But you will say the age of such miracles is long since past, and these are antiquated dispensations, now no more in use, nor reasonably to be looked for ; and, therefore, what is this to us ?
I answer — Their passage through the Red Sea may be considered three ways : —
1. Historically.
2. Sacramentally.
3. Applicatively, with respect to the use for which the apostle pro- duceth this instance.
First, Historically, as a notable pattern of providence ; and so it re- presents to us two things —
1. Unspeakable comfort to all believers in the midst of their ex- tremities. God can disentangle and help them out, for he is with them in all their dangers. See how he promises his presence to his people: Isa. xliii. 2, * When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee ; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flames kindle upon thee.' For the waters, Israel is an instance ; both in the Red Sea and in the river of Jordan, God preserved them : for the fire, the three children is an instance; when they were cast into the fiery furnace, they walked in it unsinged and untouched, nothing burned but their bands, Dan. iii. 27. Where God calls his people to be, there he will be with them ; and therefore we must be content to follow God through fire and water. Surely he can secure his people in the greatest dangers and difficulties, and find a way of deliverance for them in the most desperate cases. As David, when Saul was eagerly hunting after him, Saul on this side of the mountain and David on that, yet God brought him off". There is no danger so great but God can deliver out of it; and many times God's deliverance is nearest when our danger is greatest. Only, those that look for such deliverances must be upright, for to such the Lord shows himself strong : 2 Chron. xvi. 9, ' For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect before him.'
2. It speaks terror to the wicked, and such as maliciously pursue the people of God, as the Egyptians did here. They were engaged in an evil design, they had neither command nor promise from God; yea, they went against God's command, for they acted out of malice, pride, cruelty, and desire of revenge, and so justly perished. So that here is a dreadful glass wherein to see the judgments of God against the enemies and pursuers of his people : Prov. xi. 8, ' The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.' Pharaoh
VeR. 29.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XT. 5
would either kill them or drive them into the sea, and there all his chariots were overwhelmed. Daniel was cast into the lions' den, but the lions did not devour him, but devoured his accusers, Dan, vi. 22- 24. That which was a preservation to God's people was the destruc- tion of the Egyptians ; passing through the Red Sea is the means of their safety, but of the others' ruin. Which should check the pride and daring attempts of wicked men, who pursue their evil designs to their own destruction , being blinded with malice and hatred, they neither remember things past, nor consider things present, nor foresee things to come, but are led by a fanatical spirit, which is furious and driving, till it hurries them to their own destruction. Thus, if we consider it historically, it is a notable passage to encourage us to trust in the Lord.
Secondly, Sacramentally. The apostle tells us, 1 Cor. x. 2, ' That they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; ' that is, in the cloud that hid them from the Egyptians, and in their passage through the Eed Sea. This passage had the same signification that baptism hath. How were they baptized in the sea ?
1. They were baptized unto Moses in the sea; that is, Moses' ministry was confirmed by that miracle, and so they were bound to take Moses for their leader and lawgiver ; as the miraculous dispen- sations by Christ assure us that he was sent by God as our lawgiver, whom we should hear and obey.
2. It is called a baptism, because it signified the difference that God puts between his people and their enemies, or the deliverance of his people from the common destruction of mankind was sealed to them by this passing through the sea, for here God shows that he would put a difference between his people and others. For which respect baptism is said to be avTcrvTro^, an answerable figure to the ark of Noah ; so Peter urgeth it, 1 Peter iii. 20, 21, ' While the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.' They that were in the ark were exempted from the deluge. So they that are baptized into Christ, that enter into covenant with God by Christ, they are exempted from the deluge of wrath which overwhelms the rest of the world. So that though we have not extraordinary ways of preservation, as the people of God had of old, yet we have special privileges by Christ which answer to it, and a deliverance of a far better nature.