says: rr On the head he wears a cap, not pointed, nor "extending over his whole head, but covering a little more than half of it."* Thus, according to the Jews, between the Mitre and the Holy Crown there was a convenient place for the phylacteries. God directed his priests to officiate with their heads covered, because among the eastern nations a covered head was a sign of reverence, and an uncovered one, of confidence for which reason the passages where Moses says, "the children of Israel went out with a high hand," are rendered by the Chaldee Paraphrast, 'they went out with an uncovered head.' Lastly, the forehead of the high priest was adorned with a plate of gold, called "the Holy Crown;" which was kept in its proper position by "a lace of blue," drawn through two holes made in the two ends of it, and tied on the back part of the head. To shew that the high priest was consecrated to God, there was an inscription on the crown, engraven "like the engrav"ings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD." It was customary for the priests of other nations also to wear crowns in the performance of their sacred functions, as we are informed by Pliny: Anciently indeed no crown was given except to some god, but never by ⚫ one man to another in any games: and it is said that 'the first of all was Bacchus, who placed on his own ‹ head a crown of ivy: crowns were afterwards 'assumed by priests in honour of the gods; and very recently they have also been used in solemn games.'§ To this add the following passage of Tertullian: 'In 'the same manner, therefore, the purple robe and the ornament of gold worn round the neck were ensigns * Antiq. L. iii. c. 8.- + Exod. xiv. 8. Num. xxxiii. 3. § Histor. Nat. lib. xvi. c. 4, ' of dignity among the Egyptians and Babylonians. 'In a similar manner also splendid robes and golden 'crowns are worn by provincial priests, but not with 'the same condition."* III. When arrayed with these vestments, Aaron was further dignified by being anointed with the holy oil; which the Jews say was first profusely poured upon his head, and thence drawn over his forehead so as to describe on it, according to some the Greek letter Chi (X), according to others the Greek Kappa (K), or according to others the Hebrew Caph (); which is the first letter of the word priest in that language for there is nothing which the Jews leave uninvolved in their subtleties. The holy unction, however, was significant of honour and joy, as well as of sanctity and divine inspiration. In allusion to this, David says: "Thou lovest righteousness and hatest "wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed "thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." || Hence it is also, that the Son of God, being endued with the Holy Spirit without measure, is called Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed.** Hence likewise Christians themselves, who are made spiritual kings and priests,†† are said to be "anointed," and to have "received an unction." Hence, in the last place, among the ancient Christians, unction was connected with baptism. Afterwards, when we are come out of 'the baptistery,' says Tertullian, we are anointed all ' over with a blessed unction, according to the ancient custom of anointing with oil as a consecration to the priesthood. Thus Aaron was anointed by Moses; + Exod. xxix. 7. xxx. 25. Levit. viii. 12, § Maimon. in Chele Mikdash, c. 1. Abarbin, ad. I Reg. i. ¶ John iii, 34. * De Idololat. c. 18. כהן : Psalm xlv. 7. tt Rev. i. 6. thus Christ is denominated from chrism, that is, unction, which has given a name to the Lord.** IV. These rites having been performed upon Aaron, his sons were next enrobed with the vestments appointed for them. The garments of the common priests were the Drawers or Breeches, the Coat, the Girdle, and the Bonnet. The first two were like those of the high priest. The Bonnet was the same as the Mitre worn by the high priest, but folded in a different manner for the common priests, as we have just quoted from Josephus respecting the high priest, bound their bonnets round their heads in the shape of a helmet. The Girdles of the inferior priests were of the same form as that of the high priest; but less costly, and of less elegant texture. These four garments were of linen, such as were worn by the Egyptian priests as emblems of innocence. But they were not fit for use, if they were defaced with filth, or injured by age.¶ Cicero has observed, from Plato, 'that 'white is a colour peculiarly becoming the Deity.* V. The due completion of all these ceremonies was followed by the oblation of three sacrifices for Aaron and his sons: first, a sin offering; secondly, a burnt offering; and lastly, a peace offering. The sin offering was a kind of expiation by which they were first of all to be purified. The holocaust, or whole burnt offering, was a gift or present to recommend them to their Lord. The peace offering was a sacred feast by which they were introduced into the family of God. For even the offerers themselves were permitted to feed upon the peace offerings; and those who * De Baptism. c. 7. + Exod. xxix. 8, 9. Levit. viii. 13. Plutarch de Isid. et Osirid. The Coat is sometimes called "a linen ephod." I Sam, ii, 18. xxii. 18. § Maimon. in Chele Mikdash, c. 8. ¶ Maimon. ibid. ** De Legib, L. ii. tt Exod. xxix. Levit, viii, rightly fed upon them were considered as God's domestics. Respecting these victims, of which one was a bullock and the other two were rams, Rabbi Levi Ben Gerson makes the following observations: 'It is proper to notice the reason of the order in which these sacrifices were offered. For first of all an ' atonement for sins was made by the sin offering: of ' which nothing, but the fat, was offered to God, to whom be praise; because the offerers were not yet worthy of God's acceptance of a gift and present 'from them. But after they had been purified; to indicate their being devoted to the sacred office, they immolated to God (to whom be praise) a holocaust, 'which was entirely consumed upon the altar. And ' after the holocaust they offered a sacrifice resembling peace offering (of which part used to be given to God, part to the priests, and part to the offerers) 'which was designed to indicate their being now re'ceived into favour with God, so as to use one com" mon table with him.'* Similar observations are made by Isaac Abarbinel in his commentaries on the same passage. With the blood of the ram, which, as we have said, was immolated as a peace offering, were then imbued the right ears of all the priests, and the thumbs of their right hands, and the great toes of their right feet.↑ By this ceremony every priest, was admonished what great attention he was required to give to the study of the law, to the sacred services, and to his ways, a term by which the Hebrews denote the general conduct. To this purpose are the following remarks of Abarbinel. The design of all these things was to 'teach every priest that he ought to apply himself * Ad Exod. xxix. + Exod. xxix. 20. Levit. viii, 23, 24. 'with diligence to the study of the sacred law, that 'his hands ought to be sedulously employed in the sacred ministry, and that he was to walk in the ways ' and commandments of God. These ceremonies were 'performed on the right ear, the thumb of the right 'hand, and the great toe of the right foot, to teach every priest that his hearing, his actions, and his manners, ought always to have a right tendency: 'for the right denotes perfection.** The same things are remarked by Rabbi Levi Ben Gerson.† VI. After these things were done, Moses, who was appointed to officiate as a priest in these solemnities, "took, of the ram" last mentioned, "the fat and "the rump, and all the fat that covereth the inwards, " and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys " and their fat, and the right shoulder; and one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one un"leavened wafer, and put all in the hands of Aaron "and of his sons;" and placing his hands under their hands, he "waved them" all to and fro, and presented them to God the possessor of all things; and having thus presented them, he "took them from off their "hands," and proceeded to "burn them upon the "altar." The breast of this ram he waved in the same manner, and took for himself, it being his share, as he had done the duty of a priest. Then he sprinkled Aaron and his sons, and all their garments, with blood taken from the altar, and with the holy oil. In this manner he consecrated both the priests themselves and the sacerdotal vestments. § But the blood used for this rite was from the same ram, with the entrails of which, as we have just stated, the hands of the priests * Ad Exod. xxix. + Ibid. Lev. viii. 25-28. Exod. xxix. 22-25. Levit. viii. 29, 30. |