A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 20 (2 of 7)

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 20 (2 of 7)

p. 18The Eighth Remark, is, God's Bounty to Iſrael abounds in giving to every individual Perſon an Omer of Manna, the tenth part of our Buſhel, enough for the ſtrongeſt Man and the hotteſt Stomach to ſatisfie one day. This meaſure is ſuppoſed to be double to that allowance which the Roman Emperours afforded daily to their Souldiers in their Camp: God's bounty is more and greater than Man's. No ſmall gift can fall from ſo great a hand, 1 Tim. 6.17.

The Ninth Remark is▪ God's Care and Providence is over the Poor, as well as the Rich, to both which there was here an equality, ver. 16, 17, 18. tho' he with ten Servants, might gather more than he with five, or fewer, ſecundum proportionem Arithmeticam▪ yet as a Man had more or leſs mouths in his Family to feed; every one had enough, according to a Geometrical proportion: And from hence the Apoſtle Argueth, to perſuade unto liberality, and communication of God's bleſſings one to another, 2 Cor. 8.14, 15. that the full Cups of the Rich may overflow into the empty diſhes of their poor Brethren; who ſhould have ſupplies from the others ſuperfluities: Some were nimbler at gathering Manna, than others, yet he that gathered more than his Neighbour, was to ſupply his Neighbour out of his over-plus, that every one might have enough, his Omer: Now the moral equity of this Law being common, univerſal, and perpetual, Paul draws his Argument from it, as if Riches were as Manna: The more Men gather, the greater is their annoyance in diſpoſal thereof, yet have they no more than will ſerve their turns. So ſuch as gather the leaſt, have no want, when God's bleſſing makes up the little ſo Solomon accordingly, makes the Rich the poors Steward, Prov. 3.27.

The Tenth Remark is, This Manna melted not, putrefied not, nor bred worms of its own nature (for it kept ſweet in the Ark many hundred years after they came to Canaan, Heb. 9.4.) but by God's Curſe upon it for their diſtruſt and diſobedience, v. 20.21. Nor did that ſtink which was laid up at God's command upon the ſixth Day for proviſion for the Sabbath Day, v. 24. To ſhew not only God's rebuke for their curioſity, &c. but alſo what a ſweet thing the grace of obedience is, that ſweetens perſons, and actions of Men to God, Gen. 8.21. Exod. 29.18. 2 Cor. 2.15. and the Creatures to Man, Prov. 15.16, &c.

The Eleventh Remark is, As Manna was a myſterious gift of God [they wiſt not what it was] v. 15 ſo Worldly and Wicked Men know not, nor acknowledge God's gifts to them: The Men of this World are ſaid to have their bellies filled with hid Treaſure, Pſal. 17.14. a confluence of all Creature-comforts (while many better Men want them, Pſal. 73.7.) yet the Author and Giver of them is hid from them, and they neither perceive nor praiſe him for feeding their Bellies, as well as for filling their Bags; in this reſpect the Prophet makes them worſe than the Ox that knows his Owner and the Aſſe which knows his Maſters Cribb, &c. Iſa. 1.2. ſo they not only become worſe, than thoſe bruit Beaſts, but their Wealth alſo breeds the worm of an Evil Conſcience in it; as this unknown and abuſed Manna did, v. 20. See Habak. 2.10, 11, 12. Whereas the Godly do know the gifts of God, John 4.10. and do thankfully acknowledge the giver of them. As Moſes told the People [This is the Bread which Jehovah hath given you to eat] v. 15. ſo the word of God tells us that every good gift comes from a good God, Jam. 1.17. to whoſe glory we muſt improve all, &c.

The Twelfth Remark is, Here the Law of the Sabbath had its new Reſtitution, tho' not its first Inſtitution: Iſrael in their Egyptian Slavery had much neglected the Sabbath, and ſince their departure thence, they had marched upon the Sabbath, but now it is revived, and a rule is given for its conſtant obſervation before the Law was given at Sinai. The obſervation of the Sabbath is urged upon ſeveral Reaſons,

Firſt, Upon the Example of God himſelf▪ who reſted after the Creation, &c. Gen. 2.2, 3. which undoubtedly was obſerved from Adam by the Patriarchs, as well as Sacrifices; the Church then having places for publick Worſhip, muſt have this prefixed time for it which God had conſecrated by his own pattern, no other time could be better appointed.

p. 19A Second Reaſon inforcing it, Is Iſrael's Deliverance out of the Bondage of Egypt, Deut. 5.15. which in the letter was peculiar to the Jews, yet was it a figure of our Redemption by Christ; but here

Thirdly, 'Tis preſſed upon the Church by a Reaſon drawn from God's bounty and liberality to them [in giving them upon the ſixth day ſufficient food for two days] v. 5. and 22. Thus God confirm'd it by a Miracle upon their preparation to the Sabbath, telling them [the Lord hath given you the Sabbath] v. 29. and a great gift it was, Nehem. 9.14. for were it not for a weekly Sabbath, the World would run wild; and the ceaſing of Manna upon the ſeventh day, ſhews, that the Sabbath was obſerved from the beginning, before the Law, &c.

The Thirteenth Remark is, That which Origen obſerveth here, concerning the excellency and prerogative of our Chriſtian Lord's Day above the Jewiſh Sabbath: His words tranſlated run thus [If the Manna were gathered ſix days together (as the Scripture affirmeth) and that it ceaſed from falling upon the ſeventh day,] the then Jewiſh Sabbath: It muſt follow without controverſie, that it always began to rain down Manna upon the firſt day of the Week, which is our Lord's day, when none at all had faln the day before; tho' ſome out of curioſity ſought it on the ſeventh day, yet they found none, v. 25, 27. How oft hath Manna faln on our Lord's day?

The Fourteenth Remark is, The excellency of this Manna, which is ſet forth by comparing it in Holy Writ to Five Excellent Things; as

Firſt, To the Hoary Froſt, v. 14. to ſhew the quantity of it; oh how liberal a giver is God, thus to cover the Deſart herewith, as the Hoary Froſt doth cover all the ground. Thus the Pſalmiſt ſaith, [He ſcattereth the Hoary Froſt like Aſhes] Pſal. 147.16. multiplying this Meat for 600 thouſand Mouths.

Secondly, 'Tis likened to Coriander-Seed, v. 31. as to the figure and proportion of it, prepared of God, ſo that they might preſently eat of this Corn of Heaven (ſo call'd Pſal. 78.24, 25.) tho' they might grind, or pun, or bake, or boil it alſo. They might do any thing with it, as they might with Meal, this Seed being unto them inſtead of Corn.

Thirdly, 'Tis likened to Wafer-Cakes made of Honey, v. 31. to ſhew the ſweetneſs of its taſte.

Fourthly, 'Tis compared to freſh Oyl, Numb. 11.7. for ſuch was its ſavour when dreſs'd, tho' before its dreſſing or baking it taſted like ſweet Wafers; and

Fifthly, it was like Bdellium, Numb. 11.7. a tranſparent Gumm for colour, but the Talmudiſts will have it the white Precious Pearl. No wonder then, if ſuch Rich and unparallel'd food as precious Pearl, was call'd the food of Angels, ſo delicate, as might not unbecome Angels to eat, if they did eat any at all; ſuch as Poets feign their Nectar and Ambroſia was to their Dunghil Gods; and as the Jews ſay, it had Saporem omnimodum, a particular taſte to pleaſe every palate; yet thoſe murmuring miſcreants loath'd it, complaining that they were dryed up with it, preferring Garlick and Onions before it.

The Fifteenth Remark is, As thoſe that laboured hard upon the ſixth day to gather a double quantity of Manna, were well provided with what to eat upon the Sabbathday: So all ſuch as do labour hard (in Chriſt) in this life (while God giveth time to work) ſhall have in the life to come the fruition of their labours, with an eternal Sabbath of Reſt in Heaven, John 6.27, 29, 58. Gal. 6.7, 10. Revel. 14.13. Heb. 4.3, 4, 9, &c. This preſent Life and World is the time and place of working, the Life and World to come, is the time and place of receiving wages and reward for our work, 2 Cor. 5.10, &c. If we have gathered no Manna before, it will then be too late to ſeek for it, Mat. 25.8, 9, 10.

The Sixteenth Remark is, Monuments and Memorials of God's great Mercies are to be erected, that the loving kindneſs of God may be kept in everlaſting Remembrance: Hence was it commanded here [fill an Omer with this Manna, put it into a Golden Pot, to be kept for the uſe of ſucceeding Ages, in the Moſt Holy places, v. 32, 33, 34. Heb. 9.4. leſt it ſhould fare with them (as it frequently fareth with Children) Bread eaten, is as ſoon forgotten: Thus Chriſt Commanded, that when he had fed the Multitude with a few Loaves, &c. the remainder of the broken bread, &c. might be reſerved in baskets, that ſuch a ſignal and ſingular miracle of mercy might be preſerved in a thankful remembrance: How much more worthy to be remembred was this unparallel'd Miracle of Mercy? wherein Chriſt ſed ſo many hundred thouſand with ſuch dainty diet as was Manna, which had ſuch a nouriſhing vertue above other food in it, that (where ſin hindred not) it would draw out a Man's Life rather to an Angelical than to an Humane Duration: Thus it kept Moſes and Caleb in a continual equality of p. 20Strength, and Health, Deut. 34.7. and Joſh. 14.11. And that Chriſt fed them herewith full Forty Years, till they came to the Corn of Canaan, Joſh. 5.12. Teaching us two great Truths: (1.) We ſhall need Ordinances, till we come to Heaven: And (2.) Where God grants ordinary means, there extraordinary Miracles are not to be expected; 'tis Tempting God.

But the grand Reaſon, why this Omer of Manna was kept in a Golden Pot, was, becauſe it was a moſt pregnant Type of our bleſſed Meſſiah, as He himſelf affirmeth, Joh. 6.33, 48, 49, 50, 51, &c. and this is farther Aſſerted by the great Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.3, 4, &c. N.B. 'Tis call'd Angels Food, not by way of Poſition, but of Suppoſition, for Angels, being Spiritual Subſtances, need no Food at all, nor do they eat any, unleſs when they take upon them Humane Shapes, as Gen. 18.8. and 19.3. &c. but ſuppoſe they were to be nouriſhed, as Men are, they needed not any other dainty Diet, than this Manna that came from the Habitation of Angels, in whoſe Name it is commended: There is much Congruity betwixt the Type, Manna, and the Antitype the Meſſiah, yet ſome Diſparity alſo.

Firſt, Of the Congruity, which brancheth it ſelf out in theſe Particulars,

1ſt. In the Cauſes of ſending this Manna, which was, (1.) The Moving Cauſe, God's Compaſſion to his People, when almoſt famiſh'd in the Wilderneſs: So God loved the World, in ſending Chriſt to nouriſh Hungry Souls, Joh. 3.16. (2.) The Final Cauſe of giving Manna was to prove Iſrael, ver. 4. Whether his Favours would work them to Obedience unto his Law. Thus the Lord trieth the World, whether they will receive the Law of his Son, to wit, the Goſpel which Reprobates reject, Luk. 7.30.

2ly. In it's Qualities which are many: As (1.) Both came from above. (2.) As Manna deſcended in the Dew, ſo Chriſt the Bread of Life comes down in the dew of God's Word, Deut. 32.2. Rom. 1.16, 17. and 10.8, 14. Gal. 3.1, 2. Pſal. 110.3. Falling like dew upon mowen Graſs, Pſal. 72.3. The dew that water'd Paradiſe, Gen. 2.6.

3ly. Iſrael knew not what Manna was, having dew both under it and above it, ſo lying clean betwixt two coverings, and appear'd not till the Dew vaniſh'd, ver. 14. Thus Chriſt is an unknown Myſtery, wrap'd up in Types and Figures, the Holy Child Jeſus in Swadling Bands, yet is God manifeſt in the Fleſh, 1 Tim. 3.16. when thoſe ſhadows (wherewith he was wrapped) are done away.

4ly. Manna was but a very ſmall thing (like Coriander-ſeed) yet had it a great and moſt Soveraign Vertue in it, for preſerving of Health, ſo that there was not one feeble Perſon, among that vaſt Hoſt, Pſal. 105.37. Thus, though Chriſt came under a ſmall figure in the form of a Servant, &c. yet is he of ſuch a powerful Efficacy, as to begin and beget (being the Bread of Life, Joh. 6.48.) all Spiritual Life in us, and not only ſo, but alſo to uphold and maintain it, yea and to nouriſh us up to Eternal Life, ver. 68.

5. Manna is ſaid to have all ſorts of good Taſtes in it, pleaſing every Palate of them that made a right uſe of it: So hath Chriſt to all (given unto him) whether Jew or Gentile, Barbarian, Scythian, Male or Female, Bond or Free, Gal. 3.28. All are one to him, and he all, and one to them, Col. 3.11.

6. As Manna was ſweet as Hony, Glorious as Bdellium (that ſhining Pearl) and wholeſome as Oil that makes the Face to ſhine, ſo and much more than ſo is Chriſt to all his Redeemed.

7. As this Manna was ground in the Mill, beaten in a Mortar, boil'd in a Pot, or baked in an Oven: So was Chriſt beaten and bruiſed for us, Iſa. 53.4, 5. The Heat of God's Juſtice was upon him, &c.

8. As Manna fell every Day, and that with the Dew (which was extraordinary in this reſpect, for all Dews naturally fall at the Evening, but this fell in the Morning) ſo Chriſt is the Morning Dew, Pſal. 110.3. That falls daily, promiſing to be with his Church to the Worlds end, Math. 28.20. in the dew of Grace and Spirit.

3ly. The Congruity holds in the Circumſtances of gathering it; As (1.) The Time when, it muſt be gather'd, in the Morning, Exod. 16.21. from 6. a Clock to 9. in the Morning Manna was to be found, but when the Sun after waxed hot, it melted away by God's appointment, though in its own Nature it would abide the Fire in baking or boiling, &c. when uſed according to God's command: This was to ſtir up the People, that they might get up early, and gather it betimes in the Morning, that they might have time to prepare it, and then attend other buſineſs, whereas had it been to be gather'd all the Day, they would have been ſloathful and negligent: They muſt gather it ſo ſoon as the Dew (that hid it) was off the Ground: So ought we to gather the hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. The true Bread that came down from Heaven, Joh. 6.32, 33. In the Morning of our Youth, Health and Strength; we muſt ſeek the Lord, while he may be found, Pſal. p. 2132.6. While the Day of Salvation laſteth, 2 Cor. 6.1, 2. And not ſhift it off, Heb. 2.3. & 12.25. He that gathers in Summer is a wiſe Son, Prov. 10 4, 5. & 6.6, 8. Joh. 12 35. Gal. 6.10. While Time and Means continue, &c. and this is ſuppoſed to be the …ur port of Moſes Prayer [O ſatisfie us early with thy Manna, Mercy] Pſal. 90.14. The Soul of a Sinner cannot have it too ſoon.

2. The Place where Manna was gathered. They were to go out of their Tents, and beyond the Camp to gather it: The Dew lay round about the Camp, Exod. 16.13. Thus are we commanded, To go forth unto Jeſus without the Camp, Heb. 13.12, 13. We muſt relinquiſh our old Converſation, and renounce all worldly Intereſts, which are inconſiſtent with an Intereſt in Chriſt, and a Participation of him: The Spouſe could not find Chriſt upon a Bed of Idleneſs or in the broad ways and common Worſhip of the World, Cant. 3.1, 2. Yet was Manna found nigh their Camp and not far off in the Wilderneſs, nor need we go far for Chriſt, he is nigh us, Rom. 10, 8.

3. The Perſons who were the gatherers; namely all Univerſally, Old and Young, Male and Female, Parents and Children, Maſters and Servants, none excepted or exempted from gathering Manna, ſo nor from getting Chriſt, Gal. 3.28.

4. The Meaſure, what each gathered, were it more or leſs, there was neither Deficiency, nor Redundancy, Exod. 16.18. ſo all ſorts of Believers have an equal Portion in Chriſt our heavenly Manna, Gal. 3.28, 29. 2 Pet. 1.1. The ſmalleſt degree of Grace, ſo it be true, ſufficeth for Salvation, and the weak do partake of Chriſt in his Word and Sacraments, as well as the ſtrong.

5. The Extent of this Duty, How long? As they were to gather it every day, and that all along the forty Years until they came to Canaan, excepting only the Sabbath-day: So ought we to gather this heavenly Manna every day, and all our Life long, till we come to Heaven, and enjoy there an Eternal Sabbath.

4ly. The Congruity continues in the differing Ʋſes and Effects of this Manna, as it was eaten both by good and bad: To ſome it putrefied, for not improving it according to God's Preſcription, and others loathed it as light Bread, Numb. 11.6. and 21.4, 5. Citò parta vileſcunt, lightly obtained, is but lightly eſteemed, the Wheat of Heaven was lightly ſet by, becauſe lightly come by; though to the good it was a ſpiritual, as well as corporal Food: Thus God's Word and Sacraments, are the ſavour of Life unto Life to ſuch as make a right improvement of them, but to others that miſ-improve them and receive them unworthily, they are the ſavour of Death, 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. breeding that never dying Worm, Mar. 9.44, and 46. ever gnawing on the Soul in furious Reflections, without Hope of either ending or mending; let ſuch ſqueafie Stomachs, as nauſeate the Bread of Life, and diſreliſh plain Preaching, duly conſider this.

The Second conſiderable, is the Diſparity between the Type, and the Antitype, the Shadow and Subſtance.

The Firſt Diſparity is, this Manna was made in, and miniſtred out of the middle Region, only by the Miniſtry of Angels; but the Meſſiah is the true Bread (whereof Manna was only a Figure) that came down from the higheſt Heaven, Joh. 6.32, 33. and out of the Boſom of the Father, Joh. 1.18.

Secondly, Thoſe that fed upon the Type Manna, hungred after the next day, and ſo end way for forty Years together, as it was food for the Body; but ſuch as feed upon this Bread of Life by Faith, ſhall never Hunger, Joh. 6.35. That is, ſhall never be painfully, or deſparingly hungry, as utterly deſtitute of Grace and Glory, Pſal. 119.8. but ſhall continually feed upon that Goſpel Feaſt of a good Conſcience, Prov. 15.15. Where (as Luther phraſeth it) the bleſſed Angels are Servitors of Sweet Meats, being Cooks and Butlers, and the three Perſons in the Trinity are gladſome Gueſts, making the whole Life one intire merry feſtival without Interruption.

Thirdly, Thoſe that were eaters of this Manna, dyed, Joh. 6.49. Manna could not Immortalize them, as the Poets feign their Ambroſia did their Dunghil-Deities, and many of them died in God's diſpleaſure, 1 Cor. 10.3, 5. but thoſe that feed by Faith upon this Bread of Life, have Eternal Life, &c. Joh. 6.47, 48, 50, 51, 56, 57, &c. That is, in the Purchaſe of Chriſt, in the Promiſe of the Father, and in the firſt Fruits of the Spirit that reſteth on them, 1 Pet. 4.14. This our Lord oft inculcateth, both as needful to be known, and as comfortable to be conſidered.

Fourthly, This Manna melted, putrefied, bred Worms, and periſhed in the uſing: Meats for the Belly, and the Belly for Meats, but God will deſtroy both it and them, 1 Cor. 6.13. But this cannot befal Chriſt, who is Life eſſential, and God will not ſuffer his Holy One to ſee Corruption, Pſal. 16.10.

Fifthly, Manna was but the Carcaſe of the Sacrament which could not give Life, p. 22therefore many that fed upon that Sacrament daily, did periſh Eternally: But the Soul of it is Chriſt ſignified, whereof they that partake live for ever: Outward Priviledges do not excuſe, but aggravate Enormities. Carnal Profeſſors feed upon Sacraments after a fleſhly manner, with ſuch God is not well pleaſed, 1 Cor. 10.3, 5. &c. the Romaniſts eſpecially; when as Chriſt ſaith [The Spirit quickeneth, the Fleſh profiteth nothing] Joh. 6.63. We ſhould be wiſe Men, 1 Cor. 10.15. That is, skilful in the Doctrine of Sacraments. One may go to Hell with Font-Water on his Face, and be haled from the Table to Torment, Mat. 22.13.

Sixthly, Manna laſted but forty Years, but Chriſt ever lives and laſts, &c. and is the ſume Yeſterday, to Day and for ever, Heb. 13.8, &c.

The next memorable Matter concerning Iſrael in the Wilderneſs, was at their eleventh Station at Rephidim, Exod 17. Raph-Jadiem ſignifies the healing of the Hands, God held Iſrael's hands here from ſtoning Moſes by giving them Water, to which place the Lord led them by the Cloudy Pillar, that he might again exerciſe them with new Dangers, and Diſtreſſes to teach them their daily Dependency upon their God and Guide for new Deliverances: Theſe were twofold, Firſt, Their Diſtreſs by Thirſt; And Secondly, Their Danger by Amalek: In the Deſcription of the Firſt is declared, (1.) Their Malady. (2.) Their Murmuring at the Malady. (3.) The Remedy begg'd of God by Moſes, and granted by the Lord. (4.) The Manner of it's Performance, &c. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The Remarks upon the firſt Diſtreſs are as follow.

Firſt, No Diſtreſs comes upon God's Church and Children by Chance, but by a Diſpenſation of Divine Providence: God leads us out, as well as into Trouble. They came to Rephidim (after they had been at Dophkah and Aluſh, Numb. 33 12, 14. where nothing notable happened, and therefore omitted here by Moſes) by the conduct and command of Chriſt in the Cloudy Pillar, Exod. 17.1. where they met with this Diſtreſs by Thirſt, yet the ſame God and Guide that brought them into this Danger, did in the Iſſue deliver them out of it with great Satisfaction and Delight: Oh how good it is to follow God blindfold! (as Abraham did, Heb. 11.8.) who after he hath nurtered and chaſtized his Children, will certainly do them good at the latter end, Deut. 8.2, 5, 16. If we be good Children, we ſhall be better for being beaten, 'tis accounted as an high favour, Job 7.17.18. and 14.3. Heb. 12.7, 8. and Jeremy praies for it, Jer. 10.24. and they are pronounced Happy, whom the Lord chaſteneth, Pſal. 94.12, 13.) and it will make us gather together under the Wing of a frowning Father, who aſſuredly will ſet the Flint abroach (as he doth here) and Rain Corn from Heaven rather than they ſhall Pine and Periſh.

The Second Remark is, The Wilderneſs of this lower World is full of Woes, wants and weakneſſes. We are ever wanting ſomething or other, being made up of wants and peculiar Indigencies, as the Church in the Wilderneſs here, one while ſhe wanted Bread and when ſhe had got Bread rain'd down from Heaven, then wants ſhe Water to ſpring up out of the Earth: And as Thirſt is a more eager Appetite, than Hunger; ſo are they more eager and earneſt in their murmurings at Moſes for want of Water, than they had been before for want of Bread. ver. 2, 3. we will ever want ſomething till we come to Heaven, &c.

The Third Remark is, To call upon God in a day of Diſtreſs is the beſt and moſt bleſſed expedient, for deliverance from it, Pſal. 50.15. and 34.6, &c. Moſes was here in danger of being ſtoned by the Mutinous Multitude, whoſe Bellies had no Ears to his Words of Wiſdom: He therefore betakes himſelf to a Prayer-hearing God (who can ſtill the Tumults of the People, Pſal. 65.7.) and finds redreſs here, ver. 3, 4, 5. Prayer was Moſes's uſual Refuge in the like Trouble, Exod. 14.15. and 15.25. Numb. 11.10, 11. and 14, 10. &c. The Lord at his Prayer, Pardons the Peoples murmurings (who expected that from Man, which only God could give) yet teſtifies his juſt diſpleaſure by denying them the Priviledge of beholding the Miracle of Broaching the Rock, whereof by their diſtruſt and outrage they were unworthy.

The Fourth Remark is, the miraculous Remedy to their murmuring Malady, which containeth in it a great bundle of Wonders: As (1.) This Rock in Horeb (which ſignifieth Dryneſs) was the very Place, which God had given to Moſes as a ſecond ſign, for the fuller and further Confirmation of His Faith in God's Promiſe, that of the burning Buſh at the preſent was the firſt, and this of ſerving God at Horeb (whither the Lord had now brought them) for the future doubled the Token, Exod. 3.1, 3, 12. (2.) To fetch fire out of this Rock in Horeb, a dry Subſtance, had not been ſo miraculous ('tis common to fetch Fire out of a Flint, &c.) as to ſet it abroach, and bring Water out of it: This was a Work of Omnipotency, and oft celebrated in Scripture, Pſal. 78.15. and 114.8. and 105.41. Deut. 8.15. Neh. 9.15. to the Praiſe or the Omnipotent God. (3.) This Rock muſt be ſmitten with Moſes Rod, which Organ or Inſtrument p. 23God had no need of, but could have broached the Rock without any ſuch means: Yet was it his pleaſure to uſe that Rod, not only to convince thoſe Iſraelites, who (as Rab. Solomon ſaith) thought Moſes's Rod had a power to bring in Plagues only, as it did upon Egypt, but no bleſſings to Iſrael; whereas dividing the Waters of the Red Sea by this Rod, was a great bleſſing to them, and ſo was this fetching a River of Water by it out of a dry Rock, whereby they were cooled and comforted in their wearineſs and wandrings, when they were ready to periſh by Thirſt; but alſo becauſe of the Myſtical ſignification of this Rod ſmiting the Rock to be mentioned afterwards. 4. The Lord, in the Pillar of Glory, muſt ſtand upon the Rock, which if he had not done, ver. 6. Moſes's Rod had ſmitten it in vain: Means muſt be uſed, but God muſt be only depended on for ſucceſs: It's he alone that turned the Flint into a Fountain.

5. This is a wonder of wonders, that the ſame perſon who ſtood upon the Rock in the Pillar (the badge of his preſence) ſhould be likewiſe the Rock it ſelf; this is expreſly aſſerted by the Apoſtle [that Rock was Chriſt] 1 Cor. 10.4. namely, in the ſame ſenſe, That the Bread in the Lord's Supper is the Body of Chriſt, being a ſign, which by Divine Inſtitution doth ſignifie Chriſt, as this Rock did prefigure him; to be ſhewn in the ſequel.

6. That a River ſhould flow out of this Rock to follow them till their fortyeth year through the VVilderneſs. This alſo the Apoſtle affirms, 1 Cor. 10 4. that is, the River out of the Rock went along with them, not the Rock it ſelf, wherein the New Teſtament ſupplies the Hiſtory of the Old, with ſome circumſtances not recorded there, by Divine Inſpiration; as the names of Jannes and Jambres, &c. This muſt be ſuppoſed, otherwiſe how can we imagine that the Iſraelites were ſupplied with VVater all the forty years; this at Rephidim being their firſt year: And we read of no freſh ſupply of VVater they had till they came to Kadeſh Barnea, Numb. 20.7, 8. which was about 40 years after this: The like Miracle to this was then wrought, at which time 'tis probable God cauſed that River to ceaſe running for a new Tryal of them (as afterward he cauſed Manna to ceaſe falling) being appointed only a ſupply to preſent neceſſity.

7. 'Tis a wonderful work of the free Grace and Mercy of God, that the Lord ſhould thus wait with ſupplies of VVater and Manna for forty years, when their Impatience under preſſures and penury ſo tranſported them into ſuch provokings of God by diſtruſting his Promiſes, by reproaching his Providence, and by diſcontentedly demanding [Is the Lord among us?] ver. 7. as if that could not be, and they exerciſed with Thirſt; whereas Hagar had been under the ſame Tryal, Gen. 21.15. and the Three Kings that warr'd againſt Moab, 2 Kings 3.10. yet were all relieved in ſeaſon: This was their renouncing of all Religion at once, and a denying of the Deity of God. There is no Divine Eſſence, where there is not a Divine Omnipreſence. God is moſt preſent when he afflicts: He knows our Souls in adverſity, Pſal. 31.7.

8. Another wonder was this, That the ſame Water out of this Rock was Drink for their Souls as well as for their Bodies; therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, [They all drank of that Spiritual Rock] 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. They had not only Manna, the Bread of Angels, but alſo Water out of the Rock Chriſt. They had no dry Communion, as is practiſed in the Romiſh Church. The Water was Spiritual Drink, in the ſame reſpect that the Manna was Spiritual Meat, being (both of them) miraculouſly produced, and prefiguring Chriſt, who is call'd a Spiritual Rock.

9. And laſtly; This Rock was a figure of Chriſt, in many reſpects; holding moſt apt Congruity. yet ſome Diſparity.

Firſt, The Congruity betwixt them: As,

1. A Rock is a firm and ſure Foundation for any Fabrick to ſtand upon. Soft Stones will not bear a Superſtructure, but waſte with ſtormy weather, and waſhes away with the fluctuating Waters. So Chriſt is a firm and unmoveable Foundation for his Church and Children to reſt upon, Matth. 7.24. and 16.18. 1 Cor. 3.11. Iſa. 28. 16, &c. Waves break themſelves upon this Rock of Ages.

2. A Rock is a dry, craggy, uncomely thing; ſo is Chriſt to a carnal Eye, having no form nor comelineſs to be deſired, Iſa. 52.14 and 53.2, 3. Yet as this Rock had Water within it, tho' it ſeemed dry to Thirſty Iſrael; ſo Chriſt hath the Water of Life within him. Believe for Comfort when thou canſt not behold it, &c.

3. A Rock is of great Relief for a ſhadow and ſhady Harbour in an hot Seaſon and a weary Land, Iſa. 32.2. and 25.4. So Chriſt ſhades us from the Curſe of the Law, and the Wrath of God; from being Sun-burnt, Sin-burnt, or Hell-burnt as the Spouſe, Cant. 2.3.

4. This Rock affords no Water for Refreſhing Iſrael under Thirſt, till ſmitten with Moſes's Rod: So Chriſt was ſmitten of God, Iſa. 53.4. bearing the Curſe of the Law for p. 24our ſins, Gal. 3.13. from whence flows healing Waters for thirſty and troubled Souls. Chriſt's ſide ſmote with a Spear, guſhed out in blood and water, John 19.34, 35.

5. The Water out of the Rock ſerved for both cleanſing of Garments from filth contracted, and for ſuſtaining of life in ſatisfying Thirſt. So the Water of Life from Chriſt both waſhes away the guilt and filth of ſin, and upholds Spiritual Life in Believers, Joh. 4.13, 14. and 7.37, 38, 39.

6. The Water out of this Rock followed Iſrael from one ſtation to another, till they came to the Land of Promiſe: So the Water of Life follows Believers in all Ages, till they come to the heavenly Canaan.

Secondly, The Diſparity. 1. This Rock was but courſe condenſed Earth; Chriſt was Heaven-made. 2. It was without motion, ſtirr'd not out of its place; but Chriſt came down from Heaven, went about doing good, Acts 10.38. and aſcended thither again. 3. His Water of Life periſhes not with uſing as that did, and now is not. Note here, 1. Iſrael asked water of Moſes. 'Tis the Rock Chriſt muſt give waterings, not Moſes's Law. 2. As this Rock was turned into water, ſo wrath is turned into mercy by our Mediator. 3. Wo to whom this Rock is a ſtone of ſtumbling, Rom. 9.23. 1 Pet. 2.6. ſuch ſhall be broken, nay grinded to powder, Mat. 21.44. 4. 'Tis the emblem of an hard heart ſoftened by the Law in the hand of a Mediator ſtanding on it mollifies. 5. As God led to the Rock, ſo he draws us to Chriſt, John 6.44.

The ſecond diſtreſs and danger Iſrael met with at their 11th. ſtation, was War with Amalek, Exod. 17.8, &c. teaching us, That no ſooner is one Tryal over, but we muſt expect another following at its heels while we are in the Wilderneſs of this lower World; Velut unda ſuper venit undae; one wave of the Sea purſueth another, till we come to the happy Shore and Reſt in the Coeleſtial Canaan, Acts 14.22. Heb. 4.9. God tryed Iſrael's Faith with penury of Food and Water, and with the peril of War, before from Pharaoh, and now from Amalek, who indeed was a Scourge from God for the uniſhment of their four times murmuring and repining againſt his Conduct of them.

The Remarks in this VVar are, 1. The Perſons waging war againſt Iſrael were the Amalekites, who were the Off-ſpring of Eſau (Jacob's Brother) ſo near allied to Iſrael, Gen. 36.12, 15, 16. whereupon they ſhould have met their near Kinſmen with Bread and VVater by the way, but they met them with Fire and Sword, Deut. 25.18. being Heirs of that old Hatred of Eſau againſt Jacob, and reviving (likely) the remembrance of that old Quarrel about the loſs of both the Birth-right and of the Bleſſing; and now beholding Jacob's Off-ſpring become ſo notably numerous, and marching towards the Land of Promiſe, they had more cauſe to be afraid that Iſaac's bleſſing of Jacob was now in a way of its Accompliſhment, and that the elder ſhould ſerve the younger. N.B. Amalek ſignifies a licking People; licking up the hindmoſt of Iſrael, Deut. 25.17, 18. aſſaulting them more by Treachery than true Valour. As Pharaoh purſued Iſrael to reduce them back to Egypt; ſo Amalek intercepts them in the way to hinder them from Canaan, and were the firſt of the Nations that warred againſt them; for which Act Balaam himſelf foretold their deſtruction, Numb. 24.20. in whoſe days Amalek and their King Agag, ver. 7. ruffled among other Nations in formidable Grandeur (as his expreſſion there imports) who by this primary and inſolent Attempt, procured his own utter Ruine. God permitted this VVar for other cauſes beſide that aformentioned, for puniſhing their former Murmurings. But, 2. That they ſhould not wax wanton by Eaſe and Idleneſs. 3. That they might have more experience of God's delivering Mercy; 4. And grow more expert in VVar: Yea, 5. And better furniſhed with weapons and other neceſſaries, &c.

The ſecond Remark is, concerning the Manner of managing the Military matters on Iſrael's part. Moſes the chief Magiſtrate calls Joſhua to be his General in this War, whom he knew ſhould be his Succeſſor, and General in all the Wars of Canaan: He muſt fight with his Army the Lord's Battel againſt Amalek below, which Moſes, Aaron and Hur prayed together above upon the top of the Hill, Moſes holding up the Rod of God in his hand, where the Army might behold this Enſign, and be confirmed in their good Fight of Faith, ver. 9, 10. This Hur (ſay the Jewiſh Doctors, and Joſephus) was the Husband of Miriam, Moſes's Siſter; and being an old, wiſe and experienc'd States-man, was made Moſes's Deputy in his abſence, Exod. 24.14. And we are told alſo, that the Frantick People, when mad of making a Golden Calf, Exod. 32. did deſtroy this good old man, becauſe he would not comply with Aaron in promoting their Calf-Idolatry, therefore we hear no more of him in Scripture-Record after that, as we do of Moſes and Aaron. However Joſhuah (whom the Holy Ghoſt calleth in Greek Jeſus, Act. 7.45. Heb. 4.8. and whom Moſes (before that) call'd his name Jeſus p. 25or Oſhea, that is, Saviour, Numb. 13.16.) was a figure of Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour of the World, both in his Name and Actions, in fighting the Battels of the Lord, and in bringing the Lord's People into the promiſed Canaan: 'Tis not Moſes or the Law can do it.

The 3d. Remark is, The Effects of this double manner, Moſes's precando, and Joſhua's praeliando. This we have an account of [When Moſes held up his hands in Prayer, Iſrael prevailed, &c.] v. 11. Which ſhews that the power of Moſes's Prayer prevailed more againſt their Enemies, than did all the puſhes of Iſrael's Pikes. Moſes orat & vincit, ceſſat & vincitur, ſaith Bucholcer, Moſes Prays, and Conquers; eſpecially when Aaron and Hur joyn'd in Prayer with him. N.B. In the Congregation where Saints are praying together with fervency of Faith, there the Arrow, Shield, and Spear are broken, Pſal. 76.2.3.

Thus are the Peoples words to David ['Tis better thou ſuccour us out of the City] 2 Sam. 18.3. interpreted, that thy Prayers in the City ſhall prevail with God for our aſſiſtance in the Battel. Thus Knox's prayers were more feared than ten thouſand Souldiers; and Guſtavus ſaid, the greater our Army of Prayers, are the greater be our Victories; Prayer is the beſt of Duties, if any duty be a penny, this is a pound; and ſuch as with Peter have neither Silver nor Gold to pay Taxes with, may yet pay the ſubſidy of Prayer, pray for the peace of Sion, &c. Pſal. 122.6. God will honour Prayer, becauſe it honours God, giving him the Glory of Victory, as the Lord of Hoſts; and for theſe things God will be enquired, Ezek. 36.37. Great Conſtantine after all his Victories, would not (as other Conquering Emperors) be coined upon his current Money in a poſture of Triumphing, but Praying; aſcribing more to Prayer, than to his Sword: And David (a Man of Prayer Pſal. 109.4.) breaks through many Hoſts in Conqueſt.

The 4th. Remark is, The various ſucceſs of this Spiritual Engine,Moſes's Prayer; his hands were heavy, v. 12. ſo that he could neither bear up his Standard (the Rod of God) nor continue inſtant in Prayer, Rom. 12.12. and then Amalek prevailed: God would have the Victory to follow the lifting up or falling down of Moſes's hands (his geſture in Prayer) to teſtifie that the Victory was only from God, to whom Moſes prayed: His hands wax'd not heavy through old age (being now 80 years old) for 40 years after this (when he was an 120.) his natural ſtrength was not abated, Deut. 34.7. But it was from Humane infirmity, which cannot hold out long in Spiritual Exerciſes: It is a praiſe proper to God only, that his hand is ſtretched out ſtill; but the beſt of Men are but Men at the beſt; though the Spirit in them be willing, yet the Fleſh is weak, Mat. 26.41, 43. and cannot continue long intent in devotion; beſide there might be this myſtery in it, Moſes hands waxed heavy, to teach that the Law of Moſes could bring nothing to perfection, Heb. 7.19.

However, it plainly demonſtrates that Prayer is not effectual, unleſs it be fervent and conſtant: When Moſes's zeal and fervency abated, then his heavy hands were let down, and the Enemy got the better and won ground; thus it is with us, when we are made able to lift up our hearts and hands to God in prayer by a lively and fervent faith, ſo long do we overcome our ſpiritual as well as temporal Enemies; but when our faith flaggs and faints, our zeal and devotion abate, then they prove prevalent; therefore 'tis dangerous to faint in Prayer, Gal. 6.9. Luke 18.1, 2, 3. be importunate, &c. the Prayer of the Righteous avails much, to which is added, if it be fervent, Jam. 5.16. Alaſs, God may complain our Spirits are not ſtedfaſt, Pſal. 78.7, 37. nor our hearts fixed on God, as Pſal. 57.7. and 108.1. and 112.7.

The 5th. Remark is, The Means whereby Moſes was ſupported in a ſteady poſture of Prayer, 'till Amalek was diſcomfited, [they took a… ſtone and put it under him, &c.] Moſes was wearied both ways, both with ſtanding ſo long, and with holding up his hands all that time; therefore

Firſt, They put under him a Stone to ſit upon: Under which ſimilitude of a Stone, Chriſt is oft ſignified, Iſa. 28.16. Pſal. 118.22. 1 Pet. 2.4. Zech. 3.9. upon whom our weak faith is ſupported in prayer, and by whoſe Spirit our infirm Spirits are ſuſtained therein, Joh. 14.13, 14, 16, 17. Rom. 8.26. and

Secondly, Aaron and Hur on each ſide upheld his hands▪ in a ſteady poſture, who well reſembled Faith and Patience, ſuſtaining our heavy hearts in praying work; 'twere well if we could ſay [Lo here theſe two Graces are] as Revel. 13.10. and 14.12. contributing their aſſiſtance and vigour to our duty of Prayer. No doubt, ſaith Calvin, but Aaron and Hur did not only hold up Moſes's hands, but alſo joyned with him their earneſt Prayers. It may hold forth Myſtically that the grace of the Goſpel was repreſented by the Stone whereon Moſes ſate, for by it the Law of Moſes was fulfilled; and likewiſe Morally, how godly Miniſters ought to animate and aſſiſt one another in p. 26the exerciſes of piety: Diſtance and diviſion greatly hinders prayer. Yea, and Doctrinally, that he who endureth to the end, ſhall be ſaved, Mat. 24.13. To all which, may well be added, as Moſes the Prophet, Hur the Prince, and Aaron the Prieſt, thus concur'd to diſcomfit Amalek upon the fortieth day after their coming out of Egypt; All three put together are a Type of Chriſt, who on the fortieth day after his Reſurrection aſcended into the Mount of Heaven where (as our Prophet, Prieſt, and Prince) he holds up the hands of interceſſion for his Church Militant, while ſhe fights here below with Spiritual Amalek, Antichriſt, Sin, World, Fleſh, and Devil, &c.

The 6th. Remark is the event and iſſue of all, which was not only Amalek's preſent diſcomfiture, but alſo God's Decree to root him up for the future (as Rab▪ Eliezer ſaith) out of this World, and out of the World to come, v. 13, 14. This is teſtified not only by Recording God's Decree in this Pentateuch, the moſt Ancient Book that is extant in the World: But alſo

Secondly, By Moſes's Altar, call'd Jehovah Niſſi, the Lord is my Banner, ver. 15. which was both a laſting monument of God's mercy in that firſt Victory, and of his Decree againſt Amalek from Age to Age; and

Thirdly, God lays his hand upon his own Throne, ſwearing to accompliſh this Decree, becauſe Amalek's hand was lifted up againſt God's Throne, his Church, Jer. 3.17. and 14.21. her cauſe is God's, and he will revenge it upon Amalek (which is a figure of Antichriſt) tho' it was not preſently accompliſhed, but was ſuſpended 400 years, 'till Saul's Reign, 1 Sam. 15.2. God ſeem'd to have forgot both, Exod. 17.14. and Deut. 25.17, 18. then he remembred both Amalek's ſecret Ambuſhes, and his open Aſſaults againſt Iſrael: This was done to half part by Saul, but more thoroughly, 1 Chron. 4.42, 43. and by David, 1 Sam. 30.18, 20, &c. The laſt of that Race we read of was Haman the Agagite, of Agag's Offspring, King of the Amalekites, whom Mordecai got hanged with his ten Sons, Heſt. 8. & 9, &c. Thus God's hand is upon his Throne to deſtroy Antichriſt alſo, tho' it be deferr'd long, it will certainly come, his Damnation ſlumbers not, 2 Pet. 2.3. God will haſten it in his time, Iſa. 60.22. 'tis ill angring the Ancient of days, his Anger burns longer than Coals of Juniper, Pſ. 120.2. his forbearance is no forgiveneſs. As Amalek is not now, ſo Antichriſt ſhall not be, the Lord hath ſworn his time ſhall be no longer, Rev. 10.2, 3, 4, &c.

Now come we to Iſrael's Twelfth Station at Mount Sinai, where they incamped almoſt a whole year before they removed thence; becauſe after their compleat Redemption from the Egyptian Bondage, and their marvelous Deliverances from many other dangers in the Deſart hitherto diſcourſed upon, they come here to a ſolemn conſtitution of both their Eccleſiaſtical and Political ſtate, by moſt juſt and godly Laws, both Moral, Judicial, and Ceremonial, whereby they entered into Covenant with God; all which muſt require much time, and will afford many Remarks upon Exod. 19.

The Firſt is, The time when they came to Sinai, about the forty fifth day from their coming forth of Egypt, and five days after (which was the fiftieth) was the giving of the Law; for it is the general Opinion of all Authors, that the Day call'd Pentecoſt (which was juſt fifty days from the Paſſover in Egypt) was the very time when the Church in the Wilderneſs received the lively Oracles of God, Acts. 7.38. Upon which ſame day the Holy Ghoſt came down upon the Apoſtles and Church in the New Teſtament, Acts 2.1, 2, &c.

Two days of thoſe five before mentioned, might paſs in entercourſe betwixt the Lord and Moſes, who was call'd up into the Mount, talks with God, comes down and relates God's word to the People, then returns he into the Mount, and relates the People's Anſwer to God.

The other three days might be requiſite in his preparation of the People for receiving the Law according to God's command, wherein he did ſanctifie the whole Hoſt, and ſet bounds about the Mountain. This fiftieth day was appointed a yearly Feaſt, Exod. 23.16. Levit. 23.15, 16. Acts 20.16. Upon this day the Fiery Law was given now on Mount Sinai, and upon this day were fiery Tongues after given for publication of the Goſpel at Jeruſalem, Acts 2.1, 2, &c. Whereby God's Love was ſhed abroad, Rom. 5.5. juſt the fiftieth day after Chriſt our Paſſover was Sacrificed for us, 2 Cor. 5.7, 8.

The Second Remark is, The Place where the Law was given.

1. The common name is Sinai, there is the Deſart of Sinai (a large tract of Land) wherein the Mountain Sinai ſtood; hereupon it is call'd the Wilderneſs of Mount Sinai, Gal. 4.25. Acts 7.30.

2. The proper name is call'd alſo Horeb, the Mount of God, both for the Viſion of the Burning Buſh the Lord ſhewed to Moſes, Exod. 3.1, 5. and for giving the Law upon it.

p. 27Thus was it ſtiled by two names, Horeb becauſe of its Dryneſs, being a Waterleſs Wilderneſs, and Sinai, becauſe of the Bramble Buſhes there growing, as both the Hebrew Names ſignifie: But ſome do more ſtrictly diſtinguiſh them; ſaying, that Hilly Tract where Sinai is ſituate, reacheth a long way towards Egypt, and is call'd Horeb, but Sinai is an high Hill, higher than all the reſt, and of ſuch an height (ſaith Joſ…phus) as that they could ſcarce ſee to the top of it. And the moſt probable Opinion is, that this great People lay in a circuit and compaſs about this high Hill, that they might the better hear and ſee what was ſaid and done, for the Lord ſaith to Moſes [That the People may hear while I talk with thee] Exod. 19.9. This Mount was not in the Land of Promiſe, but was a Mountain in Arabia, iſhmael's Country, Gal. 4.25. Acts 7.30. Therefore the Sons of the Stranger are caſt out, Gen. 21.9, 10. Gal. 4.24, 30. John 8.35. Ʋnder the works of the Law only.

The Third Remark is, The Perſons to whom the Law was given call'd both the Houſe of Jacob, and the Sons of Iſrael, Exod. 19. v. 3. not of Abraham, or of Iſaac, becauſe they had properly but one apiece (ſeeing the other were not counted the Seed) which were not ſufficient to make up an Houſe or Family, as Jacob, who had twelve Sons, being all Patriarchs, and his two Names are joyned here, Jacob, and Iſrael; to ſhew that as his firſt Name was by Nature, but his ſecond was given him by Grace; ſo there were two ſorts of Seeds deſcending from him; 1. Thoſe after the Fleſh, and 2. Thoſe true Iſraelites according to the promiſe; and they were alſo minded hereby, that they ſhould ſeek to be anſwerable to both thoſe names, both in ſupplanting of Sin, and in prevailing with God, according to the ſenſe and ſignification of both thoſe Names given to the Father of their Family; and as Iſrael was a Name given him of God, ſo they bearing this Name, might aſſure themſelves they were the People of God, v. 3.

The Fourth Remark is, The general preparation of the People to receive the Law and Covenant of God, wherein is propoſed firſt, the Lord's loving invitation of Iſrael to be his People, conſiſting of

Firſt, A Rehearſal of the tranſcendent favours which the Lord had ſhewn them in delivering them ſo ſignally, and in ſo ſhort a time out of the Egyptian Slavery, in bringing them all along thence through the Red Sea, and through the Wilderneſs to this ſtation, as if they had been born upon Eagle's Wings, choicely and charily carried ſafe above the power of their Perſecutors; both Pharaoh behind, and Amalek before them, Exod. 19.4. Deut. 32.11. and 33.11, 12. Iſa. 63.9. As the Eagle beats her young ones out of their ſluggiſh neſt, ſo the Lord had ſomewhat (as we ſay) to do in beating Iſrael out of their place of Bondage, Exod. 6.9. and 14.11, 12. And as the Eagle carries her young, not between her Talons (as other Birds do) for fear of hurting them, but upon her wings, ſo that they cannot be hurt by Shot, but through the body of the Old one, ſo did God his Iſrael, openly, ſafely, and ſpeedily, not only ſecuring them from all evil, but alſo ſhewing them all good, all along in the way hitherto, &c.

Secondly, This general preparation conſiſts of the condition of their obedience required; namely [If they would keep God's Covenant] Exod. 19.5. Deut. 29.9. wherein as God promiſed, ſo he required on Iſrael's part their Obedience to him, and their confidence in him, as the Condition, then would they be Children indeed.

Thirdly, It conſiſts alſo of a moſt Ample Promiſe [Then ſhall ye be my peculiar Treaſure, a Kingdom of Priests, &c.] v. 5, 6. Wherein is obſervable, God promiſeth

Firſt, That they ſhould be his own Church, his Jewels, his proper and peculiar People, highly prized, and heedfully preſerved in the Cabinet of his Providence, for his own ſpecial ſervice, as the Hebrew word (Segullah here uſed) ſignifieth, 1 Chron. 29.3. Eccleſ. 2.8. which Phraſe Paul followeth, Tit. 2.14. but Peter expreſſeth it by [foreign] a People for a peculiar Poſſeſſion, ſuch choice Treaſure as a King gives not his Treaſurer to keep, but keepeth it in his own cuſtody; or (as others ſenſe the Apoſtle's words) all that God gets by making the World, is but a few People whom he chuſeth to himſelf, out of the World, 1 Pet. 2.9. The Lord's portion is his People, Deut. 32.9. & 7.6. & 14.2. & Pſal. 135.4. Iſa. 41.8, 9. & 43.1. Jer. 10, 16. Mal. 3.17. & Deut. 10.14, 15. Tho' all the Earth be the Lord's by the right of Creation, yet Iſrael his Church is his peculiar Treaſure by right of Redemption above all others; God conſecrating them to himſelf, out of that corrupted maſs of faln Mankind (as Theodoret ſpeaketh) giving them his Law, and not dealing ſo friendly and Father like with any Nation, none ſo nigh him as they, Deut. 4.7. Pſal 46.1, 2. and 86.5. and 145.18. and 148.14. Lam. 3.57, &c. Pſal. 147.20.

p. 28Secondly, God promiſeth they ſhall be a Kingdom of Prieſts (as well as his peculiar Treaſure) Exod. 19. v. 6. or a Royal Prieſthood, as the Apoſtle (following the Greek verſion) expreſſeth it, 1 Pet. 2.9. that is, they ſhould have that Royal power and privilege of Conquering the Canaanites, and ruling over them, and be as a Kingdom of Prieſts; all of them ſo addicted and devoted to the ſervice of God, as if they were all Prieſts.

Thirdly, Hence it follows in God's promiſe [and an holy Nation] as if the whole body of that People ſhould be conſecrated to come near the Lord: As the Prieſts were ſanctified to God's ſervice, and came nearer to him than any other Tribe, ſo God conditionally promiſeth to make them ſuch an Holy People as ſhould come nearer to him than any Nation upon earth.

Secondly, Then follows the thankful acceptance of this gracious offer of God thus propounded by Moſes among that vaſt multitude, ſaying unanimouſly [All that the Lord hath ſpoken, we will do.] v. 8. Thus Chriſt the Son of God here, thought good to win the hearts of this People into obedience by thoſe gracious and powerful perſwaſions thus propounded to them in ſweet and elegant ſimilitudes (as the Eagle, Treaſure, &c.) For the Lord being about to impoſe a Law upon them, and the Law is a certain burthen, as it limiteth Man's Will, which naturally Man would have left at liberty; and therefore the Lord thus prepareth this People for the better reception of his Law, partly by commemorating former benefits, and partly by promiſing future bleſſings; the firſt of which was a Sovereign Medicine (ſaith Mr. Calvin) to ſuppreſs their pride, (ſeeing they could not aſcribe their Deliverance from Egypt, and their protection and proviſion in the Wilderneſs to themſelves) and the latter (being a promiſe of high promotion hereafter upon their obedience) muſt as effectually provoke them to ſhake off all ſloathfulneſs by ſecurity.

Inquiry, Whether the People did unfeignedly promiſe Obedience?

Anſwer. Nec eos quicquam ſimulâſſe credibile eſt, ſaith Calvin here; 'tis not at all probable that the People did diſſemble at this time, but this their promptitude in promiſing obedience to God's Precepts was not without ſome motion of God's Spirit, otherwiſe the Lord would not have commended them for it as he doth [they have well ſaid, all that they have ſpoken] Deut. 5.28. and [Oh that there were ſuch an heart in them, &c.] v. 29. Wherein the Lord wiſheth the continuance of that good diſpoſition which indeed laſted not long, for they promiſe more than they were able to perform, as Peter did to Chriſt [tho' all forſake thee, yet will not I,] not knowing his own treacherous heart. Nor did this People know the impoſſibility of the Law (which is weak through the fleſh, Rom. 8.3.) for when the Law was pronounced, they fear and flee away, Exod. 20.18, 19.

Oh how prone are we to ſo eaſie an over-weaning thoughts of our own Abilities! It cannot otherwiſe be, but either Men, not underſtanding the impoſſibility of the Law, do preſume of their own ſtrength; or if they underſtand it, do fall into deſpair, unleſs the grace of Chriſt do ſupport them, Rom. 7.9, 10. 24, 25. And ſeeing this People do of themſelves thus vow obedience to the Law, they afterwards are moſt juſtly puniſhed for the tranſgreſſion of the Law, as breakers of their Vow and promiſe to God in ſetting up their Golden-Calf, &c.

The Fifth Remark is, the particular Preparation of this People (made thus Well-will'd, Attentive, and Docible by the General Preparation) for a fit and reverent receiving of the Promulgation of the Divine Law. This Preparation laſted three Days, and conſiſted of two Parts.

Firſt, What the People were to do. And

Secondly, What they were not to do.

Firſt, What the People were to do: They are commanded to ſanctifie themſelves, and to waſh their Cloaths, Exod. 19. v. 10, 14. That they might fall down humbly at God's Feet, being duely prepared for their approach before the Lord, and for Hearing his Word, Deut. 33.3, God will be ſanctifi'd in all them that draw nigh to him, Lev. 10.3. and this was done figuratively by Waſhing their Garments, and their Bodies too (as was done in ſanctifying the Prieſts, Levit. 8.6. and People, Lev. 15.5, 6, 8, 13, 16, 21, &c.) This betokened the waſhing of their Hearts by Faith, Act. 15.9. And the cleanſing of themſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. and ſignifi'd our Sanctification by our bleſſed Saviour, with the waſhing of Water by the Word, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, &c. Eph. 5.26. and Tit. 3.5. Another outward Manner of preparing to meet God, was a changing their Garments, ſo Jacob bade his Family do, Gen. 35.2, 3. and ſo David did, 2 Sam. 12.20. for 'tis a kind of an Affront to appear in filthy Raiment before a Mighty Monarch, Eſth. 4.2. ſo Zech. 3.4. The Patriarch Jacob, and David p. 29the King were Rich Men, and had plentiful Ward-Robes, ſo were capable of changing their Garments, but poor Iſrael in the Wilderneſs were in no ſuch Caſe, having but one ſuit of Apparel (yet a laſting one not waxing old) only for each one Perſon, therefore are they not bidden to change them, but only to waſh them, which Ceremony belonged then to their external Diſcipline, and was a ſymbol of internal Grace. As this People had three Days preſcribed, to prepare and ſanctifie themſelves; So our Lord ſaith [He for our ſakes did ſanctifie himſelf] Joh. 17.19. in dying for us, which Sanctification Chriſt compleated not until the third Day at his Reſurrection.

Secondly, What the People were not to do. (1.) They muſt abſtain from their Wives during thoſe three Days Preparation, ver. 15. This (the Apoſtle ſheweth) is to be done with Conſent for a Time, that they may the better give themſelves to Faſting and Prayer, 1 Cor. 7.5. Not becauſe there was any legal Pollution in it, being inſtituted in the State of Innocency, Gen. 2. and honourable in all, Heb. 13.4 'Twas therefore prohibited, not as any prophane Matter in it ſelf, but meerly that their Minds might be the more entirely devoted to the Covenant now to be made with God, and not diverted by Carnal, yet lawful Pleaſure: Some make this to mean. [Prieſts diſavowing of Marriage] which argues as abſurdly, as, becauſe People on ſolemn Faſt-days abſtain from Meat, therefore the Clergy muſt eat no Meat at all.

2. As they were not for that Time to touch their Wives, ſo nor muſt they touch the Mount at that Time, when the Signs of God's glorious Preſence was upon it, v. 12, 13. In which Interdict or Prohibition are ſundry Branches obſervable: As

1ſt. To whom it was preſcribed, to wit; both to Men, and to Beaſt: To Men in General, that is to all the People, oft intimated in Exod. 19. but principally ver. 13. and in ſpecial to the Prieſts, who otherwiſe ſeem to have a nearer acceſs to God in ſacrificing-Service, ver. 21, 22. Theſe Prieſts are after call'd Young Men of the Sons of Iſrael, Exod. 24.5. being the Firſt born of Families, whom God had ſanctified to Himſelf, Exod. 13.2. in whoſe Place he afterward took the Tribe of Levi, Numb. 8.14, 15, 17, 18.

2ly. Upon what Penalty; this expreſly is added, upon Peril of Death: The Offender, if near Hand was to be ſtoned, and if farther off was to be ſhot at with a Dart, and the Beaſt is here doomed to Danger, to keep (his Maſter) at farther diſtance from Danger, in which Premonition, there was Mercy in the Commination, though ſo much Severity in the Execution.

3ly. The Reaſons of this Interdict were, (1.) For Reverence-ſake: 'Tis Preſumption in People, and an Affront to a Prince for any to come into his preſence uncalled: Much more into the preſence of the King of Kings; who, though he love familiarity with us, in our walking with him in our Converſation, yet takes State upon him in his Ordinances, will be feared in his Commands, and will be trembled at in his Word and Judgments, as Dr. Hall phraſeth it.

2. To reſtrain the People's Curioſity from prying into God's Secrets, 1 Sam. 6.19. Not that it is evil to ſee God, but it is evil in him that ſeeketh to ſee him out of Curioſity, and to make nearer approaches preſumptuouſly unto him, than he permits.

The Third Reaſon: Had they been permitted to approach and gaze, this would have hindred their Attention in hearing the Voice of God, which proceeded out of the midſt of the Fire.

4ly. To put a difference betwixt the Lord's Service, and that of Idols they had ſeen in Egypt, wherein they uſed Sporting, Dancing, and Feaſting, which afterward this People practiſed (as their Apes) when they ſet up the Golden Calf: But here, they muſt know their diſtance, dread God's Preſence, which was a ſtrong check to all Idolatrous Jollity.

But 5ly. And more eſpecially, this was to ſhew the Nature, uſe and end of the Law, which was rather to exclude Men from God (by Reaſon of their Sins) than to accept, juſtifie or give Life to them, as doth the Goſpel; for it was the Miniſtration of Death, 2 Cor. 3.7. Gal. 3.10, 11, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24. Mount Sinai is in Bondage with her Children, Gal. 4.25. Contrary to the Goſpel upon Mount Sion, as Paul explaineth at large, Heb. 12.18, 20, 22, &c. Notwithſtanding this ſtrict peremptory Prohibition, that neither People nor Prieſts ſhould approach beyond their bounds, yet the Lord knew better than Moſes the Itch of Curioſity in them, and therefore He commands Moſes to go down and charge them over again (though Moſes thought it ſuperfluous) to keep their Diſtance, yet Moſes and Aaron (who were Types of Chriſt's Princely and Prieſtly Offices) were allowed to come up unto the Lord, ver. 21, 22, 23, 24.

The Sixth Remark is, the miraculous Manner and marvelous Majeſty of the Promulgation of the Law:

p. 301. In the affrightful Agitation of the Elements, as of the Fire, ver. 18. of the Air, in the Cloud, Thunder, and Lightning, ver. 16. and of the Earth in that Dreadful Earthquake, &c, ver. 18. And.

2. In the aſtoniſhing ſound of the Trumpet, which (by the Miniſtry of the Angel) made a moſt terrible ſound, ver. 16, 19. As Moſes gives an ample Narrative of this Majeſtick Manner of God's giving the Law [There was Thunder and Lightning, and a Thick Cloud, and the …und of a Trumpet, &c. to the Affrightment of all the People, &c.] that the Man of God might the better accommodate his Expreſſions to the magnificence of the Lord's glorious appearing on Mount Sinai, and thereby the more to make the People meet to meet the God of Iſrael, ſuch a marvelous Majeſty attended Moſes here, as never any Law-givers among the Heathens were ever honoured with: That on a ſuddain in a clear Morning, the Mount was ſurrounded with Darkneſs, and Fire broke forth out of the midſt thereof, &c. (as Gregor. Nyſſen teſtifieth) but Moſes better declareth, that there, were four Signs of God's Preſence, two were heard, the Thunder and the Trumpet ſounding, and two were ſeen, the Lightning and the thick dark Cloud, ſo the Apoſtle to ſhew the Terrour of the Law, deſcribeth the giving of it, by ſix ſeveral Expreſſions: As (1.) Fire burning. (2.) Blackneſs. (3.) Darkneſs. (4.) Tempeſt. (5.) The ſound of the Trumpet. And (6.) The Voice of Words, Heb. 12.18, 19. God ſpeaking out of all theſe, muſt needs be very frightful, Deut. 5.22, 23, 24. and Deut. 4.11, 12. Pſal. 18.8, 9, 11, 12, 13. There was no Comfort from the Light of this Fire, becauſe of this dreadful Mixture: The Thunder-cloud had blackneſs in it ſelf, and cauſed a darkneſs to Iſrael, both be put together [Blackneſs of Darkneſs] Jude ver. 13. The Tempeſt includeth Thunder. Lightning and the Earthquake together, to ſignifie that all ſuch the Law raiſes in the Souls of Sinners under ſtrong Conviction and Compunction of Heart, Act. 2.37, &c. The Trumpet ſounding, was the great Alarm and Proclamation, that the King of Kings was coming down upon the Mount, and a ſummons to the People to appear Perſonally before him, which was a figure of the laſt Judgment, when no more Relief ſhall be found, than was here in this barren Deſart: Nothing but Bryars and Brambles, which (if in Gods way) He burns them up and paſſeth through them, Iſa. 27.4. and which ſeemingly might Promiſe Fruit, but were really dry, to ſhew that there is no hope of Relief by any legal Performances. N.B. The Apoſtle calls the Law given upon Mount Sinai, a Covenant of Works, Gal. 4.24. which was a fiery Law, Deut. 33.2. and hath ſtill ſomething of the Fire in it, but no Relief or Comfort; as the Tenure of it is [do and live] ſo 'tis full of Terrour and Malediction to thoſe that continue not in all things, Gal. 3, 10. It made not only the People, but even Moſes himſelf (their Mediator) Tremble, Heb. 12.21. But we have a better Mediator in the Goſpel-ſtate, not God coming down in a thick Cloud, as here, but [God manifeſted in the Fleſh, &c.] 1 Tim. 3.16. 'Tis the Goſpel-ſtate, that (1.) Gives us Relief from the Curſe of the Law; (2.) Procures Acceptance both of our Perſons, and of our Actions of Obedience: And (3.) Obtains Pledges of Divine Favour both for here and hereafter. The Voice of Words was the Decalogue or Moral Law, which was firſt writ in the Heart, but now (by the overſpreading Corruption of all Fleſh) was much worn out: Therefore God gives it here ſuch a glorious Renovation, and not only Audibly ſpake thoſe Ten Words in the Audience of all this prodigious Auditory, but alſo wrote them with his own Finger in Tables of Stone, to ſhew both the Law's Duration, and our Obduration.

The Seventh Remark is, the Perturbation of the People at this horrible Promulgation and Delivery of the Decalogue. Wherein the Objects, the Effects, and the Remedy of their Horrour and Trembling are expreſly obſervable in this Place.

Firſt, The Object, Exod. 20.18. They ſaw the Thunders, &c. which (ſtrictly taken) are rather heard than ſeen, but ſeeing is largely taken for perceiving by any Senſe, or by the Underſtanding. Thus [Jacob ſaw there was Corn in Egypt, Gen. 42.1.] is explained by the Holy Ghoſt, by [Jacob heard] Act. 7.12. Seeing is the ſureſt Senſe for believing, one Eye-witneſs is of more Credit than many Ear-witneſſes, therefore 'tis oft uſed for Knowledge that comes by Hearing, or by the other Senſes, (as Exod. 5.21.) Yea by the Light of Reaſon, or by the Evidence of Faith, whereby many Truths are apprehended ſo aſſuredly, as if they were ſeen with our Bodily Eyes. Omnes Senſus conjuncti ſunt in communi ſenſu; all the five outward Senſes are conjoined in the inward common Senſe: Nor doth Moſes relate all the People ſaw, for there was Fire (mixed with Smoak and Darkneſs, &c.) which burned up to the midſt of Heaven: This was the Object that affrighted them.

Secondly, The Effects were twofold:

p. 31First, Their Supplication, that God would no more ſpeak by himſelf, but by Moſes to them, Exod. 20. ver. 19. 'Twas here Man's own choice, and we ſhould therefore look on it as a great Mercy, that God's Mind is made known to us by the Miniſtry of Men like to our ſelves, as Elihu ſaid to Job [Behold I am according to thy wiſh, cut out of the Clay: My Terrour ſhall not make thee afraid,] Job 33.6, 7. N.B. God ſpeaking …he Law was ſo terrible to the People, that they had need of a Mediator, wherein Moſes …ypified Chriſt, Gal. 3.19. 1 Tim. 2.3. to mediate betwixt God and Iſrael.

Secondly, Their Tergiverſation, or flight from the Mountain, as frighted ones retreating to their Tents, ver. 21. For which doing, God commiſerating their Infirmities gave them his Commiſſion, Deut. 5.30. As he had before given them his Commendation in requeſting a Mediator, Deut. 5.28, 29. The People being terrified, ſeek for a Mediator, ver. 27. which was the end of the Law, as a Schoolmaſter to drive us unto Chriſt, Cal. 3.24. This humble motion pleaſed God, and for the preſent he gave them Moſes to mediate for them, but farther promiſeth them a Prophet like to Moſes, who was Chriſt our Bleſſed Mediator, Deut. 18.15, 18. Act. 3.22, 26. Whoſe Office is to go near unto God, and declare his Mind to us, which was fulfill'd in Chriſt, Joh. 1.18, and 3.13, and 8.28, &c.

The Law was given in this terrible Manner for many Reaſons:

1. To ſhew forth the dreadful Majeſty of God.

2. To awaken the Conſciences of Sinners.

3. To declare the controverſie betwixt an Holy God, and ſinful Men without Chriſt, by whom Grace cometh; and the Goſpel of Grace invites thoſe whom the Law excludes.

4. The Law given out of the Cloud, intimated it's obſcurity without the Goſpel, 2 Cor. 3.13, &c. God is not clearly ſeen in the Law, for God is Love, 1 Joh. 4.8.

5. All this Dread and Terrour was to ſhew the Nature of the Law, how it is a killing Letter (like Draco's Law) written not in black but in Blood, holding forth Juſtice only, and not Mercy, manifeſting God's Will, and Mens Sins, and to warn them of the Wrath deſerved, ſummoning them to appear before the Judge. And

6. To aſſure, that as the Law was given at firſt with all this Horrour and affrightment, ſo with much more unſpeakable Conſternation of all Fleſh, God will require it at the Day of Judgment, when all the World (that have been, are, or ſhall be) muſt appear before the Judge.

The Third Branch is the Remedy of the Peoples Perplexity: Moſes ſaith to them [Fear not] there's a Prohibition [Yet fear] that's a Precept, Exod. 20.20. Servile or Slaviſh fear which ſtartleth and ſtareth perplexed ones, at the Approach and Apprehenſion of Danger, he forbids here; yet promotes he a filial and awful fear, which is compounded of Reverence and Love, this muſt be a Bridle from Sin, and a Spur to Holineſs, as well as Beneficence is a Bait to Obedience, Iſa. 1.19, 20. Or the ſenſe of the Words runs thus, Fear not this glorious Appearance ſo much as to cry out [Let not God talk with us, leſt we Dye, ver. 19.] for they now had heard God, yet they did not then die, and this they acknowledge, Deut. 5.24. but ſuch was the guilt of their Sin, that they feared (ſhould God continue to ſpeak to them any more) they could not eſcape death. Moſes wiſheth them here to raiſe up their Meditations from this terrour in giving the Law, to that future fearful appearance of the Law-giver at the laſt day, when he cometh to take vengeance upon all breakers of this Law, not only Jews, but all Gen…iles, &c. For which day we muſt much more ſanctifie our ſelves to day and to morrow (as they did for receiving the Law) when God comes to require it; our Sanctification is not perfected in one day, nor may we only promiſe obedience (as they did) but be as ready to perform it: They promiſed univerſal obedience without any limitation, Exod. 19.8. yet ſoon forgot their promiſe when they made a Golden-Calf, &c. Our Lord tells us in the parable, The Son that ſaid to his Father he would not go to work in his Vineyard, yet after repented, is commended before him, who ſaid [I go, Sir] yea [but when, Sir?] for he went not, Mat. 21.29.

The Eighth Remark is, The variety of Laws given to the Church in the Wilderneſs, the lively Oracles, or life giving Oracles of God, Acts 7.38.

Firſt, The Moral Law ſpoke by God himſelf in the audience of all the people, which is call'd [our Life,] or the Rule of an Holy and Spiritual Life, Deut. 32.46, 47.

Secondly, The Judicial Laws, which were meerly Judaical, and peculiar to the People of the Jews, and which cannot fit every Nation no more than any Shoe can fit every foot; tho' Caroloſtadius would have all Magiſtrates to govern their Subjects by them in all Nations. The end of giving the Judicial Laws, was to teach Natural p. 32Equity, to which Judicial Laws mentioned in Chapters 21, 22, 23. of Exodus, muſt be added thoſe Directions that Jethro gave Moſes for ſubſtituting Inferiour Magiſtrates, Exod. 18. which choice of Elders, was not made till Iſrael's departure from Sinai, Deut. 1.7, 8. Nor could Jethro offer Sacrifices (as he did, Exod. 18.12.) before the Law was given: Nor could Moſes make known God's Statutes to the People (as he doth, Exod. 18.13, 16.) before himſelf knew them: So 'tis miſplaced for weighty Reaſons, as Dr. Lightfoot obſerves, Harmony of Old Teſtament, Pag. 65.66.

Thirdly, The Ceremonial Laws were all Typical, and therefore Temporary, call'd a Yoke too heavy for our Fathers, Act. 15.10. Yet their end and uſe was to prefigure and ſhadow out the Goſpel in its divers Truths, in which ſenſe they continue ſtill though not in reſpect of Obſervation or Practice, yet in reſpect of Inſtruction, Direction, and Teſtimony to Chriſt and his Truths. The Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are a Commentary, and a kind of outwork to the Moral Law. The Ceremonial to the firſt Table, and the Judicial to the Second: And they are call'd a Wall of Partition betwix… Jews and Gentiles becauſe they are made up of Laws, that are hard as ſo many Stones in Nature, and that are ſo many in number as make up a Wall. The number of both being reckoned fifty ſeven; when the Moral Law or Decalogue was given by the Son of God [Vivâ Voce] by his own audible Voice with ſuch Terrour, that the People were not able to abide it, but deſire Moſes to be a Mediator, He hereupon draws near to God in the thick Darkneſs, receiveth ſeven and fifty Precepts (Ceremonial and Judicial) which, when he came down from the Mount; He telleth the People of, and writes them in a Book; namely, in his Pentateuch. The Moral Law ſheweth Man, what he ought to do, and with the ſame ſight he ſeeth, that he cannot do it: This makes Man ſeek to the Ceremonial Law, for ſome Sacrifice or Ceremony, to ſatisfie for his not doing his Duty to the Decalogue; wherein Man may ſee ſoon, that burning a Dead Beaſt is but an inconſiderable ſatisfaction for the Sins of a living Man, and that outward Puriſfyings of Mens ſelves can avail but little to the cleanſing of a ſoiled Soul; the Prophet tells us [Thouſands of Rams, and ten thouſand Rivers of Oil will not do it, nor can the Fruit of the Body expiate the Sin of the Soul] Mic. 6.6, 7. The Jews wearied God to the Soul with their Sacrifices and Ceremonies, Iſa. 1.13, 14. And David could ſay [Sacrifices thou would not, but a broken Heart, Pſal. 51.16, 17. The Conſideration of this Deficiency in the Ceremonial Law, delivers ſinful Man up to the Judicial Law, which holds forth the Penalty of obſtinate Offenders, and diſcovereth to him, what he deſerveth by the Law of Retaliation. This Law is contained in the three Chapters Exod. 21, 22, and 23. And thus all thoſe three Laws (the Moral, Ceremonial and Judicial) are as a Schoolmaſter to whip us home to Chriſt, Gal. 3.24. None of thoſe Laws of Moſ…s can ſave us. It was not Moſes or the Law, but Joſhua or Jeſus that brought Iſrael into the Land of Promiſe: Hereby we are conſtrained to ſeek out for a Saviour the Lord our Redeemer, For there is no other Name under Heaven, whereby we can be ſaved, but by Jeſus Chriſt, Act. 4.12. N.B. The Parable our Lord himſelf propounds, tends ſomething to this purpoſe, as Luk. 10.30, 31, 32. Concerning the Man Travelling from Jeruſalem to Jericho, and falling among Thieves, &c. Wherein the Man mentioned is Travelling the wrong way, He ſhould have travell'd from Jericho (the Place of God's curſe… to Jeruſalem (the Place of God's Worſhip and Bleſſing) not from Jeruſalem to Jericho: As the Man went out of God's Precincts, and ſo out of God's Protection, no wonder then, if he falls among Thieves: Thus the Original Sinner Adam went the wrong way, when he liſtened more to the Serpent's Promiſe, and to his Wife Eve's proffer, than he did to God's Precept. He went from the Tree of Life to the Tree of Knowledge, there hearkening after Honour of the Devil's giving and not God's, he falls among Thieves, that ſtopp'd him, ſtripp'd him, and ſtrip'd him ſo, that he was half Dead of his wounds. (1.) Satan diſmounts him of his State of Innocency, which ſhould ſuſtain him. (2.) Sin ſtrips him of all Righteouſneſs, which ſhould aray him. And (3.) Death was the third Thief, that ſtrip'd him, ſtriking fall'n Man with his own guiltineſs, and miſerably wounding him; here is Man in a woful Condition: By comes a Prieſt, that is, the legal Prieſthood, or Moral Righteouſneſs: This paſſeth by him, but does not, cannot help him: By alſo comes a Levite with the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law or formal Holineſs: This alſo paſſeth by and relieveth him not: Both theſe are Phyſicians if no value, miſerable Comforters, the Eyes of neither of the two did pity him: But by comes a good Samaritan, our Saviour himſelf (whom they call'd a Samaritan, &c.) he Pities him, Salves him, Mounts him, Lodges him, and Pays all for him: This Chriſt (the ſecond Adam) did for the firſt Original Sinner. N.B. Oh that he may do ſo for us Adam's Children, who are all Actual Sinners, and whom the p. 33Thieves (Satan, Sin and Death) have wounded! Oh that Chriſt may (1.) Pity us when no other doth ſo, Ezek. 16.8. Jer. 31.20, &c. (2.) Salve us, pouring in the ſharp Wine of Reproof to ſearch our wounds, as well as the ſweet Oil of Comfort to ſupple them. (3.) Mount us upon his own Righteouſneſs, or we never reach the new Jeruſalem. (4.) Lodge us in his own Chamber, his Church here, and in his Fathers Boſom hereafter. (5.) And pay all for us, by his Active and Paſſive Obedience (which is the two Pence here): As our firſt ſinning was without us in Adam; ſo our full ſatisfying is without us in Chriſt, his Justitia Perſonae, & Justitia Meriti pays all, &c.

The Ninth Remark in this twelvth Station at Mount Sinai is, the Promulgation of the Law is confirmed, by bringing the People into Covenant with God, whereof we have an account, Exod. 24. which relateth,

First, The Place where according to God's appointment, the ſide of the Mountain for the Elders, ver. 1. the Top of the Mountain for Moſes, and the bottom of it for the People, ver. 2.

Secondly, The Manner how: Wherein is related what,

1ſt. Moſes did, who (1.) Wrote all God's Statutes in a Book, ver. 4. Heb. 9.19. (2.) In the Morning (the very next day after the fiftieth Day) whereon the Law was given, he erecteth an Altar to repreſent Christ, and twelve Pillars to repreſent the twelve Tribes, who were both the Parties in the Covenant. (3.) He ſent the First born (who were the Sacrificers, till the Levites were taken in their ſtead, Numb. 3.41, &c.) to offer up burnt offerings and Peace-offerings (both Types of Christ) to ſanctifie the People, for entring into Covenant with God, ver. 5. (4.) With half of the Blood, he beſprinkled the Altar, and the Book that lay upon it to be ſanctified thereby, ver. 6. Heb. 9.19. (5.) He took the Volume of the Covenant, and read it in the Audience of the People, that he might bring them into the Bonds of the Covenant, ver. 7. Ezek. 20.37. (6.) He took the other half of the Blood, and beſprinkled the People, or the twelve Pillars, or the ſeventy Elders, that did repreſent them, ver. 8. all which were Patterns of thoſe heavenly Things done by Christ, ſanctifying us by the Blood of a better Covenant, Joh. 17.19. Heb. 9.13, 14, 18, 23. 1 Pet. 1.2.

2dly. What both Moſes ſaid, and the People too.

1st. Moſes explained the Covenant and Commands of God to the People, ver. 3, and 8. as if he had ſpoke thus; This whole People thus beſprinkled with the Blood of the Covenant, are received into God's Covenant, Care and Cuſtody, yet upon that Condition; If they will exactly keep the Law of their God, and in Truth obey all his Commandments.

2ly. The People Promiſe their Obedience to all theſe Conditions of the Covenant, ver. 3, 7. as they had done before, Exod. 19.8. and 20.10. Thus the Covenant betwixt God and Iſrael was eſtabliſh'd by a mutual and willing Conſent; though as yet they knew not the Impoſſibility of the Law, which is weak through the Fleſh, Rom. 8 3. nor did Mind the twelve Pillars of Stone (repreſenting to them) how their hard ſtony Nature was thereby reſembled to them, as the two Tables of Stone did reſemble their hard stony Hearts, Exod. 31.18. 2 Cor. 3.3.

3ly. The Iſſue and Effect of this entring into Covenant: The Elders of Iſrael, that before might not come near the Lord, now ſee his Glory, eat and drink before him, and he layeth not his avenging Hand upon them, &c. ver. 9, 10, 11. Great Joy it was alſo to all the People, ver. 15, 17. But Moſes is call'd up into the Mount (with his Servant Joſhua) ver. 12, 13. where he muſt abide to receive the Tables of Stone, and the Pattern of the Tabernacle with all the Utenſils of it, &c. In whoſe abſence Aaron and Hur muſt manage all matters of Controverſie in the Camp, ver. 14. The Glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai appearing all that Time in their ſight like conſuming Fire, ver. 15, 16. Six days God prepares Moſes for receiving the Law, as in ſix days he created the World, and reſted upon the ſeventh, Gen. 2.2. The ſame number is here at the giving of the Law, wherein God manifeſted as much Wiſdom, as in making the World, Pſal. 19. per totum. Upon the Seventh day God calls Moſes alone into the Cloud, who ſtood at a diſtance (with his Servant) till called of God: That Seventh Day is ſuppoſed to be the Sabbath, being call'd the Seventh Day by an Emphatick Article, as the Chriſtian Sabbath is emphatically alſo call'd [the Lord's Day] above others, Rev. 1.10. The People had but three Days of Preparation to receive the Law, Exod. 19.10, 11. But Moſes muſt have Six, to ſhew what ſingular Holineſs is required of Miniſters: The Meaſures of the Sanctuary (as the Shekel, Cubit▪ &c.) were double to the ordinary among the People; Miniſters muſt wiſh (with Eliſha) a double Portion of the Spirit, that they may ſave themſelves and thoſe that hear them: Moſes abode in the Cloud Forty Days and Nights, ver. 18. without eating p. 34Bread or drinking Water, Deut. 9.9. The like number of days Elias faſted for Reviving the Law, which in his day was loſt, 1 King. 19.8. And Chriſt did the ſame when he entred into his Miniſtry of giving the Goſpel, Matth. 4.2. and it muſt be ſuppoſed that the Lord enabled Moſes to abide there forty days, as well as to enter the Cloud, which he could not do, Exod. 40.35.

N. B. If it be asked, What became of Joſhua all this time? for he came down with Moſes, and knew nothing of the Calf ſet up in the Camp, Exod. 32.17. when Moſes brought the two Tables. It is thus anſwered; Tho' it be expreſly ſaid, That Joſhua went up with Moſes, and came down with him, yet is it not mentioned in Scripture, how high he went, or whether he heard what God ſaid to Moſes, &c. It ſeemeth he ſtaid ſtill with Moſes during the ſix days preparation, till God call'd his Maſter from him into the Cloud; and, like a faithful Servant, he ſtaid in ſome place where his Maſter appointed and knew how to find him upon his Return, Exod, 32.17, 18 not knowing any thing of Iſrael's Idolatry; ſo had no meat from the Camp, nor did he faſt the forty days as Moſes did, but was (as ſome ſay) ſuſtained all that time with Manna, &c. in ſome extraordinary manner by the Lord.

In this forty days and nights Conference which the Lord held with Moſes in the Mount, God gave him the Ceremonial Law (which was the Shadowed Goſpel for this Infant Church) as before he had given the Moral and the Judicial Laws. The Ceremonial Law was to direct this Church in the External Worſhip of God: As 1. That a place be prepared for his Publick Worſhip, called then the Tabernacle, which (as Joſephus ſaith) was a portable Temple. 2. That the People (now in Covenant with their God) muſt offer voluntarily all materials for the making of this Tabernacle, both for the outward Fabrick, and all the inward Utenſils thereof, Exod. 25, 26, 27, and 30. chapters. 3. God ordains the Perſons to attend the Service of this Sanctuary, and they are Aaron and his Sons, of the Tribe of Levi, who are directed both as to their Garments, and as to their Sacrifices and Ceremonies of their Conſecration, chap. 28, and 29. 4. God calls forth, and qualifies the Perſons for the whole workmanſhip of the Tabernacle within and without, as Bezaleel and Aholiab; with others, whom he filled with the ſpirit of Wiſdom, and made them meet for the making of all ſorts of the Manufacture thereof, chap. 31. All which materials muſt be exactly made according to the Pattern or Model that God now ſhewed in a Viſion unto Moſes in the Mount, giving him (as is ſuppoſed) an Aetherial Idea or Platform both of perſons and things, as God afterward gave to David a Model drawn in writing for the building of the Temple, 1 Chron. 28.19. which either God himſelf wrote down (as he did the two Tables of the Law) and ſent it to David by an Angel, or ſome Prophet; as 2 Chron. 29.25. or David himſelf wrote it down by Divine Direction; for he was a man of God, ſo call'd, 2 Chron. 8.14. and what he doth herein, he did as he was Inſpired by the Spirit of God, 1 Chron. 28.12. Now the Apoſtle, Heb. 8.5. referreth this Model (ſhewn to Moſes in the Mount) not only to the deſign of the Fabrick (the Tabernacle) but alſo to the ſenſe and ſignification perfectly correſpondent to the Arche-Type, or firſt Pattern of Heavenly things. So all this glorious Furniture of the Tabernacle was not for worldly Pomp, but for ſpiritual myſtery of coeleſtial Graces, which ſhould be enjoyed by Chriſt, all ſhadowed out to the Faith of Iſrael in their Sanctuary Services. Nor might Moſes alter any thing from the Model, either in matter or form. Nor may we any Divine Inſtitution with our Humane Invention; that Tool poliſhes not, but pollutes, Exod. 20.25.

The Tenth Remark upon this 12th Station at Sinai, is the Idolatry of Iſrael in Moſes's abſence, Exod. 32. Their ſin is deſcribed, Firſt, By the cauſes or occaſions of it. 1. The remote cauſe, was Moſes's tarrying ſo long as forty days and nights in the Cloud out of Iſrael's ſight. Moſes could not tell the People the time of his Return (as Rabbi Solomon ſaith) for it was unknown to himſelf how long he ſhould tarry. Some ſay, that the People thought either the Fire had conſumed him at his entrance into the Cloud, or that God had taken him into Heaven, as he had done Enoch and Elijah afterward, or had conveyed him to ſome other place, becauſe he ſtaid ſo long from them; or that he was ſome way or other certainly dead for want of their Manna and Water ſo many days: [We know not what is (ſay they) become of the Man] Ver. 1. wherein they ſhew both great Contempt of their Mediator and Saviour, in not vouchſafing him his name, but ſcornfully calling him [The Man] whom (on this ſide Idolatry) they could not have too much veneration for. And likewiſe their groſs Infidelity is bewrayed hereby; that tho' they had daily experience how the Lord fed to vaſt a multitude with Manna, &c. yet could not conceive how a ſingle Perſon, Moſes, ſhould be preſerved p. 35alive forty days in the Cloud with God, without fetching any ſupplies of food from the Camp. But the cauſa proxima of this heinous ſin, was the Phrenzy of the People, who Rebelled againſt the Light, Job 24.13. became vain in their Imaginations, having their fooliſh hearts darkened, &c. were as meer mad-men in their actings, Rom. 1.22, 23. They were mad upon their Idols, Jer. 50.38. Such a deep Tincture of Idolatry they had contracted by converſing ſo long with Idolaters in Egypt, that tho' God had Aired them ſo many days now in the Wilderneſs, yet were they not ſtill ſweetened and cleanſed from that ſtinking ſin. Beſide, they ſaw the Cloud fixed upon Mount Sinai, and from thence thought it would guide them no more, therefore muſt they madly have a ſtirring God of their own making, and at their own diſpoſal, one that would march when and whither they liſted; and eſpecially one that might make them welcome to Egypt (an Egyptian Idol) in their Returning thither, as after they deſigned, Numb. 14. Acts 7. v. 39, 40.

Secondly, Their Idolatry is deſcribed by the ſinful Circumſtances of the Action preparatory thereunto: As, 1. The People propound to Aaron to make them Gods. 2. Aaron's ſinful complyance in directing them a method how to accompliſh their wicked Deſign, ver. 2. 3. Hereupon the People bring their Jewels of Gold, ver. 3. And 4. Aaron makes the Golden Calf of thoſe materials, ver. 4. Then follows,

Thirdly, The deſcription of the Idolatrous fact it ſelf: Wherein, 1. Aaron ſets up the Calf to be worſhipped. 2. Erects an Altar before it. 3. Proclaims an holy Day or ſolemn Feaſt, ver. 4, 5. 4. The People worſhip their new Idol, and celebrate their new Feſtival both with Sacrifices and with Dances, ver. 6. From theſe two high and heinous pieces of wickedneſs, both in the preparation, and the performance of this groſs Impiety,