faid, Luke iv. 18. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becaufe he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath fent me to heal the broken in heart, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of fight to the blind, to fet at liberty them that are bruifed.

Second, It was typical of the out-pourings of the bleffings of grace upon him; as Mediator he hath all the church's treafures in his hands; his human nature is the grand repofitory and munition of all the church's fupply; it was trufted in his hands from everlafting, it remaineth there now, and will when time shall be no more, Pfal. xlv. 2. grace is poured into thy lips. And happy it is for us, that CHRIST hath the key of the covenant, that he keeps our grand magazine of bleffings; for indeed, as Herbert expreffeth it, they are more fecurely ours by being his. Neither angels in glory, nor Adam in innocency, were capable of keeping their own bleffednefs; neither are we fit to be entrusted with our own happiness: Such is the debility of our nature (though grace may be received) that had we no more fupplies than inherent strength, we fhould foon become a prey to the adverfary; happy for us therefore, that it hath pleafed the Father, that in him fhould all fulness dwell.

Thirdly, The anointing of the high priest under the law, was typical of the fresh anointings of the HOLY GHOST upon our fouls: We stand in need of the vivifying operations of the SPIRIT Continually, and from CHRIST, our great High Prieft, Bows this divine unction: We cannot pray, hear, read, or meditate, to any profit and life, without the HOLY GHOST'S operations. And the oil defcending down to the fkirts of Aaron's garments, may denote, the oil of joy and gladness defcending to the meaneft member of CHRIST'S mystical body. Friendly. If I may not be too inquifitive, how were thefe garments for the high priest made?

Truth. The Jews have thus recorded it:-" The gold that "was in the weaving of the ephod of the breaft-plate was thus "wrought; he took one thread of pure gold, and put it with "fix threads of blue, and twisted seven threads as one; and fo "he did one thread of gold with fix of purple; and one with "fix of fearlet; and one with fix of linen; thus there were "four threads of gold, and twenty-eight in all, of which t twenty-eight he wove the breaft-plate and the ephod, "&c." Likewife the manner of faftening their garments was as follows: "There were made on each fhoulder "two rings, one above the top of the fhoulder, and "another beneath the shoulder, above the curious› girdle,

"and they faftened two wreathings of gold in the two "rings that were above on the fhoulder of the ephod; then "they put the two laces of blue, which were on the edge of "the breaft-plate, into the rings that were above the curious "girdle of the ephod, and they let down the chains which "were in the rings on the fhoulder of the ephod, unto the "rings of the breaft-plate which were uppermoft, that the "one might cleave faft to the other, that fo the breaft plate "might not be loofed from the ephod." Thus faith Maimony, treating upon the employments of the fanctuary."

Friendly. What may I apprehend by the ephod, with the precious ftones contained therein, with the names of the children of Ifrael engraved thereon, as it is faid, Exod xxviii. 9, 12. And thou shalt take two onyx ftones, and grave on them the names of the children of Ifrael: And thou shalt put the two ftones upon the fhoulders of the ephod, for tones of memorial unto the children of Ifrael: And Aaron fhall bear their names before the Lord upon his two fhoulders for a memorial?

Truth. The ephod was part of the beautiful garments which the high priest under the law wore, of which there were two forts, one made of plain linen, for the common priest, but that for the high priest was an embroidered one, which was compofed of gold, blue, purple, and twisted cotton, as a compofition of rich colours; and upon that part of the ephod which came upon the two fhoulders of the high prieft, were two large precious and lucid ftones, upon which were engraven the names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael, fix names upon each ftone; Maimony obferves, he fets on each fhoulder a beryl ftone, four-fquare, emboffed in gold, and he graved on the ftones the names of the tribes, fix on one ftone, and fix on the other, according to their births; Reuben, Levi, Ifachar, Naphtali, Gad, Jofeph, were on the right fhoulder; "Simeon, Judah, Dan, Zebulon, Asher, and Benjamin, were on the left; and this was to be a memorial to the children of Ifrael, and alfo a memorial before the Lord. As in other refpects, fo in this, the high priest under the law was a type of CHRIST, our great High Prieft, that is paffed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. Now thefe beryl ftones were exceeding bright, and precious, fuppofed among the ancients to be a diamond; and the names of the children of Ifrael being engraved upon these stones, was, I humbly conceive, typical of the names of the elect, the true Ifrael of GOD, being engraved in the LAMB's book of life, which are the engravings of electing love, in his eternal mind. The transparency and brilliancy of thefe

ftones, in which their names were engraved, may denote the glory and luftre of JEHOVAH's love, not only as it fhines in his eternal mind, but as it shines with fuch refulgent beams as revealed in his word. Thefe ftones being two in number, may denote the two-fold glory and tranfparent brightness of the love of GoD, not only as it fhines in the old teftament difpenfation, but likewife as it fhines forth in the new, which is the copy of his mind, and the diamond of his love. Their names being engraved upon thefe ftones, may be typical of the fecurity of the elect in the love of GoD, that their names are inlaid and engraved in the very bofom of his love. Thefe ftones being emboffed, or fet in gold, may point out the infinite value and ineffable worth of the love of God to his people, that it has an infinite glory spread thereon in his mind, in the fixation of it upon them in CHRIST, and on all the communications of it in time and to eternity. Aaron bearing their names upon bis fhoulders before the Lord, I apprehend was typical of CHRIST's bearing his people, and having the government of the church upon his fhoulders, Ifa. ix. 6. for if CHRIST did not bear his people, and their burthens too, they would fink beneath their ponderous weight. As Aaron bore the names of the children of Ifrael upon his fhoulders, fo CHRIST beareth thee, O my foul, under all thy burthens, forrows and dif treffes; thy whole concern lieth upon him, and while omnipotence can fupport thee, thy burthens fhall never fink thee; he will bear thee, for ever bear thee, as a memorial of his love before the LORD. And as this was to be a memorial to the children of Ifracl, fo thy name, my dear Friendly, being engraved in GoD's eternal love, fhould be a memorial never to be forgotten, Luke x. 20. But rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Friendly. How rich must be their joy, how strong their fecurity, that can by faith fee their intereft in electing love! What can be more valuable than gold, more precious than a diamond, more fecure than to be engraved thereon, and more dear than a memorial therof?

Truth. Yes, Friendly, these are the peculiar joys of reli gion, the comforts of godliness, and the earnest of glory.

Friendly. But can all chriftians fee their names fet as a fignet upon the bofom of everlasting love?

Truth. No, yet nevertheless they are there. As parifh re gifters contain the names of thousands that never faw their names there, fo the book of life, the eternal love of Gon, contains thousands of thousands, and ten thousand times ten

thousands of the names of the children of God, who perhaps inthis life never faw their names there. Some chriftians there are, that blind the eyes of their minds with the golden dust of this life, they will (if they can) have gold in their purse, if they have no comfort in their hearts. Others there are, that think to wash the eye of faith clear with the tears of repentance, but can never catch enough to do it. Whilft others there are, that are wife unto falvation, who defire to wash in the fountain that God hath fet open for fin and uncleannefs, and pray that the HOLY GHOST may anoint their eyes with CHRIST's eye-falve, that they may fee. This eye-falve is the balmy blood of JESUS, which is effectual to remove the cloud of fears, diffipate a fenfe of wrath, clear the eye of faith, whereby the believer beholds with admiration, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon him.

Friendly. From hence it should seem, that you think that the ftate of a foul that hath but a weak and infantine faith, may be as fafe as those that have the faith of affurance to cry, Abba Father.

Truth. Yes, there is no difference with regard to their fafety, it only lies in prefent comfort; the one rejoices in hope of the glory of GoD, the other believes in hope, even against hope; yet both acts of faith center in the fame object; as a father might have a fun who is at the age of inheritance, and at the fame time, might have another that is in a weak infant ftate; fo among the family of heaven there are fome fathers, fome young men, and fome babes in CHRIST, but the babes are children. And many babes there are, who are so weak and feeble, that they cannot ftand or fpeak, yet the tender parent loves them and provides for them: So there are many of God's children who are so weak in faith, that they cannot stand; the feet of faith are fo feeble that if the dear Shepherd in Ifrael did not lead them by his arm of power, they would fall; fo infantine that they cannot speak; that is, they cannot pour forth their fouls in prayer to GOD as others can; yet their heavenly Father loves them, and provides for them, milk for babes, 1 Pet. ii. 2. the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

Friendly. I am obliged to you for this fhort, but seasonable digreffion; your doctrine has dropped like the rain, and your fpeech has diftilled like the dew; fecretly (yet fweetly) foftening my heart, which was become dry and hard; gently refreshing my mind with fresh hope, and new life; may it discover itself by growing obedience. But to proceed upon the subject,

what may I apprehend by the breaft-plate of judgment, mentioned, Exod. xxviii. 15. And thou shalt make the breaft-plate of judgment of cunning work?

Truth. It is difficult to fay what may be the meaning of this part of the High Prieft's garments, for in the Hebrew it is Chaber, which is not eafy to interpret; the feventy interpreters ufually tranflate it Logician, or Logion, as being the Oracle Ornament; but because it was an ornament of the breaft, we call it a breaft-plate, in which there was placed twelve precious and transparent ftones, and upon them was engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael, Exod. xxviii. 29. And Aaron fhall bear the names of the children of Ifrael in the breaft-plate of judgment, upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually; which was a lively type and prefiguration of CHRIST, and his kindness in his prieftly office; for as Aaron was to bear the names of the children of Ifrael upon his heart, when he went in unto the holy place before the Lord, fo the LORD JESUS, who is confecrated a Priest for ever, when he goeth in within the veil, with his own blood beareth the names of his elect, the Ifrael of God, upon his heart before the LORD; which is an irrefragable proof of his love to them, that his people are his treafure and portion, inafmuch as he placed them fo near his heart. That which we love in the most ftrong and fuperlative manner, lies near our hearts, and is fixed there as a monument of our affections. So the church, being the object of CHRIST's delight, he placeth her in the bofom of his love; not only in his arms but on his heart, which is an irrefutable proof of their being a people near unto him, Pfal. cxlviii. 14. when Aaron bare the names of the children of Ifrael upon his heart before the LORD, it was when he went into the holy place; which points out the interceffion of the LORD JESUS CHRIST; he not only goes within the veil, with his own blood, to plead for them, but he takes their names with him, not in his hands enrolled upon parchment, but engraved upon his heart, inrolled in BLOOD: Their cafe lies as near him as his own heart, he loveth them dearer than himself, inafmuch as he gave himfelf for them, Eph v. 2. and now ever liveth to make interceffion for them, and to wear their names as a fignet upon his heart.

Second, Aaron was to bear their names continually upon his heart; which was typical of the eternal duration of CHRIST's love, for what can be a more inconteftible proof of his unchanging love to his people, than his bearing their names

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