Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that [was] over against the separate place, and which [was] before the building toward the north.
Ver. 1. Then he brought me forth into the utter court,] scil., Of the temple, at both ends and on either side whereof there were spacious places, in manner of our churchyards, saith one. Sequitur locus valde confusus et multo impeditissimus, saith Castalio. This is a very dark and difficult chapter, the sense whereof I would fain learn of some other, for I know not what to make of it: thus he. Oecolampadius also to like purpose, after R. Solomon, and thus prayeth, Suggerat Dominus conanti quae ad gloriam illius, certe quae non officiant, precor, &c., i.e., The Lord help our honest endeavours, that we may do what may be for his glory, and not for the hurt of any reader. That was a holy prayer of his colleague Zuinglius in like case, and may it be ours also, Deum Opt. Max. precor ut vias nostras dirigat, &c., I beseech Almighty God to direct our ways, and if at any time, Balaam-like, we shall obstinately resist the truth, let him set his angel against us, who, with the terror of his sword, may so dash this ass (our ignorance, I mean, and presumptuous boldness) against the wall, that we may feel our feet (that is, our carnal sense and reason) crushed and broken; that we no longer dishonour the name of our Lord God. a
a Zuing. Epist., lib. iii.