580 xiv. Acts Moses is born, and educated in the court of Pharaoh. was exceeding fair, and nourished up in months: SECT Cuting time it was, that the celebrated Moses was Moses was born, and born; and he was so exceeding beautiful, that his parents were struck with a peculiar desire of his father's house three VII. 20. preserving him; and that they might, if possible, secure him from the execution of the barbarous edicts I have just now mentioned, he was bred up with all the privacy that could be for three months in his father's house: But as they were unable to conceal him any longer, he was committed by them to the care of providence, and having put him in an ark of bulrushes, they laid him in the flags upon the brink of the river Nile. (Exod. ii. 2, 3.) And being thus exposed, the providence of God so ordered it, that he was found by the daughter of Pharoah, who at the sight of him was moved with pity, and took him up and nourished him, with a pur22 pose of adopting him for her own son. And Moses by this means was educated in all the whole circle of arts and learning, which came within the system of the celebrated wisdom and philosophy of the Egyptians. And such was 21 b Exceeding beautiful.] This our translators render in the margin, fair to God, which is the literal sense of the original, απειθε τω Θεώ. Grotius and others have observed, it is a common Hebraism, being no more than an emphatical expression to denote his extraordinary beauty which might perhaps be not unfitly rendered divinely beautiful, the name of God being often introduced to express such things as were extraordinary in their kind. So in the Hebrew, what we translate great wrestlings, is wrestlings of God; (Gen. xxx. 8.) goodly cedars are cedars of God; (Psal. Ixxx. 10;) great mountains are mountains of God; (Psal. xxxvi. 6.) and an exceeding great city is a great city of God; (Jon. iii. 3.) TORIS MEYRAN TW Ow; Septuag. And in like manner, in the New Testament, (2 Cor. x. 4.) weapons mighty through God, onha duvala tu Ow, might not improperly be rendered very strong weapons. This then agrees with what is said of Moses, (Exod. ii. 2.) that he was a goodly child; and, in the account Josephus gives of him, he says, that, when he was but three years old, his extraordinary beauty was such, that it struck every one that saw him; and, as they carried him about, persons would leave their work to look at him." (Antiq. lib. ii. cap. 9. [a!. 5.] § 6.) The fame of it had also spread among the Heathen; for Justin in his History relates from Trogus, (lib. xxxvi. cap. 2.) that, besides the inheritance of his father's knowledge, his 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's and nourished him for her own son. daughter, took him up, 22 And Moses was learned in all the wis dom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words, and in deeds. whom he takes to have been Joseph, his beautiful appearance greatly recommended him. See Grotius and Whitby in loc. c The daughter of Pharoah took him up.] All these extraordinary circumstances rela ting to the birth, preservation, education, genius, and character of Moses, serve to aggravate the crime of Israel in rejecting him, when he offered himself to them as a deliverer under so many advantages, and when Providence had so wonderfully interested itself in his favour. d Educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.] Geography, geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, natural history, physic, and hieroglyphics, are all mentioned by ancient writers, as branches of Egyp tian literature. As for magic in the bad sense of the word, it is not to be imagined that so good a man would have any thing to do with it. Several ancient testimonies to the extraordinary learning of Moses may be seen in the following passages: Phil. de Vit. Mos. lib. i. p. 470. Justin Mart. Quæst. ad Orthod. xxv. Orig. contra Cels. lib. iii. p. 139. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. i. p. 543.- -I only add, it must have been a self-denial, which none but a lover of learning, and one who has made some progress in it, can understand, for a person of such a genius and education, in the prime of life, to leave the polite court of Egypt, and live as a retired shepherd in the Arabian desart. e Mighty When forty years old, he goes to visit his brethren. 23 And when he was full forty years old it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 531 XIV. Acts his remarkable proficiency, that he was mighty SECT. But when he was arrived at the full age of 23 forty years, he was conducted into a very different scene of life; for having been instructed in the knowledge of his real descent, and in the principles of the Jewish religion, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel; and his spirit was so impressed with it, that all the pleasure and grandeur at the court of Egypt could not make him easy, without going in person to take a survey of their state. And there beholding one [of them] 24 injured by an oppressive Egyptian task-master, who had subdued and got him down, and seemed about to take away his life, his generous spirit was not able to brook it; but he defended [him] and smiting the Egyptian with a mortal wound, he at once rescued and avenged him 25 For he supposed that was oppressed. (Exod. ii. 11, 12.) And 25 have understood, how as he did this action by a special impression that God by his hand from God on his mind, intimating the important would deliver them; work for which he was intended, so he supposed but they understood that his brethren, observing the remarkable circumstances of the fact, by which he substantially declared his readiness to venture, not only his fortune but his life in their service, would have understood that the action was expressive of what they might hope to obtain by his means, and intimated that God would give them salvation and deliverance by his hand: But they his brethren would not. Mighty in discourses.] It may seem difficult to reconcile this with what Moses himself says of his own want of eloquence. (Exod. iv. 10.) Some have attempted to do it by explaining this expression, as importing the wisdom of the laws he gave as they explain the next clause, mighty in actions, of the miracles he wrought. But Stephen seems rather to refer to what he was in the court of Pharaoh, than to what he afterwards proved. I conclude therefore, that it expresses such a weight and solidity in his counsels and speeches, as may be very consistent with the want of a flowing elocution, and the remarkable calmness of his natural temper would render him more entirely master of himself on great occasions, rather than others of readier speech with warmer passions. were f And in actions.] Archbishop Tillotson (in his work, Vol. II. p. 23) and many others think, that this refers to a story mentioned by Josephus, (intiq. lib. i. cap. 10. al. 5.) that, when Moses dwelt in Pharaoh's court, the Ethiopians invaded Egypt, and Moses, being made general in the war against them, gave them a total defeat, and drove back the small remainder of their forces in confusion to their own country. g He supposed that his brethren would have understood, &c.] They might have known, that the time drew near which God had prefixed in his promise to Abraham, in a prediction which might probably be delivered down by tradition, and which would be more likely to be remembered under their oppression, as the patriarchs had 4 D 2 582 SECT. xiv. a 26 And the next day to them as they strove, them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did thrust him away, say 28 Wilt thou kill They slight him, and he flies into the land of Midian. were so exceeding stupid, that they did not understand it. And the next day he shewed himActs self again to two of them, as they were quarrel- he shewed himself unVII.26. ling together, and would have interposed be- and would have set tween them, and have persuaded them to live in peace and friendship, saying, Men, my friends, consider you are brethren, descended from Jacob our common ancestor, and now too joined in affliction as well as in religion, which ought doubly to cement your affections to each 27 other, why then do ye injure one another? But he that injured his neighbour, unable to bear his neighbour wrong, with his plain and faithful reproof, insolently ing, Who made thee thrust him away, saying, What hast thou to do a ruler and a judge with this controversy? Who hast made thee over us? ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, 28 as I know thou didst yesterday slay the Egyptian? His blood may cost thee dear enough without adding mine to the account. (Exod. 29 ii. 13, 14.) Then Moses, as he found the matter was discovered, and was apprehensive at this saying, and was that in consequence of it the Egyptian power of Madian, where he would be soon armed against him, while the begat two sons. Israelites were not inclined to use any efforts for his protection, nor to put themselves under his guidance, presently fled from Egypt at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian; where nevertheless Providence furnished him with a comfortable settlement, though in circumstances of great retirement; for he became the chief shepherd to Jethro, the prince of the country, and marrying Zipporah, his daughter, he begat two sons Gershom and Eliezer. 30 me, as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then filed Moses a stranger in the land years were expired, And when forty years more were fulfilled, in 30 And when forty which Israel bad continued under this bondage, there appeared to him and Moses had been trained up in that humble in the wilderness of and retired life for the great work for which mount Sinai, an angel God had intended him, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in the midst of in dependance upon it directed, that their his utmost for their deliverance, it would a of his, to enter into some treaty with him relating to it. h He that injured his neighbour, thrust him away. It is plain the speech of this single person is represented ver. 35. as expressing the sentiments of the whole body of the people, as their slowness afterwards to believe the mission of Moses, when attested by miracle, Exod. v. 20, 21.) seems evidently to shew that it was. Loose of fire in a bush. the sight and as he came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God of thy fathers, Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 583 X.V. Acis Forty years after, God appears to him in a burning bush. of the Lord in a flame a bush, while he was feeding the flock of Jethro SECT. his father in law in the wilderness of mount Sinai, even of that mount Sinai which (as you know) lay in the confines of the Midianite country, VII. 30. not far from the Red Sea. (Exod. iii. 1, 2.) 31 When Moses And Moses, seeing [it,] admired the vision, for 31 saw it, he wondered at the bush burned with fire, and yet was not drew near to behold it, consumed; and as he drew near to behold and the voice of the Lord survey [it] more particularly, the voice of the Lord came unto him out of the bush, [Saying,] 32 "I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, who led them safely through all the difficulties of life, and still manifests a friendship to them; in consequence of which, I am not even now ashamed to own that title." And Moses upon this, perceiving that it was God himself who was there present and spake to him, trembled at this appearance of his Majesty, and did not dare to behold it, as he intended, with a curious regard. And the Lord said unto him, 33 "Loose thy shoes from thy feet; for the place feet; for the place in which thou standest is now holy ground, where thou standest is while I thus visibly appear upon it; and it holy ground. becomes thee (by that usual token of respect before princes) to express thy reverence for 34 I have seen, I my royal presence. I have surely seen the 34 have seen the affliction evil and oppressive treatment of my people which in Egypt, and I have are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning; heard their groaning, and moved with pity and compassion at their sufferings, I am come down to deliver them by thine hand: And now therefore come, and lay aside immediately thy cares of a shepherd for others of much greater importance, and I will send thee into Egypt, to demand their dismission from that proud tyrant who so injuriously detains and oppresses them." (Exod. ii. 5-10.) 33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy of my people which is and am come down to deliver them and now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35 This Moses whom And thus you see, what in present circum- 35 they refused, saying, stances it will be proper for you to reflect upon, that this Moses, whom they renounced, saying Who i Loose thy shoes from thy feet.] It was formerly in the eastern nations, and is now in the southern, esteemed a ceremony of respect, to put off the shoes when approaching a superior, lest any of the dirt or dust cleaving to the shoes should be brought near him, and that the person approaching bare foot might tread more cautiously. This, which perhaps was introduced at first in court apartments where rich carpets might be used, the King of kings requires to be with done in a desart, as a token of the infinitely k This Moses, whom they renounced.] As 584 Reflections on the account that Stephen gives of Moses. χίν. Acts and a judge? the same ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. did God send to be a 36 He brought them out, after that he had SECT. with disdain, Who has constituted thee a ruler and Who made thee a ruler a judge? even this very person did God, by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush, VII. 36. send [to be] a ruler and a redeemer. And though he hesitated for a while, he afterwards complied; and at length led them forth in triumph, a willing people listed under his banner, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and atterwards in the Red Sea, where Pharaoh and his Egypt, and in the ked host were overwhelmed; and working many Sea, and in the wilderother miracles in the wilderness for the space of ness forty years. forty years, where indeed they were every day miraculously fed by manna from heaven, and conducted by the pillar of fire and cloud. shewed wonders and signs in the land of IMPROVEMENT. Ver. HE is indeed faithful that hath promised; he remembereth his 17 covenant for ever, the word which he commanded even to a thousand generations. (Psal. cv. 8.) He multiplied his people in Egypt, that Canaan might not want inhabitants, when the sinners against their own souls that then held it should be cut off: And when he had determined so to multiply the holy seed, vain were all the at18, 19 tempts of the ungrateful Egyptians to destroy the kindred of him by whom, as they had formerly confessed, their lives had been saved: (Gen. xlvii. 25.) Yet was the rod of the wicked permitted for a while to rest upon their back, that the remembrance of the bondage and the cruelties they had there endured might, throughout all generations, be a source of joyful and grateful obedience to that God who delivered them from the land of Egypt, and from the house of bondage, and an engagement to serve him who had so illustriously triumphed over idolatry, as it were in its head-quarters. The church has often had its winter season, yet Providence has over-ruled the severity of that, to conduce to the verdure and beauty of its spring, and to the fruitfulness of its summer and its 20, 21 autumn. Moses was born in the midst of this persecuting time, and when exposed, was the care of divine Providence; the compassion which God put into the heart of this Egyptian princess, was to draw after it a train of most important consequences. Moses was fitted for the great part he was to act in the close of life by very through the whole of this discourse speaks different be a ruler and redeemer, intimated how possible it was, that Jesus, whom they had lately rejected, might nevertheless be constituted a Saviour by the divine deter mination. |