ans; and that God fhould encline the heart of Pha- Cap.1. rach to me likewife, that he fhould countenance me, and prefer me; and that the favor of Pharaohs daugh ter, and of Pharaoh himself, should continue fo long as it does, even to my growth up to forty years; that I should have favor in the eyes of his Nobles, and of all the Court, none of them feeking to undermine me, to alienate Pharaohs heart from me furely God intended to use me in some great fervice here in the Court; if I fhould now do any thing to provoke Pharaoh against me, to lose that favor, that honor, that power I have, what a lofs would this be to the people of God what would become of them? little hope then of any good to them: yea, if Pharaoh and the Court should frown upon me, it is like they will be more enraged against them, and rather make their burthen heavier, and their bondage forer: Now then what a grievous thing would it be, that fuch an opportunity as I have in my hands fhould be loft?

But Mofes fecing Gods minde, that he would rather have him venture himself in joyning with his people in affliction, and that this was the way, whereby God would honor himself by him, he was content to let go all thofe reafonings, and yield up himfelf to Gods own way: God will fometimes rather be honored by the fufferings and afflictions of men in great Places (who one would think had large opportunities of fervice) then in any service that they hall or can do; and fuch men fhould be willing to fubmit to God herein: It is not what I or others think, how God may be honored this way or another, but what the will of God is, which way he will be honored; and God expects from men, not

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onely

Cap.1. onely that they should seek his honor, but that they fhould feek it his own way: All the intentions and ayms at the glory of God that can poffibly be, are nothing; God cares not for them, if they be out of his own way. It was an excellent refolution of David, 2 Sam.15.25,26. If I shall finde favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, but if be thus fay, I have no delight in thee; behold, here I am, let him do to me as feemeth good to him. We reade of Heman, a man of admirable wisdom, one of the wifeft upon earth in his time,as appears I King. 4.31. and yet Pfal. 88. God kept him down, and low by afflictions all his days from his youth. This God doth;

I.

2.

3.

4.

5.

First, to fhew his foveraignty over his creature, that he hath the abfolute difpofe of all, to use them as he will.

Secondly, to fhew that he hath no need of any for his fervice, for the bringing about his own ends, he hath thousand thousands of ways to effect his own will, without help from men, although in never fuch eminent places.

Thirdly, because he would not have us to put any confidence in man, to think that the work must needs be done by fuch and fuch; God will caft them afide, and bring the work about by other means, that we least thought of.

Fourthly, that he might have a proof of the selfdenial of these men, of their abfolute fubjection to him, in the exercise of which grace, God takes exceeding delight.

Fifthly, that he might teach fuch, whileft they do enjoy their opportunities of fervice, to walk in de

pendence

pendence upon him, humbly before him, not attri- Cap.1. buting much to themselves: wherefore let such men learn not to fet too high a price upon their condition, that God hath raised them unto above others: although it is true, that it is one of the greatest happineffes under heaven, to have large opportunities of fervice for God and his Church, yet we should not fo value them, as to stretch confcience in the least degree,for the continuance or improvement of them: look to the word, keep close to it, and then regard not what men fhall fuggeft, what a deal of good you might do, how much fervice, what honor you might bring to God, why will you hazard your felf and the lofs of all?

There is much danger in liftning to these reasonings, because the opportunities for fervice, and the keeping up your felf in that condition in which you are, being involved together, there may lie much felflove, under the pretence of doing fervice, and that fo fecretly, as without diligent and faithful fearch into your own hearts, you shall not perceive it your felves; wherefore while you fee God offering opportunities of fervice, while you fee his minde in improving you thus,follow it on with all your might, let no opportunity flip, do to the utmost you can for God; and when you fee his minde to lay you afide, and to use you in another way, although it be of atfliction, and grievous fufferings, yet be as willing to yield to God in this, as in the former way, and thereby,

First, you shall fhew the most glorious work of selfdenial that may be; it is more to deny ones felf here then in outward things, there is nothing goes more

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near

I.

Cap.1. near to a true generous heart, then to be laid aside, and to be denyed to be used in service.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Secondly, it may be, if you bring your hearts to lie at Gods difpofe in this, he will ufe you the rather, and you fhall not be taken off, this may be the means of continuance of you in his work.

Thirdly,if you go on with fuch a difpofition as this, it is more like that God will blefs your fervice, while he does ufe you.

Fourthly, or if you fhall be taken off for a while, and put into an afflicted condition; wherein it fhall not appear that you are of any great use, (although fometimes fufferings are the greatest fervices) yet your afflictions fhall but prepare you for higher fervice afterwards, as it did in Mofes: How did God ufe him afterwards in great and high employments? few men that ever lived upon the earth,were employed more for God then he was. The Magdeburgenfes Centuriatores think that Barnabas the Apostle was the fame that Fofeph was, who was one of the two, upon whom the lot was caft for the Apostleship, when it fell upon Matthias, and he was refused, Acts 1. which Fofeph was afterwards called Barnabas by the Apoftles, Acts 4.36. in ftead of Barfabas they making Fofes to be the fame with Fofeph: Fo feph was a gracious man, and when he faw it was Gods minde not to use him in that work, he was cons tent to go on in that way which God would have him, although it were in a far lower condition, then in the work of an Apoftle, and therefore afterwards God called him to that high and honorable work. Fifthly, howfoever, your reward fhall be as great, as if you were used in the greateft fervice, in the

I.

higheft

highest work you could have defired to be used in: Cap.2. But if you fhall not be willing to lay down all when God calls you thereunto, and to be put into any low fuffering condition that he shall please to put you into, it is an evident fign that you went on before in your way with felf-confidence, that you aymed at your felf,that you did not give God the glory of your fervice; and if fo, although God might use you for the good of others, yet there will come no bleffing of it upon your felves. This in the general.

CHAP. II.

The opening of the words, with the several doctrines in this Text.

B

Ut for a more particular handling this verse, I fhall firft give a fhort paraphrafe of it; fecondly, fhew the feveral doctrinal conclufions contained in it. [He chofe] Choyce notes a comparing of one thing with another, and the deliberating of the minde about the things compared, and at the laft a free determination of the will which way to go. Thus Mofes compares the estate of Gods people, and the pleasures of fin, one with another; he deliberates in his minde, which is the fafeft, and the best way for him to go, and at laft freely, yet throughly and fully determines the cafe, He chofe rather to fuffer affliction: he did not choose affliction abfolutely, for affliction in it felf is an evil, but rather then the pleasures of fin, afflictions are to be chofen: Fob 36.21. Elihu charges fob, that he chofe fin rather then affliction; this choyce is an ill choyce,

BA

Mofes