THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

MARCH, 1828.

REMARKS ON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF EXODUS.

Ver. 1.MOSES kept the flock," &c.-Some of the most distinguished servants of God have been prepared for their work by humble and laborious employments:-Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law; Gideon was threshing wheat when he was called by the angel of the Lord to the conquest of Midian; David had the care of a few sheep in the wilderness when God took him to guide his people Israel; Elisha was following the plough when the prophet's mantle was thrown over him; Peter, John, and James, gained their livelihood by fishing, before the Lord sent them forth to be "fishers of men." A little reflection may shew us the reason of this. By labour, and watchfulness, and industry, man is fitted for usefulness; and thus, that indolence is checked, that tenderness of body and weakness of mind, which ease and plenty are so apt to produce.

Ver. 2-3. "The bush burnt with fire, and the bush was not consumed."-Is not this a strange sight? But what occasioned this wonderful appearance? The Angel (or Messenger) of the Lord Jesus Christ, appeared in the flame of fire; and thereby He signified to Moses, that our God who is a consuming fire to his enemies, through Christ is reconciled, and his people are preserved. His NO. 3.-VOL. VIII.

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faithful people shall not be destroyed, they shall never perish, though they may be exposed to the greatest troubles, and tried with the hottest fire of persecution.

you

Ver. 5. "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet."With us, men uncover their heads when they wish to shew respect:-in Eastern countries, uncovering the feet is the usual mark of reverence. When a Mussulman goes into his mosque, (or church,) he leaves his slippers at the door. This was enjoined on Moses, because the place whereon he stood, was sanctified by the presence of God.Wherever God is pleased to appear, the spot is consecrated from the moment His presence rests upon it. "How dreadful is this place," (said Jacob) "this is none other than the house of God" because there God appeared.-If you are sent for by some great person, your whole behaviour, your tone of voice, your looks, shew that feel a sort of awe;-and perhaps you may have felt something of the same kind when you have been in company with a person whom you think very good. You are checked and restrained by the presence of such a one, and you could not for the world talk as you do among those of your own sort. Now this is just what we are told should be our state of mind before God. "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." "Thou art holy, O Lord," and therefore "holiness becometh thine house for ever." There is no part of God's character more marked, more dwelt upon, more pointed out to our observation and admiration, than this. Now what is the effect upon your mind, of knowing that the God whom you serve, is a God of truth, and without iniquity, righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works? Does this thought keep your mind in a state of holy reverence? Does it keep

Remarks on the Third Chapter of Exodus. 99 your thoughts fixed on him whilst you are kneeling down before him, and moving your lips in prayer? If all that passed through your mind last Sunday was put down upon paper, how ashamed you would be to read it. Two or three sentences, perhaps, you did attend to; and then some trifle came into your head, and your thoughts went after it. And in whose sight was all this?

With whom is it you have to do? Are you not in the presence of Him, before whom, Moses, filled with `awe and reverence, hid his face,-of Him who warns us, "they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." And what are you offering Him?—the husk, the shell of worship, filled with nothing but corruption and rottenness-vain imaginations and follies. What would become of us? how should we escape the condemnation which our very duties and services would bring down upon our heads, had we no Advocate with the Father, to atone for our sins, even for the sins of our worship, "the iniquity of our holy things." Look then unto Jesus. Offer every prayer, every praise, every duty, in His name: seek the Holy Spirit to help your infirmities :—and then, though you will still see enough in the best of what you do, to fill you with

"in the Beloved yet assure yourself of acceptance

Ver. 7-10. "I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows."-When groaning under affliction, unpitied and alone, have you never thought, that, if some distant friend, some kind parent, brother, or sister, could know your feelings, it would be a great relief to you? But here, God himself meets this feeling :-"I know their sorrows:" -their affliction, their cry, their groaning, their tears, are all before me:-though I have hitherto left them in the hands of their oppressors, I have

seen all, I have taken account of all; and now "I am come down to deliver them."-Then follows the promise of a good land, and the commission to Moses, to act as God's ambassador to Pharaoh.

Ver. 11. "And Moses said, who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt."-We lately saw Moses forward to act as the judge and head of Israel; but the disappointment he then met with, and the lapse of forty years, had cooled his ardour; and he now shrinks from the difficulty and danger of the task.-We often set about a thing eagerly to please ourselves; but, when such is our service, we soon come to the end of our zeal. But when our desire is to serve God, and we still feel ourselves insufficient, he often opens a great door, and effectual"—brings our unwilling spirits into submission-overcomes our false humility and disposes us to deny ourselves, and take up our cross, and go on, through all difficulties, to that very work to which He has called us.

V. 12. "Certainly I will be with thee"-the greatest of all encouragements! yet this did not satisfy the doubtful mind of Moses.

V. 13-15. Moses puts this enquiry into the mouth of the people, which, perhaps, he made for his own satisfaction-like the apostles of Christ, who required the fullest evidence that He was risen indeed, before they would go and preach the good news to others. But how does God declare Himself? When Moses enquired His name, he asked something more than what we mean by a name, he asked who it was that sent him, he sought information of His nature. How was the enquiry answered? "And God said unto Moses, I am that I am." "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know?"

Remarks on the Third Chapter of Exodus. 101

"Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" "Clouds and darkness are round about Him." 66 Behold, God is great, and we know Him not, neither can the number of His years be searched out." When we try to comprehend Him our curiosity is baffled, rather than satisfied.-If the sun is too bright for your eyes to bear its glory, how can you gaze upon the Maker of it, without being overcome? you might as well attempt to take up the ocean in the hollow of your hand, as to comprehend Him, who is, "that He is," but who can only be fully known by Himself. But while He signified that he dwelleth in the light that no man can approach unto, "He said, moreover, unto Moses, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." He leads His people to consider what He is in relation to them, rather than what He is in Himself. This is the case throughout the word of God. The Lord is set before us as our Maker, from whom our being, and all our blessings flow; our Father to pity, to guide, to chastise, to instruct us; our Redeemer, to deliver us from sin and death; our shepherd, husband, friend, brother, advocate, high priest, and Judge: and when He does describe Himself, it is still with a view to impress upon us some important lesson as to our manner of approaching Him, or walking with Him. He tells us "God is a Spirit;" that we may see the necessity of worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. "God is love," to convince us that he that loveth not, knoweth not God. "God is light,"