type of Christ. Bishop Patrick quotes a rabbi, who says, " This Redeemer is the Messiah, the Son of David." Job speaks of Messiah as his Redeemer (xix. 26). So is 'ie elsewhere termed in Scripture (see Isa. lix. 20; Rom, xi. 26). (2) To be qualified to redeem, Jesus became our Kinsman by taking up our nature. As any Hebrew brother might become a redeemer, so Jesus, in our flesh, became "the brother of every man," that he might redeem. Job speaks of seeing his Redeemer in his flesh, or incarnate-for this I take to be the sense. (3) Every near kinsman may not have it in his power to become a Goel, or Redeemer. No mere human being can give to God a ransom for his brother (Ps. xlix. 7). But Christ is a competent Redeemer, having in his Godhead all resources. (4) We ca.n imitate Christ as redeemers of our brethren only by endeavour- ing instrumentally to recover them from the snares of Satan. (6) What a blessing is liberty! "Whom the Son maketh free is free indeed."-J. A. M. Vers. 35-55.-Justice and mercy. The equity of the ~osaic laws has striking illustrations in the words now under review. We see it- I. IN THE KINDNESS ENJOINED TOWABDS THE POOR. 1. Their ner,essities are to be ,·elieved. (l) Though they be strangers. The stranger "with" the Hebrew, and so, subject to his law, is recognized as a brother (see vers. 35, 36). (2) Usury is not to be taken from the poor. "That thy brother may live." Rights of property must not override those of existence (Matt. vi. 25). "That thy brother may live with thee." The hands of the poor are as necessary to the rich as is the wealth of the rich to the poor. 2. The reasons/or mercy are edifying. (1) "I am the Lord your God." I stand in covenant relationship to you. I have a right to require this of thee. (2) I "brought thee out of the land of Egypt." The remembrance of thy miseries in Egypt should influence thee to consider those of the poor stranger by thee. (3) I "gave you the land of Canaan." Gratitude to me should move thee. I can yet more gloriously reward thy mercy in giving thee inheritance in the heavenly Canaan. II. IN THE KINDNESS ENJOINED TOW ABDS THE SLAVE. 1. The Hebre'IIJ must show it. (l) Not to bis brother only, but also towards the stranger. (2) Yet there is a difference. The Hebrew slave goes out in the jubilee; but the power of a Hebrew master over the stranger is not then removed. This law prefigured the dominion which the righteous will have over the wicked in the morning, viz. of the resurrection (see Ps. xlix. 14). (3) The stranger, by becoming a proselyte, might claim the privilege ofthe Hebrew. So may the wicked, by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus, become a Chris- tian, and enjoy the privileges of the righteous. 2. The stranger must show it. (1) The stranger is presumed to be not so merciful as the Hebrew. Privileges of grace should make men generous. (2) The cruelty of the wicked must be restrained by the laws ol the good. III. IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE RANSOM PRICE. In this determination: 1. The .rate of wages is an el,ement. The principles of hired service should be remembered by :masters in the treatment of slaves. 2. This rate was then multiplied into the years proRpective to the fubi1ee. (1) This determination of the rate was in favour of the slave; .for if the law bad not settled it, then it n1ust be settled by agreement, in which case the master would be in a position to drive a hard bargain to the prejudice of the slave. Law should, for the same reason, control the claims of landlords where they preju- dice the rights of their tenantry, (2) In this law there is equity also with respect to the master. .AJiy difference in the value to him of a slave over that of a hired servant is compensated in the risk of life, in which, after the redemption, he has now no pecuniary concern. IV. JN THE DIFFERENCE OF THE LAW RELATING TO A COUNTRY HOUSE AS COMPARED WITH A HOUSE IN A WALLED CITY. 1. The country house returned to tlrn owner of the land. (1) This house is presumed to be simply a residence. The inconvenience of removal of residence is not formidable. (2) 'l'o a Christian the removal of residence from this world should not be formidable. 2. The l1ouse in the walled city did not so :return. (1) Such a house may be presumed to be a place of business. In this case, eatabli,hment in a locality is often of great importance. Landlords should consider the interests of their tenants as well as their own. (2) But within the first twelve months after the sale of a house in a walled city, tho owner bad a power of redemption. This was before the business o iuld be said to be e,tablishcd. It ,::ave the seller au CH, ll.V, 1-55.) THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 405
opportunity to repent of a bargain which may have been forced upon him by the pressure of a temporary necessity. (3) What a mercy that the sinner has space for repentance 1-J. A. M.