really contained in them, and all the confequences fairly deducible from them, are laid together, they do not amount to any fcripture-evidence, or any degree of fcriptureevidence, of the truth of the Dr's notion of Jewish facrifices.

§. 35. In the two following paragraphs, the Dr. tells us, That, in this notion of facrifice, which he gives us, is included whatsoever is expreffive of a pious "and virtuous difpofition," &c. And that what is faid of the worshipper, as having "made a covenant with God by fa

crifice, Pfalm 1. 5." may be well explained by it. To which I answer; that it is not my bufinefs here, to confider what is included, or not included, in the Dr's notion of facrifice; or what may be done, or not done, by the help of it; but to enquire, whether the fcripture-evidence, which he has produced, be fufficient to fupport and prove the truth of it. The fcripture-evidence, which the Dr. has yet produced, is lame and inconclufive, as I have fhewn. When he has produced better, it may then be proper to confider what is included in his notion of facrifice, or may be done by the help of it.

§. 36. THE Dr. having thus given us his notion of Jewish facrifices, and confirmed,

See Scrip. doc. of Aton. Chap. II. §. 25, 26.

as

as he thinks, the truth of it by fcriptureevidence, he now proceeds to erect his scheme upon it, by accounting, in a rational way, for the effect which thofe facrifices had, in reference (1.) To God; and (2) To the perfons who offered them.

§. 37. ft. As to the effect, which those facrifices had with God, he fays, "Thus (i. e. by conceiving of facrifices as fymbolical addreffes to God, by emblematical actions) we may form an idea of the ef"fect which facrifices had with God; "which cannot well be any other than "that of prayer and praise, or other ex

preffions of our religious regards; which "are pleafing to God as they proceed from, or produce, good affections in us 1.”

§. 38. ANSW. Prayer and praife, without doubt, are acceptable to God, as they proceed from, or produce, good affections in us. But before it can be, in reason, admitted, that Jewish facrifices had their effect with God after the fame manner as prayer and praife, it must be firft proved, that thofe facrifices were not only fymbols of, but of the fame nature and property with, prayer and praife; or, which is the fame thing, that facrifice, prayer, and praise, are equipollent terms. Both thefe propo

See Scripture-doctrine of Atonement examined, Chap. II, §. 27.

fitions,

fitions, however inconfiftent, the Dr. indeed, has endeavoured to prove and support by fcripture-evidence. But the fcriptureevidence, which he has advanced for these purposes, when examined by the rules of juft and fober criticism, has been found to be defective, and, indeed, no fcriptureevidence at all. And, therefore, real and true fcripture-evidence is still wanting, and called for.

§. 39. 2dly. As to the effect which Jewish facrifices had, in reference to the perfons who offered them, the Dr. fays, They were effectual to obtain the bleffings defired. Particularly, fin-offerings, or piacular facrifices,--were available to "the forgiveness of fin. For it is often repeated in Levit. iv. v, and vi. chapters, "And the priest shall make atonement for him, or them, or for the fin, and it shall "be forgiven.Now taking facrifice for

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a penitent address to God, this may be accounted for in the fame manner as all "other declarations of forgiveness to those "who repent, &c.."

§. 40. ANSW. That facrifices were, fome way or other, the means of obtaining bleffings for the offerers, or of the conveyance of bleffings to them; and that piacular facrifices, in particular, were the

iSee Scrip. doc. of Aton. ex. Chap. II. § 28.

means

means of the conveyance of the pardon of fin to them; thefe are things which no person, who believes the truth of the holy scriptures, can have any doubt about.But whether piacular facrifices were a penitent addrefs to God, and whether the efficacy of thefe facrifices, as availing to the pardon of fin, be to be accounted for after the fame manner as that of penitent addrefs; these are things which stand in need of fome good proof. Suppofing it really were true, that piacular facrifice was a penitent address to God, yet this is not a felf-evident propofition; and, therefore, it ought to be proved, before it be admitted for a true one. And, I add, that other and better evidences must be brought of its truth, than thofe texts of fcripture, from which the Dr. would infer, that facrifice and prayer are equipollent terms; because there is nothing in those texts that amounts to a proof, or even any shadow of a proof, of it, as I have fhewn already. But there is no need to infift any farther upon this point, because the Dr. himself, if he will ftand to his own definitions of facrifice, muft difclaim this notion of facrifice for, in his own fenfe of things, expreffed in thofe definitions, facrifice is not penitent addrefs, but only a symbol of penitent addrefs. And it will be allowed,

I

I think, that there is a wide difference between a thing and the fymbol of it. Now if we fhould fuppofe with the Dr. that piacular facrifice was a fymbol of penitent addrefs, yet it will be no eafy matter to prove, that the efficacy of facrifice and that of penitent addrefs are the fame, or that they may be accounted for after the fame manner: for in order to prove this, it will be neceffary to prove, that penitent address and the external fymbol of it have the fame efficacy: and, therefore, it will be incumbent on the Dr. to produce a clear and fatisfactory proof of this; and in doing this, if I am not mistaken, he will find great difficulty.-To fay here, that piacular facrifices, as fymbols of penitent addrefs to God, availed to the obtaining of the pardon of fin, is faying nothing to the purpose. It is the fame way of reasoning as if, to prove that the fhell of a nut is nourishing to the body, one should say, the thell of a nut, as containing the kernel, is conducive to the nourishment of the body; and, therefore the efficacy of the fhell and of the kernel of a nut in nourishing the body, may be accounted for after the fame manner. The moral virtues of the mind have been represented by external fymbols. But can any person think, that those symbols, however used, or to

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