Now, do not all these things speak to ourselves? Why have we so many precious promises given to us? Why have we so many precious tokens of God's covenanted mercy and love? Why so many precious names, under which the Saviour is set forth as the Almighty Redeemer and the all-sufficient Saviour of the soul? To assure our hearts before him, and to induce us to rest persuaded that nothing is "too hard for the Lord;" that he is "able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him ;" and that "his arm is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear." (Gen. xviii. 14; Heb. vii. 25; Is. 1. 2; lix. 1.)

Thus commissioned, Moses spake unto the people; but their anguish of spirit and cruel bondage were so great, they hearkened not. How often do sore troubles distract the mind! How often are we tempted to think that our sorrows will never end, and that there is no helper! Anguish of spirit, and many and heavy trials, are like dark clouds upon the mind, and sharp arrows in the heart. They absorb the vigour of the soul, and darken every beam of hope. Such persons, especially in such seasons, demand our pity and compassion. They want a good word. They need a cheering message. The precious balm of the gospel is the only remedy for such wounded spirits. They are not like Pharaoh, hardened in their sins; they feel and lament them. Their unbelief is not like that of Pharaoh, inveterate and rebellious; they fear whether there be any helper, any mercy, any hope, any salvation, at least for them. But the Lord does not despise them. He sees their tears; knows their misery ; hears their prayers; compassionates their sorrows; and, in due time, he will assuredly bless and save them. And then shall a new song be put into their mouth, "even praise unto our God." (Ps. xl. 3.)

2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.

3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land. of Egypt.

4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.

7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

10 ¶ And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.

16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon

the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

19 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their 'pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.

(1) Heb. gathering of their waters.

THE Lord will honour those whom he chooses for the special purpose of doing his will. At the same time, that they may not be unduly elated, they will have many humiliating trials, to keep them in simple reliance on him alone. How greatly was Moses honoured in being the appointed deliverer of his people from the bondage of Egypt! How greatly was he humbled! His own unworthiness, the proud obstinacy of Pharaoh, the despondency and unbelief of the people, were all wisely overruled for his good; to make him see that, though he was thus honoured, he was only an agent in the hand of God, and that the Lord alone was their helper and deliverer. It is good always to feel our own nothingness, that we may ever rely on the Lord; and the more any individual may be honoured

of the Lord as an instrument of good in his hand, the more will he be kept humble and lowly, that he may not unduly exalt himself.

One way in which the Lord works for the good of his servants in this manner, is to raise them up helpers. By making them feel their own helplessness, they are glad to avail themselves of the assistance of others. Thus Moses was strengthened and encouraged by the help of Aaron; and, both being of one heart and one soul, they go heartily and unitedly to their appointed work. One cheers the heart of the other. One supplies the lack of the other. Thus Moses felt his want of eloquence. God says to him, "Is not Aaron thy brother? I know he can speak well." "I have made thee a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron shall be thy prophet." Thou shalt speak unto Aaron, and he shall speak unto Pharaoh. Thus they go about their work. How delightful is it, when one becomes the helper of another! Unity of heart and design in the Lord's service is a sure token of final success (ch. iv. 15, 16; v. 1, 2).

Pharaoh, however, would not hearken to their message. He would ask for a sign; and they were to give it. But that would prove another means of hardening his heart. Observe this. Signs are not for "them that believe; but for them that believe not." (1 Cor. xiv. 22.) True faith wants no sign. The plain word of God satisfies the truly believing soul. He that believes the message of God, only upon the authority of signs, does not believe upon the right foundation; and, after all, as in the case of Pharaoh, he may become more hardened in unbelief. Such was exactly the case with him. By a cunning cheat, or by Satanic influence, the sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, up to a certain point, could imitate Moses. The consequence was obvious; but it was fatal. My men, thought Pharaoh, can do the same, without a word about the release of Israel; why, then, should I hearken to those, who demand such a sacrifice, whose authority is no greater than that of my own servants?

When the heart is thus taken by its own craftiness, Satan has already prepared the way for the sinner's final ruin, in the regular order of cause and effect, as certainly as the covenant and will of God prepare the

way for the salvation of his chosen people. The latter hastens the awful end of the former. The unheeded judgments of God on the one hand, as well as his rejected mercy on the other, concur to bring about that fearful ruin. Now this speaks loudly to two sorts of per

sons.

There are those who are not satisfied with the word of God, as such. They want further evidence of its truth and authority. "Shew a miracle for you," said Pharaoh. "What sign shewest thou" (John ii. 18), said the Jews. It is clear, that whatever conviction is wrought in the mind by such means, is not produced by the force of truth in its pure simplicity; but by that investigation, or evidence, which is merely adapted for that end, and so it becomes a faith of evidence, and not the belief of the truth, nor the faith which is "of the operation of God." (Col. ii. 12.) Persisted in, such a faith would be fatal to the soul. There are other persons whose hearts are so set against the truth, that they are resolved to resist all evidence, and all proof of its certainty whatsoever. They believe nothing, because they wish to obey nothing. This also is fatal to the soul. Thus sinners are hardened and deceived to their ruin. A dark mind, coupled with a proud heart and a stubborn will, brings thousands of souls to eternal death.

rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.

6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

8 ¶ Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.

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9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?

10 And he said, 'To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.

11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.

12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: And Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.

13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.

14 And they gathered them together upon heaps and the land stank.

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

16 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon

beast.

19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

20 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water;

and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

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21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.

24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was 'corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.

26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.

28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away intreat for me.

29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.

30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.

32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. (1) Or, dough. (2) Or, Have this honour over (6) Or, a mixture of noisome me, &c.

(3) Or, against when.

(4) Heb. to cut off.

(5) Or, Against to morrow.

beasts, &c.

(7) Heb. a redemption. (8) Or, by to morrow.

(9) Or, destroyed.

IN the last chapter we saw how Moses began to perform his wonders before Pharaoh; how the wise men of Egypt imitated him in what

he did; and how the heart of Pharaoh was hardened thereby. If men will not believe the truth when fairly and faithfully set before them, God, in his righteous judgment, may give them up to "believe a lie, that they all might If men be damned." (2 Thess. ii. 11, 12.) will believe a lie, rather than receive the truth in the love of it (Id. ver. 10), the consequence must be fatal. If they will resist its solemn appeals, as well as its merciful provisions, they go the most effectual way to be deceived by Satan, and to be hardened to their ruin. Thus did the haughty king of Egypt. He would not obey the Lord. He was glad of every pretext to reject his word. His heart was hardened, and he perished at last in his own delusions.

But God knows how to humble the tyrant, though he be hardened in his sin. The first signs he disregarded; the turning of Aaron's rod into a serpent, and its swallowing up the rods of the magicians, were unheeded. The conversion of the water of the river into blood, the dying of the fish, and the stench that arose, were disregarded also. "Pharaoh turned and went into his house; neither did he set his heart to this also" (ch. vii. 23).

God determined to inflict other judgments; will Pharaoh now lay them to heart? First, God sends the plague of frogs; then, the dust is turned into lice; and, next, swarms of flies come into all their quarters! Are these wonders considered as they ought to be? We may easily imagine the terrible nature of these visitations. To have frogs coming up into their houses, their bedchambers, and into everything connected with the preparation of their food! To be covered with vermin from head to foot, both man and beast throughout all the land! To have such swarms of flies through all the kingdom, upon all classes, from the least to the greatest, so that their houses were filled, and the air was darkened with the loathsome visitation! These must have been sore calamities upon the delicate, luxurious, and haughty Egyptians!

But what was the result? Is there any relenting, any sorrow, any contrition, any desire for pardon or mercy? No. Loud as were these calls, they were all unheeded. Pharaoh did, indeed, call for Moses and Aaron, and he intreated to have the frogs removed, and

promised to let the people go, that they might sacrifice unto the Lord. And again, under the judgment of the flies, he said he would let them go a little way. But he never meant to keep his word. He dealt deceitfully with the Lord. He only wished to have the judgments removed, and then he would act the tyrant again, just as he had done before. And though he began to perceive that the God of Israel was mightier than he, and that even his own magicians were outwitted and overruled, still he determined to resist all evidence, and all calls; and thus he continued to harden his heart till he was finally destroyed.

Now, is there not here a very seasonable and salutary lesson for all those persons who, in many respects, imitate the spirit and conduct of this wicked man, and tread in the very steps by which he came to his awful end? Are there not many whom neither mercies nor judgments lead to consider their ways? Are there not many who, the more they are thwarted in their evil ways, the more inveterate they become, and the more determined they are to follow the bent of their own corrupt will? Sometimes, indeed, they are alarmed; but they are not humbled. They wish to escape the effect of their sins; but they never repent. They desire the removal of this or that calamity, which they have brought upon themselves; but they never return from their evil courses. They ask ministers, and others, to entreat the Lord for them; but they never pray for themselves. So that the judgments be removed, they care little for the mercy. Even when they seem humbled, it is only a feigned submission. If the Lord be pleased to grant the request, they care for nought besides; and as soon as their unholy desire is so far gratified, they cast off all restraint; they throw aside the mask they assumed for the time, and return to their previous sins and accustomed career. These are our Pharaohs; these are the men who are hardening their hearts to their eternal ruin.

the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

4 And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.

5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.

6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

8¶ And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

13 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

16 And in very deed for this cause have