flesh eaten with blood in warm climates is indigestible and unwholesome. But here, no doubt, there was a reference to the appointed sacrifices and to the precious blood of Christ, which alone cleanseth from all sin, as the great sacrifice that all lesser victims were designed to prefigure, which is so often and plainly declared in Scripture, 1 John i, 7; Rev. i, 5; Heb. ix, 14. Many of the heathens, in their sacrificial observances, also drank a part of the blood of the victim, and by joining together in this, sealed their most solemn vows, which, in fact, were made under the sanction of the evil one. Of this the prophet speaks, Ezek. xxxiii, 25; and the classical scholar will recollect the descriptions of Homer, from which it is clear, that by that practice they thought to hold communion with spirits in the invisible world. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. x, 20, 21, shows that these things were incompatible with true religion. The prohibition against eating blood was needful in the days of the early Christians, but is not so now that heathenism has disappeared, Acts xv, 20. Still, however, cruelty is a sin against this law. The ceremonial laws respecting purifications not only kept up a needful separation from unbelievers, but they also distinctly pointed out the holiness of heart and life required by the Divine law. The celebrated Jewish writer, Maimonides, observes, "Cleanliness of dress, washing of the body, and the removal of all dirt and squalidness, is certainly the intention of the law; but subordinate to the purification of the conduct and the heart from depraved and corrupt morals. For to think that exterior purity, by ablutions of the body and dress, can be sufficient, though a man indulges in gluttony and drunkenness, is the extremest madness.' Thus the ceremonial law of the Jews taught them the leading doctrines of divine truth, first, by those rites which were, as St. Paul describes, types and shadows of good things to come: Heb. viii, 9, 10. Secondly, by pointing out certain things to be abstained from, which had direct reference to heathen worship and idolatrous practices. Thus, even those who did not enter into the typical meaning of the first class of ceremonies, who did not look to the Messiah therein set forth, were guarded from the debasing and abominable practices of the heathen, and might be led to ask why they were thus kept a separate people, which the prophets constantly called on them to remember. The epistle to the Hebrews especially gives information on the subject of the ceremonial law, and should be read in connection with the Pentateuch, for the purpose of obtaining clear ideas on these points. It has been well called the Jewish Gospel. The following remarks by Dr. Owen are appropriate to the subject. "By the blood of sacrifices, God signified his will and pleasure in two things: First, That by this blood there should be a political remission granted to sinners, that they should not die under the sentence of the law, as it was the rule of the government of the nation. And in this sense, for such sins as were not politically to be spared, no sacrifice was allowed. Secondly, That real spiritual forgiveness and gracious acceptance with himself was to be obtained only by that which was signified by this blood, which was the sacrifice of Christ himself. And whereas the sins of the people were of various kinds, there were particular sacrifices instituted to answer that variety. Their institution and order is recorded, Lev. i, 7; and if any person neglected that especial sacrifice which was appointed to make atonement for his especial sin, he was left under the sentence of the law; politically and spiritually there was no remission. Yea, also, there might be sins that could not be reduced directly to any of those for whose remission sacrifices were directed. Wherefore God graciously provided against the distress or ruin of the Church on either of these accounts. He had graciously prepared the great anniversary sacrifice, wherein public atonement was made for all the sins, transgressions, and iniquities of the whole people, of what sort soever they were: Lev. xvi, 21. But in the whole of his ordinances he established the rule, that without shedding of blood there is no remission.' This is the great demonstration of the demerit of sin, of the holiness, righteousness, and grace of God. For such was the nature of sin, such was the righteousness of God, that without shedding of blood it could not be pardoned. And what blood must this be? That the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin, was utterly impossible, as our apostle declares. It must be the blood of the Son of God: Rom. iii, 24, 25; Acts xx, 28. And herein were glorified both the love and grace of God, in that he spared not his only Son, but gave him up to be a bloody sacrifice in death for us all." It may also be remarked, that the ceremonial law necessarily ceased with the existence of the Jewish polity, as a separate state. It was to the Jews a safe-guard and support, and conferred on them benefits which far outweighed its burdens; but when the Jewish nation had filled up the measure of their guilt, by crucifying the Lord of glory, when the Romans were sent to take away their place and nation, then the Jewish ceremonial law was abrogated, and became unnecessary. There was no longer a reason for these restrictions when the door was opened to the Gentiles, and therefore, even before the destruction of Jerusalem, the remarkable discussion described in Acts xv, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, that those teachers were wrong who thought it needful to bring Gentile Christians under the Jewish yoke. Other enactments were given, of which the literal observance would be useful, till the dominion of heathenism had ceased in the Christian world; and which, in a spiritual sense, would require to be regarded through succeeding ages. CHAPTER V. VOWS AND PURIFICATIONS. THE Jewish Vows were observances closely connected with this part of our subject; but they were limited to the Mosaic dispensation, rather than applicable to the Christian system. The directions as to vows will be found, Lev. xxvii ; Num. xxx; Deut xxiii, 21-23. These passages show, that the particulars of a vow were to be distinctly expressed, and not merely a mental resolution: this would prevent many unnecessary scruples in the minds of conscientious persons, arising from passing thoughts and hasty suggestions. It is also clearly stated, that if the party who made a vow was under the control of others, the vow was not binding without the sanction of the husband, parent, or superior. But herein the Jews made the law of God of none effect through their traditions: see Matt. xv, 4–6; Mark vii, 9-13. If a man declared that his property was 66 corban," or devoted to God, he was considered as forbidden to afford his parents any relief from that time. This was a device to let a parent perish from want, and, under pretense of a religious obligation, to gratify malignant or covetous feelings, by directly breaking the fifth commandment. In this case, the son was not required actually to give to the temple, or to the priests, what ought to have been given to the parent; it was enough if he declared an intention to do so. Encouragement was thereby given to an avaricious spirit; this was contrary to the express law, (Lev. xxvii, 15-22, 23,) which shows how the Lord God knows the lurking thoughts and propensities of the heart, and how the love of riches would make the people incline to cut short even their holy offerings; therefore, if any one changed his mind, and desired to retain what he had devoted to the Lord's service, he not only had to bestow what was equal in value, but to add one-fifth part more. At first we may be inclined to doubt that even the Pharisees could countenance such a direct breach of the Divine law as the law of the corban, when its advantage to them was but contingent. A little reflection, however, will explain this. When the law of God had been thus broken, the conscience would be brought into bondage; and, when the heart is not renewed, relief under trouble in such a case will be sought from man, rather than directly from God himself. The Pharisees of old, and the anti-christian priesthood of later days, have availed themselves of this feeling, and large sums have often been bequeathed for superstitious purposes, in the hope of obtaining relief from self-accusation, for the misemployment of comparatively small amounts. Here the declarations of God's word are express: Man is required to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God, Micah vi, 8. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," John i, 1-9. It is not the offering of thousands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil, that will satisfy for the sin of the soul. God can overrule the false ideas of men on the subject, and cause a bequest to a charitable society, or a religious institution, to become the means of good to others; but let none consider that such a disposal of property ever will remove the stain which may have been contracted by fraud or violence in acquiring wealth, or by withholding more than is meet, while increasing the store. It is true, "There is a fountain fill'd with blood, Drawn from Immanuel's veins, Let and we are expressly told, that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, 1 John i, 7; but when pardon has thus been obtained, and the heart is renewed by God the Holy Spirit, all will be devoted to the service of our Lord and Master. Not, however, by taking or withholding, contrary to the principles of the Divine law, under the idea that wealth thus gotten by vanity, can be accepted if applied for other purposes, however laudable in themselves. Where God requires services at our hands, he will send the needful ability or property for the purpose. us seek to employ the talents committed to us in simplicity and faith, avoiding the snares into which many fall, by thinking that they are doing service to the Lord, when, in fact, they are only gratifying their own self-will, and even their corrupt inclinations. In connection with this subject we may observe, that whatever was vowed to God, must have been obtained honestly, or it was not accepted. This is expressly stated in several passages of the sacred writings herein was a striking contrast between the Divine law and the observances of heathenism, under which, in some cases, money was expressly acquired by infamous and sinful practices, that it might be applied to the service of idols. Even now, in heathen lands, these shameful practices exist. The vows of execration, or devoting to destruction, called cherem, were solemn; they did not admit of retraction or change of purpose. The destruction of Jericho, recorded in the Book of Joshua, is a remarkable example of this, and was the result of the wrath of God against the sins of the Canaanitish nations. The circumstances need not be here noticed; the reader may refer to what is said upon the subject in "THE JOURNEYS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL." (Youth's Library, No. 330.) The same awful |