(oppression),-" a thing taken away by violence" (ver. 2). 4. Fraud in trading,-" hath deceived his neighbour" (ver. 2). 5. Illegal retention of something accidently acquired, -" have found that which was lost," etc. (ver. 3). III. TBAT DISHONESTY IN ANY FORM IS A BEBIOUB BIN A0AIN8T Gon, a& well as a wrong done to our neighbour. By committing anr one of these offences a soul is said to "sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord" (ver. 2); " he sins therein" (ver. 3); "he bath sinned, and is guilty." Evidently the taking from our neighbour" that which is his" is a high misdemeanour in the eight of God. Two of the "ten com- mandments" (Exod. xx.) are directed against it: "Thou shalt not steal;" "Thou shalt not covet," etc. Theft, dishonesty, is a treble sin: it is a wrong to our fellow; it is an injury to ourself (spiritual demoralization) ; it is an offence against God. IV. THAT IT CALLS FOB BESTTTUTION AS WELL AB SACRIFICE. 1. We must, indeed, bring our sacrifice to God. The Jew was to bring his" ram without blemish" (ver. 6), and an atonement was to be made before the Lord, and his trespass was forgiven him (ver. 7). We must bring the sacrifice of a contrite spirit, and plead the One Sacrifice for all sin, and we shall be forgiven. 2. But we are also bound to make restitution where that is possible. The Jew was to " restore it in the principal, and ... add the fifth part more thereto" (ver. 5); be was t-0 more than make up for the injury he had done. And (1) in order that the will of Christ concerning us in such case may be fully done (see Matt. v. 24), (2) that our own conscience may be perfectly clear and unstained, and (3) that our brother may have reason to be entirely satisfied with us,-let us make not only adequate but ample or even overflowing compensation for the wrong which we have done.-C. Ver. 3.-Sin a germ as well as a fruit. It is contemplated by the Supreme Legislator, that if a man once cherish a dishonest thought, he will probably go beyond fraud to falsehood (" and lieth "), and, when necessary, from falsehood to perjury ('' and sweareth falsely"). This is true to life. Sin is not only the consequence of the evil that came before it, but it is the cause of more sin which is to follow; it is not only the child but the parent of wrong. Learn that- I. No MAN WHO BINS CAN TELL HOW FAR HIS BIN WILL TAKE HUI, Hazael, Gehazi, Ahab, Judas, etc.; "facilis descensus Averni." II. IT 18 IN THE NATURE OF BIN TO TEMPT TO FURTHER SIN. The instances with which we are familiar are not remarkable exceptions; they are illustrations of a principle at work everywhere and always. "There's not a crime but takes its change out still in crime, when once rung on the counter of this world;" dishonesty naturally, if not necessarily, leads to lying, and lying to perjury. One sin is the germ of another, and is sure to bear fruit. Ill IT IS A PA.BT OF THE PENALTY OF em THAT IT SHOULD DO so. We sometimes think that sin carries no penalty ; so it seemed to the Psalmist (Ps. Ix.xiii.), but he was wrong, as he owned (ver. 15). It not only ends disastrously (" then understood I their end"), but it results in certain, immediate, spiritual injury. On the day in which the forbidden fruit is eaten, we do die,-iu the soul. IV. THIS FACT OF THE DIFFUSIVENESS OF BIN HELPS TO EXPLAIN THE EXCEEDING EVIL OF IT IN THE BIGHT OF GoD. It may well be accounted "an evil and bitter thing," a thing which he "hates," which be "abhors," etc. Those considerations furnish (1) a very strong reason for repentance, etc; and (2) nn equally strong inducement for the cultivation of holiness in the heart and life of the good.-0. Vere. 1-i.-71respasses done wittingly. These were acts of lying, fraud, deceit, violence, or any social wrong involving conscious trespass on the rights of our neighbour. I. Soou.L MORALITY BESTS UPON RELIGION. Offences against neighbours, offences against God. No true support of society apart from faith. Follies of the modern sceptical school. Enthusiasm of humanity, atheism, development of morality out of a physical basis,-mere dreams of the intellect. Facts of history show that corrupt religion is corrupt morals; that an atheistic society is mere organized selfishness. II. 'l'BE TBUE HEALING PRINCIPLE OJ' SOCIETY. The preservation of individual riahts In the spirit of a common 11.llegiance to God. We are all brethren, If one o1Ieu<l7 Jet 90 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [011. VI. 8-80,
bis offence be both readily acknowledged and atoned for, and readily forgiven. So long as we simply pay back, we do not heal the hurt; we must more than pay baok. His restitution was of the p1incipal and the fifth part more thereto. Such a regulation was founded on the Divine love, as the essence of the Divine Law. We must remedy wrongs in the spirit of benevolence. II . .As TYPICAL OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST, THE DIVINE FULNESS OF BEDEMPl'ION is set forth. The offences of men are more than made up for. Their redeemed state is an advance upon their state of innocence. The new Law is better than the old. Christ in us is not only the crucifixion of sin and the world, but "the hope of glory." The beliover will find in the blood of the atonement both a cleansing away of guilt, and a washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.-R.