and to be like him. And being with their blessed Lord, they are not "strangers" to each other; they constitute one society, one family. No distance of place separates; no difference of sentiment divides; no clashing of interests, no discordance of temper, no defect of love, alienates in the least; but all are of one heart, and of one soul," harmonious and happy. --God grant that our hope of heaven may not deceive us! and, to this end, let us see that it be well-founded. Is it warranted by the word of truth, and built on the Has it a

Rock of ages word influence on our spirit

and behaviour? Are we not only looking to heaven, and hoping for its enjoyment, but growing in purity of affection and character? May this be the happy experience of us all! Amen.

Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness.

Wi

HAT is recorded of the ancient Israelites affords us many instructive lessons. In their temper and conduct, we see a faithful picture of our own; and the dealings of God with them resemble, in many respects, his dealings with us. These things were "written for our learning,"-that we might know ourselves; that we might be warned of evil, and encouraged to good; and "that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, we might have hope."

The words of the text were first addressed by Moses to the children of Israel, and he had good reason thus to admonish them. No apology is needed for their application to ourselves: we are called Christians we profess to have left the Egypt of an unconverted state, and to be travelling to the heavenly Canaan : we are, however, in the wilderness of this present evil world, and to each of us the admonition

is applied," Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wil derness."

We observe three things: A FACT asserted-An EVIL implied-A DUTY enjoined.

I. The FACT asserted is this: We have provoked the Lord our God.

Shall we call to mind the sins of our youth, and the transgressions of our riper years? They are a long catalogue, and they testify strongly against us. But as professors of religion, what is the convic tion of our minds? Have not our provocations, since we commenced this profession, been numerous and great? To omit what the Lord expressly enjoins must be provoking to him, and still more to practise what he expressly forbids. Each of us may say with painful regret, "I have sinned, and done very foolishly." "Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse thou me from secret faults." "I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments."

In the heart of each, there is much pride, which is exceedingly provoking against the Lord our God. Pride works in a thousand ways: it shews itself not only by inordinate conceit, but by self-will and self-seeking; setting up reason against the revelation of God, and going about to establish our own righteousness, instead of submitting to that which is by the faith of Jesus Christ. If indeed we be true Christians, this is not habitually our spirit and practice; we are taught better; yet there is in us a propensity to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, and the guilt of this is great in proportion as we are better informed.

There is also in us much unreasonable unbelief; and this again is exceedingly provoking against the

Lord our God. We read and hear his word, we persuade ourselves that we believe it; but our shameful deficiency in the fruits of faith evince, either that we are destitute of the principle or that its power is languishing. The genuine fruits of faith are, confidence in God, simple dependence on the Saviour, joy in the Holy Ghost, holy, active, persevering obedience in duty; and with these, patient, humble, quiet submission to the Divine will in affliction and trial: but ah! the very opposite of all this too visibly marks our character, and proves the sad prevalence of unreasonable unbelief.

To this, with strict propriety, may be added, a long train of unchristian tempers; and what can be more provoking than these against the Lord our God? What envy works within us, as well as pride! what covetous desires and carnal affections! Did the Israelites tempt God in the wilderness? We do the same. Did they murmur and rebel in their hearts against Him? We do the same. And against each other, what vile tempers are often indulged, totally inconsistent with our character as Christians, and highly offensive to the Lord our God! The admonition of the Apostle to the Ephesians is founded on a very humbling fact, and is not inapplicable to ourselves,-"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." These are a disgraceful catalogue of evils; and if they appear so hateful to us, what must they be to a God of spotless purity? All are not alike addicted to the same unchristian "tempers, yet" in us, that is in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing;" and "from within, out of the heart of man, proceed" abominations of the most polluting and pernicious kind. It is also admitted, that he who is "born of the spirit," does not "live after the flesh;" yet all are not the subjects of this change, who

are willing to imagine so; and where this important change has really taken place, it may be only in its infancy; and the power of sin, though broken, may still be vigorous. Without presuming to determine who are and who are not born of the Holy Spirit, it is of evident and high importance, that the conscience of each be impressed with the humbling fact,

that all have provoked the Lord our God to wrath; that we are, by imperfections and follies, repeating our provocations every day of our lives; and truly, that "it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."

II. The EVIL implied in the text is our proneness to forget this fact.

"Remember, and forget not." Why this injunction, if the evil were not real? But how is this proneness to forget to be accounted for? To what is it owing?

1. Inattention.-There is much of this in the best. None of us are watchful as we ought to be, and many professors are extremely unwatchful. What they blame in others they exemplify in themselves, and pass on from day to day heedless and thoughtless. Such persons may not perhaps fall into gross sin, but they are chargeable with numerous failings: you see many blemishes, much deformity in their character. Sometimes, they are themselves aware of these failings; but they think not seriously of them, for they are not habituated to reflect: they call not themselves to account for their tempers and actions, nor do they pay that deference which they ought to the only rule of right: hence, they constantly and readily forget their multiplied provocations.

2. Light thoughts of sin is another cause.-How many, even among professors of our holy religion, think much too lightly of transgression! They view it not in its proper mirror; they consider it not in connection.