other; and that, whatever were their occupations, whatever their difficulties, they must on no account forget to serve and honour God. Accordingly, as soon as Joshua had conquered Jericho and Ai, and had obtained possession of that spot of ground, notwithstanding he was surrounded by enemies on every side, he convoked the people, and complied with the divine command in every respect : " there was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel g."
But wherefore were these burnt-offerings to be offered on the occasion ? and how could the people " eat their peace- offerings there, and rejoice before the Lordh?" Methinks, if they were ratifying a covenant by which they could never obtain a blessing, and by which they must perish under a curse, there was little reason to " rejoice.1" But these burnt-offerings were to direct their attention to the great sacrifice, by which all their curses should be removed, and all the blessings of sal- vation be secured to them. In the view of that great sacrifice, they might hear all the curses published, and feel no cause of dread or apprehension : in the view of that sacrifice, they might contemplate the imperfections of their obedience without despondency; yea, they might " eat their peace-offerings" in token of their acceptance with God, and might " rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and glorified." By this sacrifice they were taught, not to confine their views to the Law, but to extend them to the Gospel : and, in the terms to which they assented, they were taught to include obedience to the Gospel1, even to that great " commandment of God, which enjoins us to believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ V To this we also may assent ; yea, to this we must assent : and we now set before you the blessing and the curse ; we now propose to you the great alternative : If ye will obey the commandments of the Lord, believing in his only dear Son as the only ground of your hopes, and, from a sense of love to him, endeavouring unreservedly to fulfil his will, we promise you, in the name of Almighty God, a fulness of all spiritual and eternal blessings : but, if ye will not thus obey Ins commandments, we declare to you, that the curse of God shall rest upon your souls in time and in eternity.]
Such being the alternative proposed to us, we would set before you,
II. Some reflections arising from it — We cannot but notice from hence,
s Josh. viii. 30 — 35. h Deut. xxvii. 7.
1 2 Thess. i. 8. k John vi. 29. and 1 John hi. 23.