each one of us for himself has to cross the flood ancl put himself in covenant with Christ, it is because our Heacl has Himself troclclen the same nath. Born in " the likeness of sinful flesh," as the representative of sinners not yet fully reconc1lecl to His Father," macle sin," not for Himself, but for us, He dwelt " on the other side " of the river of death; but tha.t strea.m once crossed, He ascended into heaven there to win blessings which we should inherit after Him. We must ever, while reJoicing in the privileges we now enjoy, remember how they were won, and what we once were, "children of wrath even a,s others," but now, being "made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and in the end ever- lasting life." II. THE COVENANT MUST BE_ RENEWED BY EACH FOR HIMSELF. The promises of God are general, to all mankmcl. But they are also special, t.o each individual. They must be applied personally by each man to his own soul, by faith. For this reason the Church of Goel has always required a profession of faith from each person when they entered into covenant with God at baptism. But this formal profession is practically inoperative, unless each man makes a personal profession of faith, in his own heart, on which he means to act, as soon as he is conscious of his own individual responsibility to God. Thus Israel, when the time bad come for the fulfilment of the covenant by reason of his possession of bis inheritance, was called upon to avow his readiness so to do. And thus he was the type of all Christians, who cannot appropriate to themselves the blessings of the covenant until they have acknowledged the obligation on their part to fulfil its conditions. III. WE DID NOT GAIN THE BLESSINGS FOR OURSELVES (see ver. 15). The Israelites were continually reminded that the good things they enjoyed were not of their own procuring (see Dent. vi. 10 ; ix. 5). And so the Christian is reminded that be owes all to God. The Christian covenant is one of mercy, not of works. Any merits the Christian possesses are not his own, but the gift of God. " What hast thou, that thou bast not received? " If the gift of salvation through Christ, it was not thine by merit, but by God's free gift. If thou hast any bodily or intellectual gifts, they came down " from the Father of lights." If thou possessest any moral or spiritual qualities worthy of praise, they have been the work of God's Spirit within thee. Boast not, then, of anything thou art. Be not higbminded, but fear. Take heed to use the gifts that have been given you to God's glory, and to be ever thank- ful to Him for His mercy, to whom you owe all you have and all you are. IV. THE COVENANT IS A HARD ONE TO OBEY. The law of Moses was singularly strict and searching. It bound men to a close and minute scmtiny of their lives, and forced them to remember every hour LliJ obligations they lay under. Nor is the Christian covenant one whit less searching. Nay, it is far more so, for it em- braces not merely every act and word, but even the " thoughts and intents of the heart." God still punishes those who, even in the least point, offend against His law, and thus forsake Him and serve strange gods. It is still true that we " can- not" in our own strength" serve the Lord." But it is also true that He will forgive us our shortcomings through Jesus Christ, and that He will furnish us with the strength we lack to fulfil the precepts of the wide-reaching law which He has set us.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-Public worship. "And they presented themselves before God." Eminent servants of God were remarkable for their solicitude respecting the course of events likely to follow their decease. " When I am gone let heaven and ea11th come together" is a sentiment with which~ good ':llanca~ hay_e no sympathy. Note the instructions given by Moses (Dent. xxxi.), Da_V1d (1 Kmgsu.), Pattl (2 Trm. iv. 1-8), and Peter (2 Pet. i. 12-15). As Jesus Clmst looked_ to the fntlll'e (John xiv.-xvii.; Acts i. 3), so did His type Joshua. _He was deter°:1111ed that the pe?ple shottld be bound to the service of the true God, if solemn meetmgs an,1 declamt10us could bring it about. Nothing should be wanting on bis pad, at auy rate. The 356 THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. [on. XXIV. 1-28,