,. er. 3.-The JJOrtion of the tribe of Levi. There might seem at first something strange in the withholding from the tribe of Levi its she.re among the cities of Canaan, dinded by lot among the other tribes. There were, however, as we shall see, substantial reasons why tbe tribe of Levi should not be treated like the other tiibes in the apportionment of the land of Canaan. IT HAD ITS OWN PECULIAR worn;: TO WEICH IT WAS TO BE ENTIRELY CONSECRATED. Set apart for the service of the altar, it was not to be distracted by other interests. The sacrillces of the Lord were its inheritan<'e. On the other hand, as it must have means of subsistence, eYery tribe was to set e-part. from its own lot that which wa.s needful for the sacrillces and service of G0cl. These temporal conditions of the tribe of Levi in tho land of Canaan give us a Y~ry fair idea of the priesthood of the old·coveoant, and we shall be al,le to de1fre from their consideration sev:eral principles applicable tu the priesthood of the new covenant. (1) The fa.et that the tribe of Levi was to have no portion of its own, shows that it is not the will of God that His service should be mixed up with temporal and material interests. (2) It is made incum- bent on the whole nation to provide for the maintenance of the Levites. This is a sacred duty which cannot be neglected without prejudice to the service of Goel. In fulfilling tliis duty, the people associate themselves with the priesthood. The LeYites, whom they maintain, are their representatives. The eleven t1~bes have their delegate in the twelfth. This truth was impressed on the minds of the children of Israel by the offering by which they had to redeem the first-born of their male children. Thus even under the old covenant, the great idea of the uni,ersal p1iesthood was implicitly recognised. Now all Israel is a nation of priests, for, as says St. Peter, in Christ "we are made kings and priests unto God" (1 Pet. ii. 9). Still the Church has its ministers; bu.t these are not a clerical class apart; they are but the representatives of the people ; or rather, they do but devote themse!Yes specially to that which is at the same time the duty of every Christian, In fulfilling this ministry, they are called, as was the tribe of Levi, to renounce nil earthly ambition, and not to attempt in any way to make holy things the liandle for stcuring their own ma.teria.l adYaotage. Freely they have received, freely they are to give; or they will come under the condemnation of Simon Magus. It is for the Church to maintain these her servants by voluntary gifts. This duty was urged by the apostles. " Let him who is taught communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things" (Gal. vi. 6). (3) The Church. has become altogether a race of priests. As a Church she has no right to aecul(J/J' dominion. When the papacy pretended tbat temporal power was a condition of safety for the Cathollc (!II. XXI, 1-41i,l THE BOOK OF .JOSHUA.
ChUl'ch, it ignorecl the laws concerning the priesthood, both under the old oovenant aml Lhe new. Whenever It Church seeks to reign after the manner of temporal sovereigns, she becomes guilty of the same rebellion, and forgets the gr~~t words of her Divine Founder: "My kingdom is not of this world'' (John xvm. 36).-E. DE P,