Works of Joseph Hall, Part 4
Of MOSES calling.
FOrty yeares was Moſes a Courtier, and forty yeares (after that) a Shepheard: That great men: may not bee aſhamed of honeſt vocations, the greateſt that euer were hauehave beene content to take vp with meane trades. The contempt of honeſt callings in thoſe which are well borne, argues pride without wit. How conſtantly did Moſes ſticke to his hooke? and yet a man of great ſpirits, of excellent learning, of curious education: and if God had not (after his forty yeares ſeruice) called him off, he had ſo ended his dayes. Humble reſolutions are ſo much more heroicall, as they fall into higher ſubiects.
There can be no fitter diſpoſition for a leader of Gods people, then conſtancy in his vndertakings, without either wearineſſe, or change. How had he learned to ſubdue all ambitious deſires, and to reſt content with his obſcurity! So he might hauehave the freedome of his thoughts, and ful opportunity of holy meditations, he willingly leaues the World to others, and enuies not his proudeſt acquaintance of the Court of Pharaoh. He that hath true world in himſelfe, and familiarity with God, finds more pleaſure in the Deſarts of Midi…, then others can doe in the Palaces of Kings.
Whiles he is tending his ſheepe, God appeared vntounto him: God neuer graces the idle with his viſions; when he finds vsus in our callings, we find him in the … of his mercy: Satan appeares to the idle man in manifold temptations, or rather preſents himſelfe, and appeares not God was euer with Moſes, yet was he not ſeene till now. He is neuer abſent from his; but ſometimes he makes their ſenſes witneſſes of his preſence. In ſmall matters may be greater wonders. That a buſh ſhould burne, is no marue…; but that it ſhould not conſume in burning, is iuſtly miraculous: God chuſeth not euer great ſubiects, wherin to exerciſe his power. It is enough that his power is great in the ſmalleſt. When I look vponupon this burning buſh with Moſes, me thinkes I can neuer ſee a worthier and more liuely Embleme of the Church; that in Aegypt was in the furnace, yet waſted not. Since then how oft hath it beene flaming, neuer conſumed! The ſame power that enlightens it, preſerues it; and to none but his enemies is he a conſuming fire. Moſes was a great Philoſopher: but ſmall skill would hauehave ſerued to know the nature of fire, and of the buſh: that fire meeting with combuſtible matter, could not but conſume: If it had been ſome ſolid wood, it would hauehave yeelded later to the flame; but buſhes are of ſo quicke diſpatch, that the ioy of the wicked is compared to a fire of thornes. He noted a while, ſaw it continued, and beganne to wonder. It was ſome maruell how it ſhould come there: but how it ſhould continue without ſupply, yea without dimention of matter, was truly admirable. Doubtleſſe he went oft about it, and viewed it on all ſides and now when his eie and mind could vnt… with no likely cauſes, ſo far off, reſolues, I will goe ſee it: His curioſity led him neeres, and what could hee ſee but a buſh and a flame, which he ſaw at firſt vnſatisfied? It is good to come to the place of Gods preſence, howſoeuer; God may perhaps ſpeak to thy heart though thou come but for nouelty: Euen thoſe which hauehave come vponupon curioſity hauehave beene oft taken: Abſence is without hope; If Moſes had not come, he had not beene called out of the buſh.
To ſee a fire not conſuming the buſh, was much; but to heare a ſpeaking fire, this was more; and to heare his owne name out of the mouth of the fire, it was moſt of all. God makes way for his greateſt meſſages by aſtoniſhment and admiration: as on the contrary, careleſneſſe caries vsus to a meere vnproficiency vnderunder the beſt meanes of God: If our hearts were more awfull, Gods meſſages would be more effectuall to vsus.
In that appearance God meant to call Moſes to come; yet when he is come, inhibits him (Come not hither.) We muſt come to God, we muſt not come too nere him. When we meditate of the great myſteries of his word, we come to him: we come too neere him when we ſearch into his counſels. The Sun and the fire ſay of themſelues, Come not too neare: how much more the light which none can attaine vntounto? We hauehave all our limits ſet vsus: The Gentiles might come into ſome outter courts, not into the inmoſt: The Iewes might come into the inner Court, not into the Temple: the Prieſts and Leuites into the Temple, not into the Holy of Holies; Moſes to the Hill, not to the Buſh. The waues of the Sea had not more need of bounds, then mans preſumption. Moſes muſt not come cloſe to the buſh at all; and where he may ſtand, he may not ſtand with his ſhooes on. There is no vnholineſſe in clothes: God prepared them for man at firſt, and that of skins, leſt any exception ſhould be taken at the hides of dead beaſts. The rite was ſignificant. What are the ſhooes but worldly and carnall affections? If theſe be not caſt off when we come to the holy place, we make our ſelues vnholy: how much leſſe ſhould we dare to come with reſolutions of ſinne? This is not onelyonly to come with ſhooes on, but with ſhooes bemired with wicked filthineſſe; the touch whereof pro-the pauement of God, and makes our preſence odious.
Moſes was the Sonne of Amram, Amram of Kohath, Kohath of Leui, Leui of Iacob, Iacob of Iſaac, Iſaac of Abraham. God puts together both ends of his pedigree, I am the God of thy father, and of Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob. If he had ſaid onelyonly, I am thy God, it had beene Moſes his duty to attend awfully; but now that he ſayes, I am the God of thy Father, and of Abraham, &c. He challenges reuerence by preſcription. Any thing that was our Anceſters, pleaſes vsus; their Houſes, their Veſſels, their Cot… armour; How much more their God? How carefull ſhould Parents be to make holy choices? EueryEvery preſident of theirs are ſo many monuments and motiues to their poſterity. What an happineſſe it is to be borne of good Parents! hence God claimes an intereſt in vsus and wee in him, for their ſake. As many a man ſmarteth for his fathers ſinne, ſo the goodneſſe of others is crowned in a thouſand generations. Neither doth God ſay, I was the God of Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob; but, I am. The Patriarkes ſtill liue after ſo many thouſand yeares of diſſolution. No length of time can ſeparate the ſoules of the iuſt from their Maker. As for their body, there is ſtill a reall relation betwixt the duſt of it, and the ſoule: and if the being of this part be more defectiue, the being of the other is more liuely, and doth more then recompence the wants of that earthly halfe.
God could not deſcribe himſelfe by a more ſweet name then if his, I am the God of thy father, and of Abraham, &c. yet Moſes hides his face for feare: If he had ſaid, I am the glorious God that made heauen and earth, that dwell in light inacceſſible, whom the Angels cannot behold; or, I am God the auenger, iuſt and terrible, a conſuming fire to mine enemies, here had beene iuſt cauſe of terror.
But, why was Moſes ſo frighted with a familiar compellation? God is no leſſe awfull to his owne in his very mercies. Great is thy mercy that thou mayſt be feared: for to them no leſſe maieſty ſhines in the fauours of God, then in his iudgements and iuſtice. The wicked heart neuer feares God but thundring, or ſhaking the earth, or raining fire from heauen; but the good can dread him in his very ſunne-ſhine: his louing deliuerances & bleſſings affect them with awfulneſſe Moſes was the true ſon of Iacob, who when he ſaw nothing but viſions of louelove & mercy, could ſay, How dreadfull is this places.
I ſee Moſes now at the buſh hiding his face at ſo milde a repreſentation: hereafter we ſhall ſee him in this very Mount betwixt heauen and earth; in Thunder, Lightning, Smoke, Earth-quakes, ſpeaking mouth to mouth with God, bare faced, and fearleſſe! God was then more terrible, but Moſes was leſſe ſtrange. This was his firſt meeting with God, further acquaintance makes him familiar, and familiarity makes him bold: Frequence of conuerſation giues vsus freedome of acceſſe to God; and makes vsus powre out our hearts to him as fully and as fearleſly as to our friends. In the meane time now at firſt he made not ſo much haſte to ſee, but he made as much to hide his eies: Twice did Moſes hide his face; once for the glory which God put vponupon him, which made him ſo ſhine, that he could not bee beheld of others; once for Gods owne glory, which hee could not behold. No maruell. Some of the creatures are too glorious for mortall eies: how much more, when God appeares to vsus in the eaſieſt manner, muſt his glory needs ouercome vsus? Behold the difference betwixt our preſent and future eſtate: Then the more Maieſty of appearance, the more delight: when our ſin is quite gone, all our feare at Gods preſence ſhall be turned into ioy. God appeared to Adam before his ſin with comfort, but in the ſame forme which after his ſin was terrible. And if Moſes cannot abide to looke vponupon Gods glory when he deſcends to vsus in mercy, how ſhall wicked ones abide to ſee his fearfull preſence when he ſets vponupon vengeance! In this fire he flamed and conſumed not, but in his reuenge our God is a conſuming fire.
Firſt Moſes hides himſelfe in feare, now in modeſty. Who am I? None in all Aegypt or Midian was comparably fit for this embaſſage. Which of the Iſraelites had bin brought vp a Courtier, a Scholler, an Iſraelite by blood, by education an Aegyptian, learned, wiſe, valiant, experienced? Yet, Who am I? The more fit any man is for whatſoeuer vocation, the leſſe he thinkes himſelfe. Forwardneſſe argues inſufficiency. The vnworthy thinkes ſtill, Who am I not? Modeſt beginnings giuegive hopefull proceedings, and happy endings Once before, Moſes had taken vponupon him, and laid about him; hoping then they would hauehave knowne, that by his hand God meant to deliuer Iſrael: but now when it comes to the point, Who am I? Gods beſt ſeruants are not euer in an equall diſpoſition to good duties. If we find differences in our ſelues ſometimes; it argues that grace is not our owne. It is our frailty, that thoſe ſeruices which we are forward to, aloofe off, wee ſhrinke at, neere hand, and fearfully miſſe giuegive. How many of vsus can bid defiances to death, and ſuggeſt anſwers to abſent temptations, which when they come frome to vsus, we dye off, and change our note; and in ſtead of action, expoſtulate!