under their feet; Rom. 16.20. at their Deaths, but more specially at the Day of Judgment.
There be many more Parallel Lines of Parity and Congruity betwixt Joſhua and Jeſus, which will occur in their proper place. Now a few words to the Diſparity between them.
The Firſt is, in this difference, that Joſhua Conquered Canaan not only for the People of Iſrael, but alſo for himſelf, that he might have his part and portion with them for him and his Poſterity; Joſh. 18.49, 50. But our Lord Jeſus hath purchaſed that heavenly Canaan only for our ſakes, having had the poſſeſſion of it before his Incarnation himſelf by the Right of Inheritance. He had a Glory with God before the World was; Joh. 17.5.
The Second Difference is, Joſhua did not Conquer Canaan by himſelf alone, but had all the Tribes of Iſrael to Aſſiſt as his Auxiliaries in his Conqueſt; but our Lord Jeſus hath by himſelf alone purchaſed that heavenly Inheritance: He ſaith, I have trodden the Wine-preſs alone, and none were with me; Iſa. 63.3.
The Third Diſparity is, The Conqueſt of Canaan did not coſt Joſhua Blood-ſhed or Death: But our Eternal Inheritance coſt Chriſt both his Blood-ſhed and Death; Heb. 9.26. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19.
The Fourth is, Joſhua could not quite expel the Canaanites out of Canaan; Joſh. 15.63. and 16.10, &c. But our bleſſed Jeſus hath perfectly ſubdued Satan, Sin, and Death to us, that no thing ſhall eternally harm us; Joh. 16.33. 1 Joh. 5.4. Rev. 12.11. nonnè ſint ſed nè obſint. Auguſtin.
The Second Remark relating to Joſhua's Office is, the Divine Promiſe God gave him in his extraordinary Commiſſion to his Office, for ſupporting his Spirit all along his famous Exploits from the firſt to the laſt of them, which was [I will not fail thee, nor forſake thee] Joſh. 1.5. a Promiſe ſo precious, that it is five times repeated and renewed in Scripture. As (1.) To Moſes for his Encouragement in managing his Magiſtracy over ſuch a Murmuring and Stiff-necked People as Iſrael was; Deut. 4.31. What Moſes had firſt received from God, that he communicated to the Common-wealth of Iſrael. (2.) Moſes encourageth Joſhua with the ſame Encouragement; Deut. 31.6. Shewing, as God hath never failed or forſaken Moſes from the beginning of his Conduct to the ending thereof, ſo nor would God ever fail or forſake him. (3.) The Lord himſelf gave forth this precious Promiſe even to Joſhua himſelf; Joſh. 1.5, 6. (4.) The Word of the Lord came clothed with this gracious Promiſe unto Solomon for his Encouragement likewiſe in building God's Temple, &c. 1 King. 6.11, 13. (5.) And laſtly; This Word of Promiſe (which before had been made to particular perſons) is afterward applied univerſally as common to all Believers, with a very deep Aſſeveration; Heb. 13.5. The Greek there hath five Negatives, and may thus be rendred [I will not, not leave the, neither will I not not forſake thee.] This is well known as a Maxim among Check Grammarians [duae Negativae apud Graecos vehementiùs negant] that two Negatives, tho' they make an Affirmative in other Languages, yet they make the moſt vehement Negative in the Greek Language. Hereby the Lord learneth us this Leſſon in this pathetical Phraſe, that when he ſeemeth in our apprehenſions to fail and forget us, yet will he not utterly forſake us; Pſal. 119.8. Tho' he fail us ſometimes in point of Viſion, yet at no time doth he forſake us in point of Ʋnion. Every Deſertion is not a Diſinheritance. God may change his Diſpenſation upon his Children, but can never change his Fatherly Diſpoſition toward them, &c.
This ſame exceeding great and precious Promiſe, (ſo called, 2 Pet. 1.4.) God gave particularly to Joſhua for ſtrengthning his Faith in his great Undertaking of Conducting Iſrael to Canaan againſt all dangers and difficulties: For the purport of this Divine Promiſe to him brancheth out it ſelf into many particulars: As (1.) An Aſſurance that God would enable him to conquer the Canaanites, tho' they exceeded Iſrael in Number, Strength, and all War-like Preparations, there being nothing too hard for the Lord; Gen. 18.14. (2.) Not only, [not any Man ſhall be able to ſtand before thee,] but alſo, the Lord promiſeth him a conſtant and a continual Tenour of an happy Succeſs [All the Days of his life] that is, I will be the Alpha and the Omega of thy Conqueſts, and thy ending ſhall be as ſucceſsful as thy beginning.
Thirdly; God promiſeth, to be preſent with him, as he had been with Moſes, whom (Joſhua well knew) Gods preſence had not only preſerved him againſt all the Murmurings, Rebellions and Inſurrections of ſtiff-necked Iſraelites, but alſo had proſpered him in vanquiſhing all thoſe Nations, on that ſide Jordan, which roſe up againſt him; even ſo will I bleſs thee (who ſucceedeth Moſes) with ſecurity from inteſtine Troubles, and with ſucceſs in all thy Wars abroad.
Fourthly; God ſaith, [I will not leave thee] that is, to thy ſelf, nor in the Hands of thy own Counſel: [I will not fail or forſake thee] but be alway preſent with thee by my Spirit and power, in all thy warlike enterpriſes, and expeditions againſt all thy Enemies, which thou undertakes at my Command.
Fifthly; Ʋnto this people thou ſhalt divide all Canaan.) Tho' the Canaanites be Men of prodigious and of a Giant-like Stature and Strength; and tho' they dwell in Cities with high Walls and ſtrongly fortified; yet be of good Courage in the way of thy obedience to my commands, then ſhalt thou exceed Moſes, who only led Iſrael through the Wilderneſs; but this ſhall be an higher degree of honour unto thee, both to ſubdue all thy Adverſaries, and to ſettle thy Subjects in their ſeveral inheritances. All this being ſpoken by God himſelf unto Joſhua (who was undoubtedly exceedingly valiant before this in his War againſt Amalek, Exod. 17.) muſt much more add to his Valour, and make him a Man of Metal indeed.