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"Blood has a voice to pierce the skies,
Revenge the blood of Abel cries;

But the dear stream, when Christ was slain,
Speaks peace as loud from every vein."

present

Mother. It is my design, upon the occasion, to shew you the divinely-appointed method of delivering guilty mankind from condemnation and eternal misery, as it was most significantly typified in the sacrifices offered prior to the coming of the Redeemer in the flesh.

Annie. I shall be happy to hear you speak upon this subject; because, in reading the Bible, I have sometimes wondered

at many of the Jewish practices; their religion, you know, being so very different to that we follow.

Mother. It must be allowed that, as respects the outward forms, a great difference is apparent between the Jewish and Christian churches; but, if we pass through the external ceremonials, to the things signified, both religions are substantially the same. The children of Israel were taught the rudiments of Christianity; we are favoured with the lesson complete their system exhibited an infantile character; ours presents a manhood appearance: they, in their "divers washings," employed literal water, which can only cleanse the body; we have the living water, even the eternal Spirit, called "the washing of regeneration," which purifies the soul: they had "the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer;" but we, "the blood of the Son of God:" they came "unto the mount that might be touched," with fleshly

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hands, even Sinai, "that burned with fire," and displayed other effects of Jehovah's anger; we, if true Christians, are comé unto Mount Sion" (which can only be touched by the inward spirit), "and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant," &c. I should wish you carefully to read over, and endeavour to understand, the whole Epistle to the Hebrews, or Jews: it was addressed, by Paul, to those of that people as had embraced the gospel in the apostolic age, but who yet retained an affection towards the Mosaic ceremonies, which, heretofore, constituted the substance of their religious worship. To remove this attachment, the apostle shews the dignity of Jesus Christ above angels, and Moses and Aaron;

explains many of the leading types; and, from the imperfection thereof, concludes the necessity of their entire abolishment. Having done this, he subjoins a number of earnest exhortations to the Christian duties of boldly approaching God through Christ, attendance on Gospel ordinances, patience under suffering, perseverance in holiness, a vigorous exercise of faith, and many other equally important matters. In fact, you are furnished with an admirable comment upon all the services of God's ancient people, and in that comment you will have, likewise, the meaning of those various services; and thus the New Testament will become a key, with which you will be able to unlock the mysteries of the Old.

Annie. That will be useful. I will begin, to-morrow, to read the Epistle to the Hebrews.

Mother. Do so, my dear: but, be sure, before you commence reading, to implore the assistance of the Holy Spirit; for, with

out his illumination, you may peruse the Scriptures every day till the end of your life, and remain totally ignorant of their meaning that is, as far as shall pertain to any spiritual benefit. We will now turn to the subject which claims our more immediate notice, namely the typical sacrifices of, what is styled, the legal or law economy. I observe, then, in the first place, that we have an account of sacrifices being offered at the beginning of the world. It seems almost unquestionable that, directly after the sin of our first parents, the Lord instructed them in this method of obtaining the forgiveness of their offences. We read, "Unto Adam and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them." These skins were taken from beasts that had been slain: it may fairly be presumed, therefore, from what afterward occurred in Adam's family, that they had been offered in sacrifice by the offenders. And here I cannot help remarking the plainness with

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