68 Cyrus ordained to deliver the Church. Ch.2 is, hee giveth fome glimps of hope, of further enlargement to the Church. He fheweth himselfe through the lattice.] As in the originall, any place burned through in the fiege of Babel, Cyrus diverting the course of Euphrates another way, which before came through the midft of the City, burning up the reeds, and drying up the water paffages, hee fhewed himselfe through the place, and *Ier, 30. entered the City *. 31,32. Ver. 10. Ezra 2. 1.-4. Efay 45. My beloved fpake and faid to me, Rife up my love,my faire one,and come away:] That is, Cyrus made open proclamation for my departure out of Babel, and returne into into mine owne countrey t. Though Cyrus was an heathen, and knew not Chrift the beloved, * yet the Church in Cyrus faw the hand and voyce of Christ, ufing Cyrus as an inftrument for deliveEzr.1.7. rance; whence Ezra faith, the Lord ftirred up the fpirit of Cyrus. For loe the winter is paft, the raine is over and gone.] 4,5. Ver. 11. That is, firft, partly it was now fpring time of the yeare, the winter and raine were now over, which elfe might have hindered travaile. Secondly, Ch.2. Returne from captivity in the Spring. 69 Secondly, the metaphoricall winter of Babels captivity, and all the stormes of it were blowne over; whence it is,the Caldean word is here ufed to fignifie this winter, not the common Hebrew word. The flowers appeare on the earth, the time Ver. 12. of the finging of birdes is come, and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land: Which, with the words following, is, Firft, partly a defcription of the fpring time, which invited them to this journey. Secondly, partly a setting before them of fuch conveniences, which,like to the fpring time, might invite them to this Journey. The flowers appeare on the earth:] That is, even they of the people of the Countries amongst whom they fojourned; they both, First, praised God for their delive rance *. * Pf. 126. Secondly, furnished them with gold 1.-3. and filver, and other usefull things for their journey t. The time of the finging of birds is come:] To wit, that the Priefts and Levites F 3 fhould + Ezr.1.4. 6.-8. 70 Ifrael backeward to leave Babel. Ch.2 fhould now fing and praife God in their owne Countries; which they † Pla. 137. thought unfeasonable to do in a strange land t. 3.4. The voyce of the turtle is heard in our land.] That is, of Chrift the faithfull spouse of his Church, who is mourning in Judea,because he findeth not his Mate Ver. 13. (the Church) there. it. The fig-tree putteth forth her greene figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good fmell,] That is, the chiefe of the Fathers and Elders of the people, they fhew themselves forward to counte nance the journey, and to prepare for Arife my love, my faire one, and come *Ver. 10, away. Being twice repeated*, it argueth the people were flacke to leave their states, which they had planted themselves in at Babel; and therefore stood in need of calling on againe and againe. 13° Ver. 14. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rocke, in the fecret place of the ftayers, let me fee they countenance, let me heare thy voyce, for fweet is thy voice, and thy countenance comely. Ch.2. Who foxes to the Church. O my dove.] That is, my chafte,innocent and faire spouse. " That art in the clefts of the rocke, in the fecret place of the ftayers,] That now doft worship me in holes and corners. Let me fee thy countenance, let me heare thy voyce:] Let mee fee thee affembled into the face of a Church, in my Sanctuary, let me there heare thee calling upon mee, finging praife to mee, speaking my word. For fweet is thy voyce, and thy countenance comely.] First, the voyce of the Church, at one and the fame time, First, rejoycing in Gods wonderfull mercy. First, their owne unworthineffe. 71 a Pfa.14. 6.1,-3. with Ier. 50.4, 5.8 Ezra 3. 11-13. b Ezra 4 Ver. 15. in regard of former times a. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that Spoile the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.] That is, restraine (the foxes,the little foxes) the enemies of the Church, of greater or leffer b fuch as 1.-3. power; were the Samaritans. These spoiled the Heft. 3. FA vines, 2.4. &5.3. Neh. 4. 8,9. 72 The foxes of the Church deftroyed. Ch.2 CEzr.4.4, vines, chindered the proceeding of the 5, 23, 24 building of the Temple, and the peace of the Church. And therefore Tobiah faid truely of himselfe and his fellowes, that they, as foxes, going upon the weake foundation of the walls of Jerufalem, dNeh.4.3 might easily demolish the famed: Yet these foxes in the end were taken and restrained, First, partly by the Edict of Darius: Secondly, partly by the hanging of Haman and his fons, and the deftruction of some other of the Jewes enemies f. e Ezra 6. 11.-13. f Heb.7. 10. & 9. 14.-16 Ver. 16. * Neh. 8. Ezr. 10. + Neh.13. Ver. 17. My beloved is mine and I am his. ] The Church enjoyeth familiar and comfortable Communion with Chrift, these enemies being quelled *. Shee feedeth among the lillies.] That is, among pure and faire Chriftians, all corruptions being weeded out, both of strange wives*, of ufury, of right of the Levites maintenance and ministration, t and prophanation of the Sabbath. Untill the day breake, and the fhadowes flee away: turne my beloved, and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart, upon the mountaines of Bether. Turne |