flesh also is called a "vail,”* as being the residence of the Divinity which dwelt in a symbolical manner within the vail of the inner sanctuary. Why does the apostle designate Christians as "the temple of "God?" Because "the spirit of God dwelleth in "them." For the same reason, he declares their bodies to be "the temple of the Holy Ghost." Observe his language to the Ephesians: "Now "therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, "but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the house"hold of God; and are built upon the foundation of "the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whóm also ye are builded "together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." In this passage, as he calls the Ephesian church “an habitation of God," on account of the Holy Spirit dwelling in it, so he denominates the universal church of Christ "an holy temple," for the same reason and in the same sense. And the only cause to be assigned for his adoption of this phraseology, is, that the temple of Jerusalem was considered as the residence of the Deity, from which he has transferred the appellation of temple to the christian church.

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V. The same opinion of the nature of the temple has been held by the Jews. They say that both in the wilderness and in Canaan itself there were three camps, the camp of the people, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of God. For to the camp of the people in the wilderness afterwards corresponded the city of Jerusalem: to the camp of the

*Heb. x. 20. + I Cor. 3. 16. I Cor. vi. 19. Ephes. ii. 19-22.

Levites, the mountain of the house; where the Levites kept guard about the temple, as they had formerly done around the tabernacle: and the tabernacle was succeeded by the temple; each of them being considered by the Jews as a sacred place in which God dwelt among his people, as their king and lord. To this purpose is the following passage of Maimonides. 'In the wilderness there were three camps the camp of Israel, which itself was also fourfold; the camp of the Levites, whose place it was, as we have 'stated, to pitch their tents round the sacred taber

nacle; and the camp of the Divine Majesty, situated 'within the gate of the court of the congregation. 'To these things there are others which perpetually correspond the whole space between the gate of Jerusalem and the gate of the mountain of the 'house; which is considered in the same light as the camp of Israel: the space extending from the gate ' of the mountain of the house to the gate of the sanctuary called Nicanor; which answers to the camp ' of the Levites: and the space within the gate of the sanctuary; which was the camp of the Divine Ma'jesty."* These things serve to elucidate an observation of the apostle to the Hebrews. "For the "bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into "the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned "without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he (C might sanctify the people with his own blood, suf"fered without the gate." He evidently assumes it as a thing admitted and known, that the city of Jerusalem, in succeeding times, corresponded to the camp of Israel in the wilderness; and assigns it as a reason why Christ was put to death without the gate

*Beth Habechira, c. 7.

+ Heb. xiii. 11, 12

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 ta'bernacle of the congregation, the dwelling place of 'the Lord, the habitation of testimony, and the 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 Majesty 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 un'clean 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 'have mentioned. There are some persons, who 'guard the palace; others, who execute offices be'longing 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.

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 reside 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 required 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

* I Chron. xxviii. 12. + Levit. xix. 30. xxvi. 2. Eccles. v. 1.

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