wrought his Miracles, as they did theirs ; and this being laid, the reft might follow eafily.

A. But, when they came to turn the Duft into Lice, as Mofes had done, and found they were not able to do it, they cried out, that this was the Finger of God: Does not this fignify, that they did not, till now, fee or believe the hand of God was in it and confequently, were not convinc'd, that God wrought these three Miracles, either by Mofes or themselves? but that they came to pafs by Art Magic, or they knew not how.

B. There is an Appearance of truth in what you fay; but in my Opinion, a little Reafon and Obfervation might fuffice to fhew them, that the hand of God was full as great in turning Rods into living Serpents, Water into Blood, and bringing up Frogs upon the Land,as in turning Duft intoLice,whose matter may seem much more prepared for fuch a Change, than that of the other Bodies for the Changes which they underwent. Can any one imagine, there is more appearing Difficulty, in turning Duft into Lice, than a little Wand into a Serpent? or can one find, that the doing the first should shew the

finger of God visible, and the latter require no fuch great Power to effect it? I do therefore think, that now was the time they went to Pharaoh, to tell him, that the God who wrought thefe Miracles, was certainly the most powerful of all Beings, and therefore that his Servant Moses must be hearkened to, and the Hebrews fuffered to depart; after they were sufficiently convinc'd themselves, that the Power by which these Miracles were wrought, was able to do what he pleas'd, they endeavour'd to perfwade the King, but the Text fays, that be hearkened not unto them. They found indeed, that they

could

could work no more Miracles; were they thereby convinced, that those they had already wrought, were not wrought by God? then must they also think, that those of Mofes were no better than their own, and confequently were not wrought by God, If they had feen any great difference betwixt the Miracles of Mofes and their own, they would have seen at firft, that the finger of God was in it; but feeing no fuch difference, they might well conclude they were both wrought by the fame Power, and came to acquaint the King with it. When therefore they fay-this is the finger of God, I would

would not understand them to mean, this turning Duft into Lice is the finger of God, in contradiction to the other foregoing Miracles, as if they fhewed no fuch finger or power of God-but- this whole Tranfaction, all this powerful Operation, all these Miracles together, evidently demonftrate, that the hand of God is in this whole matter and that none but he could bring fuch mighty things to pafs, and therefore it were best to yield to this invincible Neceffity,

A. So that you imagine, God permitted thefe Enchanters to work fome Miracles,

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