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As Aaron was conftituted High-Prieft, Ifo all his Sons were appointed Priests, and confecrated by Mofes, by a special Commiffion from God, at the fame Time. I will fanctify both Aaron and his fons to minister to me in the Priest's office. And, as the First of the House of Aaron was, from Time to Time, to fucceed to the High-Prieft's Office, fo the Priesthood was to be fupplied out of the rest.

By the Priests, we may understand, those only, who were admitted to officiate in the Sacrifices, and to use and take care of the facred Implements within the Tabernacle and Temple, under the Inspection of the High-Prieft: of which we need not bring any Proofs here, having done it fo amply above. But, we fhall fee wherein they were inferior to the High-Prieft, both in Dignity and Authority; if we pursue our Enquiry under the fame Heads; as, how they were habited; after what Manner, confecrated;

Exod. xxix.44.

Exod. xxviii. 40, &c.

Ezek.

xliv. 15.

what Qualifications were requir'd of them; and the Nature of the Offices, which they were to perform.

SECT. IX.

Veftments of the PRIESTS. Inftructions for the Habit of the Priests, are given, at the fame Time, with thofe relating to the High-Prieft: where it is said; And for Aaron's fons thou shalt make coats; and thou shalt make for them girdles; and bonnets shalt thou make for them; for glory, and for beauty. And thou shalt make them linnen breeches; from the loyns, even unto the thighs they fhall reach.

This Habit feems to have been well adapted to their officiating about the Sacrifices, in two Refpects, Coolness and Cleanliness; that they might, at the fame Time, be easy to themselves and inoffenfive to others. For, upon fuch Occafions, only, was this Habit worn by them; as we may fee, from the Injunctions intermix'd with Ezekiel's Account of his vifionary Temple. The Priests, the fons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my fanitu

ary, when the children of Ifrael went aftray from me, they shall come near to me, to minifter unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, faith the LORD God. They fhall enter into my fanctuary, and they shall come near to my table to minifter unto me, and they shall keep my charge. And it fhall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linnen garments; and no wooll shall come upon them whilst they minifter in the gates of the inner court, and within. They fhall have linnen bonnets upon their heads, and fhall have linnen breeches upon their loyns: They shall not gird themselves with any thing that caufseth fweat. And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they miniftred, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not fanctify the people with their (facerdotal) garments.

And befides the Injunctions of Mofes, we find the Priests generally wore a Linnen Ephod when they minifter'd; at least

I Sam.

in the Time of Saul, they are faid to xxii. 18. have done fo; When Doeg the Edomite (at the Command of Saul) fell upon the Priefts, and flew on one day, fourfcore and five perfons, that did wear a linnen Ephod: If this Ephod were indeed any thing more, than the ordinary Habit of Linnen, which they were oblig'd to wear, when they attended upon the Sacrifices. Be that as it will, we find it was of Linnen; and confequently much inferior to the other rich and ftately one which the Law prefcribes for the HighPrieft.

Exod. xxix.

7.

-21.

The Manner of their Confecration, and the Conditions requir'd to qualify them for their Office, are altogether the fame with those relating to the High-Prieft: except that the latter, when he was confecrated, had oyl poured on his head; befide the Afperfion of Oyl and Blood, which was made afterwards upon him and the Priests, and upon their garments, in order to hallow them.

SECT.

SECT. X.

The Office of the PRIESTS.

Their peculiar Office, being likewife, mostly, to take care of the Lamps, the Shew-Bread, the Oblation of Incense, the Veffels of the Tabernacle, under the Infpection of the High-Prieft; and to prepare the feveral Sorts of Victims, which were to be offer'd either by him, or themfelves; we have little more to fay of them, upon that Head. To the office of Eleazar, Numb. the fon of Aaron, the Prieft, pertaineth the iv. 16. oyl for the light, and the fweet incenfe, and the daily meat-offering, and the anointing oyl, and the over fight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the fanctuary and in the vessels thereof.

And at any Time, when the Camp was to move, Aaron and his fons were to take the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Shew-Bread, the Candlestick, and the Altar of Incenfe, and to cover them up feverally, with Decency and Care; after the Manner which is punctually prefcrib'd in the Law. All which was to be born and carried

T

ib. iv.

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