Читать книгу Moses and Aaron - Goodwin Thomas Aiken - Страница 5

We shall read of three sorts of Kings in the Old Testament. Melchisedeck was King and Priest; David King and Prophet; others simply Kings. Melchisedeck was King and Priest, David King and Prophet. The concurrence of Princely Sovereignty, and Holy Orders, in the same man, intimates that supreme Authority should alwayes be accompanied with care of Religion: In which respect Joash, when he was anointed King, received the Testimony, or Book of the Law, 2 King 11. 12. Neither did these two meet only in Melchisedeck & David, but the same man among the Heathens40 was oftentimes King and Priest. And the Trismegistus had his name Ter maximus,41 because he was Philosophus maximus, Sacerdos maximus, & Rex maximus. All Kings were not anointed, but onely those in whom succession was broken; and there the first of the family was anointed for his Successor, except in case of dissention, where there was required a renewed unction, for the confirmation of his Authority. For this reason it was, that Solomon was anointed as well as David, because of the strife between him and Adonijah.

Furthermore, Saul and Jehu were anointed ‎‏בפך‏‎ Bepac, with a cruse of Oyl, to shew the short continuance of their Kingdoms. David and Solomon were anointed ‎‏בקרן‏‎ Bekeren, with an horn of Oyl; that is, in a plentiful measure, to shew the long continuance of their Kingdoms.

As Kings were distinguisht from the People by many Ensigns of Honour, by their Crown, their Scepter, their Throne, &c. so likewise were they distinguished by their Apparel; that was the reason that Ahab entring into battel, changed his apparel, 1 Kings 22. 30. Though purple and white colours were not appropriated unto Kings,42 yet these colours were in chief esteem, and principally used by them,43 yea Purple above others was affected by the Emperours and Nobility of Rome; and white by the Nobility of the Jews: whence the Hebrews term their Noble men, and such as were of best rank ‎‏חורים‏‎ Chorim, Albatos, men clad in white; and on the contrary, men of meaner rank, ‎‏חשוכים‏‎ Chaschucim, Sordidatos, men clad with a foul garment. Hence is that of Saint James; If there come a man with a gold ring, and in goody apparel ἐν ἐσθήτι λαμπρᾷ, in a white garment, and there come also a poor man, ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι, in a vile or foul raiment, James 2. 2. This may be the reason, why, when the Jews accused Christ of treason, Pilate his Souldiers clad him in purple, atth. 27. 28. and Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee put on him a white garment, Luke 23. 11. both therein applying themselves to the customs of their own Country, and in derision clothing him as a King.