paratus might be necessary for the transaction of their business. This was indeed, substituting desecration for dedication. When Christ had with a scourge of small cords, driven the factors out of the temple; and removed all that belonged to them, he said, as St. John has recorded it, Make not my Father's house an house of merchandise; and as St. Matthew has recorded it; with reference, as it is thought, to another time, It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.

As the temple was the house of worship for the nation of Israel, it must be obvious to every one, that all the people could not assemble in it, as we might in our houses of worship, and be together, at least, one day in every week; and therefore that the worship of that people, must be, circumstantially, different from any thing in which we are ever engaged. If we would understand the language of the text, we must consult other scriptures which relate to the same subject.

The lamp was always kept burning in the tabernacle of the congregation; and the sons of Aaron, according to their courses, and by lot, attended constantly, day and night, to supply it with oil; and to trim it; and to offer the appointed sacrifices; morning and evening; attended with the burning of incense. The lamp was kept burning to show, that the light of religion cannot be extinguished. The daily sacrifices represented the sacrifice of Christ, and the incense the prayers of the saints; and both the incense, and the sacrifices, were presented at the same time, to teach the people, that they could have access to God only through a Mediator.

Thus the temple service was performed, every day, by the stationary men, or representatives of the people; and it is to be presumed, that others, more or less, according to circumstances, took their proper place and joined in the worship, by offering up their prayers. We have an account of a multitude of people who were praying without at the time of incense, when an angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias. Men, and women, both, attended, for we are told of Simeon, and Anna. He was waiting for the conso

lation of Israel; and doubtless, she was likewise, for she departed not from the temple, but served God, with fastings and prayer, night and day.

At the passover, the pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles, all the males, who were able, were required to be present at Jerusalem, from every part of the country, with their various oblations; and lest they should be afraid that some enemy might take advantage of their absence to invade their country, this remarkable promise was given them. Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God, thrice in the year. Though the command, in this matter, respected only the male part of the population, women were not prohibited, but they were probably, left to govern their conduct in the affair, as circumstances should render expedient. It is said of Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus, that they, went to Jerusalem every year, at the feast of the passover, Other women as well as Mary, it is to be presumed, attended the passover, and the other great feasts; and the concourse must have been very great, made up of persons of different ages, and sexes.

Beside the daily service of the temple, performed by those who were present; and the worship of such as gathered together at the feasts; it is to be observed, that the hours for offering the sacrifices, and burning the incense, being stated hours, were well understood throughout the land, and these hours all the people could set apart, for their own devotional exercise, keeping in mind what was going on at the temple.

In his prayer, at the dedication of the temple, Solomon made particular mention of the case of such persons as might be remote from the central place of worship, whether within the bounds of their country, or in captivity in some foreign land; and required, that their prayers might be heard, and answered when they presented them, looking towards Jerusalem, and the temple. Some hundreds of years subsequent to this period, Daniel, who was among the captives in Babylon, notwithstanding Jerusalem, and the temple, were destroyed, from motives, not of superstition, but of duty, daily opened his windows towards Jerusalem,

when he offered up his prayers. This shows that he had regard to the place which God had appointed for his worship, and that he understood the typical meaning of the sacrifices, and of the incense.

Though the burning of the incense stands as a distinct article in the text, it will be seen, that the consideration of it has been necessarily anticipated, and, that in the few things that have been said about it, it has been blended with other parts of the temple worship.

We come now to take notice of the continual shew bread. The shew bread was made into twelve loaves, containing each, two tenth deals or about six pints of flour; and these loaves, with frankincense upon them, were placed in two rows, upon a table made for the purpose of Shittim wood, and overlaid with pure gold. The frankincense was burned upon the altar; but the bread stood from one Sabbath to another; new loaves supplying the places of the old ones, and those which were removed weekly, being eaten by the priests in the holy place.

This was the appointment of God, and doubtless it was intended to convey important instruction to his people, in every age. The Israelites might learn from it their consecration to God; and be reminded, that one generation must pass away for another to come on, as the loaves were changed every week, upon the table.

As this, however, is but a general account of the typical intention of the shew bread, some more particular observations may not be amiss.

The number of loaves was twelve, and the number of tribes was twelve; and this circumstance was to show, that salvation is great and free, and that the provision made by the grace of God, is sufficient for all who stand in need. God, in the exercise of his sovereignty, made distinctions among the tribes of Israel; but if one tribe was more honored than another with respect to some things all were treated alike in this, that they had the offer of pardon and of eternal life, upon exactly the same terms. Thus the proof was before the eyes of the people, that when sinners die in their sins, they go to destruction of their own choice.

This bread was placed in the temple, to represent to the people, that if they would have their souls fed, they must

go to the temple for the means of spiritual sustenance, or when their circumstances rendered this impracticable, their thoughts must be there; and they must send their prayers to heaven, with reference to the place to which they could not go themselves. As it is a common thing for proud sinners to plead by way of excuse for the neglect of public worship, that an omnipresent God can have no regard to one place more than to another, and, that all places are equally advantageous for the performance of his service, particular directions were given upon this subject long before the temple was builded, and they may be found in the twelfth chapter of Duteronomy. The service of God, however, is reasonable. Nothing is required but what can be performed and therefore an exempt case is provided for in the eleventh chapter of Ezekiel, Thus saith the Lord God, Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary, in the countries where they shall come.

The shew bread was always upon the table, that the people might understand that the Lord had never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. The deceitful heart will often suggest, that though benefit may sometimes be derived from attending upon public worship, the case may be so circumstanced, that no good can be expected. The weather may not be favorable; the distance may be too great; our apparel may be too homely, or what is exhibited may be wanting in ingenuity, or not be attended with the wisdom of words. But if the Sabbath was made for man, who has a right to say, that no profit may be expected from the observance of it? Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God.

The table of shew bread was every sabbath covered with new loaves, to teach men, that religion, to all who are possessed of it, is a new thing continually, whatever attainments they may make, and, that those who make dependance upon joys that are past, instead of forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forth unto those which are before, are indulging themselves in quite erroneous, and dangerous calculations.

It was not lawful for any but the priests to eat the shew bread; and as their office required that they should be distinguished for holiness, however otherwise it might be with them, was not the law respecting this matter, intended, among other things, to impress it upon the mind of every one, that holiness is essential to salvation, and, that those who are not holy cannot partake of its joys?

If what has now been said explanatory of the meaning of the shew bread, should be thought in any thing to be incorrect, let me be pardoned, as no commentator whom I have had opportunity to consult, very particularly points out what it was. The shew bread, undoubtedly was of great typical signification, and we may be sure of deriving some instruction from it, if we seriously and closely attend to it.

Next to the shew bread, we find Solomon spoke of the burnt offerings. Burnt offerings were accompanied with meat offerings, and drink offerings; and what was presented was wholly consumed upon the altar. The entire consumption of the offering upon the altar, was to show the people their entire dependance upon God for every good thing; and, that they ought to make a surrendry of whatever they possessed to his disposal. They might learn from it likewise, that it was of the Lord's mercies, that they were not consumed themselves, as their offerings were burned up before their eyes upon the altar; and that their guilt must be punished with destruction in their own persons, unless atoned for, by one who should suffer in their stead.

These offerings were to be presented daily, morning, and evening, and doubled upon the sabbaths, new moons, and other solemn feasts. It is not necessary to name all the feasts of the Lord which were solemnly enjoined, and to point out the end for which they were severally intended.

We have now taken a summary view of the things contained in the passage before us, and we may see, that the worship of the temple was a solemn approach of the people to God, and attended in every part of it, with an important typical signification.

The ancient dispensation continued its appointed time, and answered well the purposes for which it was intended.