on, recalls the spiritual
condition of Herod, who was conscience-stricken when first he heard of
Christ, and said, "It is John whom I beheaded" (Mark vi. 16), but
afterwards felt merely vulgar curiosity and desire to behold a sign of
Him. In the case of Pharaoh it was the next step to judicial
infatuation. When Christ confronted Herod, He, Who had explained Himself
to Pilate, was absolutely silent. And this warns us not to think that an
interest in religious problems is itself of necessity religious. One may
understand all mysteries, and yet it may profit him nothing. And many a
reprobate soul is controversial, acute, and keenly orthodox.

_THE SIXTH PLAGUE._

ix. 8-12.

At the close of the second triplet, as of the first, stands a plague
without a warning, but not without the clearest connection between the
blow and Him who deals it.

To the Jews Egypt was a furnace in which they were being
consumed--whether literally in human sacrifice, or metaphorically in the
hard labour which wasted them (Deut. iv. 20). And now the brothers were
commanded to fill both hands with ashes of the furnace and throw them
upon the wind,[16] either to symbolise the suffering which was to be
spread wide over the land, or because the ashes of human sacrifices were
thus presented to their evil genius, Typhon. If this were its meaning,
the irony was keen, when at the same action a feverish inflammation
breaking out in blains spread over all the nation.

But, apart from any such reference to their cruel idolatry, it was right
that they should suffer in the flesh. When the higher nature is dead,
there is no appeal so sharp and certain as to the physical sensibility.
And moreover, there are other sins which have their root in the flesh
besides sloth and bodily indulgence. Wrath and cruelty and pride are
strangely stimulated and excited by self-indulgence. Not in vain does
St. Paul describe a "mind of the flesh," and reckon among the fruits of
the flesh not only uncleanness and drunkenness, but, just as truly,
strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies (Col. ii. 18;
Gal. v. 19, 20). From such evil tempers, stimulated by evil appetites,
the slaves of Egypt had suffered bitterly; and now the avenging rod fell
upon the bodies of their tyrants.

And we may perhaps detect especial suffering, certainly an especial
triumph to be commemorated, in the failure of the magicians even to
stand before the king. It is implied that they had