tion of Aaron is the simile used in the divine psalm upon which we are now meditating. The oil used for the consecration of Aaron, and for the holy furniture of the temple, was the oil of olives: and the olive tree is used in Scripture to denote the celestial church, as well as the celestial man. The distinguishing characteristic of the celestial man is LOVE! and this love is flowing constantly from HIM whose very essence is love itself—"God is Love." To symbolize this Love, Aaron, as the representative of the Lord, was consecrated with olive oil to his office; and in the spiritual sense of the word, wheresoever this oil descends, the blessing of Divine Love communicates itself. It is the heavenly principle of love, or goodness, which conjoins the several degrees of truth in which the Christian may be principled, into one, and gives unto him its vitality and energy. And when the various truths we have imbibed, proceed from an affection for what is good and heavenly, then they may truly be described as brethren: they are united by the relationship of heavenly good, and dwell together in unity. The oil is poured on the head of Aaron. The head may be justly termed the seat of intelligence and wisdom, and the oil being poured on it, denotes the union of love with wisdom. The oil makes its way to the beard, which surrounds the mouth, and the mouth symbolizes doctrine. The beard will therefore imply the ultimate principle of truth, the truth of doctrine; and the doctrines of truth are heavenly when they bear testimony to the necessity of a life of goodness. The celestial good unites with the truth; it descends and unites with the doctrine of life, and in each case the good gives life and power to truth. The holy oil
