A Body of Practical Divinity

2. God mentions Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt, because of the greatness of the Deliverance. God delivered Israel from the Pollutions of Egypt; Egypt was a bad Air to live in, it was infected with Idolatry. The Egyptians were gross Idolaters, they were guilty of that which the Apostle speaks of, Rom. 1.23. They changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible Man, and to Birds and Four-Footed Beasts, and Creeping Things. The Egyptians Worshipped instead of the true God, First, A Corruptible Man, they Deified their King Apis, forbidding all under pain of Death to say that he was a Man. Secondly, They were Worshippers of Birds; they worshipped the Hawk. Thirdly, They were Worshippers of Beasts; they worshipped an Ox: Thus they made the Image of a Beast to be their God. Fourthly, They were Worshippers of Creeping Things, they worshipped the Crocodile, and the Indian Mouse. Therefore God mentions this as a memorable and signal favour to Israel, that he brought them out of such an Idolatrous Country; I brought you out of the Land of Egypt.

The thing I would note is this, That it is no small Blessing to be delivered from Places of Idolatry. God speaks of it no less than Ten times in the Old Testament, I brought you out of the Land of Egypt; an Idolatrous Place. Had there been no Iron Furnace in Egypt, yet there being so many Altars there, and False Gods, it was a great Privilege to Israel to be delivered out of Egypt. Joshua reckons it among the chief and most memorable Mercies of God to Abraham, that he brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, where Abraham's Ancestors served strange Gods, Josh. 24.2, 3. 'Tis well for the Plant that is set in a bad Soil, to be transplanted into a ⟨p. 258⟩better, where it may grow and flourish. So when any are planted among Idolaters, 'Tis a Mercy when they are removed and transplanted into Sihon, where are the Silver Drops of Gods Word to make them grow in Holiness.