41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair.

42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his

own name.

LECTURE 297.

That sin though forgiven entails suffering on earth. The two tribes wished to have all this territory for their own; and they appear at first to have intended, to settle there at once, and to let their brethren go over Jordan by themselves. They were reproved by Moses; and they amended their proposal. It was then sanctioned by Moses, who however joined with them the half tribe of Manasseh; as knowing, from Him who knoweth all things, that there was room for this number in addition, and also, we may suppose, providing hereby for the more close union of interest and affection between those who were to dwell on either side of Jordan. Did God then design from the first that these two tribes and a half should dwell eastward of the river? And if so, how did the children of Reuben and Gad transgress, by wishing to have this portion for their own? To such enquiries, whensoever they arise, we answer, that though God knows in every thing the end from the beginning, and though He overrules in every thing evil for good, yet notwithstanding, when we do what God forbids, this is evil, when we do what He commands, this is good.

Now therefore, when God had ordered it by Moses, it was well for those two tribes and a half to take possession of the land here assigned to them. It was well for them to fence cities for the security of their families, and to build folds for the security of their flocks. It was now well for them to settle, where before it was wrong to wish to settle. It was well, for they had leave from Moses; who we doubt not had leave from God. And this leave seems to have been given to them not in anger, but in forgiveness, not as if God were letting them follow their own way for their punishment, but as if they had now conformed their way to his. Yet we know that they suffered afterwards by having taken this position, being more exposed to the invasion of their enemies, and being carried away into captivity some years before their brethren. See 2 Kings 15. 29. Notwithstanding their amendment and pardon, their sin did still find them out. Thus we also often have to suffer, whilst on earth, the consequences of transgressions, which have been forgiven by God in heaven. Want, sickness, shame, and sorrow, many times remain, to keep the sinner humble; and to remind him of the sorer punishment which by God's free grace he has escaped. But how slight are all our sufferings on this side Jordan, if we have an inheritance secured for us on the other! How thankfully ought we to receive in this life the chastisements entailed on us by sin, when we trust to inherit shortly more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!" 2 Cor. 4. 17.

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The journeys of the children of Israel.

1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.

2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.

6 And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7 And they removed from Etham and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol. 8 And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.

9 And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there. 10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. 11 And they removed from the

Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.

12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.

13 And they departed from Dophkah,and encamped in Alush. 14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

15 And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.

16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah.

17 And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.

18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. 19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez.

20 And they departed from Rimmon-parez,and pitched in Libnah. 21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. 22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher.

24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.

25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. 28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.

29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.

30 And they departed from Hashmonah,and encampedat Moseroth 31 And theydeparted from Moseroth, and pitched in Benejaakan. 32 And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Horhagidgad.

gidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah. 34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah. 35 And they departed from Ebronah,and encamped at Eziongaber. 36 And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. LECTURE 298.

33 And they went from Horha

The use of viewing the stages of our spiritual course.

This summary of the journeyings of the Israelites must have been a profitable record to them and to their children after them; not only as enabling them to verify the truth of their history, by what they knew of these places in their neighbourhood, but also as reminding them of the many righteous judgments of God, and of his many undeserved mercies. Like to this would be our advantage, if we were oftentimes to take a faithful review of the stages over which we have journeyed, in our course towards the heavenly Canaan. We begin by escaping from Egypt. We flee from sin and death; and long to be in heaven. But we must wait, we must be instructed, we must be proved. We have to dwell awhile on earth; in order to learn what God's will is, and in order to be exercised therein. Let us look back to the time when first we began to feel interest in knowing it? What progress have we made since? Where are we now? Has it been our delight, thenceforward, to know it better, and to do it more? Or have we often lusted after the renounced pleasures of the world, and of the flesh? Have we turned aside to follow Satan; instead of God? Have we thought scorn of that pleasant land, which God has promised to give us for his Son's sake, and preferred the gains and enjoyments which we should have learnt to hate? If so, no wonder that God has kept us back from the possession of our inheritance! no wonder that we have gone backwards, as well as forwards, and are now little nearer, than at the beginning, to our journey's end! But are we at all nearer in reality? Do we find ourselves drawing nigh to holiness and heaven? On looking back at the stages of our course, do we find that we have made sensible advances in faith and grace, in love and in obedience? Then thanks be to God, who at the first delivered us, and who has brought us thus far safe! Then thanks be to God for this assurance, that no temptation shall befal us beyond what we are able to bear! How many chastisements has He heretofore inflicted! Let us remember these, when we are likely to go astray. How many mercies has He continually vouchsafed! When we are tempted to forget Him, let us call to mind these also. And especially as we approach our journey's end, let us review all with wonder and delight, to think that such a wayward course as ours here below, should be made to end, through the love of God, and the merits of our Saviour, in a home eternal in the heavens.

The charge to drive out the Canaanites.

37 And they removed from

49 And they pitched by JorKadesh, and pitched in mount dan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

LECTURE 299.

The most effectual means of driving out unbelief and idolatry. Many successes had the Israelites already met with, as a foretaste of the complete triumph, which God purposed to give them