himself to him in these words: "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." The frightened Moses was struck with such reverence of the divine Majesty, and fear of the effects of his presumption, that he immediately fell on the ground and covered his face, being unable to sustain the refulgency of the divine presence.

When Moses had a little recovered himself, the Almighty, in words to this effect, addressed him: "I have seen," said he, "the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters: for I know their orrows. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of their oppressors, nd to conduct them to the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Thee have I chosen to be the instrument in this great work: therefore be of good courage, for I will send thee to Pharaoh, to demand liberty of him for my people the children of Israel."

Moses had long laid aside all thoughts of attempting to rescue his brethren, the Israelites, from their thraldom; nor had he any opinion of his own abilities, should he make the attempt, to succeed in so difficult an undertaking. Wherefore, when the Almighty proposed the thing to him, he endeavored to excuse himself, by urging his meanness and insufficiency to take upon him the character of a divine ambassador. "Who am I," said he, "that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" But this difficulty the Almighty removed, by assuring him that he would be with him, and assist him in every step he took; that he would enable him, however perplexed and arduous the task, to accomplish it; and for a token of his veracity herein, told him that within a small compass of time he should see those very people, who were now in slavery, set free and worshipping him on that very mountain.

Still unwilling to undertake the task, Moses desired to know what he should say to the people, and by what name he was to call the person who sent him on the message. To which the Almighty replied, that he should tell him it was an eternal, independent, self-existing Being, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by which name he had ever gone, and by which he would continue to go, to all eternity. He then ordered him to go into Egypt, where, on his arrival, he should first assemble together the chief of the Israelites, and acquaint them with his business; after which he should go directly to the king, and demand of him their liberty, at least for three days, that they might retire into the wilderness, in order to sacrifice to their God. This request, he told Moses, the king would not at first grant, but in the end he would be glad to consent, when he should see the divine power displayed in a variety of miracles which would take place on sundry occasions. "I will exert myself," said he, "in many miraculous operations on him and his subjects, and at last he shall permit you to depart; but you shall not go away empty, for ye shall be loaded with the spoils of the Egyptians."

It might be thought that such solemn assurances, even from the mouth of God himself, would have been sufficient to have gained a ready compliance; but Moses, either from the ideas he entertained of the difficulty of the enterprise, or from diffidence of his own abilities, was still desirous of declining the task, and objected, that when he came into Egypt the people would probably doubt his word, and consider him as an impostor.

This objection God immediately removed by showing him a miracle. Asking him what he had in his hand, he replied, a rod; upon which the Almighty ordered him to throw it on the ground, which he had no sooner done than it was immediately turned into a serpent. Moses, frightened at this sudden change of his rod, attempted to run away; but God, to encourage him, bid him take it up by the tail, which he had no sooner done than it resumed its former shape; and to convince him, at the same time, that he should not want credit with the Israelites, he gave him a commission to perform the same miracle before them when he should get into Egypt. Still farther to remove Moses's scruples, the Almighty was pleased to give him another instance of his great and distinguished power. He ordered him to put his hand into his bosom, which he accordingly did, and on pulling it out, it was covered all over with leprosy. He then told him to put his hand into his bosom again, which he likewise did, and on taking it out the leprosy was gone, and it became as clean as at first. This miracle he likewise commissioned Moses to show the Israelites; and moreover, to arm him sufficiently beyond all doubt, he was pleased to empower

him with a third miracle. "If," says he, "they will not believe these two former, thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon dry land, and the water shall become blood."

Notwithstanding these solemn and repeated assurances of the divine aid, favor, and protection, Moses still endeavored to waive the important office, urging as a farther plea that he wanted eloquence, the great qualification of an ambassador; and that since God had condescended to talk to him, he was much more deficient in his speech than before. But this obstacle the Almighty was likewise pleased to remove, by putting Moses in mind of his omnipotence." Who," said he, "hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say."

Hitherto Moses had some shadow of pretence for his unwillingness to go into Egypt; but now, all his objections being answered, he, in very plain terms, desired to be excused from the enterprise, and begged of God that he would be pleased to appoint some other person in his stead.

So long as Moses had anything to plead in excuse for not going, God heard him patiently, and graciously condescended to remove his doubts; but, when all this was done, and he at length gave an absolute refusal, the Almighty was greatly displeased, though at the same time he did not display any instance of his resentment. On the contrary, he resumed Moses's last objection (which he had already answered in general), and showed him, in a more particular manner, how he should supply that defect: "Is not," said he, "Aaron, the Levite, thy brother? He is eloquent, and I will appoint him to meet thee. Tell him what I have said; and be assured that I will always assist you both, and direct you what to say. He shall be the orator, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And to strengthen thy commission, and give thee credit among thy people, take this rod in thy hand, for with it shalt thou be enabled to perform many miracles."

Every obstacle being removed, and the most evincing demonstrations of a miraculous power, together with the protection of Divine Providence, given to Moses, he was at length prevailed on to accept the commission. He accordingly went first to his father-in-law Jethro, and, without telling him the occasion, requested permission to go and visit his brethren, who were then in the land of Egypt.

Jethro readily consented to Moses's request; upon which, taking his wife and children with him, he proceeded on his journey. He had not, however, gone far, when an angel appeared to him, and with a stern countenance, and flaming sword in his hand, threatened to kill him, because, either from the persuasions of his wife or from his own neglect, he had not yet circumcised his younger son Eliezar. As soon as Zipporah understood the cause of the Divine displeasure, she immediately took an instrument made of a sharp flint, and with it circumcised the child; which being done, the angry vision, after giving signs that God was appeased, disappeared.t

While Moses was on his journey to Egypt, Aaron, by a Divine revelation, was informed thereof, and ordered to go and meet him in the wilderness. Aaron obeyed the Divine command, and met his brother at a small distance from Mount Horeb. After mutual embraces and endearments, Moses opened to him the purport of his commission, the instructions he had received from God, and the miraculous works he was empowered to perform.

*Moses excelled in wisdom and conduct, Aaron, his brother, in eloquence. Such is the wise order of Providence, which has dispensed different gifts to different persons, that they may each be assisting to one another, and knit more firmly the band of society! Thus Polydamus in Homer, Iliad 13, tells Hector, God gives to different men different accomplishments:

"To some the powers of bloody war belong,

To some sweet music, and the charm of song;
To few, and wondrous few, has Jove assigned
A wise, extensive, all-considering mind."-POPE.

+ The best interpretation that can be given of this extraordinary circumstance is, that Moses having de. ferred the circumcision of his youngest son (perhaps in compliance to his wife), God was peculiarly offended with him for such neglect; not only because Moses knew that no child could be admitted a member of the Jewish community, nor be entitled to the blessings of God's covenant with those people, without circumcision; but also because his example was of the greatest consequence: for who would have regarded the law, if the law-giver himself had neglected it? Zipporah, therefore, conscious of her husband's danger, as well as of her own negligence, immediately performed the office herself; in consequence of which the cause being removed, God's anger also ceased; and he suffered Moses to pursue his journey. Zipporah is supposed to have perforined the office, because Moses was in toc great a consternation to do it himself.

The two brothers, being thus joined in the same commission (though Moses was the sovereign), repaired with all expedition to Egypt. Immediately on their arrival they called an assembly of the chief elders of the Israelites, to whom Aaron declared the message which God had sent by Moses; while the latter, to confirm the truth of his divine mission, wrought the several miracles which God had appointed in the presence of the whole assembly. In consequence of this, they all appeared fully convinced that he was a true prophet come from the God of their fathers, who had at length commiserated their afflictions, and sent him now to deliver them from their bondage; and, with this persuasion, they all knelt down and worshipped God.

A few days after this, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh's court, and, having obtained admission to the king, requested of him that he would permit the Israelites to go three days' journey into the wilderness, in order to perform a solemn service to the Lord their God. But the haughty tyrant not only refused complying with their request, but most impiously arraigned the divine prerogative, and called in question the existence of the only wise and true God in these presumptuous words: "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go."

Pharaoh suspected that the Israelites had a design of revolting from his service, and that they had been laying schemes to get out of his dominions. This to him was an argument that they had too much leisure time from business, and that the most effectual way to check their contrivances would be to curtail their vacant hours; he therefore ordered greater tasks and more work to be laid on them. He reprimanded Moses and Aaron for going among the people and interrupting them in their employments; and strictly charged the task-masters not to allow them any more straw, and yet to exact the same tale of bricks from them without abatement.

The task-masters acquainted their under-officers with this severe injunction, who immediately communicated it to the people, and they were accordingly forced to wander about the country to seek for straw, the task-masters, at the same time, exacting from them their usual number of bricks; and when they were unable to perform their task, the under-officers, who were Israelites, and whom the task-masters had set over them, were called to account and punished.

Not knowing whence this unreasonable severity proceeded, whether from the royal edict or the rigor of the task-masters, the under-officers addressed the king himself, and, in the most humble manner, laid their grievances before him. But so far were they from receiving any redress, that the answer returned them wasthat "the king would have his edict fully executed, and insisted on having their full number of bricks, though he was resolved not to allow them any straw."

This answer greatly afflicted the poor Israelites, insomuch that they were almost driven to despair. On their return from the king they happened to meet Moses and Aaron, and supposing them to be the cause of the additional burden laid on them, expressed their grief and resentment in words to this effect: "That they had taken care to infuse an odium into the king against them, and given him a plausible handle to destroy them, which they wished to God might fall on their own heads."

These bitter expressions greatly afflicted Moses, who, retiring to a private place, addressed himself to God in this humble expostulation: "Why," said he, “O Lord, hast thou thus afflicted the people? For since I spoke to Pharaoh in thy name, he hath treated them with more severity than before, and they are more unlikely to be delivered than ever."

The great concern Moses had for the oppression of the Israelites was certainly the cause of his forgetting the promise which God had given him, as also what he had foretold relative to the perverseness of Pharaoh. But, notwithstanding this, the Almighty was pleased to give him fresh assurances of his divine intentions of removing the Israelites from the state of bondage: "I am the Lord," said he, "the Almighty God, that appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Was I not known to them by my name Jehovah? Be assured that I the Lord, who made a covenant with them to give their posterity the land of Canaan, have heard their complaints and remembered my promise. Therefore, say thus to the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, who exist only of myself, and give existence to all beings. Tell them I will deliver them from the Egyptian slavery, with the power of my Almighty arm, and inflict heavy judgments on them that oppress them. Nor will I only deliver you all from this bondage, but I will take you under my immediate protection: ye shall be

my people, and I will be your God. I am Jehovah, the Lord, that promiseth this, and that can and will do it."

Encouraged by this gracious and divine declaration, Moses immediately repaired to the Israelites, to whom he delivered his message as God had commanded. But such was their affliction of mind, in consequence of the increase of their servitude, and which they attributed to have arisen from him, that they paid no attention to what he said. They were prejudiced against him, and rather looked upon him as an enemy than as one who was desirous of procuring their enlargement.

The Almighty, fully resolved to pursue the ends of his Providence, again com‐ manded Moses to go to the king of Egypt and demand the liberty of the Israelites Having been so roughly dismissed from Pharaoh's presence before, and so unkindly rejected by the Israelites, Moses endeavored to decline the errand by drawing an argument from each circumstance: "Since," says he, “the children of Israel, thine own people, would not hear me, though what I offered was so much to their advantage, how can I expect that so wicked a prince as Pharaoh is should pay any atten tion to so insignificant a person* as I am, and in a matter so much to his loss?"

To remove this objection, the Almighty was pleased to address himself to Moses in words to this effect: · Consider," said he, "I have made thee as a Godf to Pharaoh and Aaron, thy brother, shall be thy interpreter, or orator. Thou shalt tell him all that I have commanded thee, and ye shall demand of Pharaoh the deliverance of my people. And that thou mayest not be discouraged by a repulse, as before, take notice that Pharaoh shall give no credit to what thou sayest, that I may thereby show my power and wonders to him and his people, and deliver the children of Israel by the strength of my hand. For since Pharaoh has begun to harden his heart in con temptuously treating me and abusing my people, I will now permit him to go on in his obstinate humor, that I may exert my power in miraculous operations in the land of Egypt. Therefore, when ye come into Pharaoh's presence, and he shall demand a miracle of you, to convince him of the truth of your mission, thou shalt direct Aaron to cast his rod on the ground before Pharaoh, and it shall be turned into a serpent."

In consequence of these instructions, Moses and Aaron went again to the king, and repeated their demand of his dismissing the Israelites. Pharaoh desired them to show him some miracle, whereby he might be induced to believe, that the God, of whom they had so much spoken, had really sent for them. Upon this Aaron threw down his rod, which had no sooner touched the ground, than it was changed into a living serpent.

Though Pharaoh was somewhat surprised at this incident, yet he was determined, if possible, to make it appear of no great importance. To effect this, he sent for his principal magicians, whom he ordered to try, if, by their magical arts, they could cause the like transmigration. They obeyed the king's commands, and, to his great satisfaction, their attempts succeeded. They threw down their rods, which were im mediately changed into serpents, only with this remarkable circumstance, that Aaron's rod swallowed up (while in the figure of a serpent) all those of the magicians, after which it resumed its accustomed form. It might have been supposed, that this would have been sufficient to have convinced the proud monarch of the superior power of the God of Israel; but his heart was so averse to the thoughts of parting with the Hebrews, that it did not in the least affect him.

As this miracle made no impression on the obstinate tyrant, the Almighty resolved to make use of more forcible scourges, and to afflict the Egyptians with such a sue

It is remarkable, that in the text Moses here calls himself an uncircumcised person, or rather a man whose lips had not been circumcised. See Exod. vi. 12. By this we are to understand, that he meant no more than that he was not possessed of that fluency of speech which was necessary on so important an o casion. The word circumcised is phraseologically used by the Hebrews on several occasions, as when they call any one uncircumcised in heart, mind, or tongue, they mean no more than that the person spoken of is not so perfect in these particulars as might be wished. Besides, as circumcision was the first and greatest sacrament among them, so uncircumcision was esteemed the greatest scandal and disgrace. The phrase, therefore, naturally and clearly expresses the humble opinion Moses had for himself, his unfitness for such an office, and his inability to persuade or prevail with so haughty a monarch as Pharaoh.

The word here translated a God, signifies a prince, a counsellor, or governor; and as Moses was to work many wonders in the land of Egypt, so there is no doubt but Pharaoh would look upon him as a person endued with supernatural power. It was then beginning to grow common with the heathen nations, particu larly the Egyptians, to rank their great men among the number of their gods; and, therefore, when the Lord here speaks to Moses, he does not say that he made him an object of worship, but only that he would endu him with so much power, that the Egyptians would look upon him as a God.

cession of plagues as should compel them to dismiss the long-enslaved Israelites. Having observed to Moses, that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, he ordered him to take the rod, which had been turned into a serpent, and (in company with his brother Aaron) to throw himself in the way of Pharaoh, at his usual time of coming to the banks of the river Nile. That as soon as he saw the king, he should again demand of him the liberty of the Israelites; and that if he still continued obstinate, as a farther sign that they were messengers from God, he should give the rod to Aaron, who, by striking it on the water, should immediately change it into blood.

In obedience to the divine command, Moses, at the time appointed, went to the bank of the river, soon after which the king arriving, he accosted him in words to this effect: "That he was sent from the Almighty God of the Hebrews, to demand the release of the Israelites, and that if he did not comply with his request, but still remained obstinate, his God should not only afflict him for his perverseness, but bring down the most heavy judgments on his people."

The infidel prince, regardless of the order of God, by these two appointed missionazies, still persisted in his resolution (so little did the first miracle operate on his mind) of detaining the Israelites, and continuing them in their wretched state of bondage. Finding all remonstrances in vain, Moses delivered his rod to Aaron, who, striking the water with it, as God had commanded him, it changed into blood, and so continued for the space of seven days, by means of which the fish were suffocated, and the inhabitants compelled to dig for water to allay their thirst. As it was known that Moses received his education among the Egyptians, Pharaoh concluded, that all this was performed by magic skill. Wherefore, calling for his magicians, he put them upon the like trial; who, taking some water out of the wells they had dug, so artfully changed its color, as to make it appear like blood. Though this was but a delusion, yet Pharaoh was satisfied in his own mind that what Moses and Aaron had done was not the effect of any supernatural power, but a mere trick of art; and therefore still resolved not to permit the departure of the Israelites.

But the Almighty was pleased to display still farther miracles before this impious and obstinate tyrant. When the seven days were expired, and the waters had resumed their natural qualities, Moses, at the command of God, accosted Pharaoh again, and renewed his solicitations for the delivery of the Israelites, threatening, on his refusal, to bring upon the land such prodigious numbers of frogs, as should visit him and his subjects in their most private recesses.

Pharaoh, regardless of these threats, defied him; upon which Moses ordered Aaron to take his rod, and stretch forth his hand with it over the rivers, which in an instant affected all the waters of Egypt, that, not waiting for the slow productions of nature, the animated streams unburdened themselves upon the land in shoals of frogs, which immediately invaded all parts of the country, and infested even the royal palace itself.* The obstinate and perverse king had again recourse to his magicians, who, by their mimic power, so deluded Pharaoh as to make him believe they had wrought the like miracle. This hardened his heart for a time; but the loathsome plague continuing, and pursuing his people wherever they went, he was at length forced to apply to Moses and Aaron, to whom he promised that the Israelites should have their liberty, provided their God would remove so infestuous a plague. "Entreat the Lord," said he, "that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord."

Moses demanded the time when this should be put to an issue, upon which the next day was conjunctively agreed on. Accordingly, Moses, in order to fulfil his part of the contract, after leaving Pharaoh, retired to a private place, and, addressing himself to God, humbly besought him to remove the plague of the frogs from the land of Egypt. The Almighty was pleased to listen to Moses's solicitations: the frogs soon died, which the people gathered together in heaps; but they were so numerous, that before they could be removed, the scent, which was exceeding obnoxious, spread itself throughout the whole country.

This plague of the frogs, as well as that of the water being changed into blood, was excellently adapted to subvert the superstitions of Egypt, and to demonstrate the over-ruling power of the Almighty; for as the bank of the river Nile was the grand scene of the magical operations of the Egyptians, in which blood and frogs made a principal part of the apparatus; so, by commanding that river to produce such an infinite multitude of these creatures to annoy them, God, with wonderful propriety, adapted their chastisement to the nature of their crimes: for frogs were not only the instruments of their abominations, but likewise the emblems of those impure demons whom they invoked by their incantations.