attendant blessings, by being circumcised, and thus recognizing the God of Israel, and their obligations to him.

In addition to the passover, for seven days they were to observe the feast of unleavened bread, during which time no leaven was to be found in their houses, nor used in any of their articles of food. And this, also, was to be kept as a religious ceremony, through succeeding generations. It appears, however, that they did not observe it till af ter their departure out of Egypt.

Moses, having given these directions respecting the celebration of the passover to all the elders of Israel, whom he assembled for the purpose, added another injunction, which shows how deep an interest God takes in the religious education of children, and how desirous he is, that they should early be brought to love and obey him. "And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you,

What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses."

On hearing these divine commands from the lips of Moses, all who were assembled bowed their

heads, in reverential token of obedience, and worshipped the God of their fathers.

The assembly then broke up. The elders made known what Moses had enjoined upon them, to the people at large, and all were engaged in preparation for the passover, and the wonderful scenes that were to accompany it.'

At length, every thing was ready. The lamb was slain, and his blood marked the houses of the Israelites. It was prepared to be eaten. The fathers of families assembled the household; and, as an act of devout, religious worship, all partook of the passover, in haste, and ready for the deliverance which was at hand. Remaining carefully within their dwellings, they waited, in anxious suspense, the fulfilment of the divine prediction. What an awe must have pervaded their minds! What a moment, on the one hand, for the exercise of a full and assured confidence in the promise and protection of God, and, on the other, of breathless solicitude and wonder, in expectation of the overwhelming calamity which the approach of the destroying angel was to produce among the Egyptians.

Midnight arrived. The work of vengeance began. Every where, the first-born died suddenly and fearfully. Not one escaped, "from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle." The monarch, and

his people, rose up in dismay and consternation. Every place resounded with the cry of anguish ; "for there was not a house where there was not one dead." Now they began to understand and to feel the terrors of the Lord. They knew not what greater and more awful judgments might be near, and of which the one that they were suffering was only the presage. No time was to be lost. But one way of averting the heavier vengeance of Jehovah remained. It was immediately to grant the request of Moses, in behalf of his countrymen. A message was despatched to him from Pharaoh, while it was yet night. The royal mandate was full and explicit. "Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve Jehovah, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also;"—intercede with the God whom you serve, and procure for me his favor, especially in the removal of his judgments from me and my people."

The Egyptians united with their monarch, in pressing upon the Israelites their immediate departure. For they said, we be all dead men," if they remain.

Nor did Moses and his countrymen delay. The manner of their going had already been made known to them. They understood that it would be in great haste. There was no time to make any systematic

preparation. "The people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes, upon their shoulders."

They did not forget, however, to ask or demand, of the Egyptians, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, which were readily given to them; and, in this way, they carried off a great amount of valuable articles,-a rich spoil, though vastly less than what was in justice due to them.

Four hundred and thirty years had now elapsed, since the time when God promised the land of Canaan to the patriarch Abraham, and he went down to sojourn there. And this seems to be the only consistent interpretation of the passage," the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years;" taking, as a part of this, the sojourning of Abraham there, and including him and Isaac, and their families, in the expression "children of Israel," which is here, as elsewhere, used as a general term for the whole nation, embracing their ancestors, as well as those who were then living.

The promise of God to the head of the Israelitish nation, made more than four centuries before, was thus exactly fulfilled. That nation, said he, (when, at that time, he entered into covenant with Abraham,) whom thy seed shall serve, will I judge; and afterwards shall they come out with great substance. God will always fulfil his promises. He has

made exceeding great and precious ones to the spiritual seed of the father of the faithful. They shall come out from much tribulation; from the cares and trials, the sorrows and sins of this world, into the heavenly Canaan. If they do not bring away great substance with them, in earthly treasures, they shall have, what is of infinitely more value, a sure title to that inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away,-to endless communion with God, and the Saviour, and the spirits of the just made perfect,-to an eternal progress in knowledge, in holiness, and in happiness, of which it has not entered into the heart of man to form any adequate conception. Are you, my young friend, one of the spiritual seed of Abraham? Have you a title to this glorious inheritance?

CHAPTER XXI.

Assembling of the Israelites at Rameses. First day's march to Succoth. Etham. The pillar of a cloud and of fire.

When the Israelites left Egypt, we are told, that there were among them, six hundred thousand men on foot, besides a mixed multitude, composed proba