the human race; and the attempt of the tabernacle." The very nahas generally been made by shed-ture of the animals appointed for ding the blood, and burning a part sacrifice was significant; not the of the body of some useful animal. ferocious, the noxious, the subtle, This notion and practice seem very or the unclean; but such as were remote from the dictates of our na- gentle, docile, and valuable; and tural reason and it is extremely none of these were to be offered, improbable, that they should have but such as were " without blemish,” been the result of man's invention. or perfect in their kind. The ofWe may, therefore, most rationally fender was directed to bring an ofconclude, that it is wholly the doc-fering, in which he had a property, trine of revelation, and the appoint- to be presented unto God, and thus ment of God, handed down by tra- substituted in his stead, for this dition from the progenitors of our particular purpose. He was then race, to the several branches of their" to lay his hands upon the head" posterity; and it is certain that we of the sacrifice, which denoted the meet with it in the Bible, imme-typical translation of guilt from him, diately after the entrance of sin. by the imputation to the substituted When Cain's oblation of the first animal. This is generally thought fruits of the earth was rejected, and to have been attended by a confesAbel's sacrifice of the firstlings of sion of his sins, and prayers for the flock was accepted, we may pardon, through the acceptance of naturally conclude, that the latter his oblation: and doubtless it imwas presented according to the Di-plied as much, and would be atvine appointment, and that the for-tended at least with secret devotions mer was not. But if we inquire to that effect by every pious Israelite into the reason of this appointment, [(Lev. i. 4; iii. 2; iv. 4; xvi. 21). the practice of the patriarchs, &c., The priests were next employed "to and the multiplied precepts in the shed the blood of the sacrifice :" Mosaic law, as to this particular, which, being the life of every aniwe shall not easily arrive at any mal, was reserved to make atonesatisfactory solution, except we ad-ment, and was therefore not allowed mit the doctrine of Christ's atone- to be eaten, under the Old Testament, and suppose them to refer to ment dispensation (Gen. ix. 4; Lev. him, as the substance of all these xvii. 11). Afterwards, the body, shadows. I shall, therefore, in this or a part of it, as the fat, &c., were essay, endeavour to explain, illus- burned upon the altar with the fire trate, and prove this doctrine, and which came immediately from heato show its importance in the Chris-ven, both at the opening of the tian religion. tabernacle worship, and afterwards The rules and general usages re-at the consecration of Solomon's specting expiatory sacrifices, under temple (Lev. ix. 24; 2 Chron. vii. the Old Testament, may assist us 1-3). Now, who can help perin understanding the nature of our ceiving that this fire represented Lord's atonement, of which they the avenging justice of God (who were types and prefigurations (Heb. is a consuming fire); and that, when x. 1). The offender, whose crimes it consumed the harmless, unblemight be thus expiated, was re-mished sacrifice, whilst the guilty quired, according to the nature of offerer escaped, it aptly prefigured the case, to bring "his offering of the way of a sinner's salvation, the flock, or of the herd, to the door through the expiatory sufferings of

the spotless Lamb of God? The into the congregation; the conseanimal's violent death, by the shed-cration of a priest; the performance ding of its blood, denoted the of-of a Nazarite's vow, &c. were, in fender's desert of temporal death; different ways, connected with the and the subsequent burning of its same observations. "Almost all fat, or flesh, showed him to be ex- things were purged with blood, and posed to future vengeance: but without shedding of blood there then, they represented the guilt was no remission" (Heb. ix. 22). and punishment, in both respects, So that this ran through the whole as translated from him to the sacri- ritual law, and was interwoven with fice, which bore them in his stead; every part of the worship performed and the whole ceremony, which by the ancient church of God. concluded with the sprinkling of We need not be surprised, that the blood, and in many cases its they who overlook the typical imapplication to all those things that port of the ritual law, or doubt of pertained to the worship of God, the atonement of Christ, should evidently typified the believer's de- either consider these institutions as liverance from guilt and punishment," an overgrown mass of trivial cefrom the sting and dread of death, remonies;" or attempt to account and finally from death itself, from for them from the policy of Moses; sin, and all its consequences; the or trace them from the customs of acceptance of his person and ser- the surrounding nations. But invices, and his participation of eter-deed the Israelites were expressly nal life and felicity, through" him forbidden to imitate the Gentiles, who loved him, and washed him and several institutions in the law from his sins in his own blood," &c. were intended to keep them at a These appointments were varied, distance from their superstitions: in divers particulars, as they re- and if any agreement be found in spected the several kinds of sacri- other respects, it is far more reasonfices: but most of them coincided in able to suppose, that the Gentiles the grand outlines here mentioned. borrowed their usages from the IsThe paschal lamb, the flesh of which raelites, than that the Israelites was roasted and eaten, &c.; and were encouraged or required to the bodies of the sin offerings for copy the worship of idolaters; and the congregation, &c., which were the epistle to the Hebrews suffiburned without the camp, form the ciently proves to all who read it as principal exceptions; but these va- the word of God, that these cereriations serve to illustrate the several monies were shadows or types of parts of that great subject which the redemption by Jesus Christ, in was exhibited by them. Even the its several parts. Indeed some perthank-offerings and peace-offerings, sons of great eminence in their line, though evidently typical of the be- would persuade us that the penmen liever's spiritual worship and com- of the New Testament accommomunion with God, and with the dated their language on this subject saints, were all attended with the to the usages of the Jews; and rashedding and sprinkling of the blood, ther wrote agreeable to vulgar noand the burning of the fat of the tions and prejudices, than according sacrifice on which they feasted. to the true nature of their subject. Nay, the very purifications with This must mean (if it mean any water (the emblem of sanctifica- thing more, than at any rate to tion); the readmission of a leper evade an argument which cannot

be answered), that the apostles were cannot be separated; as well as mistaken, or that they wilfully mis- teaches us the real meaning of them. led mankind: and we may safely If attempts to lessen our regard to infer from this method of reasoning this part of Scripture be not the on such a subject, that the divine covert attacks of infidelity, most cer inspiration of the New Testament tainly they are calculated to subin general, of the epistles in par- serve its cause.

ticular, and especially of that to the "Known unto God are all his Hebrews, must be given up by all works from before the foundation of who persist in denying the real the world." What man of common atonement of Christ, whenever this sense, therefore, if not warped by argument is used against them with prejudice, can suppose that the energy, by some able and zealous Lord, having appointed a number of controversialist; or at least, they ceremonies, without any reference must be forced to betake themselves to a future dispensation, and not to evasion, and other ingenious ways suited to give mankind any just of losing sight of the precise point views of it, but the contrary, should which is contested with them. afterwards so arrange that dispen

As every one of the grand divi-sation, or at least leave his servants sions of holy Scripture carries along so to speak of it, as to lead men to with it the evidence of its own divine form notions more conformed to original, so it may not be unseason- those antiquated rites, than to its able to observe, that this is parti- real nature? Who can believe, that cularly the case with the books of this new revelation should be made Moses, which some have lately af- in such language as must give befected to speak of, as a respectable lievers erroneous views of it, unless ancient composition, &c. ; yet with they are extremely careful how they very plain intimations that they are understand it; make large allownot to be regarded as of divine in- ances for the prejudices of educaspiration. But are not the pro- tion, &c., in those who first propaphecies contained in these books, gated it; and employ much ingenious fulfilling even to this day, in the labour to discover the truth, by distate of the Jewish nation, and of vesting it of the numerous metaphors the posterity of Ham? Did not our under which it lies concealed or Lord quote them as the unerring obscured? Surely, if we allow the word of God, and not merely as the Scriptures to be the word of the words of Moses? (Matt. iv. 4, 7, unerring, unchangeable, and all-wise 10; xxii. 31, 32; Luke xxiv. 27, God, we can scarce speak of such a 44.) And can any man believe in method of interpretation, without Christ, who speaks of those books failing of that reverence which we as a human composition which he owe to his Divine Majesty. Does quoted, and by quoting, authenti- an architect, when about to erect a cated as the oracles of God? But magnificent edifice, purposely arit is most to our present purpose to range his plan to suit some inconobserve, that the astonishing coin- venient scaffolding which happens cidence between the types of the to be upon the spot, having been law, and the language used con- raised on another occasion? Or, if cerning Christ, by his apostles, &c., he build according to a scaffolding establishes the authority of the previously made by his directions, books of Moses along with that of is he ever supposed to form the the New Testament, so that they plan of his structure for the sake of

the scaffolding? Or does any one they were not adequate exhibitions doubt, that the scaffolding was raised of the infinite justice and holiness to suit the plan that he had drawn of God. For what proportion could for his intended building? And is the death of an animal bear to the it not almost infinitely more rational remission of that guilt, which meritto suppose, that the Mosaic law ed the eternal punishment of an imwas arranged, with a reference to mortal soul? Or how could rational the future revelation of the gospel; creatures behold, in such an obthan to suppose, that the gospel servance, God's holy hatred of sin, was obscured, and even misstated, and love of sinners? The same that it might be made apparently reasoning is conclusive, in respect to accord to the abrogated cere- of the vicarious sufferings of any monies of the law? mere man, or mere creature. Sup

But, though "without shedding pose it were right that one creature of blood, there was no remission" should bear the punishment merited of sins, under the old dispensation; by another; and any one could be yet "it was not possible that the found free from guilt, and willing blood of bulls and of goats should to be substituted in the place of his take away sin" (Heb. x. 4). If the guilty fellow-creature: yet he could question should be proposed to a only answer, one for one, body for Socinian, why "this was not possi- body, life for life, soul for soul; his ble?" he might perhaps find it not temporal sufferings could only anvery easy to give a direct and satis-swer to the temporal release of the factory answer. But if we allow condemned criminal; but could not (according to the idea of "no remis- be an adequate ransom for this imsion without shedding of blood") mortal soul from future punishment; that the necessity of an atonement, much less could it expiate the guilt in order to forgiveness, originates of the unnumbered crimes of many from the infinite holiness and justice millions. Should it be said, that of God, and the intrinsic evil and this might be, if God had so apdesert of sin, and the consequent pointed; I answer, that God apimpossibility that he could pass by pointed the sacrifice of bulls and sin, without showing his abhorrence goats; yet it was impossible that of it, and determination to punish they should take away sin; and for it according to its demerit; we shall the reason before assigned, it was readily perceive, that nothing could impossible that God should appoint render it consistent with the Divine them, as more than a type of the glory to pardon and save sinners, real atonement. But no mere man which did not exhibit his justice can be found, who has not himself and holiness in as clear a light, in deserved the wrath of God; no shewing them mercy, as these attri- one's body and soul are his own; butes would have appeared in, had no mere creature could be willing he executed the threatened ven- to bear the vengeance of heaven for geance. And if this were the case, another, if he might; and none however it might suit the designs might if he would: it may be our of Infinite Wisdom, to appoint the duty to lay down our lives for our sacrifices of lambs, bulls, goats, &c., brethren; but it cannot be allowable as types and shadows, means of for us to choose to be eternally ungrace, or conditions of temporal re- holy and miserable. The eternal mission; yet they could not possibly Son of the Father, therefore, seeing take away the guilt of sin; because that no other sacrifice could suffice,

said, "Lo, I come, to do thy will, found: all must see, that punishO God," &c. (Heb. x. 4-10.) Iment was not the arbitrary act of do not say, that the Lord could not an inexorable Judge, but the unhave devised some other way of avoidable result of perfect holiness redemption; but we can conceive and justice, even in a Being of inno other, by which perfect justice finite mercy. Thus every mouth and purity could harmonize with will at length be stopped, or filled boundless mercy; and as Infinite with adoration; every heart imWisdom gave this the preference, pressed with awe and astonishment; we are sure that it was in itself every hope taken away from the most eligible. The dignity of the impenitent and presumptuous; and Divine Redeemer, as One with the the glory of God more fully maniFather in the unity of the Godhead; fested in all his harmonious perfechis eternal relation to the Father, tions, than by all his other works, as the adequate object of his infinite judgments, and dispensations. The love; his appointment to, and vo- story of Zaleucus, prince of the luntary susception of his office; his Locrians, is well known: to show incarnation and consequent relation his abhorrence of adultery, and his to us in the human nature; the per-determination to execute the law fect purity of his manhood; the he had enacted, condemning the complete obedience of his whole adulterer to the loss of both his life, amidst all kinds of difficulties eyes, and at the same time to evince and temptations; the tortures and his love to his son, who had comignominy of his death; the entire mitted that crime; he willingly subresignation and meekness with mitted to lose one of his own eyes, which he suffered; the principle and ordered one of his son's to be from which his obedience and sub-put out also. Now what adulterer mission sprang; and the end to could hope to escape, when power which the whole was directed: was vested in a man, whom neither when they are duly considered and self-love, nor natural affection in its estimated, will combine to shew greatest force could induce to disthat he more honoured the law of pense with the law, or relax the God and its awful sanction by his rigour of its sentence? Thus the righteousness and atonement, than language both of the Father and of if all men had either perfectly obey- the Son in this way of saving sined, or finally perished. When the ners manifestly is, "Let the law be Father was pleased thus to wound magnified and made honourable," and bruise his well-beloved Son for in the sight of the whole universe. the transgressions of his people, his I would not embarrass these brief judgment of the evil and desert of Essays by any thing superfluous or sin appeared most illustrious: when dubious: yet it seems to fall in with his love to sinners was shown to be the design of them to observe, that inconceivably great, he would rather the reward of righteousness is not lay the load of their guilt and pu- annexed to a mere exemption from nishment on him in whom his soul sin (for Adam on the day of his delighted, than pardon them with-creation was free from sin); but to out testifying his abhorrence of actual obedience during the aptheir crimes. No encouragement pointed term of probation. So that could thus be given to others to the perfect righteousness of Christ venture on sin: no other sacrifice was as necessary as the atonement of this value and efficacy could be of his death, to his mediatorial work