58

Magiftrates what to the Church. Ch.2. fhip with Chrift, and for her own helpe defireth,

Firft, Flaggons of wine to ftay her. Secondly, Apples to comfort her, as indeed apples doe comfort the heart and ftomacke, prevents fwooning, and re*Fernelius ftraines poyfon *: Thus Daniel,through a Phyfici-abundance of Revelations was faint and

an.

27. and

10. I 2.

ficke, and defirous of more cleere knowledge of his vifions,and of the Churches + Dan. 8. deliverance, and found the † Angell ready to refresh and strengthen him: And verfers. the other members of the Church feeling fuch fweet taste of Chrifts prefence amongst them in the captivity, were (doubtleffe) earnestly defirous of more full enjoying him perfectly,

19.

Dan. 2.

48, 49.

Verse 6.

First, by the Ministery of the Prophets, as by flaggons of wine. Secondly, by the Magiftracy of Daniel and his fellowes,whom the King fet up for inferiour Magiftrates, as by apples,the fruit of the Apple trees.

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

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

left

Ch.2. Gods right and left hand what.

left hand are riches and glory, and of his right hand length of daies,or immortality: Riches and Honors 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 also God granted) that,

59

* Prov. 3. 16.

* 2 King.

First Princes fhould be the lifters up of her head, her nurfing fathers & mothers. Secondly, Prophets and Priefts might deliver to her the fweet teftimonies of Christs embracing love, this was done* by evill Merodach to Iehojakin, and by 25. 27. the Ministery of Daniel and Ezekiel. The Princes allowed them great liberty, † the Prophets difpenfed heaven-Ier. 29. ly and comfortable doctrine.

―30. Dan. 2.

48,

5,6.

49.

I charge you, O yee daughters of Ierufa- Verse 7. lem, by the Roes,and by the Hinds of the field, that ye ftirre 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 Hinds of the field, not by them as the perfons thou art to fweare by,but by thofe for whofe 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. Ch.2

Ier. 29. 4.9.

ufe 1.

up or awake my love) that is, not to provoke Chrift to exercise his Church by any change of their estate, till it shall pleafe himfelfe.

These Roes and Hinds are wilde and fearefull creatures, eafily and and swiftly running away, yet otherwife willing to feed with the sheepe, fuch were then the Gentiles willing to converse with the Jewes, and to come towards Religion: yet if the eftate of the Church should have proved more troublesome 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 feeke 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 comming on to be Profelites.

*

This may first 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

Ch.2. Chrift not bound to any place. the people would willingly affemble: The houfe of God was now repaired, and the bed greene*: and the Church invites Chrift to come in unto her, in it, yet hee difpofeth himselfe fo, as more willing to call her abroad. So wee may fee, that notwithstanding the purity and fimplicity of Chrifts worship, yet Christ 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 Chrift leaves them: Never reft we then in any outward estate, for Chrift may leave us. The Palatinate hath beene 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.

61

*Cant. 1.

16,17.

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

tolerated

62

ufe 3.

Use 4.

God hath Rofes among thornes. Ch.2. tolerated to grow up with them; yet God keepes the fpirits of his children fweet and pure, as roses and lillies in the midst of bryars and thornes: be not deceived then, for there may be Rofes and lillies growing, where is nothing but bryars and thornes to scratch 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 obferve against the Separatift, 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 amongst bryars

and thornes.

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

First, to scratching and rending of thornes.

Secondly, to treading under-foot of

*Pfal.80. the wilde beafts *.

12, 13.

ufe 5.

Fifthly, this ferves to direct inferiour

Magiftrates,