that period genealogy was, as it were, broken into ten thousand fragments, the connexion and fucceffion of families were blotted out, as a thing of nought; and a new family was established on different principles, in endless fucceffion, all claiming and holding of this "first born among many brethren."

As Aaron is reprefented in the poffeffion of the most pleafing powers of fpeech, to foothe the woes of Ifrael, fo we fee him armed with a tongue, fharp as a twoedged fword, to imite and to break the pride of Pharaoh and of Egypt; and bearing a potent rod, endued with power to deliver or to deftroy. And in this the world is taught to refpect, to revere the weakest, meanest, most contemptible weapon, which the hand of Jehovah vouchfafes to use. Its virtue lies not in itself, but in the arm that wields it. Through the whole of the aftonishing transactions which follow, we find an exact order and method obferved. Aaron ufes not the rod at his own discretion, neither does God communicate his pleasure immediately to him; but the Lord gives the word to Mofes, who delivers it to Aaron, who follows the inftructions given him, And thus, by an example of the highest authority, we are inftructed, in obedience to an injunction given long after under another difpenfation," that all things be done decently and in order."

The next memorable event of Aaron's life, after affifting in the plagues of Egypt and the confequent deliverance of Ifrael, is his contributing to the defeat of Amalek, by aiding Hur in fupporting the weary hands of Mofes his brother upon the mount. To the obfervations already made on this part of the history, I have only to repeat and to urge upon your minds the reflection of the pfalmift, "Behold how good a thing it is," in every point of view, " and how pleafant, for brethren to dwell together in unity!"* By concord the weakest powers grow and stand: through difunion the strongest are diffolved and fall.

* Pfal. cxxxiii. I.

Aaron

Aaron and his two eldest fons, with feventy of the elders of Ifrael, by divine appointment, accompanied Mofes to the lower region of Mount Sinai, when he went up to meet God, in order to receive the civil and religious constitution of the ftate: and with them, as the federal heads and reprefentatives of the nation, the political union and covenant were ratified and confirmed. And this brings us forward to the eventful period of Aaron's hiftory, his folemn deftination to the office of priesthood, his preparation for it, and his inveftiture in it.

The appointment was of Heaven; for "no man tak. eth this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron :"* and even a king, in later times, who prefumed to thrust himself into the priest's office, paid the price of his rafhnefs, by a leprofy which cleaved to him till the day of his death. Take thou,” fays the great Source of all honour and authority, "take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his fons with him, from among the children of Ifrael, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's fons." It has been objected to Mofes, as a proof of a selfish and worldly fpirit, that he employed his authority, to perpetuate a ftation of the first dignity and emolument, in his own tribe and family, by the appointment of Aaron to the priesthood, and by the entail of it upon his pofterity forever. But fure. ly the objectors must have ftudied the cafe very fuperficially, The priesthood, though of high dignity, pof, feffed very flender emoluments, and ftill lefs authority, It fubjected the poffeffor of it to much painful attendance, to much laborious and much unpleasant fervice, confidered as a mere fecular employment. It was a poft, if of distinguished honour, fo of high refponfibility. But fuppofing it were as lucrative and honourable as it is alleged, why did not Mofes affume it to himfelf?

* Heb. v. 4.

† 2 Chron. xxvi, 16—21,

‡ Exod. xxviii. 1.

felf? Why did he pafs by his own fons? Why not secure the reverfion, at leaft, for his own children and their heirs? When a man has immediate defcendants of his own body, he is feldom folicitous about the aggrandifement of more diftant relations, especially to the prejudice of his own children. The conduct of Mofes, therefore, in the difpofal of this high office, on the fuppofition that he had a choice in the matter, is the reverse of felfith; it is generous and difinterested to the last degree. The dignity of magiftracy is, in his own life-time, communicated with Jofhua; and, at his death, is wholly transferred to him. The office of high-prieft is conferred upon Aaron, and made perpetual to his branch of the family; while the fons and defcendants of Mofes fink into the rank of private citizens, without the ftipulation of fo much as á foot of land, extraordinary, in Canaan, in confideration of their father's eminent fervices. Does this look like avarice and ambition? But the truth is, Mofes had no choice at all in the cafe, and prefumed to exercife none. God had declared his will, and that was fufficient to him, and will be fo to every good

man.

If we attend to fome lines in the character, and fome fteps in the conduct of Aaron, we fhall find more juft reafon of furprise at his appointment to this facred office. We behold him, at the very era of his appointment, an abettor of idolatry, and even after his instalment in it, we find him meanly and wickedly envying the diftinction which was put upon his meek and gentle brother, and, with his fifter Miriam, heading a revolt from his juft authority. But, alas were perfect men only to minifter before God, the altar muft foon be deferted. Were not finful men to be addreffed by finful men, the world muft fpeedily be deftitute of preachers. "But we have this treasure in earthen veffels, that the excelleney of the power may be of God, and not of us."*

# 2 Cor. iv. 7.

The

The defign of Providence, from the beginning, feems to have been, to convince the world that in every hand his work muft profper; that if he interpose, all instruments, the most inadequate, muft prove powerful, and fhall fucceed.

A few remarks on the particulars of Aaron's facred dress, the fervices in which he was employed, his folemn confecration to the performance of them, and the fubfequent events of his life up to the age of one hundred amd twenty-two, together with a curfory view of his typical importance, as the figure of the great High-Priest of our profeflion, fhall, with divine permiffion, furnish the fubject of the next Lecture. We conclude the prefent with earnestly exhorting

you,

-To be inftructed by the hiftory of Aaron to be gin to live betimes: if not to public obfervation, utility and importance, at least to the purposes of piety, and to the duties and virtues of the private man and of the citizen. He lived long in obfcurity, before he arofe into distinction, and was nurtured in the school of affliction, for station and eminence. And it is generally found that those persons fill high and difficult fituations moft refpectably, who arrive at them through painful ftudy, many obftacles and much op pofition. It was late, very late in life with him, be fore he began to appear on the great theatre: let none be thereby deluded into the vain, deceitful hope of living long. The inftances of a longevity fo vigorous, and fo extended, and fo diftinguished, are too rare to encourage any one to trifle with the season of improvement, to neglect the prefent hour, to prefume on a diftant, uncertain futurity. Old age, fhould you be one of the few who attain it, never can be fupported with dignity, nor enjoyed in comfort, if youth be wafted in diffipation, or permitted to ruft in ignoIn order to poffefs the vivacity and foundness of youth, under the preffure of years, a portion of the reflection, steadiness and compofure of age, must be

rance.

called

called in, to temper and direct the pursuits and enjoyments of early life.

-It is natural to be dazzled with the difplay of fhining talents, and to envy the poffeffor of them. But thefe, alfo, are the portion of only a favoured few. The eloquence of an Aaron is, perhaps, more rarely to be found, than a man of a hundred and twenty-two years old. Covet, then, and cultivate the virtues which are attainable by all, and are in themselves infinitely more valuable than the gifts which are bestowed more fparingly, which do not always prove a bleffing to their owner, and are not always accompanied with true goodness, which alone is in the fight of God of great price. Has an indulgent Providence, however, diftinguished you by those rarer accomplishments, which lead to fame, to honour, to usefulness? See that you bury them not, pervert them not, abuse them not. Ability, unfupported by worth, by moral excellence, only renders a man more odious and contemptible, as well as more dangerous, more mifchievous and criminal. He is refponfible both to God and man, for the use or abuse of his fuperior powers; and to be confpicuously criminal and wretched, is a dreadful aggravation of guilt and mifery. "Covet earnestly the best gifts :" and yet it were easy to fhew unto you "a more excellent way." If you know it, happy are you if you purfue it.

History