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Righteousness: Or, as fome of the Latin Tranflators have thought fit to render them, Learning, and Truth.

It is plain they were fuperadded to the Breaft-plate, after the twelve Stones were fet therein; and were to be put in it by Mofes himself: the reft being ordered to be done by skilful Workmen. Whatever they were, it looks as if Direction was given for the Breaft-plate to be doubled, on purpose to receive them between the Folding For we do not find this enumerated among the other Parts of the Garments of the High-Priest, in that xxxix. Place, which gives a particular Account of them, after they were finifh'd; but, at the Confecration of him, when we are told that Mofes put on the rest of his Lev. viii. Robes; it is faid; And he put the breaftplate upon him; also, he put, in the breaftplate, the Urim and Thummim.

Exod.

8.

Now, as God has not thought fit to explain the Meaning of these Words in any Part of the holy Scripture, our fafeft Way will be to conclude that he intended it should be conceal'd from us. Though we may, without being abfurd

or

or presumptuous, believe, there was fomething myfteriously facred in them, whereby the High-Priest should be enabled to give proper Answers, when he was confulted upon extraordinary Emergencies: And that even Mofes himself might receive an Order from God, among the other Directions upon the Mount, for inferting these Words in the Breaft-plate of the High-Prieft, without being made acquainted with the Grammatical Import of them.

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This Defign of their being put there, is another Reason, and perhaps the very beft, why it was call'd, The Breaft-plate of Judgment. Thus, when the LORD orders Mofes, a little before his Death, to conftitute Joshua to be his Succeffor, for conducting the Ifraelites into the Land of Canaan, among other Directions given about it, there is this; And he shall ftand Numb. before Eleazar the Priest, who shall ask xxvii. 21. counsel for him, after the judgment of Urim, before the LORD; at his word they Shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both be, and all the children of Ifrael with him.

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1 Sam.

xxviii. 6.

Whatever therefore the Ufe of the Thummim was, the Urim plainly appears to have been in the Nature of an Oracle. So when Saul was reprobate and rejected by God for his Infolence and Difobedience, it is faid; And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by Prophets.

We don't find the Jews pretended to be in Poffeffion of these Mysteries after the Captivity. For, though we meet with the Ezra ii. Words, both in Ezra and Nehemiah, upon Neh. vii. the fame Occafion; yet they come out of the 65.

63.

Mouth of the Tirfbatha, the King of Perfia's Commiffary; who tells the Levites, That they should not eat of the most boly things, 'till there ftood up a Prieft with Urim and Thummim: By which, probably, he meant no more, than a HighPrieft; regularly confecrated and habited.

The upper Side of this Breaft-plate was faften'd by Chains of Gold, to that Part of the Ephod which was on the Shoulders: and the lower Side of it, by blue Laces, to the Girdle of the Ephod; for which Purpose it had four Rings of Gold, at the four

four Corners; and the Ephod likewife had two on that Part where the Girdle went; that, fo, being all fitly join'd together, it might appear like one intire Garment; and accordingly, the whole was fometimes Hof. iii.4. call'd and understood by the fingle Word, Ephod. They did bind the breaft-plate by his Exod. rings, unto the rings of the Ephod, with a 21. lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the Ephod, and that the breaft-plate might not be loofed from the Ephod.

xxxix.

31.

Further Directions about the Robe of the Ephod, as it is call'd; being joyn'd to, and a Part of it, or rather the Groundwork and Plat-form of the whole, are thefe; And thou shalt make the robe of the Ephod, ib. xxvii. all of blue. And there shall be an hole on the top of it, in the midft thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent. This Hole was the Collar of it, and to enclose the High-Prieft's Neck. And beneath, upon the hem of it, thou shalt make pomegranates (Taffels) of blue, and of purple, and of fcarlet round a

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bout the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about.

Whether the Girdle of the Ephod (for fo we must call the whole Robe) which was to be curious, and of the fame rich Materials with the reft, were connected with it, to bind it close to the Body; or were a separate Thing, to be superinduc'd upon and encircle the midst of it, is fomewhat uncertain. Though it is probable it was the latter; because there is a diftinct Precept for the making of it, given, after that, concerning the Plate of Gold, which was to be upon the Mitre; and the under Coat or Caffock, of fine Linnen embroidered: And Exod. thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

Xxviii.

39.

* It is the peculiar Name for the upper Garment which the Priest wore, when he officiated, or was confulted; as well in private Houses, as in the Tabernacle or Temple. (Judges viii, 27. xvii. 5.) And a Garment, call'd by that Name, was worn fometimes by those who, strictly speaking, were not Priefts: as by Samuel, when he was a Child; (1 Sam. ii. 18.) and by David when he danc'd before the Ark (2 Sam. vi. 14.) But, as both these were holy Occafions, it it is probable the Ephod was properly an holy Robe; and never worn by any, but those who ferv'd in fome holy Employment.

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