to him in the wilderness ; where they might serve him without any fear of offending, or of being interrupted by, the people amongst whom they dwelt. Pharaoh not only refused his permission, but proudly defied Jehovah, and ordered immediately that such burthens should be laid upon the people as it was impossible for them to bear. On their complaining to him of the oppression which they suffered, and of the un- merited punishment that was inflicted on them, he relaxed nothing of his unrighteous decree, but exulted in their miseries, and dismissed them with invectives : " Ye are idle, ye are idle," &c.
In discoursing on these words, it will be profitable to us to consider,
I. What is that sacrifice which God requires at our hands —
We, as well as the Hebrews, are called to sacrifice unto our God.
But is it our flocks and our herds that he requires? Noa: this is the message which he has sent us; " My son, give me thy heart V The sacrifice that he demands, is,
1. An humble heart —
[Every child of man must, at his peril, present this to
God And every one that presents it to him, shall
certainly be accepted0 ]
2. A believing heart —
[" Without faith it is impossible to please Godd." It is faith that renders every other offering pleasing and acceptable
to hime. This he considers as a sacrifice It was not
sufficient, that penitents under the law confessed their sins, or that they brought their sin-offering to be presented by the priest: they must lay their hands upon the head of their offering, and thereby profess their faith in that atonement, which in due time was to be made for the sins of the whole world f. In like manner we also must not only " acknowledge
a Ps. 1. 8 — 15. and li. 16. b Prov. xxiii. 26. c Ps. li. 17.
d Heb. xi. 6. e Heb. xi. 4.
f Phil. ii. 17. The lamb that was offered every morning and evening, was to have a meat-offering of fine flour mingled with oil, and a drink-offering of wine poured upon it : and all was to be con- sumed together : Exod. xxix. 40. St. Paul, referring to this, calls