SERM. they were obliged to pafs and fight their way; XII. fuch as the Ammonites, the Moabites, and Og King of Bashan (c.).

Now here, methinks, is another fit Emblem of a Chriftian's Pilgrimage through this world, which to him is not only a barren but a hoftile Land. From the very nature of things, and the Circumftances of his prefent State, he meets with many Inconveniences and Sufferings, and from the malice of his Enemies more. Setting afide the natural Evils, which he bears in common with others, Sickness, Pains, Croffes, Difappointments, perfonal and family Afflictions, he is expofed to many fpiritual Evils and Dangers as a Chriftian, which create him no fmall concern; particularly, frequent Inftigations to Sin, from a corrupt and depraved Nature, from an infnaring and delufive World, and from a wily and watchful Enemy, going about indefatigably feeking whom he may devour. Hence the Scriptures very properly reprefent the chriftian Life not only as a ftate of Pilgrimage, but as a ftate of Warfare; as that of the Ifraelites was when they travelled through

(c) Numb, xxi. xxii.

the

the Wilderness. Of confequence then it SERM. must be a very troublesome and dangerous XII.

one.

3. In the Wilderness through which the Ifraelites travelled to Canaan, there were many By-paths or devious Tracts, by which they might be in danger of going aftray. It was not like a Journey in a publick Road, through a populous Country, where the way lies direct and plain, and open, but through intricate and perplexed Turnings, amongst which it usually requires no fmall Circumspection to chufe the right way.

And how much this resembles a Chriftian's Walk through this World is very apparent, There are many By-ways, and tempting Paths in Life, into which Multitudes, without fear or thought, boldly and readily run, and which lead them into inevitable Deftruction. Our Saviour himself tells us, that the way which leads to Life is a freight and narrow way; little frequented, and thick befet with Thorns and Difficulties; and yet this, we are fure, is the right way, the way which leads to Life (d). And the chief reason why fo few enter upon it

SERM. is, not that they cannot difcern it (for it is XII. distinguished enough) but because it is narrow and thorny; which difcourages Men from entering upon or pursuing it. But,

4. Notwithstanding all the By-paths and Windings in the Wilderness, the Ifraelites had an infallible Guide to lead them in the way they should go. That was the Shekinah, or the glorious Emblem of the divine Prefence over their Tabernacle, by which they were conducted all the forty Years they travelled through the Wilderness, and by which their different Stations in it were determined. And had they refused to follow this divine Guidance, they had foon loft and bewildered themselves, and never reached the promised Land.

So notwithstanding the danger we are in of going aftray from the Path of Life, we have a certain Rule and Direction, which infallibly points it out to us, faying, This is the Way, walk you in it. And this direction is the Word of GOD, which, if we follow it, will as fafely conduct us through all the Errors and Dangers of the World, as the Pillar of Cloud did the Ifraelites through those of the Wildernefs. This is our Map, by

which we are to travel through this World SERM. to a better; and has this peculiar property XII. in it, that it not only defcribes to us the right Way, but tells us what we are to meet with in that way, by which we may know it to be right. And befides this, it warns us of every By-path by which we may be tempted to go aftray, and plainly tells us what will be the Confequence if we do. So that if we keep close to this divine Direction, we shall be in no Danger of lofing the right Way.

5. Though the Ifraelites travelled forty Years in the Wilderness, yet they were all that while not far from the Borders of the promised Land. It was only the Desert of Arabia that parted Egypt from Canaan; which might be paffed over almost in as many Weeks as they spent Years; which indeed was one great cause of their murmuring. And the reason why they were thus led about fo long in the Wilderness we shall fee by and by. In the mean time we have here another Circumftance of Similitude to a Chriftian's State in this World, If he be in the right way to Heaven, he is never far from it: He lives on the Bor

SERM. ders of it.

XII. cident may

let him fuddenly into the eternal World; which should every Day therefore be in his Thoughts. But if he is not permitted to enter into the Land of Reft fo foon as he could wish, he must fortify his Soul with patience to bear the remaining Labours of his Pilgrimage, be they more or less, till it please GoD to put a final Period to them. all.

6. The reafon why the Children of Ifrael wandered fo long in the Wilderness before they reached the promised Land is given us in the Text, viz. To humble them, and to prove them, and to know what was in their Heart, and whether they would keep GOD's Commandments or no, fo verfe 16. That he might bumble thee, and prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end. So that their Wilderness-Life was defigned for a state of Difcipline and Probation, to humble them for the Sins they had committed in Egypt, and after they came out from thence: And to put them upon another Trial, to fee if they would give any Teftimony of their Reformation. But as they ftill continued in their Murmuring, Rebellion, and Idolatry,

they