would communicate His commands to Moses, who would then deliver them to the people. From that time forth, therefore, Moses alone was permitted to enjoy this great privilege, which the sensual hearts of the Israelites made them dread rather than desire. It pleased God, however, to make one exception in favour of Aaron, Nadab, and Abiu (who were of the tribe of Levi), and of seventy of the elders of the people. These men went up into Mount Sinai with Moses, and there Almighty God Vouchsafed to them a wonderful manifestation of His majesty. It is said in the words of Holy Scripture, that they saw the God of Israel, and under his feet, as it were, a work of sapphire stone, and as the heaven when clear. In what way the Almighty thus displayed His divinity to this chosen few it is impossible to comprehend, or whether He shewed Himself in a human form or no. But we may suppose that it was a far different vision of God from that which is granted to the blessed in heaven, where they see God face to face, for such a sight would have destroyed both Moses and his companions; and at the same time that it was something beyond the power of human tongue to describe.

Before going up with Aaron and the others, Moses had written the various commands he had already received from God in a roll, or book, called the book of the covenant, and he sprinkled both the book and the people with the blood of the animals which he sacrificed, as a figure of the blood of Jesus Christ, which was to be the seal of the new covenant between God and man. Then he went up alone into the thick darkness which concealed the top of the mountain, and remained there forty days and forty nights, receiving from God all the instructions which it pleased Him to give for the government of the people of Israel.

These forty days had not expired when the mad sinfulness of the Israelites broke out afresh more abominably than at any time before. Seeing that Moses was so long in returning to them, they began to think that God had deserted them, and that Moses would never come back to protect and guide them; and in their

foolish hearts they began to wish for idol-gods, like the gods of the Egyptians, to be their guardians; and they applied to Aaron to make them a golden image that they might worship. Aaron, in his sinful cowardice, afraid to set himself against the popular clamour, gave way to their importunities, and bade them bring the golden earrings of the women, and these he melted down, and made of them a calf. And the people rejoiced when they saw the image, so bent were they on going not by faith but by sight; and Aaron appointed a day for a solemn festival of this idolatrous worship. And the people feasted, and danced before their new god, and made merry, after the true manner of idol-worshippers.

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And while this wickedness was going on amongst the people below, God spoke to Moses in the mount, and said: Go, get thee down: thy people, which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, hath sinned. They have quickly strayed from the way which thou didst shew them and they have made to themselves a molten calf, and have adored it, and sacrificing victims to it, have said: These are thy gods, O Israel, that have brought thee out of the land of Egypt. And again the Lord said to Moses: I see that this people is stiff-necked: let Me alone, that My wrath may be kindled against them, that I may destroy them; and I will make of thee a great nation. But Moses besought the Lord his God, saying: Why, O Lord, is Thy indignation enkindled against Thy people, whom Thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? Let not the Egyptians say, I beseech thee: He craftily brought them out, that He might kill them in the mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let Thy anger cease, and be appeased upon the wickedness of Thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou sworest by Thy own self, saying: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and this whole land that I have spoken of, I will give to your seed, and you shall possess it for ever. And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which He had spoken against His people. And Moses returned

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from the mount, carrying the two tables of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides, and made by the work of God: the writing also of God was graven in the tables.

And when he came nigh to the camp, he saw the calf, and the dances: and being very angry, he threw the tables out of his hand, and broke them at the foot of the mount: and laying hold of the calf which they had made, he burnt it, and beat it to powder, which he strowed into water, and gave thereof to the children of Israel to drink. And he said to Aaron: What has this people done to thee, that thou shouldest bring upon them a most heinous sin? Then standing at the entrance of the tents in which the people were dwelling, Moses cried aloud: If any man be on the Lord's side, let him join with me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him: and he said to them: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Put every man his sword upon his thigh: go, and return from gate to gate through the midst of the camp, and let every man kill his brother, and friend, and neighbour. And the sons of Levi did according to the words of Moses, and there were slain that day about three and twenty thousand men. And Moses said: You have consecrated your hands this day to the Lord, every man in his son and in his brother, that a blessing may be given to you.

CHAP. VIII. God proclaims His Name to Moses. AGAIN God spoke to Moses, and communicated to him His pleasure respecting the Israelites, and granted him a still more perfect manifestation of His divine perfections than He had as yet given him. And Moses said to the Lord: Thou commandest me to lead forth this people and Thou dost not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me, especially whereas Thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast found favour in My sight. If therefore I have found favour in Thy sight, shew me Thy face, that I may know Thee, and may find grace before Thy eyes: look upon Thy people,

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this nation. And the Lord said: My face shall go before thee, and I will give thee rest. And Moses said: If Thou Thyself dost not go before, bring us not out of this place. For how shall we be able to know, I and Thy people, that we have found grace in Thy sight, unless Thou walk with us, that we may be glorified by all people that dwell upon the earth? And the Lord said to Moses: This word also, which Thou hast spoken, will I do for thou hast found grace before Me, and thee I have known by name. And he said: Shew me Thy glory. He answered: I will shew thee all good, and I will proclaim in the name of the Lord before thee: and I will have mercy on whom I will, and I will be merciful to whom it shall please Me. And again He said: Thou canst not see My face: for man shall not see Me, and live. And again He said: Behold, there is a place with Me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock. And when My glory shall pass, I will set thee in a hole of the rock, and protect thee with My right hand, till I pass and I will take away My hand, and thou shalt see My back parts: but My face thou canst not see.

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And after this He said: Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the former: and I will write upon them the words which were in the tables, which thou brokest. Be ready in the morning, that thou mayest forthwith go up into mount Sinai; and thou shalt stand with Me upon the top of the mount. Let no man go up with thee and let not any man be seen throughout all the mount: neither let the oxen nor the sheep feed over against it. Then he cut out two tables of stone, such as had been before and rising very early, he went up into the mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, carrying with him the tables. And when the Lord was come down in a cloud, Moses stood with Him, calling upon the name of the Lord. And when He passed before him, he said: O the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, patient, and of much compassion, and true: who keepest mercy unto thousands: who takest away iniquity, and wickedness, and sin, and no man of himself is innocent before Thee. Who renderest the iniquity of

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