HOMILIES BY VA.RIOUS AUTHORS. Ters. 1-12.-Tokens of mercy. Various pledge5 of his.forgiveness were given by uod to the people. I. THE RENEWAL OF THE TABLES. (Vers. 1-5.) 1. Reconciliation to God is only possible through return to obedience. God cannot but require that we accept his com- mands, and make them the rule of our lire (Matt. v. 19, 20; Rom. vi. 13-23). Such return to obedience is involved in gospel faith (Rom. vii. 4). "Repent ye" (Mark i. Hi). 2. Tlie Law is one and unalterable (ver. 4). We must change; God cannot. 3. Tlte Law unde1·lies tl,e mercy-seat (ver. 2). A testimony against sins, yet the founda- tion of the covenant. In redemption, the covenant obligation is not annulled, but fulfilled representatively in the spiritual Head.,--Christ. In receiving Christ, the Law's Fulfiller, we biud ourselves to be fulfillers .of it also, as no longer servants of sin,. hut of righteousness (Rom. vi.). Our justification is in him ; his Spirit of life is in us (Rom. viii. 1, 2; Heb. L lG). II. THE SETTLEME?.'T OF TlIE MINISTRY OF RELIGION. (Vers. 6-10.) The renewal nf the high priesthood in the person of Eleazar (ver. 6); the separation of the tribe of Le,·i for the service of the sanctuary (vers. 8, 9). The existence of ordinances is a 1,roof of continued mercy. God puuishes unfaithfulness by removing the candlestick out of its place (Rev. ii. 5). The gospel ministry is Christ':; gift to his Church (Rph. i,·. 11). Means of grace end with the close of the day of grace (Matt. xxviii. 20; 2 Cur. Yi. 1, 2), and the removal of the individual from their midst ends the day of grace tu l,irn (Heb. ix. 27). III. 'l'BE C0MMANDMEST TO GO F0nWARD. ~era. 7, 11.) We also are commanded to go forward-to advance to the conquest of the world-to press to heaven. So long as that command stands uarepealed, so long may sinners be assured that the day ur grace lasts, and that they are warranted in believing in the mercy of God towards them.-J. 0.
Ycrs. 12, 13.-17,e supreme i·ei]uirement. With this Moses began (eh. vl.. 4), and "illi this Le ends. The sum of the Law, and the sum of all his exhortations. It nil and always comes back to this (Eccles. xii. 13): "What doth the Lord require of thee?" etc. We have here: 1. The central requirement. 2. 'I'he all-em'bracing requirement. 3. '£Le iradisJ,ensaLlc requirement; that for which nothing else can be accevtcd as a cu. x. L-22.) 'fllE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 187