this term, borrows an image from a ftatuary, who makes a model in wax or clay, of an intended marble or golden ftatue of a king, or fome diftinguished perfonage. All thofe, of whom we read in Scripture, are examples to us, in confequence of their hiftory being recorded by the Spirit of infpiration. But the Ifraelites are not "our

examples," merely because their history is recorded; but their history is recorded, because they were primarily defigned to be in a fpecial manner" our examples." The things which are written," happened unto them for enfamples," or " befel them in a figure." The difpenfations of Providence towards them were principally meant as patterns of the divine conduct towards the Christian church. And in confequence of this original defign, regulating the events themselves,

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The

they are written for our admonition, upon "whom the ends of the world are come." idea conveyed by the word admonition, is very beautiful. It denotes, that wholesome admonition, when successful, reftores the mind, which was formerly fluctuating and difturbed, to a ftate of compofure and ferenity. How great is the tumult excited in the foul, by its "lufting after "evil things, as they alfo lufted!" But the awful. evidences of the divine displeasure, in their punishment, are defigned as means in the hand of the Spirit, for ftilling this tumult in the hearts of Christians, and for deterring them from fimilar provocations. It is thought that, in this expreffion, " upon whom the ends of the world are

"come,"

come," there is an allufion to the manner in which the Jews divided the period of the world's duration. They spoke of three ages; the first, before the law; the fecond, under the law; and the third, after the law. The apostle, in the very language in which he characterizes Chriftians, feems to urge the neceffity of their profiting by these examples. "The ends of ages," he says, "are come upon" them. He reprefents the age, under which they live, as the complement of both the ages which preceded it; and the former difpenfations as perfected in that of the New Teftament. Therefore, as the light of the church is greatly increased, and as the doctrines and events of former times are now meant to have their full effect, her guilt must be greatly aggravated, if the refuse to take warning *.

But before proceeding to a more particular confideration of the history of the church of Ifrael, it may be neceffary to obferve, that the types or examples, exhibited to us in Scripture, are of two forts; either of exprefs inftitution, or of providential ordination. Many of these were exprefsly inftituted by God, for reprefenting Chrift and the bleffings of the gofpel. Thefe were either perfons or things. There were many perfons, who were typical of Christ, as being invefted with particular offices, which had their completion in him only as Mediator. Such were Mofes and Aaron, David and Solomon. Many things S 3

were

*Tλos is used in the fame fenfe, as denoting completion or perfection, when it is faid, that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness unto *every one that believeth," Rom. x. 4. See alfo Luke xxii. 37.

were alfo typical by exprefs inftitution; as the whole of the fervice of God under the law. But befides thefe, there were many things and actions, which, although not capable of a folemn inftitution, were providentially ordained to be typical of future events. Some of these are particularly applied by the Spirit of God, in the New Teftament, to things pertaining to the gospel. Others may be thus applied, according to that general rule already confidered, that "all things happen"ed unto them for enfamples g."

It may also be obferved, that while the Ifraelites, as a people, prefigured the New-Teftament Church, they must not be viewed, according to the vain imaginations of fome, as if their character had been merely figurative. "This people," to adopt the language of an eminent writer, was fo a figure of the Chriftian church, as to be itself a "true church. Its ftate fo delineated ours, that "it was nevertheless a state proper for the church "at that period. The promifes given to the If

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raelites, fo fhadowed forth the gofpel, that they "contained it. While their facraments prefigu"red ours, they were notwithstanding for that "time true facraments of prefent efficacy. They enjoyed the fame spirit of faith, who then rightly used both the doctrines and the figns h."

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g See Owen on Heb. iii. 7-11. Vol. ii. p. 72.-770

Calvin. Comment. in 1 Cor. x. II.

I

SEC

SECTION I.

The Ifraelites bondmen in Egypt.-Chofen to be a peculiar people.-At first rejected the typical Saviour.-Paffed through the Red Sea.-Had the law given.—Their worship typified that of the New-Teftament Church.

for us.

Let us now more particularly inquire, in what refpects the hiftory of Ifrael contains inftruction This fubject would admit of very ample difcuffion. But we mean only to take notice of fome particulars in their history, which may ferve as a key to the whole.

1. The literal Ifraelites were all in a state of bondage in Egypt. The LORD had faid to their father Abraham; "Know of a furety, that thy "feed fhall be a stranger in a land that is not

theirs, and fhall ferve them, and they fhall af"flict them four hundred years." When the time appointed was come, the prophecy was exactly fulfilled. They were not only reduced to a state of fervitude, but treated as the vilest slaves. "The Egyptians made the children of Ifrael to "ferve with rigour. And they made their lives "bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in "brickk." They were employed in the meaneft and dirtiest work. It was impoffible for them to pleafe

i Gen. xv. 13.

$ 4

k Exod. i. 13, 14.

please their cruel taskmafters. They rofe in their demands. Not fatisfied with their former labour, they required the full tale of brick without allowing ftraw. Thefe taskmafters only fulfilled the orders of their unfeeling tyrant Pharoah, who feems to have been divided between fear and avarice. He was afraid of the growing power of the Ifraelites. Yet, from his avarice, he was unwilling to lose their labours m. He would neither fuffer them to live as the reft of his fubjects, nor confent that they should leave his dominions. To weaken their power, he commanded that all their male children fhould be deftroyed.

Inftead of relaxing from his severity, after Mofes had demanded the liberation of Ifrael in the name of JEHOVAH, he increased their bondage. From the eagerness of this people to embrace the first opportunity of making to themselves a golden calf, we might reckon it in the highest degree probable, that they were fo far in love with their bondage as to worship the gods of Egypt. But we are not left to mere conjecture on this head. Many ages after their deliverance from Egypt, the Lord exhibits against them the charge of idolatry in this refpect. To the prophet Ezekiel he delivers this command; "Say unto them,-In "the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, "to bring them forth of the land of Egypt, "then faid I unto them, Caft ye away every man "the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the "LORD

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1 Exod. v. 8.

m Exod. i. 9, 10.