Consider again, with respect to Canaan,- !. THAT ISRAEL WAS TO POSSESS IT, BECAUSE Goo HAD GIVEN IT TO THEM; IT WAS BIB, AND HE CHOSE TO DO so ; NO SUCH TITLE WAS EVER GRANTED TO A.NY PEOPLE. Even so we are to take possession (by patient well-doing) of the kingdom of heaven, not because it can be earned, but because God hath freely given it to us, whom he hl\th chosen. This kingdom, therefore, whether as within us or as above us, is ours by a most absolute and indefeasible title. II. THAT THE GRANT OF CANAAN TO IBRAEL IMPLIED ALL NECE~SARY SUCCOUR IN CO)!- QUERING AND OCCUPYING IT, else had the name of God been disgraced. Even so tlic fact that God bath given to us the kingdom of heaven is pledge positive that wo shall receive strength to overcome every hindrance and obstacle, if wo be faithful. lll. THAT TIIE DIVISION OF THE LAND WAS SO ORDERED THAT EQUALITY SHOULD AS FAR AS rosSIBLE DE rRESERVED, AND FAVOURITISM MADE IMrOSSillLE. Even BO God hath so ordered his kingdom that none has causo to envy other, and none can com- plain of partiality; since all shall inherit heaven alike, and yet heaven itself shall bo diverse according to the ~rowth of each in grace (cf. Matt. xx. 13-15 and 23 with Luke xix. 15-19 and Matt. xxv. 21-23). IV. THAT TIIE HOLY LAND WAS DELIMITED BEFORE THEY ENTERED, DUT THE BOUND• ARIES ARE TO A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT UNKNOWN. Even BO the kingdom of heaven is defined and described in manifold ways in the word of God, and yet it is hard to know bow far it extends, and where the boundary runs between that which is of nature and that which is of grace. And us those frontiers could only be traced by euch as were locally familiar with the places named, so the extent of the kingdom can only be known hy euch ae are familiar by experience with every part of it. V. THAT THE LIMITS MARKED DOWN WERE ArPARENTLY THE NATURAL LIMIT-:l <ll' CANAA."f, WITHOUT ANY RESERVATIONS (such as Philistia1 Phce:1iei1, &c.). Even BO MO '.l'IIJt BOOK or NUMB:l!:Ba. ton. xttm. SO- xntv. 29
God bath given t.o ns t.o possess the:whole life of man which may be lived in holi- ness, according to the utmost possible expansion of our human nature in all its fnlness. VI. THAT THE LAND ACTUALLY OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL WAS BOTH LARGER AND SMALLER THAN THAT DELIMITED; not reaching so far from south to north, yet not so strait from west, to east. Even so it is certain that Christian life, aa lived, does r.ot agree with the ideal in the New Testament. It does not reach so far, not attain its full measure, in one way, while it occupies additional space in another way. And as the additional breadth gained by the trans-Jordanic settlement, while not commanded, was yet (it seems) allowed of God, so the unexpected developments of Christianity (as in the way of civilisation, with its varied gifts), although quite outside anything to be gathered from the New Testament, must yet be held allowed of God. VII. THAT KADESH, OF FAMOUS MEMORY, WAS SPECIALLY INCLUDED IN THE SOUTHERN :FRONTIER. Even so the experiences of our pilgrimage-the II sanctuaries " of our trial time-will be part of our eternal inheritance ; nothing "holy " will be lost tons. VIIL THAT THE LAND WAS ALLOTTED TO THE PEOPLE BY ELEAZAR TREIB PRIEST AND JOSHUA THEIR CAPTAIN. Even so our inheritance is in all particulars assigned to us by him who is at once the High Priest of our profession and the Captain of our salvation. IX. THAT TOGETHER WITH THEM THERE ACTED PRINCES FROM EACH TBIDE 1 THAT JUSTICE MIGHT BE MANIFESTLY DONE TO ALL. Even BO it would appear that in the judgment of the last day respect will· be bad even to human ideas of justice ; and, moreover, that in some way not yet explained men will themselves act as assessors in that judgment (see I Pet. iv. 6, where a:ard tiv~p,,nrov seems to mean "in accordance with human ideas [of justice];" and I Cor. vi. 2, 3, which seems clearly to refer to the final judgment). And note that the order of the tribes as here given is very different from any previous list ; for two are absent, and the precedence of the rest is determined after a peculiar law by their subsequent position in the Holy Land. So the Divine order in which Churches or individuals stand is different from any founded on earthly or visible considerations, being in accordance with God's foreknowledge of tl:eir heavenly place. HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 50-56.-No oompromue with idolatry. I. THE COMMAND GIVEN. The Israelites were to be delivered from complicity with the immoral idolatry of Cannan by such extreme measures as these. 1. The idolaters were to be utterly driven out, and in some cases exterminated. On no account were covenants to be made with them (Exod. xxxiv. 12-17). 2. The idols were to be broken to pieces; even the precious metals on them were' not to be spared (Exod. xxiii. 24, 30-33; Dcut. vii. 25, 26). 3. The high places, groves, altars, pillars, &c. were to be destroyed (Exod, :xx:xiv. 13; Deut. xii. 2, 3). 4. Works of art, "pictures," &c., were doomed if tainted by idolatry. 5. The very names of the idols were to be consigned to oblivion, and all curious antiquarian inquiries as to the idolatries of the land were discouraged (Deut. xii. 3, 30, 31 ). Our missionaries have had to urge similar precepts(,on con- verts from heathenism ; e. g. in Polyneijia. And these precepts suggest applications to all Christians who have "escaped the pollutions. of the world" and its spiritual idolatries, but who are still surrounded by them. No "covenants" are to be made with men of the world which would compromise the servants of Christ, or mar their testimony against the evil deeds of the world (2 Cor. vi. 14; Ephes. v. 11). Apply to marriages with the ungodly, and to other close alliances of interest. Illustrate from Jehosbaphat's history (2 Kings viii. 18 ; 2 Chron. xviii. 1 ; xix. 2). Even things lawful in themselves may have to be abandoned; whether money, in order to conquer "covetousness, which is idolatry" (illustrate Mark x. 21), or pleasures which may have associations of evil clinging to them (1 Cor. vi. 12), or even past helps to dev_otion - e. g. 2 Kings xviii. 4, Popish images, &c. To look back with strong desire even towarda things elegant and attractive in themselves, but infected to us b1 the spirit of worldliness, may be fatal (Luke uii. 32; 2 Cor. vi. 17). The Church oil. nxrtt. 50-xntv. 29] TltE BOO:K OF NUMBERS. 441