low up Korah, Dathan, and their company. But the people, instead of being humbled on account of their aggravated guilt, converted this very difpenfation into a new argument for rebellion. "On the morrow, all the congregation of the "children of Ifrael murmured against Mofes and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD."-" The foul of the people "was much difcouraged because of the way." Therefore" they spake against God, and against "Mofes b." They murmured at the report of the fpies c. "Yea, they defpifed the pleasant "land." They generally directed their murmuring immediately against the fervants of God: but it was really aimed against himself, and he always viewed it in this light. "I have heard," he fays, "the murmurings of the children of Ifrael, "which they murmur against mee. Sometimes they fought no cloak to their guilt. "They made a "calf in Horeb," in that very place where they had feen the glory of the LORD, and heard his voice out of the midft of the fire. "

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They changed their glory into the fimilitude of an ox that "eateth grafs ." They were afterwards "joined

to Baal-peor?? in his abominable worship, and "did eat the facrifices of the dead g." The whole time of their fojourning in the wildernefs is reprefented as one continued provocation. "Forty years long," faith God, "was I grieved "with

z Num. xvi. 31.-33

e Num. xiv. 2.

Num. xiv. 27.

-4.

a Ver. 41.

d Pfal. cvi. 24, 25.

b Num. xxi. 4, S.

e Exod. xvi. 7, ;

f Pfal. cvi. 19, 20. g Num. xxv. 3.; Pfal. cvi. 28.

"with this generation." This obdurate and rebellious people, not only during their continuance in the wilderness, but during the whole period of their peculiar difpenfation, were a perpetual monument of divine longfuffering. It was only because He, with whom they had to do, was "God and not man," "that they were not totally deftroyed. Yet fo wonderful was their obduracy, that on one occafion they murmured at this very longfuffering, and expreffed their regret that they had not perished with others by the ftroke of divine judgment. "Would God," do they fay,

"that we had died when our brethren died before "the LORD."

When you read the hiftory of this people, are you filled with horror at their aggravated guilt?' Do you accuse them as the most ungrateful, obdurate, and rebellious people who ever existed? Are you amazed at fuch a continued exercise of longfuffering towards them? You flatter yourfelves, perhaps, that had you feen the miracles which they faw, had you received fuch fignal deliverances as were wrought for them, you would not thus have "requited the LORD as a foolish and "unwife people." But let the man, who thinks in this manner, review his past conduct; let him look into his own heart. The people of Ifrael were "our types." The fins that they committed, were figures of thofe with which we are chargeable. We are that Ifrael who " tempt "and prove" God, even while we "fee his works." Bb 2

i Num. xx, 3.

We

k Vid Claude, Oeuvres Pofthumes, Tom. ii. p. 153, &c.

We are the ungrateful and rebellious people, who grieve his Spirit. I fpeak not of those who are only nominal Chriftians, but of the true Ifrael of God. Have not we" provoked him at the fea, "at the Red Sea ?" Even at the very time that he was about to bring us out of Egypt, and to deliver us from the dominion of our fpiritual foes, have we not" rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit," and to the utmost of our ability refifted his operations? How often have we "provoked

him in the wildernefs," even after fo great a falvation? With refpect to temporal enjoyments, how often have we "limited the Holy One," and virtually faid, "Can God prepare a table in the "wilderness ?" When feeking our fpiritual bread, have we not murmured at the difficulties in our way; or rebelled against the fovereign will of God, because this bread was not given in the manner or measure that we wished or expected? Has not the food of our fouls been frequently lothed by us as "light bread?" Carnal enjoyments, alas! have feemed to poffefs charms unknown to a fpiritual life. Our fouls have envied the profperity of the wicked. We have virtually faid, "It is vain to ferve God, and what profit is "it that we have kept his ordinance 1?" How often have we complained because the waters of Marah were bitter, afferting, perhaps, that no child of God was ever afflicted as we have been! Our chastisements have feemed heavier than our iniquities deferved. How often do Chriftians

1 Mal. iii. 14.

murmur

murmur against the servants of God, even when engaged in the faithful discharge of the truft committed to them? How often by defpifing them, have we "defpifed Him that fent" them? Theit honesty in delivering God's meffage has perhaps been ascribed to ill humour; or the faithful exercise of difcipline, to partiality.

We

When confidering the various hardships and trials in our way to the promised reft, the many windings in our courfe, hath not our foul, on many occafions, been "much difcouraged?" have been in danger of entirely difbelieving the promife, and of concluding that God meant to leave us to perish in the wilderness. Because of our severe warfare with our fpiritual enemies, we have been ready to fay; "We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than We have difcredited the report, not of men like ourselves, but of God "who cannot lie," concerning the promised land.

we m❞

How often have we been chargeable with fpiritual idolatry, in making a god of this world? By inordinate love to this or that worldly enjoyment, we have "changed our glory into the fimi"litude of an ox." Did the Ifraelites commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab? We alfo have merited the character of "adulterers and

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adultereffes," by seeking "the friendship of this world ;" and by holding " fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," instead of "reproving" them ". What is fuch conduct in

Bb 3

m Num. xiii. 34

Christians,

n James iv. 4.

Chriftians, but to the utmost of their power to renounce Jefus their only Lord and leader; and in effect to say with the rebellious Ifraelites; "Let us "make a captain, and let us return into Egypt ?"

Let us then turn all that indignation, which we feel in reading the history of Ifrael, against ourselves. Let us acknowledge, with deep abafement of foul, that we are the rebellious people who have "tempted and proved" God in the defert. Let us admire that unspeakable patience, which from day to day is exercised towards us; and confefs that "it is of the LORD's mercies "that we are not confumed, and because his

compaffions fail not." Let us earnestly pray, that we may be enabled more conftantly and obediently to hear his voice, and be preserved from "hardening our hearts, as in the provocation."

xv. The Ifraelites were feverely punished for their iniquities, by various judgments inflicted immediately by the hand of God. Several of these are enumerated by the apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians. Speaking of that obdurate people, he fays; "But with many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wil"dernefs. Now these things were our examples, "to the intent we fhould not luft after evil things, "as they alfo lufted. Neither be ye idolaters, "as were fome of them; as it is written, The people fat down to eat and drink, and rose up "to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as

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Num. xiv. 4.

❝ fome