sea, the Israelites should have been prone to unbelief, and should have manifested such repeated discontent, when under the conduct of their leader Moses. Had they nothing beyond human power to induce their belief in the God, who was leading them from the horrible slavery which they had endured under the cruel taskmasters of Egypt, we might not be excited to great surprise. But when we read that their leader, empowered by God, performed in their presence such "signs and wonders," as only could have proceeded from a Divine hand, we almost become lost in astonishment, more particularly when we consider the labours and hardships, from which their God and the ministration of their great legislator had liberated them. For men while labouring under difficulties and danger, generally speaking, catch at any thing like hope, at any thing which is likely to tend towards a relief from their present sufferings.

The numerous miracles, which Moses performed, had at first but little effect upon the heart of Pharaoh, and even at

last, when the conviction forced itself into his mind, that the power of Moses was directed by the hand of God, how slowly did he yield! how reluctantly did he suffer those, whom he had treated as slaves, to depart from his land! And even when his consent had, as it were, been forced from him, how soon afterwards did he pursue the Israelites to the very waters! but how soon were "the horse and the rider thrown into the sea!" How soon did the waters, which parted for the Israelites, gurgle over the bodies of the subjects of Egypt's king, and how soon was he left to perish for the hardness of his heart! The people of God had this, as well as former miracles before them; they had "a pillar of cloud" by day, and "a pillar of fire" by night to direct their journey; they were fed in the wilderness by manna; even from the rude rock, when struck by their leader, gushed out that pure and liquid stream, which quenched their thirst and produced that reviving freshness to the body, by which they were enabled to follow their course. Yes! and when their enemies in hostile array placed

their warlike barriers against these favoured people, though, they themselves in comparison were a mere handful of men, they scattered and put to rout those, who stood forward to oppose their progress '. And when they advanced towards the walls of Jericho, to all outward appearance impregnable, at the trumpet of the journeying Israelites these crumbled into dust, and left the city bare for them to enter amid the astonished inhabitants. And these are only a few out of the many miracles which God performed before the faces of these murmuring and incredulous people.

But let us examine the resemblance of the Israelites of old to the Christians now, for we consider them to be typical of ourselves. It requires not much observation to show this: they were typical in having the direction of God-in their wanderings

1

The Eastern writers say that the Amalekites were of the same stock as the Egyptians, and were descended from one Amlak of the race of Ham; therefore, that they opposed the Israelites to avenge the deaths of their kindred in the Red Sea. The legend is very probable, and tends to explain the motive of their attack.

-in their difficulties-in having enemies and in fighting their way to a promised land. The Christians also are under the immediate protection of God: they have to wander through a dry and rugged path -they have to contend against enemies, and they have a promised land in view. But be they typical or not, there is a strong resemblance between the condition of the Israelites and the Christians. The Israelites lived under a law, which was the shadow of that under which we live. They had for their · leader Moses; we have for our leader Christ. They had to look forward to a promised land, Canaan; we to a promised land, heaven! It is beautiful to notice, how the great characters of the Old Testament were remarkable types of our Saviour; and although these may be overstrained by some, still by keeping close to Scripture, we cannot so egregiously err, as to cause our observations to be considered the result of an overwrought imagination. grant, when the mind is worked up into raptures, at beholding the beauties of Scripture, and the eye almost dimmed in

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reading the glories and the wonders of inspiration, that it requires care and the assistance of the Almighty, to keep it from wandering too far among the "hidden things of God," and from expressing its delight in colours too vivid, or with an imagination heated by a too ardent and excited feeling. But still in simple facts we connot be mistaken, particularly when these facts are strongly supported by the written word of God. Thus, "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." law was our schoolmaster, to bring us to Christ." We cite from the many these simple texts to show not only the truth of our observations, but the fallacy of those statements, which would contradict them. But our discourse is not upon typical knowledge, although it is remarkable, how such observations, and such knowledge will lead the studious Christian almost imperceptibly to admiration and consequently to research and conviction; for the more he knows, the more will he desire to know; not through the excitement of some extra