mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee," (Isa. xxvi. 3,) seems to allude to the plural of the peacesacrifice, the word peace being doubled, (see margin,) "abundance of peace," "peace always by all means."

There are two portions of this priestly blessing which especially demand our attention.

"Jehovah cause his face to shine upon thee;" Jehovah lift up his face upon thee." So deeply important is it for the soul to realize the unclouded countenance of the Lord, that this portion of the blessing is twice repeated. One great object of the priesthood of the blessed Lord is, that we may at all times enjoy free unhindered access to God: that we may never have to say He hides His face from us.

The fearfulness of that time when God was, we may say compelled, to withdraw the light of His countenance from His blessed Son,was to Christ the great ingredient of woe in the cup He had to drink for us. In some of the Psalms we find that terrible time of darkness anticipated by Him.

"Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily." Psa. cii. 2.

"Hide not thy face from me; put not thy servant away in anger thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my Salvation." Psa.xxvii.9. "Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?" Psa. lxxxviii. 14.

"Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth : hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit." Psa. cxliii. 7.

;

"Hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble: hear me speedily." Psa. Ixix. 17.

And who but the Lord Jesus could really estimate what it was to be forsaken of God? He who was the only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father, and who had walked all His days on earth in the unclouded light of the blessed countenance of God: He who had known

and dwelt in the fulness of joy which is in God's presence, (in God's countenance.) In the same Psalm, which begins with His deepest cry of agony, "my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me," He still looked forward to the restoration of the light of God's countenance as His great joy-" for he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him he heard.” Psa. xxii. 24. And in the prospect of resurrection, He says, "as for me I will behold thy face in righteousness." Psa.. xvii. 15. "Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance." Psa. xxi. 6.

Clouds of darkness and unbelief may come up in our souls, but the face of our God is unclouded. Satan may suggest that there is a hindrance to our approaching Him; but the precious blood and the High Priest over the House are complete answers to Satan's lie. We may be conscious of some allowed failure-or may be overtaken in some fault-the adversary will then tempt the soul, suggesting that our unfaithfulness has closed the door of entrance into the Holiest. But in truth, the place of confession is the mercy-seat. In the presence of God alone can we really pour out our hearts in self-abasement, and it is the assurance of His unabated love, and that the way into the holiest is still open, that will really melt the heart into contrition.

Aaron having blessed the people, went with Moses into the tabernacle. There may be in this a little shadow of the Lord's action as related in the end of the Gospel by Luke. "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." chap. xxiv. 50, 51. Our great High Priest with uplifted hands, blessing His people with all the full results of His wondrous sacrifice, was parted from them, and still perpetuates the same streams of blessing, pouring them down upon them from heaven. For a little while He is concealed from our

view. For a little time Moses and Aaron were together in the tabernacle, hidden from the eyes of the people. But they soon came out and together blessed the people, "and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people." Lev. ix. 23. This was a second blessing direct from the holy places, and in this blessing Moses took the lead, combining with Aaron. "Moses was king in Jeshurun." Deut. xxxiii. 5. Thus a kingly as well as priestly blessing flowed from the two, a kind of Melchizedeck blessing. Gen. xiv. 18-24.

This "king of righteousness and king of peace, combining in his own person king and priest, brought forth bread and wine to Abraham, after the latter had gained the first victory recorded in Scripture over five confederate kings. The whole scene of this remarkable meeting between the priest of the Most High God, and the father of many nations, is surrounded with emblems of royalty. The king of Sodom was there-it took place in the king's dale-the spoils won from the vanquished kings lay in profusion all around-and the first king who had a royal title from the Most High was present. He was also the priest of the Most High God -and four times is the remarkable title "the Most High God" repeated. God is acknowledged by this priest to be "the Most High, possessor of heaven and earth," and the blessing he bestows is from "the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth." A striking anticipation this of the time when the Lord Jesus shall come from heaven in all "His own glory, and in the glory of the Father, and in the glory of the holy angels," to bless with resurrection glory, His own victorious saints, and to claim the kingdoms of the world on behalf of the Most High God, who will then be manifestly possessor of heaven and earth.”

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"And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their faces." Lev. ix. 24.

They did not shout at the sight of the glory, nor fall on their faces in worship, although that sight must have been an unlooked for manifestation of the presence of God-but God's acceptance of the burnt-offering and the fat upon the altar, witnessed by the fire from before Him consuming them, raised a shout of gratitude and thanksgiving from their hearts, and bowed them down in reverence before Him.

It will not be "the appearing of the glory of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, which will raise our shout of joy and our song of worship and of praise, but it will be the sight of Himself," the Lamb as it had been slain," which will be the great cause of our joy and thanksgiving. It is that beautiful word " Himself" which is so comforting, and which so gladdens the heart, "the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout," our hope is in Him, to see Him as He is: (1st John iii. 3.) and then shall we realize the value of that sacrifice, of that gift of God which is unspeakable. Then will true unhindered worship begin. Then shall we be truly humbled when we reach the exceeding height of glory.*

In concluding this portion of the subject it may be well to notice a mistake which often occurs both in writing and speaking of it.

Aaron the high priest is frequently alluded to, as coming out and blessing the people at the close of the day of atonement-as also he is represented as going in to make atonement, clothed in the blue robe, with the bells sounding on his going in and coming out. Neither of these statements is correct-Aaron did not bless the people at the conclusion of the day of atonement, neither did he enter the holiest on that occasion with the bells upon his vesture. He blessed the people as above related on the day of his consecration, and there is no other occasion recorded of his doing so. On this occasion he was clothed in his garments for glory and beauty, with the golden bells, &c.

On the day of atonement he went into the holiest, and came out, clothed in a distinct dress used only for that occasion, to which reference will be made hereafter.

THE LAW OF THE BURNT-OFFERING.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

"Command Aaron and his sons, saying, this is the law of the burntoffering: it is the burnt-offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning

in it.

"And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt-offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.

"And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.

"And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt-offering in order upon it: and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace-offerings.

"The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out."-Lev. vi. 8-13.

THE law of the burnt-offering is introduced here because there are peculiar directions given to the priest respecting the removing of the ashes; and a peculiar dress worn by him on that occasion. The burnt-offering, or, "ascending-offering," is here defined to be such, "because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it." An unusual word is here used for burning, (Heb. yahkad,) and found only in this chapter, verses 9, 12, 13, with respect to sacrifice. It is elsewhere used in Scripture, but always in connection with the thought of burning in judgment. See Deut. xxxii. 22; Isa. x. 16; Jer. xv. 14; xvii. 4. It may be, that the reason of its being introduced in connection with the altar of burnt-offering, is to include the thought of that altar being a place of judgment with respect to the victims consumed on it; although the great thought connected with this altar, is that it was an altar from which a sweet savour ascended to God. As to the other words used in the Hebrew for burning, see page 366 of this work. The Spirit of God would have us ever remember the solemn fact,