of Jerusalem, that those sacrifices which were the most eminent types of the sacrifice of Christ, used to be burned without the camp.

But these things are only remarked in passing: we must now return to the immediate subject of discussion, which is illustrated by the paraphrase of Nachmanides on these words of the law: "Let them "make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among "them." His words are: 'Let them make a house and 'furniture, as for the sanctuary of a king and a royal palace; and I will dwell in the midst of them, in the

palace, and on the throne of glory, which they shall 'make me where, as he calls the sanctuary of God a royal palace; so, on account of the sacredness of a king's person, he calls a royal palace a sanctuary.

*

Nachmanides is followed by Isaac Abarbinel : 'The sanctuary of God has various names; the tabernacle of the congregation, the dwelling place of 'the Lord, the habitation of testimony, and the Γ sanctuary of the Lord. It is denominated the 'tabernacle of the congregation; because in the 'wilderness it had the appearance of a tabernacle or tent, consisting of curtains and poles. It is 'called a dwelling place; because the Divine Ma'jesty resided in it. It is styled the habitation of testimony; because in it were deposited the book ' and the tables of the law, which served as a testimony between the Israelites and their Father who 'is in heaven. Finally, it is called a sanctuary; ⚫ because it was unlawful for uncircumcised and unclean persons to enter it.' A little after he says: 'In the temple were the table and the candlestick, "and the altar of incense, as things adapted to the

'service of the king of the universe: not that he, 'to whom be all praise, needed any of them; far be 'it from us to entertain such a supposition: but in 'order to impress it deeply on the minds of the peo'ple, that the Lord God of Israel was present in the midst of their camp.'

The following passage is from Rabbi Schem Tob. 'God, to whom be praise, commanded a house to 'be erected for him, resembling a royal palace. In a royal palace are found all those things which we 6 have mentioned. There are some persons, who guard the palace; others, who execute offices belonging to the regal dignity; who furnish the banquets, and do other things necessary for the 'monarch: others, who daily entertain him with music, both vocal and instrumental. In a royal palace there is a place appointed for the prepa'tion of the victuals; and another where perfumes are burned. In the palace of a king there is also a table, and an apartment exclusively appropriated to himself; which no one ever enters, except him who ' is next in authority, or those whom he regards with ⚫ the greatest affection. In like manner, it was the will of God to have all these in his house, that he might not in any thing give place to the kings of the earth. For he is a great king; not indeed in any want ' of these things: but hence it is easy to see the rea 'son of the daily provisions given to the priests and Levites, being what every monarch is accustomed 'to allow to his servants. And all these things were 'intended to instruct the people, that the Lord of 'Hosts was present among us. For he is a great

king, and to be feared by all the nations.”*

* Ad Moreh Nevochim, par, iii. c. 45.

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VI. The Jews, then, have regarded both the tabernacle and the temple, in succession, as a royal mansion erected to be a habitation for God, in which he was considered as residing among his people, just as the kings of the earth are accustomed to réside among their subjects. Hence, the Jews suppose, the very splendid furniture of the sanctuary, and the highly magnificent equipage as it were of a domestic establishment. Hence the exceedingly ample retinue, and the various ministers appointed to various offices: some, who procured the things re'quired for the sacred service; others, who guarded the house; others employed as musicians, who, while the holocausts were burning, and the wine was poured out with the appointed solemnities, sang with the voice, blew the trumpets, and played on the stringed instruments. Hence the table always furnished with bread, the fire continually blazing on the altar, the incense burned twice every day, and twice every day the members of the slaughtered victims laid on the altar of God as on a table, and accompanied with salt, and wine, and flour. Hence the celebration of solemn days, and feasts held at stated seasons. Hence the many rooms attached to the temple, necessary to so large an establishment. For these things were not contrived by human invention, but appointed by divine inspiration.*

VII. The sanctuary of God being the shadowy abode of his peculiar presence, this very circumstance required, and God himself commanded, a place so august and sacred to be regarded with great reverence. How great was the reverence in which it was held by the Jews, sufficiently appears from the + Levit. xix. 30. xxvi. 2. Eccles. v. 1.7

I Chron. xxviii. 12.

E

following passages of Maimonides. of Maimonides.

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of the sanctuary rests on an affirmative precept. For it is said, Ye shall reverence my sanctuary. 'You are not, however, to reverence the sanctuary ' itself, but him by whom the reverence of it has been enjoined. What, then, is the reverence due to it? That no one enter the mountain of the house with a staff, with shoes on his feet, with a coat that has pockets, or with dusty feet. It is unnecessary to state, that it is not lawful to spit upon the mountain ' of the house, but that any accidental excretion of 'saliva is to be received in the garment. Nor may

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any one take the mountain of the house for a tho'roughfare, so as, after having entered at one gate, 'to go out at another, and thereby shorten his road; but he must go round it on the outside, nor ever enter it but for the sake of performing duty.' And a little after: When a person, after having performed any service, withdraws from the sanctuary, he shall ' not turn his back towards the temple, but he shall ' retire by gentle steps sideways till he shall have left 'the sanctuary. Thus also the guards of the temple, ' and the stationary men, and the Levites after hav'ing returned in the same manner from the desk in 'which they have read the prayers, ought to retire 'from the sanctuary. But reverence for the sanctuary likewise includes all the following things. That no one carelessly shake his head before the eastern gate of the sanctuary, called Nicanor, be'cause it is situated opposite to the holy of holies: 'that every person, who enters the sanctuary, walk "with all the modesty in his power. But the reve'rence itself is, that every one stand before the Lord

God, because it is said, Mine eyes and mine heart

shall be there continually; and that he walk with awe, reverence, and fear; because it is said, In the house of our God we will walk with trem'bling."

VIII. Because the inner sanctuary was an emblem of the highest heaven, and the special seat of the Divine majesty, therefore every part of the temple was esteemed by the Jews more or less holy, in proportion to its greater or less proximity to that sanctuary. This appears from the following passage of Maimonides, which I the more readily transcribe, because it expresses the estimate which the Jews formed of all places. 'The whole land of Israel is more holy than all other lands. But what is its holiness? From it they bring a homer of the harvest, two loaves at Pentecost, and the first fruits;† 'which they bring not from other lands. Cities sur'rounded with walls are more holy than the rest of 'the land; because from them lepers are excluded, 'nor is a dead body ever buried in them, except by 'the consent either of seven magistrates or of all the 'citizens. But if a dead body has been carried out ' of any such city, it is not lawful to carry it back, even though all the citizens consent to it. Jerusa'lem is more holy than other walled cities; because < the minor sacrifices and tithes are eaten within its precincts. The mountain of the house is more holy than Jerusalem; because neither men. nor women labouring under an issue, nor women during the seasons of purification, are allowed to enter it. But a dead body may be carried into it, and it is therefore unnecessary to state that access is likewise permitted to a person defiled with a dead