the works of Creation was preserved; but during their hard servitude of Egypt, it is likely they were not allowed opportunity of resting from their labour, their deliverance therefore furnished an additional reason for keeping it.

To an attentive observer, great resemblance will ap. pear between the ways of GOD towards the Israelites as His people, and towards Christians in the same view. The present section affords a lively representation of GOD's goodness to the latter in passing over the offences proceeding from the natural corruption of their nature; forgiving the sins they had committed before He called them; opening a way to a heavenly Canaan by means of baptism; requiring faith and obedience on their part trying them with alternate adversity and prosperity; shewing His glory among them; supplying their temporal necessities, &c.

It is impossible to read an account of the Israelites murmurings and forgetfulness of the Divine mercy, without condemning them.-But while reason leads us to pass this condemnation, let it awaken conscience to an examination of our own hearts, and if we find, there any propensity to return to the bondage of sin, let us think of what God has done for us-Let us gather up the bread that He has given us from heaven; even the comforts and blessings which flow from our Saviour and let us keep the LORD's Sabbaths with religious veneration.

SECTION LXXI.

WATER FROM THE ROCK-THE DEFEAT OF THE
AMALEKITES.

WHEN the congregation of Israel removed from Sin, they pitched their tents in a place called Rephidim;

VOL. I.

R

here

here they were distressed for want of water, on which fears arose that they should perish with thirst, and they began again to murmur again Moses. He endeavoured to persuade them to wait with patience to see what the LORD would do for them, but his remorstrances were vain, and at length the people became so outrageous, that they were almost ready to stone Moses; on which he had recourse to the LORD, who wrought an astonishing miracle for their relief. GOD informed Moses that He would stand before him (or cause the cloudy pillar to rest) in a certain part of mount Horeb, where there was a rock; this rock the LORD commanded Moses to strike; Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel, on which the flinty stone immediately gushed out with water, which afforded the people a supply, not only during their stay at Rephidim, but in their other encampments afterwards.

This water furnished salutary refreshment to the bodies of the Israelites, but there was a spiritual rock which followed them that flowed in streams of mercy, yielding comfort and refreshment to their souls*: this rock was CHRIST, the LORD Himself, the same Divine Being who is to Christians the rock of their salvation. Moses named the place where this miracle was performed, Massah and Meribah, which signifies, chiding and temptation, because the people murmured against him, and tempted the LORD to bring evil upon themselves, by requiring a sensible proof of His Divine presence among them, of which they had had such repeated proofs.

While the Israelites continued at Rephidim, the Amalekites, a people descended from Amalek, the son of Eliphez, one of the sons of Esau, came out against them,

* 1 Cor. x. 4.

upos

upon which Moses directed Joshua, a valiant young man, to draw out a party of the choicest men in the camp, and go out to meet them; promising at the same time that he would stand on the top of the rock with the rod of GOD in his hand, during the engagement. Joshua obeyed, and Moses with Aaron and Hur ascended the mount in this conspicuous situation Moses appeared as the Minister of the LORD, and to shew that victory depended entirely on the Divine will, whenever he held up his rod, Israel prevailed; but when he let it down Amalek prevailed: at length the strength of Moses being exhausted by standing in one posture, he sat down on a stone, and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, till the going down of the sun, at which time Joshua gained a complete victory over the Amalekites. It is supposed that the Israelites furnished themselves with swords as well as with abundance of other spoils, when the bodies of the Egyptians, who were overthrown in the Red Sea, were cast on shore.

After the battle was over, Moses was commanded to write it for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of all the people, that GOD would utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven, and that he had sworn to have war with the Amale. kites, from generation to generation; because, on this occasion, they had the presumption to lift up their hands against the throne of the LORD (that is against GOD himself), and the LORD knew that future generations of the Amalekites would do the same.

It certainly was a very inhuman action in this people to attack the Israelites, if they supposed them to be defenceless; but as they were themselves descendants of Esau, it is most likely they knew God had preordained to put the race of Jacob in possession of the land of Canaan; and that trusting in the aid of false

gods, the Amalekites came out against the Israelites with the hope of frustrating the designs of the LORD.

Moses named the place where this victory was obtained, JEHOVAH Nissi, that is, the LORD is my ban

ner.

The defeat of the Amalekites opened a way for the Israelites to mount Sinai *, where GoD first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and not far from the place where Jethro his father-in-law dwelt; who, having heard of the wonderful things which had been done for him and the people he conducted, took his daughter Zipporah, Moses' wife, and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, and brought them to the Israelitish camp. This meeting gave great joy to all parties. Moses related what wonderful things had been effected by the power of the LORD; and Jethro, who was a devout man, offered up praises to GOD, saying, "Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh ; who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them t. Jethro also joined with Moses, and the elders of Israel, in offering sacri fices, and in such other holy rejoicings, as their circumstances suggested.

While Jethro continued in the camp, he observed that Moses had a great weight of business upon his hands, in hearing complaints, and determining differences, the people being so numerous; he therefore advised him to appoint a number of inferior officers, men of ability, such as feared GOD, adhered to truth, and hated covetousness, to be rulers, some over thousands, some over

* Horeb and Sinai were two summits of the same mountain.

Exod. xviii. 10, 11.

hundreds,

hundreds, some over fifties, and some over tens, with proper authority to hear and determine all common affairs, reserving all difficult cases and high concerns for his own decision. Moses followed this advice, and as soon as Jethro saw his plan put in execution, he took leave of his son-in-law, and departed into his own country. Jethro shewed himself to be, not only a good, but a wise man; for the directions he gave to Moses, furnish excellent hints for the choice of magistrates, and officers of justice in general.

SECTION LXXII.

THE LAW GIVEN BY GOD FROM MOUNT SINAI-MOSES
ASCENDS THE MOUNTAIN-BOUNDS PRESCRIBED TO
THE PEOPLE.

From Exodus, Chap. xix. and xx.

In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desart of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto `-.. myself.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me, above all people: for all the earth is mine.

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.