if she were not able to bring a Lamb, then two Turtles, or two young Pigeons, one for each Offering.

Luke ii.

Agreeably to which St. Luke relates of the blessed Virgin; That, when the days of her 22. purification, according to the law of Mofes, were accomplished, they brought him (the Child Jefus) to Jerufalem, to present him to the LORD: as it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the Exod. womb, fhall be called holy to the LORD: and xiii. 2,12. offer a facrifice, according to that which is faid in the law of the LORD, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.

xix.

And because not only they, but their Tents or Houfes and Utenfils were liable to become unclean by feveral Accidents, there is a Prescription for making a kind Numb. of Water call'd the Water of Separation; without being sprinkled with which they could not be made clean again. This confifted chiefly of an Infufion of the Afbes of a red Heifer. To which St. Paul alludes in his Epiftle to the Hebrews.

Heb. ix.

13.

SECT.

Exod.

XXX. I,

&c.

z6.

SECT. X.

The Oblation of INCENSE.

And befide the Sacrifices beforemention'd, there was an Oblation of Incense, appointed to be made every Day, Morning and Evening. When the Lamps were drefs'd in the Morning, and lighted up at Evening, then the High-Priest was to burn Incense, upon the Altar that stood juft without the Veil of the most holy Place: a perpetual incenfe before the LORD throughout their generations. Ye shall offer no strange incenfe thereon, nor burnt-facrifice, nor meat-offering; neither shall ye pour drink-offering thereon. And Aaron (the High-Priest) shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year.

Andafterwards, when we have an Account Exod. xl. of the Tabernacles being fet up, it is faid; He put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation, before the veil; and he burnt fweet incenfe thereon, as the LORD commanded Mofes. We have frequent mention of burning Incenfe, both upon this Altar and on the High-Places, in the Books of the Kings, and those of the Chronicles;

and

9, &c.

and in fome other Places in the Scripture. Particularly in St. Luke; who, fpeaking of Zacharias, one of the Priests, and the Father of John the Baptift, tells us, that according to the cuftom of the Priest's office, his Luke i. lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the LORD. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incenfe. And there appear'd unto him an angel of the LORD ftanding on the right fide of the altar of incenfe.

Philo the Jew fays, "This Altar dif"fer'd from the Altar of Burnt-Offering "in three Particulars; the Materials of " which it was compos'd; the Place in "which it ftood; and the Use to which "it was put. Whereas the one was made "of rough unpolifh'd Stones; the other "confifted of pure Gold wrought in the " beft manner. Whereas the one stood " in the Court, without the Temple, ex"pos'd to the Sight of the Vulgar; the "other stood in the holy Place, within "the Temple, inacceffible to all, but the "Priests, who were purified and sanctifi"ed by their Office. And whereas the

one was for offering up in Sacrifice the

"Flesh

"Flesh of Beafts, the other was only to burn "Incense, and to fend forth the most 66 grateful Odours." Whence he concludes that "a pious Thanksgiving of"fer'd up by a pure innocent Heart is

more acceptable to Heaven, than all

"the other pompous Ceremonies of De"votion, confifting of a Multitude of

grofs Formalities, without that accep"table Ingredient: inafmuch as Gold is "better than rough Stone, the Infide of "the Temple more honourable than the "Outfide, and the Smell of Incense more

fragrant than the Steams of Burnt-Sa"crifices. Wherefore (as he goes on to "tell us) the daily Devotions of the Temple began with such a Thanksgiving: "It not being allow'd to enter upon making any Burnt-Offerings abroad, 'till "the Incense had been offer'd, betimes in the Morning, within."

SECT. XI.

Devotions at the Time of SACRIFICE.

During the Time that thefe Sacrifices were offering, those who attended at them

employ'd

employ'd themselves in Exercifes of Devotion suitable to the Occafion; either in Supplications or Thanksgivings. While Zacharias, as beforementioned, was offering the Incense within; we are told, all the People were praying without. But of folemn Thanksgivings upon these Occafions, we have many Inftances, in the Times of David, and the other religious, Kings. Where, among other Branches of the Levitical Office, this is mention'd as one; to ftand every morning to thank and Chron. praise the LORD, and likewife at even.

xxiii. 30.

At the Dedication of the Temple by Solomon; The Levites which were the Sing- 2 Chron. ers, being arrayed in white linnen, and ac- V. 12, 130 companied with a concert of all kinds of proper inftruments, were as one; to make one found to be heard, in praifing and thanking the LORD. And when they lift up their voice, with the trumpets and cymbals and inftruments of mufick, and praised the LORD, faying, "For He is Good, for his mercy endureth for ever," we read, that then the boufe was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD.