lemn and impressive language: "I am Jehovah : I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty; but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them." They did not understand the full import and affecting significancy of this appellation. Denoting, as it does, the eternal existence of God, in connection with his unchangeable truth and omnipotence, it leads the mind to consider his ability and faithfulness in giving being to his promises by their actual and complete fulfilment. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had received these promises, and believed in them, but had not witnessed their accomplishment. Now, the time had come, when God was to be more fully known, and his character more strikingly developed, by the august name JEHOVAH, in the carrying into effect, in the giving existence to, what he had before engaged to perform.

"I am Jehovah: I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from un

der the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am Jehovah.”

This solemn pledge on the part of the Almighty to deliver the Israelites from their cruel bondage, inspired Moses with new hopes and resolution of soul. He hastened to his countrymen, that he might infuse into their drooping spirits the reviving confidence which had raised his own. He made known

to them the divine message. "But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage." To the degradation and ignorance into which they had been reduced, and the sad despondency of their souls under the accumulated oppression of Pharaoh and his people, was added a criminal want of faith in the character and promises of God. After all that had been done both for them and their ancestors, and the late attestations which Moses had afforded, by the miracles which he wrought, of the intended and speedy interposition of the Almighty in their behalf, it was

inexcusable in them thus to disregard and distrust his repeated and highly encouraging message.

In conferring the great favors which he did upon such a people, and in selecting them from all the rest of mankind, as a peculiar nation, to be under his special care; to preserve the only true religion and worship; and to prepare the way for the coming of the Saviour from among them; God had several important ends in view. He would show, in doing this, the faithfulness with which he kept the promises that he had made to their pious ancestors. He would make illustrious the wonderful interpositions of his providence in their behalf, which were the more remarkable and striking when compared with the ignorance, degradation, and desponding helplessness that rendered them so incapable of effecting their own deliverance. He would manifest the sovereignty of his grace in thus saving a stupid, refractory, and unbelieving people; display his abundant mercy; and show that he can rescue those who have no claim upon his favor or forbearance.

Ah! who is there that has any claim upon his favor or forbearance? Who is there that has not treated his message with disregard and unbelief? Who is there that does not need to be the object of his mere sovereign grace, as much as did the Israelites of old?

How is it with you, my young friend, in this respect? God has given a message to you. It is the

message of redeeming love. He tells you that he desires to deliver you from a worse than Egyptian bondage, from the degradation and ruin of sin. He makes known to you the way of escape, and the means that you must use for your rescue. Every thing on his part is ready; and he offers you the aid of his own omnipotence to work in you, and with you, while you are striving to attain this important end.

He sends this message to you by his Son, his only and well-beloved Son, the very Saviour who died to redeem all who come unto God through him. He has delivered to you this message. He waits to see how you will receive it. He would persuade, he would entreat you by his own sorrows and sufferings in your behalf,--by his sighs, and tears, and groans; by his agony in the garden, and by his bloody sacrifice on the cross, to receive this message in faith and love. Have you thus received it?

CHAPTER XIII.

Moses and Aaron appear before Pharaoh. Aaron's rod becomes a serpent. What the magicians did, and the various opinions on the subject.

Moses was again commanded by God, to appear before Pharaoh, and require of him to let the children of Israel go; and again he seems to shrink from what appears to him a hopeless service. This was probably owing to the discouragement which he felt from the reception that he had just received from his countrymen. Behold," says he, "the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me, and how then shall Pharaoh hear me," who have no eloquence of speech? He had made not the least impression on those who, from every circumstance of their condition, from the relation in which he stood to them, and from the abundant evidence with which they had been furnished of his divine mission, he expected, would receive his message with believing and joyful hearts. What hope, then, could he have of influencing the haughty monarch of Egypt; especially as he was destitute of a ready command of language, and the power of a persuasive eloquence.

The divine injunction, however, is upon him to go; and is repeated with peculiar emphasis. He