had been long extinct, and which was rekindled upon their Return after the Captivity, and their Building of the Altar. This appears from a Letter in the Apocrypha, written from the Jews at Jerufaem to those at Egypt: in which are these Words. Whereas we are now purposed to keep the purification of the Temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Cafleu (the Dedication beforemention'd) thought it necessary to certify you thereof, that ye also might keep it; as the feast of the tabernacles, and of the fire, which was given us when Neemias offered facrifice, after that he had builded the temple and the altar. For this Reason, abundance of Lights were us'd during the eight Days and Nights of the Feaft of the Dedication; which was kept at the fame Time.

we

They had also an Anniversary Thankf giving and publick Rejoycing upon the fourteenth and fifteenth Days of the Month Adar (February;) in commemoration of that extraordinary Deliverance of the Jews from the Perfecution intended aEfth. ix. gainst them by Haman; but prevented and defeated by Efther and Mordecai; as

20.

the

the facred story at large informs us. We read also, of the faft of the fourth month, Zech. and the faft of the fifth, and the fast of the viii. 19. Seventh, and the faft of the tenth, which were probably in Commemoration of National Calamities, such as the Deftruction of their City and Temple, and their being led into Captivity. Befides which, it is likely, they might have feveral other Days of Fafting and Rejoycing; which may be seen in those Authors who have written purposely concerning their Affairs. But our Bibles mention no more than these.

CHAP.

Lev. i. 4.

SICHORORDAS

CHAP. VI.

SECT. I. Rites and Ceremonies.

AVING spoken of the Places and Times facred to the Religion of the Ifraelites, we come next to treat of their Rites and Ceremonies; as they are deliver'd to us in the Books of the Law of Moses. Among which the principal were their Offerings. And these were of two Kinds, Sacrifices and Gifts. Both of which appear to be offer'd up, occafionally, upon three Accounts; first, either to honour the Supreme Deity; or, fecondly, to obtain fome Benefit from Him; or laftly, to atone for fome Sin committed against Him.

And of this last we have mention in feveral Places of Holy Writ. Where the manner of the Burnt-Offering is prescrib❜d, in the Conclufion, it is faid; and he shall put his hand upon the head of the burntoffering: and it shall be accepted for him, to make atonement for him. Again the LORD

Lays

I

iii. 14.

Heb. v. I.

fays to Samuel; I have fworn unto the house 1 Sam. of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's houfe fhall not be purged with facrifice nor offering for ever. And the Apostle to the Hebrews, in two places, declares, That every HighPrieft is ordained for men, in things pertain- viii. 2. ing to God; that he may offer both gifts and facrifices for fins. We will therefore inquire, diftinctly, what the Scripture faith, firft, in relation to Sacrifices; and Secondly

Gifts.

SECT. II.

SACRIFICE S.

The Sacrifices appointed by God himfelf, under the Difpenfation of the Law, are fix. 1. The Burnt-Offering. 2. The Meat-Offering. 3. The Peace-Offering. 4. The Sin-Offering. 5. The TrefpafsOffering. 6. The Confecration-Offering. The five firft offer'd, by the Priest, in behalf of the People; the laft, upon his own Account only. And befides, there are likewife fome other Offerings, fuch as those of Purification, and Atonement, and the Oblation of Incenfe. Of all which we shall speak in their Places.

M

SECT.

Lev. i.

The Burnt-Offering, was a Sacrifice intended purely to do Honour to God, and therefore intirely devoted to Him without the Priests partaking of it in the least. For being quite confumed by Fire; and afcending up toward Heaven with its odoriferous Fumes, it was fuppos'd to be grateful and pleafing to the fupreme Being.

The manner of ordering it, in its several Kinds, is rather too long to be transcribed from the Bible. I shall only observe, that at the End, it is faid to be, An offering made by fire, of a sweet favour unto the I ev. vi. LORD. In another Place, it is thus prefcrib'd; The fire upon the altar fhall be burning in it, it shall not be put out: And the Prieft fhall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt-offering in order upon it. The fire fhall ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out.

12.

This Fire is what we afterwards read of, as being miraculoufly kindled, to confume

"Oronaispa, a thing wholly burnt.

the