It is well known, that Honey was not only used to make a Drink of, and that the mixture of Honey and Wine was common among the Antients, but that pure Honey was likewife burnt upon the Altars to the Heathen Gods. Nay * "there

were scarce any of the Gods, if any

at all, who had not. Honey burnt to "them in Sacrifice." This might have been fufficient reafon to prohibit it in the Sacrifices of God's Appointment, where the great defign was to keep the Jews a feparate People, and not to let them intermix with Idolaters in things unneceffary to the End of this Service. But then I do not conceive that this Prohibition was made for this fole reafon, Because the + "Ufe of Honey was almoft conftant in "the Sacred Rites of Dæmons, that there"fore it was deemed by God impure, and

Sed ut doceamus fimul et Semel Nullum fuiffe Deorum qui Melle gaudere non crederetur, legendus eft Paufanias in Eliacis Prioribus, &c. Bochart De Animal. Pars. II. 1. iv.

C. 12.

*Tantum addo, Deum, ob id ipfum, quod in Dæmonam facris Mellis ufus pene perpetuus fuerit, pro impuro id habuiffe, et in fuis Sacrificiis offerri noluiffe. Bochart. ibid.

"refused

refufed to be admitted to his Altars." Neither Lambs, nor Calves, neither Sheep, nor Bullocks, nor Goats, muft have been permitted to be facrificed to God, if it was reason fufficient to prohibit an Oblation, only because it was almoft perpetually in use amongst Idolaters in their Sacred Rites. But the Truth is, what I just before obferved, that the Sacrifices appointed by God were ordered fo as to preserve and keep up the End for which they were originally intended; and all fuch things were prohibited, as Fancy, or Superstition had introduced, and which were not neceffary to the defign of Sacrifices.

Perhaps it may not be thought an uselefs Digreffion, if I defcribe the antient manner of Sacrificing among the Greeks. They did not always carry their Sacrifices to any Temple or Public place: nor did they always raise even an Altar to facrifice on; but they sometimes burnt it upon their Hearths in their own Houfes. Nor was any particular Perfon neceffary to kill the Victim, or appropriated to that purpofe. The Hogherds brought a fat Porker to Eumæus, in Homer; and They

13

'an, placed it upon or at the Hearth; and there Eumæus, the Keeper of the Hogs killed it, first Praying to the Gods. Hom. Odyf. E. v. 420.

Sometimes they gathered an Heap of Stones together, and upon thefe they laid a good many large Sticks of Olive Tree, or other good burning wood; and they brought the Bullock to this as an Altar. Whilft he stood there, Bafins were brought that all might * wash their Hands: " and fo were the 8λóxural, or Baskets, which contained every thing neceffary for the Sacrifice. Some will have the Ouλóχυται to be the fame with κριθάς, the falted Flower with which the Victim was

•

fprinkled, after they had purified it "with clean water." And fo it fignifies fometimes. Then was fome of the + "Hair of the Forehead cut off and caft " into the Fire." Then Prayer was made to the God to whom the Sacrifice was

να περνιψάμενοι τε καὶ αυτοὶ, καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ περιαγνίσαντες ύδατι, * Δήμητρος καρπὸς· ἐπιῤῥάνοντες αὐτῶν ταις κεφαλᾶις, ἔπεῖα BUTEάuevo Dionys. Halicar, 1. vii.

+ Τριχοτομῶντας ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς τὰς τρίχας, καὶ τιθέντας ἐπὶ τὸ πῦρ ὧδε γράφων, viz. Homerus.

Αλλ' όγ' ἀπαρχόμενος κεφαλῆς τρίχας, ἐν πυρὶ βάλλεν. Ibid.

offered

offered; and as foon as that was ended, the Salted Meal was put upon the Head of the Victim. Then the Victim was knocked down; its Throat cut; its Blood let out; it was fkinned, and cut into pieces: These Pieces were covered over with Fat, and burnt upon the Wood; and Wine was poured on them as they burnt. The Altars too had the s'λóXUTAI, or falted Meat, put upon them, as Eufiathius obferves, Il. d. The Rites and Ceremonies made ufe of in this way of Worship were fignificant and Symbolical. The Sacrificers, av puoav, turned the bead of the Sacrifice fo as to make it look to the God to whom it was offered. They cut the Thighs in pieces, and wrapped them up in Fat, δίπλυχα ποινες, and took care that the pieces offered to, and defigned for, the God, fhould be wholly confumed, making the Fire clear for good luck's fake: Nor did they think that they` did narλepew, make a fuccessful Sacrifice, if the pieces that were wrapt up in Fat, flipt from one another. They cut out likewife fmall pieces from other Parts of the Victim, and laid them upon the δίπτυχα,

I

1 4

δίπτυχα, Saluxa, the parts of the Thighs that were wrapt in fat; and this they called aμolete. When the Thighs were burnt, then they divided the Bowels, or Inwards, among themselves, viz. the Heart, the Liver, and the Melt; and put thefe on Spits, and held them over the Fire, and roafted, or broiled them; as appears from Homer.* And with these they made a Feaft, and treated their Friends, having firft engaged the God they Sacrificed unto, by eating with him Bread and Wine, and Salt and Flesh, and thus entering into Friendship with him. But to proceed from this Digreffion.

The nature and intent of Sacrifices being this, To eat and drink with God, as it were at his Table, and in confequence of That to be in a State of Friendship with him, by Repentance and Confeffion of Sins, What foundation is there for the Notion, that Sacrifices were defigned as Vicarious Subftitutions for the Offender ? Was the Life of the Animal given in lieu of the Life of the Sinner? Or was the

Σπλάγχνα δ ̓ ἀπ' ἐμπείραντες ὑπείροχον ἠφαίστοιο. Π. β'.