A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
JOſh. The Fourth gives an Account of thoſe Monuments appointed for an everlaſting memorial of Iſraels miraculous paſſage over Jordan; thoſe Monuments are twofold; firſt, the Principal, deſcribed. (1.) The Author God, verſ. 1. (2.) The inſtruments who, and how many, verſ. 2, 4, 8. (3.) The Materials, twelve Stones taken out of the midſt of Jordan, verſ. 3. 5. (4.) The place of Standing, both in Gilgal, verſ. 3.5, 20. and in the midſt of Jordan, verſ. 9. (5.) The end why, as a memorial of that wonderful Work to their Poſterity, verſ. 6, 7, 21, 22, 23. and that the Canaanites might learn to acknowledg the omnipotency, and Iſraelites the fear of God, verſ. 24.
Secondly, the leſs Principal, deſcribed likewiſe, as (1.) the manner and order of Iſrael's marching through Jordan (1.) the Gadites, Reubenites, and Half-tribe of Manaſſeh, verſ. 12, 13. (2.) All the People univerſally, making much haſt, either from fear of danger, or from deſire of the promiſed Land, verſ. 10. and (3.) The Prieſts with the Ark, verſ. 15, 16, 17, 18. (2ly.) The time when this was done verſ. 19. (3ly.) The event hereof, namely, the magnifying of Joſhua's Authority: verſ. 14. (4ly.) The return of the Waters of Jordan into their courſe as they naturally ran, verſ. 18. (laſtly) The pitching of Iſrael's Tents in Gilgal, a place ſo called by Anticipation, verſ. 19. and 5.9.
The ſpecial Remarks upon the premiſſes are theſe.
The Firſt Remark is, This is an Ancient, and laudable Practice, to erect laſting Monuments for propogating and perpetuating ſome ſignal mercy and ſingular deliverance, that the Glory of a wonder-working God may be Eternalized, and the Truth of his wondrous works may be teſtified, to all ſucceeding Generations: Here a Pillar of twelve huge Stones muſt be reared up by Gods own Command, verſ. 1.9. with chap, 3.12. And therefore it was void of all vain Superſtition, as it was not Super Statutum, or the command, of Joſhua only. Agreeable unto this Divine Pattern, hath this great City well erected a ſtately ſtructure of Stone, the Monumental Pillar, that the loving kindneſs of God in the late dreadful conflagration may be kept in everlaſting remembrance.
The Second Remark is, Tho' it be the Devils deſign to have Gods great Works of wonder ſoon obliterated (Eaten Bread is ſoon forgotten) yet 'tis God's will to have them remembred and better remembred. Therefore one Monument of this great mercy muſt be in Gilgal the place of Iſrael's Circumciſion, relating to the twelve Patrinrks, in the Old Teſt. and another in Jordan the place of Chriſt's Baptiſm, relating to the twelve Apoſtles of the New, tho' that in Jordan was a memorial to the two Tribes and half on the other ſide of Jordan, which being built up of the moſt Maſſy Stones in the midſt of the River, might be ſeen at low Water by them, for theſe Stones are not ſaid to he carried on Mens Shoulders (as thoſe erected at Gilgal were) but that Joſhua rolled them together by the help of many Hands: Or Jordans Waters being ſo famous for their clearneſs, this Pillar was perſpicuous to them that paſſed by in Boats, or if (as ſome ſay) It was ſet nigh the Bank, this made it more obvious to the Eye: That at Gilgal was a memoir for the other 10. Tribes, all muſt have their memento's, that this Miracle of mercy might not be Moth-eaten, &c.
The Third Remark is, Parents ought cerefully to Catechize and inſtruct their Children, verſ. 6, 7. They were to teach their Children the uſe and end of thhis Monument, as before of the Paſſover, Exod. 12.26. and 13.14. Pſal. 34.11. and 48.13. and 102.18. Tender Plants muſt oft be Watered, Eph. 6.4. Children muſt be Nurtured as well as Nouriſhed; the former is as neceſſary as the latter, and much more, ſeeing the Soul is a more noble nature than the Body: If Parents Mind only the Bodies of their young, What do they more than the very brute Beaſts for theirs? The Bleſſings upon Poſterity is entail'd to Piety in the ſecond Commandment. Therefore the meaning of all Sacred Monuments ſhould be made known by Parents to Children. True Religion is the exerciſe of illuminated Minds, 'tis not an ignorant or blind Devotion, as among the Papiſts, who have a Maſs of Myſtical Ceremonies, whereof neither Children, nor their Patients, no nor many of their Prieſts can render any reaſon, nor indeed is any reaſon for many of them pretended by their Chief-Prieſts, ſave ſuch only as is ridiculous. But this Sign (ſo called) of Divine Inſtitution, was expreſly for the fortifying of Faith, for the feeding of Hope, and for the nouriſhing of Joy, both for Parents and Children (when informed) by calling to remembrance ſo tranſcendent a Miracle, whereby they all in after-times might be ſtirred up to Thankfulneſs, Strengthened in their daily dependancy upon this wonder-working God; Hereupon Parents cannot perform a more profitable Office to their Children, nor leave them a better and more laſting Legacy and Inheritance, than to train them up in the crue knowledg of the good Ways, Works, and Word of God, &c.
The Fourth Remark is, behold how the ſervent Zeal of Joſhua appeared here, who, being tranſported with Admiration of this Miracle of Mercy, doth again and again Record the Circumſtances of it [the Waters of Jordan were cut off; and again, the Waters of Jordan were cut off;] verſ. 7. That they might make the more impreſſion upon the Minds of their poſterity, Wheting or Sharpening (as the Hebrew, Deut. 6.7. ſignifies) As if he had been whetting a Knife before Dinner, by drawing it oft over the Whetſtone, or as if he had been ſharpening a Stake before it be driven into the Ground. Thus Joſhua repeats and Inculcates the ſame great truth with a Mind much fired upon it, not only to ſhew, that he could ſcarce ſatisfy himſelf with a ſufficient admiring of this great mercy, but alſo, that the Bleſſed Truths of God, the Principles of Religion, muſt be Inculcated and Repeated or taught diligently to our Children, for die deeper impreſſion on their Minds: See again verſ. 22, 23.
The Fifth Remark is, The Heroick Faith and Fortitude of thoſe Holy Prieſts, who, like good guides, not only were the firſt, that to the Hazard of their Lives entred into the River, and patiently continued long in the midſt of Jordo…, until fix Hundred Thouſand Men, &c. could march over, but they were the laſt alſo, that paſſed out of the River: this is the more probable, verſ. 10, 11. Seeing the Ark of Gods preſence is ſaid to be both Van and Rear, Iſa. 52.12. as the Cloudy Pillar had been to them in their Paſſage through the Red-Sea, Exod. 14.19. And thus 'tis ſaid [the glory of the Lord ſhall go both before and behind his People] Iſa. 58.8. It could not be any thing but a Strong Faith, that kept the Bodies of thoſe Prieſts ſo firm in their Station, and their Minds ſo fixed as not to remove from off the ground till the whole work was done as above, verſ. 10. and till the Monument was erected in the midſt of Jordan, and till twelve other Stones were taken up and carried away to the Land, &c. notwithſtanding that hideous Heap and Mountain of Waters, which did hang over their Heads all this while, ready every moment to overwhelm them, had they wot been miraculouſly held in by an omnipotent Hand, and which ghaſtly ſight ſurely ſo affrighted the People, that they haſted to to be out of the danger. Whereas the Prieſts ſtirr'd not from their ſtation, till God call'd them off, verſ. 16.
The Sixth Remark is, The faithfulneſs of the two Tribes and half to the Covenant, that Moſes had indented with them before his Death, Numb. 32.20, 27. as Moſes had been no leſs ſolicitous for the Churches welfare after his deceaſe, than while he lived in indenting thus with thoſe two Tribes and half, ſo they were no leſs conſcientious in keeping this Covenant, approving their Hearts and Practices to the Lord in whoſe preſence they now paſſed over, verſ. 12, 13. Joſ. 1.14. All but a Guard for their Country.
The Seventh Remark is, Gods powerful reſtraint upon this fluid Element, The Waters of Jordan cannot come down in their natural courſe, until all was done Which God commanded, verſ. 18. no, nor then neither, ſuddenly and all at once, but by little and little, and ſlowly by degrees; thus was is ordered and over-ruled by the powerful Providence of God, leſt that huge heap of Waters, falling down all together (at Gods withdrawing his Hand) ſhould drown the whole Country, yea, even the Tents of Iſrael: Here the Lord Sate upon the Flood indeed, Pſal. 29.10. both while he made it ſit ſtill, and made it to run leiſurely, &c.
The Eighth Remark is, the marvelous Providence of God in Iſraels Landing in the Land of Promiſe, upon the tenth Day of the firſt Month, verſ. 19. This firſt Month Abib or Niſan (part of our March and part of April) was call'd firſt in reſpect of Sacred, not of Civil affairs; for the Jewiſh Jubike began in Tiſry (our September) Levit. 25.8. Exod. 23.9, 10, 16. The Creation (as ſome ſuppoſe) beginning then. This first Month God choſe, becauſe (1.) it was the moſt pleaſant, the Sun aſcending, days lengthening, and the Face of the Earth reviving, which could not but be moſt congruous and reviving to Iſrael, ſo weary'd with long wandrings. (2.) Then were the forty years from their departure out of Egypt expired; ſo punctual is God in performing his Promiſes or Threatnings, Exod. 12.41, &c. and God choſe this tenth day, as moſt ſeaſonable, becauſe the Lambs for the Paſſover muſt be kept up four days before, Exod. 12.2, 3, 4, 6. This day they came out in the Month Abib, Exod. 13.3, 4. and on this Day they Went to Gilgal to be circumciſed (which had been long omitted in the Wilderneſs) Joſh. 5.5. and before which none were to eat the Paſſover, Exod. 12.25, 48. So there was the diſtance of four days betwixt their Circumciſion and the Paſſover, that they might not only be healed of their wounds, but alſo be duly prepared for that ſolemn feaſt.