AN ESSAY TOWARDS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFITABLE READING OF THE HOLY SCRIP

TURES.

BY SAMUEL EYLES PIERCE.

(Continued from page 14.)

THE next garment, belonging to the high-priest, to be spoken of, is the embroidery coat, and its girdle of needlework.

It was made of fine linen, curiously wrought in the weaving of it, and was, as some conceive, full of a sort of eyelet holes; though a Jewish writer thinks it was full of holes like those ouches, or sockets, in which the precious stones were set in the breast-plate, and so this coat was adorned and decked with gems and precious stones, stuck in these holes, or ouches.

It was an emblem of Christ's righteousness.

Mention having been already made of the garments of the inferior priests, I proceed just to observe, that an account is given of the form and order of the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priests' office; to which I would add, that as all the pompous attire, and those sacerdotal robes and ornaments, we have been speaking of, were expressive of the majesty, dignity, excellency, and perfection of our true High-priest, Christ Jesus, so the separation of Aaron and his sons to the Lord's service in the tabernacle, the sacrifices to be offered at the time when they were invested in their office, their washing and anointing, of which you read in the 29th chapter of this book, served as a shadow to set forth and declare the call, appointment, and consecration of the Son of God, as God-man Mediator, to his priestly office.

The altar also, where Aaron and his sons were to officiate, was to be cleansed, sanctified, and an atonement made for it; after which, two lambs were to be offered on it every day, morning and evening, throughout all succeeding generations.

Orders are given to make the golden altar of incense. The matter and form of which was as follows: It was made of Shittim wood, overlaid with gold; it was four-square; it had four horns, and a crown round about it, like what was about the ark-see Exodus xxv. 11; and about the table, Exodus xxv. 24. To these the Hebrews apply the three crowns, as they call them, of Israel:-the crown of the law-that is, of the ark; the crown of the priesthood—that is, the golden altar; and the crown of the kingdom-that is, the table.

The altar of incense had rings, and bars, and staves, by which it was carried when the host and tabernacle removed: see Numbers iv. 5, 11, 12.

This golden altar,' says Ainsworth, figured out Christ, in respect of his mediation with God for his church and people;

by whom, and through whom, and whose name, we offer up prayers and praises unto God, by which we glorify him; to which the incense may be compared. Therefore, from the four horns of the golden altar a voice is heard (Rev. ix. 13) as answering to the prayers of God's people in Christ.'

It figured the prayers of saints, which must be, according to the will of God the Spirit in us, which is the very echo of our Lord's intercession for us.

Every morning and evening incense was to be offered, and burned upon this golden altar; the priest took burning coals off the burnt altar of sacrifice in a vessel, and the incense was spread upon them, which was carried into the holy place, and on the day of atonement into the most holy place, which was typical of Christ's intercession and mediation.

The burning coals,' says Dr. Gill, 'typified his sufferings, which were painful to the body, and in which he endured the wrath of God in his soul, and both must be very distressing unto him.'

The incense which was to be put upon the burning coals, taken off the brazen altar, shewed, that Christ's mediation and intercession proceed upon his sufferings and death, his bloodshedding, sacrifice, and satisfaction; which mediation of his, like the sweet incense, is frequent, pure, and holy, though it be made for transgressors, and there is none like unto it.

By the service of the burning incense on the golden altar, morning and evening, God taught them that the prayers of his people, as they proceeded from, and are offered up in the energy of, the Holy Spirit, are acceptable to him, being perfumed by the mediation of Christ Jesus.

On one day in the year an atonement was to be made upon it, which was the tenth day of the seventh month, the day of atonement, when the blood of the sin-offering was to be sprinkled on the horns of it.

Orders are given that, when the people were numbered, halfa-shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, be given; which was,' says Dr. Gill, about fourteenpence.' The silver of them which were numbered of the congregation, was one hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and three score and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary-see Exodus xxxviii. 25; which, according to Brerewood, makes, of our money, £37,721. 17s. 6d. ; of which were made the silver sockets which served as a foundation of the sanctuary. The atonement money pointed to Christ the Redeemer, who ransomed the souls of his people with the price of his own most precious blood-see 1 Peter i. 18, 19.

"The rich" says the Lord in his command, "shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less. All the elect Israel of God are redeemed with one price." Their offering,' says

Mr. Romaine, was not the price, but the acknowledgment that a ransom should be given for them.'

The laver, or washing vessel, which was one of the utensils of the court of the tabernacle, was made of brass; it had a foot, or base, to uphold it, and stablish the laver, which was also of brass, made of the looking glasses of the women which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

When the priests and people were multiplied, Solomon made, for the use of the temple, ten lavers to wash the sacrifices in, and one great vessel, called a sea, for the priests to wash insee 1 Kings vii. 23, 26, 38. Reference is had to the molten sea -see Rev. iv. 6. Water was put into this laver, and at it the priests were to wash their hands and feet when they entered into the sanctuary, and approached the altar of God, because they served with bare hands and feet in the sanctuary. The mystical meaning of this rite of washing did teach them, and may shew us, the necessity of the continual exercise of faith on Christ, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God; also it pointed out the sanctification of God's people by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; and that we, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, may draw nigh unto the Lord with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

The next thing to be taken notice of, is, the holy anointing oil, which was to be made of the principal and most excellent spices.

With it the tabernacle, and all its vessels, Aaron and his garments, his sons and their garments, were to be anointed with this holy anointing, or unction of holiness.

This composition of sweet odours signified the graces of God's Spirit, and the anointing with the holy oil, and pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon Christ, his church, and ministers. The making the like for any other use is solemnly forbid.

And, lastly, a command for making incense is given.

Its composition was of sweet spices, and it was to be burned on the golden altar; and on the day of annual expiation, it was to be fumed between the cherubims of glory. None were to make the like for their own private use, upon pain of death. God would hereby keep from profaning and abusing the doctrine of Christ's mediation.

Bazaleel and Aholiab are named by the Lord as persons inspired by him to make all these things.

Thus we may consider the Eternal Three making known to Moses, on the Mount, invisibles by visibles; past, and things to come, by types: by cherubim; Urim and Thummim; by sacrifice, clouds, and altars, by priests and vestments, the hidden arcana; all the mysteries of his grace; opening herein, and

hereby, the mines of everlasting love. All was opened by the Lord to his servant Moses on the mount, who knew what was set before him in types and shadows to be fully expressive of Christ, his grace, work, office, and salvation.

Whilst Moses remained in the mount, after the whole ceremonial law respecting the tabernacle and priests had been set before him, the Lord gave him the two tables of testimony, which were written with the finger of God.

Moses being thus engaged in the mount with God, the Israelites, left to themselves and their own corrupt hearts, fell into the sin of idolatry, in the business of the golden calf. They looked for Moses, as Ainsworth says, to bring them a form of worship, and some visible sign of God's presence among them, as afterwards was, in the tabernacle and the ark, with the mercy seat; but because he came not so soon as they expected, they would have a worship of their own, such as it is likely they had been used to see in Egypt, for now, in their hearts, they turned back again into Egypt, (as it is written in Acts vii. 39, 40,) and yet forty days were not expired, nor the terrible signs of God's presence taken away, for the mountain still burned with firesee Deut. ix. 15. The Hebrews say, they required not the calf that it should be unto them for a god, but only that it should teach them the way as another Moses.

The Lord informs Moses of their sin. He commands him to descend from the mount, which he did; and, upon the sight he had of their sin, he casts the tables of the law out of his hands, and brake them before their eyes. The Jews say this was done on the 17th day of Thammuz, which answers to part of June and part of July, and it is observed by them as a fast upon the account of it.

Moses having destroyed the idolatrous calf, expostulates with Aaron about his concern in it, and he executes the vengeance of the Lord upon the idolators.

The children of Levi, at the command of Moses, who spoke to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel, put every man his sword upon his side, and slew every man his brother, companion, and neighbour, who were idolators; and there fell of the people on that day, about three thousand men-see Exodus xxxii. 28. After which, Moses intercedes with the Lord; and it seems that he fell down forty days and forty nights, which were distinct from the former forty days and forty nights he was with Jehovah before upon the mount. On the intercession of Moses on behalf of the people, they are spared.

Moses desires to see the glory of God, and his request is granted, with some limitations: the Lord descends in the cloudy pillar, and proclaims his name, and caused his goodness to pass before his servant, and renewed the covenant with the people, giving them afresh the tables of the covenant, which, though

hewed by Moses, were written upon by Jehovah. Moses was again at this time forty days and forty nights in the mount with God. He was indulged with the highest communion which had ever been enjoyed by a saint in the body; herein, he was an illustrious type of Christ, and was fitted to be a shadow to set him forth in his prophetic office. The Lord spoke to Moses, face to face, by an articulate voice. So Christ was in the bosom of his Father, and is called the Son of his love. Moses, by conversing thus immediately with God, received such glorious and divine impressions stamped on his mind, that his very face shone, being illuminated therewith; the sight of which caused Aaron and the people, when they saw it, to be afraid; upon which he put on a veil, which, it might be, had a mystical meaning: it might denote the obscurity of the minds of the people. So that they could not, they did not, as they ought to have done, look from the signs to the things signified by them.

The Lord having in mercy, at the intercession of Moses, renewed his covenant with the people, and engaged to work marvels for them, the remainder of this book goes on as follows:(To be continued.)

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

ON TRUTH.

What is truth? is an important question; which is fully answered by the God of Truth, in the book of truth. Our blessed Redeemer declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the life. He is the word, the Divine Son, who dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Christ, who was the substance of legal ceremonies. John bare witness unto the truth; he was a witness of Christ, who is that anointing which teacheth all things, and is truth. This is that truth that makes us free; and if the Son makes us free, we shall be free indeed; our now exalted and glorified intercessor, when upon earth, prayed to the Divine Father, that his people might be sanctified through the truth; but Christ is of God, made unto them sanctification. Thy word, said Christ to the Father, is truth; but Christ is the essential word, the Divine Son, for in the beginning was the word, who was with God, and who was God. The Divine Spirit is the spirit of truth; but he is the Spirit of Christ, and the testifier of Jesus to his redeemed people, who are taught by him the truth as it is in Jesus. The scriptures are a book of truth, for they are a revelation of Him who is the truth: "Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me;" "and beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."