V. THAT CHRIST ALONE CAN CONFER THE PEACE WE NEED. 11 The Lord ..• give thee peace," uttered the Hebrew priest (Numb. vi. 26). " Peace I leave with you my peace I &ive un_to you,". ss;id the Lor~ _from heaven (John xiv. 27), Aaron's V:as a Au~n in_v~twn; Cbnst .~ was ~ D!vi~e ~,estowal. Aaron might hopefully invoke; Chnst pos1t1vely confers. In him 18 life, and all that makes life precious in the sight of God ; it is in his right hand to bestow fulness of life on us. Let us be attracted to him, be attached to his service, abide in him, walk with him and be will "lay his ha11~ u~on us," and_ bless us with all those heavenly blessings which reside in him andi are m his power to impart.-C. Vers. 23, 24.-Tl,e manifested presence. The fulfilment of the Divine promise (ver. 6) by tbe manifested presence of Jehovah suggests- L ITS CONSISTENCY WITH OTHER DIVINE MANIFEBTATIONB. God so revealed hie. presence when he did visibly appear to_man, that there should be no delusion in the- matter. None could, none did, mistake the II glory of the Lord" for the Lord himself (Exod. iii. 2 ; x:r.iv. 16, 17; :u:xiii. 9; 2 Chron. vii. 1 ; 1 Kings xviii. 38; Isa. vi. 1). II. ITS THREEFOLD SIGNIFICANCE. It plainly intimated: 1. God's presence in the, midst of the camp. 2. His acceptance of their sacrifice and his pleasure in his- people. 3. His approval of the Aaronic appointment, and of the way in which his service had been conducted. This emphatically, for the time chosen was the first day on which the high priest had served at his altar. III. ITS llDIEDIATB EFFECT ON THE MIND OF THE MULTITUDE, When fr all the people- saw,'' they were incited to (1) rapturous delight: "they shouted;" and (2) reverential prostration : they " fell on their faces." At such a vision reverence and joy mingled within them, and stirred their souls to intense spiritual emotion. A visible appearance, acting strongly on the soul through the senses, produces an immediate and powerful present effect. How deep it will descend, and how long it will last, depends on the sincerity, spirituality, fulness of the meditation, prayer, resolution, which follows the awe-inspiring spectacle. Far more depends on the wisdom with which the next hour (day) is spent, than on the excitements of the moment, IV. ITS CB::aIBTIAN COUNTERPART. There is in the Christian dispensation: 1. The, temporary miraculous element. Here we have, as the counterpart, the "cloven tongues. like as of fire" (Acts ii. 3). 2. That that which is more important is the permanent, supernatural element. Here we have the Divine illumination, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Not the "glory of the Lord" visible to the eye, but the grace of God appre- hended by the understanding mind; not the outward appearance, but the inward. influence and indwelling; not the symbol of the Divine presence outside the tabernacle;. but the very Spirit of the living God within the temple of the human body (1 Cor. iii. 16; vi. 19). When we go up to the house of the Lord to "behold the beauty of the Lord,'" to" see his glory .•. in the sanctuary" (Ps. xxvii. and !xiii), we go up to behold no- visible grandeurs, but to do that which is better far for all spiritual well-being: (1) to realize his nearness to us; (2) to leam'and welcome his truth; (3) to pour out our heart& before him in adoration, praise, and prayer; (4) to open our souls to receive his in- dwtlling, sanctifying Spirit.-C. Vers. 1-24.-Subject: God', glory m.anifested in the blessednus of hi, people. The- priests enter upon their office, offer sacrifices for themselves and the people, and receive tokens of Jehovah's presence and blessing. "..4.nd .Aaron lifted up his hand towards the people," etc. (vers. 22-24). Th_e mail~ facts described are: 1. The joint blessi_ng of the mediator of the Law and the high priest on the people, the solemn conclusion of the consecration and inauguration. 2. 'l'be glory of the Lord appearing unto all the people. 3, The fire from before th~ Lord con~umfng the burnt offering ~~~ tb~ fa~. 4. The whole people beholding the B'lgn, acceptrng it as from God, and reJ01crng in it. with adoring homage. . . . I. MAN BLESSED IN Goo. 1. Religion a, revealed and set forth mthe mediation of law and BScrifice, the only true element of fellowship between the creature and Crea~r. Natural religion a spurious substitute and insufficient. Moses and Aaron bot~ typical of him in whom God invites us to receive the fulness of grace. 2. The blessings pro- flounced and published, In the promises of Scripture, in the history of redemption, in. <JH, X, 1-7.j THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS.
the individual experience of believers. Godliness bath the promise of both worlds in the best sense. Old and new covenants really one. II. DIVINE GLORY MANIFESTED in response to man's faithfulness. 1. Look for it especially in connectioo with the san,;f,uary. After great confession and universal seek- in" of God's favour. An outpoured grace in revived religion, in manifest success in spiritual service, in the fellowship of priests and people with one another, in the provi- dential signs of Divine interposition for the Chnrch's extension. 2. Unto all the people. 'l'he blessin" of religion is for the multitude, for the nation, for the world. Yet those who would ~ee the glory must come around the centre of its manifestation in the holy place. We can see the glory of the Lord in cr~tion, in providence, in the_ "'.ritte1;1 Word, only as we are taught by the_Spirit and recognize the true ~rder of t~e D1vrne kmgdom, which places the throne of righteousness, the mercy-seat, in the midst, and makes the glory to radiate from that. IIL RELIGIOUS JOY AND PRAISE stirred up by signs of grace. 1. Heartfelt and out- spoken. 2. Uniting all in common exaltation. _3. J?eeply humble and adoring. 4. N?t dependent on external miracle, but finding occasion m every proof of fire from heaven, 1n the Chnrch and in the world.-R.