i oo Z TbeHate of the Church that about the endof Winter the people prepared for their return, . ffirred up thereunto by the Edift ofCyrus, which may be confirmed by probable reafon; for their fluff feaft after their return, was the Feaft ofTaberraclrs. To the celebrating of which Féaft, fume time palled before the people could come together, fcattered through the fields and Cities, Ezra 3. i. Then after certain yeers Hezra himfelf departing from Babylon, with a readier or more pre- pared band, fpent four Moneths in the journey, Hezra 7.9. whence it is likely that thole fitff betook themfelves to the iaurney in the beginningof the Spring, or not long after. The figurativeWinter is the wrath of God, which (of late) fell upon the Ie1ives, like a horrible )(tom, and fcattered them hither and thither, like araw or ftubble. This wrath at lengthpacified, was changed into a great calme and quietneffe. Verf. r 2. The fiovvers appeare in the earth, the time of thefinging of Birds it come, and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our land. This, and the verle following, thew the helping caufes, which are alto proper or metaphoricali. Proper, the commodityof the time, moft pleafant ; whereupon hapned the decree and thecounfell of returning, and the preparation thereof, whereofwasfpoken in the former verfe. 4Ietaphoricall, God was not only merciful!, (as al- ready hath been faid)but partlyalto the reconciled will ofifrangers, partly, the exceeding readincffe of the Ievv, themfelves. The nati- ons hearkning to the Edift of Cyrus, and God inwardly ftirring up their hearts, with how great delire did they further the returr,help- ing them abundantly, and furnilhing them plentifully with gold, and with Myer, with aid, and with cattell, and with other precious things, Ezra i.6. The Ievves delight and plèafure therein,nodoubt was, that it might well be compared with flowers, with fingingof Birds, and the bloomingoftrees : Alf() among the Ievves were di- vers orders of men, which feem here tobe fignified by the leverall ornaments ofthe Spring, which Ezra divideth into three ranks : The Elders ofFamilies, The Priegs and Levites, and the Common People, Chap.r. 5. and z. 73. Here Salomon proceederh by an in- verted order, making no reckoning ofthe dignity, but ofthe deed, and of the nature of it. I fuppofe the common people are the flowers appearing in the earth, which grow confufedly, here and there, ore among another, and prevent the trees themfelves in their hafly ripening. well,expreffing the headlong fludy of the common people, who are wont to run before the induftryof the Magiftrate : The
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