tions to his service. As in the case of Abraham, who " planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the "Lord,"-Gen. xxi. 33—and Jacob, who said, "How dread"ful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, "and this is the gate of Heaven"-" this stone which I have set "for a pillar, shall be God's HOUSE: and of all that thou "shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”— Gen. xxviii. 16-22.

But it was not till the time of the Israelites sojourning in the wilderness, that a temple was appropriated by God's own peculiar direction; when God said, “Let them maKE ME A "SANCTUARY THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM." (See Patrick, on Ex. xxv. 30) and condescended to point out minutely how it should be constructed, according to the "pattern" shewed to Moses on the Mount-Ex. xxv. 8-40.

The Tabernacle,-thus called by way of eminence,-was constructed so as to be taken to pieces, and removed, during the journeyings of the Israelites. It was formed of the richest materials, and at a prodigious expense, and was altogether object of great magnificence; the gold and silver employed about it, amounting in value, to upwards of £182,500.; to which must be added the brass or copper-embroidered curtains, jewels, &c. and the splendid dresses of the Priests.— The charge was borne principally by free-will offerings of gold and silver, brass, linen, precious stones, and even ornaments of the women; and the people were so "willing," that the workmen employed said, "the people bring much more than "enough" so that they "were restrained from bringing."— Ex. xxv. 2-7, and xxxv., and xxxvi. 5-6. But there was also a capitation tax, of half a shekel (about fifteen pence) a head, for every male above 20 years old, "a ransom for his "soul,"-xxx. 11-16-which amounted in value to about £35,300,-xxxviii, 25.-This tax was, at a remoter period, levied yearly for the reparation of the temple, and was not improbably the tribute demanded of our Saviour,-Mat. xvii. 24 -though applied by the Romans to other purposes.

The Tabernacle was, in length, 55 feet-in breadth, and height, 18 feet; the inside was divided into two rooms, generally termed the "Sanctuary," and the "Holy of Holies." Round about it was a court of near 200 feet in length, and 100 in breadth surrounded with pillars, and hangings of fine linen. In this court were the altar of burnt offering, on which the sacred fire that came " out from before the Lord, and consumed" the first sacrifice that was offered,-Lev. ix. 24was kept ever burning,-vi. 13. It was for substituting a strange fire" for this, that Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, the first consecrated priests, were burnt by fire from Heaven-x. 1, 2.-Here was also the Brazen Laver for the Priests to wash their hands, and feet in, before they offered sacrifice,-Ex. xxx. 18-21.

In the Sanctuary were the Altar of Incense, on which incense was burnt every morning and evening,-Ex. xxx. 1—10—the Golden Candlestick of seven lights, weighing a talent, and worth about £5000-xxv. 31-39-most useful, as there were no windows to the Tabernacle ;-and the table of Shew Bread, —xxv. 23—30--a memorial of God's mercy in providing them with bread in the wilderness. In the "Holy of Holies" was the Ark of the testimony, and its cover, the Mercy Seat; on which were the two golden Cherubim; of which God said, "there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee, from above the Mercy-Seat, from between the two Cherubims "which are upon the Ark of the testimony, of all things which "I will give thee in commandment,"-Ex. xxv. 22. Betwixt these, was the SCHECHINAH, or glorious light, which, after heading, the children of Israel in their journeyings, now indicated the special presence of God, "dwelling between the " cherubims,"--1 Sam. iv. 4—Ps. lxxx. 1, and xcix. 1.From hence, probably, issued audible words, as Moses is said to have "heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off "the mercy-seat," &c., "and he spake unto him,"-Numb. vii. 89-and see xii. 8, and Ex. xxxiii. 11—an earnest this, of the great mystery, "God manifest in the flesh;" and speaking

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familiarly, though as never man spake." In the Ark were deposited the two tables of the Law; and in, or near it, the golden pot of manna, with the budding rod of Aaron.

Whenever the people halted, and formed a camp, the Tabernacle was placed in the midst of it; with the tents of Moses, and Aaron, and his sons, and the Levites, nearest to it, and those of the army, or the other tribes, farthest distant.

Hitherto the Patriarchs, and their first born, or those substituted for them, had united in themselves the three offices of civil governor, prophet, and priest: for the Church of Christ, always visibly existing, though sometimes greatly depressed, was never without a priest, an altar, and a divine revelation. The time was now arrived when these important offices were to be divided. Jacob had prophetically limited the " sceptre" to Judah, and God especially separated the family of Levi, and appointed it to the "Priesthood." The Regal, and Prophetical functions were however still exercised by Moses, the visible head both of the Church, and State; a type of Christ,—“ the "King who should sit upon the throne of David,"-Is. ix. 7— "the Prophet that was expected to come into the world,”John vi. 14-and whose miraculous preservation in his infancy seemed to presage the great things he was born for. By him were Aaron and his sons consecrated-under his direction was the Tabernacle built-he was the legislator, and the leader-unto him were they baptized, as afterwards to John, and to our Lord--but Christ was still the rock of which they drank, -1 Cor. x. 4-and the head of the 'Church.

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Before the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, "Christ Jesus,"-" the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls," appeared as man, for "THE WORD" had before frequently revealed itself, as to Abraham, Manoah, Samuel, &c. he was typically represented by many in the flesh, but particularly by Moses and Aaron. With respect to Moses, the forerunner of a Prophet" that God would raise up from amongst his brethren "like unto him,”-Deut. xviii. 15-Acts iii. 22, &c.— in various particulars of his life, and that of Christ, the type and

fulfilment are most obvious-he was miraculously preserved after his birth, as our Lord was from those who sought his life, and both in Egypt: he was specially appointed to redeem Israel from a state of bondage, and lead them to the land of Canaan, typical of the future rest. Before receiving the law, Moses fasted in the Mount 40 days and 40 nights,-Ex. xxiv. 18, with xxxiv. 28-as our Saviour did in the wilderness, before the commencement of his public ministry, and of his preaching of the Gospel. Moses had something of the heavenly glory communicated to him in the Mount; for the "skin of his face shone." -Ex. xxxiv. 29-35-2 Cor. iii. 7.-Christ was "the bright"ness" of the Father's "glory"-" the express image of his person;"-Heb. i. 3-and during his transfiguration on the Mount, "his face did shine as the sun,"-Mat. xvii. 2.Between the temper of Moses and that of our Lord there was also a great resemblance-Moses was "meek above all men" -Num. xii. 3-but his "anger waxed hot" at the people's idolatry, and ingratitude, so that "he cast the tables" of the law "out of his hands, and brake them,"-Ex. xxxii. 19.And instead of speaking to the rock as commanded by God, "he smote" it "twice,"-Num. xx. 8, 11.-So Christ, though "meek and lowly of heart,"-Mat. xi. 29-was eaten up with

zeal," and scourged the profaners of the temple, and overthrew their tables,-John ii. 13-17.-The faithfulness of both is spoken of, and compared the one with the other, by St. Paul,-Heb. iii. 2.-And in completion,-as" the law was 'given by Moses"-so" grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," -John i. 17.

Aaron was particularly typical of our blessed Lord in the priestly office. The High Priest entered into the holy place, -Lev. xvi. 2, 34-Heb. ix. 7-every year, to offer sacrifice for the people, by the "blood of others" indeed-Heb. ix. 25— Christ entered once into the "holiest of all," now made manifest,"-Heb. ix 8-through "a greater and more perfect "Tabernacle, not made with hands," and " by his own blood" obtained" eternal redemption for us,"-Heb. ix. 12.

The priesthood, which had been inseparably held with the

other offices, from the days of Adam, was now established in the tribe of Levi; a tribe selected by God himself, in lieu of the first born of the Israelites, who had been devoted to him, since their peculiar preservation from death in Egypt,—Exod xiii. 12,-Numb. iii. 12—viii, 17,-and this perhaps in consequence of the zeal the Levites had shewn, in stepping forward to avenge the insulted majesty of God, by destroying their own brethren, when they worshipped the golden calf,—Exod. xxxii. 26, 28.-That this substitution might be complete, an estimate was commanded to be made of the Levites, and of the first born of the Israelites, number for number, and the odd numbers, being 273 of the latter, were redeemed at five shekels a piece,-Numb. iii. 14—51.-At that time the number of the Levites, males of one month old, and upwards, was 22,000-iii. 39—and of those from thirty to fifty years old 8580-iv. 47, 48.-This choice, it may be remarked, was so decisive, and peculiar, that even the family of Moses himself, through whom the Law was given, and who was cloathed by God with such an high and holy office, continued to be only common Levites:-1 Chron. xxiii. 13, 14.

Thus established, the office was exercised by three distinct orders, as it is to this day:-the High Priest, the Priests, and Levites, in the Jewish Church, corresponding respectively, with the Apostles or Bishops, the Priests, and the Deacons, in the Christian Church. St. Jerome expressly declares this,— "What the High Priest, the Priests, and Levites were in the "Temple, that the Bishops, the Presbyters, and Deacons are "in the Church."

The two superior orders were at first held by Aaron, and his sons;-Ex. xxviii. xxix. 1—the high-priesthood being limited to the first-born, and the rest being called simply "Priests," or "Priests of the second order,"-2 Kings xxiii. 4.—These sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazer, and Ithamar; and Nadab and Abihu being struck dead for presuming to burn incense with other fire than that which came miraculously from Heaven, and consumed the first offering,-Lev. ix. 24—and