In a particular manner, the high priest drew near to God in behalf of the people on the annual day of atonement, when he entered the holiest of all with the blood of sacrifices. While he was in the sanctuary on that day, the whole of the tribes of Israel were debarred access to it; but after he had purified it, and its vessels, and furniture, the people were allowed to approach it with their services, for the following year. It might therefore be said, in a certain sense, that through the high priest, they drew near unto God. In every case, indeed, the access of the people unto God, was the result of the previous access of the priest to him.

On this account, the priests of the family of Aaron are said to "come near," or to be "brought near" to God, Num. xvi. 5; and it is expressly declared, that the stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron, who dares to "come nigh" shall be put to death. And as the priests had the honour of being near to God; so they were the persons, by whose ministry and mediation the people had access to God, and were brought near to him. By these means, a communication between Him and them was opened and kept up. Through this channel all services were brought before God for his acceptance; and by the same channel all the blessings granted by Him were conveyed to the people. Thus were the Levitical priests mediators of the covenant. Of these priests, Jesus is the antitype. In him is fulfilled the prophecy in Jer. xxx. 21, where it is promised to the Church, that their noble, or mighty one, (for the word is in the singular,) should be of themselves; and that

their governor should be raised up of his brethren, with whom he should take part in flesh and blood, and that God should cause him to draw near to Him. The reference certainly is to our Lord's drawing near, as a priest, to the offended Lawgiver and Judge. And this accounts for the expression of the divine admiration of that extraordinary personage who engaged his heart; (or that was surety with his heart,) to approach unto God with an offering and a sacrifice for sin, as the mediator between Him who is "a consuming fire," and his rebellious subjects. By his obedience unto death, he mediated between God and transgressors; and he did so likewise, when he appeared in the celestial sanctuary with his own blood; and he still continues to act as mediator, in his constant intercessions there, on the ground of his perfect atonement. He has his constant residence in the holiest of all, and he there manages all our affairs at the court of heaven, as a faithful friend, advocate, and forerunner, John xiv. 2, 3; Rom. viii. 34; Heb. vi. 20; vii. 25; ix. 24; 1 John ii. 2. A communication is thus opened between Heaven and Earth. Hence, we are said to be brought nigh through the blood of Christ, to have access by it into the holiest of all, and to be come to Mount Zion, and even unto God, the judge of all. Though not yet received into heaven in person, we are said to sit there in our head, Jesus Christ, Eph. ii. 6; our services are there received by him, they are presented unto God by him, and for his sake, and through his mediation, they are graciously accepted, Col. iii. 17; Heb. xiii. 15, 16; 1 Peter

ii. 5. Through Jesus, as the mediator of the new covenant, all its precious blessings are communicated to us. Thus, Jesus in the heavenly temple, like the Jewish high priest in the earthly sanctuary, has the charge of the whole house of God,-he is there in the highest place of dignity, and enjoys the most honourable office; and thus is introduced, that better hope, by which we draw nigh to God. Aaron and his sons were responsible for the right performance of all the services of the sanctuary, and were to bear the punishment of the iniquity of the sanctuary and the priesthood, Num. xviii. 1. And Jesus as their great antitype has the charge of every department of sacred service in the temple on high. It is true that his ministrations as a priest, strictly so called, have God alone for their immediate object. But as they are performed in behalf of men, and since they include his bringing his people near unto God, and presenting them and their services to him, much that relates to the worship of God is therefore connected in a collateral way with his pontifical character. It is in consequence of his oblation and intercession as a divinely constituted high priest, that he has the charge of the spiritual worship of the house of God, so that in and by him alone we have access into the holiest of all, and have our services there accepted. The high priest as well as the king wore a crown. And our High Priest is Lord of the sanctuary. In this character he sits on the heavenly mercy-seat. He is the centre of all the worship and services of the celestial temple. The crown with the inscription on it,

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'Holiness to the Lord," was always to be on Aaron's forehead because he was appointed to rule in the sanctuary, and was to see that nothing might prevent the people from being "accepted before the Lord," Exodus xxviii. 38. But we have an high priest with whom there can be no failure. Under him there is a beautiful order preserved. Every thing is in its proper place. And the true worshippers are ever "accepted before the Lord."

SECTION IV.

OF THE MINISTRY OF THE ANCIENT PRIESTHOOD, AS TYPICAL OF THAT OF CHRIST.

THE act of slaying the victim was not exclusively a priestly act; for in the sacrifices of individuals, this was generally done by the offenders themselves, Lev. i. 3—5, 11, and iii. 1, 2, 6–8; and in the sacrifices of the whole congregation, either by the elders, or by the high priest, Lev. iv. 15; xvi. 15. On the annual day of atonement, Aaron held the same place in regard to the sins of the nation, as an individual did in regard to his own sins, when he brought a sacrifice to the altar. The commandment, then, which required him to slay the victim on that occasion, arose partly from necessity; because the whole congregation could not with their own hands slay the victim, as an individual offerer could; and partly from the nature of the services

then to be performed, which were to be done by the high priest alone; all others being excluded from the precincts of the sanctuary, Lev. xvi. 17. The proper work of the priests was to sprinkle the blood of the slain victim round about upon the altar, and to offer the rest for a burnt-offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord; in certain cases, to take of the blood within the sanctuary, and to sprinkle it before the Lord upon the altar of incense; and on the annual day of atonement, to take the blood of the slain victim within the vail into the most holy place, and there sprinkle it on and before the mercyseat, Lev. iv. 5-7, and xvi. 14-18.

The priestly services in regard to the sacrifices may be divided into two parts. First, what took place in the outer court; and secondly, what was done in the sanctuary, including the holy place, and the most holy place.

The first of these includes the sprinkling of the blood round about upon the altar of burnt-offering, as a solemn manner of presenting the life unto God, and the offering of certain parts of the sacrifice upon the altar to be there consumed. The burning of the whole or a part of the victims after they were slain, was a token, that the curse of the law included more than death, simply considered, and more even than a bloody and violent death. Hence, the final ruin of the enemies of God is signified by an allusion to those sacrifices which were required to be burned, and particularly the sin-offerings, none of the fat of which was to be eaten, but all of it consumed on the altar, Lev. iii. 14, 16; vii. 25; Psalm xxxvii. 20;