the covenant (Deut. xxix. 10-13), offer sacrifices (Levit. uii. 18), and keep the passover (Exo,l. xii. 43-49 • Numb. ix. 14), And it was required that they be instructed in the law of God (Deut. ux:i. 10-13, rend in the light of Josh. viii. 33- 35). ffaving all these privileges, they were liable to the same punishments as the Israelites (Levit. xvii. 8, 12, 15; xxiv. 16, &c.). We need not wonder that the adhesion and conversion of strangers was anticipated (1 Kings viii. 41-43; Isa. lvi. 3, &c.). Apply to the missionary work of the Church, which can speak to strangers of " o better covenant," "Christ our passover," "grnce and truth by Jesus Christ."-P. Vers. 1-5.-.A. needed reminder. When Jehovah ordered Moses to prepare the Israelites against the visit in which he smote the firstborn, he also said the day was to ba kept as a feast through all their generations by an ordinance for ever. .And now it was nearly twelve months since the great deliverance by which in haste and pressure Israel departed out of Egypt. The instructions ( Exod. xii.) are plain enough; but God deemed it needful, as the anniversary time drew near, to give his people a special reminder. Wliy was it needed 7 l. Because much had happened in the interval. At the time, mauy of the Israelites would say, "Surely we shall never forget this wonderful and terrible night I " But since then there had been the crossing of the Red Sea, and all the impressive dealings of God with his people at Sinai. One event retreats as another comes on. Men march forward into the future, and great events are soon lost to view, even as great mountains are upon a journey. 2. Because the trials of the wilderness made many long for the comforts of Egypt. They soon forgot the hardships of bondage. Less than two months was enough to make them wish they had died in Egypt, by the flesh-pots, where they had bread to the full (Exod. xvi.). What then of forgetting might not happen in twelve months? Thus, by all the details of the memorial celebration, God would have them bring back to mind distinctly the extraordinary mercy of that night in which they left Egypt. 3. Because an emphatic reminder helped to distinguish the passover from otlier great events. The smiting of the firstborn was the decisive blow to Pharaoh. It liberated the Israelites from their thraldom. .All previous chastisements led up to it, and the wonders of the Red Sea were the inevitable sequence. Above all, there was the great typical import of the passover. Christ our passover is slain for us (1 Cor. v. 7), "'hat the passover was to the Israelites, the atoning death of Jesus is to us, an event which there is a solemn obligation on us to recollect and commemorate in a peculiar way. 4. Because there was need of preparation and care in the celebration. It was on the fourteenth day of the month at even that it was to be kept. It was in the first month of the second year that the Lord spoke to Moses. Hence we may suppose that he saw no signs of preparation, nothing to indicate that the people were being stirred by the thought of the glorious deliverance. This admonition of the Lord to Moses may be applied to such as, admitting the permanent obligation of the Lord's Supper, yet are negligent and irregular in practising the obligation. If the passover and the sprinkled blood of the lamb demanded a yearly memorial from Israel, enn more does the sprinkled blood of Christ demand a regular commemoration. He seems to have provided for our naturally forgetful ways in saying, "Do this in remembrance of me."-Y. Vers. 6-13.-.A. difficulty removed. I. Tui,; DIFFICULTY STATED. Certain men, cc;remonially unclean, could not partake of the passover (eh. v. 1-4). One ceremonial observance, therefore, might clash with another. No one could with certainty be clean nt the passover time, Hence we see how all ceremonial is purely subordinate to higher considerations. If one ceremonial obligation could interfere with another, how clear that the claims of justice, mercy, and necessity, rise above ceremony altogether (Matt. xii. 1-8 ; xv. 1-6). The very existence of such a difficulty showed that rites and ceremonies were only for a time. The distinction of clean and unclean is gone now. There is no more uncleanness in the leper, in the mother with her new-born offspring, in the attendant on the dead. We have to guard against a deeper than ceremonial uncleanness. " Let a man examine himself, and so let him e~~ of that bread and drink of that cup" (Matt. xv, 18-20; 1 Cor. xi. 28; 2 Qor, vu. 1). CB. II, 15-23,] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 79
II. How TBl!l DIFFICULTY WAS REMOVED. Moses is consulted, and he =·1.ilts God. The example of Moses in this matter needs our study and imitation. God will leave none of his eerve.nte in doubt if they only truly seek to him, and lean not to their own understanding. In God's answer notice -1. Hi,s appreciation of the difficulty, Ceremonial uncleanness was a very serious thing, as being the type of the unclean heart. To keep these men back from the passover was not the net of ecclesiastical martinets, God himself being witness. 2. The duty that cannot be drme to-day may be done to-morrow. We should take care that what has to be deferred is only deferred. Just because the passover wae too sacred to be touched by unclean hands, it was too sacred to be passed over altogether. 3. The remuval of one difficulty gives an opportunity for removing another. Ceremonial observances were regulated with regard to the claims of ordinary life. "If a man be in a journey afar off." He did not say that every man was bound to be home that day, at whatever cost. God makes allowance for the urgency of a man's private affairs. ~- God's consideraticn for these real difficulties made tlie observance all the 'T!Wre important where such difficulties did not exist. God listens to reasons; he will see them, even when they are not expressed; but mere excuses, in which men's lips are eo fruitful, he cannot tolerate. If we are prevented from joining the assembly for worship, or approaching the Lord's table, let us be quite sure that our reason is sound, based in conscience and not in seli-will, not a mere pretext for indolence and nnspirituality. Where the heart is right towards God, and an obedient spirit towards ell his commandments, he will take every difficulty away.-Y.