. the the world, who never bowed his knee before God his maker; and never knew a gratification beyond pampering his appetite, and amassing wealth. Yet both are men, and equally responsible to God. With great natural genius, Moses enjoyed profound literature: from an obscure situation he rose high in the rank of society: to all these, he added fervent piety; and for all, he was far more indebted to God than to man. Respecting the first forty years of his life nothing is recorded by Moses himself; and we shall not fill up blank by reciting the fables of the Jewish rabbies. But one thing stands on record, by the pen of an apostle, and that is to his everlasting honor: that, "when he was come to years, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer afflic tion with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season: esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Having attained the stature and strength of a man, the first effort of Moses was to break the rod of op pression. Seeing an Egyptian smite an Israelite, one of his brethren, with much barbarity, he slew the of ficer, and buried him in the sand. It should seem, that this action was performed under a divine commission, since Stephen says, "he supposed his brethren would have understood, how that God by his hand would deliver them; but they understood not."-So far from it, that the next day, when two Hebrews strove, and he interposed his friendly offices towards healing the breach, they not only did not accept his mediation, but accused him of the slaughter of the Egyptian. The thing reached the ears of the king; and Moses finding that it was known, and that his life was in danger, fled into the land of Midian, in Arabia Petrea, the metropolis of which was called Petra, not far from Horeb: which was either a mountain near that of Sinai, or Sinai and Horeb were two summits of the same mountain, or Horeb was the common name for the whole ridge of mountains upon which Sinai was situated: so denominated probably from their excessive dryness.* In his banishment he married Zipporah, the daughter of the priest, or prince, of Midian: by whom he had a son, whom he called Gersham, which signifies, “a stranger here," in allusion to his own situation. About this time the king of Egypt died: and his successor, in compliance with customs of the time, was also called Pharaoh: but this change in the government of Egypt, effected no relaxation in the sufferings of Israel. But at length the hand of God was interposed; and the set time for the expiration of their bondage having arrived-God "heard their cries-remembered his covenant-looked upon his people and had respect unto them." While Moses kept the flock of his father-in-law at the foot of Horeb, he saw a bush which burned with fire, and was not consumed: striking emblem of the state of his brethren, who were at that time "persecuted, but not forsaken-cast down, but not destroyed!" Turning aside to examine this phe. nomenon, the voice of God addressed him, and commanded him to draw off his shoes, because the ground on which he stood was holy. Perhaps the custom of persons putting off their shoes when they entered a temple, of which we read, might arise originally from some tradition of this history. *See Anc. Univ. Hist. Vol. ii. b. i. chap. 7. note Q And now opens his awful commission-a commission so novel in its kind, so difficult in its execution, and so important in its consequences, that we cannot wonder at the reluctance which Moses felt and manifested, when commanded to undertake it. But who is able to withstand the counsel of God? His objections are overruled: his difficulties are removed: his brother Aaron is joined with him in the embassy; and the great and awful name, JEHOVAH, is the name by which God sends to the Israelites. This name was afterwards never pronounced by the Jews but once a year, and then by the high priest only, in dismissing the people. Who is not prepared for some great events, when the embassy is not from one prince to another, but from God to man? The commission of Moses opened and closed with miracles. God had said that he would "judge the nation" which should "oppress" the seed of Abraham; and he therefore permitted the heart of the king of Egypt to be hardened. Upon this principle, perhaps, we may account for the circumstance, of his suffering the magicians successfully to imitate some of the miracles of Moses. A question has long been agitated respecting the operations of these men, the power by which they were performed, the agency of demons, and the existence of magical arts. It is a discussion foreign to a simple narration of facts: and would your time allow us to bring forwards the various opinions of those who have written on the subject, we should only weary your attention, and bewilder your imaginations.* 'See note 1. of this Lecture at the end of the volume. It could afford you no pleasure to-night to recount the unequal contest between Pharaoh, and the Deity: to see a worm of the dust, lifting up his hand against God; or to dwell upon the afflictions which he brought upon himself, and upon his people. All nature was armed against this rebel. The water throughout Egypt was turned into blood: and when it recovered its natural color and qualities, it became prolific, and was the source of a new plague, in sending forth swarms of frogs. The very dust of the earth was animated, and was made an instrument of torture. The air was filled with insects. The cattle, and the inhabitants of the land, died, with diseases new and intolerable. The artillery of heaven opened upon this stubborn empire: God "cast forth his ice like morsels;" he "thundered in the heavens," and "the fire ran along the ground." And what the hail and the tempest had spared, the next display of divine power utterly destroyed. An east wind blew a day and a night, and an army of locusts rode upon its rough pinion. Terrible beyond description is the desolation effected by these irresistible invaders in a few hours; and unhappy is the country wherever they alight-for they leave it "a desolate wilderness!" When these fearful enemies were withdrawn, a darkness, prolonged three days and three nights, brooded over this wretched people-a darkness which might be felt! "Not such as this; not such as nature makes; A midnight, nature shudder'd to behold; A midnight new! a dread eclipse (without Young' Night Thoughts: Night IV. 1. 247--250. With inflexible obstinacy the king refused to release the Israelites, and the last blow was now to be struck. Behold then, the families of Egypt retiring to rest, as every family retires-anticipating the pleasures and the duties of the morrow. The young man bounds to his chamber, with a foot unwearied by labor. The only son of the widow, the hope and staff of her age, receives the evening salutation of maternal tenderness, and sinks to repose. The mother who has just entered upon that tender relation, and has just begun to feel its pleasing anxieties, lays her sleeping babe upon her bosom, and smiles upon him, with inexpressible delight. Even the captive in the dungeon is bound in the softer fetters of sleep, and his first born reposes by his side, a voluntary prisoner with his father. Pharaoh yields to a milder dominion, and a more gentle sceptre than his own; and hard by rests his eldest hope. All is silent; and of this multitude who have fallen asleep without apprehension, how many shall never see the morning rise! It is the hour of midnight and in an instant sleep is chased from every eye-a general groan reverberates from the palace to the prison-"there is not an house in which there is not one dead!"-From this terrible plague the family of every Israelite was exempted. A lamb, the type of HIм who was to be slain in the fulness of time, to take away the sin of the world, was crucified; and the blood sprinkled on the lintel and on the two side posts of the door: and over all the houses, upon which the blood was seen, the destroying angel passed, and the inhabitants remained unhurt. Before the morning rose, the Egyptians were urgent with the people to depart, and Pharaoh sent them forth with haste. "And the children of Israel borrowed of the |