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
whence else they were denominated it will not countervaile the labour to search nor is it very hopefull to finde We shall not need to spend time in describing the forme fabrick and dimensions of these gates since these and the rest of the Gates were all sutable to that in the East quarter which we have described before saving that their Gate house was higher and that they were not charactered with the picture of Shushan as that Gate was Let us therefore onely take the prospect as we stand in either of these Gates before us towards the South upon which they opened as we did in the other toward the East What Streets Houses Turrets Gardens and beauteous buildings were to be seen in Jerusalem as it lay before you may better be supposed in so goodly a City then described only if you will observe the situation of it or how it lay you may view it situate thus It lay upon the Hill Acra which rising in the middle descended with an easie declining towards the East and West and with a descent also toward the North or toward the Temple Upon the very highest pitch of the Hill and from whence it had a fall either way there sprang the sweet and gentle fountaine Siloam without the City and ran to either end of the City both East and West in a contrary channell as it made toward the East it left the Fullers field upon the right hand and saluted the Sheep gate on the left and so turned Eastward and fell into the Poole called Solomons Poole which may well be supposed to be Bethesda As it ranne Westward it coasted along the broad wall the Tower of the Furnaces the valley gate and dung gate and after a while fell into the Poole of Siloam CHAP. V. Of the West gates Shallecheth or Coponius Parbar Asuppim IN the Talmuds Survey of the Temple there is but one Gate mentioned or spoken of upon the West quarter but Josephus doth mention foure and that agreeably to the Scripture Not but that the Talmudists did very well know there were so many Gates upon this quarter but they reckon only those by name [a] Mid. per. 1. Tamid per. 1. that had Guards kept at them whereas Josephus reckons all that were in being His words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [b] Ioseph Antiq lib. 15. c. 14. On the West quarter of this outmost bound there were foure gates The first leading to the Kings Palace the valley betweene being filled up for the passage Two others went into the Suburbs and the other into the other City having many steps downe into the valley and many up againe to the pitch or coming up We will survey these Gates particularly and take them in the order that he had laid down beginning first with that Gate that led to the Kings Palace SECT 1. The Gate of Shallecheth or Coponius THe Gate that led towards the Kings Palace was that that stood most North in this West quarter of all the foure being set directly and diametrically opposite to the Gate Shushan in the East In the time of the first Temple this Gate was called Shallecheth 1 Chron. 26.16 but in the time of Herods Temple it was called [a] Midd. per. 1. Maym. in Beth habbechir per. 5. The Gate of Coponius The Jewes write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kiponus about the derivation of which word there are various conjectures Some deduce it from [b] Aruch in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A hole or entrance Some from [c] L. Lemper in Mid. pag. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A back doore some from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A thorough-passage but I should rather derive it from Coponius the Roman Commander Josephus recordeth that when Cyrenius was sent by Augustus to be Governour of Syria Coponius also Generall of the Horse was sent with him for ruler in Judea [d] Ioseph An. lib. 18. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this was so neere about the time of Herods finishing the building of the Temple that it giveth faire occasion to thinke that he named this gate in honour of that great Commander Coponius as he did a building hard by it Antonia in memory and honour of his great friend Antony The word Shallecheth by which name this Gate was first called in the time of Solomon doth signfie a casting up and so saith [e] Michol in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi it is rendred by the Chaldee Paraphrast in the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this gate is said in 1 Chron. 26.16 to have been by the Causey going up which going up is that renowned ascent that Solomon made for his owne passage up to the Temple 1 King 10.5 2 Chron. 9.4 And the Causey is that that Iosephus meaneth when hee saith A gate led to the Kings House from the Temple the valley between being filled up for the passage which was a very great work for the valley was large and deep Therefore it may very well be concluded that it was called Shallecheth or the casting up from the Causey that was cast up to lead to it from the Kings Palace this being his ordinary way to the Temple This Causey is held by some [f] Vid. R. Soâ— in Esay 6. to have been set on either side with Okes and Teyle trees which grew up there and served for a double benefit the one to keep up the Causey on either side that it should not fall downe and the other was to make the King a pleasant walke and shade with trees on either side as hee came and went And so they render that verse in Esay 6.13 where the word is onely used besides in all the Bible In it shall be a tenth and it shall returne and be â—aten as a Teile tree or as an Oake by Shallecheth that is as the rowes of trees on the sides of this Causey SECT 2. Parbar Gate 1 Chron 26.18 FRom the Gate Shallecheth or Coponius that lay most North on this Westerne quarter let us walke toward the South and the next Gate wee come to was called Parbar of this there is mention in the booke of Chronicles in the place alledged where the Holy Ghost relating the disposall of the Porters at the severall gates of the Mountaine of the House faith At Parbar Westward two at the Causey and two at Parbar By which it is apparent sufficiently that this Gate was in the West quarter and reasonably well apparent that it was the next gate to the Causey or Shallecheth because it is so named with it but by that time we have fully surveyed the situation of it it will appeare to have beene so plaine enough The word Parbar admitted of a double construction for it either signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An outer place [a] Gloss in Tamid per. 1. Kimch in Chron. 26. Aruch in voce c. as many of the Jewes do construe it or it concurres with the
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
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 slaine on the North side the bullocke and the goat of the day of Exptation their slaughter was on the North and the takeing of their bloud in a vessell of the service was an thy North The bullockes that were to be burnt and the goats that were to be burnt were slaine on the North and their bloud to be taken on the North The goats of the beginning of the months and of the solemne Feasts were slaine on the North and their bloud taken on the North The whole-burnt-offering most holy was slaine on the North the peace-offerings of the Congregation and trespasse-offerings were slaine on the North c. and generally the greatest number of Sacrifices were slaine 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 bookes in the pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [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] Ibid. per. 3. Now thâ—â—ings were in six rowes four in a row but some say they were four rowes and six in a row and there they slew the Sacrifices These rings or staples rather were fixed downe in the stones of the pavement and either a bending hooke was fastned to these staples that they might bring the necke of the beast under and hold him fast or they drew down the necks of the beasts to be slaine 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 rowes of these rings foure in a row or foure rowes with six rings in a row this doth not much break the square since the same number of rings and the same compasse 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 lyed the sacrifice with cordes till they were to offer him and to sprinkle his blood on the bornes of the Altar as the Chaldee Paraphrast renders the 27. verse of the hundred and eighteenth Psalme Now although the command was strict and expresse that such and such sacrifices should be slaine on the North side of the Altar Lev. 1.10 11 c. that is in propriety just betweene the Altar and North wall of the Court yet where there were many such sacrifices to be slaine at once so that this place of the rings was not able to containe 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 neere as might be in the place parallel to this place of the rings This matter is handled and decided in Tosaphta on the treatise Corbonoth in these words [d] Tosaphta in Corbanoth per. 6. Which is the North side of the Altar where it was fit to kill the most boly 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 30 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 22 cubits But Ribbi addeth the place where the feet of the Israelites trod which was eleven cubits broad and 187 cubits long and the place where the feet of the Priests trod which was eleven cubits broad and 187 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 187 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] Ibie per. 7. Rabbi Josi saith all the Altar may be understood for Northward As it is said and he shall kill it on the side of the Altar Northward before the Lord. Rabbi Josi from Rabbi Judah saith From the midst of the Altar Northward was as the North and from the midst of the Altar the other way was as the South And so Rabbi lost from Rabbi Ludah saith also There were two wickets in the house of the but chering knives opening toward the West and eight cubits from the ground so that the Court might be sit 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 feate of the Israelites trod of eleven cubits broad and of the place where the feete 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 slaine on the North side of the Altar were exceeding many indeed that rather then want roome to kill them they should not onely slay them in the place of the rings but even in the standing of the Priests and Israelites at the East end namely so farre 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 Northward and that the doores thereof were behind the porch Westward even where the wing of the porch stood out more Northerly then the breadth of the Temple and extended and there the going up to these doores was by steps even eight cubits high and the reason why the doores were there rather then in the front or the end of the Porch was because the passage to them there tooke up the least roome and was the least hindrance in the Court. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [f] Midd. per. 5. Foure cubits from the North