The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 367

B. It puts the individual and the social in their true relation to that which supports both-the positive and public worship of God. The temple at Jerusalem represented the centre of the nation, Jehovah's throne. Humanity can be, will be, developed into a true family of nations only round the house of God. All non-religious influences are disintegrating to the nation and the world. JI. 'l'HE LIFE .OF MAN IS THE SANCTIFICATION OF ALL OTBEB LIFE ON THE EARTH, The lower natures depend on the higher. God has taught us by his Law not only to use them, but to reverence them and to hallow their instincts and the Jaws of nature as exhibited in them. Science may discover secrets, but it will not protect the weak. The reverence for that which is below us is even more a yielding up of our nature to the Spirit of God than the mere bowing prostrate before that which is above us. The selfishness and tyranny of the stronger over the weaker can only be cast out by religion. Ii!. .ALL LAW 18 0ONBISTEl>'T WITB FREE AGENCY. cc .At your own will." The true service of God is that which the heart renders. We blend our will with God's will in the acceptable life. At your will, but by the regulations of the Law. The mere capricious individualism of the present day is no true liberty, but becomes the most degrading bondage. The covenant relation of Jehovah with his people lay at the foundation of their obedience: cc I hallow you," therefore hallow my commandments and my Name. In that loving bond of sanctification all believers find their strength. They are not their own, they are bought with a price. Paul rejoiced to be a "slave of Jesus Christ." The Jews made their Law unto death, not life, because they departed from its simplicity and forgot its spirituality, and "made the Word of God of none effect by their traditions," forging their own fetters. The key-note of the Law is redemption. " I am the Lord which brought you out of Egypt," etc. The key-note of redemption is love.-R. Priestly disqualification,. Ch. ::uii.; cf. Matt. xxv. 31-46. We saw that inherited infirmity, such as is mentioned in vers. 18-21 of last chapter, while it excludes from office, does not exclude from sustenance. We now come across a disqualification sufficient to exclude from both office and support, and this is contracted d,filcme:nt . .Any priest venturing before God with uncleanness upon him will be cut off from his presence. We are taught hereby- I. THAT IT IS CONTRACTED, NOT TRANSMITTED, DEFILEMENT WHICH NECESSITATES COM· PLETE EXILE FROM JEHOVAH. The priest's child providentially scarred or maimed, whose blemish has been from the womb, and in which he had no voluntary share, which excluded properly from office, is not excluded from sustenance from the e.lte.r ; while, on the other hand, he who has through negligence or waywardness contracted defilement is, while it lasts, excluded altogether from the privileges of the priesthood. The bearing of such an arrangement upon the question of original sin is pie.in on the least thought. The fact of original sin will not be questioned by any one who studies intelligently the question of heredity. Moreover, 11 representative responsibility," ns n principle of providence, shows how we are held responsible for acts of others in which we have had no conscious share. .At the so.me time, it is consolatory to think thut transmitted evil will not of itself condemn its possessor to perpetual exile from God. When an infant dies, who has never been sufficiently advunced to contract any conscious defilement, who has never added to original sin any nctual transgression, it is comforting to think that the righteous Governor will not exclude any such from the privilege of approaching him, but will pw·ge away their inheritance of evil, and fit them for his everlasting fellowship. We believe in the salvation of the great multitude who die before coming to the years of discretion. 11, CASUAL, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM PERMANENT, CONNECTION WITH THE PRIESTHOOD DISQUALIFIES A PEBBON FROM PARTAKING OF THE THINGS OF THE ALTAR. No mere cnsual guest, or even o. hired servant of a priest's, was to eat of the holy things. If a servant had been purchased, and so became personally incorporated with tho priestly family, he might eat of them. 'l'here is e. corresponding casual and a corresponding permanent association with the Lord's work. Only those who enter on it with whole hearts, who dedicate themselves to it, body, soul, and spirit, need expect to purticipate in its privi• loges; while the mere casual associate will find him.self excluded in the end. 639 THE BOOK or tEVITICtrS. CoH. x:m. 1-38,