and fundamental article, in all true and acceptable service of the Lord. It doubtless made a part of Joshua's service. For religion was substantially the same under the Old Testament dispensation, as it is under the New. The saints of that period, through prophecies, and promises, and types, were led to believe in a Savior to come, and relied on his merits for pardon, and the acceptance of their persons and services. By faith Abel offered an acceptable sacrifice. Noah was heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Abraham saw Christ's day and rejoiced; he believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. And in Habakkuk we read—" the just shall live by faith." Faith was doubtless a part of Joshua's service; and it is still an essential part of all acceptable service of the Lord.

4. Another essential part of the service of the Lord is love to him. This reason teaches; for even men, if they could know the heart, would not approve of professions of service, where love was wanting: and much less will the heart searching God whom we are under infinite obligations to love. Besides, God, in his word, repeatedly and explicitly requires that we should love him. God demands, "My son, give me thine heart." "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God." He teaches us that the faith which is acceptable "works by love ;" and that "love is the fulfilling of the law." And he has made many promises to those who love him; and has denounced threatenings against those who do not. Love to God then, is essential to the true service of him. This love to be genuine and acceptable, must be supreme. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and strength, and mind." And our Savior says, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." And again, he says, "If any man come to me, and hate not (that is comparatively) his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."

5. In the service of the Lord is included obedience to all his commandments. And indeed this is the main and great point, and is emphatically the service itself. The other things we have considered relate to a right state of mind. This is the conduct proceeding from such a state of mind. Obedience is the necessary fruit of genuine reconciliation to God, repentance, faith, and love. If we are reconciled to God so as to approve of his law, and delight in it, this approbation and deligh will lead to uniform obedience. If we repent of our sins, in genuine re.

pentance is included turning unto God, or obedience; it is breaking off our sins by righteousness, or obedience.. If we believe in Christ, while we depend on him alone for the acceptance of our services, we shall be "careful to maintain good works;" for "Christ is not the minister of sin." He is called Jesus because "He saves his people from their sins;" "he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works" and "faith without works is dead." It is not genuine. And if we truly love God, this love will constrain us to cheerful obedience. Obedience necessarily results from the state of mind, which has been shown to belong to the servants of God. And it is implied in the very word, serve, in our text. For what is service to any one but obedience to his directions or commands? Besides, the Lord in his word, tells us that "he that doeth righteousness is righteous ;"-that "they who do his will, shall enter into his kingdom;"-and that " without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

This obedience to be genuine must be sincere, must flow from the heart, and be performed from love to God, and with a single eye to his glory, as the ultimate end. It must be universal, extending to all the commandments of God. The real servant of God does not select this and that command; and resolve that he will observe them, while he excuses himself from others more self-denying and difficult; but the language of his heart is that of the Israelites when they covenanted with the Lord at Sinai-" All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." While he comes short of perfect obedience to any of God's commandments, and mourns over his imperfections; he sincerely endeavors to obey the whole. And his obedience is not a mere transitory thing; but he endeavors habitually, in all circumstances, to render it; and he perseveres in it through life.

This

The commandments of the Lord are contained in his word. the servant of the Lord reads and searches, to know what is the will of the heavenly Master he has resolved to serve. And agreeably to his will made known in his word, he worships him in all the ordinances of his appointment-in the closet, the family and the sanctuary; he endeavors to promote his kingdom and glory in the world; he renders to all their due: and is merciful to those who need his pity; and he governs and keeps under his own passions, denying himself what God forbids; and cherishing and exercising habitually the graces of the Spirit. In short, he endeavors to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Whether these commandments relate to the duties he

owes immediately to his God, to his fellow men in the several relations of life, or to himself.

6. Once more under this head, I remark, that, fully to do our duty in serving the Lord, we must publicly avow before the world that we are his servants, and acknowledge him to be our Master. Or in other words, it is our duty to make a profession of religion, by coming to the ordinance which Christ has instituted to be the public badge of discipleship—I mean the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. This duty is taught by the command of Christ, "Do this in remembrance of me"-This is expressed as imperatively as any other duty taught in the Bible—and as we have seen that the servant of the Lord has respect to all his commandments, he will of course have respect to this as well as others. And there are reasons which make this command peculiarly binding. But, I proceed

(2.) To consider the other branch of the resolution. This relates to family religion. Joshua resolved not only that he would serve the Lord; but also that his family should serve him. "As for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord." A similar resolution ought every head of a family to form and execute, in regard to his house. What is the import of this resolution, "As for-my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua must have meant that he was resolved to maintain family religion; that the members of his family should unite with him, externally at least, in the service of the Lord; and that he would do his duty towards them, in endeavoring to bring them heartily and truly to engage in this service. And this is the import of this part of the resolution. Daily, morning and evening, the head of a family ought to collect all his household together, and lead them in worship at the throne of grace, acknowledging their dependence on God, as a family, and as individuals, confessing their sins, thanking him for his mercies, and asking for needed blessings on themselves and others. This family prayer ought to be accompanied with the daily reading of the word of God; and singing his praises may also very properly be added.

Again, if we would make the resolution in our text, that our house should serve the Lord, and faithfully execute it, it becomes us to instruct those under our care, in the things of religion. We ought to lead them into a knowledge of the character of God, the relations they sustain to him, and their obligations to serve him; their sinfulness and guilt, and just exposure to the divine wrath; the way of salvation through Jesus Christ; and the nature and necessity of a new heart, faith in Christ, repentance, love and obedience. These and other great truths of revealed

religion, they who would have their house serve the Lord, must often speak of to the members of their families, and inculcate upon their practical attention. And they ought to use their counsel, their influence, and when necessary, what authority they may possess, to bring them according to their age, and circumstances, under the instruction of others, as in the Sabbath School, the Bible class and the public Sanctuary."

Again, the resolution in the text that our house shall serve the Lord, makes it the duty of heads of families, who would faithfully execute the resolution, to restrain their children, and other members of their families, from such company, and places, and practices, as may be dangerous to their religious interests. This they should do by guarding them against the danger; and when they see them running into danger, by reproof-and when these fail to produce the desired effect to keep them from evil associations and practices, heads of families, should exercise what authority they possess, according to the relation they sustain to the respective members of their families, to restrain them. The neglect of duty in this respect, is one great reason why our streets are filled, and especially on the Sabbath, with so many youth, who are ruining themselves and one another, and are growing up to be curses to their parents and friends, pests of society, and eventually to people the world of wo.

Further, in the resolution of our text in regard to our households, is included the duty of setting before them a good example. Example has a powerful influence, especially on the young. Good example itself is a powerful means of grace, and has often been blessed of God to the saving good of those who have been favored with its influence; and it is calculated to give effect to the instructions, counsels, restraints, and authority of heads of families; while, if heads of families are not careful in their example before their children and domestics, the other means they use with them for their spiritual good, will have little ornɔ effect.

Once more, if heads of families would perform the duty, included in the resolution, that their house shall serve the Lord, it becomes them to pray for their families, not only with them, but in their secret devotions. We cannot give our families grace—we cannot bring them heartily and practically to resolve for themselves, that they will serve the Lord. We can only use the means, which God hath appointed.-He must give the increase. This we ought to feel; and under a sense of dependence, often look to God for grace to be faithful in the discharge of duty to our families; and for his blessing to attend our efforts for their

good, and that he would effectually incline their hearts to engage truly in his service.

Thus Joshua doubtless acted in regard to his family.-He doubtless maintained the worship of God in his house, and required the attendance of his family; he instructed them in the things of religion, and brought them under the public means of God's appointment: he restrained them from dangerous associations and practices; he enforced the other means he used with them, by his example, and he looked up to God in prayer for his blessing upon his efforts—and thus it is the obvious duty of every head of a family to act.

SERMON CCXXXIII.

JOSHUA XXIV. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

My object in this discourse will be to offer reasons to enforce the duty of serving the Lord ourselves, and with our families. And in doing this it will be proper to present the reasons enforcing each branch of the duty separately. And

I. As it regards personal religion. Why should each one of you, my hearers, who have not already done it, make and execute the resolution, "As for me I will serve the Lord?" I answer

God

1. This service is reasonable. This appears from the supreme excellence of God, and from the relations we sustain to him. is a being of infinite excellence. He possesses every possible perfection, in the highest possible degree. He is from everlasting to everlasting, every where present, omniscient, infinite in wisdom, almighty in power, spotless in purity, inflexibly just, unchangeably true, and love itself. All his attributes are summed up in this one short sentence, "God is love" and his law and governments are like himself, infinitely perfect. Is it not reasonable that such a God should be served by all his intelligent creatures, and therefore by each of us? Consider what this ser