Entire Devotion to God Induced by the Foregoing View of His Character
INDUCED BY THE FOREGOING VIEWS OF HIS
CHARACTER.
“YE ARE NOT YOUU OWN, FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; THEEEFOEB GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD’s.” — I Cor. VL 19, 20
Vers. 1, 2. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak unto the childrenf Israel, and say unto them.”
The connection of this concluding chapter with all the preceding has been considered a difficulty with naany. But most obviously the connection is that oi feeling. No wonder God takes up the subject of self-dedication and the devoting of all that a man has; for might not any one expect that the preceding views given to God’s mind and heart would be constraining? We find in Scripture, that the link of connection between one narrative and another often lies in the feelings understood to be produced in the reader of the story, or feelings likely to arise. Thus, in Mark xi. 25,” When ye stand prayings forgive, if ye have aught against any’’ is suddenly introduced; but on being examined, the reason turns out to be, that that feeling of ill-will to others is one of the hindrances to the prayer of faith which our Lord was
492 ENTUtE DEVOTION TO GOD.
anxious to lead them to. So, also, the feast of Levi to Christ, and the question of John’s disciples and the Pharisees about fasting, is placed by two Evangelists just after Levi’s conversion, though Matthew shows that it occurred at the time Jairus came. The link of connee* tion is, Christ exhibited as a Saviour for sinners, apart from all ceremonial observances, led the mind to go out in the direction of occurrences that bore upon that point. In this chapter, after the Lord has unfolded his system of truth, the impression left on every true worshipper is supposed to be, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits?” As Paul, after unfolding the way of life and righteousness in the first eleven chapters of Romans, begins at chap. xii. 1 to address his readers, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” For true has it ever been, that “the grace of God that bringeth salvation” is grace that “ieocAes tts” to deny ungodliness, and to be a peculiar people. (Titus ii. 12.) Indeed, we might almost venture to say, that Micah vi. 8, was uttered in this very feeling, and with a view to these very ordinances — “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good,” in these sacrifices and ordinances that are full of grace and truth; and now, if thou askest how the grateful feelings of thine accepted soul are to be met, lo! here is provision made for their outpouring: “What does the Lord require of thee, but t-o do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” So far as we do not give to God this recompense of a life thankfully devoted to him, we cannot but cry with Ephraim
Syrus “taXayilu) toy iftov §toy 6n iixitiOiOi ina/Bi.’”” J
pronounce my life wretched, because it is unprofitable.”
Vers. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 8. “When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation.* And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver. And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.”
All agree that the meaning of” making a singular vow’ is vowing something extraordinary, singling out something very valuable, and setting it apart for God.t To vow that a child, or a youth, or a person in mature years, should be the Lord’s, this surely was a vow beyond ordinary.
“Bi, thy estimation.’’^ Michaelis thinks that Moses is meant, who as civil magistrate determined the rule; but it rather seems to mean, “according as it shall be estimated, or valued, among you.” The community of Israel had their general rules on such subjects, and these are to be taken.
The rate is the same for persons of all ranks.” To
* The word for “estimation” is ‘H“‘’?. It is interesting to notice, that from the same root comes 1315 ttJ’^x, “mine equal” — a man estimated as I myself See Psalm Iv. 15, Christ’s words concerning Judas.
f It is the same word as used in Ps. iv. 3, where the Lord is said to set apart the godly one. And how beautiful to observe, that the consequence of being set apart is protection. “The Lord will hear when I call.” As the priest would run to preserve any dedicated vessel from being brokeoj «r spoilt, so here.
the poor the Gospel is preached.” The rich and wealthy have no place here above the poor; all stand as sinners to be redeemed by the same blood, and bound by the same cords of love.
Bush remarks, “The rules of mortality are the principles on which these rates are graduated.” Hence, those in the prime of life are first noticed; and of these the males, being capable of most service, are rated highest. It appears to me clear that Jephthas daughter (Judg. xi. 30) may come under this rule. Her father vowed to dedicate to the Lord (ver. 31) when he should return victorious — thinking, probably, of some of his domestic comforts and luxuries — “whatsoever oometh from the doors of my house.” Jephtha’s daughter, like young Samuel, was simply set apart personally to the Lord; and the clause “/ will offer it as a burnt-offering should be understood, as many have rendered it, “I will offer also to him* a burnt-offering,” as if to say, I will load his altar with many gifts of thanksgiving. Hengstenberg (” Egypt, and Books of Moses”) supports the opinion that there was an institution of holy women in the tabernacle, who, like Hannah the Prophetess, spent their time in prayer and fasting. At all events, Exod. xxxviii. 8, and 1 Sam. ii. 22, ought to be rendered, “The women who ministered at the gate of the tabernacle,” the word being K2s. Just as in Num. iv. 23, 35, 43, when speaking of the Levites. The Midianites, Numb. xxxi.
* Several critics have pointed out similar instances of the suffix bo used. Thus, Judg. i. 16, “‘JFina, “Thou hast given to me.” Isa. xlii. 16; Jer. xx. 1 £zck. xxix. 3; Micah v. 4. The principle laid down in ver. 11, would, of itself, be sufficient to prevent the eocriiice of Jephtlia’a daughter. In Bomaine’s works there is a view given of the matter, substiuitially the same as this, which states the reasons against the sacrifice at great length.
40, were women (ver. 35), and were set apart for the Lord.
There seems to me a mistake generally fallen into here by commentators. They suppose that these shekels of money were paid in order to free the offerers from the obligation of devoting the person. Now, surely the whole chapter is speaking of things truly devoted to God, and cases of exchange and substitution are referred to in vers. 10, 13, 15. As for persons devoted, there was no substitution allowed. The mistake has arisen from supposing that this amount of money was ransom-money; whereas it was an addition to the offering of the person, not a substitution. If a person is really to be dedicated to the Lord, then let him give this external, visible declaration of it. Let him bring these shekels of money, according to his age, in token of his having given up the world and devoted himself to Grod. Hence, Jephtha/s daughter could not be redeemed; she is the Lords, and there is no alienation of his property.
What do we learn from this? Let us remember how it is written that the price of a slave, gored to death, is, in Exod. xxi. 32, reckoned at thirty shekels; and how, in Zech. xi. 12, the same price is weighed for the prophet in his typical- character; and then, in Matt. xxvi. 15, paid for Jesus. If such was the manner of making over a slave to another, have we not here the manner of making over persons to the Lord? But the Lord gives no price for them. True; because the Lord is not the gainer. It is a privilege to be taken into the Lord’s service; and the man is therefore represented here as buying his admission into the Lord’s service. It is all to show how precious is the Lord’s service! Men often sacrifice a large sum in order to get a servant to do their work;.
but lo! it is reversed here. We might well sacrifice all we have in order to be permitted to serve the Lord.
Oh! it is no common blessedness to be allowed to stand in thy presence and worship thee, Lord God Almighty I
Vers. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. “And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the Lord, all that any man giveth of such unto the Lord shall be holy. He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy. And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord, then he shall present the beast before the priest, and the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be. But if he will at all redeem it then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estiniatiou.”
When Jephtha’s heart was full of gratitude in anticipation of the answer to his prayer, he devoted whatever should meet him as he rode homo victorious; so another man in his review of his flocks and herds observes the remarkable kindness of the Lord to him therein, and upon this devotes one of his flock and of his herd to the Lord. That beast is “holy to the Lord” ever after. He may have fixed upon a favorite animal, in the heat of the moment, the best ewe in his flock, but, if so, he must not “change nor alter ^’’ — i. e., neither substitute for it a ran), nor resort to the expedient of giving a greater offering, such as an ox. His original purpose is to stand. If at the time he devoted the best, then he will see what the impulse of true gratitude ought still to lead him to; and if he devoted an inferior animal, he may perhaps look back calmly now and see his sinful grudging of God. If, however, the man were (ver. 10) to draw back from his first purpose and substitute another, still the Lord will olaim the animal originally devoted. He will follow the original ewe, as well as the ram put in its place, with his eye, and write on both “Holy to the Lord.” The Lord would have us increase in gratitude, never decline; he would teach us to regret nothing that we give to God, but count it all joy. Nay, he teaches us that the more than ordinary excited feelings of our hearts at particular seasons are, after all, the most just and fit for the benefits rendered. Our highest feelings are never wrong in their intensity, when Grod is the object; it is our cooler and lower moods, our more calculating and grudging frames.
If a grateful man happened to devote one of his camels or asses, then the value of that must be offered; for the animal cannot be sacrificed (ver. 12). And the man is not himself to judge of the value; but the estimate is to be made by the priest — “As thou, 0 priest, valuest it,” thou who actest for thy God, and not for thyself. The matter is now in God’s hands, not any more in man’s.
If, however, it turned out to be a favorite horse or camel, the man might wish to retract.t The value he set on these was rather more than he would like to state to the priest, who took all into consideration in estimating the greatness of the gift. Or, because anxious to keep his silver and gold, he might propose substituting another animal — one that was of the clean sort. He might do so. But in such cases, the animal he substituted must be taken with this addition, a fifth part of the value of the original gift. This retraction and wish to alter shows some coldness in the man — it indicates decline from his former state of high feeling and true gratitude. As he walked amid his possessions with his friend last evening, his heart swelled with thankful joy at the sight of God’s love — but this morning, that intense feeling is decayed,
4W ENTIRE DEVOTION TO GOD.
and so he rather grieves that he vowed so precious an object. This is decline; and, therefore, it is treated somewhat like a trespass. In all the trespass-oflerings, one fifth was given as a mulct, or fine, in addition to the restitution made. So in this case. And thus the Lord teaches again that he abhors any going back. He observes and he hates any failure in former zeal and love.
Vers. 14, 15. “And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the Lord, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand. And if he that sanctifieth it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.”
The sanctifying is the same as setting apart by a vow. The case is supposed of an Israelite whose heart is full of gratitude for family mercies, or perhaps who has escaped perils and returned to the quiet enjoyment of his vine and fig-tree. Sitting in the bosom of his family, feeling security and peace, he is prompted to cry, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits?” Under this impulse, he devotes the house to the Lord.
If his gratitude cool, then, as in ver. 13, there is notice of this taken, and provision made accordingly.
Vers. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.” And if a man shall sanctify unto the Lord some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley-seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver. If he sanctify his field from the year of jubilee, according to thy estimation it shall stand. But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest sh.iil reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy estimation. And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he ehall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him. And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed
y any more. But the field, when it goetb out in the jubilee, shall bo holy unto the Lord, as a field devoted; the possession thereof slmli be the priest’s.”
The fields of some Boaz are waving their crops under an evening breeze, in the cool of the day; luxuriance is smiling around from every heavy ear on its stalk. The possessor feels that the Lord has “dropt down fatness.” Looking up to the All-sufficient One, who has freely bestowed all, he vows that one of these fields shall be the Lord’s, or some portion of one of them shall be so set apart. And he must select the portion out of his patrimony — his possession,’’^ or lot, descended to him from his fathers.
What required (ver. 16) an homer of barley-seed to sow it, was to be valued at fifty shekels of silver. This was to be the standard measure; so that a man could easily see the extent of his own gratitude, and be able to test himself, lest he should vow away some inferior portion of the soil. And to prevent a man secretly reflecting on the time of the Jubilee, and so appearing to make a very liberal vow, while in fact the nearness of the Jubilee might be rendering it very small, the priest is to consider this element of value also. On the other hand (ver. 18), the land is not to be undervalued,- if a man have so large and wide a heart, and gratitude so warm, as to devote a field to the Lord from the time of one Jubilee on to the next. The Lord does not overlook differences in men’s views and purposes; “Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.” (Isa. xxvi. 7.) The widow’s mite and Mary’s ointment are precious in his sight; and so are David’s and Solomon’s munificent gifts.
But, as in a former case, gratitude might cool, after the moment (ver. 19); and hence permission is given to redeem the field under the penalty of paying oue-fifth, as in the trespass-offering, to show that the person has sinned in thus retracting. His highest feelings were right; this abatement is sinful. Just as running the race at full speed is the proper state of one seeking the prize; anything that sinks below full speed is a fault. (1 Cor. ix. 24.)
If left unredeemed, according to his vow, it shall be the Lord’s forever. If the unredeemed field be sold* by the priest to another, the original possessor cannot at a future time claim any right to redeem it. He must not have liberty to reverse the acts and feelings of former years. What we do for the Lord must be done in the foresight of all the consequences; and it well befits us to give up anything of ours to the Lord forever. Our dealings with God are dealings for eternity. There should be no temporizing on our part in his matters. He gives “eternal redemption’’” everlasting consolation.’’^
Vers. 22, 23, 24. “And if a man sanctify unto the Lord a field which he hath bought, which in not of the fields of his possession; then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation; even unto the year of the jubilee: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the Lord. In the year of the jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.”
This relates to the cases of tenants, not of possessors. A man who had bought a field until the Jubilee could not alienate it forever; it was only one who had patrimony that could do this. We must give the Lord what
* The construction seems to warrant this sense;” If he do not ndtem the field, and if lie aell it (L e., if he who is now its owner, viz., the priest, sell it) to another.”
is our own; not what is borrowed. “Willing self-denial is taught us by such acts; we give the Lord something that we feel the value of; and the loss of which would grieve us, were not the Lord to be the receiver. Whatever goes to the Lord is given to us.
Ver. 25. “And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.”
The law of the sanctuary is to regulate all. Full weight is sought for; but neither superfluity nor abatement. Grod loves a perfect balance and a just weight. “We do not know whether or not there was a standard measure kept in the sanctuary; but it is very probable. Some, indeed, render the words, “shekel of holiness” i. e., a true shekel; still it is every way likely that the other is the true meaning, admitting that this rendering be right. There was probably a standard measure kept in the sanctuary, by which all other weights and measures were regulated. Here would be a type to Israel of the Lord’s justice. Here, in the sanctuary of Jehovah, they found the source and regulating measure of all dealings in business between man and man, and of all similar dealings between God and man, through his priests. Would not this standard measure be felt to be a type of the Lord’s original attribute of righteousness? He it is that judges; He it is that fixes what is right and what is wrong; He it is to whom all Israel must come to, have thought and action weighed. May not 1 Sam. ii. 3 refer to this? Hannah’s eye had rest on this standard measure, and so she sings, “By him actions are weighed.”
Who shall stand before this holy God? He perceives what is wanting, the moment he has adjusted his balances. He detects the want of faith in Cain at the altar; of true godly zeal in Jehu’s heart; of love in Ephesus; of life in Sardis; of oil iiilhe five virgins; of the wedding garment in the speechless guest. He judges according to the real weight — not the apparent. He judges “according as the work has been,” not according as the show has been. (1 Cor. v. 10, and Rev, xx. 12, xxii. 12.)
Vers, 26, 27, 28, 29. “Only the firstling of the beaats, which should be the Lord’s firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep; it is the Lord’s. And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation. Notwithstanthng no devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord. None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, all be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.”
Here are two opposite cases; one wherein there is a prohibition against devoting the thing to the Lord at all; the other wherein there is a prohibition against going back in the slightest degree from the full devotion.
Firstling’s were already the Lord’s; therefore, it would be mockery to devote them again — specially, the firstlings of all clean beasts. The firstlings of unclean beasts, however, were so far in a diflerent position — they were the Lord’s, but yet they could not be offered on his altar. Hence, they might be vowed away; but on the understanding that they were to be redeemed. Since they were not to be oflered up as sacrifices, they were redeemed at their birth; and now .again being vowed away to the Lord, they are again redeemed; a [irice is given for them. But a Jifth is added thereto, to show that there was something of the nature of a trespass in the man fixing upon that unclean firstling. It was like attempting to make the double use of one thing. We must not so do with God. True love and gratitude will always pour out new streams and full streams.
On the other hand,” a thing devoted’’ that is, a thing that was more than vowed and set apart, a thing that was Dnn, doomed — devoted to destruction — must in no case be redeemed. The beast, at Sinai, that touched the mountain, would be onn, doomed. The fields of Gilboa, wet with the blood of Saul and Jonathan, were devoted by King David, 2 Sam. i. 21. Ahab was told by the Lord that Benhadad was doomed.* Such were the Canaanites, also; such was Jericho in special (Josh. vi. 17), with all its spoil, and hence the awful aggravation of Achan’s sin. He was attempting to appropriate what the Lord had demanded for the flames of his wrath; he sought to pull out of the fire the things which God had put on that fire to be fuel to its flame. Hence, also, Saul’s sin as to Agag, whom the Lord doomed to utter ruin ;t he sought to pull Agag from hell, or at least from under the sword of divine justice that was drawn against ». the man here.
In all cases of this kind, it is the Lord who devotes, t not man. The case of Samuel’s mother, and of Jephtha’s — the one devoting a son, the other a daughter — are not at all of the kind meant here. This including instance is the most solemn of all, a case where the Lord exercise.s his sovereignty in fixing upon whom he will and what he
* •’ann ifliX (1 Kings XX. 42).
•y■ 1 Sam. XV. 3, the word cni3”inm.
X It is quite a mistake to render ver. 29, “devoted by men;” it u “from among men” Qlxn ‘j’S. The Septuagint has it “diro tuv dvepuiroiv,” not “V1TV.”
will, out of a fallen and already cursed earth, to bear the stroke of wrath in sight of all men. The case of the fields of Gilboa is not against this view: for David spoke by the Spirit of the Lord. How awful the truth contained! “What will you do in the day of visitation? To whom will ye flee for help?” 0 Agag! it is too late to speak of mercy; the Lord has pronounced thy doom. There is no reversion — no redemption — no alteration — no change — no possibility of paying a commutation-price now. You are devoted! All is over forever. “iVbwe doomed shall be redeemed!’’^ You provoked the Lord to anger, and this is your latter end. See Matt. xvi. 26. “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Vers. 30, 31,32, 33. “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed* of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord And if a man will at all redeem aught of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He fehall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.”
What Abraham gave to Melchizedec, and Jacob vowed at Bethel, has ever appeared most natural for men to set aside for the Lord regularly — the tenth of all. Among the Israelites, there were several kinds of tithe, and yet all cheerfully paid; the tenth for the Lord, paid to the Levites (Num. xviii. 21), and the next tenth, consecrated and feasted on at Jerusalem, or given away to the poor. (Deut. xii. 6, and xxviii. 29.)
* Such as com — whatever is used in the sh&peof seed; unlike the juicy pomegranate, aod fig, and grape.
Seed ox fruit might be redeemed; and there might be good reasons for a man wishing to redeem this part of the tithe. He might require to sow his field, and be in need of the seed of dates or pomegranates to replenish his orchard. Therefore, permission is given to redeem these, though still with the addition of a fifth, in order to show that the Lord is jealous, and marks anything that might be a retraction, on the man’s part, of what was due to the Lord. He may redeem this tithe, but it is done cum nota. As to the tithe of herd and flock, this is not allowed. The owner, or the Levite whose office it was to tithe, held a rod in his hand and touched every tenth animal as it happened to come forward. (Jer. xxxiii. 13.) Whatever passes under the rod, good or bad, was tithed and taken, inalienably. The Lord does not seek a good animal, where the rod, in numbering, lighted on a bad as the tenth passed by; neither does he admit of the substitution of an inferior animal, if the rod has lighted on the best in the whole flock. He seeks just what is his due, teaching us strict and holy disregard of bye-ends and selfish interests.
And thus this book — this Pictorial Gospel of the Old Testament. — ends with stating God’s claims on us, and his expectation of our service and willing devotedness. As the first believers at Pentecost, rejoicing in pardon and the love of God, counted nothing dear to them, nor said that aught they possessed was their own, so ought we to live. We must sit loose from earth; and true love to our Redeemer will set us loose. This giving up of our possessions at God’s call, teaches us to live a pilgrim life, and that is an Abrahamic life — nay, it is the life of faith in opposition to sight.
The whole of this concluding chapter has been leading
US to the idea of giving to the Lord all we have. It hag been making us familiar with the idea, and by example inculcating the practice of like devotedness. God should be all in all to us; he is ‘’^^“bst, “God all-sufficient.” Let us part even with common, lawful comforts, and try if He alone be not better than all. Like the child with the stalk of grapes, who picked one grape after another from the cluster, and held it out to her father, till, as affection waxed warm and self faded, she gaily flung the whole into her father’s bosom, and smiled in his face with triumphant delight; so let us do, until, loosening from every comfort, and independent of the help of broken cisterns, we can say, “I am not my own! Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth whom I desire besides. Thou art to me, as thou wert to David at the gates of death, ‘All my salvation and all my desire.’” After so much love on God’s part to us, displayed in rich variety of type and shadow, shall we count any sacrifice hard? Could not even a Heathen say of his ideal virtue —
“Serpens, sitis, ardor, arensB,
Dulcia virtuti.” (Lucan, B. ix.)
Yer. 84. “These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses, for the children of Israel in Moont SinaL”
At, or near Sinai. The sultry heat of that day when the fiery law was given, prepared the people to welcome these showers of grace that soon after fell. Lord, make us enjoy these showers, even if there be need of such a day of heat and fear ere it come. Let every drop from these blessed clouds wet the soil of our hearts. Thou who art known in Israel as the giver of plenteous showers to refresh thy weary heritage, cause these that fell around
Sinai, as we have seen in all this book — these that showed so much of the variety of thy love — these that brought such tidings of thy Son — oh, cause these to water our weary, parched souls, until we see Him who is “rivers of water.”
Thus have we come to the close of our pleasant undertaking. We have traversed the tabernacle courts, inquiring into “its meats and drinks, and divers washing-s and carnal ordinances, imposed on Ihem until the time of reformation (Heb. ix. 10.) Had we looked on them apart from what they signified, we must have grown weary ere we had well begun. But searching into their meaning,* we have found that these “carnal ordinances,^^ i. e., those ceremonies that consisted in the use of earthly and material things, are all fragrant with Grospel truth. And we plainly see why the Lord should have” imposed them’’ i. e., enjoined them, and made it incumbent on Israel to observe them. He saw in each of them some picture or foreshadowing of the coming Redeemer. The ‘■’’time of reformation has come; i.e., the time when a better mode of teaching the same truth has been brought in, types being now displaced by the antitypes, shadows by the substance. But while this “reformation,” or better mode of teaching truth, has come, we still look back and study, with profit and delight, the symbols of the old economy that pictured forth the coming of “better things.” I still retain a vivid re-
* Not, however, altogether as Jerome would have had us do, when he Bays, “Leviticus liber, a quo singula sacrificia, iramo singulae paene syllabaa, et vestes Aaron, et totus ordo Leviticus, spirant caslestia sacramenta.” (Epist ad Pajulinum.)
membrance of the impression made on me many ears ago, in the divinity class of Br. Chalmers, when that illustrious man of God referred to this subject. He was remarking how oftentimes Christians, advancing in years, feel a growing relish for the types, and prophecies, and sketches of character, and pieces of picturesque history in which the Old Testament abounds. They see them pervaded with New Testament principle and truth. “There is,” he said, “in this employment, somewhat even of the charm and delight of poetry. It is a regaling, as well as satisfactory exercise.” Very pleasant as were the songs of Zion to good Bishop Horne as every morning roused him to his task, and the silenoe of evening invited him to pursue it; very pleasant to many a humble Christian are the things which God hath spoken at sundry times, and in divers manners, to the fathers by the prophet. It is as if the delights of imagination were superadded to the delights of piety, when the doctrines of the New are expressed in the drapery of the Old economy. And if there be any aged Christian who has leisure to pursue the employment, we promise him not a different, but the same Gospel, seen through a veil of ever-brightening transparency, and heightened by time and youthful remembrances. Thus the decaying lights of age have often been revived again; and, in the solace of the perusal, such men have experienced that these things were written not alone for the generations that then lived, but for “our admonition, on whom the ends of the world have come.”