2. That God did not desire tlu sin of the people, but he ao dealt with thei:r sin aa to bring out the aingular goodnes& of hu servant. Even so it was not of God that man should fall into condemnation, but it was overruled by him for unspeakable good in the eelf-encrifice of his dear Bon (Rom. v. 8; Gal. ii. 20 b.; 1 John iv. 9, 10). a. Tliat the offer made to Mose& by God waa intended to be rejuaed, f<»' it was a temptation to advance him&elj at the expense of the people. Even so our Lord was "driven " into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted with the oifer of all the kingdoms of the world (Matt. iv. 9; Mark i. 12, 13); and the temptation was often repeated (John vi. 15). 4. That one element in the nobleness of Mosei charader waa his unconsciousness of his own unselfishness. He did not even decline the tempting proposal, he only ignored it, as though it had never been made. And on subsequent occMions, while be often referred to hie fault and punishment, he never alluded to his self-sacrifice (cf. Dent. i. 37, 38). Even so the true beauty of a Christia1;1 character is ita sim- plicity, candour, and absence of self-conceit, such as we admire (and our Lord too) in children (Matt. xviii. 1-4; 1 Cor. xiii. 4 b.). 5. That the effectual interceasion of Moses waa based on two arguments : that Goel would not destroy hu own work begun; that God would not belie hu own character revealed. Even so is all-prevailing Christian prayer based upon the same founda- tions : we plead with God bis own work begun in us or others (Phil. i. 6, 20; cf. Job x. 3 ; Pe. cxxxviii. 8); we plead with him bis eternal love and mercy declared in Christ, and extended to sinners in days past. And note that the work which God bath wrought for us is on an infinitely gr.eater scale, and of infinitely greater moment and renown, than the exodus of Israel. The character also and mercy of God, which was revealed to Moses in I\ name, is manifested to us in the peI'llon of his Son. 6. That God was verv ready to pardon at the intercession of Moses, although hi, wrath was hot; and this partly because Moses showed a courage, a love, and an indifference to self which pleased God, but chiefly because as mediator he repre- sented the Mediat!YT' who wne to come (Pe. cvi. 23). Even so our Lord himself was heard for hie devoutness (Heb. v. 7), hie holiness (ibid. vii. 26), and hie absolute self-sacrifice (ibid. ix. 14) ; and by virtue alike of what he wns, and what he did, is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. ii. 5; Heb. ix. 15). 7. That God alone "pardoned," yet he pardoned " according to the •.cord " of hi.J servant Moses. Even so in the highest sense" who can forgive sine but God only ? " (Mark ii. 7). Nevertheless, "God had given such power (i. e. authority) unto men," that the Divine pardon was bestowed on penitent sinners" according to the word" of Jesus (Matt. ix. 2, 6), and through him of his apostles (Matt. xviii. 18; John xx. 21-23; 2 Cur. ii. 10; cf. 2 Sam. xii. 13). Again, forgiveness of sin is no arbitrary thing, but bestowed only upon repentance and faith; and yet it is bestowed" accord- ing to the word" of the humblest Christian (1 John v. 16; Jamee v. 16 b.). B. That God!a pardon did not cancel the temporal consequences of sin. Israel, as lsrael, was spared for a glorious future; but the rebels as individuals were self- doomed to exile and destruction. Even so the pardoning love of God, although it saves the sinner, yet it does not abolish the natural consequence of his sin. Just us God's pardon to Israel allowed the young and innocent to grow up, while the old and stubborn died off, so in the renewed man the grace of God so q.uickene and strengthens the good that it gath9111 strength and courage while the eVIl dies slowly out. Nevertheless, the consequences of sin remain in body nnd mind, 11nd even in soul. David never re0overed his-foll, either in outward fortunes (2 Sum. xii. 10) or in character ( cf. 1 Kings i. 2 ; ii. 6, 9, &c.), or probably in peace of mind. Many Christians sin lightly, trusting nhrays to repent and be forgiven, not knowing that every sin leaves some evil behind it.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ch. xiii.-The spies. The tribes have at length reached the border of the promised land. Leaving the wilderness of Sinai, they have travelled northwards till they have reached Kadcsh-barnea, a place situated in the Arab11h, the long valley 1·eaching from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Akabah, und which may be said to be 100 THE BOOK OF NUIIIBERS. [CBII. XIII,, XIV,