Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. A new king, for his laws and manner of government, which unthankfully forgot the great service, which Joseph had done to the kingdom and crown of Egypt. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. Therefore did they set over them taskmasters, of their own nation, that their cruelty might have the better pretence. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives. God therefore prospered the midwives, because, out of religious fear, they refrained from that cruel practice enjoined them, &c. And his sister stood afar off. His sister Miriam stood afar off, &c. And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown. And in those days, when Moses was now grown up to his best age, and was forty years old. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, &c. And, though he knew he had a secret calling to deliver the Israelites, yet because it was not publicly known, he carried himself warily in this business, and looked round about, &c. And when they came to Reuel their father. Reuel, their grandfather. And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage. Then, in process of time, this Pharaoh, from whom Moses fled, died; and the children of Israel, now in the change of the prince, hoping for some ease, bemoaned themselves earnestly to God. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him. Then Christ, the Angel of the Covenant, appeared. VOL. III. E Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. In token of reverence and respect unto so holy a place, and in token of laying aside all carnal thoughts and affections, put off thy shoes. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. Then Moses, in humility and awful adoration of the glory of God, which he held himself not worthy to behold, hid his face. And to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, have I thought good to shew some testimonies of my presence; and intention of delivering them; and bringing them out of Goshen, into a land, which, in comparison thereof, is large, and exceeding fruitful in all useful commodities, both for necessity and pleasure. Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you. If the Israelites shall curiously inquire concerning thee; how, and in what terms, shall I describe thee unto them? I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel. I am constantly and eternally unchangeable, being of myself, and that one, and the same, for ever: even thus shalt thou describe and express me to my people, the children of Israel. Behold, his hand was leprosy as snow. And behold, his hand was white with leprosy, as any snow. O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. I am not ready in speech, nor ever have been; neither hath thine appearance, which of all other things should be most effectual, altered me any whit at all; but I am naturally slack, and heavy of utterance. Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord? Who hath given to man the faculty of speech? Or who is the author of these infirmities, whereof thou complainest? Dost thou not consider that I the Lord, who now send thee, cause these where I will, for just and holy purposes; and give ability of all parts and senses, at my pleasure? O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the ministry of some other fitter man, than I am; whosoever it be. Even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. Aaron shall speak to the people, as from thee; and thou shalt give direction and counsel to Aaron, as from God. And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And Moses took his wife, and his two sons, Gershom and Eleazar, and caused them to ride toward Egypt; and Moses took that rod, which God had given so miraculous experiments of, in his hand. But I will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go. But I will withdraw and withhold my grace from Pharaoh, so as he shall, through his own corruption, turn all those occasions, which I shall offer him for his repentance, unto the hardening of himself in a greater obstinacy of sinning. Israel is my son, even my firstborn. The children of Israel are my chosen and adopted people; both before all other and above all other nations. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. The Lord appeared visibly unto him; and sensibly afflicted him with some sudden and violent disease, which he knew to be done, in regard of his neglect of his son's circumcision. And cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. And, with indignation, she cast the foreskin at his feet; and said, It is for thy sake, that I am fain thus to shed the blood of this my child; therefore art thou to me a bloody husband. Get you unto your burdens. O ye elders of Israel, which join with Moses and Aaron in this suit, Get you to your burdens. Behold the people of the land now are many, and you make them rest from their burdens. Behold, the Israelites are a great people: should so many thousands leave their work, and go idle for your pleasure? Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Ye shall give the Israelites no more straw; whether to mix with their clay, or to burn bricks withal, &c. Because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. Ye have brought us into hatred with Pharaoh and his servants; and have stirred them up to a further tyranny against us, by giving them this occasion of vexing us. E 2 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as that God, which was still able and powerful to effect that, which I promised; and they lived still, in the hope and expectation of my powerful performance; but now I do appear to thee, as ready to make good and execute, and give a being to that which I promised to them. But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. But they were so overpressed, and grown heartless with the cruelty of that bondage, that they regarded not the words of Moses. How then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? How then shall Pharaoh regard me, which am of a stammering and hindered utterance? The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. The sons of Reuben, who was, in order of nature, the firstborn though he lost the privilege thereof. In the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. In the court of the sanctuary, where these holy oblations were dressed. Every one that toucheth them shall be holy. Every one, that toucheth them, shall be beforehand sanctified, and free from all legal pollutions. And the baken pieces of the meat offering. The pieces of the cake, which shall be broken for the use of the meat offering, by the priest. See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Behold, I have made thee a terrible means to execute my judgments upon Pharaoh; which he shall take as wrought by me, through thy hands: and Aaron thy brother, for his readiness of speech, shall deliver thy mind, and my message to the Egyptians; so as thou shalt act, and he shall speak. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. For they cast down every man his rod, and they were in appearance turned into serpents; but not truly: for that serpent, into which Aaron's rod was turned, devoured theirs. It shall not be imputed to him. He shall receive no benefit by it. Shall bear his iniquity, that hath his uncleanness upon him. Shall suffer the punishment of his iniquity, that hath not taken the prescribed course for the expiating of his uncleanness. And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house. The river Nilus shall crawl full of frogs, which, against their natural use, shall leave the water, and creep up into thy houses. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. And the sorcerers did likewise, for experiment sake; and brought frogs, whether in appearance only, or true frogs (by secret conveyance) into some part of Egypt that was freed for this trial. He put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. He put in the breast-plate those two precious stones, which signified light and perfection; by the means whereof the people should receive answers from God. To make reconciliation upon it. That it might be duly prepared to receive those sacrifices, by which reconciliation might be made for the sins of the people. This is the finger of God. This work is done by the immediate and over-ruling power of God. On the tip of Aaron's right ear, &c. To signify, that the hearing of his ears, and actions of his hands, and motions of his feet, are, and should be, sanctified. It was Moses' part. It was the portion appointed for Moses, in the right of that priesthood, which he did yet extraordinarily execute.