Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

system of legal purifications addressed the same exhortation to the Jews in a figurative style, which the gospel in a plain style addresses to us-" Having these privileges and promises, cleanse yourselves from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God."

LECTURE XXV.

Tendency of the Hebrew ritual to promote the glory of God: and the benefits resulting from an observance of its various injunctions.

OUR last lecture considered the several pollutions and purifications of the Hebrew church. We showed that the law respecting both tended to enforce decent manners, a pure heart and conversation, a profound reverence for the presence of Jehovah in his sanctuary, and a stedfast adherence to his religion, in opposition to surrounding idolatry. Indeed all the ceremonies of the Jewish ritual were subservient to one great object, viz. the honor of the true God, who visibly resided among them in the temple. It will therefore be useful to show how admirably every part of the Mosaic law was adapted to this end, and what excellent purposes were answered by this arrangement.

The titles, which this law appropriates to the God of Israel, were fitted to inspire a singular reverence for his character and worship. He is very frequently styled holy, and the Holy One, by way of eminence. He is likewise often called a jealous God. The former title expresses his matchless purity or moral excellence, which places him far above any equal; the latter denotes that he will not endure a rival; and both appellations widely distinguish him from the idols of the heathens; for these, though sometimes called gods, are never styled either holy or jealous. They were not holy either in respect of moral purity, or of separation from and superiority to other deities; for as their characters were polluted and contemptible, so they were united together by a common

nature, worship, and name. Of course they were not jealous of a partner or rival. We never read that any gentile god prohibited a multitude of divinities, or was angry at being worshipped in the same temple, or on the same altar with some associate demon. Hence these appropriate titles of the true God were fitted both to command singular veneration from his worshippers and to guard them against associating with him the impure divinities and rites of the heathen.

To heighten this reverence of Jehovah, it was ordained that no one, but the high priest, should enter into the most holy place, the interior apartment of the GREAT KING; that no victims should be offered to him, but the most perfect in their kind; that the tabernacle, the ark, the altars, the candlestick, the sacred vessels and ministers should be consecrated to his service with a peculiar and holy ointment; that the priests, and sometimes the whole congregation should be sanctified to him by various washings, oblations, and sprinklings; that none but sacred fire, kindled by God himself, should be used on his altar; that every thing pertaining to his worship should be distinguished from other things by some special use, ceremony, or splendor, and be forever exempted from common purposes; that no one, whether of the priesthood or the people, should have access to the temple or to any sacred rite, while laboring under any kind of uncleanness. To these and many similar statutes we might add several peculiar laws respecting the priests; for instance, those, which barred from the altar and sanctuary ever man, though born in the sacerdotal line, who had any personal deformity or blemish ; those, which assigned to this sacred order, garments of

* Lev. xxi. 16, 23.

M m

superior beauty and splendor ;* those, which directed the first fruits and tithes, by which the priests were supported, to be brought to the temple and solemnly dedicated to Jehovah; and those, which regulated their mourning on funeral occasions. No priest could attend or mingle in customary funeral rites except on the death of his own parent or child, or brother and sister. The reason is given, "he shall not defile and profane himself, being a chief man among his people;" that is, it does not become a minister of my sanctuary to debase himself by vulgar ceremonies of mourning. It does not become him to defile himself at the graves of the dead, and thereby incur the necessity either of neglecting or polluting the rites of my worship. Agreeably when two of Aaron's sons were instantly struck dead for offering strange or unconsecrated fire before the Lord; he and his living sons were forbidden not only to show the usual tokens of sorrow, but even to go out from the door of the tabernacle. The same restriction is laid on every high priest, even on the decease of a father or a mother ;S that is, no minister of Jehovah was to quit his station in the temple, to indulge his feelings over a departed friend, because this would discover greater affection towards a dead man, than towards the living God. Of the same aspect is that law, which prohibited the priests from drinking wine or strong drink, when going into the tabernacle. The reason assigned is, that they might by a sober and perfect exercise of their reason, "put a difference between holy and unholy, &c." that is, treat sacred things in a grave and holy manner, and thus hold them up to the public veneration. To promote this high rev+ Lev. ix. 7.

* Ex. xxviii. 2, &c. Lev. xxi. 10, &c.

† Lev. xxi. 1-5 ·

erence of sacred things, especially of God and his sanctuary, infinite wisdom saw fit to decorate the tabernacle with extraordinary richness and magnificence, to make nature and art, and divine inspiration conspire in this sacred workmanship; that the Hebrews, struck with its exterior splendor, might suitably honor that great Being, who resided in it. To promote the same end, the divine Legislator nicely adjusted all the ceremonies of his worship in a manner best suited to inspire awful respect. These instituted ceremonies were all sober and grave. They had nothing in them ludicrous or absurd; nothing inconsistent with the majesty of God, or the sound reason of man. They were wisely adapted to the genius of the times, and the state of the Hebrews. Even Strabo, a learned heathen, while calumniating Moses, confesses that his law enjoined no ridiculous, fanatical, or indecent rites. Whereas most of the pagan ceremonies were plainly foolish and senseless. As lord Boacon expresses it, "they were perfectly deaf and dumb; they neither spoke nor even beckoned any instruction." The Mosaic rites also greatly transcended the pagan in point of innocence and purity. They in no instance tolerated, much less sanctified either filthiness, cruelty, or profanity. Whereas those of the heathen carried on their very face the image of those foul and barbarous demons, whom they worshiped. Their mysteries could not be endured by the eye either of modesty or humanity. Hence they were carefully concealed from vulgar observation. The splendor too of the Jewish rites naturally procured for them a profound veneration. We may add, their beautiful order contributed to the same effect. The law strictly provided not only for the observance of certain ceremonies, but for an accurate and decorous manner af

« ElőzőTovább »