not allowed to receive that fruit of their labour.

One thing, above all others, is to be observed from this history, which is, that God will punish the provocations of even his own servants and children. We do not say that Moses and Aaron were shut out of the kingdom of heaven, but they suffered great temporal disgrace and loss for their fault in this matter. We do not say that the saints of God shall be utterly cut off from their heavenly rest for every offence of which they may be guilty; but we do say that they will meet with rebukes and chastisements from God; that he will deprive them of many spiritual honours, and put them to shame before men; will probably throw a cloud over their evidences, and make them full of terror and dismay; will make their end inglorious, nor suffer their sun to set in splendour. Thus he will "visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges." Oh! let no child of God think it a light thing to be unwatchful, and to fall into any sin of the flesh or the spirit. Let him be afraid of provoking

the Lord to anger by any forgetfulness of his presence, or by any neglect to sanctify him in the eyes of men. Numberless occa

sions occur in our intercourse with others, in which we should shew the sense that we have of his presence, and the honour which is due to his authority. Often are we called to sanctify him in the eyes of others, and often it is to be feared that we fail to do it through some false shame or cowardice, through want of that deep and constant feeling of reverence, awe, and love, which he requires of us. How many may be deprived of honours and comforts on this account, which they would otherwise receive it is impossible to say, or what diminution of glory they may suffer for it even in the world to come. No doubt there is a great defect in our not always standing up for God as we ought to do, in not always at least exhibiting in our own persons that powerful impression on the mind of what is due to him, which is required of us. "Them that honour me I will honour," saith the Lord; and no doubt he keeps many back from honour, as he did Moses here,

because they do not faithfully and unflinchingly honour him.

H

But if the saints thus suffer for their offences, what will be the case of the wicked, who never honour God, but are always dishonouring him? If judgment begin in the house of God, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" And "if the righteous scarcely shall be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear?" Oh! that the irreligious and profane might see, in this punishment of Moses and Aaron, what a controversy our just and holy God must have with them! Where there is no obedience, no service, no love and reverence of God, but the whole tenor of the life and the general character mark the unholy and unsanctified man, the man of the world, the servant of Satan and sin, what shall the end be? Certainly it will be an exclusion from the heavenly Canaan, an "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." Certainly the last sentence will be, 66 Depart, ye cursed,

into everlasting fire prepared for the devil

and his angels." And how can this be escaped? No how, but by a timely repentance, and a change of heart and life, and an earnest application for mercy through that atoning sacrifice which the eternal Son presented on the cross to his Father's justice. And these things are all the work of his grace. They are to be sought earnestly by every one that is in alarm on account of his sinful state. If any of you be ready to tremble for fear of the wrath of God, let him go.

in

prayer and faith for an interest in Christ, for repentance unto life, and a conversion of heart. These things are the gifts of God, they are the operations of his Spirit. God will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him; and that Spirit will work in them "both to will and to do, of his good pleasure."

SERMON V.

THE BRAZEN SERPENT.

NUMBERS XXi. 5, 6.

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

On the first head of this sermon, brethren, I have to set before you another instance of sin in the Israelites. Oh! how often have we had occasion, in expounding their history, to notice their rebellion against the Lord. We know how he rained bread from heaven upon them, and man did eat angels' food. We know how he miraculously supplied them with water