a ver. 13. b Isai. vi. 8. c Exod. iii. 11.
d Comp. Exod. iii. 18. with iv. 1. e ver. 2 — 9. f The text.
principles by which he was actuated, were unbelief and cowardice. He had failed in this attempt forty years before, when he had run unsent, and acted in his own strength, and striven for the victory with no other than carnal weapons ; and now he is apprehensive of another failure, when expressly sent, and furnished with a wonder-working rod, and assured of success by a God of almighty power and unimpeachable veracity. Moreover, as on the former occasion Pharaoh sought his life, he is afraid to put himself within his reach, lest he should execute his threats upon himg.
And what are the pleas whereby we attempt to justify or extenuate our neglect of God ? Have they any solidity ? yea, have they any foundation in truth ? Are they not mere excuses ? and is not an aversion to the service to which we are called, the true reason of our declining to engage in it? We will not say in plain words, ' I hate God ; I hate religion ; I am determined never to follow the Saviour's steps :' but we pretend that this is not a convenient season, or that the work to which we are called is impracticable. Yes ; if we will only suffer our own consciences to speak, they will tell us that our pleas are mere excuses, and that, in fact, we are hypocrites, and dissemblers with God.]
III. However satisfactory our excuses may appear to ourselves, they will only bring upon us the divine displeasure —
[Possibly Moses was unable to discern the true workings of his own heart : but did not God spy them out ? and was not God's anger kindled against him ? How God manifested his anger, we know not : it is sufficient to know God's " judgment was according to truth."
Who then are we, that we should think to impose upon God, or to hide from him the motives by which we are actuated ? Has he not cautioned vis sufficiently against such fatal mistakes, saying, " Be not deceived ; God is not mocked: whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap ? " Has he not warned us, that we shall certainly incur his displeasure, if we suffer any thing to keep us back from his sendee? He has men- tioned the excuses made by those whom he invited to his feast : one had bought a piece of ground ; and another a yoke of oxen which he wanted to see; another had married a wife, and therefore could not come. Now these were as weighty excuses for not going to an entertainment, as any that you can urge for not serving your God : and yet he declared that none of them should ever taste of his supper h. If this was the doom of those who were invited but once, do you think that you
s ver. 19. h Luke xiv. 18 — 24.
(5(j.l MOSES DECLINING GOD's COMMISSION. 333
shall sit doiun at his supper, who have rejected ten thousand invitations ? No : you may excuse your supineness by saying, " There is a lion in the way ; there is a lion in the streets ;" but he will say, " Thou wicked and slothful servant ! " " Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness." The spies thought they had reason enough for postponing the invasion of the promised land : but they were all excluded from it ; as were all others who yielded to their pernicious counsels.]
Advice —
1. Beware of self-deception —
[The heart is deceitful above all things : and we have a subtle adversary, who will not fail to help forward the most fatal delusions. We see how others are biassed, and how empty the pleas are by which they often justify their conduct. Let us see in them an image of ourselves ; and learn to suspect the treachery of our own hearts. Let us remember that we cannot deceive our God ; and that the time is coming when we shall be judged, not by our professions, but by our practice.]