SPIRIT, into the wilderness, as the true scape-goat, who bore away our infirmities, and carried off our diseases. (Isa. liii. 4-6. Matt. viii. 17.) Immediately before his crucifixion, he was afflicted, and his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, when he was to be made a sin-offering like the allotted goat (Psal. xl. 12. Isa. liii. 7. Matt. xxvi. 38. 2 Cor. v. 21. Heb. i. 3.); and his sweat, as great drops of blood, falling to the ground, corresponded to the sprinkling of the mercy-seat (Luke xxii. 44.); and when, to prepare for the sacrifice of himself, he consecrated himself in prayer to God (John xvii. 1— 5. Matt. xxvi. 39-46.); and then prayed for his household, his apostles, and disciples (John xvii. 6-9.), and for all future believers on him by their preaching. (John xvii. 20-26.) He put off his garments at his crucifixion, when he became the sin-offering (Psal. xxii. 18. John xix. 23, 24.); and, as our spiritual high priest, entered once for all into the most holy place, heaven, to make intercession with God for all his faithful followers. (Heb. vii. 24-28. ix. 7— 15.) Who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” (Rom. iv. 25.)

X. Besides the annual festivals above described, the Jews in later times introduced several fast and feast days in addition to those instituted by Moses. The two principal festivals of this kind were the feast of purim, and that of the dedication of the second temple.

The FEAST OF PURIM, or of Lots, as the word signifies, is celebrated on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar (or of Ve-Adar if it be an intercalary year), in commemoration of the providential deliverance of the Jews from the cruel machinations of Haman, who had procured an edict from Artaxerxes to extirpate them. (Esth. iii.-ix.) On this occasion the entire book of Esther is read in the synagogues of the modern Jews, not out of a printed copy, but from a roll which generally contains this book alone. All Jews, of both sexes, and of every age, who are able to attend, are required to come to this feast, and to join in the reading, for the better preservation of the memory of this important fact. When the roll is unfolded, the chazan or reader says, "Blessed be God, the King of the world, who hath sanctified us by his precepts, and commanded us to read the Megillah! Blessed be God, who in those days worked miracles for our fathers!" As often as the name of Haman occurs, the whole congregation clap their hands, stamp with their feet, and exclaim, "Let his name be blotted out! May the memory of the wicked rot!" The children at the same time hiss, and strike loudly on the forms with little wooden hammers made for the purpose. When the reader comes to the seventh, eighth, and ninth chapters, where the names of Haman's ten sons occur, he pro

1 Dr. Hales's Analysis, vol. ii. book i. pp. 274. 276. See also Jenning's Jewish Antiquities, book iii. ch. viii. pp. 378-388. Lightfoot's Works, vol. i. pp. 961, 962. Relandi Antiq. Hebr. p. 491. et seq. Schulzii Archeol. Hebr. pp. 328-334. The typical reference of the sacrifice offered on this day is discussed at considerable length by Witsius, De Econ. Fœd. lib. iv. c. vi. or vol. ii. pp. 213-231. of the English translation. On the manner in which this fast is observed by the modern Jews, see Allen's Modern Judaism, pp. 391–399.

nounces them with great rapidity and in one breath, to intimate that they were all hanged, and expired in the same moment. In most manuscripts and editions of the book of Esther, the ten names contained in the chapters just mentioned are written under each other in ten lines, no other word being connected with them, in order to exhibit the manner in which they were hanged, viz. on a pole fifty cubits, that is, seventy-five feet high; each of the brothers being immediately suspended, the one under the other, in one perpendicular line.

When the chazan has finished the reading, the whole congregation exclaim-"Cursed be Haman!-Blessed be Mordecai! Cursed be Zeresh!-Blessed be Esther! Cursed be all idolaters!-Blessed be all the Israelites! And blessed likewise be Harbonah, at whose instance Haman was hanged!" In order to heighten the general joy on this festival, Buxtorf relates that some Jews wore party-coloured garments, and young foxes' tails in their hats, and ran about the synagogue exciting the congregation to laughter! Further, to excite and increase mirth, the men and women exchange apparel; this, though positively forbidden by the law, they consider innocent, and allowable on this festive occasion, which is a season of peculiar gaiety. Alms are given to the poor; relations and friends send presents to each other; and all furnish their tables with every luxury they can command. These two days are the bacchanalia of the modern Jews; who think it no sin to indulge themselves largely in their cups, some of them indeed to intoxication, in memory of Esther's banquet of wine; at which she succeeded in defeating the sanguinary designs of Haman.

XI. The FEAST OF DEDICATION (mentioned in John x. 22.) was instituted by Judas Maccabeus, in imitation of those by Solomon and Ezra, as a grateful memorial of the cleansing of the second temple and altar, after they had been profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes. (1 Macc. iv. 52-59.) It commenced on the twenty-fifth of the month Cisleu, corresponding with our December, and lasted eight days. This festival was also called the feast of lights, because the Jews illuminated their houses in testimony of their joy and gladness on this very important occasion. The whole of this feast was spent in singing hymns, offering sacrifices, and every kind of diversion :3 it was celebrated with much solemnity in the time of Josephus. Besides these two festivals, we find several others incidentally mentioned in the Old Testament, as being observed by the Jews in later ages, though not appointed by Moses. Such are the fast of the fourth month, on account of the taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldæans (Jer. lii. 6, 7.); the fast of the fifth month, on account of their burning the temple and city (2 Kings xxv. 8.); and that

1 Buxtorf de Synagog. Jud. cap. xxix. Iken. Antiq. Hebr. pp. 336-338. Schulzii Archeol. Hebr. pp. 334, 335. Allen's Modern Judaism, p. 405. Dr. Clarke's Commentary on Esther.

2 Josephus, Ant. Jud. lib. xii. c. vii. § 6, 7.

3 Schulzii Archæol. Hebr. pp. 335, 336. Lamy, vol. i. p. 186. Lightfoot's Works, vol. i. pp. 246. 979. vol. ii. pp. 576. 1033. 1039. Relandi Antiq. Heb. p. 534.

of the seventh month, on account of the murder of Gedaliah (2 Kings xxv. 25.) and the fast of the tenth month, when the Babylonian army commenced the siege of Jerusalem. (Jer. lii. 4.) All these fasts are enumerated together in Zech. viii. 19.; and to them we may perhaps add the xylophoria, or feast of wood-offering, when the people brought and offered large quantities of wood for the use of the altar it is supposed to have been celebrated in the time of Nehemiah (x. 34.), in whose praises, on this occasion, the Jews largely expatiated, and related several wonderful tales concerning him and the fire lighted upon the altar. (2 Macc. i. 18-22.)

The preceding are the chief annual festivals noticed in the sacred writings, that are particularly deserving of attention: the Jews have various others of more modern institution which are here designedly omitted. We therefore proceed to notice those extraordinary festivals which were only celebrated after the recurrence of a certain number of years. The first of these was,

XII. THE SABBATICAL YEAR. For, as the seventh day of the week was consecrated as a day of rest to man and beast, so this gave rest to the land; which, during its continuance, was to lie fallow, and the "sabbath of the land," or its spontaneous produce, was dedicated to charitable uses, to be enjoyed by the servants of the family, by the way-faring stranger, and by the cattle. (Levit. xxv. 1-7. Exod. xxiii. 11.) This was also the year of release from personal slavery (Exod. xxi. 2.), as well as of the remission of debts. (Deut. xv. 1, 2.) Beausobre is of opinion that the frequent mention made in the New Testament, of the remission of sins, is to be understood as an allusion to the sabbatical year. In order to guard against famine on this and the ensuing year, God was graciously pleased to promise a triple produce of the lands upon the sixth year, sufficient to supply the inhabitants till the fruits or harvest sown in the eighth year were ripe. (Levit. xxv. 2-20.) This was a singular institution, peculiar to a theocracy. And the breach of it was among the national sins that occasioned the captivity, that the land might enjoy her sabbaths, of which she had been defrauded by the rebellion of the inhabitants. (Levit. xxvi. 34. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21.)

XIII. The JUBILEE was a more solemn sabbatical year, held every seventh sabbatical year, that is, at the end of every forty-nine years, or the fiftieth current year. (Levit. xxv. 8-10.) Concerning the etymology of the Hebrew word jobel (whence our jubilee is derived) learned men are by no means agreed; the most probable of these conflicting opinions is that of Calmet, who deduces it from the Hebrew verb jabal, to recal, or bring back; because estates, &c. that had been alienated were then brought back to their original owners. Such appears to have been the meaning of the word, as understood by the Septuagint translators, who render the Hebrew

Schulzii Archeol. Hebr. pp. 337-339. Michaelis's Commentaries, vol. i. p. 387. et seq. Leusden, Philol. Hebr. Mixt. p. 307. Reland's Antiq. Hebr. p. 524. Dr. Hales's Analysis, vol. ii. book i. p. 278.

word jobel by apsis, remission, and by Josephus, who says that it signified liberty.

This festival commenced on the tenth day of the month Tisri, in the evening of the day of atonement (Levit. xxv. 9.): a time, Bishop Patrick remarks, peculiarly well chosen, as the Jews would be better disposed to forgive their brethren their debts when they had been imploring pardon of God for their own transgressions. It was proclaimed by the sound of trumpet throughout the whole land, on the great day of atonement. All debts were to be cancelled; all slaves or captives were to be released. Even those who had voluntarily relinquished their freedom at the end of their six years' service, and whose ears had been bored in token of their perpetual servitude, were to be liberated at the jubilee for then they were to proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof. (Levit. xxv. 10.) Further, in this year all estates that had been sold, reverted to their original proprietors, or to the families to which they had originally belonged; thus provision was made, that no family should be totally ruined, and doomed to perpetual poverty for the family estate could not be alienated for a longer period than fifty years. The value and purchase-money of estates therefore diminished in proportion to the near approach of the jubilee. (Levit. xxv. 15.) From this privilege, however, houses in walled towns were excepted: these were to be redeemed within a year, otherwise they belonged to the purchaser, notwithstanding the jubilee. (v. 30.) During this year, as well as in the sabbatical year, the ground also had its rest, and was not cultivated."

The law concerning the sabbatical year, and especially the year of jubilee, affords a decisive proof of the divine legation of Moses. No legislator, unless he were conscious that he was divinely inspired, would have committed himself by enacting such a law: nor can any thing like it be found among the systems of jurisprudence of any other nations, whether antient or modern. "How incredible is it, that any legislator would have ventured to propose such a law as this, except in consequence of the fullest conviction on both sides, that a peculiar providence would constantly facilitate its execution. When this law, therefore, was proposed and received, such a conviction must have existed in both the Jewish legislator and the Jewish people. Since then, nothing could have produced this conviction, but the experience or the belief of some such miraculous interposition as the history of the Pentateuch details, the very existence of this law is a standing monument that, when it was given, the Mosaic miracles were fully believed. Now this law was coeval with the witnesses themselves. If then the facts were so plain and public, that those who witnessed them could not be mistaken as to their

1 Ant. Jud. lib. iii. c. xii. § 3.

2 Schulzii Archæol. Hebr. pp. 341-344. Relandi Antiq. Hebr. p. 529. Jennings's Jewish Antiq. book iii. ch. x. pp. 397-400. Leusden, Philol. Hebræo-Mixt. p. 309. Michaelis's Commentaries, vol. i. pp. 376-386.

existence or miraculous nature, the reality of the Mosaic miracles is clear and undeniable."

The reason and design of the law of the jubilee was partly political and partly typical. It was political, to prevent the too great oppression of the poor as well as their liability to perpetual slavery. By this means the rich were prevented from accumulating lands upon lands, and a kind of equality was preserved through all the families of Israel. Never was there any people so effectually secure of their liberty and property, as the Israelites were: God not only engaging so to protect those invaluable blessings by his providence, that they should not be taken away from them by others; but providing, in a particular manner by this law, that they should not be thrown away through their own folly; since the property, which every man or family had in their dividend of the land of Canaan, could not be sold or any way alienated for above half a century. By this means also the distinction of tribes was preserved, in respect both to their families and possessions; for this law rendered it necessary for them to keep genealogies of their families, that they might be able when there was occasion, on the jubilee year, to prove their right to the inheritance of their ancestors. By this means it was certainly known from what tribe and family the Messiah sprung. Upon which Dr. Allix observes, that God did not suffer them to continue in captivity out of their own land for the space of two jubilees, lest by that means their genealogies should be lost or confounded.

A further civil use of the jubilee might be for the easier computation of time. For, as the Greeks computed by olympiads, the Romans by lustra, and we by centuries, the Jews probably reckoned by jubilees; and it might be one design of this institution to mark out these large portions of time for the readier computation of successive ages.

There was also a typical design and use of the jubilee, which is pointed out by the prophet Isaiah, when he says in reference to the Messiah, "the spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Isa. lxi. 1, 2.) Where "the acceptable year of the Lord," when "liberty was proclaimed to the captives," and "the opening of the prison to them that were bound," evidently refers to the jubilee; but, in the prophetic sense, means the Gospel state and dispensation, which proclaims spiritual liberty from the bondage of sin and Satan, and the liberty of returning to our own possession, even the heavenly inheritance, to which, having incurred a forfeiture by sin, we had lost all right and claim.

That our Lord began his public ministry on a jubilee, Dr. Hales

1 Dr. Graves's Lectures on the Pentateuch, vol. i. p. 171.