those that worship therein. But the court, which is without the temple, leave out, and do not measure it, for it is given up to the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot fortytwo months."

In order that we may rightly understand the meaning of these words, it is to be understood that TO 'IEPON (by which name I embrace the whole edifice of the temple,) was distinguished by a double court, the one interior, in which the Naòs, or temple itself, together with the altar of burnt-offering before its doors was situated, and was open to the Priests and Levites only; the other exterior, which is called (2 Chron. c. iv. v. 9.) the great court, and by Ezekiel, more than twelve times, the court without, or the outer court. This was the court of the Israelites, or of the Israelitish people, and therefore not improperly called the court of Israel, though that part belonging to the men, was more especially called so by the Jews. The first court was known by the names of the temple and the altar of sacrifice. "Rise, said he, and measure the temple of God (Naòv) and the altar of sacrifice." Where the thusiasterion does not mean the altar of burnt-offerings only which was there situated, but the space which surrounded it, that is, the whole space of the altar and sacrifice; as is to be collected from the words immediately connected with

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it," and those who worship therein;” that is, in the place of sacrifice. How, likewise, Ovotaorpiov is taken c. xiv. v. 18, and c. xvi. v. 7, vide Beza. Whence the old lexicon in Greek and Latin interprets Ovolaσrnpiov altarium, sacrarium, altar, sacred place, and vice versâ, the glossary of Philoxenus, sacrarium 'Hpwov Ovσiaorηpiov. Temple of a hero, place of the altar. But this Θυσιαστήριον, together with the area of the temple (i. e. Tov Naov) I learn to be rightly comprehended within the name of the interior court, from the description of the tabernacle, where, in like manner, the whole enclosure which surrounded the dwelling-place, and altar of burntoffering is reckoned under the denomination of one court, as appears Ex. c. xl. v. 33. So much of the first court which John is ordered to measure; but the latter court is designated clearly enough by its name-" The court which is without the temple, that is, by an ellipsis of the former substantive, the court which is exterior to the enclosure of the temple and altar, and since the Gentiles admitted without right and justice were stabled in this, it is ordered by no means to be measured, but to be cast forth, and considered as profane. But you will say, it is not the outer court, but the holy city which is to be trodden down by the Gentiles. I answer, that the outer court and the holy city mutually

explain each other, since the outer court was the place for the holy city or people of Israel to meet in for divine purposes: Nay, in the wilderness, the tabernacle having only one court, (which it was not lawful to enter or dinarily, unless for the Priests and Levites), there was no outer court, beside the camp of Israel, or the holy city. Therefore the sense is the same as if it were said, "The court which is without the temple cast out, and do not measure it, for it is given up to the Gentiles, and they shall tread it under forty-two months. For the relative it, a substantive is substituted, and that of the same kind, so as to point out the subject intended by the antecedent. "The holy city, says he, shall they tread under forty-two months." The change of the substantive for the relative often occurs both in this book and elsewhere, namely, when either the substantive which precedes, is repeated in the place of the relative, or its synonyme is substituted instead of the relative. An example of the latter kind you have here, and Acts c. xxv. v. 21. And indeed what else shall we say could be given to the Gentiles to have the power of occupying, so as to trample under foot? And what could the Gentiles trample on, but that which was given them? so that these words, not less than the court and holy city, seem mutually to explain one another.

THE ICHNOGRAPHY

Of the Holy Place, that is, of the Temple, and

To these two courts, (of which only, and not of more, the Scripture makes mention,) a third was added in after ages, namely, in the temple of Herod; with another wall built in the circumference of the temple, which was called that of the Gentiles and unclean persons; but this was not accounted sacred, nay more, on the columns erected, there was inscribed in Greek and Latin letters, "Let no stranger of another tribe pass through into the holy place." Josephus de Bello Judaico, 1-6. cvi. Greek 18.

THE MYSTERY

Of the Two Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth. Two witnesses or prophets sent by God, clothed in sackcloth, are to preach, while the Gentiles are treading under foot the court of the people of God, or the holy city. These are the interpreters and assertors of Divine truth, who should deplore that foul and lamentable contamination of the Church of Christ, by continual complaints, and whom God would raise up as unceasing monitors to the Christian world, committing whoredom with the Gentiles, and as guides to his saints preserving the faith. After the example of those illustrious pairs, under the Old Testament, Moses and Aaron in the Wilderness, Elijah and Elisha under the Baalitical apo