excellent than they all He is more sweet and precious than a cluster even of that Camphire which growes in the Vineyards of En-gedi where it 's like the most precious of that kind grew Now these expressions hold forth 1. Christ's preciousnesse 2. His efficacy and vertue 3. His abounding in both the worth and vertue that is in him cannot be comprehended nor told 4. The Brides wisdom in making use of such things to describe Christ and her affection in preferring him to all other things and in satisfying her self in him which is the last thing in these verses This respect of hers or the warmnesse of her affection to him is set forth two wayes 1. In that expression he is unto me which is both in the beginning of the 13. and in the beginning of the 14. verse whereby is signifyed not only Christ's worth in general but 1. His savourinesse and lovelinesse to her in particular she speakes of him as she her self had found him 2. To expresse what room she gives him in her affection he was lovely in himself and he was so to her and in her esteem He is saith she a bundle of Myrrhe unto me a cluster of Camphire to me This is further clear from that other expression namely he shall lye all night saith she betwixt my breasts even as one hugges and embraces whom they love or what they love and keeps it in their arms and thrusts it in their bosom so saith she my beloved shall have my heart to rest in and if one room be further in than another there he shall be admitted Which imports 1. Great love to him 2. A satisfying her spiritual senses on him 3. Tenaciousnesse in keeping and â—etaining him when he is gotten and great loathnesse to quit or part with him 4. It shewes his right seat and place of residence The bosome and heart is Christ's room and bed 5. It shewes a continuance in retaining him and entertaining him she would do it not for a start but for all night 6. A watchfulnesse in not interupting his rest or disquieting of him he shall not be troubled saith she but he shall ly all night unprovocked to depart These are good evidences of affection to Christ and offer ground for good directions how to walk under sensible manifestations when he doth communicat himself Part 4. CHRISTS Words Vers. 15. Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves eyes These words contain a part of that excellent and comfortable conference between Christ and the Spouse There is here a mutual commendation one of another as if they were in a holy contest of love who should have the last word in expressing of the others commendation In the verse before the Bride hath been expressing her love to Christ and he again comes in upon the back of this expressing his esteem of her and that with a behold Behold c. If ye look upon this verse in it self and with it's dependence on the former words it will hold out these things 1. That love-fellowship with Christ must be a very heartsome life O the sweet mutual satisfaction that is there 2. That Christ must be a very loving and kindly husband so have all they found him that have been married unto him And therefore Eph. 5. 27. He is proposed as a pattern to all husbands and may well be so 3. That our Lord Jesus thinks good sometimes to intimat his love to believers and to let them know what he thinks of them and this he doth that the believer may be confirmed in the faith of his love for this is both profitable and also comfortable and refreshful Lastly from the connexion observe that there is no time wherein Christ more readily manifests and intimats his love to believers than when their love is most warm to him In the former verse she hath a room provided between her breasts for him and in these words our Lord comes in with a very refreshful salutation to her for though his love go before ours in the rise of it yet he hath ordered it so that the intimation of his love to us should be after the stirring of ours towards him Ioh. 14. 21. In the commendation that he here gives her consider these five particulars 1. The title he gives her my love 2. The commendation it self Thou art fair 3. The note of attention prefixed Behold 4. The repetition of both 5. A particular instance of a piece of that beauty he commends in her 1. The title is a very kindly and sweet one and this makes it lovely that therein he not only intimats but appropriats his love to her allowing her to lay claim thereto as her own my love saith he and it sayes that there can be nothing more cordial and refreshful to believers than Christ's intimating of his love to them and therefore he chooseth this very title for that end The men of the world exceedingly prejudge themselves that they think not more of this and study not to be acquaint with it 2. The commendation that he gives her is Thou art fair If it be asked what this imports we may look upon it these three wayes 1. As it imports an inherent beauty in the Bride 2. As it looks to the cleannesse and beauty of her state as being justified before God and this she hath as being clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ. 3. As it holds forth Christ's loving estimation of her that though there were many spots in her yet he pronounces her fair and lovely because of his delight in her his purpose to make her fair and without spot or wrinckle or any such thing From all which these three truths may be gathered 1. That such as are Christ's or have a title to him are very lovely creatures and cannot but have in them exceeding great lovelinesse because there is to be found with them a work of his grace a new creature and a conversation some way lavelled to the adorning of the Gospel 2. Christ Jesus hath a very great esteem of his Bride and though we cannot conceive of love in him as it is in us yet the expressions used here gives us ground to believe that Christ hath a great esteem of believers how worthlesse so ever they be in themselves Lastly comparing this with vers 5. We may see That believers are never more beautiful in Christ's eyes than when their own spots are most discernable to themselves and oftimes when they are sharpest in censuring themselves he is most ready to absolve and commend them The third thing is the rouzing note of attention which is prefixed and this is here added to the commendation of the Bride for these reasons which may be as observations 1. That he may shew the reality of that beauty that is in believers that it is a very real thing 2. That he may shew the reality of the estimation which he hath of his Bride 3. It imports a desire he had
who are espoused to him 3. Where love to Christ is there Christ loves he cannot but love them that love him and there is nothing more acceptable to him than the faith that is working by love 4. Our Lord Jesus takes special notice of the frame of the heart and what seat he hath in the affections of his people he layes more weight on their love than on their work though true love can never be without works The second way how he explains and illustrates this is more particular by two comparisons yet keeping still the former manner of expression by way of question and admiration The first is how much better is thy love then Wine Wine may be looked on in two respects 1. As it 's useful in mans life and refreshful Psal. 104. 15. It maketh glad the heart of man and Eccl. 10 19. It maketh the heart merry Wine is one of the most comfortable creatures therefore she calls his love better then Wine Chap. 1. 2. Thus observe 1. Christ will not be behind with his people neither in kindnesse nor in the expressions of it for this is beyond hers Chap. 1. 2. Not that he hath a better object to love but because the love wherewith he loves her is like himself and more excellent then hers 2. There is no such refreshful thing in all the work of creation of Christ no such feast as the warming of a sinners heart with love to him is This Luk. 7. 47. is thought more of by Christ in a poor woman than all the great feast he was invited unto by the rich Pharisee Again we may look on Wine as used in the ceremonial services and drink-offerings Levit. 23. 13 c. Thus the meaning is thy love is preferable to all outward performances and sacrifices as Hos. 6. 7. Love being the principle within from which all our performances should flow it is not opposed to sacrifice simply or to obedience but 1. Supposing these to be separate he prefers love if it were to cast in but a mite of duty out of love it will be more acceptable than the greatest bulk of duties without love as is clear in the case of the widow Luk. 21. Yea if men would give their bodies to be burnt without this 1 Cor. 13. 3. it will avail nothing 2. It saith that where both the inward principle and the outward fruit or work are the Lord respects that more than this and he respects this in a manner but for that The second comparison is to the same purpose in these words and the smell of thine Ointments then all spices Ointments typified the graces of the Spirit the pouring out whereof is called the unction Joh. 2. 20. and the oil of joy Psal. 45. 7. The smell thereof signifieth the acceptablenesse of these graces when in exercise our Lord Jesus finds a sweet â—avour in them as ointments cast a smell that is refreshful to men as was said upon Chap. 3. 6. the grace of love mentioned before is here included but under Ointments there is more comprehended to shew 1. That where one grace is there are all the rest of the graces of the Spirit to be found 2. That love to Christ and zeal for him holds believers stirring and makes them send forth a sweet and savory smell This smell is preferred to all Spices not to one or two but to all Spices were either used as gifts because they were precious and costly So the Queen of Sheba propined Solomon with them 2 King 10. 2. and the wise men offered such to Christ Mat. 2. 11. And so it saith there is no such propine can be offered to Christ as love and the graces of his Spirit when they are in exercise Again spices were used in the Levitical services and holy Oil Exod. 30. 23 24. and so they are to be considered as Wine was in the last sense formerly spoken of and it shews how preferable the inward exercise of grace is to all external duties Lastly they are not only prefered while he saith thy love is better c. but as passing comparison they are extolled far above all these things with which they are compared How fair or how much better is thy love then Wine c. O my Spouse saith he it 's not to be wondered that thy love ravishes my heart for there is no created thing so precious nor any external service so acceptable to me as it is Hence observe 1. That inward love or the inward exercise of grace and outward performances are separable 2 That when outward performances are separate from the inward exercise of love and other graces the Lord respects them not 3. That love is a good and necessary principle of all dueties and especially of the duties of worship 4. These who have any thing of the lively exercise of love to Christ want never a propine that will be acceptable to him if it were but a mite or a cup of cold-water or a look to Christ if love be the principle from which these flow they will be very acceptable with him Vers. 11. Thy lips O my spouse drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon Having thus expressed his affection to his Bride he breaks forth in a positive commendation of her which may be looked upon as the ground of the comparative commendation in the former verse and he describes and commends her at once these two wayes 1. Touching as it were at some particulars which are indeed generals wherein her lovelinesse appears in actual fruits vers 11. 2. In seven comparisons he holds forth her fruitfulnesse from the 12. to the 16. vers wherein he not only commends her by the fruits which she brings forth but from her fitnesse or aptitude to bring forth these fruits so that she cannot but be fruitfull As if one commending an Orchard from the fruit Apples Pomegranates c. or whatever other fruits are in Orchards should then fall upon the commendation of the Orchard it self in it's situation fences waters or kinds of the plants c. So is it here And this last commendation is to be looked upon as the cause of the former In this 11â— vers there are three particulars commended under which we conceive much of the series of a believers walk is understood The 1. Is her lips which are commended from this that they drop as the honey comb By lips as vers 3. and frequently in the Song and so in the Proverbs a man of lips is taken for a man of talk is understood her speech words or discourse especially to others These her words or her speech are compared for the matter to honey or the honey comb that is sweet nourishing healthful and pleasant as Prov. 16. 24. Pleasant words are as the honey-comb sweet to the soul and health to the bones And by honey in Scripture is often understood that which is
Believers are often exceeding unanswerable to the relation that is betwixt Christ and them and may suffer Christ to stand long waiting without 4. It affects Christ much and is a suffering to him and a kind of putting him to open shame and a crucifying again of the Son of God to be kept out of hearts by unbelief and there can be no pardonable sin that hath moe and greater aggravations than this for it is cruelty to kind Jesus Christ. 5. Believers even when Christ is in good terms with them may fall in this fault 6. Christ is a most affectionat suiter and patient Husband that thus waits on even when he is affronted and gives not over his kind suit Who would bear with this that he bears with and passeth by and continues kindly notwithstanding Many strange and uncouth things are comported with and over-looked betwixt him and believers without hearing that the world could not digest 7. Out Lord Jesus hath not spared himself nor shunned sufferings for doing of his people good Iacob's care of and suffering for Labans flocks and Nebuchadnezzar his humiliation was nothing to this 8. The love of Christ is manifested in nothing more for his people than in his sufferings for them and in his patient on-waiting to have the benefits thereof applyed to them 9. Christ's sufferings and his affectionat way of pleading from them should melt hearts in love to him and in desire of union with him and will make the refusal exceeding sinful and shameful where it is given O so strong arguments as Christ hath to be in on the hearts of his people and how many things are there to plead for that Vers. 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them The Brides answer is here set down but O! how unsuitable to that which was his carriage He stands she lyes He without she within He calls friendly she ungrately shifts it at best As if a wife should answer her husband so calling I am now in bed and have put off my cloaths and washen my feet and so have composed my self to rest I cannot rise it would hurt me to rise So doth the Bride thus unreasonably and absurdly put back this fair call upon a twofold shift both which are spiritually to be understood as the sleep and opening formerly mentioned were In it consider 1. The answer 2. The manner of it 3. The particular grounds which she layeth down to build it on And 4. The faults of this reasoning of hers which at first may be concluded to be unsound The answer in general is a denyal as the event clears and it 's like that Luk. 11. 7. I am in bed and my children with me trouble me not c. Yea how can I put them on These words being the interrogatinonot of one doubting but of one shifting imply a vehehement denyal as if it were a most unreasonable and impossible thing for her to give obedience to what was called for which shews that Christ may get most undiscreet refusals to his fairest calls Which refusal is thus aggreged 1 It was against most powerful and plain means The most powerful external Ordinances may be frustrat even Christ himself in his Word when he preached in the dayes of his flesh had not alwayes successe 2. It was against her light she knew it was Christ's call Even believers may fit challenges against their light and sin wittingly through the violence of tentations though not wholly willingly 3. She had invited him by prayer Chap. 4. 16. yet now lyes still Which lets us see 1. That believers in their carriage are often unsuitable to their prayers There may be and is often a great discrepancy betwixt these And 2. Often believers may be more desirous of an opportunity of meeting with Christ or any other mercy when they want it than watchful to make the right use of it when they have gotten it Her way is to give some reasons for her refusal as if she could do no otherwayes and were not to be blamed so much for her shifting of Christ as the words how can I c. import Observe 1. The flesh will be bruidy and quick in inventing shifts for maintaining of it self even against the clearest convictions and duties 2. It 's ill to debate or reason a clear duty often Satan and the flesh gets advantage by it 3. Folks are oft-times very partial in examining their own reasons and are hardly put from their own grounds once laid although they be not solid and the most foolish reasons will be convincing to a spiritual sluggard who in fostering his ease seems wiser to himself than one who can render the most concludent arguments and strongest reasons to the contrary Prov. 26. 16. The opening of the particular reasons will clear this The first is I have put off my coat and the conclusion is how can I put it on Putting off the cloaths is an evidence 〈◊〉 betaking themselves to rest as keeping them on is a sign of watching as in Nehemiah 4. 23. None of us put off cloaths 〈◊〉 to washing Hence keeping on of the cloaths is borrowed to set out spiritual watchfulnesse and hiding of spiritual nakednesse as Rev. 16. 15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked And on the contrary putting off of cloaths signifieth not only a spiritual drousinesse but a high degree of it as having put off and fallen from that tendernesse and watchfulnesse in her walk wherewith she was cloathed Chap. 4. 11. and is now somewhat setled in her carnal ease and security From this she argueth how shall I put it on The force of the reason may be three wayes considered 1. As it imports a difficulty in the thing how shall I do it O it 's difficult 2. As it imports an aversnesse to it in her self It stands against her heart as a seeming unreasonable thing as Gen. 39. How shall I do this great wickednesse c. 3. A sort of shame may be in it I am now out of a posture and I think shame to rise and to be seen Which shews 1. That it 's hard to raise one that hath fallen into security 2. To lazy souls every thing looks like an insuperable difficulty their way to duty is as an hedge of thorns Prov. 15. 19. and there is a lyon in their streets and sometimes as it were even in the house-floor when any duty is pressed upon them that would rob them of their carnal ease Prov 26. 13. and 22. 13. 3. It 's much for one in a secure frame to wrestle with their own indisposition it 's a wearinesse then to take the hand out of the bosome Prov. 26. 15. 4. It 's not a commendable shamefastnesse but must needs be a very sinful modesty that keeps one from duty It was indeed more shameful to lye still than to rise Her second ground is of the same nature
beside It 's a good sign where Christ's lips are so lovely Vers. 14. His hands are as Gold-rings set with the Beryl his belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphirs The sixth and seventh particulars instanced to commend Christ are in vers 14. The sixth is his hands The hands are the instruments of action as the lips are of speaking They are commended that they are as Gold-rings that is as men or womens hands are adorned with Gold-rings so his hands have a native lovelinesse beyond these yet this commendation as all the former answers not fully therefore it 's added they are set with Beryl This was a precious stone put in Aaron's breast-plate Exod. 39. 13. To be set with it signifies as preciousnesse so rare artifice and such is seen in the right setting of precious stones By our Lord's hands may be understood that powerfull activity whereby he is fitted to bring about what he pleaseth and that power which he exerciseth especially in the works of grace as on vers 4. was cleared Or we may understand the effects produced by that his power or his works which are exceeding glorious as Psal. 109. 27. That they may know O Lord that this is thy hand that is that thou Lord hast done it So his hands signifie such works especially wherein his Divine power art and skill doth manifest themselves for the good of his people Both agree well together for excellent power and skill produce excellent effects and excellent effects demonstrat the excellent qualifications of the worker this being a main piece of Christ's commendation and which doth hold him forth to be exceeding lovely above all to the believer which is the scope may well be taken here as the meaning especially being subjoined to the commendation of his words for our Lord Jesus doth not only say well but also doth well he is a prophet mighty both in word and deed Luk. 24. 19. The commendation suits with his works as if there were none of them but what are adorned as it were with excellent Gold-rings there being much glory grace wisdom and skill shining in them all they are honourable and glorious Psal. 111. 3. Yea great and marvelous are the works of the Lord God Almighty Rev. 15. 4. These are the deserved epithets of his actions In sum it is as if she had said Ask ye what my beloved is more than others If ye saw but a glimpse of the white and red that is in his cheeks and if ye heard the sweet words that proceed from his mouth and if ye knew the excellent works which he hath performed even to admiration for the good of his people and how much lovelinesse appears in all these ye would no doubt say with me He is the chiefest among ten thousand Obs. 1. Christ is an active husband having hands and working with them for the good of his Bride A piece of his work we heard of chap. 3. 9. in that noble Chariot He is no idle spectator he worketh hitherto Joh. 5. 17. 2. All our Lord Jesus his works are exceeding excellent and beautiful and when rightly discerned they will appear wonderful honourable and glorious as proceeding from him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa. 28. 29. What a curious and excellent piece of work is that Chariot or the Covenant of Redemption signified thereby chap. 3. 9 There are many shining well-set Jewels and Rings upon every finger of his hands There is nothing that can be done better than what he hath done The works of Christ in our redemption do hold forth infinit skill and gloriousnesse to be in the worker all of them are so wisely contrived and exquisitly execute 3. Christ's works do exceedingly endear him and that deservedly to his people and do infallibly demonstrate his worth above all beloveds in the world Who is like unto him and who can do great works such as he hath done This makes heaven to resound with the praises of what this beloved hath done for his people 4. Believers would be acquaint both with Christ's words and his works and would be well vers'd in the knowledge of the excellencies that are in them both that so they may be the more affected with him themselves and be more able to commend him to others 5. Where Christ is lovely all his works will be delightsome and it 's by acquaintance with and observation of his excellent works that the hearts of his people come to take him up and to be rightly affected with him 6. As ignorance of the excellency of Christ's works especially of the work of Redemption makes many slight Christ and prefer others to him for she would discover the daughters of Jerusalem their mistake of him by instancing this amongst other things so it 's a kindly-like thing to have a honourable esteem of Christ's works in the heart 7. Although the devil and mens idols seem to promise much to their lovers when they suit and intice them yet never one indeed can equal Christ or compare with him in respect of what he hath done for his Bride and this sets him up incomparably above them all His hands in respect of his magnificent works are adorned as it were with Gold-rings whereas they have hands but work not for the help and relief of their lovers Psa. 115. 7. The seventh part of this demonstration of Christs worth is from his belly The word in the Original is the same word which vers 4. is rendered bowels and we rather use it so here as it signifieth bowels the native signification of it as not knowing why it should be altered in this verse especially considering that wherever it is attributed to God it 's translated bowels as Isa. 63. 15. where is the sounding of thy bowels and Ier. 31. 20. my bowels are moved for him Reading it then thus his bowels are as bright ivory c. The words at the very first would seem to signifie the intense love and tender affection wherewith our Lord Jesus who is full of grace is filled and stuffed to say so for the behove and good of his people so that no mother is so compassionatly affected towards the fruit of her womb as he is toward his own This exposition is 1. confirmed from the ordinary signification of the word bowels when it is applyed to God as Isa. 63. 15. and Ier. 31. 20. and it is borrowed from the affection that mothers have to their children whose bowels yerns on them as 1 King 3. 26. and so Ioseph was affected toward his brethren Gen. 43. 30. Hence the word both in the Hebrew and Greek in the Old and New Testament which is made use of to set forth the Lords tender compassion flowes from a root that signifieth bowels 2. The scope will confirm this for is there any thing that makes Christ more lovely and admirable than his love which makes the Prophet cry out Mic. 7. 18. who is a God like unto thee that
pardoneth iniquity c. because thou delights in mercy or is there any other thing that more commends him as a beloved preferable to all than his love Love in a husband is a special property Now Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5. 25. it is not like therefore that this is omitted And 3. it followes well on the commendation of his works for and about his people as shewing the fountain from whence they proceed The commendation of this is excellent 1. It is as bright Ivory Ivory is rarely and singularly pure and pleasant being made of Elephants teeth bright is added to shew that it 's of the best sort as all that is in Christ is 2. It 's overlaid with Saphires that was a stone in Aarons breast plate and also is reckoned one of the foundation-stones of the new Ierusalem Rev. 21. 19. which shews that it is very precious though we know not the particular properties of it The word overlaid may be from the Original rendered curiously set or enambled In sum here his love is described as most lovely clean and pleasant like Ivory rich and precious like Saphires and well ordered and wisely vented for the good of his people as bright Ivory curiously enambled with Saphires His love is a most excellent curious and pleasant object the like whereof is not to be found amongst all the beloveds of the world This verse commends Christ's heart and in-side which is unsearchable as to it 's heighth depth breadth and length It may therefore be hard and some way hazardous to offer doctrines on or to form expressions concerning that which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. the comprehending experimental knowledge of it will be the best commentary on it yet these things are clear and safe 1. There is singular love affection and bowels in our Lord Jesus to his people so singular that there is none can compare with him in this no husband nay nor wife it passeth the love of women No tender-hearted mother and much lesse any idol can compet with him in this It 's inconceivable in it self and it 's wonderful in it's effects 2. There is nothing that will contribute more to make believers see Jesus Christ as admirable in himself and lovely to them than the right apprehension of his love This is the constraining ravishing ingaging and soul-in-ebriating consideration of Christ the conceiving of him rightly in his admirable love and they will never esteem of Christ rightly who discerns not that it is as it were his crown and the believing of it is in a sort the putting of the crown on his head Amongst all his excellencies none takes the believer more up than his love and nothing is more remarkable in him than that and right thoughts of Christ's love is no ill token 3. Our Lord Jesus his love and bowels are a rich Jewel when seen a precious stately sight bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires is but a small and dark shaddow of it Christ's love is a possession beyond Jewels a very beautiful object to look on beyond the most excellent creature It 's both a wonder and a heart-break that it is so little thought of and that men are not more delighted in it 4. Although there be much in many mouths of Christ's love yet there are few that really knows and believes the love that he hath to his people 1 Ioh 3. 1. As this is the cause that so few loves him and why so many sets up other beloveds beside him so the solid faith of this and the expectation of good from him hath a great ingaging vertue to draw sinners to him Heb. 11. 6. and for that end it 's made use of here 5. Whatever seeming smiles idols may give to their lovers yet will they not prove lovers in the end to them for that is proper to Christ he only hath strong love and bowels of affection to his own to the end but other lovers in the end will fail men Only our Lord Jesus continueth a loving Husband to the end for whom he loves he loves to the end 6. It is beyond all peradventure good and desirable to be matched with Jesus Christ where so much honour riches power wisdom lovelinesse and love meet all together for the scope of this and of all the rest of the commendations is to ingage sinners to match with him 7. There is no cause to be jealous of Christ's love his people have a most loving Husband and never a sport or ground of jealousie hath defiled his bowels since the world began but they to this day are and will be for ever as bright Ivory 8. Christ's love is excellent in it self and is also excellent in the way of it's communicating it self to his people therefore it 's not as Saphires that are confusedly casten together but that are artificially set or our Lord Jesus vents not his love fondly to speak with reverence or imprudently but most wisely skilfully and seasonably so as it may be for the good of his people not as a fond and too indulgent mother that gives that which is even hurtful because the childe desires it but as a wise father who gives that which is useful though it be unpleasant He guids his love by discretion and according to expediency as Ioh. 16. 7. It 's expedient for you that I go and therefore he will go though they were even made sad with it 9. Although some pieces of Christ's love being considered in themselves seem not so pleasant and lovely like precious stones not rightly set yet when all are seen together and every thing taken up as in it's own place and proportionably corresponding with one another and especially in respect of the fountain of love from which they come they will then being all lookt on together be seen to be very beautiful and pleasant and well ordered like bright Ivory that is regularly and curiously enambled or indented with Saphires The time comes when Christ's love will be thought to be exquisitly and wisely let out and conveyed even in these things wherein it is most suspected now by his own Vers. 15. His legs are as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars The eighth and ninth particulars of Christ's commendation are in vers 15. The first of them here commended is his legs The word legs comes from a root in the Original that signifieth to walk and so takes in things and feet which are also useful in motion In Scripture and by Analogy they are made use of to signifie these two 1. A mans way in the series of his carriage and deportment as ordinarily his life is called a walk So Eccl. 5. 1. Take heed unto thy feet that is to thy carriage Hence the iniquities of the heels are spoken of Psal. 49. 5. to set out mens defects that cleave to them in their conversation as their feet leave prints or footsteps
part be answerable to the call we are not to question his part namely his bestowing of himself on us according to the tenor of his offers but to believe it according to his word Believers may sometimes be put to this way of arguing and it 's sure 3. If we consider the words as following on her former desertion and exercise and as being now intended by the Bride as her scope to fix her self they give ground to Obs. 1. That â—aith is still a refuge when all God's dispensations and every thing in the believers case seems to leave the heart in disquietnesse faith is then the last and great refuge 2. Faith is then most satisfying when repentance is exercised and all other means diligently gone about therefore may she now cast this anchor after she hath been in the exercise of repentance and in the use of other means as we have seen in the former Chapter which had been presumption to have been done at first these being slighted faith will sustain souls in duty but presumption puffs up as in vers 3. even when they are out of it faith preserves from fainting under discouragements in the way of God presumption strengthens against just challenges when folks are out of his way The second part of the verse He feeds among the Lilies was also spoken to Chap. 2. 16. It 's brought-in here to remove that objection if he be thine where is he Is he not away and if he be away why claims thou interest in him She answers them though he be not present to sense yet is he ever kind to his people and therefore cannot but be kind to me which makes me conclude that though he be not present to sense yet he is mine and I am his Believers are called Lilies often 1. For their native beauty Matth. 6. 29. 2. For their savorinesse Chap. 5. 13. 3. For their growing and making increase as the Lilie Hos. 14. 5. And so the similitude points at these three excellencies of the believer 1. The native beauty and lovelinesse of Christ's grace in them 2. The sweet relish and savorinesse of their graces And 3. their spiritual growth in grace from one degree of it to another Christ's feeding among his Lilies shews the great delight he takes in them and the pleasure he hath to do them good as was cleared Chap. 2. 16. Observ. 1. Christ is exceeding loving to and tender of all his people of one as well as of another and hath been so from the beginning that none had ever any reason to complain 2. Christ's way in general to his people when well taken up may notably quiet content and comfort any of them when a difficulty comes on or when under any darknesse or desertion as the spouse here was He never did any of his own wrong 3. A believer that hath clearnesse anent his fleeing to Christ by faith may draw comfortable conclusions from and comfortably apply the way of Christ with others of his people to themselves and expect that same kindnesse from him that they have met with for the Covenant is one and the same with them all 4. Believers may sometimes be put to gather their comfort and to sustain their faith more from the experience of others in what they have found and how Christ hath caried to them than from any thing that is in their own present condition 5. She propounded Christ's kindnesse to his people the Lilies to encourage the daughters of Ierusalem to seek him vers 2. now here she makes use of the same ground for quieting of her self Hence learn two things 1. That same which warrands believers at first to approach to Christ may encourage them to renew and continue the exercise of their faith in making application of him and his comforts 2. It 's good in our own practice to make use of the same grounds and to walk by the same rules that we would propose to others BRIDEGROOM Vers. 4. Thou art beautiful O my love as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army with banners In vers 4. which begins the third part of the Chapter Christ the Bridegroom comes in and speaks Our Lord Jesus as it were hath been long silent and here he breaks in without any preface and makes up all his former absence and silence by his singular kindnesse when he manifests himself to his Bride which kindnesse appears in the warmnesse and sweetnesse of his many and various expressions He continues speaking unto vers 10. of Chap. 7. after he had knocked at her door Chap. 5. 2. he had been longing as it were to be in and now when he wins in he insists the more and several wayes prosecutes and amplifies the commendation of his Bride This is 1. generally propounded in three similitudes vers 4. 2. It 's aggreged in one instance thereof vers 5. 3. He descends to particulars vers 5 6 7 4. He takes her up in diverse considerations that speak her to be lovely and beautiful vers 8 9. 5. This is confirmed by two instances and proofs 1. What the daughters did esteem of her and their praise is marked vers 9 10. 2. It's instanced in the influence that her lovelinesse had on him vers 11 12 13. And 6. he proceeds in a different method from what he had Chap. 4. to set out the particulars of her lovelinesse Chap. 7. Generally she is set out vers 4. by three comparisons 1. She is beautiful as Tirzah This was a City of the Tribe of Manasseh The word in the Original comes from a root that signifieth acceptable whereby it seems that this City hath been exceeding pleasant It was the seat of one of the Kings of Canaan Josh. 12. 24. and of the Kings of Israel after the rent of the ten Tribes from the house of David until Zimri burnt it after which Omri built Samaria as is to be seen at large 1 King 16. Thus the spiritual beauty of holinesse in believers Psal. 110. 3. is set out as having in it so much lovelinesse as may commend it and make it desirable and acceptable to others 2. She is comely as Ierusalem This was the head City of Iudah beautiful for situation and the joy of the whole earth Psal. 48. 2. but most beautiful for the Ordinances and worship of God which were there therefore glorious things are spoken of it more than any thing that was to be seen by carnal eyes and it was loved on that account more than all the dwellings of Iacob Psal. 87. 2 3. It 's ordinarily taken for a type of the Church which is set out by it as Psal. 122. It seems here the Lord doth respect the believers spiritual beauty with reference to that comelinesse and orderlinesse which is to be seen among them and is maintained by them in the exercise of his Ordinances and also in respect of his estimation every believer is a Ierusalem to him where he dwells where he is worshipped and to whom he
December 12. 1667. IT is Ordered by the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council That none shall Re-print or Import this Book Entituled Clavis Cantici for the space of nintine Years without Licence of the Printers hereof P. W. Clavis Cantici OR AN EXPOSITION OF THE SONG of SOLOMON BY IAMES DVRHAM Late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Eph. 5. 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us 1 Cor. 13. 13 And now abideth faith hope love these three but the greatest of these is love EDINBVRGH Printed by George Swintoun and Iames Glen and are to be sold at their Shops in the Parliament-Yard Anno DOM. 1668. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GOD being the immortal souls chief good it must needs follow that what unites the soul unto God must be the souls chief Ornament and Grace And such is Love that Principium uniens or principle uniting the soul unto God Whence it is that even in good spiritual and elevated reason the Apostle prefers Love among the souls three cardinal virtues 1 Cor 13. 13. And now abideth faith hope and love and the greatest of these is Love Indeed Faith going out from the sinner to rest upon Jesus Christ the Justifier of the ungodly And there is no sinner nor unclean thing in Heaven and Hope looking unto and after a Country that we are not yet possessors of and Love yea love alone filling Heaven unto all eternity it is certain that Love is the souls most adorning Ornament its most Heavenly frame Now of all Books in Holy Scripture it hath pleas'd the Holy Ghost to entitle the Song of Solomon or His Book of Loves thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs All Songs all Loves all outgoings of the soul being invaluable to this Souls-Song and Love uniting Christ and the soul. This Posthume work then of the precious Author Mr. Durham is commendable to the Churches if there be need of â—â—y additional commendation beyond the naming of his Name to it upon moe accounts than one First It 's done upon the highest sweetest deepest subject Love between the soul and it's chiefest good even God in Christ. Secondly It 's done spiritually yet plainly upon a most spiritual yet Mysterious portion of Holy Scripture And Thirdly the Churches of Christ are oblidged to God in this That they have had from this bright Candle amongst the Lord's Candlesticks a light shining upon and discovering those two Mysterious Books of Scripture Canticles and Revelation Fourthly If a word fitly spoken is as Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11. Sure then it was highly commending of Gods goodnesse to the Author That he was led on this work of Preaching Lecturing and Writing on this Song of Loves Those sweet concords and begun Musick of Heaven between Christ and souls and that in time of sad discords and very Immusical Jarrings in the Church An argument of an excellent Soul-frame in a very evil time A demonstration whereof and of his healing disposition O how apparent is it in that rare piece of his upon Scandal I shall not trouble thee any further save that I cordially wish the Lord may be pleased so to blesse thy perusal of this present Treatise as it may tend not only to the present but also to the everlasting wel-being of thy soul. And so I bid thee farewell Clavis Cantici OR A KEY of the SONG Useful for opening up thereof THis is a place of Scripture the Exposition whereof many in all Ages have shâ—â—ned to adventure upon and truly I have looked upon it of a long time as not convenient to be treated upon before all Auditories nor easie by many to be understood especially because of the height of spiritual expressions and mysterious rapts of Divine Love and the sublime and excellent expressions of the Bridegroom therein contained which would require much livelinesse of frame and acquaintance in experience with the things here spoken of and nearnesse in walking with God as being necessary for finding out the mind and meaning oâ— the Spirit of God therein Yet we are now brought by help of his Grace to essay the Interpretation of it upon these following considerations First Because it is acknowledged by all not only to be authentick Scripture but an excellent Piece thereof and therefore is to be made use of by the Church and not to ly hid nor to be laid aside as if the meaning thereof were not to be searched into because it seems dark and obscure 2. Because the Subject and Matter of it is so Divine carrying alongst with it many various cases both of particular Souls as also of the Church both visible and invisible with many excellent commendations of Christ the Bridegroom which ought to be the Subject of his Friends Meditations and cannot but be profitable if he blesse them there being here Maps almost for all conditions 3. Because the style and composition is so Divine and excellent carrying affections alongst with it and captivating them in the very reading so that few can read this Song but they must fall in love with it we would therefore see what is within it if at least we may get a taste of that which doth so sweetly relish 4. It seems the Holy Ghost by putting it into such a mould intended to commend it and if it be true that all the Poetical pieces of Scripture ought especially to be learned and taken notice of so should this it being so commended to us in that frame 5. The strain and subject of it is so very spiritual that it necessitats the Students thereof to aime at some nearnesse with God and ordinarily it leaves some stamp upon their affections which is not the least cause nor the smallest encouragement to me in this undertaking We shall not stand to prove the authority of it It carries a Divine style in its bosome nor is there need to inquire who was the Pen-man of it it being clear that Solomon who was furnished with wisdom and understanding as never a King before or since was is honoured to be the Amanuensis of the Holy Ghost in putting this Song upon record Whether after or before his backsliding it is not much to us though it be most probable that it was after in the warmness of a spirit sensible of this so great a deliverance For here we may as it were see him making use of that experience of the vanity of all things he had found coming to the fear of God as the conclusion of the whole matter whereof this Song of Love is not a little evidence and which looks like his own saying Eccles. 12. 13. The means which are necessary for our more perspicuous handling and your more profitable hearing of this profound Scripture will be
not do with him as he did with Saul whom he rejected he would not take away his mercy from Solomon as he had done from him And if no more were in these Promises but what is temporal there would be no great consolation in them to David whose consolation is one chief part of the scope of that place Beside these promises Psal. 89. 31 32 33. which are the same with these 2 Sam. 7. are looked upon as special evidences of God's love and peculiar Promises of his Saving-Covenant 2. When he is born the Lord gives him his name yea sends Nathan 2 Sam. 12. with this warrand to name him Iedidiah because the Lord loved him which cannot be a love flowing from any thing in him as if he had been well pleased with his carriage Solomon had not yet done any thing good or evil but it must be a love prior to his works and so not arising from his good deeds and therefore not cut off by his sins which being like the love God had to Iacob before he had done good or evil Rom. 9. 11. must speak out Electing love as it doth in that place 3. He is made use of by the Spirit to be a Penman of Holy Writ and a Prophet of the Lord all which are by our Lord Luke 13. 28. said to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and there is no reason to exclude him seing that universal all the Prophets c. would not be a truth unlesse he were there And though some wicked men have prophesied as Balaam did yet are they never accounted Prophets of the Lord as Solomon was but false Prophets and Inchanters neither were they Penmen of Holy Writ who were as Peter calleth them 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God speaking as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost 4. Neither are the peculiar Priviledges he was admitted unto to be forgotten by him the Lord built the Temple by him the Covenant was explicitly renewed with God 1 King 8. 9. and his prayers are often particularly mentioned to be heard yea after his death some testimonies are recorded of him which cannot consist with his rejection See 2 Chron. 11. 17. where the wayes of Solomon are put in as commendable with Davids though there were defects in both and this being immediatly after Solomon's death it would seem he left the worship of God pure and so had turned from his Idolatry though all the monuments of it were not abolished And especially in this he was singularly priviledged that in a most lively way he was the Type of our blessed Lord Jesus in his Intercession Reign and peaceable Government Beside that by particular Covenant the Kingdom of Christ and his descent from him was established to him 5. It 's of weight also that it seems more than probable that Solomon wrot Ecclesiastes after his recovery it being neither amongst the Proverbs nor Songs which are mentioned 1 King 4. 32. And in it he speaks out the experience he had both of folly and madness and the vanity he had found in all created things even when he had perfected his Essay of all the possible wayes of attaining either the knowledge of their perfections or satisfaction in the injoyment of them The Scripture therefore hath not left his recovery altogether dark yet as to any Historical narration thereof the Lord hath so ordered that he passeth away under a cloud for these good ends First Thereby Solomon is chastised with the rods of men even after death upon his name for his miscarriages are set down expresly but his recovery as to any direct testimony thereof is past over 2. By this the Lord maketh his displeasure with Solomon's wayes known though he had favour to his person and gave him his soul for a prey 3. Thus the Lord would affright others from declining and hereby teacheth his people to be afraid to rest upon Gifts yea or upon Graces seing he hath left this matter so far in the dark as might yeeld an occasion as it were to question the eternal condition of Solomon 4. It may be also that Solomon after his recovery did never recover his former lustre nor attain to such a profitable way of appearing in God's publike matters for which formerly he had been so observable For so it is taken notice even of David after his fall that his following life is stained as different from what went before therefore it is the commendation of Iehoshaphat 1 Chron. 17. 3. that he walked in the first wayes of his father David which certainly is not done to condemn David's state after that time but to leave that mark as a chastisement on his failings And seing Solomon's were greater therefore may this silence of his recovery be more universal as to him Before we draw any thing from this by way of use I shall answer a doubt and it is this How can all these thousand and five Songs mentioned 1 King 4. 32. be lost without â—ronging the perâ—ection of Canonick Scripture Or what is come of them Or what is to be accounted of the losse of them Ans. We say 1. The Scriptures may be full in the articles of faith even though some portions thereof which once were extant were now a-missing except it could be made out that some points of faith were in these Books which are not to be found in other Scriptures 2. Yet seing it is not safe and it wants not many inconveniences to assert that any Book once designed of God to his Church as a canon or rule of faith and manners should be lost And seing it is not consistent with that wise Providence of his whereby he hath still carefully preserved the treasure of his Oracles in his Church We rather incline to say that though these Songs were possibly useful and might be written by the Spirit 's direction yet that they were not intended for the universal edification of the Church nor inrolled as a part of his Word appointed for that end Neither can it be thought strange that it should so be for that a thing be Scripture it 's not only needful that it be inspired but also that it be appointed of God for publike use It 's not improbable but Isaiah Moses David Paul and others might have written many moe writtings upon particular occasions or to particular persons which were useful in themselves for edification and yet were never appointed of God to be looked upon or received as Scriptures for publike use in his Church So do we account of these Songs mentioned in the objection and other writings of Solomon now not extant And it may be the Spirit hath pitched on this Song to be recorded as the sum and chief of all the rest as he did pitch upon some particular Prayers of David and Moses c. passing by others And Lastly We are rather to be thankful for the great advantage we have by this than anxiously to inquire what hath
by them 3. A constant and habitual thinking and meditating on him for though there be no connexion in the words expressed yet what is expressed may have and hath connexion with the thoughts of her heart and if all were seen that were within it would be easily known what Him she meant And so we are to gather it's dependence on the affection and meditation it flows from rather than from any preceeding words for here there are none 4. It 's to shew her thoughts of Christ were not limited or stinted to her words or her speaking of him for though there be no words preceeding to make known who this Him is spoken of yet we may well conceive her heart taken up with desire after him and meditation on him and so there is a good coherence Let him that is Him I have been thinking on Him whom my soul desires he only whom I esteem of and who hath no equal c. This soâ—t of abruptnesse of speech hath no incongruity in spiritual rethorick Whence we may observe 1. That Christ hath a way of communicating his love and the sense of it to a Believer which is not common to others 2. That this is the great scope and desire of a Believer if they had their choise it 's to have sensible communion with Christ This is their one thing Psal. 27. 4. It 's the first and last suit of this Song and the voice of the Spirit and Bride and the last Prayer that is in the Scripture Rev. 22. 17. 3. That Believers can discern this fellowship it 's so sweet and sensible which is to be had with Jesus Christ. 4. That they have an high esteem of it as being a special signification of his love 5. That much inward heart-fellowship with Christ hath suitable outward expressions flowing from it 6. That Believers in an habitual walk with Christ will be abrupt in their suits to him sometimes meditating on him sometimes praying to him 7. That where Christ is known and rightly thought of there will be no equal to him in the heart 2. In the next place she lays down the motives that made her so desire this which are rather to set forth Christ's excellency to strengthen her own faith and warm her own love in pursuing after so concerning a suit than from any fear she had of being mistaken by him in being as it were so bold and homely with him in her desires 1. The reason is generally proposed vers 2. and inlarged and confirmed vers 3. The sum of it is Thy love is exceeding excellent and I have more need and greater esteem of it than of any thing in the world therefore I seek after it and hope to attain it There are four words here to be cleared 1. Thy loves so it is in the Original in the plural number Christ's love is sometimes as the love of God taken essentially as an attribute in him which is himself God is love 1 Ioh. 4. 8. Thus the Lord in his love is the same in all times 2. For some effect of that love when he doth manifest it to his people by conferring good on them and by the sensible intimations thereof to them So it is Ioh. 14. 21 23. We take it in the last sense here for she was in Christ's love but desired the manifestations of it and it is by these that his love becomes sensible and refreshfull to Believers It 's Loves in the plural number although it be one infinite fountain in God to shew how many ways it vented or how many effects that one love produced or what esteem she had of it and of the continuance and frequency of the manifestations thereof to her this one love of his was as many loves The second word to be cleared is Wine Wine is chearing to men Psal. 104. 15. and makes their heart glad under it here is understood what is most chearing and comfortable in it's use to men 3. Christ's love is better 1. Simply in it self it 's most excellent 2. In it's effects more exhilarating chearing and refreshing And 3. in her esteem to me saith she it 's better I love it prize it and esteem it more as Psal. 4. 8 9. Thereby thou hast made my heart more glad c. This his love is every way preferable to all the most chearing and refreshing things in the world 4. The inference for is to be considered It sheweth that these words are a reason of her suit and so the sense runs thus because thy love is of great value and hath more comfortable effects on me than the most delightsome of creatures therefore let me have it Out of which reasoning we may see what motives will have weight with Christ and will sway with sincere souls in dealing with him for the intimation of his love for the love of Christ and the sweetnesse and satisfaction that is to be found in it is the great prevailing motive that hath weight with them And sense of the need of Christ's love and esteem of it and delight in it alone when no creature-comfort can afford refreshing may and will warrand poor hungry and thirsty souls to be pressing for the love of Christ when they may not be without it Which shews 1. That a heart that knows Jesus Christ will love to dwell on the thoughts of his worth and to present him often to it self as the most ravishing object and will make use of pressing motives and arguments to stir up it self to seek after the intimations of his love 2. That the more a soul diveth in the love of Christ it 's the more ravished with it and presseth yea panteth the more after it It was Him before Let him kisse me as being something afraid to speak to him it 's now Thou Thy love c. as being more inflamed with love since she began to speak and therefore more familiarly bold in pressing her suit upon him 3. The exercise of love strengthens faith and contrarily when love wears out of exercise faith dieth These graces stand and fall together they are lively and languish together 4. Where Christ's love is seriously thought of and felt created consolations will grow bare and lose all relish Wine and the best of creature-comforts will lose their savour and sweetnesse with such a soul when once it is seen how good he is 5. An high esteem of Christ is no ill argument in pressing for and pursuing after his presence for to these that thus love and esteem him he will manifest himself Ioh. 14. 21 23. 6. Where there hath been any taste of Christ's love the soul cannot endure to want it it cannot enjoy it self if it do not enjoy him This is the cordial that cheareth it in any condition and maketh every bitter thing sweet Vers. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy name is as Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee The second reason which is also a confirmation and inlargement
the present dark condition she was in seeking to find him out 2. This phrase Turn away thine eyes is not so to be taken as if Christ approved not her looking to him or her faith in him but to shew the exceeding great delight he had in her placing her faith and love on him which was such that her loving and believing looks ravished him as it 's Chap. 4. 9. and as it were his heart could not stand out against these looks more than one man could stand out against a whole army as the the following expression clears It 's like these expressions Gen. 32. 28. I pray thee let me go and Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone Moses which shews that it 's the believers strength of faith and importunity of love exercised in humble dependence on him and cleaving to him which is here commended for saith he they have overcome me This shews that it is no violent or unwilling victory over him But in respect of the effect that followed her looks it holds forth the intensnesse of his love and the certainty of faiths prevailing that to speak so with reverence and admiration he is captivat ravished and held with it as one that is overcome because he will be so yea according to the principles of his love and the faithfulnesse of his promises whereby he walks he cannot but yield unto the believing importunity of his people as one overcome In sum it 's borrowed from the most passionat love that useth to be in men when they are so taken with some lovely object that a look thereof pierceth them This though in every thing especially as implying defects it cannot be applyed to Christ yet in a holy spiritual manner the effects for the believers comfort are as really and certainly but much more wonderfully in Christ. These expressions are much of the same nature with these spoken of upon Chap. 3. 4. and Chap. 4. 9. and therefore the doctrines there will follow here But further from the scope and repetition Obs. 1. That the believers eyes may look that is their love and faith may be exercised on Christ even in their dark and deserted conditions and it 's their property to look alway to him even when their eyes are as it were blind through desertion he is still the Object they are set upon 2. That when these graces of faith and love are exercised on Christ they are never fruitlesse but alwayes prevail and obtain though it be not alwayes sensible to the believer 3. The love and faith of believers have weight with Christ and affect him even when he keeps up himself he may be overcome even then for the expression in the text looks to what was past 4. Faith working by love is a most gallant and holy darring thing bold in it's enterprises to pursue after to grip and stick to Christ over all difficulties as may be seen in her former carriage and most successful as to the event 5. The more stayedly and stoutly with love humility and diligence that â—aith set on Christ it 's the more acceptable to him and hath the greater commendation as the eleventh of the Hebrews and his commendation of that womans faith Matth. 15. 25. do confirm Tenaciousnesse and importunity in holding of hanging on and cleaving to Christ by faith may well be marvelled at and commended by Christ but will never be reproved nor rejected They greatly mistake Christ who think that wrestling by faith will displease him for even though he seem to keep up himself it is but to occasion and to provoke to more of the exercise of these graces in which he takes so much delight Vers. 5. Thy hair is as a flock of Goats that appear from Gilead Vers. 6. Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing whereof every one beareth twins and there is not one barren among them Vers. 7. As a piece of a Pomegranate are thy Temples within thy locks The following particulars of her commendation in the end of the 5. and in the 6. and 7. verses are set down in the same words Chap. 4. 1 2 3. and therefore we need say no more for their explication only we would consider the reason of repeating them in the same words which is the scope here and it 's this Although he commended her formerly in these expressions yet considering her foul slip Chap. 5. 2 3. and his withdrawing on the back of it she might think that he had other thoughts of her now and that these priviledges and promises which she had ground to lay claim to before did not belong to her now and therefore she could not comfortably plead an interest in them now as before to remove this mistake or doubt he will not only commend her but in the same very words to shew that she was the same to him and that his respect was not diminished to her therfore he will not alter her name nor her commendation but will again repeat it for her confirmation intimating his love thereby and also for her instruction teaching the Bride her duty by these particulars of her commendation and shewing her what she should be And this commendation had not met so well with her case nor expressed so well his unchangeable love if it had been given in other terms From this we may Observe 1. as believers are ready to slip and fail in their duty so are they ready to suspect Christ to be changing towards them because of their failings they are very apt from their own ficklenesse and changes to apprehend him to be changeable also and to refuse comfort from all byâ—gone evidences and intimations of his love and from all words that have comforted them till they be restored and set right again 2. Our Bridegroom is most constant in his affection to his Bride continuing still the same and as he is the most free forgiver of wrongs to his own so he is the most full forgetter of them when they return and therefore he continues speaking to her in the same terms as formerly without any alteration as if no such wrong on her side had been committed 3. Renewing of repentance and faith by believers after failings puts them in that same condition and capacity with Christ for laying claim to his love and their wonted priviledges and comforts wherein they were before even as if such failings and miscarriages had never been 4. Our Lord Jesus would have his people confirmed and strengthned in the faith of the constancy of his love the unchangeablenesse of their interest and the priviledges following thereon And seing he thus loves his people he allowes them to believe it 5. It is not easie to fix and imprint Christ's words on believers hearts and to get them affected with them therefore often both promises and duties must be repeated and what was once spoken must be again repeated for their good especially after a slip and fit of security the same word hath need
keeps long green Hence Psal. 92. 12 14. It 's said of the righteous they shall flourish like the Palm-tree therefore Ioel 1. 12. it 's an evidence of great drought when the Palm-tree withereth 4. They were looked on as most fit to be used in times when men were about to expresse their joy in the most solemn manner and so when Christ is coming triumphantly to Ierusalem Joh. 12. they cut down branches of Palm-trees to carry before him and Rev. 7. 4. these Victors have Palms in their hands and in Levit. â— 40. we find branches of these trees commanded to be made use of in the joyful feast of Tabernacles and the seventy Palm-trees that were found by the Israelits at Elim are mentioned Numb 33. 9. as refreshful so is the City of Palm-trees also mentioned as a most pleasant place Deut. 34. 3. All these may be applyed to believers who both by the change that is wrought upon them by the grace of Christ and also as they are in him by faith are such They are straight not crooked but beautiful and flourishing and to him refreshful as the next verse shews being the living signs and monuments of his victory over Death and the Devil Obs. 1. There ought not only to be in a believer a thriving of graces distinctly but a right joyning ordering and compacting of them together that they may keep a proportionablenesse and make up complexly a lovely stature that is not only should all graces be kept in exercise together but as members of one new man each ought to be subservient to another for making up of a sweet harmony in the result love should not wrong zeal nor zeal prudence but every grace as being a distinct member of the new man should be settled in it's own place to make the stature lovely 2 When this proportion is kept and every grace hath it's own place it is exceeding lovely like a beautiful stature whereas grace when acting unorderly if then it may be called grace is like an eye beautiful in it self but not being in the right place of the face doth make the stature unlovely and disproportionable It 's not the least part of spiritual beauty when not only one hath all graces but hath every one of them acting according to their several natures even when they are acting joyntly together 3. This furthers much believers fruitfulnesse and continues them fresh and green when the whole stature of grace is right and kept in a due proportionablenesse The particular that is again repeated is her breasts which are compared to a cluster of grapes or wine as it is in the eight verse We conceive by brests here is signified her love and affection whereby he is entertained So Chap. 1. 13. he shall lye all night between my brests and so it agreeth well with that expression Prov. 5. 19. let her brests satisfie thee at all times and be thou alwayes ravisht with her love This is confirmed from the similitude unto which it is compared and that is grapes or wine Shewing that her love is refreshful and cordial to speak so to him Thy brests saith he that is to lye between thy brests and to be kindly entertained by thee is more than wine to me And this is the same thing which was said Chap. 4. 10. How much better is thy love than wine And the similitude being the same we think the thing is the same that is thereby set forth and commended and it is singularly taken notice of by Christ through all the Song and marked in Chap. 4. and here as that which makes all her stature so lovely in it self Love makes every grace act therefore is it the fulfilling of the law and makes grace in it's actings beautiful and lovely to him These words then may either express 1. the lovelinesse of her love Or 2. the delight which he took in it as esteeming highly of it she was so very lovely that nothing refreshed him so much as her brests Which expression as all the rest holds out intense spiritual-love under the expressions that are usual amongst men And it sayes 1. that the beauty of grace is a ravishing beauty or Christ's love delights in the love of his people a room in their hearts is much prized by him 2. Christ hath a complacency and acquiescense in his people which he hath in none other and where more grace is there his complacency though one in it self doth the more manifest it self 3. When a believer is right and in good case then his love to Christ is warm And particularly a right frame is by nothing sooner evidenced than by the affections and it 's ordinarily ill or well with us as our love to Christ is vigorious or cold The second way how our Lord expresseth his love to his Bride is in the beginning of vers 8. and it 's by expressing of his resolution to accompany with her beyond any in the world She was compared to a Palm-tree in the former verse Now saith he I will go up to the Palm-tree that is to the Palm-tree before mentioned It 's on the matter the same with that promise chap. 4. 6. I will get me to the mountain of Myrrhe c. Consider here 1. the thing promised or proposed and that is his going up to the Palm-tree and taking hold of the boughs thereof That the scope is to hold forth his purpose of manifesting himself to her is clear 1. By the dependence of this on the former He had said Thou art a Palm-tree and now saith he I will go up to the Palm-tree which speaks his prizing that tree above all others 2. The effects also of his going up in the following words do clear it It 's such a going up as hath refreshful and comfortable influence upon her The importance of the similitude is as men love the trees they converse much about and it 's like Palm-trees were much used for that end or as climbing up upon trees and taking hold of their boughs do shew the delight and pleasure men have in such or such a tree and how refreshing it is to them to be neer it So having compared her to a Palm-tree he expresseth his delight in her and his purpose of manifesting himself to her under the same similitude as is ordinary in the strain of this Song 2. Consider that this resolution is laid down as no passing thought but is a deliberat and determined resolution I said I will go c. I will take hold c. Which doth shew 1. Christ's inward thoughts and conclusions with himself this is his heart-language 2. The expression of these and so the words come to be a promise which the believer may make use of as of a thing which Christ hath said 3. It shews a deliberatnesse in both that they were not sudden but the advised result of a former deliberation and that of old I said it In a word saith he my Bride is my choice in all
be fixed and established in neernesse with him 4. A stayed immovable condition or frame of heart in the enjoying of communion with Christ is most desirable and profitable and therefore it is no marvel it be longed for 5. There is no staying or settling of a believer till he be admitted to dwell as it were in Christ's heart that is to dwell neer him in the believing and enjoying of his love all other grounds are wavering but this is stable and dwelling here if it were pressed after would bring more establishment This seems to be a peremptory suit she doth therefore give two reasons to presse it both which shew that it will not be unpleasant to Christ nor can it be condemned in her for saith she the love that presseth me to it is of such a vehement nature I cannot resist it more than death the grave or fire can be resisted This reason is contained in the rest of the sixth verse The second reason in the following wherein she shews that the love that pressed her was of such a peremptory nature and so untractable if we may so speak as to this that there was no dealing with it if it did not obtain it's desire no other thing could quench or satisfie it The strength of her love is amplified in the sixth verse by three steps in several similitudes By love here is understood that vehement ardent desire after Christ's presence which is kindled in the heart of the believer And first it is called strong in respect of it's constraining power whereby the person that loves is led captive and brought down as weak under it so that he cannot withstand it Saith she love masters and will undo me if it be not satisfied Love-sicknesse so weakens the soul when it once seazeth on the heart till it be cured with Christ's presence Next it 's called strong as death which is so strong that it prevails over the most powerful wise mighty and learned in the world Eccles. 8. 8. there is no discharge in that war neither can the most mighty Monarch encounter death and stand before it So saith she I can no more stand against the strength of this love it overpowers me and is like to kill me if it be not satisfied The second step or degree of this love and the similitude illustrating it is in these words jealousie is cruel as the grave It 's the prosecution of the same purpose only what she called love before is here termed jealousie Iealousie may be taken in a good sense or an evil In a good sense jealousie is the highest degree of love or love at it's heighth and and is the same with zeal Thus the Lord is said to be jealous for his glory And it imports 1. ardent affection 2. Desire of injoying 3. Impatiency of delay 4. A deep measure of grief mixt with love for any seeming appearance of a disappointment in the injoying the person they love or when they do not meet with love again from the person whom they dearly love So jealousie in this sense is applyed to both God and men but properly it agreeth only to men for there are no such passions in God though he condescending to our capacity speaks thus of himself after the manner of men Now this jealousie is said to be cruel or hard It 's called Prov. 6. the rage of a man and this was the jealousie or zeal that did eat up David Psa. 69. and so it is compared to the grave which Prov. 30. is the first of these four things that are never satisfied but wasts all the bodies that are laid in it So saith she this love of mine being at a heighth torments me restlesly as if it were cruelly persecuting me till it be satisfied with a good answer from thee O! my beloved In an evil sense jealousie signifies not a simple fear of missing the thing men desire or a suspition of their own short-coming in attaining of it but a groundlesse suspition of them whom they love as if they did not entertain their love as they ought and thus jealousie is called the rage of a man Prov. 6. 34. and so here this cannot be altogether excluded jealousie thus taken having in it some unbelief which torments believers horribly when the suspition of Christ's not taking notice of them grows and this is frequently to be found in the Saints cases in times of desertion they are then very apt to suspect God's love and this exceedingly disquiets them the want of the faith and sense of his love being a death unto them Psal. 77. 8 9 10. And so the reason runs thus let me be admitted to thy heart for my love will be satisfied with no lesse and if this be not obtained jealousie and suspition of thy love may steal in and that will be torturing and tormenting And therefore she puts up this suit that she may be set as a Seal upon his heart to have that prevented for she cannot abide to think of it 3. She compares this jealousie to coals of fire the coals thereof are coals of fire for their vehement heat tormenting nature and consuming power all which are to be found in this strong and jealous love it is vehement for heat painful and destructive as fire is yea further it is compared to coals that have a most vehement flame or as it is in the Original the flame of God for so the Hebrews do name any thing that is superlative in it's kind and this is added to shew the horrible torture that Christ's absence and love-sicknesse hath with it to a tender loving soul especially when carnal unbelieving jealousie enters and prevails they cannot abide it but would choose any rod before that if it were at their election Obs. 1. Love to Christ where it is strong and vigorous will make strange and mighty impressions on the heart which others are not acquaint with and will break out in such expressions as men of the world may wonder what they mean none of them having any such feeling or sensiblenesse of Christ's absence or presence 2 Where true love to Christ is it 's a most constraining thing the soul that hath it cannot but pursue for Christ and go about all means which may any way further it's communion with him 3. Where love begins to pursue after Christ the longer it be in meeting with him it increaseth the more where it is real and the moe disappointments it meet with it grows the more vehement till it break out in jealousie and zeal 4. Believers that have true love are ready to fall in jealousies of Christ and to be suspitious of his love especially in his absence This is supposed here that where true love to Christ is there may be jealousie of him 5. Where jealousie enters is cherished and prevails it 's not only dishonourable to Christ but exceedingly torturing to the believer There is not a more vexing guest can be entertained than jealousie of Christ. 6.
common to all and serve to direct every one in what they should aime at and also to convince for what they are short of The duties she is taken up with being moral her example in these must lay an universal obligation upon all and in such things wherein she falleth through infirmitie her carriage serveth well to deter all from these evils In the Last place for better understanding of the subject of this Song we would take alongst with us 1. some Observations 2. some Rules 1. The subject thereof is to hold forth the mutual and interchangeable exercise and out-lettings of love as well betwixt Christ and particular Believers as betwixt him and the Church As also his various dispensations to the Bride her diverse conditions and tempers and both his and her carriage under them and her out-gates 2. The manner how this sweet subject is set down is by way of Dialogue in several conferences after a Dramatick way as it 's called because thus the mutual love of these parties is best expressed In which there are 1. The principal parties in the discourse 2. Others as Friends or Attendants waiting on In the Gospel Ioh. 3. 28 29. there are mentioned the Bridegroom and his Friends and the Bride And children of the Marriage-Chamber are spoken of Math. 9. 15. by which are understood Virgins and Companions that attend her and also go forth to wait on him which are of two sorts some Wise being really so some Foolish being wise in profession only Math. 25. 1 2. There is also mention made of a Mother Gal. 4. 26. which hath two sorts of children some born after the Flesh and but children as it were of the Bond-woman others born after the Spirit and true members of the Church invisible The former persecutes the latter and of both kinds of children are some of all ranks amongst Priests Apostles Ministers c. We will find all these parties in this Song acting their several parts First The Bridegroom is Christ Iohn 3. 24. called the one Husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. for there is not another spiritual husband to whom Believers can be matched He is the King's son for whom the marriage is made Matth. 22. 1 2 c. He is the Lamb unto whose marriage the hearers of the Gospel are invited Rev. 19. 9. and Psal. 45. He is the King unto whom the Queen is to be brought after she is adorned by this name he is also styled in this Song The King Chap. 1. 4. 12. c. and the beloved Those and such titles are given to him which cannot be understood to be attribute to any but to Christ only by Believers 2. The Bride is the Church and every Believer in diverse considerations as is said before who are married to Christ and are to be made ready and adorned for the solemnizing of the marriage Of the nature of this marriage see more Chap. 8. 8. 3. The Bridegroom's friends are honest Ministers who rejoice to see him great Such as Iohn was Iohn 3. 29. and such were the Apostles Iohn 15. 15. Such are here the Watch-men trusted with the over-sight and edification of others spoken unto Chap. 2. 15. and spoken of Chap. 3. 3. 4. The Virgins or children of the marriage-chamber are here called Daughters of Zion Chap. 3. 11. and of Ierusalem many whereof are weak ready to stumble Chap. 1. 6. and of little knowledge Chap. 5. 9. and ready to stir up the Bridegroom Chap. 3. 5. and the Virgins that love Christ Chap. 1. 3. and the upright Chap. 1. 4. 5. The Mother is the universal visible Church wherein are many true Believers who are converted to Christ by the Word and Ordinances dispensed therein and to which also many Hypocrites belong as members 6. The children of the promise are true Virgins that love Christ the children of the bond-woman and the flesh are unrenewed Professors in the Church as also false teachers who act their part here likewise Chap. 1. 6. and 2. 15. and 5. 7. 3. This conference as it is betwixt Christ and the Believer is followed as betwixt married parties 1. In their titles they attribute to each other 2. In their claiming of this relation one in another as that he is her's and she is his 3. In their expressions which are such as use to be betwixt most loving parties who live exercising conjugal love most kindly and intimatly together The reason whereof is 1. To shew the neer Union that is betwixt Christ and his Church there is a relation and a most neer relation betwixt them that is not betwixt him and any others 2. To shew the kindly effects of that relation in both the parties especially the faithfulnesse and tendernesse of the husband in walking according to it in every thing 3. It 's to sweeten every piece of exercise the Believer meets with Yea to make all dispensations digest the better seing they are dispensed and ordered by such a loving husband 4. It 's for warming the Believers heart the more to Christ and to make this Song heartsome and delightsome that so Believers may have always a marriage-Song and every night may be to them as a marriage-night 4. The purpose or subject of this Song is Christ and divine things of all sorts but mainly the experiences of grown Christians held forth in most noble and lively expressions as was before a little cleared 5. The scope of all is to expresse the desirablenesse of fellowship with the Bridegroom and how the Bride thirsteth and longeth for it and how carefull she is to entertain it and by laying out his matchlesse excellencies to commend him to others which also seems to be the scope and design for which this Scripture is given to the Church and so her breathing after communion with him doth here begin the conference v. 2. Let him kisse me c. 6. The manner of their expression is 1. Sweet and loving and therefore this conference is carried on under the terms of marriage and the titles of beloved my love spouse c. as being the most lively that can expresse that relation and most apposite for entertaining of mutual love are here made use of 2. The manner of expression is something obscure though sweet that so the Lord's people may be stirred up to painfulnesse and diligence in searching out his mind and also because the mysteries here contained are great and cannot as they are in themselvs be conceived Therefore that they may be illustrate Parables are used as Mat. 13. 34. compared with Mark 4. 33. where it's clear that the intent and effect of the Lord 's speaking by Parables is to help some to take up these mysteries and to leave some ignorant 3. The Spirit of God doth here make use of borrowed expressions the more lively to set out the spiritual matter contained under them and by things most taking and best known to our senses to hold out divine Mysteries unto which these expressions are to
love as to bestow it on any creature whorishly but who reserve it for Christ only So the Church is called 2 Cor. 11. 2. A chast Virgin And so these who were kept unspotted and sealed for the Lord Rev. 14. 4 5. are called Virgins They are here called Virgins in the plural number because this denomination belongs to all Believers distributively and in particular They are said to love Christ that is whatever others do who have no spiritual senses and whose example is not to be regarded yet these saith she desire thee only and delight in thee only and this differenceth true Virgins from others If it be asked whether that be single love which loves Christ for his Ointments We answer Christ's Ointments may be two ways considered 1. As they make himself lovely and desirable so we may and should love him because he is a most lovely object as being so well qualified and furnished 2. As by these many benefits are communicat to us thus we ought to love him for his goodnesse to us although not principally because no effect of that love is fully adequat and comparable to that love in him which is the fountain from which these benefits flow yet this love is both gratitude and duty taught by Nature and no mercenary thing when it is superadded to the former Hence observe 1. All have not a true esteem of Christ though he be most excellently lovely for it 's the Virgins only that love him 2. There be some that have an high esteem of him and are much taken with the savoury Ointments and excellent qualifications wherewith he is furnished 3. None can love him and other things excessively also they who truly love him their love is reserved for him therefore they are called Virgins It is but common love and scarce worth the naming that doth not single out it's object from all other things 4. They who truly love him are the choise and waill of all the world beside their example is to be followed and weight laid on their practice in the essentials of spiritual communion more than on the examples of Kings Schollars or Wise-men So doth she reason here from the Virgins and passeth what others do 5. True chast love to Christ is a character of a Virgin-believer and agrees to them all and to none other 6. The love that every Believer hath to Christ is a proof of his worth and will be either a motive to make us love him or an aggravation of our neglect Vers. 4. Draw me we will run after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers we will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more then Wine the upright love thee Being now more confirmed in her desire from the reasons she hath laid down she comes in the 4. vers more directly to propound and presse her suit for rational insisting upon the grounds of grace in pressing a petition both sharpens desire and strengthens the soul with more vigour and boldnesse to pursue it's desires by Prayer In the words we may consider 1. the petition 2. The motive made use of to presse it 3. The answer or grant of what was sought 4. The effects of the answer following on her part suitable some-way to her ingagement The petition is Draw me a word used in the Gospel to set forth the efficacious work of the Spirit of God upon the heart ingaging the soul in a most sweet powerful and effectual way to Jesus Christ None can come to me saith Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44. It is used here to set forth the Brides desire to be brought into fellowship with Christ by the power of this same Spirit that as she desires a visit from Christ so she desires his Spirit that he may by his powerful operations draw her near to him And although a Believer be not at a total distance with Christ and so needs not renovation as one in nature doth yet considering what a Believer may fall into a deadnesse of frame as to the lively exercise of grace and a great distance as to any sensible sweet communion with Jesus Christ and that it must be by the power of that same Spirit without which even these that are in Christ can do nothing that they must be recovered and again brought to taste of the joy of his salvation as is clear from David's prayer Psal. 51. 10. to have a clean heart created in him c. See vers 12. of that Psalm And that there are degrees of communion with him and nearnesse to him none of which can be win at without the Spirit 's drawing more then being made near at the first in respect of state I say all these things being considered it 's clear that this petition is very pertinent even to the Bride and doth import these particulars 1. A distance or ceasing of correspondence for a time and in part betwixt Châ—ist and her 2. Her sense and resentment of it so that she cannot quietly rest in it being much unsatisfied with her present case 3. An esteem of Christ and union with him and a desire to be near even very near him which is the scope of her petition to be drawn unto him that she may have as it were her head in his bosome 4. A sense of self-insufficiency and that she had nothing of her own to help her to this nearnesse and so a denying of all ability for that in her self 5. A general faith that Christ can do what she cannot do and that there is help to be gotten from him upon whom the help of his people is laid for acting spiritual life and recovering her to a condition of nearness with himself 6. An actual putting at him so to speak and making use of him by faith for obtaining from him and by him quickening efficacious and soul-recovering influences which she could not otherwise win at 7. Diligence in Prayer she prays much and cryes for help when she can do no more The motive whereby she presseth this petition is We will run after thee wherein we are to consider these three things 1. What this is to run which is in short to make progresse Christ-ward and advance in the way of holinesse with chearfulnesse and alacrity having her heart lifted up in the wayes of the Lord for the Believers life is a race Heaven is the prize 1 Cor. 9. 24. and Philip. 3. 13 14 c. and the graces and influences of the Spirit give legs strength and vigour to the inner-man to run as wind doth to a ship to cause her make way as it 's Psal. 119. 32. Then I shall run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart which is on the matter the same with drawing here And this running is opposed to deadnesse or slowness in her progresse before Now saith she I make no way but draw me and we shall go swiftly speedily willingly and chearfully Hence we may
the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land Vers. 13. The Fig-tree putteth forth her green Figs and the Vine with the tender Grape give a good smell Arise my love my fair one and come away Having put by her observation of his carriage she comes to speak to the second part namely what was her carriage and it was to read over or think over with her self or to tell over to others what Christ had said unto her This is a main piece of spiritual wisdom to fill Christs room in his absence with his word and call and to read his mind only from these the best interpreters of it These words prefaced to Christ's Epistle or Sermon my beloved spake and said unto me are not idly set down before she tell what the words which he spake were But 1. It shews she delights in repeating his Name for she had made mention of it before vers 8. 2. It shews what commended Christ's epistle or words to her it was not only the matter therein contained though that was warm and sweet but it 's come saith she from my beloved it was he that said this it was he that sent me this word 3. It shews her discerning of his voice and her assurance that the word call and promise she was refreshing her self with was his word and no devised fable It 's a notable ground of consolation in Christ's absence to believers when they are clear that such and such gracious words come out of Christ's own mouth to them 4. It sayes that fellowship with Christ is no dumb exercise these that are admitted to fellowship with him he will be speaking with them otherwise then with the world And 5. That a believer hath an ear to hear not only what the Minister saith but also what Christ saith 6. It 's the word as from Christ's own mouth that hath any effectual impression and a believer will receive it as such that it may leave such an impression upon his heart 7. When Christ quickens a word it will be sweet and such a word will be retained so that these who have been quickned by it will be able long afterward to repeat it It 's our getting little good of the word of the Lord that makes us retain it so ill 8. It affords much satisfaction to a believer when he can say Christ said this or that to me and that it 's no delusion 9. What Christ sayes unto the spirits of his own in communion with them it may bide the light and is on the matter that same which he sayes in the Word and Gospel as we will see in the following discourse which for this end and for the edification of others and honour of the Beloved she tells over We may take these words or epistles of Christ's as directed to three sorts as the duty here pressed rise and come away will bear 1. To these that are dead in sins whom Christ by his voice quickens and makes to rise Iohn 5. 28. Although this be not the immediat intent of it as it 's spoken to a believer yet considering the scope of recording this and the matter contained in it it may well be thought useful to ingage these who are yet strangers to Christ there being still but the same way of making at the first and afterward recovering nearnesse with him to wit by faith in him and so it will presse receiving of and closing with Christ. 2. We may consider it as spoken to believers but to such as sleep or are sitten up so it presseth quickening And 3. As spoken to believers in a disconsolat discouraged condition so it 's scope is to stir quicken rouse and comfort Christs Bride in any of these two last cases that he may bring her in to more nearnesse of fellowship with himself and to more boldnesse in the use-making of him which is the great scope he aimes at There are three parts of this Sermon or Epistle 1. There is a kindly invitation that mainly respects the pressing of faith from vers 10. to 14. 2. There is a loving direction or two vers 14. looking especially to the practise of duties 3. Least any thing should be wanting he gives a direction concerning the troublers of her peace vers 15. In all these parts there are four things common to be found in each of them 1. Some sadnesse in her condition supposed 2. Some directions given to cure it 3. Some motives used to presse the practise of these directions 4. Some repetitions to shew his seriousnesse in all and the concernment of the thing spoken The case wherein these who are here spoken to are supposed to be in this first part of Christ's Sermon vers 10 c. is 1. Deadnesse total or partial Believers may be under a decay and be in part dead 2. It is supposed that they are secure and not vigorous but insensible in a great part of that ill 3. That they are disconsolat and heartlesse under distance and deadnesse which ills often tryst together The direction he gives in order to the helping of this is in two words 1. Rise 2. Come away Which sayes that as she was now in a case of strangenesse to Christ so there was a necessity of rousing her self and coming out of it such a necessity as there is for a straying wife to return to her husband Now these words are a sweet call of a kind Husband inviting to this return and shewing the remedy of straying and estrangement from him Rising imports 1. One that is setled some way in a condition opposite to walking and running 2. A stirring up of themselves as unsatisfied therewith and desirous to be out of it with some endeavour to be up again Declining from Christ puts souls still down and holds them at under Come away holds forth a term from which she is to come from that condition she was in whatever it was it was not good Men are in no desirable condition when Christ calls them 2. A term to which she is to come and that is Christ it 's to follow the Bridegroom to get her brought to a nearer union and communion with him is the great thing he aimes at 3. An act whereby she passeth from that she was and turning her back on that moves towards him that she may thereby attain nearer union and fellowship with him By both which we conceive the exercise of faith in him is mainly holden forth 1. Because saith is ordinarily in Scripture set forth by coming Isa. 55. 1. Ioh. 5. 40. Ioh. 6. 35. and this expression suits well the act of saith 2. Because it 's the only mean of making up the distance betwixt him and us Decay in the exercise of faith and distance with Christ go together and the exercise of faith and nearnesse with him are also inseparable companions This is the meaning then why lyes thou in this discouraged decayed and comfortlesse condition there is another
and a far better to wit a lively and comfortable condition allowed upon thee Christ calls thee to exercise faith in him for recovering of thy case And this now is set down imperatively by way of command that we may know that believing in Christ or keeping communion with him by faith are not left to our option but are laid on by a peremptory command for necessitating us to the exercise of it 1 Ioh. 3. 23. as a thing most acceptable to him with which he cannot be angry nor will he call obedience thereunto presumption 3. When he hath given the invitation he presseth it most seriously and weightily for though it be of our concernment we are not easily induced even to believe O but the world is much mistaken in this that think it an easy matter to believe And also he would have us knowing he allows us the comfortable exercise of faith in him with all his heart if we may speak so when he thus presseth and perswadeth us to it Likewise we may gather that it is no common thing which he exhorts unto when he doth so seriously presse it but it is of most weighty concernment to us There are three wayes he maketh use of to presse it 1. By excellent loving titles my love and fair one which are given here especially to let her know he loved her and thereby to encourage her to follow the call The faith of his love hath no little influence upon our acting faith in particulars on him 2. To shew that he is no rigid nor severe censurer of a discouraged believer no my fair one saith he even when she hath many spots Christ will raise no ill report on his own whatever be their failings 3. He presseth it from the special relation he hath to her my love and my fair one which makes all his words very kindly and shewes an obligation on her by the Covenant-relation that stood between them to be his and to subject her self to his directions according to that word Psal. 45. 10. Hearken O Daugher c. Forget thy fathers house c. And therefore she ought to leave all and cleave to him Christ requires nothing from us but according to the Covenant that tyes us to communion or co-habitation to speak so with Christ and it 's a most binding obligation if this prevail not in pressing us to duty that we are Christ's nothing will prevail It 's no little practick in a believer to be like the relation they stand in to Christ what my love saith he becomes it you to be so strange Rise and come c. Some other thing is allowed to you than to others and some other thing is called for from you than is to be found in the way of others The third way he insisteth to urge this for the call and kindness comes still on his side even when we are in the fault is by most pressing arguments of three sorts The first is vers 11. Rise saith he and come away for there is no hazard now to travel this journey because what might scar you is done away the winter-cold and storm in past and the rain that makes rivers unpassible and journeys dangerous and wearysome therefore it 's Matth. 24. 20. pray that your flight be not in the winter these are over This suppons 1. There was a sharp winter and a bitter rain as it were whereby the way of fellowship with God was unpassible till these were removed the sword as it were standing to keep sinners from Paradise that is the sentence and curse of the broken law and the wrath of God pursuing therefore which was indeed a fearful winter and storm that made the Sun dark and the day gloomy therefore is God's wrath in Scripture compared to terrible blasts and tempests and who can stand before his cold Psal. 147. 17. 2. It sayes that now these are done away by Christ and by his call in the Gospel he assures his people they shall find them fully removed so that there is no wrath nor curse that any who yeelds to it needs to fear 3. It implyes that the Gospel brings good news and there is none better than this that Gods justice is satisfied and his wrath removed 4. It imports that Christ can bear sure testimony to this that wrath is over because he payed a price to remove it and therefore sinners may take his word and follow his call And 5. That believers are sometimes ready to suspect more than they have ground that there is some storm yet before them but Christ hath made all fair-weather ere he call O great argument He calls not to fight but to gather the spoil He puts not believers to the sea till he himself hath made all calm Believers meet with blasts and storms sometimes but readily that is when their back is on Christ and not when their faces are to him-ward The wind of wrath is not in a sinners face that seeketh Jesus but the word â—aith to such fear not Mark 16. 6. ye seek him 2. He presseth her to rise and come from some heartsome incouragements he propons vers 12. There is a great change saith he now when the angry winter is over all things are pleasant and lovely 1. The flowers appear that shews there is heat and warmnesse in the earth and it is an effect of the Spring and a proof that winter is past Hereby the fruits of grace appearing in the change that is wrought upon sinners may be signified as is frequently hinted in this Song where the Church is called a garden and believers are the flowers Come saith he grace hath made others to come through the ground who once were like flowers in the winter under ground but now they appear and flourish 2. The time of singing of birds is come As in the Spring birds sing which in the winter drooped So saith he now many poor sinners have changed their sad note and begin to sing who once were sinking under fears And the good news of the Gospel like the voice of the turtle is heard in our land these good tydings have been sent even to us which is no little evidence of love and no small confirmation to faith That the news of the Gospel and the consolation of sinners thereby is here understood is very agreeable to the scope And these prove the removing of wrath and are incouraging for stirring sinners up to the exercise of faith And O how heartsome and refreshful is the spiritual Spring when the day-spring from on high visits us as these things mentioned in the text are in the natural spring very pleasant and tend to provoke men to go and recreat themselves in the fields And this is the particular scope of this place There is never a sinner hath gotten good of Christ but it proves him to be very kind and the blessed change Christ hath wrought on them should incourage others to believe especially when it is the day of
will find fault with when they come to look rightly upon it yea even much of their way while they keep up the form of duty is but like the sluggard Prov. 26. 14. turning themselves upon their beds as the door doth upon the hinges not lying still nor altogether darring to give over the form yet litle better on the matter because they make no effectual progress not can they say their soul is in and with their service which they perform 3. Her successe as to this step is but I found him not that is I was nothing the better these sluggish endeavours did not my businesse Every form of seeking will not obtain and one may seek Christ long in their ordinary formal way ere they find him yet it 's good not to give over but to observe the form Life and love is not altogether gone when one discerns absence and their own lazinesse with discontent When this doth not reach her design she proceeds to a more lively step vers 2. and that is to get up and seek him in a more active stirring way Which sayes 1. She observed the continuance of her distance and what came of her prayers and seeking which is a good beginning of ones recovery and wining to their feet after a fit of security and decay 2. It sayes it 's often good for a believer as to their rouzing and their recovering of spiritual life that sense is not alwayes easily obtained this activity had not followed readily had not Christ constrained her to it by cross-dispensations and disappointments In this step we have 1. Her resolving to fall about a more active way in seeking him 2. Her performance 3. Her successe First Her resolution is I will rise now saith she and go about the streets c. In which there are these three 1. What she resolves to do not to give over for that should never be given way to but to bestir her self more actively in duty I will rise and go from the bed to the streets of the city and seek him there By city is understood the Church whereof all members are fellow-citizens Eph. 2. 19. It 's called so 1. For it's order and government so the Church is as a city that hath watchmen and laws 2. For it's unity it 's one Common-wealth and Incorporation Eph. 2. 12. This Jerusalem is a city compacted together Psa. 122. 3. 3. For it's priviledges whereof all believers who are the burgesses and fellow-citizens are partakers Eph. 2. 19. and unto which all others who are without are strangers Her going into the city suppons a communicating of her case to others for help and her using of more publick means opposite to her private dealing within her self on her bed vers 1. even as rising imports a stirring of her self to more activity in the manner of performing these duties opposite to her seeking him formerly while she lay still on her bed The thing then resolved upon is to this sense What am I doing are there not moe means in the use of which I may seek Christ Is there not another way of inquiring after him than this lazy formal way I will up and essay it There are many meanes given for a believers help and when one fails another may be blessed and therefore believers are still to follow from one to another and where true love to Christ is it will make them do so and spare no pains till they meet with him Again 2. Ere she gets to her feet and goes to the streets c. she deliberatly resolves it I will rise c. Which shews 1. That her former disappointment did put her to a consultation what to do and made her more serious And this is the use that ought to be made of disappointments in the duties of religion 2. That there will be heart-deliberations in a Christian-walk when it 's serious and they are the best performances and duties that are the results of these 3. Serious resolutions are often very usefull and helpful in duty for they are ingagements and spurs to stir up to duty when we are indisposed for it 4. It 's good cordially to resolve upon duty when the practice of it is somewhat difficult or obstructed for this both speaks sincerity and also helps to lessen the difficulty which is in the way of duty 5. Resolutions to set about duty are oftentimes the greatest length believers can win at while under indisposition and this much is better than nothing because it draws on more 3. This resolution is qualified I will rise now saith she that is seing these sluggish endeavours doth not avail me I will delay no longer but will now presently fall about it in more earnest It 's the sign of a sincere resolution when it doth not put off or shift duty but ingageth the soul in a present undertaking of it Psal. 119. 59 60. Next her performance or her putting this resolution in practice doth accordingly follow instantly I sought him said she that is in the streets c. Obs. 1. It 's not a resolution worth the mentioning that hath not practice following for every honest resolution is followed with practice whatever short-coming wait upon it 2. Honest resolutions are often to duty like a needle that drawes the threed after it and believers would not star to resolve on duty from fear of coming short in performance if their resolutions be undertaken in the strength of Christ as this was as is clear by considering her former frame which was such as would give no great incouragement to selfy undertakings in duties Lastly her successe or rather her disappointment follows in these words but I found him not even then when I was most serious in seeking him I missed him still which is not only spoken to shew the event but also by way of regrate she is deeply affected with it Obs. 1. When the Lords people have been formerly lazy Christ may keep up himself even when they become more active rather hereby chastening their former negligence than being offended at their present diligence in duty 2. It 's sad when Christ is missed even in duty and that once and again 3. She continues to be a distinct observer of the fruits both of publick and private duties which is a commendable practice and to be made conscience of by all the seekers of his face Vers. 3. The watch-men that go about the City found me to whom I said Saw ye him whom my soul loveth This verse contains the third step of the Brides carriage being now abroad the watch-men found her and she inquires for her beloved at them and her successe in this may be gathered from what follows she doth not upon recourse to them immediatly find him but is put to go a little further In the words there is 1. An opportunity or mean for finding Christ met with 2. Her improving of it 3. The successe which is implyed as is said The mean holds forth these three things 1.
set forth which is the present scope It therefore must be here understood 3. That work is signified by this Chariot whereby Christ communicats his love to poor sinners and caries them through therefore it 's said to be paved with love for that end Now there is no partaking of special love from Christ but by this Covenant nor was there ever another mean made or appointed for convoying love to them or for bringing them through to the partaking of it but this same Covenant therefore it must be understood 4. All that is spoken of this Chariot as it will be applicable to no other thing so will it well agree to the Covenant of Redemption manifested and preached in the Gospel 1. It may well be compared to a Chariot because by it poor believers are carried through as in a Chariot born up and sustained by it even in the way Yea in it and by it they triumph and ride as in triumph as he in this Gospel rides prosperously and if it be that wherein he rides it must be that wherein they ride also and therefore well compared to a Chariot because both he and they triumph by it 2. It 's eminently and peculiarly Christ's workmanship he made this Covenant for their behoove and entred himself surety undertaking for them when there was none upon their side of the Covenant to undertake but he the Mediator and therefore is he stiled Jesus and Redeemer and it 's by his purchase having procured this unto them that they are admitted to it and carried through in it 3. It 's in a peculiar way contrived and framed for the glory of his grace and the good of his people as hath been said by it is manifested in the Church the manifold wisdom of God and the riches of the grace of Christ If ever a piece of work was made for the good of sinners and the glory of grace this is it without which all the creatures had been uncomfortable yea hurtful to them 4. It may be said to be of the wood of Lebanon that is excellent and durable for so the wood of Lebanon was for which cause it was made use of in building of the Temple and so all the materials of this Covenant and it's properties are excellent and durable it 's an everlasting Covenant that fails not and vanishes not away but endures for ever 5. The form is suitable also He made the pillars thereof saith she of Silver pillars in a piece of work signify 1. Decoring 2. Order-lines 3. Statelinesse for which cause when wisdom builds her house Prov. 9. 1 2. she heweth out seven pillars and Solomon made pillars for the Temple the inscriptions whereof signified their end and use Iachin and Boaz stability and strength 2 Chron. 3. 17. And they are as silver pillars to shew their excellency and so this Covenant hath precious promises as the pillars thereof able to support believers and hath all these so well ordered and contrived that every thing is excellently in it's own place This Covenant is therefore said to be well ordered in all things and sure the pillars will not shrink shake nor bow 2 Sam. 23 5. 6. It hath a bottom and that of Gold A bottom is to shew it's stability and firmnesse to sustain and keep up these who ride in it and Gold shews it solidity and preciousnesse it 's a rich bottom therefore the new Ierusalem is said to have her streets of pure Gold Rev. 21. 22. So this Covenant hath a sure foundation elect and precious this Covenant cannot be unbottom'd and sinners cannot fall through if once in it 7. It hath a covering and that of purple A cover is to preserve and save from any thing that may fall from above and Purple or Scarlet for in Scripture both are one as may be seen Matth. 27. 28. compared with Mark 15. 17. sets out the excellency and efficacy of that cover it 's not of every thing it 's of Purple and this in Scripture was made use of to be dipt in the blood of the Sacrifices Heb. 9. 14. which was called vers 20. the blood of the Covenant typifing the application of Christ's blood This is the cover of the Covenant the worth and efficacy of Christ's satisfaction whereby all in Covenant as it were riding in this Chariot are preserved from the wrath of God and their sins hid and so covered by that blood that they are never called to a reckoning for them Psal. 32. 1 2. Ier. 50. 20. 8. The midst thereof is paved with love What can this be Gold is much but love is more what workman but Christ can make this pavement and what piece of work of his but the Covenant of Redemption is so lined and stuffed with love The midst thereof is the inward of it as great men in their Chariots and Coaches have their pillows and cushions of Velvets c. to repose them But here there is a far other thing to repose and rest upon love lines all this Chariot so that there is none in the Covenant but love is still next them the Word speaks good to them and all the Promises run like pipes with streams of love to them God's dispensations toward them breath out love they walk on love sit on love rest on love it must be good to be here And love is reserved for the midst of it to shew that though it's excellency and beauty may some-way shine and glister to these that are without yet none knows or can know the heart and bowels of the Covenant to say so and the love that is there but these that are within 2. Love is put over the bottom of Gold and made the pavement 1. Because love in this Covenant condescends lowest to us and there can be no lower stooping imaginable than that to which the love of Christ hath made him bow 2. It 's love that makes the riches of Christ applicable to us we could not walk on that Gold if love paved it not the freedom of his grace and love makes all refreshful the believer even though a sinner may ride and rest here 3. It 's to hearten a sinner to come in and close with this Covenant and it shews what fits it to be a Chariot for them to ride in it 's the pavement of love a sinner may leap here there is no hazard to fall or if he fall he falls soft for it 's upon love There will be no rejecting of a sinner that would enter and fit down in it why they are to fit stand and lye on love which will cover their infirmities and not contend otherwise there would be no accesse to it nor abiding in it it would cast them out Thus doth grace shine in the Covenant as the lineing and inside of all the promises when they are seen therefore is it peculiarly called the Covenant of grace 9. It 's for the daughters of Ierusalem all the work is for them but especially the pavement
Meditation is as it were 〈◊〉 soul's ruminating and chewing it's cude feeding upon and digesting what is understood and eaten as the clean beasts did which may be one reason why her teeth are in the first part of their commendation compared to a flock of sheep which were among the number of clean beasts by reason of this property Meditation is exceedingly useful for a believers life and they who are strangers to it are not like Christ's sheep Again as the teeth evidence first the nature and inward disposition so we conceive they are also made use of here as the commendation also clears to shew 1. The zealous nature which is and ought to be in believers they have teeth and ought not alway to be soft when the Lord's honour is concerned Zeal though it bite not and devour not yet it 's not senslesse but easily touched with the feeling of that which reflects upon the glory of God 2. The similitude here is to shew what a meek and quiet spirit believers have they have not such teeth as lions or tygers but such as sheep have not tusks like dogs and ravenous beasts but even shorn shewing a moderation and equablenesse in their way being first pure then peacable gentle c. Iam. 3. 17. This will agree well to teeth as they appear by opening the lips for the new nature within is expressed and doth appear in words which afterward are spoken of under the similitude of lips Now this christian moderation which keeps the right midst is a notable piece of spiritual beauty as is clear from the second piece of the commendation for it 's as a flock of sheep even shorn and not unequally and unhandsomely clipped so true zeal will not upon by-respect or interest be high or low up or down but keeps a just equality in it's way And this speaks out a well constituted frame that is neither too soft nor too sharp in biting and devouring one another as is said Gal. 5. 15. which carnal zeal sets the teeth a work to do 2. This similitude doth evidence and signify a good subject they â—eed on to wit Christ and his promises and a good subject they meditate on the same Christ and what is most precious in him Hence in the third part of the commendation they are likened to sheep coming up from the washing white and clean Neither mixture of humane inventions nor of carnal passions or worldly delights gets place and entertainment with them their zeal is 〈…〉 their ends are single their affections are chast and clean being purged from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and they appear so 3. Not only their healthfulnesse is hereby evidenced but further also their fruitfulnesse whereupon their inward meeknesse and zeal moderated by pure and peaceable wisdom have great influence as is clear by the fourth part of their commendation every one of these sheep bear twins and none is barren amongst them The scope whereof is to shew their aboundant fruitfulnesse thus their sweet nature is a pleasant possession like a flock of sheep that inriches their owner they are so fruitful and profitable Obs. 1. Feeding on Christ is ever fruitful to the soul that makes him it 's food whereas other meats profit not them that are occupied therein Heb. 13. 9. 2. Zeal moderated with meeknesse hath also a deal of fruits waiting on it Iam. 3. 17. but bitter zeal as it 's there in the Original or strife hath confusion and every evil work following on it Ibid. vers 14 15 16. It 's much to be zealous alway in a good thing and no little piece of a spiritual commendation to keep the right midst with our zeal Vers. 3. Thy lips are like a threed of Scarlet and thy speech is comely thy Temples are like a piece of a Pomegranate within thy locks In this 3. vers we have the fourth and fifth particulars that are commended in the Bride The fourth thing commended is her lips The commendation given them is that they are like a threed of Scarlet that is neat and lovely and of an excellent colour as Scarlet which being of the richest dye was made use of under the 〈…〉 to represent the blood of Christ as Heb. 9. 19. Next this is amplified as we conceive in the following expression and thy speech is comely which is added for the explication of the former and therefore is joyned thereto with a copulative and which is added to none of the other parts here commended and it may be here added to shew 1. A way of opening the other expression for speech is expressed by lips because they are the organs to say so whereby it 's formed and uttered And 2. To shew that under lips comes in both our words to God in prayer and praise and also our words to others whatever is spoken or comes out of the lips as often the phrase is used for both Also it shews that in a special way he takes notice of believers speech when it's savory as a main part of their spiritual beauty which makes them lovely The commendation of her lips and speech is twofold 1. More general it 's like a threed of Scarlet 2. That is expounded by another expression more clear and particular namely this that her speech is comely The meaning of both which may be comprehended under these four 1. That her speech is profitable for it's matter as a Scarlet threed is precious and useful The subject of a believers discourse is not common but good to the use of edifying Eph. 4. 29. 2. It 's pleasant and delightsome for it's manner like a sweet comely and pleasant voice opposite to some kind of voices that are harsh and unpleasant It 's by prudence and love sweetned and made savory and therefore is said in Scripture to be seasoned with salt Col. 4. 6. and to minister grace to the hearers Eph. 4. 29. and it 's called a giving of thanks Eph. 5. 4. 3. It 's articulat and distinct therefore called speech and not a sound having honest ingenuity in it speaking as they think in their heart Psal. 15. 2. and opposite to lying dissembling c. whereby one speaks to vail or hide his mind from another 4. Hereby is also signified that they hazard not even the best of their prayers on their own bottom and worth but their work is to have them all dyed in the blood of the Lamb and to put them up in his Name Heb. 13. 15. They are all offered up by him Now these are special qualifications commendations and characters of a believer shewing 1. That a believer as a believer is not dumb but hath renewed lips whereby he can speak to God in praise 〈◊〉 his honour in prayers for his own good and also to others for their edification A believer that can speak nothing to a good purpose or if he can doth it not is not like Christ's Bride much lesse these whose discourses tend quite another way 2. That
them with shields because it provides them out of Christ's fulnesse which is contained in the promises which promises or rather Christ in them being made use of by â—aith are for a believers security against challenges tentations discouragements c. as so many excellent shields Therefore Eph. 6. 16. it 's called the shield of faith and for their safety it is commended above all the rest of the spiritual armour And this being the believers great defence and specially tending to their commendation when it is in lively exercise this similitude cannot be so well applyed to any other thing Obs. 1. Faith in exercise is a notable defence to a believer against all assaults and temptations there is no such shield as â—aith is every promise and every attribute in God is as a shield to these that exercise this grace of saith thereupon 2. Faith exercised on these is exceedingly well pleasing to Jesus Christ. 3. That all believers have their arms out of one armory there is but one store-house for them all to wit faith acting on Christ's fulnesse 4. Faith will never want a buckler there is a thousand laid up in a magâ—zin for the believers use 5. He is the most mighty and valiant man who is most in the exercise and use-making of faith 6. Faith is the grace that makes a man valiant and victorious as all the cloud of witnesses Heb. 11. proves Again if we consider the neck as it 's commended here as being like a tower for uprightnesse and straightnesse it signifies a quiet serene mind and a confident boldnesse in doing and suffering in which sense it 's opposit to hanging of the head which speaks discouragement And as a stretched out 〈◊〉 in a carnal sense Isa. 3. 16. signifies haughtinesse and pride so here in a holy and spiritual sense it implyes châ—â—rfulnesse of heart and confident holy boldnesse which proceeds from the spirit of adoption and this waits upon and follows after the exercise of faith being fixed and stayed upon the Lord and his word against all events Psal. 112. 6. Bold in duties and valorous in sufferings and in undergoing any difficulties So then this is no small commendation whiâ—h Christ gives his Bride and it is well consistent with that holy blushing shâ—mefastnesse and sobriety for which she was commended in the former verse Vers. 5. Thy breasts are like two young Roes that are twins which feed among the Lilies The seventh and last part that is commended in the Bride is her two breasts or paps For clearing of this similitude we are to consider 1. That the breasts in nature are a part of the comelinesse of the body Ezek. 16. 7. 2. They are useful to give suck and food to others 3. They signifie warmnesse of affection and lovingnesse as Prov. 5. 19. let her breasts alwayes satisfie thee and Chap. 1. 13. the Bride expressing her affection to Christ saith he shall lye all night between my breasts and so the wise of the bosome is the chast and beloved spouse And thus Christ is called the Son of God's love or of his bosome For this cause we conceive these things are here understood 1. A believers fitnesse to edifie others and that believers are in a condition suitable to a married wife or mother that brings forth children and hath breasts to nurse them and so to have no breasts Chap. 8. 8. is opposed to this a believer is as it were a nurse with breasts fitted to edifie others 2. That believers being in case to be useful to others for their edification is a special ornament to their profession And the third thing that is here understood is believers warmlinesse and kindlinesse to Christ and these that are his taking him and them as it were in their bosome the believer hath warm affections to receive them into And two breasts are mentioned to shew there is no defect as to the extent but both her breasts are in good case and alwayes ready in love to communicat their furniture for others edification The commendation is in two steps each whereof is qualified for the further inlarging of the commendation The 1. is They are like two Râ—es that are lovely and kindly Prov. 5. 17. often mentioned before and like young Roes because these are most lovely and suit best to be a similitude to set â—orth the comelinesse of that part of the body they are like young Roes not too big for when breasts are too big it 's a deformity And so when private edification exceeds it's true bounds it 's not approvable or lovely And these Roes to which her breasts are compared are twins Which shews an equality and proportionablenesse in their love to God and to others giving each of these their own place and keeping their love to creatures in the right subordination and also their communicating their love to others in admonitions and rebukes c. equally keeping a proportionablenesse in all The second part of the commendation is they feed among the Lilies As Roes would not maintain their pleasantnesse long if they did not feed yea if the pasture were not good So these must needs be pleasant and useful because they feed and that not in a wildernesse but amongst the lilies Which shews that believer in fitting and furnishing themselves that they may be forthcoming for others edification do not neglect their own advantage and edification but feed on good pasture whereby they are yet more fitted for being useful to others By feeding in this Song is understood 1. To be present in such a place as Chap. 2. 16. 2. To make use of that which is food for the intertaining of life 3. To delight in a thing for satisfying of the affections Next by the Brides breasts being like Roes that feed amongst the Lilies three things may be understood 1. As this expression respects Christ's feeding so to speak for he is said to feed amongst the Lilies Chap. 2. 16. and so it sayes that the believer loves to feed in Christ's company and where he is And 2. That this makes believers breasts run to others when they are much with him and in his company 2. As it respects believers who are called Lilies Chap. 2. 16. and 6. 2. And so it sayes 1. That all believers have one pasture they feed together as a flock doth 2. That one believer loves and delights in the company of another they are the excellent and the lilies of the earth their delight is with them And 3. That this helps a believers growth and fits him to be usefull for others edification and to improve well the spiritual fellowship of other believers 3. As it respects Christ himself who is called a lilie Chap. 2. 1. and his lips are said to be like lilies droping c. Chap. 5. 13. Whereby is holden out his Word Promises Ordinances c. And so it sayes 1. That Christ and his word is the great and main â—ood upon which believers â—eed that is their
love when it siezes deeply on a man it leaves him not master of his own heart but the object loved hath it and as it were possesseth it and commands it more than the man himself so the Gospel saith where a mans treasure is that is the thing a man esteems most of there as it were his heart is and not in the party that loves Mat. 6. 21. So the common phrase is such a man hath my heart when he is dearly beloved and thus in a subtile way Absolom is said to have stollen away the hearts of the people from his father It 's in sum my spouse thou hast my heart thou hast won it and as it were by violence taken it away I am not master of it I cannot but love thee It 's hard to draw observations that may suitably expresse the thing here spoken of only we may hint at these things 1. Love in Christ to a believer hath strong and wonderful effects on him in reference to them 2. The believer hath Christ's heart he hath a seat in his affection he possesseth his love for no other thing hath his heart and he may promise himself from Christ whâ—â—ever he can desire for his good even as if he had his heart under his command for so to speak he can refuse believers nothing which they seek and which he knows to be for their good 3. Love in Christ to a believer it 's at a height or it 's a love of the highest degree There is no greater intensnesse thereof imaginable for to have the heart ravished is the expression of the greatest love 3. The manner how he expresseth this is by doubling the expression Thou hast ravished my heart thou hast ravished my heart And this is to shew that this word â—ell not rashly from him but was drawn out by the vehemency of affection in him 2. That he allowes believers to believe this great love and affection he hath to them and would have them dwelling on the believing thoughts of it and therfore he doubles the expression while he intimats his love unto them Only remember there are no disorderly passions in Christ as in us yet that there is sympathy and love in him and passionat effects of love from him cannot be denyed The fourth thing is wherewith it is his heart is so ravished It may be thought to be some great thing that thus prevails over Christ Now what it is is set down in two expressions which are joyned to the former to make this love of his the more wonderful that which was conquered or ravished was his heart that which doth it is her eye the eye or look of a poor sinful creature even of such a person as may be despised in the world and like Lazarus full of sores and not admitted to mens company 2. It 's not with both her eyes but saith he with one of thy eyes that is as it were with a squint-look a side-look of the Bride prevailed thus with him One eye is not here mentioned as preferring the beauty of one of her eyes to the other but to shew what excellent beauty is in her and much more what infinit love is in him that he could not because he would not resist a look of one of her eyes cast toward him We shew what is understood by eyes vers 1. and it 's explicat in the following verse to hold forth love especially here lovers using to signifie affection by their eyes yet it takes in knowledge as being presupposed and faith as going alongst The second expression is with one chain of thy neck These chains were spoken of Chap. 1. 10. Whereby we shew was signified her inherent holinesse with imputed righteousnesse which by faith she possessed and so here also it signifies her graces especially her exercising faith on him for so the neck was expounded vers 9. to be understood of faith which joineth the believer to Christ as his head And it is said to have chains because it never wants excellent fruits wherewith it is adorned when it is exercised One chain is spoken of not as if she had not had moe or as if he did not respect them all but to hold forth this that one of her chains as it were did overcome him and so it may be gathered what will both eyes do and moe chains when one so prevails The scope then here doth shew 1. That Christ is easily prevailed with by his people O how easily is he overcome by them who have love to him and faith in him 2. That Christ stands not on the degree of his peoples graces nor doth he suspend his love and acceptation of a person upon such or such a degree but where ever reality and sincerity are if it were in the meanest degree and but one look or one chain he will yield to it and accept of it 3. It 's to provoke and incourage believers to cast a look to Christ when they find their faith to be so weak that they can do no more and to confirm them in the expectation of good from him freely without any rigid reckoning It 's not only the strong believer and the strong acts of faith and love that prevail with Christ but he condescends to be overcome even by the weakest with whom the sincerity of these graces is to be found This is further followed and explicat vers 10. and that two wayes 1. By an indefinite question How fair is thy love 2. By two comparative questions whereby in two similitudes her love is preferred to the most excellent things How much better c. The thing commended is her love that is the love wherewith she loves him wherewith her heart breathes after him delights in him esteems of him and is zealous to please him c. The commendation he gives her love is that it is fair And by the way we may observe that this clearly shews that by all the former parts of her beauty are understood spiritual graces Now saith he thy love is fair that is it 's lovely and acceptable to me as beauty and fairnesse are much esteemed amongst men So this grace of love is a beautiful thing in Christ's Bride The manner of the expression is by way of question and admiration How fair I can get nothing saith he to compare it with a wonder that Christ should be so taken with the love of sinners as to admire it or think that their love exceeds all expression for so men use to expresse what they cannot expresse But this doth indeed shew that the heighth and depth and length and breadth of that love which Christ hath to believing sinners passeth all knowledge and is beyond all words Obs. 1. That a believer is one that loves Christ and true faith hath alwayes this grace of love joyned to it 2. That love where it is sincere and true is a property of Christ's Bride and Spouse there are no other in the world who love him but these
excellent and useful for the life of man And therefore it was a property of Canaan that it flowed with milk and honey which are put together in the following piece of her commendation 2. Her speech or words are commended from the manner or qualification of them They drop as the honey-comb c. Droping words signifie 1. Seasonable words which are like dew droping for the edification of others as dew by it's droping makes the fields fruitful 2. Prudence and moderation in discourse and so droping is opposed to floods that with violence overflow 3. â—his phrase â—ignifieth a continuance in seasonable prudent and edifying discourse as Iob 27. 22. My words droped on them and Deut. 31. 2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain Thus the lips of the wise feed many Prov. 10. 21. Obs. 1. A believers words tend to edification and are for the true benefite and advantage of others 2. Every subject is not the matter of their discourse but as the honey it 's excellent and choice and that which ministreth grace to the hearers 3. Mens words give a great proof of what is in them and when rightly ordered they are a good evidence of their love and respect to Christ. 4. A well ordered tongue is a most commendable thing before Christ and every word that proceeds from the mouth is observed by him 5. Christ's spouse should be observably different as to her words and discourse from all others Thy lips O my spouse saith he drop as the honey-comb Implying that whatever be the way of others it becomes the spouse of Christ to have her words seasonable savoury and edifying The second thing here commended reacheth more inwardly and it is in these words honey and milk are under thy tongue There will be sometimes smooth words as butter when there is much venome within it 's not so with Christ's Bride By under the tongue which is the part commended we understand the heart or inward-man as it 's distinguished from the bare expression of the tongue or words which are only spoken as we say from the â—eth forward So Psal. 66. 17. He was exalted under my tongue as it 's in the Original is expounded in the following verse by heart-regarding There was an agreement betwixt his words and his heatt without which God would not have accepted his words And seing when it 's said of the wicked that mischief and vanity are under their tongue Psa. 10. 7. Rom. 3. 13. whereby their deceitful rotten heart and the venom that is within is signified So here must be understood inward sincerity and a good frame of heart within as well as good words without The commendation is that there are milk and honey under her tongue It 's almost the same with the former As her words were edifying so there was much edifying matter in her heart or under her tongue the honey-comb as it were was there and it by words droped to others Milk is added because it 's also sweet and nourishing In a word that which he here points at is that her inward constitution and frame is like a Canaan flowing with milk and honey so fertile and fruitful is Christ's Bride Here observe 1. That Christ takes not only notice of words but of what is under the words the disposition and frame of the heart and the thoughts thereof are observed by him 2. There is a suitablenesse often betwixt the heart within and the words without when there is honey under the tongue then the tongue cannot but drop for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks 3. It 's a most commendable thing in the believer when the inner-man is right in a lively and edifying frame and when the heart is watched over so that no thought enters in or word goes forth but what is edifying 4. The heart would be furnished with edifying profitable purpose and thoughts as well as the mouth with pertinent and useful words and that is as the fountain from which this must run and flow 5. They will feed and edifie others best by their words who feed best upon the most healthful subjects and savoury thoughts themselves The third thing commended is the smell of her garments Garments are that which covers our nakednesse and are for decorement externally put upon the body sometimes by them is understood Christ's righteousnesse whom we are said to put on Gal. 3. 27. Sometimes our own inherent holinesse which makes our way comely before others and hides our nakednesse from them So Iob. 29. 19. saith I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed me Now here it 's to be taken especially in the last sense though not only as setting forth the outward adorning of her walk with holinesse and this is the third part of her commendation distinguished from the other two which pointed at her words and thoughts And so it 's the practice of holinesse that is here commended which is compared to garments because good works are called the cloathing of such as professe godlinesse 1 Tim. 2. 9. and 1. Pet. 3. 3 4. The smell of them is the savour and relish of these good works to others and also to him even as it 's said that Iacob's garments did smell to his father to which this may allude so our holinesse being washen in the blood of the Lamb is very savoury to him and is also savoury to others yea the smell thereof is as the smell of Lebanon which was an hill that abounded with trees and flowers exceeding savoury and delightsome whereas a corrupt conversation is exceeding unsavoury as rottennesse and dead mens bones In sum this compleats believers commendation when their words are edifying their heart answerable to their words in true sincerity and their outward walk adorning to the Gospel so as their natural nakednesse and pollution appears not in it Obs. 1. Where there is true honesty within it will appear in the fruits of holinesse without 2. There is no garment or cloathing that can adorn or beautifie men as holinesse doth a believer 3. Though outward profession alone be not all yet is it necessary for compleating the commendation of a believer 4. Although good works be not the ground of our relation to Christ but follows on it and though it be not on the account of our works that the Lord is pleased with us to justifie us yet are the good works of a believer and of a justified person when done in faith acceptable to God and an odour and sweet savour to him Phil. 4. 18. Vers. 12. A Garden inclosed is my sister my spouse a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed Having thus summed up her carriage in the former threefold commendation now he proceeds both to describe and commend her by a seven-fold comparison wherein to say so the rhetorick of our Lords love abounds Each of them may point out these three things 1. They describe somewhat the nature of a believer or Christ's Bride 2. They evidence Christ's love and
influences contribute as well as the more comfortable 7. Believers would walk under the conviction of their own inability to act their graces and of the necessity of the Spirit 's influences for drawing them forth to acting and exercise 8. They who are thus sensible may seek after the Spirit for that end and it 's a good frame in order to the obtaining of life and quickning by the Spirit of Christ when the sense of their own inability their love of fruitfulnesse and the faith of attaining it by his Spirit puts them to seek after it 9. Prayer is a necessary and excellent mean for stirring up one in a secure frame and for attaining the Spirit to revive and quicken the work of his grace 10. Believers may beg the Spirit to quicken them when they find themselves lifelesse as well as they may ask pardon when they find themselves under guilt 11. Believers will be and should be as desirous of livelinâ—sse and fruitfulnesse as of sense yea this is the order by which they must come and should seek to come to the obtaining of sensible presence 12. No commendation of any atainment in believers nor any clearnesse of interest should make them sit down on their attainments or become negligent but on the contrary should stir them up to aim at the more livelinesse and spiritualnesse that they may be answerable to that interest they have in him and to the commendation he allows upon them For which cause this petition follows immediatly upon the former commendation The second petition which goes alongst with the former is for the beloved's presence Let my beloved saith she come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits Her desire here is twofold 1. That Christ would come This doth respect a greater degree of neernesse notwithstanding of any thing she injoyed 2. That he would eat his pleasant fruits that is familiarly and friendly delight in his own graces and therefore it was she prayed for the influences of the spirit that there might be abundance of fruits for his satisfaction The way she presseth this petition is very kindly though the words be short 1. She presseth it from the relation she had to him Let my beloved saith she come This makes her request and invitation warm and kindly 2. From the kind of the fruits they are pleasant fruits that is delectable in themselves and acceptable to him But 3. Lest this should derogat from him and arrogat to her self she adds his pleasant fruits they are his and that makes them pleasant so that he cannot but accept them they are his being purchased by him wrought by him keeped in life by him though he hath made me the garden saith she wherein they grow and the garden as it hath weeds is hers yet all the good fruits in so far as any of them are to be found in me are his In sum all all my desire is this 1. To be fruitful Then 2. To have Christ's company shewing himself pleased and present with me Obs. 1. Whatever believers have they neither will nor can rest upon it nay not in the most eminent measures of holinesse attainable here-away without Christ's presence and company 2. Fruitfulnesse and livelinessehelp and contribute much to the injoyment of Christ's manifestations Ioh. 14. 21. 23. 3. Believers that aim seriously at the exercise of grace in themselves may confidently invite Christ to come and may expect his presence 4. All believers fruits even when quickned by the Spirit are Christ's 5. This would be acknowledged and when we are most fruitful we would look on our fruits not as our own but as his still 6. Christ will seed or delight in nothing but what is his own and is acknowledged by his people to be so And there can nothing which he will accept of be set before him but such 7. Believers end and design in pursuing livelinesse and fruitfulnesse is not and ought not so much to be their own satisfaction and the seeding of themselves as the satisfaction of Christ and the pleasing of him for that is his eating his pleasant fruits which is the Brides great desire and design when she calls for the North and South-wind to blow upon her garden CHAP. V. BRIDEGROOM Vers. 1. I am come into my Garden my sister my spouse I have gathered my Myrrhe with my spice I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey I have drunk my wine with my milk eat O Friends drink yea drink aboundantly O Beloved THis Chapter hath four parts according to the parties that successivly speak In the first part vers 1. Christ speaks And that it is he who speaks doth at the first reading appear they are kindly words well becoming him and are the answer of her suit in the former words And so depend on them for the division of this Song as also of other Scriptures into Chapters not being done by the Penmen of the Holy Ghost but by the Translators is not to be stuck on where there is no question in the matter she desired him verse last of the former Chapter to come and now in this verse Behold I am come saith he c. In it we have 1. His yielding to come 2. His carriage when he is come as to himself And also his intimation of both 3. His invitation to others which may be also a part of his carriage when come taken up in three 1. He makes himself welcome and 2. Others 3. He intimats it The title being spoken of formerly the first thing is I am come into my Garden as thou desired my sister c. Hence observe 1. Christ hath particular and peculiar wayes of coming to his people and of nearnesse with them even as he hath of withdrawing from them 2. There are some peculiar times wherein he is more near than at other times 3. Sometimes he will not only draw near to his people but let them know he is near and put them out of doubt that he is come Again if we look to this as the answer of the former prayer we will see 1. Christ is easily invited and prevailed with to come to his people and sometimes there will not be long betwixt their prayer and his answer it 's the very next word 2. Few words may be an effectual prayer to Christ as the former suit was a breathing or sigh will not be rejected by him where sincerity is 3. Christ will sometimes not only answer prayer in the thing sought but he will intimate and let his people know that he hath answered it More particularly we may consider the answer 1. As it agrees with her prayer 2. As it â—ems defective 3. As it 's beyond it First It agrees fully to her last suit she prayed he would come and eat he comes and eats Obs. Christ will carve and shape out sometimes his answer even according to his peoples desires as if they had the power of prescribing their own answers For when our prayers make
may know it is not right with them and yet as it 's here with the Bride may continue under it and lye still 6. Spiritual lazinesse and security is incident to the strongest believers The wise virgins may slumber and sleep Matth. 25. 7. Yea after the greatest manifestations and often on the back of the fullest intimations of Christ's love and the most sweet invitations they have from him and most joyful feastings with him they may be thus overtaken as the words preceeding bear out The Disciples â—ell in this distemper that same night after the Lord's Supper 8. Believers may fall over and over again in the same condition of sinful security even after they have been rouzed and raised out of it as this being compared with chap. 3. will clear 9. The more frequently believers or any other relapse in the same sin they will go the greater length readily in it and by falling more dangerously be more hardly recovered than formerly Now she sleeps and when put at will not rise but shifts which is a further step than was chap. 3. 10. Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty do more frequently steal in upon believers than positive out-breakings and commissions and they are more ready to please themselves in them and to ly still under them 11. Believers should be so acquaint with their own condition as to be able to tell how it is with them whether as to their unrenewed or renewed part So here I sleep but my heart waketh 12. Believers in taking up their condition would advert both to their corruptions and graces and in their reckoning would put a distinction betwixt these two otherwayes they will misreckon on the one side or other They would not reckon themselves wholly by the actings of nature lest they disclaim their graces nor yet their renewed part lest they forget their unrenewed nature but they would attribute every effect in them to it 's own cause and principle where-from it proceeds 13. It 's good for a believer when overcome with corruption and captivate by it to disallow and disown it from the heart as not allowing what they do and to present this to God as a protestation entered against their prevailing lusts In some sense a believer may both condemn himself as sinful and absolve himself as delighting in the law of God at one and the same time and where he allowes not his corruption but positively dissents from it he may disclaim it as not being his deed This being her case follows the Bridegrooms carriage Which is expressed in the rest of vers 2. and her carriage implyed only in this verse is more fully expressed vers 3. His carriage holds out the great design he drives and that is to have accesse to her and to have her roused up for attaining of which 1. He doth something and that is knocks at the door 2. He endures and suffers dew and drops in the cold night and yet doth not give over 3. He speaks and useth many perswasive arguments for that end All which she observes and yet lyes still It is in sum as if a loving husband that is shut out by a lazy yet a beloved wife would knock call and waiting on still use many arguments to perswade her to open so doth our Spiritual Bridegroom wait upon believers whom he loves to have them brought again to the lively exercise of faith in him and to a frame of spirit meet for communion with him To take the words as they ly there is 1. The Brides observation as it were in her sleep of the Beloveds calling at the door 2. There is set down his call 3. The arguments he useth for prevailing with her By knocking is understood the inward touches of the Word upon the conscience when the efficacy of the Spirit goeth alongst which raps at the Brides heart as knocking doth at a door and is the mean of awaking her from spiritual sleep as knocking at a door is a mean of awaking from bodily sleep So it is Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock In which sense the word is compared to a hammer Jer. 23. 29. It takes in these three 1. A seriousnesse in him that so knocks 2. A power and efficacy in the word that some-way affects the heart and moves it 3. It implyes some effect it hath upon the heart as being somewhat affected with that touch Therefore it 's his voice or word that not only calleth but knocketh implying some force it had upon her By voice is understood the Word as Chap. 2. 8. 10. yet as backed with the Spirit and power and as commended thereby to the conscience 1 Cor. 2. 4. and convincingly demonstrated to be the very voice of Christ yet so as rods inward and outward and other means may have their own place being made use of by him yet still according to the word His great end for which he knocks is in that word open which as it implyes her case that her heart was in a great measure shut upon him and that by some carnal indisposition he was kept out of it and was not made welcome So it requires the removing of all that stopt his way and the casting open of the heart by saith to receive his Word and by love to receive himself and in these two especially this opening doth consist 1. In the exercise of faith Act. 16. 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia and that is expounded she gave heed unto these things which Paul spoke 2. An inlarging and warming of the affections towards him which ever comprehends the former as Psalm 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it What that is the refusal following declares my people would not hear that is believe Israel would none of me or loved not me as the words in the Original import they cared not for me they desired me not and would not quite their Idols as in the foregoing words vers 9. is mentioned 3. There resulteth from these two a mutual familiarity as Rev. 3. 20. If any man will open I will come in and sup with him and he with me This opening then imports the removing of every thing that marred fellowship with Christ and the doing of every thing that might dispose for injoying of it as awaking rising c. all which follows in the 4. vers and while he commands to open he calls for the entertaining of fellowship with him which now is by her drousinesse interrupted Which two parts of the verse put together hold forth 1. That Christ's own Bride may shut the door on him and so make a sad separation betwixt him and her 2. Christ's word is the great and ordinary external mean whereby he knocks at mens hearts and which he makes use of for begetting faith in them 3. That in a believers secure condition there will be sometimes more than ordinary convictions stirrings and motions by the Word 4. That the Word of God
backed with power will reach the securest heart and affect it 5. That believers will discern Christ's voice and call when their condition is very low 6. It will be refreshful to them to have him knocking she looks on it as a kindly thing even to have his knock bearing-in convictions challenges or somewhat else on her though it please not her flesh yet in as far as she is renewed it will be the voice of her Beloved to her 7. Christ hath a way of following his own even when they are become secure and sometimes then will make his call challenges or convictions pursue more hotly and pressingly than at other times 8. When Christ knocketh and presseth hardest it 's for our own good and it 's a token of love in him to do so for there is nothing more deplorable than when he faith to one under indisposition and in an evil case let him alone 9. When Christ calls by his Word it is then our duty to open to him and to receive him and this can no more be slighted without sin than prayer mortification and other commanded duties can be neglected or slighted without sin 10. Christ may call very pressingly and his Word may have some work on the conscience and affections of hearers and they be some-way affected with it and yet the Word be rejected and the heart not made open to Christ as here she sleeps still notwithstanding and the following verse confirms it 11. There are some operations of the Spirit which though they be more than a common work on the generality of hearers yet are not saving and may be and often are even by believers frustrate for a time and by others for ever for this knocking gets a refusal vers 3. So deceiving beguiling and dangerous are common motions to rest on when the finger of gracious Omnipotency is not applyed as vers 4. 12. Christ's design when he knocks fastest is friendly and yet it sometimes sayeth things are not right This is the end of all his knocking and speaking to a people and then it is plainest when he speaks most powerfully 2. The way how Christ presseth this is 1. By shewing who he was it 's me open to me There can be no greater commendation given to Christ nor weightier argument used for him than to make it known that it 's he the Husband Lord c. whos 's the house is and to whom entry by right from the wife ought to be given 2. By giving her loving titles and claiming her as his in many relations as my sister love dove and which was not mentioned before undefiled is added that is my perfect one or upright sincere one as it is often rendered These titles given now and so many at once shew 1. That believers when secure have very much need of the Spirit to rouze and stir them up Souls are not easily perswaded to receive Christ. 2. There is wonderfull love in Christ that condescends so to intreat his people when in such a secure case even then he changes not her name no more than if all things were in good case for our relation to him depends not on our case 3. Christ will sometimes very lovingly deal even with secure souls in his way for obtaining entry and perswading them to open to him and sometimes will apply the most refreshful Gospel-offers and invitations and use the most kindly compellations for that end 4. Christ sometimes will overlook the lazy distempers of his people and not alwayes chide with them for these but give them their wonted stiles notwithstanding 5. The kind dealing of Christ to his people will ever prove love to be on his side but will not alwayes prove that the persons so dealt with are presently in a good condition for he may accept their persons and speak comfortably as to their state although he approve not their present condition as here 6. We may see that Christ's love is not founded on our merit nor is up and down according to our variable disposition but he prevents both in his dealing with his people These titles being made use of as a motive to answer his call and to open to him shew 1. That the perswasion of Christ's love in souls is a main thing to make way for their entertaining of him 2. That it is a shame for a believer so beloved of Christ to hold him without at the door when he knocketh to be in Grace would make a heart to blush and in a manner look it out of countenance that would refuse his kindnesse The third and great argument is for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night Very shame might prevail with the wife when the Husband useth such an argument as this It 's even as if a husband standing long without doors in a tempestuous night should use this motive with his wife to perswade her to let him in it will be very prejudicial and hurtful to my health if thou open not unto me for I have stood long without This may no doubt be presumed to be a very strong and prevalent argument with a loving wife yet it gets but a poor and very unsuitable answer from the Bride By dew drops and night-time are understood afflictions external crosses and lownesse So Daniel 4. that King is said to be wet with the dew of heaven in his low condition as having no house to shelter himself in but being obnoxious to all changes and injuries of weather and Iacob mentions it as a part of the toilsome labour that he had with Laban I did endure the heat of the Sun in the day and the cold in the night that is he was ever watchful and spared not himself for the hurt of either day or night Here Christ's spiritual sufferings also may come in whereby he made himself obnoxious to the Fathers wrath and curse that he might have accesse to communion with his people and the account that he hath of being kept out by his people as a new piece of his suffering or as a painful reviving of the remembrance of his old sufferings The scope is to shew that as a kindly husband will so deal with a beloved wife and expect to prevail being put to this strait so doth Christ with his people being no lesse desirous of a room in their hearts and being as much troubled by their unbelief as any man is when put to stand in the cold night under dew and rain at his own door This way of arguing saith 1. That the believer as such loves and respects Christ and would not have him suffering as a kind wise would be loath to hazard her husbands health 2. That Christ expounds her so even when she is lazy and keeps him out otherwise this argument would be of no force nor would he have used it He will see much evil to speak so ere he notice it in a believer and is not suspicious even when occasions are given 3.
I have washed my feet washing the feet fitted and prepared for rest mens feet in these countries being by walking bare-footed someway stiffened beaten and bruised which by washing were eased and refreshed as we may see Gen. 18. 19. in Abraham and Lots carriage to the Angels supposing them to be men So here it is I have fitted and composed my self for rest as being wearied with the painfulnesse of holy duties and now she cannot endure to stir her self toward these as if that would again defile her In 〈◊〉 reasoning there are these faults 1. That she doth at all offer to debate a clear duty this makes way for the snare 2. That she interprets the study of holinesse and communion with Christ to be a trouble and carnal security to be an ease There will be strange misrepresentations sometimes both of our faults and failings and of Christ's worth and excellency which have much influence on our deadnesse and sinful distempers 3. She makes one sinful action the cause of her continuance in another There is often a connexion amongst â—ins and one draws on another the premisses that the flesh layes down as principles will still bear conclusions like themselves It 's unsound and unsafe reasoning from these 4. That which should stir and perswade her to rise to wit that she was not right she makes a motive of it to strengthen her self in her lazy inclination to lye still Carnal sense draws conclusions most unreasonable in every thing and tends still to foster it self whereas faith and tendernesse would reason the quite contrary 5. She puts too honest a name upon her security and calleth it the washing of her feet which was indeed the polluting of them Fairding and plaistering over our own evils is a great fostering of security yet too common as to call unbelief humility presumption faith security peace c. We give to sin the name of vertue and then without a challenge maintain it which is a degree of putting darknesse for light and bitter for sweet and a sort of calling evil good which brings under the hazard of the pronounced wo Isa. 5. 20. 6. She fails here that she expects more ease in lying still than in opening to Christ whereas it is but the flesh that is troubled at Christ's presence but solid satisfaction is only to be had in his company Flesh hath ever secret fears of Christ's company as if it were intollerable irksome and troublesome to be a Christian in earnest and these whisperings and wicked suggestions of the flesh may have sometimes too much weight with a believer 7. She mistakes Christ's word which pressed that he might be admitted who was a most loving husband and had suffered so much in waiting for entry but she states the matter otherwayes if she that was at ease should trouble her self that so the shift might seem reasonable Though Christ be not directly and down-right refused and the heart dar not under convictions adventure on that yet by opposing respect to our selves to him and by shifting to open to him when he knocks many are guilty upon the matter of refusing and slighting Christ himself when they think they slight not him but would only shun something that is troublesome to themselves These words are not so to be looked on as if explicitly believers would so argue but that in their lazy and drousie spiritual distempers there is such arguing on the matter and such or such like shifts prevails often to make them keep out Christ when directly they dar not refuse him which doth evidence the power and subtility of corruption even in a believer and the greatnesse of the love of Christ that passeth it by If it should be asked Why is this sinful distemper of hers registrat and put upon record Why say 1. For her own good It 's profitable for believers to mind and record their miscarriages to Christ as well as his kind dealings with them 2. It 's for the honour of the Bridegroom whose love appears and shines most brightly when it is set for-against her miscarriage believers would acknowledge their infirmities and failings as well as their mercies and graces when it may make to the Bridegrooms commendation 3. It 's for the edification of others often one believers infirmities through Gods blessing may prove edifying to others for making them watchful and bidding them stand and sustaining of them when fallen The infirmities of Iob under his fore tryals have strengthened many as his patience hath convinced them In sum this reasoning is indirect and frivolous shewing in the general 1. That men incline to cover their secret misregard of Christ as if it were rather tendernesse to themselves than indiscreet disrespect to him yet he expounds it so as Mat. 22. 5. when they alledge it as a necessary excuse that they behoved to wait on their farm and merchandise he interprets it they made light of the invitation to the marriage of the Kings Son 2. It shewes that the shifts whereby men put back Christ are exceeding frivolous there can be no strong nor relevant reason alledged for our slighting Christ and for our ruining our selves in slighting of him in the offers of his grace in the Gospel although corrupt nature exercise and rack it's invention to find out reasons to plead our excuse yet when such reasonings are examined they will not abide the tryal 3. That when mens hearts are in a declining frame very trivial and weightlesse arguments will prevail to make them keep out Christ and for as trivial as they are they would prevail even with believers did not grace refute them and make way for his entry into the soul. Vers. 4. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him There follow in this fourth verse a second step of Christ's carriage with the effects of it He gives not over but puts in his finger and powerfully makes application to her by a saving work of the Spirit upon her heart which hath the desired and designed effect following upon it she riseth and openeth In this we have 1. The mean applyed and made use of 2. The manner of application for that the worker is the Beloved himself is clear The mean in his hand which in Scripture signifieth three things when attributed to God 1. His Omnipotency whereby he doth what he pleaseth Exod. 15. 6. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power And Exod. 8. 19. it 's said This is the finger of God that is his power 2. It 's taken for the Spirit or the common operations of the Spirit whereby miracles beyond the power of man are wrought as by comparing Matth. 12. 28. with Luke 11. 20. will be clear 3. It 's taken for the saving work of the Spirit applyed for the working of faith in the elect at the first or renewing and confirming of it afterward in believers as Acts 11. 21. The hand of the Lord was with them
love to him and high in their esteem of him 6. Neither will the great mistakes of others shake believers that have a through esteem of Christ's worth but will rather with holy zeal awake them to commend him the more 7. As where there is true love to Christ there Christ will be lovely so when he is looked on as lovely that makes the heart to flow and abound with holy rhethorick in commendations of him 8. True love to Christ and to others for his sake will not suffer one to despise the weaknesse of another but make them rather take occasion from it to honour him and edifie them so much the more as the Bride doth heâ—e in answering the question proposed 9. The more neerly and fully any thing be compared with Christ though it be otherwise lovely yet then it will be seen to be nothing he so infinitly excells all things he can be compared with and it 's ignorance of him that makes other things get such a place in mens affections but when once they are set for-against him he is found preferable as incomparably chief for dignity riches and satisfaction or whatsoever is delightsome desirable and truly excellent vers 11 12 13. c. She passeth from the general to demonstrat it in particulars and therein she insists in the following verses If it should be asked why she descends into particulars especially now considering her deserted case I answer for these good reasons 1. That she might the more fully demonstrat and the more satisfyingly unfold Christ's worth For his worth cannot be soon nor easily told nor conceived nor soon believed by others it needs to be demonstrated amplified and insisted upon yet his worth can bide the tryal There is no truth may more fully and demonstratively be made out than this that Christ is a most excellent object of love and infinitly preferable to all others 2. This is for the edifying of the daughters of Ierusalem and in reference to their question that they might be the more convinced and satisfied anent the incomparable worth and matchlesse excellency of her beloved she brancheth it forth and insists upon it that so a deeper impression of it might be left upon their hearts Obs. 1. There is nothing more useful for the gaining and edifying of others than to help them to the right uptaking of Christ's worth 2. That is a great part of the work that should take up Christians in their fellowship together to be spending their mutual conferences on that subject for one anothers instruction 3. To edifie another is no diversion from pursuing after him to souls that love Christ and would be helped by others to meet with him This is well consistent with her pursuing after sensible presence for her self to stay a while instructing them A third reason of her insisting is that it 's suitable unto and agrees well with her own sad condition when he is away she loves to think and speak of him and of his lovelinesse and that gives her some ease Obs. Where love to Christ is there will be a delight in speaking of him and setting out his commendation even when he is absent it 's a kind of ease to tell over his qualifications when he is absent 2. It 's a good diversion under a deserted condition and a suitable way to an outgate to be dwelling rather upon the excellency of Christ than on the comfortlesse aggravations of our own sad condition this is more honourable to Christ more edifying to others and more pleasant to our selves O it 's sweet to think of him It 's more useful also for confirming of our faith in him for warming our affections to him and for keeping the mind stayed in dependence on him for the outgate Every attribute or property of his is a cordial to a soul fainting under a deserted case 4. Her insisting on this subject shews the nature of true love to Christ that a soul affected with it being once entered to speak of this theme or subject namely the excellency of Christ it expatiats in it and is not soon withdrawn from it This to say so is the very native element of it and it doth the heart good to enumerat and tell over distinctly the commendable qualifications and excellencies of Christ all which being his own are unspeakably delightsome and refreshing to reckon If there were any good measure of love to Christ in mens hearts they would not be easily withdrawn from meditating on him nor from speaking of him and the great haunt that other things have in our heart and the rarity of any expression that tends to Christ's commendation shews plainly that there are alace other beloveds abounding with us beside him In opening of the following particulars we would consider 1. The scope which is to demonstrat that Christ Jesus is altogether lovely and desirable beyond all other things that the hearts of men are set upon The question proposed vers 9. and the closing answer to it vers 16. makes this clear This then being the scope these particulars must be so taken up as they best contribute to clear this scope and so must necessarily imply the excellencies that are in Jesus Christ The Mediator himself being as the body and the several qualifications properties and excellencies wherewith he is furnished being as the several members and parts of that body Now seing Jesus Christ is so excellent himself and these being instanced as the choice excellencies that are in him they must needs be exceeding and passing excellent as the aggreging and heightning of every commendation doth shew There will be need therefore of much sobriety holy admiration and reverence in the opening of them lest we spill so excellent a subject as is the transcendent excellency of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. That the Spirit intends by these parts distinct considerations of Christ's lovelinesse in so many distinct particulars seems also to be without all question for the particular enumeration is brought in to demonstrat this general that he is the chiefest among ten thousand which is done as it were by an induction of so many commendable things that are in him Beside in other Scriptures and especially Rev. 1. 13 14. where our Lord is thus considered and also in the second and third Chapter of that book of the Revelation particular respect is had to the foresaid description and these parts are there being equivalent to them that are here mentioned expounded of diverse attributes and properties of his and not unlike in many things to the description following as the particulars will clear Consider 3. that it is both difficult and dangerous to be peremptory in the application of these particulars to the object described it being so exceeding glorious and the Spirits expressions so very comprehensive we dar not so limit the words to one thing as if they were exclusive of another nor say this is meant and no other thing although such and such things as have a
necessary connexion with the scope to confirm it may warrantably be included and for instances pitched upon especially when from the Analogy that is in the expressions which are borrowed and from other Scriptures we have some ground to fix upon but to be sure the words would be so taken up as they best afford the most solid general doctrines which are sometimes because of our darknesse and to prevent our curiosity to be rested in for whatever be meant it 's Christ and he by these commendations is set forth as most excellent That all these are to describe a divine person and no humane body we conceive so clear that it needs no advertisement 4. All these parts hold him forth not only as excellent in himself but as lovely to his people and as making up their priviledge and happinesse in having an interest in him to be theirs and therefore as this is the scope so it 's to be applyed as setting out his excellency and the blessednesse of all that have him for theirs as on the contrary to cry down all beloveds of the world of whom these things cannot be said for they are singularly peculiar to him Vers. 11. His head is as the most fine Gold his locks are bushy and black as a Raven There are ten parts mentioned that are brought in as proofs of Christ's singular excellency each of them almost having a double commendation two of them are in the 11. verse The first is his head the most eminent part of the body that furnisheth influence and direction to all the rest It may signfie if we dar adventure these three in Christ 1. His Godhead which is the most eminent nature of Christ's person sustaining the other and furnishing it for it's offices Thus 1 Cor. 11. 3 as the head of the woman is the man in respect of his dignity so the head of Christ is God as the Godhead dwells in him bodily Col. 2. 9. by a wonderful and unspeakable personal union the like whereof is not to be found in any other 2. It may hold out Christ's headship or soveraignty which he hath as Mediator being made head of the body the Church and over all things for the Church Eph. 1. 12. and his instalment into this office is the rise of all the other commendations that follow which are as parts thereof Thus Nebuchad-nezzars soveraignity as being a King of Kings is set out by a head of Gold Dan. 2. 32 38. 3. It may signifie the qualifications wherewith he as head to the body is furnished for it's behove and good So he is an excellent head for contriving of what is for the good of the body and for furnishing life and motion to all his members Thus Eph. 4. 16. he is the head from whom the whole body being fitly compacted together doth make increase of it self in love And to this purpose a man of a great reach and profound wit useth to be called a great head All these agree with the scope being instances of Christ's excellencies and also with the commendation following yet the first seems most agreeable to the Analogy of head and members and it is not unlike that Christ's Godhead is begun-at in his commendation surely it cannot be excluded seing in Rev. 1. 14. by his head as there described is set forth his eternity the same nature may well be here understood though Christ be otherwayes represented in the colour of his locks because here he is described as a lovely Bridegroom there as coming to judge as also in Dan. 7. But it must be some excellent thing that is meant as the commendation annexed cleares His head is as the most fine Gold In the Original there are two words indifferently made use of to signifie God the first because of it's shining brightnesse and beauty The second is applyed to it because of it's solidity and firmnesse so it runs his head is Gold of Gold or Gold and Gold or fine shining and solid Gold as if Gold were not enough to set out the excellency of this head Gold is rich in the quality solid and strong as to the efficacy as in chap. 3. 10. soveraign as to usefulnesse and profitablenesse It 's above other metals and so in the heavenly Ierusalem the streets are said to be of pure Gold Rev. 21. 21. Therefore that dominion of Nebuchad-nezzars spoken of Dan. 2. 32. is compared to a head of Gold for it's excellency above the rest that followed and especially for the shelter that the Church of God had under it And this being Gold of Gold must hold forth such soveraignty riches of grace solidity and happinesse as is unsearchable Gold cannot reach it no not Gold raised to the highest worth conceivable This first particular may put us to a stand when as it were the Bride is at a stand in the commendation and must double the word as Gold Gold and it 's hard to draw observations from it yet warrantably this may be said 1. Christ hath a head however we take it that is exceedingly excellent he is God and in that respect is unsearchable being the brightnesse of the Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person Heb. 1. 3. He as Mediator is furnished with soveraignty and eminent graces for the good of the body and these as they are for their nature most solid and excellent so as to their vertue they are most efficacious and quickning 2. If we take it in general Obs. That the excellencies wherewith Christ is furnished are in the highest degree of excellency Therefore it 's Gold of Gold what ever it be and this general will necessarily infer the former that he is God and Mediator and in such and such offices furnished for the good of his people and the former doctrine is the proof of this all Christ's properties wisdom love counsel c. are of more than an ordinary depth being in him to the very uttermost Heb. 7. 25. and without measure Joh. 3. 34. 3. Christ's excellency is not only lovely in it self but useful to others he is not only rich in himself but inriching these that possesse him as Gold doth inrich the owners of it Christ is a golden possession where there is a well grounded claim to him 4. Gold and all external riches are empty things to a spiritual discerner of Christ's worth as it were a new sort of Gold must be invented or imagined to shadow forth the excellencies of Christ Gold it self is but an insufficient and dark shadow to represent him who ever loves Gold may have and that freely the most fine and choice Gold in him Yea 5. this is peculiar to him in opposition to all other beloveds mens idols and other beloveds may be gilded like the whores cup spoken of Rev. 17. 4. but Christ only is the golden beloved for this is so attributed to him as it 's denyed to them which are but clay or clay-beloveds Hab. 2. 6. The second thing commended is
behind them in their walking 2. This metaphor signifieth strength and activity as Psal. 147. 10. The Lord delights not in the strength of an horse nor in the legs of a man wherefore very probably Eccles. 12. 3. they are called the strong men because they sustain or bear up the body Here being applyed to Christ we conceive they signifie his way or administration of providence which he useth with his people it being by his dispensations that he walks amongst them Hence the series of common providence is so often in Scripture called the way of the Lord as Ezek. 18. 25. The Lords way is equal his carriage in his dispensations is still just opposite to their way or walk which is there called unequal And the dispensation of grace is called a way Rom. 11. 33. How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out which take-in the contrivance and administration of his grace as the scope there doth clear His way is more general and comprehensive than his works and takes-in these three for which it is called a way 1. His design and end that he proposeth to himself 2. His wise and powerful plot in contriving and applying means suitable thereunto for bringing it about especially the principle to say so by which he walks and works to wit hs wisdom power and love 3. His convoy of and the progresse which he makes in these by which he is ever proceeding towards his end as a man doth in his way by walking with his legs In all these respects the Lords way of carrying on his design is said to be unsearchable This we take as intended here to set forth and commend the gracious and glorious steps of the Lord in the administration of his grace both in it's contrivance and application amongst his people whereby his wisdom power and goodnesse are in these paths of his that are all mercy and truth to his own Psal. 25. 10. made exceeding lovely and stately as the commendation following imports This is confirmed 1. by the Analogy that is betwixt the legs and walking and the frequent use that the Scripture makes of this similitude for that end and no other thing can suit so well 2. In Rev. 2. 18. Where Christ's legs and feet are spoken of with a commendation not unlike what follows here namely that they are like fine brass as his eyes are expounded vers 23. by this that he searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins so his feet are set out by this that he renders to every one according to their works that is he keeps an equal and just way in his administration towards every one 3. The scope likewise confirms this Christ being by his way to his people commendable above all and this being a special commendation of his that all his works are perfect and all his wayes are judgement Deut. 32. 4. As also the property attributed to his legs and from which they are commended will clear this which is that they are like pillars of Marble Marble is a stone that is firm good and pleasant therefore was it prepared by David for the Temple 1 Chron. 29. 2. Pillars signifie strength orderlinesse and beauty as was cleared on Chap. 3. 10. which may be applyed here So pillars of Marble say that his wayes are curiously skilfully and sickerly contrived and wisely dexterously and infallibly executed and firmly settled like pillars and that of Marble for unmoveablenesse The amplification of the commendation confirms this also they are not only like pillars of Marble but also like pillars set on sockets of fine Gold pillars are durable according to the bases or foundation upon which they are set and founded Now Gold as often hath been said signifieth preciousnesse and solidity so all of them are setled and fixed on a good and precious ground which cannot fail and therefore they cannot shake slide nor slip but prosper he must in his wayes and nothing can mar his design for he is of one mind and who can turn him and what his soul desireth that he doth Job 23. 13. Yet not only are his feet or legs of brasse which shews severity against enemies in his troding on them Dan. 10. 6. but the sockets are of Gold as his head was vers 11. all is of Gold that is in him he is a golden Mediator and Beloved from head to foot whereas others are clay-beloveds The sockets are of Gold to shew his graciousnesse to his people as Psalm 25. 10. all his wayes are setled on mercy and truth all his decrees anent them are made lovely and sure by grace and so cannot be but precious and excellent as to them Observ. 1. Our Lord Jesus hath a design a gracious design that he is carrying on amongst his people and he is ever promoving therein for the end which he hath proposed he is not like the idols of the Gentiles Psal. 115. 7. which have feet and walk not but as he sees with his eyes and works with his hands so doth he walk and make progresse with his legs 2. Christ's way with his people is a most excellent and stately way or in all his convoy of grace towards his people there is a special excellency shining All his ways and works are holy and righteous Psal. 145. 17. Iust and true Rev. 15. 3. Gracious and loving even all mercy and truth Psal. 25. 10. This King of Saints is marvelous in his way of grace as he is in all his works 3. Christ's purpose cannot â—ail neither can his design be altered the contrivance thereof is so wise and the execution so powerful he cannot but attain his point 4. However men may quarrel with Christ's way and say it 's not equal as Ezek. 18. 25. And although his way may be sometimes in the deep waters and not discernable Psal. 77. 19. yet it is ever ordered in deep wisdom that there can be nothing more just holy and glorious so that there is no reason to complain thereof and this holds not only in one step or two but in the whole series of his way 5. A right sight of Christ's wise glorious and Omnipotent way of grace will make him singular in the estimation of his people and put him above all other beloveds whose ways are neither for wisdom nor stability any way comparable to his for all the counsels and designs of the world beside his will come to nought and be made nill they will they subservient to his clay-idols have their breath in their nostrils and in that same very day when it goeth out their thoughts perish Psal. 146. 4. but it is not so with his they are more solidly founded and these strong legs that are of Marble can neither be bowed nor broken It must then be most sure and safe for the Lord's people to drive this as their design to side and share with Christ in his designs and it must be a most desperat thing to drive contrary designs to him whose
Spices c. Yea 2. like such Gold Lilies and Ivory as are not in the world and finally she hath left and given over comparisons and betaken her self to the abstract sweetnesse it self yet all comes short and she must quite the thing as unexpressible It 's the very hight of souls love-rhethorick to close with a kind of holy amazement and admiration which ends in silence because they cannot say enough when they have said all they can say O what a lovely Object then must Christ Jesus be They never knew him rightly who were satisfied with their own apprehensions of him or expressions concerning him 3. There is an universal lovelinesse in Christ whole Christ is lovely neither is he to be divided in our apprehension and esteem but as every thing in him is wonderful and lovely so is it to be admired and loved even his lowest sufferings and seeming infirmities his frowns and seeming greater austerity are lovely and profitable he is altogether lovely 4. There is a wonderful desirablenesse in our Lord Jesus and incomparable satisfaction to be gotten in him there can be nothing more to draw a soul to love it than what is here whatever may be attractive is here and there is nothing wanting to satisfie the soul that injoyes him and hath yielded to his call to such he is all desires 5. Christ is never rightly taken up so long as any thing desirable is supponed to be gotten elsewhere he must be all desires and therefore where any thing hath the least share of the affections beside him he hath not his own place 6. Empty and undesirable are all beloveds in the world befide Christ and broken cisterns will they all prove and it 's no marvel for all desires are in him and therefore not one desirable thing is or can be found in them 7. They have a good bargain who have Christ It 's the short cut to say so and compendious way to happinesse and to the inheriting of all things to unit with Christ by faith and to possesse him for all desires are in him and miserable will the persons be who shall misse Christ although they were gainers of the whole world Having somewhat answered the daughters of Ierusalem their question by insisting in this excellent description of Christ now by way of application and holy boasting in the close of the verse she reasons thus Ye asked what my beloved was more than other beloveds and for your satisfaction I have described him as I can many several ways though all fall very far short of full expressing of his matchlesse worth Now saith she this excellent person is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Ierusalem bring all other beloveds and compare them with him and see if he be not the chiefest and standard-bearer amongst them all and in this confident boasting of the excellency of her beloved she closes Which sweet discourse wants not it's fruit on them as we will see in the Chapter following Consider the words four wayes 1. In the matter they hold forth two sweet relations betwixt Christ and the believer and this sweetens all not only that this beloved is an excellent person but that he was hers she saith he is my beloved and also my friend he is her friend as she is his friend vers 1. that is one that is friendly to her and will do for her beyond what a brother or mother or the nearest of all relations will or can do he is one that is born for the day of her adversity and one whom she trusts as her own soul he is so dear to her and she to him for this â—ye of friendship is mutual betwixt them In a word saith she he is much in himself and much to me unspeakably excellent in himself and very dear and precious to me my husband and my friend In sum my friendly husband and my loving friend Obs. 1. There are many sweet relations that Christ â—stands in to the believer as husband friend brother c. even as there are many relations that she stands in to him as spouse sister dove c. 2. Christ fills all the relations that he stands in to his people and that exceedingly well he is a singularly loving faithful kind and tender husband and a singularly kind faithful unchangeable friend the best friend that ever a believer had for the expression this is c. saith that what Christ is he is indeed and singularly so as having no equal he is a matchlesse husband and friend this is the scope 3. Christ and the believer are upon one side they are friends there is a league of friendship betwixt them and they have common friends and commonâ— adâ—ersries 4. These who are Christ's friends as vers 1. eat O friends Christ may be claimed by them as their friend and what that canâ—infer they may expect from him for he hath no bare title neither sustains he any empty relation 5. Believers should lean much to Christ trust him and expect good from him as their friend 6. It 's a notable and singular consolation for solks to have Christ their friend it 's comfortable in life death and judgement in prosperity and adversity It implyes these things in which he is forth-coming to his friends 1. Constant kindnesse and faithfulnesse at all times he loves at all times Prov. 17. 17. and chap. 18. last he never fails nor can at any time be charged with that which Absalom casts up to Hushai 2 Sam. 16. 17. Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend 2. Sympathy and condescending to supply their wants he cleaves closer than a brother Prov. 18. 24. It 's such a love as one hath who aimeth at his friends good as well as his own 3. Familiarity in mutual communion as useth to be betwixt friends and freedom in conversing as Exod. 33. 11. the Lord spoke with Moses as a man doth with his friend 4. It takes in a mutual confidence that one may have in another as in his very own self and more than in any other all which are eminently in Christ as ointment and perâ—ume rejoice the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a man's friend and eminently of this friend by hearty counsel Prov. 27. 9. No other friends are comparable to this friend happy happy for evermore are they whose friend Christ Jesus is 7. Where Christ is a friend there is he also the souls beloved or believers choising of Christ for their beloved and his being kindly to them as a friend go together these two relations my beloved and my friend are never separat Now to be the souls beloved implyes these things 1. That comparatively Christ is eminently and only loved by his people and nothing is admitted to share in their affections with him Phil. 3. 8. 2. That there is in the soul an high esteem of him which begets this love 3. That there is such an ardent affection to him as makes them long for union with him
as love naturally desires union with that which it loves it desires to be with Christ here and hereafter as that which is far the best of all Philip. 1. 23. 4. It suppons a delight and 〈…〉 that their souls take in Christ and expect from union with him their happinesse lyes in it and they are disquieted and someway holily discontented and weighted when they misse it and under desertion and absence easily fear lest their heart beguile and deâ—ude them in that concerning-matter as the scope of this place and her present exercise shews 5. It suppones a kindlinesse in their love and a well groundednesse such as a wife hath to her husband and not such as it betwixt the adulteresse and the adulterer which is all the love that the men of the world have to their idols but the love that the Bride hath to Christ is a native and avowed love of which she hath no reason to be ashamed as men will one day be of all their idols but to boast and glory in him and Christ is to the believer not what idols are to the men of the world but what a most loving husband is to his wife being the object of her heart-contenting and satisfying love where ever these properties of true love to Christ are there may the soul lay claim to him as it's friend and be confident to find him it 's true and kindly friend for where he is the souls beloved he is the souls friend 8. This is implyed that whatever other beloveds men set their love upon beside Christ they will prove unâ—ound and unfaithfull friends in the time of need or confidence in any thing but Christ will â—ail a man at the last for he is their friend and no other beloved deserves that name all other things will be like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint Prov. 25. 19. or like pools in the wildernesse that run dry in the heat and makes the wayfaring men ashamed such as Iob's friends did prove to him Iob 6. 15. miserable comforters will they be to men in the day of their greatest need but then especially will Christ Jesus be found to be a friend indeed for there is an excellency in Christ in every relation which he stands under to his people and an infinite disproportion betwixt him and all creatures in respect of this A second way that we may consider the words is as they relate to the daughters of Ierusalem their question vers 9. ye ask what he is more than other beloveds now saith she this is he who is singular and matchlesse in all his properties and so it looks not only to her choice of him to be her beloved and her friend but saith also that he is singularly and matchlesly such even a non-such beloved and friend and one who will be found after tryal only worthy to be chosen and closed with as such Obs. 1. Believers in their answers to others would as particularly as may be bring home what they say to some edifying use for this best clears any question proposed and would not insist on generals much lesse evanish in empty speculations but would lavel at edification and frame what they say so as it may best reach that end and therefore she applyes her answer to their question 2. When Christ in his excellency and worth is a little insisted and dwelt on he will be found to be incomparable and the more souls search into him the more confidently may they assert his incomparable excellency this she here doth and saith as it were Is he not and see ye him not now to be the chiefest among ten thousand and more excellent than all others as having made her assertion demonstrative and undenyable 3. Christ's worth can bide the tryal and there are and may be gotten good grounds to prove that he is well worthy of all the respect that can be put upon him and in reason his worth and excellency may be made convincing unto others and it may be demonstrat to consciences that Christ is of more worth than all the world and her resuming of it thus supposeth it now to be so clear that they could say nothing against it as appears more fully from the words following 4. No other beloved nor friend that men choose beside Christ can abide the tryal the more they are inquired into and searched out they will be found to be of the lesse worth therefore she appeals as it were all men to bring their beloveds before Christ if they durst compare with him as being confident none durst enter the lists purposly and professedly to compete with him 3. We may consider these words as her application made to the daughters of Ierusalem holding forth her scope to edifie them by this description of Christ and pressingly for their good to bear it in upon them that they might be made to fall in love with this Christ that had so high a room in her heart for so the very strain of the words seem to run Hence Observe 1. These who love Christ themselves will be desirous to have others knowing and loving him also and this may be a mark of love to Christ an earnest desire to have him esteemed of and loved by others 2. These who love Christ and others truly will endeavour nothing more than to have Christ made known to them and to have them divorced from their idols and ingaged to him thus love to them as well as to him manifests it self 3. It 's a piece of the duty of mutual communion to which the Lords people are oblieged to instruct others in the knowledge of the excellencies of Christ that they may be brought in love with him and where that end is proposed according to mens several places and stations no opportunity would be missed nor pains spared which may attain it 4. That this duty of commending Christ to others so as it may be profitable would be exceeding warrily and circumspectly gone about as all the Brides strain clears For she goes about it 1. Tenderly not upbraiding their ignorance 2. Lovingly speaking still to them as friends 3. Wisely and seasonably taking the fit opportunity of their question 4. Fully solidly and judiciously bearing forth the main things of Christ to them 5. Affectionatly and gravely as being affected with the thing and in love with Christ her self 6. Exemplarly and convincingly as going before them in the practice of that her self which she endeavours to presse upon them that is by loving and seeking Christ above all her self she studies to commend that to others the more effectually 5. Obs. That the right uptaking of Christ in his excellency and the pressing of him upon the heart is the most solid way of wearing all other beloveds out of request with the soul If he once get room the esteem of other things will quickly blow up and there is no way to have the heart weaned from them but to have Christ great in
hath given the promise of his presence Believers are to him as Tirzah and Ierusalem the most beautiful Cities of that Land for the time Or the first similitude taken from Tirzah may look to outward beauty for Tirzah was a beautiful City and the other similitude taken from Ierusalem may look to Church-beauty as the Ordinances were there and so the sense runs my love thou art to me as the most excellent thing in the world yea as the most excellent thing in the visible Church which is more precious to him than any thing in the world 3. She is terrible as an army with banners An army is strong and fearful a banner'd army is stately and orderly under command and 〈◊〉 readinesse for service an army with banners is an army in it's most stately posture The Church is terrible as such an army either 1. Considered complexly or collectively her Ordinances have power authority and efficacy like a banner'd army So the Churches spiritual weapons are said to be mighty and powerfull through God 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. This being compared with the 9. and 10. verses may have it 's own place But 2. the scope here and the words following look especially at the statelinesse majesty and spiritual valour that is in particular believers who are more truly generous valorous and powerful than an army with banners when their faith is exercised and kept lively they prevail wheresoever they turn they carry the victory over the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. over devils which are enemies whom no worldly army can reach but by the power of faith they prevail even to quench the violence of fire as it 's in Heb. 11. 34. and by faith they waxed valient in fight But mainly this holds in respect of Christ himself they prevail over him in a manner by their princely carriage as Iacob did Gen. 32. 28. As a prince hast thou had power with God and men and hast prevailed See Hos. 12. 4. he had power over the Angel and prevailed And indeed no army hath such influence upon him as believers have which is such that he cannot as it were stand before them or refuse them any thing that they with weeping and supplications wrestle with him for according to his will Now that it is in this respect mainly that the believer is called terrible as an â—â—my with banners is clear 1. From the scope which is to comfort a particular believer who hath been wrestling with him already under desertions 2. The next words confirm it Turn away thine eyes from me saith he for they have overcome me What statelinesse or terriblenesse might one say is in a poor believer It 's easily answered that this is not any awful or dreadful terriblenesse that is here intended but the efficacy of faith and the powerful victory which through the same by Christ's own condescending the believer hath over him and so in his account as to prevailing with him Christ's Bride is more mighty than many armies in their most stately posture therefore saith he thine eyes that is her faith have overcome me that 's her terriblenesse turn them away I cannot to say so abide them And these three together make the believer or rather Christ's love who useth these expressions wonderful 1. The believer is beyond all the world for beauty 2. The visible Church and believers in her in respect of Ordinances and her Ecclesiastick estate is very comely and lovely and yet the believers inward beauty is beyond that also the Kings daughter is all glorious within 3. Believers in regard of the power of their faith are more terrible than armies or all military power among men Thou art saith he so to me and hast such influence on me and may expect thus to prevail with and in a manner to overcome me And so Christ is so far from quarrelling with her for her by-gone carriage now that he effectually comforts and commends her Hence Observe 1. Our Lord Jesus is a most friendly welcomer of a sinner and the sweetest passer-by of transgressions that can be there is no upbraiding here for any thing but every word speaks how well he takes with her 2. Our Lord Jesus his manifestations are seasonable and wise Seasonable that now he comes when the Bride hath left no mean unessayed and was at a stand wise that he comes not until she had found the bitternesse of her own way and was brought to a more lively exercise of faith repentance holinesse and profitable experiences therein of which we have spoken in what goeth before 3. The Lord is not displeased with humble believing and with the claiming of interest in him by his own even when his dispensations to sense are dark but takes very well with it and hath a special complâ—â—ncy in it and therefore comes in with this intimation of his love here importing his hearty accepting of her 4. The Lords commendations of his people and the intimations of his love to them are such as it may be seen he conforms and proportions them to their condition and exercise and when they have been under any long and sharp exercise as the Bride was in the former Chapter he makes when he comes his manifestations the more sweet and full as here 5. Believers when grace is exercised must needs be beautiful creatures and much esteemed of by Christ who thus commends them 6 Grace and holinesse in a believers walk is much more beautiful and acceptable to Christ than the external Ordinances though excellent in themselves as separable from it for Ierusalem that was very beautiful as to Ordinances is but an emblem of this 7. There is an awfulnesse and terriblenesse in believers as well as lovelinesse which makes them terrible to the prophane even whether they will or not a godly carriage puts a restraint on them 8. Lovelinesse terriblenesse and authority in holinesse are knit together when a particular believer or Church is lively in holinesse then have they weight and authority and when that fails they become despicable 9. The believer hath great weight with Christ he is the only army that prevails over him as faith is the only weapon being humbly exercised by which they overcome This is more fully expressed in the next verse Vers. 5. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me The first part of the fifth verse contains the amplification and heightening of the Brides lovely terriblenesse and the great instance and proof thereof is held forth in a most wonderful expression Turn away thine eyes from me and as wonderful a reason for they have overcome me saith the beloved Wherein consider 1. That wherein this might and irresistable terriblenesse of hers consisted It 's her eyes which are supposed to be looking on him even when she knew not to her sense where he was By eyes we shew Chap. 4. 9. were understood her love to him and saith in him whereby she was still cleaving to him under desertion and in
mentioned distinctly beside the former general of seeing the fruits To shew 1. his taking particular notice of every particular believer as a man that goes from tree to tree in his Garden 2. His special notice taking of beginners and of the beginnings of his work in them as being especially delighted with the first buddings of grace and careful that nothing wrong them This is his feeding in his Gardens and his gathering Lilies to be delighted with fruitfulnesse in his people even with their weak and tender beginnings and to be solicitously careful of their good as men use to be of the thriving of their fruit-trees Observ. 1. Where our Lord Jesus hath a Garden which he hath planted and on which he takes pains he looks for fruits His Garden should never want fruit 2. There are diverse growths degrees or measures of grace amongst his people for some of his trees have fruits and some but blossoms 3. Our Lord Jesus takes special notice of his peoples fruitfulnesse and that as particularly of every one of them as if he went from one to another as the Gardener doth from tree to tree to discover it 4. Our Lord Jesus is especially delighted with the kindly blossomings of beginners and he takes especial notice of the young and tender buddings of their grace and will be so far from crushing them because they are not ripe fruits that he will more tenderly care for them 5. Our Lord Jesus accuratly takes notice of his Brides carriage and expects her fruitfulnesse when he seems to her sense to be absent and is especially much delighted with it then for when he is gone down to his Garden this is the errand to see the fruits of the valley whether c. when he withdraws he hath a friendly design yet saith he although that was intended I was made as it were to alter my purpose and not to stay And so we come to the 12. verse in which is set down how suddenly he is transported with affection to his Bride while he is viewing her graces in his absence from her he is so taken with love to her that he can stay no longer from her We may consider in the verse these three things 1. An effect as it were wrought on him He is made like the Chariots of Amminadib or set as in the Chariots of Amminadib Chariots were used to travel with and that for the greater speed or they were used in war for driving furiously like Iehu and mightily over difficulties and obstructions in the way The word Amminadib may be read in one word and it is to be taken for a proper name of a Prince and thus the expression sets out excellent Chariots such as belonged possibly to some such valiant men of that name or it may be read in two words Ammi nadib which in the Original signifie my willing people So Ammi signifieth my people as Hos. 2. 1 Say to your brethren Ammi that is my people And Nadib is the same word that is rendered Psal. 110. 3. willing Thy people shall be willing It 's a princely beautifulnesse and willingnesse The word Chap. 7. 1. O Princes daughter is from the same root and we rather take it so here as being more suitable to the scope which shews what effect his Brides affection had on him and the word is often so elsewhere translated and so it may be rendered the Chariots of my princely willing people They get this name for their princely behaviour in wrestling with him under difficulties Again the word I was made may be rendered was set according to the more usual interpretation of the word thus the effect may be taken two wayes to one scope 1. I was made like the most swift Chariots for speedy return that nothing could detain me from returning to my Bride Or 2. if we may call the prayers faith and love of his people their Chariots he is set on them as taking pleasure to ride and triumph in them and to be brought back by them as if by Chariots sent from them he had been overcome And this suits with what is spoken vers 5. for while he accounts her as an army these must needs be her weapons and Chariots to wit a longing willingnesse to be at him and soul-sicknesse casting her eyes after him and in a manner even fainting for him 2. There is the manner how this effect is brought about He is suddenly as it were surprized or ever I was aware c. I knew not as if he said till I was transported with an irresistable power of love toward my Bride who in the exercise of faith repentance and prayer was seeking after me while I had withdrawn my self The expression is borrowed from men for properly it agrees not to him who by sudden effects that fall out beyond their expectation use to aggrege the wonderfulnesse of the cause that brings them about Thus I know not how it was it was or I was aware or while I was not thinking on it so forcibly and as it were insensibly the thing prevailed over me Christ expresseth it thus to shew the wonderfulnesse of the thing that came on him that he could not but do it and could not shun it more than if he had had no time to deliberat about it This narration of Christ's is not to resent that effect but to shew how natively it was brought forth so that when they to say so sent their Chariots to him and did cast a look after him he could not but yield because he would yield as the third thing in the verse shews and that is what it was that so easily prevailed with him the cause is within himself that set him on these Chariots of his willing people and made him to be overcome it was even his soul my soul made me or set me that is my inward soul my affections my bowels were so kindled as it's Ier. 31. 20. and my soul cleaved so to my loving and longing Bride and was so stirred with her exercise that I could not but hastily and speedily yield because I could not resist my own affections Hence Obs. 1. willingnesse is much prized by Jesus Christ when the soul yields to open to him and longs for him vers 5. and cannot want him there Christ as Chap. 5. 6. will not and cannot continue at a distance 2. Although Christ's affection doth not properly surprize him nor do the effects thereof fall from him inadvertantly but most deliberatly yet both his affection and the effects thereof are most wonderful and astonishing in themselves and ought as such in a singular manner to affect us 3. The first rise and cause of all the believers good and that which makes their faith prayer love c. bear weight with Christ is in himself It 's his own soul and good-will that overcomes and prevails with him in all these It is not any worth or power in their graces as considered in themselves that hath this
particulars as she had done when she commended him Chap. 5. Then 2. he shews his acquiescing in her as being ravished with her beauty vers 6. c. We had occasion to say something in the general of such commendations Chap. 4. 1. which is now to be remembred but not repeated we take this to be understood after the same manner as that was and although the visible Church be in some respect Christ's Bride and therefore we will not condemn the application of some of the parts of this commendation to her as so considered yet since the scope is mainly to comfort true believers as differenced from others and that it is she to whom he speaks who had ravished him with her eyes in the former Chapter which can agree properly to the true believer only and considering also that some parts of the commendation do respect inherent grace in his people and indeed it is this which is the great ground of the Brides commendation we therefore incline still to take these commendations as holding forth the continuance of the expressions of Christ's love to these who are his own by saâ—ing saith and so much the rather as the words being taken so are of special and particular use for believers There are four differences in this commendation from that mentioned chap. 4. and that which was spoken to on chap. 6. 6 7. which by answering four questions we shall clear Quest. 1. Wherefore is this subjoined now after so large a commendation in the words immediatly preceeding Ans. The former commendation shews Christ's love to his Bride to say so immediatly after their marriage or on the back of some agreement after an out-cast but this is added to shew what is Christ's ordinary way of carriage to his people and what are his usual thoughts to say so of them he is not kind only at fits as men sometimes use to be and do not continue or when he was surprized as it were with a sudden gale of affection Chap. 6. 12. no he is constantly kind and therefore these expressions are â—ow renewed to shew that such are his ordinary kind wayes of dealing towards them even when there is no connexion betwixt his dealing and their present condition nor any thing in them that can be looked on as the immediat rise thereof Our blessed Lord is a most fair loving and friendly speaker unto and converser with his Bride Quest. 2. Why is this commendation inlarged beyond the former having moe particulars in it Ans. Thereby the Lord shews 1. the soveraignty of his love in making the intimations thereof lesse or more as he pleaseth 2. The last commendation is most full in expressing the riches of his love to shew that Christ never speaks so kindly to one of his own but there is more behind in his heart than hath yet vented it self and that there is more which they may expect from him than they have yet met with however that may be very much 3. It 's to make it the fresher unto them when by this it is evidenced to be a new intimation of his kindnesse although it proceed on the same grounds on which former intimations did and this may be a reason also of the third difference and question following which is 3. Why are the same parts named as eyes hair c. and yet the commendation is different from what it was for the most part Ans. 1. This is to shew the beauty of grace which is such that one commendation cannot reach it 2. The account that he in his love hath of her which is so great that one expression doth not fully answer it 3. The various and abundant wayes that love hath to speak comfortably to a believer there is strange eloquence and rhetorick in the love of Christ when he thinks good to vent it Quest. 4. Why is the way he followed before changed He began formerly at the head now at the feet Ans. This is also a piece of his soveraignty and shews how he delights to vary the expressions of his love to his people and that it may be seen that whatever way we will follow in looking upon grace in a believer it is still beautiful in it self and acceptable to him Vers. 1. How beautiful are thy feet with shoes O princes daughter the joynts of thy thighs are like jewels the work of the hands of a cunning workman The first verse contains two pieces of the Brides commendation The first part that is commended is the feet How beautiful are thy feet c. In this consider the title she gets 2. The part commended 3. The commendation it self 4. The manner of expressing of it First the title is O princes daughter This was not given her before it 's now prefixed to this commendation in general to usher-in all that follows and to make it the more gaining on her affection The word in the first Language is Naâ—â—ib which signifies a bounteous prince or one of a princely disposition Isa. 32. 5. It 's given to the visible Church Psal. 45. 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within For more full taking up of the meaning consider that it doth here include these three 1. A noblenesse and greatnesse in respect of birth that the Bride is honourably descended From which we may learn That believers whatever they be in respect of the flesh are of a royal descent and kindred a royal priesthood 1. Pet. 2. 9. sons and daughters to the Lord God Almighty 2. Cor. 6. 18. 2. It respects her qualifications as being princely in her carriage suitable to such a birth Eccles. 10. 17. Hence observe the believer should be of a princely disposition and carriage and when he is right he will be so for he is indued with princely qualifications with noble and excellent principles beyond the most generous noble gallant and stately dispositions of men in the world A believer when right or in good case is a princely person indeed 3. It respects her provision and expectation that she is provided for waited upon and to be dealt with and even dalted not as children of mean persons but of princes to whom it is her fathers good pleasure to give a Kingdom and such a one as is undefiled and fadeth not away Luk. 12. 32. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Hence observe That the believer is royally dealt with by Jesus Christ and hath a royal princely allowance bestowed on him the charter of Adoption takes-in very much even to inherit with him all things No lesse than this may be expected and is the claim of a daughter to the King of Kings Rev. 21. 7. 2. The part commended is the feet by which a believers walk and conversation as grace shines in it is understood as we may see frequently Psal. 119. v. 59. 101. 105. So likewise shedding of blood or other defiling sins such as leave soul prints upon a mans conversation behind them are called the iniquities of the heels Psal. 49. 5.
the world the tree that I have resolved for my delight to climb up upon beside all others Obs. 1. The scope and result of all Christ's commendations of his Bride is that she may be brought to look for and expect to be made happy with his own company and to be unspeakably made up in the injoyment of his presence 2. It 's not every one that hath the promise of Christ's company and fellowship or that may expect it It 's the believer only who may look for it he hath Christ's word for it and none but he 3. Christ's most passionat expressions of love are not from any surprize of affection in him but are deliberatly resolved and that of old so that now they cannot be altered his delight was in the habitable parts of the earth and his resolution was laid down to go up to the Palm-tree before it was 4. Christ's thoughts to his people if known would be found to be precious thoughts of peace and not of evil many a good purpose hath been in his heart of old and there is no greater evidence of love neither can be than to intimat and accomplish these as he doth here I laid down this resolution saith he long ere now and I will follow it out 5. A holy tender walk in believers which is indeed to have the stature lovely as the Palm-tree will obtain the manifestation of Christ's heart to them And there is no greater evidence of Christ's respect than that Ioh. 14. 21 and 23. The third way how he expresseth his love is by the effects which he promiseth shall follow on his presence with her as his presence is subjoyned to her lovely stature which connexion is observable The effects that follow are three the first two are in the second part of the eighth verse and the first of them in these words Now also thy brests shall be as the clusters of the Vine This is the first fruit of his going up to the Palm-tree which as also the rest of them may be taken as comprehensive of these two 1. Of some gracious effect that shall be wrought in the Bride and so these words bring him in speaking to this purpose when I come to thee then by my presence thy graces shall flow and thou shall be in a capacity to edifie others and to satisfie me as if thy brests were clusters of the Vine to furnish what might be refreshful Thus he comforts her from what should be wrought in her by his presence with her And the scope and connexion shews that this cannot be excluded it being a native consequence of his presence and comfortable in it self to her 2. They are to be looked upon as comprehensive of his gracious acceptation of her and her fruits as being well satisfied with her And thus the meaning of these words thy brests shall be as clusters of the Vine is this When I shall come to thee thy love and company thy bosome to say so shall be to me more refreshful than clusters of the Vine I will feed upon it and delight in it as Chap. 4. 10. This compleats her consolation and the evidence of his love that he undertakes it shall be well with her inward condition and that he shall accept of her also and be well satisfied with her These are not only consistent together but do necessarily concur for making up the scope which is to evidence his love and to comfort her and the one of these follows on the other therefore we comprehend both in all these effects Obs. 1. Christs presence hath much influence on believers livelinesse their brests run when he is present 2. Livelinesse is a singular and comfortable mercy in a believers estimation therefore is it promised as a thing that is in a special way comfortable to her 3. Christ's presence or neernesse with him and fruitfulnesse go together And where the brests are not as clusters no conditon the believer can be in is to be accounted presence The second effect is in these words And the smell of thy nose like Apples Apples are savoury fruit the smell of the nose is the savour of the breath that comes from it which in unwholsome bodies is unsavoury Saith he to the Bride thine shall not be so but thy constitution shall be lively and all that comes from thee shall be savoury and so shall be accepted of me It shall be savoury in it self as Apples are to the smell and it shall be delighted in by me as having a sweet air and breath with it This imports a conspicuous inward change by the growth of mortification whereby believers being purified within from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit there proceeds nothing from them but what is savoury whereas a loose and ragged conversation as corrupt breath Iob. 17. 1. evidenceth much inward rottennesse Obs. 1. Christ's presence is of an healing cleansing vertue and makes an observable inward change 2. An inward change evidenceth it self in the outward fruits and effects the very smell and savour of the conversation and of all externall duties is changed 3. This inward purity is very desirable to the believer for so it 's here a piece of his comfort to have a promise that the smell of his nose shall be as Apples and it 's a speciall evidence of Christs respect to have that performed It may also take in the savourinesse of the believers breathing in respect of themselves when Christ is present they shall draw in a wholesome pleasant and refreshfull air whereas now ordinarily we breath in a corrupt air It shall not be so then saith he the smell of thy nose shall be as if thou did savour of Apples Christ's company makes all both fruitfull within and refreshfull to the believer and also makes all duties and all dispensations he is exercised with savoury and acceptable to himself All which follows on Christ's presence and suits with the scope that saith both taste and smell are satisfied The third lovely effect of Christ's presence is in the ninth verse And 1. the effect it self is set down then it 's commendation is amplified The effect or advantage of Christ's presence is in these words The roof of thy mouth or thy palat shall be as the best wine The palat or roof of thy mouth is the instrument of taste and so is sometimes taken for the taste it self and is so translated Chap. 2. 3. his fruit was sweet to my taste So Iob. 34. 3. Or by palat may be understood the mouth as Chap. 5. 16. Next it 's compared to wine yea the best wine the reasons of the comparison have been often spoken to The best wine is that which is most refreshing and exhilerating Now this wine is three ways set out in it's excellency for that the following expressions are to this purpose is clear 1. It 's for my Beloved that is such wine as he allows his friends whom he styles beloved Chap. 5. 1. and this
the scope it looks to his secret manifesting of himself to her in admitting of her to his bosome O! saith she come my heart longs to be neer thee and this advantage I expect from it I would then get my heart drawn from idols and my affections ingaged to thee which in thy absence I cannot get done so as I would as a person cannot vent love so in company as when he is alone in solitarinesse with his bosome-friend thus Ioseph being to manifest his love to his brethren Gen. 45. 1. commanded all to go out that so he might with the greater freedom let forth his affections on them and as Ionathan sent away his boy when he was to embrace David in the fields 1 Sam. 20. 40. c. So here the secret manifestations of Christ by his Spirit to his people being that which gives them liberty to let forth their hearts on him especially in their unknown accesse to him to which no man is witnesse are by this word there signified Obs. 1. There are many moe good things than one which accompanies Christ's presence and where love is in a believers heart there will be no scarcety of arguments to hold forth the advantage thereof 2. As there are some moe than ordinary manifestations of love from Christ to his people which are not constant so there are some moe than ordinary flowings of the love of believers towards him There are some times and cases wherein especially the heart will melt in affection to him and wherein it will be made to pour out it self with ease and delight upon him 3. It 's no lesse the desire of believers to love Christ and to have their affections flowing on him than to have the manifestations of his love to them therefore speaks she of this as of a benefit she exceedingly desired to get leave to pour her heart out in love upon him 4. Believers that love Christ will not be satisfied with the degree of their own love but will be desirous to have it more withdrawn from other things and more fully venting on him 5. Although sometimes yea oftentimes the believers heart comes not up that length in love to Christ that he would have it yet he designs to set it on Christ alone and there is none that willingly he gives it unto with consent but Christ it 's on him only he allows it 6. There is no greater gift can be given to Christ than his peoples love This is therefore the motive that is proposed by the Bride in her dealing with him as holding forth the propine or intertainment which he should receive 7. Christ's presence and the manifestations of his love conduceth notably unto and hath great influence upon the gaining of our affections to him It doth not only as it were give us the opportunity of his company but it gains the heart softens it ravisheth it and heightens the esteem of Christ in it which no report of him can do so effectually as his own presence and also it oyleth all the affections that they have a freedom to flow out like the Ice before the Sun which otherwise are key-cold 8. Love to Christ loves solitarinesse and retirements with him It 's neither so stirred it self as when it 's alone with him nor are the men of the world able to bear or understand the intimat familiarity that will be in the flowings of the love of Christ to a believer or of a believers liberty and holy boldnesse with Christ nor were it meet that they should be witnesses of the love-secrets that are betwixt him and them 9. It 's an evidence of single love to Christ when his presence is longed for that we may the more ardently and affectionatly love him and when all opportunities are sought for that may increase this this is singlenesse and spiritualnesse in a great length when this makes us glory in Christ's love to us and desire the manifestations thereof that we may have accesse thereby to love him A believer will love heaven because there he will have accesse fully to love Christ as well as to be loved of him and will abhor hell not only because there are no intimations of Christ's love there but also because there is no accesse to love him there To get the heart loving Christ is indeed the believers great delight and in a manner his heaven 10. Love in a believer to Christ is the result or reflex of Christ's love to him it 's that sun which begets this heat in the soul that loves him and the more brightly he shine on believers the more is their love hot towards him for here is love not that we loved him but that he loved us first 11. It 's an evidence of true love to Christ and esteem of him when the heart is longing praying and using means that it may love him and get it's love to him heightned till it be all bestowed on him alannerly In the thirteenth verse we have the third and fourth motives whereby the Bride presseth her suit The third is The Mandrakes give a smell c. It 's like that motive which he useth in pressing her to hearken to his call Chap. 2. 12. The flowers appear on the earth c. The graces of the Spirit growing up as in a Garden in the believers walk with Christ are like flowers in the Spring which by their pleasantnesse and favour invite men to the fields Thus the sense of this motive comes to this all things saith the Bride are in a good condition and there is a thriving amongst my graces which are for pleasantnesse as flower therefore Come This avowing of the flourishing of her graces is not from any vain boasting but in humble sincerity acknowledging what she sound in her self to his praise and what she knew to be acceptable to him as a confirmation to her faith in the expectation of what she prayed for for which is a lesson we would learn although the goodness of our condition can meâ—it nothing which we pray for yet it may give us confidence and boldness in prayer when we have a good conscience and testimony within us 1 Ioh. 3. 20. This fruitfulnesse of hers is four wayes set forth 1. That these her fruits are ripe and in their flower the Mandrakes give a smell Mandrakes were much longed for by Rachel Gen. 30. 14. and by their savourinesse of taste there and of smell here it appears that they were some lovely fruit and now in their prime most pleasant because they give their smell 2. Her fruitfulnesse is set forth in it's comprehensivenesse and variety She is adorned with all manner of pleasant fruits whereby is holden forth that as believers have many diverse graces like variety of Spices Chap. 4. 13. 14. which they should entertain so all of them were in good case with her 3. These fruits were new and old whereby the plenty of the same kind is set forth both to say so of this and
under them The last motive is taken from the entertainment she would give him If saith she thou wouldst familiarly manifest thy self and if once I had found thee and gotten thee brought to my mothers house then I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my Pomegranate In a word I would entertain thee as well as I might and thou should be very welcome and kindly taken-with as Guests who are respected use to be By spiced wine and the juice of the Pomegranate is understood the most excellent entertainment as in these Countries it 's like as we may see from Prov. 9. 2. and Song Chap. 5. 1. they used to mix the wine they gave their friends that it might be the more favoury Now through this Song by such similitudes are understood the graces that are in believers as Chap. 4. 10 13. c. Chap. 5. 1. and in sum the sense comes to this if thou wert familiar with me and by thy presence in my mothers house were making the Ordinances lively then I would feast thee on my graces and my love faith hope c. which are to thee more savoury than wine with which men use to entertain their most special friends should flow out abundantly on thee Hence Obs. 1. That believers design and aim at the feasting and entertaining of Christ when they have his company as well as to be entertained thereby themselves 2. It 's no little mercy to get respect to Christ discharged and a believing soul will think it no small priviledge to get him to entertain if he have wherewith to entertain him 3. Christ's coming to a soul brings sufficient provision for his own entertainment The Bride makes no question but there shall be a feast if he will come and if he come not there will be nothing but emptinesse there She doubts not but if once he would come to her mothers house his presence would make enough of good provision 4. The Lord respects even the offer of welcome from his people when he is not actually entertained as they would or though they be not in case for the time to entertain him yet their serious desire to do it is very acceptable to him Otherwise this would be no argument for our Lord Jesus to grant her suit Vers. 3. His left hand should be under my head and his right hand should embrace me The third verse is the same and to the same scope with vers 6. of Chap. 2. and the words being the same in the Original we conceive they will read better here as they are there His left hand is under my head Here it is should be under my head but should is supplyed And so the words hold out here as in Chap. 2. 6. a return which the Bride had to her suit Our Lord Jesus coming and putting in his left hand under her head and as a kind brother taking her in his arms answereth her suit and satisfieth her desire This agrees best with the words as they were formerly used Chap. 2. 6. and with the scope here The verse following confirms it also where she chargeth the daughters not to stir him up which suppons him to be present So we find the same charge following the same words Chap. 2. 7. as also her finding him and bringing him to her mothers house is followed with the same charge Chap. 3. 5. and she is said to be leaning on him here vers 5. and yet is by the daughters commended and not despised which is a proof that he was present for this is it that made her not to be despised The meaning then is Now saith she I have obtained what I desired and he is become very friendly and familiar with me like a brother which was my desire And this shews 1. that Christ easily condescends to his longing Bride to give her such a degree of his presence as she called for and that he doth this so suddenly is great kindnesse and confidence Christ will in this sometimes condescend very quickly to the desires of his longing people 2. That she observes and acknowledgeth it It 's no lesse duty to observe and acknowledge a return than to put up a prayer 3. Christ hath a singularly tender way of communicating his love and of embraceing his people he can take them in his arms and make much of them when he sees it fit 4. There is a sweet satisfaction and unspeakable heart-quieting refreshment to be found in Christ's arms She thinks it so good to be here that she speaks of it with much complacency and carefully sets her self not to have it interrupted in the verse following Vers. 4. I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my Love untill he please Having now accesse to much familiarity with Christ as she desired and being in his arms she expresseth her care in this verse to prevent any new interruption of his blessed presence as if a woman having her friend or husband sleeping in her arms should command all in the house to be quiet lest he should be awaked So the Bride sets her self to watch so tenderly over every thing that is in her that nothing give him just ground to withdraw and though she speak to the daughters of Ierusalem yet the scope shews she looks to her self but it 's thus expressed partly to keep the form used in this Song and so having spoken of bringing him to her mothers house she makes use of the similitude of keeping the house quiet partly to shew her seriousnesse and reality in this her care and the great need that there is of being watchful even as David often provokes all creatures to praise and layes that charge on them thereby to shew his own seriousnesse in the thing and the greatnesse of the work of praise which he was taken up with so to the same purpose is this resemblance here The same words were found Chap. 2. 7. and Chap. 3. 5. where they were opened there are two little differences in the Original which yet alter not the scope 1. That expression by the Roes and Hindes which was formerly used is here left out not because this charge is lesse weighty but it shews a haste and abruptnesse in her speaking which makes her omit that the more speedily to expresse her charge 2. It was before If ye stir or awake Here it is as the margent reads from the Original why will ye stir or awake Which doth more plainly import 1. a readinesse or benâ—il in them to stir him up 2. A certainty of the effect of his withdrawing if they should stir him up or awake him 3. An unreasonablenesse and absurdity in the doing of it Why will ye do it saith she 4. A pressing seriousnesse in her proposing of this question and urging it so vehemently From this and the frequent repetition of this charge Obs. 1. That it 's a difficult piece of work to keep the heart tender and watchful for
for it's rarity and commendablenesse 8. Although doing of duties will not prove an interest in Christ and although believers come not to perfection or any exact suitablenesse in them yet the doing of them in the strength of Christ and walking as leaning on him will make out an interest in him None can actually imploy him for bearing them through in duty who have not first closed with him as their beloved for obtaining of pardon This is the Brides property Christ is first her beloved and then she leans upon him to be helped in her walk 9. That is solid faith which doth empty the believer of himself in the performance of all duties as well as of righteousnesse in the point of his justification The native work of saith is to make the soul rest on Christ yea and actually it makes the soul rest on Christ alone for all true faith layes the burden of all duties and difficulties upon him and so is it compared to leaning BRIDE Vers. 5. I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee The second part of this verse in these words I raised thee up c. are not without obscurity We take the words to be a new argument of the Brides whereby aâ—ter this exclamation of the daughters of Ierusalem she comes in to presse her former suit upon the Bridegroom and proceeds in it as being loath to be interrupted or diverted from her direct application to him wherefore she seems to take no notice of what the daughters spoke and makes no reply but instantly goes on in her wrestling with him as if nothing had been spoken by them That they are words spoken to him the Aâ—â—â—xes in the Original make it clear for although there be no such difference in our Language whereby we may discern whether the word thee be masculine or feminine as spoken to man or woman yet in the Hebrew there is a clear difference And so the word thee I raised thee being in the Original of the masculine gener it 's thee man or thee my beloved or husband and therefore they cannot be understood as his words to her but as hers to him seing it may be clearly discerned in the Original that they belong to a man and it 's a different word from that which is ordinarily spoken of a woman and there being no convincing example to the contrary we must so understand the words here and to understand them otherwise would bring-in needlesse confusion in that Language Next that her scope is to presse for neernesse with him both what went before and what follows do demonstrat which also the opening of the words will confirm In them there are two experiences asserted which tend both to this scope The first is her own experience I raised thee up under the Apple-tree The second is the experience of all other believers there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought forth for thee in this repeated expression is not in the Original that bare thee By the Apple-tree we understand Christ himself who is so called Chap. 2. 3. because of his fruit and shadow under which she sat down To be under the Apple-tree suppons her to be neer him and actually delighting her self on him as being abundantly refreshed under his shadow as was cleared Chap. 2. 3. Her raising up of Christ imports these three things 1. A duty on her part to say so putting him to shew himself someway for her more than formerly he had done So to raise or awake when it is applyed to God signifies as Psal. 7. 6. Psal. 44. 23. Awake why sleepest thou arise cast us not off So then the meaning of this expression I raised thee is I dealt with and importuned thee in this 2. It implyes importunity in dealing with Christ incessantly she stirred him and with petitions pressed him So when it is said Isa. 64. 7. No man stirrs up himself c. The word stirrs up is the same word and imports more than to pray It signifies livelinesse and wrestling in it as fowls use to stirr their young ones when they would have them flying from which the word is borrowed 3. It implyes successe I not only made application to thee and was helped to be serious but I prevailed and thou was awaked and raised and did make thy self in more than an ordinary way manifest to me and for me when I being admitted under thy shadow took that opportunity to deal with thee This then is the scope and strength of this first assertion It 's no marvel saith she that I long for thy company for by former experience I have found the good of it not only for present ease under sad difficulties but also I have been thereby helped to more liberty in prayer and have had successe for attaining new experiences of thy love Therefore I desire thy company still and cannot but desire it The second assertion is more broad and extensive Not only I saith she have found it so but all thy people have found accesse to thee or thy blessed company and presence singularly usefull to make them fruitful as having much influence thereon So by Christ's mother here we conceive is understood the believer in whom he is formed and brought forth as we cleared on Chap. 3. 11. and they bring forth Christ 1. By giving him a beeing in their hearts where he had it not before his image is in some respect himself and when his image is brought forth in the soul Christ is said to be formed and brought forth there 2. By bringing forth of the fruits of Christ's Spirit before others when being as it were in travel in the pursuit of holiness they are helped to manifest his image after which they are created in their conversations 3. By attaining to the knowledge of this that Christ is in them believers being as it were in travel till they know their delivery but when that is clearly made out and intimate to them then as the woman that brings forth a man-child Ioh. 16. 21. they are at quietnesse as being delivered The force of the Argument lyes in the word there which relates to the Apple-tree under the Apple-tree saith she where I raised thee up being admitted to thy fellowship there also they were made fruitful and delivered from their former pangs and travel even as I was and when it is found in the experience of all thy people as well as by me saith she that thy presence and company is so useful it can therefore be no delusion nor is it any wonder that I so presse after it And by this it seems that bringing forth of Christ in this second part is the same in substance with raising of him up in the former to wit the obtaining of some sensible manifestation of Christ's respect by which these who were formerly in pain to have Christ formed in them are now delivered and eased from the flames
of jealous love that are as pangs to such as travel in birth as it were to have their interest in Christ made clear as the words in the following verse expresse Obs. 1. That which in a believers experience hath proven useful is in a special manner lovely and commendable to them Experience is a most convincing demonstration of the worth of any thing and leaves the deepest impression thereof behind it 2. The more any by experience have learned Christ's worth and the more they have tasted that he is gracious their affections do the more vehemently stir after him 3. Christ's presence hath many great and excellent advantages waiting on it It brings â—ase and quietnesse to the soul and gives refreshment under his shadow it gives accesse to pray with freedom and duties then have usually a sensible successe 4. The believer looks upon it as a great mercy to have freedom in prayer and to be heard when he prayes That by prayer she raised Christ up is remembred as a mercy not to be forgotten and this yet commends unto her the good of sitting under his shadow 5. Accesse to Christ is no time for security but for prayer and when the believer is admitted to solace himself in Christ's presence then should he be diligent in wrestling with him and improving that opportunity for pressing after a further manifestation of him 6. There are some experiences that are unquestionable to all believers though they be mysteries to all others in the world 7. It is not a little strengthning yea exceedingly confirming to believers when their experience and the experiences of other believers co-incide and jump in the proof of the same thing 8. Although believers may in some things differ yet there are some things commonly found good in experience by them all This is the advantage of Christ's company there was never a believer that attained it but he â—ound much good of it and these who still travel for it apprehend groundedly that there is an unspeakable good in it Vers. 6. Set me as a seal upon thine heart as a seal 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 Vers. 7. 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 In the sixth verse she proceeds to her second petition wherein she is strengthned from her former experience The suit is in two expressions to one purpose and it is pressed with several reasons in the end of the sixth and seventh verses whereby she shews that lesse could not be satisfying to her and this much she behoved to have granted her The first expression holding forth her suit is Set me as a seal upon thine heart The second is to the same purpose in the words that follow and as a seal upon thine arm By Christ's heart is signified his most inward affection for it is frequent in Scripture by the heart to signifie the most inward affections So Matth. 6. 12. where the treasure is there the heart will be And Chap. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart c. A seal is used for confirming evidences or closing of letters They have some peculiar ingraving on them serving to distinguish the deed of one man from the deed of another wherefore men use to have a special care of their Signet or Seal for both are one upon the matter and in the Original Thus Ahasuerus kept his Seal upon his own finger Esth. 3. 10 12. So then from this we may see that a Seal or Signet signifieth 1. What one hath a precious esteem of and therefore Ier. 22. 24. the Lord saith of Coniah though thou wert the Signet on my right hand c. And Hag. 2. 23. the Lord expresseth his love to Ierusalem in this that he would take Zerubbabel and make him as a Signet 2. By Seal is signified something that makes an impression and leaves a stamp thereof behind it that doth not wear out again as a Seal doth on the Wax Next by Christ's arm may be understood his care of his people outwardly expressed in the effects wrought by his power for their good So Isa. 40. 11. it 's said he will gather the Lambs with his arms c. Thus then to be set as a seal on his heart doth imply 1. Exceeding great neernesse to Christ eâ—en to have a special room and seat in his heart 2. It imports a settlednesse in that condition that she may be set there as the Lord saith of Ierusalem 2 King 21. 4. there I have put or set my Name and as it is Psa. 132. 14. there will I dwell 3. To be set as a Seal on his arm takes in further that as she would be always minded by Christ and have him loving her so would she have him in all his dispensations making that manifest and that as it were they may bear it ingraven upon them that he minds her like that expression Isa. 49. 14. I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands whereby he expresseth his mindfulnesse of her that he could look to nothing in all his works but he saw as it were her name ingraven thereupon for all his works expresse love to her In sum we conceive the words look to one or both of these similitudes or allusions 1. In general to men who had such respect to their Seals or Rings that they wore them on their fingers and carried them still about with them Now she would be carried about on his heart and have him sympathizing with her in every thing that she meets with 2. And more especially it may allude to Aaron's Brestplate whereby he did carry the names of the children of Israel on his heart Exod. 28. 12 29. which ingraving is said to be like the ingraving of a Signet in which the High-priest was certainly a type of Christ However this is certain that she would be established in her union with Christ so that neither desertions on his part nor backslidings on hers might marr that but that she might be fixed as to her union with him and made to abide in him as the impression of a Seal is fixed upon the Wax and made to abide in it Obs. 1. True love to Christ will be bold pressing and importunat in it's suits to him It will not stand to seek any thing that may endear him to the soul to have him as a brother and to be worn upon his heart c. 2. Christ's heart and inside is most heartsome to the believer who hath had any discovery thereof made unto his soul and true love can settle no where till it get a lodging in his very heart that is the proper resting-place of a beliver and that is the refreshing which can make the weary to rest 3. Love to Christ would not only be neer him but would
to dispose of one of the Gadarens swine 6. The great scope of the worlds courting a man with it's offers is to gain his love from Christ This they had need to look well to on whom the world smiles most for then the tentation to this ill is strongest 7. It 's a proof of true love to Christ when it can endure and hold out against tentations upon all hands and that when they are most speciously adorned 8. Where love is true although it may be sometimes as it were violented or the soul in which it is circumveen'd and beguil'd by tentations as the experiences of Saints do clear yet when it is at it self or in good case it will not deliberatly capitulat to admit any thing in Christ's room but will reserve it self wholly for him where love ceds and yields finally it 's a sign that it was never true 9. Tentations though most pleasant yet tending to divert the love of the soul from Christ should be with indignation at their first moving and appearing rejected 10. Love will not only refuse a consent to some tentations but will have a great abhorrency at the moving of them whereas others though they may as to the external actings resist these tentations yet their wanting of this indignation bewrayes their want of love 11. As it 's good to be acted in doing of duty from a principle and motive of love so is it good and commendable to reject tentations upon that same account Vers. 8. We have a little sister and she hath no brests what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for The Brides third petition for these that are not yet brought in to Christ followeth in this eighth verse Her love is strong in pressing for the injoyment of Christ and seing it hath two arms as it reacheth out the one to embrace Christ so it reacheth out the other to bring others in to him Love is very desirous to have others injoying him with it self And by this arm of love the Bride is pulling in these that are yet strangers that they may be ingaged to love Christ and she forgets them not even when she is most serious for her self this being an undoubted truth that when ever our love is most fervent after Christ for our selves it will also be most sensible and sympathizing in respect of the condition of others when love is hot and fervent the one way so will it be the other way also and when it cools to the one it also decays in respect of the other We may take up this verse in these three 1. She remembers and propounds her little sisters case to Christ. 2. There is her suit in reference thereunto 3. This suit is qualified in the last part of the verse First her little sisters case is proposed in these words We have a little sister that hath no brests Here much love and sympathy appears in these three things 1. That she is called a sister 2. our sister 3. ◠little sister and without brests which do expresse much tendernesse of affection and sympathy By sister is sometimes understood more strictly such as are renewed converts to the saith whether in profession only or really 1 Cor. 7. 15. but that is not the meaning here for the sister here mentioned hath no brests and is not yet spoken for Again sister may be more largely taken for one or all of these three 1. For all men as partaking of one common nature 2. For men of one stock and nation so Samaria was sister to Ierusalem c. Ezek. 16. 46. 3. For the Elect who are yet unconverted who are sisters in respect of God's purpose as they are Christ's sheep Joh. 10. 16. and sons of God Joh. 11. 52. even before their conversion for which cause the sister here spoken of is said to have no brests as not being yet changed from her natural condition and so we take this especially to look to the unrenewed Elect not secluding the former two The sense then is There are yet many who have interest in and many that belong to thy election yet 〈◊〉 Now it 's their in-bringing and the making of them ready to be Christ's Spouse and Bride that she breaths after and prayeth for Next it 's said We have a sister and so she is called our sister that is thine and mine Christ's sister because of his purposed respect to her the believers sister not only because of their native and kindly sympathy but also because of the common adoption to which they are designed She is called a little sister and that hath no brests 1. To shew the sad condition that the unconverted elect are in like little young children that are unfit to do any thing for themselves and altogether unmeet for the duties of marriage as these at age who have brests are Thus Ezek. 16. 7. the wretched condition of that people before they were taken in to God's Covenant is set out by this that their brests were not formed and the good condition that followed their being in Covenant is expressed thus that their brests were fashioned This then is the scope here to show that this little sister was yet in nature unmarried to Christ yea as to many of the unconverted elect not spoken for or called 2. She is called little to expresse the Brides pity and sympathy as one would say of a young one that cannot do any thing for her self what will become of her she is a little one 2. The suit is What shall we do for our sister This is a petition that seems to have more affection than distinctnesse in it It 's proposed by way of question the better to expresse her sympathy where she disputes not but again asserts his relation to her and puts no question but he will be tender of her and withall acknowledgeth that there is a duty lying on her self in order to the case of her little sister but would be informed and taught by him in the right discharge of it and so this question supposeth necessity and wretchednesse in this sister affection and duty in her self but unclearnesse how to discharge it Now the way she takes to be helped in it is the putting up this petition to Christ What shall we do saith she Not as if Christ knew not what he would do but it shews her affection to this sister and her familiarity with him and also that she will not separat his doing from hers but looks upon it as her duty to co-operat with him in bringing about the conversion of their little sister The qualification of her suit is What shall we do for her in the day that she shall be spoken for This phrase to speak for her is in allusion to the communing that is used for the attaining women in marriage We find the same phrase in the Original 1 Sam. 25. 39. David sent messengers to commune with Abigail that he might take her to
than conversion it self 6. Christ hath given a promise to the believer for furthering and perfecting of his sanctification as well as of his justification 7. Where there is any honest beginning or foundation laid by real union with Christ although it be weak yet it will be perfected and that may be expected for Christ's word is here ingaged for it 8. There are none of the promised blessings that can be expected from Christ without performing of the condition of believing in him and they who rest on him by faith may expect all BRIDE Vers. 10. I am a wall and my brests like towers then was I in his eyes as one that found favour In this tenth verse and the two verses that follow the Bride comes-in speaking and accepting the Bridegrooms gracious answer and promise And first she doth confirm the truth of it from her own experience vers 10. and then she doth more fully clear and strengthen her experience by laying down the grounds from which she draweth that comfortable conclusion of finding favour in his eyes in reference unto her self vers 11 12. First then in the tenth verse the Bride brings forth her experience for confirmation of the truth of what the Bridegroom had spoken That they are the Brides words we conceive is clear for this I is she that put up the suit for the little sister and by her description is opposed to her as being a wall and having brests as towers which she the little sister had not and there is none other that hath found favour in Christ's eyes but she What the scope is shall be cleared when we have opened the words which have three things in them 1. A short description of her own good condition 2. An excellent advantage that followed thereupon 3. The connexion of these two First her condition is set forth in two expressions 1. I am a wall That is what the little sister was not and what the condition proposed by the Bridegroom in the former verse required In a word that condition is fulfilled in me saith she by faith I am built on Christ and like a wall stand stable on the foundation The second expression setting forth her condition is and my brests like towers This supposeth a growth and further degree of her faith and other graces as having not only brests which the little sister had not vers 8. but brests like towers i.e. well fashioned Ezek. 16. 7. and come to some perfection and so she is a wall with towers Next the priviledge or advantage which accompanies this her good condition is held out in these words I was in his eyes as one that found favour or peace To find favour in his eyes is to be kindly and affectionatly dealt with and to have that manifested by some suitable evidence So it 's said Esther found favour in the eyes of the King and he held out the golden Scepter to her Esth. 5. 2. The thing that Moses pitcheth on as the evidence that he and the people found favour in Gods eyes Exod. 33. 16 17. is that his presence might go with them whereby saith he should it be known that we have found grace in thy sight is it not in that thou goest with us So then to find favour in his eyes is to have his presence in a gracious manner manifested to his people as Ioh. 14. 23. And in sum this expression implyes these three 1. Love in Christ's bosom to her 2. His manifesting of this by his complacency in her or his making the delight which he had in her manifest in the effects of it on her 3. Her being comforted and delighted in the favour that she found from him 3. The connexion of this comfortable attainment with her gracious state is implyed in the word then Then was I c. That is when I was a wall and by faith rested on him I found this favour and not before It holds out no causality betwixt the one and the other but a peremptory connexion of order and time for though Gods love of benevolence whereby he purposeth good to us such as was his love to Iacob before he had done good or evil Rom. 9. 13. and also his love of beneficence whereby he actively confers and brings about our conversion and regeneration go before our believing in him and our love to him and is the cause of our loving of him who love him because he first loved us yet his love of complacency whereby he shews himself delighted with the graces which by his love he hath bestowed on us doth follow in order of nature upon our faith in him and love to him So Ioh. 14. 21 23. He that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and what is meant by this love the words following clear I will manifest my self to him and so vers 23. having said my father will love him it 's added we will come and make our abode with him This then is the sum of this verse I am by faith founded on him and united to him and so am a wall and have brests who by nature once was not a wall and had no brests by which union my brests becoming as towers I did find favour from him and had his presence friendly manifested to me The scope as appears from the coherence of this verse with the former is to make good from her experience the truth and certainty of the promises which he had made for the encouragement of the little sister and for comforting of her self who had been seriously pleading with him on her behalf Thus these promises are faithful saith she for in my comfortable experience I have found it so I was once without the evidence of his love as now others are but being by faith engaged to him I have found favour of him so as others may be assured of obtaining the like and on the same terms if when he is bespeaking them by the Gospel they will close with Christ and by faith unite with him Obs. 1. There are great real and discriminating differences betwixt one in nature and one that is in Christ The one is not a wall and hath no brests the other is a wall and hath brests which shewâ— a great odds 2. Believers may come to know that marches are cleared betwixt their estate and condition now while they are in Christ and their estate and condition as it was before Or believers should set themselves to know whether marches be cleared or not or if they may say that of themselves which cannot be said of others that are not in Christ. 3. It 's no little advancement to be able upon good grounds to assert our union with Christ to say that I am a wall c. each one cannot do it 4. Although none ought to be proud of their attainments yet may believers humbly where there is good ground acknowledge the reality of grace in them 5. Although the Lord loves the Elect
is there but that the King himself like the Prodigal's father met her and took her in Christs convoy is much worth and sinners may hazard forward with it and not despair of accesse 4. She attributes it to him that she may keep mind of his grace whereby she stands and injoyes these priviledges and that she may be still humble under them as having none of these from her self It is much under sense and a fair gale of flowing love to carry even and to be humble And it 's rare to be full of this new Wine and bear it well 3. Consider the importance of the word in the Original it is here translated he brought me in as it's Chap. 2. vers 4. but the word in that Conjugation in which it is used in the first Language signifieth he made me come or go in implying 1. A â—ort of aversness and inability in her self 2. Many difficulties in the way 3. An efficacious work overcoming all these and effectually bringing her over all as the same word is used Psal. 78. 71. where God's bringing David from the fold to be King over so many difficulties is spoken of The last thing in the verse is the effect following on this her admission which is both exceeding great spiritual cheerfulnesse in her self and gladnesse of heart also in others whereby both her own and their heaâ—ts were much inlarged in duty as she undertook and therefore the person from me to we is changed again for before she saith he brought me c. but now we will be glad c. The effects by way of gratitude are in two expressions 1. We will rejoyce and be glad in thee And 2. We will remember thy love more then Wine And as she took her motive while she desired Christ's love from that esteem which all Believers under the Title of Virgins had of it so now having obtained what she sought she confirms her estimation of that injoyment from the experience of the same Believers under the name of upright that by such an universal testimony in both assertions she might the more confirm her saith anent the reality of Christs worth seing her esteem of him did flow from no deluded sense in her but was built on such solid reasons as she durst appeal to the experience of all Believers who thought Christ well worthy the loving And so this is not only brought in here to shew the nature of Believers whose disposition inclines them natively to love Christ but also to shew the excellent lovelinesse of Christ as an object worthy to be loved in the conviction of all that ever knew him The first expression holds forth a warm change upon her affections no sooner is she admitted into the Chambers but she cryeth out O we will rejoyce and be glad in thee Where 1. Ye have her exercise and frame it 's to rejoyce and be glad cheerfulnesse and joy disposing the heart to praise are sometimes called-for as well as Prayer If we look on this joy as it stands here It says 1. There are degrees and steps in Communion with Christ and the Saints are sometimes admitted to higher degrees thereof than at other times Sure it is a heartsome life to be near Christ and in his Chambers 2. This joy and that nearnesse with Christ which is the ground of it are both often the effect of Prayer and follows upon it when Faith is in a lively way exercised in that duty 3. That Faith exercised on Christ can make a sudden change to the better in a Believers case Psal. 30. 6 7 c. 4. That a Believer should observe the changes of Christ's dispensations the returns of their own prayers and be suitably affected with them whether he delay the answer or give them a present return The 2. thing in the expression is the object of this joy it 's in thee not in Corn or Wine not in their present sense but in him as the Author of their present comfortable condition and as being himself their happinesse even in their greatest enjoyments according to that word 1 Cor. 1. 31. Let him that rejoiceth rejoice in the Lord and this qualifies joy and keeps it from degenerating into carnal delight when he that rejoiceth rejoiceth in the Lord and it is a good character to try such joy with as may warrantably passe under that name of the joy of the Lord and as will have that effect with it to strengthen us in his way Neh. 8. 10. 3. We may consider a twofold change of the number in the Brides speaking it 's We which was Me The King brought me said she but now We will rejoice The reasons were given on the petition and further we may add here that it 's to shew her being conform in her practice to her undertaking and to shew that that admission of hers redounded to the good of moe and ought to take them up in praise with her The other change of the person is from the third to the second from He the King to Thee in the second Person we will rejoice in Thee which shews a holy complacency and delight sometimes making her to speak of him sometimes to him yet so as she loves to have Christ both the object and subject of her discourse and the more he be to her she is the more satisfied This being another character of spiritual joy and exulting in Christ it still makes him to be the more to them and they are still pressing under it to be the nearer to him The 2. effect is We will remember thy love more then Wine What is understood by Love and Wine as also why the number is changed from the singular to the plural hath been formerly cleared The word Remember doth import these three things 1. A thankful acknowledgment of the favour received and a making of it to be remembred to his praise this remembring is opposite to forgetting Psal. 103. 2. From which we may observe two things 1. The acknowledgment of the mercies we have received is a necessary piece of the duty of praise They will never praise for a mercy who will not acknowledge they have received it forgetfulnesse and unbelief doth much marr praise 2. They that pray most for any mercy will most really praise when it 's received and this last is a duty as well as the former but is not made conscience of nor suitably performed but by hearts that acknowledge God's goodnesse to themselves 2. It imports a recording of this experience of God's goodnesse for her own profit for the time to come Thus every manifestation of his grace is to be kept as an experience for afterward when that frame may be away and he may hide his face whereupon there will follow a change in the Believers frame It 's good keeping the impression of his kind manifestations still upon the heart So the Psalmist endeavoured Psal. 119. 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me
3. It imports the doing of both these with delight we will remember thy love saith she more then wine that is the thoughts of Christ's love doth and shall relish more sweetly than wine or any comforts amongst creatures the very thoughts of it are and will be so cordial and refreshful The last expression the upright love thee is added for confirmation as was said on vers 3. and may be lookt upon as brought in by way of obviating an objection who might it be said to the Bride will so rejoice in Christ with thee She answers whatever the most part of the world do yet these who have spiritual senses love Christ as I do The difference betwixt this and the former expression in the end of the third vers is in two 1. Though the persons be the same yet she gives them different styles There she calls them Virgins as being chast in their love not joyning themselves to idols nor going a-whoring after creatures here she calls them upright as being sincere neither dissemblers nor hypocrites but such as were really that which they appeared to be having a practice suitable to their profession such was Iob Job 1. 1. An upright man such was Nathanael Joh. 1. 47. An Israelite indeed These have not double ends nor double hearts but are straight and may abide the touch-stone their practice being their very heart turned outward The other difference is in the scope formerly they were brought in as being desirous of Christ as she was here as delighted with Christ when he is injoyed both go together And whoever are desirous after him will be delighted in him while present and afflicted for and affected with his absence In both she evidenceth a suitablenesse in her frame to the generation of God's people and â—ares not from whom she differ if she be conform to them Observ. 1. Where there is love to Christ there is sincerity in practice neither is there true love to be found in any hypocrite for sincerity and love to Christ go together 2. Sincerity is a character of a Virgin and true Believer If we would know who are the Virgins spoken of vers 3. she tells us here they are the upright 3. All who are sincere or upright come-in in one category and reckoning they are all of the same spiritual nature or disposition and what may be said of one of them as to that may be said of them all 4. God reckons Believers not by the degree of their progresse but by the kind and nature of their walk if it be sincere or not that is if they be straight as to their ends motives and manner in duties or not 5. These characters which agree in common to Believers as such and these cases which agree with the ordinary way of all the Saints in Scripture are solid and weight may be laid upon them in concluding our sincerity or the goodnesse of our state but peculiar evidences or singular experience would not be leaned unto in that as if our uprightnesse or the goodnesse of our state could not be made out without these wherein possibly an hypocrite can go nearer to resemble a child of God than in that which is more ordinary to Saints as such Vers. 5. I am black but comely O ye Daughters of Ierusalem as the Tents of Kedar as the Curtains of Solomon Vers. 6. Look not upon me because I am black because the Sun hath looked upon me my mothers children were angry with me they made me the keeper of the Vineyards but mine own Vineyard have I not kept In the 5. and 6. verses we have the second piece of the Brides first discourse and it is the speech she hath to the Daughters of Jerusalem wherein vers 5. she gives a description of her self then vers 6. applyes and clears it for some edifying use unto these beginners For clearing of this place let us 1. see who these Daughters of Jerusalem are 2. What is the scope of these words 3. What is their dependence upon and connexion with the former 4. What is more particularly the meaning of them By Daughters of Ierusalem in common are certainly understood professors members of the Church and so born in and belonging unto Jerusalem but because there are members of several sorts some strong some weak some sound some unsound some tender some prophane we must inquire a little further who are meant by these Daughters of Jerusalem they being often mentioned in this Song First We look on them as distinct from mothers children mentioned in the following verse as a party different from the Daughters here spoken to and so they are not to be accounted amongst the prophane imbittered heart-enemies of Godlinesse who yet live in the Church They are not the worst then of them that are in the visible Church 2. We take them also as distinguished from the Virgins and upright who loved and delighted in Christ in the former vers For chap. 5. 8 9. and 6. 1. we will find them very ignorant of Christ although they have some affection In a word we take them to include two sorts of Professors 1. Such as are weak and scarcely formed yet are docile and respective to outward Ordinances and Godlinesse in the practice of it So their respect to the Bride and the question propounded by them chap. 5. 9. doth clear 2. They comprehend such as are formed Believers really honest and who have some sound beginnings yet mixed with much weaknesse ignorance and infirmity and so not come up the length of grown Christians such who need milk and cannot indure strong meat so their question and undertaking chap. 6. 1. doth evidence they were Daughters while yet they were really very ignorant of Christ and were ready to provoke him before he pleased as the often repeated charge the Bride gives them throughout this Song imports and they were Daughters still even after they were something better taught and ingaged We find 1 Ioh. 2. 13. the Apostle speaks of three sorts 1. Fathers that are grown Believers rich in experience such we esteem to be understood by the Bride in this Song 2. Young-men who are strong well-advanced Believers such were the Virgins and upright here made mention of A 3. sort are styled little Children that is some who as it were are yet on the Breasts and that in knowledge practice or experience had not come to a consistence or to have their senses exercised to know good or evil as it is Heb. 5. 14. such we account these Daughters of Jerusalem and so may comprehend under them Professors who stand not in the way of their own edification though they be weak 2. The scope of her discourse to them is to prevent their stumbling at the Crosse or being deterred from godlinesse because of any blacknesse or spots that were to be seen in her it being a great stumbling to weak Professors to see sufferings accompany tendernesse especially when it is persecuted and pursued by professors
the former years growth whereby is signified a thriving or increase of the believers grace there being a new degree of faith and love c. of this year added to the former degree she attained before she preserves the old and she brings forth new as Matth. 13. 52. the Scribe taught in the Kingdom of God brings out things new and old he hath the old stock and the new increase the talents that were given him and five more gained by them 4. These fruits are said to be at our gates This looks most simply to signifie this that it 's pleasant to have such fruits at the doors and it betokens a frequency or plenty and great abundance of them when not only in the Garden but at the gates they so abound so this abounding of grace in a believer makes to say so Christ's entry savoury and pleasant and shews that all things are in a good readinesse for him as the last motive that they are laid up for him even while they are at the gates doth shew In sum all things saith she are in readinesse and for thee only my beloved although not in perfection yet in sincerity provision is made for thy entertainment Obsâ— 1. There are many various kinds of graces in a believer and when it 's right with one or when one of them is thriving it 's ordinarily so with all 2. Grace hath it's growth and should be increased by new additions where it is begun and when it goes well with the believer there will be of these spiritual fruits both new and old 3. There is no keeping in good case of the old stock of grace but by continuing and growing in fruitfulnesse where the old is preserved there will be found new also otherwise what seemed once to blossome becomes almost withered 4. These who are seriously desirous of Christ's company should be making ready for him by livelinesse of all manner of graces new and old and they who aim at such a condition may with some confidence expect his presence and company 5. Believers who seriously tenderly and humbly follow holinesse may attain a great length in it as this expression of her case signifies And therefore the blame is only our own that our attainments in grace are so small The last motive is in the last words These are the fruits saith she which I have laid up for thee O my beloved These fruits are many and at the doors yet they are laid up for him they are then such fruits as are reserved for Christ. And this motive compleats the former whereby having asserted her fruitfulnesse lest she should seem to boast of it that her graces did so abound whatever increase they have made O my beloved saith she I have devoted them to thee they shall not be for my own satisfaction or boast but for thy glory therefore saith she Come as one would say I have such good fruits of purpose kept for thee which no other shall share of and therfore I invite thee to come and enjoy them which is a kind invitation turning over the acknowledgment of what she had on Christ as indeed belonging to him and as only to be made use of for his honour So then to lay up signifies 1. A carefulnesse and solicitousnesse carefully to gather together as covetous worldly men use to lay up riches and to gather them together 2. It signifies the successe which she had in her endeavour that there was much gathered a store of fruits as in a treasure so we find laying up to have this sense Psal. 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up as it were in store c. 3. It signifies a setting apart of that store from common uses as men do what they lay up and a reserving of it for some peculiar use And the peculiar use for which she laid them up follows in these words for thee O my beloved Which implyes 1. that in her gathering and storing up respect was had to Christ and that her provision was not to rest her self upon it but to honour him with it 2. That even when it was attained she was denyed to it and did not look upon it as if it could be any stock to her self to live upon but that she had prepared it as an offering to propine or entertertain him with Even as a kind wise would provide what might be for the husbands refreshment and honour and would be still laying up till he return aiming singly to satisfie and entertain him with it So saith the Bride this store is for satisfying and honouring of thee and for thee only O my beloved It 's for thy cause because thou commands it loves it and is honoured by it O my beloved is added to shew how affectionatly she insisted in this discourse and in particular how well bestowed she thought all that she had laid up was when it was bestowed upon him O my beloved it's for thee and I have willingly and affectionatly laid it up for that use therefore come and lodge and dwell with me which is the scope Obs. 1. Increasing in fruitfulnesse or growing in holinesse is a work that will not be done in one day but it will take time and both carefulnesse and diligence to gather together and lay up these spiritual fruits 2. When Christ is absent to sense it is a suitable and seasonable duty to be laying up provision by fruitfulnesse in holinesse for his coming and return Or when Christ seems not presently to come and accept of a believers prayers duties or graces yet are they not to be rejected and cast at as null and uselesse nor is the believer to desist from performing of them but to continue and persevere in stirring himself up in the exercise of graces and duties untill he come 3. Although Christ come not at the first but suffer many of the believers duties and the exercise of his graces if we may say so to ly long on his hand yet they are not lost but laid up and grace is no ill treasure and Christ will one time or other come and make good use of them 4. It 's no lesse practick to say so or it is no lesse difficult in believers walk to reserve what store they have gathered for Christ's use alone and to be denyed to it themselves than to get duties performed and spiritual provision laid up 5. It 's not enough to do duties and to lay up fruits unlesse they be laid up for Christ and this is no lesse a duty than the former 6. It 's no small attainment in a believer and a strong motive for attaining of Christ's company without which all will be nothing when not only he hath store of fruits and is painful in holinesse but also is denyed to these as to any use-making of them for his own ends more than if he had never been taken up in attaining them and when he reserves the praise of them to Christ Jesus alone
and the believer alwayes yet there are special times or occasions upon which or wayes by which he manifests his love to them 6. The believer hath Christ's â—avour otherwise let forth and manifested to him than it was before his conversion although this love as it 's in God himself be ever the same 7. It 's a singularly refreshful thing to find favour in Christ's eyes and to have that love of his sensibly manifested and clearly made out unto us 8. There is an inseparable and peremptory connexion betwixt holinesse in a believers walk and Christ's manifesting of his favour thus unto them 9. These that have felt by experience the fulfilling of Christ's promises are both more clear in the meaning of them and more through in the faith of them Experience is both a good commentary upon and proof of the promises of Christ which the Bride makes use of here 10. The experience of one believer in the way of grace which is founded upon the essentials of the Covenant and is agreeable to it may be an encouragement to strengthen others in expectation of the accomplishment of the same thing when the same way is taken in sueing for it 11. Believers that are more versed in and acquainted with experiences than others should fitly and conveniently bring them out and communicat them for the benefit of others who yet have not attained that length 12. It 's the duty of hearers when they hear Gospel-truths and offers such as were held forth in the ninth verse to reflect on themselves and try if their experience suit with them if they have such conditions in themselves and have felt the fulfilling of such promises in their own particular experience And it 's comfortable when their experiences and the promises agree so together that when he saith If she be a wall we will build on her or who loveth me I will manifest my self to him they may groundedly answer and say I am a wall and so have found favour in his eyes I love him and so he hath manifested himself to me Vers. 11. Solomon had a Vineyard at Baal-hammon he let out the Vineyard unto keepers every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver Vers. 12. My Vineyard which is mine is before me thou O Solomon must have a thousand and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred It is a great assertion which the Bride laid down vers 10 that she was a wall and had found favour in his eyes and it being of high concernment if well grounded therefore to make out the warrantablenesse thereof she proceeds to demonstrat it vers 11 12. thereby to give believers advertisement that they should be well seen in the grounds of their own peace and to shew the solid way how the well groundednesse thereof may be found out And because the conclusions asserting our union with Christ and interest in him follow on premisses whose major proposition is in the word and whose assumption is to be searched and confirmed from the conscience speaking from inward experience and feeling she doth formally proceed First by laying down a sum of the Gospel in a complex general doctrine vers 11. to this purpose Christ had a Church which he took pains on for this end that it might be fruitful and that in such a measure Then in the twelfth verse she compares her practice with that rule and finds it suitable therefore the conclusion follows We may take it up thus in form They who improve the trust well that is put upon them to bring forth such fruits as Christ calls for in his Covenant may conclude that they are a wall and have found favour in his sight This truth is confirmed in the eleventh verse because it 's for that very end and on these very terms that Christ hath appointed the Ordinances in his house and made the promises to his people that they should bring forth a thousand for the fruit thereof to him and he will not reject a consequence drawn from that which he himself hath appointed in his Covenant for such grounds as the Word and Covenant confirm are only sure to reason from Then she assumes vers 12. but I have been sincere in that trust which was committed unto me conform to the terms of the Covenant and have a thousand according thereto to give to Christ Therefore c. And because this hath need to be well grounded also she proves it partly by instancing the fruits that belonged to him and to the keepers which she had brought forth to shew that his Ordinances were not in vain to her and partly by attesting himself immediatly in these words Thou O Solomon speaking to him in the second person thereby to evidence her sincerity before him who alone could bear witnesse thereof and that it was not meer external performances which as such are manifest to others upon which she grounds what she asserts in the assumption This is the native series and scope of the words whereby they depend on the former and by which now before death leaving this way of communion with Christ which she enjoyed here-away mediatly in Ordinances and before that eternal and immediat way beyond death which is prayed for vers 14. she doth collect her interest and confirm her assurance The particular exposition of the words will clear it more From the scope Obs. 1. That through perswasion of interest in Christ had need to be solidly grounded and believers would be distinct in the grounds thereof and not go beguesse with their confidence 2. The neerer that people come to dying they would be the more accurat in this search and have the evidences of their interest in Christ the more clear 3. We may gather from her example that the solid and only way to be throughly cleared of our title to Christ is when the grounds thereof are comprehended in the Lords Covenant as he that believes repents hath the fruits of the Spirit c. he is justified sanctified c. And when the assumption bearing the application of these grounds to our selves will abide the tryal in Christ's sight and may be instanced before him in the effects thereof thus but it 's so with me Therefore c. This is her way of concluding We come now to expound the words more particularly And first we conceive it is out of doubt that they are mystically and spiritually to be understood That is by Solomon Christ is meant and by the Vineyard the Church c. for so the strain and nature of the Allegory throughout this Song and the manner of speaking all along doth require And there being but one Solomon that is spoken of in this Song his having of a Vineyard must be understood as his making of a Chariot Chap. 3. 9 10. which being paved with love could not be a piece of work framed by Davids son We are not therefore curiously to enquire here what place this is called Baal-hammon