IJ. THAT WHU.E E\'ER WATCHFUL AND ON THE ALERT, TIIEY MUST NOT INTRU'Dll UPON THE SACRED i·HINGS OF THE SANCTUARY, OR THE ALTAR, ON PAIN OF DEATH. Even so it is fatal presumption and loss of spiritual life when men leave their practical duti~,s. to " intrude " by vain speculat10n into " thos!' things which they have not seen m the heavenly state; or when they pry curiously into the unre- vealed mysteries of the cross, " which things the angels desire to look into 't yet forbear, because it is not given them to understand (Col. ii. 18; 1 Pet. i. 12). ' Consider again, wiJJi respect to Aaron and the people at large- L THAT EVERY OBLATION OR OFFERING OF THEIRS WAS GIVEN TO AARON. Even so everything which the piety or gratitude of man freely offers to God has been made over to Ch~i-~t, as the High }'.~est of our profession, by an indefeasible title (Matt. xi. 27 a.; xxvm. 18 b. ; 1 Cor. m. 23). ll THAT THE FIRST AND BEST (THE FAT) OF EVERYTHING WAS TO BE GIVEN TO GoD AND TO AARON. Even so ought every faithful person to dedicate the first and best of all he has (or is) to the Lord nnd hie Christ. It is a fearful thing to put him off \\ith the odds and ends of our time, the gleanings of our mind and thought, the stray coins of our wealth. Ill THAT EVERYTHING UNDER A BAN-A VOW, OB CURSE-WAS GIVEN TO AARON. Even so does every soul devoted to destruction, every soul under the curse, belong to Christ, because be was mado a curse for us, and devoted himself to death and wrath for our redemption; wherefore alJ souls are hie, being given unto him of the Father for hie portion. IV. THAT ALL THE PEOPLE WERE TO PAY TITHES TO THE LEVITES, AND THE LEVITES THEMSELVES TO A.ARON, and thus the principle was doubly maintained that a tenth part of all was due to God for the support of religion. Aaron did not pay tithes, because he was the figure of Christ himself. Even so all good Christian people are bound, not of necessity to give an exact and literal tenth, but certainly no Ieee than that, unless they think that their obligation to God is Iese than that of the Jews. This may be enforced by the following considerations :-1. We are as much beholden for all we have to the mere bounty of Providence as the Jews. 2. We are in at least as much danger of covetousness as they. 3. We are much more in the practice of luxury and superfluity than they. 4. We are more distinctly called to a voluntary choice of (comparative) poverty than they (Matt. xiii. 22; xix. 23; 1 Tim. vi. 6-10). !i. There is more need of abundant offerings now than then, because we have all the world to evangelise, instead of a single temple with its services to maintain. 6. Our giving should be more ample, just because it is left to the holy impulse of faith and love. God has refrained from demanding a tenth in order that we might freely give -more (Mai. iii. 10; Matt. xxvi. 13; Acts ii. 45; xx. 35; Philem. 19, &c.). V. THAT THE LEVITES, HAVING "HEAVED FROM THE BEST" OF ALL 1'BEY RE- CEIVED, WERE THKN TO ENJOY THE REMAINDER WITH A CLEAR CON5CIENCE. Even 80 the servants of Christ, when they have dedicated (and only when) the beet of all they have--time, money, talents, opportunities, influence--to the direct service of Clirist, way enjoy the good things which fall to them with singleness and gladness of heart (Luke xi. 41 ; Acts ii. 46; 1 Tim. vi. 18 ; ond cf. 1 Kings xvii. 13 sq.).
Consider again, with respect topnesuand Levites- THAT THEY BAD NO INHERITANCE AMONGST THE TRIBES, BUT 1'HE LORD WAS '.fliEJR PORTION AND THEIR INHERITANCE. Even BO hath the Lord given unto us no inlieritance in this world, because he himself is ours, as we are hie. We do indeed have (most of us) many things richly to enjoy, but these are not our own, as the world counts its good things its own, but are only Jent for an uncertain season (Luk& xvi 11, 12-wliat we have here is "another man'b," as distinguished from "our own "); and that we have anything at all is only of indulgence, not of right, 1!.or of pnnniee (Matt. xix. 21; Luke xii. 33; John xvi. 33; Acts xiv. 22 b.; James u. 6) i and, further, whatever we have we hold only on condition of giving it up at once, without complaint or astonishment, if called thereunto (Luke xiv. 26; Heb. x. ~4, Jam~ij i. 10; ~v. iii. 17; xiL 11 ). Nevertheless, we are not {Joor, though havmg riothmg ; but rich beyond compare, having the Pearl of great price, and the Treasure en. xvm. 1-32.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 233
(albeit" hid" f~r the present, Col. ii. 3), and the bright and morning Star (2 Pet. i. 19 b.), and in him all things indeed (1 Cor, iii. 21, 22; 2 Cor. iv. 18; Rev. iii. 20; cf. Gen. xv. I b. ; Ps. xvi. 6; lxxiii. 26, &c.), Consider again, with respect to aruriji,ee- THAT CERTAIN THlN(JB MOST D0LY MIGDT BE CONSUMED ONLY WITHIN THE SACRED PRECINCTS BY THE PRIESTS THEMSELVES j OTHERS HOLY, BUT NOT SO HOLY, AT H0lll!I BY ALL MEMBERS Oil' THE Jl'AMILY. Even so there are things pertaining to the one sacrifice for sin with which none may intermeddle but the priest himself of the sacrifice; others which may be shared in common amongst all members of the family of Christ. Or, in another sense, there are aspects of the atonement which can only be made our own in a religious solitude and retirement, and which are profaned by being brought abroad ; others, again, which befit the common and social life of Christian people, always providing that no "uncleanness," i. e. no anrepented sin, binder them from having part or lot therein,