by Prophets, or when they fettled new Colonies appears not.

As Mofes was not himself a First-born, as far as we know, because Aaron was elder, he executed fome parts of the Office of Prieft, as a Prophet, 'till Aaron was confecrated.

The Manner or Form of inftituting them is not mentioned at firft, nor Exod. xiii. 1. at the Renewal of the Firstborn, because 'tis expreffed at large in Mofes's Inftitution of Aaron; the chief Parts were purifying them by Water, vefting them with emblematical Robes, and inftitued Ornaments, offering Sacrifices, anointing them with a Compofition of Oil and Aromaticks, and filling their Hands with fomething proper for Sacrifice: One of thofe which is tranflated Ornament, was the Urim and Thummim, which were to be upon his Breast when he confulted the Oracle; and was a travelling Oracle, had the Typical Presence, I think of Chrift as King, and to be confulted in the Field in War. Whatever the High-Priest had typically, Chrift when Prieft, was to have really.

There is no fwearing of an Oath mentioned in the Inftitution of the typical Priefts, neither before Mofes, nor in the

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Renewal: they could not really attone, or &c. but the real Prieft or Interceffor, Heb. vii. 20. was not conftituted without the Oath of the Covenant, and was conftituted by it, Pfal. cx. 4. referred to Heb. vii. 7, 21. Jehovah bath fworn, and will not repent: thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek, vii. 3. Who was made like the Son of God; and was by the fame Oath made Son, Heb. iv. 14. A great High-Prieft, Jefus the Son of God, vii. 28. But the Word of the Oath which was fince the Law, the Son who is confecrated for evermore. See below, the typical Aleim, the Kings were alfo Sons by their Oath the Oath which was firft in Heaven; fo at renewing the Covenant, at publishing the Law, the Oath is fuppofed to be renewed then alfo; fo the Oath to David; fo, as above, Hebr. vii. 28. after the Law.

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The Priest typically perfonated the compound Perfon Chrift offering his Body; the Effence, in him, giving him Strength to undergo the Wrath, fo as to make Atonement for the Sins of Men, and his Blood to wash Believers from their Pollutions and, I think, the Holy Ghost who affifted the Humanity, to direct the

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Difpofition of his Mind fo as that Offering might be in obedience to the divine Covenant, for the Glory of the Ef fence who was in him, and fupported him, and in love to his Brethren, Mankind.

The Office of the Prieft, while it was in the First-born, is only hieroglyphically exhibited, and to be collected from what is written of their Actions when changed. and renewed; the written Law was a Rule, he had no Power to do any thing beyond that, or to omit any thing directed in it, except directed by the Oracle, or a Prophet. In general, was lighting the Lamps, burning Incenfe, and placing Bread on the Table in the holy Place, the Emblem of Chrift's Body and the Effence in it; purifying the People, offering Sacrifices which were appointed, with their Appurtenances, or which were voluntary, and allowed for himself, and the People; keeping the Fire burning on the Altar, fo attoning by Sacrifice, interceeding before the Faces with the Offering, or fprinkling of Blood, and fuming Incenfe, and at his return, bleffing the People as a Type of the true Interceffor: to determine about Doubts in the typical Law. The Substance was fixed by the Covenant,

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and nothing left to Man, but in relation to the Fitness of Sacrifices, to clean or unclean; to the Affair of Leprofy, and in many such Cafes without Appeal, because though he had not the Gift of Prophecy, if it were difficult, he was to confult the Oracle in the Cherubim, and at the Requeft of the King, to confult the Irradiator above the Cherubim, or in War, in the Field, the Urim and Thummim. It appears, by Mofes's Tranfcript, that there was nothing left to the Will or Direction of the Prieft, but that he himself was directed in every thing, and in civil Matters was fubject to the King: So Abiathar, who anointed Adonijah without Directions, was expelled. When there were inferior Priefts, each was but his Deputy, and were to fupply what he could not do as directed, and to do fome things then, which, I think, the chief Prieft did not, as convoking by founding of Tubes, Horns &c. fo in marching, in War &c.

The Exercise of the Office of Priest, or the Priesthood, fo the Sword, and the Fire, is occafionally mentioned, by mentioning the Sacrifices of Cain and Abel, by all the Sacrifices after, down to Mofes, by building Altars, invoking Jebovab

vab &c. The Sword or Knife, first by the First-born, after by the Levitical Pricft, who it appears was put in to break -the Line, because Chrift was first of the Chief, or when David was chofen, of the Elect Line, and must have been the Schiefeft, if not the Chief Prieft, who by the Change was the Profecutor, at the , time when he was to offer himself. The Fire firft, and at the Renewal, from the Cherubim, was after kept upon the Altar. Thefe preferved the emblematical Performance till the Object came.

Whether the First-born, who exercised -the Priest's Office at first, kept their Poffeffions, and had the Perquifites of the Altar, appears not: we find the Patriarchs who exercised it for their own Families held Lands upon Sufferance, in strange Countries.

The Chief Prieft &c. had Houses and Parts of the Offerings, Sacrifices &c. affigned under the Law.

The Reverence they who believed, paid to the Perfon and Actions of the High Prieft, was doubtlefs very great: But there is no appearance of his having any Authority, nor of exercising it. Thofe Stories of their Power, I have fhewed were ftupid Forgeries. Indeed

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