Jewish nation rejected his authority and refused his laws, did he take away the kingdom he had given them, withdraw from all apparent interference in their affairs, and leave them to take their portion with the rest of the world.

Beside the moral law, which we usually call the commandments, Moses received from God on the mountain the most minute directions on every subject that concerns the government of a people. The laws of property, the punishment of crime, religious festivals and ceremonies, the maintenance and dress of their priests, the building of the tabernacle or place of worship, where God thereafter was to manifest himself, and deliver his laws for this people, even to its minutest ornament, were all communicated from God to Moses, by whom they were written for the future direction and establishment of the people: the ten commandments excepted, which were delivered already written, as we are told, by the finger of God himself. This communication with Moses lasted forty days, and concluded with a promise that he would send his presence with them, and the fear of him before them, to drive out the present inhabitants of the country they were to possess, of which he named the boundaries, though it has now become difficult exactly to trace them. It is considered to have extended from the northern extremity of the Red Sea along the shores of the Mediterranean, as far northward as Mount Libanus-the great Arabian Desert, and the River Euphrates, being its southern and eastern boundaries. No great distance this, as we shall observe on examining how the countries lie, from the spot on which man was first created upon earth: so small a space of the wide world was as yet concerned in its living history.

But little was there in this inconstant people to merit the peculiar favour of their God. They could not wait out the forty days of Moses' absence; but while he was engaged in close commune with the Almighty for their future welfare, not knowing or not believing what had

become of him, they resumed the idolatry they had been used to witness, and no doubt to practise in Egypt; and made an image of gold, that they might worship it in preference to him, their fathers' God, who had dealt with them so miraculously. Well might the Almighty in his wrath have been provoked to abandon them entirely; and would, had his high purposes been dependant on any worth expected to be found in them. But for his promise and for his mercy's sake, and at the intercession of Moses his servant, he forebore his wrath; and during another forty days that Moses was recalled to the Mount, the national covenant with Israel was renewed, and his presence again promised in their tabernacle.

The next occupation of this extraordinary man was to rear the tabernacle and prepare the ark in the manner the Lord had directed. And we have here an authentic proof of the advancement of the Egyptians in luxury and splendour and the ornamental arts. For though it is true that the workmen were inspired of Heaven in the performance of the task, and miraculously endowed with skill to complete it, it does not appear that any miracle was wrought to procure the materials. On the contrary, the people were to give of what they had according to their inclination, and we are told they gave more than sufficient. Whatever these people had, they must have brought with them from Egypt, since they had as yet despoiled no cities, nor trodden on any thing but desert ground. The things demanded by Moses of the people and provided so abundantly, were gold, and silver, and precious stones, and brass, cotton, silk, and wool; fine linen of blue, purple, and scarlet; and goats' skins, and rams' skins dyed red; and oil for the burning of lamps, with spices and perfumes. In Egypt, therefore, the manufacturing of these things must ere this have been familiar, and the supply of them abundant. With respect to the carving and other workmanship bestowed on the tabernacle by the Israelites, and the various utensils it contained, we can determine nothing from them,

as we know not how far they might be altogether new to those who were directed to make them: God expressly declaring that he would inspire the workmen. We find too that after the tabernacle was completed and the worship established, the princes of Israel, that is, the heads of the tribes, brought offerings, six covered carriages, drawn each by two oxen, which, with a great variety of other things, were accepted by Moses for the use of the church. God himself needed not their gifts assuredly; for they were his, or ever they were theirs, and his was all the earth beside. But it was his pleasure to establish in much earthly splendour his first external church; and whatever any one was willing to contribute towards its support, he deigned to consider as presented to himself, since it showed, at least, some outward respect for his worship.

The historian of himself and his people gives us little information of what passed in the desert of Sinai for some time after this. It was early in the second year of their wandering, Moses was bidden to take account of the number of men capable of bearing arms, and found them to amount to 603,550 above twenty years of age, not including the tribe of Levi, who being devoted to the service of the tabernacle were not to engage in war. And now they were taught and trained to march and to encamp in exact order, according to their tribes and families. But neither miracles nor punishment could keep in subjection this rebellious people. The mercy of their God, and the wisdom and mildness of their leader, were alike lost upon them. The moment they transgressed they were signally punished-and scarcely was the punishment passed ere they transgressed again. In vain the sons of Aaron died by fire from heaven- in vain thousands perished while yet feasting on a supply of food miraculously conceded to their impatient murmurs. Even now, they were willing, if they might, to forego their promised establishment in Canaan, and return to their chains in Egypt.

They were approaching now to the inhabited parts of the country, and it became necessary to prepare for other dangers than thirst and famine. Moses sent out a number of persons to examine the country and take note of the inhabitants. They found it, as had been promised, exceedingly fertile, especially abounding in the fruits peculiar to warm climates, of which grapes, figs, and pomegranates are especially mentioned. But the people did not yet understand that he who made it fruitful could dispose of it as he would; and alarmed by the reports of the strength of the cities, and the number and size of the inhabitants, they made insurrection against their chiefs, and desired to be led back into Egypt; or even that they might die in the wilderness rather than be forced to go forward to meet such foes. The Lord in his anger heard their desires and accepted them; and though unchanging in his final purpose, declared that not one among them who hail at that period reached his twentieth year, should inhabit the land of Canaan-Caleb and Joshua alone excepted. Their children should indeed inherit it; but not till in the lapse of forty years, the carcases of all who then had reached to manhood should have fallen and rotted in the wilderness. And after a fatal engagement with the Amalekites, against whom they marched in defiance of the injunction of Moses and of God, they were compelled to take their course back again into the deserts from which they were emerging.

The army now travelled more slowly and remained longer in their encampments: dealing for sustenance with the people whose lands they at times approachedat other times miraculously supplied. But still transgressing, still rebelling, numbers fell by signal strokes of vengeance, while many more were gradually dying off. The new generation proved nothing better than their fathers. In vain were the awful judgment of Korah, and the plague of the fiery serpents, and the miraculous cure, that beautiful emblem of redemption. On every new difficulty they rebelled anew. Even the meek and holy

Moses, worn out with their perversity and the disappointments that ensued, at last was guilty of some expression of mistrust or impatience, by which he, and his brother Aaron also, forfeited the promised inheritance on earth, and were sentenced to die before they entered Canaan.

Aaron died first, having by God's command put on his son the pontifical robes, which as the high priest of Israel he wore, and was burned on the mount where he died, in the hundred and twenty-third year of his

age.

Approaching now again a country fully inhabited, Moses demanded for his people a peaceful passage through the territories which lay between them and Canaan. This was refused, and they were compelled to fight their way through several small states, governed, as we find, by separate kings of these people we may have occasion to speak hereafter, as far as their previous history can be traced. The Amorites were descended from Hamthe Moabites and Ammonites were the posterity of Lot. They were all of the sons of men, who had forsaken and been forsaken of their God. They were idolaters, and had probably been long established in those partswhich were however theirs no longer than he whom they had forgotten should permit. They had many cities and villages, of which the Israelites speedily gained possession, and dwelt in them.

The wanderings of these people were now terminated, and they encamped on the banks of Jordan, where they remained till they passed over into Canaan. We need not repeat the fears of Balak, the king of Moab, at the sight of such an immense and hitherto successful multitude encamping so near to his territories-or his futile application to the renowned magician Balaam. A greater power forced him for once to speak against his will the truth his evil arts could never have discovered: and he foretold not only the present triumph of God's chosen people, but the future coming of the Messiah to redeem his people and take vengeance on the idolatrous world.