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up the doctrines it contains, the duties it enjoins, the marks which distinguish the real Christian, and which evidence proficiency in the divine life. These are given in plain and decisive language; and it must not be our business to warp them to our wishes, or to our pre-conceived opinions, but to take them as they stand in the word of God, in its most natural import.

may profit by it. We shall carefully acquaint ourselves with the holy Bible, and make it our constant companion; our examinations will be frequent, and we shall make them a serious and fixed business. If it should appear, that we are not interested in the promises, let us consider the importance of believing in Christ, and entering into his service without delay; let us immediately become his disciples.

And may the foregoing observations be attended with a divine blessing, and be made the means of detecting the deceived, converting sinners, comforting, establishing and quickening Christians, and exciting them to praise distinguishing grace, and make greater proficiency in the divine life!

We, in this favored land, have had opportunity from our childhood, to acquaint ourselves with these things. The rule of truth and duty, and the standard of real Christianity, have always been before us. It must therefore arise from very criminal negligence, or prejudice against the things contained in the holy scriptures, if we are not under advantages, to go into an imme- Finally Let us bear it in diate and profitable examination, mind, and if our own hearts conand thoroughly investigate our demn us, God is greater than real state and characters, at least we, and knoweth all things. so far as to teach us our present" Examine yourselves whether duty. In doing this, let us take heed to the standard of truth and duty, examine ourselves with cool deliberation, and carefully compare ourselves with the un

ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." QUESTUS.

Reflections on the sin of Achan.

erring rule, beware of the diffi- G terly destroy Jericho for

culties and dangers to which we are exposed by prepossessions, prejudice and a desire to have a good opinion of ourselves. We must not trust to an examination by some detached parts of our lives, but ground it on our general state and conduct. If we sincerely desire to know ourselves, we shall implore divine aid, and consider ourselves under the all-seeing eye of infinite purity. We shall be solicitous to assure ourselves, whether we are real believers, and if we find satisfying evidence of this, shall still examine ourselves, that we

the sin of its inhabitants, and let nothing remain, which the fire would consume; but all the gold and silver was to be devoted to God, for sacred purposes.-One of the executioners of divine vengeance, from the covetous and selfish feelings of his heart, was under strong temptation to violate the divine command.When he saw a beautiful garment, wrought with great skill and labor, that was about to be lost in the general destruction, and shining treasures of gold and silver in his power; in sø

favorable a moment, and blinded | his forgiveness. God informed him that sin was the cause, and that the offender must be searched out and punished. While they make the search, the divine finger points out the guilty, and Achan is taken.

By this time his heart must tremble, for his sin has found him out, and he sees it become a very serious matter indeed.Joshua, in a very paternal manner, calls upon him to confess his sin and give glory to God. Achan seems very readily to comply; probably in some hope his confession might procure his pardon, especially since God had proclaimed his name, "The Lord, the Lord God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in goodness and truth." But he finds it not so easy dispensing with the breach of a divine command: for by God's di

by impetuous desire of gain, he might reason thus with himself: The divine prohibition is, without doubt, designed to keep the people of Israel from falling into the idolatry of these nations, and if that general design is answered, God will not be strict to mark some trifling deviation in a single individual. One would think his goodness and benevolence would dictate the saving every useful and beautiful thing that would not lead us into errors in religion. To prohibit this would seem marked with a severity unusual in the dispensations of heaven. How much thought, genius and time must have been spent upon this beautiful garment. This gold and silver I know are ordered to be put in the treasury of the Lord; but how can silver or gold af fect him who made all things?rection he is ordered to be stonIt is not probable it can all be ed to death, with all his family, wanted immediately for sacred and his cattle, and his substance purposes; it might place me in to be wholly destroyed. a gainful situation; so that I might soon be able to place it in the treasury of the Lord with good interest, which might be much better than putting it there now. Could I take these things secretly, I see no way in which I can hurt any one, for the real owners are now no more; to me they would be of much ser- The destruction of all his subvice, and I trust no evil will a-stance with him, is doubtless derise from it. I will take them and risk the consequence.

Soon after this the people of Israel, in a very surprising and unexpected manner, flee and fall before their enemies. Their very souls fainted at the event; and Joshua their leader prostrated himself in humble prayer before God, to know the reason of his displeasure, and to implore

But why this severity on his family-what have they done? His wife and children were not in the war, and took not the things forbidden. But is it not more than probable they were knowing to what he had done, were pleased with it, and thus made the sin their own?

signed to show the greatness and holiness of God; what a dreadful evil he views sin; how true he is to his word; and the strange and certain punishment that awaits all the impenitent breakers of his commands.

Much instruction is communicated to us by this portion of scripture history.

1. We see here the true

al enemies, while she tolerates an Achan in the midst of her, and allows the breach of any of the commands of God; for her prayers will not be heard, and her

she purifies herself, God will be' with her, and make her terrible as an army with banners.

church, immediately directed by God, under a typical dispensation, designed not only to instruct them; but to be a light to the church in all succeeding ages. We see them encounter-enemies will prevail. But when ing their enemies, by divine direction, under Joshua their leader, and entering the promised land of Canaan, a type of that 2. As individuals we are taught heavenly rest that remains for how selfishness blinds the huthe people of God, after they man mind. Like Achan, we do have vanquished their spiritual not take warning by the judgenemies through Jesus the cap-ments of God on other sinners. tain of their salvation. We see The prejudice in favor of self is the church, while obedient, pro- so strong, that we think our own tected and defended by an irre-sins small, compared with others. sistible arm; so that they had We feel many excuses for ourlittle more to do, in conqueringselves, arising from various contheir enemies, than to stand and curring circumstances, which' see the salvation of God. But seem peculiar to us. And tho soon their enemies prevail, while on the whole, we may allow we they flee and fall before them, commit some sin, yet under all and seem ignorant of the cause; circumstances, and considering but by the prayer and interces- the weakness of human nature, sion of Joshua, who is a type of we think it is very small, and Jesus, they are informed, that what the Divine Being, in the the reason why they could not greatness of his mercy, will stand before their enemies was, scarcely mark against us. their having transgressed the command of God. That they must search out and punish the offender, before God would again be with them. Then follows the scene of discipline, in the affair of Achan, which we have been contemplating.

3. Blinded by our own false views of self-importance, we have very low ideas of the greatness and holiness of God. We think the great Jehovah, who fills heaven and earth, compared with whom, all nations weigh no more than the small dust that lights upon the balance, and even less, for they are as nothing and less than nothing and vanity, is a being like unto ourselves; and dream that unchangeable

This wears the marks of strict justice raising its glittering sword against the transgressor, and brings in view the greatness and holiness of God, the nature of sin, and how dread-perfection may change; that ful, strange and certain will be the punishment of all the impenitent breakers of his commands, both as it respects his church, and individual persons.

The church cannot make progress towards the heavenly Canaan, and overcome her spiritu

he, who is so infinitely pure that the heavens are not clean in his sight, will view those sins we call small, in the same light we do. Thus, like Achan, we transgress and flatter ourselves, that we shall have peace, though we add drunkenness to thirst, and

fill our coffers with dishonest and sacrilegious gain.

4. From the wrong estimate we have of ourselves and of God, arise misconceptions of his commands and threatenings. Had the mists of selfishness been dispelled from the mind of Achan, had just views of God, the infinite and unchangeable perfection of his law and government entered his soul, he would have shuddered at disobedience more than death. But the false promise which the devil made to our first parents in the garden, every self-deceiver makes to himself. That though he break the commands of God he shall not surely die, especially as he has so many excuses for his transgression.

We have in this instance of Achan, and in many others an earnest of what God will do.That he will by no means clear the guilty. That out of Christ he is a consuming fire, and will deal in terrible things in righteousness with the impenitent transgressor; will whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on vengeaece.

Let the person, who spends the sabbath for worldly purposes and pleasure, and profanes the holy name of God, pauseWill not a moment's consideration convince you, that your sin is like Achan's, only more heinous as you have more light? Has not God set apart the sabbath as time sacred to his honor and worship, and commanded thus to keep it holy? When you spend it for worldly profit or pleasure, do you not sacrilegiously take from him those hours, he has appropriated to himself?

When you profane his name, do you not break his commands and take from him that honor and reverence, which belong to him? Do you not see in the sacrilegious Achan, a specimen of that justice and wrath, that will overtake all, who impenitently sin like him; for there is no respect of persons with God.

But will God Almighty trifle with his creatures? Will he act in a manner derogatory to the greatness and perfection of his being? Will he degrade himself so low as to give commands, and suffer them to be broken with impunity, to threaten and not fulfil his word? Did not Achan find to his sorrow, that there was no trifling with the commands of God; that all excuses were but refuges of lies; that the all-piercing eye of God, would search out the most secret and hidden acts of disobedience, and that there was no escape for the transgressor; that God would and did deal with him in terri-pensation, when future life and ble things in righteousness. Vain immortality were less brought would have been his plea, judge to light, and the justice and seing in his own case, that his verity of God more exhibited punishment was greater than on the transgressor in this world, his crime deserved. The judge and learn that God is great, his of all the earth does right, he law perfect; and that there is alone can rightly determine how no escape from wrath, but by terrible a punishment is just for sincere repentance and faith in breaking his commands. He the Lord Jesus Christ. bids us be still and know that he is God.

Look, formal and hypocritical professor, at the ancient dis

Look at the ancient church and see the terrible judgments

that have fallen on the house of God, for their hypocrisy, sin and unbelief, and tremble, lest the same omnipotent arm should be lifted against you in still heavier wrath; for you have much more given to you, and of course much more will be required of you.

As future retribution and a judgment to come are now clearly brought to light in the gospel, you may not feel the divine displeasure so heavy in this world; but it is only a comparative and uncertain moment, towards which every breath hastens you, when the Mediator will stand between you and strict justice no longer; when it will be vain to plead you have "Eaten and drunken in his presence, and he has taught in your streets."

Thoughtless, gay, careless sinner, stop-pause for a moment. Are you not a creature of God? Has he not preserved your life, and loaded you with many comforts, and given you many privileges and opportunities to be acquainted with your duty? What returns have you made to this God? Have you ever thought how great and how holy he is? Have you ever sincerely thanked him for his favors, or prayed to him for his mercy? As he is your maker, you are his property, he has a right to you and your services; and he has given you commands, which in their nature will make you happy in obeying them; and has affixed penalties to breaking them, enough to make the stoutest heart, that is not adamant itself, tremble. Have you kept these commands, or do you daily break them in thought, word and deed? If you have, how do you expect to escape the penalty, or do you believe the suggestion of

Satan to our first parents," That you shall not surely die?" Believe him not, he was a liar from the beginning.

Perhaps, by this time, you will say the subject is a gloomy one, and tends to destroy your present happiness, and all your future schemes to increase it: and

though religion may be necessary when death comes, yet you wish to defer it to old age, or to some period when it will not obstruct present enjoyment.

My friend, stop-think again before you decide on a subject so great a subject that involves all your future happiness or misery through more years than there are sands on this globe, or drops of water in the ocean. But what certainty have you that you shall live to old age? Do you not see death strike without any order as to age or circumstances? But few of the human race arrive at old age; and much fewer still, at that age of pain and infirmity, are disposed to attend to religion; habits, if sinful, are then fixed and hard to change. Do you not see many at your period in life called into the world of spirits, where their state and their character are fixed for eternity? Some are taken by accidents without any warning, some by accute, and some by lingering disease, taken from friends, from all present enjoyments and future schemes of happiness, till the heavens are no

more.

Could they now speak to you, their words would be truth.They have passed through life, they can look back upon the whole sum of its enjoyments, on all its disappointing, golden dreams. They now know the worth of time, as it stands con

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