deftitute of ordinary bread, produced from the earth, they were fatisfied, with bread, which came down from heaven. Finally fays Jofephus; "fo divine and admirable was this food, that it fupplied the want of all others to thofe that partook of it ;" and truly believers may go every where with fafety, when God leads the way even through the wilderness, and a land not fown, Jer. ii. 2. "The young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that feek Jehovah, fhall not want any good thing," Pfal. xxxiv. 10.

XXXVII. We are to obferve the following things concerning the time when the manna was given. As ift, That the Ifraelites had none before they left Egypt: Then they happily exchanged their cucumbers, pompious, garlick, and every fervile food, for the bread of heaven, and the dainties of angels. 2dly, That this bread was for the first time rained down from heaven, when there was nothing in the land to stay their hunger. Thus God usually provides for his own people in due feafon, and where ordinary means fail, employs extraordinary. While a famine raged in all places, the rapacious ravens carry a daily portion to Elias, 1 Kings xvii. 6. 3dly, That the manna was rained every day, except on the fabbath: when none was to be feen on the ground; but a double portion was gathered the day before, for the supply of the following: Thus the goodness of God is new every day: neither will the obfervance of his commands, especially that of the fabbath, prove detrimental to any. 4thly, That the manna continued forty years, till the Ifraelites came into Canaan; where they could eat of the fruits of the land, Jof. 5. 12. For where ordinary means are within our reach, we are not to defire, or expect extraordinary.

XXXVIII. The Ifraelites were to perform the following duties with refpect to the manna. First, They were to gather it very early, because it would melt, when the fun was more advanced. So hateful to God is floth, that when raining down bread from heaven upon his people, without their labour, he commands them to rife with the fun to gather it. Man was not fuffered to be idle even in paradise.

XXXIX. Secondly, They were to gather it by certain meafure, an homer for each: a quantity, it is probable, fufficient to fatisfy even the most robuft, and thofe of the largest appetite. For, an homer was a large measure, concerning which may be feen Waferus de Antiq. Menfur. lib. 2. c. 3. where he fhews, that an homer contains as much as forty-three fhells of eggs and a half. Tirinus has computed, the allowance of each to have been about fifty of our ounces. God ftinted them to a certain measure, to fet bounds to their exceffive appetite; but indulg

ed

ed them in fuch a measure as should fhew the riches of his bounty.

XL. But the account here given by Mofes deferves particular confideration, namely, that some of the Ifraelites gathered more, others lefs; but that afterwards when it was measured by the homer, he who had gathered more, had nothing over, and he who had gathered less, had no lack, Exod. xvi. 17. Some have conceived a twofold miracle here; one about the gathering of the manna; the other about the confuming it. They imagine, if any had gathered lefs than the appointed quantity, before it came to be measured, what was lacking, was miraculously added by an angel; but if more, the overplus was taken away by an angel, and invisibly added to what others gathered. They also imagine, that every one consumed an entire homer of manna a-day: but as this was not poffible in fuch a diversity of ages and health without a miracle, they boldly pronounce, God very unequally attempered the nutritive efficacy of the manna in equal quantities to the ftrength and appetite of every perfon: and befides, heaped the manna clofer in the homer for the more voracious, but looser for the weaker and the young.

XLI. But all these things are framed at pleasure; nor are we to multiply miracles without neceffity. As to the gathering, the manner of it seems to have been thus. Every one gathered as much as he could: and, as is ufual in fuch cafes, fome gathered more, others lefs, as fome were more diligent than others. But what was collected by all, who lived under the fame tent, seems to have been thrown into one heap; from which the mafter of the family taking the appointed measure, fo diftributed to each his portion, without paying any regard to the labour or diligence employed, but to the divine appointment, fo that each had an equal portion. For, fo much could with eafe, be jointly gathered, as that every one might have an equal portion. Thefe thoughts have, in my opinion been judicioufly fuggefted by the most excellent Rivet; and may be confirmed from 2 Cor. viii. 14, 15. where Paul exhorts the rich to supply the wants of the poor out of their abundance, by this argument; because "it is written, he that had gathered much, hád nothing over; and he that had gathered little, had no lack." As if he had faid, "as formerly it was the will of "God, that, among the Ifraelites, they who had gathered "much manna, fhould fupply the wants of those who had

gathered lefs, that there might be an equality: fo among "Chriftians, it is but juft, that thofe, who, by the bounty of "God, are poffeffed of an affluence of good things, fhould fup

"ply the wants of thofe, for whom a more fcanty provision " is made."

XLII. I am also of Rivet's opinion with refpect to their eating the manna; namely, that every one had really fuch a quantity allowed him, as was fufficient even for the largest appetite, yet that each was at liberty to eat as much as he pleased: and therefore that most of them had more food, than either neceffty required, or than they could well eat. But that, as they were not allowed to keep what was over till the next day, they might throw it away towards evening; that fo they might profefs their faith and confidence in God, who, they were perfuaded, would grant them a fresh fupply, the following day. And the throwing away the fuperfluous manna was no fign of contempt; any more than the burning what was left of the pafchal lamb; but rather an evidence of a fincere trust and confidence in God.

XLIII. The third duty was, to referve none of the manna for the morrow, ver. 19. Not that every perfon was obliged to confume their measure daily, and force it upon their loathing ftomach beyond their appetite: for this, as I have just hinted, was inconfiftent with the holiness, wisdom, and goodness of God. It was enough, if nothing was referved for the use of the following day. What remained might either be burnt in the fire, or buried in the earth, or given to the cattle, or destroyed fome other way. But God, by this method, was pleafed to try their obedience, Exod. xvi. 4. and to exercise their diligence every day, and teach them contentment, and to inculcate faith and truft upon them, that depending alone on his providence, they might wholly commit to him the care for the morrow, Mat. vi. 25, 31.

And

XLIV. Fourthly, The day before the fabbath they were to gather a double quantity, ver. 7. And were allowed to lay up whatever was left of that till the next day, ver. 25. which neither ftunk, as what was referved on other days, nor had any worm therein, ver. 26. By this God intended, that on the fabbath, they should defist from every work, that regards the care of this animal life, devote themfelves to him alone. in fact he fhewed, that he would add other things to thofe that feek his kingdom and righteoufnefs; and that it would prove no detriment to any, if laying afide the care of the body, they at ftated times laid themselves out for God: as alfo, that during the fix days of this life, we are to gather those things which may be of service on the fabbath; for, on the feventh day, that is, after this life, there will be no longer time for working: "Whatfoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy

might;

We

might; for there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goeft," Ecclef. ix. 10. are far from thinking, that this here was the first inftitution of the fabbath, but rather that it was a folemn renovation of what was instituted from the beginning of the world, but had been interrupted by the bondage in Egypt, and a confir mation of it by the miracle of the manna. For Mofes, ver. 3. fpeaks of the fabbath, as a thing formerly known by the Iraelites, this is that which Jehovah hath faid, to-morrow iś the rest of the holy fabbath unto Jehovah, &c." We are not ignorant of what the great Selden, de jure nat. and Gent. &c. lib. 3. c. 9. feq. has largely, and learnedly indeed, opposed this; but it is not of that weight, as to fway with us.

XLV. Fifthly, and laftly, God commanded an homer of manna to be laid up in a golden urn or pot, for a perpetual memorial thereof, and placed before his face through all the generations of Ifrael. Aaron did this accordingly; namely, at the due time, when the tabernacle, and ark were reared up. For these things are related here; by an evident prolepfis or anticipation, on occafion of this history, ver. 33. though as is very plain, it was not done till afterwards. God, indeed, would not have the memory of fo great a miracle die away from among the Ifraelites: and therefore he not only took care to have these prodigies recorded; but the remains of the miracle, great beyond all exception, and adapted to strike every one with amazement, to furvive. Nevertheless, to prevent their being made an occafion of fuperftition or idolatry, wifely ordered them to be laid up in the moft holy place, and removed from the ufe of the common people.

XLVI. We must here, by the way, remove an apparent contradiction. Mofes fays, Exod. xvi. 34. that a pot with manna, agreeably to the divine command, was by Aaron laid up before the teftimony to be kept. But the testimony is either the ark, fo called, because the testimonial tables of the covenant were laid up in it, or the tables themselves that were in the ark: but Paul writes, Heb. ix. 4. " in which (the ark) was the golden pot, that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant:" where he places the pot with the manna in the ark, as well as the tables of the covenant. This difficulty is fo much the greater, if we compare 1 Kings viii. 9. and 2 Chron. v. 10. where it is expressly faid, that there was nothing in the ark, but the two tables of the law. Many things have been ingeniously devised by the learned, to take off this apparent contradiction. I own, I am best pleased with the obfervation of Drufius on Exod. xvi. 34. that the particle in with the Hebrews,

rews, and those that adopt their way of fpeaking, fometimes denotes, at, near, by. To prove this he quotes Joth. x. 11. and Judges xviii. 12. Another learned author has very properly added Josh. v. 13. 1 Kings xvii. 3. Jer. xiii. 5. Col. iii. 1. And therefore, in which, here denotes, at or near the ark. Yet Drufius himself starts a difficulty, which he owns he is not able to remove. "Every thing would answer well," fays, he, "unless there followed, the tables of the covenant: for these were within the ark. But that the prepofition in fhould fignify two different things in the fame place, is not very probable: take care therefore, how you believe this." But we are not fo foon to lofe heart. We have at least found this, that in fometimes denotes fuch a latitude of place, that it even comprehends thofe things which are near and by. Moreover the ark was fo framed, that fome things might be placed on the fides of it without, as appears in the cafe of the volume of the law written by Mofes, which was placed " in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord," Deut. xxxi. 26. All the things therefore mentioned by Paul were in the ark, that is, within the compafs of the ark, though fome of them were within it more than others. Nor could Paul fpeak lefs properly thus, than we do, when, for inftance, we say, in the human body there are fkin, and flesh, and bones and bowels: where in is used in the fame fenfe, and yet with fome latitude.

XLVII. There are three fins of the Ifraelites recorded with refpect to the manna. Ift, That feveral of them, contrary to the express command of God, referved fome of it for the morrow, Exod. xvi. 20. With fuch infolence does the wifdom of the flesh set itself in direct oppofition to God, though, by his aftonishing goodness, he renders himself amiable, and at the fame time venerable. And this obftinacy of corrupt nature, is not to be fubdued by any miracles. But what was referved, began to fwarm with worms, and was putrified. To teach us, that whatever is unjustly and covetously referved, contrary to the command of God, ftinks before God and men; and hence worms arife, that is, various kinds of evils, especially the worm of confcience: whereas, on the contrary, what was referved against the future fabbath, proved permanent and incorruptible, Mat. vi. 20. 1. Tim. vi. 19. 2dly, That they went forth on the very fabbath to feek for it: however then they found nothing, ver. 27. God juftly fruftrates the defires of thofe, and renders their labours abortive, who undertake any thing contrary to his command. Nor have fuch any reason to expect the divine bleffing on their labours, who, on the day of the Lord's reft, are employed in things that regard their own fubfiftence, while they omit the worthip of God, Ifa. lviii. VOL. II.

13,