interwoven with Plates and Wires of Gold, Exod. xxxix. 2, 3.

56 Q. What was the Breaft-plate?

A. It was made of the fame Work as the Ephod, of a Span fquare, with twelve Jewels fet in Gold, ranked in four Rows, and fastened to the Ephod, Exod. xxxix. 8, 9, 10.

57 Q. What was engraven on thofe Jewels?

The twelve Names of the Children of Israel, that the High Prieft might bear them on his Breaft as a Memorial before the Lord, Exod. xxviii. 32. and xxxix. 14.

58 Q. What was the Urim and Thummim on the Breaft-plate?

A. It was fomething whereby the Mind and Will of God were made known to the High Prieft when he inquired in Cafes of Difficulty, Exod. xxviii. 30. Numb.xxvii. 31.

Note here, On this Ephod was the Urim and Thummim in the Breaft-plate, which are sometimes called the Oracle, becaufe the High Prieft by confulting this in any Inquiry of Importance found the Mind of God, and told it to the Inquirer. But we know not what this Urim and Thummim were, or by what Signs or Tokens, or in what Manner the Mind of God was made known on or by this Breaft-plate to the Priests, whether the Anfwer was given by a particular Luftre on fuch Letters on the Breaftplate as spelled out diftin&t Words, or whether by a Voice from the Ephod, or from the Mercy-feat, is not hitherto agreed by the Learned, and their Con jectures about it are very various and uncertain. 59 Q. What was the Girdle of the Ephod? A. A curious Linen Girdle of embroidered Work, to bind the Ephod with other Garments close to the Body, Exod. xxviii. 8. and fome fuppofe it to have been fastened to the Ephod. 60 Q What

60 Q. What was the Robe of the Ephod?

A. It was an upper Garment woven all of blue, with wrought Pomegranates, and golden Bells hanging on the Hem, to make a Sound when the High Priest went into the Holy Place, Exod. xxxix. 31, 33, &c.

61 Q. What was the Coat?

A. An under Garment, closer to the Body, made of Linen, and finely embroidered, Exod. xxviii. 4,3962 Q. What was the Mitre?

A. It was a Cap of fine Linen, with a Plate of pure Gold fastened on the fore-part of it with a Lace of blue, Exod. xxviii, xxxvi, and xxxix. 28,50.

63 Q. What was engraven on this Plate?

A. HOLINESS TO THE LORD, because Aaron was to bear the Iniquity of their holy Things, that they might be accepted before the Lord, Exod. xxviii. 36-38. and xxxix 28, 30, 31.

64 Q. Thus much for the holy Garments: Now let us hear what are the Sacrifices that were appointed, which are alfo numbered among the holy Things?

A. All Sacrifices were Offerings made to God: Some were of Corn, or Wine, or Oil; and others were Offerings of living Creatures, Birds or Beafts, which were generally to be flain: But all Sacrifices must be perfect in their Kind, and without a Blemish, Lev. xxii. 19, 20

Note, There is one fingle Exception to this Rule. Lev. xxii. 23. where a Bullock or a Lamb, which had no other Blemish but fome fmall natural Imperfection or Superfluity, might be offered in the Cafe of a mere Free-will Offering, but in no other Cafes. The current Language of Scripture feems every where elfe fo plainly to require Sacrifices without a Blemifh, that fome Commentators think this Text must be explained fome cther Way. D 65 Q Whe

65Q Where were thefe Sacrifices to be offered? A. In no other Place but at the Door of the Tabernacle, or the Temple, Lev.xvii 8,9 Deut.xii. 13.

66 Q But do we not read of Gideon, and Samuel, and David, and Elijah, building Altars, and offering Sacrifices in other Places?

A. This was not lawful to be done but by Prophets and inspired Men, or at God's exprefs Command.

67 Q. How were the Sacrifices offered to God?

A. In fome Sacrifices the whole was burnt on the Altar in others; a Part was burnt, and other Parts were given to the Priefts for their Subfiftence: And in fome Sacrifices the Perfon who offered them was allowed to partake alfo. See the feven firft Chapters of Leviticus.

68 Q What was done with the Blood of the living Creatures who were facrificed?

A. The Blood was never to be eaten, but to be poured out or sprinkled, according to God's Appointment: for the Blood is the Soul or Life of the Beaft, and it is Blood that maketh Atonement for the Soul or Life of Man. See Lev. xvii.

69 Q What was the Defign of Sacrifices of Corn, Wine and Oil?

A. Thefe were called Meat-offerings and Drink→ offerings, and they were appointed chiefly to give Thanks to God for Mercies received.

70 Q. What was the Defign of killing and burning living Creatures in Sacrifice?

A. Some might be defigned perhaps by way of Thanksgiving, but moft of them were to make Atonement for Sins or Trefpaffes against the Law of the Jews, or to purify the Unclean from fome ceremonial Defilement, Heb. ix. 7, 13, 22.

71 Q. How could the killing and burning of living Creatures make Atonement for Sin?

A. It is not poffible (as St Paul affures us) that the Blood of Bulls and Goats fhould really take away Sins committed against God, as the Lord of Conscience: But when a Man among the Jews had offended God, confidered as King of the Nation, by fome civil Trespass against the Laws of the Land, God was pleased to accept of the Suffering or Death of the Beaft, inftead of the Death or Suffering of the Man: Or if a Perfon fell into fome ceremonial Defilement, he was to be purified by the Blood of a Beaft: And this was an Emblem, or Type and Token that the Sin of Man deserved Death, and that God, confidered as the Lord of Confcience, would forgive Sin, and would accept of the Sufferings and Death of his Son in due Time, as a realSacrifice of Atonement, in the Room of the Sinner. See Heb. ix, and x. 1 Pet. i. 19. and ii. 24. See Queft. 6, 7, 8. of this Chapter.

72Q. With what Fire were theSacrifices burnt? A. With Fire which came down at first from Heaven on the Altar, and it was kept always burning on the Altar for facred Uses, that is, to light the Lamps, to burn Incenfe, and to kindle other Fires in their Worship, Lev. ix. 24. and vi. 13.

73 Q. Who were thofe Perfons that dared to use otherFire in Worship than what God had appointed? A. Nadab and Abihu, the Sons of Aaron, burnt Incense with strange Fire, Lev. x.

74 Q. What was their Punishment?

A. There went out a Fire from the Lord, and devoured them, Lev. x. 1, 2.

75 Q. When were these various Sacrifices to be offered?

A. Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly, and on many fpecial Occafions, as God revealed to Mofes. 76 Q. What was the daily Sacrifice?

D 2

A. A

A. A young Lamb every Morning and every Evening for aBurnt-offering, together with a Meatoffering and Drink-offering, Numb. xxviii. 3, &c. 77 Q What was the Defign of it?

A. To keep the People in Remembrance that for their daily Sins they needed continual Atonement and Pardon, and that God required continual Thanksgiving for his daily Mercies.

78 Q. What were the Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Sacrifices?

A Such as were required on the feveral holy Times,orthefestivals and fafts which God appointed. 79 Q What was that fpecial Sacrifice which was offered to make the purifying Water, called the Water of Separation?

A A red Heifer was to be flain and burnt without the Camp, with her Skin, Flefh, and Blood, with Cedar-Wood, Hyffop, and Scarlet: And all the Ashes were to be gathered, and laid up in a clean Place without the Camp, Numb. xix.

80 Q. How was the Water of Separation to be made?

A. Some of the Afhes of the burnt Heifer were to be put in a Veffel, and to be mingled with running Water, Numb. xix. 17.

81 Q. What was the Use of it?

A. To purify Perfons, or Things, or Places, which were defiled by touching a human dead Body, or the Bones of a Man, or a Grave, ver. 11—16.

82 Q How muft it be applied to the defiled Thing or Perfon in order to cleanse them?

A. Some clean Perfon must take Hyffop and dip it in the Water, and fprinkle it upon the Tent, and upon the Perfons and Veffels that were unc'ean, ver. 18. Pfalm li. 7. Heb. ix. 13.

83 Q. After the Water of Purification, tell me now what was the holy anointing Oil?