Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 5 · Part 5
EXPLICATION.
The greatneſſe of this mercy in delivering the Iſraelites out of Egypt is frequently mentioned in Scripture. Deut. 4.20. Lev. 26.13 Pſa. 77.15, 16, 19, 20 Pſa. 78.12, 13, 14. and from ver. 41. to 54. Pſal. 105. form ver. 23. to 39. Pſal. 106. from ver. 6. to 13. Pſal. 114.3, 5. Iſa. 63.11, 12, 13 Pſal. 136. from ver. 9. to 17. Acts 7.18, 19, &c. to 37.Beſides the large hiſtorie thereof in the book of Exodus, it's prefixed briefly to the ten Commandments, as a moſt prevailing motive to obedience; and often ſet down as one of the moſt famous deliverances that ever God beſtowed upon his Church. And indeed, ſo it was, if we conſider,
1. What the Egyptians did to the Iſraelites in abuſing them during their abode in Egypt.
2. What God did both to the Egyptians and Iſraelites, when he delivered the Iſraelites from the abuſes of the Egyptians.
For the firſt: 1. The Egyptians offered many cruell injuries to the bodies of the Iſraelites. 2. By their heatheniſh idolatry they were great enemies to their ſouls.
The firſt of theſe the Scripture expreſſeth in ſetting down,
Firſt, The bondage and ſervitude of the Iſraelites whereby their libertie and eaſe were taken away.
Secondly, The murderous Edicts which were given out for the taking away alſo of their lives.
Firſt, The cruel bondage of the Iſraelites was ſo great, Exod. 20.that Egypt is call'd in Scripture the houſe of bondage: and Egyptian bondage is even become a Proverb. The Iſraelites were not more lovingly received by one Pharaoh, Exod. 1.6.then they were cruelly retein'd by another. They who of late were ſtrangers, are now ſlaves. With Joſeph, died the remembrance of his love to Egypt. Thankfulneſſe to him by whom under God the lives and beings of the Egyptians were preſerved, is ſwallowed up in envie at the increaſe of his kindred and poſterity. The great fault of the Iſraelites is this, that God multiplieth them. To pull them down, though by oppoſing of God, and to make them as unfit for generation, as reſiſtance, the Egyptians make them ſerve with rigour, Exod. 1.13, 14and make their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and brick: Every word notes Egyptian cruelty. The word tranſlated to make them ſerve, ſignifies to oppreſſe by meer force: foreign Hanc habet vim praepoſitio foreign à foreign Frangere.and it is a word noting properly a tyrannicall abuſe of power, and therefore tranſlated by the Seventy foreign, which ſignifies ſuch a proud and cruel domineering as is uſed by tyrants. Nor is the word tranſlated with rigour, without an emphaſis; it ſignifies (ſaith Cajetan) a making them to ſerve, even to the breaking of their bones. It is added, that the Egyptians made their lives bitter: a word transferr'd from the body to the minde, to note the grievouſneſſe and unpleaſingneſſe of a thing. The ſame word is uſed Lam. 3.15. where the Church ſaith, Hee hath fill'd me with bitterneſſe, foreign unde foreignhe hath made me drunk with wormwood. And (as Lorinus thinks) Miriam the ſiſter of Moſes had that name given her, which ſignifies bitterneſs, becauſe ſhe was born in thoſe times. The Seventy in their Tranſlation, expreſſe this imbittering of the Iſraelites lives by a word which ſignifies the moſt ſharp and cutting pains in childbearing. And much (doubtleſſe) was this bitterneſs increaſed by the nature of the work wherein the Iſraelites were imployed, which was in mortar, dirt and brick, and all manner of ſervice of the field: they were put upon the moſt ſordid and ſervile imployment. Philo and Joſephus, with others, report, 2. Antiq. c. 5.that the works of the Iſraelites were meer drudgeries, the moſt mean and dirty, as ſcouring of pits, the caſting up of banks to keep out inundations, the digging and cleanſing of ditches, and carrying the dung out of the Cities upon their ſhoulders. And it's ſaid, Pſal. 81.6. I removed his ſhoulder from the burden, and his hands were delivered from the pots. And that which yet made their ſervitude more extreme and bitter, was, that being in theſe dirty drudgeries of mortar and brick, Exod. 5.10.the tale of the bricks is by the taskmaſters laid upon the people, though the ſtraw wherewith to make brick be denyed them: The poor Iſraelites now take more pains to pleaſe, and yet pleaſe their cruell maſters leſſe than ever before: They are commanded to gather ſtraw, and yet cruelly beaten, becauſe while they were gathering of ſtraw, they were not making of brick; that is, becauſe they performed not impoſſibilities; and did not make ſtraw as well as brick. Do what may be, is tolerable; but do what cannot be, is cruell. Hereupon the Iſraelites cry and complain to Pharaoh of their want of ſtraw, and their plenty of ſtripes: In a word, all that they deſire is, that they may but work; as for wages, they deſire none: In ſtead of relieving them, he derides them, and with a cruelly cutting ſcoff, and a ſarcaſticall inſultation, he wounds their very wounds, and tells them, againſt hisown knowledg, they are idle, they are idle. Hereupon, Si quis labori ob infirmitatem ſe ſubtraheret, capitalis noxa judicabatur. Philo lib. 1. de vit. Moſ.the Egyptian rigour is continued, and the people of God (who after all their toyling received no other rewards but ſtripes and ſcorns) are worſe handled then Egyptian beaſts: So great was this crueltie, that (as Philo reports) if any Iſraelite, through ſickneſs of body, abſtained from labour, it was accounted a crime deſerving death. Euſebius ſaith, That by reaſon of their exceſſive labour and heat, many were taken away by the peſtilence. By this we may gather, why the Lord tells them, Levit. 26.13. Deut. 4.20.I brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye ſhould not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bonds of your yoak, and made you go upright. Servitude is a kinde of death, nay, by free people, accounted worſe then death; who have often choſen rather to die valiantly, than to live ſlaviſhly. Nor is it any wonder therefore to read of the groaning, ſighing, and crying of the poor Iſraelites, Exod. 2.23, 24 Exod. 6.9 foreign. Septuag.yea, of their anguiſh, ſhortneſſe and ſtraitneſſe of ſpirit by reaſon of cruell bondage.
2. The ſecond diſcovery of the crueltie of the Egyptians towards the Iſraelites, Exod. 1.15.was in the bloody commands for the taking away of the lives of the male children. This was a blow at the root: 'Twas out of policie, not any tenderneſſe of conſcience, that this murderous command took not in the females alſo: The females did not conſtitute families; the taking away of the males would ſuffice to hinder the multiplying of the people. The females could not make war, joyn with the enemies of the Egyptians, or by force endeavour to depart from Egypt; and the ſparing of ſome might make the murders leſſe ſuſpected. From bondage theſe Egyptians proceed to blood, and from ſlavery to ſlaughter. Women are ſuborned to be murderers, and thoſe whoſe office is to help, muſt deſtroy the birth; the Midwives were put upon this bloody work, becauſe, as they had more opportunitie of doing, ſo would others have leſs ſuſpicion of them for doing the miſchief. The male children muſt be born and die at once; and poor babes, they muſt be kill'd for no other fault but for their Stock and their Sex, becauſe they are Iſraelites and males: pure and downright bloodineſs! Needs muſt the Hebrew women, contrary to all others, not joy, but mourn, when they ſaw men-children born. foreign. Acts 7.19This device of imploying the Mid-wives not ſucceding, the tyrant gives commiſſion to all his own people to caſt every ſon that is born into the river. Joſephus writes, This ſeems to be oppoſed by Exod. 1.22.that the command was given alſo to the Hebrews to kill their own children: but moſt barbarous it was, although it were only given to the Egyptians. Pharaoh's crueltie ſmoked before, now it flames out. 1 Obſtetricum dolo niſus eſt, &c. 2 apertâ perſecutione, Rupert.He practiſed ſecretly in his commands to the Mid-wives, he now proclaims it openly to all the world: No Egyptian now could be obedient, unleſs bloody; every man is made an executioner; the reins are laid upon the neck of Cruelty: Every Egyptian may rifle the houſes of the Iſraelites, and ſearch for children as for prohibited commodites. How difficultly are theſe poor babes hid, and yet how dangerouſly found! They who had no armour but innocence and tears, are expoſed to authoriſed rage. How poor a ſhelter is the arm of an indulgent mother againſt the command of a King, and the fury of his heathen Subjects; whoſe vigilance and violence were ſo great, that as the mother of Moſes was unable long to hide him; ſo was ſhe more willing to truſt him with the mercy of beaſts and waters, than of Egyptians? And how hard was it for the ſtrongeſt faith of the beſt Iſraelite, to bear up againſt this tentation! So long as the Iſraeltes ſaw themſelves increaſing, though oppreſſed, their faith in Gods promiſe of bleſſing the ſeed of Abraham, might be comfortably relieved; but now this cruell Edict of murdering their children, by whom the ſeed of Abraham was to be propagated, ſeems to cut off all hope, and to make void all the promiſes.
2. The Egyptians from whom the Iſraelites were delivered, may be conſidered as heathen Idolaters, and ſo enemies to the Souls of the Iſraelites. Had the outward eaſe and proſperity of Iſrael in Egypt been never ſo great, yet eminent had been the mercy of being drawn out of ſuch perill for the ſoul, as was in idolatrous company. Joſhua thankfully records the mercy of God to Abraham, in bringing him out of Ʋr of the Caldeans, where his Anceſtors ſerved ſtrange gods. And how great this mercy was, appears by obſerving the forwardneſſe of the Iſraelites to be infected by the contagion of Egyptian idolatry. The Egyptians were a moſt idolatrous people, Iſa. 19.1. Jer. 43.12. Jer. 46.25. Exek. 20.7, 8whence it is, that ſo often we read of the idols and gods of Egypt. No people idolized ſo many, and ſuch vile creatures as did the Egyptians; the Mole, the Bat, the Cat, the dung-flie, Monkies, Birds, Crocodiles; P…r allia ccpe, & porros jurant. Plin. l. 19. c. 6. —Crocodilon adorat Pars haec, illa pavet ſaturam ſerpentibus ibim. Effigies ſacri nitet aurea Cercopitheci Porrum et Cope nefas violare et frangere morſu. O ſanct as animas, quibus haec naſcuntur in hortis Numina.—Juv. Sat. 15. Sanctius in Ezek. 20.7. Nauſeas, Symmach. Inquinamenta, Aquila.yea, Leeks, Onions, Garlick, &c. were adored by them as Gods. So groſſe was their ſuperſtition herein, that the Heathens deride them for it. Pliny ſaith, that they were wont to deifie and ſwear by their Leeks, Onions and Garlick. And Juvenal laſheth them for adoring theſe garden Gods. And from the vileneſs of thoſe creatures, Sanctius ſuppoſeth that the gods of the Egytians are called abominations. It is evident alſo that the Iſraelites were too forward to worſhip the ldols, although they were weary of the oppreſſions of the Egyptians. Hence it is, that (Ezek. 20.7, 8.) the Prophet complains of their rebelling againſt the expreſſe prohibition of God, that they ſhould not defile themſelves with the idols of Egypt; and that they did not forſake thoſe idols. And the ſame Prophet, Chap. 23.3. reproving Iſrael for their early adulteries, (by which he means their idolatries) ſaith, that ſhe committed whoredoms in Egypt in her youth, (i. e. when the Iſraelites were but a young and new Nation.) And verſ. 8. that ſhe left not her whoredomes brought from the Egyptians; for in her youth they lay with her, and bruiſed the breſts of her Virginity, Clear likewiſe to this purpoſe is that command of Joſhua to the Iſraelites, Chap. 24.14. Put away the gods which your fathers ſerved in Egypt. Nor are there wanting learned men, who conceive that the reaſon why the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe made them an idol which had the figure of a Calf or an Ox, Exod. 36 4. Pſal. 106.20.was, becauſe they had often ſeen the Egyptians, under that kinde of image to worſhip either their greatly adored Apis, who had formerly been their King and benefactor, and whom now they eſteemed their tutelary god; or elſe (as other learned men think) the River Nilus, which by its inundation did make the land of Egypt fruitfull. And very probable it is, that God intended this bitter oppreſſion of the Iſraelites by the Egyptians, partly as a puniſhment for joyning with them in their idolatry formerly; partly as a remedy, to prevent in the Iſraelites that familiarity and friendſhip with the Egyptians for time to come, whereby they might eaſily fall again in love with their ſuperſtitions. For if after all the indignities and cruelties which the Iſraelites ſuffered in Egypt, they were deſirous again (as they were) to return thither; Num. 14.4.how forward would they have been, had the Egyptians alwayes favoured and loved them? If they loved to be handling of thorns, how would they have delighted in Roſes?
And this may ſerve for the explication of the greatneſſe of this deliverance from the Egyptians in this firſt conſideration; namely, of what the Egyptians had done to the Iſraelites, in abuſing them during their abode in Egypt.
II. But ſecondly, This deliverance will yet appear much more eminent, if we conſider what God did both to Egyptians and Iſraelites, in delivering the Iſraelites from the abuſes of the Egyptians.
And firſt, What God did to the Egyptians. He powred his plagues upon them; he made Egypt the anvill of his angry ſtroaks. He puniſh'd them,
1. Powerfully.
2. Juſtly.
1. Moſt powerfully did God puniſh the Egyptians. For this cauſe did God raiſe up Pharaoh, to ſhew in him his power. All the judgments which befell the Egyptians, Exod. 9.17.came as ſoon as God called them. At his command the waters run blood, the frogs, the lice, the flies, the graſhoppers, the darkneſſe, the hail, the thunder, and all thoſe wrathfull troops of plagues obey the will of him who commanded in chief, and revenge the wrongs of their Maker. The moſt deſpicable of creatures, lice and flies, the weakeſt twigs of Gods rod ſhall fetch blood, when managed by the hand of Omnipotency. Nor was his power leſſe conſpicuous in ſetting a ſtint to the very flies, and making that winged army to acknowledg their limits, and to keep at a diſtance from Goſhen. Yea, let but God ſpeak the word, and frogs, and flies, and graſhoppers depart as readily as ever they came. And to ſhew that he could plague without them, the greateſt of Egypts plagues is inflicted when they are gone. The ſtrength of Egypt, their firſt-born die, and are but worms and weakneſſe to the ſtrength of Iſrael. All this was much; 'twas admirable ſtrength which broke the backs of the Egyptians; but nothing but pure Omnipotency could break ſuch rocks and oaks as were their hearts; but even theſe alſo are bowed and broken. None ſo forward now to thruſt the Iſraelites out of Egypt, yea, to hire them to go, as they who even now tyrannically detain'd them. Their rich jewels of ſilver and gold are not too deer for them whom lately they ſpoiled of their ſubſtance. Glad they are now to pay them for their old work. Thoſe who lately were detained as ſlaves, are now ſent away as Conquerors, with the ſpoils of their enemies. Still the power of God appears; No ſooner were the backs of Iſrael turned to depart, but the warlike Egyptians, furniſh'd with horſes and chariots, purſue the feeble and unarmed Iſraelites: who hereupon give up themſelves for dead, and are now talking of nothing but their graves. They know not whether is more mercifull, the ſea before them, or the Egyptians behind them: but the ſea retires and flies, and the Iſraelites put their feet into the way that it hath made them. Pharaoh thinks he may adventure as well as they; he marcheth ſmoothly, till he be come to the midſt of that watery trap, and would fain return when it was too late. The rod of Moſes is now more powerfull than the ſcepter of Pharaoh. Gurges in gurgite.The ſea is now again unbridled, returns in its force, and devours the late devourers of Iſrael; And therefore,
2. How juſtly did God puniſh the Egyptians? Was it not juſt that the bold blaſphemer, who even now askt, Who is the Lord? ſhould be made to know him by feeling him, and that this Lord ſhould be known upon him to all the world? The river Nilus which by its inundations made Egypt fruitfull, was by the Egyptians regarded more than heaven, and worſhip'd for a deitie; and how righteouſly are they puniſhed by the blood and frogs of that which they make a corrival with God? They had lately defiled the rivers with the blood of infants; See now their rivers red with blood, and they themſelves are afterward over-whelmed in the red ſea. He who had rather ſatisfie his own curioſity by the feats of Magicians than labour for humility under ſtroakes, not more, ſmart than miraculous, is at once both deluded and hardened. They who, to ſpare themſelves, burdned and inſlaved poor groaning Iſraelites, are now plagued, when Iſrael is preſerved. How juſtly doth God diſtinguiſh, when they had done ſo before? They who are hardened, are at length broken by judgements. They who ſinned by the removall, are juſtly puniſhed by the renewing of plagues. They who ſo cruely oppreſt Gods firſt-born ſon, his Iſrael, are now plagued in the deſtruſtruction of their own firſt-born. They who lately made poor Iſrael drudge, and toyl in dirt and mire, without allowing them any wages but ſcoffes and ſtripes now pay them wages for their old work, with intereſt; and with their gold and ſilver, bear the charges of that journey, which all this while they were hindering the Iſraelites from taking. They who are not taught, juſtly ſtumble by the people of God. To conclude this, How juſt was it, that he who with his people hoped that the Iſraelites were ſo intangled and ſhut up in the wilderneſſe and the ſea, as they ſhould not be able to make eſcape; that he and his (I ſay) ſhould by this bait be drawn ſo far to purſue the Iſraelites, as neither to be able to go backward or forward.
2. The mercy of ſaving the people out of the land of Egypt, will yet more fully appear, if we conſider what God did to the Iſraelites. He delivered them; and this he did,
1. Moſt Wiſely.
2. Moſt Graciouſly.
1. Moſt Wiſely did God deliver his people, in raiſing up of Moſes to be their deliverer. The mother of Moſes brought him forth in a time wherin ſhe could not but think of his birth and death at once, and hourly expect ſome cruell executioner to tear her tender and lovely babe out of thoſe arms, Admiranda eſt Dei providentia tam pulchrè Aegyptiis illudens, ut quo tempore cogunt Hebraeos ſervire ſine mercede, adiguntur à Deo ut alant miniſtrum futurum liberationis eorum, idque mercedē ultro praebentes. Dum infantes in ruinam Ebraeae gentis interimunt, propriis ſumptibus unum in ſuam ruinam educantes. Riv. in 2. Exod.wherein ſhe was as unable as ſhe was willing to hold him. For fear of ſuch an one, ſhee puts him into an Ark of bulruſhes, and hides him among the flaggs of the river. God ſhewed, that he knew the place where Moſes lay, by guiding thither even the daughter of Pharaoh, to deliver Moſes. She ſoon eſpies and cauſeth the ark to be opened: the tears and beauty of the child move her compaſſions; which Moſes his ſiſter obſerving, offers to procure a nurſe for the babe, and fetches his mother She who even now would have given all her ſubſtance for the life of her child, hath now a reward given to her to nurſe him. How admirably did the wiſdome of God deceive the Egyptians! The daughter of him, whoſe only plot was to deſtroy Iſrael, is made the inſtrument of ſaving Iſrael, by preſerving him who was to be their deliverer, and the inſtrument of Egypts deſtruction. The Egyptians alſo, who compel the Iſraelites to ſerve them without paying them wages, are compelled by God at the ſame time to pay for the nurſing of him, who ſhortly after overthrowes the Egyptians. At length Pharaohs daughter takes Moſes home from nurſe, and gives him as good breeding as the Egyptians Schools and Court can afford him. Moſes was not in more danger among the flaggs, than among the courtiers: but God, who of late kept him from hurt by Egyptian cruelty, keeps him now as wiſely from hurt by Egyptian courteſie. The honours of Egypt cannot make him either own an heathen for his mother, though a kings daughter, or forget his Hebrew brethren, though the kings bondmen. He obſerves their ſufferings, and ſuffers with them. He having from God an inſtinct of Magistracy, mortally (though ſecretly as he thought) ſmites an Egyptian, unjuſtly ſmiting an Hebrew. The fact is known, and Moſes warned thereof by a churliſh word which was intended to wound him, flies from Pharaoh ſeeking to ſlay him. In Midian God provides him a ſhelter. Moſes hath now changed his place, yet neither hath he changed his keeper and acquaintance, nor Iſrael loſt their deliverer. Quid ſibi vult ardere, & non exuri rubum? nempe Iſraelem Aegyptiis ſuperiorem futurum. Theod. in loc.In a ſtrange land God appears to Moſes, and calls him to this honourable imployment of ſaving Iſrael. God confirms his faith by viſion and voice: by the viſion he taught him, that if the tinder of a weak and moſt combuſtible buſh could overcome a flame of fire, that a poor Moſes and an oppreſſed Iſrael might as eaſily prevaile over cruell and armed tyranny: by the voice, which was the comment upon the viſion, God, being moved by Iſraels afflictions, and not hindred by Moſes his objections, expreſſeth his reſolution, that Moſes ſhall bring Iſrael out of Egypt. Whereupon Moſes yeilds to undertake the imployment.
2. Moſt wiſely did God deliver the people, in reſpect of the time of their deliverance. How wiſely did God time this deliverance, conſidering the extreme and diſtreſſed lowneſſe of Iſrael at that time wherein God began to work it! The darkneſſe was very thick immediately before the day-break; the tide was at the loweſt, before it began to turn; Moſes himſelf was too faint to beleeve without the double ſupport of a promiſe and a viſion: now was Egypts cruelty high, Iſraels ſtrength low; all their armes were toyl and tasks, tears, and ſighs, and groans, (weapons which overcame him who overcame the Egyptians:) For thus it faring with Iſrael, Moſes the deliverer comes and ſerves Pharaoh with a warrant from God himſelf, to let Iſrael go. But Iſrael is not yet fit, that is, weak enough to break out of Egypt. They muſt be required to make brick without ſtraw; and in effect, to make ſtraw; and then God creates deliverance. The deliverance from their tasks of brick ſeems as unpoſſible, as was the fulfilling of theſe tasks; and they for very anguiſh are as unable to hearken beleevingly and patiently to Gods meſſenger, promiſing deliverance, as they were deſirous to receivie it. Oh how did the deſperateneſſe of Iſraels diſeaſe, commend the skilfulneſſe of Iſraels Phyſitian!
2. How eminent was the wiſedome of God, in timeing of Iſraels deliverance, ſo as that they ſhould be compe…'d by Pharaoh to depart, that very day in which God had promiſed that they ſhould depart four hundred and thirty years before! Pharaohs choice of time for the departure of Iſrael, meets with Gods exactly; that very night when the four hundred and thirty years were expired, Iſrael muſt go; God will have it ſo, yea, Pharaoh will have it ſo, who neither can, nor can will to keep them any longer.
But ſecondly, God delivered Iſrael out of Egypt as graciouſly as he did wiſely. 1. How tender was he of his Iſrael, when his wrath was hotteſt againſt the Egyptians! He commands his plagues to diſtinguiſh between Egypt and Goſhen. Iſrael was now like a man upon an high hill, that ſees the dreadfully ſtately ſpectacle of a bloody battell, but is himſelf out of gun-ſho…. All Iſraels work is but to behold and beleeve. 2. Afterward in their departure, how good was God to give them furniture for their journey, at the voluntary charges of their late oppreſſive enemies! 3. Further, how indulgent vvas God in having ſuch reſpect to the infirmities of his people! as not to chooſe them the ſhorter but the ſafer vvay; and to preſerve them from vvar, vvhoſe I ate and long condition of ſlavery had made them unfit for ſouldiery; he intending them no fighting, till after more preparation; and not ſuffering evills to be ready for Iſrael, till Iſrael vvere ready for thoſe evills; dealing herein as gently vvith his people as doth the Eagle with her young ones (the reſemblance uſed by Moſes, Deut. 32.11.) for the Eagle turns not her young ones preſently out of her neſt, either for flight or prey, but firſt nouriſheth them, and then by little and little accuſtomes them to flye, by bearing them on her wings. 4. Mercy ſtill proceeds: it both chuſeth a way for Iſrael, and guides Iſrael in that way. In the day God appoints a Pillar of a cloud to guide them, and not of fire, becauſe the greater light extinguiſheth the leſſe. In the night he errects a pillar of fire, becauſe in the night nothing is ſeen without light. The cloud ſhelters from heat by day: the fire digeſts the rawneſſe of the night. Day and night God ſutes himſelfe to Iſraels exigency. 5-Yet more mercy; Pharaoh and his formidable army are now within ſight of Iſrael, and Iſrael more fears Egypt, than beleeves God. They voice Moſes in their murmurings not to intend to deliver them from, but to betray them to the Egyptians. And Joſephus reports, that the unbeleeving Iraelites were about to ſtone Moſes, and to yeeld up themſelves again to their late cruell maſters the Egyptians. Gods patience is no leſſe miracle than their deliverance. 6. But mercy ſtops not yet; The ſea forgets its naturall courſe, and ſtands ſtill to wait upon the ſervants of the God of nature. The ſea made them way, rear'd them up walls on both ſides, and dares not ſtirre till Iſrael have paſſed through it. That which Iſrael feared would deſtroy, now protects them from their late deſtroyers, and preſent purſuers.