Page:Complete ascetical works of St Alphonsus v6.djvu/19



All the sacrifices of the old law were figures of the sacrifice of our divine Redeemer, and there were four kinds of these sacrifices; namely, the sacrifices of peace, of thanksgiving, of expiation, and of impetration.

1. The sacrifices of peace were instituted to render to God the worship of adoration that is due to him as the sovereign master of all things. Of this kind were the holocausts.

2. The sacrifices of thanksgiving were destined to give thanks to the Lord for all his benefits.

3. The sacrifices of expiation were established to obtain the pardon of sin. This kind of sacrifice was specially represented in the Feast of the Expiation by the emissary-goat, which, having been laden with all the sins of the people, was led forth out of the camp of the He brews, and afterwards abandoned in the desert to be there devoured by ferocious beasts. This sacrifice was the most expressive figure of the sacrifice of the cross. Jesus Christ was laden with all the sins of men, as Isaias had foretold: The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was afterwards ignominiously led forth from Jerusalem, whither the Apostle invites us to follow him