not the anger of my Lord wax hot : thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief." (This was a reason why he should have withstood them, and not a reason for concurring with them.) Again, " The people said to me, Make us gods who shall go before us. Then I said to them, Whosoever hath any gold, let him break it off. So they gave it me : and I cast it into the fire ; and there came out this calf1 :" — came out accidentally, I suppose, and without any mould prepared for the formation of it ! What a tissue of folly and of falsehood ! See to what a state this man was reduced, even he who was so elo- quent, that he was appointed to "be a mouth to Moses." But thus it will be with sinners in the last day, with Aarons as well as others ; (for official dignity is of no account in the sight of God ;) or rather, their mouths will be shut through their utter incapacity to offer the smallest vindication of their folly". Remember this, Brethren ; and " have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them*."]
2. In what way we should be affected with them —
[See what a contrast there was between the conduct of Moses and of Aaron on this occasion ! Whilst Aaron was uniting with the people in their transgression, Moses was filled with indignation against the sin, and with pity for the sinners. His indignation we have seen : and no sooner had he expressed it in the way that became him, than he returned to God, to im- plore mercy in their behalf. Forty days and forty nights had he already fasted : and he went up to the mount and fasted forty more days and forty nights, wrestling with God in fervent intercession, if that by any means he might prevail to obtain pardon for their siny. Here was a man of God indeed ! This, then, is the way in which we should act in reference to the sins around us. We should weep over them before God : yea, " rivers of tears should run down our eyes, because men keep not God's law." Such men as he are blessings to the world: for, as " God hearkened unto him at that time also z," so will he do to us, if we " stand in the gap before him, to avert his wrath" from an ungodly world a. Little did that people think to whom the preservation of their lives was owing : and little do an ungrateful world know to whom they are indebted for the forbearance that is yet daily exercised towards themh. But let it be sufficient for us, that God knows and approves our labours of love ; and that, whether we prevail for others or not, our prayers shall surely return into our own bosom, to the everlasting benefit of our own souls.]
1 v'er. 21 — 24. " Matt. xxii. 12. x Eph. a-. 11.
y Deut. ix. 18, 19. z Deut. ix. 18, 19.
a Ps. cvi. 23. with Ezek. xxii. 30. b Matt. xxiv. 22.
100.] god's people to be decided and firm. 503