dipped In vermilion or red ochre. The mothers of those Iambs or calves stood without, cmd as the young ones passed out, when the tenth came he touched it with the colour, and this was received as the legitimate tithe." (2) Here note the vicarious principle. When the tenth was taken, nine went free. Christ is our Tenth (see Isa. vi. 13). (3) The tenth must not be exchanged for better or worse. Providence is presumed to have guided the rod. While Christ becomes the Substitute for mankind, no one can take his place.-J. A. M. Vere. 1-33.-Spontaneous devotion, The relations between God and his ancient people were not so rigid as they are sometimes supposed to have been. It was not all enactment on the one hand, and obedience or disobedience on the other. We find illustration here- I. THAT THE LAW OF Goo LEAVES AMPLE ROOM FOR THE PLAY OF SPONTANEOUS DEVOTION. Under the inspiring influence of some signal mercies, individu:\l or national, the Israelite might devote to God either (1) a person (ver. 2), or (2) an animal (ver. 9), or (3) a house (ver. 14), or (4) a piece of land (ver. 16). This was to be a sinJular vow (ver. 2), the dedication of something over and above that which was, by law, already appropriated to the service of Jehovah (see vers. 26, 30). It was and is the will of our God that special favours received at his hand, or special influences wrought by his Spirit in our hCiart, should be marked by optional and exceptional services on our part. We may, when thus animated by gratitude for his kindness, or penetrated with a sense of his good- ness and grace, freely and spontaneously bring to the altar of our Lord (1) our posses- sions, (2) our time and labour, (3) our children (whom we may surrender to his service in distant and dangerous scenes), (4) any precious thing which we are not bound to give, but which we voluntarily and joyfully lay at his feet. !I, THAT 'fit1I FORM OF OUR DEVOTION MAY CH.ANGE SO LONG AS THE SPIBIT OF IT 1s RETAINED. The Israelite who vowed a "person " redeemed the vow by presenting money according to a nicely graduated scale (vers. 3-8); or he might redeem a beast by paying money equal to its estimated value, together with one-fifth part added thereto (ver. 13); so with a piece of land (ver. 19). In a similar way, we may resolve and may undertake to give ourselves or our possessions to some particular sacred cause, and there may arise conditions which render it undesirable or even impossible for us to complete our work. In such case our Lord does not hold us to a mere literal fulfilment; what he looks for, and should certainly receive at our hands, is some equivalent in which we at least as freely express our gratitude and devotion. The essential thing is to preserve the spirit of our piety, and also to maintain a good measure of its most suitable expression, whatever that, at any time, may be. III. THAT WE MAY GO SO FAR IN TIIE WAY OF DEDICATION THAT IT 18 NOT PER- ll!ISBmLE TO RETIRE. The Jew under the Law might, as we have seen, redeem certain things at a certain point; but there was a. point at which everything was irredeemable. No "devoted thing" could be redeemed (vers. 28, 29). A beast "devoted to the Lord" must be offered up; an enemy once "devoted" must be put to death. When this point is reached in Christian consecration must be left to each Christian conscience. But we may contend that withdrawal is seldom, if ever, allowable when (1) there has been a solemn and formal dedication of person or substance in the presence of Christ and his people; (2) an overt action has been taken which commits other people, and when our retirement would involve theirs also; (3) such withdrawal would bring dis- honour on the sacred Name we bear. Under such conditions as these we must proceed at all risks and costs, and having vowed, we must " pay unto the Lord our God" (Ps. lxvi, 11).-C. Vers. 8--7.-The distinctions which remain. A pious Hebrew might, under a. sense of gratitude, or in an hour of spiritual elevation, dedicate something dear to himself unto Jehovah. It might be a person, or an animal, or a field. If the first of these, he or she was to be redeemed, and a table was drawn according to which the redemption was to be made. In this scale, we find the extremes of life, age and infancy, valued at the least sum, youth at more, and prime 11L the most; wo find also woman placed lower in the list than man. These distinctions in the estimated value of human life may remind us- I. THAT IN THE GOSPEL OF CHnidT TllERE ARE NO DISTINCTIONS IN llESPECT OF LEVITICUS, 2 V' THE DOOK OF LEVITICUS. (on. xxvn. 1-34.
AGE, SEX, OR CLASS. Age is not less welcome becl\use it is old, nor youth bec1tuso it is young, nor poverty because it is poor, nor wealth because it is rich, to the Saviour of souls. "'oman stands on the same ground with ml\n, and her love and service count for as much in the Lord's esteem as his. "In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female" (Gal. iii. 28). There is no respect of persons with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. II. THAT IN THE VALUE OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE SOME DISTINCTIONS MUST REMAIN, The kind of _sen-ice_we _ren~erour Lord differs atdifferen~ periods of o_ur life. Obviously that of the little cluld 1s d1st1nct from that of the man m the matunty of his strength, The scale of redemption under the Law, as given in this passage, suggests: 1. '!'bat ~ge, though o_f decli~ing yalue, bas its trib1;1to to _bring (y~r. 7); it can bring its purity, its calmness, its caut10n, its contentedness, its patient waiting: "planted in the house of the Lord, ••• we shall still bring forth fruit in old age" (Ps. xcii. 13, 14). 2. That prime has the largest offering to lay on the altar of the Lord. (ver. 3). Manhood brings its strength, its maturity, its experience, its learning, its vigour. 3. That youth is of great account in the estimate of God (ver. 5); it can bring to the service of Christ its eagerness, its ardour, its faith, its devotedness. 4. That childhood has its figure also in the Divine reckoning (ver. 6); it can bring its innocence, its trustfulness, its docility its winsomeness; its obedience. We are thus reminded that, while there is no sta"e i~ our life when we are not heartily welcome to our Saviour, there is at each period :ome special work we can do, some peculiar service we can render him, and we may add that every offering of every kind is acceptable to him ifit be presented in humility and with a willing mind.-C.