The Lord's people alone were to find shelter and safety within the bloodsprinkled walls. Oh! one would think that surely this was enough to establish Israel's faith in the promises of God. Pestilences and plagues of the most revolting kind had raged around them, but no harm had been suffered to rest on them. The angel of death had swept off from every family the treasured firstborn, the much-loved heir; but the Israelites had dwelt securely, for the ebon-winged messenger had "passed over "them. Oh! could it be that after such distinguishing proofs of God's care over them, after such faithful fulfilment of all His promises to them, that they should yet again doubt His word?

cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: | his people from the stupor into which and there shall nothing die of all that is the last great plague had thrown them, the children's of Israel. And all the cattle "he made ready his chariot, and took of Egypt died but of the cattle of the his people with him; and he took six children of Israel died not one." So, in hundred chosen chariots, and all the the land of Goshen there was no hail. chariots of Egypt, and captains over Again, when the wretched Egyptians were every one of them and pursued after" enveloped in a thick darkness which the people of the Lord, who, with the might be felt, all the children of Israel Red Sea before them and the rocks of had light in their dwellings; and when Pi-hahiroth rising like huge walls tothe first-born were slain, the Lord put a wards heaven on each side of them, were difference between the Egyptians and encamped in peace after a wearisome Israel. journey. No more the thought of increased tasks, to be accomplished with a diminished allowance of materials, filled their minds with a terrible dread of the morrow, but their hearts were full of gratitude and love, and their mouth full of praises to that powerful and faithful God who had brought them thus far. But lo, they lifted up their eyes, and the open space over which they had but just passed was overspread and filled up with the dreaded enemies whom they believed to be so far behind. Oh! who can tell the heart-sinking and dreary despair which now weighed them down to the very earth! former mercies were all forgotten and completely swallowed up in this great present trouble. How insignificant all the labour and affliction which they had seen in the land of Egypt appeared, when compared with this! They were And now again faithful Moses was obliged to bear the reproaches and mistrusting words of the grief-stricken Israelites. We are apt to think sometimes, that had we lived at that time, and had we experienced, as the Israelites did, the mighty deliverances of Jacob's God, we should have trusted Him under darker circumstances than even these which now surrounded them, that nothing could have removed our confidence from the strong and mighty Saviour who had "brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness." But could we place ourselves exactly in their position, when they looked up and beheld the formidable hosts of the Egyptians coming upon them-no escape-the sea in front, rocks on either hand, and enemies behind-we should better understand their feelings as they cried out, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?

How true is it, that as the shining of the sun produces contrary effects upon clay and wax, hardening the one and softening the other, so it was with the judgments of God. Pharaoh's hard and unregenerate heart was but rendered harder still, and more rebellious against the Omnipotent hand which caused them to descend upon him. Far different would have been the effect produced upon a child of God; these same judgments would have been received as the chastisements of a loving Father; and the saint, humbled at the feet of his sovereign and all-wise God, would have become, under the infliction of them, more obedient, holy, and loving. Pharaoh, instead of being brought to acknowledge that the Lord was God, still said in his heart, as formerly, "Who is the Lord ?" "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, He turneth it whithersoever He will." So, scarcely had the people got out from Egypt, than the heart of the proud king was hardened against them once more, and this for the last time; and, arousing himself and

sore afraid."

God hears the heart, though without words; but he never hears words without

WAYSIDE NOTES.

wonderful providences; but who will know all about it when the time that His word shall come has arrived. And upon looking at the language, we find it has reference to poor Joseph, who, like all the Old Testament saints, yea, and New Testament saints too, and all God's saints down to the end of time, have to wade through seas of trials ere they gain their crown of glory; for—

'Dangers of every shape and name, Attend the followers of the Lamb."

"Since all that I meet shall work for my good,

The bitter is sweet, the med'cine is food; Though painful at present, 'twill cease before long,

"Until the time that His word came, the word of the Lord tried him."-Ps. cv. 19. THE dear children of God know that cannot make out some of the Lord's various are the means the Holy Spirit employs to draw their attention to a passage of Scripture, in order to unfold it to their faith's view and soul's comfort. It is just so with the blessed portion of Scripture which heads our paper. A poor tempest-tossed one, whom Satan has been harassing for many a long day and weary night, upon the doctrine of God's sovereign and electing love, received great comfort from this precious passage. We had been corresponding with her for some time, and leading her to scripture after scripture, And yet must they sing,— and argument upon argument, but all of no avail; the Lord suffered her to be tried on, until His time came, and then, at the very appointed moment, "His Word," which is far above all the poor mortal's word, came with the irresistible power of omnipotent grace and favour; then was the heart melted, the But to return to poor Joseph. At the rebellious spirit quelled, the judgment early part of his experience we find him enlightened, and faith led to exclaim a marked man. My reader, art thou "I see it all now, the mystery is explained, young and just embarking in the divine 'Lord, I believe, help thou mine un-life, full of zeal and fervour, with a talkbelief."" ing faith instead of a tried faith? think not that any strange thing has happened unto you, if very soon you become " marked man," and they say of you, We do not like this dreamer; he is not one of our sort-he stands in our way-hinders our joviality; we wish we could get rid of him. You must bear this, and think it no dishonour to be thus branded. A greater than Joseph was a marked man." Joseph knew what sorrow was, but Joseph's Jesus was "a man of sorrow." Mark the expression "C Made up of sorrows. And your sins and mine, beloved, helped to make him so.

Ah, beloved! we poor failing creatures may multiply words and heap up sentences, but one word from the Lord is enough. He has to speak but the word, and the work required is done, and well done. Oh! that we could believe this, and so patiently wait His time,-" If ye have faith and doubt not." Ah! there's the point, our very breathings at the throne are mixed with doubts, and we doubt while we plead for the special deliverance we need. But oh! said our dear Redeemer, "If ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done; and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Well, now, beloved, this precious passage having thus winged its way to us, we want to cast it upon the waters, still further trusting, by God's grace, it may be made a blessing to some poor tried one, who, like ourselves,

And then, oh! how pleasant the conqueror's song."

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Well, to trace on poor Joseph's career; his brethren, not satisfied with closeting up their enmity, proceeded to put it into action the first favourable opportunity. Joseph, innocent of their wicked intention, went out to seek his brethren, and inquiring of one whither they had gone, the man said, "They are departed hence for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them at Dothan,

And when they saw him afar off, they conspired against him to slay him." And although Reuben delivered him out of their hands, still he consented to cast him into a pit that was in the wilderness, as well as to the crafty arrangement that they should dip his coat in the blood of a kid, and tell their distracted father that an evil beast had devoured him. What must have been Joseph's agonizing feelings while in that pit? We can imagine him saying, "His mercy is clean gone. I shall surely now be destroyed. He has in very deed forgotten to be gracious. Oh! why am I thus persecuted ?" Wait, wait, poor Joseph. Wait, wait, tempest-tossed reader. Wait, wait, my own rebellious spirit,- "Until the time that His word came, the word of the Lord tried him." But the Lord was at work all the time that the trial was going on. He was in the trial, behind the cloud, though not seen and felt; but in the right time He was ready to prove that which we count loss is an especial gain. After these wicked men had cast their innocent brother into the pit, they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh to Egypt. Ah! the Lord had sent them that way. And so He ofttimes does in our experience; He raiseth up instruments for our deliverance, which, in our poor, failing calculations, we think will but increase the thraldom, and make matters worse for us, but which work round His own purposes. It is very probable poor Joseph thought it would be better to die in the pit than to be sold to these Ishmaelites. It would be far better to put an end to his existence at once than become a slave. But again we have to say, Wait, wait. The Lord was not suffering all this that His enemies should triumph. No, no; but they should be signally defeated, to their shame and confusion of face. So Joseph is carried into Egypt, and sold again to one Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard; and with this man "he found favour." All smooth now, Joseph; fair winds all the way to the haven of bliss now calculated upon. But no, the lull precedes another storm; fresh

and unthought-of trials are ahead, that greater mercies and greater deliverances may be displayed. An especial temptation presents itself now, of a character not easily resisted by one young in life. Potiphar's wife tries to allure him into sin, but mighty grace prevented. Doubtless, his cry at this trying season was very urgent, "Lord, help, I shall surely fall if thou dost not keep me.' But, blessed be God, He was with him, and made him a conqueror at this season. Incensed against him, this wicked woman retains his coat to establish her false assertion, and, prevailing, poor Joseph was cast into prison; but the Lord was with him, and again he found favour. Dear reader, have you not frequently found that this is the only reason you must assign for certain successful results gained in your affairs? The Lord was with you, so you found favour. You could hardly expect it. Nay, there was very much that was unfavourable on your part. But the Lord was with you, and caused you to find favour Well, where you did not look for it.* poor Joseph in prison found favour under circumstances which none but the Lord could work; for He so arranged it, that Pharaoh being wrath with the chief of the butlers and the chief of the bakers, they were put in ward into the prison where Joseph was bound; and there they both of them dreamed dreams which caused them to be sad. Joseph, when he heard of it, showed that his negotiations were with the court of heaven, for he said unto them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me the dreams, I pray thee." Such language shows his confidence in the God he served. Well, dependent upon such a trust, he faithfully interprets the dreams, and to the butler, who was to be restored to his former position, he says, "But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house." very reasonable request from one who

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* Look, dear reader, at the precious instance of this finding favour where least expected, in the case of "The poor, frightened fisherman," in the March Number of this Magazine, just to hand. If you have not read it, do so; it is a most precious article.