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Ch.3.

What the Churches bed.

death who had caused children to be circumcifed, and hanged children upon the neckes of their mothers, 1 Mac. 1. 23. to the end.

In my bed: Not in my bed of eafe and floth, (as fome take it) for what ease could the Church take in the night time of calamity? but in my bed, that is, in the place and duties of Gods worship, the Temple and the ordinances.

I fought him whom my foule loveth.] I defired and endeavoured to have fellowfhip with Chrift, but I found him not, the Sanctuary being polluted and the daily facrifice taken away, and profane Idols fet up in the place.

·85

Chap 1.

16.& 3.7.

In the streets of the City:] that is, in the Verse 2. open affemblies of the faithfull, in the Synagogues, in the cities of Judea and Jerufalem; but behold there Altars erected to Idols, and incense burned, and

*

the books of the Law caft into the fire *: *1 Mac. I. Yea, behold the citizens of Jerufalem 57.59. all fled and gone *: and the reft went in proceffion to Bacchust. :

The watch-men that goe about the citie:] To wit the Levites, who anfwered her with filence; but a little after fhe found G 3 fuccour

I Mac. T.40.

+ 2 Mac.

6.7.

Verse 3.

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fuccour at Modin, for the Priefts, Mat-
tathias and his fonnes, Fudas, Fonathan,
and Simon, and the reft that went about
to repaire the ruines of the Church and
Common-wealth; to these the faithfull
Church repairing, * and finding delive-
rance and comfort, by Fudas especially,
or rather by Chrift in him †, Shee left
him not till fhee had brought him into
the Temple, where the foone after clean-
fed the Sanctuary, and restored the puri-
ty of Gods worship, and offered facrifice
according to the Law, fo that the found
great comfort and joy in the duties of
Gods worship*. Thus againe found
they Chrift in a typicall Saviour, held
him by faith, and,
and, with courage and
zeale, brought him into the Temple and
Sanctuary,the house and chamber of her
mother; that is, of the former Church
of Ifrael, or of the Catholike Church,
for the Church of the former ages is the
mother of the latter; or the whole
Church is the mother of each
part in
ufuall phrafe of Hebrew fpeech: The
Temple is the houfe of both, the San-
ctuary is the chamber of her that bare
her.

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Ch.3.

Church found Chrift.

87

I charge you, O yee daughters of Ferufa- | Verse 5. lem,by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field, that ye ftirre not up, nor awake my

be please.

love till

I charge you,&c.] See the fame words opened, Chap. 2.7. The Church chargeth all her daughters, all her members, to take heed, left by their undiscreet dealing, or any wicked practise, they stirre up the neighbour Princes of Syria and Egypt; not to disturbe the peace of the Church, and to provoke Chrift againe to leave them defolate; which though Fafon and Menelaus and Alcimus broket, t2 Mac. yet they prevailed not fo farre, but 14.14 Chrift was ftill found in the Temple of the faithfull till his comming in the flesh. Who is this that commeth out of the wil- Verfe 6. derneffe like pillars of fmoake,perfumed with mirrhe and frankincenfe, with all powders of the merchant?

Who is this that commeth out of the wilderneffe.] This is a defcription of John Baptift, and of the Church gathered by his Miniftery in the wilderneffe: which is fet forth,

First, by the admiration and inquifitiveneffe of the old Synagogue after him

88 John Baptifts Mmistery how foretold. Ch.3.

and his baptifme: Who is this that commeth, or arifeth, &c. which was fulfil"Joh.1.19 led*: To whom the Jewes fent Priests Luk.3.15. and Levites to aske him, Who art thou? and all men mused whether he were not

+ Luke 3.

2.-4. Mar.1.3,4

the Chrift.

Secondly, by the place of his arifing, and the Church with him in the wilderneffe t.

Thirdly, by the manner of arifing,like pillars of fmoake, which

First, arifeth from fire, as the Church arofe from zeale and fervencie of Fohns ministery.

Secondly, afcendeth on high, as the propagation of this Church did, even to

+ Mar. 3. Jerufalem t.

5,6.

*Mat. 3. 5,6.

13.

Thirdly, fils the countrey, as the Church did with rumour and increase of

it *.

Fourthly, by the excellent fragrancie and fweetneffe of the graces thereof per+ Chap. 1. fumed t, preferving from putrefaction: fuch was the powerfull zeale of Fohn and his miniftery, ftrongly fragrant as Myrrhe, and preferving his hearers from pharifaicall hypocricy; Frankincenfe is of like ftrong fragrancy, and of chiefe ufe

Mat. 3.

-10.

Ch.3. Solomons bed what it fignifies.

34°

I.

89

in making of the holy incenfet; by tExod.30 which prayer was fignified*, to intimate Pla.141 the fragrancy and fervency of his pray-2. ers,who taught all his difciples to pray b. b Luk.11. With all powders of the merchant.] to wit, perfumed with the fweet graces of God, filled with the holy Ghoft above all Prophets, yea above all that were borne of women d; whence alfo hed Mat.11. feafoned all forts of his hearers with 9, 11. graces and directions fit for their feverall callings e.

cLuk. 1.

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e Luk. 3.

Fifthly, by the doctrine of fohn,who 10.-14. exprefly preached the Lord Jefus manifefted in the flesh.

Behold his bed which is Solomons, three- Verfe 7. fcore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Ifrael.

Behold his bed which is Solomons.] this doctrine the Church of that time received and beleeved: In which doctrine, that first Church first discerned and beleeved,

16.& 3.1.

First, the Temple of Chrifts body; fChap. 1. for the bed f was taken, as also it is here, for the Temple, which was the type of Christs body. Now,this as John pointed, Behold the hlohn 1. lambe 29,30.

g Ioh. 2.

19, 20.

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