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THE PRAYER.

O blessed Lord God, it is appointed unto men once to die; grant that I may seriously consider and wisely improve, this solemn truth. I behold with satisfaction and delight the conduct of this thy servant in his last hours. O give me grace so to believe and so to live, that my last end may be like his. Be with me as thou wast with him, both in life and death; that I may truly live in the Lord, and die in the Lord. Whenever death shall arrive, may I be prepared for it; and may I peacefully depart from this world of sin and misery, to join the blessed assembly of the glorified above, and to be with them for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

LECTURE XIII.

MOSES.

And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. Exodus ii. 10.

THE character of Moses, both as to the principle on which he acted, and as to the various fruits of that principle, is drawn by Saint Paul with the hand of a master. See Hebrews xi. 23-28. This striking passage deserves the constant remembrance and the serious study of every Christian. What is he who can read it without benefit?

The life of Moses may be divided into three periods, on each of which we may offer a few practical remarks. Consider,

I. Moses in the Court of Pharaoh. Of this portion of his life, a period of forty years, we know but little. He only relates his preservation, his adoption by Pharaoh's daughter, and his conduct at the end of his residence at Court. See Exodus ii. 1-15. But Saint Stephen informs us in the Acts of the Apostles, that "Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds." Conjecture is here useless it is evident that Moses was no ordinary person as to his knowledge and his actions.

But observe the nature of faith, as it is exemplified in this instance. This principle was wrought in his heart by the Spirit of God, and that in the midst of a pagan Court. How did it manifest itself? It caused Moses to relinquish his honours and delights; to look to the glory and happiness that await the righteous hereafter; and to make the wise choice, present suffering and final blessedness, rather than transient joys and abiding woe. He chose affliction with the Israelites, rather than prosperity and ease with the Egyptians.

So faith acted here; and so it always acts where it is a living and divine principle. True faith always leads us to renounce the pomps, pleasures, and vanities of a wicked world, and to cast in our lot with the people of God. In proportion as we believe, this world will be nothing to us, and eternity will be all to us.

II. Moses in the Land of Midian. Of this period, which contains another forty years, few particulars are mentioned. Moses was kindly entertained by the Priest of Midian; he married one of his daughters, by whom he had a son; and he appears to have been engaged as a Shepherd.

Probably Moses had been hasty in his first attempt to act as a deliverer of the Israelites; if this were the case, see how God corrects his mistake. There is a singular difference between the haste, impatience, and rapidity that mark the conduct of man, and the silence and slowness that stamp the proceedings of God. Man

is full of zeal, confusion, and noise: every thing must be done the next moment or the next day; and after all nothing is done: on the contrary, God proceeds slowly, silently, deliberately, and effectually. Moses would deliver Israel from oppression immediately: but what does God in fact say? "Go and spend forty years first in obscurity; and there learn wisdom, moderation, and patience; there learn to look to me in faith, and to wait my good pleasure."

This is a most valuable lesson, and especially to Christians, who are easily led away by feelings and passions; but yet it is one that they are slow to learn. But the fact here recorded, forty years spent by Moses in Midian, preaches this great lesson, "check the wild impetuosity of nature, and patiently wait on God:" and this lesson the wise will learn.

III. Moses in the wilderness. Here we have another period of forty years, in which we see him, under the immediate guidance and protection of God, as the deliverer and leader of the Israelites. It would be difficult to give, in a few sentences, any thing like a just idea of his character. On one occasion he failed to glorify God, and he "spake unadvisedly with his lips" in all other respects he conducted himself with the greatest propriety, and that in a great variety of trying circumstances.

1. He was eminently pious. We find him in all his difficulties looking to God in earnest prayer He did not proceed, as the leader of the Israelites, in his own wisdom and strength: his confidence was in God, and to him he fled in all emergencies.

2. He was faithful in the discharge of all his duties. He taught what God commanded him to teach: and he repeated his instructions with great plainness and earnestness. Far from fear or flattery, he taught the laws and ordinances of God with equal diligence, freedom, and fidelity.

3. He was meek and patient towards the Israelites.

They were a most perverse, obstinate, self-willed, and discontented people: but we do not see in Moses any bursts of anger and resentment, any violent dispute or bitter altercation. He is dignified, calm, and forbearing. His meekness is proverbial.

4. He was singularly disinterested. He did not live to make himself or his family great and wealthy, but to do the will of God and promote the welfare of the posterity of Abraham.

5. He persevered in his good course till he was removed from the world. He had much, during forty years in the wilderness, to endure; but his progress was uniform. He looked to God, and he obtained support: and when he came to die, with what majesty and composure did he praise God, and pronounce the blessing of the twelve tribes!

Such was Moses; a man in whom the power and practical nature of true faith are very strikingly displayed. He teaches us that religion is the first thing, and that we should renounce the world, to be religious. He teaches us the necessity of slowness and deliberation in all great measures. He teaches us how to act, with piety, faithfulness, meekness, disinterestedness, and perseverance in the common course of life. Here, then, we see the only great character, the practical believer; and this is the character that every Christian must be who would obtain salvation. Let us then daily pray that the Holy Spirit may produce this faith in us, and that we may show forth our faith by holiness and obedience; by living for eternity, and not for this world.

THE PRAYER.

O merciful God, grant that I may understand, receive, and follow the instructions of thy holy word. Plant in my soul, by the power of thy blessed Spirit, a living and true faith, that I may renounce a vain world, and have my portion, both here and hereafter, with thy

people. Visit me daily with thy grace, that amidst all dangers, difficulties, and changes, I may truly glorify thee by cheerful resignation and careful obedience. Pardon my transgressions, and receive my prayer, and be merciful to me, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen.

LECTURE XIV.

PHARAOH.

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And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. Exodus ix. 16.

THE character of Pharaoh is a painful but useful subject for contemplation. It furnishes many valuable lessons. All of us know his history, and can speak of his hardness of heart, and incorrigible obstinacy. But if we would read the Scriptures to our real benefit, we must not satisfy ourselves with general notions: we must examine particulars. God saw proper to show us his power and various perfections, throughout the earth, in the signal punishment of Pharaoh.

I. We may consider his History: and in doing this, we may observe,

In whatever

1. The natural disposition of the man. point of view we contemplate him, he appears very unamiable. As a king, he was suspicious, crafty, and cruel. He was very arbitrary and tyrannical; wilful and obstinate. Pride and anger entered largely into his constitution.

Such was Pharaoh: and, though we are not all like him, we cannot study human nature aright without

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