A Cloud of Faithful Witnesses, Commentary 12
The Israelites Faith.
VERSE 29.
By faith, they passed through the red sea, as by drie land: which, when the Egyptians had assayed to doe, they were drowned.
HItherto wee hauehave heard the faith of Moses alone, highly commended, in two examples. Now followeth a commendation of his faith with others: so that heere is a new example of faith; to wit, of the Israelites together with Moses. For, Moses is heere to be considered not onelyonly as one of them, but as a principall agent in this work of faith. And here their faith is commended vntounto vsus by a wonderful strange action, which they did, through the power and goodnesse of God: namely, by their passing through the red sea; not by passing ouer it: for, that might hauehave beene by Art; but through it: which is aboue nature and Art, & meerly miraculous. This fact of theirs is largely set down, Exod. 14. And, that it might appeare to be eueryevery way wonderful as it is indeede, the Author of this Epistle commends it by two circumstances; which notably set forth vntounto vsus the strangenesse hereof. First, by their manner how they passed through; namely, as by dry Land. Secondly, by ye time whē; namely then, when the Egyptians following thē, were drowned. Here first we will speake of the fact it selfe, and then of the circumstances.
The fact is set downe in the first words; By faith they passed through the red sea. The words are plaine of themselues; and offer vntounto vsus sundry points worthy our obseruation. And first, it may be asked, who they were that heere passed through, by faith? The answere is, the Israelites. Exod. 14 11, 12.But some will say, wee reade in the Historie, that when the people came to the red sea, they were wonderfully afraide, and murmured against Moses; saying, That it had beene better for them to hauehave liued in the bondage of Egypt, then to come into the Desart and there die. Now, how can they murmure impatiently and fearefully, and yet passe through by faith? Answere. At the first indeede they murmured, when they saw the danger they were in, hauing the huge Armie of Pharaoh following them, and the red sea before them, and hills and mountaines on each side. But howsoeuer they murmured at the first, yet when Moses spake words of comfort vntounto them in the name of the Lord, bidding them not to be afraid, &c; and when he held vp his rod, and entred into the red sea before them, then they followed him by faith: and heereupon the holy Ghost giues vntounto them the title of true beleeuers.
Heere we may learne, that true faith in Gods children, is mingled with vnbeliefe. The Israelites faith was true faith, but yet it was very imperfect and weake: for, if it had beene perfect & sound faith, they would neuer hauehave murmured, nor hauehave beene impatient and fearefull. But looke as it is in nature, so it is in grace. In nature we cannot passe from one contrary to another, but by the mixture of the contraries: As, in light and darknesse, the one doth not followe the other immediatly; but first, there is a mixture of them both in the dawning of the day, and closing of the night: and so it is in other contraries, euen in those which concerne the soule: Vnbeliefe is a sinne; faith is a vertue and grace contrary to it. Now vnbeliefe cannot be expelled by faith, before there be a mixture of them both, and so when faith preuaileth, vnbeliefe decayeth; neither can faith be euer perfect, because it is euer mingled more or lesse with vnbeliefe.
This plainely ouerthrowes the opinion of the Church of Rome, who say, that after a man is regenerate, and beleeues, there is nothing in him that God can hate. For they imagine that he is so throughly sanctified, that there is nothing in him which may properly be called a sinne: but here we see their doctrine is false, seeing faith & vnbeliefe are alwaies mingled together.
Secondly, as it falls out with faith, so it is with the rest of Gods graces: looke as faith is not perfect, but mixed with vnbeliefe, so are all other graces of God whatsoeuer. The feare of GOD is not perfect in a man nor the louelove of God: for, the feare of GOD is mingled with the feare of men; and the feare of GOD for his mercy, is mingled with the feare of GOD for his iudgements. And heereby many are deceiued; for when they feare GOD for his punishments, they thinke themselues to be most miserable and voyde of grace: but they deceiue themselues. For there is no man vponupon the earth that feareth GOD onelyonly for his mercies, and doth not feare GOD also for his punishments in part; for Gods graces in this life are euer mingled with their contraries. And therfore to imagine that a man may feare GOD for his mercies onelyonly, and not for iudgements also, is to conceiue of such a man as none is, nor can be in this life; for the best feare that is in any man liuing, is a mixt feare.
Further, when Moses had spoken words of comfort vntounto them, the vnbelieuing and fearefull Israelites, do stir vp their hearts to belieue. So wee accordingly must labour and striue against that in-bred vnbeliefe which is in vsus: for eueryevery man hath innumerable sinnes in him that resist faith; and if they bee not checked and suppressed, they will master his faith: but hee that would hauehave faith to continue and last, must striue against natural vnbeleefe, as the Israelites do in this place; and as the man in the Gospel, Mark. 9.24. when hee said to Christ, Lord, I beleeue, helpe my vnbeleefe, knowing that his vnbeleefe did suppresse his faith. And so did the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ; when they prayed, Lord increase our faith, Luk. 17.5. And Dauid, beeing oppressed with deadnesse of heart, stirres vp his faith, saying; Why art thou cast down, my soule? &c. waite on God, Psalm. 42. v. 11. For, he that hath faith, is troubled with vnbeleefe; and the more it troubles him, the lesse he beleeueth, vnlesse hee striue against it manfully.
2. Quest. But how many of the Israelites beleeued, and went ouer by faith? Ans. Not all: for Paul saith, With many of them God was not well pleased; for they were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse: 1. Cor. 10.5. Which shewes, that all that passed ouer had not true faith; for, some beleeued: and by the force of their faith all went ouer safely.
Hence wee note this (which hath beene often taught vsus) that an vngodly man receiueth many temporal benefits, by the societie of Gods people which beleeue: as here the vnbeleeuing Israelites had this benefit, to goe through the redde sea safely, by reason of those that beleeued. And in the former example, the brute beasts were freed frō killing by the Angel, because they belonged to the host of the Lords people. Now, shall a brute beast hauehave benefit, by beeing with GODs people, and shall not a man much more? Yes vndoubtedly: for, so wee may reade, that for Pauls sake, all the Mariners and Souldiers that were in the Shippe, were saued from drowning. Act. 27.24. This point must perswade eueryevery one of vsus, to make choyce of the godly for our societie, and company, with whom we liue and conuerse; for, by them we reape many benefits, and freedome also from many heauy iudgements.
The third point is this: When did the Israelites beleeue? This circumstance is worth the marking: They beleeued when they passed through the redde sea; for, they beleeued not onelyonly in generall, that GOD was their GOD, as hee had promised to their fathers: but they beleeued, that GOD would bee with them, and giuegive them life in the middle of the redde sea. A notable point. They beleeued (as it were) in the middle of their graues (for so might the redde sea be well called) that GOD would giuegive them life euerlasting, and preserue them safely through the sea, and from their enemies.
In their example wee are taught the same dutie, to doe as they here did. The childe of GOD in this life hath innumerable causes of desperation: and sometimes his owne conscience wil take part with Satan, in charging the soule to bee in state of damnation. In this heauie case, what must bee done? Surely, at this time, when a man is a cast-away in himselfe, he must euen then beleeue; beeing in hell (as it were) hee must beleeue that God will bring him to heauen. It is nothing for a man to beleeue in prosperitie, and peace; but in time of desperation to beleeue, that is a most worthy faith: and indeede, then is the right time for a man to shew his faith, when there is in himselfe no cause of beleeuing. Obiect. But when a man is in this case, he cannot beleeue. Answ. Indeede to beleeue then, is a wonderfull hard thing, and a miracle of miracles: But yet this is the propertie of true faith, so to doe; and if there bee but one dramme of true faith in the heart that despaires, howsoeuer it may for a time lie hidde, as dead: yet at the length it will make him to hope, and waite for mercy and life at the hands of Almightie GOD. And therefore, if it shall please GOD at any time to lay a torment vponupon our consciences, so as wee shall striue with the wrath of GOD, thinking that hee hath cast vsus away; yet for all that, then we must beleeue GODs promises, and set before vsus his mercies, and therewith refresh vsus. And if this faith were not, the childe of GOD many sundry times were in a most miserable case; the Lord therefore hath most mercifully prouided to helpe him, by the grace of faith. When a man is past all hope of life, he must then beleeue and hope for life, as the Israelites did in the red sea, for preseruation. And vndoubtedly, this is a comfortable signe of grace, if a man in the horrour of conscience, can shewe forth the least sparke of true faith.
Fourthly, note the effect and issue of this faith. They passed through the red sea. We say vsually, that water & fire be vnmercifull creatures; and therefore the naturall man feares them both: but the Israelites faith, makes them not to feare the water; but it makes them bold, euen to passe thorough the sea. The like we may see for fire, in the 3. children, Dan. 3.16.23; who were not affraid of the hot burning ouen, but were as bold in it, as out of it. Rauenous & wilde beasts are terrible vntounto men; but faith makes a man not to feare them: and therefore Daniel feares not the Lyons, though hee were throwen into their denne to bee deuoured, Dan. 6.22. Great is the fruite and force of faith: it takes from a man the feare of those creatures, which by nature are most terrible. And here wee see a cause, why the holy Martyrs of God died most cheerefully. A man would thinke it strange, that one should goe into the fire, reioycing, as many of them did: but the reason is, Because they had faith in their hearts, which taketh away the feare of the most fearefull creatures.
But if it bee so (may some say) that the Israelites by faith went through the redde sea, not fearing the water; why may not we that beleeue, now doe the same? for wee hauehave the same faith that they had. Answ. Wee hauehave indeede the same faith, and yet wee cannot passe through waters as they did. For, their faith rested on two promises: first, on this made to Abraham, I will bee thy God, and the God of thy seed; Secōdly, on a particular promise made to Moses. For, when he cōmanded him to goe through the red sea; withall he made a promise, to keepe and preserue them: and this they beleeued, and so went through. Now, howsoeuer we hauehave iustifying faith, hauing the same generall promise; yet we hauehave not the like particular promise, That if wee passe through the red sea, God will be with vsus and saue vsus. And therefore, if any man shall aduenture to doe so, let him looke for nothing but death; for, it is not an action of faith, but of presumption. And therefore Peter sunke, when hee would needs walke vntounto Christ vponupon the sea, hauing no such hold vponupon Gods speciall promise, as here they had: and the Egyptians following presumptuously were drowned. Wherfore, let vsus here be warned, not to attempt to doe extraordinary workes, without Gods special warrant: for, a particular faith, requires a particular promise, besides the generall promise of God in Christ.
Further, let vsus here obserue a wonderfull worke of Gods mercy and power. When these seruants of God were brought into extremitie of danger, so as they were in a desperate case for their temporall life; yet then the Lord findes a way of deliuerance. And indeede, if a man consider aright of it, hee must needes acknowledge that these Israelites were in a pittifull case; for, they had the red sea before them, and mountains on each side, and themselues hindred from flight, by their bag and baggage, and with their children, and the huge hoste of Pharaoh behinde them; so as to mans reason, there was nothing but present death to bee looked for: yet the Lord in mercy to saue them, makes a way where there was no way, and opens them a gappe to life, when naturall reason could lay▪ before them nothing but violent death. Which shewes the wonderfull mercy of God, to his owne people and seruants. And the like thing we may read of in Dauid, when he abode in the wildernes…e of Maon: for there Saul followed him, and he and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about, 1. Sam. 23.26, 27. Now, what hope of deliuerance was there for Dauid? Ans. Surely this only: Dauid was the seruant of God, & the Lord preserued him, that hee might rule his people after Sauls death; and therfore he escapeth, though wonderfully: for, a messenger comes to Saul and bids him haste, for the Philistims inuaded the Land; and so Saul returned from pursuing Dauid, and went against the Philistims.
Hence we learne this generall rule, that in the extremitie of all danger, God hath meanes to preserue and saue his owne children and people. Which must teach vsus, to commend our case to GOD, and to rest on him in all dangers; for, when our case is desperate in our sight, then are we fittest for Gods helpe. Let vsus therefore in such cases, learne to practice our faith; and then especially to cast our selues vponupon GOD. This, Iehosaphat did most notably: for, beeing assaulted with the huge armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, &c. he praied vntounto the Lord most feruently, saying; 2. Chron. 20.12, Lord, there is no strength in vsus, wee knowe not what to doe; but our eies are towards thee: and, thus doing, was preserued; for, God will in no extremitie forsake them that trust in him.
The red sea.] In many places of the olde testament, it is called the sea of rushes, Psal. 106.7, 9. Or, the sea of sedges, Ier. 49.21. It is a corner of the Arabian sea, that parteth Egypt and Arabia. Those, which hauehave seene it in trauell, say, it hath no other colour than all other seas hauehave; Why then is it called the red sea? Answ. To omit many supposed causes hereof, ther be two especially, for which it is so called. 1 Because of the red sand; for both the bottome of the sea, and the shoare, are full of redder sande, than ordinarily is else-where. 2 Some thinke it is called the redde sea, by reason of the sedges and bul-rushes which, growe much at the sea side, and bee of a redde colour; which, by reflection, may make the same colour appeare on the water. But this neede not to trouble any man: for the holy Ghost vseth the same name, which commonly the men of that countrey gaue vntounto it. And thus much of their fact, that they by faith passed through the redde sea. Now we come to the two circumstances, whereby it is commended.
The first circumstance is, the manner of their going through the red sea: they went through as on dry land. This must not be conceiued to be, by help of bridge or shippe, nor by meanes which men vse, as swimming, failing, or wading; but their passage was miraculous: for, the waters stood like walls on both sides of them. And the channel of the sea was as a pauement or dry land; Exod. 14.22. which notably setteth forth the strangenesse of this fact, shewing that it was a wonderfull work of God. And this also confuteth certaine enemies of the Scripture, who hauehave cauilled at all the miracles which are recorded therein: accounting of Moses but as a Magician and Sorcerer, & of the miracles which he did, as of illusions: and for this miracle they make no account of it; for (say they) Moses being a great scholler, and a wise man, knew the time of the rise and fall of the waters, & knew the fords and shallowe places: therfore he took his time, and found a place so shallow, that when the tide was past, the sands were bare & dry (as the marshes in England are) and then he led the hoast of Israell through. But Pharaoh & his hoast following them, were drowned, because they went through at the flowing of the sea? Ans. Whereas they say that this their passage was no miracle, heere we see it is ouerthrowen by this circumstance of the maner of their passing ouer: for, the bottom of the sea was as a pauement, & as ground on which no waters fal. Now, in most places of the sea, where the waters ebb and flowe, the ground is neuer fully dry, but watery and full of moist places.
Againe, the waters passed not away as at an ebbe, but stoode as walls on each side of the hoast of Israell, both on the right hand and on the left: both which shew plainely,Exod. 14.… ▪ there was no vantage taken by the ebbing and flowing of the water (as vngodly Atheists do cauill, deriding Gods works to their own destructiō) but a mighty & miraculous work of God, first making the waters stand like two walls, and then making the earth vnderunder it firme & dry, contrary to nature in them both.
The 2. circumstance is, concerning the time when they passed through; euen, then when the Egyptians assaying to doe the same, were drowned. Marke the words; for the thing is strange. The Egyptians come armed after the Israelites, with a huge great Armie. Now, the Israelites they take into the sea; and the Egyptians seeing them, stand not still vponupon the banke, but aduenture after them, not by ship, but the same way that the Israelites tooke before them: but yet without any warrant or commaundement from God: so great was their malice against them; & yet a man would hauehave thought they durst neuer hauehave aduentured into the sea after them, especially as they did.
Here, by this fact of Pharaoh & his men, we learne, that when God forsakes a man, and leaues him to himselfe, he doth nothing else but run headlong to his own destructiō. God (as Moses saith) raised vp Pharaoh to shew his power vponupon him: and now it pleaseth God to leaue him to himselfe, and he pursueth the Israelites to his own destruction. And this is the course and state of all those that are forsaken of God▪ The consideration whereof must teach vsus a speciall clause to be vsed of vsus in our prayers: wee must euer remember to pray for this, That God would neuer wholly forsake vsus, nor cast vsus off. This condition is more fearefull than the estate and condition of any creature in the world besides: for when God forsakes a man; all that he doth, is hastening himselfe to his owne destruction. Dauid knew this well, and therefore he praies, Oh, knit my heart vntounto thee, that I may feare thy name, Psal. 86.11. And againe, he praieth that the Lord would not forsake him ouer-long, Psal. 119.8; as if he should say, if it be thy pleasure to try me by leauing me to my selfe: yet, O Lord let it be but for awhile, forsake me not ouer-long. This is the scope of the sixt petition, Leade vsus not into temptation: where wee are taught to pray, that God would not forsake vsus, or leaue vsus to our selues; or to the power of Satan; but that he would be with vsus, and shew his power in our weaknesse continually. And this may enforce vsus vntounto this petition: for, the consideration, That men forsaken of GOD, doe nothing but worke their owne destruction, is many times a cause of great trouble of minde. For, some desiring to see such as hang or drowne themselues, by beholding of them get this conceite into their heads, that God will likewise forsake them as he hath done these whom they behold, & so shall they make away themselues; whence followeth great trouble, & anguish of soule for a long time. Now, how must a man or woman in this case helpe themselues? Answere. The best way is, by prayer to craue at Gods hands, that he would euer be with them, and neuer wholly forsake them. And further, this must be remembred withall, that GOD will neuer forsake any of his seruants before they first forsake him: and therefore they that can say truly and vnfainedly, that they desire to serue God, and to be his seruants, and seeke this blessing by prayer, they may stand fast on this ground, that God will neuer forsake them, till they first forsake him. And therefore Azariah the Prophet saith notably to King Asa, 2. Chron. 15.2, The Lord will be with you while you be with him; and if ye seeke him, hee will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, hee will forsake you. And Iames saith, Draw neere to God, and he will draw neere to you, Iames 4.8. It was neuer heard that God did euer forsake any that did seeke him. And if the causes were knowen why men make away themselues, it would prooue (generally) to be thus; because they first by some fearefull sins hauehave forsaken God, & then he in his Iustice forsakes them. And therfore they that are troubled with this temptation, must pray that they may sticke fast vntounto God by faith and holinesse: & so will …e neuer forsake them.
Secondly, in this circumstance, that the Egyptians following the Israelites, were drowned, we hauehave a notable pattern of the state & condition of all persecuters of Gods church. In Pharaoh and his hoast wee may see their end, which is vsually destruction: that is their reward for persecuting Gods Church. Cain slaies Abell that notable seruant of GOD: but his reward was this, hee was cast forth of Gods Church, Gen. 4.11.13▪ and striken in Gods iust iudgement with finall desperation. Saul persecuted Dauid: but his end was to kill himselfe with his own sword, 1. Samuel 30.4. And Iesabell she persecutes the Prophets & children of God: but her end was this,2. Kings 9.35.36. the dogs did eate her flesh. The whole stock of the Herods were great enemies to Christ: But their name was soone rooted out; and Herod, called Agrippa, that slew Iames, Acts 12.23.and persecuted Peter, was eaten vp of wormes. Many great Emperours in the primatiue Church were persecuters: but they died desperatly. And Iulian, for one, once a Christian, died blaspheming Christ; &, casting his bloud vp towards heauen, cried, Thou hast ouercome ô Galilean, thou hast ouercome. And to come neerer these times; what reward from God the persecuters of the Church hauehave had, we may reade in the booke of Acts & monuments, which was penned for that purpose. And to come to these our daies, the whole band of those that call thēselues leaguers, in Fraunce, Italy, Spaine, &c. like the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ismaelites, Moab, and the Agarims, &c. Psal. 83.5, 6, they vow the destruction & persecution of Gods Church: but yet Gods Church stands; & he so cōtriues the matter, that they draw swords against thēselues, & slay & poyson one another. Herein doth God graciously make good his promise to his Church, that the weapons made against her shal not prosper. Isa. 54.17.And Zachary 12.3, there is a prophecie of ye Church in the new Testament: the Lord saith, He wil make Ierusalem (that is his Church) an heauy stone; for all people that lift it vp shal be torn, though all the people of the earth be gathered against it: where the Prophet setteth down, notably, what shal be the condition of those that persecute Gods Church: the more they persecute her, the more they shall hauehave Gods hand against them to confound them. Dan. 2.34, there is mention made of a stone hewen out of a rocke without hands, which smote the image vponupon the feete, which were of yron & clay, & brake them to peeces. By that stone, is meant the kingdom of Christ, which shall dash in peeces the kingdomes of the earth, which set themselues against Christ, and his kingdome. For, Christ must raigne till hee hauehave put all his enemies vnderunder his feete: so that destruction is the ende of the enemies of Gods Church. For, the hand of the Lord shall bee knowen among his seruants, and his indignation against his enemies, Isay, 66.14. And thus much of the 2. circumstance.
Now, in this whole fact of the Israelites passing thorough the red sea, towards the Land of Canaan, there is a notable thing signified; namely, Baptisme. So Paul saith, The Israelites were baptized vntounto Moses in the sea, 1. Cor. 10.2. Yet wee must remember, it was not ordinary Baptisme, but extraordinary; neuer administred before, and neuer shall be so again, for ought we know. The Minister of this Baptisme, was Moses; an extraordinary Minister, as the Baptisme was extraordinary. The outwarde signe was the red sea; or rather, the water of the redde sea. The departing of the children of Israel out of Egypt thorough the redde sea, signifieth the departing of the children of GOD out of the kingdome of darkenesse, from the power of sin and Satan. And the drowning of Pharaoh, with all his hoste in the redde sea, signified the subduing of the power of all spirituall enemies, with the pardon and death of sinne; which stands partly in the abolishing of sinne, and partly in newnesse of life. And to this alludeth the Prophet Micah, saying; He will subdue our iniquities, and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea: Micah, 7.19. As if he should say, Looke as God subdued Pharaoh, and all his hoste, in the bottome of the sea; so will he cast, and put away the sinnes of his people.
From this we learne two points: 1 That the Baptisme of infants hath warrāt in Gods word, howsoeuer some mē be of a contrary opinion: for, here we see all the Israelites were baptized in the sea; and among them no doubt were many children. If it be said, this baptisme was extraordinary, and is no ground for ours; Answ. True: it was extraordinary for the manner; but yet herein, the matter and substance, and the thing signified is ordinary, and the end all one with ours: and therefore the baptizing of infants in the red sea, is some warrant for the baptisme of infants in the Church now adaies.
Secondly, here we may learne another instruction. As the Israelites went through the red sea (as through a graue) to the promised land of Canaan; so we must know, that the way to the spirituall Canaan, euen the kingdome of heauen, is by dying vntounto sinne. This is a speciall point to bee considered of eueryevery one of vsus: we professe our selues to be Christians, wee heare Gods word, and receiue the sacraments, which are the outward badges of Christians, and we perswade our selues of life euerlasting after death: wel, if we would hauehave that to be the ende of our iourney, then we must take the Lords plaine way in this life; which is, to die vntounto all our sinnes. So it is said, they which are Christs, hauehave crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof: where, this duty is inioyned to eueryevery Christian; hee must crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh, and not liue in sinne. For, a man cannot walke in sinne, and so runne the broad way to hell, and yet waite for the kingdome of heauen; these two will not stand together: and therefore, if we would walke worthy the calling of Christianitie, wee must hauehave care that all our sins, whether they bee of heart or life, little or great, new or olde, may be mortified and abolished. Many will for a time become ciuill, and seeme to be religious, especially when they are to receiue the Lords supper; but when that time of the sacrament is past, then they returne to their old custome in sinning againe: wherby it appeares, that their change was but in shew, to blind the eies of men. And doe we not each Sabbaoth professe our selues good Christians, and seeme to glory in it, by keeping this day with such solemnitie? But alas! as soone as that day is past, many (& some euen this day) runne into all ryot. This is not Christianity; this is not the way to heauen: but, if euer we thinke to come to Canaan, we must kill and bury our sinnes, we must die vntounto them; or else we shal neuer come to the ende of Christianity: namely, eternall life. And thus much of this circumstance, and also of the example it selfe.