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now Moses must hew the next: as God created the first man after his own image, but, that once defaced, Adam begat Cain after his own; or, as the first temple raised, a second was built, yet so far short, that the Israelites wept at the sight of it. The first works of God are still the purest: those, that he secondarily works by us, decline in their perfection. It was reason, that though God had forgiven Israel, they should still find they had sinned. They might see the footsteps of displeasure in the differences of the agent.

When God had told Moses before, I will not go before Israel, but my angel shall lead them; Moses so noted the difference, that he rested not till God himself undertook their conduct: so might the Israelites have noted some remainders of offence, while, instead of that which his own hand did formerly make, he saith now, Hew thee; and yet these second tables are kept reverently in the ark, when the other lay mouldered in shivers upon Sinai; like as the repaired image of God in our regeneration is preserved, perfected, and laid up at last safe in heaven; whereas the first image of our created innocence is quite defaced: so the second temple had the glory of Christ's exhibition, though meaner in frame. The merciful respects of God are not tied to glorious outsides, or the inward worthiness of things or persons: he hath chosen the weak and simple, to confound the wise and mighty.

Yet God did this work by Moses; Moses hewed, and God wrote: our true Moses repairs that law of God, which we in our nature had broken; he revives it for us, and it is accepted of God, no less than if the first characters of his law had been still entire. We can give nothing but the table; it is God that must write in it. Our hearts are but a bare board, till God by his finger engrave his law in them; yea, Lord, we are a rough quarry; hew thou us out, and square us fit for thee to write upon.

Well may we marvel, to see Moses, after this oversight, admitted to this charge again: who of us would not have said, "Your care indeed deserves trust; you did so carefully keep the first tables, that it would do well to trust you with such another burden!" It was good for Moses, that he had to do with God, not with men : the God of mercy will not impute the slips of our infirmity to the prejudice of our faithfulness. He, that after the misuse of the one talent, would not trust the evil servant with a second, because he saw a wilful neglect; will trust Moses with his second law, because he saw fidelity in the worst error of his zeal. Our charity must learn, as to forgive, so to believe, where we have been deceiv ed: not that we should wilfully beguile ourselves in an unjust credulity, but that we should search diligently into the disposition of persons, and grounds of their actions; perhaps none may be so sure as they that have once disappointed us. Yea, Moses brake the first; therefore he must hew the second: if God had broken them, he would have repaired them; the amends must be where the fault was. Both God and his Church look for a satisfaction in that wherein we have offended.

It was not long since Moses's former fast of forty days. When

he then came down from the hill, his first question was not for meat; and now going up again to Sinai, he takes not any repast with him. That God, which sent the quails to the host of Israel, and manna from Heaven, could have fed him with dainties: he goes up confidently in a secure trust of God's provision. There is no life to that of faith; man lives not by bread only. The vision of God did not only satiate, but feast him. What a blessed satiety shall there be, when we shall see him as he is, and he shall be all in all to us; since this very frail mortality of Moses was sustained and comforted, but with representations of his presence!

I see Moses the receiver of the Law, Elias the restorer of the Law, Christ the fulfiller of the old Law and author of the new, all fasting forty days; and these three great fasters I find together glorious in Mount Tabor. Abstinence merits not; for religion consists not in the belly, either full or empty: what are meats or drinks to the kingdom of God, which is like himself, spiritual? but it prepares best for good duties. Full bellies are fitter for rest: not the body, so much as the soul, is more active with emptiness; hence, solemn prayer takes ever fasting to attend it, and so much the rather speeds in Heaven, when it is so accompanied. It is good so to diet the body, that the soul may be fattened.

When Moses came down before, his eyes sparkled with anger; and his face was both interchangeably pale and red with indignation: now it is bright with glory. Before, there were the flames of fury in it, now the beams of majesty. Moses had before spoken with God; why did not his face shine before? I cannot lay the cause upon the inward trouble of his passions, for this brightness was external. Whither shall we impute it, but to his most entireness with God?

The more familiar acquaintance we have with God, the more do we partake of him. He, that passes by the fire, may have some gleams of heat; but he, that stands by it, hath his colour changed. It is not possible a man should have any long conference with God, and be no whit affected. We are strangers from God, it is no wonder if our faces be earthly; but he, that sets himself apart to God, shall find a kind of majesty and awful respect put upon him, in the minds of others.

How did the heart of Moses shine with illumination, when his face was thus lightsome! and if the flesh of Moses in this base composition, so shined by conversing with God forty days in Sinai, what shall our glory be, when, clothed with incorruptible bodies, we shall converse with him for ever in the highest heaven!

Now his face only shone; afterwards the three disciples saw all his body shining. The nature of a glorified body, the clearer vi sion, the immediate presence of that fountain of glory, challenge a far greater resplendence to our faces, than his. O God, we are content that our faces be blemished awhile with contempt, and blubbered with tears; how can we but shine with Moses, when we shall see thee more than Moses!

The brightness of Moses's face reflected not upon his own eyes; he shone bright, and knew not of it: he saw God's face glorious, he did not think others had so seen his. How many have excellent graces, and perceive them not! Our own sense is an ill judge of God's favours to us; those that stand by can convince us in that, which we deny to ourselves. Here below, it is enough if we can shine in the eyes of others; above, we shall shine and know it. At this instant Moses sees himself shine; then he needed not. God meant not that he should more esteem himself, but that he should be more honoured of the Israelites: that other glory shall be for our own happiness, and therefore requires our knowledge.

They, that did but stand still to see anger in his face, ran away to see glory in it: before, they had desired that God would not speak to them any more but by Moses; and now, that God doth but look upon them in Moses, they are afraid; and yet there was not more difference betwixt the voices, than the faces of God and MoThis should have drawn Israel to Moses so much the more, to have seen this impression of divinity in his face.

ses.

That which should have comforted affrights them; yea, Aaron himself, that before went up into the mount to see and speak with God, now is afraid to see him that had seen God: such a fear there is in guiltiness, such confidence in innocency. When the soul is once cleared from sin, it shall run to that glory with joy, the least glimpse whereof now appals it, and sends it away in terror. How could the Israelites now choose but think; "How shall we abide to look God in the face, since our eyes are dazzled with the face of Moses?" And well may we still argue, "If the image of God, which he hath set in the fleshy forehead of authority, daunt us; how shall we stand before the dreadful tribunal of Heaven?"

Moses marvels to see Israel run away from their guide, as from. their enemy; and looks back to see if he could discern any new cause of fear; and not conceiving how his mild face could affray them, calls them to stay and retire.

"Oh my people, whom do ye flee: it is for your sakes that I ascended, staid, came down: behold, here are no armed Levites to strike you, no Amalekites, no Egyptians to pursue you, no fires and thunders to dismay you. I have not that rod of God in my hand, which you have seen to command the elements: or if I had, so far am I from purposing any rigour against you, that I now lately have appeased God towards you; and lo here the pledges of his reconciliation. God sends me to you for good, and do you run from your best friend? Whither will ye go from me, or without me? Stay and hear the charge of that God, from whom ye cannot flee."

They perceive his voice the same, though his face were changed, and are persuaded to stay, and return and hear him, whom they dare not see; and now, after many doubtful paces, approaching nearer, dare tell him he was grown too glorious.

Good Moses, finding that they durst not look upon the sun of his face, clouds it with a veil; choosing rather to hide the work of God

in him, than to want opportunity of revealing God's will to his people. I do not hear him stand upon terms of reputation; "If there be glory in my face, God put it there; he would not have placed it so conspicuously, if he had meant it should be hid: hide ye your faces rather, which are blemished with your sin; and look not that I should wrong God and myself, to seem less happy in favour of your weakness." But without all self respects, he modestly hides his glorified face; and cares not their eyes should pierce so far, as to his skin, on condition, that his words may pierce into their ears. It is good for a man sometimes to hide his graces: some talents are best improved by being laid up: Moses had more glory by his veil, than by his face. Christian modesty teaches a wise man, not to expose himself to the fairest shew, and to live at the utmost pitch of his strength.

There is many a rich stone laid up in the bowels of the earth, many a fair pearl laid up in the bosom of the sea, that never was seen, nor never shall be. There is many a goodly star, which, because of height, comes not within our account. How did our true Moses, with the veil of his flesh, hide the glory of his Deity; and put on vileness, besides the laying aside of majesty; and shut up his great and Divine Miracles, with, See you tell no man! How far are those spirits from this, which care only to be seen; and wish only to dazzle others' eyes with admiration, not caring for unknown riches! But those yet more, which desire to seem above themselves, whether in parts or graces, whose veil is fairer than their skin. Modest faces shall shine through their veils, when the vain-glorious shall bewray their shame through their covering.

That God, which gave his law in smoke, delivered it again through the veil of Moses. Israel could not look to the end of that, which should be abolished; for the same cause had God a veil upon his own face, which hid his presence in the holy of holies. Now as the veil of God did rend, when he said, It is finished; so the veil of Moses was then pulled off: we clearly see Christ, the end of the law; our Joshua, that succeeded Moses, speaks to us bare-faced: what a shame is it there should be a veil upon our hearts, when there is none on his face!

When Moses went to speak with God, he pulled off his veil: it was good reason he should present to God that face which he had made. There had been more need of his veil, to hide the glorious face of God from him, than to hide his from God; but his faith and thankfulness serve for both these uses. Hypocrites are contrary to Moses: he shewed his worst to men, his best to God; they shew their best to men, their worst to God: but God sees both their veil and their face; and I know not whether he more hates their veil of dissimulation, or their face of wickedness. Exod. xxxiv.

NADAB AND ABIHU.

THAT God, which shewed himself to men in fire when he delivered his law, would have men present their sacrifices to him in fire: and

this fire he would have his own, that there might be a just circulationi in this creature; as the water sends up those vapours, which it receives down again in rain. Hereupon it was, that fire came down from God unto the altar; that, as the charge of the sacrifice was delivered in fire and smoke, so God might signify the acceptation of it in the like fashion wherein it was commanded. The Baalites might lay ready their bullock upon the wood, and water in their trench; but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their bodies and destroy themselves, than one flash out of heaven to consume the sacrifice.

That devil which can fetch down fire from Heaven, either maliciously, or to no purpose; (although he abound with fire; and did as fervently desire this fire in emulation to God, as ever he desired mitigation of his own) yet now he could no more kindle a fire for the idolatrous sacrifice, than quench the flames of his own torment. Herein God approves himself only worthy to be sacrificed unto, that he creates the fire for his own service; whereas the impotent idols of the heathen must fetch fire from their neighbour's kitchen, and themselves are fit matter for their borrowed fire.

The Israelites, that were led too much with sense, if they had seen the bullock consumed with a fire fetched from a common hearth, could never have acknowledged what relation the sacrifice had to God, had never perceived that God took notice of the sacrifice; but now they see the fire coming out from the presence of God, they are convinced both of the power and acceptation of the Almighty. They are at once amazed and satisfied, to see the same God answer by fire, which before had spoken by fire: God doth not less approve our evangelical sacrifices, than theirs under the law; but as our sacrifices are spiritual, so are the signs of his acceptation: faith is our guide, as sense was theirs. Yea, even still doth God testify his approbation by sensible evidences: when by a lively faith and fervent zeal our hearts are consecrated to God, then doth his heavenly fire come down upon our sacrifices; then are they holy, living, acceptable.

This flame, that God kindled, was not as some momentary bonfire, for a sudden and short triumph; nor as a domestic fire, to go out with a day; but is given for a perpetuity, and neither must die, nor be quenched. God, as he is himself eternal, so he loves permanency and constancy of grace in us: if we be but a flash and away, God regards us not; all promises are to perseverance. Sure it is but an elementary fire that goes out; that which is celestial continues: it was but some presumptuous heat in us, that decays upon every occasion.

But he, that miraculously sent down this fire at first, will not renew the miracle every day, by a like supply: it began immediately from God, it must be nourished by means. Fuel must maintain that fire which came from heaven: God will not work miracles every day; if he have kindled his Spirit in us, we may not expect he shall every day begin again; we have the fuel of the word and sacraments, prayers, and meditations, which must keep it in for