may see the good of thy chosen; that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation; that I may glory with thine inheritance". CHAP. II. OF THOSE THAT MINISTERED IN THE CHURCH OF GOD UNDER THE DISPENSATION OF THE LAW. SECT. 1. The consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood.-2. The tribe of Levi separated to the service of the sanctuary.-3. The different offices. of the priests and Levites.-4. The peculiar charge given to the priests.-5. Of prophets under the dispensation of the law.-6. The happiness of Israel, when attending duly to these sacred messengers.7. The sin and fatal consequences of disregarding the message of the prophets.-8. The just indignation of God against false prophets, and impious priests.9. The joy of the Saints in the pure ordinances and ministers of the sanctuary.-10. Their prayers, &c. SECT. 1. The consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wisehearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the Psal, cvi. 4, 5. § 1. Exod. xxv. 1. Exod. xxviii. 1, 2, 8 children of Israel shall hallow, in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty; and thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office". And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come into the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear no iniquity and die. It shall be a statute for ever unto him, and his seed after him. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar; I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons to minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats; and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations*. SECT. 2. The tribe of Levi separated to the service of the sanctuary. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation, before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron, and his sons; they are • Exod. xxviii. 36,38. d Exod. xxvi. 40, 41. e Exod. xxviii. 43. wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel". And I, behold I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, instead of all the first born that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine; because all the first born are mine. For on the day that I smote all the first born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the first born in Israel, both man and beast". And thou shalt take the Levites for me, instead of all the first born among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites, instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mined. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name. Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren. The Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord God promised him". SECT. 3. The different offices of the priests and Levites. And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou, and thy sons, and thy father's house with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou, and thy sons with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the priesthood. And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee. But thou, and thy sons with thee, shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle; only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary, and the altar; that neither they nor you also die. And behold, your brethren_the Levites; to you they are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation". They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having the charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house. § 2. Num. iii. 5—9. d Num. iii. 45. a § 3. Num. xviii. 1, 2, 3. Num. iii. 12, 13. • Deut. x. 8, 9. Num. xviii. 6. • Num. iii. 41. They shall slay the burnt offering, and the sacrifice for the people; and they shall stand before them, to minister unto them. And they shall not come near unto me to do the office of a priest unto me, nor come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place. But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein". Therefore, thou, and thy sons with thee, shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail, and ye shall serve; I have given your priest's office unto you, as a service of gift; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation'. SECT. 4. The peculiar charge given to the priests. And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God they do offer; therefore they shall be holy. Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God; he shall be holy unto thee; for I the Lord which sanctify you am holy. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall show the sentence of judgment. And thou shalt do according to the sentence which they shall show thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee; thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they show thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister before the Lord thy God, even that man shall die. For them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried. The priests shall come near to me, to minister unto me; and they shall stand before me, to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God. They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge. And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment, and they shall judge it according to my judgments; and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies, and they shall hallow my Sabbaths. And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you', And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him, for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips; he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts*. SECT. 5. Of prophets under the dispensation of the law, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his a • Deut. xvii. 8-12. Ezek, xliv. 23, 24. § 5. Ezek. iii. 16, 17. f Deut. xxi. 5. Mal. ii. 1. Ezek. xliv. 15, 16. * Mal. ii. 4-7. |