w•nting; every man ha.a already received the due reward of his works; everything is already complete, and, therefore, there is nothing to be done in the next world. Or if, on the other hand, there were no punishment visited upon sin at all in this world, we might be inclined to say, Tush, God bath forgotten; he never interferes amongst us; we have no proof of his hatred of sin, or of his determination to punish it; he is gone away far from us, and has le[t us to follow our ~n wills and ima'linations. So that if sentences were either perfectly executed on earth, or not eze~ted at all, we might have eoine reason for saying that there was a chance of none in a future world. But now it is imperfectly executed; just ao much done as to say, 'You are watched ; my eye is upon you; I neither slumber nor sleep; and my vengeance slum bereth not.' And yet, at the same time, there is so little done, that a man has to look into eternity for the accomplishment." 1 III. GOD'S PROMISE TO THE PENITENT nrPLIES THAT THEY ARE NOT PARDONED SildPLY ON THE GROUND OF THEm PENITENCE. The Lord contemplates the Jewish defection as practically certain. At the same time, he holds out the hope of the penitent people being restored to favour (vers. 40-46). But it is surely significant that penitence is expressly shown not to be the ground of acceptance. Doubtless it is the condition; but were it the sole ground of acceptance, as it is confidently asserted to be,1 it is not easy to see why in such a case as that now before us God would speak about remembering their fathers, and throwing the radiance, eo to speak, of their -0bedience round about their children (vers. 42, 45). It is evident the penitents, even after they have been punished, cannot stand alone. And in truth, when the whole matter of acceptance is analyzed, it is seen to rest upon a covenant of sacrifice. The sacrifices of the cevenant, as we have already seen, point unmistakably to a suffering Substitute, the glory of whose merits must encircle all accepted ones. In a word, we are led straight to Jesus, the Lamb of God, by whose blood we are redeemed and received into covenant relations. "Accepted in the Beloved," we are careful to" abstain from the very appear:m.ce of evil," and in the exercise of new obedience we find a triumphant power bestowed. When we hearken to his commandments our peace flows like a river, and our righteousness becomes resistless like the waves of the sea (Isn. xlviii. 18). We find that" godliness is profitable unto all thicgs, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 'fim, iv. 8).-Il. M, E.
Vere. 1-13.-The bleasedneas of the righteous. In the words before us we have- I. Tu QUALITIE8 OF THE RIGHTEOUS DESORIDED. These are: 1. That they worship the true God. (1) They make no idols. Graven images. Pillars to memoria.lize advantages supposed to be derived from false gods. Witness the votive offerings ot the papists. They might not superstitiously worship such stones of memorial as Jl\cob set up to memorialize the blessings of Jehovah (see Gen. xxviii. 18; and comp. 2 Kings xviii. 4). Tho imnges of stone or "stones of picture" (see margin) would probably be statues. Note: men make their idols. (2) They respect Jehovah. He is the Maker -0f all things. He is himself uncreate. He is the Covenant Friend of the righteous. 2. That they worship him truly. (1) By keeping his sabbaths. Memorials of bis works of creation nnd redemption. Pkdges of the rest of heaven. (2) These are: weekly-monthly-yearly-septennial-in the jubilee. (3) Dy reverencing his sanc- tuary. The pince of his presence, of his altar, of the congregation of his people. 3. They serve him obediently. (1) Walking in his statutes. This implies the study of his Word. (2) To keep his commandments also implies prayer for Divine grace. II. TBElB BLESSEDNESS ASSURED. They have the promise of: 1. Plenty. (1) The elements were to be propitious to them. Seasonable rains. These nre very important. They are hero mentioned as representing all benign elemental influences-light, heat, electricity,-all which are essentinl. (2) 'fhe result thon is nbundnnce (ver. 5). Before they could have reaped and threshed out their com, the vintage should be ready, nnd before they could have pressed out their wine, it would be time again to sow. (3) This w.ae to prefigure the abundance of grace which should mark the times of the gospel (see Amos ix. 18). 2. Security. (1) From the hostility of the elementa. No plague &bould invade them. (2) From the hostilitr of men. No warrior should invade them.
• Wolfe's 'Remains,' 6th edit., pp 32.~, 326. • Of. llutlen'e 'Essays,' vol. i. p. 372. LFVJTICUB. 2 ~ 08 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [cu. XXVI. 1-4.6.