or by its being beat down; or by other Obfervations to which their Fancy or Imagination led them. But to return. The Oracle of Apollo cited by Eufebius in his Præparatio Evangelica, 1. iv. c. 9. orders, Πρακτορεία Τάδε γυία θεοις ἐν δαιτὶ πονείσθαι, to give the Members of the Animal "facrificed for a Banquet to the Gods." And hence came the custom of offering Sacrifice even to the deceased. For the Gentile world always conceived their Great Men, or Heroes to be alive, and to have Power, in a future State; and that they were ready, and willing to affift the Perfons that invoked them. This therefore made their Devotees fo willing to fhew and keep up their Friendship with them, and to pay them the Honour of Sacrificing to them. We fee Æneas refolving to keep up an Anniversary Memorial of Anchifes's Death; and to fhew him Honour, and to obtain Favours from him, He offered him Libations of Wine, and Milk, and Blood, pouring Some of Each upon the Ground to Him, in order to beg, and to get, a prof perous Wind of him. -Duo rite mero libans carchefia Baccho Fundit bumi, duo Lacte novo, duo Sanguine Æn. iii. 1. 75. Sacro. And Homer tells us, that the Athenians were wont to make Erectheus propitious to them by the Sacrifice of Bulls and Lambs, Ενθάδε μὶν τάυροισι καὶ ἀρνείοις ἰλάονται II. B'. 550. The Athenians endeavouring to keep up a State of Friendship with their Hero and Founder. This Language, fo common among the Heathen, of the Gods eating of the Sacrifices offered to them, is very fimilar to that of the Sacred Writings, where Sacrifices are called the Bread, or the Food, of God. Thus Lev. xxi. 6, 8. The Priefts are to be boly unto their God, and not to profane the name of their God, for for the Offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the Bread of their God they do offer.Thou shalt fanctify him, for he offereth the Bread of thy God. And in the fame chapter it is exprefsly ordered, that no man that hath a Blemish, of the Seed of Aaron the Prieft, fhall come nigh to offer the Offerings of the Lord made by fire- be Shall not come nigh to offer the Bread of kis God, v. 21. He might himself eat the bread of God, v. 22. tho' he was not to come nigh unto the Altar. What in this chapter is called the Bread of God is not to be confined to the Mincha, or to what is called the Meat Offering ; but it fignifies whatever was burnt upon the Altar. Thus the Peace Offering of the Flock made by Fire, confifting of a Lamb, the Fat and Inwards, and Rump of which was burnt upon the Altar, is called, The Food of the Offering made by Fire unto the Lord, Lev. iii. II. The Prophet Ezekiel interprets the Bread of God to be the Fat and the Blood; c. xliv. 7. And the Prophet Malachi underflood it in the fame manner- ye offer polluted Bread upon mine Altar, c. i. 7. By By which he means Offerings that were torn and lame, and fick, v. 13, Offerings highly improper to be put upon the Lord's Table. vid. Lev. xxii. 24, 25. God himfelf likewife fpeaks in the fame MannerCommand the Children of Ifrael, and fay unto them, My Offering, My Bread for my Sacrifices made by Fire for a sweet Savour unto me shall ye obferve to offer unto me in their due Seafox, Numb. xxviii. 2. All Eatables are called in Scripture Bread; and as all Sacrifices made by Fire are deem'd the Bread, or the Food of God, What was confumed upon the Altar was conceived to be God's Share or Portion and the Reft was the Prieft's or the Owner's Share: And thus they all did Eat at the fame Table. Eating then of a Sacrifice implied a State of Friendship betwixt the Offerer and God; and agreeably to the fame manner, or custom, the Temple or Tabernacle was God's House, the Palace of the Great King: the Priests that miniftred to him, were his Servants, who went between Him and his People. The Altar is called the Table of the Lord, Mal. i. 12. And the Offerings Offerings are called, The Bread of God. To eat therefore of the Sacrifices offered to God, was to eat at his Table, and of his Bread. Now the Owners of all Peace Offerings having a certain Share for themfelves to eat, at the fame time that other parts were confumed upon God's Table as it were by Him,-Hence those who offered these Sacrifices were looked upon as in á State of Friendship with God, and as partaking of the known Symbols of Friendship, and thus in Peace with him. The Nature and Reafon of the other Sorts of Sacrifices will be explained hereafter. But it will be proper to enter into a more particular confideration of this Affair. And here Firft, Nothing was offered unto God, but what was deem'd Clean: and by Clean was meant what was usually eaten by Men, and what by Experience they had found to be not disagreeable to their Stomachs or Palates. These might vary much in different Countries; nor can perhaps a good reafon be affigned, why That which was deemed a Dainty by one People, should be the Averfion of Another. Why are Frogs |