the things here intended, are those which accompanied his being the son of Pharaoh's daughter, called the treasures of Egypt in the next verse. 3. That these things might absolutely and in themselves be enjoyed and used without sin, and so they were by him, until the appointed time came, wherein he was called from them. 4. They would therefore have become sin unto him, not in themselves, but in their enjoyment, and that for two reasons. 1st. Because they would have hindered him from the performance of a duty necessary unto the glory of God, and his own salvation, as we shall see immediately. 2nd. Because he could not so enjoy them without a conjunction with the Egyptians, it may be, in their idolatries, but to be sure in the persecution and oppression of the people of God.

Wherefore, to have or hold the fruition of sin in this place, is to continue the enjoyment of all outward advantages by the means of the greatest sin imaginable, namely, the neglect of the only great duty incumbent on us in this world, or the profession of faith in God and the true religion on the one hand, and persecuting the church of God on the other.

This enjoyment of sin is said to be poσкαipoç, 'temporary,' for a season; subject 'unto a thousand interruptions in this life, and unavoidably ending with it. Thus were things truly represented and proposed to the thoughts of Moses. They were so by himself. He hid not his eyes from the worst on the one hand; nor did he suffer himself to be imposed on by the flattering appearances of the other. He omitted no circumstances that might influence a right judgment in his choice. He considered the worst of the people of God, which is their affliction, and the best of the world, which is but the evanid pleasure of sin; and prefers the worst of the one, above the best of the other.

Secondly. The work of his faith is expressed in the act of his mind, with respect unto these different objects. He chose the one rather than the other, ualov λouevos. They were proposed unto the elective power or faculty of his soul; that whereby upon the due consideration and pondering of things and their reasons, it is able to embrace that which is truly good unto it, or best for it, and refuse whatever stands in competition with it. His choice hereby, on mature deliberation, may be expressed in the conclusions which he made in his own mind on this occasion. As,

1. That those two opposite states were divinely proposed unto his consideration as those wherein his concernment did lie, and unto one of which he must associate himself. He found that he could not be happy alone, nor perform his duty, nor enjoy things that were good and desirable. And these two sorts are always in the world, and are made conspicuous in a time of persecution. Some think they may pass their time here without a relation unto, or a conjunction with either of these societies. They will neither join themselves, as they suppose, to the persecuted church, nor to the persecuting world: but they deceive themselves; for if they choose not the one, they do belong unto the other. 2. That these states, and an interest in them, were irreconcileable, so as that he could not enjoy the good things of them both, but adhering unto the one, he must renounce the other. If he cleave to the

treasures of Egppt, he must renounce the people of God; and if he join himself unto the people of God, he must renounce all his interest in Egypt. This he saw necessary from that profession which God required of him, and from the nature of the promise which that profession did respect.

3. He passed a right judgment concerning the true nature and end of these things, which were to be enjoyed in his continuing as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.. Notwithstanding all their glittering appearance, they were in themselves temporary,' fading, perishing, and unto him would be sinful, pernicious, and destructive.

4. Hereon he was determined in his mind, and actually made his choice of the state and condition which he would embrace. 'He chose rather to suffer affliction,' &c. The reason of which judgment and choice is more fully expressed in the next verse. And we may ob

serve,

Obs. V. That in a time of great temptations, especially from furious persecutors, a sedate consideration of the true nature of all things wherein we are concerned, and their circumstances on every hand, is necessary to enable us unto a right choice of our lot, and a due performance of our duty. The things we are to lose, in houses, lands, possessions, liberty, and life itself, make an appearance of a desirableness not to be overcome. And the distresses, on the other hand, of a persecuted estate, appear very terrible. If the mind leave itself unto the conduct of its affections in this matter, it will never make a right choice and determination. Faith enables the soul to divest the things on either side of their flattering or frightening appearances, and to make a right judgment of them in their proper nature and ends.

Obs. VI. No profession will endure the trial in a time of persecution, but such as proceeds from a determinate choice of adhering unto Christ and the gospel, with a refusal and rejection of whatever stands in competition with them, on a due consideration of the respective natures and ends of the things proposed unto us on the one hand and the other ;that is, the loss of all temporal good things, and the undergoing of all that is temporally evil. Those who engage unto a profession on such light convictions of truth, or other inferior grounds, as it were at peradventure, will scarce endure when it comes unto a trial like that which Moses underwent.

Obs. VII. He chose to be afflicted with the people of God, and so must every one do, who will be of them unto his advantage. Our Lord Jesus Christ warns us that some will entertain the gospel, but when persecution ariseth for the word, immediately they fall away. They would have him, but not with his cross; and his gospel, but not with its burden. And of the same Samaritan sect, there are multitudes in every age. They would be accounted of the people of God, but they will have nothing to do with their afflictions. They have ways of compliance to keep their own peace and wealth, it may be their places and profits, without being concerned in the afflictions of the people of God. But those who will not have their afflictions, shall never have their privileges; and so it is all one whether they profess themselves to belong

unto them or not.

Obs. VIII. Men fearfully delude themselves, in the about profession in times of persecution. The choice to make is really and singly between the pleasures of be enjoyed but for a little while, and present sufferin an eternal reward, as the next verse declares. But f men have other notions of things, and suppose they may com some distinctions or limitations, like that of Naaman, and save themselves. The grounds whereon Moses proceeded are expressed in the

next verse.

VER. 26.-Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

'Hynouuevos, Syr., and he thought;' Vul. æstimans, as we 'esteeming;' arbitratus, reputans. Tov ovadioμov, probrum, opprobrium; Vul. Lat. improbrium, which the Rhemists render 'reproach.'

The words contain the ground and reason of the choice of Moses, mentioned in the foregoing verse. And this is the judgment which he made concerning the things which he chose, and those which he refused, being compared one with the other. Hynoauevos, 'esteeming,' or having esteemed, determined, and judged. And,

1. There are the things themselves expressed concerning which he passed a judgment; namely, the reproach of Christ on the one hand, and the treasures of Egypt on the other.

2. The common notion under which he considered them both, and by an especial interest wherein the one was preferred before the other; and this was riches. He judged one to be greater riches than the other.

3. The especial reason whereby the things which he chose approved themselves in his mind to be greater riches than the other, namely, from the recompence of the reward which belonged unto them, and was inseparable from them.

First. The things which he chose he calls τον ονειδισμόν του Χριστ TOU, the reproach of Christ.' This must be the same with what he calls being afflicted with the people of God,' in the verse foregoing, only with an addition of a consideration under which it was peculiarly eligible. What this reproach of Christ is, we must inquire.

Much endeavour hath been used by some to remove the consideration of Christ, as then proposed unto the church in the promise, out of the words. Grotius and his follower would have the reproach of Christ to be only such kinds of reproach, sufferings, and afflictions, as Christ himself afterwards, and Christians for Christ, did undergo. Of the same mind is Crellius, who feigns at least a catachresis in the words, arising out of sundry tropes and metaphors. But he thinks that chiefly the afflictions of the people of Israel were called the reproach of Christ, because they were a type of Christ, that is, of Christians in some sense. So unwilling are some to admit any faith of Christ, or knowledge of him, into the religion of the ancient patriarchs.

But, 1. 'O XOLOTоç, as here, is never used for any type of Christ, for any but Christ himself. 2. If Moses underwent reproaches as the

type of Christ, and knew that he did so, then he believed in Christ, which is the thing they would deny. 3. The immediate reason of the persecution of the Israelites was, because they would not coalesce into one people with the Egyptians, but would still retain and abide by their distinct interest and hopes. Now, their perseverance herein was grounded on their faith in the promise made unto Abraham, which was concerning Christ. So these things have nothing of solidity in them. But the mind of the apostle is evident in this expression. For,

First. From the first promise concerning the exhibition of the Son of God in the flesh, Christ was the life, soul, and the all of the church, in all ages. From him all was derived, and in him all centred: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. To deny this, is to destroy the whole mystery of the wisdom of God under the Old Testament, and in particular to overthrow the whole apostolical exposition of it in this Epistle. Secondly. Being so, he was the original cause or occasion of the sufferings of the church in all ages. All the persecutions of the church arose from the enmity between the two seeds, which entered upon the promise of Christ. And the adherence of believers unto that promise, is the only cause of that separation from the world which is the immediate cause of all their persecution. Wherefore, the reproach of Christ in the first place, signifies the reproach which, upon the account of Christ, or their faith in him, they did undergo. For all outward observances in the church in all ages, are but the profession of that faith.

Thirdly. Christ and the church were considered from the beginning as one mystical body; so as that what the one underwent, the other is esteemed to undergo the same. Hence it is said, that in all their afflictions he was afflicted,' Isa. lxiii. 9. And the apostle Paul calls his own sufferings, that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ,' Col. i. 24, namely, which belonged unto the full atonement of sufferings unto that mystical body whereof Christ is the head. And in this sense also the afflictions of the church are the afflictions of Christ.

Fourthly. Somewhat of that which is here called the reproach of Christ, is called by the same apostle the 'marks of our Lord Jesus Christ in his body,' Gal. vi. 17, or the stripes which he endured, with the marks of them that remained, for the sake of Jesus Christ. And so are all sufferings of the church the reproach of Christ, because it is for his sake alone that they undergo them, and it is he alone whom they lay in the balance against them all.

Secondly. All the sufferings of the people of God for the sake of Christ are called his reproach. For all sorts of afflictions, persecutions, and oppressions from men, on the account of the profession of the truth, are intended. And they are so called on a double account, 1. Because the foundation of them all is always laid in reproach. The world can neither justify nor countenance itself in its persecutions of the church, unless they first cover it all over with reproaches. So dealt they with our Lord Jesus Christ himself: they attempted not to take away his life before the rage of the people was by all manner of reproaches stirred up against him. So it is in all the persecutions and sufferings of

the church. They are always represented as heretics, schismatics, or seditious persons, opposite to all good order in church and state, before they are exposed to violence. And this also is usually accompanied with contempt, scorn, mocking, and false accusations. Wherefore, all the sufferings of believers may be denominated from this rise and entrance of them. 2. There is nothing in sufferings that is more sharp and terrible unto ingenuous souls than this reproach is; nothing that bath more of a severe trial in it. Hence the Psalmist, in the person of Christ, complains that reproach had broken his heart,' Ps. lxix. 19, 20. And the apostle mentions cruel mockings,' ver. 36 of this chapter, where we shall speak of them. 3. They are so called, because all the persecutions of the church do arise from the enmity, hatred, scorn, and contempt which the world hath of, and towards Christ himself, or the mystery of the wisdom of God for the salvation of sinners in and by him. And we may observe in our passage, that,

Obs. I. Reproach hath, in all ages, from the beginning of the world, attended Christ, and all the sincere professors of faith in him, which in God's esteem is upon his account. One of his last acts in this world, was his conflicting with ignominy and shame, which he overcame with contempt, Heb. xii. 2, 3. And his apostles began their ministry with suffering shame for his name's sake, Acts v. 41. But when the mystery of iniquity began to work, one great design in it was, for the rulers of the church, and their adherents, to quit themselves of this reproach and scorn from the world, which indeed they did not deserve. Wherefore, they contrived all ways whereby they might attain wealth, honour, grandeur, and veneration in the world; wherein they succeeded unto the ruin of Christian religion.

Thirdly. That which Moses compared herewithal, was Twv EV ALуUTTY Inoavpov, 'the treasures of Egypt;' the treasures that were in Egypt. 'Treasures,' properly are riches in gold, silver, precious stones, and other things highly valuable, that are stored, hid and laid up. But when there is mention of the treasures of a nation, they include all those profits and advantages of it also, whence those treasures are gathered. In both respects, Egypt while it flourished was behind no kingdom in the world. What was, and what might be, the interest of Moses in these treasures, we before declared. But in this matter he doth not so much, or at least not only consider them as unto his own share and interest, but also absolutely what they were in themselves. He considered what they were, what they would amount unto, what might be done with them or attained by them, and prefers the reproach of Christ above them all. For,

Obs. II. Let the things of this world be increased and multiplied into the greatest measures and degrees imaginable, it alters not their kind. They are temporary, fading, and perishing still; such as will stand men in no stead on their greatest occasions, nor with respect unto eternity.

Now, these things were not considered by Moses in the notion of them, but he saw them daily exemplified before his face. He saw the treasures of Egypt, with the state, glory, gallantry, and power of the court, by whom they were enjoyed, and what supply they had for all