THE ANOINTING OIL. "Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, "Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty, "And of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil an hin: "And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. "And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, "And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, "And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. "And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. "And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them that they may minister unto me in the priest's office, 66 "And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. "Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people."-Exod. xxx. 22-33. A HIN of olive oil mingled with four spices formed this fragrant compound. Of myrrh there was five hundred. Of cinnamon two hundred and fifty Thus the two middle spices added together equalled in weight the first, the myrrh; and the last, the cassia; the four forming three weights of five hundred. Myrrh.-Myrrh has the word "pure" attached to it. This word (drohr, Heb.) is always translated wherever it elsewhere occurs, liberty." 66 "Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family." Lev. xxv. IO. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach glad tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Isa. Ixi. I. Proclaim liberty. Jer. xxxiv. 8, 15, 17. The year of liberty. Ezek. xlvi. 17. Another word translated "sweet smelling," Cant. v. 5, 13, is connected with myrrh. (The margin has it, passing, or, running about.) Both words, "pure," and "sweet smelling," may have reference to the myrrh flowing out spontaneously, or freely from the plant. In Canticles v. 5, the hands and fingers of the Bride are represented as dropping with myrrh upon the handles of the Lock when she rose to open to her beloved. And in the 13th verse the lips of the Bridegroom are likened unto "lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrh." The full fragrance of this spice is descriptive of the beloved Himself. "A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me." Cant. i. 13. And "all his garments are of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia." Psa. xlv. 8. Amongst the plants of the enclosed garden, descriptive of the Bride, are "myrrh and aloes, with all principal spices." Cant. iv. 14. And the Bridegroom in chap. v. I, enters His garden, and says, "I have gathered my myrrh with my spice." She is herself represented at the conclusion of her wilderness journey, "like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant." Cant. iii. 6. The mountains of myrrh, and the hill of frankincense, are the safe and pleasant places of retreat to which the Bridegroom invites the Bride, until the day break and the shadows flee away; in contrast with the lion's dens, and mountains of the leopards. The adulterous woman, type of the seducing world around us, professes also to use this perfume. "I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.” Prov. vii. 17. This spice was probably bitter to the taste, as its Hebrew derivative implies. An oil was extracted from it, which was used for purification. Esther ii. 12. "Sweet cinnamon," properly cinnamon of spice, or aromatic cinnamon, occurs again, Cant. iv. 14, another of the plants of the enclosed garden-the Spouse; and Proverbs vii. 17, where it is connected with myrrh and aloes, as a perfume for the bed. "Sweet Calamus," or cane of spice, or aromatic cane. This word " calamus," is translated Stalk.-Gen. xxi. 5, 22. Branch, of the candlestick.-Exod. xxv. 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, etc. Reed.-Ist Kings xiv. 15; 2nd Kings xviii. 21, etc. Sweet Cane.-Isa. xliii. 24; Jer. vi. 20. Balance.-Isa. xlvi. 6. And a measuring reed, or rod.-Ezek. xl. 3, etc. This is also another of the plants of the enclosed garden. Cant. iv. 14. Cassia."-This word only occurs once more in the Scripture. Ezek. xxvii. 19. Its origin is doubtful, but if the derivation suggested by Robertson be correct, it springs from a root which signifies "to cleave," and also "to stoop" and "bow down." These spices gave their fragrance to the oil with which Aaron was anointed. The fragrant graces of the Holy Spirit seem to be typified by this holy perfume. In Isa. xi. 1-3, we have a prophecy respecting the Lord Jesus; as a rod springing from the stem of Jesse; a branch out of his roots; referring to His being of the seed of David, as born into this world; and it is said, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and shall make him of quick understanding (or scent or smell) in the fear of the Lord." Possibly the anointing oil may have some typical reference to the Holy Spirit, thus resting on Him. It is remarkable that the way in which these graces of the Spirit are arranged in Isaiah, has some analogy to the proportions of the spices in the anointing oil. There were five hundred of Myrrh which would answer to the "Spirit of wisdom and understanding." There were two hundred and fifty of Cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of Calamus, which would correspond with "the spirit of counsel and might," each in equal proportions. The spirit of "wisdom and understanding" being represented by one spice, because there is a close connexion between wisdom and understanding, one could hardly exist without the other; whereas there is a considerable difference between "counsel" and "might," which is expressed by the two distinct spices "cinnamon" and "calamus:" the two together making another five hundred in weight. The " spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord" being represented lastly by the five hundred of "Cassia"; one spice only; for all true knowledge is embodied in the "fear of the Lord." Without the fear of the Lord man is a fool. If he reverence not God, and believe not in His word, he is like the beasts that perish; or rather he is more brutish than the ox or ass. For "the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib;" but a man ignorant of God, does not know; he is a fool, saying in his heart, "there is no God." The words of wisdom and understanding dropped freely from the lips of the blessed Lord when he was on earth, like sweet smelling myrrh from the lips of the bridegroom. When questioned by the high priest as to His doctrine, Jesus answered, "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing." John xviii. 20. His words were spirit and life. His tongue was the tongue of the wise, using knowledge aright, and giving health to sin-sick souls. His lips dispersed knowledge, and His mouth was instructed by His heart. The law which proceeded out of His mouth was a fountain of life, to cause men to depart from the snares of death. Prov. xii. 18; xiii. 14; XV. 2,12; xvi. 23. Grace proceeding from a heart of love, was poured into His lips. Psa. xlv. 2. In like manner should the hands and fingers of the Bride drop with wisdom like myrrh, from handling the word of life, instead of touching that unclean thing the world. And out of the heart's affections should flow living waters to a thirsty world around, through the power and help of that same blessed Spirit received from the anointed Head. The spirit of counsel rested also upon Christ; and His name is Counsellor. He understood completely the purposes of God, and undertook nothing without duly taking counsel with the Most High. The testimonies of the Lord were especially His counsellors. Psa. cxix. 24. And he blessed the Lord for giving him counsel. Psa. xvi. 7. When upon the tree His utterances of woe and anguish were the Spirit's utterances in the prophetic psalms. And when suffering from the thirst of death, His desire was still to magnify the word of God; and knowing that all things had been accomplished, and that one only Scripture remained to be fulfilled, said, "I thirst.' And when he had received the last proof of human scorn and hatred, had tasted the vinegar placed upon the bitter hyssop, He uttered that most memorable and blessed sentence, "it is finished." The counsels of God were accomplished, not a jot or tittle had fallen to the ground; and He who was filled with the spirit of counsel, bowed His head and gave up the Ghost. What fragrance of unspeakable value there was in those |