emergency, now raised the spirit of His servant by bidding him be strong and of a good courage. Oh ! it is always so. Never can the followers of God come into trial, or have to face opposition or meet difficulty, without there being help ready for them. The weakest child of God, the most tempted of His servants, may ever hear the word; "O man, greatly beloved, be strong, yea be strong;" (Dan. x. 19.) like that to Joshua, "Be strong, and of a good courage."

But it is very noticeable that the many and great enemies with whom Joshua had to contend are here left completely out of sight, and the grand exercise of his courage is to be in cleaving to the law and will of his God. "Be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong, and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." This firm, unwavering adherence to the commands of the Lord is set before him as calling for the greatest possible decision. meet well-disciplined armies, to encounter chariots and cavalry, to march against fortified cities, to carry, not simply a large array of fighting men into the

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enemy's country, but the whole community of Israel, their women, children, aged, infirm-these steps must be taken with unflinching spirit if taken at all. But it was none of these that was to require the greatest amount of courage; it was in observing all the law which the Lord commanded that Joshua was to show what sort of man he really was; how brave, how firm, how gifted with the truest courage. Nor let this seem strange to Israel, though the covenant people, had many unconverted, many unbelieving, many God-dishonouring hearts among their numbers: many, who while they might admire worldly heroism, would have no sympathy with spiritual decision; and if defection should spread in the camp, if the idolatries of Canaan should take hold on the Israelitish mind, if any circumstances should arise which might place Joshua in opposition to the public feeling, when public feeling was strong against God, what would call for courage so much as the duty of cleaving to the law of the Most High, and saying, "Thus saith the Lord, and His will must be obeyed?"

The case is the same now. In nothing is there greater scope for exercising moral courage than in keeping steadfastly to the Word of God as our rule. There are those who will brave the rush of battle and meet any odds in the hard-fought field, who yet dread the taunt of some foolish scoffer who plays off his wit against the truth of

God. There are some who will stand against the howlings of a mob, as a chafed lion turns upon the dogs, and yet shrink from the sneer, the jest, the mockery, which the world has ready for the followers of Jesus. There are some who are bold enough in public, yet cower like partridges before the hawk in private when Christ is to be defended. Ah! yes; to bear the colours of the Captain of Salvation, not now and then, but always; to carry religion into every-day life; to glory in the cross of Christ; to say I am His, modestly but firmly; to inquire what are His principles, and to carry them out in all our walk; to tread the narrow way, trusting to the Holy Spirit for continual grace and strength; to take Christian consistency to the market, the counter, the office, the bench, the court, the hustings, the pollingbooth, the senate: this will require all the courage that any man can possess.

But a slight and casual acquaintance with the law of Moses would not be enough to secure this course on the part of Joshua. He would not thus prove its allsufficiency, know its value, perceive its inspired fulness. He was, therefore, commanded farther: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then

thou shalt have good success."

It was to be the

subject of his diligent study; his mind must dwell upon its provisions. He must see in it, not simply the production of the great mind of Moses, but the inspired code which Jehovah, the King of Israel, had given for the government of His people. For himself, in all his private life and public duties; for the people, in all that might concern their individual and social welfare, here was the rule, the standard, the directory. Joshua, therefore, was to meditate day and night on the revealed will of God; that his heart being full of it, his life might proclaim it, and out of the abundance of his heart his mouth might speak. So with ourselves. No one can truly value the Word of God who does not study it and meditate upon it; none can be prepared to defend it who have not experienced its preciousness. If we would really be courageous as regards the Bible, and its teaching and requirements, we must have learned how allsufficient it is under the operations of the Holy Spirit to direct and animate the soul.

Now let this be anyone's habit, let such constant study of the Word of God be the rule of anyone's life, and he shall prove the truth of what God farther spoke to Joshua: "Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." He would find words there to make him wise, to show him the truth, to guide

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him in perplexity, to cheer him in distress. Only let. him do the will of God, seeking to know more of it, aiming to do all he knew; and the Almighty God engaged for him thus, "Then shalt thou be prosperous." And what he found that shall every believer of the truth and word of God find also. The words, "Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?" (Prov. xxii. 17-21,)—these words shall be fulfilled. The promises which are Yea and Amen in Christ; the assurances which Jesus gives to His believing people; the words which tell of the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, all shall be realised and the more we search the Scriptures and live by grace according to the principles which Jesus has set forth in His Gospel, the more shall we surely prove, "Then thou shalt be prosperous, and have good success."

There was one closing word which summed up all for Joshua: "The Lord thy God is with thee whither soever