several cases of this kind, it will be proper to take notice of a very singular one, which may be ranked most naturally under this class, and that is the cure of a plague of leprosy breaking out in a house, in relation to which very particular directions are given in Lev. xiv, 33, and following verses, concerning the method the priest was to employ for removing the complaint and for cleansing the house; and in conclusion it is said, "and he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean," that is, restored to a capacity of being inhabited by the people of God.

The several cases wherein atonement seems to have been directed by way of reconciliation, or re, admission of persons who had been under some incapacity, or forfeiture to the privileges of the taber, nacle service, seem to have been the following; that of a cured leper; that of a man who was cured of a running issue; that of a woman who had been in child bed; that of a Nazarite who had been defiled by a person suddenly dying near him. Where it may be observed, that this incapacity arose from natural infirmities, bodily disorders, the ordinary course of nature, and providential events. I shall not trouble you with an account of the various methods by which persons in these different circumstances were ordered to be restored to the rights and privileges of God's people, to worship him in the tabernacle. It will be sufficient to give you an idea of the rest, to recite the directions respecting a

woman who had been in childbed, Lev. xii. 2."According to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean." And again, verse 4," she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled." And then, verse 6, "she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtle dove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest; verse 7, who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood; v. 8, and if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin of-. fering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean." Here you see then, some offerings are appointed and atonements required, where there could not possibly be any sin, merely to remove certain incapacities under which persons laboured, which unfitted them for appearing in the tabernacle.

Atonements were appointed for sins of ignorance, that is, for those, who really had transgressed some of the commandments of the Lord, but at the time were ignorant of the command or of it's importance and meaning, or were not apprised that they had violated it. When such persons came to be better informed afterward concerning the transgression they were charged with, they could not consider

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themselves as in a proper state for coming into the presence of God and joining in his service acceptably. For their relief, therefore, atonements were appointed to remove the incapacity, and restore them to their former privileges. These were different according to the rank or quality of the offender. Lev. iv, 27, " ifany one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things. which ought not to be done, and be guilty; or if his sin which he hath sinned come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin, which he hath sinned." When this is offered in a proper manner, "the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him." One of the cases mentioned under this head is that of a man, who being examined upon oath as evidence concerning any thing he had seen or heard, if he doth not utter it, shall bear his iniquity; by which seems not to be intended a person who wilfully and knowingly withheld evidence of the truth in judicial cases, but one who, through want of reflexion or through inadvertence, fails to give a full and true evidence, and afterward recollects that fault. The other cases, with which this is explained, lead us to this interpretation, be sides that to withhold evidence in such cases mani, festly comes within the compass of that general rule, which will hereafter be taken notice of, "The soul which doth aught presumptuously, no atonement

shall be made for it; it shall die." Atonements were also appointed for sins of ignorance committed by a ruler or person of superiour rank, for those committed by a priest and by the whole congregation; for not only might individuals of every rank and order fall into such sins, but the whole people might likewise commit like errours, and become in consequence unfit to appear in the presence of God, and to worship him with due decorum and accep

tance.

In all these cases, atonements were to be made, as soon as the sins of ignorance were discovered and known.

However, many incidents unsuitable to the majesty and holiness of God, and many violations of his commandments, might happen without ever being noticed, and consequently without having any atonement made for them. To remedy all such cases, and to remove all defects and disqualifications arising from them, whether from the holy place itself, it's former and minister, or from the people of God, and at the same time to impress upon their minds an awful reverence of the greatness and purity of God, and a proper humility for their own offences against him, whether known or unknown, atoned or not atoned for, the whole past year, a day of general and solemn expiation was appointed, on which occasion the high priest was to make atonement for the tabernacle and altar for himself, his house, and the people, by the sacrifice of a goat.

After all these atonements were made by certain prescribed rites, the high priest was to complete the atonement for the people with the scape goat, which was to be presented alive to the Lord, by laying both his hands on it's head and confessing over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and sending it away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. With respect to all these general atonements it must be observed on the one hand, that they would not excuse for the omission or neglect of the appointed atonement for particular sins of ignorance, as they come to be. known; and on the other, that no atonements at all were appointed for those who sinned wilfully and presumptuously. They were doomed to be instantly put to death, as we have seen above. There were, however, some particular cases of known and wilful transgressions of the law, for which atonements were appointed. These were cases of dishonest dealings between man and man, but such as admitted of compensation of damages suffered thereby. A person, who had been guilty of such practices, was certainly unworthy to appear in the presence of God, or to engage in the service of the high and holy God, so long as the injury he had done his neighbour remained unredressed, and consequently he had not given the proper proof of his repentance. But if every act of dishonesty had been finally and irrevocably to exclude an offender from the privilege