Plagues of Egypt

    The plagues brought on Egypt by the hand of Moses were a miraculous interposition of Almighty power. But from the nature of them, we may learn to see Providence in similar punishments of the world. The things brought by God on the Egyptians are things that occur providentially in other countries in all times. When, then, any nation or district is visited with similar calamities, it should be taken as a punishment inflicted by God on account of sin. Pestilential diseases, with respect to men or cattle, are not without Providence. Even when they are most successfully traced to natural causes, they should still be received as from God; for God is the author of nature, as well as he is the moral ruler of the world. He can make what are called the works of nature execute his judgments on account of sin. Now, if this is the case, even where calamities can be traced to certain causes, how much more so, when all the ingenuity, when all the philosophy of the wise, cannot satisfactorily account for the occurrence! Cases frequently occur that baffle every effort to account for them, without reference to the invisible hand of God. Whatever the children of this world may do in the time of calamity, it becomes the people of God to recognise his hand, and cast themselves in the dust before him. Let them acknowledge him in the time of judgment; and he who kept the Israelites safe, when he brought mourning on the Egyptians, can show that he is able to preserve in the midst of ruin.