By the break of day is meant the arising of the day-star in the heart or coming of Christ into the Conscience and also his last coming in the morning of the Resurrection And by shadows understand sin and all manner of tribulation which are call'd shadows of death Psal 23. by which the comforts of a mans life are oftentimes eclipsed By the flying away of the shadows is meant the removeing of all fears out of the mind by the spiritual coming of Christ and the total vanishing of all shadows by the morning of the Resurrection Then comes the joyful Summers morning when all the Birds of Heaven shall rejoice and sing for evermore Here the Church siteth in misery and darkness but then comes the breaking of the day of all consolation and the expelling of all misery and darkness for evermore Therefore she prayeth her beloved to turn to her with his sweet embraces and to feed her among Lillies until that time come and prayeth him to be like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether to come speedily to her upon all occasions like those nimbler creatures Bether signifies division 2 Sam. 2.29 and is as some say the place call'd Bithron which was divided from the plain of Jericho and the land of Gilead where the battel was fought between the house of David and the house of Saul by the River Jordan Now sins reproaches and calamities are like Mountains which seem to make division between Christ and the Soul until they are removed therefore in regard the Church is oftentimes oppressed with such calamities insomuch that she is scarcely able to bear up her head and heart therefore she prayeth Christ to make hast and to be like the nimble Roe or the skipping Hart in coming to her upon all occasions for the removing of them lest for want thereof there should seem to be in regard of her own feeling and apprehension an Everlasting division between them CHAP. III. VERSE I. By night on my bed I sought him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not THIS is the continued speech of the Church who after she was well instructed in the use and practise of faith She lost on a suddain through her own negligence the sense and feeling of her beloved and fell into most grievous and bitter afflictions And not to reject but omitting other interpretations of this place I understand it principally to be meant of outward crosses and calamities of all sorts especially when she could not see nor by any means understand which way the promises of God should be fulfill'd unto her in respect of outward things A condition which many of those that are truly Godly are for the tryal of their faith subject to fall into in this miserable World This is very probable as I humbly conceive to be the meaning of this place as will better appear by the words in the following Verses And therefore understand it thus By night on my bed When I was in great affliction and misery and when I had most leasure to meditate on my own condition I sought him whom my Soul loveth I diligently look'd about to see whether I could find the way by which my beloved would provide for me and mine for he hath made me many great and precious promises of all good things not only for my spiritual but also for my temporal condition and I earnestly and diligently sought how or by what means those promises were likely to be accomplished this I earnestly sought for but I found it not So that my beloved seemed to have forgotten to be gracious and to have cast of all care and love of me This is a great and wonderful tryal of faith when all things are promised and nothing seems to be performed when the things that discomfort us are present but all things that should comfort us are absent in this condition are we full heavy and sad This giveth a wonderful blow to faith when we behold those that have no fear of God before their eyes to live in wealth and prosperity and those that truly fear him to live in penury and want This hath bred a wonderful temptation in the Godly in all ages and in this condition must we be content to live in and not despair of help when it is so for the bride here sought him still although for the present she found him not But mark what course she resolveth on next VERSE II. I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and broad ways I will seek him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not THe Church sitteth not still in this condition expecting to be fed of Angels or to have bread rain down from Heaven but riseth and goeth about the City She goeth amongst those people that pertain to the visible Church that have some shew of godliness in them such as are most likely to help her in the day of her extremity And also into the streets and broad ways that is into such places where such men usually meet together 2 Chro. 32.6 Neb. 8.1.3 there she was driven to open her case and make her condition known there she also sought her beloved she sought him but she found him not This then being marked out to be the condition of the Church no man must take offence at his beloved if he please to exercise his faith this way if he drive him into necessity cast him into a condition of penury and want of outward necessaries wherein of necessity he must make known his case in the streets yet no man must be offended in this condition although he stand in need of help and no man helpeth but in stead of receiving succour he undergo reproach yet I say no man must be discouraged for Christ himself made himself poor that he might know by experience how to succour us in a poor condition and sometimes also will make his members poor that they also by experience may learn to pity those that are poor He doth not send his spouse into the streets because he wanteth love or power to help her but to make her comformable to his own condition and that she may taste in part of that cup which he himself hath perfectly tasted of and be Baptised with the Baptism that he was Baptised with that so she being made pertaker of his afflictions here she may rejoyce with him with joy unspeakable and full of glory hereafter Neither doth he cast her down because he doth not mean to lift her up again but that she may see him creating all things out of nothing providing help and deliverance for her by ways and means contrary to mans reason and imagination But mark what befel the Church in this condition VERSE III. The watchmen that go about the City found me BY watchmen here we are not to understand the Ministers of the Gospel although they are frequently called watchmen in Scripture But those
watchers that do continually watch to see the people of God in misery and to declare the same in in the streets of the City with great rejoycing These are Satans watchmen Isa 21. who in managing the affairs of his Kingdom doth imitate our Lord Jesus Christ for even as when judgments were threatned against the enemies of Gods Church it was in a vision declared unto the Prophet under the similitude of a watchman standing whole days and nights on the watch Tower to descry the coming in of the enemy upon those that had afflicted the people of God Ver. 6. and to declare what he saw for the comfort of the Godly So Satan by way of imitation hath also watchmen that stand continually upon their watch on purpose to espie the calamities that are coming upon the people of God and to declare it in the streets of the City and in the broad ways where men usually meet together with great rejoycing for the discomfort of the Godly These are the watchmen here spoken of which Satan hath in every corner these are like the spies that were sent into the Land of Canaan Num. 13.22 that brought an evil report upon the Land that sit in the lurking places of the villages to murther the inocent Psal 10.8.9 that lie in wait secretly as a Lion in his Den to catch the poor of such David complains of when he says they watch for my halting and of those that gathered themselves together Psal 35. and rejoyced in his adversity and in another Psalm they take councel together they whisper and devise my hurt These are the watchmen that Satan sendeth into the streets to declare what they see to the discomfort of the Bride and to cast her as much as in them lies into everlasting reproach This breedeth a wonderful temptation in the godly and is the greatest tryal of faith that may be when in stead of shewing pity and compassion the enemy shall laugh and cry aha this is the day that we looked for lo we have seen it These be the watchmen that found the poor Church in this condition which in stead of ministring any comfort to her in her distress did add affliction to the afflicted These watchmen must we expect to meet with who in stead of comforting will use all means to hinder us from help and succour by casting us into reproach and covering us with contempt yet we must not be one jot dismayed but pray with David Lord rescue my Soul from their destructions For although they hold a Councel together whisper and make bold to propose the time of our downfal and utter ruin yet shall the promise of God prevent them all for it was but a little that the Bride passed from these but she found him whom her Soul loved But mark here what she said to these watchmen To whom I said saw ye him whom my Soul loveth It 〈◊〉 not said here that the watchmen said any thing to the Bride yet in Song 5.7 'T is said they smote her and wounded her that is behind her back with reproachful words and disgraceful terms This shews what manner of people the watchmen here spoken of were such as could belch out with their mouths and had swords in their lips to slay the upright in heart but this their mischief was not open but privily and secretly done But what doth the Bride say to these watchmen To whom she said saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Which is not to be understood so much of any private conference as by her speaking to them in the Ministery when she came into the sanctuary of God For the watchmen reproach the Church because of her sins and afflictions and will scarcely afford her the title of bride because of her stains and blemishes therefore the bride telleth them here they sin against the Gospel and she dealeth very plainly ye never saw him whom my Soul loveth The Gospel breedeth in men pity and compassion a willingness to think the best to speak the best of all men to cover and hide transgressions to help those that are in distress and misery these things the watchmen never learn'd and being in prosperity themselves they speak loftily and their tongues walk through the earth Therefore she telleth them this Ye have no knowledg of Christ ye never saw him whom my Soul loveth So that although these watchmen of Satan are high and lofty in their own eyes and having more then heart can wish do Lord it outwardly over the bride yet in the sanctuary of God she declareth their end she casteth them down into desolation and utter destruction After the same manner must we also learn to overcome the watchmen even by making a right application of the word of God against them before which they cannot stand and also by comforting our selves through faith in Christ against what they published of us in the streets then although they may seem to carry it over us outwardly before men yet shall we inwardly reign over them through faith in Christ who must reign in his members till he hath put all his enemies under his feet VERSE IV. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my Soul loveth THis passing from the watchmen is the overcoming of that temptation which the bride fell into by reason of their smitings with the tongue in respect of her name and reputation This seemeth to be the last temptation in her sad condition which fell upon her immediately before deliverance came for it was but a little time after she passed from them but she found him whom her Soul loved She was not dismayed at that bitter and heavy cross but still continued seeking for help and deliverance and at length she found him whom her Soul loved that is she found him createing help and deliverance by such ways and means as she never thought on nor expected And thus shall it assuredly come to pass for all those that put their trust in Christ all things shall come to pass where nothing is seen And when Satan and all his instruments have done what they can then shall the power of Christ appear above them all Therefore faith is a most victorious thing that hath all the attributes of God knit fast unto it that it is as possible for God to become no God as it is for any thing to be wanting where faith is used But first we must suffer a tryal not being offended but rejoycing in the cross then shall we find by experience that faith is no idle quality in the Soul but a certain kind of Divinity within us which cleaveth fast unto God and obtaineth help and succour from him Moreover this is to be noted that in the midst of this bitter and heavy temptation she calleth Christ still he whom her Soul loveth which cometh from a perswasion of Christs love to her otherwise it could not be This assurance ariseth from faith learn
saith my beloved had with drawn himself and was gone This condition she fell into for the exercise and tryal of her faith after she had opened to her beloved and well understood the Gospel And this complaint she made in Song third Where she complaineth of the very same condition Which sheweth that such sort of tryals do often befal the godly in this miserable and wretched World when our beloved Christ will seem to hide himself and to cast off all care and regard of us when we are in misery that we shall have no sense or feeling at all of his love but will seem to be as a stranger that hath no relation to us even as one that hath forgotten all his promises And therefore she complaineth further in the next words My Soul failed when he spake I called upon him and he gave me no answer When he spake to me in his promises that no good thing should be wanting but that all my wants should be supplyed and bid me cast my care upon him because he cared for me my Soul did even fail and my confidence was even shaken and gone because I saw that all things were promised but nothing seem'd to be perform'd And further she saith I call'd upon him and he gave me no answer I prayed and humbled my self much before him and cryed aloud unto him in my sad condition and yet he gave me no answer By all which we see that it is no new way of excercising the faith of the Church when the godly are cast into poverty reproach and contempt of the world and when they see no way nor means appearing which way to get out In this condition therefore must we be content to live in and not to despaire of help whensoever it shall please our beloved to exercise us in it This great and sore affliction fell upon the Bride after she had done her duty faithfully and carefully for she had opened to her beloved and her hands had dropped the Myrrhe therefore it was for the tryal of her faith that she might learn by being exercised not to faint in a sad condition but to believe in the promises of God although nothing appeared to reason why she should believe the same According as it is said of Abraham that he believed in God who calleth things that are not as though they were Therefore I say this being mark'd out to be the condition of the Church many times no man must take offence at his beloved if he please to exercise his faith this way but quietly and patiently to depend upon him and call upon his name But mark we further what she complaineth of in this condition VERSE VII The watchmen that went about the City found me they smote me they wounded me VVE are not to understand by the watchmen the Ministers of the Gospel but such as continually watch to see the people of God in misery and to add affliction to the afflicted As is opened more at large in Song third Of these the Prophets David and Jeremy do often complain The Church says of these they smote her that is behind her back with words of reproach and wounded her in her name credit and reputation And this bitter temptation the godly shall be cast into by reason of the watchmen oftentimes of which sort of people let all that love God and their own peace and comfort learn in time to beware The keepers of the walls took my vail from me We are not to understand by the vail in this place Cor. 2.3 that which Paul speaketh of which is spread over the heart in the reading of Moses Nor yet such a vail as was wont to be worn by the Daughters of Zion for ornament Esa 2. she being here in the habit of a mourner But the vail here spoken of or rather the image of a vail is that reproach and infamy which was cast upon her by the watchmen whereby they thought to spoil her of her Title the Bride and to set her as much as in them lay in the shape and attire of an Harlot For even as it was the manner of Harlots to cover their faces with a vail Gen. 38.16 as is to be seen in Tamar that they might never afterwards be known or appear to be Harlots So it was the manner of the watchmen so to cover the Church with infamy and reproach that as much as in them lay she should never afterwards appear to be the Bride And this she calleth her vail And this the keepers of the walls took from her By the keepers Esa 62. understand the watchmen of the walls that do continually watch for the preservation of the spiritual City That do always help to preserve the Church in her faith and confidence lest she should be dismayed by the afflictions of the watchmen these do endeavour to build up the walls of Jerusalem and to pray day and night until she be made a praise in the Earth These keepers took off the vail of reproach Psal 59.6 that by reason of the watchmen was cast over the Bride They mentioned her condition at the Throne of grace comforted her in all her tribulations and endeavoured so to still the noise and smitings of the watchmen that at length all her reproach and infamy vanished and came to nothing This being the lot of the Church every one that is godly must expect that at some time or other in his life he shall be covered with this vail although he carry himself ever so exact and uprightly The watchmen are in every corner they go round about the City as David speaks and make a noise like a Dog which barketh sometimes at a very shadow sometimes because other Dogs bark but be it for what cause it will the least blemish that may be in the Bride sets them all a barking Therefore as we must expect the vail So we must beware of giving occasion Moreover as we must look to be in the condition of the Church so we must imitate the practice of the keepers that so when the afflictions of the Bride do become the musick of the wicked and when she is covered with great reproach when the Sons of Zion are esteemed but as earthen pitchers then we must begin to set to our Shoulder and take of the vail First by our prayers next by our endeavour to remove all the reproaches that are cast upon her and Lastly by comforts and consolations Then shall the breaches of the wall be repaired and the spiritual City preserved from those that desire her ruin VERSE VIII I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye finde my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love THe Churches vail being taken of by the keepers she is sick of love She finding so wonderful a deliverance out of so bitter a Temptation is even sick with joy and thankfulness to God And thus it is with us when God turneth our Captivity by his own
2 Sam. â— David made an excellent Funeral Song at the burial of Saul and yet the Name of God is not mentioned in it and shall it not therefore be Canonical If this Argument were good then many Chapters in the Bible must be accounted not Canonical for want of the Name of God being used in them Again they say Object 3 that there is nothing expressed of this Song in any of the Writings of the New Testament So there are divers Books in the Old Testament that are not mentioned in the New besides this Answ neither is all that Christ himself spake set down or alleaged in the New Testament Now then it must follow that if this Book must be rejected because none of it is expressed in the Writings of the New Testament then all other Books in the Old Testament that are not set down in part in the New must be accounted not Canonical And also that whatsoever Christ spake and alleaged that was not written must be accounted not to be agreeable to the Writings of the New Testament All that Christ spake was not written but only the Abridgment of things And although the sentences of this Song are not set down in the New Testament yet the Doctrine herein contained is therein expressed Therefore abiding by the Authority of it it being a matter from Heaven let us bring Faith along in reading of the Ditty that our Hearts may be ravished with the Spiritual excellency herein contained And so I come to the Title CHAP. I. VERSE I. The Song of Songs which is Solomon's THE Holy Ghost giveth this Title to the Book to draw our Hearts and Affections unto it that being throughly affected with the Title of it we might learn the more perfectly to sing it Two things here are commended in the Title First the Comparison between this and other Songs Secondly the Author of it The Comparison is in these words A Song of Songs The Author of it in these words Deut. 10. Rev. 19. Which is Solomon's Some say it is said to be a Song of Songs because it was the manner of the Hebrews in extolling or abasing of things to double their Words as when they say The God of Gods it is God above all Gods And The Lord of Lords and King of Kings it signifies an excellency above all Lords and an Authority above all Kings And so also in abasing of things as when Noah curseth Cham A Servant of Servants shalt thou be that is a most vile Servant But I suppose there is something more to be considered in the words For it must be noted that Psalms and Songs are Arguments of joy and gladness and singing is a token of joy and deliverance out of some great Affliction and Misery When Deborah and Barack had gotten the victory over King Jabin King of Canaan they sung a Song unto the Lord. And when the Lord saved Moses and the Children of Israel out of the hands of the Egyptians they also sung a Song And so it was also when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistines the Women came out of all the Cities of Israel singing and dancing with Tabrets of joy and Instruments of Music Now in that the Holy Ghost calleth this Book a Song he sheweth that there is matter of great joy in it And seeing it is a Song of Songs it far surpasseth all other Songs that Solomon made as also all other Songs in holy Scripture so that no Song can be match'd with it For as to the matter of it and thing it handleth it is the Scriptural Communion between Christ and his Church when she is in the lowest and saddest condition by reason of her Sin and Misery even then this Song setteth out unto her the Love and tender Compassion of Christ her Bridegroom And as for the manner of setting of it forth it is in a Dialogue or borrowed Speech taken from Lovers that are betrothed together in the Marriage knot wherein the Bridegroom and the Bride declare their Affections one to another with great rejoycing the Bridegroom praising and commending his Bride in that in her misery she looked upon him and the Bride her Bridegroom in that he sheweth pity and compassion upon her So that this Song goeth beyond all other Songs in regard of the subject Matter of it and thing it handleth the very burden of it being to instruct us in this That Christ is ours and we are his when Flesh and Reason saith the contrary Which is Solomon's The next commendation of the Song is from the Author which is Solomon Solomon was a Man besotted in his Life 1 Kin. 11.4 and stained with many foul blemishes was not so upright in Heart as David his Father being drawn away by his Wives to the horrible Sin of Idolatry yet the Lord passed by his great and foul stains and made choice of Solomon to be the Pen-man of his holy Spirit and an Instrument where his Glory should shine The Lord did not cast off Solomon for his stains and blemishes but had an Eye still to that good which was in him whereby he would make him a worthy Instrument to set forth his Praise How much the practice of Men differs from this Example of God is easie to be seen who will presently cast off all that is good in a Man if he be but any way stained or polluted in his life if it be a Man of ever so excellent Parts and Gifts able to set forth Heavenly mysteries and do good to the Church of God yet if he be but any way blemished or defamed they presently set him aside as altogether useless and make no more account of him than of a broken Pitcher The Lord did not do this when he saw Solomon in his filthiness but had an Eye to that good which was in him which made him useful for the good of his Church If God should have followed the Example of Men how should this excellent Song of Songs have been had Or how should the Epistles of Paul have been had if Paul had been wholly set aside for his persecuting the Church These make themselves more pure than their Maker else they would not go about to teach the Lord what Instruments to chuse to set forth his Glory by They cannot be content that the Lord shall chuse such Instruments as best please him but must needs have such as best please them or none at all Like mad Men that will rather starve for hunger than receive any Food unless it be presented in a silver Dish and dye for Thirst if you bring them not Drink in a golden Goblet All Men therefore must humble themselves must stoop and give Honour and Glory to the Lord and suffer him to make choice of such Instruments as best please himself to make his Glory shine and to raise up his Church with Divine Contemplations For Solomon although he was unworthy and unfit to be chosen for such an Instrument by reason of
were always to pray towards Jerusalem So that who ever he were that sought after God either to hear any thing from him or to receive any thing of him he must seek him in Jerusalem But now the corporal Jerusalem is destroyed the Ark is to be sought for in the new Jerusalem Which Ark is Baptism For as the promise of Gods presence then was where ever the Ark by Gods appointment was plac'd So the promise of Christs presence now is where Baptism is preserved aright Mat. 28. Baptism then is the Ark in the new Jerusalem Not a resting in the work done and corrupting the nature of it but where the true reason of its institution is taught and preserved Rev. 21.3 Therefore the Tabernacle of God is said to be with men and our bodies to be the visible Temples of the Holy Ghost Cor. 2.6 in regard of Baptism our Spiritual Ark. Wherefore the Chariot being made for the Daughters of Jerusalem it meaneth for those that are brought up under the Ark. For Jerusalem is the Mother because she abideth by the Ark she sticketh fast to the promises of God and instructeth all her Childeren in the same To those and to all those that are visible members of the Church is the word of God sent for although the blessing in the word be received but by a few yet the tender on Gods part is universal and must not be denied that those for whom it is prepared may receive it and they that refuse may be left without excuse Some will allow that all shall hear the word but deny their free admission to the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper But the Ark being the ground of Church-communion as aforesaid so long as the Ark remains right to the Lords Supper doth remain For nothing can cause the loss of any Church priviledg but the want of that which is Essential to its being now Baptism being Essential to all Church priveledges till Baptism be renounced right to all Church priviledges must remain Besides Heb. 11.4 Deut. 14.23 Rom. 15.8 all the Sacraments that ever were were incitements to faith and piety instituted on purpose to teach men to believe as is easy enough to be seen being all preparatives to faith and holiness and not effects therefore none must be debarr'd but all admitted Exod. 12.23 Else how shall the faith of the Church become Sacramental which faith was never wanting to the Church in any age And as the word belongs to the Children of the Ark and to all of them Joh. 1.31 Luk. 22.20 so it belongs to none but only them None can demonstrate that ever any people had a visible interest in the Scriptures Psal 147. Rom. 3. Acts 10.17.13 24. and to the interpretation thereof but only those people whom God first plac'd and also preserved under the external signs of his Covenant Jerusalem is the Mother because she bringeth forth Children under the Ark not in bringing forth Children before she cometh to the Ark So likewise they are not daughters of Jerusalem that count themselves holy and Saints before they come to the Ark all that teach that Doctrine pertain to another Mother and not to Jerusalem which is above the Mother of us all All those pertain to Sinai which is in bondage with her Children and not to the new Jerusalem the celestial and Heavenly City Therefore let us not despise the Riches of our beloved and lose so great a Treasure but seeing he is so bountiful unto us as to let us hear his word to make us his Chariot that we might have communion with himself be saved from an evil Conscience and from his everlasting wrath and be brought to live in glory with him for ever hereafter let us thank and bless his holy name and joyfully embrace his favour And let us also learn so to understand his word that we may receive the Heavenly gift of God that is sent unto us and so to understand the Sacraments that thereby we may be drawn to faith and true repentance Which that we may learn we must diligently mark what here next follows VERSE XI Go forth ye Daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart IN which words the Holy Ghost directeth the Daughter of Zion to a right behaviour of Soul in receiving that Doctrine wherewith the Chariot is made which is to go forth and behold By which words he rightly teacheth what the righteousness of the Gospel is not to rest in our selves but by faith to behold King Solomon with his Crown And also how the righteousness of Christ shall be received and kept even by going forth from depending upon our own inherent righteousness These are the two most Excellent and most useful points above all others and ought above all things to be preferred Which Doctrine we rightly learn when we submit our selves to the comdemnation of the Law and suffer our selves by faith to be divorced from the Law Else what doth it avail us to hear that the righteousness of Christ is ever so excellent a thing if we be not instructed by the Gospel how to be divorced from our own Now in this thing Christ differeth from all Teachers for the wisdom of man Teacheth after this sort if thou wilt attain to faith in Christ and be assured thereof do the Law keep the Commandments of God but the wisdom of the Holy Ghost saith the clean contrary go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown For this Act of faith in going forth to behold is not to do the Law but wholly to depart from the Law So that rightly to behold King Solomon with his Crown is wholly to forget and lose the Law This place therefore teacheth us how the righteousness of the Ten Commandments may be attained not by our doing the works of the Law but by faith in Christ without the Law Even by beholding the Kingdom and victory of our Lord Jesus Christ to be given to us freely This matter concerneth the conscience and therefore it had need be well learned Therefore when thou feelest thy sin and fearest the wrath to come confess it to God and ask forgiveness for Christs sake with a believing heart then hast thou spiritually fulfill'd the Law forasmuch as the righteousness of Christ is given to thee as soon as thou feelest and confessest thy condemnation by the Law which thing thou oughtest to beleive it being the chief Corner-Stone in building the Kingdom of Christ in thy distressed Conscience Therefore who ever thou art that wouldest attain to righteousness before God and also to true peace and comfort in thy Conscience learn thou the way how to attain the same even by faith in Christ without the works of the Law to go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown Now the Crown betokeneth the victory that Christ hath gotten over the
first teacheth us to be displeased with our selves and so maketh us a people for his glory This is the way of the Lord and thus he feedeth his Lillies and they that well tast hereof are nourished up in peace and comfort With this one argument thou mayest drive the Divel and all his instruments into Hell from whence they came For those words I am thine and thou art mine are not thy words but the words of God thy Heavenly Father who owneth thee and hath given himself unto thee Rest thou therefore in this conclusion and if any quarrel thereat send them to thy Heavenly Father that made the promise and bid them aske him why he look'd upon so vile a person as thou art and why he made the way to life so easy as to believe and live Then shalt thou also find his word to become an hiding place in all storms and a Sanctuary in the day of heat VERSE IV. Thou art beautiful my Love as Tirza comely as Jerusalem terrible as an Army with Banners THese are the words of Christ who beholding the faith of his spouse can no longer hold but breaketh out into this commendation of her thou art beautiful my love And the cause is in regard she sticketh to the true principles of faith whereby she is imputed fair Therefore he telleth her thou art the Royal Diadem thou bearest the renown Which sheweth us clearly wherein the praise of the Church consisteth even in believing and contending for that faith which was once given to the Saints First he likeneth her beauty to Tirza a City where the Kings of Israel did reign and keep their Courts The King was present there which made the City beautiful And that which makes the Church so beautiful in Christs eye is because she liveth in the Kings Court she holdeth Christ by the hand of faith alone Others contend for works first to all those Christ is absent All such do want the beauty of Tirza and may rightly be called Ichabod because from them the glory is departed Next she is commended for her comeliness comely as Jerusalem Jerusalem was comely in regard God himself chose to dwell in it In which City the Temple was built wherein the Ark was kept and also the golden Pot that had Manna which was to shew the wonderful works of God to posterity And Aarons rod that budded which was kept to still the murmerings of the people against the Magistracy and Ministry And the two Tables of the Covenants For these things Jerusalem is said to be comely And also by the Psalmist Psal 48.2 to be fair in Scituation the joy of the whole Earth In these things likewise the praise of this Heavenly City the New Jerusalem consisteth In that she alone liveth in the sight of peace in the sight of the Temple and the Ark hath the right use of her Baptism the true knowledg of the Tables feedeth upon the hid Manna in the Golden Pot and hath the true understanding of Aarons Rod that budded herein lyeth her happiness beauty and glory in that she conformeth in all these things Therefore she is said to be comely and the joy of the whole Earth in that she receiveth and teacheth the free grace of her Redeemer and cheerfully obeyeth him in all things And in that she is Terrible as an Army with Banners it meaneth against all those that are adversaries to her Faith and Doctrine And so Terrible that by this one argument I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine all her adversaries are confounded and driven down to Hell This argument therefore is the Banner of the Church and also a matter of commendation with this Banner must we defend our selves and under it must we rejoyce VERSE V. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me thine hair is like a flock of Goats that appear from Gillead IT is as if Christ had said this thou art so beautiful and comely in my sight and so Terrible to all mine adversaries in regard of thy faith and Doctrine that thou hast even overcome me which sheweth us wherein the delight of Christ chiefly lyeth namely in this when the word of God is so understood and stuck unto by faith that by it the Kingdom of Satan may be broken in pieces Now in that Christ says turn away thine eyes from me he meaneth not to another lover but explaineth his meaning in the next words thine hair is like a flock of Goats by which he meaneth the faithful who are likened to hair because even as hair groweth from and hangeth on the head so do they all hang upon their head the Lord Jesus Christ Therefore Christ saith turn about thine eyes to them and Preach the Gospel to them that they also may be strong in the Lord. See Song 4. 2. As also for the Churches Teeth and Temples VERSE VIII There are threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines and Virgins without number BY Queens I understand all those that make separation from the worship of God in Church assemblies These are said to be threescore which is an indefinite speech meaning there are multitudes of them And they are all Queens that is in their own conceit and imaginations they all think themselves so to be The opinion of them all is set down in Esai 47. I am and none else And in Rev. 18. I sit a Queen and am no widow The meaning I conceive is this I am the only Bride or Queen of Christ and there is none else but only those of my way and this is the opinion of every Sect. And their opinion is not only set down but also the reason of it I am no widow Now to be a widow cannot be until the Husband be dead Rom. 7. but when the Husband is dead the woman is a widow And she that calleth her self a Queen They that glory in the Law are condemned by the Law is the Church in her own esteem and her Husband is the Law And in that she glorieth in her married condition it sheweth she is not dead to the Law but under the dominion and power of the Law So that I am no widow is as much as to say I am not divorced from nor dead in respect of the Law but I dilligently follow the works of the Law therefore am I the true spouse or Queen of Christ The sum is she boasteth in the righteousness of the Law because as she supposeth she walketh according to the Law which is the opinion of every Sect. The Concubines are those that do not make a local separation from the Church but live in visible communion with her yet have no part nor share in the inheritance of God For Concubines it seemeth were such as were taken into the Family as appears by Hagar Abrahams Concubine and also by Solomons Concubines yet bare no rule in the Family as Wifes neither did their Children pertake of the inheritance as is to be seen by the
and not to give place Therefore the judgment of faith must conclude and determin all things it being the judgment of God Christ and the holy Ghost and not a tittle of it must be diminished A man must rather suffer his life to be taken from him than the glory of God to be lost Saint Paul in a point of faith when the truth of the Gospel was brought in Question would not give place to the false brethren no not for an hour Therefore no man must think Gal. 2.5 when he heareth the righteousness of the Law to be preferr'd above the righteousness of faith that he may sit still and be silent as though all were well for that is not to Judg but to suffer the Gospel to be lost In matters of the second Table In matters of the second Table Charity hath the preheminency a man is to be a servant to all there Charity must have the preheminence above faith there faith must suffer it self to give place to Charity it must submit become pliant and patient towards all not requiring himself to be counted for a rule whereunto all men must submit but to think modestly of himself to permit to take in good part to obey to give place to do and suffer all things as he shall see it profitable for the winning of his Neighbour to the Gospel An example hereof see in St. 1 Cor. 11.19 Note from hence the temper of St. Paul 's Spirit towards those of whom he had any hopes and what his carriage was to win them to Christ Paul who although he was free from all men being a Lord and Judg in respect of his faith yet he made himself a servant to all in respect of his Charity To the Jews he became as a Jew to them that were under the Law as under the Law that he might gain them to the faith to them that were without Law as without Law that he might win them to Christ For this I do as there he saith for the Gospels sake But when the matter in Question is concerning Everlasting Salvation or Everlasting Damnation a man is to be so certain of his faith and the foundation upon which he buildeth that he is to give place to none he is not to be in subjection for an hour Then is the neck under the commendation here of King Solomons Tower or Throne of Jvory The next thing commended are the Eyes of the Church Thine eyes are like the Fish-pools in Heshbon by the gates of Beth-rabbim Heshbon was a City where Sihon King of the Amorites sometime dwelt The fish-pools in Heshbon were certain ponds where fish were wont to breed Num. 21.26 without which fish-pools the fry could not be preserved The gates of Beth-rabbim were in a certain place as is probable near unto the Kings fish-pools and also the way unto the fish-pools and frequented by many that did desire to see the pools or to have any tast of the Kings fish So that if any one did desire to fish there or to tast of the fish that were bred in those pools he must come in by the gates of Bethrabbim The meaning of the similitude I conceive to be this The fish-pools are the waters of life the fish that are bred in those pools are men the Fishers in those pools are the Ministers of the Gospel called by our Saviour Fishers of men Heshbon being a City of the Amorites where the Law was not given signifieth the free-mother which is barren in the account of the world but gendereth many Children unto God The eyes which are like these fish-pools are the eyes of the understanding which being enlightned in the knowledg of the Gospel and how to apply it do breed many a good fish By the gates of Bethrabbim or way to the fish-pools understand the new and living way to the waters of life which being rightly opened the fish-pools are well stored with many a good fish but if not few fish shall come into the Net and the fish-pools shall be but of little use This matter is plainly expressed in the prophecy of Ezekiel Eze. 47.8.9 where the waters of the Sanctuary are said to go down into the desert and that every thing that liveth which moveth whithersoever the river shall come shall live And that there shall be a very great multitude of fish because these waters shall come thither From whence it is plain that seeing the waters of the Sanctuary run down into the desert that the fish-pool is not made in the fruitful but in the barren and Solitary place which must comfort every poor dejected Soul that is sensible of his own barrenness and encourage him to drink of the living water that he may live for ever For thither the River shall run and there the fish shall breed and increase to a multitude by reason of the coming of the waters Let every one then that feeleth his misery rejoyce and be glad and clap his hands for joy and not be an enemy to himself in stopping up the passage of the River and in striving to turn it over the fruitful Land where it can never run but let him drink sweetly of the Heavenly fish-pool then shall his eyes be like the fish-pools in Heshbon where the fry shall be preserved and the ponds stored Also this teacheth all those that are fishers that intend to cast in their Nets so as to catch men to learn rightly to open the gates of Bathrabbim the new and living way to life which cannot be done unless they go to Christ for the key who giveth the same to those whom he intendeth shall be fishers of men Where those gates are not opened the way to the fish-pools can never be found Some poure the waters of life into the fruitful Soil only which is not only to shut themselves out of the Kingdom of Heaven but also others For all their labour is to make men holy by the Law which is but to leave them under the curse and condemnation of the Law These instead of preserving the full fry of fish do dam up the pools and where there are no fish-pools there can be no fish and where there be no fish beed all the labour in making the ponds is utterly lost So that for want of a right bait for the fish to nibble at those that in likelyhood might have bred good fish do in the end decay and come to nothing And as the way to the fish-pools must be open'd so the right time must be observed when to cast in the Net which must not be until Christ calleth Some run before they are sent these fish all night with the disciples but catch nothing Joh. 21. but when Christ bid them cast in their Nets they caught a multitude of fish When Christ committed the uncircumcision to Paul and the circumcision to Peter a mighty work was wrought by them but when men run before they are call'd all their labour