\i IIP ITERS. Y, lYARD ; i^ THE RITES AND WORSHIP THE JEWS: DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE, AND BY JEWISH WRITERS. LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY, 56, Paternoster Row; 65, St. Paul's Churchvard AND 104, Piccadilly. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. p^cK THE THRE3 DISPENSATIONS — THE MEANING AND ORIGIN OF SA- CRIFICES 1 CHAPTER II. SACRIFICES UNDER THE PATRIARCHAL DISTENSATION Pr.ACF.S FUU SACRIFICE 8 CHAPTER III. TUB JEWISH NATION — ITS KITUAL AND WORSHIP 23 CHAPTER IV. THE TABERNACLE, AND THE ARTICLES THEREIN lit! CHAPTER V. THE FURNITURE AND UTENSILS OF THE TABERNACLE 32 CHAPTER VI. rilE TEMPLE ITS COURTS '13 CHAPTER VII. TUB TEMPLE THE HOLV PLACES PRESENT STATE OF THU SITE 5'J CHAPTER VIII. IHB LEVITES THE PRIESTS THE HIGH PRIEST C9 CHAPTER IX. TUB DAILY SERVICE OF THE TEMPLE Si CIlAl'TEU X. lUL s.lCKl: ICEb- 8» 2117206 IT CONTENTS. CHAPTER XI. »,oii J-HE JEWISH FESTIVALS 100 CHAPTER XII. BlISnF.tl.ASEOUS OBSERVANCES THE CSE OF SALT CIIlfUMCl- SION LAWS AGAINST NECROMANCY THE RED HEIFER CLBANSINO THE LEl'BR '.IS CHAPTER XIII. THE WORSHIP OF PRAYER AND PRAISE I'iO CHAPTER XIV. PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP PROSEUCUAS SYNAaOOL'RS, AND THE SYNAGOGUE SERVICE !■'{:) CHAPTER XV. PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OF THE JEWS FASTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE li6 CHAPTER XVI. VOWS AND PIRIFICATIONS 153 CHAPTER XVII. TllK SAUEATII 16U CHAPTER XVIII. TH;; SAWBATICAL YEAR THE JUBILEE THE NEW MOONS 173 CHAPTER XIX. THE PROPHETS 18'^ CHAPTER XX. SECTS AM> OKDEttS OF WES IDOLATRY lO.NCLUSIONg 198 RITES AND WORSHIP THE JEWS. CHAPTER I. THE THREE DISPENSATIONS — THE MEANING AND ORIGIN OF SACRIFICES. A RITE is a solemn outward act of worship. It is hardly necessary to say, that by worshipping, is meant show- ing honour and respect ; and by religious worship, is meant endeavouring to show honour and respect to the Almighty Being, to GOD, who made the earth and all things therein, and to whom man looks with the hope and desire that He will cause his never-dying soul to be happy for ever. The Bible is the word of God. It tells us about God. It tells us how God was worshipped m former times, and how he is to be worshipped now. Three times or periods are particularly and separately mentioned in the Bible, called dispensations, in each of which it has been God's will that he should be worship- ped in a different manner, as to outward rites. The first is the Patriarchal dispensation. This includes the period from the time when Adam and Eve left paradise, till the law was given from Mount Sinai. The history of the Patriarchal disjiensation is to be found in the chapters from the third of Genesis to the twentieth of Exodus. The second is the Mosaic or Levitical dis- pensation. The account of this occupies the rest of the Old Testament, and also includes the history of the Jews till the coming of Christ. The third is the Christian B •' CH. 1. — THE THREE DISPENSATIONS. dis])ensation. Tlie account of the beginning and early progress of tliis dispensation is given in the New Testament, and it has continued till the present time ; nor is there reason to suppose that there will be another dispensation, or another method of worship appointed, before Christ himself comes again to judge the world. With respect to these dispensations, it is plain that the wisdom of God directs the revelation of such truths, and the giving of such laws, as are best suited from time to time to answer his merciful designs. Any one who has read the Bible must have remarked, that the principal rite of Divine worship, under the first two dispensations, was that of sacrifice. Some animal, or some production of the earth, was offered to God upon an altar, by some person whose duty and office it especially was to make the offering. The first particu- lar account recorded of an offering or sacrifice, is in Gen. iv. When the offering was only ])laced upon the altar it was called an oblation. In a sacrifice, properly so called, the thing offered was destroyed, or something done to it so as quite to change its state. We cannot read much, in any part of the Bible, without meeting with frequent mention of the sacrifices, and of the rites and ceremonies with which they were offered. The book of Psalms, and the writings of the prophets abound with allusions to sacrifices, while the historical and nar- rative parts of Scripture relate instances of them ; and the books of Moses contain full directions as to the manner in which they were to be offered under the second or Levitical dispensation. There are not such full jiarticuhirs as to the sacrifices of the patriarchs ; but enough is said concerning them in the book of Ge- nesis, and in some other places, to give sufficient informa- tion both as to their origin and their object. They were memorials of the sin of our first parents, and of the way of mercy provided for Adam and Eve, and their descend- ants ; and it is probable that these sacrifices were whole burnt-offerings, and that there seldom were any others till the giving of the law by Moses. Tlie sacritices mentioned in the Bible were generally THE MEANING AND ORIGIN OF SACRIFICES. 6 made by taking beasts or birds of some particular kinds, depriving them of life in a solemn manner, and then burning their bodies on a heap of earth or stones, called an altar. As the sacrifices are mentioned very often, and evidently were matters of great importance, we v.ill here inquire what was meant by them, and what first gave rise to them. Without stating the different opinions which have been given upon the subject, we may at once mention that which appears the oidy correct one, and give it in the words of a very able writer.* He says, " It re- quires but very little acquaintance with Scripture, to know^ that it every where teaches us that man, by disobedience, is fallen under the displeasure of his Maker ; that to be reconciled to his favour, and restored so as to be able to obey him in a manner he would accept, a Redeemer was appointed ; and that this Redeemer laid down his life to procure forgiveness and acceptance for repentant sinners. Tliis surrender of life has been called, by the sacred writers, a sacrifice ; and the end attained by it, expiation or atonement." From several texts, particularly Heb. X. 1. 12, and ix. 9 — 14, it ai)])ears that this sacrifice, or death of Christ, was the real or proper sacrifice to which the sacrifices directed by the law of Moses alluded, or of which they were, as it is called, types or shadows ; and since this was so clearly the case as to all sacrifices un- der the second dispensation, we are warranted in believ- ing the RITE to have been ordained by God also under the first or patriarchal dispensation, as a type of that one SACRIFICE which was alluded to, or pointed to by all the other sacrifices. That sacrifices must have been first appointed by God's express command, a])pears from their nature and design, which has been just stated ; and also from the distinct • Archbishop Magee. On a subject of this very great importance, it is necessary to refer to an authority which cannot easily or effectually be disputed, and tliat able writer will be generally admitted to have been such. On other matters of less consequence, the authorities will not always be mentioned, as it is not desirable to encumber the pages of a little work like the present, with a parade of reference* tnd notes of quc'ations. 4 CH. I. — THE THREE DISPENSATIONS manner in which we read that God accepted them, when otFered by Abel, Noah, and Abraham. In the book of Job, which probably contains the account of events that happened before the time of Abraham, we find that God expressly directed the friends of the patriarch to offer sa- crifices, that they might be forgiven, when God was dis- pleased with them because they had not spoken of Him in a right manner, chap. xlii. 8. The first mention of sacrifice in the Bible, is that of Abel, Gen. iv. 4 ; and the manner in which the history is related, implies that there was a stated time for the performance of tliis duty, and that it had been often ob- served before. We must therefore conclude that Adam offered sacrifices ; and it is generally supposed that the skins of beasts, which were given to Adam and Eve for tlothes. Gen. iii. 21, were the skins of beasts which had been slain for sacrifices. It is not likely that any animals died of themselves so soon after their creation. If they were killed, it must have been for food, or for sacrifices, or merely that coverings might be made of their skins. Now it appears from Gen. i. 29, 30, ii. 16, and iii. 18, 19, compared with ix. 3, that animal food, or the flesh of beasts and birds, was not allowed to be eaten by man till after the flood. Nor can we suppose that Adam, immediately after the Divine displeasure had been so strongly shown, would dare to kill any of God's creatures without his leave. And it is not likely that God would order beasts to be killed merely for their skins, when man could have been clothed by their hair and wool, or by many vegetable substances. This would be unnecessary waste and destruction of God's creatures ; we therefore may be led to believe, that beasts were killed as sacrifices, and we are expressly told that this transaction took place by Divine direction. Also here remark, that it is clear that Gen. iii. 21 refers to garments for Adam and Eve to wear. As we are expressly told that (h° plan of redemption, by the death of the only and beloved Son of God, was determined from the beginning, we learn a very im])ort- aat lesson from this account of the origin of sacrifice. THE MEANING AND ORIGIN OF SACKIFICES. O which is applicable to the sacrifices of the heathens, as well as to those of the Jews. For the apostles, in their discourses recorded in the Acts, did not reprove the heathens for offering sacrifice, the rite which had been derived from the common parents of all mankind, but for oiFering sacrifice to men of like passions with themselves, or idols, " vanities," " gold, silver, and stone, graven by art and man's device," Acts xiv. 15; xvii. 29. The laying on of hands confessed sinfulness in the of- ferer, and desired that it might be transferred to the victim. The slaying of the animal that was sacrificed, gave an instance or example of that death which had been de- nounced as the consequence of man's disobedience. It exhibited an awful lesson of death which is the wages of sin, and at the same time represented that death which was actually to be undergone by the Redeemer of mankind. Hei'eby were shown at once the two great events in the history of man, the fall and the recovery — the death denounced against sin, and the death appointed for that Holy One, who was to lay down his life to deliver man from the consequences of sin. Tluis the apjjoiTitment of the sacrifice of animals seems to have been a very significant RITE ; it contained in efi'ect all the main facts of religious knowledge. And to adopt this rite with sincere and pious feelings, implied a humble sense of the unworthiness c* the person who made the offering ; also a confession that the death, which was inflicted on the victim, was deserveci by the sin which had proceeded from man's transgression; and it also showed a full reliance upon the promises of deliverance made after the fall. Doubtless some particulars of the death or sacrifice of Christ, were made known from the time when the Re- deemer was promised. Gen. iii. 15; but, as this is not expressly stated in the Bible, it is sufficient for us to beheve, that the sacrifice of animals was enjoined as a mark, or proof, that tlie offerer believed in the promised redemption or way of salvation, although without having a precise knowledge how it was to be accomplished. We may now proceed to notice wliat is related as to the offering of Caiu and Abel, Gen. iv. — why Abel's ofieriog b2 6 CH. I. — THE THREE DISPENSATIONS. was accepted, and Cain's rejected. Abel, firmly relying on the promise of God, and obeying the Divine command, sacriticed some of his lambs or kids, which he had been taught was a kite that expressed his faith in a promised Saviour. Cain, either cared not for this gracious promise, or was unwilling to adopt the method appointed for show- ing his belief of it. Probably he thought himself very wise, and that this method of worship was not necessary. He might think that he did enough, if he just acknow- ledged that there was some Almighty Being, and showed gratitude to him, by presenting some of those fruits and good things which were the products of God's bounty as the Creator. Thus Cain gave the first instance of that proud and presumptuous spirit, which has been so very common ever since. Men reject the word of God, and the truths revealed therein, because they do not, by their own wisdom, see why these things are right. It will be well for the reader to bear in mind, that not to believe what the Bible tells us about Christ, and the way of salvation through him alone, is in fact the very same in principle as Cain's refusal to offer animals in sacrifice. It is right to thank God for the daily mercies we receive. It is our duty and our privilege to bless God for our creation, pre- servation, and all the blessings of this life ; but above all for his inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And when we think that general thank- THE MEANING AND OR .GIN OF SACRIFICES. i fiilness is enough, or that our good actions are such as will procure for us forgiveness of our bad actions, we are very like Cain, when he thought that the fruits he had raised were a sufficient sacrifice and offering to God. All who act thus must expect to be rebuked like Cain, and if they refuse to attend to God's word, and will not have recourse to the appointed sacrifice, the Lamb of God, in the manner directed under the Christian dispensation, they will be re- jected as Cain was. Here the accoimt of the meaning and of the origin of sacrifices may be closed. It is a most important subject; for all religious worship is, and ever has been founded on that great truth which is pointed out by it. These par- ticulars were necessary to show the reason for the religious observances described in the following pages, the details of which may both interest and instruct the reader. on. U. — BACBiriCES UKDEI THB IBRAM S tiACRlKICE CHAPTER 11. SACRIFICES UNDER THE PATRIARCHAL DISPENSA- TION — PLACES FOR SACRIFICES, The sacrifices mentioned under the patriarchal dispensa- tion are, the whole burnt-offering, the thank-offering, and the sacrifice by which covenants were confirmed. An instance of one of each of these will be found, on referring to Gen. viii. 20 j xxxi. 54; xv. 9 — 17. By the account respecting the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, the latter being accepted while the former was rejected, we must infer that laws or rules had been given res})ecting such sacrifices, the want of the due observance of which caused the offering of Cain to be refused. But we have few oi PATRIARCHAL DISPENSA f ION. 9 no particulars of the ceremonies with which these sacri- fices were offered. For the burnt-offering, the patriarchs raised an aUar, or heap of stones or earth, on which wood was piled. Gen. xxii. 9. The animal being killed, pro- bably its skin was taken off, the carcase laid upon the wood, and a fire kindled, by which the animal was con- sumed. Or the animal, if a lamb, may have been bound, laid upon the wood, and then killed. In the thank-offer- ing, a part only of the offering would be consumed, the rest was eaten by those present, as when Jacob and Laban covenanted together and were reconciled, Gen. xxxi. We read in the margin of ver. 54, that they killed beasts and ate bread together ; thus their meal doubtless was a feast ujjon a sacrifice. The heap of stones then raised to com- memorate the event might serve as an altar. The offering upon the confirmation of a covenant is described more fully in Gen. xv. A heifer and a ram were divided, and the ])ieces laid apart, but opposite to each other. A similar sacrifice is mentioned Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19. In this case, the parties who covenanted, or agreed together, passed between the pieces of the sacrifice. By this ceremony was denoted, that if either broke the covenant, they might expect in like manner to be cut asunder by Divine justice. Such a])pears to have been the view taken by the Jews, and by the heathens among whom this sort of sacrifice was common. And in the account of Abraham's sacrifice, we find that a " smoking furnace and a lamp of fire" passed, between the divided carcases, as a testimony that the Lord accepted the sacrifice, and confirmed the covenant. It is very ))robable that, in this instance and in some others, the offerings were consumed by fire from heaven, as a token that they were accepted ; though that such was not usually the case appears from Abraham's carrying fire with him, when preparing to sacrifice his son. In the offering described Gen. xv. each sort of animal is mentioned that was aftervvards directed, by the law of Moses, to be used in sacrifices. The distinction between clean and unclean beasts be- fore the flood, see Gen. vii. 2, has been noticed as a proof that a revelation had been made respecting an appointed 10 CH. II. — SACRIFICES UNDER THB public worship, which is confirmed by the account of Noah sacrificing immediately after the flood, without any uch direction : see G°n. viii. 20. The statement that Abra- ham kept the charge, commandments, statutes, and laws of the Lord, Gen. xxvi. 5, may also have reference to this subject, as the word rendered " statutes," afterwards is applied to the rules, decrees, and ordinances about God's worship. Although we have iu)t a |)articular account of any ceremonies with which the ])atriarchs accompanied these offerings, it is very plain that they were seasons for prayer and thanksgiving. And if, as already noticed, there is reason to believe that the patriarchs had some idea of the nature of the Great Atonement prefigured by these actions, we cannot doubt but that they called upon the name of the Lord with a livelj' faitii, upon these occa- sions, looking for the promised Saviour, and for the better countrj^ the heavenly inheritance God had j)repared for thera. A very minute and particular account is given in Levi- ticus, of the rites and ceremonies with which the sacrifices were offered under the second or Mosaic dispensation. These will be noticed when we describe the tabernacle and temple services ; hitherto we have spoken of the na- ture and design of the sacrifices. We have seen that they distinctly had reference to the promised Saviour, and thus the first two dispensations had the very same object in view as the third j all true religion has been the very same, in its object and leading princi])les, from the time when our first parents were sent out from Eden, to the present day. It is necessary to state this great truth clearU', that we may not suppose there has been any change in true religion. In fact, there cannot have been any such thing as a n£W true religion. The promise directly after the fall, declared the Messiah, who was to destroy the power of Satan, Gen. iii. 15. Tlie Lord Jesus Christ was the Saviour promised from the beginning ; he is expressly called, " The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8; 1 Pet. i. 19, 20. Believers were chosen in him before the foundation of the world, Eph. i. 4. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION. u 12 CH. II. — SACRIFICES UNDER THE ever, Heb. xiii. 8 ; the First and the Last, Rev. i. 17- The heathen used to choose new gods for themselves, and they do so at the present day ; but the patriarch, the ancient Jew, and tlie Christian of every age, have had but one common religion, although, as to rites and ceremonies, they have been permitted, and even directed, to differ from each other. Thus the bloody sacrifices, that is, offerings in which there was the shedding of blood, were made as acknow- ledgments of guilt ; and presented evidence of belief in the pardon of sin, through a great Atonement or Sacrifice, of which these were emblems or types. Among the Is- raelites, only what were called clean beasts or birds were offered : among the heathen, other animals were also sa- crificed, even those which the Israelites were especially directed to consider as abominations, and as defiling what- ever they touched. The bloodless sacrifices, or meat-offerings, were solely from the fruits of the earth. Here it will be well to remark, that the word " meat," as used in our English Bi- bles, almost always means food in general, or any thing that is to be eaten, not as we now usually imderstand it, only animal food or flesh-meat. This should be clearly explained to young Bible readers, as they often are puzzled by it ; and some children have even thought it wrong to say what is called " the graces before and after meat," when they had not any flesh-meat for dinner. These meat- offerings were sometimes wholly consumed upon the altar, and then they were also reckoned as burnt-offerings. Drink-offerings were of wine, and only used with other sacrifices, part being poured over the victim or any other substance which was offered. Those offerings which were not wholly burned, are to be considered as expressing thankfulness to God for mercies, rather than as representing or typifying the Saviour, the great sin-offering for the sins of the world ; and further details respecting them need not be entered into in this place. Thus the sacrifices, instituted from the fall of man, were intended continually to represent the Saviour as the Great PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION. 13 Atonement for sin, and the way of salvation, bef( re he came upon eartli. Since his death the sacrifices have been done auay, as is clearly stated in the epistle to the Hebrews. The record of Christ, given in the New Tes- tament, is so full and clear, that we do not need to have emblematical rejiresentations continually presented now, to remind us of his sufferings, their design, and of what they have accomplished. The spiritual sacrifice of prayers and praises, are what we are directed to offer under the Christian dispensation. But it would be wrong to sup- pose that this SPIRITUAL worship was less necessary, or less in use, under the patriarchal and Mosaic dispen- sations, than it is now. Thus the sacrifices offered by the friends of Job, were to be accompanied by the prayers of the patriarch for them, Job xlii. 8 — 10. Divine wor- ship always has been the same in these respects, prayer for mercies needed, praise for mercies received; while, under the first two dis|)ensations, there were also em- blematical representations to be seen of the sufferings of the Saviour; and under the present dispensation there are clear accounts read and heard of those sufferings. Herein then there is an identity, as to the method of wor- ship, as well as in the object of worship. As every action of our lives calls for prayer and praise, so there is no place in which this spiritual worship may not be offered up. The apostle desired that men should pray every where, 1 Tim. ii. 8. Solomon, even when dedi- cating the temple as a special house of prayer for Israel, spoke of their praying elsewhere. Malachi speaks of incense, as a figurative expression for prayer, being offer- ed in every place. Manasseh prayed in his dungeon, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 12; and Jeremiah also, Lam. iii. 55, 56; Jonah in the whale's belly ; the jienitent thief upon the cross ; Paul and the Syrian Christians en the sea shore. And as to praises, we find that Paul and Silas, at midnight, prayed and sang praises to God, not only in the inner prison, but with their feet fast in the stocks. Acts xvi. 24, 25. The example of Nehemiah must not be forgotten ; he prayed while waiting upon the king of Persia at dinner, and his prayer was heard and answered. c 14 CH. II. — SACRIFICES UNDER THB Many other instances might be found in the Bible, but tliese are enough, especially when we refer to the exam- ple of our blessed Lord himself, who, though he often went up to the temple, yet still more frequently — Culd mountains and the midnight air. Witnessed the fervour of his prayer. In the days of the patriarchs, places were especially set apart for public prayer and praise ; and we need not say there are such now. All heads of families, who are reaily in earnest about religion, will also assemble their children and servants everj'^ day, and, if practicable, both morning and evening, for family worship ; but these occasions do not render private prayer and praise less necessary. And as God is every where present, so no place can in itself be an unfit place to worship him. If any place is unfit, it is on account of what we are doing there, not from any other cause ; and we might often be kept from improper company if we took time to ask ourselves, " Can I pray there ?" Reader, depend upon it, whatever the place or company may be, where you feel that you cannot lift up vour heart in prayer to God, you ought not to be there. If people would put the simple question to themselves, when going to the theatre, or any other place of sinful PATRIAKCtlAL DISPENSATION. 15 amusement, " Can I pray tliere ?" under tlic Divine blessing it would keep many from the ways and entice- ments to sin, who are not yet so hardened as to mock at the Divine precepts and counsels. Remember the first verse of the first Psalm, "Blessed is the man that standeth not in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." The places for public worship in ancient times we shall notice in another chapter ; here we may say that, for pri- vate regular praj er, it is very desirable to have a place where we can pray undisturbed. Thus our Lord coun- sels to enter into a closet or private room, to shut the door, and there to pray. Matt. vi. 6 ; that the Christian may enjoy uninterru|)ted communion with his Father, and Re- deemer, and Sanctifier, presenting his wants, and pleading for pardon and needful mercies. Some persons often make excuses that they cannot find a suitable place for private prayer ; they may be told to " try," and assuredly they will find one. Nathanael seems to have found a place under a fig-tree, John i. 48. where no one could behold him but that Eye which sees all things. As to those who live in crowded cities, tlie story of the little boy, which the late Rev. L. Richmond used to tell in a pleasing maimer, may give a useful hint. The boy was only nine yean old, one of a large poor family. The reading of the 16 CH. II. — SACRIFICES UNDER THE tract, called " The Negro Servant," had been made the means of teaching him to pray, as he said, "for God'f Holy Spirit, and the pardon of his sins." He had learned to leave off swearing and other sinful ways, and prayed constantly. A gentleman asked, " How often do you pray ?" He said, "At morning and night, and sometimes in the middle of the day." " How many rooms has your family to live in ?" "One, sir." "How then can you pray in the middle of the day ?" " I sometimes pray in the closet, and sometimes in the coal-hole ;" was his simple reply. Yes, reader, God will hear the prayer, offered in faith through a crucified Saviour, though offered up from a coal-hole, as the poor martyrs, Philpot and others, ex- perienced in Queen Mary's days, when they were con- lined in Bishop Bonner's coal-house, with their feet fast in the stocks. There Philpot wrote some of the beautiful letters ])rinted in the " British Reformers." He says the day served them but little in that dark closet, yet he thanks the Lord that he was not alone, but had six faithful companions, who, with him, in their darkness, cheerfully sang hymns and praises to God for his great goodness. In another ])lace, he says, "Though my lord's coal-house is very black, yet it is more to be desired by the faithful, than the queen's palace." And he mentions being car- ried back " to my lord's coal-house again, where I, with my five fellows, do rouse together in the straw as cheer- fully, we thank God, as others do in their beds of down." Here may be added the story of a little boy, related by the Rev. S. Kilpin. One night he awoke about one o'clock, and said, " Mother, O mother, I forgot to say my ])rayers; what shall I do?" "Lie still, my dear, and say them in bed : it is quite dark." "What ! say prayers in bed ; that is lazy work." Out he sprang on the door, and prayed. As to places for prayer in ancient times, Daniel (vi. 10) prayed in his chamber, having the windows open towards Jerusalem. In Acts i. 13, 14, we read that the disciples, after our Lord's ascension, resorted to an upper room, where they continued in prayer and supplication. We read that Peter ])rayed on the house top. Acts x. 9. There were buikhngs for prayer, which will be mentioned PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION. 1? hereafter. It is clearly shown in the Bible, that, from PETER PHAYl.NG ON THE HOUSE TOP. the beginning, ))laces have been appropriated or set apart for solemn public as well as jnivate prayer and other wor- ship. The patriarchs, after the flood, placed altars for offerings upon mountains and in groves, and worshipped by their altars; and we may conclude that the same was done by those who lived before the flood. Noah built an altar to the Lord. Abraham built altars wherever he pitched his tent for any length of time. Gen. xii. 8 ; xiii. 4. He planted a grove in Beersheba, and there called upon the name of the Lord. From the manner in which the offering of Isaac was directed, Gen. xxii. 2, we may con- clude, that then, as afterwards, mountains were sometimes resorted to for worship. Jacob called a place by the name of Bethel, or God's house, where he vo\.'ed to give to the Lord the tenth of the substance he might acquire. Gen. xxviii. 22; and we find afterwards, when he had forgotten or neglected to do as he vowed, the Lord reminded him of his engagement, and directed him to go to Bethel, to dwell there, and to make an altar there. These places were in reality similar to the houses of God, as the build- ings for Divine worship, under the other dispensations. Lave been called. 18 CH. II. — SACRIFICES UNDER THE It is evident, that the seolusion of a mountain or a grove is favourable for calling off the thoughts from the world and '.vorldly objects, «liich is so necessary when man com- munes ^^ ith his Maker ; but the depraved heart of man, under the influence of Satan, continually perverts for evil that which has originally been directed for good. Even the idolatrous and heathen sacrifices were founded upon the great principle for religious worship, impressed on the mind of man, " that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us," Acts xvii. 27 ; but wicked and abominable ceremonies were connected with many of these rites, and the concealment afforded by a thick grove was favourable for the proceedings of those who changed the truth of God into a lie. We therefore find, that in the second dispensation, when God appointed a house or build- ing for the ceremonial worship he then instituted, it was to be in the most public, open, and crowded place of resort. From that time the groves were strictly forbidden to be used as places for religious worship, and the Israelites were ordered to destroy them, Exod. xxxiv. 13; Deut. xii. 3. It has been said, that God would have no groves or thickets about his altar, that there might be no room for suspicion that any thing improper was transacted there. Every part of the Divine worship was publicly performed. And repeatedly, when mention is made of idolatrous prac- tices, or the removal of idolatrous abominations, we find they were connected with groves. Thus, Gideon cut down a grove that was by the altar of Baal, Judg. vi. 25. He- zekiah and Josiah also cut down the groves, and Ahab's making a grove is connected with his doing more to pro- voke the Lord God, than all the kings of Israel that were before him. There are many other ))assages, both in the history of the kings and in the prophets, which speak of the groves. In some places, the word may mean the images of some of the false gods or goddesses ; but as these were usuallj' worshipped in groves, the distinction need not be gone into. We learn from hence how ex- pressly the Israelites were commanded to avoid whatevei had become an occasion of evil, although at first it might have been connected with what was good. PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION. 19 We find, from many accounts in ancient writers, that the heathen tempi.es were often surrounded by these thick groves. At Daphne, near to Antioch, in Syria, was a magnificent temple in honour of Apollo, doubtless origin- ally connected with the worship of the serpent, which became the resort of so many votaries and pilgrims, that a populous town was built in the immediate neighbour- hood, and public games were celebrated. The temple and the adjacent buildings were envelo])ed in a wood of laurels and cypresses, which formed a thick ever-verdant grove, impenetrable to the rays of the sun, and covering an ex- tent of ten miles in circumference. It became the seat of sensual pleasure, and all who desired to be esteemed as lovers of virtue avoided the temptations presented be- neath its shades. But Christianity was planted at Antioch; the Divine blessing attended the labours of the apostles and their successors. The resort to this shrine, once con- sidered as among the most elegant places of pagan devo- tion, gradually fell oif; and when the emperor Julian resorted thither, eager to enjoy the pomp of demon wor- ship, he found no hecatombs of oxen, sacrificed by a wealthy and zealous heathen people, as in former times, but a single goose was the only victim, provided at the cost of a solitary priest, who starved in this deserted fane. Herodotus describes the temple of Mercury, at Bubastis, in Egypt, as surrounded by a grove of large trees, the tops "reaching up to heaven." The Jewish altars, under the second dispensation, some- times were set up on hills and high places, but these were altars erected to the Lord in other spots than thiit espe- cially appointed for the tabernacle and temple. We find Elijah, in 1 Kings xviii. 30, repairing the altar of the Lord In Mount Carmel, when he had that memorable trial with the priests of Baal, which clearly showed the Israelites the difference between an idol and the most high God. This altar, it is sujiposed, had been erected in the time of the Judges ; and it is remarkable, that two Roman historians mention that Vespasian, the Roman emperor, went to an altar on Mount Carmel, venerable for its antiquity, where there was neithe" temple nor statue. At that time the altar 20 CH. II.--SACRIFICES UNDER THE was used by a heathen priest; but it probably was on the same spot as the one repaired by Elijah ; perhaps the same j)ile of stones ; and the remembrance of the won- drous manifestation made at that time, had prevented the erection of an idol near it. It was unlawful to offer sacrifices in high places, after God fixed upon a place for his worship. Dent. xii. 2 — 15; and the persisting in so doing is mentioned among the sins of the people, 2 Kings xv. 35 ; though, before that time, there are repeated instances of the prophets and other good men offering sacrifice in high places and else- where. Thus Saul found Samuel in the high place of the city where he dwelt, and the tabernacle itself was re- moved to the high place which was in Gibeon, 1 Chron. xxi. 29. It is ex|)lained, however, that David's offering sacrifice at the threshing-floor of Oman, was in conse- quence of the pressure of the danger not allowing him to repair to Gibeon ; and also because the Lord answered him there, and ex))ressly commanded him to erect an altai in that jjlace, 1 Chron. xxi. 18, 28 — 30. The sacrifice of Elijah at Carmel is sufliiciently accounted for from the pressing circumstances of the case. After the temjde had been erected, we find repeated instances of the kings and people, both of Israel and Judah, engaging in idolatrous worship, for which (1 Kings xiv. 23) they built high places ; these probably were lofty buildings, supposed to be of a similar character to that represented in the en- graving, rather than buildings upon eminences, though PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION. 21 we read, 2 Chron. xxi. 11, of Jehoram making high places in the mountains of Jiulah. This pyramid is a represent- ation of a high place at Tanjore. in the East Indies. The desire of being nearer to heaven, while engaged in wor- ship, seems to have led to the erection of the high places, whether only lofty buildings, or places on eminences, or both. It has been stated, that the law given by Moses, for- bade the ofiering sacrifices in any other places but the temple. Aiul, in the history of Asa, his allowing the high jdaces to remain is blamed, though there is no reason to suppose he sanctioned idolatry. But there was no law against the use of liigh places for prayer and S])iritual worship, as we shall see when noticing the pro- seuchas of the Jews. Again let it be observed, that before the temple was erected, and the place the Lord should choose, Josh. ix. 27, finally pointed out, there are many instances of sacrifices oeing offered and accepted in other places besides the tabernacle : thus Gideon and Manoah, Judg. vi. and xiii. ; and Samuel went to Bethlehem to sacrifice, when be anointed David, 22 CH. 11. — SACRIFICES. 1 Sam. xvi. 5. But when Jeroboam revolted from Re- hoboam, and began rites of worship which soon became whoUj' idolatrous, if they were not so at the very first, we find that he made a house of high places, 1 Kings xii. 31, and his doing so is blamed. The temple had then been built. Here may be mentioned that the stupendous pile, called Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, is thought to have been one of these " high places," where lofty piles of stones were erected for the jjurposes of sacrifice. Such erections, doubtless, have been in use from the days of the patri- archs. The altar erected by Moses under Mount Sinai, with the twelve jiillars, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, Exod. xxiv. 4, would be like one of the erections which are called cromlechs, or stone circles, bj antiquarians, as to general resemblance, but the purposes for which it was designed were very different. That altar was for burnt-offerings to the Lord Jehovah, and may be considered as uniting the patriarchal sacrifices with those of the second dispensation just then about to be esta- blished, and the pillars were in remembrance of the twelve tribes ; but there is no doubt that the cromlechs were de- dicated to the worship of Basil, or of the serpent, which, in fact, was the worship of Satan ! CH. III. — THE JEWISH NATION. 23 CHAPTER III. THE JEWISH NATION — ITS RITUAL AND AVORSHIP. The state of the world at the close of the patriarchal dis- pensation had become very awful. Idolatry prevailed in almost every part, and among every people, excepting the family of Abraham. The Egyptians were the wisest and most celebrated nation, the Assyrians the first powerful empire, the Canaanites the most warlike nation, and the Phenicians more engaged in commerce and foreign trade than any other people ; but all these were corrupted by absurd and impious idolatries. In mercy to mankind, God at this period selected the family of Abraham, and caused it to multiply into a nation, among whom the worship of the true God should be preserved, whose history should exhibit an example of the Divine Providence continually superintending their conduct, and through whom the blessed tidings of the promised Saviour should be made known to all the earth. For this people, so chosen, a code of laws was prepared, which in every part had reference to the only and true God, who made himself known to them as Jehovah ; a name signifying self-existence, eternity, and almighty power. When these laws were delivered to the nation, they began with a declaration to this effect; and in every part of these laws there are continual directions as to the worship to be rendered to Jehovah as their God. As the Hebrew government was arranged upon the system that the Lord was their King, therefore their desire for a man to be set over them, like other nations, is expressly said to be re- jecting the Lord from reigning over them, 1 Sam. viii. 7- This form of national government is called a Theocracy, a name which implies the continual and manifest inter- positions of Divine Providence. The tabernacle first, and afterwards the temple, were emblematical parts of this peculiar system. That build- ing was not to be deemed a dwelling-place for an earthly 24 CH. III. — THE JEWISH NATION — monarch, but as a royal mansion, erected for their God and King, in which he was considered to take up his abode, as a supreme and ahnighty Governor among his subjects. To this jdace the people might always have recourse, to receive his commands, to offer their petitions, and to learn his will, while peculiar manifestations of his august presence were visibly made there. The sanctuary was, in consequence, splendidly furnished, and a numer- ous retinue of servants and ministers were always in attendance. Hence many of the peculiar rites and ceremonies under the Jewish dispensation, and the ex- press directions that the ritual worship of the Jewish church should be offered no where but at the holy place. We must not, however, for a moment supjjose, that the High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth all space, dwelt really, or, as it is expressed, bodily, in this habitation. It is true, He there gave a more visible manifestation of His presence tlian is now exhibited on earth. In the tabernacle and the temj)le, a part of the sacred building was partitioned off. In this inner ])lace was seen a bright shining cloud, which the Jews called the sheki- nah, the symbol of the Divine presence. It appeared as if resting between two figures, or angelic representations, called cherubim, upon an ark or chest, called the mercy- seat, Exod. xl. 34 — 38, and 2 Chron. vii. 1, 2, and at times it filled all the sanctuary. These holy places and their furniture, were figurative representations of heaven, of Christ, and of the worship of the church; and the believ- ing Israelites were thus reminded continually of the pe- culiar dispensation under which they lived, having the presence of their Lord and God among them, in a sym- bolical representation, in a manner very different from what was the case with any other nation. Some writers, indeed, have said, that many jnirts of the Jewish rites and ceremonies, and even the form of the tabernacle, were co])ied from similar things among the Egyptians ; but Witsius has fully shown, that not the least reliance can be placed on any statements of this kind ; and that the Jewish ritual, with all its ceremonies, and, restraints as to food, was very strongly contrasted to the gross inventions ITS lUIUAL AND WORSH P. 25 26 CH. III. — THE JEWISH NATION — of idolatry. It more opposed heathenism, and marked the pecuUar state of the Jewish people more decidedly, than the simple and purely spiritual worship, which we shall hereafter see was also taught them, would alone have done. Thus Josejihus says, that all their actions and studies, and all their words, according to the law of Moses, taught the Jews religious or pious feelings towards God ; for He had left nothing of this nature undeter- mined. It is impossible here to go at any great length into this subject ; and the English reader may refer to Lowman and Dean Graves ; they say quite enough to silence the cavils of those who think that the Jewish ritual, so expressly directed by the holy Lord God, could in any resjject be derived from the vile human inventions of idolatry, which, in fact, in many instances, were bad imitations of some parts of the patriarchal and Mosaic institutions. But the annexed representation of an Egyptian temple, when compared with the delineations of the Jewish tabernacle, sufficiently shows that they pos- sessed little or nothing in common. Surely it is far more probable, that the Egyptians should derive a part of their rites from patriarchal traditions, or from the influence and services of Joseph and his brethren, during the time of their power and popular favour, than to suppose that the Isi'aelites followed the rites of a nation, whose chief deity was an ox, and their inferior ones, cats and onions ! Here then we arrive at the conclusion, that the Jewish WORSHIP was two-fold. 1. There was a ritual worship, in which they recog- nised God's peculiar dealings with them as a nation, and by a number of rites and ceremonies, testified their sense of his favours ; while these rites continually pointed the attention of the worshipper to the promises of that great Saviour who should come among them at the appointed time. This was the tabernacle or temple worship, with the sacrifices and offerings; and every ceremony con- nected therewith gave some useful instruction, or would help to guard against idolatry, while it prepared for the more perfect and spiritual state of religion under the Messiah. ITS RITUAL AND WOKSHIP. 27 AH EGYPT (AN TEMPLE. 28 CH. IV. — THE TABERNACLE, AND 2. There was a personal, family, and congregational spiritual worship, m which the believer, both in private and public, ottered ])rayer and praise. The synagogue worship belonged to this class ; and it resembled the wor- ship of the Christian dispensation, which spiritual worship has continued, while the temple worship, with its cere» monies and otFerings, have been done away by the coming of Christ; that is, by the fulfilment, or coming to pass of the events which those ceremonies represented or sliadowed forth. Jesus, where'er thy people meet. There they behuld tliy mercy-seat; Where'er they seek thee, thuu art found. And every place is hallow'd ground. CHAPTER IV. THE TABERNACLE, AND THE ARTICLES THEREIN. The tabernacle was the only place where the public ritual of Jewish national worship was to be celebrated. The directions how it was to be constructed were given by the Lord to IMoses, Exod. xxvi. This place is mentioned under different names in the Old Testament. It is called a tent, a habitation, a sanctuary, a house, the dwelling- place of Jehovah's glory, Jehovah's tent, and the tent of the congregation, and sometimes the palace, although these names are not always jjreserved distinctly in our English version. There was another tabernacle erected a short time before, see Exod. xxxiii. "J , called the taber- nacle of the congregation, probaljly a large tent, where Moses transacted ])ublic business. Some have supposed that was the tent where Moses and his family dwelt, but more jirobably it was erected for public jjiu'poses ; and as no particulars are given respecting this erection, it is un- necessary to waste time in conjectures about it. The engraving shows the appearance of the taijer- NACLE, as it may roperlj be called, which it will be THE ARTICLES THEREIN. 29 D 2 30 CH, IV. — THE TABERNACLE, AND seen was a moveable place of worship, that coultl be taken to pieces, and carried from place to place. The reader will find an account of the tabernacle, and the articles it contained, in Exodus xx. to xxx. and xxxvi. to xl., from whence the following particulars are taken. It is best to make this general reference once for all, and to recommend the younger reader es})ecially, to look in the Bible for the accounts of the various articles, as they may easily be found in those chapters. The outer enclosure was the court of the tabernacle, about 150 feet long and "tb broad. This was surrounded on all sides with linen curtains, hanging from siher rods, which extended from one column to another. On the east and west sides were ten columns, and twenty on the north, and as many on the south. These columns were of shittim wood, a sort of acacia ; some think it was cedar. Each post was fixed in a socket, or large piece of brass. Near the top of the columns silver hooks were fixed, on which the curtain rods rested. The entrance was on the east. A curtain, or piece of tapestry, richly wrought \vith blue, ]iurple, and scarlet, hung on the four middle columns of that side, which was drawn up, and thus left three en- trances adjoining each other. The tabernacle or tent was placed about the middle of the western side of the court. It was an oblong square, about 54 feet long from west to east, and 18 from north to south. The walls or sides were formed of 48 wooden planks of shittim wood, each rather more than two feet and a half broad, and 18 feet long. Twenty of these boards formed the north side, as many were used for the south, and six on the west, an additional board being placed at each western corner. The plunks were covered with plates of gold, their ends were fixed by mortices and tenons, in blocks of silver, weighing about one hundred pounds weight, two to each board ; bars covered with gold extended along each side, to imite the whole firmly to- gether. The eastern end was left for the entrance, and was closed by a curtain of worked linen cloth, hanging from silver rods, which rested upon five colunms covered with gold. The roof, some think, was a frame of wood THE ARTICLES THEREIN. 31 resting upon the upright planks, and over these were four coverings of different materials made up in several curtains, joined together by loops and couplings. Otliers consider that the coverings formed the only roofing. The under- most was of fine twined linen ; it hung down to ahout two feet from the earth, and had figures of the cherubim wrought upon it with blue, purjde, and scarlet. The next covering was of goats' hair, woven into a sort of cloth; the third was a covering of rams' skins dyed -red; the fourth of what is called in our translation badgers' skins; but what animal is meant is not certain. The three outer coverings reached to the ground. The tabernacle was divided into two unequal parts ; the first occupied about two-thirds of the length, or nearly 35 feet. This was called the Holy Place, or the First Tabernacle, Heb. ix. 2. The inner a])artment was only half the length; it was separated from the outer by a wrought curtain or veil, aiul was called the Most Holy Place. The height of each apartment w \s the length of the planks, or 18 feet. 32 CH. V. — THB FURNITURE AND CHAPTER V, THE FURNITURE AND UTENSILS OF THE TABERNACLE. About the middle of the outer court was the altar for burnt-offerings. It was a sort of coffer or chest, made of shittim wood, nearly five feet and a half in height, and nine feet in length and breadth. It rested on four short feet of brass, which were hollow, and through which the blood of the victim flowed out. The sides were covered with brass, and the inner space, it is supposed, was filled with earth, on which the lire was kindled upon a grate of brass; see Exod. xxxviii. 1 — /• The four corners of the altar projected upwards, so as to resemble horns, 1 Kings ii. 2S ; Psa. cxviii. 2/. To these the victims were bound; and criminals, as in the cases of Joab and Adonijah, caught hold of them, (see engraving on page 34.) Tliese horns, however, were not considered as protecting a hein- ous criminal. But, as Mather says, " He that flies to Christ, and hangs upon him, whose power was typified by these horns, shall never be plucked thence." At the four corners were rings, through which were put the poles used for cirrying the altar. On the south side was aa ascent to the altar. Lev. ix. 22, made of earth heaped up. There were various articles for the use of the altar, as pots or urns to take away the ashes, shovels, basins, flesh- hooks and fire-pans ; all these were made of brass ; see Exod. xxxviii, 1 — 7- The fire upon this altar was miracu- lously kindled, and was kept perpetually burning. Lev. ix. 24 ; vi. 12, \3. This fire is considered to have been em- blematical of the wrath of God against sin, Heb. xii. 29 ; Isa. xxxiii. 14. The Spirit of God also is compared to fire, Matt. iii. 11; Isa. iv. 4; and his influences are a sacred fire that never goes out. The Divine word and ordinances also are likened to fire, Jer. xxiii. 29 ; and we read of fiery trials and afflictions, 1 Pet. iv. 12. Between the altar and the tabernacle was placed a laver, or large basin, with an ornamented stand or foot, in which the priests washed their hands and feet, when about UTENSILS OF THE TABERNACLB. 33 to perform their duties. It was made of brass, of the looking-glasses of the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle, Exod. xxxviii. 8. This description has puzzled many modern readers ; but it means that the lavei was formed of the brazen mirrors used by the women. At that time glass was not in use, and it would not be suitable for making such a large basin. Anil in ancient times the women had small plates, or flat pieces of metal, verj' highly polished, which showed the face nearly as well as our pre- sent looking-glasses. These they usually carried about with them. The Greek version adds, that the women here mentioned were fasting at the doors of the tabernacle on the day when it was first set up. We may remark hence, that in all ages of the church there have been some persons constant in their attendance u])on Divine ordinances, and willing to part even with lawful things for Christ's sake. Is not this true of very many females in our country at the ])resent day, who are found activeU' employed in every good work, for the spread of the gospel, and for the temporal benefit of their fellow creatures ? The tabernacle had no windows, but there was a large candlestick or candelabra, re|)resented in the view of the interior of the tabernacle, page 29, the main pillar of which was five feet high, according to Jewish writers. It had six branches ; and at the end of each, and at the top of the main stem, was a lamp. All the seven lights were kept constantly burning in the night; but, according to Josephus, only three in the daytime ; and, from Exod. XXX. 8, it appears that a part, if not the whole, were lighted in the evening. In the morning, a priest jjut the lamps in order, with the gold snutfers made for that ]iur- pose, and removed the snutf and dregs in a golden vessel. He then filled the lamps with the ]jurest olive oil, such as ran easily from the fruit when bruised, without being pressed. The candlestick, with the articles belonging to it, weighed a talent, or 125 pounds, and was made of pure gold, very beautifully wrought with buds and flowers, and various ornaments. in the holy place, also was a table of shittim wood, 34 CH. V. THE FURNITURE AND about three feet and a half in length, 20 inches broad, and 30 in height, covered with plates of gold, and orna- mented with a border of wrought gold. There was an ornamented cornice or border round about, to keep the frame-work steady ; also golden rings for the staves to ,^(,,j:'fiiS^^^^^^ carry it. Upon this table were j)lace(l twelve unleavened loaves, each containing about ten pints of fine flour, which were changed for fresh loaves every week. These loaves, called the shewbread, were arranged in two piles. UTENSILS OP THE TABERNACLE. 35 sprinkled with frankincense and salt. The name given in the original, literally means " bread of the face," be- cause it was placed before the face or presence of Je- hovah. Also, it is called, the bread arranged in order, and the perpetual bread ; see Lev. xxiv. 6, 7 j 1 Cliron. xxiii. 29. Wine was placed upon the table in bowls or cups, called vials ; and there were dishes, and spoons, and covers, all of gold. A small altar for incense was placed near the veil which divided the apartments. This was made of shittim wood, 21 inches in length and breadth, and three feet and a half in height. It was ornamented and plated with gold ; hence it was called the golden altar, to distinguish it from the brazen altar in the outer court. It had an ornamented border, and rings for the staves by which it was carried. On this altar incense was burned every morning and even- ing. The incense was a compound o'^ drugs, mentioned Exod. XXX. 34 — 38, and when burned, made a sweet per- fume. No other perfume might be nsed in the sanctuary, nor was this composition to be used for any common pur- poses. The incense was typical of Clu-ist's intercession, and of prayer : thus the golden altar was a tyjjc of Christ in regard to his intercession, see Rev. viii. 3 ; as the altar of burnt-offering was a ty])e of Christ in regard to the other part of his priestly office, his oblation or satisfaction. The inner apartment, called the Holy of Holies, did not contain many articles. There was dei)osited the ark of the covenant, a chest of shittim wood, rather more than 30 inches in breadth, the same in depth, and three feet and a half in length. It was covered with the purest gold, with an ornamented border on the top ; on each side were two gold rings for the staves by which it was carried, and which remained in tliem. The ends of these staves were drawn out so far as to touch the veil which separated the apartments. The lid of the ark was of pure gold, ornamented with two figures of cherubim, so placed that their faces turned towards each other, and leaned downward towards the ark. Their form cannot now be ascertained, but it is supposed to have been something like the representation on the next page. The wings 36 CH. V. — Tllli; fURNITUKiS AND h'ere spread to form a sort of seat, hence the lid xvas called the mercy-seat, and mijjht be considered as a throne, on which the Sliekinah, or Divine presence, rested, while the SM^^SlzK^"^3:kS ark Itself formed, as it were, the footstool. There was notliing in the ark but the tables of stone on which the ten commandments were graven. By the ark stood a vase of gold, which contained some manna, also the rod of Aaron wliich budded, (see it on page 39,) and a copy of the books of Moses containing the law. Or, the manna and the rod may have been in the ark when placed by Moses in the tabernacle ; but these articles do not ajjpear to have been therein when it was placed in the temple. Perhaps they had been taken away while the ark was in the hands of the Philistines, or at some other period during the times of confusion and disorder recorded in the books of Judges aiid 1 Samuel. Either of these views e.\j)lams the apparent difference between Heb. ix. 4, and '2 Chron. v. 10. UTENSILS OF THE TABERNACLE. 37 Thus the tabernacle gave the idea of a noble residence, and the various articles in it may be considered as the re- quisite articles of furniture ; and the whole was intended to convey to the nation the idea of their Ruler residing continually among them. But these were only the ex- auijjles and shadows of heavenly things, and the sight of them profited not, unless the beholder looked beyond them, considering what they signified. They are expressly spoken of as being " tlie patterns of things in the heavens," Ileb. ix. 23 : each article has been considere,9 40 CH. V. — THE FURNITURE AND showed the reverence due to the holy things, and also that mysterious meanings were intended by.them. That dispensation was obscure and dark compared with the light of the gospel. When the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, the tabernacle was set up at Gilgal, where they first encamped. It remained there about seven years, and then was re- moved to Shiloh, a more central situation, a few miles north of Jerusalem. Here other tents and buildings were j)laced round the tabernacle, to lodge the priests, and to receive various articles connected with the services. Thus Eli's sons sent to the kitchen where the peace-offerings were boiled, 1 Sam. ii. 14, and this explains how Samuel and Eli laid down near the tabernacle ; also David's going into the house of God, or that part of it where the priests lived, and there obtaining the shew-bread which had been taken from the holy ])lace. Some time after the death of Eli, the tabernacle appears to have been fixed at Nol), and from thence was carried toGiheon; and it is to be remarked, that as Saul slew the priests of the Lord before the tabernacle at Nob, and ruined that place, so his sons were hanged up at Gibeon, whither the tabernacle had been removed, 1 Sam. xxii. 18, 19; 2 Sam. xxi. 9. There is no account of these re- movals, nor of what became of the tabernacle after the temple was built. The ark does not appear to have been replaced in it when restored by the Philistines. From 2 Sam. vi. 17, we learn, that another building was reared by David, to receive the ark when it was carried to Jeru- salem. Tlie following summary, from Brown, presents the typical meaning of the parts of the tabernacle and its furniture: — " The tabernacle and its furniture probably excited spiritual reflections in the minds of pious Israelites ; for the apostle tells us, that they were ' a shadow of good things to come.' The curtains around the court might teach them a holy reverence for Divine things. The altar of burnt-offering pointed to the perfection of the Messiah's sacrifice ; and the laver taught them the necessity of regeneration, and of daily ap))licatiou to that Fouutaiu, which was opened UTKNSrLS OF THE TABERNACLE. 41 in the house of David, and to the inliabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. The tabernacle in general, \vliere Jehovffli condescended to reside, was a tyjie of the bodv of the Messiah, in which, as in a tent, lie tabernacled while on earth. The silver sockets, which formed ti"^. foundation, miij;ht remind tjiein of those important doc- trines on which all evantjelical religion is founded ; and by being made of the half shekels which weve required of every male in Israel, they were calculated to show the ])er- sonal interest that each should take in religion and its worship. The outer covering of goats' hair might point out the unattractive ap|)earance of religion to the men ot the world ; the beautifid under-covering might indicate its glory as seen by the saints; the covering of rams' skins dyed red, might remind them of the efficacy of Messiah's blood, as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the temjjest ; while the covering of badgers' skins which (the Jewish traditions say) was blue, might point to the heavens, that true tabernacle which God had pitched, and not man. Nor was spiritual instruction less to be derived from entering the sacred tent. For, in tiie holy place, the table of shew-l)read was a constant acknowledgment of God, as the giver of every temporal blessing; the candle- stick, with the lamps, pointed to the seven-fold Spirit of God, whence all spiritual illumination ))roceeded ; and the altar of incense taught them the efficacy of prayer, when offered up from a ])ure heart, and perfumed ^vith the in- cense of the Messiah's merits. Nor were the instructions which were to be derived from the most holy ])lace, less important. For the veil which separated the two ajiart- ments, not only indicated the partition-wall which divided the Jews from the rest of the world, and was taken away by the death of Christ, but also that veil which still con- ceals from mortal view the place of God's peculiar resi- dence. The tables of the law were an instance of God's condescension to his chosen people ; the rod that budded was emblematical of the unrivalled honoin* and unfading glory of a greater than Aaron ; and the ))ot of mannn, de- posited in the ark, ty])ifie(l the hidden manna of which all the saints are ]iartakers, while trav dling through the 42 CH. VI. THE TEMPLE. wilderness of this world. Nor could they overlook the mercy-seat, as j)ointing out the Divine goodness to of- fending sinners ; and the cherubim of glory, whicii, by looking down to that propitiatory, represented the delight of the Trinity in this their work of mercy and love." "The types of old," says Lee, "were the shells; the typified matter, the sweet kernel within. So that as the fashion of the kernel is within, such is the external form of the shell without ; and accordingly we find it to have been so in the types." Observe, then, in reference to the ta- bernacle, that it was a type or figure of heaven itself; see Heb. ix. 24. Also of the person of the Messiah, and his dwelling among mankind in the flesh. He s|)oke of his body as a temple, John xi. 19, and many points of analogy or representation may be traced out. And further, the tabernacle ])refigured the church, that holy society and mystical body of Jesus Ciirist, which in Scripture is called the house and temple of the living God, in which he dwells and walks; and the tabernacle \>as divided into several partitions. The outward court might denote the visible church ; the holy place be an emblem of the church invisible ; and the holiest of all represent the church tri- umphant in glory. ITS COURTS. 43 CHAPTER VI. THE TEMPLE — ITS COURTS. There is an account of the origin of the temple in 2 Sam. vii. and 1 Chron. xvii. When David was seated on the throne of Israel, and enjoyed rest from his enemies, as well as the splendour of royalty, he was not unmindful of the Lord his God ; who, by the direct interference of his providence, had so often saved him from imj)ending de- struction, and had placed him in his exalted station. He had brought the ark, which was the symbol of Jehovah's presence, into the chief city of the land, and had placed it there in a building expressly erected for the ])urpose ; but this was a tabernacle or tent, and he reflected that he himself dwelled in a house of cedar, a splendid building, while the ark of God dwelled within curtains. David, therefore, purposed to build a magnificent house in which tlie ark might be placed ; but the Lord, by the projiliet Nathan, forbade his proceeding with this design, and di- rected that one of his sons, not then born, should build this house. In 1 Chron. xxviii. 3, David expressly declares, (see also 2 Sam. vii. 9,) that he was not allowed to build this house, because he had been a man of war and had .shed blood ; thus strongly did the Lord testify his disap- proval of warfare and bloodshed. This declaration is the more important, as during all David's life of warfare, he had acted either in self-defence, or in obedience to the Divine command, and for accomplishing the Lord's pur- ])oses concerning his people. Thus he was free from the guilt contracted by the conquerors and warriors, of whom we read in general history ; but still he was not permit- ted to have his name recorded as the builder of that glo- rious temple, which work was to be accomplished by one who was " a man of peace," and as such, a remarkable personal H.pe of the Messiah. David, however, was permitted to form plans for the temple, and to collect a vast quantity of materials for building it. All the particulars are related in the Bible, 44 CH. VI. — THE TEMPLE. in the second book of Samuel, the first book of Kings, and the books of Chronicles : from 1 Cliron. xxvi. 28, it is clear, that articles had been dedicated for this, or a similar purpose, by Samuel, and even by Saul, also by Abner and Joab. The present work may be useful in noticing how the Scri])ture accounts are connected, and ])erhaps in ex- plaining some i)assages, though to give a narrative, which might be put instead of the Scripture account, would be wrong, and merely to j)rint several chapters of the Bible here is unnecessary. But if the reader, whether old or young, has not lately read that psirt of the Bible witli at- tention, let him ))ut aside this book till he has read 2 Sam. vii. 1 Clu'on. xvii. 2 Sam. xxiv. 1 Chron. xxi. to 2 Chron. vi. and 1 Kings i. to viii. Two accounts are there given, each of which contains ])articu]ars that assist in ex[)laining the otlier, and when these chapters are read attentively, the reader will have a better idea of the whole ])roceed- ing than any written by an unins])ired pen could give. Townsend, in his " Arrangement of the Old Testan)ent," gives the whole account, as a connected narrative, in the words of Scripture. The letter of Scdomon to Hiram king of Tyre, 2 Chron. ii. 3 — 10, contains a summarv of his reast)ns for builduig tlie temple — that it was intended to facilitate the offering of the prescribed sacrifices, and to ])erpetuate tiie due performance of the Mosaic ritual. He expressly rejected the thought that such a ])lace could be a residence for Him, whom the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain. We may also refer to the ))rayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple, as containing tiie most ex- alted ideas of the Supreme Being, and as carefully doing away any supposition which might ])revail of Jeliovaii's dwelling in a house made with hands, however glorious, altliough he vouchsafed tokens of his immediate ])resence there in the midst of iiis ])eople. He was equal!}' ready to hear, "from heaven his dwelhng ])lace," the supplications piesented to him, whether from that house or fi'om a land of ca]itivity. Tiie temple stood upon Mount Moriah, a hard lime- stone rock, nearly surroiuuled by |nvci|)ices. on the ITS COURTS. 45 M. MOL'NI- MOBIAH. 46 CH. VI. THE TEMPLE. eastern side of Jerusalem. Tlie summit was levelled to make a sjiace sufficient to erect it, and as the extent even then was not large enough for the building and its courts, a terrace was raised from the valley beneath ; by constructing a wall, in some places several hundred feet high. Thus the temple and/."ts courts were ])laced on the brow of a terrific precipice. The engraving on page 45 gives some idea of the vast elevation at which the temple would be seen by those in the valley beneath ; and it re- presents the present ap])earance of Mount Moriah, with the Turkish mosque, which now occupies the site of the temple. But much of the valley has been filled up during the two thousand five hundred years which have elapsed since the building \\as first erected. Tlie attentive reader of Scri])ture cannot view even the picture of this remarkable site, without having his mind drawn to considerations similar to those suggested by Lighttbot. " This bank was once well stored witli bushes and brambles, Gen. x.vii. 13, and afterwards with worse briers and thorns, the Jebusites, who had it in possession till David purchased it for Divine use, and built the structure we have described. Here was then a ])()or tiu'eshing-floor of Oman, the Jebusite, but afterwards the habitation of the God of Jacob ; a ])lace and fabric as sumptuous and eminent as it was jiossible for man, and art, and cost to make it; the glory of tlie nation where it was, and tlie wonder of all the nations roimd about it ; but at last as great a wonder and nKnuunent of desolation and ruin, a& ever it had been of beauty and glorv." The ])articulars given in tlie Bible, and those related by Jewish writers, show that the ))lan of the temple was similar to that of the tabernacle, but it was considerably larger. Tiiere were also similar utensils and articles for the sacred services, but they were, in some instances, larger or more numerous. This superb edifice, as constructed by Solomon, consisted of the Holy Place, and a Holy of Holies, as in the tabernacle; the main building being about 110 feet long, 36 wide, and 5-J high. This ))ile was sun-onndcd on each side, except the entrance, bv thi'ee stories of small rooms, about eight feet square, which reached to about ITS couurs. 47 half tlie height of the body of the temple. The east end, or front, was a magnificent j)ortico, vvhicli rose to the height of 220 feet. Thns tiie form of the whole pile would not he unlike that of some ancient churches, vvliich have a lofty tower in front, and a low aisle extending along each side of the main building. The principal structure was surroimded by several courts and a variety of other build- ings, some of which are mentioned in the books of Kings and Chronicles. The daily services in Solomon's temple are briefly stated by Abijah, in his remonstance to Jeroboam and the Isr.aelites, 2 Cliron. xiii. 10, 11: "The priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait ii])on their business : and they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense : the shew-bread also set they in order upon the pure taljle ; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening." From this ])assage we see that the daily services of Solomon's temple \\ere the same as those of the tabernacle ; and we shall see, from the Jewish writers, that the same services were continued after the captivity. This beautiful temple, the richest and most highly- finished edifice the world ever saw, though not the largest, continuetl in its original sj)lendour oidy about thirty years. Shishak, king of Egypt, then took Jerusalem, and plun- dered the temple. Many other circumstances connected with its history are recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles, and it was burned by the Chaldeans, when it hail stood about 4,'iO years. See 2 Kings xxv. 13 — 15; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17 — 20. After the captivity, one of the first cares of the Jews who returned to their beloved country, was to rebuild the temple. Various hinderances and delays retarded the progress. It was begun by Zerubbabel, but their means were so scanty, that the aged men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the new foundations laid, Ezra iii. 12. Yet the jjcople in general ])raised the Lord with shouts of joy. To those uho had not enjoyed the Divine ordinances in their greater glory. 48 CH. VI. — THE TEMPLE. the renewal of these services was felt as an especial bless- ing. Let us learn hence, that the day of small things is not to be despised, and let us especially be thankful for the great mercies we now enjoy as to the worship of God. This second temple stood for about five hundred )'ears, when, being much decayed, Herod the Great undertook to rebuild it. He employed 18,000 workmen, for more than nine years, in the work. But, although in that time the main building was completed, other works were undertaken. Tlie courts were further enlarged, and additional build- ings erected, so that, in our Saviour's time, the Jews could say, that 46 years had passed during its construction. It is calculated that the courts were sufficiently spacious to contain more than half a million of persons at the same time. No expense was sjjared to render this temjile equal, if not superior, in size, as well as in beauty and splendour, to any thing ever seen among mankind. Of this pile, including several courts and many hundred addi- tional apartments, we have no particular account in Scrip- ture ; but it has been described by Josephus and other Jewish writers, and a cursory view of it may now be given. The English reader will find many additional particulars in the works of Liglitfoot, Calmet, and others, from whose jjages the present account is chiefly taken. A map, or ground plan, is prefixed to this volume which will enable the reader to form a general idea of the temple ; but it would have been useless to attempt to insert the smaller apartments which surrounded the structure. The principal entrance to the court of the Gentiles, the extent and situation of which will be seen on reference to the plan of Jerusalem, was by the east gate, called the gate Shushan and the king's gate. The first name is said to have been derived from a representation of the city of Shushan, in Persia, pourtrayed upon it, to remind the Jews of their captivity, that they might beware of again fall- ing into idolatry ; and also to remind them of the feast of Purim, established in that city, to commemorate their deliverance from the plot of Haman. The name of the king's gate was to remind them of Solomon, who raised the foundation from the valley beneath ; and the piazza ITS COURTS. 43 on that side the court was wider than the rest, and called Solomon's porch. There our Lord walked at the feast of dedication, John x. 23, when the Jews were about to cast stones at him ; and there Peter addressed the peo))le after the miraculous healing of the lame man, Acts iii. 11, Josephus says, that no one coidd look down from the flat roof of this cloister without being dizzy, on account of the vast depth of the valley beneath. At the south-east corner is supposed to have been the pinnacle from whence Satan tempted our Saviour to cast himself down. After passing the buildings immediately about the en- trance gate, pens or folds would be seen, containing cattle, sheep, and lambs. At tiiis gate the half shekel, as directed Exod. XXX. 13, was collected during three weeks before the passover, and there sat the money changers, ready to supply Jewish coins for the temple dues, and the purchase of sacrifices, to persons who came from a distance, in ex- change for foreign money ; thus not only levying a tax on the necessities of the devout visitor of the temple, but making God's liouse a place of merchandise. It is pro- bable that the officers of the temple let these standings fcr considerable sums, to compensate for which the sellers made an unjust and fraudulent gain, therefore our Lord called the place "a den of thieves." There were also some small shops or apart.nents for the regular sale of h' 50 CH. VI. THE TEMPLE. wine, oil, meal, and other things, which were used with the sacrifices. Our Lord's solemn rebuke of this conduct is well known. It was so manifestly evil, that the guilty crowds fled before a single despised individual of humble parentage. But do not we act in like manner, if we carry our thoughts of business or of pleasure into the house of God dedicated for Christian worship ? May we not ap- prehend, that the sacred ])laces of our land, in one year witness more mental arrangements for bargains in trade, or for parties of worldly pleasure, than ever disgraced the temple at Jerusalem ? Let us not f-rget that our God knoweth the thoughts and searcheth the heart. In this court, often called by the Jews " the mountain of the house," persons from all nations were seen ; and many devout Gentdes no doubt entered this space, de- siring there to offer supplications to the God of Israel, as none but a Jew might approach nearer to the inner courts and the holy places. But how must the feelings of tiie ])ious strangers have been outraged, on finding the in- closure intended expressly for their use, turned into a cattle-market and an exchange ! When we see such places in all the tumidt of busy traffic, let us bless God that these scenes are not ])ermitted to interrupt our worship, but that other ])laces are set apart for prayer and j)raise. Yet, singular to relate, there was a time when the interior of St. Paul's, the largest i)lace for worship in London, presented much such a scene. During part of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the main build- ing was crowded by persons who resorteil to it for buy- ing, and selling, and hiring, and for making known their wiints, and even for disgraceful and wicked purposes. It is true, that God dwells not within stone walls, and that there can be no holiness in bricks and mortar; but if the world and its devices are allowed to gain a settle- ment within the house dedicated to Divine worship, it w ill be even more difficult than it is at present, to prevent the intrusion of worldly thoughts during the hours set apart for sacred services. The piazza, or covered walk which surrounded the court, had a roof supported by large pillars of beautiful white marble. The whole is 1 ITS COURTS. 61 computed to have included a larj^e level space, equal to four acres and a half, paved with variegated marble, lu the north-west corner of this court was an ascent to the tower of Antonia by the stairs into 'liat castle, from whence St. Paul addressed the t>t'ople. •^IV; From the court of the Gentiles the Jews entered by several openings, each with twelve steps, into the Hil, or sacred fence. This was a space 18 feet wide, and nine feet above tlie court which surrounded it. A wall of lattice work, five feet high, formed the outward boundary; f.nd at each entrance were jjosts with inscri|)tions in different lan- p\iages, forbidding strangers to enter. The outcry against Paul was first excited by a false accusation, that he had taken a Greek beyoiul this boimdary. Acts xxi. 27 — 29. Tins fence is evidently alluded to by the same a])Ostle, Eph. ii. 13, 14, when he speaks of Christ as "our peace," who united both Jews and (ientiles into one church, having broken dow n " the middle wall of ])artition" between them. From the Ilil, the Jew passed, by an ascent of five steps, into the court of the women ; so called because this was their appointed place of worship, beyond which they might not pass \mless they had burnt-offerings or trespass-offer- ings to present. It is n;entioued by ditfereut names in 52 CH. VI. — THE TEMPLE. Scripture, as the new court, 2 Chron. xx. 5 ; the outer court, Ezek. xlvi. 21; the treasurj', John viii. 20. The eastern gate to this court was the beautiful gate men- tioned. Acts iii. 2. It was so named from being over- laid with plates of Corinthian brass, a valuable mixture of gold, silver, and copper. This court contained a space of about an acre and a half; it was wholly surrounded by buildings, and a piazza with ranges of galleries. It was paved with marble, and ha. It was celebrated during the seventh week, or a week of weeks after the first day of the passover, and because on this day the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were presented with thanksgivings to God for his bounties : see Exod. \xiii. 16; Lev. xxiii. 15 — 21; Numb, xxviii. 26 — 31 106 CH. XI. THE. JEWISH FESTIVALS. On tliis (lay also the giving the law from Mount Sinai ARS commemorated. The munber of Jews who attended at the festival was very great ; see Acts ii. The readei will recollect that it was at this season the Holy Spirit came miraculously upon the apostles and the firstfruits of the Christian cliurch. On this occasion the people went u]) to Jerusalem m solemn processions, carrying their offerings of firstfruits ; many of them in baskets richly wrouglit, and ornamented with flowers, which were solemnly presented in the tem- ple. The sacrifices at this festival were numerous, but we need not go minutely into the particulars. In Dent, xxvi. 5 — 10, is a beautiful form of thanksgiving to be used in presenting the firstfruits, whicli reminded the Jews of their origin from " a Syrian ready to perish," and recapi- tulated the Lord's merciful dealings towards them. The feast of tabernacles continued for a week. It was to keep in the memory of the Israelites their dwelling in booths or tents in the desert, consequently of the days of their pilgrimage there ; and thus it was an emblem of the transitory nature of man's abode upon earth, Lev. xxiii. 34 — 43. It is also called the feast of ingatherings, Exod. xxiii. 16. At this time was the vintage, and the gathering of fruits. The sacrifices for this occasion are directed. Numb. xxix. They were numerous, but diminished each day the festival lasted. In the whole, seventy bullocks, fourteen rams, seven goats, and ninety-eight lambs were of- fered during the seven days. During this week the people were to dwell in tents, or in arbours of branches of trees, (see page lOD,) which latterly were made upon the flat roofs of their houses. They carried branches of palm and of other trees, singing, " Hosanna," that is, " Save I beseech thee," Lev. xxiii. 40; Neh. viii. 15. This festival was celebrated with esi)ecial rejoicings. But the most remarkable of the later ceremonies was the pouring out water upon tlie altar. A golden ])itcher was filled at the pool of Siloam, and brought into the temple, througli the water-gate, with much ceremony. The water was then mixed with wine, and poured upon the sacrifice as it laid upon the altar. It seems to have been adopted as an emblem of future CH. SI.--THE JEWISH FESTIVALS. 107 108 ClI. XI.— Tllli JEWISH FESTIVALS, blessings, ]KMlia])s in allusion to Isa. xii. "l It might liave reference to tlie water that flowed from the rock in the wilderness, and to the hlcssing of future rains solicited on this occasion ; hut the devout Jews also considered water emhlematical of the Holy S})irit, anlace destitute of fruits and seed. Cil. XI. — THE JEWISH FEitllVALS. 109 L» 110 CH. XI. THE JEWISH FESTIVALS. Two otlier festivals were directed in tlie law, altlioiiirh the celebration reqnired was not so general as upon the occasions already mentioned. The first was the feast of trnmpets, so called from the trumpets being blown with more than usual solemnity; and it may be considered as typical or emblematical of the i)ublishinart of the place where the goat stood, and, with the sta- tionary men, confessed over it the sins of the jjeople, plac- ing their hands upjon its head. It was then given to a person who, accompanied by others, led it forth to a high aiul steep rock, al)Out twelve miles from Jerusalem. Tt ii booths were erected on the road thither, at equal dis- tances, and in each of them ])ersons were placed. The man in charge of the goat was delivered over to each company in succession, meat and drink being oftVred to him at each station. The company from the last booth stopped at a distance from the rock, while the man who led the goat unbound the scarlet cloth, and tore it in two, replacing one half between the horns of the animal, and fixing the other piece to the rock ; then pushing the goat backwards, to prevent its leaping, he tumbled the animal over the rock, and it was dashed to pieces by the fall. The person ajipointed to discharge this duty returned to the nearest booth, and remained there till the evening, when he bathed, and washed his clothes, and went back to the city. Maimonides thus speaks of this ceremonial : " The scape goat expiates all the sins mentioned in the l2 114 CH. XI. — THK JEWISH FESTIVALS. law, whether light or heavj', whether committed through contumacy or error, whether clone ignorantly or know- ingly. Every one who repents, is thus atoned for by the scape goat; but if any one do not repent, then only his lighter transgressions are expiated by the scaj)e goat." Reader, let us learn to look to Him who was typified by the scajie goat. Meanwhile the priest disposed of the carcases of the sin-offerings; only the fat was burned upon the altar, the rest being burned without the city, as directed Lev. viii. 1/, by some of the ])riests, who also bathed and washed their clothes before their return. At the time when they supposed that the man with the CH. XI. — THE JEWISH FESTIVALS. 115 Bcape goat had gone three miles from Jerusalem, the high priest entered a pulpit in the court of the women, and read Lev. xvi. and xxiii. 2/ — ^^2, the passages in the law concerning this solemnity. He also repeated eight short ])rayers. Then, returning to the inner court, he washed his hands and feet at the laver, went again to a chamber on the north side, where he bathed and put on his rich garments, and again washed his hands and feet at the laver; this being required of every priest each time he quitted the court and re-entered it. lie then offered two rams for a burnt-offering. By tliis time the hour for the evening service had ar- rived, and when it was offered, the high ])riest again washed aiul bathed, and ])utting on his plain garments, \Aashed and went into the holy of holies a fourth time, to bring away the censer and incense plate. His being said to enter once, has reference to his entering only one day in the year. He again washed, bathed, put on his rich garments, washed, and went into the holy ])lace to offer the evening incense and trim the lamps. Then washing for the last time, the high priest laid aside his rich ajjparel and retired to his own house, accompanied by the multitude, who re- juiced that God had not mingled his blood with that of the sacrifices. Thus ended this solemn ceremonial, and there is much in it that deserves serious attention. It was a day of fast- ing for national humiliation, and surely other nations ought to copy the example statedly, and humble themselves be- fore the Lord. The scape goat, figuratively bearing away the iniquities of the peoj)le, reminds of the Saviour, who bare the sins and sorrows of his people, as the burnt-offer- ings remind of Christ's sufferings ; while the high priest's offering for himself as well as others, reminds that all mankind have sinned, aTul come short of the glorj' of God. But the soleum entrance of the high ])riest into the most holy jjlace, was especially to represent Jesus, the Great High Priest of out profession who, when, by the one offer- ing up of himself, he had made expiation for sin, entered into heaven itself, A\ith his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for all his people, there to appear in 116 CH. XI. — THE JEWISH FESTIVALS. the presence of God for them, and to make continual in- tercession for them. The apostle, Ileh. ix. x., declares how much the intercession of Clirist was su])erior to that of any mere man; also that sacrifices of bullocks and goats were only of avail to take away ceremonial pollution, for it was not possible these should atone for sin. Hence the a])ostle, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, concludes, " If the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the Hesh : how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, ])iu'ge" the believer's " conscience from dead works," (deeds deservingof death,) "to serve the living God." Here again remark, with Outram, the man- ner in which Christ united in his own person the various parts of this typical service — as Offerer, as Victim, and as High Priest. He offered himself willingly on our behalf, both as offerer and offering; he was the victim slain ; and lie was both the High Priest and the slain victim, when he entered the heavenly sanctuary where be now pleads for us. After the captivity, the Jews instituted other fast and feast days, in addition to those ])rescribed by the law. The two ])rincipal were the feast of purim and that of the dedication. Tlie feast of purim, or lots, was to comme- morate the deliverance of the Jews from the plot of Ha- man, for their extirpation, as recorded in the book of Esther. One day was kept as a fast, in reference to the day on which the Jews were to have been destroyed, the two following as feasts for their deliverance. This is still observed, but in a manner which brings it under the ac- count of the modern Jews ; there are no particulars as to the manner in which it was celebrated in the temple. The feast of dedication was appointed by Judas Mac- cabeus, as a new consecration of the temple, after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes, who destroyed the books of the law, jilundered the temple, and even erected an altar on the top of the great altar, where he caused a sow to be sacrificed, and sjn'inkled the courts and temple with broth of swine's .flesh, thus rendering CH. XI. — THE JEWISH FESTIVALS. ll? tlieni as .Icfiled as it was possible to do in the view of the Jcuisli people. This dctiled altar was taken down by tiie IMaccabees, and tlie stones laid up in a chamber at the north-west part of the court of Israel. A new one was built, and the hallowed furniture aorain su])])lied. The re- dedication then took place, n. c. 170. The festival con- tinued eit;ht davs; but the chief distinctive observances, were singing the liallel, or Psalms 113 to 118 on the first day, with a general illumination for eight successive nights. The rabbins connected with it a story of a mira- culous increase of the temple oil after Antiochus had been overcome. This festival is noticed, John x. 22, from whence we learn that our Lord sanctioned it by his pre- sence, and that it took ])lace in the winter. The festival of the sabbatical year will claim attention elsewhere, in connexion with the observance of the sab- bath day ; and the feasts connected with the new moons, and the beginning of the year, come under our view when noticing tlie s])iritual worship of the Jews. The Jewish festivals all had a directly religious origin, and were all connected with religious observances ; nor did this religious aspect tend to render them less satisfac- tory and less conducive to the enjoyment of the people. Well would it be if we were not so apt to lose sight of the religious origin of our jirincipal festivals ; but when we consider the usual way of keeping Christmas and Easter, and the scenes of profligacy which occur in many country places at the wakes, which were origiiudly feasts of dedi- cation of the various churches, it must be admitted that we rather have respect to the heathen rites, and the cere- monies with which heathen festivals were kept, than to the Christian principles we profess, or even t'j the exam- pies in the Jewish ritua'. 118 CH. XII. — MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVANCES. CHAPTER XII. MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVANCES. THE USE OF SALT CIRCUMCISION LAWS AGAINST NECROMANCY THE RED HEIFER — CLEANSING THE LEPER. In Levit. ii. 13, we read an injunction expressed thus : — " With all thy offerings thou slialt offer salt." Salt was considered as an emblem of friendship and faithfulness, and was used in their sacrifices, and in their covenants which wei'e confirmed by sacrifices, as a token of confir- mation : see Lev. ii. 13 ; Numb, xviii. 19 ; 2 Ciu'on. xiii. 5. In the latter passage, Abijah speaks of the covenant or promise, sent to David by the prophet Nathan, as an as- surance by a covenant of salt. In tlie figurative language of Scripture, salt denotes that incorruption of mind, and sincerity of grace, which is necessary in all wlio would ])resent an acce|)tahle offering to God, as well as hold communion with him in the exercises of worsliij). Large quantities of salt were used in the temple witii the sacri- fices ; it was chieflv rock or earth salt, w liich abounds in several ])laces in the neighbourhood of Judea, and nothing can he more solitary or desolate than tliese districts ; even birds and beasts seem affrighted at the scene. The sen- tence denounced against idolatrous Judah, Jer. xvii. 6, was, that her land should be as desolate as one of these dreary wastes. This salt loses its savour by exposure to the air, it was then scattered over the marble pavement of the temple, to render it less slippery in wet weattier. Our Saviour is supposed to refer thereto. Matt. v. 13; and his words present an affecting caution as well as an en- couragement to every professing Christian. "Ye are the salt of the earth," preserving it from being destroyed through the corruptions of the wicked, but justly cast forth as worthless refuse, if that great object is not duly attended to by you. With respect to the confirmation of covenants, if an Arab gives a traveller salt, he may be as- Crl. XII. MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVANCES. 119 siired of his protection. It is related of an Arab robber, tliat having broken into a i)alace, he was about to de])art with a considerable booty, when he kicked something with his foot in the dark, on ])utting it to his mouth he found it was a lump of salt. Considering that he had, though unconsciously, partaken of the salt of the owner of the pro])erty, he laid down the articles he had collected, and hastened from the spot. The Jews, in Scripture, are frequently called the cir- cumcision, in allusion to their being the chosen people of God, the descendants of Abraham, and taken into cove- nant with Jehovah : see Gen. xvii. 4 — 8, "Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham ; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make na- tions of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I vill establish ray co\enant between me and thee and tliy seed after thee in tlieir generations for an everlasting co- venant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And 1 will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession ; and I will be their God." Circumcision was ordained as a token of this covenant, and Abraham and his descendants were to be circumcised, as a token of their partaking its benefits, and that the re- membrance of it might not be forgotten. But the free- ness of the grace of justification, which was promised to Abraham and all his spiritual seed by this covenant, pre- ceded the institution of the rite of circumcision. This point is strongly pressed by St. Paul, in Rom. iv. The apostle also shows the spiritual or mystical intent of this ordinance, by teaching that as he is not a Jew who is only one outwardly, so neither is that (the true) circumcision which is outward in the flesh ; but " he is a Jew," or true Israelite, " who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God," Rom. ii. 2S, 29 ; see Col. ii. 11. 120 CH. XII. — MISCELLANEJUS OBSERVANCES. The Jews, when inclined to boast of tlieir i)iivileges, often called themselves "the circumcision," and spoke of tlie Gentiles with contempt as the uncircumcised. It was the sign or mark of their profession as worshippers of the true God ; and no Jew, witliout this, couhl he. admitted to partake of the ])assover, Exod. xii. 48; thus it was en- forced as an observance of the Levitical dispensation ; and thus Christ ascribes the institution of circumcision to Moses, though it was derived from the patriarchs, John vii. 22. As it was a rite none were likely to choose but from a ])rinciple of religious faith and obedience, so it was suited to teach the obligations of a holy nation, to seek for purity of heart and holiness of life. A proselyte of the covenant, was a stranger, who re- nounced idolatry, and had been circumcised, and thereljy was pledged to keej) the whole of the ceremonial as well as the moral law. These were called proselytes of right- eousness. A prosehte of the gate, was a stranger wlio sojourned among tlie Jews, " the stranger that is within thy gates," Dent. xiv. 21. He worshipped Jehovah as tlie only true God, and received the moral law ; but he was not circumcised, nor engaged to the ritual and ceremonial observances. Of this description jirobably wei'e " the de- vout men who feared God," frequently mentioned in the New Testament, particularly Cornelius, Acts x. 1. They were bound to tiie observance of the sabbath. The rite of ci'Tumcision was to be performed when the child was eiglit days old, even though that day might fall upon the sabbath, John vii. 22; and it is considered that it was then customary to name the child : see re- specting John the Ba])tist and Jesus, Luke i. 59 ; ii. 21 ; \vliere we read how Simeon took the child Jesus in his arms and blessed him. At the institution of this rite Abram's name was changed to Abraham. In later times the Jews introduced superstitious and lumecessary observances into this as well as other rites. One was to leave a seat empty for the ])ro])het Elijah, who was supposed to be present, thougli not visible. Tlie whole observance became unnecessary, and a matter of indiffer- ence, wjien the ceremonial law was done away by the C!l. XII. MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVANCES. 121 coming of Christ, and tiie Christian (lis|jensati()n was set forth. Tliere are frequent references to this in the writings of the a])()stles, for many Jewish Christians were still at- taeheil to their old rites, and endeavoured to enforce the ohservanee of them, especially circumcision, which was the first, and as it were the bond or pledge to all the rest ; but the apostles, particularly St. Paul, earnestly contended against the observance of this rite by the Gentiles ; know- ing, that if liljerty was permitted in this respect, their Christian lil)erty as to all ceremonial ol)servances could IK) longer be o])posed. The question was solemnly con- sidered by the a])ostles and the rest of the church at Je- rusalem, as is recorded Acts .w. \\ hen the assembly followed the \iew taken by the apostle James, that the observance of this rite was not to he required from Gentile converts. Then the preachers of the gospel seem to have gone forth with renewed activity and success. Yet, while the temple stood, many Christians who were of Jewish extraction, seem to have considered it requisite that they and their children should observe the ordinances of the ceremonial law. St. Paul caused Timothy to be circumcised, his mother being a Jewess, Acts xvi. 1 — 'S ; and the apostle liimself declared before Festus that he had not done any tiling contrar\ to the law of the Jews. An attempt to confirm this point, that he " walked orderly and kept the law," in which perhaps there was some ilepartiu'c from Christian simplicity, gave rise to the tumultuous scenes that eiuled in the apostle being sent to Rome as a |)risoner; see Acts xxi. We shall find it best always to act with sim- plicity as well as with truth, and not even in a])])earance to lay stress upon things which in oiu' hearts we believe are indifferent. It is ])lain also tint Moses, from the first promulgation of the law, directed the attention of the Jews to the sjji- ritual inqjort of this rite; see Dent. x. 16; xxx. 6. Tiie latter verse, is a jn'oujise, as follows, " And the Lord thy God will circimicise thine heart, and th*' lieart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and uith all thy soul, that thou maycst live." It indicated the putting off the body of the sim of the flcjli, Col ii- 11 ; M 122 CH. XII. — MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVANCES, and the pro])liets frequently reproached the disobedient Jews as uncireumcised in heart. Qiiarles, in his Emblems, called " The School of the Heart," represents a heart decked out with all sorts of follies and vanities which are about to be cut off, and represents Christ as saying to the soul. Consider then my cross, my nails, and spear. And lot that thouglit Cut razor-like thine heart, when thou dost hear l£uw dear 1 bought Thy freedum from the power of sin. And that distress which thou wast in. At the admission of full proselytes, who were called proselytes of righteousness, circumcision, baptism, and the offering of sacrifices were customary. The two latter were required of women as well as men. The baptisms or washings were accompanied with some ceremonies, and are supjiosed to be alluded to by tlie a]JOstle Paul, Ileb. vi. 2, and elsewhere. A ])roselyte was required : 1. To come willingly; neither force nor fraud might be emj)loved. 2. Perfectly to renounce errors and idolatry, and entirely to separate from former friends : the Jews called prose- lytism a new birth, and our Lord sliowed that men must be born again, not only of water, hut of the Holy Ghost, John iii. 5. 3. Submission to the law given by Moses. 4. An engagement to continue faithfid to death. Another pomt respecting the ritual or ceremonial law, noticed by Lowmaii, must here be briefly adverted to. The ritual law clearly denotes the belief in the immortality of the soul, and the separate existence of departed sjjirits, as the general belief of the whole nation. This is also ex- pressed by the laws against consulting the dead ; but es- pecially by the strict enactments against the idolatrous customs of their neighbours, either in regarding the souls of dead men as demigods, or in worshipping demons as the guardians of mortal men. Not only are there direct laws against tliese observances, but the whole of the Jewish rites evidently are framed so as ])ositively to exclude any such doctrines. Nothing is more expressly set forth, CH. XII. — MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVANCES. 123 than that no attention must be ])ai(l to any belief in a class of inferior deities, wherewith lieathenworshij) abounds. Tliis is strongly iin])lie(l in the regulations whieh precluded all undue respect to the dead ; see Lev. xix. 28. The ex- cess to which funeral honours were carried among the heathen, by an easy transition led to deifying the objects of this respect; and the very same feeling led to the canonizing of dead men, and tlie worship of saints, in the church of Rome, and in the Greek church. Among the ritual observances of the Jewish law was the consecration of the ashes of the red heifer, and the use made of them by mixing them with water, to be cm- ployed for the ceremonial purifications, by sprinkling the unclean. This is of the more importance, as the rit . certainly had direct reference to Christ and things don* under the gospel. It has been well remarked, that the water used for purifying, owed even its typical qualities to the ashes of the heifer mixed with it. St. Paul makes a distinct allusion to it in the epistle to the Hebrews, chap. ix. 13, 14 : " For if tlie blood of bidls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sjjrinkling the unclean, sancti- fieth to the purifying of the Hesh : how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without sjiot to God, purge your conscience from dead works" (sinful deeds) " to serve the living God !" In Numbers xix. the reader will find a full account of this ritual observance, and the various purposes for which the ashes were to be used. To these ceremonials the later Jews made very considerable additions. Many rules were ai)i)()inted for guidance in selecting the heifer, which was shut up seven days l)efore the sacrifice. The priest ap- pointed to officiate was ])re])are and he did so plead. Eiiezer, Abraham's steward, probably prayed at the well. Gen. xxiv. 12. Re- bekah's mother and brother prayed for her. Isaac's prayer in the field appears to have been his regular evening prac- tice, and he ])raye(l for his sons. Gen. xxvii. Jacob wrestled all night with God in ])rayer — but it is unnecessary to multiply instances of this natui-e. These all confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, they called God their God, and desired a heavenly inheritance. How can faith exist without jjrayer ? And praise neces- sarily accompanies prayer; it is part of it. The names by which the patriarchs called various places, frequently were acts of praver or praise. Thus, when ])revented from offer- ing up Isaac, Abraham called the place Jehovah-Jireh, which mean, "The Lord will ])rovide." When the herd- men of Gerar ceased to strive with the herdmen of Isaac, he called the name of the well Rehoboth, or room, adding an acknowledgment of God's goodness. Gen. xxvi. 22. Jacob called the ])lace where he had prayed, Peniel, ex- pressing his thankfulness that he had been ])ermitted to see God, and yet was ])reserved. The blessing the pa- triarchs nttered res])ecting their descendants, were both prayers and praises ; see particulai-ly the words of dying PRAYER AND PRAISE. 131 Jacob. Leah not only praised the Lord for his provi- dential mercy to her, but expressly named one of her cliililren Judah ; that is, " praise." The book of Job, also, is full of passages which indicate a mental and spiritual communioM with his God. It may further be observed, that most of the places w here the ])atriarchs erected altars for sacrifice had previously been marked by their spiritual intercourse with God. Thus, at Bethel, or the house of God, where Jacob set up a pillar, or pile of stones, to keep in remenil)rance his remarkable vision, an altar afterwards was built by Divine command. It cannot be necessary to show that prayer and praise, or spiritual worship, were continually offered under the second dispensation, without sacrifices, as well as when accoin])anied by offerings. The solemn injunction, " Hear, O Israel ; The Lord our God is one Lord ; and thou shalt love llie Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might;" see Dent. ri. 4, 5, plainly shows a spiritual religion of the heart, not mere outward ceremonies like heathen sacrifices. In Numb. vi. 23 — 26 ; X. 35, 36; Dent. xxvi. 3, 5 — 11, 13 — 15, are short devo- tional formularies of prayer for stated occasions. In the ceremonies a|)])ointed for the expiation of a murder when tiie ]ierpetrator was unknown, a prayer was appointed, whicli is recorded Deut. xxi. 7, S. In accordance with this princii)le, the prophet Samuel expressly declares, that " to obey is l)etter than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams," 1 Sam. xv. 22. The occasion upon which these words were uttered particularly claims notice. King Sai'l and the people had disobeyed the Divine directions, and thought to compensate for so doing by offering sacri- fices. Tlie prophet Ilosea calls upon Israel to return to tlie Lord, and when accepted, to offer " the calves of the lips ;" not the sacrifices of slain beasts, but the thanks- givings of the heart. Tlie expressions in the fiftieth Psalm imply that God would not accept the typical sacrifice, where thanksgiving unto God, and the calling upon him in the day of trouble, had been neglected; see ver. 14, 15. In ver. 23, it is ex- pressly said, that offering praise is glorifying God : see 1S2 cn. xiir. — worship of prayer and praisk. also Prov. xxi. 3, the strong declaration, Isa. i. 11 — 17, aiid Jer. vii. 21 — 23; IIos. vi. 6; Amos v. 21, 22; Mic, vi. 6 — 8. To these may be added tlie declaration of the scribes, confirmed by our Lord himself, " To love God with all the heart, and with all the niiderstanding, and with all the soul, and with all tlie strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burut-otfer- ings and sacrifices," Mark xii. 33. The book of Psalms may be considered as expressions of spiritual worsliii) in prayer and praise. And we must not forget the noble hymns of praise, sung by Miriam, Moses, Deborah, and Hannah, in earlier times. There can be no occasion to say much to show that ])rayer and praise are directed under the third, or Chris- tian dispensation. We have the precept, to " Pray al- ways ;" and " Pray without ceasing ;" the promise, " Ask, and ye shall receive;" the injunction, "In every thing give thanks;" and the assurance, that " Whatsoever we ask in the name of Christ it shall be given." And the apostle says, "Speak to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Does the reader ask why so much is here said n])on a matter so plain, and in itself so evident? The answer may easily be given — Mankind are not inclined to act as though these Divine precepts were self-evident. Do we not find many acting like Saul of old ? How else do those act who perhaps scarcely ever pray, or commune with their God in private, yet are |)unctual in their attendance on outward ordinances, regular at their place of worship, constant in receiving the Lord's supjier, and ])erhaps never omitting any one of the formularies in their " Com])anion to the Altar!" May we not ask such persons to consider wherein their sacrifices ditfer from the rejected offerings of old? They are outward and formal acknowledgments of the Saviour, just as were the typical sacrifices; but are they more than the sacrifice of fools, spoken of Eccl. v. 1? And we may add, that the words in ver 4, " He hath no pleasure in fools," should startle many, for what are prayers but vows, solemnly expressed, therefore to be performed as solemnl}'. en. XIV. PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. \3'A CHAPTER XIV. PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP — PROSEUCHAS SYNAGOOI'ES, AND TlIJi SYXAGOGLUi SERVICE. We now have to notice the jjlaces used for prayer and praise. We read of Isaac's meditating and ])raviiig in the field, and of Abraham's planting a grove in Beersheba, Gen xxi. .'i'3, and there calling on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God ; bnt there is no reason to suppose that in early days any buildings were erected for this pur- pose, and kept separate for this use only. The social worship, we may supi)ose, was family worsliip ; and on the most solemn occasions, doubtless at the ])lace of sa- crifice ; ))erha|)s some other persons might occasionally attend from various motives. The earliest mention of any separate building, ap])ar- rently used expressly for religious worship, is the first ta- bernacle, mentioned Exod. xxxiii. 7- The use of this, in- deed, is uncertain, and the most probable opinion is, that it was a temporary building erected for the use of Moses, in transacting the daily afl'airs of the congregation. But we find that soon after, a tabernacle expressly for religious t\ |)ical worship was erected ; this was carried by the Israelites in all their journeyings to the promised land, and set up wherever they rested. As individuals continued to offer sacrifices in other places, even after the tabernacle had been erected and the ceremonial rites instituted, we may conclude that they resorted to those ])laces also for prayer and ])raise. Tiie history of Micah shous that he had a house, or apartment, es])ecially devoted to the images, the worship of which he mixed with the worship of Jehovaii; and we cannot doubt that those who continued faithful to the true religion would have places where they assembled for Divine service. Prideaux considers that from an early period there were places for the people to offer up prayers to God, which were called by a name signifying the assemblies of God, but in after times proseuchas. These were open enclosures, N 134 CH. XIV. — PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. built in private and retired spots, frequently in high jiLices, and on mountains, without any covering, except jjcrliaps the shade of trees. And those high places which are not condemned in Scripture, proljably were proseuchas. Sa- muel resorted to such a place, 1 Sam. ix. 19 : another is mentioned in the following cliapter, and others elsewhere. Prideaux thinks that the sanctuary of the Lord in Shechem, b)' which Joshua set up a pillar under an oak. Josh. xxiv. 26, was one of these proseuchas, and it is evident there were trees near it. Epiphanius describes such a place near Shechem, in the fourth century. Several passages in the New Testament mention proseuchas as resorted to among the Jews in later times. The passage, Luke vi. 12, when literally translated is, " In those days Jesus retired to a mountain to pray, and he passed all the night in a pro- seucha of God." We cannot suppose our Lord would have resorted with this intent to a building forbidden by the law, or used for idolatrous worship, nor did any such places exist at that time in Judea. St. Paul found a pro- seucha at Pliilippi, to which Lydia resorted. Acts xvi. He taught there, and her conversion encourages regular attendance on public worship. The Jewish prosenclias are noticed by Juvenal, who was a heathen Roman jjoet. Other writers also mention the existence of ])roseuchas in different countries. Philo complains that the people of Alexandria, in Egypt, cut down the trees by which the proseiichas in that city were shaded. A proseucha at Mispah is mentioned by the author of the first book of the Maccabees, (iii. 46.) We may also trace in the Scriptures, that the Jews re- sorted to the cities of the Levites, and the schools of the jn-ophets, to be instructed in religious matters ; and from the observation of the husband of the Shunamite, 2 Kings iv. 23, we learn that these assemblies were usual on the new moons and sabbaths. But there is no decisive state- ment of regular public services till after the Babylonish captivity. Prideaux thinks this may have been one of the causes why the people were so easily led into idolatry, when the kings and rulers were men who did not take active measures to keep uj) true religion throughout the I PROSEUCHAS — SYNAGOGCES. 136 country. Such ti'iit-s a)ii)ear to he pointed out h}' the ex- pression, " They (hd that which was right in their own eyes." It is ]))ain from tlie Scripture records, that during the times of the judges, and also under many of the kings, pidjUc matters of a rehgious, as well as of a civil nature, were in many respects subject to changes, and often in confusion. The synagogues were buildings expressly for worship ; they require particular notice. Learned men have written much on the subject ; and it is now generally agreed, thai there are no sufficient grounds for believing that these existed before the Bab\lonish captivity. It is thought Psalm Ixxiv. was either written after that period, and that ver. 8, refers to the destruction of the synagogues by An- tiochus, or that the expression, wlrich in the original is, " all the assemblies of God," describes the proseuchas already mentioned. During the captivity, the Jews appear to have resorted to the houses of the prophets or other holy men, who were accustomed fo instruct their families, and to read the Scrip- tures, especially the law; see Ezek. xiv. 1, xx. 1; Neh. viii. 18 : and though it is impossible to trace the origin of synagogues, we may conclude that the advantages found to result from such assemblies induced their general adop- tion. Probably they might be used by the Jews in foreign countries, before they became general in Judea. Pliilo, a Jewish native of Alexandria, contends for their antiquity. The practice of Ezra, to read the law publicly, with ex- planations, may also have had something to do with these assemblies becoming general, and they were very numerous in the time of the Asmouean princes. The best way to reconcile the dilFerent opinions on the subject, appears to be, to suj)pose that the people from their first settlement in Canaan used to meet in the ojjcu air, in high places and proseuchas ; also in houses, and jr.irticularly at the houses of the pro])hets : and tiiat, after the captivity, these meetings became more general and regular, houses were built expressly fur the purjiose of worship, and, before the time wiien our Saviour was upon eartii, the synagogue worship had become regularly established. The assembiing 136 CH. XIV. PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. together in the open air, as mentioned Neh. viii. 1, and Ezra X. \), would soon be found inoouveuient in many respects. The rules respecting synagogues were, that one should be built wherever at least ten persons of full age and free condition could be got together to form a congregation, for unless that number of ))ersons were present, the ser- vice could not be performed. It was therefore usual to appoiut ten men to attend whenever the service was per- formed ; in some cases tliey seem to have had regular sa- laries for so doing. In our Saviour's time the synagogues had so increased that there was no town without one or more of these buildings. In Tiberias, the Jewish writers say there were twelve synagogues, and in Jerusalem no less than four hundred and eighty. Even if tliis number is an exaggeration, it shows that the synagogue worship was general, and that the tem])le worship did not render it unnecessary. It is an additional proof, that the national typical services were not mtended to render spiritual and personal worship unnecessary, though even these had often been allowed to degenerate into formality. The synagogues were not required to be of any parti- cular form, although they were similar in their internal arrangements ; the western end being for the ministers and elders, the eastern for the body of the congregation. There was a table on wliich the roll or book of the law was spread, and on the east side a chest or ark, covered witli a rich veil, in which the roll was kept. Also there was a pulpit or reading pew, large enough to hold several persons. The seats were so arranged that the people looked towards the l)ook of the law and the elders. Tlie elders sat \\ith their backs to the ark and tiieir faces to- ^^ards the people. These were the chief seats the Phari- sees were so eager to occup\', see Matt, xxiii. 6, and a si- milar desire among the Christian Hebrews seems to be condemned, James ii. 3. The women sat iu a gallery in- closed with lattice work, so that they could see without being seen. To build a syiuigogue appears to have been deemed an act of piety, as tlie erecting of a church or chapel is considered at the present day, Luke vii. 5. The PROSEUCHAS — SViNAGOGUES. 137 modern Jewish synagogues resembled the ancient ones as to many ])oints of their interior arrangements. The officers of the synagogue were: 1. The rulers, Luke viii. 41, 49. These had the chief care and direction of the matters concerning the synagogue and its services, and formed a sort of council or tribunal of judgment. They were more than one ; thus at Corinth both Crispus and Sosthenes are mentioned as rulers of the synagogue. The number usually was three. 2. The second officer was called the angel of the church ; he was the minister of the synagogue, and laboured among them in word or doctrine. He also a))iJointed the readers, and stood by them to see that they read aright. Hence he was also called, hezen, or overseer. The title " angels," given to the ministers of .the seven churches in the Revelation, a])pears to have reference to this officer. 3. The deacons, almoners, or pastors of the poor, were usually three in number. They collected alms from house to house; there was also a poor's box in the synagogue. From these funds the poor Jews were relieved on the sabbath-eve. The deacons had the care of the utensils of the synagogue. 4. The interpreter, who stood beside the reader, to translate the portion of Scripture from the Hebrew into the language then used. As for instance, in Judea, into the Chaldee dialect. Among the Greek Jews the law was read in the Greek version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint. To these officers are to be added the doctor or lecturer of the divinity school, and his interpreter. In the methods for the synagogue services, as Lowman remarks, the Jews appear to have been left to the ancient customs of the Abrahamic worship, for the Mosaic ritual contained no directions for these services. They differed but little from the present w orship of Christian assemblies, and thus connect the three dispensations together. The routine of the public service was as follows. The angel or minister ascended the raised platform or pulpit, the people all standing in a posture of devotion. Their liturgies or prescribed forms at first were few, but after- wards increased to a great number, when the service became long and tedious, and the directions respecting it n2 138 CH. XIV. PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. intricate and perplexed. The most solemn part of the synagogue prayers are the Shema, or Shemoiieh Esreh, eighteen prayers which the Jews say were composed and appointed by Ezra. They certainly are very ancient, a considerable part of tliem were probaljly in use in the time of our Saviour. The first will suffice as a specimen : " Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the God of our fa- thers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the Great God, powerful and tremendous, the Higii God, bountifully dispensing benefits, the Creator and Pos- sessor of the universe, who rememberest the good deeds of our fathers, and in thy love sendest a Redeemer to those who are descended from them, for thy name sake, O King, our Helper, our Savioiu", and our Shield. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who art the Shield of Abraham." These prayers, or a part of them, were to be said by all Jews every day. Many other j)rayers were added to these; and (mr Lord in his time found fault with the long |niblic devotions of the Pharisees, as being made merely for a pretence. Matt. xxui. 14 ; Luke xx. 47- A prayer is of- fered by the modern Jews for the rebuilding of the tem- ple, also a curse or execration on the Christians. The people res])on(led at the close of each jirayer, saying " Amen," or " So be it." Among the idle superstitions of the later Jews, may be included their o])inion of the efficacy attached to this word, some believing that the gates of paradise will be open to any one who says Amen, with all his might ! They covered their heads while they prayed, thereby professing reverence, and that they were unworthy to appear before God. The second ])art of the synagogue service was the read- ing the Scriptures. This comprised : 1. Three portions of Scripture, called the Kerioth Shema, from the word with which the first begins. They are. Dent. vi. 6 — 9 ; xi. 13 — 21 ; Numb. XV. 37 — 41, and form a solemn part of the Jew- ish service. 2. A ])orti()n of the law, or the five books of Moses. These are divuled in fifty-four paraschoith or sec- tions, one being allotted to every sabbath, thus supplying enough for their longest or intercalary year, and in other years some of the shortest sections were put together. PROSEUCHAS — SYNAGOGUES. Vd'J This annual course of reading began at the feast of taber- nacles. 3. Selections from the prophetical writings, called haphtoroth. Antiochus Epiphanes having prohibited the j)ublic reading of the law, passages from the prophets were substituted, and were retained when tlie prohibition as to the law was removed. The iiaplitoroth are portions from the historical and prophetical books iutermixed ; there are some variations as to these among the Jews of different nations ; but the portions of the law, and many of tiiose of the prophets also, remain now the same as they \vere iu the days of our Saviour. Henderson found that the pro- phecy, Joel ii. 28 — 32, forms a part of the service for the day of pentecost, among the Kairite Jews who live in the Crimea. The ajjostle Peter quoted those verses in his discourse to the Jews on the day of pentecost. Acts ii. IG — 21. It is very probable, tliat in the days of the a])ostles this passage formed a part of the haphtoroth of the day, which «ould render the quotation particularly forcible and ai)pro])iiate. The other modern Jews stop at ver. 27, thus omitting a very important jiart, a circum- stance not easily to be accounted for, excepting by the fact of its having been thus quoted, to the conviction of many of the Jews in the days of the apostle. The nuuiber of readers in the synagogue varied from three to seven, but there miglit not be fewer tlian three readers of tlie law. On the sabliath, seven was tlie usual number. If priests and Levites w ere present, one of each read a jiortiou, the other live were private Israelites. They were selected by the minister, who cliose whom he pleased. The person called upon then went into the desk or pulpit with the minister, and the roll being opened, the reader waited till tlie ruler of the synagogue told him to comuience. He begau with a short jjrayer, blessing God that he had chosen them to Ije his people, and had given to them his law. The minister, as already stated, stood by the readers; if any word was omitted or ])ronounced wrong, he made them correct the error : this point was strictly observed. The plan aj)pears well calculated tt> interest the people at large in tlie j)uiilic' services, and would assist the minister in discharging the duties of his office. The little relief iu this resp 'ct provided for the ministers of 140 CH. XIV. — PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. Protestant churches surely is to be regretted ; without re- ferring to the course pursued bj' any churches in particular, we may say that it is painful to see the strength of the preacher often expended upon details, which could be well performed by many others there present. The last part of the synagogue service was expounding the Scriptures and preaching from them. In Luke iv. is an account how the first of these was conducted in the synagogue service, in the time of Christ. Let the reader refer to that chapter, and read ver. 15 — 22. This took place at Nazareth, Christ's own city, where he would be a member of the synagogue. He was called out to read the section of the pro])hets ajipointed for that day, which ap- pears to have been the 51st haphtoroth. This now begins at ver. 10, but our Lord read from the first verse. A. Clarke well asks, " Have the Jews altered this haphtoroth, know- ing tlie use our blessed Lord made of it among their an- cestors?'' He stood up to read the word of God as was customary for the reader to do, and unrolling the manu- script, which would be something in this form, till he came to the lesson for the day, he read it ; then rolling the book again, he gave it to the minister, and sat down while ex- plaining it, as was usual among the Jews. Sometime*, PROSEUCIIAS SYNAGOGUES. 141 when the reader expounded, he did not read the whole of the appointed portion. The preaching was arranged in the following manner. The minister might call on any person who was jjresent, to speak or preach after the regular services of the day were gone tlirough, and from several passages in tlie Gospels and Acts, as well as the testimony of the Jewish writers, we find it was not unusual to invite strangers to do this. Thus, Acts xiii. 15, 16, after the portions from the law and the proj)liets had been read, tlie rulers of the synagogue sent to Paul and his companions, saying, " Men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the peoijle, say on." Upon which Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, " Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience," etc. Other passages show that it was customary ft)r the ajiostles thus to preacli in the synagogues. Our Lord's history records tlie same. Luke iv. l(), shows that he used to attend the synagogues every sabbath day ; and it ajjpears to have been his cus- tom, even where he was not a member, for him to teach or ])reach after the law and the ])rophets had been read. Here is a w ide distinction between the s])iritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, and the typical of slain beasts under the ceremonial law. For admiuistcriug tlie latter, a se])arate order of men, all of one tribe, were trained up from their youth, and especially devoted to these services; but it was not so with the former. The apostle, speaking of the spi- ritual priesthood after the order of Melehisedec, says, " He of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is e\ideut that our Lord sprang out of Judah ; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." How completely the Jewish rabbins, even in prayer, lost sight of the vicarious offices of the Mediator, as repre- sented by the sacrifices, and substituted what was personally their own, ap])ears from the following account, given by Schoettgen :■ — When Rabbi Seheschett once fasterl, after he had finished his prayers, he said, " O Lord of the universe, it is known to thee, that if auv one who Isad sinned stood in thy temiile, he brought a sacrifice to thee, but of that 142 en. XIV. — PLACES for spiritual worship. no part was offered excepting: tlie fat and the blood, and these beins^ offered he was cleansed from his sin. Now I fast so that my fat and my blood waste away ; may it then please thee that my fat and my blood, thus wasted away, may be accounted as if I had offered them upon thy altars, and grant me thy grace." How the Jews rested in "the beggarly elements," ap])ears from another extract. "The Israelites said, Wliile the temple stood we offered to thee fat and other things by which was obtained ex])iation. Now we offer to thee our fat, our blood, and our lives, may it please thee that they may be an expiation for us !" The days for the synagogue services were the 2nd of the week, or Monday ; the 5th, Thursday ; and Saturday, or the sabbath. The first two were called days of as- sembling, and were kept as fasts by the strict Jews ; to this the Pharisee probably refers, Luke xviii. 12. It seems also to be alluded to. Acts xiii. 42, where the ori- ginal words strictly mean, " in the middle sabbath," pro- bably the next synagogue day. As the people were anxious about what they had heard, we may su])pose they did not wish to defer hearing more on the subject for a whole week. The reason assigned fur this apjiointment, by which a portion of the law was publicly read every three days, deserves notice, though it is connected with that mystical plan of interpretation, by which the Jews of later time? often made void both the law and the prophets. In Exod. XV. 22, it is stated that the Israelites were in great dis- tress, on their travelling three days together m the wilder- ness without meeting with any water. By their mystical rules of interpretation, they explained this water to mean the law ; and said that they were thus taught that they ought not to allow three days to pass without hearing a portion of it. They therefore divided the weekly portion into two, by reading half on each of the days of assem- bling, and on the sabbath they read the whole in the_ morning, and again in the evening. The same plan was pursued with the portion from the prophets. Surely Christians may learn a useful lesson from this. The Holy Scriptures, which holy men of old wrote as they were in- spired by God the Spirit, are as water to tl\e soul ; and PROSEUCHAS — SYNAGOGUES. 143 many a wea»/ thirsty soul finds them refreshing, as water is to the tired thirsty hodily frame. We have advantages, by the art of printing and the free circulation of Bibles, which the Jews had not, few of whom could have the Scriptures in his possession. But how many there are among us, wlio regard not this living water in any form ! who are careless as to the wants of their souls, though most anxious to supjil}' every desire of their bodies! Such as these allow the living water to remain untasted, from the end of one week to that of another; but they will bitterly lament this neglect at the solemn day of account. Again, we may here remark upon this attention to the public ordinances, as calling for the notice of professing Christians. The Jews found that it was good not to ne- glect the assembling themselves together at shorter inter- vals than the weekly sabbaths ; and is it not the same with Christians? When this intermediate assembling together is neglected, assuredly the soid will be less healthy and vigorous than when it is frequently and regularly refreshed and nourislied by the truths of the gospel. Reader, you are a traveller and ))ilgrim, passing through the wilderness of this world ; it is not good for your soul, that you should journey from sabbath to sabbath without hearing of a Sa- viour's love, and partaking of the gospel feast set before the followers of Christ during the interval. Use your jirivileges. Where there are weekly services, dispensing the l)read of life, enjoy them ; and if your lot is in a barren and thirsty land where water can scarcely be found, ]iray to Ilim who can cause rivers to flow even in the driest j)laces. Well does the writer remember the simple state- ment of a poor ]nous man, who mentioned that his regular enijiloyment once was sucli as deprived him of the oppor- tunity of attending dul}' on public ordinances. He then related how he had earnestly and constantly pleaded with God, to permit him to enjoy such opportunities more fre- quently, and added, that God had heard his ])rayer. An outward affliction had been sent, that disabled him from following the employment which, from regard to his family, he had not ventured to relinquish ; but all was ordered iu mercy, and he described with joy, how he was uov» 114 Cll. XIV. PLACES FOR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP, enabled, evcrj' day in the week, to assemble together with some who cared for the Lord, by attending some place ol worshi]), or joining some companies who were real fol- lowers of the Lord Jesus Christ. On tiie days of synagogue service, the people met three times — at nine in the morning, at noon, and at three in the afternoon ; hours corresponding with the temple ser- vices. None might pass the door of a synagogue during service, unless they had some object in view requiring them to do so. Reader, you have been passing the doors of a Cin-istian synagogue when the voice of prayer or praise caught your attention ; did you pass carelessly by, although no call of duty required your presence elsewhere? or did you enter and join in the services of God's house ? The synagogues were used for private prayer as well as the temple, individuals resorting thither as a place for retirement. Schools were sometimes taught in the syna- gogues. The teachers sat on raised seats, while the scho- lars stood at their feet or before them. St. Paid says he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the most celebrated teachers of that day, Acts x.\ii. 3. The words of the apostle. Acts xxiv. 12, and other ])assages, indicate that synagogues often were places of discussion, confer- ence, and debates connected with matters of religion, and the ral)bins and elders used to meet for such discussions. The rulers of the synagogues jjossessed a power of judg- ment. This they exercised, with the concurrence of the ciders, over the members who offended against the law. The culprit was stri])j)ed from his shoulders to his middle, and bound by the hands to a low pillar, so that he was obliged to lean forward and ])resent his back to the scourge. The law forbade the infliction of more than forty strijjes, and in order to be sure not to exceed this number, the Jews usually restricted the jmnishment to thirty-nine. It was usually inflicted b\' thirteen blows from an instrument with three cords or lashes. The punishment of scourging in a synagogue, was to be considered rather as a fatherly correction than as a public shameful punishment; but it was often abused for vindictive or persecuting purposes. The apostle Paul seems to record five such punishments PROSEUCHAS — SYNAGOGUISS. 146 having been inflicted upon him, 2 Cor. xi. 24 : tliey |)i()- bably were administered with considerable severity, as they proceeded from hatred to Christianity. Our Lord alluded to the same punishment, Matt. x. 17; xxiii. ,"^4, when he told his disciples that they should be scourged in the syna- gogues. In Luke xii. 1 1, there is reference to these courts of judgment. Saul desired letters to the synagogues in Damascus with the same design, Acts ix. 2. Excommunication, or casting out, was a very serious punishment. The offender on w horn this sentence passed, was shut out from joining the public prayers and religious services ; he was looked upon as a mere heathen, and de- barred of all the ])rivileges enjoyed by a descendant of Abraham. This most severe sentence was denounced against all who confessed that Jesus was the Christ, John ix. 22 ; accordingly the blind man, who had been restored to sight by our Lord, was cast out, or excommunicated, when he declared his belief of the Divine nature of the person by whose word the miracle was accomplished. In the schools taught in the synagogues, the youth re- ceived instruction as to the Divine law. In the temple, as well as in the s\nagogues, assemblies of learned men were held ; in one of w hich the parents of our Lord found him, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions, and all that heard Ihm were astonished at his understanding and answers. Lightfoot describes three such schools, or places for lectures and inquiries, which were held regularly within the precincts of the temple ; one of these was the Sanhedrim, when not occupied as a court of judgment : he thinks it is possible, that may have been the place where our Lord was found. Observe the striking similarity, in all essential respects, between the public services of the Christian churches and the Jewish synagogues. This is an important ])oint to keep in mind. Here is clearly seen the identity of the spiritual worship of the first and second dispensations, dis- tinct from the ordinances of Divine service and the worldly sanctuary of the first covenant, which were figures for tiie time then ))resent, but were done away when Christ came as a High Priest of good things to come, Ileb. ix. o 146 XV. — PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OF THE JEWR. CHAPTER XV. PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OF THE JEWS FASTS, PUBLIC AND rUIVATE, The private devotions of the Jews next claim notice. Enougli has been said on the subject of their prayers, to show that pra} er was considered an individual as well as a national duty. Nor is there occasion here to enlarge upon that secret communion \>ith God, which will ever be the object of the devout soul, its privilege as well as its duty. By such, a com])liance with the injiuiction of the apostle, "Praying always," Eph. vi. 18, will be accounted a privi- lege, and not viewed as a burden ; believers seek to live always in a jn-ayerful spirit. Nor will the rule of the psalmist, to call u])on God seven times a day, l)e deemed a yoke too heavy to be borne. The seasons for intercourse with our blessed Lord and Saviour will become more and more frequent, although not regulated by any precise enumeration, or defined form of words. The stated hours of prayer, among the Jews, were the third and ninth, or nine in the morning and six in the afternoon. In the later times the repeating of the sheraa, (see p. 138,) twice every day, was expressly required from every Jew. Wotton considers that our Lord alluded to this, when he answered the lawyer as to what was the first and great commandment of the law. Our Lord an- swered from the shema, which at once satisfied this scribe, who was accustomed to recite these words daily. But when the sjiirit of pharisaism prevailed, long formidaries ^^ere set forth, to be repeated at these hours, wherever persons might be. We learn, from Matt. vi. 5, that the Piiarisees were pleased when these hours found them in the streets, and that they not only recited their prayers in public, but at the corners of the streets, where they might be seen by the passengers in more than one place of resort. Wotton has given a full description of these postures in praj'er. They denoted humiliation, and were various, as FASTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. 147 the following texts show, and that the prayer v^as mental as well as audible: Exod. ix. 29; xxxiv. 8; Isa. i. 15 ; 1 Sam. i. 13; Luke xviii. 11, \3; Psa. cxhii. 6; clxi. 2; 2 Cliron. vi. 13; Ezra ix. 5; Lam. iii. 41; Dan. vi. 10; Matt. xxvi. 39; Acts vii. GO; 1 Tim. ii. 1. Prayers were offered botli standing and kneeling, and even prostrate on the ground, when the suppliant was deeply agonized, as Matt. xxvi. 39. Kneeling was con- sidered the most ])roper, as expressing humility, contrition, and subjection. Thus Solomon, 2 Chron. vi. 13, Ezra ix. 5, Ste|)hen, Acts vii. 60. The publican, deejjly in earnest, smote on his breast while he prayed "God be merciful to me a sinner !" Luke xviii. 13. Frequently the hands werti expanded or raised up in ])rayer. Thus St. Paul speaks of lifting up holy iiands. The numerous postures in prayer customary in the east, are re])resL'nte(l in the sketches on page 149. The followers of Shammai said, that men ought literally to lie down in their evening devotional services, and quoted the words of Dent. vi. 7- These peculiar postures in prayer may also be considered as outward testimonies that the offerer was engaged in worship. U])on this subject it is sufficient to observe, that the posture cannot be of essential consequence ; but, drawing near to the great Sovereign of heaven and earth, should be done with reverence in manner, as well as in the matter of the petitions we offer; and it is well to use such a posture as may promote spirituality in our feelings, and keep cur at- tention alive to the petitions we offer ; for who has not often groaned in bitterness of soul for the wanderings of his mind in prayer ! That forms of prayer were in use among the Jews in the time of our Lord is evident, not only fi-om the tradi- tions of the Jewish writers, but from the request of the disciples to Christ, who, in com])liauce with their petition, gave them a model by which they might frame their prayers, and which might serve as a form for those unable to extend their supplications farther. This was, in fact, the practice at that time, a short summary being prepared for those unable to learn the whole routine of the shema. Wotton has given the form at length, as, ])rol)ably, it was used in 148 CH. XV. — PRIVATH DEVOTIONS OF THE JKW9. the time of our Lord. It is too Ion" for insertion here, and one prayer has been ah-eady given. He says, " IIow great is the difference between these and the Lord's prayer! What vain repetitions are many times here ! What little variation of sense, and yet how great a multitude and variety of words !" In these prayers of the Jews very few of the necessities of life are ])ointed at. No resigna- tion to the will of God, no confession of human frailty, appear throughout the whole ; but chiefly a magnificent ostentation of God's great and miraculous mercies, so spoken of, as if they thought themselves worthy of all the things which had been wrought for their forefatliers. With respect to our Lord's prayer, it lias been shown that the Jewish prayers then in use contained some similar expressions. It adopted and concentrated the following clauses contained in their prayers, " Our Father who art in heaven, be gracious unto us ! O Lord our God, hallowed be thy name, and let the remembrance of thee be glorified in heaven above, and upon earth here below. Let thy kingdom reign over us, now and for ever. The holy men of old said. Remit and forgive unto all men whatsoever they have done against me. And lead us not into tempta- tion, but deliver us from tl'.e evil thing. For thine is the kingdom, and thou shalt reign in glory for ever and ever- more." Some formularies of prayer, directed in Numbers and Deuteronomy, have been already noticed. In reference to this prayer, Montgomery beautifully observes, " How many millions and millions of times has that prayer been preferred by Christians of all denomina- tions ! So wide, indeed, is the sound thereof gone forth, that daily, and almost without intermission, from the ends of the earth, and afar ofi' upon the sea, it is ascending to heaven, like incense and a pure ofi'ering. Nor needs it the gift of prophecy to foretel that, although ' heaven and earth shall pass away,' these words of our blessed Lord ' shall not pass away,' till every petition in it has been an- swered, till the kingdom of God shall come, and his will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Fasting was often connected with prayer, both in public and private. The great da}' of atonement was a solemn national fast, on which the people were " to afflict their t lASTS, I'LMJLIC AND rKlVAlU;. U9 IHWTCHK) IK rmYEB CUSTOMARY ly THE EAST. tVBUU CAt-iUBT.; -i 150 CH. XV. — PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OF THE JEWS. souls ;" an expression which showed that the service was to be spiritual. They were to lament for their past sins and iniquities, and to humble themselves before the Lord. This was the only public and general fast directed by the law ; but fasts were also held on other occasions, by direc- tion of the supreme authority : see Judg. xx. 26; 1 Sam. vii. 6; 2 Sam. iii. 35; 2 Chron. xx. 3; Isa. Iviii. 3 — 12; Jer. xxxvi. 9. In the case of the fast ordered by Jezebel in the name of Ahab, 1 King xxi. 9, is an instance of a fast ordered by autliorit)', but to cloak a most wicked purpose. Ezra and his company fasted at the river Ahava, when the\' implored the Divine blessing on their journey, and the undertaking connected with it. After the captivity four regular days for fasting were ap])ointed, which are enumerated Zech. viii. 19. One was in the fourtli month, to commemorate the famine in Jerusalem, when there was no bread left in the city, Jer. Iii. 6; Lam. ii. 12, 20. This also is thought to have had some reference to the breaking of the tables of stone by Moses, and the erecting an idol in the temple by jVLinasseh. One, in the fifth month, for the destruction of the temple, mentioned Zech. vii. 3. In the seventh month, on account of the murder of Gedaliah, Jer. xli. 2. And another in the tenth month, for the be- ginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Public fasts w ere also apjjointed in times of danger, Joel i. 14 ; ii. 12. To abstain from food, and publicly to show humiliation and sorrow for sin, is a duty, and a proceeding obvious even to the heathen ; there is a striking instance recorded in the book of Jonah, the fast at Nineveh was so general, that even the cattle were kept from food. The private fasts were numerous in the latter days of the Jewish state ; some were observed publicly in the; synagogues. Many persons fasted twice in the week, on the second and tifth days; and every month had its fasts. In the month Abib, they fasted on the 1st, for the death of Nadab and Abihu; on the 10th, for the death of Miriam; on the 24th, for the death of Joshua ; and the 29th, w hen they prayed for the latter rain : but it is needless to enu- inerate all these fasts; we may suppose that they were not fully observed by the people in general, although the PASTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. 151 Pharisees might make a public appearance of fasting often. Our Lord's reference to their conduct, when he severely censiu'ed it, \\ouUl inchule their private fasts also : and scnne fasted on the dav before the new moon, on the an- niversaries of the deatli of relatives, or of other severe ea- lauiities ; but these fasts were not to be lield on the sab- bath or any festival, nor on the sixth day of the week. The disciples of Jolm fasted often, Luke v. 33: this was a relijrious observance, characteristic of the solemn mission of John the Bai)tist. The fasts always began in the evening, and continued till the following evening. Fi'oni Zech. xii. 12 — 14, it appears that the male and female parts of the families were a])art from each other on the days of fasting. No peculiar ceremonials were directed, but the public services were those usual at the time when the fasts hap- pened to be held. In 1 Sam. vii. 6, is mention of water being ])0ured out on a fast day. This might be intended as a symbolical expression of the pouring forth of the heart, required at such a season. In Jer. xxxvi. 6, we find Jeremiah was ordered to read the Divine warnings of the apjiroaching national judgments, to the people assembled on that day in the tem])le. On these occasions outward appearances of grief were manifested ; coarse earmcnts were worn ; rent and disordered apparel convevcd an idea of sorrow and grief; ashes wevn scattend on ihe head, whether the occasion were public or private, 2 S:un. iii. 31 ; Psa. XXXV. 13; Isa. Iviii. 5; Lam. ii. 10; Joel i. 13, 14; the countenance was downcast ; weejiing, and the voice of supplication w ere heard. Against assuming such outward appearances of grief our Lord cautioned his disci[)les. Matt. vi. 16, 1/. Thus, also, the prophet Joel exhorted the people to rend their hearts, and not their garments, ii. 13. The fasting of Esther and her attendants, before she ventured into the king's presence to entreat for the lives of her ])cople, is a striking instance, both of the ob- servance of this rite and of its efficacy, when accompanied by the prayer of faith. L'i)on the subject of fasting, it is well to observe, that it is of use as a help to a devotional spirit, therefore, when carried to such an extent as to weaken the system, and to 162 CH. XV. — PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OF THE JEWS. render the body unfit for religious exercises, it cannot be riglitly considered as an acceptable service. Thus the rigid observances of some of the ancient hermits, and of some ])()])ish monastic orders of modern date, are equally distant from the sjjirit which should actuate the followers of Christ. Such fasts are no better than the fasts of the Pharisees, against which our Lord distinctly cautioned his disciples. That degree of abstinence which will promote liveliness of spirit is desirable, even as the hearty feeding and repletion, which indisposes the mind for communioD with God, and attendance on his worship, is to be avoided. Let the reader turn to Isa. Iviii. 3 — 7, where it is clearly stated what abstinence is acceptable to God. Little, how- ever, need be said at the present day to caution persons against carrying abstinence too far. If we look round our public assemblies, we see a very different appearance from that which our Lord often witnessed in the synagogues, in his time, and which he describes. Matt. vi. 16. He would doubtless now rather caution against the contrary extreme. Having thus noticed passages which condemn fasting in a wrong spirit and for wrong purposes, let us refer to some texts which show what right fasting is. Let the reader bear these in mind, as the Scripture rule under the Christian, as well as under the Jewish dispensation : Psa. XXXV. 13; Ixix. 10; Dan. ix, 3; Joel ii. 12; Luk." ii. 37 ; Acta xiii. 2, 3. CH. XVI. VOWS AND I'UUIFICATIONS. 153 CHAPTER XVI. vows AND PURIFICATIONS The Jewish vows were observances closely connected with this part of our siityect; but they were limited to the Mcsaic dispensation, rather than applicable to the Christian sys- tem. The directions as to vows will be found, Lev. xxvii. Numb. XXX. Deut. xxiii. 21 — 23. These ])assages show, that the particulars of a vow were to be distinctly expressed, and not merely a mental resolution ; this would jjrevent many unnecessary scruples in the minds of conscientious ))ersons, arising from passing thoughts and hasty sugges- tions. It is also clearly statetl, that if the party who made a vow was under the control of others, the vow was not binding without the sanction of the luisband, parent, or superior. But herein the Jews made the law of God of none effect througli their traditions : see Matt. xv. 4 — 6 ; Mark vii. 9 — 13. If a man declared that his property was " corban," or devoted to God, he was considered as for- bidden to afford bis jiarents any relief from that time. This was a device to let a i)arent perish from want, and, under pretence of a religious obligation, to gratify malig- nant or covetous feelings, by directly breaking the tifth commandment. In this case, the son was not required actually to give to the temple, or to the priests, what ought to have been given to the parent ; it was enougli if he declared an intention to do so. Encouragement was thereby given to an avaricious spirit ; this was contrary to the express law. Lev. xxvii. 15, 22, 23, which shows how the Lord God knows the lurking thoughts and propensities of the heart, and how the love of riches would make the people incline to cut short even their holy offerings ; therefore, if any one changed his mind, and desired to retain what he had devoted to the Lord's service, he ni. Some have thouglit that the sacritice of Jephthah's daughter was of this description; but the original word is ditferent, it is neder, 5ind implies resigning or giving up to the service of tlie Lord ; not cherem, or destruction of the tiling dedicated. In Lev. xxvii. are the rules relating to things dedicated to God by a solemn vow. The vow of Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 0() — 22, was similar. Other vows were of abstinence or self-denial, as to abstain i'rom wine, and to be scru]iulously careful in some circumstances of conduct. Such was the vow of the Nazarite ; sec Numbers vi. There were two classes of Nazarites — those wholly devoted, often from their birth, as Samson and John the Baptist ; and those *"()r a limited period, which vows were not unfrcquent on recovery from sickness, or deliverance from danger, and continued for an interval of time before sacrifices of thanks- 156 CH. XVI. — vows AND PURIFICATIONS. giving were offered. Here we may refer to Acts x\ iii. 18. Tlie apostle Paul, for some reason not recorded, bound himself l)y a vow, in consequence of which he shaved his head, and we find him afterwards saying he must needs go to Jerusalem. He felt that it was his duty to proceed there at that time ; this was also needful for the performance of his vow, for when such an engagement was made in a fo- I'eign country, the party must go to Jerusalem to perform it. We may notice the similarity of the Romish pilgrim- ages to this custom ; but many abuses accompanied these observances in the days of our fathers, and are continued in some degree even up to the present day. Advocates of popery refer to the vows under the Mosaic law, and to the Nazarites in particular, when they seek to defend their monastic institutions. But a slight examina- tion of the subject will show, that even the ceremonial observances of the Mosaic law do not, in this respect, afford any sanction to the slavish restrictions and painful results of the system sanctioned by the church of Rome. There is nothing in common, between the cheerful, simple- hearted, and pious devotedness of the Hebrew votaries, such as the Rechabites, Jer. xxxv. and the victims of the Romish system ; the horrors of which, even in our own times, have been very ably delineated by Blanco White, and many others. A system, by the principles of which Blanco White saw some of the intimate friends of his youth hur- ried " into the grossest and most daring profligacy:" while under its slavish observances he saw one sister at the age of twenty-two, slowly sink into the grave, from decaying health, the result of spiritual apprehensions and temporal privations ; and bade farewell to another sister, who at the age of twenty had been induced, by the visionary repre- sentations of the Romish clergy, to leave an infirm mother to the care of servants and strangers, and to bind herself to the observance of rules which denied her the comforts en- joyed even by the lowest classes of society. Her health speedily gave way, and disease tilled her conscience with fears. Her brotlier says, " I had often to endure the tor- ture of witnessing her agonies at the confessional. I left her, when 1 quitted Spain, dying much too slowly for her only chance of relief. I wept bitterly for her loss two CH. XVI. — VOWS AND PURIFICATIONS. 167 years after; yet I could not be so cruel as to wish her alive." Cousider this brief allusion to the horrors of the monastic vows, both in their principles and their effects, and then say, Can any one doubt whether they are the insti- tutions of God or the inventions of man ? They illustrate the statement of our Lord, that the Pharisees bound men with heavy burdens, grievous to be borne. The apostle said to his brethren. Ye are not ignorant of the devices of Satan, 2 Cor. ii. 1 1. Let us beware that he getno advantage over us. This part of our subject must not be left without re- ferring to the vow of Jonadab the son of llechab, and the faithfulness with which his descendants observed it in the days of Jeremiah, ch. .\xxv. It has been said that the Rechabites still exist, according to the Divine promise, ver. 19. Joseph Wolff relates, that one of these peo])le, named Mousa, was pointed out to him, in 1824, while among the Yezedi, or devil worshippers, in Mesopotamia. He was wild in his appearance like an Arab, dressed in the costume usual among those children of the desert, and was standing by his horse, the bridle in his hand ready to moimt. Wolff showed him the Bible in Hebrew and Ara- bic, and found he was acquainted with the Old Testament. On inquiring whose descendant he was, Mousa replied by turning to the book of Jeremiah, and read ch. xxxv. 5 — 1 1 ; and added, " We reside at Hadoram, Usal, and ]\lecca, in the deserts around those places. We drink no wine, and plant no vineyard, and sow no seed, and live in tents, as Jonadab our father commanded us. Holjab was our father too : come to us, you will still find 60,000 in num- ber, and you see thus the prophecy has been fulfilled : ' Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me fin- ever.'" Mousa accepted the Bible, mounted liis horse, and galloped off to the desert, carrying with hira the word of God, and leaving behind him a striking evi- dence to the truth of sacred urit. Such is the account given by Joseph Wolff; ami let us not forget why the Re- chabites were made a sign to the prophet, or ratlier to the people at large. The children of Rechab obeyed the words of their father; the Jews refused to listen to the warnings F 168 CH. XVI. — vows AND PURIFICATIONS. of their God, as spoken bv his servants the prophets ; " Be- liolil, I will bring upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all the evil that I have pronounced against them ; because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard ; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered." Awfully indeed has this declaration been fulfilled. How shall we escape, if we, in like manner, neglect the great salvation offered to us ! The purifications connected with the worship of the Jews may be noticed here ; they were often observed by the performance of vows, as Acts xxi. 23, 24. Washings, or ablutions, are generally among the most ancient reli- gious ceremonies of every nation; but the simplicity of the rites of ])urification, directed bj' the Divine law, was well calculated to guard the Israelites against the use of the superstitious, and often barbarous rites practised by the heathen for lustrations. There was a washing of the whole bodj', used at the admission of Jewish proselytes in later times, and in some ablutions commanded by the law. There was also a pouring of water on the feet and hands, or s])riukling it. Sometimes the water was mixed with ashes of the red heifer alreaily mentioned. In the solemn sacrifices, s])rinkling the blood was an indispensable cere- mony, tyiiifying Christ's shedding his blood for our sins, 1 Pet. i. 2. Also anointing with, oil was sometimes used, as with respect to the tabernacle and its furniture, Exod. XXX. 26 — 2S ; but the anointing was more frequently used in consecrating or setting a])art to an office, Exod. xxviii. 41. The holy oil, as Mather observes, signified the Spirit of God; the anointing therewith, the communication of the S])irit in the saving graces, and in the Divine joys and consolations of it. Also the anointing of the priests, sig- nified the anointing of Jesus Christ with the Spirit beyond measure, Psa. xlv. 7 ; John iii. 34. This is called the resting of the Spirit upon him, Isa. xi. 2. We need not go into the details of the numerous cases in which washing, pouring, and sprinkling of water were enjoined. They all intimated the necessity of purity in heart and life, without which God could not be approached acceptably, either in public or private devotions. These observances, also, were conducive to the general health ', CH. XVI. — VOWS A5D PUKIFICATIONS. \b9 indeed we every where find, that attention to the Divine precepts ])rofits the body as well as the soid. The custom of washing the hands before and after meals has always prevailed in the east ; it is tiie more necessary from the custom of eating without knives, or forks, or spoons, or even the choj)sticks used by the Chinese. But in this simple washing, as in many other matters, the later Jews added superstitious and burdensome observances to the customs of their forefathers, and the plain directions of the law. Our blessed Lord condemns the extent to which the Pharisees carried these requirements. There was to be a certain quantity of water used, and the hands and arms must be washed in a certain manner, and to a certain height ; and this re])eated, if not done at first ex- actly as was customary. Again, for some sorts of food more washings were required than for others : before bread was eaten the hands must be washed with care, but dry fruits might be eaten with unwashen hands. Many direc- tions were given on these subjects by the Jewish doctors, and these caused our Lord's dispute with the scribes and Pharisees, Mark vii. 2 — 8. Tiiis law was even made a hinderance to the reading of the Bible. If a person, otherwise clean, touciied any part of the Scriptures, he might not eat till he washed his hands. The reason as- signed for this was, that possibly the books, which often had been laid up in secret j)laces, might have been gnawed by mice I Siu-ely this prohibition plainly shows what spirit dictated such rules. So scrupulous were the Pharisees, as to these purifica- tions, that the Jewish writers relate a story of a certain rabbi, who was imprisoned in a dungeon with a scanty allowance of food and water. One day, a part of the water being accidentally spilled, he chose to use the small quantity that remained for his washings, at the hazard of perishing with thirst, rather than to drink what was left and omit his usual ))urifications. Well migiit these oljserv- ances be characterized as a yoke too heavy to be borne. These " divers washings" are censured by the apostle Paul, among other ceremonial rites to which the Jews clung with extreme pertuiacity. 160 CH. XVII. — THE SABBATH. CHAPTER XVII. THE SABBATH. The institution of the sabbath, especially manifests that the religion revealed in the Bible is of Divine origin, and proceeds from a merciful and beneficent God. The ob- servance of this day was evidently intended for the bene- fit of all the descendants of Adam. The first institution of the sabbath is related in Gen. ii. 2 : " On the seventh day God ended his work which he had made ; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." Thus, under the first dispensation, the sabbath was to all mankind a commemoration of the creation, whereby the knowledge and worship of the Creator was to be maintained. Accordingly, the fourth commandment does not speak of the sabbath as a new institution, but enforces tiie remembrance of it as an ol)servance already well known by the persons to whom the commandments were addressed. And we find it mentioned expressly be- fore the delivery of the law from Sinai ; see Exod. xvi. 23 — 26. There is no positive mention of the observance of the sabbath by the patriarchs, but as they must have known that God had blessed and sanctified it, so they must have known that it was to be observed by them, as a day of sacred rest ami meditation. There is, also, in Gen. viii. 10, 12, a mention of the seventh day, in a manner which show-s it was observed by Noah with some pecidiar solem- nity. The words of Moses, Exod. xvi. 23, before the giving of the law of the ten commandments, evi I see uud hear, The end ol' thin^, created ! Be)iulJ the Judge ol' inaii aiipear, On clouds 111' glory seated ! Tlie trumpet sounds ! the graves resluii* The deail, uliiih llu'j euulain'd liefore 1 I'KBrARB, MY SOUL, TO MEET HIM I 182 en. MX. — TllK i>H01'llKTS. CHAPTER XIX, THE PROPHETS, TnKiiE is not in Soripture a precise account of the pro- pliet^s and the schools of the ])ro])hets, but many circum- stances are mentioned res])ecting them. The prophets were not a reguhirly constituted order or succession of men, but were raised up as God saw fit, to perform sacred and important duties. The gift of jirophecy was uot confined to tlie tribe of Levi; there were projjhets from all the tribes, ami even sometimes among the Gentiles, as Balaaui ; thouo-h, when evil men were employed as prophets, it was only for a limited time, and with reference to some ])arti- cular message. At first the prophets were called seers. 1 Sam. ix. 9 ; 2 Sam. xv. 27, from the discoveries made to them of things to come. Tiiey declared the will of God, and delivered the Divine messages committed to them, both to kings and iieojjle, with a freedom which showed that they knew thev were the authorized messengei's of Jehovah. But tlieir wfficc did not relate to future events only; it was their duty to instruct the people, and intei- j)ret the law or word of God, Neb. viii. In many te.xts, {)roi)het means interpreter or teacher, and prophecy means interpretation or teaching. The solemn waruings in Ezek. xxxiii. show that the pro])hets were ]neacliers in ihe general acceptation of the term, and esjjecially to warn persons of tlie evil of sin. The words of the prophets also confirmed the Mosaic ritual, and thus drew a wide distinction, in jiractice as well as in doctrine, between the Hebrews and the surrounding idolaters. Even to the Gentiles, the Mosaic ritual and the projjhecies were mutual confirmations of each other, or rather the regular observ- ance of the first, strengthened the latter in their views ; both led to the crucified Saviour, who was given for a covenant of the jicople, (the Jews,) and a light of the Gentiles, Isa. xlii. G. There were many ])ro]>lu'ts or seers wliose names are not noticed in Serijiture, and some are mei tioned, none en. XIX. THIC I'KOl'UKT.S. 1 S.i of wliose prophecies are recorded. IJotli Jews and Cliris- tians aj^ree that Malachi was t!ie last of tlie prophets under the Ohl Testament dispensation ; and it lias been observed, that wliile there were prophets anionj^ them, the Jews were not divided l)y sects or heresies. The prophets being divinely ins])ired, the people had to receive their declarations, or were conscious that they rejected the word and authority of Jeliovah, and when they did so they fell into idolatry. But wiicn the law of God was intei'preted by uninspired men, hai)le to error, and often disagreeinti; in their o])inions, differences and disputes were the natural consequence, tlien divisions and parties followed. The schools of the pro])hets are supjiosed to have arisen about the time of Eli, and pro))ably were instituted to in- struct persons fur the sacred ministry, in consequence of the degraded and wicked state into which the ])riestho(Kl bad tiien fallen, as is exemidificd in the account of the conduct of Eli's sons. Tiie Levite engaged by IMicah, Judg. xvii., who could unite the worship of a graven image and a molten image with the service of Jehovah, probal)iy was but one among many who then sougiit tlie priest's office for the sake of a livelihood. The disciples, or young persons taught in these schools, were called sons of the prophets. Some venerable, divinely inspired prophet pre- sided, who was called their father, and the younger disci- ples ministered to him. Samuel, (1 Sam. xix. 20,) Elijali, ami Elisha, were among tiiese fatbers. The sons of th(; projihets lived together as a eomnumity, and sui)sisted on tiie labour of their hands, assisted by the contributions of tiiose who knew the value of these institutions, and were al)le to help in supporting them. In 2 Kings iv. and vi. are some interesting jiarticulars respecting tliesc comuni- nities, which evidently were both in spirit and in practice widely different from the monastic institutions of the clun-ch of Rome. The instruction in lliese schools was the study of the Divine law, and the ])riu('iples of their faith ; also psalmody, and lecturing or ])reaehing. Ami in these services, doubtless, the sons of the jn-ophets, and their sn|)eriutendents, were much cm))loye(i, as we find peojile resorted to them at stated seasons. "' Kintiire evideiitly liad tlic witness of the Sjiirit, canyin^ tliem forth to the discharge of their olfice, and strength- ening tliem for it. Tlieir qualifications also are |)hiinly stated. Tlie true propliet was a man of piety. His mind, when receiving the Divine inipidse, was in a well regulated state, not earned away or influenced by disorderly pas- sions. Thus, when Elisha's mind was disturbed by the sight of Jehoram, the wicked king of Israel, he called fcr a minstrel, whose sacred harmony might compose his mind before he sought the Lonl, 2 Kings iii. 15. ^Maimonidos says that the prophets were not able to ])rophesy just when they wished to do so, but were obliged to prepare their minds, and to sit down joyfully, cheerfully, and s(di- tarily ; seeing that prophecy dwells neither amidst melan choly nor amidst apathy, but amidst joyfulness, therefore the sons of the prophets used to have instruments of" iHusic, and thus sought after prophecy. The Divine revelations to the prophets were made in various ways. 1. By dreams and visions. Thus, to Jacoli, Daniel, and others : this is also alluded to, Joel ii. 28. St. Peter's trance, Acts x., was of this nature. The term vision sometimes is np])lied to a really visible and miraculous ap- ])earance, as that of the 'angel to Zacliarias, Luke i. 22; and the same word is applied generally to the prophecies of Isaiah, Nahnm, and Obadiah. The prophets were ab!« to distinguish these visions from common dreams, ami from the delusions of Satan : see 1 Sam. .\vi. 6, 7; 2 Sam. vji. 4 — 1/; I Chron. xvii. 3 — 15; Isa. xxxviii. 1, 4 — 8; 2 Kings XX. 1, 4 — 11. These visions would always hti consistent with the w isdom, holiness, and majesty of God. The expressions used by the prophets, often imply thit tliey saw the events they describe, as though they weie. actually occurring before them. 'Piuis, Nahum sees t\,e overthrow of Nineveh, Nab. iii. 1 — 3. Isaiah sees the revellings, the sudden surprise and massacre of the Baby- lonians, and the fall of her monarch, Isa. xxi. 1 — 10; xiv, 4 — 23. Ilabakkuk beheld in vision a most glorious display of Divine power, shown both in magnificent and in minutf circumstances. The mountains trendjling, the nations scattered, and even the tents of the wild Arabs agitatoi k2 186 CH. XIX. — THE rUCHETS. and hastily removed, as is common at the approach of some mighty conqueror ; see Hah. iii. It may be remarked, that these ecstatic visions seem to have represented at once, events both near and remote, with a general idea of succession oidy, not a precise view as to the intervals to occur between them. Thus we be- hold the stars in the firmament, all apparently at distances nearly equal from us, as seen by the eye. Thus we see the towers and sjiires of a distant city rise from the horizon at once to view, without being able clearly to discern their intervals from each other. This may explain why the ])rophets often speak of future events as present ; and of those which were fulfilled shortly after the times when they prophesied, as though connected with events which we consider as yet unfulfilled. Maimonides states, that belief in prophecy precedes be- lief in the law, and describes the mode of revelation to the prophets : ■■' As in w isdom one wise man may be greater than another, so in pro[)hecy one prophet may be greater than another j)rophet. All of them see, however, the ap- parition of prophecy in a dream only, in a vision of the night, or on some day when deep sleep falls ujion them. Numb. xii. 6. Moreover, the limbs of all of them shake at the time when they are prophesying, their bodily pow er fails, and their mind, undisturbed by any other impression, is left to conceive tliat which it sees, as is declared of Abraham, Gen xv. 12, and of Daniel, x. 8. The things thus revealed are revealed to them by way of allegory ; but the interpretation is also at once impressed upon their minds, so that they know what it means; as the ladder which Jacob saw ; the li\'ing creatures and the roll Eze- kiel saw; the almond tree Jeremiah saw; and the ephah Zechariah saw : and so it was with the other prophets ; some, like, these, related the allegory, and also gave the interpretation, others told the interpretation only, and sotnetimes they related the allegory only." The highest degree of inspiration was a direct com- munication to the mind of a prophet ; this the Jewish writers would restrict to Moses, to whom the Lord spoke face to face, Exod. xxxiii. 11. They considered, and still CH. XIX. — THE PROPHETS. l87 consider him, as the greatest prophet ever yet raised up in the world. The confession of faith used in the later ages of their state declares, " that all the ])rophecies of Moses our master are true ; and that he is the father of all the sages, whether they went liefore or after him." And the Jews e.xpect that the Messiah will be a prophet " like unto Moses," considering him as the triumphant deliverer of his peoi)le. Upon tiiis part of the character of their law- giver they dwell, even as Stephen, Acts vii. 37, referred to the same jiassage, Deut. xviii. 15, but enlarged upon that part of his history \\hich represents him as suffering for his people. There apjjcars no cause for this limitation to Moses. A direct conununication also appears to have been sometimes made by a voice to other prophets, as to Samuel. The ministry of angels has already been men- tioned. At times a projihet could not refrain from deli- vering his niess.ige, even when it seemed disadvantageous to declare it, see Jer. .\x. 7 — 10; but it is jjrobable, that usually, when charged with a Divine comumnication, he was directed or led to select the opportunities most suit- able for the purposes in view. A ])rophet, when called to stand forth among his coun- trymen, to reprove sin, to warn of judgments to come, and to set forth the Divine promises, was about to enter upon a course both difficult and dangerous. The history of Je- remiah fully shows this, and few have read the minute and graphic description of his sufferings in the dungeon, un- moved, Jer. xxxviii. But the Divine protection was pro- mised, and if wicked men were suffered to prevail, a better recompenoe awaited the prophet than any earthly advan- tage. He had to manifest, in his life and conversation, that he dedicated himself wholly to his office. His apparel was simple, and his food coarse. Isaiah wore sackcloth, Isa. XX. 2. Elijah was clothed in skins. The appearance of Elisha probably occasioned the scoffs and mockery of the youths of Jericho ; and a faithful minister of the truth, ajipearing in a similarly marked garb, or publicly reprov- ing with the same faithfulness, would most likely meet a like reception at the ]iresent day. By this ])lain and self- 188 cii. XIX.- Ill K I'ltoriiKTs. denying conrsc of life tlicir disinti'iTstednL'ss was njiuii- fested, as in the instiince of Elislia and Naainan. From many circumstauccs it is plain, tliat the pr()])hcts often possessed the i'es])ect and regard of persons* of tlie first rank in the state. Elijah and Elisha eoninianded this even from the wicked kings of Israel ; Isaiah had exten- sive intliience with the good king of Jndah, Ilezekiah. Nor did he hesitate boldly to deliver his message, even when the rulers of the land were men of a difl'erent stamp. The reproof to Shebna, Isa. xxii. 15 — 25, is supposed to have been delivered |)ublicly to him, when one of the idolatrous ministers of Manasseh, and at a time w hen pro- bably he was superintending the erection of some stately monument, thinking thereby to perpetuate his memorv. Some consider that this solemn personal wai'iiing was sc resented by the wicked ruler, that he caused the |)r()phc( to be put to a cruel death, by being sawn in sunder by a wooden saw^, which is the Jew ish tradition res|)ecting the martyrdom of Isaiah. But the most remarkable instance of political power and influence enjoyed by a jirophet, is that of Daniel. The fearlessness with which he put his life at stake, rather than cease from the worship of God, at a time when he enjoyed the highest honours of the realm, shows the excellent sjurit he was of; see Dan. vi. The conduct of the princes to Jeremiah, chap, xxxvi. 19, proves the respect and regard manifested to him, even by th ? courtiers of Jehoiakim. That chapter also show s, that the messages or discourses of the prophets sometimes were delivered publicly in the temple. Many passages confirm these statements, and the reverence required to- wards the prophets and tiieir messages, 2 Chron. x.\. 20. and xxxvi. llj ; proving that the neglect and ill-treatment many among them exi)erienced, added nuich to the na- tional guilt. Their words were often confirmed by the exhibition of miracles, as in the case of Moses ; and at other times by judgments, immediate or shortly to come to pass, as in the instances of Jeroboam, whose hand withered, the captain sent to take Elijah, and the death of Hananiah, Jer. xxviii. 17. Divine messages were often conveyed or exemplified b\' CH. XIX. — THE l'ROiTli:iS. 189 the outward actions of tlie prophets. Thus Ezekiel was directed to ho on his side and perform actions represent- iii}^ the siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah wore yokes, broke a potter's earthen vessel before tlie elders, and buried a }:irdle. Isaiah went barefooted and without his upper garment for a long time. The attention with which these s\ ml)olic actions were received, evidently shows that the j)eople were aware that the distinguished persons by whom they were performed, acted under a Divine impulse. Some of these actions are supposed by several writers to have been re[)resentations in visions, but there does not appear surticient evidence for such a sujjposition, or at most, in very few instances. The importance of the prophetic mission rendered care as to ascertaining the reality of the Divine inspiration the more necessary. P'rom Deut. xiii. 1 — 5, and xviii. 2U — 22, it was evident that false prophets would arise; and the severest penalty, that of being ])ut to death, was the ])uuishment such pretenders were to suffer. Yet there are numerous instances of such characters, and of the mischief they effected : the reader will recollect Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, 1 Kings xxii. In the latter days of Jewish history, the saidiedrim, or great council, investigated with much strictness the chiims of all who assumed to be pro- phets ; and many who wore the pro])het's garb, the rougli garment, see Zech. xiii. 4, only to deceive, were severely ])unis]ied. In former times, false prophets had also been visited severely, both with Divine judgments and human punishments, see Jer. xxix 21 — 26; and during both pe- riods it is evident that true prophets suffered under false accusations ; our Lord himself appears to have been treated as a false prophet. The inquiry made respecting John tlie Baptist, John i. 1.9, seems to have been by a de])utation or commission from the sanhedrim, sent to examine his claims to th.e projihetieal office. And some of the dis- courses of our blessed Lord, recorded by St. John, are supposed to have been delivered by him, when questioned before the sanhedrim. The sanhedrim did not exist in the time of the kings, but probably was instituted by the Maccabees. This IfiO THE I'KOl'lItCTS. I'ouiicil was composed of seventy or seventv-two members. Li'iinieil men, not yet admitted to the numl)er of tlie san- liedrim, were permitted to he present. Tiie particulars rehiting to this council more ])r()perly belong to an account of the laws of the Jews. Here it is only requisite to say, that the sanhedrim sat at first in the temole. iu the room called Gezit, half of which was within the space called the Ilil, and half in the court of Israel, with a door into each. The council sat in the former jVart, as it was the tradition that none but kinj^s of Israel miiilit sit within the court of Israel. By the door from the Ilil, criminals were broui!;ht in ; but the sanhedrim entered by the door from the inner court, and iu that ])art the priests cast lots and offered prayers, as already mentio)\ed. 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'A >£ SOUTHERN regionally;, A A 000 114 519