THE IJrcacijcr's Complete jjinrakM COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT (ON AN ORIGINAL FLAN) r}fy ©tjtii^al unit Jlrpfattaiimj l)ofi;s, $nftuc$, tft* tit, BY VARIOUS AUTHORS, LONDON : RICHARD D. DICKINSON, FARRINGDON STREET. 1880. HOMILETICAL COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. ■U'J 7 II CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, INDICES, Etc. Etc. BY / REV. WILLIAM JONES. LONDON: RICHARD D. DICKINSON, FARRINGDON STREET. LONDON : PRINTED BY SMYTH & YERWORTH, HOLBORN BUILDINGS, HOLBORN, EC. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, WILLIAM JONES. introduction. Title. The word Numbers is a translation of the title given to this book in the LXX 'XpiOjxoi, in the Vulgate Numeri, and was evidently applied to it because it contains the record of the two numberings of the people. The Jews sometimes call it "Q'VI, Vayedabber, which is its first word in the Heb.; but more frequently "13np3, Bemidbar, in the desert, which is its fifth word, and more accurately characterises the book. Contents. " The book narrates the history of the Israelites during their sojourn in the wilderness from the completion of the law-giving at Sinai (Lev. xxvii. 24) to their mustering in the plains of Moab for actual entry into the Land of Promise" — or, from " the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt " (chap. i. 1) to the end of the tenth month of the fortieth year (Deut. i. 3), or a period of thirty-eight years and nine months. The events of the history are generally given in their chronological order, except in chapters xv.-xix., inclusive. These " chapters appear to deal with a lone period, from which only isolated episodes are given ; and of these the dates can only be conjectured." AuTiionsHir. From the earliest times the book has been generally regarded a?, in substance, at least, the work of Moses. In support of this view, the following reasons are » 1 INTRODUCTION. given in the "Speaker's Commentary : " — "(I) The catalogue of the stations or encampments during the journeyings is assigned to Moses in xxxiii. 2. (2) The intermixture in this book of narrative and legislative matter is one of its characteristic features .... This feature is exactly one which belongs to the work of a contemporary annalist. (3) That the author had an intimate acquaintance with Egypt may be strikingly illustrated from Numbers. Compare viii. 7 sqq.; v. 11-35 ; xix. 1-10 ; xi. 5, 6 ; xiii. 22. (4) The statements of this book abound in evidences that the writer and those with whom he lived were still in the desert. Compare xix. 14; ii.; is. 1G sqq. j x. 1-28, 35, 36. (5) There are topographical statements in the book which could hardly have been written after the days of Moses. Compare xxi. 13 with xxxii. (6) The various communica- tions purporting to be from God to Moses are so worded and often of such a nature (cf. e.g. xiv. 11-26), that unless we go the length of denying their historical character altogether, we must admit them to have been recorded by the very person who received them. (7) No other person than Moses has been or can be named with anything like probability, or even plausibility, as the author .... We conclude then, with confidence, that nothing has been as yet alleged which disturbs the generally-accepted views respecting the authorship of this book. It is, in substance, the work of Moses ; and whilst many portions of it were probably committed to writing for years before the whole was completed, yet the concluding chapters were not written until towards the close of the fortieth year after the exodus." As to our work on this book, very few words are necessary. In accordance with a leading principle of this series of Commentaries, we have endeavoured to present the largest number of things in the smallest number of words. To this principle, literary finish and grace have been subordinated. Some of the records contained in this book are not well adapted to homiletic treatment or fruitful in homiletic suggestion. In dealing with these, we have endeavoured to suggest homiletic methods without any straining of the text or unworthy handling of the Sacred Word ; and we venture to hope that we have not been altogether unsuccessful in this respect. The illustrations which are given are (by Mr. Dickinson's request) numerous. They are drawn from a wide range of literature, and very few of them are taken from " Storehouses," " Treasuries," or "Dictionaries of Illustration." Each one will be found to be well suited to illumine or impress the point to which it is attached. In our work we have consulted the best authors who have written on this book ; and are under considerable obligations to " A Commentarie upon the Fourth Booke of Moses, called Numbers, by William Attersoll, Minister of the Word " (1618); " Comfortable Notes upon the Booke of Numbers, by Bishop Gervase BabiDgton" (1637); "Keil and Delitzsch's Commentary on the Pentateuch; " and to tLe " Speaker's Commentary." 2 i** im\> UOMILETIC COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. CHAPTER L The Numbering of the People. ( Verses 1-3.) " The object of the encampment at Sinai," says Perowne, " has been ac- complished. The Covenant has been made, the Law given, the Sanctuary set up, the Priests consecrated, the ser- vice of God appointed, and Jehovah dwells in the midst of His chosen people. It is now time to depart in order that the object may be achieved for which Israel has been sanctified. That object is the occupation of the Promised Land. But this is not to be accomplished by peaceable means, but by the forcible expulsion of its present inhabitants ; for ' the iniquity of the Amorites is full/ they are ripe for judg- ment, and this judgment Israel is to execute. Therefore Israel must be organised as Jehovah's army ; and to this end a mustering of all who are capable of bearing arms is necessary. Hence the book opens with the number- ing of the people." Thrice were the people numbered in the wilderness. Nine months previous they were numbered for the purpose of collecting atonement-money from every male of twenty years old and upward (Comp. Exod. xxx. 1 1-1 G with xxxviii. 25, 20). On this occasion they were numbered with a view to war. And thirty-eight years afterwards, in the plains of Moab, they were again num- bered, for the division of the Promised u2 Land among the tribes, according to the number of their families (Comp. xxvi. and xxxiii. 54). Our text sets forth : — I. The Authority for this Number- ing. It was commanded by God. " The Lord spake unto Moses . . . Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel." Contrast this with the numbering of the people by David (1 Sam. xxiv., and 1 Chron. xxi). This was expressly commanded by the Lord ; that was utterly devoid of Divine autho- rity. This was done for wise and worthy reasons (as we shall see) ; that, from pride and vain reliance. Moses numbered the people to see the number of God's subjects able to 6ght in the Lord's battles. David seems to have desired to know the number of the people as his own subjects, and to dis- play the extent of his own dominion and power. As the result of David's sin, the Lord, by pestilence, slew seventy thousand men. It is of the utmost im- portance that the leaders of men should be well assured of two things in the movements which they inaugurate: — 1. That the// have the Divine approval of their undertakings. The movement which is approved by God, and well prosecuted, shall advance to .splendid triumph. But that which He approves ciiAr. i. UOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. not must end in failure and disaster. Apply this test to our undertakings. 2. That they are actuated by worthy motives in ihdir undertakings. A sinful, selfish, or mean motive will vitiate our enterprises and mar our work?. " The Lord looketh at the heart," Let us scrutinize our motives. II. The Place of this Numbering. "In the wilderness of Sinai." 1. In a desert. The wilderness suggests (1) the ideas of a life of Privation. Little or no food grows in the desert. There are no homes in the desert. Pleasant streams and refreshing shades are seldom found there. (2) Peril. This would arise from the scorching heat of the sun ; from the furious violence of the storm, and from the fierce attacks of savage beasts. (3) Perplexity. The desert has no well-defined roads made through it. The traveller is very liable to lose his track, grow bewildered, and sink into utter perplexity. We have in this an illustration of the life of the good in this world. The world cannot supply the soul's needs. We have needs and yearnings that the best things of this world are utterly inadequate to satisfy. We cannot find a home for the soul in anything here. This is not our rest. There are perils many and great in this present life and world. We, too, are "in the desert." 2. In a desert where the tabernacle of God was. " In the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation." They were in the desert ; but the Lord also was there. His presence was a guarantee of (1) Provision. He fed them with bread from heaven. His presence and power transformed the desert into a banquet hall. In obe- dience to His will the solid rock became a fountain, and the desert rejoiced in pleasant streams. In Him the home- less wanderers found a home and rest. (2) Protection. He guarded them from the scorching heat of the sun by day by the pillar of cloud, and from the at- tacks of savage beasts by night by the pillar of fire. In the day of battle He was their shield and fortress. (3) Di- rection. He " led His people like a 4 flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." He " guided them in the wilderness like a flock." " He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation." It matters not that this world is like a desert to the godly soul, if God be with us here. His presence will afford the most adequate and delightful supplies, the divinest satisfaction, the most impregnable de- fence, and the most infallible guidance'. " Though in a bare and rugged way, Through devious, lonely wilda I stray, Thy presence shall my pains beguile ; The barren wilderness shall smile, With sudden green and herbage crowned, And streams shall murmur all around." A ddison. III. The Time of this Numbering. "On the first of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt." That is, exactly one month after the setting up of the tabernacle (Exod. xl. 2, 17) and about eleven months from the time of their arrival in the desert of Sinai. The people abode in this desert nearly a whole year (Com p. Exod. xix. 1, with Num. i. 1, and x. 11). What was the reason of this protracted halt ? With so great and inspiriting a destiny before them as the taking pos- session of the Promised Land, why did they not advance at once with eager resolution to their task ? The design of this long stay was, that they might be instructed in their relations to God and to each other ; that they might learn lessons of duty and worship; that they might be taught to reverence and obey God. The pause was for the purpose of promoting progress. There are times and circumstances in which standing still is the truest and speediest advance. It is well that the declaration of war should not be made until plans of operation are formed, equipments prepared, soldiers drilled and disci- plined, etc. What a terrible reminder of this truth France received in her recent war with Prussia ! It was well that the Apostles, with the commission to the most glorious task, and the world sorely needing their message, should, notwithstanding, tarry at Jerusalem in H0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAT. I. silence, until they were baptized with the Holy Ghost. Let us learn the wisdom of waiting until circumstances, events, and agents are ripe for action ; and while we wait, make diligent preparation, etc. (a) IV. The Marnier of this Number- ing- "Take ye the sum of all the congre- gation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls, from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel." They were to take account of — 1. Only the males. All females were excluded from the reckoning. 2. Only the males above twenty years old. Those who were under that age were not taken into the account, being regarded as too young to endure the strain of military service. 3. Only the males above twenty years old who were in vigorous health, — "able to go forth to war." The sick, the aged, the infirm, the maimed were exempted from this census, as unfit for war. 4. They were to be numbered " after their families," that it might be known of what tiibe, and of what particular house every able man was. 5. The numbering was to be indi- vidual, and by name. " With the num- ber of their names, every male by their polls." The census was particular and minute. From these directions as to the numbering we learn: — First : That the Lord chooses fit in- struments for the accomplishment of Ills purposes. He here selects for war not women, or boys, or old men, or the in- firm ; but able men. He can use any instrumentality, even the feeblest, for the most arduous tasks. But such is not His method. He employs means adapted to the ends to be attained. Illustrations of this abound. Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul. Second : 'That the Lord is perfectly acquainted with every one ivlio is fitted for His work. He knows the tribe, the family, the name of every one who is u able to go forth to war " against ignorance, sin and misery. Ponder this ye able men who are at ease in Zion. V. The Design of this Numbering. 1. The primary design was, the or- ganization of the army. God had pro- mised to give them the land of Canaan. He will certainly bestow it upon them ; but not without their effort. Innumer- able foes must be vanquished before they enter upon the land. They must do battle with the heathen nations that are now in possession, and conquer them. And to do this, they must organise an army, employing the fittest men for soldiers, making the wisest arrange- ments for marching, encamping, etc. Where ordinary means are adequate to accomplish the desired end, God never uses extraordinary. Whatman can do for himself, God never does for him. God has promised to us the victory over our spiritual foes, the possession of the inheritance of spiritual perfec- tion and privileges, and heaven as the goal of our earthly pilgrim- age. He will not fail to fulfil His promise. But we, too, must use the means. If we would enter into the restful activities of heaven, we must live the life of faith and of Divine service on earth. If we would gain the victory we must be valiant and persistent in the fight. If we would win the prize we must " run with patience the race," etc. (b). But this numbering would serve other important purposes. It would tend — 2. To manifest the Divine faithfulness. God had promised Abraham that his seed should be as the stars for multi- tude. This census shows how God was fulfilling that promise. Seventy- five souls went down into Epypt. And how wonderfully are they increased in 215 years ! Now there are six hundred thousand men able to bear arms. And the whole population could not have been less than two millions, and this despite the oppression and persecu- tions of the Egyptians. " He is faith- ful that promised." * * For a critical examination of the numbers recorded in this book see Keil and DeliUaeb in loco. 0 C.1AP. I. I10MIIET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. 3. To show forth the Divine power. We see this in His feeding and sustain- ing so immense a number in the desert, " without harvest or husbandry, without planting or tilling, without sowiDg of corn, or without feeding and breeding of cattle." 4. To the promotion of order. " It is a rout and a rabble, not an army, that is not mustered and put in order." 5. To exhibit, on the coming of the Messiah, the correspondence of the event with the predictions concerning it. He was predicted as to come of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, of the house of David. Hence the importance of an accurate register of tribes and families. 6. To illustrate the care of God for His people generally and particularly. They were numbered individually and by name. The Lord's care over His people is most minute and constant and tender. " He calleth His own sheep Joy name, and leadeth them out. The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." " The Lord knoweth them that are His." "The very kaire of your head are all numbered." ILLUSTRATIONS. (u) I warn those who have only lately found their Saviour from rushing before their fellow- men, and attempt- ing to fill those posts in the service of Christ which demand a deeper expe- rience and a more tried and tested Christianhood. The Lord's retirement to the wilderness after He had been baptised and announced as the Messiah, after He was in a peculiar manner l* full of the Holy Ghost," gives to all of us not less humbling than profitable guidance as to the deliberation with which solemn work ought to be under- taken Not up to Jeru- salem, but away to the wilderness ; not out to the multitude, but back to the solitude j not forth to the world to conquer, but away from it, " impelled" by the Spirit, " to be tempted." Nor does this stand solitary in the history of the Church. You remember that strange, half-involuntary forty years of Moses in the wilderness of Midian, when he had fled from Egypt. You re- member, too, the almost equally strange years of retirement in Arabia by Paul when, if ever, humanly speaking, instant action was needed. And pre-eminently you remember the amazing charge of the ascending Lih is not your own. There can be only one reply, God loves you. Would that the eye of Faith for ever rested on this glorious truth. God loves you! What an amazing impulse to bear the willing servant over all mountains of doubt, and fear, and hindrance ! What a strong shield to ward off Satan's darts! It is victory, before one blow is struck ! It is light in the dark day of trial ! It is the holy wing to lift above the world ! Who are numbered ? None are en- rolled, but they whose age and strength enable them for war. Christ's service is a mighty work — a determined fight. Satan disputes each onward step. The world presents its countless troops, etc. The flesh is an internal fee, etc. Be- liever, yours is this warrior's life. Fight, as one fighting for eternity. Strive, as one striving for a kingdom. Jesus commands, etc. Follow him boldly. No one will triumph who has never fought. No one who truly fights, will fail. Each numbered soldier paid a ran- som price (Ex. xxx. 12). The rich — the poor — were eoxually assessed. All in Christ's camp are ransomed by his blood. All plead one sacrifice. Next comes the register. It presents a vast array of numbered warriors. Beyond six hundred thousand men (Num. i. 46). Whence is this marvel- lous increase? One family had entered Egypt. Hardship, and cruelty, and toil had done their worst to keep them low. But God's early promise was their portion (Gen. xii. 2). The numbered people prove that our God is Truth as well as Love. Behold, again, this multitude. It is an emblem of a far larger host (Rev. vii. 9). The fight is a prelude to the crown. About a year has passed since the last numbering. The Levites then formed part of the collected mass. They are not now included. But the number then and now amounts exactly to the same. Israel has surrendered Levi's tribe, but Israel's forces are not thereby less. Here is a profitable lesson. We never lose by giving to the Lord. Selfishness is penury. Christian benevolence is wealth. Once more survey the Numbered People. You are inclined to say, this band will safely reach the promised land. Alas ! two only steadfastly ad- here. The multitude distrusts the Lord. Their corpses strew the desert. An awful proof that outward privileges alone save not (Heb. iii. 19). Unbelief is the bar which shuts out Christ. Unbelief rejects the Gospel, and so perishes. — Hairy Lav:, D.D. Bank and Servicf.. (Verses 4-1G.) In these verses we have an illustra- tion of — I. Co-operation in Divine Service. One man of every tribe, being head of the house of his fathers, was to be associated with Moses and Aaron in numbering the people. By this arrange- ment— 1. The toil of Moses and Aaron would -cned. There is ur-j it need for the lessening of the labours of many overwrought Christian ministers to-day. And there are many things in which others may render them valuable as- sistance. 2. The acco * of the task would be facilitated. The cause of God in this world will advance with rapid strides when co-operation in Christian work shall become constant and uni- versal amongst His people. ;'». The in'-!/ !•;' tl ) There is no dignity but of service. How different the whole notion of training is now from what it was in fcho middle ages. Service was honourable then. The first thing taught then was how to serve. No man could rise to tbe honour of knighthood without ser- vice. A nobleman's son even had to wait on his father, or to go into the family of another nobleman, and wait upon him as a page, standing behind his chair at dinner. This was an honour. No notion of degradation was in it ; it was a necessary step to higher honour. And what was the next higher honour ? To be free from service ? No. To serve in the harder service of the field; to be a squire to some noble knight, to tend his horse, to clean his armour, to see that every rivet was sound, every buckle true, every strap strong, to ride behind him and carry his spear, and if more than one attacked him to rush to his aid. This service was the more honourable because it was harder, and was the next step to higher honour yet. And what was this higher honour? That of knighthood. Where- in did this knighthood consist ? The very word means simply service. And for what was the knight thus waited on by his squire ? That he might be free to do as he pleased ? No, but that he might be free to be the servant of all. By being a squire first, the servant of one, he learned to rise to the higher rauk, that of servant of all. His horse was tended, his armour ob- served, his sword and spear and shield held to his hand, that he might have no trouble looking after himself, but might be free, strong, unwearied, to shoot like an arrow to the rescue of any and every one who needed his ready aid. There was a grand heart of Christianity in that old chivalry. — George Macdonahl. 13 CHAI\ I. H0M1LET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. God's Knowledge of His People. (Verse h.) " These are the names of the men that shall stand with yon."' The text teaches that the Lord knew these " princes of the tribes of their fathers " — their names, their parentage, their fitness for the work in which they were to take part, etc. We infer that God is perfectly acquainted with His people. Consider : I. The great truth here implied. God knows His people individually and altogether. 1. This is philosophical^ If God is infinite, He must know all things. Nothing can be so great as to surpass His comprehension ; nothing so small as to escape His notice. Great and small, generally and particularly, He knows all things and everything. " The relation God holds to objects of know- ledge," says Bushnell, " is different in all respects, from that which is held by us. Our general terms, man, tree, insect, flower, are the names of particu- lar or single specimens, extended, on the ground of a perceived similarity, to kinds or species. They come, in this manner, to stand for millions of particular men, trees, insects, flowers, that we do not and never can know. But God does not generalise in this manner, getting up general terms under which to handle particulars, which, as particulars, He does not know. His knowledge of wholes is a real and com- plete knowledge. It is a knowledge of wholes as being a distinct knowledge of particulars. He knows the wholes in the particulars, the particulars in the wholes." "History acquaints us, that Cyrus had so vast a memory, that he knew tlic name of every particular soldier in his army, which consisted of divers nations ; shall it be too hard for an infinite understanding to know every one of that host that march under His banners ? " (a) 2. This is Scriptural. See 1 Kings xix. 14-18 ; Psalms i. 0 ; lvi. 8 ; cxlvii. 3, 4 ; Isa. xl. 2G-31 ; Mai. iii. 16, 17 ; 14 Matt. vi. 25-34 ; x. 29, 30 ; John x. 3, 14, 27 ; Phil. iv. 3 ; 2 Tim. ii. 19 ; Rev. iii. 5; xxi. 27. " No doubt but He that calls the stars of heaven by their names, knows the number of those living stars that sparkle in the firmament of His Church. He cannot be ignorant of their persons, when He numbers the hairs of their heads, and hath registered their names in the book of life He knows them as a general to employ them, as a shepherd to preserve them." God's knowledge of His people involves His favour to- wards them. It is a knowledge not of apprehension merely, but of approbation also. It implies affection for them, the exercise of care over them, etc., as in Amos iii. 2. II. The practical bearings of this great truth. The realization of this truth will tend, — 1. To restrain from sin. The con- sideration of God's perfect acquaint- ance with us is fitted to check any rising inclination to evil. " The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all His goings." 2. To promote sincerity of life. He cannot he imposed upon by any empty forms or hollow pretences. Our thoughts and feelings are known to Him. And simulation and dissimulation are an abomination in His sight. 3. To promote humility. The con- sideration of God's knowledge makes manifest the greatness of our ignorance. " We are but of yesterday, aud know nothing." God knows all our secret sins, — a1! unhdy desire :, etc. Surely this should humble us. 4. To quicken reverence toivards God. Great intelligence is a thing to com- mand respect and admiration. But He in whom infinite intelligence is joined with infinite holiness should be admired and adored. 5. To comfort the godly under re< H0M1LELIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. proaches. So it proved to Job when misunderstood and falsely accused by his friends (Job xvi. 19 ; xxiii. 10). 6. To sustain the godly in affliction and trial. He who thoroughly knows each and every one of His people will certainly support them in their afflic- tions, give them patience in their trials, and in His own time deliver them from all troubles. 7. To incite to hearty obedience. If He knows us always and altogether, shall we not endeavour to do those things which He approves ? If He re- gards us with favour, shall we not seek to love and honour Him ? 8. To strengthen trust in God. No plans that are formed against His people are unknown to Him. His own de- signs are formed in infinite wisdom. He knows all our temptation and weak- ness, all our danger and need. And His power to help is as great as His in- telligence. " My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me ; and I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish, neither shall any one pluck them out of my hands. ILL US TRA TIONS. (a) A little child sits on the veran- dah and watches the worm. He is a voyager for his food on the leaf of the mulberry tree, and he goes eating, eat- ing, eating. Let us suppose that some Divine Power enables that worm to be so far intelligent as to say, " It is said that there are beings who can understand this whole tree ; but it does not seem to me possible. I can comprehend how there might be beings that should understand this leaf, and the next three or four ; but to take in all the million leaves on this tree is a thing that transcends my conception. I do not believe it possible for any magnified worm to understand so much." It is not possible for any worm. But there is a little Sunday-school child sitting on the verandah, who looks on the tree and sees the whole of it ; and not only sees the whole of it, but can individualize the leaves at its pleasure. How easy it is for that little child to take in that whole tree ! and how hard it is for that worm to take in more than three leaves ! And let that child grow up, and be educated, and trained in landscape- gardening, and it will take in, net merely a tree, but a whole forest. If one leaf is coloured, if one twig is broken, if there is a dry branch, it does not escape bis notice. Differences of hue, light, and shadow, the infinite diversities that come in forest life — he takes them all in, and has a kind of omnipresence in his consciousness of the facts of this whole matter. What could a worm understand or imagine of a being that is competent to take in the realm of philosophy, and that makes himself the measure of creation ? He says, " It does not seem reasonable to me that anybody can understand more than twenty leaves. I cannot ; and I do not see how anybody else can." And yet, do not you understand how a person can take in sections, and gradations, and ranks, and degrees infinitely above what a worm could understand ? And have you anything more to do than to carry on that idea to imagine a Being before whom all eternity passes, and to whom all the infinite treasures of this eternity shall be just as simple as to you the leaves on the individual tree are ? It only requires magnitude of being, infinity. — II. W. Beecher. The sun is a natural image of God ; if the sun had an eye, it would see ; if it had an understanding, it would know all visible things ; it would see what it shines upon, and understand what it infiuenceth, in the most obscure bowels of the earth. Doth God excel His creature, the sun, in excellency and beauty, and not in light and under- standing ? certainly more than the sun excels an atom or grain of dust. We may yet make some representation of this knowledge of God by a lower thing, a picture, which seems to look upon every one, thouqh there be never so great a multitude in the room where it hanqs; no man can cast his eye upon it, but it seems to behold him in 15 CHAP. I. I10M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. particular ; and so exactly, as if there were none but him upon whom the eye of it were fixed ; and every man finds the same cast of it : shall art frame a thing of that nature, and shall not the God of art and all know- ledge, be much more in reality than that is in imagination ? Shall not God have a far greater capacity to behold everything in the world, which is in- finitely less to Him than a wide room to a picture ? — Charnocke, The Census and its Teachings. (Verses 17-1 9. ) This census was taken as they were formed into a nation. In Egypt they were not a nation, but hordes of slaves. Now begins their national existence. God reduces them to order, consolidates them, that they might undertake the responsibilities and enjoy the privileges of nationhood. Why did God give us this record ? Paul writes that " all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profit- able," etc. The Bible is a practical book ; it is inspired for our profit — all of it. True, some portions are more esteemed by us than others are. Look at the well-used Bible of an aged Christian. Some parts are more soiled than others. Is this right ? Yes. It is compatible with reverence for the whole Bible, just as Christ, while lov- ing all the disciples, had his three best- loved among them. But we ought not to neglect any part of the Bible. There is a blessing in all of it. In places we least expect it, we find it to be inspired for our profit. This chapter seems dry and profitless, but it is not so. Like some of the glens in South Wales, — sterile, barren, unattractive, and, to the outward look, valueless ; but underneath are coal mines and un- told wealth. So with this chap!er. Let us inquire, what this numbering was calculated to teach the people at the time, and in like manner to teach us at the present day ? I. It was calculated to teach them the grand fact that God was person- ally interested in and well acquainted with each one of them individually. The object of the census was to in- vidualize them, to separate each from the mass, to register each name that the record might be kept before God. He 1C wanted them all to feel, that He knew them and was interested in them. There is a tendency in man to think that he is lost in the mass, and that the great God is not interested in him. This tendency is very pernicious ; it leads to sin, and then to despair. The Bible all through combats it ; and there is no doubt that it was one great design of this census. This chapter is to us like the microscope in nature — revealing to us God's great- ness by the interest He takes in the individual. It is a grand truth to feel, God sees me, knows all about me, cares for me. He is not some cold abstrac- tion, indifferent, inaccessible, and un- mindful of us. Far from it. The Bible and Christ bring Him near to us, showing Him to be full of interest in us. He feeds the fowls, clothes the lilies, knows the varying market-price of sparrows, numbers the hairs of our heads, knew the street, house, and person where Peter lodged. Struggling, anxious, suffering one, single yourself from the crowd. God knows, loves, cares for thee. II. It was a vivid illustration of the faitlifulness of God to His word. He had said to Abraham that his seed should be numerous, that they should go to Egypt, etc. The figures of this chapter show how well He kept His word. To faith a fact is better than a hundred arguments. And anything that strengthens our faith in God's Word is a great blessing to us. The worth of the Bible and its promises in a suffering, sinful world no one can tell. To shake one's faith in the promises is like going through a hospital and rudely tearing the pillows from under the heads of the sufferers. It is faithful- ness that makes the promises precious. U0M1LETIC COMMENTARY : NUMBERS. CilAT. I. What a comfort to Israel to have con- fidence in the Word of God, to feel that they could trust Him ! Nothing would impress His faithfulness more than this census, showing how well He Had kept His promise to Abraham. It also speaks to us, etc. III. It afforded them striking proof of God's power to keep His word. God is not only true, but His arm is almighty. It was by this census that the people knew how many they were. God led them out of Egypt, rescued them at the Red Sea, protected and fed them thus far in the wilderness. Was there anything too hard for the Lord ? Would not all this encourage them to lean on His arm ? He had proved His power to keep His word. God is equal to all our wants. His word is true ; His arm is strong. With such a God for our Friend we have nothing to fear, etc. "Among the gods there is none like unto Thee, O Lord." " Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help." " This God is the God we adore. Our faithful unchangeable Friend; Whose love is as groat as His power, And knows neither measure nor end. 'Tia Jesus, the First and tho Last, Whose Spirit shall guide us safe homo : We'll praise Him for all that is past, And trust Him for all that's to come." Hart. These figures then are eloquent. Let them lead us to trust more fully in God. The ungodly ! what say they to you ? They certify your doom, if ye repent not. The threatenings as well as the promises of the Bible rest on the word of the faithful and almighty God. — David Lloyd. The first Army of Israel, an Illustration of the Church Militant. (Verses 20-46 J In these verses we have the record of the number of men " from twenty years old and upwards that were able to go forth to war" in the respective tribes, and in the whole of the tribes united, with the exception of that of Levi. A consideration of the numbers of the respective tribes will be found in other commentaries. We propose to consider this first army of Israel as an illustration of the Church Militant. Consider : I. The necessity of this army. Before the Children of Israel can take possession of the Promised Land the idolatrous Canaanitish nations must be dispossessed. To expel them from the country Israel must encounter them in battle and vanquish them. And to do this a large and brave army was neces- sary. It is necessary that the Christian Church should be militant. The in- dividual Christian cannot attain the inheritance or spiritual perfection with- out conflict. And the Church cannot take its true place or fulfil its Divinely appointed mission without doing vigo- rous battle. 1. Interna/ foes have to be conquered. In ourselves there are carnal appetites which must be subdued, evil passions which must be quelled by the power and principles of Divine grace, etc. The Christian has to achieve self-conquest. "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." " The bat le in which thoughts are the only swords, and purposes are the only spears, and tears are the only shots — the inward struggles of men's souls — these are, after all, the mightiest bat- tles ; and in the sight of God they are the most sublime." 2. External foes have to be conquered. God summons us to do battle with ig- norance and superstition, with dirt and disease, with immorality and irreligion, with vice and crime. We need to guard against Satanic subtlety, and to resist Satanic influence. It is madness to make light of the adversaries with which the Church of Jesus Christ has to contend. It is to invite defeut, etc. II. The authority for organising tins army. " The Lord spake unto Moses," ex- 17 CHAP. I. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY. NUMBERS, pressly commanding him to take the number of men able to do military duty. The first array of Israel was organised under Divine direction. May we not infer from this that there are possible circumstances in which war is justifi- able ? In itself war is unquestionably a terrible evil. (a). But it certainly appears to us that circumstances may arise in which a nation would be justi- fied in having recourse to war. '• The arms are fair," says Shakspeare, " when the intent of bearing them is just." " War is honourable In thoao who do their native rights maintain ; In those whose swords an iron barrier are Between the lawless spoiler and the weak ; But is, in those who draw theoffensive blade For added power or gain, sorded and despic- able As meanest office of the worldly churl." Joanna Baittie. (]).*) III. The Composition of this Army. 1. It teas composed of Israelites only. None of the " mixed multitude " were included. The warriors were men who could "declare their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers." In fighting the battles of the Lord in this age thorough deci- sion is required. " Who is on the Lord's side ? " The victorious Church must be composed of true Christians. Victories for truth and right demand the prowess of true and righteous men. 2. It teas composed of able men only. " Every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war." In accomplishing His purposes God uses fit instruments. He employs means adapted to the attain- ment of His ends. In the conflicts of the spiritual life and work every Christian may through Jesus Christ be an able warrior. Weak and timid in ourselves, we may be courageous and " strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." o. It comprised all the able men. 11 Every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war." No excuses were allowed. None were exempted. Altogether the army was very large : it consisted of six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men. Every Chris- tian is called to be a soldier. The continuance and growth of the Christian life are impossible apart from vigorous conflict. We must either vanquish our spiritual enemies, or they will vanquish us. Neutrality is out of the question here. And no thought of truce can be entertained without loss and injury. Neither can we do our fighting by proxy. Every Christian must be a personal combatant in the great conflict. IV. The conquering spirit of this Army. Their leaders constantly endeavoured to inspire the soldiers with the spirit of intelligent trust in God. When this spirit animated them they achieved splendid triumphs : when it failed them they turned their backs to their enemies and fled in dismay. Victory in our spiritual conflicts is attainable only through faith. When our faith in God is strong, we are invincible. When it fails, we are overthrown by the first assault of the enemy. " This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." " Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." True faith gives glorious visions to the spirit, inspires us with heroic courage, girds us with all-suf- ficient strength, makes us more than conquerors through the Captain of our salvation, (c.) Conclusion : — 1. A call to decision. " Who is on the Lord's side ? " 2. A call to courage. Our arms are tried and true ; our great Leader is invincible ; let us theu "be strong and of a good courage." 3. A call to confidence. Our courage, to be true, must spring from faith. By trust we triumph. " Strong in the Lord of Hosts, And in His mighty power ; Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror." C. Wesley. 18 IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. I. ILL USTRA TIOXS. fa) Wherever there is war, there must be injustice on one side or the other, or on both. There have been wars which were little more than trials of strength between friendly nations, and in which the injustice was not to each other, but to the God who gave them life. But in a malignant war of these present ages there is injustice of ignobler kind, at once to God and man, which must be stemmed for both their sakes. It may, indeed, be so involved with national prejudices, or ignorances, that neither of the contending nations can conceive it as attaching to their cause ; nay, the constitution of their governments, and the clumsy crooked- ness of their political dealings with each other, may be such as to prevent either of them from knowing the actual cause for which they have gone to war. John Ruskin. (b) You may, perhaps, be surprised at my implying that war itself can be right, or necessary, or noble at all. Nor do I speak of all war as necessary, nor of all war as noble. Both peace and war are noble or iguoble according to their kind and occasion. No man has a pro- founder sense of the horror and guilt of ignoble war than I have. I have per- sonally seen its effects upon nations, of unmitigated evil on soul and body, with perhaps as much pity and as much bitterness of indignation as any of those whom you will hear continually de- claiming in the cause of peace. But peace may be sought in two ways. One way is as Gideon sought it, when he built his altar in Ophrah, naming it, 1 God send peace,' yet sought this peace that he loved as he was ordered to seek it and the peace was sent in God's way : — " The country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon." And the other way of seek- ing peace is as Menahcm sought it, when he gave the King of Assyria a thousand talents of silver, " that his hand might be with him." That is, you may either win your peace or buy it : — win it, by resistance to evil ; buy it, by compromise with evil You c 2 may buy your peace with silenced con- sciences ; you may buy it with broken vows, buy it with lying words, buy it with base connivances, buy it with the blood of the slain, and the cry of the captive, and the silence of lost souls — over hemispheres of the earth, while you sit smiling at your serene hearths, lisping comfortable prayers evening and morning, and counting your pretty Pro- testant beads (which are flat, and of gold, instead of round, and of ebony, as the monks' ones were), and so mutter continually to yourselves, " Peace ! peace ! " when there is no peace, but only captivity and death for you, as well as for those you leave unsaved — and yours darker than theirs. — Ibid. I believe in war. I believe there are times when it must be taken. I believe in it as a medicine. Medicine is not good to eat, but when you are sick it is good to take. War is not a part of the Gospel; but while men and the world are travelling on a plain where they are not capable of compre- hending the Gospel, a rude form of justice is indispensable, though it is very low down. If you go to a plain still higher, war seems to be a very poor instrumentality. And if you go yet higher and higher till you reach that sphere where the crowned Sufferer stands, how hateful and hideous war seems ! In the earlier periods of society it is recognised as having a certain value j but its value is the very lowest, and at every step upward, till you come to this central Divine exhibition, it loses in value. Always it is a rude and uncertain police of nations. It is never good. It is simply better than something worse. Physical force is the alternative of moral influence ; if you have not one, you must have the other. —If. W. Beecher. Few religious men could justify most of the wars of history. On one side or other war must be the greatest of all crimes, and the instances in which either side is right are but few. But this don« not affect the principle. If but ono can be instanced in which a 1*J CHAP. I. I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. people simply resisted aggression, con- quest, violation of liberties, or wrong, it would suffice. If England were in- vaded by an unprovoked aggressor; if London were assailed, its homes in im- minent peril of violation, the property of its merchants, the honour of its women, the lives of its children and citizens imperilled, what should I do? Go out and reason with the invader ? appeal to to his sense of righteousness? Yes, it would be right to do that if it were practicable. Crowd into churches to pray? Yes, it would be eminently right to do that. But suppose the invader to be as ambition5, as false, and as conscienceless as Napoleon, to be sunk below any possible appeal to moral feeling, am I passively to let him work his devilry — to burn my house, murder my children, and do worse to my wife and daughters ? Am I to pray, and passively expect God to work a moral miracle? I think not. I am to employ righteous means to resist wrong, and to ask God to bless them. If only the magistrate's sword will deter the robber and tbe murderer, I am to use that sword ; and an army in its only lawful capacity is simply a power of magistracy. Some of the greatest deliverances that God wrought for His people were through armies. The most precious liberties of the world and the Church have been won by armed revolution and defence. From Marathon to the Armada, from the destruction of Sennacherib to that of Napoleon, from the revolt from under Pharaoh to that from under the Stuarts, or the King of Naples, the moral and religious i-ense of the world has ap- proved the resistance of wrong by force. So long as force and tbe magistrate and the polio are necessary to preserve righteousness and justice and liberty, they must be employed. The ideal of Chii.-tianii is peace and universal brothcrhcM but it is not to be attained by permit. * g the ruffian and the robber and the tyrant to work their will unresisted -that would be to leave society to vlessness and brutality. — II. Allan. .D. (c) II often, through the world's 20 literature and history, have we heard some ambitious commander or emperor bab- bling, in his vain waking dreams, of a world's conquest ! We turn from these poor visions of cruelty and blood to the meek army of the living God ; from the false victories of force to the true victories of faith. Here, on a lowly bed, in an English village by the sea, — as I was lately reading, — fades out the earthly life of one of God's humblest, but noblest servants. Worn with the patient care of deserted prisoners and malefactors in the town jail for twenty- four years of unthanked service, earning her bread with her hands, and putting songs of worship on the lips of these penitent criminals — she is dying ; and as the night falls some friend asks, " What shall I read ? " The answer of the short breath is one firm syllable, " Praise ! " To the question, " Are there no clouds? " "None; He never hides His face. It is our sins which form the clouds between us and Him. He is all love, all light." And when the hour of her departure was fully come, "Thank God, thank God!" And there, — as I read again — in his princely residence, surrounded with the insignia of power, but in equal weakness before God, expired a guileless statesman, nobleman by rank and character, calmly resigning back all his power into the Giver's hands, spending his last days of pain, like many hours of all his days before it, with the Bible and Prayer-book in his feeble hand, saying, at the end, " I have been the happiest of men, yet I feel that death will be gain to me, through Christ who died for me." Blessed be God for the manifold features of triumphant faith ! — that He suffers His children to walk towards Him through ways so various in their outward look ; — Sarah Martin from her cottage bed, Earl Spencer from his gorgeous couch, little children in their innocence, unpretending women in the quiet ministrations of faithful love, strong and useful and honoured men, whom suffering households and insti- tutions and churches mourn. All bending their faces towards the Ever- lasting Light, in one faith, one cheeriog I10M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. r. hope, called by one Lord, who has over- come the world, and dieth no more ! '■ One army of tho living God, To Ilia command we bow : Part of Hia host have crossed the flood, And part are croaaing now." TLe sun sets; the autumn fades; life hastens with us all. But we stand yet in our Master's vineyard. All the day of our appointed time, let us labour righteously, and pray and wait, till our change come, that we may change only from virtue to virtue, from faith to faith, and thus from glory to glory. — F. D. Huntington, I).D. The Lt.vites and their Service an Illustration of Ministry. (Verses 47-51.) the Christian The tribe of Levi was not numbered with the other tribes. The Levites were exempted from military service, and set apart for the service of the tabernacle. In any wise and proper arrangement of the affairs of human society, provision will be made for the requirements of the spiritual nature of man. The chief features of the service of the Lsvites as here indicated may properly be regarded as illustrative of the work of the Christian ministry. I. The true Christian minister should manifest some fitness for the work before he is designated theieto. The Levites had manifested their zeal for the worship of God by slaying the worshippers of the golden calf at the command of Moses (Kxod, xxxii. 26-29). And, as a reward, the honour of this sacred calling is conferred upon them. They had already acted as assis- tants to the priests (Exod. xxxviii. 21), being of the same tribe as Moses and Aaron. And now they are expressly appoiuted to the charge of the taber- nacle. " But the Levites after the tribe of their faihers were not numbered among them. For the Lord spake" (not '; had spoken ") " unto Moses, saying," etc. k' Singular services shall be recompensed with singular honours." That a person should manifest some fitness for the work of the Christian ministry before he is set apart to it seems so obvious and indisputable that it would be superfluous to call attention to it, were it not that in practice it is so often disregarded. There seems to be in some quarters an impression that almost anyone is competent for the sacred office of the ministry. In de- termining the trade which their sons shall learn, wise parents will consider their respective inclinations and apti- tudes. An artist would, perhaps, make a poor minister ; a successful merchant might utterly fail as a barrister. Is there less aptitude required in the work of the Gospel ministry than in the other pursuits of life? Unfitness should be tolerated in any sphere of life and activity rather than in this. There should be adaptation of voice, of mind, of character, etc. II. That the true Christian minis- ter is called of God to his work. "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, . . . Thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of tes- timony," etc. In addition to fitness for the cilice, the true minister will feel a conviction of moral obligation to enter upon the holy work : the impulsions of the Divine Spirit will urge him in the same direction, until the words of St. Paul truly express his condition, "Necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel." "True ministers," says Hugh Miller, " cannot be manufactured out of ordi- nary men — men ordinary in talent and character — in a given number of years, and then passed by the imposition of hands into the sacred office ; ministers, when real, are all special creations of the grace of God." The Christian ministry is not a profession into which a man may or may not enter as he pleases ; but a Divine vocation, which is solemnly binding upon those to whom it is addressed, and without which no 21 CHAI\ I. I10MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS- man can enter upon it without sin. — (a) III. That the work of the Christian minister demands his entire devotion thereto. The Levites were to he free from all other service, that they might give themselves unreservedly to the ministry of the tabernacle. There are men who are rendering (in preaching and other- wise) most useful and self-denying ser- vice to the Church of Christ, whose time and energy are not entirely de- voted to it. They are worthy of high honour. But the work of the stated minister and pastor demands all his time and energy, if it is to be done well. His dutier- are so many, so great, and so unspeakably important, as to chal- lenge all his powers. M. Henry : — " Those that minister about holy things should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in secular affairs. The ministry is itself work enough for a whole man, and all little enough to be employed in it." The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Christians at Rome, specifies their respective duties, and urges each one to diligence in the dis- charge of his own (Rom. xii. 6, 8). And to Timothy he writes : "No man that warrcth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life," etc. (2 Tim. ii. 3, 4). And considering the solemn issues of his work, in conscious weak- ness he erics, " "Who is sufficient for these thing- ? " " 'Tis not a cause of small import The pastor's cave demands ; But what might fill an angel's heart, And filled a Saviour's hand?." JJoddridge. IV. That a faithful discharge of the duties of the Christian minister is essential to the well-being of society. The duties of the Levites are brielly stated in verses 50, 51, and 53. No one who was not of their tribe was in any way to intermeddle with their duties or encroach upon their position. If a stranger drew near to the taber- nacle he was to be put to death. If the functions of the Levites were not properly discharged, wrath would be upon Israel. What was the intention of these strict regulations ? 22 We suggest — 1. That the sacred things might be decently kept and ordered. The Levites had charge " over all the vessels of the tabernacle, and over all things that pertained to it." It is most im- portant that everything which is used in connection with the worship and service of God should be appropriate to its sacred uses, and be well pre- served. God's service hallows even the meanest things which are employed in it ; but we should devote our best things to it. 2. That the people might be inspired with reverence for sacred things. This to us, to a large extent, accounts for the stern penalty annexed to any in- trusion upon the function of the Levites. Reverence is one of the highest attri- butes of mind. The Lord seeks to enkindle or increase it in Israel. 3. That the people might be impressed with the unworthiness of sinful man t<> approach unto the Most High. We sinners are utterly unfit to draw near unto Him who is " glorious in holi- ness." The Levites were called to the charge of the sacred things. They alone could draw near to the taber- nacle. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ all men may now draw near to God. (See Heb. x. 19-22.) Now, these things are needful at the present time. Becoming worship, re- verence for sacred things, and humility towards God are ever obligatory and beneficial to us. The true Christian minister in the faithful discharge of his duties confers the greatest benefit upon society. — (b) V. That personal holiness of heart and life are essential to the faithful discharge of the duties of the Christian Ministry. The Levites were separated from the other tribes for their sacred work. Their outward separation was intended to show forth the separation from worldliness and sin which the Lord required of them. They who have to do with holy things should themselves be holy. " Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." (See Rom. ii. 2 1-24 ; 1 Tim. iv. 1G ; Tit. ii. 7.) Thus 110M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciiap. i. Goldsmith describes the Christian minister — "In his duty prompt at every call, F" matched and wopt, he prayed and felt for And, as a bird each fond endearment tries To tempt its now-flodged offspring to the ITo tried each art, reproved each dull delay, Allured to brightor worlds, and led tho way." (<) ILLUSTRATIONS. («) The ministor without a vocation is not only unhappy, he is guilty, — he occupies a place, ho exercisos a right which does not belong to him. He is, as Jesus Christ said, " a thief and a robber," who has not entered in through the gate, but climbed up some other way. Tho word vocation has, in othor applications (that is to say, as applied to pro- fessions of a secular order), only a figurativo signilioanco, — at least only a figurativo signi- ficance is attributed to it. It is equivalent to aptitude, talent, taste. It is natural to repre- sent theso qualifications as voices, as appeals. But whi n applied to the ministry, tho word returns to its proper sense. When conscience authorises and compels us to the discharge of a certain duty, we have that which, although out of tho sphero of miracle, deserves most fully tho namo of vocation. In ordor to exer- e ministry legitimately, a man must be called to it. — A Vim t. (6) That a man stand and speak of spiritual things to men. It is beautiful,— even in its great obscuration and decadenco, it is among the beautifuliost, most touching objects one sees on tho oarth. This Speaking Man has indeed, iu these times, wandered terribly from tho point; has, alas ! as it were, totally lost sight of the point; yet, at bottom, whom have we to compare with him? Of all public func- tionaries boarded and lodgod on the Industry of Modern Europe, is theio one -worthier of tho board ho has ? A man oven professing, and novcr so languidly making still seme endeavour, to save the souls of men: contrast him with a man professing to do little but shoot tho partridges of men ! I wish ho could find tho point again, this Speaking Ono, and stick to it with tonacity, with deadly energy ; for there is need of him yet ! Tho Speaking Function — this of Truth coming to us with a living voico, nay, in a living shape, and as a concrete practical exemplar: this, with all our Writings and Printing Functions, has a peren- nial place. Could he but find tho point again, — take tho old spectacles off his nose, and looking up discover, almost in contact with him, what the real Satan as, and soul- devourinp, world-devouring Devi Thomas Ca ('•) Beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, it is a very monstrous thing that any man should have more tongues than hands ; for God hath given us two hands and but ono tongue, that wo might do much and say but little. Yet many say so much and do so little, as though they had two tongues and but ono hand : nay, throo tongues and never a hand. Insomuch as that may bo aptly applied to them which Pandulpkas said to some in his time : " You say much, but you do little ; you say well, but you do ill. Again, you do littlo, but you say much; you do ill, but you say well." Such as theso (which do either worse than they teach, or else less than they teach ; teaching others to do well and to do much, but doing no whit themselves) may be resembled to diverse things. To a whetstone, which being blunt itself, makes a knife sharp ; to a painter, which being deformed himself, makes a picture fair; to a sign, which being weather-beaten, and hanging without directs passengers into tho iDn ; to a bell, which being deaf and hearing not itself, calls tho people into the church to hear; to a night- ingale, which being restless and sitting upon a thorn herself, brings others by her singing into a sweot sleep ; to a goldsmith, which being beggarly and having not ono piece of plate to use himself, hath store for others which ho shows and sells in his shop. Lastly, to a ridiculous actor in the city of Smyrna, which pronouncing '; 0 caelum .' — O heaven ! " — pointed with his finger toward tho ground ; which when Pulemo, the chiefest man in tho place, saw, he coull abido to stay no longer, but went from tho company in a chafe, saying, "This fool hath made a solecism with his hand ; he hath spoken false Latin with his baud."' Such are all they which teach one thing and do another; which teach well and do ill. — Thomas Playfere. Tho faithful ministor is strict in ordering his conversation. As for those who cleanse blurs with blotted lingors they make it tho worse. It was said of ono who preached very well, and lived very ill, that whon he was out of tho pulpit it was a pity he should ever go into it; and when ho was in the pulpit, it pity ho should over como out of it. But our mis 8 sermons. And yot I deny not but dissoluto men, like unskilful horso- uion who open a gate on the wrong side, may, ■ virtue of their office, open hcav others, and shut themselves out. — 1 Fuller. 23 CHAP. I. I10MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. Every Man by nis own Standard. ( Verse 52.) The various tribes of Israel had to be placed in order, and the whole to be put under a strict regulation. This was needful for encampment, for march, for worship, for battle : without this, con- fusion, etc. Israel in many things typical of the Christian Church. We see it in this also, — I. The One Israel. Observe : 1. Their real oneness of descent. The children of Abraham. 2. Their original condition. All bondsmen. 3. Their Divine deliverance. Brought out of Egypt, etc. 4. In one Divine covenant. Pro- mises, etc. ."). Journeying to the one inheritance. G. Under one command. See how this all applies to the Church of the Saviour. All the children of God by faith, all heirs, all pilgrims, all of one covenant, one Saviour, etc. — essentially one ; one in Christ Jesus. II. The various Tribes. Observe: 1. Their different names. Necessary for distinction — recognition. 2. Their different positions in the camp. See next chapter. East side, v. 3 ; south side, v. 10; west, v. 18; north, v. 25. 3. The various tribes were in one general accord and union. All one religious confederacy, absolutely one, worship one, etc. ; in perils one, in war- fare one, in prospects one. III. The Special Directions to the different Tribes. 1. Each tribe had their own standard or banner to distinguish it from the rest. No order without. 2. Etch man was to be by his own standard. Not a wanderer ; not a visitor to all; but his own fixed, legiti- mate position. 3. Thus the duties of every tribe would be regarded and fulfil led. 4. Thus the interests of all would bs sustained. Now, if this was importa nt and necessary in the camp of Israel, how much more in the Church of the Lord Jesus ! The thousands there : millions here. But let us see, — IV. The Spiritual Lessons the sub- ject presents to us. 1. We see now the denominational tribes in the Kingdom of Christ. Christ- ians of different conditions, education, training, leaders, etc. 2. Christians have a special interest in their own camp. 3. To devote themselves to these is the first duty and privilege. Just as families are constituted, so churches. 4. All the various denominational camps constitute the one Church of the Saviour. Only one Israel, one body, one army, etc. For particular pur- poses, every man by his own camp ; for general purposes, all acting in con- junction and harmony. How absurd jealousies and envyings ! How ridicu- lous isolation! How oppressive as- sumptions and priestly dictations ! How suicidal strifes and contentions ! How monstrous exclusions and anathemas ! The great tabernacle of God is built four-square, and includes all the tribes. Christian denominations have special standards, and serve the whole best by every man being by his own standard. The glory of God is identified with the unity of the whole. Christ's prayer to Him, etc. — Jabez Bums, D.D. I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. chap. ii. CHAPTER II. Tiie Mabsiialling of the People. (Verses 1 and 2.) In this chapter we have the order of the twelve tribes in the camp and on the march. And in these verses we have the general directions which the Lord gave unto Moses for marshalling the tribes. Keil and Del. : " The twelve tribes were to encamp each one by his standard, by the signs of their fathers' houses, opposite to the tabernacle (at some distance) round about, and, ac- cording to the more precise directions given afterwards, in such order that on every side of the tabernacle three tribes were encamped side by side and united under oue banner, so that the twelve tribes formed four large camps or divi- sions of an array. Between these camps and the court surrounding the taber- nacle, the three leading mishpachoth (i.e., families or clans) of the Levites were to be encamped on three sides, aud Moses and Aaron with the sons of Aaron (i. e., the priests) upon the fourth, i.e., the front or eastern side, before the entrance (chap. iii. 21-38). /FT a standard, banner, or flag, denotes pri- marily the larger field sign, possessed by every division composed of three tribes, which was also the banner of the tribe at the head of each division ; and secondarily, in a derivative signifi- cation, it denotes the army united under one standard, like 0-77/Aeta, or vexillum. It is used thus, for example, in verses 17, 31, 34, and in combination with •"WQD inverses 3, 10, IS, and 25, where 4 standard of the camp of Judah, Reu- ben, Ephraim, and Dan' signifies the hosts of the tribes arranged under these banners. JlJi^, the sighs (ensigns) were the smaller flags or banners which were carried at the heads of the different tribes and subdivisions of the tribes (the fathers' houses). Neither the Mosaic law, nor the Old Testament generally, gives us any intimation as to the form or character of the standard (degel). According to rabbinical tra- dition, the standard of Judah bore the figure of a lion, that of Reuben the likeness of a man, or of a man's head, that of Ephraim the figure of an ox, and that of Dan the figure of an eagle ; so that the four living creatures united in the cherubic forms described by Ezekiel were represented upon these four standards." In these verses we have four homi- letic points. I. Order. The Lord here gives directions to Moses concerning the order that was to be observed amongst them. The great importance of a clear and well under- stood arrangement amongst so large a number of men will be obvious upon the slightest consideration. But notice: — 1. God. Himself delights in order. This is clearly manifest in His works, — in the rising and setting of the sun and moon, in the sublime march of the stars, in the ebbing and flowing of the tides, in the regular succession of the seasons. Even comets, those apparently erratic wanderers in space, are not erratic ; but move with perfect pre- cision both as regards space and time. 2. The importance of order is recog- nised in human affairs. In the Christian Church, in national government, in military affairs, in the family and home, and in the individual life, order is of the utmost importance, and is fraught with the greatest advantages. " Order," says Southey, " is the sanity of the mind, the health of the body, the peace of the city, the security of the state. As the beams to a house, as the bones to the microcosm of man, so is order to all things." "Let all things," says St. Paul, " be done decently, and in order." 3. This order was probably Divinely instituted as a means to peace and unity. 25 c::.\r. it. IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. It is probable that if God had not de- termined the order which should be observed among them, there would have been strife and contention for priority and prec dence. Thus the tribe of Reu- ben might have claimed the pre-emi- nence as a birth-right, and refused to fall in with the arrangement by which Judah held the post of honour and headed the march. While Judah might have re- fused to concede the position to Reuben, because of their own vast numerical superiority. Again, the tribe of Simeon, for the same reason, might have refused to occupy a position subordinate to that of Reuben ; for the former tribe num- bered 59,300, while the latter only 16,500. Other causes of dissatisfaction and dispute would also, probably, have been discovered. And the issue would have been strife, divisions, and we know not what evils. But the Lord prevents this by himself determining the arrange- ment of the tribes. Order is ever con- ducive to peace and unity. Let us cultivate order. («) II. Variety. There were different standards. Each camp had its own characteristic stan- dard. And each tribe and each father's house had its own distinctive ensign. Their order was not monotonous. Mo- notony is not a mark of divinity. Variety characterises the works of God. Countries differ in their climates, conformations, productions, etc. The features of landscapes differ. " Star differeth from star." Trees, flowers, . minds differ. Hence it seems reasonable that we should find differ- ent ensigns in the Church of Christ. With it there may be many 3. With unity of the inner life there may be great variety of outward development. There are many denom- inations in the Christian Church bc- e are «1 of mind, temperament, degrees of education and culture, etc., in those who compose the Church. This variety is promotive of health, activity, usefulness, (b) III. Unity. All the tiii es were withered "about the tabernacle of the congregation," as around a common centre. They had 26 different standards and ensigns, but constituted one nation. Their position in relation to the tabernacle illus- trates— 1. The dependence of all on God. All the tribes looked to Him for support, provision, protection, direction, etc. 2. The access of all to God. The tabernacle was the sign of the presence of God with them. It was in their midst ; not very far from any of them. All of them in the appointed way might approach Him in worship. Through Christ we both (Jews and Gentiles) " have access by one Spirit unto the Father." (See Ephes. ii. 18- , 22.) 3. The reverence of all towards They were to pitch " over against the tabernacle." Probably the tribes were 2,000 cubits distant from it. Compare Joshua iii. 4. They were thus to en- camp around the sacred place, that no stranger might draw near to it ; and the Levites were to encamp near the tabernacle on every side, that the people themselves might not draw too near to it, but might be taught to regard it with respect and reverence. " God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him." Now, all Christians are one in their relation to the Lord Jesus Christ, All depend upon God as revealed in Him ; all ap- proach unto God through Him ; all rever- ence God in Him. The various denom- inations of Christians constitute the one Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the centre of unity. As Christians draw nearer to Him they will draw nearer to each other; not in uniformity, but in increasing nearness to Jesus Christ will the increase of true unity be found. " Uniformity is the creation of man; unity is the inspiration of God. The first can be made by a mask ; the latter must be created or imparted by the Spirit of God. Uniformity is compatible with death ; unity is inseparable from real and conscious life. Uniformity is the churchyard ; unity is the church itself of the living God. All may hi uniform, yet all may be dead ; none can have real, inner, spiritual, vital I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS, CHAP. II. unity, without having that truth which God inspires, and that life of which Christ is the Giver." IV. Security. The tabernacle of God in the midst of the camp was a guarantee of their safety. We may apply to them the words of one of their poets of a subse- quent age : " God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved," etc. His presence in their midst would tend to — 1. Quell their fairs. He had wrought marvellous things on their behalf in the past ; Pie was ever doing great things for them. Then why should they quail before any danger or enemy ? 2. Id spire their confidence and courage. It should have given to them the assur- ance of victory in conflict, etc. This seems to have been the idea of Moses : " When the ark set forward, Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee (lee before Thee." Distance from God is weakness and peril to II is Church. Nearness to Him is safety and power. Living in vital union with Him all-conquering might is ours. Conclusion — • 1. Let us learn sincerely and heartily to recognise as members of the Christian Israel all who have the ChrLsti.m spirit, however widely they may differ from us in forms and opinions. 2. Let us think less of our isms, and more of Christ's Church; less of theo- logical and ecclesiastical systems, and more of Christ's Gospel; less of human authority and patronage, and moiu of the Loid Jesus Christ. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) Order is Heaven's first law — a glorious law, Seen in those puro and beauteous isles of light That come and go, as circling months fulfil Their high behest. Nor less on earth discern'd, 'Mid rocks snow-clad, or wastes of herb- less sand, Throughout all climes, bener.th all vary- ing skies, Fixing for e'en the smallest flower tbat blooms Its place of growth. Milton. (/') Lot us go down and stand by tbc beach of the great, irregular sea, and count whether the thunder of it is not out of time. One — two — here comes a well-formed wave at last, trembling a littlo at tbe top, but, on the whole, orderly. So, crash among the sbingle, and up as far as this prey pebble ; now stand by and wateh ! Another ! Ah, careless wave ! why couldn't you have kept your crest on ? It is all gone away into spray, striking up against the cliffs there. I thought as much — missed the mark by a couple of feet ! Another ! How now, impatient one! couldn't you bavo waited till your friend's reflux was dono with, instead of rolling yourself up with it in that unseemly manner ? You go for nothing. A fourth, and a goodly ono at last. What think we of yonder slow riso and crystalline hollow, without a flaw ? Steady, good wavo ; not so fast, not so fast: Whero aro you coming to ? By our architectural word, this is too bad ; two yards over the mark, and over so much of you in our face besides ; and a wavo which wo had some hope of, behind thore, broken all to pieces out at sea, and laying a great white table-cloth of foam all the way to the shore, as if the marine gods were to dine oil" it ! Alas I for thoso uuhappy arrow-shots of Nature ; she will never hit her mark ^Yith those unruly waves of hers, nor got one of them into the ideal shape, if wo wait for her a thousand years But tho soa was meant to be irregular ! Yes, and were not also tho leaves and tho blades of grass ; and, in a sort, as far as may bo without mark of sin, oven the countenance of man ? Or would it bo pleasanter and better to have us all alike, and numbered on our foreheads, that we might be known one from tho other? — The sun comes forth. And first I perceive the chick-weed blossoming, almost incon- spicuous. It is bom again of the sun, and shows the sun's power. Just beyond there is a clump of violets. They are born again out of death into life by tho power of the sun. Further on aro bulbs of various kinds. And each developes in its own way. Ono has ono stylo of leaf or bloom, and another another. And they multiply as tho sun grows warmer, till the woods and fiolds swarm with myriads of prowths, somo purple, somo red, somo white, somo blue, somo green, all shades, and combinations, and forms being represented. They aro all born of tho sun, and brought into their life and power; and yet they are widely different in their 6tructuro and a anco. Would you reduce them all to one, and bavo nothing but daisies, nothing but tulip?, or nothing but violets ? Are not I 27 cii.\r. n. I10MILETIC C03LMEXTAR1': NUMBERS. dant riches in this, that when He creates life from death in so many ways there are pre- sented such variations of beauty and amiable- ness? So it is with the truths of the Gospel. God does not make those truths the same to any two minds. If men had the subtle power of analysis, so as to seize just what thoy feel, and put their feelings exactly into words, I believe it would bo found that no two persons on the face of the earth ever stated, or could state, their views of a fact alike. God, that never made two faces aliko ; God, that never made two leaves alike ; God, that makes unity with infinite diversity — He does not mean that men shall feel just alike. The amplitude of being i9 expressed by variations of being, that go back to essential unity, and take hold of a common root. And the attempt to bring the glowing and fervid Orientals, the staid and practical Occidentals, the mediioval minds, the artist minds, the sombre and unirradiat- ing natures, and the light and gay natures, all to one statement of speculative truth, i3 as wild and preposterous as the boy's race after the rainbow. It cannot be done. — //. H'. Beecher. Man in Relation to Order, Home, and God. (Verse 2.) Let us inquire what God would teach by tl.i>. I. The importance of Order in everything. God here insists upon method in all their movements. Each was to be in his own place. He was thus teaching His people, and, through them, the world. The sojourn in the wilderness was their school-time; hence we have so much of it. In the lessons God taught them we find principles that are to guide us. God loves order in every- thing : He is not the author of con- fusion. Satan brought discord into the world. There was not a jarring note in the universe till sin came into exist- ence. God loves order. You can see this in all His works ; there is no con- fusion or waste in anything ; nothing is neglected or left out; nothing can be improved upon. In all there is com- pleteness and harmony. God is our pattern in this. The lnghest art is the best copying of nature. So in human life, the noblest, the highest is the one that follows most closely in the footprints of God. To live well is of vast importance to us, and it is impos- sible with disorder and confusion. In business, if there is no method, failure must be the result. In the home life, if there is no order, there must be niir-ery. So order is essential to success in t lie religious life. " Let all things be done decently and in order," said Paul. The reference is to tho regularity and discipline of an army : the order is as perfect as possible ; and it is this 28 which makes all the difference between an army and a rabble. Order is the essence of beauty, strength, comfort, and usefulness. II. The sacreclness of family life. Each was to be " with the ensign of his father's house ; " his place was to be with his family. The people had been slaves ; and slavery saps the foun- dation of family life. God has to teach them the sacredness of the family circle. There can be no real national life unless the family life be pure and sacred. Men only live in families. The brutes dwell in herds. God has given man the family instinct ; anel the Bible and re- ligion ever tend to strengthen, purify, and ennoble it. The higher a man rises in the scale of being, the deeper is his interest in his family. The more we love God, the more we love one another. Divine love sanctifies and elevates the human. God taught the people here to respect their families. Many parents seem to be anxious only to feed, clothe, and help their children for this life. Are their children brutes ? Are they to perish like the beasts ? Or, have they a soul ? Parents, strive to make your homes abodes of peace and blessedness, centres of attraction and holy influence, so that your children may gather round the ensign, etc. God's eye is on our family life. III. The right way to feel and to act towards Himself. They were to be "far off about the tabernacle." True life is impossible apart from right esteem of God. He HO MILE TIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. chap. ii. is the centre, the pivot of all true life. As amongst this people, so in His Church, God is the attracting power, etc. lie is in the midst to rule, pro- tect, and guide. As there is no circle without a centre, so the Church falls to pieces unless God be in the midst. Love to Him brings His people to- gether, and binds them together. The earth is made of particles : gravitation, as it attracts each particle to itself, binds them together so as to form the earth. Thus God attracting each soul to Himself, binds them together as a Church. We are to turn around Him as the planets around the sun, receiving our light, our beauty, our influence from Him. " Truth is dual." The above is only half the truth ; the other half is in- volved in the expression, " far off." In nature there are two great forces at work — the centripetal and the centri- fugal. If either of these were to fail, the earth would be wrecked. In religion we have two similar forces. God must attract us ; He is the centre of our soul. But we must also keep our distance ; we must be " far off." There is no religion without reverence. God is great and holy. The people were to be " far off " as well as " about the tabernacle." Divine things are to be treated with respect and handled with reverence. There is no true religion without awe ; no true love without fear. While we lovingly trust God as our Father, let us give Him the respect due to His name. Learn. 1. The deep interest God takes in His people. He wants them to be the very best possible — to be perfect. 2. How religion affects the whole of man and His life. It teaches us how to act in all things. There is nothing above or beneath its notice that affects us. It is then our best Friend. If it is not yours, seek it without delay. — David Lloyd. The Camp. (Verse 2.) When Balaam looks down upon the outstretched camp of Israel, his very soul expands. It must break forth into praise. The beauty captivates. The order charms. (See chap. xxiv. 5-!).) Let us, too, view this favoured camp. I. The Tents. Not splendid palaces ; poor tents. They are the pilgrim-dwellings of a pilgrim-troop — the short-lived homes of short-lived sojourners. Reminds of mortal state. These frames have one original — the dust. Is it not folly, then, to pamper and admire the flash? At best these bodies are a tent. How soon they crumble ! The tents must fall ; but when ? Perchance this very hour. Is he not then the fool of fools, who boasts him of to-morrow's dawn ? Learn how fleeting is life's day. When I go hence, is an abiding mansion mine ? Flesh is a mean abode. This thought commends the grace of Jesus. He scorned not to assume it. No man was ever man more thoroughly than Jesus. He thus descended that He might bear the curse. He sought a lowly tent to do a godlike work. Bat soon the degradation passed. The cross was triumph's car. Manhood now shines in Him arrayed in light of Deity. And all, whom faith makes one with Him, shall soon behold and share this lustre. Weakness and frailty shall put on unfading freshness. II. The Order. Let Israel's camp be now more closely scanned. What perfect regularity ap- pears ! Arrangement is complete, etc. Our God delights in order. Where He presides, confusion vanishes. Is it not so in every Christian's heart? When Jesus takes the throne, wise rule pre- vails, disturbing lusts lie down, etc. Is it not so in Christian life ? Each duty occupies its stated post. The home, the closet, the public, the world, in turn have claims, in turn are served. How 2'J c:iAr. ii. I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. different is the worldling's day! It seems an upset hive, etc. But iu Israel's camp each tribe has its place. . . . God fixes all the bounds, and all the bounds are gladly kept. The same all-ruling mind disposes now each member of Christ's body. Each enters on the stage of life, as God is pleased to call. Each runs a pre-ordained course. Each disappears, when the allotted task is done. We see this clear arrangement throughout the Church's history. . . Bow humbly before this ordering mind, then discontent will not arise; no murmurings will mourn an obscure lot, a grievous burden, a lengthened pilgrimage, or an early grave. III. The Position. " About the tabernacle of the con- gregation shall they pitch." As the planets circle the sun, so these sur- round the sanctuary. God is the csntre ; they form the wide circumference. Is there no meaning here ? God in Christ Jesus is the centre, the heart, the life, the strength, the shield, the joy of His believing (lock. Is there no warning here? Let Christians ponder this Camp's plan when called to fix their dwellings upon earth. When weighing the advantages of place, the foremost thought should be, Is God known here ? Are His pure truths here clearly taught ? Was Lot ...ct, when his eye only coveted the fertile plains ? Can fairer fields, or sweeter prospects, make amends for a cold blank within ? Can air-salubrity repay for inward sickness and a spiritual decline ? IV. The Standard. A standard floats above each tribe. Beneath the well-known sign they rest, and by its side they march. Be- lievers have an ensign too. The banner over them is Jesu's love. (Song, ii. 4.) The standard is a pledge of safety. Mighty foes hate and assail, plot and rage, etc. ; but they must fail. Beneath it there is sweet repose. The weary spirit and the worn-out flesh can often watch no more. But as is the vineyard of the Lord, so is His camp, "I the Lord do keep it," etc. (Isa. xxvii. 3.) Beside it there is victory. Many have fought beneath the Gospel-banner, and all have triumphed. They who go boldly forward, looking unto Jesus, assuredly prevail. (2 Cor. ii. 14.) Happy camp, where Jesus is salvation's Captain ; His cross, salvation's ensign ; His heaven, salvation's rest ! Believer, glory in your standard, and be steadfast. Cling constantly to Christ. Let every company, moment, place, witness your firm resolves. Wave now and ever the glorious ensign — " Christ is all." Thus dwell within the camp, and you will reign upon the throne. — Henry Law, D.D. Aspects of Honour. (Verses 3-9.) " It seeni3 to us," says Dr. dimming, "an uninteresting and unprofitable ex- ercise to read the list of the tribes and their names, the camps and their num- bers, the captains and their names, who together composed the mighty host that took their exodus from Egypt, through the desert, to the land of Canaan ; but Mircly it was important in the circum- stances in which they were placed that each and all should be recorded — it was important with reference to the separate and distinct maintenance of the tribes — that the promise of the 30 Messiah from a specific tribe might be vindicated and established in the ful- ness of the times. In the next place, this mighty crowd, numbering six hun- dred thousand men, able to bear arms — and that must have amounted, with camp followers, to nearly two millions — a vast population in the desert — must of necessity be reduced to some order of regiments or companies, in order that authority might be exercised where it was needed ; that the means of de- fence might be had recourse to most speedily and effectually where they were II0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciur. ii. required ; and that each loving his own company, each individual loving hy pre- ference his own tribe best, might yet, as a tribe mirjgled with the rest, have that wider feeling, which recognised an Israelite under whatever standard he was, in the great army of which they formed a part. For these and other reasons, God commanded Moses and Aaron to make the arrangements here specified ; and what God saw useful to command, it cannot have been use- less to record, and it may not be alto- gether unprofitable to read. "We must not think that the chapter that does not personally benefit us spiritually is there- tore of no use. It is possible for true Christians often to be somewhat selfish, and to think that that cannot be useful which does not benefit the individual, or that that cannot play a part impor- tant in the whole which does not pro- duce a deep, a spiritual, and profitable impression upon each. We must learn to look wider, to extend our horizon, and to learn that there are parts in the Bible which may not bring personal in- struction to us, but which nevertheless may have a force in relation to the whole book that vindicates it from the assaults of the sceptic; sets out its great truths in bolder relief and in clearer light ; and even those parts which we cannot see or comprehend the use, the place, and the necessity of now, if we can only exercise a little patience we shall know, and understand, and see the usefulness of more clearly hereafter. There are many parts in this globe that we cannot understand the end of ; we cannot see the use perhaps of so much water ; we cannot see the necessity of those large wasted and blasted deserts. But yet I have no doubt they have a use, and are subserving a purpose ; and we must not deny that God made this or made that because we cannot see the purpose that it subserves in the great economy of the universe. I believe that with the exception of what sin has done, there is not a star in the sky, however tiny it looks to us, that is not necessary to the balance of the uni- verse ; and that if one star were to fall from its socket, or one orb to be shat- tered in its march, a shock might be felt that would influence injuriously at least the whole solar system. And it may be that in this blessed Book, which is God's inspired Book, some of those dull and dry passages, as they must appear to us personally, are probably subserving great and ultimate purposes, which we may not see now, but shall see hereafter." Our text gives us the acoount of the composition of the first camp, which was situated on the east side, toward the rising of the sun. This post of honour was conferred upon Judah. To him was given the first standard. With him were Issachar and Zcbulun. These three tribes were descended from the three younger sons of Leah ; and their union under one standard was, there- fore, an appropriate arrangement. To each tribe a captain was appointed ; these captains being the " princes of the tribes of their fathers,'"' who assisted Moses and Aaron in the numbering. Here, then, are different es of i*ank ordered by God. One tribe has the most distinguished position of all. Three other tribes are placed each at the head of a camp ; and in each tribe one person was appointed by God as captain, or prince, or commander-in-chief. Leaders and rulers are essential to society. " To have neither superiors nor inferiors would be to breathe a stilling atmos- phere of mediocrity. Natural leader- ship is the soul of common action." Inasmuch as the most distinguished place was assigned to the tribe of Judah we take as our subject : Aspects of Honour. We see here — 1. Honour wisely confo-rccl. The tribe of Judah was the most numerous and powerful of all the tribes. This was a good reason for placing it in the most prominent and illustrious position. Honours of title and place are not always wisely conferred. They are sometimes bestowed upon those who are neither distinguished in their abili- ties, exalted in their character, nor ex- emplary in their conduct. This ifl a sad perversion of things, (a) Hut the truest and highest honours are those of ol chap. ii. IiOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. character and conduct, and these are attainable through the grace of God unto all men. '• Trust me, Clara Vere de Vere, From yon blue heavens above us bent, The grand old gardener and his wife Smile at the claims of long descent. Howe'er it be, it seems to me, "lis only noble to be good. Kind hearts are more than coronets, And simple faith than Norman blood." Tennyson The honour of being children of the Most High, "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ," of being made " kings and priests unto God," of sharing in the spirit and service of Christ, we may- all attain through Him. But in these honours there are differences of degree. There are some to whom will be given "an abundant entrance," while others will " be saved yet so as by fire." II. Honour in relation with duty and responsibility. The tribe of Judah in being appointed to the place of honour in the Israelitish host had also the place of peril. Being at the head of the camp, if there were dangers to be met or foes to be encoun- tered, they must first enter the lists against them. In their case rank and risk, distinction and duty, were united. The places of distinction should ever be for those who render the most and best service. And the highest places in both the Church and the State involve gravest responsibilities and most arduous duties. lie who treads the path of du'y faithfully and bravely will find in ilue time that it leads to the most un- fading honours. (See notes and illus- trate n- on ch. i. 4-1G.) (b) III. Honour as connected with parental influence. Judafa waa the first of the sons of Jacob who was blessed by the venerable patriarch " when he was a-dying." Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were cen- sured by him. The parental blessiug in the case of Judah has not been in vain. And in the honour now put upon the tribe the influence of that blessing is still further manifest (see Gen. xlix. 8-12). It is in the power of every parent instrumentally to bless his chil- dren. By wise teaching, holy example, and believing prayer, parents may confer the greatest advantages on their off- spring, and aid them to reach the highest honours. Let parents seek thus to bless their children, (c) Let the children of godly parents ap- preciate their privileges in this respect. (d) IV. Honour as related to future greatness. < The dying patriarch had predicted that Judah should be the ruling tribe ; he promised to Judah a kingdom and sovereignty. Many years have since passed away ; and still Judah has neither lawgiver nor sceptre. But here are two things to encourage faith in the patriarchal prediction — viz., the nu- merical superiority of the tribe, and the post of honour assigned to it. Ages more were to pass away before the pre- diction was fulfilled ; but the honour now conferred on the tribe would en- courage faith in its predicted destiny. Its natural tendency would be to stimulate them to — 1. Believe in their destiny. 2. Work for their destiny. 3. Wait for their destiny. In like manner let every blessing which we receive from God be to us a pledge of our full and final salvation. Let every privilege conferred upon us increase our assurance of the splendid honours which await us hereafter. " Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness," etc. " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne," etc. " Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be," etc. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY : NUMBERS. ciiAr. ir. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) Let none presume To wear an undeserved dignity. O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not derived corruptly ! and that clear honour Were purchased by the merit of the woarer ! How many then should cover, that stand bare ! How many be commanded, that command ! How much low peasantry would then bo gleaned From tho true seed of honour ! and how much honour Pick'd from tho chaff and ruin of the times, To be now varnish'd ! — Shakespeare. "The Merchant of Venice," ii. 8. (/>) Not once or twice in our rough island- story The path of duty was tho way to glory : He that walks it, only thirsting For the right, and learns to doaden love of self, before his journey closes, Ho shall iind tho stubborn thistle bursting Into glossy purples, which outredden All voluptuous garden roses. Not once or twice in our fair island-story The path of duty was the way to glory : He, that ever following her commands, On with toil of heart and knees and hands, Thro' the long gorge to the far light has won His path upward, and prevail'd, Shall find the tippling crags of duty scaled Are closo upon the shining table-lands To which our God Himself is moon and sun. Tennyson. (c) The voice of parents is the voice of gods, For to their children they are Heaven's lieu- tenants, Made fathers not for common uses merely Of procreation (beasts and birds would be As noble then as we are) ; but to steer The wanton freight of youth through storms and dangers, Which with full sails they bear upon, and straighten The mortal line of life they bend so often. For these are we made fathers, and for these May challenge duty on our children's part. Obedience is the sacrifice of angels, Whose form you carry. Shakespeare. Mr. Irving, in his " Life of Washington,'' briDgs to tbe knowledge of the public, we believe for the first time, a beautiful incident in the religious training of tho youthful Georgo when left to the sole care of his widowed mother. Of her general course, Mr. Irving remarks, with fine discrimination: ''Endowed with plain, direct good sense, thorough con- scientiousness, and prompt decision, she gov- erned her family strictly, but kindly, exacting deferenco whilo sho inspired affection. George, being her eldest son, was thought to bo her favourite, yot sho nevor gave him undue pre- ference, and the implicit deference exacted from him in childhood continued to bo habit- ually observed by him to the day of her death. Ho inherited from her a high temper and a spirit of command, but her early pre- cepts and example taught him to restrain and govern that tomper, and to square his conduct on the exact principles of equity and justice.'' No Maternal Association has ever devised a better principle to bo observed in training childron than this of Mary Washington — '■ ex- acting deference while she inspired affection." How rarely do wo see those two essential elements in family government justly com- bined in either parent! From this general view Mr. Irving passos to tho following inci- dent: "Tradition gives an interesting picture of the widow with her little ilock gathered round her, as was her daily wont, reading to them lessons of religion and morality out of some standard work. Her favourite volume was Sir Matthew Hale's ' Contemplations, Moral and Divine.' The admirable maxims therein contained, for outward action as well as self-government, sank deep into tho mind of George, and doubtless had a great inlluence in forming his character. They certainly were exemplified in his conduct through life. This mother's manual, bearing his mother's name, Mary Washington, written with her own hand, was ever preserved by him with filial care, and may still be seen in the archives of Mount Vernon. A precious document ! Let thoso who wish to know tho moral founda- tion of his character consult its pages."' Would that tho minds and hearts of all our youth miaht be trained after such a model ! — New York Independent. (il) Hold fast to home influences and re- membrances ; and recollect that he who tries to shame you out of a father's and a mother's fear, and out of obedience to them, tries to steal the most precious treasure you have. He that is trying to destroy tho influence of your parents upon you is trying to tako from you the most faithful love you over knew. You shall lie down in tho grave when you shall have traversed forty or eighty years of life, without having found another friend who has borne as much for you, or done as much for you, as your father or your mother. — II. \Y. Beecher. The Mercy of God in Relation to the Consequences of Six. (Verses 10-lG.j "We have here the account of the composition of the second camp. Its place was south of the tabernacle. At r> its head was placed the tribe of Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, and with it were associated the tribe of CHAP. II. 1I0MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. Simeon, the second son of Leah, and that of Gad, the eldest son of Leah's handmaid, Zilpah. Jieuel, in verse 14, is doubtless an error of some copyist, and should be Deuel, as in chap. i. 14. Several MSS. and Versions read Deuel in this place. In this section we have — I. An example of the continuance of the consequences of sin. How is it that Reuben, being the first-born, does not take the first place ? "Why was Judah, the fourth son, pre- ferred before him ? Because Reuben had been guilty of the most shocking incest. (See Gen. xxxv. 22 ; xlix. 4 ; 1 Chron. v. 1.) He sinned grievously, and now his posterity suffer loss thereby. Sin when it is done is not done with. It lives in its results in the person of the sinner, and in the persons of others who are related to the sinner. Sin may be repented of, confessed, forgiven ; and yet many of its consequences may remain, and that for many generations. 00 1. The Sacred Scriptures declare this. (See Exod. xx. 5 ; Lev. xxvi. 09 ; Lam. v. 7 ; Luke, xi. 49-51.) 2. The connexion between one (jencra- tion and another necessitates this. The consequences of the vices of parents are transmitted to their offspring. 3. Our social relationships necessitate this. We are ever exerting an influence upon others, and being influenced by others. One corrupt character corrupts others. One holy character tends to purify and exalt others. 4. The facts of human life attest this. The drunkard may forsake his drunken- ness, may seek and obtain the Divine forgiveness, may lead a new life, yet many of the results of his sinful indul- gences will remain in himself, and if he be a parent will be transmitted to his children. The spendthrift may abandon his reckless courses ; but it requires many years, perhaps more than one generation, to repair the shattered fortunes and restore the family estate to its ancient prosperity. Man may turn to God late in life, may be par- doned, accepted, saved ; but he cannot recover the years spent in the service of 84 sin, or undo the evil which he has wrought. The guilt is taken away ; but the loss, and much more than the loss, remains. God is just. His laws are immutable. They cannot be set at nought, or disregarded, without incur- ring stern and certain penalties. Let these solemn facts restrain us from sin. Let parents especially lay them to heart ; and for the sake of their offspring, let them eschew evil, and cultivate virtue. "Parents bequeath not to your children's lot The shamo that from them no device can take, The blemish that will never bo forgot." II. An example of the exercise of the Divine mercy in mitigating the consequences of sin. Notwithstanding the horrible sin of Reuben, he was not altogether cut off from his father's house. Though he forfeited his birthright he was not exiled from the family. His posterity was not cast out of the chosen people. His tribe was not degraded to the lowest rank among the tribes, but placed in an inferior position to that of Judah only. "So then," says Attersoll, "albeit he was punished justly, he was punished gently. Thus God dealeth evermore. He correcteth both moderately and mercifully ; and as the physician allayeth the bitterness of the potion with some sweetness, so God assuageth the greatness of His punishment with some mildness and favour that He mingleth with it." We have illustra- tions of this in the case of Miriam (cb. xii.) and that of David (2 Sam. xxiv. 10-1G). (Comp. Psa. lxxxix. 30- 33 ; Isa. liv. 7, S ; Lam. iii. 31-33.) In further elucidation and confirmation of our position, let the following points be noted: — 1. God delighteth not in judgment, but in mere//. " The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy," etc. (Psa. ciii. 8-11.) Mark the tenderness of His appeal to His faithless and rebellious people, " Why will ye be stricken any more ? " (Isa. i. 5.) " He delighteth in mercy.'" ( b) 2. He is our Father, and deals with us as a Father. He is not simply our Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign, but our Father. When He punishes, He HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. II. does so as a Father. " Consider in thine heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee" (comp. 2 Sara. vii. 14, 15). 3. In His dealings with us He duly considers our weakness,- our exposedness to temptation, etc. Our temperament, tendencies, temptations, trials, etc., are all known to Him. In His judgments all these things are taken into considera- tion. He never judges harshly. " Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him : for He knoweth our frame," etc. (Psa. ciii. 13-18) His mercy is ever in exercise miti- gating the severity of the consequences of sin, and tempering the sternness of the woes of life. Conclusion : 1. Let tlie mercy of God deter us from sin. Shall we be so base as to sin against so much kindness ? 2. Let the mercy of God encourage our confidence in Him. In sorrow let us seek Him ; for he pities, etc. In guilt let us seek Him ; for He forgives, etc. 3. Let this example of the mercy oj God lead us to be patient tinder life's trials. Like those of Reuben, our trials are not so severe as we have deserved, and they are tempered by the rich mercy of God. lie is ever evolving good out of them, making them by His grace the occasion of strength and bles- sing to us. 4. Let this example of the mercy of God encourage the ivicked to forsake sin and seek sal cation. "Let the wicked forsake his way," etc. (Isa. lv. G, 7.) ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) If sin were mortal, then thirty years would swing the world over into the inillo- nium ; we should bury it with the nest gene- ration. But it is not mortal. It is not barren, but prolific ; it propagates itself ; it has pater- nal functions, and sends its children out in swarms to possess the earth. I wish you all to understand that whatever evil you are tolerating in your lives, will live after you aro gone ; you will pass away, but this shall not pass away. One immortality you will take with you at death ; another you will leave behind. It shall stand above your grave when the mound is fashioned and the mourners depart; and shake itself as a strong man rejoiceth in his strength, and go forth as one of the forces of tho world. It will be imper- sonal ; it will have no name ; it will show no face ; and yet it will bo you, your worse half unchecked, unrestrained by the good that was once mated with it, and that kept it within bound?. It is in the moral and spiritual as it is in the material world. It is said that one cannot stir the air with a sound so soft and slight that it will ever cease to be a sound. The words we speak, whether of love or hate, whether pure or vile, start pulsations in tho air that will never cease to throb. You can- not open your lips and start a motion in the atmosphere, which shall not, like a wave on a shoreless sea, whose forcos are within itself and adequate, roll on and on for ever. An oath once spoken sounds for ever in tho uni- Terse as an oath ; it is an explosion whoso reverberations can nover die. They roll around all continents ; they crash against tho sides of all mountains ; they beat discordantly in and apon the atmosphere of all worlds ; the devils hear them, and rejoice; the holy, and ily in flismay. And, at the Judgment, why may wo D 2 not suppose that these sounds shall all come back to us — the good in soothing music, and the evil in torturing discord, and every man shall be judged according to the word of his mouth? Indeed, it seems to mo that every- thing in man that is of the mind and soul is immortal. — W. H. H. Murray. (/>) Man having destroyed that which God delighted in, the beauty of his soul, fell into an evil portion, and, being seized on by the Divine justice, grew miserable, and condemnod to an incurable sorrow. In the midst of these sadnesses God remem- bered His own creature, and pitied it ; and, by His mercy, rescued him from the hands of His power, and the sword of His justice, and the guilt of His punishment, and the disorder of his sin, and placed him in that order of good things where he ought to have stood. It was mercy that preserved tho noblest of God's creatures hore below ; he who stood con- demned and undone under all the other attri- butes of God, was saved and rescued by His morcy; that it may be evident that God's mercy is above all His works, and above all ours, greater than the creation, and greater than our sins. As is His majesty, so is His mercy, that is, without moasuros and without rules, sitting in heaven and filling all the world, calling for a duty that Ho may give a blessing, making man that He may save him, punishing him that He may preserve him. And God's justice bowed down to His morcy, and all His power passed into mercy, and His omniscience converted into care and watchful- ness, into providence and observation for man's avail ; and heaven gave its influence for man, and rained showers for our food and drink ; and the attributes and acts of God sat at tho foot of mercy, and all that mercv descended CHAP. II. IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. upon tho head of man For, ever i-ince tho fall of Adam, who, like an unfortu- nate man, spent all that a wretched man could need, or a happy man could have, our life is repentance, and forgiveness is all our portion ; and though angels were objects of God's bounty, vt t man only is, in proper speaking, the object of His mercy ; and the mercy which dwelt in an ictinito circle became confined to a little ring, and dwelt here below; and here shall dwell below, till it hath carried all God's portion up to heaven, where it shall reign and glory upon our crowned heads for ever and ever ! . . . I must tell concerning God's mercy as we do concerning God Himself, that Ho is that great fountain of which we all drink, and the great rock of which we all eat, and on which we all dwell, and under whose shadow we are all refreshed. God's mercy is all this ; and we can only draw the great lines of it, and reckon the constellations of our hemisphere, instead of telling the number of the stars ; we only can reckon what we feel and what wo live by ; and though there be, in every one of these lines of life, enough to engage us for ever to do God service, and to give Him praises, yet it is certain there are very many mercies of God on us, and toward us, and concerning us, which we neither feel, nor see, nor understand as yet ; but yet we are blessed by them, and are preserved and secure, and we shall then know them, when we come to give God thanks in the festivities of an eternal Sabbath. — Jeremy Taylor. The Tabernacle in the Midst of the Host. (Verse 17. J We have spoken of two of the stan- dards, and two other remain to be spoken of. In this verse, Moses inter- laceth the placing and situation of the tabernacle, which was so environed with the Levites, and they flanked and forti- fied with the whole host, that it re- mained in the midst, in a place of the greatest safety, fittest for access in re- gard of the people, and hardest for access in regard of tbeir enemies. I. The Reasons for placing the Tabenir.de after this manner. 1. God doth hereby admonish them, that they should always have Him be- fore their eyes, lest they should forget His worship or offend Him with their sins (comp. Lev. xxvi. 11, 12). 2. lie bad respect indifferently unto all the tribes. If any otheis had pitched their tents farther than from the Tabernacle, they would have quarrelled and complained that they had been contemned and despised. '.'>. The Levites were hereby put in mind of their duty, and therefore are lodgi d about it. II. The Uses of placing the Taber- nacle after this manner. 1. Jt assureth us that God will ever be in the midst of us, and settle His rest and residence among us (comp. Lev. xxvi. 11, 12; Ezek. xxvii. 27). We must know how God is said to dwell among us. Difference between His general presence and His special 8G presence. His general presence is in all places ; His special presence is in His Church. His general presence is of His power; His special presence is of His grace and favour. There is a common manner of God's being every- where, and in all things, by His essence : there is a special way of God's being present, as that which is loved is present in him that loveth (comp. John xiv. 23J. (1) God is joined unto us in the person of His own only Son Emmanuel — i.e., God with us. We are made members of His body (see Matt, xxviii. 20). (2). We have with Him the preaching of the Gospel, whereby God is, as it were, brought down to reside and remain among us. (3) We have the promise of His presence and the seals thereof in His Sacraments, whereby we are at one with Him, and He with us (see Gal. iii. 27; John vi. 54-56; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17). (4) When we come together in the Church to call upon His name, He is near unto us, and most familiar with us (see Matt, xviii. 20). (5) He dwelleth among us whensoever He preserveth us from evil, and de- livereth us from our enemies Let us take heed to walk in fear before Him, etc. (see Deut. vi. 12-15; 2 Cor. vi. 16-18). We ought to walk always as in God's presence, and to consider evermore that His eye is upon us. 2. It serveth to teach us to what end God hath instituted Civil States and 1I0MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. II. Commonwealths in this world — to wit, to be stays and props to the Church, that the people of God may assemble together in peace and quietness. (1) Let all persons, princes, and people, high and low, do good to the Church of God, and employ their best endea- vours to promote the glory of God and the safety of the Church (see Pss. cxxii. G, 7; cxxxii. 1-5). (2) It is the duty of all persons to assemble to- gether to hear His word If we would dwell with God, let us re- pair to His house ; if we would see Him, we shall see Him there ; if we would hear Him, we shall hear Him there; if we would know Him, we shall know Him there, for His face is to be seen there, His voice is to be heard there, His presence is to be found there (see Pss. xxvii. 4 ; xlii. 1 ; lxxxiv. 2). (3) Let us not stand in fear of any enemies, as if they would bear and beat down the Church before them ; neither let us forsake our mother, for fear of troubles that may come upon her The Church is set in a safe place ; they shall not be able to hurt it : it hath a safe Keeper, that neither slum- bereth nor sleepeth ; they shall not be able to destroy it: the gates of hell and the power of the devil are set against it, but they shall never have victory over it (see Deut. vii. 21, 22). 3. It serveth to conclude the full and final happiness of the faithful, which is begun in this life, but shall be consum- mated in the end of this world. Then will God dwell with us, and we shall dwell with Him ; then we shall be ad- mitted into His presence, aDd never be cast out ; then no evil shall touch us, or come near us, and no good thing shall be wanting unto us that we can desire (see Rev. xxi. 3, 4 ; 2 Pet, iii. 13 ; Rev. vii. 15-17; xxi. 2^-27). — W. Attersoll. Tiie Camp of ErriRAiM, and its Suggestions. (Verses 18- 2 4 ) In these verses we have an account of the third camp, which was posted to the west of the Tabernacle. It con- sisted of the tribes of Ephraim, Manas- seh, aud Benjamin, all descendants of Rachel. Looking at this camp homi- letically we discover in it — I. An illustration of the Divine Sovereignty. Ephraim and Manasseh were sons of Joseph by his wife Asenath. Though Manasseh was the elder, yet Ephraim was placed at the head of this camp. "The first indication we have of the ascendancy of Ephraim over Manasseh is in the blessing of the children by Jacob (Gen. xlviii.). The intention of Joseph was evidently that the right hand of Jacob should convey the ampler blessing to the head of Manasseh, his first-born, and he had so arranged the young men. But the result was other- wise ordained." Jacob pei'sisted in setting Ephraim before Manasseh. " God chose from the beginning," says Bishop Patrick, 11 in several instances, to prefer the younger before the elder, as Abel be- fore Cain ; Shem before Japheth ; Isaac before Ishmael ; Jacob before Esau ; Judah and Joseph before Reu- ben ; and here Ephraim before Manas- seh ; and Moses before Aaron ; and David, the youngest of all, before his elder brethren — to show that the Divine benefits were not limited to the order of nature, but dispensed freely, according to God's mo9t wise goodness." God bestows all His gifts freely, accord- ing to His own good pleasure, both when He will, and where He will, and to whom He will. Our salvation from beginning to end is owing to His sovereign favour. We have nothing of our own. " For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? " etc. God is e'ebtor to no man. We have no claim upon His bounty. If He should withhold His blessing from any of 08, we sh< uld have no just ground of complaint against Hiiu. We, however, do well ever to bear in mind that Hi- is the sovereignty of a Being ofinfin te wisdom, 37 criAr. ic. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. righteousness, and love. It is the sov- ereignty of GOD, the Supremely Good, (a) Though we ,-know not the reasons of many of His decisions and doings, yet we know that in them all He is actuated by motives and seeks the accomplishment of ends which are worthy of Himself. Let us then, like the Hebrew poets, rejoice i« God's sovereignty, and celebrate it in reverent and heartv songs. II. An' illustration of the sacredness of family ties These three tribes which constitute this camp were all descended from Rachel, and were the whole of her descendants. We may fairly conclude that this wras one reason, and a chief one, why they were grouped together. To the eye of God family ties are sacred things. Jesus our Lord " was subject unto" His parents. On the cross, amidst His own fierce agonies of both body and soul, He was mindful of His mother, spake to her, and committed her to the care of His beloved disciple. The ties of kinship are of the closest, ten- derest, strongest, holiest nature ; and should be so regarded. In our families let us cultivate mutual forbearance, and helpfulness, and holy love ; " for with- out hearts there is no home." Let us make our houses homes ; the scenes of confidence, peace, affection, and wor- ship. " It is just as possible to keep a calm house as a clean house, a cheerful house, an orderly hou?e, as a furnished house, if the heads set themselves to do so. Where is the difficulty of consulting each other's weakness, as well as each other's wants ; each other's tempers, as well as each other's health ; each other's comfort, as well as each other's character ? Oh ! it is by leaving the peace at home to chance, instead of pursuing it by system, that so many houses are unhappy." ( b\ III. An illustration of the Divine regard for the weak. This was the least numerous of the four great divisions, and therefore by direction of God it was appointed to that position in which there was the last danger. Tenderly God cares for the feeble. " He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." " A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench." What a rich fund of comfort and encouragement there is here — 1. For those who are physically af- flicted. 2. For those ivhose faith is feeble. 3. For those who are sorely tried. He is acquainted with us altogether ; and in our great need He will bestow upon us the tenderest «are and the richest grace, (c) Conclusion : Let us unfalteringly trust in God. Let us rejoice in the sovereignty of so wise and kind a Being. " He everywhere hath sway, And all things serve His might, His every act pure blessing is ; Hi9 path unsullied light. Leave to His sovereign sway, To choose and to command: So shalt thou wondering own His way, How wise, how strong His hand ! Thou comprehond'st Him not : Yet earth and heaven tell God sits as Sovereign on the throne ; He ruleth all things well. Thou seest our weakness, Lord, Our hearts are known to Thee; 0 lift Thou up the sinking hand, Confirm the feoble knee. Let us in life and death, Boldly Thy truth declare ; And publish with our latest breath, Thy love and guardian care." P. Gerhard. ILLUSTRATION?. (") Tho sovereignty of God naturally ariHoth from the relation of all things to Him- self as their ontiro Creator, and their natural and inseparable dependence upon Him in oi their being and well-being. The first causo of everything hath an unquestion- 38 able dominion of propriety in it upon the score of justice. By the law of nations, tho first finder of a country is esteemed the rightful possessor and lord of that country, and tha first inventor of an art hath a right of exer- cising it. If a man hath a juat claim of H0U1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. II. dominion over that thing whoso materials were not of his framing, but form only the iddition of a new figure from his skill ; as a limner over his picture, the cloth whereof ho never made, nor the colours wherewith he draws it were never endued by him with their distinct qualities, but only he applies them by his art to compose such a figure ; much more hath God a rightful claim of dominion over His creatures, whose entire being, both in matter and form, and every particle of thoir excellency, was breathod out by tho word of His mouth. He did not only give the mattor a form, but bestowed upon tho matter itself a being ; it was formed by none to His hand, as the matter is on which an artist works. Ho had the being of all things in His own powor, and it was at His choice whether He would impart it or no ; there can be no juster and stronger ground of a claim than this. A man hath a right to a piece of brass or gold by his purchase, but when by his engraving ho hatli formed it into an oxcollont statue, there results an increase of his right upon the accouut of his artifice God's creation of the matter of man gave Him a right over man ; but His creation of him in so eminent an excellency, with reason to guide him, a clear eye of under- standing to discern light from darkness, and truth from falsehood, a freedom of will to act accordingly, and an original righteousness as the varnish and beauty of all ; here is the strongest foundation for a claim of authority over man, and the strongest obligation on man for subjection to God. — Charnocke. (b) Families are not isolated individuals, but the descendants of their fathers, and therefore essentially members one of another ; God himself being the Father of all the families of the universe. What can be more interesting than to contemplate the intelli- gent universe, as consisting of endlessly mul- tiplied bonds of fatherhood and childhood ; and all these held in the strong unity of one Divine Fatherhood and one Divine Sonship? Family relationship is therefore a very sacred thing. Its root being not in the creation, but in God. And though we shall not find on earth any development worthy of its holy root, nevertheless, the flower which fills the world with choicest fragranco is family affec- tioD. It is capable of becoming most heavenly, since the Eternal Father is Himself the spring of parental, as His Eternal Son is of filial love. Therefore, also, family affections are capable of ceaseless cultivation. There is nothing to hinder family lovo from becoming evermore deeper, stronger, and lovelier. If it bo so strong and so precious among fallen creatures, what must it be among the perfect ? If family life on the earth gives sise, as it often does, to a very paradise of courtesies and tendor sanctities, what must family life be in the immediate Presonce, and under the direct influence, of the Infinite Father and His Only Begotten Son? Christian parents and their children should know therefore, that in thoir families they have not a little world, but a little heaven to cultivate. What a solace to our hearts is tho assurance, that wo shall never cease to bo members of a family ! Tho perfection of the great heavenly household is that it is a Household of house- holds. Wo are born into a family, wo grow up in a family, we die in a family, and after death, we shall not simply go into tho groat heaven, but to our own family, in our Father's House. " Abraham gavo up the ghost, and was gathered to his people!' "Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace," God had said to him. All in heaven will not know us, but our own people will know us. We shall go to them. — ./. Pulsion!. (c) " A bruised reed I will not break." Is there anything that grows so high, carrying up so little strength of stem, as tho reed that rises twenty or thirty feet in tho air, and ha3 a stalk not larger than my finger? Now, a beast striking through tho thicket, eager, with his unquenchod thirst, for the cooling draught, strikes against a joint of the slender reed, shattering it so that it has but just strength to bear its own weight. So weak is it, that if there be so much wind as to lift ono ef its leaves, or to bend it in the least degree in either direction, it must surely break. But God says, " My gentleness is such that when I go down among men whoso condition is liko that of a bruised reed, I will do nothing to complete their overthrow, but will deal with them in such a way that they shall gather strength till I have sent forth judgment unto victory." "And smoking flax I will not quench." If the flame is just dying out in a lamp it is not in danger of being suddenly extinguished, for the old warmth in the wick seems for a time to nourish and sustain it ; but immediately after the wick is lighted, and before any warmth is communicated to it, tho least move- ment is sufficient to extinguish it. Now God says, " Wherever there is a spark of grace lighted in the soul, if it flickers so that the least breath of tho person who carries it, or the least motion of his hand is in danger of putting it out, I will deal so gently with him as not to quench that spark. I will treat it with such infinite tondernoss that it shall grow into a flame which shall burn on for over." And these ase tbe symbols by which God measures His wonderful gentleness. — U. W. Beecher. SO cnAP. ii. U0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. The Camp of Dan : Aspects of Divine Service. (Verses 25-31J This is the fourth great division which encamped north of the tabernacle, and brought up the rear on the march. The powerful tribe of Dan was placed at the head of it, and with it the re- maining tribes, Asher and Naphtali. Dan was the fifth son of Jacob, and the firat of Bilhah, Rachel's maid. Asher was the eighth son of Jacob, and the second of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid. Naphtali was own brother to Dan, being the sixth son of Jacob, and the second of Bilhah. The composition and sta- tion of this camp suggest certain homiletic points concerning the Divine service. I. Persons of every kind and degree of faculty may find employment in the Divine service. Each of the tribes had its position and duties in one of the four great divi- sions, or in the interior near to the tabernacle. Whatever its number or its peculiar characteristics, every one had its allotted place and work. It would appear that Judah was strong and courageous, while Dan was secret and subtle (see Gen. xlix. 8-12, 17); yet for Dan, as well as for Judah, there is a place in the great army of Israel. In the great work of God amongst men there is room for workers of every kind and degree of ability. And God lays claim to the services of every one. There is work suited to every one, as St. Paul clearly shows in 1 Cor. xii. Eloquence, scholarship, teaching power, courage, patience, tact, administrative ability, aptitude for the details of busi- ness, etc., may each find its appropriate sphere in the great work and warfare of the Church of Jesus Christ. Even the patient sufferer has a place in His service. " They also serve who only stand and wait." Let this serve as — 1. An encouragement to the feeble. 2. A rebuke t<> the slothful, (a) II. It is essential that even the lowest position in the Divine service should be faithfully filled. 40 It may appear to some that the place allotted to the camp of Dan was an in- ferior and obscure one. " They shall go hindmost with their standards." But it was essential that some of the tribes should occupy this position, and discharge its duties. There must be a rearguard as well as a vanguard. In building the temple the services of the hewers of wood are as indispensable as those of the skilled workmen. The blower of the organ-bellows is as neces- sary to secure its grand aid in worship as the accomplished musician. '; Small service is trae service while it la^ts ; Of friends, however humble, scorn not one : The daisy, by the shadow that it casts, Protects the ling'ring dewdrop from the sun." Wordsworth. Moreover, great achievements are im- possible apart from faithful attention to the details of the enterprise. The strength of the whole chain is not greater than that of its weakest link. The efficiency of the entire body is affected by the condition of its obscurist and feeblest member. Faithfulness in littles is imperatively demanded as a condition of success in all true and noble work, (bj III. Even the lowest position in the Divme service is one of privilege and honour. If the position of Dan and the two associated tribes be regarded as the lowest in the great host, yet it was a distinguished and advantageous posi- tion. They were as truly a part of the people chosen of God as those in the lirst camp. The privileges which those of the other camps enjoyed, they en- joyed also. The promises and prospects which encouraged the others, encour- aged them also. The Lord was their God, etc. The feeblest and obscurist member of God's spiritual Israel occu- pies a place and sustains relationships of highest honour and richest privilege. "We are the children of God : and if children, then heirs ; heirs of God," etc. In calling us to any work, even the most IIOMTLETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciur. n. menial, in His service, God confers upon us the most exalted distinction. It is a call to co-operation with Himself, etc. " We are workers together with Christ." " Our Muster all tho work hath done He asks of us to-day ; Sharing His service every one, Share too His sonship may : Lord, I would serve and bo a eon, Dismiss me not, I pray." T. T. Li/nd,. IV. Seemingly obscure positions in the Divine service are in many in- stances positions of great importance and responsibility. It was so in this case. There was danger of attack in the rear. With the exception of the camp of Judah, which led the way, the camp of Dan was in a position which required the greatest strength. And, being numerically in- ferior only to Judah, the wisdom of its appointment to that position is obvious. Though their position was " hind- most," yet in importance it was second only to that of the camp of Judah. An illustration of spiritual work. The ser- vices of the quiet and comparatively obscure scholar, thinker, and writer are, at the very least, quite as important as those of the popular preacher. The wise and faithful pastor, who is almost unknown beyond his own sphere of service, is doing as worthy and as needful a work as the evangelist whose fame is world-wide. The quiet members of the Church, who are influential in the family and in the prayer meetings, are perhaps more necessary to the existence and prosperity of the Church than the men who are prominent in committees and on public platforms, (cj Conclusion: 1. Have we any place in the spiritual Israel ? 2. Are we endeavouring faithfully to discharge its duties? ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) The feeblest power may be beneficially exerted. Are there any who are nattering themselves that if they possessed gigantic talents they would employ them on behalf of human freodom and human progress ? I pro- nounce such self-consolation a deadly error. Man's business is to employ tho talents with which Almighty AVisdom has endowed him, and by their employment to multiply them. Deposit tho acorn in a cabinet, and time will turn it to corruption ; but plant that ac.orn where the light and the dew of heaven can exert upon it their fructifying influence, and time will develope tho majestic oak. So with talents ; bury them in disuse, and they will become morally pestilential ; but give them free and beneficent exercise, and they will breathe new life into the social constitution. Young man ! employ thy one talent diligently, and thou sbalt bo promoted to the rulership of larger empire : wait not for time that may never advene; sigh not for golden opportuni- ties and felicitous coincidences ; the true man makes every opportunity golden by turning it to a golden use, and the robust soul conquers the infelicties of unpropitious circumstancos. That will bo a glorious day in human history on which all Christians, the feeblest and mightiest, will be working for the advance- ment of Christ's KiDgdom ; — the orator sway- ing the multitude, the writer sending forth his richly laden page, the widow giving her two mites, and the child of poverty bestowing "a cup of cold water." When the whole Church it at work the kingdom of darkness will be shaken to its centre. — J. Parker, DM. (b) Napoleon was the mo it effective man in modern times — some will say of all times. The secret of his character was, that while his plans were more vast, more various, and, of course, more difficult than those of other mon, he had the talent, at the same time, to fill them up with perfect promptness and pre- cision, in every particular of execution. His vast and daring plans would have been vision- ary in any other man : but with him every vision ilew out of his brain a chariot of iron, because it was filled up, in all the particulars of execution, to be a solid and compact frame- work in every part. His armies were together only one great engine of desolation, of which he was the head or brain. Numbers, spaces, tiin?s. were all distinct in his eye. The wheel- ing of every legion, however remote, was men- tally present to him. The tramp of every foot sounded in his ear. The numbers were al ways supplied, tho spaces passed over, the times met, and so the work was done There must be detail in every great work. It is au element of effectiveness, which no reach of plan, no enthusiasm of purpose, can dispense with. Thus, if a man conceives tho idea of becoming eminent in learning, but cannot toil through tho million of little drudgories necessary to carry him on, his learning will be soon told. Or, if a man undertakes to be- come rich, but despises tho small and gradual advances by which wealth is ordinarily accu- mulated, his expecta'ions will, of course, be the sum of his riches. Accurato and careful detail, the mindiog of common occasions and email things, combined with general scope and 41 CHAP II. I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ■vigour, is the secret of all the efficiency and snccess in the world. — // Bushncll, D. D. (c) Slight services may be invaluable services. What can bo a more trivial image than " a cup of cold water ? " Less trivial, unquestionably, in the hot East than in our well-watered Eng- land ; but a trivial image even there. And yet I have read of cases in which a cup of water would have fetched more than its weight in gold. Look into the despairing eyes of that boat-load of ship-wrecked sailors, tossing hour after hour on the ocean in the heat of the sun : the briny water glancing and flashing all around them as if in mockery, and not a drop anywhere of that which might slake their wild human thirst. What would not those men give for a draught of fresh water a-piece ? Look at the caravan in the desert, when the last camel, " the ship of the desert," lies stranded and doomed upon the sand ; when no hope remains to the travellers of reaching in time the spot where the cool palm-trees draw their life from the hidden spring. How much of his rich merchandize would not that dying trader be content to part with in exchange for "a cup of cold water?" Or traverse the battle-field when the fight is ended, and one poor wounded soldier, whose courage had car- ried him too far has been overlooked. The sun goes down, the stars appear, but dewy nitiht fails to alleviate the burning thirst whish always follows gun-shot wounds. Yet if some comrade shall [venture out to look for the wounded man, shall find him groaning under the silent stars, and shall bring him, though it were from the nearest puddle, the draught he craves, they two shall know for ever what a blessing there may be in " a cup of cold water." And have we not all heard of the generous Sidney, as he was borne dying from the field of Zutphen, how he had just put the cup to his lips, when a poor fellow was carried by, who looked as he went at the richer Sidney's draught with the longing eyes of despair, — and how the dying rich man with- drew his lips before he drank, and gave the cup to the dying poor man with the words, " Thy necessity is yet greater than mine ! '' Beside the noble Sidney's name is that simple story still inscribed upon the immortal page. Of such and of so great a value may even " a cup of cold water " be. And I often think of Him who sat once by Jacob's well in the heat of the day, asking for a drink of water from the Samaritan woman. He accepted all the conditions of human weakness and human want, lie knew by experience, even whilst he used this image to indicate the slight nature of such an offering as this, what a precious offering it might really be, and that it might be employed, and that without exaggeration, to denote all the difference between life and death.— J. G. Pigg, B.A. Contentment and Obedience, (Verses 32-34.^ These verses present to us two topics on which we may reflect with profit. I. Contentment with the Divine appointment. We have seen that God in His in- finite and sovereign wisdom allotted to each tribe its place and duty as it pleased Him. And it appears from the text that each tribe freely accepted the Divine appointment, and fell into its allotted position. There is not even a hint that any one of the tribes was guilty of any murmuring against the arrangements. This is the more re- markable when we take into account how prone the people were to complain and fret upon the very slightest pre- text. Let us learn to be content cheer- fully to occupy the position, and dili- gently to &o the work allotted to us by God. '"My times are in Thy hand." '•He shall choose our inheritance for us." " Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel.'' The most cogent reasons 42 urge us to be content with the appoint- ments of God concerning us. 1. ]Ve are incompetent to determine our oivn place and duty. This will at once appear if we consider — (1). Our ignorance. How ignorant we are (a) of ourselves. Possibilities of both good and evil are latent within us which only God knows. If the determination of our lot were with us, we might choose such an one as would tend to kill any germs of truth and goodness which are within us, and to stimulate the germs of evil into awfully rapid and ruinous development. God alone is thoroughly acquainted with us. How ignorant we are (b) of the future. The particular character and circumstances of the coming minute are veiled from us. The choice which now seems wise and good, amid the altered circumstances and conditions of the morrow, may appear foolish and evil. To God only is the entire future clearly visible. Our IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. cuxv. ir. incompetence to determine our own lot will appear further if we consider — (2) Our proneness to self-indulgence. In choosing for ourselves, we should select the pleasant rather than the painful, the sweet rather than the bitter. And yet for us the bitter may be the more wholesome, and the painful may be in- dispensable to our well-being. We are incapable of choosing our own place and work. 2. We have ample grounds for con- fidence in the determinations of God joi- ns. We discover these in — (1) His knowledge. He knows all thirgs. He knows the whole future perfectly. He knows us individually and thoroughly (see Ps. cxxxix. 1-4). (2) His wisdom. '• Wisdom and might are His : He giveth wisdom unto the wise," etc. ; " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! " etc. ; " The only wise God." (3) His kind- ness. He is as gracious as He is wise. "God is love" (see Ps. cxlv. 8, 9). Surely, in considerations like these we have most powerful reasons for content- ment with the place and work to which we are appointed by God. (a) These considerations should — First — Silence our murmurings because of our particular circumstances and con- dition. Second — Deter us from seeking to alter our condition and circumstances by any unrighteous or unworthy me- thods. (f>J II. Obedience to the Divine com- mands. The obedience of Israel upon this occasion seems to have been most ex- emplary, " And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord com- manded Moses : so they pitched by their standards," etc. Without murmuring or disputing, without abatement or omis- sion, they did as they were directed. Their obedience was prompt and com- plete. Let us note this to their credit, and as an example to us. Entire obedience is required of us also. 1. All God's commands are binding, because they are all rigid. He requires of us nothing but what is just and true. We cannot break the least of His com- mandments without sin. " The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." 2. All God's commands are bene- volent. li In keeping of them there is great reward." Obedience is blessed as well as binding, (c) Conclusion : Let us seek Divine aid that we may render full and hearty obedience to all the commands of God. " 0 let Thy sacred will All Thy delight in me fulfil ! Let me not think an action mine own way, But as Thy love shall sway, Resigning up the rudder to Thy skill." Geo. Herbert. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) There are two forms of discontent: one laborious, the other indolent aDd complaining. We respect the man of laborious desire, but let us not suppose that his restlessness is peace, or his ambition n e^kness. It is because of the special connection of meekness with contentment that it is promised that the meek shall "inherit the earth." Neither covetous men, nor the grave, can inherit anything; they can but consume. Only contentment can possess. The most helpful and sacred work, therefore, which can at prosent be done for humanity, is to teach people (chiefly by ex- ample, as all best toaching must be done) not how to " better themselves," but how to " satisfy themselves." It is the curse of every evil nation and evil creature to eat, and not be satisfied. The words of blessing are, that they shall eat and be satisflod. And as thoro is only one kind of water which quenches all thirst, so there ia only one kind of bread which satisfies all hunger, the bread of justice or righteousness; which hungering aftor, men shall alwajs bo filled, that being the bread of Heaven ; but hungering after tho bread, or wages, of unrighteousness, shall not be tilled, that being tho bread of Sodom. And, in order to teach men how to be satisfied, it is neces- sary fully to understand the art and joy of humble life, — this, at present, of all arts or sciences being the odo most needing study. Humble life, — that is to say, proposing to itself no future exaltation, but only a sweet con- tinuance; not excluding tho idea of foresight, but wholly of fore-sorrow, and taking no troub- lous thought of coming days : so, also, not excluding tho idea of providenco, or provision, but wholly of accumulation; the life of domes- tic affection and domest full of sonsi- 98 to all elements of costless and kind 43 CHAf. II. I10M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. pleasure ;— therefore, chiefly to the loveliness of the natural world. — J. Rnskin. (6) But that Thou art my wisdom, Lord, And both mine eyes are Thine, My mind would be extremely stirr'd For missing my design. Were it not tetter to bestow Some place and power on me ? Then should Thy praises with me grow, And share in my degree. But when I thus dispute and grieve, I do resume my sight; And pilf'ring what I once did give, Disseize Thee of Thy right. How know I, if Tbou should'st me raise, That I should then raise Thee? Perhaps great places and Thy praise Do not so well agree. Wherefore unto my gift I stand ; I will no more advise: Only do Thou lend me a hand Since Thou hast both mine eyfs. Geo. Herbert. (r) That principle to which Polity owes its stability, Life its happiness, Faith its accep- tance, and Creation its continuance, is Obe- dience How false is the conception, how frantic the pursuit, of that treacherous phantom which men call Liberty ! most trea- cherous, indeed, of all phantoms ; for the feeblest ray of reason might surely show us, that not only its attainment, but its being, was impossible. There is no such thing in the universe. There can never be. The stars have it not; the earth has it not; the sea has it not ; and we men have the mockery and semblance of it only for our heaviest punish- ment If there be any one prin- ciple more widely than another confessed by every utterance, or more sternly than another imprinted on every atom of the visible creation, that principle is not Liberty, but Law. The enthusiast would reply that by Liberty he meant the Law of Liberty. Then why use the single and misunderstood word ? If by liberty you mean chastisement of the passions, discipline of the intellect, subjec- tion of the will; if you mean the fear of in- flicting, the shame of committing, a wrong; if you mean respect for all who are in autho- rity, and consideration for all who are in dependence ; veneration for the good, mercy to the evil, sympathy to the weak ; if you mean watchfulness over all thoughts, tem- perance in all pleasures, and perseverance in all toils; if you mean, in a word, that Service which is defined in the liturgy of the English Church to be perfect Freedom, why do you name that by the same word by which the luxurious mean licence, and the reckless mean change ; by which the rogue means rapine, and the fool equality, by which the proud mean anarchy, and the malignant mean violence? Call it by any name rather than this, but its best and truest is Obedience. Obedience is, indeed, founded on a kind of free- dom, else it would become mere subjugation, but that freedom is only granted that obedience may be more perfect ; and thus, while a measure of licence is necessary to exhibit the individual energy of things, the fairness and pleasantness and perfection of them all consist in their Restraint. Compare a river that has burst its banks with one that is bound by them, and the clouds that are scattered over the face of the whole heaven, with those that are marshalled into ranks and orders by its winds. So that though restraint, utter and unrelaxing, can never be comely, this is not because it is in itself an evil, but only because, when too great, it overpowers the nature of the thing restrained, and so counteracts the other laws of which that nature is itself com- posed.— J. Ruskin. CHAPTER IIL Critical Kotes. — " Muster of the Tribe of Levi. As Jacob had adopted the two sons of Joseph as his own sons, and thus promoted them to the rank of heads of tribes, the tribe of Levi founded, strictly speaking, the thir- teenth tribe of the whole nation, and was excepted from the muster of the twelve tribes who were destined to form tlit> army of Jehovah, because God had chosen it for the service of the sanc- tuary. Out of this tribe God had not only called Moses to be the deliverer, lawgiver, and leader of His people, but 44 Moses' brother Aaron, with the sons of the latter, to be the custodians of the sanctuary. And now, lastly, the whole tribe was chosen, in the place of the first-born of all the tribes, to assist the priests in performing the duties of the sanctuary, and was numbered and mus- tered for this its special calling." — Keil and Del. Ver. 1. Generations. "The term 'generations' is strictly a technical word (cf. Gen. ii. 4 ; v. 1, vi. 0, etc. ; Ruth iv. 18). It does not point to birth and origin so much as to down- 1I0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciiai\ nr. ward history and development." The " generations " here are not merely the descendants of Moses and Aaron, but of the Levites generally. '; Aaron is placed before Moses here " (see at Ex. vi. 26 sqq.), " not merely as being the elder of the two, but because his sods received the priesthood, whilst the sons of Moses, on the contrary, were classed among the rest of the Leri- tical families" (cf. 1 Chron. xxiii. 14). Ver. 3. Whom he consecrated: lit. as marg., " whose hand he filler!," by setting them apart to the office of priests. Ver. 4. In the sight of Aaron, their father — i.e., during his lifetime. Aaron and his Sons : Parents and Children. ( ] 'erses 1 -4.J In these verses we have — I. An incidental illustration of the exalted personal character and the Divine mission of Moses. Aaron was the ancestor of a regular succession of priests. But Moses seeks nothing for himself or for his descen- dants. He does not use his high posi- tion or his great power for the attain- ment of any selfish end. He " passes by his own family, or immediate de- scendants ; he gave no rank or privilege to them during his life, and left nothing to them at his death. They became incorporated with the Levites, from or amongst whom they are never distin- guished," An illustration of the nobility of his character and the utter unselfish- ness of his aims. Other eminent men seek to advance the interests of their descendants ; but it was not so with him. In this we have also a confirma- tion of the Divinity of his vocation — that he was called of God to his great enter- prise. Had it been otherwise, we should have seen him aim at the gratification of avarice, or the acquisition of power, or the attainment of honours for him- self and his successors. The disinte- restedness of his conduct witnesses to the Divinity of his calling. II. An intimation that the duties of the ministers of religion demand for their faithful discharge their entire consecration thereto. It seems to us that the striking ex- pression used in the third verse may fairly be regarded as suggesting this truth, " Whose hands he filled to minister in the priest's office." The apostles scon found this entire conse- cration of their time and powers to the work to be necessary. " We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word " (see Acts vi. 1-4). And St. Paul, in writing to Timothy, says : " Give thyself wholly to them " (see 1 Tim. iv. 13-16, and remarks on this point in our notes on ch. i. 47-54). III. An example of wicked sons descending from a godly parent. Aaron, though far from being so great or so holy a man as his brother, was without doubt a good man ; yet Nadab, his eldest son, and Abihu, his second son, were consumed by God be- cause of their sin. " Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wil- derness of Sinai." Their sin was that they kindled the incense in their censers with fire not taken from that which burned perpetually on the altar, and pro- bably that they did this while in a state of intoxication (Lev. x. 1-11). God will be served as lie jitcases and directs. There is peril even in the slightest in- fringement of Divine directions. In sacred services the least deviations from the clearly revealed will of God are displeasing unto Him. For their sin Nadab and Abihu were devoured by " fire from the Lord." They were degenerate and depraved sons of a pious father. Generation is not regeneration. Personal character is not Lereiitciry as personal possessions often are. Our Lord represents one " in hell " and H in torments " as addressing Abraham as "Father," and Abraham in reply ad- dressing him as " Son." The children 45 CHAP. III. 110MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS: of "-odly parents may at last find their own place in hell. Salvation is not transmissible. It is a personal concern. Repentance, faith, self-consecration, are acts which cannot be done by proxy. The general rule undoubtedly is that the children of pious parents, who have been well and wisely trained by them, will themselves become pious. It is also true that moral tendencies are transmissible from parent to child. Still there are exceptions to this rule. Yet we think if we knew all the particulars of the home-life and the parental training and example, we should find such exceptions to be very rare indeed. Many parents of undoubted piety fail sadly in the training of their children : some through over-severity, others by undue indulgence, etc. Did not Eli fail in this respect? (1 Sam. iii. 13.) Do not the troubles which arose to Jacob by reason of the sins of his sons look like the natural retribution of his own sins, in deceiving his aged father and in wronging his brother? Were not the troubles in the later life of David, because of the wickedness of some of his sons, connected with his own sins? (2 Sam. xii. 10-12.) Let pious parents take heed to themselves and to their duties, (a) IV. An example of the widest dif- ference of character and destiny in children of the same parents. "While Nadab and Abihu were sadly depraved and suddenly destroyed, their younger brethren Eleazar and Ithamar faithfully " ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father," and upon his death, Eleazar succeeded him as high priest. The children of the same parents frequently differ widely from each other in features, in disposition, and, as amongst the sons of Aaron, in character. The freedom of the human will to a very great extent explains this. The things which to one man are the very bread of life, another man will pervert into deadly poison. The ministry of . the Divine Gospel to some is " the savour of life unto life," to others " the savour of death unto death." (b) Conclusion : Our subject utters earnest counsels — 1. To the children of godly parents. Trust not in the character and prayers of your parents for salvation. These are of priceless value, yet they will not avail to your salvation apart from your own faith and obedience. (See Ezek. xviii.) (c) 2. To parents. Be diligent and faith- ful in the discharge of your duty to your children. (1) Let your own life be right, and so set them a good example. (d) (2) Give them wise religious instruction and training, (e) (3) Commend them often and earnestly to God in prayer, (f) (4) Afford them encouragement in every manifes- tation of pious feeling and conduct. (9) ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) I do not overlook the dreadful possibi- lity, that, in the stress of temptation, and a depraved inclination, the child, even when all this has been done for him, may wander off and be a prodigal. He may viciously disown the covenant made in his behalf. He may plunge into sin, in despite of all. Then his only way back into the Church of Christ must bo by conversion, as with the children of un- believers. All I say is, that such instances ought to be prevented or diminished by wisor and more Christian notions and practices. Let the Christian parents continually speak to tho young child of Church privileges, of tho joy and tho duty of his Christian horitago and home. Let that child havo tho doctrines and lifo of Christ faithfully instilled into his soul, by domos-tio int-truction and family prayer. Let him be reminded of his baptismal dedi- •1G cation, and taught to live worthily of it. No magical, talismanic effect is thus to be wrought upon him, but a perfectly natural and simple one, standing in harmony with all other edu- cational iniluences, and guaranteed also a peculiar blessing. This Christian child, like others, must have a spiritual nature and life formed upon him, in addition to his natural life. Only, this blessed boon of a new and holy heart steals in upon him gradually, by way of his parents' ey es and voice and prayers, from the very dawn of his consciousness, grows with his growth, hardens with his muscles, expands with his understanding, and matures in him as gently and regularly as any of tho growths of the forest or the field ; so that there shall be no period in his romombrance, when he was not moving straight on towards a ripe Christian character, and H0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. cn.vr. in. full communion in the Church. All this I place in contrast "with our strange and savage habit of turning off our little ones to feed on the husks and chaff of the senses, till some dreadful wrench of sorrow, after they have grown up, possibly wakens a few of them to conviction, and drives them back, broken- spirited, from the far country where they had wandered, to their Father's house. — F, D. Hunt iny ton, D.D. (&) So from the heights of will Life's parting stroam descends, And, as a moment turns its slonder rill, Each widening torrent bends. From the same cradle's side, From the same mother's knee, Onoto long darkness and the frozon tide, One to the peaceful sea ! 0. W. Holmes. (c) The child of a very godly father, not- withstanding all the instructions given him, the good education he has had, and the need- ful rebukes that have been given him, and the restraints he has been laid under, after all the pains taken with him and prayers put up for him, may yet prove wicked and vile, the grief of his father, the shame of his family, and the curse and plague of his generation. This wicked man shall perish for ever in his iniquity, notwithstanding his being the son of a good father. He is his own destroyer ; and his relation to a good father will be so far from standing him in stead that it will aggra- vate his sin and his condemnation, and will make his misory hereafter the more intole- rable.— M. Henry. (d) Truth must be lived into meaning before it can be truly known. Examples are the only sufficient commentaries ; living epistles the only fit expounders of written epistles. When the truly Christian father and mother teach as being taught of God, when their prayers go into their lives, and their lives into their doctrine ; when their goodness melts into the memory, and heaven, too, breathes into the associated thoughts and sentiments, to make a kind of blessed memory for all they teach, then we see the beau- tiful office they are in fulfilled. — H. Bush- ncll, D.D. (e) There must be regular Biblical teach- ing. Somowhere and somehow, not by chance, not at interruptod and infrequent seasons, but patiently and humbly, and week by week, that wonderful, most ancient and Eternal Book must bo opened before him. Its sublime yet simple- truths, plain to the- child's under- standing; its holy personages; its grand Prophets and ardent Apostles ; its venerable patriarchs and its inspired children, must all pass, in their robes of light and forms of sin- gular majesty and beauty before him. Its psalms must be sung into his soul. Its beati- tudes and commandments must be fixed in his remembrance. Its parables must engage his fancy. Its miracles must awe his wonder. Its cross, and ark, and all its sacred omblems, must people his imagination. Without that Bible, no child born among us can come to Him whom only the Bible reveals. — F. D. Huntington, D.D. (/) There must be prayer. Your child must know, he must see, he must feel, that between your parent-heart and Him who is the Infinite Father of all aliko there is open and conscious communion. Till there is esta- blished, in all simplicity, this confiding and daily intercourse between the soul and Heaven, you have not received your child in the name of Christ. What was testified by one of the strong statesmen of early American history might be declared, in spirit, probably by nearly all the best men that have lived in Chris- tendom. "I believe," he said, "that I should have been swept away by the flood of French infidelity if it had not been for one thing — the remembrance of tho time when my sr-intod mother used to make me kneel by her bedside, taking my little hands folded in hers, and causing me to repeat the Lord's Prayer." — Ibid. (y) Piety is very commonly discouraged in children by giving them tests of character that are inappropriate to their agt\ The child, for example, loses his temper in some matter in which he is crossed; and the conclusion is forthwith sprung upon him that he has a bad heart, and is certainly no Christian child. It is only necessary to ask how the father, how the mother, would themselves faro tested by the same rule ? ... It is never to be assumed by us that they are without piety because they falter in soma things. The child must be judged or tested in the same general way as tho adult. If he is wholly perverse, has no spirit of duty, turns away from all re- ligious things, it will not encourage anything good in him to tell him that he is without piety ; but if ho loves religious things, wants to be in them, tries after a good and obedient life, he is to bo shown how tenderly God re- gards him, how ready Hs is to forgive him, and when he stumbles or falls, how kindly He will raise him up, how graciously help him to stand!—!/. BuahneU, D.D. CHAP. III. H0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. The Dedication ov the Levites— Church Work and Workers. (Verses 5-10.) These verse3 suggest the following observations : — ■ I. That the offices of the Church are Divinely instituted. The Lord here institutes the Levitical order with its duties, the priestly order with its dutie?, and places both under the high priest, who also had his duties. In the Christian Church the office of the Ministry was instituted by out Lord Himself. (See Matt, xxriii. 18- •20 ; Mark xvi. 15, 1G ; Luke xxiv. 45- 49 ) The deacon's office was instituted by the inspired apostles with solemn prayer to God, and was ratified by the signal blessing of God which followed. ( >*ee Acts vi. 1-8 ) Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, are spoken of by St. Paul as the gifts of Christ to the Church, "for the per- fecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." These offices are not human inventions. They are Divine in their origin, and in their authority. 00 II. There are different ranks in the offices of the Chinch as instituted by God. The Levites were given to the priests for the performance of those religious duties which were of an inferior kind. The priests ranked higher than the Levites. They were granted a nearer access to God in the Holy of holies. The high priest held the highest office in the tribe, and ranked as the head of both the priests and the Levites. With respect to the Levites this is clearly indicated in the text. Thus, in verse b', " the expression ^3? 1^ js fre. quently met with in connection with the position of a servant, as standing before his master to receive his com- mands." — Keil and Del. AndFuerst: '• To stand before mie in a respectful, submissive, ministering position before the great, hence to serve, In wait upon. Deut. i. 88; Dan. i. 5." The ninth verse also expresses their " complete 48 surrender " to him. We must be c ire- ful in applying this to the Christian Church ; for, as Dr. Stoughton observes, " the Jewish Church was in certain respects, and those the most charac- teristic and striking, so utterly different from the Churches instituted by the Apostles, that a combination of the principles of the first, with the prin- ciples of the second, is simply impos- sible." But in the offices of the Christian Church there are grades or ranks. Various ranks are necessary for the maintenance of the order, and the performance of the various duties of the Church. Various ranks are inev- itable. While there are differences of mental capacity and spiritual power amongst the members of the Church, differences of rank there must be. Thus we find that ministers were rulers in the Churches in the Apostolic age. St. Paul writes, " We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you. and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you," etc. (1 Thess. v. 12, 13. And the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says, " Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God." " They ruled in the name of their Divine Master, administering His laws, not enacting any of their own." III. The lowliest labour in the service of God is sacred and blessed. The Levites were to perform the most common and laborious duties. They were the servants of the priests. They had to keep guard round the tabernacle, to keep the sacred vessels pertaining to it, to remove it from place to place during their wan- derings and journeyings, to prepare supplies for the sanctuary, such as incense, wine, oil, etc., and to keep all pertaining to the tabernacle clean and in order. Yet they were dedicated to this work, and taught to regard the work itself as sacred. The most menial labour in connection with the cause of God should still be regarded as sacred. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY : NUMBERS. CHAf. III. Its high and holy associations and ends exalt and hallow it. " I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than," etc. Indeed, all work which is faithfully done is sacred. Duty is ever divine and ennobling. " One thing I will remind you of," says Mr. Carlyle, t; that the essence and outcome of all religions, creeds, and liturgies whatso- ever is, to do one's work in a faithful manner. Unhappy caitiff, what to you is the use of orthodoxy, if with every stroke of your hammer you are breaking all the Ten Commandments, — operating upon Devil's dust, and endeavour- ing to reap where you have not sown ? " (b) IV. God also appoints the persons to fill the various offices in His Church. Here He appoints the tribe of Levi to the service of the tabernacle, and the sons of Aaron to the priesthood ; and He called Aaron to be the high priest. " And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." True ministers are creations of God, not the manufacture either of university or college professors, or of consecrating bishops, or of both united. He alone is able to qualify men for the office, and He alone is competent to utter the authoritative call to it. (c) V. Intrusion into sacred places and duties awakened the stern displeasure of the Lord. " Aaron and his sons shall wait on their priest's office ; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death." Any one who was not a son of Aaron, even though he were a Levite, that should draw nigh to perform any of the duties pertaining to the office of the priest was to be put to death. " Let this be thought upon by our over-bold intruders into the work of the ministry." God will have sacred things reverently regarded, and sacred duties reverently performed. Conclusion : The subject affords. — 1. Encourage- ment to those who are called of God to Christian work: He who has called you to your work will sustain you in it, make it efficient by His blessing, and confer upon you rich rewards. 2. Ad- monition as to our estimate of the ministers of the Lord. They " are ambassadors for Christ." God Himself speaks through them to men. They are called and commissioned by Jesus Christ. And He says, " He that receiveth whom- soever I send receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me ; " " Despise not prophesying?." "Know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you ; and esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) All men cannot work in the same way : " There are diversities of operation." Upon the face of a watch you may see an illustration of my meaning. On that smull space you have three workers : there is the serond- pointer performing rapid revolutions; there is the wi//w/e-pointer going at a greatly reduced speed ; and there is the /icw-pointer tardier Btill. Now any one unacquainted with the mechanism of a watch would conclude that the busy little second-pointer was doing all the work — it is clicking away at sixty times the speed of the minute-pointer ; and as for the hour-hand that seems to be doing no work at all. You can see in a moment that the first is busy, and in a short time you'll see the second stir, but you must wait still longer to assure yourself of the motion of the third. So is it in the Church. There are active, fussy men who appoar to bo doing the work of the wholo community, and others who go at less speed, and others slower still. But can we do without the minute and tbe hour- pointers ? The noisy second-band might go round its little circle for ever, without telling the world the true time. Wo should bo thankful for all kinds of workers. The silent, steady hour-hand need not envy its noisy little col- league. Each man must fill the measure of his capacity. Your business is to do your allotted work, so as to moet the approbation of the Master. — Jos. Parker, D.D. (b) There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgotful of his high calling, there is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works; in idleness alone is thero perpetual despair It has been written, "an endless significance lies in work " — as man perfects himself by writing. Foul jungles are cleared away, fair sood-fl -Ids rise instead, and stately cities; and withal, the 4 J ciur. ni. I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. man bimself first ceases to be a jungle and foul, unwholesome desert thereby. Consider how' even in the meanest sorts of Labour, the whole soul of a man is composed into a kind of real harmony, the instant he sets himself to work! Doubt, Desire, Sorrow, Remorse, Indignation, Despair itself, all these, like hell- dogsClie beleaguering the soul of the poor day- worker, as of every man; but as he bends himself with free valour against his task, all these aro stilled, all these shrink murmuring far off into their caves. The man is now a man. The blessed glow of Labour in him, is it not a purifying fire, wherein all poison is burnt up ? and of sour smoke itself there is made bright, blessed flame ! . . . . Work is of a religious nature ; work is of a brace nature, which it is the aim of all religion to be Admirable was that of the old monks, " Laborare est orare : Work is Wor- ship." .... All true Work is sacred: in all true Work, were it but true hand-labour, there is something of divineness. Labour, wide as the Earth, has its summit in Heaven. Sweat of the brow ; and up from that to sweat of tho brain, sweat of the heart : which in- cludes all Kepler calculations, Newton medi- tations, all Sciences, all spoken Epics, all acted Heroisms, Martyrdoms — up to that "Agony of bloody sweat." which all men have called divine ! 0 brother ! if this is not " worship," then I say the more pity for wor- ship, for this is the noblest thing yet discovered under God's sky ! Who art thou that corn- plainest of thy life of toil ? Complain not. Look up, my wearied brother; see thy fellow- Workmen there, in God's Eternity ; sur- viving there, they alone surviving : sacred band of the Immortals, celestial Body-guard of the Empire of Mankind ! Even in the weak Human Memory they survive so long, as saints, as heroes, as gods ; they alone sur- viving; peopling, they alone, the immeasured solitudes of Time ! To thee, Heaven, though severe, is not unkind ; Heaven is kind — as a noble Mother ; as that Spartan Mother, say- ing, while she gave her son his shield, '"With it, my son, or upon it ! " Thou too shalt re- turn home, in honour to thy far-distant Home, in honour ; doubt it not — if in the 1: attle thou keep thy shield ! Thou, in the Eternities and deepost Death-kingdoms, art not an alien ; thou everywhere art a denizen! Complain not ; the very Spartans did not complain. — Thos. Carlyle. (c) The man who has adopted the church as a profession, as other men adopt the law, or the army, or the navy, and goes through the routine of its duties with the coldness of a mere official — filled by him, the pulpit seems filled by the ghastly form of a skeleton, that, in its cold and bony fingers, holds a burning lamp. — Thos. Guthrie, D.D. God's Claims upon Man's Service. {Verses 11-13.) The=e verses suggest the following observations : — I. That God's claims upon man's service are incontestable. Upon what are they grounded ? 1. Upon what He is in Himself. " The Levites shall be Mine . . . Mine shall they be. 1 am the Lord." The concluding words of verse 13 are better thus expressed : " Mine shall they be, Mine, the Lord's." He is the Propri- etor of all things. All things and all persona were created by Him, and are sustained by Him. He is over all. He is the greatest, the best Being. And as such His claim upon man is complete and indisputable. The inventor has a right to his invention; the maker to the thing made. So God, etc. The Supremely Great and Good has a right to the admiration, the worship, and the service of all intelligent beings. 2. Upon what He does for man. u All the firstborn are mine ; for on the GO day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel," etc. The preservation of the firstborn of the Israelites on the dread night when all the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain is here put forth by the Lord as a ground of claim upon them. Their preservation was an exercise of the Divine mercy. He spared them that they might devote themselves unre- servedly to His service. God spares the sinful race of man, and constantly confers upon the ill-deserving many choice gifts. He has redeemed us at a great cost, — " not with corruptible things, as silver and gold ; but with the precious blood of Christ." His claims upon us are not only incontro- vertible, but most heart-couitraiuing also. («) Such being the character of His claims upon us, we cannot withhold from Him our loyal and hearty service ROMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. III. without incurring the guilt of manifest fraud and basest ingratitude. II. There is a correspondence be- tween the gifts and the claims of God. His demands are proportioned to His bestowments. He had spared the lives of the firstborn of Israel, and He claims the firstborn. " Unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required : and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." " Freely ye have received, freely give." All our possessions and powers involve corresponding responsibilities, (b) 1. This is righteous. No one can truthfully complain that the require- ments of God are unreasonable or ex- cessive. 2. This is beneficent. By the opera- tion of this principle the weak are aided by the sti'ong, the great and gifted render much and noble service, etc. Let no one boast of the greatness of his powers or possessions, as though they were his own, etc. " For who maketh thee to differ ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? " etc. Let us rather be humble, and faithful in the use of all our gifts in God's service. III. The Divine arrangements are ever marked by infinite wisdom and kindness. In the substitution of the tribe of Levi for the firstborn of all the tribes, we have an illustration of this. " And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in- stead of all the firstborn," etc. 1. By assigning the sacred duties of the service of the tabernacle to the one tribe they would be likely to be more faith- fully and efficiently performed. The un- divided interest of the tribe would be devoted to this holy calling. 2. By this arrangement the conve- nience of the nation was undoubtedly con- sulted. The Divine requirements in this respect would be the more easily complied with by this arrangement than by that for which it was substituted. 3. The tribe of Levi was numerically the most fitted for these duties. " This was the smallest tribe, and they were quite enough for the service. To have had a more numerous tribe at this time would have been very inconvenient." 4. The tribe of Levi had manifested its moral fitness for these duties. By their faithful and courageous defence of the honour of] the Lord, by slaying the •worshippers of the golden calf, the chil- dren of Levi had shown themselves to be the most suitable of all the tribes for this service. So we are able to trace the wisdom and kindness of God in this arrangement. And all His plans and doings are perfectly wise and kind. "We may not always be able to discover this wisdom and kindness. But the limita- tion of our powers should never be re- garded as a reason for questioning the Divine perfections. Let every addi- tional illustration of His wisdom and goodness that we discover lead us to cherish increased gratitude to Him, andto repose increased confidence in Him. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) A gentleman, visiting a slave-mart, was deeply moved by the agony of a slave- girl, who had been delicately roared, and feared that she should fall into the hands of a rough master. The gentleman inquired her price, paid it to the slave-trader, then placed the bill of sale in her own hands, tolling her she was free, and could now go home. The slave-girl could not roaliso tho change at first, but, running after her redeemer, cried, " Ho has redeemed mo ! he has redeemed me ! Will you let me be your servant ? " How much more should we serve Him who has redeemed lis from sin, death, and holl ? — Diet, of Must. E 2 (/>) Thyself and thy belongings Are not thine own so proper, as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee. Heaven doth with us, as wo with torches do ; Not light them for themselves : for if our virtues Did not go forth of ua, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, But to fine issues : nor nature never londs The smallest scruple of her excellence, But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, Both thanks and use. — Shakespeare. '• Measure for Measure," i. 1. 51 CHAP. III. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. The earth that in her genial breast Makes foi the down a kindly nest, Where wafted by the warm south-west It floats at pleasure, Yields, thankful, of her very best, To nurse her treasure : True to her trust, tree, herb, or reed, She renders for each scatter'd seed. And to her Lord with duteous heed Gives large increase: Thus year by year she works unfeed, And will not cease. Woe worth, these barren hearts of ours, Where Thou has set celestial flowers, And water'd with more balmy shower? Than e'er distili'd In Eden, on th' ambrosial bowers — Yet nought we yield. Largely Thou givest, gracious Lord Largely Thy gifts should be restor'd , Freely Thou givest, and Thy word Is, " Freely give." lie only, who forgets to hoard, Has learn'd to live. Jiebtc. The Measure of the Divine Demands upon Man. (Verses 12, 13.) In the text God calls attention to the reason he had for selecting a tribe for the service of the sanctuary. It was to be in lieu of the firstborn, who were specially His because He smote the firstborn of Egypt to effect the de- liverance of Israel. He had a right to the firstborn in the sense that all are His ; but, in addition to that, they are now His, as redeemed by Him. It is the same with us now. While all things and all men are God's, the Christian is especially His — he is His child. God is said to be the father of us all ; and so He is. But then we have sinned, and have thereby forfeited all our rights. "We are the prisoners of Justice. The parent of the criminal cannot exercise his fatherly functions: practically his child has ceased to be his, for the State claims him. So with us and God. Although as Creator He is the Father of us all, yet, through our sin, we are practically not His children. He cannot exercise the paternal func- tions towards us till we are ransomed from the curse of the law and become free, which we only do in and through Christ. It is then, by redemption, that we become His dear children, and enjoy all the privileges of sonship. Thus Christians, like the firstborn, specially belong to God ; for he has not only given them being, but he has ransomed them. The text further contains a principle of deep importance to us. As God fimote the firstborn of Egypt, He de- manded the firstborn of Israel. The 52 measure of their redemption became the measure of His demands from them. He expected them, and He expects us to do in our way what He has done in His way for us. He calls upon us to give to Him what He has given to us. We find the same principle in the New Testament. Christ is more than the sacrifice for sin : He is our Pattern. As He made Himself of no reputation, we are to have the mind that was in Him. We are to crucify self, to die to sin, and to rise again in newness of life. We shall now take two compre- hensive points. I. God gave the bsst He had to effect our salvation. He withheld not His only begotten, His well-beloved Son. A parent's love to his child is the deepest and tenderest. Such was God's love to Christ. The sacrifice was the greatest that the Father could make. We feel sure that if man could have been saved in any other way the Son would have been spared the ignominy, the bitterness, and the pain He endured through His life and in His death. God gave Him, the best, the chiefest treasure that He had, for our ransom. In this wo have a significant hint of what He expects from us. We must give Hirn the very best of all we are and of all we have. As there was no salvation without God giving His best for us, so there is no religion unless we are prepared to give our best to Him. There is no hardship in this. It really means no more than H0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciur. in. this, that we are to love Ilim supremely. He asks nothing of us that He has not done for us first Himself. In the life of Christ this is conspicuous. He lived all His sermons. He taught much that was new, that was hard to do, and was against the practice of the world ; but He did it all first Himself. God has given us His hest in giving His Son ; let us then give our best of everything to Him. II. The Son gave Himself. On the part of Christ there was the sacrifice of His own life as the ransom for our sin. Redemption is more than doctrine — it is the Son of God giving Himself for man. Just so, religion is more than creed — it is man giving Himself to God. Christ might have given many things; but nothing would do for our salvation but the consecra- tion of Himself. This is the extent of God's demand on us. " My son, give me thine heart." We have to yield ourselves to Ilim. Not merely to die for Him, but to give up ourselves to live for Him — to burn out in His work — to be faithful unto death — which is often harder to do than to die for Ilim. Many are willing to give time, talents, money. But Christ wants us. He knows that if we give Ilim our heart we shall give Ilim all; and if we with- hold this from Him, we give Ilim nothing at all. Consecrate yourselves to Ilim as He did Himself for you. This is the great principle of the text. And it is the principle which governs God's demands of us at the present day. Let us sacrifice ourselves to God as He sacrificed His Son for us. I urge this because — 1. Thus only can we attain to a hiijh ideal in religion. Be the best possible Christian : be not content with medio- crity : aim high. 2. This is the best way to be useful. The power of Christianity is in the fact of Christ giving Himself. Our influence for good is in proportion to our self-sacrifice. 3. This is the way to enjoy religion. The more we give of self to God, the more will He give of Himself to us. Let all think of what God has done for them, and consider what returns they have made to Him. David Lloyd. The Numbering of the Levites : Command axd Obedience. (Verses 14- 1G.) In these verses we have the command of the Lord to Moses to number the Levites, and the record of the obedience of Moses. In dealing with the com- mand we shall notice only such sug- gestions as arise out of that part of it in which it differs most from the com- mand to number the other tribes. In the other tribes " every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war " were numbered. But concerning the tribe of Levi, Moses is directed to number ' every male from a month old and upward." This command is suggestive of— I. The interest of God in childhood. The tribe of Levi was not appointed to the same service as the other tribes ; and, consequently, they are not num- bered by the same rule. M Number the children of Levi, — every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them." The Levites "were to be sanctified to Jehovah in the place of the firstborn ; and it was at the age of a month that the latter were either to be given up or redeemed " (compare verses 40 and 43 with chap, xviii. 16). The children of the Levites were to be taught that from their infancy they belonged to the Lord, and were dedi- cated to His service. Only 8.580 out of 22,000 were regarded as fit to be employed in the service of the taber- nacle, yet all were numbered as be- longing to the Lord. God is profoundly and tenderly interested in childhood. In His spiritual Kingdom, in which all His loyal subjects are priests, He claims for His service every child eren from the very dawn of its existence. His 03 ciiAr. in. UOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. interest in little children is strikingly illustrated in the presentation of the little child by the Lord to His disciples as the picture of the " greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt, xviii. 1-6.) And perhaps even more strikingly in the blessing which He bestowed upon the infants that were brought to Him for that purpose. (Matt. xix. 13-15.) It is the duty of Christian parents to recognise God's claim upon their offspring, and to dedicate them to Him. That dedication cannot take place too early, since from their very birth they are His by the divinest rights. It is also their duty to train their children for Him. " Ye fathers, pro- voke not your children to wrath ; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Let parents be encouraged in the performance of their duty by the interest of God in their offspring. He will approve and bless their devout efforts, (a) The command here given to Moses suggests, — II. The generosity of God's deal- ings with man. He here accepts even infants, who must live many years before they can actively engage in His service, in ex- change for able-bodied men. " Observe we again with comfort," saith Bishop Babington, " what exchanges God maketh with men. He taketh a child of a month old, and foregoeth a first- born of ripe years. Such is His manner and most gracious goodness ; He glveth more than He wanteth, and gainers ever are His children by Him. Job had a bitter trial and a heavy loss, yet mark the end, and the Lord made him greater than ever he was — the Lord blessing the last days of Job, as the text saith, more than the first, etc. David's child was taken away, but a far better was given again, even Solomon, the wisest son that ever father had. A cake was taken of the poor widow of Sarepta for His prophet, but what a requital made God unto her? The meal in the barrel and the oil in the cruse decayed not till other comfort grew. Another kindness done by the Shunamite, was it not recompensed by that blessing that was so vehemently wished — even a son ; first given, and after revived from death to life again ? Think of the saying in the Gospel con- cerning this point : ' Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My sake and the Gospel's, but he shall receive an hundred-fold now at this present, houses, aud breth- ren, and sisters, and mothers, and chil- dren, and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come life everlasting.' See the change, and mark the gain for your exceeding comfort. Such a God is our God, that not a cup of cold water can be given, but He will yield a far greater gift for it. "We cannot visit Him, feed Him, clothe Him, etc., in His poor members, but He will acknow- ledge it before the host of heaven, and give that which passeth ten thousand worlds — eternal joy in heaven." Let us notice, — III. The obedience of God's ser- vant. " And Moses numbered them accord- ing to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded." The point to which pro- minence is here given is the complete- ness of the obedience. It was not merely general, but particular. He conformed to the directions which he had received from the Lord in detail. Herein he is an example to us. Nothing which God directs can be trifling or unimportant. What Infinite Wisdom commands mi- nutely, it must be both our duty and our interest minutely to do. " General obedience," says Dr. Parker, " is only so far good: we must be minute and exhaustive, or we shall incur Divine displeasure. Learn that Divine language never exceeds Divine meaning. There is siguificance in every word ; you cannot amputate a single syllable without doing violence to the Divine idea." Let us strive to render complete and hearty obedience to all the commands of God. (b) 54 U0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. III. ILLUSTRATIONS. («) God's interest in human life begins at the earliest possible period. This is an argu- ment for infant baptism which I have never known to be touched, much less shaken. The narrow critics who have taken upon thom- sclvcs to settle that question, have been fight- ing each other with Greek derivatives and grammatical iDfloxions, as if any moral question could bo settled by such means ! I make this question ono of life, not one of grammar ; and 1 put this direct and urgent inquiry — namely, When doos God's interest in human life begin .' When doos Christ's heart begin to yearn in pity over all human creatures? When doos com- passion's tear well into the Redeemer's eyes? When does Ho feel the kindling of love to- wards human boings ? Is it when they are live years old, or ten — does He shut up His love until they arc twenty-one ? The question may appear quaint, but I press it; I urge a distinct answer — When does Christ's interest in human life begin ? I contend that His interest re- lates to life, not to age ; to birth, not to birth- days. As soon as a child is born, that great redeeming heart yearns with pitying love. What has Christ to do with what we call aye ? What is aye? It may bo useful for us to keep a record of anniversaries, to tabulato for sta- tistical purposes, to call one man twenty and another forty, though forty, in reality, may be less than twenty; but will you presumo to reduce Christ to a commercial agent, who deals •with men according to their age? No! I hold to it as a sweet joy, a most delicious and enrapturing thought, that Jesus Christ in- terests Himself in mo, that my namo was written in His heart ere it foil from my mother's lips, and that before a father knows the mystery and pride of parental life, Jesus es- perioncos the travail of tho soul which yoarns to make tho child an heir of immortality.— Jos. Parker, D.D. {b) Nothing is more certain or clear than that human souls are mado for law, and so for tho abodo of God. Without law therofore, without God, they must oven freeze and die. Hence even Christ Himself must needs estab- lish and sanctify tho law ; for tho deliverance and liberty Ho comes to bring aro still to bo sought only in obedience. Henceforth duty is the biother of liberty, and both rejoice in tho common motherhood of law. And just here, my friends, is the secret of a groat part of your misery and of tho darkness that envelopes your life. Without obligation you havo no light, save what littlo may prick through your eyelids. Only ho that keeps God's command- ments walks in tho light. The nioni'-nt you can make a very simple discovery, viz., that obligation to God is your privilogo, and is not imposed as a burden, your experience will teach you many things — that duty is liborty, that repentance is a release from sorrow, that sacrifice is gain, that humility is dignity, that tho truth from which you hide is a healing elomont that bathes your disordered life, and that even the penalties and terrors of God aro tho artillery only of protection to His realm. — //. Bushnell, D.D. It ought to be the gr?at care of every one of us to follow the Lord fully. We must, in a course of obedience to God's will, and service to His honour, follow Him universally, with- out dividing; uprightly, without dissembling; cheerfully, without disputing; and constantly, without declining: and this is following Him fully.— M. Henry. Sacked Things and Duties. (Verses 17-39.) Critical Notes. Verse 3G. The custody and charge. Margin: "Hebrew, the office of the charge." Verse 38. Keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the chit of Israel, " i.e., to attend to everything that was binding upon the children of Israel in relation to the care of the sanctuary, as no stranger was allowed to approach it on pain of death." — Keil Verse 39. The number of the Levites as stated in this verse is 22,000 ; but as stated in verses 22, 28, and 34, it is 22,300. Various attempts have been made to reconcile the two. That of Dr. Kennicott, given by Dr. A. Clarke, in loco, seems to us the most reasonable. " Formerly, the numbers of the Hebrew Bible were expressed by letters, and not by words of full length ; and if two nearly similar letters were mistaken for each other, many errors in the number must be the consequence. Nov it is probable that an error has crept into the number of the Gershonites, verse 22, where instead of 7,iJC0 we should read 7,200 as f caph, 500, might have been easily mi.-ta^en fori . _ especially if the down stroke of the had been a little shorter than ordinary, which is often the case in DISS." Ku! and Del. regard the di | i)0 CHAP, III. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. as arising from "a copyist's error in the number of one of the Levitical families; possibly in verse 28 we should read 0*710 for t'V (8.300 for 8,600)." In these verses we have the record of the numbering of the Levites, with the names of the chiefs who had the over- sight of them, the places assigned to them about the tabernacle, and the duties as distributed amongst them. They suggest the following homiletic points. Notice — I. The Divine directions for in- suring order. By Divine direction the whole tribe is arranged in four divisions, the fami- lies composing each division are clearly distinguished, the station of each divi- sion is appointed, a chief is set over each division, and Eleazar the son of Aaron is appointed chief over the chiefs. In this we clearly discover a Divine recognition of — 1. The importance of arrangement and order. (See our notes and illustration on chap, ii., verses 1 and 2, on this point.) 2. The importance of supervision and authority for the maintenance of order. (On this point see our notes and illus- trations on Society's need of leaders, ch. i. 4-16.) II. The Divine distribution of duty. 1. The duties were distributed amongst the ichole. No family was exempted ; nor was any individual of the prescribed age, etc. There was work for all, and for every one. So in our day there is most urgent need for the services of every true man and woman. The greatest need of both the Church and the world is true-hearted labourers. '• There's something for us all to do In this great world of ours ; Thoro's work for mo; there's work for you, Il'iavon stnds no idlo hours: We have a mission to perform, A post of trust to fill, Then rouso the soul, and norvo tho arm And lond the lofty will." (a) 2. The duties distributed to each division wt re different from those distributed to the other divisions. Moses, and Aaron and his sons, were appointed to the position of the highest honour and the weightiest responsibility. The duties which rank 50 second in honour were allotted to the Kohathites. To the Merarites, which, though the smallest of the families of Levi, yet contained the largest number of able-bodied men (compare vers. 22, 28, 34, and ch. iv. vers. 36, 40, 44), were allotted the most heavy and laborious duties. All men cannot work at the same tasks or in the same way. Division of duty is ( 1) necessary, because , of the differences in the kind and degree of ability amongst men. (b) It is also (2) advantageous. By means of it more work may be accomplished and better. The advantage will be found both in the quantity and in the quality of the results. Contrast the ancient and the modern method of pin manufacture in illustration of this point. 3. The duties of all were Divine. All were engaged in the service of God ; all were appointed by God. The duties were assigned to each division and to all as a "charge" from God— a sacred trust. So now, all duty, even the low- liest and most menial, when rightly re- garded and faithfully discharged, is holy. The highest duties can never of them- selves exalt the hireling or the unfaith- ful worker; but the spirit of the faith- ful and devoted woiker will dignify and hallow the meanest labours, (c) III. The Divine recognition of the sacredness of things associated with religious worship. Not only the ark and the altars, but the hangings, the coverings, the cords, the boards, the bars, the sockets, the pins, etc., connected with the tabernacle were given in solemn charge to the Levites. All these things were to be held as sacred. And if any stranger came nigh to the sanctuary itself he was to be put to death. And still there are sacred places and sacred things. They have been made sacred neither by the " consecration " of pope or cardinal, of archbishop or bishop, nor by the " dedication " of any minister or minis- ters ; but by the memories which gather round them, or by the uses to which they are set apart. To reverent spirits the commonest things are hallowed by sacred uses, and even the plainest places are consecrated by pure and pre- II0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. III. cious associations The spiritual his- tory of every godly man has its sacred places. And have we not each things which are profoundly sacred to us per- sonally ? ((/) Conclusion : Let us endeavour to be true and tender in sentiment, pure and reverent in feeling, and hearty and faithful in duty. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) There is somothing for all to do, but by different instruments — one by his organ, another by his piano, another by his paint- brush, another by his sculptor's chisel, another by his plough, another by his carpenter's tools, another by his trowel — every man by that to which he is called in tho providence of God, that ho may give some expression to the in- wardness that is waked up in him. There are rude workmen who have, back of their hand, back of their skill, a soul that is trying to express itself in the realities of life. This is the ordination which makes true manhood and true genius.— II. W. Beecher. (V) See the illustration on verses 5-10, by Dr. Parker. (c) Teach me, my God and King, In all things Thee to see, And what I do in any thing, To do it as for Thee : Not rudely, as a beast, To run into an action; But still to make Thee prepossest, And give it his perfection. A man that looks on glass, On it may stay his eye; Or. if he pleaseth, through it piss, And then the heav'n espie. All may of Thee partake: Nothing can be so mean, Which with his tincture (for Thy sake) Will not grow bright and clean. A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine : Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, Makes that and th' action line. This is the famous stone That turneth all to gold : For that which God doth touch and own Cannot for less bo told. George Herbert, See also tho illustration by Carlylo given under verses 5-10. () Gentlemen, yours is a noble vocation. To be the ally of Christ in His great en- deavour to save the world, — with Him to assert the authority of tho throne and law of God; with Him to support human weakness in its vacillating endeavours to do the Divine will; to inspire the sinful with trust in the ^ Divine mercy; to console sorrow ; to awaken in the hearts of the poor, the weak, the deso- late, the consciousness of their relations to tho Infinite and Eternal God ; to exalt and dignify the lives of old men and maidens, young men and children, by revealing to them things unseen and eternal which surround them now, and the mysterious, awful, glorious life which lies beyond death — this is a great work. There is nothing on earth comparable to it. — R. W. Dale, D.D. (c) As Paul shows the Thessalonians how the preachers of the Word should be honoured, so he teaches the Philippians how to honour their teacher, saying: — "Receive him in the Lord with great gladness, and make much of such " (ii. 29) ; that is, show yourselves glad of him, that he may be glad of you. Have you any need to be taught why Paul would have you make much of such ? Because they are like lamps which consume themselves to give light to others ; so they consume them- selves to givo light to you. Because they are like a hen which clucks hor chickens together from the kyte ; so they cluck you together from the serpent. Because they are like the great shouts which beat down the walls of Jericho ; so they beat down the walls of sin. Because they are like the fiery pillar which went before the Israelites to the Land of Promise, so they go before you to the Land of Promise. Because they are like good Andrew, who called his brother to see the Messias ; so they call you to see the Messias ; and there- fore make much of such. — Henry Smith. Ho's Christ's ambassador that man of God, Steward of God's own mysteries ! From on high His warrant is: his charge, aloud to cry, And spread his Master's attributes abroad, His works, His ark of mercy, and His rod Of justice : his to sinners to supply The means of grace, and point how they may fly Hell-flames, and how Heaven's pathway must be trod. Hold him in honour on his works' account, And on his Master's! Though a man he be, And with his flock partako corruption's fount, Holy and reverend is his ministry : And, hark ! a voice sounds from the heavenly mount, " He that despiseth you, despiseth Me ! " Bishop Mant. U2 HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. IV. CHAPTER IV. Critical Notes.— Ver. 3. N1S, host, " signifies military service, and is used here with special reference to the ser- vice of the Levites as the militia sacra of Jehovah." — Keil and Del. Ver. 4. " Omit the word about, which is unnecessarily supplied. The sense is, ' this is the charge of the sons of Kohath, the most holy things : ' i.e., the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Shew- bread, the Candlestick, and the Golden Altar, as appears from the verses fol- lowing, together with the furniture per- taining thereto." — Speaker's Comm. Ver. 6. Put in the staves. " Rather probably, ' put the staves thereof in order.' These were never taken out of the golden rings by which the Ark was to be borne (see Exod. xxv. 14, 15), but would need adjustment after the process described in vers. 5 and 6, which would be likely to disturb them." — Ibid. Vers. 10 and 12. BIBn, a }jar, a bearing frame, or as in ch. xiii. 23, a pole for bearing on the shoulder. Ver. 20. When the holy things are covered. " Literally, Vl-^ Keballa, when they are swallowed down; which shows the promptitude with which every- thing belonging to the holy of holies was put out of sight, for these mysteries must ever be treated with the deepest reverence." — A. Clarke. "Render: to see the holy things for an instant. The expression means literally, ' as a gulp,' i.e., for the instant it takes to swallow." — Speaker's Comm. The numbering in this chapter differs from that recorded in the preceding chapter. In that every male from a month old and upward of the tribe of Levi was numbered, in order that they might take the place of the firstborn of all the tribes. In this only those who were fitted by their age for the service of the tabernacle, " from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old," were numbered for that ser- vice. The first main division of this chap- ter (vers. 1-20) we shall take as suggest- ing for homiletic treatment the following subject : — AsrECTS OF THE CHRISTIAN MlXISTRY. ( Verses 1-20.; Looking at these verses in this light, the following points are suggested. The Christian ministry is, — I. An arduous service. The Levites were here numbered M from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation." The men selected for service were in the full maturity of their physical powers. Such men were needed, for the labour of the Levites was very severe during the journeyings of the Israelites. " When we consider," says A. Clarke, " that there was not less than 10 tons 13 Clot. 24 lbs. 14 o:., i.e., almost ten tons and fourteen hundred pounds' weight of metal employed in the taber- nacle, besides the immense weight of the skins, hangings, cords, boards, and posts, we shall find it was no very easy matter to transport this moveable temple from place to place." " The work of the ministry," says Trapp, " is not an idle man's occupation, but a labouring even to lassitude ; compared therefore to harvest work, and to that of cleaving wood, digging in mine-pit-, rowing with oars, etc. All the comfort is, that God that helped the Levites to bear the Ark of the Covenant (1 Chron. xv. 2G), will not be wanting to His weak, but willing servants, ' that labour in the Word and doctrine' (1 Tim. v. 17)." II. A Holy Warfare. 62 CHAP. IV, I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. The service of the Levites is regarded in this aspect in the third verse, where all who engage in it are said to " enter into the host." This is expressed more fully and clearly in verse 23 : " all that enter in to perform the service." Margin : " to war the warfare." Fuerst: "to do military service." In the New Testament the ministry of the Word is called a warfare, and faithful ministers of the Gospel good soldiers of Christ, and their doctrines weapons of war. Compare 2 Cor. x. 3, 4 ; 1 Tim. i. 18 ; 2 Tim. ii. 3 ; iv. 7. " Every faithful minister," says Burkitt, " is a spiritual soldier, warring under Jesus Christ, his captain and chief com- mander : must the soldier be called and do all by commission ? So must the minister. Must the soldier be armed, trained up, and disciplined, and made fit for service ? So must the minister. Must the soldier shun no dangers, stick at no difficulties, pass through thick and thin ? must he use allowed weapons, approved armour of his general's direct- ing, not of his own inventing ? All this must the minister be and do ... . He must also please his Captain, not please himself, his appetite, his pride, his covetousness, much less must he please the enemies he is to fight against — the devil, the world, and the flesh." III. A Sacred Charge. The Levites had to do with conse- crated things ; the Kohathites with " the most holy things." They are most solemnly enjoined to exercise the most reverent cure in the performance of their duties. They were to carry the most holy things, but not to touch them or curiously pry into them upon pain of death (verses 15, 17-20). The ministry of the Gospel is a charge still more sacred, lie who is called to its high and holy duties is under the most solemn obligations to expound the re- vealed will of God, to break the bread of life to men, to labour diligently for the salvation of souls, and to seek in all things the glory of God. He is solemnly charged to " preach the word, convict, rebuke, exhort in all long suf- fering and teaching;" to "feed the flock of God, . . . being ensamples to C4 the are the the flock." "They watch for souls, as they that must give account." Our text suggests further, that the Christian ministry, — IV. Demands the exercise of highest faculties of those who called to it. It demands — 1. Their mature powers. Of Levites numbered for active service none were to ba under thirty or over fifty years old : they were to be in the very zenith of physical strength. And the duties of the Christian ministry challenge the utmost energies of those who undertake them. The design of this arrangement was probably two- fold: (1) That the service might be satis- factorily performed. The Levitical duties in the wilderness could be properly discharged only by strong men. It is noteworthy that Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, and David when he began to reign, and John the Baptist when he entered upon his mission, and Jesus Christ when He commenced His min- istry. But is this a rule binding the Church of Christ ? Certainly not ; for a man may be young in years, yet old in gifts, and in the graces of character which are necessary to this calling. And, on the other hand, a man may be old in years, yet a mere babe as regards the gifts and graces requisite for this sacred office. " Such as execute this holy calling," says Attersoll, " ought to be qualified with judgment, gravity, sobriety, integrity, diligence, yea with power, courage, strength, and to have agility and ability in mind and body, that they may do all things wisely, ex- actly, studiously, and constantly." (a) 2. That the servants might not be over- burdened. That this end was contem- plated in this arrangement appears from this, that the young men were taken into training when they were twenty- five years of age, and into laborious service when they were thirty, and the aged did not cease from service at fifty, but only from severe labours (see ch. viii. 23-2G). And it is important that the energies of the young Christian minister be not over-taxed, lest both the IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAT. IV. quality and duration of his service be diminished thereby. And as for the aged, as M. Henry remarks, " twenty years' good service was thought pretty well for one man." 2. Their acquaintance with their duties. The duties of the priests and of the Levites of each division are particularly set forth in this chapter. Each one must become acquainted with his own. The Christian minister must learn his Master's will, study his Master's Word, thoughtfully consider the needs of those amongst whom he labours, etc. 3. A reverent spirit. Reverently were the sacred vessels to be borne and re- garded. Prying curiosity was utterly and sternly prohibited. " Note the great care," says Babington, " God hath to maintain reverence of holy things in men's hearts, knowing the corruption of man in soon despising that which is common. And when lie sowisheth reverence, shall man be care- less of it ? " And Attersoll : " We must do nothing that may make our ministry fruitless and bring it into contempt, but seek to adorn it and beautify it b}r all reverent carriage of ourselves in it, and in the discharge of the duties of it." (b) 4. A faithful and dutiful spirit. Each one was required to do his own duty, not meddling with those of others. Their well-being, and even their very life, depended upon the faithful per- formance by each one of his own service (verses 15, 17-20). The progress, health, even the stability of human society are inseparable from a faithful discharge of the duties of the Christian ministry. Upon this point the testimony of history is unequivocal. (See remarks on this point on ch. i. 47-54.) ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) We all see and must confess, that an aged man, ripe in judgment and experience, is more tit for government than a younger, des- titute of sucb mature wisdom and knowledge, be the place ecclesiastical or civil. Whereupon Silla said of J/a?i'us the younger, De.he.re juvenem prius remo quam gubemaculo admoveri. That a young man was lirst to be appointed to the oar and then to the stem. Fruit that is not ripe will serve so well neither for use nor store as ripe fruit will. The untimely fruit of a woman is a cause of grief, and not of com- fort. The young fowls that are not fledged cannot fly, and green walls of any building should have no weight laid upon them till they were settled and sound. Non difficulter delec- tabit oratio magis ornata quam solida, etc. Sed difficillime ute oporlet, docebit, etc. Easily may a speech that hath more beauty than sub- stance please, but never so well teach as that which hath matter and substance in it. The one usually is the speech of young men, the other of elder. Look, saith Plutarch, how a dart difTereth in his piercing, according to the strength of the arm that cast it, so differeth the word of a young and old man. The one cometh from a weaker strength, and so piorceth loss; the other from a strong ability, and so entereth even through and through. The old man's speech, saith the same auhtor again, is like to a strong and sweet ointment, that filleth all the room with his sweetness. — Hishop Babington. Ministers have oftentimes given unto them in the Scripture the name of Elders. Many titles are given unto them, and every one of them carriethsome instruction and admonition with it unto the conscience. They nave not their names in vain, they are not idle sounds of vain words, but they offer tho signification of some duty to be performed, and lead to the consideration of something to be practiced, as shepherds call to their remembrance to be busied in feeding; watchmen, to prove to them that they ought to have a vigilant care of the City of God ; messengers, that they must not do their own business, but His that sent them. So they are called Elders, 1 Tim. v. 17, 19; 1 Pet. v. 1; Acts xiv, 23, xv, 2. xvi. 4, and xx. 17, to imprint and engrave in their hearts, tho cogitation and consideration of tho care, wisdom, sobriety, and stayednoss that ought to be in men of that calling; all which gifts are for the most part proper to men of that age, for " days shall speak, and the mul- titude of years teach wisdom," Job xxxii. 7. And therofore they are rosembled unto them, not because they aro so always in age, but be- cause they should be like unto them, and have tho properties and qualities of them. — J/'. AtteraolL (6) Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul, Were he on earth, would hoar, approvo, and own — Paul should himself direct mo. I would trace His master strokes, and draw from his .: I would express him simple, grave, sincere; In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain, And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste And natural in gesture; much imp Himself, as conscious of His awful charge, And anxious mainly that the llock he feeds May feel it too ; affectionate in look And tender in address, as well becomes A messenger of graco to guilty men. — Coupcr. G5 CHAP. IV. IWMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. Divine Secrets and Human Curiosity. (Verse 20.) I. There are certain things in the universe which are hidden from man. The vessels of the sanctuary were concealed from the Levites. To the priests themselves the Holy of holies was a secret place, into which they dare not enter. And even the high priest might enter therein only once a year, and that after careful and significant preparation. In these arrangements we have an illustration of the truths that there are certain realms in the universe which are accessible only to God, and certain things which are concealed from man. This is the case, 1. In the material universe. Nature has secrets the existence of which is not even conjectured by her most en- thusiastic students, and mysterious pro- vinces into which neither the most daring nor the most reverent enquirer can enter, (a) 2. In the arrangements of Providence. In the dealings of God with nations and with the race as a whole, there are inscrutable mysteries to us. In His dealings with us as families and as indi- viduals, there are things the wisdom and love and righteousness of which we cannot discover — things which perplex, and sometimes confound and distress us. " Clouds and darkness are round about Him." "Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known." " How un- searchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out ! " 3. In the economy of redemption. There are deepest, closest secrets here. We ask question after question, to . which, at present, we receive no reply. " Great is the mystery of godliness," etc., " Which things the angels desire to look into." 4. In flic character and contents of the future. " Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." "Ye know not what shall be on the morrow." Let us notice concerning these secrets that, First : They are inevitable. " We are but of yesterday and know nothing, be- 6G cause our days upon the earth are as a shadow." It is utterly unreasonable to suppose that we, with our limited facul- ties and brief existence, should compre- hend the works and ways, the thoughts and utterances of the Infinite and Eternal. " Canst thou by searching find out God ? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection ? " Comp. Job xxxviii. — xli. Second : They are merciful. The intense light of a fuller and clearer revelation might, were it given, smite us with spiritual blindness. As cloud and shadow and darkness in nature are good for us, so the Divine re- serve is good for us spiritually. What man is there of us who could bear the revelation of the scenes and events which await him and his dear friends in the future ? (b) Third : They are educational. Myste- ries provoke enquiry ; and reverent en- quiry conduces to intellectual and spiri- tual growth. Wonderful are the dis- coveries of wisdom, and power, of righteousness, and love which God will make to His children in the endless hereafter. Let us be thankful for the Divine reserve. " We do amiss," says Dr. Parker, "to stand before these sub- lime mysteries as we would stand before a vizored army of bloodthirsty foes. We should stand before them as before the veiled images of Love. They are \V isdom in disguise. They are Affection in shadow. They are Royalty in its royalest pomp." II. Men are prone to curiously pry into hidden things. This is clearly implied in the careful and minute directions for covering the sacred furniture of the sanctuary, in the prohibition of the text, and in the stern penalty annexed to any breach of this prohibition. There is a sad ten- dency in human nature, as it now is, to curious enquiry concerning forbidden things. It has been well said by Monro : " Curiosity is a languid principle, where access is easy, and gratification imme- diate; remoteness and difficulty are H0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAT. IV. powerful incentives to its vigorous and lasting operations." In proportion as the secret things are regarded as mys- terious, important, or sacred, will the strength of curiosity be in relation to them. III. Irreverent prying into hidden things may lead to the most terrible residts. " They shall not go in to seo when the holy things are covered " (or, " for an instant," see Critical Notes), "lest they die." The curiosity of Eve concerning the fruit of " the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" led to the spiritual death of our first parents and their countless posterity. All curious enquiries as to sacred things, and irreverent pryings into Divino mysteries, tend to utterly destroy spirituality of mind and faith in the great Christian verities. " Cu- riosity," says Fuller, "is a kernel of the forbidden fruit, which still sticketh in the throat of a natural man, some- times to the danger of his choking." Nor is it less perilous to the spiritually renewed man, leading, as it does, to the death of some of the highest and divinest things of the spirit, (c) Conclusion : 1. Guard against curiously enquiring into Divine secrets. It may be that some of these secrets are part of that ineffable glory into which no man can enter and live. 2. Be humble, seeing that we are snr- rounded by mysteries, counties* and deep. Humility becometh the ignorant. 3. Be reverent in all our enquiries into Divine things. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him," & •. "The meek will He guide in judg- ment," &c. "Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." 4. Let us be diligent in the performance of our manifest duty. " If any man will do His will, He shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God," etc. ILLUSTRATIONS. («) The oye can alight on no spot free from the presence of mystery. Questions may be asked concerning a grass-blade or an insect, ■which no intellect could answer. Men know much about the outside of things, but of the interior organism of the universe, its fine balances, adaptations, springs, impulses, rela- tionships, and purposes, they understand littlo or nothing. No intelligent being can observe the universe without knowing that it is a magnificent mystery. God has imposed silence upon it. In tho thunder-roar of the orean wo never hear the revelation of its mysteries. The whirlwind gives no account of its hidden ■way and unknown tabernacle. Tho glorious stars, in their nocturnal vigils over shine, but never speak the mystery of their birth. Mys- terious, indeed, are all things. Worlds sus- pended upon nothing, the calm, majestic roll of countless orbs, the dew of tho morning, the L'lare of tho lightning, tho riven strata of the earth, the pulsation of unnumbered millions upon millions of hearts, the chequered history of life, the complicated workings and evolu- tions of intellect, all bespeak the power of a Mysterious, Dread BeiDg, whoso ways are un- searchable.— Joseph Parker, D.D. (6) O heaven ! that one might read the book of fate ; And see the revolution of tho times Make mountains level, and the continent (Weary of solid firmness) melt itself f2 Into the sea ! and, other times, to see Tho beachy girdlo of the ocean, Too wide for Neptune's hips; how chances mock And changes fill tho cup of alteration With divers liquors! 0, if this were seen, The happiest youth, viewing his progress through, What perils past, what crosses to ensuo, Would shut the book, and sit him down and die. Shakespeare. Second part of King Henry IV. Ill, I. Were the time of our doath foreseon, what a melancholy character would it impart to tho pursuits and occupations of the human race ! If overy man saw tho moment of his death continually beforo him, how would his thoughts be fixed to tho fatal spot; and, upon its near approach, the consideration of it would probably absorb every othor. With respect to our fellow-creatures, how would it poison tho springs of enjoymont, wore parents and child- ren, husbands and wives, brothers and i i able to calculate with certainty tho period of each others' lives! Wo should seem to bo walking among the victims of death ; tho scenes of human existence would lose all cheerfulness, animation, and beauty. The interests of society would also sustain most serious injury. Many great and noblo enter- prises would never have been begun could tho G7 ciiAr. iv. H0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. per=r>DS who, in the hope of life, engaged in them have foreseen that before they cuuld be concluded, they themselves would be sratched away by the hand of death. Many discoveries, by which great benefit has been conferred on the world would not have been elicited. Few efforts probably would be made to attain any object, the consequences of which terminate with the life of the party, if he aw that they would be intercepted by death. Who would venture to engage in any lucrative employment if he certainly knew that the beoefit would not be even partially realized during the time of his mortal exis- tence ? But, happily for mankind, events are concenlpd — duties only are made known. — Hob. Ita!/, A.M. (c.) How notably again doth this command- ment of hiding and folding them up, teach us to beware of curiosity in things not revealed. What God is pleased we should know, that pafely we may search for and seek to know, but "further we may not go. We must not have an ear to hear when God hath not a mouth to speak. To cat much honey, saith Solomon, is not good; and to search out curiously God's Majesty is to endanger my- self to be oppressed with His glory. Seek not out things which are too hard for thee, neither search the things rush/// which are too mighty for thee, saith wise Siracn. But what God Lath commanded thee, think of that with reverence, be not curious in many of His works: for it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that be secret. Be not curious in superfluous things, for many things are showed unto thee above the capacity of men. The meddling with such hath be- guiled many, and an evil opinion hath deceived their judgment. Thou canst not see without eyes, profess not therefore the knowledge that thou hast not. Thales the philosopher gazed i so upon the stars, that he fell into the ditch before him, and his maid mocked him. Seneca wisely complained, that a great part of our lifo was spent in doing nothing, a greater part in doing ill, and the greatest part of all in doing that which appertains not to us. This is curiosity in other men's business, and foolish meddling with needless things. Socrates was wise, and said it wisely: " Quce super nos, nihil ad nos ; Matters that are abova us, belong not to us." David, a man indeed with another light than Socrates had, pro- fesseth we know, as he was not high minded, neither had any proud looks; so he did not exercise himself in mattors that were too high for him. But he did wean his soul, and keep it under even as a young child, &c. Bernard taxeth this foul fault in these words, " Multi student magis alta quam apta proferre : Many Study to utter rather high matters than fit matters." Let us avoid this fault. — Bishop Balriiigton. The Burdens of Life. {Verses 21-33.) In these verses we have the Divine directions as to the service of the Ger- shonites and the Merarites. They present an instructive illustration of the burdens of humau life. Regarding them in this light, they suggest concern- ing these burdens that they are — I. Distributed to all men. rIhe Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites each had their service and bunion. (See verses ID, 27, 32.) And ''from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old " no man of either of these families was exempted from duty. " Aaron and his sous shall appoint them every one to his service and to his burden." And now there is no human life in this world without its burden of some kind and degree. It is not simply those who are manifestly oppressed, or afflicted, or sorely tried, that have a burden to bear. Could we read the inner history of those whose life seems most pleasant and prosperous and 03 favoured, we should doubtless find some secret sorrow, or wearing anxiety, or life-long disappointment. There is no sunshine without its shadow, no happy family without its trial or sorrow, and no individual life without its burden of some kind or other. " Every individual experience," says Dr. Huntington, " has, soon or late, its painful side, its crucial hours, when there is darkness over all the land, and we cry out to know if God has forsaken us. For the time, longer or shorter, we taste only the bitter, and feel only the thorns. The separations of death, the distance be- tween our aspiration and performance, unsatisfied ambition, labouring year after year in vain, affection returned by indifference, the symptoms of fatal disease, former energy prostrate, a friend alienated, a child depraved, an effort to do good construed into an impertineuce, — unconquerable obstacles that we can- not measure and can scarcely speak of, I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciiAr. rv. heaped up against our best designs — these are some of the most frequent shapes of the misery; but no list is full. The one essential thing is that the will is crossed, crucified. Character is everywhere put into this school of suffering." (a) II. Distributed variously. All men are burdened, but all are not alike burdened. The burdens of human life — 1. Differ in hind. — The burden of the Kohathites consisted of " the most holy things," the furniture of the sanctuary ; that of the Gershonites, of the hanging, curtains, and coverings of the tabernacle, with " their cords, and all the instruments of their service ;" and that of the Merarites, of the pillars, boards, bars, sockets, and the more solid parts of the tabernacle. So the burdens of human life are of various kinds. Some labour under a great load of tem poral poverty, others suffer more or less throughout their entire life by reason of bodily afflictions, the burden of others is some crushing family trial, of others some sore and secret sorrow, and of others some profound and painful longing which finds no satisfaction, &c. ~J. Differ in degree. The burden of the Merarites was much heavier than that of either the Kohathites or Ger- shonites. And the burdens of men now are not alike in weight. Some are much more heavily laden than others. AH good men are not tried so severely as Jub was. The Lord Jesus Himself bore the heaviest burden of all. As compared with His, our heaviest load is light. And comparing the bur- dens of men one with another, some appear almost free, while others labour under a heavy load. III. — Distributed Divinely. By Divine direction Aaron and his sons were to appoint to each one his burden. (See verses l'J, 27, 32.) In the case of the Merarites the direction as to this appointment was very explicit : "By name ye shall reckon the instru- ments of the charge of their burden." " This direction, which occurs only in reference to the charge of the Merarites, imports apparently that ' the instru- ments' were to be assigned, no doubt, by Ithamar and his immediate assistants, to their bearers singly, and nominatim. These instruments comprised the heavier parts of the Tabernacle ; and the order seems intended to prevent individual Merarites choosing their own burden, and so throwing more than the proper share on others." — Speaker's Comm. The burdens of human life do not fall by chance or accident. God is not the Author of the burdens which oppress human life. Bain and poverty, sorrow and trial, are the < iffspring of sin. But God regulates the burdens of men. No trial befalls us without His permission „ and He determines the extent and severity of every trial. (Com p. Job i. 12, ii. 6.) "Thou art my God. My times are in Thy hand." " He shall choose our inheritance for us." The Divine regidation of trial affords a guarantee that no man shall be over- burdened ; for the Lord knoweth how much we can bear ; He knoweth us altogether, and He has promised to bestow grace adequate to our need. "As thy days so shall thy strength be." '• My grace is sufficient for thee," &c. " There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man : but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," &c. " God will keep his own anointed ; Nought shall barm thorn, none condemn ; All tneir trials are appointed ; All must work for ^ood to them: All shall help them To their heavenly diadem." — Lyte. Our text further suggests that the Burdens of Life should be — IV. Patiently borne. We do not read of any murmuring amongst the Levites because of the duties assigned to any of them. Each one appears to have accepted his allotted service, and performed its duties. Let each one of us learn to bear his life-burden without murmuring, to accept his lot in life cheerfully, to do his duty faithfully. 69 chap. iv. I10MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. 1. God regulates our burden, let us therefore be content tinder it. (b) 2. God sanctifies our burden to most d ends, let us therefore be thankful. 44 We glory in tribulation also : know- ing that tribulation worketh patience," &c. " Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience," etc. (c) 3. God will soon deliver us from our burden, let us therefore be hopeful. •' The time will come," says Babington, " that our God will free us, and then we shall receive an eternal reward. Remember what you read : The Lord God of Israel, saith David, hath given rest unto His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever, and the Levit.es shall no more bear the Tabernacle, and all the vessels for the service thereof. So shall it be said one day of you, of me, of all the members of the Lord's body. The Lord hath given rest, and we shall no more carry our burdens and portions of woe in this world, but live in the heavenly Jerusalem for ever. 0, wished rest, and ten thousand times welcome when God is pleased ! Do men fear a safe harbour in a mighty storm ? Do men grieve to come home to their own houses after a long and painful journey ? No, no, we know ; and no more should we shrink to find heavenly rest." ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) What is included in the term burden ? Whatever makes right living1, according to the law of God, dillicult to a sincere man that is a burden. Whatever thing within or without a man, in his nature, in his habits, or in his circumstances, makes it hard for him to live purelv and rightly — that is included in this term burden. It may be in his mental con- stitution ; it may be in his bodily health ; it may bo in the habits of his education; it may be in his relation to worldly affairs ; it may be in his domestic circumstances; it may be in his peculiar liabilities to temptation and sin. It includes the whole catalogue of conditions, and influences, and causes, that weigh men down, and hinder them, when they are endeavouring to live lives of rectitude. — II. W. Beecher. To-day I had a long and strange interview wiih a lady who has recently become a member of tho congregation She asked mo if I had ever known a case of trial so severe as hers. "Yes," I replied, " numbers ; it is the case of all. Suffering is very common, so is disappointment." " Are our affections to bo all withered?" "Very often, I beliovo." " Then why were they given me?'' "I am sure I cannot tell you that, but I suppose it would not have beon very good for you to havo had it all your own way ? " "Then do you think 1 am better for this blighting succession of griefs?" "I do not know, but I know you ought to bo." • Words- worth ' was lying open on tho table, and I pointed to her those lines: — "Then was tho truth recoived into my heart, That under heaviest sorrow oarth can bring, If from the affliction somewhere do not grow, Honour, which could not else have been a faith, An elevation and a sanctity ; If new strength bo not given nor old restored, The blamn is ours, not nature's." 70 The deep undertone of this world is sad- ness . a solemn bass occurring at measured intervals, and heard through all other tones. Ultimately, all the strains of this world's music resolve themselves into that tone ; and I believe that, rightly felt, the Cross, and the Cross alone, interprets the mournful mystery of life — the sorrow of the Highest, the Lord of Life; the result of error and sin, but ulti- mately remedial, purifyin?, and exalting. — F. W. Robertson, M.A., Life and Letters. (Jji) Contentation {i.e. contentment) is a ready and approved medicine for all miseries and maladies whatsoever. No man is troubled with any grief or disease, but he is most willing to hear of a salve for it. This is sovereign for this purpose. It easioth the burden of all afflictions, it taketh away tho smart of all sores ; it poureth oil and wine into our wounds, and of half dead it maketh us alive again ; it maketh a rough way plain and crooked things straight. It casteth down high hills, and maketh the path easy before us. It turneth outward wants into inward comforts. It maketh the bond to be free, the poor to be rich, the sick to be whole, the miserable to be happy, and such as are owners of nothing to be lords of all things. Give an hearty draught of this strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and a cup of this wine to him that hath an heavy heart, it will make him forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. This we see in the Apostle Paul, he had drunk of the wine of contenta- tion, (2 Cor. vi. 9. 10) and therefore saith, " As unknown, and yet well known ; as dying, and, behold, we live ; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing ; as poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." — W. Attersoll. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. crur. iv. (c) "I know," is all the mourner saith, "Knowledge by suffering entereth, And life is perfected by doath ; " I am content to touch the brink Of pain's dark goblet, and I think My bitter drink a wholosome drink. " I am content to be so weak ; Put strength into the words I speak, For I am strong in what I seek. " I am content to be so bare Before the archers ; everywhere My wounds being stroked by heavenly air. " Glory to God — to God," he saith ; " Knowledge by suffering entereth, And life is perfected by death." Burdens are not pleasant ; yet they are profitable. Thoy dovolop strongth. Tho only way to make strong mon is to imposo burdons that require strength ; then if thoy have tho substance in them, it will como out. Wo know a man who has been struggling for years to escape from business caros, yot thoy have accumulated upon him. Evory measuro of relief has brought additional work and sometimes extreme trial. But he has risen in power as the load was increased, and ho has grown to be a man of might. Those who run, flinch, dodgo, faint, as crushing cares increase, are broken and suffor loss ; but those who stand, fight, tug, hold on and cry to God, grow strong. It is a misfortune always to have an easy time, a blessing to have work to do which taxes all our powers and then taxes more and more. — The Study. The Importance of Little Things. (Verses 31-32.) In the charge of Merari we find not only the heaviest things and most cum- bersome, but also some little things ■which are specially mentioned. " Their pins, and their cords, with all their in- struments, and with all their service ; and by name ye shall reckon the instru- ments of the charge of their burden." It is upon these little things that we would fix attention. From the fact that we have here Divine directions concerning such small things as " pins and cords," we infer the importance of little things. The following considera- tions will help us to realise this. I. The completeness and perfection of great tilings is impossible apart from clue attention to little things. These " pins and cords " were essen- tial to the completeness of the taber- nacle. By tiny and delicate touches the enchanting beauty of the painting is achieved. By scrupulous attention to details the greatest inventions have been brought to successful issues. A wise economy in small expenses has had no little to do in many instances in the accumulation of great wealth. " An onlooker, observing the slight taps given to a statue by Canova, spoke as if he thought the artist to be trifling, but was rebuked by this reply : M The touches which you ignorantly hold in such small esteem are the very things which make the difference between the failure of a bungler and the chef d'ccuvre of a master." II. The most important issues some- times depend upon what seem to us slight circumstances. Trivial incidents sometimes appear to constitute the great turning points in life. How often in the life of Joseph, as we view it to-day, events of incalcu- lable importance depended upon what men call " the merest chance," or the most trivial incident ! What stupend- ous issues depend upon the preserva- tion of the imperilled life of that goodly child in his frail ark of bulrushes on the Nile ! A remarkable illustration of our point occurs in the life of the dis- tinguished F. W. Robertson. He had a passionate enthusiasm for military life, had chosen the army as his profes- sion, and was studying for it, and application had been made to the Horse Guards for a commission for him. " To two great objects," says his biographer — " the profession of arms which he had chosen, and the service of Christ in that profession — he now devoted himself wholly." The circum- stances which led him to abandon that profession for the calling of the Chris- tian minister are remarkable. This result was brought about by the in- fluence of the Rev. Mr. Davies, who thus relates the origin of their friend- ship:— •'The daughter of Lady French, 71 CH.U1. IV. I10M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. at whose house I met my friend, had been seriously ill. She was prevented from sleeping by the barking of a dog in one of the adjoining houses. This house was Captain Robertson's. A letter was written to ask that the dog might be removed ; and so kind and acquiescent a reply was returned, that Lady French called to express her thanks. She was muck struck at that visit by the manner and bearing of the eldest son, and, in consequence, an intimacy grew up between the families." Mr. Robeitson himself thus refers to this matter : — " If I had not met a certain person, I should not have changed my profession ; if I had not known a certain lady, I should not probably have met this person ; if that lady had not had a delicate daughter who was disturbed by the barking of my dog ; if my dog had not barked that night, I should now have been in the dragoons, or fertilising the soil of India. Who can say that these things were not ordered, and that, apparently, the merest trifle did not produce failure and a marred existence?" ("Failure and a marred existence" — so it seemed to him then. But how very different it really was ! How different must it appear to him now!) Such slight cir- cumstances, apparently, led to his entering upon the career of a Christian minister — a career so rich in the highest results, (a) III. Life itself is composed almost entirely of little things. Great events and noteworthy ex- periences are very rare things in life. Day after day we live in the performance of small duties, amidst ordinary cir- cumstances and events. With the ex- ception of a very few remarkable events, our life is made up of the most ordinary and common-place, and apparently, un- important things. And yet life itself, as a whole, is a thing of utterly un- speakable importance, most momentous in its character, its influence, its capa- bilities, &C. IV. Character, which to each of us is tho most important tiling, is formed almost entirely of littles. 72 " Character," says Beecher, " is not a massive unit ; it is a fabric rather. It is an artificial whole made up by the interply of ten thousand threads. Every faculty is a spinner, spinning every day its threads, and almost every day threads of a different colour. Myriads and myriads of webbed products pro- ceed from the many active faculties of the human soul, and character is made up by the weaving together of all these innumerable threads of daily life. Its strength is not merely in the strength of some simple unit, but in the strength of numerous elements." The great Williams of Wern, when preaching at Bala, where many women are employed in knitting stockings, inquired, " How is character formed?" "Gradually," he replied, " just as you Bala women knit stockings — a stitch at a time.'" (b) Conclusion : 1. Be careful as to the little things of personal character and conduct. " Let us not neglect little duties, let us not allow ourselves in little faults. What- ever we may like to think, nothing is really of small importance that affects the soul. All diseases are small at the beginning. Many a death-bed begins with a 'little cold.' Nothing that can grow is large all at once ; the greatest sin must have a beginning. Nothing that is great comes to perfection in a day ; characters and habits are all the result of little actions. Little strokes made the ark which saved Noah. Little pins held firm the tabernacle which was the glory of Israel. We, too, are travelling through a wilderness. Let us be like the family of Merari, and be careful not to leave the pins be- hind." Let us beware of small sins, (c) Let us be faithful in small duties, (d) 2. Be careful as to the little things of church life and work. Let the most feeble member of the Church do the work for which he is fitted faithfully. Let not the least or lowliest duty be neglected, or the welfare and prosperity of the whole will be thereby injured. When all the members of the Church II0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. IV. — the least gifted and the most gifted— the greatest — is faithfully performed, are faithful in life and work ; and great will be her prosperity and her when every duty — the least as well as power. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) Where God in generous fulnoss dwells, Nor small nor groat is known ; He paints the tiniest floweret-cells O'er emerald meadows strown ; And Bees, but not with kinder eyes, The heavens grow rich with sunset dyes ; Both ministrant to beauty's sense, Both signs of one Omnipotence. He comes not forth with pageant grand His marvels to perform. A cloud " the bigness of a hand " Can blacken heaven with storm. A grain of dust, if he arrange, The fortunes of a planet change. An insect reef can overwhelm The stately navies of a realm. There are no trifles. Arks as frail As bore God's prince of old, On many a buoyant Nils stream sail The age's heirs to hold. From Jacob's love on Joseph shed, Came Egypt's wealth and Israel's bread; From liuth's chance gleaning in the corn, The Ptalmist sang, — the Christ was born. W. M. Panshon. (/;) nave you ever -watched an icicle as it formed ? You noticed how it froze one drop at a time, until it was a foot long or moro. If the water was clear, the icicle remained clear, and sparkled brightly in the sun ; but if the water was but slightly muddy, the iciclo looked foul, and its beauty was spoiled. Just so our characters are forming: one little thought or feeling at a time adds its influence. If each thought bo pure and right, the soul ■will bo lovely, and sparkle with happiness ; but if impure and wrong, there will be defor- mity and wretchedness. — Temperance Anec- dotes, in Diet, of 1 1 lust. (c) Little things are seeds of great ones. Little cruelties are gems of great ones. Littlo treacheries are, like small holes in raiment, the beginning of large ones. Littlo dishon- esties are like the drops that work through tho bank of the river ; a drop is an engineer : it tunnels a way for its fellows, and they, rushing, propare for all behind them. A worm in a ship's plank proves, in time, worse than a cannon-ball. — II. W. Beeclier. (d) Let us be content to work. To do the thing wo can, and not presume To fret because it's littlo. 'Twill employ Seven men, they say, to make a perfect pin. Who makes the head consents to miss thd point ; Who makes the point agrees to leavo the head ; And if a man should cry, " I want a pin. And I must make it straightway, head and point," His wisdom is not worth the pin ho wants. Elizabeth B. Browning, Proportion between Number and Service. {Verses 34—49.) In these verses we have the account of the numbering of the Levites for active service, according to the com- mand given unto Moses and Aaron in verses 1-3. The result here recorded is this : Of males from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, there were of Kohathites 2,750 ; of Gershonites, 2,G30 ; and of Merarites, 3,-200, making a total of 8,580. This number bears a just proportion to that of all the males of the Levites from a month old and upward, which was 22,000. "But the number of Merar- ites available for the sacred service bears an unusually large proportion to the total number of males of that family, which is (iii. 34) 6,200. Looking at the relation of the numbers to the service required of them we discover illustrations of — I. The Wisdom of God. " By this diversity of numbers among the Levite families," saith Trapp, " God showeth His wisdom, saith an inter- preter, in fitting men for the work, whereunto lie hath appointed them, whether it requireth multitude or gifts. ' For to one is given by the Spirit t lie word of wisdom,' etc. (1 Cor. xii. 8-12). It is reported that in Luther's houM was found written, ' Reset verba Philli- j)us, res sine verbis Lutlu >u.<, verba sine re Erasmus, Melaucthtn hath both 73 CHAP. IV. H0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. matter and words ; Luther hath matter but wants words ; Erasmus hath words, but wants matter.' Every one hath his own share ; all are not alike gifted." M. Henry : " The Merarites were but 6,200 in all, and yet of these there were 3,200 serviceable men, that is, more than half. The greatest burden lay upon that family, the boards and pillars and sockets ; and God so ordered it that, though they were the fewest in number, yet they should have the most able men among them ; for whatever service God calls men to He will fur- nish them for it, and give strength in proportion to the work, grace sufficient." God's appointments to service are ever made in perfect wisdom. There are ever a fitness and proportion between the workers and the work, (a) II. The reasonableness of the Divine requirements. " Though the sum total of effective Levites," says Greenfield, " was very small compared with that of the other tribes ; yet they would be far more than could be employed at once in this ser- vice. But they might carry by turns and ease one another, and thus do the whole expeditiously and cheerfully. They would also have their own tents to remove, and their own families to take care of." There was an ample number for the performance of the work ; and its distribution amongst so many would render it comparatively easy to everyone. God's claims upon us and our service are in the highest degree reasonable. He is a kind and gracious Master. "His yoke is easy and His burden is light." And if He summon us to difficult tasks, He will increase our wisdom and strength, so we shall not be overmatched. " As thy days so shall thy strength be." " My grace is sufficient for thee." " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (b) We have also in this section of the history an illustration of — III. The exemplary obedience of the servants of the Lord. We see how carefully and faithfully Moses and Aaron carried out the direc- tions which they received from Him. In this they are an example to us. (See notes and illustrations bearing on this point given on chaps, ii. 34, iii. 16.) ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) God's •wisdom appears in the various inclinations and conditions of men. As there is a distinction of several creatures, and several qualities in them, for the common good of tho world, so among men there are several inclinations and several abilities, as donatives from God, for the common advantage of human Bocioty ; as several channels cut out from the same river run several ways, and refresh several soils, one man is qualified for one em- ployment, another marked out by God for a different work, yet all of them fruitful to briDg in a revenue of glory to God, and a harvest of profit t-^ the rost of mankind. How unusoful would the body bo if it had but "one member" (1 Cor. xii. 10) ! How unprovided would a houso bo if it had not vessols of dis- honour as well as of honour ! The corporation of mankind would bo as much a chaos as the matter of the heavens and the earthwas beforo it was distinguished by several forms breathed into it at tho creation. Somo are inspired with a particular gonius for one art, some for another; evory man hath a distinct talont. If all were husbandmon whore would bo the instruments to plough and reap ? If all wero artiiicors whore would they have corn to nourish thomselvos? All men aro like vessels, 74 and parts in the body, designed for distinct offices and functions for the good of the whole. As the variety of gifts in the Church is a fruit of the wisdom of God for the preservation and increase of the Church, so the variety of inclinations and employments in the world is a fruit of the wisdom of God for the preserva- tion and subsistence of the world by mutual commerce. — Charnockc. (6) Power is the measure of obligation. It is the circumference that bounds every line, starting from the centre of duty. What we cannot do, we are not bound to attempt. The command that outstrips our capacity is no law to ns. Why is religion not binding on brutes? God is as truly their Creator and Sustainer as He is ours — they have not tho power. Oar faculties are adequate to the Divine will re- specting us. They aro made for it — made to it. The sun is not more nicely adjusted to the work of lighting the planets — the rolling atmosphere to the purposes of life — these bodies to all tho laws, influences, and sceneries of this material universe — than are all the powers of the soul adjusted to the work of worship. To trace effects to causes, to discern moral distinctions, to reverence greatness, to love excellence, to praise goodness — these are IIOMJLETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. V. the sacred functions of religion ; and whilst that seraph, glowing with rapture in the full sunlight of the Eternal, can perform nothing higher, that human habo, gazing for the first time with wonder at the stars, has amplo powers to do tho same. — D. Thomas, D.D. The whole rolation of discipleship is a rela- tion of liborty. No one goes to his duty because he must, but only because his heart is in it. His inclinations are that way, for his heart is in tho Mastor's love, and he follows Him gladly. It, no doubt, seems to you when you look on, only as strangers to Christ, that this must bo a hard and dry service, for you see no attraction in it. But the reason is that your heart is not in it. With a now heart, quickonod by tho grace of Christ, all this would be changed. It will thon seem wholly attrac- tive. All tho currents of your lovo will run that way, and tho freest freedom of your nature will bo to go after Christ. No sacrifice will bo hard — no sorvico a burdon. Tho wonder now will be that all mon do not rush in aftor Christ to bo His eagor followors. — //. Bushnell, D.D. " In sorvico which Thy love appoints, Thero aro no bonds for mo ; My socrot heart is taught the truth That makes Thy children free. A life of self-renouncing love Is one of liborty." — Waring. CHAPTER V. The Exclusion of the Unclean. (Verse 1-4.) " Now that the nation was regularly organised, the sacred tribe dedicated, and the sanctuary with the tokens of God's more immediate Presence pro- vided with its proper place and atten- dants in the camp, it remained to attest and to vindicate, by modes in harmony with the spirit of the theocratical law, the sanctity of the people of God. This accordingly is the general purpose of the directions given in this and the next chapter. Thus the congregation of Israel was made to typify the Church of God, within which, in its perfection, nothing that offends can be allowed to remain" (cf. Matt. viii. 22 ; llev. xxi. 27.) — Speaker's Comm. In the verses now before us we have the directions for the expulsion of un- clean persons out of the camp. The laws as to ceremonial uncleanness are given with considerable minuteness in Lev. xi., xv., xxi., xxii., and Num. xix. But it appears that they are now carried out for the lirst time. We shall look at our text in two aspects. I. As a Sanitary Measure. A number of rules and regulations for securing the cleanliness and health of the people were promulgated and enforced. Some of the sanitary regu- lations " seem minute and indelicate to modern ideas, but were, doubtless, in- tended to correct unseemly or un- healthful practices, either of the Hebrew people or of neighbouring tribes." Some have asserted that the reason for the expulsion of every leper from the camp was that the disease was con- tagious. So scholarly and well-in- formed a writer as Dr. Milman says that " the disease was highly infectious." But this is extremely doubtful. " All who have looked closest into the matter," says Archbishop Trench, " agree that the sickness was incom- municable by ordinary contact from one person to another. A leper might transmit it to his children, or the mother of a leper's children might take it from him ; but it was by no ordinary contact communicable from one person to another Naaman, the leper, commanded the armies of Syria (2 Kings v. 1) ; Gehazi, with his leprosy that never should be cleansed (2 Kings v. 27), talked familiarly wit!' the king of apostate Israel (2 Kings \ iii 5). And even where the law of Moses was in force, the stranger and the so- journer were expres.-ly exempted from the ordinances relating to leprosy ; which could not have been, had the lb ciiAr. v. I10MILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. disease been contagious. How, more- over, should the Levitical priests, had the disease been this creeping infection, have ever themselves escaped it, obliged as they were by their very office to submit the leper to actual handling and closest examination ? " It seems to us indisputable " that, if the disease is contagious, a very rare and critical concurrence of circumstances is required to develop the contagion." There were special reasons for selecting this disease from all others for exclusion from the camp. "The Egyptian and Syrian climates, but especially the rainless atmosphere of the former, are very pro- lific in skin diseases The Egyptian bondage, with its studied de- gradations and privations, and especially the work of the kiln under the Egyp- tian sun, must have had a frightful tendency to generate this class of dis- orders ; hence Manetho (Joseph, cont., Ap. I. 2G) asserts that the Egyptians drove out the Israelites as infected with leprosy — a strange reflex, perhaps, of the Mosaic narrative of the ' plagues ' of Egypt, yet also probably containing a germ of truth. The sudden and total change of food, air, dwelling, and mode of life, caused by the Exodus, to this nation of newly emancipated slaves may possibly have had a further tendency to skin disorders, and novel and severe repressive measures may have been required in the desert-mov- ing camp to secure the public health, or to allay the panic of infection. . In the contact of a dead body there was no notion of contagion, for the body the moment life was extinct was as much ceremonially unclean as in a state of decay. Why, then, in leprosy must we have recourse to a theory of contagion ? It would perhaps be nearer the truth to say that uncleanness was imputed, rather to inspire the dread of contagion, than in order to check contamination as an actual process. . . . On the whole, though we decline to rest leprous defilement merely on popular notions of abhorrence, dread of contagion, and the like ; yet a deference to them may be admitted to have been shown, especially 76 at the time when the people were, from previous habits and associations, up to the moment of the actual Exodus, most strongly imbued with the scrupulous purity and refined ceremonial example of the Egyptians on these subjects." — Smith's Diet, of the Bible. In each case mentioned in the text, "every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosover is defiled by the dead," — the person was put without the camp because of ceremonial pollution, not because of contagion. It was the will of God that the people should cul- tivate the most scrupulous physical cleanliness. In a camp composed of more than two millions of persons cleanliness wTas of the utmost impor- tance. Dirt is the prolific parent of disease. Wise sanitary measures are the most certain means of insuring bodily strength and safety, (a) Two things in the text show that this sanitary measure was regarded as of great im- portance by the Lord. 1 . The universal application of the rule. " Every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and ivhosover is defiled by ihe dead : both male and female shall ye put out." No one whatever was exempted from its application. When Miriam, the prophetess, and sister of Moses and Aaron, was smitten with leprosy, she " was shut out from the camp 6even days." With strict impartiality the rule was carried out. 2. The sacred reason by which it was enforced. "That they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell." The Lord is the God of cleanliness and health. All impurity is an abomination to Him. Purity of body, of home, of towns and cities, is well-pleasing to Him. As a condition of the Divine Presence, let us cultivate comprehensive and scrupulous cleanliness. Impurity separates from Him. II. As a spiritual parable. Ceremonial uncleanness was intended to illustrate spiritual uncleanness. The ceremonial purity which was insisted upon in the camp of Israel was typical of the spiritual purity which God re- quires of His people. By enacting that H0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAT. V. any one who had anything to do with the dead should be regarded as unclean, and put out of the camp, the Lord teaches that sin and death are not from Him, and cannot dwell with Him. And the loathsome and terrible disease of " leprosy was the outward and visible sign of the innermost spiritual corrup- tion, the sacrament of death." The leper " was himself a dreadful parable of death," — " a walking grave." Thus, parabolieally, the text represents sin — 1. As adefiling thing. The sinner is morally unclean. Deeply did David feel this when he cried, " Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and L shall be clean ; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, 0 God." Every sin proceeds from the corruption of the human heart, and tends to in- crease that corruption. 2. As a deadly thing. " The soul that sinneth it shall die." " The wages of sin is death." "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Every sinful act tends to kill some element or power of the spiritual life. The life of the soul consists in truth and trust, righteousness arid love, reverence and obedience, etc. Every lie spoken or acted is a blow aimed at the very life of truth in us. Every infidelity of which we are guilty tends to destroy our trust. So in relation to every ele- ment of the soul's life. Sin is deadly in its character and influence. 3. As a separating thing. The un- clean were to be put out of the camp. Ceremonial uncleanness involved for- feiture of social privileges and of citizenship among the people of God for a time. '* The man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord." Where sin is cherished God will not dwell. (1) The openly and persistently wicked should be expelled from the Church on earth, (a) Because of their corrupt influence. " Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" 1 Cor. v. 6-13. (h) Be- cause of the dishonour to God which their presence in the Church, involves. He has promised to dwell in His Church, and to manifest Himself to Hie people as He does not unto the world. Matt, xviii. 20 ; John xiv. 21-23. And lie demands that His people shall follow after entire holiness, lie demands our entire consecration. " Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? " &c. " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God de- stroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple are ye." Our Lord "gave Himself for us, that lie might redeem us from all iniquity, and purity unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." " A chosen generation, a royal priesthos d, an holy nation, a peculiar people," etc. Such is the Divine pattern of the Church and people of God : and He is dishonoured when the openly and persistently wicked are allowed to remain in His Church. With such a church HE will not dwell, (h) (2) The wicked will be excluded from the cily of God above. " There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth," etc. l?ev. xxi. 27. All the citizens of that glorious realm " have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (c) Conclusion. 1. He who demands this purity has pro- vided the means ichereby ice may attain unto it. " The blood of Jesus Christ 1 1 is Son cleanseth us from all sin." 2. Let vs diligently use the meant which Jlr has provided. " Wash you, make you clean," etc. I.-a. i. 10, 18. u Purifying their hearts by faith." "Let us cleanse ourselves from all tilthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 77 CHAP. V. H0MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ILL USTJRA TIONS. («) Cleanliness may be defined to be the emblem of purity of mind, and may be recom- mended under the three following heads ; as it is a mark of politeness, as it produces affection, and as it bears analogy to chastity of sentiment. First, it is a mark of politeness, for it is universally agreed upon, that no one unadorned with this virtue can go into com- pany without giving a manifold offence ; the different nations of the world are as much distinguished by their cleanliness as by their arts and sciences ; the more they are advanced in civilization the more they consult this part of politeness. Secondly, cleanliness may be said to be the foster-mother of affection. Beauty commonly produces love, but cleanli- ness preserves it. Age itsolf is not unamiable while it is preserved clean and unsullied; like a piece of metal constantly kept smooth and bright, we look on it with more pleasure than on a new vessel cankered with rust. I might furthor observe, that as cleanliness renders us agrooable to others, it makes us easy to ourselves, that it is an excellent preservative of health; and that several vices, both of mind and body, are inconsistent with the habit of it. In the third place, it bears a great analogy with chastity of sentiment, and naturally inspires refined feelings and pas- sions ; we find from experience, that through the prevalence of custom, tho most vicious actions lose their horror by being made familiar to us. On the contrary, those who live in the neighbourhood of good examples fly from the first appearance of what is shock- ing; and thus pure and unsullied thoughts are naturally suggested to the mind by those objects that perpetually encompass us when they are beautiful and elogant in their kind. — Addison. It is wonderful how views of life depend upon exorcise and right management of the physical constitution. Nor is this, rightly looked at, any causo for porplexity, though it eoems so at first ; for though you might be inclined to view it as a degradation of our higher naturo to find it so dependent on the lower, and hope and faith and energy resultant from a walk or early hours — yet, in fact, it is only a proof that all the laws of our manifold being are sacred, and that disobedience to them is punished by God. And the punish- ment in one department of our nature of the transgressions committed in the other — as, for instance, when mental gloom comes from uncleanliness or physical inortia, and, on the other hand, where ill-health ensues from envy or protracted doubt — is but one of many in- stances of the law of vicarious sufforing. We are, as it were, two, and one suffers by what the other does. — F. W. Robertson, M.A., Life and Letters. (6) They are deceived that think it is not necessary to purge out the great and gross offenders. The Church is the City of God, excommunication is the sword ; it is the school of Christ, this is the rod, as the Apostle calleth it ; it is the Temple of God, this is, as it were, the whip, to scourge out such as abuse it and themselves ; it is the body of Christ, this is as a medicine to cure the diseases of it ; it is the vine and sheepfold, this serveth to keep the foxes and wolves from it. — \V. Attersoll. (c) How real is that description of sin — " it defileth, it worketh abomination, it maketh a lie 1 " It is uncleanness, unloveliness, un- truth! But it shall '"in no wise enter" heaven. There "shall be nothing to hurt and to destroy." Moral evil cannot for a moment dwell in it. As though the leprosy of sin had struck too inextricably into the abode of man, had even contaminated the habitation of angels, we anticipate a scene purer than earth could afford however it were changed, purer than the heavens from which the angels fell. And when we can conceive of such a state, that which gives to law all its power of sway and yet debars its curse, that is heaven, tho highest heaven, the heaven of heavens ! We know it by this, we desire it for this, " wherein dwelleth righteousness ! "< — R. W. Hamilton. LL.D., D.I). WnERE God dwells there must be Purity. (Verse 2.) " Put out of the camp every leper." God gave the people moral, civil, and sanitary laws. These in the context were partly sanitary. He would teach the people habits of cleanliness, which were essential to the health of the camp. Filth is a child of sin, and the fruitful parent of diseases which decimate man- kind. But the text is something: more 78 than a sanitary precaution ; for it is probable that leprosy was not conta- gious, and the ordinances respecting it did not apply to the sojourner and the stranger. Why then the injunction of the text ? No doubt the great object was to enforce the ideas of purity and holiness, and to teach them that God can- not dwell among the sinful and impure. H0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CUM'. V. Leprosy has ever been considered a striking illustration of sin. For in- stance, — 1. Sin, like leprosy, is a trans- gression of laic. All evils, physical as well as moral, arise from disregard of some law. Natural laws have their penalties ; they cannot be broken with impunity. Cholera, fevers, and other terrible scourges that visit us, are penalties. We call them '* visitations from God," and such they are in the sense of being penalties for breaking the laws that He has imposed on us. Intemperance, vice, etc., breed disease, poison the blood, ruin the body, and become curses to posterity. Leprosy was caused through disregard of the laws of health, and the Bible definition of sin is " the transgression of the law." 2. Sin, like leprosy, is very loathsome and defiling. Leprosy spreads over the whole body, destroying its beauty and vitality, and rendering it most repulsive in appearance. In this it is a meet emblem of sin, which corrupts, degrades, and defiles the soul of man. 3. Sin, like leprosy, is incurable by man. No human skill could help the leper. " Am I God to kill and to make alive ? " cried the king of Israel when Naaman came to him. Only God could cure the disease. Sin, in like manner, bailies human skill. God alone can remove this curse and blight from the soul. No human priest, no work of merit, can affect the malady. The stain is too deep for anything but the blood of Christ to wash away. " God can save, and God alone." Other points might be mentioned ; but theaboveare enough to show that leprosy is a striking type of sin, and to suggest the reason why God should select this "sickness of sicknesses," as Archbishop Trench calls it, "to testify against that out of which it and all other sicknesses grew, against sin, as not from Him and as grievous in His sight." We shall take the text as teaching the great fact that where God dwells there must be purity. u Put out of the camp every leper. ... in the midst whereof I dwelL" That God insists on purity as the condition of dwelling with us is the emphatic teaching of the whole Bible. What care was manifested to have clean and perfect animals for sacrifice ! The Psalmist asks : " Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? " He replies: " He that hath clean hands and a pure heart," i.e., whose life within and without is holy. His prayer is : M Create within me a clean heart." The teaching of the New Testament is the same : " Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall see God." " Holi- ness, without which no man shall see the Lord." " The wisdom that is from above is first pure." " Be ye holy ; for I am holy." The grand design of the atonement is described as being " to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." God insists on purity. Why ? I. God Himself is pure, and cannot associate with the impure. Sin is hateful to Him. His very nature prohibits Him from being on terms of intimacy with any one living in sin. ■" God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." The God of the Bible is the only pure God. This being His character, purity must distinguish those with whom He associates. Character divides the world — unites or separates men. So it does with God and man. He can only r'well with the pure. Purity attracts Him to us. If discipline is lax, if sin is tolerated by the Church, or by the individual Christian, God departs. It is not the large Church, or the intelligent or the wealthy one, that attracts Him, but the pure one. As the lightning passes by the polished marble and the carved wood to touch the iron or steel, because there it finds something akin to itself, so God passes by those to visit and to dwell with the pure, because in them He finds a character akin to His own. II. God will not, because He can- not, do any good to the impure. It would answer no good purpose for Him to dwell with them. The essence of impurity is to love sin ; to love sin is to hate God ; hating God shuts the door against the possibility of improvement in character. God will 7'J CHAP. V. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. not dwell with man unless He can do him good. God with us is always equivalent to God blessing us. He wants us to be perfect as He Himself is perfect. This is His end in dwelling with us. Any one tolerating or living in sin would not appreciate the design of God and accept His blessing; and where He cannot bless, He will not come to dwell. Let us then "put oat of the the camp every leper," everything that defileth ; for the presence of God in our midst is of the utmost impor- tance to us as His Church and people. His presence is essential. 1. To our comfort as Churches and Christians. What the shining sun is in nature His presence is with us — our brighness, our joy, etc. 2. To our prosperity. Without God in the midst the camp would have been helpless, would soon have become a prey to its enemies, and been broken up and scattered. God with His Church has been in all ages the secret of its power and success. His presence is the life of the ministry and of all Christian work. Without Him we are, and we can do, nothing. How to secure His presence ought to be the all-absorbing problem. He tells us how : " Put out of the camp every leper." Let us put from the Church and from our hearts all that is offensive to Him, and let us do His commands, and He will come. He has said so, and He is waiting to bless. God is not with us as we should like : let us search and see if there be any leper in the camp, any sin tolerated, and by His help let us put it out. If to tolerate the leper was so bad to the camp, what must it have been to be the leper himself ! If sin in the Chris- tian is so terrible, what must it be to the altogether sinful ! Let us think of it, and seek pardon at once through Christ. — David Lloyd. God Dwelling witii His People. (Verse 3. J " In the midst whereof I dwell." I. God is present with His people. He was with Israel as He was not with the neighbouring nations. The Tabernacle — the Shekinah, etc. He led, supported, defended them, etc. He is everywhere present infiuentially. See Psa. exxxix. 1-10. fi He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. He is not far from every one of us ; for in Him we live, and move, and have our being." " By Him all things con- sist." lie is also present with His people sympathetically. They realise His presence, have fellowship with Him, etc. See Gen. xxviii. 1G-17 ; Matt. '. xviii. 20; John xiv. 15 26 ; Ephes. hi. j Hi. 17 ; 1 John i. 3. r II. God is present "in the midst" of His people. The Tabernacle was " in the midst " of the camp. Our Lord Jesua Christ is " in the midst" of His Church (Matt, xviii. 2('). Like the sun in the midst of the planets. 80 1. As the Centre of union. The true union of the Church is not in oneness of doctrinal system or ecclesiastical polity, but in the vital fellowship of its members with the Lord. 2. As the Source of blessing. Life, light, growth, power, joy, beauty — all good flows from Him. III. God's presence in the midst of His people should exert a great and blessed influence upon them. It should prove : — ■ 1. A restraint from sin. " The sub- ject will do nothing unseemly in the presence of His prince, nor the child in the sight of his father. We are always in God's eye ; He beholdeth all things that are done of us." 2. An incentive to holiness. It is thus that it is brought forward in this place. Because the Lord dwelt in the camp it was to be kept pure. See also Deut. xxiii. 14; Ezek. xliii. 7-9. 3. A?i encouragement to duty. The HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. chap. v. presence of so gracious a Master should cheer and strengthen us. 4. An assurance of support in the trials of life. He marks the strain which the spirit feels, and he will either temper its severity, or increase the spiritual strength. " I will fear no evil ; for Thou art with me." 5. An assurance of victory in the con- flicts of life. " Through God we shall do valiantly ; for He shall tread down our enemies." See Psa. cxviii. G-1G ; Rom. viii. 31-37. 6. An assurance of perfect salvation. " The Lord is in the midst of thee : thou shalt not see evil any more. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy ; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." Fraud and Forgiveness. (Verses 5-8.) In these verses we have another measure which was instituted to secure the sanctity of the congregation. Wrong done by one man against another is here legislated for in a spirit of just severity. Consider — I. The sin of fraud. " When a man or woman shall com- mit any sin that men commit," etc. Lit — -''Commit one of all the trans- gressions of man." Keil and Del. li Do one of the sins of men/' — one of the sins occurring amongst men. The reference is to sins of dishonesty or fraud. Fraud is here represented — 1. As assuming many forms. " Any sin that men commit." " One of all the transgressions of man." Our text is supplementary to the law on this matter as stated in Leviticus vi. 2, 3, and there various forms of this sin are stated. (I) Fraud in the matter of goods entrusted to the keeping of an- other. (2) In business transactions. (3) In seizing by force that which belongs to another. (4) In wronging another by means of deceit. (5) In the finder of lost property injuring the loser by falsehood. And in our own age fraud assumes many forms, and is widely prevalent. The employer who does not pay just wages to those in his service is guilty of it. (Prov. xxii. 1G ; Isa. iii. 14, 15: Colos. iv. 1 ; Isa. v. 4.) So also is the servant or workman who squanders the time for which his employer pays him ; in so doing he defrauds his employer. The trader who takes an unfair advantage o of his customer, which he calls by some specious name, e.g., "practice of the trade," etc. ; the broker or specula- tor or manager who induces persons to invest their money in unreliable or doubtful enterprizes ; the person who contracts a debt without the sincere intention and reasonable prospect of paying it — all these, and others, are guilty of fraud, (a) 2. As a wrong done to God. " To do a trespass against the Lord." Keil and Del. : "To commit unfaithfulneis against Jehovah." He who is guilty of any act of fraud against his neighbour commits sin against God. All sin is against Him. When Joseph was tempted to sin against Potiphar, his master, he said, " How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ?" And David after he had committed the blackest injuries against Uriah the Hittito and others, when brought to repentance cried, " Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned ; and done evil in Thy sight." As viewed in their social relations, he was deeply sensible of the greatness of his crimes ; but so over- whelming was his sense of their enormity as committed against God, as to render the former view of them comparatively unimportant, (b) How grievous a thing, then, is dishonesty of any kind ! Let us strive to be utterly free from it. (1 Thess. iv. G.) Let us cultivate the most thorough uprightness in all our relations and dealings with each other. II. The conditions of its forgiveness. 1. Consciousness of guilt. "The 81 CHAP. V. H0M1LET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. expression, 'that person be guilty,' does not merely refer to his actual cri- minality ; hut to his consciousness of guilt respecting it: for this case must be distinguished from that of a person detected in dishonesty which he attempted to conceal." — Scott. Without the con- sciousness of guilt the other conditions of forgiveness could not be truly com- plied with. 2. Confession. "Then they shall confess their sin which they have done." This is an essential condition of for- giveness. (Psa. xxxii. 5 ; Prov. xxviii. 13 ; 1 John i. 9.) To be of any avail confession must be sincere, must pro- ceed from the heart. It is the natural expression of penitence. Where true penitence is, hearty confession will be welcomed as a relief, not shunned as a burden or regarded as an exaction. And without true penitence forgiveness of sin is a crime, an injury to society and even to the offender himself. Sincere penitence must utter itself in confessio/i. Such confession is not the wail of despair, but the cry of sorrow and of hope. In itself it relieves the burdened and troubled soul, and it leads to the joy and peace of forgiveness, (c) 3. llestitution. " And He shall recom- pense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, to the priest." Restitution is an act of justice by which we restore to another that of which we have deprived him, or make him adequate compensation for the same. In this law it is enacted that the sum of which any one has been defrauded shall be restored, with the addition of one-fifth of its value. Restitution is essential to remission of sin ; for where restitution is not made it is evident that sincere repentence is absent. See Ezek. xviii. 7, 9, 12, 13, xxxiii. 15. The true penitent will find it an unspeakable relief if he is able in any degree to repair the wrong which he has done. There was no ex- *2 emption or escape from this law. If the person defrauded were deceased, restitution must be made to his kinsman (Heb. Goel) ; and if there were no kinsman, to the priest as the represen- tative of Jehovah. The priests were the Lord's receivers. In every case the property which was dishonestly acquired must be given up, restitution must be made, or the sin would not be forgiven. And this is still true. If we have acquired anything by dis- honest means let us make full and speedy restitution for the same, even if by so doing we should be reduced to utter penury. Better extreme poverty in our circumstances with a clear conscience and an approving God, than the greatest wealth with a guilty conscience and a condemning God. " What is not our property will never be our profit." And restitution should be made promptly. Every minute of un- necessary delay increases the guilt of the wrong-doer, (d) 4. Sacrifice. In addition to making restitution the offender was commanded to offer " the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him." He who was guilty of fraud wronged not only his fellow-man, but God also ; and therefore, in order that he might be forgiven, he must draw near to God with a sacrifice, and so make atonement for his sin. The ram was for the " trespass-offering," which differed from the sin-offering. In each offering the victim was a ram ; but " the sin-offering looked more to the guilt of the sin done, irre- spective of its consequences, while the trespass-offering looked to the evil consequences of sin, either against the service of God or against man, and to the duty of atonement, as far as atone- ment was possible." This arrangement would tend to set forth the great evil of sin as an offence to God Himself. It would also meet a great need of the penitent heart, which cries out for atonement for its sin. When all these things were accomplished the offender was held to be cleared from the guilt of his offence, as is stated in ver. 8 — HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. chap. v. " whereby an atonement shall be made for him," Lit. " which shall clear him of guilt as to it," i.e., as to the trespass. For us the One Offering has been made which perfects all others. And if we have wronged or defrauded any one, and are conscious of our guilt, we have but to make confession and restitution for the same, with faith in the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, and full forgiveness will be ours. Conclusion. 1. Let those ivho have injured others make speedy and full confession and restitution. 2. Let us all cidtivate the most thorough integrity and uprightness in our whole life and conduct. " All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them : for this is the law and the prophets." ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) The rules which God has given us forbid every wish, much more every attempt, to defraud, or deceive our neighbour. They render it highly criminal for the seller to take the smallest advantage of the ignorance, inex- perience, or simplicity of his customers ; or to conceal any defect which he may have dis- covered in the article of which he wishes to dispose. They render it equally criminal for the buyer to wish or attempt to take any advantage of the seller, either by exaggerat- ing the defects of his merchandise, or by falsely pretending that he does not wish to purchase. They render it highly criminal for any one to contract debts, when he has no sufficient reason to believe that he shall be able to dis- charge them ; or to persuade another to become responsible for his debts, when he has reason to suspect that his sponsor will in con- sequence suffer loss. In a word, they require us to put ourselves in the place of our neigh- bour, to bo as willing to defraud him as to be defrauded ourselves; to boas careful of his property and interost, as of our own ; to think no more of enriching ourselves at his expense, than we should think of robbing our left hand with our right. They require us, in all our transactions, to act as we should do if our fellow creaturos could see our hearts; for though they cannot see them, yet God can, and does see thorn ; He is both witness and judge between us and our neighbour in every transation, and surely His eye ought to be as effectual in regulating our conduct as would the eye of our fellow creatures, could they, like Him, search the heart These rules evidently forbid us to take any advantage of the necessities or imprudence of those whom we employ, and require us to give them a prompt and adequate compensation for thoir services ; and on the other hand, they make it the duty of all who are employed, to be as faithful to the interests of their employers as to their own, and to avoid defrauding them of any portion of their time by idleness, or of thoir property by negligence, as they would avoid theft or robbery. — E. Payton, D.D. (&) All sin is against God. Thoro are some sins which aro exclusively against God ; there are others which are against man, but no sin G 2 can be exclusively against man. This point is fraught with the most profound significance. Let us put it in this form: Whoever sins at/ a inst man sins against God. Then how sacred are all human interests ! How solomn aro all human relations ! You cannot harm a widow's child without sinning against God ; you can- not sneer at a good man without touching the sensibilities of your heavenly Father ; you cannot injure your wife or husband or friond without, in the degree of that injury, insulting Him who is the Creator and Redoemor of human kind. Let it bo known then, in all the breadth and force of its significance, that every blow struck against humanity is a blow struck against God 1 It will be a token of solid progress when man has more respect for man. We havo held manhood too choaply. We have not sufficiently pondered the great fact that every man sustains a vital relation to the great Creator of all life, and that every- thing which appertains to man has also an immediate relation to God. Would that we could thunder these doctrines into the ear of all despotism ; they would make the throne of tyranny tremble at its foundations ; they would blanch every tyrant's cheek, and wither the power of every despot. This they will assuredly attain. As Christianity is developed, the true feeling of Christianity will bo more and more understood ; and they who onco saw no image higher than human on the counte- nance of mankind, shall on that samo counte- nance seo the imago and superscription of Him who is infinite in pity and infinite in lovo. — Jos. Parker, D.D. (c) The confession of sin against a brother is a reasonable condition of receivings brother'fi forgiveness. The confession of sin to God is of tho essence of repentance and faith, and th.il does not interfere with tho grand truth that U man is justified by faith only. It is a sign that momentous spiritual changes aro going on in a man when he can bring his sin into the presence of the Holy God, and see it in tho light of perfect law and perfect sacrifico. Tho effort to do so tears up tho roots of evil desire, and crucifies the world with its affections. It is tho sublime peculiarity of Christianity that a sinner can tako his sins to God and 83 CHAP. V. IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. find mercy, even amid the burning light of that most Holy Presence. More than this, one man may help another to make this con- fession, to see himself and judge of himself more accurately than he would do, in the isolation and awfulnessof bis own repentance. The danger of self-deceit and self-flattery is great. The experience of the devout and impartial Christian who knows something of human nature, and has realised the full as- surance of faith, may be found of the greatest avail in tho struggle of the soul heavenwards. All Churclies and all Christians admit this great advantage. — H. R. Reynolds, D.D. (d) He must bring forth fruits meet for repentance. In other words, he must make restitution to every one whom he has injured, or defrauded, so far as he can recollect who they are — this in indispensable. There is no repentance, and, of course, no forgiveness without it. How can a man repent of iniquity, who still retains the wages of iniquity ? It is impossible. If he feels any sorrow, it is occasioned, not by hatred of his sin, but by fear of the consequences. Restitution, then, must be made, or the offender must perish. If thou bring thy gift to the altar, says our Saviour, and there rememberest that thy brother has aught against thee, that is, any reason to complain of thee, go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. The altar was then the place to which the worshippers of God brought their thank-offerings, gifts, and sacrifices for sin. Christ, we are told, is now our altar, and to this altar we must bring our prayers, our praises, our services. But he plainly intimates that he will accept no gift of us, receive no thanks from us, listen to none of our prayers, so long as we neglect to make satisfaction to those whom we have injured. And in vain shall we attempt to atone for neglecting this duty, by performing others, by contributing to the promotion of religious objects, or by liberality to the poor ; for God has said, I hate robbory for burnt offering ; that is, I hate, I will not receive an offering, which, was un- justly acquired. There ia, then, no way but to make restitution; and this every real Christian will make to the utmost of his ability. Agreeably, we hear Zaccheus, tha publican, saying as soon as he became a Chris- tian, "If I have wronged any man, I restore him fourfold." I am aware that this is a most disagreeable duty. Nothing can be harder, or more painful to our proud hearts. But it will be far easier to perform it, than to suffer the consequences of neglecting it. If it is not performed, our souls must perish, as sure as the Word of God is true; and in consequence of indulging a false shame, we shall be over- whelmed with shame and everlasting con- tempt. Even as it respects our interest in this world only, we had bettor, far better, put a blazing fire-brand into the midst of our pos- sessions, than retain among them the smallest particle of gain, which was not fairly obtained ; for it will bring the curse of God upon us, and upon all the works of our hands. — E. Payson. D.D. The Maintenance of the Ministry. {Verses 9, 10.) In the preceding verses it was enacted that, in case of fraud, restitution should he made to the injured person, and, if he were deceased, to his GoeJ, and, if there were no Goe'l, to the priest, who should offer the trespass- offering for the wrong-doer. The restitution in this case belonged to the priest. And in these verses other perquisites of the officiating priests are mentioned. In this and other ways provision was made for their temporal support. It was of the first importance that such provision should he made ; for the proper dis- cbarge of their duties precluded them from engaging in the ordinary activities of life. "At first," says Professor Plumtre, "the small number of the priests must have made the work almost unintermittent, and even when the 84 system of rotation had been adopted, the periodical absences from home could not fail to be disturbing and in- jurious, had they been dependent on their own labours. The serenity of the priestly character would have been disturbed had they had to look forsupport to the lower industries. It may have been intended that their time, when not liturgically employed, should be given to the study of the Law, or to instructing others in it. On these grounds, there- fore, a distinct provision was made for them. This consisted (1) Of one-tenth of the tithes which the people paid to the Levites, one per cent., i.e., on the whole produce of the country (Numb, xviii. 26-28). (2) Of a special tithe every third year (Deut. xiv. 28, xxvi. 12). (3) Of the redemption money paid at I10M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ciiap. v. the fixed rate of five shekels a head, for the first-born of man or beast (Num. xviii. 14-19). (4) Of the redemption money paid in like man- ner for men or things specially dedi- cated to the Lord (Lev. xxvii). (5) Of spoil, captives, cattle, and the like, taken in war (Num. xxxi. 25-47). (G) Of what may be described as the per- quisites of their sacrificial functions, the shew-bread, the flesh of the burnt- offerings, peace-offerings, trespass-offer- ings (Num. xviii. 8-14 ; Lev. vi. 26, 29 ; vii. G-10), and, in particular, the heave- shoulder and wave-breast (Lev. x. 12- 15). (7) Of an undefined amount of the first-fruits of corn, wine, and oil (Ex. xxiii. 19 ; Lev. ii. 14 ; Deut. xxvi. 1-10). (8) On their settlement in Canaan the priestly families had thir- teen cities assigned them, with "suburbs" or pasture grounds for their flocks (Josh. xxi. 13-19). These provisions were obviously intended to secure the religion of Israel against the dangers of a caste of pauper priests, needy and dependent, and unable to bear their witness to the true faith. They were, on the other hand, as far as possible removed from the condition of a wealthy order." In the foregoing sources of emolument, only the chief ones are given. The " offering " men- tioned in the text is given in the margin as "heave-offering." The Hebrew is nD-YTJjl an oblation, used here, says Fuerst, " of holy gifts generally." " The reference is to dedicatory offer- ings, first-fruits, and such like." — Kcil and Del. These were to be the pro- perty of the officiating priests. These arrangements suggest the obligation of the Church to adequately support its ministry. We rest this obligation — I. On the ground of honesty. The physician and the solicitor are paid, and that handsomely, for their attention and counsel, as a matter of duty. The Christian minister has equally a claim that his services shall be remunerated by those who have the benefit of them. Yet professedly Chris- tian people are far less conscientious in paying for ministerial than they are for legal and medical services. The testi- mony of our Lord and of His apostles as to this obligation is unmistakeably clear. (See Matt. x. 9, 10 ; Luke x. 7 ; 1 Cor. ix. 7-14; Gal. vi. 6; 1 Tim. v. 17, 18.) (a) II. On the ground of interest. The Christian congregation that does not adequately support its minister is not wisely mindful of its own best interests. 1. The services of the true minister of Christ are of the greatest benefit to the Church and to the world. His ministry tends to quicken thought on the most important and sublime subjects, to educate the conscience aright, to arouse the will to true and earnest action, and to lead the soul to the great Source of life and light. 2. The adequate maintenance of the ministry is indispensable to its efficiency. When his mind is harassed with tem- poral anxieties, or when much of his time is occupied with matters not per- taining to his ministry, in order to pro- vide for the wants of his family, the minister is prevented from rendering the highest service of which he is capable. The ministry should be the great business of his life, and his mind should be free to prosecute it. Hence — 3. If Christians consult their own in- terests they will see to it that their min- isters are adequately maintained. The money which is so spent will prove a most remunerative investment, (b) Conclusion. 1. Let Churches recognise their iiiterest and heartily do their duty in this respect. 2. Let ministers recognise the import- ance of their duties, and endeavour to faithfully perform them. u It is great reason that he which looketh for his hire should do his work ; and that he which intendeth to live of the Gospel of Christ, should preach to others the Gospel of Christ." Let us strive to be "scribes instructed unto the kingdom of heaven," etc. (Matt. xiii. 52). "Study to show thyself approved unto God," etc. (2 Tim. ii. 15). 85 CHAP. V I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) No true minister will ever preach -with an eye to secular results. All mercenary considerations will bo borne down and engulfed * by the ever-deepening current of spiritual f sympathies and aims. His main purpose will \ be not to acquire wealth, but to win souls, i Still in common with all men, he has his * physical and domestic wants. Food, raiment, i and a home, are as necessary to his existence as to that of any man ; and according to the present arrangements of society, these are only supplied by money. Whence is he to receive this? As a general rule, it comes only as the reward of labour. He labours. The office of a true minister is no sinecure ; there is no work so arduous as his ; it is the labour, not of limbs, but of brain and heart ; it is a constant draw upon the very fountains of nervous energy. Nor is there any work so useful to society. In the reason of things, therefore, has any worker a stronger claim to secular support than he? If his labour is the most arduous and the most useful, ought it not to secure the most ample secular returns ? Paul recognises and enforces this natural and common-sense claim. (1 Cor. ix. 7, 9, 11, 14.) There are men who receive and expect large services from their minister, and who make little or no return. For a paltry pound or two per annum, he must preach to them thrico per week, pay them frequent pastoral visits, or else they set up their complaints against him, and seok to spread a spirit of dis- satisfaction through his sphere. There are families in connection with congregations who spend moro on perfumery, or on toys for their children, than to support the man who is giving the best energies of his cultivated mind to save their souls. A man takes a pew in a church, pays his five or six pounds per annum, — a less sum than ho pays his scullery-maid, — and for that he expects twelve months' preaching, and great pastoral attention. What is still worse — still more unreasonable, he regards the paltry sum he subscribes rather as a charity than a debt. Charity, indeed ! Call the money you pay to your grocer, draper, physician, or land- lord, charity ; but in the name of all that is true in reason and justice, don't call what you tender to the man to whom you owe your best ideas, your holiest impressions — who gives to you the choicest products of his educated and sanctified intellect, charity. It is he that shows charity, not you ; your gold is a miserable compensation for the results of his sweating brain and ever-anxious heart. — D. Thomas, D.D. (b) As the Church dependeth upon them for their allowance, so they depend upon her for their maintenance. Thus the Pastor and the people do feed one another, as a flock of sheep nourisheth the shepherd, who eateth the milk of them, and clotheth himself with the wool of them ; and again the shepherd coucheth them into green pastures, and leadeth them by the still waters. The people feed him with the bread of this life; he feedeth them with the bread of everlasting life. They minister to him in carnal things ; he to them in spiritual things. They cannot lack him in regard of their souls ; he cannot be without them in regard of his body. Thus then they do feed one another, or at least ought to do. If he receive food of them, and give none unto them again, he robbeth them of their goods, and murdereth their souls. If they on the other side receive food of him, so that they be taught of him, and yet make him not partaker of a part of their goods, they rob him, and causo him to depart from them, and so become murderers of their own souls, as if they did lay violent hands upon themselves, or rather as if they did famish themselves by refusing bread provided for them ; inasmuch as " where vision ceaseth, there people perish." (Prov. xxix. 18.)— W. Attersoll. The Trial of the Suspected Wife {Verses 11-31.) "We have here another law intended to secure the sanctity of the Israelites, by maintaining fidelity in conjugal re- lations, and removing even the suspicion of adultery from amongst them. " The chastity of females," says Dean Milman, 11 was guarded by statutes, which, how- ever severe and cruel according to modern notions, were wise and merciful in that state of society. Poems and travels have familiarised us with the horrible atrocities committed by the blind jealousy of Eastern husbands. By substituting a judicial process for the wild and hurried justice of the offended party, the guilty suffered a death, probably, less inhuman; the innocent might escape. The convicted adulterer and adulteress were stoned to death. Even the incontinence of a female before marriage, if detected at the time of her nuptials, which was almost inevitable, underwent the same penalty with that of the adulteress. Where the case was not clear, the female suspected of infidelity might be UOMILETIC COMMENTARY : NUMBERS. CHAP. V. summoned to a most awful ordeal. She was to be acquitted or condemned by God Himself, whose actual inter- position was promised by His daring law-giver. . . . What guilty woman, if she had courage to confront, would have the command of countenance, firmness and resolution, to go through all this slow, searching, and terrific the process, and finally expose herself to shame and agony, far worse than death ? No doubt, cases where this trial was undergone were rare ; yet the confidence of the legislator in the Divine inter- ference can hardly be questioned ; for had such an institution fallen into con- tempt by its failure in any one instance, his whole law and religion would have been shaken to its foundation." " We do not read of any instance in which this ordeal was resorted to ; a fact which may be explained either (with the Jews) as a proof of its effuacy, since the guilty could not be brought to face its terrors at all, and avoided them by confession ; or more probably by the licence of divorce tolerated by the law of Moses. Since a husband could put away his wife at pleasure, a jealous man would naturally prefer to take this course with a suspected wife rather than to call public attention to his own shame by having recourse to the trial of jealousy. The Talmud states that the trial lapsed into disuse forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem ; and that because the crime of adultery was so common amongst men that God would no longer inflict the curses here named upon women (cf.Hos. iv. 14). — Speakers Commentary. A critical examination and exposition of the details of the process of trial will be found in Keil and Del., in loco. Let us consider the principal moral truths which are here illustrated. I. Confidence in conjugal relations is of great importance. This awful ordeal was instituted for cases where this confidence was lost, and the proof of guilt was lacking. Suspicion and jealousy are terrible evils. *' Suspicion," says Babington, " is the cut-throat and poison of all love and friendship." And in proportion to the intensity of the love will be the anguish of suspicion in respect to the object of the love. "Where love is groat, the littlest doubts are fear ; Whore littlo fear grows groat, great love is thoro." Shakespeare. "Jealousy, each other passion's calm, To thee, thou conflagration of the soul ! Thou king of torments ! thou grand counter- poise For all the transports beauty can inspire." Younrj. And Hannah More : "0, jealousy, Thou ugliest fiend of hell ! thy deadly venom Preys on my vitals, turns the healthful hue Of my fresh cheek to haggard sallowness, And drinks my spirit up." (a) " Jealousy," says Solomon, " is the rage of a man." " Jealousy is cruel as the grave ; the coals thereof are coals of fire, a most vehement flame." This dread ordeal was intended as a remedy for suspicion and jealousy. And no one can examine it without perceiving that, if it was severe, it was also calcu lated to be thoroughly effective. See how searching, solemn, and stern it is. 1. The whole trial was to take place in the sight of God (ver. 1G). 2. The dread appeal was made to the Omniscient and Almighty (ver. 21). 3. The appeal was weighted by the most terrible imprecations (vers. 21, 22). 4. It ivas solemnly declared in the law that if the woman were guilty these im- precations would be fulfilled (ver. 27). 5. The appeal was to be solemnly ratified by the suspected woman. " The woman shall say, Amen, Amen." "Twice," says Trapp ; "to show the fervency of her zeal, the innoceucy of her cause, the uprightness of her con- science, and the purity of her heart." Surely, if any suspected wife went through so solemn and terrible an ordeal, the effect would be completely to clear the mind of her husband from the least taint of suspicion, and to re- store the brightness of her reputation. The e'.ernncss of this ordeal for the temoval of suspicion impres- sively sets forth the importance of con- 67 CHAP. V. I10MILET1C COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. fidence between husband and wife. Destroy this confidence ; and what ought to be one of the holiest and most lasting bonds is snapped asunder, the helpfulness and peace of the family are banished for ever, and, if the evil prevail to any considerable extent, the ibuudations of the civil commonwealth will be gradually but certainly under- mined. II. Adultery is a sin of the greatest enormity. This dreadful ordeal, which was in- tended to prevent it, shows how great was its heinousness in the Divine esti- mation. This is expressed — 1. In the abasement of the suspected teaman.. The " barley meal" of which the offering was composed, the " earthen vessel " which contained the water, and " the dust " that was put into the water, indicate a state of deep humiliation and disgrace. The absence from the offering of oil, the symbol of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, and of frankincense, the symbol of prayer, also proclaimed her questionable repute and the suspicion with which she was re- garded. In like manner the "uncover- ing of the woman's head" was indicative of the loss of woman's best ornament, chastity and fidelity in the marriage relation. 2. In the terrible punishment which came upon the guilty. " If she be defiled, and havo done trespass against her husband, the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot : and the woman shall be a curse among her people." — Keil and Del. translate, "her hip vanish." And Adam Clarke : "her thigh fall." This ordeal was made so terrible that the dread of it might effectually prevent the wives in Israel from the least violation of their fidelity to their husbands. It remains as an impressive proclamation of the utter abhorence with which God regards the sin of adultery. It is a sin against God ; it inllicts the most grievous and intolerable injury upon the husband; it is an unmitigated blight and bane 8* upon the family ; and it is a wrong to society generally. The most terrible condemnations are pronounced upon it in the Sacred "Word. (See Lev. xx. 10 ; Mai. iii. 5; 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10; Heb. xiii. 4.) III. The punishment of sin is closely related to the sin itself. " It cannot be determined with any certainty what was the nature of the disease threatened in this curse. . . . At any rate, the idea of the curse is this : At coy yap rj a/xapria 8ia rovrutv 7] Tip.u>pia (' the punishment shall come from the same source as the sin,' Theodoret). The punishment was to answer exactly to the crime, and to fall upon those bodily organs which had been the instruments of the woman's sin, viz., the organs of child-bearing." — Keil and Del. The punishment came in those portions of her body which she had abused. " David sinned in com- mitting adultery with the wife of Uriah, his faithful servant, and destroyed him with the sword of the Ammonites ; he is paid home, and punished in his own kind ; for God, by way of rewarding him and serving him as he had served others, as a just judge, doth raise up evil against him out of his own house. His own sons break out into the same sins, and he kindleth such a fire in his own family, that they rise up against him, and one against another. Absalom spreadeth a tent, and lieth with his father's concubines, in the sight of all Israel. Amnion deflowereth his sister Tamar ; to revenge this, Absalom killeth his own brother." — Attersoll. (See Judg. i. 6-7; Esth. vii. 10; Matt. vii. 1-2.) " Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corrup- , tion." (b) ' , IV. God will bring to light the secret sins of men. If the suspected woman were guilty, ' after this ordeal her guilt would be made manifest. All sins are known unto Him. " For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of H0M1LETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. V. iniquity may hide themselves." " Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy counte- nance." Sometimes hidden sins are strangely discovered in this life and world, (c). The great day will reveal all. " For God shall bring every work iuto judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it bo evil." " The day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ." In that day the dark secrets of evil will be all brought to light. V. God will assuredly vindicate the innocent who have suffered from sus- picion or slander. In this case the vindication was most complete. u If the woman be not de- filed, but be clean : then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed." " If not guilty after such a trial," says Adam Clarke, " she had great honour ; and, according to the rabbins, became strong, healthy, and fruitful ; for if she was before barren, she now began to bear children ; if before she had only daughters, she now began to have sons; if before she had hard travail, she now had easy ; in a word, she was blessed in her body, her soul, and her sub- stance." Tims to the innocent there was no terror in this stern ordeal. It was rather a blessing to them, if by any means they had come to be regarded with suspicion by their husbands ; for by means of it such suspicions would be removed, and their fidelity and honour vindicated and exalted. And God will, sooner or later, splendidly vindicate all who suffer from misrepre- sentation, slander, or false accusation. Conclusion. " We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ," etc. Let us seek by the grace of God to be ready for that great and awful tribunal. ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) Jealousy is the bane and poison of marriage, and makoth that sociable life to bo uncomfortable, and mingleth it with worse than gall and wormwood. Jealousy, thorofore, is a grief of mind, arising from hence, that another is judged to enjoy that which wo desire to have wholly and properly as our own, and none beside us to possess any part with us. Hore, then, we cannot abide any community, but hate it as our enemy and the right cause of this jealousy. Or we may de- scribe it otherwise on this manner : It is an affection proceeding from fear to have that communicated to another, which we challenge and covet to retain as peculiar and proper to ourselves alone. From hence it appeareth, farther, what the nature of jealousy is, to wit, that it is mixed and compounded, partly of love, partly of fear, and partly of anger. Of love, which admitteth no fellow-partner in the thing he loveth : for as the king will suffer no companion to be equal unto him, or par- taker with him in his kingdom, so will the husband suffer no co-rival to mate him in his love. Of fear, lest another enjoy the use of that which we cannot abide or suffer he should enjoy. Of anger, whereby it cometh to pass, that ho is ready to break out to seek revenge and punishment upon him that hath offendod him that way. — IF. Attersoll. Yet is thore one more cursed than they all, That canker worm, that monstor, Jealousy, Which eats the heart and foods upon the gall, Turning all love's delight to misery, Through fear of losing his felicity. Nor ever is he wont on aught to feed But toads and frogs (his pasture poisonous), Which, in his cold complexion, do breed A filthy blood, or humour rancorous, Matter of doubt and dread suspicious, That doth with cureless care consume the heart, Corrupt the stomach with gall vicious, Cross-cuts the liver with eternal smart, And doth transfix the soul with death's otornal dart. Edmund Spenser. (o) The punishment of sin is not an arbitrary infliction, but it is a necessary law. Penalty is not a direct interference, but a genuine child of the transgression. Wo rocoive the things that we have dono. There is a dreadful coercion in our own iniquities. There is an inevitable congruity botwoen the doed and its consequences. Thore is an awful germ of identity in the seed and in tho fruit. Wo re- cognise the sown wind when wo are roaping the harvest whirlwind. We feel that it is we who have winged the very arrows that oat into our hearts liko fire. It noods no gathorod lightnings — m Divine intervention— no mirac- ulous messenger to avoDgoin us (Jod's violated laws; they avonge themsolvos Take disease aa one form of tho working of this inevitable law — not always, of course, the direct result of sin; yot how much of disease is directly duo to dirt, neglect, folly, ignorance tho infected blood, tho inheritod instinct9 of this sad world. But aro there not some diseases, and those the most terrible which I have known, which do spring diroctly, im- 89 CHAP. VI. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. mediately, exclusively, solely, from violence of God's law ? Is not madness very often such a disease ? Is there not at this moment many a degraded lunatic who never would have been such but for repeated transgressions of God's known will ? Is there not in the very life-blood of millions, a hereditary taint blighting the healthy, poisoning, as with a fury's breath, the flower of their happiness, and breaking out afresh in new generations, which has its sole source and origin in uncleanliness? Is there not, too, an executioner of justice which God has told off to wait upon drunken- ness, which would cease if drunkenness ceased to exist ? It is God's warning against that fearful intemperance against which senates will not fight, and against which they who love their fellows fight as yet in vain. — F. W. Farrer, D.D. (c) When Dr. Donne, afterwards Dean of St. Paul's, took possession of the first living he ever had, he walked into the churchyard as the sexton was digging a grave ; and on his throw- ing up a skull, the doctor took it into his hands to indulge in serious contemplation. On look- ing at it, he found a headless nail sticking in the tomple, which he secretly drew out, and wrapped in the corner of his handkerchief. He then asked the grave-digger, whether he knew whose skull it was? He said he did; adding, it had been a man's who kept a brandy shop ; a drunken fellow, who, one night, having taken two quarts of ardent spirits, was found dead in his bed the next morning. " Had he a wife ? " " Yes." "Is she living ? " " Yes." " What character does she bear ? " " A very good one ; only her neighbours re- flect on her because she married the day after her husband was buried." This was enough for the doctor, who, in the course of visiting his parishioners, called on her ; he asked her several questions, and, among others, of what sickness her husband died. She giving him the same account, he suddenly opened the handkerchief, and cried, in an authoritative voice, "Woman, do you know this nail?" She was struck with horror at the unexpected question, instantly acknowledged that she had murdered her husband; and was afterwards tried and executed. — Biblical Museum, Hints on the Law of Jealousies. (Verse 29.) Describe trial by ordeal. This existed among all primitive nations, and modern ones that are yet in a primitive state. Nations have their infancy ; this be- longs to that state in their existence. Israel had seen this in Egypt. God permits them to use it ; only stipulating that water only should be used, so that no innocent one shonld suffer, and that all shonld see that the guilty was de- tected by Him. Why should He per- mit this1? 1. To show the importance He at- taches to domestic morality. 2. To teach them that He was looking on and knowing their most secret sins. 3. To train them to cultivate a tender conscience, and to acknowledge its authority. 4. To restore confidence between husband and wife where it was wrongly shaken. 5. Though this custom is done away with, God is still the same, and will bring all secret sin into the light. — David Lloyd. CHAPTER VI. The Vow of the Nazarite, or Acceptable Consecration to God. (Verses 1-S.J " The previous chapter has provided for the exclusion from the pale of God's ; people of certain forms of guilt and defilement. The present one offers an opening to that zeal for God which, not content with observing what is obligatory, seeks for higher and stricter modes of self-dedication. Thus the law of the Nazarite is appropriately added to other enactments which concern the 90 sanctity of the holy nation. That sanctity found its highest expression in the Nazarite vow, which was the volun- tary adoption for a time of obligations resembling, and indeed in some par- ticulars exceeding, those under which the priests were placed." — Si^eaher's Com.m. Nazarite, or more properly, Nazirite (Heb. *VT3 from "10 to separate), signifies HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAP. VI. a separated one, then ; one consecrated, especially by a vow. From the mode in which the law is introduced in ver. 2, it is evident that Nazaritism was not a new institution, but was already familiar to the people. Moses "appears to have done no more than ordain such regulations for the vow of the Nazarite of days, as brought it under the cognizance of the priest, and iuto harmony with the general system of religious observance. It is doubted, in regard to Nazaritism in general, whether it was of native or foreign origin. . . . Winer justly observes that the points of resemblance between the Nazarite vow and heathen customs are too fragmentary and in- definite to furnish a safe foundation for an argument in favour of a foreign origin for the former." Nazarites were of two kinds, and were styled respectively, " Nazarites of days," and "perpetual Nazarites." The former took the vow only for a limited and specified time. The Sacred Scrip- tures are silent as to the length of time for which the vow was taken. "Accord- ing to Nazir, the usual time was thirty days, but double vows for sixty days, and treble vows for a hundred days, were sometimes made." Of perpetual Nazarites, three are mentioned in the Scriptures : Sampson, Samuel, aud John the Baptist. The laws which are laid down in this chapter apply to those who were Nazarites for a limited period only, not to those who were Nazarites for life. On the moral significance of Naza- ritism we cannot do better than tran- scribe the remarks of the Rev. S. Clark, M.A., in Smith's Diet, of the Bible. " The meaning of the Nazarite vow has been regarded in different lights. Some consider it as a symbolical expression of the Divine nature working in man, and deny that it involved anything of a strictly ascetic character; others see in it the principle of stoicism, and imagiue that it was intended to culti- vate, and bear witness for, the sovereignty of the will over the lower tendencies of human nature : while some regard it wholly in the light of the sacrifice of the person to God . . . Philo has taken the deeper view of the subject. According to him the Nazarite did not sacrifice merely his possessions, but his person, and the act , of sacrifice was to be performed in the completest manner. The outward observances enjoined upon him were to be the genuine expressions of his spiritual devotion. To represent spotless purity within, he was to shun defile- ment from the dead, at the expense even of the obligation of the closest family ties. As no spiritual state or act can be signified by any single symbol, he was to identify himself with each one of the three victims which he had to offer as often as he broke his vow by accidental pollution, or when the period of his vow came to an end. He was to realise in himself the ideas of the whole burnt-offering, the sin-offering, and the peace-offering. That no mistake might be made in regard to the three sacrifices being shadows of one and the same substance, it was ordained that the victims should be individuals of one and the same species of animal. The shorn hair was put on the fire of the altar in order that, although the Divine law did not permit the offering of human blood, something might be offered up actually a portion of his own person .... That the Nazarite vow was essen- tially a sacrifice of the person to the Lord is obviously in accordance with the terms of the Law (Num. vi. 2). In the old dispensation it may have answered to that ' living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,' which the be- liever is now called upon to make. As the Nazarite was a witness for the straitness of the Law, as distinguished from the freedom of the Gospel, his sacrifice of himself was submission to the letter of a rule. Its outward mani- festations were restraints and eccen- tricities. The man was separated from his brethren that he might lie peculiarly devoted to the Lord. This was con- sistent with the purpose of Divine wisdom for the time lor which it was 'Jl CHAr. VI. UOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. ordained. Wisdom, we are told, was justified of her child in the life of the great Nazarite who preached the bap- tism of repentance when the Law was about to give way to the Gospel. Amongst those born of women, no greater than he had arisen, ' but he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.' The sacrifice which the believer now makes of himself is not to cut him off from his brethren, but to unite him more closely with them ; not to subject him to an out- ward bond, but to confirm him in the liberty with which Christ has made him free. It is not without significance that wine under the Law was strictly forbidden to the priest who was engaged in the service of the sanctuary, and to the few whom the Nazarite vow bound to the special service of the Lord ; while in the Church of Christ it is consecrated for the use of every be- liever to whom the command has come, 'drink ye all of this.'" Confining our attention to the first eight verses, we have in them an illustration of acceptable consecration to God. Ac- ceptable personal consecration to God is characterised by — I. Voluntariness. The self-consecration of the Nazarite was entirely spontaneous. It is true that Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist, were dedicated to the Lord as perpetual Nazaritea by their parents previous to their birth. But as a rule, the vow was voluntarily assumed. In the legislation recorded in this chapter it is regarded as the free act of the in- dividual. Our self-consecration to God must be willing and hearty, or it will not be accepted by Him. The strictest obedience, which is begotten of fear; the most careful performance of reli- gious duties, which is not hearty ; the most diligent service, which is not free, is regarded as worthless in the sight of God. To be accepted by God, we must "serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind." The service of the slave or of the hireling, He rejects ; but the free consecration of the heart and life to Him is an 92 offering with which He is well pleased (a). II. Completeness. The Nazarite dedicated himself wholly to God. This is symbolised , especially by the uncut hair, which is i spoken of in verse 7 as " the diadem of God upon his head." " The couse- . oration of the Nazarite culminated in his uncut hair. The free growth of the hair, unhindered by the hand of man, was ' the symbol of strength and abundant vitality ' (cf. 2 Sam. xvi. 25, 2G)." Heuce in the Nazarite it pro- claimed the fact that he had dedicated himself wholly, with all his powers, to the service of God. Our consecration to God must be unreserved to be ac- ceptable. Divided allegiance is no allegiance. " Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Whole-hearteclness is in- dispensable to true allegiance to any person or to any cause. Divided ser- vice God rejects. He claims us entirely. He requires our supreme affection. The throne of our being must be freely given to Him, or our consecration will not be accepted by Him. When our whole self is given to God, we shall keep back nothing else from Him. " May the God of peace Himself sanc- tify you wholly," etc. (1 Thess. v. 23). (6) III. Subordination of sensual en- joyments. The Nazarite was to abstain entirely from wine and intoxicating drink. He was neither to eat nor to drink of any- thing prepared from the vine, " from the kernel even to the husk." This was to represent his abstinence from every gratification of the senses, which would in any way impair the holiness of his soul. This entire abstinence from the pi*oducts of the vine is not a law for Christians. It is never repre- sented as such in the Sacred Scriptures. The Nazarite was free to "drink wine" when the period of his separation was ended. But it is a law of the Christian life, that the sensual must ever and in all things be subordinated to the spiritual. Sensual appetites must not lord it over spiritual aspirations. Our HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. CHAr. vi. animal passions must be controlled by moral principles. Everything which tends to weaken or becloud our soul's vision, to blunt our suscepti- bility to spiritual impressions and impulses, to interrupt our conscious communion with God, or to deprive us of spiritual purity and power, we are bound to abstain from. " Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." " Walk iu the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." IV. Separation from all moral evil. " Because the Nazarite was holy to the Lord during the whole period of his consecration, he was to approach no dead person during that time, not even to defile himself for his parents, or his brothers and sisters, when they died, according to the law laid down for the high priest in Lev. xxi. 11. Conse- quently, as a matter of course, he was to guard most scrupulously againBt other defilements, not only like ordinary Israelites, but also like the priests." — Iveil and Del. The people of God must " abstain from every form of evil." Jesus Christ was " holy, harmless, un- defiled, separate from sinners," even while he received sinners and ate with them. A similar separation is required from His followers. " I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil." " Come out from among them, and be ye .separate, saith the Lord, and touch not anything unclean, and I will receive you, " etc. " Ye that love the Lord hate evil." By your consecration you are " holy unto the Lord,'' therefore shun utterly all sin whatsoever. (d) Do these characteristics of acceptable personal consecration to God mark our lives % ILLUSTRATIONS. (a) Personal dovotion to the Lord Jesus Christ has distinguished the saints of all churches, and of all countries. They have acknowledged that they were not their own, but His. They have renounced, for His sake, all private interests, and all personal aims. They have lived, and worked, and Buffered, and died for Him. They have been the slaves of Christ — His slaves, not because their spirit ■was crushed by a tyrannical authority which they had no power or courage to resist, but because His Divine majesty, His inilnito love for them, and the glory of His personal per- fection kindled thoir imagination, commanded the homage of thoir conscience, and won their hearts. They were His slaves, but they found in His service a larger freedom than they had known bofore they accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Master ; and, with the larger freedom, there came a fuller life and a noblor joy. The act of consecration is an act of the will. It is a voluntary surrender of the life to Christ, a yieldiosj to His claims as our rightful Owner. But His Ownership belongs to the moral and spiritual order, and is ultimately asserted in Bis personal ascendancy over the ■whole moral and spiritual life of those who are His. Consecration is an indispensable condition of holiness, for it is a free consent to belong to Christ, and not to ourselves ; but where there is personal devotion to Christ, Christ is not merely accepted by the will as the Lord and Owner of life, He is enthroned over all the forces of our moral and spiritual nature.— R. W. Dale, D.D. (A) It is related of the missionary, Henry Martyn, that, when at college, "he nevor lost an hour ; " but then every moment was spent in seeking honour for himself. When, how- ever, he had obtained the highest honours, he was disappointed in finding that he had grasped a shadow. A friend told him one day that he ought to attend to his studios not to obtain the praise of men, but that he might be better fitted to promote the glory of God. He thought such a demand very strange, and when his sister spoke to him on tho subject, and begged him to give his heart to God, he did not like to listen to her, because he felt that he would have to give up many things if he became religious. At length, however, a great change came over him — a change of heart ; and he resolved to "seek first the kingdom of God.'' His pros- pects were every day becoming brighter and j brightor ; but the love of God had entered his heart, and he was enabled to conquer his ambition and love of fame. He became a minister of the Gospol, and was greatly esteemed for his learning and amiable manners. Ho began now, more than ever, to feel that he was not his own, and therefore that ho must not live to himself ; and although he might have risen to posts of distinction in his native land, h'i chose rather to bo a mis- sionary to tho hftathon. He sacrificed home, friendship, worldly Cviufort, health, earthly 'Ji CHAP. VI. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: NUMBERS. love, and last of all. life itself, that he might tell the heathen of the true God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to save sinners ; for, as he said, " he could not endure life if Jesus were not glorified." He left all that he might follow Jesus. He felt that it was what God required of him, and he acted in the spirit of bis Divine Master, who gave Himself for the sins of the world. — Sunday School Teacher. (c) Stimulants, like wine, inflame the senses, and through them set the imagination and feelings on fire ; and the law of our spiritual being is that which begins with the flesh, sensualizes the spirit — whereas that which commences in the region of the spirit, spiritualizes the senses, in which it subse- quently stirs emotiom. But the misfortune is that men mistake this law of their emotions; and the fatal error is, when having found spiritual feelings existing in connection, and associated with fleshly sensations, men expect by the mere irritation of the emotions of the frame to reproduce those high and glorious feelings. . . The worst case of all occurs in the department of the affections. That which begins in the heart ennobles the whole animal being, but that which begins in the inferior departments of our beings is the most entire degradation and sensualizing of the soul. Wine is but a specimen of a class of stimu- lants. All that begins from without belongs to the same class. The stimulus may be afforded by almost any enjoyment of the senses. Drunkenness may come from anything wherein is excess ; from over-indulgence in society, in pleasure, in music, and in the delight of listening to oratory, nay, even from the excitement of sermons and religious meetings. The prophet tells us of those who are drunken, and not with wine. . . . This is what we want: we want the vision of a calmer and simpler Beauty, to tranquillize us in the midst of artificial tastes — we want the draught of a purer spring to cool the flame of our excited lifo ; we want, in other words the Spirit of the Life of Christ, simple, natural, with power to calm and soothe the feelings which it rouses : the fulness of the Spirit which can never intoxicate.— F. W. Robertson. M.A. (