whofe Lot it was to minifter in the Service of the Temple for that Week. They were of the fame Nature with the Teruma Gedolab infomuch that if any who was not of the Family of the Priefts did prefume to eat of them, he was liable to the Punishment of being cut off from his People.

The next Five Gifts or Allowances made to the Priests, were fuch as might be eaten or difpofed of in any part of the Land of Ifrael, and were thefe that follow..

First, The Teruma Gedolah, of which we have already given fo particular Account, that it will not be neceffary to add any thing further concerning it.

Second, The Tenth of the Tithes which were paid by the Levites to the Priests; and this we have alfo accounted for before..

Third, The Heave-Offering of the firft of the Dough, which was to be offer'd in the fanie manner that the Heave-Offering of the Threfhing-Floor was appointed to be made, Numb. 15. 20, 21. This laft, as well as the other Two immediately going before, was Holy to the Lord. And concerning this lat also it may not be improper to obferve, that though it was to be made ufe of only in the Land of Ifrael, according to the Primary End and Delign of it; yet we do at this Day confecrate fome fmall Portion of our Dough, to keep up the Remembrance of it.

Fourth, The First of the Fleece of the Flock, which was allow'd by virtue of that Commandment, Deut. 18. 4. which oblig'd

the

the Levites, as well as the Body of the LayPeople.

Fifth, The confecrated Field of Poffeffion, which was to be estimated according to the Seed thereof, and if fanctified from the Year of Jubilee, was to ftand according to that Eftimation, Levit. 27. 21. These Two last Gifts were not Holy, and therefore were capable of being converted to any common and promifcuous Ufe.

The next Five Gifts or Allowances made to the Priests, were fuch as took Place all over the Land of Ifrael, but were not confirm'd to the faid Land, being due to the Priest wherefoever he inhabits; and were these that follow.

First, The Shoulder and the Two Cheeks, and the Maw of every Beast that was kill'd for common Ufe, and spent in a Family; and this by virtue of that Law, Deut. 18.3. And this fhall be the Prieft's due from the People, from them that kill any Beast, whether it be Ox or Sheep; and they shall give unto the Prieft the Shoulder, and the two Cheeks and the Maw. I fay they that kill any Beaft, ( tho' I know 'tis capable of being render'd, that Shall offer a Sacrifice) both because the Word Tzabach, in its primary Signification, doth import flaying or killing, as Gen. 31.54. I Sam. 28. 24. 1 Kings 19.21. and also because there was a different Portion from what is here mention'd, affign'd for the Priest, out of thofe Beasts that were offer'd in Sacrifice, according as hath been obferv'd before. And thefe

were

were peculiarly ftyl'd the Gifts due to the Priest. Second, The Price of Redemption of the First-born of Man, purfuant to that Law, Exod. 13. 13. which according to the settled Eftimation was to be five Shekels of the Sanctuary, Numb. 18. 16. And this Redemption respected only the First-born of the Mother, not of the Father, whose First-born was not Holy to the Lord; but only fo denominated on account of his Right of Inheritance. The five Shekels thus due, the Prieft was bound to claim, when the Child was a Month Old, and might take them either in Specie or in Goods anfwering their Value; but after the Receipt of them, might restore them again, if he pleased, because they were his own.

Third, The Price of Redemption of the Firftling of an Afs, which was to be redeem'd with a Lamb or Kid; otherwife his Neck was to be broken, Exod.1 3.13. Now the Firstling of an Afs was the only unclean Beast that was to be thus redeem'd. For tho' the Law does enjoyn the Redemption of unclean Beasts, Lev. 18.15. yet this (as all our Doctors agree) is not to be understood of Beafts that are unclean, with reference to common Ufe, but only of fuch as were unclean with reference to the Altar, that is, fuch as were lame or blind, or had any notable Blemish in them: The facrificing of fuch being exprefly prohibited, Deut. 15. 21.

Fourth, Thofe Goods that were ftoilen from him who had no Kinfman, or Heir to whom Restitution or Recompence might be made;

for

for in that Cafe fuch Goods became the Lord's and were due to the Priests: And this in Conformity to the Law, Numb. 5.&. But if the Man have no Kinfman to recompenfe the Trefpafs unto, let the refpafs be recompenfed unto the Lord, even to the Priest. Which Law our ancient Writers expound of the Kinf man or Heir of a Profelyte; because it could never be imagin'd that any of the Seed of Ifrael could be without an Heir.

Fifth, Every Thing that was devoted in Ifrael, not for the Temple, or to any other facred Ufe, but only for the Benefit of the Priest; and this was upon no Terms to be redeem'd, Numb. 18. 14. Levit. 27. 28.

There is yet one other Allowance to be accounted for, viz. the Skins of the Beasts that were offer'd in Sacrifice, which therefore only took Place while the Temple stood, but was not to be reckon'd along with the Sacrifices themselves, because these were Holy, and were therefore to be eaten in the Holy Place before the Lord, whereas the Skins of the facrificed Beafts were not Holy, and might be made Ufe of to common Purposes. This Portion the Law affign'd for the Priefts, as appears from Nunb. 7. 8. And the Priest that offereth any Man's Burnt-Offering, even the Pricft fhall have to himself the Skin of the Burnt-Offering, which he hath offered. Which yet is not fo to be understood, as if only the Priest that offer'd the Sacrifice had a Right to the faid Portion; (fince as our Doctors do agree) his Brethren of the fame Ward were to have an equal Share. And to this

Pur

Purpose is interpreted what is faid concerning the Meat-Offering at Verse 10. of the Chapter laft cited, viz. all the Sons of Aaron fhall have, one as much as another.

Thus having finish'd the main of our Defign, what we shall further add, will be took up in a few fhort Remarks, pertinent to the Matter in Hand. Forafmuch then as God Almighty made fuch ample Provision, as by what we have hitherto advanced does, fully appear for the Support and Maintenance of the Ministers employ'd in his Service: Their Duty was to have always a grateful Sense of his Bounty and Goodness towards them, to praise and adore his Holy Name for his great and extraordinary Favours, to return Thanks at the Participation of thofe Gifts which he had appointed them to receive in the following Form of Words, viz. Blessed be the Lord who hath fanctified us with the Sanctity of Aaron, and commanded us to receive fuch or fuch Gifts, (which are then to be specified as the FirstFruits, the Tithes, the Sacrifices, &c.) and laftly, to use them with Sobriety and Temperance. And because the Law was the Rule of Duty to them, whatsoever Priest did not live conformable to it, was not to partake of any Portion or Allowance establish'd by it. Other Offices the Priefts were also oblig'd to by virtue of their high Character; they were to bless the People in the Name of the Lord; which Blefling was perform'd with great Solemnity, and particularly with the Ceremony of lifting up the Hand, according to what is faid, Levit. 9. 22. And Aaron lift F

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