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Ch.5.

What Chrifts knocking is.

Secondly,to difcerne fome fuch groffe herefies as quenched the heart and life of Christianity, as the impiety of Arius, denying the Godhead of Chrift; Macedonius and Eunomius, denying the perfon of the holy Ghoft, of Neftorius, dividing the perfon in Chrift, of Eutyches,confounding their natures: other ftraw and ftubble built upon the foundation they neglected.

It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh,faying,Open.]Chrift ufed good meanes to awaken his spouse, and to raise her up from this carnall fecurity.

First, he calleth to her in the voice of fundry good Divines,who complained of the intolerable burthen of humane inventions, wherewith the common Chriftians were defiled and dabled, as Christ here complaines:His locks and haire were full of the drops of the night, drops with coldneffe of Religion and darknesse of ignorance ingendred.

Secondly, he knocked by the raps and blowes which Conftantius,Valens, and Julian gave to the Church; the two former perfecuting the orthodox Bishops and Minifters and other Chriftians, in favour of the Arians; and Fulian making flat Apoftafie

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Verse 3.

Humane inventions of what ufe. Ch.5. Apoftafie from the Church, and fubtlely fupplanting the nurfing of Religion. I put off my coat, how fhall I put it on? I' have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? I have put off my coat.]Thus upon fleight pretence the Church refufeth to open to Chrift: fhee pretends Religion and the worship of God would appear too naked, if it were not cloathed with goodly and comely humane inventions; how then fhould fhee in fo naked a manner open to Chrift: Humane inventions do not clothe Religion, or the Church profeffing it with any comely ornaments; but, as it were with warme blankets, lap her and lull her afleep in the bed of perfunctory worship and carnall security.

I do not here conceive that the Church acknowledgeth fhe hath caft off her garments of Chrifts righteoufneffe; for then how fhould fhee remaine the spouse of Chrift yea, how then fhould her heart have beene otherwife then asleep too? but onely fhee pleadeth fhee should appeare too naked if fhee fhould open to Chrift, if the fhould worship him in the fimplicity and nakedneffe of his fimple ordinances.

Ch.5. What the Churches washing her feet.

I have washed my feet.] Nor with the laver of regeneration, for that would have beene no impediment, but a furthe rance to the pure worship of God; but fhee had washed her feet, thee had freed and cleansed her converfation from defilements of fecular affairs: fhee had taken up a devout regard of virginity, or hermitifh or monkish folitary retiredness; fhee being cleanfed and washed in these devices, cannot betake her felfe to wor fhip the Lord in his fimple ordinances,and in the wayes of her calling, without fome defilement: Thus marriage and worldly bufineffe (though both allowed by God, yet)feem a defilement, in comparison of more ftrict fuperftitious devotion.

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My beloved put in his hand by the hole of Vet. 4. the doore, and bowels were moved for

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My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the doore ]Or, My beloved put downe his hand by the hole of the doore.] Either of which imply, that Chrift did at first use meanes for himselfe to open the doore, when thee would not; attempting to remove the impediments which hinder him from enjoying his spouse: First put his

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* Mat.12. 28. with Luke 11.

20.

Chrift feeks to purge his Church. Ch.5. hand by the hole of the doore, when hee stirred up Chriftian Emperors,fuch as Martianus, and both the Theodofii, to call Synods,and to command theFathers affeinbled, to give all diligence to root out all herefies, and depravations of doctrine and worship,that the pure and holy faith might shine forth:

How eafily might the Church upon fuch encouragements, have broken the barres and bolts of Superftition crept into the worship of God, whereby Chrift was debarred from drawing neer to them? The Bishops affembled in thofe Councels of that time,condemned thofe grofs herefies which blafphemed the doctrine of the Trinity; but how deeply did they neglect to redreffe all other enormities and corruptions? Befides, Chrift is faid to put in his hand by the hole of the door,when he puts his fpirit, which is the power and finger of God*,into the hearts of his people, whereby they are enlightened to know him better, and stirre up men honeftly to feeke after him. So Chrift eulightened and stirred up Leo Ifauricus, Conftantines fonne,and Leo Copronymus, to bend their best endeavours to root out Idolatry,and

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Ch.5. Endeavours after reformation sweet. to remove Images, which were one of the chiefeft abuses in Gods worship.

My bowells were moved for him.] These good Princes,and other Christians at that time were strongly and inwardly affected to the purity of Gods worship, in which alone Chrift is found.

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I refe up to open to my beloved, and my Verfes. hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with fweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the locke.

I rose up to open to my beloved.] The Church under these good Emperours rofe up out of the blankets of these humane inventions wherewith fhee was covered, in a bed of fleeping devotion, and endeavoured to restore openly the fimplicity of Gods worship, rejecting Images and Idolatry.

My hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with fweet smelling myrrh,upon the han dles of the locke.] The endeavours of the Church were fweet, and delectable, and acceptable to Chrift, and favoury to the people, to preserve them,as myrrh, from further perfecution, when Conftantine the fonne of Leo Ifauricus, called the feventh Conftantinopolitan Councell,and there tru

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