directions, and was to be used for these and no other purposes whatever. None was to be made like it, for being applied to so sacred and solemn a ceremony it was to be considered as most holy unto the Lord. With this Moses " anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar, and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him to sanctify him." We remember how the Psalmist compares the love and unity of brethren to this anointing. "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments." We remember how it is applied in another psalm to our own great and glorious High Priest, and quoted in reference to him by the Apostle, "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness, above thy fellows."

VOL. III.

G

IV. The fourth and last part of the ceremony of the consecration of Aaron and his sons consists of the sacrifices which were offered upon that occasion. The first of these was a bullock for a sin-offering. For Aaron and his sons were but poor sinful creatures, and they had need to offer a sacrifice for their own sins, before they could be qualified to offer for the sins of the people. A sin-offering was therefore brought, which Moses himself, officiating on this special occasion, killed on their behalf, and sacrificed with all the particular ceremonies respecting the blood, and the fat, and the burning of the body without the camp, which were prescribed for a sin-offering. Then was brought a ram for a burnt-offering. This you remember was in all cases a voluntary oblation. In the present instance it denoted the deep sense which the offerers had of the magnitude and importance of the work to which they were set apart, and well might their minds be under a more than ordinary solemnity. It expressed also their willing dedication of themselves to the service of the Lord in this

office. This animal therefore was also offered with the proper ceremonies of the burntoffering, and was consequently consumed whole upon the altar. Next was brought another ram, which is peculiarly called the ram of consecration, and along with it a basket of unleavened bread these were brought as their peace-offering, and offered with the ceremonies appointed for that sacrifice, yet with the addition of one circumstance peculiar to the present occasion. We read in the twenty-third verse," Moses took the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot," and in the following verse we find that he did the same to Aaron's sons. This would intimate to them that the whole of their faculties and powers were henceforth to be devoted to the Lord and his service. It would teach them that the work of the ministry required all their attention and activity, and would induce them to "present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which was their reasonable

service." It was moreover ordered that the time of their being consecrated should continue for seven days, and that so long they should remain day and night in the tabernacle. "Ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you." "Ye

shall abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not."

Thus, with as much brevity as I was able, I have gone through the ceremony of the consecration of the first Jewish high priest and his sons. I now invite you to the consideration of some reflections which may be made on it.

1. We see that in that dispensation of religion, which God was pleased to give to the Jews, there was a distinct order of men selected by him and solemnly consecrated for administering all its rites. When the divine Saviour came to put an end to that dispensation, and to bring in a better covenant, he also

selected and left behind him a body of men who were to minister his gospel, and were ordained to execute all the sacred functions of the clerical office. The priesthood was no longer confined to one family, but they who had been originally chosen by himself were to commit the same to faithful men by the simple ceremony of the laying on of hands, with prayer for the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost. And thus the ministerial office has descended through the successive ages of the Christian church. They have no sacrifices of bulls or rams or goats or fine flour to offer, but the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise. Their first and special duty is to preach the gospel: for that a dispensation is committed to them. They are to preach Christ crucified. Their designations are ministers of the Word, ambassadors for God. To them also belongs the administration of the sacraments and the ordinances of religion; and most of their duties will be found distinctly defined in the epistles of St. Paul to Timothy and Titus. I ask I ask you to pray for them. Their duties are as arduous as their