Exodus 19

If the enemies destroy the Church, it must be at a time when it is neither night nor day, for Christ keeps it day and night. Christ is said to carry his Church as the eagle her young ones upon her wings (Exodus 19:4). The arrow must first hit the eagle before it can hurt the you…

2. God adopts us to a state of dignity: God makes us heirs of promise; God installs us into honor (Isaiah 43:4): Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honorable. The adopted are God's treasure (Exodus 19:5), his jewels (Malachi 3:17), his firstborn (Hebrews 12:23).…

Question. What are the great arguments or incentives to obedience? Response 1. Obedience makes us precious to God; we shall be his favorites (Exodus 19:15). If you will obey my voice, you shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people; you shall be my portion, my jewels, th…

God did put glory upon it in the manner of the promulgation of it. 1. The people before the Moral Law was delivered, were to wash their clothes (Exodus 19:10), whereby as by a type God required the sanctifying of their ears and hearts to receive the Law. 2. There were bounds set…

The gospel tells us of reigning, but first of suffering (2 Timothy 2:12). 2. It informs us that affliction is not always the sign of God's anger: Israel the apple of God's eye, a peculiar treasure to him above all people (Exodus 19:5). Yet these were in the house of bondage: we…

(3.) Having dressed our bodies, we must dress our souls for the hearing of the Word. As the people of Israel were to wash themselves before the Law was delivered to them (Exodus 19:10), so we must wash and cleanse our souls, and that is by reading, meditation and prayer. 1. By r…

(3.) That infect souls, namely by their scandalous lives. (Exodus 19:22) Let the priests which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves. Ministers who by their places are nearer to God, should be holier than others.

We read that the wicked are to be set at Christ's feet (Psalm 110), not at his table. (Matthew 7:6; Exodus 19:12) Quest. 7. How may we receive the Supper of the Lord worthily, that so it may become effectual to us?

He has taken them out of the world as out of the wild forest, and enclosed them to himself by a decree; or, (as the Greek carries it) they are a purchased people; the righteous are the purchase of Christ's blood, he will not lose his purchase. 11. God calls them a kingdom of pri…

O think solemnly upon that Scripture (Psalm 89:7): 'God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him.' Why did God descend in thunderings and lightnings and dark clouds upon Sinai (Exodus 19:16-18)? Why did the…

You should also consider that other word (Romans 9:20): Who are you that reply against God? or expostulates with Him, Shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it, why have you made me thus? It's good to inquire and to seek to know the use the Lord calls for of this doctrin…

As melted, dissolved, and fallen in a swoon in Christ (Song of Solomon 5:6), and therefore needs in that swoon, to be recovered with the flagons of the wine and apples of his consolations (Song of Solomon 2:4). Nor can Jesus Christ but tenderly, lovingly, and compassionately dea…

1. Signs and wonders done in one age and time for the confirmation of the true religion, should suffice all ages and times afterward; and it is a tempting God to ask more signs and wonders, for the confirmation of that truth, which is sufficiently confirmed already, if there be…

This is altogether unknown to hypocrites, to the popish Sophisters and Schooldivines, and to all that walk in the opinion of the righteousness of the law, or of their own righteousness. But to the end that God might bridle and beat down this monster and this mad beast (I mean th…

For it is so tender a thing, that for a small sin it is so troubled and terrified, that it utterly despairs, unless it be raised up again. Therefore the law in its proper use has more strength and riches, than heaven and earth is able to contain: insomuch that one letter or one…

The Israelites say at Mount Sinai, that they will doe all things which the Lord shall command them. Exod 19:8. The young Prince said, that he had kept all the commandementsfrom his youth.

This favor then was continued to his successors, and in respect of the promise, God had a special care over the welfare of this people, as also Saint Paul says (Romans 9:4), that to them were given the covenants, the promises, and the law. For which cause this seed was called a…

As if he should say, Up until now the Lord has chosen you for his heritage only: but hereafter he will endow you with more excellent gifts, for he will make you Priests. Now however all the people were a kingdom of Priests (Exodus 19:6), yet we know that the Tribe of Levi only e…

As if he should say: Lord, if you would come down, the people would tremble at your presence, your adversaries would forthwith melt away. But I think it to be more natural, as I have translated it: for it is very sure that the Prophet alludes here to Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:20),…

But now all are indifferently received. Some expound this place generally, that the Gentiles shall be priests: that is to say, shall offer themselves to God; for so the scriptures in many places calls all by the name of a royal priesthood: (Exodus 19:6), (1 Peter 2:9), (Revelati…

Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice. They ought to profess a willingness of heart to embrace religion with all its difficulties, and to walk…

The preparation to the sacrifice, was a cleansing or a sanctifying of them. So (Exodus 19:20), when the people were to be prepared to receive the law, the Lord says to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, that is, prepare the people, or warn the people…

Such was the appearance that he gave of his glory in the giving of the law, whereby he will judge the world, and condemn the transgressors of it, who obtain not an acquitment in the blood of Jesus Christ. See the description of it in Exodus 19:16, 18. So terrible was the sight h…

Secondly, the mount on which God appeared was to be fenced and railed in, with a strict prohibition that none should presume to pass the bounds there set them, nor approach to touch the holy mount, under the penalty of death. So we have it (Exodus 19:12), which intimates to us t…

God being a Spirit, has no mouth nor tongue properly as men have, who have bodies, and therefore his way of speaking is not like ours (though sometimes he has created a voice in as articulate sound as if it had proceeded from the mouth of man to declare his will) but there are s…

O let it never seem a light thing in our eyes, that we grow within his blessed enclosure. How sweet a promise is that (Exodus 19:5), 'You shall be to me a peculiar treasure above all people; for all the earth is mine.'

The waters were dark indeed, but they were quiet, when the Spirit of God moved upon them, and out of them produced a beautiful world. This calm and sedate frame does very much qualify and dispose us for the reception and entertainment of divine visits, and sets bounds to the mou…

Here it has been represented to us by a building, a spiritual temple, and by a priesthood conform to it. The former is confirmed, and illustrated by testimonies of Scripture in the preceding verses, in this the latter, in these words: though it is not expressly cited, yet it is…

He careth for you. God to shew his tender anxiousness towards Israel, bare them as upon Eagles wings, Exodus 19:4. The Eagle carries her young ones upon her wing to defend them; the Arrow must first shoot through the Old Eagle, before it can touch her Young ones.

Use 2. To believe the commandments with a lively faith; we should be tender of disobeying God's law. The law may be considered as a covenant of works, or, as a rule of life: as a covenant of works, so it is satisfied by Christ for those that have an interest in him; and serves t…

Constantine the Emperor bore great reverence to the Word. When God gave the law, the mount was on fire and trembled (Exodus 19:18), that the people might prostrate themselves more reverently before the Lord. The ark wherein the law was put was carried upon poles so that the Levi…

The eye of providence is ever awake; God gives his angels charge over his children (Psalm 91:11), a believer has a guard of angels for his life-guard; we read of the wings of God in Scripture: as the breast of his mercy feeds his children, so the wings of his power cover them; h…

Here is not only the sack full of corn, but money in the mouth of the sack. Spiritual blessings (Exodus 19:5): if you will obey my voice indeed, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people. You shall be my portion, my jewels, the apple of my eye; I will give kin…

The Power of God is that shoulder, on which Christ carries his sheep home, rejoycing all the way he goes, Luke 15:5. These everlasting armes of his strength are those Eagles wings, upon which the Saints are both tenderly and securely conveyed to glory, Exodus 19:4. There is a fi…

So (Deuteronomy 29:14, 15) he says not, he shall make another Covenant with these when they shall be born: but I make a Covenant with you, and with these that are not here, not born. Hence by way of excellency he calls it the Covenant, the Covenant of the Lord (Jeremiah 2[illegi…

This was food for the souls of believers; on these and like occasions did the whole church lift up their voice in that holy cry, "Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices." Of the same nature was his glorious appearance on Mount Si…

Also his burden now seemed heavier to him than while he was in his way. There came also flashes of fire (Exodus 19:16, 18) out of the hill, that made Christian afraid that he should be burnt: here therefore he did sweat and quake for fear (Hebrews 12:21). And now he began to be…