When this exhortation is applied to individual members, it can only be addressed to those who have themselves felt the religious impressions, which at one time awakened their own earnest affections, but who have been drawn away, and have ceased to experience these feelings. Such persons are exhorted to remember 2. From whence they are fallen. This requires these individuals to look back and see what their religious feelings were at one time; and to compare them with what they are now-to trace back the course by which they have grown negligent—the small beginnings-the early temptations which overcame them -the gradual power of formality-the unheeded beginning of wordy prayer without being meant, in the place of the earnest though secret cries of the heart. This also calls upon the correct professors, who have never felt the fervour of christian affection, to compare their own feelings with the power of the doctrines which form the Creed of the Church; and the tone of feeling manifested in the worship in which they engage as members of it. These shew what the Church was in its first love, and therefore also shew what such members of it must have fallen from. 3. Repent. They are exhorted not only to trace back from whence they are fallen, but to turn back in heart and mind to the same state. Repentance is a change of heart and mind; and, as applied in this exhortation, it means a change back to the former feelings of earnest affection towards Christ. Matt. iii. 2, 7—10; vii. 21. Acts ii. 38; iii. 19. 4. Do the first works. The works which Christ has already given them credit for, even in the state in which he now reproves them, seemed to be very good works :-diligence—patience— scriptural correctness-resistance of evil. The most earnest christian would be expected to do all this, and scarcely could do more. Yet while doing all this, they are exhorted to do the first works; which must have been just the same outward actions as these second works done in their formal state. The difference between them is in the MOTIVES which produced them. The motive of earnest affection made these works at first to be good works; the conduct was afterwards the same, but the motives were altered-the same works then ceased to be good works. To do the first works therefore means to do them from the same motives as at first, when they felt "the first love." (See the thirteenth Article of the Church.) V. The Threatening. Christ threatens against the Church in such a state, that 1. He will come to them quickly. Quickly means suddenly, because unexpectedly and therefore in wrath, and for condemnation. 1 Thess. v. 3. It is one of the Scriptural distinctions between the people of the world who will perish, and the people of God who will be saved, that The one sleep over the expectation of the Lord's Comingthey do not watch for him, and do not desire him to come -they do not think about him; and when therefore he does come to them, his coming is sudden and condemus them. Prov. vi. 15; xxix. 1. Matt. xxiv. 48-51. Mark xiii. 34-37. Luke xxi. 34. 2 Peter iii. 10. The other are looking for his coming, in a watchful stateearnestly desiring his appearing-thinking often about it, and therefore getting ready. Isaiah xxv. 9. Matt. xxv. 1 -13. 1 Thess. v. 4-6. Titus ii. 11-14. 2 Pet. iii. 11—13. To such as these, to come quickly is to come in mercy. 1 Thess. iv. 15-17. 2 Thess. i. 10. Rev. xxii. 17-20. LOVE produces watching, and prevents weariness in it. Cant. viii. 7. This threatening therefore means that the Lord will cut them off while they remain formal-not being living members of the Church. John xv. 2, 6. This is especially applicable to individuals the next is more to the whole Church. 2. I will remove thy candlestick out of its place. The Candlestick is the Church-that is, the frame-work and bond by which, as a body, they are kept in the faith of Christ. Matt. xvi. 18. Col. i. 18. 1 Tim. iii. 15. True doctrine constitutes this; and the confession of a true faith may be said to be like the cement which joins together a number of christians into one body upon earth, and makes them the Church in any place. Eph. iv. 11-16. Col. ii. 18, 19. 1 Peter iv. 11. To remove the candlestick out of its place is to allow this principle of essential truth to be taken away. Matt. vii. 15-20. Acts xx. 30. 2 Peter ii, 1-3. Jude 4. Heretics, or persons teaching false doctrine upon essentia! points, may have so much power amongst a body of Christians as to gain the upper hand, and alter the profession of faith in the name of the whole body. This would remove the candlestick and make the people no longer a part of the universal Church: they would become heretic, or heathen. 3. Cr else....except thou repent. Neither of the two threats are pronounced to be fixed and determined judgments, but only as conditional threatenings: an alternative is allowed-repentance. Space for repentance is given, and warning. If it is not God is slow to anger, heeded, then the threat will be fulfilled. and always waits that His warnings may be taken if they are not taken he is a consuming fire. Gen. vi. 3; xv. 16. Psa. ciii. 8, 9. Prov. i. 22-33. Isaiah v. 1-6. Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Rom. ii. 4. 1 Tim. ii. 4. Heb. xii. 29. 2 Peter iii. 9, 15. The time allowed for repentance is the remaining portion of our life upon earth-how uncertain a space !—how short even at its longest. The alternative must be chosen at once-or elsePsa. Matt. v. 24. Heb. iii. 13. 1 Peter i. 24. xc. 12. VI. No special encouragement is given to this Church. VII. The Final Promise. The whole Scripture is full of great and precious promises; but at the close of the Bible this special message to the Church contains a sort of summary of them all, given by Christ himself. These seven promises therefore, taken together, may be said to be as it were THE TITLE DEED of a Christian to the inheritance of the saints in light. Rom. viii. 17, 35. Eph. i. 18. Col. i. 12. 1 Peter ii. 3, 4. 2 Peter i. 3, 4. 1. The tree of life. This is mentioned only at the beginning of the Bible, Gen. ii. 9; iii. 22, and at the end of it, Rev. xxii. 2, 14, except in this promise. The effect of the fruit of this tree was to make those who ate of it "live for ever." The promise therefore is an eternal continuance of life. 2. Which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. The tree of life was at first placed in the paradise of man, Gen. ii. 9; and had he eaten of it then, he would never have been subject to death. Gen. iii. 22. In the mean time we find that it is in the Paradise of God; to which therefore the saints will be admitted in order to eat of it, that they may thereby receive the capacity of living for ever. John xi. 25, 26. 1 Tim. i. 10. VIII. The Application. This message is sent through the Angel or minister appointed over the Church (who is therefore bound to deliver and apply it) by Him who knows the works of each member of the Church; and who calls special attention to what he says. The Character is drawn so that each person may examine himself by it. The exhortation and the threatening are made to two classes of persons. 1st. Those who are members of the true Church, and continue in correct communion, having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, 1 Tim. iii. 5, though they never have felt the earnestness of the first love themselves-dead members. These are to examine and sift themselves by the truth and tone of our Church, and never to be satisfied till they feel they fevour of faith and love which it sets forth. 2ndly. Those who have made a more lively profession of religion, as a matter of personal affection and interest, but who have declined, and are not now what they once were. The promise is made individually, and is a personal pledge given by Christ to each one that OVERCOMETH. This is the test of the character that will live for ever with Christ; through divine grace he is enabled to overcome every affection that stands before Christ in his heart; so that as love to Christ was the first feeling in order of time, which made us truly members of His Church, He may ever continue to occupy the first place in our affections. Questions for self-examination upon this Sermon. To which of the above two classes do 1 belong? If to neither, have I continued in my first love toward Christ? What earthly affections are likely to interfere with my love for Him? Whatever they are, do I overcome them? Do I seek the help of Christ's Spirit in prayer to be able always to overcome? COMPENDIUMS OF SERMONS. No. XXXI. The people of Israel as a Type.-No. 6. pome "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Cor. x. 4. "And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of granates; neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. And the Lord speak unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the Rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the Lord spake 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. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them." Numb. xx. 2-13. After considering the manner in which water is spoken of in the Scriptures as a Type of the Holy Spirit, we have examined the circumstances of two of the occasions when the Israelites in the wilderness murmured for want of water. We will now come to the third occasion, at Kedesh, when the circumstances which took place carried on the type in a remarkable manner. TYPE. 1. The water that flowed, when the Rock was struck at Horeb, had continued flowing after the Israelites in all their journeying for 39 years, till they were about to enter into the promised land of Canaan. It then ceased to flow, either because of their repeated sins, or to try their faith. Num. xx. 2. 2. Though the Israelites had experienced, for many years, the mercy and help of God, yet, as soon as the stream from the Rock ceased to flow, they began to murmur, and to fall into the same sins as before. Numb. xx. 3-5, 13. 3. God appeared again amongst the people; and, according to His appointment, the Rock, having before been struck, was now to be spoken to, and the water should again flow forth. Num. xx. 6-8. ANTITYPE. 1. When, through the Holy Spirit, a sincere christian has known the comforts of the atonement by the cross of Christ, they follow him all his journey after; to refresh him, and keep him holy but after the greatest length of time, even when a christian has nearly finished his course, this grace may be withdrawn, if, by sin, the Holy Spirit is grieved, or if God sees fit to try our faith. Eph. iv. 30. Heb.iii. 14. Is. lix. 2; lxiii. 10. 1 Sam. xii. 24, 25. Prov. xxi. 16. 2. Whatever experience a christian may have of the mercy and help of God in Christ, yet, if the Spirit be grieved, or withdrawn from him, the old nature rises up; and, left to himself, he is the same as ever -murmuring, rebellious, and sinful. Gal. v. 17; vi. 1. Rom. vii. 14-25. Ps. xvii. 5; cxix. 117. 3. When God bestows His presence again to christians, after a season of trial and spiritual want, they are reminded of the one great atonement once offered on the cross, and are to obtain a renewal of grace by PRAYER to that Sa |