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Thus, in the prophecy of Joel, in connexion with a command to "call a folemn affembly," to "ga"ther the people," to "affemble the elders," and to turn unto God" with fafting, weeping, " and mourning ;" this question is propofed; "Who knoweth if he will turn and repent, and "leave a bleffing behind him, even a meat-offering, and a drink-offering unto the LORD

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your God?" This might have a literal refpect to their deliverance from famine or scarcity, in confequence of their returning to the LORD. But undoubtedly it had a further and more glorious refpect to the fulness of the gospel-harveft. For it follows; "And it fhall come to pass after"wards," or " in the laft days, that I will pour "out my Spirit upon all flesh "." Now, concerning the wonderful effufion on the day of Pentecoft, Peter fays; "This is that which was fpo"ken by the prophet Joel ."

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The offering made at this time is in two different places called a new meat-offering t. And truly it was a new meat-offering unto the Lord, when in one day, the very day appointed for the literal offering which bore this name, three thoufand fouls offered themselves willingly to him. Then, indeed, was that gracious promife fulfilled in its spiritual meaning; "Ye fhall eat old ftore, "and bring forth the old becaufe of the new "," That this promife, in its full extent, refers to the gofpel-state, seems abundantly evident from what

q Joel ii. 12.-16. r Ver. 28. s Acts ii. 16.
Num. xviii. 26.
u Lev. xxvi. 10.

is

t Lev. xxiii. 16.;

is immediately added; "And I will fet my tabernacle amongst you, and my foul fhall not ab "hor you. And I will walk among you, and will "be your God, and ye fhall be my people *." When the Spirit was poured out, the difciples did "eat eld ftore." It had been locked up, in a great measure, in the facred granaries of the Scripture. Formerly, they could not enter into these. "They understood not the Scriptures." The true meaning was in a great measure hid from them. The precious treasures contained in the word were concealed from their eyes, by the partition-wall of the ceremonial law; and by the metaphorical language of prophecy, adapted to a carnal people, and borrowing its emblems from earthly things. Their understandings were also locked, notwithstanding all external means. But then were their understandings opened, that they should understand the Scriptures. Then did the difciples" bring forth the old ftore because of the

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new." They eat the old and the new together. These scribes being "inftructed into the "kingdom of heaven, brought forth out of their "treasure things new and old y." Their speaking with new tongues, was but an emblem of the new discoveries they had obtained. The "new "ftore" of gofpel-light, communicated by the Spirit, enabled them to bring forth the old," that had been fo long treasured up for the Church in the prophetical writings.

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x Lev. xxvi. 11, 12, comp. with 2 Cor. vi. 16.; Rev. xxi. 3. y Mat. xiii. 52.

z Mark xvi. 17.

The

The Ifraelites were to rejoice when they offered the firft-fruits. They accordingly received this command; "Thou shalt fet it (the basket con

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taining the firft-fruits), before the LORD thy "God, and worship before the LORD thy God. "And thou fhalt rejoice in every good thing "which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, "and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and "the franger that is among you a." The joy which the Lord gave his Church, when the Spirit was fhed forth, in his gifts and graces, was fuch as fhe never enjoyed before. Then was that prophecy fulfilled; "They joy before thee, according to "the joy in harveft." It was a joy communicated to the various claffes of church-members. The fpiritual Levites, the apoftles of the Lord, were eminently partakers of it. This joy was extended even to the franger. For here there were not only Jews, but profelytes: and in a fhort time it was to have a more eminent extenfion, when "the fons of the ftranger fhould

join themselves to the LORD." Such was the fpiritual joy of the new converts, that " they "continued daily with one accord in the temple, "-praifing God." Thefe men were indeed "full of new wine:" yet not in the fenfe in which the mockers spoke this language; but as a fulfilment of the prophecy, "And it fhall come "to pafs in that day, that the mountains fhall drop "down new wine f." Then had the Church the

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most abundant reafon to fay; "How great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!" For his precious gifts were diftributed without dif tinction of rank or fex. He "poured out of "his Spirit upon all flesh ;-both on his fervants, "and on his handmaidens h" "Corn made the "young men cheerful, and new wine the maids i."

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This, as we have feen, was alfo called the feast of the Giving of the Law. As it appears that this was the day on which the law was given from Mount Sinai, we know that on this day "the "law went forth out of Zion, and the word of "the LORD from Jerufalem k." When Jefus declared to his apoftles that the gospel should be "preached among all nations, he commanded them to " begin at Jerufalem !." And on this day, did they enter on their public miniftry, and proclaim" "the law of faith." On this day, were they endowed with that power from on high, which was neceffary to enable them to promulgate this law" among all nations." The giving of this new law was attefted by the fame fymbol as the giving of the old. "The LORD defcend"ed on Mount Sinai in fire m." Here "there ap

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peared cloven tongues, as of fire"." But though the fymbol was the fame, the fignification was very different. The fire of Mount Sinai expreffed the confuming nature of that "fiery law" given to the Church; but this, the purifying efficacy of the gofpel of peace. The one declared

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that the iniquity of Ifrael remained; the other, that it was “taken away'." The people of God entreated that they might not fee that great fire, and that God might not speak to them any more, left they should die 9. But this fire was given as an emblem of God's fo fpeaking to them, that they fhould live *.

SECTION VI.

On the Feast of Tabernacles, under the New Tef

tament.

Ir has appeared, from a variety of confiderations, that we may juftly view the oblation of the Firft-fruits, as prefiguring the refurrection of our Lord; and the Feast of Pentecoft as a type of the effufion of the Spirit. It is ftill more clear, that the FEAST of TABERNACLES was typical of that glorious state of the Church, when "the fulness of “the

p Ifa. vi. 6, 7.

q Deut. xviii. 16.

Since writing these thoughts, I obferve with pleasure, that in the view given of this feaft, I have the countenance of the learned Spanheim. "The feast of Pentecoft," he fays, " prefigured the miffion of the Holy

Spirit, the first fruits of the Spirit, which fell on that fame day on "which the law was given, and by which the spirit of bondage was in"troduced; as it alfo prefigured the first-fruits of the new church ‡, and "of the miniftry of the apostles, and of that new bread, with which the "Jews first and then the Gentiles were to be fed."

Par. i. cap. 15.

Chronol. Sacr.
Acts ii.

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