it. This would have been without Difpute, had Mofes only wrought Miracles; but when the Magicians of Egypt alfo wrought Miracles, in Oppofition to Mofes, then it grew doubtful whether Mofes or They were to be believ'd, or neither. And the way to decide this Affair was not, as I conceiv'd, to fay (with fome) that the Magicians were affifted by the Devil, who came and took their Rods fecretly and invifibly away, and fubftituted true Serpents in their ftead; nor (with others) that there was nothing real done by them, but that, by their Sorceries and Enchantments, they deluded the Spectators,

ctators, and impos'd upon their Senfes all the while. These Solutions I thought, created more and greater Difficulties than they pretended to answer to, and were really nothing less than downright begging the Queftion in hand, for several Reasons laid down before, at large. I have therefore tried to decide this matter, by affirming, that the Magicians (whatever they themselves thought or intended) did really work true Miracles, and were permitted, nay affifted by God, to do fo, for Reasons before mentioned, and not to be repeated here; and tried to fhew that even these Miracles at

tefted to Mofes's Miffion, and in the Conclufion, did not harden any Ægyptian's Heart, fo as to make him think the Egyptian Sorcerers wrought Miracles by a Power diftinct and oppofite to that by which Mofes acted, which was the only Snare the Ægyptians could fall into, and from which the Sorcerers own Con feffion manifeftly delivered them.

A. I thank you for the Pains you have been at, to clear thofe Difficulties that ftood in the way of my Belief: I am now perfwaded that Mofes's Miracles ought to have gained him that Credit with the Egyptians which God

God intended him, notwithstanding the Opposition which he was also pleased the Magicians fhould seem to make to him, by permitting them to work Miracles alfo ; fince they themselves who wrought them, came before the King and Court, and acknowledged the Finger of God, and his Power, in all the Operations foregoing, the Confequence of which was plainly this, that Mofes was fent of God, and must be hearkned to, in whatever he delivered by virtue of this Miffion: For tho' he delivered all he had to fay, to Pharaoh, before he wrought his Miracles, (which is the fairest way) yet H 4

all

all these Miracles were to gain him belief with the Children of Ifrael, in what he was afterwards to fay and do a mong them. I must freely own, that the way you take is lefs liable to Objections, than any I have ever yet met with; and I would now give you fome Refpite, were it not for that Paffage in Deut. xiii. 1, c. which sticks fo with me, that I fhall have no quiet, unless you please to tell me what I muft do with it. If there arife among you a Pro̟phet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and giveth thee a Sign or Wonder, and the Sign or the Wonder come to pass, whereof be fpake unto thee, Saying

Let