the reward of their valour. And then offering one of those propitiatory Sacrifices for himself and his army; the better to induce the various nations, of which it was composed, to confide in his word, and rest assured of his good faith, he held out a Lamb ready for the Altar, and then proceeded in the following manner-" Eaque ut rata scirent fore, Agnum læva manu, dextra silicem "retinens, SI FALLERET, JOVEM CÆTEROSQUE PRE66 CATUS DEOS ITA SE MACTARENT QUEMADMODUM 66 IPSE AGNUM MACTASSET. Secundum precationem, "Caput pecudis saxo elisit."

We see the reason, why in these religious Acts, when made the Sanction of good faith, in public and civil conventions, the expressive action should be further ascertained by Words. It was necessary, in an affair of public and general importance, to give the utmost precision to the Act, by removing from it all doubtful or equivocal meaning.

Again, it is further worth our notice, that, although THE SPEAKING BY ACTION had (as we have shewn) its original in the defects and imperfections of carly language; yet, even when those impediments to fuller information were in a good measure removed, still, partly from habit and custom, but principally from some advantages which this mode of converse had above the other, of speech, it was (as has been observed elsewhere) long kept up amongst People of simpler manners, especially in the more solemn transactions of life; of which those relating to religion were the chief: by reason, that significative actions make a stronger and more durable impression than words; as the Eye is a more certain and steady conveyance of intelligence than the Ear.

On the whole, the Reader now sees, that nothing could be more natural, intelligible, or rational, than this mode of religious Worship, as here explained.

Ignorance of all this, and inattention to the state and condition of ancient times, have divided Believers into two parties on this subject,

One of them holds, that the origin of Sacrifices was by command from Heaven; the other, that it sprung from Superstition, together with many the like absurd practices.

* Liv. lib. xxi. c. 45.

The

The first call this religious Rite, Mysterious: and so give to Heaven what, in their opinion, Reason disclaims. As to the origin of Sacrifices, (says a learned Divine) it is extremely hard to conceive them to be a human Institution; BECAUSE we cannot give any tolerable account of the REASONS of them*. A more than tolerable, even a plain and clear reason, the Reader sees is now given. But men are always disposed to find in themselves a standard for the measure of all things. However, admit Sacrifice to be devoid of Reason; must things, thus circumstanced, needs come from Heaven? As if nothing had ever entered into Religion that was of the growth of Superstition! What will be the consequence of thus accounting for what we do not understand, but the disposing men to think, that every religious Rite, though palpably absurd, yet, if fancifully mysterious, had that original?

Another argument, which this more orthodox Party urge for their Opinion, that Sacrifice anust needs be heavenly-derived, is, perhaps, something more plausible, but equally inconclusive: It is the very early use of Sacrifice, which rises as high as the two Sons of Adam. And, indeed, our account of this significative action shews, that we can conceive no time, after the Fall, too early for its introduction amongst men, under the guidance and government of natural Religion, as these two Brothers certainly were: Besides, the defects of language, while in its early rudiments, necessarily occasioned this mode of intercourse between Man and his Maker. Yet, notwithstanding, Primæval use can never prove Sacrifice to have arisen from any other source than the light of natural reason. And if that be sufficient (as we have shewn it is), we must needs conclude that it arose from thence, when Scripture is silent. concerning any other source. Especially since we find that this Scripture hath carefully recorded what God immediately, and not nature, taught to. Adam and his Family. Now, concerning Sacrifice, there is not a single word which implies any such instruction. On the contrary, the manner in which the story is told leads us to conclude, that the Rite was first dictated by natural reason.—Abel was a keeper of

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sheep, but Cain was a Tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord. And Abel he brought of the firstling of his flock*.-And IN PROCESS OF TIME (says the Historian) IT CAME TO PASS, &c. words, which (in the sequel) not only acquaint us with the first Sacrificers, but in these, here quoted, strongly intimate, that the Rite was of human original. While, throughout the whole narrative, we find no mention of any prescribed mode of Patriarchal Sacrifice, though Moses is most minute in what concerns the prescribed Sacrifices of the LAW. Doth not this shew, that the first was a voluntary, uncommanded Worship, where the mode was left to the discretion of the Worshipper; and the latter a prescribed Rite, where every circumstance, in the celebration, was to be scrupulously observed?

Nor is this reasoning to be evaded by the confessed brevity of the sacred Historian. For had the Original of Sacrifice been prescribed, and directly commanded by the Deity, Moses could never have omitted the express mention of that circumstance. The two capital Observances in the Jewish Ritual were the SABBATH and SACRIFICES. To impress the highest reverence and veneration on the Sabbath, the Historian is careful to record its divine original in these words-Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished, and all the Host of them. And on the seventh day, God ended his Work, which he had made: and he RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY from all his work which he had made: and GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY, AND SANCTIFIED IT: because that in it, he had rested from all his Work, which God created and made t. Now, who can suppose, that, had SACRIFICE been of divine Original, Moses would have neglected to establish this truth, at the time that he recorded the other? Since it was of equal use, and of equal importance, with the other. I should have said of much greater for the multifarious Sacrifices of the LAW had not only a reference to the forfeiture of Adam, but likewise prefigured our Redemption by Jesus Christ, as we shall shew hereafter.

The other mistaken extreme, arising from the same + Gen. ii. 2, 3.

* Gen. iv. 2.

cause,

cause, namely, ignorance of the nature of Sacrifice, is amongst those Believers, who hold, that although Sacrifice became, at length, of divine right, yet, in its Origin, it was but a capricious Ordinance of human invention; concerning which, no rational or philosophic account can be given; yet, having spread wide, and struck its roots deep into the fat and lumpish Soil of Superstition, it was suffered, by God, to occupy a place in the Mosaic Institution, in compliance with the prejudices of a perverse and barbarous People, to whom many other extraneous Rites (perhaps irrational, but certainly harmless) were indulged.

And now, to go on with our History of Sacrifice. This important Rite, first dictated by natural reason, did not long continue in its original integrity.

Öf all the customs in use amongst Men, those respecting Religion are most liable to abuse. For the passions of HOPE and FEAR become then most inordinate when the Mind is taken up and occupied in the offices of divine Worship. At this season, the sobriety of common sense is often forced to give way to the extravagance of the imagination. And this more especially must have been the case in those early Ages, when undisciplined REASON was but just projecting how to curb the irregular sallies of Enthusiasm.

Add to this, that SACRIFICE being a Scenical Rite, it was principally fitted to strike the Fancy; which delighting in paradox and Mystery, would riot in this enchanted ground, till it had lost sight of the simple meaning of a plain expressive action, first conceived for use, and continued out of necessity.

Under this state of delusion, Eucharistical and propitiatory Sacrifices were soon imagined to receive their chief value from the costliness of the offering; and HECATOMBS were supposed more acceptable to Heaven, than purity of mind, adorned with gratitude, and humble reliance on the Deity.

Amidst these disorders, Philosophers and Moralists might, from time to time, cry out, and ask, as they did, but without being heard,

"Dicite, Pontifices, in Sacro quid facit Aurum?
"Quin damus id Superis, de magna quod dare lance

"Non

"Non possit magni Messalæ lippa propago:

Compositum jus, fasque animi sanctosque recessus "Mentis, et incoctum generoso pectus honesto?

"Hæc cedo, ut admoveam Templis, et farre litabo*." The world went on its Train; and pomp of Sacrifice was every where preferred to the piety of the Offerer.

But in expiatory Sacrifices, matters went still worse. For, in these, the passion of FEAR being predominant, strange enormities were soon superadded to the follies of the Worshippers.

In these, the offering of the slain animal began, first of all, to be vainly considered as a VICARIOUS ATONEMENT for the crimes of the Sacrificer.

Though, in the purity of the first institution of Sacrifice, striking the devoted animal was an action naturally significative; which (as we said,) when reduced to words, contained no more than this humble and contrite recognition-I confess, O my God! that I deserve death for my transgressions.

Modern Unbelievers, to get to their favourite point, which was to arraign the Mosaic Ritual for its vicarious atonements, have been very large in exposing this abuse in the offices of pagan or of natural Religion, corrupted.

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Right reason (say they) disclaims all such atonements; and teaches, that to secure pardon for our offences against God, no more is required than humble confession before the throne of Grace, joined to a sincere purpose of amendment; so that all the Mosaic, as well as Pagan Sacrifices, which went on the idea of a vicarious atonement, were merely human inventions of fraud or superstition."

But this charge against the Law is founded either in ignorance or in ill faith. For though it may be true, that, by the Law of Nature, all vicarious atonement by Sacrifice is superfluous and absurd; yet, by the Law of Moses, it was rendered just and rational; for though this Law was founded, as all God's revelations are, on natural Religion, yet the Law, built thereupon, is conceived on the Principle of a FREE GIFT, long since forfeited by the breach of the Condition on which it was bestowed. This Principle, together with the loss, intimates the recovery.

,
* Pers. Satyr. II.

And