observe (1) the last day or the old year, (2) the first day or the new year, (3) the anniversary or their birthday, or (4) the anniversary of the day which has the most hallowed associations to their mind,-the day of religious decision or that of reception into the visible Church of Christ. III. THAT THERE IB A TWOFOLD UBE WE MAY MAKE OF BUCH ANNIVERSARIES, 1. Solemn retrospect; with careful retreading of past experiences, free and full acknow- ledgment of God's goodness and our own manifold shortcomings, simple faith in the Divine promise of forgiveness through Christ. 2. Thoughtful forecast; with studious consideration of what may yet be done for the Master and mankind, devout recon- secration of self to the service of the Saviour, believing prayer for Divine guidance aud guardianship through future years.-C. Vers. 33, 34.-The imperfect rie'll,Q,l and the .All,-sufficiene Sacrifice. Ifwe place onr- selves at the standpoint of a devout and inquiring Hebrew worshipper, we can suppose ourselves to ask, on the morning and evening of the Day of .Atonement- !. WHY THIS ANNUAL OERE:MONY? Have not numerous sacrifices been presented all the year round without intermission? Have not daily offerings been laid on the altar, morning and evening? and double sacrifices every sabbath day? and special offerings every month? .And have not the people been bringing their presentations, from flock and herd, as piety has dictated, or special circumstances have required, all through the seasons? Have not these "come up with acceptance n before the altar of Jehovah? Has not sin been atoned for? What need, then, of these annual solemnities, of this very special ceremony at the tabernacle? .And if to such reflecting worshipper it should occur that the blood of lambs and bullocks, of doves and pigeons, was no real substitute for the forfeited life of men, would he not take a further step in his inquiry, and ask- II. CAN THIS SUFFICE, ALL OTHER FAILING ? What is there in the ceremonies of this sacred day which will avail, if all the year's sacrifices are insufficient? Will the fact that one man will stand in the inner instead of the outer side of a separating vail, and sprinkle blood on one article of taberna.cle furniture rather than another,-will this make the difference between the adequacy and the inadequacy of animal sacrifice for human sin? Will the ceremony of slaying one goat and leading the other out into the wilderness constitute the one needful thing that is wanted to remove the guilt of a nation? Surely something more and something greater is wanted still. To these suggested and probable inquiries of the Hebrew worshipper, we reply- III. THESE TYPICAL SOLEMNITIES DID NOT SUFFICE. It was a striking ma.rk of their insufficiency that the very altar and tabernacle of the congregation, even the "holy sanctuary" itself (ver. 33; see ver. 16 and Heb. iv. 21), had to be "atoned for." Even they became affected by the " uncleanness of the children of Israel." Hero was imperfection legibly written on the holy things. And our instructed reason tells us that these things were inherently unsatisfactory. "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Heb. x. 4:). Such "gifts and sacrifices cou!tl not make him that did the service perfect" (Heb. ix. 9 ; vii. 18, 19). They only servet.l for a time, and drew their temporary sufficiency from the fact tha.t they were to be com- pleted and fulfilled in one Divine Offering, which should be presented in "the fulness of time." .And thus we come to-- IV. THE ONE ALL-AVAILING SACRIFICE. In the one Great Sacrifice at Calvary, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is everything which n guilty rnce requires. 1. No need, now, for annual sacrifices; "in those sacrifices there is a remembrance agniu made of sins every year" (Heb. x. 3). "Dut this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever," etc., "by one offering he bath perfected for ever them that ar& sanctified" (Heb. x. 14). Not" once a year," but once for all, once for ever! 2. No need for purifying the holy place. He bath passed into the heavens; has sat down at the right hand of God. The "uncleanness" of man cannot slain hie throne of grace. 3. No question as to the efficacy of his atonement. "If the blood of bulls and of goats," etc. (Heb. ix. 13, 14). 4-. No limit to the applicntion of his atoning death. Th8 cross of Christ is that on which not merely "all the people of the congregation" (ver. 33), but all human souls in every land and through every age may look, in wliich they may glory, at which they may leave their sin and fcnr, from which they may date their inextinguishable hope and their everlasting joy,-0. 260 'l'HE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. tc11. XVII. 1-16.
EXPOSITION.