HOMILETICS. Ver. 5.-The good resolutions of the worldly are short-lived. By a long series of judgments, culminating in the destruction of all the first-born both of man and beast throughout his whole territory, Pharaoh had been brought down from his original hardness and pride, had acknowledged God's hand, and allowed the Israelites to take their departure. He had even besought them to ask that God would bestow upon him his blessing ( eh. xii. 32). But a short time sufficed to change all his good resolutions. 'l'he more he reflected on it, the more grievous did it seem to him to lose the services of above half a million of industrious labourers. 'l'he further they became removed, the less terrible did God's judgments appear. He had lost one son; but probably he had many others; and time, as it passed, brought consolation. He had quailed before Moses; but now, in Moses' absence, he felt himself a king a.gain, and could not bear to think that he had been made to yield. His state of mind was one ripe for revolt and reaction, when intelligence reached him which brought matters to a crisis. The report that he received seemed to show complete geographical ignorance on the part of the Hebrews, together with "a cessation of the special providence and guidance which their God had hitherto manifested in their favour" (Kalisch). Upon this his" heart was turned," he cast his former good resolutions to the winds, and made up his mind either to detain the Israelites or to destroy them ( eh. xv. 9). In all this Pharaoh's conduct is but an example of the general law, that "the good resolutions of the worldly are short-lived." '!'hey are so, because : - I. '!'HEY ARE NOT GROUNDED ON ANY WISH TO DO RIGHT, BUT ON VIEWS OF PRESENT EXPEDIENCY. The i=ediate effect of the tenth pla~e was an impression, co=on no doubt to Pharaoh with the other Egyptians, such as found vent in the words, "We be all dead men 11 (eh. xii. 33). They were intensely alarmed for their own safety. This and this alone produced the resolution to let Israel go. It was better to lose the services of even six hundred thousand labourers than to lose their own lives. Expediency was their rule and guide. But expediency changes--or at any rate men's views of it change. Were their lives really in danger? _Had they not been over-hasty in assuming this? Or if there had been danger, was it not now over? Might it not be really expedient to 'arrest the march of the Israelites, to detain them, and once more have them for slaves? II. THEY ARE THE EFFEOT OF IMPULSE RATHER THAN OF PRINCIPLE. Resolutions made upon principle can scarcely change, for they are grounded upon that which i:1 EXODUS, ~ 322 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [orr. xrv. 6--10.
t-he mo~t fixed and ~et.tied thing in human nature. Ilnt resolutions based upon im- pul~e Rrc necessarily uncertain and unstable, for there is nothing eo va.riable ae impulse. All men h1we from time to time both good and bad impulses. Impulse exhau~tR itself from its 'l'ery vehemence, and oan never be counted on a.s a pennanent forNl. It is here to-day, and gone to-morrow. No reliance can be placed upon It Ill. 'l'BEY ARE MADE MERELY BY A MAN TO HIMSELF, NOT MADE TO Gon. Wh~n the worldly man says, "I am resol'l'ed what to do," be mea.ns no more than this: 11 Under present circumstances, I have come to the conclusion that I will act in this or that way." He does not mean to bind himself, or, if be does, he soon finds that he cannot bind himself. There must be t\Vo parties to a.n obligation or engagement. If we wish our resolutions to be binding, and eo lasting, we must make them solemnly, with prayer in t.be_ sight of God, and to God. It is n~glecting this which ea.uses so many good r~so- lutions t.o be broken, so many vows violated, so many pledges ta.ken fruitlessly. Let men be sure, before they make a. solemn resolution or a. vow, that it is a right one to make, and then let them make the engagement, bot to them.selves only1 or to their erring follow-mortals, but to the Almighty.