which were lambs; and through them, by faith, Abel looked to the Lamb of God, the woman's seed promised, who was to come; and by faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, Heb. xi. 4; and on this account "the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect," which Cain could discern, and therefore he was wroth, and his countenance fell. God had respect to Abel in Christ Jesus; and Abel's faith was looking through the type to the antitype; on which account God had respect to his offering. Had the act of faith and the object of faith been out of the question, the offering had been no better than a vain oblation; and the declaration and question would have been, I delight not in the blood of bullocks, lambs, or he goats: Who hath required this at your hands? Isaiah i. 11, 12. But " by faith Abel offered, and obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaketh."

In both these senses he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world decretively and typically, and was slain in the evening of the world in reality. This decretive and typical slaying of the Lamb from the foundation of the world, and his being slain in reality in the evening, or supper time of it, Luke xiv. 17; or, as Paul says, " in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." This was prefigured under the law every day; that the Israelites

might look back and see how every saint had been saved; and that they might look forward, in hope and expectation of a Saviour to come, called the hope and strength of the children of Israel, Joel iii. 16; and to them he was the hope to come; for which hope's sake Paul was accused, Acts xxvi. 7. "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even. This shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the Lord; where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee." Thus was the Lamb of God set before Israel every morning and evening; until that abominable monster, that enemy to God, Antiochus, commanded sacrifice to idols, which many Israelites followed: · he forbid burnt-offerings, sacrifices, and drink-offerings in the temple, and polluted the sanctuary. "Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifice [of the morning and evening lamb] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down,” Dan. viii. 11.

The Saviour was typified by the paschal lamb that was to be slain once a year, called the Passover, in commemoration of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, and escaping the destroying angel's sword, under the atoning blood of the paschal lamb upon their door posts. This deliverance out

of Egypt, and escape from divine wrath, was to lead their faith to their great deliverer, who should deliver them from their spiritual enemies, much worse than Pharaoh; and from the yoke and curse of the law, far worse than the yoke of servitude in Egypt. This yearly sacrifice was to teach them that Christ would die once for all: once in the world he should offer himself; and by his one offering for ever perfect all that are chosen out of the world, or sanctified; that is, set apart in the decree of God to be redeemed, saved, and glorified by Christ Jesus; which leads me to my next general head, which is to shew,

Fifthly, The music and melody of their harps, and the cause of it.

Harps were appointed for the Levites by David. Instrumental and vocal music were to go together in the worship of God: "And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps, and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy," 1 Chron. xv. 16. Though harps were in vogue long before the days of David; Jubal, in the days of Adam, had children that could handle the harp and organ, Gen. iv. 21. Laban talked to Jacob of sending him away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret and with harp, Gen. xxxi. 27. And we read of a company of prophets in the days of Saul, coming down from the high place, with psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and an harp before them, 1 Sam. x. 5. These harps were used in the worship of God,

and were typical of the heavenly music of believing hearts in gospel times: When the church of God should be as Eden, as the very garden of the Lord; joy and gladness being found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody, Isaiah li. 3.

The melody or music mentioned in my text, seems to be used on three occasions. First, At the coronation of the King of Kings, and the conquests he was sure to gain over his own and his church's enemies: "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." Here we have the Saviour as the Lord of hosts, or God of armies, mounted. The colour and undaunted courage of the horse represents the purity, the swiftness, and the irresistible force of the gospel of salvation in its rapid progress; a mighty salvation is compared to the swiftness and undaunted courage of this warlike animal: "Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? [of Nilus or Jordan] Was thine anger against the rivers? Was thy wrath against the [red] sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses, and thy chariots of salvation?" Hab. iii. 8.

Secondly, The Lord is represented as having a bow in his hand, which is his word: "Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word." This bow, being the word of Christ, is to shew the convincing and con

victing power that goes to sinners hearts by the Spirit from the publication of it. This piercing and penetrating force is often compared to arrows sent from this bow: "The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me," says Job.

Thirdly, The Saviour is represented as having a crown given unto him; which shews his coronation in heaven, and is a fulfilment of this prophesy; "And thou profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end; thus saith the Lord God, remove the diadem, and take off the crown: This shall not be the same, exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him." And who can this be, that has a right to David's crown and diadem, but Christ, who was the fruit of David's loins, according to the flesh, raised up to sit on his throne? Acts ii. 30. As a mighty horn of salvation in the house of God's servant David, Luke i. 69: who, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice for ever; the zeal of the Lord of hosts, having not only promised, but performed this, Isaiah ix. 7. Thus the cause of this music in my text is, the coronation of Christ in heaven, he is " King of Kings and Lord of Lords." And secondly, on account of the wonderful conquests he should atchieve in behalf of his church, as appears by the