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250 The zealous love of the Church to Christ.

*Rev.15.2.

P.al.1.3.

Verfe 7.

Firft, fhee fhall devoure all fuch things,and bury them out of fight, And Secondly, there hold them under for ever.

The coales thereof are coales of fire, which have a moft vebement flame.] The ardency of this love fhall as coales of fire,

Firft,enflame her in all her fervices to Chrift:

Secondly, burne up as ftubble all impediments.

First, All inward green lufts. Secondly, outward entanglements, (Vehement flame.) Hebr. Flames of God, that is, excellent or extraordinary; for in Scripture Phrafe, the things of Godare tranfcendently excellent, as the Harpes of God *, the Trees of God *.

Flames of God, divine and vehement; and indeed this vehement love being kindled by Gods heavenly Spirit, cannot be quenched with earthly things..

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drowne it: if a man

would

The Chur love cannot be drawn from Chr.251 would give all the fubftance of his houfej for love, it would utterly be contemned. That is, neither adverfities, though never fo many, or deep, or ftrong, as many waters and floods, thall withdraw this love from Chrift; nor all the treafures, and pleasures, and credit, which the fubftance of any mans houfe might procure us, fhall be of any reckoning in comparifon of Chrift, to withhold our hearts from him.

we have a little fifter, and he hath no Verf. 8 breasts, what shall we doe for our fister, in the day when she shall be spoken for.

Wee have a little fifter, &c.] The Church of Idea and Ayria hearing of fome good people growing up,and comming on in Egypt, they are folicitous what courfe to take for them for their growth and establishment.

(4 little fifter.) In comparison of Ifa. 19. 18. the Jewes or Affyrians, for but five Cities in the Land of Egypt fpeak the language of Canaan, and one of them fball be called the City of destruction. And she hath no breafts.] No Mini

fters

252 The Church of Egypt why a little Sifter

fters to give to them the fincere milk 1Pet...of the word or the meanes of confolation in their oppreffions and diIfa.9.20 ftreffes.

Verse 9.

In the day when she shal be spoken for.] When the fulneffe of time fhall come, that she shall grow up to fuch a multitude of Profeffors, as may bee fit to have a fetled Church establifhed amongst them; for there is a company grown up to be a fit Spouse for Chrift. When there are fo many good Chriftians as may conftitute a well ordered Church.

If she be a wall, we will build upon ber a palace of filver and if she be a doore, we will enclofe her with boards of Cedar.

If fhe be a wall, we will build.] That is, if the have a Chriftian Magiftracy; for the Magiftrate is a wall.

Firft, high, to keep out invafions of enemies; even fo doth he keepe out forraigne evills from breaking in upon his people.

Secondly, clofe to keepe in his people within bounds from breaking out into diforder.

Thirdly,

Why the Magiftrate called a wall. Thirdly, firme, whereon to reare (ifoccafion bé) a filver Palace, whereon to lay the frame of a good motion, or course to bee taken for Publique good.

Fourthly, a Wall of partition, to divide betweene right and wrong, to give every man his own.

we will build upon her a filver palace.] We will make her garment honourable and wealthy.

253

If she be a doore.] That is, if the have faithfull Minifters, which as a doore, open the way to Chrift, that the people may go in and out, and find pafture in him we will enclose her with boards of Cedar. Cedar is a Timber that will neither rot, nor breed wormes, and fo will endure alwaies; Whence it was that the Heathen made their Simulachra Deorum, Images of their gods of ebra this wood, to make them feeme eter- caps. nall. These Sifter-Churches then promise, that if their little fifter of Egypt have any faithfull Minifters, they will provide for their fafety and peace, that they bee not discouraged,

nor

Plin.lib.13.

254 Christ will himselfe care for his Church.

nor disturbed in their function.

Verf.10. I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found

Verfe 11.

favour.

The little fifter of Egypt refolveth her fifters, that thee wants neither Chriftian Magiftrates, nor faithfull Minifters, fo full of wholesome Do Arine, as that her breafts fwell like Towers; which yet fhe acknowledgeeth to be a fingular mercy and favour of Christ, and afcribeth all her store to his praife: Then was I as one that found favour in his eyes.

Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon: A place fo fruitfull that for excellency it was called the Lord of a multitude, or the owner of great encreafe. He let out the vineyard unto keepers, who paid him a great rent, even thousands for the fruit of it, and yet had a good portion, certain hundreds for their owne paines.

My vineyard which is mine, is before Verf 12. me: thou (O Solomon) must have a thoufand, and those that keep the fruit thereof, two hundred.

To

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