I. THE TREMENDOUS STORM.

It shall hail, coming down on the forest, and the city shall be low in a low place.-This, doubtless, is an allusion to some judgment, or series of judgments that were to be brought upon the enemies of the Lord and of his people. It is not necessary to enumerate the various ways in which an Omnipotent God can inflict punishment upon his offending creatures. We know that, in all ages, He has, in some remarkable manner or other, discovered his displeasure against sin and against sinners. Frequently, indeed, while the hardened offender is proceeding onward in his crimes, the wrath of the Almighty appears to slumber; while his very forbearance is made the ground of reproach and of atheism. In the last days shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were. But let such know, that the true cause of that delay is mercy, and not weakness. The Lord is not slack concerning

his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us-ward; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Still, however, there are seasons in which Jehovah is seen rising from his throne, and unsheathing the sword of his displeasure against an ungodly and rebellious world. On these occasions his judgments are sent abroad in the earth; and while the end and design of all is, that the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousness, still does he, at such times, with indignation. and wrath, and with fury poured out, plead with guilty man, and avenge the insults offered to his character or to his people.

Such was the case in Egypt. The proud Pharaoh was made, though most reluctantly, to submit to the God of his captive people Israel. Truly then did it hail, coming down upon the forest-i.e. upon the multitude of people; — and the royal city was low in a low place; yea, it was utterly abased.

The plagues inflicted upon Egypt ought never to be forgotten, especially by those

who rule the kingdoms of the world. What a lesson to every infatuated persecutor! what a warning to all who determinately oppose the cause and the people of the Lord! Israel, indeed, was weak and in captivity; but Israel's Saviour was mighty. The Lord of hosts fought for his people; and, after the infliction of many previous judgments, and of divers plagues upon Pharoah and upon all his servants, and the Egyptian monarch and his people continuing their hostility, the anger of the Almighty was roused to its height; and it hailed from heaven the hail of death, so that there was not a house in which there was not one dead. Then, indeed, was the city low ·in a low place, and utterly abased.

A similar instance of God's judgments upon his foes occurred in the days of Hezekiah, when the proud Sennacherib attempted the overthrow of Jerusalem. The vaunting conqueror gloried in his valour, and in the success of his arms, plainly declaring that the gods of the nations had not been able to deliver them out of his hand. But whom did he reproach and blas

pheme? and against whom did he exalt his voice, and lift up his eyes on high? Even against the Holy One of Israel. And what was the issue? Again, it hailed the hail of death. The troops of the boasting Assyrian were cut off: even an hundred fourscore and five thousand; and, when they arose in the morning, behold they were all dead corpses. The king indeed escaped, and returned to Nineveh; but it was only an escape from the pit, to fall into the snare. As he was worshipping in the house of his false god, his two sons came upon him and hurried the proud adversary of Israel into the presence of his final Judge. Nor can we wonder that, at the annihilation of the flower of her troops, and at the murder of her monarch, the Assyrian city should be low in a low place, even utterly abased.

These two instances relate to the wrath of God on his professed adversaries. Let it not be forgotten that it has been displayed with equal, yea with greater terror, towards his professed friends, who yet have had the name of godliness without its power. Israel, though separated by Je

hovah himself from all the nations of the earth, yet mingled among the heathen and learned their works; so that they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils, even unto the idols of Canaan, and the land, the holy land of promise, was defiled with blood. Many a time did he deliver them, yet as often did they rebel. He sent unto them prophets, rising up early and sending them. Some of these were imprisoned, some were beaten, others were slain. Last of all he sent unto them his Son, his dear, his only Son. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. He who was the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, was sold, betrayed and crucified. The Jewish rabble, more hardened than the Gentile Governor, cried, His blood be on us and on our children! The imprecation was indeed heard and answered from heaven in deserved vengeance. The destruction of Jerusalem was horrible beyond all description. Again, it hailed the hail of death. The cruelties and barbarities practised upon the Saviour were now retorted upon his betrayers and murderers; and the royal