repentance and to the knowledge of himself and the truth; and if all this respite instruction and admonition be lost upon them, and they continue impenitent unbelieving and rebellious, then justice must take its course at the last, and they must be " punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power."

We now proceed to consider the progress of the contest, as it is recorded in this eighth chapter and we find in the beginning of it a repetition of the original command, "Thus saith the Lord, let my people go that they may serve me." To this is annexed the threat, "If thou refuse to let them go, behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs and the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs, and the frogs shall come up both on thee and on thy people, and upon all thy servants." Now this prediction of the plague was a striking proof that Moses

was speaking by the inspiration of God. No unauthorised man would have dared to venture on such a threat as this. But Moses knew by whom he had been sent, and that the Lord would let none of his words fall to the ground: and Pharaoh ought to have been convinced that the command was from God, when he saw that it was uttered by a man who so evidently possessed both divine prescience to foretell, and divine power to execute miraculous judgments.

The plague came as Moses had foretold. "Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt." What a distressing and nauseous plague! Frogs on their land, in their houses, their beds, their food! Many delicate persons and children shudder at the sight of one as it leaps across their path. What must have been the condition of the Egyptians thus disgusted by millions of them? Again however the magicians produce some imitation of this judgment. They also "brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt." The Scripture

says, "with their enchantments." They were permitted to avail themselves of the black art, and to deal with the infernal spirits. They evoked the assistance of hell, and they were suffered to reap the fruit of their impiety. God allowed them to have their hearts' desire, and leagued them with the prince of darkness and delusion. But Pharaoh nevertheless was alarmed, dispirited, and in some measure overpowered. Here was now some apparent relenting. He 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 to the Lord." In his trouble he asked the prayers of these servants of God, and made fair promises. He who at the first said, "Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go? I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go;" now says, "take away the frogs from me, and I will let the people go." And he who drove Moses and Aaron from him in wrath with these angry words, "Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works, get you to

your burdens;" now sends for them in fear, and begs that they would "intreat the Lord for him." Moses consented: he told the king that he should "glory over him;" instructed by the Lord he permitted him to fix his own time for the removal of the frogs, hereby at once shewing him mercy, and giving him a further confirmation that the power of God was with him. Pharaoh fixed on the morrow for their removal. Moses assented to his choice of the time. He went out with Aaron, and he cried unto the Lord; 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." Now what was the effect on Pharaoh? How Hear, O heavens, "When Pharaoh

did he keep his promise? and give ear, O earth;

saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them." Have we ever perceived such fears felt? Have we ever known such prayers desired, and heard such promises made? Yes, many and many a time. And have we ever known such fears ere long to vanish, such prayers

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to be no longer acceptable, and such promises broken? Yes, alas, many and many a time. We have been sent for in seasons of trouble; we have visited beds of sickness; and we have seen the very counterpart of Pharaoh's deceitfulness again and again to our great surprise and sorrow. Often do we meet with cases in perfect similitude to the falsehood with which the Psalmist charges the Israelites themselves, "When he slew them, then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God: and they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant." Similar scenes have we also witnessed in what are called sick-bed repentances. Thus have many dealt deceitfully with God and their own souls.

Another plague was therefore sent. "The Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of