led into the suburbs to Millo, which was the valley at the west end of the Mount Moriah; in which Jerusalem and Sion met and saluted each other. It had been beautified with buildings by David and Solomon". The other gate was called Parbar. The gate which stood next to this, towards the South, and led also into the suburbs, is not called by this name. It may be it bore a name peculiar and proper to the place it gave passage unto. The other gate led into Jerusalem. Asuppim, of which we read, 1 Chron. Dr. Lightfoot thinks, were the two gates in the western wall, which stood most south, or nearest Jerusalem. And the house of Asuppim was a large piece of building that ran between, which was a treasury, or divers rooms for treasuring up things for the use of the temple. On the north side was one gate called Tedi. In all these gates was a guard of Levites by night for the safety and honour of the temple; and all of them were porters by day. The ascent to these gates was by steps, or causeys, for the people's ease, and also for the coming up of the beasts which were to be sacrificed. As a person stood at the middle of the west quarter of the gale, which stood next Parbar, and which led into the city of Jerusalem, Millo stood i 1 Chron. xxvi. 18.

h2 Sam. v. 9.

D

before him, and he might see the king's gardens, the king's stables, and other buildings with the pool of Siloam; on the left hand were the descent of Acra and the buildings of Jerusalem upon it, and on the right hand the rising of Sion and the stairs that went up into the city, and by which the king came down to Shallecheth, and so into the temple. And as he rose higher he had in view the sepulchres of David's family.

The treasuries of the Temple were divers and in divers places, and committed to divers persons.

The general distinction of them is into treasuries of the House of God, and treasuries of the dedicate things*.

By the treasuries of the House of God are meant those things which were in ordinary use and employment, such as the vessels, vestments, tythes, wine, oil, and other things which were used in the service of the Temple; as also what was cast into the treasury. And by the treasuries of the dedicate things is to be understood, what the kings, captains, and great men had dedicated, which was as the stock of the Temple. The former treasuries were some of them under the care and charge of the porters'. And the rest and latter under the hand of the Le

1 Chron. xxvi. 20. 1 2 Chron. ix. 26, 27, &c.

vites". The porters had their treasuries at every one of their gates. Some kept vestments, some instruments, some one thing, and some another. And the sons of Obed-Edom kept the vessels of silver and gold, which were the largest and richest utensils of the Temple.

Let us enter into the Temple at the east-gate, called under the Second Temple the gate Sushan.

Then

On each hand as you passed it were shops, where wine, oil, salt, meal, and other things used in sacrifice were sold. Passing on you ascended five steps, each nine inches high. This brought you to the gate called the beautiful gate of the Temple; so called, because of its sumptuousness and beautiful ornaments. entering into the court of the women, so called because thus far they might enter to worship, you came to the semicircular stairs leading up from the court of the women to the great brazen gate, or the gate of Nicanor; which consisted of fifteen steps. Ascending them you came within the sanctuary, properly so called, and the court of the Israelites. For here stood the stationary men, who represented the whole people of Israel, at all times of public worship. And hither came up all the Israelites, when they had any sacrifice to be offered. The ordinary place m 1 Chron. xxvi. 26.

where all the rest worshipped was in the court of the women; the men on the floor, the women in the galleries. The place properly called the court of the priests contained the second aisle of the double cloisters, at the east end of the sanctuary. The first two cubits of its breadth, next the court of Israel, were taken up by the desks of the Singers and Musicians. Just by it was the place where the Priests did worship, that were out of attendance. And near them was the pillar, where the king's seat was".

The court of the people was level with the floor of the east-gate, or the gate Nicanor. But the floor of the court of the Priests was two cubits and a half higher. The court of the Israelites and the court of the Priests are to be understood in a larger, or stricter acceptation. In the strictest sense they were taken for the first ground you passed over, as you went up from the gate of Nicanor to the Altar, and are said to be eleven cubits broad a piece. But in the larger acceptation the court of Israel was a piece of ground on which the lay-men of Israel might stand along within the wall, which inclosed the court, on the north, south, and west quarters of the court, as well as on the east-gate, or the gate of NicaBut the floor of the court of the

nor.

2 Chron. vi. 13, and Chap. xxviii. 13.

Then

Priests was two cubits and an half higher. So that the Levites coming up from it, with their musical instruments in their hands, had through it on either side, and on each hand, a fair passage into the cloisters, or court of the people; where they walked on even ground, till they came over the breadth of the court, or to the pillars, which were on the further side of that court, which bore up the cloister, and distinguished the Court of the People and the Court of the Priests one from another. there was a rising ground of two cubits and an half, which went up directly from the gate of Nicanor forwards. If you turned on either hand, there were the desks of the Levites, where they sang, and played their music, made with steps. The first was a rising of a cubit's height, which went along before the rails and pillars, which parted the court of the priests and people. Then there were three steps up, of half a cubit a piece in height, and on the highest step stood the Levites with their instruments, and their song. Their feet were even with the floor of the court of the priests, and they had a desk before them. The inner court, in which the Temple stood, and the altar, which represented the Tabernacle, contained that part which is properly called the sanctuary. It was one