the holy oil which was poured upon his forehead ran down on all sides upon the beard of the highpriest; to which the Psalmist refers when, speaking of a precious perfume, he compares it with that which was used at Aaron's consecration.m

8thly, The high priesthood, as to its succession, descended by inheritance, and belonged to the eldest. In its first institution it was for life; but, from the time that the Jews became subject to the Greeks and Romans, the duration of this venerable office depended upon the will of the princes or governors. And under the Asmonean princes there was another considerable alteration made in this office. It then went out of the family of Aaron; and, passing into that of Judas Maccabeus, came into a private Levitical family; as appears from the catalogue which Josephus has given us of the highpriests." There could not be two highpriests at once; but they chose a sort of vicar-general who supplied their places in their absence, and had the precedence before all other priests. The Hebrews gave him the name of Sagan, and he sat at the right hand of the highpriest. And therefore some think that Caiaphas was highpriest, and Annas his sagan; and that this is the reason why JESUS CHRIST was brought before them both."

9thly, As to the habits peculiar to the highpriest, the first we shall speak of is that which the Hebrew

"See De Tab. lib. vii. c. 5. s. 7. See Josh. Ant. Book xx. c. 10. and x. c. 8. s. 6.

• Luke iii. 2.

text calls mehil. The Greek interpreters have once rendered it by Toongns," which signifies a garment that reaches down to the feet; and this is the word which Josephus also makes use of. But, as the same Greek interpreters sometimes render it by other words, I am of opinion that the mehil was not so long; it might be a shorter sort of garment.

Upon the border of this garment, whatever it was, there were, instead of a fringe, seventy-two golden bells, and as many pomegranates: if then this garment had reached down to the ground, it would not only have hidden the tunic, or linen alb, which the highpriest wore under it, and which he had in common with the other priests, but these pomegranates and bells would likewise have lost their sound. And therefore the mehil may be said to have been called poderes, because it came down almost to the feet. The colour of it was purple ; and under it was the tunic or linen alb, which was common to all the priests. This linen was very fine, and twisted; so that the tunic was not woven close, but open; and there was raised work, and hollows, and figures in it, and its extremities reached down to the ground.

Exod. xxviii. 4. by from ny alah to go up, was proba bly so called from being a sort of outer, or upper coat. Josephus says, "It reached down to the feet; and was not made of two distinct pieces sewed together at the shoulders and sides, but was one entire long garment, woven throughout." Antiq. B. iii. c. 7. s. 4. Our LORD's coat, mentioned John xix. 23. appears to have been precisely the same with the mehil. The English translators call it the robe.

• English, a broidered coat.

S

2dly, And besides this, the highpriest wore another sort of garment, which was like a waistcoat without sleeves; and which is by the Hebrews called an ephod, and by the Latins superhumérale, because it was fastened upon the shoulders. (And they likewise gave the name of ephod to another garment, something like this, which laymen were permitted to wear, as appears from David's being said to have been dressed in a linen ephod.") Upon each shoulder he had also a precious stone, in which were engraven the names of the children of Israel in that on the right shoulder were the names of the six eldest tribes, or sons of Jacob; and in that on the left, those of the six youngest. And he had upon his breast a square piece of stuff, of the dimensions of the Hebrew zenith, that is, about half a cubit. The Hebrews call it hoschen, that is, the breast-plate, because it was worn upon the breast but the Greeks call it logion, and the Latins from them rationale; and from these latter comes the French term rational. The Greek word may be translated by this Latin one: but I think it would be better rendered oraculum, because this was as it were the oracle by which God gave His answers; for the highpriest, when he would, on any occasion, consult GoD, put on this ornament upon his breast, and GoD answered him in the manner we are going to relate. There were upon the breast-plate twelve precious stones, upon which were likewise engraven the names of the twelve

г

2 Sam. vi. 14.

• Exod. xxviii. 15-20,

sons of Jacob; and upon it were also the Urim and Thummim. The first of these words signifies lights or knowledge, and the other truth or perfection; and the Jews pretend that they were two sacred signs, by which God made known His will: and when they ceased to appear, it was no longer known what they were. All that is certain concerning this opinion is, that the word Urim signifies lights; and perhaps it was so called because these precious stones shone with an extraordinary and miraculous fire. So that the Urim and Thummim were something more than barely two words engraven on the breast-plate; and, indeed, we often, find in Scripture that God was consulted by Urim.*

3dly, And lastly, the highpriest wore likewise a plate of gold upon his forehead, on which were engraven these two words,

hovah, that is, Holy to the Lord.

p kodesch layIt was tied with tiara, which was

a purple or blue ribbon to his made of linen, like those of the other priests, and was only distinguished from them by this plate and ribbon.

3dly, Next to the priests and Levites, the Officers of the Synagogue should be considered in this Chapter. They were in some sort sacred persons, since they had the superintendency of those places which were set apart for prayer and instruction. They were of several sorts; some of them being presidents, whom the Greeks call princes of the synagogue, and the Hebrews heads of the con

* Deut. xxxiii. 8. Numb. xxvii. 21. 1 Sam. xxviii. 6.

gregation." These were men advanced in age, men of letters and understanding, and of known probity. The Hebrews call them chocamim, that is, sages, or wise men; and their authority was considerable. They were judges of pecuniary matters, of thefts, damages, and such like; and St. Paul doubtless alludes to them in the sixth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, ver. 5, when he reproaches the Christians with carrying their differences before the tribunals of the Gentiles, as if they had no persons among themselves. who were capable of judging them. Is it so, says he, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? And these had likewise the power of punishing those whom they judged to be rebellious. against the law; and hence it is, that our LORD forewarns His disciples that they should be scourged in the synagogues. Besides these presidents, or princes of the synagogue, there were likewise in every synagogue a sort of minister, who read the prayers, directed the reading of the law, and preached; and was called chazan, that is, an inspector or bishop. And to this minister were

- These are in the New Testament called Αρχισυναγωγοί, or rulers of the synagogue, Mark v. 34, Luke viii. 41.

w Matt. x. 17.

* He who read the prayers and gave the blessing in the synagogues, was, according to Dr. Prideaux, a different officer from the chazan, and was called Sheliach Zibbor, or the Angel of the Church; whence it is that the bishops are called (Rev. i.) angels of the churches. The chasan, according to him, was an infe