[A full account of this ointment is given us in the book of Exodus a. The ingredients of which it was composed were of the most odoriferous kind : the proportions of each were minutely specified by God himself: and its use, when properly compounded, was solely confined to the things or persons con- nected with the service of the sanctuary. It was strictly for- bidden to the whole nation to form any other ointment like unto it, or to use any part of it for any other purpose than that which was ordained by God. It was itself most holy ; and it made every thing holy that came in contact with it. At the consecration of Aaron, it was poured upon his head in rich pro- fusion, so that it ran down upon his beard, even to the collar of his garment b ; and it diffused on every side a fragrance that was inexpressibly sweet and refreshing.]
Let us now consider the application of it —
[With this is Christian love to be compared. Now love is altogether of divine original : every ingredient of it is formed by the hand of God himself, and the whole compounded by him in its due proportions : and every one on whom it is poured is from thenceforth sanctified to the Lord. It is in its own nature so flowing, that when poured upon the head, it will descend upon the whole man : and so fragrant is it, that not the person himself only, but all who come in contact with him, will be refreshed with its odours : and more especially when a whole society or church are partakers of this heavenly unction, such is the fragrance, as to resemble as nearly as possible the courts of heaven itself.
Say, ye who have ever received this heavenly gift, whether ye have not been brought, as it were, into a new world, and whether ye be not breathing from day to day a new atmosphere ? Compare it with that which the world has framed in imitation of it, and which gives grace and ornament to the more polished circles of society : how poor, how vapid, how destitute of all refreshing odour, is that which is called politeness ! the very persons who most cultivate it, are most sensible what an empty formality it is : it is a mere mimickry of what is good : and in all the diversified expressions of it there is a secret conscious- ness, that nothing real is designed ; that it is a mere artificial ceremony, invented and practised in order to keep out of sight those hateful passions, which would destroy all the comfort of social intercourse. Its very forms are burthensome to those who most abound in them : and it is a relief to a man to put them off, and to return to the unconstrained familiarities of domestic life. We mean not to disparage that which un- doubtedly contributes much to the maintenance of public order
a Exod. xxx. 22 — 33. b See the marginal version.