interpretation, and an oversight of the most pointed state ments in the prophecy. It is expressly given to the children of Israel, and limited by territorial marks to the land of Pal· estine. In vision, the prophet was brought from Babylon "into the Land of Israel," that the Temple, &c. might be shown unto him. (Ezek. xl.2.) He is commanded to declare "all that thou seest to the house of Israel."(xl. 4.) Farther, "thou son of man, show the House to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, show them the form of the House, and the fashion thereof, and the goings-out thereof, and the comings-in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof; and write it in their sight, that THEY may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them." (xliii. 10, 11.) Again, "the Lord said unto me, son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the House of the Lord, and all the laws thereof, and mark well the entering-in of the House, with every going-forth of the Sanctuary. And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the House of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations." (xliv. 5, 6.) From these it is sufficiently evident that whatever this House may be, it belongs not to the Gentile Church, but to the rebellious Israel, when they shall cease from all their abominations, and that it is to be in the "Land of Israel." And we have accordingly seen that in the New Division of the Holy Landwhose boundaries, as already noticed, are marked by known towns, rivers, and seas-space is left to be occupied by the Sanctuary. Now if that be a real Division yet to be made of Palestine, (which we hold to be quite incontrovertible,) must not that be a literal Sanctuary which requires ground on which to stand? What other meaning can possibly be attached to the Temple being built in a portion of that Holy Oblation of the Land which is situated between the lots of Judah and Benjamin, and annexed to which is a possession of the priests, which 'shall be a place for their houses," and the first-fruits of hich land they shall not be allowed to "sell," "exchange,"

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nor "alienate"? (xlviii. 7—23. xlv. 1-4.) Surely if this be a literal land, it must be a literal Sanctuary that is built upon it.*

Every thing in the description of the prophet confirms the view of its being a literal temple. It is minute and circumstantial even to an astonishing degree. Outside the House there is to be a wall of "one reed," or about eleven feet in height. The several sides of the House are described, and their peculiarities are set forth. Its courts, its chambers, and its porches, are all measured; the number of these chambers, their windows, and their stairs, are enumerated; and the minute particularity is observable, that while to one court there are eight steps, in another case the number is only seven; (xl. 26, 31,) and some of "the windows were covered." (xli. 16.) This minuteness is indeed maintained throughout; and, among other instances, may be noticed the circumstance that the people shall not return through the same gate by which they enter. (xlvi. 9.)

There is a general similarity in the different fronts of the House, but in the North side there is this peculiarity, that "the chambers and the entries thereof, were by the posts of the gates where they washed the burnt-offering. And in the porch of the gate, were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering. And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables; four tables were on this side and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate: eight tables whereupon they slew their sacrifices. And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt-offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, [2 ft. 9 in.] and one cubit high, [22 in.] whereupon also they laid the

Mr. Mason believes that the Holy Land is yet to be greatly enlarged, and points out (Gentiles' Fulness, p. 128,) with much care and accuracy its extent, from various passages of the Divine word, and among others refers to this vision of Ezekiel. Of the New Division of the Land also, he speaks with perfect confidence, saying, that it must be yet to come.' In that division however, a portion of land being actually left for the site of the "Sanctuary," it appears an inconsistency in Mr. M. to deny its erection. What does he suppose is to be the use of that portion of the Holy Oblation where "the Sanctuary shall be in the midst of it ?"

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instruments wherewith they slew the burnt-offering and the sacrifice. And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about; and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering." (xl. 38—43.) Do such descriptions admit of any other than a literal interpretation? But farther, that which is more properly called the temple, is to be 74 feet long ("40 cubits") by 37 broad ("20 cubits.") The size of the Holy of Holies is about 37 feet square: "So be measured the length thereof, 20 cubits, and the breadth 20 cubits before the temple; and he said unto me, this is the Most Holy place." (xli. 4.) There is also a series of 90 chambers, forming three flats: "And the side chambers were three, one over another, and 30 in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the House. And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers, for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house." (xli. 6, 7.) The foundations of these chambers is specially noticed: (xli. 8;) "The foundations. of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits"referring to the size of the sacred cubit here used, being a cubit and a hand breadth," (Ezek. xl. 5.) which make 22 inches, while the common cubit is reckoned at 18. "And before the chambers was a walk, of ten cubits breadth [19 feet] inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north. Now the upper chambers were shorter, [lower in the roof] for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building. For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts; therefore the building was straightened more than the lowest and middlemost from the ground." (xlii. 4-6.) He measured the House an hundred cubits long; [183 feet;] and the separate place, and the building with the walls thereof an hundred cubits long." (xli. 13.) "Then he said unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things; there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat-offering, and the sin-offering and the trespass-offering; for the place is holy. When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there

they shall lay their garments wherein they minister, for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people." (xlii. 13, 14.) The whole square is enclosed with "a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, [rather more than a mile,] and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the Sanctuary and the profane [or common] place." (xlii. 20.) Again we ask, Do such descriptions admit of any other than a literal interpretation? and are we left at liberty either to believe or disbelieve in the truth of such statements? The ordinances of the altar follow; to the more immediate ministrations of which all the Levites are not to be admitted henceforth, that honour being reserved to a particular order: The "Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity Yet they shall be Ministers in my Sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the House, and ministering to the House; they shall slay the burnt-offerings and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity. And they shall not come near unto me to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the Most Holy place; but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed: but I will make them keepers of the charge of the House, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein. But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my Sanctuary, when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to my table to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.... and they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments....And ye shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession. They shall eat the meatoffering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs. And the

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first of all the first-fruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's." (xliv. 10-30.)

From the directions concerning the ordinances of the altar, (which differ materially from those under the Mosaic economy,) we do not quote at length. But on what principle their reality can be questioned it is difficult to conceive. Every circumstance bears testimony to the fact so generally disbelieved, or rather, perhaps, so little known. It is impossible to suppose directions so minute and specific as are here contained, to be altogether destitute of precise and positive injunction. Of nothing else but of real sacrifice can we understand the ordinance of one lamb out of the flock of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel, for a meat-offering, and for a burnt-offering, and for peace-offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord God. All the people of the land shall give this oblation for THE PRINCE in Israel." (xlv. 15, 16.) How else than literally are such injunctions as the following to be understood? "Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt-offering unto the Lord, of a lamb of the first year without blemish; thou shalt prepare it every morning. And thou shalt prepare a meat-offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat-offering continually, by a perpetual ordinance, unto the Lord. Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat-offering, and the oil every morning, for a continual burnt-offering." (xlvi. 13-15.)

The right of ministering in this Temple belongs exclusively to those of the circumcision. And it deserves the consideration of those who would spiritualize both priests. and sacrifices, how this right is preserved to those of the literal circumcision. There is a circumcision of heart frequently spoken of in Scripture, and is here also expressly required. But this is not all, for "thus saith the Lord, No stranger, uncircumcised in heart NOR uncircumcised IN FLESH shall enter into my Sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel;" (xliv. 9.) and corresponding with this is the particularity with which the various departments preparatory to, and connected with sacrifice are specified: "After, he brought me through the entry which was at the side of the gate into the holy cham,