on which to rest the proof of Israel's restoration to their own land. It is this: the covenant with their fathers contained a grant of the land; and the God of Israel is Jehovah. Whenever Israel serves the Lord, Israel obtains all that that grant contains. "If they confess," then, lo! they must return home also. Israel's repentance and Israel's restoration to their old estates go together. When, as in Micah vii. 9, the Jews confess and accept, or admit as righteous, what they suffer, then their restoration is at hand. It is true, they may return before they repent; but the land is not theirs until they repent. And I think this is the meaning of Ezekiel xxxvi. 37. "I shall yet FOR THIS be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." It is Israel's prayer to the Lord, when repentant, to settle them in their land and restore to the land its fruitfulness. See the whole chapter.

Ver. 42 is very remarkable in the Hebrew. It is literally, "I will remember my covenant, Jacob," &c. There is no "with." May God not be speaking here to these patriarchs whose God He is at this moment, and saying, "I will remember my covenant, O Jacob, made with thee! and my covenant, O Isaac, with thee; and I will remember my covenant, O Abraham, with thee, and the land wherein thou wast a stranger?" The land, too, wherein his own Son was a Man of Sorrows, can that land ever be forgotten? The cross was there; shall not the throne be there too?

Ver. 43 repeats the cause why there ever was desolation at all, and how long it is to continne. In ver. 44, the first words NT, "Yet for all that," should rather be, "Yea, moreover, I shall do this."-(Rosenmüller.) This is the renewed declaration of the Lord's

determination to restore them: and hence, some of the German Jews who are fond of conceit, mark this word , as "The golden Aff."

,אַף

All is done in free love. It is covenant-mercy. "Salvation to Him that sittth on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

Ver. 46. "These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the Lord made between him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses."

He seeth the end from the beginning. He knew the kind of people whom he had chosen. For see, at the foot of Sinai, he speaks in this prophetic strain, warning them of what he sees coming on. He knew their hearts; he did not choose them for their worthiness; he manifested grace in them. From Sinai he looks down the stream of ages and sees their sin, and yet goes forward to manifest his love and make them the objects. "There is none like the God of Jeshurun."

Entire Devotion to God,

INDUCED BY THE FOREGOING VIEWS OF HIS CHARACTER.

YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN, FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S."-1 Cor. vi. 19, 20

CHAPTER XXVII.

Vers. 1, 2. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them."

THE Connection of this concluding chapter with all the preceding has been considered a difficulty with many. But most obviously the connection is that of feeling. No wonder God takes up the subject of self-dedication and the devoting of all that a man has; for might not any one expect that the preceding views given to God's mind and heart would be constraining? We find in Scripture, that the link of connection between one narrative and another often lies in the feelings understood to be produced in the reader of the story, or feelings likely to arise. Thus, in Mark xi. 25, "When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any," is suddenly introduced; but on being examined, the reason turns out to be, that that feeling of ill-will to others is one of the hindrances to the prayer of faith which our Lord was

anxious to lead them to. So, also, the feast of Levi to Christ, and the question of John's disciples and the Pharisees about fasting, is placed by two Evangelists just after Levi's conversion, though Matthew shows that it occurred at the time Jairus came. The link of connection is, Christ exhibited as a Saviour for sinners, apart from all ceremonial observances, led the mind to go out in the direction of occurrences that bore upon that point.

In this chapter, after the Lord has unfolded his system of truth, the impression left on every true worshipper is supposed to be, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits?" As Paul, after unfolding the way of life and righteousness in the first eleven chapters of Romans, begins at chap. xii. 1 to address his readers, "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." For true has it ever been, that "the grace of God that bringeth salvation" is grace that "teaches us" to deny ungodliness, and to be a peculiar people. (Titus ii. 12.) Indeed, we might almost venture to say, that Micah vi. 8, was uttered in this very feeling, and with a view to these very ordinances-"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good," in these sacrifices and ordinances that are full of grace and truth; and now, if thou askest how the grateful feelings of thine accepted soul are to be met, lo! here is provision made for their outpouring: "What does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" So far as we do not give to God this recompense of a life thankfully devoted to him, we cannot but cry with Ephraim Syrus, σε ταλανίζω τον έμον βιον ότι άχρηστος ὑπαρχει.” “Ι pronounce my life wretched, because it is unprofitable.”

Vers. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. "When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation.* And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver. years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him."

And if it be from sixty

All agree that the meaning of "making a singular vow" is vowing something extraordinary, singling out something very valuable, and setting it apart for God.t To vow that a child, or a youth, or a person in mature years, should be the Lord's, this surely was a vow beyond ordinary.

"By thy estimation." Michaëlis thinks that Moses is meant, who as civil magistrate determined the rule; but it rather seems to mean, "according as it shall be estimated, or valued, among you." The community of Israel had their general rules on such subjects, and these are to be taken.

The rate is the same for persons of all ranks.

"To

* The word for "estimation" is. It is interesting to notice, that from the same root comes," mine equal"—a man estimated as I myself. See Psalm lv. 15, Christ's words concerning Judas.

It is the same word as used in Ps. iv. 3, where the Lord is said to set apart the godly one. And how beautiful to observe, that the consequence of being set apart is protection. "The Lord will hear when I call." As the priest would run to preserve any dedicated vessel from being broken, or spoilt, so here.