it

alluded to as believed by the disciples after the Lord's resurrection, we assume to be Jer. xxx. 9: They shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. This could not signify the literal David, for Jeremiah prophesied in the days of. Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, kings of Judah; whereas David had lived and reigned some centuries before must therefore mean Messiah the son or descendant of David; and, indeed, the signification of David according to the Hebrew is, The Beloved. Hence, notwithstanding the accusation of his enemies before Caïaphas, and the wicked reviling of the multitude at the crucifixion, the temple of the Redeemer's body was upreared afresh, and the true David does literally live again to receive the homage of Jacob's seed when they shall be saved out of their final trouble. Thus was the faith of the disciples certified in both the prediction of their prophet and in the declaration of their gracious Master: and thus also does the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness appear to meet its corresponding antitype in the incarnation of the Son of God. In the graciously constituted Mediator of the new testament, we see the infinite and all-glorious Creator and the weak and finite creature at-one-ment with each other: God and man in one Christ.

Many direct testimonies of holy Scripture might easily be adduced confirmatory of the incarnation: but this is not our immediate object. This only would we know, How could Israel tempt Christ or sin against him in the wilderness unless Christ were God? 1 Cor. x. 9. Why should Paul count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, had Jesus been merely man and not the apostle's Lord? Phil. iii. 8. Does not John also affirm, This is the true God? 1 Epistle v. 20.

And when the sealed ones of the world of glory shout with a loud triumphant voice, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, would they or could they thus ascribe salvation equally and alike unto God and to the Lamb, were there no real and positive equality between the Father and the Son? Rev. vii. 10.—God manifest in flesh, is truly the great mystery of godliness; 1 Tim. iii. 16: mystery, however, not contrary although above our reason ; a mystery, moreover, to be believed in in simplicity, rather than a subject to be controverted because we have not capacity to apprehend it. Vain man would be wise, Job xi. 12; but the would-be wisdom of man only tends to evince his vanity, ignorance, and pride.

Should you ask us to name the direst falsehood of the father of falsehoods, the greatest deception of the great deceiver, we should feel no hesitation whatsoever in saying, A denial of the incarnation of God's onlybegotten Son, or a disbelief of Jesus Christ's divinity. Little do the impugners and the deniers of the doctrine deem how fatally they are deluded. Satan transforms himself into an angel of light; and never is the archdeceiver more deceptive than when the plausibilities of human learning, high assumption of mere natural excellence, and much worldly esteem in consequence thereof, mar the simplicity that is in Christ and draw the mind from a cordial acquiescence in the word of God. though like Ephraim, harnessed and carrying bows, as if for valorous fight, they nevertheless turn themselves back in the day of battle and so become traitors to the cause which they affect to support. Ps. lxxviii. 9. Ex. xiii. 18. The victory which should honour their Lord is ascribed to their own prowess; and the crown which should adorn his brow is with most unhallowed

Al

presumption placed upon their own. O my soul, come not thou into their secret: unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united. Gen. xlix. 6. They dig upon themselves a wall, and if the key-stone of the arch be loosened, who shall escape the inevitable ruin? With somewhat of the royal Preacher's devout and wondering admiration on the dedication of his beautiful temple, may we inquire,-But will God in very deed dwell with men upon earth? 2 Chron. vi. 18. The reply is easy God has, in unspeakable condescension, dwelt with men upon earth: He dwelt thereupon symbolically in the tabernacle of old: He has since dwelt thereupon literally and truly in very flesh of men; and we have the assured promise of his grace that he will yet dwell upon the earth again: His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives. Zech. xiv. 4. Yes, the tabernacle of Christ's body, indwelt by the Divine glory, these our eyes shall see.

Rev. i. 7. In

the face or person of the Son of Mary, that peerless glory will shine forth. 2 Cor. iv. 6. The child born in time will be found the Father of eternity; Isa. ix. 6. and through the eternity of his paternal love shall we rejoice to know the Lord Jesus as our brother, and to adore him as our God. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren; saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Heb. ii. 11-13.

II. The church.

In the tabernacle as reared by Moses, there was ma

nifest unity in diversity and diversity in unity. Gold, silver, and brass; blue, purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen thread; skins also of various animals, entered severally into its composition: and yet all this diversity of material was blended in unity of design. Particular and repeated notice is taken of this point. Ex. xxvi.

6, 11. The boards and pillars rested in grooves and sockets; the curtains were coupled with taches; altogether the tabernacle was but one, and that one tabernacle was indwelt by the one unchangeable allmighty Jehovah. Answerably to this arrangement, St. Paul remarks, There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. And yet notwithstanding this declared oneness of believers with each other, and all with the great Triunity there is a varying measure of grace imparted to them severally according to the gift of Christ: and unto the church collectively, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, are vouchsafed by the ascended Saviour for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, Eph. iv. 4-13. All the varieties of office and of administration in the church; all the multiform gifts and endowments of the Redeemer's people, are for mutual subserviency towards the perfect exemplification of the Christian tabernacle. The things which we have heard and seen declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John i. 3.

The word here translated fellowship is rendered communion in the apostolical benediction: 2 Cor. xiii. 14、 Whence it follows that all the children of God enjoy communion with the Father, with the Son, and with the Holy Ghost; and by necessary consequence also, they have fellowship or communion with each other in their common union with the holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity. This is a most consolatory and delightful consideration. The church is one with intervals of ages between the birth-times of its members: oceans and continents separating their individual localities: and all possible varieties of attainment, character, and experience marking the undivided body. Outward uniformity may be valuable or not, according to prevailing circumstances: but we are authorized by Christ himself to assume a diversity of name or ceremony without detraction to the Spirit's unity or suspicion of cordial and unequivocal attachment to himself. Mark ix. 38-40. In all material and earthly buildings, the stones of the building do not, all of them, immediately touch the foundation; but one stone of the superstructure is a mediate foundation to another, though the whole do ultimately rest upon the first foundation: but in the church of Christ, every stone does rest particularly upon the first foundation, and so the building groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord for the Spirit of the foundation has immediate influence in every stone that is built thereon. Eph. ii. 21, 22. On this account it is believers are denominated lively or living stones, when once they rest upon their living rock, and become recipients of a spiritual life. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. Oh that our communion in the Lord were answerably and more abundantly realized! our joys and sorrows more affectionately interchanged, and the inter