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brother or sister, art thou under discouragement? Christ now sends thee an invitation to come unto him. He is graciously disposed to make bare his arm for thy deliverance. Whilst anxious for many things, be not unmindful of the one thing needful. If any are in the predicament of striving with their own strength, they must cease from their own works before God will interfere. When they have submitted to his will, he will pluck their feet from the horrible pit and from the miry clay. May they be willing to part with every thing for God! We are too apt to rely on ourselves for help; but if we give way to God he will interpose and sustain us. Mary hath chosen the good part which can never be taken from her. May we follow her example! O blessed state! Come to this and you will witness of the glory and mercy of God. Sweet will be his voice, and bright his countenance to find you in his Holy City. Be not discouraged. A state of suffering may be your best school; for it is a state of instruction. God will bring you into that state, where Christ the Everlasting Shepherd shall lead you green pastures, and give you rest at noon-daythat state of spiritual repose, where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are

et rest.

into

SERMON V.*

DELIVERED BY ELIAS HICKS, IN FRIENDS' MEETINGHOUSE, HESTER-STREET, NEW-YORK, ON FIRST DAY AFTERNOON The 22nd of fifth month, 1825; be

ING THE FIRST DAY OF THE YEARLY MEETING.

THE HE testimony of Jehovah, to his servant Moses, in giving the law and covenant to Israel, has been brought very instructively to my remembrance in this short sitting. It comprehends a good deal in a few expressions. "And the Almighty spake unto Moses saying, speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." Here it is evident, that the Almighty magnified his own power, which was coeval with time selfexistent, and above every thing but himself.' Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God!

* Taken in short hand by M. T. C. Gould.

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This dignity the Almighty has supported through all ages of the world, and towards all the children of men, that they should never give glory to another, honour to another, nor praise to graven images. And the enlightened mind in viewing this figurative dispensation, beholds great beauty in it. It is indeed, as the apostle expressed it, glorious. For although shadows are merely considered only as the representation of better things to come, yet all these shadows consisted in substantial realities in natural things. Moses was called of the Lord and sent down into Egypt, for the great purpose which he effected there, in delivering Israel. God knew and his servant was had to know, that the Israelites would not believe on his own evidence, his own testimony: for you know, my friends, it is generally granted that no man can be a witness in his own cause. No single thing can be a witness, if it is not of something beside itself, or besides its own declaration. Even the scriptures can be no evidence of the faith, by which we believe them. There must be something else, to evidence the certainty or uncertainty of their testimony. Hence when Moses declared, in regard to the requisition which had been put upon him, that he should go down into Egypt to deliver Israel, the people would not

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obey him, for they would not believe him. The Lord knew this very well, and was therefore ready to give him an evidence, or empower him to give an evidence, superior to the testimony of man. He therefore bade him to cast down his rod, and when he had cast it down, it became a serpent; and when he commanded him to put forth his hand and take it again, it became a rod in his hand; although the moment before, it had been a frightful serpent, so that Moses himself fled from it.

Moses still seemed doubting, and the Lord assured him, that if these miracles did not suffice, he would give him to work other miracles. Moses no doubt, was well aware, that his testimony to the people and to Pharaoh, would receive no credit from them, though given to them in the most positive manner, and so with the miracles wrought in the wilderness. They would not be credulous enough to believe any thing about their truth; and therefore when they came out of Egypt, he was to work these miracles in their sight, because they knew of no other miracles than those which were outward which could be evidenced by their external senses; by seeing the fact externally before them. These he did in their sight, and he wrought many mighty miracles in the land ot Egypt, be

fore Pharaoh would give up the people. Here we see the greatness, wisdom and power of God, by his condescending goodness, in all his manifestations and dealings with his people Israel, in their low and degraded state. They were

sunk so low, that they were not able to rise high enough to have intercourse with their Creator, with the God of their salvation. They were afraid to come before his presence; they were just emerging from bondage and captivity. And we know my friends, the effects of servitudethere is no people on earth, who have a greater evidence, of the effects of oppression upon rational beings, than we have, in this land. We see how it has degraded our fellow creatures. Oppression it is said will make even a wise man mad.

But the Lord had a regard for Abraham, who was faithful before him, and to whom he had made a promise that he would do great things for his children. This promise he was willing to fulfil in everlasting mercy and kindness. Therefore he lead them in a way, suited to their low and ignorant state, he gave them a law covenant and a religion, which stood in outward things; and known only by their rational strength and understanding.

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