Joshua 22:29

Ver. 29. God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, &c.— They conclude, as they began, by protesting in the most sacred manner before God, that they have an utter abhorrence of the very idea, of the least tendency to rebellion against Jehovah; or, as the Chaldee paraphrase, both here and in the foregoing verses, has it, against the word of the Lord. Thus ended the conference in behalf of the Israelites beyond Jordan: how admirable is the mildness with which their judicious apologist repels the most dreadful suspicions, and the most ignominious accusations! using for this purpose no offensive retort, over-bearing arrogance, or affronting language. Happy they who can imitate the amiable example, and have virtue enough never to oppose to the false judgments passed upon them, and the groundless accusations they undergo, aught but proofs demonstrative of their innocence, and of the unjust treatment they meet with! A closer attention to this maxim would often have spared Christians the shame of striving rather to rail at their adversaries, than to reclaim them by informing their understandings. See Divine Legat. vol. 4: p. 15, &c.

Note; (1.) We are to be careful not only to act simply before God, but to make our integrity appear before men. (2.) The perpetuating the means of grace to our posterity, is the best method we can take to secure them in the ways of God. (3.) They who neglect the ordinances of God's worship, will soon prove apostates from his truth.