this Virginity of Faith is the Conscience resteth hopeth and rejoyceth in Christ his Saviour and the outward Man joyfully doth good works unto his Neighhour Love thee The holy Ghost here sheweth the reason why the Virgins fall in Love with Christ which is as was said before drawn from the savour of his Ointments The first Commandment is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart But now the Question is how this Love of God shall be wrought in the Soul that what is commanded in the Law may be attained to That which is here set down resolves this Question Therefore the Virgins love thee Not because of the Law but because of the Gospel So that the Gospel teacheth thee how to attain to all those things which are required in the Law namely To love God and thy Neighbour otherwise thy Obedience is nothing worth This had need be well understood by those in the Ministry lest instead of teaching Men to love God they drive them from God and cause them to hate and abhorr him more than they did before Lest instead of teaching the Passive Obedience which breedeth Love to God they press nothing but the Active Obedience which driveth all Men from God for it breedeth in Men an opinion of Righteousness by the Law which is a Sin directly against the first Commandment Therefore Christ calleth this manner of Teaching a teaching Men to break the Law He that breaketh the least Commandment Mat. 5.19 and teacheth Men so shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven This teacheth Men to break the Law because it establisheth in Men a false opinion of the Law which bindeth all Men under the Curse of God Now to teach Men to break the Law is when no other Righteousness is required to make Men Holy and Righteous in the sight of God and Conscience but only the Righteousness of the Law These are the least least of all accounted in the sight of God and least of all accounted on in the Church of God because they forsake the true and lay another Foundation of Faith and Holiness which is contrary to the testimony of the holy Ghost here and also contrary to the Doctrine of the first Commandment as hath been shewed before VERSE IV. Draw me IT is not here said Command me or Compel me and we will run but draw me This sheweth what Doctrine it is by which the Soul is united to Christ it is not done by pressing or requiring the works of the Law but by giving or infusing into the Soul the Righteousness of the Gospel For the Church is here in heaviness and weariness being not able of her self to go nor stand by reason of her Sin and the greatness of her Affliction by which she is filled with so many fears and perplexities that the Heart is even ready to sink into despair and to conclude that God hath cast it off for ever Now what shall be said to this miserable Woman in this condition that may be sutable in order to her Peace and Comfort Shall it be said go thy way amend thy Life keep the Commandments of God and then thou shalt have full deliverance This is even as for a Malefactor that is condemned by the Law and nothing can help him but Mercy to be sent to his Accuser for help and deliverance This is not to draw the Soul to Christ but to wrap it up in Guilt and Bondage Therefore when thy Conscience is in distress thou must then hear no Law but harken only to the voice of the blessed Son of God which draweth thee to himself not by the Law but by the Gospel which delivereth thee from all thy fears and distresses and settleth thee in a Kingdom of Peace and Joy Christ doth not put the Conscience in fear as the Law doth but speaketh comfortable words to the trembling afflicted Conscience John 8. The poor Woman that was taken in Adultery no doubt was in a trembling and very sad condition when she was so vehemently accused by the Pharisees when they brought her before Christ Master say they this Woman was taken in the very act must she not be stoned For so Moses wrote what sayest thou But Christ maketh no answer to them only writeth with his Finger on the ground and biddeth them He that is without Sin cast the first Stone at her and they being all convicted went out one by one But the Woman stayed and heard Christ No doubt the poor Woman could not chuse but fall in Love with Christ greatly which appeared by her staying until the Pharisees were all gone and none left but only Christ and her self For Christ did not put her in fear neither was she afraid of him but he asked her this Question Woman where are thine Accusers Hath no Man condemned thee She said No Man Lord. And Jesus said Neither do I Condemn thee This was comfortable to the poor Woman that had broken the Seventh Commandment for it is thus much in effect in as much as thou hidest not thy Sin nor flyest away but abidest with me and expect mercy and forgiveness from me therefore behold I will not Condemn thee but forgive thy Sin Go and Sin no more And by this means was this poor distressed Woman drawn to Christ even by the loving and gentle carriage of Christ her Lord For she regardeth not the Accusation of the Pharisees nor yet the Accusations of her own Conscience but listeneth and harkeneth very diligently to the comfortable News that the Gospel bringeth And this is the request of the Bride in this place when she says Draw me and this must we all do when we are in misery and distress even desire to hear and rest upon the blessed voice of the Son of God And we will run after thee That is to say in all times of Misery and Affliction we will make hast after thee Having once found how and after what manner Christ doth draw which is by presenting himself and his merits unto the Conscience in distress against the Accusations of the Law and the fear of God's wrath she finding him to be a Person so gentle and amiable one that will not upbraid her and discomfort her adding Affliction to the Afflicted but that speaketh kindly and friendly to her saith here We will run after thee This running is nothing but with readiness of Affection and speediness of Action to make application of the Promises in time of distress and therefore it is said After thee that is after thee for Succour and Comfort in the time of great Affliction and Misery The KING hath brought me into his Chambers The Church desireth to be drawn before after Christ began to pull her once she ran speedily after him Now here she sheweth whither she was pulled or drawn it was into his Chambers and also by whom she was drawn even by the King the Lord Jesus Christ her Beloved He that might disdain her as a Begger
them and by spoiling the grapes doth much hurt to the vines By the foxes are principally meant false Prophets Here O Israel thy Prophets are like the foxes in the deserts Exod. 34. And the injunction here is to take them And the reason why they must be taken is because they spoil the vines meaning the fruit of the vines the righteousness of both Tables And also because the vines have tender grapes meaning the young vines whose fruit is tender and the fox being famous for subtilty will endeavour to spoil those first chiefly if he grow to be a Reynald an old Fox therefore the injunction here is to take the little foxes the young cubs for they also spoil the vines This charge is given by Christ the persons to whom is to the Magistrate and Minister The Minister is to discover the foxes and the Magistrate to punish them with the sword Now that the foxes may be taken their holes must be known for the foxes have holes and in their holes they hide themselves and the first work the fox doth when he comes into the vineyard is to make his hole now the foxes hole is the righteousness of the Law he extolleth the righteousness of works far beyond the righteousness of faith this he makes a great shew of presseth very earnestly and seems to walk in very strictly that so if any fault be found with his Doctrine he may cover it and hide it under the character of an honest man So that his first and principal work in spoiling the vines is to destroy the righteousness of both Tables under a pretence of requiring strictness and holiness of life Therefore mark it By the first principle in Doctrine understand the first ground that is layed to encourage thee to be lieve in Christ that when ever the fox cometh whether it be an old Reynald or a young Cub by the first principles of his Doctrine he magnifieth and extolleth a supposed righteousness in man far beyond the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed and by so doing he strengtheneth in man a more honourable opinion of himself then of the works and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and so he taketh away and spoileth the righteousness of the first Table which is faith in Christ Next he also spoils the righteousness of the second Table which is true love towards men for the root and foundation of love towards men is Gods love towards us apprehended by faith for no man can exercise himself in shewing true love towards men until his own heart be first warmed with the apprehension of Gods love towards himself which the fox by his subtilty wholly destroyeth for where the root and foundation of charity is plucked up there charity which is the fruit must needs be blasted and wither away And thus the foxes spoil the vines And this is the meaning of Christ when he says Mat 7. by their fruits ye shall know them meaning such fruits as spring from the principles of their Doctrine Now when the foxes hole is known the fox is taken for then he is discovered to all to be the fox Therefore if thou wilt hunt the fox so as to take him be sure to drive him into his hole for there he lurketh and there thou shalt be sure of him All people that pertain to the vineyard ought to be careful in this thing especially those that watch for Souls for the fox cometh not in jest but to spoil vines to eat and consume the tender grapes to destroy the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that no man may have Salvation by him And is it not time then for every man to look about him It is not for nothing that so strict a charge as punishment by death is given in Deut. 18. and Deut. 13. against those that speak in the name of other Gods Therefore when the wild boar comes with his tusk and snout as if he did think to pull down God out of his Throne or the fox by subtilty let every man put to his shoulder that they may be taken and destroyed The lamentable misery that is fallen upon us for want of care herein is found by woful experience VERSE XVI My beloved is mine and I am his he feedeth among the Lillies THe Church perceiving the care of her beloved in taking the foxes that her righteousness might be preserved and that she might have Salvation makes this conclusion to her self my beloved is mine By which she makes a right use of the Gospel which is to assure and make us bold of our faith This bond or conjunction being so near as the head and members or the vine and branches causeth her to rejoice my beloved is mine and I am his This right and propriety in Christ as Mediator wicked men have not Angels need not therefore she claimeth the Title wholly to her self And this she maketh more account of then of all the world She esteemeth more of him then of all things besides in Heaven and Earth In him she findeth a sufficient reconciliation made with the mighty God for all her sins in him she is made the heir of Eternal glory And she is also comforted in this in that her beloved doth not only preserve her from unwholsome pastures but also feedeth her in good pastures He feedeth among the Lillies My beloved she saith is a Shepherd and hath a flock and feedeth his flock like a Shepherd in sweet pasture which is good feeding being among Lillies for the Lillies shew not that the Sheep eat Lillies but the goodness of the ground where the Lillies grow So that where Christ feedeth nothing can be wanting The Lord is my Shepherd saith David therefore I shall want nothing Psal 23. He provideth fatlings wine and all delicate things So that all that love his pasture shall be well fed and prove well The reason why men prove so little is because they distast the pasture where Christ feedeth When sheep feed in good pasture settle in it and like it well they feed and come forwards apace but when the pasture is bad or they distast it they hunger bane and starve Some feed upon their own imaginations and mans inventions and such as their food is So they be themselves they never come amongst the Lillies therefore never tast of the sweetness of the pasture Therefore let all those that desire to be proveable frequent the place where Christ feedeth and then shall their life favour of his wisdom Seeing Christ hath provided such excellent pastures for us as to feed among Lillies let us feed there and so feed that we may be fit for himself and to receive Eternal glory VERSE XVII Until the day break and the shadows flee away turn my beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether THe words are a prayer of the Church wherein she desireth Christ to turn to her all night even till the break of day 2 Pet. 1.19
is when she looketh after the manner of a Lover with indignation upon the Doctrine of false Teachers that do trample under foot the Gospel and advanceth the Gospel from the destruction of the same And also from one chain of the neck which is a right understanding of the Law of grace by which Sectaries and wicked men are overthrown So that Christ is ravished when we learn by the Gospel to destroy the Kingdom of the Devil And to shew us the certainty of it He doubleth his speech thou hast ravished my heart thou hast ravished my heart which words are written on purpose to draw us into the combate and that we might not by any means Question his love in so doing but stedfastly through faith to embrace the same VERSE X. How fair is thy love my Sister my spouse THis is a note of admiration which sheweth that Christs delight is in nothing but that we love him which love we shew when we believe his word and endeavour by the same to throw down the Kingdom of the Devil This is the only thing which maketh us beautiful in the sight of Christ And when he addeth my sister my spouse it comprehendeth all Divinity setteth forth the nature of God to us and the full ground of our faith For seeing he saith my sister he teacheth us that he is really and truly our loving brother that is naturally affected to us careth for us in all conditions and pityeth us in all distresses And seeing he saith my spouse he teacheth us that we are no longer twain but one And doth thereby assure us that he is bone of our bones and flesh of our flesh and that whatsoever he hath done and suffered is ours as really and truly as if we had done it in our own persons These words therefore are full of admirable consolation because they assure us that Christ came into the world on purpose to own us to take all evils from us and to bestow all good things upon us Which must also draw us into the use and practise of our faith For seeing he is our brother we should not be afraid of him but go unto him with boldness and confidence And seeing he is our Husband we must be assured that he taketh from us the guilt of all our sins and dischargeth us to his Father The consideration of this must also help us in all crosses and calamities forasmuch as he cannot suffer us to want any thing we stand in need of if we stedfastly believe in him But it is cursed unbelief that causeth in us a slighting and contemning of the word and therefore we lose the good things we stand in need of which otherwise we could not want How much better is thy love then Wine Which is as much as to say I love thee far beyond all Creatures Wine cheereth and rejoiceth the heart of man but in that thou lovest me with hearty affection it is better to me then Wine is to any man And when he saith how much better he teacheth us that no Creature is able to set down the several dimensions of his love which passeth knowledge Christ useth this passionate speech to draw us to a good opinion of him being written for no other purpose but that we might believe for when he loveth us once he loveth us to the end These words therefore are chiefly to be made use of in times of distress when the mind is perplexed with hard thoughts of God when we look upon him as he is revealed in the Law but not as he hath revealed himself in the Gospel to the humbled sinner then are we principally to hear these words For to this end Christ makes himself known to us by his word that he might get himself a name in our hearts and that we might get the victory over our unbelief We must therefore believe these words and then it shall be to us according to his word but if otherwise we slight and contemn his word he shall notwithstanding find an object of his love else where but we shall be cast off forsaken and despised And the smell of thine ointments beyond all spices Spices by the Law were to be used in making the sweet ointments for the Tabernacle Exod. 30. and all the vessels thereof Which ointments had a most excellent smell and did signifie the righteousness of Christ inherent in himself Which righteousness of Christ when it is received by faith the spouse is annointed with and made to smell sweet in the presence of God These ointments being said to be beyond all spices the righteousness of Faith is beyond all righteousness because it sendeth up an excellent perfume into the nostrils of God And the reason why these ointments are so sweet is because they are compounded according to Art Exod. 30.23 So that no ointments are like unto them The ointment of the Tabernacle was made of principal spices and also compounded according to the Art of the Apothecary The ointment that sweetneth the spouse is the righteousness of God and man no compound so excellent So the perfuming spice for the Tabernacle was a most rare confection tempered together of most excellent spices pure and holy and also was made according to Art and therefore it is that it was so excellent Which sheweth us the reason why there is so little sweetness in the World why men stink like carrion in a ditch and leave a filthy savour behind them in every place whereere they come the reason is because they were never perfumed with these sweet and holy ointments What profit were it in the ointments of the Sanctuary although they were ever so sweet a perfume if none were annointed therewith The righteousness of Christ is a most excellent sweet perfume but what availeth this at all to those that are not anointed therewith To those that smell it not the pure Myrrhe and the Cinamon is but cast away the sweet Calamus and the Cassia is but troden under foot Therefore we must learn in time of distress of mind to smell to these sweet and heavenly ointments that when the stink of our sins do cast an ugly favour before God in the Conscience and in the sight of the World yet that then the scent of these holy ointments may make us a pleasant perfume Now as there was an Art in compounding these ointments Exod. 30.33 37. so there is also an Art in smelling And as there was no compound like unto it so there was no other perfume that was to be smelt unto Some there are that can smell no difference between these ointments and the perfumes of their own compounding these make not a confection after the Art of the Apothecary And therefore it comes to pass that when they go about to annoint the spiritual Tabernacle and his vessels the Candlestick and his vessels to make them most holy that the Lord may delight to dwell amongst them by annointing them with perfumes of their own
his foul stains yet in regard of his wonderful Wisdom and great Reach that the Lord had given him whereby he was able to borrow Speeches from the nature of Earthly things to set forth the Lord's mind in Heavenly things he was a Man excellently fitted For God gave Solomon Wisdom and largeness of Heart above all Men his Wisdom excelled all the Children of the East for he was wiser than Ethan Henan Calcol and Darda And he spake of Trees from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hysop that groweth out of the Wall He was able also to shew the nature of Fowls and of Fishes There was none like Solomon before him neither after him shall there arise any like him Solomon was also a Figure of Christ in regard of his Wisdom Kingdom and Glory and also being a Man of rest for so the Lord said of him Solomon shall be his Name for I will give Peace to Israel in his days Now Christ is our Peace who is also called Solomon The Pen-man therefore of this Book being the wisest of all the Prophets and Christ whom it concerneth being the very Wisdom of the Father and greater than Solomon therefore is this Song commended unto us by the holy Ghost in the highest degree of Excellency Seeing therefore it is a Song we must learn with all skilfulness to sing it and seeing singing is an argument of joy we must look for nothing in this Song but matter of exceeding joy So that when we are in the lowest condition by reason of Sin and the Cross yet then the understanding of this Song will raise us up beyond our selves For it is not only a Song but the Song of all Songs composed by Solomon a Person wiser than all Persons who figureth out Christ unto us who is the very Wisdom of the Father and therefore greater than Solomon And his carriage to be most gentle and loving to us when we are in the deepest misery and greatest extremity Therefore we must endeavour to learn the Tune and Time of this Heavenly Song and it will fill our Hearts with joy and gladness VERSE II. Let him kiss me VVE must understand that the chief part of this Song is drawn from the similitude of Lovers espoused in Marriage or else those that have fully finished the Marriage knot And Solomon being moved by the Holy Ghost made choice of this Similitude above all other things to set forth the most excellent Mystery between Christ and his Church no resemblance being greater to manifest the same not only in regard of the oneness that cometh by Marriage and also the firmness of the Bond between Man and Wife that cannot be broken but also in regard of the Issue and Posterity that comes by Marriage for even as by reason of Marriage many Children are born into the World so by reason of the Soul 's uniting unto Christ Rom. 7. are many Children brought to Life and Immortality The Church is here represented to come in a pang of Love but what Church Quest Not the Church of the Jews only Answ but also the Church of the Gentiles For the Church is to be considered either generally or distinctly either as the Church of the Jews and Gentiles united into one Body or else the Church of the Jews apart before Christ's Incarnation Now as the Church distinctly considered desired after Christ that was then to come so the Church generally considered desireth after Christ that is come Therefore the Church expressing her self here by the desire of a Lover Let him kiss me it sheweth the desire of the Bride in all Ages of the World But why doth the Bride desire to be kissed Quest Kissing amongst Men is a sign of favour and reconciliation David kissed Absalom Answ 2 Sam. 14.23 and thereby shewed that he was reconciled unto him Moses and Aaron kissed each other when they met as a token of Friendship And when Laban departed from Jacob Gen. 3â— 55 as a token that all strife was ended between them he kissed his Sons and his Daughters and so departed So that the Church desiring to be kissed desireth she may be assured by his word of his Love and Reconciliation to her Now there is a two fold kissing mentioned in Scripture there is a kissing on Christ's part and a kissing on the Bride's part Christ kisseth the Bride when he assureth her by his word that he is reconciled to her and in Love with her Person although she be a most miserable Sinner The Bride kisseth Christ when she by Faith is reconciled to him in believing that Christ is in Love with her Person Christ offereth the kiss first in these words I have loved thee with an everlasting Love The Bride again meeteth him with the kiss as soon as ever she perceiveth and is drawn to believe that her very Person is intended in these words This is the first kiss of Christ which begetteth Faith and all Heavenly Qualities within us There are also other kisses that follow where the first is imbraced when he loveth our Obedience Heb. 11.5 although imperfect because we please him by Faith but this is his antecedent kiss which respecteth not the Work but the Person a most miserable Sinner and this we ought to believe And in this sence it is said Kiss the Son lest he be angry Psal 2.12 that is see that thou thankfully imbrace the first kiss which assureth thee of the acceptance of thy sinful Person before thy works are regarded which truth of God worketh in thee Faith and Love to God and all good works In this sence also it is said 2 Cor. 13.12 1 Thes 5.26 Salute ye one another with an holy kiss and Greet ye one another with an holy kiss by which holy Kiss is meant the Administring on Christ's part and the embracing on our part the first kiss And by greeting and saluting one another is set forth the highest degree of Love among the Brethren which is a mutual forwardness in drawing each other by the Gospel to receive the first kiss therefore the Bride saith here Let him kiss me let him assure me in this one point that my Person is in his Favour which is the first ground and beginning of our Faith in Christ But why doth the Bride here desire to be kissed with more kisses besides the first kiss Quest Because by the first kiss she is so wonderfully taken up with the Love of her Beloved Answ that she cannot be at rest without him but desireth more and more after him And it sheweth us also the true nature and use of Faith which is not to despair nor be dismayed under the feeling of the greatest Sins and Calamities but then when it is at the worst as a Remedy against all it teacheth us to humble our selves and to desire the kisses of our Beloved And she addeth farther With the kisses of his Mouth Because all the Comforts that she findeth in the day of Adversity
brought her into a place of wonderful joy and delight Chambers are places where Secrets are used to be revealed 2 Kin. 6.12 Elisha the Prophet told the King of Israel the words that he spake in his Bed-Chambers So that to be brought into the King's Chambers is to understand his Secrets Isa 26. Also Chambers are places of Safety wherein the Godly are Commanded to hide themselves in in time of distress and the Lord's indignation Now the Spouse being brought into the King's Chambers she knoweth the Secrets of the Most High and abideth under the shadow of the Almighty and of this she here speaketh There is a double Consideration to be had about the King's Chambers there are Chambers of Grace and Chambers of Glory There is the House of God in this Life and the great Mansion place of his Glory in the Life to come According to the words of Christ John 14.2 In my Father's House are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you In his Chambers in this Life we see him but as in a Glass darkly but when we come into the great Mansion place of his Glory We shall then behold the King in his Beauty Isa 33.17 and all the delights of his Love for evermore Into these Chambers she saith the King hath brought me because she having received in his lower House a tast of his Grace she is sure she shall be exalted into his upper House where she shall be satisfied with his Glory And this also must be noted that she is brought into the Chambers by the King not by her own doings but by Christ for the Law revealeth no Secrets unless it be opened by the Gospel neither can it procure us Safety work in us Grace or bring us to Glory it being the voice of the Father Mat. 11.27 which no Man knoweth but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Therefore she rejoyceth only in the King that is to say the Gospel Now she farther sheweth in the next words what her Affection should be most on when she is brought into the Chambers We will rejoyce and be glad in thee In which words she sheweth what is the object of her joy both in this Life and the Life to come even in the great Mansion place of his Glory it is thee meaning Christ her Beloved It is his Person only wherein she rejoyceth And in that she speaketh of rejoycing it sheweth what the proper Effect of the Gospel is namely to rejoyce All other Doctrines besides the Gospel do fill the Consciences of Men full of fearfulness and terrour but the Effect of the Gospel is Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost Whereby is taught how the true Pastors also of the Church may be known He who by his principles worketh not Peace and Gladness in the Conscience preacheth not the Gospel but he by whose Principles the Conscience is made joyful being discharged from the guilt of Sin and the fear of God's wrath he it is that rightly preacheth the Gospel Deut. 17. Now in that she says we will rejoyce it teacheth all the Sons and Daughters of Zion to put on a holy resolution of rejoycing and also to endeavour to behold such an Excellency in Christ that may cause rejoycing that so the Effects of the Gospel may appear Therefore as it is our Duty so it must be our Care to put on this holy Resolution with the Bride in this place We will be glad and rejoyce in thee We will remember thy Love more than Wine In these words it is shewed how the Bride doth continue in this holy posture of rejoycing it is by a continual remembrance of his Love We will remember thy Love And on the contrary when there is fainting in the day of Adversity Heb. 12. it is because the Consolation is forgotten And when she says more than Wine she meaneth more than the having or wanting of any outward thing whatsoever Reason is affected with things that are profitable and pleasant and much dejected in the want of them but Faith infuseth more joy into the Heart than Corn and Wine and all outward things The Upright love thee Whereby is meant those that are upright in their Principles that walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel and also that are upright towards Men in all their Carriage and Conversation that attribute to Christ the Dominion and Government over the Conscience to save it from the guilt of Sin and wrath of God and attribute to the Law the Dominion over the Flesh These are they that love God And on the contrary those that are Lame and Halting in respect of their Principles that are partly for Christ and partly for Works to make them Righteous in the sight of God are not the Upright here spoken of but come far short in setling and establishing the love of God in the Soul VERSE V. I am Black THis Speech is directed to the Daughters of Jerusalem Blackness was the habit of Mourners Jer. 8.21 as appears by the Prophet Jeremiah The Bride therefore in saying she is Black says she is a Mourner which is meant in respect of her outward condition here in this World which cometh by reason of her Sin and the Cross Job 30.30 Of this Job complaineth when he was in his great Affliction My Skin saith he is Black upon me Now because the Daughters of Jerusalem do often-times despise the Gospel when they behold the People that profess it to be in so great Affliction and Misery therefore the Bride directeth her Speech to them to take away the scandal of the Cross and Offences that might arise and saith as followeth in the next words But comely That is although I am black by reason of my Sin and Affliction yet I am comely in the Person of my Beloved who doth not for this cause reject me but joyneth himself unto me and cloaths me with the Garments of Righteousness which teacheth us the right use of Faith Which is That when a Man is as black as Hair-Cloth by reason of his Sin and the greatness of the Cross yet at that very time to behold the Lord Jesus Christ to be holding forth his promise of Grace and Favour to him And also this is farther to be noted that nothing comes between this Blackness and Comeliness but only Faith in her Redeemer For she beholdeth nothing in her self but that she is covered all over with blackness and deformity and yet she resteth upon the promise of her Beloved And thus must we also do in time of great distress of Mind when we are utterly void of all hope in our selves and all Creatures yet then to lift up our Eyes and Hearts to our Redeemer who looketh upon us and joyneth himself unto us to take away from us our present Miseries O ye Daughters of Jerusalem By the Daughters of Jerusalem in this place I understand all that party in the
liveth under a double time in this world the time of the Law and the time of grace A time when the voice of sorrow and mourning must be heard and a time when the voice of joy and gladness must only be heard and sorrow and mourning must fly away And Solomon being inspired by the holy Ghost treateth of both these times which every Christian must apply himself diligently to learn No man must think the Gospel to be such a Doctrine that bringeth with it nothing but pleasure for it being contrary to the Doctrine and Religion of the World it bringeth the cross and many tribulations where the true Gospel is taught And when the fear of any judgment guilt or calamity begins to seize on the mind and to overwhelm it then doth the time of the Law begin and holdeth us in captivity which time doth not always last to the Godly but only till Christ for as soon as we confess our sin and make application of the promises of God then doth the Law begin to vanish from the Conscience and then the time of the singing of Birds is come as the holy Ghost here writeth The voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land The Turtle useth as some say to depart out of the Land of Jury in winter by reason of the cold and to return again in spring for to make an abode in which time her voice is only heard calling to her mate So that the voice of the Turtle is a certain sign that the spring is come So when we hear the Nittingale the Thrush the Black-bird and other harmonical voices and pleasant notes we know the spring is come Now as the voice of the Turtle and the chirping of other Birds do shew unto us that Summer is come So also we know that the Gospel is come when the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ is heard amongst the Saints For as the warmness of the spring causeth a cheerfulness amongst the Brids So doth the truth of the Gospel being rightly understood cause a cheerfulness amongst the Saints which causeth all the Heavenly host to break out in singing lauding and praising the Lord. When once they begin to shake off the winter and the frost begins to melt and their hearts begin to be warmed with the spirit of God then they begin to set their voices in Tune and with sweet and Heavenly descant to make melody to the Lord in their hearts When this comes to pass then is the voice of the Turtle heard and then the Summer is come Then the Nightingale singeth and all the Birds of Heaven begin to chirp They that have nothing in their mouths but ribaldry and filthiness that can talk of nothing but couetousness and greediness shew no tokens at all of the spring neither can such make any Musick at all to the Lord. Therefore let us learn rightly to understand the voice of the Turtle that we may have this heat of affection within us and so lively a feeling of the Lords mercies that we may sing forth the praises of the Lord and shew the Turtle to be amongst us and that the spring is come that so by our spiritual and Heavenly joy begun in this life we may give a glymps of that everlasting joy which one day we shall have with the Lord in glory VERSE XIII The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell THe vine and the fig-tree do also note the spring especially in Jury where the Country is hot and the spring comes sooner then with us to make the earth fruitful Both these Trees bear pleasant fruit especially as some say those about Libanus And as their fruit is pleasant to the tast so the tender grapes when they first shoot out and blossom give a good smell chiefly in hot Countrys where the Sun hath greater force then else where in causing nature to thrust forth her sweetness This sheweth that where the Gospel cometh it maketh men fruitful for the godly are not compared to Trees that bring forth no fruit when once God pardoneth the imperfections and blemishes of his Church but to Trees that bring forth most sweet and pleasant fruit Those that bring forth no fruit in their conversation but sower grapes are not the Lords plants but are degenerated from the true vine And they whose Doctrine by reason of the nature of its principles bringeth no Children unto glory are not the Lords fig-trees but are like brambles thorns and thistles that scratch and prick the Church but bring forth nothing that is sweet and pleasant these serve for nothing but to be cut down and cast into the fire Therefore we must learn to tast of the sweetness of the fig-tree and the vine and to shew forth the fruits thereof that we may give a testimony that the Gospel is come which when once we have well tasted of we will not lose the sweetness of it for a world When the Trees went out to chuse them a King Judg. 9. the fig-tree would not lose his sweetness for a Kingdom Nor would the vine lose his pleasant wine that cheared God and man for a Kingdom If once we had but tasted the fruit of the vine and of the fig-tree and did rightly know the use thereof we would not part with it for all the pleasures under the Sun Although the grapes be not fully ripe we must not be dismayed and the figs but green and small yet the Lord taketh pleasure in them and counteth our poor beginnings to be tokens of the spring If we humble our selves before him for our frailties and weaknesses and aske him forgiveness for the same he looks upon us with gracious eyes and telleth us that Summer is come When we are ashamed of our fruit and begin to be dismayed and hang down our heads like a bullrush yet then doth he speake friendly and comfortable words unto us as appeareth in the words next following Arise my love my fair one and come away Which words are the conclusion of what was spoken to the bride by her beloved and it is the second time by which she is call'd upon to come away Now in that he calleth again it sheweth how untractable the Soul is to come out of her missery and affliction so wicked a thing is unbelief which setteth nothing before our eyes in the time of tribulation but only this that God hath no respect unto us but that he is about wholly to cast us of Now because there is no cure for unbelief but only faith and faith can have no footing but only from truth therefore our beloved in these words openeth his good heart unto us and telleth us the very truth that we are his love his fair one He that can make use of these words in time of Temptation and can perswade himself that they are spoken unto him setting himself to prayer in good earnest for the establishing of this very truth in his
Soul shall easily overcome his unbelief and experimentally feel the benefit of faith And also Christ here declareth unto us how willing he is that we should receive him He speaketh not one word of discomfort to the afflicted Conscience as Satan by his instruments doth as the Law doth or as the accusing Conscience it self doth but biddeth us arise and come away that is not to hearken to those discomforts but to set our faith and affections upon his words whereby he doth only and wholly appropriate us to himself For when he faith my love he doth it to assure us of the contrary to that which in time of distress we most of all fear which is that we are not beloved And when he says my fair one he taketh that away from us which causeth us to question his love that is to say the guilt of all our sins And what can discomfort us in Heaven Earth or Hell when God which is greater then all things doth assure us that he loveth us and hath forgiven us all our sins VERSE XIV O my dove thou art in the clefts of the Rock THe Church having made rehearsal of the sweet comfortable words of her beloved Christ here speaketh again and commendeth her in that she is in the clefts of the rock And first he calleth her his dove which hath many excellent properties to which the bride is refembled which are not so much respected in this place as this one thing is in that she delighteth to make her nest in the Rock that she may be safe from the prey of the Hawk and other devouring Birds Now as the dove delighteth to be in the clefts of the Rock that she may be safe from devouring fowls when they make wings after her So the dove of Christ delighteth also to hide her self in a place of safety when she is hunted after by an accusing Conscience the wrath of God the malice of Satan or any of his instruments And this hiding place is in the clefts of the Rock and for this she is commended Some say that God is the Rock and that the Eternal Councel and Decree of God is the cleft wherein the dove of Christ is in safety and that 's one hole And then there is the providence of God by which many times he maketh way for the dove to escape that they make to be another cleft But that I most think on is this Cer. 10.4 The Rock is Christ But then the Rock must open and divide else how can there be a cleft for the dove to get in Understand then by the cleft a right division betwixt Christ and the Law when the Conscience is in distress which distinction thou must learn to make by faith For when the Law putteth thee in fear justly by reason of thy sin if thou humblest thy self by faith thou killest the voice of the Law and makest the cleft but if thou lookest upon the Law in that time after thou hast humbled thy self and asked forgiveness to be the voice of Christ thou makest no cleft thou canst have no hiding place to keep thee safe from fear Make this account therefore with thy self that the Law is crucified dead and condemned unto thee in respect of the Conscience as soon as thou humbless thy self and by faith layest hold upon Christ then thou makest a right division betwixt Christ and the Law and hidest thy self in the cleft of the Rock so that if the Hawk or other devouring fowls do wing after thee to hanch upon thee thou sittest in safety from fear of evil and it is but lost labour for Satan or any of his instruments to endeavour thy ruin For want of this knowledg many peoples hearts do shake when they are like to be made a prey by ravenous Birds and the Law and fear of Gods wrath begins to seize on the Conscience they are even at their wits end being wholly dismayed These are not in the cleft But the bride of Christ that rightly understandeth these things as she presumeth not upon her own worthiness So neither is she dismayed at her unworthyness but sitteth in the cleft of the Rock with Moses Ex. 33.22 where by faith she beholdeth the back parts of God condemning her for sin and by the same faith she heareth proclaimed to her his merciful and gracious name In the secret places of the stairs There are certain craggy places in Rocks that stand out like stairs by which the dove geteth up into her hole After the same manner the Church of Christ ascendeth by certain foot-steps of faith to a communion with Christ in this life and to a perfect communion with him in the life to come These are said to be secret places because the righteousness of faith by which we ascend to this communion is secret and unknown to man's reason for it consisteth in the destroying of the grounds of unbelief which is the mother and root of all sin and the bane of all Christian and holy duties It sheweth a man from the nature of its principles how to love God and keep his Commandments how to behold succour and help to be near in time of tribulation when no help nor succour is seen or perceived All which things are foolishness to reason yet are the foot-steps and track of all the flock of Christ gone before Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is comely That is I would have thee to countenance my Doctrine and manner of teaching against all opposers without being abashed or discouraged for the destruction of Antichrist and the whole Kindom of Satan this countenance we ought to shew to our friend And when he saith let me hear thy voice it meaneth that the true Gospel be Preached to poor sinners and that we call upon the name of God by prayer in Christs name in the day of trouble in faith with fervency that we may receive help and deliverance from him which is very sweet and delightful to Christ Jesus and is that joyful voice and comely countenance which is here commended by him VERSE XV. Take us the foxes the little foxes that spoil the vines for our vines have tender grapes NOw here it is shewed that one special and principal means for the preserving of this kind of righteousness in the Church is to take the foxes for they spoil the vines Some write of the foxes that they make holes in the roots of the vines and that by undermining the root the root withers and the vine starves Others say that the fox having venemous teeth fastneth his teeth in the rind of the vine and so spoils the vines And that sometimes also by bruising the young sprigs and shuts they spoil the vines But they that have vines and are much troubled with foxes know best the truth of this But this is certainly known that the fox loves grapes and when they are ripe makes great spoil of
and destruction In this condition the Bride falleth asleep she is content to have sense and reason silenc'd and to be stricken dumb and she is not discouraged but constantly dependeth upon the promises of God And therefore she says here I sleep but mine heart waketh I sleep in regard of sense and reason but my heart awaketh in respect of God and his promises And this is also the meaning of David when he says he giveth his beloved sleep or by sleep So that when the Bride doth thus begin to sleep then doth she begin to awake and live by faith in the promises of God After the same manner must we with the Bride fall into this holy sleep and be contented to live in the use and practice of faith For every man in his condition shall find all things fall out contrary to his expectation in all estates and conditions of life and also shall seem to appear directly contrary to the promises of God Who promiseth that no good thing shall be wanting to those that fear him and yet a man shall seem in likelyhood to be in want of every good thing That wealth and riches shall be in his house and yet a man shall behold nothing but penury and want This breedeth a wonderful temptation in the godly so that a man is ready in this condition to fall into one of these evils either to accuse and condemn God of lying or else to conclude that he is not the person to whom the promises are made What must be done then in this condition Even to fall a sleep with the Bride and to be contented that reason may be slain and to lead a new life by faith in promises of God This slaying of reason is the awakening of the heart and then it doth begin to hear and rightly to understand the words of Christ according to the next words here following It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled This knocking is when the Church is cast into the use and exercise of faith To knock is to make a noise and it may be defined thus It is an noise in the Conscience arising from the sense of sin and apprehension of danger It is when the very voice of the curse is felt in the Conscience and the miserable effects thereof are feared This she says is the voice of her beloved because the right opening of the Law that maketh the stroke and that the stroke of it may be felt belongeth to the Gospel And further when her beloved knocketh he saith open so that as soon as the knock is heard the Bride is to open According to Rev. 3. If any man hear my voice and open the dore I will come in and sup with him and he shall sup with me I will take from him the hurt of all evils whatsoever that shall be my supper and I will bestow all things upon him to make him comfortable and happy that shall be his Supper So that here is a twofold Supper Christ suppeth and the Bride suppeth Christ hath his delight in taking away her calamities the Bride hath her delight in receiving all blessings and comforts And this comes to pass by opening Now to open is rightly to understand the meaning or end of the knock Which in sum is this To inform the Bride that all her wants shall be supplyed by the Gospel which cannot be supplyed by her own ways and works Thus Christ after the manner of a Lover stands and knocks waiting to enlighten the Church in this point So that whether her wants be spiritual or temporal for this life or the life to come they shall all be supplyed when she is lost by the Law by ways and means unknown if she believeth And this is the end of every knock But for want of understanding the meaning of the knock the noise is many times of long continuance For many instead of studdying how to believe that they may attain all things by the Gospel do strive to relieve themselves by their own wisdom and works and in the end lose their labour and the Gospel too Therefore when we begin to hear a noise in the inward man and to fall into great fear either in regard of our sins and the everlasting judgment of God or by reason of some grievous temporal judgment which we apprehend to hang over our heads let us be sure then that Christ knocketh not to put us in feare for he affrighteth no man but to take away our fears from us so that although it seem terrible to us upon the first apprehension of the knock yet it is but the voice of our beloved who standeth and knocketh not to execute the Law upon us but to take all our evils upon himself that we may be made joyful and happy The hearing then of the noise must cause us to open the dore that is to believe in Christ and call upon his name and to suffer him to come in and sup with us then shall we be freed from all our fears and although we have forfeited all things by the Law yet we shall inherit all things by faith in the Gospel Also we must open that the captivity of the Conscience may first be turned into liberty and freedom before we seek for deliverance in respect of the outward man according to Christ saying seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness thereof and all things else shall be given unto you That so from that liberty and freedom which the Conscience possesseth through faith in Christ the merciful care and providence of God might flow in upon us and the nature of the whole Creation might be changed to us Now because in times of distress the Church is apt to be discouraged Christ here useth words that shew relations between them as my sister my love my dove my undefiled Which in brief is this Thou art my sister and I am thy loving brother and companion in tribulation and am affected with all thy afflictions Thou art my love my only joy and delight therefore I cannot forsake thee but do stand and knock to join my self unto thee to take all evils and miseries from thee and to settle thee in peace and joy Thou art my dove that forsakest not thy mate in a mournful condition And because thou runnest not from me but yeeldest thy self unto me therefore thou art mine therefore thou art undefiled thy sins are washed away and thou art clean I came down from Heaven on purpose to Cloath my self with thy flesh that I might free thy Conscience from all distress and fill it with peace and joy Open therefore unto me and receive that by the new and living way which according to the Law and works thou hast utterly lost These are the words of faith which we must have recourse unto in times of distress being comfortable to us and useful for us For my head is fill'd with dew and
given and thinkest that thou thy self art not intended in the gift because thou findest so many promises made to righteous persons when thou thy self art a miserable sinner then dost thou totally banish Christ out of thy Conscience remainest in thy sins and must suffer the loss of Eternal life and glory and if thou teachest that point unto others thou dost not only discover thine unbelief but also professest thy self to be an unbeliever and dost by thy Doctrine establish the world in the grounds of unbelief directly contrary to the office of the holy Ghost which is to convince the world of sin because they believe not Joh. 16. Thou seest then first wherein the sweetness of Christs mouth lies in that he teacheth thee to believe first by destroying the ground of unbelief which nothing can do but only the Fathers gift next in shewing thee upon what ground thou must begin to build thy faith not because he first loveth thy works but thy sinful person that thou mayest love him bless him confess thy sins unto him and mourn for the depravation of thy sinful nature not out of dispaire but of love and thankfulness to thy Heavenly Father who hath shewed mercy to thee and given thee his Son Secondly His mouth is most sweet in that he teacheth thee the new signification of the terms of the Law he that sate upon the throne said behold I make all things new Rev. 21.5 So that since the fall of man the terms of the Law do this and live have a signification which is new and therefore mans obedience is said to be new But what is it to make all things new Quest I answer to make all things new Ans is to make a new way to attain to the righteousness of the Law and Everlasting life The Covenant of grace maketh the signification of the terms of the Law to be new by the righteousness of faith alone Understand it thus the terms lay'd upon Adam were do this in thine own person and live but do this since the fall is do it in the person of thy Redeemer and live so that do this before and since the fall have a double signification the one is old the other is new to receive grace from the Redeemer to do the Law in thine own person doth not make a new signification of the terms When Moses saith Lev. 18.5 do this and live he speaketh of the old signification of the terms of the Law do it in thine own person according to the Covenant made in Horeb. Exod. 20. But when Moses speaketh of the righteousness of faith Deut. 30.14 Which he calleth also also the keeping of the commandments Ver. 10.11 Rev. 22. He speaketh of the new signification of the terms of the Law according to the Covenant made in the Land of Moab Deut. 29. Ver. 1. The first of these pertains to the self justiciary the latter to the broken hearted nor thy obedience to be new for that is doing in thine own person the same terms which were lay'd upon Adam and not in the person of thy Redeemer nor canst thou ever believe that God loveth thee by that obedience nor yet be brought to love God but to do in the person of the Redeemer is to believe that he hath done it for thee and given his obedience to thee before he requireth any of thee that so by a new and living way thou mightest learn to love him fear him and obey him Therefore when the Law was given the Gospel is set before wherein God giveth himself unto us that we might love him before he requireth any thing from us And in the first Commandment he layeth this prohibition upon us which also runneth through all the ten Commandments that we seek after no preparative righteousness to precede the Gospel So that to do the Law is to do it according to the Gospel and the first Commandment which is not to depend upon the Law Therefore when it is said blessed are they that do his Commandments that their right may be in the tree of Life thou must understand it according to the Gospel and the first Commandment where by doing his Commandments is meant not depending upon the Law which opinion in us of self dependance is the first thing which is taken away by the Gospel and goeth imediately before our establishing in Christ All this hinders not but that the Law is to be done before men to the utmost of our power in the Kingdom of the Law our obedience must be personal which not withstanding helpeth nothing to righteousness because it is prevented by faith in Christ Now herein also the sweetness of Christs mouth is seen in that he teacheth by the Gospel a new understanding of the Law Thirdly The sweetness of Christs mouth is seen in this also in that he teacheth the true reason of the institution of Sacraments which in all ages of the Church were to teach faith in Christ Sacraments were not instituted to assure us that we have faith or to confirm to us that we do believe but to assure us by a figure of the visible ground of our faith that we might believe that our faith might be Sacramental as well as verbal that we might learn the mistery of our faith by and from the figure Thus by Circumcision God did establish his Covenant with Abraham to be his God Gen. 17.7 and the God of his seed and why was this But only from the figure to teach him to believe And when circumcision is said to be a Seal of the righteousness of faith it is Rom. 4. because it confirmeth by a figure the righteousness which faith layeth hold upon And under the figure of the Passover they were taught to believe their deliverance Exod. 12.13 from sin and the wrath of God by the blood of Christ So the reason why Baptism was instituted was to manifest Christ unto Israel John 1.31 It looketh not upon the worthiness of the person but teacheth to behold our unworthiness that we may be made worthy in Christ So the Lords Supper Luk. 22. was instituted to fulfil the Passover and shew us the Lords death that we might have a visible and Sacramental ground to believe that he is crucified and risen for us Now these being the causes why Sacraments were instituted it is proving and not to be proved therefore no unworthiness in the Subjects must be alleaged to bar their priviledg that stands in opposition to the reasons of their institution So that we see Christs mouth is sweet in that he openeth these three points the ground of our faith the sense of the Law and the reason of the institution of Sacraments Which I conceive are the three gates spoken of Rev. 21. which pertain to the holy City new Jerusalem on the East West North and South side of the Heavenly City without the opening of which three gates there is no entrance into the new Jerusalem For let
all those that are willing to sit under the Tree and receive them By the Mother is here meant the Church and by her bringing forth regeneration which new birth is under the Apple-tree for there she brought thee forth that bare thee Now in that he says I raised thee up he distinguisheth himself from Moses or the Law not but that Christ maketh use of the Law in the raising up of the Church but in a different respect to those that do not rightly teach the Law Christ maketh use of the Law to humble the sinner that it may be driven to Christ by faith to be justified without the Law but the Ministry of Moses promiseth justification and life to none but those that turn from sin Morally according to the the Terms of the Law and herein lies the difference between the true and the false handling of the Law and by this mark only may we discern the voice of Christ from the voice of Moses Now Moses casteth all men down but raiseth up no man by his Ministry because he setteth them not under the Heavenly Apple-tree but endeavoureth to raise them first by other fruit therefore he maketh the heart of the righteous sad whom the Lord hath not made sad But Christ casteth down all men by the Law but raiseth them up again by his own fruits even the fruits of the Heavenly Apple-tree And after this manner doth the true Mother exercise all her Children by the Ministry First she casteth them down by a right administration of Moses next she raiseth them up again by Christ her Heavenly Apple-tree Thus must we also suffer our selves to be hewen down by the Law that we may be stripped of all our glory and boasting principles and also be willing to receive the fruit that droppeth from Christ our Heavenly Apple-tree that our Consciences may be healed of the guilt and filth of all our sins VERSE VI. Set me as a Seal upon thine heart as a Signet upon thine Arm for love is strong as death jealousie is cruel as the grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement Flame THese words are not to be understood of the Churches speech to Christ as some imagine but of Christs words to the Church Wherein he plainly instructeth her how her faith and dependance shall be continued and strengthned Which is thus set me as a seal upon thine heart Me Meaning the promises of the Gospel As a seal that they may make an impression and leave the print of it behind such an impression that the word may be rooted and grounded in the Soul And on thine arm meaning the visible sign or seal the Gospel being a double seal the word and Sacraments and all is to arm and prepare us against the evil day Then he gives the reason for love is strong as death by which he meaneth his own love My love to thee is strong as death therefore build upon it For as death is of most invincible strength which swalloweth up and overcometh all things so saith Christ is my love to thee So that the love of Christ manifested to us in the Preaching of the Gospel being received by faith swalloweth up Death Hell the Grave the Curse and briefly all things else whatsoever that may make us any way miserable But jealousie is cruel as the Grave meaning cruel to the spouse when through the strength of Temptation she begins to Question the love of Christ to her and grows jealous of the same and can hardly be perswaded to the contrary this wheresoever it reigneth is even as the Grave which swalloweth up and putteth an end to all the comforts of man The coals of it are coals of fire Meaning that even as fire where it once catcheth hath a most vehement Flame so that if it be not suddenly quenched it burneth up and consumeth all things So it is with every dejected Soul when once it begins to grow jealous of the love of God and will not have the comforts of the Gospel to fasten upon it So grievous a thing is unbelief that where it is lodged it burneth up and consumeth all true opinions of God and of his Holy Word Therefore seeing our loving Lord Jesus Christ out of his wonderful care and love to us to strengthen us in our faith and to preserve us from this dreadful and bitter Temptation says here set me as a seal upon thine heart let us suffer the Gospel to make an impression within us and look upon it as the decree of Heaven that can never be changed And seeing it must be as a Seal also upon our arm let us never leave till we are able to find out the true Mystery and meaning in the Sacraments and to receive it by faith And seeing his love is so strong unto us as death that putteth an end to all our discomforts whatsoever let us never Question his favour nor be jealous of his love any more but let his word serve for all So that although our Sins and Temptations are many and our afflictions as great as any that are common to man yet as soon as we humble our selves before him and call upon him in faith and confidence let us assure our selves that he can look upon us no otherwise but as objects of his love which love he having once set upon us it continueth for ever so that no afflictions whatsoever we meet with must be an argument sufficient to disswade us from believing the same According as here next followeth VERSE VII Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned IT is as much as if Christ had said this the many afflictions that thou meetest with in this world be they ever so many and like waters that do overflow yet they cannot quench my love to thee For I do not love thee for thy prosperity and hate thee when thou art in in adversity as the world doth but have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction and came down from Heaven on purpose to carry thy sorrows to bear thy burdens and to help thee in all thy distresses Therefore when afflictions come like floods that would seem to drown all upon a suddain yet they cannot drown my love to thee which always remaineth one and the same These words are written on purpose for us to have recourse unto in time of distress that when Satan leaveth no means unattempted but useth all his skill to devour our faith we might overcome him by these words of our beloved by laying them up in our hearts as a most sure and certain creasure Now because the nature of man is proud it is apt to make an Objection as thus If I were better qualified then I might have more assurance of Christs love to this Christ answereth If a man would give all all the substance of his House for love meaning thereby to
said by an indefinite Speech to be sixty valiant Men of the valiant of Israel these are the choice ones in the Church Men that are expert in the Faith that are able to make War against all Heretics and Seducers These are like Solomon's Curtains being always round about the Bed in all Ages of the Church to preserve the Doctrine of Christ from false Glosses These are knit unto Christ by Faith and one to another by Love and Unity in Doctrine Exod. 26. So that even as the Curtains of the Tabernacle were coupled together with Taches of Gold to make one Tabernacle so by these golden Taches of Faith and Love the Saints are knit to Christ and one to another And in this sense the Bride saith here she is comely not only in respect of her Faith towards God but also in that she is an Ornament to the Bed being instrumental to preserve the Church of God from being defiled by reason of corrupt Doctrine This teacheth us what the Life of the Saints is and must be in this World even to keep the Church of God as much as in us lyeth from being polluted by false Doctrine for they are set round about the Bed for this purpose to fight against Satan and his Ministry and the reason and wisdom of the Flesh which always opposeth and fighteth against the Gospel and also to walk in Unity one towards another and towards all Men. VERSE VI. Look not upon me because I am black because the Sun hath looked upon me my Mother's Children were angry with me they made me the Keeper of the Vineyards but mine own Vineyard have I not kept IT is as much as to say this Look not upon me with contempt to despise the Doctrine I profess nor yet upon my stains and blemishes as if I were cast off and rejected of my Beloved for although my Skin be of an evil colour this doth not proceed from any evil there is in the Gospel but from an outward cause to wit the Sun the Sun hath looked upon me therefore I would not be despised and counted a Cast away for it is not my natural hew I am comely in the sight of my Beloved True it is I have some troubles upon me my Mother's Children do afflict me There be many of the same Linage I am of in respect of the outward state of the Church we have all one Mother but they have not the Spirit of Adoption to become the Children of my heavenly Father My Mother's Sons have not true Faith in Christ nor Hearts to live as Brethren and Sisters ought to do For although we were born in one House and brought up in one Family did all eat the same Spiritual Meat and drink the same Spiritual Drink Yet they are fallen away by evil Principles and into an evil course of Life and because I am not willing to follow their evil ways in Life and Doctrine therefore they are angry with me They have canker'd Minds full of malice and very much enflamed against me for when I was about mine own business in the Lord's Vineyard to do good to every Vine according to my power and skill they made me through my own frailty and weakness to look to other Vines not only to do such Orders observe such Ceremonies and preach such Doctrines as I was never appointed to do but also sought to draw me quite away from the Lord's Vineyard to other Vineyards And to persuade me hereunto they would make me a Keeper they would set me in an Office to keep out the defiled and unclean lest their Vineyard should be spoiled by evil Beasts And while I was thus imployed yielding my self too much this way they brought me quite out of Love with my own Vineyard mine own Vineyard have I not kept and in forsaking mine own Vineyard which I too much consented to I had even lost the benefits of Christ my Lord and Saviour The Bride here sheweth that although she be black and stained and out of countenance yet she would not be look'd upon proudly with disdain and contempt but as an object of Pity and Mercy yet this she sheweth to be the practise of the Daughters of Jerusalem in all Ages of the Church to cover all things that is comely in the Bride to bury that in Oblivion but to fasten their Eyes very heedfully upon that which is her blackness and deformity Such is the infirmity of Man's nature that if there be any blemishes and stains in others that we curiously observe and suffer our Affections to be even quite abated from them therefore but if there be any thing worthy of Praise that we skip over and take little notice thereof That which is good in us we would have all Men look upon and have us in high estimation for but in dealing with other Men we behold every spot blemish and stain All Men are willing to have their own deformities skipped over and their vertues highly praised and honoured but are loth to take any notice of the vertues in others although they be ever so excellent and worthy of praise But why do we look upon that which desameth the Person in some things And do not as well behold that which will set him out in other things If there be some blemish in an House we take not much notice of it but most of all behold that which will make it saleable Or if a ground be infected with Herbs and Roots that in some respects may be unprofitable yet if in other respects they are useful we account of them and cherish them Now if in Herbs and Roots we respect the vertues as well as the baseness why do not we the like by the Church of God Why do not we mark the best things to help to inflame Charity and to nourish true Christian Love as well as to fasten our Eyes upon the deformities of the Church which is the ready way to separate our Affections from it She also complaineth farther than in leaning too much to her Mother's Sons she forsook as it were the fruit of her own Vineyard even the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ Of this sort of People the Church of God hath ever been pestered withall such that fall away themselves and then seek to draw Disciples after them some to follow Rules and Orders which are not commanded that live within the Church and to draw Men into an evil course of Life and others which seek to draw Men from the Lord's Vineyard unto other Vineyards whereby they come to lose the Fruits of Christ's Death and Resurrection For it must well be noted that although in separation from Churches a great shew of Holiness may be pretended yet under that shew of Holiness the greatest Sin lyeth hid which is a departing from the Gospel And the reason is because the ground of separating from one Church to another is not because the gifts of God are wanting in the Church separated from which are
the Word and Sacraments but because of Men's corruptions neither is the ground of their uniting into another Church fellowship because of the word of God but the works of Men. Now because they make another ground of Church fellowship which is not the Gospel preferring the abominable works of Men before and beyond the Word and Righteousness of God having nothing to glory in but only in the Act of Separation therefore by the very Act of Separation the Fruits of the Vineyard are lost And this is that which the Bride here toucheth upon and confesseth she did yield too much this way and about this point most that are godly first or last are tottering yet she recovered her self and confesseth that she had rather forsake her Mother's Sons although they be angry with her than by following their Doctrine and way to lose the Fruits of her own Vineyard and purchase the displeasure of her Beloved Therefore let every Man in the Church of God keep to his own Vineyard and do the Lord's work first in looking to himself then in planting the young Vines Also in nourishing those that are planted there is work for every Man to do and God will give a liberal Reward in the end every Man at the last shall have his Penny VERSE VII Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flocks to rest at Noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the Flocks of thy Companions IN this temptation the Bride sheweth what she did she made her request to her Beloved and to win him to hear and grant her request she calleth him not by such Titles as are usually given to him in Scripture as the Messias or the Anointed of the Lord or the wonderful Councellour but by that Title she felt to be due to him in her own Affections Oh thou whom my Soul loveth Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest I know that where thou feedest there is thy Presence and where thy Presence is there is thy Flock and therefore I pray thee tell me For I am a poor silly Woman thy Spouse and have some Troubles upon me by reason of my Mother's Sons and am many times troubled in Conscience because I do things contrary to my Conscience and cannot tell where to have Peace but in thee therefore I pray thee tell me where thou usest to feed and also makest thy Flocks to rest at Noon What that Doctrine is that is thy People's rest and in what Company of People the Principles of that Doctrine are taught that so even as Shepherds in Countries near the Sun do not only feed their Sheep in fit Pastures but also drive them to shade at Noon So also in the time of Persecution from my Mother's Sons I may know in the heat of the day whither to run to be safe under thy Couch For if thou dost it not I may very much hurt my self by degenerating into a strange Vine for others feed Flocks and make shews to be thy Companions which are but Seducers and Deceivers and why should I be as one that turneth aside following after those Flocks for want of understanding the place where thou art always resident But what is the cause the Church so loveth Christ whom she never saw Quest The cause is Answ because she perceiveth in him the nature and properties of Love for he giveth unto her freely that which she lost in Adam which is deliverance from the Curse and everlasting Condemnation Therefore it is that she loveth him with her Soul and this knowledge she hath by Faith alone and not from her Works for although by Works she manifesteth her Faith before Men yet nothing can evidence Faith to her own Conscience but only Faith it self The last Resolution of Faith is when the Evidence of Works is lost and nothing is left to assure us but the Word alone For nothing can evidence Faith in the last Resolution of it to be Faith but the infusing of Grace into the Soul without precedent preparation but in all Works there must be some precedent Preparative to make them good Now what ever that precedent Preparative is that makes them good Works the same is the Light and Evidence of Faith it self and nothing can evidence Works to us to be good but Faith therefore Faith alone must evidence it self in the last Resolution of Faith it alone being infused into the Soul without any precedent preparation Now Faith is an Evidence because it being a rational Faculty knows what is given us of God and also knows what is by us received And one thing more amongst many is chiefly to be noted The Bride here loveth Christ with her Soul and yet she is ignorant in many things which are also of concernment she knoweth not where he feedeth but scruples she hath about the place nor where to rest her self in the heat of the day nor how to answer something objected against her by Seducers yet she is not dismayed and driven out of her Faith notwithstanding all this but loveth Christ with her Soul Which must comfort those poor wretches that are ignorant in many points that cannot tell how to discourse of high Matters nor to answer many Objections that are made against them by Seducers yet if they know but this one thing that Christ hath given them freely that which they have lost in Adam in this may they rejoyce and by this they may certainly know that they are of the number of Christ's Flock that do pertain to the Bride-bed VERSE VIII If thou know not O thou fairest among Women go thy way forth by the Footsteps of the Flock and feed thy Kids besides the Shepherds Tents THese words are the Answer of Christ to the Churches request wherein he sheweth his Compassion to her although she was ignorant in some things and therefore he answereth her thus If thou knowest not aright the place where I feed yet I account of thee therefore be not dismayed thy Person is in favour for thou art to me the fairest amongst Women therefore hearken to me and follow my direction Go thy way forth by the Foot-steps of the Flock Mark the track of all the Flock that went before thee Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and other holy Men of God that both knew my voice and followed me and see where they did feed and what they rested on in the heat of the day and when thou hast found the track there feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents Christ here termeth his Bride The fairest amongst Women although she hath many imperfections in her and the reason is because he covereth all her deformities with his own Righteousness and Merits therefore he taketh pleasure in her hideth all her stains and blemishes and mentioneth nothing but her fairness and beauty This is contrary to the practice of the World who walk after another Rule who if they see a Man that professeth Religion to
faith in the time of tribulation commendeth her for the same which sheweth that he is well pleased And the word behold sheweth his willingness she should know it And when he pronounceth her fair he meaneth free from the guilt of sin And when he saith my love he sheweth that her person is accepted And by the word thou he meaneth to exclude all those that are not of faith from shareing in the benefits of his Death and Resurrection Now the doubling of the words sheweth how hard it is for us in the hour of Temptation to apply our selves to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and also how willing the Lord Christ is that then we should not forget but remember his loving and comfortable words All these things are written that we might believe and that when the hour of Temptation cometh we should put them into use and practise otherwise we cannot possible please our head and Husband who came into the world on purpose and is ascended into Heaven on purpose that we might receive his benefits and rejoice in the same Thou hast doves eyes Now that which he chiefly praiseth the bride for is the eye as a thing which tendeth most of all to the setting out of her fairness other parts draw not the affection as doth the eye therefore Christ chooseth the eye to set forth the praise of his Church which standeth in a comparison thou hast doves eyes The doves eye is simple harmless is not crafty seeketh not greedily after a prey doth not peck with the Bill nor hurt any thing as other Birds do but here it is chiefly used to set forth the chastity of the Bride towards her Husband the Lord Jesus Christ who notwithstanding all her afflictions and temptations chuseth no other refuge to fly unto but with the Dove she cleaveth fast to her mate And also the eyes are here commended because through faith the killeth the Law and liveth in the service and freedom of her beloved and doth good works freely and of choise VERSE XVI Behold thou art fair my beloved THese are the words of the Church wherein she returneth the praise of all her beauty to her beloved who is fairer then the Sons of Men from whom all her fairness is derived She dareth not to appear before him in her self therefore prayeth him to behold his own fairness as being the only cause of her acceptance in his sight which is a rule and pattern for every man to imitate yea pleasant Thou art not only fair but also pleasant in thy self in the enjoyment of me and pleasant to me in that thou speakest so kindly to me and acceptest of me Which words do shew us what manner of person Christ is and what his carriage is to us altogether pleasant and lovely So that as soon as ever we look upon him by faith Esa 62.2 and humble our selves before him he rejoyceth in us and over us as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Therefore when we are overwhelm'd with heaviness and sadness of heart this doth not come from Christ but from the Law and our evil conscience being not well purged and cleansed of unbelief for to those that are humbled before him Christ is pleasant Also our bed is green This is likely to be the joint speech of Christ and his Church rejoyceing together in the place of meeting for the bed is the place either in publick or private where Christ and his people meet together And by the greens of the bed is meant the fruitfulness that cometh by reason of the meeting of Christ and his Church Rom. 7. according to Saint Paul being married to Christ ye bring forth fruit unto God that is many Children unto glory The Gospel is the Doctrine that converts the Soul and the reason why so few are converted is because the Gospel is seldom Preached therefore the labours of the Ministry are not blest but men are smiten with barrenness become dead and withered Trees bringing forth no fruit at all unto God because they want the company of the Lord Jesus Christ in the bed therefore it being said our bed Agar the bondwoman is excluded from the priveledge of the bed as one who although she hath many Children before men yet she hath none at all before God and the reason is because she entertaineth not Christ in the bed she imbraceth the servant and forsaketh her Lord therefore that heavy judgment spoken of by the Prophet Esay follows in its time Esa 47.19 the loss of Children and Widdowhood shall come upon thee in one day in their perfection This is the heavy doom that will one day fall upon the bondwoman and all her Children her bed being too short and the covering too narrow to hide her from her sin and the wrath of God Almighty Learn we therefore that Doctrine which maketh the fruitful bed and sheweth the fruitful Mother that is so to understand the Law as it may further us to faith in Christ and so to understand the Gospel that it may further us in the duties of the Law This is a most rare and Heavenly Art which none can teach but the Holy Ghost let us therefore pray unto him without ceaseing to bestow this gift upon us who hath promised to bestow upon us all things that we shall aske which are according to his will Then shall the bed become fruitful then shall we rejoyce in the meeting place and say with the bride here our bed is also green VERSE XVII The beams of our house are Cedar and our rafters of Fir. NOw here is shewed the reason why the bed comes to be so fruitful and how the family of God comes to be so much enlarged it is by reason of the beams and rafters which are the strong supporters of all the building 1 Tim. 3.15 Where first note that by the house is meant the Church of God And by the beams and rafters the builders of the Church of God And the beams being of Cedar Isa 44.40 Isa 20. it signifies strength and also such timber that will not rot but is dureable and sweet Now the godly are often said to be Cedars and the chief in the Church are said to be pillars Also the house having rafters it sheweth it hath a covering or defence and they being of Fir which some think is another Tree call'd the Brutine Tree which is of pleasant smell signifieth purity of Doctrine Such beams and pillars that are well versed in pure Doctrine are always used in building the house of God in every age therefore the bed is always fruitful and the Church can never decay because the builders thereof are always lasting And as it is a house very sweet and pleasant for a man to live in So it is infinite in strength and for safety It is therefore a vain thing for any man to think to undermine the Church of God seeing it is a house built upon a Rock and although men
found which is yet to come then there is no object to be found for such a faith to rest upon By which one argument if thou manage it skilfully thou mayest easily send the former proposition to Satan from whence it came and sit down and rest thy self in peace and joy For one of these propositions must needs be granted that either our faith must be in a Christ that is come or else in a Christ that is to come if in a Christ that is come then Baptism is necessary which manifesteth the same Job 1.31 if in a Christ to come then is our faith and Religion ended ever since the days of John the Baptist Learn thou therefore to be very cunning in the right use of the figure that as Satan hath built up his Kingdom by bringing Baptism into contempt So thou mayest break his head and batter his Kingdom in pieces by teaching a right knowledg and understanding of the same then shalt thou be a right Souldier for thy beloved and also with the bride here shalt sit down under his shadow with great delight His fruit was pleasant to my tast That is the fruit of his shadow because the shadow representeth to us the benefits of Christs death and Resurrection which must needs be pleasant where the benefit is felt But where there is no faith to understand and receive the mystery in the shadow to them they are of no use at all but otherwise they are very pleasant for as much as they make the benefits of Christ which are represented to be as certain to faith as the figure representing is certain to sense and reason VERSE IV. He brought me to the banquetting-house HEre she sheweth the great provision that Christ made for her when once she grew to have a Sacramental faith he entertaineth her with a Banquet As Kings when they entertain their Queens do use to lead them into the Wine Cellar So doth the Lord Jesus Christ by his Queen he bringeth her into his banquetting house or house of Wine By the banquetting house understand the place where the Church of God do use to meet together whether in publick or in private for the hearing and receiving of the Gospel Pro. 9. Which is said to be wisdoms feast where the table is furnished with all manner of varieties and nothing is wanting for this life or the life to come there is comfort in all crosses deliverance in all distresses provision for all wants and necessities pardon for all sins healing for all iniquities there is nothing that the heart of man can possibly stand in need of but in this banquetting-house it is to be found And when she says hath brought me she meaneth not idle and prophane persons that scorn and contemn the word and Sacraments the banquet is not provided for such but I that feel my transgressions and am wearied with the burden of the same that am continually oppressed with heaviness and sadness of heart I that do highly esteem and prize the Heavenly banquet above all things under the sun 't is I for whom the delicates are provided But by whom is she thus brought She answereth my beloved hath brought me she did not come her self but he out of his tender pity and merciful compassion brought her Into this banquetting house he bringeth all those that earnestly and heartily desire the same and that prize the provision that there is made above all earthly things those he feedeth with rich and Heavenly dainties even with such things as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever entered into the heart of man to conceive but those that are scorners and contemners of the same he sendeth empty away and none of those shall ever tast of his supper And his banner over me was love The banner or standard signifies the Kings presence in the field and also it being a warlike sign signifieth fighting with joy and victory Psal 20 6. The use of the banner is when the Standard-bearer holds it up to draw the Souldiers to march to it that they may keep order and attend upon their Colours that the Battle be not disordered Now as the use of the Ensign is to draw Souldiers together that they may march accordingly So is Christ banner to draw all his Souldiers to himself that they may joyfully fight against the world the flesh and the Devil And as in all ages the Churches banners were the signs of Gods presence so have we also the signes of his presence in the Sacraments and by gathering to those Ensigns the love of God comes to be shed abroad in the heart by which we joyfully fight against all our Spiritual enemies Therefore those that come not to their Colours but forsake their Ensigns are blind and senseless and not only remain without the feeling of Gods love but also when they should set themselves in rank and order to fight against the temptations of Satan the wrath of God and Eternal death they lose their strength with Sampson and fall down before the enemy Therefore seeing our beloved hath placed us under his banner we must March to it and attend upon our Colours that so when the wrath of God and the fear of Eternal damnation begins to ceize upon us when the enemy comes in upon us like a flood we may through faith behold the spirit of the Lord to lift up a standard against him Then shall we feel by experience that within us which the bride here rejoyceth in his banner over us to be love VERSE V. Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love THe bride having been in the banquetting-house and there met with the fruit of her Apple tree which did so wonderfully comfort her in her afflictions desireth for more She speaketh to those that bear the flagons and carry the Apples to help her to some more those that often use the Wine Cellar and have the banquetting cheer in a readiness to them she says stay me for I am even ready to sink The bride is even overcome because she hath been in the Cellar Others have no mind to the banquetting-house because they never tasted of the Wine The Church is not satisfied with one banquet or one cup of Wine but she must have a flagon or two more stay me with flagons She findeth a continual need of the fruit of her Apple-tree therefore she must be continually comforted with Apples others that see not their need care not a rush for the Wine-cellar but seek for comfort in other things but she cryeth out stay me with flagons and comfort me with Apples Now she sheweth the reason why she desireth after the flagon so much it is because she is sick of love To be sick of love is to be restless till one hear good news from the Lover Now Christ is her Lover and she having heard from him before is even sick till she hear from her beloved again It is as if
Christ For all men naturally are of this opinion that God will justify those that keep the Law morally and reject the rest and to strengthen this opinion many Scriptures are alleaged with being not understood this opinion is increased Now until this wall be thrown down there is no entrance for Christ therefore when the bride says he standeth behind our wall she meaneth to throw down the wall Christ is as a lover that will come in although the opposition be ever so great the walls must go down and the house must be pulled in pieces and a new foundation laid So that a man would judge when Christ cometh that all were going to ruin even then when he is about to lay a new foundation This opposition Christ findeth more or less even in his own people while they are in this world and therefore he standeth behind the wall and the first thing he doth by his Ministry is to throw down the wall that is those imaginations in man that are the roots and grounds of unbelief He doth not as some other builders do prop up the old foundation or piece up the old wall but maketh all things new And this was prophecied of him in Num. Num. 24. 24. he shall smite the corners of Moab and cast down the walls of all the sons of Seth. Looking forth at the windows shewing himself through the Lattice These words do expound the former and shew the reason why the imaginations in man must be thrown down it is that light may be in the Soul For the windows and lattices are instruments to convey light into the house and when there is any obstruction between the light and the window it must be took away otherwise the house will be dark Now Christ is our light and the understanding is the window of the Soul and the first light that Christ bringeth is by teaching a right understanding of the Law and by throwing down mans natural opinion of the Law by discovering of our original and actual sin by which we sencibly feel that we are lost this is the first light and a matter of great weight because it teacheth man a true knowledg of himself therefore it behoveth all people rightly to study the same otherwise the windows will remain shut and nothing but darkness will appear in the house VERSE X. My beloved spake and said unto me rise up my love my fair one and come away AFter the windows are opened by a right understanding of the Law she saith my beloved spake that is of the promises of the Gospel saying come away by which she meaneth to receive his own righteousness and merits Nothing is here placed between the revealing of sin and giving of righteousness but only faith in Christ And when 't is said rise up it sheweth that the Law casteth all men down and that Christ is not delighted to see us too long in sorrow and heaviness And seeing he saith my love it sheweth he owneth us in our sorrows and setteth his heart upon us And in that he says my fair one he taketh from us the guilt of all our sins and imputeth to us his own righteousness and merits These are the true foot-steps of faith and are written on purpose that we might upon the true sight and confession of our sin after the same manner apply unto our selves the comfortable words in the Gospel VERSE XI For lo the winter is past the rain is over HEre it is shown that so long as the Conscience is under the Law the feeling of Sin and the wrath of God it is as the time of winter wherein flowers and fruits do seem to be consumed by reason of Storms and Tempests and frosty nights And as in the time of rainy weather when little benefit of the Sun appears for it is for the present as if there were no Christ or Saviour when all former experiences of Gods love and favour are forgotten and lost Which condition no man can speak effectually of unless he have in some measure found it in himself But as soon as the Conscience is humbled confesseth sin and lifteth up through faith his eyes and heart to the voice of his Redeemer the winter is past and the rain is over All fears and doubts do then begin to vanish away According to the saying of the Prophet Isa 35.10 they shall hear of joy and gladness and sorrow and mourning shall flee away So that the Gospel putteth an end to the Law in respect of the Conscience that Christ alone may there rule and govern I say in respect of the Conscience not in respect of the conversation but in removing the guilt of sin and filling of it with peace and joy for in saying the winter is past it sheweth us also that Summer is come All a mans life may be said to be winter in respect of the flesh and the manifold sins vexations cares and dayly calamities it is subject to in this mortal life but in respect of the Conscience it is sometimes winter and sometimes Summer Therefore no man must be too much cast down with discouragement when he feeleth his sin and the wrath of God as though the winter would never be past nor yet be too much overcome with rejoicing when the Gospel shineth within him as though the rain would never come again VERSE XII The flowers appear on the earth THese are tokens of the spring which causeth all people to rejoice when they behold the buds and blossomes of the herbs trees and flowers when there is as it were a new face upon the Earth when all things appear like a new Creation which maketh all Creatures to rejoice and sing Which sheweth the proper effects of the Gospel which is tidings of greater joy and gladness to all those that by faith receive it And therefore whatsoever Doctrine it be that by the nature of its principles maketh the heart of man sad and cannot truly comfort it again but leaveth it in sadness is not the Doctrine of the Gospel By this then we may know when the Gospel is taught Deu. 18. when a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord that is that says the Doctrine which he delivereth is the Gospel yet if the principles of his Doctrine do not nor cannot produce that effect which the Gospel worketh which is righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost the Prophet speaketh presumptuously his Doctrine is not the Doctrine of the Gospel The time of the singing of Birds is come Another mark that the spring is come Now as the pleasantness of the spring is seen by the cheerfulness of the Birds in their pleasant notes so the joyful and pleasant news of the Gospel is seen and manifested in the voices and harmonies of men Who even as Birds in time of spring So in their nests do sit and sing Now in that it is here said the time of the singing of Birds is come we must note that a Christian man
Law Gal. 4.5 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 2.14 Hos 13.14 Joh. 3.16 Satan sin and death which victory is given to thee as soon as thou believest And it is further added here the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him by which is meant the Church And by Crowning him the right preaching of the Gospel and also receiving of the same Gal. 4.26 For even as Batsheba the Mother of Solomon became instrumental for the setting of King Solomon on his Regal Throne 1 Kings So doth the Church which is the Mother of us all become instrumental in the Crowning of Christ by the Preaching of the Gospel Now Christ is Crowned by his Mother when she so interpreteth the Law that she taketh away all glory from man and attributeth the praise of her Salvation to Christ alone In the Crowning of Christ she afflicteth her Children with the feeling of sin by the Law and comforteth them again with the Crown and victory of the Lord Jesus Christ without the Law The Mother of Harlots Rev. 18. Crowneth Christ in words calling him her Lord King and Law-giver but by her practice she denyeth him For she so interpreteth all those Scriptures that are branches of the Law that she draweth the Law into the Doctrine of justification Thus she taketh off the Crown from Christs head Heb. 2. who is Crowned with Glory and Honour and putteth upon his head a Crown of Thornes There is a two fold Crowning of Christ in Scripture by his Father and by his Mother The first was at his Resurrection 2 Acts 36. when he was declared to be Lord and Christ that was by his Father the second when the benefits of his death and Resurrection are infused into the Consciences of men by the Preaching of the Gospel this is done by his Mother Therefore we are not only to behold him Crowned by the Father although that we must do first but also to learn the true way of Crowning him as the Mother that he alone may reign in the heart and Conscience This is the day of the gladness of Christs heart it being the day of his espousals when he marrieth us unto himself in an everlasting Covenant and rejoyceth in us and over us as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Now when we have learn'd by faith to be separated from the Law and to go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown then must we come into the practice of the Law which is to go forth and behold him in his afflicted members to help those that are in misery Tit. 3.8 to comfort all that are in distress Thus all that have believed in God must be careful to maintain good works which are good and profitable unto men So that although the Gospel divorceth us from the Law in the matter of justification yet it joyneth us to the matter of Sanctification and causeth us to do that freely for others according to our power which our Lord Jesus Christ out of his abundant kindness hath freely done for us For who can choose but shew kindness joyfully to his brother that hath apprehended by faith the love of Christ towards himself All works before the Gospel is received are naught because they are not directed towards men but drawn into the judgment seat to make us righteous but faith separateth works from the judgment seat and directeth them towards our neighbour and so it makes our works good works This wisdom the world understandeth not therefore it is Condemned for despising the Gospel which it will not be subject to Let us learn therefore to lay aside our works when we come before God that we may be justified by faith and live in the practice of all good works before men that we may want no qualification which the Gospel requires CHAP. IV. VERSE I. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast doves eyes within thy locks thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Mount Gilead CHRIST having in the former verse directed the Church how to receive his righteousness by faith alone here he commendeth her for her fairness and calleth her to behold it and doubles it again that she may believe it In which commendation he setteth her forth by the parts and features of the body by which are meant the Spiritual beauty of the Church First he commendeth her eyes which are the instruments of sight whereby she beholdeth her beloved and compareth them to the eyes of doves in regard she continually respecteth her mate as the dove Which sheweth that when she is disowned and forsaken of the Law yet then she looketh up by faith unto her Redeemer In regard therefore that she spieth out by faith the comforts of her beloved in a sad condition she is pronounced to be fair and called to behold it And after the same manner it is also with us as soon as we humble our selves for our wretchedness and do behold his righteousness to be given unto us it is pronounced in Heaven thou art fair my love thou art fair Therefore this being the decree that is pronounc'd in Heaven we must learn by faith to behold and receive it into the Conscience The next thing commended is her hair which seemeth to mean the whole company of believers as may be gathered from the similitude of the Prophets hair Ezek. 5.1 12. which signified the dividing of the people of Israel and also in regard of the Original from whence the hair proceedeth which is the head having its nourishment from the moisture and strength of the head And also it being likened to a flock it doubtless meaneth the flock of Christ These hairs are likened to the Goats that appear from Mount Gilead which was a Mountain beyond Jordan Num. 32 39. where the tribe of Manasseh dwelt Which Mountain being excellent for feeding those that dwelt there had many Goats and also there were Trees of price and estimation for the Goats to breuse on and to rub themselves against therefore the Goats were of good liking and also smooth Now the hairs being likened to a flock of these Goats it sheweth that they have rich seeding in green pastures because they all hang upon their head the Lord Jesus Christ VERSE II. Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn which came up from the washing whereof every one bear twins and none is barren among them THe teeth are the instruments of the stomach whereby the meat is fitted for disgesture by which are signified the Ministers of the word and breakers of the bread of life whose office is so to chew the Spiritual meat that it may be digested and become nourishment to the Soul These are said to be like a flock of sheep Esa 40.9 because they receive their nourishment from Christ of whom it is said he shall feed his flock like a shepherd And to go up from the washing being made white in the blood of the
understanding The other is the Mountain of dispair which standeth in a false opinion of the Gospel For even as before a man is humbled he presumeth upon his own wisdom and power thinking thereby to accomplish whatsoever he imagineth and to climb up into the presence of God So after a man is humbled he thinketh his sins to be so many and foul and his afflictions so many and great that he cannot tell how to depend upon God for mercy and deliverance Now Christ delivereth us from these two Mountains by getting into two other Mountains The one is the Mountain of Myrrhe when he destroyeth in us our false opinion of the Law the other is the hill of Frankincense when he teacheth us rightly to define the Gospel These are sweet and pleasant hills because of the sweet and heavenly Poseys that are given unto us in these deliverances and this is the proper work and office of the Gospel and the foundation of love and all good works to men And this is that which Christ here promiseth and will perform even till the day break and the shadows flee away From whence also note That the day will break the joyful morning of the Resurrection will come when all shadows sins crosses and calamities shall totally flee away and everlasting joy shall come and in the mean time Christ is with us in his sweet and pleasant Mountains which Mountains must cause us to rejoyce and sing In these Mountains the nature of God is seen and his hearty love and affection towards poor sinners Therefore seeing Christ our Bridegroom dwelleth in these sweet and pleasant hills it ought to be our constant prayer that he will grant us this gift that we may continually hear his word and submit unto it that we may receive the benefit and comfort of the same VERSE VII Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee These words are foolishness to reason which concludeth when it seeth the godly in great misery and affliction in reproach and contempt of the world that they are the fowlest of all people and those that are in prosperity and favour with the world to be the only people that are beloved of God For it beholdeth nothing but the out side it understandeth nothing of the Churches glory But Christ here pronounceth the Church to be fair and without spot even then when she is oppressed with shadows sins sorrows and calamities for as soon as she humbleth her self and by faith layeth hold upon his merits then is it pronounced in Heaven thou art all fair my love and their is no spot in thee Therefore faith is the only righteousness of a Christian man and the highest service and worship that can be given to God forasmuch as it attributeth truth and faithfulness to him Therefore God faith in answer to faith because thou judgest me faithful and countest me not for a Lyar but to be true and just therefore will I stick unto thee and forgive thee all thy sins behold thou art all fair and there is no spot in thee Mark then and behold that when ever thou feelest the Myrrhe to drop into thy understanding causing thee to give unto God the glory of his truth either when he destroyeth thy natural opinion and principles concerning righteousness by the Law or when he teacheth thee to scent the perfume of the heavenly Frankincense given thee without the Law then know thou for certain that the day and hour is come that thy inward man is made beautiful with the glory of God For then is it pronounc'd in Heaven thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee These things it behoveth us to know that we may be certain what true Christian righteousness is and when we have it and this benefit we learn to receive when Christ getteth into the Mountain of Myrrhe and the hill of Frankincense In the Doctrine therefore that droppeth from these two Mountains must we rejoyce and sing thereon must be the Scituation of our faith and the rise of all our comfort Then shall we become beautiful for Scituation and the joy of the whole Earth forasmuch as where the Gospel is received the hearts of all men are fill'd with joy and gladness VERSE VIII Come with me from Lebanon my spouse with me from Lebanon look from the top of Amano from the top of Shenir and Hermon CHrist having pronounc'd his Church to be fair calleth her from those people whose Doctrine and Society causeth defilement Therefore he calleth her from Lebanon Amana Shenir and Hermon Lebanon was a Forrest wherein dwelt the Cananites Hittites Jud. 3.3 5. Amorites Perizites and Jebusites Which people were left to prove Israel to know whither they would hearken to the Commandment of the Lord which he Commanded their fathers 2 King 1 9. Which Forrest also was haunted of wild beasts Now both the Nations that were left there and also the wild beasts that did haunt there do signifie false Prophets as is frequently to be seen in Scripture Amana was a Mountain in the Land of Syria from whence Naaman the Assyrian came to the Prophet to be cured of his Leprosie 2 King 18. which was also a place of Idolatry Shenir and Hermon was a Mountain possessed of old by Og King of Bashan where also the Amorites dwelt which was taken away from the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og Deut. 3. by the Children of Israel as Moses sheweth All those were places of Idolatry wherein lived such people whose principles were against the Gospel Therefore the holy Ghost in the last clause of this Verse calleth them Dens of Lions and Mountains of Leopards in regard of their great enmity to the faith of Christ And as it was said before it is usual with the Holy Ghost to set forth those that are enemies to the Gospel under the Title of Lions and wild beasts and many other strange kind of Creatures Psal 57. David complaineth his Soul was among Lions And when the Lord threatned to punish the Nations for their Idolatry Esa 34. by giving them up to the Sword and also to their own imaginations he calleth the people that after should inhabit there by a borrowed speech an habitation of Dragons And further saith that the Cormorant which is a foul flying over the Sea and the bittern shall possess it that the Owl and the Raven shall dwell in it Ver. 11. that it shall be an habitation of Dragons and a Court for Owles By these and such other similatudes the Holy Ghost often setteth forth Idoliters which also sheweth us how little they are esteemed in the sight of God and also as it follows in the Chapter how their meetings are looked upon Esa 34.14 and to what they are likened The wild beasts of the desert shall meet with the wild beasts of the Island they shall come out of one Country to another to hold up their meetings
Christ further amplifies his answer to the faith and request of his Church and says I have gathered that is I have reaped the fruits for which I came down from Heaven for which was to draw a people to believe in me that they might be saved From whence we may see that as soon as we are willing that Christ should ease us of all our sins and miseries and make a gratious supply of all our wants then do we prepare a dish of pleasant fruits for Christ this is that which he here calleth his Myrrhe and his Spice his Wine and his Milk because as those things are sweet and do much refresh the senses of men So also is it sweet to Christ to take away from us our sins and burthens cares crosses and calamities Moreover when Christ also saith here that he hath eaten his honey comb with his honey it must well be noted for he eateth his honey comb with his own honey The comb is the House of the Bee which holdeth the honey which honey although it be sweet for the Bee to feed on yet the comb is respected of the Bee first before the honey for the Bee by a natural instinct delighteth in the comb having no other house nor resting place to rejoyce it self in and set its heart upon but only the comb which although it hath no sweetness in it of it self before it be sweetned by the labour of the Bee yet for the natural pleasure he taketh in it more then in all things in the World besides he maketh it his habitation and place of abode so that there is an Antecedent natural instinct in the Bee First to the comb and then to feed upon the honey in the comb Now understand by the comb the person that holdeth and carryeth the honey and by the honey the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that sweetneth the comb and by eating his honey comb with his own honey his joyning himself to our sinful person because he loved us before it was sweetned with any honey of ours Christ then loveth the person First before the work or new quality of the person First he chuseth an habitation to dwell in before he sweetneth the comb with his hony-comb and this is our poor distressed person which he setteth his heart upon from all Eternity as the only object of his joy and delight and therefore we are said to love him because he loved us first and this is called his first love Rev. 2.4 which was the love of Christ first to the person of the Church of Ephesus before her works which apprehension in the falling state of that Church came at last to be lost This is his Antecedent love and when it is said in the sixteenth of John the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me as though the Father had first respect to the honey and then to the comb it meaneth his consequent love for as soon as we receive our first love which is to believe that he loveth our sinful person then doth he love our obedience with a consequent love and maketh promises accordingly to those that love him fear him obey him and keep his Commandments It follows therefore that all those that are imployed in the garden of the Lord about the making and sweetning of honey combs must endeavour to imitate the Bee first in making of the comb next in gathering of honey and conveying it into the comb If the comb be not first respected there can be no honey then must the Bees die for want of food Nor is there any other way to make persons holy first but by teaching us to believe that Christ loveth us from all Eternity Where this perswasion is grounded honey dews will fall for why should the Bee labour to make the comb if it were not his purpose to fill it with honey Why should the Lord Jesus Christ marry our sinful person to himself if it were not to sweeten and perfume it with an Odour fit for himself And as the comb must first be made so must we see that it be well stored with honey which must be gathered with the Bee out of every flower and where ever the honey dew falls the Bees will find it out mark we then where the cowslips the flowers and the honey suckles grow for those are the places where the Bees find honey and if any dew fall there we shall find it and when such dews come the Bees will lade themselves and when they have their lading they carry it to their combs if the Bees should gather ever so much honey and had not the Art to carry it into the combs what profit should the owner of the Bees receive If the Ministers of the Gospel should have their full lading of honey and had not the Art to convey it into the Consciences of men to make persons holy who were the better for it Some there are that cannot endure the tast of the hony such can never sweeten the comb but are like wasps that rob the Bees and make honey scarce Therefore let all those that are labourers for God endeavour so to be fill'd with the knowledg of the Gospel that they may be able to set down the true way to attain to the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and all grounds of encouragment to receive it according to Christ in the next words Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly my well beloved To eat in Divinity is to be joyned to the Gospel by faith Joh. 6.54 and whosoever eateth hath Everlasting life Now the Gospel that we may learn rightly to eat teacheth us three principal points Mat. 11.27 First Mat. 5.22 Rom. 3.10 11 12. Rom. 3.21 22. it teacheth the true understanding of the Law which revealeth sin to the Conscience whereby all men are convicted and that mans natural opinion that obedience to the Law is the condition of the promises may be destroyed and requireth our faith in this point and also giveth and worketh in us the same Secondly the Gospel teacheth us that the righteousness of Christ is freely given to them only Rom. 4.2 3. where that opinion of righteousness is destroyed and also requireth our faith in this point and worketh in us the same Thirdly it requireth us to perform all good works towards men without any dependance upon them Phil. 3.3 8 9. Phil. 3.4 and causeth us to perform the same with joy and gladness These are the principal things taught in the the Gospel and the principal Doctrines contained in both Sacraments And where these three points are taught there the Sacraments or the Gospel are rightly taught Therefore when Christ says eat he requireth that the Gospel be made known that we may be joyned unto him in these three points Eat O friends Some think that open gross sinners are not invited to eat let such consider of the first point before named and shew how they shall be convicted and
the ground of faith be ever so well opened which is the first gate if the terms of the Law be not also opened and the signification made known no man can enter for the Law will be a stumbling block to his faith and keep him out But admit this gate be also opened if the third be shut the reason why Sacraments were instituted no man can pass into the City For if the Sacraments belong not to me before I am worthy then is the ground of my faith which is the first gate shut again then also is the first Commandment and the sense of the whole Law which is the second gate also shut Nay then are all the gates kept fast lock'd up that no passenger can pass into the holy City new Jerusalem for evermore but must remain without and suffer the loss of Eternal life and happiness Consider of these things with wisdom and see whether his mouth be not most sweet and whether he be not altogether lovely as the bride here singeth And when she saith this is my beloved and my friend she sheweth the Daughters what the true Preaching of the Gospel is and that where this order and method is not observed Christ is very little known or regarded Therefore she saith he that thus Preacheth the Gospel is my friend This is the beautiful person that bringeth the glad tidings of peace and good things This is the interpreter one of a thousand O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and the chiefest of ten thousand unto me for although I had ten thousand instructers yet this is the Doctrine which begetteth and preserveth me in Christ and in this Doctrine will I rejoyce CHAP. VI. VERSE I. Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved turned aside That we may seek him with thee AFTER the Bride had set forth the praises of her beloved in the former Chapter and the benefits that she receiveth from him through faith alone the Daughters in stead of receiving of him make this enquiry whether is thy beloved gone When the Kingdom of Heaven is brought near even to the very dores as it is wheresoever Christ is truly Preached yet the Daughters know not how to fasten upon him by faith alone but imagine to find him some other way In stead of embracing the true Christ which is present to faith they seek after an imaginary Christ which is to be found as they conceive in the works of the Law So great an enemy is carnal reason to faith that it cannot endure to receive any thing from God but still dreameth to bring something to him first thinking thereby to procure acceptance with him So that this question whether is thy beloved gone Sheweth their ignorance in the faith and knowledg of the Son of God And this is the misery of all men until God openeth the eyes of their understanding that when Christ is preached and nothing is wanting but only faith to receive him then to dream of a Christ that we think may be found in the Law Which is no better then to forsake that Doctrine and Religion which bindeth us to Christ that is come and to cast our selves under the prophecy of a Christ to come which Christ is no where to be found We must therefore believe that where the true Gospel is preached Christ is not gone but come there he is present and no where else to be found which must also quicken our understandings to seek him in the Gospel and stop our imaginations from seeking after him in the works of the Law Note also here that the daughters give the Bride the Title of the fairest among women and yet affirm that she is too seeking of her beloved which is a plain contradiction For if she be the fairest then it is because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to her whereby she is made fair but if she be yet too seeking of her beloved then she remaineth without the righteousness of Christ imputed and abideth in her filthiness under the Law and condemnation Therefore the Daughters when they call her the fairest amongst women affirm nothing less then that she is made so by faith alone the principal cause thereof to be her own rightousness the works of the Law It is agreed between them that it is the righteousness of Christ alone that maketh righteous persons in the sight of God but the difference lieth in this whether it be the righteousness of Christ inherent in himself and imputed to faith or the righteousness of Christ communicated whereby good works are wrought to become righteousness before God The Bride saith it is by his righteousness imputed and therefore in drawing the benefits of Christ into the Conscience she teacheth faith alone The Daughters say it is by his righteousness communicated therefore in teaching the Gospel they always reprove an idle faith and require a working faith The Daughters do not deny the righteousness of faith according as they define faith which is to believe the History of Christs sufferings and that there is an all sufficiency in them to satisfy Divine Justice if they make them their own but say they thou art yet wanting in this until thou findest some thing inherent in thy self which must evidence thy faith to be true Therefore thou must further seek after thy beloved to have an evidence from thy works to witness thy faith So that all they do upon the matter is but this to give her a name to live but by their principles they judg her to be dead For they tell her that she is not compleatly justified because the righteousness of Christ is but begun in her She wanteth the righteousness of the Law to make it perfect For whether is thy beloved gone say they Whether is thy beloved turn'd aside that we may seek him with thee Thou hast lost thy beloved by thy faith if thou definest faith after no other manner Therefore leave off thy strange definition of faith that we may seek him with thee and let us be unanimous in matters of love and good works and let such niceties alone in matters of faith So that the Daughters in this place do not only take away from the Bride the white raiment the pure righteousness of Christ whereby she is cloathed from the wrath of God and leave her in her own filthiness as in the day of her Nativity but also they take away from Christ his name his office and glory making of Christ in stead of a Justifier and Saviour nothing but a Minister of sin and condemnation According to St. Paul in his allegations against the false Apostles If while we seek to be made righteous by Christ we our selves are yet found sinners that is have need of the righteousness of the Law to evidence or perfect our faith without which evidence we remain yet sinners and unjustified then Christ is nothing to us but a Minister of sin for then have we no more by Christ then
first teacheth us to be displeased with our selves and so maketh us a people for his glory This is the way of the Lord and thus he feedeth his Lillies and they that well tast hereof are nourished up in peace and comfort With this one argument thou mayest drive the Divel and all his instruments into Hell from whence they came For those words I am thine and thou art mine are not thy words but the words of God thy Heavenly Father who owneth thee and hath given himself unto thee Rest thou therefore in this conclusion and if any quarrel thereat send them to thy Heavenly Father that made the promise and bid them aske him why he look'd upon so vile a person as thou art and why he made the way to life so easy as to believe and live Then shalt thou also find his word to become an hiding place in all storms and a Sanctuary in the day of heat VERSE IV. Thou art beautiful my Love as Tirza comely as Jerusalem terrible as an Army with Banners THese are the words of Christ who beholding the faith of his spouse can no longer hold but breaketh out into this commendation of her thou art beautiful my love And the cause is in regard she sticketh to the true principles of faith whereby she is imputed fair Therefore he telleth her thou art the Royal Diadem thou bearest the renown Which sheweth us clearly wherein the praise of the Church consisteth even in believing and contending for that faith which was once given to the Saints First he likeneth her beauty to Tirza a City where the Kings of Israel did reign and keep their Courts The King was present there which made the City beautiful And that which makes the Church so beautiful in Christs eye is because she liveth in the Kings Court she holdeth Christ by the hand of faith alone Others contend for works first to all those Christ is absent All such do want the beauty of Tirza and may rightly be called Ichabod because from them the glory is departed Next she is commended for her comeliness comely as Jerusalem Jerusalem was comely in regard God himself chose to dwell in it In which City the Temple was built wherein the Ark was kept and also the golden Pot that had Manna which was to shew the wonderful works of God to posterity And Aarons rod that budded which was kept to still the murmerings of the people against the Magistracy and Ministry And the two Tables of the Covenants For these things Jerusalem is said to be comely And also by the Psalmist Psal 48.2 to be fair in Scituation the joy of the whole Earth In these things likewise the praise of this Heavenly City the New Jerusalem consisteth In that she alone liveth in the sight of peace in the sight of the Temple and the Ark hath the right use of her Baptism the true knowledg of the Tables feedeth upon the hid Manna in the Golden Pot and hath the true understanding of Aarons Rod that budded herein lyeth her happiness beauty and glory in that she conformeth in all these things Therefore she is said to be comely and the joy of the whole Earth in that she receiveth and teacheth the free grace of her Redeemer and cheerfully obeyeth him in all things And in that she is Terrible as an Army with Banners it meaneth against all those that are adversaries to her Faith and Doctrine And so Terrible that by this one argument I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine all her adversaries are confounded and driven down to Hell This argument therefore is the Banner of the Church and also a matter of commendation with this Banner must we defend our selves and under it must we rejoyce VERSE V. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me thine hair is like a flock of Goats that appear from Gillead IT is as if Christ had said this thou art so beautiful and comely in my sight and so Terrible to all mine adversaries in regard of thy faith and Doctrine that thou hast even overcome me which sheweth us wherein the delight of Christ chiefly lyeth namely in this when the word of God is so understood and stuck unto by faith that by it the Kingdom of Satan may be broken in pieces Now in that Christ says turn away thine eyes from me he meaneth not to another lover but explaineth his meaning in the next words thine hair is like a flock of Goats by which he meaneth the faithful who are likened to hair because even as hair groweth from and hangeth on the head so do they all hang upon their head the Lord Jesus Christ Therefore Christ saith turn about thine eyes to them and Preach the Gospel to them that they also may be strong in the Lord. See Song 4. 2. As also for the Churches Teeth and Temples VERSE VIII There are threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines and Virgins without number BY Queens I understand all those that make separation from the worship of God in Church assemblies These are said to be threescore which is an indefinite speech meaning there are multitudes of them And they are all Queens that is in their own conceit and imaginations they all think themselves so to be The opinion of them all is set down in Esai 47. I am and none else And in Rev. 18. I sit a Queen and am no widow The meaning I conceive is this I am the only Bride or Queen of Christ and there is none else but only those of my way and this is the opinion of every Sect. And their opinion is not only set down but also the reason of it I am no widow Now to be a widow cannot be until the Husband be dead Rom. 7. but when the Husband is dead the woman is a widow And she that calleth her self a Queen They that glory in the Law are condemned by the Law is the Church in her own esteem and her Husband is the Law And in that she glorieth in her married condition it sheweth she is not dead to the Law but under the dominion and power of the Law So that I am no widow is as much as to say I am not divorced from nor dead in respect of the Law but I dilligently follow the works of the Law therefore am I the true spouse or Queen of Christ The sum is she boasteth in the righteousness of the Law because as she supposeth she walketh according to the Law which is the opinion of every Sect. The Concubines are those that do not make a local separation from the Church but live in visible communion with her yet have no part nor share in the inheritance of God For Concubines it seemeth were such as were taken into the Family as appears by Hagar Abrahams Concubine and also by Solomons Concubines yet bare no rule in the Family as Wifes neither did their Children pertake of the inheritance as is to be seen by the
obtain Christs love it would utterly be contemned that is of Christ Now by substance of the House he meaneth all works done in the flesh none of all which can procure the love of God to a Soul but are all utterly contemned and despised the assurance there of being attained unto by faith alone These words therefore must utterly confound all opinion of works within us and destroy all confidence in the flesh and it being the Gospel it must teach us also so to expound all those Texts of Scripture that seem to attribute something to works in attaining to the love of Christ that the sense may be agreeable to what is here writen VERSE VIII We have a little Sister and she hath 〈◊〉 breasts What shall we do for our Sister in the day when she shall be spoken for THese are the words of the Church wherein she bemoaneth her little Sister when the day comes that she is even ready for marriage what shall we do for her in the day when she shall be spoken for We are not to understand by the little Sister only the Gentiles as the most do which then when Solomon wrote this Book were without the word for then how shall it be understood now seeing the Gentiles are called Therefore seeing this bemoaning of the little Sister is the voice of the Church in all ages such a sense must be found as will agree to all times Understand then by the little Sister all those that are unlearned in the Doctrine of the Gospel whither they be Jews or Gentiles within the Pale of the Church or without all that belong to the Election of grace and are yet uncall'd All these are comprehended under the Title of the little Sister which first or last shall be spoken for Little she is not in number but in regard of knowledg of the way to Life and Salvation A Sister she is yet not of whole blood she is Sister by the Father but not by the Mother For as Abraham had two Sons which were brethren by the Father but not by the Mother So hath God Almighty two sorts of people in the world and but two which are brethren by generation but not by regenertion They are brethern by the Father as proceeding all from Adam but not brethren by the Mother being not yet new born in the Church And therefore she says she hath yet no breasts that is she hath not breasts of the true Mother being not yet born This little Sister she bewaileth and bemoaneth not so much for the time present as she doth in thinking on the day when she shall be spoken for What shall we do for our little Sister in that day Which bemoaning is always among the Godly in the Church and will be to the end of the world What shall I do for my Husband my Wife my Son my Daughter my Friend But what is meant here by the day when she shall be spoken for Quest I answer Ans the spouseman is the Lord Jesus Christ himself and the day when the little Sister is spoken for is when she feeleth her condemnation by the Law They and all they that feel their condemnation by the Law they and all they are spoken for by the Lord Jesus Christ Now she bemoaneth her little Sister in this condition what shall we do for her that she may be married to Christ And in that she doth so bewail her and make it her principal care to help her it giveth us to understand this That the principal care of the true Church of God for her little Sister is that as soon as she perceiveth her to be spoken for or condemned by the Law to make dilligent enquiry how to give her in marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ And the Reason is first because to Solemnize the Marriage between Christ and the Soul is a work of the greatest difficulty that ever was therefore the Church may well say what shall we do for our little Sister in that day And also it is the most destructive to Satans Kingdom of all things and therefore the marriage is most strongly opposed by the Devil and his Angels But chiefly because unless the Soul be married to Christ the compound between the Conscience and the Law can never be dissolved or untied but the same bargain or Covenant that was made with man at first remains in force which bindeth all men to the penalty which is to endure the wrath of God for ever This informeth us that there are but a very few that pertain to the true Church of God because there are so few that make it their principal care to comfort their little Sister in the day of her distress When she is afflicted with her sin and feeleth her condemnation by the Law and is much broken and distressed by reason of great tribulations and by these things is spoken for by the Lord Jesus Christ that she might be matched to himself instead of making it the principal care to give her in Marriage to the Son of God by faith alone they endeavour with great earnestness to present her to Christ by the works of the Law Instead of dissolving the compound and making void the Covenant that was made with man at first and matching the Soul to Christ in an Everlasting Covenant that the guilt of her sin might be removed and that she might be justified in the sight of God they endeavour in the first place as the only thing needful to Solemnize the contract between her Conscience and the Law Which is according to St. Rom. 7. Pauls Allegory but to present her an Adultress before God for which sin seeing she is separated thereby from the true God she is bound in captivity under the guilt of sin and is in bondage to Satan and the wrath of God for evermore All people therefore must learn from hence to imitate the true Church of God which is to lay down the true grounds of consolation for their little Sister to rest on in the day of her distress that as soon as she is spoken for and feeleth her condemnation by the Law and that she hath no breasts of her own to nourish her in her misery then to become instrumental to marry her to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone Now that the match may be made and that she may be wedded to the Son of God she must acknowledg her death by the Law and aske forgiveness for her sins with a believing heart Rom. 7. then is she free according to St. Paul from her first Husband the Law being dead unto it through faith in the Son of God For in that she feeleth and confesseth her death by the Law the Law is also become dead having lost its power and dominion Then may are assure her that the compound made with man at first is dissolved between the Conscience and the Law and may also Solemnize the contract between Christ and the Soul This is the duty we
watchers that do continually watch to see the people of God in misery and to declare the same in in the streets of the City with great rejoycing These are Satans watchmen Isa 21. who in managing the affairs of his Kingdom doth imitate our Lord Jesus Christ for even as when judgments were threatned against the enemies of Gods Church it was in a vision declared unto the Prophet under the similitude of a watchman standing whole days and nights on the watch Tower to descry the coming in of the enemy upon those that had afflicted the people of God Ver. 6. and to declare what he saw for the comfort of the Godly So Satan by way of imitation hath also watchmen that stand continually upon their watch on purpose to espie the calamities that are coming upon the people of God and to declare it in the streets of the City and in the broad ways where men usually meet together with great rejoycing for the discomfort of the Godly These are the watchmen here spoken of which Satan hath in every corner these are like the spies that were sent into the Land of Canaan Num. 13.22 that brought an evil report upon the Land that sit in the lurking places of the villages to murther the inocent Psal 10.8.9 that lie in wait secretly as a Lion in his Den to catch the poor of such David complains of when he says they watch for my halting and of those that gathered themselves together Psal 35. and rejoyced in his adversity and in another Psalm they take councel together they whisper and devise my hurt These are the watchmen that Satan sendeth into the streets to declare what they see to the discomfort of the Bride and to cast her as much as in them lies into everlasting reproach This breedeth a wonderful temptation in the godly and is the greatest tryal of faith that may be when in stead of shewing pity and compassion the enemy shall laugh and cry aha this is the day that we looked for lo we have seen it These be the watchmen that found the poor Church in this condition which in stead of ministring any comfort to her in her distress did add affliction to the afflicted These watchmen must we expect to meet with who in stead of comforting will use all means to hinder us from help and succour by casting us into reproach and covering us with contempt yet we must not be one jot dismayed but pray with David Lord rescue my Soul from their destructions For although they hold a Councel together whisper and make bold to propose the time of our downfal and utter ruin yet shall the promise of God prevent them all for it was but a little that the Bride passed from these but she found him whom her Soul loved But mark here what she said to these watchmen To whom I said saw ye him whom my Soul loveth It 〈◊〉 not said here that the watchmen said any thing to the Bride yet in Song 5.7 'T is said they smote her and wounded her that is behind her back with reproachful words and disgraceful terms This shews what manner of people the watchmen here spoken of were such as could belch out with their mouths and had swords in their lips to slay the upright in heart but this their mischief was not open but privily and secretly done But what doth the Bride say to these watchmen To whom she said saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Which is not to be understood so much of any private conference as by her speaking to them in the Ministery when she came into the sanctuary of God For the watchmen reproach the Church because of her sins and afflictions and will scarcely afford her the title of bride because of her stains and blemishes therefore the bride telleth them here they sin against the Gospel and she dealeth very plainly ye never saw him whom my Soul loveth The Gospel breedeth in men pity and compassion a willingness to think the best to speak the best of all men to cover and hide transgressions to help those that are in distress and misery these things the watchmen never learn'd and being in prosperity themselves they speak loftily and their tongues walk through the earth Therefore she telleth them this Ye have no knowledg of Christ ye never saw him whom my Soul loveth So that although these watchmen of Satan are high and lofty in their own eyes and having more then heart can wish do Lord it outwardly over the bride yet in the sanctuary of God she declareth their end she casteth them down into desolation and utter destruction After the same manner must we also learn to overcome the watchmen even by making a right application of the word of God against them before which they cannot stand and also by comforting our selves through faith in Christ against what they published of us in the streets then although they may seem to carry it over us outwardly before men yet shall we inwardly reign over them through faith in Christ who must reign in his members till he hath put all his enemies under his feet VERSE IV. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my Soul loveth THis passing from the watchmen is the overcoming of that temptation which the bride fell into by reason of their smitings with the tongue in respect of her name and reputation This seemeth to be the last temptation in her sad condition which fell upon her immediately before deliverance came for it was but a little time after she passed from them but she found him whom her Soul loved She was not dismayed at that bitter and heavy cross but still continued seeking for help and deliverance and at length she found him whom her Soul loved that is she found him createing help and deliverance by such ways and means as she never thought on nor expected And thus shall it assuredly come to pass for all those that put their trust in Christ all things shall come to pass where nothing is seen And when Satan and all his instruments have done what they can then shall the power of Christ appear above them all Therefore faith is a most victorious thing that hath all the attributes of God knit fast unto it that it is as possible for God to become no God as it is for any thing to be wanting where faith is used But first we must suffer a tryal not being offended but rejoycing in the cross then shall we find by experience that faith is no idle quality in the Soul but a certain kind of Divinity within us which cleaveth fast unto God and obtaineth help and succour from him Moreover this is to be noted that in the midst of this bitter and heavy temptation she calleth Christ still he whom her Soul loveth which cometh from a perswasion of Christs love to her otherwise it could not be This assurance ariseth from faith learn
we therefore that Doctrine which breedeth and feedeth faith then shall we also love God and be fill'd with all Divine and Heavenly qualities Now the bride having found her beloved mark what she did I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mothers house and into the chamber of her that conceived me First she held him she laid up those experiences of his merciful deliverances fast in her mind and memory and would not lose them nor yet declare them before scoffers and scorners that contemn the word and ways of God but to those of her Mothers house meaning the Church of God by whose Doctrine she was regenerated and brought up in the faith of Christ to her brethren and sisters there thither she brought her beloved and not only into her mothers house but also into the Chamber where she was conceived meaning the Conscience to which Christ must be made known where ever the knowledg of him comes to be effectual She is not contented that the knowledg of him should be setled only in the head but also in the hearts of others therefore she bringeth Christ into the very Chamber and cannot be satisfied until he be there Which sheweth us the true nature of faith where ever it is which is never to rest satissied until Christ be brought into the Conscience it is not at quiet but in performing the same office for others after a certain manner that Christ hath done for us that even as Christ is become bountiful and beneficial to us so also it studieth which way to be bountiful and beneficial to all men first to the Soul and then to the body First by teaching the Doctrine of Christ aright next by teaching the Doctrine of good works and this is rightly to bring Christ into our mothers house works cannot breed faith faith cannot but breed good works Therefore when good works are required the Gospel must go before which must deliver and free the Conscience from the guilt of sin and wrath of God and work in it with the bride here a certain sense of faith that it may by a sure and certain light perceive the reason why it bursteth forth into all good works and from what fountain they spring and whither they are directed VERSE V. I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love until he please THe voice of Christ who being delighted in the faith and practise of his Church when she consulteth not with the flesh and reason but being as it were in an holy sleep with himself chargeth the daughters of Jerusalem the second time who are always disturbers of the peace and security of the Church from the example of those loving creatures that will not part that trouble not nor seek to make any separation between him and his spouse until he himself please which is never VERSE VI. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke BY the wilderness is meant a dark solitary Esa 35.1 and sad condition which the Church meeteth with in this world which is a very wilderness barren and empty of all things which concerns the happiness and comfort of the bride of Christ Into this wilderness the Church is brought where she findeth nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit therefore Christ here setteth her out by way of admiration who is this that cometh out of the wilderness That mounteth up above the world and pineth not away in a sad condition For according to the wisdom of the flesh there is no man under Heaven knoweth which way to get out but the Church by faith in Christ cometh out which is a service highly accepted in the sight of God and which also preserveth the Soul from sinking in the day of adversity for when a man seeth others in prosperity and himself in affliction others to be highly esteemed and magnified for their outward pomp and he himself to be incontempt man is ready to judg such persons to be beloved of God and he himself to be hated but faith joineth us to the words of Christ in this place who doth not as the world do praise and extol those that are high honourable and prosperous therein but setteth out by words of admiration those that do not faint in a sad condition What wonderful excellent creature is this that doth not languish and pine away in her affliction Which words must comfort us in an evil time and cause us to rejoyce and sleep merrily in the woods through faith although according to the flesh and reason we see not which way to get out And it is said she cometh out like pillars of smoke Some write that the Artificers in Egypt could by their Art make smoke to assend directly upright like unto a pillar and that the spirit of God may here have an allusion to that similitude But whether that be so or not we know this to be true that smoke is offensive to the eyes now as smoke is troublesome to the eyes that they cannot behold things aright So is the Churches faith by which she cometh out of her afflictions offensive to the wicked darkneth their sight that they cannot behold the inward glory of the Church nor yet how she cometh out of her afflictions Faith is like the cloudy pillar which gave light to the Children of Israel but was darkness to the Egyptians The godly stand upright in all their tribulations when others hang down their head like a bullrush The Church understandeth well enough how she cometh out of her afflictions but they that know not what the life and exercise of true faith is cannot understand Therefore the bride cometh out like pillars of smoke Also some write that there is an Art in some with the use of certain powders to perfume smoke but this we are certain of Rev. 8.3 that the smoke of the incense in the golden censer which is offered with the prayers of all the Saints ascendeth up before God and perfumeth the Church Therefore when thou art in the wilderness and hast lost thy way there meetest with the wild-beasts by which thou art in danger to be made a prey be not tormented nor disquieted but remember who brought thee in the Lord thy God led thee into the wilderness Deut. 8.2 he did not hurl or throw thee as having no care of thee but lovingly took thee by the hand and led thee to shew thee the great and terrible wilderness before thou comest to Canaan the promised Land Be not thou dismayed therefore seeing the Lord thy God is with thee but learn thou to become a smoking pillar Psal 141.2 let thy prayers ascend up as incense before God then although thou art in the wilderness for a little while in respect of the body yet thou art in Heaven in respect of thy faith And shalt also come out of the