of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

6. Understand, therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.

[Here may be read the remainder of the chapter.]

How continually did Moses find it necessary to repeat to the Israelites this mortifying truth, that they had deserved nothing of all the good things they were about to receive at the hands of God! He had before reminded them that it was not for their numbers, that they were to be thus blessed and prospered, he now assures them that it was not for their righteousness, adding the true, but humiliating declaration," For thou art a stiffnecked people." So powerful, so domineering a feeling is this at all times, in the human breast, this sin of obstinate self-righteousness, that notwithstanding all the remonstrances of Moses, the children of Israel appear, as a nation, never to have relinquished it. In vain did he tell them, and he repeats it again, in the latter part of the chapter, verse twenty-four, " Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you;" they would not acknowledge

the disparaging truth, they considered that great mercies were necessarily a proof of great deservings, and were ready at all times to say to every other nation under heaven, "Stand by, I am holier than thou." How difficult is it, when God has greatly prospered us, to avoid this sin, to feel not elated, but humbled, at the thought that we are the undeserving recipients of mercies so disproportioned to our merits! If there be any one consideration, which more than another, should fill the heart of a Christian with feelings of his own utter worthlessness, it is the thought of the infinite disproportion between his mercies and his merits. It is impossible to read the beautiful and daily thanksgiving of our Church, the reference to our "creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life," and to the still higher mercies, "the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, the means of grace and the hope of glory;" and to say, through Divine grace, these are mine, without shrinking abashed at the view of our own hearts, and lives, and conversation without most deeply rejoicing that there is One, who has condescended to be called, "The Lord our righteousness." Yes, blessed be God, that for such sinners, there is such a Saviour; that for creatures so helpless, so polluted, so sinful, there is a Creator, so pow

erful and, through the atoning merits of the same Redeemer, so entirely reconciled.

But there is yet another lesson to be learnt from the passages before us. Observe how privileges imply duties, and how duties become practicable, only through privileges. Moses assures the people, at once, of two most important facts, viz. that God will fight for them, and yet, that they must fight for themselves. They are to begin their warfare by the destruction of a people, of whom they had already said, "Who can stand against the children of Anak?" What hope was there, then, of victory? Simply this," as a consuming fire, God shall destroy them, and He shall bring them down before thy face." Then, all was ready done for them; not at all: observe what follows," So shalt thou drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee." Mark, then, how perfectly privileges and duties coalesce. It is because God will destroy their enemies, that they are themselves to fight against them; it is because "God will bring them down," that they are to strive and struggle for the victory. So is it with ourselves. It is because the Lord Jesus Christ will open the door, that we are to "strive to enter in at the straight gate." It is because the same Saviour has said, "It is your Father's good pleasure to

give you the kingdom," that we are "the rather, brethren, to give diligence to make our calling and election sure." It is because it is promised,. "that we shall be more than conquerors through Him that loved us," that we are to " pray without ceasing," and to watch without slumbering, and to fight without wearying, and to labour without resting; until duties fade before privileges, and we inherit that eternal life which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ; and Christ shall be "all in all."

EXPOSITION LIV.

DEUTERONOMY X. 12-22.

[Here may be read from verse 1, to verse 11, inclusive.]

12. And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

13. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

14. Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is

the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

15. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.

16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Moses having again, as we have lately seen, brought before the children of Israel their sins and disobedience, and the Almighty's mercies to them notwithstanding, now once more urges upon them the great duty of obedience upon this single plea, it is "for thy good." If men would but reflect and understand, no other argument would ever be needed in persuading them to a life of holiness; we might with safety rest all our exhortations upon this single truth,“ It is for thy good." And this, not only as regards the far distant future, not only with reference to eternity, but even in relation to time, to the

present hour that passes over us.

The book of

Inspiration has declared, and all experience has ratified the fact, that "the way of transgressors is hard." While it is as certain and undeniable, that religion's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Yet are we too apt to overlook these trite and common truths, and to consider the way of holiness as the