cended the top of the hill, with the rod of God in his hand, probably to intercede for the interposition of heaven.-Israel prevailed so long as his hands were elevated: but when through weariness he suffered them to drop, victory leaned to the side of Amalek. Aaron and Hur supported his arms till the sun went down, and Amalek was subdued. How lovely is fra ternal unity! Even Moses needed assistance; and who can pass through life without it? Let us learn, that our burdens are lightened, our peace promoted, and our success ensured, by mutual kindness, and by mutual attention. And who can read this singularly beautiful narration, without being reminded of Jesus our Mediator, through whose intercession, and the lifting up of his hands, we have freedom of access to God now, and shall finally be made more than conquerors, over all our enemies?

This victory opened the way to Sinai, and with the most awful emotions we approach the sacred mountain! Gathering around its foot, the tribes of Israel present themselves before the eternal Lawgiver. The trumpet has sounded loud, and long, to call their leader into the thick darkness: and see, with a palpitating heart, he prepares to obey the summons! The thunder rolls peal upon peal to announce the descent of the Deity. With frequent, and vivid flashes, the lightning cleaves the cloud, and darts across the dreadful obscurity. Sinai trembles to its base, and "a great and strong wind" rushes through the desert. Every time the trumpet sounds, it increases in loudness: and as it sounds long, the signal thrills through every heart, and fear blanches every countenance. The holy hill is fenced: and the command of God is, "Charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze,

and many of them perish." As with one voice, the whole camp rang with their supplications to Moses'Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die!"-Such were the terrors of the former dispensation, and such the stern command which forbade too near an approach to God. But far other sounds are heard from yonder mount of peace. The frame of nature is indeed convulsed, darkness extends her mantle over the sky, the sun withdraws his shining, and the clouds weep some drops of pity: but these are marks of sympathy, not indications of wrath. Yonder sufferer blesses with his dying lips, compassion floats in his dim and languid eyes, and the language of peace issues from his tongue, as it cleaves to the roof of his mouth. "IT IS FINISHED"-rolls on the air, with inexpressible softness. The heart is melted by this scene, but not terrified. Contrition lays her gentle hand upon the obdurate spirit. The unpitying eye forgets its ferocity, and learns to weep. No command thunders, "whosoever toucheth the mount, shall surely be put to death:" but a voice like a gale of a summer's evening whispers, "Come up hither, for yet there is room!"

In receiving the law from the hand of heaven, Moses was forty days absent on the mount. A portion of this time, the Israelites patiently waited: but at length, forgetting the recent terrors with which the near approach of the Deity had filled their bosoms, and impatient of delay, they compelled Aaron, by their importunity and violence, to form a golden calf; and to this idol they bowed down as unto their God. -We conceive that they borrowed this image from the Egyptian mythology: for without it, a calf, one should suppose, would have been the last symbol they

would have chosen, as a representation of the Deity. As the term "calf" is by no means completely defi nite, it is highly probable, that it was an exact resemblance of one of the Egyptian idols. The Egyptian Isis had the face of a calf, with the form of a man from the neck downwards. The Egyptian Apis was altogether the similitude of a calf. There has been one objection raised against this position; which is, that the idolatry of Israel was anterior to the worship of these idols, or of animal resemblances in Egypt: but we think this assertion hard to be proved. Idols, and image worship, were in existence in those days, or the Israelites had not dreamt of them; and Egypt, the mother of hieroglyphics, would hardly be the last to embrace the system of idolatry. Admitting our position, which will at once account for the symbol of the Deity chosen by the Israelites, we are furnished with further evidences of the facts that they actually resided in Egypt, from a knowledge of their customs and that they had recently departed thence, from the attachment, and preference, shewn to the objects of their worship.

From this event, follow a succession of rebellions in various shapes, and appointments of divers ceremɔnies. The next point of importance upon which we fix, is the sending of twelve men as spies to view the promised land. Ten of these messengers brought back an evil report; and Joshua, and Caleb, alone attempted, by a just and manly relation, to encourage the hearts, and to strengthen the hands, of the people. Such, however, was their discontent, that they resolved to return to their bondage in Egypt; and were actually consulting whom to choose as a leader, when the uproar was suppressed, by the appearance of the

glory of the Lord resting upon the tabernacle. The punishment inflicted upon their unbelief and folly, was justly severe: all above twenty years of age were excluded the land, Joshua and Caleb excepted: they were sentenced to forty years wandering in the wilderness, till that generation should fall into the dust; and the ten spies, who brought the false report, were struck with instantaneous death. A great number of the people afterwards fell in the ill-timed battle of the Amalekites, which God had expressly prohibited.

To this affecting circumstance succeeded the rebellion of Korah, and the confirmation of Aaron's priesthood-the strife at Meribah-the setting up of the brazen serpent, that striking type of Christ the defeat of Sihon and Og-the beautiful and eloquent prophecies of Balaam—the idolatry of Israel with the Moabites, and their punishment, with the slaughter of Balaam, and of the five kings of Midian. This conducts us to peothe death of Moses. After having numbered the ple, ordered the distribution of the promised land, and appointed Joshua his successor, in the sight of all Israel, he ascended the mountain, which he descended no more. He saw the promised land, he reviewed his journey in the wilderness, and he resigned his spirit "to God who gave it."

We cannot take leave of Moses, without paying one small tribute of respect to his character, and to his conduct. From the sacred records, we learn that he was beautiful in his person, and amiable in his disposition. He received a polished education, and on all occasions evinced true greatness of mind. Consider him as a prophet or as a general, as a shepherd or as a monarch, as a husband or as a father, as a man or as a saint, he is equally estimable, and equally inter

esting. A greater than Moses did not appear upon the earth, till "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." His death, as well as his life, breathes instruction. It shews us the danger of contending with God, and the bitterness of disappointment, when an object ardently desired is seen, but not permitted to be enjoyed. It is an emblem of the death of a Christian, who, in his last moments, in the same way, casts his eyes over the past and the future. In one word, living and dying, he was a most inestimable character: and well did he merit the tears, which "the many thousands of Israel" shed to his memory.

The tents of Israel were pitched at Shittim, during the days of mourning for Moses: and, encamped on the verge of Jordan, the people expected the divine signal for passing that river. Nor could any thing less than a divine command have encouraged Joshua and the Israelites to proceed. All circumstances considered, we think it would have been a greater miracle, had they encountered the dangers which they were conscious were before them, without a divine communication, than the admission of the fact asserted in the scriptures, that they knew themselves acting under the authority and support of a divine commission, supposes. Joshua was ninety-three years of age. He was indeed at the head of six hundred thousand fighting men: but his army was also encumbered with women, children, servants, cattle, and all the necessaries for travelling. The nations who opposed him were numerous, warlike, of gigantic stature and strength:

• For the succeeding statements, see the book of Joshua. See also Anc. Univ. Hist. Vol. III. b. i. chap. 7.