1Lssu1·11.nee (r.>..flpilfopl", ne under full sail) of fait.b. Consider, therefore, with reepect to these la..~joU1YU'1/S- I. THAT AFTER TBE Lil!'TING UP OF THE BRA.ZEN SERPENT TBE PROGRESS OF ISRAEL WAS StTllPBISINGLY RAPID AND UNINTBRRUPTED j most markedly 80 if compared with the tedious turnings. and returnings of the time before. '!'his journey from Mount Hor to Pisgah occupied at most five montl1s, &11 comp!\I'ed with the thirty-nine and a half '.''ears wasted theretofore. Even so it is with the progress of the soul towards the heavenly rest. Until Cllljst ~as ~een lifted up, and the poison of sin overcome through the etead~nst gaz~ of faith m him, there can be no real progress, only e. drifting to and fro m the wilderness. But after that, no matter how difficult the road or how many the foes, the soul goes forward swift and unhindered to the haven ~her1:1 it would he. JI. THAT AFTER THE DR.AZEN SERPENT WE IIEAR OF NO MORE COHPLAININGS OR REBELLIONS, :BUT, ON THE CONTRARY, WE CATC"B'. THE ECHOES OF A GLAD ALACRITY AND OF A CHEERFut COURAGE. Even so the soul that has not mnstered the lesson nor known tbe healing of the cross is always unhappy, sure to complain, a.nd ready to despair; but when this ia past it is of another spirit, joyful through hope, patient through faith., obedient through love. Ill. THAT AS THE JOURNEY DREW TO AN END ISRAEL WAS ENCOURAGED TO USE HIS OWN EFFORTS TO SUl'PLY ms NEEDS. He bought bread e.nd water of the Edomites, e.nd dug for water at Beer, and probably helped himself to some extent to the provisions of tbe conquered Amoritee, Even so the soul which is trained by grace for glory is encouraged more and more to co-operate with grace and to II work out its own salvation" not because it can do without supernatural grace, but because God is pleased to give his grace according to its efforts. IV. THAT THE FIRST BONG OF ISRAEL AFTER TIIE TRIUMPH OJ' THE EXODUS, FORTY YEARS BEFORE, WAI! OVER THE DIGGING OF A WELL, by which God was to give them water. Even so our work of faith, and the.t le.hour which looks for blessing from God, is the only condition of gladness and of spiritual songs. And note that this labour was shared by 11.U, the very nobles beginnin~ the work with their staves of office. Thus it is labour in a good cause which unites us e.U, and it is the union of all that promotes a glad alacrity. Consider again, with respect to these.first vidories- I. TRAT THE CONQUESTS BEYOND JORDAN WERE NOT PA.BT, SO TO BPliK, OF GOD'S ORIGINAL PLAN FOR lsBAEL. If Moab had been still in possession to the south of Jabbok, and .Ammon to the north, then Israel would have passed straight through and over Jordan; it wa.s the fa.et of Sihon having extruded the Moabites which led to these conquests of Israel. Even so it is often the case that the triumphs oi Christian principle e.nd Christian faith a.re forced upon us, as it were, by the action, and tbe evil action, of othere, under the providence of God. The soul that would pass quietly on its way to heaven is driven to victories of faith gree.t and lasting by the unexpected obstacles in its way.• II. THAT EVEN BmoN WAS Al'PBOA.CHED WITH WORDS OF PEACE, IF HE WOULD HA.VB HAD PEACE. Even so it becomes us to live peaceably with all men, even with the profane and accursed, if it be possible. He that forces on a conflict with evil men or evil fassion, even if that conflict be indeed inevitable, may thereby forfeit the grace o God. Courtesy e.nd forbearance before the encounter are the best pledges for courage and success in the encounter. III. THAT SIRON, ALTIIOUGII CONQUEROR OF :MoAB 1 AND MUCH MORE FORMIDABLE THAN THE CANAANITE$ WHOM ISRAEL HAD FEA..BED AT KADESII, FELL EASILY BECAUSB !SRA.EL FOUGHT IN FAITH. There is no adversary that can really offer any effectual opposition to our onward march if fl.lSailed in the strength of Christ with e. cheerful courage. IV. THAT 0G THE JUNG OF BASH.AN WAS MUCII MOBE FORMIDADLE EVEN THAN SIIION, YET HE BEEIIB TO HAVE FALLEN YET MORE EASILY, judgin~ from the brief notice of th_e conquest. Even so when once we have overcome a ddJicu)ty or conquered !'-n evil habit in the strength of faith, other conquests open out before "1!9 readily af!d naturally which we should not have dared to contemplate before. It is moet tnie ID religion that " nothing succeeds like suceeB1," cm. x:n. 10-xxu. 1.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 286
V, THAT TIIE EASY OVERTHROW 011' 8IHON AND 0G WAS PROVIDEN'fIALLY ORDERED BY Goo ll'OR THE PURPOSE 01!' ENCOURAGING AND ANIMATING ISRAEL ll'OR THE GREAT WORK 01!' CONQUEST IN CANAAN PROPER (see Ps. cx:uvi. 17-22). Even so to the faithful eoul that feare the great etrife against ein, God is often pleased to give some anticipatory victoriee of singular moment in order to inspire it with a dauntless confidence in him. VI. THAT WHEN IBRAEL REACHED CANAAN PROPER HE WAB ALREADY POSSESSED OIi' A LARGE AND VALUABLE TERRITORY, which God had enabled him to win by hie own sword. Even 110 when the soul shall reach its heavenly rest it will not only enter into its reward, but it will, ae it were, take a part of its reward with it, gained already on this side the river. Thua it is said of the dead that "their works do follow them;" and thus the e.postles were bidden to bring of the fish which they had caught to add to that heavenly meal (John xxi. 9, 10). What we bavo achieved bv the grace of God here will be part of our reward there.