998' The tate.of the Church C A P...z.. Chap. 2.7: But that which is herebriefly fpoken is declared more at large in the verfcs following. Here let us confider the wonderful) mercy of our Goi , who feafoneth.his corredions , toward's-his Church with filch gentlencfife,rhat when they thinke themfelves,as it were,overwhelmed and bu ied.in thegrave,yet there they finde wine and great plenty of delights. Vert. 5. Stay me with Flagonr,and comfort me Withapples,for Jam kof love. Thefe Avords more plainly thew that the houfe ofwine was no banqueting houle, but a cellar-wherein wines.are laid up.. For the lover is no: wont to languifh with delire, where plenty of the thing loved is prefent : and fuch is that banquet where the Mailer of the Fe :It is abfent. The Bride therefore tàinteth, bemire the findeth not her beloved prefent in this winecellar, (for in adv.erfity God is laid to be abfent fromus) fo that fhe had need to be uphol.den of her fellowes, l.ft (he fhouldfàll for want oftlrength, wherei'mwas mot}. elegantly declared ,. what defi-re-the Church thould have to- wards Godduring,thecaptivity , and by what means (he íhould be fatisfied untill the. full reflitution. For in that the defireth Flagons and apples, the fheweth that there, were fufncient helpes for her; .Apples are the.fruit ofa low fhadowing tree , aa.be.fore : Flacons a.reveffels wherein wine is put, and out of which it is powred-to drink the apples betokened fome inferióur perlons with pocer, tinder whofe defence the captived people might lurke in fafety. The Flagons noted the ,prophets and priefls , full of fweet and wholfotne doftrine: whe,eof there fhauld be fome, which only like Flagons thould Feld the wine of heavenly. knowledge to the people, when-plenty of h:oglhea.is could-.not be had- in exile and fuch adverfity.,.Go.d befl:owed the commodity of both in the cap- tivity, for.he.wonderfully exalted Dani_1, Harianiah, Mifhael area Hazariah, who like wholfome applé trees, fhadowed the afflifted Church with their boughN , and fed and refreihed-the.-miferab-!e people, withpleafant fruit.Godgate them favour with the Medacsn andPerfian Kings, by whom (being appointed governour of the Provinces, ) they procured.much rat, to their people,Van.i.19,ac. and. 24S, 49.Thefe were the apples by whom their feebleneffe was ftspported. The Prophets were theFlagons. Ezechie! in 13abylon,ro whom>the Lord jbyned `Daniel,, who fuppliïd both, the_parts ofthe apple and,of the flagon, being advanced to. great dignity and moft excellent in the.guift of prophetic ; He.fitffered allo Jeremy to be a 4wsa in;o; Egypt that either people might have flagons of which,,
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