1. Inat ministers must faithfully execute their high office —
[It was not from a want of tenderness that Moses thus faithfully declared the whole counsel of God, but because his duty to God, and to the people also, constrained him to declare it: and there is something peculiarly instructive in the direc- tions he gave respecting the delivery of the blessing and the curse from the two contiguous mounts. Six of the tribes were to be stationed on the one mount, and six on the other: those who were born of the free-women, were to be on Mount Gerizim; and those who were of the bond-women, together with Reuben, who had been degraded, and Zebulun, the youngest of Leah's children, (to make the numbers equal,) were to be on Mount Ebal, from whence the curses were to proceed. The tribe of Levi then were, where we should ex- pect to find them, on the side from whence the blessings were pronounced1. This shewed, that, whilst the liberty of the Gospel led to true blessedness, it was the true end and scope of the ministry to make men blessed m: that is the delightful employment of the sons of Levi: the highest character of a pious minister is, to be " a helper of your joy." But it was ordered that some of the Levites should also be stationed on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curses n ; because, however pain- ful it may be to ministers to exhibit the terrors of the law, the necessities of men require it, and the duties of their office de- mand it. Let us not then be thought harsh, if on proper occa- sions we make known to you the dangers of disobedience : " a necessity is imposed upon us; and woe be to us if we decline" executing the commission we have received. We must " warn every man, as well as teach every man, if we would present every man perfect in Christ Jesus0." It would be a more pleasing task to dwell only on the brighter side, and to speak to you only from Mount Gerizim; but we must occasionally stand also on Mount Ebal, and make you to hear the more awful part of the alternative winch we are commissioned to propose. The message which we must deliver to every creature that is under heaven, consists of these two parts, " He that believe th and is baptized, shall be saved ; and he that believe th not, shall be damned."]
2. That faith and works are equally necessary to our salvation, though on different grounds —
[God forbid that for one moment we should attempt to lessen the importance and necessity of good works: they are
1 Deut. xxvii. 11 — 13. m Deut. x. 8.
n Deut. xxvii. 14, 15. ° Col. i. 28.
z 2