that Pharaoh sought to slay him, it is said, he feared and fled;' but here, when probably another Pharaoh no less powerful, cruel, and bloody than the former, threatened him with present death, he is so far from being moved at it, that he declares his resolution to persist in his duty, and threatens the tyrant himself. And the reason of this difference was, that on the first occasion Moses had made an attempt to do what he apprehended to be his duty, without a sufficient call and warrant from God, wherein he could not stir up faith to an exercise, which will not move without a divine word for its warrant; and natural courage would not carry him out in his undertaking. Now being assured of his call as well as of his work, he is bold as a lion, through the power of faith acting regularly on a word of promise and command.

Obs. I. In all duties, especially such as are attended with great difficulties and dangers, it is the wisdom of believers to take care, not only that the works of them be good in themselves, but that they have a just and due call to their performance. When they have so, and are satisfied therein, there is nothing that faith will not conflict withal and conquer. But if they are weak in this foundation of duty, they will find that faith will not be engaged to their assistance.

Obs. II. Even the wrath of the greatest kings is to be disregarded, if it lie against our duty towards God. See the great and glorious instance, Dan. iii. 13-18.

3. Lastly. The ground and reason of what he did, with the inward frame of his spirit in doing of it, is expressed. 'He endured as seeing him who is invisible.' The word εkaρTEρnoe, which we render 'endured,' is not used in the New Testament, but in this place only. It is derived from Karos, (by the transposition of a letter,) which is 'strength,' power, and fortitude. The use of it in other authors is to bear evils, or to undergo dangers with patience, courage, and resolution, so as not to wax weary or faint under them, but to hold out to the end. KaprEpew. Forti animo sum, non cedo malis. A word singularly suited to express the frame of mind that was in Moses, with respect to this work of faith in leaving Egypt. For he met with a long course of various difficulties, and was often threatened by the king; besides what he had to conflict with from the unbelief of the people. But he strengthened and confirmed his heart with spiritual courage and resolution, to abide in his duty to the end.

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So is kaprepiα joined with avopia, fortitude,' as of the same nature, and opposed to μaλakia, an easy softness of nature,' that betrays men to a relinquishment of their duty. And as the verb кaprɛpɛw, is used sometimes with a dative, sometimes with an accusative case, sometimes with prepositions, πρog, εɩ, εv, sometimes without; so it is also used in a neuter sense, without affecting any other persons or things. Καρτέρειν δε χρη και αλλων παιδων ελπίδι, Thucid. lib. 2. So that there was no need for the Vul. to join it to Tov aoparov, invisibilem sustinuit. Wherefore, this enduring by faith is not a mere bare continuance in duty, but it is an abiding in it with courage and resolution, without fear and despondency.

Obs. III. There is an heroic frame of mind and spiritual fortitude. required to the due discharge of our callings in times of danger, which

faith in exercise will produce.1 Cor. xvi. 13, Γρηγορείτε, στηκετε εν τη πίστει, ανδριζεσθε, κραταιούσθε.

That which preserved Moses in this frame was, that rov aoparov s opov, he saw him who is invisible.' God is said to be invisible (as he is absolutely) in respect of his essence, and is often so called in the Scripture, Rom. i. 20; Col. i. 15; 1 Tim. i. 17. But there is a peculiar reason of this description of him here. Moses was in that state and condition, and had those things to do, wherein he stood in need continually of divine power and assistance. Whence this should proceed he could not discern by his senses, his bodily eyes could behold no present assistant, for God is invisible.' And it requires an especial act of the mind in expecting help from him who cannot be seen. Wherefore this is here ascribed to him. He saw him who was in himself invisible; that is, he saw him by faith whom he could not see with his eyes. As seeing' is not as if he saw him,' but seeing of him really and indeed; only in such a way and by such means as left him still in himself invisible, but represented him a present help no less than if he had been seen.

A double act of the faith of Moses is intended herein. 1. A clear, distinct view and apprehension of God in his omnipresence, power, and faithfulness. 2. A fixed trust in him on their account, at all times and on all occasions. This he rested on, this he trusted to, that God was every-where present with him, able to protect him, and faithful in the discharge of his promise, which is the sum of the revelation he made of himself to Abraham, Gen. xv. 1, xvii. 1. Hereof he had as certain persuasion, as if he had seen God working with him and for him by his bodily eyes. This sight of God he continually retreated to, in all his hazards and difficulties, and thereon endured courageously to the end. And,

Obs. IV. There is nothing insuperable to faith, while it can keep a clear view of the power of God, and his faithfulness in his promises.And unless we are constant in this exercise of faith, we shall faint and fail in great trials and difficult duties. From hence we may fetch revivings, renewals of strength, and consolations on all occasions, as the Scripture every-where testifieth, Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26; Isa. xl. 28-30.

VER. 28.Πιστει πεποιηκε το πασχα, και την προσχυσιν του αίματος, iva μη ολοθρεύων τα πρωτότοκα, θιγῇ αυτων.

ПεTOINKE TO TAσya, He wrought, made the passover.' So the Syriac, y. Vul. Celebravit pascha. Rhem. He celebrated the passover.' Fecit, peregit, 'He performed, kept.' Eraoxoπoinde, nopraσɛ, He kept the feast.'

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προσχυσις,

Kai Ty Toxow тov aiμaroç. Syr. 27 DD, and he sprinkled blood.' Vulg. Et affusionem sanguinis. Rhem. And the shedding of the blood,' adhering to a corrupt translation, which took poaxvate, for the same with EKXUOIS, not only against the original, but against the plain express meaning of the Holy Ghost. For it is not the shedding of blood, which was done in the killing of the lamb, but the sprinkling of it on the doors and posts that is intended. 'And that affusion, pouring on, or sprinkling of blood.'

Ο ολοθρεύων τα πρωτοτοκα. Ooooρevov та TOWтотока. Vul. Qui vastabat primitiva, he that wasted the firstlings,' which is the best sense that word will bear. The Rhemists render it the first-born.' Qui perimebat,' who slew.' Qui destruxit, who destroyed.' who destroyed.' 'man, , the destroyer,' oλo@ρEUTNS,

1 Cor. x. 10.

Θιγη αυτών. Syr. p, should come nigh them.'

VER. 28. By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them. (Or, that sprinkling of blood, that the destroyer of the first-born should not touch them.)

The story which the apostle hath respect to, is recorded at large, Exod. xii. which it doth not appertain to us here to insist on. There are two things in the words. 1. The commendation of the faith of Moses, from the due observance of a double divine ordinance of worship. The one whereof was to be standing and of perpetual use in the church, namely, the passover; the other was temporary, suited to that season only, namely, the sprinkling of the blood; or it may be esteemed a temporary addition to the other. 2. The effect or consequent of his faith in the observance of these ordinances, whereof they were a sign, 'that he who destroyed,' &c.

cation.

First. The first thing ascribed to him as the fruit of his faith, is that 'he kept the passover." The word used TETоINкɛ, is of a large signifiWe render it, he kept.' But that doth not comprise its whole sense. For it refers no less to the sprinkling of blood than to the passover; and it is not proper to say, he kept the sprinkling of blood. He wrought, he performed the whole sacred duty; that is of killing the passover and sprinkling the blood. The passover.' The Greeks call it πασχα, pascha, which some would derive from πασχειν, 'to suffer,' because the lamb suffered when it was slain, very foolishly. For the word is of a Hebrew original, only used by the Greeks after the Chaldee dialect, wherein it is usual to add to the end of words. So of the Hebrew came the Chaldee s, and thence the Greek Tаoɣa. The Hebrew word pesach, is from DD, pasach 'to pass over.' Not that pasach doth properly or commonly signify transire, 'to pass over' or away, which is y; but a peculiar passing over by a kind of leaping or skipping, taking one thing and leaving another. Hence it is like the going of a lame man, rising up and falling down; and such a one is called, piseach, Lev. xxi. 18; Mal. i. 13. Claudus, 'one that limpeth. The word was chosen to intimate the manner of the distinction that God made by the destroying angel, between the houses of the Egyptians and the Israelites, when he passed over the one untouched, and entered into another, it may be next to it, with death.

Sundry things did the faith of Moses respect in his keeping or observance of the passover. 1. Its institution. 2. The command for its observance. 3. Its sacramental nature, wherein a divine promise was included. 4. Its mystical or typical signification.

First. He had respect to the original institution of this ordinance, which he had by divine revelation. God revealed to him the ordinance

itself, with all its rites and ceremonies, which was its institution. And this, faith respects in the first place; nor will it move or act towards any thing in the worship of God, but what it hath the warrant of divine institution for. This is recorded, Exod. xii. 1-4, &c.

Secondly. To the command for its perpetual observance, which he was then to initiate the people into, ver. 14, You shall keep it a feast unto the Lord throughout your generations, you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.' For although divine institution be a sufficient warrant for the observance of any thing in the worship of God, yet to secure and encourage our faith, God did always confirm it by a command of obedience. So our Lord Jesus Christ did not only institute the ordinance of the holy supper, but commanded all his disciples to observe it in the remembrance of him. And with respect hereunto did the faith of Moses work in the way of obedience. And an active obedience to the authority of Christ in his commands, is exactly required in all that we do in divine worship.

Thirdly. He had respect by faith to the sacramental nature of it, wherein the promise was included. For this is the nature of sacraments, that in and by a visible pledge they contain a promise, and exhibit the thing promised to them that believe. This is expressed, Exod. xii. 11, where, speaking of the lamb to be slain and eaten, with all its rites and ceremonies, God adds, for it is the Lord's passover;' where the application of the name of the thing signified to the sacra mental sign of it, is consecrated to the use of the church. So was it taken for granted by our Saviour in the institution of the sacrament of his supper; where he says of the bread and wine, that they are his body and blood; applying the names of the things signified to those which were appointed signs of them by divine institution. And herein was enwrapped and contained the promise of the deliverance of the people, which was exemplified and represented to their faith in all the rites and circumstances of it. And the accomplishment of this promise was that which they were obliged to instruct their children and posterity in, as the reason of keeping this divine service, ver. 24-27.

Fourthly. He had respect to the mystical or typical signification of it. For what Moses did of this kind, it was for a testimony of those things which were afterwards to be declared,' Heb. iii. 5. See the Exposition. And those testimonies of Moses concerning Christ, which are so frequently appealed to in the New Testament, consist more in what he did than in what he said. For all his institutions were representations of him, and so testimonies to him. And this of the paschal lamb was one of the most illustrious types of his office. Hence the apostle expressly calls Christ our passover, Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. v. 7. He and his sacrifice was that really and substantially, whereof the paschal lamb was a type, sign, and shadow. And it may not be an useless diversion to name some of those things wherein the typical relation between Christ in his sacrifice, and the paschal lamb or passover, did consist. As,

1. It was a lamb that was the matter of this ordinance, Exod. xii. 3. And in allusion hereunto, as also to other sacrifices that were instituted afterwards, Christ is called the Lamb of God,' John i. 29. 2. This

lamb was to be taken out from the flock of the sheep, ver. 5. So was the Lord Christ to be taken out of the flock of the church of mankind, in his participation of our nature, that he might be a meet sacrifice for us, Heb. ii. 14-17. 3. This lamb being taken from the flock was to be shut up separate from it, Exod. xii. 6. So although the Lord Christ was taken from amongst men, yet he was separate from sinners, Heb. vii. 26, that is, absolutely free from all that contagion of sin which others are infected withal. 4. This lamb was to be without blemish, Exod. xii. 5, which is applied unto the Lord Christ, 1 Pet. i. 19, 'a lamb without blemish and without spot.' 5. This lamb was to be slain,

and was slain accordingly, ver. 6. So was Christ slain for us; a lamb in the efficacy of his death, slain from the foundation of the world, Rev. xiii. 8. 6. This lamb was so slain as that it was a sacrifice, ver. 27. It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover. And Christ our passover was sacrificed for us,' 1 Cor. v. 7. 7. The lamb being slain, was to be roasted, ver. 8, 9; which signified the fiery wrath that Christ was to undergo for our deliverance. 8. That not a bone of him should be broken,' ver. 46, was expressly to declare the manner of the death of Christ, John xix, 33-36. 9. The eating of him, which was also enjoined, and that wholly and entirely, ver. 8, 9, was to instruct the church in the spiritual food of the flesh and blood of Christ, in the communication of the fruits of his mediation unto us by faith. And sundry other things of the same nature might be observed.

With respect unto all these things, did Moses by faith keep the passover. And.

Obs. I. There is always an especial exercise of faith required unte the due observance of a sacramental ordinance.

Secondly. The second thing ascribed to the faith of Moses, is, TNV рoσXVI тov aiuaroç, 'the sprinkling of blood.' This, whether it were a peculiar temporary ordinance, or an observance annexed to the first celebration of the passover, is all to the same purpose. That it was not afterwards repeated, is evident, not only from hence, that it is nowhere mentioned as observed; but principally, because the ground and reason of it did utterly cease. And God will not have any empty signs or ceremonies in his worship, that should be of no signification. However, that first signification that it had, was of constant use in the church, as unto the faith of believers. The institution is recorded, ver. 7. The blood of the lamb when it was slain, was preserved in a bason, from whence they were to take it by dipping a bunch of hyssop into it, ver. 22, and strike it on the two side-posts, and the upper doorposts of their houses. And this was to be a token unto them, that God would pass over the houses that were so sprinkled and marked with blood, that none should be destroyed in them, ver. 13. And this was to abide for ever in its mystical signification, as the present use of it is declared in the next words, by the apostle. But unto this day, we are hence taught,

Obs. II. That whatever is not sprinkled with the blood of Christ the Lamb of God, who was slain and sacrificed for us, is exposed unto destruction from the anger and displeasure of God.-As also that,

Obs. III. It is the blood of Christ alone which gives us security

VOL. IV.

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