boast, like him who is putting it off, when the fight is over, and the victory obtained. 10. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; 11. And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them. 12. Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. These verses, it is apprehended, describe in plain terms, what was metaphorically expressed in the verse preceding, namely, the proneness of the Israelites to break the "covenant," transgress the "law," and forget the "works" of God, even those astonishing works wrought in "Egypt," and in "Zoan," its capital city. Let the Christian, who perhaps is amazed at the frequent rebellions of stiff-necked Israel, reflect a little within himself, how he has observed the baptismal "covenant," how he has "walked in the law," and with what gratitude he has remembered the "marvellous works" of Jesus. 13. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. From the miracles wrought in Egypt, the Psalmist proceeds to what happened at the Exodus. And here he fails not to mention that great work of Almighty power, the division of the Red Sea, which was ever uppermost in the thoughts of a devout Israelite; as the passage of the Church, in Christ her Saviour, through the grave and gate of death, ought never to depart from the memory of a Christian. 14. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. During the forty years' pilgrimage of Israel in the wilderness, a preternatural column of fire and cloud attended the camp. It rested with them, and moved on before them, directing and conducting them in their journeys; in the night season it was a bright and shining light; and in the day-time it afforded a grateful cooling shade from the burning heat of those sultry deserts. Thus is Christ present with his Church, while she sojourns upon earth, by his word and his Spirit, guiding her steps, enlightening her darkness, and mitigating her sorrows. 15. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. 16. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. “Let us,” saith Bishop Taylor, "by the aids of memory and fancy, consider the children of Israel in the wilderness, in a barren and dry land where no water was, marching in dust and fire, not wet with the dew of heaven, but wholly without moisture, save only what dropped from their own brows. The air was fire, and the vermin was fire; the flying serpents were of the same kindred with the firmament; their sting was a flame, their venom was a fever, and the fever a calenture; and the whole state of the Israelites' abode and travel was a little image of the day of judgment, when the elements shall melt with fervent heat. These men, like salamanders walking in fire, dry with heat, scorched with thirst, and made yet more thirsty by calling upon God for water; suppose, I say, these thirsty souls, hearing Moses promise that he will smite the rock, and that a river should break forth from thence; observe how presently they run to the foot of the springing stone, thrusting forth their heads and tongues to meet the water, impatient of delay, crying out that the water did not move, like light, all at once and then suppose the pleasure of their drink, the insatiableness of their desire, the immensity of their appetite: they took in as much as they could, and they desired much more. This was their Sacrament, and this was their manner of receiving it. And if that water was a type of our Sacrament, or a Sacrament of the same secret blessing, then is their thirst a signification of our duty." 17. And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. 18. And they tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lust. 19. Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? 20. Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also, or provide flesh for his people? These frequent rebellions of Israel, with the presence of God in the midst of them, and his miracles before their eyes, would seem incredible, had they been related any where but in the oracles of truth; and did not the heart of every self-knowing Christian at once acknowledge the picture which is here drawn of human nature, its incredulity and perverseness. For hath not God. delivered us from the house of bondage, and supported us in the wilderness? is not Jesus present in the Church, and are not his miracles of love and mercy continually before our eyes, in the Word and in the Sacrament? Yet, who does not still "provoke" and "tempt the Most High?" who does not ask provision for his "lust," when his necessities are satisfied? and who, after all the proofs he has had of God's power and goodness, 1 Worthy Communicant, p. 92. is not apt, upon every appearance of danger, to be diffident and distrustful of his providence? Before we condemn others, let us try ourselves, and judge righteous judgment. When David pronounced the words, "The man that hath done this thing shall surely die," little did he think of being told, by his faithful monitor, "Thou art the man." Conscience, if duly interrogated, will be a Nathan to every one, and show him his own transgressions, in those of old Israel. 21. Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; 22. Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation 23. Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24. And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25. Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. The discontents mentioned above, in verse 17, &c., were posterior not only to the miracle at the rock, but also to the gift of "manna," which, after some little time, the people "loathed," and demanded "flesh,” repenting that they had forsaken Egypt, where they fared more to their satisfaction: see Numb. xi. The cause of the discontents was infidelity, and the effect of them a display of God's indignation: "The Lord was wroth-because they believed not," &c. Now, as St. Paul styles the water "spiritual," or, sacramental "drink," proceeding from "a spiritual rock, which rock was Christ;" so he terms the manna, "spiritual," or, sacramental "meat: They did all eat of that same spiritual meat:" 1 Cor. x. 3. And our Lord, in John vi. discourses at large upon the subject, to convince the Jews, that God, who gave ,לחם אבירים to their fathers manna in the wilderness, had in HIM given them "the true bread" of eternal life, which the manna was intended to represent. "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Christ crucified is the support of spiritual and eternal life; faith is the mouth by which this support is received; manna was an outward and visible sign of it to the Israelites in the wilderness; the eucharistic bread is such to Christians in the world. When that holy ordinance is celebrated, "the doors of heaven are opened," spiritual food is given from above, "and man eats on, the bread of the mighty ones;" whether by "mighty ones" we understand those who eat the bread, and are invigorated thereby, or the blessed persons who give the bread to man. Such is our manna, our sustenance in the wilderness, our viaticum, while on the road to Canaan. But how is it "loathed," and despised, in comparison with "the flesh pots of Egypt," by men who "believe not in God, and trust not in his salvation!" Will not the same cause produce the same effect? Will not "Jehovah hear this, and be wroth?" Will not "a fire be kindled against Jacob, and anger also come up against Israel?" "For this cause," saith an Apostle to the irreverent Corinthian receivers, "many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." 1 Cor. xi. 30. 26. He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven and by his power he brought in the south wind. 27. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: 28. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. 29. So they did eat, |