The Saints Sacrifice, Section 111
§. 111. Of the ſeverall ſacrifices of the Law.
What a ſacrifice is.A Sacrifice (as the word is uſually taken in the Law) was A pious rite whereby ſomething was offered to God. I terme it, a rite, becauſe it was one of thoſe externall ceremonies which God ordained to be uſed in his Church till the fulneſſe of time ſhould come. I adde this attribute, pious, unto it, to ſhew that it was an action of piety, a part of divine worſhip. In every ſacrifice ſomething either with, or without life, was brought, and by the Prieſt, in the name of him that brought it, offered to the Lord. Herein lieth a maine difference betwixt this, and other rites, and in ſpeciall betwixt a ſacrifice and a ſacrament. The eſſentiall action of a Wherein a ſacrifice differeth from a ſacrament.ſacrament is a receiving from God; of a ſacrifice, an offering to God. They which entred into the arke, and abode therein, they which paſſed thorow the red ſea, and they which were under the cloud (a1 Pet. 3 21. 1 Cor. 10 2.all which were ſacramentall rites, anſwerable to our ſacrament of Baptiſme) received thereby preſervation, protection, and direction from the Lord. So they which were circumciſed received the ſeale of remiſſion of ſinnes. They which celebrated the Paſſeouer received the ſcale of deliverance from bondage. They alſo which eate Manna, and dranke the water that flowed out of the rock (b1 Cor. 10. 3, 4which anſwered to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper) apparently received both ſpirituall and temporall bleſſings from the Lord. But in all manner of ſacrifices ſomething was brought and offered to the Lord, as will more evidently appeare by a particular enumeration of the ſeverall ſacrifices: which may thus be diſtinguiſhed.
Two ends there were of ſacrifices.
Ends of ſacrifices.One to pacifie the wrath of God provoked againſt man for his ſinne. On which ground David giveth this adviſe to Saul, c1 Sam. 26. 19.If the Lord have ſtirred thee up against me, let him ſmell an offering.
Another to gratifie God for ſome favour received. Thus d2 Chro. 15. 11Aſa and his people having gotten victory over the Ethiopians, that came againſt him with an army of ten hundred thouſand, offered of the ſpoile to the Lord.
Kinds of ſacrifices.According to theſe ends ſacrifices were,
1 Expiatory, for expiation of ſinne.
2 Gratulatory, for teſtification of thanks.
Expiatory ſacrifices were expreſſe types of the ſacrifice of Chriſt, by which onelyonly ſinne could be taken away. VnderUnder this head are compriſed eLev. 16. 6, &cWhole burnt offerings for attonement, f—4. 3, &c.ſeverall ſorts of ſacrifices for the ſinnes of ſeverall perſons, as of Prieſts, whole aſſemblies, Princes and private perſons, and all kinds of ſacrifices for g—14 4, &c.—15. 14, &c.cleanſing ſuch as were legally uncleane, as lepers, thoſe that had running iſſues, or had touched a dead corps, or any uncleane thing, with the like.
Gratulatory ſacrifices were viſible repreſentations of that hHeb. 13. 15.praiſe, iRom. 12. 1.obedience, and kPhil 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16.benevolence which all Gods people are bound unto. Of theſe there were two ſorts.
1 Such things as had life, and were ſlaine.
2 Such as had no life, and were offered to God.
Many peace-offerings, free-offerings, vow-offerings, and firſt-lings of living creatures, were ſlaine for gratulatory ſacrifices: and that to ſhew, that even in gratulation expiation muſt be made, and that by the bloud and ſacrifice of Chriſt all things are made acceptable to God. lLev 22. 21. foreign Heb 13 15. foreignThe word therefore that importeth, ſlaying, is attributed to gratulatory ſacrifices.
Their mLev. 2. 1, &c.meat-offerings, and nExo. 29. 40.drink-offerings▪ many free-offerings and vow-offerings, firſt-fruits, tithes, and ſuch like, were of things without life. Theſe are uſually expreſſed by oLev. 2. 1. foreign Heb. 5. 1. foreigna word that properly ſignifieth a gift, which we tranſlate offering, becauſe in way of gratitude they were given to the Lord, and offered up to him.
Gratulatory offerings were ordinary, or extraordinary.
Ordinary were thoſe which were pExo. 29. 40, &c.conſtantly offered every morning and evening, and at other times in their ſeaſons were brought as firſt-fruits, tithes, &c.
Extraordinary, were ſuch as for q2 Sam 24. 25.removing ſome great and imminent judgement, or r2 Chro. 15. 11conferring ſome ſpeciall bleſſing were brought and offered unto the Lord.
1 The offering up of theſe extraordinary ſacrifices ſet out a moſt ſolemne and extraordinary manner of praiſing Offerimus Deo non quaſi indigētes, ſed gratias agentes donations eius, & ſanctificantes creaturā. Iren. adverſ. Haer. l. 4. c 34.God. And this is the ſubſtance of that which the Prophet here intendeth under this phraſe, I will offer to thee the ſacrifice of thanksgiving. For, they offered to God, not in regard of any need that God had, but as giving thankes for what hee gave: and as ſanctifying the creature.
Of an extraordinary manner of praiſing God for extraordinary favours, ſufficient hath beene before delivered, §. 3.
2 The teſtifying of his gratitude by an outward warrantable rite, was before expreſſed, Verſe 13. §. 86.
3 The kind of ſacrifice whereby the Prophet would teſtifie his thankſgiving, was a duty of piety, an eſpeciall part of Gods worſhip, preſcribed by God, and of force in thoſe daies: from which particular wee may ſafely inferre this generall.
I. True gratitude to God is to be teſtified by performing due worſhip to him.
4 This rite being ſuch an one as in and by it, that which God by his law required, was given to him, it giveth inſtance that▪
II. What is warrantable muſt in gratitude bee given to God.