68.

LORD, &c. and of Zacharias, Bleffed be Luke 1. the LORD God of Ifrael, &c. But of this, more in its proper Place; when we come to difcourfe upon that Part of the Levitical Office.

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SECT. XII.

Jofephus's Account of Sacrifices.

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But, before we difmifs the Subject of Sacrifices, it may be proper to take a View of what Jofephus the Jewish Hiftorian delivers upon that Head; and to compare it with the Scripture Account. He fays, "There are two Ways of offering "Sacrifice; one, when it is made for "the whole Body of the People; the "other, when for private Perfons. And again, each of thefe is of two Sorts; one, when the Sacrifice is wholly confum'd by Fire, and is what we call a Burnt-Offering; the other, when it is a Peace-Offering, made for a Thanksgiving, and is eaten by those that offer " it.

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"When a private Person offers a Burnt"Offering, what he brings upon that OcN 2

cafion,

"cafion, is a Bullock, a Lamb or a Kid " of a Year old (the Bullocks indeed some"what older) and all of the Male Kind. "When they are kill'd, the Priests pour "their Blood round about the Altar; and taking away from them every unclean Part, they cut them up into Joints; and, "ftrewing Salt over them all, lay them "upon the Wood which is pil'd upon "the Altar, and quickly kindled with the "Fire thereof. The Feet and the Fat of "the Victim, nicely cleans'd, are likewise "laid upon the Altar, with the other "Parts: The Hide being the Fee of the "officiating Prieft: This is the BurntOffering.

"But those who offer a Peace-Offering "for Thanksgiving, bring indeed the same "Creatures as thofe beforemention'd, but "older; that is, quite full-grown; and "either Male or Female, as it happens. "When they are kill'd, their Blood is "pour'd out upon the Altar; the Cawl, "the Kidneys, and all the Fat of the "Rump, is burnt thereon. The Breaft " and the right Shoulder is the Priest's "Fee; and the reft, they who bring the "C Offering

Offering may eat, and have two Days "allow'd for it; but, whatever is left "after that Time, they burn with Fire.

"And the Sin-Offering is made much "in the fame manner. But, if it should σε happen that any one cannot afford to bring the larger Sort of Creatures re<quir'd in Sacrifice, they may offer two Pigeons or Turtles; one for a BurntOffering to God, the other for a Fee "to the Priest.

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"When any one fins unknowingly, he "brings a Yearling Lamb and a Kid of "the female Kind, and the Priest pours: "the Blood thereof upon the Altar; not as beforemention'd, but only tingeing "the extreme Parts of the Corners of it (call'd in Scripture the Horns :) then the "Priest, burning all the Fat, as before, "takes the Hide as his Fee, and may eat "the Remainder of the Flesh, that fame Day; but is not allow'd to keep any " of it till the Morrow.

"But he who fins knowingly, tho' no "one is privy to it befide himself, must "offer a Ram, according to the Law: "whose Flesh is, in like manner, to be N 3

eaten

Josh. viii. 30, 31.

eaten by the Priests, in the Temple, "the fame Day.

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"When Princes or Rulers have com"mitted any Sin, they muft offer in the "fame manner that private Perfons do; "but must make their Atonement, by offering a Bullock and a Kid of the "Male Kind. The Law moreover requires, in all Sacrifices as well private as publick, a Quantity of the finest "Flour to go along with it; if it be a "Lamb, one Measure; if a Ram, two; if

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a Bullock three: which mixed up with "Oil, is presented upon the Altar. As "for the Oil, it must be, for a Bullock the one half of a † Hin; for a Ram, a third part; and for a Lamb, a fourth Part.”

SECT. XIII.

Scripture Examples of Sacrifices.

Let us next inquire what Examples we have in other Parts of Scripture, befide the Law, of the Ufe of these Sacrifices. Joshua, after he had brought the Children of Ifrael over Jordan, and had begun his Conquefts in the Land of Canaan, built an

A Hin was about five Wine-Quarts.

altar

xxvii.

altar to the LORD God of Ifrael in mount Ebal, as Mofes had commanded; and they Deut. offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the LORD, 4, 5. and peace-offerings. And when the two Tribes and half, whofe Poffeffion was on the other Side Jordan, had built an Altar, and were called to account for it by the Princes of Ifrael, they deny that they did it with Intention of offering Sacrifices thereon, faying, God forbid that we Jofh. Should build an altar for burnt-offerings, for xxii. meat-offerings, or for facrifices, befides the altar of the LORD our God, that is before · his tabernacle.

So, when an Angel of the LORD ap- Judg. vi. pear'd to Gideon, he prepar'd a spiritual 19, &c. Sacrifice, where perhaps he only intended a corporal Refreshment; and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an * Ephab of flour, and brought it out, with the broth in which it had been boil'd. And the angel of God faid unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them

upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And 5 be did fo. Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the ftaff that was in

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* Above Seven Wine-Gallons and a half.

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