XII. Here it is unnecessary to remark, that whatever meat offerings and incense were consecrated by the Hebrews to the Creator of all things, similar offerings used to be made by other nations to their fictitious deities. There was this difference; that while the most particular selection was prescribed to the Hebrews in these things, the heathens in their oblations used no selection at all. Green herbs, flowers, and leaves; garlic, onions, and poppy; apples, nuts, and acorns: almost all kinds of fruits, with honey, milk, and water, were they in habit of offering to their deities.* It was also customary with the Hebrews, in celebrating the feast of tabernacles, to pour out a drink offering of water; but this was not commanded in the law.

*Porphyr. de Abstin. L, ii, s. 5, 6, 7, &c. Saubert. de Sacrif. c. 24, 25.

113

CHAPTER IX.

The Selection of Victims practised among the Jews.

SO great was the rage for sacrificing among heathen nations, and so little the selection of victims in some countries, that scarcely any species of animals can be named, however base or savage, that was not somewhere offered in sacrifice.* But the practice of the Israelites was very different. Among them it was provided by the divine law, that no species of animals should be used for sacrifices, except such as were chosen from bullocks, goats, sheep, turtle doves, or pigeons. These were species the most distinguished for gentleness; they most abounded in Canaan, and were principally in use for common food: and besides, it was a received. opinion among some nations at least, that some of these animals were proper objects of religious worship, but that they could not be slain without incurring the greatest guilt. Whoever will consider these things, may easily discover the reason why all those species of animals which have been mentioned, and no others, were permitted to be used for sacrifices by the people admitted into the holy covenant. To this purpose are the following passages from Philo.† 'Of the animals used for sacrifices, some are inhabitants of the earth, and ' others of the air. Passing by numerous species of 'birds, God hath chosen two out of them all; because of those which are naturally mild and grega'rious the pigeon is the mildest; and the turtle dove ' is the mildest of those which are naturally solitary : ' and of animals, passing by unnamed species, which + De Animal. ad Sacrif. adhibitis

* Saubert. de Sacrif. c. 24.

I

it would not be easy to enumerate, he has given the 'exclusive preference to three, bullocks and sheep ' and goats, for they are the most gentle and tract'able.' And a little after, speaking of bullocks, sheep, and goats, he says:Moreover, of all ani'mals these are the most useful for the purposes of 'human life: the sheep to furnish cloathing, the most necessary covering of the body; bullocks to plough the land, and make preparation for sowing 'the seed, and to thresh the grain in order to con' vert it into food: and the hair and skins of goats, woven and sewn together, have been formed into tents for travellers, and especially for soldiers, "whom necessity frequently obliges to live in the open field.'

Maimonides* likewise observes, that some nations were so deeply sunk in the most shameful ignorance, that they considered some of the animals which have been mentioned as deserving of divine homage; and deemed putting them to death the worst of crimes. Wherefore, in order that this blind superstition might at length be entirely abolished, it was appointed by the sovereign counsel of God, that the slaughter of those very animals, which it was supposed could never be slain without great sin, should be an atonement for sins. The law, according to the explication of Onkelos, teaches that the Egyptians worship'ped the constellation of Aries or the Ram, and on 'that account enacted, that no one should sacrifice a 'sheep, and held shepherds in the greatest abhorrence. Hence the language of Moses; "We shall "sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians." More"over some sects of the Zabii worshipped demons,

6

Moreh Nevoch. P. iii. c. 46.

'whom they supposed to have the form of goats, and 'whom therefore called by that name. This was an

opinion very widely diffused, and hence that passage in Leviticus; "they shall no more offer their "sacrifices unto demons, after whom they have gone ' a whoring." Wherefore these sects also prohibited goats from being eaten. The sacrificing of bullocks was regarded with aversion by far the greatest num'ber of those who were addicted to strange worship, ' and they all held that species of animals in the highest honour: so that in India, even to the pre'sent day, you may find some people who never 'sacrifice bullocks, not even in those places where 'they sacrifice other animals. That the memory of 'these false opinions might be utterly obliterated, · therefore, it was commanded in the law, that we 'should sacrifice only three species of animals. For 'this was the decree of God: " ye shall bring your ' offering of the herd and of the flock:" so that by 'an act which was supposed to involve a most enormous sin, by that very act access to God was to ' be obtained, and sins were to be expiated. Thus < corrupt opinions, which are the diseases of the human mind, are generally cured by things manifestly contrary to them.' A little after he proceeds: To the reason which we have already stated, why only these three species of animals were used for sacri'fices, may be added another; that these three spe'cies were in the greatest abundance, whereas there < was but a small number of lions, bears, and other 'wild beasts; which, it is said, used to be immolated by idolaters. But, as there were many persons who 'had no quadruped to sacrifice, it was commanded 'by God that sacrifices should likewise be selected

6

from birds, and of those sorts which were most numerous in the land of Israel, as well as the most 'beautiful and most easily caught; such as turtle doves and young pigeons.

II. But as of this kind of victims, so of all animals used for sacrifices, the greatest selection was to be made. For nothing "blind, or broken, or maim"ed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed," nor "that which" was "bruised, or crushed, or broken, or "cut," could lawfully be brought to the altar.* Either a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, with any disproportion in its members, whether of excess or of defect, it was lawful, I apprehend, to "offer for a freewill "offering, but not for a vow:" though this law is differently expounded by the Jews; who, maintain that such animals could not lawfully be brought to the altar, but might be solemnly consecrated to remove the impurities of the temple.t The Jews also conclude, that the list of blemishes just mentioned is not an enumeration of all the blemishes, but merely a specimen of them: wherefore they add many others, any one of which they suppose to have polluted a victim, as much as those which have just been specified. Therefore every animal, before it was brought to the altar, used to be diligently examined. It must also be added, that no animal procured either by the price of a dog, or by whoredom, could be offered to God; it being impossible that there should be any value in sacrifices acquired by such base

means.

III. And not only the Jews, but some of the hea

Levit. xxii. 22. 24.

+ R. Sol. Jarchi, ad Levit. xxii. 23. Mainron, in Isure Misbeach, c. 2. & in Biath Hamikdash, c. 7,