becomo bis foes. He iclontifies himself with our cause; or, what is the same thin er, w8 identify ourselvos with his. " JII. DIVINE ASSISTAN0E MAKES us ALirCONQUERING. "Noman shall be able to stand before us." Good men will be drawn to us in sacred frienrlship; bar\ men will be held fnst in the mysterious spell df awe. We shall be known as the friends and allies of God; nnd, in proportion as we are like him, men will feel for us the dread they feel for Goel. IV. Suen VALIANT STRENGTH WILL INTRODUCE us TO UNIVERSAL INHERITANCF., 11 Every plnce whereon the soles of our feet shall tread shall be ours." In such covenant alliance with God, we shall walk through his universe as "his ;heirs." Every element of material substance, every event in time, every circumstance and experience, shall conduce to our profit. The world shall be laid under tribute to our best life. We shall extract advantage and joy from adversity itself.-D.
Vers. 26-32.-Startling alternatives. Our life is hourly a choice of alternatives. We can go to the right or to the left. Choice is incessantly demanded, and the issues of our choice are momentous. I. THE REVELATION OF Gon's WILL MAY BE A SOURCE OF ABSOLUTE DLESSNG. Such revelation is the disclosure of man's true paradise. It is the opening of the door of God's own palace; and, unworthy though we are, we may enter and find rest. To do God's will is to be Christ-like-is to be a true son, and to possess a son's joy. Every step we take along that way of obedience is a step nearer God, from whose smile we obtain exquisite pleasure, and in whose society we find our heaven. II. WE 0ANNOT REMAIN THE SAME, AFTER OBTAINING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GoD'S WILL AS WE WERE BEFORE. Necessity requires that we should be either better or worse. You cannot dweJI for an hour in the society of a good man, and continue in the former state of feeling. 'l'be fire that does not melt, hardens. To know God's will, and not to do it, inflicts unspeakable misc-bief upon the soul. Resistance of inward convictions begets callosity of heart, and blasts the budding life of conscience. ·wanton treason against God is incipient bell. It is the darkening of the understanding, aud the en- slavement of the will. No blacker curse can en wrap a man than this. III. MATERIAL NATURE FORECASTS THE .ALTERNATIVES OF BLESSING OR WOE, The visible universe is a projection of God's thought, and all the forces of nature are the agents of God. We find upon this globe elements that minister to our development and strength and joy. We find also elements that are repulsive, menacing, and destructive. 'rhe cloud-capped peaks may draw around us the lightnings of vengeance, or may melt the laden cloud and distil showers of blessing. The twin mountains of Ebal and Gerizim were baptized as perpetual preachers of life and death. We may find "sermons in stones," lessons in leaves, counsels in running brooks. IV. MATERIAL POSSESSIONS .ARE NOT .ABSOLUTE BLESSINGS. God here distinctly assures the Hebrews that they shall enter Canaan; but whether they should dwell under the frowning peaks of Ebal, or on the sunny slopes of Gerizim, was suspended on their loyal obedience. Even to the possessors of the promised land, there stood the dark possibility of the curse, Neither money nor learning makes a man; it is the power to use it.-D,
Vers. 1-9.-Divine judgments upon others, to ensure obedience in us. Moses wishes to bring all possible motive to bear upon the people to secure their obedience in Canaan, He bas just been speaking of their national development from a family of seventy to a. multitude as numerous as the stars. Such a blessing sbonld encourage them to love the Lord their God; and to "keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, al way." Obedience is thus founded upon gratitude, which is God's invariable plan, Ilut in these verses before us, Moses takes what we may call the converse method. He calls up in succession the judgments with which God visited both the Egyptians and their own forefathers on account of disobedience. He calls upon them to recognize ( 01;\Y,"J'l) the "chastisement" (i~m) with which God had signalized the disobedience of the Egyptians and of the Israelites, The following lessons are in these verses suggested. l, GRATITUDE IS T!ll!l FOUNDATION OF NEW OBEDIENCE. This is God's plan. He DEUTERONOMY, P 210 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, [en. :u, 1-:12,