be pleafed with ten thousands of Rams, or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oil? SHALL I GIVE MY

FIRST-BORN FOR MY TRANSGRESSION: THE FRUIT OF MY BODY FOR THE SIN OF MY SOUL? Here we fee, conformably to what I have delivered concerning Child-facrifice, that the idea the Gentiles had of it (for, to the Gentile, not to the Jewib facrifices, the Prophet here alludes, as will be fhewn hereafter) was fimply, and folely, this, the very highest atonement that man could make for bis tranfgreffions, as it was the offering up what was moft dear to the offender. The Prophet, therefore, puts it in the number of expiatory Sacrifices. But had that, which the learned Writer contends for, been the true and ancient notion of the Tεnvolvσia, one can hardly think that, at a time when the Prophets were gradually opening the nature of the NEW DISPENSATION, Micah would have let flip fo fair an occafion of confidering it under that Chriftian idea.

We may now fee, for what reafon Child-facrifice came to be reckoned a MYSTERIOUS WORSHIP; it was done, to withdraw the obfervation of the People from fo horrid a rite, when confidered only in its fimple ufe; for nature is rarely fo far debauched, as to behold, with indifference, the violation of its moft inftitive appetites.

Micah vi. 7.

So that the enormity was to be covered by fome far-fetched invention of fuperior excellence of virtue, which preferred the rights of the Divinity to all human obligations. Thus, when the Worfhippers were apt to revolt at Sacrifices extremely cruel or libidinous, the Priests fecured their own credit, and the honour of their God, by the intervention of a spiritual meaning. And human Sacrifices became myfterious for the fame reafon that the impudent proceffion of the Phallus, in the corrupted Rites of Bacchus and Ofiris, was taught to convey the high matters of REGENERATION, and a new life.

I have been the longer on this question, becaufe, if human Sacrifices fhould be thought to have had their original from the Command to Abraham, it might feem to give fome colour (which was far from the intention of this very learned and worthy man) to the calumny of the Deifts, who affert, that HUMAN SACRIFICES MADE A PART OF THE MOSAIC RITUAL. For if the Texvo

prefigured the Sacrifice on the Cross,, or, as the learned Writer expreffeth it, was a type or reprefentation of fomething to come, it foftens a little this infidel Paradox. The Poet VOLTAIRE hath repeated the calumny over and over, as if the Bible was still shut up, not only from the people in general, but (what, perhaps, would

would have been attended with «lefs injury to Religion) from THESE POETS in particular.

And now, this more ferious queftion (in the midst of one lefs important, viz. the origin and progrefs of facrifice in general) will deferve a fevere

examination.

VOLTAIRE, in a thing he calls, "An Effay on "general History," accufes the Law, in thefe Words "The Jewish Law feems to permit.

thefe [human] Sacrifices. It is faid in Leviti66 cus, that none devoted which fhall be devoted "of men shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put "to death. The Jewish Books bear evi

dence, that when the Ifraelites over-ran the little country of Canaan, they maffacred in most of the villages, men, women, and children, ́ because they had been DEVOTED. On this Law it was that "Jephtha facrificed his daughter."

* Lev. xxvii. 29.

+ La Loi des Juifs femblait permettre ces Sacrifices. Il est dit dans Levitique; fi une ame vivante a étê promise à DIEU, on ne poura la racheter, il faut qu'elle meure. Les Livres des Juifs reportent que quand ils envoluirent le petit pais des Cananéens, ils maffacrérent dans plufieurs villages, les hommes, les femmes, les enfans-parce qu'ils avoient été devoués. C'eft fur cette Loi qui furent fondes les ferments de Jephthé qui facrifia fa fille, &c. Oeuvres de M. de Voltaire, Tom. xiii. p. 227. 8 Ed. 1756, 8vo.

X 2

1. This

1. This whole calumny I fhall clear away, first of all, by the most exprefs prohibitions of the Law, together with the declarations of the PROPHETS; both of which execrate every species of human Sacrifice.

2. And then examine and explain all those paffages of Scripture, which feem to have given a handle to this impious charge.

3. Concluding, in the third place, with a confutation of that cenfure of inhumanity towards the inhabitants of Canaan urged by Voltaire, to fupport his main accufation of HUMAN SACRIFICES, and urged as if it were itself in the number of fuch Sacrifices.

I.

In my entrance on the first head, let me previously obferve, that the earliest direction for SANCTIFICATION, that is (in the language of Mofes) for SACRIFICE, is of the first-born, expreffed in these words: SANCTIFY unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb amongst the children of Ifrael, both of man and beat; it is MINE. This is declared to be for a memorial of God's fmiting Egypt in favour of his chofen people.-All the firft-born of the Children of Ifrael are MINE, both man and beast: on the day

* Exod. xiii. 2.

that

that I fmote the firft-born in the land of Egypt, I SANCTIFIED them for myself*.

But from this Sanctification or SACRIFICE, Man and unclean animals were excepted, and redeemed. The redemption of the firft-born of man is thus fettled and explained—————“ I have "taken (fays the text) the LEVITES for all the "FIRST-BORN of the Children of Ifrael: and I "have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and "his Sons, to do the fervice of the children of If"rael, in the tabernacle of the Congregation." The redemption of the fi-born of unclean animals with a repetition of the redemption of Men, is thus expreffed-Every firfling of an ass falt thou redeem with a Lamb-and all the firft-born of man amongst thy Children fhalt thou redem The redemption money, for both, is given to Aaron and his Succeffors §; to whom the whole tribe of Levi was affigned for a vicarious (and in lieu of a more general) fandlification of the firft-born of man.

This redemption was not on account of perfonal favour to a chofen people, but in abhorrence of HUMAN SACRIFICES, as appears plainly both from the LAW and the PROPHETS.

*Numb. viii. 17.-and Exod. xiii. 14, 15.

+ V. 18, 19, and to the fame purpose, iii. 12,13-45• Numb. xviii. 15, 16.

Exod. xiii. 13.