was the second month of the ecclesiastical year, A. M. 2993. It was seven years in building; when finished, it was shut up eleven months, and opened for worship in the month Ethenim, or Tizri, and dedicated, with great solemnity, A. M. 3001. A proclamation was issued, the day fixed, and a very great congregation from the entering in of Hamath, unto the river of Egypt, were gathered together. They knew the temple was a type of the body of Christ, a solemn symbol and memorial that the word would be made flesh, and tabernacle on earth; and they came to the dedication of it, knowing and believing that it was a prefiguration of the Son of God coming from heaven to dwell with men on the earth.

The people being solemnly gathered together, and the elders of Israel, at the day appointed for the consecration, "The levites took up the ark, and brought it and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle: those did the priests and levites bring up. Also king Solomon, and all the congregation that were assembled before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude."

Before I enter on a view of these costly, solemn, and magnificent sacrifices, which were sacred memorials of Christ's most precious bloodshedding, sacrifice, and death, it may not be

amiss to give the following brief hints concerning the temple.

It was built after a pattern which David received from the Spirit of God. The preparation that he and his nobles made for it, was immense: one hundred and eight thousand talents of gold; one million and seventeen thousand talents of silver; both of which together, (says Brown, in his Dictionary of the Bible,) amounted to about nine hundred and forty-two millions, seven hundred and nineteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty pounds, sterling; and in weight amounted to about forty-six thousand ton weight of gold and silver, which was set apart for this good work. You may view the account given of this in the 28th and 29th chapters of the first book of Chronicles.

No less than one hundred and eighty-three thousand and six hundred men, Hebrews and Canaanites, were employed in the work. Every thing was made ready 'ere it came to the spot, so that there was nothing to do, but to join the materials; and yet it was seven years in building.

It was erected on mount Moriah. The top of this hill was enclosed with a wall: into this there was an entrance on every side, besides one towards the south west, for the royal family, whereby, by a raised way, called the gate of Shallecheth, they came to their place, in the covert of the sabbath. The east gate was

called Sur; the south gate was called Asuppim, because it seems there the levites convened to receive their directions; and the gate Parbar, was at the north-west of the temple. At the side of every gate, and at every corner of the court, houses seem to have been built.' Vide John Brown. In this outer court, every clean Hebrew and proselyte of the covenant, might enter.

In the middle of the outer court, but nearer to the west end, there was a court for the priests and levites, stretching oblong from west to east, and was surrounded with a low wall, about four feet high, that the people might, over the top of it, see what was doing by the priests. This court had two entrances: one on the north side, and another on the south.

In this court, just before the east end of the temple, stood the brazen altar, a memorial of Christ, as God's ordinance of salvation. It was twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits broad, and ten cubits high. On one side of the courts was the brazen sea, emblematical of the blood of Christ, which is abundantly sufficient in its virtue aud efficacy to purify, cleanse, and sanctify, all the people of God; and near it stood the brazen lavers, expressive of the fountain set open in the blood of Christ, for sin and for uncleanness,

The temple, properly so called, stood from west to east, near the west end of the court of

the priests, and had its sole entrance on the east end. First, you came to the porch, which was twenty cubits from north to south, and ten cubits from east to west, and one hundred and twenty cubits in height. This served as a steeple to adorn it, and was a place of shelter and of prayer to the serving priests.

On each side of its entrance was a pillar about eighteen cubits high, and twelve cubits in circumference, adorned with chapiters, and about two hundred figures of pomegranates. The one was called Jachin, i. e. stability; the other Boaz, i.e. strength. Christ is the stability and strength of his church: "He will bear up his people in time, and he will make them pillars in the temple of God, and they shall go no more out.

Passing through this porch, the priests entered the holy place, which was forty cubits in length, and twenty in breadth, and thirty in height; at the west end of which stood ten golden candlesticks, which with the light in them, were sacred symbols of Christ, the light of everlasting life, who is the light of his church and people. These were placed on the south side; and on the north side were placed ten tables, with twelve loaves of shew bread on each, presenting Christ to the view of faith, as the repre sentative of his people, as perfuming their persons and services with the odour, perfume, and

fragrancy of his divine mediation. Thus he was exhibited as the bread of life, on whom his people live, and by whom they will live for ever.

In the middle, not far from the vail, which divided the holy and most holy place, stood the golden altar of incense. This was figurative of Christ's intercession.

Passing through the holy place lengthwise, the high priest once a year, entered by a fine vail, and a two-leaved door of olive tree into the oracle, or most holy place. It was a square of twenty cubits every way. The floors, walls, and roof, were overlaid with pure gold: there was no window in it: here were two cherubims of olive tree, made by Solomon, overlaid with pure gold: under these, the ark, with its mercy-seat and cherubims of glory, was placed. This was a most sacred type of Christ's person and atonement. It was also a record and memorial of the sacred and essential Three, in the one incomprehensible Jehovah, in their covenant acts and transactions in their council and engagements, before the world was.

The pot of manna, in, or just by the ark, was to the saints under that economy, a pledge of immortality, a token of the everlasting fellowship between God and his people in heaven, where he will be their everlasting light, and their everlasting glory. Aaron's rod which budded, which was also in the holy of holies, was a figure of