had Cain also been in a right frame of soul he would never have thought an inanimate substance to be a suitable offering to an offended Deity.

With regard to the sacrifice of Noah, several things concur to show that it was of an atoning nature. The term burnt-offering,' which is employed with reference to it, is the term which is commonly used, in other parts of scripture, to denote an expiatory sacrifice. Besides, with respect to the acceptance of the offering, Jehovah is said to have smelled a sweet savour,' or a savour of rest, as it is given in the margin of our Bible-or an odour of placability, as the Syriac version has it ;-a phrase which implies the appeasing of one who is offended. And then, the answer which God is said to have given to Noah, supposes that the sacrifice was of such a nature as to procure the withdrawment of divine wrath :

'I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.'*

The same thing may be said of the sacrifices mentioned in the book of Job. It is clear that they were sacrifices FOR sin. Job assigned this reason for offering those which he presented on behalf of his children :-' It may be that my sons have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.' The reason given by the Almighty for requiring sacrifices of Job's friends, turns on the same thing:

Lest 1 deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right.'

* Gen. viii. 21,

And, unless we can regard the animals sacrificed, in the light of a fine, or bribe, or gift, in consideration of which the Almighty, like a corrupt judge, agrees to remit the sin, we must look upon them as real propitiatory offerings. But this we cannot do, for God expressly disclaims any gift presumptuously offered him for the mere purpose of deprecating his displeasure. There is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor

IV. We have now seen that sacrificing existed from the most remote antiquity; that the practice was universally prevalent; and that these ancient and universal sacrifices were of a strictly piacular or vicarious nature. And the point next to be considered respects THE ORIGIN of these ancient and universal sacrifices.

They must have had some adequate origin, and that origin must be either human or divine. To account for the practice, on the principle of a human origination, many theories have been formed, and much discussion has been expended; but the only satisfactory explanation of the singular fact is to be found, we presume, in the principle that sacrifice was originally instituted by God with reference to the atonement of Christ; the heathen sacrifices being so many imitations of the primitive practice, a knowledge of which was obtained by tradition, though greatly corrupted by cruel

* 2 Chron. xix. 7. For a full and learned view of the sacrifices of Noah and Job, the reader is referred to a Treatise on the Origin of Expiatory Sacrifice, by Mr. Faber. London, 1827.

had Cain also been in a right frame of soul he would never have thought an inanimate substance to be a suitable offering to an offended Deity.

With regard to the sacrifice of Noah, several things concur to show that it was of an atoning nature. The term burnt-offering,' which is employed with reference to it, is the term which is commonly used, in other parts of scripture, to denote an expiatory sacrifice. Besides, with respect to the acceptance of the offering, Jehovah is said to have smelled a sweet savour,' or a savour of rest, as it is given in the margin of our Bible-or an odour of placability, as the Syriac version has it ;-a phrase which implies the appeasing of one who is offended. And then, the answer which God is said to have given to Noah, supposes that the sacrifice was of such a nature as to procure the withdrawment of divine wrath: -I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.**

The same thing may be said of the sacrifices mentioned in the book of Job. It is clear that they were sacrifices FOR sin. Job assigned this reason for offering those which he presented on behalf of his children :-'It may be that my sons have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.' The reason given by the Almighty for requiring sacrifices of Job's friends, turns on the same thing: 'Lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right.'

* Gen. viii. 21,

2 Chron. xix. 7. For a full and and TE

of Noah and Job, the reader is referred to a Ima of Expiatory Sacrifice, by Mr. Faber. London, 1:23.

12

and frivolous inventions of man.

This view of

the subject admits of being extensively argued. 1. The divine origin of primitive sacrifice may be argued from its being impossible otherwise to account for its existence.

It cannot be regarded as a dictate of reason; for reason can discover nothing either acceptable to God or fitted to remove the guilt of sin, in the destruction of an innocent creature; but rather the contrary, as such an act of cruelty seems more calculated to increase than to take away guilt, and an injury done to one of God's works seems fitter to incur than to appease his displeasure. It cannot have originated in natural instinct; for there is no appetite in man which can be supposed to be gratified by shedding the blood and burning the flesh of an unoffending animal. As little can it be supposed to have originated in priestcraft. In primitive times, no distinct order of priesthood existed; the sacred functions were performed by the head of the family, who could have no pecuniary inducement to introduce expensive religious rites; and, even in later times, the sacrifices were provided at the expense of the offerers, and were no source of emolument whatever to any order of men. There is just one other supposition, and this is not less unsatisfactory than those to which we have already referred, namely, that the practice originated in superstition. But superstition is the corruption of true religion, and supposes something similar in the latter, on which it is based, and from which it takes its rise. Without true religion there could be no supersti