in all manner of converfation." If times, and places, and drefs, ferve as guards to virtue, if they preferve decency, and prevent vice, do they not answer a valuable and important purpose to mankind? In perfect conformity to this idea, the loftiest and most confpicuous article of the high-prieft's drefs, was a plate of pure gold, affixed with a blue lace to the fore front of the mitre, having engraved upon it this remarkable infcription, in order to be feen and read of all men: "Holiness to the Lord." Thereby the wearer became "as a city that is fet on a hill, which cannot be hid :”* and this bright memorial inceffantly, though filently, proclaimed to the eye, to the heart, to the confcience, "a holy God, a holy fervice, a holy minister, a holy people, a holy covenant." We accordingly obferve the ftricteft attention to external decorum run through the whole of this divine inftitution. The eye being one of the great avenues to the foul, guilt being the parent of fhame, and the dif penfations of the divine wifdom and mercy being adapted to the condition and character of men, as they are, depraved and degraded by fin, not as man was, pure and perfect from the hand of his Creator, the heart and confcience must be addreffed through the fenfes. The next moft obfervable and fignificant part of Aaron's drefs, was the fplendid breaft-plate, confifting of twelve feveral precious ftones fet in gold, infcribed with the names of the twelve tribes in their order; placed externally upon the feat of the heart, to keep forever alive, a tender concern about the whole Ifrael of God, to remind Aaron and his fons forever, that they were elevated to this high ftation, not for their own fakes merely, but to be a public benefit. It aimed at producing a moft important effect on three different forts of perfons, and was well calculated for this purpofe. It prefented unto God, according to his own ordinance, a memorial of his *Mat. v. 14: ~ covenant 1 covenant with Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, and their feed after them. It taught the high-prieft to confider the cafe of the people as his own, to regard them with impartial, undivided affection, to be watchfully attentive to their temporal, but especially to their fpiritual concerns, to wreftle and make fupplication in their behalf. It infpired the people with affection and gratitude to the man, whofe whole life and labours were devoted to their fervice, who watched for their fouls, who had renounced an earthly portion among his brethren, and all the gainful walks of life, to be fubfervient to their beft interefts. It formed a moft endearing bond of union between them who were adminiftred unto, and them who miniftred. It formed a most endearing bond of union among the tribes themfelves. Twelve gems of various complexions, fet in two different frames, compofed nevertheless but one breaft-plate; fo twelve tribes conftituted but one congregation, one church, one Ifrael. The lofs of any one must have marred and deftroyed the whole; tended to diminish its luftre, to impair its ftrength. It taught them to love as brethren the children of one father, the worfhippers of one God. It inspired confidence in the care and protection of that God. They faw their reprefentative bearing upon his heart, into the holy place, their names and their condition. They had the confolation of reflecting that their memorial would afcend to heaven, with the fweet perfume of that incenfe which he daily burned upon the golden altar. And the whole looked forward to the day, to the office, to the perfon, to the work of Him, of whom, and of whose body, the church, Ifaiah thus fpeaks in prophetic vifion: "But Zion faid, The Lord hath forfaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her fucking child, that fhe fhould not have compaffion on the fon of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my K a hands; hands; thy walls are continually before me :"* and who thus fpeaks of himfelf, "Those that thou gavest me I have kept. Holy Father, keep through thine own name thofe whom thou haft given me, that they may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they alfo may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou haft fent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be ́one, even as we are one: I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou haft fent me, and haft loved them, as thou haft loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou haft given me: for thou lovedft me before the foundation of the world;"t and of whom the apostle thus fpeaks, "Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea, rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alfo maketh interceffion for us." Hence christians are united in ftill dearer bonds, animated with fuperior confidence, fecured by a firmer and more durable covenant. Hence chriftian ministers are encouraged with greater boldness, with more ardent importunity, with more affured hope of fuccefs, to draw nigh to the throne of grace, as for themfelves, fo for finful and wretched creatures of every defcription. Under the gofpel difpenfation every hour is the hour of incenfe, every believer a minifter of the fanctuary, every individual, a name engraven upon the heart of the great "Apoftle and High-Priest of our profeffion," and recorded in "the Lamb's book of life, among the living in Jerufalem.” The other particulars of Aaron's official dress, we fall not now ftop to commemorate; partly, because * Ifa. xlix. 14-16. + John xvii. 12, 11, 21—24. we we have not a distinct idea of them, and partly, becaufe through fuch a thick cloud as time, change of manners, and the general difufe of the facred language have interpofed, it is difficult, if not impoffible, to dif cover their meaning and import, with reference to the evangelical difpenfation; in which great part of the beauty, excellency and usefulness of the Mofaic economy confifts. He The ceremonies of Aaron's inauguration, were in a high degree folemn and auguft. They were performed by Mofes himself, in the most public manner. Aaron and his fons were conducted to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, in the prefence of a public affembly called for the purpose; were stripped of their ufual garments, and washed with water. was then arrayed in the several parts of the facerdotal habit, in their order. The holy veffels of the fanctuary, and all its facred utenfils, were then, one after another, anointed with the holy oil of confecration; and, last of all, Aaron himself, the living inftrument of divine worship, was fet apart to his momentous charge, by a copious fprinkling of the fame facred perfume. That the favour of this odorous compound must have been extremely grateful to the fenfe, is evident from the lofty terms in which David fpeaks of it, and the fubject which he illustrates by it-" Behold, how good and how pleafant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the fkirts of his garments."* The fons were then invested with their proper habits, and a three-fold facrifice was performed a bullock for a fin-offering; a ram for a burnt-offering; and a fecond, denominated the ram of confecration. Without going into a minute detail, or pretending to explain the specific difference, ufe, and end of each, we obferve in general, that, by the ceremony of the impofition *Pfal. cxxxiii. 1, 2. impofition of Aaron's hands and thofe of his fons upon the head of the victim, a folemn with was expreffed, that their guilt might be transferred and imputed to the victim, and its blood accepted as a ransom for their forfeited lives. Here, then, was the innocent fuffering for the guilty; the fubftitute, not the criminal himfelf, bleeding and dying: fo that the very form of their confecration taught the neceffity of atonement, and pointed to Him whom " it pleased the Lord to bruife, and to put him to grief; and who was wounded for our tranfgreffions, was bruifed for our iniquities: the chaftifement of our peace was upon him; and with his ftripes we are healed."* The first of the three facrifices, or the fin-offering, feems to have been intended as a public and explicit acknowledgment of guilt, and the expiation of it. The second, that is, the burnt-offering, was the token of the divine favour towards them, and of his gracious acceptance of their perfons and fervices: and the third, the ram of confecration, part of which was eaten by the priests in the holy place, was the ratification of God's covenant of peace with them, and the emblem of perfect reconciliation and friendship; fitting at one common table being the most exprefs declaration of union and good will among men. God was pleased to exhibit a moft unequivocal proof of his being well pleased with the whole tranfaction; for when every thing was arranged according to the form prescribed in the mount, fire from the Lord feized and consumed the burnt-offering on the altar. The fin-offering Mofes burnt with material fire, without the camp; but the facred flame from heaven laid hold of the facrifice of pardon and acceptance. In vain do we look for the marks of grace and favour from above; infenfible must we be to the genial, penetrating flame of love, unless our repentings be kindled together. When we have been enabled to do our duty, then may we warrantably expect that God will appear for us. Ifai. liii. 5. |