at was kindled. Moses
takes the tabernacle out of the camp, the place of judgement where God
spake with the people, and the cloud, the sign of God's presence, removes.
In a word, the sign of God's loving and kind presence departs from them,
to signify that they were divorced from God, and, in a manner, the Lord by
Moses excommunicates all the people and rulers both, and draws away these
holy things from the contagion of a profane people. But yet all is not
gone. He goes far off, but not out of sight, that you may always follow
him, and if you follow, he will stand still. He is never without the reach
of crying, though we do not perceive him. Now, in this sad case you may
have a trial who is godly. Every one that seeks the Lord will separate
from the unholy congregation, and follow the tabernacle, and this affects
the whole people much, that they all worship in the tent door.

Now, in the meantime, God admits Moses to speak with him. Though he will
not speak to the people, yet he will speak with their mediator, a typical
mediator, to show us that God is well pleased in Christ, and so all
Christ's intercessions and requests for us will get a hearing. When they
are come once in talking, the business is taken up, for He is not soon
angry, and never implacably angry,--"slow to anger, and keeps it not long."
Moses falling familiar with God, not only obtains his request for the
people, but becomes more bold in a request for his own satisfaction and
confirmation. He could not endure to lead that people unless God went with
him, and having the promise of his going with them he cannot endure
distance with him, but aspires to the nearest communion that may be. Oh!
that it were so with us. His great request is, that the Lord will show him
his glory. Had he not seen much of this already and more than any man ever
saw, when he spake in the mount with God, &c.? Nay, but he would see more,
for there is always more to be seen, and there is in a godly soul always
more desire to see it. The more is seen, the more is loved and desired.
Tasting of it only begets a kindly appetite after it, and the more tasted,
still the fresher and more recent but yet it is above both desire and
fruition,--"Thou canst not see my face, &c." All our knowledge of God,--all
our attainments of experience of him,--do but reach to some dark and
confused apprehension of what he is. The clearest and nearest sight of God
in this world is, as if a man were not known but