sea, and all that in them is; and rested on the seventh day; wherefore, the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife; nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass; nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

And all the assembly of the Israelites saw the lightnings, and the mountain smoking; and heard the thundering, and the trumpet-like sound; and they stood afar off, while Moses drew nigh unto the dark stormy cloud, in which was the sign of the presence of the Lord. And Moses remained forty days, and forty nights on the summit of the mountain, in the midst of the cloud; and there did the Eternal give him laws for the government of the children of Israel; laws of admirable wisdom, prudence, and benevolence; and regulations for their conduct; and directions for constructing the tabernacle; and rites and ceremonies to preserve them distinct from all other nations; and a peculiar form of worship. Aaron, and his posterity, were divinely appointed to be priests and sacrificers. when Moses descended from the mountain, behold, the people had fallen into great wickedness and sin against Jehovah, their God. For, seeing that Moses delayed his coming down from the

But,

mountain, they had said unto Aaron, Make for us, quickly, gods, who may march before us; for, as to this Moses, who led us forth from Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And they had forced Aaron to make, out of their ornaments of gold which they gave unto him, a golden calf, like what they had seen the Egyptians worship; and they were offering before it sacrifices, and were rejoicing around it, with songs, and dances, and feasting. But, when Moses saw this, his heart was grieved within him, and his indignation was kindled. He cast to the ground the tablets of stone, on which were engraven the laws, and they were broken. And he brake to pieces the calf which they had made, and reduced it to powder, and scattered it over the water which the children were to drink. And God was angry with the Israelites, and threatened to cast them off, and to transfer his blessing unto Moses and his posterity, to make of them a mighty nation. But Moses, in simplicity and disinterestedness of soul, interceded with the Almighty for his people. And God hearkened unto the voice of Moses; and the children of Israel vowed to keep the covenant of the Lord their God. And the Lord declared his name to be the Eternal; the God, gracious and merciful; slow to anger, abounding in mercy and truth..

But when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, behold his face was resplendent with rays of light, in the presence of Aaron, and all the house of Israel.

QUESTIONS.

By what way did Moses lead forth the Israelites from Egypt? Whose bones did the Israelites carry with them? What extraordinary appearance conducted their march? What wonderful interposition of the power of God took place in behalf of the Israelites at the red sea? In what respects did the Providence of the Almighty guard, and provide for the children of Israel, during their journey in the wilderness? What was the conduct of the Israelites towards God and his prophet, Moses? What food was provided for the Israelites in the desert? How long did the sojournment of the Israelites in the wilderness last? When, and where, and how did God give to the children of Israel laws, and rights, and ceremonies? How long did Moses remain on the summit of Mount Sinai, in the cloud? What sin did the people commit, while Moses was absent from them; and what was the effect of that transgression? Which are the ten commandments? What other laws did God communicate to the people by Moses? What appearance had the face of Moses when he descended from the mountain? What is the meaning of the word Exodus, and what does that book contain?

CHAP. VIII.

THE book of Leviticus is also ascribed to Moses as its author. It contains the laws of the religious and political economy of the Israelites; the charge of which was committed to Aaron, the Levite, and to his descendants, who were consecrated to the priestly office by divine appointment. These were assisted in the performance of the duties of their sacred office, by another branch of the family of Levi, usually

called the tribe of Levi. The laws contained in this book were given by the authority of God, to Moses, in the year before the nativity of our Saviour, 1490. And these were the principal of the laws given unto the Israelites through Moses, besides the ten commandments.

He that curseth father or mother shall suffer death.

Ye shall not vex nor oppress strangers, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Ye shall not afflict the widow and the fatherless; if ye afflict them in any wise, and they cry unto me, I will surely hear their cry.

Ye shall neither raise nor spread false reports. Ye shall take no gifts; for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; ye shall not honour the person of the mighty, but in righteousness shall ye judge your neigh

bours.

Just balances, just weights, just measures, shall ye have:

Ye shall not steal, nor deal falsely; nor lie, one to another.

Ye shall not defraud your neighbour, nor rob him.

The wages of him that is hired, shall not be held back by him that hireth.

Ye shall not curse the deaf, nor place a stumbling block before the blind.

Ye shall rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old men; and fear your God.

Ye shall not go up and down as tale-bearers. He that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.

He that killeth a beast, shall make it good, beast for beast.

Ye shall not hate your brethren in your heart. Ye shall not revenge; neither shall ye bear malice; but ye shall love your neighbours as yourselves.

If thou meetest thine enemy's ox, or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee, lying under his burden, thou shalt help to lift him up.

When ye reap the harvest of your lands, ye shall not wholly reap the corners of your fields; neither shall ye gather the gleanings of your harvests; ye shall leave them for the poor, and strangers.

Ye shall keep my sabbath, and reverence my sanctuary.

If thy brother be brought to poverty, and fallen into decay, then shalt thou relieve him, though he be a stranger or a sojourner.

Take no usury of thy debtor. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour, but shalt fear thy God.

If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, then will I give you rain in due season, said Jehovah; and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall give their fruit; and ye shall eat bread in abundance, and dwell in your land with safety. And I will