Priestcraft is no ar.g:nment against a special ministry in the Church. All mUBt help to maintain the fire, but some must take the command as addressed to them in a special manner. 'l'hey must separate themselves to the work, both by appropriate manner of life and recognition of special duties. Religion is not only in temples, but if the fire goes out there, it will go out everywhcre.-R. Vers. 14-18.-Meat offering. "All the males of the sons of Aaron shall eat of It," with unleavened bread, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation. " It is most holy, as is the siu offering, and as the trespass offering." "Every one that toucheth them shall be holy." I. THE Mll:-.'ISTRY OF RELIOION SHOULD BE FULFILLED IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKFUL DEVOTION. 1. The best of the Church should be consecrated to its highest positions. 2. Their service should be rendered as a delight. 3. Their religious earnestness and cheerfulness should be cultivated by fellowship and brotherhood. 4. They should be closely united with the people, not separated from them by spiritual pride and a misanthropic asceticism. II. HoLTh'ESS THE IMPERATIVE REQUIREMENT OF Goo's MINIBTEBS. Not mere cere- monial holiness. 1. Holiness of character and life. 2. Holiness in the service of the sanctuary-purity of worship, singleness of heart, orderliness and decency, with sim- plicity and manifest sincerity. Ill. 'lHE SANCTIFYING INFLUENCE OF A TRUE A.ND PURE WORSHIP EXTENDS 'l'llROUGH SOCIETY. Every one holy by contact with the holy. 1. The persuasive effect of a real and well-sustained religious service. The common mistake is to suppose that morality leads of itself to religion or may be substituted for it. 2. The tr'll,(J order of life is set before us here in the Law of Moses : the nearer to God, the holier; the more closely connected with the worship of God, the more separated from and defended against the impurities of the world. 3. The reaction of the holy life on the sanctuary. 'l'he revival of religion must be a reciprocal action of the Church on the ministry, and of the ministry on the Church.-R. Vers. 19-23.-The high priest'I! offering in the day when he is anointed-a per- petual meat offering; offered not during the days of the anointing, but when it was completed, and it was wholly burnt. Fine flour baked as an oil-cake; not a bleeding sacrifice, therefore, but only a thank offering, to denote that expiation was always made, r.nd the high priest offered the fruits of sanctification. This may be viewed- L IN ITS TYPICAL APPLICATION TO THE LoRD JESUS CHRIST. 1. His entire consecra- tion to his mediatorial office. 2. His personal perfection as needing no expiation, offering only the fine flour of his unspotted humanity, mingled with the oil of the Spirit of God, and with the fire of actual human experience applied to it. 3. His acceptance by the Father on our behalf; "wholly burnt." IL IN ITS LESSER APPLICATION TO THE MINISTRY OF THE SANOTUABY. 1. The true ordination not a mere human rite, but a Divine acceptance of personal consecration. "I have chosen you," said Jesus," and ordained you." 2. 'fhe minister of God should offer his fine flour, his highest gifts-his intellect, culture, sifted knowledge, prepared thought. He should put nothing which he himself has not toiled to make worthy on the altar. 3. With all we present, the oi"l of grace must be mingled, and it must be pre- pared by actual fire of experience. No man can teach and minister spiritual blessings to others who is not himself practically acquainted with the truth. 4. "Every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten." No ministry can be divinely blessed which is not fulfilled in the spirit of single-hearted, self-consuming devotion. We mUBt hate our life for Christ's sake, and take up his cross, if we are to follow him.-R. Vers. 24-30.-Special f'e_gu'lation, aa to tAe Bin offering. Peculiar sanctity of the flesh and blood of the sin offering, pointin~ to the atonement. In all cases, whether the sin offering of the people, or of the pnest, or of the great day of atonement, the same holiness of the victim and of the blood is insisted upon. Here there is- . I. _THE NECESSITY OF ATONEMENT. 1. As prescribed by God, coming forth from bis rnfio1te holiness. 2. As connected with mediation, not in atonement dependent upon OH, VIL 1-38.] 'fHE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 101
the chance meri_t of ma.n, but the gracious promise of God's free and sovereign mercy. 3. ~ set forth m the flesh and blood of bhe victim, clearly indicating a substitutionary ment. II. TllE TYPICAL ll'ULFILIIIENT 01!' THE IIIll' OFFERING IN JESUS CHRIST, at once the High Priest and the Victim. 1. Most holy in his person and his blood. 2. Connected with the burnt offering, as presented in tho same place. The cross was a whole offering in the fire of suffering, in the consuming righteousness of the Divine Law. a. Imparting the holiness to him who shall touch it. Healing virtue from Christ; sanctification from the cross. 4. The ~ery vessels are sanctified. So the Spirit of Christ cleanses the world. The diffusion of the Christian doctrine and life lifts up all that belongs to human existence into a higher sphere.-B.