she took a sharp stone, and performed herself the operation, concluding with a bitter taunt --- a bloody husband art thou to me. Moses, by his acquiescence, had brought down the necessary interposition of the deity. For how could it be expected that a person should be a promulger of God's law, who had been guilty of a violation in one of the first and most essential articles, and persevered in this neglect ?

Of the Powers with which he was invested.

Moses now resumes his journey, determined to perform the great part which had been allotted him. But some perhaps will, after all, say, "Had he in reality any such part allot"ted? The introduction of the deity may serve to embellish history; but could not

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every thing have been carried on without

any supernatural assistance?" I shall therefore take this opportunity of recurring to the question, with which I set out; and consider this point of consequence---" Whether Moses "had a commission from heaven, or acted merely from his own authority." If we be

? Exodus iv. 25.

lieve the scriptures, there can be no dispute; his appointment must necessarily have been from on high; and he was directed and assisted through the whole by the hand of the Almighty. But since many, as I have intimated, may believe the history in general, and yet not give credence to the extraordinary part, let us see whether the very facts do not prove the superintendence of a superior power. In order to shew this, let us consider whether any person, so circumstanced as Moses, would have formed those schemes which he formed, if he had nothing to influence him but his own private judgment. Whether it would not have been irrational, and mere madness, when he had entertained these views, to proşecute them after the manner in which we find them carried on. For the nature of the operation, as I have before observed, oftentimes shews, that it could not have been conceived, much less brought to perfection, by human sagacity, As the process in many instances was contrary to human reason, the difficulties, with which it was attended, could not be remedied by the wisdom of man. Hence the divine assistance was throughout indispensably necessary; the great work could

never have been compleated, nor even carried on, without it. Yet the difficulties were surmounted, and the great work compleated; we may therefore depend upon the truth of those extraordinary facts recorded, and of the repeated interposition of the deity. This will appear still more manifest as we proceed,

Short Recapitulation.

We see now the shepherd of Horeb, the man slow of speech, arrived upon the confines of Egypt, with a design to free his people, If we set aside all supernatural assistance, he stands single and unsupported, without one requisite towards the completion of his purpose. How can we suppose a person, so circumstanced, capable of carrying on a scheme so arduous in its execution? we must continually bear in mind the time that he had been absent, and his ignorance of every thing which had happened in that interval. We are assured, that he did not know whether his brother Aaron was alive. Hence it is manifest, that, previous to his departure from Midian, he had never sent to try the temper of

his people, nor to know how the prince of the country stood affected towards them. Great revolutions might have happened during the time that he had been away; and those, whom he intended to deliver, might not have stood in need of his assistance. He purposed to lead them to another country, when they might have been contented with that which they enjoyed; or they might already have migrated, and Moses not have been apprised of it. These were circumstances of consequence, of which he should have obtained some intelligence; but he seems not to have had power or opportunity to gain it. His brother was alive, and appears to have resided in the court of Pharaoh. And there must have been among the elders of the people persons who could consult for their brethren, and preserve them, if their deliverance were to be effected by human means. Moses sets out singly to perform what their wisdom and experience jointly could not effect; and this without knowing for certain that he had any friend or ally. Let us however suppose, that his zeal, which had been dormant for so many years, at last induced him to prosecute this scheme, and that, having quitted his place

of ease and retirement, and bidden adieu to his connections of very long standing, he arrived with his staff in his hand like a pilgrim in Egypt. He had here two difficulties to encounter. The first was to get together some hundreds of thousands of people, who were scattered over the face of the country, and then to persuade them to follow him to Canaan. This was a real difficulty, as it could not be easy to collect them, much less to gain their confidence. Some of the tribe of Ephraim had upon a time made an invasion upon the land of Canaan, but were cut off by the natives of Gath, 1 Chron. ch. vii. ver. 21. This could not afford any encouragement to the remaining Israelites to undertake an expedition against the people of that country. The next difficulty was to get access to the prince who reigned; and beg, or demand, the dismission of so many useful subjects. Moses was quite a stranger at the Egyptian court, and not gifted with the powers of persuasion; and at the same time in character no better

than a Midianitish shepherd. What plea could he use, or what art employ, which could in the least favour his purpose? All that he

' Exodus v. 12.