with God, in rejecting the authority of his

servants.

Moses was moved with a just indignation. He saw into all their ambition and pride. He appealed to God that he had not injured them in the smallest matter; and prayed that he would not accept their unauthorized and unhallowed offering, and again directed them to appear before God on the morrow, that he might himself decide the point between them. The morrow came, and their daring impiety still continued. They ventured to bring their censers, and they gathered together the whole congregation, as if to support them in their claim by numbers and violence. And now the glory of the Lord appears, as upon such great occasions in their history we have frequently seen. His voice is directed to Moses and Aaron, "Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." They fall upon their faces and intercede for the people: they cry, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?" Therefore God will try

the congregation. He directs Moses to warn them to quit the party and even the neighbourhood of these wicked men. Moses went with all speed on his errand of mercy, and the elders of Israel, men of wisdom and judgment, accompanied him. He expostulated most earnestly and affectionately with the congregation, "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins." The people took the warning, and departed from them. How often is this warning necessary in popular tumults. For these almost always arise through the instigation of a few ambitious men, who agitate the public mind on some question by which eventually they hope to profit: thus they bring crowds together, who often proceed to acts of violence, and thereby lose or endanger their lives, while the chief projectors and agitators often themselves stand at a distance, and keep aloof from the danger. But here the people acted wisely they saw the impending danger, and dispersed, leaving these daring rebellious persons to brave the

indignation of the Lord which they had excited. And they did brave it. They came with all their families, and stood in the doors of their tents. And now Moses ventured on a proof of his own commission from God, on which no man, but one who knew that he was at that moment under the divine teaching and inspiration would have dared to risk. The words are exceedingly awful. He says, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord

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make a new thing, and the

earth open her

mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord." Such was the issue upon which he put the decision of the controversy. It would have been the height of folly, to have made such an appeal to God, even though he was conscious of his own divine appointment, and also of the sin

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X

and rebellion of these people, if he had not at the same time felt within himself that special and extraordinary inspiration from God by which he knew that the event would be as he predicted. By that event he was justified. For behold," it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them; and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."

Was not this a most awful and terrible judgment? Was it not "a strange punishment to these workers of iniquity ?" Does it not teach us to fear the mighty power of God,

who can crush us in an instant by any one of those elements which he has formed, whenever he may give the word? The heavens and the earth, the flood and the fire, are all the creatures of his hand, and inanimate as they are, they perform his bidding, as quickly and effectually as that angel, who destroyed Sennacherib's host before him. But if we fear the power of God, let us much more stand in fear of sin; for it is sin only that arrays the power of God against us.

Oh! that this history may prove a warning to sinners of every kind, for there are ten thousand forms and acts of sin, and any one of them is enough to rouse the indignation. and call down the judgment of a holy and righteous God. We would endeavour to persuade you by his terrors. And without presuming to say that any new and strange thing shall be done unto you, without saying that the earth shall open her mouth and swallow you up, or that fire shall come forth from heaven, and consume you, for we have no such revelation, we nevertheless do say that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven