his church and people, that he is revealed as establishing his covenant of being their God, and of their being his people thereon. "Who is. this that hath engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God,” Jer. xxx. 22. And thus Christ in the institution of his holy supper, calls the cup of wine, the new testament in his blood. His blood being shed for the rati fication of the covenant of grace, which was, typified by the blood of all the former sacrifices, and for the remission of sins, which was obtained by Christ's most precious blood-shedding, "All the promises of God in Christ, are yea and amen:" there is immutable truth, and infallible certainty in them.

The Sinai transaction being ratified on God's part, and on the people's, was a means of making way for the still nearer approach of Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; this brings me therefore,

Secondly. To speak of what followed upon this; and this will lead to open and explain these words, "Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet, as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in its clearness." Thus, the glory of the Lord appeared unto them,

The altar sprinkled with blood, shewed how Christ would confirm all his promises: the book sprinkled, was a shadow that Christ's blood would confirm the everlasting covenant: its being sprinkled on the people, was as it were, bringing them under the bond, blessings, and protection of that covenant. The blood of the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings represented Christ in his sacrificial death, and in the reconciliation thereby; and Moses, the typical mediator, exercised himself on this occasion, as divinely commissioned to act between Jehovah and the Israelites. In the 9th chapter of the Hebrews, where the apostle proves the necessity of Christ's death, from his being the mediator of the new covenant, which was to be confirmed by his most precious blood-shedding, he refers to what is here related, concerning this Sinai covenant, as confirmed by death, and ratified by blood. He says, "where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator, for a testament is of force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no force at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon, neither the first testament was dedicated without blood; for when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, this is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined on you."

It fully appears from hence, that the people, book, altar, pillars, sacrifices, and the sprinklings of blood, were types and patterns of Christ, and heavenly things; the blood mixed with water, was typical of the blood and water which sprung from the side of Christ, when pierced on the cross: the one signifying justification by his blood and righteousness, as the water was expressive of sanctification by his death. The scarlet wool, which in its original state was white, might denote the purity of Christ; and being dyed scarlet, may denote his bloody sufferings and death. The hyssop with which it was sprinkled, may be considered as expressive of our Lord's humility, the purging virtue of his blood, and the sweet smelling savour of his person, righteousness, and sacrifice. The sprinkling of the book, was expressive that the law broken, requires even the blood and life of men, and that it would be a cursing law, were not all its demands satisfied, and its penalties sustained by the Lord Jesus Christ. The people being sprinkled with the blood, were typical of God's peculiar people, even all the elect of God, being sprinkled with the blood of Christ, called the blood of sprinkling, and the blood of the everlasting covenant.

Thus the old testament, or Israelitish cove nant, or the administration of the covenant of grace, under the levitical economy, confirmed by

the blood of beasts, bore a resemblance to the new testament dispensation, which is established upon better promises, and confirmed by the blood of Christ.

The blood being sprinkled by Moses, and peace being expressed by the peace-offering, a way was made for a nearer approach to the Lord, and for him to shine forth in a glorious display of his divine favour. Then went up

Abihu, and se

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and venty of the elders of Israel." This was a special and peculiar favour; they were admitted to go up further into the mount, though not to the top of it: they went up, as it were half-way, "and they saw the God of Israel." A visible display of Christ in human form, as God-man, Jehovah, who was to be incarnate; for it was not the essence of God, but a person in God, in a visible appearance, which they saw. "And there was under his feet, as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of hea ven in its clearness." This was very expressive of peace, good-will, and reconciliation unto them. A cloudy stormy sky in scripture, is expressive of God's anger and wrath; a clear and serene sky, of his favour and good-will; this appearance of the God of Israel, was in a clear sky, a serene heaven, with a resplendent footstool," as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in its clearness." It was the God-man in glory: he is the glory of the Alehim

of Israel; and he is also the Alehim of Israel, as being their visible representative.

He appeared at this time, and manifested forth his glory, as the glorious one, who was the peace-maker, the great reconciler of all things in heaven and earth: it was the angel of Jehovah's presence, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead, who gave the law the day before, who was now visibly seen by Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; the same who had appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Moses in the bush, to the Israelites in the cloudy pillar, and conducted them through the wilderness, who spake out of the midst of devouring fire; and at this time, the covenant being ratified and confirmed, appeared as the glory of Jehovah, as that persou in Jehovah, who is called the King of Glory, the Sun of Righte ousness, the Lord of Glory, the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person.'

This appearance, it is probable, was attended with a supernatural visible appearance of fire, light, and splendour, which proved him to be Jehovah. His appearance in a human form, was to prefigure his future incarnation; and in it he appeared over the cherubim, see Ezek. i. 28. viii. 4. ix. 3. x. 4. xviii, 11, 22, 23. compared with chap. xliii. 2. to 5. xliv. 4. Jehovah Jesus came to Moses on mount Sinai, in a thick cloud,