Vers. 15, 16.-.Acceptable sacrifices. "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise," etc. I. THE NATURE OF THE SACRIFICES WHICH ABE REQUIRED OF CHRISTIANS. 1. Praise to God. "Let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his Name." The sacrifices which are obligatory upon us are not expiatory or atoning, but eucharistic. The great atoning sacrifice in all its perfection has been offered. To it nothing can be added. But we should confess the Name of God, and gratefully acknowledge his great goodness to us, and celebrate his infinite perfections. 'l'wo things show our obligation to offer this sacrifice. (1) The number and preciousness of the blessings we receive from him. " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? ... I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving." "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul," etc. (Ps. ciii. 1-5). (2) The perfection and glory of his own being and character. We ought to bless God because of what he is in himself. "For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord?" etc. (Ps. lxxxix. 6, 7). "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts," etc. (Isa. vi. 3). 2. Benefi- cence to man. "But to do good and to communicate forget not." God requires not only "the fruit of our lips," but the fruit of our lives. Our gratitude to him is to be expressed in kindness to our fellow-men. "Thanksgiving is good, but thanks-living is better." Dr. South has well said, "The measures that God marks out to thy charity are these: thy superfluities must give place to thy neighbour's great convenience; thy convenience must yield to thy neighbour's necessity; and thy very necessities must yield to thy neighbour's extremity." !I. THE MEDIUM THROUGH WBICH THESE SACRIFICES SHOULD BE OFFERED. " By him let us offer," etc. :More correctly, "through him let us offer." Our sacrifices should be offered through the mediation of Jesus Chriijt, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me," or, "through me." "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Obrist Jesus." We offer our sacrifices throu"h him because: 1. He represents God to us as accessiole and attractive. "No man kno;eth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him." "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which ie in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." "He that hath seen me bath seen the Father." "The Father himself loveth you." Through this revelation we are encoura"ed to draw near to God with our thanksgiving and praise. 2. He represents us to Gid in his own humanity. "When he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." "Christ entered into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us." He is there still, bearing even in his glorified body the marks of the wounds which he endured for us. "A Lamb standing, as though it had boon slain." OH, XIII, 1-25,] THE EPIS'fLE TO THE HEBREWS. 113
III. THE TIME WHEN THESE BA0RIFICE8 RHOUT,D BE OFFERF.D. 1. The sar,rifir,e of praise to God should be offered "continually." "Daily praise should ascend from each of us to God, as the perfume of the daily sacrifice ascended in olden times; there must not be fewer sacrifices under the new dispensation than there were under the olcl; we aro priests to offer up unto God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving." Praise should be not an occasional exercise, but an abidiag disposition of the soul. We should cultivato a thankful, praiseful, adoring spirit. "In everything give thanks.'' "Not thankful when it pleaseth me: As if thy blessings had spare days: But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise." (George Herbert) 2. The sacrifices of beneficence to men should be offered according to our oppo1'tunilies. "As we have opportunity, let us work that which is good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Let us not neglect any opportunity of kindness and beneficence; for all our opportunities may soon be ended, and that for ever. IV. THE FAVOUR WITII WHICH THESE SACRIFICES ARE REGARDED BY Goo. "With such sacrifices God is well pleased." He not only accepts them, bnt he is gratified by them. He is "well pleased" with them, because they are expressions of that spirit in which he delights. He is infinitely beneficent. He is " good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works." "He is kind unto the nntbankful, and to the evil." He loves to find the same disposition in his creatures. Moreover, our Lord regards our acts of beneficence as done to him (cf. Matt. xxv. 40). And not even the least of them escapes his notice, or will fail of its reward (cf. Matt. L 42; eh. vi. 10).-W. J.