Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Secondly, He descends, he is content to be in a lower condition; though he be fewer, and not so flourishing as Israel, yet if he may be Gods witness, he is content. Thus should we be willing to descend to witness for the truth, to leave the flourishing people of the world, and to join with the lowest and meanest.

Secondly, He descends, he is content to be in a lower condition; though he be fewer, and not so flourishing as Israel, yet if he may be Gods witness, he is content. Thus should we be willing to descend to witness for the truth, to leave the flourishing people of the world, and to joyn with the lowest and meanest.

Ordinarily men deal with the suffering servants of God, as Demas dealt with St. Paul, they forsake him, embracing this present world; but if you find any inclination of heart that way, conceive as if Christ were now speaking to you, Will you also forsake me? Take heed of flattering your selves, of putting off this duty with any vain pleas, or pretences, or excuses; God sees what lies at the bottom. We read Judg. 5. divers of the Tribes are blamed, for not coming in to help to join with Barak and Deborah; and in their rebuke, their excuses are mentioned, as some were to follow their business at sea, they could not come: and especially Asher, he was to stand in his own breaches to defend himself, ver. 17. Reuben must follow his business, and look to his sheep, he could not come, ⟨p. 237⟩ver. 16. yet these are rebuked, but Zebulon and Naphtali are commended for a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, they are honoured for this. The people of God were now in a low condition, in great affliction, and no excuse could serve turn, for their not joining with their brethren; whatsoever necessities, inabilities we may pretend, that keep us from appearing in the behalf of, and joining with Gods people in their afflicted estate, it will not bear us out before the Lord; In times of storm, all should come in and help. The two Tribes and the half on the other side Jordan, must not think to abide peaceably in their possessions, while their brethren were warring for theirs, but they must join with them in their battles, until they were in their possessions likewise.