reproved I (2) He that "hides his eyes," in this case, is visited with excommunication. For complicity in this gross idolatry, here described as "whoredom," God, as a jealous husband, gives his writing of divorcement. " I will set my face against that man, . . . and will cut him off from among his people." Not only is he expelled from the Church, but also from the nation, if not in addition doomed to suffer a violent death (comp. chs. xvii. 10; xxvi. 17; Jar. xliv. 11-14; Ezek. xiv. 7-9; xv. 7). (3) For this culpable w~nt of zeal for t~e ho1;10~ of _God, t~e tacit accomplice in the abominations of Molech mvolves also bis family m his punishment (ver. 5). How many illustra- tions of this principle have we in the history of the kings I (see Exod. x.x. 7). Sin is a. desperate evil, and requires a strong hand to deal with it. 2. The testimony against sin is a sanctificaeion to the witness (vers. 7, 8). (1) The faithful witness thereby sanctifies himself. (a) He clears himself of all complicity. (b) He approves himself to God as zealous for his truth, purity, and honour. (c) He fulfils the part of a true patriot; for nations are exalted by righteousness and ruined by crime. Public duty may cost us inconvenience, but it must not be neglected. (2) He is sanctified by the Lord (ver. 8). God will honour them that honour him. (a) He will bring them to dwell in the land (ver. 22). This possession was the earnest of the better Canaan. It was a "land flowing with milk and honey." (b) He will watch over them as a. proprietor over precious treasure. "They shall be mine" (ver. 26; Exod. xix. 6, 6; Deut. vii, 6; Ps. cxxxv. 4). "Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord."- J. A. :M. Vers. 1-21.-Pwnishments assigned to preaumptuous sins, I. THE LAW OF SOCIETY BESTS ON THE moHER LAW OF GoD. All legislation should be thus divinely sanctioned. The Bible is not a statute-book for nations, but a book of principles-to give light to the mind and heart of man as man. We must not enforce human law on Divine grounds, but we can use Divine revelation to ascertain the most satisfactory laws. II. Pmrn!HMENTS vary from age to age and country to country, but the reason of punishment remains. The honour of the Law satisfied is the way of life opened. I.II. The comparison between the Law and the gospel suggested by this chapter reveals the grace of God, the progress of humanity, the ultimate destiny of the race. The gradual extinction of the sins is the extinction of the laws which provided against them. "If ye be led of the Spirit, year? not under the Law" (see Gal. v., and comp. Jas. i. ii.). The perfect law of liberty 1s a fulfilment of the old law, and therefore " blotti~g out of the handwriting of ordinances and nailing of them to the cross of Christ.-R.
PART III. SEOTION IV.
THB UNOLBANNEIIB .AND DISQUALIFICATION 01' PBIEBTS, EXPOSITION. injunction that the saorillolal victims, no OHAPTER XXI. less than the priests who sMrifioed them, The two remaining chapters of this di vision shonld be unblemished and perfect of their of the book (ohs. x.xi., x.x.ii.) deal with the kind. ea.so of defilemonts attaching to the priest- Vere. 1-6.-The first paragraph refers hood, over and above those whioh alfeot to ceremonial uncleanness derived to tho other men, whetheroeremonial (ohs. xxi. 1-6, priest from his family relotions. The priest 10-12; xxii. 1-9) or moral (oh. ui. 7-9, may not tako part in any funeral rites, tho lS-15); with the physical defeots dis- eft'eot of which was legal defilement except qualifying men of the priestly family from in the oase of the death of his' father ministering at the altar (oh. xxi. 16-24); moth!'rt son, daughter, brother, and un~ mamea sister. These are all that appear lfith the privilege of eating of the holy to be mentioned. But what, then, are we to lhinga (oh. :uii. 10-18); ending with the undel'lltand regardi!Ul his wife ? Was tho LEVITICUS, y 322 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [oH. XU, 1-24,