I have observed, that we may yet further consider

this ordinance,

II. As an emblematic rite

In this view it marks,

1. The privilege of Christians

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[We have before said, that common priests were ordained to officiate at this altar. And are not we "a royal priesthood?" Are not we "made kings and priests unto our God1?" Yes; and "the prayers we present to God come up before him as incense; and the lifting up of our hands is as an evening sacrifice." In this manner are we privileged to draw nigh to God. We, every one of us, "have, through Christ, access by one Spirit unto the Fathert:" yea, we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus"," and to prostrate ourselves at the very footstool of God himself. Did God say to Aaron, "I will meet thee there?" so says he to us also: "Draw nigh to me; and I will draw nigh to you." Nor need we go to Jerusalem, or to his tabernacle to find him for he has said, that" in every place incense should be offered to him, and a pure offeringy." And, that we may feel ourselves more at liberty to approach him, his altar under the Christian dispensation is represented as of wood, and not of gold, and as being four times the size of that which was made for his tabernacle2; to denote, I apprehend, the greater simplicity of Gospel worship, and the admission of all nations to the enjoyment of it.

We must indeed pay particular attention to that caution given to Aaron in the text: "Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-sacrifice, nor meat-offering; neither shall ye pour drink-offering thereon." The incense was to be that alone which God had appointed; and special care was taken to make no confusion between the offerings belonging to the altar of burnt-offering, which were for an atonement, and that which was proper to the altar of incense, which was for acceptance only. Thus, when drawing nigh to God in prayer, we must not bring the fervour of mere animal spirits, which are so often mistaken for true devotion; but a broken and contrite spirit, which alone sends forth an odour that is well pleasing to God. Nor must we imagine that by our prayers, or by any thing else that we can bring to God, we can atone for sin, or contribute in the least degree towards the efficacy of Christ's atonement: these must be kept quite distinct: and whilst our

prayers are offered on the altar of incense, our pleas must be taken solely from the altar of burnt-offering, even from the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, "by whom alone our offerings can ascend to God"," and "through whom alone they can be acceptable in his sight."

In this manner we are to approach God, whilst we go in before him to trim our lamps, and to have them duly supplied with oil. Every morning and evening at the least must the odours of our incense ascend up before God; or, as the Apostle says, we must "pray without ceasingd:" and we may be sure that "God will meet with us," and bless us in all that we solicit at his hands: "However wide we open our mouth, he will fill ite:" yea, "he will do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think."]

2. The ground of their acceptance in the use of it—

[This is strongly marked in the annual atonement made on this altar. Day and night was the priest to officiate there: yet, after he had presented incense on that altar for a whole year, he must make atonement on the altar with blood. And however much or devoutly we pray, we must trust, not in our prayers, but in the great Sacrifice that has been offered for us. Yea, our very prayers need that sacrifice: the very best service we ever offered, needed an atonement; nor could it come up with acceptance before God, if it were not washed in the Redeemer's blood, and presented to God by him. Hear what St. John says, in the book of Revelation: "Another angel came, (the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus,) and stood at the altar, having a golden censer: and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar that was before the throne: and the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God, out of the angel's hands." "Were God to call us into judgment for the very best prayer we ever offered, we could not answer him for one of a thousand";" no, nor for one during our whole lives: but when cleansed in the Redeemer's blood, both our persons and our services shall be regarded by God as pure, even " without spot or blemishi."

Of course, it is here supposed that we harbour no wilful sin within us: for, "if we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will not hear usk:" our very "incense will be an abomination to him1;" and, in offering it, "we shall be as though we offered swine's blood, or blessed an idolm." But, if we But, if we "draw nigh

to God with a true heart, we may also approach him with full assurance of faith"."]

Let us SEE here,

1. How highly we are privileged under the Christian dispensation

[The Jews were privileged, and highly too, in comparison of all the nations of the earth, in that they had ordinances of divine appointment, in the due observance of which they might find favour with God. But how infinitely are we distinguished above the Jews themselves! We have not to seek the intervention of a man, a sinful man, yea, and a dying man, who must soon leave his office to another, and be followed by an endless succession of sinners like himself. We have an High-Priest, who is "Emmanuel, God with us;" "who needed not to offer first for his own sins, and then for the people's;" and "who, having an unchangeable priesthood, continueth for ever," and "is consecrated for evermore." Moreover, we are not like the Jews, to whom all access to God in their own persons was prohibited; and who, if they had presumed to invade the priestly office, would have been made monuments of God's vengeance on the very spot. No: we may draw nigh to God, every one of us for himself: even to God's throne may we go, and offer him our sacrifices with a certainty of acceptance. The way prepared for us is " a new and living way:" and whilst going to him in that way, we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us;" yea, even "before we ask, he will answer; and whilst we are yet speaking, he will hear P." Reflect on these privileges, Brethren, and be thankful for them; and improve them diligently in the way prescribed ———]

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2. What a holy people we should be unto the Lord

We

[What the priests were in their attendance on the altar, yea, what the Lord Jesus Christ himself is before the throne of God, that should we be, to the utmost of our power. should be ever delighting ourselves in the exercise of prayer and praise, and dedicating our whole selves to the service of our God. Let our "lamps" be ever kept burning bright before the Lord. Let us obtain "from the sacred olivebranches fresh supplies of golden oil through the golden pipes" of his word and ordinances; and let our whole deportment shew, that we correspond with the description given us, people near unto the Lordr"

n Heb. x. 22.

a Zech. iv. 11, 12.

——

• Heb. vii. 23-28.
r Ps. cxlviii. 14.

"a

P Isai. lxv. 24.

CII.

THE ATONEMENT-MONEY.

Exod. xxx. 14-16. Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord: the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. And thou shalt take the atonement-money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

IT is always profitable to mark the accomplishment of the divine promises, that, from discovering the faithfulness of God, we may learn to acknowledge his providence, and depend upon his care. He had promised to Abraham, that "his seed should be as the stars of heaven for multitude:" and, though their increase for about three hundred years was but small, yet, previous to their departure from Egypt, they were become exceeding numerous: and God appointed that they should be occasionally numbered, and a stated tax be levied on every individual, that so the fulfilment of his word might be made manifest. In this appointment there were some circumstances peculiarly instructive, especially the equality of the tax, and the application of it to the service of the sanctuary.

Let us notice,

I. The tax levied

The tax being "a ransom, and an atonement for their souls," had evidently a spiritual import; and from the same being levelled upon all, we observe,

1. That the souls of men are of equal value in the sight of God

[The half-shekel was equal to about fifteen-pence of our money; and this was to be paid by every one that was numbered, without any regard to his station or ability: "The rich were not to pay more, nor the poor less." Now as this was "a ransom and atonement for their souls," it is manifest, that all their souls were of equal value in the sight of God. And who is there that

:

does not feel this? There are many things in this world the value of which is purely imaginary, and depends upon the taste of the possessor: but the worth of the soul is real: the poorest of men has as deep an interest in the welfare of his own soul as the richest heaven is as desirable, and hell as terrible, to the one as to the other: and God has an equal respect for both. Let not any one despise others, as though their eternal interests were not to be consulted; or imagine that they themselves are overlooked by God, as though he did not will their salvation. as much as that of any other person in the universe.]

2. That all equally need reconciliation with God—

We

[A ransom and an atonement were required for all: and as all of them needed mercy at God's hands, so do all of us. are far from saying that all are equally sinful; for there doubtless are different degrees of guilt, and will be corresponding degrees of punishment: but this we say, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; and consequently all are obnoxious to "that wrath of God, which is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." We know that many conceive so highly of themselves, as to imagine that God would be unjust if he should consign them over to destruction. But such persons have never considered what the law of God requires, or what it denounces against those who have violated its commands. We willingly concede, that, in the eyes of men, some may be comparatively innocent: but, "before God, every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty."] 3. That all must seek it on the same terms

[Here again we remark, that no difference was put between one and another: all were to offer the half-shekel as an atonement for their souls. It is by an atonement too that we also must seek acceptance with God. None can merit forgiveness at his hands; none can do any thing towards meriting it: the atoning blood of Christ is that which alone can satisfy divine justice; and it is his obedience unto death which must constitute the justifying righteousness of all mankind. Any thing of our own, blended with that, or added to it, will invalidate it altogether. Salvation must be wholly of works or of grace: and if we cannot earn it by our works, (which no created being can,) then must we accept it altogether as "the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." It is evident that so small a sum as half a shekel could not purchase the divine favour: it was a mere acknowledgment that they needed an atonement, and were willing to accept the favour of God on any terms that he should propose: so, our humili

a Job xxxiv. 19.

d Isai. xlv. 24, 25. Jer. xxiii. 6.

b 1 Tim. ii. 4.
e Rom. xi. 6.

c Gal. iii. 10. f Rom. vi. 23.