when the priests threw
down their rods, they became serpents. But Moses was not daunted at it;
and said, "O king, I do not myself despise the wisdom of the Egyptians,
but I say that what I do is so much superior to what these do by magic
arts and tricks, as Divine power exceeds the power of man: but I will
demonstrate that what I do is not done by craft, or counterfeiting what
is not really true, but that they appear by the providence and power of
God." And when he had said this, he cast his rod down upon the ground,
and commanded it to turn itself into a serpent. It obeyed him, and went
all round, and devoured the rods of the Egyptians, which seemed to be
dragons, until it had consumed them all. It then returned to its own
form, and Moses took it into his hand again.

4. However, the king was no more moved when was done than before;
and being very angry, he said that he should gain nothing by this his
cunning and shrewdness against the Egyptians;--and he commanded him that
was the chief taskmaster over the Hebrews, to give them no relaxation
from their labors, but to compel them to submit to greater oppressions
than before; and though he allowed them chaff before for making their
bricks, he would allow it them no longer, but he made them to work hard
at brick-making in the day-time, and to gather chaff in the night. Now
when their labor was thus doubled upon them, they laid the blame upon
Moses, because their labor and their misery were on his account become
more severe to them. But Moses did not let his courage sink for the
king's threatenings; nor did he abate of his zeal on account of
the Hebrews' complaints; but he supported himself, and set his soul
resolutely against them both, and used his own utmost diligence to
procure liberty to his countrymen. So he went to the king, and persuaded
him to let the Hebrews go to Mount Sinai, and there to sacrifice to God,
because God had enjoined them so to do. He persuaded him also not
to counterwork the designs of God, but to esteem his favor above all
things, and to permit them to depart, lest, before he be aware, he lay
an obstruction in the way of the Divine commands, and so occasion
his own suffering such punishments as it was probable any one that
counterworked the Divine commands should undergo, since the severest
afflictions arise from every object to those that provoke the Divine
wrath against them; for such as these have neither the earth nor the air
for their friend