To all this we reply, first of all, in the language of Romans xv. 4, "_Whatsoever things_ were written aforetime"--Exodus xxxii. and Deuteronomy iv. included--"were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." This brief passage contains our chartered right to range through the wide field of Old-Testament scripture and gather up and appropriate its golden lessons, to feed upon its "exceeding great and precious promises," to drink in its deep and varied consolation, and to profit by its solemn warnings and wholesome admonitions. And then, as to our being capable of or liable to the gross sin of idolatry, we have a striking answer in 1 Corinthians x, where the inspired apostle uses the very scene at Mount Horeb as a warning to the Church of God. We cannot do better than quote the entire passage for the reader. There is nothing like the Word of God; may we love, prize, and reverence it more and more each day. "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that _all_ our fathers were under the cloud"--those whose carcasses fell in the wilderness, as well as those who reached the land of promise,--"and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ." How strong, how solemn, and how searching is this for all professors! "But with many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were _our examples_" (let us carefully mark this), "to the intent we should not lust after _evil things_"--things in any way contrary to the mind of Christ, "as they also lusted. Neither _be ye idolaters_" (so that professing Christians may be idolaters) "as were some of them; as it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.' Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now _all these things_ happened unto them for ensamples; and _they are written for our admonition_, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."