namely, that many of God's dispensations affect men happily or adversely, according to the condition of the minds of those who are the subjects of them. The occurrence is the same to all; but it has different effects on different natures, on different temperaments and dispositions.

Thus, in the case before us, there is a pillar of a cloud;' the Lord is in that cloud: the cloudy pillar is placed between the Israelites and the Egyptians, within sight of each host; the same cloud is seen by both armies; but what a different aspect it assumes to each! To the army of Israel it appeared as a shining light which illumined their path, emitting a glorious irradiancy even in the hours usually shrouded in darkness, and smiling joy into their believing hearts, even in the midst of those temptations and toils which, but for its cheering lustre, might have overcast their souls with the deepest gloom. To the Egyptians, whose thoughts probably universally coincided with the sentiment expressed by their king, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?' this selfsame pillar was 'a cloud and darkness,' not only hiding from their view those of whom they were in pur

suit, but rendering invisible the road they would take, hindering them from seeing the obstacles which lay in their path, and dismally foreboding the evils which were coming upon them, and the melancholy destruction which was about to overtake them.

Now, what made the difference?

Since the

cloud was the same, why did it not bear the same appearance, and produce the same effect on both parties? There were two reasons: or perhaps we should speak more correctly if we were to say there was a cause and a reason. The cause why it assumed a bright appearance to one party, and presented a dark and threatening aspect to the other, was undoubtedly the exercise of God's sovereign Will. He designed, determined, and commanded that it should be so. exercised, cannot be thwarted. determined, cannot be subverted. But when we speak of God's sovereign Will, we are not to imagine it as the mere arbitrary emanation of uncontrollable power, actuated by no motives, guided by no principles, prompted by no reasons. Let us distinctly mark, that although God is not responsible to any

God's Will, so His purpose, so

creature, He is, nevertheless, so unchangeably wise and good, that He invariably acts according to certain laws and agreeably to certain principles; that is, He has always a reason for everything He does. While, therefore, the cause of the different appearances of the cloud was that God willed it, the reason why God so willed it was founded upon His knowledge of the characters with whom He had to deal. 'The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts;' and, in the instance before us, the exercise of His Will was regulated by the different state of mind which He observed in the Egyptians and in Israel. The former He knew to be the enemies of God by wicked works, despisers of His laws, and haters of His people therefore to them He made the pillar to be a cloud and darkness.' He knew also His people Israel: their faults were not hid from Him, and their waywardness was known to Him. But He loved them because He had chosen them in Abraham, and He recognised in them the faith of their great progenitor, when, in the face of seeming impossibilities, they had hearkened to His voice bidding them go forward.' Therefore did He

make His cloud to give light by night to these.'

This instructive portion of the history of Israel's exodus speaks to us in allegory. Let us endeavour to gather wisdom from it, and by God's help to interpret His word to our edification.

I. Let us, first, suppose the cloud to symbolize God's Word- the Bible.

Like the pillar of a cloud, which was visible to the Israelites and Egyptians, so has God manifested His word in the world, and placed it as a pillar of truth and a witness for Himself before all men. Moreover, God Himself is in His word, just as He was in the cloudy fiery pillar; and there we must search after Him if we would find Him.

But, oh, with what different eyes do men regard that precious revelation! and how diverse are the effects produced by it! To some who know not the Lord, and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the book seems to contain nothing but dull, dry, and heavy reading: they have no interest in its contents; its histories relate nothing which they care to peruse; its promises have no attraction for them; its doctrines, in their

:

eyes, are but unintelligible dogmas. Thus all is a cloud and darkness' in their minds in reading the Scriptures, and the veil is upon their heart :' they neither understand what they read, nor take delight in searching the record which God has given. The glorious verities, the enlightening doctrines, the life-giving precepts and promises, are there but their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed;' their hearts are unaffected by the truths revealed, and the light which is in them is darkness; and, oh, how great is that darkness! They are the children of darkness and of the night, and therefore they can receive no comfort from the Scriptures. If they take up the sacred volume, the word does not profit them, not being mixed with faith on their part; every sentence in it seems to darken their prospect; every utterance of its pages seems to confirm their doom. The book convicts, but not convinces them; and as they read their own condemnation-The soul that sinneth, it shall die,' the very blackness of darkness pervades their souls: they wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, 'but they walk in darkness.'