upon the wicked, or the wicked man's atoning his sin with God, or suffering any thing to induce God to pardon the righteous; but must be understood in Dr. Patrick's sense. And so also No. 33, Isa. xliii. 3, I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Seba and Ethiopia for thee. For the prophet

doth not speak of atoning their sins, or taking away the guilt or punishment of their sins; but probably refers to Israel's being freed from Egyptian bondage: and then he means no more than this; I brought great calamities and plagues upon the Egyptians, &c. in order to accomplish your deliverance and prosperity; as it follows in the next verse, since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life, or happiness. From No. 6 it may be objected, that some of Saul's posterity suffered in his stead to make atonement for his sin. But Saul's house was concerned in the barbarous usage of the Gibeonites as well as himself. Ver. 1, It is for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. And therefore the execution of seven of his sons, may well be supposed to be an

act of justice upon those, who, at least, had been accessaries to the murder of many innocent people.

115. In all those 37 places (especially in No. 25) the word caphar seems to retain something of what I take to be its natural and original sense, viz. to cover or smear over, as Gen. vi. 14, the only place, where it is evidently so used: which according to our method of stating the other texts will stand thus.

116. Gen. vi. 14, Make thee an ark of Gopher-wood: rooms shalt thou make in the ark, 031 and shalt pitch [atone] it, within and without with pitch [atonement.]

EFFECT. The water was kept out of the ark, that Noah and his family might not perish in the flood.

MEAN. The ark's being smeared, and all its chinks stopped with pitch.

117. Something, I say, of this original sense is retained in all the foregoing instances. Atonement for sin, is the covering of sin, or the securing from punishment. And thus, when sin is pardoned, or calamity removed, the sin or person may be said to be covered, made safe, or aton.

ed; or, that atonement is made for the sin or person, whatsoever is the mean, or reason of pardon or safety. Accordingly we find the scripture sometimes expressly calls the pardon of sin, or removing of suffering, the covering of sin; as Neh. iv. 4, 5, O our God, give them for a prey in the land of captivity, and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee. Psal. xxxii. 1, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psal. lxxxv. 2, Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob; thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people; thou hast covered all their sin. Jam. v. 20.

118. From the whole we may, I think, truly conclude; that sacrifices were symbolical addresses to God, expressing by outward signs what is expressed in prayer and praise by words, or in the course of life by deeds that they made atonement for sin, not as being substituted in the stead of the sacrificer and bearing his sin or punishment; nor as an equivalent to divine justice; for neither of these enter into the notion of atonement: but as the sacrificer covenanted, or transacted with God upon the sincerity of his soul; and with his sa

crifice presented a penitent or thankful heart, and afterwards led an obedient life.

119. And surely it must confirm this sentiment beyond all doubt, when the scripture every where declares; that without sincere prayers and thanksgiving; without repentance, faith, and obedience, all sacrifices were not only unprofitable, as to the favour of God, or his pardoning mercy; but also detestable in his sight: and when the prophets unanimously agree, that it was not any thing in the most numerous, expensive, or pompous sacrifices, that had any effect with God, but only doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.*

CHAPTER VII.

SOME FURTHER REFLECTIONS UPON JEWISH SACRIFICES.

120. BUT we must not dismiss this subject without observing; that the levitical

* See 1 Sam. xv. 22. Psal. 1. throughout. Psal. li. 17.-cxvi. 17. Prov. xv. 8.-xxi. 3. Isa. i. 11.-lxvi. 1-4. Jer. vi. 19, 20.-vii. 22, 23. Hos. vi. 6, 7. Amos v. 21-24. Mic. vi. 6, 7, 8. Mark xii. 33.

law, considered apart from the Abrahamic. covenant, made nothing perfect, Heb. vii. 19. For thus it had respect only to the Jewish commonwealth, and was the law of the land, by which they were all to be governed. In this view levitical sacrifices had relation only to this present world, and the political life and state of a Jew ; as they gave him a right to live and enjoy all the privileges of the land of Canaan. But their virtue did not extend to the conscience, to free that from guilt before God; or to procure his favour and pardoning mercy. For it was not possible, that the shedding of the blood of bulls and goats, as a mere political institution, should, in this sense, take away sins, Heb. x. 4. Nor did the levitical law, thus considered, extend to the world to come. For it gave not the least hope or prospect of a resurrection to life, which is the most proper and complete justification or discharge from sin, (1 Cor. xv. 17, 18, [111]) but after all rites, services, and sacrifices performed, left a man under the power of death, which is the curse of the law. Its best promises entitled a man only to a temporal, political life; and its threatening was death without