Obs. IV. It is well when any thing of eminence in our children doth so engage our affections unto them, as to make them useful and subservient unto diligence in disposing of them unto the glory of God. Otherwise a fondness in parents, arising from the natural endowments of children, is usually hurtful, and oftentimes ruinous unto the one and other.

Fourthly. The principle of their actings for his preservation, in hiding of him, as also in the means afterwards used, was their faith,' TOTEL. But how, and on what grounds, they acted faith herein, must be inquired into. And,

1. I take it for granted, that they had no special particular revelation concerning the life and work of this child. There is no mention of any such thing, nor was it needful for the acting of faith in this matter; and the manner of their deportment in the whole, manifests that they had no such revelation.

2. They had a firm faith of the deliverance of the people out of bondage in the appointed season. This they had an express promise for, and were newly engaged in the belief of it by the witness given unto it by Joseph, and his charge on them to carry his bones with them. And with respect hereunto it is, that they are said not to fear the king's command, ουκ εφοβηθησαν το διαταγμα του βασιλεως, which is the effect of their faith, in the close of the verse, which may now be spoken unto.

It was a Siarayua, 'an ordinance, a statute, an edict,' which had the force of a standing law; and that established by the king, with the counsel of the kingdom, as is declared, Exod. i. 9-11. And this law lay directly against the accomplishment of the promise. For it aimed at the extirpation of the whole race, so as that there should have remained none to be delivered. As the historian says of that company of men who founded Rome, Res unius ætatis respublica virorum,' 'A commonwealth of men only, without women, would have been but the matter of one age,' it must have expired for want of posterity. So if all the male children of the Hebrews had perished according to this law, in one age more the nation would have been extinct. This the parents of Moses feared not: they knew the promise of God for their preservation, multiplication, and deliverance should take place, notwithstanding all the laws of men, and the highest rage in their execution. And so they shall be at this day, let men make what laws they please, and execute them with all the subtlety and rage they think meet. As this counsel of Pharaoh and his people is reported for a wise and subtle contrivance, with respect unto the end aimed at, Exod. i. 9, 10; Acts vii. 17-19. However, they put in one word into their law, that made it, ipso facto, null and ineffectual. This was, that they should not multiply in Egypt; for God having promised unto Abraham that he would multiply his seed, and expressly unto Jacob, that he would do it in Egypt, Gen. xlvi. 3, it utterly made void this law from its first enacting, whereby it became successless. And so is it with all laws, and so shall it finally be with them that are made against any of the promises of God unto the church.

Yea, it is probable that about this time, or not long after, when God had fulfilled his design in this law, which was in part the disposal of

Moses unto such an education as might prepare him and make him, as unto natural qualifications, meet for the work he would call him unto, that there was some remission of bloody cruelty in the execution of it. For it was eighty years after the birth of Moses, before the deliverance of the people, in which time they multiplied exceedingly, so as that this law could not have been executed. The force of it probably was broken in this preservation of Moses, God having, in his miraculous deliverance, given a pledge of what he would do in the whole people.

3. They had also a persuasion that God would provide a person who should be the means of their deliverance, and who should conduct them from their bondage. This Moses himself apprehended when he slew the Egyptian, and began to judge that he himself might be the person, Acts vii. 24, 25. And although afterwards he judged himself unmeet for to be employed in that work, yet still he retained his persuasion, that God had designed some certain person unto that employment, and that he would send him in his appointed time. Hence was that prayer of his when God began to call him unto his work: O my Lord, send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send,' Exod. iv. 13. One he was sure he would send, but prayed that he might not be the man. Now the parents of Moses having this persuasion deeply fixed in them, and being raised by their distresses unto desires and expectations of his coming, beholding the unusual divine beauty of their child, might well be raised unto some just hopes, that God had designed him unto that great work. They had no special revelation of it, but they had such an intimation of some great end God had designed him unto, as that they could not but say, Who knows but that God may have prepared this child for that end? And sometimes, as unto the event of things, faith riseth no higher but unto such an interrogation, as Joel ii. 13, 14.

Fifthly. Their faith was eminent in this, that in the discharge of their duty they feared not the king's edict. There is no mention of any thing in the order, but that every male child should be cast into the river, Exod. i. 22. But it is generally and rationally apprehended, that they were forbid to conceal their children on the pain of death. This they were not so afraid of as to neglect their duty. And the fear which they had was not from their own danger, which faith carried them above, but only as to the life of the child. This made them change their method, and when they could no longer conceal him in the house, to commit him unto the providence of God in an ark, and to wait what would be the event thereof. And the issue did quickly manifest, that they were led therein by a secret instinct and conduct of divine providence. There is no ground, therefore, to charge the parents of Moses herein with either undue fear or failing in faith. For as unto what concerned themselves or their own lives in the king's edict, they feared it not, as the apostle affirms. And such a fear as a solicitous care about the child's life must needs produce, is inseparable from our nature in such cases, and not blameable. Neither was their change of method from want of faith, but rather an effect and fruit of it. For when one lawful way of preservation from persecution, oppression, and cruelty, will not secure us any longer, it is our duty to betake ourselves unto some other

which is more likely so to do. For faith worketh by trust in God, while we are in the use of lawful means. And we have here an evident testimony, that,

Obs. V. The rage of men and the faith of the church shall work out the accomplishment of God's counsels and promises, unto his glory, from under all perplexities and difficulties that may arise in opposition unto it. So they did in this instance in an eminent manner.

VER. 24-26.Πιστει Μωσης μεγας γενομενος ηρνήσατο λεγεσθαι υἱος θυγατρος Φαραω μαλλον ἑλομενος συγκακουχείσθαι τω λα του Θεού, η προσκαιρον εχειν ἁμαρτίας απολαυσιν· μείζονα πλουτον ἡγησάμενος των εν Αιγύπτῳ θησαυρων τον ονειδισμόν του Χριστου απέβλεπε γαρ εις την μισθαποδοσίαν.

Meyas yεvouevos. Syr. 7, 'When he was now a man.' Other considerable variations in translations there are none.

VER. 24-26.—By faith Moses when he was come to years, (being grown up) refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, (the transitory pleasure of sin,) esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompence of reward.

This example is great and signal. The apostle, as we showed before, takes his instances from the three states of the church under the old testament. The first was that which was constituted in the giving of the first promise, continuing to the call of Abraham. Herein his first instance is that of Abel, in whose sacrifice the faith of that state of the church was first publicly professed, and by whose martyrdom it was confirmed. The next state had its beginning and confirmation in the call of Abraham, with the covenant made with him and the token thereof. He therefore is the second great instance on the roll of testimonies. The constitution and consecration of the third state of the church was in giving of the law; and herein an instance is given in the lawgiver himself. All to manifest, that whatever outward variations the church was liable to, and passed under, yet faith and the promises were the same, of the same efficacy and power under them all.

The person then here instanced in as one that lived by faith, is Moses, Πιστει Μωσης. And an eminent instance it is to his purpose, especially in his dealing with the Hebrews, and that on sundry accounts.

1. Of his person. None was ever in the old world more signalized by Providence in his birth, education, and actions, than he was. Hence his renown was both then and in all ages after very great in the world. The report and estimation of his acts and wisdom, were famous among all the nations of the earth. Yet this person lived and acted, and did all his works by faith.

2. Of his great work, which was the typical redemption of the church. A work it was, great in itself; so God expresseth it to be, and such as was never wrought in the earth before, Deut. iv. 32-34. Yet greater

in the typical respect which it had to the eternal redemption of the church by Jesus Christ.

3. On the account of his office. He was the lawgiver, whence it is manifest, that the law is not opposite to faith, seeing the lawgiver himself lived thereby.

Obs. I. Whatever be the privileges of any, whatever be their work or office, it is by faith alone that they must live to God, and obtain acceptance with him. The lawgiver himself was justified by faith.

There are three things in general in the words, setting forth the faith of Moses.

1. What he did in matter of fact, whereby his faith was evidenced, ver. 24.

2. The interpretation of what he so did, by the nature and consequents of it, ver. 25.

3. The ground and reason whereon he so acted and exercised his faith, ver. 26.

1. In the first of these the first thing expressed is the time or season, or the condition wherein he thus acted his faith. Say we, 'When he was come to years,' not accurately. Mɛyaç yεvouεvoç, Cùm esset grandis, cùm grandis factus esset, when he became great.' Syr. When he was a man.' But the word may respect either state and condition, or time of life and stature. To become great, is, in the Scripture and common speech, to become so in wealth, riches, or power, Gen xxiv. 35, xxvi. 13. And so was it now with Moses. He was come to wealth, power, and honour in the court of Pharaoh; and a respect hereunto seems to set forth the greatness of his self-denial, which is the eminent fruit of his faith that is here commended. He did this when he was great in the court of the king.

But although this be true materially, and hath an especial influence into the commendation of the faith of Moses, yet is it not intended in this expression. For, having declared the faith of his parents, and the providence of God towards him in his infancy, in the foregoing verses; the apostle here shows what was his own way and acting after he grew up to years of understanding. So μeyas, is used for one that is grown up to be sui juris, or to be a man; vvv ɛɛɩ dn μɛyaç ɛui, Hom. Öd. ii. ver. 314. 'I was an infant,' saith Telemachus, but now I am grown up,' or grown great. It is grandis absolutely in Latin, though grandis natu be one stricken in years. At ego nunc grandis, hunc grandem natu ad carnificinam dabo; Plaut. Capt. Being grown up, being grown a man. Cùm adoleverit, 'when he was grown up,' that is, come to years of understanding, to act the duty whereunto he was called.

Most expositors suppose this expresseth the time when he was forty years of age. For they refer the refusal to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, to that act of his in slaying the Egyptian, which was when he was full forty years old, Acts vii. 23. And there is countenance given hereunto from what is affirmed, Exod. ii. 11. And it came to pass, in those days, after Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren,' where the Hebrew, 3, is rendered by the LXX. μeyaç yεvouevoç, the words here used by the apostle.

But although that time and fact be also included herein, yet the

whole duty cannot be confined thereunto. For as it was an act of faith, Moses had in his mind long before refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, that is, to renounce his own people, and to join himself to the Egyptians. Wherefore the largest and most comprehensive interpretation of the words, suits best with the sense of the place or mind of the Holy Spirit therein. According as he grew up in stature and understanding, he acted faith in the duties whereunto he was called. For the story mentioned by Josephus, of what he did in his infancy, by trampling on the crown of the king, when he would have placed it on his head, is undoubtedly fabulous. And,

Obs. II. It is good to fill up every age and season with the duties which are proper thereunto. And it is the duty of all that are young, that according as by time and instruction they come to the knowledge of what is required of them, they apply themselves vigorously and diligently thereunto.-Not as is the manner of the most, whose inclinations to serve their lusts grow with their years and stature.

2. What he did at that season is declared as the first effect, fruit, and indication of his faith. He refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter.'

Three things are here to be inquired into.

1. How and on what account he was esteemed, and commonly called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

2. How and by what means he came to know that he was of another stock and race.

3. How did he refuse to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. First. For the first, vioç uyaroos Papaw, it is manifest from the story, Exod. ii. that when Pharaoh's daughter found him in the river. and saved his life, she gave orders to his mother who appeared for a nurse, that she should nurse him for hers, ver. 9, and she would pay her wages. Herein she owned it to be hers, or took the care of it on herself. But this she might do, and yet esteem and keep it only as a servant. So servus is called à servando. She saved him, and he was hers. But when he was weaned his mother carried him home to her, she having probably often seen him in the meantime. And it must be acknowledged, that there was no less danger herein, no less a trial of the faith of his parents than when they put him into an ark of bulrushes and set him floating on the river. For to carry a tender infant, probably about three years of age, to be bred in an idolatrous persecuting court, was no less dangerous to his soul and eternal condition, than the exposing of him in the river was to his natural life. But there is no doubt his parents, who were true believers, were now satisfied that in all these wonderful passages concerning him, there was some extraordinary design of providence working effectually for some especial divine end. They resolved therefore to comply with the conduct thereof, and leave him to the sovereign care and disposal of God. And this, by the way, gives not the least countenance to those parents who, for gain or advantage, or to please their humour, will dispose their children to persons, ways, places, employments, wherein they cannot avoid dangerous and inextricable temptations.

But when Moses was thus brought to the court to Pharaoh's daugh