Father-in-Law before God. Had not Aaron and the reft partook of the Sacrifices offered to God, but only been entertained by Jethro in the common manner, it would not have been faid that they came to eat Bread before God. But as this circumftance is fo particularly mentioned, it is evident that Jethro offered Peace Offerings with his Burnt Offerings; or in other words, fuch Sacrifices as all partook of.

From this Account of all the Inftances of Sacrifices mention'd before the Times of Mofes, we may obferve

1. That tho' it be true, that we meet with no express mention of Peace Offerings before the Law, and it may seem ftrange that we have no account of them, when Holocaufts are so often mentioned ; Yet this is no Argument to prove that there were no fuch things in practice. In a Hiftory of Two thousand two hundred years or more, there is no notice taken of any Sacrifice at all, above five or fix times: And in fo concife and fhort an Account of Facts, one must not wonder if no mention is made of the feveral Sorts

of

of Sacrifices, or the various Rites used on fuch Occafions.

2. From the circumftances of one of thofe that are mentioned, I mean Jacob's Sacrifice, when his Father-in-Law Laban was entertain'd by him, it feems plain, that what were afterwards called, Peace Offerings, were then in practice. And if one may argue from what was in use under the Mofaic Inftitution, to the customs before that time, one may reasonably conclude that Peace Offerings were always annexed to Burnt Offerings, even from the beginning. The reafon of the thing will speak for this Notion. For Holocaufts were to deprecate the wrath of God; and Peace Offerings were, after a Reconciliation with God was made, to eat as at God's Table, and to be in a State of Friendship with him. And this is the reason why they were regularly, and, I think, conftantly, joined together in all private Sacrifices under the Mofaic Difpenfation. In the Offering the One there was always a Confeffion of Sin actually made In Offering the Other, there was a form of Prayer or Thanksgiving: and thefe

thefe laft were ftiled,, or Peace Offerings, because they were used when men were at Peace and in Friendship with God. As to the Other forts, viz. the Sin Offering and the Trespass Offering, They were additional to the Antient Sacrifices, and were inftituted for particular Occafions mentioned in the Law; and therefore their Ufe and Intent is only to be learnt from thence.

We may now pafs on to fome Other things obfervable about Sacrifices; and particularly Those that are mentioned in the Law of Mofes. And here,

1. There was always an Impofition of bands on all Burnt Offerings; and on all Peace Offerings, as I have already obferved. And in the one cafe, Confeffion of Sins was actually made, whilft the perfon that made this Oblation was laying his Hands on the Head of the Animal: In the other cafe, Prayer or Praise was used, according to the Intention of the Offerer.

2. Prayer of one Sort or Other was almost always ufed, when a Sacrifice was offered. Nor was this peculiar to the Jews, but all Nations feem to have used

it

it on fuch Occafions. They confidered what they wanted, and what they defired; and they addreffed their God in as fuitable a manner as they could think of. The Romans, e. g. when they offered any Sacrifice, made ufe of a folemn form of Prayer, fuited to the occafion, in which they expreffed their earnest defire, that whatever Offence or Crime they might have been, or were likely by any action to be, guilty of, the God to whom they facrificed would pardon it. Suppose, e.g. they wanted to cut off any Boughs that obftructed the Light from falling into a Grove, or other place they wanted to let Light into,- -a Hog was to be offered in Sacrifice, and this Form of words was directed to be used: "If you are a God, if you are a Goddefs, to whom

་་

*

* Lucum conlucare Romano more fic oportet. Porco piaculo facito. Sic verba concipito. Si Deus, Si Dea, es, quojum illud facrum eft, uti tibi jus Siet porco piaculo facere illiufce facri coercendi ergo. Harumce rerum ergo, five Ego, five quis juffu meo fecerit, uti recte factum fiet. Ejus rei ergo te hoc porco piaculo immolando bonas preces precor uti fies volens propitius mihi Domo Familiæque meæ Liberifque meis. Harumce rerum ergo macte hoc porco piaculo immolando Efto. Cato de Re Ruf. c. 139.

"this is Sacred, may it be lawful and right for me to facrifice this Hog to

66

you, to avert your difpleasure for my "confining these Trees, by cutting off "these luxuriant Branches, facred to you. "For this reafon, whether I do it myself, or any one else does it by my order, may it be done rightly. On this account, and for this purpose, by facrificing this Hog as an Expiation, I beg that you will be readily kind and propitious to me, my Houfe, and Family, and Children. For the Sake of all "these things accept this Hog now to be "offered to you as an Expiation."

When This, or any other Form of Words was used on fuch Solemn Occafions, He that had a Prieft's Affiftance in Offering up his Sacrifice, was not allowed to pronounce them by Himself, as if it were memoriter, or by rote, to speak them; But the Priest was firft to pronounce them; And He that brought his Sacrifice was to repeat them after him, not unlike the manner in which we take the Oaths in our Courts of Juftice. Care was taken that none of the words which

ought