A Handful of Gleanings out of the Book of Exodus, Section 34 – Section 44
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 foreign, 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 yard short of the silver foundation, or little lesse.
SECT. XXXVI. Of the Goate-haire Curtaines.
TO helpe this defect, as also to shelter the rich Curtaines from weather, were made Curtaines of Goates haire, eleven in number; in breadth each one two yards, as was the breadth of other, but being one Curtaine more then the other, they were two yards broader then the other, when they were all coupled together. Each Curtaine was thirty cubits, or fifteene yards long, and consequently a yardlonger then those spoken of before. These were sewed, sixe together on one peece, and five on another. These two maine peeces were linked together, with fifty claspes of brasse, as the other were with fifty of gold. But when these curtaines were laid upon the other over the Tabernacle, they were not so laid as these brazen loopes, did light just upon the golden ones, over the vaile, but three quarters of a yard more Westward, so that the five curtains that went West did reach to the ground, and halfe a curtaine to spare, Exod. 26. 12. The other sixe that lay East, reacht to the end, covered the pillars whèreon that vaile hung, and they hung halfe a curtaine breadth, or a yard over the entrance. Their length of fifteen: yards reacht halfe a yard lower on either side, than the other curtaines did, and yet they came not to the ground by a quarter of a yard, so that the silver foundations were alwayes plaine to be seene, every where but at the West end.
Thus had the Tabernacle two coverings of curtaines; yet both these on the flat roofe would not hold out raines, and weather, wherefore there was made for the top a covering of Rammes skins dyed red, signifying well the blood of Christ the shelter of the Church.
Above that was also another covering of Tahash skins, a beast not perfectly knowne what he was, but well Englished, a Badger, and guessed well because of his during hide. Thus if you view this building erected, and thus covered, you see the silver foundation alwaies open to view. Halfe a yard above that hid onelyonly under one curtaine: all the side above that under two, and the top with foure.
SECT. XXXVII. Of the most holy place.
THe Priests entred into the Tabernacle at the East end of it, and so must we; where pace up ten yards forward, and you come to the vaile which parted betweene the Holy place, and the most Holy of all. The Holyest place of all, was filled and furnished before the vaile was hung up, and so it shall be first handled. This place was five yards long, five yards high, and five yards broad; a perfect square, the figure of firmenesse, herein fitly signifying Heaven.
In this place, at the West end, stood the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of all the world, Joh. 3. 11. typifying Christ, by whom God is come into Covenant with Gentiles as well as Jewes.
The Arke was made like a Chest, hollow, that it might receive things within it. It was a yard and a quarter long, and three quarters broad, and three quarters high, made of Shittim boards, and it was gilded both within and without, representing Christs purity, both in inward thoughts and outward actions. It had no feet, but the bottome stood upon the ground, a figure of Christs abasing himselfe upon the earth. On the outside of the uppermost brink was made a Golden Crown round about, representing [say the Jewes] the Crowne of the Law, but most fitly, Christ Crowned with glory. At each corner was strucke in, a staple or …ing of Gold, wherein were put two staves of Shittim wood gilded over, to beare the Arke withall, which staves were never to be taken out, but there to stay continually, teaching the Priests, as some say, to be ready prest for their service: but rather shadowing out Christs Deity, supporting his humanity, never to be parted from it. Now for the cover of this chest, or Arke, it was made of pure Gold, beaten or formed to the just length and breadth of the Arke, that when it was laid on it touched the Golden Crowne round about. At either end was made a Cherub, or the forme of an Angell, like a childe, standing bowed, with wings reaching over the Arke, so that the wings of one Cherub touched the wings of another. They were of Gold, beaten out of the same peece that the cover of the Arke was of. Their faces were one to another, and both toward to the cover of the Arke. This cover both by the Old and New Testament, is called the Propitiatory, vulgarly in our English, the Mercy-seat. So called, because from hence God mercifully spake to his People. View this part well, and you see Christ fully.
First, the two Cherubims bowed toward the Mercy-seat. So all Angels to Christ.
Secondly, They looked each at other, but both toward the Mercy-seat. So both Testaments Old and New, looke each at other, and both at Christ. So doe the two Churches, of Jewes and Gentiles.
Thirdly, This covered the Law: so doth Christ that it plead not against his people to condemne them.
Fourthly, God speakes to Israel from hence, so God by Christ to us, Heb. 1. 2.
SECT. XXXVIII. Of the Holy place without the vaile.
THus was the Sanctum Sanctorum, or the most holy of all: for fabricke and furniture. To separate this from the holy place was hung up a vaile, of the same stuffe and worke that the rich curtaines of the Tabernacle were: The hanging up of this vaile was thus: Just under the golden claspes that linked the curtaines together, were set up foure pillars of Shittim wood gilded over, upon foure Bases of silver, such as the plankes stood upon, and these make up the hundred peeces, or Talents spoken of before: The pillars stood a yard from each other, and the two outmost stood a yard from the walke; at the top of each pillar was fastned a golden hooke, on the which the vaile hung, five yards broad, and five yards high; This vaile represented Christs flesh or humanity, celebrated by foure Evangelists, the foure Pillars that beare up that story.
This place without the vaile was ten yards long and five yards broad: Into this might the Priests come, and Moses the Prince by a speciall warrant. The furniture of this was, the Shewbread Table, the golden Candlestick, and the gilded Altar.
SECT. XXXIX. The Table of Shewbread.
ON the P…iests right hand, as he walked up this place was the Table of Shewbread, of this forme and matter, and for this end.
A Table frame was made two cubits long, and a cubit broad, and a cubit and a halfe high; the matter of it was Shittim wood all overlaid with Gold: Equall with the top of the frame was a curious wrought border of gold, of a hand breadth; the higher edge equall with the top of the frame, and the border so broad below; on the higher edge of this border was set a golden Crowne, which went quite about the frame, and within this Crowne was the cover laid; At each corner or foot was fastned a staple or ring of gold, close by the lower edge of the golden border. As the feet, so these rings were 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 *foreigna golden dish wherein that Cake lay, and betweene every Cake was *foreigna golden dish: on the top of either row lay *foreigna golden dish whelmed downe; and upon that stood *foreigna 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 su…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 *foreigngolden 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 br…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 Al…ar and it that the Table did. Thus was the furniture of this place called the Holy. Go… 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, making the breadth of the Cou…t fifty cubits at either end, for just in the middle, the house tooke up ten cubits breadth: just so were the Pillars set at the East end, at the same distance from the house, and from one another. On the sides upon the hookes of the Pillars were hangings fastned, made of linnen well twisted, of an hundred cubits in length and five in height, at the west end were the like, just halfe so long, and just so high: At the East end there was some difference, for that had three peeces to make it up. On either side of the entrance was a peece hung of fifteene cubits long, and of the same height: Just in the middle was a peece of twenty cubits long; of the same height with the other hangings, but of more rich stuffe; for whereas the other were made onelyonly of linnen, this was of the same stuffe that the rich c…rtaines were, curiously wrought with the needle. To fasten these hangings that they might not flie up in the lower end, there were cords fastned to them, and these cords tied to brasen pins, which pins were fastned in the ground, and so made all sure. Thus were also the curtaines that covered the house served with pins of the same metall, with cords fastned to them in like manner, to prevent the like inconvenience. So was the Court called the Court of the people, because into this the people had entrance, as well as the Priests and Levites.
SECT. XLIII. Of the Altar of Burnt Offerings.
IN the Court of the people stood the Altar of burnt sacrifice up toward the Tabernacle, that the people might stand to beho d the sacrifice offered, with their faces toward the holy place; onelyonly the Laver stood above the Altar betweene it and the Tab… nacle.
This Altar was made of Shittim wood, five cubits or two yards and a halfe long, and as much broad, and one yard and a halfe high, thus made: First a strong frame like the frame of a Table of these dimensions: The open places in the frame were made up with boards. All this bulke was overlaid with brasse, at each corner was a horne made of the same wood and peece that each corner post was of. Thus stood it hollow, and within the hollow, just in the middle betweene bottome and top, was set a brasen grate, made in manner of a net, that the Ashes might fall through; upon this grate the fire burnt continually and never went out. At each corner of this grate was a brasen ring, which at each corner came through the Altar frame and hung out of the frame; in these rings were …aves of Shittim wood overlaid with brasse, put, which made the frame, and the grate sure together, and so were they also carried together.
To this Altar belonged divers appurtenances made of brasse: As first brasen Pans, in which they carried forth the Ashes of the Altar. As also brasen shovels to scrape the Ashes together. Then brasen bason… wherein to take the blood of the sacrifice: Brasen hookes, with which they turned the burning peeces into the fire if any part lay out, that so every part might bee surely burnt. Lastly, brasen dishes or Censors, in which the Priests took burning coales from the Altar to carry into the Holy place, there to offer incense.
SECT. XLIIII. Of the Laver for water.
IN this court also stood a vessell of brasse, upon a foot or base of brasse, in which vessell water was kept for the Priests washing themselves, &c. The forme of this is not expressed in the Text, therefore we will looke onelyonly at the matter and the end. This vessell was made of brazen bright peeces, which the women used to looke their faces in: and out of this piece water was taken when a suspected woman was to be tryed. The end why this was set so nigh the Altar was, that the Priests might wash themselves when they went about the service of the Tabernacle, and that they might wash some part of the sacrifices. This Laver fitly resembled the water of Baptisme that admits us to sacred Mysteries, and chiefely the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from al filthinesse of flesh and spirit.