35. Of the kind of these shelamim were the offerings among the heathen, which they sacrificed either upon any great undertaking, which they called 2&éds«, in a way of vow, or upon any success. So Cyrus Minor, Xenophon, and Arrian, in their expeditions, sacrificed “sacrificia votiva.” And the latter sort were in an especial man- ner provided for in the pontifical law, as it is reported by Festus: ““ Cujus auspicio classe procincta opima spolia capiuntur, Jovi fere- trio darier oportet, et bovem ceedito qui cepit zris ducenta. Secunda spolia in Martis aram in Campo, solitaurilia utro voluerit caedito. Tertia spolia Jano Quirino agnum Marem czdito centum qui ceperit ex gre dato.”
36. The next sort of sacrifice was the N84, “ chataath,” or “sin- offering,” whose laws and rites are described, Lev. iv. This sacrifice is not expressly called a corban, or a gift, it beg wholly a debt, to be paid for expiation and atonement; but being brought nigh unto God, it partook in general of the nature of the D222, “ corbanim.” Tt was of the OWS, “ firings,” or fire-offerings, expressly, verse 12, because of the burning of the fat on the altar; and of the 0°73!, or “ slain sacrifices.” And also, it was of the V7? YIP, or “ most holy things,” from its institution and signification. The name of it is nn, “chataath,” that is, “sin:” “He shall do to the bullock as he did neon np} ,—“ to the bullock of the sin;” that is, of the sin- offering, Lev. iv. 20. So Ley. iv. 25, “The prick shall take D713 nseonin,?_« of the blood of the sin;” that is, the sin-offering. SDN, “ chata,” in Kal, is “to sin, to offend, to err from the way, to con- tract the guilt of sin.” Hence D'8S5, “chataim,” are men given up unto and wandering in the ways of sin, Ps.i.1. In Pihel it hath a contrary signification, namely, “to purge, to expiate, to cleanse, to make atonement, to undergo penalty, to make satisfaction:” Gen. xxxi. 89, “That which was torn,” saith Jacob to Laban, “ I brought
SECT. 35-87.] _ SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. 543
it not to thee, 72898,” “ achatennah,’—“I answered for it;” “I paid for it;” “ I went by the loss of it.” See Exod. xxix. 36; Num. xix. 19; Lev. vi. 23. According to this signification of SDN, nspn is used to denote an offering for sin, that whereby sin is expiated, pardon of it is procured, atonement is made. So prays David, Ps. li. 9, *2865",—“ Thou shalt purge me with hyssop,” as Num. xix: that is, “clear me, free me,” as by an offering for sin, And this kind of expression our apostle retains, not only where he reports a testimony of the Old Testament, as Heb. x. 6, ‘Oroxaurdjmara nal wepi épouprias, “burnt-offerings, and for sin,’ that is, NNYT, “ sin-offering ;” but also where he makes application of it unto the Lord Christ and his sacrifice, which was typified thereby: Rom. viii. 3, “God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and epi &uaprias,” that is, MANDO, “an offering for sin, a sin-offering,” as the word should have been translated; and 2 Cor. v. 21, “ Him who knew no sin, imtp jwav &mwapriay émoinoe,” “he made sin” (NNO, “a sin-offering”) “ for us.”
37. The general cause of this sacrifice was sin committed mwa, Ley. iv. 2; say we, “through ignorance.” So the LXX., é dywig; and the Vulgar Latin, “per ignorantiam,” “through ignorance.” Some old copies of the Greek have d&xouciws, “not voluntarily, not wil- fully ;” for it had respect unto all such sins as were not committed so éxovoiwe, “ willingly, wilfully, presumptuously,” as that there was no sacrifice appointed for them, the covenant being disannulled by them, Heb. x. 26. And there is no sort of sins, no sin whatever, that is between this 723Y, this sin of “ignorance,” or error, and sin com- mitted 72) 73, “ with an high hand,” or presumptuously. See ex- pressly, Num. xv. 27-31. Hence es NNO, this “sin-offering,” was the great sacrifice of the solemn day of expiation, Lev. xvi, whereby atonement was made for all “the uncleanness of the childden of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins,” verse 16. And upon the head of the live goat, which was a part of the sin-offering on that day, there was confessed and laid “all the ini- quities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,” verse 21; that is, all iniquities not disannulling the cove- nant, which had %d:nov wssborodoc/ay, a revenging recompense allotted unto them, Heb. ii. 2. And accordingly are those words to be in- terpreted where the cause of this sacrifice is expressed: Lev. iv. 2, “Tf a soul sin 23/2 ,”—“ by error, ignorance, imprudently,”— “against any of the commandments of the LORD, as it ought not to do, and shall do against any of them.” And an instance is given in him who killed his neighbour without prepense malice, Deut. xix. 4 Any sin is there intended whereinto men fall by error, ignorance, imprudence, incogitancy, temptation, violence of affections, and the like. For such was this sacrifice instituted. And the end which it
544 SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. [EXERC. XXIV.
typically represented is expressed, 1 John ii. 1, 2, “ If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins,’—namely, in the room of and as represented by the sin-offering of old, whereby atonement and propitiation were typically made for sin. Only, there was this difference, that whereas the law of Moses was appointed to be the rule of the political government of the people, wherein many sins, such as adultery and murder, were to be punished with death, and the sinner cut off, there were in such cases no sacrifices appointed nor admitted; but in the sacrifice of Christ there is no exception made unto any sin in those that repent, believe, and forsake their sins,—not unto those in particular which were excepted in the law of Moses, Acts xii. 39. So that as the sin-offering was provided for all sins that disannulled not the covenant made at Horeb, which allowed no life or interest unto murderers, adulterers, blasphemers, and the like, in the typical land; so the sacrifice of Christ is ex- tended unto all sinners who transgress not the terms and tenor of the new covenant, for whom no place is allowed, either in the church here or in heaven hereafter.