what person foever tendered, would have the fame efficacy as the moral virtues themfelves; or that the efficacy of the moral virtues, and of the fymbols of them, is to be accounted for, after the fame manner? Having now examined all the evidence for the fymbolical nature and efficacy of Jewish facrifices, the Dr. has brought from the way and manner in which the fcriptures fpeak of Sacrifice and Sacrificing, in thofe paffages which have no relation to Jewish Sacrifices, I now proceed to CHA P. II. Containing an examination of that proof of the fymbolical meaning, efficacy, and defign of Jewish facrifices, which Dr. Taylor brings from thofe accounts which the fcriptures give us of atonements that were made by other means than Levitical facrifices. §. 1.DR. Tayrds of feven fignifications having obferved, "that "words a are derived from the Hebrew root "caphar; of which fignifications, atonement, or to make atonement, is one *. and taken notice, likewise, "that the word, atonement, in our English translation of a See Scripture-doctrine of Atonement examined, Chap. IV. §. 62. <<< the b "the Old Teftament, is always rendered §. 2. In order to discover the true fenfe of atonement, and of making atonement, in each of these texts, the Dr. fets them all down, one after another, in one column; and, oppofite to each of them, (in See Scrip. doc. of Aton. ex. Chap. IV. §. 61. • Ibidem §. 66, 67. an another column,) he marks down the mean by which the atonement was made, and the effect which was produced by it. e. g. Amos v. 12. They afflict the juft, they take a bribe 19 [an atonement] EFFECT. Exemption of the guilty from punishment MEAN. A premium given. §. 3. INSTEAD of fitting down each of the texts aforefaid, together with the effect and mean of atonement, after this manner; I fhall give the reader a view of the feveral effects which are afcribed to extra-levitical atonements in thefe texts, and of the feveral means by which they were produced; this being all that is neceffary to my purpose. §. 4. THE effects which are afcribed to extra-levitical atonements in these texts, are the following, viz. ift. The prevention of, or deliverance from, certain natural evils; particularly dangers, fufferings, calamitys, the wrath of man, the power and oppreffion of enemies, diftemper of body, death, the restoration of fafety and profperity. 2dly. The prevention of, or deliverance from, penal evils, or fuch natural evils as had been threatened or inflicted as the punishment of fin; particularly, fufferings, ca a See Seripture-doctrine of Atonement examined, Chap. V. lamitys, lamitys, judgments, deftruction, the plague, enemies, captivity, fickness, death. 3dly, Satisfaction to the injured Gibeonites, which was effected by an act of justice on bloody Saul's family. §. 5. THE means, by which the foregoing effects are faid to be produced in the texts aforefaid, are the following, viz. Half a fhekel of money; a cenfer of burning incense in the hand of Aaron; the execution of justice on criminals; an offering out of the fpoils; the flaying of an heifer, proteftation of innocence, and prayer; the mercy or pure goodness of God; mercy and truth; benevolence and juftice practifed towards men; prayer; wife and prudent counsel a handsome prefent; a fum of money payed; a premium, or bribe; affliction and correction, productive of repentance and reformation; fuch fufferings of wicked men as were conducive to the happinefs and deliverance of the righteous. §. 6. THESE then are all the effects which, in the texts before-mentioned, are ascribed to extra-levitical atonements; and thefe the feveral means by which those effects were produced. Hence it is evident, that an extra-levitical atonement did confift in the production of one or other of thefe effects, by fome one other of the means mentioned. This gives us a clear idea of the nature of extra-levitical atonements. §. 7. Now, §. 7. Now, if the Dr's notion of the fymbolical meaning and defign of Jewish facrifices, can be rightly inferred from this reprefentation which he has given us of the nature of extra-levitical atonements, as being certain effects produced by various forts of means; it must be inferred either from every part of it, or from a certain part of it only. The Dr.himself doth not pretend to infer it from every part of this of this reprefentation. And, indeed, in many parts of it, there is fuch a diffimilarity between the means and effects, and thofe of Levitical atonements, that nothing can be inferred from them concerning the nature and defign of Jewish facrifices. It remains, therefore, that the Dr's notion of the fymbolical meaning and defign of Jewish facrifices, can only, even in his own apprehenfion of things, be inferred from fome part of the reprefentation which he has given us, of the nature of extra-levitical atonements; and particularly from that part of it, where there appears to be fome fimilarity between the means and effects ufed and produced in the one cafe, and those which were ufed and produced in the other. And in order to difcover this part of it, it will be neceffary to attend to that arrangement or affortment of the foregoing texts, which the Dr. exhibits in the VIth chapter of his book. |