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
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
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
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
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
several arguments pressed on him vers 11 12 13. The conclusion which she gathers vers 10. from his discourse comes not in altogether abruptly but is the expression of a heart comforted with the intimations of Christ's love and wakened with the wine that makes them that are asleep to speak and so breathing out the great ground of her consolation Now saith she seing he loves me and out of the infinit freedom of his grace is pleased to commend unworthy mee so much certainly I may conclude I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me The first part of this verse wherein she asserts her interest in him was spoken to Chap. 2. 16. and 6. 3. and it 's now repeated on this occasion for these reasons 1. Because it 's the great compend of all her consolation and that wherein it consists that she is Christ's and Christ is hers This is indeed matter of solid consolation and whatever is comfortable doth flow from it 2. To shew that she kept the clearnesse of her interest in him in some measure constantly and carried it along with her in the several parts of her exercise she can assert it this day and the next day and the third day 3. It 's now a full tide with her as to Christ's manifestations and the flowings of his Spirit he hath been liberal and large in the intimations of his love and she makes this use of it to put her interest in him out of question while the evidences of it are so legible Obs. 1. Believers may at sometimes more clearly and distinctly gather and conclude their interest in Christ than at other times 2. When believers are admitted to neernesse with Christ and clouds that would darken their faith are scattered then they would endeavour to fix their confidence and put their interest out of question that when their sun comes under a cloud and they see not to read their evidences so distinctly they be not put to question their interest and all by-past experiences as delusions 3. When the Lord owns his people and speaks comfortably to them as he hath been doing to the Bride then they should owne him and acquiesce in that consolation allowed upon them by him The last part of the verse in these words and his desire is towards me shews not only that the interest was mutual and that he loved her as she did him but that he loved her affectionatly so that in a manner he could not be without her His desire was to her 2. That he condescended to love her with such a kind of love and respect as a woman hath to her husband for so this is spoken of the first woman Gen. 3. thy desire shall be towards him that is subordinat to his or seeking to conform to his that she may please him And so here it shews Christ's great condescending to have the believer carving as it were to him so ready is he to please and satisfie his people for their good 3. It shews a deal of satisfaction that she had in this it was the matter of her humble spiritual boasting that Christ so loved her hath or contemn her who would 4. She thinks still much of this priviledge of an interest in Christ and esteems nothing the lesse of it that she had attained clearnesse in it before now Clearnesse is ever of much worth and these who are clearest anent this will esteem most of it That holy fainnesse to say so that this word My beloved is mine brings-in to the soul easeth and comforteth the more that it is often renewed Vers. 11. Come my Beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages Vers. 12. Let us get up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appear and the Pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves Vers. 13. The Mandrakes give a smell and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits new and old which I have laid up for thee O my Beloved When she hath laid down this ground of her interest in him she proceeds to improve it vers 11. by giving him a kindly and familiar invitation which she first qualifies in the end of the eleventh verse and beginning of the twelfth and then in what followeth adds some motives to presse it The similitude of a loving wifes carriage to a kind husband is continued as if such a loving wife desirous of her husbands company did invite him to the fields thereby in a retired way to be solaced with his company especially by going abroad with him in a pleasant spring-time and staying some nights in villages for that end and that they might the more seriously and comfortably view the state of their Orchards and Gardens which is both pleasant profitable and delightsome to be done in the husbands company Even so doth the Bride follow the similitude to shew what she desired from Christ in desiring of his company and for what end to wit both for the profit and comfort she expected to reap thereby The invitation she gives him is Come my Beloved Come is a word much used betwixt Christ and the believer and is a kindly word He saith Come Chap. 2. 10. and now she useth the same word Her putting up this desire expresseth a desire of communion and neernesse with him and also much affection and is the language both of the Spirit and the Bride who saith Come Rev. 22. 17. Here it imports a petition pressing for a greater degree of communion which by comparing this with the former words may be gathered for she possessed it in a good measure for the time and yet here she saith Come First considering this invitation in it self we may observe That communion with Christ is the one principal and common suit of the believer wherein he is never satisfied till it be perfected Next comparing these words with the preceeding Obs. 1. The more that Christ be manifested to his people the more neer they be admitted to him and the better that their frame be and the more clear they be anent their interest in him the greater will their desire be of more neer communion with him 2. Clearnesse of interest in him when it 's solid is a ground to presse for his fellowship and still it presseth the person who hath it to pursue after more full manifestations of Christ. Again considering these words as they respect his promise vers 8. I said saith he I will go up to the Palm tree c. Now she having heard it layeth hold on this promise and is not long in saying Come Obs. 1. That believers should improve the promises they have for attaining what is promised in them and should not suffer promises to lye by them not made use of 2. What is promised to a believer may and should be prayed for by them 3. Believers in their prayers and suits to Christ would have a special respect to the promises not only
may attain to a great height and yet corruption may again strangely break out and grace be brought very low What knowledge had Solomon What presence and clearnesse had he gotten by the Lord 's appearing to him What hearing of Pâ—ayer How usefull was he in God's work in building the Temple ordering all the Levits c and continued thus eminent for many years even till he was well stricken in years and then fell so foully How may this strike us with fear It 's much to win fair off the Stage without a spot Be humble and he that standeth let him take heed lest he fall 5. Grace can wash foul spots out of Believers Garments seing no question Solomon was washen and as he was recovered so grace is able to recover the Saints from their most dangerous aâ—d fearfull backslidings 6. Sometime the Spirit will honour the Penmen of Holy Writ by mentioning and recording their names other times not as is clear from some Books unknown by whom they were written the Lord doth in this according to his pleasure and as he seeth it may tend to edification Vers. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then Wine Having spoken to the Title we come now to the Song it self which being by way of Conference or Dialogue we shall divide the several Chapters according to the number of the Speakers and their several intercourses in speaking And so in this Chap. we have 5. parts In the 1. the Bride speaks to vers 8. In the 2. the Bridegroom to vers 12. In the 3. the Bride again to vers 15. And 4. the Bridegroom speake vers 14. And lastly the Bride in the two last verses The Bride begins this sweet Conference vers 2. and continues to vers 8. 1. She speaks to Christ vers 2 3 4. Then 2. to the Daughters of Ierusalem vers 5 6. Lastly she turns her self again to the Bridegroom vers 7. In the first of these there is 1. Her aime and desire by way of an earnest wish laid down vers 1. 2. The motives that stir up this desire in her and whereby she presseth it on him vers 2 3. 3. There is a formal Prayer set down vers 4. which is amplified in these three 1. In the motive proposed 2. In the answer obtained and felt 3. In the effects that followed on it Her great wish is Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth That it 's the Bride that speaks is clear She begins not because love ariseth first on her side for here she begins as having already closed with him and therefore she speaks to him as one who knows his worth and longs for the out-lettings of his love but because such expressions of Christs love as are to be found in this Song whereby his complacency is vented and manifested towards us doth first presuppose the working of love in us and our exercising of it on him and then his delighting that is his expressing his delight in us For although the man first suit the wife and so Christ first sueth for his Bride yet when persons are married it 's most suitable that the wife should very pressingly long for and expresse desire after the husband even as the Bride doth here after Christ's kisses and the expressions of his love Of this order of Christ's love see Chap. 8. Vers. 10. In the words consider 1. what she desires and that is the kisses of his mouth 2. How she points Christ forth by this significant demonstrative Him 3. Her abrupt manner of breaking out with this her desire as one that had been dwelling on the thoughts of Christ and feeding on his excellency and therefore now she breaks out Let him kisse me c. as if her heart were at her mouth or would leap out of her mouth to meet with his First by kisses we understand most lovely friendly familiar and sensible manifestations of his love kisses of the mouth are so amongst friends so it was betwixt Ionathan and David and so it is especially betwixt Husband and Wife Next there are several delightsome circumstances that heighten the Brides esteem of this the so much desired expression of his love The 1. is implyed in the person who is to kisse it 's Him Let him kisse He who is the most excellent and singular person in the world The 2. is hinted in the party whom he is to kisse it 's me Let him kisse me a contemptible despicable creature for so she was in her self as appears from vers 5 6. yet this is the person this love is to be vented on 3. Wherewith is he to kisse It 's with the kisses of his mouth which we conceive is not only added as an Hebraism like that expression The words of his mouth and such like phrases but also to affect her self by expressing fully what she breathed after to wit kisses or love which are the more lovely to her that they come from his mouth as having a sweetnesse in it Chap. 5. 16. above any thing in the world That Christ's love hath such a sweetnesse in it the reason subjoyned will clear for thy love is c. That which is here kisses is immediatly denominat loves It is his love that she prized and whereof kisses were but evidences They are kisses in the plural number partly to shew how many ways Christ hath to manifest his love partly to shew the continuance and frequency of these manifestations which she would be at The thing which she here desires is not love simply but the sense of love for she questioned not his love but desired to have sensible expressions of it and therefore compares it not only to looks that she might see him but to kisses which is also clear from the reason annexed while she compares his love to Wine Again her manner of designing Christ is observable Him It 's a relative where no antecedent goes before yet certainly it looks to Christ alone as the reasons shew Here no rules of Art are kept for love stands not on these This manner of speaking is to be found also in Moral Authors when one eminent is set forth who is singularly known beside others as having in the estimation of the speakers no match So Pythagora's Schollars used to say of their Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He said it And in Scripture when the Saints speak of the Lord they thus design him because they are not afraid to be mistaken Psal. 87. 1. His foundation c. and Isaiah 53. 2. He shall grow up like to a tender plant This is neither for want of titles due to him or rhetorick in her but because in this manner of expression the Saints set forth 1. Christ's singular excellency which is such that he hath no match or equal there is but one Him 2. Their singular esteem of him whatever others think 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one Lord Iesus only Christ is esteemed of
to make her believe and a difficulty that was in bringing her to believe either the beauty that was in her or his estimation of her and therefore is this note of attention doubled She hath her eyes so fixed on her own blacknesse that she hath need to be rouzed up to take notice both of the grace of God in her and also of the esteem that Christ had of her The particular that he commends in her in the last part of the words is Thou hast Dâ—ves eyes He insists not only in the general but is particular in this commendation he gives her And this shewes 1. Christ's particular observation not only of the believers state frame and carriage in general but of their graces in particular 2. That there may be some particular grace wherein belevers may be especially eminent even as it 's in corrupt â—atural men that ar still under the pollution and dominion of the body of death yet there is some one or other predominant lust that is strongest in some sort it is so with the believer there is some one thing or other wherein grace especially vents and puts forth it self in exercise Abraham is eminent for faith Moses for meeknesse Iob for patience And hence the believer is considered sometimes under the notion of one grace and sometimes of another as we may see Matth. 5. 3. That our blessed Lord Jesus hath a particular delight in the holy simplicity and sincerity of a believer Or holy simplicity and sincerity puts a great lovelinesse upon believers for by this thou hast Doves eyes we conceive to be understood a holy simplicity separating her in her way from the way of the men of the world for while their eyes or affections run after other objects hers are taken up with Christ for by eyes are set out mens affections in Scripture So Matth. 6. 22. and often in this Song the eyes signifie the affections as in that expression Thou hast ravished me with one of thine eyes c. the eyes being somewayes the seat and also the doors of the affections Now Doves eyes set out not only the Brides affâ—ction and love to Christ but also the nature of her love which is the thing here mainly commended as simplicity chastity singlenesse for which that creature is commended Matth. 10. Be simple as Doves And this is the commendation of the love that true believers have to Christ that it 's chast single and sincere love Singlenesse is the special thing Christ commends in his people It 's that for which believers are so much commended Act. 2. 46. Part 5. BRIDES Words Vers. 16. Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant also our bed is green Vers. 17. The beams of our house are Cedar and our rafters of Fir. We come to the last part of the Chapter in the two last verses in which the Bride commends Christ's beauty and the sweetnesse of fellowship with him He had been commending her and now she hastens to get the commendation turned over on him Behold thou art fair c. And there are two things which she here commends 1. She commends the Bridegroom himself Behold thou c. 2. She commends fellowship with him under the similitude of bed house and galleries vers 16. 17. From the connexion of this with the former purpose ye may see how restlesse believers are when they meet with any commendation from Christ till they get it turned over to his commendation and praise And this is the property of a believer to be improving every good word they get from Christ to his own commendation that speaks it This is the end and design why grace is bestowed upon believers that it may turn in the upshot and issue to the commendation of his grace 2. That there is nothing more readily warms the hearts of believers with love and looses their tongues in expressions of commending Christ than the intimation of his love to them this makes their tongue as the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. More particularly in this commendation the Bride gives him ye will find these four things 1. There is the stile she gives him my beloved 2. There is the commendation given and it 's the same with the commendation which in the former verse he gave her 3. The note of attention prefixed Behold Lastly an addition to the commendation Christ gave her while she turns it over upon him and which is as a qualification of Christ's beauty because one expression will not do it she makes use of two thou art fair saith she yea pleasant He had said she was â—air nay saith she thou art fair c. she turnes it over to him because the same things that are commendable iâ— her are infinitly and much more commendable in him that which is in the believer being the extract of the principal which is in him Christ being the principal and the graces that are in the believer but the transumpt or copie All these things are in Christ like the light in the Sun and in the believer but like the light in the Moon communicat to it by the Sun and they are in Christ as in their own element and ocean and in the believer but like some litle stream communicat from that infinit fountain and it 's upon this ground that the same commendation given by Christ to her is tuâ—ned over by her to him And it 's even as much as if she had said to him My beloved what is my â—airnesse It 's thou who art fair I am not worthy to be reckoned fair the commendation belongs to thee thou art worthy of it And this is the nature of love in believers to blush in a manner when Christ commends them and to cast all such commendations back again upon him that they may rest upon Christ as the party who deserves them best From the title ye may see here 1. Much humility in the Bride and also much reverence and respect to Christ which is the reason why she will not let the commendation lye upon her but puts it back upon him Love to Christ and estimation of him aimes alwayes at this that whatever is commendable in the believer should ultimatly resolve upon him 2. Here is much familiarity notwithstanding of her humility in that she calls him my beloved as he called her my love Humility and reverence an high estimation of Christ and confidence in him and familiarity with him go all well together in the believer and the believer would labour to have all these in exercise together and would never let one of them part from another In a word it is a humble familiar way in believing which we would aime at 3. One special thing that makes Christ lovely to believers and natively stirreth them up to commend him is when they are clear anent his love to them If it be asked why she turnes over this commendatien to him in the second person Thou art c Ans. She doth
it 1. To testifie her sincerity that she was not flattering nor complementing but she durst make him witnesse of what she said 2. To shew that there are many spiritual conâ—erences and sweet soliloquies between the souls of believers and Christ wherein they are very â—amiliar with him which none knowes nor can know but Christ and they for she is speaking to him when no body knowes and he to her 3. Because there are many divine experiences of believers that are scarcely communicable to any other but Christ and therefore she will tell them over to him The commendation she puts upon him is even the same which he before gave her Thou art fair saith she And that which she aimes at in this is 1. To set forth the exceeding great beauty that is in our Lord Jesus which beauty is spiritually to be understood nâ—mely of the qualifications wherewith he is furnished having grace poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. Ioh. 1. 14. 2. The great esteem that the believer hath of Christ and that both for what he is in himself and for what he is to him Thou art fair in thy self saith she and fair to me and it sayes a litle glimpse of Christ's beauty hath an attractive efficacy upon the heart of a believer When Christ Jesus is seen it puts a wonderful stamp of love upon the hearts of his people he hath a very amiable aspect that cannot but get love in the beholders as they said that heard him never man spake as he speaks so they that have seen him will say never mans countenance looked like his amongst all the sons of men he bears the standard and hath a lovelinesse wherein he is beyond them all No wonder he being the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person 3. It is to shew wherefrom all her beauty was derived as was hinted before it was from his If I be fair saith she it is because thou art fair it 's thy beauty that puts beauty upon me The third thing is the Behold prefixed and it holds out these three 1. The excellency and admirablenesse of the matter Christ's beauty is a subject of a most transcendent and admirable excellency 2. Her seriousnesse in the expressions of his commendation as having her heart at her mouth while she speaks of it being so affected and taken up with it 3. Though he needed not yet she needed up-stirring her self and there was need she should stir up others and therefore this word for her own and others cause is prefixed The last part of this commendation is as was said an addition to what he spoke in her commendation yea pleasant saith she This pleasantnesse and lovelinesse doth relate to the communicativenesse of Christ's worth his communicating of what is lovely in him to others It had not been enough for us that he had been lovely in himself as God if he were not also lovely by that relation that is between him and a believer in the Covenant of grace whereby there is not only a communicablenesse but also an actual communication of these things to a believer which may make him lovely and beautiful before God And this makes Christ pleasant that of his fulnesse we receive and grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. When the believer shares of Christ's fulnesse he cannot but be beautiful and Christ cannot but be pleasant And indeed if we could expresse any thing of the importance of the word it is a most material and massy expression of that inexpressible worth that is in him and likewise of a believers estimation of it And 1. In the general it imports this A difficulty in commending Christ rightly there cannot be words gotten for it the thing that is commendable in him is so large that words yea the most superlative of them come far short in setting him forth 2. It sets forth how unsatisfied believers are with their own expressions of that worth which they see to be in him they think the first word unsuitable and therefore they passe on to another and in the close they are forced as it were to give it over and to say Thou art altogether lovely 3. It imports that there is no kind of thing that may commend Christ wherein he is defective he hath not only the materials of beauty so to say but he hath the form All things that are in Christ are wonderfully delightsome and pleasant to look on Lastly this expression implyes an exceeding great refreshfulnesse and contentednesse which Christ Jesus doth yeeld to a believer and that exceeding great satisfaction and delight that a believer may have in looking on Christ This word pleasant speaks their actual feeding upon the beautiful sight they have gotten of him so that they cannot be withdrawn from it Must not Christ be lovely when his people get eyes to see him and must it not be a heartsome life to be in heaven where they behold him who is fair and lovely as he is and have their eyes fixed on him for ever when he is so beautiful even hereaway where we see him but darkly thorow a glasse and much of his beauty is vailed from our eyes That which followes is the inlargement of the Brides commendation of Jesus Christ as he is called a beloved or husband for she followes that Allegory in commending his bed house and galleries And this is the scope to shew how excellent stately a husband he was And 2. How happy and comfortable a life his Bride had in communion and fellowship with him In the words these three are to be cleared 1. What is commended as bed house c. 2. The several commendations given to these 3. The title of claim or relation under which they are commended Our bed c. That which is commended is expressed by three words 1. Bed 2. The beams of the house 3. Rafters In sum it is this that as husbands who are in good condition have beds to solace in with their Brides houses to dwell in and galleries to walk in for their refreshing and have these excellently adorned according to their rank so our blessed husband excells in these By bed is understood the special means of neerest fellowship with and injoying of Christ The bed being the place of rest and of the neerest fellowship between the Bridegroom and the Bride It 's commendation is that it 's green That is 1. Refreshful like the Spring 2. Fruitful and so the similitude of greennesse is opposed to a disconsolat barren unfruitful condition Psal. 92. 12 13. and Ier. 17. 8. So then that which is here pointed at is that neernesse with Christ is both exceeding heartsome and refreshful and also hath much influence on believers to keep them fresh and make them fruitful The second thing commended is the beams of the house The house is of a larger extent than the bed It signifies the Church wherein Christ dwels with his Bride The beames of it are the Ordinances Word
greater and the night of absence darker The third thing is That there are mountains which he comes over that is something standing betwixt him and us marring our accesse to him and his familiarity with us till he remove it as mountains obstruct mens way in travel and so difficulties in the way of Gods work are compared to mountains Zech. 4. 7. Who art thou O great mountain c. So here as there are difficulties to be removed before the union betwixt Christ and us be made up So also there are particular sins clouds of guiltinesse which must be removed ere his presence can be restored after he goeth away Again coming over mountains maketh one conspicuous and glorious afar off So Christ's march and return to a believer is ever in triumph over some great ground of distance which makes him discernably glorous 4 ly Christ is said to be leaping and skipping which imports 1. an agility in him and a facility to overcome whatever is in the way 2. A chearfulness and heartiness in doing of it He comes with delight over the highest Hill that is in his way when he returns to his people 3. It holds forth speedinesse Christ comes quickly and he is never behind his time he cannot mistryst a believer his term-day is their necessity and be sure he will meet with them then 4. It imports a beauty Majesty and statelinesse in his coming as one in triumph and so he comes triumphantly and in great state And what is more stately than Christs triumphing over principalities and powers and making a shew of them openly by overcoming the difficulties in his way to his Bride The second thing in the Verse is her observation of this Christ in his way is very discernable to any that is watchful and Believers should observe his way when absent as well as present If it be asked how she discerned it There is no question faith is here taking up Christ according to his promise Ioh. 14. 3. If I go away I come again and faith lays hold on this Faith is a good friend in desertion for as we may here see it speaks good of Christ even behind his back when sense would say he will return no more faith sayes he is coming and prophesies good of Christ as there is good reason The third thing is how she is affected with it This observation proves very comfortable to her as her abrupt and cutted expression imports The voice of my Beloved As also the Behold she puts to it which shews 1. That her heart was much affected with it 2. That she thought much of it 3. That it was some way wonderful that Christ was coming even over all these difficulties to her there is no such ravishing wonder to a sensible believing sinner as this that Christ will passe by all its sin yea take them all on himself and come over all difficulties unto them Therefore is this behold added here The fourth thing in her expression of this which confirms the former and it is such as sets out a heart as it were surprized and overcome with the sight of a coming friend Hence Obs. 1. A sinners thoughts of a coming Christ will be deeply affecting and these thoughts of him are mis-shapen and of no worth that do not in some measure cast fire into and inflame the affectionâ— And 2. a heart suitably affected with the power of Christs wonderful grace and love will be expressing somewhat of it to others as the Bride is doing here In the 9. vers the observation of his carriage is continued where 1. He is commended 2. His carriage is described with her observation of it The commendation she gives him is He is like a Roe or a young Hart These creatures are famous for loving and kindly carriage to their mates as also for lovelinesse and pleasantnesse in themselves Prov. 5. 19. Thus he is kindly and loving O so kind as Christ is to his Church and chosen Ionathan's love to David past the love of Women but this surpasseth that beyond all degrees of comparison 2. He is timous and seasonable in fulfilling his purposes of love to his Bride no Roe or Hart for swiftnesse is like him in this and this may be the ground from which she concludeth that he was coming and leaping in the former words because Christ's affections and way of manifesting them is such as this 2. His carriage is set forth in three steps held forth in allegorick expressions The 1. is He stands behind our wall that is as a loving Husband may withdraw from the sight of his Spouse for a time and yet not be far away but behind a wall and there standing to see what will be her carriage and to be ready to return or as Nurses will do with their little children to make them seek after them so sayes she though Christ now be out of sight yet he is not far off but as it were behind the wall and it s called our wall in reference to some other she speaks with of him And a wall because often we build up these separations our selves betwixt him and us Isa. 59. 1. that hides Christ as a wall hides one man from another yet even then Christ goes not away but waits to be gracious as weary with forbearing There is much love on Christs side in saddest desertions and our hand is often deep in his withdrawings It's sad when the wall that hides him is of our building There is often nothing betwixt him and us but our own sin The 2. step is He looketh forth at the window which is to the same purpose The meaning is though I get not a full sight of him yet he opens as it were a window and looks out and I get some little glance of his face Sometimes Christ will neither as it were let the Believer in to him nor will he come out to them yet he will make windows as it were in the wall and give blinks of himself unto them The third step is He shews himself through the Lattess that is as there are some Windows that have Tirlesses of Lattesses on them by which men will see clearly and yet be but in a little measure seen so sayes she Christ is beholding us though we cannot take him up fully yet the smallest bore whereby Christ manifests himself is much and to be acknowledged All this she observes with a Behold as discerning something wonderful in all these steps Christ hath several wayes of communicating his love to his people and that also even under desertions and withdrawings and there are several degrees of these yet the least of them is wonderful and should be welcomed by believers if it were to see him but through the Lattess Vers. 10. My beloved spake and said unto me rise up my love my fair one and come away Vers. 11. For lo the winter is past the rain is over and gone Vers. 12. The flowers appear on the earth the time of
signifies division and so it may be made use of here so long saith she as these mountains divide betwixt me and thee Lord be not a stranger but swiftly easily and kindly as the Roes come over mountains to their mates Prov. 5. 19. come thou to me and comfort me with frequent love-visits untill that time come that thou take me to thee to injoy thee fully and immediatly Obs. 1. It 's lawfull for believers to desire sensible presence even here-away Yea it 's suitable they should often long and pray for it 2. Where the hope of heaven is solide sensible manifestations of Christ's love will be most ardently sought for It will never prejudge one of their satisfaction and full payment then that they have gotten a large earnest-penny here she knows that will never be reckoned up to her 3. Much prayer flowing from and waiting upon the exercise of faith and hope is a notable way to bring the soul to the injoyment of sense 4. The believer hath a heartsome life and a rich inheritance Christ here and Christ hereafter the lines are fallen unto him in pleasant places 5. She grounds her suit on the marriage-relation and tye betwixt him and her my Beloved saith she a Covenant-claim to Christ is the most solid ground upon which believers can walk in their approaches before him and in their pleadings with him 6. He allowes believers to plead for his company from this ground that he is theirs by Covenant as he pleads for their company on that same ground vers 10. c. CHAP. III. BRIDE Vers. 1. By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not Vers. 2. I will rise now and go about the city in the streets and in the broad-wayes I will seek him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not THis Chapter hath three parts 1. The Brides sad exercise under the want of Christ and in seeking after him till she find him to vers 6. 2. The Daughters of Ierusalem come in commending the Bride vers 6. 3. The Bride from vers 7. to the end returns to discourse of and commend the excellency and amiablenesse of Christ. In her exercise consider 1. Her case 2. Her carriage in several steps 3. Her successe in every step 4. Her practice when she hath obtained her desire Or we may take them all up in these two 1. Her sad condition and her carriage under it 2. Her outgate and her carriage suitable thereto Her case is implyed in two words in the beginning of vers 1. 1. It was night with her 2. She was on her bed By night is ordinarily understood darknesse and affliction opposit to light of day and joy and here her exercise being spiritual it must imply some spiritual affliction or soul-sad spiritual exercise So night is taken Psal. 42. 8. He will command his loving kindnesse in the day and in the night while the day come that his loving kindnesse be intimate his song shall be with me c. The scope-shews that it is a night of deseâ—tion she is under thorow the want of Christ's presence whom she loves His presence who is the Sun of Righteousnesse with healing under his wings makes the believers day and his absence is their night and makes them droop as being under a sad night of soul-affliction therefore is it that she seeks so carefully after his presence 2. Her being on her bed is not taken here as implying neernesse with him for the scope shews he is absent but a lasinesse of frame on her spirit opposite to activenesse and diligence as it 's taken Chap. 5. vers 3. and so it 's opposed to her after-rising and diligence and therefore it 's also called my bed implying that she was here alone in a secure comfortlesse frame and therefore for this it 's distinguished from our bed Chap. 1. 16. and his bed afterward vers 7. Where she is allowed rest and spiritual ease and solace in his company but here on her bed she hath no such allowance whatever earnal ease and rest she take to her self Believers have their own fits of carnal security when they give their corruptions rest that is their own bed and it 's a heartlesse lair to speak so to ly alone and want the beloved This is her case wanting Christ yet lying too still as contented some-way in that condition though it cannot continue so with believers it will turn heavy and perplexing at last to them as it doth here to the Bride and sure the easiest time under security is not so comfortable as profitable to believers as is an exercise that takes them more up Therefore afterward she prefers rising and seeking to this woful rest It shews 1. That believers distance and darknesse may grow for in the former Chapter Christ was absent yet as through a window or lattesse there were some glimpses of him but here it 's night and there is not so much as a twilight discovery of him 2. Often distance with Christ and security and deadnesse as to our spiritual life go together When Christ is absent believers then usually fall from activity in their duty Isa. 64. 7. No man stirreth up himself to lay hold on thee and the reason is thou hast hid thy face c. Matth. 25. 5. While the Bridegroom tarrieth even the wise Virgins slumbered and slept Her carriage or way that she takes in this case is set out in four steps The 1. Is in these words I sought him whom my soul loveth Consider here 1. The title Christ gets him whom c. Christ got this name before and now several times she repeats it And it holds forth 1. The sincerity of her love it was her soul and heart that loved him 2. The degree and singularity of it no other thing was admitted in her heart to compare with him he bears the alone sway there in respect of the affection she had to him it 's he and none other upon whom her soul's love is set otherwise this title would not suitably design him Christ loves well to have such titles given to him as may import the hearts special esteem of him 3. It shews that even in believers lowest conditions there remains some secret soul-esteem of Christ and that in their judgement he is still their choice and waill above all the world Yet 4. That their practice while security prevails is most unsuitable to their convictions and judgement 2. Consider her practice and carriage while Christ is absent her practice is not altogether a laying by without the form of Religion for saith she on my bed I sought him that is I prayed and used some means but in a lazy way not stirring up my self vigorously in it Obs. 1. Believers in a secure frame may keep some form of duty yet their duties are like the frame of their heart lifelesse and hypocritical 2. There is much of a believers practice such as themselves
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
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
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.
either severally or jointly such as is the turning of the bowels Hos. 11. and the troubling of the bowels Jer. 31. 18 19 20. It 's even such as is kindly sympathy with persons that are dearly beloved when any sad change befalls them It 's called the yerning of the bowels spoken of that mother 1 King 3. 26. who was so affected towards her child out of love to him that she had rather quite him to the other woman that was not his mother than see him divided her bowels were so hot towards him another thing than was in any on-looker It 's the same word here which shews that this motion of the Brides bowels proceeded from love to Christ and from sorrow for wronging of him which two jumbled her within and pierced and stounded her to the heart as a kindly parent useth to be for the death or distresse of his only child which is the character of true repentance Zech. 12. 10 11. 3. For him holds out 1. The procuring-cause of this trouble that it was for wronging of Christ and the slighting of so kind an husband and friend that that stounded her at the heart above all as Zech. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn for him 2. It holds forth the final cause wherefore she was so stirred and moved It was for him that is that she might injoy him as the word is Hos. 7. 14. They assemble themselves for corn and wine that is to obtain them So her bowels were moved for or after him to obtain and injoy him And thus sense of the wrong done to him in her by-past unkindly carriage to him and desire to recover him again so affects her as if it were the pangs of a travelling woman till Christ be again formed in her heart Obs. 1. The first work of the Spirit is by powerful convictions to beget evangelick repentance in the heart and to make the soul sensible of by-past failings Act. 2. 37. This although it be not in time before faith nor in nature for seing it proceeds from love it supposeth faith yet it 's the first sensible effect that sinners surprised in a sinful condition are touched with and it 's never separat from but alwayes joined with the exercise of faith Zech. 12. 10. 2. This work of repentance is necessary to be renewed even in believers after their failings and it is the way by which they recover Christ's Bride is thus affected and it becomes them well who have sin to be deeply moved and afflicted with the sense of it 3. Where most love to Christ is and where most sincerity hath been when a wakening comes it will be the more sensible and affect the heart the more throughly Particularly we may gather hence these properties of true repentance or godly sorrow 1. Godly sorrow is no fruit of nature but is a work and effect of the Spirit of Christ and a peculiar saving grace beyond common conviction and a believer is not the worker of it in himself 2. This sorrow consists most in the inward pangs and stings of the heart wherein love to Christ and indignation against our selves for wronging of him strugle and put all within in a stir 3. True repentance is different from and beyond convictions and challenges which the Bride had before when this was wanting in her and makes another kind of impression and a more sensible touch upon the heart and inward bowels I say not that it 's alway terrible for that is accidental to it but sensible it is 4. Though this godly sorrow affect the heart deeply yet doth it work kindly sweetly and affectionatly as a mothers affection warms to her child or as a man is troubled for his first-born Love hath a main influence upon and goeth alongst in this godly sorrow both in the rise of it love kindles this heart-indignation and also in the exercise of it love to Christ keeps it lively and in the manner how it vents it self it makes it a kindly and no torturing or terrible exercise 5. Nothing more affects a kindly repenting heart truly touched with godly sorrow than that it should have sinned against Christ It 's own hazard is not the predominant cause of this sorrow she is clear of her interest still nor is it any sad event that might follow which so affects her though she was not senselesse as to these but it is for him and his cause and not her own that she is thus moved The Spirits conviction Ioh. 16. 8. is because they believe not on me 6. Considering the words with what follows I rose c. and comparing them with what went before Observe That true repentance brings forth alwayes a change in a believers carriage to the better in those things by which Christ their Beloved was formerly provocked and it doth stir up to universal activenesse in the study of holinesse This makes her arise from the lazinesse in which she formerly was 7. Consider that she rests not till first she open to Christ and thereafter obtain his presence which sheweth that where true repentance is the soul will never sit down on challenges convictions or making a-mends in the conversation or any thing in self but it will be restlesse until by faith it close with Christ yea it will be pressing after the intimation of his favour on the back of any peace attained in closing with him as David doth Psal. 51. Vers. 5. I rose up to open to my Beloved and my hands dropped with Myrrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the lock There are two steps of her carriage or effects of the Spirit 's work vers 5. The first is her bowels being thus stirred and moved she ariseth to open as being sorry she had lyen still and shifted him so long I rose up This is opposit to her former lying still and refusing to give him entry now she yields and begins to bestir her self to draw her cloaths to her c. Which imports not only more diligence as to the matter of duty but much seriousnesse as to the manner It seems to differ from opening which is the actual receiving of Christ into the heart when all things are ready and prepared not as if it were simply contradistinguished from faith for this being a fruit of her repentance and he acknowledged to be her beloved there behoved to be faith in it but only as one degree or act of faith is distinguished from another as Luk. 15. In the Prodigals case it 's said after he came to himself before he act he deliberats and stirs himself So this holds forth her rousing and quickning her self for receiving Christ which is not separat in time either from her repentance in the former words or her faith in these that follow she rose to open that shews her design that she resolved now not to stand at but to go over her former reasonings and purposed by this
shining in a dark place 2. Grace when seriously in exercise is that which makes any person though outwardly mean and contemptible truly beautiful and lovely It makes them so really and also in the eyes of all spiritual beholders 3. Sometimes God will make honest seekers of him the more lovely to others when corrupt Ministers seek most to defame them The watchmens wounding her marrs not the daughters estimation of her and this shews that they did smite her without reason Again 2. It implyes respectiveness on their part and also honesty for there is now no external thing to commend her to them Which saith 1. That to the spiritual eye of honest souls none will be so beautiful as the person that is holy yea sometimes holinesse will have a commendation in the consciences even of them that are strangers to it 2. Often holinesse may be more esteemed of and holy persons more respectively dealt with by men of little either knowledge or profession than by these who may be much more knowing and whose station and place calls them to be more tender The Bride here is like the wounded person Luke 10. 31 c. whom the Samaritan succoured when both the Priest and the Levite had passed by him 3. Where grace shines it would be highly esteemed of and respected and such as are but babes in Christ ought much to reverence these that are of older standing 4. Tender souls when under exercise if we can do no more to ease them would be respectively spoken unto at least These daughters do not wound the Bride as the watchmen did but speak discreetly and respectively to her although they can further her little 5. The right use of freedom and seriousnesse with humility in mutual fellowship is a great help to entertain mutual respect amongst professors when the weak see the strong ones not puft up but condescending to take their help it will conciliat love and respect Thus the daughters meet the Bride here with respective carriage 6. Respective expressions of one professor to another with gravity and seriousnesse becomes Christian-fellowship well and is a great furtherance of edification and mutual confidence So we see here and Chap. 6. 1. as also in the Brides expressions preceeding 2. The question propounded by them is what is thy Beloved as scarce knowing him or acquainted with him themselves It is not spoken out of disdain but out of desire to know being convinced that there behoved to be some excellency in him beyond others as the following effects clear The question is proposed by way of comparison and doubled What is thy Beloved more than another beloved or the beloved of another By beloved all alongst is understood that which the soul loves and cleaves unto Therefore Christ is sometimes designed by the one name the souls love and sometimes by the other the Beloved as we may see by comparing Chap. 3. 1 2 3. with Chap. 2. 16 17. because he eminently and above competition had the Brides heart By other beloveds are understood these things that men of the world set their love and affections upon and which bears most sway with them as that which in a singular manner their soul loveth the same that ordinarily are called Idols because they are put in Gods room There is the same reason here why they are called other beloveds and strange lovers else-where Such are the belly Phil. 3. 19. the world 1 Joh. 2. 15 16. Love not the world nor the things of it c. the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh the pride of life So it 's as if they had said There are many things which the men of the world seek after it 's none of all these that this Bride is enquiring for she rests not satisfied with these nor valueth them He must then be some excellent person a singular and non-such Beloved that she is so serious in the enquiry after and therefore they desire to know from her self what he is The question is doubled as being the result of a serious desire to know and of high admiration what he might be who was thus enquired for 3. The words added shew what is the rise of her question and wondering to wit these That thou dost so charge us Every word hath weight it 's thou the fairest among Women who certainly can make the best choice 2. Thou art not only in earnest thy self but chargest us also And 3. Not only thou chargest us but so vehemently pressingly and weightily This sure must be some excellent Beloved This question carrieth in it not so much an enquiry who is the believers choice as their desire to know what Christ was indeed in respect of his real worth whose Name only or little more they knew before Therefore they say not who is but what is thy Beloved as knowing his Name but being much ignorant of his worth Again it supposeth such a question to be moved by these professors upon occasion of her exemplary carriage And indeed it cannot be told what thoughts serious challenges and exercising questions the convincing carriage of believers will have amongst those with whom they christianly converse and so it shews that this seriousnesse in one may put others to it to question what the matter may be and through Gods blessing may commend Christ to them in the end which is the scope Obs. 1. There may be some respect to godly persons where there is much ignorance of Christ himself 2. Where there is esteem of godlinesse and of these who study it there is some begun inquiry for Christ himself and it leads on to further although the beginnings be weak 3. True tendernesse in beginners appears in nothing sooner than in respect to these who were in Christ before them They are now but a-beginning yet this shews it self in the respect they carry to the Bride 4. It 's no shame for these that are unacquainted with Christ to inquire for him at such as know him 5. What Christ is and the necessity of praying for others is a suitable subject of discourse in Christian-fellowship what is Christ say they to her and pray for me saith she to them 6. Christ's Name may be known to many to whom his worth is unknown or but little known and who are not acquainted with what he is 7. All men naturally have some lust idol or beloved that their affection is set upon beside Christ It 's some other thing from which he is distinguished and to which he is opposed 8. Men lay out their affections liberally upon their idols and upon these things that their heart cleaves unto beside Christ They are beloveds and opposed to Christ as being that to the men of the world that Christ is to his own they are as Gods and Christs to them they run so mad upon their idols and are so joyned to them Hos. 4. 17. men naturally have an high esteem of their idols as placing some worth in them which is not
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
the end of her petition which is to see how her graces prosper The similitude continues as a wise intending to visit her husbandry to say so is helped and encouraged therein by her husbands presence and therefore desires his company So the believer hath a husbandry Vineyards Grapes Pomegranates and diverse plants to oversee which are the graces of the Spirit and diverse duties committed to him as was said upon Chap. 4. 12 13. and 6. 11. and his visiting of these is the taking of a reflect view of himself in an abstracted retired condition that thereby he may be distinctly acquainted how it 's with him and with his graces In following of which duty Christ's presence in some secret corner is exceeding helpful therefore for that end doth the Bride seek it and makes use of this motive to presse it because it 's a duty of concernment to her to search her self It 's pleasing to him and a thing that she would be at yet cannot win to it in a common ordinary frame it 's so difficult therefore doth she propose this which is her end as that which would be respected and well taken off her hand by him Obs. 1. Believers have a task and husbandry committed to them to manage that is several duties and graces holden forth under the similitude of Vines Pomegranates c. which they are carefully to notice 2. It 's necessary in the managing of this task for a believer to be well acquainted with the condition of his graces and it 's his duty to be reflecting on himself for that end and if men ought to look to the state of their flocks and herds Prov. 27. 23. how much more ought they carefully to look to this 3. This duty should be purposly retiredly and deliberatly intended undertaken and gone about with a resolut design for attaining to the discovery of our own case as she doth here 4. This duty hath difficulties in it and ordinarily the heart is not prevailed with to be kept serious about it except the frame thereof be more tender than ordinary 5. To a tender believer it will be a great favour to get this duty of self-examination profitably and unbyassedly discharged It 's a mercy worth the seeking from God and the more tender believers be they will be the more in this 6. Although believers be clear as to their interest as the Bride was vers 10. yet may they be indistinct as to the knowledge of their own condition and therefore ought not to neglect this duty of self-examination but where clearnesse is solid they will be the more careful in the searching of themselves 7. Christ's presence as it 's a notable help to all duties so particularly it 's in a special way helpful to believers in searching themselves by making the heart willing and plyable to follow it sweetly by discovering things as they are and by making the eye single rightly to judge of every thing and impartially to take with that which is discovered Much presence would incourage the Lords people to follow this duty which otherwise is gone about in a heartlesse way 8. It 's a good use of Christ's presence and company when it 's improven for attaining of more through and distinct knowledge of our own condition and then especially believers would take the opportunity of putting themselves to tryal 9. A believer when tender will be particular in his search he will search even to the least he will not disapprove any thing of Gods grace thâ—â—â—s real although it be weak and tender therefore she looks to buds as well as more mature fruit and acknowledgeth them because Christ doth so Chap. 6. 11. 10. Believers promise not much in themselves or they expect not great things anent their own fruitfulnesse therefore it is to see what is budding or appearing rather than what is ripe which she proposeth here to her self as her design 11. A tender believer will esteem much of little grace where it is real a bud is much to him if it look fruit-like as it 's the evidence of Christ's Spirit in him and the work of his grace he that is humble will have a high esteem of it though he expect no great thing nor yet thinks much of it as it is inherent in him yet he will not cast what is least if solid 12. The more tender one is he will be the more desirous to search his own condition as being unsatisfied with what he hath attained Again if we compare this with Chap. 6. 11. where it 's said he went down to his Garden for this very end for which she desires his presence We may see 1. A co-incidence betwixt Christ's work and the believers to say so they have one task 2. A going alongst both of their ends and wayes to attain them he takes pains on his people by the means of grace to make them fruitful and they diligently haunt and improve the means for that same end And 3. Christ's words are neer the same with hers the more to strengthen her faith in obtaining what she sought when it so concurred with his design A believer that aims at fruitfulnesse and tendernesse by Christ's company in the means and Ordinances may expect to obtain his desire for that same is his work which he drives by the means of grace amongst his people The second motive which makes her presse for Christ's company in this retiered way is in these words there will I give thee my loves That is in short as in reteirments the Bridegroom and the Bride rejoice together in the expressions of their mutual love with more than ordinary familiarity So saith she let me have thy company continued with me that thereby my heart being warmed I may get opportunity to let out my love in a lively manner on thee By loves here love simply is not meant but love in the highest degree of it manifesting it self in the most sensible manner when the heart is melted as it were and made free to pour out it self in love to him It 's therefore called loves in the plural number to shew the many wayes it will vent it self as in thoughts delightsomely making the heart glad in cheerful exulting in him and affectionat imbracing him in it's arms feeding and delighting on him and such like wayes there is nothing kept up from him and all doors whereby love useth to vent are opened While she saith I will give thee my loves it is not to be understood as if then she would begin to love him for the thing that made her put up this suit was her love to him but that then she would with more freedom do it and with ease and delight get it done which now would not do for her till his presence warmed her at least in the manner she would be at The word there that in the letter relates to the fields villages c. is to be understood of that reteirment in fellowship which she desired with him in
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
be applyed 4. Often these same expressions are made use of in one place in speaking to the Bridegroom and in another speaking to the Bride he calling her chief amongst the Daughters and she him chief amongst the Sons but in a different sense for he styles her from his acceptation of her and from his imputation and communication of his graces to her But she styles him from his own excellencie and worth he having all in himself and nothing borrowed from any other but imparting that which is his to her 2. The Rules we would take alongst with us in our proceeding are these First We would find out who speaks in every passage of this Song for this serves much to clear what is spoken 2. We would carefully ponder what is the purpose of the Spirit in every part thereof 3. We must apply and conform expressions to the scope and expound them by it and not stick too much in following of every thing which these Allegories seem to bear but draw the Doctrines from them being compared with the scope and other places of Scripture not insisting too far upon the similitudes 4. We are to take special notice of the Brides frame in her manner of speaking For we may observe that often in the vehemency of her passionate love she breaks out without any seen connexion or order as Chap. 1. 2. and by cutted broken and vehement expressions in her diverse fâ—ames and tender fits as her case is up or down abruptly as it were she useth to expresse her self 5. We must not apply all so to the Church as to shut out Believers nor contrarily but take in both where both may come in and more especially apply to the one where the purpose makes most for it as hath been said CHAP. I. Vers. 1. The Song of Songs which is Solomon's BEfore we enter upon the purpose of this Chapter or give the division of it we would first speak to the Title contained ver 1. We account this Title Scripture it being in the Original even as other Titles prefixed to diverse Psalms as to Psal. 51. 102 c. In it three things are set down 1. The nature of this Scripture 2. It 's Excellency 3. It 's instrumental Author who was made use of by the Spirit in Penning of it First For the nature of this Scripture It 's a Song Songs in Scripture are such Portions or Books thereof as were especially intended to be made use of for the praising of God the edifying and comforting of his people in singing of them Three sorts of them were in use amongst the Hebrews as the Titles of our Psalms do clear and as they are mentioned by the Apostle Eph. 5. 19. 1. Psalms such were used both with voice and Instruments 2. There were Hymns so the 145 Psalm is intituled such in the matter of them were wholly made up of praise and what immediatly led to that 3. There were spiritual Songs which were more extensive in the matter taking in Histories cases and exercises of all sorts and might be sung with the voice without Instruments either publickly or privatly Of this last sort is this Song intended to be made use of in the praises of God and so composed both for matter and manner as it might best attain that end and prove edifying and comfortable also to Believers in their singing of it 2. The excellencie of this Song is exprest in this that it 's A Song of Songs A most excellent Song this being the manner how the Hebrews expresse their superlatives While it is called A Song of Songs it 's compared with and preferred to all other Songs And we conceive the comparison is not only betwixt this and humane Songs But 1. It 's compared with and preferred to all these which Solomon wrot and it 's preferable to all these 1005 mentioned 1 King 4. 32. 2. It 's compared with all other Scriptural Songs such as is recorded Exod. 15. and Iudg. 5. c. Of all which this is the most excellent as being 1. Purposly intended to treat of the most choise and excellent subject to wit Christ and his Church which is not done upon particular occasions as in other Songs but is the great purpose that is only designed and pursued 2. It treats of Christ and his Church in their most glorious lively and lovely actions to wit his care of and his love unto his Church and that in it 's most eminent degree and also of her love to him in it's various measures and workings 3. It 's in a most excellent manner composed by way of conference and sweet Colloques betwixt these two parties having in it many excellent expressions and variety of them well interwoven with sundry cases of several sorts to make the whole draught the more taking and excellent 4. It 's set forth in a most lovely excellent majestick stile and strain which exceedingly ravishes and captivats affections making the love contained in it sweetly savour and relish through the beautifull garment of borrowed expressions which is put upon it 5. It 's a most excellent Song in respect of it's comprehensivenesse here is an armory and store-house of Songs in this one where there is something treasured up for every case that may be edifying and comfortable which will not be so found in any other Song there being something here suiting all sorts of Believers under all the variety of cases and dispensations wherewith they are exercised and also all the relations under which the Church standeth All which should commend this Song unto us It is recorded of the Hebrews that whatever Scripture was delivered in a poetical â—rame they accounted themselves specially bound to take notice of that and to get it by heart and indeed it is not for nought that some Scriptures and not others are casten in that mould and something of this as the intent of the Holy Ghost may be gathered from Moses his putting his last words in a Song Deut. 32. that they might be the better remembred The 3. thing in the title is the Penman made use of by the Spirit in the writing and recording this Song It 's Solomon a great man rich wise yea an elect Saint Yet one who had also fallen into many foul faults whom the Lord hath suffered to die without recording expresly any thing of his recovery though we make no doubt of it which because Bellarmine lib. 3. de Iustif. Chap. 14. pag. 368. Tannovius and others are at pains in contradicting this yea Augustine doubts of it because nothing is directly recorded of his recovery we shall endeavour to make clear from these considerations First From the Lords promises to him 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. where these three things are observable which the Lord undertakes concerning him 1. That he will be to him a father 2. That he will correct him with the rods of men if he shall sin which saith he would not eternally punish him 3. That he would
of the former is vers 3. and it runs upon these supposed and implyed grounds 1. That there are many precious excellencies in Christ. So that 2. the speaking of his Name is as if a man would open a sweet favouâ—ing Box of Ointment as that woman did Ioh. 12. 3. There is no title or office or qualification in Christ but all are savoury his very Garments smell of Myrrhe and Aloes and Cassia c. Psal. 45 8. 3. It suppons that this worth and lovelinesse of Christ ravishes all that ever knew him here called Virgins with love to him and therefore which is the strength of the reason it 's no marvell would she say I love him so servently and desire so earnestly the manifestations of his love which I have sound so sweet So the vers may be taken up in these four things 1. Christs furniture he hath many savoury Ointments and good 2. The further explication and amplification of this his commendation expressing both what she meant by Ointments and also the abundance and freshnesse of these Ointments which were in Christ in these words thy name is as Ointment poured forth 3. The effect that â—ollowed on these or the attractive vertue of them which is such that the most chast who kept their affections from other objects are yet without prejudice to their chast nature taken up and ravished with that lovelinesse of Christ Therefore saith she do the Virgins love thee 4. There is the scope which is partly to shew the reality of Christ's worth which not only she but all Believers were in love with partly to shew that it was no strange thing to see her so taken up with him it would be rather strange if it were other-ways seing it is not possible for any to see and taste what Christ is and not be ravished with his love Ointments are both of an adorning and refreshing nature especially to the sense of smelling Psal. 104. 15. Ointment makes mens face to shine and the house where it is to savour when it is precious and good Ioh. 12. 3. Men in vanity use sweet Powders and such things as these which can but little commend them But Christ's Ointments are his graces Psal. 45. 2. wherewith he is anointed for opening the blind eyes for preaching glad tidings to the poor to bind up the broken-hearted to give the oyl of joy for mourning c. as it is Isa. 61. 1 2 3. Which qualifications are both more delightsome and savoury in themselves and to the soul that is sensible of it's need of him than any Ointments the high Priest of old used which were but typical of the graces and qualifications wherewith Christ is furnished Hence is the Gospel 2 Cor. 2. 14 15. whereby these graces are manifested called a sweet savour Again these Ointments are said to be good so are they in their nature and in their effects on sinners as is clear from Isa. 61. 1 2 c. And 2. they are said to savour the sent and smell of them is sweet and refreshful to the spiritual senses And 3. they are called his thy good Ointments They are his not only as he is God having all-sufficiency essentially in him but as Mediator having purchased eternal redemption and having the Spirit without measure communicat to him Ioh. 3. 34 and in that respect anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellows Psal. 45. 7. that out of his fulnesse we might all receive grace for grace Joh. 1. 14. Our graces being of that same nature that his are of It 's comfortable that Christ hath many good Ointments that they are his own and that he hath the right of disposing of them and that as Mediator they are given unto him for that very purpose Observ. 1. Grace is a cordial and savoury thing no Ointment is like it 2. Christ abounds in grace he is full of grace and truth Ioh. 1. 14. Hence our wants are said to be made up according to his riches in glory by Iesus Christ Phil. 4. 19. 3. They are good and excellent graces and qualifications wherewith the Mediator is furnished such as do exactly answer all the necessities and wants of empty and needy sinners 2. The commendation is explicat or illustrat by a similitude The thing she explains and which she understood by Ointments is his Name The similitude whereby it is illustrate is Ointment poured forth Christ's Name is himself or the knowledge of himself or every thing whereby himself is made known his Attributes Word Works especially these of Redemption his Ordinances Covenant Promises c. which are all his Name for so the Preaching of the Gospel is called the bearing of his Name Act. 9. 15. and making known or declaring of his Name Psal. 22. 22. Heb. 2. 12. c. This is the thing illustrat Now this Name is compared not to Ointment simply as sealed up in a Box but to Ointment as poured forth and diffused Whereby 1. the abundance of these graces is holden forth there is no scarcity of them in him 2. His liberality in communicating of them he pours them out as one opening a Box of Ointment should so diffuse and distribute it 3. By this is set out the lively savourinesse of his graces they savour not only as Ointment closed up but as Ointment diffused In a word there is nothing in Christ for whatever is in him is comprehended under his Name but the unfolding of it will be more refreshful and abundant in spiritual delights than if men would break and open many Boxes of costly Ointments and pour them all out on others Observ. 1. Believers are not soon satisfied in taking up or expressing of Christ's worth 2. Christ and all that is in him is as full of spiritual life and refreshing as a Box that is full of the most precious Ointment Christ is well stored with grace it is poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. 3. This savour of Christ's graces is not felt by every one the Box of his Ointments is not open to all but only to some and that is to them that believe for to them he is precious and every thing that is in him is most cordial and savoury to the Believer 4. The more Christ and his worth be enquired into it will savour the better and be the more refreshfull for it 's his Name which is this Ointment Christ in his excellent worth through men's strangenesse to him is unknown in the world they do not enquire into this savoury Name but if he were once known they would find that in him that would make them give over their other unprofitable pursuits and pant after him The effect of these his Ointments which is a proof of the reality of this truth and the third thing in the vers is in these words Therefore the Virgins love thee By Virgins here are not understood bare Professors but sincere Believers who are not counterfeit in their affection nor so common in their
are Christ's fruits they are his fruits by purchase and right and by him communicat to believers 9. Believers eat and feed and may with his blessed allowance do so upon what is his 10. Christ's fruits are exceeding sweet when they are eaten they are satisfyingly and as it were sensibly sweet 11. These sweet fruits are neither eaten nor the sweetnesse of them felt by believers till they go to Christ's shadow and sit down delightsomly under his righteousnesse then they become refreshful Vers. 4. He brought me to the banqueting-house and his banner over me was love She proceeds in expressing her cheerful condition by shewing the way of her accesse to it vers 4. He brought me c. Wherein 1. She sets out the sweetnesse of the injoyment of Christ's sensible love by comparing it to a feast or house of wine 2. She tells who it was that brought her to it He brought me 3. The manner how she was brought to it It was by the out-letting of his love His banner saith she over me was love The first expression sets forth three things 1. The great abundance of satisfying and refreshing blessings that are to be found in Christ such abundance of provision as useth to be laid up at a feast or in a banqueting-house 2. His liberal allowance thereof to his own who for that end hath laid up this provision for them 3. The nature of the intertainment It 's a feast of the best and most cordial things a house of wine The second is He that is Christ brought me in It shewes 1. Believers impotency to enter in there of themselves and their want of right that may give them accesse to the blessings that are laid up in Christ. 2. That it 's Christ who makes their accesse he purchased an entry by his death he applyes his purchase by his Spirit and dispenseth it by his office and so brings them in 3. It suppons a freedom of grace in the bringing them in They are brought in by his meer favour 4. It contains a thankful remembrance or acknowledgment of this deed of Christ's and an holding of this savour of him The third holds forth the manner how she is brought in It 's under a banner of love A stately manner it was love that brought her in The expression implyeth that not only it was love that moved him to bring her in but that he did it in a loving manner which amplifieth and heightens his love She comes in marching as it were in triumph having love like a banner or colours adorning this march and making way for her entry so that even in the manner of her being brought in the general predominant visible thing as it were that appeared was love Obs. 1. Christ will somtimes bring his people in to the sense of his love exceeding lovingly and kindly even as to the manner of ingaging them 2. Believers would observe his way with them 3. This loving manner in the way of his dealing with his people doth exceedingly commend his love and is an heightening consideration of it 4. Christ's love is in it self a most stately and triumphant thing 5. It 's only the love of Christ that secures believers in their battels and march against their spiritual adversaries And indeed they may fight who have love for their colours and banner Vers. 5. Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love She is almost overcome with this banquet and therefore cryes out for help vers 5. Here consider 1. The case she is in 2. The cure she calls for 3. From whom she seeks it Her case is That she is sick of love This is not to be taken for the fainting of a soul under absence and the want of sense all the context before and after and the scope will shew it 's otherwise with her But it 's a sicknesse from the weight and pressour of felt inconceivable love damishing her as it were and weakning her she cannot abide that sight and fulnesse which she injoyes 2. The cure she desires confirms this Stay me saith she or support me for I am like to fall under it and comfort me the word is strengthen me or bed me straw me with or in apples let me lye down amongst them The first expression looks to the house of wine where she was which suppons no want and may be rendred Stay me in flagons as seeking support in this holy fill of the Spirit whereby she was staggering The second looks to the Apple-tree vers 3. and she would ever roll her self amongst the apples that come from this tree and like the Disciples Mat. 17. 4. saith as it were it 's good to be here she would even be fixed and ly down in that posture never to part with this happy condition again 3. These she speaks to and from whom she seeks help are expressed in the plural-number as is clear in the Original which shews a ravishment and kind of rapture in this exclamation not observing to whom she speaks but expressing her delight in that which she enjoyed yet mainly intending Christ as the Disciples did Matth. 17. not knowing what they said for it 's he who applyes the cure in the next verse Obs. 1. Love will have a great out-letting at sometimes beyond others as if a dam were gathered and then letten out 2. Sense of love in a high degree will straiten and weight a believer as overburthening and overpowring him so as he is put to say hold and wo's me as it is Isa. 6 5. the nature of Gods presence is such and our infirmity so unsuitable thereto 3. Love is lovely when the believer is almost dotting with it and staggering under the weight and power of it 4. It can cure even the same sickness it makes These flagons and apples are the only remedy though our bottles be now weak and can hold but little of this new wine Vers. 6. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me She expresseth Christ's care of her in this condition vers 6. as a most loving Husband he sustains he in his arms in this swoun and swarf which from joy she fals in as the words do plainly bear Obs. 1. Christ's love is a sensible sustaining thing and is able to support the heart under it's greatest weakness 2. As Christ is tender of all his people and at all times so especially when they are in their fits of love-sickness 3. As believers would observe Christ's love at all times so especially when they are weakest for then they will find it both seasonable and profitable so to do Vers. 7. I charge you O ye Daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my Love till he please This verse contains her care to entertain this condition and the way she takes for that end That they are the Brides words is 1. clear from the scope and matter 2.
From the expressions she useth speaking of him my Love and till he please for it becomes us to give Christ his own liberty in staying or going and it were not our good that our pleasure were the rule in our fellowship with him Now in order to the securing of this comfortable condition to her self first she adjures and charges which is 1. To shew the concernment of the thing 2. Her seriousness in it for she is in very great earnest 3. A fear of misguiding this condition 4. A difficulty so to prevent the hazard as to keep all quiet 2. The parties she speaks to while she thus adjures are the Daughters of Ierusalem giving them the lesson she would take to her self because they had need to be thus guarded Obs. 1. That professors are in hazard to marr their own enjoyments and to interrupt an intimate fellowship with Christ. 2. Beginners are readiest to fall in this sin 3. Seriousnesse will stir up believers to be watchful over themselves and will make them presse others to be so also This expression by the Roes and Hindes of the field is but added for keeping the strain of this Song which is composed in an Allegorick way and every similitude is not to be narrowly searched into and to shew how tenderly they ought to watch to prevent this hazard as men having to do with Roes who are soon stirred Shewing that a little thing may stir up Christ and marr the comfortable fellowship that is between him and his people 3. The charge it self is That they stir not up nor awake the Beloved as a wife would say when her husband is come home and resting in her arms be quiet all and let no din be in the house to awake him And this charge reaches her self as well as others when she as the mother commands all the little-ones or children as it were to be quiet that Christ may not be stirred up and made to remove she ought to be much more careful in this her self Hence Observe 1. If a sensible presence be not tenderly entertained it will not last 2. Believers would be most carefull then when they are admitted to near and sensible fellowship with Christ that nothing fall out which may provoke him to depart 3. The least sinful motions and stirrings of corruption would be suppressed as having a great tendency to provoke and stir up the Beloved to be gone Lastly This charge is qualified in these words till he please Which does not imply that she gives them leave at any time to stir him up but the meaning is see that by your fault he be not awaked till his own time come Observe then 1. Christ guids his visits and love-manifestations by his soveralignty and pleasure 2. He may withdraw from his people without respect to any particular provocation as having sinful influence thereupon 3. Christ's pleasure is believers rule in the things that are most precious to them Here she acquiesces even to his withdrawing when he shall please 4. Believers may have peace and be quiet under absence if they have not sinfully provoked Christ to withdraw For this is the thing the Bride aims at as to her self in this her care 5. Often believers are guilty in marring Christ's fellowship with them before he please and they might enjoy Christ's company much longer oftentimes if they did not sin him out of house and doors Vers. 8. The voice of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains skipping upon the hills Vers. 9. My Beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart Behold he standeth behind our wall he looketh forth at the windows shewing himself through the lattesse These words contain a case of the Brides different from her case in the former words there she was in Christ's arms here she sees him afar off there she was endeavouring to keep him still here she is sensible that he is away and vers ult is praying for his return Observe then from the connexion The most satisfying and comfortable conditions of a believer while upon earth are not abiding even the Bride must experience distance as well as presence 2. Sometimes sensible presence will not continue even when believers are most careful to retain it as we find she was in the words before Her distance hath two steps 1. There are some views of Christ and some intercourse with him though afar off in this Chapter Then 2. she is deprived even of that in the first part of the Chapter following And readily distance once begun doth proceed from a lesser to a greater degree before it be removed More particularly we would observe here 1. What is Christ's carriage when the Bride doth not enjoy sensible presence in so lively a way and that in two things 1. What he is doing he is coâ—ing leaping standing behind the wall looking thorow the lattess c. 2. What he is saying he is speaking to her and as it were writing kind love-letters to her at that same time Christ is both doing and speaking kindly to a believer even when he is away to sense if it be well discerned 2. We may see what is the Brides carriage suitable to his in four steps worthy to be imitate by believers for their own peace in their disconsolate condition 1. She observes what he doth though it be but a twilight discovery she hath of him 2. She records what he saith and reads his Epistle often over 3. She comforts her self in keeping the faith of her interest and the hope of future enjoying of him clear And 4. prayes in the mean time for some manifestations of his love till that come The first is vers 8. and 9. The second vers 10. to 16. The third vers 16. and 17. The fourth in the close of the 17. vers In her observation of Christ's way with her vers 8. Consider 1. his practice which she observes 2. Her observation of it 3. How she is affected with it And lastly her expression of it The first of these is contained in these words He cometh leaping upon the mountains skipping upon the hills There are four things here to be taken notice of 1. A supposed distance for when he is said to be coming he is not present This distance is not in reality as to the union that is betwixt Christ and a Believer that is alway the same but it is to be understood as to the sense of his presence which may be interrupted 2. It 's said he cometh Coming imports his drawing near to remove the distance as being already on his way Obs. 1. It 's his coming that removes the distance between him and his people The first motion of love is still on his side And 2. even when Christ is absent if he were well seen he is making way for our nearer union with him and is upon his way coming again Ioh. 14. 3. Even when he is away he is still coming though it may be afterward the distance seem to grow
the works of the Law but by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3. 2. 4. A soul that sincerely loves Christ should not and when in a right frame will not give over seeking Christ till it find him whatever disappointments it meets with and sure such will find him at last 5. Christ found after much search will be very welcome and his presence then will be most discernable 6. Believers would no lesse observe and acknowledge their good successe in the means than their disappointments There are many who often make regrates of their bonds that are deficient in acknowledging Gods goodnesse when they get liberty Next In this verse we have her carriage set down when she hath found him She doth not then lay-by diligence as if all were done but is of new taken up with as great care to retain and improve this mercy as before she was solicitous to attain it Whether a believer want or have whether he be seeking or injoying there is still matter of exercise for him in his condition This her care to retain Christ which is the fourth thing in the first part of this Chapter is laid down in three steps 1. She endeavours to hold him that she again lose not the ground she had gained 2. She seeks to have other members of that same Church getting good of Christ also and these two are in this verse 3. When his presence is brought back to the Church and Ordinances her care is to admonish yea charge that he be entertained well with them lest they should provock him to be gone vers 5. The first step then of her care is I held him and would not let him go as a wife having found her husband whom she much longed-for hangs on him lest he depart again so doth she which is an expression both of her fear love care and faith This holding of Christ and not letting him go imports 1. A holy kind of violence more than ordinary wherewith the Bride strives and wrestles to retain him 2. That Christ as it were waits for the believers consent in this wrestling as he saith to Iacob Gen. 32. 26. I pray let me go which upon the matter seems to say I will not go if thou wilt hold me and have me stay 3. It imports an importunat adhering to him and not consenting upon any terms to quit him And lastly it imports the singular and inexpressible satisfaction she had in him her very life lay in the keeping him still with her and therefore she holds him and cannot think of parting with him Now this presence of Christ being spiritual cannot be understood in a carnal way nor can they be carnal grips that retain him and his power being omnipotent it cannot be the force of a frail creature that prevails but it is here as in Hos. 12. 2 3. In Iacob's prevailing he wept and made supplication that is an humble ardent sueing to him by prayer with a lively exercise of faith on his promises whereby he allows his people to be pressing ingageth him to stay He is tyed by his own love that is in his heart and his faithfulnesse in his promises that he will not withdraw and deny them that for which they make supplication to him more than if he were by their strength prevailed over and overcome as a little weeping child will hold it's mother or nurse not because it is stronger then she but because the mothers bowels so constrains her as she cannot almost though she would leave that child So Christ's bowels earning over a believer are that which here holds him that he cannot go He cannot go because he will not Here we have ground to observe the importunatnesse of sincere love which is such as with a holy wilfulnesse it holds to Christ and will not quit him as Iacob said I will not let thee go 2. We may observe here the power of lively â—aith to which nothing is impossible love and faith will stick to Christ against his own seeming intreaties till they gain their point and will prevail Gen. 32. 28. 3. See here the condescending the wonderful condescending of the Almighty to be held by his own creature to be as it were at their disposal I pray thee let me go Gen. 32. 26. and Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone Moses So long as a believer will not consent to quit Christ so long keeps their â—aith grip of him and he will not offend at this importunity yeâ— he is exceedingly well pleased with it It cannot be told how effectual prayer and faith would be if servent and vigorous The second step of her carriage which is the scope of the former namely of her holding him is in these words till I had brought him to my mothers house to the chambers of her that conceived me By mother in Scripture is understood the visible Church which is even the believers mother Hos. 2. 2. Say to Ammi my people plead with your mother So chap. 1. 6. this mother hath children both after the flesh and after the spirit the former hating the latter And chap. 8. 5. It 's the mother that hath Ordinances for the Brides instruction The Church visible is called the mother because 1. By the immortal seed of the Word the Lord begets believers in his Church to which he is Husband and the Father of these children she the wife and mother that conceives them and brings them up 2. Because of the Covenant-tye that stands betwixt God and the visible Church whereby she may claim right to him as her Husband the Covenant being the marriage-contract betwixt God and the Church which is therefore the ground of the former relation of mother Again Christ is said to be brought into the Church not only when his Ordinances are pure in her which is supposed to be here already for vers 3. there were watchmen doing their duty and dispensing pure Ordinances but when there is life in them the presence and countenance of his Spirit going along with them that they may be powerful for the end appointed as it was one thing to have the Temple the type of his Church and another to have God's presence singularly in it So it 's one thing to have pure Ordinances set up in the Church and another to have Christ's presence filling them with power Now saith she when I got Christ I knew there was many fellow-members of that same Church that had need of him and I was importunate that he might manifest himself in his Ordinances there for their and my good Church-Ordinances are the allowed and ordinary mean of keeping fellowship with Christ and they are all empty when he is not there Obs. 1. That even true believers have the visible Church for their mother and it 's written of them as their priviledge that they were born there Psal. 87. 4 5. 2. Believers should not disclaim the Church in which they are spiritually begotten and born nor their fellow-members therein but reverence her as
the mother that gave them life and carry respectively toward her as such Honour thy father and thy mother being a moral command and the first with promise See Psal. 122. 3 6. 3. When believers get neerest Christ for themselvs it 's then the fit time to deal with him for others especially for the Church whereof they are members It 's Moses only expresse suit Exod. 34. 9. when God admits him to his company in presenting whereof it 's said vers 8. he made haste I pray thee O Lord go amongst us 4. It 's true tendernesse when one is admitted to more neernesse with God than others not to separat from the Church whereof they were members and as it were to carry Christ to their own chamber but to endeavour to have Christ brought also to the Church that what is wanting of life amongst her members or the rest of the children may be made up by his presence 5. They who are tender of their own comfort and of retaining Christ's presence with themselves will be carefull to have others not yet sensible of their need of it nor acquaint with it made partakers thereof also 6. Believers in their serious applications to Christ for the Church whereof they are members may prevail much and have much influence for obtaining his presence there and for the putting of every thing in a better frame for the good of others 7. A kindly member of the Church is brought up ordinarily in that Church and by that mother where they were conceived therefore she goes back to her mothers house for they have breasts to nourish who have a womb to bring â—orth in this respect and yet here were both children that hated her chap. 1. 6. and watch-men that smote her chap. 5. 7. yet to this mothers house she goes In a word this is as a kind spouse living in her mothers house having after long seeking found her husband will be desirous to have him home with her not only for their mutual solace but for the comfort of all the family so do believers living yet in the Church desire to improve their credit and court with Christ for the good of the whole Church that where she was conceived others may be conceived also Where Christ's Ordinances are there ordinarily are children begotten to God and where a Church conceives seed and brings forth to him it 's a token he hath not given her a bill of divorce nor will disclaim her to be his wife so much lesse the children ought not to disclaim her as their mother It 's a shame that many who professe to be children either are not yet conceived or the mother that conceived them is dispised by them It 's strange if the Father will owne such as children who not only cry out against but curse their mother and place a piece of Religion in this Vers. 5. I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my Love till he please The third part of her care is in this verse when she hath prevailed with him to give his presence and countenance to her mothers house then she turns to the Daughters of Ierusalem the visible professors and members of the Church charging them that now seing Christ is returned they would be carefull to entertain him well and not to provoke him to withdraw These words were spoken-to in the former Chapter vers 7. where they have the same general scope which is to shew her care of having Christ retained but in this they differ there they look to her particular injoyment of Christ here they look as the scope and connexion with the former words shew to his presence in the Church or her mothers house lest that should by the daughters â—ault be interrupted The first shews a believers care conjâ—ring all as it were that nothing in her might provoke him This shews what should be the Churches care in reference to his visible presence and blessing to say so in his Church Now saith she Christ is amongst you O ye who are of my mothers house beware of putting him away and in this she deals with them as considered in their visible Church-state and relation and not as real believers the charge being to all And therefore in the following verse and chap. 8. 5. The Daughters return an answer which they do not chap. 2. 7. because here she directs her words to the visible professors whereas chap. 2. 7. her scope was only to compose her self seing the presence she injoyed was only to her particular sense Here Obs. 1. As there is more of Christ's sensible presence and also of distance from him in his way with particular believers at one time than at another so is there in respect of his way to his Church sometime he is not in the mothers house sometimes he is 2. As every believer should endeavour to retain Christ in his presence with their own souls so all the members of a visible Church should be careful to prevent his departure from his Ordinances 3. Often it 's with Christ's presence in his Church as it 's with the condition of particular believers in it if they be secure and he away from them then often he is from the mothers house also if they be lively and he with them then he is brought back again to the Church with them 4. As Christ may withdraw if provocked and not entertained from a private believer so will he do from a Church if they hold not fast what they have received and walk not answerably thereto 5. Church-members by their sins have much influence on Christ's removal from amongst them yea sometimes it may come to passe when the body of a Church turn despisers of the Gospel that no intercession of the godly for preventing his departure will prevail even though Noah Daniel and Iob were amongst them Ier. 15. 1. and Ezek. 14. 14. 6. Believers that know the hazard of provocking Christ and what a loss the loss of his presence is would interpose seriously with new unexperienced beginners and give them warning faithfully concerning this their hazard 7. As a believer in respect of the visible Church stands under the relation of a childe to a mother so in respect of visible professors they stand under the relation of brethren and sisters and would keep religious communion with them even as such that being an external duty that lyeth upon them 8. True love to Christ will be affected even with the wrongs that others do to him who is their beloved and will endeavour to prevent his being wronged and provocked as she doth here 9. True love to others will not only put to pray and interceed for them and employ all the court the believer hath with Christ for their good as the Bride did in the former verse but will also manifest it self in giving faithful admonitions advertisements c. And in doing what else may
wonderfulnesse of what she was to say O how wonderful is it if beleeved 2. To provoke and stir up to observe and take notice of it few are acquaint with believers priviledges and if they had not been recorded in the word we durst never have likened or evened our selves to them 3. It 's to shew an holy impatiency in her affection in breaking in so with this discourse as more servently desirous to fill their mouths and hearts with the commending of Christ than what they were about in commending of her A notable diversion and sign of love in a friend of the Bridegroom who with Iohn the Baptist is content to decrease so he may increase True believers should and will endeavour more the commendation of Christ in their fellowship together than to commend any grace gift or what else they have gotten from him they will not conceit or cry up their graces and gifts as they are theirs for that were base ingratitude but withall they mention what they have received partly to indear him to themselves and partly to commend him to others and thus they design to return him his own with advantage wherein nevertheless they are the gainers even while they seem to give what they have received Vers. 9. King Solomon made himself a Chariot of the wood of Lebanon Vers. 10. He made the pillars thereof of Silver the bottom thereof of Gold the covering of it of Purple the midst thereof being paved with Love for the daughters of Jerusalem The second piece of work mentioned for the commendation of the Worker is a Chariot described at large vers 9 10. For clearing of the words we are to inquire concerning these three things 1. It 's Worker or Former 2. The end for which it is framed 3. Concerning this Chariot it self The author or maker thereof is Solomon and that King Solomon that is Christ as was cleared before he is mentioned thrice under this name but there is a gradation here that is observable 1. He is called Solomon vers 7. 2. King Solomon vers 9. 3. King Solomon crowned or crowned King Solomon vers 11. The longer she speaks of Christ and insists in mentioning his excellency her thoughts draw the deeper she sets him up the higher and becomes warmer in her apprehensions affections and expressions concerning him Acquaintance with him would make one speak eloquently of him He that is the worker and former of this Chariot is a most excellent King it must needs then be a stately royal piece of work 2. There are two ends mentioned wherefore he makes it 1. It 's to himself that is for his own glory and that thereby he may in a special way hold forth himself to be glorious and that particularly in his grace for though he made all things for himself yet is he said especially to manifest his glory in doing good to his people and what serves for the manifestation of his grace is in a peculiar manner made for himself So Isa. 43. 7. and 21 This people have I formed for my self in a far other way than he formed other nations they shall in a singular way shew forth my praise that is the praise of his goodnesse wherein his way was peculiar to them And the paving of this Chariot with love and appointing of it for the daughters of Ierusalem doth confirm this also that it 's the praise of grace that especially shines in this piece of work And so the second end subordinat to the former is in the end of vers 10. in these words for the daughters of Ierusalem that is for their good that are weak and far short of perfection it 's not only fitted for his glory but also it 's fitted and confirmed to them so as it may procure and bring about their good Obs. 1. In the greatest pieces of Christ's workmanship he had mind of poor sinners yet unglorified his delight was with them before the world was Prov. 8. 31. 2. The glorifying of grace is the great thing Christ aimes at in all his contrivance and way toward his Church and people 3. He hath knit his own glory and the good of his people together that same work which is for himself is also for them that if he obtain his end they cannot but be well his glory and their good ride to say so in one Chariot 4. For as stately a person as our Lord Jesus is he disdains not to be occupied in making works and as it were framing Chariots for the behoove of his people Rather than they should want what may further them in their way he will make and furnish them himself 3. The third thing is the work it self which indeed is very admirable as the worker and ends are It 's a Chariot several wayes described both in it's matter form and furniture The word translated Chariot is no where else in Scripture it 's translated bed on the margent it 's by the Septuagints expressed by such a word as signifieth to be carried and to carry as Chariots and Litters wherein men are carried used to be carried by horseâ— We think it fitly expressed by Chariot not only because the word is different from that which is translated bed vers 7. but 1. The immediat end and use seems to be different also for as stately King's use their beds for repose and rest in their chambers and their Chariots to ride in when they go abroad and wherein their Queens may ride with them so is it here As Christ hath a bed for believers quieting he hath also a Chariot for safe convoying and carrying them thorow their journey till they come to their compleet rest this being no lesse necessary for believers such as the daughters of Ierusalem are than the former In short by this chariot we understand the way of Redemption in general as it is contrived in the eternal counsel of God and so called the Covenant of Redemption and also as it 's preached and manifested to us in the Gospel The reasons why we thus apply it are not only because there is no other thing that it will agree unto for 1. It 's a work of Christ and so not Christ himself 2. It 's a work of special grace for his own and that while they are in the way for the Elect in heaven are not daughters of Ierusalem therefore it 's no common work of creation or providence or of glory in heaven 3. It 's for the Churches good and therefore cannot be understood of her for beside that the several parts of it's description will not suit her not only Christ but the daughters of Ierusalem are to be born in this chariot And we know not a fourth thing imaginable that can be understood by it but the Covenant of Redemption revealed in the Gospel But 2. The Covenant of Redemption is that work of Christ's wherein most eminently the glory of his grace and love to sinners doth appear which makes him wonderful lovely and admirable to
watch more against as that which marrs fellowship with Christ than taking excessive contentment in created things 16. Often a condition which abounds in worldly contentments and delights is very scarce of Christ's company therefore when he allowes her his presence he calls her to leave them in her affection at least 3. Because he knows the world is most bewitching and the affections of his Bride are not soon weaned from it though this be most necessary therefore three wayes he presseth her to deny her self in these and follow him which is the sum of the call 1. Saith he thou art my Spouse that is my Bride It 's the same word which Ier. 2. 32. is translated Bride Can a Bride forget her attire This title is frequently given her in this Chapter and vers 1. Chap. 5. Importing 1. A marriage-tye and relation betwixt him and her 2. Love in him owning that relation and claiming thereby an interest in her 3. A duty in her to owne him as her Husband and to forsake all her lovers that she go not a-whoring after any other as a wife should cleave to her husband It 's the same with what is pressed Psal. 45. 10 c. My Spouse saith he thou hast not thy portion in the world therefore come away from it 2. He presseth it from the advantage of his own company which she should enjoy upon her obeying his call Come with me saith he my Spouse and this is repeated come with me that is thou art mine and I am thy Husband wilt thou not then come with me with me This is a weighty argument and none will prevail if this do not Christ's company should have more weight and be of more force to ingage a believer to Christ than all the pleasantnesse of the world can have to divert them He is more excellent be far than the mountains of prey Psal. 76. 4. therefore is his company to be preferred to them all 3. He presseth it from the heartless condition which she could not but have in the most excellent things in the world without Christ they were but dens of Lions not for her to stay with nor yet any way agreeing with her state and case Hence observe 1. When Christ and the most excellent things in the world are opposed there will be great odds and a vast difference seen betwixt them 2. All the defects that abound in created excellencies should necessitatethe believer to take himself to Christ there is no satisfaction for him till he come there 3. Men have no great losse that loose their affections from the world and set them on Christ It 's but leaving the dens of Lions c. and coming to him who is more excellent then all the mountains of prey We may also read these words by way of promise Thou shall come with me And the scope will not be against this it being no lesse an evidence of Christ's love and no lesse comfortable to the Church to have his promise than to have his call and all his calls having promises implyed in them both will well agree And so that which is set down by way of precept Rom. 6. 12. Let not sin reign in your mortal body is set down by way of promise vers 14. of that Chapter Sin shall not have dominion over you Vers. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Vers. 10. How fair is thy love my sister my spouse how much better is thy love then Wine and the smell of thine Ointments then all Spices Although what Christ hath spoken in the former verse be wonderful yet these expressions vers 9 10. being spoken by Jesus Christ to a poor sinful creature passeth admiration They may be looked on as the reason of his former call and promise he thus seriously invites her to come to him because he cannot want her company for his heart is ravished with her The scope in both verses is the same but is more clearly exprest vers 10. Not so much setting forth the Churches loveliness though that is not to be excluded as his loving kindnesse who is admirably affected towards her as every word in matter and manner of both shews In them consider 1. The titles given her which are the same in both verses 2. What is asserted and that is that his heart is ravished 3. The manner how this is expressed in a sort of holy passion doubling the expression 4. Wherewith it is his heart is so ravished it 's saith he with one of thine eyes c. In the end of the 9. vers and more fully amplified vers 10. The titles are two one of them namely that she is his Spouse hath been spoken of but his repeating of it shews a kind of glorying in it as being very much delighted therewith The other title my sister is added and it doth import these five things 1. A condescending upon Christ's part to be thus joyned in kindred to the believer and so it takes in his incarnation whereby he was made in all things like to his brethren Heb. 2. 17. Our blessed Lord Jesus is man believers are his brethren and sisters they are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and for his Brides consolation this is asserted 2. A priviledge whereto she is advanced upon her part and that is that by Adoption believers are become sons and daughters to the Lord God Almighty not only friends but children and so heirs and joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ Rom. 8. So as now they are his brethren and sisters which is an unspeakable advancement 3. It imports a change of nature as well as of state in believers so that they partake of the divine nature and Spirit with Christ Jesus as it is Heb. 2. 11. He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are of one which is a special ground of his sibnesse and kindred to believers not common to others but special to them and founded on their sanctification 4. It implyes sympathy friendlinesse and a kindly esteem in him that takes her up and speaks of her and to her in all the most sweet relations of mother sister spouse c. Matth. 12. ult 5. It shews his owning of all these relations he is not ashamed to call believers sisters and brethren Heb. 2. 11. Obs. 1. There are many wonderful near and sweet relations betwixt Christ and the believer 2. Christ is the most faithful owner of them and is in a most friendly way forth-coming to them according to them all 2. The thing asserted here is Thou hast ravished my heart The word in the first language is one and it signifieth Thou hast hearted me or so to speak Thou hast unhearted me It 's no where else in Scripture but here Christ's unspeakable love as it were coins new words to discover it self by it 's so unexpressible The word is borrowed from the passionatnesse of
scope and dependence points out these things 1. There is much notable soul-refreshing to be had in Christ's company where-ever he is there is a feast Rev. 3. 20. 2. He allows his people largely to share of it yea it is his will that all should liberally improve this allowance he willeth it 3. If our joy run in a spiritual channel there cannot be excesse in it if it were to be drunken with it so as to forget our proverty and to remember our misery no more 4. Christ is never fully satisfied at his own feast till he get his friends feasted and cheered also He eats not his morsels alone but is desirous to communicat his good things according as they are communicable 5. Christ's preparing and dressing is rather for the welcoming of his friends than for himself I have gathered eat ye saith he 6. Christ is a most heartsome distributer to others and intertainer of his friends There needs be no sparing to eat where he invites 7. Believers even Christ's friends needs invitation by reason of unbelief sense of unworthinesse which makes them sinfully modest and the dulnesse of their spiritual appetite and therefore they will need to say so bidding and intreaty oftentimes to eat their meat and to chear themselves in him and he will not let them want that 8. Where-ever Christ is present there is a feast with him for them that are in his company he sups with them and makes them sup with him and all is his own and of his own dressing 9. It 's a gift of Christ's mercy not only to have grounds of consolation but to be inabled to comfort our selves in these grounds as in outward things it is one gift to have and another to have the cheerful use of that which we have for the believer may have the one when he wants the other and when he hath the one to have the other added is a double mercy as the exhortation eat drink c. imports 10. It is not every one who is Christ's friend nor every one that hath that honour to comfort and feast themselves with him it 's a priviledge that is peculiar to them who are his friends indeed BRIDE Vers. 2. I sleep but my heart waketh it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night From vers 2. unto the ninth which is the second part of the Chapter the Bride speaks and sets down a very complex piece of her condition which we take up in these three 1. Her condition is shortly set down 2. The mutual carriage of the Bridegroom and Bride are recorded wherein as it were grace and loving kindnesse in him and unkindnesse in her are wrestling together for a time 3. The out-gate and the way how she attained it by several steps on his side and hers are particularly insisted on from vers 4. with what followed thereupon Her case is in short I sleep but my heart waketh or as it is in the Original I sleeping my heart waking It 's made up of contraries and seeming paradoxes she is distinguished from her heart and the sleeping of the one is opposed to the waking of the other Both this sleeping and waking are spiritually to be understood The first signifies a ceasing from spiritual duties or a suspension of the acting of spiritual life by arising of some inward corruption that dulls and binds up the spiritual senses as in natural sleep the external senses are dulled and bound up So 1 Thess. 5. 6. and Rom. 13. 11. Let us not sleep but watch and be sober This is a further degree of spiritual distemper beyond what was Chap. 3. 1 2. where she was on bed and yet seeking but here she sleeps and lyes still as we see vers 3. It imports 1. An interruption of livelinesse and actual exercising of grace 2. An indisposition and lazinesse in the frame of the spirit added to that 3. A sort of acquiescing and resting securely in that indisposition with a loathnesse to stir and be interrupted such as useth to be in the bodily sleep and such as appears to be here from the following verse It 's sleepinesse or to be given to sleep such as the sluggard is subject unto who sleepeth excessively and out of due time This I that sleepeth is the believer but considered in so far as unregenerat as Rom. 7. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing For as the believer hath two different natures which have opposit actings so are they considered as two different persons Hence in that Rom. 7. 1 yet not I c. by which Paul as renewed is distinguished from himself as unrenewed By waking is understood some livelinesse and sensiblenesse or at least life in opposition to the former deadnesse and dulnesse as Rom. 13. 11. It 's high time to awake And 1 Thess. 5. 6. Let us watch and be sober which is opposit to that spiritual drousinesse wherein we are scarce at our selves My heart looks to the renewed part which is often called the Spirit that lusteth against the flesh as Gal. 5. 17. and the law in the mind Rom. 7. circumcision in the heart Rom. 2. 25. the new heart in the Covenant Ezek. 36. In sum it is this Things are not right with me and indisposition to duty or lifelessnesse in it is great as it is with one that is in a sleep yet even then there is some inward stirring of life appearing in conviction of judgement challenges purposes protestations of the inward-man against this dead and lazy frame as not delighting in it but displeased with it c. wherein the new nature wrestles and yeilds not nor gives it self leave to consent to it although it can act nothing at least in a lively way under this condition Thus she is sleeping because she acts nothing yet the heart is waking because it 's kept from being involved in that security though it be bound up and over-powered with corruption that it cannot win to act according to the light and inclination that it hath within Hence observe 1. That the believer hath two different and opposite natures and principles within him leading him diverse wayes the carnal and sleeping I and the renewed and waking heart 2. They may be both at one time acting oppositly the one lusting against the other Gal. 5. 17. 3. Sometimes corruption may prevail far over believers that have grace and lay them though not quite dead yet fast asleep for a time and mar in a great measure the exercise of their grace 4. Believers at their lowest have life in them and by reason of their new nature are not totally and fully involved in their security and back-sliding conditions 5. There may be some inward apprehending of our hazard and dangerous condition when it is very sad and low so as believers
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
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
and a great number believed This is it which is pointed at Isa. 53. 1. where Who hath believed and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed are made of equal extent And so especially it 's to be taken here as the scope clears to wit for the immediat powerfull work of the Spirit made use of in the working of faith as a key is made use of for the opening of a door The way of applying this mean is he put in his hand by the hole of the door where following the similitude of a husbands standing at a shut door and not geting entry he shews what he did when knocking prevailed not to wit he took an effectual way of opening it himself which is ordinary by putting in the key or somewhat else at the hole of the door So Christ by his Spirit made open the heart in a kindly native way not by breaking open but by opening he indeed having the key by which hearts are opened even the key of David that opens and no man shuts and shuts â—and no man opens Rev. 3. 7. Which words do shew 1. That beside the call of the word and any common conviction that is thereby wrought in the heart there is in the conversion of sinners an immediat real powerful and peculiar work of the Spirit that accompanies the word 2. That the application of this is necessary and that men being now asleep and dead in sin cannot without that be stirred and quickned by the most powerful external Ordinances or common operations Nay even to the believers reviving from his backslidden and drousie case this work if omnipotency is needful 3. This work of the Spirit is effectual and when peculiarly applyed by Christ cannot be frustrat for he puts in his hand and the effect follows 4. Although it be a most powerful work yet it works kindly and brings about the effect without wronging of the natural faculties of the soul but makes use of them formally for bringing forth the effect as one that openeth a door by the lock makes use of a key but doth not hurt nor destroy the lock There is therefore no inconsistency betwixt Christ's opening and ours for he co-acts not nor forceth the will but sweetly determins it so that it cannot but be willing he takes away unwillingness from it and makes it willing Psal. 110. 3. Christ hath the keyes of hearts and can open and shut at his pleasure without wronging of them 5. Grace being the work of a high-hand it cannot be easie to procure welcome to Jesus Christ even amongst believers and much lesse with others who have no principle of grace within to co-operat with Christ. 6. Christ Jesus as he is a most powerful worker so is the work of his power most free soveraign and wonderful which clearly appeareth in that it is applyed on the back of such a slighting answer and not before Yea 7. Often-times the work of grace surprizeth his own when they are in a most unsuitable case and when in respect of their deserving they might have expected the quite contrary certainly we are not obliged to our free-will for our conversion but to his Spirit nor to our predispositions for his applying of it but to his own grace who in his gracious way of dealing with his people comes over many obstructions and packs up to say so many affronts and injuries If any should ask why Christ did not apply this work and put in his hand at first but suspends it till he had gotten a refusal and be now at the very withdrawing Answ. 1. He doth this to shew the Soveraignty of grace that works as well when it will as on whom it will Grace must not be limited by us in the manner or time of it's working more than in it's work or subject matter upon which it worketh 2. By this he discovereth what believers would be without his grace and so would teach them to walk humbly which otherwise had not so well appeared 3. His wisdom and tendernesse appears herein that he will not withdraw from her and leave her lifelesse too but ere he awake challenges in her he will make her lively in the exercise of her graces otherwise she might have lyen still in her deadnesse Christ times his operations his appearings and withdrawings with much tendernesse wisdom and discretion This work of the Spirit puts a stir in the Bride which vents it self in four steps 1. Her bowels are moved 2. She ariseth 3. Her fingers drop with Myrrhe 4. She opens All which may be considered either 1. As effects following the work of the Spirit whereby she is recovered from such a condition Or 2. As duties lying on a believer Or 3. As they hold out the order of the effects wrought by the Spirit In general it holds forth 1. That the work of the Spirit when it 's effectually applyed makes a very great palpable and universal change upon the persons in whom it works There is a great difference betwixt the Brides carriage here and what it was vers 3. 2. Although it be not absolutly necessary nor ordinary for a believer to know the instant of his conversion yet when the change is suddain and from an extremity of a sinful condition it will be discernable and the fruits following the change will be the more palpable 3. A believer would endeavour to be clear in the change of his condition and when this clearnesse is attained by the distinct uptaking of the several fruits of the change it is very useful and profitable for establishing the believer in the confidence of his interest in Christ and that there is a saving change wrought in him So here the Bride both asserts him to be her beloved and likewise the reality of the change he had wrought in her The first effect is my bowels were moved for him Which in short holds forth the kindly exercise of serious repentance affecting and stinging as it were the very inward bowels for slighting Christ so long which will be cleared by considering 1. What is meant by bowels 2. What by moving of the bowels 3. What that is for him By bowels are understood either sorrow and that in an intense degree as Iob 30. 27. my bowels boyled Lam. 1. 20. My bowels are troubled And Ier. 4. 19. My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart Or bowels are taken for affection and tender love in the highest degree such as mothers have to the children of their womb Philip. 2. 1 2. If there be any bowels And Philemon v. 12. Receive him that is my own bowels Thus they are taken Isa. 63. 15. Where are thy bowels and frequently elsewhere both in the Old and New Testament By moving of the bowels or sounding or making a noise as the word is elsewhere trauslated Isa. 10. 11. and 63. 15. is understood a sensible stirring of the affections when they begin to stound and that kindly and in a most affectionat manner
moving of her bowels vers 4. 7. Although interest in Christ be clear and matters otherwise not in an evil case yet want of Christ's presence for the time and the remembrance of by-gone guilt will be a very sad exercise to the believer and affect his heart very much This is a sad posture yet she gives not over notwithstanding of this or any following disappointments till she obtain the holy design she drives Where faith and love are exercised together for attaining Christ nothing will scar nor discourage the soul in it's pursuit of him Her carriage follows in four steps whereby she endeavours to recover him with the successe that she found in each of them 1. She gives private diligence 2. She applyes her self to publick Ordinances vers 7. When that also fails she 3. betakes her self to the exercise of mutual fellowship with the daughters of Ierusalem and seeks their help vers 8. and at last rests on the exercise of faith in him Chap. 6. 3. Her secret painfulnesse with the fruit thereof is set down in two steps in the rest of this verse 1. I sought him that is painfully used all means to meet with him as one searcheth earnestly for what he wants so the word is taken Prov. 15. 14. It shews her seriousnesse as to the end and also her holy solicitude in the manner of pursuing it But saith she I found him not he was now obtained but she continueth still under the want of the sensible manifestations of his presence Again the 2. is I called him that is prayed to him but saith she he gave me no answer that is I had no sensible ease and return of prayer though the prayer was not altogether unheard for her continuing to seek after him shews that she was answered with strength in her soul Psal. 138. 3. There was sustaining-grace even then though there were not the soul-satisfying and comforting inlargements or sensible embracements of Christ and his warm-speaking of peace to her heart which she aimed at and the greatnesse of her bensil after these makes her think that she had received no answer at all It 's in sum as if a wife by search and running to and fro did seek her husband and when that succeeds not she calls him by his name So did she leave no mean unessayed but did not obtain what she sought Which shews 1. That God often blesseth want of sense to a believer to be a spur to much diligence 2. When desertions are most sensible then ought the believer to be most diligent in the use of all means especially of prayer for an outgate 3. There may be much life in duty even then when there is little sense and satisfaction as to the event there is here seeking and calling on him though she found him not and he gave her no answer 4. It 's a blessed heart-sorrow that vents in diligence and prayer to God for his presence 5. The remembrance and resentment of our by-gone wrongs to Christ should not so affect as to scar us from him but should presse us to seek to be again in his company otherwise if we scar at him or bide away from him because of the sense of guilt it will be the mending of one fault with another It 's ever best reckoning our own guilt when he is present 6. Christ's presence is the only cordial that can satisfie a soul fainting under the sense of the wrongs it hath done to Christ therefore when her heart fails she sits not down under it for ease but seeks and calls for himself and his own presence 7. There may be much seeking and prayer which may be so indeed and accepted of by God and yet his comfortable presence be kept up and the particular sought-for suspended 8. Often the having of our eye in prayer upon one particular suppose upon one comfort may make us construct our prayers to have lesse of an answer than they have whileas indeed they are not fruitlesse but may be answered in other things which we do not observe 9. The Lord may deny comfort when it is sought and yet shew his grace in sustaining his people and quickning them to follow him in their duty when they in the mean time may take it for a sort of refusal 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. It is ever good for believers to reflect on their duty and on the successe of it whatever it be and that not in one step only but in the whole tract of their way 10. If we compare this with her former carnally easie and secure condition vers 2 3. we see that sensible desertion when a believer is holily active under it is no ill condition comparatively it's better with her now when she is swounding and fainting without Christ than when she did ly still carelessly without him grace is working more actively now as from vers 4. is clear and she is nearer unto him and hath much more solid ground of peace than she had at that time Vers. 7. The watchmen that went about the City found me they smote me they wounded me the keepers of the walls took away my vail from me When private means do not the businesse the Bride betakes her to publick Ordinances and frequents them And this 7. vers shews what she found in the use of that mean a sad disappointment also which is several wayes aggreged Christ's presence is easily lost but it is not easily recovered This will cost much pains and the enduring of many perplexing disappointments It is much more difficult to win to injoy Christ than it is to lose him Lying on the bed in ease may bring on that which much labour and watching will not remove That this verse points at her going about the publick Ordinances the scope makes clear that being the next ordinary mean used for enquiring after an absent Christ when private diligence hath had little successe The matter of the words as was cleared in Chap. 3. 3. doth also evidence this The Church is the City which hath walls that is the Ordinances for preventing her hurt and promoving of her edification The watchmen are her Ministers appointed and designed to keep the walls and to go about the City They are said to go about the City in respect of their care and solicitude to prevent inward difficulties and hazards and are called keepers of the walls as they stand to repel what from without may disturb the Churches edification and ecclesiastick peace In a word they are the same by office that these were Chap. 3. 3. but their carriage to her is more unlike the relation they stood in Which is set forth in four steps all which are to be looked on as a special piece of untendernesse in them and of suffering in her which now the Lord in his wisdom permits her to meet with that so she may find how unwisely she had done to neglect Christ's kind call vers 2. when as now other hands deal more roughly with
afford many such doctrines as Chap. 3. 3. As 1. The visible Church is a distinct incorporation by it self and all it's members have right to it's priviledges to wit such whereof they are capable It 's the City and they are the Citizens Eph. 2. 19. 2. It s a City that is not without fear and hazard though it have walls but it had need to be watched both within and without Or the visible Church hath many enemies she is in constant war Hence therefore is she called the militant Church and for this cause she hath walls and watchmen 3. The Lord hath provided her with sufficient means against all assaults 4. A lawfully-called ministery or watch-men peculiarly defigned for that end are the great mean Christ hath appointed for preventing the hurt and promoving the good and edification of his Church Eph. 2. 12 13. They are as the sentinels which he hath set on the walls for giving advertisement and warning and this well becomes their office Isa. 62. 6. Ezek. 3. and 33. Chapters and elsewhere 5. Tender believers will put a great price upon publick Ordinances even when they seem to themselves to come little speed in their privat duties privat diligence furthers publick and publick furthers privat These two ought not to be neither will they be separat in a tender person but go together 6. Tender believers may have weights added to their exercise and a load put above a burden even by these whose stations and relations call for much more sympathy and healing 7. Publick Ordinances may be sometimes unfruitful to believers even when they have great need and are under great sense of need 8. When one that is tender gets no good nor ease by publick Ordinances often there is an addition made to his burden thereby 9. Untender unskilful and unfaithful men may creep in and be admitted to the ministery and to watching over the Church as Iudas was 10. When such are gifted and as to order lawfully called they are truly ministers though not true ministers and have authority for discharging of all duties and duties discharged or Ordinances dispensed by them according to Christ's warrand are valide and the word from their mouth is to be received as from him Therefore they are called watchmen which imports them to be really in office which could not be if the former assertions were not true 11. Very often tender believers in their exercises suffer much from such ministers Or an untender minister is often a great affliction to tender exercised believers yea of all men these prove most sadly afflicting to them no man wounds godlinesse more or wounds and affronts the profession thereof more in them that are the most real and tender professors than a gifted untender minister may do and often doth though sometimes the Lord will make use of him for their good to humble them yet more to provoke them to the study of more seriousnesse in secret duties and to more closse and constant waiting on the Lord himself 12. Where enmity against godlinesse once ariseth and vents it self against the godly it often grows from one degree to another as here Men especially Ministers once ingaged in it are not easily recovered and brought out of that evil but are carried yea often hurried from one step to another yet she accounts them watchmen as holding out the respect she bare to their office even then Whence observe 13. That it is a piece of spiritual wisdom and tendernesse to distinguish carefully betwixt the office of the Ministery or the Ordinance it self and the faults and untendernesse of persons who may miscarry in the exercise of that office and not to fall from the esteem of the Ordinance because of them or of what faults may be in them but even then to respect the Ordinance out of respect to Christ and his institution and appointment 14. Believers would observe the fruit of publick Ordinances as well as of secret diligence as the Bride here doth Vers. 8. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love When this mean fails her she gives not over but betakes her self to the use of mutual fellowship with the Saints which is the third step of her carriage v. 8. that she may have their help for recovering of Christ's presence She propounds her case to them and presseth for their bearing burden with her Her case is in the last words I am sick of love a strange disease yet kindly to a believer This sicknesse implyes pain as of a woman in travel whose showres are sharp and pangs vehement till she bring forth The same word is used to this purpose Isa. 26. 17. Like as a woman that draweth near her delivery is in pain c. And it imports in this place these two 1. Vehement desire after Christ from ardent love to him so that she could not indure to want him 2. Much heart-affectednesse following upon that ardent desire which under her former disappointments did beget such pain and fainting that it was as a sore sicknesse though not dangerous This sicknesse differs from that spoken of Chap. 2. 5. as the scope shews That is like the pain procured by an overset of the stomack so the sense of his love being let out in a very great measure was like to master her not that sense of his love is simply or in it self burdensome but she is weak like an old bottle or a queasie and weak stomack that cannot bear much But this is like the pain that proceeds from hunger and a strong appetite when that which is longed-for is not obtained which augments the desire and at last breeds fainting and sicknesse This shews 1. That love to Christ where it is sincere is a most sensible thing 2. That the moe disappointments it meets with in seeking after sensible manifestations of Christ it grows the more vehement 3. That continued absence to a tender soul will be exceeding heavy and painful hope deferred makes the heart sick especially when the sweetnesse of Christ's presence hath been felt and his absence distinctly discerned 4. That Christ's presence is the souls health and his absence it 's sicknesse have else what it will 5. That love to Christ will sometimes especially after challenges and disappointments so over-power the soul that it cannot to it's own sense at least act under it or sustain it it seems so heavy a burden as sicknesse will do to the body if it get not an out-gate The way she takes to obtain Christ after all other means fail her is by making her application to the daughters of Ierusalem Indeed it 's Christ and not they that can cure her he is the only medicine for a sick soul therefore her design is not to rest in their company but to make use of it for obtaining his company For the company although it were even of Angels will not be satisfying to a soul that seeks
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
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
legs are as pillars of Marble and before whom none can stand 6. Where there is respect to Christ there will be an high estimation of his way and it 's a good sign of an especial esteem of Christ when his ways are admired and loved The ninth particular instance brought to prove that he is the chiefest among ten thousand is that his countenance is like Lebanon The word countenance as it is in the Original comes from a root that signifieth to see therefore countenance is used in Scripture not only to signifie the face but the whole stature and presentation of a person or that which gives a full sight of one in all his parts together and so it 's here and differs from the cheeks mentioned vers 13. as being more extensive and comprehensive Therefore that phrase which 2 Sam. 23. 21. is rendered a goodly man or man of countenance as it 's in the Original is 1 Chron. 11. 23. where that same story is recorded expressed by this that the Egyptian was a man of stature as if it were said a brave personage of a man and so it takes-in face legs body and altogether when all these are so proportioned as they make one a person goodly to be seen and lookt on Now this being applyed to Christ as subjoyned to the particulars formerly mentioned we conceive it takes-in his matchless stateliness as it results from all his properties together so that not only this or that part of Christ is lovely but whole Christ when seen is exceeding stately and lovely to the view and faith of a discerning believer whatever others think of him So then the meaning is ask ye what my Beloved is saith she as all his parts are beautiful severally considered so all being put together he is a most stately and lovely Object to behold when he gives a full view of his countenance It sets out then a more full view of Christ or Christ in a more full view as if not only a mans head or legs were seen but his whole stature whereby he is more fully discernable Thus Christ's countenance in Scripture is put to signifie his manifestations to his people and here being subjoyned to the cheeks as more extensive it signifieth more full manifestations whereby a view as it were of whole Christ is attained at once by the believers faith as by faith Heb. 11. 27. Moses is said to have seen him that is invisible And this will agree well with the scope and the commendation following which is in two things 1. It is as Lebanon a most pleasant stately hill and therefore that which is excellent is often compared to it as was said on Chap. 4. 8. 11. 15. 2. It 's amplified that it is excellent as the Cedars They were useful stately and talâ— trees especially these that grew in Lebanon The word is elect or choice as the Cedars which agrees well with a goodly presentation to be tal straight and stately as they were Therefore the Brides stature is compared to a palm-tree Chap. 7. 7. In a word my Beloved when seen looks excellently and passing-well saith she so as there is no other Beloved in the world that hath such an aspect as he who can look on him and not love him Observ. 1. Although there is no fully comprehensive view of Christ to be gotten here even by the faith of a believer while we are upon the earth we cannot see him as he is that being reserved for heaven yet there are more full up-takings of him attainable even here-away than ordinarily believers meet with yea such full views of him are to be had which in respect of our other ordinary attainments may be called a beholding of his countenance whereas these are but a beholding of his cheeks for he hath a countenance which is discernable neither doth the Bride speak of that she never saw but of what she hath seen and it imports a more full near thorow and distinct â—ight of him than is usual 2. There is no such lovely delightsome spiritually gallant stately and glorious Object as our Lord Jesus complexly considered as in himself and there will be no sight more satisfying to a believer than this when admitted to behold it 3. All other beloveds whatever they be in themselves are yet exceedingly nay infinitly short of him when he is seen this differenceth him from them all the more and the better other beloveds be seen they are found to be the more fecklesse insignificant and little worth but the more full view be gotten of Christ he is found to be the more excellent 4. Slight and passing views of Christ makes men think the lesse of him whereas more full distinct and near beholding of him doth highten the esteem of him and lessen the esteem of all others beside him 5. Faith in Christ will make a real impression of him and of his excellency upon the heart of a believer even as if he had been seen by sense therefore she speaks so of his countenance and it 's a good sign to be distinct and confident in our apprehensions of Christ's excellencies Vers. 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my Beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Jerusalem The tenth and last particular commended in him is in the beginning of the 16. vers and it is his mouth which is compared to sweetnesse or sweetnesses in the plural number By mouth sometimes is understood the words of the mouth but it 's not so used in this Song The Brides words and his also are set out by their lips and it 's not like that that being spoken of vers 13. is repeated here Again the mouth and it's sweetnesse especially may be mentioned to signifie friendlinesse and love or rather the sensible manifestations of these as the husband doth by kissing his wife and in this sense is taken Chap. 1. 2. and we take that to be aimed at here to wit the sweetnesse of Christ's more immediat manifestations of himself unto the spiritual sense of his people by shedding the love of God abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. For this sensible manifestation of his love is a thing that much commends him to his people and is their satisfaction in opposition to all the creature-satisfactions that others have Psalm 4. 6 7. therefore it agrees well with the scope Again it 's a different commendation from any that is mentioned 1. It differs from his lips or the comfort that one hath from the Word as from the Word though it is not to be separate from that but to carry that alongst with it yet this is more immediat and sensible and that is mediate though real and sure unto â—aith 2. It differs from seeing his cheeks in that this is more full near and immediate also she being as it were admitted to enjoy Christ's sweet embracements 3. It differs from beholding his countenance because that may be and
only can be taken up by faith beholding him in his excellent qualifications and offices but this is discernable to the believers spiritual sense when Christ applyeth his love as Chap. 1. 2. In which to say so we are more passive as being fed by him and having it infused and shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit If we may in a holy way follow the similitude in a spiritual sense which is necessary for understanding of the thing kisses of his mouth are his applying and venting of his love as one doth by kissing another this also will agree with the commendation it 's most sweet it 's but one word in the Original in the abstract and that in the plural number sweetnesses to shew the exceeding sweetnesse and lovelinesse the soul-ravishing delight that is in that to which no similitude or comparison can come up clearly and perfectly to resemble it it is very sweetnesse it self If we might allude to what Philosophers say of fire in it's element or water in it's element that being there they are more properly and eminently fire and water so sweetnesse is in it's element here or Christ's mouth is the very element thereof in respect of it's sensible refreshfulnesse to the spiritual senses of his people to whom he manifests it Ask ye then what my Beloved is saith she he is indeed stately to look on but his mouth when it 's felt in his kissing of his own Bride by manifesting his love to her sense there there O there exceeding unexpressible and unconceivable delight and satisfaction is to be found Observ. 1. Christ hath more near and sensible ways of manifesting himself to the spiritual sense of his people as if he had a mouth to kisse them 2. There is nothing comparable to the refreshing sweetnesse that these manifestations have with them It 's a peace that passeth understanding Phil. 4. 7. and a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. This sensible feeling of the sweetnesse of Christ's mouth should be aiâ—â—ed at and sought after by believers although the manner measure time and other circumstances thereof should be submitted to him yet this is not only commendable in it self but also as such is proposed and commended to the daughters of Ierusalem to be sought after by them 4. The experimental feeling of this doth notably demonstrate Christ's worth to the soul that enjoyes it and makes him incomparably sweet and lovely above all things whatsoever Psal. 4. 7. 5. There is no other thing can have any such sweetnesse or relish to a believer as Christ hath and to a spiritual taste the excellency of all created beloveds will be as the white of an egg in comparison of this Only Christ's mouth is sweetness and so he differs from all others And it 's a good sign when our affections or spiritual senses can relish nothing but Christ. Next it is added yea he is altogether lovely Although she hath spent many sweet words and indeed there hath been no straitning in her in commending Christ and although all her words be sweet and especially when she drawes near the close her expressions be the more massy and significant yet as being necessitate to succumb under the great task of describing the excellency of her Beloved she must give over particulars and conclude with a general as if she would say would ye know him O I even I cannot tell you all his excellent properties for he is most justly called wonderful Isa. 9. 6. but in sum I may say he is altogether lovely The word is he is all desires or all he desires The word that is rendered lovely comes from a root that signifieth to covet as in Ioshua 7. 21. It is said of Achan when he saw the wedge of gold that he coveted it so it 's such a desire as ardently covets the thing desired And thus Christ is not simply lovely but of such an attractive excellency as makes him the proper Object of the most ardent and holy-coveâ—ing desires or after which all desires should go forth as towards the best and most desirable Object The words are mean to expresse somewhat that is not expressible or rather the unexpressiblenesse of that Beloved she had been commending lest they should think she were satisfied as if she had fully described him We may consider the words several wayes 1. Negatively as they shew there is nothing in him but what is desirable As if she said all he is desires there is nothing of any other nature in him but such as I have mentioned he is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he 2. Take them positively and so they shew whatever is in him is exceeding desirable go through all his parts qualifications attributes and works whereof I have given you but a hint saith she and ye will see them all exceedingly desirable 3. Take them conclusively or comprehensively and so while she saith he is all desires the meaning is there is nothing truly desirable but it is to be found in him the soul cannot rationally imagine that satisfaction that is not to be found in Christ otherwise all desires were not in him this is sweet even veryâ—sweet what idol is perfect there are many defects in all other beloveds but saith she my Beloved is perfect All the beauties and perfections that are scattered amongst all creatures are in an eminent and transcendent way gathered together contracted and to be found in him at once so that whatever can be desired whether it be for this life or that which is to come whether for sanctification justification or consolation it 's eminently to be found in our Lord Jesus in whom all fulnesse dwells Col. 1. 19. and who alone is all and in all to his own as being full of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. 4. We may take them exclusively or privatively as they deny any thing desirable to be in any beloved but in Christ he is all and so consequently they must be nothing he is altogether lovely and so they must be altogether loathsome Christ is never rightly conceived of nor commended but where other things come down evanish and disappear when compared with him Whom have I in heaven but thee and I desire none on earth beside thee saith the Psalmist Psal. 73. 25. as having full satisfaction and all that can be wished for in him It 's hard to observe what may be suitable to Christ's lovelinesse when the Bride gives it over But we may say 1. The more that believers insist on Christ's lovelinesse their hearts will warm the more with it and it will be found to be the greater depth for now her expressions grow till at last they be swallowed up 2. Where there is true respect to Christ no commendation of Christ that believers can invent whatever it be will be satisfying to them For there have been 1. many excellent commendations given of Christ as being like Gold Myrrhe
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
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
confident freedome with Christ and his warm condescending to them go together which the reasons following will clear They are set down in seven motives or advantages which his being as a brother would bring along with it to her and hereby it will be further cleared what it is that is here intended The 1. is hinted at in these words when I should find thee without when is supplied and the words read in the Original I would find thee without Now saith she I have sought thee often without and have for a long time not found thee as Chap. 3. 2 3. and 5. 6 7. but if thou were thus familiar with me I would have thy company every where and think no shame of it This suppons 1. that Christ may be without or at a distance even with his own Sister and Spouse The most sensible manifestations have interruptions 2. When Christ is without or at a distance then the believer's work is to seek him till he find him he loves not to be separate from Christ and therefore he pants after his manifestations An absent Christ and a seeking painful diligent believer should go together 3. That where Christ is familiar all interruptions of presence are easily superable yea more easily superable then to others with whom he is not so familiar and intimat he may be found by them even without that is in cases that have in them some obstructions unto intimat fellowship as without is a place that is not convenient for familiar communion 4. It 's a great benefit to a believer to have Christ's presence easily recoverable or recovered It 's no small mercy to find him when he is sought Other things rising from this expression may be gathered from Chap. 3. 2 3. and 5. 6 7. 5. In general from all these arguments we may observe that they all include advantages to the believer yet she makes use of them as motives to presse her suit which sayes That whatever may be any reâ—â— advantage to a believer doth sway much with Christ. The second reason why she desires this is that she may imbrace and kisse him and it follows on the former as each of them depends upon another I would find thee without saith she and I would kisse thee having found him she would with delight let out her affections on him Kisses amongst men are the most kindly evidences of their love as was cleared Chap. 1. vers 1. upon these words Let him kisse me His kisses are kindly intimations of his love to her and therefore her kissing of him must be a most sensible flowing and abounding out-letting of her affections on him as affectionat relations do when they kisse one another It 's much to the same purpose with what she said Chap. 7. 12. There will I give thee my loves In sum if thou wert familiar with me saith she when I find thee I would sensible confidently and with freedom solace my self in thee which now I dar scarce do when I find thee being possessed with fear of thy removal The difference between this expression and that in Chap. 7. 12. seems to be this There she desired communion with him that her heart might be by his presence disposed to say so for letting out her love on him and that she might have the opportunity to do it Here she desires that he would manifest himself more familiarly that with the greater holy boldnesse and confidence she might satisfie her self in pouring forth her love by spiritual soul-imbracings and kissings of him whom she loved This imports 1. That there are degrees in the way of believers letting out their love on Christ as there is in his manifesting of himself to them There are sometimes they give him their love when they have no accesse to kisse him and other times they are admitted to kissing of him as at sometimes he doth them 2. The more familiarly his love lets out it self on them the more doth their love flow out on him 3. It 's a mercy to the believer and highly prized by him to have accesse to kisse Christ and to let out his heart and love on him 4. It sayes that at all times believers will not get themselves solaced in Christ This is an exerâ—ise to which their heart doth not frame till he familiarly manifest himself they cannot kisse and embrace him untill his embracements come first More particularly if we consider the scope of these words I would kisse thee and that without they imply 1. A more present sensible object such as may be kissed Whence Obs. Christ's familiar out-letting of himself makes 〈◊〉 exceedingly obvious unto the believer it makes him so sensibly present as he may be in a spiritual way embraced and kissed â— It holds out the out-letting of the believers love on him From which Obs. 1. The great duty of one that finds Christ is to love him and to let the heart flow out on him 2. This should be done whenever or where ever Christ is found and so soon 〈◊〉 opportunity is offered the heart should close with it without delay 3. Familiarity with Christ will not be displeasing to him but exceedingly acceptable otherwise this could be no motive to presse her suit 3. Kissing him imports both a holy confidence and satisfaction or delight in her letting out her heart upon him Which shews that it 's sweet not only to have Christ loving us but to get him loved and so this is both satisfying to her and acceptable to him The third motive or reason which depends on the former two is yet I should not be despised or they should not despise me that is although I found thee without and were seen kissing thee and by confident boldnesse delighting in thee yet if thou wert familiar with me as my brother and according to the neernesse of that relation would familiarly owne me neither men devils tentations nor any thing else would have accesse to despise upbraid or reproach me for it I would be confident against all as a Virgin that is shewing her respect to her own born brother needs fear no reproach from that Obs. 1. Believerâ— are subject to be despised even the beloved Bride of Jesus Christ is not freed from this tryal to be little esteemed of even as the off-scourings of all things to be reproached and shamed by men as she was Chap. 5. 7. to be baffled to say so as an hypocrite by the devil and tentation as Iob was Iob Chap. 1. and 2. 2. Believers are not senslesse or stupid when reproached or despised they may be affected with it and my endeavour rightly to have it prevented or removed 3. Often the more tenderly that believers let out their affection on Christ or their zeal for him they are the more subject to be despised for when she kisses Christ she looks upon despising then as waiting on her if he prevent it not 4. Christ's familiar presence or his being as a brother owning his Bride is the
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
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
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.
Jealousie of Christ's love may be where there is little cause and often where there is least cause it is most ready to enter The reason whereof may be taken from the ardency of the souls love to him joyned with the mistakes they have of his way So Isa. 49. 13 14. For considering what is gone before it might be thought that whatever any other might seem to have the Bride had no cause of jealousie 7. Believers would endeavour to prevent all jealousie of Christ and his love and by all means seek to be established and confirmed in the saith of his love to them as that which can only keep and guard the heart against these sinful suspitions and jealousies 8. Though this jealousie be vexing yet sometimes the believer cannot rid himself of it it will so prevail and is so cruel against him 9. In the similitude of death and the grave that is here made use of it is implyed that no man shall escape death and the grave they are as strong and mighty Conquerours that prevail over all that come in their way It 's clearly hinted here that the believer carrieth this conviction in his heart that sometime he will be prevailed over by death and the grave This is no ill impression the graves are ready for me and I have said to corruption Thou art my father to the worm thou art my mother and my sister Job 17. 1 14. Her second reason is contained vers 7. and it 's taken from the peremptorinesse of her love for her love is such as it will have love from Christ again or no other thing will satisfie it This is two wayes illustrat 1. From it's invinciblenesse which appears in this no opposition can extinguish it many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Waters will quench fire but nothing will quench this love By waters in Scripture often as Psa. 42. 7. and 93. 4. and frequently are understood afflictions crosses and even spiritual desertions Psa. 42. 7. all thy waves and billows have gone over me Psa. 109. 1 2. And so here it saith Love to Christ is of that nature and is so strongly fixed on him that no crosse or rod nay not the blackest dispensations and desertions can make it alter but it will stick to him through and over all as Rom. 8. 35. neither famine sword pestilence c. can do it but it triumphs over all though floods of tryal and opposition were let out upon it The second way how the peremptorinesse of love is illustrat and proven is that it rejects all offers that may be made to it by any other that would have Christ's room There are two sorts of tryals that ordinarily carry souls away from Christ The first is on the left hand from crosses and when these will not do it but the thorny ground will abide the heat of the Sun yet the second sort of tryals to wit the cares of the world and the deceitfulnesse of riches which are tentations on the right hand may choak the word and carry the soul away But saith she true love to Christ will be prevailed over by neither it will tryst and capitulat with other lovers upon no terms nay though a man would give it all the substance of his house that is all that can be given though he would leave nothing behind but give it all to one that loves Christ for love that is to purchase and buy away the souls love from Christ that it may be given to some other thing that comes in competition with him so to bud and bribe the souls love from Christ that it may settle on some other thing that is offered in his place What entertainment would be given to such offers and treaties True love saith she in so far as it is true and lively in exercise otherwise where something of true love is the soul may often be insnared would utterly contemn it or as it is in the first Language contemning it should be contemned that is not only would all such alluring offers be rejected but with a holy disdain and indignation they would be despised abhorred and abominated as unsuitable once to be mentioned So that true love to Christ will not once enter to capitulat what to have in Christ's room but all possible overtures which may be made by the flesh and the world to divert it will be abhorred and loathed utterly and accounted as loss and dung Philip. 3. 8. And therefore the reason concludes at thy heart I must be for my love will neither be boasted from thee nor bribed or allured to be satisfied with any other thing in thy room but thee I must have upon any terms and must not be refused of this my suit of being set as a Seal upon thine heart And this sort of peremptorinesse from love will not be accounted presumption by Christ nor is any-wayes displeasing but most acceptable to him Obs. 1. Where true love to Christ is there will be many essayes to cool it or to divert it and draw it away from him It 's no easie thing to get love to Christ kept warm for the devil and the world will especially aim at the throwing down of this hold and bul-wark that maintains Christ's interest in the soul. 2. The devil hath several kinds of tentations which do all drive especially at this to cool the believers affections in the love of Christ and these tentations may be contrary some of them mustering the difficulties that follow these that love him and such as the tempted seekers of Christ may be oftentimes exercised with for they often meet with reproaches or other afflictions in the world Others of them again alluring the heart to embrace some other thing in Christ's room and making fair offers of advantages to these that will take the way of the world in following of them 3. The lovers of Christ may be assaulted by both these extrems successively and when tentations from the one hand fail then tentations from the other begin so that the believer would constantly be on his guard 4. The tentations that come from the right hand and entice the soul with the offers of worldly pleasure honour riches c. are more strong and subtil than the other and more frequently do prevail yea sometimes when the other may be rejected Therefore this is mentioned after the other as being that wherewith the soul is assaulted when the first cannot prevail and so the devil leaves this till the last when he was permitted to tempt Christ having tryed him with several tentations at last he makes offer of the world to him Mat. 4. 9. 5. Tentation will sometimes make great offers as if nothing more could be offered even all the substance of the house and still it offers more than it can perform when it is in it's offers most specious The devil at once offered all the world to Christ Matth. 4. 9. though he had not power of himself
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
to that which is spoken by a companion when it 's edifying 5. It 's a thing pleasant to Jesus Christ who takes notice how companions walk together when there is conscience made of mutual fellowship with fruit and freedom amongst his people This were good companionry 6. God's making the stamp of his Spirit on a particular believer to have weight on others so as their fellowship with them hath successe should provoke the believer to pursue more after fellowship with Christ himself which is the scope of this part of the verse compared with that which followes The last part of the verse containing his desire to her or the duty he layeth on her is in these words cause me to hear it The words as they are in the Original are cause me to hear me which occasioneth a twofold reading 1. Cause me to be heard and let me be the subject of thy discourse to others â—eing they give eaâ— unto thee improve that credit which thou hast with them for that end Thus this same phrase is rendered Psal 66. 8. make the voice of his praise to be heard or as it is in the Original cause to be heard the voice c. 2. They may be read as they here stand cause me to hear it and thus Christ desires he may be the Object spoken unto as by the former reading he is to be the subject spoken of So this same phrase is rendered Psal. 143. cause me to hear thy loving kindnesse And this translation agrees well with the scope here where before he brake off communing with the Bride as in the first part of the verse he had commended her for her frequenting of publick Ordinances and in the second for her keeping fellowship with others in both which her duty is insinuated so here he calls for her keeping of fellowship with himself by her sending frequent messages to him in prayer which he not only requires as a duty but now requests for as a savour to speak so that he may hear often from her which he will account as much of as any man will do of hearing from his wife in his absence And thus to make him hear her voice is by frequent prayer to make addresses to him as Psal. 5. 3. In the morning shalt thou hear my voice and Chap. 2. 14. of this Song speaking to the Bride Let me hear thy voice saith he Observ. 1. That though Jesus be a great Prince and sometimes be absent to the sense of his people yet hath he laid down a way how his Bride may keep correspondence with him and let him hear from her when she will in his greatest distance He hath as it were provided posts for that end prayers ejaculations thoughts looks if wakened by his Spirit which will carry their message very speedily and faithfully 2. The Bride ought to be frequent in sending posts and messages to her blessed Bridegroom that he may hear from her and both duty and affection call for this 3. Messages from the believer are most welcome and acceptable to Jesus Christ they are as messages from a loving wife to an husband at a distance and believers may expect that such messages shall be well entertained they cannot be too frequent in suits and prayers to him when these duties are rightly discharged and there will be no letter sent to him so short or ill written but he will read it And sure the neglecting of this is a sin doth exceedingly displease and wound our kind Bridegroom 4. In this verse frequenting publick Ordinances fellowship with believers and much corresponding with Christ in secret prayer are all put together to shew that they who rightly discharge the duties of publick worship and the duties of mutual fellowship and the duties of communion and corresponding with Christ in prayer must necessarily joyn all together and when it goes well with a believer in one of these they will all be made conscience of and this last is subjoyned as the life of both the former without which they will never be accepted by him BRIDE Vers. 14. Make haste my Beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of Spices The last verse hath in it the Brides last and great suit to her Bridegroom that he would haste his return As in the former verse the Bridegroom compended all his will as it were in one suit to the Bride Let me often hear from thee that I may know how it is with thee said he So here she sums up all her desire in one suit which to her is both first and last I beseech thee saith she my Beloved make haste and do not tarry In the words there are 1. her suit 2. The title she gives him 3. Her repeating and qualifying of her suit Her request is make haste The word in the Original signifieth flee away importing the greatest haste and speed that may be so would she have Christ hasting his coming in the most swift manner whereby the holy impatience of her affection that cannot endure delayes doth appear therefore abruptly she breaks out with this as her last suit and that which especially her heart desires of him That it 's for a speedy return the scope her love that expresseth it and the manner which she useth through the Song doth clear and there being two comings of Christ spoken of in Scripture 1. His coming in grace which already she had prayed for and it 's promised Iohn 14. 21 23. 2. His coming in glory at the last day to judge the world we conceive that it will agree with her scope here to take in both but principally the last that is her desire that Christ Jesus would hasten his second coming Not that she would have him to precipitat or leave any thing undone that is to go before the end but her desire is that in due time and manner it may be brought about and that what is to go before it may be hastened for making way for it For the phrase haste my Beloved is indefinite and therefore it may look both to his second coming and to all that must necessarily preceed it and therefore so long as there is yet any thing to be performed as previous to his coming she bids him hasten it â— We take this desire to look mainly to his second coming because that only can perfect believers consolation and put an end to their prayers Till he come their consolation cannot be full and all shadowes are not away Chap. 2. 17. There is ever something to be done and therefore they have ever something to pray for to wit that his Kingdom may come till that time 3. This is the great joynt and main suit of all believers they all concurr in this Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say Come c. It 's essential to all who have the Spirit to joyn in this suit and the Bride cannot but be supponed to love the last appearing of our
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