sentative of all the goods and truths of the church in the complex. Let us now, therefore, in the third place, inquire, Why these stones were twelve in number?

The number twelve has a most holy signification; and this we shall soon discover, if we are in the habit of reading the holy Word with attention. It belongs to the spiritual class of expressions, being predicated in a good sense of truths, and in the opposite of falses. It is, besides, a most holy number, because every truth which is of pure and saving faith, is derived from it. It is, moreover, a universal number, because it not only relates to the all of truth in the Lord's church on earth, but to the all of wisdom in the Lord's church in heaven. Thus there cannot be a single doctrine of truth, but will be found to possess a representative in one of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb; nor can there be a single affection of goodness but will be found in one of the precious stones in Aaron's breast-plate. The reason of this is, because the number itself is composed of 3 multiplied by 4. Hence, as three signifies all with respect to truth, though the breast-plate was four square, it was still a span, i. e. nine inches, or 3 multiplied by 3, and as four signifies all in respect to good, so the number twelve denotes all truths derived from good, or all truths and goods in the church.

So numerous are the passages in holy Scripture which prove the truth of what we have advanced, that the most careless reader cannot fail of being convinced. (See Gen. xvii. 20; xlix. 28. Exodus xxviii. 21. 1 Kings x. 20; xix. 19. Ezekiel xliii. 16. Matt. xiv. 20, 21; xix. 28. Luke ii. 42; viii. 43, 44. John xi. 9. Rev. xii. 1; xxi. 12, 13, 14; xxii. 2.)

We may now see the reason why twelve Apostles were chosen to go forth and preach the Gospel; because they, being the immediate followers of the Lord, and the Lord being the very and eternal truth, were the teachers of truth, and represented all truth in the complex. These were first sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and as each disciple represented a different kind of truth, so each disciple was sent to a different tribe. Thus it was that Aaron, when invested with the breast-plate, represented the whole house of Israel; and in his single person, presented before the Lord the whole of the tribes appeared to be embodied: each tribe was represented by a different stone, and the colour of each stone represented the quality of the tribe whose name was engraven on it.

There are two colours, in general, which prevail in precious stones, red and white; the others, such as green, yellow, blue, &c., are composed of these, with the occasional intervention of shade or black, as in the jasper. By the red colour, is signified the good of love, and by the white, the truth of wisdom. The reason why red signifies the good of love, is, because it derives its origin from the sun; and the fire of the sun of the spiritual world, is in its essence the divine love of the Lord, consequently the good of love. The reason why white signifies the truth of wisdom, is, because it derives its origin from the light which proceeds from the fire of that sun, and that proceeding light is in its essense divine wisdom, and hence the truth of wisdom. Thus the Lord our God is a sun, and a shield, because divine love is the principle by which we live and move, and because that love constantly shields all that trust in its mercy; for the Lord our God is a strong tower, the righteous enter into it, and are safe. And the Lord our God is an everlasting light, whoso cometh to that light shall walk by that light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. Now, is there any thing in the colour or quality of the precious stones at all analogous to this love and light. Let us briefly examine: The third stone of the first row was the carbuncle, which, when held to the sun, resembled a burning coal. The third stone of the second row was the diamond, the most brilliant and sparkling of gems, emitting in darkness a sensible light. Behold here, then, a representation of the divine heat and light of the divine love and wisdom; all the other tints and shades were more or less reflected

from these. Pure love in the red, and pure wisdom in the white, with the different radiations of love and wisdom in all the other stones, exemplify that the all of goodness and truth were typified by the precious stones in the breast-plate of Aaron; and as the representative of the whole house of Israel, he approached the Lord to offer their united worship, within the holy place, in the tabernacle of the Most High.

contained in the

What an immensity of wisdom, then, we find symbolic representation of Aaron's breast-plate. The mind is lost as it contemplates the grandeur of infinite and divine intelligence in this single circumstance. The depths of this profound expanse of heavenly knowledge can never be fully sounded; and the wisdom which dictated such amazing wonders is truly past finding out. But is it not a glorious privilege that we are permitted to know so much, that, even while dwelling in this sublunary sphere, we can ascend up to heaven, and behold! our God is there? We can descend into the caverns of the earth, whence the precious gems are dug, and lo! our God is there also? We can take the wings of spritual truth and fly to the uttermost parts of the sea, and there also we find our God, his holy arm sustaining, and his right hand leading and directing us? Oh, that men could be impressed with the goodness, the grandeur, the holiness of this august Being! Soon would they leave their trifling delights, and with holy rapture exclaim: Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee!

Briefly let us now consider this subject in relation to ourselves. Aaron represents the Lord himself as to the priesthood, which is his celestial kingdom. His garments are the spiritual kingdom, for garments invest the body, as the spiritual invests the celestial. The ephod represents the divine truth in ultimates, for the ephod was the ultimate clothing; and the twelve stones in the breastplate of the ephod, the whole divine truth and good in the complex. Now say, would it not be a most glorious state for each of us to be so near the Lord himself, as to form part of his very person, to be one with him as he is one with the Father. To represent some good or truth in his church, and to have that good and truth exemplified by the radiations of divine colours. Would it not be a glorious privilege to behold our own states in celestial burning love, or spiritual shining wisdom, rendered fervid and luminous through the precious stones of the sacred breast-plate. Surely the most dull and phlegmatic amongst us would rejoice at so glorious an elevation. This elevation, then, is to be obtained. Let but our conduct be four square; let but the light of wisdom

chase away the clouds of error; let but the purifying fire of love remove the evil lusts which lurk within our hearts, and we ourselves can become the Aaron here typified. Yes, we can become absolutely kings and priests to God; we can be clothed with the garments of praise, instead of the spirit of heaviness; we can exchange ashes for BEAUTY, and become a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of our God; every precious stone of love and wisdom shall be our clothing, and we shall finally dwell in that divine presence where there is fulness of bliss, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore. Amen.

SERMON IX.

RELIGION AN INTERNAL ACTIVE PRINCIPLE.

BY MR. D. T. DYKE.

Rev. iii. 20.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me."

How kind, now consolatory, and how inviting, are the words of our incarnate Saviour! He invites, but never coerces the human mind-he never for a single moment utters a sentence whose import tends, in the least degree, to infringe the liberty of the human will. His wish ever is to impart happiness, but he never attempts to force it on us; his will is, that all should come unto him, that they may have life, and for this purpose he calls upon us to repent, to forsake our evils, to do good and keep his gracious commands; his language ever is merciful and persuasive, but never peremptory; in strains of mercy, beaming with wisdom and fraught with love, he addresses his children; he informs them how peace and salvation is to be obtained-he gives them full power to obtain it, and faculties fully to enjoy it, but he never forces it upon them whether they will or not; wherever he finds a desire to do his will in all things, there he imparts a power fully competent to its performance, and on the performance thereof he commands his eternal blessing, even life for evermore.

Let us, then, my brethren, consider the words of our text, not as the words of man, but as the words of him who spake as never man spake, whose word is power, whose voice stills the raging tempest and calms the boisterous sea, whose every act, whilst here on earth, was unbounded mercy, and whose desire to alleviate misery, to heal the sick, to bind up the broken nearted, and to give the weary rest, proceeded from the unutterable quality of his divine love,-a love unbounded, inexhaustible, and unchanging; let us duly consider them as proceeding from the ever-present infinite Jehovah, who declared to mankind, when manifested in flesh on earth, that his words were possessed of