tion, as contrasted with the Jewish, no one is more prominent than its unity or uniformity. Until Christ, the privileges of the covenant between Jehovah and his worshippers, were dispensed in unequal degrees to the several classes into which they were divided. The partial proselyte to Judaism was considered as possessing a claim superior indeed to the idolater; but much inferior to him who wholly conformed. There was a distinction between the portions of the Temple to which these two kinds of strangers were admitted; and from their place there, the one was called the proselyte of the gate, the other the proselyte of righteousness. Again, the lineal descendant of Abraham considered himself heir to promises which set him above the most perfect proselyte. Nor did the gradations end here. From the first institution of the Jewish Church the principle of inequality was laid in the division of the Israelites themselves into two classes-that of the Levites, and that of those who were not like the Levites to partake of certain priestly privileges. The very Levites again were marked by a very strong line of separation, and the family of Aaron reserved for the office of High Priest, and its attendant privileges. They alone entered into the holy of holies, within that vail, which was thus connected with the series of gradations and distinctions. The rending of this vail, therefore, was a plain symbol that these partition walls were not to divide the worshippers in the Lord's new Temple, into separate classes, enjoy. ing distinction and degrees of grace and privilege.

It told figuratively but emphatically of that change which was afterwards preached by the apostle Paul, when he insisted on 'One Lord, one baptism, one faith; and when struggling against the prejudices of his countrymen, he besought them to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.'* In the dispensation of the Spirit, all was one and uniform. Once a Christian, whether before Jew, or proselyte, or idolater, the churchman was to claim and to enjoy the highest degree of grace. In the new Temple there was to be no family like Aaron's, no tribe like Levi's, no nation like the Israelites. The partition walls between outward and inner court, between the rest of the Temple and its holy of holies, were all broken down; and the idolater who came in at the eleventh hour, was as free of that new Temple, as the converted son of Abraham, whose fathers had served God from the first dawn and early morning of the Church.

This, be it remembered, is no mere human interpretation of the rending of the vail of the Temple. Its import was indeed so obvious, that human reason alone would probably put on it such an explanation. But the view that has been taken of it is derived from St. Paul's comment on the change from the old to the new dispensation, in his Epistle to the Hebrews. A portion, therefore, of the ninth and tenth chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews, will be a proper con

clusion to these remarks.

* Ephesians iv.

3, 5.

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread, which is called The Sanctuary: and, after the second vail, the tabernacle, which is called The Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat: of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God: but into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people. The Holy Ghost this signifying, That the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.- -This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

ACCOMPLISHMENT OF PROPHECY AT THE CRUCI

FIXION.

Ver. 23, 24, 28.

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.- -And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

The Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, are such as precluded any attempt to fulfil them all by any but the Messiah himself. They admit of being divided into two classes, to both of which this remark is applicable; and there are but few, if any, which may not be assigned to one or the other of these classes.

First, there are those, the fulfilment of which, supposed not one, but a series of miracles, as, for example, the opening the eyes of the blind, and other miraculous cures.

There are others, again, the fulfilment of which depended on unforeseen accident, or on the agency of others on the agency of those, I mean, who could not be suspected of collusion; or on accident, which could not be foreseen or reckoned on by an impostor. Of this description are the earthly genealogy of the Messiah, and his birth-place. Of this kind also was the prediction that he should be prized by his enemies at just thirty pieces of silver, neither more nor less. Most of these prophetic marks were in themselves trifling; and very reasonably so; because, as they were to make no part of the Messiah's agency, they required to be important in nothing but their exact fulfilment. And being exactly fulfilled, their very want of importance made them to be the more striking, because the less likely to be thought of, and aimed at, by the person whose cause they supported. Whenever it so happened, however, that one of these trivial prophetic marks did depend on our Lord's agency, then,

we may observe, that he gives it an additional difficulty and importance, by making its accomplishment the result of a miracle; that it might not be mistaken for a mere human contrivance, or a foreseen accident.. Thus his riding into Jerusalem on an ass was remarked to have been connected with the exercise of divine interposition.

Most of the prophetic characteristics of the Messiah, however, which belong to this class-which depended, namely, for their fulfilment on accident—arose, as we might expect, out of the events of that period, when he had resigned himself to his enemies, and when they, and not he, were the contrivers of what befel him. The narrative of the crucifixion, accordingly, abounds with these. Besides the fulfilment of those prophecies, which represent him as an object of scorn, and as one to be esteemed stricken of God,* (all which is so apparent in the treatment which he experienced at the hands of his enemies,) we may observe certain specific and extraordinary fulfilments. Such was the provision that his garment should not be parted, but cast lots for t-that no bone of him should be broken —that (strange contrariety) he should make his grave with the wicked, and yet be with the rich in his death; § a prophecy which was fulfilled by his being crucified between two malefactors, and afterwards buried honourably in a rich man's new sepulchre.

*Isaiah liii. 3, 4. † Ps. xxii. 18. compared with Exod. xii. 46.

† John xix. 36,

§ Isaiah liii. 9.