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Joseph lived in Egypt ninety three years; a slave and prisoner thirteen; but for eighty years, a prince and ruler under several successive monarchs; being justly esteemed a necessary minister of state in all their reigns.

He died, before the birth of Moses, only 64 years; before the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt, 144 years.

With the account of his death ends the book of Genesis, containing the most ancient, authentic, and interesting history, during the space of 2369 years; extending beyond the deluge, 713 years, and terminating 1635 years before the Christian era.

CHAPTER XVIII.

MOSES.

*WE are now to contemplate one of those raré examples of true greatness of mind, which make a voluntary sacrifice of the most enviable situation, and of the most flattering prospects which human life admits of; and that at an age when the heart is most devoted to the pursuit of pleasure, most susceptible of the allurements of ambition.

It is the singular instance of Moses, the prophet and legislator of Israel, brought up from infancy in a court, instructed in all the learning of the Egyptians, treated as the heir of Empire, encouraged to aspire to all that the heart ardently covets, who, at the age of forty, cheerfully resigned all those advantages, and preferred the life of a slave with his brethren, and of a shepherd in the land of Midian, among strangers, before all the luxury and splendour, belonging to the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Scripture, in its own admirably concise method, dispatches the his

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tory of this great man's life, from his infancy to his fortieth year, in a few short words, namely: “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds;" not deeming information concerning attainments in human science, or feats of martial prowess, worthy of the knowledge of posterity, compared with the triumphs of his faith, the generosity of his public spirit, and the noble ardour of fervent piety. He believed in God, the eye of his mind was fixed on Him who is invisible to the eye of sense. And what is the wisdom of Egypt compared with this!

It was a land of astronomers, a land of warriors, a land of artists; and the improvement which Moses made in every liberal art and science, we may well suppose, was equal to that of any of the nation or age in which he lived. But a principle infinitely superior to every thing human; a princi1531. ple not taught in the schools of the philosophers : a principle that carries the soul beyond the limits of this little world, first taught him to despise and reject empty, unavailing worldly honours.

B. C.

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter." Ordinary men, raised unexpectedly to eminence, strive to conceal the meanness of their extraction. But Moses would rather pass for

the son of a poor oppressed Israelite, than for the heir of the oppressing tyrant's daughter. And, no doubt, the Divine Instructer by whom his mind was raised above empty honours, opened his heart to feel for the afflictions of his brethren.

He was no longer able to relish a selfish gratification, when he knew that his nearest relatives were eating the bread, and drinking the water of affliction he goes out to look upon their misery, and tries by kind looks, and words of love, to soothe their woes. But seeing a brutal Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, his zeal overleaps the bounds of patience and discretion; he assaults the oppressor, and even puts him to death. "Moses was meek above all the men of the earth." But surely oppression maketh a wise man mad. This we allege as an apology for the conduct of Moses, not as a vindication of it.

When this rash action became publicly known and talked of, Moses fled out of Egypt to that part of Arabia which is called Petrea, from its rocky, mountainous aspect; and by a concurrence of circumstances, he is stopped at a city of that country called Midian, and induced to remain there many years.

There lived in that city, a person of distinguished rank and station. Whether he was a priest, or prince of Midian, the ambiguity of

the scripture term does not authorise us to determine but we are left in no doubt respecting his moral and intellectual attainments. What ever his dignity was, whether sacerdotal or royal, we find his daughters trained up in all the simplicity of those early times, following the humble, harmless occupation of shepherdesses.-Wise is that father, kind and just to his children, who, whatever his situation or prospects may be, brings up his sons and his daughters to some virtuous and useful employment; for idleness is not more odious and despicable, than it is inimical to happiness, and irreconcileable to inward peace.

Moses being arrived in the neighbourhood of Midian, weary and faint with a long journey through a barren and inhospitable country, sits down by a well of water to rest and refresh himself. As when Abraham's steward met with Rebekah at the well of the city of Nahor, and Jacob met Rachel at the well of Haran; so Moses meets the daughters of Raguel, just at the time when they stand in need of succour from the violence of some of their neighbours.

The precious fluid which is bestowed upon us in such profusion, being dispensed in that country as it were in drops, became an object of desire, and a ground of contention. The

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