God; all which could not reverse this decreed castigation. That everlasting rule is grounded upon the very essence of God; I am Jehovah, I change not. Our purposes are, as ourselves, fickle and uncertain; his are certain and immutable. Some things which he reveals, he alters; nothing that he hath decreed. Besides the soul of Moses, to the glory whereof God principally intended this change, I find him careful of two things, his successor, and his body. Moses moves for the one; the other God doth unasked. He that

was so tender over the welfare of Israel, in his life, would not slacken his care in death. He takes no thought for himself, for he knew how gainful an exchange he must make. All his care is for his charge. Some envious natures desire to be missed when they must go; and wish that the weakness, or want of a successor may be the foil of their memory and honour. Moses is in a contrary disposition; it sufficeth bim not to find contentment in his own happiness, unless he may have an assurance that Israel shall prosper after him. Carnal minds are all for themselves, and make use of government only for their own advantages. But good hearts look ever to the future good of the Church, above their own, against their own. Moses did well, to shew his good affection to his people; but, in his silence, God would have provided for his own. He that called him from the sheep of Jethro, will not want a governor for his chosen to succeed him: God hath fitted him whom he will choose. Who can be more meet than he, whose name, whose experience, whose graces might supply, yea revive Moses to the people? He that searched the land before, was fittest to guide Israel into it. He, that was endued with the spirit of God, was the fittest deputy for God. He, that abode still in the tabernacle of Ohel-moed, as God's attendant, was fittest to be sent forth from him, as his lieutenant. But, O the unsearchable counsel of the Almighty! aged Caleb, and all the princes of Israel, are past over, and Joshua, the servant of Moses, is chosen to succeed his master. The eye of God is not blinded either with gifts, or with blood, or with beauty, or with strength; but as in his eternal elections, so in his temporary, "He will have mercy on whom he will." And well doth Joshua succeed Moses. The very acts of God of old were allegories. Where the law ends, there the Saviour begins. We may see the land of promise in the law; only Jesus, the Mediator of the new testament, can bring us

into it. So was he a servant of the law, that he supplies all the defects of the law to us. He hath taken possession of the promised land for us: he shall carry us from this wilderness

to our rest.

It is no small happiness to any state, when their governors are chosen by worthiness; and such elections are ever from God; whereas the intrusions of bribery, and unjust favour, or violence, as they make the commonwealth miserable, so they come from him which is the author of confusion. Woe be to that state that suffers it; woe be to that person that works it; for both of them have sold themselves, the one to servitude, the other to sin.

I do not hear Moses repine at God's choice, and grudge that this sceptre of his is not hereditary; but he willingly lays hands upon his servant, to consecrate him for his successor. Joshua was a good man, yet he had some sparks of envy; for when Eldad and Medad prophesied, he stomached it; "My lord, Moses, forbid them.' He, that would not abide two of the elders of Israel to prophesy, how would he have allowed his servant to sit in his throne? What an example of meekness, besides all the rest, doth he here see in this last act of his master, who, without all murmuring, resigns his chair of state to his page? It is all one to a gracious heart, whom God will please to advance. Emulation and discontentment are the affections of carnal minds. Humility goes ever with regeneration; which teaches a man to think, whatever honour be put upon others, I have more than I am worthy of.

The same God, that, by the hands of his angels, carried up the soul of Moses to his glory, doth also, by the hand of his angels, carry his body down into the valley of Moab to his sepulchre. Those hands which had taken the law from him, those eyes that had seen his presence, those lips that had conferred so oft with him, that face that did so shine with the beams of his glory, may not be neglected when the soul is gone. He that took charge of his birth, and preservation in the reeds, takes charge of his carriage out of the world. The care of God ceaseth not over his own, either in death, or after it. How justly do we take care of the comely burials of our friends, when God himself gives us this example!

If the ministry of man had been used in this grave of Moses, the place might have been known to the Israelites?

but God purposely conceals this treasure, both from men and devils, that so he might both cross their curiosity, and prevent their superstition. If God had loved the adoration of his servants' reliques, he could never have had a fitter opportunity for this devotion, than in the body of Moses. It is folly to place religion in those things, which God hides on purpose from us it is not the property of the Almighty to restrain us from good.

Yet that divine hand, which locked up this treasure, and kept the key of it, brought it forth afterwards glorious. In the transfiguration, this body which was hid in the valley of Moab, appeared in the hill of Tabor, that we may know these bodies of ours are not lost, but laid up, and shall as sure be raised in glory, as they are laid down in corruption. "We know that when he shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory."

BOOK VIII.

CONTEMPLATION I.

Of Rahab.

JOSHUA was one of those twelve searchers which were sent to view the land of Canaan; yet now he addresses two spies, for a more particular survey. Those twelve were only to inquire of the general condition of the people and land; these two find out the best entrance into the next part of the country, and into their greatest city. Joshua himself was full of God's spirit, and had the oracle of God ready for his direction: yet now he goes not to the propitiatory for consultation, but to the spies. Except where ordinary means fail us, it is no appealing to the immediate help of God; we may not seek to the postern, but where the common gate is shut. It was promised Joshua, that he should lead Israel into the promised land; yet he knew it was unsafe to presume. condition of his provident care was included in that assurance of success. Heaven is promised to us, but not to our carelessness, infidelity, disobedience. He that hath set this blessed inheritance before us presupposes our wisdom, faith, holiness.

The

Either force or policy are fit to be used unto Canaanites. He that would be happy in this spiritual warfare, must know where the strength of his enemy lieth; and must frame his guard according to the other's assault. It is a great advantage to a Christian to know the fashion of Satan's onsets, that he may the more easily compose himself to resist. Many a soul hath miscarried through the ignorance of his enemy, which had not perished, if it had well known that the weakness of Satan stands in our faith.

The spies can find no other lodging but Rahab's house. She was a victualler by profession, and (as those persons and trades, by reason of the commonness of entertainment, were amongst the Jews infamous by name and note) she was Rahab the harlot. I will not think she professed filthiness; only her public trade, through the corruption of those times, hath cast upon her this name of reproach: yea, rather will I admire her faith, than make excuses for her calling. How many women in Israel (now Miriam was dead) have given such proofs of their knowledge and faith! How noble is that confession which she makes of the power and truth of God! Yea, I see here not only a disciple of God, but a prophetess. Or, if she had once been public, as her house was, now she is a chaste and worthy convert; and so approved herself for honest and wise behaviour, that she is thought worthy to be the great grandmother of David's father and the holy line of the Messias is not ashamed to admit her into that happy pedigree. The mercy of our God doth not measure us by what we were. It would be wide with the best of us, if the eye of God should look backward to our former estate: there we shall see Abraham an idolater; Paul a persecutor; Manasses a necromancer; Mary Magdalen a courtezan; and the best, vile enough to be ashamed of himself. Who can despair of mercy, that sees even Rahab fetched into the blood of Israel, and line of Christ!

If Rahab had not received these spies, but as unknown passengers, with respect to their money, and not to their errand, it had been no praise : for, in such cases, the thank is rather to the guest than to the host. But now she knew their purpose; she knew that the harbour of them was the danger of her own life; and yet she hazards this entertainment. Either faith or friendship are never tried, but in extremities. To shew countenance to the messengers of God, while the

public face of the state smiles upon them, is but a courtesy of course; but to hide our own lives in theirs, when they are persecuted, is an act that looks for a reward. These times need not our favour; we know not what may come. Alas! how likely is it they would shelter them in danger, which respect them not in prosperity!

It most

All intelligences of state come first to the court. concerns princes to hearken after the affairs of each other. If this poor innholder knew of the sea dried up before Israel, and of the discomfiture of Og and Sihon; surely this rumour was stale with the king of Jericho: he had heard it, and feared; and yet, instead of sending ambassadors for peace, he sends pursuivants for the spies. The spirit of Rahab melted with that same report, wherewith the king of Jericho was hardened. All make not one use of the messages of the proceedings of God.

The king sends to tell her what she knew; she had not hid them, if she had not known their errand. I know not whether first to wonder at the gracious provision of God for the spies, or at the strong faith which he wrought in the heart of a weak woman. Two strangers, Israelites, spies, (and noted for all these) in a foreign, in an hostile land, have a safe harbour provided them even amongst their enemies; in Jericho, at the very court-gate, against the proclamation of a king, against the endeavours of the people. Where cannot the God of heaven either find, or raise up friends, to his own causes and servants?

Who could have hoped for such faith in Rahab? which contemned her life for the present, that she might save it for the future; neglected her own king and country, for strangers which she never saw; and more feared the destruction of that city, before it knew that it had an adversary, than the displeasure of her king, in the mortal revenge of that which he would have accounted treachery. She brings them up to the roof of her house, and hides them with stalks of flax. That plant, which was made to hide the body from nakedness and shame, now is used to hide the spies from death. Never could these stalks have been improved so well with all her housewifery, after they were bruised, as now, before they were fitted to her wheel: of these she hath woven an everlasting web, both of life and propagation. And now her tongue hides them no less than her hand. Her charity was