more important than that in the homo. The leaven of malice anci wickerlness m,rnt he Rought out and put away; so long as they retained that, freedom WM but a nominal privilege. II. 'l'm: FEAST OF FmsT-l"RUITB, Linked on to the second clay of unleavenerl hrcarl. God would hwe his children look forward; and so he makes the first blessing a seer! in which are enwrapped others. Freed by God, the people could appropriate, as hiH children, the promise made to children (Gen. i. 29, as modified by the fall, Gen. iii. l!)). Tiu, gift of food WM God's gift, but their cooperation was needed for its fruition; it was to be thefruit, not the creation of their labours. Familiarity breeds forgetfulness as oft-en as it breeds contempt. A reminder needed that human labour can, at most, work up God's raw material. [The cerealia, or corn plants, well called "a standing miracle." Apparently a cultivated grass, yet no known grass can be improved into corn by cul- tivation. Corn can be degraded by artificial means into a worthless perennial; as it is, it is an annuo.I, exhausting itself in seeding, needing man's labour to its perfection an,! preservation.] To get his food, man is constantly reminded tha.t he must be a fellow- worker with God. III. THE FEAST OF INGATBEBING. As the year rolls on, it exhibits more and more of God's goodness and bounty. It calls for ever fresh acknowledgment of that love which gives "liberally and upbraideth not." Freedom a great gift, the capacity to work for one's own livelihood; so, too, food, the means through which that capacity may fin,l exercise; further, God gives all the fruits of the earth in their season, so that man through his labour ma.y find not merely health but happiness. Naturally this was the most joyful of all the festivals-the blossoms which glorified the stem springing from the root of freedom. To rejoice in the Lord is the fina.l outcome of that faith which enables us to realise our sonship. Oonclusion.-These festivals have more than an historical interest. They teach the same truths as of old, but for Christians their meaning is intensified. Unleavened bread is associated with Calvary, freedom from the tyranny of sin (1 Cor. v. 7, 8). Linked to this is our first-fruits festival; Christ, the first-fruits (1 Cor. xv. 20), made our food through the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost. The feast of ingathering is not yet, but we may rajoice in it by anticipation (1 Peter i. 6). The fina.l festival is described for us by St. John in the Revelation (vii. 9-17). Blessed are they who, with robes washed white, shall share the joy of that feast of lngathering.-G.
EXPOSITION. Vera. 20-31.-THE REWARDS OF OBEDI- other (ver. 31). And 5. That he will bless ENCE. God always places before men" the re- their sustenance, avert sickness from them, compense of the reward." He does not require cause them to multiply, e.nd prolong their of them that they should serve him for nought. days upon earth (vers. 25, 26). At the same The " Book of the Covenant" appropriately time, ell these promises---except the first-are ends with a number of promises, which God made conditiona.I. H they will " beware " of l'ndertakes to perform, if Israel keeps the the e.ngel and " obey h.is voice," then he will terms of the covenant. The promises are :- drive their enemies out (vers. 22, 23) : if they 1. That m, will send an angel before them to will serve Jehovah, e.nd destroy the idols of be their guide, director, and helper (vers. 20 the nations, then he will mnltiply them, and -23). 2. That he will be the enemy of their give them bee.Ith and long life (vers. 24----26), enemies (ver. 22), striking terror into them e.nd " set their bounds from the Red Sea even miraculously (ver. 27), and subjecting them unto the Sea. of the Philistines, a.nd from the to other scourges also (ver. 28). 3. That he desert unto the river" (ver. 31). So far as will drive out their enemies "by little e.nd they fell short of their duties, is he entitled to little" (ver. 30), not ceas;ng until he has fell short of his promises. A reciprocity is destroyed them (ver. 23). 4. Tho.t he will established. Unless they keep their engage- give them the entire country between the ments, he is not bound to keep his. Though Red Sea and the Mediterranean on the one the negative side is not entered upon, this is h11Dd, the Desert and the Euphro.tes on the snfliciently clear. None of the promises, ex.• p 2 21'.! THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. xxm. 20-2f1.