It was as if their sins were put upon the animal, that it might bear, instead of themselves, the punishment which their sin deserved. The death of the animal, which was offered as a sin offering, was a sign to remind them of the guilt of sin, and to teach them, that sorrow, or amendment, could not of itself do away that guilt. For sin deserves death; and "without shedding of blood, there is no remission."

"But it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin." Their sacrifice was but a sign, or type, of another and far greater sacrifice to be offered up for sinful men; the shedding of their blood was a type of other and more precious blood to be shed to make atonement for man's guilt.

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Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hath offered Himself once for all, as the one great Sacrifice for sin. The Son of God took upon Himself the flesh and body of man, that He might shed upon the cross His precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot," to make atonement for our sins. He is "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." "Once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed."

This is the one great Sacrifice, of which the sacrifices offered by God's people of old were but types and signs.

God's people may not now offer up to Him the sacrifice of bulls and goats, or shed their blood to make atonement for man's sin. God bids us look to the one great Sacrifice of Christ our Lord, who gave Himself for us. He bids us commemorate His precious

death. He bids us seek by prayer and by repentance the forgiveness of our sins through Him.

Heb. ix. 14. 28; x. 10. 12. 14. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. John i. 29. Heb. ix. 26. Isaiah liii. 5, 6. & 1 Pet. ii. 24.

Remission, is forgiveness.

To commemorate, is to do something by which we remind ourselves of what has happened in time past, and keep it in memory. Christians commemorate the sacrifice and death of Christ, by the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Chapter LXE.

THE APPOINTMENT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD'S TABERNACLE.

WHEN Moses came down from mount Sinai, and found the children of Israel worshipping before the golden calf which they had made, he had stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me." And of all the children of Israel, the tribe of Levi only had gathered themselves together unto Moses.

This tribe, the tribe of Levi, God now chose to be His servants.

The Lord spake unto Moses, and said, “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them unto Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him."

The Levites were to be the servants of God, to help the priests when they offered sacrifices upon the brazen altar, outside the tabernacle.

The Levites were also to take care of the tabernacle of the Lord, and of all the things which belonged to the tabernacle; but they might not go within the tabernacle. They were to pitch their tents near to the tabernacle all round about it. And when the children of Israel journeyed on, the Levites were to carry the tabernacle of God, and all that was in it. But Aaron and his sons were first to take down the vail, and cover up the ark, and the mercy seat, with the golden cherubims, that the Levites might not see the holy ark of God when they carried it. They were not to touch the ark itself, but to carry it by the golden poles which were fastened to it. For the Lord had said, that if any one, except His priests, should touch the ark, he should die.

When the children of Israel encamped, the cloud which went before them as a pillar to lead them in the way, stood over the tabernacle of God. This cloud rested over the tabernacle so long as God willed that they should remain in one place. When they were to journey on, the cloud rose up from over the tabernacle, and went before them in the way they were to go. And the Levites, when they saw the cloud rise up, were to take down the tabernacle that they might carry it, and all the things that belonged to it. And they were to bear the ark of God, and go onward after the cloud.

Numbers iii. iv. & Exodus xl. 34-38.

Chapter LXFE.

GOD'S PEOPLE WEARY OF THE BREAD FROM

HEAVEN.

THE children of Israel remained a long time near mount Sinai, after God had given them the law, and the ten commandments.

When the children of Israel had been there about a year, the cloud rose up from over the tabernacle. Then the Levites, as they had been commanded, took down the tabernacle, and carried it with them. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and followed onward after the cloud, which went before them. And the children of Israel journeyed on three days, till the cloud rested again in the wilderness of Paran.

All the time the Israelites were encamped near mount Sinai, God had given them food to eat from heaven. They gathered the manna every morning. Thus day by day God gave them their daily bread.

But now they murmured, because they had not the meat, or the fish, and' other kinds of food, which they had in the land of Egypt. They wept, and said, "Who shall give us flesh to eat?"

God heard their murmuring, and He was very wroth with them.

Then God commanded Moses to say to the people, "The Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall eat it a whole month, until it