god's presence with his people. Exod. hi. 12. And, he said, Certainly I will be with thee.
THERE is nothing more amiable in the character of a saint than true and genuine humility. Without that virtue, all graces are defective, and all attain- ments worthless in the sight of God. But it is no uncommon thing to see other dispositions assuming the garb of humility, and claiming an excellence which they do not possess. The Prophet Jeremiah, when called to the prophetic office, declined it under an idea that he was " a child, and unable to speak." But God said to him, " Say not, I am a child : for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and what- soever I shall command thee thou shalt speak a." His
a Jer. i. 4 — 7.
64.1 god's presence with his people. 323
pretended insufficiency for the work was, in reality, no other than a cover for his dread of the dangers to which it would expose him : and therefore God, in order to remove the mpediment, replied, " Be not afraid of their faces ; for I am with thee, to deliver theeV Thus Moses, when God said to him, " Come now, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt ;" replied, " Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt c?" This was specious enough, and had the semblance of true humility ; but it was only a pretext, and a cover to his fears and unbelief. He had, forty years before, exerted himself with great vigour in behalf of that people, and had even slain an Egyptian who was contending with them : but they had thrust him from them, saying, " Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?" and Pharaoh had sought his life, as forfeited to the laws of the land. Now, therefore, he was afraid that the people would shew the same disregard of his efforts, and that his slaughter of the Egyptian would be visited with the punishment which the laws of the land denounced against him. This, indeed, did not at first sight appear to be his real motive : but his numerous refusals of the office delegated to him, repeated as they were under a variety of pre- texts, clearly discovered at last what was in his heart, and justly excited the displeasure of God against himd. But the very first answer of God should have been quite sufficient to remove every apprehension. God said to him, " Certainly I will be with thee : " and, having that assurance, he should without hesi- tation have gone forth to his destined labours.
Let us consider, I. The extent of the promise —
As relating to him, it comprehended all that he could wish —
[True, his work was arduous, and to unassisted man
b Jer. i. 8. c Exod. iii. 10, 11. <* Exod. iv. 13, 14, 19.