of atoning blood for his guilty soul; he saw the meatoffering presented, a type of entire dedication to the Lord; and, therefore, when he lifted up the cup of wine, and poured it forth before the Lord at the altar over the ashes of the sacrifice, and the memorial of the meatoffering; his so doing was equivalent to his saying, "In all this I do heartily acquiesce. I welcome atoning blood to my guilty soul, and I give up my redeemed soul to him that has atoned for me. Amen, Amen!"

Is not the

It is to this drink-offering that reference is made in Judges ix. 13, where wine is said to "cheer God and man." It is not to wine used at table for convivial purposes that allusion is there made, but to wine used at the altar. There it did truly gladden God and man. Like the water of the well of Bethlehem poured out by David, it expressed the heart poured out. The Lord rejoiceth to see a sinner accept the offered atonement. shepherd's heart glad when he finds the lost sheep? Does not the father weep for very joy as he sees his prodigal return, and falls upon his neck? And likewise the Lord rejoiced to see a ransomed sinner giving himself up to his God, as he rejoiced over Abraham when he did not withhold even Isaac. "He taketh pleasure in them that fear him." On the other hand, the sinner himself was glad as he poured out the wine; for there is "joy and peace in believing," in accepting the offered Saviour. Nor less so in giving up all to the Lord; for he that giveth up "houses and lands," for Christ's sake, receives a hundred-fold more in this present life. Is it not, then, true that "wine made glad the heart of God and man?" Might not the vine that grew in Israel's land say, "Should I leave my wine that cheereth God and man?" The olive, in the same manner, could say, "Should I

leave my fatness wherewith by me they honor God and man?" (Judges ix. 9,) because olive-oil supplied the tabernacle lamps, as well as lighted up the halls of princes, and some part of a hin of oil (the special symbol of consecration) must (Numb. xv. 4, 6) accompany every meat-offering.

If it be here asked, Did our Lord fulfil the type of the drink-offering? We say, Yes; by the entire willingness he ever felt, to suffer, and to obey for us. Even on the night wherein he was betrayed, "He sang and gave God praise that he must die." And perhaps there is more meaning in the words of Luke xxii. 20, than is generally noticed. This cup is the New Testament in This wine-cup not only exhibits the blood that seals the New Covenant, but exhibits it as the wine that may cheer our souls. The blood of the grape of the True Vine gladdens God and man.

my blood."

But returning to the immediate subject of the chapter before us, let us sum it up by briefly quoting Hannah's offering (1 Sam. i. 24) when Samuel was weaned. We find there three bullocks. This is the burnt-offering-a bullock for herself, and for her husband, and for her child; and as if to express her belief that her child needed atoning blood, she offers a bullock for him as well as for herself, nay (v. 25), expressly offers it at the moment of presenting him. Next, we find the ephah of flour. This is the meat-offering. It expresses the dedication of themselves and all they had to God. An ephah contained ten omers or ten deals, and three of these was the usual quantity that went to each meat-offering (Numb. xv. 9, 12) on such an occasion as this. But here, no doubt, their meat-offering had more than three omers, just in order to show overflowing love. The bottle of wine, last

of all, was intended as the drink-offering; and as an ephah of flour was far more than was required by law, even for so many persons (Numb. xv. 9), so no doubt this bottle of wine was more than full measure, and was poured out before the Lord to express the entire cheerfulness wherewith all this was done by the parties concerned. It was after all this (1 Sam. i. 28, and ii. 1) that they filled the tabernacle with the voice of adoration and praise, and then returned rejoicing to Ramah.

That this mode of worshipping the Lord was not infrequent in Israel may appear, further, from 1 Sam. x. 3. The three worshippers whom Saul met "going up to God to Bethel," along Tabor-plain, were carrying, 1. A kid; one for each, to be a burnt-offering; 2. A loaf of bread, or large cake; one for each, to be a meat-offering; 3. A bottle of wine; one for all, as in Samuel's case.

"Happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, happy the people whose God is the Lord!" Happy the people where again and again some thankful worshipper is saying, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." (Psalm cxvi. 13.) The drink-offering of wine, poured out before the Lord over the peace-offering that some Israelite had brought in the way of thanks for benefits received (as Numb. xv. 3, directs), this is "the cup of salvation." And from time to time the courts of the Lord's house are enlivened by the happy countenance of some grateful worshipper, who smiles with delight as the priest pours out for him the sparkling wine of Lebanon or Sorek. Nor is it less true that the Lord himself rejoices; his heart is "cheered;" he rests in his love, making his love the very canopy over all.

The Peace-Offerings.

WHEREFORE, BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD, THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST; BY WHOM ALSO WE HAVE ACCESS BY FAITH INTO THIS

GRACE WHEREIN WE STAND."-Rom. v. 1, 2.

CHAPTER III.

Ver. 1. "And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offering; if he offer it of the herd, whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord."

THE PEACE-OFFERING* is introduced to our notice without any formal statement of the connection between it and the preceding offerings. That there is a connection is taken for granted, and the Prophet Amos v. 22, refers to this understood order when he says, "Though ye offer me burnt-offerings, and your meat-offerings, I will not accept them, neither will regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts." The connection is simply this: a justified soul, devoted to the Lord in all things, spontaneously engages in acts of praise and exercises of fellowship. The Lord takes for granted that such a soul, having free access to him now, will make abundant use of that

* In Hebrew the word is always plural, except in Amos v. 22. It is in every other place, perhaps equivalent to "things pertaining to peace" things that spoke of peace, viz., the divided pieces of the sacrifice, some parts burnt on the altar, some feasted upon by the priest, some by the offerer. Various sorts of blessing, included in the word peace, were thus set forth.

access. Often will this now redeemed sinner look up and sing, "O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid; thou hast loosed my bonds; I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. (Psalm cxvi. 16.)

The animal might be a female. In this offering the effects of atonement are represented more than the manner of it; and therefore there is no particular restriction to males.* Just as we afterwards find that part of the animal was to be feasted upon, and not all to be burned, as in the whole-burnt-offering; because here the object principally intended is to show Christ's offering conveying blessing to the offerer. It is true, that in the peace-offering presented by the priest himself, and in that presented at the season of first-fruits, there is an injunction that it be a male that is offered; but the reason in these cases may be, that on occasions, which were more than ordinarily solemn, there was a special intention to exhibit something of the manner, as well as the effects, of Christ's sacrifice. Himself, as well as what he accomplished, was to be shown.

It must be "without blemish ;" for it represents "the holy child Jesus;" "altogether lovely ;" "Who knew no sin"-the Head of a Church that is to be "without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing."

Ver. 2. "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about."

So, a Kid might be taken as well as a Lamb for the Passover. (Exod. xiii. 5.) Attention was directed to the use made of the blood; not to the kind of animal.