place, whereunto we shall do well if we take heed: it is "a light unto our feet, and a lamp unto our path." The Spirit is promised to

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guide us into all truth," and to "teach us all things." And the Spirit is given by our heavenly Father to them that ask him. As we read the word with prayer for his divine teaching the Spirit will shine upon it, and we shall be instructed as to the mind of the Lord in all needful things. Thus also we shall find that as God was with the Israelites in the cloud, he is with us in his word, and thus we shall enjoy his protection and guidance along the whole course of our passage through the wilderness of the world. Oh! my brethren, let us be always looking into the blessed word of God that we may see what course we ought to take in all our journey through life. By it let us regulate our movements, and form all our plans of action. Let us also be always praying for the Spirit, that he may open our understanding that we may understand the scriptures. Thus being shewn how to walk in the ways of God we shall experience his protection and care, and be

finally conducted through all doubts and difficulties, all trials and dangers, to his heavenly kingdom. Yes, beloved brethren, while we thus in simple faith seek our direction from him, he will never cease to afford it to us. The circumstances, through which we are led, may be such as we little expected, nay they may be such as appear to our short-sightedness to be contrary to the desired result, but they will assuredly lead to the right end. Oh! yes, thus may we sing with the Psalmist, "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."

SERMON XIV.

THE DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH.

EXODUS XIV. 13.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew you to-day; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

WONDERFUL indeed was that series of miracles which God wrought in Egypt for the deliverance of his people out of the house of their bondage. No event was ever attended with so many demonstrations of supernatural power, and none is so frequently referred to by the sacred writers in all the subsequent parts of the history of the Israelites. Oh! how calculated is the whole account to make us and all who read it to stand in awe and sin not.

Wonderful also was that miraculous guidance by which the Lord went before the people in the pillar of the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, which led them into the way, and continued to direct them through every stage of their successive journeyings. What encouragement, support, and courage, was thus afforded them! They might be sure that their way would be prosperous, when their goings were thus ordered. They could not but be in the path of safety, when they were thus following the Lord.

We have still another miracle to consider, another miracle of mercy and of judgment; of distinguishing mercy to the children of Israel, his own chosen servants, of awful and terrific destruction to Pharaoh and his hosts, the enemies of God, and the persecutors of his people. Trust in the Lord's mercy and fear of the Lord's wrath may well be the mingled emotions of our souls, as we read this final issue of the long-continued contest between Pharaoh and Jehovah.

We left that rebellious man stricken with

terror and dismay by the death of the firstborn throughout all the land of Egypt. We left him overpowered by that signal display of the Lord's power and wrath against him, and compelled by it to send away the Israelites in haste out of his dominions. And now

what shall we hear next of him? Shall we hear that he was content to bury his dead, and to submit himself to an evil which he could not prevent? Shall we hear what would be better still, that he humbled himself before the Lord, and sought pardon for his pride and obstinacy and other sins, in penitence and prayer ? We shall hear nothing of either. His heart was hardened: he was given up to a reprobate mind: God sent him strong delusion that he should believe a lie. Therefore he thought that he could yet overtake the Israelites, and bring them back by the multitude and strength of his army. He repented indeed, but only that he had let them go; he repented that he had been obedient to the command of God, and he would retract his permission. Raging against them and their God, he