A Way to Zion Sought out and Found for Believers, Treatise · Objection 15
Object. from Revel. 11.2.
But the outward Court which is without the Temple leave out: The objection from Rev. 11.2. concerning the outward Court, answered.and measure it not; for it is given to the Gentiles. Whence they argue, That the outward Court is ordinances, outward externall things, which were not to be measured, nor cared for; but given to the Gentiles and worldly professors, and not for the sincere Saints of God to be exercised in. Thus Mr. Saltmarsh: and Mr. Sedgwick, and divers others, they most of them agree here.
I answer; How will this appeare that it is Baptisme, and the Supper only? If not, that it reach all outward ordinances, How commeth it to passe they preach, or conferre, or beare witnesse to God, or give testimony to God, as Mr. Saltmarsh calleth it? Is not that outward? Why is not that given to the Gentiles? Nay, is not the written Scripture outward? Why doe they not trample that under foot? And indeed some of them doe, some that I have conferred with; and others in their writings, as Mr William Sedgwick, in his Book entitled, Some Flashes of the lightnings of the Son of man, *Pag. 191, 192, 193. of his book.saith, The outward Court (among other things he nameth) is SCRIPTVRES. And he giveth this advice, Leave them out, measure them not, take no paines about it, cast it off, owne it not, acknowledge it not, measure it not, for it is not worth the measuring. (I have set downe his word at large before:) so that you see whither this exposition of the outward court tendeth; that those that make use of the Scriptures are Gentiles, carnall worldly Christians; and not Spirituall men as they are. And is not prayer by word of mouth outward? yea, say some of them, it is an invention of man; And is not marriage with women outward too? and Magistracy outward? Why doe they not trample all under foot? Consider,
2 Contradiction among their say…gs.They say in other places, The Temple meaneth ordinances. And if so, then here is ordinances taken care for; for here the Temple and Altar is to be measured. What will they have this Temple? There was outward ordinances performed as well at the Altar, and in the Temple, as in the outward court: were not the Sacrifice at the Altar? And was not Incense offered in the Temple, and blood sprinkled there? And was not there a Table, and Candlestick, and Shew bread, &c. And did not the Priests goe performe services there? So that here is a paradox: Outward ordinances cast out, and outward ordinances taken care for, by their owne exposition: So that they contradict themselves.
But by Temple of God, is meant the true Church of God: as the Corinthians are called, The Temple of the living God. Yea the true visible Church; for it had worshippers therein, which are the members, true worshippers of God, in the true visible Church constituted according to Gospell order; for such a Church was Corinth: And this Temple had worshippers in it also.
The Altar, signifieth the true Spirituall Altar Christ, upon whom all their prayers, and praises are offered, Heb. 13. Now these are allusions to the Temple, and Altar, and Court which was at Jerusalem: As all things almost in the Revelations are spoken by allusion to the old types.
Now in the Temple the Priests performed service, as Luk. 1.9. So the people of God are Spiritual Priests, 1 Pet. 2.5. without in the Court stood the whole multitude of people, good and bad, all Israell according to the flesh, Luke 1.10. signifying the false Church, and congregations Nationall of good and bad, pretenders to Christ, These should be cast out to the Gentiles, (i. e.) carnall Christians should have such a Church and constitution. And the holy City, (i. e.) the Church of the Jewes after the flesh, which rejected Christ, which formerly were a holy City, legally holy: was to be trampled under foot. This way the allusion runneth cleare, but not the other. For there were outward ordinances in the Temple, as well as in the outward Court.