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The indispensable necessity of not resting in mere external observances as the means of acceptance with the Deity, appears peculiarly conspicuous, in the conditions on which alone the Jews were taught to hope for reconciliation with their God, whenever their disobedience should provoke him to banish them from the land of their inheritance, disperse them through the nations, and load them with all those punishments which their Lawgiver denounced would attend their apostasy. "It shall come to pass," says he, "when these things are come upon "thee, the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee, "and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither "the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt confess your iniquity and the iniquity of your fathers; and if therefore your UNCIRCUMCISED HEARTS BE HUMBLED, and you accept of the punishment of your iniquity, and shall return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I com"mand thee this day, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; "that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and the Lord thy God will circumcise "thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy "God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou "mayest live."*

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Here it is well worth observing, not only that reconciliation could be obtained only by repentance, and that no repentance would be accepted, which did not prove its sincerity by practical reformation; but that the most important and distinguishing rite of the Jewish religion, circumcision itself, is represented as emblematic of that purity of heart, which ought to be cultivated by all who adopted this external sign. And if this was true of that rite which was the badge of the Jew's religious profession, and the seal of his covenant with God, the same principle must, by necessary inference, be applied to every subordinate rite and ceremony. Indeed, were we to consider the

*Deut. xxx. 1, &c.

That all the rites and sacrifices of the Jewish religion were incapable of conciliating divine favour, where internal piety was wanting, and were represented and considered in this light by the Jewish Lawgiver, is evident from the passages and observations adduced in this Lecture. It is equally certain the same principles are inculcated in every other part of the Old Testament. Vide the passages referred to in note p. 226.

Hebrew Ritual distinctly, it would I am confident be easy to prove that all its rites were either commemorative of such facts, or emblematic of such dispositions, as were best calculated to

But it may be useful to show, that the most respectable Jewish uninspired writers viewed the Mosaic Ritual in the same light, acknowledged that sincere piety and purity were necessary to conciliate the divine favour, and considered the various rites and ceremonies of their religion, as intended to cultivate holy and virtuous affections.

Thus Josephus, speaking of sacrifices, says, "When we offer sacrifices to him, we "do it, not in order to surfeit ourselves and be drunken, for such excesses are against “the will of God, and would be an occasion of injuries and luxury; but by keeping "ourselves sober, orderly, and ready for our other occupations, and being more temperate than others, and for our duty and the sacrifices themselves, we ought in the "first place to pray for the common welfare of all, and after that for our own; for we "are made for fellowship one with another, and he who prefers the common good be"fore what is peculiar to himself, is above all acceptable to God:-and let our prayers "and supplications be made humbly to God, not so much that he would give us what 'was good, for he hath already given that of his own accord, and hath proposed the "same publicly to all, that we may duly receive it, and when we have received it, "may preserve it." On this passage, Whiston judiciously and truly remarks "That we may here observe, how known a thing it was, that sacrifices were still ac'companied with prayers;-whence came those praises of the sacrifice of prayer"of praise of thanksgiving." And he remarks, "that in Solomon's long and famous "form of devotion, at the dedication of the temple, where all sacrifices were to be "offered up, yet there is no mention of the sacrifices themselves, but of prayers only." On the purification after a funeral, Josephus observes,† "That every one may thence "learn to keep at a great distance from the thoughts of being pure, if he hath been once "guilty of murder." On the priests, Josephus observes, "Moses not only enjoined "them to observe purity in their sacred ministrations, but in their daily conversation, "that it might be unblamable also; on this account it is, that they who wear the "sacerdotal garments are without spot, and eminent for their purity and sobriety, nor "are they permitted to drink wine so long as they wear those garments; moreover, "they offer sacrifices that are entire and have no defect whatsoever."

Philo in his comments on the significancy of the dress of the priests, the sacrifices, and all the various circumstances of the Ritual, is full of the same moral and religious spirit. Indeed the inscription on the holy crown of Aaron, of HOLINESS TO THE LORD, naturally suggested such ideas to every pious and reflecting Israelite; and Philo has pursued them certainly often with overstrained refinement and fanciful ingenuity. But his writings show, that the enlightened Jews, when Christianity was introduced, (for Philo was contemporary with the Apostles) were much addicted to spiritual and moral views of their Ritual and Law.

Speaking of the sprinkling the garments of Aaron and his sons, and the altar, &c. Lev. viii. 10, 11, 12, and 30, he remarks, "Moses did this, wishing they should be 66 holy, not only externally and visibly, but internally; since all things, even in the in"terior of the temple, were purified by this holy ointment." On the brazen laver

* Lib. II. contra Apion, sect. xxiv. Antiquities, Lib. III. ch. xli. sect. iii.

† Josephus, contra Apion, Lib. II. sect. xxvii. Exod. xxxix. 30.

Philonis, Lib. III. de Vita Mosis, p. 521,ƒ. and 523, b. I have endeavoured to translate Philo's

form the mind to steady rectitude, internal purity, and sincere devotion. One instance as more immediately connected with this subject, I will briefly mention.*

For every transgression, the Levitical Law prescribed a trespass-offering: where the transgression was of a mere ritual precept, and committed without deliberation or design, when discovered the trespass-offering was sufficient alone; for this

which had been made of brazen mirrors he remarks, "The priests, who were about to "enter the temple, were to purify themselves, washing their hands and feet as a symbol "of innocency of life, and of a pure livelihood, obtained by praiseworthy means: and "each should remember that the materials of this vessel were mirrors; so that each "should contemplate his own mind as it were in a mirror; and if he should discover in "it the turpitude of irrational affection, or the immoderate love of pleasure, or grief "depressing him to excess, or turning him from rectitude, or desire stimulating him to any thing forbidden, he should reform and cure it, and study to acquire the pure and "genuine beauty of the mind." But all Philo's works are so full of this, especially this beautiful Tract on Philanthropy or Charity, that it is unnecessary to multiply quotations.

*

The celebrated Maimonides, in his "More Nevochim," or "Instructor of those "who are perplexed," a work containing many judicious and learned elucidations of Scripture difficulties, and particularly an excellent exposition of the grounds and reasons of the Mosaic Laws; and who, having published a laborious comment on the Mischna or system of Jewish traditions, may be supposed to speak the general sense of the Jewish Rabbinical doctors, has an express chapter, (Part III. ch. xxxiii.) to show, "That the prohibition of external uncleanness and impurity, by the Law, is instru"mental of and subservient to the purification of the heart:" and has these strong words: "Cleanliness of dress, washing of the body, and the removal of all dirt and squalidness, "is certainly the intention of the Law; but subordinate to the purification of the con"duct and the heart, from depraved opinions and corrupt morals. For, to think that "exterior purity, by ablutions of the body and the dress, can be sufficient, though in "other respects a man indulges himself in gluttony and drunkenness, is the extremest "madness."

Such are the sentiments of this celebrated Rabbi, conformable to the obvious intention of the Law, and we may be assured, to the sentiments of all pious and reflecting Jews, in every period of their nation. Consult, on this subject, Mr Moses Lowman, on the Hebrew Ritual. If the student wishes for a still more learned disquisition, he will find it Maimonides More Nevochim, Part III. from chap. xxvi. to the end; Spencer de Legibus Hebræorum, Lib. I. from ch. iv. to the end, and the entire of the second book; observing, however, that the system of this learned writer is in many points successfully combated by Witsius. Vide Witsii Ægyptiaca, Lib. III. who appears to establish his opinion, notwithstanding that Warburton has espoused the scheme of Spencer. Vide the Fifth Lecture of this Part; also, the Divine Legation, B. IV. sect, vi.

* Vide Levit. ch. v. and vi.; also Numb. v. 7, &c.

words as closely as I could. No part of his works has been translated into English, (so far as I know) though certainly many parts deserve it.-For Josephus, I generally adopt Whiston's Translation. * Vide his Works, p. 539.

showed that the offender acknowledged the authority of the Law which he had unintentionally violated. But where the transgression included any encroachment on the rights of another, the trespass-offering could not be received, except it was accompanied by a public acknowledgment of the offence, a resignation of the usurped property, and a restitution to the person injured, if he or his heir could be found; if not, the usurped property was to be consecrated to pious uses, as the offender could not procure pardon while he retained it. What regulation could point out more clearly the inefficacy of sacrifice, where guilt was not unfeignedly repented of, and all the advantages, which had tempted to its perpetration, renounced and resigned, and where full restitution to the injured individual did not accompany humiliation before God?

Another observation on this subject, of great weight is, that the reverence which the Jew was taught his God required, is perpetually represented not as terminating in prayers and religious services alone: but as a practical principle, which was to regulate his conduct towards his neighbour, and display itself by judgment, by justice, by humanity, and particularly by showing mercy to the poor and the stranger, the widow and the fatherless, to whom God is represented as bearing the peculiar relation of patron, protector, and friend. I might adduce numerous passages to establish this significancy of circumcision, and this practical application of the reverence due to God. But I shall content myself with one decisive of both; even the solemn requisition of their Legislator when he recapitulates their Laws, and denounces the curses which should follow their violation, and the blessings which should reward their observance-a passage which includes and contains all the arguments I have advanced on this topic. “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, "but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to "love him, and to serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, "and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord "thy God, and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good? Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is "the Lord thy God's, the earth also with all that therein is. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and

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* Deut. x. 12. &c.

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"he chose their seed after them, even you, above all people, as "it is this day. CIRCUMCISE THEREFORE THE FORESKIN OF YOUR 66 ᎻᎬᎪᎡᎢ, and be no more stiffnecked. For the Lord your God " is God of gods, a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which "regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He doth execute "the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore "the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and "to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great " and terrible things which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers "went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars in heaven "for multitude. Therefore shalt thou love the Lord thy God, "and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments and "his commandments alway."

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Thus on a REVIEW of the topics we have discussed, it appears that the Jewish Law promulgated the great principles of moral duty in the Decalogue, with a solemnity suited to their high preeminence that it enjoined love to God with the most unceasing solicitude, and love to our neighbour, as extensively and forcibly, as the peculiar design of the Jewish economy, and the peculiar character of the Jewish people, would permit that it impressed the deepest conviction of God's requiring, not mere external observances, but heartfelt piety, well regulated desires, and active benevolence: that it taught sacrifice could not obtain pardon without repentance, or repentance without reformation and restitution; that it described circumcision itself, and by consequence, every other legal rite, as designed to typify and inculcate internal holiness, which alone could render men acceptable to God: that it represented the love of God as designed to act as a practical principle, stimulating to the constant and sincere cultivation of purity, mercy and truth: and that it enforced all these principles and precepts by sanctions the most likely to operate powerfully on minds unaccustomed to abstract speculations and remote views, even by temporal rewards and punishments; the assurance of which was confirmed from the immediate experience of similar rewards and punishments, dispensed to their enemies and to themselves, by that supernatural Power which had delivered the