this Saviour? Who has the Father given for the life of the world but him? Oh, heavenly Father, there is none except this blessed Redeemer whom we can call our life; there is none but he who can support, nourish, and invigorate our fainting souls! "Evermore give us this bread," so shall we be prepared to do thy will on earth as angels do in heaven!

In these figurative representations, and others might be given, we see how carefully our safety and comfort are attended to, the strengthening of our faith kept in view, and the fullest assurance given that God would never have us imposed upon by the most artful impostor. Oh, may we thankfully trace these fainter strokes of a Saviour's worth and excellency, and compare them with the Spirit's more perfect work in his glorious person, till our hearts are filled with wonder, love, and praise !

The next thing to be considered, in addition to these types, is the nature of sacrifice and of sacrifices themselves.-As the sufferings, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, were to supersede the shadowy dispensation of the law, and the pouring out of the Spirit was to be the commencement of a new dispensation, wherein spiritual worship and sacrifice were to be offered to the blessed God, through the one Mediator, and our whole conversation to be regulated by gospel precepts, it follows that all those temporary services had no intrinsic worth, but merely as they pointed to those which had, or were calculated to draw the minds of a people too prone to idolatry, and to the love of pompous outward worship, to him that was to come; and to cause them the more ardently to desire him, that he might deliver them from the heavy yoke of ritual observances, and the burden of troublesome and expensive ceremonies. If it were not so -if the new, spiritual dispensation, was imperfect in itself, then it would be injudicious and unsafe to give up whatever might supply the deficiency. However, on this subject no doubt remains, God having declared in his word, that "if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge

of the truth, (that is the gospel) there.remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." And, again, "When he (that is the Saviour) cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then, said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." Thus "He taketh away the first, (the sacrifices, &c.) that he may establish the second," his active and passive righteousness. Who can read these words, and not exclaim, O most incomparable Saviour, how truly amiable art thou in the sight of thy Father, when thy individual services were more acceptable in his sight than all the blood that ever streamed from slaughtered beasts, or all the rites performed by men themselves.

It is remarkable how God required to be approached and served by sacrifice.-The first acceptable one we read of was that of Abel, who "brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof; and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering." It is observed in the Epistle to the Hebrews that he offered in faith, probably with an eye to Christ; which, if Cain neglected to do, the reason of his rejection is sufficiently explained.

Noah, after his miraculous escape from the deluge, offered burnt-offerings to the Lord; which were so pleasing to him, that he " said in his heart, I will not curse the ground any more for man's sake;" and promised that "while the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease;" and he blessed him.-When Abraham enquired of the Lord respecting his posterity and the fulfilment of his promises, he was not permitted to know it till sacrifices were offered; then it was revealed to him, and also confirmed by cove

nant.

In the consecration of the priests, their garments, the altar of burnt-offerings, and the altar of incense, the laver and the tabernacle, sacrifices were offered, and their blood sprinkled upon both persons and things. Blood was

also shed in their burnt-offerings, in their peace-offerings, and sacrifices for sins of ignorance, impurities, rashness, inattention to holy things, lying to defraud, false swearing, or trespass-offerings in general. The fullest dedication of their Nazarites was not complete till a lamb and other sacrifices were offered. We may indeed say with the apostle, "Almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission." All which discovers the absolute necessity of the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus, to abolish the law of commandments contained in ordinances, which were too much misunderstood by the Jews, unacceptable to God, detrimental to the general peace of the world, as only typical of better things, and that both Jews and Gentiles might, through HIM, have free access by one spirit unto the Father-through him; for there is no other way whatever.

These sacrifices, though so applicable in general to the Lord Jesus, may also be supposed to have some reference to his followers, many of them at least, and to gospel times and ordinances. They may afford some profitable instruc

tion.

1. They were of Divine institution.-Men were not left to use in God's service what sacrifices they pleased. This would have introduced too much discord and confusion. It would have given too much scope to the imagination, and have introduced so many inconsistences, weaknesses, superstitious services, and heterogeneous matters, as could never have met the approbation of the "God of harmony and love." All was, therefore, regularly ordained for rich and poor, priests and people; the time when, the manner how, and the number what; with the additional circumstances attending them all was minutely described. Should not this teach us the necessity of keeping to the law and testimony, that we may not introduce into the worship of God any thing offensive in his sight, and endeavour to keep as near the model of the apostolic church as possible? Should we not bring our doctrines, forms, psalmody, fellowship,

:

and general behaviour towards the world, to the principles, practices, and precepts of the New-Testament believers; and guard against all erroneous, superstitious, and newfangled notions and opinions? The sincere enquirer after truth will always find his safety in diligently searching the lively oracles of the God of truth, and comparing spiritual things with spiritual, with a single eye to the glory of God. Some ridiculous religious farce is played off in almost every age, by some one, filled with vain conceit of himself, or under satanic delusion, or tinged with insanity, or from mercenary motives; and nothing appears so absurd, but there are found those who are absurd enough to swallow, defend, and propagate it. It is therefore our wisdom to abide by the revelations of our God, and his word will be a light to our feet and a lamp to our path.

2. They were of divers kinds.-Vegetable, farinaceous, and animal, with their subordinate offerings of oil, wine, salt, and frankincense. Some were offered to deprecate the Divine wrath; some for legal purifications; others for the completion of vows, expiation of offences, and as expressions of gratitude for benefits conferred upon the offerers; some by regular appointment, and others voluntarily; and the rest were occasional or at stated times. By this we learn that variety is pleasing to God; and though he has abolished these things in the letter and legal observances, he has not done it in the spirit. In our prayers and praises for ourselves and others, in our penitence and contrition of spirit, in our alms and diffusive benevolence, in our devotional exercises in the family, in christian communion, and in the great congregation; in our approaching the Lord's. table, in supporting his ministers and service, and in the dedication of our time, talents, and persons to him; we are still offering, in these various ways, acceptable sacrifices unto the Lord. Thus the scripture speaks, “Offer unto God thanksgivings.-Let them sacrifice sacrifices of thanksgiving. To love the Lord is more than all sacrifices. -The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a

contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.-Present your bodies a living sacrifice.-Let us offer the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips, to God continually.-To do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." All this, when rising from an upright heart, is more acceptable than all the ritual observances of the law, or all the pomp of the temple service in its greatest glory.

3. They were perfect in their kind.-God would not be put off with what was blemished, blind, broken, maimed, having a wen or scurvy, scabbed, any thing superfluous or lacking in its parts, bruised, crushed, or cut, torn, lame or sick. All such offerings were an abomination in his sight, and brought a curse upon the deceiver, who sacrificed such corrupt things. Even the priests who offered the sacrifice were to be without personal blemishes or defects, or they were not accepted. Does not this imply that the whole heart should be consecrated to God; that he should be served in all truth and sincerity; that hypocrisy in all its appearances must be avoided; that carnal and base motives must have no place in our religious professions or services; that every part of our duty to ourselves, our superiors, equals, or dependants, should be discharged to the honour of God; that the time appropriated for religious worship and meditation ought to be sacredly observed; that we never deceive ourselves, or presume to put the Lord off with words instead of things, or make vows and resolutions to him which we never perform; that we defer not to serve him till sickness, age, or death come upon us; or suffer other objects to have the dominion over us, while we seldom think of him, or only compliment him with a few poor, cold, heartless ceremonies? Oh, how necessary it is in these degenerate days to examine ourselves, that with pure intentions we may of fer our all to him who searcheth the heart, and have the witness that we please him! Then shall we have no cause of fear, for "his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, that he may shew himself strong in behalf of him whose heart is perfect toward him."