is the most holy; they were memorials of him, as the propitiation; they pointed him out as the great law-fuller, "Who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." The cherubims were the figures of the great ones, the Three in the Essence, who engaged before all worlds, by their covenant transactions and oath, to save the elect in Christ, with an everlasting salvation. And the golden pot of manna, in the holy of holies, was typical of Christ, the ever lasting life and glory of his people.

The court of the tabernacle, which was the inclosure of the tabernacle, as it surrounded it, might serve to shadow out the church of Christ as a sacred inclosure, guarded, secured, and surrounded by the Lord, who is as "a wall of fire round about his people, and their glory in the midst." The altar of burnt-offering, was a solemn memorial of Christ, as God's ordinance of salvation; his oblation and death being the true and only atonement for sin. The laver of brass, with the water in it, was emblematical of Christ's blood, as a fountain opened to the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.

Having thus set before you in this brief manner, what the tabernacle, with its sacred emblems, and the court, with its sacred furniture, signified, I am brought to my last head of dis course, and shall go on to shew,

Lastly, how the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord filled it, when it was set up, according to the divine command.

The tabernacle, with all its sacred emblems and symbols, and the court, with its peculiar and mystical furniture, being perfected according to the divine command, it pleased Jehovah to testify his divine acceptance and approbation thereof, as says my text, "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Jehovah descended in this cloud, which, I conceive, was the same in which he went before the people when he had brought them out of Egypt, and covered the tent or tabernacle with it. Its covering the tent was a symbol of the Lord's immediate presence, and shewed his acceptance of what had been done in preparing and rearing it. The tabernacle was itself a symbol of the Lord's presence with his people, and by the cloud and glory of the Lord which now filled it, Jehovah took up his dwelling in this his tent or pavilion thus prepared for him. As it was a testimony of his divine approbation, so it shewed that he was come to dwell with them, according to his promise, Exod. xxv. 8. "And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." And again, Exod. xxix. 43." The tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory." The Lord at this time.

fulfilled these promises, and gave a full and open pledge to their faith that he would, as Jah, the Saviour, in due season become incarnate, and fill the tabernacle of his humanity with all the fulness of deity. This supernatural, visible appearance of fire, light and splendor, surrounded with a cloud, was a solemn prefiguration of the future incarnation of the Son of God. This fire, light, and glory, was surrounded with a cloud; by it the Lord miraculously attested his presence with his own divinely instituted worship. The Lord had promised thus to meet Moses, and to commune with him from above the mercy-seat, and from between the two cherubims. Exod. xxv. 22. He says to Moses, "I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat." Levit. xvi. 2. And the glory of the Lord, or the Lord of glory, in this cloud took up his seat, and shone forth between the cherubim in the holy of holies. And I doubt not, but there was the appearance of the God-man over the cherubim, in the holy of holies. 6 They were (says the truly excellent and learned Mr. Parkhurst) proper emblems of the three eternal persons in covenant to redeem man, and of the union of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ.' Thus the Lord sanctified the tabernacle with these visible evidences of his presence, as he afterwards did the temple built by Solomon.

The tabernacle being erected, the princes of Israel brought waggons and oxen for the service of it, and other offerings for the dedicating of the altar; which solemnity lasted twelve days. On the fourteenth day of this month, the Israelites kept the feast of the passover; and on the new moon following, which was on the first day of the second month, the Israelites were numbered, and their tents pitched in order, four square, round about the tabernacle. On the twentieth day of that month, the cloud removed, the tabernacle was taken down, and the people took their journies out of the wilderness of Sinai.

Soon after the tabernacle was reared, Aaron and his sons were consecrated, which solemnity lasted seven days. The cloud covering the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle, Moses could not enter it: nor the priests into the temple, when the same glory filled it. 2 Chron. v. 14. vii. 1. This shews the weakness of all saints. The more the Lord's glory shines forth, the more ashamed and confounded they are at the views of their own sinfulness and unworthiness. "And Moses was

not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." And this cloud was a direction to the people: and when the cloud was taken up from over the

tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journies; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they journied not till the day that it was taken up. "For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the children of Israel, throughout all their journies." A full proof that it was the same cloud in which the Lord went before them, when he had brought them out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

May the Lord the Spirit bless the reading of this to you, and lead you to see into the exhibition of Christ in the types, symbols, figures, and memorials of him, in what hath been in this discourse set before you. Remember, Christ is with his church; he is the light, life, and glory of it; he is its defence and security; and were it to be wholly covered with a cloud, the splendor and brightness of his shining, and manifestative favour, would be found all-sufficient to dispel it. The Lord bless his truth unto you. Amen.