in the blessings of the gospel Canaan; then he looks forward to that glorious Canaan above, where the Amalekites and the Moabites will not disturb his rest; but, freed from the corruptions of the flesh, he shall take his fill of joy. But, the death of Moses is not only figurative of the clear views the christian has when on the mount of divine communion, and his triumph in the article of death, but also of the meritorious cause of his triumph. It was absolutely necessary in order to accomplish the purposes of God, that Moses should die before the Israelites could possess the promised land. And, if we view Moses as a figure of the law, (and he certainly was) his death teaches us the impossibility of our entering into the heavenly Canaan, till the law is dead to us (as to its demands) not that the law is actually dead, abolished, or done away; for the law remains exactly as it was-holy, spiritual, and good; and it retains its full force against every one that is under it, as a covenant of works; but it is dead to the believer in its demands and requirements; for Christ has gone to the end of the law, for righteousness, to every one that believeth. And what is the cause of the christian's triumph when in full view of the Jordan of death, but the death of the law's demands ? And Oh! how is the glory of the subject enhanced, when we consider the death of the law arising out of, springing from, and being the glorious effect of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, christian, for the great love wherewith he loved thee, he left the realms of glory, laid aside his communicable riches, inhabited a body that he in all things might be made like his brethren, suffered the reproaches of men, paid a sinless obedience to his Father's righteous law, cancelled the guilt of an elect world, endured the ignominious death of the cross, submitted to the yawning jaws of the grave, rose on the third day's dawn a mighty conqueror over all his enemies, and ascended to plead the merits of his atoning blood, for thy deliverance from the curse and damning power of the law. "O the depth both of the riches and wisdom of God." Here we see that the death of Christ (the antitype of Moses) is the living, the only way to the Canaan above. "I am the way," and there is no other. This is the way in which millions have travelled. This is the way in which all the loved, chosen, and redeemed sons of God shall be brought to glory. Oh christian, what wonders hath the death of Christ wrought! By it, the designs of Satan are frustrated, God's eternal purposes of grace are accomplished, a broken law is magnified, inflexible justice is satisfied, guilty sinners are justified, the perfections of God are glorified, and hell is confounded! On grace like this, reflect my soul; Here's heights and depths to view; Suffolk, Dec. 18, 1828. AUGUSTUS. (For the Spiritual Magazine.) PREMATURE JUDGMENT CENSURED, AND RESIGNATION COMMENDED. "Judge nothing before the time."-1 Cor. iv. 5. THESE words imply, First. A proneness in man to do so. Man is an inquisitive being, and many questions are often proposed from this principle, which have very little importance attached to them; while yet a serious enquiry after truth is generally attended with some real profit. But, while it is profitable to enquire into the revealed will of God, we should guard against drawing conclusions concerning things that are future, where we have not the word of truth to support such conclusions. The natural self-sufficiency of the human mind, even in good men, together with a spirit of curiosity, often prompts them to judge of many things before the time. Human reason always aims to sit in judgment, and, if left to itself, would claim sovereign rule. Where earthly good is hoped for, or evil is feared, nothing is more common amongst men than to judge before the time. But, secondly. The words contain a censure on its impropriety. And 1. because it is at war with the divine attributes. It allows not the sovereign will of God alone to determine future events; it claims a share in God's foreknowledge, and infinite wisdom, and presumes to have power to do, or to prevent being done, things which are future. That which thus invades the divine prerogative must of necessity be highly censurable. 2. Because it causes either present distress, or future disappointment. If evil is feared, it is the former, and makes it a double evil. If some earthly good is expected, and we venture to settle the point beforehand, it often issues in the latter, and we have the mortification of beholding our folly, instead of realizing our hope. Thus man shews his weakness, and God maintains his own independence. But, 3. Because it has often led men, even good men, into great mistakes; and is attended with much mischief. It caused Abram to use lying words, and to deny his wife. And he said unto Sarai," thou art a fair woman to look on, therefore it shall come to pass when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, this is his wife, and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive; say, I pray thee, thou art my sister," &c. Gen. xii. 11. and again, xx. 1-3. it is likely he would have paid dear for all this had not a merciful God disclosed the secret. The same evil it wrought with Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 7. and had the same effect with Jacob, Gen. xlii. 36. But had he acted accordingly, he might have perished with famine. Even good old Eli was led into a great mistake thereby, in so severely reproving Hannah. It prompted David to feign himself mad, and to resolve upon rash measures: for, said he, "I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines." It often fills the £; and anxious perplexity; ich tells us that with all our .ne smallest circumstance apfore, judge nothing before the in the blessings of the gospel Canaar away gor sations, 2. e utility of resignation under apparent nours the divine perfections. It humbly nty, and reverently adores. It cheerfully owledge, wisdom, power, and independence of that he does all things well. It reclines the bosom of a covenant God, waiting for the fulfilment spoken, while it shrinks into nothing before the eternal produces tranquillity of mind, even under trying dispen See this exemplified in David, " For in the time of trouble a se me in his pavilion ; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock," Ps. xxvii. 5. See this In Habakkuk, chap. iii. 17, 3. This makes the exemplified in Daniel, chap. iv. 10. christian shine in the most lovely dress: resignation is the most lovely 18, 19. In Paul, and others, Acts xxi. 13, 14. feature of genuine christianity. All the graces of the Holy Spirit resident in the christian, here meet in full constellation, and shine to the praise and glory of the God of grace. Fourthly. The text presents the prospect of a pleasing result, where evil is feared. The prisoners of hope are to turn to the strong hold, Zech. ix. 12. They who walk in darkness, and can see no light, are to stay themselves upon their God, Isa. 1. 10. Jacob feared to send Benjamin down to Egypt, but his sending him was attended with blessed consequences. David was often in great straits when persecuted by Saul, but he came to the crown at last. This also made the prophet to say, "I will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie; though it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry," Hab. ii. 1, 3. Paul and the ship's crew were in great danger, but they all got safe to land; and the church of God, yea, every member thereof, though tossed with tempests, and not comforted, shall, nevertheless, land safe on the eternal shores of peace and love, Isa. liv. 11. Rev. xxi. 19. Therefore, judge nothing before the time. Fifthly. The text assures us that the Lord has a fixed time for the accomplishment of all his purposes. “There is a time to every purpose under heaven;"" a time to be born, and a time to die," including every intermediate circumstance. A time to continue in nature's state, a time to be born again; a time of instruction in the gospel school, with every conflict and victory; sorrow and joy; adversity and prosperity. A time to quit this mortal tabernacle, and to enter the mansions in our Father's house above. But, observe, God's time is the best; if any alteration could take place in any `umstance it could not be so well as it is; and the sovereignty of God ⚫ sovereignty of a wise being, who has ordered our steps by his inate will. Wheels, encircling wheels, move on, but their `r strakes, or rim,-MARGIN.) the small, as well as the great, f eyes; blind contingency is here excluded, it is infinite 'des the whole, Ezek. i. 16, 17, 18. reason, and judging before the time, would never have uded that David, the youngest and most insignificant of all esse's sons, was the person designed to be the leader of Israel's hosts, to subdue the Philistines, and finally to wear the crown. There was no sign of a martial spirit in this ruddy shepherd boy when Samuel came to anoint him. "But the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart," 1 Sam. xvi. Human reason would never have marked the pathway of Israel's tribes through the Red Sea, nor have supposed the flinty rock would have yielded them a supply in the desert; nor yet that a few poor fishermen, and tent-makers, should have been the first preachers of the everlasting gospel; or, a persecuting Saul, the most zealous of all the apostles, to bear the name of Jesus among the gentiles. But saith the Lord," My thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my ways as your ways. For I know the thoughts I have concerning thee, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give thee an expected end." "His providence unfolds the book, As we see the folly and sinfulness of outstepping the proper boundary of creatures, by intruding into the divine prerogative, may we have grace to shun this evil, which is at once dishonouring to God and injurious to man. Let us watch the movements of divine providence in all the occurrences of life, for to the believer in Jesus a Father's love is in them all; although it is beyond our reason to explain, this will be a means of promoting our resignation. Let the christian also remember he is fast moving towards a state of perfect knowledge, where he will never form a wrong judgment of any part of divine providence; but will see the book thrown open, and there will behold every line has been fixed in the centre of love, and that all things have wrought for his good. Therefore, judge nothing before the time. December 10, 1828 GAIUS. FRAGMENT. GOD works by contraries. His usual way of dealing with his people is to lead them through weakness to strength-ignorance to wisdom-distress to safety-trouble to peace-the law to Christ-sin and corruption to holiness - darkness to light-doubts and fears to assurance-desertion to comfort—through the gates of hell to the joys of heaven. VOL. V.-No. 60. 2 T christian's mind with many corroding cares, and anxious perplexity; and is opposed to the best of counsel, which tells us that with all our care for to-morrow, we cannot alter the smallest circumstance appointed in infinite wisdom. Therefore, judge nothing before the time. Thirdly. The text suggests the utility of resignation under apparent delays. Because, 1. this honours the divine perfections. It humbly bows to divine sovereignty, and reverently adores. It cheerfully submits to the foreknowledge, wisdom, power, and independence of the great Supreme, knowing that he does all things well. It reclines the soul on the bosom of a covenant God, waiting for the fulfilment of all he has spoken, while it shrinks into nothing before the eternal all. 2. It produces tranquillity of mind, even under trying dispensations. See this exemplified in David, "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion ; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock," Ps. xxvii. 5. See this exemplified in Daniel, chap. iv. 10. In Habakkuk, chap. iii. 17, 18,.19. In Paul, and others, Acts xxi. 13, 14. 3. This makes the christian shine in the most lovely dress: resignation is the most lovely feature of genuine christianity. All the graces of the Holy Spirit resident in the christian, here meet in full constellation, and shine to the praise and glory of the God of grace. Fourthly. The text presents the prospect of a pleasing result, where evil is feared. The prisoners of hope are to turn to the strong hold, Zech. ix. 12. They who walk in darkness, and can see no light, are to stay themselves upon their God, Isa. 1. 10. Jacob feared to send Benjamin down to Egypt, but his sending him was attended with blessed consequences. David was often in great straits when persecuted by Saul, but he came to the crown at last. This also made the prophet to say, “I will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie; though it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry," Hab. ii. 1, 3. Paul and the ship's crew were in great danger, but they all got safe to land; and the church of God, yea, every member thereof, though tossed with tempests, and not comforted, shall, nevertheless, land safe on the eternal shores of peace and love, Isa. liv. 11. Rev. xxi. 19. Therefore, judge nothing before the time. Fifthly. The text assures us that the Lord has a fixed time for the accomplishment of all his purposes. "There is a time to every purpose under heaven;" "a time to be born, and a time to die," including every intermediate circumstance. A time to continue in nature's state, a time to be born again; a time of instruction in the gospel school, with every conflict and victory; sorrow and joy; adversity and prosperity. A time to quit this mortal tabernacle, and to enter the mansions in our Father's house above. But, observe, God's time is the best; if any alteration could take place in any |