duced in the common courfe of nature; much less by human contrivance. The Egyptians were a very knowing people; and though Mofes was well inftructed in all their learning, yet it cannot be supposed that he could blind their whole court, and deceive their wife men. The fecret defign and purport of the operations fhews, that they could not be illufions. The last extraordinary occurrence was the death of the first-born: and the deftroying angel paffing over the dwellings of the Ifraelites, who were preferved. There was a rite ordained, as a memorial of this event; and as a type of a greater, which happened many ages afterwards. The reference is of the utmost confequence, and too plain to be miftaken. But this rite was inftituted, before the judgment took place. It was observed immediately upon the spot, and is continued to this day; and cannot be contradicted. And though the purport of this ordinance is too plain to be mistaken now, yet it was a fecret of old. There was a latent meaning and allusion, to which we have reason to think that Mofes himself was a ftranger. He therefore could not be the original inftitutor and

defigner,

defigner, who knew not the defign. Thus, I think, the hiftory may be made to prove the miracles. In fhort, if he did know the fecret purport, it must have been by infpiration and this would prove, that he was under divine influence; and had his commiffion from God: the very thing we con-. tend for.

Obfervations upon the Route taken by Mofes and the Ifraelites upon their Departure.

The Exodus now enfues, and the Ifraelites are delivered from the Egyptians. Let us again confider Mofes at this crisis, as acting merely by his own authority: and not under the control, and direction of heaven. We shall find the whole process of his operations not only to be strange and unaccountable, but impoffible to have been carried on. The Ifraelites are affembled in

the land of Goshen; thoroughly prepared to

I

depart

depart whenever the commiffion is given. At last it comes; and the wished-for deliverance enfues. They accordingly fet out under the direction of their leader; and are to be conducted to the promised land, the country of the Amorites, and Perizzites, of the Jebufites, and Hittites, a land flowing with milk and honey, and the road is short and plain. We may then imagine, that Mofes carried them to the place appointed, which had been of old promised to their forefathers. Not in the leaft. He led them a quite different route. He carried them from one wilderness to another: where, instead of milk and honey, they encountered hunger and thirst; and, for many years, faw neither city nor town, nor had a roof to fhelter them.

It may be asked, as this disappointment must have been great, how could the people put up with it? They did by no means acquiefce. They vented their rage in upbraiding towards Mofes; and were at times ready to ftone him. Mofes therefore, if he proceeded upon his own authority, acted moft unaccountably; and contrary to jus

⚫tice

tice as well as prudence: for he deceived the people. But, if the hand of heaven was concerned in this operation, the case is very different. The God of wisdom, who is the fearcher of all hearts, can both foresee and remedy every difficulty, that may occur. The difpofitions of people are open to him; and he can anticipate the workings of their hearts, and provide accordingly. But all this is past the apprehenfion and power of man. When therefore the affair is attributed to the deity; we fee throughout both his wisdom and justice. told, Exodus, c. 13. v. 17. when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philiftines, although that was near; for God faid, Left peradventure the people repent when they fee war, and they return to Egypt.

We are accordingly

V. 18. But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. The regular route, was towards Gaza, and the other cities of Palestine: which were a portion of Canaan; and at no great diftance from the borders of Lower Egypt. But God would not permit them to take

this course, though compendious, and easy. For he knew their refractory fpirit, and how prone they were to disobey: and the proximity of this country to Egypt would lead them upon the first difficulty to return. this we may be affured from what did happen, when upon fome difappointment they gave vent to their evil wishes. Would to God we had died by

the land of Egypt,

Of

the hand of the Lord in when we fat by the flesh

pot's, and when we did eat bread to the full.

Would God that we

Exodus, c. 16. v. 3. had died in the land of Egypt, or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the fword?Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?And they faid one to another, let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Numb. c. 14. v. 2.

&c.

The