l. GoD LAYS GREAT STRESS ON TUii: PURITY OF OUR HEAR1' IN WORSHIP. Only the pure in heart cau see God (Matt. v. 8). Without holiness no man shall sec him (Hcb. xii. 14). They must be clean who bear the ve$sels of tho Lord (Isa. lii. 11). None may ascend his holy hill but "he that hath clean hands and a pure heart." "If we regard iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear us" (Ps. lxvi. 18). We have not now laid down for us any pre6ise directions as to what words we shall use, what forms we 8hall adopt, what gifts we shall devote, but we know that the chief thing to bring, that without which all is vain, is a right spirit, a pure heart, a soul that is seeking God and longing for his likeness. The interdiction of the leaven and honey :md the requirement of salt, suggest that- ' II. GOD DESIRES A VlGILAh'T EXCLUSION OF EVERY UNHOLY THOUGHT WHEN WE DRAW h'IGH TO HIM. We may be tempted to alluw corruption to enter into and mar our worship or our Christian work, in the form of: 1. An unworthy spirit of rivalry. 2. An ostentation of piety. 3. Self-seeking by securing the favour of man. 4. Sen- suous enjoyment (mere artistic appreciation, etc.). 5. A spirit of dislike or resentment towards fellow-worshippers or fellow-workers. Such spiritual "leaven" must not be brought to the altar; such sentiments must be shut out from the soul. We must strenuously resist when these evil thoughts would enter. We must vigorously and energetically expel them if they find their way within the heart (Prov. iv. 23). III. Goo DESIRES THE PRESENCE OF THE PURIFYING THOUGHT IN DEVOTION, There must not only be the absence of leaven, but the presence of salt; not only the absence of that which corrupts and spoils, but the presence of that which purifies. 'l'here must be the active presence of sanctifying thoughts. Such are: 1. A profound sense of the nearness of God to us. 2. A lively sense of our deep indebtedness to Jesus Christ. Let these convictions fill the soul, and the lower and ignobler sentiments will fail to enter or will quickly leave. If we feel our own feebleness and incapacity, we may fall :hack on the truth that- IV. Goo HAS PROMISED THE A.ID OF lIIB CLEANSING SPIRIT. We must pray for" the renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus iii. 5); that he will "cleanse us from our sin;" -,ill give us " truth in the inward parts;" will make us "clean," "whiter than snow ; " \1·ill " create in lll! a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us" (Ps, li. ; and see P&. xiL 12-14; cxxxix. 23, 24).-C.
Vers. 3-10.-Priest and peopk: reciprocal services. Two things a.re stated in the ,Law concerning the priesthood. J. THAT EVERY POSSIBLE THING WAS DONE TO IMPART TO THEM PECULliB SANCTITY. They were separated and sanctified by various ceremonies and services. lL TB.AT SPECIAL SANCTITY WAS ASSOCIATED IN THE MINDS OF TlIE PEOPLE WITH TREIB PERSON A.ND OFFIOE. So much so that offerings given to them were lawfully regarded as presented to Jehovah. In the me:i,t _offering "the remnan~" (the greater part) was to be" Aaron's and his soOB'," and this IS declared to be "a thing most holy." 'l'o these statements we may add- Ill TB.AT WHILE THEIR NEARNESS TO GOD CONFERRED SPECIAL PRIVILEGE, IT DID llOT ENSURE PERSONAL HOLINESS (eh. x. 1; 1 Sam. ii. 17, 23; Mai. i. 6-10; ii. 1-9). IV. THJ..T IN PBOPOll'l'ION TO THEIR PERSONAL EXCELLENCE WOULD BE THE OFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE. Few meat offerings would be brought whereby a rapacious, or arrogant, or impure, or unsocial, or irreverent priesthood would be benefited ; but free and full offerings would come to the altar where blameless, beloved, and honoured men were ministering. The Christian ministry is unlike the Jewish priesthood ~n ~ha~:. 1. It is not heredi- t.&ry; it is (or should be) only entered upon where there IS md.iv1dual fitness. for the office. 2. It offers no sacrifices (Heb. x. 11, 12). 3. It approaches God with men rather than/or them. Yet it is like that ancient priesthood, in that it is a.section of God's people set apart for conducting Divine. worship and for the service of society in all sacred things. We are reminded- L TB.AT IT IS THE WILL OF CHRIST THAT CHRISTIAN M:INIBTEBS SHOULD BE BUS• TA.INED BY THE PEOPLE'S OFFERINGS (1 Cor. iL 11, 13, 14). !L THAT WHAT IS PRESENTED TO THEM FOB THEIR WORK'S BAKE, CHBIBT COUNTS AS OFFERED TO HU4SELF (Matt. x. 40, 41; Phil. iv. 18). CH. II. 1-16.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 39