Chap.1. Lawfull Priests are Shepheards. 29 Secondly, a Reafon to prevent her turning afide to fuperftitious worship, by following fuch teachers as will not bee fubordinate to Chrift, depending upon his direction, but companions with him, ufurping to prefcribe with like authority as himfelfe in his worship b.

If you know not.] This verfe containeth Chrift's anfwer:where obferve First, a Compellation, oh thou fairest amongst women.

Secondly, a Suppofition, If thou knoweft not, as if he should fay,it is much thou fhouldeft not know.

Thirdly, a Direction to follow in this cafe.

b 1.King.

12.28.31.

Verse 8.

2. Chro.

LI.13,14,

16.

First, the footsteps of the true sheepe of Chrift, who went up all to Jerufalem. Secondly, the tents of the Shepheards, the lawfull Priefts, who were there alfo; d There they feed the kids and young d 2.Chro. ones, who elfe might in time grow rammish and ranke with fuperftitious and bad minifters.

13.10,11.

I have compared thee. ] Here the civill Verje 9. eftate of the Church of Judah is defcribed, for after that the recourfe of the faithfull Priests and Levites had ftrength

ned

30

11.17.&

12.1, 2.

The Church compared to horfes. Chap.1.

* 2 Chro. ¡ned the hand of Rehoboam, *hee fell away, and most of Ifrael with him: wherefore God fent Pharaoh Shishak 2 Chr. 12. (for all the Kings of Egypt were called 2,8,9. ver. Pharaohs) to fubdue them to his fervice. So then the Church of Judah is here set forth,

8,9.

12.8.

First, by her service to Pharaoh, as if, like horses, they drew in Pharaohs d2 Chro. triumphant Chariot d. Jofephus faith, this Shishak was Sefefteris, of whom Herodotus fpeakes; yea of him faith Diodorus Siculus, that hee caused Kings as horfes to draw in his Chariots.

e 2 Chron.

Secondly, by her acceptance to God in this fervice; I have compared thee to the company of my borfes; and fo in the Hebrew, because they had fubmitted themfelves under Gods juft handse. If Solo12,6.12. mon had fpoken of any of his Wives or Concubines, it had beene a monftrous and abfurd comparison to liken them to Coach-horses: Alfo because this is a marriage-fong, hee fetteth downe exprefly no difmall thing to interrupt bride-chamber joy, but vaileth the fervice under this magnificent comparifon darkly.

Chap.1. Idolatry makes the Church black. 31

This fhewes us what it is that makes Ufe 1. the Church blacke, wherein the deformity of it stands,in the fall and fins ofthe people, and of the Princes, in declining to Idolatry in their folly, fchifmes, and rents from their mother; profaneneffe,apoftacy, and rebellion in the Church and Common-wealth: Thefe doe darken the faireft Churches.

If Solomon fhall fet up other Gods, God will fet up forraine Princes in his kingdome: If hee and his people will serve other Gods, God will cause his Princes to draw in forraine Princes Chariots: If we be at unity with other gods, God will be at enmity with us.

Secondly, this doth fhew us there ufe 2. may bee a true comely Church in the middeft of fuch deformities, yet the true Church of God in the greateft darkneffe is alwayes comely: It is not the fins of Princes and people that can take away the Churches comelineffe; they may bring blackneffe upon her,like to the tents of Kedar: but draw these curtaines afide, and you shall finde that Gods Church is comely, like to the curtaines of Solomon. Run we not therefore from the Church because

32

ufe 3.

ufe 4.

The Church true though black. Chap.1. because of her blackneffe, but runne to her, and embrace her in her most fad defections.

Thirdly, to teach the children of the Church not to feparate from the Church for corruption fake; not to looke onely at her corruptions, but to fee her comlineffe alfo; and not adde affliction to the afflicted:Much leffe are we to think they in Bohemia,and in the Palatinate, are no Churches, for that they are now funneburnt: The funne, even God,hath looked upon them; and it is not their mothers children, but the baftards of the Romane Harlot have beene angry with her. Let us not then look at them with a Vultures eye, as though wee would behold nothing but corruption and carrion; nor, with a scorching eye, make them more blacke; but with a childe-like eye, to pity them for their calamity and blackneffe which is befallen them.

Fourthly, obferve that the calamities of the Church fpring not out of the dust, but it is God that causeth darknesse upon the Church; yea, to fpeake reverently, it is he that lookes at her with a fcorching eye;he fearcheth her fins,and, finding

them

Chap.1. This Song penned after Solomons fall. 33 them out, doth blaft her that fhe is tann'd and fun-burnt: If then it be Gods hand, let us pity the Church fo much the more, and ftrive with God to renew the light of his countenance upon her. Fifthly, it was a finne in them to be ufe 5. angry with the Church, as fome of the feparation are, and doe depart from us, and it is not a little finne and fault in us to defpife other Churches in diftreffe. What and if fome caft off England, fhall we reject it because fome of the fonnes of her mother doe fo? How much leffe then when the sonnes, not of a mother but of a Harlot, hates the Churches beyond the feas? fhall wee then reject the Church God forbid. 15:50

Sixthly, this teacheth us concerning use 6. Solomon that is

Firft, he repented of his fall, acknowledged his being wanting of keeping his owne Vine and to ou

Secondly, hee wrote this song after his fall and repentance; elfe, if hee had foretold his fall, and repentance before it was done, it might feem like the Jefuites popifh repentance, who confeffe to their Priests their fin before they commit it: D But