Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up, or sacrificing, of the Gentiles might be acceptable, &c. Hence it appears, that Jewish offerings, and sacrifices had respect to self-dedication; otherwise, the apostle could not have used them to signify his presenting the Gentiles to God. See Isa. Ixvi. 20. They shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord. Blood spilt in God's service, is also called a sacrifice, Phil. ii. 17, Yea and if I be of fered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith. Where likewise the service of faith, or faithful service to the interest of God, comes under the same notion. Agreeably to this, the souls of them, who were slain for the word of God, are represented to be under the altar, Rev. vi. 9, 10, the very place where the blood or soul, of the sacrifice was poured out, Lev. iv. 7, 18, 25, 30.* * That the altar, under which St. John saw the souls of the martyrs, Rev. vi. 9, was the great altar of sacrifice in the court of the temple, must surely be allowed: for the blood, lives, or souls, of the sacrifices was poured out under no other altar but that. And though the whole scene of this, and the other visions, might be in the sanctuary; and though St. John might have his face towards that and his back towards the great altar in the court behind him; yet 23. This leads us to conceive, that probably the pouring out the blood of every sacrifice at the bottom of the altar denoted the readiness and resolution, or however the duty, of the person, who offered the sacrifice to lay down his life in adherence to God. And whereas our Lord, who was himself both sacrifice and sacrificer, [he gave, or offered himself a sacrifice to God, Eph. v. 2. Heb. ix. 14.] is styled a Lamb without spot and blemish, to denote his perfect holiness and purity, this suggests, that the sacrifice's being without spot and blemish de for all that, when the fifth seal was opened, he saw the great altar of sacrifice. For all that could be seen in the visions of the seals was pourtrayed or painted in hieroglyphic figures and mottos upon each leaf; which when unfolded and displayed, presented the several visions to his view, as they appeared upon the leaf; as Mr. Lowman hath very judiciously observed in his paraphrase upon the revelation, Chap. vi. in the contents, and Ver. 2, 4, 5, 7. When therefore the fifth seal was opened, and the fifth leaf was displayed, St. John saw the great altar of sacrifice poutrayed upon that leaf, with a large quantity of blood at the bottom of it, representing the lives or souls of those who were slain for the word of God. For blood in the sacrificial style, at least, is, or stands for, the life or soul, (which are both signified by the same word in Hebrew wɔɔ and in Greek ↓uxn) see Lev. xvii. 14. Deut. xii. 23. And when St. John saw the blood of the martyrs at the bottom of the altar,he would naturally call it their souls, ar lives sacrificed in the cause of true religion. notes, that the sacrificer ought to perform the service, or to lead his whole life, with the utmost sincerity and sanctity of heart. Other ritual actions, as washing the inwards and feet, &c. I doubt not, had their spiritual meaning, which would not be difficult to be understood, by a people that were so much versed in moral figures and emblems. But as I am confined to Scripture evidence, I must insist upon nothing but what is there particularly explained. And what we have found there is sufficient to the present purpose. For 24. Laying all this together, it can, I think be no question, but sacrifices were a symbolical address to God; intended to express before him the devotion, affections, dispositions, and desires of the heart by signifiicative and emblematical actions. 25. And thus, whatever is expressive of a pious and virtuous disposition may rightly be included in the notion of a sacrifice; as prayers, thanksgivings; expenses, labours and sufferings in the cause of religion; the faith and obedience of the converted Gentiles, alms-giving, &c. 26. Thus the worshipper made a covenant with God by sacrifice, Psal. 1. 5. as thus he solemnly expressed his gratitude or repentance; consecrated his life and all his powers and enjoyments to the honour of God; and was assured of the divine favour, while he continued true to his religious engagements. 27. Thus also we may form an idea of the effect that sacrifices had with God. Which cannot well be conceived to be any other than that of prayer and praise, or other expressions of our religious regards; which are pleasing to God, as they proceed from, or produce, good affections in us. Therefore as it is said, that Cornelius' prayers and alms came up for a memorial before God; and that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man, availeth much; it may in the same sense be said, that the worthy sacrifices of righteous men came up before God, and availed much. But, 28. Secondly, to what did they avail? Or what effect had they with reference to the persons, by whom they were offered? Ans. They were effectual to obtain the blessings desired. Particularly, sin-offerings or piacular sacrifices (to which we shall now wholly confine our inquiries) were available to the forgiveness of sin. For it is often repeated in Lev. iv, v, vi, chapters, and the priest shall make atonement for him, or them, or for the sin, and it shall be forgiven. Now, taking the sacrifice as a penitent address to God, this may be accounted for in the same manner as all other declarations of forgiveness to those who repent. And to me it seems sufficiently to account for the efficacy of piacular sacrifices, that, in the sight of God, and with regard to his acceptance, the priest made atonement for sin, by sacrificing a beast, only as that was a sign and testimony of the sacrificer's pure and upright heart; or of that pious disposition, which the religious shedding of blood, and other sacrificial rites suggested to him. CHAPTER III. OF TRANSFERRING OF GUILT AND BEARING OF SIN. this 29. BUT others think differently upon subject. They suppose, that the guilt of the offender was transferred to, or laid upon the sacrifice; and that this was signified by the sacrificer's laying his hand upon the head C |