dispensed unto the Saints in the days of the Gospel all those carnall Ordinances of meats and drinks and diverse washings should be turned into a more spirituall administration The Apostle telleth us that those rites and ordinances under the Law stood only in meats and drinks and diverse washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them untill the time of reformation Hebr. 9. 10. The Apostle sums up all legall rites and shadows whatsoever calling them carnall ordinances of justifications of the flesh because they did sanctifie only to the purifying of the flesh freeing of those who used them from legall pollutions And saith he these were imposed untill the time of reformation that is untill Christ came in the flesh who should reform all such carnall rites and ceremonies with all those legal observations services exhibiting the truth and reality of spirituall things signified by them and by instituting a more holy and spirituall worship We may take either of the two last interpretations either of the encrease of grace unto the church then present or of those plentiful measures of grace and spirituall administrations under the Gospel First if wee take the meaning of the words for an increase of grace oberve That where ever the Lord begins a work of grace hee doth adde new supplies of grace to such beginnings This is that the Apostle was very confident of in behalfe of the Philippians That hee that had begun a good worke in them would finish it untill the day of Christ Phil. 1. 6. And he saith in Heb. 12. 2. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith When God had made the world he did not cease from exercising his power but it is still at work for the upholding of the creation so concerning the work of the new Creation I mean the work of grace in the soule Christ doth not only begin this work or work some small degrees of it but he doth proceed to maintain what he hath begun and to encrease that which he maintains and to perfect what he doth encrease carrying the soule from glory to glory 2. If wee understand the words of those glorious things that were to be exhibited by Christ in the time of the Gospel Observe hence That the Doctrine of faith and ordinances of the Gospell with the graces accompanying them are much more glorious and excellent then those under the law This glorious Gospel the Apostle sets forth at large in 2 Cor. 3. from vers 7. unto vers 11. But if the ministration of death written and engraven in stones were glorious c. how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious He calleth the law the ministry of death because the letter killeth because it doth not communicate an ability to man to keep the same neither makes any promise of forgivenesse unto the transgressor for tste tenour of it runs thus Cursed is every one that abideth not in all the things which are written in the law It convinceth us of sinne and therefore it 's called the ministration of death and condemnatâ—on but the Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit and of life and righteousness because the Gospel doth not only shew the way to life by Christ but it is accompanied with the power of the holy Spirit whereby wee are raised from the death of sinne and quickned to the life of holinesse and it doth also crown us with righteousnesse administring the same unto us by Jesus Christ Hence saith the Apostle in vers 10. For that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth That is all those legall administrations which had some kind of glory upon them yet they had no glory comparatively as the light of a candle shines very bright in the night but it is obscured in the day-time so is the light of the Moone obscured by the light of the Sunne so likewise is the glory of the Law obscured by the light of the Gospel that it seems to have no glory or light at all Indeed the law was glorious in two respects especially 1. In respect of the promulgation of it as the Apostle shewes Heb. 12. 18 19. There was fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voyce of words c. The Lord came in great Majestie to give the Law even as the Kings of the earth do put on their garments of State when they goe to enact Laws but Christ discovered more glory upon the Mount at his transfiguration there was Moses and Elias and the voyce of God from heaven and the appearance of the holy Ghost descending upon him c. And hence it is the glory of Mount Sion exceeds the glory of Mount Sinai 2. In respect of the matter of the Law it was glorious it contained the image and glory of God which at first was stamped upon mans heart and after written in the tables of stone but now the Gospel holds forth this image as stamped upon Christ and so represented to us again This the Apostle testifies unto us in 2 Cor. 4. 4. saying Lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine into their hearts And Christ is called the expresse forme or image of his person Heb. 1. 3. This is spoken not only in respect of his divine nature but also in regard that hee is God manifest in the flesh by whom the glory and righteousnesse grace mercy goodnesse wisddome and power of God is revealed unto us Again the Apostle telleth us that the glory of the ministration excelleth that of the law because that of the law is to be done away and that of the Gospel was to remain 2 Cor. 3. 11. All those carnall rites and ordinances of the Law were to be abolished and the Lord promises that in their stead he wil create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred or come into mind Isa 65. 17. The Lord would so alter and change the state of his Church that it shall seem to be a new world and the spirituall excellency thereof shall so much exceed that which was before that the consideration of the one shall seem to drown and abolish the memory of the other The Apostle doth argue the abolishing of the old Ordinances and the continuance of the new thus In that he saith a new covenant speaking of the promise of God hee hath made the first old now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Heb. 8. 13. That is the old legall administration shall be disannulled or abrogated at the comming in of that which is new To conclude in the times of restauration of the Gospel all things shall be altered for the better as in Isa 30. 26. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes c. That is
Christus ecclesia unum intilligantur esse per fidem naturall body as the Apostle sheweth Ephes 5. 30. so that thereby the faithfull become members of his body mysticall As a Father saith as a man and a woman are one by nature so Christ and his Church must be understood to be one through faith Now Christ is said to dwell in the heart by faith Ephes 3. 17. Now the Spouse doth as well retaine Christ as take hold of him I would not let him goe or leave him Herein the Church declares her resolution to retain her beloved as Jacob when he wrestled with the Angell Genes 32. 26. I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me The Spouse having now obtained her beloved was loath to part with him againe upon any termes whatsoever Hence Observe That the soule that hath once got Christ will surely keepe Christ The Spouse was not onely diligent in seeking her beloved but shee had also a prudentiall care to keep Christ when found I would not let him goe saith the Church shee came by him hardly therefore shee will not part with him lightly shee obtained him with much hazzard and danger much losse and suffering and therefore shee will not part with him for the greatest advantage in the world Shee knows nothing in this great and wide universe though never so lovely or desirable can be equivalent to such a Jewell shee knows that with him is the well-spring of life and all blessing and therefore shee cannot be induced or perswaded upon any termes to part with him Many of Christs followers forsooke him and went no more with him but will yee also forsake me saith he to his Apostles Peter answers for himselfe and the rest Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life John 6. 68. As if he should have said Lord if we leave thee we leave our life and our comfort we forsake our owne mercy it was motive enough to stay by him and to keep close to him to consider that eternall life and consequently the very quintessence of all happinesse was with him The Merchant that found a treasure of great price went and hid it and joyfully sould all that he had to purchase it and therefore he will not part with it for any good The Merchant man is an Embleme or figure of a Beleiver who when he hath found Christ will not forgoe him by any means no but will say of him Whom have I in Heaven but thee And on Earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee Christ is the strength of his heart and his portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. It is the voyce of the Church The Lord is my portion saith the soule not onely her tongue without but even her soule and her Spirit within speaks it with unconceiveable joy and delight shee was in deep affliction when shee spake it Lam. 3. 24. yet the apprehension of such a portion as the Lord was solace and refreshing enough to her And David is in thesame mood too The Lord is my portion and mine inheritance saith he The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Psal 16. 5 6. He alludes to the manner of dividing the Land of Canaan to the Children of Israel which was done by line Now unspeakable happy are all those that have such an heritage can we thinke they will part with it No verily they will not so dote on any thing in the world as to leave heaven for earth infinite and eternall joyes for a short blaze or a little flash of myrth they will not part with such an inheritance as Christ is rich fat alwayes fruitfull and never decaying An inheritance where there is no dirt no winter or withering no dying or decaying of fruits but ever green ever flourishing ever bearing infinitly profitable and delightfull to the Possessors of it Naboth would not part with the heritage of his Fathers no more will the Saints part with theirs Thus for the Churches taking hold of and keeping her beloved Now follows her drawing of him into her Mothers mansion Vntill I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me These words declare how effectually the Church did lay hold upon Christ that so shee retained him to dwell with her for ever The expression which the Church useth here My Mothers house c. signifies a chief City or solemne place of assembly But now it may be demanded What Mother hath the Church And who is shee that conceived her Is there any Spouse of Christ but one I answer there is but one mysticall body of Christ and one Spouse but always that part of the Church on Earth is called the Daughter of the Church of former times and Christians doe beget Christians and the new Church came forth of the old Church Or the whole Church is the Mother of each part as in the usuall phrase of Hebrew speech Now of old the Temple and Sanctuary might be the Chamber of her that conceived that is the place where they of the former Church did meet So now Jerusalem that is above is called the Mother of us all Gal. 3. which was figured by Sarah the free woman and signifieth the Covenant of grace Gal. 4. 24. Now the house and Chamber wherein we are conceived by the Gospel of the Covenant of grace is outwardly the Church but inwardly the heart where faith dwelleth Rom. 10. 10. Now into this house the Church saith shee will lead her beloved we may take it eyther 1. For her leading of him into the Church and displaying of Christs goodnesse manifested to her soul to others Or 2. For her leading Christ down into her own soul enlarging her owne affections by dilating upon the copious theme of his divine love delighting in a close and neer communion with him From the first of these Interpretations Observe That he Saints having received consolation from Christ doe labour to make others partakers of the same comfort Here the Spouse having found her beloved manifesting his love and favour to her saith I will bring him into my Mothers house towit into the Church and assembly of Saints to spread all his goodnesse discovered unto me Shee bringeth her beloved home that so he may not onely dwell with her but also be a solace to her Mothers Children shee doth labour to communicate the comfort of Gods Spirit unto others that so they may rejoyce with her Thus Philip who finding Nathanael did with much joy manifest the finding of Christ John 1. 45. Thus was the Woman of Samaria who having found the Messiah could not but cast her Pitchar aside and goe into the City to reveale that comfort to others John 4. 28 29. Nor can there be any soule that finds the sweet discoveries of Christs love but there is likewise a strong desire to acquaint others with their souls comfort It is an easier thing to carry
and fouls of the aire Act. 10. 12. And the Apostle was bid to arise and to slay and eate Now by this he was taught that not only the Gentiles as well as the Jews were admitted into Christ's kingdom but of every nation as himselfe afterwards expounds it he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him vers 35 We read that the fleece of Gideon was first wet and the bean-floor dry then afterwards the barne-floore was wet and the fleece dry so God gave his law first to the seed of Abraham and not unto the Gentiles then the Gentiles which were the wild olives were ingraffed and the naturall olives were rejected but he will at length save both Jew and Gentile The Scripture it selfe speaks thus Isa 56. 6 7. God promiseth that he will bring the sonnes of the stranger that is the Gentiles to his holy mountaine and make them joyfull in the house of prayer and their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his Altar for saith hee my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people So that Christ was an Altar for all nations where on both Jewes and Gentiles were an offering acceptable to God And a like place there is in Isa 60. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee the Rams of Nebajoth shall minister unto thee they shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar and I will glorifie the house of my glory Here Christ is made an Altar that makes the Gentiles as I may say a sacrifice of a sweet smelling favour unto God Fifthly the flower of the garden is only for pleasure but the flower of the field is for profit it is medicinable and fit for an ingredient inelectuaries to heale diseases So looke upon Christ as upon the most gainfull and profitable thing to the soule that can be imagined nothing more fit and commodious nothing more enriching then Christ is he is gaine for himselfe without relation to any other besides himselfe he is a rich and inestimable treasure to the soul Wisdome is better then Rubies and all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8. 11. And doubtlesse Christ is the wisdome there spoken of So for the rose of Sharon it followeth The lilie of the vallies Here Christ doth assimilate himselfe to the precious Lilie The lilie saith Pliny is next in nobility Plinie Nat. Hict lib. 25 cap. 5. unto the rose The Scripture sets it forth to be a glorious and amiable flower even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these saith Christ Matth. 6. 29. Christ doth assimilate himselfe to the precious lilie or the valleys and that in these respects First The lilie is a flower of hot quality so that as Christ was compared before to a rose of cold quality because he cooles his Fathers wrath and because he cooles the hot distempered lusts in the soule so here he is compared to a Lillie which is hot in operation because he doth warm and revive his people Secondly the Lillie is of an excellent cleer colour it was of a super exexcellent beauty according to the fore-named place Mat. 6. 29. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these But behold Jesus Christ a greater then Solomon is here Matth. 12. 42. compared to the lillie of the valeys which farre surmounted Solomon in all his glory Christ was cloathed with the Spirit of God It was said of him the Spirit of the Lord is upon me Isa 61. 1. And God saith I will put my Spirit upon him Isa 42. 1. That is I will cloath him with my Spirit Now if the Spirit be his garment then no creature nor all the creatures in the world can compare with him in glory Thirdly the Lilie is is called of the Hebrews Soshan which signifies the flower of six because of his six leaves we have the same expression in the Title of Psal 45. It is dedicated to him that excelleth on Shoshannim that is on six stringed instruments The Hebrew word is derived of Shesh that is six So in six dayes God created the world so the creation of the new Heavens and new earth is agreeable to the former which shall be done by Christ Fourthly The Lilie is of golden colour within so is Christ full of golden graces he is a head of gold Song 5. and he makes his Members sutable by issuing out of himself golden streames of grace into their hearts Fiftly The higher and the taller the Lilie's stalke is the more dependent and hanging downe is the head thereof thus it was with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forme or essence of God or in the nature and condition of God yet he tooke upon him the state and condition of a servant He thought it no robbery or rapine to be equall with God yet he suffered himselfe to be denuded and robb'd of his glorie by sinfull men God cals him the man that is his fellow Zech. 15. 7. and yet he was made a fellow to Theeves and malefactors and though he was full of glorie and excellency yet he emptyed himselfe of all for so are the words of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he evacuated or emptyed himselfe that is he reduced himself as it were to nothing he did as it were exhaust and draw himselfe drie he did for a time deny himselfe casting aside his robes of Majesty by his voluntary condiscending to such a low debasement as he under-went for us Sixthly The Lilie is a flower of a redolent and sweet savour so Christ in all his graces is much more sweet and ravishing Now for the valleys where these Lilies grew it notes unto us First That Christ's condition was meane and low in respect of outward things he is not the lofty Cedar but the lowly Lilly But though Christ was like a Tree whose root was in the earth yet his fruit reached as high as heaven Secondly The Valleyes note unto us the fruit and benefit of Christ's humiliation for the Lilie of the valleyes is capable of more moisture then is the Lilie of the mountains even so Christ by debasing himselfe received abundance of grace and glorie from the Father and wee also are exalted by his debasement for by a supply of his grace notwithstanding our low and base estate are made sweet and amiable like the Lilie as the Lord saith I will be as the dew upon Israel he shall blossome as the Lilie and strike forth his roots as Lebanon Hos 14. 5. So much of Christ's speech touching himselfe having so compared himself to The rose of Sharon and the Lilie of the valleys Now followeth his speech touching his Church Vers 2. As the Lilie among Thorns so is my love among the Daughters Now Christ utters the commendations of his spouse where he confirmeth and amplyfieth the former speech preferring her above other people as the Lilie is above Thornes and Thistles
Christ Thus much for the cause the effect follows Therefore doe the Virgins love thee Whence observe Thirdly That the sweetnesse of Christ causeth love in his Saints The Originall of our love is Christs communicating of goodnes to us there is nothing in the streams but what comes from the Fountaine he is the Fountaine of love and sweetnesse who by his streams flowing into our hearts causeth in us to abound a Divine love towards him the fire of his love kindles the flame of our love to him againe our Ointment is from Christs Ointment the head being Anointed the Oile ran downe to the Skirts as it was said of Aaron Love is the inclining of the will to something that is excellent and agreeable to it selfe now the nature of the will is Elicita not Coacta inclined and drawne forth not compelled and constrained The will is absolute and free no violence can be offered to it therefore nothing but the sweetnesse and efficacy of Christs grace can be a Load-stone attractive to draw out incline the will Againe the object of the will is something that is good Bonum est objectum voluntatis sayth the Moralist whither it be Bonum reale a substantiall good or Bonum apparens a seeming good yet both are the object of the Will Hence it is that the transcendent excellency beauty love goodnesse and thato verflowing Fountain of grace and sweetnesse apprehended by the Saints to be in Christ these make him to be the best object these also incline the Will attract the heart and draw the souls of Beleivers unto him Againe observe that the object of the will must be a thing suitable Bonum sibi conveniens a good agreable to it selfe Now such a proportionable good as this is found to be in Christ which is respondent or answerable to all our desires or Capacities he is suitable in all his Offices and communications in his blood for pardon in his grace to adorne us in his love for lost sinners in his fullnesse for empty and poore souls Now when the Saints can take a spirituall view of Christ and observe all the dimensions of his love and sweetnesse they apprehend him to be Summum bonum the chiefest good farr beyond all worldly things though of never so exquisite and delicate an extraction and therefore desire most of all to have the possession of him according to that in Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee saith David Fourthly in that the Church changeth her Speech from the whole to the parts for shee doth not say I but the Virgins love thee Observe That as the whole Church so every Member of Christ hath the sence and feeling of Christs love and graces by the powring forth of his name John 1. 10. Of his fullnesse wee have all received and grace for grace Every Member hath received a measure and proportion from Christs fullnesse The Apostle speaking of the Gift of Continency saith Every man hath his proper gift of God 1 Cor. 7. 7. And so he speaketh concerning spirituall gifts and saith There are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall for to one is given by the same Spirit the word of wisdome c. 1 Cor. 12. 4 6 7 8. And so the whole Chapter goes on and tells us that the Church is the mystical body of Christ and though the body be but one yet the Members are many and that the same Spirit divideth to every Member as it pleaseth himselfe As in the naturall body there is not any one member but receives an influence from the head So it is in the Mysticall body of Christ And againe the Apostle saith in Ephes 4. 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Christ doth measure out proportionable gifts and graces for every Saint therefore as the whole Church is the Spouse of Christ so is every particular Member and all the priviledges and graces belonging to the whole Church belong to every Beleiver Fifthly Observe Such as are true lovers of Christ are onely those that are holy and pure By Virgins here are not understood those that are single or un-married but it signifieth the chastity and spirituall purity of those that truely love Christ These are chast in their lives holy in their thoughts sanctified in their actions These are not defiled with the World as to give themselves up to uncleane lusts of the flesh nor to commit spirituall whoredome against God the Saints studdy to possesse their Vessells in Sanctification and honour their bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost they labour to be like unto their head and Spouse holy as he is holy pure as he is pure These are they which are not defiled with women for they are Virgins Revel 14. 4. That is that are not polluted with spirituall Fornication as the Apostle calls it 2 Cor. 12. 2. These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth They will not follow Antichrist for their head and guide but they follow Christ though it be with the hazzard and losse of all their worldly enjoyments their love ro Christ is pure and chast like unto Virgins whose affections will not easily be drawn unto any besides their Beloved VERS 4. Draw me we will run after thee the King hath brought me into his Chambers we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more then wine the upright love thee IN these words we have a second request of the Spouse unto Christ that he would not onely call her outwardly by the voice of the Gospell but forasmuch as the word Preached profiteth not if it be not mixt with faith in them that heare it Heb. 4. 2. that he would open her heart Acts 16. 14. and enlighten her by his Spirit that he would give unto her his Spirit of wisdome and revelation that the eyes of her understanding might be opened that shee might know what is the hope of her calling Ephes 1. 17. In these words there are two things considerable 1. The Prayer of the Church 2. The Reason of it First The Churches Prayer in these words Draw me c. Secondly The Reasons are drawne from the effects or fruits thereof which are two The first in these words We will run after thee The second is set downe in these words The King hath brought me into his Chambers From which effects we have the Churches protestation of ingagement declared by a three-fold respect which shee bears to Christ First shee doth exalt and rejoyce in him We will be glad and rejoyce in thee Secondly her mind or senses are set at work We will remember thy love more then wine Thirdly her engagement of affection The upright love thee
and Nations and Languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. The Heathen are his Inheritance and the ends of the Earth his possession Psal 2. 8. And the Apostle speaking of the Preachers of the Gospell saith Their sound went into all the Earth and their words to the end of the World Rom. 10. 18. Secondly in respect of all sorts and conditions of men this is elegantly set forth by the Prophet Isa 41. 19. Where God promiseth To plant in the Wildernesse the Cedar the Shittath Tree the Myrtle the Oile-Tree the Fir-Tree the Pine and the Box-Tree together This is also sweetly represented unto Peter by a Sheet knit at fowre corners wherein were all manner of fowr-footed beasts of the Earth and wild beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Aire Acts 10. 12. By this we are taught that not onely the Gentiles as well as the Jewes were to be received into Christ's Kingdome but also that in every Nation as himselfe afterwards Expounds it he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Vers 35. Thirdly Christ is King universall in respect of all ages and times of the World God is my King of old saith the Church Psal 74. 12. It is meant of Christ because it is said of him in the following words Hee worketh Salvation in the midst of the Earth It is Christ that worketh Salvation in the midst of the Earth and he is called a King eternall immortall 1 Tim. 1. 17. Thirdly Christ rules alone he hath no colleague or partner he carries the Government upon his owne Shoulders as we read Isa 9. 6. He alone hath received power from on high in Governing of his Church Fourthly Christ is an everlasting King He receives a Kingdome that cannot be shaken The God of Heaven saith the Prophet shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed neieher shall it be left to other people but it shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. Fifthly and lastly Christ is matchlesse and eminent above all other Kings in all royall vertues and endowments First he is wise and sapient and therefore called Counsellour onely wise the wonderfull numberer which sealeth up the sum full of wisdome Secondly a most magnificent and warlike King hence Christ is called A man of War the Lord of Hosts the Captaine of our Salvation he overcomes all his Enemies and his foes are made his foot-stoole Thirdly Christ is a most just and righteous King he reigns in righteousnesse his Scepter is a Scepter of rectitude and uprightnesse He is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. Secondly Observe That Christ sweetly draws and perswades his people to a neer communion with himselfe The King hath brought me c. Christ doth win the hearts of his people by love and goodnesse This is manifested Chap. 2. Vers 4. where it is said He brought me into the Banqueting House and his banner over me was love A flag or ensigne is a warlike signe whereby Souldiers are drawne from place to place So here Christ sets up a Banner of love and goodnesse whereby he draws his people after him when he displayes his Banner then all the Armies in Heaven and Earth follow him It was by love we were redeemed for Christ loved his Church saith the Apostle and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. By love we are sanctified and cleansed as we have it in Revel 1. 5. Christ hath loved us and hath washed us in his blood He hath washed us both from the guilt and pollution of sin and all from love It is also by the same love wherewithall Christ doth win and draw his people after him Thirdly Observe Christ revealeth to his Saints the secret and hidden Mysteries of the Gospell Christ leads his people into his privy Chambers and displayeth the secrets of God to them that feare him Psal 25. 14. Consider first Chambers are the places in which the Bridegroome and the Bride use to rejoyce together Joel 2. 16. So Christ as the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride and doth communicate spirituall comforts unto her Such as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God and thus we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 16. This is that the Apostle doth earnestly desire that the Church of the Collossians might have their hearts comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the fulnesse of understanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Collos 2. 2 3. When Christ revealeth such Mysteries unto his Saints he may be said then to lead them into his Chambers Secondly touching these Chambers or inner rooms they import a sight of rich Treasures or pretious Jewells Kings have the greatest treasures upon Earth and they keep their richest Ornaments and pretious things in their Chambers Now Christ is the richest of all Kings and he like a Kingly Bridegroome leadeth his Spouse into his Chambers and sheweth her all his riches and glory which he hath laid up for her in the Heavens Christ is rich in love rich in mercy rich in grace rich in wisdome and rich in knowledge yea as rich as God himselfe now Christ spreadeth these his riches before his Saints that they may see how rich they be in him But we must know Christ leads his people into his Chambers by degrees he led his Church into his Chambers in the time of the Law and shewed her the riches and glory of his Kingdome but this he hath done more fully under the Gospell since his manifestation in the flesh since the rising of the sun of righteousnesse and the shining of that morning Starre and most fully it shall be done at the consummation of the Marriage of Christ and his Spouse Here the Spouse hath some glimmerings of these riches but then shee shall have them in perfect sight here shee injoys them by vertue of a promise but then shee shall have the full fruition of them Lastly Observe The Saints are most safe and secure in Jesus Christ Chambers are places of great security therefore the Lord saith Come my people enter into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy selfe for a very little moment untill the indignation be over past Isa 26. 20. And thus Christ comforteth his Disciples against the Persecution of men These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the World yee shall have Tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World John 16. 33. Thus David susteineth his faith by the power and protection of God For in the time of trouble saith he he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he
from Beasts and a beast in the shape of a man is the worst of all Our affections are very pleasant delightful to us this object is as pleasant as our affections there is no object in the world but there is a wil inclinable to close with it now what better object can our wil affections have then Christ 4. Observe The affections of the Saints are more ingaged to â—hrist consecrated to his love then unto the greatest delights in the World More then wine Wine is put by a Synechdoche for all pleasant and delightful things in the World yet saith the Church we will remember thy loves more then worldly minded men do remember Wine yea more then we our selves doe remember our worldy injoyments A Saint may love the Creature according to that Character God hath stamped upon it but still he setteth Christ on the top of his affections witnesse David in Psa 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in Earth that I desire besides thee When we let our affections run out upon the Creature we doe but lose them and they become unprofitable unto us but when they are set upon Christ we lose them not he makes them Heavenly and gracious and gives them to us againe whatsoever we expend on Christ in Christ we shall find it again The upright love thee Hence Observe That the Saints are perfect and upright in a Gospell account A man is that in Gospell account which he sincerely desires to be a beleiver aims at perfection and therefore he is called a perfect man his desires carry the denomination of the thing desired Now that part in man that hath the predominancy and is most active that part carrieth the denomination of the whole now uprightnesse and righteousnesse holinesse and sincerity these carry the greatest sway in the hearts of the Saints they being sanctified in every part in soule and body and Spirit hence they are called holy righteous pure undefiled and clean having their Conscience clean by the blood of sprinkling and the like Secondly Observe That holy and righteous men are onely fit to praise and make mention of the love of Christ All the righteousnesse of the will of the mind of the affections will praise and celebrate Christs love but as for unrighteousnes it is enmity against Christ and unfit to mention or to praise his love And therefore the exhortation is to the righteous Ps 33. 1. Rejoice in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright The word translated comely denoteth a fair and comely grace for which a thing is to be liked or desir'd The Apostle expresseth it in Greek by fair and beautifull Rom. 10. 15. How beautifull are the feet of those that preach the Gospel c. That is how desireable are the feet of those that preach the Gospel For the beauty of a thing makes it to be desired now the praises of Christs love are most desireable and glorious in the Saints none but they are fit to record and make mention of Christs loves Lastly Observe The Saints by remembring and making mention of Christs loves are the more confirmed and increased in love towards him The Church had declared before that those chast and pure virgins loved Christ but here she doth mention it again to declare that now the Spouse had been in the Bed-chamber of the King and had a sight of those heavenly treasures which are reserved for her whereupon shee rejoyceth with exceeding great joy and doth also record and rehearse all his loves and by this means all the upright are enflamed more more with love to Christ As fire is encreased by adding of fuell unto it so is our love to Christ upon fresh and new manifestations of his great love toward us VERS 5 6. I am blacke but comely O yee daughters of Jerusalem as the Tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon Looke not upon me because I am blacke because the Sunne hath looked upon me my mothers children were angry with me they made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine owne vineyard have I not kept IN the precedent verses we had the Churches first speech unto Christ professing her faith and love now we have an Apostrophee or her aversion or turning of Speech from her Beloved unto the Daughters of Jerusalem to prevent those scandals and offences which might arise in respect of the Churches afflictions and infirmities which she was subject unto in this life It falleth out sometimes that some do love them that do not love them again and so the objection might be thus Thou art enflamed with a vehement and passionate love but is it not towards one that careth not for thee and one that doth farre excell thee For thou hast set him forth to be a glorious and great King so gracious and loving so sweet and pleasant so faire and beautifull so rich and compleat as that nothing under heaven is any way comparable unto him Now how is it possible that thou shouldst be a Spouse to such a glorious Bridegroom how should he love or delight in thee thou art but a black hued Virgin therefore canst not be fit to match to such a beautiful sweet King as is Messiah Now she answereth all this fully and that first by a double adjunct of colour or hue one contrary to the other 1. By confession I am black 2. By refutation but comely Both which are illustrated by two comparisons 1. To shew her blacknesse As the tents of Kedar 2. To shew her fairnesse As the curtains or the hangings of Solomon vers 5. Now she proceedeth unto a more full answer because none should take offence at her blacknesse as to impaire her dignity or worth or more lightly to regard or esteem of her and this she doth 1. By admonition to the daughters of Jerusalem not to despise or disdain her in these words Looke not upon me because I am black 2. Shee rendereth a reason of her admonition and that is drawn from the cause of her blacknesse and the cause is three-fold 1. From the supream cause The sunne hath looked upon me 2. From the instrumentall cause my mothers children were angry with me c. 3. From the impulsive cause which was internal wholly in her selfe that is though they made her the keeper of the Vinyards yet she kept not well her own Vineyard I am blacke but comely The Hebrew word here translated blacke signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Denigrari Nigresceie nigrnm esse In pih diluculo manè sedulò studiosè quaerete a nomine blacknesse or darknesse and therefore the Hebrew word Mishchar is taken from the same roote which signifies the morning or the day-dawning because of the blackness or darknesse thereof 1. By blacknesse or darknesse we may understand affliction or tribulation so the Prophet calleth tribulation night because the solitarinesse and fear thereof is like the darknesse Isa 26.
and he shall send you another comforter c. And the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name c. John 14. 16. 26. And Christ saith that he will send the Comforter Iohn 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send you from the Father c. The Father sends the Spirit in Christs name and Christ sends him from or in the name of the Father Lastly the Comforter is said to come of himself Ioh. 16. 7. Thus it was in the creation of the world Gen. 1. 1. God or Elohim created the heaven and the earth In which place the verb bara being of the singular number doth signifie the most simple essence of God and the Substantive Elohim being of the plurall number notes out unto us the Father Sonne and Spirit So all the works of creation redemption calling glorification are joyntly and also variously and promiscuously attributed to the Father Son and Spirit So here we will make c. The Father Son and Spirit do joyntly work in the adorning of the soule Hence observe First That workes of grace are very glorious works The excellency of the worker sets forth the excellency of the work God made all things very good at the first And as for man let us saith God make him in our owne image which phrase in our image signifieth the unity of the essence of God now this image was very glorious and is called the glory of God Rom. 1. Now all the works of God are glorious The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke Psal 19. 1. But much more glorious is the work of grace or the new creation made upon the soule which is the renewing of it according to the image of God Col. 3. 10. And a changing of the soule into the same image 2 Cor. 3. 18. This image is a glorious image and it is a glorious work to frame it upon the soule This work is so glorious that it commends the work-man and framer thereof and the worker of this grace is so glorious that his worth magnifies the works that he doth Secondly observe That all our graces both in the beginnings and encreasings of them are from God Christ is called the beginner and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. He is the Alpha and Omega the first contriver and the last finisher of all our work hee that hath begun a good worke in us is the same that must perfect that worke untill the day of Christ Every good gift as also the increase thereof is from God Jam. 1. 17. The Apostle attributes all praise to him that is able to doe exceedingly abundantly above all that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us Eph. 3. 20. It is a magnificent power that worketh in us and that power only can worke abundantly more for us As our bodies came naked into the world so did our soules Ezek. 16. 4. It is the Lord that decketh and adorneth us with grace vers 12. 14. It is from Christ we must receive gold to enrich us and white raiment to cloath us Rev. 3. 18. We put on the new man as garments which are additions to our nature given us of Christ wee are poore it is hee that doth enrich us naked he cloaths us deformed he beautifies us miserable he makes us happy in a word he works all our works for us Borders of gold with studs of silver Now we have the work it selfe commended to us in two degrees 1. In borders of gold 2. In studs of silver Borders or rowes the word is the same that wee had in the former verse and signifies an orderly disposition of things setting of them in frame and order as in a row Rowes of gold The word Zahab is rendered gold from the clearnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aurum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Splendor coeli qui similis est colori auri and brightnesse of the colour of it for the clearing of the Heavens comming from the North is like the colour of gold This sheweth the excellency of the matter from which this form is made to wit of gold Rows of gold he spake of rowes in the former verse but here hee addeth rowes of gold which implyeth an addition and enlargement of grace With studs of silver The word translated studs signifies some little point or print fathing coming of fixing or fasting a thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Punilum a figendo vel insigendo plurali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puncta Buxt in lex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek translation readeth it thus wee will make likenesses for thee with prints of silver The Apostle useth the word stigmata marks speaking of suffering hee calls them the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6. 17. Some understand here by the borders of gold the foundation of a Christians hope the very ground work of his faith and the studs of silver to be the superstructure put into the edifice or building according to that of the Apostle where he exhorteth the Hebrewes not to stay at the foundation or ground-work but to goe on to perfection Heb. 6. 1. And because wee are saved by the foundation and not by the edifice built thereon according to 1 Cor. 3. 10. So referring the first to our justification and the second to our sanctification as to the fruits flowing from our sanctification that is works of sanctification Others understand the words for the increasing of graces and the bringing of the Saints from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. From one degree of grace to another and this is taken from the nature of Gold because it will be beat out to a very large substance And as for the prints of silver they make it an allusion to that place in Prov. 25. 11 12. where it is said a word spoken in his place or aptly is like apples of gold with pictures of silver As an ear-ring of gold with an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient eare Which doth declare unto us that reproofs well given and well taken are as beautifull ornaments unto the Saints Or wee may understand it of the glorious Ordinances and graces that should be dispensed in the times of the Gospel and how they should far exceed those carnall ordinances under the Law according to this the Lord speaks in Isa 60. 17. For brasse I will bring gold for iron I will bring silver and for wood brasse for stones iron c. This was a promise that the Lord in the dayes of the Gospel would make all things better and make a through-alteration of Ordinances hee would demolish all carnall Ordinances and set up those that are spirituall We may understand the words to be a promise of a new supply of graces and strength that Christ would give unto his Church or of the glorious ordinances and graces
every administration of the Gospel shall farre exceed in glory and light all those of the Law And in this respect the Prophet saith The Sun and the Moon shall be ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall rule in Zion c. Isa 24. 23. That is the light and glory of the Sun and of the Moon shall be darknesse in comparison of the light and glory of God that shall shine in his Church under the Gospel See also in Isa 60. 19 20. where the Lord saith Thy sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moone give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory thy Sun shall no more goe downe neither shall thy Moone withdraw it selfe c. If we understand these words of the first times of the Gospell then by the Sun and Moone we must understand all legall rites and shaddows which were the lights of those times But if we understand the last restoration of the Gospell which shall be after the generall Apostacy and falling away by reason of the over-spreading of the darknesse of Antichrist I say if it be meant of this last restoration then we must understand by the Sun and Moone all outward and worldly meanes whereby God hath conveyed any light unto his people such outward and worldly meanes shall cease and the Lord will communicate light and grace into the hearts of his people by some higher and some more spirituall way then he hath done formerly Thus much for Christ's embraceing commending and promising unto his Church wherein he sets forth her excellency in respect of the time then present and also in respect of the time to come Now it followeth that the Church doth endeavour to set forth the excellency of her Beloved VERS 12 13 14. While the King sitteth at his Table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof A bundle of Myrrhe is my Beloved unto me he shall lye all night betwixt my Breasts My beloved is unto me as a clustre of Camphyre in the Vineyard of Engedi IN the three last Verses Christ set forth the excellency of his Church in respect of the time that then was and also in respect of times that should come after now the Church in these three Verses sets forth the excellency of Christ with the excellent effects of all those graces which he had bestowed on her and that shee being so adorned by her Beloved the odour of his Spirit in her issued and flowed forth with such a fragrancy as it did very much delight her selfe and others with the redolency thereof The Church doth as it were answer her Beloveds commendations of her by returning the like praises and commendations unto him as before he had commended her The Church setteth forth her Beloved Messiah not barely or simply but what a one he is to her that he is one of excellent sweetnesse and redolency Now the sweetnesse of all Christs heavenly graces unto her and in her are set forth to us by three excellent comparisons towit Spikenard Camphyre Myrrhe We have the effects of all his graces and sweetnesse as our graces from his graces and our sweetnesse from his sweetnesse And we have the cause of all this namely our union and neere communion with him all which is contained in these three Verses Vers 12. While the King siteth at his Table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof In this Verse we have First Christs communion with his Church which is implied by his siting at his Table with her This communion is inlarged by the time While the King siteth c. Secondly The effect of this communion the Church hath her odour by it My Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof So that Christ hath his communion and his Church hath her odour While the King sitteth c. Here we have the Kingly feeding of Christ with his people his repast or feeding is not expressed in the Text but necessarily implied for the words according to the Hebrew verbatim run thus While the King was in his circle or in his compasse which phrase al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Circuivit circumivit Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accubitus icrcularis proprie in orbem enim antiquitus ad mensain sede bant Buxt in Lex ludes to the Jewish forme of sitting at Table which was round about as it were in a circumference or circle Now by this sitting round it cannot be meant of Christ sitting alone but a session with others towit with all his faithfull guests that together with Christ doe environe this Table The King is Messiah who is Lord and head over his Church they that associate with him are the Saints gathered from all parts of the World the place of their session is at the Table for that is meant by the round or circle here specified The Hebrews were wont to sit round or in a circle as was said before an example whereof we have in 1 Sam. 16. 11. when Samuel desired Jesse to send for David his youngest Son he saith We will not sit downe untill he come hither in the Hebrew it is Because we will not round untill he come hither That is Wee will not sit downe to Feast before he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come The Table that these sit at is to be considered according to the place and that is two-fold 1. The place of Christ's siting may be meant of Heaven and if so then it sets forth the wonderfull sweetnesse of Christ even whilst he is in the Heavens then the sence would be as much as if the Church should say now while the King sits in Heaven compassed with his holy Angells and I here on Earth below there is a wonderfull distance between us and yet his sweet savour commeth unto me yea I doe smell his sweetnesse though at a great distance even as it were the precious Spiknard Myrrhe and Camphyre 2. We may take it for Christ's feasting with his people while they are here on Earth of his spirituall Banquet with his Saints feeding them with his word and graces for thus he saith Behold Istand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open I will come in and sup with him and he with me Revel 3. 20. This spirituall communion that Christ hath with his Church is called The Table of the Lord Mal. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 21. and it signifies that blessed sweet and heavenly communion betweene Christ and his Church Hence Observe That there is a mutuall feasting betwixt Christ and his Church The unity and communion that we have with Christ is set forth to us in our siting downe with Christ at his Table to the end we may partake with him of his spirituall dainties and heavenly Manna with which he feeds and refresheth his Saints It is most true that we have nothing to invite or welcome Christ but he sends provision of his owne and comes as
a terme not far from theirs call it Lawander Another sort was called Nardus assiria of which was made an ointment of all others most precious and saith Pliny of all other spices Spikenard is of greatest estimation the ointment of Spikenard was very precious which Plin. l. 12. cap. 12. they used to powr out and anoint men with such was the ointment that Mary anointed Christ with as hee sate at Table and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment John 12. 3. Mar. 14. 3. This Spiknard was very costly and precious as may appeare in that it grew in India or in Assyria And for this most precious oyle which was made of this sweet plant of India it had the nature of a warming piercing digesting The herb it self is hot in the first degree and dry in the second whereby it falleth out that it is of an excellent comforting nature and also repercussive Now under this odoriferous nard we may mistically understand the most precious gifts and graces of the spirit of Christ either First as the sweetnesse of them flows from him unto the Saints or Secondly as they are planted in the hearts of his people sending forth a sweet savour from thence First we may understand this sweet ointment made of Spikenard to be meant of Christs graces in himself from which a sweet and redolent savor descends down to all his Saints The words in the originall will indifferently bear a double translation because the letter which is the affix sometimes formeth the adjective and so wee may translate it thus that which is of spikenard gave the smell thereof And so Junius renders the words According to this translation the Church praiseth the sweetnesse of Christ setting forth how Nardinum edit cdorem suum Jun. sweet he is unto her as if shee should say even now while the King my Beloved is sitting in the Heavens compassed about with his holy Angels and I here upon earth below there is a wonderfull distance between us and yet the sweet savour of him commeth unto me yea I doe smell his sweetnesse even as it were the precious ointment made of Spiknard or Secondly Wee may take the words as they are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mea nar dus our translation My spikenard so Arius Montanus renders â—t And then wee may understand the graces of Christ in the Saints as the fruits of faith love and all the sacrifices of prayers and praises of the Saints these and many such like fruits the Saints shew forth by vertue of their communion with Christ The Apostle in Rom. 6. 3 4. sets forth this communion of the Saints with Christ under an elegant metaphor representing unto us that as Plants engraffed do receive moysture juyce and nourishment from the stock whereby they sprout out budd and bear fruit so the Saints being as it were in serted into Christ doe receive vigour and life from him whereby they walke in the spirit and become spirituall holy gracious active in all good works Now good and gracious works flowing from the Spirit of Christ are called fruits which signifie not only an issuing from the stock but the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of them And thus the Wise man saith A good name is better then ointment Eccl. 7. 3. because it hath a good savour with it And on the contrary the Israelites said to Moses and Aaron Yee have made us stincke before Pharaoh and his servants That is in their credit good name and estimation And again in Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight That thing is most abominable to the Lord which the wicked think to be most excellent and whereby they think to be most of all accepted but the prayers and praises of the godly are delightfull in his eares they have the savour of a sweet odour before him First observe hence from the first interpretation That the graces which are in Christ cast a sweet odour and perfume into the hearts of all believers Ointment and perfume rejoyce the heart saith Solomon Prov. 27. 9. So all Christs graces which are the anointings of the Father upon him are sweet rejoycing the hearts of the Saints Christ was anointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fellows Psal 45. 7. His graces were matter of joy and gladnesse to himselfe and to all his Saints Christ's love is better then wine because it revives strengthens and refresheth the hearts of his servants All Christs graces are very fragrant and redolent refreshing the sences of the soule his very word and Gospel is a savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 16. Secondly according to the latter interpretation observe That the graces of the Saints are very savoury and delightfull Their graces are delightfull 1. To God 2. To Man 1. They are delightfull to God as being the fruits of his own Spirit God loves and delights in none but in himselfe but when hee communicates any of the graces of his Spirit they are part of himselfe and hee greatly delights in them As a Father delights in his Child because he seeth part of himselfe in his Child so the Lord conveyeth his owne grace and image into our hearts and then delights to see them there 2. The graces of faith love prayer and praises of the Saints are acceptable to God by the mediation of Jesus Christ Thus the Apostle saith his preaching of the Gospel was unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. Hee alludeth to the ointment of the Priest and the sweet incense which they offered unto the Lord. And David prayeth that his prayer might be directed before the Lord as incense Psal 141. 2. He meaneth such incense or perfume which was a confection of sweet spices made after the Art of the Apothecary pure and holy and was by the Priests burned upon the golden Altar every morning before the Lord Exod. 30. 34 35 36. Which Incense was a figure of the prayers of the Saints acceptable to God through the mediation of Jesus Christ And thus it is said of Noah's burnt-offerings which he offered after the deluge of waters ceased that the Lord smelled a savour of rest in them Gen. 8. 20. And Christ is called that Angell that stood before the Altar having a golden Censor and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne Rev. 8. 3. That is Christ the Angell of Gods presence who had a golden Censor as the High Priest had to offer Incense Heb. 9. 4. unto whom was given much incense like those sweet spices which the Priests burnt upon the golden Altar Exod. 30. 34. which he was to offer with the prayers of the Saints mingling the sweet odour of his own merits with their prayers and so
above all other societies whatsoever because unto her Members are committed the Oracles of God as the Apostle speakes of the Church of the Jewes Rom. 3. 2. unto whom also pertained the Adoption and the glorie and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Rom. 9. 4. Secondly Jerusalem was eminenter then other places for it is said they went to Jerusalem and down to Aegypt and other places so the Church is from above Gal. 4. 26. because it hath its originall from above and steeres its course towards heaven above Thirdly Jerusalem was a Cittie compact in it selfe Psal 122. 3. So is the Church the body of Christ compact and knit together by joynts and legiaments as it is in the naturall body for so the Apostle telleth us that The whole body of the Church is fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth c. Ephes 4. 16. Fourthly Jerusalem is a free Cittie and had many Citie-priviledges and immunities so is the Church Gaâ— 4. 26. Jerusalem or the Church which is above is free The Law was delivered in a most terrible manner on Mount Sinai and the effects thereof was nothing but bondage but after it was sent out of Zion and out of Jerusalem with the Spirit of grace and adoption and brings with it cheerefulnesse and libertie so though Agar geâ—dereth to bondage yet Jerusalem which is above is free Fifthly Jerusalem was the seat of God chosen from all places of the world as appeares Psal 132. 13 14. For the Lord hath chosen Zion â—he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it So the Church of Christ is his seate where he dwels and holds forth the word of life and distributes the rich treasures of grace and glory and doth beutifie it with all heavenly excellencies and priviledges of salvation Sixthly Jerusalem was the joy of the whole earth Psal 48. 2. So is the Church the joy and comfort of the word what are all the men in the world besides the Church is the seate of saving truth and is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles so that the Church is the depository of the truth that orbe out of which this glorious light shines forth and unto the Church pertains the Covenant and the promises as you heard before So much for the Parties charged Now wee proceed to the manner of the charge By the Roes and by the Hindes of the Field Some render these words thus Tarry ye abroad with the Roes or with the Hinde of the field Wee may understand it thus Yee that are by the Roes that is yee that feed your flocks abroad in the Feilds where the Roes and Hindes runne The meaning may be this get you abroad for a while take your pleasure and doe what you will only disquiet not neither vexe my beloued This is spoken by the Church after the manner of men and their wives who when they would talke off secret matters or take their rest and be quiet will bid their Children and servants get them abroad and recreate themselves where they will for a while Indeed some take the words as if the Oath were by the Roes and by the Hindes which cannot be but improper and onely figurative because Oathes and Adjurations are by the name of God onely Deut. 6. 13. We may read it among the Roes so doth Arius Montanus rather then by the Roes because the Letter Beth is here prefixed which signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In capreis in Or among more properly then by The Church doth in her charge to the Daughters of Jerusalem take these creatures to wit the Roes and Hinds as witnesses against them if they neglect their charge an example we have in Deut. 30. 19. I call Heaven and Earth saith Moses to record this day against you c. This obtestation of Heaven and Earth is meant the creatures in Heaven and Earth We have the like expression in Josh 24. 27. This stone shall be a witnesse saith Joshua unto us for it hath heard all the words of the Lord. This figurative Speech is as much as if Joshuah had said to the people thus this stone shall as truely witnesse against you if you shall falsifie your promise and Covenant as if it had heard the words that were spoken Hence Observe That unreasonable creatures are called to testifie against men that deale falsly with Christ Suitable to this is that in the Prophet Jer. 2. 12. Be astonished O yee Heavens at this and be yee horribly afraid be yee very desolate saith the Lord. Implying that the very senselesse creatures were they apprehensive of such evills would abhor such dealings and tremble to thinke what the issue of them would be or that such courses were such as might justly fill Heaven and Earth with astonishment And so in Isa 1. 2. Give eare O Heavens and heare O Earth c. Because men are obstinate and senselesse the dumb creatures are called upon as more ready to heare and obey Gods word then they and are therefore witnesses for God against them And in Psal 50. 4. He will call to the Heavens to judge his people that Heaven Earth may beare record And in Job 20. 27. The Heavens shall reveale his iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against him Let us consider the nature and condition of these Roes and Hinds and then we shall see how fitly they are here brought in in this obtestation or adjuration 1. The Roes and Hinds are wild Beasts of the Field 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Militia congregatio populi axercitus and have their names of Armies and Powers and by wild Beasts the people of the world who are not of God are named so that his people are admonished not to provoke Jesus Christ least these wild Beasts among whom they live should be made instrumentall to afflict them 2. These Roes and Hinds are set forth in Scripture for their swiftnesse of foot as in 2 Sam. 2. 18. which being referred to Gods judgements may signifie the swiftnesse of Gods judgement on them that shal break this adjuration 3. These creatures are also commended for their mutuall love one to another by them is the love betweene man and wife set forth as in Prov. 5. 19. Let her be as the loving Hind and as the pleasant Roe c. That as the Males and Females of these Beasts doe dearly love one another so is the unfeighned love betweene man and wife and also betweene Christ and his Church for Christ himselfe is likened to a Roe or young Hart in Vers 9. 4. These Beasts are very much desirous of the highest places this is a property given by the Prophet Habakkuk to the Hinds when he saith The Lord will make my feet like the Hinds and he will make me walk upon mine high places Habak 3. 19. So should the
person of her beloved as it were declaring what words he used unto her who calleth her up to higher attainements and to a morefull communion with himselfe The Church heard Christs voice a farre off she saw him approaching neerer unto her an comming swiftly and now being come so neere as through the grates he made himselfe knowne unto her he answers her loudly and speakes more comfortably unto her In these foure verses wee have First Christs call unto his Church yet uttered by the Church herselfe as she before had desire Christ to draw neere unto her so now Christ desireth his Spouse to draw neere unto him in these words My Beloved spake and said unto me rise up my love c. Secondly Observe the reason given of Christs call and that is drawne from the opportunity and fitnesse of the time for coming unto him First Because the Winter is past ver 11. Secondly Because the Spring was come vers 12. 13. Lastly Wee have the former call and exhortation of Christ renewed verse 13. Arise my love my faire one and come away First we have Christs Exhortation to his Church My beloved spake and said unto me arise my love my faire one and come away In this speech of Christ unto his Church are to be considered two things First Those amiable Epithites given by him unto her Secondly The words of his exhortation and both these in this tenth verse and for the rest you shall have the particulars in their due place First The Epithites or Titles given to the Church are two First My love Secondly My faire one Secondly The exhortation Arise thou and come away First Wee have Christs speech calling his Church from her present estate and place of affliction unto a better and more glorious condition or from her carnal security wherein she lay to follow him in faith and love of the Gospell saying My Beloved spake and said unto me Christ is the Churches Beloved The Hebrew word dodi my beloved whereof comes David in English beloved a terme given by the father from heaven to his Sonne here on earth when he said This is my Beloved Sonne Matt. 3. ult figured out by the ancient beloved David Christ is the Husband of his Spouse and nothing will content a believer but the enjoyment of the Beloved Spake or answered the word Gnanah signifies so to speake as is by way of answering Arias Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Respond it 〈◊〉 signifies also to sing by 〈◊〉 when one part answereth another in singing renders it delectus meus respondit my beloved answered Now in that the Church saith he answered it doth not only argue Christs readinesse to help his Church but also that there was some question or demand used before of the Church whereunto this answer of Christ was framed Wee finde such sudden answers often in the Gospel even before any question was propounded And 〈…〉 answered and said c. which some terme an Hebâ—â—isme or forme of speech used of the Hebrews even then when no demand went before But I rather thinke that Christ answereth something that the Church desired before Now wee must consider that the Church speakes unto Christ two manner of ways First By a vocall speech whereto the voice of the bodie is required and such speech as this wee finde not divers times in the Gospel nor here whereto the answer may have relation Secondly The Churches speech is only mentall which is only begotten in the minde and Christ doth very often in the Gospell frame an answer to the thoughts of his hearers and so Moses was heard to cry when he uttered never a word and thus the souls of the Martyrs under the Altar are introduced crying How long Lord holy and true Revel 6. Now wee may guesse the Churches demand by the answer which tends to the drawing of her forth of an uncomfortable condition to a comfortable state as it were out of winter stormes into a pleasant spring her demand then by Analogie of reason must be this O my beloved Saviour how long will it be before I am delivered from this calamitie and bondage when shall I be freed from the burthen of legall ceremonies and from the rudiments of the world and carnall Ordinances When shall I be taken from under the School-master of the Law that I may be no longer under Tutors and Governours whereunto Christ answereth in effect thus Even now is the time of the flourishing Spring therefore arise and come away Hence Observe That Christ doth answer every gracious desire of his Saints The Church had not uttered one word but only desired more comfortable times and Christ gives her in the answer of her desire The Lord prepares the heart and heares the prayer Psal 10. 17. The Lord doth as well heare and answer the prayer of the minde and of the heart as the prayer of the lips Davids purpose to build the Lord an house was accepted as well as Solomons actuall building of it Thus farre Christs speech in generall containing Christs answer to the secret desire of his Church Let us come to the Speech it selfe And first of those two Epithites given by him unto his Church My love my faire one My love Or my fellow friend my companion familiar so named of feeding together and conversing one with another and so partaking each of others good or evill This title of love is often given by Christ to his Church sometimes a Husband is called by this name friend as in Jer. 3. 20. there is mention made of a wife that deales treacherously with her friend So Christ gives a title unto his Church suitable unto her as she is his Spouse and he her Husband Hence Observe That Christs love seates it selfe in his Church The Church is the maine object of his love it is united to that and is not scattered to other objects who can imagine what Christs love is to his Churh As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you saith Christ to his Disciples Joh. 15. 9. None can understand with what love the Father lov'd the Son no more can any define and fully set out what Christs love is unto the Saints The Apostle would have the Ephesians able to comprehend with all Saints the bredth and length the depth and height of the love of God in Christ but yet for all that he concludes that it passeth knowledge Ephes 3. 18. 19. And indeed there is no love comparable to this love of Christ which is above the love of women of father or mother or any earthly love whatsoever Thus much for the first Epithite The second followeth My faire one The Hebrew word Japheh faire signifieth not onely faire and beautifull in colour but in comely proportion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pulcer elegans venusius and elegancy such as draweth love and liking The Churches fairnesse is by reason of the graces and spirituall beauty of faith hope love patience and such like graces
3. 12. Because this grace disposeth us to a neerer communion with God then other graces it is a grace that God much delights in and would have all his Saints adorned with as is manifest in 1 Pet. 3. 4. it is the best jewel or ornament that the Saints can be adorned withall because it empties the soule of all fleshly conceits and so makes it the more capacious to receive any good from God Fiftly The Dove is loving chast and faithfull to her mate alwayes keeping close unto her So the Saints they will not leave Christ to turne to Idols It is reported that in the dayes of Julian when Idols were set up in every corner of the Christians Temples yet then they made a shift to turne their eyes from beholding them The believing soule is faithfull to Christ and will set up nothing in the heart above Christ Whom have I in Heaven but thee saith David and what is there in earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73. 25. The Church is brought in like a chast virgine contracted and her Members to be such as follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes for they have not defiled themselves with women Revel 14. 4. that is those that are chast to Christ have not desiled themselves with idolatrie and spirituall fornication Sixthly The Dove is a cleanely Bird and it feeds cleanely upon pure graine and will not lodge but in a cleanely place where it may not be annoyed with any unsavourie stentch and the like so it is with the faithfull soule it will not feed upon the dung or dogs meat of this world or on sinfull pleasures but upon Christ and spirituall things The carnall man useth to feed upon dust and earthly things when as the faithfull soule that hath tasted the heavenly Manna it will not feed upon that which is base and earthly neither can it indure to feed upon mens inventions or lying legends but it loves to feed upon the pure word of God and upon heavenly and spiritual things Seventhly The Dove is a Bird that loves communion and fellowship as the Prophet speakes Who are those that flock to the windowes like Doves Isa 60. 8. C0For so they use to flock to their houses by companies So the Saints love to have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne as the Apostle John speakes and also they love to have communion one with another Doves will consort with Doves so will Saints have communion with Saints and none else Eightly and lastly the Dove is a low priz'd creature as appeares by that allowance under the Law that they who could not compasse a Lambe might offer a paire of Turtle-Doves and yet by the reason of the apparition of the spirit in the likenesse of a Dove it is stamp'd with no small worth and excellencie So the Saints are of very low esteeme in the world and lightly accounted of but in regard of those spirituall and divine appearances of God in their soules they become of great worth and excell in divine excellencie so saith the wise man The righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour Prov. 12. 26. Thus I have touched upon some properties of the Dove unto which Christ doth resemble his Church and so farre of the loving attribute given by Christ to his Church in saying my Dove c. Now followeth the second thing in this description of the Church to â—wit the manifestation of her mansion place and that first in saying That art in the Clefts or holes of the Rock Some understand this Rock to be the Churches station or abiding place in the day of distresse and persecution who then hideth her selfe from danger as the Dove hideth her selfe in the Rocks as it is said O yee that dwell in Moab leave the Cityes and dwell in the Rocks and be like the Dove that maketh her nest in the side of the holes mouth Jer. 48. 28. But we may understand this Rock mystically to be meant of Christ who is the Rock of the Churches salvation as the Psalmist often expresseth Christ was typified by the Rock in the Wildernesse as appears 1 Cor. 10. 4. But for the clefts or holes of the Rock they seeme to insinuate the secret counsell of God sealed up in Christ concerning the election and calling of the Gentiles and those elect Gentiles did as it were lodge in the eternall decree of God in Christ all the time of the legall winter The Apostle saith that God hath elected us in him before the Foundation of the World And the same Apostle tells us in Gal. 3. 23. That we meaning both Jew and Gentile were kept under the Law and shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed So that the Church before her calling had her abode in Christ yea within the secret stairs and lodgings of Christ The second manifestation of the Churches mansion place followeth In the secret places of the stairs The word Translated secret signifies a hiding place by which is meant a hiding place in the Rock Thus David often calleth God his secret or hiding place as in Psal 32. 7. saying Thou art a hiding place to me from distresse thou wilt preserve me c. And it is said that the godly shall dwell in the secret place of the most high Psal 91. 1. That is under the glorious shadow and protection of the most high Of the stairs or a steep place as it is in the Originall this as the Rock is to be applied unto Christ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inde whom we ascend unto God as it were by degrees as by steps and stairs Christ is to the Saints as Jacobs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gradus priaeci 〈…〉 Ladder which he saw in the Vision upon which the Angells of God ascended and descended Gen. 28. 12. John 1. 51. Christ is both our hiding place and steep Rock where we may ascend to God the Father it is through him we have any accesse to God The Church was bashfull by reason of sin and the like but now for her encouragement Christ calls unto her to a neere communion with himselfe with this description and motive O thou my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rocke and in the secret of the stairs That is thou that art put into the Rock of Salvation by whom thou mayest ascend up to me as by steps and stairs c. Hence Observe That it is Christ alone in whom we may make our safe approaches unto God Christ had called his Church to come unto him now shee being disheartened because of sin and wrath he againe exhorts her to let him see her face and heare her voyce and gives her this encouragement O thou in the cleft of the Rocke c. The Lord tells Moses That no man can see his face and live We may see Jehovah's back-parts but his face that is an immediate view of his absolutenesse and perfection cannot be seene and therefore he is called the invisible God but
in the Spring Now there is an evidence of right and propriety that Christ doth communicate unto his Saints whereby they have a comfortable interest in him First In all his workes and performances they are in a peculiar respect for every Saint his making of the world setling of policies and governments rooting up of Kingdomes executing of judgements in the earth rewarding some and punishing others and the like all these and in all other generall providentiall workes of Christ the Saints have a kinde of interest and proprietie in next unto his owne glorie Christ aimed at the good of his Church in all these things and doth alwayes make them instrumentall for her welfare in which sense are the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours saith he whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all is yours Secondly The Saints have a claime also in the dignities and honours of Christ There is a reciprocation as it were betweene him and his people they are mutually and interchangeably glorified in one another as Christ is glorified in them Joh. 17. 10. so they are unspeakably dignisied and graced by him The glorie of Children saith Solomon are their Fathers Prov. 17. 6. If the father be heroicall or any way excellent this is the Sonnes glorie unlesse he degenerate now the Saints are called the Seed and the Children of Christ whatsoever therefore he excels in it is their dignitie and their glorie Besides Christ doth impart of his glorie and honour to them making them like himself Is Christ a sonne and heire of all so are thy sonnes and heirs and Co-heirs with Christ shall he judge the World So shall they in some sort Doth he breake in pieces the Nations with a rod of Iron so doe they is he ascended into glory so shall they ascend there is not any whit of his glory unlesse it be that which is utterly incommunicable but they have a touch of it if I may so say yea and that which is incommunicable redounds to their glory also Thirdly the Saints have interest in the Offices of Christ Every Saint may say of Christ he is my Prophet and Teacher he is my Priest and Reconciler he is my King and Governour yea the Saints have such an interest in these Offices of Christ that vertue comes out of him to make them even Prophets and Priests and Kings also Prophets in some measure to teach themselves and others Priests to offer spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ and Kings to rule over their owne lusts and corruptions Fourthly the Saints have interest in the graces of Christ he that hath the field hath also the treasure that is hid in it It was the greatest consolation and joy of the Spouse that shee could say My Beloved is mine So all that is in Christ a Believer may appropriate to himselfe he may say his riches his love his goodnesse his greatnesse his power and all that is his is mine I have interest in all those transcendent graces of his his mercy his truth his promises they are all mine Thus the Saints have a peculiarity and right in Christ which is as the Spring of all mutuall love betweene them Now to joine the words together My Beloved is mine and I am his they imply 1. A mutuall interest as Psal 73. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and what is there in Earth in comparison of thee He is mine yea and I am his there is propriety with peculiarity and interest 2. The words imply a mutuall love Christ is the object of the Saints best affections and the Spouse is the very Center of Christs love his love rests on the Church and scatters not to other objects Thus the Apostle applyes the love of Christ saying He loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. And we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4. 19. So that the Church may say Christ is mine and his love is mine and I am Christs he hath my soule my affections and all that I have is his he hath my love to the uttermost 3. The words doe also imply mutuall familiarity Christ is my familiar my fellow-friend and Companion he discovers himselfe unto me in the secrets of his love So the Saints have a spirit of fellowship and familiarity with God in Christ so that they can unbosome and let open their hearts to him upon all occasions as unto a familiar 4. And lastly they imploy complacency or resting one in the other Christ hath a complacency and resting in his Spouse he is well pleased in her taking the greatest satisfaction and content in her that possible can be thought on So the Church hath a complacency or well-pleasednesse in her beloved whereby shee doth approve and like of all that is in him resting in his goodnesse as in the most lovely and desireable object in the World Hence shee saith in Chap. 1. Verse 1 2. Thy love is better then Wine Because of the savour of thy good Ointments powred forth therefore doe the Virgins love thee This shews what a pleasing and delightfull object Christ is to a believer what more acceptable to the tast then fragrant wine Christ is far more acceptable to a Saint What more pleasing to the smell then sweet Ointments of an exquisite composition Christ is the same and far sweeter to the heart of a believer so that the Saints from this complacency and wel-pleasednesse in Christ doe sweetly acquiesce and rest in him as in the loveliest object in the world Having spoken of the union and communion betwixt Christ and his Church where was set forth the mutuall interest and owning between Christ and the Church Now it will be necessary that I speake something of the order of this union Christ is first ours then we are his My beloved is mine and I am his Hence Note That Christ is first ours and then we are his because he is ours For this there are foure grounds 1. Christ is the well-spring of all grace in us our grace comes from his grace and our love from his love as appears 1 John 4. 10. 9. 2. Because the lesse is first beloved of the greater the nature of love is first to discend the superiour first loves the inferiour as the love of a Father discends to his Child first then the Childs love ascends back to the Father So Christ first condiscends to love us then we ascend in our love to him againe 3. From the attractivenesse of Christs love Magnes amoris est amor love is the attractive loadstone of love now our nature is such that we will love onely where we are first loved as the heat of the Sun-beams reflect from a wall so Christs love to us cannot but cause a reflexion of ours upon him our love is but a sparke of his We loved him saith the Apostle because he loved us first when he
and in as great justice and wrath with his enemies Thus Christ is described positively to be all glorious and faire in that it is said he is white and ruddy It followeth that his glory is farther set forth comparatively The chiefe among ten thousand As Christ is glorious and excellent so he doth excell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vexillavit Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vexillatus all others all creatures whatsoever even men and Angells and therefore she saith He is the chiefe of ten thousand Or as the words are in the Hebrew Having the banner of above ten thousand Christ is the Standard-bearer of ten thousand that excells all other creatures in the world The Spouse useth a metaphor taken from the war as also putteth a number certaine for an uncertaine to expresse the commendations of her beloved Now the Banner or Ensigne is a warlike instrument and commonly the bearer thereof one of the chiefest and tallest and mightiest men and among ten thousand men a man may find many goodly countenances but yet saith she for found and naturall moysture and for a most temperate and beautifull colour Looke among infinite numbers of people yea among all the Sons of Adam you shall not find one or any any way matchable with my beloved The Standard or Ensigne is that under which the whole Army doe encamp as appears Num. 2. Here Christ is set forth above all to be Gods Standard-bearer to be set up for an Ensigne of the Nations Isa 11. 10. And all the Armies in Heaven and Earth follow him Rev. 19. 10. The Saints worship him Angells they adore him for he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the first borne of God set above all the Kings of the Earth as the Psalmist speaketh Now in that Christ is set forth comparatively to be more excellent then ten thousand Hence Observe That as Christ is glorious and beautifull so he is incomparable beyond all others Take the very quintessence and perfection of all creatures and extract all the glorie out of them and it will be nothing in comparison to Christs glorie Adam in innocency in his first created glorie and morall righteousnes was but a type a figure of the son of God Indeed Adam had the perfection of all creatures but Christ had all the perfections of God himselfe his wisdome power goodnesse and glorie Christ is that second Adam the Lord from heaven the Lord of glorie the brightnesse of Gods face and glory the expresse image of his person the invisible God the life manifested the word of God the Alpha and Omega this is he that is Immanuel or God with us Thus much for the generall discription of Christ Now followeth that which is more particular VERS 10. His head is as fine gold his locks as bushie and black as a Raven THere are two things that concurre to make a perfect beautie First A good complexion and healthy constitution Secondly A just Symmetrie or proportion of parts The Spouse therefore doth not thinke it sufficient in generall to set out Christ thus to say he is white and ruddie c. that he is of very good complexion and temperature but also she sheweth that there is in him also a comely proportion of parts from the corespondencie and agreement of parts ariseth a feature compleatly beautifull and lovely The Spouse enumerates and reckons up all his parts and therefore borrows phrases and comparisons from things that are most excellent to set forth the excellency of Christ above all other things Hence Observe in the generall That a Christians heart is large in affections to Jesus Christ See here the Spouse though she was ill intreated of the watchmen and in some sort deserted of Christ himselfe yet she goes on and sets out a particular commendations of her beloved Now whence is it that the faith and graces of the Saints are so impregnable whence is it that their hope is so indefatigable and nevever out of breath whence is it that no stormes or tempests of tentation can breake their spirits and make them give out but that largenesse of affection that they have towards Christ An example we have in Peter Lord saith he if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the water So it is with the Saints they refuse not to venture even upon boistrious stormes and dangers to goe to Christ Hence was Jobs resolution Though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Hence also it is That the Children of God though they walke in darknesse and have no light all yet they will trust in the name of the Lord and stay themselves upon their God Isa 5. 10. Now because Christ hath not one but many excellencyes every thing in him is excellent inward and outward from his head to his feet c. for indeed beauty consists not only in colour and complexion but in affinitie and proportion of all parts Now to come to the particulars and first she beginneth with his head saying His head is as fine gold The Spouse begins to set out the excellency of the chiefe part viz. the head Now the head of Christ is God as the Apostle saith in 1 Cor. 11. 3. That Christ is the head of every man that the man is the head of the woman and that God is the head of Christ The head hath an eminencie above all other parts and also an influence upon all the Members wee may understand this of God who is the head of Christ as the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 12. 13. or we may understand it of the headship of Christ over his Church that his administrations government and headship is most glorious and excellent most splendent and shining as pure gold As fine gold or the solid gold Two names of the best gold are here joyned together The first name in the Hebrew is Cethem that is fine shining gold the second is Paz that is strong and solid gold or gold that 's purified hereby the Spouse setteth forth how excellent how glorious how rich and shining the head of Christ is for among earthly things what is comparable to the fine gold it 's held of all mettals most precious and of all treasures the richest And as gold is precious so it 's durable mettall which shews that Christs headship and dignitie is everlasting and durable it is divine and heavenly and of a a glorious extent Hence Observe That Christ is eminent and glorious in respect of his head-ship God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of Saints In Christ were hidden all the treasures of divine wisdome for in him dwelt the fullnesse of God he was the expresse image of the Fathers person and the brightnesse of his Fathers glory Christ lived in the knowledge counsell wisdome and bosome of the Father and therefore was an excellent head a golden head neither is he compared to every kind of gold but to that which is most pure and solid he is eminent
towards another But to come to the word it selfe sometimes it is used for the name of a man as Genes 10. 4. sometimes for the name of a City or place as in Cilicia Jonah 1. 3. sometimes it is used for the name of a precious stone as here However we take it thus much it signifies that all the works of Christs hands are most rare precious and glorious for we must understand by his Hands not onely his strength and power but also all his works because Christs power is in the performance of them Thus his hands are set forth with all Ornaments and precious stones and shining Rings of gold Hence Observe That all Christs actions are exceeding glorious Hands are instruments of actions all Christs actions are precious It was said in the dayes of his flesh he did all things well for by laying hands upon them that were diseased he healed them He laid his hand upon the Leeper and healed him saying I will be thou cleane Mark 1. 41. So here his works are as glorious still yea and more glorious now though we cannot see the excellency of them in the new Creature and in raigning in our hearts he works gloriously he hath a hand there a golden and a pretious hand The works of God are pure and beautifull yea most precious and that beyond Gold and precious stones yea more glorious then numbers of Rings filled with all manner of precious stones Hence it is that when David would expresse the wonderfull works of God he saith If I would declare and speake of them they are more in number then I can expresse Psal 40. 5. And the Psalmist speaketh by way of admiration saying When I consider the Heavens the works of thy hands the Moone and the Stars which thou hast ordained what is man c. Psal 8. And then concludeth O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth These words are meant of the new creation of the soule as we may see in Heb. 2. though the forme of words are borrowed from the first creation And truely the works of Christ are admirable and full of majesty if we doe but consider them in the course of the Creatures in the Sunne Moone Starres in the growth of Herbs and Plants so in all the Creation in Gubernation and Governement in ordering the event of all things and the like Now as all the Governement of Aegypt went through the hands of Joseph so all the works of God goe through the hands of Christ The Father hath committed all judgement to the hands of his Sonne glorious therefore are the works which he doth performe in Heaven and Earth It followeth His Belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires His belly or Breast she putteth a part for the whole body and by this she meaneth his bowells or his inward parts In Hebrew it is used for inward affections so the heart is said to be among the Bowells in Psal 22. 15. The Liver is joyned with the bowells in Lam. 2. 11. by these are meant the inward affections of the soul To explaine this more she saith that his belly is overlaid with bright Ivory or with the brightnesse of Ivory she meaneth that he was as comely and cleare as the Ivory which is a thing very white and bright made as some say of an Elephants tuske which kind of Beasts are onely in Africa naturally as some hold neither doth she simply compare it to Ivory but addeth overlaid or covered with Saphires that is that which hath most rich and sumptuous cost bestowed upon it Ivory of it selfe because it is a thing rare and far brought must needs be very costly how much more then when it is beset with precious stones yea with most costly and precious stones such as Saphires are Some of the Jewish writers take these Saphires to be such precious stones as are of the colour of the aire some take it to be a white stone some a red stone some take it to be an Adamant some thinke it to be of a blewish colour intermixed with purple having certaine sparks as it were like Gold The best sort of these stones are among the Medes in Media whatever the stone be the meaning of the Spouse is to shew that Christ her head was not onely most comely adorned but also most sumptuously and costly even as Ivory beset with Pearls and most precious stones The bowells of Christ like burnisht Ivory decked with Saphires signifie his inward bowells of affection that tender mercy and pitifull commiseration of his toward his Saints and Children Hence Observe That Christ is full of tender sweet inward and heavenly affections towards his people Christs affections towards his Saints are pure affections like Saphires or precious stones they are pure like the pure water in a Crystall glasse that may be stirred but without any filth appearing in the bottome it is pure without any dregs at all mixt with it Such are Christs affections such are his bowells The Apostles great longing after the Saints is said to be in the bowells of Jesus Christ Phillip 1. 8. Christ is the most mercifull the most pittifull and the most compassionate High-Priest that ever was and therefore it was that he was made like unto us bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh subject to hunger thirst cold wearinesse tentation and the like as we The Apostle saith in Heb. 2. 17. that this was behovefull That he ought in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull High-Priest in things pertaining God c. And againe saith the Apostle Wee have not a High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. So that there was never any Priest so mild so gentle so gracious so loviug so tenderly affectionate and so regardfull of our condition as Christ was Christ is one that can beare with our weaknesse overcome our corruption and give sentence of victory over sin and Satan as we may see in Isa 63. 9. 40. 11. In the Law we read that the High-Priest was to beare the names of the Children of Israel in his Pectorall or Brest-plate upon his heart â—now this did figure and shaddow out unto us the tender love and pitty Christ beares to his people guiding the blind feeding the hungry comforting the comfortlesse restoring such as are out of joynt all is mercy and love and sweetnesse and more then motherly affection that comes from him Hence Christ hath this title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of many commiserations Jam. 5. 11. It followeth VERS 14. His legs are as Pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars IN this verse two parts are commended in Christ First his legs Secondly his countenance His legs are as Pillars of marble c. Legs and Thighs may both be here comprehended
concerning the calling of the Gentiles declaring that it is part of her spirituall joy to see that they be called home unto Christ and this is contained in verse 8 9 10. Secondly Christ againe on the other part setteth out his affection to the Church shewing his care over her by a comparison made betweene Solomons Vineyard and the Church and also by directing her to what should be best for her vers 11 12 13. Lastly the Church doth as it were take the words out of Christs mouth and turneth them into an earnest request and prayer intreating his continuall presence comfort and assistance for ever to lead her and guide her into all truth and this is declared in the last Verse We have a little sister and she hath no breasts c. We must know when this Song was penned before Christs appearance in the flesh the Church was shut up and limited among the Jewes God suffered the Gentiles to wander in the vanities of their owne mind but there were prophecies and promises that the Gentiles should be brought in at the comming of the Messiah and there should be one body made up both of Jewes and Gentiles It is written of Christ I have made thee a light of the Gentiles and the salvation to the ends of the earth Also aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Now those that were faithfull among the Jewes understanding this are very carefull of them saying What shall we doe for our Sister c. In this verse is described First the relation of the Church of the Gentiles to the Church of the Jewes she is her Sister Secondly the condition of the Church of the Gentiles and that is two-fold 1. She is Little 2. She hath no Breasts Thirdly the care of the Church of the Jewes over this new Church by way of demand What shall we doe for our Sister Fourthly the time when her care was such In the day when she should be spoken for when she should be made manifest to the world We have a little Sister c. The Jewes and the Gentiles which believe are Sisters and Brethren Here the Church of the Gentiles is called a Sister to the Church of the Jewes and to Christ also because they have both one common Father Viz. the Lord of whom is named the whole Family in Heaven and in Earth Ephes 3. 15. All the Saints are Sonnes and Daughters of God whither Jewes or Gentiles through adoption and grace Rom. 8. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Hence Observe That the Saints in the unity of faith become neerly related one to another as Sisters and Brethren Christ and all Saints are of one Father and Lord of one Mother viz. the heavenly Jerusalem They are all Children and of the seed of Abraham for so saith the Apostle If yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and Heires of the promise Gal. 3. 29. All the Saints are Heirs of Abraham according to faith and according to the promise And the Apostle saith in Gal. 3. 26. Yee are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Jesus Christ for all yee that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ there is neither Jew nor Grecian bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Jesus Christ And though the Law was first given to the Jewes onely which were the peculiar people of God to whom appertained the adoption and glory and the Covenants and the service of God and the promises c. Rom. 9. 4. yet the Lord was pleased that the people that sate in darknesse should see a great light and those that dwelt in the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined Isa 9. 2. So that the Jewes and Gentiles are now as brethren having both received the same spirit God hath put no difference betweene Jewes and Gentiles after by faith he had purified their hearts Acts 15. 9. Thus much for the relation between the Church of the Jews and the Church of the Gentiles they were as Brethren and Sisters Now follows the state and condition of the Church of the Gentiles though she be a Sister to the Church of the Jewes yet she is First A little Sister Secondly She hath no Breasts As the Church of the Gentiles was a Sister so she was at that time but a little Sister there being onely a few Proselytes brought in to believe in the Messiah she was little then in being and also in her minority for we must observe that this speech is formed according to the manner of the world A young Damosell is not presently married untill she grow up in years she is not for marriage untill she hath Breasts to nourish the Children that she shall bring forth So here she saith we have a little Sister she is not growne up she is not come to ripenesse of yeares to be given in marriage being a small young Damosell And it is added She hath no Breasts This is added even to expresse her littlenesse or smallnesse as before she is not yet marriageable or fit for Christ because she wanted those yeares and that ripenesse that the Lord had appointed with himselfe for her and the meanes also whereby she should come by it So that this Church of the Gentiles had no stablished ministry so that her Children could not suck the breasts of consolation as in Isa 66. 11. she was not come to the state of Israel whose Breasts were fashioned Ezek. 16. So that the Gentiles that were Proselites to the Jewish Religion had their ministry among the Jews and received instruction from the Jewish Pastors Hence Observe That the Spouse in her nonage is under much weaknesse and frailty Here the Church of the Gentiles is very little and small she hath but onely a few Proselites not one of a thousand very few and scarce And she had no breasts she had no spirituall nourishment for her Children she was without the Oracles of God it is true the Gentiles had many wise men of the world great Philosophers and subtile disputers but none of the doctrine of Christ to nourish the soule there was the worship of Devills and all manner of superstition there was great boasting of divine knowledge that in respect of the true wisdome was all nothing but foolishnesse and hence she saith that her little Sister had no Breasts And what here is spoken of the Church of the Gentiles in respect of her nonage the same may be applied to every particular Saint in the time of his nonage and minority Now followeth the care that the Spouse hath for this her little Sister What shall we doe for our Sister in the day that she shall be spoken for Christ and the Spouse are here brought in as it were a man and his wife or a Brother and a Sister debating what were best to be done with their youngest Children or kindred and which