who is the second Adam, the Promised Seed, the King of Israel.
The whole of the Mosaic dispensation was alto- gether figurative, as we see from the Epistle to the Hebrews, in which the figures themselves are illus- trated and explained. But there are some facts which appear too trifling to afford any instruction of this kind. We might expect indeed that so remark- able a fact as the promulgation of the Law from Mount Sinai should have in it something mysterious ; but that the fears of the people on that occasion, and the request dictated by those fears, should be in- tended by God to convey any particular instruction, we should not have readily supposed : yet by these did God intend to shadow forth the whole mystery of Redemption. We are sure that there was some- what remarkable in the people's speech, by the com- mendation which God himself bestowed upon it : still however, unless we have turned our minds par- ticularly to the subject, we shall scarcely conceive how much is contained in it.
The point for our consideration is, The request which the Israelites made in consequence of the terror with which the display of the Divine Majesty had inspired them. The explication and improvement of that point is all that properly belongs to the passage before us. But we have a further view in taking this text : we propose, after considering it in its true and proper sense, to take it in an improper and accommodated sense ; and, after making some observations upon it in reference to the request zvhich the Israelites then offered, to notice it in reference to the requests which we from time to time make unto God in the Liturgy of our Established Church.
The former view of the text is that which we pro- pose for our present consideration : the latter will be reserved for future discussion.
The Israelites made an earnest request to God : and God expressed his approbation of it in the words which we have just recited ; " They have well said all that they have spoken : O that there were such