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Besides the regulations for the personal government of the priests and Levites, the Book of Leviticus, as I have already intimated, prescribes the sacrifices, their manner, and periods of celebration; because those ordinances were to be administered by the Levites. Sacrifices were stated, or occasional of the latter were such as were offered on special occasions, or by individuals, for propitiation, atonement, or thanksgiving; the former were periodical, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Every day, morning and evening; on the weekly Sabbath, at the new moons, and with extraordinary solemnity on the tenth day of the seventh month annually. This last was termed "the great day of Atonement," when the people were enjoined, in an especial manner, to come with contrite hearts, and confess their sins; and sacrifice was made for every soul in the nation. On that day alone the High Priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, within the vail-the whole prefigured the one great atonement which should be made by the Redeemer for the sins of all mankind.

So great a number of sacrifices would necessarily require some variety in their qualifications, and manner of offering. Three particulars invariably observed in every offering for transgression, it is proper to point out to you, because they are expressive emblems in the scheme of salvation by a divine Mediator. 1st. The animal offered must be gentle and innocent in its nature, and perfect in its kind. 2d. The offerer must lay his hand on the head of the victim, to signify the transfer of his guilt to the substitute, who was accepted in his stead. And, 3d. before the victim was burnt, it must be slain, and a part of its blood sprinkled on the mercy-seat, to shew, that without the shedding of blood, pardon could not be obtained.

Sacrifices and oblations were made periodically, on three great national festivals.

The first was the "Passover, or feast of unleavened bread;" instituted on the night of their departure from Egypt-and perpetuated in commemoration of that deliver

ance.

On the fourteenth day of the first month of their Ecclesiastical year, they killed a lamb of the first year, one for each family-and ate it on the fifteenth, in the evening, with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Seven days the feast was kept, the first and last were holy days, on which no servile work was done. Offerings were made every day, and unleavened bread was eaten the whole time.

Next came the feast of Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover, to commemorate the giving of the law from mount Sinai and last, "the feast of Tabernacles,” a time of great rejoicing in the seventh month. During the week of its celebration, the Israelites left their houses and lived in the fields, in arbours formed of the branches of the willow and palm, in grateful recollection of their pilgrimage, when they had no permanent dwelling.

The gladness and triumph with which the "feast of Tabernacles" was kept, is understood to prefigure a glorious state of the gospel church; and the “ day of atonement," which occurred ten days before that festival, represents the deep and genuine penitence indispensably necessary to a proper reception of such blessings.

They had also the "feast of first-fruits," or in-gathering of their harvest, when they were required to bring an offering of the produce of the earth, before they applied the smallest portion to their own use.

Every seventh year was a "Sabbatical year," or year

of rest, in which their land must not be cultivated-the sixth harvest always producing sufficient for the supply of three years-and every fiftieth was a Jubilee, or year of liberty. It would, of course, fall on a Sabbatical year, and bring with it the grateful rest of that welcome season, as well as its own peculiar advantages. The morning of the Jubilee was triumphantly announced throughout the whole land, by the sound of silver trumpets, "proclaiming liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison doors to them that were bound." Every Hebrew servant and proselyted Gentile was released on that happy day: every debt was remitted; and lands that had been alienated, either from poverty or choice, were restored to their original possessors.

CATHERINE. How could such a restitution be required, without violating the right of a purchaser?

MRS. M. No purchaser could be ignorant of this condition of sale, because the price of an estate was always in proportion to the number of years that should elapse before the coming of the Jubilee.

CHARLES. Pray what was the object of this law?

MRS. M. The immediate reason is given in the words pronounced on mount Sinai, when the statute was enacted

"The land is mine, it shall not be sold for ever," and ultimately, that of keeping the tribes of Israel distinct. Moreover it had the salutary tendency to preserve a certain degree of equality in a nation of brothers-the branches of one stock; who for the same benevolent reason, were forbidden to exact of one another, exorbitant interest on loans.

FANNY. It is plain, that these festivals could not have been celebrated in the desert.

MRS. M. Many of them could not, though others might have been kept there. The Passover was celebrated, and other sacrifices were offered; but their abode in the wilderness was a state of probation- a seminary of edu cation. The scheme of their government was promulgated in the desert, but could be completely brought into exercise, only in their settled habitation. Without reference to that, many of their laws would have been but nugatory. They neither planted nor reaped there: consequently, had no first fruits to bring to the altar; nor was it necessary to prohibit certain articles of food, and allow others to be eaten, which was done at this time, where such articles might not be found to exist.

CHARLES. What possible good could be promoted by regulations concerning food?

MRS. M. Every divine precept, my son, must be founded in wisdom and goodness. Some articles of food, not unwholesome in their nature, might possibly become so, in a particular climate, hot and arid, like certain parts of Canaan, and were therefore forbidden.

But the prohibition was principally designed amongst other regulations, expressly for that purpose, to discourage the Israelites from associating with their heathen neighbours, who ate of the food denied to them. And yet another moral lesson, was figuratively suggested by the instincts of the selected animals. The useful-the cleanly--the docile, intimated the purity and obedience required in themselves; whilst the contrary manners were condemned by the prohibition of all such as were fierce or filthy in their natures.

FANNY. How was the expense of a system so costly to be supported?

MRS. M. It was indeed very costly. The feast of Tabernacles alone, was held at the expense of a hundred and ninety-two animals, besides flour and oil. A sacred treasury was formed of contributions, collected both from the community and individuals. The firstlings of all their flocks and herds were required for the service of the sanctuary, and the support of the priests, and made a principal share of the stock.

The sacrifices for individuals were furnished, though not offered as heretofore, by themselves; but delivered to the priests, who alone could perform that service.

CHARLES. I do not understand, how Aaron and his two sons could perform so extensive a service.

MRS. M. They would have been wholly inadequate. The Levites, a numerous body of inferior priests, assisted them. The first-born male of every family in Israel, was required for the duties of the sanctuary, in grateful acknowledgment of that mercy which had spared them, when the heir of every house in Egypt expired. But this claim was commuted by the substitution of the whole tribe of Levi, to which Moses and Aaron also belonged.

FANNY. You spoke just now of an ecclesiastical year— pray what did you mean by that term?

MRS. M. In the organization of the Jewish Theocracy, two sorts of years were used. A civil or solar year, in common with other nations-which began and ended at the autumnal equinox; and a religious or ecclesiastical year-denominated also "the year of new things," commencing with the vernal equinox-because that was the season in which they departed from Egypt, and became an independent people.

CHARLES. My dear mother, you have again used a

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