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CHAP. VII.
Of the ancient Oblations, Gifts, and Sacrifices of the Iewes: and of their Priests, and persons Ecclesiasticall, and Religious.
ALthough Moses doth handle this matter of their Rites and Sacrifices, and is herein seconded and interpreted by the succeeding Prophets, so fully, that it may seeme a powring of water into the Sea, to speake needlesly, or by our Discourse, to obscure, rather than illustrate, that which is so largely and plainely there expressed; yet because of that subiect which we haue in hand, I cannot altogether be silent (at least of the kinds and heads) referring the desirous Reader for his more perfect satisfacti∣on in particulars, to those cleerer propheticall fountaines. Their rites for time and place we haue already described: The next intended part of this Iewish relation shal be of their Oblations, which were either Gifts or Sacrifices. Their sacrifices were such oblations, wherein the thing offered was in whole or part consumed in diuine wor∣ship, for the most part by fire or shedding of bloud. These were of eight a 1.1 sorts. Burnt-offerings, Meate-offerings, Peace-offerings, Sinne-offerings, Trespasse-offerings. the offerings of Consecration. Cleansing and Expiation. b 1.2 Philo reduceth them to three: Burnt, Peace and Sinne-offerings, according to the three causes of sacrificing; The worship of God the obtaining of good things, and freedome from euill.
The Burnt-offerings were by fire consumed, the rites and manner here of is expres∣sed, Leuitic. 1. the fire was to be perpetuall on the Altar, being that which GOD miraculously sent from heauen to consume Aarons sacrifice; for neglecting which, and vsing other, his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu were stricken by a reuenging fire from GOD. The Meate offering was made of fine flower, without hony or leuen, and with oyle and incense on the altar, or frying panne, or ouen, or caldron, accor∣ding to the rites prescribed, Leuit. 2. partly sacred to the LORD by fire, the rest to be the Priests. The Peace-offerings are with their proper ceremonies enioyned Leu. 3. and 7; the fat and kidneys were to be burned on the Altar (the fat and bloud be∣ing vniuersally forbidden them for food) the breast and right shoulder was the Priests: the rest to the sacrificer, to bee eaten the first, or at furthest on the second day: or else on the third to be burnt with fire. The offering for sinnes of ignorance for the Priest, Prince, people or priuate man, is set downe Leu. 4. and 6. The Sinne-offe∣ring in case of contempt, where the sinne is committed against GOD & man willing∣ly, with the due maner therof is expressed, Leu. 6. To these were adioyned Prayers & praises, with musicall voices, and instruments, cymballs, violes, harpes, and trum∣pets resounding For he is good, for his mercy endureth for euer. The sixt kind of sacri∣fices was proper to the Priests at their consecration, recorded Le 6. 20. The seuenth mentioned sacrifice is of purification or cleansing, as of a woman after child-birth, Le. 12. or of a Leper 13. 14. or for vncleane issues of men and women, cha. 15. The eight is the sacrifice of Expiation or Reconciliation, on that festiuall or fasting day before spoken of, Le. 16. Hereunto may we adde the lights and the daily offring of incense, morning and euening, Exod. 20 on a golden altar, whereunto the Priests onely had accesse, with such perfume onely as is there prescribed.
The Gifts, which we haue reckoned a second sort of Oblations, that were not as the former in whole, or in part consumed in their offering, but preserued whole and sound, were giuen, either according to the Law, or by Vow, or of free will. The Law prescribed First-fruits & Tithes, and the personall halfe-shekel The first-fruits of Man, of beasts, and of the fruits of the earth, the Lawe exacteth, Exod. 22. 23. and are as∣signed to the Priests, Num. 5 and 18. which, of men and vncleane beasts, were to be redeemed, of others to be sacrificed. Of Tithes. when we consider the assignement of them to the Tribe of Leui, we must so farre acknowledge them Leuiticall and Ce∣remoniall. But some, considering the paying of them to a Priest, so soon as we reade