~ielding (ver. 10), ·proposed to let tho people go" to-morrow." Now ho V1Lrie11 the terms of compromise. 'l'hc people shall offer their AACrifices in the land. This offer he seems t-0 have made in complete ignorance of the difficulties which lay in the way from tho foolings of bis own people. A fine man this, to be the ruler of a great kingdom I Ono who bad to be taught the feelings of his own people by a stranger. Like most despots, be did not understand how vain it was to contend against the strength of custom and popular sentiment, particularly in matters of religion. Not only were the•rites of lsraelitish worship different from those of EgYJitian worship, but one of the animals most frequently used for _Israclitisb sacrifice, would if so used before tho Egyptians, h:we been ,icwecl by them ~,tb the utmost repugnance. It was no visionary reril which Moses indicated. Vi'hntely, in his annotated edition of Bacon's Essays (p. 126), speaking nn this Ye[]' subj!lct of the strength of popular custom, illustrates it, curiously enough, from the conduct of the Alexandrian populace at a much later time. "When the Romans took possession of Egypt, the people submitted without the least resistance to have their lives and proper:y at the mercy of a foreign nation : but one of the Roman soldiers happening to kill a cat in the streets of Alexandria, they rose on him and tore him limb from limb, and the excitement was so violent, that the generals overlooked the outrage for fear of insurrection."-In the land of Egypt then, says Moses, the sacri- fices of Israel cannot be ; and of course beyond the sufficient reason stated by Moses, there were others which there was no need to state, and which Pharaoh could not have under- t<tood, even if they had been stated.-But Pharaoh is driven from one proviso only to seek refuge in another. If the propk go out, they·are not to go very far. And yet this offer, conditional as it seemed, W3S not conditional in reality. It was enough to serve the purpose of Moses, and he could readily accept it. Once a bird is outside of the cage, a ~ery few mir,.utes will take it clear away from the risk of re-capture. If Pharaoh only lets Israel out of his hands, it matters not how far, the rest will settle itself. This pro- mise was enough t-0 justify Moses, in interceding for a withdrawal of the heavy hand of Jehovah; d.nd J ebovah, in granting the request. Thus a second time was Pharaoh taken at his word. Goi, we see, takes men at their word when they =ke right resolutions. If they make wrong, selfish resolutions, he would have them alter them. But once they have resolved rightly, he holds them t-0 the resolution, and gives opportunity to carry it out. God withdrew the flies, as he had withdrawn the frogs. There seems even some- thing as n:.iraculous a.bout the withdrawal as about the original infliction. It might have been expected. that a few of the files would remain, just one here and there, but there remaiJ!.ed not one. Lastly, notice what is now coming to be the regular result of Pharaoh'• temporary yieldings. He gives way a little to pressure, but as soon as the pressure is removed, he returns to his original position. All these yieldings of his are but as the sli:_~ht appearance of thaw when the sun is at his best on a keen winter's day. Pharaoh was 1hawed just a little on the surface of his nature. As soon as the heat of the present plague departed, the frost in his proud heart set in with more severity than ever.--Y.
Vers. 20-32.-The Fourth Plague.-I. 'l'BE SUl'EBSTITION OF EGYPT IB IIIIADE ITS l!COURGE. 1. The land was covered with the sacred beetle. It swarmed upon the ground and in their homes. No movement was possible without crushing or treading under foot the insect they adored. When God overthrows idolatries the very reverence with which the idols have been regarded deepens the chastisement. When the covetous sink under the loss of wealth, they themselves have given its weight to the blowwhicn crw;hes them. 2. The land was destroyed by it. No prayer or propitiation served to avert the judgment. A land is ever corrupted by its idolatry. With the knowled~e and worship of the true God, purity and righteousness and truth a.re put far from it. The soul is marred and we.sted by covetousness. II. THE BEPABATION BETWEEN GosHEN AND EGYPT. 1. Hitherto there had been no separation. Up t-0 a certain point the just and the unjust suffer in common. 2. Beyond this, God shields hie loved ones. They a.re a.like visited by sorrow, &c.; but while there is darkness and the ministration of death in the a.bodes of the un- repentant, there is light and the ministration of life in the dwellings of the righteous, Ill. TBE REJECTED OOHPBOlfIBE. Nothing less than God's demand can be accepted. If we are t-0 go free and to obtain the inheritance, we must make no comproi:niStt CK. VIII, 25-32.) THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 107
with tho world or wHh sin; wo must offer to God the full unfettered worship be demands. 'fhero must be full o.nd complete separation between Egypt and Israel, tho Church and the world, elso it will be impossible to present before God the sacrifices he nsks for. A Church unseparated from the world will be a worldly Church. IV. PHAnAon's BROKEN FAITH. We have no reason to doubt that he was sincere when he made the promise (ver. 28). How many vows sincerely made in trouble o.re forgotten in the ease they sought to purchase ! Under the pressure of affliction men o.re ready to sacrifice much to which, when God's hand is removed, they cling as to their life.-U.