if he violate the divine law, he shall be condemned by God himself: this is far short of its real import.
The sin which the sons of Eli had committed was of a peculiar nature. They, as priests, had a right to certain parts of all the sacrifices that were offered : but, instead of being contented with the parts which God had allotted them, and of burning the fet ac- cording to the divine appointment, they sent their servants to strike their flesh-hooks of three teeth into the pot or caldron where the meat was seething, and to take whatsoever the flesh-hook might bring up. If they came before the flesh was put into the caldron, they demanded it raw, together with all the fat that was upon it. If the people objected to such lawless proceedings, or reminded them that they must not forget to burn the fat, the servants were ordered to take away the meat immediately, and by force''. To these enormities, the young men added others of a most malignant nature : they, who, from their oflice, should have been ministers of justice, and patterns of all sanctity, availed themselves of their situation to seduce the women, when they came to worship at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation ^ Thus they discouraged the people from even coming to the house of God, and caused them to " abhor the offering of the Lord."
Now it should be recollected that sacrifices were the instituted means of reconciliation with God : there was no other way in which any offence, whether cere- monial or moral; could be purged, but by the offering of the appointed sacrifice before the door of the tabernacle : without shedding of blood there was to be no remission*^.
It should be remembered further, that these sacri- fices were typical of the great sacrifice which Christ was in due time to offer upon the cross. The whole Epistle to the Hebrews was written to establish and illustrate this point. " The blood of bulls and of goats could never take away sin :" they had no efficacy at all, but as they typified him who was to " appear in
b ver. IG. c ver. 22. ^ Heb. ix. 22.