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120 Who and what the Churches eyes. Ch.4.

27,28.&

13.1.

upon them, for the forwardneffe of his love to them, and theirs to him,

With one of thy eyes. ] The eyes of the Church are severall, according as the Church may be feverally confidered: for if the Church be confidered as affembled together to publike duties, fo the Minifters of the Church are the eyes, amongst whom they at Antioch excelled, + A&.11. as Agabust and others; among whom the Lord was especially delighted with Barnabas and Saul, who were fent immediatly by the Spirit of Chrift to enlight*A&. 13 en all the neighbour Countries*: So they two, joyned in one office, were as one eye to enlighten all the parts. But if the Church be confidered in the members apart, the eyes thereof are know† Ioh. 8. ledge and faitht: In this Church faith excelled, refting upon Chrift alone without Mofes his Ceremonies, which the Jewes would have thruft upon them *.

2. to A&.

14.27.

36.

*A&. 15.

1,2,3.

+Cant. 1.

10.

With one chaine of thy necke.] Chaines fignified Lawes † binding as Chaines. Now the Church of Antioch fending up Paul and Barnabas to Jerufalem, about the contention which Cerinthus as the ftories thinke) and others raifed at An

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tioch

Ch.4. Chaines how used by the Apoftles. 121

*

tioch concerning the neceffity of the Ceremoniall Lawes; the Apoftles or Elders made a Law or decree to abrogate the Ceremonies, and yet enjoyne fome things, partly neceffary in themfelves,as to avoid fornication; partly neceffary to avoid the offences of the Jews, as to abftaine from bloud; &c. This Law the Apostles and Elders hanged as a chaine upon the necke of the Church of Antioch and other Churches t:whence that Church received great confolation*, and the other Churches establishment and increase*.

* A&. 15.

2.

+ A&t. 15. *Verse 31

23.-29.

* A&.16

4,5.

How faire is thy love my Sifter, my spouse! Ver. 10. how much better is thy love then wine! and the smell of thine oyntments then all (pices! How faire is thy love, my Sifter!] Sifter implies the fame, and fuch like gentile Churches, whofe love is here fet forth, Firft, by the faireneffe of it.. Secondly, by the ftrength, fweetneffe, cheerefulneffe, implied in the preferring it above wine.

How faire,and ftrong, and fweet, and cheerefull was the love of the Church of Antioch which aforehand prepared a contribution of their owne accord for

the

* A&. 11 29,30.

* 2 Cor.8. 1.-5.

122 Macedonia commended for charity. Ch.4. the poore Saints at Jerufalem,even*eve ry man according to his ability! The like or greater love feemed in the poore Churches of Macedonia*. A faire love for poore men to fend reliefe to others : Aftrong love for deepely poore to fend rich liberality, yet more ftrong and fweet to pray the meffengers with much intreaty to receive it, and a cheerefull love to doe all this in abundance of joy, and beyond the Apostles owne expectation, This kinde of benevolence the Apoftle *Phil. 4. calleth an odour of a fwect smell * ;

18.

Mat. 25. 35.-40. † Rev.z.

it

was sweeter and better then wine. All this love fhewed to the poore Saints Christ takes here as done to himselfe, as he will also take it at the laft day.The decayes of this firft love fhewes how this love was at the first *, great The fmell of thine oyntments then all *Chap. 1. fpices.] Oyntments, are the graces of Rom. 1. Gods Spirit*: Thefe gave a sweet re8. port farre and neare in thofe Primitive Col...Churches t.

2.-4. Ver. 10.

3.

1 Thel.1.

6,7,8.

Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeyVer. 11. combe: honey and milke are under thy tongue, and the fmell of thy garments is like the fmell of Lebanon.

Thy

Ch.4. What the Churches garments.

Thy lips, O my Spoufe, drop as the honeycombe honey and milke are under thy tongue.] This commendeth_the_DoEtrine and Miniftry of those first Churches,in these foure refpects:

First, for the readineffe and flowingneffe of it, it dropped forth of it felfe, it needed not to be preft and constrained, as an honey-combe.

Secondly, for the fweetnesse of it, as the honey or the honey-combe. Thirdly, for the wholesomnesse of it, as milke.

The fell of thy garments is like the fmell of Lebanon.] Lebanon is full of fweet trees of fpices growing in it, which yeeld a fragrant fmell even a farre off. Gar

ments are,

First, partly the wedding garments of Chrifts righteousnesse.

Secondly, partly the gracious carriage wherewith they cloathed themselves in their outward converfation: They cloathed and decked themselves with Chrift, not onely to their Juftification, but with his Spirit to their Sanctification, which fhewes forth it felfe in their humility, meekenes,patience,honefty,faithfulnefs,

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diligence,

123

124 Churches planted by th' Apoftles pure. Ch.4.

* Phil.4.8

I

Thef. 4.

diligence, ferviceablenefs of their outward carriage, fo farre forth as that the Heathen fmelled a fweet favour in their * whole courfe; yea, even in Trajans 9.1.time, when the fmell of garments was 1 Pet. 2. not fo ftrong: yet what a sweet testimony doth Pliny himselfe (though a perfecutor) give of them, when hee faid, hee could finde no fault with them but that they rofe early,and went into the woods to fing Hymnes to one Fefus?

12.

1 Ioh. 3.

22.24.

Eufeb.lib.3

cap. 30.

Plin. Epift.

Lib.

10.

Epift.97. ufe 1.

This firft is to reforme their judgements who fpeake of the Apoftolicall Church as an infant and rude Church, whereas Christ, whofe eyes were as a flame of fire, and who beft knew it, commends it for perfection of beauty, and faith it was faire:So that if a Church were fuch, Chrift might imbrace it with both his armes.

This is the Church excellent for her Minifters, excellent for common Chriftians, which had pure eyes of knowledge and faith; fo that by how much neerer any Church comes to this, by fo much the fairer it is; and by how much any Church comes fhort of it, by so much the fouler it is.

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Secondly,

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