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the encamped church of Israel, from this description. Their foursquare situation being the emblem of unity and strength, on each side appeared standing forward a particular ensign: thus, on the East a Lion, on the West an Ox, on the North an Eagle, and on the South a Man. Let us compare this with John's remarkable vision of the appearance of the church, as described Rev, iv. In the first place, the glorious throne of God is set before us, with Him that sat on it; verses 1, 2, 3.) 2dly, The twenty four elders on their seats, corresponding with the twenty-four courses of the priests, which sat round about the tabernacle; (verse 4.) 3dly, Round about the throne four beasts or rather living creatures, which are thus described in verse 7,-" And the first living creature was like a lion; (Judah's ensign;) and the second living creature was like a calf; (Ephraim's ensign;) and the third living creature had the face of a man; (Reuben's ensign;) and the fourth living crea. ture was like a flying eagle; (Dan's ensign.) We are then told that each of these living creatures had six wings, &c. verse 8 As there were three tribes under each ensign, and every tribe had his two wings or sides, no description can be more exact, or more plainly shew that these living creatures correspond with the church of the living God, who rest not day and night, worshipping him who liveth for ever and ever. We have been the more particular in tracing this similarity, because not a few of those who may read these pages have been accustomed to consider the four living creatures, according to the Hutchisonian system, as emblems of the Trinity connected with the manhood of Jesus Christ. We shall not stop at present to controvert this opinion, (which the undeniable reference to the church encamped in the wilderness plainly refutes,) and will only add, that to apply the term creature to the Creator, or put such worship into the mouth of Him who is Himself the sole object of worship, is worse than absurd. The same reference will be found to the Cherubim, Ezek. i. 10. which will be more particularly noticed in its proper place.

But it may now be enquired, what do these four faces or appearances on the four ensigns of the church represent? We apprehend that the only standard or ensign of the church is Jesus Christ himself, or the Truth concerning him. Referring to this, we find the prophet Isaiah says, " And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand for an ensign of the people." Isai. xi. 10. In like manner we find the church saying, "We will triumph in thy salvation; and in the name of our God we will set up THE BANNER,” Psalm xx. 5.--the name or character of their God as the banner of the church. The leading Banner, or rather the leading sign of the banner eastward, towards the sun rising, was the lion; and no sign could be more justly emblematical of the Captain of our salvation, who leads the armies of the Living God. After his resurrection from the dead, John saw him taking upon him the Glorious Office of the Ensign of his people: in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the four living creatures, he appeared as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This very phrase evidently refers to him

as the banner of Judah. The Man, the Ox, and the Eagle, will readily occur to our readers as fit emblems of the characters of the Son of God as the Leader and Commander of the people. It was as a Man that he undertook that office. Whether the Ox points to the hieroglyphical use made of that animal, or rather to the blood of his offering, it is equally characteristic. And lastly, the Eagle, as expressive of the fulness of the spirit: These figures we propose to take another opportunity of examining more minutely.

Having thus traced some general outline of what we consider to be the important design of this encampment, we shall shortly no. tice some few particulars of lesser importance Eastward, towards

the sun-rising is considered as the foremost or principal station, as west is considered as what is behind. The south is called the right side of the world, Psalm lxxxix. 13. and the north is called the left; all which Job describes by these names, chap. xxiii. 8, 9. Judah was the foremost or leading tribe; and thus in their marches Judah went foremost, Num. x. 14. In like manner, after Joshua's death, Judah went first up against the Canaanites, Judges i. 1. Issachar and Zabulon were younger brothers, of Leah, the figure of the Jewish church, of whom came Christ, the true Judah, according to the flesh, who is blessed for evermore.

CHAP. III. We have seen the tribe of Levi consecrated to the service of the Lord, in the room of the first born. They were not reckoned among the other tribes, for the purpose of exhibiting another figure of God's redeemed church, all whose robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb, and consecrated as priests to God. They were the servants of the Most High God in a particular sense. In this and the following chapter we have the numeration of the Levites, and their order in administration. They were to be numbered from a month old, yet they were not admitted to serve till 30 years of age nor after 50. It is noticeable that Jesus himself began to be about 30, when he entered on his ministry. Aaron's four sons were consecrated to minister; but Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, of which see chap. xxvi. In verse 9, the tribe of Levi is said to be given to Aaron, in the same sense as is explained, Eph. iv. 8. And he gave some Apostles," In verses 12 and 13, we have the ground of the separation of the tribe of Levi to their office; and it may be added that the solemn authority by which they are set apart, "And I, behold I have taken the Levites," will remind of Paul's words, "and no man taketh this honour unto himself, unless called of God."

&c.

HERE ENDS THE MANUSCRIPT OF

J. M.-BORN, DEC. 13, 1762-DIED, FEB. 20, 1809.

A word fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Prov. xxv. 11. A proverb or parable, is, in its letter or surface, like a net-work of silver: it is beautiful:-But its spirit, or treasure, concealed behind this picture, or lattice work, is still more precious and gloricus,-yea, like apples of gold!

ماه

THE FOLLOWING IS BY ANOTHER HAND.

In the 12th and 13th verses, we are farther informed that the Levites were taken instead of the first born, and that they were hallowed to the Lord on the day that the first-born of the Egyp tians were smitten. It is very observable how the divine promises were gradually opened out. Every fresh revelation was, in general, a farther illustration of some preceding promise. The gospel was ushered in by the promise of a Saviour in the seed of the woman, and it was soon understood that this seed should be a first-born; but it was not soon known, apparently, that this first-born should proceed from a virgin, otherwise the women would not have been prompted to unlawful connection with men of the line, who they supposed had the promise of the seed. Primogeniture, as Forbes has remarked, was reckoned after the mother; the first-born of a second wife was entitled to the rights attending it, in prejudice of the second son of a first wife. This right, or privilege, was confined to the male opening the womb; so that if a daughter came first, the right ceased in the subsequent sons. The first-born amongst men was to be holy to the Lord, and to officiate as priest or intercessor. The first-born among beasts were also to be holy to the Lord; to be offered to him if clean; if unclean, to be ransomed. Thus, the first-born of every family were evidently chosen for the priest-hood, as so many types, or symbolical representations of him who was to come, the Great Intercessor.

When men, from their vain imaginations, began to misinterpret the original revelation, and to devise new notions, it became necessary to republish revelation with all the marks of omnipotent power; and to prevent mistakes for the future, the Law was given, which on the one hand exposed the corruptions which men had introduced, and on the other exhibited a fuller discovery of the blessings attending the gospel. Instead of the first-born of every family executing the office of priesthood, we now find one particular tribe chosen for the service; and out of that tribe, the first-born, and his descendants for ever, to serve at the altar; as if to foreshew the perpetuity of that priesthood which was to be unchangeable, and that all the servants of Christ, even all those who believe on him, and who are honoured with the title of his brethren, should be made priests to God-" a royal priesthood."

Israel is my first-born, said the Lord to Pharoah, and at the same time threatened, if he did not release them, to destroy Pharoah's first-born. He refused-the consequence was, his first-born were slain, and the first born of Israel delivered. Now, let us for a moment consider these first born sons of the Egyptians as a representation of the whole people, and on the contrary, the first-born of the Jews as a fine figure of the whole redeemed, and we shall have an awful view of that day which is fast approaching, when judgment to the wicked, and mercy to the righteous, will be fully manifested. Thus the day that brought destruction to the mock

ers and persecutors of the children of God, was a glorious day of salvation to the latter-They are hallowed to the Lord—and will not the antitype of this be exhibited when the destroying angel comes again, finally to root up the false hopes and gods of antichrist?

At verse 17, we find Levi had three sons, who, with their fami lies, were numbered and their station and work particularly pointed out. The Gershonites were placed behind the Tabernacle, westward-the Kohathites, southward-and the Merarites, northwardleaving the east-side, the post of honour, for Moses and Aaron and his sons.

CHAP. IV. In this chapter the particular services of the Levites are distinctly pointed out, as enjoined in the last chap. ver. 25, 31, 36, and 38. We see here how divine wisdom assigned to these families each their work and office in something connected with the tabernacle, which may remind us of such passages as these in the New Testament,-" The Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch."

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God." To the remarks on Exod. xxvi. (p. 139.) which may be kept in view in reading this chapter, we shall only add, that from verse 32d, it would seem that an inventory of every article, even to the pins, belonging to the tabernacle, was taken, that nothing might be wanting when it was to be set up.

CHAP. V. Upon the beginning of this chapter, we refer to the observations on Lev. xiii. and xiv. p 205. From verse 12. to the end, we have the remarkable law of jealousy. If a woman was suspected to be an adulteress, and her husband became jealous of her, yet had no proof, she was to present herself before the priest and stand the trial of a water-ordeal: a bitter water which caused the curse was to be offered her; and when the curses were pronounced conditionally upon her supposed guilt, she was to venture the consequences, and say, Amen.* The priest was to write down the form of the curses against her in a book, and to blot them out with the bitter water if she proved to be innocent; if not, they were then to remain on record against her. If she was actually defiled, this water was to go into her bowels and take effect upon her body in a fearful manner, and she was to be a curse among the people.

"This institution explains some very difficult passages in the 109th Psalm, that prophecy of God's judgment against the apostate Jewish church: on whom, as upon a guilty adulteress against a jealous God, denying her sin, and defying the divine vengeance,

The Jewish writers say, that if she refused this oath, and confessed her guilt, she was not put to death, but only divorced without a dowry.

the curse was to take effect as against the woman in the law. The Psalm is worded as if it were meant of some single wicked person, and it is accordingly applied to the reprobation of Judas; but other passages, and the use made of them by the inspired writers, shew that it must be extended to the Jewish church at large, of which Judas, in his name, and his sin, and his punishment, was no more than a leader and an example. Here then it is said, when he shall be judged let him be condemned; when he is put to the trial, let him be found guilty; and let his prayer be turned into sin; let it be as that offering which bringeth iniquity to remembrance; without oil or incense to recommend it for acceptance: let not the sin of his mother be blotted out, but stand upon record as the curses against the sin of the adulteress, which the water was not to take away: As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him-let it come into his bowels like water, even like that bitter water which descended with a curse into the bowels of the guilty woman. As she exposed herself in form to the curse, and said, Amen, to all the terms of it; so did the Jews challenge the curse of heaven, which accordingly took place upon them and their posterity."* While we read this, and behold The Mother of Harlots, who made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornications, even now suffering the plagues of her cup, let us remember the portion of all who have been partakers in her sins.

CHAP. VI. The subject of vowing has been already noticed in the observations on Lev. xxvii.; but, of all the vows we read of in the Old Testament, there is none more remarkable than that of the Nazarite, so particularly described in this chapter. It is called a vow, because it was an engagement of being devoted to the service of God; and the nature of this devoting was pointed out in the re strictions under which they bound themselves. That the vow of the Nazarite was instituted to prefigure the separation of the Blessed One, who was devoted to the service of the Lord, and was called a Nazarene, there cannot be the smallest doubt. Those who wish to investigate this subject, will find in it a copious source of instruction as to the Lord's true Nazarite; here we shall only notice, that it is called a vow, because it respected what was devoted to the Lord, and that it was typical, and therefore ceased, when the Antitype appeared. It was very lawful, nay, perhaps praise-worthy, to assume the vow of a Nazarite, under the Old Testament; and all that was there required, was to perform to the Lord their vows; but now, the Lord says, Swear not at all, because, the typical design of it being answered, it becomes sinful; in the same manner, as to come under circumcision, after Christ was cut off, was a transgression against God.

In this sense alone it is, that the word vow is used in the Old Testament. Samuel was devoted from his mother's womb, a remarkable type of Jesus Christ; and as such he was constantly in the house of God, although not a Levite. Samson, that eminent Jones on the Figurative Language of Scripture.

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