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For the inhabitants of

Canam vere likewile practied in war, and had buries and chariots like the Egyptians. Fal the warile people was not taken by Surpre, but had fufficient rutier of the im and a doubt, took every me-So I Can Fove to defeat it,

Fr what means, then, was this extraorder Saveace of the Kraelites from thit honings in Egypt, and their fettlement in the rod of Canaan, effected? Nola, azok account was written at the tra, and with all the minuteness, andother marks of authenticity, of any modern Sournal, informs us, that it was in confeqcence of a series of miraculous interpolitions; and his account was received as genuine and unquestionable by thofe who were the best judges of its truth, viz. thote among whom it was written ; and it continues to be believed by them to this day, though they were frequently indifpofed to the religious inftitutions which were enjoined them in confequence of this very deliverance.

The fubftance of the account given by
Mofes

go

Mofes is as follows. While he was in Arabia, where he had refided forty years, following his occupation of a shepherd, the appearance of a flame of fire in a bush, which was not confumed by it, attracted his attention. On his approach to it, an audible voice iffued out of it, from a perfon who announced himself to be the God of his fathers, who had feen the affliction of his people, and commiffioned him to and deliver them. When he hesitated, and fhewed the most extreme backwardnefs to undertake the commiffion, and faid that his nation would not believe that God had fent him, he was ordered to throw down the staff that was in his hand, when it inftantly became a ferpent, and then to take it up, when it became a staff again in his hand. He was likewife directed to ftretch forth his hand, when it became leprous, and to pull it to him again, when it was restored found as before.

These extraordinary appearances convinced him that the Being by whom he was addreffed was, indeed, the God of his fathers, to whom fimilar inftances of power

had

to go

had been afcribed. He, therefore, though with extreme reluctance, went to the heads of his nation, and, as he had been ordered, exhibited the fame miracles before them, who were thereby convinced that God had fent him. He then went to Pharaoh, and openly demanded leave for his countrymen into the wildernefs, in order to make a facrifice to their own God; and after repeated miracles, to convince him of the authority with which he made the demand, fome of which confifted of the moft awful judgments upon him and his nation, Pharaoh's confent was obtained. But repenting of his compliance, he purfued them, and following them through the red fea, which had divided to make way for them, he and his army perished. After this, according to the account of Mofes, the Ifraelites entered the wilderness, where they were fed by a miracle forty years. We are also informed, that, after their leaving Egypt, God, in an audible voice, delivered to them the ten commandments from Mount Sinai, as the foundation of a new inftitution of religion, the particulars of

which were communicated to Mofes him

felf.

Let us now confider how this remarkable story is circumftanced with respect to its credibility, both in the age of Mofes himself, and at this distance of time; who were the witneffes of thefe events, what motives they had to examine into their truth, and what effects they produced in their conduct.

It is evident, that neither the Ifraelites, nor the Egyptians, were at all predisposed to expect fuch events as are recorded. The Ifraelites feem to have given themselves up to defpair, and to have acquiefced in their abject condition. Mofes had fled, and seems to have had no thought of ever returning to Egypt; and the Egyptians were far from having any apprehenfions of lofing fuch an useful set of servants as the Ifraelites were; fo that there does not appear to have been any fufficient natural cause of exciting the hopes of the one, or the fears

of the other.

They who fuppofe that the Ifraelites were emancipated by natural means con

6

fider

fider Mofes as a bold and able politician. But he does not appear, in the whole hiftory, to have fhewn either much courage, or much fagacity. He had nothing in him of an enterprising nature, and never had that confidence in himself which was ne→ ceffary for fo great an undertaking. Of this every part of his hiftory, which is wonderfully confiftent with itself, is a proof.

Had Mofes been of an enterprising difpofition, it would, no doubt, have appeared earlier, and would not have lain dormant till he was eighty years old, when he had refided fo long in a foreign country as to be in a manner unknown to his countrymen, and not likely to have much influence with them. His having been educated in the court of Pharaoh, if it was not forgotten, would lead the Egyptians to watch him with the greatest care, fo as to give him the fewest opportunities of exciting any revolt among his countrymen.

Had he had any fcheme of this kind, he would, no doubt, have concealed himself among his countrymen, and would not

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