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of Sharon.] Sharon was a fruitfull field lying under Bashan, where the heards were wont to feed, excellent for fatneffe and fruitfulneffe.

And the lilly. The lilly is,firft,fragrant. Secondly, faire, yet of the vallies, where the heards ufe to feed, as in Sharon.

These words then fet forth the Churches complaint of that time, as fome Interpreters of chiefe worth have conceived it, though the words may as fitly be uttered by Chrift himselfe, to fet forth both his owne difpofition and the Churches eftate.

The firft, hee was then the rofe of the field, the lilly of the vallies, to fhew, that when the Church defpifed him, to converse with her in the Temple, and the Worship there celebrated: Hee was now ready to leave his Temple, and to be a Sanctuary to his Church abroad.

Secondly, Chrift is here defcribed according to the eftate of the Church of that time, which wanted culture, ordering and dreffing, thornes and bryars growing up in the Church, and not weeD 3 ded

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2 Sam. 23.6.

The Church how a rofe and lilly. Chap. 2.

ded out: * The wicked are as thornes and + Mic. 7.4. bryars, t and store of them growing up in the Church.

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When the Church is as a garden ina Cant. 4. clofed, then bryars and thorns are weeded out; but neither Magiftrate nor Minifter did his duty in removing offences b Mat. 6. in thofe dayes: bfo lillies of the field are taken for lillies neglected, which neither take care for themselves, nor others take care for them.

28,29.

Verse 2,3.

ca Chro.

35.22, 23,

Thirdly, as the rofe of the field, or lillies of the vallies, or lilly amongst the thornes, is continually,

First, fubject to be prickt and rent with

thornes.

Secondly, trodden under-foot by the heards of beasts, fo the Church was then fubject,

1. To be vexed with the wicked growing up with her.

2. To be trodden under-foot by the beasts of the field, the Babylonians, the Egyptians.

Fofiah, how fweer a Roe! how faire a Lilly! yet how untimely trodden down by Necho? The other Kings were placed, 2Chro.36. difplaced, imprifoned, and the whole

24.

17.

kingdome

Chap.2. Chrift in Gedaliah an apple tree. kingdome with them, at the pleasure of the Babylonians and Egyptians: and in the end, the whole Church laid waste by the Babylonians.

Againe, Chrift is the rofe and lilly, as being,

Firft, fweet with the favour of his

graces.

Secondly, beautifull.

Thirdly, medicinable.

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When the Church is corrupt in it felfe, it is yet faire and fweet in Chrift; d In him our life is hid in our worst ta- d Col 3.3 king: he being white as a lilly by the purity of his righteousneffe, we likewife are white as lillies in him cloathed with his righteousneffe.

As the apple tree among the trees of the Verle 3. wood, fo is my beloved among the fonnes, I fate mee downe under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.] A tree firft, not tall as the Cedar of Lebanon, not strong as the Okes of Bafhan; but a tree of middle ftature, implying an inferiour Magiftrate, not fo high and mighty as the Monarchs of the world, yet fuch whofe fhadow yeelds,

First, refreshing to a man wandering

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*

25.22.

Babylon the Churches Wine cellar. Chap.2. and fainting in a wilde forrest.

Secondly, whofe fruit is sweet and comfortable, fuch was Chrift to his Church, difpenfing himfelfe in Gedaliah,

2 King. whom *Nebuchadnezzar made governour over the remnant of the people that were left in the land.

First, under him, as under a fhadow, e 2Kin.25. they were feareleffe and fafe: but after 23.-25. he was cut down, they were driven from under his fhadow, and durft ftay no longer in their own countrey, which was left

f Verfe 26 as a wilde forrest f.

*

Jer. 4C.

10. 12.

Secondly, they gathered,

First, much sweet summer fruit*.
Secondly, much good inftruction and

g Jer.40.6 direction from Ieremiah and Baruch e,who both lived with him.

& 43.6.

Verse 4.

† Ecclef.

7.2.

Wine-cellar.] Heb. Houfe of wine, not fo fitly termed banquetting house, which Solomon expreffeth by another name t. A wine-cellar is a low vault', under the ground, darke, cold, raw and gloomy; yet replenished with veffels of liquor, which refresheth and inlargeth the heart, and openeth the mouth.

This house,to the Church, was Babylon, whither God brought his people

Chap.2. The comforts of the Spirit as wine. into captivity, which at first view seemed dolefull and heavy, but afterward yeelded to them many fweet taftes, yea deep draughts of Gods favour: Gods Spirit coming upon men, makes them feeme as full of new wine h. It refresheth and enlargeth the heart, and openeth the mouth,

Firft, to the praife of God.

Secondly, to the edification of his Church. Such a fpirit God powred upon Daniel, Ezekiel, Shadrach and his fellowes i in the captivity.

And his banner over me was love.]

Banner;

Firft, for an enfigne of defence to the Church.

Secondly, for a flagge of defiance to their enemies: How lovingly and glorioufly(as with a banner of love difplayed) did God defend the three children and Daniel himfelfk k?

How did God offer defiance to Idola

try in the three children!?

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Dan. 3.25.

k Dan.6. 22.

1 Dan. 5. 16.-18. & 6.10.

Stay mee with flaggons and comfort mee with apples, for I am ficke of love.] I, the Verfe 5. Church is here faint and ficke, and ready to fwoone, for defire of further fellow

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