pressive of the blood-shedding, dolors, pains, and griefs of Jesus Christ. This girdle tied or bound the linen coat fast to the body, and was expressive of the firmness of Christ's heart, and his readiness to accomplish the work of salvation. The robe of blue, which was a long garment put on this, was made of threads twelve times double, and the hole of it was woven at the beginning of the weaving; it had no sleeves, but was divided into two skirts; the neck of it was bound about with a collar that it might not be rent; ou the skirts of it were bells and pomegranates. The bells were of gold, to signify the purity and preciousness of the words of Christ; the pomegranates were symbolical of the comforts, blessings, and graces which are in Christ, and which he makes his church and people partakers of. The pomegranates were in number four-and-twenty, placed between the bells, so that there were a golden bell and a pomegranate alternately upon the hem of the robe round about. The pomegranates were made of blue, and purple, and scarlet, expressive that all the fruits of Christ's priesthood, would be the effect of his most precious blood-shedding. The pomegranates were very significant of saints, as receiving all their spiritual life, vigour, and grace from Christ. The care to weave and bind the robe of blue, that it might not rend, was expressive of the unity of the doctrine of Christ, and that his in the likeness of sinful flesh. The tabernacle being to be taken down and set up, as occasion required, might serve to point out how our Lord's body would be pulled down by death, and raised up again by his resurrection from the grave, and power of death. The tabernacle being all-glorious within, served to point out Christ, who though essentially and personally glorious, as one in the incomprehensible Jehovah, and as God-man, all fulness of grace and glory was inherently in him, yet it was suspended and concealed under and within the tabernacle of his earthy body. The fine linen sculptured curtains were emblematical of the immaculate purity and perfection of his human nature; which was prepared by the Father, framed and articulated by the Holy Ghost, and assumed by the only begotten Son of God into personal union, so that God and man became one Christ. The man and lion, and the lion and man united in the profile cherubic figure on the curtains of fine linen, were a memorial of the union of the Second Person in Jehovah, to the man Christ Jesus. The colours of blue, purple, and scarlet, with which the figures of the cherubs were wrought in the curtains, may be considered as expressive of the bloody sweat, the bleeding body, and the death of Christ. The several coverings might denote the protection and safety which Christ affords his church. The tabernacle was Jehovah's dwelling-place. It shadowed forth Christ's becoming incarnate, and tabernacling with his people. The tabernacle and its vails also were types of the body of Christ. The first vail or curtain, by which the priest entered into the holy place, was expressive of Christ, who is the way of access to God. Our Lord says of himself, "I am the door; by me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved." As the priest entered, he saw the golden candlestick, with its seven lamps; an exhibition of Christ, the light of everlasting life. Opposite to it was the table of shew bread, with the cups of frankincense; expressive of Christ, who bears up his people in remembrance before the Lord; he is always in his Father's presence on their behalf; he perfumes both their persons and services, so that they are a sweet perfume to God: Christ remembers his church and people with everlasting kindness. It was also expressive of Christ, the bread of everlasting life. The golden altar of incense was typical of Christ, the intercessor of his church. The curious vail or curtain, which parted the holy from the most holy place, was expressive of the body of Christ: it pointed out his flesh, as rent by death, to open a passage way into the holiest of all. The ark, mercy-seat, and cherubims of glory, were sacred records of the covenant transactions of the eternal Three; they were symbolical of Christ, who shoulders and breast. It shewed how the heart and power of Christ were deeply engaged, and truly interested in the salvation of his people. He loves them with a perpetual love: he bears them up, with all their concerns, by his invincible power. The stones on the shoulder pieces being precious, pointed out that the church is precious in Christ, and to him. The engraving the names of the children of Israel, like the engraving of a signet, on these stones, shewed the love and esteem Christ hath for his church; how firmly they are borne up by him; how he sustains them by his Almighty power; and keeps them up in everlasting remembrance before God. They shew also that Aaron was a figure of Christ, that the children of Israel represented all saints. The two onyx stones, square, and of equal size, pointed out the like dignity, and precious faith that all the elect have before God in Christ; also the power Christ hath over the whole church, with the presentation he makes of his people, as pure and holy, through his divine mediation, was hereby shewed forth that they are in everlasting remembrance before God, was in this figurative manner most freely declared. The breast-plate, so called, because it hung over the breast of the high priest, was a double piece of linen, of a span square, woven with blue, and purple, and scarlet colours; in it were placed ouches, or inclosures of gold, in which were fixed twelve precious jewels, in four rows: these stones were set in these ouches of gold just as a diamond is set in a ring. They were a sardine, a topaz, and a carbuncle; this was the first row. An emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond, was the second row. A ligure, an agate, and an amethyst, was the third row. A beryl, an onyx, and a jasper, was the fourth row. The breast plate had four rings of gold at the ends of it, and chains of wreathen gold were fastened to them; and the breast-plate was tied with a lace of blue to the rings of the shoulders of the ephod, and to the curious girdle of it, so as that it might remain over the breast of the high priest firm and steady. This sacred ornament was always to be on Aaron's heart in his ministration before the Lord. And thus as he bore their names on two stones of equal worth on his shoulders, so he bore them also on the breast-plate, to shew they were near his heart, deeply sculptured there, on twelve precious jewels, for a memorial before the Lord continually. The mitre of linen on the head of the high priest, which is sometimes stiled a bonnet, when the other mitres of the priests are mentioned, was a wrap of linen like a high pole cap, on which was fixed a plate of gold, which reached from ear to ear, on which was written, "Holiness to the Lord," and was worn by him in his minis |