Ch.6. The Church when like Ferusalem.

nued in the Temple of Ferufalem. But Solomon here fpeaketh of Tirzah while fhee retained her beauty: And indeed the reformed Churches were in this like unto Tirzab at firft in difgrace and obloquie for their feparation from Rome, and rebellion against the Emperour and other Princes; and yet nevertheleffe beautifull, becaufe this feparation was from God,in regard of Idolatries of the Church of Rome, greater then thofe of Solomon.

Thus the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hafia were profcribed as Rebels against the Emperour, and yet their caufe was beautifull and good. The faithfull at that time in England were burned in King Henry the Eighth's daies,as Hereticks,and refractory Subjects or Rebels, yet beautifull in Gods fight.

Comely as ferufalem.] In proceffe of time the Church wore out the fufpicion and difgrace of herefie,and feparation and rebellion, and was countenanced and adorned by Royall Lawes in the daies of King Edward the Sixth, and by Lawes of the Empire tolerating the Proteftant Princes, fo that the Church feemed as Ferufalem, the fate of Princes, the true

Church

175

176

Pfal.12.2, 3,5.

Church of God, and at unity alfo within it felf, wherein the comelineffe confisted : for, as Ferufalem had been three Cities, Zion, Salem, Millo, and all three were knit together into one Ferufalem: fo the three differences between Lutherans and Calvinifts in doctrine and difcipline at Geneva, were all compacted together in brotherly love, in their harmony of confeffions.

Terrible as an army with banners.] The Church was beautifull as Tirzah in King Henry the Eighths time, comely as Ferufalem in King Edward the Sixths time, terrible as an army with banners in Queen Elifa beths time, when the Proteftant Princes grew formidable to the Emperour, Eng. land and the low Countries to the Spaniard and Pope.How terrible was that overthrow which the Spaniard in 88.receiv'd?

Verse 5. Turn away thine eies, &c.] The eies, as *chap 49 above of the Church affembled, are the minifters, or the members confidered apart, as firft,knowledge; fecondly;faith: In both refpeats the eies of the Church were wonderfull amiable: fo that Chrift fpeaketh affectionatly to the Church after the manner of Lovers, ravifhed with the beauty of their Spouses.

Turne

Ch.6. Who the Churches eyes.

Turne awaythine eyes, for they have overcome me.]

age

What worthy Ministers did that first of the Reformed Churches yeeld? as Luther, Calvin, Martin Bucer, Cranmer, Hooper, Ridley, Latymer, &c. What a wonderfull meafure of heavenly light did. they of a fudden bring into the Church? and that out of the middeft of darknesse and Popery, from whence it was, that the knowledge and faith of the Faithfull then was wonderfully enlarged farre beyond the ignorance of former times.

177

Peter Mar

tyr.

The eyes of the Faithfull in Chrifts Chap.4-1. time lay under their lockes, as hindered from cleere fight by many errours; but the eyes of the faithfull, now feeing the truth much more plainly, are not hindered by fuch lockes hanging over them: How cleere was their faith, that having feene him which was invifible, Heb.11. feared not the fierceneffe of their 17. Kings and Princes, but endured patiently fiery Perfecutions, and bloody Maffacres?

6

Thy haire is like a flocke of goats.

Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep which goe up from washing.

M

As

Ver.5.7.

178

1-3.

How the Prim.and Ref.Church differ.Ch.6.

As a piece of Pomgranat are thy temples within thy locks.

The estate of common Christians fet out by the haire, and of the Ministers fet out by the teeth, and of the Church Governours fet forth by the piece of Pomgranate, was the fame in the Church reformed, as in the Primitive Church, Chap.4. where the description of thefe parts is ufed, and here repeated only with this difference: The teeth are not fo even cut in Reformed Churches as in Christs time; fome of them exceed their Brethren in Authority and Jurifdiction, whereas thofe were framed to more brotherly love in Chrifts time; whence the teeth they are faid to be even cut, which in these teeth is here left out; yet both the Ministers of higher and lower ranke, were as fheep flocking and conforting together, washed with the Laver of Regeneration, fruitfull and powerfull in their Miniftery, and therefore are here defcribed,as a flock of fheep come up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twinnes, and none is barren among them.

Ver. 6.

ufe I.

First, wee may here learne to behold a

different

Ch.6.The Church how visible before Luther. 179

Some

different estate of the Church.
times it is in a Garden; fundry Chrifti-
ans gathered together into beds and
knots, and growing up into good order
together, delighting and refreshing both
God and man with the favour of their
fweetneffe: fuch was, and is the eftate of
the Church reformed. Sometimes again,
the members of the Church scattered a-
broad in the wilde fields, feeking where
they may finde Chrift, as in the former
Chapter.

The Church is here vifible, as in a Garden, in fome of their eminent and principall members. If then the Papifts aske, where was the Church vifible before Luther? The answer is, it was vifible, not in open Congregations indeed, as it were Gardens; but in fundry members of the Church, as sweet fpices and flowers, growing here and there, whom the Popes and their Inftruments, like wilde Boares fought to root out, and yet God preferveth them.

Somtime, the Church findeth Chrift comfortably in her folemne affemblies, when good Christians are met together to serve him in the fimplicity of his OrM 2 dinances :