HOMILIES I3Y VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-20.-Self-propagati11g conquest. There is solid truth in the French pro- verb: "It is the first step that costs." An untried course makes large demands on a man's thought, self-watchfulness, and energy; but when habit is acquired, the machinery of the soul works with smooth facility. Enterprises which are most arduous at the first, become by repetition as simple as a natural instinct. • I. CONQUEST INDUCES NEW ENERGY, The joy of conquest is a spur to fresh endeavour. The appetite for adventure and exertion is whetted, and is not easily controlled. Herein lies the secret cause of Alexander's tears, that there were no further worlds to be collquered. The selfsame law of inertia, which hinders senseless matter from originating motion, operates to keep it in incessant motioo when it has once begun. II. CONQUEST GENERATES LARGER AND MORE COURAGEOUS FAITH. The matl who (conscious of Divine assistance) has gained a triumph, listens with docility to every fresh whisper from the lips of Jehovah. So Davirl, after many conquests over the Philistines, asks again with child-like simplicity, "Shall I go up against them? Wilt thou deliver them into my hands?" The successful efforts of robust faith will lead a man to keep very close to God. They do not puff up with pride; they humble us by a sense of the Divine goodness. In the spiritual world as in the material, there operates the law of action and reaction. Faith promotes success, and success invigo• rates faith. III. ONE TRIUMPH MAKES ALL TRIUMPH POSSIBLE. An atom is a type of the world. An organic cell is a type of the animal. A leaf is a type of the tree. So one triumph is the pattern and pledge of all triumph. We become, in holy warfare, " more than conquerors;" for we have qualified. ourselves for further warfare and for easier conquests. Og, King of Bashan, may have been a more formidable foe than Sihon, King of Heshbon; the walls 2.nd gates of Bashan may have been tenfold more impregnable than those of I-lcshbon; nevertheless, the Divit1e succour which had been afforded to the Hebrews was competent for every exigency, and if only faith could rise to the height of its resources, no opposition could withstand it. What though Og be a stalwart giant-the last of his race-the God that made him can destroy him! The God who is at our back can give us victory over every foe. Conscious of the power and skill of our heavenly Ally, we can say," God is with me, therefore I must prevail." IV, THE TlllUMPH OF THE WIIOLE CIIURCH DEPENDS ON THE BRAVE EXERTION OF DIVIDUALS. Iu every community we shall find a variety of temperaments-some slug&ish and some sanguino. The faith of a few will reproduce itself in others. Tho glowrng zeal o( ono will bo contagious. Among the enormous host of the Hebrews two names are singled out for honour-Jair and Machir. In all warfare, much depends on the heroic examples of a. few leaders. The tone of feeling and courage percolates through all the ranks of the army, and braces every man to fulfil his part, Every !11ember of the Church helps or binders the Church's conquests. The son of Jesse rnfused a spirit of bravery into all the tribes of Israel, and knit them iuto organic unity. V. REAL CONQUEST BRINGS ADIDING RESULTS, This triumph or the Israelites put them into permanent po~ses~ion of lauds and citie& and palaces. Belter still, it lllllJTJ!,llONO}Jy. :f: iO THE DOOK OF DEU'l'ERONOMY. [CH, Ill, 1-20,
dcn•lopcd the q1rnlities of fait.h and courage-brought into play generous nnd self. nbnei:ating sentiments. Such principles as these made secure to them the possessions t.hcy hnd won. As a few seeds will bring II largo harvest., so a complete mastery over :my real foe bears rich and remote advantages. \Vo do well to discover our foes, fasten ntt.cntion on tlicm, and gi,·o no quarter until they arc destroyed. So ingrained wns id,,\n try in t hcso Arnorites, that the moml l)Ollution could only bo removed by the destruction of the people. YI. Trrn EFFECT UPON OURSELVES OF CONQUEST BIIOULD DE TO DEVELOP OUI\ mwT!IEnLY SYMPATIIY. . Those who have fo~ght at our si~e, and been mutually helplul, deserve a place m memory and affection. If by then· co-operation we hnvo gained a conquest., gratitude impels us to continue the alliance until they obtain their iiossessions also. It is noble to sacrifice ease and material advantage for the purpos~ ol' sen-ing our brethren. Self-conquest will prompt us to empty self, if only wo can enrich others. This is to follow the highest example-to boas God. 'J'ho glory and excellence of spiritual possessions is this-they are not diminished by communication. ,re (ci'l"c, and still ha'l"e. YII. CoNQUE~T SHOULD DEEPE~ OUR SENSE OF ODLIGATION TO THE SUPRF.ME Goo. There is a strong tendency in all success to foster pride and self-esteem. Crowds of successful men_ ~ow ?,Own to their own net, an~ b_u~n in~nse to their drag. They rec,,gmze the '\"1s1ble mstrument, rather than the mv1s1ble Cause. Moses had to with- starnl the current of popular feeling, when, in the flush of triumph, be reminds them emphatically, "The Lord your God bath given you this land." Poverty oft.en drives us t.o God: fulness ofttimos keeps us from him. Yet every factor in the achievement of victory was of God, and to him was all praise due. "His right hand, and his holy arm, gain for us the victory."-D.