Heaven and Earth in an unchangeable course so nothing comes to pass without his Providence with which it is in vain to struggle when he is pleased either to cross us in any of our private designs or to send any publick calamity which by all our Art and Power we can neither avoid nor remedy See Annot m 14. In the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider God also hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him 14. No we ought rather to accommodate our selves to the present state of things and when we are in prosperity to enjoy God's Blessings cheerfully with thankful and charitable hearts but so soberly also as not forgetting that affliction may come and when it doth let us take it patiently considering among other things that there may be a change to a better condition again For as both the one and the other come from God so he hath ordered they should have their turns in such due season and balanced one with the other with such exactness that the meanest man hath no reason to complain of him nor the greatest to fansie himself more than a man who cannot invent any means to dispose things otherwise much less better than God hath done See Annot. m 15. All things have I seen in the days of my vanity there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness 15. I know what may be objected to this having all my life long made Observations upon all manner of things in this troublesome World and it seems very hard that a just man's integrity should not be able to preserve him but he is therefore perhaps destroyed because he is better than others when a wicked man escapes nay is countenanced and encouraged or suffered to prolong his days in and perhaps by his wickedness See Annot. n 16. Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise why shouldest thou destroy thy self 16. But besides other things which may be replied to this as that good men are sometimes removed from and wicked reserved unto future evils it must be noted also that some pious men are more strict and rigid than they need and not so prudent as they ought to be but unnecessarily expose themselves to danger And therefore it is good advice in order to a safe and quiet passage through this life to be temperate in thy zeal and not to over-do either by extending thy own Duty beyond the Divine Commandment or by correcting the inveterate vices of others and opposing the vulgar Opinions too severely or unseasonably whereby they are only exasperated and enraged but not at all amended for why should a man bring a mischief upon himself without any benefit unto others See Annot. n 17. Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldest thou die before thy time 17. And on the other side let not impunity tempt any man to presume to grow enormously wicked and so foolish as to embrace and follow the lewdest Opinions for this may awaken the publick Justice against him even for the common safety or the Divine vengeance nay his own excessive wickedness may cut him off before he come to the natural term of his life See Annot. o 18. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this yea also from this withdraw not thine hand for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all 18. This Advice is so profitable that he who loves himself will not only apprehend it but take fast hold of it and diligently observe it never departing from either part of it but while he wisely manages himself to decline dangers honestly and faithfully perform his Duty for nothing can do a man such service in this as a true fear of offending the Divine Majesty which will preserve him both from rash and heady forwardness and from consulting merely his own private safety and interest See Annot. p 19. Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city 19. And this pious prudence which proceeds from the fear of God will be a stronger Guard and security to him who is indued with it both against all inward fears and all outward dangers than a multitude of valiant Commanders and all their Troops are to defend a City when it is besieged by its Enemies See Annot. p 20. For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not 20. Though this must always be understood when we thus discourse that no man is either so perfectly wise or completely vertuous as never to mistake and commit a fault but sometimes the best of us may slip into a sin notwithstanding all our caution and care and thereby fall into danger See Annot. q 21. Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken lest thou hear thy servant curse thee 21. The consideration of which frailty of Mankind is useful many ways not only to abate our severity in censuring or chastising publick Offenders but to teach us gentleness towards those who do us private injuries and therefore not to regard for instance every word that is spoken against us but rather to dissemble our knowledge of it first because otherwise we shall have no quiet for perhaps we may chance to overhear our own Domesticks speaking slightly of us which we may easily pass by and overlook but cannot take notice of without great disturbance See Annot. r 22. For often-times also thine own heart knoweth that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others 22. And secondly Because if thou examinest thy own life thou wilt find this fault is so incident to humane Nature that thou thy self perhaps hast been guilty of it many a time and done as much by others that are thy Betters as thy Servant doth by thee 23. ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom I said I will be wise but it was far from me 23. For my part I cannot exempt my self from the guilt of great errours for though I have not only studied to be wise and vertuous but made a tryal of the excellence of all these Rules which I have now delivered and resolved also that I would strictly observe them and never in the least swerve from them yet alass I fell far short of these holy purposes See Annot. s 24. That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it out 24. That which I have done already in time past is far from the Wisdom whereby I intended to have acted and who can tell when he once sinks below himself how much deeper and deeper he shall be plunged in sin till he cannot find his way out again 25. I applied mine heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things and to know the wickedness of folly even of foolishness and madness 25. Notwithstanding which I did not cease my endeavours but
understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all 11. But do not presume merely on thy own industry though never so great for good success in thy undertakings nor fansie that nothing shall interrupt thy pleasures but look up unto God and leave all to his Providence For to return to what I said about events v. 1. I have observed that they do not depend upon our Will and Pleasure but upon his we being apt to think that he who for instance can run swiftest will certainly carry away the prize and that he who hath the greatest Forces will win the Victory in a Battel when it falls out quite otherwise that both of them lose the day And more than that the Wise and the Learned in their Profession cannot sometimes get their bread but men of greatest reach are poor and ingenious Artists not at all regarded or encouraged according to their deserts for there are certain seasons wherein by various accidents which unexspectedly start up all mens nimbleness strength valour wit cunning and dexterity prove ineffectual See Annot. h 12. For man also knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them 12. For no man can foresee many evils that befal him no not the time of his death which surprizes him unawares when he thinks no more of it than the silly Fish or Birds do of the Net or the Snare wherein they are caught to their destruction nay as they are intangled when they swim or fly securely in hope to catch their prèy so do men perish by those very counsels and actions from whence they expected the greatest advantages and are undone by some sudden and unavoidable mischief that seizes them when they thought themselves at the top of their hopes See Annot. i 13. ¶ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun and it seemed great unto me 13. But though events be not in our power being over-ruled by a higher Providence we ought not therefore to imagine there is no use of prudent counsel and forecast for that sort of Wisdom which we call Political how mean soever it may seem in some mens eyes is with me of greater price than Wealth and Riches And this single Observation shows that I have reason for it See Annot. k 14. There was a little city and few men within it and there came a great king against it and besieged it and built great bulwarks against it 14. There was a City of small Circuit ill fortified and mann'd by a very small Garrison against which a mighty King with numerous Forces made his approaches and having intrenched his Army and drawn a strong Line about it and raised his Batteries doubted not to take it speedily or to have it surrendered into his hands 15. Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdom delivered the city yet no man remembred that same poor man 15. When by a strange Providence of God there unexpectedly appeared a Wise man but he so poor that no body minded him who saved the City from this imminent danger and that not by Money for he had none nor by Arms for the Besiegers were far superior in strength but merely by his wise counsels contrivances strategems and conduct wherein he excelled the greatest Warriours And yet O foul ingratitude his Citizens who ought to have recorded his Fame and preserved it to all Posterity soon forgot their Deliverer and because he was poor regarded him after this memorable service he had done them no more than they had done before See Annot. l 16. Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless the poor mans wisdom is despised and his words are not heard 16. Which notwithstanding ought not to discourage worthy men from serving their Country for Wisdom and Counsel from such Examples as this will be preferred by all judicious and vertuous persons as well as by me before mere power and strength Because ungoverned Forces destroy themselves when a little Force under skilful conduct archieveth the greatest things and therefore it ought to be highly valued in the most obscure person though the senseless Multitude as if Wisdom borrowed all its credit from him that possesseth it despise the counsel of a poor man and oft-times suffer this punishment of their folly and ingratitude that shutting their ears to his wholesome advice they fall into many and great calamities See Annot. m 17. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools 17. An intolerable fault this is For the modest speeches of the meanest wise man delivered gently and without noise are far more worthy to be heard and if they meet with a patient ear and a serene mind free from the tumult of pride and passion will be more regarded and prove more efficacious than the most clamorous and imperious Language of a powerful Fool as appears by what the poor man propounded for the saving of the City which prevailed more in their distress than the furious outcries of the greatest Commander swaggering among his Troops of ignorant Souldiers See Annot. n 18. Wisdom is better than weapons of war but one sinner destroyeth much good 18. I cannot therefore but again commend Counsel and wise Conduct and prefer it before the greatest Forces and all manner of warlike Preparation for it sometimes saves whole Armies nay Countries from destruction which have been utterly ruined by the rash boldness and forwardness or other errour of some mighty man who hath overthrown well-settled Kingdoms and States and brought them into many miseries for it is a known thing that many have been undone by the fault of one as by one mans prudence many have been delivered See Annot. o ANNOTATIONS a Verse 1. Though Solomon had often and thoroughly considered that Question mentioned in the Argument of this Chapter yet he could come to no resolution about it but this That it ought not to shake our belief of God's love to vertuous men which is expressed in that Phrase in the hand of God wherein are included all the effects of his kindness and care and that we must not judge men to be good or bad by what befals them in their outward estates So those words are most naturally interpreted A man knoweth not love or hatred c. Which some indeed refer unto men not unto God in this sense No man knows certainly what is best for him in this World and consequently cannot tell what he should desire and what deprecate of all the things that are before him For those things which he hates and is averse unto may be as good for him as those which he loves and wishes to enjoy To this purpose Maldonate Or thus No man knows whether that which he loves or that which he
latent under the matter whereby we are led unto it as the main thing comprehended in it Thus Archangelus Burgonovensis speaks in his Preface to the Explication of some select Aphorisms of those Divines gathered by Mirandula who observes also p. 91. of his Book that as immediately after the Fabrick of the World was reared Matrimony followed as the Emblem of God's great love to those that should believe on Him so this World shall end in the Sacrament of Marriage St. John shutting up all the Mysteries of the holy Scripture in the Revelation with these Words Let us be glad and rejoyce for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready XIX Rev. 7. Which if it be the voice of the heavenly Host agrees with what the Hebrew Doctors say in Perke Elieser Cap. 12. of the Marriage of Adam and Eve that the Angels rejoyced at it and with musick and dancing attended upon the Wedding VI. All which things put together show how naturally the thoughts of David were led at Solomon's Marriage to sing concerning Christ and his Church and the thoughts of Solomon afterward to sing more largely of the wonderful love of the same heavenly Bridegroom in this Song of Songs that is most excellent Song For so it may be truly called both in regard of its Subject matter and in regard of the manner of its composure this Parabolical way of writing by Figures and Similitudes being in many regards as the forenamed Cabbalistical Doctors discourse the best of all others First because it is taken from things sensible by which both learned men and ignorant may be instructed Secondly because such Narrations very easily imprint themselves on the mind a Parable say they being instead of an artificial Memory And thirdly because all our knowledge hath its rise from sense and therefore symbolizes much with sensible Parables And fourthly it is very delightful to contemplate how the Parable agrees with the spiritual things which are thereby figured Vnto which saith that Archangelus before-mentioned the Doctrine of St. Paul is conformable when he saith The invisible things of God from the creation of the World are seen by those that are made And lastly what is there more evident than that all visible things declare God to be love whose praise Solomon celebrates in this Song For by love as the same Author discourses out of Boetius and others the Heavens are joyned together and the Elements agree in composition Animals cohabit Cities are preserved and all Kingdoms supported and replenished Which made Pherecydes Syrus say that God was transformed into love before He made the World And because God created all things in love he also embraces all things with the same love and would have us to love which is the summ of all that He exacts of us that being knit together by mutual love we may in conclusion be united with Him in love that so all things may be one as they were in the beginning Of this love Solomon say they treats throughout this whole Song nay it is the Subject of all the Book of God According to that of David LXII Psal 11 12. God hath spoken once viz. to the whole people of Israel when he gave the Law at Mount Sinai yea twice have I heard this from the Prophets that is who say the same with the Law that power belongeth to God also unto thee O Lord belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his work Which they expound in this manner Thou canst send good or evil influences upon us by the union of Tipheret and Malcuth a good influence by their separation a bad For when Israel doth well then it receives good influences from above that is from Tipheret for such is the order says one of their Aphorisms which is constituted in the Archetypal World that all good influences proceed from Tipheret And then these two Principles are united when we observe God's Precepts but when we transgress the Law the one is separated from the other that is Tipheret doth not send influences upon Malcuth for our good but another Principle interposes and sends anxiety and trouble Now Love is the union of these two Principles the love of Man and Wife signifying in Scripture the Vnion of Israel and Tipheret which Vnion Hosea speaks of when he saith II. 19 20. I will betroth me unto thee for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. Thus that sort of Divines discourse very agreeably to the sense of this Book Which represents the Heavenly Bridegroom appearing in the greatest Beauty and sometimes in most familiar communication with his Spouse the Church but at other times withdrawing his glorious presence and absenting himself from her Who is represented therefore after the same manner like to the moon unto which they compare Malcuth sometimes full of his heavenly light sometimes illuminated only in part and sometimes obscure and dark Which will appear more at large in the Explication of the several parts of this Book VII The time of whose writing cannot be certainly known but it is very probable but is was not long after Solomon was seated on his Throne and had both the Prophecy of his Father David fresh in his mind and was also strongly affected with the wonderful love of God to himself He being filled then likewise with incomparable Wisdom from above such Wisdom that it brought the Queen of Sheba to discourse with him having heard the fame of Solomon because of the name of the Lord 1 Kings X. 1. That is as some of the Hebrews expound it because she understood that the Wisdom which was in him was not merely natural like that of the Philosophers and Eastern Sages but Divine and heavenly by a special inspiration from above whereby he was inabled to answer the hardest Questions At that time when these Celestial Gifts were newly poured into him which the Cabbalists call the Unction of the Holy Ghost or the Sacred Name of which Solomon speaks say they when he says in the beginning of this Song Thy Name is as an Ointment poured out we may well conceive his mind shined in its greatest purity and clearness and enjoying the sweetest and most perfect peace and tranquility was the fitter for such Divine Meditations as these which are the Subject of this Holy Book The sense of which seems to be expressed in the 2 Corinth XI 2. Where St. Paul who was not rude in knowledge v. 6. but mightily versed as that Word knowledge signifies in the Mysteries of the Old Testament puts the Church of Corinth in mind of his solicitous concern for them in these words I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ For of that one Husband alone and of that pure Virgin and
of all the Daughters of Jerusalem Come back again come back that we may behold thy wondrous perfections And if any ask What is that you would see What would you enjoy in her happy Society Our Answer is such a Divine presence as appeared to Jacob when he saw the Angelical Choires which made him cry out This is God's Host and call the name of that place Mahanaim See Annot. n ANNOTATIONS a Verse 1. The Daughters of Jerusalem mentioned V. 8. here justifie what the Spouse had said in the Conclusion of the former Chapter And declaring themselves in love with Him whom she had described are desirous to join themselves to her Company and go in quest of Him In order to which they would know Whither she thought He was gone when He went from her b V. 2. Unto which she replies in this Verse and seems to tell them in his own Words what she had heard Him say about that matter V. 1. And it signifies that He was still in his Church and in every part of it though sometimes they were not sensible of it For so Theodoret well observes here is distinct mention made of a Garden and of Gardens i. e. of the Catholick Church which is but one and of the several parts thereof For sometimes St. Paul mentions only the Church in the Singular Number and sometimes the several Churches even in the same Nation as in the Epistle to the Galatians I. 1. and in the same Province or City 1 Cor. XIV 34. He is said here to go down into his Garden with respect to the Mountains mentioned IV. 8. And to feed in the Hebrew is either to do the Office of a Shepherd to his Flock or relates to his Communion with his people mentioned Chap. IV. 16. V. 1. Which may be the meaning also of gathering Lilies or as Theodoret will have it by this last Clause is to be understood his gathering holy and pure Souls that are like Him and joyning them unto his Church And so the Arabick Translation is to gather together the Lilies following the Septuagint who translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed I find the Hebrew Word lakat signifies to collect things into an Heap or Bundle as Stones XXXI Gen. 46. Manna XVI Exod. 27. Fruit XIX Lev. 9. Silver XLVII Gen. 14. The whole denotes that Communion with Him is only to be sought in his Church especially in that part of it which preserves the Order wherein He hath disposed all things like the Walks and Beds in a Garden and keep themselves also in the purity of his Religion c V. 3. Now she seems to have so perfectly recovered her self out of the slumber wherein she had been as to have regained her former sense of Him and of her interest in Him repeating those Words which we met withal before Ch. II. 16. Of the latter part of which he feedeth among the Lilies I think fit here further to note that to feed may relate either unto Himself or unto others for there are Examples of both Of the former XLI Gen. 2. I. Job 14. Of the latter XXIX Gen. 7 9. XXXVII 12. I take it here rather in this latter sense and suppose it signifies his doing the Office of a Shepherd and that he is said to feed among the Lilies as in the Revelation to walk in the midst of the seven Candlesticks i. e. there to have his conversation to take up his abode with them c. as He often saith in the Gospel of St. John XIV 23. that He would with those who love Him and keep his Commandments And such persons are here compared to Lilies which being a name given by Christ to Himself Greg. Nyssen and Theodoret hereby not unfitly understand such as are conformed to Christ their Head and have his Image wrought in their Souls in righteousness and true holiness For saith the former of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just c. see IV. Philip. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the Lilies in which Christ delights d V. 4. And now we must conceive either that they went to the Garden together and there found Him or that He hearing this hearty profession of unmoveable love to Him meets them and to revive her drooping Spirits falls again into a new commendation of the Spouse in the very same terms as before and in some higher And first He compares her to Tirzah which was a beautiful Situation in the Country of Ephraim and therefore made choice of after these times by Jeroboam for the Seat of his Kingdom and so continued till the Building of Samaria as we read 1 King XIV 17. XV. 21 23. and several other places to which add XII Josh 24. The very original of the Word signifies as much as Urbs amabilis or a City that pleaseth one and therefore chosen by one of the ancient Kings of Canaan for the place of his residence And lest this should not be high enough He next compares her to Jerusalem which was the most lovely place in the Territories of Judah and indeed of the whole Country For which cause as it had been the Seat of one of the Kings of Canaan so the Royal Palace of David nay the House of God himself was afterward there built and is called by Jeremiah in his Lamentations the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth II. 15. It is mentioned by Pliny likewise L. 5. C. 14. as the most famous City in the East And as she had commended Him before not only for his Beauty but Majesty so He doth here in the last place call her terrible as an Army standing in Battalia's striking an awe that is into Beholders So I think it is to be expounded as referring still to the goodliness of her aspect and not to her being invincible inexpugnable and striking terrour into her Enemies as some interpret the whole Verse Every part of which seems to me to be a new proof that Solomon speaks not in this Book of one single person whom some fansie the Shulamite others Pharaoh's Daughter whom others take for one and the same under the name of the Spouse but of a Body or Society of men for none else can be fitly compared to Cities nay to great Armies drawn up under their Banners Which last part of this Verse may be applied to the comely Order which Christ appointed in his Church which while it was preserved made the Church very venerable in the World So Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For they are astonished who behold thy Order there being nothing disorderly nothing uncertain or undetermined nothing confused and indistinct but all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orderly appointed and judiciously determined Some refer this terribleness as we translate it to the gravity or rather severity of her countenance which forebad all wanton approaches to so great a Beauty e V. 5. In this
Tower which was in Lebanon and appeared at a distance among the Trees especially on that side which lookt toward Damascus as the Nose in the Face doth among the Locks of Hair that fall upon the Cheeks A large but well-proportioned Nose was always accounted a considerable part of Beauty and an indication it was generally thought of greatness of mind and heighth of spirit Some add that it is a token of sagacity and prudence and the Nose being the instrument of smelling they apply it to the great judgment and foresight of the Doctors of the Church who they think may be hereby intended For as the Chaldee Paraphrast applies this whole Verse to the Sanhedrin who governed the Affairs of that people who were as full of Wisdom saith he as a Pool is of Water so Christians generally by Eyes understand the Guides and Governours of the Church Who may the better be compared to the Pools of Heshbon because it was after the Conquest of Canaan one of the Cities of the Levites XXI Josh 39. whose Office it was to instruct the people And such being called by the Jews Rabbim and in the Singular Number Rabbi and Rabbuni some have fansied that they are also denoted in the name of the Gate of Bath-rabbim For bath daughter signifies people or inhabitants who were taught by those Great Men as Rabbim signifies what was Law and Judgment in the Gates of their Cities Damascus also being a great Enemy to Israel and noted for Idolatry they suppose the Nose being turned towards the Watch-tower looking that way is an Emblem of the care that Christian Doctors should take that their people be not seduced to Idolatrous Worship We do not read any where in Scripture of this Tower but that it was a Watch-tower the Word zophe here intimates which we translate looketh but signifies looking like a Watchman e V. 5. It appears from the very Phrase Thine head upon thee that they mean the covering of the head And this being a description of her utmost perfections it denotes I conceive the Crown or Garland which she wore as ready for her Nuptials resembling the top of Carmel Which was another beautiful Mountain in that Country whose Head was covered with great variety of Flowers and Trees Certain it is that as it was a rich and fruitful so a very pleasant and lofty place XXXV Isai 2. II. Jer. 7. and therefore fitly chosen to set forth the Dignity and Majesty of the Spouse But there is no necessity it must be confessed to interpret this of the Mountain Carmel but the Words may be translated Thy head is like a pleasant fruitful Field For so the Word Carmel from the goodliness perhaps of that Mountain signifies in many places XVI Isai 10. XXXII 15. XLVIII Jer. 33. where joy and gladness is said to be taken micarmel from Carmel which we truly translate from the plentiful or pleasant Field For there the Prophet speaks of Moab in which Country Carmel it self was not And this is an illustration of Beauty in other Authors who compare the head of a delicate Woman unto a fair Meadow or Field As Philostratus writes to his Wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thy Head is a large Meadow full of Flowers which are never wanting in the Summer and disappear not in the midst of Winter And in the same manner Achilles Tatius L. I. saith of his Clitophon and Leucippe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The next Word dallath is never used any where for Hair but should rather be translated the Hair-lace that wherewith the Hair and all the Ornaments belonging to it were tied up This Hair-lace is said here to be of a purple colour i. e. it was rich and noble For this was the Royal Colour and therefore called here the Purple of the King as the Vulgar Latine takes it joining the latter part of the Verse with this tied up in folds hanging down like canals that is hanging loose upon the shoulders as some expound it it waved up and down imitating the frizzles and curls of the water in Canals Others referr the two last Words to Purple lying in Canals to receive a deeper tincture by being double-died Vid. Menoch de Repub. Hebr. L. I. C. X. n. 6. But the LXX make the last Words a distinct Sentence as we do in this manner The King is tyed or bound in his Walks That is when he walks in his Palace Royal and beholds her beauty he stands still and cannot take his eyes off from her being captivated with it and tied as fast to her as the Hair of her Head is to the Lace that binds it The former part of this Verse is applied by the Chaldee Paraphrast to the King the Head of the people who shall be just like Elias who was zealous for the Lord of Hosts and slew the false Prophets upon Mount Carmel and the latter part of it to their poor who shall be clothed by him in Purple as Daniel was in Babylon and Mordecai in Shushan f V. 6. This Verse may be taken either for a commendation of love which had thus adorned her and raised her to this pitch of happiness or of her who is called love in the abstract to express more vehemently how lovely she was and what pleasure they took in beholding her Beauty The first Word fair may relate to the rare composition of the whole Body and the next Word pleasant or sweet or comely as some translate it to her graceful motion gesture and sweet conversation And the sense in short is this O how desirable do the pleasures which thou impartest make thee Theodoret's Note here is very pious that we become thus beautiful and lovely though deformed before by delighting in Charity and making doing good our highest pleasure g V. 7. This Verse is a reflection upon the whole foregoing description as appears by the first Word zoth this As if they had said to all this thy stature is proportionable Which is compared to the Palm-tree because it shoots up straight as well as high and therefore sets forth that part of loveliness which consists in tallness Which was always thought a great addition to Beauty and was one reason why Women wore Ornaments upon the very top of their Heads as well as high Shoes to make them appear the taller The noblest Palm-trees of all other were in Judaea especially about Jericho as Pliny writes L. XIII C. 4. From whence it was that in future times it became an Emblem of that Country as we find in that Medal of the Emperour Titus with a Captive Woman sitting under a Palm-tree and the Inscription of Judaea Capta Our learned Country-man Sir Tho. Brown in his Miscellan Tracts p. 78. hath ingeniously observed that they speak emphatically when they say they will go up to take hold of the Boughs of this Tree For it must be ascended before one can come at the Boughs which it bears only at the top and upper parts