Ver. 5.-Mediation. I. MEDIATION IN OENERAL. Mediation has a God-ward side and a man-ward side. 'l'he requirements of God's holiness-the needs of man's heart. I. On God's side, communion with sinners can only be maintained on terms wbicl1 uphold righteousness and law, anu do not derogate from the sanctity of the Divine character. 2. On man's side, there is (1) the feeling of weakness and finitude, awaken- ing terror in presence of the Infinite (vers. 25-27). (2) The feeling of sin, giving rise to the craving for a holier one to stand between him and God. (3) The feeling of need-the soul's longing for fellowship with God; giving rise to the desire for one to mediate in the sense of makiog peace, of bringing about reconciliation (Job xvi. 21). II. THE MEDIATION OF MOSES A TYPE OF THAT OF CHRIST. We trace the resem- blance: 1. In his willingness to mediate. So did Jesus most willingly undertake to stand between God and sinners (Heb. x. 5-10). 2. In his acceptance as mediator (ver. 28). So was Christ called to this office by the Father, invested with all the powers necessary for the right discharge of its duties, and accepted in the discharge of them (Isa. xlix. 8; Matt. iii. 17; xvii. 5; Heb. v. 4-11). 3. In the work he did. (1) Con- veying God's words to the people (cf. John xvii. 6-9). (2) Conveying the people's words to God (ver. 27). Jesus is in like manner the medium through whom prayer, worship, etc., ascend to the Falher (Eph. iii. 18; Heb. iv. 14-16). (3) Frequently interceding for them, and obtaining pardon for their sins (Exod. xxxii.11-15; Numb. xiv. 13-21, etc.). So does Jesns ever live to intercede for us, and advocate our cause (Rom. viii. 34; 1 John ii. 1). (4) Even, on one notable occasion, offering himself as a sacrifice for their sin (Exod. xxxii. 32). What Moses would have done, had it been possible so to save the people from destruction, Christ did (Gal. iii. 13, etc.).-J. 0.
Ver. 8.-7'1!e iniquity of the futhers visited on the children. I. A FACT A:llPLY ATTESTED. Borne out 1. By Scripture•instances (Josh. vii. 24; 2 Sam. :xii. 14; 1 Kings xxi. 21, 29, etc.). 2. By observation and experience. The case of children suffering iu mind, body, character, and fortune, as the result of the sins of parents, is one of the commonest and saddest things in life. 3. Science. The law of heredity. (For illus- trations, seo Rev. Joseph Cook':1 'Lectures.') 4. Literature. Especially do the Greek tragedies give expression to, and strikiogly work out, this thought. 11. A FACT MYBTERIOUlil, YET TO BE VIEWED IN THE LIGIIT OF VARIOUS RELIEVDIG CONSIDERATIONS. The difficulty is one of natural, quite as much as of revealed, reli- gion, 'l'he following considerations relieve it only in part: 1. Every original disau- vac.tage will be taken into nccount by the Searcher of hearts in estimating personal responsibility (Luke xiii. 48). 2. 'l'he final judgment on a man's character will turn, not on iohcrited tendencies but on whnt he has made himself bv his own moral deter- minations (Ezek. xviii.). 3. 'l'he less favourable conditions in which the sins of parents htwe ph1ced the individual cj\nnot turn to his ultimate disadvantage if he struggle well PlWTF.R0N0M\", i 114 THE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [oH, V, 1-33,
and rer~~vere to the end (see' Speaker's Commentary' on Exod. xx. Ii). 4. It is open t~ the enl-doer to cut ofT the entail of punishment by choosing for himself tho way of nghteonsness (Ezck, xviii. 15-18). God is reluctant to contemplate tho heritaae of e,11 descending furtlwr than the third or fourth generation, while thousands of gene- rations are spoken of in connection with the blessing. 5. Experience of tho effects of a parent's e,il-doing is designed to act as a deterrent from like sins. '1.'he child is less likely to imitak the parents' ,·ices, suffering these results, than if entirely exempt. 6. 'l'he Law is the consequence of a constitution of society originally intended for the conveyance, not of e,ils, but of blessings. This is a consideration of importance ns throwing light on the equity, as well as on the goodness, of Divine providence. The design of the organic constitution of ~ocicty is obviously to hand down to succeeding generations the moral gains of those which precede. It is sin which has wrouaht the mischief, reversing the operation of a constitution in itself beneficent, and muki~a that which is good ~rnrk death to so many. " Lesson-The tremendous responsibility of parents, and of all who have it in their power to influence the destinies of posterity.-J. 0. •