76 NUMBERS XII. The Lord fpake unto Mofes fae to face, (Exod. 33. 11.) and agaì se it is faid, And the fimilitude of the LORD f all be behold, (Numbers 12, 8.) as if he fioasld. f y, there is na parable there, but he feeth the thing concerniv_ his Creator, without darks fpeech, without pa- ! rake. He,itisof whom tbe Law tefdifeth, AP P RANTLY, AND NOT IN DARKE SPEECHES, (Numbers l2. 8.) for be pro- phefied not by darks fpeech, but apperantly, for he taw the thing concerning bit Creator. All the Prophets were a- fraid, and troubled, andfainted, but Mofes was not fi ; far the Scripture faith, As a man fpeaketh unto his fiend, (Exodus 33. II.) at if he fhould fay , as a man is not troubled to Beare the words ofhit friend, fo there was frengtfe in the minde of Mofes, to under - fand the words of prophefie , and he flood on his place fafe and well. None of the Prophets prophefied at all times when they would : but Mofes was otberwife , for at any time when he would, the holy Gbof clothed him, and prophefie same upon him ; and he needed not to pre- pare his minde and make himfelfe ready fir it : for he was prepared and ready, ánd fl ood ar the Angels of Mì- niferie, therefore he prophefied at all times, m it is faid, Stand fill, and I will beare what the LO RD will command concerning you, (Numbers 9. 8.) And this God caufed bim to trufi upon, as it is faid, But al for thee, Stand thou here with me, &c. (Deuterono- rnìe 5.31.) whereby thou msyef learn, that all the Prophets, , when prophefie was taken up from them , re- turned to their T ents, which was for things neceffarie to the body of them all, as the ref of the people; therefre they were not feparated frond their wines: but Mofes our mailer returned not to his frf Tent, therefore be was fparated from his wife fir ever; and his minde was fail bound unto God the Steig everlafing, and his' glory was never taken up from upon him., but the skimte of his face fhined, and be was fanliif ed as the Angels. Maimony in Mifn. tom.t. in 'etude batorah, chap.7. feit.i, -6. Now as the Apoftle compareth IChrifl with Mofes , and preferreth him before Mofer, Heb. 3. fo in this gift of prophefie he did excell him : for, the Lord gave him the tongue of the learned, that he knew how to ffeake a word in feafn, Efa. 50,4. and this he learned not by dreames or vifions, nor by Angels, nor by fpeech communi- catedmouth to mouth but cleave feeing of God, (which no man ever did at any time ;) and being in the bofome of the Father, Joh.1.18. and ha- ving ghe Spirit, not by meafure, he teftified what he load feene and heard with his Father, Joh.3. 32,34. and 8.38. and in him all fudnef dwelt, even the fitlnef f the Godhead bodily, ColoE 1.19. and 2.9. will I fpeake] that is , I ufssally f feake : the time to come is nfed to fignifie a continued a &ion. in vii on] or, by fight, or appearance , that is, appa- ranty : the (reeks tranflateth in an appearance, or fight: which word is oppofed (in 2 Cor. 5.7.) to frith, which is of things not feene, Hebr. 11.1. and here the Lord oppofeth it to derby fpeeches, fo it meaneth an apparant or deers revelation. Alen Ezra explaineth it thus; I will fhew him the thing as it it , at theforme of the Tabernacle (Exod. z 5.40.) and net in a darks fpeech, (or riddle) like that (in Leek. 17. 2.) a great Eagle with great wings ,_&c. darksffeecher] or,hiddcn fpeeches,rid,Úes: a derbe ffeecb is called in Hebrew Cbidah,of lharpneffe,be- caufe it required' fharpneffe of wit , both to Propound and expound the fame as we have ex- ample in Samfonr riddle,Judg.14.13,14i &c.and it is of the nature of a parable, as in E2e.17.2,3. Son of man put f rth a riddle,and fpeal aparable to the houfe eflfrael; Agreat Eagle witbgreat wings,longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Le- banon, &e. And all clofe and hidden Doifrine is called a riddle, Pfalm. 49.5. And the holy Choi} tranflateth it in Greeke, fometinie Ainigma, a rid- dle, i Con' 3.1 2. (as the common Greeke section here loath) fometime bidden things, Matth.13.35 from Pfa.78.2. and fo the Chaldee of Iònatban ex- poundeth it here. The Apoftle fheweth the mea- ning of this word,when he faith,Nom wefee thorow aglaf,in a riddle, (that is.darkly) but then (we Lhall fee) face to face , i Corinth. 13. 12. the fmili- tude] or the likenef image, which the Greeke in- terpreteth the glory of the Lord : Sol.larcbi faith This was the fight f (Gods) back - parts, mentioned in Exod. 33.23. And this prerogative AV: had above all Ifrael, which fan' no fimilitude of God, Deut. 4.13,15. and above all Prophets, who faw no vifion of God fo deere as hee did. For cvert Moles himfelfecould not fee theface ofGod,Exo. 33. 2o. 21C2, man bath feene God at any time, John r. 18. neither eanfeet, z Tim. 6. n6. againf my fete vant , againf Moles] a manner of fpeech both ear - neft and elegant like that in Genets 21. 10. with my forme, with Ifaab.; and that in z Sam.7.23. like thy people, like Ifrael. Sol. larchi noteth, He faith not, againf my fervant Mofes ; but, againf my fe vans, againf Mofes ; againf my fervent, though he were nos Mofes; againfMofes, for though be merenat my reervant, it were meet ye fhould flare before brim, hem much more feeing he is my fervant ? According to this the Apoftle fpeaketh in 2 Pet. 2.10. They are no afraid to ffreakezill o (dignities. Verf. 9. be went away] withdrew the ftgne of 9 his glorious prefence , not vouchfafing to hears their anfwer; which was a token of his great. difpleafure. Verfe so. the cloud departed] the cloud f the (o glary of the divine prefence f the Lord, faith Thargum Ionathan. leprous as fnow ] that is, leprous white as fnow ; and this was the forest leprofe, and molt incurable, fee Exod. 4.6. 2 King. 5.27. and they that load this difeafe , were put out of the Lords campe as uncleane, Lev. 13. and there- fore God departed now away , for (as Chazkuni here faith) It if not the way (the earth, that hohne J ouldfay in an uncleane place. This punifhment was very memorable, both for the fuddennelfe and foreneffe of it ; wherefore it is after faid, Remem- ber what Iehovah thy God did unto Mary by the may, af- ter .that ye were come forth out of Egypt, Deut. 24.9. And if God did thus unto fo great a woman for Mods fake, what will he doe to fuch as rebell a- gainll Chrift, who is counted worthy of mete glory than Mofes, Heb. 3.3. For ifthey ereaped not, who re- Mid him that fpake on earth ; much more (ball not wee (efcape).if we surneaway from him that (fpeake fomth) J
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