fall by an absolute act of our own, each one for himself, Would it not have gone more hardly with us than it does now? What reason is there to believe that any would have proved more firm and faithful than our first parents? Certainly we may assume that not many would. I conceive there are two great advantages in our probation, being one of grace, and not of law. (1) It will be found at least to have been more largely successful in bringing many souls to glory. (2) That glory itself will be of a richer and more intense character, as the result of Christ's sufferings and merits, than it would have been, as the reward of our own unbroken obedience.

Look at our love to God. Will it not be infinitely more tender, intense, and delightful, now that we praise Him for salvation, than if we had only to praise Him for keeping us from falling? Or, externally survey the glory to come. Whatever heaven I might have earned by my own ardent obedience for thousands of ages, it must come very far short of that which is purchased by the precious blood of Christ. Therefore, I would rather appear with the penitent publican in the temple or the thief upon the cross, "God be merciful," &c.; or, "Lord, remember me have stood with Adam in paradise, to "Eat of all the trees but one: but in the day thou eatest of that thou shalt surely die."

and cry

&c., than I would receive the decree,

The

Secondly: Compare our position with that of the Patriarchs and Hebrews. Here the difference is one of degree, rather than of kind. They had the Gospel, but it was perplexed and obscured by a strong legal element, which is now removed; so that we know fully what they only knew in part, and see clearly what they beheld in doubtful shadows. glory of Judaism was of the same kind as that of Christianity, but inferior in degree. The same light shines on our hearts as that which shone on the saints before and after the flood. But we rejoice in its noontide brilliance, with the great sun above our heads, while they were only greeted by the rays of twilight, while the sun still rested beneath the horizon. But all, in every nation and age, who are saved,

are saved by the Gospel, saved by grace; and when all the multitudes of the redeemed shall meet in one triumphant choir, they will all sing the same song, and all attribute their salvation to the Lamb. Not one will protest that he was saved by works and by the law; but every soul will own that he was made just, and lived by faith.

The Christian dispensation surpasses that of Judaism in three respects:-(1) In its light, or knowledge; which is superior both in clearness and extent: (2) In its spiritual energies, or aids to a holy life: and (3) In its finality.

Here is warning to the slothful and disobedient. How can those escape who neglect "so great salvation?" Here is encouragement to those who strive for "all things are possible to him that believeth in Christ." How overwhelming the guilt and punishment of those who reject the Saviour! How all-surpassing the final happiness and honor of those who are found in Him at last!

Reading.

T. G. HORTON.

SUBJECT:-Moses' Sight of God.

"I beseech thee shew me thy glory,"-Exodus xxxiii. 18–23.

Analysis of Homily the Three Hundred and forty-ninth.

Or Old Testament Seers none had closer intercourse with the Eternal than Moses. (see v. 11 and Num. xii. 8.) Notwithstanding the Divine revelations which he had previously received, he still makes this extraordinary request. He believed that the cloud veiled a brighter glory, and that deeper mysteries were hidden in the name of Jehovah.

But this request arose not simply from his personal desire, but also from the peculiar position which he occupied as the

Vol. VIII.

Y

leader and representative of a sinful, and now penitent, people. They had broken the sacred laws, relapsed into worse than Egyptian idolatry, and stood no longer circled by the rainbow-covenant; but exposed to the storm of Justice and Judgment. He had interceded for them; "they had stripped themselves of their ornaments" of rejoicing, but the future was still overhung with thunder-clouds. He dreaded being left alone to lead the people forward-he desired some more manifest indication of the Reconciliation, Presence and Purposes, of the Great Shepherd of Israel. "Shew me thy way. Consider that this nation is thy people. not, carry us not up hence." To the request of Moses God gave a twofold response. He unfolded to his eye some strange material splendor, and He proclaimed in his hearing, and into the depths of his soul, the name of Jehovah. (See xxxiv., 5—7.) Of the latter glory the first was only the symbol and shadow.

If thy presence go

There is, perhaps, little reason to suppose any resemblance to a human form. The language is evidently that of accommodation. If we must explain this difficult passage on such a supposition, then the meaning is, That just as the subjects of an Eastern monarch may not familiarly approach his presence; but yet, falling prostrate before him as he sweeps along, may catch a glimpse of the flowing train of his gorgeous robes; so man may not behold the full brightness of the presence of the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords," but only some dim and shadowy traces of His glory.

When the face of the sun, blinding the eye with excessive light, is hidden behind the hills, the softened rays still linger to beautify the western sky and refresh the vision. We can, in our present.state of being, behold only an inferior glory. And this is God's lingering longsuffering which "waiteth to be gracious" unto sinners, ere an everlasting night sets in. Job has nobly said :

:

"He holdeth back the face of his throne,

And spreadeth his cloud upon it.

Lo! these are but the extremities of his ways,

And how slight is the whisper (lit. what a whisper of a word!) we hear of him ;

But the thunder of his mighty doings who hath understood?"

(xxvi. 9—14.)

Let us consider the text as expressive of:

I. THE REQUEST OF MAN. Man in every age has been saying "I beseech thee shew me thy glory." The desire has arisen from different sources and been directed towards different objects. It may be said to have been natural, moral, or religious.

First: That man, as man, naturally looks for some special display of the Divine presence and attributes. Heathens believe in incarnations. The Jews sought after "signs." Men are now looking for signal manifestations of that Power on whom we feel that we depend.

Mingled as it has been with error and superstition, the desire is too deeply rooted in the soul to be destroyed. We see indeed in nature the constant traces of the Great Spirit-as in the waving branches of the forest-trees the course of the wind. But we feel it to be possible that a more direct expression of God should be given us. There has been such, and there will be again. We give a more direct and clear expression of our spirits in the play of our countenance and the words of our lips. How little, after all, do nature and the usual course of Providence declare of the personality, immediate presence, individual notice and care of God, or answer the cry "Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us!" Secondly: That man as a sinner needs an expression of God's readiness to forgive and actual reconciliation. Whilst the consciousness of sin produces a dread of beholding the manifestation of God, it likewise produces the desire of the assurance of His favor. Nature answers not; nor the law of conscience enshrined in the ark of the human soul. If God speaks not, uncertainty and darkness must ever surround us. "Oh that I knew where I might find him! Behold I go forward but he is not there: and backward but I cannot perceive him." (Job. xxiii. 2—8.)

Thirdly: That man as reconciled to God still and ever longs to realize more of his presence and glory. "If I have found grace in thy sight shew me now thy way."

What has been already realized is an argument for humble, earnest, and confident prayer, for higher light. The desire of knowing more of God is the result and test of true Christian life. "One thing have I desired," &c. (Psalm xxvii. 4.)

II. THE RESPONSE OF GOD. He is saying still, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee," &c.

First: That there are limitations to a full revelation of His glory. These limitations depend on (1) Human capacity and preparation. "Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me and live." The bodily senses may not truly behold the Invisible Spirit. And, if on this material world He should flash forth anything approaching to an adequate representation of Himself, flesh and blood could not stand before it. "The exceeding weight of glory" would be too heavy for a child of clay to bear.

The mind has its limits as well as the body. The finite cannot rise into the infinite. Space and time hedge it within "the cleft of the rock." The mind is carried upwards by the force of its own faculties; but by the same faculties also, it is placed within impassable barriers, against which its pinions beat in vain. That the Infinite and Eternal One is, we know, but what He is we know not. For "who by searching can find out God?" &c. Aloft, "in light to which man cannot approach," dwells the Absolute and Infinite One. (2) The Divine pleasure. (ver. 22, 23.) Even though we were able and prepared to understand Him, it is only as He takes away His hand, only as He condescends to make Himself known to us that we behold the true light.

And it may not be that God has revealed His character and ways to us so far as we could even now understand? Nor is it for us to dictate to the "I will" of the Supreme, concerning how far He should shine through the clouds that cover the earth. Doubtless that Will is accordant with our highest