HOMILETICS. Vers. 1--4. -The llllCOnd prom:,ilgatum of the moral, law, by the renewal of the two tables, may tea.eh us- I. 'l'IUT ALL COVENANT WITH GoD IIUBT BEST ON THE BASIS OF THE MORAL LAW. Moses had not asked for a renewal of the tables. He had requested the return of God's favour and the renewal of God's share of the covenant. It WBB God who made the restoration of the tables a condition. God. that is, will not divorce favour from obedience, 11rivilege from the keeping of his law. Man desires the rewards that God ha,, to bestow, but is not anxious to have the rewards tied to a certain course of action. God insists on the combination. He can only enter into covenant with those who accept his law as their rule of life. This is not for his own sake, but for theirs. They can only be fitted to enjoy his favour, and the rewards which he has to bestow on them, by leading a life in accordance with his law and acquiring the character which such a life fonw; in them. IL THAT THE MORAL LAW IS ETERNAL AND UNALTERABLE. The broken tables must be restored. In restoring them no change must be made. Their very form must resemble e.s nearly as may be the form of the preceding ones. This, of course, was typic.al It foreshadowed the further-not mere resemblance, but-identity of the words that were to be written on the tables. From first to last, " the words were those that were in the first table" (ver. I). There is no hint of any alteration. Even Christianity changes nothing in the law that is moral " Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets," says our Lord; " I am not come to destroy but to fulfil" (Matt. ,,. 17). No "jot or tittle" of the moral law is to pass away. Even with respect to the Sabbath, which verges upon positive law, nothing is changed but the day of the week, and to a small extent the method of obseryance. Apostolic writings show us ti.ie Decalogue as still binding (Rom. xiii 9; Eph. VL 2; James ii 11; etc.). fil. THAT BREAK.ING TBE MOB.AL LAW DU'OSEB ON U8 FRESH OBLIGATIONS. "Hew thee "-literally, "hew fur thysilf "-" two tables of stone," said the Lord to Moses; repair the loss caused by thine own action. Repentance is no part of man's original duty to God; but if he once break the moral law, it becomes obligatory on him. Every infraction involves this new duty; some infractions involve more. Fraud involves the auty of restitution; calumny, that of retracta.tion; insult, tha.t of apology; a.nd the like. Each of our sins lays upon us as a new burthen, not only of guilt, but also of labour, to dlaoe it. We bad best refrain from evil, even in our own interest, or we may increase c,ur Lurtben till we sink under it.- UH, JIXXIV, 1-1.) THI~ BOOK OF EXODUS. Jfj[
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-4.-The renewal of Gori!a covenane. I. Tm: FlllBT EFFECT OF RECONCIT,IA- TION 18 THE BE-WRITING OF THE LAW. Moses ascends tho.t God mo.y o.gain inscribe his com.m1mdments t.pon the table~ of stone; Jesus, that God may write them upon the fleshly tables of the bee.rt. The sprinkling of the blood is "unto obedience." We are to be "zealous of good works." II. THE AWFULNESS OF GoD'B HOLINE88 MORE EVIDENT IN THE RESTORATION THAN IN THE FIRST OIVINO OF THE LAW. Formerly Moses ho.cl been accompanied so far by the elders, o.nd further still by Joshua.. Now he must go up alone. No man is tc be seen throughout the mount. Neither flocks nor herds a.re to feed before it. The terrors of Sino.i a.we the heart less than the cross of him who treo.ds the wine-press alone. ' III. THE REDEEMER'S ZEAL. " .And Moses rose up early in the morning." He cannot loiter; for man's life hangs upon the issue ; the world's cry rings in his ears. "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace," etc. (Isaiah !xii. 1). IV. THE MEDIATOR MUST MOULD THE HEART TO RECEIVE GoD's LAW. "He hewed two tables of stone, like unto the first." The power of Christ's love must cut between us and sin, and give again the form man wore when he came from the hands of God. We must experience the circumcision of Christ. Christ's work may be measured by the heart's tender receptivity for the re-writing of God's law. V. THERE MUST DE UNION BY FAITH WITH CHRIST IN HIS RISEN LIFE. He "took in his hand the two tables of stone." We pass up with Jesus into the pre.~ence of God. That the la.w may be written upon the heart, our life must be hid with Christ in God. -U.