Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Ezekiel · Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI.
AFterwards he brought me into the Temple and measured the posts, six cubits broad V. 1.on the one side and six on the other, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. For posts, as before, the vulg. more agreeably to the Hebr. hath fronts or frontispices. Here is a description of the temple, or Sanctum, after that of the porch before going, by the dimensions thereof, and other parts adjoyning thereunto, that also of the Sanctum Sanctorum being first described likewise v. 3. For the frontispices Lyra.here Lyra noteth that they were not without but within, because he saith, that he was first brought into the Temple, and then the man, whom he saw, began to measure, and by the breadth is meant the thicknesse of these fronts, and for the addition, which was the breadth of the tabernacle, this, he saith, was the Temple so called in regard of the Tabernacle, which was first the place of divine worship, and in stead thereof was the Temple built by Solomon; then comes he to measure the gate 10. cubits, and the sides on one side five cubits, and five on the other. Here Lyra saith, this may seem not to agree, the fronts 6. cubits a piece, and the gate 10. together making 22. whereas the breadth of the house was but 20. but he answereth, there is a cubit in thicknesse counted on each side of the door, and so the breadth of the door was but 8. cubits, which added to 12. make just 20. But this objection and answer seem to me superfluous, for the sides of the gate being either of them 5. cubits and the gate 10. make the breadth of the house, viz. 20. and it is not said, Hebr. which was the breadth of the Tabernacle, but only after the fronts and their breadth spoken of, it is barely said, the breadth of the tabernacle; before which we may with better sense prefixe, next for the breadth of the tabernacle, the breadth of the gate 10. &c. Moreover in saying, that by breadth of the fronts was meant their thicknesse, he confoundeth himself, so soon making it again the breadth like that of the gate to come to this number of 22. The frontispices therefore were more probably not pieces standing equally with the gate, but placed above, of that breadth fairly wrought, as the name doth imply. For the mysticall sense Isidor saith, that the fronts 6. cubits broad set forth the Isidor.whole creation, which was perfected in 6. daies; and as by the sight of these fronts the beauty of the Temple was seen, so the power and wisdome of God is seen in the creation, as both David and Paul shew. For the gate Psal. 19. Rom. 1. Hieron.10. cubits and the sides five apiece, Jerom saith, that by the 10. perfection of obedience to the 10. Commandements whereby men enter into life is set forth, although not in act, yet in heart, and by the fives, the senses internall and externall imployed hereabout. For when a man is in all his senses taken up with the Commandements, he entreth, as it were by the gate into the house of life. For the length of the Temple 40. cubits, it hath been V. 2.often said before, that by length, long suffering and patience is set forth, which they must be indued withall, that would enter into the Kingdome of heaven, for we must suffer with him, if we will be glorified with him. Now according to this number of 40, Christ fasted 40. dayes, and Moses 40. before him, and the children of Israel were 40. years in the wildernesse, wherein they suffered by labour and travell and divers other wayes, before their entring into Candan, and we must all suffer long, before the crown commeth, as good souldiers of Christ Jesus. To this effect the Ord. gloss. Gloss. ord.Breadth setteth forth love, which is the old commandement and the new, and therefore double perfection is hereby intimated, legall standing most in 1 Joh. 2. 7.things externall, as having no more Gods but one, abhorring from images, &c. and evangelicall in things internall and spirituall, the worshipping of God in spirit and in truth, a right faith touching God in the unity of essence and distinction of persons, glorifying of the name of God, resting from sin &c. Or by these 20. as I noted before upon the like number 20. acts of love and charity are set forth; which I will not now again enumerate.
Then went he inward and measured the post of the door 2. cubits, and the door 6. V. 3.cubits, and the breadth of the door 7. cubits. For post again the vulg. and Hebr. have front, the singular being put for the plurall, or the front is named, it being left to be understood on this side and on that, the cubits being two set forth two principall graces, faith and love; the cubits of the door or opening being 6, and of the breadth thereof 7. set forth, how the faithfull after their labours in the Lord in this world represented by 6. because made in 6. dayes, come finally to rest in the holy of holies set forth by seven, the number of rest, because the Lord sanctified the seventh day, the length and breadth are shewed to have been equall, 20. cubits, and 20. a just square, intimating the stability of the kingdome of heaven, set forth by this most holy place for which also the city of the new Jerusalem is in Revel. set forth to be foursquare, for that happinesse is everlasting, and that glory such, as can Revel. 21.never be shaken, and to shew the superexcellency hereof it is called the Holy of holies, as the song of Solomon, the song of songs, for the superexcellency thereof.
He measured the wall of the house 6. cubits, and the breadth of every side chamber 4. cubits round about the house. Here after the description of the parts of the temple, V. 5.viz. the Sanctum, and the Sanctum Sanctorum, he proceeds to the wals of the whole building and the chambers built thereunto, which were 3. walled side chambers, and 30. in order, v. 6. For the 6. cubits of the wall, this must needs be understood of the thicknesse, and not of the breadth, because that was much more, and thus thick had the wall of this high building need to be, that it might stand the more strongly. For the chambers said to be 4. cubits broad, some for chambers render it Latera, sides, expounding it of butteresses set to the wals an equall distance from one another the more to strengthen it, and some exedras, seats, but both the word foreign signifieth a chamber, and 1 King. 6. it is expresly said, that chambers one above another were built, the lowest rank of chambers being 5. cubits, the next 6. cubits, the highest 7. cubits broad, but now it seemeth, that the lowest was but 4. the next 5. and the highest 6. whereas then it is said, the side chambers were 3. one over another 30. in order, the meaning is 3. ranks, in each of which if there were 10. we come to the number of 30. in all, 3. one above another in 10. ranks. And they entred into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold of the wall of the house. For the meaning of this see 1 King. 6. 6. he made narrowed rests round about, that the beames should not be fastened in the wall of the house, the vulg. for entred into the wall, hath, there were eminencies, which entred into the wall, Hebr. and goings out in the wall, which was of the house, &c. For the words are foreign the first words signifying, and goings, or goings out, or prominencies in the wall serving to support and stay up that part of the chambers, which stood toward the wall of the house, that there might be no need to make breaches therein by making mortice holes for the use before said, as the next words plainly shew, they had not hold of the wall of the house. Wherefore there is certainly a fault in the New Translation, which saith, that they entred into the wall. But how these chambers stood, and for what use they served, see my notes 1 King. 6. 5. where also the heighth and length of the house omitted here are set forth. For the spirit: meaning of the number of six, which was the thicknesse of the wall, enough hath been said before; for the number of four cubits the breadth of the chamber, Isidor saith, that these set forth the Isidor.4. humours of the body, which being sanctified, the cholerick to become zeal, the melancholick to sadnesse and sorrow for sin, the sanguine to pleasure Note. in heavenly things, and the flegmatick to slownesse to anger, make men fit chambers for the Holy Ghost to dwell in; thus Isidor, with a little supplement: and for the number of 3. and then of 30. chambers, he following the vulg. Latera ad latus, bis 33, i. e. 66. saith, that herein it is alluded to the law of Levit. 12.purification after puerpery, where it is appointed, that a woman after bringing forth a maid childe, seven dayes being past, she should continue purifying 33. dayes, and after a maid, 2. weeks being past, 66. dayes. For which Note. is it said twice 33. and not without this duplicating of a number, 66. chambers, but to shew a double birth, as there, one a naturall, the other a spirituall, through both which when we have gone, we shall come to be as side chambers to the temple, that is holy and shining in glory, as that temple, that is, heaven doth, which is the seat of Gods residency for ever, as the materiall temple of the Jewes was for a time. Touching this reading of the vulg. it is favoured by the Hebr. only whereas it is Latera ad latus, sides to side, Hebr. it is, chamber to chamber foreign. 33. two times: and then the ranks must be 11. three in a rank on the one side and three on the other, the New Translation then needs correction here also. For the eminencies or Ord. Gloss.goings out, whereupon one part of the chambers was stayed next the wall of the temple, so that they had no hold of the wall thereof, this, saith the Ord. glosse, signified the saints of God in their life and doctrine being as a foundation to the faithfull here living, who come not yet to the temple of heaven to enter thither, but by faith see it to come and are herein comforted, as it is said, Heb. 11. They received not the promise, but saw them afar off and rejoyced.
And there was an inlarging and winding upward to the side of the chambers, for the V. 7.winding about the house went still upward round about the house, therefore the breadth was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the highest by the midst, Hebr. the lower ascended to the highest to establishment, or in preparednesse, as God had prepared or appointed it to do, and the circular roundnesse with the inlargement was at the corners of the house, which was square, so that the building of the chambers there must needs be larger, as fetching a compasse, that those on the one side might meet with those on the other. And hereby is intimated that which was before said of the lower chambers being of lesse breadth then the upper till they came to the uppermost of all, upon the top of which was the roof here called foreign, of foreign to prepare, or establish, or infirmare, so that it may be rendred firmament, the root being so called, because over the top of all the chambers, as the firmament is over the highest buildings or mountains: By the round going about of these chambers, the Isidor.roundnesse of the world is set forth, from which the higher we ascend in our contemplation of Divine things, the more is our understanding inlarged, Note. as Peter being on the top of the house fell into a trance, and saw, and knew, that which he know not before, of the will of God touching the Jewes and Gentiles, being now all alike before him. And Christ took all the Apostles up to an upper room, and shewed them the great mystery of eating his Flesh, and drinking of his Bloud, to the attainment of everlasting life.
I saw also the height of the house round about, the foundation of the side-chambers was a full reed of 6 great cubits. By the house here understand the wall of the house V. 8.against which the chambers were placed; and for the foundation of these chambers, as the vulg. hath it, I saw in the house round about, the height, the sides Lyra.founded, &c. expounded by Lyra, the height of the Chambers, which were lowest: from the ground to their roof a reed, & consequently from the lowest to the roof of the second a reed, and so likewise from thence, to the roof of the highest. But for so much as a reed is 6 cubits, and an hand breadth, how is it that he addeth after the reed spoken of, 6 great cubits? Sol. it is Hebr. 6 cubits, a space; that is, something more being above the 6 cubits, as it were given in to make up a full reed, that is, the foresaid hand breadth. The height then of the chambers one above another in all, was 18 cubits, and 3 hand breadths, and this is called the height of the house, because these adjuncts were part of the house, per Synecdochen.
The thickness of the wall for the side-chambers was 5 cubits without, and that which was V. 9.left was the place of the side-chambers within; and betwixt the chambers was the wideness of 20 cubits round about the house on evry side within: Vulg. and the breadth by the wall of the side without 5 cubits. But by breadth is here meant thicknesse, and for wall of the side, Hebr. it is the wall of the chamber, the singular being put for the plurall, chamber for chambers. By the wall without, that being meant, which was on the outside of these chambers from the wall of the Temple, for that was within, upon the prominencies whereof they were supported on that side, as upon this wall 5 cubits thick on the other, whereby we may gather, that these chambers were strongly built, and so were a further strengthening to the Temple. For these words, That which was left, &c. the vulg. hath, The inner house was in the sides of the; that is, saith Lyra, the Temple was within Lyra.these buildings adjoyned round about, Hebr. foreign by Junius expounded, Spacium quod concessum fuit, or a pure floor, the place of substructions which were to the house, meaning the space afterwards spoken of. But to render it word for word, it goeth thus, And the house that rested, walls or chambers which were in the house, which is to be supplyed with the words before going, I saw, and the meaning must be, that he saw the whole house within, which was free from buildings, and not as without, but left as a fair spacious place, glorious to behold, both the Sanctum, and the Sanctum sanctorum, and the chambers hitherto spoken of also, which were in the house, or to the house adjoyned, as appurtenances thereof, and so these words are as an Epilogue, or conclusion in brief, shewing what he had hitherto seen touching the house, and hitherto declared more at large. For take it any other way, and either the words are quite gone from, or the rendring is without sense. Now for the spirituall meaning, the height of each chamber 6 cubits, and those with a space more added, set forth the great labours of the faithfull in this world represented by 6, as was said before, that they have place in the House or Tabernable of the most High, and the 5 cubits breadth, the 5 cubits of mercy, which have also been often before spoken of.
And between the Chambers was the widenesse of 20 Cubits round about the house on V. 10.every side, vulg. between the treasuries; and indeed the word is here varyed, and not the same, which before was rendred Chambers: but thus it is intimated, that the Chambers before spoken of were treasuries, or roomes, to lay in things pertaining to the Temple, as 2 Chron. 5. treasures are spoken of, See also chap. 42. 13. Lyra.which were brought into the house, which must be understood of this part of it consisting of Chambers: Lyra, by Chambers round about, or Treasuries, will have onelyonly the North and South side meant, but not the West, where the Sanctum sanctorum stood; nor the East, where the Porch and Gate to enter into the Temple was: and for this space of 20 Cubits, he saith it was between the Temple and these Treasuries. But it is expresly said that they were round about; and 1 King. 6. 5. against the Sanctum sanctorum, as well as parts of the Temple, north and south; and indeed they could not otherwise have gone round circularly, as it is before said; and for the space, it is expresly said between the Treasuries, and therefore must be taken of a space betwixt one rank and another, and so all the wall of the Temple had not buildings against it; but these spaces were left for lights to come into it: and that this space cannot be meant of a space betwixt the wall of the Temple, and these Treasuries, appears because that against the wall of the Temple there were stayes to support the Chambers, but none other wall but that of the Temple on the inside. If it shall seeme to make against this, that so much ground then must needs be taken up to these spaces, that there would, not be room enough for so many Chambers to stand upon. Sol. It is not necessary to hold, that there were such wide spaces betwixt every one rank, and another, for it is onelyonly said, that it was betwixt the Chambers round about the house on every side; from whence can be gathered no more, but that there was such a space betwixt Chambers and Chambers on the north side, and on the east and south, and west: on the east, this space being left for the entrance to the Temple; on the west, to give light to the most holy place; and likewise on the south & north, to give light to the Temple, and then the whole building being of that longitude and latitude which is spoken of ver. 13, 14, 15. there might well be room enough both for these spaces, and all the Chambers. These spaces betwixt the Chambers most probably served to set forth as those betwixt the Chambers spoken of, Chap. 40. 7. some within the limits of Gods House, that are not yet built, but are void of the treasure of Gods Grace, and much more roome is supplyed by such than by Note. these, that are treasuries, for four cubits of these there being 20 of those. For such is the estate of the Church, even under the Gospell, as appeareth Mat. 13. and where it is said, Many are called but few chosen, which should … 22.make all such, as be like empty caskes, that hold no heaven-liquor distilling as the rain from above to sanctifie thereby, and all wast places unbuilt, to fear, as knowing that although they have a room in the Church, …ver they are no parts of Gods Temple, coming to him as lively stones, but dead still in sin, and so in the way of dying everlastingly.
And the doors of the side-chambers were towards the place that was left, one towards the south, and another towards the north, and the breadth of the place left was 5 cubits round about: vulg. and the door of the side for prayer, &c. and the breadth of the place for prayer 5 cubits. Here the same word foreign which went before, ver. 9. by vulg. rendred, inner, is again used. But as I said there, so here, the proper signification of it is rest; and thus is the inner part of the Temple allegorically called rest, because a type of rest for ever in Heaven. Now on both sides of the Temple it seemeth where the space before spoken of, of 20 cubits was, there were doors both on the north side, and the fourth of the temple, and against these doors round places distinguished from the rest of that space, into which they came as Lyra conjectureth, that were unclean, to pray; and Lyra.this was five cubits round about, they that came thither being under the open Heaven, for no building is here spoken of; and for side-chamber, Hebr. it is either Chamber, or side, but rather to be taken for the side of the Temple here, in which was not onelyonly an opening eastward, or door, but also northward and southward, as is intimated, Chap. 42. 14. where it is ordered, that the Priests should come from the north and south out of the Chambers, in which the holy Vestiments lay into the Temple to Minister, and not come in the Court. Now for these places, into which singular persons came towards the place of rest, being either of them 5 cubits round about, and the doors from them into the side of the Temple northward, and southward: hereby saith Jerom, was set forth the praying of the Faithfull, being pinched with Hieron.adversity, as by the north cold, or warmed by prosperity, as by the sun shining out of the south, or over heat from hence by persecution; as the heat Note. of persecution is also compared to the heat of the sun upon the stony ground; and against temptations coming by either; and their praising of God for good Matth. 13.coming by either, and deliverances from evill: and all this must be done with sanctified senses, which be five, as hath been before shewed, for which it is added 5 Cubits round about.
Now the building that was before the separate place, at the end towards, the west was V. 12.70 cubits broad, and the wall of the builbing was 5 cubits thick round about, and the length thereof 90 cubits. The Prophet having hitherto described the Temple with the adjuncts, now summeth up the breadth and length of all these buildings, together calling them the building before the separate place: that is, the Sanctum sanctorum; for that stood west-ward, and was separated from the Temple; for the breadth 70 cubits, they may be thus reckoned, the breadth of that place 20 cubits, the walls on either side being 6 apiece 12, the chambers adjoined 4 a piece 8, the prominencies to stay up the chambers on one side 5 cubits, on both 10. the walls of the chambers without, on both sides, five a piece, 10. the wall compassing all about in thicknesse, five on each side 10. which being put together, 20, 12, 8. and three times 10, make 70. For the length of the whole being 90: thus the Porch 10, the Temple 40, the Sanctum sanctorum 20; the space for the chambers at either end 4, and 4, that is, 8; the walls of the Temple at either end 6 apiece, being put to 8, make 20, and these summes put together, 10, 40, 20, 20, make 90.
But what are the summes then of the breadth and length following, ver. 13. So he measured the length of the house a 100 cubits long, and the separate place, and V. 13.the building, with the walls thereof 100 cubits. Having already spoken of the length 90 cubits, but omitted the thicknesse of the out most wall round above all the buildings, whereby they were inclosed, which thicknesse was five cubits at one end, and five at the other; now he summeth up the same again, making it 100, by adding the cubits of the walls at each end, east and west, being together 10, and this put to 90, it is 100. For the breadth also said to be 100, ver. 14. by breadth here before the face of the house understand, V. 14.as the vulg. renders it, Platea, according to the Greek, in which tongue foreign is broad, and platea, a spacious or broad place; this before the temple at the east, and all the other building was not onelyonly extended to 70, as they were, but to 100 cubits, as the inner court, upon which it butted, was according to the description thereof going before, chap. 40. 27.
And be measured the length of the building over against the separate place, which was behind is, and the galleries thereof on the one side, and the other 100 cubits, with the V. 15.inner temple, and the porches of the court, After the length of the temple, and all the buildings about it measured, and the breadth of the spacious, or broad place before them, now the measure of the length of other buildings not ye… spoken of followeth, viz. of galleries behind the temple, and all the buildings before mentioned at the west end, being added for further ornament, and to beautifie this rare structure the more. Some say it was on the east, but this is manifestly erroneous, because the space lying before the temple eastward was said, ver. 14. to be in the face thereof, this as opposite hereunto, behind, or as the vulg. hath it, at the back. There was then, as before the temple eastward a spacious place 100 cubits long, so behind it westward of the like length, wherein galleries stood for walkers fairly built. The word rendred Galleries, cometh from foreign to pluck away, by which name these buildings are called, because distinct from the temple, and chambers, or treasuries before spoken of, and standing by themselves, a space being betwixt them and the temple called the separate place, for the reason before said, and these stood all along beyond the west end of the temple in length answerable to the breadth thereof and the buildings about it, all which together have been often called the house and the separate place, by the house there those buildings adjoyned, being meant, and the temple by the separate place. For the words following, with the inner temple and porches of the court &c. v. 16. 17. they are nothing else but a summary capitulation of some things spoken of more largely before, or a brief declaration of other things measured without setting down the measures. For the spirituall meaning of the 70. cubits broad and 90. long, and then of 100. in length and breadth, the Ord. Gloss. Ord. Gloss.saith, that by 70. being 10. sevens perfect rest in the life to come is set forth Note. because 7. is the number of rest, or the sabbath, and so of perfection: by 90. 1 Pet. 3.and the 100. following, the age of Sarah, and Abraham, she being 90. when she bare Isaac, and Abraham 100. years old: it being hereby shewed, that the Rom. 4. 12.true Christian is one, that is, a daughter of Sarah, if a woman, as Peter calleth women arayed with modesty and humble meeknesse, and both man and woman a childe of Abraham as Isaac was according to the spirit, if they walk in the steps of the obedience of his faith, and children not of Hagar, but of Sarah, and so heirs of that inheritance, heaven for ever.Gal. 4.
The narrow windowes &c. And the windowes were covered. Here Jerom cryeth V. 16. Hieron.out (O the depth of the wisdome and knowledge of God) here be windowes, but narrow, or, oblique, as he hath it, and covered, which what can they be conjectured to shew, that we see not, neither can we see into the things of the life to come as we shall see hereafter, when we come in heaven, the knowledge hereof in the perfection being yet hidden from us, for which it is said, the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, &c. And yet there be narrow windowes, whereby we may see a little, as it is said, now we know but in part and see darkly 1 Cor. 2. 9.as through a glasse. Beda will have the windowes to set forth teachers giving light unto others, for as those windowes were narrow without, but broad 1 Cor. 13. Beda.within, so the teacher hath more light of knowledge in him, then that which he sheweth to the people. Now it is to be understood, that these windowes were only in the temple northward and Southward, not in the Sanctum San…rum, into which none must look, to shew, that the hidden or secret things of the Lord belong to the Lord, and are not for us to pry into, but what is Note. revealed only, set forth by the temple, and windowes on the sides thereof. On Deut. 29. 29.the east was the door of the temple so large, that standing open the sun inlightned the whole house that way sufficiently, as in the glorified estate to come there shall be no need of the light of teachers any more, but God and the Lamb shall fully inlighten all that attain unto it, as a more glorious sun Revel. 21. 23.for ever and ever.
And it was made with cherubs and palm trees, and a palm tree was between cherub V. 18.and cherub, and the cherub had each one 2. faces. Having said enough of the divisions of the house of God, now he commeth to the carved works thereof, the cherubs setting forth angels, that are alwaies present in the congregations of the faithfull according to that of the Apostle, a woman ought to have power on her head because of the Angels, as at Bethel, Jacob saw the Angels 1 Cor. 11. 10. Gen. 28.ascending and descending by a ladder. And palm trees set forth the victory obtained by the faithfull, in token of which they, which appeared Revel. 7. 9. carryed branches of palm trees in their hands, as the Israelites being in quiet possession of Canaan carryed such branches and boughs out at the feast of tabernacles to make them boothes for expression of joy for victories over the Canaanites. And the cherubs had each one two fuces of a man on the one side, and of a lion on the other. The cherubims in the most holy place of old had either of them only one face, viz. of a young man, but these here two, unto the face of a young man, the face of a young lion being added, that of the young man representing beauty and good favour in the Angels attending upon the highest Majesty, above that of any other creature, as man is the most beautifull of all upon earth in face, as being made after Gods image, and likenesse, not only spiritually for righteousnesse and holinesse, but for beauty and glory, for when God the Son hath been pleased at any time to shew himself either before or since his incarnation in his beauty, he hath appeared in the likenesse of a man. But in this temple representing the Church under the Gospell, he is set forth by two faces of a Man and Lion also, to shew the tribe of which he came, as Jacob had prophesied, Gen. 49. 9. Revel. 5.and he is called accordingly, a Lion of the tribe of Judah, for he is one with Note. every faithfull man, full of humanity, he cannot see him in distresse, but as the good Samaritan holp the man that had faln amongst theeves, so he helps him, and is a comfort to him: but on the other side to the wicked he is as a Lion ready to tear him in pieces. Wherefore as we would have his humane Psal. 50.face turned to us and not his leonine, let us kisse the Son by humbly submitting Psal. 2.to be ruled by him, and not by the cryes of our notorious sinnes coming up to his ears awake this sleeping lion to our own destruction for ever, as all they shall finde, that they do, who harden themselves in their evill waies. Of the face of a man and a lion, and of an oxe and eagle also in one cherub, see before chap. 1. and what was represented thereby.
The Altar of wood was 3. cubits high, and the length 2. cubits, and the corners, length and wals thereof were of wood, and he said, this is the Table which is before the V. 22.Lord. Cornelius a lapide of his own head addeth here, that this table was overlaid with gold, and that incense was offered thereupon, but the Jesuite saith more then can be gathered to countenance the superstitious offering of incense in his Church upon the high altar. This place seemeth to me to represent the turning of a golden altar that was under the Old Testament (where all outward glory was in the temple, by such glory to draw men in the nonage of the Church unto it, as children are drawn by goodly things) into an wooden table for the Communion, that then should be celebrated at it, being metaphorically only called an altar; now for the precious body and bloud of Christ set thereupon in remembrance of his sacrificing of himself once for our sinnes, and it was three cubits high to shew the great mysterie of the elements there propounded, bread and wine, hiddenly exhibiting to the faithful Christs body and bloud to be truly received, which is a threefold mysterie to the bodily eye seeing nothing but bread and wine, to the feeling there being nothing else felt, and to the taste of the palat, there being nothing else tasted, the length 2. cubits denoting two things only herein given us, which be all that are necessary for our sustentation, meat and drink, not any object to be lookt at and adored, or to this end to be elevated or carryed in procession as a remedy against any bodily evill, it being altogether a spirit: good, and to be used accordingly, yet with all due reverence, as Christ hath ordained.
And the temple and sanctuary had 2. doors. V. 24. And the doors had two leaves apiece, &c. That is, either of them one, besides doors in the wall north and V. 23.south before spoken of, therefore by these are meant doors standing eastward, whereby the greatest entrance was into the temple; and from the Temple into the Sanctum Sanctorum or Sanctuary, and these doors were two-leaved, and they were made of thick planks with carved work upon them of palms and V. 25.cherubs, as the wals of the temple were wrought, of which I have spoken before. V. 26. And there were narrow windowes and palm trees on either side the porch: V. 26.of both which enough before.