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§. 14. To the cafes of this class belongs the atonement which was made in the cafe of the Gibeonites, as far as it had for its effect, the removal of the famine which the Ifraelites fuffered as a punishment for the oppreffion of thefe Gibeonites: for it fupplies us with the fame idea of atonement. And, therefore, what is faid of them, will be applicable to this.

§. 15. THE moft part of the texts of this class, fupply us with inftances of extra-levitical atonements which had the pardon of fin, or the removal of punishment, for their effect; which was, likewife, the effect that was produced by many of the levitical facrifices. It is, therefore, in these texts, if in any, that we can expect to meet with fuch affertions, hints, and fuggeftions as may furnish us with reafons to conclude, that Jewish facrifices were of a fymbolical nature and intention. It will, therefore, be proper here, to be particularly careful in the examination of all that the Dr. has faid about thefe texts, and of all the inferences which he has drawn from them; and to try, as far as we can, whether his main conclufion has, or has not, any fupport from them, viz. "That Jewish facrifices were fynbolical addreffes to God, expreffing by outward figns, what is expreffed in prayer and praife by words, or "in the courfe of life by deeds."- Before I

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enter upon this fubject, I must confefs, that my expectation of finding any thing in these texts that has a tendency to confirm or fupport this notion of Jewith facrifices, is very fmall. For though the effect, produced by thefe facrifices, and by the atonements mentioned in the texts of this class, was the fame; yet the mean, by which it was produced in the former cafe, was fo different from the feveral means by which it was produced in the latter, that I cannot fee, that there can be any reasoning from the nature of these extra-levitical atonements to that of Jewish facrifices, that can be thought to be conclufive and fatisfactory: for when means of a different nature concur in the production of the fame effect, these means muft, of neceffity, exert their efficacy, in the production of that effect, after a different manner. But let us fee what the Dr. fays in this affair.

§. 16. THE first thing he fays, is,

"In

two of these cases, fin is neither expreffed "nor implied."-Thefe two cafes are those which are exhibited, Prov. xxi. 18. Ifai. xliii. 3. In which two texts, the fufferings of the wicked are mentioned, as being a ranfom or atonement for the righteous, or the means of their deliverance and happiness.

See Scripture-doctrine of Atonement examined, Chap. VI. §. 107. N°. 6.

'Tis manifeft, therefore, that these two texts treat of an affair in which Jewish facrifices never had, never could have, any concern. And therefore, 'tis impoffible, that they should supply any inference, hint, or fuggeftion in fupport of the Dr's notion of the fymbolical nature of thefe facrifices, or, indeed, concerning any other notion of the nature of them.

"In

§. 17. THE Dr. proceeds thus, "the rest of them, (i. e. of the texts of this "clafs,) fin is expreffed or implied. Now "here we are to confider, I. The effect "of the atonement. And II. The means by which it was made."

1. "The effect is the pardon of sin va"riously expreffed or implied.-Sometimes "it is expreffed by the forgiveness, or

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taking, or purging away, or cleanfing "of fin.-Sometimes by the removal, and, "in negative atonement, by the inflicting "and continuing of calamitys; or the be

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ftowing of bleffings.-Sometimes, partly "by the forgiving, or not forgiving of fin, "partly by the removal or not removal of calamitys."

II. "The means by which atonement "was made, are fuch as God affords and provides, or fuch as men devise."

ft. Such as God affords and provides: as (1.) His own goodness and mercy alone. (2.) Prayer.-(3.) Inftruction, prayer,

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prayer, and repentance. (4.) Acts of repentance.--(4.) "virtue and justice.-(5.) Disciplinary vi"fitations.-(6.) An offering to the service "of religion.---(7.) Sufferings of fome "which turn to the benefit of others."

2dly. Such as men devife, as counsels, "riches, forces, or any fhifts they use to preferve and secure themselves".

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§. 18. HERE one would have expected, to find the Dr. applying the texts of this clafs to his main purpose, by making these criticisms, and pointing out these affirmations, hints, or fuggeftions, upon which his notion of the fybolical nature of Jewish facrifices has its dependence. But instead of this, he only gives us an account of the effect of thefe extra-levitical atonements which are mentioned in them, and of the feveral means by which thefe atonements were made; without drawing one fingle inference from it, or any part of it, about the nature of Levitical facrifices or atonements. And this omiflion is the more furprifing, because the establishment of his main point did entirely depend on a contrary

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§. 19. AND, indeed, in these texts, as far as I can fee, there is nothing at all; nothing affirmed, hinted, or fuggefted; from which

m See Scripture-doctrine of Atonement examined, Chap. VI. §. 107. N°. 6. and §. 108.

it can be fairly inferred, that Levitical, piacular facrifices were "fymbolical addresses "to God, expreffing by outward figns, "what is expreffed in prayer by words,

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or in the course of life by deeds."—'Tis true, that the effect of the atonements mentioned in them, and of those facrifices which were offered for fin, was the fame, viz. the pardon of fin, or the removal of fuch calamitys as had been inflicted as the punishment of it: and, therefore, both of them were fubfervient to the fame end. But though they were thus productive of the fame effect, (yet, becaufe the means were different,) it will not follow, that thefe atonements for fin, were of the fame nature, or that they were made after the fame or a fimilar manner. Extra-levitical atonements for fin, as the Dr. very well obferves, were made by, or through, the mercy of God, prayer, inftruction, repentance, acts of virtue and juftice, difciplinary vifitations, or an offering to the fervice of religion but Levitical atonements were made by means of a very different nature; even by the oblation of flain animals, or of the tenth part of an ephah of fine flower. The atonements, therefore, which were made by means that were of fuch a different and diffimilar nature, muft have beenof a diffimilar nature, and made after a different manner. This is a conclufion

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