"SANs are compared to debts, which are written in the creditor's book, and croffed, or blotted out, when paid.* Man's fins are written in the book of God's remembrance, or accounts, out of which all men shall be judged hereafter.t And when fin is pardoned it is faid to be blotted out.

And not to be found any more, though fought for."§

WHEN a debtor hath paid a debt, we are at no lofs for his meaning, if he requests to be croffed, or blotted out of the creditor's book; nor would doubt arise fhould one to whom a debt was forgiven prefer like petition. "You will please to blot me out of your book."

"THOUGH Mofes had taken no part in this fin of Ifrael, he knew himself a finner; and when praying for others, it is not likely he would forget himself. The occafion would naturally fuggeft the value, yea the neceffity 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 confider our own ftate; and if we see ourselves in danger, take measures to avoid it. To a finner the only way of fafety is, repairing to divine mercy, and obtaining a pardon. That Mofes would be excited to this by a view of Ifrael, at this time, is a reafonable expectation.

THAT fuch was the purport of Mofes' prayer for himself is clearly indicated by the answer which was given to it-for the blotting out of God's book, is doubtlefs to be understood in the fame *Matthew vi. 32. + Revelations xix. 12. Ifaiah xliv. 22.

miah 1. 20.-Vid. Cruden's Concord. under BLOT.

N

& Jere

fense in the prayer, and in the anfwer; and the latter explains the former.

Oh! this people have finned a great fin—Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their fin; and if not-if thou wilt not forgive their fin-blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou haft written. And the Lord faid unto Mofes, WHOSOEVER hath finned 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.

THE paffage thus prefented to our view, feems fcarcely to need a comment; but fuch fad work hath been made of this text, and fuch ftrange con. clufions been drawn from it, that it may be proper to fubjoin a few remarks.

THAT God had threatened to "destroy that people, and blot out their name from under heaventhat Mofes had prayed for them-and that "the Lord had repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them" we have seen above. And here Mofes is ordered to refume his march, and carry up the tribes to the promised land, and the reason is affigned-" whofoever hath finned against me, him will I blot out of my book, therefore, now go lead the people to the place of which I have spoken unto thee."

WHEN We thus view the fubject can a doubt remain refpecting the fenfe of this text? But (keeping in view the reason here affigned for the renewed order given to Mofes to conduct the tribes to Canaan, namely, God's determination to blot out of his book whofoever had finned against him, in this

affair) let us try it in the different fenfes which have been put upon it.

I. We will suppose blotting out of God's book, to mean destroying foul and body, in hell. The divine determination to fhew no mercy to Ifrael, is then the reafon affigned for the order here given to Mofes. The prayer and answer ftand thusNow if thou wilt, forgive this people-Answer-I will not hear thy prayer for them—no mercy fhall be fhewn them, but utter, eternal deftruction fhall be their portion—THERERORE now go lead them to the promifed land!

II. SUPPOSE blotting out of God's book to mean annihilation, and his answer to the prayer ftands thus--I will deftroy this people, and blot them from among my works-THEREFORE go lead them to the place of which I have fpoken unto thee !

III. SUPPOSE with Mr. Henry, and Do&. Hunter, that it is to be understood of deftruction in the wilderness, and the answer flands thus-My wrath fhall wax hot againft Ifrael and confume themthey fhall all die in the wilderness, THEREFORE, NOW

go

lead them to Canaan !

THE whole people, fave Mofes and Joshua, feem to have participated in the revolt. We have no account of another exception; and whofoever had finned, God would blot out of his book. Surely had either of these been the meaning of blotting out of God's book, it would not have been given as the reafon for Mofes' refuming his march and carrying up the tribes to the land of promife. Common fenfe revolts at the idea.

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Bur if we understand blotting out of God's book in the sense we have put upon it, we fee at once the propriety of the order given to Mofes, founded on this act of grace, God's having "repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them." If this is the meaning of the words, the answer to Mofes' prayer amounts to this-"I have heard and hearkened to your prayer, and pardoned the fin of this people, proceed therefore in your march, and lead them to the place of which I have spoken unto thee." The therefore go now, doth not furprize us. We fee the order rife out of the divine purpose; but on any of the other conftructions of the text, thwarts and contradicts it; or cannot surely be affigned as the reason of it.

SEVERAL other confiderations illuftrate the subject, and confirm our conftruction of it.

WHEN Mofes returned to intercede for Ifrael, he certainly asked of God to pardon their fin. Oh! this people have finned a great fin, and have made them gods of gold-Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their fin-That he was heard and obtained his requeft appears not only from the history contained in our context, but from Mofes' rehearsal of it juft before his death. He recounted. the dealings of God with Ifrael, when taking his leave of them on the plains of Moab-In that valedictory difcourfe he reminded them of their fin on this occa. fion-of God's anger against them-his threatening to deftroy them, and how he pleaded with God in their behalf, and the fuccefs which attended his interceffions for them-" I was afraid of

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the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth with you, to deftroy you, but the Lord hearkened unto me at that time alfo. "'*

SENTENCE of death in the wilderness was afterwards denounced against thofe finners, and executed upon them, but not to punish this fin; but the rebellion which was occafioned by the report made by the fpies who were fent to fearch out the land. On that occafion Mofes praved fervent. ly for his people, and not wholly without effectGod had threatened to "fmite them with the pestilence, and difinherit them," but receded from his threatening through the prevalence of that interceffor in their behalf-" the Lord faid I have par doned according to thy word;" but at the fame time, denounced an irrevokable fentence of death in the wilderness against those rebels. Then Mofes was not ordered to "lead the people to the place of which God had spoken," but commanded to go back into the wilderness which they had paffed-"turn you, and get ye into the wilderness. by the way of the red fea."+

Ar that time, the exception from the general fentence, was not in favor of Mofes and Joshua, who had been on the mount, and taken no part in Ifrael's fin in making the golden calf, but in favor of Caleb and Joshua, who diffented from the report made by the other fpies; though no intimation is given that Caleb was not with the people, and did not fin with them in the matter of the golden calf. There is therefore no doubt ref