1006 The fate of the Churcl? CAP.2 the time ofAlexander the great. Wherefore thefe z. verges compxç, hend the hiftorÿ ofabout two hundred yeares, namely from the re ftoring of the Church by Cyrus to lexander the grear,that is, du- ring the whole Monarchie of the Terfians, as appeareth by Etr4 and 1Vehemiah. Verf. 17. Vntill'the day break, and the fhadoWes fly awry, turns my belovedand be thou like aRoe oryoung Hart upon the mountain's of Bether. The z. former verfes (hewed the condition of the Church next af- ter their return' : this verge intreateth of times a little farther off, yet with a continued order joynedwith the former. Herein firfthe fettethdown certaine bounds in the beginning ofthe verfe,and then delivereth the fum of it in the refs. The bounds define that fpace in the compaffe whereof this confìderation is contained : namelyun_ till.theday breske,&c. Which words fignifie that molt renowned day of Chrift, death : as it fhall aft,r appear : whole morning and mid-day are here molt elegantly declared by adjuncts. All agree, that the aire or winde is ufuálly more troublefome in the morning and evening then in the reft of the day, as alto Ariftorle teacheth in his Problemes. But why is this day defcribed unto us, by the trou- blefome windy morning, and the vanifhing fhadowes ? Becaufe it was chiefely to be noted in both thefe proprieties. The morning blew turbulently, for ftraightway in the morning, the high Priefts with the Elders and Scribes, held a Councell and delivered lefus to Pilate, Mark t 5. 1. but at the 6. honre that is to fay, noone it felfe, the fhadowesflew away overwhelmed with dárkneffe in a ((range manner, fo that the Imes law not yet an end put to their old Iba- dowes, Mark t 5.33. But then efpecially they vanifhed, when the third houre after,at the death of the M«ffîsa,the valle of the Temple rent in two parts and the hand-writingof the Law(as well ofall the Ceremonies as that which was againft us), was altogether cut off. This is that day fo famous in the Scripture, and fo exactly defined, Dan. 9. 24. 25. Of this Chrift himfelfe maketh often mention, Ieh. 7.3o. and 8. zo. and .13. a. The time is here get forth of the condition of theancient Church from Alexander the great to the death ofChrift. So was that time limited. Now ifye feeke what the wholeÍtateofthe Church was during all that fpace; The fwift re- turne of her love, like a Roe on the mountain's of Bether, fheweth itus. The Moahtaines ofBether are in Gilead. beyond Iordan,whence - içy take their name : for they are divided from the refs of Judea by
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