3. There was tl18 sin of disbelief. The God of truth had promiser], but they had treated his word as n lie. 'fhey had enjoyed ocular demonstration of his faithfolness, yet they trusted their own fears and fancies rather than their God. 4. There 11)(t< the sin of overt ?'ebellion: They professed to regard God as their Lea'.1cr anrl King; yet, as soon ns service w,1s irksome to flesh and blood, they resented his authority. Onco and again they chose humau leaders in opposition to the Supreme King. 5. Ther,, was the sin of se(f-wi,ll, Their characteristic sin was "stiff-neckedness." "Our wills arc our own," said they in substance; "who is Lord over us?" III. IlEMI\MBEil BIN IN THE LIGHT OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGE. 1. Theirs wa., sin again.,/, the l~r;ht. While others had only the light that comes through nature, they had possesserl the light of special revelation. They had not appreciated the light. In various measures they had preferred the darkness. 2. It wa., sin against the inner li.'fht of conscience-sin against personal convictions of duty. They had trifled with the regal voice of conscience, and bribed it to be silent. They had encouraged appetite and passion to speak, and their clamorous voices had prevailed. 3. Theirs was sin ugainst faithful warning. The penalties of contumacy had been prominently set before them. 'J'he hints of nature and the dark presages of conscience had been sup- plemented by the clear announcements of Divine warning. For the fascinating fruit of present pleasure they risked expulsion from the garden-loss of the great inherit- ance. 4. It was sin against covenant engagements. • They had made an overt treaty with God to serve him. When the Voice from heaven had spoken at Sinai, they had quaked and said," .All that the Lord our God shall speak unto us will we do." Every step in their deliverance had been taken on the understanding that they would be loyal servants of th.e heavenly King. Thus every element of wickedness was minglecl in their conduct. And is it not in ours also? 5. It was sin in the very presence of God-sin at Sinai. IV. REMEMBER SIN IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIBNCE. 1. They had seen the direful e.ffects of disobedience ia others. Their eyes had beheld what God did to the Egyptians for their impious arrogance. The.y had seen their own comrades die for their petulant murmurings. They had seen a. host of people slain for idolatry. Poisonous serpents had slain a myriad. The earth had opeued and swallowed the sons of Korab. Their own memories contained abundant records that the fruit of transgression was death. Yet they sinned still. 2.. They had seen the rewards of obedience among themselves. So long as they had followed the precepts of Jehovah they had prospered. They had sprinkled their doorposts with the Paschal blood, and the angel of destruction had spared their firstborn. 'l'hey had crossed the Red Sea by a p~rilous path, and had gained a. mighty triumph. They had followed Moses into the wilderness, and had been daily fed by a miraculous hand. It was obvious that obedience securfi blessing. They had seen :Moses exalted to regal power by virtue of his unwavering faith in God. 3. They had felt the scourge of Divine anger for their own follies. For eight and thirty years they had sojourned in the wilderness beyond what was needful, because they would not believe God's promise. A. thousand ill! had a.Jliicted them, every one of which was a. chastisement for sin. Yet they dallied and coquetted with the accursed thing, as if it were a pleasant toy. .And are we any better than they? If unpardoned, memory is preparing a scourge of scorpions with which to chastise us. "Son, rememberl"-D.
Vers. 18-29.-The place of human mediation. The best men have always desired to intercede fpr the bad. True holiness is benevolent. I. MEDIATION CONCERNS ITSELF WITH THE INTERESTS OF BOTH PARTIBS. Moses had at heart the honour of God-the maintenance of his just rule, while he also identified himself with the well-beirig of the Hebrews. If there be, on the part of the mediator, a. leaning to the interests of the one party rather than the other, his office will fail. Ono party or both will reject him. His mission proceeds on the ground that there is an advantage common to both to be obtained by reconciliation. There is a. point where God's interests and man's touch and blend. The business is to find that point, and to persuade both parties there to meet. II. MEDIATION 1s ITSELF A FRUIT OF DIVINE MEROT. The disposition in the hea.rt of Moses to intercede was a disposition implanted by God, and all the energy with which 176 THE IlOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [en. IX. 1-20.