,h,inn<'<L The reasons which make disobedience to a father morally wrong tell with increased force if applied to God, who is far more truly than our father,-1. 'l'he author of om existence; 2, The preserver of our life; and 3, 'l'he bestower upon us of favours and benefits which we cannot possibly repay. II. MAN'S BEST IN'l'EREBTB ARE PROMOTED BY A PERFECT OBEDIENCE. Every law ever imposed by God on man has been imposed for man's sake, and tends to his advantage. lf a man were truly wise, be would lay down for himself a.s rules of conduct exactly tho~e laws which are laid down for his guidance in Holy Scripture. The man whose obedience approaches nearest to perfection is the happiest. For every act of disobedience there is a natural penalty. III. THE HIGHEST ASPIRATION OF MAN'S NATURE IS TO DO GoD'B WILL. Angels have Do other desire but this. Man ha.s a tbous11.r.d aesires, but, together with them, bas an inward conviction that it is bett.er for him to resist than to gratify the greater num·Jer. His passions draw him one way, his reason another, his affections, perhaps, a third. He has no unmixed satisfaction but in following the lead of the highest principle within him; and this principle is the love of God, which prompts him to make it the sole object of his life to please God by so acting as God would have him. Man, therefore, readily promises obedience-as of old at Sinai, so now at baptism and confirmation, or, again, after a sudden conversion; and, under the excitation of stirred feelings and an awakened conscience, imagines that he will keep to his brave resolve; but when the excitement is past, and the feelings have calmed down, and the tame, dull course of ordinary life is entered upon, then it is found not so easy to observe the promises made, aud "do all that the Lord has said, and be obedient." The flagrant contra.st between the conduct of the Israelites and their words is known to all. The contrast is, perhaps, less, but it is still great, between the pledges given by Christians and their acts. Performance ever lags fa.r behind promise. " The spirit, indeed, is willing, but the flesh is weak." Temptations assail-Satan spreads his wiles-the lower nature turns traitor, and men fall away Happy, if, while there is still time, they "return and repent, and do the first works," and casting themselves upon Christ obtain pardon for their disobedience from the ever-merciful God.
HOMILIES BY V.AilIOUS .AUTHORS. Vers. 1-2, 9-11.-The vision of God for the selected few. I. THOSE BELECTF.D FOB THIS VISION. That Moses himself went up was a matter of course. It was good for him to be there for the strengthening of hill own faith. He himself would rejoice in the assurance thus given that the promise of the people was accepted. .As to those who went up with him, it is clear that in the revelation something was being done to prepare them for official positions afterwards. They got this glorious sight not because they deserved it more than others, but because they needed it more. Moses required helps in order that he might be a mediator between God and the whole nation, and so these men, the seventy elders in particular, needed help in acting as mediators between Moses and the people. Doubtless it was intended that they should go down again among the people and be witnesses as to what they had seen. Would it not give an elder greater influence in after days if the people took knowledge of him that he had been with Moses in the mount? Notice, that in spite of this great revelation, Aaron soon fell away into the great transgression of the golden calf, and a little later Nadab and .Abihu perished before the Lord for their disobedience. .And may we not say that their sin was all the greater, just because they had been favoured wi~h a privilege which they had failed to profit by? . ll. TB.£ VISION ITSELF. "They saw the God of Israel." There is a mysterious yet most instructive reticence as to exactly what it was that they saw. As to what shape and form were seen nothing is said ; and even concerning the circumstances nothing more is ventured than an indication of the sapphire work on which he stood. And since we find this reticence of description it behoves us to put corresponding restraint on our (;Qnjectures: we may infer that the purpose of this vision was to give a plain and encouraging contrast between what was now seen and what had been seen before. When God'c people are ac peace with him-and there was a symbolic peace at this time-then err. XXIV. 3-8.) nrn BOOK (H' y,:xonus. 227