CAP. 1. in Solomons time. 985- mcff magnificently,the great mirth and rejoycingofall mctì_ But the moft part in the end were defiled yet::he love of the upright was conftant, thoughmany fell away to Idolatrie. Verf. 4. Iam black,but comely ( O ye daughters of 17erufalem) a the Tents of ICedar: cu the Curtains ofSolomon. Having fpoken before of the flourifhing effete of the Church r.. now the withering age followeth, which is wholly prop heticall,ancr fo are allthe reft which follow. Arightneffe and light are tokens o mirth and gladnes, and are fouled in the Scriptures. Black anddark neffe are applied togriefe and mourning. And tritely there hapnecf mournful( times prefently after Solomon, when his fon Rehoboam by an undifcreet anfwer,drave ten Tribes from the Church. No marvell then if fhe mourned in black : a matter fo full of offence, that it might make the trongef}'to ftagger,and the weak to fall altogether: wherefore leaft any fhould fplit his fhip againff this Rock , the whole rage ofthat time, is not dcfcribed in aword, as before , but infull five verfes. He bëginneth at the falling away of the,Tribes, where a great alteration- hapned , afwell in the Church as in the ifiingdome. The Churchaffairs are firff declared briefly in this verfe, afterward feverally in the 6,7: and 8 verfes. Themate of the King- dome in the 9. verfe. As concerning the briefe explication. TheChurch confeffeth her felfmade brown and black by the Icfl ofher children,and muchof*her former beautie; The two firnl rude , in the end feem to agree with the two diffina members in th, beginningof theverfe, Iam blackru theTents ofKedar : bet come-. ly as the Curtains of Solomon. The Kedarens are Arabians, living i; hair-cloth Tents, made ofGoates hair. Solinus,chap. 45. which they carried with themwhither they would. Pliny. lib. 6. chap. 28. But the curtains of Solomon were Inch as did not only exceed the Kedaren hairclothby alinot infinitedegrees,but aíro they had a fetled abode ; whence the Jews figuratively tired themfor every part of the houfe,as with Ieremia.h,chap. 4 20. -Suddenly are my Tentsfpoiled,anri my curtains in amoment.This alto flieweth that he wrote this long aft ter his rep?cntancc:for if he hadknowt theft things before his fall, A. prophetneeded not to have been fent to ádmonifn him of renting th,, Xingdomfrom him, and giving it to hisfervant,i.Icings 11. t I. Verf. 5. Looknot upon me becaufe I am black, becaufe the fana. ha th looked u onme : my mothers children Were angry vvithme ; The, mad me'the ,keeper of the vineyards : but mine ovvn vineyard bave I Not Opt. In 4
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