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Tabernacle; which, in Time, was fucceeded by the Temple; both of which are of tentimes, in Scripture, call'd the Sanctu ary: The High Places, us'd promifcuously, during the Times of both the Tabernacle and Temple, until the Captivity; and the Synagogues, in Ufe, both before the Captivity, during the Time of it, and after. The Tabernacle indeed. was only a kind of moveable Temple; very well suited to the Circumstances of the Ifraelites, during the Time of their fojourning in the Wilderness; and for fome Time after their Settlement in the Land of Canaan, 'till they had utterly driven out the Heathen; more especially from that Place, where God intended his Temple fhould ftand; and this was not done 'till the Time of David.

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The TABERNACLE.

The Tabernacle therefore being 'to represent a Temple, but at the fame time to be moveable and portable, was fo contriv'd, as to be taken to pieces, and join'd together again at Pleasure. The Infide

was

was divided by a Veil which parted off the Sanctum San&torum or Holy of Holies; that is, the most highly honour'd and dignified Part. Within that was kept the Ark of the Covenant; which contain'd the Testimony or Law, which God had given to Mofes. The Lid or Covering of it, was to be a Propitiatory or Mercy-Seat, with two Cherubims fix'd upon it, extending their Wings toward each other; from between which was to proceed the Oracle; that is, the Voice by which God was at any Time pleas'd to reveal himself, and to declare his Will.

Just on the Outfide of the Partition Veil, which was made with most exquifite Work, in the very Center stood the Altar of Incense, overlaid with Gold. The Table, on which was plac'd the Shew-Bread, or holy Bread of State, confifting of twelve Loaves, ftood on the Northfide; and the great Candlestick or Lamp-fconce, containing feven Branches, on the Southfide. All which, with every minute Utenfil, thereunto belonging were made of the richest Materials; either of pure Gold, or of the choiceft Wood,

finely overlaid with that valuable Metal.

On the Outfide of the Tabernacle, in a Court of fuitable Dimenfions, enclos'd with Pillars of Brafs, on which were extended Hangings diverfified with several bright and glowing Colours, ftood first, next the Entrance into the Tabernacle, a Laver or large Bafon of Brass, for the Priests to wash their Hands and Feet in, before they began to execute any Priestly Office. Next beyond that stood the Altar of Burnt-offering, with the Inftruments thereunto belonging, all of Brass.

XXX.

These are, in Grofs, the Particulars relating to the Tabernacle; which may be feen minutely and exactly defcrib'd in the facred Records: as God himself was pleas'd Exod. to direct Mofes how they fhould be made. xxv to Let them make me a fanctuary that I may xxxvi, dwell amongst them. According to all that to xl. I fhew thee, after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of all the inftruments thereof, even fo fhall ye make it.

The Ark therein contain'd was call'd the Ark of the Covenant, because the two Tables of Stone, on which the Law was written,

G

written, and by which God had made a Covenant with his People, were kept in it; of which Mofes himself fays, I turnDeut. x. ed my felf, and came down from the Mount,

5.

4.

Exod.

and put the Tables in the Ark which I bad made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

The Author of the Epistle to the HeHeb. ix. brews, mentioning the Tabernacle and the things contain'd in it, places the golden Cenfer (as it is there tranflated) within the Veil of the Holy of Holies; of which no mention is made in the Inftructions God gave to Mofes; but he is commanded to XXX. I. make an altar to burn incenfe upon every morning, and to put it before the veil that was by the ark of the teftimony, before the mercy-feat. That is, on the Outfide of the Veil; otherwife it could not be us'd every Day. For into the Holy of Holies none was to enter but the High-Priest, and be but once a Year.

&c.

The Critics and Commentators are hard put to it to reconcile this Difference; but think they do it effectually, by alledging that the golden Cenfer mention'd in the Levit. Epiftle means the Cenfer which the High

xvi. 12.

Prieft

Prieft was to bring within the veil, full of burning coals, when he yearly made the atonement for himself and for his Houfe, and for all the People. But if fo, how can it be affirm'd, that the Tabernacle which is the holiest of all had this Cenfer, in the fame Sense as it had the Ark of the Covenant? and what can be faid for this Apoftle's Omiffion of the golden altar of Incense in his enumerating the Implements of the first or outer Part of the Tabernacle?

Would it not therefore be better, ingenuously to admit that the Writer of this Epiftle, being intent upon weightier Things, in the main, fhewing how the Type was cancell'd and abolish'd, as well as verified and answer'd by the Antitype, might easily be allow'd to mistake in a light trivial Matter of no Importance. This he almost himself seems confcious of; and apologizes for, in the very next Verse, by adding at the End of his Inventory, these remarkable Words; of which we cannot now Speak particularly. As much as to fay, I mention these things only by the by, and don't pretend to be exact in them; but, G 2 this

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