ZION’S LANDMARKS.
13
ted with Si- horn of oil. A horn
represents- strength and durability,
and bespeaks the character of
David’s kim'gly government. Our
spiritual David, the author of our
text, was anointed of God. ‘G
Itaivo found David my servant, with
my holy oil have I anointed him.”
—Fsa. Ixxxix. 20. He is seated
upon the throne of his kingdom.—
The name ilessiah, or Christ, sig"
nilies the AsoiNTtD. The anomt-
ing of priests and prophets was
significant of high positions of
great importance. Aaron was an
ointed, or consecrated high priest,
and Elisha was anointeefia prophet
by Ehjah. Car blessed Loi'd, uni
ted within himself the three dis^
tinct offices.of kjoig, priest and pro
phet. In ©'veiy other sense he po.s-!
.sesses the full embodiment of every
perfection) and character witih which
he is constituted fully the Eitvior ot
Mis people:.
In a liigher and more exalted
sense do I consider the spiritual
application! of our siibject than the
literaltransaction. The act of this
woman illustrates sometliinijr which
O
is fully known and appreciated
among the saints in the whole
world, and of which she stands as a
memorial. The ointment was pre
cious, and very costly, indicating
its intrinsic value. The love of
God shed abroad in the hearts of
the saints through J-Csns Christ
the anointed Head of t&e church,
passes through and over all the
members of Christ’s spirithal body,,
the church), fully ramifying all the
-&nbjects of grace, anddsmf intrinsic
value not surpassed. The psalmist
6|)eaks of it) in this manner : “Be
hold, how good and how pleasant it
is for brethren to dwell together in
unity ! It is like the precious oint
ment upon the bead, that ran down
upon thebeard, even Aaron’s beard;
that went dowuito the skirts ot his
garment; as the-dew of Hermon,
and as the dew that descended upon
the mountains of Zion, for there the
lyord commanded the blessing,
even life forevermore.”—Psa.
oxxxiii. The odor of the aintx
ment, in. a literal sense, filled the
house. The odor of this- heavenly
ointment fills the church of God,
which is the house of God, and cau
ses the saints tou-ejoice, a.od be ex-
ceeding;glad at the feet of Jesus,
their exalted Redeemer.. Fortius
anointing is in full operation whea
love flows from heart to heart, from
Christ the Head, including the
body, to the feet. To he at each
otlier’s feet, clothed with the gar^
ments of salvation, and their mouth
filled with praise, andi beholding
the perfect symmetry of’Christ and
Ills church in beatific vi’oion, is the
highest point of elevation reached
by the saints ib time. They lionor
their ascended Lord,,who was dead
and buried, hut ever liveth their
glorious inteveessor.
Thikprecious ointment is also li
kened to the dew which falls upon
the mount:iins-.. In a litte-ral sense
dew is a moisture in the atmosphere,
or heavens, which falls gently upon
the earth, or mountains, by night,
and moi«-tens wherever it falls.—
.A.S the mountain of the Lord’s
house, or church, is establislied in
the ton of the monnt.a*ins, and exs
alted above'the hills, (Isa. ii. 2)
the refreshing dew which descends
from the spiritual heajvens of im
mortal glory, enlivens and Sully
saturates the whole body of Christ,
and each member of that body sep
arately. The voice of inspiration
declarea, “My doctrine shall drop
as'the,rain, my, speee-h shall distil
as* the dew, as the small raimir^xijn
the tender herb, and. as- the show^1^
ers upon the grass,’’-r^Deut. xxxii.
2. .Hovv refreshing, soul-inspiring,
and soul comforting, is the doctrine
of God our .Savior,.and the speech
of him, whose .tongue is as the pen
of a ready writer, Avliemthis precious
anointing is felt and enjoyedi—
Then the communiomof saints- is
sweet, for they are in the han^juet-
ing house of our God, and his ban
ner over them is love. There the
blessing ot the Lord is known and
felt, ©venJife for evermore.
There are many fiigures, metap
hors, and striking illustrations used
iasholy v/rit to present the relation-
ship and union of Christ and his
people. The woman in our subject
presents to my mind-la very interes
ting illustration of the bride of
Christ. Her s^jiritual origin is in
her exalted Red,eemer, and her-earth-
ly or naturaL origin is in Adam.
In the- latterse.nse she sustains a.
covenant relation to her Head aad
Husband. He came in the'flesh to
redeem) her from the domiaion of
sin under the law. She was unden
the law, and under its curse. The
union and relationship is indivisi
ble.. She. was-not fully developed
under the Old>Testament dispensa
tion,, but was iu«an uaijperfeefc. state-..
In the literal circumstance recorded
in Mark xiv. 8, Jesus says-,. “She
has done what she coukk she’is-
come aforohand to anolnit my body
to the burying.” 'Women minister
ed to his necessities-. They were
present when hc'S-Uiffered',. and at
his burial. Some of them were pre
sent on the morning of his resurs
rection, with spices to-anoint him.
The spouse of Christ did all she
could for him under a^ dispensation
which dealt death and damnation
to all those who violated it. Her
sins and traosgressionsi were laid
upon him, aiulthe law demanded
his»dcath and burial in-her behalf
He-was crucified and siSain in ac
cordance with the dis'terminate
coimsel and foreknowledge of God
for the salvation of his bride. His
death and burial was as important
in tlie counsel and purpose of
Jehovah as his resurrection and
glorificatiom Every link in the
chain of God’s predestinating pur
pose of love and mercy is a-s strong
and durable as Omnipotence. The
bride-, when under the exercise of
saving faith, beholds her death un
der the law, and under its curse,
,^and the burial of her sins when
Jesus was deadtand buried, and her
resurrection with Christfrom under
the condemnation of the law, and
her justification by liis bloodlnflhe
retnis.sion ofher'sins. The love- of
Christ constrains her’to ack'-now-
leci'ge hiniiin the ordinance of bap
tism, and in obedienee-to his lav’s,
rules, precepts and commandments.
Her acknowlhdgment ot him under
all circumstances is expressive of
her love aucTrespect tor himias her
Lord and Husband. This is
syno'nymous in its application to-
the anointing, which I have already
diseussed, as. I unders-tand the sub
ject.
After a le-ugthy dissertation, I
have at last reached the text. The
text inculcates the doetrisne and
principles already elaborated. It is
an undoubted.truth inHhe-experi
ence of the saints, as the word'verily
properly signifies, that whoresoever
thei'gospel is preachedfin its-priml-
tive pnriit}’', the‘love ofGod erabrae-
ing Christ and his church,.is pre
sented inuits fullness and glory. It
is good tidings of great joydo the
bride of Christ, or in other words
to tlie saints of the Mbst High God.
The love and devotion of the woman
in a literal sense Ib.anointing the
iaeadl o-f' Jesus,. mi»y not ofte-affio:
spol-sem of as a memorial, but in a
spiritual sense in contemplating
tlie bride of Christ in her devotion
to h«r Lord-in the heavenly auoiii-
tiriig,, her act re-a- lasting memorial
of her, never to be forgotten while
time endures, or thegos.pel is preach
ed. Her liove- and obedience te
her Lords is-presented only in re-
lerence to the great trutli of in
spiration which declares, “We love
him because he first Ibved us.” 1
John iv. 19. Again, “'And this is-
his commandment, that we should
believe on the name of his Son
Jesus Christ and love one another,,
as he gav*e us comniandraent.. And
he that kespeth his commandmient,
dwelleth im him, and He in himi.
And hereby Vi^e know that he abis
deth inms; By the Spirit which he
hath given us.”—IJohniii. 23, 2t.
The heavenly unetkm or anointing
which the saints receive from the
Holy One, ahonkhbe reciprocated)
by them- under all circumstances.
This applies-' to individual saint.s
with'the same weight amd force as
to the cnurch in, a collective sense.
John says, “The anointing which
ye have receivedlof him ahideth iu
you, and’ye need' not that any man
teach you; but as the same anoint
ing teacheth you of allthings, and
is no lie, and even as it hath taught
yx)U; ye shall abide in him.” Eur-
ther Jbhn says, “And now, little
children, abide in him, that when
he shall appear, we may have con-
fidonee, and not be ashamed before
himoat his coming.” How excellent
and glorious is the lowe of Christ
to h.’is-people, and the communion of
saints.
My dear, sister, Lhave not ex
hausted the subject, though I may
have ■ exhausted your p,atience. I
hope what I have written will not
be unprofita.ble to you, as I have
endeavored to comply with your
request, though in a p;rivate man
ner. Our personal acquaintance
was brief, though pleasant to me.
Elease write if in accordance with
yomr feelings and wishes, as a letter
from you will-be appreciated by me.
Remember me to your husband in
chnstian regard, and accept a token,
of my Christian love to you.
JOSEPH L, PURINGTON.
When a man’s'ways please the
Lord, he niaketh even his enemies
to be at peace with h'im.
Better is a little with riarhteous*-
O
ness, than-ginat reivenues witliont.
right.