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SERMON XXIII.

GOD'S PRESENCE PROMISED.

EXODUS XXxiii. 14.

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

THESE are very encouraging words and they may be safely applied by every Christian pilgrim, who is journeying through this world of misery and sin to a heaven of happiness and holiness, as a promise to himself of the Lord's presence with him by the way, and of a final entrance into the everlasting kingdom of God his Saviour. Before we can enter on the direct consideration of them, there are however several circumstances in the history, which it is proper to notice.

1. The punishment inflicted on the people for their sin in making the golden calf, and worshipping it with the revelling of a

heathen feast. It could not be but that God should express to them his indignation at the greatness of the dishonour done to him, and he made a striking example of many of the offenders. By his direction Moses called upon those who had a zeal for God, and were ready to assert his honour, to come to him. The tribe of Levi stood forth. They were commanded to take every man his sword, and without regard to friendship or relationship to execute the Lord's vengeance upon their brethren. They did as they were commanded, so that about three thousand men were slain on that day. They went to this work of punishment as the executioners of the Lord's vengeance specially appointed thereto; nor had they sin in the act; but they would have sinned had they failed in what they were thus commanded to do. Commissions to destroy one another are not now given to individuals or to bodies of men; but the magistrate, who is appointed to execute punishment upon those who do evil, must not bear the sword in vain; and there are still cases in which the Christian must not allow

either father or mother, brother or sister, wife or child, to stand between him and his zeal for God: there are still ways in which the servant of God must be valiant for the truth, nor do the work of the Lord deceitfully.— Such was a part of the punishment commanded by God, and executed by his servants upon the Israelites for their sins.

2. In the next place we notice the concern of Moses for his people, and the manner in which he prayed for them. "It came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast written." The character and temper of Moses is here beautifully shewn forth. It appears that while his anger waxed hot against their sin, his pity was greatly excited for the sinners, and his love to them in its highest and

best feeling. He had prayed for them earnestly before, when God had told him, while he was on the mount, how they had thus corrupted themselves, and had almost forbidden him to intercede for them, by saying, 66 I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation." Moses would not then be prevented from supplicating for the people. He besought the Lord for them, pleaded that they were his people, told him of the display of his power and might which he had already made in their behalf in bringing them out of Egypt, urged the light in which their destruction would appear to the Egyptians, reminded him of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and of the oath which he had sworn to them of the multitude and perpetuity of their seed; and thus filled his mouth with most persuasive arguments; and herein he has taught us to yield to no discouragement, and take no denial of our requests, but to urge every possible motive

by which the Lord may be moved to hear and grant our prayers. And now again, when so many had fallen by this just punishment of God for an example to the others, he hopes that the rest might be forgiven and spared, he says that perhaps he might be able to make an atonement for them, and induce God to be reconciled to them again. Therefore he goes and confesses their sin: he says, "If thou wilt forgive them"-and there he stops short, leaving the sentence unfinished, as though he was unable to express what a mercy it would be, and how thankful he would be, and what obligations they would be under. But if this might not be, he offers to stand in their place, and to endure the wrath and punishment which they deserved. How vehement are the words, "And if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast written." It cannot be that Moses, or St. Paul in the expression of a somewhat similar desire, could mean that he was willing to be blotted out of the book of life and to suffer eternal misery so that they might be spared; neither does it mean,

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