prince, of Midian, and who had the care of his flock, came to the well. They had drawn water and filled the troughs, and were ready to let the sheep drink, when some rude shepherds came and drove them away. Moses, indignant at such conduct, afforded the young women his protection, and himself watered their flock.

On their reaching home, their father inquired, how it happened that they returned so soon. "An Egyptian," they replied," delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him that he may eat bread."

In the tent of Jethro, to which he was speedily invited, Moses found a kind and hospitable welcome. Its owner was a man of wealth and distinction; with which the occupation of his daughters, as keepers of his flock, was by no means inconsistent, in those days of primitive simplicity. Happy days! when it was considered no departure from true dignity, on the part even of the rich and pow erful, to perform those offices which their domestic, or pastoral avocations rendered necessary.

This family, there is every reason to believe, were not idolaters, but preserved the knowledge and worship of the true God. The head of it, himself a priest, and probably a prince over some extent of territory, was a descendant of Abraham. His

ancestor, Midian, was the son of that patriarch by Keturah. In ascertaining these facts, Moses must have taken peculiar satisfaction; thus to find himself, though an exile, the welcome guest of those to whom he could claim affinity by a common descent from "the father of the faithful," and with whom he could offer up, around the same altar, his prayers and supplications.

We follow Moses from the court of Pharaoh to Jethro's tent in Midian. We admire the self-denying spirit which thus led him, that he might succor his afflicted countrymen, to expose himself to the resentment of the king, and be constrained to wander in exile in a strange land.

Let us never forget that a greater than Moses underwent infinitely more than he did, to rescue us from a severer bondage, and from worse evils, than the Israelites endured. Sin is a severer bondage; and those who are its slaves have sinned wilfully and forged their own chains. The displeasure of God, and eternal banishment from his presence, are worse evils; and we have exposed ourselves to them by our ingratitude towards him, and rebellion against his authority.

Jesus, the Son of God, infinite in all his adorable perfections, came to this world for our deliverance. He left the palace of the King of kings, and the glory which he ever had with his Father. He condescended to become a man; to lead a life of

sorrow; and to die the accursed and agonizing death of the cross; that he might rescue us from the wrath of God, and the punishment justly due to our transgressions.

What infinite compassion! what self-denial ! what boundless love to you, and me, and all mankind!

What think you of it, my young friend? Meditate on it. View it in all its affecting aspects. Apply it to your own case. Compare Christ with Moses. Had you been an Israelite, under the oppression of a cruel task-master, what would you not have thought you owed to one who was willing to make the sacrifices Moses did, for your rescue!

What do you not owe to Christ, who endured every thing, and gave himself a sacrifice, that he might deliver you from the bondage and curse of sin !

Do you trust in this Saviour? Do you love him? Do you consecrate yourself to his service?

CHAPTER VI.

Moses in Midian. He goes to Mount Horeb.

From being the guest of Jethro Moses soon became a permanent member of the family. His services in its various and extensive concerns were much needed, and he consented to remain and render them. The acquaintance thus formed between two such men, ripened into mutual esteem and friendship. After some time, it may have been a term of years, and for labor agreed to be performed, (as in the case of Jacob and Laban,) Jethro gave Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage.

A son was born to them, whom his father called Gershom; a word denoting a stranger there," and intended to be commemorative of the peculiar circumstances in which Moses, at that time, was placed. They, afterwards, had another son, who bore the name of Eliezer, which signifies

my God is a help ;" " for the God of my father," said Moses, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

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With regard to the other events which marked the life of Moses, during his residence in the land of Midian, till the time of his being directed by God

to return to Egypt, the Scriptures furnish us with no account. Probably there were not any occurrences of a striking kind. His days passed away in the discharge of the customary duties of his employment, in the service of Jethro ; and in the cares of his own family, whom he brought up faithfully in the religion of his fathers. Having much communion with God in meditation and prayer, and enjoying the peculiar influences of his Holy Spirit, he was making progress continually in every grace and virtue which combine to form the character of a holy, benevolent, and upright man. The circumstances in which he was placed, and the life which he led, were happily adapted, also, to give him that meek and enduring temper, and that ability to meet trials and deprivations, which he afterwards so much needed, and of which we shall find such abundant evidence in the subsequent history.

The sojourning for forty years of this truly great and good man in the land of Midian, was one of the wonderful dealings of Providence, in the progress of those events which were to bring about the separation of a peculiar people from the rest of the world; the keeping sacred among them the only true religion amid the superstitions and idolatries of the heathen; and thus preparing the way, in the fulness of time, for the accomplishment of the promise, that in the seed of Abraham, the father of their nation, all the families of the earth should be