loior The.Ftate of the Church, Çnr.4,' therpart of' the forehead, between the eyes and the ear!, even.to, the crown of the head,and being next unto the head and placed above the eyes, teeth and lips, they feem to fignirìe thofe tvhichare appointed to be Ecçlefiafticall governours in the Church, which' Mould refreth the flock with f&eet and pleafant juice, diitílling from them with a fragrant frnell like a piece of a Pomgranate. Not- withftanding, the Church in thofe dayes lived contemptuoufly in the fight of the world, and, as it were, hid and covered, as the temples- are with locks ofhaire. Verf 4.. Thy neck, it like the tower ofDavid, builtfor an A'rmöry, Whereon there hang a thoufand Bucklers;allfhieldr of mightymen. Sowere the lips and the temples : Now the neck is compared'to the tower of David.This tower feems tobe that in Nehemiah,Chap. 3.19,35,226 which is called; The Armory of the corner : The neck is that bond wherewith the head is joyned to the body. Now that bond whereby Chrift is joyned to the Church,is partly cf the Spirit, partlyof the Humanity received,Ephef.2.2I,22.and 4.16. and 5.3o,. The fpiriruall is common to all things. The other then firft began, when putting on our nature he lived here on earth, which feereth belt to agreewith theMetaphor in this place.Thebeauty of this neck is let forth as well in regard of the end, as ofthe ufe. The end,thaz it thould be as a tower, built to hang fivords in, that kinde ofweapons wherewith enemies are beaten and vanquifhed. The ufe, that it might be an Armory for all mighty men. As concerning the fiat, He thereforetook our humanity, that the world, the law, finne, the devil', hell, and all the crue that fight againft our falvationmight be overcome and conquered. Be of Food cheer (faith Chrtft) I Lave overcome the World; Joh. 16, 33. The devil( was foyled in many combates, while the only begotten lived in our frailty, he brought many large fpoylesinto this Armory,irnmortall publifhersof his di- vine venue But this true sampron, by his death overcame his ene- mies, he confecrated the fword of çoliah to the Lord, and over fpread and covered this whole To'.ver with fpoyles. In this tri.., umphant Chariot he fpoyled principalities and powers, &C. Col. 2. 14,,I5. Thefe were the chains and collars wherewith the neck of the Church was adorned in thole diver. The ufe of this Tower is that,here fouldhanóa thoufand Bucklers, and all Shields of the migh- ty: Thefe Armes,are of that kinde wherewith every one is covered' and defended.All the ancient mighty ones,which from the beginning orth e world have triumphed over finne and death, have been abun- dantly
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=