the first born had no such right to the priesthood as debarred all others from performing sacrificial acts: since Abel the younger brother, as well as Cain the first born, brought an offering to the Lord, and one that was acceptable. Those who imagine that the offerings which Cain and Abel intended for God, were brought together to Adam, in order to be offered by him in due form, allege nothing in support of such a supposition; which, as we have already hinted, is manifestly irreconcileable with the language of scrip

ture.

In the sacrifices designed for every family, there can be no doubt that the father of the family was entitled to officiate as its priest: and in the exercise of this right, Noah and Job offered sacrifices for themselves and their respective families.

In succeeding times when sacrifices came to be offered for communities consisting of various families, it was the custom for the prince of each community, if he chose, to perform the public services to the Deity. In virtue of this right it was, that, before the consecration of Aaron, Moses sprinkled the altar with the blood which confirmed the solemn covenant.* Melchisedec also, before the time of Moses, was at once both a king and a priest; and was invested with such a priesthood as never distinguished any other, except Christ himself. For as no mention is made of the father or mother, of the birth or death, of that great and most illustrious personage, which is contrary to the custom of Moses in the case of all other eminent men; hence he is described as "without father, without mother, without descent, 'having neither beginning of days nor end of life;"

* Exod. xxiv. 6.

"

+ Gen. xiv. 18. Heb. vii. 1.

A

and is also represented as "abiding a priest continually."

And it is worthy of observation, that it is no very uncommon phraseology, to speak of great and illustrious men, whose parents are not mentioned, as having no parents. Seneca names two kings, of ' of whom,' he says, 'one has no father, and the ' other no mother:' in explanation of which he immediately adds, that doubts are entertained re"specting the mother of Servius, and that no mention 'is made of any father of Ancus." On this subject Canuleius, in Livy, contradicts Seneca, but makes use of the same mode of expression: for "that *Servius was born of a female captive named Corniculana, but that he had no father.'t To the same purpose is the following passage of Horace: You believe, with truth, that often before the govern'ment and ignoble reign of Tullius many men, de'scended from no ancestors, lived virtuous lives and "8 were distinguished by great honours.' As eminent and celebrated men, therefore, whose parents are not named, are described as born of no parents; so in the same kind of phraseology, but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Melchisedec is said to have had neither beginning of days nor end of life. And 'as that which has neither commencement nor termi'nation is 'exhibited as eternal, the case of Melchisedec, 'being so ordered by God, afforded a suitable adumbration of eternity. But what was prefigured in him, was 'actually fulfilled in Christ.

These things however belong not to this place. My design at present is only to shew, that in the early ages of the world it was the custom for the

* Epist. 108.

+ Lib. iv. c. 3.

Lib. i. Sat. 6. ver. 8.

king and prince of every state to offer the public sacrifices to God. Virgil describes Anius at Delphi as both king of men and priest of Apollo:* on which Servius remarks; It was the custom of the 'ancients for a king to be also a priest or high priest: whence we in the present day call the emperors high priests.' The same commentator, on another passage of Virgil, - - Dost thou watch, thou off'spring of the gods, Eneas? Watch,'t-says: "This is the language of religion: for the vestal virgins on a certain day used to go to the king of the sacred 'ceremonies, and say, Dost thou watch, king? 'Watch: which Virgil justly attributes to Eneas, as being a king, and always introduced by him, as 'sustaining the pontifical character, and skilled in ' religious rites.'

IV. But among the Israelites after their departure from Egypt into the wilderness, the priesthood was separated from the sovereignty, and was transferred to Aaron and his posterity by the command of God. The functions peculiar to the priesthood, to offer sacrifices to God and to bless the people in his name, were immediately assigned to them: but they were afterwards appointed also to determine all subjects relating to religion, and to judge of things clean and unclean; which, however, must be considered as offices belonging to them, not in the capacity of priests, but as persons skilled in the divine law. Hence, when the duties to which the priests were consecrated are specified in the scripture, they are represented as consisting in these two things; performing the rites of divine worship, and commending the people to the favour of God by solemn prayer. Them," says

66

+ Æneid. lib. x. vér. 228.

Moses, referring to the Aaronic priests, "the Lord thy God hath chosen, to minister unto him, and to "bless in the name of the Lord."* And another scriptural authority states that "Aaron was separated; "that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and "his sons forever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for έσ ever." The other offices, the decision of controversies and the interpretation of the sacred laws, were functions not peculiar to the priests, but common also to others: and persons might lawfully be chosen to be teachers or judges, not only from the descendants of Aaron, but also from any other family.

V. In the Aaronic priesthood, the law established two orders or degrees; of which the superior was allotted to Aaron himself and to his successors in the pontifical dignity, and the inferior was assigned to the other priests. Hence it appears, that those functions which the scriptures attribute to Aaron as peculiar to himself belonged exclusively to the high priests, and that the rest of the offices might be legitimately performed by the other priests. In these two orders of the priesthood, however, there were eight stations, or degrees of dignity, constituted by the appointment of the Sanhedrim.

The first of these was assigned to the high priest. It was the dignity of the high priest that he was to be married to none but a pure virgin; that he was not to be present at any funeral, to defile himself for his parents, or to rend his garments at their death, or that of any other of his relatives: to which the Jews add many other things as conducive to the honour of * Deut. xxi. 5. + 1 Chron. xxiii. 13.

Lev. xxi. 10, 11. 13,

the pontificate. The high priest, they say,* ought to excel his brethren in five particulars. These, according to some rabbies, are 'elegance of form, strength, riches, wisdom, and beauty of complexion. Both elegance of form and beauty of complexion are said to be required as indications of good disposition. Others, however, consider beauty of complexion not so much to be regarded as advanced age. Nor is Maimonides sufficiently consistent with himself, who to the other four requisites adds as a fifth, at one time, beauty of complexion, and at another, eminent fidelity. It is established,' he says, 'as a fundamental principle among us, that it is necessary for the high priest not to be inferior to any other priest of his time in wisdom, fidelity, form, 'riches, or strength.' But if the heir of the high priest happened to be inferior to any other, only in riches, and not in the other qualifications, it was deemed right that so great a man should be enriched with the property of the other priests to such an extent as to render him the most wealthy of them all.§ For it was not without good cause that the Sanhedrim, whose province the Jews apprehend it was to appoint the high priest, adjudged the pontificate to the heir of the preceding high priest; it being an established rule among the Hebrews, that to whomsoever belongs 'the primary right to the inheritance, to him also belongs the first claim to the dignity of the deceased:' and according to this rule, if the other qualifications

Maimon. in Chele Mikdash, c. 5. Bartenora ad Joma, c. 1. Auct. lib. Siphr. in Parascha, 12 c. 2.

+Aaron Ben Chajim ad dict. Siphr. loc.

Rabboth in 128. Baal Hatturim ad Levit. xxi.

Rabboth ad 128. Maimon, in Chele Mikdash, c. 5.

Bartenora ad

Joma, c. I.

H Maimon. in Chele Mikdash, c. 4.