nothing that grow~ upo~ a m~n more certainly _than bad teml?er. 3. That God, had, been very forbea.r1:n.g_ ~ him on that occa.tton, ~ on this was very strict,• the reason no doubt bemg that then Moses uttered his unreasonable and passionate complaints only in the ear of God, ,vhereas now his angry insolence was vented upon the people. If we address ourselves directly to God be will receive graciously e,·en the outpourings of II disordered and embittered mind, and we shall find relief• if we reserve our angry temper for our neighbours-much more for those committed to our keeping-God will be sore displeased at us for thei,r sakee, Art thou angTy? Go and complain to God (cf. Pe. lxxvii. 3, P. B. V.). IV. CoNSIDER, ·w1TB RESPECT TO THE CONDUCT OF EDoM- I. That Israel liad. reason to ezpect n-0 friendly treatment from Ed.am, because of the bad conduct o/ Ja.cob U)t(Jards Esau, which had left an angry and jealous spirit in the minds of his descendants against Israel. The quarrels and injuries of individuals bear evil fruit in years to come, and in after generations, and that especially among brethren, whether in blood or in religion. 2. That, neverthele..oS, Israel addressed Edom aa his brother, and be.spoke hi,s friendly sympathy and help. We are bound to treat others as our brethren, and to approach them as such, and to bespeak their sympathy in our religious interestst until we are actually repulsed. 3. That Israel did, not daim any right, as the cMsen people of God, to be served by Edom or to take any- thing of him without payment, but only asked the ordinary courtesy due to a friendly people. In addressing ourselves to others in matters of this wo.rld we must be careful to ask and to expect only what is strictly fair and reasonable from their point of view, and not to claim any exceptional regard or deference because we are more highly-favoured than they. 4. That when Israel found himself rudely denied and opposed, he did n-0t attempt to avenge himself, but turned away from Edom.. If we meet with opposition and hostility where we looked for help and .sympathy, it is useless to complain, and wicked to bear malice; the only thing is to turn away from such, and leave them to God and to themselves. 5. That the hostile conduct of .Edom was not forgott,en of God, but in due time (not being amended) was punished. It is a great sin, out of personal (or collective) jealousy and dislike, to cast obstacles in the path of others, or to refuse them such friendly assistance as they seek of us. V. CONSIDER, WITH RESPECT TO THE DEATH OF A.ARON -1. That it testified to the infirmity of human nature at its ureatest,. Aaron had been invested with a sacred charact:r1 and to that generation (which had not known his origin) muijt have seemed an aWTill being, almost more than man ; _yet he died, and was not, 2. That it testified to the inherent imper:fection of the Levitical priesthood, in tliat Aaron could not continue by reason of death, so that the continuance of the office depended upon natural succession, which must some day fail-and has failed. 3. That iJ, testified to the ezcuding sinfulness of sin. For one little sin, and one to which he was merely accessory, the high priest must die without even beholding the land eo long sought, and now so nearly found. 4. That the demise of Aaron in that lonely mountaim, in a f orei,gn land, testified to the mysterious and typical character of hu office. The anointed of the Lord, although, as being man and srnful, he must die, yet not as other men die, bnt in a vast far solitude alone with God. 5. That the transfer of the priestly robu from Aaron to Eleazar testified that the priesthood was abiding, and would abide until u vested in One who should livef01' ever. Therefore was it effected out of sight of the people, and far above them, in_ order that no gap. or interval might be perceptible to them. 6. That the mourning./01' Aaron during thirty days testified, that, wj,th all his faults, he was yet honour"ed aa a great le~ in Israel; and perhaps tlus too, that Aaron as a man was not so swallowed up in Aaron as a priest but that his personal loss was duly felt and lamented,
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 12.-The sin of Moau. There must have been something in this sin of Moses at the crag in Jradesb very wiworthy of his high place, and very displeasing to God. The sharpness of the Lord's reprimand and the severity of the punishment make this sufficiently ciear. By Moses hunself the punishment was felt to be severe. OB, ll, 1-29,] THE BOOK OF NUMBEBS. 269