Heb. xiii. 15, 16. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good, and to com- municate, forget not : for with such sacrifices God is ivell pleased.
THE Jewish yoke was very heavy ; and the ob- servance of the Mosaic rites was burthensome in the extreme. From that we are happily delivered. Yet have we an altar upon which we are to attend, and sacrifices which we are bound to offer. Our altar indeed is very different from that of the Jews : as the Apostle has said in the preceding context ; " We have an altar, of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle ^" Of their own altar they did partake ; the greater part of all the sacrifices being allotted them for their support ^ But even under that dispensation, an intimation was given them, that, when the great offering, which their sacifices typified, should be presented, they could have no part in it. The offerings which were presented by them for the expiation of sin, were burned without the camp ; no part of them being appropriated to the use of the priests". And such is the sacrifice which was offered by our Lord Jesus Christ for the sins of the whole world, when he suffered without the gates of Jeru- salem ; of which therefore they who continued under that dispensation could not participate. We alone, who renounce all dependence on the works of the law, and found all our hopes on the atonement which Christ has offered, can eat of this altar, and enjoy the benefits which by his meritorious death and pas- sion he has purchased for us. Again, though of other sacrifices the priests might eat, they might on no account eat the blood : that must be poured out
a ver. 10. ^ Numb, xviii. 12, 13.
° Lev. vi. 30. and xvi. 27.