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still more comprehensive import. The tabernacle, for instance, prefigured the body of Christ, "in which all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt ;" and the Church, where God displays his glory; and heaven, where he vouchsafes his more immediate presence, and is seen face to face. So the altar not unfitly represents the cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified; and the heart of man, from whence offerings of every kind go up with acceptance before God. In the former sense we have its typical, and in the latter its mystical import.

Now in this mystical, and, as I may call it, emblematical sense, the ordinance before us teaches us,

1. That no offering can be accepted of God, unless it be inflamed with heavenly fire

[When Nadab and Abihu offered incense before God "with strange," that is, with common, "fire," they were struck dead, as monuments of God's heavy displeasure: "There went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them; and they died before the Lord." And shall we hope for acceptance with God, if we present our offerings with the unhallowed fire of mere natural affections? Our blessed Lord has told us, that he would "baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with fires:" and every sacrifice which we offer to him should be inflamed with that divine power, even the sacred energy of his Holy Spirit, and of his heavenly grace. Let us not imagine that formal and self-righteous services can be pleasing to him; or that we can be accepted of him whilst seeking our own glory. Hear the declaration of God himself on this subject: "Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks! walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled: but this shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow."]

2. That if God have kindled in our hearts a fire, we must keep it alive by our own vigilance—

We are

[I well know that this mode of expression is objected to by many: but it is the language of the whole Scriptures; and therefore is to be used by us. "not to be wise above what is written," and to abstain from speaking as the voice of inspiration speaks, merely from a jealous regard to human systems. True it is, we are not to attempt any thing r Lev. x. 1, 2.

P Heb. xiii. 10-12. s Matt. iii. 11.

q Heb. xiii. 15, 16.
t Isai. 1. 11.

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in our own strength: (if we do, we shall surely fail:) but we must exert ourselves notwithstanding: and the very circumstance of its being "God alone who can work in us either to will or do," is our incentive and encouragement to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling "." If we cannot work without God, neither will God work without us. We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure." We must "keep ourselves in the love of God":" we must "stir up (like the stirring of a fire) the gift of God that is in us:" we must from time to time "be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain in us, that are ready to die." In a word, we must be "keeping up the fire on the altar, and never suffer it to go out."

This, indeed, was the office of the priests under the Law; and so it is under the Gospel: and this is, indeed, the very end at which we aim in all our ministrations. We never kindled a fire in any of your hearts; nor ever could: that was God's work alone. But we would bring the word, and lay it on the altar of your hearts; and endeavour to fan the flame; that so the fire may burn more pure and ardent, and every offering which you present before God may go up with acceptance before him. But let me say, that, under the Christian dispensation, ye all are "a royal priesthood:" there is now no difference between Jew and Greek, or between male and female: ye therefore must from morning to evening, and from evening to morning, be bringing fresh fuel to the fire; by reading, by meditation, by prayer, by conversation, by an attendance on social and public ordinances, by visiting the sick, and by whatever may have a tendency to quicken and augment the life of God in your souls. The sacred fire must either languish or increase it never can continue long in the same state. See to it, then, that you "grow in grace," and "look to yourselves that ye lose not the things that ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward"."]

3. That every sacrifice which we offer in God's appointed way shall surely be accepted of him

[There is the fire: see it blazing on the altar. Wherefore is it thus kept up? kept up, too, by God's express command? Wherefore? that ye may know assuredly that God is there, ready to accept your every offering. You think, perhaps, that you have no offering worthy of his acceptance. But do you not know, that he who was not able to bring a kid, or a lamb, or even two young pigeons, might bring a small measure of fine flour; and that that should be burnt upon the altar for him,

u Phil. ii. 12, 13.

z 2 Tim. i. 6. See the Greek.

x 2 Pet. i. 10.

a Rev. iii. 2.

y Jude, ver. 21. b 2 John 8.

and be accepted as an atonement instead of a slaughtered animal? Be assured, that the sigh, the tear, the groan shall come up with acceptance before him, as much as the most fluent prayer that ever was offered; and that the widow's mite will be found no less valuable in his sight, than the richest offerings of the great and wealthy. Only do ye "draw near to God;" and be assured, "He will draw near to you:" and, as he gave to his people formerly some visible tokens of his acceptance, so will he give to you the invisible, but not less real, manifestations of his love and favour," shedding abroad his love in your hearts," giving you" the witness of his Spirit" in your souls, and "sealing you with the Holy Spirit of promise as the earnest of your inheritance, until the time of your complete redemption."]

In CONCLUDING this subject, I would yet further say,

1. Look to the great atonement as your only hope

[I wish you very particularly to notice when it was that God sent down this fire upon the altar. It was when Aaron had offered a sacrifice for his own sins, and a sacrifice also for the sins of the people. It was, then, whilst a part of the latter sacrifice was yet unconsumed upon the altar, that God sent down fire from heaven and consumed it instantly. When this universal acknowledgment had been made of their affiance in the great atonement, then God honoured them with this signal token of his acceptance. And it is only when you come to him in the name of Christ, pleading the merit of his blood, and "desiring to be found in him, not having your own. righteousness but his," it is then I say, and then only, that you can expect from God an answer of peace. It is of great importance that you notice this: for many persons are looking first to receive some token of his love, that they may afterwards be emboldened to come to him through Christ. But you must first come to him through Christ; and then "he will send the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, whereby you shall cry, Abba, Father."]

2. Surrender up yourselves as living sacrifices unto God

[On the Jewish altar slain beasts were offered: under the Christian dispensation you must offer yourselves, your whole selves, body, soul, and spirit, a living sacrifice unto the Lord. This is the sacrifice which God looks for; and this alone he will accept. This too, I may add, is your reasonable service. This must precede every other offering. A divided heart God

c Lev. v. 5-13.

e Rom. xii. 1.

d Lev. ix. 8, 13, 15, 17, 24.

f 2 Cor. viii. 5.

will never accept. Let the whole soul be his; and there shall not be any offering which you can present, which shall not receive a testimony of his approbation here, and an abundant recompence hereafter: for, "if there be only a willing mind, it shall be accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not."]

CXXVI.

THE PEACE-OFFERING.

Lev. vii. 11. This is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings. IN the order in which the different offerings are spoken of, the peace-offering occurs the third; but, in the third chapter, the law of the peace-offerings is no further stated than it accords with the burntoffering; and the fuller statement is reserved for the passage before us. Hence in the enumeration of the different offerings in verse 37, the peace-offering is fitly mentioned last. That we may mark the more accurately its distinguishing features, we shall state, I. The particular prescriptions of this law

Many of them were common to those of the burntoffering; the sacrifices might be taken from the herd or from the flock: the offerer was to bring it to the door of the tabernacle, and to put his hands upon it: there it was to be killed; its blood was to be sprinkled upon the altar, and its flesh, in part at least, was to be burnt upon the altar. Of these things we have spoken before; and therefore forbear to dwell upon them now.

But there were many other prescriptions peculiar to the peace-offering; and to these we will now turn our attention. We notice,

1. The matter of which they consisted

[Though the sacrifices might be of the herd or of the flock, they could not be of fowls: a turtle-dove or pigeon could not on this occasion be offered. In the burnt-offering, males only could be presented; but here it might be either male or female. In the meat-offering, either cakes or wafers might be offered; but here must be both cakes and wafers: in the former case, leaven was absolutely prohibited; but here it was enjoined;

leavened bread was to be used, as well as the unleavened cakes and wafers.]

2. The manner in which they were offered

[Particular directions were given both with respect to the division of them, and the consumption. The meat-offering was divided only between the altar and the priests: but, in the peace-offering, the offerer himself had far the greatest share. God, who was in these things represented by the altar, had the fat, the kidneys, and the caul, which were consumed by fire". The priest who burned the fat was to have the breast and the right shoulder: the breast was to be waved by him to and fro, and the shoulder was to be heaved upwards by him towards heaven. By these two significant actions, God was acknowledged both as the Governor of the universe, and as the source of all good to all his creatures: and from them these portions were called "the wave-breast, and the heave-shoulder." One of the cakes also was given to the priest who sprinkled the blood upon the altar, who, after heaving it before the Lord, was to have it for his own used. All the remainder of the offering, as well of the animal as the vegetable parts of it, belonged to the offerer; who together with his friends might eat it in their own tents. Two cautions however they were to observe; the one was, that the persons partaking of it must be "clean," (that is, have no ceremonial uncleanness upon them;) and they must eat it within the time prescribed.

We will not interrupt our statement by any practical explanations, lest we render it perplexed: but shall endeavour to get a clear comprehensive view of the subject, and then make a suitable improvement of it.]

Let us proceed then to notice,

II. The occasions whereon the offering was madeThere were some fixed by the divine appointment, and some altogether optional. The fixed occasions were, at the consecration of the priests; at the expiration of the Nazarites' vow'; at the dedication of the tabernacle and temples; and at the feast of firstfruits. But besides these, the people were at liberty to offer them whenever a sense of gratitude or of need inclined them to it. They were offered,

1. As acknowledgments of mercies received-

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