ly to the practice of all moral duties; but chiefly, by their offerings and facrifices, to cherith a lively faith and hope in that great Deliverer, whofe foul should be made an offering and facrifice for fin. The law was a fchoolmafter to the Jews to bring them unto Chrift.

CHAP. XX.

THE WANDERING IN THE DESERT

CONTINUED.

WHEN Mofes had delayed, for fe

veral days, to come down out of the mount, (for he continued there forty days and nights,) the people required Aaron to make them fome gods; and they prevailed upon him to form a golden calf, as a god for them, to be the object of their worship, and their guide and conductor. How weak and blameable was Aaron in yielding to the importunity of the people, and becoming a partaker of their fin? Yet, alas! how apt are we all to give way to the hu mour and opinion of the company we keep, even against the light of our minds, and the conviction of our confciences? The fear of man bringeth a nare, but whofo putseth his truft in the Lord fhall be fafe.As they were paying adoration to their

new idol, and finging and dancing round it, Mofes came down from the mountain; and was fo exceedingly moved with anger at their behaviour, that he threw down the tables of the law, which he had in his hand, and brake them. He then destroyed the image; and commanded the fons of Levi to flay those who had been principally guilty of this idolatry. He afterwards returned to the Lord, and made interceffion for Aaron, and the people: the Lord was pleafed to forgive their wickedness; and commanded Mofes to write the ten commandments on two tables of stone.

A

The people however foon gave way to the natural corruption of their hearts; they offended God again and again, and many of them fuffered the just effect of their obftinacy and impicty. Nadab and Abihu were confumed by fire from heaven for difregarding the fire of the Lord upon the altar, and bringing common fire into the tabernacle, which he commanded them not.Many were deftroyed at a place, called Tabberah, (that is, a burning, because the fire of the Lord burnt among ft them) on account of their impatient repinings. Many died of a plague at Kibroth Hattaavah, (that is, the graves of lufi) because they complained of their food, and lufted

for flesh to eat.-One man was ftoned for blafphemy; another was ftoned for breaking the fabbath; and Miriam was ftricken with leprofy for murmuring against Mofes. When they had proceeded farther in the wildernefs, and drew near to Canaan, Mofes fent twelve men to take a view of the land and its inhabitants; who brought back an evil report, faying, The land eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the people are giants, and we were in our own fight but as grafshoppers. The Ifraelites were fo difheartened and terrified with this, account, that they again reproached Mofes, and refolved to go back into Egypt. God was highly difpleafed with them for this contumacy and hardnefs of heart; and declared, that for a punishment they should wander in the wilderness forty years, and that none of the people, who were above twenty years of age, except Joshua and Caleb, fhould go into the land of Canaan; the land flowing with milk and honey, and abounding with all good things.

They were diftruftful of that power and goodness, which had been fo often and fo wonderfully manifested in their favour; and defpaired of getting poffeffion of that land, which God had promised to give them-So it is with us in our way to the

heavenly Canaan: our lufts are the ene mies which oppose our entrance; and we are apt, like the Ifraelites, to look upon them as giants, and upon ourselves as graffhoppers. But be frong in the Lord, and go forth in the power of his might; in cheerful dependence on his victorious aid, bid defiance to all your enemies, and labour with renewed diligence and vigour to enter into the complete and eternal rejt of God, that you may not fall after the fame example of unbelief and difobedience.

Afterwards Korah, one of the heads of a tribe, and many other perfons of confiderable dignity, upbraided Mofes and Aaron for lifting themfelves above the congregation, and excluding others from any fhare of honour and power; and attempted by a feditious tumult, to deprive them of their authority, and to take the priesthood upon themselves. But their rebellion was punished in a wonderful manner; for the earth opened under them, and they and all that belonged to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them.

The Ifraelites then wandered up and down from place to place; and in the fandy deferts of Kadeh, they murmured for water. Mofes therefore ftruck a rock, and it pour

Before

ed forth ftreams before them: but upon this occafion Mofes and Aaron neglected to give the glory of the miracle to God, and affumed the honour and power of it in fome degree to themselves: at which God was fo highly offended, that he declared they fhould not enter the land of Promife. From thence the people journeyed Chrift to Mount Hor, where Aaron died; 1452. and being refufed by the king of Edom to pass through his country, and in want of provifions, they again rebelled againft. Mofes: for which crime God fent fiery ferpents among them, by whofe bites many were deftroyed; but upon their humility and repentance, he commanded Mofes to hang a brafen ferpent upon a crofs; and the wounded perfons, by looking upon it, were healed. What a

lively emblem was this of him, who offered himself a facrifice upon the cross; and upon beholding whom, with true repentance and faith, the wounded confcience obtains pardon and peace!

After feveral marches and encampments, they arrived at Pigah, and having gained feveral victories over the Amorites, proceeded to the plains of Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, terrified at their approach, fent for the prophet Balaam to