The Gofpel of the Holy Places. 33 r their Publick ChurchWorfhip was annexed and affixed to the Temple only. Which brings us to the fecond Expreflion in the Text. 2. Thither (halt thou feek; that is, for Anfwers and Oracles ,from the Holy Place, and from the Prieft by Vrim and Thxmmim. For fo the Lord had appointed, Exod. 25.22. there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-fiat, from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Teflimony. Ar..:i accordingly fo they'did, Numb. 7. 8, 9. And they were to enquire by Vrim and Thummim. Therefore it is faid of lofhua, when he was to be chief Magiftrate, Numb. 27. 21. and be !hall 'land before Eleazar the Priefk, who(hall ahk Counfel for him after the lodgment of Urim before the Lord At his Word ¡hall they go out and at his Word, that is, at Eleazar's the Prieft anfwering from God, than they come in, both he, that is, yofhua, and all the Children of ifrael with him, even all the Congregation. All other Places were forbidden for this Ufe; feek not Bethel, enter not into Gilgal, Amos 5. 5. And the Lord feverely punifh'd it in Aha- ziah the Son of Ahab, z Kings I. 16. Elijah faid unto him, for as much as thou haft fent Mef fengers to inquire of Baalzebub the God ofEkron (is it not becaufe there is no God in Ifrael to inquire of his Word ? ) therefore thou(halt not come down off that Bed on which thou art gone up, but 'halt Purely die. The Devil, in imitation and abufe of this Ordinance of God, had his Oracles, and gave Anfwers in the old Pagan times : But his An- fwers were ufually Sophiftical and Ambiguous. And after theDeath of Chrift God was pleafed to chain him up Therefore Plutarch an Heathen Philofopher, in his Morals, bath a Difcourfe upon it, why the Oracles are ceafed ; and he hath an Expreflion for the refolvingof it, which bath more ofTruth in it than himfelf underftood. Among(k other Things he gives this Account of it, that it was becaufe the great God Panwas dead. It was indeed becaufe fefus Cbrii`f, who is the great God and the great Shepherd of the Sheep, had fuffered Death, and thereby conquered Satan, and hath therefore ftopt the Devil's Mouth from giving Anfwers in that way ever fince. 3. Thither (halt thou come ; that is, at all their appointed Feftivals, three times a Year, Exod. 23. 14,17 . and whenfoever they offered Sacrifice, as afterwards, Verf 6. q.. Thither [hall ye bring your Burnt-Offerings and your Sacrifices, &c. rerj.6. So Levit. 17. 8, 9. here is a particular Induction and Enumera- tion of their Holy Things. ;tour Burnt-Offerings] mentioned first, as being the frít fort, and all the refit depending much upon that. >Ç1 u z Tour
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