SECTION VI.

The Origin and Use of Sacrifices.--The Nature and Design of that Sacrifice offered by Abel.-Apology for the Mistakes into which the Author may have fallen in this Work, or in his Connexions.

IT is argued, that sacrifices of the living creatures were not made in the most early ages that they did not commence until after mankind had eaten flesh: that we need not imagine they had their rise from a positive command of God; for, from the weakness in human nature, we may suppose, that mankind might invent this service, without any command enjoining the use of it. All thesc points have been treated by a very ingenious writer; an answer to whom will, I hope, be a sufficient reply to all that can be objected upon this topic. And my answer

a Sec Philemon to Hydaspes, letter v.

YOL. IV.

hereto is, that Abel, unquestionably, offered a sacrifice of an animal or living creature; that he did it in obedience to a command of God; and, consequently, that the origin of this institution was not of human contrivance.

I. Abel, I say, offered a sacrifice of a living creature: Abel, Moses tells us, brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. This offering was made before the 130th year of the world, and is indeed the first sacrifice which the scripture mentions. That Abel's was a sacrifice of a living creature, may, I think, be proved, both from Moses' express account of it, and from what is said upon it by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews.

Moses' account begins with the offering of Cain: Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. It is plain, that nothing animate was intended in

b Gen. iv. 4.

• Adam was but 130 when Seth was born, after Abel was killed, Gen. v. 3.

d Gen. iv. 3.

Cain's oblation: it was an offering of corn or herbs, the produce of the ground, and of nothing more. And it will be observed, that it is accordingly called minchah; the word often used for a meat-offering or oblation of things inanimate, in distinction to the sacrifice of a living creature. But Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof the words which follow are to be observed: and the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering; the text says, ve al minchatho so that the word minchah is here also used, to speak of Abel's offering, as it was of Cain's. Wherein then did they differ? or why should we think that Abel's offering was a sacrifice of a living creature, when it is thus hinted to be a minchah? The learned are herein very diligent to exert themselves. Grotius observes, that the

יבא קין מפרי האדמה מנחה ליהוה •

See Levit. ii. 1, 4, 5, 15. vii. 9, 10. xiv. 10. xxx. 16. Numb. xv. 3-6. xxviii. 5. et sexcent. al. in loc. Gen. iv. 4.

.ואל מנחתו The Hebrew words are *

k

word we render the fat thereof, may signify the milk thereof, and thinks that Abel did not sacrifice a lamb; but, perhaps, only some wool and cream, of the lactage, and growth of the firstlings of his flock. I answer, learned men will seem to say something for any singularity they have a mind to support; and Grotius is remarkable in this particular. But it is observable, that he lays the stress of what he would argue, upon explaining a word not material to the argument; but says nothing upon some other words, on which the true meaning of the place most absolutely turns. The word which we translate fat, may signify milk, or must be rendered fat, as the sense and context, when it is used, require; but the words here to be principally considered are, of the firstlings of his flock.' The firstling or firstlings of beasts, of cattle, of the herd, or of the flock, are expressions very common

Annot. in loc.

* Grotius observes, that

these had been thought very ancient sacrifices by the heathen writers. Ibid.

.4 .Gen. iv מבכרת צאנו !

in Moses.; and the question is, whether, wherever he speaks of an offering of firstlings, he means any thing but an offering of the living creatures so called? Whether, in Moses' language, had Abel offered only wool, and milk or cream, the expression must not have been, he brought of the wool, milk or cream, of the firsttings of his flock an offering to the Lord? And, whether, supposing the word which we render fat, may signify milk, the words of Moses here used, he brought of the firstlings of his flock, and the milk thereof, would not have denoted, that he brought both the living creatures, and their milk too? But a further question is, whether firstlings were ever reckoned, except by the males only?" If they were reckoned thus only, our learned annotators mistake most ridiculously. Abel, I appre-` hend, brought of his young rams unto the Lord; and the lactage of his rains; our

m Lev. xxvii. 26. Numb. xviii. 15. Deut. xv. 19, Numb. iii. 41. Deut. xii. 6. xiv. 23, &c.

See Exod. xiii. 12.