The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 370

certain evils or perils, we should feel that we are bound with peculiarly strong bonds to make our sacrifice, of whatever kind it be, in its fulness and integrity, IV. AnsENCE OF IMPURITY. (Ver. 20; sec eh. vii. 15-18.) V. PR~FEREN_CE OF_ THE DIVINE WILL TO HUMAN GRATIFI0ATION, "Strangers" might lmng their offermgs to the house of the Lord. It was a pleasing and gratifying thing to witness the stranger bringing his bountiful tribute to the altar of Jehovah. It gratified the national feeling. But nothing might be accepted from the foreigner which was not worthy to be laid on the altar of the Holy One of Israel. His will to receive only unblemished offerings must outweigh their readiness or eagerness to receive out- side testimony to the excellency of their institutions. VVe may be too eager to welcome the tribute of the stranger; we must require of him that he worship in sincerity and purity. The honour and the will of God should be more to us than the passing gratification we gain from any source whatever, Whatever we lose, he must be honoured and obeyed.-C. Vers. 27, 28.-71ie culture of kindness. The words of the text remind us, by con- trast, of two truths which are of value to us as disciples of Christ. 1. That the human spirit is never too young to be offered to God, whether (1) in parental devotion or (2) in self-dedication (ver. 27). 2. That two generations of the same family may offer themselves simultaneously to the service of God. Parent and child have not unfre- quently made profession, in the same hour, of attachment to Christ, and have simul- taneously "given themselves unto the Lord." But the main lesson to be learnt is the culture of kindness. This was the end of the Divine precept. There would be an ap- parent ruthlessness in taking away the young immediately from its dam, and also in slaying mother and offspring together on the same day. Therefore these acts must be avoided. Everything should be done to foster kindness of heart, considerateness of feeling, as well as justice, purity, righteousness of life. The culture of kindness is an act of piety. It is well to consider- L THE TWO SPHERES IN WHICH IT SHOULD BE EXHmITED, 1. The human world: the home; the social circle; mankind at large. 2. The animal world, Everything that has life has feeling, and has a claim on our considerateness. We may add to its pleasure or may multiply its pain; may prolong or shorten life. IL THE TWO MOTIVES BY WHICH WE SHOULD BE ACTUATED, 1. The inherent excellency of kindness. Unkindness is a shameful, shocking, deteriorating thing; kindneEs is intrinsically beautiful, admirable. 2. The will of God. These his laws (and see Deut. :xxii. 6; x.xv. 4) are an indication of his will; and we may be sure it is the will of him who creates and sustains sentient life that his human children should be kind to the dumb creatures of his thought and skill. IIL THE Two souRCEs OF CULTIVATION, 1, That of our own minds. We must impress on ourselves that it is no less a tyrannical and cruel thing to use our great power to oppress the feeble creatures at our feet than it would be for others of vastly superior size and strength to our own to oppress and injure us. We must remind ourselves of those obvious considerations which will foster kind feelings and restrain from hurtful actions. 2. That of those who tea.eh us. The pa.rents and teachers of youth who do not inculcate kindness toward the feeble, whether of the animal or the human world, sadly neglect their duty to their charge. Young people may grow up i"'norant of languages or sciences, and they may yet be admirable and useful men and ,~omen ; but those who have not learnt to hate cruelty and to admire kindness will have a blot on their cha.ra.cter which no attainments will hide.-C. Vers. 1-16.-71ie eating of the /wly things, We have seen, in the preceding chapter, that blemishes which precluded a priest from ministering at the altar did not hinder him from eating of the holy things. The ordinary Israelite, therefore, would not, by similar blemishes, be debarred from the privileges of his religion. There are, however, other things which would disqualify. These are now brought under our notice, together with the provisions by which they might be removed, Consider- !. DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR EATING OF THE HOLY THINGS. 1. With respect to priests. (1) A priest would be disqualified by any uncleanness in his flesh; thus, if he were a leper, The reason is that leprosy was a notable e"(llblem of sin. Or if he had any OR. XXII, 1-33,] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 335