The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 344

rated creatures; they are monsters; and they are withal unfruitful. (b) Mingled seed must not be sown in the field. The plants of both kinds in such a case are found to be inferior (Deut. :xxii. 9). 'l'he land also is impoverished. (c) Garments of mingled flax and wool are not to bo worn. Tho mixture would induce electrical disturbancel!> impairing to health. (2) But the spirit of the law is mo1·al. The people of God are taught by it to avoid everything that would compromise their simplicity and sincerity (2 Cor. vi. 14). They must avoid marria?:eS with the ungodly. In business they must be careful not to join in ungodly partnerships. In friendships they must choose thosa who are of the household of faith (Jas. iv. 4). 2. That atonement be made for sin_ (1) The e&se (ver. 20) is that of a. slav~ dishonoured and still held in bondage, who,. through a subsequent offence, which, 1f she were free, would merit death (see Deut. :xxii. 24), is now punished with scourging. The degree of guilt is modified by circum- stances; and punishment is moderated accordingly (Luke xii. 47, 48). (2) But before the man can be forgiven he must confess his sin over a guilt offering. He must bring a ram. This was a well-known type of Christ, without whose atonement, no matter what scourging our sin may have brought upon us, there can be no forgiveness. 3. That. thefrvit of a tree uncircumcised mvst not be eaten. (1) For this law there are good. economic reasons. It hurts a young tree to let the fruit ripen upon it; and therefore to circumcise it, or pinch off the blossoms of the first three years, will improve the quality of its fruit. In the fourth year, then, the fruit will be in perfection. (2) But. the spirit of this law also is moral. (a) Trees are taken as emblems of men (Ps. i. 3;. Matt. ill. 10; Isa. lxi. 3; Jude 12). (b) First thoughts andforward desires are vanity> and must be rejected as coming from the flesh (see Uol. ii. 11). To Jet them ripen is to injure the character. (c) In the fourth year, when the fruit is in perfection, it is con- secrated to God as the" firstfruit," which therefore is not always that which comesji,rd in order of time, but the best. The service we render to God after the removal of inordinate desire by converting grace, is our firstfruit, or best service. (d) As to the fourth year, Christ who is the "Firstfruit" and "Firstborn of every creature,'' or Anti- type of the first born of every kind of creature, appeared amongst us in the fourth. millennium of the world. And when he comes again it will be to introduce the fovrth dispensation, viz. the millennial. 'l'he three dispensations preceding we need scarcely specify to be the Patriarchal, Levitical,and Christian. (e) In the fifth year and thence- forward, the fruit was sanctified to the use of the owner. The consummation of our felicity will be in that l!iorious state to succeed the millennium, the "new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." We note-- II. THAT TBE CUSTOMS OF THE HEATHEN MUST NOT BE FOLLOWED. 1. Nothing must 1>e eaten with the blood. (1) At the time when animal food was granted to man the blood was reserved. The reservation corresponded to that of the tree of know- ledge of good and evil when vegetable food was granted. In each instance the prohibi- tion was given to common progenitors of the race, and therefore universally obligatory. Noah stood to the" world that now is" in a similar relation to that in which Adam stood to mankind at large. (2) The Noachian precepts in gPneral were violated by the heathen, and in particular this precept respecting blood. The psalmist refers to the custom amongst the Syrians when he says, "Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer" (Ps. xvL 4). And in these words there is a prophetic abhorrence of antichrist~ who not only sets aside the Law of God by authorizing the eating of blood, but professes. to drink the very blood of Jesus in the cup of the Mass. (3) 'l'ho penalties of this abomination are tremendous. As in Eden the eating of the forbidden fruit became death, so in the Noachian precept God requires the blood of the Jives of those who will eat flesh with the life thereof which is tho blood (Gen. ix. 4, 5). Babylon who is also- " drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus," is therefore doomed to. drink blood, for that she is worthy (Rev. xvii. 6; xvi. 3-6). 2. Superstitirm must be. shunned. (1) 'l'hus augury is to be discourtlged (ver. 26). This (111ni) nachash, or. divining, may have been by fire or serpents. "Nor observe times," nor consult the clouds. The heavens were their gods, and the clouds they naturally regarded as their '.1Bf!(•cts toward men, as indicating their intentions. 'l'he revealed word of the true God is sufficient for all lawful purposes of sacred knowledge. (2) Distractions for the dead. are to be ~iscouraged. The heathen customs of cutting the hair and the flesh evinced. the msamty of idolatry. Where the faith or a true relirrion 0 is we have no need to mourn-. for tue dead as tboac who have no ho1,c.-J. A. M. OH, XIX. 1-37.] THE BOOK OF L~VITICUS. 309