PART I. General Considerations, showing what Body of Laws was best suited to the State of the World, and of the Church, when the Law of Moses was given, and the Ritual of the Hebrew Worship established. BEFORE this time, when it seemed fit to As to the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, Gen. iv. they were the fruits of the ground, the first- 3, 4. lings of the flock, and of the fat thereof. Bishop Patrick observes, the Talmudists are of opinion, these sacrifices were whole burnt offerings, and that there were no other before the law was given. He further observes, Cain and Abel seem to have offered these sacrifices themselves; and this particular, he adds, effectually confutes their opinion, who say, the first-born were separated to the office of priesthood; for, by these words, it is plain, the youngest sacrificed as well as the eldest and so indeed they did in following ages. As there is no express command to Adam, directing the form of worship by sacrifices, it has been a question, whether the worship of God by sacrifices had its original from particular divine institution, or from the reason of our first parents, choosing them as fit outward expressions of gratitude to God for his blessings, and an acknowledgment of our enjoyments in life, as his gifts, of hope in the continued goodness of God, for the continuance of our blessings, and expressing a sense of the holiness and justice of God, of the guilt of sin, and yet an hope in the mercies of God to forgive sins, and to bless those who shall return unto him with a truly humble and contrite heart. The faith of Abel, as Bishop Patrick further observes, seems to have something. else to warrant it, than barely his own reason; and therefore adds, Adam, in all likelihood, had received some order concerning Gen. iii. it from the Schechinah. Nor is it unreasonable to suppose, that the coats of skins, 21. which the Lord made for Adam and his wife, were made of the skins of those beasts, which, by his direction, were offered to himself as sacrifices. Sacrifices seem, however, to have been continued in use from these most early times, and to have been the chief, if not the only forms of outward religion, in the days of the patriarchs. They well expressed the several parts of prayer. Thanksgiving, petition, and confession of sins, were proper actions, to excite the fear of God's justice, hope in his mercies, and thankfulness for his goodness. They were proper engagements to fear, honour, and serve God, which are the great principles of true religion in the heart. It is to be observed, that, from the very beginning of religious worship, some outward actions were in use, such as sacrifices were, to make a visible profession of inward reverence, of the fear and love of God, of the desire and hope of his favour and blessing, In the days of Abraham there was danger of applying these acts of worship to other beings besides the one true God. When men began to serve other gods, they soon began to acknowledge them as gods, by offering sacrifices to them also; there remained then no visible difference between the true worship of the true God, and the idolatrous worship of false gods; therefore the covenant between God and Abraham was further confirmed by an additional rite of circumcision, a constant sensible mark of consecration to Jehovah, that they were not to forsake the worship of the true God, to worship other gods, and sacrifice to idols. But these rites already in use, being found insufficient to preserve the knowledge and worship of the one true God, it became the wisdom and goodness of God, to appoint new constitutions, which should more effectually obtain these ends; the wisdom of which will appear, by their fitness and usefulness to obtain them. You will perceive, then, such laws, or ritual constitutions, will be most wisely directed, by the following reasons: 1. To answer the true ends of religion, in a manner best suited to these circumstances of the world, and the covenant of God with Abraham and his seed as his church. 2. To preserve this church from idolatry, by a sufficient provision against the great and many dangers of falling into it. 3. To answer both these ends, by such ritual constitution as should teach such moral instructions, such principles of religious reverence and obedience, as should promote the great ends of all true religion; such laws and rites as should exclude all idolatrous rites, and cut off all pretences of introducing them into their own worship, which could keep up a just sense of their own privileges, as the seed of Abraham, and church of God, with the hope of the promises, and prepare them for that better state of the church to come, when all the nations of the earth should be blessed in the Messias. CHAP. I. Design to promote the Essentials of true Religion. THE first design, then, of giving this law to Israel, you observe, is to give such instructions as should answer the general and principal ends of religion, in a manner best suited to these circumstances of the world, and to the covenant with Abraham and with his seed, or the Hebrew church. Whoever shall consider the laws of Moses, and rites of the Hebrew worship, as enacted by the authority of Jehovah, and given for the use of the seed of Abraham, will easily conclude, they are such rules of religion, and such constitutions of worship, as are fit for the wisdom and goodness of God to choose and appoint for the use of a favoured people, called to be an holy nation to himself, who were to |