of Aaron; who, for his zeal in restraining and punishing the licentiousness and idolatry into which the Midianitish women had seduced his countrymen, was rewarded by the high priesthood's being made hereditary in his family. Of the family of the legislator we are told nothing, but that his father-in-law, Jethro, was a wise man, who suggested to Moses some regulations of utility: that his wife was an Ethiopian woman, and as such the object of contempt and opposition even to his own brother and sister; and that he had two sons, of whom, or their families, the history takes no notice, so that nothing about them is known, but that they were undistinguished from the rest of the Levitical tribe. How different is all this from the embellishments of fiction or the exaggerations of vanity. How strongly does it carry with it the appearance of humility and truth.

The most decisive proof of impartiality is, however, found in the manner in which the Pentateuch speaks of Moses himself: to point out this more clearly, let us compare it with the account which Josephus has compiled of the same facts: he, indeed, received the Pentateuch as authentic, true, and sacred; he therefore preserves all the leading events of its history, but he sometimes departs from its simple narrative, and in almost every instance of difference, we shall perceive a wish, either to adorn with fictitious splendor the character of the Jewish Lawgiver, to increase the credibility of his miracles in the eyes of the Gentiles, or to disguise and palliate the misconduct of his countrymen.

The entire account which the book of Exodus delivers of the private life of Moses, for the eighty years which preceded his divine mission to deliver the Israelites, is comprised in twentytwo verses: all is plain and artless, full of the simplicity of patriarchal life, and unmixed with a single circumstance tending to exalt the personal character of the Lawgiver, or mark him out as peculiarly fitted for so high a destiny: but one action of his maturer years is mentioned, "that he went out “unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren" (probably attempting to murder him ;) " and he slew the Egyp

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* Exod. xviii.

† Numb. xii. 1.

+ Exod. ii.

"tian, and hid him in the sand." When he finds the fact discovered, and that Pharaoh sought to slay him, he flies to Midian, marries, and remains there for a long series of years, unaspiring and unknown, till at the advanced age of fourscore, the divine command urges and compels him to become the instrument of executing the will of heaven, in the deliverance of his nation.

Compare with this short and modest narrative, the embellishments which national vanity added in subsequent traditions, and which Josephus collected and adorned.* We are told that the sacred scribe of the Egyptians announces to their monarch, that about this time a child should be born to the Israelites, who would bring the Egyptian dominion low, and raise theirs; who would excel all men in virtue, and obtain a glory which would be remembered through all ages: and to the terror arising from this prediction, (of which not one word occurs in the Pentateuch) Josephus ascribes the edict to put to death all the male children of the Hebrews. Nor is this all: the birth of this future hero and legislator of the Jews, is granted to the prayers of his father, and announced to him also in a prophetic vision. Even his brother Aaron's fame, and his dignity as high priest, is also prophesied.

The original narrative, with a beautiful simplicity, notices the very natural circumstance, "that when the mother of Moses "saw he was a goodly child, she hid him three months." On this single expression, Josephus raises the most extravagant description of the distinguished and captivating stature and beauty of his hero, and ascribes to this, some of the most remarkable events with which he embellishes his life. His understanding too, is represented as greater than his age; the sports of his childhood are ominous of his future exploits. When arrived to maturity, he is said to have been appointed general in a war with the Æthiopians, who had reduced Egypt to the extremest distress. His good conduct and success are represented as unparalleled, and such as to excite the most violent jealousy amongst the Egyptians, and especially to raise the and hatred of Pharaoh; and to this Josephus ascribes his flight into the land of Midian; after which he is compelled

envy

* Vide Josephus's Antiquities, B. II. ch. x. xi.

to adopt the narrative of the Pentateuch, which here becomes too particular, and on a subject too sacred, to allow any material deviation. Yet, even here, we find him in various minute circumstances, suppressing and softening different particulars which appeared uncreditable to Moses, but which the Pentateuch puts forward with the most faithful exactness.

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When the divine glory appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and commanded him to undertake the deliveranee of his countrymen, the Jewish Lawgiver displays a degree of reluctance and distrust which surprises us;* after God had wrought three different miracles, and enabled him to repeat them, Moses replies, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant: I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, "Who hath made man's mouth? have not I the Lord? Now "therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee “what thou shalt say." Yet even to this gracious assurance, Moses returns almost an absolute refusal to undertake the mission on any terms: for he said, "O my Lord, send, I pray "thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send." We cannot be surprised to be told, that on this, "the anger of the Lord "was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the “Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well: and I "will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth; and he shall be "thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be to thee instead "of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God:" (that is, you shall direct and authorize him to act in the name of God.) Accordingly, when the people and elders of Israel were assembled, it was Aaron + who "spake all the words which the "Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of "the people." And in every subsequent conference with Pharaob, and the whole deliverance from Egypt, Aaron is the inseparable companion of Moses, and always acts the same subordinate, indeed, but yet necessary and important part. Now Josephus softens all this into a modest apology on the part of Moses, stating his natural incompetency: "Lord, I am still in "doubt, how I, a private man, and of no abilities, should 66 persuade my countrymen or Pharaoh :" even this is repre* Vide Exodus, iv. + Exod. iv. 30. Joseph. Antiq. Book II. ch. xii. §. 2.

sented as antecedent to the miracles which Moses saw, and was enabled to perform; and not one word is said of God's anger being kindled against him, or of Aaron's being deputed to assist him; nor in the whole history is any notice taken of the important part which Aaron bore in every subsequent transaction: it is barely said, that by the command of God he met his brother, but Moses appears the sole ambassador of God to Pharaoh.

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Thus again we find, on the refusal of Pharaoh to comply with the first demand of Moses to let the Hebrews go, and on his increasing their burthens, the Pentateuch represents the people as angrily reproaching Moses and Aaron: "The Lord look upon you, and judge you; for you have made us to be "abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants, to put a "sword into their hands to slay us :" and immediately Moses as impatiently expostulates with God, "Lord, wherefore hast thou "so evil-entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent "me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he "hath done evil to his people: neither hast thou delivered thy "people at all."* Of all this, we find not one word in Josephus.

Josephus also suppresses the signal crime of the Jews in setting up the golden calf; and, above all, he omits altogether the offence which both Moses and Aaron were guilty of at Meribah, where the Pentateuch relates their being directed to bring water out of the rock; instead of doing this in the name and for the glory of God, they spoke unadvisedly, not manifesting a firm faith, or giving to God the glory of the miracle; for they gathered the congregation together before the rock, and Moses said unto them, "+Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you "water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and "smote the rock twice; and the water gushed out abundantly. "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the Children of Israel; "therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land " which I have given them." This offence, so frequently alluded to in the Pentateuch, and the punishment, of which Moses is represented as repeatedly deprecating, entreating to be permitted to enter the promised land, though in vain, is totally omitted

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* Exod. v. from 21 to 23.

+ Numb. xx. 10—12.

by Josephus. While in the original, nothing can be more affecting than the manner in which it is alluded to; it is expressed as if the heart was weighed down by sorrow for the disappointment of its fondest hope; and as if occasions of venting this sorrow were industriously sought, even a remote allusion or reference is enough; yet it concerned only himself: it was not to his credit, but it was that which he felt most deeply, and which he only could feel so truly.

Thus we clearly perceive the difference between the genuine narration of Moses himself, and the cautious compilation of a remote historian. In short, we find Josephus doing what it is natural every compiler of history should do, when describing the character of a legislator whom he looked up to with reverence, and detailing the conduct of his countrymen whom he wished to place in the best light: we find him magnifying the talents and virtues of the one, and palliating or excusing the murmurs and idolatries, the obstinacy and crimes, of the other. Now, what I contend for is this, that if the Pentateuch had been compiled by any historian guided by the mere uncontrolled feelings and partialities of the human mind, we should discover them in his describing the character of the man who is represented as the legislator and head of the nation who were the chosen people of God. I could show by a minute induction, that nothing of this kind occurs in the Pentateuch, and that multiplied instances of it are found in Josephus, who is yet admitted to be an historian of general veracity and integrity. But I forbear; I trust I have said enough to prove that the Pentateuch is written with such strict impartiality as enables us to rely on the truth of its relation, even in the most minute particulars.

I have but one further remark to make, and that is, that we find, although the subject-matter of Josephus is essentially the same with that of the Pentateuch, yet, in the selection and order of their circumstances they differ, exactly as we should expect the works of a compiler anxious to interest and keep up his reader's attention, would, whenever composed, differ from the original narrative of an eye-witness, detailing (as Moses did) every circumstance as it occurred, and totally careless of every thing but minute precision and strict fidelity.

Josephus chooses to separate the Laws from the narrative;