The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 204

tribute of our industry and zeal dedicated to God should bear a full proportion to our faith and joy in the atonement of ,::Jhrist, and should still increase with the increase of these. Nothing is more painful tiia.n the entire disproportion often visible between a man's earn.est nnd lively desir~ to appropriate .by fai_th and devotion the merits of Christ's sacnfice, and the grudging reluctance with wh\ch he offers to God of his own time, means, and labour (Matt. vii. 21; xxv. 44, 45, compared with James ii. 16 • 2 Cor. ix. 6; Heb. xiii. 16). ' V. THAT IN THIS RESPECT THERE WAS TO BE ONE RULE FOR ALL 1 WHETHER NATIVE !!ORN OR STRANGER. Even so in the Church of Christ there is but one law of faith and works. There is inde_ed no "stran~r" where all. are brethren, but this very fact means among other things tbat there 1a no one ha.v1ng pa.rt and lot in the atone- ment of Chri.st who is relieved hy any personal circumstances from the duty of help- ing together with the rest in the tribute of good works (Rev. xx. 12). Vl. THAT TBE FIRST-FRUITS OF BREAD WEBE TO BE OFFERED, AS WELL AB 01' CORN, i e. of food as prepared by human labour, a.a of food in its natura.l state (fruits of the earth). Even so everything which belongs to our life is to be sanctified by dedication to God, however much human art and labour have conspired to make it what it is. It is not only that which seems to come direct from the bountiful lap of nature whlch is to be thus acknowledged, but that also which through any process of industry has been adapted to our actual wants. The art and fogenuity and con- trivance of man have gone wildly astray, and led to fearful abuses, just because they have not been dedicated to God and to pious uses ( cf. Luke xi. 41 ; Rom. xi. 16 ; :Rev. m. 24 b.). VIL TRAT PBOPEB SACRIFICES WEBE APPOINTED, WITH PROMISE or ll'OBCIIVENEBS, FOB THE BBEACB: OF ANY OF THE COMMANDMENTS BY WAY OJ' OHIBSION, such omission not being presumptuous. Even so it is certain under the goapel-1. That sins of omission e.re still sins, albeit done through neglect, or ca.relessnes~ or in ignorance. In nothing ie Christian morality more lax than on this point. ·.me double law of Christian charity requires an instructed and attentive mind, if it is to be fulfilled; the carelessness, therefore, of Christians as to how they discharge their positive duties towards God and man is distinctly sinful. 2. That such sins will find for- giveness. The far-reaching nature of our obligations as la.id down in the New Testament, and the unending consequences of our most heedless acts and words, might well terrify us if it were not so (Matt. xii. 37; xviii. 6; :x:xv. 27, 45; Ja.mea iii. 2 ; Bev. iii. 2). VIIL THAT TECE WHOLE Divt:NE LEGISLATION WAS INCLUDED lN THE MOST COM· PREBENS!VE LANGUAGE. Even so there ill nothing discretionary, nothing permissive, about the laws of Christian morality. None may be overlooked or ignored from first to last without incurring guilt (Matt. v. 18, 19; James ii. 10; Rom. ii. 22 b.). IX. THAT THE SACRIFICE FOB SINS OF OMISSION WAS A SIN OFFEBlNG1 BUT A.I.SO, AND MORE lCSPECliLLY, A BUBNT OFFERING. Even so sins of neglect of duty, of supineness and indifierence, demand indeed to be expiated by the one offering made for sin, but also to be repaired by a fresh and entire self-dedication to the will and service of God. To acknowledge our past neglects without an earnest e1fort to ful- fil our duty in future ie a. feeble and imperfect thing (Heb. xii. 12, 13; 1 Pet. i. 13; Rev. ii 5). Note, that the law recognised the distinction between the guilt of the nation and the guilt of the individual, and both had their expiations. It ie difficult to say whether there is now any "national" guilt, for Christianity does not recognise nations as such; modern nations correspond to the tribes of Israel, if to anything. But there ie of course "collective" guilt, of which each must discharge himself by an individual repentance. The atonement for an individual sin of omission was the same as for one of commission. X. THAT NO PROVISION WAS MADE UNDER THE LAW B'OR THE PARDON or A WILFUL EIN AGAINST GOD-A SIN o:r DEFIANCE. Thus the law brought no satisfaction to the tender conscience, but rather conviction of sin, and longing for a better covenant. Herein is at once contrast and likeness : contrast, in that the gospel hatb forgive- ness for all sin i.nd wickedness (Mark iii. 28; Acts xiii. 39; Rom. viii. 1 i 1 John ii. 1) ; liker,eas, in ~.hat a. marked distinction is made between sins against the light o.nd other sins (Mark ill. 29; Lu.ke xxiii. 34; John :xi.x:, 11; 1 Tim. i. 13 i Heb. vi. 4; ,cJB. XV. 1-31.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 185