The miracles wrought by Moses, as recorded in the books of Exodus, were, we have reason to believe, by the immediate command of a supreme power. When Moses had commissioned Aaron (_Exodus_, chap. vii, verse 9, 10, &c.) to be a prophet, Aaron took a rod and cast it before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent; but it seems, however, that Pharaoh called the wise men and the sorcerers, called the magicians of Egypt, who performed the same thing with their enchantments; "for they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: _but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods_." It appears that on another occasion, the waters were turned into blood by smiting them with the rod; "and the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments." When Aaron was commanded to stretch forth his hand with his rod over the streams, &c. frogs appeared upon the land, and the magicians did so likewise; but when vermin were brought forth, by smiting the land, the magicians were unsuccessful, and said unto Pharaoh, "_This is the finger of God_." In the continuation of the plague, Moses and Aaron were commanded to take the ashes of the furnace, before Pharaoh, and sprinkle them up towards Heaven; and it became a hail on man and beast, but the magicians were affected, and could not stand before Moses. When Moses stretched forth his rod towards heaven "hail, and fire mingled with hail," came down; and on another occasion, they brought forth locusts. When this plague ceased, Moses caused darkness to prevail. We will merely observe, that, with regard to the magi of Egypt, who it is known possessed all the learning of the day, and were celebrated in after ages for superior wisdom, so much so that many of the Grecians resorted there to be initiated into their mysteries,--they were of a different description from those who really worked miracles, according to divine inspiration. Hence we find, that, although distinct in their character, the magicians of Egypt pretended to perform certain rites, and to work upon the feelings of the people. Their initiary process, which the Pythagoreans in many respects pursued, and traces of which are extant in the order of free-masonry, was merely intended to preserve their knowledge within the pale of, and veiled in, hieroglyphic mystery, which none but the initiated could understand. Priestley, in his _Institutes of Moses_, points out the difference between the magi, so called, and the rites and ceremonies of the ancient Hebrews. But the imposition practised on mankind, even in modern times, aided by engines of the most abominable kind, as instruments of torture, in the inquisitorial tribunals of Portugal and Spain, are sufficient of themselves to call down the vengeance of impartial justice.