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The third Ascent. (Book 3)
MOses was a high Favourite of Heaven, from his very Infancy, being then mi∣raculously delivered, from the danger of the waters, upon which he was exposed (as Scripture teacheth us) in an Arke of Bul∣rushes. O the inscrutable paths of the Al∣mighty!* 1.1 O the Heights! O the Depths of Divine Providence! Here we must pause a little, and consider the great Salvations of the Lord, before we can proceed to accomplish our Parallel.
Lo, here we find a little Infant, our great Moses, exposed to the mercy of Nilus, in a strange bottome, a boat made of Bul∣rushes,* 1.2 or floating Cradle of Reeds. The poor tender Mother is wholly become heart∣lesse, and abandoneth her Childe to death, to save him from the Savage cruelty of men, set on work, to destroy innocents, by the direful rigour of a sterne Tyrant. The Aunt, not altogether so hopelesse, but a little bolder, dares to follow the forlorne Infant, at some distance, so as to keep it within the com∣passe of her eye, endeavouring to see (if she could) what would become of the Child; but her weaknesse, alas, could do nothing to war∣rant