Works of Joseph Hall, Part 3
Of the birth and breeding of MOSES.
IT is a wonder that Amram the father of Moſes, would think of the mariage bed in ſo troubleſome a time, when he knew he ſhould beget children either to ſlauery or ſlaughter: yet euen now in the heat of this bondage he maries Iochebed: the drowning of his ſons was not ſo great an euill, as his owne burning; the thraldome of his daughters not ſo great an euill, as the ſubiection vntounto ſinfull deſires. Hee therefore vſes Gods remedie for his ſinne; and referres the ſequell of his danger to God. How neceſſary is this imitation for thoſe which hauehave not the power of containing! perhaps we would hauehave thought it better to liue childleſſe: but Amram and Iochebed durſt not incurre the danger of a ſinne, to auoid the danger of a miſchiefe. No doubt when Iochebed the mother of Moſes, ſaw a man-child borne of her, and him beau…ifull and comely, ſhe fell into extreame paſsion, to thinke that the executioners hand ſhould ſucceed the Midwiues. All the time of her conception, ſhe could not but feare a ſonne; now ſhe ſees him, and thinkes of his birth and death at once, her ſecond throes are more grieuous then her firſt. The paines of trauell in others are ſomewhat mitigated with hope, and counternailed with ioy, that a man-child is borne; in her they are doubled with feare, the remedie of others is her complaint: ſtill ſhe lookes when ſome fierce Aegyptian would come in, and ſnatch her new-borne infant out of her boſome; whoſe comelineſſe had now alſo added to her affection.
Many times God writes preſages of maieſty and honor, euen in the faces of children. Little did ſhe think, that ſhe held in her lap the Deliuerer of Iſrael. It is good to hazard in greateſt apparances of danger. If Iochebed had ſayd, If I beare a ſon, they will kill him, where had beene the great Reſcuer of Iſrael? Happy is that reſolution which can follow God hood-winkt, and let him diſpoſe of the euent: When ſhee can no longer hide him in her wombe, ſhee hides him in her houſe, afraid leſt eueryevery of his cryings ſhould guide the executioners to his cradle. And now ſhee ſees her treaſure can be no longer hid, ſhe ſhips him in a barke of bulruſhes, and commits him to the mercy of the waues, and (which was more mercileſſe) to the danger of an Aegyptian paſſenger, yet doth ſhe not leaue him without a guardian.
No tyranny can forbid her to louelove him, whom ſhe is forbidden to keep: Her daughters eyes muſt ſupply the place of her armes. And if the weake affection of a mother, were thus effectually carefull, what ſhall we thinke of him, whoſe louelove, whoſe compaſſion is (as himſelfe) infinite? His eye, his hand, cannot but be with vsus, euen when wee forſake our ſelues: Moſes had neuer a ſtronger protection about him, no not when all his Iſraelites were pitched about his Tent in the wilderneſſe, then now when hee lay ſprawling alone vponupon the waues: no water, no Aegyptian can hurt him. Neither friend nor mother dare own him, and now God challenges his cuſtodie. When we ſeem moſt neglected and forlorne in our ſelues, then is God moſt preſent, moſt vigilant.
His prouidence brings Pharaohs daughter thither to waſh her ſelf. Thoſe times lookt for no great ſtate: A Princeſſe comes to bathe her ſelfe in the open ſtreame: ſhe meant onelyonly to waſh her ſelfe; God fetches her thither, to deliuer the Deliuerer of his people. His deſignes go beyond ours. We know not (when we ſet our foot ouer our threſhold) what he hath to doe with vsus. This euent ſeemed caſuall to this Princeſſe, but predetermined, and prouided by God, before ſhe was: how wiſely and ſweetly God brings to paſſe his owne purpoſes, in our ignorance and regardleſneſſe! She ſaw the Arke, opens it, finds the child weeping; his beauty and his teares had God prouided for the ſtrong perſwaſions of mercy. This young and liuely Oratorie preuailed. Her heart is ſtrucke with compaſſion, and yet her tongue could ſay, It is an Hebrew child.
See here the mercifull daughter of a cruell father: It is an vncharitable and iniurious ground, to iudge of the childs diſpoſition by the parents. How well doth pitty beſeeme great perſonages! and moſt in extremities. It had beene death to another to reſcue the child of an Hebrew; in her it was ſafe and noble. It is an happy thing, when great ones improue their places to ſo much more charity, as their liberty is more.
Moſes his ſiſter finding the Princeſſe compaſſionate, offers to procure a nurſe, and fetches the mother: and who can bee ſo fit a nurſe as a mother? She now with glad hands receiues her child, both with authority and reward. She would hauehave giuen all her ſubſtance for the life of her ſon; & now ſhe hath a reward to nurſe him. The exchange of the name of a mother, for the name of a nurſe, hath gained her both her ſon, and his education, and with both a recompence. Religion doth not call vsus to a weake ſimplicitie, but allowes vsus as much of the Serpent as of the Doue: lawfull policies hauehave from God both liberty in the vſe, and bleſſing in the ſucceſſe.
The good Lady did not breed him as ſome child of almes, or as ſome wretched outcaſt, for whom it might be fauour enough to liue, but as her owne ſon; in all the delicacies, in all the learning of Aegypt. Whatſoeuer the Court, or the Schoole could put into him, he wanted not; yet all this could not make him forget that he was an Hebrew. Education works wondrous changes, and is of great force either way: a little aduancement hath ſo puffed ſome vp aboue themſelues, that they hauehave not onelyonly forgot their friends, but ſcorned their parents. All the honors of Aegypt could not win Moſes not to call his nurſe mother, or weane him from a willing miſery with the Iſraelites. If we had Moſes his faith, we could not but make his choice. It is only our infidelity that binds vsus ſo to the world, and makes vsus preferre the momentany pleaſures of ſinne, vntounto that euerlaſting recompence of reward.
He went forth, and looked on the burdens of Iſrael. What needed Moſes to hauehave afflicted himſelfe with the afflictions of others? Himſelfe was at eaſe and pleaſure in the Court of Pharaoh. A good heart cannot endure to be happy alone; and muſt needs, vnbidden, ſhare with others in their miſeries. He is no true Moſes that is not moued with the calamities of Gods Church. To ſee an Aegyptian ſmite an Hebrew, it ſmote him, and moued him to ſmite. He hath no Iſraelitiſh blood in him, that can endure to ſee an Iſraelite ſtricken either with hand or tongue.
Here was his zeale: where was his authority? Doubtleſſe, Moſes had an inſtinct from God of his Magiſtracy; elſe how ſhould he thinke they would hauehave vnderſtood what himſelfe did not? Oppreſſions may not be righted by violence, but by law. The redreſſe of euil by a perſon vnwarranted, is euill. Moſes knew that God had called him; he knew that Pharaoh knew it not: therefore he hides the Aegyptian in the ſand. Thoſe actions which may be approued vntounto God, are not alwayes ſafe with men: as contrarily, too many things goe currant with men, which are not approued of God.
Another Hebrew is ſtricken, but by an Hebrew: the act is the ſame, the agents differ: neither doth their profeſſion more differ, then Moſes his proceedings. He giues blowes to the one: to the other, words. The blowes to the Aegyptian were deadly; the words to the Hebrew, gentle and plauſible. As God makes a difference betwixt chaſtiſements of his owne, and puniſhments of ſtrange children: ſo muſt wiſe Gouernors learn to diſtinguiſh of ſins and iudgements, according to circumſtances. How mildly doth Moſes admoniſh! Sirs, ye are brethren. If there had beene but any dram of good nature in theſe Hebrewes, they had relented: now it is ſtrange to ſee, that being ſo vniuerſally vexed with their common aduerſary, they ſhould yet vexe one another: One would hauehave thought that a common oppoſition ſhould hauehave vnited them more, yet now priuate grudges do thus dangerouſly diuide them. Blowes enow were not dealt by the Aegyptians, their owne muſt adde to the violence. Still Satan is thus buſie, and Chriſtians are thus malicious, that (as if they wanted enemies) they flye in one anothers faces. While we are in this Aegypt of the world, all vnkind ſtrifes would eaſily be compoſed, if wee did not forget that we are brethren.
Behold an Aegyptian in the skin of an Hebrew: how dogged an anſwer doth Moſes receiue to ſo gentle a reproofe? who would not hauehave expected that this Hebrew had bin enough deiected with the common affliction? But vexations may make ſome more miſerable, not more humble; as we ſee ſickneſſes make ſome tractable, others more froward. It is no eaſie matter to beare a reproofe well, if neuer ſo well tempered; no Sugar can bereaue a Pill of his bitterneſſe. None but the gracious can ſay, Let the righteous ſmite me. Next to the not deſeruing a reproofe, is the well taking of it. But who is ſo ready to except and exclaime as the wrong doer? The patient replies not. One iniury drawes on another: firſt to his brother, then to his reprouer. Guiltineſſe will make a man ſtir vponupon eueryevery touch: he that was wronged, could incline to reconciliation: Malice makes men vncapable of good counſell; and there are none ſo great enemies to Iuſtice, as thoſe which are enemies to peace.
With what impatience doth a galled heart receiue an admonition! This vnworthy Iſraelite is the patterne of a ſtomackfull offender; firſt, hee is moued to choller in himſelfe: then he cals for the authority of the admoniſher: A ſmall authority will ſerue for a louing admonition. It is the duty of men, much more of Chriſtians, to aduiſe againſt ſin; yet this man askes, Who made thee a Iudge? for but finding fault with his iniury. Then, he aggrauates, and miſconſtrues; Wilt thou kill me? when Moſes meant onelyonly to ſaue both. It was the death of his malice onelyonly that was intended, and the ſafety of his perſon. And laſtly, he vpbraids him with former actions, Thou killedſt the Aegyptian: What if he did? What if vniuſtly? What was this to the Hebrew? Another mans ſin is no excuſe for ours: A wicked heart neuer lookes inward to it ſelfe, but outward to the quality of the reprouer; if that afford exception, it is enough; as a dog runs firſt to reuenge on the ſtone: What matter is it to me who he be that admoniſheth me? Let me looke home into my ſelfe: let me looke to his aduice. If that be good, it is more ſhame to me to be reproued by an euill man. As a good mans allowance cannot warrant euill, ſo an euill mans reproofe may remedy euill: If this Hebrew had beene well pleaſed, Moſes had not heard of his ſlaughter; now in choller all will out; and if this mans tongue had not thus caſt him in the teeth with blood, he had beene ſurpriſed by Pharaoh, ere he could hauehave knowne that the fact was knowne.
Now he growes iealous, flees, and eſcapes. No friend is ſo commodious in ſome caſes as an aduerſary; This wound which the Hebrew thought to giuegive Moſes, ſaued his life. As it is good for a man to hauehave an enemy, ſo it ſhall be our wiſedome to make vſe of his moſt cholericke obiections. The worſt of an enemy may proue moſt ſoueraigne to our ſelues: Moſes flees. It is no diſcomfort for a man to flee when his conſcience purſues him not: Where Gods warrant will not protect vsus, it is good for the heeles to ſupplie the place of the tongue.
Moſes when he may not in Aegypt, he will be doing iuſtice in Midian. In Aegypt, he deliuers the oppreſſed Iſraelite; in Midian the wronged daughters of Iethro. A good man wil be doing good, whereſoeuer he is; his Trade is a compound of Charity and Iuſtice; as therefore euill diſpoſitions cannot be changed with ayres, no more will good. Now then he ſits him downe by a Well in Midian. There he might hauehave to drinke, but where to eat he knew not. The caſe was altred with Moſes; To come from the dainties of the Court of Aegypt, to the hunger of the fields of Midian: it is a leſſon that al Gods childrē muſt learn to take out, To want and to abound. Who can think ſtrange of penury, when the great gouernor of Gods people once hath nothing? Who would not hauehave thought in this caſe, Moſes ſhould hauehave been heartleſſe and ſullen; ſo caſt downe with his owne cōplaints, that he ſhould hauehave had no feeling of others; yet how hot is he vponupon iuſtice? No aduerſity can make a good man neglect good duties: he ſees the oppreſſion of the Shepherds, the image of that other he left behind him in Aegypt: the Mayds (daughters of ſo great a Peere) draw water for their flocks, the inhumane ſhepherds driue them away; rudeneſſe hath no reſpect either to S… or Condition; if we liued not vnderunder lawes, this were one caſe, Might would be the meaſure of Iuſtice: wee ſhould not ſo much as … our owne water: vniuſt courſes will not euer proſper. Moſes ſhall rather come from Aegypt to Midian to beat the ſhepheards, then they ſhall vex the daughters of Iethro, This act of …uſtice was not better done then taken. Reuel requires it kindly with an hoſpitall entertainment. A good nature is ready to anſwer courteſies: we cannot doe … much fore thankfull man. And if a courteous Heathen reward the watring of a …pe in this bountifull manner, how ſhall our God recompence but a cup of cold water that is giuen to a Diſciple! This fauour hath won Moſes, who now conſents to dwell with him, though out of the Church. Curioſity, or whatſoeuer idle occaſions may not draw vsus for our reſidence) out of the bounds of the Church of God: danger of life may; we louelove not the Church if we eaſily leaue it: if in a caſe of life; we leaue it not (vponupon opportunity) for a time of reſpit, we louelove not our ſelues. The firſt part of Moſes his requitall was his wife, one of thoſe whom he had formerly protected.
I doe not ſo much maruell that Iethro gaue him his daughter (for hee ſaw him vallant, wiſe, learned, nobly bred) as that Moſes would take her; a ſtranger both in Blood and Religion. I could plead for him neceſſity: his own nation was ſhut vp to him; if he would hauehave tried to fetch a daughter of Iſrael, her had endangered to leaue himſelfe behind: I could plead ſome correſpondence in common principles of Religion; for doubtleſſe Moſes his zeale could not ſuffer him to ſmother the truth in himſelfe: hee ſhould hauehave beene an vnfaithfull ſeruant, if he had not beene his Maſters teacher. Yet neither of theſe can make this match either ſafe, or good. The euent bewrayes it dangerouſly inconuenient. This choice had like to hauehave coſt him deare: ſhe ſtood in his way for circumciſion; God ſtands in his way for reuenge. Though hee was now in Gods meſſage, yet might he not be forborne in this neglect. No circumſtance, either of the dearneſſe of the Sollicitor or our owne ingagement, can beare out a ſinne with God: Thoſe which are vnequally yoked, may not euer look to draw one way. The louelove to …he perſon cannot long agree with diſlike of the religion. He had need to be more then a man, that hath a Zippora… in his boſome, and would hauehave true zeale in his heart. Al this while Moſes his affection was not ſo tied to Midian, that he could forget Aegypt. Hee was a ſtranger in Midian: what was he elſe in Aegypt? Surely, either Aegypt was not his home, or a miſerable one; & yet in reference to it, he cals his ſon Gerſhom, a ſtranger there. Much better were it to be a ſtranger there, then a dweller in Aegypt. How hardly can we forget the place of our abode or education, although neuer ſo homely! And if he ſo thought of his Aegyptian home, where was nothing but bondage and tyranny, how ſhould wee thinke of that home of ours, aboue, where is nothing but reſt and bleſſedneſſe?