352 The Gofpel of Solomon's Temple. It is further Queried concerning the Oracle, whether there were any Side-Chambers over it ? The Anfwer is, that theText feems clear for it, 2 Cbron. 3. i. and he overlaid the upper Chambers with Gold, that is, the Upper Chambers over the Oracle : For the whole Context in thofe three Verfes, . 8, 9, to. treateth concerning the Oracle. It was but twenty Cubits high, whereas the Sanatory Was Thirty : Therefore what became of the remaining Ten Cubits ? It isnot likely that there was a pair of Stairs (as fome fuppofe) ofFifteen Foot high, between the Santl`uary and the Oracle, whereby to afcend and go up into the Oracle ; but rather, that the remaining Ten Cubits was made into Two Upper Chambers, to be Repofitories for the choiceft Things over the Oracle. And fo this brings me to fpeaka Word to, The Side- Chambers of theTemple, of which . we Read, i Kings 6. g, 6 and againfl the Wall ofthe Houfe (or upon, or joyning to it, faith the Margin) he built Chambers round about, againft the Walls of the Houfe round about, both of the Temple andof the Oracle, he made Chambers round about. The nethermoft Chamber was Five Cubits Broad, the middle was Six Cubits Broad, and the Third was Seven Cubits Broad. For without, in the Wall of the Houfe he made narrowed Refis round about, that the Beams (hould not befafiened in the Walls of the Houfe. So that here were Three Stories of Chambers contiguous to the Temple; the low- eft Story Five Cubits Broad, the Second Story Six Cubits, and the up- permoft Story Seven Cubits ; which different Dimenfions of the Chambers arofe from the feveral Rebatements that were in the Wall, for the Beams of the Floors to reff upon. The Number of thefe Chambers is not exprefled in Scripture, but in Ezekiel's vifionary Temple therewere Thirty Chambers, Ezek. 41. b- and the JewilhWriters report, that there was the fame Number in Solomon's Temple. Queff. But here it may be demanded, Cubits being fo often mentïo. ned in meafuring the Temple, how much a Cubit is ? Anfwer. A Cubit was above a Foot and a half of our Meafure, it comes verynear it, except fome fmall fraáions. The Oracle therefore being Twenty Cubits, was about Thirty Foot Square. The Porch-tower being One Hundred and Twenty Cubits high, was about. One Hundred and Eighty Foot high. Some diltínguilhofCubits, and think therewere Two Sorts ofthem, the Sacred, and the Common Cubit ; and that the Sacred Cubit was double the quantity of the other : And fo Two Sorts of Shekels, the Shekel of the Sanßuary, and the common Shekel ; and fo of other - Mea-
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