II. THAT Goo ACCEPTS THE BEST WE ARE ADLE TO BRING. If he could not afford a bullock, the Hebrew worshipper might bring a sheep; or if that were beyond bis means, a turtle-dove or pigeon (vers. 2, 10, 14). God accepts gifts "according to that a man bath," eto. (2 Cor. viii. 12). He who approved the widow's mites more than the rich men's gold still "sits over against the treasury," and accepts what we can bring:, how- ever humble it be, if we bring with it" the willing mind." In the balances of.heaven a conversation in a garret by the bedside of a pauper may weigh more than the greatest sermon before the noblest audience. III. THAT Goo BEQUmES THE FULL OONSENT OF OUR OWN MIND. II He shall offer it of his own voluntary will" (ver. 3). The excellency, the beauty, the acceptableness of our offering lies largely in the hearty good will with which we bring it. "The Lord loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. ix. 7). (See 1 Chron. xxix. 6, 9.) , . IV. THAT OUR OFFERING MUST BE MADE CONSCIOUSLY UNTO THE Lonn. He shall offer it "before the Lord" (ver. 3); he shall kill it "before the Lord" (ver. 11). When the victim was slain the offerer was to have in his mind the presence of God, and was t.o present it consciously to him. Whatever form our sacrifice may take-prayer, praise, inquiry of the Lord, contribution, exhortation-it must be not mechanical, but spiritual ; it must be religious; it must _be rendered "as to the Lord, and not unto men," V. THAT Gon DESIRES OBEDIENCE IN THINGS BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING. Doubtless the priests of the tabernacle failed to see the import of many of the Divine directions. The people also must have been at a loss to understand the reason of many details of the service (vers. 6, 8, 11, 15, 17). But both priests and people were required to con- form under penalty of severe displeasure. In many things unintelligible to them do our children and the uninstructed conform, because they rightly trust to those who are older a.nd wiser. There are many things concerning which we have all to feel ourselves to he the little children we really are in the presence of the heavenly Father, and we must <lo unquestioningly what he bids us. Let us try strenuously to understand, and when we fail to reach the Divine meaning, trustfully conform. VI. THAT THERE CAN BE NO WASTE IN THE FULLEST SACRIFICE WE LAY ON me ALTAR. In the burnt offering the whole victim was consumed; no part was saved for food. "To what purpose is this waste?" is it asked? We reply: 1. That the God in whom we live :md whose we are is worthy of everything we can offer him. 2. That we never so truly realize the end and reach the height of our manhood as when we are devoting ourselves to God. 3. That we may count on a large and generous response at his liberal hand. 4. That we gain in spiritual profit far more than we lose in material reduction.-0.
Ver. 17 (latter part).-God's pleasure in man. We believe- !. THAT Gon IB A BEING OF SUPREME BLESSEDNESS. He is the ever-blessed Goo, the BOurce and fountain of all joy. He who gives such boundless bliss to his creation must be divinely blessed. He could not give what he has not in himself. II. THAT SOME PART oF BI!! JOY BE FINDS IN MAN. What constitutes the happiness of the Supreme? "The Lord will rejoice in his works; " but it is a larger truth that "the Lord taketh pleasure in his people" (Ps. cxlix. 4); that" the Lord's portion is hie people" (Deut. xx.xii. 9). III. THAT HIB GOOD PLEASURE IN US IB IN- 1. Our complete but conscious consecration of ourselves. The "offering made by fire" was "of a sweet savour unto the Lord," not as typifying the annihilation of our self, absolute absorption of self in God (the Hindoo theory), but as expressing the offerer's desire to dedicate himself and all that he had to God,-voluntary, conscious devotion. 2. Our self-surrender to his Son our Saviour. That which, above all else, God eaye to us now is, " 'I'his is my beloved Son : hear ye him ; " and the initial, essential, decisive st~p for us to take, in order to give him pleasure, is to "receive," to "believe m,n to accept Jesus Christ as Teacher, Saviour, Lord, and Friend. 3. Our conformity to his revealed will, by (1) reverence (Ps. cxlvii. 11); (2) holy oonfidence in his pardoning love (Ps. cxlviL 11); (3) patient endurance of wrong (1 Pet. ii. 20); (4) generous service of others (Phil. iv. 18; Heb. xiii. 16).-0. The first part of Uus book, which may be called the spiritual statute-book of Israel OR. I, 1-17.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS.