Obs. V. God doth not give up any in a judiciary way unto sin, but it is a punishment for preceding sins, and as a means to bring on them total ruin and destruction.

Obs. VI. Let us not wonder that we see men in the world, obstinate in foolish counsels and undertakings, tending unto their own inevitable ruin, seeing probably they are under judiciary hardness from God, Isa. vi. 9, xxix. 10, xix. 11-14.

Obs. VII. There is no such blinding, hardening lust in the minds or hearts of men, as hatred of the people of God, and desire of their ruin. -Where this prevails, as it did in these persecuting Egyptians, it deprives men of all wisdom and understanding, that they shall do things against all rules of reason and polity, (which commonly they pretend unto) brutishly and obstinately, though apparently tending unto their own ruin and destruction. So it was with these Egyptians; for although they designed the utter extirpation of the people, that they should be no more in the world, which they attempted in the law for the destruction of all the male children, which in one age would have totally exterminated them out of Egypt, yet now they would run themselves on imminent universal destruction to bring them back again into Egypt. Obs. VIII. When the oppressors of the church are nearest unto their ruin, they commonly rage most, and are most obstinate in their bloody persecutions.-So_is it at this day among the antichristian enemies of the church. For notwithstanding all their pride and fury, they seem to be entering into the Red Sea.

Lastly. The event of this essay or undertaking of the Egyptians, was, that KaTETоnoav, they were drowned,' they were swallowed up. The account hereof is given us so gloriously in the triumphant song of Moses, Exod, xv. that nothing needs to be added in its farther illustration. And this destruction of the Egyptians, with the deliverance of Israel thereby, was a type and pledge of the victory and triumph which the church shall have over its antichristian adversaries, Rev. xv. 2—5.

VER. 30.-IN this verse, the apostle adds another instance of the faith of the whole congregation, in the sense before declared. For although respect no doubt be had unto the faith of Joshua in an especial manner, yet that of the whole people is expressed.

VER. 30.—Πιστει τα τείχη Ιεριχώ έπεσε κυκλωθεντα επι έπτα ήμερας.

VER. 30.-By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

The apostle, in these words, gives us a compendium of the history of the taking and destruction of Jericho, which is at large recorded in the sixth chapter of the book of Joshua, with what was spoken before concerning the spies in the second chapter. I shall not need to report the story, it is so well known. Only I shall observe some few things, wherein the faith of the people did concur unto this great work of divine providence, when I have a little opened the words.

The thing ascribed unto their faith is the fall of, ra Texn, 'the walls of Jericho. The city itself was not great, as is evident, because the

whole army of the Israelites did compass it seven times in one day. But most probably it was fortified and encompassed with walls of great height and strength, with which the spies sent by Moses out of the wilderness were terrified, Num. xiii. 28. And in all probability the Israelites were destitute of any engines of war for the casting of them down, or making a breach in them. And because the king of the place neither endeavoured to hinder the passage of the Israelites over Jordan, which was but a few miles from the city, when he knew that they designed his destruction, nor did once attempt to oppose them in the field before they sat down about the town, as did the men of Ai, it is probable that he placed his confidence in the strength of the walls, and their fortifications. And it is uncertain how long it was besieged by the Israelites before God showed unto them the way of demolishing these walls. For the town was beleaguered by Joshua, it may be, for some good while before he had the command to compass it, Josh. vi. 1.

These walls, saith the apostle, EOE, 'fell down.' They did so unto the very ground. This is signified in that expression, inn Sen, Josh. vi. 20, And the wall fell down under it;' which, although it doth not prove that the wall sunk into the ground, as some of the Hebrews judge, (yea, that notion is inconsistent with the words whereby its fall is expressed,) yet it intimates the utter casting it down flat on the earth, whereby the people went over it with ease into the city. And therefore this fall was not by a breach in any part of the wall, but by the dejection of the whole. For the people being round about the city when it fell, did not go from one place unto another to seek for an entrance, but went up into the city every one straight before him, in the place where he was, which utterly deprived the inhabitants of all advantages of defence. Yet need not this be so far extended, as that no part nor parcel of the wall was left standing, where the fall of it was not of any advantage unto the Israelites. So that part of it whereon the house of Rahab was built was left standing; for in the fall of it, she, and all that were with her, must have been destroyed. But the fall was such as took away all defence from the inhabitants, and facilitated the entrance of the Israelites in all places at once.

This, saith the apostle, was done after they were compassed about, επι έπтa ημepas, seven days.' 'Compassed about,' that is, by the army of the Israelites marching round the town in the order described, Josh. vi. 2, 3, &c. And this was done seven days. The first command of God was to have it done six times in the space of six days, ver. 3. But an especial command and direction was given for that of the seventh day, because it was then to be done seven times, ver. 4. This seventh day probably was the Sabbath, and somewhat of mystery is no doubt intimated in the number of seven in this place. For there were to be seven priests going before the people, and seven trumpets of rams' horns to sound with, and the order was to be observed seven days; and on the seventh day the city was to be compassed seven times, which thing was of divine designation. The reader may, if he please, consult our discourse of the Original and Institution of the Sabbath, wherein these things are spoken unto. The apostle takes no notice of the compassing it seven times on the seventh day; but only of its being com

passed seven days. And some things there are wherein the Israelites did manifest their faith herein.

1. It was on the command of God, and his promise of success therein, that they now entered the land of Canaan, and began their work and war with the siege of this strong town, not having, by any previous fight, weakened the inhabitants. Here they made the first experiment of the presence of God with them in the accomplishment of the promise made to Abraham.

2. They did so in their readiness to comply with the way prescribed unto them, of compassing the town so many days with the noise of trumpets, without the least attempt to possess themselves of it. For without a respect by faith unto the command and promise of God, this act was so far from furthering them in their design, that it was suited to expose them to scorn and contempt of their adversary. For what could they think of them, but as of a company of men who desired indeed to possess themselves of their city, but knew not how to do it, or durst not undertake it. But this way was prescribed unto them of God, to give them a distinct apprehension that the work of the conquest of Canaan was his, and not theirs. For although he required of them therein to use the utmost of their courage, prudence, and diligence, yet he had taken upon himself the effecting the work itself, as if they had contributed nothing thereunto. And the compassing of the city once every day for the space of six days, and the entrance into it on the seventh, had respect unto the work of the creation. For God was now entering into his rest with respect unto his worship, in a new way of settlement and solemnity, such as he had not erected or made use of from the beginning of the world. Hence he frequently calls it 'his rest,' as hath been declared in the exposition of the fourth chapter, Ps. xcv. 11, cxxxii. 8, 14; Heb. iii. 11, iv. 3, 11. And it was a type of the new creation, with the rest of Christ thereon, and of believers in him. Therefore would God give here a resemblance of that first work in the labour of the six days, and the reward they received on the seventh. Besides, hereby he took possession as it were of the city for himself, not intending to allow the people any share in the spoil of it; for it was wholly devoted.

3. In the triumphant shout they gave, before the walls stirred or moved. They used the sign of their downfall before the thing signified was accomplished, and triumphed by faith in the ruin of the walls, while they stood in their full strength.

Wherefore the apostle might justly commend their faith, which was acted against so many difficulties, in the use of unlikely means, with a constancy and persistency unto the time and event designed. For,

Obs. I. Faith will embrace and make use of means divinely prescribed, though it be not able to discern the effective influence of them unto the end aimed at. On this consideration was Naaman induced to wash himself in the waters of Jordan for the cure of his leprosy, 2 Kings v. 14.

Obs. II. Faith will cast down walls and strong towers, that lie in the way of the work of God. It is true we have no stone walls to demolish, nor cities to destroy; but the same faith in exercise is required

of us all in our concerns, as was in Joshua, when he entered on the conquest of Canaan, as the apostle declares, ch. xiii. 5. And there are strongholds of sin in our minds, which nothing but faith can cast to the ground.

VER. 31.-HITHERTO we have had the examples of men, with one woman only in conjunction with her husband. In this verse, the apostle puts a close unto his particular instances, in that of one single woman, accompanied with many eminent circumstances, as we shall see.

VER. 31.Πιστει Ρααβ ἡ πορνη ου συναπωλετο τοις απειθησασι, δεξαμενη τους κατασκόπους μετ' ειρηνης.

VER. 31.-By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that believed not, (or were disobedient,) when she had received the spies with peace.

The story concerning this Rahab, her faith and works, is at large recorded in the second and sixth chapters of Joshua. What concerns the exposition of these words, and the great instance of the grace of God and efficacy of faith in them, may be comprised in some observations. As,

1. This Paaß, Rahab, was by nature a Gentile, an alien from the stock and covenant of Abraham. Wherefore, as her conversion unto God was an act of free grace and mercy in peculiar manner, so it was a type and pledge of calling a church from among the Gentiles; as they were all, who were converted unto God after the outward confinement of the promise unto the family of Abraham by the covenant, and the token thereof.

2. She was not only a Gentile, but an Amorite, of that race and seed which in general was devoted unto utter destruction. She was therefore an instance of God's sovereignty in dispensing with his positive laws, as it seems good unto him; for of his own mere pleasure he exempted her from the doom denounced against all those of her original and traduction.

3. She was 'an harlot,' ʼn opvn; that is, one who for advantage exposed her person in fornication. For what the Jews say, that signifies also a victualler, or one that kept a house for public entertainment, they can prove by no instance in the Scripture, the word being constantly used for a harlot.' And she being twice in the New Tes tament, where she is highly commended, called expressly Topvn, which is capable of no such signification, it must be granted that she was a harlot, though it may be not one that did commonly and promiscuously expose herself, m, nobile scortum. But that also she kept a public house of entertainment, is evident from the spies going thither, which they did, as unto such a house, and not as into a mere stew. And herein we have a blessed instance both of the sovereignty of God's grace, and of its power. Of its freedom and sovereignty in the calling and conversion of a person given up by her own choice to the vilest of sins; and of its power, in the conversion of one engaged in the serving

of that lust, and the habitual course of that kind of sin, which of all others is the most effectual in detaining persons under its power. But nothing, no person, no sin is to be despaired of, in whose cure sovereign almighty grace is engaged, 1 Cor. vi. 9-11.

4. She was converted unto God before the coming of the spies unto her, by what she had heard of him, his mighty works, and his peculiar owning of the people of Israel. For God had ordained and designed that the report of these things should be an effectual ordinance, as to terrify obstinate unbelievers, so to call others to repentance, and to conversion from their idols; unto which end no doubt it was effectual on others as well as on Rahab, as it was on the Gibeonites in general. For he declares, that he did and would do such things to make his power known, and his name exalted, that others might know that he alone was God; and that by grace he had taken Israel to be his people. Hence those who perished, are said to be unbelievers;' she perished not, rois atεinoaoi, 'with them that believed not,' or who were disobedient. For they had a sufficient revelation of God and his will to render their faith and obedience necessary, as we shall see in the account that Rahab gives of herself; the things whereof were known to them as well as unto her, and that by the same means. And had they believed and repented, they might have been saved. For although this, as unto the event, could not be with respect unto entire nations, (although their lives also might have been spared, had they, according to their duty, sought peace with Israel on God's terms,) yet multitudes of individuals might have been saved who perished in their unbelief. Wherefore, although their destruction was just, upon the account of their former sins and provocations, yet the next cause why they were not spared was their unbelief. And therefore are they so described here by the apostle, those who believed not.' And their destruction is ascribed unto the hardening of their hearts, so as that they should not make peace with Israel, Josh. xi. 19, 20. Wherefore,

Obs. I. Although unbelief be not the only destroying sin, (for the wages of every sin is death, and many are accompanied with peculiar provocations,) yet it is the only sin which makes eternal destruction inevitable and remediless. And,

Obs. II. Where there are means granted of the revelation of God and his will, it is unbelief that is the greatest and most provoking sin, and from whence God is glorified in his severest judgments. Therefore the apostle, mentioning the destruction of the Canaanites, passeth by their other sins, and represents them as obstinate unbelievers. And,

Obs. III. Where this revelation of the mind and will of God is most open, full, and evident, and the means of it are most express, and suited unto the communication of the knowledge of it, there is the highest aggravation of unbelief. If the inhabitants of Jericho perished in their unbelief, because they believed not the report that was brought unto them of the mighty works of God, what will be the end of them who live and die in their unbelief, under the daily constant preaching of the gospel, the most glorious revelation of the mind and will of God for the salvation of men! Heb. ii. 3.

Obs. IV. Every thing which God designs as an ordinance to bring