closely followed. (2) Now the time has come for carr)ing the directions of Deity into fuller ac<'.omplishment. The tabernacle has been finished aud occupied by the presence of God; the laws have been published; and the next thing in order is the consecration of the priests to serve the tabernacle. The Lord is a God of order. In his service "all things" should be done "decently and in order." 2. His directions were given by the hand of Mosu. (l) Moses was instructed to" take Aaron and his sons," etc. (vers. 2, 3). These instructions he punctually obeyed (ver. 4). In this fidelity Moses was a type of Christ, with these differences: (a) Moses was faithful "as a servant," Christ "as a Son." (b) The h?_~se of Moses was ceren1onial an~ typical, that of Christ spiritual and living (see Heb. m. 1-6). (2) Moses, who was rnstructed to consecrate Aaron and his sons, bad himself no human consecration. He was an extraordinary servant of God. We do not read of the apostles of Christ receiving any baptism of water or ordination by im- position of hands. God can send by whom he pleases and when he pleases, without any human sanction (see Gal. i. 15-19), 3. The congregation was assembled to witness the ceremony. (I) This was a wise arrangement, to inspire them with proper respect for the servants of God. They were prone enough to say," Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi." Ministers were publicly ordained in the primitive Church. (2) The address of Moses to the congregation was brief and to the point: "This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done" (ver. 5). The command, which was given from Sinai, the congregation were acquainted with. 'l'he time to carry it out was now given from the sanctuary (eh. i. 1). We should look to God for guidance in reference to times and seasons, as well as to the services to be rendered for him. II. THE BAl'TIB:r.t: OF AARON AND HIS SONS. 1. This was the initiatory rite of the cor.ucration. (I) It was the first act (ver. 6). And as Moses washed Aaron at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, so was Jesus washed by John at his entrance upon his public ministry (see Matt. iii. 16; iv. 1, 17). Like Moses, John also was e. Levite. (2) 'l'he sons of Aaron were baptized with him. To them also it was the rite of initiation. So are the sons of Jesus initiated into his discipleship by baptism (see Matt. :xxviii. 18-20, margin; Acts ii. 41 ; x. 48). The initiatory office of baptism is also expressed in the phrase" born of water" (John iii. 5). 2. It set forth the n~cessity of pwity in the servants of God. (I) Water, being one of the great purifiers in the kingdom of nature, is used in Scripture as an emblem of the Holy Spirit, the Great Purifier in the kingdom of grace (Isa. xliv. 3; John vii. 38, 39). Hence a dispute about "baptism" is called a" question about purifying n (John iii. 25, 26). (2) The requisi- tion of baptism declared the necessity of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This is the source of the spiritual birth in which commences the spiritual life which is the lifo of heaven. 3. As to the form of this baptism. (1) The record here is simply that" Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water" (ver. 6). But by reforence to Exod. XXL, we learn that this washing was done at the !aver. In allusion to the ceremonial baptisms of the Law, the baptism of the Spirit under the gospel is describ~d as the "laver of regeneration" (Titus iii. 5, 6). (2) From the same reference in Exodus we learn, further, that the washing of Aaron and his sons extended to their "hands and feet." There is no proof that they were bodily plunged in the laver. We are reminded how Jesus washed his disciples' 1eet (see John xiii. 8-10), The Jews have a tradition that a tap was turned on, from which, by the flowing of the water over their hands and feet, the washing was accomplished (see Brown's 'Antiquities,' vol. i. p. 148), In baptism, the element should be active and tho subject passive, for the thing signified, the Holy Ghost, certainly is not passive (see Acts ii. 16-18, 33; x. 44-48).-J. A. M.
Vere. 7-9.-The holy garments of Aaron. The high priest of the Lovitical dis- pensation is allowed to be an eminent type of the "Great High Priest of our profession." His attire was intended to foreshow the qualities by which the Redeemer is dis- tinguished. Else it would be difficult to account for the minute cnre with which they were designed, and the manner in which tho workmen were inspired to make them (see Exod. xxviiL 2-4; xxxi. 3-6). Let us attend to- I. THE OOAT WITH ITS GIRDLE. I. The coat. (1) According to Josephus, "it was a tunic ci.rcumscribiug the body, with light sleeves for the arms, and reaching to the heels" (' Ant.,' iii. 7). It was white, to denote purity. (2) It was bound with the girdle about the loins. This also was white, and denoted truth, which is another OH, VID, 1-36,) THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 127