The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 58 – Section 61
SECT. LVIII.
MOſes ſince he came into Jethro's Family had (as it ſeems) betaken himſelf to the Paſtoral Employment, as an exerciſe that allowed great liberty, and opportunity for Contemplation. And keeping his Father-in-laws Sheep in the Deſert, that he might provide freſh Paſtures for them, he drave them to the further ſide of the Deſert nigh to Mount Horeb. (a)This Mountain ſeems like Parnaſſus to have had two tops, one called Sinai, the other Horeb. Called in this place by anticipation the Mountain of God, becauſe here God afterwards in ſo wonderful a manner appeared to Moſes, and gave him the Law, and made a Covenant with the people.Here Chriſt, the eternal Son of God, the Meſſenger or Angel (b)Magni concilii Angelus Dei voluntatem nobis nun…iavit.of the Covenant (Mal. 3.1.) appeared to him out of a burning Buſh, (which though it burnt, yet it was not conſumed.) Moſes being ſtricken with admiration at the ſight, and not knowing at firſt what to think of it, he determined to approach nearer to it, hoping thereby better to inform himſelf. The Lord calls to him out of the midſt of the Buſh, Moſes, Moſes. Moſes hearing himſelf called by his Name, anſwered, Here I am. The Lord then charged him not to draw too nigh to the Buſh, but to put off his ſhooes; that is, that he ſhould in all humility preſent himſelf before Him as a poor Caytiff, not worthy to ſtand in the preſence of ſo great a Majeſty. He further tells him, That the place whereon he ſtood was holy Ground; that is, made holy at this time through the preſence and apparition of God, without which it was but like other Ground. And therefore by that outward expreſſion he ſhould teſtifie the inward reverence of his mind. Moreover the Lord ſaid, I am the God of thy Fathers, the God of Abraham,(c)The Lord expreſſing this as in the preſent Tenſe, I am the God of Abraham, &c. ſpeaking of men long ſince dead, it was doubtleſs not only in regard of the Immortality of their Souls, but alſo in regard of the certain Reſurrection of their Bodies too. And therefore our Saviour alledges this place to prove the Reſurrection of the Body againſt the Sadduces, Mat. 22.31, 32. Iſaac, and Jacob, to whom I promiſed to be their God, and the God of their Seed after them. Moſes hearing this, hid his Face(d)So Elijah wrapped his face in a Mantle, 1 King. 19.13. See Eſay 6.3. out of an awful Reverence of ſo great a Majeſty, being afraid, through a ſenſe of his own vileneſs, to look up towards God. The Lord further ſaid unto Moſes, I have ſeen the Affliction of my People in Egypt, and heard their Cry. Then (ſpeaking of Himſelf after the manner of men) He tells him, He was come down (e)See Gen. 11.7. & 18.21. & 35.13.to deliver them out of their Bondage, and to bring them into a good and large Land, (f)Though Judea contain'd in length from Dan to B…erſheba but an 160, and in breadth from Joppa to Jordan but 60 miles, yet it may be called large in reſpect of Goſhen where the Iſraelites for the moſt part dwelt. See Gen. 13.14, 15.a Land flowing with Milk and Honey; and He intended to ſend him to ſpeak to Pharaoh to let his People go. So that the ſecret Inſpiration which Moſes had before from God, Exod. 2.11. is here now advanced to an open Call, and full Commiſſion. At his firſt Call he was very forward, and killed the Egyptian, but ſince his flight out of Egypt he was become more cautious. Therefore he ſaid unto the Lord, Who am I (a mean man) that I ſhould go to Pharaoh (a great proud and tyrannical Prince) and ſhould think to deliver a diſtreſſed People out of his Power. The Lord anſwered, I will certainly be with thee; ſo that thou needſt not fear either thy own Weakneſs, or the Power of them to whom I ſend thee. And this preſent Apparition of mine out of the burning, but not burned Buſh, ſhall be a Token and Evidence to thee, that at this time I have ſent thee. And hereafter, when thou haſt brought the people out of Egypt, this may further ſerve to ſtrengthen thy Faith in my Power and Providence over them; I do now foretell thee, Ye ſhall ſerve me upon this Mountain. Moſes conceiving himſelf now, after ſo many years abſence, in a manner unknown to the Children of Iſrael, he begins to think that they might queſtion, Whither indeed he was ſent of God or no, and might demand of him under what Name or Title God had made known Himſelf to him. If that ſhould ſo happen, he humbly deſires to know by what Name or Title the Lord would pleaſe to be mention'd to them, ſeeing many of his Names were abuſed by application of them to Idols. The Lord anſwers, If thou enquireſt concerning my Name, I am that I am. Therefore go and tell the Children of Iſrael, That I AM hath ſent thee unto them; and further tell them, That the Lord God of their Fathers, the God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, hath ſent thee unto them, and tell them, This is my Name for ever, and this is my Memorial unto all Generations; that is, by this Name ſhall all Generations remember Me. Go then therefore and call the Heads of the Tribes of the Children of Iſrael together, and deliver this Meſſage to them, that they may acquaint their Brethren of the ſeveral Tribes here-with, and tell them, That I have by the watchful Eye of my Providence mercifully viſited them, and have obſerved what hath been done unto them in Egypt, and that I do intend aſſuredly to deliver them out of the Houſe of Bondage, and will bring them into Canaan, a Land abounding with all things ſerving both for Neceſſity and Delight. And the Elders of the People ſhall hearken unto thee, and ſhall go along with thee to Pharaoh, (g)The deniall of this will make Pharaoh the more inexcuſable, and the Juſtice of God more manifeſt upon him.and you ſhall ſay unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath appeared to us, and commanded us to offer to Him a Sacrifice, and to celebrate to Him a Feaſt thereon, and hath commanded Us to come to thee, and to requeſt of Thee ſo much liberty that we may go three days Journey (h)Viz. To Horeb, v. 12. which was but a three days Journey from Egypt, had they gone the direct way. But becauſe of troubles and fears they were led about, Exod. 13.17, 18. So that they came not thither till the third month, Exod. 19.1.into the Wilderneſs to perform this Sacrifice(i)In Egypt they could not do it without danger from the Egyptians, to whom their Sacrifices were ſuch an abomination, that to offer them before their eyes, might provoke them to ſtone them, Exod. 8.26. to the Lord our God. The Lord further adds, I know Pharaoh will be ſo obſtinate, that he will not let you go, no not by a mighty Hand; that is, no not though divers great and heavy Plagues be inflicted on him. For I will ſtretch out my Hand upon Egypt, and will ſmite them with all thoſe great and ſmarting Plagues which I intend to bring upon them, and I know that not till after the laſt and tenth Plague (viz. the ſlaying of their Firſt-born) will he let you go. And I will, before I bring you out of Egypt, give you favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they ſhall be willing to lend(k)Annon dolo malo uſi ſunt qui haec petebant cum aliud, in animo haberent. Non eſt mendacium ſed ſilentium integrae veritatis. Non dixerunt ſe hoc tantum facturos: partem conſilii aperit Deus Tyranno, partem celat, quia eſt liberrimus, Deut. 2.30. 1 Sam. 16.1. you any thing you ſhall deſire of them, viz. Jewels of Silver, and of Gold, and fine Raiment, and you ſhall put them upon your Sons and upon your Daughters, and ſo you ſhall come forth with great Subſtance, as I have promiſed, Gen. 15.14.(l)This was no Theft or Sin, God having commanded it, who is Lord Paramount of all, and likewiſe intended hereby to recompence his People for the Injuries they had received from the Egyptians, and that by theſe Spoils they might be furniſhed with precious Materials for the Tabernacle. and ſhall ſpoil the Egyptians. Moſes Replies, That he feared his Country-men, the Hebrews, would be very difficult at firſt to believe him, or that God had indeed appeared to him, and humbly deſires to know what he ſhould do in that caſe. The Lord, to incourage him againſt his fears, furniſhes him with Power to work Miracles, which might be an Evidence of the Divine Preſence with him, and a Seal to the Iſraelites that he came with Commiſſion from God, and that God had ſent him. Accordingly firſt he bids him throw down his Rod or Staff, which he had in his hand, upon the ground, and ſuddenly it became a Serpent, (m)To change one Creature into another, not in appearance only, but really, requires a Divine Power.ſo that Moſes was ready to fly from it out of fear. But God Commands him to take it by the tail, which he accordingly did, and it became immediately a Rod again. Then God commanded him to put his hand into his Boſom, which when he plucked it out again, it was become as white and leprous as Snow. Then God commanded him to put it into his Boſom again, and when he drew it out this ſecond time, behold it was as whole and ſound as his other hand. Then the Lord tells him, That if the Children of Iſrael were not wrought upon, nor did incline to believe him for the firſt Sign, poſſibly they would for the ſecond. But if it ſhould ſo happen that they ſhould not be brought to believe him for either of theſe, when he came into Egypt he ſhould take of the water of the River Nilus and pour it upon the ground, and it ſhould preſently become blood upon the dry Land, which ſhould be a further Demonſtration to them that God had ſent him. Moſes being ſtill fearful, Replied, Ah Lord, I am not Eloquent, (n)Indeed Stephen ſaid of him, Acts 7.22. That he was mighty in words, that is, He was an excellent Speaker as to the ſubſtance of what he ſpake, yet ſome defect he had as to his utterance. Some think he had a ſtammering Tongue, which made him ſay, Ch. 6.12. How ſhall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumciſed lips.I am not a man of a free and ready Speech, as thoſe ſhould be who are employed to ſpeak to Princes. I am ſlow of ſpeech; I was ſo formerly, neither do I find the matter much mended with me ſince thou didſt vouchſafe to ſpeak to me, and Call me to this great Service. The Lord anſwered, Who hath given to man the faculty of Speech? or who deprives him of that faculty? and ſo of Hearing or Seeing. Do not I the Lord give theſe Abilities, and take them away at my pleaſure. Now therefore Go, I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou ſhalt ſay. But Moſes being ſtill under great fears, and deeply apprehenſive of his own unfitneſs for ſo difficult a Service; He cried out, Ah Lord, I pray thee ſend by the Miniſtry of ſuch an one whom thou wilt find fitter for this great Service than I am, whoever he be, and ſend not by me who am ſo unfit and ſo unable. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Moſes for this his diſtruſtful Deſpondency, (o)Modeſte renuentem paſſus eſt Moſen Deus, non obſtinatius reluctantem.and He ſaid, Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother? I know that he is a good Spokes-man, and he ſhall be joyned in Commiſſion with thee, and I will by an inward motion of my Spirit cauſe him to come forth to meet thee, and he will be heartily glad to ſee thy face again, and thou ſhalt inſtruct him concerning this your common Commiſſion; and I will teach you both what you ſhall do. He ſhall ſpeak to the people as from thee, and thou ſhalt give Direction and Counſel to him as from Me; revealing my Mind and Will unto him, and acquainting him what he ſhall ſay to Pharaoh. Ch. 7. 1. And thou ſhalt take this Rod of thine in thy hand, and with it thou ſhalt do Signs and Wonders before Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
Ch. 3. whole Chapter.
Ch. 4. from verſ. 1. to verſ. 18.
SECT. LIX.
MOſes being now confirmed partly by Miracles, partly by the promiſe of Divine aſſiſtance, and having his Brother Aaron given him for his Partner, he undertook the Work. Returning therefore to his Father-in-law Jethro, and concealing (as 'tis probable) from him the glorious Viſion he had ſeen, and the honourable Employment he was called unto, leſt Jethro ſhould by propoſing Difficulties and perils in the undertaking diſcourage him; He in a reſpectful manner deſires him to permit him to go into Egypt to viſit his Brethren, and ſee how they did. Jethro readily conſents to it, and bids him go in peace. Notwithſtanding, Moſes (it ſeems) after he had obtained leave of Jethro, made not ſuch haſt as he ought to have done. Therefore God appears to him a ſecond time in Midian, and quickens him to the Journey, aſſuring him, that all thoſe in Egypt that ſought his life were dead. Then Moſes took his Wife and his two Sons Gerſhom and Eliezer, (Exod. 18.3, 4.) and ſetting them upon Aſſes, intended to carry them with him into Egypt; and he took his Rod (with which God appointed him to work Miracles) in his hand, and the Lord appointed him, when he came into Egypt, to do all thoſe Wonders and Miracles before Pharaoh which he ſhould put into his hand; that is, give him Power to do. But the Lord tells him, That he will harden Pharaoh's heart; that is, he will withdraw and withhold his Grace from him (as by withholding Light he cauſeth Darkneſs) and would permit Satan to excite and ſpur on his corrupt Nature; ſo that notwitſtanding the many things that ſhould be offer'd to him for his Conviction, he ſhould more and more harden his own heart againſt God, and ſhould refuſe to let the People go. However he commands him to ſpeak thus unto Pharaoh; Thus ſaith the Lord, The People or Poſterity of Iſrael are my Firſt-born, being choſen of my free Grace firſt, out of all Nations, to be my peculiar People, and are as dear to me as the Firſt-born are to their Parents. Therefore let them go, that they may ſerve me. If thou refuſe to let them go, behold I will ſlay thy Son, even thy Firſt-born; and not thine only, but the Firſt-born of all the Egyptians, thy Subjects alſo, and ſo accordingly it afterwards came to paſs.
Ch. 4. from verſ. 18. to 24.
SECT. LX.
AS Moſes was now upon his Journey towards Egypt, with his Wife and Children, the Lord (as it ſeems) viſibly appeared to him; and either by a Sword drawn in his hand, or by inflicting ſome ſudden violent Sickneſs upon him, put him in great danger of his life, and revealed to him the Cauſe thereof to be, becauſe he had neglected to Circumciſe his youngeſt Son, (ſee Gen. 17.14.) there being a great Incongruity in it, that He ſhould take on him the Government of God's Circumciſed People, who had neglected to impoſe this Badge of the Covenant on his own Son. 'Tis like the reaſon why Moſes neglected to Circumciſe this his younger Son, was, becauſe his Wife had been ſo highly diſpleaſed at his Circumciſing of the elder. But however it was, Zipporah ſeeing the danger her Husband was now in by reaſon of this neglect, and that he was at this time, through ſickneſs, ſo diſabled, that he himſelf could not do it, ſhe took a ſharp Knife (poſſibly made of Flint) and Circumciſed him her ſelf, and then caſt the Foreskin, newly cut off, at her Husbands feet, ſaying, in a diſcontented humour, Surely thou art a bloody Husband to me. For, for thy ſake, and for the ſake of thy Religion, I am forced thus to ſhed the blood of my Son. This being done, the Lord let Moſes go, and releaſed him from his Sickneſs. And 'tis like upon this occaſion and trouble, Zipporah with her Children was ſent back from thence to her Fathers houſe again, as appears Exod. 18.2, 3.
Ch. 4. from verſ. 24. to 27.
SECT. LXI.
MOſes being now freed from all Incumbrance, went on his Journey towards Mount Horeb, where his Brother Aaron (being before warned of God to come thither) met him, and at their meeting kiſſed and embraced him. Then Moſes acquainted him with all theſe wonderful Paſſages, and with all that the Lord had ſaid unto him, and what Miracles he had impowered him, and commanded him to work, and what Service he had employed him about, and how Aaron was appointed to joyn with him therein. This done, they went on, and when they came into Egypt, they called together the Elders of the Children of Iſrael, and Aaron ſpake to them what Moſes had directed him to ſay from God, and Moſes wrought (as was appointed him) thoſe three Miracles before mentioned, Sect. 57. for the confirming their Faith. See Ch. 4. from verſ. 2. to the 10. The people of Iſrael, when they heard and ſaw theſe things, they greatly rejoyced, and believed that God had now in mercy viſited them, and had looked down with Pitty and compaſſion on their Afflictions, and they bowed their heads, and worſhipp'd God with great Reverence, Humility, and Thankfulneſs.
Ch. 4. from 27. to the end.