to receive it for the sins of the world. God agreed that it was justice, that as sin entered the world by one, that is, Adam, all had sinned; but now God was willing to accept the atonement of one, by which all might be saved, who chose to accept of his gracious offer; and this one was no less than the Son of God, and is therefore called the Second Adam. So you perceive, my love, that what we read in the Scriptures as God's wrath, is the most inflexible justice. But, my love, we are going from our subject. Moses, therefore, came down from the mount, with the two tables of stone in his hands; and as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, he saw the calf; and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hand, and brake them beneath the mount; for they had broken all God's commandments by breaking that one: and he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

And did not God, Mamma, give the tables of stone again?

Yes, my love, after God had satisfied his justice by destroying, by plague, the unrepenting and rebellious, he commanded Moses to hew out two tables of stone,on which he again engraved the Ten Commandments. When Moses, however, came down from the

mount the second time, his face shone with such splendour, that the people were afraid to come near him; he was, therefore, compelled to put a veil on his face; which was to show, my love, that the people were blind, that they could not see the glory and holiness of that law, as there was a veil between the knowledge of the law and their understanding. Now you will remember, my child, that when Adam was in his original righteousness, he was holy, and had the power to fulfil the holiness of the law, and therefore saw and understood it; but as soon as he fell, he became unholy, and therefore had no longer the ability to keep it; because holiness and unholiness are so opposite, that the latter cannot comprehend the former. Now this was the case with the children of Israel; for you perceive, my love, they brake the law immediately after it was given.

Then, Mamma, how could God blame the children of Israel, if he gave them a law they were not able to keep? because, Mamma, you said of Adam, that God made him holy to enable him to keep his law, which was holy: for had he not been made so, it was unjust to expect him to keep it.

You are a darling child, to make these enquiries. On a former occasion, I endeavoured to explain this very subject; but I find, my child, it has

escaped your memory. God, my love, did not give the law on mount Sinai, expecting that his children could keep it ; he knew they could not. It was given them, that they might see their inability to keep it, that they might see their total helplessness and dependence upon God, and become sensible of their fallen, wicked nature. On this account, God did not punish them for every crime; for, had they been holy, they would have suffered death for breaking even the least commandment: but as they were unholy, God gave them the power of obtaining forgive

ness.

Oh, Mamma, tell me how.

Why, my child, he instituted, as I before mentioned, the Ceremonial Law, directing them to observe certain offerings, sacrifices, and ceremonies, which were to be deemed atonements made for God's offended justice. For this purpose,God ordered a sanctuary to be made, which was called the Tabernacle: it was a kind of moveable tent, formed of ten beautiful curtains. There was, also, an ark, meaning a repository for God's covenant, which was overlaid with gold. It had golden rings, and staves which went through them, overlaid with gold, to enable the children of Israel to carry the ark when they marched. In the ark was the testimony; therefore

a mercy-seat made of pure gold; and there were also two cherubims, signifying angels, made of gold, whose wings covered the mercy-seat. It was here God promised in his Spirit to meet Moses. There was also a table covered with gold; also a crown, which also had golden rings, and staves covered with gold, for the purpose of carrying it when the children of Israel moved. There were also dishes, spoons, and bowls, made of pure gold, and likewise a candlestick, which had six branches, but seven lights, to which were attached snuff-dishes and tongs of pure gold. There were also boards of the tabernacle or tent, which were also overlaid with gold; and it had a covering of rams' skins, died red, and above, of badgers' skins. When the tabernacle was pitched, it also had inside a veil made of blue purple and scarlet, which was to divide the tent, one called the most holy, the other the holy place. In the former were placed the ark of the testimony and the mercy-seat; but the table and the candlestick were without the veil. There was also an altar, a place on which to burn the offerings, which was overlaid with brass, to which were attached pans to receive the ashes, with shovels, basons, flesh-hooks, and fire-pans; to which were also attached brass rings and staves, overlaid with

brass, for the purpose of carrying it, when the children of Israel moved.

Aaron, the brother of Moses, and all his sons, were appointed High Priests to minister to the Lord. They were most splendidly dressed. On Aaron's mitre, or headdress, was a plate of pure gold, on which was engraved, "Holiness to the Lord." He was directed to wear it on his forehead. In this situation he represented a mediator, or one who pleaded the cause of man before the holiness of God. There was an altar of incense, on which Aaron was directed to burn incense night and morning, representing a prayer which was to be offered at the throne of grace, which would be accepted by God in our bes half, as we accept the savour of incense, and which was to be perpetual throughout their generations. A continual burnt offering was also commanded to be burnt, which consisted of a bullock for sin offering for atonement; typifying that man was in that state of iniquity that an offering was unceasingly required by God's holiness for his atonement, Also a lamp, night and morning; testifying the necessity of our souls being supplied with grace, to enable us to walk in the light and knowledge of God, as a lamp requires constant renewals of oil, to prevent its being extinguished, and leaving as again