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17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.

19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five

hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

LECTURE 1350.

The simplicity inculcated in Christian devotion.

In the Law we find exact dimensions given for the tabernacle and all its parts. In the Scripture history we read the like particulars of the temple built by Solomon. And in the book of the prophet Ezekiel we have this minute specification of a temple to replace that which then lay all in ruins, with these measurements of its parts in every direction. And here, as in the other cases, we find exact directions as to the manner in which the priests were to officiate, directions which extend even to the meat they were to eat, and to the garments they were to wear. What a contrast in this respect does the New Testament afford as compared with the Old! What an obvious mistake do those Christian communities fall into, who attach that sacred importance to the ceremonial of divine worship, which the Gospel teaches us to confine to the devotion of the heart! Simplicity, next to devoutness of spirit, is the most striking characteristic of the kind of worship inculcated in our better covenant. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth ;" John 4. 24; this is the rule laid down by our Lord. "God be merciful to me a sinner;" Luke 18. 13; this is one of the forms of prayer which our Lord commended. And the other, which is called by his name, is no less simple, though much more comprehensive. And as to a ritual for public worship, the apostles give us little other direction than this, "Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Cor. 14. 40. What a small foundation is here for that amazing edifice of rites, and ceremonies, which the superstitious churches both of the East and of the West have long laboured to uphold! What a privilege is ours, that at the assembling of ourselves together, our church affects no more than decent order, and reverent solemnity, in prayer and praise, in the reading and preaching of God's word, and in the ministering of the sacraments ordained by Christ, which also are of the most simple character! Never may we so far misconceive the use of outward forms, as to let them take precedency of the homage of the heart! Never may we become admirers or abettors of that superstitious formality, which, under the plea of reverence for the things of God, would make us cold instead of fervent in spirit in the worship of God himself!

The glory of God is seen to come into the temple.

1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:

2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. 3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

8 In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. LECTURE 1351.

7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor

That God sometimes promises and appoints conditionally. In this manifestation of the glory of the Lord, some have thought that they could discern distinct mention of three persons in one God; supposing the voice that spake to be that of the Father, "the man" to signify the Son, and "the Spirit," which took the prophet up, to be the Holy Ghost. Ezekiel describes the appearance as the same with that which he had seen when he "came to destroy the city," when he came to foretel its destruction. See ch. 1. 4. 9. 3. 10. 1—22. St. John, as we read in the book of Revelation, had a similar vision of the divine glory. See Rev. 1. 15. And both the language of the prophet, and that of

the apostle, convey to us the notion of something at once awful and glorious to behold, dazzling for brightness to the sense, overpowering for goodness to the soul. Yes, it must be the goodness of the Lord, the union of holiness and love in One almighty and all wise, this must be that which chiefly rivets the attention of those who are taken from the things of earth, and admitted to the ́ courts of heaven; this must be that which most absorbs their wondering faculties, and constrains their unceasing adoration, this sight so altogether new, so altogether obviously divine, the sight of Him who alone is good.

The prophet in this vision saw the glory of the Lord coming into the new temple, even as he had seen it in a vision leaving the old temple. See ch. 9. 3. And the words which he heard seem applicable to the case of the Jews on their return from the captivity in Babylon. They are warned not to defile this new house of God, as their fathers had defiled the former one, by the practice of all kinds of idolatry. They are promised, that if they would put away those evil practices, God would dwell in the midst of them for ever. The prophet is charged to set before them the vision of the house which he had seen, in order that comparing their past conduct with this pattern of the service due to God, they might feel "ashamed of their iniquities." And further, if they should give such proof of contrition, such earnest of amendment, he is told to shew them every particular of the construction of a temple, and its ordinances, that they might fulfil and do all that is here written.

Now all this seems consistent with the fact, that much of this plan was never carried into effect, the people not having repented nor obeyed. Whilst at the same time this passage seems inconsistent with any interpretation of these chapters, which would make them only and altogether figurative, supposing that it never was intended, under any circumstances, to build any such temple at Jerusalem. That God's promises should be conditional, that the things which He appoints to be done should be left to depend on man's faithfulness in doing them, this is no more than we are accustomed to meet with in all parts of the Bible. And if the Jews after the captivity might have had, and ought to have had, such a temple as this, and yet did not; must not we also reflect with sorrow, what a holy, glorious, and universal church, all Christians, of all ages and all lands, ought to have formed, and have not? May God, who has revealed in his Gospel the constitution of that Christian temple, vouchsafe to write it on our hearts, that we may, to the best of our ability, and by the help of his gracious power, "keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them!”

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The law of the house. The ordinances of the altar.

12 This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. 13 And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar. 14 And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit.

15 So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.

16 And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.

17 And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.

18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

19 And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister

unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering. 20 And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.

21 Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.

22 And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.

23 When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.

24 And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.

25 Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.

26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.

27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.

LECTURE 1352.

The holiness which becomes Christians.

These ordinances of the altar afford fresh evidence, that the prophecy refers to a temple to be built with hands, in which burnt offerings and peace offerings were to be rendered unto God, as appointed previously in the Law. And we know that such sacrifices were offered continually, until the time when the second temple was destroyed. So that these visions were realized in part, although in part they failed to take effect. And so also are God's promises in the Gospel fulfilled in the peace, and joy, and glory, of his people in the Church, so far as they fulfil their part, in repenting, believing, and obeying. There are still amongst us many, as there were some when our Lord was dwelling on the earth, in whom He works not his miracles of grace, "because of their unbelief." Matth. 13. 58. But there are also many, God be praised! there are many, God grant there may be more! who live on earth a heavenly life, who mind heavenly things, who love as they have been beloved, and rejoice, through all the period of their pilgrimage below, "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1 Pet. 1. 8.

These are they who especially give heed to the great principle here set before the Jews, equally applicable to Christians, "This is the law of the house; upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house." Literally this means, that the temple, and all its precincts, even all that was to stand upon mount Zion, should be consecrated to God, kept separate from all other uses, and watchfully guarded from all profanation or defilement. Now that which defiles is sin. Many are the regulations written in the Law on the subject of defilement or uncleanness, all tending to this one point, that sin consists in disobeying God's commandments. Let then those who have been consecrated to God, to form his living temple, constantly bear in mind this "law of the house." Let them follow after holiness; watching that they disobey no commandment of the Lord, striving and delighting to fulfil all his will. Far be from them all wilful sin. Far be from them all thoughts, or words, or deeds, unconformable to the word of the Most High. Let them guard against all approaches of iniquity. Let their life and conversation, their conduct, their language, their minds, their hearts, and "the whole limit thereof round about," all be "most holy."

Help us, Lord, to keep this fundamental law of thy most sacred house, the Christian church! Help us by thy Holy Spirit helping us, that we may become a temple meet for Thee to dwell in; through Jesus Christ our Lord!

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