that race unto race might praife him, and fhew forth his mighty deeds.

FOURTHLY, We fhall confider the CoN-. FIRMATIONS of this Transaction.

1. IT was difpenfed by Mofes, and accepted by Ifrael: "And Mofes called all Ifrael, and faid unto them," &c. " And Mofes fpake thefe words unto all Ifrael*." As the congregation was affembled for this purpofe; fo we have no reafon to imagine that any of them refufed to accept.

2. IT was, I humbly judge, a written covenant. I readily grant, that we have only an abstract of it tranfimitted to us: But no reafon can be affigned, I prefume, why it fhould not be written at length, as well as the two foregoing, and all fucceeding ones.

3. IT was a fworn covenant. This is plainly declared by the inspired historian: “That thou fhouldft enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and INTO HIS OATH." Again, "Neither with you only do I make this covenant, and this OATH." The question is, By

whom

* Deut. xxix. 2. compared with Deut. xxxi. 1.

This manner of expreffion is ufual enough in the Old Testament, as in Ecc. viii. 2. "I counsel thee to keep the King's commandment, and that in regard of

the

whom was it fworn? By Ifrael, or by Jehovah To me the former feems evidently intended; for he is faid to enter into the oath of the Lord his God, which cannot imply lefs than to fwear it. Nor is it any objection against this fenfe, that the oath is called his oath,-Jehovah's oath: For it may be called HIS, as it was of HIS appointment, as well as including an appeal unto his omnifcience, and omnipotence, to reward fincerity, and chaftife perfidy.

THE laft thing propofed is, A few REFLEC TION'S on the whole.

1. WE may learn to adore divine fovereignty, cfpecially in God's conduct towards his Church and people. He might juftly have faid, “What has fuch a perfidious generation to do to take my covenant in their lips? Have I not been grieved by you, and your fathers, for the space of forty years? But, beyond the expectation of angels and men, he caufed them to enter into the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers; "that he may eftablish thee to-day for a people to himself." What a people is this, that God fhould take them for his people!- -What fovereignty has he difplayed to this prefent generation of covenanters?-Covenanters fprung

the OATH OF God.” The oath of loyalty to the King is ftyled the oath or GOD; as he is the object of worship, to whom the appeal is made, and by whom the allegiance is pledged.

from

from covenant-breakers! What a miracle of forbearance is it, that this generation is not confumed! There is fomething fo ftriking in our cafe, that it feems even to exceed that of Ifrael at the Plains of Moab; yea, it has fcarce a parallel in the annals of providence.

2. COVENANTERS fhould be carefully infructed as to thofe vows which are upon them, in order to prepare them for covenant-renovation. This is well warranted by the conduct of Mofes. He dwelt upon the fubject;-he applied it unto the particular circumftances of his audience;-he laboured to the utmoft to make them understand it. The fubject was, every whit, as complicated and difficult as the prefent bond; but Mofes did not despair of making a stupid people understand it.Some imagine it is belt to keep themselves free (as they speak) when they are free: But, were fuch perfons fuitably inftructed, as to what Vows are upon them, they would fee, that there is no one duty from which they can be exempted, by abftaining from covenanting. When perfons are previously under folemn vows, as was the cafe with Ifrael; and as is the cafe with us, they are already bound unto every duty: and nothing but the formality of a perfonal adherence is a-wanting. The obligation, however, is inviolable, whether we acknowledge it or not;-whether we add this perfonal adherence or not.

3. THIS fubject difcovers unto us the true nature of covenant-renovation. Covenant-renovation neceffarily prefuppofeth an acknowledgment of all previous covenant-obligations; an avowed adherence unto them; with an addition of fuch articles as prefent circumftances dictate to be requifite. This covenant was a renovation of all the patriarchal covenants, as well as the two Sinai tranfactions: And it contained an application of them unto the circumftances of the covenanters then prefent, with fuch alterations as fitted their peculiar circumflances; being a people ready to enter on the enjoyment of the promifed land. Former covenants refpected chiefly their wandering state; but this had a principal refpect unto a fettled condition: Hence, there were fome things in these transactions unneceffary in this one; fuch as, the promife of fafe conduct through the wilderness, the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud for that effect. Thefe were fuperfeded by the promife of his abode in the place which he fhould choose to put his name there, and unto which he would affemble the congrega tion.

DISSER

い

ON THE

COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND ISRAEL,

AT SHECHEM.

Jos. xxiv. 1- 28.

'N taking a view of this Covenant, Ishall shew, -I. By whom this Covenant was Dispensed. -II. To whom it was Adminiftered.-III. I fhall confider the Matter of the Covenant.IV. The Occafions of it.-V. The Solemnities by which it was Confirmed.-VI. Concluding with fome Reflections on the whole.

FIRST, I shall shew by whom this Covenant was DISPENSED. The infpired prophet affures us, this was no other than Joshua : "And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Ifrael together, to Shechem," &c. "And Joflma faid unto all the people *." Jofla was a great

* Josh. xxiv. 1, 2.

general