Ver. 52.-0ur positian in tlie Church. "And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by bis own camp, and every man by bis own standard, throughout their hosts." I. UNITY WITHOUT UNID'ORMITY. Rending the history of the Jere.elites, we are ma.d& to feel they were assuredly one nntion, and yet just as assuredly twelve tribes. Everything was done to keep each tribe separate and yet all the tribes together. So, ever and anon, some new regulation came out to manifest afresh the unity, yet diversity, of Israel. Every man traced bis genealogy back to a son of Jacob and this itself showed him to be of the seed of Abraham. Jacob bad a blessing fo; each of his children separately, a blessing meant to rest upon each tribe down through all its increase and vicissitudes. So here each tribe was numbered as well as the sum of the congregation. Each tribe had its place in resting and in marching; whether- honourable or not was scarcely the question, seeing it was by express appointment of Jehovah. And as if to emphasise this separation, it was provided for in Canaan as well ns in the wilderness. II. THE TYPICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS WITH RESPECT TO THE CHURCH. There are diversities in the Church. There is ane Saviour and one gospel; but there were twelve apostles, each directly chosen of the Saviour. Consider the epistles: the individuality of ,the writers is as clear as their inspiration. So there is one Cbnrch, but many sects ; and one might a1most say God has ordered there should be many sects. There is probably no sect in evangelical Christendom but what, if it were possible to interrogate its founders, they would say," We could do no other." God has honoured all the sects in turn. Princes in Israel and captains in the war against sin have sprung from all of them. We see in part and we prophesy in part; and we do not all see the same parts, and thus our prophecies differ. Must be faithful, each of us, to what we see of truth, keeping clear of all that is censorious with respect to t.hose who, though they differ, are still our brethren. Diversity must belong to the imperfections of mankind. Imperfections in the regenerate even more manifest than in the unregenerate. In all the diversity there is unity. Tribe does not infringe on tribe ; each man has his own camp, his own standard. But with all these separating regulations, there was a central power to unite. The tribes lay eastward, southward, westward, northward; but eastward, &c. of what? Tlie tabernacle. Immediately around it were Aaron and the Levites in special charge, but the whole of !Brae) was also Bround it. So in all our diversities we are related to Christ. ,v e cannot separate from one another as Jong as each is true to him. In all our divisions, even in our sometimes acrimonious disputings, it remains tn1e-one Lord, one faith, one baptism. A family non"l the Jess a family though there be many differences among its members. The spirit of Christ is one .. that first of all produces life, and then leads us into all th~ truth. As all the tribes compose one nation, so .nil the sects one Church. We have all one God and Father, and the features of our celestial parentage will be revealed in each, however much there may be for a time to obscure. This diversity as well as unity may e:r:tend to the heavenly state. It may belong to heaven 11s well ns earth. Diversity may belon~ to the perfection of the believer as well as his imperfection. The highest perfection mny be that of harmony. Thie diversity is significantly hinted nt in Rev. vii., where twelve thouaand are sealed from each tribe. The twelve foundations in the New Jerusalem had each of them its own order of precious sto11es. Cherish both variety and unity as essential elements in the kingdom of God.-Y.
Ver. 64.-Remarkable obedience. "And tho children of Israel did accordin&" to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they." We have here a rema,·kable obedience- very remarkable, as being found in a book marked with records of murmuring, disobedience, and rebellion. Whence the possibility of such a statement here ? I. THE 0BEDI)':NCE WAB IN AN OUTWARD THING. If inward disposition hnd been demanded as well as outward action, we should hardly ha'\'e heard such complete- obedience spoken of. It is easier to make a pilgrimage to Rome or Jerusalem than to Jive for one hour in complete surrender to God. II. THK OBEDIENCE WAS MADE AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. Jehovah told them not only the thing to be done, but the way in which to do it Besides, something of the sB1u& kind had been done a little while before. 12 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [ea. n. 1-34.
Ill. THERE WERE CRRTAIN ENDS TO BE ATTAINED WHlCU MADE THE WORK ATI'RACTIVE, A certain carnal satisfaction in counting up the full warlike strength of the nation ; also a sense of rivalry between tribe and tribe to see which was most numerous. &me commands of God, so far as the letter is concerne 1, may jump with our own .inclination. It is further to be noticed that this remarkable obedience did not prevent .an early and extensive disobedience in other ways. A command to number the people was not a sufficient test of obedience. Recollect one who said to Christ with respect to the commandments, "All these have I kept from my youth." He little knew a searching test was close at hand. It is possible to render outward service, and that -in many ways, and for a long time, with an unchanged heart. The spirit that underlies every ordinance of God may be repugnant to our natural disposition (Matt. vii. 21-23). The practical warning is, that we should labour to make the outward things the fruit and manifestation of the inward. "These things ought ye to have .done,"-the numbering, &c.,-" and not left the other undone "-the loving of the Lord with all the heart and soul and might.-Y.