The Temple Service in the Days of our Savior Described, Chapter 8

The Temple Service in the Days of our Savior Described · Chapter 8

p. 66CHAP. VIII. Concerning their Sacrifices and Offerings.

THE right of sacrificing had these severall ends.

1. To represent, and to be a memoriall of the great sacrifice of Christ, who should once be offered up in behalf of sinners.

2. To lecture unto them, the desert of sin and sinners, death and fire, in the death and firing of the sacrifice before their eyes.

3. To acknowledg their goods received from God, in offering up unto him, something of all they had.

4. To be a matter of worship and Religion in those times of ceremoniousnesse: wherein, all did acknowledge their homage to God, and true beleevers acted their faith on Christs sufferings.

5. To be signs of repentance, and pledges of expiation.

Their oblations were either of living Creatures or of other things.

Of living Creatures they offered only these five kinds, Bullocks, Sheep, Goats, Turtles, Pigeons: Their offerings of other thing…, were tithe, first-fruits, flower, wine, oile, frankincense, salt, &c.

Their sacrifices of living Creatures were either foreign, the most holy sacrifices, or foreign [it is the Jews own distinction] sacrifices of an inferiour alloy. Those that they call the most holy sacrifices, were Burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, trespasse-offerings, and the Peace-offerings of the whole Congregation. Their inferiour sacrifices were Peace-offerings of particular persons, Paschall-lambs, firstlings and tenths.

Some of their offerings were foreign sacrifices of duty, and to which they were bound, and some were foreign voluntary sacrifices which they offered of their own free will.

p. 67Sect. 1. Burnt-offerings foreign.

IT is disputed among the learned of the Jewes, what should be the occasion of burnt-offerings, and whereupon they became due. And I finde the debate concluding in this resolution, that either they were to expiate for the evill thoughts of the heart, as sinne-offerings, and trespasse-offerings were to do for evill actions: or to expiate for the breach of affirmative precepts, as those did for negative.[a][a]Tosapht. in Menachoth per. 10. Rabbi Akibah questioned, For what doth a burnt offering expiate? For matters whereupon there is a penalty, &c. or concerning affirmative precepts, and concerning negative precepts, whereunto some affirmative precept doth referre. And[b][b]Ab. Ezra in Lev. 1.Lev 1 the body of the Beast (saith Aben Ezra) that is offered to expiate for that that comes up into the heart, is called foreign: as the offering for a sinne, or a trespasse, is called foreign and foreign: To which sense the Chaldee paraphrase of Jonathan also speaketh, when rendring those words in Lev. 6.9. This is the Law of the burnt offering, &c. he glosseth thus, This is the Law of the burnt offering, which commeth to expiate for the thoughts of the heart; upon which the Hebrew marginall glosse giveth this explanation; It is so written in Vajikrah Rabbah, that a burnt offering commeth not, but for the thoughts of the heart: and there is an intimation of this in these words, foreign That that is come up into your heart shall in no wise come to passe.

Burnt offerings were of any of the five living Creatures named, and the manner of their offering was thus:

If his burnt offering were a Bullocke, he might take him[b][b]Id. ibid. from eight dayes old and upward, and so also might he do by a Lamb or Kid: And it must be a male, because the burnt offering being the noblest offering saith Aben Ezra, it required the noblest of the kinde that was, to be offered.

1 He was to bring it into the Court, for the law was expresse that he must present his offering before the Lord, Lev. 1.3. Now this Phrase, before the Lord, was understood[c][c]Talm. Ier. in Sotah. per. 1. from the gate of Nicanor and inward; and the bringing of the Sacrifice into the Court was of so strict and an inviolable obligation,[d][d]Tosapht. in Erachin. per. 2. that women, who otherwise were absolutely forbidden to come into p. 68the Court, yet if they brought a Sacrifice they were bound and necessitated to go in thither, as was touched but even now.

2 Hee must lay his hand upon the head of it whilest it was yet alive. Lev. 1.4.[e][e]Maym. in Co…hanoth per. 3. All the Sacrifices that any single man offered of beasts, whether it were an offering of duty, or an offering of free will, hee must lay his hand upon it while it is yet alive, except onelyonly the firstling, the tenth, and the Passeover. This laying on of hands, was a Rite of transmission as it were, of the mans sinne unto the Sacrifice that was to dye for him, and in his death which was now ready, he acknowledged his owne desert to die, and so it was a figure of the laying of our sins upon Christ, and an emblem of repentance.

About the laying on of the hands, they had these divers Traditions, as 1 That it was to be in the Court; and if hee laid his hands on him before hee came into the Court, hee must do it there againe; and if the offerer of the Sacrifice stood without the Court, and put his hands within, and laid it on the head of the Beast within, it served the turne: as is observed elsewhere about the Leper in the gate of Nicanor. 2 The owner of the beast must lay on his hands himselfe, and might not do it by proxy; which is to be understood in reference to particular mens sacrifices, for some of the Sacrifices of the whole Congregation had their Deputies or Proxies to lay their hands on them, as was observed even now. 3 If divers men joined in one Sacrifice [f][f]Id. ibid. & R. Sol. in Levit. 1.Lev 1, as divers might] every one was to lay on his hand particularly one after a-another. 4 There is some dispute among the Hebrew Doctors whether they laid on one hand or both, and there are assertors on both sides, but all conclude in this, that whether one or both, he must lay them on with all his strength, and all the stresse he can. And so the Targum of Jonathan (which holds for one hand only) saith, He shall lay on his right hand with all his force: and Maim…nides (which holds for both the hands) saith, hee was to lay on both his hands, and that with all his might. 5 The place where he stood to lay on his hands, was ordinarily the place where the Sacrifices were slaine at the place of the rings, and so upon this occasion an Israelite might and must come within the Court of the Priests. 6 The manner was thus;**Tosaph. in Menachoth per. 10. & Maym. ubi supr. the Sacrifice p. 69was so set, as that the offerer, standing with his face towards the West, laid his two hands between his hornes, and confessed his sin over a sin offering, and his trespasse over a trespasse offering, and over a burnt offering he confesseth his transgression both against affirmative and negative precepts, and his confession was in this wife; I have sinned, I have done perversly, I have rebelled and done thus and thus; but I returne by repentance before thee, and let this be my expiation: And presently after this his confession, was the beast to be slaine.

3 The killing of the Sacrifice was regularly and ordinarily the Priests worke and office, yet might it upon occasion be done by another: or if it were done by another, it was allowable: For whereas the Law saith, And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron the Priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it, Levit. 1.5. as making a distinction betwixt the he that killed the bullock, and the Priests that tooke the blood, the Hebrew doctors have observed not impertinently from hence, that foreign [g][g]Maym. in B…ath Mikdash per. 9. & in Corh noth per. 5. & R. Sol. in Levit. 1.Lev 1The killing of the Sa…rifices was lawfull by strangers, yea of the most holy sacrifices, were they the sacrifices of a particular person, or of the whole Congregation: And upon these words, And the sons of Aaron the Priests shall bring the blood: it is a received tradition, that from thence most properly did begin the Priests office more peculiarly, see 2 Chron. 30.16, 17.

4 The fleaing of the slaine Sacrifice was not so inseparably the Priests office, but that a stranger, or one that was not a Priest might do it. And so Maimonides asserteth in the place cited above, that the fleaing of the sacrifice, and the dividing of it into pieces, and bringing wood to the Altar done by strangers, was lawfull. This they did especially at the Passeover and other festivall times when the Paschall Lambs, and the other offerings were so many that the Priests could not serve to kill and flea them; but whosoever killed or flead, the Priests ever sprinkled the blood, and none else might do it.

When the number of the beasts to be flead were not too many for that receipt, they hung him by the legs upon the hookes that were fastned in the low pillars, (which we have described elsewhere) and in the transome over them for that p. 70purpose;[i][i]Ibid. Se…t. 9. but at Passeover when there were more Lambes then that roome would admit, two men tooke a staffe or barre, (divers of which staves stood there for that end) and laying it upon their shoulders, they hung the Lamb upon it, and as hee hung thus between them, they flead him. Rabbi Eliezer saith, if the Passeover fell on the Sabbath (on which day they might not meddle so well with carrying of Staves) a man laid his hand upon his fellowes shoulder, and his fellow laid his hand upon his shoulder▪ and upon their armes they hanged up the Lamb, and so flead him. All the skins of the most holy sacrifices, that is, burnt offerings, sinne offerings, and trespasse offerings, fell to the Priests, and the Priests of the Course salted them all weeke, and on the eve of the Sabbath divided them; but the skins of the other sacrifices, fell to the offerers, or owners themselves.

5 The sprinkling of the bloud, was to be before the sacrifice was flead, for this was the rule, and that agreeable to the law foreign They flead them not till one had sprinckled the blood; for in the law there is mention of sprinkling the blood, before there is mention of fleaing, Lev. 1.5, 6. The manner of their sprinkling of the bloud upon the Altar, and the circumstances about that, were very various; we will take up the chiefest of them in their order.

First, the bloud that was to be sprinkled, was to be taken in a dish or vessell of the service, and not in a common vessell of a mans owne; and that is a constant and rationall maxim foreign That the taking of the bloud of the Sacrifices must be in a vessell hallowed for the service.[k][k]Vid. Zevac. per. 5. per totū.

Secondly,[l][l]Ibid. per. 2. abinitio. these severall sorts of people might not take the blood to sprinkle it, and if they did it was polluted. 1 A stranger, or one that was not a Priest. 2 A Priest a mourner, foreign, that is, he that had one dead in his family that day; for[m][m]Glosse in Misuajoth, ibi. whosoever had one dead in his house, all that day of the parties death, he was called a mourner foreign. 3 He that had been unclean, so that he was to wash that day, and his sun was not yet downe. 4 He that had been under a longer uncleanness, and his atonement not yet made. 5 A Priest that had not all the holy garments on that he ought to wear. 6 One uncircumcised. 7 One that was uncleane. 8 One that sate, or stood on any thing p. 71whilest he tooke the bloud, but on the very pavement of the Court; for in the service they might not stand upon any vessell, or beast, or hide, or on his neighbours foot, but on the bare pavement. 9 He that tooke the bloud with the left hand, some held it unlawfull, but others were of another minde.

Thirdly,[n][n]Zevach. ib whereas there was a red line about the Altar just in the middle between the bottome and the top, the bloud of some sacrifices were to be sprinkled beneath that line, and some above, and if that that was to be sprinkled below, was spri…kled above; and if that that was to be sprinkled above, was sprinkled below, it was unlawfull.

Fourthly,[o][o]Maym. in Corhanoth per. 5. the sprinkling of the bloud of burnt offerings, and trespasse offerings, and peace offerings, went all by one rule and manner, and it was thus; The Priest bringing it to the Altar, was to sprinkle it below the red line, and he was to sprink…e it into the fashion of the Greek Gamma, or into this forme Γ; for so is the tradition in the Gemara of[p][p]Zevach. per. 5 fol. 53. the Treatise Zevachim cited ere while; and so is the meaning of Maymony, when he saith it was to be foreign. Now the meaning of the thing is this; He was to go (as the margin of the Talmud glosseth) to a corner of the Altar, and to cast the bloud out of the vessell so, as that it should spread to two sides of the Altar at once; which my last named Author gives more plainely thus, and more at large.[q][q]Maim. ubi supr. He was to sprinkle it out of the vessell, but two sprinklings upon two sides of the Altar, namely, at the North-east corner and at the South-west corner; and he must take care to sprinkle the bloud at the corner, so as that it may go on both the sides of the Altar, like a Gamma (thus Γ,) so that the bloud at the two sprinklings may be found upon all the foure sides of the Altar. Their meaning is this, that as he stood on the East side of the Altar, neare to the North-east corner, he must cast the bloud out of the vessell with such a compassed and kembo cast, that part of it may light on the East side, on which he stands, and part of it on the North side. And the like was he to do standing on the West side, neare the South-west corner, that part of it might light on the West side, on which he stood, and part of it on the South. And thus they accounted that they answered the command, which did enjoine them that they should sprinkle the bloud round about, upon the Altar, Lev. 1.5. and 3.8. p. 72And the rest of the bloud they poured upon the foundation of the Altar on the Southside. By this may that difficult expression be understood, which occurreth exceeding frequently in the Jewish writers, when they are speaking about sprinckling the bloud of the Sacrifices, that such and such Sacrifices bloud foreign is to have two sprincklings, which are four. The disposall of the bloud in sprinckling they call foreign a giving; and some blouds were to have foreign four givings, or sprincklings, namely, on the four corners of the A…t…r, and others were to have but two, as these mentioned at the two corners of the Altar: but these two proved as much as four, because they sprinckled all the four sides of it, after the manner described.

The sprinckling of the bloud upon the hornes of the Altar, (as the blood of the sinne offerings was used) shall bee observed by and by, and so shall the extraordinary conveyance of the bl…ud of the Paschall Lambes to the Altar, be observed when we come to Treat of the Passeover.

6[s][s]Tamid. per. 4. The Lambe to be slain (for of the dayly Sacrifice we wil take an example) was bound his forelegs and hinder legs together, and laid thus bound with his head toward the South, and his face toward the West, and he that killed him stood on the East side of him with his face Westward. He killed him, and one tooke the bloud and sprinkled it, and then he hanged him up upon some of the hookes in the low pillars, and began to flea him: He flead till he came downe to the breast, and when he was gone so farre, he cut off his head, and gave it to him that was alotted to take it, and carry it to the Altar; he cut off the legs and gave them to another, and so he goes on and fleas him out; he then cuts open the heart and brings out the bloud there; cuts out the two shoulders and gives them to him that was alotted for their carriage; cuts off the right leg and with it the stones; opens him quite, and takes out the fat, and layes it at the slaughter place; he takes out the bowels and gives them some to wash, who first washed them well in the washing roome, and then washed them a little againe on the marble tables; then takes he the knife and parts between the lights and the liver, but takes them not out yet; he takes off the breast and p. 73gives it to him that was to carry it, & so goes along the right side and cuts that out, and goes down to the spine bones, and there cuts out the loines, and so proceeds in other parcels; the manner how is at large related in the Treatise and chapter cited above in the margin, but not so very materiall or necessary to our present pursuit, as to spend much time and labour thereupon: the learned Reader will peruse it there; and the unlearned, would thinke it too tedious to peruse it here.

7 The severall Priests with the severall parts of the divided Sacrifice in their hands, come to the rise of the Altar[t][t]Maym. in Corban. per. 6. and there they lay them downe and salt them. For this, the Law was very strict, Lev. 2.13. With all thine offerings thou shalt offer Salt; and their observance of it was answerably strict also, for[*][*]Id. in Issure Mizbeahh. per. 5. nothing came on the Altar unsalted, but only the wine of the drink offering, the bloud sprinkled, and the wood of the fire: and in three places they used salt; in the chamber of the salt they salted the skins of the Sacrifices; upon the rise of the Altar they salted the parts of the Sacrifices; and on the top of the Altar they salted the handfull of flowre and oile, and the frankincense, Lev. 2.2. and the most offerings that were to be burnt, and the burnt offerings of birds. This Typicall Law, our Saviour raiseth, to signifie the seasoning of every man with the word of God, which he calleth salting with fire, Marke 9.49. for the word is called fire, Deut. 33.2. Jer. 5.14. and 20.9. and 23.29. 1 Cor. 3.13, &c. And when he saith, Every one shall be salted with fire, [u][u]Beza in loc.Non praedicit aliquid futurum, sed ostendit quid ab omnibus requiratur, nempe ut verbo incorrupto conditi sese Deo consecrent.

The parts of the Sacrifice being salted, the Priest that was to offer them, tooke them up, carried them up to the Altar, and threw them confusedly into the fire; he first cut out the sinew that shranke, and threw it among the ashes, and then he cast all the pieces on an heap into the fire without any order. For though the Law injoined that the pieces should be laid in order upon the fire, Lev. 1.8. and although their manner was to lay the beast on the fire, as like to his posture whilest he was alive as they could, namely, his head before, and his shoulders and foreparts next, and the rest in order; yet at the first laying of them on, they thought they found some colour in the law of injunction, p. 74that they should scatter the flesh as well as sprinkle the bloud, and therefore they threw them on at the first without any order, or distinction, and then they ordered them, and so let them lie to burne.

Sect. 2. Sinne offerings, foreign

THE Law concerning Sin offerings, doth particularize no more about the occasion of them, but onelyonly thus, that they were to be offered f…r sinnes ignorantly committed against any of the Commandements of the Lord, concerning things which ought not to be done, Lev. 4.2, 13, 22, 27. that is, that they were offered for sins of ignorance, against negative precepts: But the Hebrew Doctors do generally confine them to those sinnes done ignorantly against negative precepts, that if they had been done wittingly, had deserved cutting off, foreign [a][a]R. Sel. in …evit. 4.A sin offering was not offered (saith Rabbi Solomon) but for a matter which if wittingly done against a negative command, deserved cutting off; but being ignorantly done, it required a sinne offering. And so the Talmudick Treatise Kerithuth, when it had reckoned up the sixe and thirty offences against such precepts that bring under the liablenesse of being cut off; it concludeth thus, foreign [b][b]Kerithuth. per. 1.Any of these committed wilfully, deserve cutting off, but if ignorantly done, they require a sinne offering. [c][c]Maym…in Shegag. per. 1.And whosoever (saith Maymony) transgresseth ignorantly against any of the negative precepts, in which there is an action, for which men become liable to cutting off; he is bound to bring a sinne offering and it is an affi mative command that hee offer a sinne offering; for his errour: and every transgression, for the doing of which wilfully, a man deserves cutting off; for the doing of it ignorantly be is to bring a sinne offering. Aben Ezra goeth yet a little further, but for ought I finde, he goeth alone; for he defineth a sin offering to be[d][d]Ab. Ezra in Lev. 1.Lev 1 for a sin of ignorance against a negative precept, which if wilfully committed, deserved cutting off, or whipping. In the addition of this last word whipping, I find not the rest of his nation to agree with him; for divers offences against prohibitions of the Law fel under whipping, that fell not under cutting off; and the Jewes do most unanimously apply a sinne offering to a sin of ignorance only, p. 75whose wilfulnesse had incurred cutting off. And the reason of this their limitation, is in regard of the nature of the transgression, or offence; for whereas[e][e]Maym. in praef. ad Iad. Chazach. they inumber three hundred threescore and five negative precepts, according to the number of the dayes in the year, yet do they bring the number of sinne offerings[f][f]Id in Shagagah per. 1. only in reference to three and forty of them; meeting those sinnes of ignorance onelyonly with sinne offerings, which were most neare a kinne to those of the highest danger, but that ignorance did mitigate, and make the qualification.

It is true indeed, that there are some sinne offerings appointed by name, which cannot exactly be brought under this predicament, of which we are speaking, as was the sinne offering of Aaron upon his consecration, Lev. 9.2. the sin offering of the woman at her purification, Lev. 12.6. and of the Leper at his cleansing, Lev. 14.19. for we can hardly ascribe these, as offered for some particular sinne of ignorance against some negative precept, the wilfull violation of which, had deserved cutting off; But they seem rather to be offered, that they might make sure worke to meet with that danger or offence, that it was possible, they might lye under, and not know of it; and so they were very neare the nature of trespasse offerings, as a sinne offering is also called, Lev. 5.6. But where the Law doth give the rules for sin offerings, it nameth not any particular offence, but only this generall, that they were to be presented, in reference to the ignorant offending against a negative command, and therefore to reduce them to particulars, it was most pertinent to allot them to that ignorant offending, which if it had proved wilfulnesse, had made the sorest breach betwixt God and Man; the reconciling of whom was the end of Sacrifice. Let us take one or two examples for the better understanding of what hath been spoken, and then we will looke after the sin offerings in their severall kindes.

It was a negative precept, the wilfull and witting violation of which deserved cutting off; Thou shalt do no worke on the seventh day. [g][g]Id. in Sabbath per. 1.And what is a man liable to for working on the Sabbath? If be did it of his owne will presumptuously, he is liable to cutting off; and if witnesses and evidence of it came in, he was to be stoned; but if he p. 76did it ignorantly, he was to bring the appointed sin offering, when he knew what he had done. And all along the Treatise of the Sabbath (they are the words of Maymony) wheresoever it is said he that doth such or such things, is foreign Guilty; it meaneth he is foreign liable to cutting off; and if there be witnesse and evidence, he is liable to be stoned; but if he did it ignorantly, he is foreign bound to bring a sin offering.

Another offence that deserved cutting off, was going into Sanctuary in uncleannesse, which was contrary to that frequent prohibition, that no uncleane person should come there. And if any uncleane person did wittingly and presumptuously go in thither in his uncleannesse, he became liable to cutting off; if witnesse came in, that he had done this presumingly and knowingly, he was to be whipt or mauled with the rebels beating, as hath been observed; and if he did it ignorantly, he was to bring his offering: which offering in something indeed differed from the sin offerings in other cases, (for whereas every one of them was foreign an appointed sinne offering of some beast or other, this was foreign [h][h]Kerithuth. per. 1.an offering ascending, or descending, [i][i]Gloss. ibid.that is, of a higher or lower value according to the persons ability that did offer it; if he were rich, he brought some Beast, but if he were poore, two Turtles, or Pigeons, or a tenth deale of flower), yet was the rise or occasion of this his offering sutable to all the other. By these examples may easily be apprehended the like proceeding in the rest of the six and thirty, or three and forty, (for into so many the six and thirty do branch themselves) but concerning the committing the thing wilfully and suffering for it; or ignorantly, and offering for it.

Now (for the distinguishing of sin offerings) they were either sin offerings of the whole Congregation, or sinne offerings of particular persons, Lev. 4.3, 13, 22, &c. But when we speake of the sinne offerings of the whole Congregation, the words admit some scrupling, whether it meane the whole body of the people, or the Sanhedrin onelyonly, who were their representatives: And we must answer, that it meaneth both: For,

1 There was the sinne offering Goat, which was offered on the day of expiation; it was an offering for the whole Congregation Lev. 16.15. (the disposall of which, we shall observe afterward) p. 77and this wee may take for the whole body of the people undividedly.

2 There was the sinne offering Bullock for the whole Congregation, whereof mention is made, Lev. 4.13, &c. which by the Jews is commonly called in their writings foreign The Bullock for the thing hid, because it is said in the Text alledged, And the thing be hid from the eyes of the Assembly: In this matter, both the Sanhedrin and the people were included; and so included, that the Sanhedrin was the first transgressor ignorantly, and the people transgressed also by their errour. Rabbi Solomon explaines it thus,[k][k]R. Sol. in Lev. 4.Lev 4 By the Congregation of Israel is meant the Sanhedrin; and by the thing being hid, is meant, that they have erred in teaching concerning any of the cuttings off in the law, that such or such a thing is free, and the Assembly have done according to their determination. But Maymony more largely, and more clearely thus,[l][l]Maym. in Shiggah. per. 12. In any thing for which being ignorantly committed, men were bound to bring the sinne offering appointed, if the great Sanhedrin erred in their determinations, and taught to loose what was bound; and the people erred by their d…termination, and did the thing relying upon their determination, and afterward it comes to the knowledg of the Sanhedrin that they have erred; Behold the Sanhedrin is bound to bring a sin offering for their errour in their determination, although they themselves did not the thing it selfe; because the actions of the Sanhedrin are not looked after whether they do so, or do not so, but it is looked after how they determine: And as for the rest of the people, they are quit from an offering, because they relyed upon the Sanhedrins decree: Now what offering was it that they brought? If they had erred about any of the cuttings off (except Idolatry) every tribe was to bring a bullocke: and so particular persons were acquitted, and one bullock for every Tribe atoned both for the Tribes, and for the Sanhedrin, who were their representatives. And something to this sense looketh the Targum of Jonathan when he rendreth the fifteenth verse of that fourth chapter of Leviticus thus:[m][m]Targ. Jon. in Lev. 4.Lev 4 And twelve Elders of the Congregation that are set as rulers over the twelve Tribes, shall lay their hands on the head of the Bullocke: where his Hebrew marginall glossary takes Rab and Rabbi Solomon to taske for holding a lesse number of persons laying on of their hands upon his head.[n][n]Gloss marg. ibid. I am not of opinion (saith he) either with Rab or Rabbi Solomon, the one whereof, saith p. 78that three, and the other, that five laid on their hands. From the matter is plaine from what is written: and the E…ders of the Congregation shall lay on their hands, that it meaneth Elders of all the Congregation: and it appeareth also from this, because all the Congregation have sinned, and why should three or five onelyonly lay on their hands? But they were twelv, namely of every Tribe one: where though he seeme to hold that there was but one Bullock, and the Targumist upon whom he comments, speake but of one neither, yet is it apparent by other writers of their nation, that the Bullocks were twelve, and upon what ground they brought them to that number whereas the Text speaketh but of one, shall be observed within a few lines.

3 If the Sanhedrin erred about the matter of Idolatry and determined concerning it, what was not right, and the people upon their determination did practice accordingly, and erred also, then was there a Bullock and a Goat to be brought for every Tribe for a sinne offering when the errour came to bee knowne and taken notice of, and this they collect from Numb. 15 24. by this manner of Logick; whereas it is there said[o][o]R. Sol. in Num. 15.Num 15 If yee have erred and have not observed all these commandements: what sinne is that that breaketh all the commandements? That is Idolatry, It breaketh the yoake, violateth the covenant, and discovereth the face, or is impudent in will. And whereas it is said at Levit. 4.14. Then the Congregation shall offer foreign they construe it distributively both in this case and in that last before,[p][p]Maim. ubi s…pr. Every Congregation shall offer, that is, every one of the Tribes, and so there were twelve Bullocks in the case before, and twelve Bullocks and twelve Goats in this case in hand. These Goats are commonly called in Jewish writers foreign The Goates for Idolatry, and foreign, The burned Goats, and the Bullocks, called the burned Bull…ck…. Not but that the Bullo…ks that were offered in reference to other matters, then Idolatry, were burnt also, but because by this meanes a distinction is made betweene foreign The Bullocks of the Congregation for the matter hid, and foreign The Bullocks of the Congregation for the matter of Idolatry.

The bloud of these Bullocks, that referred both to the one matter and to the other, was brought within the holy place, and p. 79there the Priest dipping his finger into it, sprinkled of it seven times before the Vail. And then he came out and put some of it upon the horns of the Altar, and the rest he poured upon the Altar foundation. The fat he burnt upon the Altar, but his skin, flesh, head, legs, inwards, and dung, he burnt without the Camp.[q][q]Tosaph. in Corbanoth per. 6. And so also disposed he of the Goats.

Christ our Sacrifice, who offered himselfe for an atonement for sinne, is most commonly by the Scripture resembled to the Sacrifice of the Congregation, because he dyed for all his people, and to the Sacrifice of a sinne offering, because he dyed to prevent a curse, and cutting off: He is called the Lamb of God, John 1.29. in allusion to the Lamb of the dayly Sacrifice which was an offering of the whole Congregation; and he is said to bee made sinne for us, that is, a sinne offering, though himselfe knew no sinne, 2 Cor. 5.21. And to resemble those Sacrifices whose bloud was brought within the Sanctuary for sinne, and whose bodies were burnt without the Campe, Heb. 13.11. This burning of their bodies without the Camp, was not onelyonly a figure of his suffering without the Gate, as the Apostle there applies it, but both that, and his suffering without the Gate, was in token of his dying for his people among the Gentiles, who were on the outside of Israels Camp: and the bringing of the bloud into the holy place, denoted the appearing and presenting of the merit of his bloud continually before the Lord, for the atonement for the sins of his Congregation.

The sin-offerings of paticular persons, were these.

1 The High-priests sinne offering Bullock, on the day of expiation, Levit. 16.6. whose bloud was brought within the Vaile, verse 14. and his flesh burnt without the Campe, verse 27.

2 The High-priests Bullocke, for ignorantly committing something that should not be done, Levit. 4.3. the bloud of this Bullock was brought within the holy place, and his flesh and skinne, &c. burnt without the Campe, ver. 11. This Bullocke is called by the Hebrew writers foreign [r][r]Maym. ubi supr.The Bullock that was offered in reference to all the Commandements. [s][s]Ab. Ezra in Levit. 4.Lev 4And there are some that say, that he was to off…r such a sinne offering once every yeare: which as it was for an atonement for himselfe, p. 80so (as Baal Turim applies it) it was for incouragement to others to confesse their sinnes.[t][t]Baal Tur. in Lev. 4.Lev 4 The Law commands (saith he) that the sinne offering of the High-priest be burnt publickly in the place of the ashes, that no man might be ashamed to confesse his sinne, for loe the High-priest sinned, and confessed his sinne, and brought his sin offering.

3 There was the sinne offering of the Ruler, Levit. 4.22. this was to be a male Kid, ver. 23. his bloud put on the hornes of the Altar, his fat burnt on the Altar, and the flesh eaten, verse 25. &c.

4 There was also the sinne offering of any particular private person, Lev. 4.27. this was to be a Lambe or Kid, but females, the bloud put on the hornes of the Altar, the fat burnt, and the flesh eaten by the Priests.

These were the severall sinne offerings that were to be offered, some upon expresse and singular command, and some upon the generall rule of seeking atonement upon discovery of a sinne unwittingly committed. Now for the more compleat understanding of the manner of the managing and disposing of these sinne offerings we may observe these severall particulars and circumstances about them.

1 That the place and manner of presenting, killing, and laying hands upon the sinne offering, was the same with the place and manner of these things with the burnt offering.

2 That the bloud of those that was brought into the holy place was thus disposed.[u][u]Tosaph. ubi supr. The Bullocks that were burnt and the Goats that were burnt without the Camp, between the time of their killing and sprinkling of their bloud (upon the Altar of burnt offering) the Priest went in and stood between the Golden Altar and the Candlesticke: the Altar was before him, hee dipt in his finger, and sprinkled the bloud seven times towards the most holy place, and at every dipping and sprinkling he also put the bloud upon a horne of the Altar.

3 The bloud that was not brought within the holy place, was put upon the hornes of the burnt offering Altar, and so was some of the bloud also that was brought out of the holy place againe, and the manner of that rite was thus.

p. 81[r][r]Maim ubi supr. ver. 5. Talm. in Zevac. per. 5.The Priest went up the rise or bridge of the Altar, and went off on the right hand to the circuit of the Altar, and first to the South-east horne of it; he dipped his foremost finger of his right hand in the bloud which was in the vessell, and dropt it, or sprinkled it upon the horne, and then wiped his finger on the side of the dish, and got off the bloud that remained on it: then went he to the North-east horne, and did after the very same manner; and so at the North-west corner, and likewise at the South-west. And this was the bloud that was bestowed above the red line that went about the Altar just in the middle: and only the bloud of sin offerings was sprinkled with the finger.

4 Whereas it is said that the rest of the bloud he poured at the bottome of the Altar, it is to be understood upon the foundation, and either upon the South or West side, because in the South-west corner of it were the two holes into which the bloud sunk; of which we have spoken in the description of the Altar. Some distinguish the pouring of the bloud, thus, that which had been in the holy place was poured on the West side, and that which had not been there was poured on the South;[s][s]Tosaph. ubi ante. but Rabbi Simeon saith, both the one and the other were poured on the West side; and they fell into an underground channel, and they were conveyed into the valley of Kidron, and sold to the Gardiners to fatten their grounds. But R. Meir asserteth that the wise men said, that they were not put to any use at all.

5[t][t]Maym. ubi supr. per. 1. Those Goats and Bullocks that were burnt without the Camp, were cut into pieces skins and all upon them, and cast into the fire, even as the burnt offering was laid on the fire upon the Altar.

6 These sin offerings that were not so burnt without the Campe, were eaten by the Priests, after the fat was offered upon the Altar, Levit. 6.25, 26. & 10.17. and the eating of them was in the Court. And in corrupt times it is charged upon the Priests, that in their service they regarded not devotion, but only to fill their owne bellies, making those their God. They eat up the sin [that is, the sin offerings] of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity, Hosea 4.8.

p. 82Sect. 3. Trespasse Offerings, foreign.

TRespasse offerings (as to the cause and occasion of their offering up) were so like to sin offerings, as that they seeme brethren, and it is something nice and intricate to distinguish betwixt them. For as sin offerings came for offences against negative precepts, so did these; and as those were offered for such offences ignorantly committed, so likewise were these: and as those had a reference to the danger of cutting off, so had these also; and yet a difference is betwixt them, but such a difference, as that these Trespasse offerings were but in order to the other.

Now Trespasse offerings were of these two kinds; there was foreign [a][a]Maym. in …orban. per. 9.a doubtfull trespasse offering, and foreign a trespasse offering undoubted: and these were so called, not in regard that there was any doubt in the offering, whether it were an offering or no, when it was presented, but because there was some doubtfulnesse, or there was undoubtednesse in the cause of its offering.

The foreign Doubtfull or Suspensive offering▪ (for so the word most properly signifieth) is conceived by some of the Jewish writers to be so called, because it suspended the party that had committed a trespasse from that penalty that was due to him for it, or foreign [b][b]Gloss. in Misuaj…th in 8.Because it suspendeth and fen…eth him against the due castigations: Which though indeed it carryeth a truth with it, yet is the Etymology of the Phrase more generally given to be, because there is a suspence and doubtfulnesse in and about the matter, concerning which it was to be offered. There is a story in the Treatise Kerithuth concerning Baba Bon Bota, [c][c]Kerithuth per. 6. sect. 3.that he offered one of these suspensive trespasse offerings every day in the yeare but onelyonly on the next day after the day of expiation: And one day he said, By this Temple, if they had let me alone I had brought such an offering on that day also, but they said to me, stay till thou come into some doubtfulnesse: And the wise men say, they bring not a suspensive trespasse offering foreign, but for such an offence, as which wittingly committed deserveth cutting off, and unwittingly committed claimeth a sin offering. Agreeable to these last words there is a passage in another place of the same Treatise, where p. 83having reckoned the six and thirty transgressions that deserve cutting off, it concludeth that[d][d]Ibid. per. 1. sect. 2. any of these committed wittingly, deserve cutting off, and if unwittingly, a sin offering, and if it be not knowne, then a suspensive or doubtfull trespasse offering.

By both which testimonies it is apparent, that sin offerings and these suspensive trespasse offerings were so neare a kinne, that the latter is not accounted due, unlesse there be a possibility of the dueness of the other, and the one is offered for a thing committed unwittingly, and the other for a thing committed unwittingly and unknowne. The maine difference of them lay in this; a sin offering was for a thing done indeed unwittingly against one of the negative precepts, and now known to be certainly done: but a trespasse offering was for a thing done indeed, but doubtfull whether a precept was violated by the action; and the party is not yet knowing whether he trespassed or not; yet was he to bring a trespasse offering, which (as was said before) might sence him against the penalty of cutting off; and if he once came to know that he did offend against a commandement in the action, then he was to bring a sin offering: The Talmudists give these examples in the case.

[e][e]Ibid. per. 3. Tosapht. in Kerithuth. per. 2.He that eate fat (namely that fat of the inwards, which in any sacrifice was to be offered up) if he did it wittingly, he was to be cut off; if he did it unwittingly, he was to bring a sin offering assoone as he knew what he had done: But our case in hand is this, A man is at a table where there is that fat that might not be eaten, and another fat that might (for they might eat fat beefe, or mutton, though they might not eat the fat of the inwards,) he eateth one of these fats, he knoweth not whether; hee supposeth he eateth the fat that was lawfull to be eaten, but it is possible he eateth that that is unlawfull: for this possibility or probability that he may be under a guilt, he is to bring a trespasse offering suspensive foreign though he knew not whether he offended yet or no.

He that wittingly lay with his sister, was to be cut off; hee that did it unwittingly, was to bring a sin offering assoone as hee knew what hee had done. But here is the case we are about;[f][f]Gloss. in Mishuajoth ubi ante. A mans wife and his sister are both in one bed, he lieth with one of them supposing it to be his wife, it is possible it was his sister, for this he p. 84is to bring a doubtfull or suspensive trespasse offering, because it is doubtfull whether he be not under a transgression. And this kinde of offering was in this regard called doubtfull or suspensive, because it was in suspence whether he were guilty or no, and it did also suspend that guilt and penalty which did lye or might light upon him.

Divers such particular examples might be produced, we shall only adde one or two more in the words of the Author of Tosaphta. [g][g]Tosaph. ubi supr.There are two men together, and the one of them offends, but it is n…t knowne which of them, Rabbi Josi saith that both the one and the other must bring a suspensive trespasse offering, and make confession. He that eateth the quantity of an olive of fat, or the quantity of an olive of flesh that hath lain so long before it be sacrificed that it stinketh, or the quantity of an Olive of what is left of the sacrifi…e, or the quantity of an olive of what is uncleane unwittingly, he is to bring a sin offering; but it is doubtful whether he eate it or eat it not, then he is to bring a trespass offering. He that lyeth with his sister, or his fathers sister, or his mothers sister, or his wifes sister, or his brothers wife, or his fathers brothers wife, or a woman in her separation, he is to bring a sin offering, foreign But if it bee doubtfull whether he lay with them or n…, he is to bring a suspensive or doubtfull trespasse offering. A mans wife and his sister are together, and he lyeth with one of them but he knoweth not whether: He hath two wives, the one is in her separation, and the other is not; he lyeth with one of them, but he knoweth not whether: There is before him fat, and something left of the sacrifice, he eateth of the one, but he knowes not whether: There is the Sabbath and the day of expiation, he worketh on the one of them, but he knowes not on whether: Rabbi Eliezer adjudged him to bring a sin offering: But Rabbi Joshua acquitted him: Now Rabbi Josi saith, although that Rabbi Joshua acquitted him from a sin offering, yet he adjudged him to a trespasse offering suspensive.

By these examples it is reasonably well apparent, of what nature foreign, the suspensive trespasse offering was in the repute of the Hebrew Doctors; but for the greater clearing of it, we may yet go with them one step further; A man findes himselfe in this possibility of having offended, though it be utterly uncertaine to him, whether he have offended or no, yet in conscience p. 85was he bound to bring this his suspensive trespasse offering, because it is possible he is in the offence, this is the case in the examples given: But this is not the utmost, there comes in witnesse that he did undoubtedly eat of the fat that was forbidden, that it was his wife in her separation that he lay withal, or that it was his sister, or the like; he is not yet convinced that it was so, but yet is doubtfull, and in suspence he is to bring his suspensive trespasse offering, because though it be not certaine in it selfe, that he hath offended, yet is it not so as yet to him: But whensoever he shal be convinced that he did commit the offence indeed, then is he to bring his sin offering. And thus was the suspensive trespasse offering in order to a sin offering, and in reference to those precepts whose violation deserved cutting off, but it being doubtful whether the offence was committed, this doubtful and suspensive offering was to be offered, to keep off the cutting off, the danger of which it is possible he lay under, See Lev. 5.17.

foreign The certaine or apparent trespasse offering, is so called because the law doth punctually and determinatively appoint as what is to be offered, so by what persons, and upon what occasions it was to be offered, and those are five.

1 foreign [h][h]Tosapht. ubi supr. Tal. in Zevachin per. 5. Maym. in Shegag. per. 9.The trespasse offering for a thing stolne, or unjustly gotten, or detained, of which is mention Leviticus 6.2, 3, 6.

2 foreign The trespasse offering for sacriledge, of which there is mention Lev. 5.16.

3 foreign The trespass offering concerning a bond maid, about which the Law is given, Lev. 19.20, 21.

4 foreign The trespasse offering of the Nazarite. Numbers 6.12.

5 foreign The trespasse offering of the Leper, L…viticus 14.12.

[i][i]Maym. in Corban. per. 9.Now the manner of disposing of these Sacrifices when they came to be offered, was according to the disposall of the sin offering: They were killed, flead, the inwards taken out, washed, salted, and burnt like that, and the flesh eaten by the males of the Priests in the Court; OnelyOnly about the sprinkling of their bloud there was some difference;[k][k]Zevach. ubi supr. for whereas the bloud of the sin offering was put upon the hornes of the Altar, p. 86the bloud of these, was sprinkled with that sprinkling which was called foreign the two sprinklings, which were four, that is, at two corners of the Altar forementioned and into the fashion of the letter Gamma; those were sprinkled above the red line that went about the middle of the Altar, and these below as was the bloud of the burnt offering. And among all the rest, the Nazarites Ram of trespasse offering was accounted one of the lesser Sacrifices o… foreign whereas all the rest went in the ranke of foreign The most holy offerings, and whereas those were slain on the North side of the Court, this was on the South, and those were eaten onelyonly by the males of the Priests and in the Court, but this might be eaten by others, and in the City.

The eating of the most holy offerings in the Court, is very commonly called by the Jewes foreign the eating within the Curtaines, in which expression they allude to the Court of the Tabernacle, incompassed with curtains round about. For as within those Curtaines, there was that space which was called the Camp of the Lord, (the Camp of Levi being pitcht without) so from the Gate of Nicanor inward only, was reputed the Lords Camp, (the Camp of the Levites being that without to the Gate of the Mountaine of the Temple.) Now it was an expresse command, that every oblation, meat offering, sinne offering, trespass offering, should be holy for the Priests and for their sons, and should be eaten in the most holy place, that is, in the Court, Numb. 18.10. Ezek 42.13. David Kimchi upon the latter place cited, hath these words,[l][l]Kimch. in Ezech. 42.Ezek 42 The most holy offerings were eaten within the Court of Israel more innerly, and that was called Emphatically the Court: and that was the holy place for the eating of the most holy things, if they were so minded: But in the Court of the Priests, which was within the Court of Israel, there were chambers of the Priests, and there they eate their holy things. In which passage, he both reduceth the eating of the most holy offerings into a narrower compasse then either was needfull, or then the rest of his Nation do, and also he findeth buildings and chambers for the Priests within the Court of the Priests, which unlesse they were those chambers joyning to the body of the Temple, are not imaginable, nor have been discovered by any hitherto. As the command confined the Priests within the Compasse of the Court, whilest p. 87they were eating these things, so it may well be supposed that the place of their eating of them, was according to the season and the best conveniency, in warme weather under the Cloysters in open aire, and in colder seasons in some of the chambers that stood within the Court, as Gazith, Mokadh, Nitsots, or what if in some of the roomes joining to the Temple?

It appeareth by the Tradition concerning their eating of these things, that they fel not aboard with them till towards the evening, and made them not their dinner at any time, but their supper, foreign. Hence is the common saying of the Talmudists, They might eat of them till midnight, but after that it was unlawfull: And in the Treatise Beracoth, this is set as it were the clocke, to fix the time for the evening rehearsall of their Phylacteries.[m][m]Beracheth per. 1. Sect 1. From what time (say they) do they say over their Phylacteries at e…en? and it is answered, from the time that the Priests go in to eat their offerings, &c. Whether the Priests fasted all day till this time or no: and whether the Christian foreign did any whit follow this copy of their Temple feasts, and whether this their feasting before the Lord, were not a resemblance of the blessed satiety of the glorified in the presence of God, we shall not argue, but refer it to the Reader.

Among these offerings that we have mentioned of Bullocks, Goats, Rams, and Lambs, we must not forget that there were the like offerings of Birds; and of all Birds there were onelyonly two kindes allowed, and these were Turtles and young Pigeons, and they were ever offered by couples. In the Talmud language they are called foreign or nests, of which Title, and upon which subject there is a Treatise in that Code, and they were ordinarily sold in the Temple, Joh. 2.14. and women especially (though not only) dealt in this kinde of offering of all other: For the cases concerning their uncleannesse, issues, births, abortions (besides their vowes and free gifts) were so many, that they multiplyed these offerings to an incredible number: Let one example give evidence concerning the rest.

A woman [n][n]Kerithuth per. 1., saith the Treatise Kerithuth] that hath the doubtfulnesse of five births (together) and five fluxes, she is to bring one offering, and she may eate of the Sacrifices, and there is no further offering due from her; Hath she five births certaine, and five fluxes certaine, she is p. 88to bring one offering, and she may eat of the sacrifice: but there is a due from her for the rest. There was this passage, [o][o]Iuchasin fol. 66.Doves stood one day in Jerusalem at a Denarius of Gold. Rabban Simeon the son of Gamaliel said, By this Temple, I will not sleep this night till they be at a Denarius of silver; he went into the Sanhedrin and determined thus; A woman that hath five apparent births and five apparent fluxes, is to bring one offering, and she may eat of the Sacrifices, and there is no more due from her upon the rest. And thus Doves came that day to halfe a Denarius.

The manner of offering of these Birds was thus,[p][p]Zevachin per. 6. If they came for a burnt offering, the Priest went up the rise of the Altar, and turned off to the circuit, and there at the South-east corner he wrung off their heads, opened them, wrung out their bloud upon the side of the Altar, salted the head where it was wrung off, and cast it into the fire, tooke out the inwards and cast them to the heap of Ashes, salted the Birds and cast them into the fire. And if they came for a sin offering, he wrung off their heads, sprinkled the bloud on the side of the Altar, and squeezeth out the rest of the bloud at the foundation, and there was no more to be done, but the Priest to take the birds for his owne to eat. Only in the sprinkling of the bloud of these birds either being for burnt offering, or sin offering, the manner was cleane different and contrary to the sprinkling of the bloud of beasts;[q][q]Kinnim. per. 1. for the bloud of beasts in burnt offerings was sprinkled beneath on the Altar below the red line that went about it, and the bloud of sin offerings above: but as for those birds, their bloud when they were offered for burnt offerings was sprinkled above, and when for sin offerings, it was sprinkled beneath.

Sect. IV. Peace offerings, foreign.

VVEE need not to go very farre, to finde out the reason, and notation of Peace offerings, (as some have done, concluding that they were so called[a][a]R. Sol. in Levit. 3.Lev 3 because they made peace in the world, peace for the Altar, peace for the Priests, and peace for the owners) but do but set them in Antithesis and opposition to those offerings that have been spoken of already, and their name and nature will shew it selfe; Burnt offerings, sin offerings, and trespasse offerings, were presented and offered up under the notion p. 89of some offence committed, and some guilt that he that brought them, either did or might lye under; but peace offerings came not under any such liableness, offensiveness, or suspition, but were presented in reference to the parties more comfortable, and more unguilty condition, as being offered either by way of thanksgiving for good obtained, or by way of vow or free devotion.

And this sense (it may be) the Septuagint looked after when they translate Peace offerings foreign, Sacrifices of deliverance or salvation.

The word foreign from whence foreign, which signifieth peace offerings, is derived, doth signifie, as it is well knowne, either peace or prosperity, and the peace offerings accordingly may be conceived to have relation to this double signification: For some peace offerings were offered in way of devotion, as free will offerings to continue or to compasse peace with God: Some in way of thanksgiving, and these were for prosperity or good obtained already; and some by way of vowes, and these were offered that prosperity or good might be obtained for the future. For this division of peace offerings into thanks offerings, free-will offerings and offerings for vowes is held out by the Law, Levit. 7.

We will first begin with some peace offerings that were of an extraordinary quality, and Hetoroclites from the common rule; and these were the peace offerings of the Heathen, which even they offered at the Temple. The Mountaine of the house is very commonly called by Christian writers The Court of the Gentiles, as hath been said before, for into that might even Heathens come, and they might bring offerings with them, and those offerings were offered up, even as were the sacrifices of the Israelites. And in allusion to this it is that in the Revelation, when the Angel is measuring the Temple, he is bidden not to measure the outer Court, but to leave that out, for that was given to the Gentiles Rev. 11.2. Concerning these sacrifices presented by the Heathen, Maymonides gives us this testimony and tradition.[b][b]Maym. in Corban. per. 3. They receive not of the Heathen but burnt offerings onelyonly, because it is said, From the hand of the son of a stranger ye shall not offer the bread of your God: They receive even burnt offerings of birds from an Heathen, yea though he be an Idolater: But they receive not from them, peace offerings, p. 90nor meat offerings, nor sin offerings, nor trespasse offerings: And lik… wise for burnt offerings, they receive them not from the Heathen, if they come not by way of free will offering, or by way of vow. A Heathen that bringeth peace offerings, they offer them as burnt offerings, because the Heathens minde is towards heaven; Doth he vow peace offerings and gives them to Israel that Israel may be atoned for, the Israelites eat them, as if they were the peace offerings of Israelites; and if he give them to the Priest, the Priest eateth them. An Apostate Jew that is fallen to Idolatry and that prophaneth the Sabbath presumptuously (foreign) they receive not from him an offering at all, no not a burnt offering which th…y would receive from the Heathen.

In which relation of his, when he saith they do not receive peace offerings of the Heathen, and yet afterward he saith they do, and so seemeth to contradict himselfe; these things observed, will cleare his meaning and shew that he speaketh exceeding full and good sense. 1 That they refused not a Heathens offering, because in tendring of it, he shewed that foreign his mind was something towards God, and that some devotion was in him; Yet a they would not receive a sin offering nor a trespass offering from him, because he was not under those Laws, upon which sin offerings and trespass offerings did arise. 3 Nor yet would they receive a meat offering or a peace offering from him, under that notion or in that latitude of a peace offering, because bread was to be offered with it, & it was prohibited that they should offer the bread of their God received from a stranger. 4 But every sacrifice that he offered, must be offered by him under one of those two notions, under which a peace offering came; namely either as a free wil offering or a vow, & yet it must not be sacrificed under the notion of a peace offering, but must be offered up as a burnt offering, because brought in devotion to God, and not to be eaten by Israelites. But if 5 out of love to Israel, and desire of their prosperity, he brought a peace offering even under that notion, to this end, that it might be for an atonement between Israel and God, it was now become Israels peace offering, and it might be offered as a peace offering and the Israelites might eat it: or if in love to the Priests then serving, he brought it to be a peace offering for atonement between God and those Priests, the p. 91property was now altered, and it was become the Priests peace offering, and so it might be offered up and eaten.

Now to returne to the peace offerings of the Israelites, they were either of the whole Congregation, or of particular persons.[c][c]Ia ubi supr. per. 1. The peace offerings of the whole Congregation, were onelyonly two Lambs offered at one time of the yeare, and that was at Pentecost, Lev. 23.19. And these were, killed, flead, their bloud sprinkled, their inwards burnt, and the flesh eaten by the males of the Priests in the Court,[d][d]Id ibid. per 9. & Talm. in Zevac. per. 5. even as the sin offerings were:[e][e]Vi 4. R. Sol. in Lev. 23.20.Lev 23:20 for these of peace offerings onelyonly were accounted foreign most holy sacrifices, whereas all the rest were foreign sacrifices lesse holy.

Th peace offerings of particular persons were threefold.

1 Peace offerings that were offered without bread with them; such were their offerings that were offered for their Hagigah and Sim…bah, or for their festivity and rejoycing at the three solemn festivals: Now although these were offered without bread, and so might seeme to have been proper for heathens to have offered, as being cleare from that exception of the Law, of not offering the bread of a stranger, yet might not heathens offer these peace offerings, because that they were not under the command of the three festivals, nor of the festivity and rejoycing at them.

2 Peace offerings that were offered with bread, of which there is mention in Lev. 7. and where they are described at large: These peace offerings might be of bullocks, or kine, of Lambs male, or female, and so of Goats, Lev. 3. The occasion of their offering as was mentioned before, was either for thanksgiving, or of a free devotion, or for a vow.[f][f]R. Sol. in Lev. 7.Lev 7 Rabbi Solomon confines the thanksgiving offering to such occasions as those mentioned in the hundred and seventh Psalm, as namely for deliverance from tempests at Sea, from dangers in travail in the wildernesse, from sicknesse, and from prison, foreign for some remarkable and wonderfull deliverance or mercy that was wrought for him; or as Aben Ezra expresseth it,[g][g]Ab. Ezr. ib. because he is delivered out of any strait. In which Glosse, they straiten, the thanksgiving offering the rather to such singular and extraordinary occasions because their offerings of tithes, firstlings, first fruits &c. were as thanksgivings for their common and constant mercies; and p. 92yet I see not, but these peace offerings might also come sometime in reference to their common mercies and prosperitie, as for their health, comforts in their children, successe in their businesse, or the like. And as for the pe…ce offerings that came as vowes, and those that came of free gift, as the rise of them was of different ground, the one of pure devotion, the other upon some conditionall reference, so do the Jewes observe,Kinnim. …. 1. that if the offerings that were vowed, died, or were stolne, they were to be made good by presenting others in their stead: but if those that were set a part of free gift, either were stoln or died, the party was not bound to any such reparation.

[i][i]Zev…chin per. 5. sect. 7.These peace offerings that we have in mention were slain in any part of the Court, but most commonly on the South side, & their bloud was sprinkled as was the bloud of the burnt offering foreign namely with two sprinklings in form of the letter Gamma, which two besprinkled the four sides of the Altar. The breast of the peace offering, & the right shoulder were the Priests due that offered it, and so was a part of the bread or cakes that were offered with it, and this is called foreign Muram ordinarily by the Rabbins, that is, that that was taken of the Sacrifice, by the Priests and for them. The breast was to be waved before the Lord, and for this action[k][k]Pisk. Tos. in Mid. the offerer was to go into the Court of the Priests, and to joine his hand in the rite, and the manner of waving was thus; The Priest laid the fat in the owners hand, and upon the fat he laid the breast and right shoulder, and upon them he laid the kidnies and the caul of the liver, and if it were a thanksgiving offering he laid some of the bread aloft on all; then he put his hand under the hands of the owner, and he waved his hands this way and that way, and up and down, and all towards the East: and after this waving he salted the inwards and burnt them upon the Altar; and the waved breast and shoulder the Priest took for his part, and the owner the rest, and they were to be eaten. It was lawfull for the party that brought the peace offering to eat his part of it in any part of Jerusalem; and so is the Talmudick expression which frequentl… occurreth in this case to be understood, which saith foreign The remaining parts of it were eaten (not in any City, but) in any part of the City: and this is one of the priviledges of Jerusalem p. 93above other Cities,[l][l]Kelim. per. 1. Sect. 8. because the lesser holy things might be eaten in it, and not in any other: They ordinarily boyled their peace offerings in the Temple it selfe, in one of the corners of the Court of the women, where wee have observed in its description, boiling places for this purpose: See 2 Chr. 35.13. And in the like manner they did at Shiloh, upon which businesse the sons of Eli shewed their wickednesse, when in stead of contenting themselves with the wave brest, and heave shoulder, they brought up a custome to strike a three forked hooke into the Cauldron where the peace offering was boyling, and to take whatsoever it brought up, 1 Sam. 2.

The peace offering of thanksgiving was eaten the same day, but a vow or a freewill offering, might bee eaten on the morrow, Lev. 7.15, 16. and herein the Priests and the offerer came under the same restriction, for the one, and liberty for the other: and the whole families of the one and the other, wives, sons, daughters, servants might eat of them: and the offerer if hee would, might eat his part in the Temple, and the Priests if they would might eat theirs in Jerusalem: an accursed imitation of these peace offerings, and eating of them in the Temple, was taken up among the Heathens, 1 Cer. 8.10.

3. There was a third peace offering of a particular person, and that was foreign, as it is commonly called, The Nazarites ram, of which the law and story is set down, Num. 6.17. and the manner of its disposall was thus: He was killed, and his bloud sprinkled; then were the inwards taken out, and the right shoulder and breast separated, and the rest of the flesh the Nazarite boyled in the corner of the Court of the women, in the place called the room of the Nazarites. Then tooke the Priest the sodden shoulder of the Ram, and a tenth part of the bread that was brought with him, and the heave shoulder, and wave brest, and the inwards, and put them in the hands of the Nazarite, and put his own hand under his, and waved them as before; and all that was waved was the Priests portion, but only the inwards that were to be burnt upon the Altar, and the Nazarite had the rest.

p. 94Sect. 5. Meat offerings, and Drink offerings. foreign & foreign.

THere[a][a]Maym. in Corbanoth. per. 2. Talm. in Menachoth. per. 6. were twelve sorts of meat offerings; three of the whole Congregation, and nine of particular persons: The three of the whole Congregation were these:

1. The twelve loaves of Shew-bread, which were set before the Lord every Sabbath, Exod. 25.3. Lev. 24.5, 6, 7. and when they were taken away, they were eaten by the Priests.

2. The sheaf or omer of the first fruits of their harvest, Lev. 23.9. This was of Barly, the corn that was first ripe: and there was but one meat offering more of Barly, of all the twelve; all the rest were of Wheat. This sheaf was waved before the Lord, this way and that way, and up and down, and then it was part offered, and part eaten. Rabbi Solomon giveth this reason of the waving of it, if it may be taken,[b][b]R. Sol. in Levit. 23.Lev 23 Every waving (saith he) is bringing it this way, and that way, up and down; and the waving it this way, and that way, was for the restraining of evill winds, and the waving it up and down, was for the restraining of evill dews.

3. The two wave loaves offered at Pentecost, Lev. 23.17.

The nine meat offerings of particular persons were these.

1. foreign The dayly meat offering of the High-priest.

2. foreign The meat offering of initiation; which every Priest brought in his hand at his first entrance into the office.

3. foreign The sinners meat offering: This was the offering of a poor man that should have brought a sinne offering and was not able: I here cannot but observe a passage in the Misbuah, and in Tosaphta that speak of foreign, the sinners meat offering of the poor Priest, that was so poor as that he was not able to bring a sinne offering; intimating in what poor condition some of them lived, though some again of them were as rich and stately.

4. foreign The Jealousie meat offering of the suspected wife, Num. 5.15. this was of Barley meal.

p. 955. foreign The meat offering of fine flowre, unbaked.

6. foreign The meat off…ring baked in a pan.

7. foreign The meat offering baken in a frying-pan.

8. foreign The meat offering baken in the oven.

9. foreign Wafers.

Now besides these names, we read of foreign, & foreign, The meat offering of the Heathen, and of women, and The meat offering with a drink offering, which are but names different from some of these that are named, for the things themselves did not differ: when a Heathen man would present a meat offering under the limitations forementioned, it was some of these mentioned, and also a meat offering that was offerd with a drink offering, was some of these that are mentioned; but they are called by these distinctive names, only in regard of these circumstances, and not in regard of the difference of materialls.

As for the making and managing of these meat offerings, these were the main and generall rules by which they went.

1.[e][e]Maym. ubi sup per. 13. That no meat offering should consist of lesse then the tenth part of an Ephah. of corn, (which was but very little differing from the tenth part of our bushell) and of a log of oil, which was somewhat above thirteen ounces. Now as many tenth parts might be offered, as the offerer could find in his heart to offer, so that there were not above 60 in one vessell, and to every tenth part he must join a log of oil; but under one tenth part, and under one log, there must be no meat offering. This tenth part of an Ephah was called an Omer, Exod. 16.36.

2.[d][d]Id. ibid. That when the meat offering was any of the four sorts baked, they commonly made ten cakes, or peeces of the tenth deal, and accordingly if more tenth deals were offered then one, they made ten cakes of every tenth deale that was offered; only the High-priests meat offering was made into twelve cakes; and when these cakes were baked, every one of them was broken in two, and twelve halfs were offered in the morning, and twelve at even.

3.[e][e]Yalm. in Menae. per. 5. Some meat offerings required both oil, and frankincense, some required oil, but not frankincense, some frankincense p. 96but not oil, and some neither frankincense nor oil. Those that required both frankincense and oil, were these. The meat offering of fine flowre unbaked, those four that were baked, the meat offering of the High-priest, that of the Priests initiation, the omer of first fruits, and the meat offerings of Heathens and of women. The meat offering, joyned with a drink offering, required oil, but not frankincense. The Shewbread required frankincense but not oil: and the sinners meat offering, and the meat offering of the suspected wife, had neither oil nor frankincense.

4.[f][f]Ibid. per. 6. Sect. 3. All the meat offerings that were made in a vessell, had three powrings of oil about it: as the unbaked meat offering of fine flowre foreign, first oil was put into the vessell, and the flowre after it, then oil was powred upon the flowre, and they mingled together, then was it put into the vessell of the service, in which it was to be brought to the Altar, and oil powred on it again, and frankincense put aloft on all; and so those meat offerings that were baked in the pan or frying-pan, oil was put into a vessell, flowre upon it, and oil upon the flowre again; these being blended together, it was baked, and being baked it was broken into its peeces, and more oil put upon the peeces, and frankincense upon all: Only what was made and baked wafer wise, they were anointed with oil, and their anointing was to be foreign after the form of the letter Chi, as the Talmud expresseth it, which the Gloss explaineth to be, After the form of the Greek Kappa, or the Hebrew Teth: as is the parting between the thumb and the finger, that is, he powred the oil so upon them, that it went this way, and that way, into two parts.

5.[g][g]Ib. Sect. 1, 2. Of some of the meat offerings the Priest took out one handfull, and burnt it on the Altar, and the rest hee had for himself to eat: and some meat offerings were wholly burnt, and the Priest had no part: Now these are they, of which a handfull was taken only, and the rest fell to the Priests. The unbaked meat offering of fine flowre, and the four baked, the meat offering of Heathens and of women, the omer of first fruits, and the sinners meat offering, and that of Jealousie. But the meat offering of the High-priests, and of the Priests initiation, and that that was offered with a drink offering, the p. 97Priests had no share in these, but the Altar had all.

6.[h][h]Tosaph. in Menac. per. 1. The manner of offering these meat offerings was thus: He brought it in a silver or golden dish, in which it was mingled, and puts it into one of the holy vessels of the service, and hallowes it in the holy vessell, and puts the oil and the frankincense upon it; then goes & he brings it up to the South-east horn of the Altar, standing on the South side of the horn. Hee had laid the frankincense on the one side; then takes hee his handfull from the oily place, and laies it in the midst of another holy vessell, and hallows it in the midst of the vessell, then gathers he up the frankincense and laies it aloft, and brings it to the top of the Altar, there salts it and laies it on the fire, and the rest was for the Priests to eat.

The meat offering that was offered with the dayly sacrifice, had also a drink offering presented with it, and so had divers other sacrifices the like, Num. 15. Now the drink offering was only such a quantity of wine, more or lesse, according to the sacrifice as is there prescribed; which was neither mingled,[i][i]R. Sol. in Numb. 15.Num 15 nor any of it powred into the fire as the meat offering was, but it was powred upon the foundation of the Altar as the blood was; and when the wine of the dayly meat offering was powred out, the song of the Temple began, as wee have observed.

There was a meat offering offered every morning with …he morning sacrifice, and yet it is observable, that the time of the evening sacrifice only is called Minchah (which was the title of the meat offering) and the time of the morning sacrifice not so, 1 Kin. 18.29. And again the time of the sacrifice is called by the name of the meat offering, rather then by the name of the sacrifice it self, Dan. 9.21. the reason of which is somewhat hard to give, and almost as hard to find any that have given any guesse at it; whether the former were not because the private meat offerings, or those of particular persons were most commonly offered in the afternoon: or whether it were not because the incense of the evening, was offered at the time of the meat offering, which at the morning sacrifice it was not: and whether the latter were not, because of the variety of materialls in the meat offering, which was not in the sacrifice it self, or p. 98because the sacrifice was not compleat till the meat offering came on, be it referred to the learned to judge.

And thus have we a brief account of the nature and manner of their sacrifices: (for as for the offering of their firstlings and their tenths, they were not so different from those mentioned, that they need a discourse by themselves, and about the Paschalls we shall speak anon.) There are only two things more concerning their sacrifices to be inquired after, and they are these. First, how these sacrifices of sin and trespasse offerings, and burnt offerings became paid, (as wee have seen how they became due.) For it may be the offender had no mind to be at such charges though he knew he did owe a sacrifice upon such a sin, and trespasse: but he would spare the cost of a lamb, or goat, and would think it better saved then spent, if he could come fairly off, and keep his money. The provision in this case was twofold, conscience and penalty, and if the first prevailed not, the second took place, if the offence were known. Those that had any conscience, or regard of Religion, or of themselves, needed no other instigation to bring their offering, when they knew they were under an offence that called for it, but their conscience, and that regard: And they had a double motive to urge them to it; first, the obedience to Gods commandement which called for it; and secondly, the expiation of the…r sin, which they beleeved was obtained by the offering: But if the party were not swayed by conscience or Religion, but had rather, and was readier to save his money, then either regard Gods command or his own expiation, if there were witnesse found that came forth and said that he had committed such a fin or trespasse, it was best for him then to think of setting apart an offering, or else he was in danger of a penalty, as he lay under guilt: Had hee committed sin ignorantly against any of those negative precepts, the transgressing against which wilfully, had brought him under the danger of Cutting off; and now, when he comes to know that he had done amisse, hee refuseth to bring that sacrifice, that was due for such an offence, this contempt and refusall heightned the offence, so that now it appeared a wilfull sin, when he refuseth to seek his peace for p. 99it as for one of ignorance; and if he were called to an account for it, and witness produced of what he had done, and he convented, he must either cleer himself of the action, or[k][k]R. Sol. in Levit. 1.Lev 1 be challenged his offering; compare Mat. 8.4. But as farre as this matter rested upon their own devotion, (and where there was true devotion, it needed no further promoter,) the nation was so zealous of their rites, and the sins that deserved cutting off, were brought into so little compasse, and so plain, that not very obvious to be stumbled against through ignorance, that the failing to the render of these sacrifices when they became due, was indifferently well prevented, by one or other of these things, either their zeal, or this plainnesse, especially this concurring that the people held, that ex opere operato these made their peace: The letter of the Law was, that he should offer of his own voluntary will, Lev. 1.4. And yet saith Rabbi Solomon upon the place. It teacheth that they urged him, foreign, it may be whether he would or no. But the text saith, He must do it of his own freewill. How then? They urged him till hee said I am willing.

A second scruple about these sacrifices is, concerning the time of their presenting and offering. A man that lived at a great distance from Jerusalem, was faln under such an offence as that a sacrifice was due from him: what must hee do? Must he away presently thither to offer his offering? Must hee neglect his imployments at home, and travail up to Ierusalem at a charge double and treble, and more to the charge of the sacrifice that he was to offer, and lay all things aside till that be done? The Provision in this case was, That he that became liable to any offering, might stay the paying of it till the next solemn festivall of the three came, when all must appear before the Lord at Jerusalem. And so his pains, and cost of going up thither did accrew upon that generall and comprehensive command for their appearance, and not from his own private and particular occasion: They make this, one of the two hundred eight and forty affirmative precepts, that they pick up in the Law, foreign [l][l]Maym. in Praef. ad Iad.That a man should bring all his p. 100offerings that are either due from him, or voluntarily dedicate, at the solemn festivall that commeth next: And so, as the Lord by appointing those three solemn times, in the spring and summer, did provide for the ease and accommodation of the people in that general service; so by this law was provision made for every mans particular exigent, and devotion. And this command and practise they ground upon those words, Deut. 12.5, 6. Ʋnto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even to his habitation shall ye seek, and thither shalt thou come. And thither shall ye bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, &c. Eight things (saith[m][m]Baal Hat. in Deut. 12.Deut 12 Baal Hatturim) are named here according to the eight times using the words Before the Lord, in the Law concerning the three festivalls. And so would hee construe that text, to the sense that we are discoursing of by a Massoretick Arithmeticall collection, as it is his common way and use to do; but those that go more seriously to worke, conclude, their bringing of their particular and occasionall devotions, at those generall appearances from that text, by expounding, the seeking and going to the habitation of the Lord, of the most eminent, and singularly commanded going thither: According to this construction and practise, the Chaldee Paraphrast understands what is said concerning Elkanab, that he went up out of his City to Shiloh to worship and to sacrifice foreign 1 Sam. 1.3. for he hath rendred it foreign From the time of one solemne festivall to another: what exceptions there might bee in this matter, and whether, and upon what occasions, the bringing of those their sacrifices, might be deferred beyond the next comming festivall to another, and how those that were neerer to Jerusalem, and were so minded, might come with their gifts at other times, it is not much requisite to insist upon.