At another time they seem almost to possess it ; and then, not long after, find themselves at a greater distance from it than ever. Thus "hope deferred maketh their heart sick:" and being disappointed in their expectations, they yield to great dejection of mind : ' If I am not of the number of God's peo- ple, whence have I these desires? if I am, why have I not those attainments ? '
The same disquietude arises from perplexities of any kind, where the promise, and the providence, of God appear at vari- ance with each other. Not being able to account for the Lord's dealings towards them, " their souls are cast down, and greatly disquieted within them."]
2. A long protracted trial —
[Forty years of trial was a long period : and the nearer they came to its completion, the longer every day appeared. Hence this fresh order to go back to the Red Sea, and there to recommence their travels, quite overwhelmed them.
And how do long-continued afflictions operate on us? For a season we can bear up under them : but when pains of body, or distress of mind, are lengthened out; when the clouds, instead of dispersing, thicken, and storms of trouble are gathering all around us ; then patience is apt to fail, and the mind sinks under its accumulated trials. Because " our strength is small, we faint under our adversity." Even Job, that bright pattern of patience, who after the heaviest losses could say, " The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord ; " even he, I say, fainted at last, and cursed the day of his birth. And he must be endued with an uncommon measure of grace, who under such circumstances can say with Paul, " None of these tilings move me."]
That we may see how their discouragement ope- rated, let us consider,
II. The effects produced by it —
Their minds being discomposed, they immediately gave way to,
1. A dissatisfied spirit —
[Many were the blessings which they received from the hand of God : they lived by a continual miracle : they were pro- vided with water out of a rock, and with manna daily from the clouds : and yet they complain, " There is no bread, neither is there any water: and our soul lotheth this light bread." Be- cause they did not partake of that variety which the nations around them enjoyed, they were discontented: or rather, be- cause they were offended with the order to go back unto the Red Sea, they were displeased with every thing.