e very
eyes of all men, that sacrifice precedes purification. But the use of
the laver was not by the man as man, but by the priest as mediator. In
his office he represented the absolute purity of Christ. And therefore
it was a capital offence to enter the tabernacle or to burn a sacrifice
without first having washed the hands and feet. At his inauguration, the
whole person of the priest was bathed, and thenceforth he needed not
save to remove the stains of contact with the world.

When the laver was actually made, an interesting fact was recorded about
its materials: "He made the laver of brass, and the base of it of brass,
of the mirrors of the serving-women which served at the door of the tent
of meeting" (xxxviii. 8). Thus their instruments of personal adornment
were applied to further a personal preparation of a more solemn kind,
like the ointment with which a penitent woman anointed the feet of
Jesus. There is a fitness which ought to be considered in the direction
of our gifts, not as a matter of duty, but of good taste and charm. And
thus also they continually saw the monument of their self-sacrifice.
There is an innocent satisfaction, far indeed from vanity, when one
looks at his own work for God.

_THE ANOINTING OIL AND THE INCENSE._

xxx. 22-38.

We have already seen the meaning of the anointing oil and of the
incense.

But we have further to remark that their ingredients were accurately
prescribed, that they were to be the best and rarest of their kind, and
that special skill was demanded in their preparation.

Such was the natural dictate of reverence in preparing the symbols of
God's grace to man, and of man's appeal to God.

With the type of grace should be anointed the tent and the ark, and the
table of shewbread and the candlestick, with all their implements, and
the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt sacrifice and the laver.
All the import of every portion of the Temple worship could be realized
only by the outpouring of the Spirit of grace.

It was added that this should be a holy anointing oil, not to be made,
much less used, for common purposes, on pain of death. The same was
enacted of the incense which should burn before Jehovah: "according to
the composition thereof ye shall not make for yourselves; it shall be
unto thee holy for the Lord: whosoever shall make like unto that, to
smell thereto, he shall be cut off from his people."

And this was meant to teach reverence. One mig