extension of pri_nciple No. 2; but it requires in our day to be noticed separately; sinco many will admit, generally, that worship must be according to Scripture, who nevor- tbeless also maintain that the Church may direct as to forms of worship. Ilut we cannot forget two facts: one, that at the close of the New Testament there is a like caution and prohibition to that given here; another, that the entire course of Church hist-0ry shows us that men know not where to stop when they once diverge from "the Book," and t.hat departures therefrom little by little, even under Church authority, do ultimately land men in the complicated and superstitious ceremonial of the Church of Rome. IV. 'l'HERE WAS TO BE (after tiiey were setUed in Palestine) ONE PLA0E WHICH GoD CHOOSE TO PUT ms NAME THERE. And this place where God would meet with his people is called, in the beautiful Hebrew phrase, God's 1·est (ver. 6), "his habitation" (cf. Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14). Thus would God, in his condescending love, la'lilch e. new thought into the world, in a form in which the people could understand it; viz. that God's home is with his believing worshippers. It was necessary, for e. while, to associate that truth with one special place, until "the fnh;iess of times" should come, \\"hen One should say---John iv. 20-24; Matt. xviii. 20; and when Christia.us should learn that they a.re the home of God (1 Cor. iii. 16; Eph. ii. 22). ,. To THIS PLACE THE TRIBES WERE TO COME AND WORSHIP TOGETHER. Thus the unity of God's redeemed people in him, would be continually before their eyes. Though the times in the year were not many when the people were thus to meet as one nation and commonwealth, yet they were frequent eno11.gh to ensure their thoughts turning thereto, either by retrospection or anticipation, from one year's end to another. Here is the germ seed of the doctrine of the unity of God's Church. Many tribes, one redeemed people. And is it not precisely this principle which is brought out in the New Testament, only in far grander form? (see Rev. vii.; Eph. ii.; John xvii.; Rom. xii.). Is not the Christian unity a. union of many tribes and tongues in one deliverance, and one Deli,erer? 11. THE FORMS OF ISRAEL'S WORSHIP WERE TO BE SUFFICIENTLY VARIED TO REFLECT THE CHAKGING ASPECTS A....l\"D CIRCU1'1STAKCES OF LIFE. These forms are sevenfold. In each case, however, an offering was brought to God. It might be typical, symbolic, eucluu:istic, dedicatory, or votive. (For specific treatment of each kind, see Kurtz, and Kalisch, in Zoe.) There were: 1. Burnt offering. 2. Sacrifices. · 3. Tithes ( eh. xxvi. 12'). 4. Heave offerings. "Q1llll sponte da.batur Deo" (Buxtorf). 6. Vows (Ps. lxxvi.11). 6. Free-will offerings (1 Chron. xxix. 17; eh. xvi. 10). 7. Firstlings of herds and flocks (Exod. xiii. 12; Neh. x. 35-37; Prov. iii. 9; Ps. lxvi. 13-16). How varied I There were sacrifices of atonement and of oousecration; offerings of consecration and thanksgiving. Each changing scene of life was to call forth its act of devotion to God. VII. IT WAS TO BE A FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP. (Ver. 18.) Not the head of the house only, but the children, yea, even the little ones had their recognized place in the house of God (,er. 12). .And the slaves too! The stranger and the sojourner might also come. The religion of the family was a keystone of Israel's national life; and it will be a very serious thing for any nation, if family religion comes to be slighted or ignored. Never let us rob the children of their rightful place in Christia.nordina.nces and in the house of God. ,III. IT WAS TO BE A JOYFUL WORSHIP. Ver. 12, "Ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God." The pagan worship never was or could be a glad one. The heathens feared their gods, dreaded them, sought to propitiate them, but as for being glad in them because of any loving care on the part of their gods towards them, they knew nothing at all about any such blessing. Ilut Israel did. They worshipped Jehovah, a redeeming God, who had manifested his Name to them. Hence such psalms as the twenty-third and the one hundred and third, could be prepared for their gladsome worship and song. Much more tnay we" Rejoice in the Lord." JX. IsnAEL'o WORSHIP WAS TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PEOPLE. (Ver. 19; and see eh. xviii. 1-8.) Thus were the people at large from the first to be educated "in giving to God," and in maintaining, at their own cost, the worship and ordinances of God, so as to band them down intact and untainted to their children and their children's chil<lren. How clearly is this principlCl reproduced in the New Testa- ment! (see 1 Cor. ix. 9-14). Though there is far leBS detail, yet it is not supposed tha.~ Cltl. XII. 1-82.] THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 219
Ieee will be done, but rather. more; such ver~es as 2 Cor. viii. 7-9, how much they imply nnd suppose I Surely 1t would be well 1f our Churches everywhere recoanized the nine principles of Divine worship which we find laid down by Moses. It may fairly be rnado a question whether even the purest Church is found recognizing them all· and yot, which one of the nine is repealed or even modified under the gospel? Of nece~sity, forms have chnnged. Ilut so long _as ~e need the ordinan~es of Christian worship at nll, so long must we _as_ecrt nnd mamtam all th~~ we find _mculcated ~ere: simplicity versus false ceremonmhsm; exact l~yalty to D1vme d1rect10n; recogmzing the Church aR "the r~st" of Go?, ,wher~ the tnbes are Ill:any! but th~ commonw_ealth one; Jetting tho worship reflect hfes vaned n_iood_s; lettmg 1t be a Joyous family worship, main- tained and supported by our contnbut1ons and our prayers.