Chap.-2,7. An Expofitio,s upon the Book of J o a. Verf.2o. 179 of Egypt,even darknefft which may befelt. To feefedarknefs "vas a dreadful ftroak,though they fhouldhave felt nothingelfe;yet this was notthe utmort of Egypts mifcry;as theyhad felt theplagueof darktnefs,fo to wind up their calamity tothe highefitheymutt feel their tenth andlait Plague in darknefs (Exod i 2, 29. ) Ord it came to paje, that at midnight the Lord [mote all thefirfi-borne the Landof Egypt, from the firfl -bornof Pharaoh that fat on bis throne,&c.And then we read in the next verle, Therewas a great cry in Egypt. To have had anyof their children (mitten had been a great plague,but tohave their firft-borne(mitten was a greater, and to have all their firfi-borne fmitcen was agreater than char, and yet we are not -at the greateft greatnefs of their, plague, till we come tothe time ofit, in the night, yea at midnight, which is thedeadeft and darkeft time of the night. And toput a terrour upon that (laughter of cheAffyrians encamping againft Jerufalem, it is faid (2 Kings 19. 3 S.) And it came to pare thatnight, that the Angel of the Lord went out and(mote in the Campe ofthe Ajy., rians an hundred fonrfcere andfive tkeufand, &c. The Prophet Ifaiab puts the Emphafis of vengeatce upon this circumftance twice inone verle(¡fa. Is.I.)The burdenofMoab, becaufein the night Ai" ofMoab io laid wall andbrought tofilence,beeaufe in the night Kirof Moab is laid waft and brought to Hence. And againe ( Dan. 5.3o.) In that night was Relfhazzar the King of the Chaldean!'taint. All thefe(like the wicked man in the text) were ftolne away by a teáipeft of divine wrath in the night. By how much the time is darker,byfomuch is the tempert forer that falls upon diftreffed man. Thus if we take the word night ftri6ly` and properly, it may note a threefold aggravation of this vniferaXy defiroying tem- pett upon the wicked man. Firft, That it came when himielfe was afleep and dreamt not of any, much leffe of fo great a mifcheife. Secondly, That it carne when he could not fee away, nor reams dily find anymeaner to helpe himfelfe, as poßîbly, inthe day he might. Thirdly, That it came, when,ic may well be fuppofed,that his friends and neighbours were afleepe too,and could not come to helpe him. Againe, if we, rake the night improperly, for any time of ireu« A a 2 bit
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