"Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes: for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you."

THESE words are part of Moses' last admonition to the children of Israel in the wilderness. They had just ended their forty years' wanderings, and were on the point of entering on that promised land, which for so long a time had been the great object of their hopes and prayers. He, like a wise and affectionate friend, well knowing the stubbornness of their hearts, and what danger they were in of being spoiled by prosperity; while he speaks to them at large of the blessings of their new home, its corn, wine, and oil, its flowing with milk and honey, the wealth, peace, and glory, which they might expect in it; warns them also, no less carefully, of God's constant Presence there, and of the exact obedience they would have to pay Him, as ever they hoped to enjoy these blessings. He warns them, here in the text, that it would be a great mistake, if they supposed themselves more at their own ease and liberty, as to what they would do and what they would leave undone, when they were in Canaan, than when they were in the wilderness. He mentions it as one of the advantages of Canaan, that they would have it in their power, and it would be their duty, to live by a stricter and more exact rule there, than they could possibly do, whilst they were moving about in the wilderness. "Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes: for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you."

Now, there is a striking resemblance between the condition of the Jews, brought safely to the borders of Canaan, and waiting for God's signal to go in and possess it, and the condition of Christians, after our Saviour had made perfect our redemption by His death and was ascended into heaven, but before He had sent down His Spirit to make us fully partakers of the blessings of the Gospel. And, accordingly, the Church has ordained this part of the admonitions of Moses to be read at this solemn time, as most useful towards helping us to judge rightly of the great change, which the coming of the Holy Ghost has made, both in our blessings, and in our duties.

The blessing, of which it is proposed now to speak more particularly, is that of being more under control, of having our lives and ways more exactly ordered, than as if we were not Christians. We are now come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord our God was so long preparing for us; and therefore we are no longer to think of doing, every man what is right in his own eyes. If it might be excusable in Jews or heathens to do so, it does not follow that it is excusable in us.

And therefore the gate, into which we must strive to enter, is called "strait," and the way which leadeth unto life, "narrow." And our Saviour, inviting us to the blessings of the Gospel, describes them as a yoke and a burthen; easy indeed and light, yet still a yoke and a burthen.

And this very circumstance He mentions as a blessing; as the very reason why, coming to Him, the weary and heavy laden might find rest: "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

So that it appears, that both the Law and the Gospel, both Moses and Jesus Christ, consider it a great blessing, a great increase of comfort and happiness, to be kept under strict rules. The Gospel was more strict than the Law; and on that very account its subjects were happier. Canaan was a place, where men could not do what pleased themselves, so much as they could in the wilderness: and it was the more entirely and truly a place of rest.

But now, this way of thinking is by no means the way of the world. People in general like nothing so much, as having their own choice in all things. They account it a burthen, and not a privilege, to be under the government of others. And there is not, one may venture to say, one man in a thousand, who would not rather be rich than poor, for this very reason; that a rich man is much more his own master, has much more of his own way in choosing how to spend his time, what company to keep, what employments and diversions to follow, than a poor man generally can have.

Again, every one has observed, I might say has experienced, the hurry which children are usually in, to get out of the state of childhood, and to be left to judge and act for themselves. There are few, it may be feared, who have not to charge themselves with some undutifulness towards their first and best friends, their own parents, on this account. Like the prodigal son, young persons are too often found so unthankful, as to hurry on the time of separation from their parents, and say, "Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me:" as if it were a piece of preferment and happiness, to get away, as early as possible, from one's father and mother.

Further: as most of us are, or have been, under authority of some kind, either as servants, or as scholars, or in some other way, we cannot be ignorant how jealous we were of being interfered with by any but our own masters; how unwilling to take advice even from the wisest, lest we should seem to give him a right to direct us; and how impatient of control even from our masters themselves, in matters, which, as we imagined, lay beyond their authority. All of us, as it may seem, naturally sharing, more or less, in the temper of that peevish Hebrew, who would not let Moses interfere with him, though it was only as a friend, to save him from a great sin. We put off our best friends, with "Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?"

But the worst, and, unfortunately, the most common instance of this ungovernable temper in mankind is, our unwillingness to let God choose for us, and our impatience under the burthens He lays upon us. How very commonly does it happen, that the very condition people chose beforehand, the very place they wished to live in, and the persons they wished to live among, being obtained, becomes the ground of continual complaint and vexation. If they could but change at will, they say, they should like their situation well enough; but now they are tied down to it, they cannot, that is, they will not, help being fretful and impatient.

Yet this very circumstance, of being tied down to rules, and not having the power to change at will, is, as we have seen, reckoned a great blessing, both in the Old and New Testament, both by Moses and Jesus Christ. And the contrary (the having to choose for ourselves, and to do what is right in our own eyes) is spoken of as a great disadvantage. So different is the judgement of God from the judgement of men.

It is true, Moses is speaking of a particular point of conduct; but we shall presently see, that what he says will apply, just as reasonably, to every other part of our duty, and may serve to shew us the benefit of subjection, and not being left to ourselves in any.

He was speaking of the question, where the Israelites should offer their sacrifices and solemn prayers to Almighty God. Whilst they were in the wilderness, they sacrificed where they would; but when they should have come into the land of promise, his word of caution is this: "Take heed to thyself, that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest: but in the place which, the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes: there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee."

We may be apt sometimes to wonder, that the Israelites should have so generally disobeyed this easy command, and should have sacrificed as they did in the high places, even in some of their best days; when God had said, "You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem." But if we would look at home, we might find something very like it amongst ourselves. For many men, even now, are rather too jealous of being ordered and directed in their performance of the outward duties of religion. They had rather choose out churches, ministers, prayers for themselves, than be content and thankful with what God's providence has appointed for them.

It is a great happiness in our condition, that we need not be at any loss in these respects. We have no reason to doubt that the clergy are God's ministers, really appointed by Jesus Christ to stand in His place, and to bless in His Name. We are certain that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are His Sacraments; the Bible, His word; and the Lord's Prayer, His prayer. We may be more certain than the Jews could be, which side He would have us take in all doubtful and difficult points of practice. Suppose the question to be between patient suffering and violent and eager resistance, we need not be at a loss for want of a voice from heaven, as the Jews sometimes were. We know beforehand; the New Testament teaches us, in every page, how much better it is to submit quietly, than to do ourselves right by any hasty or passionate ways. Or suppose that two ways appear equally reasonable, but that our inclinations and fancy are rather too passionately inclined towards one of them: we may be sure the safer and better way is rather to incline to the other. "For even Christ pleased not Himself."

I say, it is a great happiness which Christians enjoy, in being thus over-ruled and guided in every step, and not left to their own ways. It is impossible to consider the thing at all seriously, without perceiving that it is so; unpleasant as we too often find it to own as much, even to ourselves. The advantage is as plain, as when we say that it is good for a child, that cannot stand alone, to have hold of a kind and careful nurse, instead of being left to totter about by itself. It is, in the strict sense of the words, a blessing infinite and unspeakable. It is as great as the difference between what God knows and what we know: between eternal, unbounded wisdom, and our frail and short-sighted understanding.

To have this thought steadily fixed within us, will prove, indeed, the greatest of all blessings: both as to our rest in this world, and as to our inheritance in that which is to come. In whatever counsel and pursuit we are sure we are guided by God, that, we are equally sure, must turn out well in the end: and soberly speaking, what can we wish for more? Now, (whatever may be said about the ways and means) the issues and events of things, we know, are absolutely and entirely in God's hand; and therefore it very ill becomes us to be careful and anxious about a them. Let us leave them quietly to be managed by Him, Who cannot do us wrong, and cannot wish us harm. Do but reflect on the meaning of these words, and you cannot but wish to keep it always in your mind, as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, against the most tormenting of all the evils of this mortal life; those which arise from too anxious thoughts about the morrow. Once make up your mind to this most certain truth, that what is right in God's eyes is far better for you, than what is right in your own eyes; and you will have but one care in the whole world: i. e. how to please God in making the best use of the present time: a care in which, by His gracious assistance, you are sure not to fail.

But it was further said, that this temper of not choosing for ourselves leads directly to our everlasting inheritance in the other world, as well as making sure of our rest and refreshment in this. For it helps us greatly in the performance of our duty, because, in truth, it leaves us nothing else to do. The moment we set our heart on any worldly object, however innocent it may be in itself, that moment we are, in that respect, in more danger than we were before. We are embarrassed, from having set ourselves another task, besides pleasing God. This is of course a snare and a trouble to us, and it requires great help on God's part, and most commonly a painful struggle on our own, to keep out of sin, under such circumstances. To guard against which we must be so far free from passions, as to indulge them no more than we are thoroughly convinced is pleasing to God. In the spirit of S. Paul's wise and kind warning:

"I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away."

"The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God endureth for ever." These words of the beloved disciple, S. John, point out to us the great and final blessing of such a temper as has now been recommended: a temper which had rather be under wise and good guidance, than be left to choose for itself. It prepares and trains us for everlasting happiness in heaven. For the very secret of our enjoyment there will be, that God's Will shall be ours. We shall behold His works and ways, especially the Glory which He has given to His beloved Son our Saviour, and shall rejoice in them, as in so much good done to ourselves, more and more thankfully for ever.

What a beautiful and comfortable thought is this, of the high and noble uses to which, if we will, we may turn all our worst disappointments, the bitterest thoughts of shame and remorse, which ever come upon us! We may consider them as part of our heavenly Father's way of breaking us in, as it were, and training us to the desire and enjoyment of His own blessed Presence in heaven. They are so many lessons in His school, each intended to make us a little more perfect in that divine art of having the same will that He has. Look upon your feelings of shame and self-reproach in this way, and you will compose yourself to receive them calmly, however grievous for the time, in cheerful hope that they may prove hereafter, for Christ's sake, the happy means of your amendment and forgiveness.

And if even the bitter thought of our past sins may be accompanied with so much of what is comfortable and hopeful, surely we may well leave it to Almighty God, to do what He will with us in every other respect. Only let us think over, fairly and seriously, what has hitherto passed in our own life. Let us recollect what we have experienced in ourselves, seen in our friends, heard of in the world, and read in our Bible. We cannot think it over in earnest, without seeing the great evil of being left to our own way; and the security, the comfort, and happiness, of having God to choose for us.

Once possess yourself with this truth, and you will be fit for every condition that God may send upon you. You will be humble in prosperity, because then God seems to leave you to yourself, and this temper has made you very much afraid of yourself. In sorrow you will be cheerful, because then you feel for certain that God does not leave you to yourself. And in all conditions, you will keep up a constant and thankful sense of the presence and providence of the Almighty God, of God our Saviour; in Whom if we once learn to delight ourselves, He is sure to give us our heart's desire.

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