Exod. 23:29, 30.

Exod. 23:29, 30.

[The ungodly man is truly in darkness with respect to every thing that is of a spiritual nature. He neither does, nor can, comprehend any thing of that kind, for want of a spiritual discernment. But God’s highly favoured people “have light in their dwellings,” whereby they can discern things invisible to mortal eyes. The evil of sin, the beauty of holiness, the glory of Christ, the blessedness of heaven, are open to their view, and are contemplated by them with a zest which can be conceived by those only who actually experience it in their souls. What shall I say of “the light of God’s countenance lifted up upon them,” or of “the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost?” What shall I say of the Holy Spirit dwelling in them as “a Spirit of adoption,” “witnessing with their spirits that they are God’s children,” and “sealing them unto the day of redemption,” and being “an earnest of heaven itself” in their souls? To attempt to describe these things would be only to “darken counsel by words without knowledge.” If we should in vain attempt to convey to one immured in a dungeon a just conception of the lustre and influence of the meridian sun; much more must we fail, if we would attempt to give to a natural man a just apprehension of “the things of the Spirit:” for neither have we any language whereby adequately to express them, nor have they any faculties whereby duly to apprehend them.]

  3.      Things eternal—

[What can an ungodly man see beyond the grave? Truly in relation to the future world he is in darkness, even in “a darkness that may be felt.” If he reflect at all, he can feel nothing but “a certain fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indignation to consume him,” and have no prospect but that of “the blackness of darkness for ever.” But in reference to eternity, the child of God is seen to the greatest advantage. O, what prospects are open to his view! What crowns, what kingdoms, await him! Truly he stands as on Mount Pisgah, and surveys the Promised Land in all its length and breadth. He joins already with the heavenly hosts in all their songs of praise, and, according to the measure of the grace bestowed upon him, anticipates “the pleasures which are at God’s right hand for evermore.”]

But, that I may not tantalize you with joys which you can never taste, let me proceed to shew you,

  II.      How we may secure to ourselves their happy lot—

Can an Egyptian become an Israelite? Yes, he may—

[An Israelite is a descendant of Abraham, in the line of Jacob. But how then can this relation be transferred to a foreigner? After the flesh indeed, an Edomite must remain an Edomite; an Egyptian must continue an Egyptian. But after the Spirit, the transition may be made by all, of whatever nation, provided only they earnestly desire it. Through faith in that blessed Saviour in whom Abraham believed, we may be brought to a participation of all the blessings which were conferred on him. Hear what the Scripture saith: “Know ye, that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham:” the same, too, are “blessed with faithful Abraham;” yea, “the blessing of Abraham comes on them through Jesus Christ:” “if we be Christ’s, then are we Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”]

And, under this character, we shall be exempted from all the Egyptian plagues, and entitled to all the distinctions that ever were conferred on God’s chosen people—

[Truly, however gross the darkness which may have covered us in past times, we shall have “light in our dwellings;” yea, we shall be brought out of darkness into God’s marvellous light; and not only “be turned from darkness unto light, but from the power of Satan unto God.” Say, Brethren, whether this does not accord with the experience of some amongst you? Say, whether the brightest hours of your former life are comparable even with your darkest now? I well know that in this present life there will be clouds that will occasionally intercept the full radiance of the Sun of Righteousness, and induce a transient gloom over your horizon: but I ask with confidence, whether at such a season you would exchange your portion for that of the happiest worldling upon earth? No: you well know, that though your “darkness may continue for a night, joy will come in the morning:” and even in the darkest night some gleams of light are wont to shine into your soul, according to that sure promise, “Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darknessi.” True it is, that sin will bring darkness upon the soul: and true it is, also, that bodily disease may sometimes operate unfavourably in this respect: but, if we be upright before God, “when we walk in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto us;” and, in due season, “our light shall shine in obscurity, and our darkness be as the noonday.”]

  ADDRESS—

  1.      Those who are walking in the light of their own carnal enjoyments—

[Truly it is but a taper that ye possess, whilst ye are regardless of the radiance of the noonday sun — — — And what does God say to you? “Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled: but this shall ye have of mine hand at last, ye shall lie down in sorrow.” “Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.”]

  2.      Those who, though Israelites indeed, are yet walking in somewhat of a gloomy frame—

[We have before said, that such seasons may occur: but the direction given you by God himself is that which must be your consolation and support: “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, and yet walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” There may be reasons for the withdrawment of light from your souls, reasons of which you at present have no conception. Peradventure God has seen that you have not duly improved the former manifestations of his love; or he may see that an uninterrupted continuance of them might give advantage to Satan to puff you up with pride. But, whether you can trace these suspensions of the divine favour to any particular cause or not, learn at all events to justify God in them, and to improve them for the deeper humiliation of your souls: and look forward to that blessed period when you shall “dwell in the light as God is in the light,” and enjoy a day that shall never end.]

LXXV

GOD PUTS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS PEOPLE AND OTHERS

  Exod. 11:7.

Know, how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

A PRINCIPAL intent of God in the various dispensations of his providence is, to make himself known unto the world. By some of his works he makes known his natural perfections of wisdom and power; by others, his moral perfections of goodness and truth. In his dealings with Pharaoh in particular, we are expressly told that he had this end in view. The exercise of his sovereignty was in that instance intended to be displayedb; as also in the whole of “the difference which he put between the Israelites and the Egyptians:” but if we consider these two nations as types or representatives of the friends and enemies of God, we shall be rather led to contemplate the equity of all his dispensations towards them. It is in this light that we propose to dwell upon the words before us.

“Know ye then that the Lord doth put a difference between his own people and others”—

  I.      He did so from the beginning—

[Go back to the antediluvian world — — — Consult the patriarchal aged — — — Look at the history before us — — —Search the records of all succeeding agesf — — — The annals of the whole world conspire to establish this important truth.]

  II.      He does so at this present hour —

[If we have been attentive observers of what passes around us, or within our own hearts, we shall not need to be told that God does at this time, no less than in former ages, distinguish his people from others. He does so in the dispensations of his providence — — — and in the communications of his graceh — — —]

  III.      He will do so to all eternity—

[If we would know the full extent of that difference which he will put between his people and others, we must go up to heaven, and taste all the glories of it — — — and go down to hell, and experience all its miseries — — — Never till then shall we be adequate judges of this momentous subject.]

  QUESTIONS—

  1.      Do you believe this truth?

[Many think that “God will not do good or evil,” and that he will neither reward nor punish. Whether they be conscious of such infidelity or not, their life too plainly proves its dominion over them — — — Beware of such atheistical sentiments; and seek that, whatever becomes of others, ye may be monuments of his love and favour — — —]

  2.      Do you live under the influence of it?

[Happy were it for us, if we could always bear in mind this solemn truth! How importunate would be our prayers, how ardent our praises, how indefatigable our exertions! — — —Let us contemplate the separation which God will make in the day of judgment; and labour incessantly, that we may be numbered amongst his most favoured saintsk — — —]

LXXVI

REDEMPTION CELEBRATED

  Exod. 12:41, 42.

It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, even the self-same day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord, for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

THE Lord, for wise and gracious reasons, often delays the execution of his promises; till we, in our impatience, are almost ready to think he has forgotten them. But, however long he may appear to neglect us, “he is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness.” He has fixed a time, beyond which there shall be no delayb: and at the appointed hour he will shew himself “mighty to save.”

To Abraham and his seed God promised to give the land of Canaan. But behold, no less than four hundred and thirty years were ordained of him to pass, and a great portion of that time in extreme suffering, before his seed were permitted to see the long-wished-for period. But at the time fixed from the beginning in the divine counsels, “even the self-same day it came to pass,” that all the hosts of Israel were brought forth out of Egypt; and God’s promises to them were fulfilled.

In like manner it was promised to Adam that “the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head.” But four thousand years were suffered to elapse before that promised Seed was sent into the world. “When, however, the fulness of time was come, God sent him, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” In effecting this great work, the Messiah was to died. But “he was not to see corruption.” On the third day he was to rise againf. To prevent this, every expedient was resorted to, that human ingenuity could contrive. But at the appointed moment the Saviour rose; and thus completed the deliverance of a ruined world.

These two events are referred to in the text; the one, historically; the other, typically.

  To these events I will first call your attention—

Great was the deliverance of Israel from Egypt—

[Sore, beyond conception, was the bondage of the children of Israel; insomuch that “God himself was grieved at it.” But, through the judgments executed on their oppressors, Pharaoh was at last prevailed on to dismiss them. The last great judgment that was inflicted on their enemies was the destruction of their first-born throughout all the land of Egypt; from which the Israelites were protected by the blood of the paschal lamb sprinkled on their dwellings. This was altogether a wonderful deliverance, such as never had been vouchsafed to any other nation under heaven.

The end of that deliverance rendered it yet more glorious; because they were now consecrated to the Lord as “a special people above all people upon the face of the earth:” and they were led forth under the immediate guidance and protection of God himself, to “a land flowing with milk and honey,” “a land that was the glory of all lands.”

This was a redemption which might well be remembered by them, in all future ages, with wonder, and gratitude, and praise.]

But infinitely greater is the deliverance that has been vouchsafed to us—

From how much sorer bondage are we rescued, even from the bonds of sin and Satan, death and hell! — — — And how much more wonderful is the means of our preservation, even the blood of God’s only dear Son, once shed on Calvary, and now sprinkled on our souls! — — — To how much higher a state too are we raised, not nominally, but really, the sons of God, and the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven! — — — What shall we say of this? It surpasses the utmost conception both of men and angels: and has a height and depth, and length and breadth, that is utterly incomprehensible.]

  Let me next commend to your special observance this day, on which these great events are commemorated—

They deserve well to be commemorated by the whole human race—

[The deliverance from Egypt will be a standing memorial of God’s power and grace to the very end of time. But what shall we say of the redemption which that event typified? Should not that be held in remembrance by us? Should not that be annually commemorated with the devoutest acknowledgments? Verily, “it is a day much to be observed unto the Lord,” even unto the latest generations.

And here I cannot but regret that the stated remembrance of these wonderful events is by a great multitude of religious professors utterly disregarded. Under an idea of avoiding Popish superstition, many have run to an opposite extreme, and cast off the very semblance of gratitude, and put from them the most effectual means of exciting it in the soul. That such memorials may degenerate into form, I readily acknowledge; but that they may be subservient to the greatest spiritual elevation, I have no doubt: and I cannot but lament, that, through a licentious zeal for what they call liberty, many deprive themselves of most invaluable blessings. To us of the Established Church, I thank God, these privileges are preserved: and I would recommend to every one of you a conscientious and devout improvement of them. Nor can I doubt, but that as the memorial of our Lord’s death continued to us in the Sacramental Supper is found a blessing, so will the stated remembrance of our Lord’s birth, and death, and resurrection, on the days on which they are commemorated, prove a blessing to all who will consecrate the time to a special consideration of those stupendous mercies.]

The way in which they should be observed may be learned from the history before us—

[The Israelites, to their latest generations, were on that day to eat of the paschal lamb, and to renew their dedication of themselves to him as his peculiar people. And in this way should we employ this holy day.

Let us this day keep a feast unto the Lord. Let us eat of the Paschal Lamb, and feed on that adorable Saviour who shed his blood for us, to redeem our souls from death — — — But let us “eat it with the bitter herbs” of penitential sorrow, and “with the unleavened bread” of sincerity and truthk. Nor is this a suggestion of man; but of the Lord himself, who has given us this very command. Mark well, I pray you, these peculiar circumstances, which alone will ensure a favourable acceptance of your services before God: for without deep penitence and guileless sincerity your services will be only an abomination to the Lord — — —

Let us also dedicate ourselves to him as his peculiar people. We are not our own: we are bought with a price: we should therefore glorify our God with our bodies, and our spirits, which are hisn. Remember how entirely the people of Israel were now separated from the world, and how completely they were made dependent on their God. Remember too, that they had but one object in view, namely, the attainment of the promised land. Thus in spirit should we be: in spirit, I say; because we have offices to perform, which preclude a possibility of entire separation from the world. But if, whilst we fulfil the duties of our respective stations in the world, we attain in heart what the external situation of Israel was designed to represent, we shall do well. This should from henceforth be our one labour. Behold them, and God himself at their head—he theirs, and they his! So let us consecrate ourselves this day to him, that “we may be his people, and he our God, for ever and ever.”]

LXXVII

THE PASSOVER

  Exod. 12:3–11.

Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it, according to the number of the souls: every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats. And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts, and on the upper door-post of the houses wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand: and ye shall eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s passover.

THE mercies promised to the Lord’s people shall be fulfilled to them in due season. Their trials may be long continued, and may increase when the time of their termination is near at hand: but God will not forget his promises, or delay the execution of them beyond the proper time. He had foretold to Abraham that his posterity should be ill treated in Egypt to a certain period; but that they should then be brought out of it with great substance. The appointed period, foretold four hundred and thirty years before, was arrived, and yet the condition of the Israelites was as distressed as ever: but at its conclusion, “even on the self-same day,” the promised deliverance was vouch-safed; and an ordinance was appointed to keep up the remembrance of it to all future generations.

From the words of our text we shall be led to notice,

  I.      The ordinance itself— This was,

  1.      Commemorative—

[The deliverance of Israel from the sword of the destroying angel, and from their bondage in Egypt, was great, and unparalleled from the foundation of the world. And, in the commemoration of it, God appointed that in all future ages one of the junior members of each family should ask the reason of the institution, and the head of the family should relate what God had done for their nation in passing over the houses of the Israelites when he slew the Egyptians, and in bringing them out of their cruel bondage. To this the Apostle refers, when he speaks of the Lord’s Supper as an ordinance appointed for “the shewing forth of the Lord’s death, till he come” again at the end of the world to judgment.]

  2.      Typical—

[Every the minutest particular in this ordinance seems to have been intended to typify the redemption of the world by the death of Christ. “The lamb” which was to be “under a year old,” denotes Christ, “the Lamb of God,” in a state of perfect purity. It was to be “a male,” as being the most perfect of its kind, and “without blemish,” in order to represent the perfect manhood of Christ, who was indeed “a lamb without blemish and without spot.” It was to be set apart four days before it was slain; not only to mark God’s eternal designation of Christ to be a sacrifice, but to foreshew that Christ, during the four last days of his life, (from his entrance into Jerusalem to his death,) should be examined at different tribunals, to ascertain whether there were the smallest flaw in his character; that so his bitterest enemies might all be constrained to attest his innocence, and thereby unwittingly to declare, that he was fit to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. The precise hour of the day wherein Jesus was to die, is thought to have been predicted by the time appointed for the slaying of the paschal lamb, which was “between the two evenings,” or soon after three o’clock in the afternoon: and it was ordered to be slain by all the congregation; to shew that all ranks and orders of men, both of Jews and Gentiles, should concur in his death. Its blood was to be sprinkled on the door-posts and lintels, to shew that the blood of Christ must be sprinkled upon our hearts and consciences, if we would not fall a prey to the destroying angel: but it was not to be sprinkled on the threshold, because the blood of Christ is not to be trodden under foot, or counted by any as an unholy thing. Its flesh was to be roasted, (not to be eaten raw or boiled,) that the extremity of our Saviour’s sufferings from the fire of God’s wrath might be more fitly depicted. It was to be eaten by all; because none can ever be saved, unless they eat of Christ’s flesh, and receive him into their hearts by faith. It was to be eaten whole, and not a bone of it to be broken; probably to intimate, that we must receive Christ in all his offices and in all his benefits; and certainly to foreshew, that he should be exempt from the common fate of all who died his death, and be marked out thereby with the most undoubted evidence, as the true Messiah. And none of it was to be left till the morning, lest it should be treated contemptuously by the profane, or become an occasion of idolatry or superstition to mistaken zealots; and to guard us also against similar abuses in the supper of our Lord.]

Some other particulars worthy of observation will occur, while we consider,

  II.      The manner of its celebration—

In this also was the ordinance both commemorative and typical. The bitter herbs and unleavened bread were intended to keep up a remembrance of the bitter sorrows which they endured, and the bread of affliction which they ate, in Egypt; and their standing, with their loins girt, and shoes on their feet, and staves in their hands, denoted the haste with which they were driven out of the land, as it were, by the Egyptians themselves. As types, these things declared in what manner we should feed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that it is possible enough to strain types and metaphors too far: but in interpreting the import of the paschal sacrifice, though in some smaller matters we may not be able to speak with certainty, the great outhnes are drawn by an inspired Apostle; who says, “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Taking him then for our guide, we say that we may learn even from the manner in which the passover was celebrated, how we are to feast upon the Lamb of God that has been slain for us. We are to do it,

  1.      With humble penitence—

[The bitter herbs reminded the Israelites of the misery they had endured: but we must further reflect upon the guilt we hare contracted. Their bondage was the effect of force and constraint; ours has been altogether voluntary; and therefore has involved us in the deepest guilt — — — When we eat of Christ’s flesh, we must recollect that his sufferings were the punishment of our iniquities; and we must “look on him whom we have pierced, and mourn; yea, we must mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son.” And the more assured we are of our deliverance from wrath through him, the more must we abhor ourselves for all our iniquities, and for all our abominationsm — — —]

  2.      With unfeigned sincerity—

[This is expressly declared by the Apostle to have been intended by the unleavened bread. Sin is a leaven, the smallest portion of which will leaven and defile our whole souls. It must therefore be purged out with all possible care and diligence. If we retain knowingly and wilfully the smallest measure of it, we have nothing to expect but an everlasting separation from God and his people — — — Let us then search and try our own hearts; and beg of God also to “search and try us, to see if there be any wicked way in us, and to lead us in the way everlasting” — — — We must be “Israelites indeed and without guile,” if we would enjoy the full benefits of the body and blood of Christ.]

  3.      With active zeal—

[We are in a strange land, wherein “we have no continuing city; but we seek one to come, even a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” We are not to take up our rest in this world, but, as pilgrims, with our loins girt, our shoes on our feet, and our staff in our hand, to be always ready to proceed on our journey to the heavenly Canaan. In this state and habit of mind we should feed upon Christ from day to day; commemorating the redemption he has wrought out for us, and receiving from him renewed strength for our journey — — — This weanedness from every thing in this world, and readiness to depart out of it at any moment that our Lord shall call us, constitutes the perfection of a Christian’s character, and the summit of his felicity — — —]

  APPLICATION—

[Whether we be Israelites feeding on the Paschal Lamb, or Egyptians lying on our beds in thoughtless security, let us remember, that the hour is fast approaching, when God will put a difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Let the one rejoice in the safety which they enjoy under the blood sprinkled on their hearts; and let the other tremble at their impending danger from the sword of the destroying angel: and let all endeavour to realize the unavailing cries of God’s enemies, and the joyful exultations of his redeemed people. O terrible judgment! O glorious deliverance! May God keep us all from hardening our own hearts, and stir us up to an immediate compliance with the directions given us in the Gospel!]

LXXVIII

DELIVERANCE OF THE ISRAELITES FROM THE DESTROYING ANGEL

  Exod. 12:21–23.

Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out, and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the bas on; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians: and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel and on the two side-posts, the Lord will pass over the door; and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

THE office of a Minister is to declare to the people what he himself has received from God to deliver to them. Nothing should be added by him; nothing should be withheld. The direction given to Moses, “See thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mountc,” is that to which all the servants of God should be conformed in all their ministrations. In this consists fidelity. “If we add any thing to the word of God, the plagues contained in it shall be added unto us: if we take away from it, our names shall be taken out of the book of life.” It is spoken to the honour of Moses, that “he was faithful in all his house:” and we find invariably, that the messages which he delivered to the people, and the ordinances which he established among them, accorded with the commission which he himself had received from God. In the words before us, he delivers to them a message of terror and of mercy: he informs them of the judgment about to be inflicted on the Egyptian first-born; and of the means which God in his mercy had appointed for exempting them from the general calamity.

We propose to consider.

  I.      The means prescribed—

God might have preserved his people without any particular means; as he did when he sent forth an angel to destroy almost the whole Assyrian army. But he intended this deliverance as a type of a far greater deliverance, which he should afterwards effect through the incarnation and death of his own Son; and therefore he appointed certain observances which should lead their minds to that great event—

  1.      They must kill the paschal lamb—

[Though the passover differed from all other sacrifices, inasmuch as no part of it was burnt upon the altar, yet it is expressly called a sacrifice; and it was ordered to be represented under that character to all succeeding generationsf: and St. Paul himself speaks of it as prefiguring, in that particular view, the death of Christ.

Here then it is most instructive to us, as it teaches us, that, without a sacrifice offered unto God for us, we cannot obtain favour in his sight, or escape the judgments which our sins have merited. We do not presume to say, absolutely, what God might, or might not, have done; because we know nothing of God except as he is pleased to reveal himself to us: but, as far as the revelation he has given us enables us to judge, we are persuaded that a vicarious sacrifice was necessary; and that, without such a sacrifice, God could not have been “just, and at the same time the justifier” of sinful man — — —]

  2.      They must sprinkle its blood—

[The destroying angel might have been instructed to discern between the Israelites and the Egyptians without any external sign upon the walls: but God ordered that the blood of the lamb should be sprinkled on the lintel, and side-posts of the doors, in order to shew us yet further, that the blood of Christ must be sprinkled on our souls. The blood of the lamb did not save the Israelites by being shed, but by being sprinkled: and, in the same manner, it is not the blood of Christ as shed on Calvary, but as sprinkled on the soul, that saves us from the wrath to come. Hence the Scripture so often speaks of our being “come to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel.” We must, as it were, dip the hyssop in the blood, and by faith apply it to our own hearts and consciences, or else we can have no benefit from it, no interest in it — — —]

  3.      They must abide in their houses—

[This was appointed, that they might know to what alone they owed their safety, namely, to the blood sprinkled on their houses. If, presuming upon their descent from Abraham, or upon their having killed the passover, any of them had ventured abroad before the morning, they would, in all probability, have perished, as Lot’s wife did after her departure from Sodom, or as Shimei afterwards did by going without the walls of Jerusalem. The injunction given to them, teaches us, that we must “abide in Christ;” and that, to venture for one moment from under the shadow of his wings, will involve us in the most imminent danger, if not in utter ruin. We have no protection from the pursuer of blood any longer than we continue within the walls of the city of refugem — — —]

Let us now take a view of,

  II.      The deliverance vouchsafed—

The deliverance itself was truly wonderful—

[Throughout all the land of Egypt, the first-born of every person, from the king on his throne to the captive in the dungeon, was slain by an invisible agent. By whatever means the various families were awakened, whether by any sudden impression on their minds, or by the groans of their first-born smitten by the destroying angel, there was at the same hour throughout all the kingdom a cry of lamentation and of terror; of lamentation for their deceased relatives, and of terror on their own account, lest a similar judgment should be inflicted on them also. What dreadful consternation must have prevailed, the instant that the extent of this calamity was seen; when every one, going for relief and comfort to his neighbour, saw him also overwhelmed with similar anguish! But though the first-born of men and cattle was destroyed amongst all the Gentiles, not one, either of men or cattle, suffered amongst the Israelites. How must the whole Jewish nation be struck with wonder at this astonishing display of God’s mercy towards them!

But a greater deliverance than this was shadowed forth. There is a day coming when God will put a more awful difference between his friends and enemies; when his enemies, without exception, shall be smitten with the second death, and his friends be exalted to eternal glory and felicity. What terror will be seen in that day! what weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth among the objects of his displeasure! and what exultation and triumph amongst those who shall be the monuments of his distinguishing favour! That deliverance will be indeed wonderful; and eternity will be too short to explore the unsearchable riches of grace and love contained in it.]

The manner in which it was effected also deserves particular attention—

[There was not one agent only in this transaction, but two: a destroying angel, that went forth to execute judgment indiscriminately on one in every house; and God, who attended him, as it were, to intercept his stroke, and ward off the blow wherever the blood was sprinkled on the houses. This is clearly intimated in the text; and it is as clearly referred to by the Prophet Isaiah, who combines this image with that of a bird darting between her offspring and the bird of prey, in order to protect them from their voracious enemy. Indeed the very name given to the ordinance which was appointed to commemorate this event, was taken from the circumstance of God’s leaping forward, and thus obliging the angel to pass over every house where the blood appeared.

In reflecting on this, we take comfort from the thought, that, whoever may menace the Lord’s people, God himself is their protector; and that, “while he is for them, none can be effectually against them.” If all the angels in heaven, yea and all the devils in hell too, were employed to execute vengeance on the earth, we need not fear; since God is omniscient to discern, and almighty to protect, the least and meanest of his believing people.]

  We may LEARN from hence,

  1.      The use and excellence of faith—

[It was “by faith that Moses kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them.” It is by faith also, and by faith alone, that we can obtain an interest in the Lord Jesus. In what other way can we present to God his sacrifice? In what other way can we sprinkle our hearts with his atoning blood? In what other way can we “abide in him till the morning” of the resurrection? This is not done by repentance, or love, or any other grace, but by faith only. Other graces are good, and necessary in their place; but it is faith only that apprehends Christ, and obtains for us all the benefits of his passion. Let us then “believe in him,” and “live upon him,” and “dwell in him,” as our sure and only deliverer from the wrath to come.]

  2.      The importance of inquiring into our state before God—

[The generality go to their rest as securely as the Egyptians did, unawed by the threatenings of Almighty God, and unconscious of the danger to which they were exposed. But how many wake in eternity, and find their error when it is too late! Let me then entreat you to inquire whether you have ever dreaded the stroke of God’s avenging arm? whether you have been made sensible that God has appointed one way, and one way only, for your escape? whether you have regarded “Christ as your passover that has been sacrificed for you?” whether you have fed upon him, with the bitter herbs of penitence and contrition? Have you dipped the hyssop, as it were, in his blood, and sprinkled your souls with it? And do you feel that it would be at the peril of your souls, if you were to venture for one moment from your place of refuge? Make these inquiries; and be not satisfied till you are assured, on scriptural grounds, that you are out of the reach of the destroying angel. Till then, adopt the prayer of David; “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”]

LXXIX

REDEMPTION OF THE FIRST-BORN

  Exod. 13:14–16.

And it shall be, when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the first-born of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt.

THE works of God deserve to be had in continual remembrance. His interpositions on behalf of our forefathers ought not to be forgotten by us; for we ourselves are greatly affected by them. The whole nation of the Jews at this day, and to the remotest period of time, are deeply interested in the mercy shewn to their ancestors when the Egyptian firstborn were slain. If we reckon that every Israelite had two sons, as well as daughters, (which, considering the care that had been taken to destroy all the male children, may be taken as a fair average,) and one out of those sons had been slain, we may calculate, that not above one third of that nation would ever have come into existence. On account of the distinguished greatness of that deliverance, God appointed that it should be kept in remembrance, by means of a variety of ordinances instituted for that purpose. Some of these institutions were to be annually observed, (as the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread,) and others were designed as daily memorials of it. Such was the redemption of the first-born, mentioned in our text. In consequence of the preservation of the first-born, both of men and beasts, among the Jews, God claimed all their future first-born, both of men and beasts, as his property: the clean beasts were to be sacrificed to him; the unclean were to be exchanged for a lamb, which was to be sacrificed; and the first-born children were to be redeemed at the price of five shekels, which sum was devoted to the service of the sanctuary. This ordinance the Jews, to the latest generations, were bound to observe,

  I.      As a memorial of God’s mercy—

In this view, the end of the appointment is repeatedly mentioned in the text. Every time that the redemption-price was paid for the first-born, either of man or beast, it was to be like “a token upon their hands, or a frontlet, or memorial, between their eyes,” to bring this deliverance to their remembrance.

Now the deliverance vouchsafed to us, infinitely exceeds theirs—

[Theirs was great, whether we consider the state from which they were brought (a sore bondage), or the means by which they were delivered (the slaughter of the Egyptian first-born), or the state to which they were raised (the service and enjoyment of God, both in the wilderness and in the land of Canaan). But compare ours in these respects, the guilt and misery from which we are redeemed — — — the death, not of a few enemies, but of God’s only dear Son, by which that redemption is effected — — — and the blessedness to which, both in this world and the next, we are brought forth — — — and all comparison fails: their mercy in comparison of ours is only as the light of a glow-worm to the meridian sun.]

Every thing therefore should serve to bring it to our remembrance—

[God has instituted some things for this express purpose, namely, baptism and the Lord’s supper. But why should not the same improvement be made of other things? Why may not the sight of a first-born, whether of man or beast, suggest the same reflections to our minds, that the redemption of them did to the Jews? Why should not the revolutions of days, months, and years, remind us of the darkness and misery from which we are brought through the bright shining of the Sun of Righteousness? What is a recovery from sickness, but an image of the mercy vouchsafed to our souls? As for the Scriptures, I had almost said that we should literally imitate the mistaken piety of the Jews, who wore certain portions of them as bracelets and frontlets; but, if not, we should have them so much in our hands and before our eyes, that the blessed subject of our redemption by Christ should never be long out of our minds.]

But the redemption of the first-born was to be observed also,

  II.       As an acknowledgment of their duty—

God, in addition to the claim which he has over all his creatures as their Maker, has a peculiar claim to those whom he has redeemed. In this view he called upon the Jews, and he calls upon us also,

  1.      To consecrate ourselves to him—

[The Jewish first-born of beasts (as has been observed) were sacrificed to God; and his right to the first-born of men was acknowledged by a redemption-price paid for them. The same price too was paid by all (five shekels, or about twelve shillings), to shew that every man’s soul was of equal value in the sight of God. With us, there are some important points of difference. All of us, whether male or female, and whether first or last in order of nativity, are accounted as the first-born: nor can any price whatever exempt us from a personal consecration of ourselves to the service of the Lord. The Levites were afterwards substituted in the place of the first-bornd: but for us no substitute can be admitted. “We are not our own, we are bought with a price,” says the Apostle: from whence his inference is, “Therefore we must glorify God with our body and our spirit, which are his.” And in another place he expresses the same idea in terms still more accommodated to the language of our text; “I beseech you,” says he, “by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”]

  2.      To serve him with the best of all that we have—

[The poorest among the Israelites, whose cow had enlarged his little stock, must immediately devote that little acquisition in sacrifice to God. If it were an horse or an ass that had produced him a foal, he must redeem the foal with a lamb, or “break its neck;” God having decreed, that his people shall derive no comfort or advantage from any thing, with which they are unable, or unwilling, to honour him.

Thus are we bound to “honour God with our substance, and with the first-fruits of all our increase.” We must not stay till we have got in our harvest, and then spare to him a pittance out of our abundance; but we must devote to him a portion of what he has already bestowed, and trust him to supply our remaining wants. Strange will it be indeed, if, when “he has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,” we can grudge him any thing that is in the power of our hands to do.]

  ADDRESS—

  1.      Inquire into the nature and ends of God’s ordinances—

[The rites of baptism and the Lord’s supper are very little understood amongst us: whereas, if we would inquire into the reason of these institutions, we should find them lead us immediately to the great work of redemption: in the former of them we are dedicated to Him who has redeemed us from the bondage of corruption; and in the latter, we renew to him, as it were, our baptismal vows, and derive strength from him for the performance of them. In the common ordinances of divine worship we should see the care which God has taken to make known to us the way of salvation, and to display to us the exceeding riches of his grace in Christ Jesus. If we duly considered God’s design in appointing an order of men to minister in his sanctuary, we should not complain that we heard so much of Christ; but rather, we should go up to his house hungering and thirsting after him, as the bread of life and the water of life.

  2.      Devote yourselves to the service of your God—

[The names of the first-born, and of them only, “are

written in heaven.” If therefore we would partake of the heavenly inheritance, we must regard ourselves as “an holy nation, and a peculiar people.” What the Levites were externally, that must we be in the inward devotion of our souls. We are not loaded, like them, with the observance of many burthensome ceremonies; but the sacrifices of prayer and praise we ought to offer unto God continually; and, in this respect, we are to emulate, as it were, the saints in heaven, who rest not day and night in ascribing glory “to Him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood.” We should distinctly consider ourselves as “his purchased possession,” and account it our highest happiness and honour to be in every thing at his disposal.]

  3.      Endeavour to instruct others in the great work of redemption—

[On all the different occasions it was appointed, that children should make inquiries into the reasons of the various institutions which they saw; and that such explanations should be given them, as should tend to perpetuate divine knowledge to the remotest generations. Such inquiries we should encourage amongst our children: and we should cheerfully embrace every opportunity that is afforded us, of instructing them in the things belonging to their eternal peace. If such catechetical instructions were given in our different families, to how much greater advantage would the word of life be dispensed! Our hearers then, being habituated to the consideration of divine truths, would enter more easily into the various subjects that are set before them. They would attend both with pleasure and profit, more especially when they were arrived at years of discretion; whereas now, the greater part of our auditories hear as if they heard not, and continue years under the ministry of the Gospel without ever understanding its fundamental truths. Let this attention then be paid by all parents and masters to their respective families; yea, let the ignorant in general, whether children or adults, be the objects of our affectionate regard: and let us all, in our respective spheres, contribute, as we are able, to impart the knowledge of Christ to others, that they also may behold the salvation of God.]

LXXX

GOD’S CONDESCENSION TO HIS PEOPLE’S WEAKNESS

  Exod. 13:17, 18.

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea.

IN whatever light we view God, whether as a God of power or of love, we are constrained to say, “Who is like unto thee, O Lord!” Behold the issue of his contest with the haughty Pharaoh: the very instant that the full time is arrived, the time predicted four hundred and thirty years before, the proud monarch not only consents to the departure of Israel, but urges them to go with all possible expedition; and the whole land of Egypt is become so anxious for their departure, that every person is glad to give his most valuable raiment, together with his jewels or vessels, of silver or of gold, to any Israelitish woman that asks them of him. Yet, though thrust out by the inhabitants, the Israelites do not go out as by night, but, in an orderly manner, “harnessed,” that is, arranged as an army, in five different divisionsb; yea in a triumphant manner also, laden with the spoils of their vanquished enemies: “nor was there one feeble person among their tribes;” not one was left behind; nor was one single person unfit to undertake the journey. Thus was the power of Jehovah magnified in the completest victory that can possibly be imagined; a victory, not over their arms merely, but over their proud, obstinate, rebellious hearts.

But we are no less called to admire the kindness of God to his people, than his power over his enemies. He knew, that his people were dispirited through their long and cruel bondage; and that, if he led them the near way to Canaan through the land of the Philistines, (which was at most only a journey of eight or ten days,) they would be intimidated by the hostile appearance of the Philistines, and be ready to return to Egypt, rather than enter on a warfare for which they were unprepared. He therefore condescended to their weakness, and led them another way. This may appear an unimportant circumstance in this astonishing history; but we think it will afford us some useful hints, while we call your attention to the following observations:

  I.      As long as we are in this world, successive trials must be expected—

[The trials of the Israelites did not cease when they came out of Egypt: whichever way they had proceeded, they would have met with difficulties. Thus it is with those who are redeemed from spiritual bondage: they come not into a state of rest, but of conflict. The fluctuating state of the world cannot but place many difficulties in their way — — — And Satan, even if he knew that he could not finally prevail against them, would not cease to harass them to the utmost of his power — — — And their own hearts, if they had no other enemy to encounter, would afford them many occasions for labour and sorrow — — — To every person that is desirous of reaching the promised land, this life is a state of warfare: and if he would gain the victory, he must “put on the whole armour of God,” and “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ,” and “fight the good fight of faith.”]

For these conflicts God fits his people: but,

  II.      Whatever deliverances we may have experienced in past times, we are ever liable to faint under future trials—

[One would have thought that persons who had so recently seen the irresistible power of Jehovah engaged for them, would not have feared any enemies they might be called to encounter. But God knew that the appearance of new difficulties would soon efface from their minds the remembrance of past deliverances. How just his estimate of them was, appeared, as soon as ever they knew that they were pursued by the Egyptian armies. They instantly murmured against Moses and against God for bringing them out of Egypt; and regretted that they had ever left the land of their captivity. And when they had actually reached the borders of the promised land, so terrified were they at the report of their spies respecting the stature of the Canaanites, and the strength of their fortresses, that they proposed even there to appoint a captain over them, to conduct them back again to the land of Egypt. This principle of unbelief is so deeply rooted in our hearts, that even the most eminent saints have yielded to its influence under severe trials: David, notwithstanding God had promised him the throne of Israel, thought he should one day perish by the hands of Saul; Elijah, who had so boldly withstood Ahab, fled from his post through fear of Jezebelg; and the Apostles, who had seen on numberless occasions the almighty power of Jesus, expected nothing but death, even while He was in the vessel together with them. No wonder then if we find “our spirits fail” in seasons of extraordinary difficulty or danger. Indeed, who amongst us is so firm, that he can enter into a cloud, and not be afraid? Who, when a cloud is ready to burst over his head, can say at all times, “I know whom I have believed, and that He is able to keep that which I have committed to himk,” and will overrule these troubles for my eternal good? Under great temptations more especially, and under the hidings of God’s face, it is not uncommon for truly upright persons to doubt, whether they shall ever get safe to Canaan; and almost to regret, that they have ever turned their backs on Egypt.]

Not that we shall be really and finally deserted: for,

  III.      God, in condescension to his people’s weakness, proportions their trials to their strength—

[What he did to the Israelites on this occasion, he did to the Christian Church in its infancy: the Apostles were screened from persecution till “they had received more power from on high:” and, for a considerable time after the day of Pentecost, they alone were noticed by the ruling powers: opposition, till the death of Stephen, was limited almost exclusively to them; and very little affected the Church at large. In the experience of individuals, the tender mercy of God is often very conspicuous at this day. Whilst they are yet young and feeble, he is pleased to screen them from that fierce opposition, which, at a more advanced period, they will have to encounter: and oftentimes their very corruptions appear to be almost extinct, when, in fact, they are only dormant: their joys also in the Lord are made to abound in such a manner, that they are ready to think they shall never more be called to conflict with sin or sorrow. These are mercies to them from the Lord, to strengthen their resolution, and animate their exertions. God is graciously pleased to hide from them at the present the trials which they will hereafter sustain, well knowing that they would be too much discouraged by a sight of them, and perhaps be tempted to despair. “He does not put new wine into old bottles,” but only into vessels capable of enduring the expansive efforts of fermentation. He will not overdrive the lambs, lest they die of fatiguen. In the mean time he expressly assures us, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it; “and that as our day of temptation is, so shall also our strength bep.”]

  On these truths we would ground a word of EXHORTATION—

  1.      Fear nothing in the way of duty—

[Had the Israelites considered what God had already done for them, they would not have been afraid of any armies that could be brought against them: for, could not the angel that destroyed the Egyptian first-born destroy them also? And what have we to fear when once we are enlisted under the banners of Christ? Is not “the Captain of our salvation” at hand to fight for us? and “if He be for us, who can be against usr?” Let us not then be afraid, even though earth and hell should combine against us: “let us not cry, A confederacy, a confederacy, or fear like other people; but sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself; and let him be our fear, and let him be our dread.” “The waves of the sea may rage horribly; but He that sitteth on high is mightiert:” “therefore we should not fear, though the earth were removed, and the mountains cast into the depths of the sea.” It is a fixed unalterable truth, sanctioned and confirmed by the experience of millions, that “none can harm us, if we be followers of that which is good.” If we be weak as “worms,” yet shall we “thresh the mountains,” and make them as the dust of the summer threshing-floory.]

  2.      Commit yourselves to the divine guidance and direction—

[God is the same now that he was in the days of old. What he did for Israel in a visible and external manner, he will do invisibly and internally for his Church at this time. Only “acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will direct your paths.” We say not that he will guide you by visions, or voices, or revelations; but he will by his word and Spirit: in reference to them we may say, “You shall hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand or turn to the left.” If your situation be painful at the present, or even contrary to what you have expected, do not hastily conclude that God has forsaken you. The way in which the Israelites were led was circuitous; but it was “the right way.” Commit yourselves then to Him, and he shall accomplish for you that which shall ultimately be best for youc. “He will lead you by a way that you know not; He will make darkness light before you, and crooked things straight. These things will he do unto you, and not forsake you.” He will guide you by his counsel; “even to hoar hairs he will carry youe;” and after that “receive you to glory.”]

LXXXI

THE PILLAR, AND THE CLOUD

  Exod. 13:21, 22.

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

IN reading the Holy Scriptures, we cannot but be struck with the suitableness and seasonableness of the divine interpositions. It might be thought indeed that the Israelites at their departure out of Egypt, amounting to six hundred thousand fighting men, without one single invalid amongst them, would be irresistible: but if we consider, that they were without discipline, without arms, without stores either of clothing or provision, and without any knowledge of the way through “a great and terrible wilderness,” and without any possibility of obtaining even so much as bread or water for their sustenance, we shall see, that they needed only to be left to themselves, and they must all quickly perish in the wilderness. But in the hour of need, God came down in a pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night to guide them in their way, and never left them till they arrived at the promised land. This mercy, and the continuance of it, are the two points to which at present we would call your attention.

  I.      The mercy vouchsafed to them—

This was,

  1.      Most signal—

[Never was there any thing like it from the foundation of the world. God had revealed himself to several in dreams and visions, and under the appearances of men and angels: but never in a visible stationary form, like that before us. By this cloud he guided them in the way. Without such a direction they could not have found their way through that trackless desert: but by it they proceeded without fear of erring: and all their motions were regulated by it, whether by day or night.

By this cloud also they were protected. Though this use of the cloud is not noticed in the text, it is in other passages. In that hot sandy desert, it would have been impossible for them to prosecute their journey under the rays of the meridian sun: indeed even without journeying, they could scarcely have endured the intense heat to which they would have been exposed. God therefore graciously protected them by the refreshing shadow of that cloud. And to this the prophet evidently alludes, when describing the superior privileges of the Christian Church]

  2.      Most significant—

[This cloud was, in the first place, a symbol of God’s presence. After the Israelites had offended God in worshipping the molten calf, God threatened to leave them, and to commit the care of them to an angel: and on that occasion the cloud removed from the camp, in token that he was about to depart from them. And afterwards, when, in the same spirit of rebellion, they were going up against the Canaanites without the pillar and the cloud, Moses said to them, “Go not up, for the Lord is not among you.”

This cloud was also a seal of his covenant. Though the covenant, afterwards made on Horeb, was not yet formally declared, yet it was considered as existing, not only because God had actually now taken the Israelites under his protection, but because he had, four hundred years before, engaged to Abraham, that his posterity should be parties in the covenant already made with him. It is true, that circumcision was the rite, by which all the descendants of Abraham were to be initiated into the bond of that covenant; but still this was a (temporary) seal of that relationship, which now existed between God and them: and therefore the Apostle compares it with baptism, by which we are admitted into the Christian covenant; and declares that they were “baptized unto Moses in that cloud,” as we are “baptized by water unto Christ.”

It was, moreover, an emblem of yet richer mercies. We cannot suppose that, under that typical dispensation, so important a circumstance as this was destitute of any spiritual meaning. Indeed it is manifest from a fore-cited passage, that it was expressly designed to typify the guidance and protection which the Church of Christ should enjoy even to the remotest ages, through the influences of the Holy Spirit.]

We cannot fail of observing, that Moses, in recording this mercy, lays great stress on,

  II.      The continuance of it—

The cloud abode with them during the whole time of their sojourning in the wilderness. What a glorious view does this give us of our God! and how are we constrained to admire,

  1.      His inexhaustible patience—

[Truly the Israelites were “a rebellious and stiff-necked people.” Nor could either mercies or judgments ever produce on them any thing more than a mere transient effect. Every fresh trial called forth the same murmuring discontented spirit. On some occasions they seemed almost to have exhausted the patience of God himself. But God is slow to anger, though provoked every day: and if they had been less deserving of his wrath, we should never have known (unless perhaps by our own experience) how far the patience of God could extend. If it had not been ascertained by such an undeniable fact, we could not have conceived it possible for God himself to have “borne their manners in the wilderness during the long space of forty years.”]

  2.      His unbounded kindness—

[In reading this history, one is astonished to find, that God attended to that people, as if there had been no other creatures in the universe. He was incessantly occupied (if we may so speak) about their matters. He carried them through the wilderness, as a man would carry his infant son. His conduct towards them is beautifully compared with that of the eagle, teaching its young to fly, and darting under them, when filling, to bear them up again to their nest on her expanded wings. But it is thus that God yet watches over his redeemed peoplel. “Lo, I am with you alway,” says he, “even to the end of the world.”]

  3.      His inviolable fidelity—

[It was from a regard to the promise which he had made to Abraham, and from a concern for his own honour, that God would not cast them off. He did indeed punish them oftentimes: but yet he continued to the last to acknowledge them as his people: “Thou wast a God that forgavest them,” says the Psalmist, “though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.” What a striking proof does this give us, that “God hateth putting away,” and that “he will not cast off his people, because it hath pleased him to make us his people.” “Faithful is He that hath called us, who also will do it,” that is, will “finish in us the work he has begun,” and “perfect that which concerneth us.”]

  We may LEARN from hence,

  1.      What reason we have for gratitude—

[Let any one who has been brought out of spiritual bondage, and led forward towards the heavenly Canaan, examine attentively his own experience: let him see by what particular means he has been brought to enjoy the guidance and protection of God, and to advance in safety through this dreary wilderness; and he shall see as plain marks of a superintending and all-directing Providence, as are to be found in the history before us: yea, he may see too as wonderful exhibitions of God’s patience, kindness, and faithfulness. Let every such person then adore and magnify his God. We all feel how suitable such a frame of mind was for the cloud-directed Israelites: let us all seek to feel and manifest it in our own case.]

  2.      What grounds we have for faith—

[Has Jesus Christ come into the world to lessen the privileges of his people? Has he not rather extended and enlarged them? In the external manifestations of God’s presence we are inferior to the Jews; but we have, what more than counterbalances that loss, the internal and spiritual communications of his grace. Yes, our God will, by his Spirit, “guide us into all truth,” and lead us in the way wherein we should go. By the same Spirit also will he protect us from the burning heat of persecution and temptation, and from the assaults of all our spiritual enemies. Of this we may be assured: for he has said, that “he will keep his sheep, and give unto them eternal life; and that none shall ever pluck them out of his hands.”]

LXXXII

THE COMMAND GIVEN TO THE ISRAELITES IN THEIR STRAITS

  Exod. 14:15.

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.

IT is truly said by the prophet, “He that believeth shall not make haste;” that is, he shall not yield to any fears, so as to be driven by them to adopt any hasty or improper measures for his deliverance. We may say on the other hand, He that believeth shall not delay: he shall, in proportion to the degree in which his faith is exercised, discern the seasons for action, as well as for prayer: nor shall he be so occupied in one duty, as to overlook and neglect another. That Moses believed God’s gracious promises of deliverance, we can have no doubt: for he reported them to the Israelites with unshaken confidence: yet it should seem, by the continuance of his urgent petitions after he had received these promises from God, that he was almost afraid that his enemies would be upon him, before the promises could be fulfilled. Doubtless God was pleased with his fervent prayers at other times: but here he gently reproves Moses for remaining occupied in one duty, when there was another which the immediate occasion more urgently required: “Wherefore criest thou unto me?” Go and give the proper directions to the people: go and execute your office as their leader, and command them to “Go forward.”

Though this command was given under peculiar circumstances in which it cannot literally be applied to us, yet, in the spirit of it, it is applicable to all the Lord’s people when reduced to difficulties in the way of their duty. And it may, not improperly, suggest to us the following reflections. Difficulties in the way of our duty,

  I.      May be expected—

God is pleased sometimes to screen his people from trials, so as scarcely to let them suffer at all from persecutions, and very little even from internal conflicts. As he led not the Israelites the near way to Canaan, lest they should, in their unprepared state, be discouraged by entering into immediate contests with the warlike Philistines, so he sometimes leads his people now in a comparatively safe and easy path. But generally speaking we must expect difficulties—

[It cannot be thought that Satan will relinquish his vassals without making repeated efforts to reduce them to their former bondage. When commanded to depart from the youth whom he had so long possessed, he cast him down, and tare him in such a manner, that the spectators conceived him to be dead. Thus does he also at this time frequently deal with those, whom by the superior strength of Jesus he is compelled to relinquishc: he endeavours to shut them up in despondency, or perhaps even to drive them to suicide. And when he has not prevailed in the first instance, he departs from them (as he did even from our Lord himself), only “for a season.” Methinks he is in this the very archetype of Pharaoh; who, having liberated the Israelites only by compulsion, rejoiced in a prospect of wreaking his vengeance on them, and collected all his forces to bring them back again to his dominion. To the latest hour of their lives will he avail himself of every opportunity to assault them, and will use all his wiles, and all his devices, to harass, if he cannot finally destroy, them.

Nor is it to be supposed that the world will sit contented with the loss of their former companions. It is said of Noah, that in building the ark, “he condemned the world:” so, in turning from sin to God, we, in fact, condemn the world: our faith condemns their unbelief; our fear, their security; our obedience, their disobedience. This is clearly declared by Solomon; “They that forsake the law, praise the wicked; but such as keep the law, contend with theme.” Our actions speak, though our lips should be silent: and the more bright our light shines, the more visible must be the surrounding darkness. The world are driven to the alternative of condemning either themselves or us, seeing that it is impossible that such opposite lines of conduct should both be right: we must not wonder therefore if they load us with reproach and ignominy, and if “those especially who are of our own household become our greatest foes.” This is the natural result of their self-love; I may add too, of their love for us.

Neither can we hope that all our former habits should be at once changed, so that we should feel no difficulty in mortifying our deep-rooted lusts, or in exercising graces, to which till lately we were utter strangers. Old passions will revive; old temptations will recur; and our natural indisposition to holy exercises will shew itself; however much we are on our guard, and however diligently we address ourselves to the great work that is before us. If even the Apostle Paul, after so many years spent in the service of his God, had reason to complain of “a law in his members warring against the law of his mind,” so that “the things which he would, he did not, and the things that he would not, those he did;” we cannot expect such an entire exemption from conflicts, but that we must sometimes have to cry out with him, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me?”

Thus may all of us take to ourselves the advice that is given in the Book of Ecclesiasticus; “My son, if thou set thy heart to seek the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.”]

It is well to be aware of the difficulties that are in our way; for they,

  II.      Must be encountered—

[We must not dream of neutrality. It is indeed said by our Lord on one occasion, “He that is not against us is with us;” but that referred only to persons really interested in his cause, though not moving exactly in the same way; and was intended to teach candour in judging those who differ from us. On another occasion he said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad:” and this was to inform us, that His cause admits of no neutrality: we must take a determined part against sin and Satan: and even to deliberate, in such a case, is to be guilty of treason and revolt.

Nor must we give way to fear. Let the trials that threaten us be ever so severe, we must not shrink back, as though we had not counted the cost. We must be prepared to “deny ourselves, to take up our cross, to follow Christ;” we must “be ready not only to be bound, but even to die for him,” at any time and in any manner that he shall see fit. If we saw the furnace now before us, and burning with seven times its accustomed fury, and men ready to cast us into it, we must take the same decided part that the Hebrew youths did: “Be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Nor must we be discouraged by difficulties. To what purpose is there a complete set of armour provided for us, and a victorious issue assured to us, if we are to faint as soon as difficulties press upon us? We should rather rise to the occasion. “If the iron be blunt, we must whet the edge, or put to more strength.” As soldiers of Jesus Christ, it is our very profession to endure hardships. If at any time we find our strength decay, we must go to Him, who has promised to “renew” it to such a degree, that we may “mount up with wings, as eagles” after their plumage is restored, and pursue our course as racers, without weariness or fainting. Whatever be our trials, it is at our peril to draw back from the encounterm. “We must not even look back, after having put our hands to the plough.” It is “he only that overcometh,” who shall possess the crown of victory.]

To meet all difficulties thus, we are encouraged by an assurance, that they,

  III.      Shall be vanquished—

[Consult the promises of God, and see what they say: are they not as extensive as our necessities? What is there that arrests your progress, or obstructs your way? Is it a mountain? You may say to it, “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.” Is it a sea? God will “make even the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over.” Is it your own weakness that disheartens you? Behold, “one of you shall chase a thousand, and two shall put ten thousand to flight.” Is it rather your unworthiness? “It was for his own name’s sake that he made you his people; and for his own name’s sake he will not cast you offr.” You will not suppose that there was any great worthiness in the Chaldeans; but see how assured they were of victory when God was on their side. And shall your weakness or unworthiness be any effectual obstruction, if your God fight for you? You would not think there was any great cause for a lion to despair when contending with the defenceless lamb: yet that is the very image by which God has been pleased to designate the contest in which you are engaged, and the victory that awaits you.

If you need any thing else to encourage you, look at “the cloud of witnesses” that are now in heaven, with palms in their hands, and crowns on their heads, and everlasting songs of triumph in their mouths: were not they once in your state, conflicting with the same enemies, and complaining of the same discouragements? Do you not find amongst them many whose trials were far more severe than you ever experienced? And yet were they not crowned at last? Did not their difficulties yield to their repeated efforts; and was not “the grace of Christ sufficient for them?” Why then should not you. also triumph? “Is God’s arm shortened that he cannot save; or his ear heavy that he cannot hear?” Doubt not then but that you also shall see your enemies dead upon the sea-shore, and that, “through the strength of Christ you shall be more than conquerors.”]

To you then who have escaped from bondage, and are going under the guidance of your God towards the heavenly Canaan, we say, “Go forward.” But, that we may not leave you without some more particular directions, we say, Go forward,

  1.      Warily—

[Your way is not so manifest, but that you need to explore it with continual care. You have indeed the pillar and the cloud; but it is visible only in the Holy Scriptures; it is to be found only in the precepts of the Gospel, and in the example of our Lord. If, because your views of Christian doctrines be clear, you suppose that you are not liable to err materially in your practice, you are greatly mistaken. The Apostle tells us, that “they who strove in the games were not crowned, unless they strove lawfully,” that is, according to the rules prescribed them. So neither shall we be approved by our Judge, if we do not regulate our spirit and conduct altogether by the rules contained in the inspired volume. Hence we need “to walk circumspectlyx;” to look well to our ways; to consult the Scriptures; to mark the footsteps of our blessed Lord; and, above all, to pray, with the Psalmist, “Lead me, O Lord, in the right way, because of my enemies.”]

  2.      Steadfastly—

[It is not on some particular occasions only that you are to serve the Lord, but at all times, and on all occasions. Whatever advances you have made, we still say, “Go forward.” Whatever obstacles are in your way, we repeat the word, “Go forward.” Yea, whatever sufferings await you, we say again, “Be not discouraged because of the way,” but “Go forward.” Only be sure that you are in the way of duty; that you are following the Lord’s will, and not your own; and then go forward with all patience and perseverance. You must “know no man after the flesh:” you must, as our Lord says, “hate father and mother, and your own life also,” in comparison of him. Having nothing in view but the glory of your God, you must “forget what is behind, and press forward towards that which is before.” You must “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; and then your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.”]

  3.      Triumphantly—

[In every other contest, men exert themselves with a degree of uncertainty respecting the issue: and to “boast, when girding on their armour, as though they had put it off,” would be only a mark of folly and presumption. But things are far otherwise with you. Your victory depends, not on an arm of flesh, but on the power and veracity of God. While therefore you are yet on the field of battle, you may advance with David’s confidence against Goliath, even though you are only “a stripling with a sling,” and your enemies are deemed invincible. It was thus that Paul triumphed, and hurled defiance against all the foes that could assault him, whether on earth or in hell. Thus also may you anticipate the shouts of victory, and say, “The Lord God will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint; and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? Let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.”]

LXXXIII

ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE AT THE RED SEA

  Exod. 14:31.

And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

THE state of man on earth is diversified with trials and deliverances, more or less, to the latest hour of his life. Even when we have the clearest evidence that we are in the Lord’s way, we shall yet meet with many things which will involve us in trouble and perplexity. The disciples were ordered by their Lord to cross the sea of Tiberias: but in passing it, they were overtaken with a storm, which threatened them with destruction. It was not possible for the Israelites to doubt, but that they were precisely in the place where God would have them; yet were they menaced with instant death by the proud vindictive monarch, from whose tyranny they had just escaped. But this grievous affliction was only introductory to a signal deliverance. God now interposed on their behalf, and wrought for them a “great work.”

That we may make a profitable use of this part of scripture history, let us consider,

  I.      The work referred to—

This is justly called “great:” for it was no less than the destruction of all the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. But that we may view it distinctly in all its parts, we observe, that it was,

  1.      A discriminating work—

[The pillar which had hitherto gone before the Israelites, to lead them in the way, removed, and stood behind them, as soon as their enemies had come within sight of their camp. But to the Egyptians it presented only a dark side, increasing thereby the natural darkness of the night, and preventing them from continuing their march; while to the Israelites it was a light of fire, enabling them to do whatever their situation and safety required.

Again, the sea which was divided by the east wind, opened a secure retreat for all the hosts of Israel: but as soon as the Egyptians attempted to follow them, it resumed its wonted state, and overwhelmed them utterly; thus affording a passage to Israel, but only a grave to Egypt.

Now this manifest distinction which God made between the Israelites and the Egyptians, might well exalt the work in the eyes of those who were so greatly benefited by it.]

  2.      A judicial work—

[Pharaoh and his courtiers had hardened their hearts against him, so that all the successive plagues could not bring them to submit to his will. Now therefore God gave them an opportunity to harden their hearts yet more against him. Instead of leading the Israelites at once into the wilderness, he led them aside to a situation, from whence apparently there was no escape. Rocks and morasses were on either side, and the Red Sea before them. This seemed a favourable opportunity for Pharaoh to overtake them, and to wreak his vengeance upon them: and Pharaoh, instigated by his resentment, determined not to lose the opportunity: he instantly collected all the chariots and horsemen in his army, and pursued them: and he rushed into the very snare, which God had predicted he would fall into.

Again, Pharaoh had destroyed the male children of the Israelites in the river Nile: and now God visited this iniquity on him, and on all his army, in the Red Sea. Who does not see in these things a judicial infatuation, and a judicial sentence; both of which, when contemplated by the Israelites, must raise this work yet higher in their estimation?]

  3.      A glorious work—

[God had said, that he would get himself glory on Pharaoh and on all his subjects; and that the Egyptians should at last be constrained to acknowledge Him as the one supreme God of all the earth. And truly this work did bring glory to God; for it displayed and magnified everyone of his perfections: his wisdom in so accomplishing his own will, while no restraint whatever was imposed on the will of Pharaoh; his power, in dividing the sea, and making the waters to stand as a wall, while the Israelites passed through “dry-shod;” his justice, in suffering the Egyptians to proceed so far, as that, when enclosed in his net, they might all be destroyed; his truth and faithfulness, in accomplishing to the posterity of Abraham the deliverance which he had promised four hundred years before.

This work did indeed manifest to Egypt and to Israel, that Jehovah “is the Most High over all the earth,” “a God, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders.”]

Let us now proceed to notice,

  II.      The effect it produced—

Stupid and insensible as that nation had shewn themselves in the midst of all the mercies vouchsafed to them in Egypt, they could not but be affected with this. Accordingly we find that, on seeing the hand of God thus stretched out for them, they began to feel,

  1.      A regard for his authority—

[Fear is of two kinds, filial and servile; and it is probable that in some of the people the former predominated, and in others the latter. On an occasion somewhat similar, where God, in testimony of his displeasure against his people for desiring a king, sent a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning, we are told that “the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.” This was certainly a servile fear: and it should seem that the greatest part of the Israelites at the Red Sea were affected with no higher principle; because they even “within a few days forgat this work,” and all the others that God had wrought for them. Indeed temporal deliverances, however great, will produce only transient impressions, if not accompanied with the grace of God. But a view of that redemption which we have in Christ Jesus—what will not that effect I That will implant a fear in the heart, a fear that shall be mighty and uniform in its operation, a fear that shall expel all other fear, and “bring the whole soul into a willing captivity to the obedience of Christ” — — —]

  2.      Confidence in his protection—

[As fear, so faith also, is of different kinds. We read of many who, when they saw the miracles of Jesus, believed in him; and yet he would not commit himself to them, because he knew that their hearts were yet unrenewed. And Simon Magus is said to have believedf, whilst yet he remained “in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.” Such in too great a measure, we fear, was the faith which the Israelites now reposed in God, and in his servant Moses. They were struck with an irresistible conviction, that God was all-sufficient for them, and that Moses was infallibly directed by him to manage every thing for their good. In the very next trial, however, they lost the remembrance of their present convictions, and began to doubt and murmur as before. Not so the persons whose faith is truly spiritual; who, being united to Christ, are partakers of his redemption: they “know in whom they have believed;” and, whatever difficulties occur, they “hold fast their confidence,” saying with the Apostle, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” — — —]

  IMPROVEMENT—

  1.      Let us take care that our religious affections be sincere and permanent—

[Many good feelings may be excited in the heart by some particular occurrence, or some moving discourse. But “our goodness is apt to be like the morning dew, or the early cloud that passeth away.” Such affections however will afford us no support in a trying hour; much less will they benefit us at the bar of judgment. Let us see to it therefore that we obtain, not merely some transient feelings of good, but a new nature: that so our fear of God be such as to make us obedient to his will, and our faith such as shall enable us to commit ourselves entirely to his disposal.]

  2.      Let us, for the purpose of generating those affections in our hearts, contemplate deeply the great work of Redemption—

[We never improve aright a typical deliverance, unless we turn our thoughts to the deliverance which it prefigured. What was intended by that before us, we can be at no loss to determine, since God himself has declared it to us. The redemption of the world by Christ’s obedience unto death, and our consequent deliverance from death and hell, should never be far from our thoughts. It is so stupendous a work, that it has filled all heaven with wonder; and the “riches” of divine grace contained in it are absolutely “unsearchable.” To know this, to feel this, to be interested in this, will produce a change in our hearts, which shall last for ever. And when we shall see our enemies dead upon the sea-shore, and ourselves placed beyond the reach of harm, it will furnish us with an inexhaustible subject of gratitude and thanksgiving.]

LXXXIV

THE CHARACTER OF GOD

  Exod. 15:11.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

EXALTED favours may well be repaid in devout acknowledgments: they are the least returns that we can make to our heavenly Benefactor: and so reasonable is this tribute, that persons who are far enough removed from solid piety, will, under a sense of recent obligations, often cordially unite in paying it to the God of their salvation. The hymn before us was composed by Moses, on occasion of the deliverance vouchsafed to Israel at the Red Sea: and it was sung by all the Israelites, probably by the men and women in an alternate and responsive manner, Miriam leading the women, and, together with them, accompanying the song with timbrels and dances. It is the most ancient composition of the kind, that is extant in the world. The two first verses are a kind of preface, declaring the occasion, and the inspired penman’s determination to celebrate it. The mercy then is stated in a most animated manner; and afterwards, its effects, both immediate and remote, are circumstantially predicted. But, between the statement of the mercy and its effects, is introduced an apostrophe, addressed to the Deity himself, and ascribing to him the glory due unto his name. To this portion of the hymn we would now direct your more particular attention. It declares that God is,

  I.      To be admired for his holiness—

God is essentially and supremely holy—

[He is not only called, by way of eminence, “The Holy One,” but this attribute is said exclusively to belong to him; “Thou only art holy.” As for the gods of the heathen, many of them were no other than deified monsters, patrons of lewdness, of theft, of drunkenness, and every kind of iniquity: and among the rest there was not found even the smallest semblance of real universal holiness. Well therefore might the challenge be made in reference to this, “Who among the gods is like unto thee, O Lord?” This attribute is, in fact, the crown of all the other attributes of the Deity; for, without it, no other perfection could be either amiable in itself or worthy of the Supreme Being. But, without entering into the general view of this subject, we need only look at the “wonders done” on this occasion; and there we shall see a display of this attribute in its most striking colours. Behold his indignation against sin, how it burned against the oppressors of his people, and the contemners of his authority! The very elements themselves were made to rise against the proud associates in iniquity, and to execute upon them the vengeance they deserved — — —]

For this he is greatly to be admired and glorified—

[No other perfection more attracts the attention of all the glorified saints and angels in heaven, than this. And, notwithstanding it is hateful and terrific to impenitent sinners, it is an object of the highest admiration amongst those who have learned to appreciate it aright. David was altogether enraptured with itd; and every real saint will “give thanks at the remembrance of it” — — —]

Whilst he is thus admired for his unspotted holiness, he is also,

  II.      To be feared for his power—

God is a God of unrivalled power—

[The gods of the heathen cannot hear, or see, or move: but the power of Jehovah is infinite. What less than omnipotence could have performed the “wonders” which are here celebrated? See how easily the expectations of his enemies were disappointed, and their bloody purposes were frustrated, by one blast of his displeasure! — — —]

For this he is greatly to be feared—

[For this exercise of his power indeed he was praised; as well he might be for such a merciful and complete deliverance. But it may truly be said, that he is “fearful in praises:” for this display of his power clearly shews, that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Accordingly we find, that the inspired writers generally make this improvement of God’s omnipotence, and suggest it as a motive to reverence his majesty, to regard his will, and to tremble at his displeasure — — —]

  We may LEARN from hence,

  1.      How the mercies of God are to be improved—

[All of us have experienced mercies in abundance: and from them we may obtain the brightest discoveries of our God. O what displays of power, of goodness, and of truth, might all of us behold, if we called to mind the various deliverances which God has wrought out for us, and especially that redemption which was prefigured by the history before us! The connexion between the two is expressly marked by God himself; and we are told, what a mixture of admiration and reverence, of love and fear, a just view of these miracles of mercy will assuredly create. Let them then produce these effects on us; and let us now begin, what we hope to continue to all eternity, “the song of Moses and the Lamb.”]

  2.      How every attempt against him or his people shall surely issue—

[Here we see a lively representation of the final issue of every contest which man shall enter into with his Maker. The forbearance of God may be long exercised; and his enemies may appear for a time to have gained their point: but in due time, hell shall open wide its jaws to swallow them up, and they shall become the wretched victims of their own impiety. Against God and his Church, there is no device, no counsel that shall stand.

His Church is founded on a rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it The enemies of our souls may follow us even to the last moment of our lives; but when the appointed moment is arrived for the completion of all God’s promises to us, our souls shall be freed from every assault, and “death and hell, with all their adherents, be cast into the lake of fire.”]

LXXXV

THE WATERS OF MARAH SWEETENED

  Exod. 15:24, 25.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There he made for them a statute and an ordinance; and there he proved them.

GREAT are the vicissitudes of human life: nor is there any person exempt from them. Even the most favoured servants of God, when moving expressly in the way that he has appointed for them, may be reduced as it were in an instant from the highest pinnacle of earthly prosperity to a state of the deepest distress and anguish. Not to mention an imprisoned Joseph, a dethroned David, an incarcerated Daniel, we notice the whole nation of Israel exulting in the completest deliverance that ever was vouchsafed to any people in the world, and within three days brought down to utter despondency. But from this we may derive much profitable instruction; whilst we notice,

  I.      Their trial—

This was indeed severe—

[We have no idea in general how much our happiness, and even our very lives, depend on the common bounties of Providence. We acknowledge this indeed in words; but we have by no means a proportionate sense of our obligations to God for a regular supply of water. The Israelites had travelled three days, and had found none; till at last, coming to Marah, they found an abundant supply: but, behold, the water was so bitter, as to be incapable of being turned to any general use. When the Israelites, in addition to their want, were made to experience this painful disappointment, they broke out into murmuring and complaints.]

But their murmuring was wrong—

[Had the question they put to Moses, been nothing more than a simple interrogation, it had been innocent enough: but it was an unbelieving, passionate complaint. (How often are our words also, or our actions, inoffensive perhaps as to their external form, while, on account of the spirit with which they are blended, they are most hateful and detestable in the sight of God!) But why should they murmur against Moses? He had not conducted them thither of his own mind, but by God’s command. Their displeasure against him was, in fact, directed against God himself. (And it will be well for us to remember, that in venting our wrath, and indignation against the instruments by whom God at any time afflicts us, we vent it in reality against him who uses them.) And why should they murmur against God? Had he committed an oversight in leading them into that situation? Had he forgotten to be gracious? Was he so changed within the space of three days, that he could no longer devise a way for their relief? Or was his ear become so heavy that he could not hear, or his hand so shortened that he could not save? Should they not rather have concluded, that now, as on many recent occasions, he had permitted their trial to be great, in order that he might the more abundantly magnify his own power and mercy in their deliverance? Doubtless this would have become them who had seen so many and such stupendous miracles wrought in their behalf.]

We next fix our attention upon,

  II.      Their deliverance—

Some have thought, that the healing of the waters by casting a tree into them, was intended to typify the sweetening of all our afflictions, and the removing of all our sorrows, by the cross of Christ. It might be so: but we are afraid to venture upon any ground not expressly trodden by the inspired writers. We therefore rather content ourselves with shewing what God indisputably declared by this singular interposition:

  1.      That he is never at a loss for means whereby to effect his purposes—

[If we cannot see some opening whereby God can come to our relief, we are ready to think that he is quite excluded from us. But what need has he of any means at all? What means did he employ in constructing the universe? Indeed the very means he does use, are generally such, as tend only to evince, by their utter inadequacy, the mighty working of his own power. It was thus when he healed the deleterious waters of a spring, and the barrenness of the land through which they ran, by a single cruse of salt: and thus also when he restored the serpent-bitten Israelites by the mere sight of a brasen serpent. As to the idea of the tree itself possessing qualities calculated to produce the effect, it cannot for one moment be admitted; because the waters were sufficient for the supply of two millions of people, besides all their cattle; and because the effect was instantaneously produced. We therefore say again, that the insufficiency or the means he used, displayed only the more clearly the all-sufficiency of his own power, precisely as when by the voice of a feeble worm he awakens men from their death in trespasses and sins.]

  2.      That he will put honour upon humble and believing prayer—

[There is such “efficacy in the fervent prayer of a righteous man,” that God, if we may be permitted so to speak, is not able to withstand it. See persons in any circumstances whatever, and you are sure to find them extricated from their difficulties, and made victorious over their enemies, when once they begin to pray. Even if the people themselves be ever so unworthy, yet, if they have an Advocate and Intercessor for them at the throne of grace, they almost invariably escape the judgments which God had denounced against them; so cordially does “God delight in the prayer of the upright,” and so desirous is he to encourage all persons to pray for themselves. The murmuring spirit of the people might well have provoked God to decline all further communication with them: but Moses prayed; and his cry entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts.]

But both the trial and deliverance were sent with a view to some ulterior good: let us consider,

  III.      God’s design in each—

Amongst other objects which God designed to accomplish, the two following seem to be peculiarly prominent. He sought to bring them to a sense of,

  1.      Their duty—

[What particular statutes and ordinances God promulged to them at this time, we are not informed. But there is one thing which he certainly made known to them; namely, the conditional nature of the covenant which he was about to make with them, and the suspension of his favours upon their obedience. They had hitherto dwelt only on their privileges, without at all considering their duties: they thought of what God was to be to them; but not of what they were to be to God. Now God, having softened their minds by a heavy trial, and conciliated their regards by a miraculous interposition, opens to them the connexion between duty and privilege; and thereby prepares them for becoming “a holy and peculiar people, zealous of good works.”]

  2.      Their sinfulness—

[This mixture of judgment and mercy was well calculated to bring them to a knowledge of themselves. The trial alone would only irritate and inflame their minds: but the deliverance applied a balm to their wounded spirits. By the union of them they would be humbled, and led to acknowledge the heinousness of their ingratitude, their unbelief, their querulousness, and rebellion. This is expressly declared to have been a very principal end of all the dispensations of God towards them in the wilderness: and it is a main object of his diversified dealings with his people at this day.]

  Let us LEARN from this subject,

  1.      To mark the effect of trials and deliverances on our own minds—

[If trials always, instead of humbling, disquiet us; and if deliverances produce only a temporary impression, and not a lasting change on our hearts; can we be right before God? They ought to “work patience, experience, and hope;” and by means of them our faith ought to be so purified, as to tend “to the praise and honour and glory of our God at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” By examining into this point we may “prove our own selves,” and ascertain with considerable precision our true character.]

  2.      To distrust our religious feelings—

[We may be moved under a sermon or any particular occurrence; we may sometimes be dissolved in tears, and at other times be elevated with joy; and yet have no root in ourselves, nor any inheritance with the saints in light. Who that had heard the devout songs of Israel at the Red Sea, would have thought that in three days they could so totally forget their mercies, and indulge such a rebellious spirit? But look within; and see whether, after an occasional exercise of religious affections, you have not, within a still shorter space of time, been hurried into the indulgence of the most unhallowed tempers, and the gratification of a spirit that is earthly, sensual, and devilish? Ah! think of “the stony-ground hearers, who received the word with joy, and yet in time of temptation fell away.” Lay not then too great a stress on some transient emotions; but judge yourselves by the more certain test of a willing and unreserved obedience.]

  3.      To place an entire and uniform dependence on God—

[God may see fit to try us, and to delay the relief that we implore. But let us not entertain hard thoughts of him. From the time of Abraham it has passed into a proverb, that “in the mount the Lord shall be seen.” Our Isaac may be bound, and the knife actually lifted up to inflict the fatal blow, and all who might interpose to rescue the victim may be at a great distance; but, in the moment of need, God’s voice from heaven shall arrest the murderous hand, and deliver us from the impending stroke. “The vision is yet for an appointed time; therefore, though it tarry, wait for it: for at the appointed season it shall come, and not tarry.” Whether our afflictions be of a temporal or spiritual nature, we may rest assured of this blessed truth, that “they who wait on him shall never be confounded.”]

LXXXVI

CHRIST THE HEALER OF HIS PEOPLE

  Exod. 15:26.

I am the Lord that healeth thee.

SCARCELY had the Jews passed the Red Sea before they began to murmur: as the Psalmist has said, “They provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.” True it was that they must have suffered greatly, both they and their cattle, when they were three days without water; and when, on finding water, it was so bitter that they could not drink it. But, when they had been conducted thither by God himself, (for the pillar and the cloud never left them day or night,) they might be assured that He, who had so miraculously delivered them hitherto, would, if they cried unto him, supply their wants. They should have had recourse to prayer therefore, and not to murmuring. But this conduct of theirs gave occasion for a rich display of God’s mercy towards them, and for an explicit declaration on his part what the rule of his procedure towards them in future should be. They were delivered from the Egyptian yoke: but they were not to cast off obedience to their God. They were, as his redeemed people, to consecrate themselves to him, and to obey his voice in all things: and, according as they performed or neglected their duty to him, he would extend to them his favour, or visit them with his displeasure; either loading them with, or exempting them from, the diseases with which the Egyptians had been visited, and which they greatly dreaded.

This declaration of God to them was so important, that the Prophet Jeremiah, a thousand years afterwards, referred to it, to shew, that, from the very first moment of the people having been taken into covenant with God, their sacrifices had been held as of no account in comparison of obedience. “I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” Nor is it less important to us, at this day; for God will still deal with us according as we conduct ourselves towards him. The retribution indeed may not now be so visibly marked by external dispensations; but it shall be maintained in reference to our souls, God either healing our spiritual maladies, or giving us up to the power of them, according as we approve ourselves to him, or walk contrary to his commands. If we offend him by a wilful and habitual disobedience to his will, none shall be able to protect us: but, if we surrender up ourselves unfeignedly to him, “none shall be able to harm us:” whatever we may either feel or fear, we may assure ourselves of his favour; for he is, and ever will be, “The Lord that healeth us.”

In further discoursing on these words, we shall be led to point out,

  I.      The office which God executes in behalf of his people—

As God inflicts judgments on his enemies, so does he administer healing to his people: and this he does,

  1.      In a way of gracious exemption—

[The Hebrews were exempted from the various calamities with which Egypt was overwhelmed. And this is particularly noticed in the words preceding my text: “I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” In like manner, if we are exempt from many diseases under which others labour, and by which their whole lives are imbittered, we should acknowledge God as the Author of this distinction, and receive it as a special mercy at his hands. We know that even under the Christian dispensation bodily diseases are often sent by God, as the punishment of sin: and we cannot but feel that we have merited, on many occasions, such tokens of his displeasure. If therefore we, like the Hebrews, have been more highly favoured than others, we must, like them, be instructed that it is God alone who has healed us.

But in this general description of Jehovah we must not overlook that which, after all, was chiefly intended—his special favour towards his redeemed people, in reference to spiritual disorders. Thousands are given up, like Judas, to an obdurate heart and a reprobate mind; whilst some, like David and Peter, are recovered from their falls. To whom must the recovery of these be ascribed?—to themselves? They had in themselves no more strength or power than the unhappy Judas had. It was to sovereign grace alone that they owed their restoration to the divine favour, and their return to the paths of holiness and peace. And have not we similar obligations to our heavenly Physician? How often have we indulged in our hearts propensities, to which if we had been given up, we should have fallen a prey, and perished for ever! The sins of the most abandoned of the human race were small in their beginning, and by repetition became inveterate. O! what do we owe to God, who, whilst he has left others to follow the imagination of their own hearts, has restrained us, “hedging up our way with thorns, and building a wall, that we might not be able to prosecute the paths” which our corrupt hearts so perversely sought! As far then as by his preventing grace he has kept us from evil, we have reason to adore him as “the healer” of our souls.]

  2.      In a way of effectual interposition—

[On many occasions did God visit his people with severe chastisements; which he as often removed, at the intercession of Moses, or on the humiliation of their souls before him. And have there not been times when, by disease or accident, are have been brought low; and when, if the evil inflicted had been suffered to attain the same resistless power as it has acquired over others, we must have fallen a sacrifice to its assaults? Whence is it, I would ask, that we have been restored to health, whilst others have sunk under the influence of the same disease? Greatly do we err, if we ascribe our recovery to any thing but the gracious favour of our God. He may have made use of medicine as the means: but whatever may have been the secondary cause, the one great primary cause of all has been the good pleasure of God, whose province alone it is “to kill and to make alive, to wound and to heal.”

And what shall we say, if we have been healed of spiritual disorders? It is well known that man is altogether corrupt; so that we may apply to him that description which is given of the Jewish state, “from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in him, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores.” In every faculty of our souls we are corrupted and debased by sin: our understanding is darkened; our will rebellious; our affections sensual; our very conscience is blind and partial. Now, if God has dealt with us as he did with the springs of Jerichoh, if he has cast the salt of his grace into our souls, and healed us at the fountain-head, have we not cause to bless and magnify his name? It is expressly in reference to such a miracle as this that God assumes to himself the name contained in our text. The waters of Marah being so bitter as to be unfit for use, God directed Moses to cast a certain tree into them, by means of which they were instantly made sweet. And are not we also directed to “a tree, whose very leaves are for the healing of the nationsk?” Its virtue indeed is not known by thousands, in whose presence it stands; and therefore they continue ignorant of its healing efficacy. But was its virtue ever tried in vain? No: nor ever shall be. Only let Christ be received into the heart by faith, and the whole man will be renewed; the understanding will be enlightened, the will subdued, the affections purified, and the whole soul be “changed into the divine image in righteousness and true holiness. Now, what if God has pointed out this tree to us? What if we have experienced its healing efficacy? Then have we in ourselves an evidence that our blessed Saviour sustains the office claimed by him in our text: and then are we called to acknowledge it with gratitude, and to adore him for this stupendous exercise of his power and grace.]

Such being the office of our blessed Lord, let us consider,

  II.      The duty which we owe him in reference to it—

This, though already in a measure anticipated, may with great propriety be now more distinctly noticed.

  1.      1. We should acknowledge him in the mercies we have received at his hands—

[Sure I am, that his preventing goodness is by no means appreciated as it ought to be. We see others sick and dying; and little think to whom we owe it, that their lot has not been awarded to us. We are restored after sickness; and how soon do we forget the hand that has delivered us! Nor are we less insensible of our obligations to God for preservation from great and heinous sins; whereas, if we noticed the falls of others who were in every respect as likely to stand as ourselves, we should be filled with wonder and admiration at the distinguishing mercies vouchsafed unto us. Even converting grace, alas! how little gratitude does it excite in our hearts! We can see clearly enough the goodness of God to Israel in bringing them out of Egypt, and in making them a peculiar people to himself, whilst their Egyptian taskmasters were left to perish. But “that deliverance, though glorious, had no glory,” in comparison with that which is vouchsafed to us. But I call on all to look at the mercies which they have experienced, and at the means by which they have been procured for a ruined world. The tree that heals us has been felled: the Saviour has been “wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; and by his stripes we are healed” Yes, the Saviour himself has died, that we may live. Shall any one, then, that has experienced the virtue of his blood and the efficacy of his grace, not bless him? O! let every soul stir himself up to praise his God, and break forth like David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thy diseases!”]

  2.      We should apply to him for the mercies which we may yet stand in need of—

[Wherefore does the Saviour proclaim to us his office, but that we may apply to him to execute it in our behalf? That you are all labouring under a mortal disease, is certain: and that there is but one remedy for all, is equally clear. But that remedy is all-sufficient: none ever perished, who applied it to their souls. See our Redeemer in the days of his flesh: was there any disease which he could not cure? Was not even a touch of his garment instantly effectual for one who had spent her all upon physicians, and to no purpose? Methinks I hear one complaining, that sin and Satan have such an entire possession of his soul, as to render his state altogether hopeless. But “is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there?” Look at the demoniac in the Gospel: so entirely was he possessed by Satan, that no chains could bind him, no restraints prevent him from inflicting deadly wounds upon himself. But a single word from the Saviour expels the fiend, and causes the maniac to sit at his feet, clothed, and in his right mind. Fear not then, thou desponding sinner; for there is nothing impossible with him. And if thou say, ‘True; but he has already tried his hand upon me in vain, and given me up as incurable;’ hear then what he speaks to thee by the Prophet Isaiah: “For his iniquity I was wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth; and yet he went on forwardly in the way of his heart.” (Here is your very case: and what says he to it? Does he say, ‘I have therefore given him up as incurable?’ No; but (“I have seen his ways, and will heal him.” Heal HIM, does he say? Yes; “I will heal HIM, and will restore comforts to him and to his mourners.” Go then to him, thou desponding soul. Say to him, as David did, “Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against theep.” — — — If you reply, ‘There is no hope for me, because I have once known the Lord, and have backslidden from him;’ be it so; yet, as a backslider, hear what a gracious message he sends thee by the Prophet Jeremiah: “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” One thing only would I guard you against, and that is, “the healing of your wounds slightlyr.” Let your wounds be probed to the very bottom: and then, as the waters of Marah were healed so as that the fountain itself was changed, so shall your soul be purified throughout, and “the waters flowing from you spring up unto everlasting life.”]

LXXXVII

SCRIPTURAL EQUALITY

  Exod. 16:16–18.

This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded: Gather of it every man according to his eating; an omer for every man according to the number of your persons: take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.

TO exercise faith, in opposition to all the dictates of sense, is no easy attainment. For instance; the Jews in the wilderness soon found that they had no means of subsistence; and no prospect was before them, but that of speedily perishing by hunger and thirst. Yet they did not well to murmur against Moses and Aaron, who, as God’s appointed agents, had brought them forth from Egypt: in fact, their murmuring was against God himself, to whom they should rather have applied themselves in earnest prayer for the relief of their necessities. The wonders which he had already wrought for them were abundantly sufficient to shew them, that, whilst under his care, they had nothing to fear. Doubtless the pressure of hunger and of thirst rendered it difficult for them to believe that God would provide for them; and God therefore mercifully bore with their impatience, and relieved their wants: he gave them water out of a rock; and supplied them with bread from the clouds, even with bread sufficient for them from day to day. In relation to the manna, which was rained every night round about their tents, and which they were commanded to gather for their daily use before the risen sun had caused it to melt away, there was this very peculiar circumstance daily occurring during the whole forty years of their sojourning in the wilderness, that, whilst the head of every family was to gather a certain portion (an omer, about five pints,) for every person dependent on him, “those who had gathered more” found, when they came to measure it, that they “had nothing over; and those who had gathered less, that they had no lack.” Now this circumstance being so very peculiar, I shall endeavour to unfold it to you in its proper bearings: in order to which. I shall consider it,

  I.      As an historic record—

A more curious fact we can scarcely conceive: and it is the more curious, because it occurred, not occasionally in a few instances, but continually, for forty years, through the whole camp of Israel.

It arose, I apprehend,

  1.      From God’s merciful disposition towards them—

[A variety of circumstances might occur from time to time to prevent some heads of families from making the necessary exertion before the sun should have dissolved the manna, and have deprived them of the portion which they ought to have gathered. Illness, in themselves or their families, might incapacitate them for the discharge of their duty in this matter; or a pressure of urgent business cause them to delay it till it was too late. In this case, what must be done? God, in his mercy, took care that there should be in some a zeal beyond what their own necessities required, and that their abundance should he sufficient to counterbalance and supply the wants of others. In order to this, he needed only to leave men to the operation of their own minds. They did not collect the food by measure, but measured it after they had brought it home; that so they might apportion it to every member of their family, according to the divine command. Hence it would often occur, that one who was young, active, vigorous, and disengaged, would exceed his quota; whilst another who was enfeebled by sickness, or depressed by sorrow, or occupied with some urgent business, as that of attending on his sick wife and family, might collect but little. Neither the one might think of administering relief, nor the other of receiving it; but in all cases where there was excess or defect found in the exertions of one, there was a corresponding want or superfluity in another; so that, on measuring the whole, there was no superfluity or defect throughout the whole camp.

In fact, this, in some respect, obtains throughout the whole world: for though there is doubtless a great disparity in men’s possessions, arising from different circumstances, the rich unwittingly supply the necessities of the poor, by dispersing their wealth in return for the comforts or elegancies of life: and thus, to a much greater extent than men in general are aware, is equality produced among them; all having food and raiment, and no one possessing more.]

  2.      From their bountiful disposition towards each other—

[In this view St. Paul quotes the very words of my text. He is exhorting the Corinthians to liberality in supplying the wants of their poorer brethren: he tells them, however, that he did not mean to burthen them for the purpose of easing others; but only that, by an equality, their present abundance might be a supply for the wants of others; who, in return, might supply their wants, in case circumstances should arise to admit of it and require it; that so there might be, under all circumstances, an equality: as it is written, “He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.” This sense does not at all oppose that which I have before given: on the contrary, it rather confirms the former sense; for it supposes that the overplus was collected accidentally, as it were, in the first instance, and without any express intention to dispose of it to others: but on its being found to exceed their own wants, they liberally dispensed it to supply the wants of others; the donors at one time being the recipients at another; and the obligations conferred being mutual, as occasion required.

This, too, is still agreeable to the order of God’s providence in the world. No one can tell what change of circumstances may arise, to elevate or depress any child of man: but events continually occur to render a reciprocation of friendly offices both practicable and necessary, and to call forth amongst ourselves the dispositions that were exercised amongst the persons spoken of in our text.]

But, to enter more fully into the design of God in this fact, we must notice it,

  II.      As a mystical ordinance or appointment—

That the manna was a type of Christ, is beyond a doubt: our blessed Lord himself drew the parallel, in the most minute particulars — — — On this account the manna is called “spiritual meat:” and when, in the bestowment of it, there was so remarkable a circumstance perpetuated throughout the whole camp for forty years, we cannot doubt but that it was intended to convey some particular and very important instruction. Nor does the construction put upon it by St. Paul in one point of view at all militate against a different construction of it in another view. His interpretation refers to it only as a temporal ordinance: but, as it was a spiritual ordinance also, we must endeavour to derive from it the instruction which. in that view, it was intended to convey — — — I think, then, that we may see in it,

  1.      Our privilege as Believers—

[Believers now feed on Christ, as the whole Jewish nation fed upon the manna: and from day to day it is found, that “they who gather much have nothing over; and they who gather little have no lack.” In the Church of God at this day persons are very differently circumstanced; some having much leisure, and deep learning, and many opportunities of attending ordinances in public, and of acquiring information in private; whilst others are so entirely occupied with temporal concerns, or so remote from opportunities of instruction, that they can gather but little comparatively of the heavenly bread. But have the one therefore any superfluity, or the other any want? No. We will ask of those who are most devoted to the word of God and prayer, whether they find their attainments in knowledge and in grace so abundant, that they have more than their necessities require? No. A blind Papist may boast of his works of supererogation, and of having merits to sell for the benefit of less-favoured people: but “ye, Beloved, have not so learned Christ:” ye know, that if your attainments were an hundredfold more than they are, there were scope enough for the employment of them, without overburthening your souls: you would still “forget all that was behind, and be reaching forward for that which was before, if by any means you might obtain the prize of your high calling in Christ Jesus.” On the other hand, I will ask of those whose attainments are more contracted; Do you not find that your more slender portion is sufficient for you? You feed on the Lord Jesus Christ, as the bread of life: and do you not find that he nourishes your souls; and that pardon, and peace, and holiness, are the fruits of your communion with him? Yes: it is said, “He that believeth” (not he that is very strong in faith) “shall be saved;” yea, and that “all who believe (whatever be their stature or growth in grace) are justified from all things.” If you be but a child, incapable of digesting strong meat, you find that “the sincere milk of the word” is sufficient to nourish and support you; and that if you be but a lamb in Christ’s flock, “he carries the lambs in his bosom,” because “it is not the will of your Father that one of his little ones should perish.” This is no reason for your neglecting to exert yourselves to the uttermost: but it is a comfort to you to know, that, though from the peculiarity of your circumstances you have been able to gather but little, you neither have, nor shall have, any occasion to complain that you have “lacked” what was needful for you. If you have had no superabundance of grace, “your strength has been according to your day.”]

  2.      Our duty, as Saints—

[All, whilst they judged their first offices due to those who were immediately dependent on them, considered themselves as members of one great family, and bound to administer help to all whose necessities should require it. Thus should the whole collective mass of believers consider themselves bound to render every possible assistance to every part of Christ’s mystical body. Every joint is to supply a measure of nutriment according to its capacity, for the good of the whole body; that so the whole may be strengthened, and edified in love. The command is plain, “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees: say unto them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong; fear not; your God will come and save youg.” With whatever we be enriched, we should be ready to impart of our stores liberally and without grudging; considering that we are but stewards of all that we possess, and that in dispensing to others the benefits we have received, whether they be of a temporal or spiritual nature, we most resemble our Heavenly Father, and best answer the ends for which those blessings have been committed to us. True, indeed, we have not any thing of our own, which we can impart to others; (we have no more oil in our lamps than is wanted for ourselves;) nor can any diligence in the head of a family supersede the necessity of every member gathering for himself; (for “every man must bear his own burthen:”) but still, as instruments in God’s hands, we may be serviceable to manyk, and may, as golden pipes, convey the golden oil, for the enlightening and edifying of the Church of God.]

  Having thus marked the distinct views in which I conceive the fact before us ought to be regarded, I will now, in conclusion, suggest the INSTRUCTION to be derived from it in a collective view. We may LEARN from it, I think,

  1.      Contentment—

[The whole people of Israel had but this food for forty years; nor, except for use on the Sabbath-day, was any of it to be treasured up, even for a single day. The whole people of Israel were to subsist on God’s providence, exactly as the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Nor was any thing more than food and raiment to be the portion of so much as one amongst them: with this they were to be content; and with a similar portion should we also be content. Hear St. Paul’s experience on this subject: “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased; and I know how to abound: everywhere, and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Precisely such should be the frame of our minds also. We should offer continually, and from our inmost souls, that prayer which our Lord has taught us, “Give us day by day our daily bread:” and we should really be willing to live dependent on our God for every blessing, whether for body or for soul, whether for time or for eternity.]

  2.      Confidence—

[In parting with any superfluity which they might have attained, the whole people of Israel shewed that they looked to God alone for a supply of their necessities, and that they had no doubt of his continued care even to the end. The same lesson should we also learn. We should “take no thought for the morrow, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and rest assured that all needful blessings shall be added unto us.” We should regard God as our Parent; who, if he neglect not the birds of the air, or the meanest worm of the earth, will surely not neglect his own children, but will rather feed them with bread from heaven, and cause that bread to follow them in all their journeys, than leave them one day without the supply that is needful for them.]

  3.      Liberality—

[Certainly, to give away the superabundance which they had gathered, when they had not any thing in hand for their subsistence on the morrow, was a bright example of generosity. I am far from saying that we, under our dispensation, should carry our liberality to the same extent; but I have no doubt but that the spirit which they manifested should be cultivated by us also, and that to a much greater extent than is generally imagined. The instruction given by John the Baptist to the people of his day was, “He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.” If it be thought that this was nothing but an Eastern proverb, I answer, that St. Paul, in the very place where he quotes the words of my text, proposes to our imitation the example of the Macedonians, which scarcely fell short of the very letter of St John’s instructions: “For at a time when they were in a trial of great affliction and in deep poverty themselves, they yet abounded unto the riches of liberality; being willing to give not only to their power, but beyond their power, and praying him with much entreaty to take upon him the office of dispensing their alms to their afflicted brethren.” Nay more, he proposes to us the example of our blessed Lord himself, who “though he was rich. yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be richr.” Let this mind then be in you, my beloved brethren; and account yourselves rich. not in proportion to what you can consume upon yourselves, but according to what you are able to administer for the benefit of others. “In bearing one another’s burthens, ye shall best fulfil the law of Christ.”]

LXXXVIII

SENDING OF THE MANNA

  Exod. 16:35.

And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited: they did eat manna until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

THE history of the Israelites in the wilderness contains an uninterrupted series of miracles. It might be well expected, that two millions of people encamped in a barren desert would soon begin to want fresh supplies of food. And so it happened. In a month after their first departure from Egypt, they had exhausted the store that they had brought with them. But God, who had brought them thus far, would not suffer them to remain destitute any longer than was necessary to try their faith and patience. He therefore gave them from the clouds a peculiar kind of food, (such as had never been seen before,) a small white substance, like coriander-seed, which, when ground in a mill and baked or seethed in water, was extremely palatable.

We propose to make some observations upon,

  I.      The provision he gave them—

Let the occasion on which he gave it be first considered—

[Instead of confiding in that God who had so often, and so wonderfully interposed for them, they murmured against him in a most impious manner, wishing that he had involved them in the judgments which had desolated Egypt, rather than that he should have brought them into their present difficulties. And though their complaints were directed professedly only against Moses and Aaron, they were, in fact, against God himself, by whose direction alone any step had been taken. How astonishing was it that God should take occasion from such a grievous act of impiety to give them such tokens of his love and mercy! Might we not have expected rather that he should execute upon them his severest judgments? But thus he has done in all ages, in order to display the sovereignty and the riches of his grace — — —]

Next, let us notice the directions he gave respecting it—

[They ere to gather the manna from day to day, reserving none of it for the morrow. This was to teach them their entire dependence upon God, and impress them with a sense of God’s continued care of them. And though we are not forbidden, yea rather are commanded, to make suitable provision for our families, yet in the habit of our minds we are to be continually dependent on God, and free from all anxious care or distrust — — —

They were not to gather any on the Sabbath, but to provide a double portion on the day preceding it. How early was the observance of the Sabbath inculcated! The law was not yet given; therefore the observance of the Sabbath was not a mere ceremonial commandment. Nor was the injunction relative to it either given by Moses, or received by Israel, as a new thing: it doubtless had been enforced from the beginning of the world: and consequently we, no less than the Jews, are bound to lay aside all temporal concerns, as much as possible, on that day, and to consecrate it wholly to the service of our God — — —

They were to preserve some of it in a pot, and lay it up before the Lord as a memorial for future generations. They were not to forget the mercies vouchsafed to them; but rather to transmit to their latest posterity the remembrance of them; in order that they also might be led to serve and trust in the living God. And have not we also memorials of the love of God to us? Search the records of our national history, or let every one consult his own personal experience; and We shall find abundant reason to adore that God, who has interposed for us in ten thousand dangers, and supplied our continually returning wants — — —]

The peculiar interposition of God in relation to it deserves also particular notice—

[It was so ordered by his providence, that, when the members of the different families had put together the portions which they had severally collected, and measured it out again for the purpose of distributing to each his regular portion, there never was found any redundancy, or any want. What this was designed to teach us, we are at no loss to determine; since God himself has suggested the proper improvement of it. We all are members of one great family. Some, by God’s blessing on their diligence, or by some other means, possess much; whilst others, through a variety of circumstances, possess but little: we ought therefore (not indeed to make one common stock, but) to “lay by us for the poor, according as God has prospered us; “that, as far at least as the enjoyment of the necessaries of life are concerned, there may be an equality; the abundance of the rich supplying the necessities of their less-favoured brethren. O that there were in all of us such an heart, and that, instead of scraping together all that we can save, for the purpose of enriching our families, we found our happiness in doing good, being “glad to distribute, and willing to communicate!”— — —]

From viewing the mercies God vouchsafed to the Israelites, let us turn our attention to,

  II.      The corresponding provision he has given us—

St. Paul tells us, that the manna of which we have been speaking, was “spiritual meat.” It was carnal indeed in its immediate use; but it typically shadowed forth the food on which our souls must live: and, to those who partook of it in faith, it was a source of spiritual and eternal blessings. The Lord Jesus Christ has fully explained the subject to us; and drawn a parallel between the manna on which the Israelites subsisted, and himself as the life of our souls. We shall not trace that parallel herel, but consider the subject in a more appropriate view.

Three things then we wish you to remark;

  1.      The freeness of this provision—

[What have we done to merit the gift of God’s dear Son? We were rebels against the Majesty of heaven, and deserved nothing but “wrath and fiery indignation to consume us”— — —The manna rained round the tents of the murmuring Israelites was not more freely given, than Christ is sent to us, and salvation by him is offered us in the Gospel— — —]

  2.      The suitableness—

[The manna was adapted to nourish equally the infant and adult. And to whom is not Christ suited? The great sinner will find in him precisely such a Saviour as his necessities require — — —The weak, the timid, the disconsolate, yea, all persons in all possible circumstances, shall find, that he is as much suited to their individual cases, as if God had sent him for them alone; and to their palate, as though they themselves had chosen what kind of a Saviour they would have — — —]

  3.      The sufficiency—

[The vigour of all was renewed from day to day by means of the food provided for them; and they were enabled to march or fight, as occasion required. And what cannot he do who feeds upon the Lord Jesus Christ? What conflicts shall not he support; what victories shall not he gain? “The grace of Christ will be sufficient for him;” and he will be “able to do all things through Christ who strengtheneth him”— — —“He that gathers most of this heavenly manna, will indeed have nothing over; but he who gathers ever so little, shall have no lack” — — — Twice is it repeated in our text, that they ate of the manna till they arrived at the promised land: never did it fail them; nor did they ever need any other food. And thus assuredly shall Christ continue to the end the support of all who feed upon him; and, in possessing “that hidden manna,” they shall have all that they can want in this dreary wilderness; they shall have an earnest and antepast of heaven itself.]

LXXXIX

MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK

  Exod. 17:5, 6.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel: and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb: and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.

THE whole of man’s pilgrimage on earth is but a succession of trials and deliverances. And God so ordains it to be, because it is for our greatest good: “Trials work patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.” The frequent recurrence of difficulties to the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness may serve as a glass wherein to view the state of the Church in this world, and, more or less, of all the individuals that are in the world: and the interpositions of God on their behalf shew, what is the real, though less visible, course of his providence at this time. Scarcely had the waters at Marah been sweetened for their use, and manna been given them for their support, than they again experienced a most afflictive pressure (a want of water for themselves and their cattle); and again a miraculous deliverance, at Massah or Meribah.

We propose to notice in our present discourse,

  I.      The circumstances of this miracle—

And here there are two things to which we would call your attention:

  1.      The time—

[The Israelites had renewed their murmurs against God; and were so incensed at a renewal of their difficulties, that they were ready to stone Moses for having brought them into their present trying situation. As for their Divine Benefactor, they even questioned whether he were with them in the camp or not; assured that, if he was, he was unmindful of their necessities, or unable to relieve them.

Yet at the very moment that they were so offending the Divine Majesty, did God interpose for their relief. What an exalted idea does this convey to us of the patience and long-suffering of God! And, if we were to mark the seasons of God’s interpositions in our behalf, we should find abundant matter for admiration and gratitude — — —]

  2.      The manner—

[This singularly displays the grace of God. God makes Moses, whom they were ready to kill as their enemy, the instrument of their deliverance. He orders the rod, which had wrought such wonders in Egypt and at the Bed Sea, to be used, not for their destruction (as might have been expected), but for the supplying of their necessities. He himself, whose very existence they had questioned, went to preside visibly on the occasion; and the elders, who had so unreasonably doubted his power and love, were suffered to be eye-witnesses of the miracle wrought for their preservation.

How remarkably does this illustrate the precept which God has given us, “not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good!” And what convincing evidence does it afford us, that, “where sin has abounded, his grace shall much more abound!”— — —]

But though these circumstances are instructive, the chief thing to he noticed in the miracle, is,

  II.      The hidden mystery contained in it—

We can have no doubt but that this part of sacred history was intended to typify and prefigure Christ, as a source of all spiritual blessings to the world; as a spring,

  1.      Divinely appointed—

[No one would have conceived the idea of looking for water in that rock, any more than in any other spot throughout the plain whereon it stood: nor would it have entered into the mind of man to bring water out of it by the stroke of a rod or cane. But God appointed both the rock and the rod to be means and instruments of communication between himself and his distressed people. And who would ever have thought that God’s only dear Son should be given unto us; and that blessings should be made to flow down to us through the wounds inflicted on him both by God and man? Yet “was all this done according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.” “He was smitten, stricken of God. and afflicted,” that our souls might be redeemed from death: “He was wounded for our transgressions, that by his stripes we might be healed.” Yes, it is a faithful saying, that “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” “It pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell;” and that “we should receive out of his fulness” “every thing that pertaineth to life and godliness.”]

  2.      All-sufficient—

[“The water gushed out of the stricken rock, and flowed like a river; so that it abundantly supplied the whole camp of Israel, (both men and beasts,) following them in all their journeyings for the space of eight and thirty years. And who ever lacked, that has once drunk of the water that Christ gives to his Church and people? Never did any of them, never shall any, thirst again: for “the water that Christ gives them shall be in them a well of water springing up unto everlasting life”— — —]

  3.      Universally accessible—

[The water from the rock flowed to every quarter of the camp; and the people instantly dug pools for its reception, so that men and cattle were supplied without the least difficulty. And how free is our access to Christ; free to all persons, and at all times! Hear his own invitation, and the invitation of his Spirit, of his Church, and of all that know the value of those living watersd— — —As the vilest murmurers in the camp drank of that stream, so may even the most flagrant rebels in the universe drink of this — — — “Christ has within him the residue of the Spiritf;” and “pours out that Spirit abundantly” upon all who call upon him; upon all, without price, without parsimonyi, and without upbraiding — — —]

  WE may LEARN from hence—

  1.      The experience of real penitents—

[Their thirst after the Saviour is urgent and insatiable — — — What a blessed sight would it be to behold a whole congregation as eager in their desires after Christ as the Israelites were after a supply of water for their bodies! — — — The Lord hasten the season when this thirst shall prevail throughout all the world!]

  2.      The mercy reserved for them—

[They may feel many painful sensations, and be greatly disquieted for a season: but the promise which God has given them shall surely be realized by all. — — —]

XC

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS TYPICAL OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE

  Exod. 17:11.

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

IT pleases God, in general, to effect his purposes by certain means; yet the very means he uses are, for the most part, such as tend only to illustrate his power, and to lead our minds up to him as the first great Cause of all. But on no occasion has the truth of this observation more manifestly appeared, than in the history now before us, wherein we are informed, that the success of the Israelites in an engagement with Amalek was made to depend, not on the bravery of the soldiers, or the skill of their commander, but on the holding up of the hands of Moses at a distance from the field of battle.

In discoursing on this remarkable event, we shall consider it as,

  I.      A typical history— The whole history of the Israelites, from their deliverance out of Egypt to their establishment in the land of Canaan, was altogether of a typical nature: but we shall limit our observations to the circumstances now under our consideration.

We may notice then a typical reference,

  1.      In the conflicts which the Israelites maintained—

[The Israelites were scarcely come out of Egypt, before they were attacked by the Amalekites, though no provocation had been given on their part. This represented the opposition which the world and Satan make to the true Israelites, as soon as ever they separate themselves from the ungodly, and set their faces towards the promised land. Though they do nothing to merit persecution, yea, though, in every point of view, they are become more excellent and praiseworthy, and desire nothing but to prosecute their journey peaceably through this dreary wilderness, yet are they hated, reviled, persecuted; nor can they obtain the inheritance prepared for them, without arming themselves for the combat, and “warring a good warfare.”]

  2.      In the commander under whom they fought—

[Joshua was appointed to set the army in array, and lead them out to battle. Now the very name of Joshua is precisely the same with that of Jesus, who is “given to us of God to be our leader and commanderb.” He is “the Captain of our salvation,” under whom we are enlisted, and under whose banners we fight. Whether we bear more or less the brunt of the battle, it is He who appoints us our respective stations; and it is to Him that we must look for direction and support. And while, “as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, we endure hardness” at his command, we may depend on him for all necessary provision, and for an abundant share of the spoils of victory.]

  3.      In the means by which they obtained the victory—

[The rod of Moses was that with which he had wrought his wonders in Egypt; and it was a special emblem of the divine power. This he was to hold up in the sight of Israel on an adjacent hill: and, while he held it up, they prospered; but when, through infirmity, he let it down, their enemies prevailed against them. Now it is thus that we are to obtain the victory against our enemies: we must have our eyes fixed on the power of God exerted in our behalf: as long as we have clear views of this, we shall vanquish every adversary; but, if at any time this cease to be exalted in our eyes, we shall surely faint and fail.

The lifting up of the hands of Moses may further denote the efficacy of prayer. And it is certain that our success will fluctuate, according as our applications at the throne of grace are continued or relaxed.]

But this history may further be considered as affording us,

  II.      An instructive lesson—

It may well teach us,

  1.      That, whatever mercies we have received, we must still expect conflicts—

[The Israelites had been brought through the Red Sea, and fed both with manna from heaven, and water from the solid rock; and they might have fondly dreamed of nothing but security and peace: but they were rather called to scenes of difficulty and danger. Thus it is with us, when we commit ourselves to the guidance of the pillar and the cloud. We may think perhaps that, because we are reconciled to God, and made heirs of his kingdom, we are henceforth to enjoy uninterrupted tranquillity: but we shall soon find, that we have to “wrestle; and that too, not only with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers.” We may indeed be screened for a season by the good providence of God; as the Israelites were kept from going through the territory of the Philistines, lest they should be discouraged by the opposition that they would have met with from that warlike people: but we are men of war by our very profession; and, sooner or later, our courage and fidelity will be put to the test. It is through much tribulation that we must enter into the kingdom; and we must “fight the good fight of faith, before we can receive the crown of righteousness from the hands of our righteous Judge.”]

  2.      That we must not despond, though our success for a time should appear doubtful—

[The Israelites in this very first encounter were at times repulsed; and victory was long held in suspense, before it was finally declared in their favour. Thus we must expect, that cur enemies, though frequently beaten, will return to the charge, and often threaten our very destruction. But, if wounded, we must apply to Christ for healing; if faint, we must beg him to renew our strength; if driven before our enemies, we must rally, and resume the contest, ever remembering under whom we fight, and how much depends upon a victorious issue. We must also, like Aaron and Hur, assist each other; holding up each other’s hands, and animating each other’s hearts; nor ever terminate our exertions, till God shall scatter all our enemies, and bruise under our feet the vanquished foe.]

  3.      That a believing use of the appointed means, how inadequate soever, or even useless, they may appear, will be crowned with success at last—

[Nothing can be conceived less connected with the event, than the means which were used by Moses; yet were they necessary: for if, when through infirmity the use of them was intermitted, the scale of victory was instantly turned in favour of the Amalekites, much more, if he had disregarded them altogether, would the most fatal effects have followed: but the persevering use of them procured at last the desired success. Thus the attending of public ordinances, and waiting upon God in secret, may seem but ill calculated to produce such great effects as are said to depend upon them: but, as the occasional and unallowed neglect of these duties is attended with many painful consequences, so a wilful contempt of them would infallibly terminate in our destruction. On the other hand, a diligent and continued attention to them will and must prevail: our prayer shall go up with acceptance before God, and the word we hear shall prove “the power of God to the salvation of our souls.” Only let us “lift up holy hands without doubting,” until the evening of life, and we shall be “more than conquerors through him that loved us.”]

  ADDRESS,

  1.      Those who know nothing of spiritual conflicts—

[If they, who are at ease in Zion, and experience no spiritual conflicts, were real Christians, there would be no resemblance at all between them and the Israelites, by whom they were typically represented; and all that is spoken about the Christian warfare, the armour provided for us, and the General under whom we fight, would be altogether without a meaning. But in vain shall the true Israelites expect peace, as long as there are any Amalekites in the world. Our Lord “came not to send peace on earth, but a sword:” and though he may, in some instances, cause our enemies to be at peace with us, yet will they never be so much at peace, but that we shall have many to contend with: or, if men should cease from troubling us, we shall have enough, both from Satan and our own lusts, to call forth all our exertions, and to make us fervent in imploring help from God. Let those, then, who feel not these conflicts, inquire whether their peace be not the consequence of a captivity to their enemies, instead of a victory over them: nor let them ever expect to reign with Christ, unless they first enlist under his banners, and fight after his example.]

  2.      Those who are ready to faint by reason of their conflicts—

[Your insufficiency to withstand your enemies often discourages and disquiets you: but the Israelites prevailed, notwithstanding their inexperience in the art of war, because they had God on their side. Fear not then ye, “whose hands are weak, whose knees are feeble, and whose hearts are faint; for, behold, your God shall come and save you.” Behold, his power is now exalted in your sight: look at it; remember what it has effected in the days of old: and know, that it shall be exerted in your behalf, if you do but trust in it. Nor forget, what a Captain you are fighting under: the world, which molests you, has been overcome by him; and “the prince of this world has been judged” by him. Fight on then a little longer, assured that you shall ere long put your feet upon the necks of your enemies, and enjoy the fruits of victory for ever and ever.]

XCI

MOSES’ MESSAGE TO THE ISRAELITES

  Exod. 19:3–6.

And Moses went up unto God: and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shall thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye mitt obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

WE cannot but admire God’s condescension in noticing our fallen race. When we see him renewing to them his acts of kindness after repeated instances of ingratitude, we are yet more amazed: but when we behold him entering into covenant with the most rebellious of his creatures, and binding himself by promises and oaths to load them with his richest benefits, we are altogether lost in wonder. Since the time that Israel were liberated from their bondage in Egypt, about six weeks had now elapsed; during which time every successive trial had evinced, that they were a rebellious and stiff-necked people. But, instead of casting them off, God commissioned Moses to propose to them a covenant, wherein they should engage to be obedient to his will, and he would engage to make them truly prosperous and happy. The same condescension does God manifest to us; as will appear if we consider,

  I.      The mercies God has already vouchsafed us—

Those enumerated in the text were distinguishing mercies—

[God had inflicted the heaviest judgments on the Egyptians; but had brought out his people safely and triumphantly to the mountain, which he had long before marked as the place where they should worship him and enjoy his presenceb. This “they saw;” and therefore could not question the goodness of God towards them — — —]

And have we no distinguishing mercies to call forth our gratitude?

[What though we have never experienced such miraculous interpositions; have we not, both individually and collectively, unbounded reason for thankfulness on account of the peculiar favours conferred on us?

Think how many millions of the human race are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, without the smallest knowledge of a Saviour, or even of the one true God! But we are favoured with the light of revelation, and, we hope we may say too, a faithful ministration of the word of life — — — Reflect further, how many, under distress of mind, or body, or estate, are sinking under the insupportable load of their afflictions, whilst we have experienced but little trouble, perhaps so much only as to display more clearly the goodness of God in our repeated deliverances — — — Consider also, how many have within a few months or years been summoned into the presence of their God, whilst we have yet our lives prolonged, and further space given us for repentance — — — Could we but realize these thoughts, we should see that not even the Israelites themselves had more reason for gratitude than we.]

Let us from the consideration of God’s past mercies extend our views to,

  II.      Those which he has yet in reserve for us—

Those which he promised to the Israelites were exceeding great—

[”All the earth was the Lord’s;” and therefore he might have taken any other people in preference to them: but he had chosen them in preference to all othersd; and promised to exalt them above all others in national honour, and individual happiness.

What an unspeakable honour was it to them to be made “an holy nation,” consecrated in a peculiar manner to the service of their God! to be “a kingdom of priests,” all having access to God, to offer to him the sacrifices of prayer and praise! and to be regarded by God as “his peculiar treasure,” which he prized above all, and would secure to himself for ever!

What an happiness too to all of them, as far as worldly prosperity could make them happy; and, to those who could discern the spiritual import of these promises, what a source it was of unutterable peace and joy! — — —]

But the mercies promised to them were only shadows of those which are reserved for us—

[These promises have their chief accomplishment under the Gospel dispensation. And O! how inconceivably “great and precious” are they! Believers are at this time amidst the ungodly world, what the Israelites were in Egypt, “a chosen generation,” objects of God’s sovereign and eternal choice. They are “a royal priesthood,” even “kings and priests unto their God,” having dominion over sin and Satan, and “yielding up themselves to him a living sacrifice, acceptable to him through Jesus Christ.” As embodied under one head (the Lord Jesus), and living under the same laws, and enjoying the same privileges, they are also “an holy nation;” and as differing from all others in their views and principles, their spirit and conduct, they are “a peculiar people,” “a peculiar people zealous of good works.”

These are the blessings promised to men under the Gospel; and it will be utterly our own fault if we be not partakers of them.]

But these blessings must be sought for in God’s appointed way. Let us therefore consider,

  III.      The terms upon which he will bestow them upon us—

The promises of God to Israel were altogether conditional—

[We have seen what he engaged to do for them: but it was upon the express condition, that they “obeyed his voice, and kept his covenant.” They must take him for their God. and devote themselves to his service—and then he would make them his people, and give them incessant and increasing tokens of his love and favour. This covenant was not wholly legal, nor wholly evangelical, but a mixture of both. Inasmuch as it prescribed conditions, it was legal; and inasmuch as it secured to them a remission of sins upon their returning unto God, it was evangelical: but on the whole the legal part was far the more prominent: and the promises were made void by their neglecting to perform the stipulated conditions.]

Those made to us, though absolute in some respects, are conditional in others—

[Under the Christian dispensation, all is of grace: grace is not only the predominant feature, but the sum and substance of the New Covenant: and repentance, faith, and holiness, are not merely required, but bestowed: and that freely unto all who ask for them at the hands of God. “By the grace of God we are what we are:” and “by grace are we saved” from first to last. Yet are faith and obedience indispensably necessary to our eternal salvation: nor need we be afraid of speaking of them as conditions of our salvation, provided we be careful to divest them of all idea of merit, or of being a price whereby ulterior blessings are to be purchased. God has given us a covenant of grace; and that covenant we must embrace: and it will be in vain to hope for acceptance with God, if we do not found all our hopes of happiness on Christ the Mediator of that Covenant. God has also given us a revelation of his will: and that will we must do; nor will that “grace of God ever bring salvation unto us, if it do not lead us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world.” These then are the terms on which we shall enjoy all the privileges of God’s chosen people: and, though it is true that “without Christ we can do nothing,” it is also true, that the only way in which we ever can attain happiness, is, by repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is ready to save us all; but he will ultimately prove a Saviour to those only who obey him — — —]

  In APPLYING this subject to ourselves, we shall,

  1.      Deliver God’s message to you—

[Observe how solemnly God’s injunction to Moses respecting the delivery of this message is twice repeated in the text. In reference to this, God twice says by the prophet, that “he protested, yea protested earnestly,” to this people. But you have already seen that the promises in our text refer principally to the dispensation under which we live. To you therefore must this message be addressed, in the name, and by the command, of God himself. And, as Moses “laid before the faces of that people the words which God commanded him,” so also would we “use great plainness of speech,” whilst we are delivering to you the message of the Most High.

The terms on which alone you can be saved have been already stated to you — — — We ask you then, is there any thing unreasonable in them? Are you not rather so convinced of their reasonableness, that, if we were to tell you that you were at liberty to disregard God’s covenant, and to violate his will, — — — you would cry out against us as impious blasphemers?—Behold, then, we have a testimony in your own consciences in favour of the message which we have delivered to you: and, if you continue to expect heaven on any other terms, you will be self-condemned to all eternity.]

  2.      Inquire what answer we must return to God—

[Moses received the people’s answer, and reported it to God. And O that we could near the same answer from you all, “All that the Lord hath spoken will we do!” It is true, they spake in their own strength, and therefore failed to execute their promises: but surely it was good to form the determination; it shewed that they saw the equity of God’s commands: and, had they sought strength from God to fulfil his will, their resolution would have produced the best effects. But are not many of you disposed rather to reply, “As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee?” Perhaps you are not yet hardened enough to make this reply in words; but is it not the language of your hearts and lives?— — — Must we not carry this report to God? — — — O that you would hearken to God’s voice, before it be too lates! — — —

But we trust there are some of a better mind amongst us, some who cordially assent to whatever God has been pleased to propose — — — On behalf of them we pray, that God may fix this pious disposition abidingly in their hearts. Happy are we to see the rising purpose to obey God! but we must caution all not to adopt the purpose lightly, or to carry it into execution in a partial or listless manner. The message of God in the text is, “If ye will obey my voice indeed.” Our obedience must be sincere, habitual, and unreserved. We must not be satisfied with purposes and resolutions, but must carry them into effect: nothing must divert us, nothing intimidate us, nothing retard us. But let us hold fast the covenant of grace, and uniformly obey the commands of God, and then all. the blessings of grace and glory shall be ours — — —]

XCII

THE GIVING OF THE LAW

  Exod. 20:18, 19.

And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

THE law of God was originally written on the heart of man: but by sin it was almost obliterated, so that scarcely any traces of it remained. When therefore it pleased God to separate to himself a peculiar people, who should know his will, and enjoy his presence, and subserve his glory, it was necessary, if we may so speak, that he should republish his law, and record it in some way, which might give it a permanent establishment in the world. This he was pleased to do on Mount Sinai, after having conducted his people thither in safety, and shewn, by the wonders he had wrought, that he was indeed the only true God. What were the particulars of that law, we do not now stop to inquire: that to which we would draw your attention is, the manner of its promulgation. In the preceding chapter we are informed of all those particulars which are briefly recapitulated in our text. On contemplating that tremendous scene, we are naturally led to inquire, Why did God publish his law in that manner? The answer to this question is important; and will prove highly instructive to us all. He did it,

  I.      To impress their minds with a fear of his Majesty—

[God is a great God, and greatly to be feared. But though the Israelites had seen ample demonstrations of this in Egypt, they had a very inadequate sense of it upon their minds. Hence arose their murmurings and distrust as often as any fresh difficulty occurred. And what is at the root of all our disobedience? Is it not that “we do not fear that great and fearful name, THE LORD OUR GOD?”— — —

To beget in the minds of those whom he was bringing into covenant with himself a just sense of his greatness, he appeared to them in a thick cloud, with thunderings, and lightnings, and the sound of a trumpet most terrific. The effect was produced, insomuch that Moses, though terrified beyond measure himself, was forced to administer comfort and encouragement to them. We find somewhat of a similar effect upon ourselves in a violent tempest: and, if we could realize the scene that was exhibited on Sinai, we should say indeed, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”— — —]

  II.      To shew them the nature of that dispensation—

[The dispensation of the law, though suited to the Jews at that time, and even glorious, as a type or figure of the Gospel dispensation, was yet in fact “a ministration of death.” It required perfect obedience to the law, and denounced a curse for every instance of disobedience; and required all the people, not only to accept it, but to approve of it, in that particular view. Who can contemplate such a covenant, and not tremble to have his hopes founded on it? There was indeed much of the Gospel contained in the ceremonial law; and the penitent Israelite found refuge there. But the law published on Sinai was “a fiery law,” “a ministration of condemnation:” and the terrors which were infused into the people by the thunders of Sinai, fitly represented the terrific nature of that covenant.—Happy would it be for us, if we availed ourselves of these instructive intimations, to renounce that covenant which consigns us over unto death, and to embrace that better covenant which is revealed to us in the Gospel!]

  III.      To make them feel their need of a Mediator—

[The people, who but just before had been with difficulty restrained from breaking through the bounds that had been assigned them, were now so alarmed, that they fled from their station, and entreated, that God would no more deliver his commands to them in that way, lest they should die. They desired that Moses might be appointed as a Mediator between God and them, and that all future intimations of God’s will should be given them through him. Of the full meaning of their own request they themselves were not aware: for, inasmuch as Moses was a type of Christ, it was, in fact, a desire that Christ might be their Mediator, and that all their intercourse with the Deity might be through Him. This was the construction which God himself put upon it; and in this view he approved of, and applauded it — — — To the same effect also the Apostle speaks. He tells us that the law was not designed to give us life, but to shew us our need of Christ, and to bring us unto him as our only hopeh— — —]

  INFER,

  1.      How thankful should we be for the Christian covenant!

[It is to this that we are come, if we have truly believed in Christ. And oh! how different is our state from those who are yet under the law! — — — Instead of being prohibited from drawing nigh to God, we are permitted and commanded to come unto him. Let us avail ourselves of the blessed privilege, and seek closer fellowship with our God, and brighter views of his glory — — —]

  2.      How careful should we be not to revert to the Jewish covenant!

[We do, in fact, revert to it, if we seek justification by the law of works. If we do any thing in order to be justified by it, we instantly become debtors to do the whole law.—Let it not then appear to us a light matter to indulge a self-righteous spirit; for if we do, we renounce all hope from the grace of the Gospel, and “Christ, with respect to us, is dead in vain.”]

  3.      How studiously should we cultivate the fear of God!

[Terrible as the appearance and the voice of God were on that occasion, his appearance in the day of judgment will be infinitely more tremendous — — — “Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord, we would persuade you” to turn unto him, ere it be too late. We wish however to produce in you, not a slavish, but a filial fear: that will only drive you from God; and therefore in relation to it we say with Moses, “Fear not:” but this will make you happy in the service and enjoyment of God; and therefore we add, “Let his fear be ever before your faces, that ye sin not.”]

XCIII

ON CIRCUMSPECTION

  Exod. 23:13.

In all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect.

IF we were about to prosecute a journey through an extensive forest, where the path was exceeding intricate, where we were in hourly danger of treading upon serpents and scorpions, and where there were declivities so steep and slippery that it was almost impossible but that we must fall down some tremendous precipice, we should feel it necessary to get the best information, and to use the utmost caution in all our way. Such is really our state: in our journey towards heaven we may easily mistake the road; and, even when we are walking in it, we are encompassed with so many dangers, and obstructed by so many difficulties, that we need to exercise continual vigilance and circumspection. Hence, in tender love to us, our heavenly Guide puts us on our guard, and says, “In all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect.”

In discoursing on these words we shall consider,

  I.      The injunction—

It is our duty and our happiness to have all our actions conformed to the mind and will of God: but, in order to this, we must attend diligently to the matter, the manner, and the end of them:—

  1.      The matter—

[Notwithstanding we have the written word, which, when duly followed, will suffice to direct our conduct; yet we must have a very considerable knowledge of the Scriptures, and a well-regulated mind, in order to ascertain clearly the will of God. It not unfrequently happens that one duty seems to interfere with another; as when a work of mercy calls for a violation of the Sabbath, or a command of an earthly parent militates against the command of God. In the former case we are to “prefer mercy before sacrifice:” in the latter, we must “obey God rather than man:” but how to discriminate aright at all times, is very difficult: and a well-intentioned person may grievously err, if he do not bring his actions to the touch-stone of God’s word, and determine, through grace, to regulate them according to that standard.]

  2.      The manner—

[It is by no means sufficient that the matter of our actions be right, for they may be so debased by the manner of performing them, as to be rendered hateful in the sight of God. Prayer is a duty plainly enjoined: but if it be cold and formal, or offered with an unbelieving heart, it will find no acceptance with God: in vain do persons worship God in such a manner; they shall receive nothing at his handsc. Nothing could, have been more pleasing to God than David’s attempt to bring up the ark to Mount Zion, after it had been at least fifty years in a state of obscurity: but David was inattentive to the manner in which God had appointed the ark to be carried; he put it on a new cart, instead of ordering it to be borne upon the shoulders of the Levites; and therefore God manifested his displeasure against him, and against all the people, by striking Uzza dead upon the spot for presuming to touch the ark. We ourselves are not satisfied to have our commands obeyed, unless a due attention be paid also to the manner of executing our will; much less therefore will God be pleased, if we be not as studious to “serve him acceptably,” as to serve him at all.]

  3.      The end—

[Our end or motive in acting determines more than any thing the quality of our actions. Not that a good end will sanctify a bad action; but a bad end will vitiate every action connected with it. If, for instance, in our religious services we seek the applause of men, we must expect no reward from God: the gratification of our pride and vanity is all the reward that such polluted services can obtain. In the account which is given us of Jehu, we find that the very same action, which was rewarded on account of its outward conformity with God’s command, was punished on account of the base principle by which he was influenced in performing it. He did well in extirpating the seed of Ahab, and was rewarded for it to the fourth generation: but forasmuch as he was actuated by vanity and ambition, the blood which he shed was imputed to him as murderg. Nor is there any thing more common than for even religious persons to mistake the path of duty through an inattention to their own spirit. The disciples doubtless thought themselves under the influence of a commendable zeal, when they would have called fire from heaven to consume a Samaritan village; as did Peter also, when he cut off the ear of Malchus. We should therefore be peculiarly cautious with respect to this, lest by the mixture of any selfish motive or base affection we offend Him, whom it is our desire and endeavour to please.

God having prescribed rules for a just ordering of our whole spirit and conduct, we must, “in all things that he has said unto us, be circumspect.”]

The importance of this injunction will appear, while we consider,

  II.      The reasons of it—

Surely it is a necessary injunction, and no less reasonable than necessary: for,

  1.      The same authority exists in every commandment—

[It is God who issued a prohibition of adultery and murder: and it is the same Almighty Being who forbids us to entertain a selfish wish or covetous desire. Shall we then acknowledge his authority in our actions, and disregard it in our principles? Shall we think ourselves at liberty to deviate from any part of his revealed will? If so, we cease to act as his creatures, and become a God unto ourselves.]

  2.      Without circumspection we cannot perform any duty aright—

[We cannot find out the real motives of our actions without daily self-examination, and earnest prayer to God for the teachings of his Spirit. However simple the path of duty may appear, there are ten thousand ways in which we may depart from it. And, as long as our hearts are so deceitful, and we have such a subtle adversary striving to mislead us, we shall be in perpetual danger of mistaking our way. If therefore we would serve God aright in any thing, we must be circumspect on every thing.]

  3.      An inattention to smaller duties will lead to a violation of the greatest—

[Who shall say, where we shall stop, if once we begin to trifle with God? Eve little thought to what she should be brought by only listening to the suggestions of the tempter: nor did David foresee what would result from the wanton look which he cast on Bathsheba. It was on account of the danger arising from the smallest approach to sin, that God, in the words following our text, forbade his people even to “mention the name” of a heathen deity: and on the same account he requires us to “abstain from the very appearance of evil.” And if we will not “watch in all things,” we shall soon have to eat the bitter fruit of our negligence: yea, it will be well, if from walking in the counsel of the ungodly, we do not soon stand in the way of sinners, and at last sit in the seat of the scornful.]

  4.      The greater our circumspection, the more shall we adorn our holy profession—

[There are multitudes on the watch to find out the smallest faults in those who profess religion; and to condemn religion itself on account of them. But a circumspect walk “cuts off occasion from those who seek occasion;” and “by well-doing we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” It can scarcely be conceived what an effect the conduct of religious people has upon the world, either to recommend religion to them, or to harden them against it. Should not this then make us circumspect? Should we not be careful that we “give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully?” Should we not endeavour to “be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves?” Let us then “so make our light to shine before men, that they may be constrained to glorify our Father that is in heaven.”]

  5.      The whole of our conduct will be reviewed in the day of judgment—

[The most secret springs of action will be brought to light in that awful day, and “the counsels of the heart be made manifest:” God will weigh, not our actions only, but our spiritsl. “Men judge according to appearance; but He will judge righteous judgment.” If this consideration will not make us circumspect, what can we hope to prove effectual? O that we could bear in mind the strictness of that scrutiny, and the awfulness of that decision!]

  ADDRESS,

  1.      Those who ridicule the circumspection of others—

[To what end has God commanded us to be circumspect, if we are not to regard the injunction? Do you suppose that you are to annul his commands, and to establish rules of conduct that are contrary to his? Or, if you are presumptuous enough to do so in reference to yourselves, do you think that you are to prescribe for others also? You affect to pity the Lord’s people as weak enthusiasts: but know that you are the true objects of pity, who can rush blindfold in such a manner to your own destruction. Yes; over such as you the Saviour wept: and if you knew your guilt and danger, you would weep for yourselves. Repent, ere it be too late: for, however wise you may imagine yourselves to be, the time is coming when you will change your voice, and say, “We fools counted their life madness.” Take care that you yourselves be righteous enough, before you ridicule others as “righteous over-much.”]

  2.      Those who, in spite of scoffers, are endeavouring to please their God—

[Blessed be God, who enables you to stem the torrent, and to serve him in the midst of a wicked world! But, be on your guard against that scrupulosity, which makes those things to be sins which are no sins; and that superstition, which makes things to be duties which are no duties. Be as careful of adding to the word of God as of detracting from it. Let the different parts of Scripture be compared with each other: and learn your duty not so much from any detached passage, as from a collective view of all those passages which may reflect light upon it. Nevertheless in doubtful matters, you will do well to lean to the safer side.

Yet while you are thus circumspect yourselves, do not presume to judge others. Things may be right in others, which would be wrong in you; and right in you under some circumstances, which under different circumstances would be highly improper. Do not then bring others to your standard, or try them at your bar: “it is to their own Master that they must stand or fall.”

Lastly, let not your circumspection fill you with self-preference and self-esteem. However accurately you may walk, there will be still enough to humble you in the dust. You must to your latest hour go to Jesus as the chief of sinners, and seek acceptance with God through his blood and righteousness.]

XCIV

THE DANGER OF WILFUL AND OBSTINATE DISOBEDIENCE

  Exod. 23:20–22.

Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not: for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But, if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

IT is but too common for men to cast the blame of their own negligence on God. But they who labour so much to exculpate themselves now, will one day be silent; and God will finally be justified in every sentence that he shall pass. His kindness to the church of old may shew us what his conduct is towards us. And they who are thus guided, warned, and encouraged, must, if they perish, ascribe their condemnation to themselves alone. The words before us contain,

  I.      The work and office of Christ—

Christ is here called an angel or messenger—

[He is often called by this name in the Holy Scriptures. Nor does he disdain to assume it himselfb. In his essential nature indeed he is equal with the Father. But in his mediatorial capacity he sustains the office of a servant.]

As the angel of the covenant, he leads and keeps his people—

[He is represented as a leader and commander, like Joshua, his type. He went before them in the wilderness in the pillar and the cloud. And still, though invisibly, guides them in their way to heavend.]

Nor does he leave them till he brings them safely to glory—

[He did not forsake the Israelites, till he had accomplished all his promises. Having “prepared the land for them,” he preserved them for it. Thus has he “prepared mansions for us” also; and will surely bring us to the full possession of themg.]

But as this office of Christ implies a correspondent duty in us, God suggests,

  II.      A caution against neglecting him—

We are much in danger of displeasing him—

[As our guide, he expects implicit obedience. Nor can we rebel against him without “provoking” his indignation. Hence we need continual circumspectioni.]

The consequence of displeasing him will be very terrible—

[Doubtless to penitents he is full of mercy and compassion. But to impenitent offenders he will manifest his wrath. Nor will he suffer any to continue in their sins with impunityl.]

His power and dignity are a certain pledge to us that he will avenge the insults that are offered him—

[By “the name of God” we understand not his authority only, but his very nature. And this union with the Father is a pledge to us, that he will act as becomes the divine character. Nor will any consideration of mercy ever tempt him again to sacrifice the honour of the Deity to the interests of man.]

It is not however by terror only that God would persuade us; for he adds,

  III.      An encouragement to obey him—

Obedience is in some sense the condition of God’s favour—

[We know that there is nothing meritorious in man’s obedience. Yet is there an inseparable connexion between that and the divine favour. Nor is it a partial obedience only that he requires at our hands. It must be earnest, unwearied, uniform, and unreserved.]

And to those who yield him this obedience he will shew himself an active friend, and an almighty protector—

[His favour consists not in a mere inactive complacency. It will manifest itself in a constant and powerful interposition on their behalf. He will not fail to secure them the victory over all their enemies.]

  ADDRESS,

  1.      Those who disregard the voice of this divine Messenger—

[From what is spoken of his mercy you are ready to think him destitute of justice. And from the depth of his condescension you conclude he will not vindicate his own honour. But where God most fully proclaims his mercy he declares his justice also. Make not him then your enemy who came from heaven to save you. Consider what means he has used to guide you to the promised land. Consider what great things he would do for you, if you would obey his voice. Consider what certain and terrible destruction your rejection of his mercy will bring upon you. And instantly surrender up yourselves to his direction and government.]

  2.      Those who, though they submit to his government, are doubtful of success—

[The Israelites, notwithstanding all the miracles they had seen, were afraid they should not finally attain the object of their desires. Thus amongst ourselves, many tremble lest their expectations should never be realized. But is not God able to beat down your enemies before you? Or will he forget the promise he has so often renewed? If he be incensed against you, it is not owing to unfaithfulness in him, but to instability in you. Only be vigilant to obey his will, and to follow him fully: and you need not doubt but that he will preserve you unto his heavenly kingdom.]

  3.      Those who are following him with cheerfulness to the heavenly land—

[Blessed be God, there are some of you like-minded with Joshua and Caleb. And are not you living monuments of the power and grace of God? Have you not on many occasions proved his readiness to pardon sin? And do you not daily experience his paternal care and protection? Go on then with increasing vigilance and an assured hope. Know that all the power and perfections of God are engaged for you: and that “having guided you by his counsel, he will finally bring you to glory.”]

XCV

THE VICTORIES OF ISRAEL GRADUAL AND PROGRESSIVE

  Exod. 23:29, 30.

I will not drive them out from before thee in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and little will I drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased and inherit the land.

THE more we investigate the dispensations of Providence, the more we shall see, that “God’s ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts.” If we had been left to form conjectures respecting man in his first creation, who would have conceived that God should suffer the work of his hands to be so marred as Adam was by the fall, and so large a portion of his creatures to perish in everlasting misery? Nor, if we were told that God would take to himself, from amongst the fallen sons of Adam, a peculiar people, and rescue them by so many signs and wonders from their bondage in Egypt, should we have imagined that he would, after all, keep them in the wilderness for the space of forty years, till the whole generation were swept away; and suffer two individuals only, of the whole nation, to enter the promised land. But “his ways are in the great deep; and his footsteps are not known.” When, at last, he had brought his people into Canaan, we should then at least suppose that he would give them a speedy and quiet possession of the land. Yet, behold, he tells them, beforehand, that he will “not drive out the inhabitants at once, but only by little and little.”

We propose to inquire into,

  I.      The design of God in the dispensation here referred to—

It was intended,

  1.      As an act of mercy, to preserve his people—

[The people altogether amounted to about two millions; and the country which they were to occupy extended from the Red Sea to the Euphrates. But, if so small a population were spread over so wide a space, the wild beasts would quickly multiply, and speedily desolate the whole land. True, indeed, God could, if it should so please him, interpose by miracle to change the ferocity of the most savage animals: but that was no part of his plan. He permitted, therefore, vast multitudes of the devoted nations yet to live, that so they might, for their own sake, prevent the increase and incursions of the wild beasts, till Israel should have multiplied so as to be able, in every part, to protect themselves.]

  2.      As an act of righteousness, to try them—

[All the trials with which God’s people were visited in the wilderness were sent “to prove them,” whether they would serve the Lord or not. Not that God needed any such information, as the result of experiment; because “he knew what was in man,” whose heart and reins were open to him from the foundation of the world: but it was desirable, for their own sakes, that they should have an insight into their own hearts, and be able to appreciate the whole of God’s dealings with them. By the continuance of the devoted nations amongst them, they would see how prone they were to seek their own carnal ease and interests, by mingling themselves among them, when they should have been labouring with all their might to effect their utter extirpation. By observing also the success or failure of their efforts against these enemies, they would be able to judge, with accuracy, how far they were in favour with God, or under his displeasure; and would consequently be led to approach him with suitable emotions of gratitude or contrition. This is the view which the Scripture itself gives us of this very dispensation: “These were the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them — the Philistines, Canaanites, Sidenians, and the Hivites; it was TO PROVE ISRAEL BY THEM, to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.”]

  3.      As an act of judgment, to punish them—

[Though there were good ends to be answered, by a gradual execution of the judgments denounced against the seven nations of Canaan, it was the fault of the Israelites themselves that the extirpation of them was not more rapid and complete. They gave way to sloth, when they should have been in full activity; and yielded to fear, when they should have gone forth in assured dependence on their Lord. By this, they greatly increased their own trials, and multiplied their own afflictions. God had told them by Moses, saying, “If ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass, that those whom ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover, it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” Joshua also, at the close of his life, reminded them, that “no man had been able to stand before them:” and then assured them, that “one man of them should be able to chase a thousand, if only they would take heed to themselves to love the Lord their God: but that, if they did in any wise go back, and cleave unto the nations which remained among them, and make marriages with them; then know for a certainty,” says he, “that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.” Accordingly, this prediction was soon verified; and God punished them, as he had said: for, on their “making leagues with the inhabitants of the land,” they were induced at last to “forsake the Lord, and worship Baal and Ashteroth:” and “the Lord’s anger was kindled against them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies: and they were greatly distressed. Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.”

Thus in this dispensation there was a mixture of mercy and of judgment: of mercy primarily; of judgment through their own fault.]

This view of God’s dealings with his people of old affords us a fit occasion to inquire into,

  II.      His design in a corresponding dispensation towards his people at this day—

The redemption which he has vouchsafed to us through the blood of his only dear Son might justly lead us to expect, that when once we are truly brought out from the dominion of sin and Satan, our triumphs over them would be complete. But it is not so: for though the yoke with which we were oppressed is loosened, a measure of our bondage still remains: there is yet “the flesh lusting against the spirit, so that we cannot do the things that we would;” yea more, “there is yet a law in our members warring against the law in our minds, and too often bringing us into captivity to the law of sin which is in our members.” Now whence is it, that God suffers his people to be yet harassed with the remains of sin? He suffers it,

  1.      For our deeper humiliation—

[The sins of our unconverted state may well humble us in the dust, and cause us to “go softly,” in the remembrance of them, to our dying hour. But the views of our depravity, which we derive from them, are as nothing in comparison of those which we gain from the workings of corruption in our converted state. These are the views which cause us to cry out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me?” These were the views which constrained Job to exclaim, “Behold, I am vile:” “I repent, and abhor myself in dust and ashesi.” And, in proportion as they are discovered to us, they will constrain every living man to “lothe himself for hi, iniquities and abominations.” Now this is a feeling that well becomes our sinful race: and though the acquisition of it is obtained through much painful experience, yet does it, in the issue, well repay all that we have suffered in the attainment of it.]

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