SERMON XLII.

THE BREASTPLATE OF PRECIOUS STONES.

"And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the Lord and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually."-Exodus xxviii. 29, 30.

In the course of the chapter before us there are three portions, which in their general bearings, and in their spiritual meaning, seem at first consideration to be very much alike. These are, the

general description of the garments, the account of the ephod with the names of the twelve tribes on the shoulder stones; and thirdly, the breastplate with the names of the twelve tribes again, under the twelve precious stones.

Since general principles are very simple in themselves, but extremely numerous and varied in their applications, it not unfrequently happens, that many objects mentioned in the Word seem to have the same signification. This arises, however, from no tautology or repetition in the Word, but from the same general principles being applied in some new form, or in some new department of life. Justice and judgment are universal principles which should pervade the whole of life, but in how many varied forms they appear! Justice and judgment in our personal characters are in one form, in our domestic circles in another, in our business life in another; and in our worship in another. Yet are they justice and judgment in all.

It is the same in nature. The twofold arrangement pervades the human body. In the head, it exists in the two departments of the brain; in the chest it is visible in there being heart and lungs; in the rest of the body as right and left in everything. The same twofold arrangement exists in sex everywhere. All

things in the universe have relation to goodness and truth, yet in what an infinitude of varied forms does that relation manifest itself!

When, therefore, we see in the Word what occasionally appears as repetition, we must not conclude, that it is really so, but that the application of the same great principles in some new degree of the soul, or some new department of life, or new spheres of operation, is being brought definitely before us.

Thus, in the case now under consideration, we have the general description of the garments which represent the principles of religion, the description of the ephod, and the names of the tribes on the onyx stones, commanded to be placed on the shoulders, which describe the principles of religion as they exist in the inner memory before the Lord, and as the springs of real life; and lastly, the Breastplate with the same twelve names under the precious stones, which describe the principles of religion as they exist in worship. "They shall be upon Aaron's heart when he goeth in before the Lord."-30.

When we remember that precious stones represent precious truths, we shall see that the general lesson afforded by a contemplation of this Breastplate of precious stones, is, that we ought to worship the Lord from an intelligent and enlightened state of mind. On the heart, should be precious stones, covering the

names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Lord desires that the mind should be illuminated by truths, as well as the heart be warmed by love, when we appear before Him.

That precious stones represent truths, seen in clearness, is manifest from many portions of the Divine Word. Thus, it is said in Isaiah, of the Lord's Church, "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires, and I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children."—liv. 11-13. Our Lord speaks in the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven being "like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."—Matt. xiii. 45, 46. Evidently goodly pearls mean goodly truths; and the pearl of great price the true doctrine of the Lord. In the Book of Revelation, the Lord says, also, that "to him that overcometh he will give a white stone, and in the stone a new name, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it."-ii. 17. The white

stone, can be no other than the inward assurance which tells us of victory and peace, and imparts a new, heavenly quality known only to ourselves, and to the Divine Giver. The gates of the New Jerusalem are said to consist of twelve pearls, (Rev. xxi. 21,) and her foundations of twelve precious stones, (19), where, as here, by the twelve jewels of the Breastplate, all the truths of the Church are represented.

The lesson, that we should worship our Heavenly Father, not in blindness, but in states of enlightened truth, glowing with heavenly love, is one of unspeakable importance. How devout, yet how dark, are the millions who crowd the churches in many lands! There is an earnest groping for God, yet for want of truth, there is neither progress nor peace. "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." But they who grope in darkness are weak, and stumble. They are alarmed at shadows. "The blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch. When we see the blind, but zealous devotion of minds shrouded in superstition, earnest, but dark, how does the heart long to say, "Arise, shine for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."

Worship without truth, is crouching, unintelligent, and unprogressive. It is truth united to adoration which gives courage, strength, purity, humility, order, and beauty in divine things. Hence we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. -John iv. 24. "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise be thankful unto him and bless his name. For the Lord is good: his mercy is everlasting, and his TRUTH endureth to all generations."

This lesson was taught, in the magnificent symbol of the Breastplate of precious stones being borne on the heart of the High Priest, when He went in to worship the Lord of Hosts.

The Breastplate was to be suspended by two chains of pure gold coming from the golden ouches, or sockets, in which the onyx stones of the shoulders were. This was a beautiful representation of the fact that work and worship should be united together. The same portions-the shoulders, from which power went forth to the hands, were also the points from which the golden chains went forth to support the Breastplate. He who is the most zealous worker, should also be the most zealous worshipper. The two things in order are connected by golden chains, or in other words, by loving affections, seeking strength and blessing from Him, from whom all power and peace descend,

The Breastplate, indeed, was not a plate, but an embroidered cloth, ten inches square, doubled, and formed of the same material as the ephod. "And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it."—Ex. xxviii. 15.

Hence we learn, that as we obtain the heavenly virtues, which are meant by the gold, and fine twined linen, the blue, the purple, and the scarlet, so will our worship consist of the same things. What a man is in his essential character, that he is on Sunday in his worship, as well as on week-days in worldly affairs, or in his workshop. Only when his life consists of the gold of Christian love, and the purple and scarlet of Christian wisdom, both in relation to God and man, will his worship of the Lord be seen to proceed from the same pure ground, and he be enabled to realize the great blessing pronounced by the Lord, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

The stones were to be each set in gold, with the name of a tribe under each stone, and then fixed each one in its place, with little chains from one to the other. It is said to be done with cunning work, but it would be better rendered, by the work of an embroiderer. The intention of the Divine Word is, doubtless, to teach us, that in the acquisition of Christian graces we must intelligently co-operate with the Lord. He gives the materials, the skill, and the strength, but we must use them. The intellect is a spiritual embroiderer. It is skilfully and busily arranging the secret tissues of our inner being, and making the character beautiful or otherwise. Happy is it when it is covering the affections by a tissue of blessed principles, all infixed in the golden settings of heavenly goodness. Thrice happy is he, who, when he appears before the Lord, appears with an orderly arrangement of heavenly truths, like the jewels of the Breastplate, and all embedded in the golden affections of a devoted heart; "for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." The order of the stones is an interesting subject of contemplation. The order of the names of the tribes is not given, but is probably that of the arrangement for encampment given in Num. ii. beginning with Judah.

The order of the stones is exactly given, and that will amply serve for the purposes of our discourse. We must regard that order from right to left. There were six stones on the right side and six stones on the left. Thus, two threes on each side, numbering from the top to the bottom stone.

Thus the first row on the right, reckoning from the top downwards, consisted of a ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle. The first stone is called a sardius in the ordinary English Bible, but it ought to be rendered ruby; the word indeed signifies redness, and is now well known to mean the ruby.

The second row consisted of a chrysoprasus, a sapphire and a diamond.

The first three stones derive their peculiar lustre from their warm red glow. The second three take a warm blue shade, down to the bluish white dazzle of the diamond.

These two rows on the right side, represented the thoughts on divine things, of those Christians who may be called, men of love, -right hand Christians. Their thoughts respecting the Lord and their neighbour are all grounded in love. They delight to think that the Lord is Love Itself: that His wisdom is the wisdom of Love that His works are the works of love. They regard their neighbour also from the same ground. The warm blue of the second row of stones denotes the depth of their thought; the diamond, its clearness. They are greatly intelligent, but they value intelligence least of all. It is goodness they prize. Hence, the diamond was the last of their second row.

These are they whom the Lord describes as being on His right hand in heaven, (Matt. xx. 23,) and hence, their state as to perception of divine things is described by the stones on the right side of the Breastplate.

The third row consisted of a ligure, (or, lapis lazuli,) an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row, of a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.

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These two rows, of far less valuable stones than the former, represent the same truths as before, but as they are apprehended by men, who are Christians more of the head and of faith, than of the heart and love. These regard the Lord and their neighbour they revere the one, and cherish the other, but neither with that warmth, nor that depth, which is experienced by the men of love. They are those whom the Lord describes as sitting on the left hand in heaven. They commence with a blue stone, which is not transparent, and end with the pale jasper, clear like crystal, but not sparkling like the diamond: men rather of thought than of love. They have not the burning glow of celestial feeling, but still they are within the kingdom of the Lord. They are borne on His breast, and they bear on their breasts the precious stones, if not of the highest, yet of an order far superior to self and the world, and they are not forgotten in the day when the Lord makes up His jewels.-Mal. iii. 17.