points, which will mark the peculiar features of these offerings, together with their distinctive differences.
We will, I. Compare them together —
They agree in many things, each requiring that the blood of an animal should be shed and sprinkled as an atonement for sin. But they also differ very materially,
1. In the occasions on which they were offered —
[The sin-offerings were evidently presented on account of something done amiss through ignorance or infirmity*: but the trespass-offering was for sins committed through inadvertence or the power of temptation. Among these latter were sins of great enormity, such as violence, and fraud, and lying, and even perjury itself0. There must of course be very different degrees of criminality in these sins, according to the degree of information the person possessed, and the degree of conviction against which he acted. It might be that even in these things the person had sinned through ignorance only : but, whatever circumstances there might be to extenuate or to aggravate his crime, the trespass-offering was the appointed means whereby he was to obtain mercy and forgiveness.]
2. In the circumstances attending the offerings —
[In the sin-offering, there was particular respect to the rank and quality of the offender. If he were a priest, he must offer a bullock; which was also the appointed offering for the whole congregation: if he were a ruler or magistrate, he must offer a kid, a male; but if he were a common individual, a female kid or lamb would suffice. The blood of the victim, in the priest's offering, was to be sprinkled before the veil, and to be put upon the horns of the altar of incense; whilst the blood of the ruler's, or common person's sacrifice, was not sprinkled at all, nor put on the horns of the golden altar, the altar of incense ; but was put on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering only, (that is, the brasen altar,) and poured out at the bottom of that altar.
In the trespass-offering, no mention is made of a bullock for any one, but only of a female kid or lamb : even turtle-doves or young pigeons might be presented; or, in the event of a person not being able to afford them, he might offer about five pints of flour, which would be accepted in their steadd. This is the excepted case which St. Paul refers to, when he says, " Almost
b See the whole fourth chapter. c ver. 1, 4. and chap. vi. 2, 3.
a ver. 6, 7, 11.