influence might remain, when he should have ceased to move them by his authority and example.
We shall,
I. Consider the covenant which he made with them —
The covenant itself was, that they should serve the Lord —
[Not contented with requiring this of them in general terms, he specified the manner in which they must serve the Lord. They must serve him sincerely. It was not sufficient for them to call themselves his people, and to observe his ordi- nances with hypocritical exactness: their hearts must be fixed upon him; their delight must be to do his will; they must have no secret reserves of unmortified corruption; but must serve the Lord " in sincerity and truth V
They must also serve him resolutely. It might " seem evil to them to serve the Lord," yea, it might be accounted so by the whole nation ; but they must be inflexible in their purpose, and determinately say with him, " As for me and my house, we will serve the Lordc."
They must also serve him exclusively. The admonition in the 19th verse is variously interpreted. Some think it was an ob- jection in the mouth of an adversary, to deter persons from the Lord's service : others think it was a strong statement of the difficulties attending the Lord's service, suggested by Joshua for the purpose of stirring up the Israelites to more fixedness of purpose, and greater energy in their exertions. But we apprehend that the whole context determines the passage to a very different meaning. There were still among them some idols, which, though they did not worship, they valued and were averse to part with : and Joshua saw, that, if these were retained, the people would in time relapse into idolatry : he warned them therefore of the impossibility of their serving God acceptably whilst they retained these ; and assured them, that God would never forgive them, if they did not put away the things which were sure to prove to them an occasion of falling. The following warning in the 20th verse, and the exhortation in the 23d, shew most satisfactorily, that this is the true meaning of the passage we refer to. God must be served alone : his glory will he not give to another : he is a " holy" God, that will tolerate no secret lust; and a "jealous God, that will endure no rival in our hearts, or in our hands."]
Having stated to them the terms of the covenant, he calls them to ratify and confirm it —
h ver. 14. c ver. 15.
260. J joshua's covenant with Israel. 625
[Covenants are usually signed by the parties themselves, and then attested by others, as witnesses. Thus on this occa- sion he calls the Israelites to confirm and ratify this covenant by their own express consent, which they give in terms no less plain than if they had annexed to the covenant their own name and seal. The manner in which they do this is peculiarly worthy of observation : they first express their utter abhorrence of the very idea of departing from Godd: and then, assigning their obligations to Jehovah as a reason for their determination, they declare their fixed purpose to serve him, and him onlye. Upon Joshua's expressing the jealousy which he entertained respect- ing them on account of their backwardness to cast away their idols, they renewed their declarations with increased energy f. Then, when reminded that they will be witnesses against them- selves, if ever they should turn aside from God, they volun- tarily engage to be witnesses, and thereby affix, as it were, to the covenant their signature and sealg: and lastly, on being required to give evidence of the sincerity of their professions, they renew their protestations with more strength and energy than everh.
Joshua now calls other witnesses. He wrote their words upon the very copy of the law which Moses had deposited in the ark, that that might remain an everlasting witness against them : and then he " took a large stone, and set it up there under an oak, that that also might be a witness against them," if ever they should depart from God : thus taking care, that, the covenant being fully attested, they might be convicted, and condemned, and be for ever without excuse before God and man, if they should ever forget and deny their God1.]