it unfit for l1 u:ning._ Next, it was t,o he "heAt.cm oil "~ii made with extra trouble by c!Lreful pounding with the hand, mAt~.nd of rough mechamcal crusbin11; in mills. Il. T11E PRIESTS' DUTY. The priest~ were perpetually to trim and tend the lamps. l laily, at even, they were to light them; de.ily, in the morning, they were to extingui~h them, if any were still alight; to trim the wicks ; to cleanse the bowls which held tho nil; and to replenish them with a proper supply. They were t'l take every care that a pure light WBll const&utly maintained night after night, BO that the house of God should never be dark, or even obscure, but be ever reac.y for worship, ever illumined, ever pre- pared for any visitation of its Lord, who might come at the third, or tho sixth, or tho ninth, or the twelfth hour. It does not appear that there were any night services iu the tabeme.clc; but the lighted le.mp we.s I\ testimony that the Church continued ever on the watch, stro,•e ever to be " the light of the work!" (Matt. v. 14)-like the wise virgins, "kept it8 le.mp burning." And this is the duty of ministers at all times. The Christian ministry m1;1st ~ke <:9-re that _the light of the Church sh_incs pure ~nd bright continually -that nothmg dims it-that 1t glows ever as a beacon hght, a gmde and a help amid the 11torms and tempest8 of the world. If the people do not bring e. due supply of oil-i.e., of loving, faithful service-the Church must suffer, its light be dimmed. If the people do their duty, and the ministers fail, if they are careless, or slothful, or self-seeking, or worldly, or wanting in faith, the ?4!Sult is the se.me--the flame flickers; the light sinks and threatens to go out ; gross darkness settles down upon the people. A Church in this condition must expect to have it.s candlestick removed, unless it repents, and bestir8 ·it.'lC!f, and turns to God, and "does the first works" (Rev. ii. 5), and "strengthens the 1 hings that remain and are ready to die" ( ib. iii. 2). . Ill. Tim TROE LIGHT. After all, let ministers e.nd people be e.s faithful e.s they will, let them" keep their lamps 1;,urning," and ea.use" their light to shine before men" ever 60 brightly, still they are not, they will never be, "the true light." Christ is "the true light"-" the light that shineth in darkness e.nd the darkness comprehendeth it not"-" the light which 1.ighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John i. 4-9). Jn him are hid" all the tree.sures of wisdom and knowledge "-nothing needful for me.n to know but he has taught it--nothing expedient for man to see but he he.s revealed it. " His word is a lantern unto our feet., e.nd a light unto our paths." He is both an outward and an inward light. His gospel illumines the world without-penetrates its dark places, exposes it.s unholy doings, throws a flood of light upon the past, makes plain to us the ways of God with man. And his Spirit illumines the soul within, quickens and guides the conscience, makes our own way plain before our face, "enables with perpetual light the dulness of our blinded sight." He is the only true "light of the world "-the light which will endure throughout all time--the one Teacher who cannot deceive--the one Guide who cannot lead astray I And he is the light of the world to come. " ln him is the well of life; and in his light shall we see light" (Ps. xxvi. 9). The "holy city, New Jerusalem," has therefore "no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it," because "the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-20.-77,e brarffl a1J,a,,- afld oow-t of the tabernacle. From the sanctuary, we pass in this chapt.er to the outer court, the principal object in which was the brazen altar, or altar of burnt offering. I. TIIE BRAZEN ALTAR (vers. 1-9). 1. Form of the al,tar. The altar was a four- square case of shittim wood, five cubits long and five broad, made with four hornB, and overla.id with plates of bronze. Bound it, at some distance from the ground, was apparently a ledge, ou which the priests stood when engaged with the sacrifices. We must suppose tL.e.t th.e central pa.rt was filled with earth, or with the u.nhewu stones commanded in cL. =· 24, 25. The "grate of network " of ver. 4, seems to us to have supported the ledge, or compass of ver. 5. Some te.ke a different view of it. 2. lts l,,orns. 'l'hese are rightly understood as the points in which the force or virtue of the altar concentrated itself. 3. lts uses. It was--(1) the place to which the people brought their offerings to God; (2) the place at which reconcilie.tiou was made for sin; (3) the place on which the parts of the i;acriticeo which belonged to Goel were c:unsullled by fire. Here, at the altar, wen, rTI. '.'CXVJI. 20, 21.] TIIF, DOOK OF F,XODUS. 277