THE OBJECT OF A CHRISTIAN'S DESIRE IN
RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy Glory.
TH
HESE are the words of an Old Teftament Saint; of that Moses, who, as a fervant, was faithful over all the house of God. True piety is the same in substance in all ages, and points at one thing as its centre and its reft, the knowledge and enjoyment of God. In the preceding verfes, Mofes had been employed in earnest prayer and interceffion for the people of Ifrael. He had met with fuccefs and acceptance in thefe requests; for it is faid, in the 14th verfe, " My prefence fhall go with thee, and I "will give thee reft." And in the 17th, " And the Lord "faid unto Mofes, I will do this thing alfo that thou haft spoken; for thou haft found grace in my fight, and I know thee by name." The condefcenfion of a gracious God, though it fatisfies, does not extinguish the defires of his faints, but rather makes them more ardent and importunate; for he immediately adds, in the words of the text, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. It is highly probable, from what follows, that this defire included more than was proper for the prefent ftate; yet fuch a discovery as was poffible, or could be ufeful to him, is graciously
VOL. II.
B