[2.] The action itself was hid. Though faith overcometh fear, yet we may use lawful means to overcome the danger ; she hid the child. They do ill that needlessly thrust themselves upon danger: unless we ^re especially called to bear witness, wary carriage is required. God counts it faith : faith is far from compliance or obey- ing carnal commands, yet it is cautions and wary. Moses was called to kill the Egyptian, yet he looketh about to see if anybody saw him. Faitli doth not tempt God ; though it rests upon his pro- vidence, yet it useth means. Christ, though he certainly knew his Father's will to save him, yet he withdrew himself from the enraged multitude, Mark xii. 15.
Use 1. Learn hence, that it is no want of faith to avoid danger by lawful means.
2. It is no neglect of trust to use means where we are sure of the event: Acts xxvii. 31, ' Except these abide in the ship you cannot be saved.' Christ never supplied himself by a miracle where ordinary means might be had.
[3.] The duration — ' Three months.'
(1) They hid him three months, and no longer. But why so ? Either because, as some think, at every three months' end they made a stricter search ; or possibly some neighbouring Egyptian had spied out the matter ; or the cries of the child being stronger every day might bewray them. But now their weakness beginneth.
Observe, that God takes notice of their faith as long as it lasted.
It was an act of weakness at three months' end to expose the child ; yet God winketh at that ; and it is said, By faith he is hidden. As often you have it in this chapter, the faith, and not the failings of good people are recorded, — ' By faith Isaac blessed Jacob,' &g. ; ' By faith Kahab the harlot perished not with them that believed not ; ' her faith is mentioned, but not her lie.
Use. It should encourage us to serve God, who will graciously accept of what is good in us, and pardon our failings. Man overlooks all the good ; if there be any evil in an action, we are sure to look upon that. As flies pitch upon the sore place, or as a kite flies to the carrion, pass- ing by the pleasant gardens, so men pitch upon the worst. But it is otherwise with the Lord ; he taketh notice of what is good and sincere. This should not encourage us in our failings but in our duties.
(2.) When the three months were ended, they made careful provi- sion for him. You have the story in Exod. ii. If he had been kept at
VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 423
home, they saw a certain danger ; there was some weakness not to trust God. But she doth not drown him in the river, but maketh an ark of buh-ushes, well prepared, and set his sister to watch him ; and it is likely she chose the place where Thermutis, the king's daughter, was wont to resort. Faith may trip, but it doth not fail totally. It trippeth sometimes ; as Abraham dwelt in Haran for a while ; and Peter cometh to Christ upon the waters, but there he is ready to sink. Mat. xiv. 30 ; Moses smote the rock twice. The Israelites ever and anon were returning to Egypt. Lot said, ' I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil take me, and I die,' Gen. xix. 19. A sin- cere faith may tire a little, and grow weary ; but up it gets again, it doth not wholly fail. Such kind of infirmities are consistent with faith, where there is not a total disobedience.
2. I come now to the considerations on which it was done.
[1.] The external impulsive cause — ' Because they saw he was a proper child,^ aarelov, comely, and fair, Acts vii. 20. At what time Moses was born he was exceeding fair — daTeto<; Oecp, fair to God ; as to all things that did excel in tlieir kind they were wont to add the name of God to them, as the Hill of God, for an exceeding high hill.
But what reason was this ? Moses' beauty, take it in a vulgar consideration, did more stir up aropyr]v, natural affection ; but here in a special sense they saw something divine in him to stir up their faith. Beauty is not always a sure sign of excellency — fronti nulla fides, there is no trust to the brow; but they saw special lineaments of majesty, and of a heroical disposition in his countenance, which, being accom- panied with some secret instinct, moved them to think that God had designed him to some eminent work, probably to the deliverance of his people. Otherwise, beauty is not always a sign of excellency : 1 Sam. xvi. 7, ' Look not upon his countenance, nor the height of his stature, because I have refused him ; for the Lord seetli not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.'
Use 1. God hath means to preserve his children in danger when he hath use for them. Mo.^es' extraordinary beauty did excite and move the natural love of his parents, and gain the heart of Thermutis. Some of God's servants have been preserved for their eminent wit and parts ; others for their skill in rare artifices, when their fellows have been slain round about them, Dan. ii. 24. I observe this to show you the wisdom of providence, and how this is one means of his children's preservation.