THE PRIESTS.

priests the coat, and the girdle, and
the bonnet or turban. All these

holy and beautiful garments were

put upon Aaron and his sons, to
teach them how holy they ought to
be, if they were honored to be
priests and ministers of the Lord.

 

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All God’s ministers, and all God’s
people, must be so too; they must
have on Christ’s righteousness, and
be renewed and sanctified by the
Holy Spirit, or they cannot enter
into Heaven.

 

XLVII.

JHE PRIESTS,

HEN Moses had clothed
Aaron and his sons with
the priestly garments, he
took oil, and sprinkled it
upon the altar, and the

laver, and upon everything in the

tabernacle. Then he poured the oil
upon Aaron’s head, and anointed
him. The oil was a type of the in-
fluence of the Holy Spirit, who
sanctifies the ministers of the Lord,
and prepares them for their holy
work. Afterwards, a bullock was
brought; and Aaron and his sons
laid their hands upon it, humbly
confessing their sinfulness before
God, and acknowledging that they
wanted to be washed from their ini-
quity, and needed to have a sacrifice
offered for them. Then the bul-
lock was killed, and Moses took the
blood, and sprinkled the altar, and
poured it out beneath. Then a ram
was” brought; and Aaron and his
sons laid their hands upon its head ;
and it was slain, and the blood
sprinkled upon the altar. Another
ram was brought; and again Aaron
~ and his sons laid their hands upon
its head, then it was killed, and
Moses took the blood, and put it on

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of his right hand, and on the great
toe of his right foot; and Moses
did so to Aaron’s sons too. Then
Moses took bread out of a basket,
and oiled cakes, and the fat of the
sacrifice, and gave all to Aaron
and to his sons, to be presented to
the Lord; afterwards Moses took
them from them again, and burnt
all upon the altar, as an offering to
the Lord. Then Moses took the
oil and the blood, and sprinkled
them upon Aaron and his sons, to
sanctify them. The oil was a type
of the sanctifying power of God’s
Holy Spirit in the heart; and the
blood was a type of the blood of
Jesus, which cleanseth from all sin.

Aaron and his sons were sinners,
as we all are; they needed to have
their sins washed away, and. their
hearts renewed; they needed a sac-
rifice, as well as the people; and
they were taught that the rams, and
lambs, and bullocks had no power
to take away sin, but that they must
look in faith to the great sacrifice
which should, at a future time, be
offered up for the sins of all the
world. The priests of Israel soon
died, and passed away; but our

Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb | High Priest continues for ever. He