A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 20 (3 of 7)

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 20 (3 of 7)

p. 35Obſerve 1. The great danger of Non-reſidence in thoſe Perſons that have the Charge of a People, both Magiſtrates and Miniſters: Seeing the People here take an occaſion to commit ſo great a ſin in Moſes's abſence from them but forty days, who had a Divine Warrant for his preſent withdrawment, and all that time was negotiating with the Lord for an Inſtituted Worſhip to bring Iſrael; yet in the mean time they, without all Warrant, invent a wicked Worſhip of their own. This ſhews how neceſſary it is to attend our Charge, if God diſpenſe not.

Obſerve 2. The monſtrous levity and fickleneſs of this People who had newly heard the Lord with his own Voice thunder out the Moral Law to them. The firſt Precept whereof did directly prohibit making other Gods before him, and to which they had newly (two ſeveral times) promiſed their Obedience, Exod. 19.8. and 24.7. yet now they muſt have Gods made with hands, at the ſame time that the Mount burned with Fire, (The terrour of which ſight alone, might have reſtrained them from their ſin of making and worſhipping a Calf, ſeeing the ſigns of God's preſence, as conſuming Fire; was ſtill before their Eyes) Deut. 9.15. had they not been mad upon their Idols, Jer. 50.38. And while the Cloudy Pillar (the evident ſign of God's preſence) remained with them, for it was not now withdrawn (as ſome ſay) ſeeing it is expreſly affirmed, that the Cloud did not leave them either night or day for forty years, till they came to Canaan, Exod▪ 13.22. and then the Manna ceaſed alſo, Joſh. 5.12. which Manna they had now falling daily for their food, yet ſo ſoon they forgot God the giver of it [turning his Glory into the ſimilitude of a Calf, &c.] Pſal. 106.19, 20, 21. as if they had been no better than the blockiſh Pagans, who changed the glory of the incorruptible God into Images made like to corruptible Men, Birds, Beaſts, &c. Rom. 1.23. Some do wonder, that this People, who had God ſo nigh them, as no other Nation in the World had, Deut. 4.7. did not rather deſire the Image of a Cherub or Angel rather than of a Calf: But they were ſo beſotted with that Idolatry they had ſeen among the Egyptians, who, (as ſome ſay) had the Devil appearing to them once in a year in the likeneſs of a pied Bullock, and uſed to go before them to their chief City Memphis, whom the Egyptians followed after, playing upon Harps and other Inſtruments, &c. Therefore the Idol of Egypt (they conſtantly worſhipped) was a pied Bull or Bullock, and Iſrael in Emulation and Imitation of theſe Egyptians deſired a ſtirring God, a walking Calf that might go before them, either backward to Egypt (as Stephen affirms) ſaying [In their hearts they turned back to Egypt] not ſo much to their food of Onions and Garlick, as to their Superſtition and Idolatry in worſhipping Apis or Serapis in the form of a Bullock or Calf) Act. 7.39, 40, 41. or forward as they pleaſed, ſpeedily to Canaan. Oh the Inconſtancy of this People! worſe than Pagans, who are too tenacious of, and pertinacious in their blind Superſtition, to change their Gods, Jer. 2.11. And how were they ſublimely ſtupified, to call this Calf a God (for ſo it is but one in the ſingular number, Neh. 9.18. p. 36tho' here Gods in the plural, Exod. 32.1, 4.) as if that which their hands had newly made, had both made the World and them, yea and lately had ſaved them out of Egypt. Tho' this was too mad a conceit for all Iſrael to be given up unto, ſeeing the Scripture ſaith expreſly, that only ſome of them were Idolaters, 1 Cor. 10.6, 7. yet this madneſs might be part of God's Curſe upon others of them for rebelling againſt the Light (as before) Job 24.13. Tho' ſome of the Rabbins excuſe this fact of their Forefathers, ſaying, That they were not ſo ſottiſh as to terminate their Worſhip in this Calf, but pretended to worſhip God in the Calf, as did alſo Jehu, 2 King. 10.16, 29. and 2 Chron. 11.15. yet are theſe Iſraelites branded in Scripture down right for Idolaters [They worſhipped the Molten Image, &c.] Pſal. 106.19, 20. and [they rejoiced in the work of their own hands] Act. 7.41. (which joy they expreſs by feaſting, ſinging and dancing before the Calf, Exod. 32.6.) and are call'd down-right Idolaters, 1 Cor. 10.7. Hereupon the wiſeſt of their Rabbins do bewail this act or Idolatry, and ſay, That there is an ounce of this Golden Calf in all the preſent Sufferings of the Jews at this day: Therefore the Papiſts are rightly call'd Idolaters, notwithſtanding their diſtinctions of abſolute and relative Image-Worſhip, &c. To ſet up an Idol outwardly, to rejoice in it inwardly, and to worſhip the true God in a falſe manner (not preſcribed by him) are all three ſorts of Idolatry, &c.

Obſerve 3. As the ſin of the People was great and grievous in God's Eye, as will be farther demonſtrated when we come to God's Severity in puniſhing for it; So Aaron's ſin was great and grievous alſo. There be ſome who do indeed extenuate, yea and excuſe Aaron's ſin, ſaying in his behalf. That he left no ſtone unturned to ſtave back the mad People from their Idolatrous Enterprize by all that he ſaid and did, hoping Moſes might come before the work could be done: For, 1. He ſaid, [Break off your Golden Ear Rings] ver. 2. whereby he would have broke their wicked deſign, thinking that the Men (who wore them) would not eaſily part with them; much more difficult work he hoped they would have to perſuade their Women to want ſuch gaudy Ornaments without Mutinies in many Families. But when that furious Spirit of Idolatry tranſported them ſo, as to ſpare no coſt for its accompliſhment; then 2. He gathereth all their Golden Ear-Rings together, caſts them into the Fire, and melteth them, that beholding their loſs of ſuch a prodigious Maſs of Gold, they might be moved with ſome Relentings, and ſo deſiſt from their Deviliſh deſgn. 3. Then he ſpends much time in faſhioning it with a Graving-tool, to file off all its Excreſcencies, and make it a formal Calf (as they impoſed upon him) who (might he have had his choice) would rather have made a Cherub, as Moſes made two for the Sanctuary. 4. When Aaron ſaw their minds were ſo madly ſet upon this Idol, that thoſe very Ear-Rings which they had got themſelves furniſhed with by God's favour, Exod. 13.21, 22. with 12.35, 36. they will now willingly part with to purchaſe this Calf to God's great diſhonour; Aaron, fearing the force of their frantick fury, went on according to their wilful wickedneſs, (ver. 22.) and to gain more time forMoſes's Return, orders the building of an Altar, ver. 5. for this New God, the Calf, muſt have a New Altar for Sacrifice: And then it muſt have, 5. A ſet Time for ſolemn Service, which Aaron appointed [to morrow.] This haſte came more from their furious Zeal, than from his own choice, who would have uſed longer Delays, that Moſes might have come to prevent farther miſchief. However, 6. He tells them of a Feaſt to Jehovah (which is a Name peculiar to the True God) not Elohim, (which they call'd the Calf by) probably to divert them from the work of Man's hands, to make them look up to the Maker of Man, God himſelf, who only is to be worſhipped. But above all, the Papiſt Monceius excuſes Aaron moſt ſlovenly, ſaying fondly and falſly, That this Calf had the figure of a Cherub, who (writing a whole diſſolute diſcourſe of this Golden Calf) ſays confidently, That Aaron thought no more of the Egyptian Idol Apis, than Moſes did of Serapis; and that Aaron ſinn'd no more in making this Calf, than Moſes did in making the Cherubims over the Ark; and that this Calf was deſigned to no other uſe, but (as the Ark after was, Numb. 10.33. Joſh. 3.10, &c. a viſible ſign of God's preſence: And much more that Romiſh Padre adds of the ſame Brann, ſo groſs, that the Romiſh Church hath branded it with her Cenſure: And Viſorius (a Sorban Doctor at Paris) hath confuted it: And other Learned Divines anſwer him thus; 1. Nothing can be more falſe than what he feigneth [That God, being repreſented by the Calf, ſhewed himſelf to be ſeen] which is point-blank contrary to Deut. 4.15, 16. Exod. 20.4, 5. He is the Inviſible God, and hath no Viſible Image to repreſent him, Col. 1.15. Iſa. 40.18. Acts 17.19, 2. The Ark was not ſo much to lead them, as to be led and carried by them. 3. Tho' the Cherub, Ezek. 1.7. is ſaid to have the p. 37ſimilitude of a Calves-foot, which divided hoof ſhewed the cleanneſs of the Creature according to the Law, yet Cherubims are never called Calves, as this, and Jeroboam's were. 4. Nor were the Cherubims upon the Ark (which God gave Moſes a Divine Warrant to make) ever call'd God's, as this Calf is, nor ever expoſed to publick view (as this Calf was) but always kept private in the Sanctuary, leſt any occaſion of Idolatry ſhould be taken by expoſing them. 5. Nor was it lawful for the Jews to Worſhip God under any Image, upon which hinge Monceius's whole Tract hangeth, as taken for granted, which he confirms neither by Scriptures, nor Fathers, &c. but by light and vain conjectures of his own, and therefore not worth the while to refute them. 6. His excuſing Aaron from ſin is repugnant to Scripture, v. 21. Exod. 32. where Moſes reproves him for it, and he confeſſeth it, ver. 22. His ſin is aggravated thus,

1. By the greatneſs of his perſon, by whom God had wrought many Miracles, and oft conferring with God, that he ſhould conſent to the breach of the firſt Table (to which nothing ſhould have compell'd him, but rather have dyed with Hur, as above is ſuppoſed, rather than yield) this made his fall the greater, as it doth that of the High prieſt of Rome.

2. He ſtifled his own Conſcience in acting every ſtep of this Idolatry, and bringing in new Rites, &c.

3. He Midwiv'd the only inward conceptions of the Peoples wickedneſs, bringing it forth openly into the World; and

4. What they contrive by their own private Errour, he gives it the ſanction of his publick Authority.

5. His outward popularity, Maſtered his inward piety; God ſuffer'd this, (1.) To humble him in his High prieſtood. (2.) To ſhew it was not perfect, one Captive cannot ſave another. (3.) That none, not the higheſt, may preſume, 1 Cor. 10.12. for this ſin (had not Moſes mediated) God had killed him, Deut. 9.18, 20, 25.

The Eleventh Remark upon this 12th ſtation at Sinai, is the ſundry Faſts Moſes (the Man of God) obſerved in the Mount before the Lord, as a Mediator (Relations non Redemptionis) in behalf of this ſinful People: About the number of Moſes's Faſtings, whether he did it thrice forty days together, to wit, 120 days in all, or only twice for 80 days, the Learned are divided into two ſeveral Opinions; the firſt is for the latter, that he faſted only twice, tho' they grant that this is certain, Moſes was three times in the Mount with God.

The Firſt was for receiving the Law, Exod. 24.18.

The Second was for interceeding with God in the behalf of Iſrael, when they had committed their Calfiſh Idolatry, Exod. 32.30, 31.

The Third was for procuring the broken Tables of the Law renewed, Exod. 34.28. yet (ſay they) it appeareth not that he faſted forty days all thoſe three times; adding further, that Moſes faſted twice is probable, but not certain; that he faſted thrice is neither probable nor certain: And were the bare mentioning of Moſes's oft faſtings a ſufficient ground for aſſerting it, then muſt it follow that he faſted not only thrice, but four times, becauſe it is ſo oft mentioned, Deut. 9.9, 18, 25. and 10.10. whereas

1. Some of thoſe four times are but a repetition of the ſame action: beſides,

2. To grant him three forty days faſting, is to ſuupoſe this Chief Magiſtrate to be too long from his great charge. The Doctors that generally confineMoſes's faſting to two times only, add other Reaſons to thoſe two above-mentioned; as

3. In the Book of Exodus, where the ſtory is fully related, there is no mention of Moſes's faſting three times, and therefore there is no need of ſeeking any ſupply to ſo ample a Narrative (given before) out of any expreſſions in Deutronomy.

4. The ſinning People were not ſecured from God's vengeance for their Idolatry, until Moſes brought down the Tables of the Law renewed, which was the laſt time of his being in the Mount with God, ſo God was not reconciled to them by any ſecond time intervening forty days faſt of his, and interceſſion for them.

5. The time will not bear (they ſay) three forty days faſting before the day of expiation came, which was the very day on which Moſes came laſt down from God in the Mount, and this they corroborate, ſaying,

6. It required much more than one days time for Moſes's tranſacting and diſpatching ſo much buſineſs as he did after his firſt coming down with the two Tables, which he brake when he ſaw the Calf-Idol, which he then brake down, grinded it to powder, and made its Worſhippers drink it up: Then he executed juſtice upon the Idolaters, removed his own Tent out of the Camp, ſtrip'd the People of all their Ornaments, and in the mean time went up ſometimes with new Addreſſes and Applications to God p. 38for pardoning mercy, &c. All which work (both with God, and with the people) he tranſacted before he went up the laſt time for renewing the two Tables; and ſeeing therefore ſo much time muſt be ſpent in ſo many tranſactions as are mentioned, &c. It cannot well be ſuppoſed, he could have any leiſure for a middle faſt of forty days in the midſt of ſuch an hurry.

7. They add, that 'tis expreſly ſaid, that as Moſes ſtay'd forty days in the Mount for his firſt receiving the two Tables, Exod. 24.18. ſo likewiſe other forty days for renewing them, Exod. 34.28. but no mention is made of any intermediate forty days beſide; which ſheweth (ſay they) that his forty days faſt was but twice, and both in reſpect of the Law; namely the firſt receiving and laſt renewing it. But other Learned Men (as great Ainſworth for Rabbinical Learning, and Dr. Lightfoot, &c.) are of the former Opinion that Moſes faſted forty days alſo, for reconciling God to Iſrael; alledging.

Firſt, That though this particular be omitted in Exodus, Chap. 32.30, 31. yet it is ſupplyed by Moſes his own hand in Deut. 9.18, 25. and again, 10.10. all which three Texts ſpeak of this one action of his interceeding with God to take off his Controverſie againſt them, for their preſent provoking him by Idolatry: The firſt of thoſe Texts, Deut. 9.18, 19. [I fell down before the Lord, as at the firſt;] to wit, (when he received the Tables, Exod. 24.18.) which the Greek expoundeth thus [I prayed before the Lord the ſecond time, as at the firſt,] where he rehearſes how by his humble interceſſion, as Mediator and Figure of Chriſt, they eſcaped deſtruction, which he was afraid of, v. 19. and again, he repeats the ſame reconciling work, both v. 25, 26. and Chap. 10.11. as a matter of great importance for them to remember.

This way of ſupplying one Text by another is uſual in Scripture, thus Deut. 9.20. ſupplies what is omitted in Exod. 32. that God would have deſtroyed Aaron in his anger, had not Moſes prayed for him, as well as for the People; whereof there is not the leaſt intimation, in Exod. 31.24, 25, 30, 31.

Secondly, There is no doubt but no leſs difficulty Moſes met with in his praying for pardoning mercy upon this notorious provocation, than either in receiving or in renewing the two Tables of the Law. This Moſes intimateth in his ſaying [I was afraid of God's hot diſpleaſure againſt Iſrael] Deut. 9.18, 19. for tho' (upon his earneſt interceſſion before this for them) he had got a grant of their pardon, Exod. 32.14. yet looks he upon that only as a reprieve for a time, the Lord reſerving a liberty for taking vengeance at another opportunity, v. 34. or he doubted, that tho' God would not ſlay all the people at one blow, yet might he do it by parts and parcels; therefore goes he up to the Mount, and falls again upon his ſecond forty days faſting and prayer, without both which, this kind of Ʋnclean Spirit (that obſtinate Devil of Idolatry) could not be caſt out, Mat. 17.21. and no doubt but Moſes: had a very hard tug of it, which makes him to remind them of it three ſeveral times almoſt all together, Deut. 9.18, 25. and 10.10. where he expreſſeth, how afraid he was, leſt God ſhould deſtroy them, being far more troubled for them, then they were for themſelves; inſiſting ſo much upon this eminent Hiſtory of his interceeding for them this ſecond time, when their caſe was almoſt deſperate; inſomuch that Moſes was put upon a [Peradventure I may make an Atonement,] Exod. 32.30. implying the difficulty thereof, and therefore makes he uſe of his beſt levers at a dead lift, as Prayer, and Faſting.

Thirdly, That there was ſufficiency and conſiſtency of time for all thoſe three forty days faſts Dr. Lightfoot makes manifeſt in his Chronology; affirming that Moſes came down to break the Golden-Calf, &c. upon the 17th. day of the Month Tammuz, which anſwers to our June; the next day he returns to God by prayer, but is returned back the ſame day with a ſad Anſwer, whereupon Iſrael is humbled, &c. Exod. 33. from 5, to 12, &c. The next day Moſes goes up again, and falls upon his ſecond forty days faſt, wherein he deſired to ſee the glory of God, as in his firſt he had ſeen a glorious Tabernacle upon Iſrael's humbling, the Cloud of Glory, which had been removed by their Idolatry, was reſtored, &c. On the 30th. day of the Month Ab (which anſwers to our July) he enters on his third faſt, then he ſeeth the Lord, and heareth him proclaim himſelf by moſt glorious attributes, &c. Exod. 34. and on the tenth day of the Month Tiſri, which anſwers to our September, he came down with the glad tidings that all was well betwixt God and Iſrael, with the renewed Tables in his hand, and with a Commiſſion to ſet about the making of the Tabernacle; here's time ſufficient for two forty days faſts, &c.

The Twelfth Remark on this Twelfth Station of Iſrael at Mount Sinai, is the erection of the Tabernacle, which, was the viſible ſign (Divinely appointed) of God's favourable p. 39preſence with his Church, the glorious Cloud taking poſſeſſion of it to dwell therein among his people, Exod. 40.17, and 34. Mark here how God renewed his Covenant with Iſrael, when duly humbled for their groſs Idolatry. God had given Moſes upon his firſt faſt, Exod. 24.18. two Tables which were the work of God (hewn out of the Saphire of the Throne of God's glory, v. 20. ſay the Jewiſh Doctors) and the writing was the writing of God, Exod. 31.18. and 32.16. Moſes brake thoſe Tables at the ſight of the Golden Calf, to ſhew that Iſrael had made themſelves unworthy of ſo great a Jewel; and whereas the Lord had given him a Pattern and a Command for making and ſetting up a glorious Tabernacle, and die ſervice of it, that benefit is alſo forfeited by their Calfiſh Idolatry, and neither Tables to be reſtored, nor the Tabernacle to be made, tho' Moſes had directions for it, Exod. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Chapt. All thoſe Love tokens from the Lord were loſt by their peccatum flagrans, the flaming Sin, in Exod. 32.1, to 7. until Moſes by long and earneſt prayer had prevailed for Iſrael's peace upon their due humiliation. 'Tis ſaid [the People mourned] Exod. 33.4. even in Mourning Habit, as they had good cauſe▪ [they looked after Moſes,] &c. v. 8. to ſee what ſucceſs his interceeding for their ſin might obtain: And when they ſaw ſigns that God was appeaſable, they bowed in thankfulneſs, v. 9, 10, 11. This Friendſhip and familiarity of God with Moſes was further manifeſted in thoſe words [hew thee two Tables of Stone, &c.] Exod. 34.1, 4, &c. Herein they differed from die firſt Tables which were the work of God, Exod. 32.16. but theſe were of Moſes's hewing, to ſhew, the work of Moſes's Law is to hew an heard heart, Hoſ. 6.5. yet cannot change it from Stone to Fleſh, nor write the Law in it, that is Christ's work, Ezek. 36.36, 37. he makes all new, Rev. 21.5. the firſt Law writ in the heart was broke by the ſin of the firſt Adam. The Meſſiah (as Moſes here) renews all both heart and life, God writes the Law again here in Moſes's two new hewn Tables, renews his Covenant with Iſrael thus humbled, gives a new Commiſſion to ſet about making the Tabernacle, the People freſhly fall on the work, Exod. Chap. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. and ſo freely frame they furniture for this Worldly Sanctuary, Heb. 9.1. as they not only do, but over do, Exod. 36.7. to make amends for breaking the Law by Idolatry. The Women devote their Looking-glaſſes whereby they dreſſed their Bodies, to make the Laver whereby through Faith they might ſanctifie their Souls, Exod. 38.8. All was finiſhed by the firſt day of the firſt Month, in the ſecond year, then the Tabernacle was erected, the Cloud of Glory fills it, Exod. 40.17, 34. So that Moſes, who had oft entred the Cloud, cannot here, v. 35. when God took up his Seat on the Ark, to ſhew the unworthineſs and weakneſs of all Fleſh to come into God's preſence, as Levit, 16.2. Aaron went in only at God's call (as Moſes into the Cloud, when called, Exod. 24.16.) If ſo, ſuch da…ling Glory was not uſual then, it had hindred the ſervice there; it was a Type of God's dwelling with Men in Chriſt.

The Thirteenth Remark upon this Twelfth Station at Sinai is, that no ſooner was the glorious Tabernacle erected in all its furniture, both without, and within, and God had taken his Chair of State upon the Mercy-Seat between the Cherubims, but immediately he who had hitherto ſpoken to Iſrael out of Heaven, Exod. 20.22. and Nehem. 9.13, &c. now ſpeaketh from the Mercy-Seat in the newly-erected Tabernacle, and called Moſes (who ſtood without and could not enter when the glory of the Lord had filled the place, Exod. 40.35.) to come to him. Levit. 1.1. and there taught he Iſrael by Moſes, how they ſhould ſerve him with Sacrifices according to the Levitical Law, &c. all expreſſed in the whole Book of Leviticus, which only containeth an entire Hiſtory of one Months time while they ſtill ſtaid at Sinai after the Tabernacle and its ſervice was ſet up, being the firſt Month of their ſecond years wandring in the Wilderneſs, and of their Redemption from Egypt, and the 2515 year of the World.

Note the firſt, from hence; This was wonderful Divine Condeſcenſion, that the Great God ſhould vouchſafe to humble himſelf ſo far as to meet Man in this Tabernacle, which had the Cloudy Pillar upon it by day, and fire upon it by night, in the fight of all Iſrael, in all their journeyings after this, Exod. 40.36, 38. Numb. 9.17, 23. this great favour is oft Celebrated, Neh. 9.19. Pſal. 78.14. & 105.39.

Note Secondly, God did not call Moſes to him with a loud frightful thundring voice, as he did upon Sinai, but with a ſort, low, yet audible voice, as the laſt letter in Vaiikra (He called) being leſs than all the other in that firſt word, doth intimate; or it may hint, that tho' this were a glorious Oracle, yet was it but ſmall in compariſon of what was to come, when God ſhall ſpeak to his People by his own Son, whom this Ark, Mercy-Seat, and Oracle did repreſent, as all the Sacrifices did repreſent his p. 40Death, and the Tabernacle it ſelf repreſented his Body, Heb. 9.11. John 2.19, 21. who by himſelf purges ſin, Heb. 1.1, 2, 3, &c.

Note Thirdly, That the death of Nadab and Abihu fell out in this Month, on the very day that the ſervice of the Altar began, Levit. 10.1, 2, &c. Theſe young Prieſts overjoyed perhaps with their new imploy, or haply overwarmed with Wine (as ſome gather from v. 9.) overſhoot themſelves in the firſt day of their Service, in offering ſtrange Fire, &c. Our Materials of Worſhip muſt have Divine Warrant, wherein God's Command, not Man's Wit or Will muſt be our Rule: By Fire they ſinned, and by Fire they periſhed: They ſlighted that Fire ſent down in favour from God, Levit. 9.24. and a Fire of Judgment comes down from God to conſume them. Thus the ſervice of the Sanctuary by their means began with Death and Judgment on thoſe Prieſts, as in the practice of the Moral Law the People began with Idolatry, which ſhews both the Law's weaknefs, and it's Prieſthood's imperfection, which gave way to that better of Chriſt, ſeeing the Law could make nothing perfect, Heb. 7. ver. 18, 19, 26, &c.

The 14th. Remark here is, So ſoon as the Tabernacle was reared, the Rules concerning Sacrifices, and the conſecration of the Sacrificers were given, and thoſe Prieſts had on the eighth day of the firſt Month of the ſecond year (on which day Nadab and Abihu periſh'd by their preſumption) had accompliſh'd their firſt Sanctuary ſervice; then drew near the fourteenth day of that firſt Month, whereon God had commanded the Celebration of the Paſſover, Exod. 12.2.6.14. Now becauſe that old Command the laſt year in Egypt ſeems to enjoyn them this ſervice, only when they were come into the Land of Canaan, Exod. 12.25. therefore they would not have kept it at all in the Wilderneſs without ſpecial Warrant; nor did they keep any more Paſſovers but one, all their forty years wandrings (becauſe of their often and uncertain removes) 'till they came to Canaan, Joſh. 5.10. Hereupon God gave them a New and Second Command, to Celebrate one Paſſover in the Wilderneſs of Sinai, before their removal thence, that they might compleat the whole Service of the Sanctuary at this moſt Famous their Twelfth Station. This is not Recorded 'till Numb. 9.1, to 15. tho' this Paſſover was kept a few days after the death of Nadab and Abihu, Levit. 10. and in the Month before the numbring of the People all along the former Chapters of Numbers, which was not begun 'till the ſecond Month of the ſecond year expreſly, Numb. 1.1, 2. Whereupon the Rabbies (as Sol. Jarchi here) do obſerve, there is no order of former and latter in the Law: The Holy Spirit, that indicted the Scriptures, binds not up himſelf to the order of time, ſo much as to the obſervation of truth, and ſeeming diſlocations may upon good grounds be found upon Record, tho' the Reaſon thereof do not readily appear to us, as is plain here; for Moſes's chief aim in Numb. 9. was to relate the new Diſpenſation for a Paſſover in the ſecond Month, which was a matter of great moment, becauſe God's firſt Inſtitution had confined the Paſſover to the fourteenth day of the firſt Month, Exod. 12.2, 14. and had there been no divine direction for ſuch a Tranſlation (in caſes of caſual uncleanneſs's, journeyings afar off, &c.) it had been no better than Will-Worſhip, and ſo abhorred of God: This Story therefore of the Paſſover transferred, being that which Moſes mainly reſpected in this Relation, he Records it in its proper place, after the muſter of the Twelve Tribes, which was made in the ſecond Month; and at the mention thereof, he brings in the mention of the right Paſſover in the firſt Month, from which God diſpenſes for one in the ſecond: Although there was yet no expreſs Law for excluding any perſons from the Paſſover, or at leaſt the practice of it was not yet brought in, nevertheleſs grounds of a juſt ſcruple theſe Men had, who ſaid [Why are we kept from the firſt Paſſover?] Numb. 7.9. well knowing, in the general, that God, who is pure in himſelf, requireth purity in all perſons that approach his preſence, as 2 Chron. 30.18, &c. The very light of Nature informed the Heathens, that their Sacrificers were to purifie themſelves ſome days before they Sacrificed, and they had their Coena pura the night before, &c. Thoſe Perſons therefore being conſcious to themſelves of ſome legal pollutions, yet having an ardent deſire to partake of the Paſſover, they propound their Caſe of Conſcience to Moſes, knowing him to be a Meſſenger, an Interpretr, one among a thouſand, &c. Job 33.23. a Merchant to Sell Oil, and the Balm of Gilead to cure conſciences, Math, 25.9. Jerem. 8.22. Not like the Romiſh Caſuiſts, who write Caſes, that is, Covers of Conſcience, but rightly reſolve none: Nor doth Moſes reſolve this caſe out of his own head, but humbly confeſſes he was but the Eccho of God's Voice, who muſt give an anſwer of peace (as Joſeph ſaid) Gen. 41.16. [Stand ſtill and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you,] Numb. 9.8. This Man of God, and Maſter of Iſrael, p. 41undertakes not to take God's work out of his hand, who alone is able to reſolve Religious doubts; and tho' God doth not this nown an extraordinary manner, as he did then by the mouth of Moſes, yet ſpeaketh he now to all our caſes of Conſciences in his holy Scripture, which we muſt own as our Standing Oracle, and rely upon that, not on any man's word without it, much leſs againſt it, Iſa. 8.20. Moſes himſelf dare do nothing without a word from God. Paul dare deliver nothing to the Church, but what he firſt had received from the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.23. that the Faith of his hearers might not be fixed on the Wiſdom of Man, but on the Power of God, 1 Cor. 2.4, 5. Yea one far above either Moſes or Paul, namely, Chriſt, neither ſpake, nor did any thing of himſelf, but what his Father taught him, Joh. 7.16, 17. and 8.28. To this Religious Demand of thoſe ſcrupling perſons, God returns a gracious Diſpenſation, which the Hebrew Doctors call [a Command by it ſelf] and which, if they had not received, their Paſſover in the ſecond month had been as▪ bad as Jeroboam's Feaſt of Tabernacles, which he kept in the eighth month (whereas God had appointed it in the ſeventh, Levit. 23.4, 34.) a month which he had deviſed of his own heart, 1 King. 12.32, 33. The appointed ſeaſon was the firſt: month, Numb. 9.3. God diſpenſes, ver. 9, 10, &c. Nor may it be queſtion'd, Numb. 9. but this Tranſlation of the Paſſover (from the firſt month to the ſecond, by Divine Authority) had its weighty ſignificancy, which pointeth rather at things to come, than what was paſt: For this ſecond month Paſſover could not look backward, reſpecting Iſrael's Deliverance from Egypt, (which was the appointed ſignification of the firſt month Paſſover) becauſe it miſs'd that very famous night no leſs than a whole month; therefore muſt it rather look forward (as it was in it ſelf a month forward) and have reſpect to the future Oblation of Chriſt, who is our Paſchal Lamb & Paſſover ſacrificed for us, in whom we keep the Feaſt in Spirit and Truth, 1 Cor. 5.7, 8. And [thoſe in a Journey afar of that could not keep the firſt Paſſover, yet were admitted to the ſecond, Numb. 9.10, 11.] may well repreſent us Gentiles, who were unclean (even dead in treſpaſſes and ſins) and afar off alſo, Epheſ. 2.1, 13. yet ſhould be made nigh by the blood of Chriſt, v. 14. and be admitted to become partakers of that ſecond, namely, the great Goſpel-Paſſover, who now is ſacrificed for us, and of whom we partake often. And we may learn from this Divine Allowance in caſe of lawful Letts, as here, and 2 Chron. 30.2. that God in ſome caſes is ſo gracious, as to prefer Mercy to us before Sacrifice to himſelf; for we have far more need of that, than he hath of this: Yet ought not this Divine Allowance to be ſtretched too far to a Male-improvement; for this indulg'd People had a month granted them, but no more, and if they kept it not the firſt or ſecond month, then they muſt forbear the keeping of it till the return of the year. But this may far more be queſtioned, where Iſrael had their Meal for unleavened Bread, ſeeing they had only Manna.

Anſwer 1. Some think for want of Meal they kept both thoſe Paſſovers with Manna: They kept no more but this till they came to Canaan, Joſh. 5.10.

2. Others ſay, That at Sinai they were not far from Midian, from whence they might be furniſh'd with Meal (ſo much as might ſerve this time) by Jethro's means.

3. Tho' a little piece of unleavened Bread might ſerve them with the Paſchal Lamb & the reſt be ſupplied with Manna, yet their other Sacrifices requir'd Meal too, which might be made of Manna, call'd the Corn of Heaven, Pſal. 78.24. whereby all was furniſhed.

The 15th. Remark upon this 12th Station, is the floning of the Blaſphemer, recorded Levit. 24.10, 11, &c. wherein theſe particulars are duly to be pondered. 1. The Perſon, ver. 10.2. The occaſion, his quarrelling with an Iſraelite, ver. 10.3. His heinous Action, he blaſphemed and curſed, ver. 11.4. His heavy paſſion and ſuffering for his ſin. For, 1. He was apprehended; 2. Impriſoned, ver. 11.12.3. Condemned by God, ver. 13, 14. And 4. Stoned by the People, ver. 23.

Firſt, His Perſon; he is ſaid to be the Son of an Egyptian by an Iſraelitiſh Woman. His Father was one of that mixed multitude which came out of Egypt with Iſrael, Exod. 12.38. whom this Woman married (as many other Women then married Egyptian Men) to decline their Rage and Fury; for at that time the Law prohibiting Marriages with the Heathen, was not given them; and ſome charitably ſay, he was a ſeeming Proſelyte; 'tis more probable, that as his Mother taught him to ſpeak, ſo his Father tanght this his Son to blaſpheme: Her name is Shalomith, which ſignifies, ſpeking peaceably; here partus non ſequitur ventrem, the birth did not follow the belly; for her Son learnt not of her either to ſpeak or to act peaceably.

Secondly, The Occaſion; he was of a quarrelſom, boiſterous and paſſionate Temper, which demonſtrates the danger of mixed Marriages: For Children, like the concluſion of a Syllogiſm, follow the worſer part. Lyranus ſaith, He was drunk; but then muſt it be with Water, for they had no other drink there. Rab. Solomon ſaith, The p. 42aroſe about the Shew-bread, or about pitching his Tent among the Tribe of Dan: But his Father being a ſtranger, could be concerned in neither. Theſe are but uncertain conjectures; where God hath not a Mouth to ſpeak, Man muſt not have a Tongue to ask. This is an holy Neſcience.

Thirdly, His heinous Action; he both blaſphemed and curſed. In the heat and height of contention, whan will not graceleſs cholerick perſons both ſay and do? If this Man was drunk, it was with Choler and Phrenzy, which made him belch forth Blaſphemies and horrid Execrations out of his black mouth, and blacker Gypſie hearr. 1. He blaſphemed; Nakab, Hebr. ſignifies perforare, to bore thorough. Thus Blaſphemers do pierce and ſtrike through the ſacred and tremendous Name of God. Such Diabolical wretches would both bore his Name, and gore his Perſon, if they could. 2. He curſed; Kalal, Hebr. ſignifies, leviter de aliquo loqui, to vilifie and ſcoff at. Thus he ſet at naught the God of Iſrael, againſt whom, it ſeems, his quarrel was (ſaith Jerome) more than againſt that Iſraelite he quarrell'd with. Thus he (like thoſe three unnatural Sons, that tryed their Archery which could ſhoot nigheſt their Father's heart) ſhot his Arrows at God, and curſed himſelf. Curſing men are curſed men; ſuch Dogs come not into Heaven by barking, 1 Cor. 6 9, &c. Rev. 22.15.

Fourthly, The circumſtances of his Suffering: As, 1. He was apprehended as a grand Malefactor even againſt God himſelf; impeaching the Divine Honour by blaſphemy and curſing, out of a deep Inteſtine Malignity. 2. This capital Offender is haled away to Moſes the chief Magiſtrate, who ſoon committed him to cuſtody, and probably confin'd him with Chains or Fetters; for 'tis improbable, there could properly be any ſtrong Priſons in the Wilderneſs, where they lived only in Tents; tho' Moſes might hive put him to death by vertue of that Law againſt curſing Father, &c. Exod. 21.17. but the Crime being very heinous againſt God himſelf, as he uſed to do in other arduous caſes ſo in this he conſults with God for a condign puniſhment. 3. God (the Judge of all the Earth) denounces his Doom, [He ſhall be ſtoned] a puniſhment anſwerable to his ſtony heart. Nor could it at all excuſe him that he had been provoked greatly by others. If Michael durſt not bring any Railing Speeches againſt the Devil, lude ver. 9. how much more muſt mortal Men tremble to ſpeak blaſphemouſly againſt the great God! Let thoſe that teach their Tongues to lye, ſwear, curſe and blaſpheme, by a daily cuſtom, conſider this ſevere Sentence of God, and what danger hangeth over their heads every day. 4. The People ſtone him: For, 1. It was a common quarrel to vindicate the contempt caſt upon their common Benefactor, from whom they had their Being and Well-Being. 2. That by executing this ſeverity, they might be caution'd from committing the like abominable Crime. Thus the Reaſon is render'd [That all Iſrael may fear] Deut. 13.11. And 3. This was a means to pacifie God, by putting away that evil (both perſon and thing) from among them; whereas his Anger would have been incenſed againſt them, had they permitted the Blaſphemer to paſs unpuniſhed. And whereas God had not as yet made a particular Law againſt Blaſphemy; now upon this particular occaſion, a general Law is here ſuperadded▪ for puniſhing Blaſphemers in all ſucceeding Ages, Levit. 24.15, 16. And God ordained alſo, That the Witneſſes (who heard him blaſpheme ſhould lay their hands upon his head when he was to be ſtoned: 1. To confirm their Teſtimony, and the Truth of it, that they did not (by Slander) take away his Innocency; nor (by Murder) his Life. 2. That his Blood might be upon his own head, and that they were not guilty of his ſin. If ſo, 3. It was a kind of Imprecation, that they might ſuffer the ſame ſeverity; So Deut. 17.7, 12. and 19.20, &c. ſhews. 4. This Sacrifice of Juſtice expiates Wrath from the Survivers. Our Blaſphemies (the ſtumbling-block to Jews and Turks) cry loud for Vengeance on Nominal Chriſtians, &c.

Now come we to Iſrael's remove from Mount Sinai (their 12th. Station) where they had ſtayed long, namely, a whole year, abating ten or thirteen days; as appeareth by comparing Exod. 19.1, 2. (where it is ſaid, They came to 1 Sinai on the third day of the third month of the firſt year) with Numb. 10. 11, 12. where 'tis ſaid, They Removed from thence the twentieth day of the ſecond month (which we now call April) in the ſecond year: Which famous Remove affordeth theſe as famous Remarks.

The firſt is, Iſrael is now bleſt with four famous Privileges (at this firſt Removal from thence) to confirm their Faith in their Travel through that terrible Wilderneſs (beſide the New Tabernacle they had got among them, and the New Paſſover that was celebrated by them) As, 1. They had the Word of God to warrant their Remove and Couduct to Canaan. The Lord ſpake thus to them here [Ye have dwelt long enough about this Mountain, take your Journey to the Mount of the Amo…ites, &c. Lo, I have given you p. 43the Land, &c. go in and poſſeſs it, &c.] Deut, 1.6, 7, 8. 2. They had the lifting up of the glorious Cloud (which had reſted in that place almoſt a whole year, from off the Tabernacle, Numb. 10, 11. which was a viſible ſign that they muſt now be gone from that long Station; then the Cloud moving, call'd for their motion, and was a better Guide to them than any Mathematical Chart or Compaſs can be to Mariners at Sea, in this wayleſs Wilderneſs, Numb 9. 15, 18.3. They had now the ſoundings of the new Silver Trumpets, with which the Prieſts were to blow an Alarm for the Removal of the Camp, &c. Numb. 10.1, 3, 8. call'd a Statute for ever, the outward Rite continuing till Chriſt's coming, and the myſtical ſignification, which ſtill abideth for ever, namely, the ſounding of the two Silver Trumpets (of the Law and Goſpel) in the mouths of God's Miniſters, who muſt lift up their Voices as Trumpets, Iſa. 58. 1. and Joel 2.15, 16. Ezek. 33.3. 1 Cor. 14.8. Rev. 4.1. to put their People upon Motions and Marchings toward the heavenly Canaan, This likewiſe was a ſign Audible, as the other Viſible. 4. They had Moſes ſanctifying their Removal (at the removing of the Ark to ſeek out a Reſting-place, &c.) by ſolemn Prayer, ſaying, [Riſe up, Lord, and let thine Enemies be ſcattered, &c.] Numb. 10.33, 34, 35.36. which words David uſeth, Pſal 68.1, &c. where he propheſieth of Chriſt's Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, whereby all thoſe Myſteries were fulfilled.

The ſecond Remark is, The poſture of Iſrael's Marching from Sinai all in comely Order, which was ſummarily in this proſpect. When God took up the Cloud, Moſes prayed, and the Prieſts ſounded the firſt Alarm out of the Silver Trumpets, at which Judah (who was the firſt Standard, having a Lion for his Badge of Honour) with Iſſachar, and Zabulun (all numerous, Numb. 2.9, &c.) and they march foremoſt, whom the Levites of Gerſhom and Merari follow with ſix Wagons, bearing the boards and coverings of the Tabernacle, Numb. 10.14, 15, 16, 17. At the ſecond Alarm, Reuben (bearing a Man in his Enſign) Simeon and Gad with their Army of 151 thouſand 450 fighting Men, roſe up and followed the foregoing Waggons, and after them went the Kohathites in the midſt of the Twelve Tribes, bearing on their ſhoulders the Ark, Candleſtick, Table, Altar, &c. At the third Alarm's ſounding, roſe up Ephraim (who bare a Bullock in his Banner) with Manaſſeh and Benjamin, having an Army of an hundred thouſand, and eight thouſand, and an hundred Men of War, following the Sanctuary or Tabernacle, that went before them (unto which the Pſalmiſt alludeth, Pſal. 80.3.) Numb. 10.18, to 22. and 22, to 25. Thus the Sanctuary had the midſt, ſafeſt, and moſt honourable place (for Religion is the heart of a Nation, and is both Ornamentum & Munimentum to it.) The greateſt Camp went foremoſt, and the next in greatneſs came hindmoſt; namely, the Standard of Dan, (who had an Eagle in his Enſign) with Aſher and Naphthali; thoſe roſe up at the fourth Alarm with a hundred fifty ſeven thouſand ſix hundred fighting Men, call'd, the Gathering Hoſt, Joſh. 6 9. becauſe they (not guarding the Tabernacle) had committed to their Charge the care of gathering together the lame, faint and feeble, and to look that nothing was loſt or left behind, to which David ſeems to allude, Pſal. 27.10. As here was a ſtrong Guard before, ſo there was behind, to ſecure the Sanctuary from Enemies both ways, Numb. 10.25, 26, 27, 28. yet God was their beſt Guard, as well as Guide, both leading the Van or Front, and bringing up the Rere, Iſa. 52.12. and 58.8. Pſal. 68.8, 9, 10. where God's goings are deſcribed.

The third Remark is, When Iſrael left Sinai, then Jethro was for leaving Iſrael in this place: the Story of him related, Exod. 18.) ought to be placed here, as is ſaid before. For, 1. Jethro offered Sacrifices to God, ver. 12. whereas the Law for them was not given till they came to Sinai. Nor 2. Were the Statutes given till then, which Moſes ſate to make known to them, Exod. 18.13, 16.3. His chuſing of Judges by Jethro's Advice, was not till their departing from Sinai, Deut. 1.7, 8, 9. Numb. 11.16, 17, &c. Moſes courted his Father-in-law to go along with them, [For the Lord hath ſpoke good concerning Iſrael] Numb. 10.29. knowing God's Promiſes to be good ſure-hold: Jethro at firſt was unwilling, ver. 30. but either he yielded after to ſtay [to be Eyes to Iſrael] ver. 31. or at leaſt he returned again to Moſes in the Wilderneſs, becauſe there is mention of the Poſterity of this Hobab among the Iſraelites in Canaan, Judg. 1.16. and 4.11. Sam. 15.6. or they came after, &c.

The fourth Remark is, Mount Sinai was not a place fit for Iſrael to abide in, and to build there a Temple for God: No, it muſt only be a movable Tabernacle, for it was a place of Bondage by reaſon of the Law there given, Gal. 4.24, 25. The Law is a Yoke of Bondage (as Jerom calls it) and they who look for Righteouſneſs from the Law, God ſaith to them, as to Iſrael here [Ye have dwelt long enough about that Mountain p. 44preſs to Sion that lays in the Land of Promiſe, the Goſpel-Canaan] Deut. 1.6, 7, 8. Be not (ſaith that Father) like Oxen, that toil a long time, and draw in the Yoke, and when they have done their labour, are fatted for Slaughter. The Law is not for Men to continue under, but for a time only, till they be fitted for, and brought unto Chriſt, Gal. 3.16, 17, 18, 24. and 4.1, to 5. Heb. 3.18, 19. and 4.6, to 11. We lay too long naturally at the Mount of Legal Righteouſneſs (deſiring to be our own Saviours) and not to make Chriſt our All, Col. 3.11.

The fifth Remark is; As the place they went from was Sinai, and that which they went to, in general is call'd Paran, Numb. 10.12. the name of a great Wilderneſs, of the length of eleven days Journey, whereof the Wilderneſs of Sinai is one part, but 'tis taken here for the laſt part of it, next to the Land of Promiſe. This Wilderneſs was a moſt barren place, which made God's maintaining ſo vaſt a multitude for ſo many years together the more miraculous; in this Wilderneſs Iſhimael (that wild Man) dwelt, Gen. 21.21. and in it there was a Mountain mentioned, Deut. 1.1. and 33.2. but the particular place God brought Iſrael to after three days Journey in this Wilderneſs, was call'd Taberah, becauſe of the burning there, Numb. 10.33. and 11.3. Deut. 9.22. and Kibroth-Hattavah, that is, Graves of Luſt, Numb. 11.34. and 33.16. Deut. 9, 12. Moſes calling them thus, that the very names of that place might leave a memorial both of their ſin and puniſhment, which Moſes makes mention of to imprint it the more in their hearts, Deut. 9.24.

The ſixth Remark is, Tho' God's great kindneſs to Iſrael had been all along manifeſted both in marſhalling and in marching them towards their promiſed Land, from Numb. chap. 1. to the laſt of chap. 10. Yet chap. 11, &c. gives an account of Iſrael's groſs unkindneſs and unthankfulneſs to God in their many Mumurings among ſo many and great Mercies, whereby the Rebellious Nature of Man and the Impoſſibility of the Law to bring Men to God, is evidently declared. 'Tis ſuppoſed that their travelling three days together without Reſting from Sinai, as they had done, Exod. 13.18. And again, Exod. 15.22. ſo now again, Numb. 10.33. this made them murmure.

Now is Iſrael led by the Pillar of Glory to their 13th. Station, Numb, 11. where that one place (as ſome ſuppoſe) hath two ſeveral names, Taberah and Kibroth-Hattavah (by which latter name it is called in Numb. 33.16.) upon two ſeveral occaſions; In reſpect of the puniſhment for their Murmuring it was called Taberah, that is, Burning, and in reſpect of the cauſe and the effect, Kibroth-Hattavah, that is, Graves of Concupiſcence. Tho' others ſay, That this Taberah or Burning, was in their three days Journey before they came to Kibroth-Hattavab; yet ſeeing the Pſalmiſt ſumms up both thoſe ſuppoſed ſins of Murmurings into one, Pſal. 78.19, 20, 21. it is not improbable that both thoſe were names of but one place, for theſe Reaſons; 1. 'Tis not likely that thoſe Hebrews ſhould be ſlain by an extraordinary Fire from Heaven, and for dropping a few muttering and murmuring words at a tedious March (wherein the Lord ſtrengthened them from all feebleneſs, Pſal. 105.37.) or that, after ſuch a ſignal puniſhment and Divine Vengeance on them, they durſt again murmure, by luſting for fleſh, ver. 4. Numb. 11. The 2d. Reaſon is, Their murmuring for fleſh is expreſly ſaid to be puniſhed by fire, Pſal. 78.21. 3ly. The Plague mentioned, Numb, 11.33. is not ſpecified what it was; 'tis indeed hinted to be a pining away by leanneſs, Pſal. 106.15. but it might be done by that fire of God (ſpoken of, Numb. 11.1, 2.) where, by a Prolepſis 'tis briefly touched; but in the following verſes of the chapter 'tis more largely explained: This Plague might be as the burning of an Hectick Fever, yet diſpatching with more expedition, being rather the burning of the Peſtilence: So that want of fleſh (as well as weariſomneſs of their way in marching three days with their little ones, without any intermiſſion, in a barren Wilderneſs) was their cauſe of murmuring, ver. 1. tho' particularly ſet down afterwards, ver. 4, &c. But grant this latter be no Recapitulation of the former (becauſe there is nothing to diſtinguiſh them but probable conjecture) however it was a wickedneſs which God (who had pardoned paſt murmurings, Exod. 14.11, 15. and 15.24, 26. and 16.2, to 28. and 17.2, 5.) puniſhmeth here ſeverely: For, 1. They were pinched with Penury before, but now they had Manna. 2. They were Rude for want of the Law, which was now given to teach better manners. 3. They loathed Manna, and deſired fleſh, not for neceſſity, but to gratifie their luſts, Pſal. 78.18, 30.

Beſide theſe general Notes upon the 13th. Station, take a few more particular Remarks, it being ſo famous for its two names, and ſo famouſly circumſtantiated in Numb. 11.

The firſt particular Remark is, Iſrael had many Impediments in their march to the p. 45Land of Promiſe, not only from without (as from Pharaoh purſuing, from Amalek intercepting as before, &c.) but alſo from within, among themſelves by their manifold murmurings, as here one, or (as ſome ſuppoſe) two at this Station: Even ſo it is with all thoſe true Travellers toward Heaven, many Impediments in the way, ſo that the Righteous are ſcarcely ſaved, 1 Pet. 4.18. it is with much ado.

The ſecond is, God writes our Sin upon our Puniſhment, as 'tis ſaid Per quod quis peccat, per idem punitur & ipſe.

As Nadab and Abihu ſinned by Fire, and they periſhed by Fire, Lev. 10.2. ſo thoſe Murmurers here ſinned againſt the fiery Law (ſo called, Deut. 32.2.) that was ſpoken out of the Fire, Deut. 5.22. Therefore were they puniſhed by Fire out of the Pillar of Fire, from whence the fiery Law was given and publiſhed. Their Perdition is our Caution, we may not be Murmurers, 1 Cor. 10.5, 11.

The third is, Evil Company is Infectious, and catching as the Plague, to converſe with bad Companions, and not to learn their Manners is marvelous, Rare and Difficult, 1 Cor. 15.33. This mixt Multitude (the Egyptians and Strangers, that join'd to Iſrael in their coming out of Egypt, hearing of their going to Canaan, &c. Exod. 12.38.) perceiving by theſe tedious Stations, &c. that it would be long ere they could come to the promiſed Land, began the murmuring, which yet ran like Wild-fire into the Camp of Iſrael, who thereupon are ſaid to weep again, ver. 4. which might have Relation to the like murmuring a Year before this, Exod. 16.2. now they return to their old Vomit, and expreſs their wicked Complaints with ſalt Tears, as well as with bitter Words.

The fourth is, where ever there it ſinning again on Man's part, there will be puniſhing again on God's part, if his pardoning Mercy prevent it not: Therefore our Lord ſaith, [Sin no more] Joh. 8.11. [Leſt a worſe thing come unto thee] Joh. 5.14. Here Iſrael ſinned again, and that with a double Sin; (1.) In deſiring Fleſh which they wanted, ver. 4. And (2.) In diſdaining Manna, which they enjoyed, ver. 6. and the vehemence of their concupiſcence, was the more inflamed by remembring their former Egyptian Diet, yet forgetting withal their Egyptian Drudgery, ver. 5. this made them ſo wickedly diſcompoſed, that they prefer ſuch groſs Meats as Garlick, Onions, &c. before the Corn of Heaven, Pſal. 78.24. which was both wholeſome and Toothſome, ver. 7, 8, 9. and eaſily both obtained and prepared for Food; yea this their Luſt for Fleſh made them fret and and pine away, as Amnon's for Tamar did, making him Lean from Day to Day, 2 Sam. 13.4. this is puniſh'd with the Plague of Leanneſs, and Surfeit, v. 33. Pſal. 106.15, &c.

The fifth Remark is, The People's prophane deploring their Penury (when they had little cauſe to do ſo, while fed with the Food of Angels) doth not only make God angry with them, ver. 10. but alſo putteth meek Moſes into a pang of Paſſion and Impatience, as appeareth by his Pathetical Expoſtulation, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. wherein he ſadly complaineth to God of the intolerable Burden of his governing ſuch an ungovernable Company, and that God had not heard his Prayer preſented, Exod. 3.11. and 4.10, &c. Wherein he begs to be excuſed from that great undertaking, and here ver. 15. comparing Evils together, He chuſeth rather to undergo the Pains of Death it ſelf, than be continued in bearing this unbearable Burden. In the like pang of Paſſion was Elijah's Speech, 1 King. 19.4. This, and his [Whence ſhould I have Fleſh, &c.] ver. 13. do all ſhew the inſufficiency of the Law (though it be Holy, &c. Rom. 7.5, 12.) to ſatisfie or reſtrain the Luſts that do Reign in our Members, or bring Men to God; yet what the Law could not do in ſupplying our wants, in governing and guiding us through this Wilderneſs, and in carrying us to Canaan, it being weak through the Fleſh, God (hath done) by ſending his Son, Rom. 8.3. Who gives us, not Fleſh to ſatisfie our Carnal Luſts, but his own Fleſh to be Food for our Souls, which he hath given for the Life of the World, and which whoſo eateth, hath Eternal Life, Joh. 6 51, 54. The Rabbins here ſay, that God had ſhewed Moſes all the Evils he would bring upon this ſtiff-necked People, which put him into ſo great a Perturbation, that he could not [Complere Vocem] utter his whole Speech, uſing Hebr. [At] thou in the Foeminine Gender, ſpoken to God, for [Attah] thou the Maſculine, contrary to common Rule of Grammatical Conſtruction of Speech.

The ſixth Remark is, The Divine Remedy to all this Humane Malady, both as to Moſes's Impatience, and as to Iſrael's Intemperance.

To the (1.) Moſes muſt not bear the burden alone, but ſhall be aſſiſted with the Sanhedrim, or great Council of the Jews conſiſting of ſeventy Seniors (anſwerable to p. 46the ſeventy Souls that deſcended with Jacob into Egypt) whereof Moſes ſat Preſident; all endowed with the Gifts of the Spirit of Moſes, who was as a Candle that lighteth others, yet hath not leſs either heat or light than it had before, ver. 16, 17, 24, 25, 30. of which number were Eldad and Medad, who humbly hid themſelves, as Saul did, 1 Sam. 10.22. but the Spirit found them, ver. 26. at which Joſhua envies, ſuſpecting ſome Schiſm, or the Diminution of Moſes's Dignity, and the prejudice of his Maſter's Right and Reputation, not yet knowing they were of the choſen Sanhedrim, ſeeing they ſtaid in the Camp ſtill; notwithſtanding the call of Moſes to the Door of the Tabernacle, out of a Senſe of their own Inſufficiency. Thus the Spirit in us, luſteth to envy, Jam. 4.5. Mar. 9.38. Luk. 9.49. Joh. 3.26. This Evil, Moſes who had the greateſt cauſe of Emulation, rebukes in Joſhua, ver. 27, 28, 29. being wholly the Lord's.

2ly. As to the People's Intemperance, as God promiſed and performed, Plenty of Fleſh to thoſe fleſhly-minded Multitude, ſo he puniſhed their Impiety with an horrible Plague at the cloſe thereof, ver. 18, 19, 20, 31, 32, 33, 34. Wherein we may obſerve,

1. That when God had promiſed a whole Month's proviſion of Fleſh, Moſes thought that verily God had out promiſed his own Power of performing, and prays him to conſider, that the People (whom he had promiſed to feed with Fleſh) were ſix hundred thouſand Soldiers, beſide Women, Children and Strangers, which amounted (ſay the Rabbins) to three hundred thouſand more, and it could not be a little Fleſh, that would feed ſo vaſt an Hoſt for a whole Month; hereupon he makes this Objection [Shall all our Flocks (reſerved for a breed in Canaan) be ſlain, or ſhall all the Fiſhes in the Sea be gathered together to ſuffice them?] ver. 21, 22. here Moſes had quite forgot God's third Storehouſe, the fulneſs of the Firmament) though not the fulneſs of the Earth, and that of the Sea, all which are God's three Treaſuries, out of which he ſupplies Man's Neceſſities) for he had forgot the Fowls of the Air (whereof he had large Experience the Year before, Exod. 16.13, &c.) Yet God ſent them ſuch a drift of Quails as Moſes never dreamt of: As a little before, Moſes's Paſſion was too ſtrong, ver. 15. in deſiring his own Death; ſo here his Faith was too weak in diſtruſting the Power and Providence of God: The beſt of Men are but Men at the beſt, and the worthieſt of God's Servants are ſubject to faults and failings in this Life. God himſelf anſwers Moſes's Objection of unbelief (bearing with his Diffidence here, which he would not pardon afterwards, Numb. 20.12. This was a private failing betwixt God and Moſes, but that was a publick Act before all the People: God will not paſs by the ſcandalous practices of his own People without ſome ſenſible check.) That his Omnipotency is never Nonpluſt, ver. 23. Thou ſhalt ſee that my Hand (or Power) is not ſhortened, as Iſa. 50.2. and 59.1. Thus Chriſt knew what he had to do, when Philip ſaid, Two hundred Penny worth of Bread is not ſufficient for ſo great a Multitude, Joh. 6.5, 6, 7, 9, 10, &c. God's Almighty hand is not more leſſened in its Power now, than when it created all things out of nothing: I know (ſaith Job to God) that thou canſt do every thing, Job 42.2. And God here bids Moſes never trouble himſelf about the Manner, He ſhould ſoon ſee the Matter done.

Obſerve 2. Diſcontent is ever harping upon wants, even while good Things are preſent and plentifully enjoyed, as if it enjoyed nothing; thus it was with Haman, who accounted he had no Honour, while he wanted a bow from Mordecai's over ſtiff and not bending Knee, Eſth. 5.11. And Ahab had no Comfort in his Kingdom (though the Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20.6.) while he longed for a Sallet out of Naboth's Vineyard, 1 King. 21.4. &c. No better was it with thoſe murmuring Male-contents here, who, though they had Manna (though Wheat of Heaven, and Food of Angels) yet becauſe lightly come by, it was lightly ſet by; they accounted it a light Meat, loathed it (though it was both a Corporal and a Spiritual Food to them, as it was a figure of Chriſt) and ſo their Loathing of Manna, and longing for the Meat of Egypt, prefigured their rejecting of Chriſt, and their relying for nouriſhment upon the Righteouſneſs of man, Gal. 3.3, 10. and 4.9. Yea their Sin was not in Secret only, but they (as it were) proclaimed openly their Iniquity, in running to Moſes's Tent-Door (as Mutineers do to their General's Tent) and by weeping and howling ſtirr'd up themſelves, and one another to follow their Luſts: This fretting Leproſie (their Sin) was generally ſpread over all the People, ver. 10. by which it appeareth, that God choſe this untoward Generation, not for their Merits, Sed ex mirâ & merâ miſericordiâ He choſe them for his Love, and loved them for his Choice.

Obſerve 3. God heard and ſaw all their ſinful Poſtures and Practices, ver. 18. therefore bids them prepare themſelves for the Day of Slaughter, as Jer. 12.3. ſo ver▪ 20. here intimates; or ſanctifie your ſelves for a Coeleſtial Banquet, by Repentance for your p. 47Sins: Otherwiſe, you ſhall have Fleſh, but with a Vengeance; which ye ſhall eat on Earth, but digeſt in Hell. Plenty of Quails (an exceeding fat Fowl, and Food for Princes) is brought miraculouſly, and ſo plentifully that each Family had ten Homers (or ten Aſs Loads as ſome ſay) to ſatisfie them for a whole Month. All which Time they fed their Luſts with Pleaſure, and without fear, Jude ver. 12. Though the Lord had threatned to puniſh them with nauſeating and filthy Vomits. A violent Wind miraculouſly brings them, ver. 31. Pſal. 78.26. God rained Fleſh upon them as Duſt, and feathered Fowl as the Sand of the Sea, ver. 27. N.B. They lay in circuit and compaſs about the Camp a Day's Journey, Numb. 11.31, 32. ſo that the gathering of them laſted all that Time, for as in their coming in Droves, ſo in their keeping ſweet ſo long, there was an extraordinary Providence of God; but at the Month's end (for ſo long God promis'd to feed them with Fleſh) a dreadful Plague falls foul upon them, ver. 33, 34. which is thought to be that burning Vengeance, ver. 3. where their Sin is ſet down in the General, and their Plague in particular: Thus Deus dat Iratus, quod negat propitius, God grants Mens deſires in Wrath, Hoſ. 13.11. yet denies in Mercy ſometimes, 2 Cor. 12.9. That which here they are was ſawced, and that which they drank was ſpiced with the bitter Wrath of God, Job 20.23▪ Pſal. 78 30.31. Deut. 9.22. 1 Cor. 10.6.

The Fourteenth Station of Iſrael in the Wilderneſs was Hazeroth, Numb. 33.17, removing from Kibroth Hattavah (a new Name, thoſe Murmurers by an haſty Teſtament gave to the Place they lay buried in, which ſignifies the Graves of the Luſters, from whence it is plainly implied, that the Innocent in not Luſting and Murmuring received no damage by that Plague) then they marched to this Place, where (it is expreſly ſaid) They were, that is, they abode or continued there ſome time, Numb. 11.35. as the like Phraſe bears the ſame Senſe, Dan. 1.21. and Ruth 1.2. They were, that is, they continued there: And the Cauſe of Iſrael's Continuance at Hazeroth was a new Impediment and Trouble, which Moſes's Siſter and Brother (Miriam and Aaron) raiſed againſt him, for exerciſing a chief Magiſtracy, which is particularly related, Numb. 12. per totum. and ver. 15. 'Tis expreſly ſaid, that the People Journeyed not, till Miriam was cured and recovered of her Leproſie, which was ſeven Days.

The Remarks upon this Fourteenth Station are as followeth.

The Firſt is, Here aroſe another Murmuring againſt Moſes (whom His extraordinary endowments, and higheſt Communion with God could not ſecure from Calumnies) far worſe than the former, Numb. 11. for that Sin of Luſt (which occaſion'd it) began among the baſer ſort, ver. 4. but this Sin of Ambition and Vain Glory, began among the chiefeſt of the Church, for thoſe three Moſes, Aaron and Miriam were the principal Guides, whom God ſent before his People, Mic. 6.4. Here was a Siſter, a Propheteſs, Exod. 15.20. and a Brother, the High Prieſt (both near Relations) againſt their Brother, a Prophet and chief Magiſtrate. Nothing can ſecure a Man from offenſive Exceptions, as Satan prevailed firſt with Eve, then by her with Adam, ſo here firſt with Miriam, and then by her with Aaron: What is ſaid by the Apoſtie [the Woman was firſt in the Tranſgreſſion] 1 Tim. 3.14 holds true in this Inſtance alſo: Miriam is ſet firſt before Aaron, Numb. 12.1. becauſe chief in the Tranſgreſſion, and began the quarrel as principal Author of the Sin, which more plainly appeareth in the Original, that may thus be read [Miriam ſhe ſpake.] Therefore ſhe, not Aaron, was plagued with Leproſie, ver. 10. Her diſcontent might ariſe from this, that ſhe, being a Propheteſs, was not choſen one of thoſe Seventy that were to be Helps in Government, Numb. 11. Miriam Hebrew, ſignifies Exalted, and according to her Name, ſhe might be ambitious of Exaltation, Ambition and Vain-Glory would ride without Reins [Nec bic parem, nec ille Superiorem ſerebat] as was ſaid of Pompey and Caeſar, the one could not bear an Equal, or die other a Superiour.

The Second Remark is, the occaſion of this quarrelſome Obtrectation, was Moſes's Marrying Zipporah, whom they call an Aethiopian, but falſly, for ſhe was of Midian the Son of Abraham, the Son of Shem, Gen. 25.1, 2. Whereas Cuſh (Hebr. for Aethiopia) was the Son of curſed Cham. Gen. 10.6. Beſide, Zipporah having now ſubjected her ſelf to the Law of God, and become a Proſelyte to the Church, ſhe ſhould have been reputed an Iſraelite, as well as Rahab and Ruth, but what will not Tongues (tip'd with Envy and Emulation) ſay in way of Reproach: This was an old fault, if any (for be had been married to her many Years before) and therefore ſhould have been buried in the Grave of Oblivion: But they were reſolved (right or wrong) to pick an hole in Moſes's Goat: The offence likely lay moſtly betwixt the two Women, for Zipporah (as is probably Thought) might, as the Wife ſo honourable an Husband, take too p. 48much honour to her ſelf, and give too little reſpect to Miriam, who looked for much, becauſe ſhe was a Propheteſs; therefore ſhe hooks in Aaron to ſide with her, pretending Zeal for Religion, they would have Moſes to put away Zipphorah (becauſe not of the ſtock of Iſrael, and becauſe ſhe had hindred him from Circumciſing his Son, Exod. 4.24, 25, 26.) and Marry ſome Iſraelitiſh Woman. However, 'tis the Character of ungodly Perſons [to dig up an old Evil,] Prov. 16.27. and hereupon to grace themſelves, they diſgrace Moſes for this fact, and raiſe themſelves to an equality upon his ruine, &c.

The 3d Remark is, The event of this murmuring; while meek Moſes is dumb, God ſpeaks in his behalf, and while he was deaf, God hears, and ſtirs: v. 2, 3, 4. No doubt but this was a great exerciſe of Moſes's patience, to be thus traduced by his own Siſter and Brother: To be derided by Egyptians is threatned as a miſery, Hoſ. 7.16. but to be reproached by thoſe that are Profeſſors of the ſame Religion with our ſelves, is far more grievous: Zedekiah feared more to be mocked by the Jews, than by the Caldeans, Jer. 38.19. However, meek Moſes was a Lamb in his own Cauſe, yet knew how to be a Lion in God's Cauſe: How bleſſedly blown up was he with a Zeal for God in the caſe of the Golden Calf, and what a ſtomach ſhews he in that matter, Exod. 32.19, &c. But God comes as a ſwift Witneſs, Mal. 3.5. pleads the part of this ſilent Sufferer. [The Lord spake ſuddenly] v. 4. not only as a ſharp revenger of his Servant's injuries (for wrong done to an Embaſſador, reflects upon the Prince that ſent the Embaſſage) but alſo to prevent all ſurmiſes that God came at Moſes's complaint to him, and ſeeking revenge; the Lord hearing and ſeeing all that was ſaid and done by thoſe Murmurers, and being highly diſpleaſed, immediately [all the three] both the Parties offending and offended, are judicially Summoned to appear before the Great Judge to the Tent of the Congregation, not before the People, from whom Aaron's folly muſt be concealed, and then the Judge ſpeaks to the Offenders out of the Cloud, as from the Throne of his Glory, v. 4, 5. Wherein,

He Firſt Accuſeth the two guilty Perſons, ſaying [Why were ye not afraid to ſpeak againſt my Servant Moſes?] ver. 8.

Secondly, He vindicates innocent Moſes, and abſolves him, v. 6, 7, 8. preferring him, not only above Miriam, and Aaron, but alſo univerſally, above all the Prophets.

Thirdly, He paſſeth the Sentence of Condemnation upon the Offenders, v. 9, 10.

Fourthly, The Execution of the Sentence followeth, God departs with the Cloud (the ſign of his preſence) then woe to them from whom God departs, Hoſ. 9.12. all evil comes in as by a Sluce, Leproſie ruſhes upon Miriam, (a proper puniſhment of pride, &c.) yea the worſt ſort and moſt incurable Leproſie, 2 King. 5.27. and Exod. 4.6. nor was this all her puniſhment, ſhe muſt have Baniſhment alſo for ſeven days: She was puniſhed for her Pride both in her Body, and in her Honour, 'twas a great diſgrace to her to be Excommunicated ſo long out of the Camp and Congregation. This Baniſhment was a Civil Death (as the Law of Nations terms it) and her Leproſie made Aaron look upon her as under a natural Death alſo, v. 12. ſo compareth her to a dead abortive Birth, whoſe fleſh was half conſumed with this fretting Leproſie.

Inquiry, Why was not Aaron likewiſe plagu'd with Leproſie?

Anſwer Firſt, She was firſt in the fault, and (likely) a mover of Aaron to it.

Secondly, Aaron eſcaped (ſaith Chryſoſtom) for the Dignity of the Prieſthood, which was now newly inſtituted; and it would have been a great diſhonour to that Order in that legal Worſhip, if the first High-Prieſt had been made a Leper, which would have excluded him from his Miniſtry, who ſhould by his Office be always at hand in the Tabernacle.

Thirdly, But ſeeing the firſt Inſtitution of the Prieſthood did not ſecure Nadab and Abihu, Levit. 10.1, 2, &c. a better Reaſon muſt be found, that Miriam was more paſſionate, and peremptory in her reproofs of Moſes, and in her reproaches againſt him than Aaron was: But

Fourthly, The beſt Reaſon is, that Aaron met God by Repentance, and ſo diſarm'd his indignation, and thereby redeemed his own ſorrow, ſo remained to interceed for his Siſter.

The 4th. Remark is, The removal of this Remora and Rub that retarded Iſrael's marching from this Station, and the gracious withdrawment of Miriam's double puniſhment;

1. By the interceſſion of Aaron to Moſes, and

2. By Moſes's Interceſſion to the Lord in her behalf, ver. 11, 12, 13, &c.

p. 49Firſt, Aaron cryes to Moſes [Alas my Lord, &c.] God was now gone in the Cloud, not forward, as a ſign of Conduct, but upward from off the Tabernacle (where it uſually reſided) aloft in the air, and probably diſappeared for that time as a Teſtimony of Divine diſpleaſure gainſt Miriam's unclean Leproſie; beſide, had the Lord been preſent in the ſign of his preſence,Aaron was how conſcious of his own unworthineſs (by his being an Abettor of Miriam's ſin) to make any immediate addreſs to God, therefore requeſts Moſes to mediate for Miriam, to teach us both to preſent our Prayers to God by the Mediation of Chriſt (whom Moſes here Typified) and alſo when our own Key of Prayer is become ruſty, we muſt make uſe of the Key of others (Favourites of Heaven, who live with us on Earth) to open the Cabinet of God's loving kindneſs to us, and ours; and though Aaron was the Elder Brother, and High-Prieſt, yet here he maketh his Requeſt to Moſes, honouring him with the Title of [His Lord] Hebr. [Bi Adoni] confeſſing their ſin, and craving pardon (which made amends for his former fault) he begs his younger Brother's interceſſion for their Siſters Cure. Hereupon Moſes (like a loving Brother, paſſing by paſt affronts and injuries, which is the moſt Noble kind of Revenge) prays earneſtly to the Lord for healing his Leprous Siſter, as one much afflicted with her affliction. He cryes [Ael Na repha na] Oh God of Might and Mercy (as that word ſignifies) heal her, I beſeech thee, &c. To which God returns this Anſwer, v. 13, 14. Had her Earthly Father ſpit in her face (a ſign of anger, ſhame, and contempt, Job 30.10. Iſa. 50.6. Mat. 27.30. ſhe ſhould be ſorrowful for it ſeven days, (the time that Lepers were ſhut up by the Law, &c. Levit. 13.4, 5, 21, 26, and 14, 8. and Numb. 19.11, &c.) how much more when her Heavenly Father had put this ſtamp of ſhame upon her Table of Beauty, defiling the face of his undutiful Daughter with ſuch a loathſom Leproſie, She ſhall be ſhut out of my Church ſeven days, that her ſorrow for her ſin might be ſound, and ſoaking. This was a perfect pattern of Impartial Juſtice againſt Sinners, without reſpect of Perſons; for Miriam, tho' a Propheteſs, and Ʋzziah, tho' a preſent King, muſt thus be ſeparated for their Leproſie, Numb. 12.14. 2 Chron. 26.20, 21. both muſt be aſhamed to be ſeen, and ſhut out from Church-Society. When this time of ſeven days (juſtly inflicted for Miriam's humiliation and purgation) was expired, ſhe was reſtored to the Church. N. B. And this was done without the Ceremonial expiations preſcribed in the caſe of Leproſie, Levit. 14. becauſe her Cure was as Miraculous as her Diſeaſe; and therewithal her reſtoring to Society as Authentick, as was her ſeparation from it; for God's healing her by a Miracle, from ſo ſore and ſudden a Diſeaſe, and his Warrant for recalling her to the Church, was a ſufficient expiation of it ſelf.

The 5th. Remark is, In the midſt of Wrath God remembers Mercy, Hab. 3.2. Here was a mixture of Mercy in the midſt of Miriam's Miſery, and a ſpecial honour was put upon her under this great diſhonour; for as much as all Iſrael ſtayed in this Station thoſe ſeven days, mourning for her 'till ſhe was recovered and reſtored, whereas no ſuch ſtay for other Lepers is ordained in that Law, Numb. 5.2, 4. This was a peculiar favour to Miriam, becauſe ſhe was one of thoſe Guides whom God ſent before his People, Mic. 6.4. Exod. 15.20. N. B. Sol. Jarchi faith, that becauſe ſhe had once ſtaid for Moſes when he was caſt into the River, Exod. 2.4. therefore the Lord put this honour upon her, that the People ſhould not journey all that time, v. 15. but ſtay ſtill for her Reſtoration. Nor was this her All, and only Honour, Thargum Jonathan addeth, the Lord ſpeaking thus to Moſes [For thy ſake I will cauſe to ſtay the Cloud of my Glory, the Tabernacle, and the Ark, as well as all Iſrael, 'till ſhe be healed, and handed in to you.] This was ſo Remarkable a Diſpenſation, that there is God's Memorandum ſet upon it, [Remember what the Lord thy God did to Miriam by the way, &c] Deut. 24.9. like as was afterwards upon Lot's Wives transformation into a Pillar of Salt, Luk. 17.32. We are required to remember thoſe ſevere inſtances of God's vengeance upon the Diſobedient, for our humbling. If God was ſo ſevere againſt ſo great a Propheteſs for murmuring at Moſes, oh! what will he not do againſt ſuch as rebell againſt the Meſſias, who is counted worthy of more Glory than Moſes, Heb. 3.3. and if they eſcaped not, who refuſed him that ſpake on Earth, how much leſs can we eſcape, if we ſlightly refuſe him who ſpeaketh from Heaven? Heb. 12.25. for Christ is not the Servant, but the Son, even the Lord from Heaven, 1 Cor. 15.47. So on the other hand, we ſhould remember Divine Tenderneſs toward murmuring Miriam, in that ſhe came not to Korah's calamitous end, &c. God heard her mournings (as Jer. 31.18, 20.) as he had her murmurings, v. 2. recovers her from her Diſeaſe, and receives her into his favour. This we ſhould remember alſo, for our encouragement to Repentance.

p. 50Now when this Remora was removed, the Cloudy Pillar began to remove forward, and all Iſrael (at its Call and Conduct) remove alſo from this unhappy hindring Hazeroth, v. 16. and came to Encamp again at Rithmah, Numb. 33.18. which is alſo call'd Kadeſh-Barnea, Numb. 13.3, 26. Deut. 1.19, &c. in Paran's Wilderneſs, &c.

Now hath the Pillar of Glory brought his Church in the Wilderneſs, Acts 7.38. to her Fifteenth ſtage or Station, namely to Rithmah, ſo called from the Juniper-Trees (ſay ſome) that grew there (as 1 King. 19.4.) abounding in that place; or (as ſome of the Rabbies affirm) becauſe the evil tongues of the Spyes (who were ſent to ſearch Canaan, Numb. 13.3. and brought up an evil report thereof,) were like Coals of Juniper, Pſal. 120.3, 4. kindling a Rebellion among the People, Numb. 14. and the ſame place in this Wilderneſs of Paran, is alſo call'd Kadeſh-Barnea, Numb. 13.26. and 32.8. Deut. 1.19. 'Twas call'd Kadeſh, becauſe the Lord was there ſanctified upon the People, as Numb. 20.13. and Barnea was added, which ſignifies the Wandring Son, becauſe here was the Decree made for their long wandring in the Wilderneſs; thus had it differing Names, from differing Hebrew words.

The Remarks upon this Fifteenth Station are,

Firſt, Iſrael is now come not very far from the South point of the Land of Promiſe, Numb. 13.26. compared with Deut. 1.2, 19. Here Moſes at the requeſt of the People, Deut. 1.22, 23. ſends Twelve Men to Spye the Land, but eſpecially at the Command of God, Numb. 13.1, 2, 3, It was God's Command that they ſhould forthwith (without any further ſearch) go up and poſſeſs the Land, Deut. 1.21. for God had himſelf Spyed out the Land for them, Ezek. 20.6. and ſearch'd it out for their beſt accommodation, Deut. 1.33. but this ſatisfied them not, they ſay [We will ſend Men before us] Deut. 1.22. ſeeing muſt (with them) be believing, empty Man will be Wiſer than the moſt Wife God, Job. 11.12. It was unbelief that prompted them to this practice, for they could not enter becauſe of unbelief, Heb. 3.19. Yet the Lord, yielding to their importunity, and winking at their infidelity, permitteth them to fend Men, the Princes of the Twelve Tribes, who ſhould all have been faithful Witneſſes, for Lying Lips become not a Prince, Prov. 17.7. The buſineſs was weighty, thoſe of the baſer ſort were not imployed, but Rulers, and Princes, in it, and therefore their falſe Report was the more notorious Rebellion, and the ground of that reſolve of returning to Egypt, Numb. 14.3, 4. as if better than now, when at the Borders of Canaan.

Thus it may be with many Profeſſors, like the Scribe, of whom Chriſt ſaid [thou art not far from the Kingdom of God,] Mark 12.34. when he only began to lift up his head towards Heaven, anſwering our Lord diſcreetly, and better than the Phariſees uſed to do. 'Tis ſad when a Ship draws nigh her deſired Port, and then is blown back with a contrary Wind into the Wide Ocean, and there periſheth; theſe Men periſhed in the Wilderneſs, Heb. 3.17.

The 2d. Remark is, Iſrael being now near Canaan, Twelve Princely Spyes are ſent to ſearch the Land, whether it were Fat, or Lean, Woody, or Champaign, &c. and whether its Inhabitants were ſtrong, or weak, few, or many, how they dwelt, whether in Tents, or in ſtrong Holds, &c. Numb. 13.2, 3, 17, 18, 19, 20. theſe were their Inſtructions: Where

Note 1. Theſe Twelve Spyes went not all together, but probably by two, and two, going to divers quarters, that with more ſpeed and leſs ſuſpicion they might make the diſcovery. Thus our Lord alſo ſent out his 70 Diſciples, Luke 10.1.

2. They were inſtructed to begin their ſearch in the South part of the Land of Canaan, which was both the neareſt and the worſt part of the Land, as it was Wilderneſs, and waterleſs (as Negeb Heb. ſignifies:) Judg. 1.15. Pſal. 126.4. Joſh. 15.1, 3. This is the manner of Merchants, to ſhew their worſt Goods firſt, and afterwards their beſt: and they muſt paſs the Mountainous Country, which was Inhabited by Canaanites, Amorites, &c Numb. 14.40, 45. Deut. 1.44.

3. Thoſe Spyes ſpent forty days in ſearching by inquiry, whether the ſituation was pleaſant, the proviſion of Wood, Water, &c. plentiful, not as Jericho, with a pleaſant Situation but unwholſom waters, 2 King. 2.19, 20. which was not ſo by Nature when Iſrael firſt poſſeſſed it; but probably by a ſpecial Judgment upon Hiel's preſumptuous Rebuilding it, 1 King. 16.34. A ſudden view could not anſwer all their Enquiries. N. B. Nor may we Ride Poſt in ſearching the Iſle of Man our ſelves, take time enough, &c.

The 3d Remark is, The return of the Spyes after 40 days, and the Relation they give of the Countrey, v. 26, 27, 28, &c. Wherein,

p. 51Note Firſt, Thoſe Searchers do commend the Land for its goodneſs, v. 26, 27. to teſtifie which, they ſhew the Fruit of the Land, more eſpecially that Cluſter of Grapes which was born by two, v. 23. who are ſuppoſed to be Caleb, and Joſhua, as Ambroſe ſaith, becauſe theſe two were moſt Cordial (as Heb. Ca-leb ſignifies) in commending its fruitfulneſs, (tho' none of the other could deny it, ſeeing ſo many ſigns to the contrary): Wherein thoſe two Bearers of the Cluſter (ſuppoſed from this poſture of bearing it, to be of a prodigious proportion, Pliny mentioning ſome in Aſia to be as big as a Cow's Udder, or a little Child, and Strabo Writes of ſome that were two Cubits long, &c.) do reſemble [Antè natos & pòſt Natos Chriſti] thoſe that were born before Chriſt, and thoſe that were born after him: Our Lord is that bleſſed and bleeding Cluſter (when in the Wine-preſs of God's Anger) which is born between Believers of both Teſtaments, and had a Bleſſing in him. Iſa. 65.8. for them both; yet as he that went before bearing this Cluſter, had his back upon it, and could not have ſuch a clear proſpect of it as he had who had his face upon it, in following after it; ſo New-Teſtament Believers have a more diſtinct view of Chriſt, than thoſe of the Old.

Note Secondly, Thoſe Searchers likewiſe diſcommend the Land, from the difficulty of obtaining it, becauſe the Inhabitants were mighty Giants, and their Cities were moſt ſtrongly fortified with Gariſons, &c. v. 28, 29. The Ten Evil Spies joyned thus far with the two go…d ones in commending the Land, as flowing with Milk and Hony, &c. becauſe that was undeniable, and according to the manner of malicious Lyars and Detractors, they began their Speech with ſome truths, that thereby they may the more eaſily impoſe upon the over-credulous the believing of their lyes, and falſe Reports, they deſign to ſuggeſt afterwards, &c.

But the two good Spyes (Joſhua and Caleb) could not joyn with the ten evil ones in their [Nevertheleſs] ver. 18. diſcommending the Land &c. who hereby take occaſion to terrifie the People from going up to poſſeſs the Land, Deut. 1.28. and therefore tell them alſo of the Amalekites, who had fought them before, Exod. 17.8. and had ſmitten the hindmoſt of them, Deut. 25.17, 18. and ſo would be ſure to hinder their paſſage into it on the South ſide; whereas God had a way of his own opening, an entrance for them through Jordan by Jericho; and they mention the Amorites, who were high as Cedars, and ſtrong as Oaks, Amos 2.9. thus likewiſe they add to all ſome great untruths, v. 32, 33. that they might inſinuate into the minds of the People, all paſſages into Canaan were block'd up, to their utter diſcouragement, &c. Even thus is it with too many Profeſſors (ſeeming Iſraelites) amongſt us, that wiſh very well to the Heavenly Canaan, and Country, ſpeak glorious things of it, and could gladly go to it, but there is a [Nevertheleſs] a Lion in the way, Prov. 22.13. and 26.13. Whereas the Sluggard's Lion is not (as the Spaniſh Proverb ſaith) ſo fierce as he is Painted, but is a meer Fiction of his own brain, to cover and colour over his own ſloathfulneſs. Yea, he pretends two Lions for his hinderance, the one abroad, or in the Field (where his work lies, Pſal. 104.23.) and the other in the Streets; a likely matter, Lions haunt not in Streets, but in Woods, and Wilderneſſes. Thus many complain with thoſe Male-Contents of the ſtrength of the Anakims, and the impoſſibility of the Conqueſt, &c. Indeed there is Satan, that Roaring Lion, 1 Pet. 5.8. in our way, the Devil (call'd there Leo foreign,) lies in wait for the Church, but Chriſt (who is alſo call'd Leo foreign. Rev. 5.5. 1 Theſ. 1.10. and her invincible Champion) is ever at hand in the Pillar of Providence (as here in the Cloudy Pillar) for her help, to deliver from the wrath of this Roaring Lion. When this Lion of the Tribe of Judah roars, all the Beaſts of the World tremble, Amos 3.8. Tho' it be hard work to climb up the Hill of Sion towards Heaven, without fainting, to bear daily croſſes and reproaches of Christ upon our backs without buckling, &c. yet may we not be diſcouraged; hope of gain makes Merchants refuſe no Adventure; love of gain cauſes the hunter to ſhrink at no weather: Deſire of Spoil tranſports the Souldier to decline no danger: How much more ought the beatifical Viſion of God's bleſſed face encourage us in our hardeſt duties and travels, as Pſal. 84.6, &c. and here, &c.

The 4th Remark is, Caleb, that hearty Man (as his name ſignifies) perceiving ſome ſparks of Sedition already kindled by the falſe reports of thoſe ten Evil Spies, immediately endeavours to quench them, by pouring out a flood of an Elegant Oration, v. 30. tho' few in words, yet full of matter; it was a Speech of faith, believing in the power and promiſe of God [Let us go up in going to poſſeſs it, Hebr. for we are well able to overcome it.] This was ſo effectual for the preſent, that it pacify'd the People, who began upon the Evil Report of the Ten Evil Spies to murmur againſt Moſes. He ſtilled them at that time, and we may ſuppoſe Joſhua was not altogether ſilent, tho' not Recorded; p. 52for the Scripture doth not expreſs all things in all places, at all times, Joſhua joyn'd with Caleb afterwards, Numb. 14.6, 7, 8. and Joſh. 14.8. both of them ſpeaking as it was in their hearts: But ſuppoſe Joſhuah held his peace at this time purpoſely out of prudence becauſe he was Moſes's Miniſter, ſo lets Caleb ſpeak all alone, yet it appeareth by Deut. 1.29, 30. that Moſes himſelf ſpake to incourage the People, tho' it be not expreſſed here.

The 5th Remark is, The Ten Wicked Spies (to revive the ſparks of Sedition which Caleb had quenched) began afreſh to defame the Land,

Firſt, For devouring its own Inhabitants, v. 32, 33. not only becauſe the Gyants devoured one another, and all that came to their Country; but alſo they ſlander its Air to be unwholſom and peſtilential, if to Natives, much more to meer Strangers: This (ſome ſay) thoſe Ten Spyes gathered from their obſerving Men burying their dead in every place where they came during their forty days ſearching, which (if true) the Lord did it for Iſrael's good, that few might remain to make War againſt them, and that thoſe Searchers might more freely and ſecurely ſearch the Land unobſerved, while the Inhabitants were thus occupied. N.B. As Iſrael came out of Egypt the more ſafely while the Egyptians were burying their dead Firſt-born, that which the Lord did for their good, theſe Men wreſted it (in their relation) as a great evil: Perhaps it was then a Plague ſent of God to fulfill his Promiſe, Levit. 18.24. of removing the Curſed Canaanites, to make room for Iſrael, which they attributed to a bad Air, a thing altogether improbable, and incompatible to that Land, which was the glory of all Lands, Ezek 20.6.

Secondly, They urge the monſtrous magnitude of the Men of that Country, in Compariſon of whom, themſelves were but as Graſhoppers, v. 34. which was a loud lying Hyperbole, purpoſely projected to diſhearten the People, and no farther true, than for this end. Thoſe mighty Men might deſpiſe thoſe Searchers as far below them in ſtature, and ſo diſdained to meddle with them, as Goliah did with little David, by which means the Spyes paſſed through their Land the more ſafely (as Chaskuni ſaith) for the Giants, who ſaid [There be Piſmires like Men come into the Vineyard, but we ſcorn them, &c.]