he was brought up in connexion with his own people, and thus became acquainted with all the literature and theology of the Hebrews. But,

2nd. Moses, received his information from the most credible and uncorrupted sources! As it regards the four last books they contain his own history, and there is a nation, still in existence, ready to stand up and bear witness to the facts which he records. The only doubt that can arise, must refer to the truth of his history of the first ages! Let us examine the case for a moment. Up to the dispersion there was but one people and one language. After this there was but one family that could speak the original tongue, but, as they were not allowed to marry with others, they remained a distinct people till the time of Moses! The hands through which the history of the first ages past, were comparitively few. Adam lived two hundred and forty three years with Methusela; Methusela, lived six hundred years with Noah; Noah, lived four hundred and forty eight years with Shem; Shem lived one hundred and fifty years with Abraham and fifty years with Isaac. Abraham instituted circumcision, by which, the history, rites, and religion, of the people were preserved up to the time of Moses. Can anything be

more clear or satisfactory than this? Was it possible for this author to misrepresent anything in the presence of the people whose history he was writing? Besides, what motive could he have had for corrupting the truth? Did he conciliate the people by flattery? We say, emphatically, he did not! Did he wish to raise himself to destinction? This is improbable, for he had voluntarily relinquished "the treasures of Egypt." Did he clothe his family with political power, or bequeath to his posterity offices of dignity and emolument? He did neither: he left them in a low condition!

3rd. We now advance a step higher and maintain, that Moses was Divinely appointed to reveal the will of God to man!

It has long been a favourite opinion with the unbeliever, that reason is quite sufficient to direct the conduct of man, and that revelation is wholly unnecessary. We would just remind him, that reason, like the eye, is only the recipient of light and is no more to be trusted, in matters of religion and morality, than the eye of the traveller in the darkness of midnight. Surely he would not infer, that, because the northern star is sufficient for the purposes of commerce, it is

† See Chronology of Lightfoot, vol. 1.

therefore sufficient for all purposes, and that the sun is altogether unnecessary! For with all the illuminating and directive powers which that star is known to possess, when would it ripen the crops of the husbandman? We bring in Revelation as the tutor and governor of reason! We are not, however, bound to believe any man who pretends to have a commission from God to reveal his will. The pretensions of Moses were great! He declared that he was sent to deliver a nation from oppression, to give them laws from God, and to conduct them to another and distant country! Then we enquire

Did God send him! He says he did; "I will send thee," said Jehovah, "unto Pharaoh that thou mayest bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt.” "But," said Moses, " they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice: for they will say, the Lord hath not appeared unto thee." God showed him, by turning his rod into a serpent, that he would establish his commission by miraculous interposition. On entering Egypt, his first business was to convince his countrymen that he was acting under Divine authority. Having succeeded in this, he next demanded the freedom of the people in the name of God. Pharaoh met this demand with an emphatic negative; "I

know not Jehovah," said he, "neither will I let Israel

go." The plagues succeeded which it is unnecessary for me to enumerate. I am aware that some of those miracles were imitated by the Magicians, but observe, first, The imitations were enchantments: second,— Moses foretold his miracles, and they occurred at the time predicted third,-Their effects fell exclusively upon the Egyptians: fourth,-They issued in a universal conviction, that they were neither ordinary nor accidental occurrences, but in reality, "the finger of God!" The Magicians themselves were compelled to admit this! The Passover, instituted to commemorate the exemption of God's people from those calamities, has been observed by the same people from that day to this!

On the fifteenth day of the month Nison, or Abib, (the seventh month of the civil year, and the first month of the sacred year, answering to our March,) while the Egyptians were burying their first-born, Moses and Israel left Egypt. The subjoined Diagram represents the Israelites marching into Kiroth, on the shore of the red sea,

on the seventeenth. There were six hundred thousand

66

footmen, besides women and children.

multitude, and flocks and herds,

And a mixed even very much