manifested in the flesh, in the person of his Son, his appearances were of this description. Hence, in the former case, we are told that "the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth;" and in the latter, "that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."

When the Divine Being appeared to deliver his law, his appearance was of the former kind, glorious and terrifying. Let earthly monarchs view the scene, and learn to think soberly of themselves. How did the Deity come? Did He come in a chariot "paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem ?" Did He occupy a throne encircled with the rainbow of mercy 7? Did He assume a countenance radiant with smiles of peace? Did He speak in tones of tender compassion and pity? No; his chariot was the pitchy cloud; his throne was the mount encircled with darkness; his face was covered with frowns too terrible for mortal vision; and when He spake it was as when "the seven thunders uttered their voices." He came, and the frame of nature trembled; "he uttered his voice, and the earth melted." "So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake." So terrible

was the voice, that Israel" said to Moses, Speak thou with us and we will hear, but let not God speak with us, lest we die."

The place where the law was delivered was Mount Sinai. This was a mountain situated near the bosom of the Red Sea. It is supposed to have derived its name partly from its solitude, and partly from the multitude of brambles which grew around it. It is called in Scripture the Mount of God, chiefly because it was three times favoured with his presence. Here it was that He appeared in the burning bush to call Moses to be the leader of his people Israel. Here it was that He came to speak his will to man, and "spoke it loud in thunder and in storm." Here it was that He met Elijah in the wind, the fire, the earthquake, and the still small voice. Each of these appearances of the Deity illustrates that saying, "With God is terrible majesty."

The time when the law was delivered was the third day of the third month, i. e. just fifty days from the coming of the Jews out of Egypt. To commemorate their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, the feast of the Passover was appointed. That deliverance was typical of our redemption by Christ Jesus. To commemorate the giving of the law, the feast of Pentecost was

appointed. The giving of the law may, in some respects, be viewed as prefigurative of the descent of the Holy Ghost. The feast of Pentecost, as the term denotes, was just fifty days from the feast of the Passover. It appears therefore, if we may so speak, that on the self-same day on which the Deity came down on Sinai in thunder and fire to deliver his law, the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles in cloven tongues of fire to propagate the Gospel. In the former case there were fire and smoke, obscurity and terror mingled, suited to, and as descriptive of, the nature of the law; in the latter case, fire without smoke, light without obscurity, as suited to, and as descriptive of, the nature of the Gospel. There the fire flashed to alarm and terrify; here was fire, not in flashes, but in tongues; not to terrify, but to teach. The promulgation of the law prepares the way for the coming of the Gospel. No man can receive and enjoy aright the blessings of the Gospel till he has seen and felt the terrors of Sinai. The threatenings of the law drive the sinner for refuge to the grace of the Gospel.

The manner in which the law was delivered was beyond measure grand and terrific. The Divine Being has ever been wonderful in his works and fearful in his judgments: but never

did He display so much terror, never did He excite so much fear, as on this occasion. As if He designed to show Israel how fearful He could be; as if He intended to show them how much He could outdo "his wonders in the field of Zoan," here were lightnings flashing in their eyes, thunders roaring in their ears, the trumpet of the angel drowning the noise of the thunder, and the voice of God outspeaking the angel's trump. Nor was this all; but in addition to this, here were the cloud enwrapping the mountain, the fire bursting forth in flames, the smoke darkening the face of the sky, the mountain trembling to its base, and Moses, the servant and friend of God, shaking with dreadful fear. As if time were hastening to a close, and nature were about to sink in ruin, the elements were all in an uproar; and fire and smoke, thunder and lightning, earthquake and storm, combined to announce the presence of the Deity, and spread dismay through the ranks of Israel. "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

For the terrific manner in which the law was delivered, two special reasons may be assigned.

God designed to impress on the minds of Israel an idea of the nature of his law. He

wished them to know that his law, like himself, was infinitely holy and strictly just; that his law, like himself, was not to be trifled with, but obeyed; and that, as the law was a transcript of his own purity, justice, majesty, and inflexibility, so it was, like himself, a consuming fire to all the workers of iniquity. The nature of the law may be learned from the manner in which it was delivered. As in the delivery of the law there was nothing of mercy, so the law knows nothing of mercy. It speaks not one word of peace, says nothing about repentance, but denounces death to transgressors. It sternly says, "The soul that sinneth it shall die." As in the delivery of the law there was nothing but terror, so the law speaks only terror to the impenitent. It flashes hell-fire on their consciences, and denounces against them vengeance and eternal death. "The law," says the Apostle, "worketh wrath." It is "the ministration of condemnation" and of death. All the law can do is to convince men of sin, to condemn men for sin, and doom them to the fire which is never quenched :

"Go you that rest upon the law
And madly seek salvation there,
Look to the flames that Moses saw,

And shrink and tremble and despair."

While you seek salvation by it, hear how