Not so however, with the attributes of holiness, justice, and mercy. Though they had been partially and abstractly revealed, there was not an object in the material universe which exemplified them, or set them before the mind in a tangible form. In the ceremonial law a medium was found to convey to the minds of the Jews an idea of these perfections. It served to exemplify and impress them, as the ́material universe did to exemplify and impress the Divine power, wisdom, and benevolence.

The holiness or moral purity of God was set forth in the ceremonial law. "In the outset, the animals common to Palestine were divided by command of Jehovah, into clean and unclean; in this way a distinction was made, and the one class in comparison with the other was deemed to be of a purer and better kind. From the class thus distinguished, as more pure than the other, one was selected to offer as a sacrifice. It was not only to be chosen from the clean beasts, but, as an individual, it was to be without spot or blemish. Thus it was in their eyes purer than the other class, and purer than other individuals of its own class. This sacrifice, the people were not deemed worthy, in their own persons, to offer unto Jehovah; but it was to be offered by a class of men who were distinguished from their brethren, purified, and set apart for the service of the priests office. Thus the idea of purity originated from two sources; the purified priest and the pure animal purified, were united in the offering of the sacrifice. But before the sacrifice could be offered, it was washed with clean water-and the priest had in some cases to wash himself, and officiate without his sandals. Thus, when one process of comparison after another had attached the idea of superlative purity to the sacrifice-in offering it to Jehovah, in order that the contrast between the purity of God and the highest degrees of earthly purity might be seen, neither priest, people, nor sacrifice was deemed sufficiently pure to come into his presence; but the offering was made in the court without the holy of holies. In this manner, by a process of comparison, the character of God in point of purity, was placed indefinitely above themselves and their sacrifices.

"And not only in the sacrifices, but throughout the whole Levitical economy, the idea of purity pervaded all its ceremonies and observances. The camp was purified-the people were purifiedeverything was purified and re-purified; and each process of the

ordinances was designed to reflect purity upon the others; until finally that idea formed in the mind and rendered intense by the convergence of so many rays, was by comparison, referred to the idea of God-and the idea of God in their minds, being that of an infinitely powerful and good Spirit, hence purity as a characteristic or attribute of such a nature, would necessarily assume a moral aspect, because it appertained to a moral being-it would become moral purity, or holiness. Thus they learned, in the sentiment of Scripture, that God was of too pure eyes to look upon iniquity."1

The justice of God was set forth in the ceremonial law. Justice is that attribute of the Divine character which determines his opposition to sin. The only way conceivable in which this opposition to sin can be exhibited is by the penalty to be inflicted upon the transgressor. A law-giver may be just, but we can have no proof of it until we see it in the penalties of his laws. In accordance with this constitution of things, the sacrificial rites of the Tabernacle constantly and most significantly set before the Jewish mind the fearful penalties for transgression. It was the business of each violator of the law to bring a sacrifice, and deliver it to the priest. to be slain. He was then to lay his hands upon its head, confess his crime, and thus by a form well understood to transfer to it his sins. The life of the sacrifice was then taken as a substitute for his own life. The ceremony and signification was the same in nearly all the bloody offerings. And while the sinner stood praying in the outer court, and beheld the dark volume of smoke ascending from the fire that consumed the sacrifice which was burning in his stead, he saw God's deep hatred of, and uncompromising opposition to sin in a light most terrible. He saw there that death was the very lightest penalty which Jehovah purposed to inflict upon the perpetrator of the slightest offense against him. He there read in symbols as significant as the flames and thunders of hell itself, that "God is just, and will by no means clear the guilty."

The mercy of God was also set forth in the ceremonial law. Mercy is that form of goodness which commiserates the suffering, and prompts to effort for their relief. It is plainly discernable in all the services of the Tabernacle. Though the rigid justice of God shone forth most prominently, yet the Jewish worshiper saw that God through them was to be rendered propitious, and that in view of the 'See "Philosophy of the plan of Salvation," page 75.

sacrifices offered, God was disposed to administer pardon to the guilty. In the services as well as the furniture of the Tabernacle, he saw that there was forgiveness with the Almighty. They represented to him a plan of salvation-a foundation for his hopes.Such then was the service of the ceremonial law in impressing and preserving right views of the Divine character.

3d. But it had another object-a great-a blessed object. It was to prefigure Christ, and redemption through his blood. Some writers in theology have ventured to question the typical nature of the ceremonial law; but it seems to me that they have in this manifested no little disregard to the plain language of the Holy Ghost, and no little unfairness in the management of argument. Nothing can be more explicit than the apostolic declaration, that these ordinances were shadows of good things to come. I have said that they are again and again called "patterns"-" figures"-"types" and "shadows." And it was altogether to be expected, that in an economy like that of the Jews something of a moral significance should attach to their bloody ordinances, and that something of the blessed Gospel should be exhibited to them even before its literal proclamation. But how this could be without giving to the services of the Tabernacle a typical character, I am totally unable to conceive. I lay it down then as a correct position, that the ceremonial law represented to the ancient Jews all the most prominent and important doctrines of the Gospel, and that this is one of the great ends for which it was designed.

It will be necessary for us in the next Lecture to take up the comparison between the affairs pertaining to the Levitical priesthood, and those pertaining to the christian; and to inquire into their rela tive value. That will bring up sufficiently to our view the points of resemblance between the services of the Tabernacle, and the mediatorial services of Jesus Christ. With such a prospect before us, I will dispense with several remarks which would otherwise be important in this connection.

We come then in the third place, to inquire into the real efficacy of the Tabernacle services, and wherein it consisted. The text affirms that they "could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." I do not conceive that we are to understand by this, that they were totally destitute of efficacy, or that they possessed in their typical relation no moral virtue. The

apostle in the 15th verse plainly declares that they had efficacy. The meaning is, that they were unable of themselves "to render the mind of the worshiper secure of pardon for sin, and to produce that quiet which was connected with a well grounded persuasion of this, and that moral purification which must accompany it." I believe that the devout Jews did receive salvation, real-complete salvation, by their attention to the Mosaic ritual. But their salvation was not procured purely by the virtue of these services; it was imparted only in view of that great work of mediation which they typified. Irrespective of what Christ did and suffered, there was no sort of power in them to procure the remission of sins. They were only efficacious as means of bringing truth to bear upon the heart and life. Their whole virtue in reference to the Jews rested in their adaptedness to teach those truths essential to salvation, and their power to impress them upon the heart. This is the true test by which their efficacy is to be tried.

For men to worship God intelligently in any way, it is necessary that they have some clear idea of his character. The way in which the ceremonial law exhibited the holiness, justice, and mercy of God I have just pointed out. It held up these views of the Divine character in a manner more striking and impressive than anything else in the world.

It is further requisite for the intelligent worshiper to have a clear understanding of his own character and relations. He must see his obligation to serve God. He must feel his disease before he will see his need of a physician. He must be conscious of his guilt and pollution before he can desire forgiveness and renovation. And he must then have some conception of the way in which he is to be pardoned and cleansed before he can feel quiet on the subject of his salvation. In meeting these necessities the ceremonial law was peculiarly efficacious. It not only told him in cold words that such was his character and condition, but it enacted the whole thing before his eyes. The oblations reminded him continually of his entire dependence upon God, and his consequent obligations to serve him. The sacrifices and washings set before him his guilt and pollution, and the way in which he was to be pardoned and cleansed. And these were daily-monthly--and yearly repeated. Nor can I con

Stuart in loc.

ceive of a way, which in that age and stage of society, could have so effectually impressed these truths upon his mind.

All the local and particular privileges and disabilities--promises and penalties of the law, exemplified those more general and significant truths relating to the spiritual interests of the entire world. The legal sacrifices, and their delivery of the offender from temporal death and the danger of being cut off from the congregation, denoted the redemption of Jesus Christ, and those invaluable privileges of life and blessedness which he has purchased for sinners. That temporal death which the law denounced, denoted that everlasting punishment to which the finally impenitent are exposed. And the outward admission to the service of the Tabernacle, denoted the spiritual privileges of access to God, as well in the present ordinances of the church, as in the future inheritance of glory. Through these symbolic exhibitions, the Jewish worshiper was enabled to rise to a conception of the truth sufficiently clear for all the purposes of his salvation. It was not the services which saved him; it was God and truth working through these services as subordinate

means.

Such then were the services of the Tabernacle-their naturetheir design-and their efficacy, which were "imposed until the time of reformation." The reformation here alluded to, was that grand re-modification and re-construction of the church of God made by Jesus Christ during his stay on earth. When this grand refor mation took place, the Tabernacle services became obsolete. They had then accomplished the whole end for which they were intended; and having become old and decrepid, they vanished into uselessness. Some in their blindness clung to them, and cling to them to the present moment; but the new state of things which the Savior introduced, so effectually superceded them, that all their force and significance was lost in the spiritual realities of the Gospel.

From what has now been said of the services of the Tabernacle and Temple, we may learn first, that God in the institution of or dinances of worship wisely and mercifully adapts them to the condition and circumstances of those for whose benefit they are intended. The idolatrous besetments of the Jews were all carefully provided against. The age in which they lived being comparatively a rude one, one in which men were not competent to grasp ideas without some living exemplification, God wisely made all

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