upon the altar, in token that he had merited destruction by his iniquities, and that he escaped destruction only by that being destroyed in his steadh.]

The same is found throughout the whole New Testament

[It had been foretold by Daniel, that Jesus should "make an end of sin, and make reconciliation for iniquity." But how was this to be done? It was, as another prophet testifies, by being "wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities," or, in a word, by "making his soul an offering for sin." Accordingly our blessed Lord himself tells us that he came to "give his life a ransom for many." And, when he instituted his last supper, he took the cup, and said, "This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinsk." The Apostles continually represent the blessings of salvation as being solely the purchase of his blood. "He hath made peace for us through the blood of his cross," and "we have redemption through it, even the forgiveness of sins1." Are we "washed from our sins?" it is "by his bloodm." Do we wash our robes and make them white? it is in the blood of the Lamb". Do we overcome our enemies? it is by the blood of the Lamb. Are we justified? it is by his blood. In a word, all on earth and all in heaven bear testimony to this blessed truth, that "Jesus hath redeemed us to God by his blood."]

This fact then being undeniable, that "God has given us the blood as an atonement for the soul," we proceed to,

II. Consider the prohibition as founded on it

Scarcely is such energy to be found in any other prohibition throughout the whole Scriptures, as in that before us. And how is it to be accounted for? What is there in the fact alleged that can justify such tremendous menaces as are annexed to this injunction? I answer, The prohibition was most salutary for them, as tending,

1. To excite in them reverence for their sacrifices[The Jews saw continually the same animals slaughtered for their own use as were slain for sacrifice: and, if no restraint had been imposed upon them in relation to the blood, they

h Lev. v. 11.

1 Col. i. 14, 20. • Rev. xii. 11. VOL. I.

i Isai. liii. 5, 10.
m Rev. i. 5.

P Rom. v. 9.
TT

k Matt. xxvi. 28. n Rev. vii. 14.

q Rev. v. 9.

would soon have lost their reverence for the sacrifice altogether. Even the daily repetition of the same sacrifices had of itself a tendency to familiarize their minds with the offerings, and to weaken the reverence which a more sparing use of them might have generated. But when they were so strictly charged to abstain from the use of the blood themselves, and saw the blood of the sacrifices consecrated exclusively to the Lord, they could scarcely fail to reverence the blood, and consequently to reverence those ordinances in which the welfare of their souls was so deeply concerned.]

2. To bring continually to their remembrance the way of salvation

[With the prohibition was communicated the reason of it, namely, that the blood was the life, and was given as an atonement for their souls. Now we are but too prone to forget the concerns of our souls: the mind naturally revolts from them, and puts the consideration of them far away. But this ordinance brought continually to their recollection, that they were sinners, needing an atonement; and that they were to be saved only through the intervention of a vicarious sacrifice. Of what incalculable value was the prohibition in this point of view! Not a day, or scarcely an hour, could pass, but they were reminded of these most essential articles of their faith, and taught how alone they were to obtain favour in the sight of God. Various other ordinances were appointed of God for reminding them of the way in which they should serve him; but here one was instituted for bringing constantly to their remembrance the way in which they were to be saved by him.]

3. To direct their attention to the great sacrifice

[All the more intelligent and pious among the Jews saw that their sacrifices shadowed forth some sacrifice that was of infinitely greater value. It is true, their notions respecting Christ's sacrifice were not distinct: yet they could not but see that the blood of bulls and of goats was insufficient to take away sin; and that consequently they must look forward to some other atonement which these typical sacrifices prefigured. To these views they would be further led by the prophecies which represented Christ as bearing on himself, and taking away from us, the iniquities of us all. And even at this hour, I conceive that the prohibition, which is strictly observed by every religious Jew, is well calculated to lead the minds of the Jewish nation to the contemplation of their Messiah, and to the acknowledgment of Jesus in that character.]

From the foregoing subject then we may SEE,

1. How plain is the way of salvation!

of

[A Jew who had any reflection at all, could not be ignorant that he must be saved by blood, by blood shed in a way atonement for his sins. He would not dream that he was to make an atonement by his own tears, or alms-deeds, or observances of any kind. Every sacrifice which he saw offered, yea, and every meal which he made on the flesh of animals, would remind him, that his soul could be saved by nothing but an atonement made for sin. Yet, strange as it must appear, Christians without number are ignorant of this fundamental article of our religion, and have no better hope towards God than that which is founded on their own repentances and reformations. Alas! that any who have the Christian Scriptures in their hands should be thus ignorant! and yet thus it is even with many who in other respects are well instructed and intelligent. But know ye assuredly, that there is but one way of salvation either for Jews or Gentiles; and that, the shadowy sacrifices having all passed away, "Christ is now set forth as a propitiation for sin through faith in his blood," and that he is "a propitiation, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world."]

2. How awful is the state of those who reject it!

[We tremble for those who despised Moses' law, and in contempt of the divine command ate of blood. But how much more must we tremble for those who make light of Christ! For, "if they who despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified a common thing'!" The command given to us to drink of the blood of our great sacrifice is not a whit less urgent than the prohibition given to the Jews. Our Lord expressly tells us, that " except we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we have no life in us:" and St. Paul gives us this solemn warning, "How can we escape, if we neglect so great salvation!" Verily, if God set his face against the disobedient Jew, much more will he against the disobedient and unbelieving Christian. I charge you then, my brethren, to comply with the divine command in this respect: for if ye do not, O consider "what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of Christ!" Verily, God has told us, and plainly too, that" when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, it shall be to take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Let us now then avail ourselves of the opportunity afforded us, and both take of the blood of Christ, and "sprinkle it on our consciences, that it may purge us from dead works to serve the living God."]

* Heb. x. 28, 29. κοινόν.

CXXXV.

FEAST OF FIRST-FRUITS.

Lev. xxiii. 15-17. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat-offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves, of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the first-fruits unto the Lord.

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THERE is no blessing which is not enhanced by a sense of reconciliation and acceptance with God. An ungodly man has his very provisions cursed to him; whilst to the righteous "God hath given all things richly to enjoy." Indeed, it is to present, no less than to future, happiness, that God calls his people. He bids us weep, it is true; but he no-where bids us to be always mourning: on the contrary, he commands us to "rejoice in him always, yea, to rejoice evermore:" and assures us, that, though our weeping may endure for a night, joy shall come in the morning." We have this beautifully exemplified in the appointments under the law. One day in the year was appointed for national humiliation, namely, the day of atonement, wherein all were commanded to afflict their souls: but the very next day, and the whole week following it, was appointed for a feast; by which appointment it was clearly intimated, that they who had obtained reconciliation with God through the atonement of Christ, had reason to rejoice throughout the whole remainder of their lives.

The week succeeding the Passover was called "the feast of unleavened bread:" on the first day of which they were to present to God a sheaf of newly reaped barley; and, fifty days after that, two loaves of wheaten bread; both of them being the first-fruits, the one of the barley harvest, and the other of the wheat. Hence these two periods were called the feasts of "firstb ver. 5, 6.

a Deut. xxviii. 16-19.

fruits:" and the appointment of them may be considered in a three-fold view; as,

I. Commemorative

[The day on which the sheaf of barley was to be presented unto God, was that on which they had come out of Egypt: and it was to be kept in commemoration of that event; that, when they were enjoying the peaceful fruits of industry, they might call to mind the labour and travail they had endured in the land of their captivity.

The fiftieth day after that, was the day on which the law of God had been delivered to them from Mount Sinai. This was no less a mercy than the former: for whilst by the former they were rescued from bondage to men, by the latter they were brought into the service of God.

Both of these events were to be remembered on the days thus set apart, in order that He who had done such great things for their bodies and their souls, might have the glory due unto his name.

And here we cannot but observe, how beneficial it is to the Church to have particular times set apart for the special remembrance of the various wonders of redemption. If indeed the observance of such institutions were required of us as necessary to salvation, or inculcated as contributing to work out for us a justifying righteousness, or represented as superseding the necessity of a more frequent remembrance of them, or enjoined, as Jeroboam's was, in opposition to the commands of God, we should be ready to join with those who reprobate such appointments. But experience proves, that the appointment of seasons for the distinct consideration of particular subjects, has been productive of the greatest good; and that the more solemnly those seasons are devoted to the special purposes for which they are set apart, the more will humility, and every Christian grace, flourish in the soul. And, if the annual remembrance of an earthly deliverance was pleasing and acceptable to God, there can be no reasonable doubt, but that the annual commemoration of infinitely richer mercies (provided only that we guard against self-righteousness and superstition) must be pleasing to him also.] But these feasts derived a still greater importance from being,

II. Typical

[Two of the greatest events which ever happened from the foundation of the world, and which are the source and warrant of all our hopes, occurred on the days appointed for these feasts, and were typically prefigured by them.

• The two are spoken of precisely in this way, as equalled by each other, but by nothing else. Deut. iv. 32—35.

d Deut. xvi. 9, 12.

e 1 Kings xii. 33.