Spirit apply it to our hearts and consciences, while we consider I. THE BOOK COMMENDED TO US, II. THE EXHORTATION RESPECTING IT. III. THE RESULT WHICH FOLLOWS FROM OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE TO THIS INJUNCTION. I. THE BOOK COMMENDED: "All that is written in the book of the law of Moses," —that is, the entire Scriptures as they then existed—all that Moses had written, at the command, and by the inspiration of God. 1. Observe-it was to the written law alone that Joshua directed them. Doubtless, God had communicated much to Moses orally, and many things might have been delivered to the Elders of Israel by Moses, by word of mouth; and hence tradition might have been called into existence. But God directs them to nothing as authority but his written law, first inscribed by God's own finger on tables of stone, or communicated to Moses, and written by him. 2. From that day to this the will of God has been made known to us in writing : "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" and their prophecies were prophecies of the scripture. (2 Peter i. 20, 21.) "Search the scriptures," said our Lord, who never referred to tradition but to condemn it. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," &c. saith St. Paul; and the holy scriptures "are able to make thee wise unto salvation," &c. (2 Tim. iii. 15—17.) The Bible is "the scripture of truth," (Dan. x. 21); the very transcript of the Divine mind. The question ever is, "What saith the scripture?" (Rom. iv. 3); "How readest thou?"-"It is written;"-"It is written again, and the scripture must be fulfilled." Innumerable passages of like nature may be cited to prove that our Lord and his Apostles ever referred to the written word of God alone as Divine authority to settle every point at issue. 3. The evidence of the Divine authority of the New Testament is of the same description : -the Apostles ever claimed like inspiration for themselves, and attributed it to each other. Thus St. Peter refers to St. Paul's Epistles as to holy scripture; "which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures"-evidently classing St. Paul's writings with other inspired writings. (2 Peter iii. 15, 16.) 4. Oh, let the written word of God, infallible truth, be elevated far, far above the writings of men, however excellent! Set it up on high; place it on a platform by itself; exalt, if you will, the writings of one man, or one class of men, above those of others; but magnify God's word above them all" the lively oracles"-without admixture of error or falsehood-" all that is written in the book of the law of our God"—that shall be our light, our guide, our supreme and sovereign dictator: this is the book commended. II. THE EXHORTATION RESPECTING IT :— -most comprehensive and important-" Be ye therefore very courageous," &c. (Text.) 1. "Keep it :"_ -treasure it up in your hearts; lodge it in your memories; inscribe it on the tablet of your mind. "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart, and in your soul." (Deut. xi. 18.) As the virgin mother of our Lord regarded every saying respecting him: "Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." (Luke ii. 19.) Scripture is to be "inwardly digested:" turned over and over in the mind—meditation, contemplation, deep study, careful examination, together with holy jealousy; "keeping"-guarding the holy scripture as a sacred and invaluable deposit, is intended. 2. "Do it :" -"Be ye very courageous to keep and to do" what is commanded. We are not to keep the holy scripture as a curiosity in a cabinet; not to hide or bury it, but to practice it: "The book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein." (Josh. i. 8.) "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only," &c. (James i. 22.) "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John xiii. 17.) If the scriptures do not exercise a practical influence over us, they will only increase our condemnation. 3. Observe the universality of the injunction: "ALL that is written in the book." There is to be no reservation nor exception—no selection of favourite doctrines or of agreeable duties: but "all that is written" is to be read, believed, obeyed! All the profound mysteries-all the sublime truths-all the deep doctrines-all the self G denying duties as well as the abundant consolations—are to be meekly received, embraced, and followed. Here is the entire book-venture not either to add to it, or take ought from it—" not one jot or tittle!" 66 4. There must be no deviation from the narrow way: "that ye turn not aside therefrom, to the right hand or to the left." This is the chart-be careful to steer by it! This is your map-your guide-your lamp; beware of the smallest deviation: error, sin, guilt, lie on this side and on that here is the voice-listen to it-which says, "this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn," &c. (Isaiah XXX. 21.) "When thou goest, it shall lead thee," &c. (Prov. vi. 22, 23.) Well might Joshua add— 5. "Be ye very courageous to keep and to do all this!" -He had said in the previous verse, that God would drive "confess him before men"-let not ridicule nor scorn move you stand firm for God and his word-" let none of these things move you." Then God will protect you, and bless you, and give you the victory! III. THE CONSEQUENCES OF OBEDIENCE OR DISOBE DIENCE то THIS EXHORTATION MAY BE LEARNED Wherever God's written word was known and read and honoured, religion has flourished; and where that word has been neglected, religion has decayed. 1. See the Old Testament Church : -Take any period when the Holy Scriptures were read and taught, and see how they prospered. In the time of Moses and Joshua-of David and Solomon-the revivals of Hezekiah and Jonah-the restoration by Ezra and Nehemiah—and from that time 400 years till the Christian era— God is honoured and worshipped-idolatry is put downand the nation prospers! Take the intermediate periodsthe Scriptures neglected, hidden, lost-and what then? Idolatry, vice, and every enormity, were rampant-till 2. Just so in the Christian Church: -when the word of God has been known and honoured, the Church has been pure; when Scripture has given place to tradition, to the writings of the fathers and the decrees of the Church, superstition, idolatry, and ignorance have proportionably prevailed. All our present light and life and liberty is to be attributed to the translation and circulation of Scripture at the Reformation; and if we are deluded in any measure to return to the decrees of the ancient Church, tradition, and the fathers, and leave the guidance of Scripture, we shall relapse into the childish superstitions of the Nicene age. 3. Equally true of individuals : -when they keep and do "all that is written in the book;" when they study and digest God's word continually in the spirit of prayer, their souls prosper; but when they grow cold and negligent in this Divine study, they languish and decay. Let all examine themselves! Do you diligently study the Scriptures? The guilt and danger of neglecting God's holy word is imminent ! God has given you a book, and you will not read it! He has written a letter, and you will not break the seal and study its contents! Heavily will this sin press on your consciences in the day of reckoning! But you say, perhaps, that you cannot understand it, and therefore you do not read it! If Do you think God would give you a book that you cannot understand? or has he not promised his Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind, and enable you to understand it? Read it with earnest prayer for Divine illumination, and you shall see and feel and enjoy its sacred truths. you read and love it : 66 -see that you obey its precepts, and live a holy life; follow its guidance: so shall you be blessed as a doer of the word, and not a hearer only." XXI. SPIRITUAL EMANCIPATION. Romans vi. 20-23. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. THROUGHOUT this chapter, the Apostle is meeting the old objection against the doctrines of grace. "What shall we say then," he asks in the first verse," shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" "God forbid!" he indignantly replies. And then from the second to the fourteenth verse, he argues the impossibility of such an abuse by a true believer, from the fact, that he is spiritually crucified, dead, and buried with Christ-nay, that he is risen again with him to righteousness. Shall we But again he asks, (ver. 15,)" What then? sin because we are not under the law, but under grace?" And again he replies, " God forbid." And in the remainder of the chapter he proves his point by an illustration drawn from the state of slavery then prevalent; and argues that believers will no longer commit sin, because they are not only redeemed from its bondage, but are actually become the property of another master, even God. The illustration is peculiar, and very forcible: may the Spirit of God enable us to understand it, and apply it to our hearts and consciences with power. We have here— I. THE PAST CONDITION OF EVERY HE WAS. II. HIS PRESENT STATE-WHAT HE IS. BELIEVER-WHAT III. WE MAY BRIEFLY CONTRAST THE two. I. THE PAST CONDITION OF EVERY BELIEVER-WHAT HE WAS. 1. He was free! "When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." His state of sin was in one sense a state of freedom! He was freed from the restraints of righteousness. This expression is not intended to denote merely that he |