SERMON VIII.
"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. 'Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou—wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray they, out of thy book which than hast written.'"
"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. 'Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou—wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray they, out of thy book which than hast written.'"
In the preceding discourse we endeavored to show that the idea of being willing to be damned for the glory of God is not found in the text—that the sentiment is erroneous and absurd—then adduced the constructions which have been put on the text by sundry expositors, and offered reasons which oblige us to reject them as misconstructions.
It remains, to give our sense of the passage—the grounds on which it rests—and some reflections by way of improvement.
As to our sense of the passage—We conceive these puzzling words of Moses to be no other than a prayer for himself—that his sins which might stand charged against him in the book of God, might be blotted out, however God might deal with Israel. "SINS are compared to debts, which are written in the creditor's book, and crossed, or blotted out, when paid. [23] Man's sins are written in the book of God's remembrance, or accounts; out of which all men shall be judged hereafter. [24] And when sin is pardoned it is laid to be blotted out. [25] And not to be found any more, though sought for." [26]
When a debtor hath paid a debt, we are at no loss for his meaning, if he requests to be crossed, or blotted out of the creditor's book; nor would doubt arise should one to whom a debt was forgiven prefer like petition. "You will please to blot me out of your book."
Though Moses had taken no part in this sin of Israel. he knew himself a sinner; and when praying for others: it is not likely he would forget himself. The occasion would naturally suggest the value, yea the necessity of forgiveness, and dispose him to ask it of God. When others are punished, or but just escape punishment, we commonly look at home, and consider our own state; and if we see ourselves in danger, take measures to avoid it. To a sinner the only way of safety is, repairing to divine mercy, and obtaining a pardon. That Moses would be excited to this by a view of Israel, at this time, is a reasonable expectation.
That such was the purpose of Moses' prayer for himself is clearly indicated by the answer which was given to it—For the blotting out of God's book, is doubtless to be understood in the same sense in the prayer, and in the answer; and the latter explains the former.
Oh! this people have sinned a great sin—Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if not—if thou wilt not forgive their sin —blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, WHOSOEVER hath sinned against me, HIM will I blot out of my book: THEREFORE now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee.