tians in Juftification of themselves, who ufed no Sacrifices. But then, if His reafoning was good, "That they to whom "the Heathen facrificed were not Gods, " because They commanded Animal Sacrifices", muft it not follow, that He that commanded the Jews to offer up Animal Sacrifices could not be God? But Eufebius entered not into this Question, but only anfwered ad hominem; and juftified Himself, and refuted his Adverfary's Arguments fo far only as Chriftians were immediately concerned, without fpeaking to the Reafon of this mode of Worship. In the following Papers I have endeavoured to fhew what I take to have been the ground of this Practice. It may appear to Us very difagreeable, and odd, to offer up Animal Sacrifices unto God: But the universal practice of the world fhews that it did not appear fo to them of old. If one can affign a rational ground of this way of worship, that is all I aim at And fince all agree, that there is no express Affertion in the Sacred Writings, that this Mode of Religious Worship Worship was inftituted or appointed by God at the beginning, I cannot think that They argue right, who infer from the Disagreeableness, or the Oddness, or even our not being able to understand the Reafon or Usefulness of Sacrificing, that therefore it must have been originally a Divine Inflitution. But as the Rationale of Sacrifices is dark, and has never been. duly confidered as it deferves, (at least it does not appear to me to have been fo) I have endeavoured to throw fome Light upon this Subject; and I shall only add, Si quid novifti rectius iftis Candidus imperti: Si non his utere mecum. Maimonides mentions fome that argued Si ratio et Utilitas illarum [Legum] non poffit intelligi, tum extra omne dubium effe, quod a Deo Originem fuam trahant, cum ratione humana non poffint intelligi. More Nevoc. 1. iii. c. 31. ERRAT A. P. 31. 1. 22. for, in all, r. in almost all. p. 102. 1. 2. for, Six, r. Five. p. 112. 1. 18. for, Conftruction, r. Obfervation. P. 309. 1. 9. r. 07 P. 288, Note, for, Cotu, f. coetui. ΑΝ A N ESSAY ON THE NATURE, DESIGN, &c. A S a right Notion of the Nature and Defign of Sacrifices is of great confequence to the right Understanding of many paffages of Scripture, and the manner of Religious Worship by them appears to have been in use from the earliest Antiquity, and the Reasonableness of such a Worship seems not very clear, it may be worth while to enquire into the Origin and Defign of fuch a Practice. It feems indeed very ftrange, that when true Religion confifts in the worship of God in Spirit and in Truth, a manner of Worship should univerfally B verfally prevail in the world, which confifted in the Slaughter of Animals, or in confuming the good things which God had given to Mankind, by throwing them into the flames, or otherwise destroying them: And it is as ftrange to conceive that God himself (who is a Spirit, and fhould be treated as a Spiritual Being) fhould enjoin, or inftitute, or require fuch a seemingly unnatural manner of worship. Or if it be faid that Men invented it, or fell into it thro' Folly, or Superftition, or Ignorance of the nature of God, it is as hard to conceive that God by a Positive Inftitution should command, or even allow to his own People fuch a strange Invention of Men. Were Sacrifices deemed the Food of God? Was he thought to take pleasure in the Fumes or Smoak of them? Or were they offered to induce him to lay afide Anger, and become Merciful, Good, and Kind? Whence could fuch a Notion arife? Or what Connexion is there between Burning an Animal, and removing Displeasure, that Blood, in fuch a particular manner offered, fhould be conceived a poffible means to fuch an End? End? Or is it reasonable to fuppofe that when any Man had finn'd, an innocent Ox, or a Sheep, that never had offended, could be made his Substitute; or that its Blood would be accepted as an Equivalent, or a Satisfaction for a real Criminal? Arnobius has urged These, and feveral other Objections against the Heathen Sacrifices, with a great deal of Wit and Spirit, with a Beauty and Strength that is very uncommon: But had his Adverfaries applied to the Jewish Sacrifices the fame Difficulties which he had objected to the Heathen, it does not appear fo certain and clear, How He would have removed them, or got rid of what they might have retorted upon Him. It is certainly true, that the Reason of this way of Worship has not been fo fully confidered as it ought. And even where the Command of this Practice is fo express, and the Practice it felf was so cuftomary, yet the Ground of it is rarely mentioned. Hence perhaps it may be thought impoffible to difcover the Reafon, or to determine any thing about the Origin of this Mode of Worship: Or perhaps it |