born in Egypt, the chief of their Strength, in the Tabernacles of Ham. Wifd. xviii. 5. And when they had determined to flay the Babes of the Saints, one Child being caft forth, and faved, to reprove them, thou tookeft away the Multitude of their Children. Ver. 13. For whereas they would not believe any thing

reafon of the Enchantments, upon the Deftruction of the First-born, they acknowledged thy People to be the Sons of God. This was employing their God the Air, by which all Men live, to form in that Manner, or collect that Matter, which produces that Effect called the Peftilence; and in the most furprizing Manner to fingle out and kill the First-born fuddenly, without affecting the rest. Why the First-born were cut off rather than others, is not eafy to determine, befides what is faid of it in Scripture; whether the Eftates, and fo Government in Egypt, which kept the Children of Ifrael, were in the Hands of the Frftborn; or whether from the Beginning the First-born were appointed Priests, and those of this wicked Seed of Ham had neglected their Duty, and let, or affifted falfe Worfhip to come in; or whether they had facrificed their First-born to the Fire, and fo God would make one Sacrifice of all which were to have been facrificed to their God;

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or whether this was levelled as a Punishment for deftroying the Male Children of the Ifraelites, who were of Abraham, who really was the First-born, of which we are certain; whether it had Retrospection only, or alfo looked forward; and whether he accepted the Death of the First-born, in lieu of the reft, in Allufion to Chrift, whose Death was to redeem us from the Slavery of falfe Worship, and Death, I am not certain: But this made the Egyptians haften away the Ifraelites, made Pharaoh pray for a Bleffing, and made the Egyptians cry out, We be all dead Men.

As a Sign or Memorial of faving the First-born of the Ifraelites, the Lord claims the First-born of Man and Beast ; the clean Beafts to be facrificed, the First-born of Man, and unclean Beafts, to be redeem'd, for one, or fome, or all the Reafons aforefaid; and perhaps for delivering them from falling into the Egyptian Religion, whereby they would have been obliged to have facrificed their First-born and the rather, because each First-born was to be redeemed by facrificing one of their reprefentative Creatures.

Exod. xiii. 17. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the People go, that God led them not THROUGH the Way of the Land

the

of the Philistines, although that was near; for God faid, Left peradventure the People repent when they fee War, and they return to Egypt: Ver. 18. But God led the People about THROUGH the Way of the Wilderness of the Red-Sea, and the Children of Ifrael went up harnelled out of the Land of Egypt. Ver. 20. And they took their Journey (from Ramefes to Succoth, and) from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the Edge of the Wilderness; Ver. 21. And the Lord went before them by Day, in a Pillar of a Cloud, to lead them the Way; and by Night, in a Pillar of Fire to give them Light, to go by Day and Night. Ver. 22. He took not away Pillar of the Cloud by Day, nor the Pillar of Fire by Night, FROM before the People. Numb. xiv. 14. And that thy Cloud standeth over them Deut. i. 33. Who went in the Way before you, to fearch you out a Place to pitch your Tents IN, in Fire by Night, to Thew you by what Way you should go; and in a Cloud by Day. Nehem. ix. 19. Pfal. lxxviii. 14. Ibid. cv. 39. He (pread a Cloud for a Covering, and Fire to give Light in the Night. 1 Cor. x. 1. Moreover, Brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud, and all paffed through the Sea Ver. 2. And were all baptized unto Mofes

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in the Cloud, and in the Sea. Wisd. xix. 6. For the whole Creature in his proper Kind was fashioned again anew, ferving the peculiar Commandments that were given unto them, that thy Children might be kept without Hurt. Ver. 7. AS NAMELY, a Cloud fhadowing the Camp. It appears this Cloud was large enough to fhadow that vaft Camp, and that the Light was large enough to light that whole Camp: Though they defcended and ascended, 'tis not faid to what Height, but 'tis like they reach'd a vaft Height. We fhall fee other Reafons why God led this People out of the Way, and other Ufes of the Pillar and Fire, hereafter.

Exod. xiv. 1. And the Lord fpake unto Mofes, faying, Ver. 2. Speak unto the Children of Ifrael, that they turn and encamp before Pibahiroth, between Migdol and the Sea, over against Baal-zephon, &c.-Ver. 4. And I will harden Pharaoh's Heart, that he hall follow after them, and I will be bonoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his Hoft, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord-Ver. 9. But the Egyptians purfued after them, (all the Horfes AND Chariots of Pharaoh, and his Horfemeu, and his Army,) and overtook them encamping by SeaVer. 16, Lift up thy Rod, and stretch out L 4

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thy Hand over the Sea, and divide itVer. 19. And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Ifrael, removed, and went behind them, and the Pillar of the Cloud went from before their Face, and stood behind them; Ver. 20. And it came between the Camp of the Egyptians, and the Camp of Ifrael, and it was a Cloud and Darkness To THEM, but it gave Light by Night TO THESE; So that the one came not near the cther all the Night. Ver. 21. And Mofes ftretched out his Hand over the Sea, and the Lord caufed the Sea to go BACK by a frong East Wind all that Night, and made the Sea dry Land, and the Waters were divided. Ver. 22. And the Children of Ifrael went into the midst of the Sea upon dry Ground, and the Waters WERE a Wall unto them on their right Hand, and on their left. Ver. 23. And the Egyptians purfued, and went in after them to the midst of the Sea, EVEN all Pharaoh's Horfes, his Chariots and his Horfemen. Ver. 24. And it came to pass, that in the Morning-watch the Lord looked into the Hoft of the Egyptians thro' the Pillar of Fire, and of the Cloud, and troubled the Hoft of the Egyptians: Ver. 25. And took off their Chariot-wheels, that they drave them heavily, (or, AND MADE THEM GO HEAVILY,) Ĵo that the Egyptians faid, Let us flee from the

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