than by internal regulations. But the principal and final aim of all this ordinance was to shadow forth the moral purity required of thofe, who would be acceptable in the fight of God. Thus the rite, by which they were instituted into the Legal Covenant, was expreffive of the duty impofed upon them to renounce and abandon every fpecies of impurity. To the fame purpose alfo was that variety of washings and facrifices and other ritual obfervances ordained by the fame authority; the fpirit of all which, as their law expressly taught, was "that they might be clean from all their fins before the Lord." And indeed it was allowed by the wife and good among them, that as the Ceremonial was a fhadow of the Moral Law, it was no otherwise acceptable in the fight of God, than as it was accompanied with a faithful obfervance of moral purity. Thus the Pfalmift, when he humbled himself in penitence for his fin, makes this confeffion to God; "Thou defireft no facrifice, elfe would I give it thee: but thou delighteft not in burnt offerings." Though facrifices and offerings of various kinds had been expressly enjoined by their divine Lawgiver, yet unless accompanied by moral services, they would not be pleasing to him, nor available to the pardon and acceptance

of

of the worshipper: "The facrifices of God are a broken fpirit: A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife." Accordingly the Pfalmift thus devoutly and in fpirit prays; "Wash me from mine iniquities; and cleanfe me from my fin. Create in me a clean heart; and renew a right spirit within me b.'

Thus also Isaiah in reproof of his countrymen declares, that the multitude of their facrifices, oblations, and folemn obfervances were fo far from being acceptable to God, though they all were of his appointment, that they were hateful in his fight, because they were offered by hands that were stained with blood and defiled with iniquity. For the recovery of the divine favour he exhorts them to purify themselves in a moral fenfe, by a complete repentance from fin and a total amendment of life; "Wafh you, make you clean: put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; feek judgment, relieve the oppreffed, judge the fatherlefs, plead for the widow." On condition of which radical change and renovation of fpirit they might hope for the pardon and the peace of God. "Though

b Pfa. li. 2, 10, 16, 17.

their

their fins were as fcarlet, they should be white as fnow; though they were red like crimson, they fhould be as wool c."

Notwithstanding this remonftrance of the Prophet, and many more injunctions to the like effect, it was a prevailing error, even among those who profeffed themselves to be mafters of divine truth in Ifrael, to cultivate the ritual, yet forget the moral Law, to obferve the letter, but overlook the spirit of the Mofaic ordinances. This especially was the error of the Pharifees and Scribes; who accordingly are open to our Lord's reproof for washing their hands with punctilious attention, yet neglecting to purify themselves from the groffer turpitude of extortion and excefs; for fcrupulously paying tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, yet carelessly difregarding the weightier matters of judgment, mercy, and faith; for outwardly appearing righteous unto men, yet inwardly being full of hypocrify and iniquity d.

To rectify the understandings and the hearts of men in this important branch of human duty he pronounced a Bleffing on the Pure in heart. In support of the character, which he thus proposed to the cultivation of his Dif

• Ifa. i. 10-18.

d Mat. xxiii. 23, &c. ciples,

ciples, he stands forward himself a full and perfect Exemplar. He was pure and spotless both in heart and life. Though he submitted to all the other infirmities of our nature, he was totally free from every moral stain. When he offered himself a propitiation for our fins, he had that effential quality of an acceptable facrifice in its true and spiritual purpose, that he was without blemish and without spot. Thus being effentially holy, harmless, undefiled, feparate from finners, he was not only qualified to make a full atonement for fin, but also to yield a complete example of holiness. And while he fhewed in himself an unexceptionable pattern of moral purity, he was able to impress it with greater weight and influence on the hearts of his Difciples. To this intent the Prophet Malachi had foretold, that he should purify the Sons of Levi, as gold and filver is purified, that they might offer to the Lord an offering in righteoufnefs.

As it became him to fulfil all righteousness, he not only exemplified the Moral Law in all its parts, but he submitted alfo to the obfervance of the whole Mofaic ritual. And as in his infant years he had undergone the initiatory rite

e Mal. iii. 3.

of

of that Covenant, and in the capacity of eldeft born had been presented in the temple and redeemed by the appointed offering; so when he arrived at maturity of years, he regularly attended the more folemn ordinances of the temple; he paid the accustomed tributes; he performed the established services; and when he had healed any lepers, he enjoined them to fhew themselves to the Prieft, and to offer the gift, which Mofes had commanded. Yet may it be collected from the fpirit of his converfation, that he did not infift upon a continued obfervance of the Mofaic ritual as an obligatory law upon the profeffors of his faith. Thus when he fignified, that the time was come, when they should no longer worship God either at Jerufalem or at any other fixed and peculiar feat of public worship, he no doubt implied, that with the appropriate place the appropriate folemnities of that place fhould cease: as indeed may be clearly inferred from the fequel; " For the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in fpirit and in truth: for the Father feeketh such to worship him1.' Nor was it expedient that men should be tenacious of the femblance, when once they

f John iv. 23.

were