being made of linen; signified the earth; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and in the noise of its bells resembling thunder; and the ephod shewed that God had made the universe of four elements; and as for the gold interwoven, I suppose it related to the splendor by which all things are enlightened. He also appointed the breast-plate to be placed in the middle of the ephod, to resemble the earth, for that has the very middle place in the world; and the girdle which encompassed the high-priest round signified the ocean, which goes round about, and includes the universe. Each of the sardonyxes declares to us the sun and the moon; those I mean that were in the nature of buttons on the high-priest's shoulders. And for the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months, or the like number of the signs of that circle which the Greeks call the Zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. The mitre, which was of a blue color, seems to me to denote heaven; for how otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it? It was also illustrated with a crown of gold, because of that splendor with which God is pleased. Let this explication* suffice at present, since the course of my narration will, on many occasions, afford an opportunity of enlarging on the virtue of our legislator. CHAP. VIII. OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON. W HEN what has been described was brought to a conclusion, gifts not being yet presented, God appeared to Moses, and enjoined him to bestow the high-priesthood upon Aaront his brother; as upon him ་ that best deserved to obtain that honor, on account of his virtue; and when he had ga thered the multitude together, he gave them an account of Aaron's virtue, and of his good will to them, and of the dangers he had undergone for their sakes, upon which, when they had given testimony to them in all respects, and shewed their readiness to receive him, Moses said to them, "Oye Israelites, this work is already brought to a conclusion, in a manner most acceptable to God, and according to our abilities: and now, since you see that he is received into this tabernacle, we shall first of all stand in need of one that may officiate for us, and may minister to the sacrifices, and to the prayers that are to be put up for us. And, indeed, had the inquiry after such a person been left to me, I should have thought myself worthy of this honor, both because all men are naturally fond of themselves, and because I am conscious to myself that I have taken a great deal of pains for your deliverance: but now God himself has determined that Aaron is worthy of this honor, and has chosen him for his priest, as knowing him to be the most righteous person among you: so that he is to put on the vestments which are consecrated to God; he is to have the care of the altars, and to make provision for the sacrifices; and he it is that must put up prayers for you to God, who will readily hear them, not only because he is himself solicitous for your nation, but also because he will receive them as offered by one that he hath himself chosen to this office. The Hebrews were pleased with what was said, and they gave their approbation to him whom God had ordained; for Aaron was the most deserving of this honor, on account of his own gift of prophecy, and his brother's virtue. * This explication of the mystical meaning of the paratively young, and less used to Gentile books, we find Jewish tabernacle, and its vessels, with the garments of one specimen of such a Jewish interpretation: for there, the high-priest, is taken out of Philo, and adapted to VII. 5. he makes the seven branches of the temple candleGentile philosophical notions. This may possibly be for- stick, with their seven lamps, an emblem of the seven given in Jews greatly versed in heathen learning and phi- days of creation and rest, which are here emblems of the losophy, as Philo had ever been, and as Josephus had seven planets; nor ought ancient Jewish emblems to be long been when he wrote these Antiquities. In the mean explained any otherwise than according to ancient Jewtime it is not to be doubted but in their education theyish, and not Gentile, notions. See Of the War, I. 33. must have both learned more Jewish interpretations, such + Exod. xxviii. 1. I mean as we meet with in the epistle of Barnabas, in that to the Hebrews, and elsewhere among the old Jews. Ac-lifications here required for the constitution of the first cordingly, when Josephus wrote his books of the Jewish high-priest, viz. that he should have an excellent characWar, for the use of the Jews, at which time he was com- ter for virtuous and good actions, as also that he should VOL. I.-(9.) It is worthy observation, that the two principal qua He had at that time four sons, Nadab, Abihu, jed to the tabernacle, and such as were very Eleazar, and Ithamar. costly, and were brought to the golden altar of incense, whose nature I do not now de-scribe, lest it should be troublesome to my readers. But incense was to be offered twice a day, both before sun-rising, and sunsetting. They were also to keep oil ready purified for the lamps, three§ of which were to give light all day long upon the sacred can+ dlestick before God, and the rest were to be Now Moses commanded them to make use of all the utensils which were more than were necessary to the structure of the tabernacle, for covering the tabernacle itself, the candlestick, and altar of incense, and the other vessels, that they might not be at all hurt when they journeyed, either by the rain, or by the rising of the dust; and when he had gathered in the multitude together again, he ordain-lighted at the evening. ed that they should offer half a shekel for every man, as an oblation to God, which shekel is a Hebrew coin, and is equal to four Athenian drachmæ ;* whereupon they readily obeyed what Moses had commanded, and the number of offers was six hundred and five thousand, five hundred and fifty. Now this money, that was brought by the men that were free, was given by such as were above twenty years old, but under fifty; and what was collected was spent in the uses of the tabernacle. When all was finished, Besaleel and Aholiab appeared to be the most skilful of the workmen; for they invented finer works than what others had done before them, and were of great abilities to gain notions of what they were formerly ignorant of: and of these Besaleel was judged to be the best. Now the whole time they were about this work was seven months, and after this ended the first year since their departure out of Egypt. But at the beginning of the second year,|| in the month Xanthicus, as the Macedonians call it, but in the month Nisan, as the Hebrews call it, on the new moon, they consecrated the tabernacle, and all its vessels, which I have already described. Moses now purified the tabernacle and the priests, which purification was performed after the following manner. He commanded them to take five hundred shekels of choice myrrh, an equal quantity of cassia, and half the fore- God shewed himself pleased with the work going weight of cinnamon, and a sort of sweet of the Hebrews, and did not permit their spice, called calamus; to beat them small, labors to be in vain; nor did he disdain to and wet them with a hint of olive oil; to mix use what they had made; but he came and them together, and boil them, and prepare sojourned with them, and pitched his tabernathem after the art of the apothecary, and cle in the holy house. And in the following make them into a very sweet ointment; and manner did he come to it: the sky was clear, afterward to take it to anoint and purify the but there was a mist over the tabernacle only, priests themselves, and all the tabernacle, as encompassing it, but not with such a very also the sacrifices. There were also many deep and thick cloud as is seen in the winter and various kinds of sweet spices that belong-season, nor yet in so thin an one as men wwwww before Josephus published his Antiquities, which never have the approbation of the people, are here noted by Josephus, even where the nomination belonged to God himself, which are the very same qualifications which the Christian religion requires in the choice of Christian bishops, priests, and deacons, as the Apostolical Constitution informs us, II. 3, VIII. Nor is it unworthy of our The incense was here offered, according to Josephus's notice, that Philo's peculiar word here cited, agird-opinion, before sun-rising, and at sun-setting; but in the that the governor was to be of a most excellent character-days of Pompey, according to the same Josephus, the is also the peculiar word of the Apostolical Constitutions sacrifices were offered in the morning, and at the ninth on this occasion, VIII. 4. hour, XIV. 4. *This weight and value of the Jewish shekel, in the days of Josephus, equal to about 2s. 10d. sterling, is by the learned Jews owned to be one fifth larger than their old shekels, which determination agrees perfectly with the remaining shekels that have Samaritan inscriptions, coined generally by Simon the Maccabee, about 230 years § Hence we may correct the opinion of the modern Rabbins, who say that only one of the seven lamps burned in the day-time, whereas Josephus, an eye-witness, says there were three. An. 1531. might be able to discern any thing through it; || crifices which Moses bade them bring, but but from it there dropped a sweet dew, which which they used to offer formerly, and were shewed the presence of God to those that de-burnt to death. Now when the fire rushed sired and believed it. upon them, and began to burn them, nobody could quench it; accordingly they died in this manner; and Moses bid their father and their brethren to take up their bodies, to carry them out of the camp, and to bury them magnifi cently. Now the multitude lamented them, and were deeply affected at this death, which so unexpectedly befel them; but Moses entreated their brethren and their father not to be troubled for them; to prefer the honor of God before their grief about them; for Aaron had already put on his sacred garments. When Moses had bestowed such honorary presents on the workmen as it was fit they should receive who had wrought so well, he offered sacrifices in the open court of the tabernacle, as God commanded him: a bull, a ram, and a kid of the goats, for a sin offering. Now I shall speak of what we do in our sacred offices in my discourse about sacrifices, and therein shall inform men in what cases Moses bid us offer whole burnt offerings, and in what cases the law permits us to partake of them as food. And when Moses had sprinkled Moses refused all that honour which he saw Aaron's vestiments, himself, and his sons, with the multitude ready to bestow upon him, and the blood of the beasts that were slain, and attended to nothing but the service of God. had purified them with spring water and oint- He went no more up to mount Sinai; but he ment, they became God's priests. After this went into the tabernacle, and brought back manner did he consecrate them, and their gar- answers from God to what he prayed for. ments, for seven days together. The same His habit was also that of a private man; and he did to the tabernacle, and the vessels there- in all other circumstances he behaved himself to belonging, both with oil first incensed, like one of the common people, and was deas I said, and with the blood of bulls, and of sirous to appear without distinguishing himself rams, slain day by day one, according to its from the multitude, but would have it known kind. But on the eighth day he appointed a that he did nothing but to take care of them. He feast for the people, and commanded them to also set down in writing the form of their gooffer sacrifice according to their ability. Ac-vernment, and those laws, by obedience to cordingly they contended one with another, and were ambitious to exceed each other in the sacrifices which they brought, and so fulfilled Moses's injunctions. But, as the sacrifices lay upon the altar, a sudden fire was kindled from among them, of its own accord; and appeared to the sight like fire from a flash of lightning, and consumed whatsoever was upon the altar. which they would lead their lives so as to please God, and so as to have no quarrels one among another. However, the laws he ordained were such as God suggested to him; so I shall now discourse concerning that form of government and those laws. I will now treat of what I before omitted, the garment of the high-priest; for Moses left no room for the evil practices of false Hereupon an affliction befel Aaron, consi- prophets; but, if some of that sort should atdered as a man and a father; but he support-tempt to abuse the divine authority, he left ed it with true fortitude, for he had, indeed, a firmness of soul in such accidents; and he thought this calamity came upon him according to God's will; for whereas he had four sons, as I said before; the two elder of them, Nadab and Abihu, did not bring those sa it to God to be present at his sacrifices when he pleased, and when he pleased to be absent. And he was willing this should be known not to the Hebrews only, but to those foreigners also who were there. For as to those sardonyxes* which the high-priest bare on his These answers by the oracle of Urim and Thummim, of illumination, in revealing the will of God, after a perwhich words signify light and perfection, or, as the fect and true manner, to his people Israel: I say, these LXXII. renders them, Anweis xai Anda, revelation and answers were not made by the shining of the precious truth; and denote nothing farther, that I see, but the shin- stones, after an awkward manner, in the high-priest's ing stones themselves, which were used in this method breast-plate, as the modern Rabbins vainly suppose, and shoulders, the one of them shined out when those twelve stones which the high-priest God was present at their sacrifices: bright bare on his breast, and which were inserted rays darting out thence, and being seen even into his breast-plate, when they should be by those that were most remote; which victorious in battle; for so great a splendor splendor yet was not before natural to the shone forth from them before the army bestone. This has appeared a wonderful thing gan to march, that all the people were sento such as have not so far indulged them-sible of God's being present for their assistselves in philosophy, as to despise divine revela-ance. Whence it came to pass, that those tion. Yet will I mention what is still more Greeks who had a veneration for our laws, wonderful; for God declared beforehand by because they could not possibly contradict this, as the learned interpret Philo and Josephus, but without several things that came to pass accordingly; but about any sufficient foundation, so far as I see; for certainly the time of his death, he here implies, that this oracle the shining of the stones might precede or accompany the quite ceased, and not before, the following high-priests oracle, without itself delivering that oracle; see Antiq. now putting diadems on their heads, and ruling according VI. 6; but rather by an audible voice from the mercy- to their own will, and by their own authority, like the seat, between the cherubim. See Prid. Connect, at the other kings of the pagan countries about them; so that, year 534, at large. This oracle had been silent, as Jose- while the God of Israel was allowed to be the supreme phus here informs us, 200 years before he wrote his Anti- King of Israel, and his directions to be their authentic quities, or ever since the days of John Hyrcanus, the last guides, God gave them such directions as their supreme good high-priest of the family of the Maccabees. Now it King and Governor, and they were properly under a theis worth our observation, that the oracle before us was ocracy, by this oracle of Urim, but no longer; see Dr. that by which God appeared to be present with and gave Bernard's notes here; though I confess I cannot but esteem directions to his people Israel, as their King, all the while the high-priest Jaddus's divine dream, Antiq. XI. 8. and they submitted to him in that capacity, and did not set the high-priest Caiaphas's most remarkable prophecy, over them such independent kings as governed according John xi. 47-52. as two small remains, or specimens, of to their own wills and political maxims, instead of divine this ancient oracle, which properly belonged to the Jewdirections; accordingly we meet with this oracle, besides ish priests; nor, perhaps, ought we entirely to forget that angelic and prophetic admonitions, all along from the eminent prophetic dream of our Josephus himself (one days of Moses and Joshua to the anointing of Saul, the next to the high-priest, as of the family of the Asmoneans first of the succession of kings. Numb. xxvii. 21. Judg. i. or Maccabees, by his mother's side, and by his father of 1. xviii. 5, 6. xx. 18, 23, 27, 28. 1 Sam. i. 14. iii. per tot. the first of the twenty-four classes of the priests), as to the iv. per tot. Nay, till Saul's rejection of the divine com- succession of Vespasian and Titus to the Roman empire, mands in the war with Amalek, when he took upon him and that in the days of Nero, and before either Galba, to act as he thought fit himself, I Sam. xiv. 18, 19, 36, 37. Otho, or Vitellus, were thought of to succeed him; Of Then this oracle left Saul entirely, (which indeed he had the War, III. 8. IV. 10; and this confirmed by Suetonius seldom consulted before; see I Sam. xvi. 35. 1 Chron. in Vespas. § 5. and Dio in Xiphiline, page 317. This, I xiii. 3. Joseph. Antiq. VII. 4.) and accompanied Da-think, may be considered as the very last instance of any vid, who was anointed to succeed him, and who con- thing like the prophetic Urim among the Jewish nation, sulted God by it frequently, and complied with its direc- and just preceded the fatal desolation. But how it tions constantly. See 1 Sam. xxii. 13, 15. xxiii. 9, 10. xxx. could possibly come to pass that such great men as Sir 7, 8. 2 Sam. ii. I. v. 19, 23. xxi. 1. 1 Chron. xiv. 10, 14. John Marsham and Dr. Spencer should imagine that this Joseph. Antiq. VI. 12. VII. 4. Saul indeed, long after his oracle of Urim and Thummim, with other practices as old, rejection by God, and when God had given him up to or older, than the law of Moses, should have been ordaindestruction for his disobedience, did once afterwards ened in imitation of somewhat like them among the Egyp deavor to consult God when it was too late; but God tians, which we never heard of till the time of Diodorus would not then answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Siculus, Elian, and Maimonides, or little earlier than the Urim, nor by prophets; 1 Sam. xxvii. 6. Nor did any Christian era at the highest, is almost unaccountable. of David's successors, the kings of Judah, that we know While the main business of the law of Moses was evidentof, consult God by this oracle till the Babylonish capti-ly to preserve the Israelites from the idolatrous and suvity, when those kings were at an end, they taking upon them, I suppose, too much of despotic power and royalty, and too little owning the God of Israel for the supreme King of Israel, though a few of them consulted the prophets sometimes, and were answered by them. At the return of the two tribes, without the return of the kingly government, the restoration of this oracle was expected: Neh. vii. 65. 1 Esd. v. 40. 1 Mac. iv. 46. and indeed it may seem to have been restored for some time after the Babylonish captivity, at least in the days of that excellent high-priest, John Hyrcanus, whom Josephus esteemed as a king, a priest, and a prophet, and who, he says, foretold perstitious practice of the neighboring pagan nations, and while it is so undeniable that the evidence for the great antiquity of Moses's law is incomparably beyond that for the like or greater antiquity of such customs in Egypt or other nations, which, indeed, is generally none at all, it is absurd to derive any of Moses's laws from the imitation of those heathen practices. Such hypotheses demonstrate to us how far inclination can prevail over evidence in even some of the most learned parts of mankind. See Dr. Bernard's very valuable notes upon this chapter, in opposition to Dr. Spencer, as they stand at large in Havercamp's edit. called * called the breast-plate the Oracle. Now this year old, and kids of the goats. These heads breast-plate and this sardonyx left off shin-of tribes were twelve days in sacrificing, one ing two hundred years before I composed sacrificing every day. Now Moses went no this book; God having been displeased at the longer up to Mount Sinai; but went into the transgression of his laws. Of which things we tabernacle, and learned of God what they shall further discourse on a fitter opportunity were to do, and what laws should be made: but I will now go on with my proposed narra- which laws were preferable to what have been devised by human understanding, and proved to be firmly observed, for all time to come; as being believed to be the gift of God: insomuch that the Hebrews did not transgress any of those laws, either as tempted in times of peace by luxury, or in times of war by distress of affairs. tion. The tabernacle being consecrated, and a regular order settled for the priests, the multitude judged that God now dwelt among them; and betook themselves to sacrifices,† and praises to God, as being now delivered from all expectation of evils, and entertaining a hopeful prospect of better times hereafter. They offered also gifts to God; some as common to the whole nation, and others as peculiar to themselves, and these tribe by tribe. For the heads of the tribes combined together, two by two, and brought a waggon, and a yoke of oxen; these amounted to six, and these carried the tabernacle, when they journeyed; besides which, every head of a tribe brought a bowl, a charger, and a spoon, of ten daricks, full of incense. Now the charger and the bowl were of silver, and together they weighed two hundred shekels, but the bowl cost no more than seventy shekels; and these were full of fine flour mingled with oil, such as they used on the altar, about the sacrifices. They brought also a young bullock, and a ram, with a lamb of a year old, for a whole burnt-offering; as also a goat, for the forgiveness of sins. Every one of the heads of the tribes brought also other sacrifices, called peace-offerings; for every day two bulls, and five rams, with lambs of a * About An. 107, two hundred years before A.D. 93, the thirteenth of Domitian, when Josephus published his Antiquities. + Óf the Jewish sacrifices, the learned reader may consult the notes in Havercamp's edition, and Dr. Outram's excellent Treatise De Sacrificiis. These old coins called Daricks are, I think, first mentioned by Xenophon in his Kuge IIaid. page 339. edit. Hutch. a few years after the beginning of Cyaxares II. or Darius the Mede, (of whose Median name Darius this seems the only original remain in Heathen antiquity,) and those by him mentioned as vastly large seem to have been a kind of coronation medals of the same king's. § It is, says Bp. Patrick, no improbable conjecture of Fortunatus Scacchus, that from bence the heathens learned their Taurobolia and Criobolia, which in process of time they disguised with infernal rites and ceremonies. CHAP. IX. OF THE MANNER OF OFFERING SACRIFICES. WILL now make mention of a few of our laws which belong to purifications, and In "The Taurobolium of the ancients was a ceremony in |