earth, so are my ways higher than your ways; and my thoughts than your thoughts. It therefore seemed good to divine wisdom to bring the Israelites into perils of various kinds, from whence there seemed no opening for escape; no subterfuge, which could avail them. And this was done, that they might manifestly see, that their safety was not effected by any human means: but that it was a far higher power, which both conducted and preserved them. Upon these principles. I purpose to shew, that the authority by which Moses acted was of divine appointment; and his mission immediately from God, And my

chief reason I bring within this small compass ---because no man, of common prudence, would have acted as Moses did, unless directed by a superior influence.

A person who was of great eminence in the church, and of knowledge equal to his high station, took a different method to ascertain the same truth. He observed, that in all civilized counties the legislators had introduced future rewards and punishments as a sanction to their laws. But nothing of this sort is to be found in the laws of Moses. They were therefore of divine original; for he would

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have availed himself of the same advantage, had he been the real institutor and compiler, Upon this basis he founded his system; and in every stage of it are marks of that genius, and acuteness, which distinguish his writings. But as he has not barred any other openings, which may offer, towards the prosecuting of the same views, I shall take the liberty to proceed upon a different principle; and make my inferences, not from what was omitted, but what was done. It will be my endeavour, as I before mentioned, to shew, that the great lawgiver and leader of the Israelites, in numberless instances, acted contrary to common prudence; and that the means used seemed inadequate, and oftentimes opposite, to the end proposed. Hence the great events which ensued, were brought about not only without any apparent probability, but even possibility, of their succeeding by human means.

Of the birth of MOSES, and his wonderful Preservation: also the Servitude of the ISRAELITES in Egypt.

In order more clearly to disclose my purpose, it will be proper to consider the history

of Moses from the beginning; and the situation of the Israelites in his time. He was the son of Amram, of the tribe of Levi: and born about one hundred and three years after the death of Joseph, and a hundred and seventyfive from the first descent of the Israelites into Egypt. At this season there had arisen a king who did not acknowledge any obligations to this people; nor to the memory of the person through whom they had been introduced into that country. He conceived the same cruel policy against the Israelites, which the Lacedemonians practised against their unfortunate Helots. This was to oppress them with the most severe bondage; and, as they increased in number, to cut them off, lest they should prove dangerous to the state.

Come on, said the prince, let us deal wisely with them: lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Exod. i. 10.

Ver. 11. Therefore they did set over them task-masters, to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom and Raamses.

V. 12, But the more they afflicted them, the

more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

V. 13. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour.

V. 14. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

But

The Israelites are represented as a refractory and stiff-necked people; whom God chose not on their own account, but for the sake of their fathers, to be the keepers of his oracles, and to preserve his name. For this purpose they were to be brought out of Egypt. they were so pleased with their situation, and habituated to the customs of the Egyptians, that, without these severities, neither the importunities of Moses, nor the display of miracles, which they experienced, would have induced them to quit the country. Even when they were upon their progress to the land of Canaan, they often looked back with too much. satisfaction upon the fruits and plenty of Egypt. This weakness and partiality brought on an irreverence towards the God of their fathers, which could not be remedied but by the severe discipline which they experienced and

it was kept up with great rigour. Ye shall no mere, says the prince of the country, give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. Exod.

v. 7.

c.

V. 8. And the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them, V. 9. Let there more work be laid upon the

men

V. 12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw. Such were the severities with which they were treated; yet they multiplied greatly notwithstanding. The fruitfulness of the women was wonderful: a circumstance observable in all the women of that country. For it is said, that the soil and air of that climate, and particularly the '

'Strabo accordingly says, that the Nile was esteemed of a fecundifying nature; and that women had sometimes four children at a birth; and that Aristotle mentioned a woman that had seven.—Και τον Νειλον δ' είναι γονιμον μαλλον ἑτερων. Τας δε γυναικας εσθ' ότε και τετραδυμα τίκτειν τας Αιγυπτίας. Αρισ τοτελης δε και ἑπταδυμα τινα ίςορει τετοκεναι. 1 15. P. 1018. Aulus Gellius gives the same account from Aristotle; but, instead of seven children at a birth, speaks only of five. Aristoteles philosophus tradidit mulierem in Ægypto uno partu quinque enixam pueros. 1. 10. c. v. p. 503. Hence Casaubon alters