pl11rc.'' K111isch e.nd othere view it re.ther as the i.e., would relllisc severally in their own per- srqud tn the directions concerning the taber- sons, that God "'RS their se.nctifier. S1tnctifi- nedc. end e.s designed to t.eech "the.t the holy cation "'ould be the fruit of their obedi~nce. sen-icc in the te.heme.cle could not 8Uporeede Ver. 14.-Every one that deflleth it lb.all n.rely be put to death. To defile the sabbath 1 i1c nbsen"Rnce of the se.bbe.th, but deri,•ed from ~as to do an[ unnecessary servile work upon the1 oosen'B.nce its true \'lllue." A third set 1t. Works o mercy, works of necessity, and of critics regard the recurrence to the subject •rnrks connected with religious observance e.s pu.rel;r pre.ctice.1--bcing intended to moot were not prohibited. (Seo Matt. xii. 1-7; e.n immediate danger-that of the people, in 10-12.) The penalty of death for breaking the sabbat.h seems to modems over-severe• t.heir zea.J to erect the tabeme.cle, setting sab- but the erection of sabbath-observance int~ hat h ohselTll.llce at nought. (So Ja.rchi, Aben- the special sacramental sign that Israel wee in Ezre.. Clark. RosenmiiUer, Ce.non Cook, and CO\'cnant with God made non-observance an ot.hers.) It is to be observed, howC\'er, that offence of the gravest cha.re.cter. The man t.hc present pll.BS&ge is not a mere repetition. who broke the sabbath destroyed, so far as in him lay, the entire covenant between God and It adds to former notices (eh. xx. 8-11; his people-not only broke it, but annulled it, xxiii. 12) two new points :-1. That the and threw Israel out of covenant. Hence, &tbbat.h WILS to be a sign between God and when the sin was committed, no hesitation Israel, a " distinguishing badge," e. "se.cra- was felt in carrying out the law. (See Numb ltcntal bond" (Cook); and 2. That its dese- xv. 32-86.) Ver. 15.-The aabbath ofrellt. Rather, "a cration WM to be punished with death (ver. sabbath." There were other sabbnths besides 15). These were supplementary points of so that of the seventh day ( eh. :u..iii. 11 ; Lev. much importance 11.5 to furnish ample reason ][XV. 2-12; &c.). By tbe expression, "a against their announcement being delayed. sabba.th of rest "-literally, "a rest of rest.ing" -the idea of completeness is given. Perhaps Ver. 13.-Verily. Bosenmiiller suggests, the best translation would be-" in the seventh •· Nevertheless." But there is no need for any is complete rest." . cl,ange. It ill a aign.. Hitherto circumcision Ver. 16.-J'or a perpetual oovenant. The had been the only visible "sign" that the sabbath is itself a. eovena.nt-i.e., a pa.rt of the Israelites were under a special covenant with covenant between God and Israel (eh. :x.'tiv. 4) God-his people, bound to him by special ties -and it is, also, a sign of covenant-i.e., a. (G<in. xvii. 9-14; Acts vii. 8). The adop- perceptible indication that the nation has en- tion of circumcision by the Egyptia.ns and tered into a special agreement with God, and other na.tions (Herod. ii. 104) had produced undertaken the obsen·ance of special laws. the effect that this "sign" wu no longer dis- Ver. 17.-It ill a. aign.. See above, ver. 13. t.i~<TU.ishing. It might be still" a sign of pro- !'or in six days the Lord made hea.ven and fession " ; but it had ceased to be " a ma.rk of ea.rth. See the comment on eh. xx. 11. And difference " ; and some other ma.rk was there- wu refreshed. Literally," and took breath." fore needed. Such the observance of the sab- The metaphor is a bold one, but not holder bath by entire abstinence from servile work than others which occur in holy scripture became. No other na.tion adopted it. It con- (Ps. xliv. 23; lxxviii. 65). It does but co.rry tinued to Roman times the ma.rk and badge of a out a little further the idea implied in God's .Jew (Juv. Sot. vi. 159; xiv. 96). That ye may "resting." We cannot speak of any 'of know. et.c. By keeping the sabbath day as a God's acts or attributes without anthropomor- day of holy rest the lsmelite& would know- phisms.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 13-17.-Couentmt sig,18. To ea.eh covenant which he has ma.de with man, God has e.tt.ached some special sign or signs. And each sign has been signi.fica.nt, has 11et before the mind of those to whom it W88 given some great religious truth. I. 'J'm: Fllllff coVENAl!l'.l' BIGN WAS THE BAINJIOW. God had destroyed by a deluge the whole human race, except eight persons. It pleased him, after this, to enter into a covenant with Noah and his sons (Gen. ix. 8, 9), and through them with the human race, twit he would never bring such a destruction upon the world again (i'b. 11). Of this covenant he appointed the rainbow to be the sign, symbolising by its brightness and beauty his own mercy (ib. 14---17). Here the religious truth taught and im- pressed by the sign was that precious one, that God is not only a just, but also a merciful God. CU. XXXI. 12-18,] THE BOOK OF EXODUS.