G A P. I. 988' he fluteof the Church This comparing of his Love to a Mare, may Teem a groffe fimili- tude to diftreffed Lovers, but to the Counfell of the Spirit molt fvúeet and Divine. We have fteninwhat cafe Religion was, afwell among the two Tribes,as among the difperfed reliques. This one verfe toucheth the, Civili !late, whatcan be more fervilc,then to be joyned like a Hone to a Chariot, to draw therein at the Drivers pleafure, and againft thy will to endure the Harnefíe, the Bridle and the Whip ? Such was the conditionof that Kingdóme,by whofeaid. and fucroir his Love was prote&ed. For in the fifth veer ofthe reign of7Rhobonm, when they had a little breathed after their former troubles, Shifbak the king of Egypt made war upon them, having; twelve hundred Chariots, and a very great Hoffe. Herook many fencedCities, and had proceeded to the utter wafting.oftheLand, had not the Lord at the length pitied them, and turned away the rage ofhis \vrathfloin . 7errfalern, fo that he would not utterly deftroy it, but onFy bring it in bondage to the Egyptians. As he faith by the Prophet Shemai.th, 2 Chron. i 2. 8, J. -keyertheleffe, the 'hallbe hisfervar ts, that tbi y may knout ny fervice,andthe fervice of the Kingdomes ofthe cotantries, This Sh: akentring into theCity, took away the treaftires of the Houleof the Lord, and the treafures ofthe Kings houle : he carried away allo the fhields ofGold whichSalomon had made. Behold the Church now like a Mare in the Chariots of'Pharaoh, The drawing Mare bcrokeneth fervirude : The Chario-, that they fhould be compelled unto it by war. Pharaoh (by a common name) the King whom they iEould ferve, how brief and. plain it is defcribed? yet, left the Saints flaould faint altogether under the weight of filch ca- lamity, their comfort is, that he called' her his Älne, as ifhe fhould lay., although I deliver thee over to-Shìfhak, yet elide riliand, I have a care of thee. I do challenge thee for mine own, and thou thalt be fafe under my proteelion. Note that hee, whom the holy Scripture calleth Shifbak, -, is called by prophane Writers Sreroolis : And bee joynedKings together to draw his Ch,,irsat, 'Diod, fie 1i6, a.pag.37 Verl, 9. Thy chic7! are comelyy 'ithrirrtles,erWithroWs of 7e*els, Thy neck With chaines of gold. Wee heard in the Analyfis, that this, and the two next verfes, did belong to the Kingdomof Abijah and 4(4. Abijab ruled but awhile, and therefore no great variety ofmatter hapned in his time : there- fore that which is common to -both,.'is delivered in the beginningof this
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