[Little did he think what would be the issue of those habits which he was so ready to indulge. The persons who heard his blasphemy, informed against him : and Moses, being as yet uninstructed by God how such iniquity was to be punished, sought direction from him: and was told that " the persons who heard him should lay their hands upon his head," and that " all the congregation of Israel should stone him." And from thence it was made a standing law that every similar offence should be visited with the same punishment. It was too late for the offender now to make excuses : the word was passed ; the guilt was contracted ; the sentence was fixed. It is thus that our evil habits also, if not repented of, will terminate, and we shall begin to bewail our misery when it is past a remedy
Even in this world many bring distress and ignominy
both on themselves and families by their unhallowed tempers and their unbridled appetites : and in the world to come, every man, however light he may make of sin now, shall find it a burthen too heavy to be borne.]
The advice which we would suggest from this subject, is, to check evil,
1. In ourselves —
[It is said of strife, that it is " like the letting out of water," which having once made a breach in a bank, soon defies all endeavours to restrain it, and inundates the whole country. It is thus with sin of every kind : when it is once permitted to act, none can tell where it will stop. Impiety is generally to be found in the train of ungoverned passions: and, from " walk- ing in the way of sinners," it is no uncommon thing to " sit in the seat of the scornful." Let us be aware of this, and endeavour to oppose sin in its very first rise ; ever remembering, that, " if he who despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses, a much sorer punishment awaits us," if we be- come the slaves and victims of any evil propensity ]
2. In others —
[The people gave information of the man's profaneness, and Moses, by God's direction, gave orders for the whole as- sembly to unite in executing judgment on him. This draws a profitable line of distinction for us. The magistrate did not use any compulsory measures to make the man an Israelite ; but he did interfere to prevent his God and his religion from being exposed to derision. This is the proper province of a magistrate ; he must not use the power of the sword to make men religious ; but he may use it to keep them from being openly profane : and it is the duty of every man to lend his aid in this matter, and to co-operate for the maintenance of