Q. How were Priests respected among the Heathens ?

Isid. &

Strabo.

Porphyr.

17.

Bell. Gal.

A. In all Countries they enjoyed great Marks of Plut, de Pre-eminence and Power, and managed the mostOsir. tom. weighty Affairs of Peace and War. Among theii. p. 354. Egyptians their Kings were always declared either Geog. 1. 1, out of their Priesthood or Soldiery; but he that wasp. 23, 24, chosen out of the Soldiery, was obliged immediately to de Abst. turn Priest. The Magi in Persia were Privy-Coun-lib. iv, sellors to the great Emperors of those Dominions. Cæs. de The Brachmans in India were exempted from legal Penalties and common Tribute, and in all Difficulties were applied to by Prince and People for their Advice and Prayers. The Druids, the Priests formerly of this our Island, as well as of France and Germany, were in such great Esteem, that they judged all public and private Causes, and distri buted the main Springs of Obedience, Rewards, and Punishments; they never attended the Wars, nor were required to contribute towards the Charge of them, but enjoyed an universal Immunity. The Romans, a wise and valiant People, set so great a Value upon the Priestly Order, that if their principal Magistrates, by Chance, met any of Vesta's Liv. lib. 1. Priests, they gave them Place. Numa Pompilius, who civilized that warlike Nation, is reported sometimes to have performed the Priest's Office himself. Their Consuls sought the high Dignity of Pontifex Maximus, and several Emperors, after Augustus's Time, were solemnly admitted to be High Priests.

Q. How were Priests respected before the giving of the Law?

A. The Character of the Persons who officiated as Priests before the Law, very much tended to support the Honour and Dignity of the Priesthood-Spenc. de For though in the first Ages of the World, in what Leg. Heb. related to a Man's Self, it is very probable, from p. 135. the Instances of Cain and Abel, that every Man was his own Priest, yet it is plain that the Family 7, 8.

'lib. 1, c. 6.

Gen. viii.

10, xii.

XXXV. 3. 7.

Job. i. 5.

xiii. 8.

Gen. xiv.

13. Plutarch. Quest.

Sacrifices were performed by the Master of it, who as he exceeded the Rest in Power and Authority, so he was thought fittest for that honourable Function. When Families increased and associated together, for the more public Worship of God, the sacred and the civil Power were united in the same Person. Thus Melchisedeck was King and Priest in Salem; and among the Egyptians, as was observed before, the Priesthood was joined with the Crown. Rom. cxiii. The Greeks accounted the Priesthood of equal Dignity with Kingship; which is taken Notice of by Aristotle in several Places of his Politics. And among the Latins, we have a Testimony from Virgil, that at the same Time Anius was both Priest and King. Exod. xxiv. Nay, Moses himself, who was Prince of Israel, before Aaron was consecrated, officiated as Priest in that solemn Sacrifice, by which the Covenant with Israel was confirmed.

De Rep.

lib. iii. c.

10. 11. En. iii.

6, &c.

Deut.

& C.

Q. How were Priests respected under the Law? A. Though the whole Nation of the Jews were, in respect of other Nations, God's peculiar People; yet Levi was his peculiar Tribe, his Lot, and his Inheritance, set apart that they might execute the xxxiii. 8, Service of the Lord; and upon the Account of their being devoted to minister in holy Things, called his holy Ones. That God intended great Honour and Authority should be conferred upon Deut. xvii. the Priests, may appear plainly from the Power 8, 9, &c. he gave them to interpret the Law, and to decide doubtful Cases, and from those severe Punishments he threatens to bring on such as did not comply with their Determinations. And as for the High Priest, his Garments, his Palace, his Place in the Sanhedrim, and upon other Occasions, sufficiently shew the Dignity of his Office, and the Authority Levit. xxi. he was invested with. The Laws that God was pleased yet farther to give in Relation to the Priesthood, tended to preserve the Character from being contemptible; for any corporeal Blemish made a Man unfit for it; and the particular Directions

Exod. xxviii.

21.

concerning their Marriages, and their not mourning for their nearest Kindred, made their Persons still more eminent. But what chiefly contributed to their Honour, was the Law about First-Fruits and Tenths, which were solemnly dedicated to God, and yet were to be brought to the Temple for the Maintenance of the Priests.

Q. Why was the Priesthood confined to one Tribe? A. It is thought that the chief Reason why God confined the Priesthood under the Law to one Tribe, was the better to train up the Jews in the Knowledge and Worship of the true God, and to preserve them from the idolatrous Rites of their Neighbours, to which they were but too much addicted. For this was a certain Sign, that Sacrifices offered to him by any other Hands, were neither agreeable nor acceptable to him; because this testified that the Church of God was restrained to one People. So long, therefore, as none could administer in holy Things but those of the Tribe of Levi, so long there could be no Church but of that People whereof Levi was a Tribe.

Q. Why was Levi preferred to this great Honour before any of the other Tribes?

A. Not only because this Tribe was distinguished by its Relation to Moses, who was Prince of the Congregation, and whom God thought fit farther to honour, by advancing his Father's House to the highest Pitch of Dignity mortal Man could attain to; but also because this Tribe had given the most famous Instances of their Zeal against Idolatry. When the Israelites worshipped the Golden Calf, the greatest Part of the Levites preserved themselves Exod. free from that Infection. When Moses took Ven- xxxii. 26, geance on those that were guilty of that Idolatry, Spen. de the Levites being kindled with Zeal, were obedient Leg. Heb. to his Voice, and assisted in expiating the Guiltp. 138. of so great a Sin with the Blood of their own Kindred. And if we may believe the Jewish Rabbins, when the other Tribes were tainted with the Super

29.

lib. 1. c.

Gen. xiv.

Heb. vii. 4.

stitions of Egypt, the Tribe of Levi kept constant to the Worship of God; whereupon God was pleased thus to reward that Fidelity and Zeal for which they were so renowned."

Q. What Instances are there in the Old Testament of honourable Person's exercising the Priesthood?

A. Melchisedeck, who exercised that holy Function, was King as well as Priest, and the Patriarch Abraham acknowledged his Superiority by receiving his Benediction, and by paying him Tribute, even the Tenth of all his Spoils. Potipherah, Priest of On, was so considerable as to marry his Daughter to Exod. ii Joseph, the great Favourite of the King of Egypt. Jethro, Priest of Midian, was Father-in-Law to Moses, eminent for his Wisdom and Authority. And the High-Priest Aaron was Brother to the same Moses who was so mighty in Words and Deeds.

Gen. xli.

45.

1.

Acts vii.

22.

Luke x.

16.

1 Thess. iv. 8.

Q. How was the Priesthood esteemed among the Primitive Christians?

A. The Primitive Christians always expressed a mighty Value and Esteem for their Clergy, because they were sensible there could be no Church without Priests, and that it was by their Means that God conveyed to them all those mighty Blessings which were purchased by Christ's Death. Ecclesiastical History is full of Instances of the Respect they then paid to their Bishops and Presbyters, by kissing their Hands, bowing to beg their Blessing, and all this even in the Times of Persecution. They gave all imaginable Proof of a sincere and hearty Love to their Persons, by maintaining them liberally out of their ship-wrecked Fortunes, and cheerfully submitting to the severe Discipline enjoined by them; and all this from a Sense of that Authority they had received from Christ, the great Bishop of Souls, and in Pursuance of those Precepts our Saviour and St. Paul have left us in this Matter. When Christianity became the Religion of the Government, great Honours and Revenues were bestowed upon the Clergy, not only for the

Support of Religion, but as a Reward for those great Sufferings they had undergone in Defence of the Truth; all Laws that were any Ways prejudicial to them were revoked, and new Ones made to secure to them Respect and Maintenance; which Advantages, in Progress of Time, were increased by the Favour of pious Princes, not only in the Roman Empire, but in all other Nations where Christianity prevailed.

Q. What Titles of Honour and Respect are given to those who are invested with the Priesthood under the Gospel?

2 Cor. v.

v. 20.

ch. iii.

A. The Dignity of their Office is amply displayed 1 Cor. iv. in the Scriptures, when those that are invested with! Tit. i. 7. that Character are called the Ministers of Christ, 19 ch. vii. Stewards of the Mysteries of God, to whom he hath 23. 2 Cor. committed the Word of Reconciliation. the Glory of Rev. ch. ii. Christ. Ambassadors for Christ in Christ's Steud. Luke x. 16. Co-workers with him, Angels of the Churches. And when it is moreover declared, that he that despiseth them, despiseth not Man, but God. All which Titles shew, upon how many Accounts they stand related, appropriated, and devoted to God himself.

Q. What is implied in their being Ministers of Christ?

A. That they act by Commission from him, that they are his Officers and immediate Attendants, his Domestics, and in a peculiar Manner his Servants. That they are employed in his particular Business, impowered and authorized to negotiate and transact for God, and that not only in some particular Things, but at large in all the outward Administrations of the Covenant of Grace, or of Reconciliation between God and Man.

Q. What is implied in their being Stewards of the Mysteries of God?

A. That as a Steward is the highest domestic Officer, and Governor of the whole Family, who is to give them their Portion of Meat in due Season; so the Priests under the Gospel are instituted to dispense spiritual Food for the Nourishment of