the Pharifees had laid to their Charge, in plucking the Ears of Corn; yet, he adMatt.xii. mits that David did that which was not

4.

lawful for him to do, neither for them that were with him, but only for the Priefts. Chron. So it is faid; Other of their brethren of the fons of the Kohathites, were over the fhew-bread, to prepare it every fabbath.

ix. 32.

6.

As to that Part of the High-Prieft's Office which confifted in his offering the Sacrifices upon the Sabbaths and Feftivals, we need not bring any further Proofs of it here, having cited fo many, under those Articles. Nor will we repeat what we have had before, concerning his making the yearly Atonement for the Sins of the People; enough having been faid of it already, where we difcours'd of the particular Day, and Sacrifice, and the Dif miffion of the Scape-Goat.

We will only add what St. Paul says, Heb. ix. by way of Confirmation: The Priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the fervice of God; But into the fecond, went the High-Prieft alone, once every year; not without blood; which he offered for himfelf, and for the errors of the people.

Which, he tells his Countrymen the Hebrews, was a Figure for the Time then preSent; a Type; By which the Holy Ghoft fignified, that the way into the holiest of all (the Kingdom of Heaven open'd by our LORD in the New Teftament) was not yet made manifeft. But was to be fulfill'd and open'd by CHRIST; who, being an High-Priest of good things to come, would, by his own blood, enter, once for all, into the holy place (Heaven) having obtained eternal redemption for us. From whence, we may justly conclude that all the rest of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Old Teftament, however infignificant they may appear to us now, and tho' they were only impofed until the Time of Reformation, yet were all prophetical of, and received their Completion by, fome Circumftance or other of the New; of which JESUS CHRIST himself is the Mediator; Who is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the True, but into heaven it felf; to appear, in the presence of God for us.

Exod. xxix.!

28, &c.

SECT. VII.

The Succeffion to the HIGH-PRIEST's Office.

This Office, at its firft Inftitution, was established and made hereditary, by God himself, to Aaron and his Family. Concerning some Part of the Sacrifices, there is this Direction, It shall be Aaron's and his fons by a ftatute for ever, from the children of Ifrael. Again; The holy garments of Aaron fhall be his fons after him; to be anointed therein, and to be confecrated in them. And that fon that is Prieft in bis ftead, fhall put them on, seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation, to minifter in the holy place. Again, of Aaron and his Sons, it is faid; Their anointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood, throughout their generations. Numb. Again, The LORD spake unto Moses, fayxxv. 11. ing, Phinehas the fon of Eleazar, the fon of Aaron the Priest, was zealous for my fake among the children of Ifrael. Wherefore, behold I give unto him my covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his feed after him, even the covenant of an everlafting Priesthood. Accord

ib. xl. 15.

XX. 28.

Accordingly, when Aaron died, he was Numb. fucceeded by Eleazar his Son; and he again by, his Son Phinehas; who seems Jofh. xxii. 30. to have been a Coadjutor to his Father, fome Time before his Death: and was fo ib. xxiv, highly favour'd of God, that he liv'd and 33. continued in the Office of High-Prieft to a very extraordinary Age. For, at the latter End of all the Judges, we find him ftanding before the ark of the covenant of God, when the children of Ifrael gathered together unto the LORD in Mizpeh, to ask counfel about going up to battle against the rebellious tribe of Benjamin.

Judg. xx,

28.

Whether he was fucceeded immediately by Eli (faid, by Jofephus, to be a Defcendent of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron) the Scripture is filent; though Jofephus places three between them, Abifhua, Bukki, and Uzzi: fucceffively defcended from Phinehas; as we find in the Chro-, Chron. nicles. However, after fome Years, the vi. 4. Succeffion again took place, in the Family of Eleazar; where it is faid to have continued until their Return from the Captivity. After that, their State was fo often difturb'd by the Kings of Syria,

and other incroaching Powers, that the Succeffion in the House of Aaron was quite fet afide; though the High-Priefthood was ftill confin'd to the Tribe of Levi.

a great Share

That the High-Priests had in the Administration of the civil Government, before the Time of the Kings, is very plain; and that they had fome Influence, after the Monarchy took place, is not to be doubted of: witnefs the no2 Kings table Restoration Jehoiada was fo inftru2 Chron, mental in; in relation to Jeboah King of Judah. And, after the Return from the Captivity, it is credible (as Josephus relates) that they had the chief Management of all publick Affairs.

xi.

xxiii.

When therefore the Family of the Maccabees, who were of the Tribe of Levi, in regard to their fingular Merit, came to be entrusted with the Helm of Government, there were Princes first, and afterwards Kings, who were High-Priefts, at the fame Time; in a manner, till the Birth of CHRIST; the Great * Anointed;

* Chrift, in the Greek Tongue, is the Anointed.

both