ficulties, even such as may appear utterly insuperable. Moses himself was so discouraged by his want of success, that he complained of God as having disappointed and deceived him. But he succeeded at last : and the very difficulties which had discouraged him served but the more to illustrate the power and grace of God. So may we find it for a season: but we should bear in mind, that his word, which he has pledged to us, is immutable, and that his counsel shall stand, though earth and hell should combine to defeat it. Let us then "commit our every way to him;" and, with a holy confidence, advance, "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."] LXV. THE SELF-EXISTENCE AND IMMUTABILITY OF GOD. Exod. iii. 14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. IT is of great importance that Ministers should be considered as ambassadors of God. And that they should deliver nothing which they cannot enforce with, Thus saith the Lord. Without this, their word can have but little weight. But ministrations thus supported will produce the happiest effects. Moses was commissioned to offer deliverance to the oppressed Israelites. But he rightly judged that they would ask, from whence he had his authority. He therefore inquired of God, what answer he should return. And received from God the direction recorded in the text. To understand the words aright, we must consider, I. The title God assumed The Deity had hitherto revealed himself to man by the name of God Almighty. Though he had been called JEHOVAH, he was not fully known by that name, even to his most highly-favoured servants". He now was pleased to assume a title similar to that; but, if possible, of still plainer import The name, I AM THAT I AM, represents him to be, 1. Self-existent a Exod. vi. 3. [Creatures have only a derived, and therefore a dependent, existence. They are now what they once were not, and may again cease to be. But God from all eternity was precisely what he now is. To him therefore this august title may be properly applied. Nor are there wanting other similar descriptions of him to confirm it".] 2. Immutable [Every creature in earth and heaven is liable to change. But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." He himself claims immutability as his own peculiar prerogative. And in this view, the title assumed in the text must ever belong to him.] 3. Incomprehensible [No words can convey, or imagination conceive, an adequate idea of God. Hence God does not endeavour to explain his nature to Moses. But, by declaring himself to be what he is, intimates, that he is what can neither be comprehended nor expressed. His answer, in effect, was similar to that which he afterwards gave to Manoah.] The title thus explained, it will be proper to consider, II. For what end he assumed it— The Israelites were extremely debased by means of their long bondage. It was necessary therefore to prepare their minds for the intended deliverance [Though they groaned under their oppression, they were too much reconciled to their yoke. They rather affected a mitigation of trouble, than the attainment of liberty. Though the promises made to their fathers were not wholly forgotten, the accomplishment of them was not cordially desired. Indeed, they scarcely conceived it possible that their emancipation should be effected. Hence it was necessary to stimulate their desires, renew their hopes, and confirm their expectations, of a better country.] The title which God assumed was admirably adapted to this end [If God was so incomprehensible a Being, he could easily devise means of executing his own sovereign will and pleasure. If he was the one self-existent, independent Creator of the universe, all creatures must be wholly subject to his control. And if he were absolutely immutable, he could not recede b Ps. cii. 27. Rev. i. 4. c Mal. iii. 6. e Judg. xiii. 17, 18. from the covenant entered into with their fathers. He therefore could not want either inclination or power to deliver them. Yea, He could not but deliver them for his own great name's sake. He could not be I AM, if his promised interposition should be either withheld or defeated. Thus the declaration of his name must inspire them with confidence, and induce them willingly to put themselves under the direction of Moses.] INFER, 1. What a solemn attention does the Gospel demand! [The Gospel is a message of mercy to those who are in bondage to sin. And they who preach it are ambassadors from the great I AM. Jesus, who sends them forth, assumes to himself this very title. To the same effect also his character is drawn in the Epistle to the Hebrews. He has commissioned his servants to go forth into all the world; and promised (as God did to Moses) to be always with them. Shall we then make light of the mercy which He offers to us; or doubt his power and willingness to fulfil his promises? Shall we thrust away his servants, saying, Why dost thou interfere with us? Let us remember who it is that speaks to us in the Gospel. Every faithful Minister may say, I AM hath sent me unto you. Nor, though miracles have ceased, shall signs be wanting to confirm the word: the deaf shall hear, the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers be cleansed. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended at the Redeemer's voice m.] 2. What encouragement is here afforded to those who are groaning under spiritual bondage! [God brought out his people safely, notwithstanding all their difficulties; and in due time put them into possession of the promised land. Shall the spiritual redemption offered by him be less effectual? Are not his power and faithfulness the same as in former ages"? Will he not remove our obstacles, supply our wants, and destroy our enemies? Surely there are none so weak but they shall be made to triumph. Nor shall the Prince of Darkness oppose with more success than Pharaoh'. Behold, then, I AM hath sent me to proclaim these glad tidings. Let all arise, and cast off their yoke, and burst their bands asunder. Let not unbelief represent the obstacles as insurmountable; nor fear induce you to comply f John viii. 58. i Matt. xxviii. 20. m Matt. xi. 5, 6. 8 Heb. xiii. 8. n Isai. lix. 1. h Mark xvi. 15. P Rom. xvi. 20. with the imperious dictates of the world. Behold! the Pillar and the Cloud are ready to conduct your path. I AM is for you: who then can be against you? and universal nature shall applaud your steps.] The great q Pharaoh, after many successive plagues, agreed first that they should sacrifice to God in the land, but not in the wilderness; then that they should go into the wilderness, but not far; then that the men should go, but without the women or children; then that the women and children, but not the flocks. Exod. viii. 25, 28. and x. 11, 24. Thus the world would prescribe limits to the service we shall pay to God. r Isai. lv. 12. LXVI. MOSES DECLINING THE COMMISSION GIVEN HIM. Exod. iv. 10-14. And Moses said unto the Lord, 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. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the secing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go; and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses. servants. 66 THAT iniquity should prevail among the blind and ignorant, is no more than might reasonably be expected but when we behold it in the most eminent saints, we are ready to exclaim, Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou so regardest him?" It should seem indeed that God has determined to stain the pride of human glory, by recording the faults of his most favoured It is remarkable that those who are most noted in Scripture for their piety, not only fell, but manifested their weakness in those very graces for which they were most distinguished. Abraham yielded to unbelief, Job to impatience, Moses to anger, Peter to fear. The circumstances here related concerning Moses, clearly shew, not only what Moses was, but what human nature is, when put to the trial. The following observations therefore, while they elucidate the text, will lead us to behold our own faces as in a glass. I. There is in man a backwardness to engage in God's service [Who was this man? Moses, in some respects the most pious of mankind. What was the service to which he was called? The most honourable and beneficial that could possibly be assigned him---Yet, with a pertinacity truly surprising, he persisted in declining it, and desired that any one might be employed in it rather than hea. We, it is true, are called to no such service. But is there no work committed to us? Has not God appeared to us in his word, and commanded us to devote ourselves to his service? Has not the Saviour bidden us to "deny ourselves, and take up our cross daily, and follow him?" And have we not shewn an utter aversion to obey his call? Glorious as his service is, have we not declined it; and, like Moses, been more studious of our own ease than either of God's honour or the benefit of our fellow-creatures? Because we have foreseen difficulties, we have been unwilling to embark in the cause of God and of our own souls; when we ought rather to have gloried in enduring hardships for God, and closed with the proposal at once, saying, "Here am I, Lord; send me."] II. We are prone to cloke this backwardness with vain excuses— [Moses would not in plain terms refuse to obey his God; but he tried by every method to excuse himself from undertaking the office assigned him. He first pretends to decline through modesty: and we might have given him credit for real humility, if his subsequent refusals had not shewn that he was actuated by a far different principle. When God has obviated all objections arising from his unworthiness, then, in direct opposition to God's promise, he objects, that the people will not believe his message. To remove all apprehensions on this ground, God works three miracles before him, and commissions him to perform the same in the sight of Pharaoh and the people of Israel. Still averse to engage in this work, he pleads his want of eloquence, and his consequent unfitness for such an undertaking. To obviate this, God asks him, "Who made man's mouth;" and whether He, who had given him the faculty of speech, was not able to give effect to his endeavours? Yea, he promises to "be with him, and to teach him what he shall say.' And does not all this overcome his reluctance? No: he still declines the service, and begs that God would employ any other person rather than himself. Now we say that these were vain excuses: for the real a ver. 13. b Isai. vi. 8. d Comp. Exod. iii. 18. with iv. 1. c Exod. iii. 11. e ver. 2-9. f The text. |