[Though at first, when sent back into the wilderness, the people confessed their sins with apparent contrition, they soon relapsed into their former habits ; and probably after a season indulged a hope, that they should succeed as well as those to whom the promises had been made. This is the way of sin- ners: " because judgment is not executed speedily upon them," they think it never will. " The scoffers in the last days will say, Where is the promise of his coming ? " But God assures us, that " the judgment of sinners now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." God had respect to the posterity of Israel, when " he suffered their manners in the wilderness forty years : " he had a chosen seed who were yet in their loins, and who were in due time to enjoy that inheritance, which their fathers had despised. " He gave them also space for repentance," that they might not be excluded from heaven itself. Thus " is he long-suffering towards us also, not willing that any of us should perish, but that we should come to repentance and live." But we deceive ourselves, if we think that he will never call us into judgment : on the contrary, he will require at our hands every talent he has entrusted to us, and increase our punishment in proportion to the mercies we have abused. O that those who are more advanced in life would contemplate this ! that they would " account the long- suffering of God to be salvation," and not make it the occasion of a more aggravated condemnation !]
IV. That no one of God's faithful servants shall ever perish —
[At this numbering of the people, Caleb and Joshua were found alive, though all the rest were dead: so exactly had death executed its commission ! Of six hundred thousand offenders, not one had escaped its dart : but the two who had " followed the Lord fully," remained unhurt. This shews how certainly the promises of God shall be fulfilled to every believer. Be the numbers of the Lord's people ever so few, they shall not be overlooked : though the whole universe be sifted and blown away as chaff, "not the smallest grain of true wheat shall fall upon the earth e." They have many and powerful adversaries ; but " none shall pluck them out of their Father's hand." " It is not His will that one of his little ones should perish." They may be so weak hi faith as to indulge many fears of the issue of their warfare ; but God himself pledges his word, that " they shall never perish, but shall have eternal life." Be not discou- raged then, believers, because ye are few, or weak, or despised, or beset with enemies all around ; for the word of Christ to
e Amos ix. 9.