ex That the Priefts in Jofiah's time did ufually kill the Sacrifices, and flay them, and do all the preparatory Offices as well as what was properly their own, cept the Impofition of hands, is certainly true. But even in times when They did this, that any one else that knew how to kill and flay his Sacrifice, might do it himself, is agreed on all hands. It was a Rule among the Rabbi's, "that the Killing of Holy things may lawfully "be done by Strangers", [i. e. fuch as are not of Aaron's Seed] " even of the "most holy things, whether they be the Holy things of a particular perfon, or "of the congregation." For this Mr. Ainsworth cites Maimonides in Biath Hamikdash, ch. ix. § 6. Vid. Ainsworth in Levit. c. i. 5. The Mishnah lays it down for a Maxim, "* The Slaying done by "all Profane perfons", [i.e. persons that are not Priests] « is lawful, because Slay Omnium reproborum qui mactant Mactatio bona eft, quia mactatio legitima eft per peregrinos, mulieres, Servos, atque impuros, etiam in Sanctis Sanctorum, modo non tetigerint immundi carnem. Min. de Sacrificiis. Vol. V. P. 15. "ing is lawfully done by Strangers, Wo men, Servants, and Unclean, even in "the most Holy things, provided the "Unclean do not touch the flesh." Bartenora here obferves*, that the Mishna "here teaches us that Slaying of a Sa"crifice may be performed by one that " is not a Prieft." And Maimonides says that" in the Law, Leviticus i. 5. no " mention is made of the Sons of Aaron " in relation to Mactation, but it has left "That to Every one's own pleasure. But "then as to taking the Blood, the Priest is neceffary for our wife men have "determined that the Sacerdotal Office begins at the receiving the Blood-You "must know therefore that at the begin *Mactationem per eum qui non eft Sacerdos, vel qui illegitimus eft ad facra, peragi poffe docet. Bartenora in loc. ibid. + Scriptum eft, Leviticus i. 5. pan ja nk unv1. In madatione Lex לפני יהוה והקריבו בני אהרון non memoravit filios Aaronis, fed eam cujufvis arbitrio reliquit. In fanguine vero excipiendo requiritur perfona Sacerdotis, nam Sapientes dixerunt, ab exceptione Sanguinis et deinceps minifterium Sacerdotale incipit.-Scias itaque quod ab initio permiffum fit extraneo five cuilibet Ifraelitæ et fœminæ atque Servo ut machet Sacrificia. Maimen, in Mijn. Vol. V. p. 15. ning it was permitted to any one not a Prieft, or to any Ifraelite Man or "Woman, and to Servants, to kill their "Sacrifice." The Mishna itself in another place lays down much the fame determination. *« All may kill their Sa"crifice, and their Mactation is lawful, ex cept a deaf man, a fool, and a Minor." But as Custom had brought things to that pafs, that a great deal of Art and Skilt was neceffary; and he that kill'd the Sacrifice was obliged to understand the cuf tomary Rules of Slaying the Animal, hence the Priests came to do it as in course, or as if it were their peculiar Province. For their Rabbi's had laid it down for a Rule, that there were Five cafes in which the Mactation was rendered void, or in which the whole Act was fpoiled. But these it is plain. needless to ex Omnes mactare poffunt, et mactatio ipforum recta est, furdo, ftulto et minorenni excepto. Mihn. Tit. de Profanis. Vol. V. p. 114. The five things were, Tardatio, Conculcatio, Occultatio, Aberratio, et Eradicatio. The Reader may fee all thefe explained by Maimonides in Mihn. Vol. V. p. 114. From From the antient practices of the Jews we may pass to thofe of the Gentiles. It feems not to have been the practice among them in the earliest times to have had Priests to lay their victims; but if at any time they called in to their Affiftance any lepus, or Prieft, it was to confult them, who were supposed by their Skill, or Observation, or by fome means or other, to be able to interpret, or to prognofticate, as circumstances were. The Interpretation of Dreams, or the flight of Birds, or the Look of Entrails, or the manner of Smoak's afcending, or the Burning of Fire, or in fhort fomething of Divination from Sacrifices seems to have been their Bufinefs. Whenever Homer mentions an lepus, it is always with a view to fome or other of these purposes, and not with a view to killing the Victim, or ordering it upon the Altar. When Hecuba would have dif fuaded Priamus from going to Achilles, the Old man tells her, "that she should "never hinder him from going. For, fays he, "if any Mortal had bid me go, "whether they were Prophets, Confulters "of Entrails, or Priefts, I fhould have "thought P "thought they had impofed upon me." But as he had heard and feen the Goddefs, viz. Iris, He was refolved to go. He would not have gone, had those who perfuaded him, been, Η δι μάνλιές εισι θυόσκοοι, ἡ ἱερκες. By Martis, he means one that could judge of good or bad fuccefs from Dreams or Flight of Birds, or Omens, or Oracles. It was a general word, of which the others were Species. The Judono were fuch as divined by Smoak, either that of Incense, or any other thing that burned. The 'Iepeus divined from the Burning of Sacrifices, or the parts of it, as far as one may conjecture from the use of this Term in Homer. Thus when Achilles moved to know the cause of Apollo's Anger, He propofed to enquire of fome Martis, or Tepeus, or Interpreter of Dreams, that He might tell the cause of the Evil the Greeks laboured under. Αλλ ̓ ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν, ἢ ἱερῆα Iliad. d. v. 62. Euftathius |