Ch.4. The beauty of the Primitive Churches. never till now the perfect faireneffe. All compleat faireneffe or beauty ftandeth in thefe three things: Firft,in the integrity of all the parts and members of the body; for if any be wanting, it is a maimed, a blemished body. Secondly, in the Symmetry, or fit proportion of all the members one to another. Thirdly, in the good complexion, or colour of them all. Look what parts are requifite for the compleat integrity of a faire Church,they are all found in the Apoftolick Church in comely proportion of beauty; for look, First, at their doctrine, and it was, 1. Free from all errour, fo farre as it was dispensed by the Apoftles, Prophets, Evangelifts of that time, who likewife fuffered no weeds of falfe do- 22,22. &trine to grow under them *. 2. Their doctrine was compleat, even the whole counsell of God t. plicity *. Secondly, look at their worship, and you may fee, 115 * A&.28. * Rev.2.2. † At.zo. 27. * I Cor. 2. without 1. The purity of Gods ordinances, H 2 116 * 1 Cor. 11. 23,34. & 14.26, 48. * A&.4. The beauty of the Primitive Churches. Ch.4. 31. & 13. and fafting. 1,-3.& •3.& 14.23. * A&.4. † A&.4. Thirdly, looke at their Chriftian communion, and you may fee, * 1. Their unity one with another 2. Love, and large-heartedneffe one towards another †, efpecially to their Ministers *. Fourthly, looke to their Difcipline, and you may fee the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelifts, Presbyters, Paftors, Teachers, firft, teaching, fecondly, exhorting; thirdly, ruling: and all by, firft, preaching; fecondly, writing, thirdly, private conference, fourthly, good examples: (No Churches unprovided of Presby*A&.14. ters,in the plurall number *.) 23. I Cor.5. 3-5. the Thirdly, the Deacons providing for poore, Act.6.3.-6. : Fourthly, both forts chofen by the Church, Act.6.3,5. Fifthly, Excommunications difpenfed upon weighty occafions, and with great w2 Cor. reverence,and with good fucceffe. wth 2.6,-8. Sixthly, Synods impofing no other but Ch.4.The fiituation of Lebanon and Amana. but neceffary things, either in themselves, | or for the prefent ufe of the Church, Acts 15. 26. This comely frame and order of the Church Paul beholding, joyed in it * The Church was now called a Spouse after Chrift had taken our nature upon him. 117 * Col.2.5 Come with me from Lebanon, (my Spouse) Verfe 8. with mee from Lebanon: looke from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the Lions dens, from the mountains of the Leopards. Come with me from Lebanon.] It is a famous hill in the uttermoft border of Ifrael northward: Amana a hill more northward on the weft of Syria, looking into Syria, Mefopotamia, Cilicia, & all Afia the less. Hermon and Shenir.] Two names of the fame hill,though happely given to divers parts, called alfo Syrion or Sien *. The Lions dens and mountaines of the Leopards.] Jerufalem† and the Temple in our Saviours time was made a den of theeves and robbers; but in the Apoftles time, after the Afcenfion, the Rulers grew more fierce and cruell, fpilling the bloud of Stephen, and making havocke of H 3 the * Deut. 3. 9.& 4.48. Matr. 13. Mar.12. 17. Luke 19. 46. 118 21. Chrift hath removes for his Church. Ch.4. the Church: So then, in this verfe, Christ calls his Church of the Chriftian Jewes, First, to behold from Lebanon, Hermon, Amana, the Church of the Gentiles gathered in Antioch, Phenice, Cyrene, Cyprus, &c. Secondly, to come out from those dens of ravenous perfecutors at Jerufalem, and to prepare her felfe to dwell among the Gentiles. Upon the perfecution of Stephen the faithfull wandred into these parts, and preached the Gofpell partly to the Jewes, and after to the A&.1. Gentiles alfo*; whereupon great num1820. bers of the Gentiles beleevedt: Which † A&t.11. when tydings thereof came to Jerufalem, it was as the voice of Chrift calling the Church of Jerufalem to fend Barnabas to them, to fee the Churches there and to establish them*. Afterwards when the Church of the Gentiles increased in number and grace, and the Jewes increafed and grew up in blafphemy and rage against the Gospell, Chrift called his Church at Jerufalem to leave those dens and mountaines of Lions and Leopards. * ver. 22. 24, A&. 22. 21.& 13. 46. Verfe 9. My fifter. This implieth that Chrift now Ch.4.The Church of the Gentiles called Sifter. 119 now fpeaketh not to the mother Church of the Jewes, but to a fifter Church, the Church of the Gentiles; fuch a fifter as is alfoa fpouse, a true Church, now first called a fifter by reason of the acceffion of the Church of the Gentiles. Thou haft ravished my heart, my fister, my fpoule, thou haft ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy neck. Thou haft ravifhed my heart, thou haft ravifhed my heart.] This implies that Christ was overcome exceedingly with the love of the Church: for fuch repetitions imply, in the Hebrew Phrase, à fuperlative excellency. } upon This Church fo affecting Chrift was Antioch,the first Church of the Gentiles, feated between Amana and Lebanon: for Barnabas, feeing the grace of God them, was not a little glad of it, fo that his fpirit was stirred up to exhort them to continue and grow up * : yea, hee went out and fought Saul, to bring him among them*; and they both fpent a whole yeare there, and did winne much people, fo that that Church was first called Christian, they first had their hufbands name, the name of Christ first put H 4 upon |