have accomplished this without any concurrence on the part of the
Israelites. But their present agony was the consequence of their
unbelief, and distrust, and rebellion; and in order that the cure may be
complete they must pass from distrust to faith, from alienation to
confidence and attachment. This cannot be accomplished without their own
concurrence. But this concurrence may be exercised and may be exhibited
in connection with a small matter quite as decisively as in connection
with what is difficult. To get a disobedient and stubborn child to say,
"I am sorry," or to do the smallest and easiest action, is quite as
difficult, if it be a test of submission, as to get him to run a mile,
or perform an hour's task. So the mere uplifting of the eye to the
brazen serpent was enough to show that the Israelite believed God's
word, and expected healing. It was in this look that the will of man met
and accepted the will of God in the matter. It was by this look the
pride which had led them to resist God and rely upon themselves was
broken down; and in the momentary gaze at the remedy appointed by God
the tormented Israelite showed his reliance upon God, his willingness to
accept His help, his return to God.

It is by a similar act we receive healing from the cross of Christ. It
is by an act which springs from a similar state of mind. "Every one that
_believeth_,"--that is all that is required of any who would be healed
of sin and its attendant miseries. It is a little and an easy thing in
itself, but it indicates a great and difficult change of mind. It is so
slight and easy an action that the dying can do it. The feeblest and
most ignorant can turn in thought to Him who died upon the cross, and
can, with the dying thief, say, "Lord, remember me." All that is
required is a sincere prayer to Christ for deliverance. But before
anyone can so pray, he must hate the sin he has loved, and must be
willing to submit to the God he has abandoned. And this is a great
change; too difficult for many. Not all these Israelites were healed,
though the cure was so accessible. There were those who were already
insensible, torpid with the heavy poison that ran through their blood.
There were those whose pride could not be broken, who would rather die
than yield to God. There were those who could not endure the thought of
a life in God's service. And there are those now who, though they feel
the sting of sin, and are convulsed and tormented by i