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 sweet and therefore compared here to myrrhe The graces and prayers of the Saints are said to be sweet as it is Revel 8. 4. Christ ming leth them with his owne sweet odours and so perfumes them before his Father The wicked are abhomination to the Lord because he abhorrs them their services and whatsoever in them is but the righteous man is his delight Prov. 15. 8. Christ will burne up sinne and consume all the drosse of his Saints and accept that which is sweet of his owne spirit in in them All the actions of the flesh are nothing but sinfull workes but the actions wrought by the hand of Christ the finger of God and power of Spirit these actions are sweet holy and gracious Secondly Observe That the sweetnesse of the Saints proceeds from Christs sweetnesse Christ first leaves myrrhe and the fingers of the Spouse drop myrrhe He was anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellows and out of the fulnesse of his divine annointings we receive grace for grace The head being anointed the oyle ranne downe to the skirts of Aarons garment wee have all from our head grace for his grace love for his love priviledge for his priviledge he is a sonne so are wee sonnes we are heires of heaven as he is heire of God all his dignities offices priviledges graces and preferrements are ours So that looke whatsoever grace or priviledge is in the head it descends downe to the Members who share with the head in every vertue so that all our graces are from his grace our life from his life our myrrhe from his myrrhe It followeth in the next verse VERS 5. I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone my soule failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer HEre wee see the troubles and sorrows which befall the Spouse because of her former negligence and securitie Christ will not let her lye asleep on her bed of ease but will come to awaken her In the verse wee have First The action of the Spouse I opened to my beloved Secondly The discouragements of the Spouse and they are three First Christs leaving of her My beloved had withdrawne himselfe Secondly Her inward griefe and sorrow My soule failed c. Thirdly She had no answer notwithstanding all her seeking I sought him but he gave me no answer c. I opened or I my selfe opened to my beloved as before this noteth a further degree of grace in the Spouse that she did not only rise up but opened the doore giveth up the strength and power of heart and affections unto him willing that the everlasting King of glorie should come in and reigne there Hence Observe That gracious affections produce gracious actions Where there is the truth of affection it will discover it selfe in holy action after her affections were moved she presently openeth to her beloved The will minde and understanding guide the outward man therefore if these be touched and wrought upon it will quickly appeare in outward action as soone as her bowels were moved and that her fingers dropt myrrhe she shews the truth of her affection in opening unto and making after her beloved Thus much for the action of the Spouse her discouragements follow But my beloved had withdrawne himselfe Withdrawne or passed away to wit secretly and quietly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transivit particularly also putting up the great injurie of refusall that shee had offered him passed by to wit the doores and so went away The doubling of the complaint for his departure sheweth her passion and griefe in that she thought he had been at the doore when she opened but now he was gone she could not enjoy his presence and favour as formerly she had to her unspeakeable comfort This is strange that he calleth and knocketh when she was asleep and lay in her bed and now when she is risen out of her bed and openeth the doore to let him in he withdraweth himselfe and will not be seene her unkinde dealing did deserve this Hence Observe That Christ doth sometimes withdraw himselfe from his Saints according to their sense and apprehension So God did withdraw from Christ when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but yet at that time God was neere him and did uphold him by his power and so for the Saints such desertions as these proceed from love from him that doth withdraw himselfe he doth it of purpose for their good and that out of a singular love but seeing Christ doth alwayes dwell in the Saints how can it be said that he doth withdraw himselfe out of their sight especially when he hath made their hands to drop with myrrhe This is out of question that Christ is alwayes present in the souls of the faithfull and yet to their thinking and apprehension he seemeth to be absent He doth still support them by his power and spirit and yet they have not the lively and comfortable feeling of his presence which they desire and sometimes happily did enjoy Then the heart is troubled then they mourne then they seeke and call after him for shee saith My soule failed when he spake My soule went forth or it left me and was gone it failed and fainted within me I was as one without life even as one dead through feare and griefe The departure of the soule from the body is death she was now as it were in a swoone or halfe dead for the time Alas now shee is afraid that her unkinde dealing should cause him to forsake her Who is able to expresse the griefe and sorrow the godly soule hath when it seeketh to feele the consolation of Christ and he hideth his face True it is that the Spouse could not lament she could not open the doore seeking and calling after him unlesse he were present and did worke these things in her for all these things proceed from his grace but yet he doth seeme to be absent which makes her crye out my soule my strength my life my comfort is departed from me When he spake When he spake or while he was speaking or rather because of his Speech to me which I had neglected for however the Hebrew will beare both yet I thinke the latter most agreeable with the purpose of the Spouse which is to agravate her offence and also to shew the miseries that she fell into for so great neglect So the sence is My soule failed because of speech or for the words which he had used when he so lovingly called unto me as before in verse 2. saying Open unto me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is full of dew c. Now when the Spirit had moved upon her heart and affections then she remembred the words of her beloved Hence Observe First That Christ's words makes after impressions in the hearts of the Saints though
all the sweet and costly things that the Princes of the earth do enjoy Thus we have heard the Churches desire of fellowship with Christ and the reason of her request drawn from the excellency of his love now it follows in the next verse she rendereth a reason of her so much delighting in his love VERS 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is an ointment powred forth therefore the Virgins love thee IN these words she rendereth a reason why her affections were so set upon her beloved and why shee doth so love him and why shee preferres his love above all the glory and pleasures of this world her reason is drawn from the excellency of Christ that he is as a boxe of odoriferous ointment and that in him was found redolent savours and precious sweet things by which he doth perfume her with his spirituall sinels and so maketh her sweet also This verse contains two things 1. A cause or reason of her delight in Christ's love because of thy ointments c. 2. An effect flowing from the cause therefore doe the virgins love thee Because of the savour c. By savour smell or odour is meant knowledg understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odoratus est olfeci◠sentit sense or feeling the Apostle calleth it the savour of life 2. Cor. 2. 14. So it is said when the tow smelleth the fire it is broken Judg. 16. 9. The meaning is when it feeleth the fire Of thy good ointments or good oiles In this comparison shee seemeth not only to meane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pinguedo oleum unguentum those ordinary confections in the Apothecaries shop but the holy ointment and perfume which God commanded Moses to make with which the Tabernacle and the ministring Vessels were annointed and also Aaron and his sons Exod. 30. 2◠24 25. And we read in Psal 133. that this ointment was powred upon the head of Aaron and went down to the skirts of his cloathing By this similitude the Church commendeth the graces of Christ which he had being cloathed with the holy spirit for the Lord anointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal 45. 7. And saith God I will put my spirit upon you Isa 42. 1. And it is said of him The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel Isa 61. 1. Now the odour of Christ's graces are smelt and become savoury by the preaching of the Gospel and therefore shee addeth Thy name is as ointment c. Concerning what is meant here by Christs name we may take a double interpretation 1. By name we may understand it of those proper names given to Christ in Scripture As Messias and Christ which are by interpretation annointed these names are given to Christ by way of excellency he being anointed by the Father unto that great Office of his Mediator-ship and he is called ointment in Isa 10. 27. And indeed all names given to Christ are very sweet and redolent as Shilo which signifies tranquillum esse intimating that Christ our peace and tranquility he is called Ithiel Prov. 30. 1. A word as Junius writes compounded of three parts as if one should say the strong God with me the name comes all one with Immanuel God with us so he that is Ithiel God manifest in the flesh is also called Veal Almighty able to save us He is likewise called Jesus a Saviour because he saveth his people from their sinnes Besides these hee hath names of office as of King Priest Prophet he is a King for government and rule a Priest for sacrifice and intercession a Prophet for teaching and revealing the secrets of the Fathers bosome Lastly he hath a name sutable unto his two-fold nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man the Apostle calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man Christ for as man he was in one hypostasis or person with God Now how delectable and sweet are all the names of Christ and how much more redolent and savoury then all the precious ointments in the world 2. By Christs name is understood the Gospel and the publishing thereof to the world Paul was a chosen vessell to carry his name unto the Gentiles Act. 9. 15. And it is said the Gentiles shall trust in his name Matth. 12. 21. As ointment powred forth By the powring forth of Christ's name is meant the preaching and publishing of the Gospel Here the Church alludeth to the perfect odour of such pretious oyntments which if it be closed up in a vessell is not felt savory untill it be powred forth then the sweetnesse thereof doth spread abroad and perfume all other things Wee read in the Gospel of Maries pound of Spikenard ointment and when shee had broken the box of pretious ointment and powred it upon Christ's head at table the house was filled with the savour of it Mark 14. 3. So when the name and Gospel of Christ is preached abroad it giveth an odour to every believing soul so that by the preaching of the Gospel they also receive the holy spirit Gal. 3. 2. They received the holy Ghost by the hearing of faith The word to powre forth in the Originall signifies to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evacuavit exhausit Evaginavit exhaust or draw dry to empty which may denote the plentifull powring of it forth It also signifies to draw forth the sword to the battle so it is used in Ezek. 28. 7. This may denote unto us the majesty and power of the Gospel so Christ is bid to gird his swore upon his thigh with glory and majesty Ps 45. 3. By the sword is meant the word of the Gospel which proceeded out of Christs mouth Rev. 1. 16. And by glory and majesty is meant the magnificence and powerfull effects of the word Therefore doe the Virgins love thee The Church having laid down the cause shee also shewes the effect the sweetnesse of Messiah and of his graces powred forth upon her have enflamed her heart with love towards him Some understand these Virgins to be such as are not espoused to Christ such as the unconverted Jewes and the uncalled of the Gentiles Others understand them to be the fellow-friends of the Spouse and of those that are faithfull and called of God who with pure minds serve the Lord only and worship him in their spirits These Virgins are either 1. Of particular congregations so the Apostle calleth the Church in 2 Cor. 11. 1. I have prepared you for one husband and to present you as a pure Virgin unto Christ or else 2. Of particular members of the Church for the Hebrew tongue as I hinted before useth co call the whole the Mother and the parts the Daughter for so these Virgins are called in diverse places of this song Now the Saints and members of Christ are called Virgins in these respects 1. For their chastity as in thefore-named place 2 Cor. 11. 2. That
I may present you as a chast virgin unto Christ These love Christ with a chast but not with an adulterous love 2. For their purity These are they saith the Apostle which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God Rev. 14. 4 5. These as virgins abstaine from all things that might be offensive to their beloved Love thee These Virgins love Christ for the odour of his good ointments which they receive by his word and spirit for by the preaching of the Gospel his name is powred out like odoriferous ointment to the exceeding great joy and delight of the Saints drawing and inluring their minds as Virgins are drawn with the offer of some great and lovely match their sences are so exceedingly taken with his sweetnesse which causeth in them a very high and worthy esteem of Christ and of all those heavenly graces which flow from him This Verse being thus opened let us draw some conclusions from it 1. Observe in that the Church seeks out the most precious ointment to set forth her Beloved and his graces it teacheth us That all the most excellent things in nature are but types and shodows of Christ and his graces What is more pleasing to the smell then pretious and sweet ointments of an exquisite composition Christ is the same and far sweeter to his Saints First By ointment were annointed to their Offices Kings Priests and Prophets so by the annointings of the spirit Christ was consecrated to his three-fold office of King Priest and Prophet this was prefigured by the annointing of Aaron and his sons whereby they were consecrated unto the Priests office Exod. 30. 30. It is said of Christ The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel c. Isa 61. 1. For God hath annointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellows Psal 45. 8. So the Prophet tells us that there should come a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch out of his roots and the Spirit of the Lord was to rest upon him and the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of counsell and of might the Spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord Isa 11. 12. It is said that God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him John 3. 34. That is he did not bestow it upon him imperfectly and in part onely but fully and intirely for measure is not opposed to that which is infinite but to that which is not whole intire and perfect Christ was full of knowledge wisdome and of all Heavenly gifts The Apostle saith That in Christ dwells all the fullnesse of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Colloss 2. 9. That is not by naked and bare communicating of vertue as God is said to dwell in his Saints but by a substantiall union of the two natures whereby they become one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one person or substance Here is then the Vessell which as a rich treasury is full of all Heavenly wisdom knowledge Divine revelations and all sweet graces even Jesus Christ the Anointed of God Secondly By the savour and by the powring out of these Ointments is represented the powring forth of the Spirit upon all the Members of Christ the graces of Christ which are called his sweet Ointments they cast a sweet savour and are powred out into all Christian hearts and doe flow from him the head into all the Members of his Mysticall body as it is written Of his fullnesse we all receive and grace for grace John 1. 16. That is we receive suitable graces for his graces we receive part of every communicable grace of his This sacred Oile was powred as upon Aaron so upon Christ who was the head of all Saints and from him that was the head this Ointment of the Spirit runs downe his Mysticall body even to the hem of his Garment And the Apostle saith But yee have an unction from the holy one and yee know all things 1 John 2. 20. That is you have the Spirit of Truth which leadeth you into all Truth And in Revel 1. 6. But he hath anointed us and made us Kings and Priests to God his Father This anointing of the Saints by the Spirit of Christ was prefigured in that the Tabernacle a figure of the Church of the new Testament and all the Vessels of the Tabernacle which figured out the particular members were all anointed with the holy Oile and consecrated unto the Lord Exod. 30. 23. 25. Christ hath received the Spirit as a publique person as a common head of all his Church he then is the head and seat of all spirituall influence from which the mystical body receives life and motion this is the Apostles Similie in Collos 2. 19. He makes Christ there to be the head and the Church the body knit together by certaine joints and ligaments as it is in nature and by this means doth minister supply to all parts of the body whereby it increaseth with the increasings of God Thirdly in that the holy Oile from which the comparison was taken was not to be powred upon any man besides the Priest onely neither were they to make any other Oile after the composition of it because it 's consecrated Oile Ex. 30. 32. It doth demonstrate unto us that none have the anointings of Christ upon them but the Saints onely a stranger intermeddleth not with this joy For saith Christ He meaning the Spirit shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Joh. 16. 14. He doth not say the Spirit shall declare those things it received of him unto the World but to his owne Servants See also Joh. 14. 26 27. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Even the Spirit of truth whome the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be in you And the Apostle saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. By these Scriptures it is plaine that Unbeleivers neither have nor understand the spirit of Christ Now by what hath been said it is evident that these precious Ointments here mentioned in the Text were but tipes and shaddows of Christ's graces First as they were in himselfe Secondly as they are conveyed in his Members Thirdly as they are denied to Unbeleivers being too holy to be cast unto Dogs all which doe shew of what a redolent savour and of what odoriferous sweetnesse all the anointings of God are in Jesus Christ Secondly observe That though the name of Christ towit his glorious Gospell be very redolent
all mercy grace and love compacted together there is no grace but it is in the cluster of mans redemption as mercy justice power wisedome love and free grace all these are gloriously manifested in the worke of our redemption Now all the graces of our redemption in Christ have a fragrancy and a sweet odour with them they are likea cluster of camphire for their sweet odoriferous smell whereby the Saints are continually refreshed and comforted In the Vineyards of Engedi Engedi was the name of a place in the Tribe of Judah appeareth Josh 15. 62. It should seem to be a City famous for sweet smelling trees and of a very fruitfull soile for Gardens and Vineyards This City Engedi was sometimes a place of safeguard and defence unto David when he hid himself from the fury of Saul as in 1 Sam. 24. It was called Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. where Jehosaphat prayed and was delivered from his Enemies It was also a place full of rocks and wild goats adjoyning to the Sea-cost This noteth unto us the great victories which the Church obtaineth by Christ hee hath brought a full redemption unto his people and will give them victory over all their enemyes The word Engedi 〈◊〉 or Gnen-gedi is a compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word the first part signifieth an eye or fountaine the latter part of the word signifies a Kid or a company hereof it was that Leah's adopted sonne Gad tooke his name which signifies a troop or company Considering the rocks and wild Goats in the bounds of Engedi here may be an allusion from those young Goats who from the Rocks would not onely cast their eyes upon the Fountaines below which were their watering places but also upon the Vineyards desiring to root up and spoil the Plants there But as the owners of the Vines would wall and fence their Vineyards in such a manner that these Goates or Kidds which longing and bleating after the pleasant plants could not come to spoile them even so it is with the wicked persecutors of the world they may see and cry after the Saints and much desire their destruction but Christ the owner of this Vineyard hath set a hedg about his Saints as hee did about Job so that Satan could not touch his soule and Christ himself is a wall of fire round about his Church Zech. 2. 5. where the holy Ghost alludeth to the practice of Travailers in the Wildernesse who surrounded themselves with a fire and did thereby fray away the wild beasts and kept them off from annoying them Christ is such a defence unto his people and therefore they must needs be in great safety who have such a defence notwithstanding all the attempts of the wicked against them As for these words of propriety and affection My beloved is unto me c. Having spoken of them in the precedent verse I shall not repeat them again but shall only give you two or three Observations from this verse First Observe That redemption by Christ and the fruits thereof are very savoury and delightfull unto the Saints The pardon of sinne and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ with that spiritual peace flowing from thence with all those heavenly graces that follow and accompany this redemption these cannot but be very delightfull and precious unto the Saints yea and much more precious and sweet then all camphire and Cyprus trees are unto any worldly sense Here is as it were a cluster of graces compacted together and that do shine forth together most gloriously being the very life of a Christians joy and comfort In our redemption there is as I said before a cluster or heap of mercies and graces compacted together as rich mercy extended to the vessels of mercy the Sts are made vessels of mercy by redemption these vessels are filled full of mercy mercy is manifested upon them There is also rich love in our redemption in that the Father gave his Sonne to death for us and the Son also gave himselfe and laid down his life for us greater love then this was never shewn by any Again Free grace doth exalt it selfe in this work also for we were bought with a price that not with our own but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ In a word in our redemption all the attributes of God shine forth most gloriously as for justice it is honoured because it is satisfied and for mercy it is enlarged and hath a portion aswel as justice his power is magnified in effecting such a glorious work and his wisdome in finding out and in contriving and in finishing the worke of our redemption Here are graces compact together even as clusters of berries on the Cyprus tree Thus Christ is sweet to his Saints in redeeming and saving of them hee is like a cluster of camphire or of cyprus Secondly observe That Christ will be a safeguard and shelter for his Saints in the middest of the greatest dangers Wicked men may look down from their mountain and behold the Saints in Christs vineyard and desire much to spoile those tender plants but Christ will be a wall of defence unto them Thus David declareth the Lord to be his defence and hee expresseth it nine times together in Psal 18. 2. The Lord saith he is my rocke and fortresse c. Two names of a rock are in this verse the first is Selaugh a firm stony rock the latter is Tsur a strong or sharp rocke he is saith hee My deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower A horn signifieth power and strength Psalm 92. 11. and therefore they signifie the great Monarchs and Kings of the world Dan. 8. 21. An high tower hath it's name in Hebrew Misgah which is an exaltation that is an high Tower or Fort wherein men are protected from danger and invasion and he addes my refuge that is saving me from all wrong and violence of men And this is that which Christ hath promised to his Sains never to leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13. 5. There are no lesse then five negatives in this place to strengthen and confirm our faith in the truth of the promise And it is as if he should have said I will in no wise whatsoever come of it at any time forsake thee mine eye shall be still over thee and I will watch over thee for good continually So the Lord promiseth to be with his people in the greatest danger when they passe through the water and when they walke through the fire Isa 43. 2. Fire and water are two most devouring Elements good servants but bad masters as we say and therefore here they are put for all other perillous and dangerous kinds Christ will save and deliver his people from them all We read Dan. 3. 25. That the three children were cast into the fiery furnace but what said the Tyrant I see foure saith hee and