2

210

15.

Cor.z.

Verfe s.

Ifa. 339.

light of fuch as fhould lodge in it. Hence the nose of this pure Church is compared to this tower; because they that dwell in this Church fhall be wonderfully refreshed with the fweet odours of the Miniftery, which is the fweet favour of life unto life: as alfo with the favoury conference of good Chriftians, and their faithfull and godly converfation.

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel,and the haire of thine head like parple; the King is held in the galleries.

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel.] Carmel excelled for fruit, and fulnesse in feeding cattell, and therefore is reckoned with Lebanon, and Sharon, and Bashan, fa

and 35. 2. mous for fertility.

1 Sam. 15. ver. 17.

The head of the Church under Christ is the Civill Magiftrate. The meaning then is,that the Magiftrate of this Church fhall yeeld store of found and fweet nourifhment to the people, by giving and maintaining free paffage to each holy Ordinance of God, and alfo by wholesome Lawes; and laftly, by good example of godly life.

The haire of thy head like purple.] The

Ch.7. The duty of good Magiftrates.

haire; whether it be the common Chriftians of the Church that hang upon Chrift, or the Officers or Servants that hang upon the Magiftrates of that Church, they are like purple.

211

Firft, not onely died in crimson blood Ifa 33.24. of Christ.

and 63. 1.

Zech.12.

Secondly, but also of a royall hue, as purple is a princely dye; all of them as Cant 7.1. Princes. The Officers and Exacters fhall be Revel.16. Peace and Righteousneffe.

Thefe Officers fhall not bafely sharke for bribes, nor exact for fees,nor oppreffe for filthy lucre, nor picke holes in mens eftates to trouble the people and enrich themselves; but like purple cloathed Princes, be like their Minifters, and honour both their Minifters and themselves with Peace and Righteousneffe.

The King is held in the Rafters.] For fo the word is turned before, where the Rafters were understood partly of the Temple. Held, is alwaies (to my remembrance) used for holding by conftraint, bound as a Prifoner. The meaning may be then, That the King, or chiefe Magiftrate is bound to be present

ver.8.

12.

Ifa.60 17.

and 18.

Cant 1.

-17.

212

Ezek.46.

10.

The duty of good Magiftrates. Ch.7. at the Ordinances of God in the Temple. The Prince is commanded to goe in with them, when they goe out, hee fhall goe out with them together; hee fhall come in with the first, and go out with the last : Or what if it imply that their greateft Magistrates fhall fubmit themselves to be bound with the Cenfures of the Church, according to that where the Pfalmift telleth of binding of Kings with the Ordinances of God in the a.49.22. Church. And Ifaiah foretelleth that Kings and Queenes fhall bow downe their faces towards the earth unto the Church, and licke the duft of their feet; both their Interpretations ftand well together.

Pfal.149. 6,8, &9.v.

ufe 1.

First, this doth fhew us how to come and appeare beautifull in the eyes of the Lord Jefus : which is when we turne our feet from the estate and wayes, and bondage of finne and Satan, and come out of the captivity into the liberty of his children, when we claime our Inheritance of the Kingdome of heaven, seeking after it above all earthly bleffings, and walking towards it, when we walke confidently in a Chriftian course, then Chrift admireth

Ch.7. Feare of report should not discourage.

213

2 Tim. 2.

ver.21.

reth our beauty. How beautifull are thy goings with fhooes, O Princes Daughter! Yea, Chrift then esteemeth us as Princes children: what matter then if foolish-men account us Peasants, and our going with fhooes as ftraight in the inftep? But wee stand not,nor fall not to their judgements, but to his who fhall judge us to eternall happineffe, or mifery at the laft day. His Mat.5.18. word must not stand when heaven and earth fhall fall: If he account us veffels of honour, wee are fo indeed, who is it that dishonoureth us? If men fhould cast a veffell of gold or filver into the mire, and trample upon it, yet the veffell is still a veffell of honour, good, and rich, and precious; the mire may eafily be washed off from fuch veffels. Be not difcouraged then from Chriftian courfes by foolish. feares of reproach: The truth is, if wee goe on in finne, Chrift efteemeth of us as base peasants, as ugly and abominable in his fight, naked, bare, deformed, and defiled; yea, he esteemeth our "goings as going bare-foot,which either, firft,brawneth our feet with a thick skin,that thereby we grow infenfible and feele nothing: or fecondly, pricketh us with unneO 3 ceffary

Anabaptifts confuted.

ceffary fcruples and feares.

Ch.7.

Secondly, we may from hence obferve to whom the praife of the converfion of the forwardeft Chriftians is due, to wit, to the hands of a cunning workman, the God of power and peace. We might be alfo called as often to retutne, as the Shulamite in the laft verse of the former Chapter: and yet unleffe this cunning workman put the bones of our thighes into joynt, we fhall not returne to him.

Further, fee here the ufe of Baptifme, even to infants. The Anabaptifts object, that Infants can receive no benefit by it, because they yet receive no understanding, no benefit by the Word: As if Infants cannot receive nourishment by the Navell, though they can neither take,nor chew, nor fucke meat with hand or mouth: Baptifme is the Navell by which Infants are nourished in the Church.

Fourthly, from this Navell, never wanting liquor; obferve, there doth never want juft matter of inftruction and comfort to be fetched from our Baptifme against all temptations. Doth Satan detaine thee from obeying thine effectuall calling Remember in Baptifme from

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