[Had the question they put to Moses, been nothing more than a simple interrogation, it had been innocent enough : but it was an unbelieving, passionate complaint. (How often are our words also, or our actions, inoffensive perhaps as to their external form, while, on account of the spirit with which they are blended, they are most hateful and detestable in the sight of God !) But why should they murmur against Moses ? He had not conducted them thither of his own mind, but by God's command. Their displeasure against him was, in fact, directed against God himself. (And it will be well for us to remember, that in venting our wrath and indignation against the instru- ments by whom God at any time afflicts us, we vent it in reality against him who uses them.) And why should they murmur against God ? Had he committed an oversight in leading them into that situation ? Had he forgotten to be gracious ? Was he so changed within the space of three days, that he could no longer devise a way for their relief? Or was his ear become so heavy that he could not hear, or his hand so shortened that he could not save ? Should they not rather have concluded, that now, as on many recent occasions, he had permitted their trial to be great, in order that he might the more abundantly magnify his own power and mercy in their deliverance ? Doubtless this would have become them who had seen so many and such stupendous miracles wrought in their behalf.]
We next fix our attention upon,
II. Their deliverance —
Some have thought, that the healing of the waters by casting a tree into them, was intended to typify the sweetening of all our afflictions, and the removing of all our sorrows, by the cross of Christ. It might be so : but we are afraid to venture upon any ground not expressly trodden by the inspired writers. We therefore rather content ourselves with shewing what God indisputably declared by this singular inter- position :
1. That he is never at a loss for means whereby to effect his purposes —
[If we cannot see some opening whereby God can come to our relief, we are ready to think that he is quite excluded from us. But what need has he of any means at all ? What means did he employ in constructing the universe ? Indeed the very means he does use, are generally such, as tend only to evince, by their utter inadequacy, the mighty working of his own power. It was thus when he healed the deleterious