dootes to it at all but [f] Ioseph de Bell. lib. 5. c. 14. it was an open gate into which whosoever stood in the Court might looke and see the space of the porch within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All this front was gilt with gold and through it all the first house that is the porch within might be seen and that glittered with gold also Now by all this front Josephus for they are his words meaneth not the whole face of the porch or all the hundred cubits long and hundred and twenty high but the very front of the gate or entrance only which he sheweth to have been 70 cubits high and 25 broad And herein the Talmud and hee doe not clash though the Talmud say that the height was only forty cubits and the breadth but twenty for it speaks only of the very hollow entrance but he speaks also of the Posts and head or front of the whole gate-house as we observed about the other gates before [g] Mid. ubi sup The Talmud likewise speaks of five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beams of some choice wood the learned Buxtorfius translates it quercinoe that were laid over this gate curiously wrought with knots and flowers and a row of stone still laid between beame and beame The lowest beam that lay on the head of the gate was a cubit on either side longer then the gate was broad then was laid on that a row of stone After that another carved beame a cubit on either end longer then the other and then a row of stone Then another beam and so of the rest every beam being a cubit at either end longer then that that lay below it These were thus laid over the gate to bear the weight that was above they rose to a great height were curiously ingraven and gilt and from the highest there was a neat descending border gathered at either end of the beams stil inward and inward as the beams shortned and at last it ran down by the cheeks of the entry two cubits and an halfe broad on either side the gate And this was the front that Josephus meaneth And now turn behind this porch at whether end you will and look Wellward There ran the body of the Temple it self pointing exactly upon the middle of the porch or just upon this entrance that we have been speaking of the breadth of it between wall and wall just equall with the breadth of this entrance but the walls and chambers built on either side of such a breadth as that the whole came to seventy cubits broad and thus doth Ariel or the Lion of God as the Jewes interpret it represent the proportion of a lion broad before in the large front the porch which was of an hundred cubits breadth and narrow behind in the buildings of the house reduced in breadth to seventy cubits which breadth to take up in its severall parcells we will begin at the North side and thus we find these particular measures [h] Ibid. per. 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the Gallery five cubits thick this was the outmost wall of all and it rose to the battlements or first leads mentioned before where the foundation for six cubits high was said to be six cubits thick but that odde cubit is not here reckoned because the count it not from the very foundation but from the wall above as any one would count in such a building 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gallery three cubits broad 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the chambers five cubits thicke 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chambers themselves six cubits broad 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the Temple six cubits thick 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breadth of the Temple within from wall to wall twenty cubits 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other wall of it six cubits thicke 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breadth of the chambers six cubits 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the chambers five cubits thicke 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The place of the coming down of the water three cubits broad 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The outmost wall five cubits Seventy in all [i] Ibid. Sect. 3. Now the chambers were in number eight and thirty fifteen upon the Northside fifteen upon the South and eight at the West end They were in three stories five in the lowest stories and five over them and five over those thus on the North and South sides but at the West end there were three on the ground and three over them and two over those Every chamber was six cubits broad and twice as long only the two highest chambers at the West end were of a greater length [k] See Ezek 40.21 And there was a space between the chambers on the same floore in manner of an entry of some 7 cubits and an halfe broad that you might passe in it betwixt chamber and chamber to every chamber doore which was upon the side Before these chambers there ran a gallery from the East end of the building to the West but at the West end there was none such of three cubits broad by which you were carryed along to any of these Entries between the chambers and so to any chamber doore In the outmost wall of the fabrick toward the North and the South there were foure doores on either side into foure entries for so many there were between five chambers but as soon as you were come within the doors there ran a gallery along on your right hand and left over which you stepped into the entry that was before you or if you went not in at the doore that was just opposite to the entry that you would goe to you might goe in at any dore you thought good and this gallery would lead you to that entry Thus was it with the lowest chambers and the like gallerie and entries were also in the middle story and in the highest Now the way to goe up into them was by a large pair of turning staires in a turret at the North-East corner of the North side by which staires you went up to the first floore and there if you would you might land in the gallery and go there to what entry or chamber you would or if you would go higher you might doe so likewise into the gallery in the third story and if you had a mind you might yet go higher up these staire up to the leads to walk over the chambers on the roof round about their whole pyle But besides this stair case-turret which thus conveyed to the roofe of the buildings there was such another at the furthest end of every one of the entries that have been spoken of which carryed up to the first and second floore or to the upper chambers but went not so high as to convey to the roofe And so had you gone in at any of the foâ—m dores to the ground
2 Chro. 4.9 and in the Chaldee Paraphrast Esay 1.12 1 Sam. 3.3 Ezek. 43.8 and by the Rabbins most constantly when they speak of these places David Kimchi gives the Etymology of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that [b] Kimch in 2 Chron. 4. in Michol it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies helpe because that every one that came to pray there with a good heart was helped by the Lord his God And much to the same purpose Rabbi Nathan when he saith [c] Ar. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they prayed there to the Lord to help them c. there being their last recourse for helpe in all exigents as 1 King 8.31 c. the word is used in Ezek. 43.14 in another sense namely for a border or halfe pace at the foot of the Altar on which the Priests that sacrificed stood [d] Kimch in Ezek. 43. as Kimchi expounds it upon that place and which wee shall meet with afterward These two Courts are sometimes so spoken of in scripture as if they were three for there is mention of the Court of the Priests and the great Court 2 Chr. 4.9 and the Court of the women as we shall observe by and by and yet they were indeed but two for though the Court of the Priests and the Court of Israel were distinguished yet were they not divided but the Court of the women was divided from them both The measure of the Court of Israel and the Priests which is sometime called Emphatically The Court and sometime The Court of Israel [e] Mid. per. 5. Sect. 1. was 187 cubits long that is from East to West and 135 broad from North to South The Temple stood just in the middle of the breadth of it so that the front of the Temple or the porch being 100 cubits broad this Court breadth lay 17 cubits and an halfe on either side of it and the body of the temple it self being but 70 cubits broad this Court lay 33 cubits and an halfe broad on either side it Now behind the West end of the Temple it extended but 11 cubits so measure from the utmost West side of it there and you have 11 cubits behind the Temple 100 cubits the length of the Temple and then it extended Eastward before the Temple 76 cubits [f] Ibid. per. 2. Sect. 5. The Court of the women lay just before this Court joining to it being of equall breadth with it namely 135 cubits from North to South but not so long as it from East to West for it was only 135 cubits that way also and so it was a perfect square CHAP. XVII The Inclosure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel ABout both these Courts thus laid there was another inclosed space incompassing them in and this by the Jews is called The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel The word is used by Jeremy Lam. 2.8 in that sense as [a] Maym. in beth habbech per. 5. some Jews do interpret that wee are to understand and describe here Both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel and the wall mourn by the wall being meant the wall of the Court and by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel the space that incompassed it round about and so translated by the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the incompassing or inclosure The Scripture frequently useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a wall trench or rampart as 2 Sam. 10.15 1 King 21.23 Obad. ver 20. Nab. 3.8 and it is rendred variously by the Hebrew Expositors there but of the sense of the word nature of that place at the Temple that we are looking after they give us this unanimous account [b] Mid. per. 2. Sect. 3. Maym. ubi sup that it was a place or space of 10 cubits broad incompassed with a wall between the mountain of the house and the Courts I cannot find a better name for it then the inclosure or outer virge of the Courts The words of Rabbi Nathan in Aruch in two severall plamay move two severall doubts about this place for in one ces place bee saith that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [c] Ar. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A place incompassed with a wall between the mountain of the House and the Court of the women And in another place he saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [d] Id. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel was a wall higher then the wall called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sorâ—g Out of which words he seemeth to hold out these two opinions the one that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel did not incompasse all the Courts but only the Court of the women and the other that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel was not a space of ground but a wall but these two doubts we shall cleer as we goe along And first to evidence that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a space of ground and not a wall we have not only the testimony of the Talmud and divers other Jews that measure out the breadth of it to be 10 cubits but we have mention abundantly in them of peoples coming into it and standing and sitting in it as R. Nathan himselfe giveth one instance [e] Id. ubi ante when he speaketh of a great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinity schoole in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel And [f] Iuchas so 21. Abraham Zaccuth speaketh of Rabban Johanan ben Zaccai having a Sanbedrin there [g] Pesa per. 2. And Rambam relates at large how those that brought their Passoever lambs into the Court when they were dispatched went and stood in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel and diverse of the like examples might be added which prove evidently enough what kind of thing this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel was namely not a wall but a space of ground And so R. Nathan meaneth even when he saith it was a wall higher then the wall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at large when it is taken for other places then this in the Temple and is joined with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is defined by the Jews to mean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [h] R. Sol. in Lam. 2.8 A wall and a Son of a wall or an inner and outer wall that is a lower wall before a higher as Rabbi Solomon construes it not close joined together but some space of ground between and so our Authour understands it though he speak so short The wal that inclosed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soreg in the Talmud and Rabbins language which Nathan rendreth plainly a wal but [i] R. Semajab in Mid. some other expound it for a wal curiously lattized made of wood but Josephus comes and speaks further somewhat like to both their senses and tells us that it was of stone but
for the booke of Kings saith it was 30 cubits but the booke of Chronicles nameth no summe at all onely it saith that the Porch was 120 cubits high Now [b] Kunch in les allegat David Kimchi doth dispute it whether this was the height of the Porch onely or of the whole house throughout and he shews how it maybe construed of the whole house namely that the height of it to the first floore was thirty cubits according to the reckoning of the booke of Kings and then the chambers over in severall stories did rise to 90 cubits more Yet both he and [c] Ralbag in 1 Kings 6. Aben. Ez◠in Ezr. 6. R. Levi Gershom could well be perswaded to thinke that the Temple it selfe was but 30 cubits high but are somewhat swayed by the opinion of some of their Rabbins which runneth another way For from their words it appeareth say they that there were chambers over the Temple and over the Porch and this they hold from 1 Chron 28.11 The words of that Text are these David gave to Solomon his sonne the Patterne of the Porch and the houses thereof and the Treasuries thereof and the upper chambers thereof and the Parlours thereof and the place of the mercy seat where all these particulars are so couched together except the last as if they were all within the Porch But the holy Ghost speaketh of the Porch as the first part in sight as you came up it being the front of all and the rest of the parcels mentioned are to be conceived of not as all crowded in it but as distributed and disposed in other parts of the fabrick as the Holy Ghost relateth and layeth downe elsewhere And as for the upper chambers here spoken of we need not to confine them so as to set them all either over the porch though there were some nor over the body of the Temple but to place them also as the Text doth elsewhere round about the house without in severall stories The carefull considering the measures of the Temple built by the Children of the Captivity will reasonably help to put us out of doubt about the matter that we have in dispute The measures they brought along with them out of Persia in Cyrus his Commission [d] Ezr. 6.3 4. The foundations to be strongly laid the height sixty cubits and the breadth sixty cubits with three rowes of great stones and a row of new timber and the expences to be given out of the Kings house Where wee may observe [e] Aben Ezr. in loc 1 That the length is not mentioned because that was to be of the former measure 2 That the breadth doubled the breadth of Solomons building the side chambers and all taken in And 3 That the height was double to the height of Solomons as it is expressed in the booke of Kings and as indeed the height of the Temple was though the porch were higher For it seemeth utterly against reason that Cyrus should offer to build the house as broad again as it was before and yet not so high as it was before by halfe It is no doubt but Cyrus had consultation with some of the Jews about the building and that either they counselling him should advise the abatement of so much of the height or he inlarging the breadth and the house one way should cut it short of the height and lessen it the other way is exceeding improbable the length could not be doubled because that would have lessened the measure of the Courts before it which might not be indured but the two other waies of dimension which could be allowed he allowed double to what they were before Therefore the two Texts in Kings and Chronicles are to be taken properly as they there lie before us namely that the Porch was 120 cubits high and that the rest of the Temple was but 30 and the form of the whole house was thus It stood East and West the most Holy place Westward and the Porch or entrie Eastward and the length of all from East to West was 70 cubits the breadth 20 cubits besides the breadth of the side chambers The height of the holy and most holy place 30 cubits and the porch stood at the East end like one of our high steeples 120 cubits high And indeed Solomons Temple did very truely resemble one of our Churches but onely that it differed in this that the Steeple of it which was the porch stood at the East end Now round about the sides thereof North and South and the West end Solomon built chambers of three stories high and five cubits was the height of every story the whole being 15 cubits high in all and they joined to the wall of the house without The highest story was a cubit wider then the middle and the middle a cubit wider then the lowest and yet the outmost wall of them was even and straight and jutted not over at one story or other any whit at all But the reason of this different breadth of the Stories was this the wall of the Temple for five cubits from the ground upward was thicker by a cubit then it was from thence above At the height therefore of those five cubits there was a bench of the wall of a cubit breadth left outerly round about the house on which they laid one end of the beams and timber which was the roofe of the lowest roomes or the floore of the second Story And then againe for five cubits above that the wall was thicker by a cubit then it was above and at the height of those five cubits there was such another bench left again and on that they laid the beams for the roofe of the second story which was the floore of the third And so likewise for five cubits above that the wall was yet thicker by a cubit then it was above and there the like bench was left againe and there were laid the beams of the roofe of the third story and of the whole building And this is the meaning of that verse 1 Kings 6.6 The neather most chamber was five cubits broad the middlemost sixe cubits broad and the third was seven cubits broad for he made abatings to the house on the outside round about that the beames should not have hold of the very walls of the house And thus did these chambers take up halfe the height of the house being as the lower leads of our Churches to the higher the use of the chambers we shall observe hereafter Now above these chambers in the wall of the Temple and in the outer wall of these chambers themselves there were windowes to let in light which the Text saith were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open and shut or broad and narrow which [f] Chald par in 1 Kings 6.4 the Chaldee Paraphrast and [g] Vid. Nobil in LXX in loc Theodoret have well interpreted wide within and narrow without namely narrow without to receive the light and wide
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 foure cubits further North there were the pillars on which they hung up the sacrifice upon hookes that so they might flea it These pillars the Jewes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which [g] Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aruch interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pillars low or shorty it may seeme the word is taken from the latine Nanus [h] Parah per. 2. and so the treatise Parah speaketh of a red cow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 low and small Nana minuta Now these pillars were not those that supported the cloister on this North side of the Court but low pillars set by these or joyning to them [i] Mid. per. 3. Tamid per. 3. Pesachin per. 5. eight in number over the heads of which were said transome beames of cedar and hookes of iron fastned both in these beames and in the pillars on which hookes they hanged up the beast slaine for sacrifice that they might the better come at him to flea him The pillars had every one of them three hookes in them one above another that they might be fit for beasts of severall hignesses and cizes And before these pillars or rather before the space that was between the pillars so that one might easily passe betweene stood the marble tables on which after that they had given the entrailes of the beasts their first washing in the washing roome mentioned before they washt and drest them a second time and made them fit and faire for the Altar and on which after they had fleaed the beast as he hanged upon the hookes 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 beare 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 Jewes doe count and measure the space of the Israelits station on this side and it was three cubits narrower then 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 expressely that [k] Mid. per. 3. the Altar was two and thirty cubits square and that [l] Ibid. the rise on the South side was two and thirty cubits long and yet summing up both together they say that [m] Ibid. per. 5. the Altar and the rise were but sixty two cubits whereas according to the two particulars named they should be sixty foure 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 hornes 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 neare 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 doe sometime account thus of the Altar and the rise that they tooke up but 62 cubits yet in distributing the 137 cubits of the Courts breadth into particular spaces they then allow as they cannot doe otherwise 32 cubits to the Altar and as many to the rise for the particulars are thus that we may sum them againe Front 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 selfe 24 cubits From the rings to the Altar 8 cubits The Altar it selfe 32 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 betweene 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 slaine 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 trespasse-offering and others reckoned before and these were undispensably tied to be slaine 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 slaine in any part of the Court and were not bound to that side as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [n] Zevachin per. 5. Thanksgiving-offerings and the Nazarites ramme which were lesser holy offerings were slaine in any place of the Court Peace-offerings which were of the lesser holy things were also slaine in any part of the Court and so were the firstlings the tenthes and the Passeover 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 then what could be killed within the very compasse between the North side of the Altar and the North wall of the Court they were slaine there but when numerousnesse of sacrifices urged [o] Ibid. per. 6. all the North side of the Court from East to West ends and as far South as to the middle of the Altar was used to slay the beasts in and all that was accounted as
chambers either on the north side of the house or on the south stepping over the gallery you come into the entry between two chambers one on your right hand and another on your left and their dores opening into the entry and facing one another but before you towards the Temple wall there was a round large turret-like staire case into which you might goe out of either chamber and so go up staires into the chambers over head and from thence up stairs againe into the chambers over them And thus are wee to understand that Talmudick passage of no small difficulty at the first fight [l] Mid. ubi su There were three dores to every one of the Chambers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One to the Chamber on the right hand and another to the Chamber on the left that is one dore to the entry on the one side and another to the entry on the other and one to the Chamber over head that is into this stair case that carryed up to the Chambers above And thus [m] Eze 41.7 one went up from the lowest story to the highest by the middle for [n] 1 Kin. 6.8 they went up with winding staires into the middle story and out of the middle into the third The West end Chambers had no gallery at all before them but you stepped immediately through the dores that were in the outmost wall into the entries and at the end of the entries there was such a stair-ease as this which conveyed and carryed you up from story to story On the South there were such galleries in the three heights as there were on the North and such stair cases at the end of the entries joining to the Temple-wal but that space where the galleries were was called by another name Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mesibbah as it was called on the Northside but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of the coming down of the water Not as if here were the gutters to carry off the raines from the whole house but because in this space were laid the pipes that brought water down from the fountane Etam to the Cistern or Well in the Well-roome that was made to receive them They were so laid as that they hindred not the accesse or passage in the galleries to any of the Chambers and it may be they were not to be seen at all but lay under ground in the ground-gallery but they were glad thus to distinguish between the North and South sides by these different names as that they might the easier and quicker bee understood when they spake of a chamber in the Mesibbah or of a chamber in the conveyance of the water These chambers which where of this number measure posture and composure that hath been spoken and whose floor and roofe beams rested upon benches in the Temple wall as was observed before were for the laying up some choice treasures and utensils as also for corne wine and oile and whatsoever was brought in of 〈◊〉 and first fruites for the sustenance and subsistence of the Priâ—â—â— that attended upon the Altar and they were as measuries or storehouses for that purpose Neh. 12.44 Mal. 3.10 And now let us go up the staires of the great turret in the North-east corner on the North side for there was none such on the South that will carry us to the roofe of this building or on the leads At the top of the staines he went out at a wicket and his face was then towards the West [o] Mid. ubi su Hee walked upon the leads along upon the Northside 〈◊〉 came to the West corner when he came thither be turned his face toward the South corner when he came to the South be turned his face Eastward and went all along on the Southside till he came up a good way and there was a dore through the Temple wall into the roomes over the holy and most holy place In this roome over them which was â—â—y cubits from the ground and so were the leads whâ—â—â— were these threathings worth taking notice of 1. That as soon as a man was stept within the dâ—â—e 〈◊〉 were two Codar beams or trees said close together sloping still upward and lying along the wall by which they were said so handsomely slope and steps were either 〈◊〉 in them 〈◊〉 upon them one might go to the very top of the Temple and this was the way to the higher leads 2. Juâ—â— over the parting between the holy and most holy plâ—â—â— them 〈◊〉 some little piâ—â—asters 〈…〉 the partition 3. In the floore over the most holy places there were divers holes like trapdores through which when 〈◊〉 required they let down workmen by 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 as there was 〈◊〉 And they let them down in 〈…〉 some such thing where they could 〈…〉 before theâ—â— and the reason of this is given by the Jeâ—â—s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 holy 〈◊〉 [p] Ma. in Beth habbech per. 4. 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 they whited the Temple walls within and for this and other necessary work about the house within it was desiced and endeavoured that Priests or Levites should do the work but if such were not found to do it then other Israelites were admitted and they were admitted to go through the dores into the most holy place if Chests or Trunks were not to bee found in which to let them downe CHAP. XIII The Porch Sect. 1. The steps up to it IN taking particular account of the length of the building from East to West which was 100 cubits we will first be in at the Porch which was the beautifull front Eastward and view severally every speciall place and parcell till we come to the West end [a] See chap. The spreading of the Porch in length was 100 cubits and in height 120 twenty cubits higher then the height of the Temple And this Porch which was a crosse building to the Temple it selfe and so high above it may not improperly be conceived to be that place whither Satan brought our Saviour in his temptation when he is said to have brought him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly to the wing of the Temple There were severall things at this front before we stir from it that were very remarkeable and cannot be passed without observation And the first that we will looke upon shall bee the steps that rose up out of the Court into this entrance which were [c] Mid. per. 3. twelve in number every step halfe a cubit 〈◊〉 fing six cubits in the whole rise and so much was the floore of the Porch higher then the floore of the Court. And here wee meet with a passage in the Treatise Middeth in the place cited in the 〈◊〉 which is exceeding â—ard to be understood and the very same also in Maymonides and in him it is harder The words are these Having spoken of the steps that went up to the Porch that they were twelve and that the rise of every step
was halfe a cubit and the breadth of it to stand upon a cubit it comes on and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which applyed to the steps and their rising I should translate to this sense At every cubits rise there was a halfe pace of three cubits broad and at the highest cubits rise there was a halfe pace of four cubits broad The meaning this that as you had gone up two 〈◊〉 which being halfe a cubit high a peece made but a cubit 〈◊〉 â—he third step the space you tread upon was enlarged and was three cubits broad whereas the steps themselves that you had come up were but one cubit breadth And so from this inlarged breadth or half pace step two steps further and there was another and after two steps more another and after two steps yet more there was the highest which was an halfe pace or inlargement of four cubits breadth And so every third step of the twelve was an halfe pace or such an inlargement which made the ascent exceeding beautifull and stately And this helpeth to understand a passage in the treatise Joma which at the first reading is not easy to bee understood Where relating how when the high Pâ—â—est on the day of Expiation had slain his own bullock he gave the blood to one to 〈◊〉 it to keep it from congealing it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [d] Ioma per. 4. That he stirred it about upon 〈…〉 of the Temple which Maymony expresseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [e] Maym. in Ioma habbech per. 5. be first it about that it 〈…〉 upon the fourth halfe pace of the Temple without that is upon the very top of these twelve steps that went up into the Porch The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [f] Ar. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baal Aruch after the production of many examples of it renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standings or pillars or 〈◊〉 find not a 〈◊〉 word for it here to expresse it by then 〈◊〉 Now [g] Per. 4. versus finem Maymony in Bâ—â—h habbiebirah or in his 〈◊〉 of the Temple having to deale with these words of the Tahund that we have been speaking of doth utter them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Round about the walls of the Porch from below upward they were thus One cubit plain and then an halfe pace of three cubits one cubit plaine or an ordinary rising of steps and then another halfe pace of three cubits and so up so that the halfe 〈◊〉 go about the walls of the Porch His meaning is the same with what was said before but he addeth somewhat more and that is that these twelve steps thus beautifully spreding every third step into an halfe pace did not only go up to the entrance into the Porch but also there were such steps all along the front of the Porch Eastward 〈◊〉 such steps at either end of it North and South and 〈…〉 of this was because the floor of the Porch was higher 〈…〉 the floore of the Court and there then were dores in the building besides the great dore that gave passage into the Temple and into these dores you could not get without such steps Sect. II. The two Pillars Jachin and Boaâ— OF the gate or enmance into the Porch and so into the Temple and of its dimensions and beauty hath been spoken before and therefore as to that particular we need say no more here but may be silent but one maine part of the ornament and beauty of it was there omitted and reserved to this place and that is the two famous pillars that in Salomâ—â—â— Temple stood at the cheeks of the entrance or passage in Liebin and Boaâ— I find not indeed mention among the Jews Antiquities of any such pillars set at the entrance of the Temple that we are surveying which was the Temple built by Herod the Temple that was in the dayes of our Saviour though Eâ—â—kiel speak of such pillars at the doore of his Temple 〈…〉 yet because we desire to give account 〈◊〉 of whâ—â— wee finde recorded in Scripture concerning the Temple in 〈◊〉 wee cannot passe over two such memorable monuments as these two pillars of whom the story and relation is 〈◊〉 by the Scripture so largely and exactly 1. These two pillars which were of brasse consisted either of them of two parts the pillar it self 〈◊〉 the boll and 〈◊〉 that was set on the head of it The pillar it selfe was hollow the circle incompassing the the hollow four fingers thick and the compasse of that circling twelve cubits about Jer. 〈…〉 1 King 7.15 [a] R. Sol. in 1 Kin. 7. R. Le. Gers ibid. the whole thicknesse or diameter of either pillar 4 cubits or 3 cubits and 4 fifth parts of a cubit as is the reckonng of Levi Gersom The chapter or boll likewise of either pillar was hollow and was a huge piece of brasse bowse or ovall fashion which had a very large hole in it into which the top of the pillar was let and so this chapiter sate upon it 2. The length or height of either Pillar was eighteen cubits besides the Chapiter for the Text doth cleerly rockon the height of pillar and chapiter distinctly Now the booke of Chronicles summeth the length of both pillars together and saith they were five and thirty cubits high 2 Chro. 3.15 in which it commeth short a cubit of that account and 〈◊〉 that is given in the booke of Kings and Jeremy which say that 〈◊〉 pillar was eighteen cubits and so the whole of both was 〈◊〉 and thirty But halfe a cubit of either pillar was taken up and bid in the hole of the chapiter that fate upon it and so 〈…〉 in the booke of Chronicles measures them as they stood with the chapiters upon them two and twenty cubits and 〈…〉 high pillar and chapiter and all 3. The chapiter or ovall on the head of either pillar it â—â—â—led in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Rabbi Soloâ—â—â— tenders in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pamells Kimchi A Crowne who which 〈◊〉 Chalâ—â—â— agrees who expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corâ—â—â— but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more exactly saith is was like two Groâ—â—nes 〈◊〉 together It was a huge great ovall of five cubits high and did not only sit upon the head of the pillars but also flowâ—ed or 〈◊〉 over them being larger about a great deale then the pillars themselves 4. Wherein it is said both in King 7.16 〈…〉 that the height of either chapiter was five cubits and 〈…〉 〈…〉 17. is said 〈…〉 height of the chapiter was 〈…〉 it is 〈◊〉 and well answered by the Jews that the lowest two cubits of the chapiter were plaine and without any graving or imbroideâ—â—g but the three upper cubits were of such imbroidery To which may be added and some of them do adde it that the two lower cubits were but the rising into the spreading or belly of the chapiter and that they there are not reckoned
but the thing is referred only to the lilly worke The meaning therefore of the verse appeareth to be this that at the head of the pillar even at the setting on of the chapiter there was a curious and a large border or circle of lilly-work which stood out four cubits under the chapiter then turned downe every lilly or long tongue of brasse with a neat bending and so seemed as a flowred crowne to the head of the pillar and as a curious garland whereon the chapiter had its seat And that particular expression that it was in or by the Porch intendeth to shew that these long tongues of brasse which were made like lillies did not suddainly decline and liâ— down upon the sides of the pillars nor suddainly ascend and stick upon the sides of the chapiter but stood out into and along the porch a foure cubit circle after the manner of a spread lilly and then the tongue bended downward as the lilly doth And this construction of that verse helpeth to cleere and explaine the next verse that followes after it which otherwise would cost some pains to translate it out of the originall or to make facil sense of it being translated In consonancy and contexture to the verse before so understood as hath been held out this verse may be interpreted and paraphrased thus And the chapiters upon the two pillars were also above this lilly work for they sate upon the growing out of it even from over against the belly which was by the branch-work for the lilly-work raught out as far as the belly of the chapiters raught out with an accurate bowing or swelling upwards towards the belly where the stalkes of the branch-work and the rowes of the Pomegranats were even as a lilly gently swelleth up before the tongue or utmost point of it turneth downe againe 5. The place where these pillars stood is somewhat uncertain the text indeed saith they stood before the house 2 Chr. 3.15 and before the Temple ver 17. but yet it is to seek whether within the porch at the entring in or without the porch or within the porch at the Temple dore which last is the opinion of Robbi Sol. upon the text cited Upon these four reasons I am induced to conceive that they stood within the porch even at the very entring into it joining or standing up to the very cheeks of the gate or entrance 1. Because Ezekiel hath so placed his two pillars in the porch of his Temple namely at the top of the steps by the posts or cheeks of the entrance it selfe Ezek. 40.49 2. Because as we observed before it is said that the lilly-work under the chapiters was four cubits in the porch 3. Because the booke of Kings saith that Solomon set up the pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the porch as the word properly signifies though David Kimchi and our English translate it In The expression seemeth to intimate these two things first that the pillars were set up for the porch dore and not for the Temple dore as was the opinion of Solomon Jarchi cited before And secondly that they stood for the porch or very entrance into the building as dore cheeks or posts at that entrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ios antiq lib. 8. c. 2. At the dore cheeks of the porch as saith Josephus 4. That obscure passage of Ezekiel chap. 40.48 The bredth of the gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side cannot be so understood as if the entry or passage into the porch were but six cubits broad and why also should he speake of this side and that side if he meant but one intire bredth but it is well understood by Kimcbi to meane that on either side of the entry there was something standing out into the bredth of the entry three cubits which made the passage it self but fourteen cubits broad which measure of three cubits though it fel short one cubit of the thicknesse of these pillars cast by Solomon yet suiting with the measure of Ezekiels pillars it may do this for us as to shew us how these pillars that we have in hand were placed by the disposing and placing of those of his namely on your right hand and on your lest as soone as ever you were stepped within the porch The names of the two pillars to omit the fancies of some Jews about them were Iachin and Boaz 1 King 7.21 which words denote Establishment and Strength Jachin signifieth het will establish from Gods promise to establish the throne of David and his people Israel And Boaz denoteth Herein is strength namely alluding either to Gods promise in which was all their strength and settlement or to the Arke which was within which is called The strength of the Lord Psal 80.2 105.4 Sect. III. Closets for the Butchering instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 YEt before we enter into the porch and so into the Temple there is one thing more calls for our observation and that is certaine closets or places that were in this pile of the porch in which were laid up the knives and instruments that were used by the Priests about the killing and flaying and cutting up of the beasts to be sacrificed The treatise Middoth giveth intelligence and account of these places in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [a] Mid per. 4. Sect. 7. The Porch was broader then the Temple fifteen cubits on the North and fifteen cubits on the South and that that exceeded was called Beth hachillapoth where they laid up the knives The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie the butchering knives of the Temple Ezr. 1.9 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith [b] Vid. Ab. Ez. in Ezr. 1. Aben Ezra as it betokeneth cutting off which it doth Esay 2.18 Prov. 31.8 And [c] Kimch Ib. so saith Kimchi on the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are knives And of this sense is Beth hachillapoth for because they laid up the knives there therefore the place was called The chamber of the laying up of the knives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was therefore on either end of the extent of the porch for that space that it stood out further then the buildings of Temple a chamber one at the end towards the North and another at the end towards the South in which two large chambers were foure and twenty little closets wherein the knives were laid up severally for the foure and twenty courses of the Priests And these and such like little closets the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fenestrae or windows because they were closets or boxes joining to the wall And besides these that wee are speaking of where the butchery instruments were laid up Maymony reckons fourscore and sixteen more for the laying up of other things four for every one of the four and twenty courses [d] Maym. in â—ele Migd per. There were saith hee 96 closets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
Court as we shall shew anon and they were baked on the day before the Sabbeth On the Sabbath they set them on the table in this manner Four Priests went first in to setch away the loaves that had stood all the week and other four went in after them to bring in new ones in their stead Two of the four last carried the two rowes of the cakes namely six a peace and the other two carried in either of them in a golden dish in which the frankincense was to be put to be set upon the loaves and so those four that went to fetch out the old bread two of them were to carry the cakes and the other two the dishes These foure that came to fetch the old bread out stood before the table with their faces towards the North and the other four that brought in the new stood betwixt the table and the wall with their faces toward the South those drew off the old cakes and these as the other went off slipt on the new so that the table was never without bread upon it because it is said that they should stand before the Lord continually They set the cakes in two rowes six and six one upon another and they set them the length of the cakes crosse over the breadth of the table by which it appeares that the crowne of gold about the table rose not above the surface of it but was a border below edging even with the plain of it [b] R Sol in Exod. 25. as is well held by Rabbi Solomon and so the cakes lay two hand bread the over the table on either fide for the table was but six hand breadth broad and the cakes were ten hand breadth long Now as for the preventing that that which so lay over should not break off if they had no other way to prevent it which yet they had but I confesse that the description of it in their authors I doe not understand yet their manner of laying the cakes one upon another was such as that the weight rested upon the table and not upon the points that hung over The lowest cake of either rowe they laid upon the plaine table and upon that cake they laid three golden canes at distance one from another and upon those they laid the next cake and then three golden canes again and upon them another cake and so of the rest save only that they laid but two such canes upon the fifth cake because there was but one cake more to be laid upon Now these which I cal golden canes and the Hebrews call them so also were not like reeds or canes perfectly round and hallow thorow but they were like canes or kexes slit up the middle and the reason of laying them thus betwixt cake and cake was that by their hollowness air might come to every cake and all might thereby bee kept the better from moldinesse and corrupting and thus did the cake lie hollow and one not touching another and all the golden canes being laid so as that that they lay within the compasse of the breadth of the table the ends of the cakes that lay over the table on either side bare no burden but their own weight On the top of either row was set a golden dish with a handfull of frankincense which when the bread was taken away was burnt as incense to the Lord Lev. 24.7 and the bread went to Aaron and his sons or to the Priests as their portions to be eaten What these loaves did represent and signifie is variously guessed the number of twelve in two rowes seem to referre to the twelve tribes whose names were so divided into six and six in the two stones on the high Priests shoulders And as bread is the chief subsistence and staffe of our mortall life so the offering of these might denote an acknowledgement of the people of their receiving of all their subsistence from the Lord to whom they presented these as their tribute and these aswell as the lamps standing before the Lord might shew that their spirituall and temporall support were both before him But our pursuit is to looke after the things themselves leaving the allegorizing of them unto others for in such things men are most commonly more ready to give satisfaction to themselves then to take it from others for as much as the things themselves may be bended and swayed to various application Sect. 6. The Altar of Iucense THe Candlestick stood on the one side of the house and the Table on the other and this Altar in the middle not just betwixt them but somewhat higher in the house toward the most holy place then they were These three ornaments and furnitures of the holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [a] Maym in Beth habbec per. 3. were set in a third part of the house that is whereas the house meaning the holy place was forty cubits long when you had gone up six and twenty cubits and two third parts of a cubit into the room there stood the table and candlestick and somewhat further higher towards the vail stood this Altar [b] Ex 30.1 2. Maym. ubi sup It was a cubit square and two cubits high had foure horns at the foure corners of it and a crown about the brim or edge of it which the Jews say denoted the Crowne of the Priesthood It stood not so nigh the vail of the most holy place but that one might goe about it and so how the Priest did on the day of Explation and besprinkled the horns of it with blood we observe elsewhere On this Altar commonly called the golden Altar incense was offered morning and evening every day a figure if you apply the action to Christ of his mediation and if to man a resemblance of the duty of prayer The twelve cakes which resembled the sustenance and sustentation of the twelve Tribes which was ever before the Lord were renewed only once every week but the lampsdrest and the incense offered twice every day for we have more need of the light of Gods word and of prayer then of our dayly food And if we will apply all the three to Christ The Kingly office of Christ provided bread for his people his Prophetick office provided the light of his word and his Priestly office the incense of mediation CHAP. XV. The most Holy place Sect. I. The Partition space 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Holy and the most Holy place were divided asunder by a threefold partition namely by a cubit space and by two veils on either side of that space The partition space which [a] Mid. per. 4. was a cubit broad and no more by the Jews is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which [b] Aruch in voce Rabbi Nathan confesseth to be a Greek word and he saith it signifieth within or without as meaning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was doubtfull to them whether is were within or without and thus it is
his time but taken in and built afterward either by Asa or by Jehoshaphat before that time and occasion that the text mentioned in the book of Chronicles speaketh of and so there came to bee two Courts in the House of the Lord 2 Kings 21.5 2 It is called The outer Court Ezek. 46.21 [d] Mid. per. 2. Kimch in loc as that text is generally and truely understood by the Iewish writers which we shall have occasion to examine anon and the reason of the name doth easily appeare namely because it lay on the outside of the Court of Israel and further off from the Temple 3. It is also called The Treasury John 8.20 the reason of which name we shall observe before wee have done with the survey of this Court But by the Jewish writers it is generally and ordinarily called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Court of the Women and the reason of that name was because the women might goe no higher or further then into this Court. [e] Joseph de Bell. l. 5. c. 14. Antiq. l. 15. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This being the proper place for them to worship in and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 further then this towards the Temple was unaccessible to them onely when a woman brought a sacrifice she might goe into the Court of Israel as we have observed in another place This Court lay at the East end of the Court of Israel and was parted from it by a high wall so that whosoever came to worship here could see nothing of the service in the other Court and indeed heare but little unlesse they went up the steps of the gate and looked in for til you came to the middle of the entry of the gate that went up into the upper Court it was but of the same holinesse with the Court of the women but beyond the middle it was holier The floore of this Court was even and levell throughout [f] Mid. ubi ant and it was a perfect square of 135 cubits long and 135. cubits broad and it was curiously flag'd with marble as indeed was all the space both Courts Chel and the other space that was within the wall that incompassed the holy ground And they have this tradition about the pavement of the Court where the Altar stood [g] Maym. in beth habbech per. 1. That all the Court was flag'd with faire stones and if any flag were loosed although it lay still in its place yet was it not lawfull to stand upon it to do any part of the service till it were fastned againe The entring into the Court of the women was by three gates one on the East one on the North and one on the South and there was a fourth on the West which went up out of this Court into the upper Court or that of Israel All these gates as also all the other that went into the upper Court of which hereafter were [h] Joseph de Bell. ubi supr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gilt all over both posts and lintels one onely excepted of which instantly We will goe up at the East gate out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel out of which there were five steps that rose up to the gate to land you in it The gate it selfe was exceeding sumptuous and exceeding beautifull and this was that which was called the beautifull gate of the Temple Act. 3.2 at which the Creeple lay begging of almes both of men and women that went into the Temple At this gate began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The inner Temple as Josephus doth often call it distinguishing between that space that was inclosed within the boundary wall that incompassed the whole holy ground and that space that was inclosed within the wall that incompassed the Courts the former of them was called the outer Temple and the latter was called the inner and both of them bare the name of the Temple and so in the Scripture whosoever went but within the compasse of the holy ground is said to have gone into the Temple Now this gate being the very front and entrance into the Inner Temple or into that space within which the choicest sanctity and bravery of the Temple was it was built and decked with such sumptuousnesse and singular gallantry as was fitting for the frontispice of so brave a place And hence it came to beare the name of beautifull and that the rather also in comparison of the gate Shushan or the outmost East gate that entered into the mountaine of the house for that was but a low and homely gate-house for a reason that hath been observed heretofore but this was goodly and lofty and stood bravely mounted upon the far higher ground This gate Josephus [i] Joseph ubi supr calleth the Corinthian gate because it was of Corinthian brass whereas the rest of the gates were gilt with gold And here occurreth a difference betwixt him and the Talmudicall writers for they do unanimously hold the brazen gate to be the gate of Nicanor which wee shall survey anon which was the gate that went out of the Court of the Women into the Court of Israel but he doth as confidently affirme on the other hand that it was that that went out of the Chel into the Court of the women His words are these Mia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was one gate without the Temple of Corinthian brasse which exceeded in glory those of gold or silver Now where this gate stood namely in that place that we are upon appeareth by this passage of his a little after The gate above the Corinthian gate which opened East over against the gate of the Temple c. It is not much materiall to determine whether of these Easterne gates were of brasse it is onely needfull to be resolved which of them was that that was called the gate of Nicanor because upon the knowledge of that there are divers things depending and in the next chapter but one shall be shewed that it was that gate that went out of the Court of the Women into the Court of Israel But if I were to moderate between the differing parties I should say their difference in this matter is not reall but onely apparent Josephus calls the gate that came into the Court of the Women the brazen gate because it was all so posts and lintell and all overlaid with brasse which shone above gold but the Talmudists say the doores of the gate of Nicanor were only of brasse but the whole front of the gate beside all of gold and so that was not the brazen gate but onely brazen doores but the other was properly the brazen gate When Peter and Iohn had healed the Creeple at this gate the text saith that he went with them into the Temple that is into the Court of the Women which was the common and ordinary place of worship for those that brought not a Sacrifice and from thence he went backe
of it holy and half of it common that is halfe of it stood within the Court and half of it within the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel and it had a door into either place [f] Maym. in beth habbech per. 5. And in that half of it that stood in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel did the great councell or Sanhedrin sit of seventy one Judges Now a speciall reason why they sate on that side of the house which was in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chel was because it was not lawfull for any man whosoever to sit within the verge of the Court unlesse it were the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [g] Vid. R. Sol. Kimch in 1 Kings 12 Midr. Tillin in Psal 1. ab initio there is no man may sit in the Court unlesse it be out of the Kings of the house of David In the other part of this building which stood within the Court the Priests used to cast lots dayly for the distribution of the Service amongst them of which we have spoken largely elsewhere Wee cannot come so neer the great Sanhedrin as to survey the room in which they sate but that we must take some notice of them before wee goe and looke a little into their constitution sitting power and story They will not take it well if we passe by them and take no notice of them at all [h] Talm. in Sanhedr per. 1. The number of the Judges in this high Court was seventy and one answering to Moses and the seventy Elders chosen by him when God in the Wildernesse did first ordaine this great Iudicatory Numb 11. They were to bee indifferently chosen of Priests Levites and Israelites the New Testament often expresseth the distinction by chief Priests Scribes and Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if Priests and Levites fitly qualified were not to be found i Maym. in Sanbed per. 1. if all the Councell were men of other Tribes it was good and lawfull [k] Id. ibid. â—er 2. Their qualifications must be that they must bee Religious and learned both in Arts and Languages must have some skill in Physick Arithmetick Astronomy Astrology yea to know what belonged to Magick Sorcery and Idolatry that so they might know to judge of them They were to be without maim or blemish of body men of years but not extreame old because commonly such are of too much severity and they must be Fathers of children that they might be acquainted with tendernesse and compassion Their manner of sitting was thus The eminentest among them for worth and wisdome they appointed to be the chief in the Councell and him they called the Nasi or President and him they took to represent Moses Then the next eminent they chose to be his second and him they called Abh beth Din. The Father of the Councell or Vice-President Hee sate upon the right hand of the Nasi compare the Phrase of sitting on the right hand of power Matth. 26.64 and then the whole Sanhedrin sate on the one hand and on the other in a semicircle On the right hand before them and on the left there were two clarks of the Councell one registred the acquitting votes and Testimonies and the other the casting compare Matth. 25.33 [l] Id. ibid. per. 3. The proper and constant time of their sitting was from the end of the morning Service to the beginning of the Evening Service and so their sitting and the Divine Service did not clash one with another yet sometime did occasions that came before them prolong their session even untill night and then they might determine the matter that they had been debating on by day but they might not begin a new businesse by night They violated their own custom and tradition in judging of Christ by night It was in their power and cognisance to judge all persons and all matters yet inferior matters they medled not withall but referred them to inferiour Courts in somuch that they Judged a whole tribe a prophet the High-priest nay the King himself if there were occasion [m] Id. in If the High-priest did any thing that deserved whipping they whipped him saith Maimony and restored him to his dignity againe [n] Id in Sanhedr per. 2 And although they admitted not the King of the house of David to be a member of the Sanhedrin saith the same author yet did the Kings judge the people and the Sanhedrin judged them if there were occasion They had these two traditions cleane contrary one to another and yet both of force and took place in their severall seasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King judgeth and they judge him And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King judgeth not and they judge not him [o] Sanh per. 2. in Gemar The former was in vigour till King Jannai was convented before them and then because partiality could not be prevented they enacted the latter [p] Ibid. per. 7. Of capitall penalties in which kind of matters they especially judged they had foure sorts stoning burning slaying with the sword and strangling In reference to which the Targum on Ruth hath this glosse in the first chapter ver 16. [q] Targ. in Ruth 1.16 Naomi said unto her we are commanded to keepe Sabbaths and Holy dayes so that we may not walke above 2000. cubits Ruth saith whithersoever thou goest I will goe Naomi saith we are commanded not to lodge together with the heathen Ruth saith where thou lodgest I will lodge Naomi saith we are commanded to keep the six hundred and thirteene commandements Ruth saith what thy people observe I will observe as if they were my people Naomi saith we are commanded not to worship strange gods Ruth saith Thy God shall be my God Naomi saith we have foure judiciall deaths for offenders stoning with stones burning with fire killing with the sword and hanging on the tree Ruth saith as thou diest I will die [r] Sanhed ubi supr 1. Those whom they burned they used thus They set them up to the knees in a dunghill and two with a towell about his neck pulled and strained him till he opened his mouth wide and then they powred in scalding lead which ran downe into his bowels 2. These that were strangled they also set up to the knees in a dunghill and two with a to well stifled and strangled him the one pulling at the one end and the other at the other till he died 3. Those whom they slew with the sword they did it by beheading them 4. [s] Ibid. per. 6. Whom they stoned they stoned naked first one of the witnesses threw him or pusht him that he might dash his loines against a stone if that killed him there was no more adoe if it did not the other witnesse tooke a great stone and dashed it on his brest as he lay on his backe if that killed him there was an end if not all the people flang stones at him
the North So on the South side of the Altar there were marble tables and low pillars for the very same use that there were on the other side of the Altar namely for the fleaing and cutting up and washing the intrulls of the sacrifices but when greater store came then that very space just between the Altar and the South wall would containe then all the South side of the Court was permitted for that use even as farre as the middle of the Altar betwixt North and South The five and twenty cubits space therefore that wee are to give account of betweene the South wall of the Court and the foot of the rise of the Altar were thus parcelled 1. There were eight cubits from the Court wall to the pillars as there were on the North side and this was the breadth of the Cloister and the standing of Israel on that side the Court. 2. The disposall of the Tables as on the other side before the pillars tooke up foure cubits 3. And then the thirteene cubits betweene these and the foot of the Altar rise was partly as is probable taken up with some rings as on the North side though not so many for they needed not and partly with some plaine pavement next to the rise that the Priests might have accesse to it the better CHAP. XXXVI The space betwixt the Altar and the Porch THe Altar stood before the gate or entrance of the Porch that gave accesse into the Temple and the space between the foundation of the Altar and the foundation of the Porch [a] Mid. per. 3. was two and twenty cubits But there was not so much cleare ground or plaine pavement and passage betweene them for the staires of the Porch being in number twelve and every step a cubit broad besides the halfe pace or inlarging at every third step caused that these steps lay downe a great way in the Court towards the Altar and took up a good space of these two and twenty cubits Every one of these steps was halfe a cubit high and thereupon the whole rise ariseth to be six cubits from the ground to the landing in the porch so that he that stood in the Porch gate his feet stood even and levell with his feet that stood upon the Circuit of the Altar [b] Tamid per. 7. Upon these steps of the Porch the Priests stood when they came out from burning incense and blessed the people As concerning the space betwixt the Porch and Altar these things are remarkable about it 1. [c] Kelim per. 1. That no man might come upon this space that had any blemish upon him nor any man might come here bare headed the reason of the former restraint is easie to be apprehended because of the holinesse of the place being so near both to the Altar and the Temple and the reason of the latter is because in their greatest devotions they used to cover their head and therefore none might come bare headed into so dovout a place 2. That no man might stand upon this space or stay within it while the Priest was burning incense in the holy place [d] Maym. in Tamid in per. 3. For whilest they burned incense in the Temple every day all the people departed from the Temple so that betweene the Temple and the Altar there was not a man till he that burned incense came forth And so at the time that the High-priest went in with the blood of the sin-offering which was to be sprinkled within all the people withdrew from between the Altar and the Temple till he came forth againe And because they might know the time when to withdraw from this space at the daily incense the Sagan or President of the service called to the Priest that was within the holy place with a loud voice and gave him notice when he should begin with the incense saying to him Offer the intense and as he spake thus the people withdrew The reason of this custome I shall not be curious to looke after but whether the Cerimony did not fitly resemble how far distant all men are from having any share with Christ in his intercession which the offering of the incense resembled be it left to the reader to consider 3. In this space between the Temple and the Altar was the murder committed upon Zacharias the son of Barachias as our Saviour mentioneth Mat. 23 â—5 Now there are various conjectures who this Zachary should be some thinke of Zachary the prophet whose booke of prophecy we have in the old Testament Some suppose it might be John Baptists father and some conceive that Christ speaketh there predictively foretelling that they should slay Zachary the son of Baruâ—h in the Temple the story of which Josephus giveth in lib. 4. de bel cap. 19. But the Talmudists doe help us to understand it of Zacharie the son of Jehoiada who was stoned by the people in this place in the daies of King Joash 2 Chron. 24. Why he is called the son of Barachias and not the son of Jehoiada is not a place here to dispute the Jerusalem Talmud hath this story concerning his slaughter which may give us cause to thinke that our Saviour spake according to the common received opinion and was understood to meane Zachary the son of Jehoiada though for speciall reason he calleth him the son of Barachias [e] Talm. Jerus in Taanith fol. 69. Rab. Jorhanan saith eighty thousand young Priests were slaine for Zacharies blood R. Jodan asked R. Aha where slew they Zacharias In the Court of the women or in the Court of Israel He saith to him not in the Court of Israel nor in the Court of the women but in the Court of the Priests c. And seven transgressions did Israel transgresse that day They slew a Priest a Prophet a Judge shed innocent blood and defiled the Court and the Sabbath which was also the day of expiation And when Nebuzaradan came thither he saw the blood bubling He saith to them what meaneth this They said to him it is the blood of bullocks and rams and lambs which we have offered upon the Altar Presently he brought bullocks and rams and lambs and killed them and as yet the blood bubled or reeked above theirs And when they confessed not he hanged them up They said the Lord is pleased to require his blood at our hands They say to him it is the blood of a Priest and Prophet and Judge who prophecied to us concerning all that thou hast done to us and we stood up against him and slew him Presently he brought eighty thousand young Priests and slew them And still the blood bubled Then he was angry at it and said to it what wouldest thou have that all the people should perish for thee Presently the holy blessed God was filled with compassion and said what is this mâ—n that is but flesh and blood filled with pity towards my children and shall not I be much more of