offering up the "living bread that descended from heaven”. The seven lights are the seven Sacraments which are here dispensed, and the laver is the baptismal font and the confessional, where we are cleansed from our sins — or even the stoup of holy water, by the devout use of which venial sins are remitted. You can see, therefore, that in many respects the Tabernacle was a type, which finds its perfect fulfilment in our churches; and that even the poorest village-chapel is holier than was the Tabernacle of the Old Covenant. As the Tabernacle was divided into two parts, so our churches have two parts: one for the priests, called the sanctuary, and another for the faithful, called the body of the church. Hence the Tabernacle was a pattern for our Christian churches.
God’s Goodness to the Israelites was exceedingly great; for He deigned to dwell in their midst in a visible way, in the pillar of cloud. But immeasurably greater is God’s love and condescension to us; for His Divine Son made Man dwells with us not only in one place, but in thousands of different churches and chapels, under the appearance of bread, blesses us, offers Himself up for us, and feeds our souls with the bread from heaven, that contains within itself all sweetness.
The veneration of images. By God’s command Moses had figures of cherubim embroidered on the hangings of the Sanctuary, and placed golden cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. These images served for the glory of God and the edification of the Israelites. It is evident, therefore, that it is pleasing to God that we should venerate the images of the angels and saints.
Ark of the Covenant. Mary is called, in the Litany of Loretto, the Ark of the Covenant, because she is the Mother of Jesus Christ, who instituted the New Covenant.
Application. We should be zealous for the beauty of the house of God. “I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth” (Ps. 25, 8). Gladly visit the church; and beware of desecrating it. Be careful how you behave in it, and how you use holy water &c.
Chapter XXXIX.
LAWS REGULATING DIVINE WORSHIP.
[Ex. 28 — 40. Lev. 1 — 10; 16; 21; 23; 25. Numb. 3; 4; 28; 29. Deut. 16 — 27.]
BY God’s command Moses now prescribed what sacrifices were to be offered, together with the manner of offering them, and the times when they were to be offered. Some of these
