Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 5 · Part 6
OBSERVATIONS.
1.Obſerv. 1. The goodneſſe of God to his Iſrael, ſtirs up envie in the Egyptians. Becauſe Gods eye is good, theirs is evill. Joſeph was envied by his brethren, becauſe God bleſs'd him with the love of his father. Saul envied David, becauſe God was with him: Pharaoh the Iſraelites, becauſe God multiplied them. Its a ſigne of a wicked heart, to look upon every addition to anothers happineſs, as a diminution of its own: an envious man in one thing is worſe then other ſinners; for whereas others rage and fret, Ʋberior ſeges eſt alienis ſemper in agris. Viciníque pecus grandius uber habet. foreign.that the world (as they conceive) is ſo bad, the envious are angry it is ſo good. And wiſely doth God ſuffer his own bounty to be mixed with his emies envie, leſt his people being too much glued to his footſtool-favours, ſhould not enough look up to that place where envie ſhall be no more. Only in heaven is ſo much plenty, that there's no envie.
2.Obſerv. 2. The kindneſſes of Gods Iſrael to Egypt, are often but unkindly requited by Egypt. To Joſeph (under God) did the King and kingdom of Egypt in the time of famine, owe their preſervation: but a new King and generation ariſing, old favours are forgotten. Had Joſeph been an enemy to Egypt, it would have been well enough remembred; but as his brethren remembred not his afflictions, Si quid bene fa cias, levior pluma eſt gratia: ſi quid peccatum ſit, plumbeas iras gerunt. foreign. Pind.ſo the Egyptians remembred not his favours. Light injuries, like a feather, will eaſily ſwim upon the water; weighty favours, like a piece of lead, ſink to the bottom, and are forgotten. The loyall love of Mordecai to Ahaſueroſh had been utterly buried, if the Annals had not recorded it. Gideon, who had been that famous Deliverer of Iſrael, is ſo far forgotten after his death by the Shechemites, that they ſlew his ſons. God would have his people in all the good they do, not to ſeek the applauſe of men, but to eye his command, and to look to him, who regiſters the ſlendereſt performance, even the giving a cup of cold water to any in his name; and with whom our reward is, and who will make our favours coals of fire to conſume and deſtroy, Rom. 12.20.if not to thaw and diſſolve our hardned enemies.
3. Affliction is the lot of Gods Iſrael. Obſerv. 3.The holy Patriarck who had the name of Iſrael, had a life made up of ſorrows. Affliction was his daily bread, Gen. 32.28.and his conſtant dyet drink. His brother threatneth to kill him: His uncle, to whom he flies for refuge, is churliſh and deceitfull: His eldeſt ſon is inceſtuous: His only daughter raviſh'd: Two of his ſons turn cruell murderers▪ His beſt beloved wife dies in childbirth, and his deareſt child is given over for murdered Hee and his family are ſoon after puniſh'd with a ſore famine: in ſending for food, he looſeth (as he thinks) Simeon: Gen. 47.9.His dayes (by his own computation and confeſſion) were few and evill. The poſterity of Iſrael have afflictions left them for their legacie. Egypt, the wilderneſſe, Canaan, Babylon, were the ſtages of Iſraels tragedies. The Spirituall Iſrael is in all the parts and ages of the world a diſtreſſed number: Witneſſe that book of Martyrs epitomized, Hebr. 11. Of all people, Heb. 1….10.God would have his Iſrael holieſt, and he corrects them to make them partakers of his holineſſe. If he ſuffers weeds in the forreſt, he endures them not in the garden. Affliction is appointed for the conſumption of ſin. It is as fire to the raw fleſh, to roſt out the cruditie; Pariſienſis.and blood of our corruptions. It is poiſon to luſts, and food to graces. The ſheep of Chriſt thrive beſt in ſhorteſt paſture; faith, humility, patience, prayer, heavenly mindedneſſe, &c. in affliction, like ſpices under the peſtle, are ſweetly fragrant. How ſweet is muſick upon the water! How heavenly are the prayers of a weeping Saint! Affliction is Gods touch-ſtone, to difference between the precious and the vile; his fan, to ſever between the wheat and the chaffe; Judg. 7.5.his waters, like to thoſe to which Gideon brought his ſouldiers, for the …ryall of their fitneſſe for war. His furnace, to ſeparate between the me… tall and the droſſe. Of all people therefore, true Iſraelites ſhould never promiſe to themſelves outward eaſe. God ſees it beſt for his people (like waters) to be in motion: Should they ſtand ſtill, they would ſoon putrifie. Heb. 4.9.The reſt of the people of God remaines. Its too much to have two heavens. Hee who ſaid, He ſhould never be removed, like Peter in the mount, knew not what he ſaid. That Saints may be alway ſafe, they muſt never be ſecure. Of all people, thoſe ſhould be leaſt cenſured who are moſt corrected; they may be, nay are moſt like to be Iſraelites. The happineſſe of Iſrael is not to be judged by outward appearances. The Iſraels, the Princes of God, are in this world but princes under a diſguiſe. This life is but the obſcurity of their adoption. Wee ſee their combats, wee ſee not their crowns: Wee veiw them in the tents of Kedar, not within the curtaines of Solomon.
4.Obſerv. 4. More particularly, Its no new thing for Egypt to be unkind and cruell to Iſrael. Iſraelites and Egyptians are of contrary diſpoſitions and inclinations; the delight of the one, is the abomination of the other. Beſides, its the duty of Iſrael to depart out of Egypt. Iſrael is in Egypt in reſpect of abode, not of deſire. Egypt is not Iſraels reſt. If Egypt were an houſe of hoſpitality, it would more dangerouſly and ſtrongly detein the Iſraelites, than in being an houſe of bondage. The thoughts of Canaan would be but ſlight and ſeldome, if Egypt were pleaſant. Its good that Egyptians ſhould hate us, that ſo they may not hurt us. When the world is moſt kind, its moſt corrupting; and when it ſmiles moſt, it ſeduceth moſt. Were it not for the bondage in Egypt, Mundus arridet & irridet.the Onyons and idols of Egypt would be too much beloved. Bleſſed be God, who will by the former, weane us from the later; and will not let us have the one without the other: far better that Egypt ſhould oppreſſe us, than wee oppoſe God. Further, Its the endeavour of Iſrael to depart out of Egypt; and never was any known to forſake Egypt without perſecution. This world loves its own, but it loaths them who ſhew that they belong to another. To forſake the courſes of the world is practically to ſpeak our diſlike of them; and therefore he that will not aſſociate with ſinners, ſhall be ſure to ſmart by them. 1 Pet. 4.4.They think it ſtrange (ſaith the Apoſtle) that ye runne not with them to the ſame exceſſe of riot, ſpeaking evill of you. The wicked ſpeak evill of Saints, not for doing any evill againſt them, but only for not doing of evill with them. I wonder not that Iſrael was either ſo courteouſly ſent for and invited out of Canaan into Egypt; or ſo cruelly oppoſed when they offered to depart out of Egypt into Canaan. When thou art coming to Egyptians, they will love thee: When thou goeſt from them, they will hate thee.
5. Judgment begins at Gods Iſrael. Obſerv. 5. 1 Pet. 4.17.God whips his children, before he beats the ſervants; and corrects Iſrael, before he kills the Egyptians. Firſt God performes his whole work upon mount Sion, before he puniſheth the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Aſſyria. Iſai. 10.12.God ordinarily makes uſe of Egypt for the baſe and low ſervice of puniſhing Iſrael; and the wiſp muſt firſt ſcour the veſſell, before it be thrown on the dunghill. The building muſt firſt be erected, before the ſcaffold be taken down. The corrupt blood muſt be drawn out, before the Leech fall off. Domini ſumus non tantùm in genitivo ſingulari, ſed in nominativo plurali. Luth.The wicked in all their tyranny and Lordſhip, are but ſervants, (the loweſt) ſcullions to ſerve and ſcour the godly. They are ſpared and puniſh'd in order to the Saints exigency; and when wicked men are advanced; 'tis not for their own worth, but for the Church her want▪ not becauſe the wicked deſerve to have ſuch ſervants as the godly, but becauſe the godly deſerve ſuch maſters as the wicked. God ſets them up, not out of love to their ſinne; but out of hatred to the ſinnes of his people: and the beſt prognoſtick of the downfall of Egyptians, is the reformation of Iſraelites. Beſides, God will render Egypt inexcuſable, when he comes to plague them. What can Egypt ſay for it ſelfe, when God hath dealt ſo ſeverely with his own Iſrael before their eyes, yea by their hands? ſo many croſſes as befall Iſrael, are ſo many evidences againſt Egypt. Luk. 23.31.If God do theſe things in the green tree, what will he do in the dry? If he ſcourge the children with rods, he will whip the ſlaves with ſcorpions. They whoſe judgment was not to drink of the cup, have aſſuredly drunken; Jer. 49.12.and art thou he that ſhalt altogether go unpuniſhed? thou ſhalt not go unpuniſhed, but thou ſhalt ſurely drink of it. I begin to bring evill upon the city which is called by my name, Jer. 25.29.and ſhould ye be utterly unpuniſhed? ye ſhall not be unpuniſhed. When Egypt hath ſeen God ſo ſevere, and have themſelves been ſo cruell againſt Iſrael, what can they ſay why judgment ſhould not paſſe againſt themſelves? Yet further: Judgment begins firſt with Iſrael, that ſo they may be the more fitted to ſee judgment come upon Egyptians. Iſrael would not know how to manage the mercy of Egypts overthrow, if God had not firſt humbled Iſrael. Too many ſails are dangerous for a ſmall veſſell. The heart of Iſrael is ſo ſlight and giddy, that it would not be able to ſail without the ballaſt of correction. Yet aagain: Iſrael would not ſo much rejoyce in Egppts after-overthrow, if God had not firſt corrected Iſrael; the people of God cannot be thankfull in the downfall of their enemies, when they cannot tell but that judgments may afterward fall upon themſelves. How can the throwing of the rod into the fire delight the child, when as the child knowes not but that the parent may throw it into the fire afterward? If an houſe be not finiſhed, 'twil ſoon decay; if a ſore be not throughly cleanſed, 'twill break out again. If Iſrael be not well purged by corrections, before the Egyptians be deſtroyed, puniſhments ſeven times worſe may again return to Iſrael: And a new deliverance beſtowed upon an old heart, will but make the rent the greater. All this ſhews us the reaſon why Egypt ſtill is unpuniſh'd; truly, Iſrael is not yet corrected, or at leaſt not humbled and reformed by corrections ſufficiently. The plaiſter falls not off till the ſore be healed; the people of God are beholding to themſelves for their lingring calamities. All times are not ſeaſonable for Egypts overthrow. Praepoſtera celeritas. Calv. in 10. Iſai. 12.Though the enemies of God may be high enough, yet the people of God may poſſibly not be low enough for the accompliſhment of ſuch a work. Wee, poor creatures! have ſhort thoughts; and like ſilly children, are deſirous to have the apple taken out of the fire, before it be roſted enough: and like them, we love green fruit; I mean, mercies before they be ripe; but green fruit breeds wormes, and mercies beſtowed before we be fit to enjoy them, make us but proud and unreformed.
6. God often brings his Iſrael into ſuch ſtraits, Obſerv. 6. Exod. 6.9.as out of which they ſee no poſsibility of deliverance. So bitter was Iſraels affliction, that they had as little patience to hear of their deliverance, as to endure their bondage. Gods people are ſometime brought into a condition ſo ſtrait, that it is reſembled to a priſon; to note, that they are ſo confin'd and encloſed to and in their troubles, that they ſee no way of eſcape. David prayes that God would bring his ſoul out of priſon. Pſal. 142.7. Zech. 9.12.The afflicted ſervants of God are called priſoners of hope. Abraham was in a great ſtrait when God commanded him to ſacrifice his only ſon Iſaak, in whom the promiſes were to be fulfilled. 1 Sam. 30.6.David was greatly diſtreſſed when Ziklag was burnt with fire, and his wives taken captives, 2 Sam. 24.14and his ſouldiers ſpake of ſtoning him. And in a great ſtrait he was, when God, by the Prophet, offered him his choice of plague, famine, and purſuit by the enemies. Jehoſhaphat was in a great ſtrait, when at the approach of ſo vaſt an army of enemies, he ſaid, We know not what to do, 2 Chron. 20.12. Iſrael was in a great ſtrait, when in ſtead of deliverance which Moſes had promiſed them, Exod 5.8. Exod. 14.10.their tale of bricks was continued, and their ſtraw taken from them; and afterwards when Pharaoh was purſuing them, and the ſea was before them. Gods Iſrael would never bee humble in, nor thankfull for enlargements, if God did not ſometime bring them into diſtreſſes. How ſweet is liberty after a priſon! how pleaſant is the haven after a ſtorm, which brought the diſtreſſed mariner to his wits end! Pſal. 107.27.Iſrael would not ſo beleeve God in future diſtreſſes, if they had not been in them before. Iſrael might have gathered ſtrength againſt their diſtreſſe at the red ſea, by conſidering Gods delivering them from the diſtreſſe of oppreſſion. Their faith ſhould alſo have been upheld againſt ſtraits in the wilderneſſe, by remembring their deliverance at the red ſea. And their diſtruſtfulneſſe after deliverances from their diſtreſſes, is oft recorded as their ſin. The graces alſo of Gods Iſrael are much manifeſted by encountring with, and overcoming of diſtreſſes. Their graces hereby are diſcovered both in their truth, and their ſtrength. Weak grace cannot go through ſtrong tentation: but the diſtreſſes of an Abraham, a David, a Job, a Paul, prove in the end trophees of triumphant faith. And all the power of grace doth but diſcover the power of God; who delights not that his ſaints ſhould be diſtreſſed, but that the world and divell ſhould be vanquiſhed by poor beleevers, and ultimately that himſelfe ſhould be glorifyed by all. In ſtead of murmuring under leſſer tryalls, conſider that theſe are nothing to the diſtreſſes of your betters. Remember, Chriſtians, that if your drink be water or wormwood, ſome have drunke blood. Prepare for diſtreſſes. Chriſtians, pray for increaſe of faith: the journey may belong, deſire God to help you to feed heartily upon the promiſes, even again and again, as God bids Elijah, when he was to go to Horeb. By bearing lighter, labour to grow fit for heavier preſſures. A delicate Chriſtian will not endure to be a diſtreſſed Chriſtian. He who by the daily practice of ſelfe-denyall and mortification, doth not diſpleaſe himſelfe, will never endure that another ſhould diſtreſſe him. How fearfull (further) ſhould we be of cenſuring the moſt diſtreſſed! Abrahams diſtreſſe, Davids ſtrait, Pauls viper, proved them neither wicked nor forſaken. Oh, how much better is it to be a diſtreſſed Saint, than an enlarged ſinner! to be in Gods pound, than in Satans champain! If the one condition hath more liberty, the other hath more ſafety. Where God loves, there he corrects; and where he loves moſt, there he diſtreſſes. To conclude this; In diſtreſſe, take heed of deſpondency: Recollect former deliverances out of as great diſtreſſes. When you meet with ſuch a ſtrait, 2 Cor. 1.10.pinching Egyptian yoke, which God cannot break, with burdens which he cannot take down; with a red ſea, which hee cannot divide; when you are purſued by a Pharaoh, which he cannot devour; and are in a diſtreſſe which he cannot remove, then, and not till then, diſtruſt him. Improve your intereſt in God, 1 Sam. 30.6.and with David in diſtreſſe encourage your ſelves in your God.
7. Gods Iſrael ſhall not be utterly deſtroyed, Obſerv. 7. Exod. 1.12.though it be in an Egyptian furnace of Affliction. The Church is ſupported, even when oppreſſed. When Iſrael was afflicted, they multiplyed. Thus it was with the ſeed of Iſrael; yea thus with the Saviour thereof: After his death, his name, his glory lived more vigorouſly than ever; and they who in his life time ſought to deſtroy him, as unworthy to live; after his death, ſought to live by beleeving on him. This he foretold of himſelf: If a corn of wheat die, Joh. 12.24.it bringeth forth much fruit. Thus was it with the antient Chriſtians. The more we are mown down, the more we grow up (ſaith Tertullian.) Plures efficimur, quoties metimur à vobis. Tert.The Church is in Scripture compared to things, which though weakeſt, yet are fruitfulleſt; as Doves, and Sheep, the Vine. The Church, like the Palm-tree, riſeth up, the more men endeavour by weights to preſſe it down. The Egyptian flames cannot devour the Iſraelitiſh buſh: the gates of hell cannot prevail againſt the Church. Gods bleſſing overcomes all humane oppoſition. If God ſaith, Increaſe and multiply, all the enemies of the Church help it, when they moſt endeavour to hinder it. Its neither from the weakneſſe of the flames, nor the ſtrength of the buſh, that it is not conſumed; but from the gracious preſence of him who dwelt in it; and his dwelling there he manifeſts, Pſal. 76.10.1. by reſtraining the fire, and heeping in its fury. All the wrath of man which ſhal not praiſe God, ſhall be reſtrayned by God. 2. By ſtrengthning the buſh againſt it; if not by beſtowing worldly, yet ſpirituall power to oppoſe it. How much was Pharaoh miſtaken when, intending to oppreſſe the Iſraelites, he ſaid, Let us deal wiſely with them! Exod. 1.10. The ſun may as eaſily be blown out with bellows, and battered with ſnow-balls, as Iſrael may be overthrown by oppoſition. But how great therefore is that folly, which puts wormes upon contending with the great God! What do the Egyptians in contriving againſt Iſrael, but beſides the diſappointment of their hopes, curiouſly weave their own woe, by torturing themſelves with envy, and making way for Iſraels deliverance by their own overthrow? Againſt the God of Iſrael there is no wiſedome, Prov. 21.30.nor underſtanding, nor counſell. Oh how happy were wee, if the time which we ſpend in fearing and ſhunning of trouble, were only improved in hating of ſin, and cleaving to God!
8.Obſerv. 8. Satan and his inſtruments then begin to rage moſt furiouſly, when God calls and ſtirres u… inſtruments to help and releeve his Church. Before Moſes went in to Pharaoh for Iſraels releaſment, the Iſraelites were uſed unkindly; but afterward they were oppreſſed tyrannically. How cruell was Egyptian rage upon the entrance of Moſes into his Miniſtry! As ſoon as David was annointed King, how bloodily did Saul rage! In all ages of the Church the Divell indeavours to obſcure the dawnings of the Goſpell, with a bloody cloud of perſecution. When God begins to caſt the divell out of his hold, he deals with the Church, Promiſſam gratiam crux ſequitur. Rivet. in Exod. pag. 133. Hoſ. 7.1.as with that man poſſeſſ'd by him, whom, when Chriſt was about to cure him, he did rend, and tear, and lay for dead. In the beginning of reformation Anti-chriſt fill'd all places with blood and ſlaughter. When God begins to heal his Church, the Anti-chriſtian humour of violence and perſecution diſcovers it ſelfe. The croſſe followes the entrance of the Goſpel; hence wee ſhould be encouraged, and cautioned. Encouraged; for it's a good ſign, that when Satan wars and rageth, God is wounding and diſpoſſeſſing him; and that his time is but ſhort. Wee ſhould alſo be cautioned: Let us look for tryalls, even after Moſes hath promiſed deliverance. Commonly, when God hath given his Church hopes of mercy, he ſeems to threaten inevitable diſappointment of it. After God had given Abraham a ſon, in whoſe ſeed all the promiſed mercy was to be accompliſhed, God ſeems to put Abraham upon the pulling down the foundation of all this happineſſe with his own hands. And we ſhould take heed that wee impute not our troubles to the reformation endeavour'd, but to that oppoſition which Satan and the diſtemered world put forth, And not to blame Gods care of our recovery, but our owne phrenſie.
9. No difficulties can hinder Iſraels deliverance. Obſerv. 9.God can command, yea create deliverances for his people. Pſal. 25.22. Pſal. 34.7. Pſal. 71.20. Iſai 43.13. Gen. 18.14.When there is none left and ſhut up, when there is no force and might to relieve, he can deliver them alone. When there are mountaines of oppoſition, he can levell them, and make them become a plain. Jeſus Chriſt comes skipping and leaping over them all. The wiſdom, power, malice of his enemies, do but make his ſtrength tiumphant; yea, the unworthineſs and unkindneſs of Iſrael, cannot ſtop the courſe of delivering mercy. So unexpectedly can he ſcatter difficulties, that his people have been like them that dreamed, when mercy came; they thinking it too good to be true. Yea, their enemies have been amazed, and been compell'd to profeſs, that God hath done great things for his Church. How ſtrong muſt the forces of Gods decree, power, love, wiſdome, faithfulneſſe, the prayers and tears of his people, needs be, when they are all united! And hence it is that as the enemies of Iſrael, have cauſe to fear, though they are high: So the true Iſraelites have cauſe to hope, 1 King. 2.15. Fides in periculis ſecura eſt, & in ſecuris periclitatur.though they are low. There's no defeat ſo great, but faith hath a retreating place. Means can do nothing without, much leſſe against God; but God can do all things without, yea againſt means. A Saint abhorres indirectly to wind himſelfe out of any trouble; Why? he hath a God who can help in every ſtrait: when as a ſinner who wants God, ſhiftingly betakes himſelfe to any unworthy practice. Oh Chriſtian, ſhame thy ſelfe, that every ſlight trouble ſhould ſo diſmay thee, having ſuch a deliverer. That the mountain ſhould be full of horſes and chariots, and thou ſhouldeſt not have thy eyes open to ſee and beleeve them. Pſal. 126.4.What's a Pharaoh, an houſe of bondage, a puiſſant army, a red ſea? delivering mercy makes way through them all, and is a mighty ſtream that bears all before it: Its infinitely ſtronger than the ſtrongeſt blaſt of gun-powder, to blow up all oppoſition. Oh Chriſtian, fear not thy danger, but beleeve in thy deliverer.
10. God loves not to give deliverance, Obſerv. 10. Deus ad ſuorum liberationem manum admovet cum omnia videntur deſperata. Riv. in Exod. p. 70. Pſal. 12.5.till it be welcome. When the bricks are doubled, then, and not till then, Moſes comes. When Iſrael is parch'd with the heat of perſecution, then come the ſhowrs of deliverance. God is an help in the needfull time of trouble. Then is it Gods time to deliver, when there are no viſible helps or hopes of deliverance: For the oppreſſion of the poor, and ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe (ſaith the Lord.) In ſuch a caſe it was, that God ſaid to Moſes, Now ſhalt thou ſee what I will do to Pharaoh. Times of extreme oppreſſion, Exod. 6.1.are times of earneſt ſupplication: and God loves to beſtow mercies, when they are by prayer deſired. The cry of Iſrael muſt come up to God, before mercy from God comes down upon Iſrael. Further, Judg. 6.10.where deliverance comes in a time of extremity, it will be entertained upon its own termes; Iſrael will part with any thing that offends their deliverer: they will ſubmit to ſtrict reformation, which before they would not hear of, and ſay with Saul, Act. 6.9.Lord, what wilt thou have us to do? and with the Egyptians, who were pinched with the famine, Gen. 47.19.Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be ſervants to Pharaoh. Laſtly, when deliverance is afforded in the Churches extremity, the glory of Gods power, wiſdome, and free goodneſſe is moſt clearly diſcovered; God loves ſo to work for his people, as to gaine moſt by them; he will have the tribute of praiſe out of every ſalvation. And this diſcovers the true reaſon why mercy is delaid; why God only (as it were) ſhews a mercy, and then pulls it in again: we are not yet ſo pinch…d by the want thereof, as to ſtoop to Gods conditions, to accept of an exact univerſall reformation; to be willing that God ſhould do with us what he pleaſeth: and to thoſe whom God hath ſo fitted, mercy ſhall not long be delayed; nay, God hath given to them the beſt of mercies, in beſtowing a heart meet to enjoy them.
11.Obſerv. 11. God often proportions the ſin to the puniſhment. The Egyptians encompaſſe poor Iſrael with affliction, neither ſuffering them to go from, or remain in Egypt; and now they themſelves can neither go backward or forward in the ſea. The bloody rivers, and their deſtruction in the red ſea, tell them their cruelty in drowning the Iſraelitiſh children. Sodom was inflamed with the fire of luſt, and God conſumes them with the fire of wrath. Joſeph's brethren ſell Joſeph for a ſlave, and they themſelves are detained as bond-men. Adonibezek cuts off the thumbs and great toes of ſeventy Kings; Judg. 1.7and as he did to them, ſo did God requite him. Haman was hanged upon his own gibbet. David's murder and adultery were followed with the death of his children, and the raviſhment of Thamar. It's thy duty to trace ſinne by the foot-prints of puniſhment; and obſerve what ſin thou haſt lived in, which beares moſt proportion to thy puniſhment. Art thou ſick? conſider whether thou haſt not abuſ'd thy ſtrength to ſin. Doth God take away thy ſight, thy hearing, thy tongue, thy eſtate? ask thy conſcience whether theſe have not been imploy'd againſt God. And if this direction ſeem to put thee upon an uncertain courſe of finding out thy beloved ſin, imitate the example of Herod, who, that he might make ſure work to kill our Saviour, ſlew all the children in Bethlehem. In like manner let us impartially deſtroy all our ſins. If we know not which was the thorn that prick'd us, cut down the whole hedg. If we know not which was the Bee that ſtung us, let us throw down the whole hive.
12.Obſerv. 12. When the enemies of God labour moſt to oppoſe and fruſtrate, they accompliſh and fulfill the will of God. Pharaoh ſtudies to deſtroy Iſrael; but even then Pharaoh by his own daughter preſerves and nouriſheth him who was to be Iſraels deliverer. Pharaoh reſolves to detain Iſrael in bondage; but even he ſhall ſhortly not only ſend them away, but compell them to go; yea in that very night which God had four hundred and thirty yeers before ſet down and prefixed. Joſephs brethren ſell him that his dreame might prove falſe, and that they might not be brought to bow before him; but ſo did God order it, Ideo veneratus, quia venditus.that therefore they came to do obeyſance to him, becauſe they ſold him. The Jews kild Chriſt, to extinguiſh his fame and glory; but by his death was his glory and fame advanced. Oh the folly of Gods enemies! how can God want weapons to beat them, when he can beat them with their own? how impoſſible is it but God ſhould prevail over them, when he doth ſo by being oppoſ'd by them? how ſhould this encourage the afflicted Church of God! when his enemies moſt reſiſt him, they are againſt their wills compell'd moſt to ſerve him and his Church.
13.Obſerv. 13. God is moſt faithfull in keeping promiſe with his people. God miſ-reckon'd not his people one day, nay not one hour in four hundred and thirty years. All the pathes of God are mercy and truth. Pſal. 25.10. Pſal. 89.33. Iſai. 55.3. 2 Cor. 1.20. Joſh. 21.45. and 23.14. 1 King 8.56. Jer. 33.20. Iſai. 54.19.The faithfulneſſe of God never failes, nor will he alter the thing which is gone out of his lips. The promiſes of God are called, the ſure mercies of David: ſure unto all the ſeed of David, that are in covenant with God, as David was: They are yea and amen. There ſhall not fail one word of all the good which God hath promiſed to do for his people. The promiſes of God are built upon the unchangeable purpoſe of God, which is a ſure and unſhaken foundation, 2 Tim. 2.19. Hence it is that God is ſaid to have promiſed eternall life before the world began, becauſe the promiſes which are made in time, are according to that purpoſe of God in himſelfe. And Hebr. 6.17. the Apoſtle grounds the truth of the promiſe upon the ſtableneſſe of Gods counſell; ſo that unleſſe Gods counſell and purpoſe change, the promiſe cannot faile. Pſal. 89.3.35. Heb. 6.17. Heb. 9.16, 17To aſſure us of the certainty of his Covenant, God hath given us the pledges of his oath; his ſeal of the blood of Chriſt, the Mediatour, the earneſt of his ſpirit, 2 Cor. 1.22. Let the true Iſraelites hence gather ſtrong conſolation. Chriſtians, you are not worthy to be beloved, but God is worthy to be beleeved. The promiſes are as ſure as they are great. Though all the world falter and deceive you, yet the promiſes of God are firm and ſtable. God will try your faith, but never diſappoint it. Judge of his faithfulneſſe, not by his providences, but by his promiſes. Of this more in the laſt part of the verſe.
14.Obſerv. 14. The great God hath all the creatures at his command. He commands in chiefe, and the creatures are his hoſts; even from the leaſt of the lice that crept upon the pooreſt Egyptian, to the moſt glorious Angell in heaven. Pſal. 148.8. Pſal. 77.16.If he ſay to a plague, Go, it goeth; if, Come, it cometh; they all fulfill his word, the unruly ſea tamely ſtands ſtill, if God command it; yea though of it ſelfe it be unkind and raging, it lovingly opens its boſome to entertain the Iſraelites. Hee can make the ſwift ſun to ſtop its courſe, yea to go backward. Joſh. 10.12. Iſai. 38.8.The greedy and cruell Lions are muzled up, and grow gentle at Gods command. If God ſpeak unto the fiſh, it ſhall take, retain, and reſtore Jonas. How ſhould this relieve the faithfull in all their exigencies! Their friend, their father, hath all the world at his command to ſupply their wants, to deliver them from troubles, to deſtroy their enemies. Man roweth, but God bloweth: The Egyptians purſue, but the wind, the ſea, the chariot wheels ſhall all obey the God of Iſrael. Never need a true Iſraelite fear, who hath ſuch a friend. Never can an Egyptian be fafe, that hath ſuch an enemy.
15.Obſerv. 15. Wicked men grow not wiſe till it be too late. Why could not the Egyptians as well refraine from the purſuit of Iſrael, as endeavour a retreat? It had been better for them not to have entred into the ſea, than to ſtruggle to get out when once they were in it. They might with more wiſedome have ſaid, Let us not follow after; than have ſaid, Let us flye from the Iſraelites. Wicked men do not beleeve their danger til they feel it. Satan ſuffers not their eyes to be opened till they be (with the blinded Syrians) in the midſt of their enemies. Oh ſinner! Labour to be wiſe betimes; in this thy day, know the things that belong to thy peace. Its eaſier to be warned of the wrath to come, than to wade out of it.
16.Obſerv. 16. God makes thoſe conditions and imployments eaſie to his people when they are once in them, which before ſeem'd impoſſible. Iſrael rather thought, that the wilderneſſe ſhould have given them graves, then that the ſea ſhould have given them paſſage. They who feared that none could role away for them the ſtone of the ſepulcher, when they came, found it roll'd away to their hands. The workes of God are ſweet in the performance, which are unpleaſing in their undertakeing: the yoke of Chriſt is greivous to take up, but eaſie to bear and undergo; its otherwiſe in the imployments of ſin; they are eaſie and delightfull in the beginning, but bitterneſſe in the end. The Iſraelites find the ſea ſhut againſt them, when they approach it; but it was open in their paſſage through it. The Egyptians found it open at their approach, but ſhut when they would return. The waies of God are narrowly broad; The wayes of ſin broadly narrow. Iſrael hath nothing to do but to follow God, and to beleeve. For their way, if mercy do not find it eaſie, it will make it ſo.
The ſecond part of this example of the Iſraelites is their deſtruction after their forementioned deliverance, in theſe words. [Afterward deſtroyed▪ ]