fhould go with him, as his fpeaker upon

the occafion.

When God in his providence ap points us to any important or arduous fer vice, let us not plead inability, and confer with flesh and blood; but immediately prepare ourselves to do it, and go on in the face of every poffible difcouragement, trufting in that comfortable promife, My grace is fufficient for thee; for my frength is made perfect in weakness.

Chrift

CHAP. XVI.

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.

Before WHEN Mofes and Aaron arrived at the land of Goshen, they ac2491. quainted the elders of Ifrael with what the Lord had fpoken, and convinced them of the truth of it by fome miracles which he had enabled them to perform. They then proceeded to Pharaoh, and in the name of the Lord required him to let the Ifraelites go into the wilderness, that they might hold a feaft unto the Lord. Pharaoh however treated the message with contempt, and enjoined the tafk-masters to lay heavier burdens upon the people.

Mofes and Aaron went again to the king,

and in order to prove the divine authority by which they acted, wrought fome miracles before him, but the Lord hardened his heart, or rather permitted him to harden his own heart; for God did not make him wicked, but by his own continued obftinate wickednefs he brought this judgment of a hardened heart upon himself.-After this Mofes and daron turned all the water of Egypt into blood, fo that the fish died, and the rivers ftank; and seven days after they brought a great plague of frogs, which covered the whole land, and fwarmed even in the rooms and chambers of the king. Pharaoh feemed a little humbled, and entreated Mofes to pray to God for relief, with a promife that he would permit the Hebrews to go and do facrifice unto the Lord. But as foon as this plague, upon the prayer of Mofes, was removed, he forgot the cause of it, and refused to fulfil his promife. The Lord punished his obftinacy and falfhood by fending great quantities of lice both upon man and beaft; and afterwards fwarms of peftilential flies which corrupted the land. The king was fo affected with thefe grievous calamities, as to apply to Mofes for relief: the defired relief was granted: but ftill Pharaoh hardened his heart.

Then God fent a murrain among the eattle, of which they almoft all died; then a fickness among the people, which covered their bodies with fore boils and ulcers; then dreadful ftorms of thunder, lightning, and hail, very grievous, fuch as Egypt had never fuffered before; then he fent innumerable locufts, which devoured all the remaining fruits of the earth; and afterwards a thick heavy darkness, which shut them up in their houses as prifoners, and fettered them with the bonds of a long night. Pharaoh could not but feel these terrible effects of divine vengeance, and yet he still went on finning and repenting, and repenting and finning: again he entreated Mojes: again the plagues were removed; and again he hardened his heart. apt are men, in the time of affliction, to fee to God, as their only hope and refuge; and yet upon deliverance from the danger, to forget their benefactor, and make no due acknowledgment for his mercies! When diftrefs and anguifh take hold of them, they appear to be penitent, devout, and good; but when their wishes are anfwered, and things go on fmoothly, they fee no further need of divine affiftance, and their pious refolutions pafs away like the early dew-How bafe and ungenerous is

How

that temper, which is only to be driven by fear, and never to be won by goodnefs!

At laft God fent down deftruction upon the firft-born of the Egyptians; and there was a dreadful cry and confufion through the land; for there was not a house in which there was not one dead. Terrified and confounded at this dreadful inftance of the power of God, and not knowing what might be the end of his anger, Pharaoh fent haftily for Mofes and Aaron; and faid, Rife up, get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Ifrael; take your flocks also, and your herds; and go ferve the Lord. The Egyptians indeed were fo affected with the plagues which God had fent, and fo glad to get rid of the Ifraelites, that they made them many rich prefents, and gave them whatever they defired. This day was commanded by the Lord to be observed for ever by the Ifraelites, as a folemn feftival; and to be called the Passover; because, when he destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians, he passed over the If raelites, and alfo delivered them from their cruel and oppreffive bondage.

CHAP. XVII.

THE DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH.

WHEN

HEN the Ifraelites had been gone fome days journey, Pharaoh, being informed that they intended to leave his kingdom, purfued them with a numerous army, in order to bring them back. But the Lord led his people, and protected them in a wonderful manner; for He went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light; and thus they marched fecurely by day and night. Yet when they were overtaken by Pharaoh near the Red Sea, and found themfelves, as it were, befieged; by a great army behind, and the Red Sea before them, they diftrusted the divine power, and murmured against their leader. But Mofes, at the command of God, ftretched his hand over the fea, and immediately the waters were divided, and became as a wall on the right hand and on the left, fo that there was a dry path for them, and they walked with fafety to the other shore. Pharaoh and all the Egyptians pursued them in the fame path; but Mofes again ftretched out his hand, and the fea returned to its frength; the waters rufhed violently upon them, and not one of them efcaped.