it a point of religion to them, not to join in any of the idolatrous rites of their neighbours. In this view, it was wise to make that unclean to the Hebrews, which idolatry made sacred to their neighbours. The pomp of shows, the luxury of splendid feasts, would lose much of their influence, if the Hebrews were sure to meet with something unclean in them, according to the ritual of their own religion. Suppose, for instance, a general use of blood, in their idolatrous festivals, as blood was accounted the food of their dæmons, and they eating the flesh of the sacrifice, and the dæmons the blood, it became a kind of idolatrous sacrament, and testimony of their communion with idols; was it not fit the Hebrew ritual should make eating of blood an uncleanness and pollution, more effectually to preserve them from those festivals, where eating of blood was of sacred and religious use? We see this idolatrous custom, and may perceive the danger of it from Maimonides*, who represents it from theirown * Porro scito, quod licet sanguis immundus, et impius admodum fuerit in oculis Zabiorum, tamen ab illis comestus fuerit, eo quod existimarint, cibum hune esse dæmonum; et quod is qui, cum comedit, communicationem aliquam cum dæmonibus acquirat ; ita ut familiariter cum illo conversentur, et futura ei aperiant, prout vulgus dæmonibus ita attribuere solet. Our Hebrew master further observes of some, who would not eat of the blood themselves, yet had another way of com 16. על הרם books, as a custom ancient and extensive. It might well, therefore, give a reason for that constitution, Only ye shall not eat the Deut. xii. blood, ye shall pour it upon the earth, as water: And ye shall not eat any thing with Lev. xix. the blood; rather, as learned men have 26. observed, at, or by, the blood. This use of blood in idolatrous feasts, the danger of misleading the Hebrews into idolatry by it, is a wise and sufficient reason for a constitution in their law, to forbid the use of blood. And this also teaches the necessity of a ritual, as a middle wall of partition, effectually to separate them from all the idolatrous customs of their neighbours, since it must have been very dangerous to them, if their own worship had allowed them to join with their neighbours, even in their idolatrous usages. a proper, of the 3. The reason and wisdom of a ritual A ritual of worship for the Hebrews, may also ap- honourpear as a proper and honourable distinction able disof that people, as an holy nation to Je- tinction hovah. It became a people, which was Hebrews. separated from the rest of the world, to munion with the dæmon: Hi mactantes bestiam aliquam, sanguinem ejus accipiebant, et in vase, vel fossula aliqua colligebant, carnem vero mactatam circa illum sanguinem, in circulo sedentes, comedebant, imaginantes sibi, in hoc opere, ipsis carnem comedentibus, dæmones illum sanguinem comedere, et hunc ipsorum esse cibum, hoċque medio amicitiam, fraternitatem, et familiaritatem inter ipsos contrahi, quia omnes in una mensa edunt, et uno concessu accumbunt.-Maimon. Mor. Neb. P. III. c. xlvi. p. 484. Deut. iv. 5, 6, 7, 8. keep the faith, and maintain the worship of the one true God; to have visible marks. of their designation to this service, and such honourable distinctions as should raise their own esteem, and conciliate the esteem of others, for the dignity of their character, as an holy nation, This design in their ritual is pointed out directly by Moses: Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do so in the land whither you go to possess it; keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people: for what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God, in all things that we call upon him for? and what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day? This, among other reasons, was very proper to show the great use of a ritual. for the Hebrews, that they might perceive themselves what honour was put upon them, as consecrated to God, above all other nations of the earth, and that the world, when it saw the wisdom of their law and constitutions, should say, Surely this nation is a wise and understanding people. There had been rites of very ancient use, to express the purity required in the worship of God, and the devotion of heart in which the acceptable worship of God will always chiefly consist; such as an acknowledgment of the evil and guilt of sin; of the holiness and justice of God; an acknowledgment of God, as the author of every good and perfect gift. Expressions of a grateful sense of the goodness of God in every blessing of life; of hope and trust in the favour of God, for future mercies; and an honourable acknowledg ment of God's power and good-will, the most rational foundation of hope, for the future blessings of life, through his protection: all these were well expressed in the easy signification of sin offerings, peace offerings, and sacrifices of thanksgiving. How ancient was the use of sacrifices! how well was this meaning of them understood, in the patriarchal state! It seems that, in general, this custom was derived from the same original to the Chaldeans and Egyptians, as well as the Hebrews. But, as the nations fell into idolatry, the use of sacrifices was very soon so corrupted as to become some of the highest acts of idolatrous worship, and degenerated not only into weak and ridicuTous, but into very immoral and wicked actions. They sacrificed men, and women, and children, to Mithra, and divined. by their entrails, as Dr. Hyde* has observed from Photius. The many abominations. practised, allowed, and even made sacred in the sacrificial rites of idolaters, made the use of sacrifices in their original purity, preserving them in their first good meaning and intention, a very honourable distinction of the Hebrew nation, as guardians of the purity of religious worship. Their marks of purity, as the worshippers of the true God, were marks of their distinguishing privileges and honours; the visible presence of Jehovah was a glory to their temple. The privilege of so near approach to the glorious presence of God, dwelling between the cherubim; the answers of the oracle by Urim and Thummim; the altars of burnt offering and incense so immediately before the presence of the one true God, the only Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, of angels and men, and every creature, as the ritual taught, and so clearly expressed: these must, in the esteem of the Hebrews, be an honourable distinction of their nation from other people; it must be to their honour in the sight of the nations, who should ever rightly compare their rituals together; but for Θύοντες τε ανδρας καὶ παίδας καὶ γυναικας, τους σπλαγχνοις partiquer. Hyde Rel. Vet. Pers. 112. t |