17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin-offering, and as the trespass-offering. 18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.

19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat-offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.

21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat-offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

22 And the priest of his sons, that is anointed in his stead, shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt. 23 For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

Ch. 2 11-w Numb. 18. 9, 10.-x Ver. 25. Ch. 2. 3. & 7. 1. Exod. 29. 37. Ver. 29. Numb. 18. 10- Ch. 3 17-a Ch. 22. 2-7. Exod. 29. 37.-b Exod. 29. 2. Exod. 16. 36-d Ch. 4. 3.-e Exod. 29. 25.-f Ch. 4. 2-g Ch. 1. 3, 5, 11. & 4. 24,

Verse 20. In the day when he is anointed] Not only in that day, but from that day forward; for this was to them and their successors a statute for ever. See ver. 22. Verse 23. For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt] Whatever the priest offered, was wholly the Lord's, and therefore must be entirely consumed the sacrifices of the common people were offered to the Lord, but the priests partook of them: and thus, they who ministered at the altar, were fed by the altar. Had the priests been permitted to live on their own offerings, as they did on those of the people, it would have been as if they had offered nothing, as they would have taken again to themselves, what they appeared to give unto the Lord. Theodoret says, that this marked "the high perfection which God required in the ministers of his sanctuary," as his not eating of his own sin-offering, supposes him to stand free from all sin: but a better reason is given by Mr. Ainsworth. "The people's meatoffering was eaten by the priests that made atonement for them, ver. 15, 16. chap. vii. 7. but because no priest, being a sinner, could make atonement for himself, therefore his meat-offering might not be eaten, but all burnt on the altar, to teach him to expect salvation, not by his legal service or works, but by Christ: for the eating of the sinoffering figured the bearing of the sinner's iniquity."Ch. x. 17.

Verse 25. In the place where the burnt-offering was killed, &c.] The place here referred to, was the north side of the altar.-See chap. i. 11.

Verse 26. The priest-shall eat it] From the expostulation of Moses with Aaron, chap. x. 17, we learn that the priest, by eating the sin-offering of the people, was considered as bearing their sin, and typically removing it from them and besides, this was a part of their maintenance, or what the Scripture calls their inheritance, see Ezek. xliv. 27-30. This was afterward greatly abused; for improper persons endeavoured to get into the priest's office merely that they might get a secular provision, which is a horrible profanity in the sight of God.-See 1 Sam. ii. 36. Jer. xxiii. 1, 2. Ezek. xxxiv. 2-4. and Hos. iv. 8.

Verse 27. Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy] The following note of Mr. Ainsworth is not less judicious than it is pious.

"All this rite was peculiar to the sin-offering, (whether it were that which was to be eaten, or that which was to be burnt) above all the other most holy things. As the sin-offering in special sort figured Christ, who was made sin for us, 2 Cor. v. 21. so this ordinance, for all that touched the flesh of the sin-offering, to be holy; the garments sprinkled with the blood, to be washed; the vessels wherein the flesh was boiled, to be broken, or scoured and rinsed; taught a holy use of this mystery of our redemption, whereof they that are made partakers ought to be washed, cleansed, and sanctified by the Spirit of God; that we possess our vessels in holiness and honour, and yield not our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin." 1 Thess. iv. 4. Rom. vi. 13.

24 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin-offering: In the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy.

k

26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it; in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.

28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brazen pot, it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water.

29 All the males among the priests shall eat thereof; it is most holy.

30 P And no sin-offering whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation, to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.

29, 33.-h Ver. 17. Ch. 21. 22-i Ch. 10. 17, 18. Numb. 18. 9, 10. Ezek. 44 28, 29, k Ver. 16.-1 Exod. 29. 37. & 30. 29.--m Ch. 11. 33. & 15. 12-n Ver. 18. Numb 18. 10.- Ver. 25-p Ch. 4. 7, 11, 12, 18, 21. & 10. 18. & 16. 27. Heb. 13. 11.

met states, that this should be considered as implying the vessels brought by individuals to the court of the temple or tabernacle, and not of the vessels that belonged to the priests for the ordinary service. That the people dressed their sacrifices sometimes in the court of the tabernacle, he gathers from 1 Sam. ii. 13, 14. to which the reader is desired to refer.

In addition to what has already been said on the different subjects in this chapter, it may be necessary to notice a few more particulars. The perpetual meat-offering, von and minchah tamid, ver. 20.—the perpetual fire, vpn we esh tamid, ver. 13.—and the perpetual burnt-offering, Tonny ôloth tamid, Exod. xxix. 42. translated by the Septuagint, Oveix dienavros, mug διαπαντος, and ολοκαύτωσις, and ολοκαύτωμα διαπαντος, all cast much light on Heb. vii. 25. where it is said, Christ is able to save them to the uttermost (115 #Avriλ:5, perpetually, to all intents and purposes) that come unto God by him; seeing he ever liveth (avTOTE Cwv, he is perpetually living) to make intercession for them: in which words there is a manifest allusion to the perpetual minchah, the perpetual fire, and the perpetual burnt-offering, mentioned here by Moses. As the minchah, or gratitude offering, should be perpetual, so our gratitude for the innumerable mercies of God should be perpetual. As the burnt-offering must be perpetual, so should the sacrifice of our blessed Lord be considered as a perpetual offering, that all men, in all ages, should come unto God through him, who is ever living in his sacrificial character, to make intercession for men; and who is, therefore, represented, even in the heavens, as the Lamb just slain, standing before the throne, Rev. v. 6. Heb. x. 19-22. And as the fire on the altar must be perpetual, so should the influences of the Holy Spirit in every member of the church, and the flame of pure devotion in the hearts of believers, be ever energetic and permanent. A continual sacrifice, for continual successive generations of sinners, was essentially necessary. Continual influences of the Holy Spirit on the souls of men were essentially necessary to apply and render effectual this atonement, to the salvation of the soul. And, incessant gratitude for the ineffable love of God, manifested by his unspeakable gift, is surely required of all those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious.Reader, dost thou feel thy obligations to thy Maker? Does the perpetual fire burn on the altar of thy heart? Art thou ever looking unto Jesus, and beholding, by faith, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world? And dost thou feel the influences of his Spirit, at all times witnessing with thy spirit, that thou art his child, and exciting thee to acts of gratitude and obedience? If not, of what benefit has the religion of Christ been to thee, to the present day? Of a contrary state to that referred to above, it may be well said, This is not the way to heaven, for the way of life is above to the wise, that they may depart from the snares of death beneath. Arise, therefore, and shake thyself from the dust, and earnestly call upon the Lord thy God, that he may save thy soul, and that thou fall not into the bitter pains of an eter

CHAPTER. VII.

The law of the trespass-offering, and the priests' portion in it, 1-7. As also in the sin offerings and meat-offerings, 8-10. The law of the sacrifice of peace-offering, 11, whether it was a thanksgiving offering, 12-15, or a vow or voluntary offering, 16--18. Concerning the flesh that touched any unclean thing, 19, 20, and the person who touched any thing unclean, 21. Laws concerning eating of fat, 22-25, and concerning eating of blood, 25, 27. Farther ordinances concerning the peaceofferings and the priests' portion in them, 2-36. Conclusion of the laws and or

dinances relative to burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, sin-offerings, and peace-offerings,

delivered in this and the preceding chapters, 37, 38.

An. Exod. Isr. 2.1 IKEWISE 9 this is the law of the trespass-offering: it is most

holy.

2 In the place where they kill the burntoffering, shall they kill the trespass-offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar.

3 And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards. 4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away:

8 And the priest that offereth any man's burntoffering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt-offering which he hath offered.

9 And all the meat-offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it.

10 And every meat-offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.

11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.

12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes, mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers a anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

b

11

6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: ▾ it is most holy.

7 As the sin-offering is, so is the trespassoffering: there is one law for them; the priest that maketh the atonement therewith shall have it.

9 Ch 5.& 6. 1-7. Ch. 6. 17, 25. & 21. 22.-- Ch. 1. 3, 5, 11. & 4. 24, 29, 33. t Ch. 3. 4, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16. & 4. 8, 9. Exod. 29. 13-a Ch. 6. 16-18. Numb. 18. 9, 10. v Ch 2 3-w Ch 6. 25, 26. & 14. 13.

NOTES ON CHAPTER VII.

Verse 1. Trespass-offering] See at the end of the chapter.

Verse 2. In the place where they kill the burnt-offering] Viz. on the north side of the altar, chap. i. 11.

Verse 3. The rump] See the notes on chap. iii. 9. where the principal subjects in this chapter are explained, being nearly the same in both.

Verse 4. The fat that is on them] Chiefly the fat that was found in a detached state, not mixed with the muscles; such as the omentum or caul, the fat of the mesentery, the fat about the kidneys, &c.—See the notes on chap. iii. 9. &c.

Verse S. The priest shall have to himself the skin] Bishop Patrick supposes, that this right of the priest to the skin, commenced with the offering of Adam: "For it is probable," says he, "that Adam himself offered the first sacrifice, and had the skin given him by God to make garments for him and his wife: in conformity to which, the priests ever after had the skin of the whole burnt-offerings for their portion; which was a custom among the Gentiles as well as the Jews, who gave the skins of their sacrifices to their priests, when they were not burnt with the sacrifices, as in some sin-offerings they were among the Jews, see chap. iv. 11. And they employed them to a superstitious use, by lying upon them in their temples, in hopes to have future things revealed to them in their dreams. Of this we have a proof in Virgil's 7th Eneid, ver. 36-95.

huc dona racerdos
Cun tulit, et cæsarum ovium sub nocte silenti
Pellibus incubuit stratis, somnusque petivit;
Multa modis simulacra videt volitantia miria:
Et varias aulit vores, fruiturque deorum
Colloquio, atque imis Acheronta affatur Avernis
Hie et tum pater ipse petens responza Latinus,
Centum lonigeras mactabat rite bidentes,
Alque harum effultus tergo stratisque jacebat
Velleribua Subita er alto voz reddita luco est.
First, on the fleeces of the slaughter'd sheep
By night the sacred priest dissolves in sleep:
When in a train, before his shunt ring eye.
Thin airy forms, and wondrous visions,
He calls the powers who guard th' infernal floods,
And talks, inspir'd, familiar with the gods.

To this dread oracle the price withdrew,
And first a hundred sheep the monarch slew;
Then on their fleeres lay: and from the wood
He heard, distinct, these accents of the god.

Pitt.

The same superstition, practised precisely in the same way, and for the same purposes, prevails to the present day in the Highlands of Scotland, as the reader may see from the following note of Mr. Scott, in his Lady of the Lake.

"The Highlanders of Scotland, like all rude people, had various superstitious modes of inquiring into futurity. One of the most noted was the togharm. A person was wrapped up in the skin of a newly slain bullock, and deposited beside a water-fall, or at the bottom of a precipice,

14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for a heave-offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings.

15 d And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peaceofferings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered: he shall not leave any of it until the morning.

x Ch. 2 3, 10. Numb. 18. 9. Ezek. 44. 29-y Or, on the flat plate, or slice. z Ch. 3. 1. & 22. 18, 21.-a Ch. 2. 4 Numb. 6. 15.--b Amos 4. 5-6 Numb. 18. 8, 11, 19. Ch. 22. 30.

or in some other strange, wild, and unusual situation, where the scenery around him suggested nothing but objects of horror. In this situation he revolved in his mind the question proposed; and whatever was impressed upon him by his exalted imagination, passed for the inspiration of the disembodied spirits who haunt these desolate recesses. One way of consulting this oracle, was by a party of men, who first retired to solitary places, remote from any house, and there they singled out one of their number, and wrapt him in a big cow's hide, which they folded about him; his whole body was covered with it, except his head, and so left in this posture all night, until his invisible friends relieved him, by giving a proper answer to the question in hand; which he received, as he fancied, from several persons that he found about him all that time. His consorts returned to him at break of day; and then he communicated his news to them, which often proved fatal to those concerned in such unwarrantable inquiries.

"Mr. Alexander Cooper, present minister of NorthVirt, told me, that one John Erach, in the Isle of Lewis, assured him, it was his fate to have been led by his curiosity with some who consulted this oracle, and that he was a night within the hide above-mentioned; during which time he felt and heard such terrible things, that he could not express them; the impression made on him, was such as could never go off; and he said, for a thousand worlds, he would never again be concerned in the like performance, for it had disordered him to a high degree. He confessed it ingenuously, and with an air of great remorse, and seemed to be very penitent under a just sense of so great a crime: he declared this, about five years since, and is still living in the Isle of Lewis, for any thing I know." Description of the Western Isles, p. 110. See also Pennant's Scottish Tour, Vol. II. p. 301. and Mr. W. Scott's Lady of the Lake.

Verse 9. Baken in the oven] See the notes on chap. ii. 5, &c.

Verse 12. If he offer it for a thanksgiving] See the notes at the end of this chapter.

Verse 15. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.] Because, in such a hot country, it was apt to putrefy; and as it was considered to be holy, it would have been very improper to expose that to putrefaction which had been consecrated to the Divine Being. Mr. Harmer supposes, that the law here refers rather to the custom of drying flesh, which had been devoted to religious purposes, which is practised among the Mohammedans to the present time. This, he thinks, might have given rise to the prohibition, as the sacred flesh thus preserved, might have been abused to superstitious purposes. Therefore God says, ver. 18. If any of the flesh of the sacrificebe eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it; it is an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear

h

k

his iniquity. That is, on Mr. Harmer's hypothesis, this sacred flesh shall avail nothing to him that eats it after the first or second day on which it is offered: however consecrated before, it shall not be considered sacred after that time. See Harmer's Observat. vol. i. p. 394. edit. 1808. Verse 20. Having his uncleanness upon him] Having touched any unclean thing by which he became legally defiled, and had not washed his clothes, and bathed his flesh. Verse 21. The uncleanness of man] Any ulcer, sore, or leprosy or any sort of cutaneous disorder, either loathsome or infectious.

Verse 23. Fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat] Any other fat, they might eat-but the fat of these was sacred, because they were the only animals which were offered in sacrifice, though many others ranked among the clean animals as well as these. But it is likely that this prohibition is to be understood of these animals when offered in sacrifice, and then only in reference to the inward fat, as mentioned on ver. 4. Of the fat in any other circumstances, it cannot be intended, as it was one of the especial blessings which God gave to the people. Butter of kine and milk of sheep, with FAT of LAMBS, and RAMS of the breed of Bashan, and GOATS, was the provision that he gave to his followers; see Deut. xxxii. 12-14.

Verse 27. Whatsoever soul that eateth any manner of blood] See the note on Gen. ix. 4. Shall be cut off-excommunicated from the people of God, and so deprived of any part in their inheritance, and in their blessings. See the note on Gen. xvii. 14.

Verse 29. Shall bring his oblation] Meaning those things which were given out of the peace-offerings, to the Lord and to the priest. Ainsworth.

Verse 30. Wave-offering] See the note on Exod. xxix. 27.

Verse 32. The right shoulder] See on Exod. xxix. 27. Verse 36. In the day that he anointed them] See the note on Exod. xl. 15..

Verse 38. In the wilderness of Sinai] These laws were

manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

28 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace-offerings unto the LORD, shall bring his oblation unto the LORD, of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings. 30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave-offering before the LORD.

31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.

32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for a heave-offering of the sacrifices of your peace-offerings.

33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace-offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.

34 For the wave-breast and the heaveshoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace-offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest, and unto his sons, by a statute for ever, from among the children of Israel.

35 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office,

36 Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.

d

37 This is the law of the burnt-offering, a of the meat-offering, band of the sin-offering, and of the trespass-offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peaceofferings,

38 Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel 'to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.

24, 27. Ch. & 27. & 9. 21. Numb. 6. 20.-u Ch. 3. 5, 11, 16.- Ver. 34.- Ver. 34Ch. 9. 21. Numb. 6. 20-x Exod. 29. 28. Ch. 10. 14, 15. Numb. 18 18. 19. Deut. 18. 3-y Ch. 8. 12, 30. Exod. 40. 13, 15.-2 Ch. 6. 9-a Ch. 6. 14-b Ch. 6. 25.-c Ver. 1.-d Ch. 6. 20. Exod. 29. 1.-e Ver. 11-f Ch. 1. 2

probably given to Moses while he was on the mount with God; the time was quite sufficient, as he was there with God not less than fourscore days in all-forty days at the giving, and forty days at the renewing of the law.

As in the course of this book, the different kinds of sacrifices commanded to be offered, are repeatedly occurring, I think it best, once for all, to give a general account of them, and a definition of the original terms, as well as of all others relative to this subject, which are used in the Old Testament, and the reference in which they all stood to the great sacrifice offered by Christ.

1. DUN ASAM, TRESPASS-offering, from DN asam, to be guilty, or liable to punishment; for in this sacrifice the guilt was considered as being transferred to the animal offered up to God, and the offerer redeemed from the penalty of his sin, ver. 37. Christ is said to have made his soul an offering for sin, DN. Isai. liii. 10.

2. ISHEH, FIRE-offering, probably from EN ashash, to be grieved, angered, inflamed; either pointing out the distressing nature of sin, or its property of incensing divine justice against the offender, who, in consequence, deserving burning for his offence, made use of this sacrifice to be freed from the punishment due to his transgression. It occurs Exod. xxix. 18. and in many places of this book.

3. HABEHAB, ITERATED or REPEATED offerings, from yahab, to supply. The word occurs only in Hos. viii. 13. and probably means no more than the continual repetition of the accustomed offerings, or continuation of each part of the sacred service.

4. ZEBACH, a SACRIFICE; in Chaldee, debach, the zain being changed into daleth, a creature slain in sacrifice, from 2 zabach, to slay; hence the altar on which such sacrifices were offered, was termed na mizbeach, the place of sacrifice. See the note on Gen. viii. 20. Zebach is a common name for sacrifices in general.

5. CHAG, a festival, especially such as had a periodical return, from an chagag, to celebrate a festival, to

5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.

6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

7 m And he put upon him the " coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.

8 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Úrim and the Thummim.

9 P And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.

NOTES ON CHAPTER VIII.

Verse 2. Take Aaron and his sons] The whole subject of this chapter has been anticipated in the notes on Exod. xxviii. 1, &c. and xxix. 1, &c. in which all the sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies have been explained in considerable detail: and to those notes the reader is referred.

Verse 8. He put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim] The Urim and Thummim are here supposed to be something different from the breastplate itself. See the notes on Exod. xxviii. 15, 16, and 30. It is only necessary to observe, that Aaron and his sons were not anointed until now. Before, the thing was commanded; now, first performed.

and

Verse 9. And he put the mitre] See the note on Exod. xxviii. 37.

Verse 14. The bullock for the sin-offering] This was offered each day during the seven days of consecration. See Exod. xxix. 36.

Verse 23. Put of the blood on the tip of Aaron's right ear, &c.] See this significant ceremony explained in the note on Exod. xxix. 20. Calmet remarks that the consecration of the high priest among the Romans, bore a considerable resemblance to the consecration of the Jewish high priest. "The Roman priest, clothed with a garment of silk, his head covered with a crown of gold, adorned with sacred ribbands, was conducted into a subterranean place, over which there was a floor of planks pierced through with many holes. On this floor they sacrificed a bullock, whose blood was freely poured out on the planks or floor, which running through the holes, fell upon the priest, who stood under to receive this sacred aspersion, and who, in order to be completely covered with the blood, took care to present the whole of his body, his clothes, face, eyes, nose, lips, and even his tongue, to receive the drops of blood falling through the pierced floor above. Being completely covered with this sanguineous shower, he ascended from his subterranean place, and was acknowledged and adored by the people as Pontifex Maximus, or supreme high priest." These rites, which bear a striking allusion to those used in the consecration of Aaron, and from which they were probably borrowed, and disguised by the introduction of their own superstitions, are particularly described by Aurelius Prudentius in his poem, entitled, Romani Martyris Supplicium, from which I shall select those verses, the substance of which is given above, as the passage is curious, and the work

not common.

a

18 And he brought the ram for the burntoffering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.

21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt-sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; bas the LORD commanded Moses.

22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses

v Exod. 29. 10. Ezek. 43. 19.-w Ch. 4. 4.-x Exod. 29. 12, 36. Ch. 4. 7. Ezrk. 20, 26. Heb. 9. 22-y Exod. 29. 13. Ch. 4. 8.-z Ch. 4. 11, 12. Exod. 29. 14-a Exod 29. 15.-b Exod. 29. 18.-c Exod. 29. 19, 31.

Summus sacerdos nempe sub terram scrobe
Acta in profundum consecrandus mergitur,
Mire infulatus, festa vittis tempora
Nectens, corona tum reperus aurea,
Cinctu Gabino sericam fultus togam.
Tabulis superne strain terunt pulpita,
Rimosa rari paægmatis compagibus,
Scindunt aulande vel terebrant aream,
Crebroque lignum perforant acumine,
Pateat minutis ut frequens hiatibus-
Hic ut statuta est immolanda belina,
Pectus sacrata dividunt venabulo,
Eructat amplum vulnus undam sanguinis-&c.
Tum per frequentes mille rimarum vias
Dlapsus imber, tabidum rorem pluit,
Deforsus intus quem sacerdos excipit,
Guttas ad omnes turpe subjectans caput,
Et veste et omni putrefactus corpore:
Quin os supinat, obrias offert genas,
Supponit aures, labra, nares objicit,
Oculos et ipsos perluit liquoribus,

Nec jam palato parcit, et linguam rigat,
Donec cruorem totus atrum combibat.-
Procedit inde pontifer visu horridus-&c,
Omnes salutant atque adorant eminus,
Vilis quod illum eanguis, et bos mortuua
Fadis latentem sub cavernis laverint.

Of these lines, the reader will not be displeased to find the following poetical version.

"For when with sacred pomp and solemn state,
Their great high priest the Romans consecrate,
His silken vest in Gabine cincture bound,
A festal fillet twines his temples round:
And, while aloft the gorgeous mitre shines,
His awful brow a golden crown confines.
In a deep dyke, for mystic ritual made,,
He stands, surrounded with terrific shade.
High o'er his holy head a stage they place,
Adorn with paintings, and with statues grace;
Then with keen piercers perforate the flour
Till thronging apertures admit no more.
Thither the victim ox is now convey'd,
To glut the vengeance of the thirsty blade.
The sacred spear his sturdy throat divides,
Down, instant streaming, gush the gory tides,
Through countless crevices the gaping wood
Distils corrupted dew and smoking blood:
Drop after drop, in swift succession shed,
Falls on the holy pontiff's mitred head.
While to imbibe the sanctifying power,
His outspread garments drink the crimson shower,
Then on his back in reeking streams he lies
And laves in livid blood his lips and eyes;
Bares every limb, exposes every pore
To catch the virtue of the streaming gore,
With open mouth expects the falling flood,
Moistens his palate and his tongue with blood;
Extends his ears to meet the putrid rain,
Nor lets a single drop descend in vain.
Then from the filthy cave comes forth to light,
Bathed in black blood, and horrible to sight!-
By the vile torrent, and the victim slain,
In the dark cavern cleansed from mortal stain,
Their priest, enveloped in atoning gore,
With trembling awe surrounding throngs adore."

T. Green.

Prudentius was born about the middle of the fourth century, and was no doubt intimately acquainted with the circumstances he describes.