we care wholly fur God's interests, he will most completely care for oura. No external subst1mce will bring us any real advantage unless God's blessincr be upon it ay pcrvndo it. 'l'he Levites were compelled by official duties to be ~ften absent 'rr 0 rr: thoir families and homesteads, which needed therefore special protection from God. "lllcss, Lord, his substance." Ilut more important yet was. it for the whole nation that tho ofTerings aml iuterccssions of the priests migl,t find acceptance with God If anything upon their part should nullify the offices of religion, the effect would b~ unspeakably disastrous. Therefore, looking along the vista of the fnture in fervent anticipation, Moses prays, '' Accept the work of his hands." It is as if he had said "Let thy gracious plan for pardoning and saving men completely succeed l" AnJ lastly, ho prays for the priest's security against all foes. We may not here confine our thoughts to foreign adversaries. The true and faithful priest will always find enemies in pl'Oportion to his fidelity. His foes shall be those of his own household, They will assail his earnestness, suspect his motives, attack his reputation. But God shall undertake his servant's cause. He will, in his own way, so smite his foes, that they shall be completely ~ilenced ; "they shall not rise again."-D. Ver. 12.-God's fatherly interest in Benjamin. The circumstance of Benjamin's birth has a melancholy interest. His btrth was the occasion of Rachel's death. If we may argue back from the qualities of Rachel's children to the qualities of Rachel, she must have been a woman deserving high esteem. Rare excellences embellish the characters of her sons. To Joseph and to Benjamin were assigned territory in the very heart of Canaan. In the benediction of Moses we ha.ve- • I. AN ENDEARING NAME. A name given by God is pregnant with meaning. It is no empty compliment. If God regarded Benjamin as his "beloved," there was sufficient ground and r~ason for it. 'l'his tribe may not have been conspicuous for robust energy or for martial enterprise, but it was distinguished for its genuine piety and its devout attachment to the cause of God. If we cannot all be great, we can all be good. To be consistently and thoroughly pious is within the reach of all. Each of us can he knighte!i and ennobled with this title, "The beloved of the Lord." We have indicated here- II. THE DEST SOCIETY. "He shall dwell in safety by him." This promise, in all likelihood,' alludes to the position of Benjamin's inheritance. His portion in Canaan in- cluded the hill of Moriah, on which, in later days, the temple was erected. This was no insignificant. honour-no mean token of Jehovah's favour. The successive generations of Benjamin would dwell in closest vicinity to the oracle of God, and would enjoy easy access to the public ordinances of worship. So long as man needs the aid and inspiration of external ordinances, so long will this vicinity to the temple be a real advantage. In our folly we may despise the privilege, but this foolish contempt no way derogates from its value. '!'hey who most prize the house of God most prize God himself. We have also- III. COMPLETE PROTECTION PROMISED. "The Lord shall cover him all the day long." God was pleased, in a very remarkable manner, to disclose himself to the Hebrews by metaphors easily interpreted. In a climate where men suffered most from a scorching sun, a covert from the burning heat was most appreciated. Therefore God wa~ to them just what they needed, "the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." Thb fervent heat was tempered with a cloud. From every evil thing God covers his saint~ -from the heat of trial, sorrow, care, excessive prosperity. He uever Jails as does a passing cloud. He covers his chosen "all the day long." We have promised likewise- IV. UNERRING GUIDANCE. "He shall dwell between his shoulders." As the temple of God was to rest on Mori,1h, and tbe visible Shechinah be enshrined witbin, this would properly seem as a crown of glory on the head· of Benjamin; or, what the head is to the human body, that God would be to this favoured tribe. The head informs enliahtens, 0 directs the whole body; so, saith God," I will guide thee with my eye." ~'hat man has reached the perfection of being when Christ dwells in him, as "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification," life. To be most godly is to be most manly.-D.
PJ!:UTERONOMT. 2o 502 THE BOOK OF DEUTEUONOMY, [oe. xxxm, 1-29.