31

The Building of a Tabernacle is appointed; Chap. 25. with its Altars, Propitiatory Sacrifices, and Priests, even before the Sin of the Golden Calf.

After the Sin of the Golden Calf God fays 32. 10.6. to. Mofes. Now therefore let me alone, that my Wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may Confume them: And I will make of thee a great Nation. And Mofes befought the Face of the Lord his God, &c. And the Lord repented of the Evil which he thought to do unto his People. It came to pafs on the Morrow, that Mofes faid unto the People, ye have Sinned a great Sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord; Peradventure I fhall make an Atonement for your Sin. And Mofes returned unto the Lord and faid; Oh! This People have finned a great Sin, and have made them Gods of Gold. Yet now if thou wilt, forgive their Sin And if not, Blot me, I pray thee, out of thy Book which thou hast Written. And the Lord faid unto Mofes. Behold mine Angel fhall go before thee, &c.

The next Chapter is all of it most full to this purpose: But too long to transcribe, as is alfo that which follows: Where, at Mofes Interceffion, a Second Covenant is made with the Ifraelites; tho' not fo folemnly ratify'd as the first was. Then follows the actual making and rearing of the Tabernacle, which was enjoyn'd before, for the fame purpofes

33.

34.

35.-40

of Interceffion, Atonement, and Sacerdotal Benediction. Then follows the Book of LeLeviticus viticus, full of Precepts for the fame grand Method of Propitiation, Interceffion, Atonement, and Sacrifices; with others for the Solemn Inauguration and Confecration of thofe facred Perfons who were to Minister to God in the Tabernacle, and perform those mediatory Offices for the People; with the addition of many Ceremonial and Burdenfom Laws, bound upon that Nation-after the Sin of the Golden Calf. Then follows the Book Numb. 6. of Numbers; full of the like Laws and Appointments; with the particular form of the facerdotal Benediction, and the Confecration of the Levites, as Minifters to the Priests in these holy Offices. But to come to fome more particular Examples.

22.06.

JI. J. 2

12.9. &c.

When the People complained it displeased the Lord, and the Lord heard it, and his Anger was kindled, and the Fire of the Lord Burnt among them. And the People cryed unto Mofes; and when Mofes prayed unto the Lord the Fire was quenched.

The Anger of the Lord was kindled against Miriam and Aaron.-And behold Miriam became Leprous, [while Aaron was fpar'd, at Mofes Interceflion; probably because of his facred Function.] And Aaron faid unto Mofes, Alas my Lord, &c.-And Mofes cryed unto the Lord, faying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. And the Lord faid unto

Mofes,

Mofes.-Let her be shut out from the Camp Seven Days, and after that let her be received in again.

And the Lord faid unto Mofes, I will Smite them with the Peftilence, and difinherit them; and will make of thee a greater Nation and mightier than they. And Mofes faid unto the Lord, -Pardon Í befeech thee the Iniquity of this People, according unto the greatnefs of thy Mercy: And as thou haft forgiven this People from Egypt even until now. And the Lord faid, I have pardoned according to thy Word.

14.12.6.

The Lord fpake unto Mofes, faying, Get 15. 44 you up from among this Congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment: and they fell upon their Faces. And Mofes faid unto Aaron, take a cenfer, and put Fire therein from off the Altar, and put on Incenfe, and go quickly unto the Congregation, and make an Atonement for them; for there is Wrath gone out from the Lord, the Plague is begun. And Aaron took as Mofes commanded, and ran into the midst of the Congregation, and behold the Plague was begun among the People; and he put on Incenfe, and made an Atonement for the People, See alfo Numb. xvii. and xxi. 6. &c. with John iii. 14. Numb. xxv. 6. 7. 8. 13. xxviii. xxix. Now for some Examples from the Book of Deuteronomy.

I fell down before the Lord as at the firft,

Deut. 9.18. Forty Days, and Forty Nights: I did neither Eat Bread, nor Drink Water; because of all your Sins which ye Sinned in doing wickedly in the Sight of the Lord, to provoke him to Anger. (For I was afraid of the Anger and hot Displeasure wherewith the Lord was Wrath against you, to destroy you,) but the Lord hearkened unto me at that time alfo. And the Lord was very Angry with Aaron to have deftroyed him; and I prayed for Aaron alfo the fame time. . 25. Thus I fell down before the Lord Forty &c. Days and Forty Nights, as I fell down at the firft, because the Lord had faid he would deftroy you, &c.

10. 10.

I ftayed in the Mount according to the first time Forty Days and Forty Nights; and the Lord hearkened unto ine at that time alfo, and the Lord would not destroy you.

N. B. I have fet down Inftances only in the Jewish Nation, in the Days of Mofes; but the fame general way of Addreffes to God by Sacrifices and Interceffion for the Offenders, has been practic'd and accepted from the beginning of the World; as the known facred Hiftories of Abel, Noah, Job, Abraham, David, Solomon and others, do fully inform us; and as all the moft Antient Profane Hiftories do Witness alfo.

V. The Laws given to the Jews were - of feveral forts, and given at feveral times

and

and places; and feem part of them to have been made common for the ufe of all the People, and part to have been intrusted only with the Governors, according as they concern'd their Duties and Employments refpectively. In order to the right forting and diftinguishing of thefe Laws we must Note, (1) that the grand diftinction, given us fully in the Conftitutions of the Apo-Conftitut. ftles, and thence by fome of the Antients.6 afterwards, is that of Laws before, and 5 p.216.L.

7.

205.L.lla

Laws after the Sin of the Golden Calf. The &c. p.349.

One, generally Moral, Eafy, and Benefi-&. cial, highly reasonable in themfelves, and agreeable to the freedom of Mens Natures; wherein the Sacrifices mention'd were rather left to their own choice and devotion, and order'd as to the manner and object then ty'd upon them as neceffary duties. The Other, many of them Ceremonial, Pofitive, Burdenfom, and Rigorous, bound upon them under an abfolute neceffity, and little allowance made for freedom or choice; and frequently made up of unaccountable, yet very numerous injunctions; to tye them faft, and prevent their Idolatry, and hankering after the wicked cuftoms of the Nations about them; and to render them fenfible of their want of a merciful Redeemer, a gentler Law, and a new Covenant of Grace and Favor under him; as well as of his atonement for them, and Interceflion for the Re miffion

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