354 The Gofpel ofSolomon's Temple. The Reafon of this was in Oppofition to the Heathenilh Idolatryof thole Times, whowere wont to Worship towards the Eaft ; and there -. fore had their Doors and Entrances into the Temples from the Weft, and their Adyta and more facred Places towards the Eaft end, there their Idols flood. As in our Churches in Popifh Times they had a Loft or Gallery over the Chancel, which was called the Rood Loft, where all their Idols flood ; as the Piaure of Chrift, and of the Virgin Mary, &c. and amongft the reit, they had one great Idol, called the Rood, which if it was, as fome now think, the Pitture of an old Man ; from thence the poor ignorant People came to conceive of God the Father, as an old Man fitting in Heaven : Though it feems rather to be a Wooden Image of Chrift hanging on the Crofs. See Ails and Monuments, Vol. z. Pag. 302. or a Wooden Crofs only, without atiy Image hanging on it. From whence is the term Roodmas, ufed (till in Tome parts of England ; by which they mean the first or third of May, the Pope havingmade that an Holy Day, and called itInventio Cruces, becaufe forfooth on that Day the Crofs on which Chrift was crucified was found, if you will believe the Fable ; Maffe or Meffe fignifying in the old Saxon a Feaft, or a fet time of holy Rejoycing, and Rood, as it feems, a Crofs. But this is tobe obferved that in all the Ceremonial Worship, the Lord took fpecial care to keep his People at a Diflance from the Hea- thenish Idolatries of thofe Times, he would not fuller them to con- form at all to thofe falfe Worships, nor to comply with them in the lean. And it is a good Spirit to be 'zealous against fuch Things; but where there-is a flight, loofe, indifferent, fceptical Frame of Spirit in theMatters of God's Houfe and Worship, this Spirit is not of God, this Spirit is not of him that calleth you. So much for the Houfe it felf. 2. Now fecondly for the Courts of the Temple, there were two of them, the Scripture mentioneth fo many and no more, z Cbron. 33. y. And he (Manafl'eh) built Altars for all the Hoft of Heaven in the two Courts of the Houfe of the Lord. About the Tabernacle we read but of one Court, Exod. 27. 9. for the whole Camp of Israel was the outer Court. But about the Temple were Two, called the outward, and the inner Court. The outward Court being the larger, is called the great Court, 2 Chron. 4. 9. and the Court of the People ; becaufe here the People came together to be taught, Ezra to. 9. But though thePeo- ple came into it, yet it was part of the Temple, and an Holy Place : For none might enter that were unclean in any thing, for it was the Office of the Porters to keep them back, z Chron. 23. 19, And hence it
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