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The observance of the 1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there. 3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. 4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.

5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:

6 But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.

8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God:

three great festivals.
thou shalt do no work therein.
9 Seven weeks shalt thou num-
ber unto thee: begin to number
the seven weeks from such time
as thou beginnest to put the sickle
to the corn.

10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:

14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

LECTURE 333.

The privilege of rejoicing in the Lord.

In rehearsing the Law, and enforcing its provisions, the devout observance of the three great festivals was sure to be insisted on by Moses, now speaking as for the last time to the assembled people, by inspiration of God. The repeated exhortation to rejoicing, as one of the first duties on these solemn occasions, may here turn our attention to the duty enjoined on us in the Gospel," Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. 4. 4. These occasions of religious festivity were perhaps especially desirable for the Israelites, because of the great feasting over things sacrificed to idols, which was one of the many temptations to the practice of idolatry. God, who forbade his people to be partakers with idolaters, indulged within the bounds of moderation their taste for the good things which He had placed within their reach, whilst at the same time He gratified the pleasure they felt in enjoying these good things in the society of their brethren. And perhaps Christians might not do amiss, if they took more pains to practise and promote a cheerful and temperate festivity; as delighting to see all God's good gifts used by all with joy and thankfulness. But though this might prove an useful method of diverting men's thoughts, from the pleasures held forth by the world, the flesh, and the devil; yet we should ill understand our Christian calling, and our Christian privileges, if we were not aware, that it is to other and far higher joys that we are invited, and admitted, by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The great antagonist enjoyment which He sets up, as against the enticements of sin, is the pleasure of holiness. It is the sense of peace and reconciliation with God, through the blood of his ever blessed Son. It is the comfort of the Holy Spirit of God, enabling us to serve the Lord that bought us. It is the experience of his power working in our hearts that which is good. It is the testimony of conscience that we are led by the Spirit, that we believe, and love, and glorify our Saviour. It is the conviction that we have begun a life of heaven upon earth. It is the full assurance of hope that we shall go on with safety, through God's protection, fulfilling his will on earth, until we come to shewing forth his praise in heaven to all eternity. This is that true Christian festivity which is limited to no seasons of the year, but which once begun aright need never cease. This is that rejoicing in the Lord, which casts into the shade all other joys that this life yields, however natural and allowable; and which, as for all the pleasures of iniquity, makes them hateful, and loathsome, to our taste.

May it ever be our delight not only to have joy in God ourselves, but to communicate this holy pleasure as widely as we can! May we ever feel, that the more there are to share with us the happiness of knowing and loving Christ, we are so much the happier ourselves!

Of meeting together at the three feasts; of judges; against idolatry.

16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of ta.bernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

19 Thou shalt not wrest judg ment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. 22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.

LECTURE 334.

The duties of women. The excellence of justice. The snare of idols. It is observable that as often as this command is mentioned, that three times a year all should worship before the Lord in one place, it is expressly limited to the males; with an implied command, that the women should stay at home. See Exod. 23. 17; 34. 23. This shews us how carefully the Law provided against any such occasions of falling into sin, as would have been apt to arise, had the women been generally present in these national meetings, and public festivities. And at the same time it may serve to teach us how greatly out of place women are, when they leave the duties of domestic life for those of a more public nature, which are appropriate to the other sex. The mothers in Israel were not indeed shut out from approach to the place which God would hereafter choose, to put his name there. There were occasions when they also had offerings to make, to give as they were able, according to the blessing wherewith God had blessed them. But usually it was their place to stay at home, it was their wis dom to be contented with home enjoyments. And it was their glory to excel, as daughters, as sisters, as wives, as mothers. In a state of society so very different as ours, especially in respect to the more kindly treatment of one sex by the other, it becomes so much the more needful for women to lay to heart those principles of due subordination, which are clearly laid down in the word of God. Let them never be tempted, by any public occasion of well doing, to neglect their first duties, those of home. Let them

never forget the injunction of St. Peter and St. Paul, to have for their adorning "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit," 1 Pet. 3. 4, to "learn in silence with all subjection," 1 Tim. 2, 11, to be "sober," that is to say, sober minded, "to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands." Tit. 2. 4, 5.

Next follows a direction for the appointment of judges and officers, in every city which God should hereafter give his people, throughout all their tribes. And the judges are instructed that they must "judge the people with just judgment;" that they must "not wrest judgment," nor "respect persons," nor "take a gift," for this would be apt to make their sentence partial; but that they must follow "that which is altogether just;" for so only would God confer the blessing which He promised, length of life in the land which He would give them. As long as the heart of man is prone to strife, there must of necessity be some persons appointed in every society to decide all disputes that may arise. Whilst the Israelites were encamped and on their journeys, this judicial office was discharged by the rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens, whom Moses appointed in the wilderness. See Exod. 18. 25, 26. It appears that afterwards these duties were performed by the Levites; see 1 Chron. 23. 4; 26. 29; for which no doubt they had authority from God. See ch. 17. 9. In proportion as they acted on the principles of judgment here laid down, we are assured that they would receive a blessing from the Lord. We may reasonably conclude, that an impartial decision of suits, and a just administration of equal laws, are among the things which the Judge of all the earth delights to see practised by mankind. And though we have no such special promise of an earthly inheritance, to await on our devout observance of these particular statutes, yet we shall find them in strict accordance with those principles of truth and mutual love, which according to the assurances of the Gospel are our way to an inheritance in heaven.

Lastly, it is here forbidden to plant a grove of trees near the altar of God, and also to set up any image, a thing hateful to the Lord. In all parts of the Law we meet with warning against practices connected with idolatry. In all departments of Christian duty we need to watch, that we set not up any idol in our hearts, to engage the love which is due to God. Self, mammon, the praise of man, the pleasures of home, the joys of society, the gains of oppression, or the triumph of succeeding even in a righteous suit, all these, and many other idols, are apt to entice us from the service of our God. Let us remember, that whether otherwise they be good or evil, the moment they interfere with our love for Him, they become abomination in his sight.

Idolaters to be put to death. 1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant,

3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: 5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

The appeal to the priests. the evil away from among you. 8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;

9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:

10 And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:

11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.

12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.

7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him 13 And all the people shall to death, and afterward the hands hear, and fear, and do no more of all the people. So thou shalt put presumptuously. LECTURE 335.

Prevention of sin one chief object of punishment.

It is here enacted, that if any one, man or woman, Israelite or stranger, should be convicted of transgressing the covenant of God, by an act of idolatry, the transgressor should surely be put to death. Every precaution must be taken to ascertain the fact. There must be diligent inquiry, and certain proof, at the mouth of three witnesses, or at the least of two. And the witnesses were subject

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