The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 302

in its power of mainblining its temperature against the extremes of boat and cold. The lesson of this reason is to teach us the value of life. Hence in connection with the Noachian precept prohibiting the eating of blood, we have also the law guarding the life of man by the penalty of death to the murderer. (2) That" it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (ver. 11). That should not be treated as a co=on thing which is the principle of atonement, and the type of the precious blood of Christ. (3) For these reasons also things strangled are forbidden, things which died alone or were tom; things not so killed as to let the blood properly flow from them. Thus the slaying of every animal used for food in the sacrificial way would remind the eater of the necessity of sacrifice for sin (see 1 Cor. x. 31). 3. The penalty here also is excision, (1) If things strangled were eaten, the tra.nsgressor became unclean (see 1 Sam. xiv. 32, 33). He must wash his clothes, for his profession hath been polluted. He must wash his flesh, for his person is defiled. If he neglect this repentance and purification, he shall bear his iniquity; he is obnoxious to excision (ver. 16; eh. v. 17; Numb. ix. 13). (2) What, then, can be said for a Church which professes· literally to drink the blood of Christ in the cup of the :Mass? Is not that Church thereby guilty of out- raging the law of all the dispensations? It would evade this impeachment by im- pudently authorizing the eating of blood. But no impudence can evade the penalty: " But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require." Does not this plainly say that God will require the blood of the life of the blood-eater? David abhors the practice of the Syrians, who made libations of blood to their gods, and prophetically denounces and rejects our antichristian idolaters (see Ps. xvi. 4). Drunk as she is with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus, God will give her blood to drink, for she is worthy. -J.A. M. Vers. 1-7.-One place of sacrifice. It is of the essence of law to be impartial. Its precepts apply to all without distinction. "Aaron and his sons and all the children of Israel" are here included in the scope of the Divine commands. Let none deem him- self too humble or too exalted to incur displeasure by infraction of the Law. L We see that A LAWFUL ACTION MAY BE UNLAWFULLY PERFORMED. A wrong time or place may vitiate a deed otherwise permissible. Animals were given to man as food, and to slaughter and eat them was not in itself sin, but after the issue of this prohibition it became sin to do so without presenting them at the tabernacle. "Blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood." So the homicide justifiable in war becomes murder, and the intercourse of matrimony fornication, and the "word spoken in season" a casting of pearls before swine, by reason of impropriety of person or season. II. THE PEOPLE OF Goo MUST EXPECT RESTRICTIONS TO BE PLACED tTPON THEm LmERTY. The nations may follow their own devices and desires, the chosen people are under a covenant to obey the commands of the Legislator. They are assured that his wisdom and kindness will prevent the adoption of unnecessary and inequitable pro- hibitions. For all his precepts there are the best possible reasons, and therefore obedience is cheerfully rendered. Note the noble reply which Milton puts into the mouth of the seraph Abdiel, to the taunts of Satan (' Paradise Lost,' bk. vi. 170-181). Whilst the Israelit.es were in the wilderness, and the tabernacle abode in the midst of the camp, no hardship was involved in attending to this injunction, and it restrained them from evil practices, disciplining them against the time that they should enter the land of promise and have the injunction removed. Besides, animal food was scarce in the wilderness, as we learn from the complaints of the people. Ill. To RECOGNIZE GOD IN OUB COMMON ACTIONS AND ENJOYMENTS HALLOWS LIFE -MAKES IT A BELIGIOUB SERVICE. The slain animal is consecrated as a peace offering, its blood being sprinkled on th, altar, the fat burnt for a "sweet savour unto the Lord," and the remainder partakim of with gratitude and joy. God is honoured and man profited. Alas I that so many can continually receive God's mercies without acknowle<lgment, no blessing invoked, and no emotion of holy gladness sweetening the repast! The Christian ideal is to do all in the Name of Jesus and to the glory of God. lV. To REFUSE TO GOD ms lUGllTS IS TO COMMIT IDOLATRY. The Israelites werP certain to turn the slaughter of an animal into a festival, and the question was, to whoa;  Cil. XVII. 1-16.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 267