bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge; so shall it be easier for thyself; and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall go to their place in peace." And Moses perceived at once the wisdom of the counsel of his father-in-law, and took immediate measures to carry this convenient plan of polity into effect. But as he knew the importance of having the cordial consent of the people to these new measures, he addressed himself unto them, and said, "I am not able to bear you myself alone. The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times as many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you! How can I myself alone, bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife. Take ye wise men and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.' Thus, in Deuteronomy, we read that Moses left the choice of rulers to the people; but in Exodus it is said, "Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. There is, however, no inconsistency in these accounts. He presided over the whole business and appointed to office such persons as the people elected, and this was a much safer as well as a much more popular method of making a selection, than if he had depended on his own judgment, or on the opinion of a few ministers about his person. Here then, we have the commencement of a genuine, republican government. The idea of a regular gradation of rulers or officers, was suggested by Jethro, but the manner of choosing them by the free suffrage of the people at large, was the plan of Moses himself. It is especially worthy of remark, in the counsel of Jethro, that he offers it on condition it should meet the approbation of God. "If," said he, "God command thee." No doubt Moses received an intimation from the Lord that the polity recommended was good; and in this way we may observe how God makes use of the wisdom which he has given to his servants to devise useful and convenient plans, for the government of his people, even when he was daily making revelations of his laws and of his will. Jethro, having aided his son-in-law in forming a system for the government of this nation, took his leave, and departed into his own land, for the present; although, as we shall see in the sequel of the history, he came back again, and probably accompanied Israel to the land of Canaan.

SECTION XII.

MOSES CALLED UP INTO THE MOUNT-COMMUNICATES THE WORDS OF JEHOVAH TO THE PEOPLE-TREMENDOUS EXHIBITION ON MOUNT SINAI-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS UTTERED IN A VOICE OF THUNDER-VARIOUS OTHER LAWS.

THREE months had now elapsed from the time the children of Israel had gone out from Egypt; and they entered the wilderness of Sinai; for they had left Rephidim, where they lay encamped near Horeb, for some time, and had proceeded to the desert of Sinai, which was something farther to the east. Sometimes, Horeb and Sinai are taken for the same mountain, as they belong to the same range; but properly they are distinct mountains, at no great distance asunder. Moses had now arrived at the place where God had met with him and spoke to him from the midst of the burning bush. This was a sacred spot; and surely no other place on earth was ever the scene of more stupendous miracles. Moses was now called up into the mount, and the Lord charged him to say to the children of Israel, "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagle's 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." And Moses called the elders of Israel and laid before them all these words. And the people answered with one accord, and said, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." So easy a thing is it to obtain the profession of obedience, even from a rebellious people. In all communications from God to the people, and from the people to God, Moses acted as the mediator or internuncius. Moses now received orders to go and "sanctify the people to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their clothes." We have already had occasion to remark one instance of this kind of ablution, or external purification, in the family of Jacob, when he was on his way to Bethel, to fulfil his vow, in the history of the Patriarchs. As it was a cleansing with water, it seems to have had something of the nature of a baptism; and the tradition of the Jewish rabbies, that the custom of proselyte baptism had its origin in this ancient manifestation of the divine presence, which rite of sanctification is not altogether improbable. It was never practised, but in view of some great solemnity, to which the people were approaching: and thus also, when the Lord himself came to sojourn upon earth, John, who was sent to prepare his way, called the whole Jewish nation to repentance, and also to the washing of baptism. In this case, at mount Sinai, the prescribed ablution was to prepare the

Israelites for the extraordinary descent of Jehovah upon the mountain on the third day, in the sight of all the people. And Moses was directed to set bounds around the mount, and to forewarn the people, that whoever touched the mount should die; and whether it were man or beast it should either be stoned or shot through. And Moses sanctified the people according to the command of God; "and on the third day, in the morning, there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount; and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. And mount Sinai was altogether in a smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire, and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount." Again, God gave express orders that the people should keep themselves within the prescribed limits, and not break through to gaze; otherwise, they would bring swift destruction upon themselves; "and thou shalt come up, thou and Aaron, but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord; lest he break through upon them." is difficult to determine who are to be understood by the priests mentioned here. We know that the Aaronic priests were not yet consecrated, and we never read of any other priesthood among the Israelites. It may, however, be argued with great probability, that wherever there are sacrifices there must be priests; and it is reasonable to suppose, that there existed a set of men appointed to this service. And there occurred a fact in the sequel of the history which confirms this idea; where Moses directed the young men to offer sacrifices, before Aaron was consecrated.

It

From the midst of the darkness, in a voice of thunder, God now spoke all the words of the ten commandments of the moral law. When the people heard the tremendous voice of God speaking to them, and saw the thundering and the lightnings, and heard the voice of the trumpet, they removed and stood afar off and they said unto Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us lest we die." But Moses encouraged them not to fear, though at the first he was himself so terrified, that he said, as the apostle informs us, “I exceedingly fear and quake." These words are not recorded here, but it is remarkable, that in one instance it is said that Moses spake, but what he said is not mentioned. After this the Lord spake only to Moses, and he communicated what was said to the people. The first solemn message related to the worship of idols. The words are remarkable as showing that

images and idols were first used as a means of worshipping Jehovah. "Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." Directions were then given to make an altar of earth, and to sacrifice thereon burntofferings, and peace-offerings, sheep and oxen. And then this important promise was given, which is in force to this day: "IN ALL PLACES WHERE I RECORD MY NAME, I WILL COME UNTO THEE, AND I WILL BLESS THEE.' It was also ordained, that for the sake of decency, they should not ascend the altar by steps. From what is here said, it appears, that burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, were the two kinds of sacrifices in use, before the institution of the Levitical ritual. The first of these was entirely consumed by fire on the altar, and among the Greeks obtained the name of holocaust, (entirely consumed:) the peaceofferings were presented on the altar, but only a small part of the flesh was consumed, and the remainder furnished a feast for the worshipper and his friends. In every case, however, the blood was entirely drawn from the animal, and partly sprinkled on and around the altar, and partly poured on the ground, at its foot.

The next communication related to Hebrew servants; directing, that in no case, should they be obliged to serve more than six years: if the servant, however, preferred his master's house to liberty, he might remain, but in token of perpetual servitude, he was to have his ear bored to the door post; but this transaction was ordered to take place before the judges; that there might be no injustice done.

SECTION XIII.

LAWS RESPECTING MURDER-LEX TALIONIS-MISCHIEF BY AN OX-OPENING A PITPENALTY FOR STEALING AN OX OR A SHEEP THE KILLING OF A THIEF GOODS IN TRUST-ANIMALS BORROWED-SEDUCTION-IDOLATERS-WITCHES.

IT was ordained, that in all cases, wilful murder should be punished with death: but for him who slew a man unintentionally, a refuge from the avenger of blood should be provided.

It was also capital for a child either to strike or to curse his parents; and the person who stole a man and sold him was also punished with death. The man who inflicted a bodily injury on his neighbour, so that he was rendered incapable of work, was bound to pay all the expenses of his cure, and his wages for the time of his confinement.

And it was specially ordained, that a man who killed a servant, by striking him with a rod, should by no means be permitted to escape condign punishment; but if death did not immediately ensue, and yet the servant should die after several

days, it was to be presumed, that the death was owing to another cause, since men would not be apt to destroy their own property.

The rule prescribed to the judges in apportioning punishments to crimes, was the most just that could be conceived. It was what has been called, "the law of retaliation." "Life for life; eye for eye; tooth for tooth; hand for hand; foot for foot; burning for burning; wound for wound; strife for strife." But if a man deprived a servant of his eye or his tooth, he was to be deprived of his services, and the servant received his freedom.

An ox that gored a man was directed to be slain; and the owner of an ox, known to push with his horns in time past, if being forewarned to keep him up, he neglected to do it, and the ox kill a man, the ox shall be put to death, and also his owner: but in this case, he was permitted to redeem his life by paying a fine. And where the ox killed a servant, his owner was bound to pay for his loss, and the ox, as before, was to be stoned.

He who opened a pit and left it uncovered, was responsible for all the injuries which might ensue; and where the ox of one man killed that of another, the law was, that both should be equally divided, the living ox by being sold, and the dead ox also; but if the offending ox was known to push in time past, and his owner kept him not in, then he was bound to pay for the slain ox, and take his carcase to himself.

For the stealing an ox, the penalty was, to restore five for one; and four sheep for a sheep.

In the day time, it was reckoned murder to put the thief to death, if apprehended in the act; but not so in the night; because death is not the proper punishment for theft, but restitution; and yet the law of self-defence will exculpate a man for killing a thief when found breaking into his house in the night.

The same principle of responsibility recognized in the law respecting a noxious ox, is applied to fire. This being a dangerous element, when not carefully guarded, the man who lets out fire which destroys his neighbour's property, is liable for all the injury suffered; so also, if a man put his cattle into another man's field; out of the best of his own he was bound to make restitution.

If money or other property were committed in trust to any one, and was stolen, the person from whom it was stolen, was required to take an oath before the judges, that he had not put his hand to his neighbour's goods.

An animal borrowed, if it died when the owner was present,