at this crisis, the God of their fathers appears as their deliverer, and Moses is commissioned as his prophet. When the people are convened, and their minds aroused by the hopes of deliverance, their attention is turned to two parties: One, Pharaoh, their oppressor, and the slayer of their first-born; the other the God of Abraham, who now appeared as their deliverer, espousing their cause, and condescending personally to oppose himself to their oppressor. Then a scene ensues, adapted in all its circumstances to make a deep and enduring impression upon their memory and their heart. The God of Abraham seems, by his judgments, to have forced the oppressor to relent, and to let the people go. At this point, hope and encouragement predominate in their minds. Now their oppressor's heart is hardened, and he renews his cruelty; but while their hopes are sinking, they are again revived and strengthened, by finding that God continues to use means to induce Pharaoh to release the captives. Thus, for a considerable length of time, all the powers of excitability in their nature are aroused to activity. Towards that Being who had so graciously interposed in their behalf, they felt emotions of hope, gratitude, love, and admiration. Towards their oppressor, feelings of an opposite character must have been engendered; and this state of excited suspense-the emotions vascillating between love and hatred, hope and fear-was continued until the impression became fixed deep in their souls.

Keeping in mind the fact, that the more we need

a benefactor and feel that need, the stronger will be our feelings of gratitude and love for the being who interposes in our behalf,-notice further: When, through the interposition of the Almighty, the Israelites were delivered, and had advanced as far as the Red Sea, another appeal was made to their affections which was most thrilling, and adapted to call, by one grand interposition, all their powers of gratitude and love into immediate and full exercise.

The army of the Israelites lay encamped on the margin of the Red Sea, when, suddenly, they were surprised by the approaching host of Pharaoh.Before them was the sea, and behind them an advancing hostile army. If they went forward, they would find death in the waves; if they returned backward, it would be to meet the swords of their pursuers. A rescue, by earthly means, from death, or bondage more severe than they had ever borne, was impossible. Just at this crisis of extremity Jehovah appears as their deliverer. The bosom of the pathless sea is cleft by the power of God. The stricken waters recoil upon themselves on either side. The Israelites pass over in safety. The Egyptian host enter and are overwhelmed in the waters.

Now, it may be affirmed without qualification, that, in view of the nature and circumstances of the Israelites, no combination of means, not including the self-sacrifice of the benefactor himself, could be so well adapted to elicit and absorb all the affections of the soul, as this wonderful series of events. That this result was accomplished by these means, is

authenticated by the history given in the Bible. When the people were thus delivered, they stood upon the other side of the sea, and their affections, in answer to the call which God had made upon them, gushed forth in thanksgiving and praise. Hear the response of their hearts, and their allusion to the cause which produced that response: :

"O sing unto the LORD, for HE hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider he hath thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my SALVATION. He is my God; and I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exod. xv. 1, 2, &c.

Thus was the attention of the whole nation turned to the true God. An impression of his goodness was fixed deeply in their memory, and their affections were drawn out and fastened upon the true object of worship. Now this, as was shown in the commencement of the chapter, was necessary, before they could offer worship either honourable or acceptable to God. The end was accomplished by means adapted to the nature of the human soul, and to the circumstances of the Israelites; and by means which no being in the universe, but the Maker of the soul, could use. The demonstration is therefore perfect, that the Scripture narrative is true, and that no other narrative, differing materially from this in its principles, could be true.

CHAPTER VI.

CONCERNING THE DESIGN AND NECESSITY OF THE
MORAL LAW.

Ar this stage of our progress it will be useful to recapitulate the conclusions at which we have arrived, and thus make a point of rest from which to extend our observation further into the plan of God for redeeming the world. This review is the more appropriate, as we have arrived at a period in the history of God's providence with Israel, which presents them as a people prepared (so far as imperfect material could be prepared) to receive that model which God might desire to impress upon the nation.

1. They were bound to each other by all the ties of which human nature is susceptible, and thus rendered compact and united, so that everything national, whether in sentiment or practice, would be received and cherished with unanimous, and fervent, and lasting attachment; and furthermore, by a long and rigorous bondage, they had been rendered, for the time being at least, humble and dependent. Thus they were disciplined by a course of providences, adapted to fit them to receive instruction from their benefactor with a teachable and grateful spirit.

2. Their minds were shaken off from idols; and Jehovah, by a revelation made to them, setting forth his name and nature, had revealed himself as a DIVINE BEING, and by his works had manifested his almighty power, so that when their minds were

disabused of wrong views of the Godhead, an idea of the first, true, and essential nature of God was revealed to them; and they were thus prepared to receive a knowledge of the attributes of that divine

essence.

3. They had been brought to contemplate God as their Protector and Saviour. Appeals the most affecting and thrilling had been addressed to their affections; and they were thus attached to God as their almighty temporal Saviour, by the ties of gratitude and love for the favour which he had manifested to them.

4. When they had arrived on the farther shore of the Red Sea, thus prepared to obey God and worship him with the heart, they were without laws, either civil or moral. As yet, they had never possessed any national or social organisation. They were therefore prepared to receive, without predilection or prejudice, that system of moral instruction and civil polity, which God might reveal, as best adapted to promote the moral interests of the nation.

From these conclusions we may extend our vision forward into the system of revelation. This series of preparations would certainly lead the mind to the expectation that what was still wanting, and what they had been thus miraculously prepared to receive, would be granted—which was a knowledge of the moral character of God, and a moral law prescribing their duty to God and to men. Without this, the plan that had been maturing for generations, and had been carried forward thus far by wonderful exhibitions of divine wisdom and power, would be left