people were required to give their consent to these terms, acknowledging the justice of them, and professing their willing- ness to be dealt with according to themd. Now, I ask, who could obtain salvation on such terms as these ? who could even venture to indulge a hope of ultimate acceptance with his God? It is obvious, that according to these terms the whole human race must perish. But was this the design of God in publishing such a covenant? Did he intend to mock his creatures with offers of mercy on terms which it was impossible to perform, and then to require of them a public acknowledg- ment of their approbation of them ? No : he intended at this very time to shew them their need of a better covenant, and, in reality, to point out that very covenant for their acceptance. He intended to shew them, that, however in their national capacity they might secure a continuance of his favour by an observance of his commands, they could never attain eternal blessedness in such a way : they must look to their Messiah for the removal of the curses, which, according to their own acknowledgment, they merited ; and obtain through him those blessings, which they would in vain attempt to earn by any merits of their own.
That this is the true scope of those chapters, will appear from the light thrown upon them by St. Paul ; who quotes the very words of Moses which we have been considering, and de- clares, that, according to them, every human being is under a curse, and is therefore necessitated to look to Christ who be- came a " curse" for us, and to expect a "blessing" through him alone e.]
But this will receive additional light by considering, 2. The peculiar circumstances attending the pub- lication of it —
[It was particularly commanded by Moses, that as soon as that portion of the promised land on which Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim stood should be subdued, an altar of whole stones should be erected to the Lord ; that it should be plas- tered over ; that the law should be written in very large and legible characters upon it ; that burnt-offerings and peace- offerings should be offered upon it ; that the terms of the cove- nant should be recited in the hearing of all the people ; that the blessings should be pronounced on Mount Gerizim, and the curses on Mount Ebal ; and that all the people should give their public assent to the whole and every part of that covenant*. Now, whilst this command was a pledge to the people of their future success, it was an intimation to them, that the work of covenanting with God should take precedence of every
d Deut. xxvii. 26. e Gal. iii. 10, 13, 14. f Deut. xxvii. 2—8.