optional, and presented only when persons particu- larly desired to " honour God with their substance." The ordinary and appointed meat-offerings are spoken of in the beginning of this chapter3: the extraordinary and optional are spoken of in my text. It is to the latter that I would draw your attention at this time. And for the purpose of bringing the ordinance before you in the simplest and most intelligible manner, I will set before you,
I. Its distinguishing peculiarities —
In some respects this meat-offering agreed with
those which were common —
[It consisted of corn : it was accompanied with oil : frankincense also was put upon it. A part of it and of the oil were burnt upon the altar, together with all the frankin- cense, as a memorial to the Lord : and the remainder of the corn and oil was given to the priests, for their subsistence.
Thus far it was an expression of gratitude to God for the mercies he had begun to impart, and of affiance in him for a complete and final bestowment of the blessings so conferred.]
In other respects it differed from those which were common —
[In the common meat-offerings the corn used was ripe, and ground into flour : but in this the corn was unripe, and incapable of being ground into flour, till a certain process had been used in relation to it. " The ears of corn were" cut when " green :" they were then to be " dried with fire :" and then were they to be offered in the way appointed for common meat-offerings b.]
Contenting myself with barely specifying the pecu- liarities under my first head, I proceed to explain them under my second head; and to mark, in rela- tion to this ordinance,
II. Its special import — -
As far as its observances accorded with those of the common meat-offering, its import was the same —
[Burnt-offerings referred entirely to Christ, and shadowed forth him as dying for the sins of men. But the meat-offerings represented rather the people of Christ gathered out from the world, anointed with the Holy Spirit, and offered up upon God's
a Compare ver. 1 — 3. with chap, xxiii. 9 — 14. b Compare ver. 2, 3. with the text.