5. God was not wanting to give Pharaoh sufficient means of convic- tion. The magicians turned their rods into serpents, but ' Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods,' Exod. vii, 12 ; which showeth God's super- eminent power. They could not deliver him from the frogs, though they could bring frogs. God may suffer the devil to add to the judg- ment, but to relieve them is an act of mercy : the magicians could add
224 SERMONS UPON EXODUS IV. 21.
to the plagues, but they could not deliver him fi'om them ; the devil can sooner bring a plague than remove it. This was warning enough ; there was difficulty enough to harden them, and light enough to con- vince them. Again, the magicians were nonplussed in their art : Exod. viii. 18, ' And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not.' They sought to bring forth lice, and could not, being hindered by God's will. They that could bring forth frogs could not bring forth lice ; the greater the possibility, the more are the magicians abashed ; this was an eas}' miracle. All colour of excuse is taken away from Pharaoh ; they confess, ' This is the finger of God,' E.Kod. viii. 19 ; and yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened ; as many will not be won to the truth by the confession of those that led them into the mistake. Nay, afterwards the magicians themselves were smitten with boils : Exod. ix. 11, 12, 'And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils ; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them.' If the hard heart go to hell, it is not for want of light, but grace. We may wonder as much at the success as at the plagues. To what a height of obstinacy will man come if he be let alone to plagues ! for all this while Pharaoh's heart was hardened.
6. Observe, in one of the plagues Israel might have stolen away, whether Pharaoh would or no: Exod. x. 22, 23, 'And Moses stretched forth his hand towards heaven, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days ; they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days ; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.' They were not only deprived of the light of heaven, but of candles and torches ; the air was condensed with thick clouds, and the mists and vapours so thick, that they would easily have damped them, and put them out again. Now whilst they were under the power of three days' darkness, the Israelites might have stolen away, and have gone three days' journey in the wilderness before they could have made any pursuit ; but God had more miracles to be done. When he hath to do with a hard heart, he will not steal out of the field, but go away with honour and triumph. This was to be a public instance, and for intimation to the world : 1 Sam. vi. 6, ' Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts ? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed ? ' The Philistines took warning by it, and it will be our condemnation if we do not.
7. In all these plagues I observe that Pharaoh now and then had his devout pangs. In an hard heart there may be some relentings, but no true repentance. We have him confessing, Exod. ix. 27, * I have sinned this time : the Lord is righteous ; and I and my people are wicked ; ' and chap. x. 16, 17, ' I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you : now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.' So chap. xii. 32, ' Be gone, and bless me also.' Hardened sinners may have their gripes and sensible touches, and so some faint purposes of reformation. But that which was defec- tive, and showeth it was not true repentance, was —
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[1.] Because it was only extorted by present horror : Job xxvii. 10, * Will he always call upon God ? ' A still will send forth water as well a fountain, but it is by drops, and by force: Prov. v. 11-13, 'And thou mourn at last, when thy jflesh and thy body are consumed ; and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof ? and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me ? ' The lecher hath his penitent moods. A malefactor on the rack will confess freely. Vows of men are very fre- quent. Oh ! that men would be such when they are well as they pro- mised to be when they were sick !
[2.] Because the aim of all was ease and safety. Pharaoh's cry is not, Take away iniquity, but, Take away this plague. Offers of nature after ease are found in hypocrites. Esau sought the privileges of the birthright with tears, quia perdiderat, non quia vendidtrat ; not be- cause he sold it, but because he had lost it. Nature may be sensible of present evil.