quity. And therefore the people were wont to infult over and curfe him, to fpit upon him, to pluck off his hair, and in fhort to use him as an accurfed thing. There appear no foot-fteps of this ufage in the law, but it is certain that it was very ancient, fince St. Barnabas (m), who was cotemporary with the Apofties, makes exprefs mention of it. The ill treatment Jefus Chrift met with from the Jews, had fome conformity with this cuftom, and it is evident that his enemies dealt with him in the fame manner as they were used to do with the goat azazel, as Tertullian hath obferved (n). It is very probable that the ancient Jews took occafion from fome paffages out of the prophets (a), to bring in the custom of infulting thus the goat azazel, and crowning him with a red ribbon (‡).

If it be asked, For what reafon God was pleafed to chufe the vileft and moft difpicable of thofe animals that were clean, to be offered on the days of expiation, we fhall anfwer with fome learned authors (p): that the Egyptians entertaining a very great veneration for goats, and the Ifraelites themfelves having worshipped them in Egypt (q), God's defign was to turn them from this kind of idolatry, by appointing the one to be offered for a facrifice, and the other to be loaden with the iniquities of the people.

When the high-prieft had performed all these functions, he went into the court of women, and read fome part of the law. Laftly, he came the fourth time into the Holy of Holies to fetch back the cenfer, and the pan wherein the fire was. When therefore it is faid in fcripture (r), that the high-priest entered only once a year into the Holy of Holies, it must be underflood of one day in the year, and not of ence on that day. Every thing was done in order, and when one function was over, he was obliged to come out and perform other ceremonies; which, according to the law, could not be done in the most holy place, as washing himfelf, changing his clothes, flaying the facrifices, &c.

We have dwelt the longer upon this feaft, becaufe it hath a greater conformity with the Chriftian religion than any other, fince through all its parts it was typical of the most important myfteries of Chriftianity. The feaft in general was a moft lively reprefentation of the atonement which was made for the fins of mankind by the blood of JESUS CHRIST. It is obfervable that Philo-Judæus had fome notion of this uth, for he fays (), that the word of God, whereby he means the Son,

is

(m) Ep. p. m. 22. This epifle must have been written not long after the deftruction of Jerutalem.

(*) Tertull. ad v. Jud. 1. i. 3.
Zechar. xii. 1C.

(e) Ifa. i. 6. 1. 6. liii. 3.

(1) Or, a piece of red tuff which was in the fhape of a tongue, faith Lamy, p. 134. It was alfo the custom among the heathens to load with curfes and imprecations thofe human facrifices that were cred for the publick welfare, and to crown them with red ribbons. See Virg. En, 1. 2. v. 133.

(p) Bochart. de Animal. Sac. Ser. l. i, c. 53.

g) Lev. xvii. 7. (r) Exod. xxx. 10. Lev. xvi. 34. Heb. ix. 7. Phil. de Somn. p. m. 447.

is the head and glory of the propitiation, i. e. of what renders men acceptable to God. Thefe paffages of fcripture, that JESUS CHRIST gave himfelf a ransom for many (1), that he was made the propitiation for our fins (u), that he was the propitiation not only for our fins, but also for those of the whole world (x), and fuch like expreffions that occur almost in every page of the gospel, can mean nothing more, but that JESUS CHRIST hath, by the facrifice of himfelf, performed that which was only prefigured by those of the law, and particularly by the general and folemu expiation we are now fpeaking of. The fame Jewish author quoted juft before, had alfo fome notion of this matter. It will be proper to fet down his very words, not as if we thought they were any confirmation of the Chriftian revelation, but only to fhew that these were truths which the wifeft part of the nation acknowledged, and had found out by clofe and ferious meditation. He faith then, that whereas the priests of other nations offered ficrifices for their own country-men only, the high-priest of the Jews offered for all mankind, and for the whole creation (y).

And not only thefe facrifices that were offered on the day of expiation were a more exact reprefentation of the facrifice of JESUS CHRIST than any other, but alfo the perfon, by whom the atonement was made, was in every respect qualified to reprefent the high-priest of the Chriftian church. And that,

1. Upon the account of his dignity, which, according to the Jews, was at its utmoft height, when he entered into the Holy of Holies. For which reafon he was called Great among his brethren (z): this dignity was fo very confiderable, that Philo does not fcruple to fay, according to his lofty and rhetorical way of fpeaking, that the high-prieft was to be fomething more than human, that he more nearly refembled God than all the reft, that he partook both of the divine and human nature (*). It seems to have been with a defign of expreffing both the holinefs and dignity of the high-prieft, that the law had injoined none fhould remain in the tabernacle, whilft the high-priest went into the Holy of Holies (a).

2. He further reprefented our high-prieft by his holinefs. We have fhewed before what extraordinary care the law had taken to diftinguish him from his brethren in this refpect. It was to denote this holinefs, that in the anointing of the high-prieft a greater quantity of oil was ufed, than in that of his brethren, from whence he was called the priest anointed (b). Nothing can better reprefent the great holiness of JESUS CHRIST than this great plenty of oil ufed in the confecration of Aaron, and it was undoubtedly with allufion to this anointing, that JESUS CHRIST is filed in fcripture the holy one, by way of eminence (c).

3. He reprefented JESUS CHRIST by his being on that day a mediator

(1) Matth. xx. 28.
(y) Philo de monar. p. 637.

between

(z) I John iv. 10.

(A) John ii. 2.

(*) Philo de monar. p. 63. de Somn. 872. (b) Levit. iv. 3. 5.

between God and the people. For though Mofes be called a mediator in the New Teftament, yet it is certain that the high-prieft was invested with this office on the day of expiation. Mofes muft indeed be acknowJedged as a mediator, God having by his means made a covenant with the children of Ifrael. But as they were very apt to tranfgrefs the law, it was neceffary there should be a mediator, who by his interceffion and facrifices, might reconcile them to God. Now this was the highprieft's function. So that Mofes and Aaron were exact types of the two-fold mediation of JESUS CHRIST. By him was the new covenant made, and by his own blood hath he for ever reconciled God to mankind.

4. The entrance of JESUS CHRIST into heaven once for all, there to prefent his own blood to God, as an atonement for our fins, was very clearly typified by the high-prief's going once a year into the Holy of Holies with the blood of the victims (d).

As for the two goats, we learn from the epiftle of St. Barnabas, as quoted above, that they were even then looked upon as typical. They both reprefented the fame thing, but under different ideas. The offering of the one was a manifeft token of the people's iniquities being remitted and forgiven; and the fending of the other into the wilderness fhewed, that they were carried away, or blotted out of God's remembrance. To which there feems to be an allufion in the prophet Ifaiah (e), when it is faid, that God cafts fins behind his back, and in the bottom of the fea. The facrifice of JESUS CHRIST may be confidered under these two different views, he hath done away our fins, hath taken them upon himself, and nailed them to his crofs (f). It hath been already obferved that the only faft appointed Of fafts. by the law, was the day of expiation. The inftitution of the other Jewish fafts is however of a very ancient date. We find mention in the prophet Zechariah of a faft of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth month (g). From whence the Jews undoubtedly took an occafion of celebrating four folemn fafts in remembrance of fome particular calamities or misfortunes. That which was kept on the 17th of June, for inftance, was, to put them in mind of Mofes's breaking the two tables of the law, and of other mifchances that happened on the fame day (h). The faft that fell on the 9th of July, was appointed upon account of the temple's having firft been burnt on that day by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Titus. This faft was the moft folemn of the four, and which every perfon was obliged to observe. The next fabbath after it, the fortieth chapter of Ifaiah was read, which begins with these words, Comfort ye my perple, &c. From whence the confolation of Ifrael (i) came to be used to denote the coming of the Meffiah. On the faft which was kept the third day of September, they mourned for the death of Gedaliah, who had been appointed ruler over the Jews that remained in the land of Ifracl, when the reft were carried away captive to Ba

bylon

(f) 1 Pet. ii, 24.
(i) Luke ii. 25.

bylon, and who was murdered by Ishmael at Mizpah (k). That on the tenth of December was in commemoration of the fiege of Jerufalem, which was by Nebuchadnezzar begun upon that day ().

Befides these fafts that were fixed to particular days, there were others, and those either publick, enjoined in the time of any general calamity, or private, appointed for particular occafions, fuch as were those of David, Daniel, Nehemiah, &c (m). Notice was given of the first by the found of the trumpet, that all the people might gather themselves together. And then the cheft or ark, wherein the law was kept, was brought out of the fynagogue, in the prefence of the whole affembly, and ftrewed with afhes, in token of forrow and affliction. All perfons were obliged to appear in fack-cloth. And one of the prefidents of the fynagogue made a fpeech fuitable to the day and occafion, which was accompanied with feveral ejaculations and prayers.

When particular perfons fafted, they were wont likewife to cover themselves with fack-cloth and afhes, and to fhew all other figns of grief, as to forbear washing, and anointing their bodies with oil, &c. The Pharifees having made an ill use of these outward expreffions of forrow, JESUS CHRIST ordered his difciples to take a quite different method when they fhould faft, that their fafting might be concealed from men (n). Particular perfons fafted not only in the times of affliction ; but the more devout fort were ufed to do it twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, as we find the Pharifee boasting in the gofpel (o).

Fafting was unlawful at fome certain times, as on feftivals and fabbathdays, unless the day of expiation fell upon either of them. This cuftom feems to be of a very ancient date, fince we find it related in the book of Judith, that she fafted all the days of her widow-hood, except the fabbaths, and new-moons, with their eves, and the feafls and folemn days of the houfe of Ifrael (p). It is a maxim among the Rabbins, that fafting was to ceafe upon the coming of the Meffiah. If it be of any great antiquity, as most of the Jewish fayings are, the difciples of John the Baptift, as well as the Pharifees, ought from thence to have learned that JESUS was the Meffiah, inftead of finding fault with him because his difciples did not faft (9). The anfwer he made to this objection of theirs, feems to allude to the notion above-mentioned. But here it is to be obferved by the way, that the reproach caft on JESUS CHRIST about his difciples not fafting, ought undoubtedly to be understood of frequent and affected faftings, it not being at all probable that the difciples of CHRIST, who, after the example of their divine mafter, were fict obfervers of the law, would have neglected to keep the fame fafts as the reft of their nation did.

JESUS CHRIST himfelf fafted forty days, but that was a very extraordinary

(*) Jer. xl. xli.

(m) 2 Sam. xii. 16. Pfalm. (~) Matth. vi. 16.

(p) Judith viii. 6.

(7) 2 Kings xxv.

xxvv. 13. Dan. x. 2. Neh. i. 4.

(0) Luke xviii. 12.

(2) Matth. ix. 14, 15. Luk: v. 33.

ordinary kind of fasting (r). He allowed his difciples to obferve this ceremony (s). The Apoftles fometimes practifed it,and exhorted their followers to do the fame. But it is certain that JESUS CHRIST hath left no pofitive command about fafting, and that this cuftom hath crept only accidentally into the Chriftian inftitution. Did Chriftians but faithfully obferve the precepts of the Gospel, their ftate would be a continual feast, and they would have no manner of occafion to afflict their fouls (*) by thefe marks of humiliation and repentance. Or, had God ordered it fo, that the Chriftian church fhould be delivered from thofe calamitous times, in which, if I may fo fpeak, the bridegroom is taken from her, by the violence of her enemies, there would have been no need for her to humble herself under his hand with fafting. For, in a word, nothing can recommend us to God's favour, but true holinefs, and fafting is no farther acceptable to him, than as it leads us thereto.

tabernacles.

The feast of tabernacles (†) lafted feven days, or eight, Of the feaft of as fame authors infer from two or three paffages of fcrip ture, (t), and began on the fifteenth of the month Tifri (1). It was inftituted by God, for a memorial of the Ifraelites having dwelt in tents or tabernacles while they were in the defert (u), or else, according to others, in remembrance of the building of the tabernacle. The defign of this feaft was moreover to return God thanks for the fruits of the vine, as well as of other trees, that were gathered about this time; and to beg his bleffing on thofe of the enfuing year. No feast was attended with greater rejoicings than this (§), which was owing to the expectation they were in of the Meffiah's coming, and for which they then prayed with a greater earneftnefs (1). The principal ceremonies obferved in the celebration of this feast, were as follows.

1. They were obliged to dwell, during the whole folemnity, in tents, which they at first used to pitch on the tops of their houses (x). 2. They offered every day abundance of facrifices, befides the ufual ones, of which there is a particular account in the book of Numbers (y). 3. During the whole feaft, they carried in their hands branches or pofies of palm-trees, olives, citrons, myrtles, and willows (z), finging Hofanna,

(s) Matth. vi. 16.

that

(r) Matth. iv. 2. (*) This is the phrase used in feripture to denote a fast. (+) Or of booths. For the tents used in this feaft were made of branches of (f) Lex. xxiii. 36. Nehem. viii. 18. (II) Which answered to part of our September and October.

trees.

(u) Lev. xxiii. 43.

(§) For which reafon it was named chag, i. e. a day of rejoicing. It was bes fides called the feaft of in-gathering. Exod. xxiii. 16. Deut. xvi. 13.

() The days of the Meffiah were ftiled by the Jews, the feat of tabernacles. (x) Nehem. viii. 16. Which in that country were flat, and like terraffes. (y) Numb. xxix.

(≈) Lev. xxiii. 40. Nehem. viii. 15. 2 Macc. x. 7. These they tied with gold and filver lines, or with ribbons; and did not leave them all the day, but carried them with them even into the fynagogues, and kept them by them all the time they were at prayer. Lamy's Introd. p. 135.