together were set up four pillars of Shittim wood gilded over upon four Bases of silver such as the planks stood upon and these make up the hundred pieces or Talents spoken of before The pillars stood a yard from each other and the two outmost stood a yard from the wall At the top of each pillar was fastned a golden hook on the which the vail hung five yards broad and five yards high This vail represented Christs flesh or humanity celebrated by four Evangelists the four Pillars that bare up that story This place without the vail was ten yards long and five yards broad Into this might the Priests come and Moses the Prince by a special warrant The furniture of this was the Shewbread Table the golden Candlestick and the gilded Altar SECTION XXXIX The Table of Shewbread ON the Priests right hand as he walked up this place was the Table of Shewbread of this form and matter and for this end A Table frame was made two cubits long and a cubit broad and a cubit and a half high the matter of it was Shittim wood all overlaid with Gold Equal with the top of the frame was a curious wrought border of Gold of an hand breadth the higher edge equal with the top of the frame and the border so broad below on the higher edge of this border was set a golden Crown which went quite about the frame and within this Crown was the cover laid At each corner or foot was fastned a staple or ring of gold close by the lower edge of the golden border As the feet so these rings were four wherein were put staves of Shittim wood gilt with Gold to bear the Table Upon this Table were set twelve Cakes or Loaves resembling the twelve Tribes who had their daily bread from God As on Aarons shoulders six and six names of Tribes so on this Table six and six Cakes for the Tribes were set one upon another Each Cake had in it two Omers which measure was significative For so much Manna every Israelite gathered against the Sabbath in the Wilderness Exod. 16. and on the Sabbath were these Cakes set on the Table to put Israel in mind by the very measure and day of their sustenance in the Wilderness These Cakes were called the bread of faces and the Table the Table of faces because they were set before God continually shewing that Israels provision was from and before God Under the lowest Cake was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a golden dish wherein the Cake lay and between every Cake was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a golden dish on the top of either row lay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a golden dish whelmed down and upon that stood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dish of Gold with Frankincense in it These told Israel of Gods special providence toward every several Tribe SECTION XL. The Golden Candelstick OVER against this Table on the South side or on the left hand stood the golden Candlestick of one massy piece The form of it was thus The foot of it was of Gold from which there went up a shaft streight which was the middle light near the foot was a golden dish wrought Almond wise and a little above that a golden knop and above that a golden flower Then issued out two branches on either side one which were carried bowed in equal rate they might be brought up streight to be as high as the middle shaft out of which they proceeded Upon either of these brances were wrought three golden Cups Almond-wise that is on sharp Scollop shell fashion for ornament above which was a golden knop or boss and above that a golden flower and near above that the socket wherein the light was to be set Thus were these two lowest branches Above which in the middle shaft was a golden boss and then out came two branches more in form just like the other above the coming out of which in the shaft was another knop or boss and out came two others like the former from thence the shaft upward was decked with three golden Scollop cups or dishes a knop and a flower Thus the head of all the branches stood in an equal height and distance Here were seven golden Candlesticks representing the seven Spirits of the Messiah spoken of Esay 11. 2. 3. and from thence by the Talmudists and Apocalyptique The variety of sevens here might remember Israel of the seven days of Creation As the twelve Cakes represented the twelve Tribes so the light of the Candlestick set before them signified the light of the Law whereby they were to be guided And the lights always standing here as well as the Loaves there tell Israel that they have as much need of this as of their daily sustenance SECTION XLI The Altar of Incense BEtween the Candlestick and the Table stood the Altar of Incense fitly teaching that it is the incense of prayer that sanctifies both our spiritual food signified by the light of the Candles and our bodily food by the loaves This Altar was made of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold It was a cubit long as much broad and two cubits high At each corner it had a horn made of the same piece with the corner post Hornes top and side were all gilded with Gold On the end of the frame upward was set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a golden Crown at the foot of which Crown on either side were struck two golden rings or staples in which were put two staves of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold to bear this Altar withall This Altar was set near the vail just in the middest of the breadth of the room before the middest of the Ark which was within the vail distant from either wall two yards and a quarter On the north side of it stood the Table which being set length way to the wall took up half a yard of the breadth of the house so between it and the Altar was a passage or way a yard and quarter broad The Candlestick was of the same breadth with his branches spread that the Table was of length and so was set over against it shewing five inches between every socket wanting one inch at the whole This being sâ—t as far from the wall as the utmost edge of the Table that stood on the other side of the house afforded the same space between the Altar and it that the Table did Thus was the furniture of this place called the Holy Go into it at the East end and look just before you and there is the vail and golden Altar on your right hand nigh the vail twelve loaves on a golden Table on your left hand seven Lamps burning in seven golden Candlesticks made of one piece by which you see golden snuffers and dishes for the cleansing of the Lamps morning and night Look upon the walls on either side and you see nothing but Gold over your head and there you behold pictures of Cherubims
Exod. 36. 26 27 28. thus There were numbred of Israel from twenty years old and upward six hundred thousand and three thousand five hundred and fifty men Reckon thus The Talent of the Sanctuary contained one hundred and twenty pound the pound twenty five shekels or fifty half shekels so that every Talent contained three thousand shekels or six thousand halves so that six hundred thousand half shekels given by six hundred thousand men do amount to an hundred talents Now there were three thousand five hundred and fifty men besides which gave so many half shekels or one thousand seven hundred seventy five whole one with which were made the hooks of pillars c. Exod. 38. 28. These hundred Talents of silver were thus wrought Each one was cast into a solid piece of thirteen inches and an half long and nine inches square in the side that laid upward was a morteise hole near unto the end now two and two were laid close together end to end and the morteises were not in the ends that joyned but in the utmost ends Now every plank whereof the sides were made was in height five yards but in breadth three quarters just as broad as two of these pieces of silver were long at the foot of the plank at either corner was a tenon made the plank being cut down or abating so much between the tenons as the tenons themselves were in length so that when the tenons were shrunk in the morteises the middle of the plank setled upon the pieces or Bases SECTION XXXIV The walls and juncture of the Tabernacle THese silver Bases then were thus laid forty at the South side forty at the North side and sixteen at the West end laid as close together as was possible so that though there were so many pieces yet was it but one intire foundation Here are fourscore and fifteen of the hundred Talents disposed of in the two sides and the West end what became of the four talents remaining and of the East end we shall see hereafter These Bases thus laid the planks were set in them one plank taking up two Bases twenty planks making the South side and twenty the North and eight the West end these were five yards long apiece and so when they were set up they made the Tabernacle five yards and a little more high upon the walls Now for the making of these planks sure and to stand stedfast the two corner planks were great helps of which first you remember the length of the sides namely fifteen yards or twenty planks of three quarters breadth apiece The West end had six planks intire besides a plank at either corner joynting end and sides together These corner planks were of the same breadth that all the other were and thus set The middle of the breadth of the one plank was laid close to the end of the South side or to that plank that was furthest West so that a quarter of a yard of the breadth of the corner plank was inward to make up the Tabernacle breadth a quarter was taken up with the thickness of the side plank to which it joyned and a quarter lay outward Thus at the South-west just so was it at the North-west corner Then count the two corner planks were inward a quarter of a yard apiece and the six planks that stood between them of three quarters apiece behold five yards just the breadth of the house between wall and wall These corners knit end and side together and were the strength of the building as Christ is of his Church making Jews and Gentiles one spiritual Temple Besides these corners strengthening the Fabrick there were seven bonds to make all sure First planks to planks were close joynted at the foot so that the Text calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or twins Secondly each plank was linked to the next at the top with a golden link Thirdly on the side staples of Gold were fastned in every plank so that four bars of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold were carryed in the staples from one end of the Tabernacle to another Besides these there was also another bar of the same wood that ran from end to end through the body or thickness of the planks a hole being bored through each plank for the purpose By these bars Christ is fitly resembled who is conveyed throughout the whole Scripture in the rings of divers passages and stories In the fourth Chapter of the Ephesians there are seven bonds that bind the Church to unity First one Body secondly one Spirit thirdly one Hope of our calling fourthly one Lord fifthly one Faith sixthly one Baptism seventhly one God and Father of all Now view in imagination the body of the Tabernacle as it stands only planked without any more addition to it with planks of Shittim wood The length fifteen yards from end to end the breadth five yards from side to side The sides and West end planked up five yards high and somewhat more the foundation of those planks massy pieces of silver The top of the house and the East end left open till they be covered hereafter First then of the covering of the top and sides and West end SECTION XXXV Of the curtains of the Tabernacle THE Tabernacle was bounded with Curtains as lightest for carriage which Curtains covered top and sides These Curtains were Tapestry work The ground was of fine yarn dyed blew Purple and Scarlet woven together the embroydery was of Pictures of Cherubims These Curtains were in number ten each one being twenty eight cubits or fourteen yards long and four cubits or two yards broad They sewed together five Curtains in one piece and five in another so that they made two large pieces of Tapestry of fourteen yards long and ten yards broad These two pieces are called couplings Exod. 26. 5. And these two were thus joyned together In the edge of either were made fifty loops of blew tape one answerable or correspondent to another or one over against another and with fifty hooks or clasps of gold he linked the loops together and so the two main pieces were made one covering or Tabernacle Exod. 36. 13. Quest. Why are not all the ten Curtains sewed together on one piece but five and five sewed together to make two pieces and then those two thus looped together with a button or clasp of gold Answ. First the Tabernacle consisted of two parts the holy place and the most holy which two were divided one from another by a vail of which hereafter Now according to this division of the house was also the division of the Curtains For Exod. 26. 32. it is plain that the vail that parted the holy from the most holy was hung just under these golden clasps that knit the five and five Curtains together So that five Curtains lay over the holy place and the other five over the most holy but with this difference The holy place was ten yards long and the five Curtains
sewed together were just so broad and so they covered only the top and sides but hung not down at the end which was Eastward but the most holy was but five yards long and the five Curtains over that did not only cover the top but also hung down at the West end to the silver bases Secondly the looping together of the Curtains five and five on a piece with a golden tye doth sweetly resemble the uniting of the two natures in Christ divinity and humanity into one person which two natures were not confounded as Curtains sewed together but were sweetly knit together by golden and ineffable union Thirdly this might also fully signify the two Churches of Jews and Gentiles knit together by Christ that so they make but one spiritual Tabernacle Now come and measure the Curtains again imagining them thrown length way over the Tabernacle they were fourteen yards long and twenty yards broad when they were all sewed and looped together This breadth covered the length of the building which was fiftéen yards and it hung down behind the West end even to the foundation The East end was still left open Of the length of them five yards were taken up in covering the flat top of the house which was five yards broad between wall and wall A quarter of a yard was taken up on either side with covering the thickness of the planks so that on either side they hung down four yards and one quarter which was three quarters of a yard short of the silver foundation or little less SECTION XXXVI Of the Goat-hair Curtains TO help this defect as also to shelter the rich Curtains from weather were made Curtains of Goates hair eleven in number in breadth each one two yards as was the breadth of other but being one Curtain more than the other they were two yards broader than the other when they were all coupled together Each Curtain was thirty cubits or fifteen yards long and consequently a yard longer than those spoken of before These were sewed six together on one piece and five on another These two main pieces were linked together with fifty claspes of brass as the other were with fifty of gold But when these curtains were laid upon the other over the Tabernacle they were not so laid as these brazen loops did light just upon the golden ones over the vail but three quarters of a yard more Westward so that the five curtains that went West did reach to the ground and half a Curtain to spare Exod. 26. 12. The other six that lay East reacht to the end covered the pillars whereon that vail hung and they hung half a curtain breadth or a yard over the entrance Their length of fifteen yards reacht half a yard lower on either side than the other Curtains did and yet they came not to the ground by a quarter of a yard so that the silver foundations were always plain to be seen every where but at the West end Thus had the Tabernacle two coverings of Curtains yet both these on the flat roof would not hold out rains and weather wherefore there was made for the top a covering of Rams skins dyed red signifying well the blood of Christ the shelter of the Church Above that was also another covering of Tahash skins a beast not perfectly known what he was but well Englished a Badger and guessed well because of his during hide Thus if you view this building erected and thus covered you see the silver foundation always open to view Half a yard above that hid only under one curtain all the side above that under two and the top with four SECTION XXXVII Of the most holy place THE Priests entred into the Tabernacle at the East end of it and so must we where pace up ten yards forward and you come to the vail which parted between the Holy place and the most Holy of all The Holiest place of all was filled and furnished before the vail was hung up and so it shall be first handled This place was five yards long five yards high and five yards broad a perfect square the figure of firmness herein fitly signifying Heaven In this place at the West end stood the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the world John 3. 11. typifying Christ by whom God is come into Covenant with Gentiles as well as Jews The Ark was made like a Chest hollow that it might receive things within it It was a yard and a quarter long and three quarters broad and three quarters high made of Shittim boards and it was gilded both within and without representing Christs purity both in inward thoughts and outward actions It had no feet but the bottom stood upon the ground a figure of Christs abasing himself upon the earth On the outside of the upermost brink was made a Golden Crown round about representing say the Jews the Crown of the Law but most fitly Christ Crowned with glory At each corner was struck in a staple or ring of Gold wherein were put two staves of Shittim wood gilded over to bear the Ark withall which staves were never to be taken out but there to stay continually teaching the Priests as some say to be ready prest for their service but rather shadowing out Christs Deity supporting his humanity never to be parted from it Now for the cover of this Chest or Ark it was made of pure Gold beaten or formed to the just length and breadth of the Ark that when it was laid on it touched the Golden Crown round about At either end was made a Cherub or the form of an Angel like a child standing bowed with wings reaching over the Ark so that the wings of one Cherub touched the wings of another They were of Gold beaten out of the same piece that the cover of the Ark was of Their faces were one to another and both toward the cover of the Ark. This cover both by the Old and New Testament is called the Propitiatory vulgarly in our English the Mercy-seat So called because from hence God mercifully spake to his People View this part well and you see Christ fully First the two Cherubims bowed toward the Mercy-seat So all Angels to Christ. Secondly They looked each at other but both toward the Mercy-seat So both Testaments Old and New look each at other and both at Christ. So do the two Churches of Jews and Gentiles Thirdly This covered the Law so doth Christ that it plead not against his people to condemn them Fourthly God speaks to Israel from hence so God by Christ to us Heb. 1. 2. SECTION XXXVIII Of the holy place without the vail THUS was the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy of all for fabrick and furniture To separate this from the holy place was hung up a vail of the same stuff and work that the rich curtains of the Tabernacle were The hanging up of this vail was thus Just under the golden claspes that linked the curtains
the roof of the adjoining room where also a Cock ran to supply the Bath CHAP. XXXII The Gate and House Nitsots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The House of Stone Vessels WE are now come to the Gate that was most East of all the three on this North-side and it bare the double name of a a a Mid. per. 1. the Gate Nitsots and b b b Ibid. per. 2. the Gate of the Song The word Nitsots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betokeneth properly sparkling as Esa. I. 31. Ezek. I. 7 c. and so it signifies the beams of the Sun which as it were sparkle at his rising or going forth But sometimes it is used by the Rabbins to signifie Drops which are as it were the sparks of Water and sometime as Baal Aruch observes Froth or Foam Now to what sense of all these to apply the name of this Gate and to give the reason of its denomination in that sense will prove more labour than profit though the pains be put to the best improvement I shall leave it upon these two conjectures in the sense of Sparkling That it was called the sparkling Gate either because the fire or flaming of the Altar shone upon it it standing in most opposition to the Altar of all the Gates on this North side or because the South Sun did give a great dazling light upon the gilding of this Gate which it did by neither of the other on this North-side the height of the Temple interposing betwixt the Sun and them But this Gate lay clearly open to the South Sun and so the leaves of the Gate being gilt they gave a sparkling and dazling reflexion into the Court. But why it is called the Gate of the Song for ought I can find is left also only to conjecture And I shall only offer this Because they that came in at this Gate came in the very face of the Levites as they stood in their desks singing or playing on their Instruments and making the Temple musick Joyning to the East-side of this Gate there was a building was called from the Gate c c c Mid. per. 1. The House Nitsots in which the Priests kept a Guard in the upper room and the Levites in the lower and between this building and the Gate there was as it were a Cloister passage by which passage there was a way out of the very Gate into the room below where the Levites kept and there was also a passage out of the Cloyster into the Chel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so is that clause in the Talmuds survey of the Temple to be understood when it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d Ibid. That this Gate was like a Cloister and a Chamber was built over it where the Priests kept Ward above and the Levites below and it had a Door into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel The meaning of which passage may be conceived to be this That as you went through this Gate Nitsots out of the Court into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel upon your right hand there was not a plain Wall for the side of the Gate as the other Gates had but that side was open with Pillars as the Cloister sides were of which we have spoken and within those Pillars there was a little Cloister or Walk which was almost as long as the passage through the Gate was broad So that when you were in the hollow of the Gate you might step in between the Pillars into this Cloister and so into the room where the Levites kept their Guard and over this Cloister and that room and over the Gate was there a place where the Priests kept their ward and this was one of the three places where they warded Out of the Levites room there was a door into the Chel These buildings ran thus from this Gate of Nitsots Eastward a pretty way and then there joined to them another building which raught to the very corner of the Court Wall And it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The House of Stone Not as if it were built of Stone and the other buildings of Wood for the rest were of Stone also nor as if this differed in manner of building from the rest but because all the Vessels that were used in it were of Earth or Stone And so the Gemara upon the Treatise Joma explaineth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e Ioâ—a per. 1 in Geâ—aâ—a Before the Temple at the North-east corner was the Chamber of the House of Stone and thither they put the Priest apart that was to burn the red Cow seven days before And it is called the House of Stone because the work of it was in Vessels of Dung Earth or Stone In which passage they do not only give the reason of the name but they also give an evidence of the situation of this place when they say it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the Temple at the North-East corner And as for the putting of the Priest apart into this room that we are about who was to burn the red Cow there is the like Record in the Treatise Parah in these words f f f 〈…〉 〈…〉 3. 〈…〉 Seven days before the burning of the Cow they put apart the Priest that was to burn her out of his House into the Chamber which was before the Temple in the North-east which was called the House of Stone and they be sprinkled him all the Seven days c. CHAP. XXXIII The Court of Israel and of the Priests And the Levites Desks where they Sung THUS having passed round about the Wall that inclosed the Court and observed every particular Gate and Building in it we are now to enter into the Court it self and to survey that and there we shall find much variety a a a Mid per. 1. The whole length of the Court from East to West was one hundred eighty and seven cubits and the breadth from North to South one hundred thirty and five b b b Ibid. per. 8. The parcels of the total sum of the length were these from East to West The breadth of the Court of Israel eleven cubits The breadth of the Court of the Priests eleven cubits The breadth of the Altar two and thirty cubits Between the Altar and the Temple two and twenty cubits The length of the Temple it self an hundred cubits Behind the West end of the Temple to the Court-wall eleven cubits The parcels of the breadth were these going from North to South From the Wall of the Court to the Pillars eight cubits From the Pillars to the Marble Tables four cubits From the Tables to the place of the Rings four cubits The space of the Rings it self four and twenty cubits From the Rings to the Altar eight cubits The Altar and the rise to it sixty two cubits From the foot of the rise to the South-wall of the Court five and twenty cubits Of all these
curiously wrought in rich Curtains It is not fit every eye should see so rich a room therefore to prevent this the East end had a hanging like the vail within of the same dimensions and of the same materials wrought with needle This was hung upon five Pillars of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold each Pillar was fastned in a base of brass and at the top had a golden hook on which the covering hung Quest. Whether was the vail hung within the Pillars or without Answ. Without so that it hid the Pillars from the view of the people else had not the building been uniform all the Timber of the house being hid with hangings and this not Thus was the Tabernacle made with all the furniture of it Now are we to consider the outmost part of it or the Court of the people SECTION XLII Of the Court of the people THIS Fabrick of the Tabernacle was inclosed with another pale of curtains hanging round about it On the South side of the house twenty cubits distant from the house were set a row of Shittim Pillars twenty in number Each Pillar was set in a base of brass distant from each other five cubits counting from the middle of one Pillar to another So that the twenty made a length of an hundred cubits in each Pillar was struck a hook of silver and each Pillar had a border of silver wrought about it Thus were they on the South side just so were they on the North. At the West end thirty five cubits from the house were set ten Pillars in the same manner and distance making the breadth of the Court fifty cubits at either end for just in the middle the house took up ten cubits breadth just so were the Pillars set at the East end at the same distance from the house and from one another On the sides upon the hooks of the Pillars were hangings fastned made of linnen well twisted of an hundred cubits in legnth and sive in height At the West end were the like just half so long and just so high At the East end there was some difference for that had three pieces to make it up On either side of the entrance was a piece hung of fifteen cubits long and of the same height Just in the middle was a piece of twenty cubits long of the same height with the other hangings but of more rich stuff for whereas the other were made only of linnen this was of the same stuff that the rich curtains were curiously wrought with the needle To fasten these hangings that they might not flie up in the lower end there were cords fastned to them and these cords tied to brasen pins which pins were fastned in the ground and so made all sure Thus were also the curtains that covered the house served with pins of the same metal with cords fastned to them in like manner to prevent the like inconvenience So was the Court called the Court of the People because into this the people had entrance as well as the Priests and Levites SECTION XLIII Of the Altar of Burnt Offerings IN the Court of the people stood the Altar of burnt sacrifice up toward the Tabernacle that the people might stand to behold the sacrifice offered with their faces toward the holy place only the Laver stood above the Altar between it and the Tabernacle This Altar was made of Shittim wood five cubits or two yards and a half long and as much broad and one yard and a half high thus made First a strong frame like the frame of a Table of these dimensions The open places in the frame were made up with boards All this bulk was overlaid with brass at each corner was a horn made of the same wood and piece that each corner post was of Thus stood it hollow and within the hollow just in the middle between bottom and top was set a brasen grate made in manner of a net that the Ashes might fall through upon this grate the fire burnt continually and never went out At each corner of this grate was a brasen ring which at each corner came through the Altar frame and hung out of the frame in these rings were staves of Shittim wood overlaid with brass put which made the frame and the grate sure together and so were they also carried together To this Altar belonged divers appurtenances made of brass As first brasen Pans in which they carryed forth the Ashes of the Altar As also brasen shovels to scrape the Ashes together Then brasen basons wherein to take the blood of the sacrifice Brasen hooks with which they turned the burning pieces into the fire if any part lay out that so every part might be surely burnt Lastly brasen dishes or Censors in which the Priests took burning coals from the Altar to carry into the Holy place there to offer Incense SECTION XLIV Of the Laver for water IN this Court also stood a vessel of brass upon a foot or base of brass in which vessel water was kept for the Priests washing themselves c. The form of this is not expressed in the Text therefore we will look only at the matter and the end This vessel was made of brasen bright pieces which the women used to look their faces in and out of this piece water was taken when a suspected woman was to be tryed The end why this was set so nigh the Altar was that the Priests might wash themselves when they went about the Service of the Tabernacle and that they might wash some part of the Sacrifices This Laver fitly resembled the water of Baptism that admits us to sacred Mysteries and chiefly the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit SECTION XLVI High Priests Garments NEXT unto his flesh he had a coat wrought checker work this reacht down to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heels such a coat as this each one of his Sons had Exod. 39. 27. This was made of fine linnen and it was girded to him about his loyns with a needle wrought girdle of divers colours About this he put another coat called the coat of the Ephod because the Ephod being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put upon this did gird it This coat was of all one stuff and colour namely of fine yarn dyed purple This coat he put not on after the ordinary fashion of putting on coats which were open before but this he put on like a Surpless over his head for it had a hole in the top where-through he put his head and this hole was edged about with an edging of the same stuff woven in that the hole should not rent At the skirts of this coat were made Pomegranates of linnen and woollen of divers colours and Bells of gold so that there were a Bell and a Pomegranate a Bell and a Pomegranate round about This coat was not so long as the under coat for then the Bells would have drawn on
in the Treatise a a a Talm. in Zevach per. 5. Zevachin through the fifth Chapter of which we have had occasion to speak before The most Holy offerings say they are slain on the North-side the Bullock and the Goat of the day of Expiation their slaughter was on the North and the taking of their Blood in a Vessel of the Service was on the North The Bullocks that were to be burnt and the Goats that were to be burnt were slain on the North and their Blood to be taken on the North The Goats of the beginning of the months and of the solemn Feasts were slain on the North and their Blood taken on the North The whole-burnt-offering most Holy was slain on the North the Peace-offerings of the Congregation and Trespass-offerings were slain on the North c. and generally the greatest number of Sacrifices were slain on that side the Altar On that side of the Altar therefore were necessaries and accommodations for that purpose and convenience and those were especially these three the place of the Rings the Tables and the Hooks in the Pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b Mid. per. 5. Eight cubits from the Altar Northward was the place of the Rings and that place was four and twenty cubits over towards the North still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c Ibid. per. 3. Now the Rings were in six rows four in a row but some say they were four rows and six in a row and there they slew the Sacrifices These Rings or Staples rather were fixed down in the Stones of the Pavement and either a bending Hook was fastned to these Staples that they might bring the Neck of the Beast under and hold him fast or they drew down the Necks of the Beasts to be slain with cords to these Staples and there fastned them and so they had them at command to slay them with facility It is not much to be controverted whether there were six rows of these Rings four in a row or four rows with six Rings in a row this doth not much break the square since the same number of Rings and the same compass of ground remaineth still Here was the place where they tyed the Sacrifices till they were killed and where they killed them and this place is commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The place of the slaughter and to these Rings they tyed the Sacrifice with cords till they were to offer him and to sprinkle his Blood on the Horns of the Altar as the Chaldee Paraphrast renders the 27. vers of the hundred and eighteenth Psalm Now although the command was strict and express that such and such Sacrifices should be slain on the North-side of the Altar Lev. I. 10 11 c. that is in propriety just between the Altar and North-wall of the Court yet where there were many such Sacrifices to be slain at once so that this place of the Rings was not able to contain them then they killed them higher up in the Court namely in that space that was between the Altar and the Porch but on the North-side of it as near as might be in the place parallel to this place of the Rings This matter is handled and decided in Tosaphta on the Treatise Corbanoth in these words d d d Tosaphta in Corbanoth per. 6. Which is the North-side of the Altar where it was fit to kill the most Holy Sacrifices It was from the North-side of the Altar to the North-side of the Court even just over against the Altar which was thirty cubits breadth The words of Rabbi Meir Rabbi Eliezer from Rabbi Simeon addeth the space from the Altar to the Porch even to over against the closets of the Butchering knives which was twenty two cubits But Rabbi addeth the place where the Feet of the Israelites trod which was eleven cubits broad and one hundred eighty and seven cubits long and the place where the Feet of the Priests trod which was eleven cubits broad and one hundred eighty and seven cubits long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the side of the North-wall to the East-wall of the Court That is along the North-wall from the West-end of the Court to the East for so both the measure of one hundred eighty and seven cubits which was the just length of the Court confirmeth and the same Author in the next following Chapter doth also illustrate in these words e e e Ibid. per. 7. Rabbi Josi saith All the Altar may be understood for North-ward As it is said And he shall kill it on the side of the Altar North-ward before the Lord. Rabbi Josi from Rabbi Judah saith From the midst of the Altar North-ward was as the North and from the midst of the Altar the other way was as the South And so Rabbi Josi from Rabbi Judah saith also There were two Wickets in the House of the Butchering knives opening toward the West and eight cubits from the ground so that the Court might be fit for eating of the most Holy things and for the killing of the lesser Holy Sacrifices even behind the Oracle From both which allegations taken up together we may observe 1. That the Israelites had a standing on the North-side of the Court as well as on the East which though it was not nor indeed could be exactly eleven cubits broad as was their station at the East-end yet was it a station for them as well as that And our Author when he speaketh of the place where the Feet of the Israelites trod of eleven cubits broad and of the place where the Feet of the Priests trod of eleven cubits broad he meaneth not that there was such a space for the Israelites and the Priests to stand in all along the North-side of the Court as there was in the East but his meaning is this that when the Sacrifices to be slain on the North-side of the Altar were exceeding many indeed that rather than want room to kill them they should not only slay them in the place of the Rings but even in the standing of the Priests and Israelites at the East-end namely so far on that ground as lay even with that space that was on the North-side of the Altar and so might they use the like space all along the North-side of the Court for the same purpose even to beyond the West-end of the Temple 2. That the House of the Butchering knives called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in that end of the Porch that pointed North-ward and that the Doors thereof were behind the Porch West-ward even where the wing of the Porch stood out more Northerly than the breadth of the Temple and extended and there the going up to these Doors was by steps even eight cubits high and the reason why the Doors were there rather than in the front or the end of the Porch was because the passage to them there took up the least room and was the least
hindrance in the Court. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f Midd. per. 5. Four cubits from the North-side of this place of the Rings there stood Marble Tables upon which they washed the Inwards of the Sacrifice and cut it up into pieces and four cubits further North there were the Pillars on which they hung up the Sacrifice upon hooks that so they might flea it These Pillars the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which g g g Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aruch Interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pillars low or shorty it may seem the word is taken from the Latine Nanus and so the Treatise Parah speaketh of a red Cow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 low and small Nana minuta Now these Pillars were h Parah per. 2. not those that supported the Cloister on this North-side of the Court but low Pillars set by these or joyning to them i i i Mid. per 3. Tamid per. 3. Pesachin per. 5. eight in number over the Heads of which were laid transom beams of Cedar and hooks of Iron fastned both in these beams and in the Pillars on which hooks they hanged up the Beast slain for Sacrifice that they might the better come at him to flea him The Pillars had every one of them three hooks in them one above another that they might be fit for Beasts of several bignesses and cizes And before these Pillars or rather before the space that was between the Pillars so that one might easily pass between stood the Marble Tables on which after that they had given the Entrails of the Beasts their first washing in the washing room mentioned before they washt and drest them a second time and made them sit and fair for the Altar and on which after they had flead the beast as he hanged upon the hooks they cut him in pieces according as he was to be cut and divided for his laying on the Altar to be offered up From these low Pillars to the North-wall of the Court were eight cubits and this was the place and space for Israels standing on this side the Court for though these Pillars spoken of did not bear up the Cloister under which the People stood yet did they stand so even or close to those Pillars that did that from these Pillars we may and the Jews do count and measure the space of the Israelites station on this side and it was three cubits narrower than their standing at the East-end Thus was the space taken up that was between the Altar and the North-side of the Court now let us come to view the space on the other side of the Altar toward the South Where first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causey or Rise that went up to the Altar took up two and thirty cubits even just as much space on this side as there was betwixt the Altar and the further-side of the place of the Rings on the other But here a question may not improperly be moved out of the Arithmetick of the Talmudicks about the measure of the Altar and the rise of it which they hold out for they say expresly that k k k Mid. per. 3. the Altar was two and thirty cubits square and that l l l Ibid. the rise on the South-side was two and thirty cubits long and yet summing up both together they say that m m m Ibid. per. ◠the Altar and the rise were but sixty two cubits whereas according to the two particulars named they should be sixty four But the reason of the account is from this either because they reckon the length of the Causey or rise not from the outside of the foundation of the Altar but from the narrowing of the Altar above the Circuit for thither did the Causey bring them and land them there as the ordinary place of their Service when they went to besprinkle the Horns of the Altar with the Blood of the Sacrifices or else because they reckon not the two first cubits of the rise or the very entrance upon it it being so flat and near to the ground as that there was so much of the rise gone before there was any stepping off to the Bridge that went to the foundation of the Altar And yet though they do sometime account thus of the Altar and the rise that they took up but sixty two cubits yet in distributing the one hundred thirty and seven cubits of the Courts breadth into particular spaces they then allow as they cannot do otherwise thirty cubits to the Altar and as many to the rise for the particulars are thus that we may sum them again From the North-wall to the Pillars 8 cubits The place of the Marble Tables 4 cubits From these Tables to the space of the Rings 4 cubits The space of the Rings it self 24 cubits From the Rings to the Altar 8 cubits The Altar it self 31 cubits The rise or Causey 32 cubits From the rise to the South-wall 25 cubits  In all 137 cubits Now these five and twenty cubits which were between the Foot of the rise and the South-wall is given account of by the Treatise Middoth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the residue of space which was between the rise and the Wall was also a place of low Pillars These were some Sacrifices slain on the South-side of the Altar as well as these that have been mentioned were on the North There were Sacrifices which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy of Holies or the most Holy Sacrifices and those were the Burnt-offering Sin-offering and Trespass-offering and others reckoned before and these were undispensably tied to be slain on the North-side of the Altar or at least on the North-side of the Court as hath been spoken And there were Offerings which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lesser Holy things and these might be slain in any part of the Court and were not bound to that side as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n n n Zevachin per. 5. Thanksgiving-offerings and the Nazarites Ram which were lesser holy Offerings were slain in any place of the Court Peace-offerings which were of the lesser holy things were also slain in any part of the Court and so were the Firstlings the Tenths and the Passover which were also reckoned as lesser holy things Now although they speak of any part of the Court as permitted to slay the Sacrifices in yet most especially have they reference to the South-side of the Altar in opposition to the North and the South-side understood in that Latitude as the North-side was when extremity and multitude of Sacrifices put them to it For when the Sacrifices were no more than what could be killed within the very compass between the North-side of the Altar and the North-wall of the Court they were slain there but when numerousness of Sacrifices urged o o o Ibid. per. ◠all the North-side of the Court from East