house of prayer. In this house may He meet with us, reveal his mercy, exert his power, and bestow his grace!-Observe,

II. The MESSENGER employed: "The Angel of the Lord."

Moses was a messenger to the children of Israel, Joshua also, Elijah, and many others: but a much greater than these was here, a special, a heavenly Messenger.

It is the concurrent opinion of the best commentators that this was not a created angel, but "the Angel of the Covenant," the Son of God himself. It is certain he did frequently appear in visible form under the Old-Testament dispensation; as to Abraham on mount Moriah, to Moses at the bush, and to Joshua at the borders of Jericho. The language also used, in the former verses, is highly favourable to this sentiment, and seems indeed to confirm it; for who but the Lord of angels could say—“I made you to go up out of Egypt; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you?"

But this "Angel of the Lord" is said to "come up from Gilgal to Bochim." In what sense is this to be understood? Gilgal, it will be remembered, was the scene of interesting transactions between the Lord and the Israelites. There stood the memorial of their deliverance at Jordan; and there was the solemn renewal of their covenant by circumcision, and keeping the passover; but since these transactions, they had revolted exceedingly. The Lord, therefore, in the riches of his mercy, again visits this people, and at Bochim revives the impressions which had been felt, and the resolutions which had been formed, at Gilgal.

Here, then, was a large assembly, and the most exalted Messenger employed to address them ;--the same, brethren, who in his word addresses you, When we preach, you hear the voice of a man of infirmities similar to your own; but the message is the word of God. What we deliver in his name, and according to his revealed truth, is sanctioned with"Thus saith the Lord!" We arrogate nothing to ourselves: it would ill become us to do so, but we may be allowed to "magnify our office :" as Christian ministers, therefore, we address you in the name of Christ; we come to you as his servants, and on business which he appoints: " as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Let it be impressed on the mind, as a truth of solemn importance, that when assembled as at this hour, God is the acknowledged object of your worship-God is the author of his own word-God is present in his ordinances-God speaks by his messengers, and demands your devout attention, your humble faith, your submissive and obedient compliance with his truth.-Observe,

III. The ADDRESS delivered.

This we have in the three preceding verses, which are highly interesting: "And an Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land: you shall throw down their altars. But ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in

your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you." In these verses several things are observable, and they apply with much propriety to ourselves.

Here is, first, a statement of what the Lord had done for this people :-" I made you to go up out of Egypt;" that land of slavery, that scene of degradation and toil," and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers." This was the completion of his work. He did not begin to deliver, and then fail of his purpose: he did not leave them in the Wilderness, but watched over them with tender solicitude, and put them in actual possession of the promised land. It was a proof of the exceeding greatness of his power, and also of his faithfulness; for Canaan was the inheritance which he had engaged to give.

Next they are told what the Lord had promised to them: "I said, I will never break my covenant with you." Here was additional favour, and a solemn engagement of fidelity. He took the people whom he had rescued from thraldom, and brought into liberty, to be his peculiar charge, and to enjoy his distinguished affection. A copy of this engagement we have in the promise to Abraham: "I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." It had been well if their fidelity had resembled his; then would their peace have been as a river, and their prosperity permanent as a rock!

They are also reminded of what the Lord required of them: "Ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land." Nothing could be more rea

Gen. xvii. 7.

sonable than this injunction. The original inhabitants of Canaan were their enemies, and the enemies of their God; why, then, should they think of any league with them ?" You shall throw down their altars.' This was equally reasonable, for what had Israelites to do with idolatry? What had worshippers of the true God, a people who had Jehovah in covenant with them, to do with senseless idols, and with altars of iniquity and sin? One would naturally have expected their prompt and persevering compliance.

But it is affecting to learn what the Lord received from them-the manner in which he was requited for all his favours: "Ye have not obeyed my voice." The charge is express and pointed. They had leagued with the Canaanites, spared their altars, connived at their idolatry; and all this in direct opposition to the command of Jehovah:-"Why have ye done this?” Nothing could be more affecting. than this remonstrance; as if he had said, What motive. can you have, what reason can you give, what excuse can you offer, for such disobedience? Their sin may be accounted for, but it can never be justified. Indolence may partly account for it: to oppose evil required vigilance and exertion. Covetousness, perhaps, had its influence: they might join with the Canaanites in hope of sordid gain. Love of idolatry, a secret inclination to the practices of heathen nations, might induce them to spare their altars and to palliate their sin. But unbelief was the grand cause, and lay at the root of all their disobedience: a careless disregard to the authority of Heaven, producing a criminal distrust of the power and promise of the Most High, was the spring of all their apostacy.

Lastly is recorded what the Lord threatened against them: "Wherefore I also said, I will not

drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. Here was righteous retribution; they were punished by weapons of their own making; nor can we wonder at this mark of the Divine displeasure. The enemies whom they treated as friends should be continued among them, but not for their comfort: they should irritate and torment them perpetually. An evil of much greater magnitude was, their souls would sustain most serious injury: the idolatry which they allowed would subject them to powerful temptation: they would find themselves in constant danger from these false gods, of being entangled in their affections, and ensnared in their conduct. In short, their own follies would put a stop to their victories, would involve them in endless troubles, would expose them to grievous sin, and occasion accumulated guilt.

Such was the purport of this short but comprehensive address; and let us see how it applies to ourselves.

The Lord has done great things, for us: he has delivered us from much evil, and bestowed on us abundant mercy. His promises of grace are exceedingly precious, and his truth is inviolable. His requirements also are reasonable and right, involving our interest, promoting our happiness, and advancing his own glory.

But what returns have we made? How have we requited the Lord for all his loving kindness? Does not this charge too strictly belong to us-Ye have not obeyed my voice? Alas! we are guilty; guilty of base ingratitude, of careless forgetfulness, of direct and daring rebellion against the Most High. It is wrong to oppose the voice of reason, to resist the