mentary yielding of the heart under a conviction of sin; for we find him acknowledging, "I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." But no sooner was the judgment in mercy removed, than he relapsed again into his former unconcern.

Just so it is with numbers among ourselves. They have been leading careless lives. They live without God. And suddenly some blow comes, which staggers them for a moment, and makes them think a little. There is a death perhaps in their house; or they hear something in a sermon which strikes home to them; or they are laid down upon a bed of sickness. What happens? They are alarmed. They think of death, and feel that they are quite unfit to meet it. They think of hell, and a horrible dread comes over them. And they send forthwith for their minister, and beg him to entreat the Lord for them.

But how often does this come to nothing! There may be "a fearful looking-for of judgment," and yet no true sorrow for sin, no hatred of it, no desire to put it away.

There may be a momentary smarting of the conscience, and yet no contrition of heart. Alas! we may come to this point, and yet be reprobates after all.

career.

But now for a third stage in Pharaoh's He attempts to make terms with God. He is willing to yield a little; but he refuses to yield all. He tries to make a bargain. He proposes that they should stay in the land to sacrifice. And then, when this would not do, he consents that they should go, but not far. but not far. And again, that the men should go, but not the women and children.

In this way many a sinner puts on the appearance of a penitent. We are led to think hopefully of his case. For a while he becomes steadier. Like Herod, he "does many things;" but some darling sin is still cherished. There is a little amendment; He returns to

but the heart is unchanged.

his former ways, "like a dog to his vomit, or a sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire."

We now come to the last stage in Pharaoh's spiritual history-the stage of Final Rejection.

For the ninth time, God in mercy removes his chastening hand. But Pharaoh is more hardened than ever. He now goes so far as to dismiss Moses from his presence, "Get thee from me; take heed to thyself; see my face no more." How fearful, to banish from his presence God's servant-the man through whose intercession he had hitherto been spared!

And now the last plague is sent, and that the worst of all. One more knock at the door, and then it is closed for ever. Pharaoh for a moment relents, and lets Israel go. And then he repents of his very repentance ; hastens after the Israelites with his army; and, when the Lord opens a way for them through the sea, he rushes madly after them, "like a horse rushing to the battle." God has now utterly rejected him, and he goes headlong to his own destruction. He is cut off in the very midst of his sin-a monument of long-suffering mercy and of offended wrath!

Learn a lesson from Pharaoh's history. Never trifle with convictions. Has God awakened your conscience? Is His Spirit working in your heart? Oh, resist Him not. He will not be mocked. The hardening process, when it once begins, will go on till the soul ripens for hell.

Hasten, sinner, to be wise;

Stay not for the morrow's sun;
Wisdom if you still despise,

Harder is she to be won.

Hasten, sinner, to return;

Stay not for the morrow's sun;
Lest thy lamp should cease to burn,
Ere the needful work is done.

"From hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word and commandments, good Lord, deliver us."

BALAAM;

OR, THE EMPTY WISH.

OUR blessed Lord says in the Sermon on the Mount, "If the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness!" There are some persons who know a great deal, who have a clear view on spiritual subjects, but whose lives show very plainly that religion does not really influence them.

We have a sad instance of this in the case of Balaam. His head was full of light; but his heart was all the while very dark. He lived at a place called Pethor, in Mesopotamia, where he was counted as a prophet; and, at the same time, he seems to have followed the unholy practices of the Eastern soothsayers.

The Israelites, in their wilderness journey, had arrived at the plains of Moab. Balak the King was greatly alarmed at their appearance, and immediately sent for Balaam,