reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. How much longer the Spirit of Grace may strive to lead you to penitence and faith, neither you nor any one else can tell. Your only safety is in now going to Christ, and trusting in him.

CHAPTER XV.

The plague of frogs. Pharaoh is more hardened. The plague of lice.

And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river." From which it appears that, at the expiration of a week, this dreadful calamity was removed, and a short respite given to the king of Egypt and his people, to reflect on the awful majesty and justice of God, and, if they would but do it, to humble themselves before him. But a deliverance from the curse, like the curse itself, the forbearance, as well as the judgments of the Almighty,-only served to prolong and aggravate their wickedness.

Moses, under the divine direction, goes to Pharaoh, and, in the name of Jehovah, demands of him, once more, to let the Israelites depart. If he does

not comply, he is told, that a countless host of frogs, proceeding from the river, and other waters, shall spread themselves over all the land of Egypt. They shall come forth in such numbers as to infest the very houses, and be found in the bed-chambers. and on the beds, in the ovens, and in the kneading troughs.

Their ovens were made by digging a hole in the ground, and placing in it an earthen pot, which being heated, they put their cakes on the inside of it to be baked. It would be loathsome and distressing indeed, when they wished to prepare their daily food, to find the very ovens full of these disgusting animals, and their beds swarming with them, when they retired to rest.

This all came to pass, (Pharaoh still refusing to yield,) as soon as the mysterious rod which Aaron held in his hand was stretched out, and waved over the waters of Egypt. The frogs sprung into being, and covered the land. The power of God was manifest. Again the magicians attempted to cope with it. By their enchantments, we are told, they brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt-doubtless few in number, and, as the author thinks, by mere jugglery. The contrast of their puny efforts, with the tremendous and wide-spread exhibition of Almighty power in every direction; the bringing forth, apparently, from some collection of water of dozens, or even hundreds, of these animals,

while the rod of Jehovah had caused millions upon millions to swarm throughout the land, ought to have convinced Pharaoh and his people, by this new miracle, that the message which came to him, was from the only true God. It ought to have made them tremble before this great Being, and dread the further more terrible expressions of his displeasure.

It seems, in some degree, to have had this effect. For the first time, Pharaoh yielded to his fears; and, urged perhaps by his suffering people to do something for their relief, he called for Moses and Aaron. "Entreat Jehovah," said he, "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 Jehovah." The long-wishedfor promise is, at length, extorted from the tyrant. We shall soon see how sacred he considered it.

In complying with the request of Pharaoh, Moses was willing to yield to his wishes with regard to the time, and, in this way, to show him a mark of deference and respect. Glory over me," said he; that is, have the honor, (which I might, indeed, claim to myself,) of saying when the power that is given to me in the matter, shall be exercised in behalf of thyself and thy people "to destroy the frogs from thee, and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only."

To-morrow," was the reply of the king. "Be 7

Moses.

it according to thy word," said Moses, "that thou mayest know that there is none like unto Jehovah, our God."

Retiring from the presence of Pharaoh, with his brother Aaron, Moses engaged in earnest supplications that God would destroy the frogs which were infesting the houses and the fields of the Egyptians. His prayer was answered. These loathsome animals died instantly, and in all places excepting the river Nile. In this way the people were delivered from their principal calamity; but they still had a most offensive evil to endure, to show them that the displeasure of the Lord was great against them, and to keep Pharaoh in mind of the promise which he had made. They were obliged to gather together the dead frogs in heaps; and the number and size of such masses of putrefying matter were so great as to fill the whole air with an odor that was intolerable.

The partial respite, however, revived the obstinacy of Pharaoh; and, as God had told Moses would be the case, the heart of this tyrannical oppressor became still more hardened in sin. He entirely disregarded the solemn promise which he had made, and would not consent to let the Israelites obey the divine command.

Without any previous expostulation with the king, or warning of what was to happen, the Lord commanded Moses to direct Aaron once more to

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stretch out the rod, and smite the dust of the land. He did so, and, wonderful to behold, "it became lice in man and in beast. All the dust of the land became lice, throughout all the land of Egypt."

These small and disgusting vermin swarmed every where, covering the bodies of the inhabitants, and crawling in myriads, in their dwellings, and on all the furniture which they contained. It was in vain to endeavor to get rid of them. If one set were dislodged from the person, or swept away from the room, a fresh and countless supply renewed the attack, and rendered resistance impracticable. It was a judgment of the most offensive and humiliating kind. It showed the mighty resources of that Omnipotent Being against whom they were contending, who could thus make use of such apparently feeble and insignificant instruments, to inflict his vengeance upon those that persisted in not yielding to his commands.

The magicians were again brought forward. They practised their idle enchantments and ceremonies, but in vain. They utterly failed in their attempt to imitate this new and surprising miracle, and exclaimed, addressing the king, "This is the finger of God." Here must be an interposition of divine power. Nothing else can produce such effects. We yield to these wonderful men. The task is a hopeless one, of endeavoring to cope with them any further.