is afraid of
pain and trouble. Every one is that more or less. Jesus Himself was
afraid when He cried in agony, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this
cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke xxii.
42.) But a coward is a man who is so much afraid that to escape pain and
danger, he will do what he _ought not_--do what he is ashamed of doing--do
what lowers him; and therefore our Lord Jesus had perfect courage when He
tasted death for all men, and endured the very agony from which He
shrank, and while He said, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass," said also, "Nevertheless not my will, but Thine, be done."

The Jews were cowards when they cried, "Let us alone that we may serve
the Egyptians." While a man is in that pitiful mood he cannot rise, he
cannot serve God--for he must remain the slave of his own body, of which
he is so mightily careful, the slave of his own fears, the slave of his
own love of bodily comfort. Such a man does not _dare_ serve God. He
dare not obey God, when obeying God is dangerous and unpleasant. He dare
not claim his heavenly birthright, his share in God's Spirit, his share
in Christ's kingdom, because that would bring discomfort on him, because
he will have to give up the sins he loves, because he will have to endure
the insults and ill-will of wicked men. Thus cowards can never be free,
for it is only where the Spirit of God is that there is liberty.

But the Jews were not yet fit to be made soldiers of. God would not
teach them at once not to be afraid of men. He did not command them to
turn again and fight these Egyptians, neither did He lead them into the
land of Canaan the strait and short road, through the country of the
Philistines, lest they should be discouraged when they saw war.

Now what was God's plan for raising the Jews out of this cowardly,
slavish state? First, and above all, to make them trust in _Him_. While
they were fearing the Egyptians, they could never fear Him. While they
were fearing the Egyptians, they were ready to do every base thing, to
keep their masters in good humour with them. God determined to teach
them to fear Him more than they feared the Egyptians. God taught them
that He was stronger than the Egyptians, for all their civilisation and
learning and armies, chariots and horsemen, swords and spears. He would
not let the Jews fight the Egyptians. He told them by the mouth of
Moses, "Stand you still, and the