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in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel."

age the one hundred and twentieth. Before his death, he uttered a clear and distinct prediction of the Messiah, which, in “ the fulness of time," was exactly accomplished; and he appeared in person on mount Tabor to lay This truly great man died in the year of all his glory and honour at the feet of the the world two thousand five hundred and Saviour of the world. We shall have finished fifty-three; and before the birth of Jesus our plan, after we have suggested a few reChrist one thousand four hundred and fifty- flections on this prediction of Moses, and on one; eight hundred and ninety-seven years this his appearance, in company with Elias, after the flood; and before the building of to do homage to the Son of God," the Solomon's temple four hundred and forty; in Author and Finisher of our faith." To Him the fortieth year from the Exodus, or depar-"be glory and dominion for ever and ever. ture of Israel from Egypt; and of his own Amen."

HISTORY OF MOSES.

LECTURE LXXXIV.

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.-DEUTERONOMY XVIL

15-18. ACTS iii. 22.

In the frame and course of nature, who does not perceive evident marks of wisdom in design, order in execution, energy in operation? All is plan, system, harmony. Every thing bespeaks a Being provident, omnipotent, unremittingly attentive: whose works, indeed, infinitely exceed our comprehension; but which by their beauty, simplicity, and usefulness, fill the mind with wonder and delight, while their variety, lustre, magnificence, and immensity astonish and overwhelm. The government of the world, it is equally evident, is the result of contrivance; it evinces a constant, superintending care. Event arises out of event, link runs into link. What to the first glance appeared an assemblage of scattered fragments, is found on a more careful and attentive inspection, to be a regular, beautiful, well proportioned fabric, a body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part."

It must be pleasing to every serious mind to observe in the work of redemption a similar uniformity of design, progress, and execution. We find patriarchs, prophets, apostles remote from, unknown to one another, at different ages, in different regions, declaring the same purpose, promoting the same plan, aiming at the same end. This affords

a presumption, at least, that he who made, upholds, and governs the universe, is likewise the Author of salvation; in all whose works and ways a noble and important end is obviously kept in view; and that end pursued and attained by means the wisest and the best. The Mosaic and Christian are not separate, unconnected, independent dispensations, but corresponding and harmonious members of the same great building of God. Nature and grace have one source, one date; they proceed in a parallel direction, they are hastening to one common consummation. Or to speak more properly, the system of external nature and the scheme of redemp tion are the well-adjusted, the harmonized parts of the one great plan of eternal Provi dence, which contains the whole purpose of the glorious CREATOR concerning man-his first formation, his present state and charac ter, and his final destination.

Turn up the inspired volume at whatever page you will, and you have a person, or an event, or a service, or a prediction unfolding, in one form or another, the merciful "purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory." Transport yourself in thought to whatever period of the world you will, and you still find the gos pel preached; whether in the sacrifice of righteous Abel, the translation of Enoch, the

ark of Noah, the promise made to Abraham, the predictions of dying Jacob; from the seat of Moses, the throne of David, the dungeon of Jeremiah. They all speak an uniform language, all give witness to the same person, all disclose their own peculiar portion of the gospel treasure, for the illumination of an ignorant, the reformation of a corrupted, the salvation of a perishing world.

The writings of Moses exhibit a singular display of this grand combined plan. He traces nature up to her birth, and instructs us "how the heavens and earth rose out of chaos." He conducts us through the mazes of the moral government of the Great Supreme, and there too unfolds wild uproar reduced to order, and the wrath of man working the righteousness of God." He draws aside the curtains of the night, and "the dayspring from on high" dawns on fallen humanity. He attends us through the morning of that bright day, and, constrained at length to retire, leaves behind him the assurance, that "the fulness of the time" would come, that "the morning light" would advance with growing splendour unto "the perfect day." He presents to our astonished eyes the vast, the complicated, the beautiful machine; wheel within wheel put in motion, preserving from age to age its steady majestic tenor, with native, unwearied, undiminished, force; referring us still to its divine AUTHOR, who made and upholds all by the word of his power," and for whose "pleasure they are and were created."

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Moses not only in what he wrote, but in what he was and acted, illustriously displayed the grace of God in the redemption of the world. Not only did he write and testify concerning the great Deliverer, but his person, his character, his offices, were a prefiguration of "Him who was to come," and to whom "all the prophets give witness."

The prediction which has been read, and the pointed application made of it by the apostles to their divine Master, constitute the proof of what we have just advanced. Moses, under the direction of the spirit of prophecy, raises the expectation of mankind to the appearance of a prophet, like, indeed, but far superior to himself; and the apostles point with the finger to Jesus of Nazareth, saying, "We have found him of whom Moses, in the law, and the prophets did write."

A limited creature, of threescore years and ten, is lost in the contemplation of a period of fifteen hundred and eleven years, for such was the distance of this prophecy from its accomplishment. The shortlived creature loses sight of it, feels his interest in it but small, is at little pains to transmit the knowledge of it to those who shall come after him; the next generation it is neglected, overlooked, forgotten; or, if observed

and recollected, is misunderstood, misapplied. But during every instant of the extended period, the eternal eye has been watching over it; in solemn silence attending its progress, triumphing over both neglect and opposition; and a slumbering world is roused at length to see and to acknowledge the truth and faithfulness, the power, wisdom, and grace of the Most High.

The day of Moses then, in the eye of God, runs down to that of Christ; as his, in return, ascends to the earliest of the promises and predictions, illuminating, quickening, confirming, fulfilling all that is written. Placed at whatever point of the system of nature, whether on our own planet or on any other, to the north, or to the south, in summer, or winter, the eye is still attracted to the common centre of all, the great" Light of the world." In like manner, at whatever distance we are placed, and in whatever direction we contemplate the system which redeeming love has framed, from under the shade of the tree of life in Eden, from the summit of Ararat, Moriah, or Pisgah, in the plain of Mamre, or from a pinnacle of the temple; with Abraham, viewing the Saviour and his day afar off, or with Simeon embracing him, the same "Sun of righteousness" sheds his glory around us; we see the light, we feel the influence of him who quickeneth and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world.

As we find Moses plainly and unequivocally referring men to Christ, so the Saviour as explicitly refers to Moses for a testimony concerning himself; thereby plainly insinuating, that if the Jewish prophet deserved any credit, possessed any respectability, this credit, this respectability were ministering servants to the dignity of his own person, the sacredness of his character, the divinity of his mission. And this is accompanied with a severe denunciation of judgment against such as admitted the authority of Moses, but rejected that of Christ; to introduce, recommend, and confirm which was the end for which Moses was raised up. "Do not think I will accuse you to the Father; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"

This reciprocal testimony, therefore, of the founders of the ancient and new econo, my, throws light on both, and communicates mutual credibility and importance. Moses satisfies himself with simply delivering the prediction which he had in charge; he forms no plan, enters into no arrangement to bring it into effect, but leaves to Providence the care of leading forward to the accomplishment, in the proper time and method. Christ

simply points to what was written, and was generally known, received, and respected as a revelation from heaven, and requires to be believed and obeyed no farther than he bore the characters under which Moses had announced him; particularly that of "the great Prophet which should come into the world." The proper character of a prophet is to communicate the special will of Heaven to men. God, indeed, writes his will on the mind of every man, as he comes into the world; interweaves it with the very constitution and frame of his being, so that, in truth, every man is a law, is a prophet to himself. But the characters are quickly erased, effaced; education, example, superstition, vicious propensities, obliterate the writing of God; habit and the commerce of the world harden the heart, and lull the conscience asleep, and "the hearts of men are set in them to do evil." Hence the necessity of a prophet, of a messenger, of a minister from heaven, to republish the original law, to restore the obliterated characters, to call men back to God from whom they have revolted.

foundation, and it standeth sure, and the building rises; "he willeth, and none can let it." "God made man upright;" and to maintain or restore that uprightness is his great aim and end, under every dispensation of his providence, under the law and the gospel, by Moses and by Christ.

A prophet must have the necessary qualifications for his office, must be instructed in the mind of God, be filled with zeal for his glory, be animated with ardent love to mankind, be fortified against the assaults and opposition of ignorance, and prejudice, and envy. And such an one was Moses, "whom the Lord knew face to face," with whom he conversed as a man with his friend; his zeal was inextinguishable; for the good of Israel he was ready to make the sacrifice of self; his meekness was unruffled, his patience not to be subdued, his perseverance indefatigable, his resolution undaunted. How much more eminently conspicuous were these characters of a prophet, in the great "Author and Finisher of the Christian faith?" The only begotten Son who is "in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him;" "the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." "I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." "The cup which my Father giveth me, shall I not drink it?” "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.*

was set up from everlasting, from the beginning or ever the earth was;" "before Abraham was, I am." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men."+

And such an one was Moses; raised up of God at a period of singular darkness and depravity, divinely commissioned to promulgate the royal law. Not to settle a different, a novel constitution, not to new-model human nature, but to revive and enforce the primitive constitution, to proclaim in the ear what Moses conversed forty days with God in nature whispered from the beginning, to the mount; but thus saith uncreated Wishang up the conspicuous tablet before the dom, "The Lord possessed me in the begin eye, whose contents are the exact counter-ning of his way, before his works of old: I part of what the finger of God, in the very formation of man, engraved on "the living tables of the heart." And when Christ came, the Prophet after his similitude, was it not in like manner to rebuild what was broken down, not to rear a totally different edifice? to magnify the law and make it honourable, to clear it from misinterpretation and perversion, to restore it to its native purity and simplicity, and to extract the spirit out of the The spirit of Moses was sometimes stirred letter? "Think not," says he, "that I am within him; he dashed the tables of the law come to destroy the law or the prophets: I to the ground, "he spake unadvisedly with am not come to destroy but to fulfil. For his lips;" he incurred the displeasure of his verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth heavenly Father, he drew down a sentence pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise of just condemnation upon his head; but the pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."* This spirit of the Christian Leader was in no one confirms the observation we have been all instance discomposed. "He did no sin, nei along endeavouring to inculcate respecting ther was guile found in his lips." He suffered the uniformity and perseverance of the di- indeed and died, but it was without a crime, vine procedure. Men start from purpose to "the just for the unjust, that he might bring purpose, from pursuit to pursuit; they lose us unto God." Moses expressed a willing sight, they tire of their object; they waste ness to be blotted out of God's book, to be their strength, they are discouraged by op-deprived of his personal right as a son of position, they began to build before they counted the cost. But "known to God are all his works from the beginning." He forms his plan, and undeviatingly pursues it. "I am the Lord, I change not." He lays his

* Matt. v. 17, 18.

Israel, provided Israel might receive the re mission of sin, have their rights preserved, and the covenant of promise be confirmed. But Christ became "a curse for us," was "hanged on a tree," was cut off from the

Matt. iii. 17.

↑ John i. 1.4.

land of the living," became "a propitiation | High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; for sin," "bare our sins in his own body on the tree," "became sin for us, though he knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

A prophet must exhibit the signs of his mission. Men will not believe him on his own report, will suspect him of attention to his own fame, or interest, or authority. To prove therefore that he came from God, that he speaks in his name, that he is vested with his authority, he must do the works of God. And thus was Moses commissioned and permitted to prove his mission. By sign upon sign he demonstrated that the Lord had appeared unto him, and spake by him; earth, and water, and air bore their united testimony to his divine legation; and the most enlightened nation of the globe was made to feel his ascendant by arguments addressed at once to the senses and the understanding. Is it needful to say that the great Prophet, "Apostle, and High Priest of our profession," by similar means, by more irresistible evidence, evinced that he was "a teacher sent from God?" I shall say nothing respecting the greater number, variety, and notoriety of Christ's miracles; though every one of these circumstances furnishes ample matter of discussion; I satisfy myself at present with mentioning two particulars which strikingly establish Christ's prophetic character, and give it a clear and decided superiority to that of Moses. The latter acted by a delegated authority according to a prescribed form; he assumed nothing to himself, but was checked, reproved, condemned, the moment he presumed to arrogate independence, to speak or act for himself. But Jesus Christ wrought miracles in his own name, by his own power, as the Lord of nature, as possessed of independent sovereignty. Again, the signs which Moses exhibited were of a mixed nature, they declared both the mercy and judgment of God, they poured down hail, and tempest, and pestilence on Egypt, as well as dropped manna on the tents of Israel; whereas the signs which Jesus adduced in support of his mission were all miracles of mercy; the powers of hell alone felt the rod of his anger; and the miracles by which he confirmed his doctrine, breathed its meekness, and gentleness, and charity.

who was faithful to him that appointed him,
as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
For this man was counted worthy of more
glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath
builded the house hath more honour than the
house. For every house is builded by some
man; but he that built all things is God.
And Moses verily was faithful in all his
house as a servant, for a testimony of those
things which were to be spoken after; but
Christ as a son over his own house: whose
house are we, if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the
end."*"We ought to give the more earnest
heed to the things which we have heard,
lest at any time we should let them slip.
For if the word spoken by angels was stead-
fast, and every transgression and disobedi-
ence received a just recompence of reward;
how shall we escape if we neglect so great
salvation, which at first began to be spoken
by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by
them that heard him; God also bearing them
witness, both with signs and wonders, and
with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy
Ghost, according to his own will?"+
that despised Moses' law, died without mercy,
under two or three witnesses: of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be
thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood
of the covenant, wherewith he was sancti-
fied, an unholy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace?"

"He

Having now, in the course of these exercises, through a series of years, endeavoured to trace the history of mankind, in a series of characters, from Adam to Moses, copied from the original portraits which the pencil of inspiration has itself vouchsafed to delineate; the whole in general, and every one in particular, referring themselves to one great ORIGINAL, from whom their meaning, use, and importance are derived,-I hasten to conclude my plan, by turning over to the gospel history, which exhibits that same Moses, whom we saw expire on mount Nebo, and "buried in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-Peor;" whose dying benediction yet trembles on our ear, and whose funeral elegy we attempted to sing, alive again on mount Tabor, and giving personal "Of the things which have been spoken testimony and homage to him whom he prethis is the sum: we have such an High figured and foretold. The history of Moses Priest, who is set on the right hand of the is not properly ended till then; and in vanishthrone of the Majesty in the heavens. Aing from our sight on the mount of transfiguminister of the sanctuary, and of the true ration, he becomes a glorious harbinger of tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not the "life and immortality which are brought man."* Holy brethren, partakers of the to light by the gospel." heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and Heb. viii. 1,2

66

*Heb. iii. 1-6.

Heb. ii. 1-4.

Heb. x. 26, 29.

HISTORY OF MOSES.

LECTURE LXXXV.

And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter, and John, and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And behold there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him, were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, hear him.-LUKE ix. 28–35.

Celestial voices to the midnight air,
Sole, or responsive each to other's note,
Singing their great Creator? Oft in bands,
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds,
In full harmonic number join'd, their songs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heaven.”

In the narrowness of their conceptions and the presumptuousness of their pride, men are apt to consider themselves as the only, or, at least, the chief inhabitants of the creation of God. A false patriotism, or rather a spirit of insolence and selfishness has gone farther, has ascribed the consequence of a whole uni- We foolishly imagine the world of spirits verse to some insignificant little region or to be at a vast distance, whereas in truth we district of this little globe, and has repre- are upon its very confines. We consider its sented the men who breathe on such a spot, inhabitants as entire strangers to us, whereas and converse in such a language, as the only they are constantly about our path and our persons who are worthy of consideration. bed, attending our going out and coming in, We reflect not, what a speck our own coun- our lying down and rising up. If our eyes try is, compared with the whole earth; what were not held, we should even now behold a point the earth is, compared to the vast so- them joining in and assisting our praises, lar system; and how the solar system itself rejoicing together, when, by the ministry of is lost in the contemplation of infinite space. the word of divine grace, sinners are conWe reflect not on the myriads of "just men verted, and saints edified. Little did the made perfect," from the death of" righteous three disciples think, when they ascended Abel," down to the expiring saint, whose dis-mount Tabor, that they were so near to an engaged spirit is just now on the wing to the bosom of his God; of those who, lost to us, yet live to their Creator. We reflect not on the myriads of, probably, more glorious beings, who people the greater and more glorious worlds which surround ours. We reflect not on the myriads of pure spirits who never left their first estate, that innumerable company of angels who "excel in strength," "the least of whom could wield these elements."

interview with Moses and Elias. Moses, and Elias, and Christ are not far from us; it is our folly and infirmity to think ourselves far from them.

When we look back to the latter end of Moses, the man of God, we attend him up to mount Nebo, and behold him taking from Pisgah a last look and a last farewell of the glory of this world. We see his eyes closing in peace, and breathe a sigh over his tomb, and bid him a long farewell, and think we have lost him for ever. But it is not an everlasting adieu. On Tabor we have found him again, after a lapse of fifteen centuries; we find not only his name, his memory, his writ

Sound reason and "the wisdom which is from above" correct our narrowness of thought and pride of heart; and teach us to say, in the words which our immortal bard puts in the mouth of Adam, first of men, ad-ings, his predictions, his spirit, alive and in dressed to his fair consort

-"Nor think, tho' men were none,

force, but his very person, still employed in ministering to the salvation of the Israel of God; and hence we look forwards to the

That heaven would want spectators, God want praise. lapse of a few years more, at the expiration

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth,
Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep;
All these with ceaseless praise his works behold,
Both day and night."

of which we hope to meet him indeed, not armed with that fiery law which condemns and consumes, but a minister and a fellow

If our ears were not dull and limited as partaker of that grace which redeems and our spirits

-"How often, from the steep Of echoing hill or thicket should we hear,

saves.

We cannot consider ourselves therefore as having yet concluded the history of Moses,

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