A commentary of M. John Calvin, upon the book of Joshua finished a little…A commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine, vpon the booke of Iosue finished a little…

First of all therefore, when the passage through the read Sea, in the space of 40. years, by which God led the people through the wilderness, was almost grown out of remembrance, by the same miracle in the passage of the river Jordan, the continual tenure & course of their deliverance was again renewed & continued. As for the renewing of Circumcision was as much, as if God should afresh establish his covenant, which through the shameful negligence of the people was buried, or through their infidelity & despair rejected. Then it followeth, how by the hand of God they were brought into the possession of the land of promise.

First of all therefore, when the passage through the redde Sea, in the space of 40. yeeres, by which God led the people through the wildernesse, was almost growne out of remembrance, by the same miracle in the passage of the riuer Iordan, the continuall tenure & course of their deliuerance was againe renewed & continued. As for the renewing of Circumcision was as much, as if God should afresh establish his couenant, which through the shamefull negligence of the people was buried, or through their infidelitie & despaire reiected. Then it followeth, howe by the hande of God they were brought into the possession of the lande of promise.

The taking of the first city was an earnest & pledge unto them of that virtue & power of God, which they should hope for in all the rest, while at the only sound of the trumpets the walls of Jericho were shaken & fell down of their own accord. And yet these nations were not discomfited in one battle, nor chased away by wars of short continuance: but by little & little they were spent and wasted away by many painful conflicts. Where also it is to be noted, that the people had many great difficulties laid in their way, whiles the Kings that were their enemies conspiring together, gathered all their forces into one, and so came to fight against them, so that they had not war with every people severally, & at sundry times, but with an infinite multitude, which might have run over the Israelites all at one brunt. But these their violent attempts in the end have this issue, that whiles the power of God showeth it self to be above them, his mercy also and faithfulness in defence of his elect people shineth more gloriously. Undoubtedly, that continual course of their happy success, & so many wonderful victories, did openly represent the hand of God as it were stretched out of heaven to help them. But this was a most manifest proof that they warred under the conduct of God himself, that at the request of Joshua the course of the Sun was stayed, as though all creatures of the world being armed unto his aide, were present at his commandment.