IV. LINE ON LINE.

MOSES, in God’s name, did counsel Joshua, Deut. xxxi. 23: Be strong, and of a good courage, for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them. God immediately did command him, Josh. i. 6: Be strong, and of a good courage; and again, ver. 7: Only be thou strong and very courageous; and again, ver. 9: Have not I commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed. Lastly, the Reubenites 108and Gadites heartily desired him, ver. 18: Only be strong and of a good courage.

Was Joshua a dunce, or a coward? did his wit or his valour want an edge, that the same precept must so often be pressed upon him? No doubt neither; but God saw it needful that Joshua should have courage of proof, who was to encounter both the froward Jew and the fierce Canaanite.

Though metal on metal, colour on colour, be false heraldry, line on line, precept on precept, [Is. xxviii. 10.] is true divinity.

Be not therefore offended, O my soul, if the same doctrine be often delivered unto thee by different preachers: if the same precept, like the sword in Paradise, which turned every way, [Gen. iii. 24.] doth hunt and haunt thee, tracing thee which way soever thou turnest, rather conclude that thou art deeply concerned in the practice thereof, which God hath thought fit should be so frequently inculcated into thee.