Secondly, The Jewish Lawgiver had a disposition of mind that ought especially to mark and adorn every professor of the religion of Jesus. Christ. "The man Moses was very meek "." Moses, notwithstanding the extraordinary honours put upon him, was exceedingly humble, modest, unassuming, patient of contradiction, forbearing, and ready to forgive.--Reader! what is the temper and disposition of thy soul! Of thy conduct and deportment, what can be truly declared? To thy wife, thy children, art thou petulant, austere, and over-bearing? To thy neighbours, art thou unaccommodating and unkind? To thine employer, art thou uncivil and assuming?As a subject-art thou discontented and disloyal, despising government, and speaking evil of dignities? Then, deceive not thyself, thou art not a true servant of God. Thou mayest be a professor of the religion of Jesus; but, bear in mind, the true disciple adorns the doctrine of God his Saviour. Now a meek and quiet spirit is spoken of in scripture as an ornament, "which is in the sight of God of great price." Our Lord says of

h Numb. xii. 3. i 2 Peter ii. 10.

Matt. xi. 29.

himself, "I am meek and lowly in heart,"-and he says to his followers, "learn of me." Cultivate this disposition; thou shalt be blessed, and a blessing. "The blessedness of heaven above," says a pious writer," and the blessings of earth, are the portion of the meek."

Lastly, we may derive good, by thinking of the title which is bestowed upon Moses in the word of truth, "Moses the servant of the Lord." This is the highest character that can be given of any man, and it is given by God himself to Moses after his death.-Reader! be it thy study, thy holy ambition, to be what this title expresses.

What is implied in being a Servant of God? Let St. Paul answer the enquiry; he has his "fruit," "unto holiness," in other words, God must be served in righteousness. And what shall be the end of such a godly course? His end, saith the same Apostle, is "everlasting life," "the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Every wise man will consider well in what consequences his present conduct is likely to end. Happy indeed are they who desire, and pray to be

enabled, to spend all their powers and capacities in the service of righteousness, unto increasing holiness. They shall, when the bitterness of death is passed, enter, through unspeakable mercy, into the joy of their Lord;-whilst they who have been faithless stewards, impenitent and disobedient servants of sin, shall reap the wages of sin, which are directly opposed, in the sacred word, to everlasting life, and which are future misery, in a state of separation from the presence and favour of God, and under his vengeance and awful wrath ".

m Matt. xxv. 41.

JOSHUA.

ON the death of Moses, the Jewish lawgiver Joshua was appointed of the Lord to be leader of the people of Israel to the promised land of Canaan. He had been the intimate companion of Moses through a long pilgrimage. It was he who fought with, and conquered, Amalek, while the hands of Moses were held up, and his voice raised in earnest supplications for victory". To him was the peculiar distinction granted of going up with Moses to the mount of God, where he abode in devout retirement forty days. He was one of those sent to take a survey of the land of Canaan"; and, when the other spies were terrified, he was still bold and persevering; and in the first chapter of the book that bears his name, we find him com

"Exod. xvii. 10.

° Ibid. xxiv. 13. P Numb. xiii. 16

missioned by the Almighty to command the army of Israel.-Reader! thou mayest, perhaps, be disposed to say to thyself, "What benefit can I, in my lowly walk of life, derive from reading and meditating upon the character of one whose station was so exalted? My curiosity may be gratified, my mind amused; but I want food for the soul, I want instruction and exhortation suited to my state and circumstances. I need to be urged to press forward in the way in which I should go. The engagements of kings and the skill of leaders interest me little, and can afford me no real benefit."-Dost thou thus judge? Thou judgest wrong judgment. The faithful servants of God, in all stations and in all ages, are distinguished by the same characteristic features; and the pious prince and the pious cottager may both derive edification from the consideration of each other's character. Attend to some of the circumstances in the history of Joshua, and thou wilt be convinced that instruction in righteousness may be derived from it. Observe, first, that the successor of Moses was appointed to an arduous service. By what rule was he to regulate his conduct? Did He who appointed him to the task give him no