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58

*Fernelius

an.

Magiftrates what to the Church. Chap.2. ship with Chrift, and for her owne help defireth,

First, Flaggons of wine to stay her. Secondly, Apples to comfort her; as indeed apples doe comfort the heart and ftomach, prevents fwooning, and rePhyfici- ftraines poyfon*: Thus Daniel, through abundance of Revelations was faint and ficke, and defirous of more cleere knowledge of his vifions, and of the Churches deliverance,and found the † Angel ready to refresh and strengthen him: And the 13.ver.15 other members of the Church feeling such sweet taste of Chrifts prefence amongst them in the captivity, were (doubtleffe) earnestly defirous of more full enjoying him perfectly,

† Dan. 8. 27. & 10,

19.

Dan. 2.

48,49%

Verfe 6.

First, by the miniftery of the Prophets, as by flaggons of wine.

Secondly, by the magiftracy of Daniel and his fellowes, whom the King set up for inferiour Magiftrates,as by apples, the fruit of the apple trees.

His left hand is under my head, his right band doth embrace me.

The words may be either a narration how it is, or a prayer that it may be; fo in the originall, the bleffings of Gods

left

Chap.2. Gods right and left hand what.

*

left hand are riches and glory, and of his right hand,length of dayes,or immortality. Riches and honours God conveyeth to us by the hand of the Magiftrate, immortality by the hand of Minifters.

The Church therefore defireth God in her captivity, (which thing alfo God granted) that,

59

* Pro 3.16

Firft, Princes fhould be the lifters up of her head,her nurfing fathers and mothers. Secondly, Prophets and Priests might deliver to her the sweet teftimonies of Chrifts embracing love; this was done t†2 King. by Evil-merodach to Jehojachin,and by the 25.27, 30. ministery of Daniel and Ezekiel.

Dan.2.48,

49.

The Princes allowed them great liber-*Jer.29. ty, * the Prophets difpenfed heavenly 5,6. and comfortable doctrine.

I charge you, O yee daughters of Ferufa- Verle 7. lem, by the Roes, and by the Hindes of the field, that yee firre not up, nor awake my love till he pleafe.] Heb. I adjure you, that is, I cause you to fweare by the Roes, and by the Hindes of the field, not by them as the perfons thou art to fweare by, but by thole for whose fake, and by whofe meanes they are to take themselves bound as by a folemne oath (not to stirre

up

60 Prepofterous deliverance not defireable. Chap.2.

Jer. 29.

4.9.

ufe 1.

up or awake my love) that is, not to provoke Chrift to exercife his Church by any change of their eftate, till it fhall please himselfe.

These Roes and Hindes are wilde, and fearfull creatures, eafily and fwiftly running away, yet otherwife willing to feed with the sheep: fuch were then the Gentiles, willing to converfe with the Jewes, and to come towards Religion:

yet

if the estate of the Church fhould have proved more troublefome by any indifcreet or offenfive carriage of the Jewes, they would foone have started backe from fellowship with them; for their fakes therefore the Church chargeth her daughters, as by an oath, not to difturb the peace of Babel, not to seeke prepofterously deliverance from thence, before the time that Chrift had appointed, left it turned to the disturbance of her peace; and to the carrying away fuch Gentiles as were coming on to be Profelytes.

*

This may firft let us fee, that notwithftanding the reformation of Religion, Chrift may be pleased rather to live abroad in the fields, then at home, where

the

Chap.2. Chrift not bound to any place.

61

* Cant. r.

the people would willingly affemble. The house of God was now repaired, and the bed greene*: and the Church invites Chrift to come in unto her, in it,16,17. yet hee difpofeth himfelfe fo, as more willing to call her abroad. So wee may fee, that notwithstanding the purity and fimplicity of Chrifts worship, yet Chrift is not bound to any place; if things were never fo reformed, yet he might leave us, and goe into the wilde field. Rome hath long doted on Peters Chaire, and Jerufalem might as well have bragged of her Priviledges as any other place, but Christ leaves them: never reft wee then in any outward eftate, for Chrift may leave us. The Palatinate hath been as reformed as any Church for Doctrine, and though they might fay, their bed was greene, and their beames were of cedar, and their rafters of firre, yet God hath left them : for doe we thinke that if God had beene there, these things had befallen them that now are?

Secondly, this lets us fee, that though ufc 2. Magiftrates and Minifters fhould both neglect their duties in ordering and dreffing the Church,fo that the wicked were

tolera

62

ufe 3.

Life 4

God hath roses among thornes. Chap.2. tolerated to grow up with them; yet God keepes the fpirits of his children fweet and pure, as rofes and lillies in the midst of bryars and thornes: be not deceived then, for there may be roses and lillies growing, where is nothing but bryars and thornes to fcratch them: It is not straight no Church, when it is there; for Chrift can fee his Church though fhe be there.

Thirdly, we may here observe against the Separatist, that it is not straight no Church, that is commingled (as they fpeake) with notorious wicked ones: the Church may be Chrifts love, yea, and a fragrant and pure flower in his fight and noftrils, and yet live amongft bryars and thornes.

Fourthly, obferve, the ftate of the Church is fometimes expofed to opportunity of treading under-foot, no wall nor hedge to fence them: It may lie open,

First, to scratching and rending of thornes. Secondly,to treading under-foot of the

*Pfal.80. wild beafts *.

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Fifthly, this ferves to direct inferiour

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