the belief that Christ is the centre-truth of revelation; and surely no principle is more obviously true? The body or substance of the law is Christ (Col. ii. 17) and types are a series of shadows projected from Christ" the body." It is this Messiah that has been, from the beginning, the chief object to be unveiled to the view of men; and in the fact that New Testament light has risen, lies our advantage in searching what these things signify. Mr. M'Cheyne, of Dundee, thus expressed himself, on one occasion, regarding this point, in a letter to a friend-"Suppose," said he, " that one to whom you were a stranger was wrapt in a thick veil, so that you could not discern his features. Still if the lineaments were pointed out to you through the folds, you could form some idea of the beauty and form of the veiled one. But suppose that one whom you know and love-whose features you have often studied face to face-were to be veiled up in this way, how easily you could discern the features and form of this Beloved One! Just so, the Jews looked upon a veiled Saviour, whom they had never seen unveiled. We, under the New Testament, look upon an unveiled Saviour; and, going back on the Old, we can see, far better than the Jews could, the features and form of Jesus the Beloved, under that veil. In Isaac offered (Gen. xxii.), in the scape-goat (Lev. xvi.), in the shadow of the great rock (Isa. xxxii. 2), in the apple-tree (Song ii. 2), what exquisite pictures there are seen of Jesus! and how much more plainly we can see the meaning than believers of old." To the same purpose John Bunyan writes. He represents Mansoul, in his "Holy War," as feasting at the Prince's table, and then getting riddles set before them. "These riddles were made upon the King Shaddai, and Emmanuel his

son, and upon his wars and doings with Mansoul.

And when they read in the scheme where the riddles were writ, and looked in the face of the Prince, things looked so like, the one to the other, that Mansoul could not forbear but say, 'This is The Lamb! This is The Sacrifice! This is The Rock! This is The Red Cow! This is The Door! and This is The Way!"

The space of a month was occupied in delivering the various ordinances of this Book to Moses. This is proved from Exod. xl. 17, compared with Num. i. 1. It is the revelations of that one memorable month that are now to form the subject of our study. Witsius (De Mysterio Tab.) has remarked, that God took only six days to creation, but spent forty days with Moses in directing him to make the tabernacle-because the work of grace is more glorious than the work of creation. And so we find the law from Sinai occupying three days at most, while these rules that exhibited the love and grace of God are spread over many weeks.

The Burut-Offering.

66 BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, THAT TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD." John i. 29.

THE tabernacle was that tent whose two apartments, separated by the veil, formed the Holy place, and the Most Holy. This "tabernacle" was God's dwelling-place on earth; where he met with men-the token of his returning to man after the fall. It was here that "the voice of the Lord God" was often heard, as in Eden, in the cool of the day.

CHAPTER I.

Ver. 1. "And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying."

THE cloud that guided Israel* had descended on the tabernacle; and while this pillar stood over it, the glory of the Lord filled the Holy of Holies within. (Exod. xl. 34.) Rays of this glory were streaming out all around, perhaps like the light that shone from Christ's form " on the holy Mount," through his raiment, till the whole hill shone. Out of the midst of this "excellent glory" (2 Pet. i. 17) came the voice of the Lord. He called on

* In Exod. xl. 34-38, we have the general history of this cloud; not the narrative of its motions on a particular occasion.

Moses as at the bush; and having fixed the undivided. attention of Moses on him that spake, Jehovah utters his mind. What love is here! The heart of our God, in the midst of all his own joy, yearning to pour itself out to

man!

The date of these laws is probably a few days after the tabernacle had been set up. They are given not from Sinai, though at its foot (see chap. xxvii. 34); but from over the mercy-seat, from between the cherubim, where the glory had so lately found a resting-place. Perhaps this intimated that all these institutions about to be given bear on the same great subject, viz., Atonement and its effects. Sinai and its law, a few weeks before, with the dark apostasy in the matter of the golden calf, had lately taught them the necessity of reconciliation, and made their conscience thirst for that living water. And it is given here. The first clause of this Book declares a reconciled God:-" The Lord called to Moses," as a man to his friend.

Ver. 2. "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd and of the flock."

When the Lord said, "Speak to the children of Israel," instead of himself addressing them, it taught the people their need of a Mediator. It was as if he had said, These things are addressed to sinners who cannot see my face or hear my voice, except through a daysman.

The offerings first spoken of are those that are to be wholly consumed,-types of complete exhaustion of wrath. In these cases, everything about the animal

The Septuagint render this "poσoiσeтs тa dupa vμv." Hence, perhaps, Heb. viii. 3, gifts and sacrifices."