Joshua 3:17

Reader, seek grace from God the Holy Ghost to read the whole of this sweet scripture spiritually, and with an eye to God's mercy in Jesus. As Jordan ' s sacred stream retired, to make way for the ransomed to pass over; and as the priests ' feet stood firm in the river until all was accomplished; so, depend upon it the covenant of grace, in the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus, stands firm in the midst of all the Jordans of this world of sin, and sorrow, and tribulation. The word of God saith it, and Jesus ever lives to secure it: the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion, with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away: Isaiah 35:10

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YE happy souls! whom God, even the God of the whole earth, is bringing in, and bringing through all the fords of Jordan, and all the difficulties which lay on this side Jordan, in the way to Canaan; here stand still, and see the salvation of God. How eternally safe, and how eternally secure, must they be, who have the ark of the covenant to go on before them, and the Lord himself their rereward!

Ye priests of Jesus, Levites of a better dispensation than that of Moses, and established upon better promises, with what fearless and undaunted zeal may you pass on, before the camp of God's Israel, surrounded with his ordinances and the ark of the covenant of the God of the whole earth, with you!

But chiefly thou, dear Jesus! who art both the ark and the resting place, the mercy seat and the security, the all in all of thy people. Oh! be thou ever with me in all places, at all times, in all the Jordans of difficulty, and in all the Canaan for happiness; for without thee nothing is safe, nothing desirable. Be thou my ark, my sanctuary, my covert, my resting place, for in thy person and righteousness, are the lives of thy people eternally secured and made happy. Unto thee, blessed Jesus, as my everlasting home, do I desire to come, for thou Lord hast dealt bountifully with me.