668 THE CHURCH coMPARED TO A D 0 V E. Book IV. METAPHOR. IX. The Dove loves to accom– pany with Doves; they will gather together by great Numbers, if .they can. PARALLEL. lX. God's Children love Communion and Fel– lowthip one with another, that t.hey may mutually be comforted and edtfied 111 Fanh : They j!y like a Cloud, and as Doves to tteir Windows, that is, to the Houfe or Church of God, Ifa. Jx. 8. X. The Dove mourns when fl1e X . A gracious Soul mourns when it hath ·loft 'hath loft Sight of her Mate. the Sight of Jefus Chrift; the~ bidefl thy Face aiid I w.<s troubled, faith David, I did mourn as a Dove, faith Hezekiah, mine J',;cs fail with looking up. I jha/1 not fee the Lord in the Land of the Ltvzng, !fa. xxxvut. 1 J, '4· They jball be on the Motuztazns, ltke Doves rntbeVallies, .every one mourning for bis own Iniquity, Ezek. vii. 16. XI. The Dove is a very fruitful XI. The Church is alfo very fruirful to Chrift Creature, having Young almoft (1.) In rcfpeft of bringing forth Children: ? hi; every Month in theYcar. and that }.-fan it jha/1 be fa id was born in her, Pjqf, !xxxvii. (2.) In rerpdt of bringinrr forth the XII. Doves love to be by the .Rivers of Water. FruitS of the Spirit, and good Work~. XII. Chrilbans, or gracious Souls, love to be by the f.-eet Streams of living \Vater, by that River that makes glad the City of God, Pfal. xxiii. 3, 4· They love to drink of the Promifes and Confolations of the Spirit. XIII. Doves have Feathers of diXIII. The Saints are gloriouOy adorned with versCoiours, Pfal.lxviii. I3· ar.d it the .·!<ighteoufneis of Chn!l:, and with the Gift~ is obferveu, when the Sun thines, and Graces of the Spirit; and when the Sun of their Beauty appears rr.oft, as if their Righteoufnels thines, and fends forth his reCplen– Wings were covered with Silver, denrBeams and Rays upon them, then their Graces andtheirFeatherswithyellowGold. appear and thine molt glorious, Pfal. xlv. XIV. The Dove was appointed XIV. The Godly are required to offer up themby the Lord under the Law for a felves, both Body and Soul, as an acceptable Sa– Sacrifice, and no.other Bird or Fowl crifice unto God, Rom. xii. .1 . and many of them of Heaven but the Dove. And have been commanded, and readily have yielded hence you read in the Gofpel, that themfelves t!p to God, in a way of fufferinrr, for there were thofe that fold Doves in Chrift's fake; and none but thofe who are Goo's the Temple, which was, as it is own fincere Children, are accepted in offering up thought, to accommodate fuch as themfelves, either in .a way of Doing or Suffer· came to offer Sacrifice, kfatt. ing, Pr.ov. X\<. 8. .xxi. 12. XV. The Dove is faid to be filly, and without Hearr, wants ·Courage, &c. Hof. vii. I I. XV. The Saints of God are of themfelves, in many Things filly and foolith, wanting tint Heart, Courage, and Magnanimity of Spirit, ro {\and up for God, his Truth, lntereft, and People, .as they ought to do. I. JS Chrift's Church, and fo confequenrly every graciousl'erfon, compared to a Dove, being meek, humble, harmlds, chafle, and fingJe.heanod to the Lord jelus Chri!l:? &c. Then we may affure ourfelves, that the that delights in Prey, Rapine, and Blood, as cloth the Romijh Church, is none of the Dove or Church of Jefus Chrilt. II. Are the Eyes of a Dove by the Rivers of Water? Do they delight in Springs, FD<mtains, and pure Rivers? And in this are they an Emblem of the Godly, who hare all filthy, loathfome, and deteltable Traditions of Men, and delight only in the pure, unmixed, and cryftal Streams of God's holy Inllitmions? Then all thole, who, like Ravens, and other foul and unclean Birds of Prey, delight in Ditches, and in long-ftanding, fhnkmg Pools of this falfe Church, where ,they defile themle!vcs in karching for the deteltable CaFtion of Idolatry, are none of Chrift's Dove-like People. N F E R E N C E ~ IlL t\nd let thofe that are the People of God labor to be like the Dove, who is neat, and will not defile itfelf; let them fee they keep their Heart-s chalte :o Chrilf, and avoid all Pollution of Sin in their Converfation, 2 Cor. vii. I. IV. This alfo may inform the Godly, that it is no marvel if they l:e perfecuted and molefted by the Wicked. 3 v.- And
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