SERMON VII.

IN THE CLOUDY PILLAR, IN WHICH JEHOVAH THE SAVIOR DWELT, AND BY WHICH HE GUIDED, PROTECTED, AND DEFENDED HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, AND WENT BEFORE THEM AS THEIR LEADER, AND WAS ALSO THEIR REWARD.

EXODUS xiii. 21, 22.

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light : to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

THE Lord God having brought his people out from Egypt, with an high hand and stretched out arm, and fulfilled hereby the promise he had ..made to Abraham four hundred and thirty years before, which he performed on the self-same day when the term was expired, was pleased to command that all the first-born of Israel should be sanctified, or set apart to him, and also the firstborn of cattle. The first-born were to be redeemed with money, pointing out redemption by the price of Christ's most precious blood; and the first-born of cattle were to be offered unto the Lord. After this time, by the Lord's command, the Levites were taken and separated to the Lord's service, instead of all the first-born of Israel. The church of Christ, who is himself stilled "The first-born among many brethren," Rom. viii. 29. bears his name as standing in relation to him, as redeemed by him out of the hands of her spiritual enemies, with the price of his most precious blood. The Lord commands the Israelites, by the hand of Moses, to remember the day of their Exodus; and it is well that the called people of God should remember the day and month of their being brought out of spiritual bondage, and brought nigh to God manifestatively by. faith in the blood of Jesus.

The Lord enjoins these Israelites to keep the feast of unleavened bread seven days, to chew their children, that is, declare unto them the reason thereof, and to ascribe their deliverance from Egypt to the Lord's powerful arm. They are commanded to wear phylacteries, or frontlets, between heir eyes, as memorials, to put them in remembrance of the Lord's commands, and of his mercies in bringing them out of Egypt. An instance of the Lord's particular attention to the weakness and infirmity of his people, in his further conduct and guidance of them; who were a huge host. The scripture says that they were about six hundred thousand men, besides women and children. These men being the prime and flower of the Israelites, such as were able to go forth to war, it may be thought that the whole body of the people collected were not less than two millions and a half. Dr. Gill observes, that " according to the ordinary proportion allowed in other nations, of four to one, between the number of the whole people in a nation, and those men fit to bear arms, the number of the Israelites alone, of all ages and sexes, who went out of Egypt, will amount to two millions and four hundred thousand souls." The same Angel Jehovah, who appeared to Moses in a flame of fire at the bush in Horeb, led these people forth.

The sacred writer tells us at the 17th verse of this chapter, " When Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, for he said, lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt; but God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took  bones of Joseph with him; for be had straightly sworn the children of Israel, saying, " God will surely visit you ; and ye shall carry up my bones away with yon," ver. 17, 18, 19.

We may see here in the verses before us, the wonderful grace and compassion of the Lord to his people: he knew that the philistines would deny them a passage, for before this, they had killed some of them, while they dwelt in Egypt, in the days of Ephraim, the son of Joseph, as is mentioned in Chron. vii. 22, 23. Thus the Lord , Jesus, who knew his people's weakness and fears, is pleased not to lead them a direct, but a roundabout way, lest they should be discouraged : exactly in conformity with this, he deals with all his saints; he will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able to bear.

The Israelites went out of Egypt harnessed or marshaled, by five in a rank, in the fourth generation, as the Lord had foretold to Abraham, Gen. xv. 16. and it may be armed, for so the word harnessed sometimes signifies. Thus the Lord led the people out with an high hand, and trained them up for future wars to conquer Canaan. Joseph's bones which were left in Egypt as a pledge, as it were, with his oath which he expressed as an evidence and assurance of their exodus, were removed out of Egypt, and carried by the Israelites with them, carried into Canaan, and buried in future time in Sechem. They journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, which signifies booths or tabernacles, so called, either because the Israelites encamped here, or because the cloud of glory came upon them at this place; and they came to Etham, which was at the edge of. the wilderness, or end of it. And this brings me to my text, verses 21 and 22. " And the Lord went before them by day, in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night, in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night be took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

As Jehovah Jesus thus most graciously illustrated his care and protection of his church and people, in this most marvelous act of his providence, in spreading out a cloud to be a covering, and fire to give light in the night ; my design in setting before you this wonderful phenomenon, shall be declared in the following particulars.

First. I will skew what we are to conceive concerning this cloud and its appearance, and of the Lord's going before the people in it. Our; text says, " And the Lord went before them by;, day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them lights', to go by day and night."

Secondly. I will point out the design of it.,: It was to lead them the way in which they should go. It was their constant and perpetual guide, both by day and night.

And, thirdly. I will consider the continuance of it, all the time they were on their journies through the wilderness of Arabia, until they came to Canaan. " He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before, the people."

May the Holy Ghost shine upon my mind, and help me to say on this subject, what is most truly agreeable with the written word ; and may he assist me to open and explain this scripture, as may be for his glory, and your soul's benefit. Having given you the heads of my discourse, I begin it thus.

First. I will shew what we are to conceive concerning this cloud, and its appearance, and of the Lord's going before the people in it. It was a most wonderful phenomenon, and doubtless a variety of sacred truths were expressed by it. " The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and in a pillar of fire by night." As it respects this cloud, and its appearance, it was wholly miraculous, and produced by the almighty power of God, to answer those ends and purposes designed by him, for his own glory, and his people's good. This preternatural column of fire and cloud, was miraculously supported in its respective conditions: it was a pillar of cloud with fire burning in it, the former of which would and did appear by day, the latter by night. The divine appearances: under the old testament, were generally in fire, light, or glory, surrounded with a cloud ; the angel Jehovah appeared in a flame of fire to Moses, at the bush in Horeb. He now appears, and goes before this people in a supernatural cloud, in which was the visible appearance of fire, light, and splendour, which spewed him to be peculiarly present with them. This cloud, here called a pillar, was not an erect, solid body, at some distance before the Israelites, but it was all around them : it was before them, and behind them, and on each side of them, and it was also over them, see Numb. xiv. 14. It attended the camp of Israel; it rested with them, and moved on before them ; it directed and conducted them in all their journies; in the night season it was a bright shining light; in the day-time it afforded a grateful cooling shade from the burning heat off the sultry deserts. Thus the Lord, to use the psalmist's words, `1 spread out a cloud to be a covering, and fire to give light in the night."

In this supernatural cloud, Jehovah, the Saviour, went before the people; out of it he spake; and at times his glory appeared in it. By it he.' guided his people in all their march through the, deserts of Arabia; was their protector by day and night; and was seen and known amongst them by this visible symbol of his presence, which was their defense, guide, ornament, and glory: thus the Israelites had a visible symbol of Christ's presence with them, of his being in the midst of them, and of his being their guardian and protector. Thus the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and in a pillar of fire by night. It was most surely a convincing proof that he had brought them out of Egypt, and would assuredly lead them safely to the promised inheritance.

We will now observe the uses of it. By it the people of Israel had all the evidence they could have, that the Lord would guide them continually. And we may learn from it to consider the promise made to the church and people of God. "And the Lord shall guide thee continually," Isa. lviii. 11. That ever blessed Jesus, who carne down from heaven, and became incarnate, that by his obedience, blood, and death, he might redeem his people out of the hands of all their spiritual enemies, will not leave nor forsake them in their present journey through life, and whilst they are on their march to their heavenly habitation, but will be their guide, protector, and defense. This God Jesus " will be our God for ever and ever; lie will be our guide, even unto death," Psalm xlviii. 14.

As by this preternatural cloud, the Israelites were screened from the scorching penetrating rays of the sun, and though they walked in trackless paths, and on hot burning sands, yet they Were never without their guide, and so screened from the penetrating rays of the solar light and fire, that their raiment waxed not old upon them,, neither did their feet swell for forty years: so the Lord's people shall have him to be unto theta, a sure and faithful guide: let their way be ever' so difficult, let their enemies be ever so many, they will find him " to be as an biding-place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." They have Christ's promise, that " He will create upon mount Zion, yea, upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night ; for upon all. the glory shall be a defense." Which is a manifest allusion to this cloud we have been treating of: and this word of promise assures us o God's presence with his people, and church assemblies, as he was visibly with his church in the wilderness, by the pillar of cloud, and of fire; so he will be with his church spiritually to the en of the world.

This preternatural column of cloud and fire, when spread out, must have been very large an extensive, so as to cover the whole Israelites camp, which was, according to some Jewish writers, twelve miles long, and twelve mile broad ; so the grace, protection, and providen of Christ, extends to his whole church, and ever individual believer. As it rested with them moved on before them, guided and directed them in all their journeys, so the Lord Jesus is the same in all spiritual acting's towards his church and people. His promise to them is, °C The Lord shall go before you, and the God of Israel shall be your reward," Isa. Iii. 12. As the people of God were guided through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions, and drought, and this cloud was seen by the enemies of Israel; and it was noticed that they came up out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke. So that Jesus is with his church, maintains his cause, and preserves his spiritual Israel, and spreads a table for them in, the wilderness, by the continuance of his ordinances unto them, is so visible, that his very enemies may see and be afraid of the Lord our God, and fear because of him.

The Israelites are said to be baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, because Moses went before the Israelites into the sea, and they followed after, and passed through on dry ground. As they passed through the Red Sea, they had the waters on each side of them, which stood up as a wall, higher than they, and the cloud was over them. Out of this cloud the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron, and delivered his mind and will unto them, as lie afterwards did, when in the same cloud lie took up his residence between the cherubim in the holy of holies: hence the psalmist says, " He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar," Psalm xcix. 7. As the uses of this supernatural exhibition of cloud and fire, was for guidance and protection, ornament and glory, direction and comfort to the Israelites ; so it might serve to denote, that Jeho vab the Savior, who dwelt in this cloud, who now:: veiled himself thus in a symbolical manner, would' one day become incarnate, and unveil his personal, mediatorial, relative, and manifestative . glory in his incarnate state, and by his complete and everlasting finished salvation to his church and people. The Lord's going "before them by', day in the pillar of a cloud, to lead them the'' way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give then light, to go by (lay and night;" shews his continual care and providence which he exercises over his church and people. And this brings me,

Secondly. To spew thee design of it. Hereby the Lord led them the way in which they should go: the pillar of cloud and fire, was their constant and perpetual guide both by day and night.

This was, and may to us be looked upon as very expressive of Christ's love and continual presence with his church and people, all the while they sojourn here below: let their spiritual or temporal cases be what they may, lie, by his word and Spirit, guides and protects them ; he enlightens them when they sit in darkness, he mitigates their miseries, he comforts them in their various distresses, he leads them out of darkness and shadow of death, and looses their bonds. The love of Jesus in every view we can possibly take of it, is wonderful; as we survey the outgoings of his heart towards his church and people, it is infinite! If we take a view of it as realized in his incarnation, life, sorrows, agony, bloody sweat, cross, and passion, it is love which passeth knowledge: so it is also as we take a believing view of it, in the gracious manifestations of it to the souls of his people: and as he exercises it towards them at all times, in all cases, under all circumstances, at all seasons, as the matter may require. We are too apt to confine our minds to partial surveys of Christ's love; we too commonly fix it to that great evidence which he gave of it, his laying down his life for us, or to that vast display of it, his shining on us and within us at our new birth and creation in him, when he produced a new creation in our souls, and brought us into marvelous light: whereas the love of Christ is displayed towards us, in us, upon us, and concerning us, all through life. The Israelites were brought out of Egypt, no more to return thither; but they needed the same Jesus to conduct and guide them, as to deliver them, so do we: he was with them for this purpose, so he is with us: he was with them in the way in which they should go, so he is with us: they were as safe by night as by day, because he was their guide; so we are as safe and secure in the night of affliction, desertion, darkness, and temptation, as in the day of spiritual prosperity and joy. The preternatural cloud was their defense, their constant and perpetual security both by day and night; so is the Lord Jesus to all his beloved ones; be they weak or strong, they are alike his care. Thus as the psalmist says, " In the day time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire, Psalm lxxviii. 14. Its cooling, refreshing influences by day, may serve to remind us, how Christ is pleased to quicken and gladden our souls, to refresh and revive our hearts with the dews of his grace, with the divine influences of his Holy Spirit, and with the light of his presence, which is better than life. How he abates the rage of persecution, restrains the malice of Satan, gives his church and people seasons of refreshing, and" leads them on, so that lie is ever near unto them, according to his true and faithful promise, in which he says, " I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." Isa. xxvii. 2. The Lord's guiding his people by night with a light of fire, may lead us to consider how he suits himself to the circumstances of his church : he is their perpetual guardian, as truly with them in trouble as when they are on the mount with him; he gives them light in the dark night of soul sorrow and distress; yea, to the godly there ariseth light in the darkness. The darkness of error, the dark ness of sorrow, the darkness of death, our Lord dispels with the light of truth, the light of comfort, and the light of life. Though the Lord was with his people all through their walking in the wilderness, yet they were prone to complain and murmur; a most awful instance of the same evil propensity each of us have and feel in our own fallen nature. There was no reason why Israel should, neither is there for our being like them in this particular: while the Israelites were continued in the wilderness, the Lord wrought and continued five standing miracles; the first of which was the continuance of this miraculous cloud ; the second was the giving them manna daily; the third was water flowing from the smitten rock which followed them, and was not stopped for near forty years, and then another rock was opened for them ; the fourth was, their clothes did not wax old;. the fifth was, that though they went continually on hot burning sand, yet their feet (lid not swell; yea, though their journey was for forty years, yet-the Lord put forth his power, and wrought this miracle; and we may see herein that Christ's presence with his church is perpetual; he says, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." He will be unto them the antitypical manna, the bread of God, the bread of life, the living bread: lie will be the living, the smitten rock, out of whose fulness the river of the water of life shall flow into their souls ; he will be their everlasting righteousness, their robe and garment of salvation; lie will keep the feet of his saints, and in him they shall have everlasting strength, so that when they are brought to the end of their journey, they shall have good reason for singing, and saying, to Jehovah Jesus, who led his people through the wilderness, be praise and glory ascribed continually, for his mercy endureth for ever. Hallelujah, praise ye Jah Jesus.

As I have set before you the design of the Lord's going before the people in the pillar of a cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, to go by day and night, I proceed to my last head, and will,

Thirdly, Consider the continuance of it all the time they were on their journies through the wilderness of Arabia, until they came to Canaan. " He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

Thus there was a continual evidence given of the Lord's care and mindfulness of them. If they journeyed, it was at the command of the Lord; if they rested, it was likewise at his commandment; when they went forward, the Lord went before them ; when they remained in their camps, he was unto them all they called upon him for. They were continually going out of one wilderness into another; a book of their journies was written by Moses, the man of God. Yet, let their frames, temptations, difficulties, murmurings, be what they might, the Lord still continued to be their faithful guide and protector. We may learn from hence, the perpetuity of the Lord's grace and mercy to his church and people; as he loved them from everlasting out of his own heart, and because it was the good pleasure of his will so to do, and manifested his love in dying for them when they were sinners and ungodly, and sent his Holy Spirit to quicken them with new, spiritual, and supernatural life, when they were dead in trespasses and sins; so he is pleased, in the whole economy of his grace towards then, to be "the Lord God, merciful and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin." He himself will be the protector and guide of his chosen ones ; and having engaged in this office, he will not drop it. His mercies will out live his people's murmurings, his patience their rebellions; having gone before them on bringing them out of the house of bondage, he will proceed to march as their head and guide, their Savior and protector, all through the journey with them. A greater proof he could not give them of his love, mercy, pity, and compassion to his beloved and redeemed ones; He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." He continued it as a standing memorial of his presence with them, and his care of them; under the shadow of it they were secure, and might in faith behold the Lord of Hosts as a wall of fire round about them, and their glory in their midst; they had continually proofs before them, that Christ was self-existent and all-sufficient; they were under the shadow of the Almighty, so that they needed not to be afraid ' of any terror or enemy either by day or night if they slept, it was under the protection of this cloud, in perfect peace; if they were called to journey in the night, the presence, light, and fire of this cloud was sufficient to animate them : if they were at a fixed station, they had the symbol of the Lord's presence over them, in the midst of them, and all round them, and they could have no cause to fear any evil, any enemy, but sin. Just so it is with the real church and people of the Most High God; they have the Lord for their shield, he is ever near them, ever with them, his eye and his heart is perpetually upon them, they are under his immediate shadow and protection, he is their refuge and fortress against the secret and open attacks of his enemies and their's, he is their preserver from the snares of the devil,. from the evil of sin, from its universal contagion, and from all dangers, whether spiritual or corporeal.

The cloud rested on the tabernacle, when it was erected, and over that part of it called the holiest of all. And as the raising it up above, higher, and more visible into the region of the air, was the signal for removing; so when it was thus, as all their motions were directed hereby, when the ark, a type of Christ, the Holy One of God, the Holy One of Israel, set forward, Moses prayed, and said, " Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee.'' This was praying for God's aid in their war heaven-wards. The Lord was leading them against the wicked nations, whose place they were to fill ; and when it rested, he said, " Return, 0 Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel."

Thus Jehovah, the angel, who appeared unto Moses in the bush, and now displayed his presence in the midst of his people, commanded and led his people through the wilderness. And it is he that directs and leads his people the way in which they should go; Moses sanctified their journies and their rests by prayer. He gives an account of forty-two of their journies in the 33d chapter of Numbers. Mr. Romaine's note on it is truly excellent, " Their vicissitudes of sins, afflictions, and troubles, were more in number.

How evidently doth this part of their history declare that God's people have no resting-place here, and that through much tribulation they are to enter the kingdom of heaven."

It seems to be in reference to this symbolical cloud that Christ is represented to Daniel in a visionary way, as coming with clouds, Dan. vii. 13. And also in the 10th of the Revelations, be appeareth to John " Clothed with a cloud, and a a rainbow was upon his head; and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as a pillars of fire." Which, doubtless, refers to his majestic appearance in his presence to his people, when he went before them in a cloud by day, descended on it on Mount Sinai, and dwelt in one between the cherubims in the tabernacle and temple, and was overshadowed with one on the mount of transfiguration. And if his whole church was covered with a cloud, the shining forth of his face would be sufficient to dispel it instantly. The cloud in which Jehovah the Savior dwelt, out of which he spake, and by which he led his people through the wilderness, continued until the death of Moses, and their being on the immediate entrance into Canaan; an act of grace, for which Nehemiah celebrates the Lord's praise, saying, "Thou, in thy manifold mercies, forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go." Nehemiah ix. 19. Our divine Jesus will likewise be our guide, protector, glory, and defense. He will lead us and guide us, for his name sake. The pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, shall not, in its spiritual significancy, be removed from us. He will give and continue to his church and people as real evidence of his love and presence unto them, and with them, as he can give them this side heaven. The Lord bless his truth. Amen.