breast-plate of the high-priest ; and by means of them he was enabled to discover the mind and will of God when he went in before the Lord to consult him on any particular occasion. What they were, and how they answered the purpose for which they were made, we are not informed : and therefore it is in vain to waste time in conjectures. Suffice it to say, that the high-priest who wore them was authorized to consult God in all public matters, and enabled to discover his mind and willh. Now Moses prays, and indeed prophetically declares, that this high honour should descend to the posterity of Aaron ; and that the service of the tabernacle should continue to be administered by the tribe of Levi1. This was a most exalted privilege ; and, above a thousand years afterwards, it was ex- pressly declared to have been given as a reward of the obedience before referred tok. What a glorious testimony was this, that God will suffer nothing that we do for him to pass unnoticed even here : much less shall it go unrewarded in a future world. Truly " them that honour God, God will honour ;" and every one that will serve him shall receive an abundant " recompence of reward " ]
2. Personal benefit —
[The official honour was conferred on the posterity of those whose conduct was approved. But do we suppose that the immediate agents were overlooked, and that no blessing was bestowed on them ? We can have no doubt but that they also had a recompence in their own bosoms. The import of the words Urim and Thummim is, Illuminations and Perfec- tions : and these are the special benefits which God will confer on all his faithful servants. There is indeed a manifest con- nexion between the work and the reward. The work in this present instance was a vigorous maintenance of God's honour, with an utter disregard of every consideration in comparison of it : and where that is, there will be a clear insight into the divine will, and a growing conformity to the divine image. Where internal rectitude is wanting, the mind will be obscured, and the feet will stumble : but " where the single eye is, there will the whole body be full of light," and the conversation be regulated agreeably to the commands of God. Light in the mind, and holiness in the life, are mutually influential on each other: each will languish or be advanced, according as the other flourishes or decays : illumination and perfection will be the portion of the decided Christian ; but darkness and incon- sistency will be the fruit of a temporizing and timid conduct.]
To prevent misapprehension or misconduct, we shall subjoin a word,
»» Exod. xxviii. 29, 30. ! Deut. xxxiii. 11, 12. k Mai. ii. 5.