the angels," from the heights of heaven, | golden vessels that were taken out of the bend down" with humble earnestness, with temple of the house of God, which was at holy desire "to look into."

I conclude with quoting a passage of the Rabbi Maimonides on the subject. "God commanded Moses," says he, "to make two cherubim, in order to impress upon the human mind the doctrine of the existence of angels. Had there been but one cherub placed over the mercy-seat, the Israelites might have fallen into a grievous error, they might have imagined, with idolatrous nations, that it was the image of God himself, which they were required to worship under that form. Or they might have been led to believe, on the other hand, that there was but one angel. But the command given to make two cherubim, joined to this declaration, O Israel, the | Lord your God is one Jehovah, settles both articles beyond the power of disputation. It proves that there is an angelic order, and that it consists of more than one: it prevents our confounding the idea of God with that of angels; seeing there is but one God who created the cherubim, and created more than one."

Jerusalem; and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." Read the writing, with the interpretation of it. "This is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing; MENE, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL, thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES, thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."* Read the issue. "In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom."†

begun and perfected within the compass of little more than six months. Every thing was executed according to the pattern showed to Moses in the mount. At length it was set up in all its splendour, with a mixture of holy joy and godly fear: and the divine Inhabitant took solemn possession in the eyes of all Israel. "A cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

In this sacred repository were laid up, for Such was the wonderful structure erected perpetual preservation, the awful monuments to the honour of God, and by his special diof the Sinai covenant, of the church esta-rection, in the wilderness of Sinai. It was blished in the wilderness; the memorials of mercies past, the pledges of good things to come "the tables of the covenant," the incorruptible manna, and Aaron's rod that budded: signifying to all future generations, the permanency and immutability of the divine law, the unremitting care and attention of the divine providence, the dignity, and stability of the Levitical priesthood. But the whole economy, and every instrument of it, in process of time passed away. All was at length carried to Babylon. But the dissolution of the empire which dared to violate their sacredness, was involved in their violation and dissolution. Read the history of it, Dan. v. "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels, which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, that the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines night drink therein. Then they brought the More Nevoch, part III. ch. xlv. † Dan. v. 1-6.

2 N

"Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: we have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. Who hath obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away." * Dan. v. 25-28. † Dan. v. 30, 31. Heb. viii. 1, 2. 6. 13. 24*

HISTORY OF AARON.

LECTURE LXIIL

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazer his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazer his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor, in sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazer his son: and Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazer came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.-NUMBERS XX. 23-29.

THE lives of most men, from the womb to the grave, pass away unobserved, unregarded, unknown. When their course is finished the whole history of it shrinks into two little articles, on such a day they were born, and after so many days they died. Of those who emerge out of the general obscurity, some begin their public career at an advanced period of life, and of course it consists of a few shining, interesting, important events, and is confined within the compass of a very few fleeting years. While the progress of a little selected band, whom an indulgent Providence has vouchsafed signally to nobilitate, and whom the historic pencil is fond to delineate, is distinguished from the cradle to the tomb, by an uninterrupted series of splendid incidents, exemplary virtues, and brilliant actions.

to retail those ideal virtues, are notoriously among the most abandoned and profligate of our race. Those examples, therefore, are to be considered as the most useful, as I flatter myself they are more frequent, which exhibit a mixture in which goodness predominates, and finally prevails; in which virtue is seen wading through difficulties, struggling with temptation, recovering from error, gathering strength from weakness, learning wisdom from experience, sustaining itself by dependence upon God; seeking refuge from its own frailty and imperfection in divine compassion, and crowned, at length, with victory over all opposition, and the smiles of approving Heaven.

Of this sort, is the history and character which the pen of inspiration, which the pencil of a brother has drawn for the instruction of this evening.

The characters of men are mixed like their fortunes. The most perfect instruc- Aaron, the first high priest of the Hebrew tion, for the generality of mankind, which nation, and the only brother of Moses, their history furnishes, is perhaps supplied from celebrated legislator, was born in the year the exhibition of mixed, that is, of imperfect of the world two thousand three hundred characters. Unvarying scenes of fraud, vio- and seventy; before Christ one thousand six lence, and blood; the representation of un- hundred and thirty-four; and before the birth deviating, unrelenting, unblushing profliga- of his brother three years. It is probable he cy, must, of necessity, create disgust, or came into the world before the edict of the diminish the horror of vice. The real an- king of Egypt was published, which comnals of mankind present no model of puremanded all the Israelitish male children to and perfect virtue, but one: and from its singularity, it cannot, in all respects, serve as a pattern for imitation. We contemplate it at an awful distance; we feel ourselves every moment condemned by it: we turn from the divine excellency, which covers our faces with shame, and casts us down to the ground, toward the mercy which has sealed our pardon, and the grace which raises us up again. The fanciful representations of perfect virtue, which are supplied from the stores of fiction, can but amuse at most; edify they cannot. They want truth, they want nature, they come not home to the bosoms of ordinary men. I might more easily ape the state of a king, than imitate the affectedly sublime virtue of the heroes of romance. Many of the persons whose profession it is

be put to death. For that edict seems to have been directed by a special interposition of Providence, precisely to mark, and eminently to signalize, the first appearance of the great prophet of the Jews. Exposed to no special danger of infancy, the subject of no interesting memoir in early life, distinguished by no memorable talents or exploits in manhood, we see him far declined into the vale of years before we see him at all; and, for all our knowledge of him, earlier or later, we are indebted to the labours of his younger brother. Another, among a cloud of witnesses, to prove that the birthright of nature, and the destination of Providence, are intended to confer distinctions of a very different kind. Moses has shone forty years in the court of Pharaoh, has formed an alliance

by marriage with a foreign prince, and cultivated the virtues, and prosecuted the employments of private life for forty years more, before his elder brother is heard of. And when he is at length brought upon the scene, at the advanced age of eighty-three, it is to occupy an inferior department to his brother, and the elder is yet again designed to serve the younger.

be left destitute of all? The praise of eloquence certainly belongs to Aaron; for it is bestowed by him, who is best able to estimate his own gifts. "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well."* But O how different the nature, the importance, the effect, the duration of one talent compared to another! The tongue which overawed Pharaoh, which astonished all Egypt, and charmed the listening ear of Israel, speedily became mute; and of its powerful charm, not a single trace remains behind: while the productions of Moses's pen exist and shall exist till nature expire, to instruct, delight, and bless mankind.

The various instruments which heaven employs are ever suited to their seasons, occasions, and ends. The interview between the brothers takes place according as infinite wisdom had contrived it; and it behoved, on many accounts, to be a pleasant one. Two wise and good men, so nearly related, so fondly attached to each other, after a separation so tedious, to meet again in health, to confer together on matters of such high moment, to enter, under the assured protection of Heaven, upon the noblest and most generous enterprize that can engage great and lofty spirits, the deliverance of their country! What a field for the exercise of private

His first introduction, however, to our acquaintance, places him in a most interesting, respectable, and honourable point of view. We behold a venerable man, fourscore and upwards, agitated with public cares, and moved with fraternal tenderness and affection, on his way through the wilderness, in quest of his long absent brother. In these our days of speedy conveyance and communication from pole to pole, from the east to west, by land, by water, through the air, we can form but a slender idea of the anxiety of friends, removed but a few leagues' distance from one another, and their consequent ignorance of each other's situation. Proportionally sweet must have been the delight of meeting together, after long separation. Scripture has described this, as it does every thing else, in its own inimitable manner. "Aaron thy brother, behold he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart."* Behold the inter-friendship, of natural affection, of public view of two brothers, not the result of previous concert, not the effect of human sagacity, not the fortuitous coincidence of blind, blundering, accidental circumstances; but planned and conducted of Heaven, and effected by Him, "who worketh all things after the counsel of his will," and for a great and noble purpose.

spirit! On Aaron, according to the divine appointment, fell that most grateful of all tasks, to announce to the wretched the period of their misery, "to proclaim liberty to the captives," the truth and faithfulness of God to the desponding and dejected, and the possession of Canaan to the slaves of Pharaoh.

Eloquence has an enchanting power, even The occasion of Aaron's first appearance over those who have no interest in the subin the sacred drama, is not less memorable.ject of it. How potent, then, the enchantMoses having received the divine commission to proceed to the deliverance of his nation from Egyptian bondage, repeatedly excuses himself from undertaking that honourable employment, particularly on the footing of his deficiency in the arts of eloquence and persuasion. Did this arise from timidity in Moses? was it a false modesty and humility? or did he indeed labour under a defect of this kind? If the last, can we avoid reflecting on the wonderful equality with which nature distributes her gifts? In conception who so sublime, in composition who so elegant, in narration who so simple, in written language who so perspicuous, so forcible, so impressive as Moses? Can it be true, then, what he says of himself, " O, my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." Who is so favoured of nature and Providence, as to possess every talent, every blessing? Who so hardly dealt with, as to † Exodus iv. 10.

Exodus iv. 14

ment of the heaven-taught eloquence of Aaron the Levite! What grace must have been poured into his lips, when delivering the message of love from the great "I AM," the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to their hapless offspring, assuring them, that the time to favour them was now come, that his covenant was sure! With what ravished ears must the elders of Israel have listened to such tidings, flowing from such lips! Happy Aaron, thus accomplished, thus commissioned, thus prospered! Happy people, thus remembered, thus addressed, thus persuaded! But wherefore envy his honour or their happiness? A greater than Aaron is with us; even He who says of himself, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound :"+ We announce to you, that Jesus "in whom all † Isai. Iri b

• Exod. iv. 14.

fulness was pleased to dwell," whom admir- have accordingly been already adverted to, ing multitudes worshipped, saying, "never and shall not therefore now be repeated, our man spake like this man!" whose all-com- intention being to select those passages of manding voice checked the boisterous ele- his history, which are more personal and pements, put demons to flight, and pierced the culiar; which more clearly mark a distinct ear of death. character; and which represent him invested with an office which was to be hereditary in his family, and typical of the unchangeable priesthood of the Son of God.

Jehovah vouchsafes to use. Its virtue lies aot in itself, but in the arm that wields it. Through the whole of the astonishing transactions which follow, we find an exact order and method observed. Aaron uses not the rod at his own discretion, neither does God communicate his pleasure immediately to him; but the Lord gives the word to Moses, who delivers it to Aaron, who follows the instructions given him. And thus, by an example of the highest authority, we are instructed, in obedience to an injunction given long after under another dispensation, "that all things be done decently and in order."

The next memorable event of Aaron's life, after assisting in the plagues of Egypt and the consequent deliverance of Israel, is his contributing to the defeat of Amalek, by aiding Hur in supporting the weary hands of Moses his brother upon the mount. To the observations already made on this part of the history, I have only to repeat and to urge upon your minds the reflection of the Psalmist, "Behold how good a thing it is," in every point of view," and how pleasant, for brethren to dwell together in unity !"* By concord the weakest powers grow and stand: through disunion the strongest are dissolved and fall.

the case very superficially. The priesthood, though of high dignity, possessed very slender emoluments, and still less authority. It subjected the possessor of it to much painful attendance, to much laborious and much unpleasant service, considered as a mere secular employment. It was a post, if of distinguished honour, so of high responsibility. But supposing it were as lucrative and honourable as it is alleged, why did not Moses assume it to himself? Why did he pass by his own sons? Why not secure the reversion, at least, for his own children and their heirs? When a man has immediate descendants of his own body, he is seldom solicitous about the aggrandisement of more distant relations, especially to the prejudice of his own children. The conduct of Moses, therefore, in the disposal of this high office, on the supposition that he had a choice in the matter, is the reverse of selfish; it is generous and disinterested to the last degree. The dignity of magistracy is, in his own life-time communicated with Joshua; and, at his death, is wholly transferred to him. The office of high priest is conferred upon Aaron, and made perpetual to his branch of the family; while the sons and descendants of Moses sink into the rank of private citizens, without the stipulation of so much as a foot of land, extraordinary, in Canaan, in consideration of their father's eminent services. Does this look like avarice and ambition? But the truth is, Moses had no choice at all in the case, and presumed to exercise none. God had de

Aaron and his two eldest sons, with seventy of the elders of Israel, by divine appointment, accompanied Moses to the lower region of mount Sinai, when he went up to meet God, in order to receive the civil and religious constitution of the state and with them, as the federal heads and representatives of the na-clared his will, and that was sufficient to tion, the political union and covenant were ratified and confirmed. And this brings us forward to the eventful period of Aaron's history, his solemn destination to the office of priesthood, his preparation for it, and his investiture in it.

him, and will be so to every good man.

If we attend to some lines in the character, and some steps in the conduct of Aaron, we shall find more just reason of surprise at his appointment to this sacred office. We behold him, at the very era of his appointment, an abettor of idolatry, and even after his instalment in it, we find him meanly and wickedly envying the distinction which was put upon his meek and gentle brother, and, with his sister Miriam, heading a revolt from his just authority. But, alas! were perfect men only to minister before God, the altar must soon be deserted. Were not sinful men to be addressed by sinful men, the world must speedily be destitute of preachers. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.' * The design

The appointment was of Heaven; for "no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron :"+ and even a king, in later times, who presumed to thrust himself into the priest's office, paid the price of his rashness, by a leprosy which cleaved to him till the day of his death. "Take thou," says the great Source of all honour and authority, "take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazer and Ithamar, Aaron's sons." It has been object-of Providence, from the beginning, seems to ed to Moses, as a proof of a selfish and worldly have been, to convince the world, that in spirit, that he employed his authority, to per- every hand his work must prosper; that if petuate a station of the first dignity and emo- he interpose, all instruments, the most inlument, in his own tribe and family, by the adequate, must prove powerful, and shall appointment of Aaron to the priesthood, and succeed. by the entail of it upon his posterity for ever. But surely the objectors must have studied

A few remarks on the particulars of Aaron's sacred dress, the services in which he was employed, his solemn consecration to

* 2 Cor. iv. 7.