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Pofterity were the Priefts, provided they had no Blemish in their Bodies, Lev. xvi. 32. and xxi. 17. Exod. xxix. 30. Num. iii. 3, 4, 10, 32, iv. 16. xvi. 40. and xx. 25, 26.

14Q How were they made Priefs? A. They were folemly feparated at firft to the Priefts Office by Anointings and Purifications, and Sacrifices, Lev. viii.

15 Q. What was the Bufinefs of the Priests? A. Their chief Bufinefs was to offer Sacrifices to the Lord, to burn Incense before him in the holy Place, to kindle the Lamps, to do the higher Services of the Sanctuary, and to instruct the People, Lev. i. 5, 7, 8. and ii. 2. Num. xvi. 40. Ex. XXX. 7.

16Q. What was the Office of the High Prieft? A. He was appointed to come nearer to God, even to enter into the moft holy Place, to do fpecial Services on the yearly Day of Atonement, to overfee all the publick Worship, and to judge among them in many civil Matters as well as religious, Acts xxiii. 4, 5. Lev. xvi. Num. iii. 4, 6. Deut. xvii.

17 Q Was there any Work which the Priests performed in common with the High-Priest? A. All the Priefts were to teach the People their Duty, to affift in judging of civil and religious Matters, and blefs the People in the Name of the Lord, Deut." xvii. 8-13 and xxi. 5. Num. vi. 23. Mal. ii. 7.

Note, The Priests were appointed to give the Senfe of the Law in civil as well as religious Concerns, becaufe the fame God who was the Object of their Worhip, was alfo King of their Nation.

18 Q. Who were the Nazarites? A. Men or Women of any Tribe who feparated or devoted

them

themselves to the Lord for a Time by a particular Vow, Num. vi.

19 Q. What were the Rules of a Nazarite's Vow. or Separation? A, He was to drink no Wine nor ftrong Liquor, to come at no dead Body, nor to fuffer any Razor to come upon his Head, but let his Hair grow all the time, unless he fell under fome. ceremonial Defilement, Num. vi. 5, 6, 9, &c.

20 Q. How was his Vow to be finished or ended? A. By fhaving his Head at the Door of the Tabernacle, offering a Sacrifice, and burning his Hair in the Fire of it, Num. vi. 13, 18.

21 Q. Who were the Levites? A. All the Tribe or Family of Levi, for they were taken into the Service of God instead of the First-born of all the Tribes of Ifrael, whom God claimed as his own, Num. iii. 40. and viii. 13-19.

22 Q. Why did God claim all the First-barn of Ifrael? A. Because he faved them from the deftroying Angel when he fmote all the First-born of Egypt, Num. viii. 14-18..

23Q. What was the Bufinefs of the Levites? A. To wait on the Priefts in their Office, and to do the lower Services of the Sanctuary or Holy Place, Num. viii. 19. and iii. 4, 6.

24 Q. How were the Levites feparated to the Service of the Sanctuary? A. By fprinkling Water of Purification on them, fhaving their Flefh, wafh-. ing their Garments, and the People laying their Hands on them, as well as by feveral Sacrifices, Num. viii. 6-16.

SECT.

SECT III. Of the holy Places particularly the Tabernacle.

25 Q. NEXT to the holy Perfons let us enquire what were the holy Places? A. The Tabernacle in the Days of Mofes, and the Temple in the Days of Solomon, each of which is fometimes called the Sanctuary, Exod. xxv. 8, 1 Chron. xxii. 19.

26 Q. What was the Tabernacle? A. It was a fort of moveable Building made of Pillars and Boards fet in fockets of Silver, and fine Linnen Curtains embroidered with Cherubs, and coupled with Loops and Tacks of Gold, that the whole might be taken to Pieces, and carried with them in their Journeys. See Exod. xxvi.

Note, When Mofes had received full Orders for making this Tabernacle, he came down from Mount Sinai; and found the People had been guilty of Idolatry in making a golden Calf: Then it is faid, He took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the Camp, and afar from the Camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and every one that fought the Lord, went out ta this Tabernacle. This is fuppofed to be a little occafional Tabernacle made like a fmall Chapel for prefent Worship; for God refided there at the Door of it in a cloudy Pillar, and Mofes went into this Tabernacle and talked with God there, Exod. xxxiii. 6, 7, &c. But when the great Tabernacle was finished according to God's Appointment, it ftood not without the Camp, as appears in the following Question.

27 Q. Where did the Tabernacle ftand when it was reared up? A. It ftood within a large Space

of

Chap. V. of Ground which was called the Court of the Tabernacle, one hundred Cubits long, and fifty Cubits broad, Exod. xxvii. 9-18. and all the Tribes pitched their Tents round it, Num. ii.

28 Q. How was the Court of the Tabernacle inclofed? A. It was inclofed by a Row of Pillars on each fide with Curtains reaching from Pillar to Pillar, Exod. xxvii. 9-18. and xl. 33.

29 Q. How was the Tabernacle covered? A. With four Veils or Curtains; one of fine Linnen, one of Goats Hair, the third was made of the Skins of Rams dyed Red, and the fourth or outermoft of Badger-Skins to endure the Weather, Exod. xxvi. 1-14.

30 Q Into what Rooms was the Tabernacle di vided? A. Into the holy Place, where the Priests entered to minister daily, and the most holy Place where none but the High Prieft entered, and that but once a Year, Heb. ix. 6, 7.

31 Q. How was the holy Place divided from the most holy? A. By a Curtain or Vail of fine Linnen with various Colours embroidered with Cherubs, and hung on four Pillars overlaid with Gold, Exod. xxvi. 31, 32, 34.

32 Q. What was the Temple? A. A most glorious Building of Stone and Timber raised near five hundred Years afterward by King Solomon instead of this moveable Tabernacle, 1 Chron. xvii. 5, 11, 12. 1 Kings vi. 1, 2.

33Q But befides thefe holy Places, (viz. the Tabernacle and the Temple) was nat Jerufalem called the Holy City? A. Yes, because God ap pointed the Tabernacle in David's Time to be removed to Mount Zion, and because the Temple was built by Solomon on Mount Moriah, both

which are included within the City of Jerufalem, Nehem. xi. 1. 2 Chron. iii. 1, and 1 Kings viii. 1.

SECT. IV. Of the Holy Things.

34 WHAT were the holy Things? A. There was a great Number of holy Things made of Gold and Silver, Brafs and Wood, and fine Linnen, and other Materials both dry and liquid, which were used in the Jewish Worship.

35 Q. What were the chief or most confiderable of thefe holy Things? A. The Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy-Seat, the Altar of Incense, the Table and the Candleftick, the Altar of BurntOffering and the Laver, the Priests Garments, the Sacrifices, the purifying Water, the holy Oil and holy Perfume, together with Veffels or Inftruments relating to all or any of thefe, Exod. xxxi. 7-11.

36Q. What was the Ark? A. It was a Cheft or Coffer made of Wood and overlaid with Gold, wherein the two Tables of the Law were kept, of God's own writing, with fome other precious things which were afterward laid up there, Exod. xxv. 10-16. Deut. x. 1-5. Heb. ix. 4, 5.

Note, The Rod of Aaron which bloffomed and brought forth Almonds, and the Pot of Manna which the If raelites lived upon in the Wilderness, were both laid up in the Ark for a perpetual Memorial of thofe miraculous Events, Exod. xvi. 33, 34. Num. xvii. 10. Heb. ix. 4. Though fome learned Men rather fuppofe these were only placed before the Ark, and

not in it.

37 Q. What was the Mercy-Seat? A. It was the Covering of the Ark, and it was made of pure Gold, with a Cherub of Gold at each End of it,

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