Vers. 9-14.-Cleanliness a relt'gious duly. The Law of Moses may be regarded ae fourfold-moral, ritual, civil, and sanitary. The precepts in this paragraph nre an example of the last-named part thereof. They refer to the inculcation of cleanliness, both in camp and in person. And not only so, but to the observance thereof in time of war. While, perhaps, at such times special evils would result from the neglect of such regulations, yet, on the other hand, it would be precisely when movements were irregular, uncertain, and attended with much excitement, that there would be tho Ftrongest tendency to fail in their observance. Dut no amount of war-pressure would be any excuse for uncleanliness. Vve get here, moreover, an illustration of that which so often occurs in the Law of Moses, viz. that duties of the loweRt, humblest, and most common order are urged on the people by the highest and noblest sanctions; and many a teacher may find reason for urging to cleanliness of habit from such a text as ver.14, "The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp; , .. therefore shall thy camp be holy." The precise application of the text must, of course, vary with locality and circumstance; but the principle of it includes the following. 1. The presence of the Lord God is everywhere. 2. He is in the "camp" of his people as a special light and guard. 3. Hence every such home may be regarded. as a temple of God, the palace of the Great King. 4. In such homes the most menial acts may be acts of service done for God: common work may be dignified by great motives. !i. It will be regarded by a wise Christian man as a part of his duty which is by no means to be nl'glected, to maintain order and unsullied cleanliness in person and home. This will be part of his life-worship-the living translation of "laborare est orare." '!'bis duty needs special enforcement in some quarters. Many a humble Christian cottagl'r elevates his home and all therein, by having it so bP.autifully clean that, on e,·ery piece of furniture, on e:ery wall, on every floor, it seems as if the words were graven, "Holiness to the Lord. Yers.15, 16.-IsraeI's land a refuge/or the oppressed. (For "the Mosaic treatment of slavery," sec Homily on eh. xv. 12-18.) To the features of his legislation thereon this must be added that, as soon as ever a foreign slave set foot on Hebrew soil, he was free. Israel's land was for him the land of liberty I
Vers. 17, 18.-Unholy wealth may not be put to Divine uses. (See Homilies on eh. xv. 1-6; xiv. 22-29.) The same law which regulates the appropriation of wealth . rightfully gained forbids the dedication to any holy use of wealth sinfully gained. Yers. 19, 20.-The opposite working of like principles. 'l'he dilforence here per- mitted between lending to brethren and to strangers resembles that allowed in eh, xv, 1-6 (see Homily thereon). Yers. 21-23.- Vows to God, to be performed. The vow here made is supposed to be entirely voluntary. It was" a free-will offering." In Numb. xxx. 3-8, abuse is guarded aaainst. Vows made without the knowledge or consent of the father or husband were t:!: be of no force. No priest had any warrant from the Mosaic institutes to come between e. young woman and her father, or between husband and wife. Vows to God were to be completely spontaneous, as between the soul and God. They were not to be ext-Orted by others, nor yet to involve the entanglement of others.
Vere. 24, 25.-Kindliness to neighbours a duty of the holders of property. Thie is a very instrnctive precept. "In vine-growing countries grapes are amazingly cheap; and we need not wonder, therefore, that all within the reach' of a passenger's arm were free. The quantity plucked was e. loss never felt by the proprietor, a.ad it was a kiodly privilege afforded t-0 the poor and wayfaring man" <:Jameson). "'fhou me.yest take for necessity, not for superfluity" (Trapp). (Ill, XXIII. 1-25.] nm BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 871
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS,