26

Verfe 6,i

What meant by the Sunne. Chap.1. degrees,though they made her the keeper of the vineyards.

Look not upon me.] That is,

First, with a scorching eye, Sun-burning me, making me ftill more blacke by your difdaine and feparation, as the Sun is faid to looke upon, that is, with a scorching eye.

Secondly, with a piercing eye, as the Job 28.7 Vultures doe, whereof Fob fpeaketh, ufing the fame word here used of the Sun, which spieth out what he may fasten upon, any corruption or carrion.

Verse 6.

II.

The Sunne.] That is, God P hath lookp Pfal.84. ed upon me with a fcorching eye, in difpleasure; for he was angry with Solomon. q1Kin.11 It came not by chance,or civill causes in 9.& 12.24 polity, but by divine procurement; and therefore the daughters of Jerufalem to make fuch an use of it as not to alienate themselves the more from God by it: that which cometh from God fhould draw us neerer to God; He did it to fet us more Kings in the Common-wealth, as Solomon had more Gods in the Church. The fonnes of my mother were angry with mee. That is, the ten tribes were offenKing ded: yea this anger of the tribes was ex

Verfe 6.

12.16.

ceffive,

ceffive, when it brake forth into fuch extremity, and therefore they rather to be reproved, then the Church difdained. They made me the keeper of the Vines.] First, God.

Secondly, all the tribes..

Of the Vines.]That is, of all the Churches u.

27

fi Chron.

28. 4.-6. t 2 Sam. 5.

3.

a Pf. 80.8.

Mat.21.33

But mine owne Vineyard have I not kept.] Ifa.5.1. That is, not the Churches of Judah and Jerufalem, Idolatry and Superftition creeping in.

No not the Vines of mine own house,

my wives * from falling to Idolatry, and *Pl.128.3 feducing my felfe to toleration of it.

Tell me, ob thou, &c.]This verfe con- Verfe 7. taineth,

Firft,a Prayer of the faithfull difperfed throughout the ten tribes, and commanded by Jeroboam to goe no more to worfhip at Jerufalem, but to goe to Dan and Bethel, defiring to know whither to refort to find Chrift feeding his fheep a that a John 10. beare his voyce.

Secondly, a Reafon to prevent her turning afide to fuperftitious worship, by following fuch Teachers as will not be fubordinate to Chrift, depending upon

27,28.

28

Lawfull Priefts are Shepheards. Chap.1. his direction; but companions with him, ufurping to prescribe with like authority

b King. as himselfe in his worship b.

12.28,31.

Veric 8.

If you know not.] This verse containeth Christs answer: where obferve,

First, a Compellation, oh thou faireft amongst women.

Secondly,a Suppofition, If thou knoweft not as if he fhould fay, it is much thou fhouldest not know.

Thirdly, a Direction to follow in this cafe,

First, the footsteps of the true fheep of c Chro. Chrift, who went up all to Jerufalem c.

11.13,14,

16.

Secondly,the tents of the Shepheards, the lawfull Priefts, who were there alfo : da Chro. There they feed the kids and young ones, who elfe might in time grow rammish and rank with fuperftitious and bad

2

13.10, 11.

Verfe 9.

Minifters.

I have compared thee.] Here the civill eftate of the Church of Judah is defcribed, for after that the recourse of the faithfull Priefts and Levites had ftrengthChroned the hand of Rehoboam, * he fell away, and most of Ifrael with him: wherefore

11.17. &

12.192.

2 Chro.12 God fent Pharaoh Shilhak (for all the 2,8,9.ver. Kings of Egypt were called Pharaohs) to

8,9.

fubdue

Chap.1. The Church compared to horses.

fubdue them to his fervice. So then the Church of Judah is here fet forth,

29

da Chro.

First, by her service to Pharaoh, as if, like horfes, they drew in Pharaohs triumphant chariot d. Fofephus faith, this ShiThak was sefoftris, of whom Herodotus 12.8. fpeakes: yea, of him faith Diodorus Siculus,that he caufed Kings as horses to draw in his chariots.

12.6,120

Secondly, by her acceptance to God in this service, I have compared thee to the company of my her fes: and fo in the Hebrew, because they had fubmitted themfelves under Gods juft hand e. If Solomone & Chro. had spoken of any of his wives or concubines,it had been a monstrous and absurd comparison to liken them to coach-horfes. Also because this is a marriage-fong, he fetteth downe exprefly no difmall thing to interrupt bride-chamber joy,but vaileth the fervice under this magnificent comparison darkly.

This fhewes us what it is that makes ufe 3 the Church blacke, wherein the deformity of it stands,in the fall and fins of the people, and of the Princes,in declining to Idolatry in their folly,fchifmes,and rents from their mother; profaneneffe, apo

ftafie,

30

Ufc 20

ufe 3.

Idolatry makes the Church black. Chap.1. ftafie, and rebellion in the Church and Common-wealth. Thefe doe darken the fairest Churches.

If Solomon fhall fet up other Gods, God will fet up forain Princes in his kingdome. If he and his people will ferve other gods, God will cause his Princes to draw in forain Princes chariots: if we be at unity with other gods, God will be at enmity with us.

Secondly,this doth fhew us there may be a true comely Church in the middest of fuch deformities, yet the true Church of God in the greatest darkness is alwaies comely. It is not the fins of Princes and people that can take away the Churches comelineffe; they may bring blackneffe upon her, like to the tents of Redar: but draw thefe curtaines afide, and you fhall finde that Gods Church is comely,like to the curtains of Solomon. Run we not therefore from the Church because of her blackneffe, but run to her, and embrace her in her most fad defections. "

Thirdly, to teach the children of the Church not to feparate from the Church for corruption fake; not to looke onely at her corruptions, but to fee her comeli.

neffe