Houfe of JESUS. It was his greatest Honour, to minifter unto this Prince of Peace.As the Priefthood and Sacrifices were fome of their diftinguishing Privileges; He fhews the Pre-eminence of CHRIST's Office to all the Aaronic Orders. He demonftrates the extensive and everlasting Efficacy of his one Atonement; in Preference to every Form, and the whole temporary Series of Levitical Oblations.

Ther. Thus interpreted, I must acknowledge, the Book of Levitical Ceremonies is fignificant and edifying. Whereas, abstracted from this evangelical Improvement, nothing can be more empty and jejune. I once thought, that, to peruse those cbfolete Canons, was like fitting down to an Entertainment of dry Bones. But, if fuch be their Import, they may yield Marrow and Fatnefs to the attentive Mind.

Due Care, however, fhould be taken, not to fuppofe a Type, where there is no apparent Foundation of Analogy in the Thing itself; or no Hint of this Nature given Us by the unerring SPIRIT. Left, instead of being guided by Truth, We are bewildered by Fancy. And, when either or both thefe Handles present themselves, I think, We fhould beware of ftraining the Subject, beyond the Bounds of a just and reasonable Comparifon. Left, inftead of following the Clue, We ftretch it till it breaks.-If the firft Caution is not obferved, the Senfe of Scripture will lie fo deep, or be removed to fuch a Distance; that none but Perfons of the moft acute Difcernment, can find it; or none but Perfons of the most excurfive Imagination, can reach it. If the fecond is not regarded, the Meaning of those divine Volumes

lumes will become fo vague and volatile, that there will hardly remain any Poffibility of afcertaining or fixing it.

Afp. As to the Expedience and Neceffity of these cautionary Limitations*, I have the Pleasure of agreeing entirely with my Friend.-Let our Fancy fubmit to the Reins of Judgment, otherwife her Excurfions will be wild and lawless. Let our Zeal borrow the Eyes of Difcretion, otherwise her Efforts will be blind and extravagant. And let all, thus tempered, thus regulated, be under the Influence of enlightening Grace. Then, to spiritualize the antient Scriptures, will be to convert the Stones of the Sanctuary into the Jewels of a Crown; and to fetch, not Water only, but Milk and Honey, from the flinty Rock.

Then, how pleasing must it be, as well as inftructive, to difcover the bleffed JESUS, in all the Inftitutions of the Mofaic Law t.-To fee his Incarnation prefigured by the Feast of Tabernacles . When the Ifraelites were to relinquish their Houses,

and

The Cautions, neceffary to be used on this Occafion, are more copioufly and very particularly laid down, by Witfius in his Mifcellanea, pag. 673, &c. Concerning which Rules, our elegant and judicious Author obferves ; Ha funt allegoricarum & typicarum Interpretationum Leges. Quibus pretis neglectifque, fi quis Ingenio fuo indulgeat, ipfeque fibi myfticas Senfus excogitet, ut ea quæ funt an locutiones planæ, in 'n ænignata transformet; is non Senfum Dei, fed Cerebri fui obtrudit Figmenta; et, ut Hieronymus ait In Scripturis lymphatico errore verfatur.

+ Agreeably to the juft and beautiful Obfervation of Theodoret; Όσα ο νόμος εσκιαγράφησε, ταύλα ο Χρισος τελείως εξω ypanos. What the Lars fketched out in a fhadowcy Draught, CHRIST exhibited in real Life and Substance.

↑ Lev. xxiii. 34, 40, 42. .

and lodge in Booths. Even as the SON of GOD left the Bofom of his FATHER, and the Seats of Blifs, to inhabit a Cottage of Clay, and fojourn in a Vale of Tears.-To fee our fpotlefs and Divine VICTIM, typically flain at the joyful Solemnity of the Passover, and the anniversary Faft of Expiation. To fee his Death, that ineftimable Ranfom for our Souls, prefented to our Faith, in every Morning and Evening Sacrifice *: his Interceffion, that prevailing Recommendation of our Prayers, most sweetly expreffed by the rich Incense, which attended the facred Rite.-To fee the various Methods of Purification; fome pointing at the Fountain for Sin and for Uncleannefs, opened in our REDEEMER's bleeding Heart; others referring to those fanctifying Operations of the SPIRIT, which act as a Refiner's Fire ‡, or as Fullers Sope.— To fee, in the City of Refuge ||, that inviolable Sanctuary, that most perfect Security, which CHRIST's meritorious Sufferings, yield to the believing, and tender to every Sinner.

Was it so very affecting, and fo very encouraging to Eneas, when He beheld the Story of the Trojan Heroes, pictured upon the Walls of the Carthaginian Temple §? How much greater Encouragement and Joy

*Exod. xxix. 38, 39. xix. 18. Pfal. li. 7. Numb. xxxv. 11, 12.

+ Exod. xxix. 4. Numb. Numb. xxxi. 23. Ifai. iv. 4.

§ VIRG. En. I. 454, &c. Eneas, hipwrecked upon a Coast unknown, goes abroad, accompanied with a fingle Friend, in order to make Discoveries. To learn the Name of the Country, the Nature of the Inhabitants, and what Treatment Himfelf and his Companions were likely to find. Wandering in this Manner, He enters a ftately Temple, adorned with hiftorical Paintings.

6

And

1

Joy must arise in the Chriftian's Breaft, when He perceives the amiable Lineaments of his Everlasting FRIEND, pourtrayed in all the Peculiarities of the Jewish Worship, and in the most distinguishing Events of the Jewish Hiftory! This must highly ennoble the Bible, and inexpreffibly endear it to our Affections. This fpreads, Luftre, Life, and Glory, through every Page of that blessed Book.— Though I would beware of indulging, what might be called a pious Wantonness of Imagination; yet I fhould much rather choose, in expounding the Scriptures, to ramble a little with Augustine, among the Groves, the Fountains, and the Flowers of the Gofpel; than to ftumble with Grotius*, amidft the dark and barren Defarts of unevangelical Criticism. I would fee, or think I fee my SAVIOUR, where it may not, perhaps, be easy to make out the Traces of his Dignity, to the Satisfaction of a rigorous Enquirer; rather than fhut my Eyes upon the Display of his Perfections, when they beam forth with the moft inviting Beauty.

Ther.

And what are the Subjects of these fine Decorations? To his great Surprife, and equal Satisfaction, He finds them to be the Trojan War, and the Exploits of his Countrymen. This Incident affects Him extremely. Difpels his Fears; animates his Hopes; and turns his Defpondency into Confidence.

*

Grotius, it is too well known, could not, or would not see the Perfon and the Sufferings of CHRIST, even in the liiid Chapter of Ifaiah. No, not in that Chapter, where the Earl of Rochefter faw fuch a bright and endearing Manifeftation of the REDEEMER's Grace, as laid the Foundation for his extraordinary Converfion. Strange! that a learned and renowned Expofitor, fhould have lefs fpiritual Difcernment, fhould be abundantly more dim-fighted, (wa) than a diffolute and infamous Libertine.

Ther. How foon is our Walk finifhed! How imperceptibly has the Time ftole away !—These Garden-Gates I always used to approach with a particular Complacency. They feemed to afford me a welcome Retreat from the Impertinence and Vanity of the World. Now, methinks, I enter them with Reluctance. Because, they are likely to put a Period to this agreeable Converfation. However, as my Afpafio énters with me, I am reconciled, I am fatisfied. It will be in his Power to reftore the Pleasure, which muft now be interrupted. And this is what I fhall ere long requeft; becaufe, I have not spoke my whole Mind upon the present Subject.

Afp. Whenever You think proper, Theron. This is, to me, a favourite Subject: and not to me only, but to incomparably better Judges.-The Man, who had been caught up into the third Heavens, and feen the Visions of GOD, determined to know nothing but JESUS CHRIST and Him crucified-At the grandeft Affembly, that ever was convened on Earth, this furnished the principal, if not the only Topic of Converfation.-And in that World, where the Voice of Joy and Thanksgiving is perpetually heard, this conftitutes the Burden of the Song; Thou waft flain, and haft redeemed Us to GOD by thy Blood t

*

1 Cor. ii. 2.

+ Rev. v. 9.

DIA