leavened bread was to be used, as well as the unleavened cakes and wafers8.]
2. The manner in which they were offered —
[Particular directions were given both with respect to the division of them, and the consumption. The meat-offering was divided only between the altar and the priests : but, in the peace-offering, the offerer himself had far the greatest share. God, who was in these things represented by the altar, had the fat, the kidneys, and the caul, which were consumed by fireb. The priest who burned the fat was to have the breast and the right shoulder : the breast was to be waved by him to and fro, and the shoulder was to be heaved upwards by him towards heaven. By these two significant actions, God was acknowledged both as the Governor of the universe, and as the source of all good to all his creatures : and from them these portions were called " the wave-breast, and the heave-shoulder c." One of the cakes also was given to the priest who sprinkled the blood upon the altar, who, after heaving it before the Lord, was to have it for his own use d. All the remainder of the offering, as well of the animal as the vegetable parts of it, belonged to the offerer; who together with his friends might eat it in their own tents. Two cautions however they were to observe ; the one was, that the persons partaking of it must be " clean," (that is, have no ceremonial uncleanness upon them ;) and they must eat it within the time prescribed.
We will not interrupt our statement by any practical expla- nations, lest we render it perplexed : but shall endeavour to get a clear comprehensive view of the subject, and then make a suitable improvement of it.]
Let us proceed then to notice, II. The occasions whereon the offering was made —
There were some fixed by the divine appointment, and some altogether optional. The fixed occasions were, at the consecration of the priests6; at the ex- piration of the Nazarites' vowf; at the dedication of the tabernacle and temple g; and at the feast of first- fruits11. But besides these, the people were at liberty to offer them whenever a sense of gratitude or of need inclined them to it. They were offered,
]. As acknowledgments of mercies received1 —
a Lev. iii. 1. and vii. 12, 13.
b Lev. iii. 3 — 5.
c ver. 30—34. tl ver. 14.
e Exod. xxix. 28
f Numb. vi. 14. e Numb. vii. 17.
1 Kings viii. G3.
h Lev. xxiii. 19. • ver. 12.