But what is the tabernacle of God? I answer; That word Tabernacle is often used in the Old Testament; properly it signifieth a tent in war, a military mansion, a flitting habitation, or portable house, having no fixed or settled seat. The tabernacle under the Law was the place appointed by God for public worship.1 We read also of the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23.34.) at which solemn Feast, the Jews dwelt seven days in tents, to put them in remembrance, that God made their fore-fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of Egypt, as also to mind them, that here they had no abiding place, but were to seek one to come. And as this place of public worship, so any place for private dwelling was called a tabernacle. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, until &c. (Said David, Ps. 132.3.) that is, into my house, which though it be a royal Palace, yet I look upon it, but as a movable tabernacle. But doth God dwell in a movable house? God is immovable, he makes no removes, yet wheresoever God is pleased to show himself in his power and marvellous works, there we may say his tabernacle is. The tabernacle of God, where this noise, this mighty noise is made, is nothing else but the Clouds before spoken of. The ⟨p. 408⟩Clouds are Gods tabernacle; they are called so expressly by a word of very near cognation unto this (Psal. 18.11.) He maketh the Clouds his pavilion. A pavilion is an extraordinary tabernacle; a pavilion is that tabernacle which is proper to a King or to the General of an Army. Now saith the Psalmist, He maketh the Clouds his pavilion; In them he shows his power and glory. They are also called the chariots of God (Psal. 104.3. Deut. 32.6.) and he is said to come in the Clouds, as a Prince in his chariot. He came in a thick Cloud (Exod. 19.9.) and he descended in a Cloud (Exod. 34.5.) which here is called his tabernacle. So then, the Clouds, together with all that middle region of the air, where the rain now, and fiery meteors, are generated, are in Scripture allegorically called, the tabernacle of God; because there he seems often to dwell or reside, for the producing of many wonderful works upon this inferior world. We may take the word here in a double allusion unto a tabernacle, or unto two sorts of tabernacles.
But what is the tabernacle of God? I answer; That word Tabernacle is often used in the Old Testament; properly it signifieth a tent in war, a military mansion, a flitting habitation, or portable house, having no fixed or setled seat. The tabernacle under the Law was the place appointed by God for publick worship.1 We read also of the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23.34.) at which solemn Feast, the Jews dwelt seven dayes in tents, to put them in remembrance, that God made their fore-fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of Egypt, as also to mind them, that here they had no abiding place, but were to seek one to come. And as this place of publick worship, so any place for private dwelling was called a tabernacle. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, until &c. (Said David, Ps. 132.3.) that is, into my house, which though it be a royal Pallace, yet I look upon it, but as a movable tabernacle. But doth God dwell in a movable house? God is immovable, he makes no removes, yet wheresoever God is pleased to shew himself in his power and marvelous works, there we may say his tabernacle is. The tabernacle of God, where this noise, this mighty noise is made, is nothing else but the Clouds before spoken of. The ⟨p. 408⟩Clouds are Gods tabernacle; they are called so expresly by a word of very near cognation unto this (Psal. 18.11.) He maketh the Clouds his pavilion. A pavilion is an extraordinary tabernacle; a pavilion is that tabernacle which is proper to a King or to the General of an Army. Now saith the Psalmist, He maketh the Clouds his pavilion; In them he shews his power and glory. They are also called the chariots of God (Psal. 104.3. Deut. 32.6.) and he is said to come in the Clouds, as a Prince in his chariot. He came in a thick Cloud (Exod. 19.9.) and he descended in a Cloud (Exod. 34.5.) which here is called his tabernacle. So then, the Clouds, together with all that middle region of the air, where the rain now, and fiery meteors, are generated, are in Scripture allegorically called, the tabernacle of God; because there he seems often to dwell or reside, for the producing of many wonderful works upon this inferiour world. We may take the word here in a double allusion unto a tabernacle, or unto two sorts of tabernacles.
- 1Tabernaculu• hi• [Greek or Hebrew] dicitur unde Fes• tum Suc•oth i. e. T•bernaculorum.Tabernaculu• hi• 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 dicitur unde Fes• tum Suc•oth i. e. T•bernaculorum.
