Sacrifice

SACRIFICE, is an Offering made to God upon his Altars, by the Hand of a lawful Minister, to acknowledge his Power, and to pay him Homage. Sacrifice differs from a meer Oblation, in this, that in a Sacrifice there must be a real Change or Destruction of the Thing offered; whereas an Oblation is but a simple Offering of a Gift. As Men have always been under an Obligation of acknowledging the Supreme Dominion of God over them, and whatever belongs to them, and as there have always been found Persons that have conscientiously acquitted themselves of this Duty; we may affirm, that there have always been Sacrifices in the World. Adam and his Sons, Noah and his Descendants, Abraham and his Posterity, Job and Melchisedech before the Law, have offered to God real Sacrifices. The Law did nothing more than ascertain the Quality, the Number, and other Circumstances of Sacrifices. Before that, all was Arbitrary. They offered the Fruits of the Earth, the Fat or the Milk of Animals, the Fleeces of Sheep, or the Blood and the Flesh of the Victims. Every one pursued his own Humour, his Acknowledgment, his Zeal, or his Devotion: But among the Jews, the Law appointed what they were to offer, and in what Quantities. Before the Law was given, every one was the Priest and Minister of his own Sacrifices; at least he was at liberty to chuse what Priest he pleas’d, to offer his Victims. Generally this Honour was conferr’d upon the most Antient, or Head of a Family, on Princes, or Men of the greatest Virtue and Integrity. But after Moses, this was wholly confined to the Family of Aaron.

‘Tis disputed, whether, at first, there were any other Sacrifices than Burnt-offerings: No other appear in Scripture. The Talmudists assure us, that Abel offered only Holocausts, consuming the Flesh of the Victim by Fire; because it was not allow’d to eat any of it. Grotius is of Opinion, that this Patriarch did not offer any bloody Sacrifices. The Text of Moses informs us,¹ that he offered of the First-lings of his Flock, and of the Fat thereof. But the Hebrew may be translated by, of the First-fruits, and the Milk. We are told, that the Antients offered to God only the Fruits of the Earth, Herbs, Flowers, Honey, Milk, Wheat, Wool:

Ovid. Fast. l. 4.Lacte mero veteres usi narrantur, & herbis, Sponte suâ si quas terra ferebat.

We are told also,² that the Antients put no Fire to their Sacrifices, but obtain’d it by their Prayers; and most of the Fathers think,³ it was thus that God declared the Sacrifices of Abel to be agreeable to him: He consumed them, as they say, by a Fire sent from Heaven; which was a Favour not vouchsafed to Cain’s Sacrifices. In the same manner he set Fire to the Sacrifices offered at Aaron’s Consecration, to those offered by Gideon, to those offered by Solomon at the Dedication of his Temple, to those of Elijah upon Mount Carmel, and to those offer’d by the Maccabees at restoring the Worship of the Temple, after it had been prophaned by Antiochus Epiphanes.

The Hebrews had properly but three sorts of Sacrifices, which are, the Burnt-offering, or Holocaust; the Sacrifice for Sin, or the Sacrifice of Expiation; and the Pacifick Sacrifice, or Sacrifice of Thanksgiving. Besides these, there were several Kinds of Offerings, of Corn, of Meal, of Cakes, of Wine, of Fruits; and one Manner of Sacrificing, which has no relation to any we have now mentioned, which is, the setting Lev. xiv. 4, 5, 6, 7, 51, 52, 53.at Liberty one of the two Sparrows that were offered for the Purification of leprous Lev. xvi. 10, 26.Persons; and the Scape-goat, which was taken to a distant and steep Place, where it was left at Liberty: These Animals, thus left to themselves, were esteem’d as Victims of Expiation, which were loaded with the Sins of those that offered them.

The Holocaust was offered and burnt quite up, on the Altar of Burnt-offerings, without any Reserve to the Person that gave the Victim, or to the Priest that kill’d and sacrificed it; only the Priest had the Philo de Præmiis Sacerdot. & Levit. vii. 8.Benefit of the Skin: For before the Sacrifices were offered to the Lord, their Skins were flay’d off, and their Feet and Intrails were wash’d. See HOLOCAUSTS, and Lev. chap. i.

The Sacrifice for Sin, or for Expiation, or the Purification of a Man who had fallen into any Offence against the Law, was not entirely consumed upon the Fire of the Altar. Nothing of it return’d to him that had given it, but the sacrificing Priest had a Share in it; and these are the Particulars Levit. ch. iv, v.that were observed in this Case: If it were the High-priest who had offended through Ignorance, he offered a Calf without Blemish: He brought it to the Door of the Tabernacle, put his Hand upon the Head of the Sacrifice, confess’d his Sin, asked Pardon for it, kill’d and stuck the Calf, carry’d its Blood into the Tabernacle, with his Finger made seven Aspersions towards the Veil that separated the Holy Place from the Sanctuary, put a little of this Blood upon the Altar of Incense, and afterwards poured out all the rest at the Foot of the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices: After this, he took away the Fat that covered the Kidneys, the Liver, and the Bowels; he put the Whole upon the Fire of the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices; and as to the Skin, the Feet, the Bowels, and the Flesh of the Sacrifice, he caused them to be burnt out of the Camp, in a clean Place, where they used to put the Ashes that were taken away from the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices.

Secondly, If it were the whole People that had offended, they were to offer a Calf in like manner. The Elders shall bring it to the Altar of the Tabernacle, shall put their Hands upon its Head, and confess their Offence; after which, the Priest shall stick the Victim, shall carry its Blood into the Holy Place, shall make seven Aspersions towards the Veil, shall put some upon the Horns of the Altar of Incense, shall pour out the rest at the Foot of the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices, shall burn the Fat upon the said Altar; and the rest of the Body, the Feet, the Skin, and the Bowels, shall be burnt out of the Camp, as has been said of the Sin-offering of the High-priest.

Thirdly, If it be the Prince of the People that has offended, he shall offer a Goat,⁴ shall bring it to the Door of the Tabernacle, shall put his Hands upon its Head, and shall confess his Sin. The Priest shall sacrifice it, shall put of the Blood of the Victim upon the Horns of the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices, shall pour out the rest of the Blood at the Foot of the same Altar, shall burn the Fat upon the Fire of the Altar, and the rest of the Sacrifice shall be for himself. He shall be obliged to eat it in the Tabernacle, and not dare to carry any of it without.

Fourthly, If it be only a private Person who has committed an Offence, he shall offer a Sheep, or a She-goat without Blemish, shall present it to the Priest at the Door of the Tabernacle, shall put his Hands upon the Head of the Sacrifice. The Priest shall sacrifice it, shall put some of the Blood upon the Horns of the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices, shall pour out the rest at the Foot of the same Altar, upon which he shall burn the Fat; and all the rest shall be his own.

But if he is not of Ability to offer a Sheep or a She-goat, he shall offer two Turtles, or two young Pigeons; one for his Sin, and the other for a Burnt Offering. That which is for the Burnt-offering, shall be entirely consumed upon the Fire of the Altar. That which shall be offered for his Sin, shall be presented to the Priest, who shall pull off its Head, as some say, or only violently twist it about towards the Wings, without pulling it off, shall make an Aspersion with the Blood of this Bird towards the Altar, shall spill the rest of the Blood at the Foot of the same Altar; and the Flesh shall be his own.

Lastly, If the Person was so poor, as that he could not afford to offer either a She-goat, or two Turtles, he might offer the tenth Part of an Ephah of Meal, that is, a little more than a Gallon of Meal, without Oil or Spice. He presented it to the Priest, who took a Handful of it, and threw it upon the Fire, and the rest was for himself. There are some other Circumstances belonging to this Matter, which may be seen in Leviticus, ch. v. 15, 16. and ch. vi. 1, 2, 3. concerning the Faults in which, besides the Sin-offering and Sacrifice of Expiation, there is a kind of Amends to be made, or Obligation of Restitution to the Lord, or to the Persons offended, according to the Nature of the Offence: For as to the rest, the Ceremonies were always the same.

As to the Sacrifice for Sin, when a Ram was offered, his Rump or Tail was burnt Lev. vii. 2, 3.also, which was very fat, along with the rest of the Fat. But if it was a Goat, the Fat only was burnt.

The Peace-offering was offered, to return Thanks to God for his Benefits, or to ask Favours from him, or to satisfy any one’s private Devotion, or, lastly, for the Honour of God only. The Israelites offered them when they pleas’d, and there was no Law that obliged them to it. It was free to ‘em to present what Animals they would, provided they were such as it was allow’d them to sacrifice. In these Sacrifices no Distinction was observ’d, either of the Age or Sex of the Victim, as was required in the Burnt Sacrifices, and the Sacrifices for Sin. The Law only requir’d, that their Victims Lev. iii.should be without Blemish. He that presented them came to the Door of the Tabernacle, put his Hand upon the Head of the Victim, and kill’d it. The Priest pour’d out the Blood about the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices; burnt upon the Fire of the Altar the Fat which is in the Lower Belly, that which covers the Kidneys, the Liver, and the Bowels. And if it were a Lamb, or a Ram, he added to it the Rump of the Animal, which, in that Country, is always very fat.

Before these Things were set in Order upon the Fire of the Altar, the Priest put them into the Hands of the Person that Lev. vii. 30, 31, &c.provided the Victim, then made him lift them up on high, and wave them towards the four Quarters of the World, the Priest supporting and directing his Hands. The Breast and the Right Shoulder of the Sacrifice belong’d to the Priest that perform’d the Service; and it appears, that each of ‘em were put into the Hands of him that offered them, tho’ Moses mentions only the Breast of the Animal. After this, all the rest of the Sacrifice belong’d to him that presented it to the Priest, and he might eat it with his Family and Friends, as any other Meat.

The Sacrifices or Offerings of Meal, or Liquors, which were offered for Sin, were in favour of the poorer Sort, who could not afford Sacrifices of Oxen, of Goats, or of Lev. vi. 14, 15, &c.Sheep: They contented themselves with offering Meal or Flour, sprinkled with Oil, with Spice (or Frankincense) over it. And the Priest taking an Handful of this Flour, with all the Frankincense, sprinkled them upon the Fire of the Altar; and all the rest of the Flour was his own: He was to eat it without any Leaven in the Tabernacle, and none but the Priests were to taste of it. As to the other Offerings, where they presented Fruits, Wine, Meal, Wafers, or any thing else, the Priest always cast a Part of it upon the Altar, all the rest belong’d to him and the other Priests. These Offerings were always accompany’d with Salt and Wine, but without any Leaven. Levit. ii. 1, 2, 3, &c.

Those Sacrifices, in which they set at Liberty a Bird or a Goat, were not properly Sacrifices; because there was no shedding of Blood, and the Victim remain’d alive and sound. It was thus they set at Liberty the Sparrow that was offered for Lev. xiv. 4, 5, &c.the Purification of a Leper, or of a House spotted with Leprosy. They presented to the Priest a Couple of Sparrows, or two clean Birds, with a Bundle made up of Cedar-wood and Hyssop, and tied with a scarlet String. The Priest kill’d one of the Birds over running Water, which was in a clean Vessel of fresh Earth; afterwards, tying the living Sparrow to the Bundle of Cedar and Hyssop, with the Tail turn’d towards the Handle of the Vessel, he plunged it in the Water drench’d with the Blood of the first Sparrow, sprinkled the Leper or the House with it; then set the living Sparrow at liberty, and let it go where it pleas’d.

The other sort of Animal that was set at liberty was a Goat; and this is the Occasion upon which it was done: On the Day of solemn Expiation, the Multitude of the Children of Israel presented to the High-priest at the Door of the Tabernacle, two Goats for a Sin-offering. The High-priest then cast Lots upon the two Goats, which should be sacrificed to the Lord, and which should be set at liberty, or be the Scape-goat, the Azazel, as the Hebrews call it. He that was determined by Lot to be sacrificed, was put to death, and offered for the Sins of the People. He that, on the other hand, was to be set at liberty, was brought alive before the Lord. The High-priest said over him certain Prayers, laid his two Hands upon his Head, confess’d the Sins of the whole Congregation, charged therewith the Head of the Goat with Imprecations, then sent him into the Wilderness by a Man appointed to that Office. See the Articles AZAZEL and SCAPE-GOAT.

The Sacrifices of Birds, were offered on three Occasions. First, for Sin, when the Person offering was not rich enough to Lev. v. 7, 8, &c. Lev. xii. 6, 7.provide a four-footed Animal for a Victim. Secondly, for the Purification of a Woman after her Lying-in. When she could offer a Lamb and a young Pigeon, she gave them both; the Lamb for a Burnt -offering, and the Pigeon for a Sin-offering. But if she was not of Ability to offer a Lamb, she gave a Pair of Turtles, or a Pair of young Pigeons, to be offered, one for a Burnt-offering, and the other for a Sin-offering. Thirdly, they offered two Sparrows for those who were purified from the Leprosy; one as a Burnt-offering, and the other was a Scape-sparrow, as we have said before.

For the Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb, see PASSOVER.

Gal. iv. 9.The Perpetual Sacrifice, call’d by the Hebrews, Thamid: The Lord had appointed, that they should offer every Day a two Lambs upon the Altar of Burnt-offerings, one in the Morning, and another at Evening. They were burnt as Holocausts, but by a small Fire, that they might continue burning the longer. The Sheep of the Morning was offer’d about Sun-rising, after the Incense was burnt upon the golden Altar, and before any other Sacrifice. That in the Evening was offer’d between the two Vespers, that is to say, at the Decline of the Day, and before the Night began. With each of these Victims was offer’d half a Pint of Wine, as much of the purest Oil, and an Asaron, or about three Pints of the finest Flour.

And such were the Sacrifices of the Hebrews: Sacrifices indeed very imperfect, and altogether incapable of themselves to purify the Defilements of the Soul. St. Paul has comprehended the Sacrifices, and the other Ceremonies of the Law, under the Character of weak and beggarly Elements. They represented Grace and Purity, but they did not communicate it, says St. Austin:⁵ Gratiam multiplicatio victimarum significabat, non efficiebat. They convinced the Sinner of the Necessity that was incumbent on him, to purify himself, and make Satisfaction to God; but they did not impart Innocence to him.⁶ Convincebantur peccatores potius quam mundabantur. Lastly, all these Sacrifices were no other than Prophecies and Figures of the true Sacrifice which is offer’d in the Christian Church, and which eminently includes all the Virtues and Qualities of the other Sacrifices;⁷ being at the same Time an Holocaust, a Sacrifice for Sin, and a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving; but with this Difference, that it contains the whole Substance and Efficacy, of which the antient Sacrifices were only the Shadow and Representation.

The Sacrifice of the Christian Church is only one. It consists in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, offer’d and sacrificed by the Ministry of the Priests upon the Altar, under the Species of Bread and Wine. ‘Twas this Sacrifice that was represented by all those of the Jews, and which was the Object of the Confidence of all the Saints, and of all the Prophets of the Old Testament, who had in View this one Oblation, in all those bloody Sacrifices that they offer’d to the Lord. The Paschal Lamb, the Burnt-offerings of every Day,

Levit. xiv. 4, &c. 49, the Offerings of Flour and Wine, and all 50, 51. the other Oblations, of whatever nature Psal. xl. they were, promis’d and represented the 6. Isai. l.

11, 12, 13, Death of Jesus Christ; of which the Sacri- 14. fice of the Altar is the Renewal and real Psal. li.

17. Representation. ‘Twas this Sacrifice that was foretold in an express Manner by Malachi, in these Words: I have no Plea-Mal. i. sure in you, saith the Lord of Hosts, neither 10, 11. will I accept an Offering from your Hand. For from the rising of the Sun, even unto the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every Place Incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure Offering: For my Name shall be great among the Heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts. In this Prophecy may be seen two essential Points of our Religion admirably well established. First, the Abolition of the Sacrifices, and the Ceremonies of the old Law; and secondly, a new Sacrifice offer’d in the Name of the Lord, in every Place, and in the midst of the Nations. See before the Article MASS.

The Sacrifice of an humble and contrite Heart, is that Sacrifice, that, on our Part, constitutes the whole Merit of all the other Sacrifices that we can offer to God. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit; a broken and a contrite Heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. The Jews, without these Dispositions, could not offer to God any Offering that was agreeable to him; and even the Sacrifice of our Altars, as divine and excellent as it is in itself, becomes of no use, but even dangerous, to those that offer it, or that partake of it, with Inclinations and Dispositions contrary to those; or, at least, who do not desire them, and endeavour to acquire them. God often explains himself upon this Matter in the Prophets. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire, mine Ears hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and Sin-offering hast thou not required. To what purpose is the Multitude of your Sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full of the Burnt-offerings of Rams, and the Fat of fed Beasts, and I delight not in the Blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your Hands to tread my Courts? Bring no more vain Oblations; Incense is an Abomination unto me, the New-Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of Assemblies, I cannot away with, it is Iniquity, even the solemn Meeting. Your New-Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul hateth, they are a Trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. See Jerem. xxxv. 15. Amos v. 21, 22. Hos. xiv. 2, 3, 4. Joel xi. 12, 13, &c. Psal. xlix. 2.

Human Sacrifices. The natural Notion common to all Mankind, that we must⁸ offer to God whatever we have that is most valued by us, has prevail’d on several so far, as to offer Human Sacrifices. It is not agreed, who was the first that introduc’d this Custom. Some a ascribe it to Ilus, call’d otherwise Saturn, who, they say, brought it into Practice among the Phenicians. He offer’d up to the Gods his own Son Jehid, whom he had by the Nymph Anobroth. Philo the Jew insinuates,⁹ that the Custom of offering such Sacrifices was known in the Land of Canaan before Abraham; and some learned Men think¹⁰, that the Example of these People, took off much of that Horror that Abraham would otherwise have had, at the Intention of sacrificing his own Son, when he had received that Command from God.

But it is much more probable, that Abraham was the first who attempted to sacrifice his own Son; and that it was his Example ill apply’d, that gave a Rise to this Custom. Sanchoniathon, who is quoted for the Sacrifice of Jehid, made by Ilus, is an Author without any Authority. Philo does not deny indeed, but that the Custom of offering Human Sacrifices might obtain in Palestine before Abraham’s Time; but he maintains, that this Patriarch, in the Sacrifice he was going to make, had no Intention to imitate these People, whose Manners and Idolatry he abhorr’d. What Motive could he have to this Action? Was it Fear, Hope, Vanity, Ostentation, the Desire of Praise, or of Riches? Isaac was every thing to him; yet the express Command of God would not allow him to hesitate upon a Matter so contrary to his Inclinations, and so opposite to his Interest.

As to the Human Sacrifices customary in Palestine, in Africa, in Gaul, and almost all the World over, it must be own’d they were very antient, and that they did really sacrifice Men to their false Gods. I know that some learned Men¹¹ have thought, that among the Canaanites and Moabites, they contented themselves with making the Children to pass through the Flames, or between two Fires, which they call’d, Lustrare per ignem; and I doubt not, but sometimes they did so. But for the most part they really consumed them in the Flames, which is easily proved.

Lev. xviii. 21.Moses in Leviticus forbids them to make their Children pass through the Fire in Honour of Moloch. De semine tuo non dabis ut consecretur Idolo Moloch. The Hebrew says, you shall not give your Children to make them pass to Moloch. And this some understand of a Lustration only, like what is mention’d in prophane Authors. Moxq; per ardentes stipulæ crepitantis acervos, Trajicias coleri strenua membra pede; Omnia purgat edax ignis.

Besides, the Scripture makes mention of a Son of King Ahaz,¹² who had been offer’d to Moloch, and yet reigned after his Father.

But there are so many other Evidences, that they burn’d their Children in Honour of false Gods, that it cannot reasonably be call’d in question. Thus the Scripture speaks of this Crime, Levit. xx. 1, 2, 3. Whosoever he be of the Children of Israel, or of the Strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his Seed to Moloch; he shall surely be put to Death, the People of the Land shall stone him with Stones. And I will set my Face against that Man, and will cut him off from among his People: because he hath given of his Seed unto Moloch, to defile my Sanctuary, and to prophane my Holy Name. And if the People of the Land do any ways hide their Eyes from the Man, when he giveth of his Seed unto Moloch, and kill him not; then I will set my Face against that Man, and against his Family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit Whoredom with Moloch, from among their People. Moses again repeats these Prohibitions, Deut. xviii. 10. And it appears from Amos, that notwithstanding Amos v. 26.these Prohibitions, the People did not forbear even in the Desart, to carry with them a Tent consecrated to the God Moloch.

The Passage that speaks of the Consecration that King Abaz made, of one of his Sons to the God Moloch, does indeed only mention, that he made him pass thro’ the 2 Kings xvi. 3.Fire. Consecravit transferens per ignem. But the Scripture adds, that in this he imitated the Abominations of the People of Canaan, whom the Lord had exterminated, and driven out before the Children of Israel. But it is beyond all doubt, that the Canaanites put their Children to Death in Honour Ps. cv. 37.of their Gods. Et immolaverunt filios & filias suas Dæmoniis, & effuderunt sanguinem innocentem, sanguinem filiorum suorum, & filiarum suarum quas sacrificaverunt sculptilibus Chanaan. Jeremiah says, They have Jer. xix. 5.built also the high Places of Baal, to burn their Sons with Fire, for Burnt-offerings unto Baal. See also the same Prophet, xxxii. 35. It is certain, that, for these Crimes chiefly, God drove out the Canaanites. See Deut. xviii. 10, 11. And Wisdom, xii. 5. Odibilia opera tibi faciebant, per medicamina & sacrificia injusta, & filiorum suorum peccatores sine misericordia.¹³

The Phenicians, who were a Remnant of the Canaanites, continued this barbarous Custom in their Country, which they justify’d by the Example of Ilus or Saturn, as we have shewn above: They carry’d this Custom along with their Colonies into Africa, where it continued for a very long Time. When Gelo, King of Sicily, conquer’d the Carthaginians, by the Treaty Plutarch Apophth.he made with them, he obliged them to renounce this Custom of Sacrificing their Children to Saturn. Justin assures us, that Just. l. 18.Darius imposed the same Commands upon them by an Embassy, to leave off their Human Sacrifices. But notwithstanding all this, they continued these Practices till the Proconsulate of Tiberias, who caus’d the Priests of Saturn to be hanged upon Trees that were near their Temples. Diodorus Tertull. Apologet.Siculus¹⁴ also gives us a Description of Saturn, as adored by the Carthaginians: ‘Twas a Figure of Copper, the Hands of which were turn’d backwards, and bending towards the Ground; so that when they put upon his Arms a Child to be consecrated to him, he immediately fell into a Pan of burning Coals beneath, and died miserably at the Feet of the Deity.

‘Twould be to little Purpose to heap up here a great Number of Examples of the sacrificing of human Victims. Porphyrius assures us, that the Book of Sanchoniathon was full of them. These Sacrifices were frequent, not only in Phenicia, in Palestine, in the Countries of Ammon and 2 Kings iii. 24.Moab, in Idumea, in Arabia, and in Egypt,¹⁵ but also in Gaul, among the Scythians, the Thracians, in the Isles of Rhodes, Chios and Cyprus, and even among the Athenians, and finally also in America.

As to what is affirm’d, that Ahaz had the same Son for his Successor, whom he had made to pass through the Fire in Honour to Moloch, no Proof can be given of this. ‘Tis true, his Successor was Hezekiah; but he might have had several other Sons. We know another of his Sons, whose Name was Maasiah, who was put to Death at the 2 Chron. xxviii. 7.Command of the King of Israel.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages