while we consider the spiritual sense of this divine event, and see how far it relates to those states and circumstances which are to be experienced in our own inward advancement in the regenerate life. Let me impress upon your attention that in all these circumstances, even the most minute, there is a spiritual meaning as well as a literal one. Moses is represented not only as being near the mount of God, but as feeding the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, and then the Lord revealed himself there to him. You will find a parallel to the record, in that which is given in the earlier part of the Gospel according to St. Luke, respecting the shepherds, to whom the revelation concerning the coming of the Saviour was given. They are described as feeding their flocks by night. And these peculiarities are not merely interesting incidents, but are mentioned for a far higher object. They are to represent to us the condition of soul, which prepares a man for receiving the revelation of the Lord at any time,- "He must be feeding the flock." And we shall perceive what that condition of soul is, if we bear in mind that flocks in the Sacred Scriptures, are the spiritual emblems, or correspondences, of holy and charitable feelings. The flocks mentally, are the kindly dispositions of love to our neighbour, and every desire to do him good. These form a leading portion in the character of a man who is one of the Lord's sheep. "My sheep hear my voice," the Lord says, "and they follow me." "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd goeth before his sheep, and calleth them by name. It is precisely in this way, that you will find from time to time in the Sacred Volume those who are truly following the Lord, represented as lambs or as sheep. "Behold I send you forth as lambs," the Lord says, "in the midst of wolves." Because the true christian has those innocencies of feeling, those inward affections, that inward guilelessness which disposes him to love the Lord and to do good, without any claim to ostentation, or any feeling, but that lamb-like disposition which desires to follow the Lamb of God. These things in the soul constitute a "little flock" of holy feelings and internal affections of good. The Word says, "Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom."--Luke XII. 32. Now whenever a person who has not yet fairly entered upon his regenerate life, is waiting, wishing, and hoping, in perplexity, darkness and ignorance, one who has a new state breaking in upon him, but yet knows not what the Lord will do for him, or what He will do with him, and while he waits, is cultivating kindness, purity, and prayer, he is spiritually feeding his flock. He comes to the Divine Word, and as far as he is able to see it, he speaks in the spirit that

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is expressed in the 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." In such a case, although he is yet in a gentile condition, although he knows scarcely anything, and only has a sort of blind aim to do good and be good, he is represented in the Sacred Scriptures,-in the spirit of this history, by Moses in the wilderness keeping the flocks of his father-in-law, and in the Gospel, by the shepherds keeping their flocks by night. Just as the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses, just as the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, so will it be with him. You remember that glorious scene in which it is said, first, that the heavens opened and the glory of the Lord appeared, and the angel (first one angel,) said unto the shepherds, "Behold unto you, in the city of David, is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord." And then, presently, "a multitude of the heavenly host" were heard "praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good-will towards men." Just so will it be with us. One holy ray of light brings us good tidings of great joy, then a whole multitude of hopes, of loves, and joys, break in.

It is said, the angel appeared in a flame of fire out of the midst of the bush. On various occasions, when appearances were made to the patriarchs and the prophets, they were represented as appearances of fire. Of course, a novice in divine things as Moses was at that time, will wonderingly note this fact, that there was a flame of fire, and yet the bush was not burnt; and he will marvel, until he is aware, that scenes connected with eternal things are beheld by the spiritual sight being opened, when the soul can see things that are higher than nature, but which do not directly affect nature. We have stated that in the Sacred Books where visions are spoken of, it is not unfrequent to mention fire of the character of that before us. You will remember the vision of Elisha's young man, mentioned in the second book of Kings, VI.-17-19. "And he saw horses and chariots of fire all round about Elisha."

The fire is indeed a beautiful and important portion of this sacred history, for fire is the symbol, in the Word of God, of love,―of celestial love where it is heavenly fire, as here; and of infernal love where infernal fires are described, as in some parts of the Word of God. Celestial fire is the affection of doing good, is the burning desire to bless, such as John had when the Saviour said of him," he was a burning and a shining light," this glorious fire proceeds from the Lord Himself, who is an infinite fire

of this divine affection, "for God is love." This holy fire gladdens all the angelic minds, and hence it is said, "He maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers flames of fire."-Ps. CIV. 4. This fire descends into the good man's soul to regenerate him, and hence it is said of the Lord, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." The love of the Lord revealing itself to Moses, and through him to every soul which comes into the condition represented by Moses, was signified by this flame of fire. Every earnest soul which has been taking care to feed the flock of good affections, every such soul is at the mount of God, and is having a holy glow within, of this fire of the kingdom of heaven.

We are informed that this fire was seen in a bush; the literal idea of a bush being that of a series of low trees. In the original language it is somewhat more expressive. The word is not used many times in the Scriptures, but is used on all occasions when this particular circumstance is adverted to. It is a word that signifies plants of the bramble kind, that is, such plants as the raspberry, blackberry, and plants of that description. Thus spiritually, it represents things useful, but of a low kind of use; plants of this class are nearly related to the rose, but fruit-bearing also. The vegetable world is symbolic of those thoughts and principles which grow up in the mind, like trees grow from seeds. The nobler principles are represented by the nobler trees, the olive, the vine, and the fig. The truths of love to the Lord, charity to man, and obedience, are trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah.-Isa. vi. 3. But in the spiritual world, as representations of spiritual qualities, plants of the bush description are the symbols of the lower things of divine truth; such things would seem to imply those every-day truths, which, even the humblest man may read and gather for himself. They are the things of the letter of the Word. Compared with higher and more glorious principles which form the spiritual paradise, they are not magnificent, they are only bushes. The Lord says, I will make your souls, like a watered garden, and like springs of water whose waters fail not." But then these states are found only in the higher stages of the regenerate life, when a man has made great advancement, when the higher things of heaven have been revealed to him, and love cultivated by him. But even amongst the bushes, the divine reveals itself. The flame of fire appears in the bush. When the simple mind is learning, perhaps from the history of Joseph, the troubles through which the patriarch had to pass, and thinks of his own troubles, of his own dangers, of his own perils; in these simple histories, the divine love shines through to such souls, like the flame of fire in the bush. It speaks to the young man striving

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to be good, speaks to the maiden determined that she will live for heaven, such comforting words as these. "Fear not, for I am with thee." "Be not afraid what man can do unto thee." Fear not, even what hell with all its tempting powers can bring around or upon thy soul. "I give thee power to tread upon serpents, and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt thee.

When the divine love thus speaks in its promises, in its consolations, in its exhortations, and urges us to gird up our loins, and begin to work for salvation and for heaven, it is then, just like this flame, a hallowed fire in the bush. Then a man knows that he has an interest in divine things, and resolves to be true and earnest to break up his spiritual slavery, to renounce all the things of evil. He will break loose from his spiritual bonds, and as for Pharaoh and his host, he trusts that they will sink and die before the power of the God of heaven, and he will come out a free man, having the glorious liberty of the children of light. Wherever such is the case, and it is often some particular text or portion of the Word that thus comes home with its holy light and love, then, that is spiritually for him, as it was here for Moses, the flame of fire in the bush when it is not consumed. Oh! it is not consumed; this fire of love does not consume. It is recreative, it burns with a holy light. All is blessing, cheering, and encouraging. Nothing now makes him afraid, but on the contrary, everything cheers. His heart is filled with holy courage, comfort, and joy.

Such is the sacred lesson which we should learn from the

spiritual view of Moses by the burning bush. Let me in conclusion, my beloved friends, again impress upon us all, that this history was written for us. It is not an historical relation simply of what occurred in days gone by. It is given to be realized in its spiritual import by every one of us. Have we commenced our march from Egypt? Have we freed all the impulses of the soul from spiritual slavery? Have we cast off the manacles of sin, and determined to live for heaven? If we have not yet begun, are we meditating and musing upon this great thing? Are we feeding flocks in the desert near the mount of God? taking care, that until our path becomes clear to us, we will do all the good we can, cultivate all that is kindly, and promote the happiness and comfort of our fellow-creatures? Are we doing all this, and thus feeding the flock of our souls? If we do this, we shall find in a little time that we are near the mount of God, for "His righteousness is like the great mountains." And the divine fire will glow to save and warm, but not to consume.

Are we

SERMON IV.

MOSES' ROD TURNED INTO A SERPENT.

"And it shall come to pass, that if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shall take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land; and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land."-Exodus IV. 9.

It seems something of an exceedingly unaccountable and extraordinary character, that after the divine presence to His servant Moses in the burning bush, and after the promise of so great a blessing, that even Moses himself should be found hesitating, fearing lest he should not be delivered, and rather anxious to be excused from the mission to which he was invited by Almighty love and wisdom. Yet such is the evident fact. It is clear, both from the Old Testament and the New, that the Divine Being who manifested Himself to Moses by means of an angel, was the Lord Jesus Christ as He was known before the incarnation. You remember that when His name was asked by Moses, the Divine Speaker said, "I am that I am. Say unto the people, 'I am' hath sent me unto you." And this term is one of such super-excellent majesty, that one may well say it is perhaps the grandest and most appropriate appellation to unfold to us a sublime idea of the Divine Being. "I am hath sent me unto you." A simple but inconceivably grand and glorious name. It exhibits this Divine One as the Being to whom time and all things are intimately present. "I AM"-to whom there is no past, no future, no distant; all is now- "I am." All ages are under my gaze; eternity is as it were a moment under my glance,—“I am.'

"To Thee there's nothing old appears,

To Thee great God there's nothing new."

This term and the idea which it incloses, were also known as expressive of the majesty of the Deity in the very early times of Egypt. It was expressed in the hieroglyphics of that remote age by a veiled form in a temple in Upper Egypt. There was an image of Deity with this inscription, "I am all that is, and that