had familiar spirits, to ask counsel of them, for which sin, and not keeping the word of the Lord, he was slain and his kingdom turned unto David? (q) But we must enquire of him, who alone will answer us; who will be with us in trouble; and will deliver us. Wait on the Lord; and then shall we be strengthened in the inner man, and by his holy and divine spirit encouraged to praise him for the past, and bow with submission to whatever may be our allotment for the future. Wait, I say, on the

Lord. (r)

(g) 1 Chro. 10. 13, 14. (r) Ps. 27. 14.

Journey FFXVLEE. v. 44.

And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-Abarim.

IJE-ABARIM, from Nava, heaps, tumulous or small hills: probably near some of the fords of Jordan; or heaps of Abarim; or passages, passengers. As the father of all those who were now passengers or pilgrims, passing from one place to another, till their settlement in Canaan, and who confessed themselves to be strangers and pilgrims upon earth, plainly declaring thereby that they sought a better country, that is to say, an heavenly. (s) So of Abraham in particular, the epithet pilgrim or sojourner is applied, and from thence, Hebrew became the distinguishing appellation of the holy family and people

(s) Gen. 23. 4, 47, 9. Heb. 11. 8, 9, 10, 13, 16.

descended from him. (t) In this place it appears they were in the border of Moab, and were similarly tempted to fear as Jacob was when he heard of his brother Esau coming to meet him with four hundred men. (u) Hope, when deferred, maketh the heart sick, says Solomon; so we, through the withdrawing of the presence of the great I AM, do not see our way clearly, but are as pilgrims in a dreary desert, seeing a variety of tracts or ways crossing each other, not knowing which to take; or, coming to a river where there are several fords or passages, some apparently dangerous, being directed by different guides, who all pretend to say the passage they recommend is the right one, doubtless causes a confusion in the mind which path to take for the safest. But if we, when in this strait, exercise the faith which Abraham did, who against hope believed in hope; and have the God of (t) Gen. 39. 14, 40, 15, 43, 32. Exod. 2. 6, 11, 3, 18. (u) Gen. 32. 7.

Jacob for our help; and our hope in him, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that therein is; who keepeth truth for ever; who openeth the eyes of the blind; we shall be enabled to see a way where we could not see any before, and that a sure one; and to him alone must we look to be guided aright; for he leadeth the blind by a way they know not.

Let us not trust in ourselves, but in him who is good, and a strong hold in the day of trouble. (v) If we endeavour as far as possible, by a total mortification of those passions and evil propensities in our nature, which only lead to strife and confusion; and in deep humiliation, supplicate our heavenly father for a portion of that holy spirit, by which we shall all be taught of him, denying ourselves, and taking up our daily cross, we shall be enabled to discern between that which savours of his spirit

(v) Nalı. 1. 7.

and that which does not. (w) Any temptation or impression that leads us not to Christ crucified, nor to the Scriptures that testify of him, we must resolve in our minds to reject; fully committing ourselves into his hands who alone can keep the city; for except he doth, says the Psalmist, the watchman waketh but in vain. (x) May we through perseverance under the cross, and having our senses exercised to discern both good and evil; (y) come experimentally to feel the truth of that maxim, “The path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." (z)

(w) John, 6, 45.

(x) Ps. 127. 1. (z) Prov. 4. 18.

(y) Heb. 5. 14.