the fathers." (Rom. xv. 8.) And by the ceasing of this Jewish rite, and the institution of Baptism to supersede it, it should seem, that it was understood by Christ's submitting to this act, he thereby became debtor to the whole law, and fulfilled it : and hence, all his redeemed not only are freed from it, but, in fact, they are prohibited the observance. Paul the apostle was so earnest on this point, that he declared to the Galatian church that an attention to circumcision virtually denied the covenant. "Behold, I Paul (said he) say unto you, that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing." (Gal. v. 2.) And the reason seems to have been this: The seed of Abraham, by the act of circumcision, declared that they were looking for and waiting to the coming of the promised Seed, in whom all the families of the faithful were to be blessed. To be circumcised, therefore, after Christ was come, was in effect denying that Christ was come, and by that act saying, We are looking for his coming. Hence, all the faithful posterity of Abraham were so tenacious of observing the rite of circumcision before Christ came, and so determined not to observe it after. And also, this other cause renders circumcision improper. The person circumcised, by that act, declared himself under obligations to fulfil the whole law. And hence Christ submitted to it with this view. deemed are justified in Him, and therefore, to undergo circumcision would imply a defect in this justification. "I testify (said Paul,) again, to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law." (Gal. v. 3.) This, then, is the proper apprehension concerning the rite of circumcision. CITY. Which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, (Heb. xi. 10.) I think it not improper to notice this, in a work of this kind, inasmuch as

But his re

we meet with the expression frequently in Scripture, both in allusion to the church of God upon earth, and the church triumphant in heaven. (See Ps. xlvi 4; xlviii. 1. 8; lxxxvii. 3. Song iii. 2, 3. and also Heb. xii. 22. Rev. iii. 12; xxi. 2-10; xxii. 19.) The city of God in his church upon earth, and in heaven, is one and the same. It is peculiarly called his, because he hath founded it and built it, and dwells in it, and is the governor of it, and grants to the citizens the privileges and immunities of it. It is the Lord's property both by purchase, and by conquest, and he hath the whole revenue of it. And hence, all the inhabitants of this city are, in heart and mind, one and the same. For though the church here below is in a militant state, and the church above, freed from this warfare, is triumphant, yet, equally dear are the citizens of both to the Lord of the country. They all speak the same language, all wear the same garment, Christ's righteousness, all love the same Lord, and his Zion, and prefer her interests above their chief joy. (Ps. cxxxvii. 6.) Reader, what saith your heart to those characters? (See that Scripture, Rev. xxii. 14, 15.)

CITIES OF REFUGE. See Refuge.

CLEAN. The Scripture sense of one clean deserves

our particular notice. Solomon demands, (Prov. xx. 9.) "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" None among the sons of Adam can lay claim to this cleanness, much less, that any have made themselves so. But the apostle John, commissioned by God the Holy Ghost, tells the church in a sweetness and fulness of expression indescribably blessed, that the blood of Jesus Christ "cleanseth from all sin." (1 Johni.7.) Here is the laver, the fountain, for sin and for all uncleanness, which JEHOVAH hath opened. (Zech. xiii. 1.) And hence, the

Scripture sense of cleanness, is the sinner freed from the filth of sin, and the guilt of sin, and the dominion of sin, by the blood of Christ, and the sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost. (Ezek. xxxvi. 25. John xiii. 10.)

CLOUD. Clouds in the air, I detain not the reader to notice, but the ministry of the cloud in the church of God, when the people went out of Egypt. I think the particularity of it, and the blessedness of it, demands the attention of the church in all ages. And more so, because the promise is still with the church, that "the Lord will create upon every dwell. ing place of mount Zion (let the reader not overlook the every dwelling place), and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a defence." (Isa. iv. 5.) When we consider the peculiarity of this cloud, when we read expressly who was in it, when we consider the wonderful progress of it in its ministry, then going before, and then shifting its station, as occasion required, and going behind, when we behold the striking account of its ministry, in the difference of its aspect of light to Israel, and darkness to the Egyptians, when we trace the history of it through all the wilderness dispensation of the church, and discover its blessed and beneficial influences to Israel, from Succoth even to Jordan, who but must exclaim, What hath God wrought! Surely, it is impossible for any reader, and every reader, to attend to the wonderful account without joining Moses, the man of God, and saying, "Happy art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people saved of the Lord ?" (Deut. xxxiii. 29.) Let the reader turn to those Scriptures, (Exod. xiii. 21, 22; xiv. 19, 20. 24; xvi. 10. Num. xii. 5. Deut. xxxi. 15. Neh. ix. 19. 1 Cor. x. 1. 4.) But when the reader hath paused over

these Scriptures, and duly pondered the wonderous subject, I entreat him to carry on the blessed consideration (for it is, indeed, most blessed), as it concerns the Exodus, or going forth of the church of Jesus now. For is not the church the same? Is not Jesus's love to it the same? And doth he not go before it now in the pillar of cloud by day, and follow it in the pillar of fire by night, to guide, to bless, to protect, yea, himself to be the very supply to it, through all the eventful journies of its wilderness state, from the Succoth of the beginning of the spiritual life, even to Jordan, the river of natural death opening to glory? What though the cloud, in the miraculous movements of it as to Israel, is not seen, yet the Lord of the cloud, in his presence, grace, and love, is sensibly known and enjoyed. Surely, Old Testament saints had not advantages greater than New Testament believers. "We now with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. iii. 18.) We have the outer displays of the divine presence, in ordinances, and means of grace, and the blessed Scriptures of truth, like Israel's cloud. And we have the inward tokens, in the Lord himself in the midst, to bless and make himself known in his soul-comforting manifestations. This indeed, is the new creation the Lord promised upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon all her assemblies. Here it 'may be truly said, "upon all the glory shall be a defence." Precious Lord Jesus! whilst thou art thus gracious, and thus blessed, to thy church and people, we still behold the cloud, yea, now look, through by faith, and behold thee in the cloud, a wall of fire round about, and the glory, as thou didst promise, in the midst of Zion! (See Zech. ii. 8.)

CLUSTER and CLUSTERS.

We meet with this

word upon many occasions in Scripture, but eminently so in two places. First, when the spies went up to search the promised land, and brought back the cluster of the rich fruit of Eshcol, (Num. xiii. 23.) And again, the church, in the book of the Songs, (chap. i. 14.) where she commends her beloved, under the sweet similitude of the same," My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi." I conceive, that the beauties of the comparison in both instances are well worth attending to, in a work of this kind, and, therefore, I take for granted, that the reader will not be displeased in my detaining him on the occasion.

Nothing could be more happily chosen in both instances, when intended, as in the first, to set forth the fulness, and sweetness, and blessedness of the promised land than a cluster of its fruits. Christ, who is himself the glorious object intended to be set forth, is, indeed, a rich cluster of all divine and human excellencies in one, full of grace for his people here, and full of glory to all above. An ancient author tells us, that the Jews were accustomed to call such men as excelled in good qualities, Eshcoloth; that is, clusters. And hence they had a saying, that after the death of Jose Ben Joezen, a man of Tzereda, and Jose Ben Jochanan, a man of Jerusalem, the clusters ceased.

In the other instance, in direct allusion to Christ, in the church's commendation of him, (Song, i. 14.) there in an uncommon degree of beauty in the similitude. The word camphire is in the original, copher, and in the Misnah is translated, cyprus. And Dr. Shaw, in his travels, describes the plant as being very beautiful and fragrant, advancing in height to ten or twelve feet, and full of clusters. Here also, as in the former instance, Christ is