peeces or Bases SECT. XXXIV The walls and juncture of the Tabernacle THese silver Bases then were thus laid forty at the South side forty at the North side and sixteene at the West end laid as close together as was possible so that though there were so many peeces yet was it but one intire foundation Here are fourescore and fifteene of the hundred talents disposed of in the two sides and the West end what became of the foure talents remaining and of the East end we shall see hereafter These Bases thus laid the plankes were set in them one plank taking up two Bases twenty plankes making the South side and twenty the North and eight the West end these were five yards long apeece and so when they were set up they made the Tabernacle five yards and a little more high upon the walls Now for the making of these plankes sure and to stand stedfast the two corner plankes were great helpes of which first you remember the length of the sides namely fifteene yards or twenty plankes of three quarters breadth apeece The West end had sixe plankes intire besides a planke at either corner joynting end and sides together These corner plankes were of the same breadth that all the other were and thus set The middle of the breadth of the one Planke was laid close to the end of the South side or to that planke that was furthest West so that a quarter of a yard of the breadth of the corner planke was inward to make up the Tabernacle breadth a quarter was taken up with the thicknesse of the side planke to which it joyned and a quarter lay outward Thus at the South-west just so was it at the North-west corner Then count the two corner plankes were inward a quarter of a yard apeece and the sixe plankes that stood betweene them of three quarters apeece behold five yards just the breadth of the house betweene wall and wall These corners knit end and side together and were strength of the building as Christ is of his Church making Jewes and Gentiles one spirituall Temple Besides these corners strengthening the Fabricke there were seven bonds to make all sure First plankes to plankes were close joynted at the foote so that the Text calls them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or twins Secondly each planke was linked to the next at the top with a golden linke Thirdly on the side staples of Gold were fastned in every planke so that foure barres of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold were carryed in the staples from one end of the Tabernacle to another Besides these there was also another barre of the same wood that ran from end to end through the body or thicknesse of the plankes a hole being bored through each planke for the purpose By these barres Christ is fitly resembled who is conveyed throughout the whole Scripture in the rings of diverse passages and stories In the fourth Chapter of the Ephesians there are seven bonds that bind the Church to unity First one body secondly one spirit thirdly one hope of our calling fourthly one Lord fifthly one Faith sixthly one Baptisme seventhly one God and Father of all Now view in imagination the body of the Tabernacle as it stands onely planked without any more addition to it with plankes of Shittim wood The length fifteene yards from end to end the breadth five yards from side to side The sides and West end planked up five yards high and somewhat more the foundation of those plankes massy peeces of silver The top of the house and the East end left open till they be covered hereafter First then of the covering of the top and sides and West end SECT. XXXV Of the Curtaines of the Tabernacle THe Tabernacle was bounded with Curtaines as lightest for carriage which Curtaines covered top and sides These Curtaines were Tapestry worke The ground was of fine yarne dyed blew Purple and Scarlet woven together the embroydery was of Pictures of Cherubims These Curtaines were in number ten each one being twenty eight cubits or fourteene yards long foure cubits or two yards broad They were sewed together five Curtaines in one peece and five in another so that they made two large peeces of Tapestry of fourteene yards long and tenne yards broad These two peeces are called couplings Exod. 26. 5. And these two were thus joyned together In the edge of either were made fifty loopes of blew tape one answerable or correspondent to another or one over against another and with fifty hooks or clasps of gold he linked the loopes together and so the two maine peeces were made one covering or Tabernacle Exod. 36. 13. Quest Why were not all the ten Curtaines sewed together on one peece but five and five sewed together to make two peeces and then those two thus looped together with a button or claspe of gold Answ. First the Tabernacle consisted of two parts the holy place and the most holy which two were divided one from another by a vaile of which hereafter Now according to this division of the house was also the division of the curtaines For Exod. 26. 32. it is plaine that the vaile that parted the holy from the most holy was hung just under these golden claspes that knit the five and five Curtaines together So that five Curtaines lay over the holy place and the other five over the most holy but with this difference The holy place was ten yards long and the five Curtaines sewed together were just so broad and so they covered onely the top and sides but hung not downe at the end which was Eastward but the most holy was but five yards long and the five Curtaines over that did not onely cover the top but also hung downe at the West end to the silver bases Secondly the looping together of the Curtaines five and five on a peece with a golden tye doth sweetly resemble the uniting of the two natures in Christ divinity and humanity into one person which two natures were not confounded as Curtaines sewed together but were sweetely knit together by golden and ineffable union Thirdly this might also fully signifie the two Churches of Jewes and Gentiles knit together by Christ that so they make but one spirituall Tabernacle Now come and measure the Curtaines againe imagining them throwne length way over the Tabernacle they were fourteene yards long and twenty yards broad when they were all sewed and looped together This breadth covered the length of the building which was fifteene yards and it hung downe behinde the West end even to the foundation The East end was still left open Of the length of them five yards were taken up in covering the flat top of the house which was five yards broad between wall and wall A quarter of a yard was taken up on either side with covering the thicknesse of the plankes so that on either side they hung downe foure yards and one quarter which was three quarters of a
a staple or ring of gold close by the lower edge of the golden border As the feet so these rings were foure wherein were put staves of Shittim wood gilt with gold to beare the Table Upon this Table were set twelve Cakes or Loaves resembling the twelve Tribes who had their daily bread from God As on Aarons shoulders six and six names of Tribes so on this Table six and six Cakes for the Tribes were set one upon another Each Cake had in it two Omers which measure was significative For so much Manna every Israelite gathered against the Sabbath in the Wildernesse Exod. 16. and on the Sabbath were these Cakes set on the Table to put Israel in minde by the very measure and day of their sustenance in the Wildernesse These Cakes were called the bread of faces and the Table the Table of faces because they were set before God continually shewing that Israels provision was from and before God Under the lowest Cake was * a golden dish wherein that Cake lay and betweene every Cake was * a golden dish on the top of either row lay * a golden dish whelmed downe and upon that stood * a dish of Gold with Frankincense in it These told Israel of Gods speciall providence toward every severall Tribe SECT. XL The Golden Candlesticke OVer against this Table on the South side or on the left hand stood the golden Candlesticke of one massie piece The forme of it was thus The foot of it was of Gold from which there went up a shaft streight which was the middle light 〈◊〉 the foot was a golden dish wrought Almond wise and a little above that a golden knop and above that a golden flower Then issued out two branches on either side one which were carried bowed in equall rate till they might be brought up streight to be as high as the middle shaft out of which they proceeded Upon either of these branches were wrought three golden Cups Almond-wise that is on sharpe Scollop shell fashion for ornament above which was a golden knop or bosse and above that a golden flower and neere above that the socket wherein the light was to be set Thus were these two lowest branches Above which in the middle shaft was a golden bosse and then out came two branches more in formejust like the other above the comming out of which in the shaft was another knop or bosse and out came two others like the former from thence the shaft upward was decked with three golden Scollop cups or dishes a knop and flower Thus the head of all the branches stood in an equall height and distance Here were seven golden Candlesticks representing the seven Spirits of the Messiah spoken of Esay 11. 2. 3. and from thence by the Talmudists and Apocalyptique The varietie of sevens here might remember Israel of the seven dayes of Creation As the twelve Cakes represented the twelve Tribes so the light of the Candlesticke set before them signified the light of the Law whereby they were to be guided And the lights alwayes standing here as well as the Loaves there tell Israel that they have as much need of this as of their daily suâ—tenance SECT. XLI The Altar of Incense BEtweene the Candlesticke and the Table stood the Altar of Incense fitly teaching that it is the incense of prayer that sanctifies both our spirituall food signified by the light of the Candles and our bodily food by the loaves This Altar was made of Shittim wood overlaid with gold It was a cubit long as much broad and two cubits high At each corner it had a horne made of the same peece with the corner post Hornes top and side were all gilded with gold On the end of the frame upward was set a * golden Crowne at the foote of which Crowne on either side were strucke two golden rings or staples in which were put two staves of Shittim wood overlaid with gold to beare this Altar withall This Altar was set neere the vaile just in the middest of the breadth of the roome before the middest of the Arke which was within the vaile distant from either wall two yards and a quarter On the north side of it stood the Table which being set length way to the wall tooke up halfe a yard of the breadth of the house so betweene it and the Altar was a passage or way a yard and quarter broad The Candlesticke was of the same brâ—adth with his branches spread that the Table was oflength and so was set over against it shewing five inches betweene every socket wanting one inch at the whole This being set as farre from the wall as the outmost edge of the Table that stood on the other side of the house afforded the same space betweene the Alâ—ar and it that the Table did Thus was the furniture of this place called the Holy Goâ— into it at the East end and looke just before you and there is the vaile and golden Altar on your right hand nigh the vaile twelve loaves on a golden Table on your left hand seven Lampes burning in seven golden Candlesticks made of one peece by which you see golden snuffers and dishes for the cleansing of the Lampes morning and night Looke upon the walls on either side and you see nothing but gold over your head and there you behold pictures of Cherubims curiously wrought in rich Curtaines It is not fit every eye should see so rich a roome therefore to prevent this the east end had a hanging like the vaile within of the same dimensions and of the same matterials wrought with needle This was hung upon five Pillars of Shittim wood overlaid with gold each Pillar was fastned in a base of brasse and at the top had a golden hooke on which the covering hung Quest Whether was the vaile hung within the Pillars or without Answ. Without so that it hid the Pillars from the view of the people else had not the building beene uniforme all the Timber of the housebeing hid with hangings and this not Thus was the Tabernacle made with all the furniture of it Now are wee to consider the outmost part of it or the Court of the people SECT. XLII Of the Court of the people THis Fabricke of the Tabernacle was inclosed with another pale of curtaines hanging round about it On the South side of the house twenty cubits distant from the house were set a row of Shittim Pillars twenty in number Each Pillar was set in a base of brasse distant from each other five cubits counting from the middle of one Pillar to another So that the twenty made a length of an hundred cubits in each Pillar was strucke a hooke of silver and each Pillar had a border of silver wrought about it Thus were they on the South side just so were they on the North At the West end 35. cubits from the house were set ten Pillars in the same manner and distance
or the Arke distant from the Tabernacle travelling up and downe then did the Priest in his Robes stand before the Arke as it stood covered with the curtaines and enquired and the answer was given him in behalfe of Israel whom God saw on his breast For this reason the stones for whose sakes the perfect light of resolution was given are called the perfect light or Urim and Thummim and the answer given from the Priests month is called the answer by Urim and Thummim David once enquired of the Priest having the Ephod but wanting the Arke and God answered him and shewed him that God was not bound to meanes On the contrary Saul once enquired of the Arke wanting the Ephod and God answered him not shewing him how God honoured his Priests whom Saul had dishonoured even to the Sword Thus have we seene the Breast-plates forme richnesse and glory Forme fouresquare a span every way the richnesse it was set with twelve precious stones the glory that for the sake of these stones that is for their sakes whose names these stones bare God revealed secrets to his people See this breast-plate fastned to the Ephod and you see Aaron the High Priest arrayed in his glorious garments At each corner of the breast-plate was a golden ring fastned On the upper side of the piece just upon the edge was layd a little golden chaine which ran like an edging lace upon the edge and was brought through the two rings which were at either corner one and the ends of the chaines were made fast to bosses or loopes of gold which were on the shoulder peeces of the Ephod by the Onyx stones At the lower edge of the breast-plate was an edging chaine carried just in the same manner that the other was through two gold rings and the chaines tyed to the embroidered girdle of the Ephod as the other were to the shoulder peeces Breast-plate and Ephod might not be parted no more then might the Staves and Arke SECT. L. The erection of the Tabernacle IN the yeare of the World two thousand five hundred and fourteene which was the second yeare current of Israels departure out of Aegypt in the moneth Abiâ— or the first moneth Stilo novo in the first day of the moneth Moses set up the Sanctuary under mount Sinai and this was the manner of his setting it up Hee laid the silver foundations in their rankes and in them he set up the plankes and strengthened them with the five barres linking them also together at the top with a golden haspe He set up the foure Pillars in the house whereon to hang the vaile and the five pillars at the East end whereon to hang that vaile also He set the Arke in the most holy place hanging up the vaile before it In the holy place he set the Table and Shew-bread on the North side and the Candlesticke on the South and the Altar of perfume just in the middle betwixt them And at the East end he hung up the vaile to keepe these things from vulgar eyes The Altar and Laver he set up before the entrance and incompassed them and the Tabernacle it selâ—e with a pale of hangings round about Thus was the Sanctuary erected and was lovely to them that beheld it being the glory and the strength of Israel Then did the cloud of glory flit from off the Tent of Moses and lighted upon the Sanctuary and dwelt there more gloriously then on the other And thus endeth Exodus in a cloud under which we are to looke for a more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands nor of this building in which the God-head â—hould dwell bodily FINIS Judico Libellum hunc cui titulus A Handfull of Gleanings out of the Booke of Exodus insigni doctrina refertum summa cum utilitate imprimendum Ja. Cranford * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}