4. Instead of setting forth the type by following exactly the command of God, Moses was provoked in his spirit spoke unadvisedly with his lips-by anger, and by taking to himself and Aaron the honour of fetching water from the Rock. He did not speak to the Rock at all, but struck it twice with his rod. for this sin that God declared Moses should not enter into the promised land of Canaan with the Israelites.

Num. xx. 9-12.

It was

viour who there died for the sins of the world. 1 John ii. 1, 2. Eph. iii. 14 21; vi. 18. 1 Thess. v. 17. Mark xiv. 38.

4. When one who (like Moses) has had much knowledge and experience of the power and the Spirit of the Saviour, neglects God's commandments, gives way to sin, and neglects prayer to Christ, he is said in Scripture to crucify the Lord afresh, as Moses did in a type by striking the Rock over and over again. Professing christians who thus "fall away" will never be permitted to enter into the promised inheritance of the saints in light. 1 Thess. v. 19. Heb. vi. 4-8; x. 26-29. Isa. i. 28. Matt. v. 13. John xv. 6. 2 Peter ii. 20-22. Matt. xii. 43--45.

1. No habit of spiritual communion will ensure to us the benefit of Christ's death, and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, if we give way to sin. Or grace must have a continual renewal from Christ, day by day.

QUESTIONS. Do I satisfy myself that I am in a right state because I continue in habitual attendance upon the means of grace? Do I feel the need of being daily renewed in my spirit by the Holy Ghost?

2. When once we know the value and power of the atonement of Christ, the renewed application of that atonement must be sought by prayer.

heart,

QUESTIONS.-Am I earnest in praying for the Spirit of Christ to keep me under the power of the cross? When any thing occurs which shews me the sinfulness of does it lead me to pray that I may partake of the benefits of the death of Christ?

my

3. To indulge sin when we know its wickedness, and have experienced the power of the Holy Ghost to enable us to resist it, is to crucify Christ knowingly.

QUESTIONS.—Am I convinced of this? Does the thought of it alarm me? Has it a powerful influence in restraining me

from sin?

THE PRAYER.

O God, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, give me daily of thy grace, that I may live under the power of the Holy Spirit, as well as in the outward acknowledgement and form of religion. Teach me how to pray in spirit and in truth; that in all spiritual danger I may come to thee and be received. Quicken my conscience that, having the light, I may walk in the light; lest I should be in danger of crucifying the Lord afresh, and putting Him to open shame. I ask all this in the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

TEXT PAPERS. No. XXXVII.

TEXT-John i. 14.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." With the plain history of the BIRTH of CHRIST we are all well acquainted; but we must savingly believe the wonderful mystery of it, or else our knowledge will not profit us.

Three things to be taken notice of in the text.

I. Christ the WORD.-His Divinity, or being GOD. John i. 1-3. Col. i. 13-19. Heb. i. 1-3, 8, with Psalm xlv. 6. Rom. ix. 5. John x. 30. 1 Tim. iii. 16.

II. The WORD was made FLESII, and dwelt among us.

1 John i. 1-3. Phil. ii. 6-8. Gal. iv. 4-6. Heb. iv. 14 -16. Luke ii. 8-14.

III. We beheld HIS GLORY.

The first disciples saw his glory. 2 Pet. i. 16-18. Acts vii. 55, 56.

We must see it by faith. John xi. 40. Heb. xi. 1.

Deadness of faith.
See GOD IN HIM.

The Lord's Supper.

Isaiah liii. 1-3.

John xiv. 7-11.

Matt. xxvi. 16-28. 1 Cor. xi. 29. QUESTIONS.-Do I know CHRIST to be GOD in the FLESH? Am I sensible of God's GLORY in this Wonder?

Do I find this faith strengthend in atendance upon the Lord's Supper?

PRAYER WITH THE UNDERSTANDING. No. I.

1 Cor. xiv. 15, 16.

THE right understanding of the worship in which we engage is of the greatest importance to the reality of that worship. Unless we

know what we are about, we are in as bad a case, on this point, as the papists, whose worship is conducted in the Latin language, which few of the people understand. (1 Cor. xiv. 15-20.} Yet the force of habit often leads us to make use of words to which we have attached as little of our own meaning as if they had been spoken in a tongue unknown to us. To prevent this, and to quicken us in a real spiritual application of what we may say in our Services, self examination is continually necessary; and the following course of questions may be calculated, under God's blessing, to draw the mind to a clear understanding of the meaning intended by the words, in order to a faithful application of them by the heart. These questions might be proposed to the parishioners in weekly portions: a few questions each week might be enough at first. Every person in the parish who can write, ought to be recommended to get a small blank book, in which to write down the answers that each should make for him.self. This would exercise the mind much more than merely reading the questions, and answering them in the thoughts. But, besides this, such a book would be very useful hereafter, to any body who would be interested enough in the subject to write it; while it would produce a very powerful effect upon the manner of entering into the spirit of our public worship. In order to make the whole subject more plain, and to assist those who really desire to profit by the course of self-examination, it would be useful to have such a classification of the kind of questions to he proposed as would point out the different objects to be attained, and therefore the different mode of answering required.

All the questions proposed may be divided in the following

manner.

I. Questions relating to points which may be sufficiently known by reading the Church Service itself, and especially that part concerning which they are put. All such questions will be marked thus (a).

II. Questions relating to points which may be sufficiently known by referring to the Scriptures, in connexion with the Church Services. Such questions will be marked (b).

III. Questions relating to points which require some knowledge that cannot be directly gathered from the Church Services or the Scripture only, but needs some consideration exclusive of the contents of these two books. When the course of examination leads to the requirement of some of this kind of knowledge, beyond that which is likely to be found in most minds, an answer will be given to the question thus proposed. All questions of this class will be marked (c).

IV. Questions which are intended to draw forth an opinion; and the answers to which are not essentially necessary to the understanding of the subject in hand. These questions will be marked (d).

V. Questions which are intended to induce the answerer to probe his own heart, and examine his own state of feeling on any point; or to direct him in the personal application of the subject. Such questions will be marked (e).

Any person who may intend to write the answers in a book as proposed, should be advised not to let a week pass without entering the answers to the questions of that week; and in order to secure their correctness, the Pastor might offer to look over the book, and point out any mistakes. For this purpose, the books should be left with him for two or three days, once in a month.

Self-examination as to the use of the Church Services.

1. (d) Why does our public worship begin with some short sentences of Scripture ?

2. (e) What effect has the reading of these texts upon me? 3. (a) Whom does the minister address in the first place? 4. (a) What does he first propose to them?

5. (a) Upon what ground does he propose this?

6. (b) To what places of Scripture does he allude?

7. (c) Is there any difference between the words acknowledge and confess? and what?

8. (c) Is there any difference between the words sins and wickedness? and what?

9. (a) To how many of these does he allude?

10. (a) In what manner does he allude to them?

11. (a) What does the Minister exhort us to do, with respect to our sins and wickedness?

12. (c) Is there any difference between the words dissemble and cloke? and what?

13. (a) From whom especially is this not to be done?

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14. (b) What Scriptures move us" not to do this?

15. (a) In what state of heart is such confession to be made? 16. (c) What are the characteristics which distinguish between humility-penitence-and obedience, in confessing sin?

17. (a) To what end are we told to make this confession? 18. (a) What produces the forgiveness of our sins?

19. (b) In what relation does the confession of our sins stand to the forgiveness of them?

20. (e) How do I confess sin in my heart? what do I expect from my confession? and why have I that expectation?

21. (a) When ought the duty of humiliation for sin to be performed?

22. (a) What circumstances render it more particularly suitable?

23. (a) What are the special objects of congregational worship? and how many are set forth in the Minister's exhortation? 24. (c) What is the meaning of the word "worthy," used in speaking of the second of these objects?

Ans. Proper-fitting-and such as is really deserved. 25. (d) Why does the assembling of Christians for these four objects render humiliation for sin more suitable?

26. (a) What request does the Minister make, arising out of his exhortation?

27. (a) To whom does he address this request?

28. (a) Where does he invite them to go ?

29. (a) With whom are they invited to go?

30. (c) What is the meaning of going there with another? 31. (a) What state of heart is necessary for going there?

32. (a) What is the mode proposed to secure the union in company?

THE SCRIPTURE LOOKING-GLASS.

(Continued from page 159.)

THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH.-GEN. XXXIx. 7—11.

41. (verse 7) Cast her eyes!"-Unchaste looks tell the secrets of an unclean heart. Read Matt. v. 27-30.

42. (verse 7)" And she said." When the eye ventures to look sin, the tongue is soon bold enough to speak it. Loose talk is the way the devil manages to throw dirt upon a clean mind that tries to keep him at a distance.

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43. (verse 8)" He refused." A rare evidence of divine grace; for this was a cunning and suitable temptation but he refused. "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me." Phil. iv. 13.

44 (verses 8, 9) The confidence of Potiphar would make the breach of trust so much the more wicked. No passion here, but calm reasoning. He was certainly clean of this sin.

45. (verse 9) "But thee, because thou art his wife."-Of course. There are certain impassable lines laid down by right principles and good manners, which are never thought of being overstepped as long as things go on well in the heart. They are convenient hedges to keep people from running wild into temptation; like sunken fences they never interrupt