When Pharaoh again sternly refused to permit the journey of the people into the wilderness, Aaron cast down his rod before him, and it was turned into a serpent. Pharaoh regarded the wonderful event as an ingenious trick of jugglery, he sent for his magicians, they cast their rods before him, the same transformation in each individual instance occurred, and no doubt they were ready to laugh the representatives of the Hebrews to scorn. But the rod of Aaron, in its serpent state, swallowed all the rest, and the impiety and infidelity of the Egyptians were confounded. The king however, was insensible to conviction, and he determined still to retain the Israelites in bondage.

The discussion of the question by what power or influence did the magicians achieve the transformation just related, is foreign to this work. The language of the sacred historian is so positive, that there is no doubt that they literally effected what is related of them. They are stated to have imitated exactly the actions of Moses, until the plague of the lice was inflicted, when they were constrained to own the finger of God. In questions of doubtful disputation, Revelation rather checks and represses inquiry, than promises or lends her aid. It is sufficient then for our purpose to say, that of whatever nature were the incantations of the Egyptian magicians and their effects, the God of truth, by the hand of Moses and Aaron, put his infinite superiority beyond the possibility of doubt. God permitted the operations of the magicians in these instances to be successful, to render the more signal their ultimate confusion and disgrace. The apostle Paul speaks of two persons who seem to have been the principal actors in this extraordinary scene, Jannes and Jambres. (2 Tim. iii. 8.) The Jews have various traditions relative to the same persons under different names, and state that they were drowned in the passage of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army.

What were the plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians to induce them to suffer the Israelites to depart from their country?

The first?

When Pharaoh and his retinue stood on the banks of the river Nile, the glory of Egypt, its most splendid

ornament, and the great source of its fertility, Aaron stretched out his rod, and instead of the refreshing, fertilizing, and healthy stream whose periodical inundations appeared to render the country independent of the showers of heaven for its fruitfulness, and the object of ignorant adoration to the vast population which dwelt by its verdant shores, there ran a putrid, frightful deluge of blood-a fluid abominable and loathsome to the Egyptians, destroying the finny tribes which had previously sported upon the glassy tide, and infecting the very atmosphere with pestilence and corruption. And the magicians too, carried away by the diabolical influence of their accursed art, not only violated the principles of their own brutalizing superstition, but endeavoured to extend the dreadful calamity by changing every stream of water into blood. But although the unnatural and fearful transformation continued seven days, still the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people go.

The second?

The mysterious rod was waved over the waters; and myriads of loathsome frogs crawled over the highways and the fields, the domestic residences, and secret apartments of the Egyptians-gorgeous palaces, the abodes of luxury and power, were contaminated by the noisome intrusion-the tables, the seats, the culinary utensils, and the very beds, were filled with the detestable reptiles; and the mad magicians, instead of exerting their skill to diminish, insanely endeavoured to increase, the evil. Again they succeeded. Then the king seemed to relent, he promised to accede to the demand of Moses and Aaron, and on the morrow the people were to commence their march. But when the plague was stayed, and Pharaoh " that there was respite," he again hardened himself against God, and resolved still to perpetuate the slavery of the Israelites.

The third?

saw

The dust of the land was changed into lice, and the disgusting insects covered every place and every person. Again the magicians attempted to increase the plague, and by their incantations to add to the num

ber of the crawling vermin; but here their power, from whatever source it was derived, failed them, and they were compelled at once to confess the futility of their arts of sorcery, and the miraculous interposition of God.

The fourth?

The atmosphere was darkened by clouds of winged insects which corrupted the land which they covered, and produced excruciating anguish by their sting. A striking distinction was now made between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Goshen was free from the plague, while all Egypt was cursed by its prevalence, to furnish to the Egyptians a never-to-be-forgotten demonstration of the happiness enjoyed beneath the protecting providence of the God of Abraham, and of the inevitable destruction and misery of his foes.

The fifth and sixth?

By a raging disease among the cattle, the flocks of the Egyptians were destroyed, while the herds of the Israelites were untouched by the calamity. Then the persons of the unhappy subjects of Pharaoh, from the king on the throne, through all classes of people, without distinction of age, of rank, or of sex, were afflicted with grievous and disgusting sores; and the very magicians found that their infernal arts could not save them from the general evil. Yet all this suffering and devastation did not affect the heart of the infatuated monarch.

The seventh?

Then the serene atmosphere, the cloudless sky, which almost constantly prevail in Egypt, were overcast with the gloom of the gathering tempest; the thunder rolled; the lightning flashed along the ground; floods of water, and a storm of hail descended; all who were exposed to the fury of the tempest perished; the trees were levelled with the dust; the waving corn was blasted; so terrible was the ruin, that even the obstinacy of Pharaoh was subdued, and he interceded with Moses for the cessation of the calamity. But when the rain, the hail, and the thunder ceased, he again rebelled against the God of Israel.

The eighth.

Locusts were threatened to destroy all the verdure that remained after the thunder and hail; and then some of the counsellors of Pharaoh, deploring the dreadful state of the country, intreated his consent to the departure of the Israelites; he acquiesced in their representations; and when Moses and Aaron appeared before him, he told them that the men of the Hebrews might depart. But when they insisted that their wives, their children, and their cattle were to accompany them, the king became so exasperated, that he commanded them to be driven with ignominy from his presence. A strong wind brought the locusts; the air was darkened by their numbers; vegetation disappeared;' and the verdant valley of the Nile became a desolate and deplorable wilderness. Another reprieve was given to Pharaoh upon his profession of repentance, and the locusts were carried by the wind into the Red Sea.

The ninth?

Unwilling to lose his slaves, Pharaoh still resisted, and appeared to be reckless of the consequences of his crime. The light of the sun was then preternaturally withheld; a tremendous darkness "which might be felt," as though nature itself were dissolving, continued three days and nights; so horrible was the obscurity, that no man could remove from his place, and so universal was the consternation, that Pharaoh consented to the departure of the people. He recalled his permission, and irritated, instead of being humbled, by the judgments inflicted upon him, he threatened Moses with instant death if he appeared before him again. Moses unintimidated by the rage of the despot, proceeded to threaten a last and yet more tremendous punishment upon the subjects of a monarch, who had so long and so impiously disobeyed the commandment of God.

SECTION IV.

THE DEPARTURE OF THE ISRAELITES FROM EGYPT.

What preparations did the children of Israel make for their departure from Egypt?

PRIOR to the arrival of the last night of their bondage, the Hebrews, who had long laboured for their oppressors without remuneration, were commanded to borrow from the Egyptians jewels and other precious commodities; and such was the general awe which the previous plagues had excited, that their neighbours did not hesitate to comply with their wishes, and to intrust to them the most valuable of their treasures. The period for their deliverance had now arrived, and it was to be commemorated to the latest period of their history by an alteration in the calendar. Instead of reckoning the year from the month Tisri (September) they were for the future to account the month of their deliverance, Abib or Nisau, (corresponding with April,) the commencement of their ecclesiastical year. Every preparation for their departure was made, and they were commanded to hold themselves in readiness for the commencement of their journey.

What typical festival was instituted prior to the departure of the Israelites?

Before their departure from the land of their thraldom, they were to celebrate a festival typical of the glorious events which were to occur in the subsequent A. C. 1491. periods of their history. The PASSOVER was instituted. A lamb was to be slain, and when roasted with fire, was to be eaten by each family with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The Israelites were to partake of the feast with every mark of haste, their loins were to be girded, their shoes were to be upon their feet, their staves in their hands, and the blood of the victim was to be sprinkled upon the door-posts of the houses. Precise regulations were