stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."* And again: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."+

It will be remembered in illustration of Peter's meaning in these words, that a very similar declaration had been made to the Jewish people shortly after God had delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, and had taken them under his own immediate guidance and care. "And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me

*1 Pet. ii. 5.

1 Pet. ii. 9, 10.

a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."*

It will be obvious to every individual who compares these passages of Holy Scripture together, that they are parallel to each other. If Peter does not quote precisely the words which Moses was commissioned to employ to the Jewish people, the correspondence between the passages is yet so close, as to render it certain, that they were before his mind; and that he felt himself inspired to deliver a similar communication to the members of the Christian church. As an Apostle of Christ, however, he stood on more elevated ground than did Moses; his eye took a wider range; and his lips describe a dignity and privilege, corresponding with the superior spirituality, elevation, and glory of the Christian dispensation. But in this respect, that is first which is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual. That also is more obvious which is natural, and its consideration will assist us in rising to that which is spiritual. The historical narratives, as well as the typical institutions of Judaism, may in this way be made subservient to our instruction. Through the in

* Exod. xix. 3-6.

teresting and attractive medium of facts which are clear to every eye, and level to every understanding; which in common with all other historical events appeal to the sympathies of our nature; and which have an additional charm derived from their marvellous, their supernatural, their miraculous character; we may be led into the easy apprehension of spiritual truth, and be enabled, as with a palpable grasp, to lay hold on Christian principle. Let us then go back to the words which were delivered by Moses to the children of Israel, and show in what respects they were embodied in the facts of their history; and then we shall find a solid basis on which to rest our interpretation of Peter, and on which to raise a superstructure harmonious in its proportions, and sufficiently capacious to include the whole Israel of God.

Be it premised, that in what was official in the priesthood, in what pertained to the ministry at the altar, to the offering of sacrifices for sin, to the sprinkling of blood, to the presentation of incense, there could be no participation on the part of the people. Out of these services, from the highest to the lowest, they were decisively, and perpetually excluded. When therefore, Uzziah, elated by the prosperity which had attended his protracted reign,

resolved to try whether he might not associate the sacerdotal with the regal office; and took a censer, and went into the temple to present it upon the altar of incense; he was struck with a leprosy, which compelled him to hasten from the place into which he had intruded, and to dwell apart from the congregation, cut off from the house of the Lord, during the remainder of his life.

Now an enlightened individual, instead of desiring, like Uzziah, to participate with the priests in what was merely official, and for the discharge of which, in a lineal descendant of Aaron, the absence of corporeal defects was the only essential qualification, would rather, like David, have been anxious to participate with them in what was intellectual, moral, and spiritual; in that which is the firm and undecaying basis of true elevation, the sweet fountain of perpetual enjoyment. Here the participation was thrown open to all, and he might rise the highest in dignity and blessedness, whose meditations were most constant in God's law, and whose obedience was most exemplary to its precepts. How far David had advanced may be learned from his own words, which were employed, not ostentatiously before his fellowmen, but devotionally and gratefully in the retirement of his closet before God. "O how

love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts."* We are prepared then, by this developement of David's experience, to understand, that in knowledge, and in separation to the service of God, by keeping his precepts, an individual, and if one individual any multitude of individuals possessing similar religious advantages, may become as a company,- as a kingdom of priests. Under these two aspects, this part of our general subject will, we trust, unfold itself clearly to the view,-will be seen to harmonize with the statements of the preceding parts, and will closely entwine itself with them, in the accordance and strength of a three-fold cord, not easily to be broken.

* Psalm cxix. 97-100.