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and burning it on the fire of the altar, ought thus to think within himself, that he deserved to have the fame thing, and the fame treatment acted upon himself, unless God in his mercy had been pleased to accept an expiation for his foul." This fentiment Outram on facrifices adopts; and almoft the "whole tribe of writers on the nature, end and defign of facrifices under the law. But this opinion destroys the leffon taught, which was this: God will as furely abolish the flesh and blood of the offender by the blood of the lamb and his fire, as he does now the fin-offering reprefenting man in the coat of skins, or the beaflial nature Adam brought all men into. And the rite of ftripping off the fkin, pouring the blood at the bottom of the altar, as unworthy of union with the typical lamb, and his perpetual fire, looked back at Adam clothed with the coat of fkins; looked at the circumcifion of the flesh, and the woman of unclean blood, the humbling teftimony of the law against flesh and blood of all mankind. The evangelical deftruction of it appeared at Pentecofte, as a pledge of what the precious blood and holy fire of the true lamb will do for all nations in the end. We must therefore look for Benjamin, and the altar of fanctifying fire

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on

*The Jewish writers contend, that the tribe of Benjamin entered firft the red-fea, leading the way in that typical deliverance of the firft-born; and under their wings, of all the other children, and the

on mount Zion; and in that portion of the new heavens and new earth, where the everlasting city and temple of the Lord God and the lamb are established on high: and from which throne, or judgment feat

of

mixed multitude that went out of Egypt, when the firft-born of their enemies were flain, and foon after, Pharoah, the king and head was destroyed with all his hoft in the fea of Suph, that is, of the end, or deftruction of the enmity, or evil one. 2dly, The jasper ftone, which was the laft under the law, becomes the first foundation of the new Jerufalem: and here the little and despised one rifes into precedence over the others. 3dly, As this ftone reflects various colours, and is faid to contain male and female in its fpecies; it bears reference to the robes of the high-prieft, and to the fir principle which has heaven and earth, active and passive virtues in one. 4thly, This ftone, as moft precious, defcribes him who fat on the throne, to be like a jafper. And the light of the holy Jerufalem, having the glory of God, was like unto a ftone moft precious, even like a jafper, and clear as cryftal; and the building of the wall was of this ftone, as most beautiful in its colours, and Jadiance. Hence Benjamin is the laß-generation, and the beel, or finishing of the whole person of the Meffiah, as the fpiritual Jews write. The heel is the kingdom, or the last glory among the degrees of the fupreme world; for as that finishes the edifice of the body, fo does this fignify Malcuth, or the completion of the azilutical world. The Jews understood the head of the Meffiah to be hid in the darkness of the holy of holies: his breaft to be in the holy place in the feven burning fpirits; and his feet to reff on the altar of brass. This correfponds to his hairs, being white like wool, white as fnow, who walks amidst the feven golden candlefticks, and is called like unto the fon of mar: his feet were like unto polished brass, as if they burned in a furnace. This last part thews the altar of brass, where his feet trod down to duff and ashes fins and trefpaffes, a pledge of fubduing all peoples, the whole

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of fire, proceed thunderings, lightenings and voices, earthquake, and great hail; the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Allelujah, for the Lord God almighty reigneth. Rev. iv. 5— xix. 6. all of these expreffions in the dispensation of mount Zion, carry in the fpirit a bleffing died in the blood, with a coal of living fire from the everlafting altar of him, who washes us from our fins, and from all filthinefs of flesh and spirit in his fountain flowing from his fide, and never shutting its ftream from his enemies. There is Judah, their

creation by his omnipotent fire under the foles of his feet. And as this son of man, and the Ancient of Days are so one, as to form one prieft and king, as far as the head of the high-prieft to the golden plate, where the junction of the Ancient of Days with this fon conftituted that unity which is called one; fo agreeably to a rule established among the intelligent Hebrews, falvation is ascribed, fometimes to the Lord God, and fometimes to Messiah, his fervant. And as hofeph afcends according to his bleffing above his prògenitors, he makes room for the return of Dan, the serpent in the way, an adder in the path, who has no gate, nor portion in the new Jerufalem, though he had in Ezekiel's temple and land. For all judgment and curse is not removed, as all things are not healed under that difpenfation. But all curse and evil is purged out under that of John's temple and city by the fire from heaven; and therefore his name, Dan, or judgment, is no more found; and JhoTeph brings home this rebel, Ephraim, of old time, that love may have its bigbeft conqueft; and that they, to whom much will be forgiven, may love moft. Saul is his type; and the Jews now ftand in his figure for that extraordinary grace promised in Rom. xi. 32.

ruler:

ruler: their purple by Leufden; their stone by Calmet; as a ftone for a ruler in Gen. xlix. 24. according to Ainfworth. It must then be understood of the purple ftone, which in the judgment of the ancient Jews comprehends all colours in its refractions, and bears allufion to the purple in the robes of the high-prieft, and in the rich veil embroidered with cherubs, dividing the two holy places: Fudak preceded the whole camp of Ifrael in the defert, as chief leader in thofe typical journeys: 2dly, Of this tribe according to the flesh, from a poor virgin of the fallen house and lineage of David, was the Meffiah to take a body of the form of a flave, made in likeness of the flesh, of fin, and for fin to condemn it in his own flesh, as the curfe and evil, and fin of the world from Adam's offence. Rom. viii. 3. 2 Cor. v. 21. 3dly, Out of this tribe our Lord chofe James, and his brethren. Gal. i. 19. A&ts i. 14. 4thly, It is faid of this tribe, O Judah, thy brethren shall confefs unto thee: thy hand (shall be) in the neck of thy enemies. The fons of thy father fhall bow down themselves unto thee. Judah is the whelp of a lion: from the prey, my son, thou art afcended: he bowed down, he couched as a lion, even as an old lion: who fhall stir him up? The Scepter fhall not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and to him fhall the gathering of the nations be. Binding the afs's colt unto the vine, and the fole of an afs to the choice vine: he wafheth his garment

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in wine, and his clothing in the blood of grapes. More red his eyes than wine: more white his teeth than milk. Let it be observed, that great privileges were given to this tribe. The prince or head of it made the first oblation at the dedication of the firft altar erected in Numb. vii. 11, 12. from the fpoils and treasures of the Egyptians, in the myftery, the treasures of Babylon, the kingdom of fallen angels. 2dly, He went first in battle in Judges xx. 18. 3dly, The firft judge under the theocracy, before any king of Ifrael was demanded, was selected from this tribe to fave Ifrael from the king of Mefopotamia. Judg. iii. 9. 4thly, God chofe David from this tribe to conquer all the nations put under the curfe; and to raise up Solomon, the prince of peace, and the builder of the typical temple to continue for an age. Pfal. lxxviii. 68. For God has deftroyed that houfe, and mountain of Zion more than 35 jubiles in the eyes of the remnant of this tribe, and of Benjamin's too. 5thly, This tribe was dignified with the virgin, who gave body made under the law of fin, and therefore unclean for the imputed finner, the Meffiah, to appear in; to fuffer death, and then raife and glorify it as a tree of life, the leaves whereof are to be food for the healing of the nations. Rev. xxii. 2. Gen, ii. 9. Ezek. xlvii. 12. For the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David in fpirit, or in his ancient generation, has prevailed. He lay down his life

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