Discourses on several important subjects Author:Samuel Seabury Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: DISCOURSE I. PART THE THIRD. OBSERVATIONS ON THE HISTORY PHARAOH. .IMMEDIATELY after the recital of the miracle of Aaron's rod being turned into a ferp... more »ent, it is remarked, " The Lord faid unto Mofes, Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refufeth to let the people go." The miracle intended for his conviction had a contrary effect, and made him more ob- ftinate in his refolution to keep the Ifraelites in fervitude. God, therefore, commanded Mofes to meet him, the next morning, at the river, whither he intended to go, either for the fake of bathing, or to pay his adoration; that river being efteemed one of the principal deities of Egypt. The bufi- - nefs of Mofes was again to demand the difmiffion of the Ifraelites, that they might worfhip God in the wildernefsi He was alfo to declare to Pharaoh, that, unlefs he confented, he would fmite the river -with his rod, and all the waters of Egypt fhould become blood. Mofes did as he was commanded ; and upon Aaron's ftriking the river with the rod, it, and all the rivers, and pools, and ponds of water in Egypt, became blood, and ftank, and the filh died. Diftrefled with drought, the Egyptians digged near the river for water to drink. This miracle had as little influence on Pharaoh as the former one; for " the magicians of Egypt did fo with their enchantments;" that is, they alfo iurned water into blood; " and Pharaoh's heart was hardened; neither did he hearken unto" Mofes and Aaron, as the Lord had faid, but " turned and went into his houfe; neither did he fet his heart to this alfo." He became more obftinate and fullen; would give himfelf no trouble to confider the mattef, but let it pafs, without even reflecting, that though the magicians had imitated the miracle of Mofes, yet, by turning water into blood, they had increafed an...« less