Thirdly, %2289, Exod. xxxix. 29,—“A girdle of silk,” or twined linen, with purple, blue, and scarlet, wherewith he girt the coat under the paps or breast.
Fourthly, Dyn, Exod. xxviii. 4, “a robe,” all of blue, with bells and pomegranates of gold hanging interchangeably at the fringes of it, in number, as the Jews say, seventy-two of each sort. This robe covered the coat and girdle.
Fifthly, Upon the robe was TIPS, “the ephod;” which name we have retained, as not finding any garment in use elsewhere that should answer unto it. It was a covering for the shoulders, made of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, curiously wrought. On the top hereof, on the shoulders of the priest, were two precious
524 THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS OFFICE. [EXERC. XXIII.
stones,—onyx, say some, beryl, say others,—with the names of the tribes of the children of Israel engraven on them, six on one stone, and six on the other, Exod. xxviii. 6-12.
Sixthly, WN, which we render. “a breastplate,’ wrought as tke ephod, and of the same materials. Herein were fastened, in ouches of gold, twelve precious stones, with the names of the tribes en- graven on them; which jewel, because of its use in judgment, was called, as I suppose, Urim and Thummim, Exod. xxviii. 15-21, 30.
Seventhly, NBI8, or “a mitre” for the head, made of fine linen, after the fashion of an eastern turban, sixteen cubits long, wreathed about his head, Exod. xxvii. 4,
Kighthly, 1 YS, “a plate,” a flowering of gold, fastened with a lace of blue on the fore front of the mitre, whereon was engraven nimd WIP ,— Holiness to the Lorp,” Exod. xxviii. 36.
5. I have only named these things, without further consideration of them; partly because they have been inquired into and contro- verted by many already, and partly because I cannot myself come unto any certainty about sundry things relating unto them, The colours which we render “ blue, purple, and scarlet,” with the sub- stance of that which we after translate “fine linen,” cannot be clearly manifested what they were. The stones of the breastplate and ephod for the most part are unknown, and their names are applied only by conjecture unto such whose names are known to us. Ooncerning these things the Jews themselves are at a loss, and give us only various rumours and surmises, and I shall not add to the heap of conjectures which have already been cast into this treasury.
6. Secondly, The extraordinary garments of the high priest I call them which he wore only on the day of atonement; because they were worn but once only, and these he used not in the whole service of that day, but only when he entered into the most holy place. Now these, though for the kind of them they were the same with the linen garments before mentioned, yet they were made particularly for that day, for after the service of that day they were laid up in one of the chambers belonging unto the sanctuary; and they were four, linen breeches, a linen coat, a linen girdle, and a linen mitre, Lev. xvi. 4,23. These the Jews call the j25 ‘123, “ white garments,” as the others his ant "333, “ garments of gold.”
7. The high priest being thus arrayed, was prepared for the work of his office, which was threefold:—1. To offer sacrifices to God for the people; 2. To bless the people in the name of God; 38. To judge them. For the first, our apostle declares it and msists upon it fre- quently in this Epistle, chap. vii. 27, viii. 3, ix. 7, x. 1.
And, first, his work in the business of sacrifices was threefold :—
First, That which he performed himself alone, none being ad- mitted to assist him, or to be present with him, or so much as to look
‘SECT. 5-9. | THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS OFFICE. 525
upon him. ‘This was that which he performed when he carried the blood into the most holy place on the day of atonement, Lev. xvi.; Heb. ix. 7. The sacrifice before the ark, mercy-seat, and cherubims, was peculiar to himself alone. And in case of any occasional hin- derance or impediment that might befall him, there was always a second priest who was substituted in his room, that the great service of that day might not be omitted.
Secondly, That which he performed assisted by other priests. Such was. the whole service of the sanctuary, Heb. ix. 6, about the daily incense, the shew-bread, the candlesticks and lamps, even all the service of the holy place.
Thirdly, That wherein he had the assistance of the other priests, and the service of the Levites. Such were all the services of the court at the brazen altar, where the Levites assisted in the killing, flaying, and removal of the bodies of the beasts that were sacrificed.
The especial seasons of these services, diurnal, sabbatical, monthly, and annual, are of too great variety and extent to be here insisted on.
8. Secondly, His blessing of the people was twofold :—Virst, Solemn, at stated seasons, according unto a form prescribed unto him, Num, vi. 23-27. Secondly, Occasional, with respect unto par- ticular seasons, as Eli blessed Hannah, 1 Sam. i. 17.
Thirdly, His work also was to judge the people :—First, In things concerning the house and worship of God, Zech. iii. 7. Secondly, In hard and difficult cases he joined with the judge or ruler in judging between men, according to the law, Deut. xvii. 12. Thirdly, He was always a member of the sanhedrin. This, I know, is denied by some of the Jews, but it seems to be warranted from Deut. xvii. 8-13.