j L1 a. V li I. OfJericho bejieged. 913 r to the lfr3elites: The earrh 1hookeundenhem withthe fall; bun~e hems of the Inhabitams fbooke yet mor<: many ofthcm doubtletf• were llam WICh thofe walks wherein they had trulled : Aman might fee death in the faces ofall the rell that r/ m•ined;who now being halfe dead with a!lonifbment,exp,=tled theother halfc from the fword of their enemies 1 They had now neirhermeanes,nor will to refill; for if ondy one breach had been made (as it ufcs in orher lieges) for the entrance of the enemy; perhaps new fupplies of defendants might have:mJde it up wirh their car. katfes: but now, ar that once Jericho is turned to a plaine field, every lfraelitc, withour refillance, might runne to the next booty, and the throats oftheir enemies feemed ro invite rheir fwords to a difparch. If but one Ifraelire hld knockr at thegates ofJericho,it might have been thought, B rhcir hand had helped to rhevitlory: No,\r, that God may have allrhe glory,with· our the !how of'any rivall, yea ofany meanes, they do bur walke and fhour,and the walls give way.He cannot abide to part with any honour,from himfelfe:As he doth all things, fo he would be acknowledged. They fhout all at once. It is theprcfence ofGods Arkc & ourconjoyning prayers, that arc dfetluall (o the beating downe of wickednetfe. They may not fh >ut, till they be bidden:ifwe will be unfeafonable in our good atlions,we may hurr,and nor benefit our fclves. Every living rhing in Jericho, man,womao,child,cattel, mull die:our folly would thinkc this mcrcildfe: bm rherc can be nomercy in inju(tict', and nothing but inju. !lice in nor fulfilling rhe charge of God : The death ofMalctaliors, the condemna· C tion of wicked men, feeme harfb to us; but we mulllearne of God, that there is a punifbiog mercy. Curfed be that mercy rhat oppofes the·God ofO)ercy, Yet was noti•Jb•• fo inrent upon the llaughrer,a5 nor to be mindful ofGods part, and Rahabs:Firll,he gives charge(undcra curfe)ofreferving all rhetreafurefor God; Then ofpreferving the Family of Rahab. Thole two Spyes, that received life from her,now returne it to her,and hers: They call at the window with the red cGrd; and fend up news of life to her, the fame "'ay \~hich they received theirs: Her houfe is no part ofJericho; neither may fire be fer to any building of that Ciry,rilt Rah.b and her family be fer fafc without the holl. The aliions ofour faith and charity will be fure to pay us;iflate,yer furely.New Rahab lincles what it is to beleev~ God;whiles out of an impurei·Jolatrous Citie, fhe is tranfplaored into the Churcli of God, and D made a mother of a Royal! and holy polleririe. Of AcHAN. k:;;:::;::::;:::~ Hen the wals of]ericho were falne, I•fbua charged the Ifraelires bur with two precepts; Of fparing Raha61 houfe, & ofabllaining from that treafure,which was anathematized to God;and one of them is broken: As intheenrrance to Paradife,but one tree was forbidden, and that was eaten of. God bath provided for our weakndfe in rhe paucity ofcommaods:but our innocency fbnds not fo much in ha as in keeping thofe we have, So much more guilty are we in the as we are more favoured in the number. They needed no command to fpare oo living thing in Jericho : bur to I pare the rreafure, no command was enough. Imparrialitieofexecution is eafier to performe, then contemprofthefe worldly things; becaufe we are more prone ro covet for our fclves, then to pity others.HJd Iofoua bidden fave themen and divide the trcafure; his charge had been more plaufibte,rhennow ro kill the men,and fave the rreafure1or, •f they mull kill,earrhly minis would more gladly 01ed their enemies blood, fur a booty,then our ofobedience,for the glory oftheir Maker .Bur now,it is good reafim, Gnce God I brew down thofc wals,and aot they; that both the blo•1d ofthat wicked City lhould be fpilr to him, nor to their own revenge; and that the rreafure fhoulJ be refervedfor his uf<, nor for theirs. Who bur a mifcreanr can grudge, that God I i ii f!Jou\d
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