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holy contents of the Ark. A bright flame of fire appeared above it, which denoted that Jehovah was present there, and therefore he is said by the Psalmist to "dwell between the cherubims." Now all this denoted to them that God could be approached only on a mercy-seat; while we are instructed that we must come to him through the true "propitiation for our sins," his blessed Son, Jesus Christ.

And thus in this original place of sacrifice and worship, made according to the pattern shewn to Moses in the mount, we see the preparation made for the introduction of that divine sacrifice and that spiritual worship which God afterwards gave to mankind in the gospel. Here are the elements of the Christian faith, for wise purposes obscured and darkly shadowed forth in those ages, but now clearly made known to us by the coming of the Son of God, and the writings of his inspired servants. How high in our estimation, and how dear to our hearts should be that adorable Saviour, who fulfils in his own person all the various offices of these typical

things, who is at once our tabernacle, our burnt-offering, our laver, our candlestick, our shew-bread and altar of incense, our ark, our mercy-seat, our manna, and in short, our all in all. He truly is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the sum and substance of all that the tabernacle and the temple signified to the children of Israel. And he is also "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." While we view him in these long-ago abolished ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation, let us feel that he ever was, and ever will be, the only hope of a fallen sinner's salvation : he is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."

But if so clear a knowledge of these mysteries of God which were kept hid for ages and generations is now revealed to us, let us take heed that we "receive not this grace of God in vain." Since the truth is made known to us, let us believe it; since the light shines upon us, let us walk in it; since the bread of heaven is come down to us, let us feed upon

it; since the laver of regeneration is prepared for us, let us wash in it; since the sacrifice of Christ and his continual intercession are ready for us, let us avail ourselves of them and since God is seated upon the mercy-seat of the Gospel waiting to receive us, oh! let us "draw nigh to him with the full assurance of faith." Let us fear, since such glorious privileges are now placed before us, we should any of us fail of becoming actual partakers of them; but let us receive and believe in the Saviour in whom they are placed, and from whom they must be derived; let us manifest our faith by our works, and worship the Lord God in spirit and in truth. So shall we be admitted into Christ's spiritual church on earth. So shall we have a place in his temple above. And so, when we "put off the earthly house of this our tabernacle, we shall have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

SERMON II.

THE BURNT-OFFERING.

LEVIT. I. 4.

And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

IN

:

In my last sermon, when describing the tabernacle to you, I spoke of the altar of burnt-offering, which stood in the court that surrounded the tabernacle, and near to the entrance into it. I shall now have to describe to you several of those offerings which were presented to God upon it, and which are set before us in the first seven chapters of this book of Leviticus on which I am now entering. The book is named Leviticus from its describing so many of these offerings, at which it was the peculiar duty of the Levites to officiate. In the present sermon I

propose

to consider in the First place, the law respecting the burnt-offering, and the various ceremonies with which it was to be presented; and, in the Second place, to shew how these shadowed forth the sacrifice of Christ.

1. The burnt-offering, we may observe in the first place, was a voluntary offering. It was not prescribed to the Israelites at any appointed time, or on any particular occasion. It was not a public offering, as were those of the lambs for the daily sacrifice, which I shall consider hereafter, if I be spared to expound the book of Numbers, where the daily sacrifice and other public services are more particularly spoken of. But it was an offering to be brought by any individual, whenever he felt himself so disposed. This offering seems to have been provided for those seasons in the pious Israelite's experience, when he felt his mind under more than ordinary impresssions, when he was sensible of his general sinfulness and deficiencies, and humbly wished to seek mercy for those manifold offences and failings, which were not particularly specified, and had no express offering

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