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Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward.—Ex. xiv. 15.

chosen this subject for the occasion on account of its scope. What to the children of Abraham under their peculiar situation, may to the people of God, in this clay, be as important. Go forward, as a command from the mouth of God, is worthy of our deepest consideration, and should be regarded as worthy of all acceptation by a nation, a community, a sect, or a church, and should by the individual man, in his life, practice, example, faith, grace, knowledge, wisdom, truth, and holiness.

What I purpose upon this occasion is—

I. To notice the circumstance that gave rise to the text—that briefly.

II. The command as it affects the individual. III. The command as it touches a church, and the history of this church.

I. It is known to you all that the children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt, and remained in that condition upwards of 220 years. The sequel of their bondage shows that their condition was one of affliction and distress their repeated cries and supplications to God make this assertion as clear as a sunbeam. To such an extent did their oppressors torment them by exacting