120

13.1.

Who and what the Churches eyes. Ch.4. upon them, for the forwardneffe of his love to them,and theirs to him.

With one of thy eyes.] The eyes of the Church are feverall, according as the Church may be feverally confidered: for if the Church be confidered as affembled together to publike duties, fo the Minifters of the Church are the eyes, amongst whom they at Antioch excelled, as Aga+Aa.11. bust and others; among whom the Lord 27.28.& was efpecially delighted with Barnabas and Saul, who were fent immediately by the Spirit of Chrift to enlighten all the neighbour countries*. So they two, joyned in one office, were as one eye to enlighten all the parts. But if the Church be confidered in the members apart, the John 8. eyes thereof are knowledge and faith †: In this Church faith excelled, refting upon Chrift alone without Mofes his Ceremonies, which the Jewes would have thruft upon them

*A&.13. 2. to A&t.

14.27.

+

56.

* A&.15.

1,2,3.

*

With one chaine of thy necke.] Chaines fignified Lawes † binding as chaines. Now the Church of Antioch fending up Paul and Barnabas to Jerufalem, about the contention which Cerinthus (as the stories thinke) and others raised at An

Ch.4. Chaines how used by the Apostles.

2.

121

tioch concerning the neceffity of the Ceremoniall Lawes; the Apoftles or *A&.15. Elders made a Law or decree to abrogate the Ceremonies, and yet enjoyne fome things, partly neceffary in themfelves, as to avoid fornication; partly neceffary to avoid the offences of the Jews, as to abftaine from bloud, &c. This Law the Apostles and Elders hanged as a chaine upon the necke of the Church of Antioch and other Churchest:whence† A&.15. that Church received great confolation*, 23-29. * Ver.31. and the other Churches establishment and increase*.

How faire is thy love my fifter, my spouse! how much better is thy love then wine, and the smell of thine oyntments then all spices!

How faire is thy love, my fifter!] Sifter implies the fame, and fuch like Gentile Churches, whofe love is here fet forth, First, by the fairneffe of it.

Secondly, by the ftrength, fweetneffe, cheerfulneffe, implied in the preferring it above wine.

How faire, and strong, and fweet, and cheerfull was the love of the Church of Antioch; which aforehand prepared a contribution of their owne accord for

the

* A&. 16.

4.5.

Verse 10.

122

29,30.

Macedonia commended for Charity. Ch.4.

every

* A&.11., the poor Saints at Jerufalem, even * man according to his ability! The like or greater love feemed in the poore Chur* 2 Cor.8. ches of Macedonia *. A faire love for poore men to fend reliefe to others: A ftrong love for deeply poore to fend rich liberality; yet more ftrong and fweet to pray the meffengers with much intreaty to receive it, and a cheerefull love to doe all this in abundance of joy, and beyond the Apostles owne expectation.

18.

Phil.4.

This kinde of benevolence the Apostle calleth an odour of a fweet smell it was fweeter and better then wine. All this love fhewed to the poore Saints Christ takes here as done to himselfe, as he will alfo take it at the last day. The 35-40 decayes of this firft love fhewes how great this love was at the first †.

Mat.25.

† Rev.2.2,

4.

Verse 10.

* Cha.1.3.

The fmell of thine oyntments then all Rom. 1.3. Spices. Oyntments, are the graces of Gods Spirit: Thefe 'gave a fweet report farre and neare in those Primitive Churches t.

Col.2.5.

I Thef.1.

6,7,8.

Ver.11.

Thy lips o my spouse, drop as the boneycombe : honey and milke are under thy tongue, and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

Thy

Ch.4.

What the Churches garments.

Thy lips, a my Spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue.] This commendeth the Doctrine and Miniftery of those first Churches, in these foure refpects:

First, for the readineffe and flowingneffe of it; it dropped forth of it felfe, it needed not to be preft and constrained, as an honey-combe.

Secondly, for the sweetneffe of it, as the honey or the honey-combe.

Thirdly, for the wholfomneffe of it, as milke.

The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.] Lebanon is full of sweet trees of fpices growing in it, which yeeld a fragrant smell even afarre off. Gar

ments are,

Firft, partly the wedding garments of Chrifts righteoufneffe.

Secondly, partly the gracious carriage wherewith they cloathed themselves in their outward converfation: They cloathed and decked themselves with Christ, not onely to their Juftification, but with his Spirit to their Sanctification; which fhewes forth it felfe in their humility, meeknesse,patience,honesty,faithfulnesse,

diligence,

123

124

9,II.

1 Pet. 2.

12.

Churches planted by th Apostles pure.Ch.4. diligence, ferviceableneffe of their outward carriage, fo farre forth as that the Heathen fmelled a fweet favour in their

*

*Phil.4.8. whole course ; yea, even in Trajans Thef.4. time, when the fmell of garments was not fo ftrong: yet what a sweet teftimony doth Pliny himselfe (though a perfecutor) John 3. give of them, when hee faid, hee could Eufeb.lib. finde no fault with them, but that they 3.cap.30. rofe early, and went into the woods to Plin. Epift. fing Hymnes to one Fefus?

22,24.

lib.xe. Epift.97.

ufe 1.

This firft is to reforme their judgements who speake of the Apoftolicall Church as an infant and rude Church, whereas Chrift, whofe eyes were as a flame of fire, and who best knew it, commends it for perfection of beauty, and faith it was faire: So that if a Church were fuch, Chrift might imbrace it with both his armes.

This is the Church excellent for her Ministers, excellent for common Chriftians, which had pure eyes of knowledge and faith; fo that by how much neerer any Church comes to this, by fo much the fairer it is; and by how much any Church comes fhort of it, by fo much the fouler it is.

Secondly,