Exodus 34

We shall be like him. If when Moses was with God on the mount, and had but some imperfect sight of his glory, Moses' face shined (Exodus 34:33), how shall the saints glorified shine, being always in God's presence, and having some beams of his glory put upon them! We shall be li…

2. There is but one omnipotent power. If there be two omnipotents, then we must always suppose a contest between these two; that which one would do, the other power being equal would oppose, and so all things would be brought into a confusion. If a ship should have two pilots of…

His mercy is his glory. Mercy is the name by which God will be known (Exodus 34:6): The Lord passed by, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. Mercy proceeds primarily and originally from God; he is called the Father of mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3), becaus…

Exodus 20:5. For I the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation, of them that hate me. 1. I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.] The first reason why Israel must not worship graven images, is bec…

Our senses may fail us, but the promise cannot, being built upon the truth of God; God will not deceive the faith of his people, in fact he cannot; God which cannot lie has promised: he can as well part with his deity, as his verity. God is said to be abundant in truth, (Exodus…

This rest is when the saints shall lie on Christ's bosom, that hive of sweetness, that bed of perfume. 8. The saints shall in the Kingdom of Heaven have their bodies richly bespangled with glory; they shall be full of clarity and brightness, as Moses' face shone, so that Israel…

First, I shall lay down these twelve positions: 1. It is the great design of the Scripture to represent God as merciful. This is a loadstone to draw sinners to him (Exodus 34:6): "The Lord merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness," etc. Here are six expressions t…

Surely from a conceit that God is made up all of mercy. 'Tis true God is merciful, but also he is just (Exodus 34:6-7): Keeping mercy for thousands, and that will by no means clear the guilty. If a king did proclaim that only those should be pardoned who came in and submitted, s…

4. Men seek not after the forgiveness of sin, through a bold presumption of mercy, they conceit God to be made up all of mercy, and that he will indulge them, though they take little or no pains to sue out their pardon. It is true, God is merciful, but withal he is just, he will…

Second, Jesus Christ, as he is made and set forth to be righteousness to the sons of men. For the first, in Exodus 34:4-7 the Lord proclaimed his name: 'The Lord God, merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniqu…

In which forlorn condition, what is there to be found to relieve and support this man? But only one thing, which is here held forth to him: the name of the Lord, for him to trust and stay himself upon — both that name of God (Exodus 34:6), 'The Lord God, gracious and merciful,'…

Cain contrariwise brought not the best of his fruits, but either the worst, or whatsoever came first to hand; as thinking that whatsoever he brought, was good enough: therefore worthily is Abel said to have offered a better sacrifice than Cain. And further, this holy practice of…

3 Branch. See what high thoughts God has of the righteous, he looks upon them more excellent than others, and his judgment is best worth prizing; the saints have low thoughts of themselves, they overlook their own worth, like Moses who knew not that his face shined (Exodus 34:29…

A second carnal principle is, that there is no such reality in the threatenings of God as there is in His promises, as if He were utterly averse from executing a threatening, and as if it were a rare thing to Him to condemn any; and is there anything more opposite to Scripture t…

(Romans 2:8-9) Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil; which one place, putting the four words together says, 1. That there is sorrow most certainly and inseparably on every soul that has sinned, and 2. That this sorrow is exceeding…

2. How is man freed from this sinfulness and misery? Answer: He cannot be free from it, till there be a condign satisfaction made to divine justice; wounding and bruising must be to procure pardon, and stripes must be to procure healing, and chastisement must be to bring about o…

4. It is implied here, that sin wherever it is deserves strokes, even the sin of the elect; Indeed we may add this to it, that not only do the sins of the elect deserve strokes in themselves, being breaches of God's Law, but that there is an actual curse standing against them ti…

Use 2: It gives a great commendation to the grace of God in Christ Jesus; it makes grace wonderfully glorious, that takes the sinner at this nick, and in this pinch. We shall not dispute here; nor is it needful, nor edifying, whether God might have forgiven sin freely, without a…

All similitudes and representations of God are discharged. 4. In our addresses to God through the Mediator; we would rest our faith on what is revealed in the Word, seeking rather to take up God, and Christ as they are revealed in it, than without the Word, to seek satisfaction…

(Psalm 34:5) "They looked to him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed." 2. That we should pray so as that the heart may be raised and lifted up to God, and in some sort made like God; when Christ prayed to God he is made partaker of the divine glory, as Moses als…

Where observe, 1. That he fasted forty days, and forty nights; so did Moses when he received the law (Exodus 34:28). And at the restoring of the law Elijah did the like (1 Kings 19:8).

1. Of the first consideration, if Christ's prayer were of ordinary import it teaches us, that we should pray so that the heart may be raised and lifted to God in prayer, and in some sort made like to God, let us state this matter aright. 1. It must be granted that this shining o…

He gives directions about the manner of worship, but supposes it, that he will be worshipped. When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses (Exodus 34:8), Moses made haste, and bowed himself and worshipped. It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles, that when…

There some Moses must needs come between as a Mediator, and yet notwithstanding without any fruit, as I will declare hereafter. To this purpose serves that place in 2 Corinthians 3 concerning the covered face of Moses, where Paul out of the history of Exodus 34 shows that the ch…

No where. For Moses himself confesses that he is not such a one: for he says in Exodus 34 that none is innocent before God. And David says: Lord, enter not into judgment with your servant, for no flesh is righteous in your sight.

This authority shows itself, specially in two things: in the marriage, and in the calling of the child. In the marriage of the child, the parent is the principal agent, and the disposer thereof (Deuteronomy 7:3; Exodus 34:16; 1 Corinthians 7:38). Where observe, that the commandm…

Some think he calls this a strange work, because nothing agrees better to God's nature than to show mercy in pardoning sins: for when he is angry, it is against his liking, and therefore puts upon him another nature as it were contrary to his own. Because in (Exodus 34:6) he pro…

What is lawful and proper the Lord has comprehended under the ten words. Where the English version gives the words, ten commandments, the phrase in the original Hebrew is, עשרת הדברים, the ten words, (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4.) — Editor Now as it is possible that man…

And after the Fire, a still small Voice: And it was so, when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his Face in his Mantle. And Moses, with whom God spoke Face to Face, as a Man speaks with his Friend, and was distinguished from all the Prophets, in the Familiarity with God that he was adm…

If we therefore Design to be Holy, let us constantly in our Families, towards our Relations, in Churches, in our Conversations in the world, and dealings with all men, towards our Enemies and Persecutors, the worst of them, so far as they are ours only, towards all Mankind as we…

For nothing can encourage a sinner as such, but under this consideration, that it is, or it respects forgiveness. That this Graciousness of Gods nature, lyes at the head or spring, and is the root from whence forgiveness does grow, is manifest from that solemn Proclamation which…

See (Psalm 122:3, 6). 3. When believers get nearest Christ for themselves, it's then the fit time to deal with him for others, especially for the Church whereof they are members: it's Moses's only express suit (Exodus 34:9), when God admits him to his company (in presenting wher…

Seventhly, and lastly, it is said that when Moses came down from the mount after his long converse with God, his face shone with such a divine and heavenly luster, that the Israelites were dazzled with the brightness, and could not steadfastly look upon him; and that therefore h…

"But if you will not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched." Indeed, God was so exacting about this, that he descends to a particular prohibition of seve…

Secondly, whether God does always observe this method of revenging the fathers' crimes upon their posterity and offspring? First, for the former query: There seems some difficulty in reconciling Scripture to itself in this particular, and in reconciling such a proceeding to just…

They see God's name, that is, the glorious attributes of his name displayed. God proclaimed his name before Moses when he caused his goodness to pass before him; and discovered himself to be the Lord, the Lord God gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in lovingkindness,…

The people of Israel were generally surrounded with enemies, that sought all opportunities to destroy them, and dispossess them of their land; and till David's time there were great numbers in the land of the remains of the Canaanites, and the other former inhabitants of the lan…

We read in Scripture of three, whose faces shone remarkably, and they were all three eminent for meekness. The face of Moses shone (Exodus 34:30), and he was the meekest of all the men on earth. The face of Stephen shone (Acts 6:15), and he it was, who in the midst of a shower o…

For all things being made good, there could be no place for the exercise of any of these properties, or manifestation of them. The whole fabric of heaven and earth considered in itself, as at first created, will not discover any such thing as patience and forbearance in God; whi…

That the name of God is here taken personally and for the person of the Father, not essentially, is evident from verse 9, where he is distinguished from his only begotten Son whom he sends into the world. Now says the apostle, the Father is love — that is, not only of an infinit…

Consider then, to keep your heart in continual awe of the majesty of God, that persons of the most high and eminent attainments, of the nearest and most familiar communion with God, do yet in this life know but a very little of him, and his glory. God reveals his name to Moses,…

The Lord's dealing with the wicked in those times before he swept them away by the deluge, is in these two. 1. Long suffering, and withal clear warning; long suffering, (Exodus 34) long forbearing to be angry, as the Hebrew word is in his name; which supposes a great provocation…

1. It is his glory to forgive sins. Exodus 33:18. And he said, I beseech you show me your glory; compared with Exodus 34:6-7. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

It is not speculations about the divine nature, or high-strained conceptions, which does fit us for prayer: the discoursing of these things with some singularity, or terms removed from common understanding, this is not that which I press you to; but such a sight of God, as promp…

Beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same Image. The contemplative sight of God was transforming: they had some Print of Gods Holiness upon them; as Moses when he had been on the Mount with God, his face shined, Exodus 34:35. What is Godliness b…

Holiness without Mercy, and Justice without Mercy would be terrible. Think of Gods Veracity, Exodus 34:6. Abundant in Truth; that is, God will be so far from coming short of his word, that he does more then he has said.

Ointment in the box does not yield such a fragrance as when it is poured out. God has proclaimed his name (Exodus 34:6): "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth." God has given this description of himself, and the saints oft…

The wisdom of God in the Word shows your duty, his power what need you have to bind it on your hearts, and your case is not without hope, for you have to do with a good God: there is no mercy to such as fear not his powerful justice, and no justice for such as flee from it to hi…

Whatever you do, keep a good conscience toward God and men, and though the children of this world should call you fools, yet they will call themselves fools another day, for calling you so now: it is undoubtedly better and more profitable to please God than men; and what will it…

What shall we say? It is God, who is (as his name is (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 10:18; Psalm 86:15), and as he was yesterday, he is today) the God of grace and patience (Romans 15:5), and rich in it (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:13-16). Indeed, we are all living monuments and…