THE PRAYER. O blessed Lord God, I thank thee for having given us a guide and defender amidst all the perplexities and dangers of this mortal life; and I humbly beseech thee to grant, that by thy grace, I may hear him, obey him, depend upon him, and entirely submit to his holy government, so that I may finally obtain everlasting happiness. Pardon all my past disobedience, and hear my petitions, and be merciful to me, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. LECTURE XVII. THE REBELLIOUS CONDUCT OF THE ISRAELITES. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. Exodus xvi. 2. THE history of the Israelites in the wilderness is very valuable, not only as it, in fact, shows us the character of human life, (a pilgrimage over a vale of grief to a world of final rest;) but as it gives us a most important delineation of human nature. The subject is indeed a painful one. See the proper improvement of it in Psalm xcv; in 1 Corinthians x. 1-13; and in Hebrews chapter third. I. Consider the rebellious conduct of the Israelites. 1. The different acts of rebellion. 1. On the borders of the Red Sea, when Pharaoh was in view, (Exodus xiv. 11, 12.) we find them displaying a spirit of discontent. 2. In Exodus xvi. we find them murmuring for want of bread. 3. In Exodus xvii. we find them mur muring for want of water. 4. In Exodus xxxii. we see them plunged in the grossest idolatry, under awful circumstances. 5. In Numbers xi. we see them dissatisfied with manna. 6. In the xiv. of Numbers we find them murmuring on account of the report of the spies. 7. In the 16th chapter, we read of a shameful rebellion against Moses and Aaron, that is, against their civil and ecclesiastical rulers. 8. In the wilderness of Zin, Numbers xx. we hear them murmuring about water. 9. In chap. xxi. they are complaining about the manna. In the 25th chapter, we see them plunged in whoredom and idolatry. 10. 2. The circumstances of their rebellion. These ag gravated their guilt. Thus God speaks: "Because all these men which have seen my glory, and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it." The Israelites had seen many and great wonders; they had been miraculously delivered, supported, and punished. Still they rebelled, and that in the very view and recollection of all that was calculated to awe, compose, confirm, and captivate their minds and hearts. Thus their offences were heinous, being directly committed in opposition to the most powerful motives to patience, resignation, gratitude, and obedience. But observe, 3. The frame of mind and heart which their rebellious conduct indicates. We see in it 1. Unbelief. They could not look to God, after all that they had seen, and trust in him. Every enemy, want, danger, and trial terrified them. They could not say, God is with us, and he will defend us, and provide for us. 2. Ingratitude. God had delivered them from a sore bondage, and he had promised them a delightful land. Shall they not praise God for his goodness? Alas, they can endure no trial. Let them encounter the slightest hardship, and they forget God and his goodness. Past and present mercies, and future prospects, are nothing with them: they are alive to nothing but their difficulties. This was shameful ingratitude. 3. Sensuality. God gave them manna, quails, and water; but with these they were not satisfied; they looked to the luxuries of Egypt. They had what was necessary; but they wished for what was gratifying to the appetite. Because they could not enjoy a paltry pleasure for a few minutes now and then, they disregarded their duty and fell into sin. What gross minds, what a low taste must these men have had! 4. Wilful disregard of a present God. God was known to them in power mercy, and terror; and that visibly. They could have had no doubt that they were always under the eye of one who could do all things. But they disregarded him, notwithstanding his manifestation of himself. 5. Impatience. They had their trials; still God was doing great things for them. Shall they endure no crosses, no difficulties? Must they go into Canaan at once? Shall they not patiently wait the will of God? They were most unreasonably and wickedly impatient 6. Persevering obstinacy. Whatever mercy was shown, or punishment inflicted, they were the same rebellious creatures. They did not learn wisdom by experience; but went on, until the sentence of extirpation was passed, and they were never to see Canaan. What a view have we here of human nature! Every particular leads to the most important reflection. But, II. Consider the application of the subject to ourselves. 1. We have experienced a great deliverance. We are Christians, and not Pagans. We are surrounded with the light of divine truth. 2. We are in the wilderness. Heaven is before us, the land of promise. We see the perfections of God and his wonderful doings; we have the bread of life and the water of life; and we know that God though unseen, is always with us. 3. The greater part of Christians, it is to be feared, act like the Israelites. Unbelief, ingratitude, sensuality, disregard of God, impatience, perseverance in folly; these are the sins of careless Christians. L every one examine himself in each of these particulars. How few believe; how few are thankful; how few are spiritually minded, patient in trials, and anxious to please God! From the whole learn, 1. The extreme disorder of our nature. We know little of ourselves, and we make a poor use of the Bible unless we see in this melancholy history what man is; what we ourselves are. 2. The absolute need of the influence of the Holy Spirit. Who can make us true believers; thankful, self-denying, patient, mindful of God, and wholly submissive to him? The Spirit of God only: without his operations we shall never be true Israelites. 3. The necessity of looking well to ourselves. We are in the wilderness: but how are we acting? Do we rebel as most of the Israelites did? Or, do we, as Caleb did, "follow the Lord fully?" Let us not trifle with God and our souls. Unless we act the right part we shall not enter into the heavenly Canaan. THE PRAYER. O merciful God and Father, while I see the rebellious conduct of others, help me to examine myself, and to bewail my own sinfulness; and do thou pardon me through our Lord Jesus Christ, and endue me with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that I may be among the number of thy believing, thankful and obedient people. While I am in the wilderness of this world, may I duly consider the blessings I enjoy, and the prospects that are before me; and so believe and live, that I may obtain admission into that blessed rest which remaineth for thy people. Grant this, I most humbly beseech thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen. LECTURE XVIII. THE LAW. And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Exod. xx. 1, 2. SAINT John observes that "the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Here we see the two dispensations, the Law and the Gospel. We ought to understand the nature of each, the relation they have to each other, and the relation that each of them has to us. In chapter xix. we see the preparation that was made for the delivery of the moral law, or the ten commandments. That preparation showed the character of the law, as holy, strict, and just; as an awful dispensation. Saint Paul, in Heb. xii. 18-24, teaches us how we are to view this subject, comparing the Israelite and the Christian. I. Let us consider the Law. We may observe, 1. In what it consists. The moral law is contained in the ten commandments, which we have in Exod. xx. 3-17. These commandments teach us our duty to God and Man. 1. Our duty to God is stated in the four first commandments, which form the first table. There we learn to acknowledge the true God only; not to worship him under the image of any created object; not to profane his name; and to keep the Sabbath holy |