MAY 24.-" I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan; that goodly mountain, and Lebanon." Deut. iii. 25. THIS desire seemed improper. For God had expressly said unto Moses and Aaron, "Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.' We are poor creatures, and often insensibly transfer to God the effects of our own feeling and conduct. Did Moses then, through infirmity, think that God was changeable? No: but he thought whether the threatening was absolute; especially as it was not ratified by an oath, as the exclusion of the people was. For many of God's denunciations, as we see, for instance, in the sentence with regard to Nineveh, have a condition implied, though not expressed; i.e. they will be executed unless repentance intervenes-upon this principle it was possible for Moses to hope for a retraction of the interdict. But the desire was a very natural one. It was natural for him to desire to enter Canaan, even as an object of curiosity, of which he had heard so much; but still more as an object of hope, which had been so long promised with every enhancement. This it was that had animated the people to leave Egypt. This had encouraged them in all their travels in the desert. This was the end, the recompense of all their toils and sufferings for forty years-and they had now nearly reached it! How painful to miss. the prize-when the hand was in the very act of seizing it; and to have the cup dashed-even from the lip! Yet the desire was refused. And the Lord said unto him, Let it suffice thee-speak no more to me of this matter. For he sometimes refuses the desires of his servants, and the most eminent and endeared of them too. And he does this in two ways. Sometimes he does it in love. He denies, because what is desired would prove dangerous and injurious. We should think badly of a father, who, if a son asked bread, would give him a stone; or if he asked a fish, would give a scorpion. But suppose, through ignorance, his son should ask for a scorpion instead of a fish ; or suppose he should cry for a sharp instrument, or beg to climb up a steep ladder: then would he not hate his child, unless he rejected his wish? In how many cases must a wise and good parent distinguish between a child's wishes and his wants! He may wish for liberty; but he wants restraint: he may wish for holidays; but he wants schooling: he may wish for dainties; but he wants medicine-Here the love of the parent must appear in acting-not according to the wish, but the welfare of his child. And "God's choice is safer than our own: "Of ages past enquire, "What the most formidable fate? "To have our own desire!" How well would it have been for the Jews, had he more than once turned a deaf ear to their importunity! But they would have a king-and he " “gave them a king in his anger, and took him away in his wrath." They would have flesh-and he gave them their hearts' desire, but sent leanness into their souls. On the other hand, who does not see, in looking back upon life, how well for him it was that such a scheme failed; that such a hope was crushed-so much evil lurked under the specious appearance, or would have resulted from the indulgence. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? No one but God-the good God "Good when He gives, supremely good, "Nor less when he denies : He also sometimes refuses in anger. Wrath is incompatible with love; but anger is not: anger may even flow from it. Though Christians cannot be condemned, they may be chastened: and the law of the house is, that if his children walk not in his commandments, he will visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquities with stripes. Hence those who shall be saved eternally, may lie under the present rebukes of Providence; and be refused many things on which they have set their heart, as to station, business, connexions, and usefulness-for them that honour him, he will honour. They may think hard of this at first; but as they discover their unworthiness and desert, they will bow to the dispensation, and say, with David, "I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." By such conduct, too, Providence reads lessons to others. See, it says, the evil of sin. See how severely God deals with it, even in his own people. And if these things are done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry! If judgment begins at the house of God, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! And if the righteous scarcely are saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear! Yet his desire was partially indulged: "Thou shalt not go over this Jordan; but get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes." This was obviously intended, not to tantalize him, but to be a mitigation of the severe sentence. The preservation of his good sight to so great an age, fitted him for the gaze; and probably it was also strengthened and enlarged for this very purpose. The prospect shewed him how worthy the country was of all that God had said concerning it; and would give him high and honourable views of the truth and goodness of God, in his Covenant with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. Along with this, too, there was exerted the influence of Divine grace, which soothed and satisfied him. For by this God can make us easy and contented under the refusal or loss of any comfort, however essential to our happiness it appeared before: so that we behave and quiet ourselves as a child that is weaned of his mother; our soul is even as a weaned child. While, also, his mind was raised to things above, and, in type and emblem, to a better country, into which he was immediately to enter-and then there would be no want of an earthly Canaan. - Thus, in the midst of judgment, He remembers mercy. Though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him: for he knoweth our frame; he rembereth that we are dust. MAY 25.-" Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." Ephes. iv. 30. THE expression is not to be taken properly and literally, as if the Holy Spirit of God was capable of vexation or sorrow. The Divine Nature is not subject to human passions. God's condescension is not to rob him of his glory. When the Scripture ascribes to him actions or affections that imply imperfection, it is in accommodation to our weakness of apprehension. We lisp with infants. And unable to view the shining sun with the naked eye, we survey it in a vessel of water, or through obscured glass. We grieve a friend when we neglect him, or go contrary to his wishes and interests. And when he is grieved, he betrays it. His countenance is not towards us as aforetime. Frowns succeed to smiles. He complains and reproves. He discontinues his visits and correspondence. All this will apply to the grieving of the Holy Spirit of God. And there are three reasons why we should not grieve him. -Nothing can be more unbecoming-ungratefulunwise. - Nothing can be more unbecoming, if we consider his greatness. The Holy Spirit is deserving in himself of all the regard we can express. If a nobleman was calling upon you, common civility would teach you not to hurt his mind. If the king honoured you with his presence, how anxious would you feel not to offend him; how studious would you be to please him in all your actions, and words, and looks. Here all comparison fails. No mortal is honoured like the Christian, with whom the King of kings and Lord of lords deigns even to dwell. And will he not be sensible of this? Will he not exclaim, "Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Will he not fall upon his knees, and pray, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer?" Nothing can be more ungrateful, if we consider his goodness. What obligation was he under to you? You were not worthy of the least of all his mercies; you deserved that his wrath should have come upon you as children of disobedience. Had he therefore left you to perish, you would have had no reason to complain. But who remembered you in your low estate? Who quickened you, when dead in trespasses and sins? Who unstopped your deaf ears, and opened your blind eyes? Who turned your feet into the paths of peace? Who enabled you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to life everlasting? Who gave you a disposition, a |