nd buy of the Lord gold tried in the fire--the
true gold of honesty--that they may be truly rich, and anoint their
eyes with eye-salve that they may see themselves for once as they
are.

But what does this story teach us concerning God? For remember, as
I tell you every Sunday, that each fresh story in the Pentateuch
reveals to us something fresh about the character of God. What does
Balaam's story reveal? Balaam himself tells us in the text, 'God is
not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should
repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it?'

Yes. Fancy not that any wishes or prayers of yours can persuade God
to alter his everlasting laws of right and wrong. If he has
commanded a thing, he has commanded it because it is according to
his everlasting laws, which cannot change, because they are made in
his eternal image and likeness. Therefore if God has commanded you
a thing, DO IT heartily, fully, without arguing or complaining. If
you begin arguing with God's law, excusing yourself from it,
inventing reasons why YOU need not obey it in this particular
instance, though every one else ought, then you will end, like
Balaam, in disobeying the law, and it will grind you to powder.

But if you obey God's law honestly, with a single eye and a whole
heart, you will find in it a blessing, and peace, and strength, and
everlasting life.

SERMON XV. DEUTERONOMY

(Third Sunday after Easter.)

Deut. iv. 39, 40. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine
heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth
beneath: there is none else. Thou shall keep therefore his
statutes and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that
it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that
thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God
giveth thee, for ever.

Learned men have argued much of late as to who wrote the book of
Deuteronomy. After having read a good deal on the subject, I can
only say that I see no reason why we should not believe the ancient
account which the Jews give, that it was written, or at least spoken
by Moses.

No doubt there are difficulties in the book. If there had not been,
there would never have been any dispute about the matter; but the
plain, broad, common-sense case is this:

The book of Deuteronomy is made up of several great orations or
sermons, delivered, says the work itself, by Moses, to the whole
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