Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Ver. 1. To the back-ſide of the deſert]
HEre it was that Moſes wrote the book of GENESIS, (and that of Job too, Alſted. Chron.as ſom conceiv) for the comfort of his poor oppreſſed countrie-men in Egypt, that they might lean upon, and live by faith in the promiſes made to the Fathers.
Ver. 2. And the Angel of the Lord] Chriſt that Angel of the Covenant, and of the great Counſel. [And the buſh was not conſumed] No more is the Church (whereof this is an excellent embleme) by the fire of tribulation. Iſa. 43.2. becauſ of the goodwill of him that dwelt in the buſh. Deut 33.16.
Ver. 3. I will now turn aſide and ſee] Moſes came out of curioſitie, but was called by God: ſo do manie to the ordinances for noveltie (as the Jewes did to John Baptiſt) or for ſom other ſiniſter reſpect, to catch, it may bee, and are caught, as thoſe Job. 7.46. Or as Auſtin, who coming to Ambroſe to have his ears tickled, had his heart touched. It is good to hear howſoever: Com, ſaid Latimer, to the publick meetings, though thou commeſt to ſleep: It may bee, God may take thee napping. Abſence is without hope: what a deal loſt Thomas by beeing but once abſent? This great viſion] Great indeed: there was a flame of ſire, elſ how was the buſh burning? There was light, elſ how did Moſes ſee it? There was no heat: elſ how was not the buſh conſumed? Yet in everie of God's afflicted (ſaith One) you may ſee this great viſion. The voice of the Lord in his affliction (as in this fire) divideth the heat from the light, ſo that hee is not conſumed by the heat (nay rather his infirmities and carnal concupiſcences are conſumed thereby) but onelyonly illuminated by the light. See the Note on chap. 2.15.
Verſ. 4. And when the Lord ſaw &c.] God meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteouſneſs. Iſa. 64.5. Acti agimus. The Miller cannot command a winde, yet hee will ſpread his ſails, bee in the waie to have it, if it com. As our libertie (in external acts) is ſtill ſom (as to com to church, to hear, to repeat &c.) ſo muſt our indevors bee anſwerable.
Verſ. 5. Draw not nigh] Bee not raſh, but reverent. Heathens could ſaie, Non loquendum de Deo ſine lumine. God will bee ſanctified of all that draw nigh unto him. Levit. 10.2.Put off thy ſhoos] Of ſenſualitie and other ſins. Quid pedes (ſaith Eraſmus) niſi affectus? Quid pedes calceamentorum onere liberi niſi animus nullis terrenis cupiditatibus oneratus? Affections are the feet of the ſoul; keep them unclogg'd.
Verſ. 6. Hid his face.] So did the Seraphims with a double ſcarf as it were. Eſa. 6.2. Let a man but ſee God, and his plumes will ſoon fall. For hee was afraid] Yea hee trembled and durſt not behold. Act. 7.32. This was his firſt meeting with God: When better acquainted, hee grew more bold.
Verſ. 7. For I know their ſorrows] That's a ſweet ſupport to a ſinking ſoul, that God know's all, and bears a part. Mat. 6.Your heavenlie Father know's, &c. That's enough.
Verſ. 8. I am com down] Hamanitus dictum, ut Gen. 11.7. and 18.21. See the notes there. Milk and honie] plentie and dainties; all things both for neceſſitie and delight.
Verſ. 9. The oppreſſions wherewith] Wee are oft more beholden to our enemies inſolencie, then to anie innocencie of our own. Deut. 32.27.
Verſ. 10. That thou mai'ſt bring forth] Which, though as unlikely to bee don as to remove a rock with his ſhoulder; yet, ſetting upon it in God's ſtrength, hee effecteth it. Tantiem velis, & Deus tibi praeoccurret. Chryſoſt.Howbeit, let a man do what hee can naturally, and God will meet him graciouſly: There is no truth in ſuch an aſſertion.
Verſ. 11. Who am I?] Worth is modeſt: The proud man asketh, Who am I not? foreign, Cyri Majoris ſepulcro inſcriptum refert Arrianus. Worth with modeſtie is foreign; nothing is ſo amiable.
Verſ. 12. This ſhall bee a token unto thee] So hee had a double ſign for his ſuller and further confirmation: that of the burning buſh, for the preſent; this of ſerving God at Horeb, for the future.
Verſ. 13. B…de.What is his name?] God is above all name, all notion. When Manoah enquired after his name; 'Tis wonderful ſaid hee: Victorinus.that is, I am called as I am called, but ſuch is thy weakneſs that it ſurpaſſeth thy conception. Afri vocant Deum ignotum Amon, id eſt, Heus tu, quis es?
Verſ. 14. Plutarch. de Iſid. & Oſiride.I am that I am] Heb. I will bee that I will bee. The Septuagint render it foreign I am that Hee that is; Agreeably hereunto Plato calleth God foreign and foreign. This name of God is fully opened Rev. 16.5. It import's two of God's incommunicable Attributes: 1. his Eternitie when hee ſaith, I will bee. 2. His Immutabilitie, when hee ſaith, That I will bee. As Pilat ſaid, what I have written, I have written; I wil not alter it. But how far out was Paulus Burgenſis in denying Ehich to bee anie of God's names? Whether Aph-hu 2 King. 2.14. bee one, Weems.is far more queſtionable.
Verſ. 15. Ʋnto all generations] The Jews, to countenance their conceit of the ineffabilitie of the name Jehovah, did corrupt this text: and for This is my name Legnolam for ever, they read, G…latinus.This is my name Legnalam to bee concealed.
Verſ. 16. The God of Abraham, &c.] His friends, with whom hee had all things common. This was a greater honor don to theſe Patriarches, then if God had written their names in the viſible heavens, to bee read of all men.
Verſ. 17. I have ſaid I will bring you up] And now I am com to do it. This is ſom part of the import of I am that I am, the ſame yeſterday, Heb. 13.8.to daie, and forever; Ero qui eram, I will bee the ſame to you in my performances, that I was to your fathers in my promiſes. A Land flowing with milk] Sumen totius orbis, as One calleth it, where the hard rocks did ſweat out oil and honie. Deut. 32.13. See verſ. 8.
Verſ. 18. Hath met with us] Of his own accord, and without our ſeeking. Nolentem praevenit Deus ut velit, Aug. Enchir. cap. 32.volentem ſubſequitur nè fruſtrà velit. I am found of thoſe that ſought mee not. Iſa. 65.1.
Verſ. 19. Will not let you go] A ſturdie Rebel hee was; but God tamed him and took him down by thoſe ten plagues, compriſed in theſe four verſes,
Fit cruor ex undis, conſpurcant omnia ranae;
Dat pulvis cimices, poſtea muſca venit.
Dein pestis, pòſt vlcera, grando, locuſta, tenebrae:
Tandem prototocos ultima plaga necat.
Verſ. 20. And after that, hee will let you go] When hee dare hold you no longer: when I have ſufficiently tam'd him and taught him, as Gideon taught the men of Succoth with thorns and briars of the wilderneſs. Judg. 8.16.
Verſ. 21. I will give this people favor] It is God that faſhioneth men's ſpirits, and ſpeaketh oft-times for them in the hearts of their greateſt enemies.
Verſ. 22. Yee ſhall ſpoil the Aegyptians] By a ſpecial diſpenſation, which none could grant but the Law-maker. So Ezek. 39.10. Theſe Jewels did afterwards becom a ſnare to the Iſraëli…es in the matter of the golden Calf.