Chap.2. The Churches calamities not continuall. 75 with us, but being in Christs hands alone, it may be a stay and a comfort.

Secondly, this teacheth us, that when use 2. the time of the Churches deliverance is come, Chrift will come quickly and fpeedily for her deliverance, leaping and skipping as a Roe or a Hart. The winter shall not alwayes remain on the Church, no, not when she deferves a black winter. The patient abiding of the Saints fhall not Pfal. 9.18. alwayes be forgotten. Suppofe God leads his Church into captivity feven yeares, yea feventy years, yet it will not alwaies continue. This may ferve to comfort us in the diftreffes of the Church, at home or abroad; God will not alwayes punish with reproach or defolation, but the time will come thefe will be gone and flee 'away.

Thirdly, this lets us fee the Church use 3. profiteth by calamities; fhee comes out better from them, then fhee went into them: The entred and went into captivity hating God, defiled with many abominations; fhe returnes out, My love,my faire one. The Church of God and the members of it are more lovely in Gods fight by the hard times that paffe over

them.

76

The Church bettered by chastisements.Chap.2.

them: when this Church had beene feventy yeares in captivity, (a hard time it was, yet) they loft nothing by it; they Jer. 12.7,8 kiffed his rod, and fought God; and now hee ftiles them lovely. He loathed them because they loathed him, they were now tried and purified; before they were loathfome, but now are lovely, before hated, but now loved. But fee what a blessed use chastisements are of to the Church: how loathfome foever wee goe into captivity, when wee defile our felves with lufts and fins, yet when wee have beene throughly humbled with fome croffes, how faire come we out! My fonne defpife not the chaftening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. And why doth God fay, Deut. 8. 16, He proved them to doe them good; when hee faith, my love, it is more then lovely,it is love, it is love it felfe, and faire one is † P.119. more then faire? So, † It is good for mee (faith David) that I have been afflicted: fo the Church before her affliction was loathfome, foule, hated, but now she is faire and lovely.

Pro.3.

II.

75.

*

Ob

Thou art faire, Oh my love.]

Fourthly, this lets us fee, the Chur

ches

Chap.2. The Church not alwayes conspicuous. ches winter: ftorms shall not alwayes lie upon her, but they shall in the end blow over; *The rod of the wicked jhall not reft upon the lot of the righteous.

Fifthly, we may fee that outward comforts are cafily able to drowne in us a longing after Gods ordinances: the contentment that fome found in captivity, made them stand in need of often calling to returne to Sion.

Sixthly, wee may learne here, that the ufe. face of the Church is not alwayes vifible and confpicuous in the eyes of men, but alwayes in the eyes of God: for they meet under the staires, and worship God in holes and corners. And a while after Chrift faith, Why doft thou lie thus under the staires, and in clifts of rocks? let me fee thy face, and heare thy voyce. The Church of Rome advanceth her felfe, that she hath alwayes been confpicuous; but this is no true figne of a true Church, for the true Church is not alwayes confpicuous: though Chrift alwayes fees fome to meet in corners and holes, yet not alwayes in folemne afssemblies. The Dove of Chrift Jefus fometimes makes her reft in the rockes, and

78

ufe 7.

Verse 14.

No need of any Mediators but Chrift. Chap.2.

builds under the stairs, where Chrift fees her, but not publikely.

Seventhly, fee here the Church needs. not Angels and Saints to mediate for her, her owne voyce is fweet, and coun* Joh. 16. tenance comely in Gods estimation: * At 26,27. that day yee fhall aske in my name ; and I fay not to you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himselfe loveth you because yee have loved mee. Chrift tells us, he shall have no great need to pray for us, for God himselfe loveth us, to heare our voyce, and to fee us; let us then not be afraid to put forth our voyces: labour then for fuch a fpirit as to grieve for our finnes, and to rejoyce in Gods mercies; for God is pleafed with that: hee is a true citizen of Sion, that when hee abounds in Gods mercies, yet hee weepes for his fins; and when hee weeps for his finnes, yet hee is thankefull for Gods

ufe 8.

mercies.

Againe, obferve, the Church fhall alwayes be troubled with fome enemies, Verfe 16. Take us the foxes that (poile the vines: There fhall be ever fome Sanbaliat, or Tobiah, or fome other to be nibbling at the Church of God: wonder not at this,

for

Chap.2. The Churches enemies (hall be ruined. for this will be fo; but observe touching thefe enemies of the Church,

First, they shall deale fubtilly and craftily with her.

Secondly,they may disturb and hinder her peace and proceedings; but,

Thirdly, they fhall in the end be reftrained, as in Revel. 19.20. And the Beast was taken, and with him the falfe Prophet that wrought miracles before him, &c. Thefe both were caft alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Therefore let fuch foxes know the time will come when Chrift will either take them, and chaine them, and binde them up, as he did Sanballat, Tobiah, Shether-boznai*: or else hang them up, as hee did Haman and his fonnes. Let men then take heed that they doe not push at the Church,for God will either chaine them up, or hang them out of the way.

79

* Ezra 6.

6,7.

Laftly, here wee may fee, when the ufe 9. enemies of the Church are restrained or destroyed, and corruptions weeded out of it, the Church then enjoyeth fweet, and fafe, and full fellowship with the Lord Jefus, and hee with her. Hee gives her pledges of his favour, and fhee gives