er_ hath sinned 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 subject can a doubt remain respecting the sense
of this text? (But keeping in view the reason here assigned for the
renewed order given to Moses to conduct the tribes to Canaan, namely,
God's determination _to blot of his book--whosoever had sinned against
him_, in this affair) let us try it in the different senses which have
been put upon it.

I. We will suppose _blotting out of God's book_, to mean destroying
soul and body in hell. The divine determination to shew no mercy to
Israel, is then the reason assigned for the order here given to Moses.
The prayer and answer stand thus--_Now if thou wilt, forgive this
people_--Answer--_I will not hear thy prayer for them--no mercy shall
be shewn them, but utter, eternal destruction be their portion_--
THEREFORE _now go lead them to the promised land_!

II. Suppose _blotting out of God's book_ to mean annihilation, and his
answer to the prayer stands thus--_I will destroy this people, and
blot them from among my works_--THEREFORE _go lead them to the place
of which I have spoken unto thee_!

III. Suppose with Mr. Henry, and Doct. Hunter, that it is to be
understood of destruction in the wilderness, and the answer stands
thus--_My wrath shall wax hot against Israel and consume them--they
shall all die in the wilderness_, THEREFORE, _now go lead them to
Canaan_!

The whole people, save Moses and Joshua, seem to have participated in
the revolt. We have no account of another exception; _and whosoever
had sinned, 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 reason for Moses' resuming his march and
carrying up the tribes to the land of promise. Common sense revolts at
the idea.

But if we understand _blotting out of God's book_ in the sense we have
put upon it, we see at once the propriety of the order given to Moses,
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 Moses' prayer amounts to this--"I have heard and hearkened
to your prayer, and pardoned the sin 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 surprize