the death of Christ (ver. 3). The ark, with the law within it, and the mercyseat above it, were placed within the Holy of Holies, to represent to us, that the law of God, and communion with God, are the two chief blessings from heaven, which give the highest happiness to the spirit of man. Moses next set up in the Holy Place the table of shewbread, the golden candlestick, and the altar of incense. All this implied, that the soul which would hold communion with God in the Holy of Holies, whether on earth or in heaven, must eat the bread of life, be illumined by the light of the spiritual Church of God, and offer also the prayers of the heart; which are as the fragrant incense of the soul before its Maker. Moses then set up the altar of burnt-offering, which represented both the sacrifice of Christ, and the sacrifice also of the lusts, and passions, and corrupt affections of the heart, before the soul can offer, through faith in Christ, the incense of prayer; or walk in the light of the golden candlestick; or partake rightly of the bread of the sacrament; or understand the law of God, and enter into communion with Him. Below the altar of burnt-offering Moses placed the brazen laver, as the type, not only of the baptism of the body, but of purity of intention, which is the washing of the Holy Spirit; and which is to continue as the foundation, or beginning, of all spiritual life. When all this was done, every thing was to be anointed with oil, to denote that the unction of God's Holy Spirit must rest on all the services we engage in; on all our thoughts, words, and works, if we would be rightly consecrated to God. Moses then solemnly set apart Aaron and his sons, clothing them in their robes of honour, anointing them, and sanctifying them for an everlasting priesthood. This type also is no less. instructive. It teaches us that we also ought spiritually to be the priests of the everlasting covenant; clothed with the righteousness of Christ; anointed with the graces, and cleansed and purified by the washing of the regenerating, renewing, comforting Spirit of God. This was the completing of the tabernacle, and its furniture; and then the glory of God rested upon it. And this must be the setting up in the wilderness of the tabernacle of the body, soul, and spirit of man, that the glory of God may rest upon him. Now the account of the setting up of the tabernacle in this Section begins, where the spiritual perfection of the Christian ends. If you will examine any drawing, or representation of the tabernacle, you will see the seven chief things, which I have here mentioned, to be placed in this order. The tabernacle is placed in the wilderness. On passing through the door of the outer court of the tabernacle, we go up to the brazen altar, and then to the brazen laver. From these we proceed to the door of the Holy Place, where we see the altar of incense, the golden candlestick, and the table of shewbread. From these we go on to the Holy of Holies, where we see the ark, and the mercy-seat, with the outspread wings of the cherubim of glory. And such as this tabernacle was, our human nature ought to be.—We are to go up out of the wilderness of a fallen and sinful world.-We are to proceed from faith in Christ, to sacrifice, or to crucify the flesh, with its affections and lusts, to be washed at the laver of regenerating sanctification.—We then proceed to the altar, whence our prayers for purity of intention, and praise for mercy, are to ascend as the incense, to be illumined by the lamp of the candlestick of the Spiritual Church, and to partake of the true shewbread, "the bread which cometh down from heaven." From this holy place we go on to the mercy-seat, where we commune with God, and delight to listen to His words of grace to the soul. When we have thus set up the tabernacle, then the presence of God, the glory from above, rests upon us, to prepare us for our removal to the next stage of our journey through the wilderness of life. And as the tabernacle was consecrated every day by sacrifice in all its stations, and set up anew after its several removals; so with us, daily, morning and evening, the sacrifice of Christ should be contemplated; and the sacrifices of ourselves, our souls and bodies, should be renewed. And as the tabernacle was set up after its several removals, with the same care as it was placed at first in the wilderness; so also ought it to be with us, as we go on in the journey of life through the wilderness, to the spiritual Canaan, from birthday to birthday; from new year's day to new year's day, when the civil year begins; or from Advent Sunday to Advent Sunday, when the new year of the Church begins. We should renew our spiritual life; and dedicate and consecrate ourselves, in body, and soul, and spirit, to God. Thus should we set up again and again in the wilderness of this world, the tabernacle of our whole threefold nature; when this is done, then shall the presence of God come down, and rest upon us; to guide us through this wilderness by His counsel; and, after that, to be with us in His heavenly glory. BEFORE CHRIST 1491. EXODUS XL. 1 And the LORD spake 6 And thou shalt set the 2 On the first day of the ch. 12. 2. & a first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 13. 4. b ver. 17. & ch. 26. 1, 30. < ver. 21. ch. 26. 33. Numb. 4. d ver. 22. ch. 26. 35. e ver. 23. b 7 And thou shalt set BEFORE CHRIST 1491. ver. 30. 3 And thou shalt put the laver between the tent ch. 30. 18. therein the ark of the tes- of the congregation and timony, and cover the ark the altar, and shalt put with the vail. water therein. 4 And thou shalt bring 8 And thou shalt set up in the table, and set in the court round about, and ch. 25. 30. order + the things that are hang up the hanging at the court gate. Lev. 24. 5, 6. der thereof. ver. 24, 25. + Heb. the or- to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and ianoint the tabernacle, and ch. 30. 26. all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. 10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offer BEFORE CHRIST EXODUS XL. ing, and all his vessels, and nacle, and put the covering sanctify the altar: and it of the tent above upon it; *ch. 29. 36, shall be an altar † most as the LORD commanded 37. + Heb. holiness of holi nesses. Lev. 8. 1-13. holy. Moses. [SECT. BEFORE CHRIST 1490. 11 And thou shalt anoint 20 And he took and the laver and his foot, and put Pthe testimony into Pch. 25. 16. sanctify it. the ark, and set the staves 12 1And thou shalt bring on the ark, and put the Aaron and his sons unto mercy seat above upon the the door of the tabernacle ark: of the congregation, and 13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garm ch. 28. 41. ments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the 4 ch. 26. 33. & covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 35. 12. 22 And he put the ch. 26. 35. table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. S 15 And thou shalt anoint 23 And he set the ver. 4. anointing shall surely be 24 commanded Numb. 25. an everlasting priesthood candlestick in the tent of And he put the ch. 26. 35. throughout their genera- the congregation, against the table, on the 13. BEFORE CHRIST 1490. 。 ver. 1. tions. over 16 Thus did Moses: ac- side of the tabernacle 17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was Numb. 7. 1. reared up. 18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. 27 And he burnt sweet ch. 30. 7. a 28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. A ver. 5. b 19 And he spread abroad BEFORE CHRIST 1490. &c. BEFORE CHRIST 1490. 1 Kings 8.11. the door of the tabernacle vered the tent of the conof the tent of the congre- gregation, and the glory of ch. 29. 38, gation, and offered upon the LORD filled the taberit the burnt offering and nacle. the meat offering; as the 35 And Moses h was not h Lev. 16. 2. LORD commanded Moses. able to enter into the tent 30 And he set the laver of the congregation, bebetween the tent of the cause the cloud abode congregation and the altar, thereon, and the glory of and put water there, to the LORD filled the taberwash withal. nacle. d ver. 7. ch. 30. 18. 2 Chron. 5. 14. & 10. 11. neyed. 19-22. 31 And Moses and Aa- 36 And when the cloud Numb.9. 17. ron and his sons washed was taken up from over Neh. 9. 19. their hands and their feet the tabernacle, the chilthereat : dren of Israel † went on- + Heb. jour32 When they went into ward in all their journeys: the tent of the congrega- 37 But if the cloud Numb. 9. tion, and when they came were not taken up, then near unto the altar, they they journeyed not till the *ch. 30. 19, washed; as the LORD day that it was taken up. commanded Moses. 38 For the cloud of the 'ch. 13. 21. 33 And he reared up LORD was upon the taberthe court round about the nacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, 20. f ver. 8. ch. 27.9, 16. *ch. 29. 43. Lev. 16. 2. e Numb. 9. 15. tabernacle and the altar, 2 Chron. 5.13. the court gate. So Moses throughout all their jour & 7.2. Isai. 6. 4. Hag. 2. 7, 9. finished the work. 34 Then a cloud co neys. Numb. 9. 15. PRAYER. LET US PRAY, that we daily devote and dedicate ourselves, our souls and bodies, as holy temples to the Lord; that we solemnly renew our covenant on the commemoration of our birthdays, and on the return of our new years; that we remember the sacrifice of Christ, and offer the sacrifice of our hearts in the faith that "worketh by love;" that we be sanctified by the Spirit of the living God; that our prayers ascend as the incense;" that we walk in the light of the Holy Scriptures; that we commune with God at the altar and table of our Lord; till our souls be admitted to the true Holy of Holies, in heaven. 66 ALMIGHTY GOD, and Heavenly Father, who hast placed us in this wilderness of life, and commanded us to devote and dedicate to Thee ourselves, our souls and bodies; so grant us Thy grace, that we may daily remember Thy great mercies and Thy holy covenant. As Thy people Israel were commanded to set up the tabernacle in the wilderness on the first day of the first month of the year, so may we on the return of each year of this our mortal life, which Thy Providence shall continue to us; still more earnestly and solemnly renew before Thee the vows of our baptism, the prayers of our repentance, the profession of our faith, and the remembrance of all Thy mercies, in secret and heartfelt dedication of body, soul, and spirit, to Thy glory. May we grow in grace, as we grow in years! O Lord VOL. II. PART V. B b of life and death, and of all things pertaining to them, such as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness, to Thy care alone we impute our preservation, till the return of the beginning of another year. Look down upon us, in the continuance of Thy mercy. Grant us the pardon and forgiveness of all the sins of the past. Renew in us whatever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the tempter to evil, by the frailness of our nature, or by the perversity of our wills. Forasmuch as we put our whole trust in Thy mercy, impute not unto us our former sins; but strengthen us by Thy Spirit, that our returning birthdays may be to us the beginning of days, the commencement of a new season of holy repentance, of increasing faith, of stedfast hope, of self-devotion. and self-dedication to Thee. Restore, and continue, and build up within us, the remembrance of the love of Christ to the souls of men. Thou, of Thy tender mercy, didst give Thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; there to make a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world, and for our sins, numerous and aggravated as they have been in Thy sight, O merciful Father. May we earnestly desire, and long to be more and more set apart to Thy glory! Sanctify us wholly. Give us Thy grace to rule our motives and our actions. Give us Thy peace within; that love, and joy, and hope, and trust in Thy mercy, may dwell in our hearts and souls. As the incense was burnt in Thy tabernacle, and in Thy temple; so may fervent prayer, and grateful praise, rise up as the fragrant incense from the altar of our souls. As the light of the golden candlestick shone in the holy place of Thy tabernacle upon earth; so may our hearts and souls, our affections and our reason, be ever enlightened with the light of Thy holy word, and with the teaching of Thy blessed Spirit. As the priests in Thy tabernacle did eat of the shewbread of Thy holy place, grant us, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by His body, and our souls washed through His most precious blood; that we may evermore dwell in Him, and He in us. Pour down upon us the spirit of peace and comfort, that we may know, and be assured, that we are the very members incorporate in the mystical body of Thy Son; and heirs, through hope, of a better and more perfect communion with Thee in Thine everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of Thy dear Son. So assist us with Thy grace, that we continue in that holy fellowship; and that we do all such good works, as Thou hast prepared for us to walk in. Now, even now, O Lord our God, may we begin such peaceful, holy union of soul and spirit with the Spirit of Thee, the living God, that we be ready, whenever Thy good Providence shall see fit to call us away from earth, to meet Thee at Thy mercy-seat, in the true Holy of Holies-the heaven of heavens. There may we live for ever, with the "innumerable company of angels, with the spirits of the just made perfect, with Christ the Mediator of the new covenant, and with Thee the Judge of all." Hear us, O most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee; and accept our imperfect petitions, which we offer to Thee, not in our own name, but in the Name and words of Thine only Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ. There assure us of Thy favour and grace towards us. Our Father, &c. The grace of our Lord, &c. |
