190

Verse 9.

Verfe 9.

Is one; fuch congregations are, Firft, few, as one to 60. or 80. Secondly, at unity, or brotherly love one with another, as one body, though scattered into many places, as England, Scotland, Germany, &c. In all Chriftendome, fome Churches are more chaste, milde, and unfpotted than others, even of the fame countrey; and yet fuch are but few, and though few, yet at entire unity, as one body.

The onely one of her Mother, the choiceft one of her that bare her.] In the Hebrew phrafe, the whole is the Mother,the parts are the Members. The true Catholique Church of Chrift is the Mother of all Reformed Daughters; and these Daughter-Churches that are moft chafte and milde, and undefiled, they are best efteemed, and best beloved of the Mother Catholique Church, as coming neereft to her in chastity, innocency, purity,

&c.

The Daughters faw her, and bleffed her; yea, the Queenes and the Concubines, and they praifed her.] Thefe Daughters, whether they be the members of the unfpotted Churches mentioned in the former

Ch.6.The fewes whence and how to be called. verse, either of both, together with these Churches that are as Queenes and Concubines, doe give honourable teftimony of thefe Congregations that are most reformed, and wifh them all profperity, the good things of this life, and a better.

To bleffe is more than to praise : Praise is the acknowledging of any good thing in her, but bleffing is the acknowledgement,

First, of Divine good things: and Secondly, thofe drawing the Churches and themselves therein neerer to God.

13.

191

Who is Shee that looketh forth as the mor- Verse 10. ning, &c.] In thefe verfes, the calling and and arifing of the Church of the Jewes is described by fix Arguments:

Firft, by the unexpectedneffe of her arifing, joyned with the admiration of it, Who is he that looketh forth? ver.10. Secondly, by the place of her arifing, the morning or the Eaft Coun

tries.

Thirdly, by the degrees and beauty of

her grace.

First, fresh as the morning.

Secondly,

192

The fewes whence,and how to be called.Ch.6.

Secondly, faire as the Moon.

Thirdly, bright and cleer as the Sun.
Fourthly, terrible as an army with Ban-

ners, ver.IO.

Fourthly, by Chrifts vifitation of her with the end of it, ver.11.

Fifthly, by the unexpected helpes which this Church found for her return, verfe 12.

Sixthly, by the earneftneffe of her calling given her, Return, Return, foure times repeated.

Who is this that looketh forth? ]These words expreffe the unexpected admirable Chap.3.6. arifing of a new Church; and that after the Reformed Churches of the Gentiles; fhe is a Shulamite, alluding to Salem, the ancient name of Ferufalem, the Mother City of the Jewes.

Ifa.66.8. & 49.12.

Rev16.

12.

This Church then thus arifing, is that of the Jewes which we look for; whose beginning for fudden converfion of multitudes, fhall be admirable to themselves and others.

As the morning.] Her arifing is refembled by the morning,

Firft, because this Church fhall arise from the Eafterne Countries.

Secondly,

Ch.6.The Femes shall be terrible, and to whom. 193

Secondly, her arifing fhall be like a new Refurrection from the dead.

Thirdly, her arifing shall be speedily,

as the fame phrafe intimates.

Rom.11.

15.

Ifa.$8.8. and 60,

19, 20. Ifa.6.12,

20. and 24.23.

Ifa 33.24

& 60. 211

Faire as the Moone, bright as the Sunne.] The Moone is faire by beauty communicated to her from the Sun. In the Suns brightneffe is light, heat, refreshing, and all in a glorious manner. The Citizens of that Church fhall all at that time, or at least the body of them,have their fins for given them by the righteoufneffe of Chrift imputed to them. They fhall en Ifa.59.21. joy abundant light of heavenly know ledge. They fhall excell in purity of holineffe. They fhall abound in confolati ons to the refrefling of themselves and others.

Terrible as an army with Banners.] Read Rev.19.14,21. The Armies of the Jewes fhall be terrible to the Turkes and Tartars, and to the falfe Prophet then driven from Rome by ten Chriftian Princes,and affociating himselfe to the Turke for fuc

cour.

I went downe into the Garden of Nuts. The Jewish Synagogues, fo called, becaufe of that voice of hardneffe and N blindneffe

Zech. 14.

20, 21.

Ifa.66.10,

II.

Ezek-38. & 39.cha

V

194

Rom.11.

The Fewes fhall appeare unexpectedly.Ch.6. blindneffe drawne over their hearts, as it were a hard Nut-fhell over the Ker

8, 10. Cor.3.nell,

14:15.

To fee the fruits of the vallies.] Valleyes lying in the fhade between two mountaines, bring forth fruit late: fo the Jewes are long before they bring forth fruit unto Christ.

To fee whether the Vine flourished, and the Pomegranates budded. 1 The Jewes, that for hardneffe of heart, are like a Garden of Nuts; yet when their converfion fhall be wrought, will be as Vines and Pomegranates, bring forth fweet and wholefome fruits to the reJudges 9. freshing of God and Man.

13.

Or ever. I was aware, my foule made me like the Charets of Amminadab.] Or set mee upon the Charets of a willing people; not that any thing cometh at unawares to Chrift in his owne perfon; but because to his Ministers, that in his Name fhall goe into this Garden of Nuts.

The Jewes fhall appeare unexpectedly, prepared to embrace Chrifts calling: they fhall finde the Jewes as Charets of willing people, ready to march with

them,