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fome measure to imitate fome of the first Works of Mofes,(ch.7.) yet were they forced quickly to give out, and to own the unimitable Power of God. And when they inflicted Evils, they were deftitute of Power to remove thofe Inflictions, (ch. 8. v. 7, 8.) The Magicians of Egypt could not produce fo much as Lice out of the Duft of the Earth, (ch. 8. 18.) 'twas above their Power; and for the warm of Flies which were fent upon the Egyptians, the place where the Ifraelites dwelt was by the wonderfull Providence of God exempted from them, (ch. 8. 22.) Thus it was also in the Murrain; it did light on the Cattel of the Egyptians, but not upon that which belonged to the Ifraelites, (ch. 9.) The Plague of Boyls fucceeded, which was fo grievous upon the Egyptians, that the Magicians themselves could not stand before Mofes, (v. 11.) The Hail with Thunder and Fire came next; but this grievous Plague fell upon the Egyptians onely, the Ifraelites felt it not, (v. 26.) A grievous Plague from the Locufts followed, and that was followed by a thick Darkness which affected the Egyptians only, the Ifraelites enjoying Light as before. And laftly, the Death of the First-born, which fell onely on thofe of the Egyptians, and from "which the Ifraelites were excufed, ch. 11.

After this wonderfull manner did God think 'fit to effect and bring to pass the Departure of the Ifraelites out of Egypt. This was a moft fignal Bleffing to that People, and never to be forgotten.

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forgotten. And as God thought fit by Moses to tranfmit to Pofterity the History of the Facts relating to this Matter; fo he appointed a Festival (and a very Solemn one) to be annually kept by the Ifraelites in remembrance of it, and appointed the Month in which this Departure happened to be for the future obferved as the firft of (at least) the [Ecclefiafticall year. The Ifraelites are often put in mind by Mofes and the fucceeding Prophets of this Deliverance; and it is made ufe of as an Inducement to their Obedience to the Law given them afterwards, Exod. 20. 2. And that they might not forget this Deliverance, they were afterwards obliged to keep up the remem brance of it once every Week on their Sabbath-day, Deut. 5. 15. And, befides all this, to perpetuate the memory of this Deliverance, the firft-born of Man and Beaft are to be feparated, or fet apart, Exod. 13.

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Of this Departure of the Ifraelites out of Egypt, and of the Solemn Festival appointed for a Memorial of it, viz. The Paffover and Feaft of Unleavened bread, and the rites thereunto belonging, we have an account, ch. 12. and 13.

When the Ifraelites Went from Egypt, God took care of them, and directed their Journies by a certain Pillar, which in the Day appeared as a Cloud and as Fire in the Night, (ch. 13.21, 22.) And whereas the Egyptians were fo hardy as to purfue them, God miraculoufly faves the Ifraelites, by giving them a paffage

paffage through the Red-Sea, and drowns the Egytians which followed them, (ch. 14.) In memory whereof we have a Solemn Hymn or Song of Mofes, (ch. 15.)..

I will now represent the Facts that were confequent upon this Deliverance. The bitter Waters of Marah were made fweet by Mofes, (ch. 15.25.) And when the People wanted Bread, they were miraculously supplied with Quails and Manna, ch. 16. And when they wanted Water they are fupplied with it from a Rock in Horeb. When they were affaulted by Amalek they prevailed whiles Mofes held up his hands; in memory of which Victory an Altar is built, (ch. 17.) Next follows an ac count of the coming of Jethro, of his Recepti on by Mofes, and the Counfel he gave him, ch. 18.

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And now. were the Ifraelites come to the Wilderness in Sinai in the third Month after they were come from Egypt: And here God gives them the Law, and that he does in a manner that was very folemn and awfull Mofes goes up into a Mountain, where God inftructs him what he fhould fay to the Ifrae

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the better to prepare them for receiving the Law, and returns their anfwer unto God, He is fent down to them again to fanctify them, and warn them: And God fent him a third time, with a charge to them to keep their di ftance. The Mountain was in a fmoke, and God defcended on it in Fire, and it quaked,

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After this we have an account of the calling of Mofes up into the Mountain, of his writing of this Law of God, called afterwards, The Book of the Covenant; of his building an Altar, and caufing Sacrifices to be flain, and folemnly entring the People into a Covenant to obey this Law which had been made known to them. Upon which Mofes is called up into the Mountain, promised Tables of Stone, and continued in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights, ch. 24.

Thus did things ftand between God and the Ifraelites: He had given his Law (a great and peculiar favour this was) and they had not on ly promised Obedience, but had folemnly entred into Covenant to make their promise good. In fuch an happy cafe were this People now, whofe God was the Lord.

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For the farther affurance of the Ifraelites that he would dwell among them, and direct them in their Religious Worship of Himself, he lets Mofes know, that it was his pleasure that a Sanctuary fhould be built, and that the People fhould freely offer Materials for this Work, the pattern whereof he would fhew him in the Mount. And accordingly he re ceives directions concerning this Sanctuary and its Inftruments. He is directed as to the Ark, the Mercy feat and Cherubims, the Table of Shew bread, the Candlestick, the several Curtains, Covering Boards of the Tabernacle; the Altar, and Courts, &c, thereunto belonging, (ch. 25, 26,27.)

26, 27.) Aaron and his Sons are alfo fet apart for the Prieft's Office. The Holy Garments are prefcribed, and the Ceremonies of their Confecration appointed; and God promiseth to dwell among that People, and to be their God, ch. 29. 45. Care is alfo taken about the Altar of Incenfe, and of the ransom-Money; of the brazen Laver, the anointing Oyl and Perfume. Bezaleel and Aholiab are appointed for the Work of the Tabernacle, and Mofes receives the two Tables of Stone written with the Finger of God, ch. 31.

Whiles Mofes continues in the Mount, when God had done fuch great things for Ifrael, and was defigning for them farther pledges of his Fayour, the People fell into a great fin. God had exprefsly forbidden the Worship of any Image, or the making WITH Him any Gods of Silver or Gold, Exod. 20. They not regarding this Law, prevailed with Aaron, in the abfence of Mofes, to make them Gods (as they worded it) to go before them. Upon which Aaron makes them a Golden Calf, which the People worshipped WITH God. For 'tis not credible, that they had intirely renounced the true God which had done fuch Wonders for them. Upon this is God greatly displeased with the People, and Mofes cafts down the Tables of Stone, and breaks them; many of the People were deftroyed, and God lets them know his great difpleasure for their grievous fault, ch. 32. 32

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