The Peculiarity obfervable in the scattering of the Afbes. It is faid, that when this evil was to be brought upon the Egyptians, Aaron and Mofes were ordered to take afhes of the furnace; and Mofes was to fcatter them up towards heaven, that they might be wafted over the face of the country, Exod. c. 9. v. 8. This mandate was very determinate: and to the laft degree fignificant. The ashes were to be taken from that fiery furnace; which in the fcriptures was used as a type of the Ifraelites flavery and of all the cruelty which they experienced in Egypt. The procefs has ftill a farther allufion to an idolatrous and cruel rite, which was common among the Egyptians; and to which it is Abraham faw in vifion the bondage of his pofterity under the emblem of a smoking furnace and burning lamp. Genefis, c. 15. v. 17.--The lord hath taken you out of the furnace: i.e. out of Egyptian thraldom. Deut. c. 4. v. 20. I have chofen thee in the furnace of affliction. Ifaiah, c. 48. v. 20.——For they be thy people and thine inheritance, which thou brought eft forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron. The words of Solomon. 1 Kings, c. 8. v. 51. oppofed opposed as a contrast. They had feveral cities ftiled Typhonian, such as Heliopolis, Idithyia, Abaris, and Bufiris. In the feat particular seasons they facrificed men. The objects thus deftined were perfons of bright hair, and a particular complexion: such as was feldom to be found among the native Egyptians. Hence we may infer, that they were foreigners: and it is probable that, while the Ifraelites refided in Egypt, they were chofen from their body. They were burnt alive upon an high altar: and thus facrificed for the good of the people. At the 2 * Και γαρ εν Ιδίθυιας πολει ζώντας ανθρωπες καταπιμπρασαν, ὡς Μανέθων ισόρηκε, Τυφωνίας καλέντες. και την τέφραν αυτών λικμωντες ηφάνισον, και διεσπειρον, Αλλα τετο μεν εδρατο φανερως, και καθ ̓ ἕνα καιρον εν ταις κυνασιν ἡμέραις. Plut. If. et Ofir. v. I. p. 380. D. * It was probably ftiled Tuph-On, Aopos H18: and from hence both the cities, and the perfons facrificed, had the name of Typhonian. That they were foreigners feems to be farther intimated, by the tradition recorded by Ovid. Cum Thrafius Bufirin adit, monstratque piari Hofpitis effufo fanguine poffe Jovem. De Arte Amand. 1. 1. v. 649. Diodorus fays των μεν Αιγυπτιων ολίγες τινας ευρίσκεσθαι πυῤῥες" των δε ξενων τους πλειος. 1. I. p. 79 I 3 clofe clofe of the facrifice the priests gathered together the afhes of these victims, and scattered them upwards in the 'air: I prefume, with this view; that where any atom of this duft was wafted, a bleffing might be entailed. The like was done by Mofes with the ashes of the fiery furnace: but with a different intention. They were fcattered abroad; that wherever any the smallest portion alighted, it might prove a plague and a curfe to this ungrateful, cruel, and infatuated people. Thus there was a defigned contraft in these workings of Providence: an apparent oppofition to the fuperftition of the times. The powers of darkness were foiled: and the priests and magicians confounded: all which was falutary to the people of God. But the heart of Pharaoh was still hardened. The Seventh Plague OF RAIN, HAIL, AND FIRE, ATTENDED WITH THUNDER. Exod. C. ix. V. 13. And the Lord faid unto Mofes, Rife up early in the morning, and ftand before Pharaoh, and fay, unto him, Thus faith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may ferve me. V. 14. For I will at this time fend all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy fervants, and upon thy people: that thou mayeft know, that there is none like me in all the earth. V. 15. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may fmite thee, and thy people with peftilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. V. 16. And in very deed for this caufe have I raised thee up, for to fhew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. V. 17. As yet exalteft thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go. V. 18. Behold, to-morrow about this time, I 4 I will caufe it to rain a very grievous bail fuch as hath not been in Egypt, fince the foundation thereof even until now. V. 19. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou haft in the field: för upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and fhall not be brought home, the hail hall come down upon them, and they shall die. V. 20. He that feared the word of the Lord amongst the fervants of Pharaoh, made bis fervants and his cattle flee into the houses. V. 21. And he that regarded not the word of the Lord, left his fervants, and his cattle in the field. V. 22. And the Lord faid unto Mofes, Stretch forth thine hand towards heaven, that there be bail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beaft, and upon every herb of the field, throughout all the land of Egypt. may V. 23. And Mofes ftretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord fent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground: and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. V. 24. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, fuch as there was none |