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between the precious and the vile, and to teach men God's statutes. May they all be sober and temperate, serious and considerate, in every thing; have always clear heads and clean hearts; for holiness becomes God's house and ministers, and his worshippers, for ever.

3. Let us adore the patience of God, which bears with the many imperfections of our services. We are too ready to offer strange fire. The heart is often far from him, and we are too frequently rash in entering into his presence, without due thought and attention. Yet he mercifully overlooks our unallowed imperfections, and pardons what is amiss. Let us adore his long suffering and compassion toward us, but not take encouragement from thence to sin.

4. Let us humbly resign ourselves to the will of God, maintain a respectful silence before him: and prosecute his service amidst the heaviest affliction: so Aaron did. Let us be still, and know that he is God. He hath wise ends in those dispensations that seem most severe. We should be dumb and not open our mouths before him, when he hath bereaved us of our children, or our friends, or when he removes his ministers and servants. We have still reason to say, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good; especially as his glory will be promoted thereby, as Moses here suggests. And let the same principles of faith in God's providences and promises, which promote submission, excite us to the vigorous discharge of our duty: Moses directs Aaron and his sons to go on with their work. Let us not sink under our losses, for this is no proper token of regard to our departed friends; it is ungrateful to God, and unfits us for duty. Let us therefore guard against excess of sorrow. Weeping must not hinder sowing.*

5. Let us learn to be content with reasonable excuses from our inferiors, and be glad to find them less to blame than we imagined. Moses was willing to make favourable allowances as he knew God would. Let us not bear hard on those who we think have done ill. Perhaps they may have something to say that will satisfy us, or lessen their guilt. We should be willing to believe and hope the best of every one.

6. Let us rejoice in the perfect priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This unhappy circumstance at the opening of the Jewish priesthood, showed its imperfection. The law made men priests, that had infirmities; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore, Heb. vii. 28. In him we may rejoice; and cheerfully present our sacrifices through his pure hands, and in humble reliance on his prevailing atonement; knowing that he always appears before the presence of God, and ever lives to make intercession for us.

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CHAP. XI.

This, and the four following chapters, relate only to ceremonial ob

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servances.

ND the LORD spake unto Moses, and to Aaron, (because it belonged both to the magistrates and priests to 2 see these larus executed,) saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts which [are] on the earth.* 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven footed, [and] 4' cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless, these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: [as] the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean 5 unto you. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, 6 but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you. And

the haré, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the 7 hoof; he [is] unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the 8 cud; he [is] unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch; they [are] unclean to you.

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These shall ye eat of all that [are] in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the ponds and 10 lakes, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which [is] in the waters, they [shall be] an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcasses in abomina12 tion. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that [shall be] an abomination unto you. This is repeated, as being the only rule they had to judge by in this case.

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And these [are they which] ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they [are] an abomination the eagle, and the ossifrage, the bone breaker, a species of the eagle with a strong bill, and the ospray, or sea 14 eagle, And the vulture, and the kite, after his kind; Every 15 raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and 16 the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl,

Considering that all beasts were given for food to Noah, it may be asked, How came there to be these restrictions afterward? Perhaps it was to discourage luxury, but principally to keep them a distinct people ; because those beasts were forbidden, which were in the highest esteem among the heathen, and were offered in sacrifices to their gods. + The camel divides the hoof at the top, but not at the bottom.

Or, mountain mouse, for common rabbits do not chew the cud, nor make their house in the rock, as Prov. xxx. 26.

This beast, though most respected among the heathen, was held in the highest detestation by the Jews.

17 and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the 18 pelican, and the ger eagle, And the stork, the heron after 19 her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

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All fowls, it should be translated insects, that creep, going 21 upon [all] four, [shall be] an abomination unto you. Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon [all] four, which have legs above their feet, to leap 22 withal upon the earth; [Even] these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. 23 But all [other] flying creeping things, which have four feet, [shall be] an abomination unto you.

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24 And for these ye shall be unclean whosoever toucheth 25 the carcass of them shall be unclean until the even. whosoever beareth [aught] of the carcass of them shall wash 26 his clothes, and be unclean until the even. [The carcasses] of every beast which divideth the hoof, and [is] not cloven footed, nor cheweth the cud, [are] unclean unto you

every 27 one that toucheth them shall be unclean. And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, on his two hands, which has forefeet divided into fingers, as monkies, cats, dogs, bears, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those [are] unclean unto you whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean un28 til the even. And he that beareth the carcass of them shalt wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even they [are] unclean unto you.

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These also [shall be] unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the 30 mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. 31 These [are] unclean to you among all that creep: whoso

ever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean 32 until the even. And upon whatsoever [any] of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether [it be] any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel [it be,] wherein [any] work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall 33 be cleansed. And every earthen vessel, whereinto [any] of them falleth, whatsoever [is] in it shall be unclean; and ye 34 shall break it. Of all meat which may be eaten, [that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean; and all drink that 35 may be drunk in every [such] vessel shall be unclean. And every [thing] whereupon [any part] of their carcass falleth shall be unclean; [whether it be] oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down : [for] they [are] unclean, and 36 shall be unclean unto you. Nevertheless, a fountain or pit, [wherein there is] plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcass, the man who draws them out, or

37 the instrument which he uses, shall be unclean. And if (any part] of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it [shall be] clean, because, before it was used it was to pass through so many changes, that all the contamination 38 would be gone off. But if [any] water be put upon the seed, or the corn intended for present use, and [any part] of their car39 cass fall thereon, it [shall be] unclean unto you. And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die of itself, or be strangled, or torn; he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean 40 until the even. And he that eateth of the carcass of it unknowingly, (for if he did it presumptuously he was to be cut off, Num. xv. and xxx.) shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even he also that beareth the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

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And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, except those mentioned before, v. 22. [shall be] an abomina42 tion; it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon [all] four, or whatsoever hath more fect among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they [are] an abomination. 43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby,

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For I [am] the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I [am] holy : neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth: as I am separated, by the excellency of my nature, from all other Beings, so shall you, 45 by your purity, from all other people. For I [am] the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God ye shall therefore be holy, for I [am] holy.

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This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every erea47 ture that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

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CHAP. XII.

Of women's purifications, and offerings.

ND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and borne a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her 3 infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the

And she shall

4 Besh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days, beside the seven mentioned, v. 2. she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled; but for common things, and all 5 civil affairs, she was clean after the first seven days. But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, double to that for a male, v. 2. as in her separation and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

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And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, to express her gratitude to God, and implore his blessing on her child, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove for a sin offering, (or rather, to cleanse her from her ceremonial pollution, ch. xv. 30.) unto the door of the tabernacle of the 7 congregation, unto the priest: Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This [is] the law for 8 her that hath borne a male or a female, And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

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CHAP. XIII.

Of the tokens to discern the leprosy,

ND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh [like] the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto 3 Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and [when] the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight [be] deeper than the skin of his flesh, it [is] a plague of leprosy and the priest shall look on him, and 4 pronounce him unclean. If the bright spot [be] white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight [be] not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest 5 shall shut up [him that hath] the plague seven days: And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, [if] the plague in his sight be at a stay, both in respect to colour and spreading, [and] the plague spread not in the skin; 6 then the priest shall shut him up seven days more: And the

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