them and by spoiling the grapes doth much hurt to the vines By the foxes are principally meant false Prophets Here O Israel thy Prophets are like the foxes in the deserts Exod. 34. And the injunction here is to take them And the reason why they must be taken is because they spoil the vines meaning the fruit of the vines the righteousness of both Tables And also because the vines have tender grapes meaning the young vines whose fruit is tender and the fox being famous for subtilty will endeavour to spoil those first chiefly if he grow to be a Reynald an old Fox therefore the injunction here is to take the little foxes the young cubs for they also spoil the vines This charge is given by Christ the persons to whom is to the Magistrate and Minister The Minister is to discover the foxes and the Magistrate to punish them with the sword Now that the foxes may be taken their holes must be known for the foxes have holes and in their holes they hide themselves and the first work the fox doth when he comes into the vineyard is to make his hole now the foxes hole is the righteousness of the Law he extolleth the righteousness of works far beyond the righteousness of faith this he makes a great shew of presseth very earnestly and seems to walk in very strictly that so if any fault be found with his Doctrine he may cover it and hide it under the character of an honest man So that his first and principal work in spoiling the vines is to destroy the righteousness of both Tables under a pretence of requiring strictness and holiness of life Therefore mark it By the first principle in Doctrine understand the first ground that is layed to encourage thee to be lieve in Christ that when ever the fox cometh whether it be an old Reynald or a young Cub by the first principles of his Doctrine he magnifieth and extolleth a supposed righteousness in man far beyond the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed and by so doing he strengtheneth in man a more honourable opinion of himself then of the works and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and so he taketh away and spoileth the righteousness of the first Table which is faith in Christ Next he also spoils the righteousness of the second Table which is true love towards men for the root and foundation of love towards men is Gods love towards us apprehended by faith for no man can exercise himself in shewing true love towards men until his own heart be first warmed with the apprehension of Gods love towards himself which the fox by his subtilty wholly destroyeth for where the root and foundation of charity is plucked up there charity which is the fruit must needs be blasted and wither away And thus the foxes spoil the vines And this is the meaning of Christ when he says Mat 7. by their fruits ye shall know them meaning such fruits as spring from the principles of their Doctrine Now when the foxes hole is known the fox is taken for then he is discovered to all to be the fox Therefore if thou wilt hunt the fox so as to take him be sure to drive him into his hole for there he lurketh and there thou shalt be sure of him All people that pertain to the vineyard ought to be careful in this thing especially those that watch for Souls for the fox cometh not in jest but to spoil vines to eat and consume the tender grapes to destroy the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that no man may have Salvation by him And is it not time then for every man to look about him It is not for nothing that so strict a charge as punishment by death is given in Deut. 18. and Deut. 13. against those that speak in the name of other Gods Therefore when the wild boar comes with his tusk and snout as if he did think to pull down God out of his Throne or the fox by subtilty let every man put to his shoulder that they may be taken and destroyed The lamentable misery that is fallen upon us for want of care herein is found by woful experience VERSE XVI My beloved is mine and I am his he feedeth among the Lillies THe Church perceiving the care of her beloved in taking the foxes that her righteousness might be preserved and that she might have Salvation makes this conclusion to her self my beloved is mine By which she makes a right use of the Gospel which is to assure and make us bold of our faith This bond or conjunction being so near as the head and members or the vine and branches causeth her to rejoice my beloved is mine and I am his This right and propriety in Christ as Mediator wicked men have not Angels need not therefore she claimeth the Title wholly to her self And this she maketh more account of then of all the world She esteemeth more of him then of all things besides in Heaven and Earth In him she findeth a sufficient reconciliation made with the mighty God for all her sins in him she is made the heir of Eternal glory And she is also comforted in this in that her beloved doth not only preserve her from unwholsome pastures but also feedeth her in good pastures He feedeth among the Lillies My beloved she saith is a Shepherd and hath a flock and feedeth his flock like a Shepherd in sweet pasture which is good feeding being among Lillies for the Lillies shew not that the Sheep eat Lillies but the goodness of the ground where the Lillies grow So that where Christ feedeth nothing can be wanting The Lord is my Shepherd saith David therefore I shall want nothing Psal 23. He provideth fatlings wine and all delicate things So that all that love his pasture shall be well fed and prove well The reason why men prove so little is because they distast the pasture where Christ feedeth When sheep feed in good pasture settle in it and like it well they feed and come forwards apace but when the pasture is bad or they distast it they hunger bane and starve Some feed upon their own imaginations and mans inventions and such as their food is So they be themselves they never come amongst the Lillies therefore never tast of the sweetness of the pasture Therefore let all those that desire to be proveable frequent the place where Christ feedeth and then shall their life favour of his wisdom Seeing Christ hath provided such excellent pastures for us as to feed among Lillies let us feed there and so feed that we may be fit for himself and to receive Eternal glory VERSE XVII Until the day break and the shadows flee away turn my beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether THe words are a prayer of the Church wherein she desireth Christ to turn to her all night even till the break of day 2 Pet. 1.19
Christ further amplifies his answer to the faith and request of his Church and says I have gathered that is I have reaped the fruits for which I came down from Heaven for which was to draw a people to believe in me that they might be saved From whence we may see that as soon as we are willing that Christ should ease us of all our sins and miseries and make a gratious supply of all our wants then do we prepare a dish of pleasant fruits for Christ this is that which he here calleth his Myrrhe and his Spice his Wine and his Milk because as those things are sweet and do much refresh the senses of men So also is it sweet to Christ to take away from us our sins and burthens cares crosses and calamities Moreover when Christ also saith here that he hath eaten his honey comb with his honey it must well be noted for he eateth his honey comb with his own honey The comb is the House of the Bee which holdeth the honey which honey although it be sweet for the Bee to feed on yet the comb is respected of the Bee first before the honey for the Bee by a natural instinct delighteth in the comb having no other house nor resting place to rejoyce it self in and set its heart upon but only the comb which although it hath no sweetness in it of it self before it be sweetned by the labour of the Bee yet for the natural pleasure he taketh in it more then in all things in the World besides he maketh it his habitation and place of abode so that there is an Antecedent natural instinct in the Bee First to the comb and then to feed upon the honey in the comb Now understand by the comb the person that holdeth and carryeth the honey and by the honey the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that sweetneth the comb and by eating his honey comb with his own honey his joyning himself to our sinful person because he loved us before it was sweetned with any honey of ours Christ then loveth the person First before the work or new quality of the person First he chuseth an habitation to dwell in before he sweetneth the comb with his hony-comb and this is our poor distressed person which he setteth his heart upon from all Eternity as the only object of his joy and delight and therefore we are said to love him because he loved us first and this is called his first love Rev. 2.4 which was the love of Christ first to the person of the Church of Ephesus before her works which apprehension in the falling state of that Church came at last to be lost This is his Antecedent love and when it is said in the sixteenth of John the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me as though the Father had first respect to the honey and then to the comb it meaneth his consequent love for as soon as we receive our first love which is to believe that he loveth our sinful person then doth he love our obedience with a consequent love and maketh promises accordingly to those that love him fear him obey him and keep his Commandments It follows therefore that all those that are imployed in the garden of the Lord about the making and sweetning of honey combs must endeavour to imitate the Bee first in making of the comb next in gathering of honey and conveying it into the comb If the comb be not first respected there can be no honey then must the Bees die for want of food Nor is there any other way to make persons holy first but by teaching us to believe that Christ loveth us from all Eternity Where this perswasion is grounded honey dews will fall for why should the Bee labour to make the comb if it were not his purpose to fill it with honey Why should the Lord Jesus Christ marry our sinful person to himself if it were not to sweeten and perfume it with an Odour fit for himself And as the comb must first be made so must we see that it be well stored with honey which must be gathered with the Bee out of every flower and where ever the honey dew falls the Bees will find it out mark we then where the cowslips the flowers and the honey suckles grow for those are the places where the Bees find honey and if any dew fall there we shall find it and when such dews come the Bees will lade themselves and when they have their lading they carry it to their combs if the Bees should gather ever so much honey and had not the Art to carry it into the combs what profit should the owner of the Bees receive If the Ministers of the Gospel should have their full lading of honey and had not the Art to convey it into the Consciences of men to make persons holy who were the better for it Some there are that cannot endure the tast of the hony such can never sweeten the comb but are like wasps that rob the Bees and make honey scarce Therefore let all those that are labourers for God endeavour so to be fill'd with the knowledg of the Gospel that they may be able to set down the true way to attain to the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and all grounds of encouragment to receive it according to Christ in the next words Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly my well beloved To eat in Divinity is to be joyned to the Gospel by faith Joh. 6.54 and whosoever eateth hath Everlasting life Now the Gospel that we may learn rightly to eat teacheth us three principal points Mat. 11.27 First Mat. 5.22 Rom. 3.10 11 12. Rom. 3.21 22. it teacheth the true understanding of the Law which revealeth sin to the Conscience whereby all men are convicted and that mans natural opinion that obedience to the Law is the condition of the promises may be destroyed and requireth our faith in this point and also giveth and worketh in us the same Secondly the Gospel teacheth us that the righteousness of Christ is freely given to them only Rom. 4.2 3. where that opinion of righteousness is destroyed and also requireth our faith in this point and worketh in us the same Thirdly it requireth us to perform all good works towards men without any dependance upon them Phil. 3.3 8 9. Phil. 3.4 and causeth us to perform the same with joy and gladness These are the principal things taught in the the Gospel and the principal Doctrines contained in both Sacraments And where these three points are taught there the Sacraments or the Gospel are rightly taught Therefore when Christ says eat he requireth that the Gospel be made known that we may be joyned unto him in these three points Eat O friends Some think that open gross sinners are not invited to eat let such consider of the first point before named and shew how they shall be convicted and
his foul stains yet in regard of his wonderful Wisdom and great Reach that the Lord had given him whereby he was able to borrow Speeches from the nature of Earthly things to set forth the Lord's mind in Heavenly things he was a Man excellently fitted For God gave Solomon Wisdom and largeness of Heart above all Men his Wisdom excelled all the Children of the East for he was wiser than Ethan Henan Calcol and Darda And he spake of Trees from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hysop that groweth out of the Wall He was able also to shew the nature of Fowls and of Fishes There was none like Solomon before him neither after him shall there arise any like him Solomon was also a Figure of Christ in regard of his Wisdom Kingdom and Glory and also being a Man of rest for so the Lord said of him Solomon shall be his Name for I will give Peace to Israel in his days Now Christ is our Peace who is also called Solomon The Pen-man therefore of this Book being the wisest of all the Prophets and Christ whom it concerneth being the very Wisdom of the Father and greater than Solomon therefore is this Song commended unto us by the holy Ghost in the highest degree of Excellency Seeing therefore it is a Song we must learn with all skilfulness to sing it and seeing singing is an argument of joy we must look for nothing in this Song but matter of exceeding joy So that when we are in the lowest condition by reason of Sin and the Cross yet then the understanding of this Song will raise us up beyond our selves For it is not only a Song but the Song of all Songs composed by Solomon a Person wiser than all Persons who figureth out Christ unto us who is the very Wisdom of the Father and therefore greater than Solomon And his carriage to be most gentle and loving to us when we are in the deepest misery and greatest extremity Therefore we must endeavour to learn the Tune and Time of this Heavenly Song and it will fill our Hearts with joy and gladness VERSE II. Let him kiss me VVE must understand that the chief part of this Song is drawn from the similitude of Lovers espoused in Marriage or else those that have fully finished the Marriage knot And Solomon being moved by the Holy Ghost made choice of this Similitude above all other things to set forth the most excellent Mystery between Christ and his Church no resemblance being greater to manifest the same not only in regard of the oneness that cometh by Marriage and also the firmness of the Bond between Man and Wife that cannot be broken but also in regard of the Issue and Posterity that comes by Marriage for even as by reason of Marriage many Children are born into the World so by reason of the Soul 's uniting unto Christ Rom. 7. are many Children brought to Life and Immortality The Church is here represented to come in a pang of Love but what Church Quest Not the Church of the Jews only Answ but also the Church of the Gentiles For the Church is to be considered either generally or distinctly either as the Church of the Jews and Gentiles united into one Body or else the Church of the Jews apart before Christ's Incarnation Now as the Church distinctly considered desired after Christ that was then to come so the Church generally considered desireth after Christ that is come Therefore the Church expressing her self here by the desire of a Lover Let him kiss me it sheweth the desire of the Bride in all Ages of the World But why doth the Bride desire to be kissed Quest Kissing amongst Men is a sign of favour and reconciliation David kissed Absalom Answ 2 Sam. 14.23 and thereby shewed that he was reconciled unto him Moses and Aaron kissed each other when they met as a token of Friendship And when Laban departed from Jacob Gen. 3â— 55 as a token that all strife was ended between them he kissed his Sons and his Daughters and so departed So that the Church desiring to be kissed desireth she may be assured by his word of his Love and Reconciliation to her Now there is a two fold kissing mentioned in Scripture there is a kissing on Christ's part and a kissing on the Bride's part Christ kisseth the Bride when he assureth her by his word that he is reconciled to her and in Love with her Person although she be a most miserable Sinner The Bride kisseth Christ when she by Faith is reconciled to him in believing that Christ is in Love with her Person Christ offereth the kiss first in these words I have loved thee with an everlasting Love The Bride again meeteth him with the kiss as soon as ever she perceiveth and is drawn to believe that her very Person is intended in these words This is the first kiss of Christ which begetteth Faith and all Heavenly Qualities within us There are also other kisses that follow where the first is imbraced when he loveth our Obedience Heb. 11.5 although imperfect because we please him by Faith but this is his antecedent kiss which respecteth not the Work but the Person a most miserable Sinner and this we ought to believe And in this sence it is said Kiss the Son lest he be angry Psal 2.12 that is see that thou thankfully imbrace the first kiss which assureth thee of the acceptance of thy sinful Person before thy works are regarded which truth of God worketh in thee Faith and Love to God and all good works In this sence also it is said 2 Cor. 13.12 1 Thes 5.26 Salute ye one another with an holy kiss and Greet ye one another with an holy kiss by which holy Kiss is meant the Administring on Christ's part and the embracing on our part the first kiss And by greeting and saluting one another is set forth the highest degree of Love among the Brethren which is a mutual forwardness in drawing each other by the Gospel to receive the first kiss therefore the Bride saith here Let him kiss me let him assure me in this one point that my Person is in his Favour which is the first ground and beginning of our Faith in Christ But why doth the Bride here desire to be kissed with more kisses besides the first kiss Quest Because by the first kiss she is so wonderfully taken up with the Love of her Beloved Answ that she cannot be at rest without him but desireth more and more after him And it sheweth us also the true nature and use of Faith which is not to despair nor be dismayed under the feeling of the greatest Sins and Calamities but then when it is at the worst as a Remedy against all it teacheth us to humble our selves and to desire the kisses of our Beloved And she addeth farther With the kisses of his Mouth Because all the Comforts that she findeth in the day of Adversity
Christ For all men naturally are of this opinion that God will justify those that keep the Law morally and reject the rest and to strengthen this opinion many Scriptures are alleaged with being not understood this opinion is increased Now until this wall be thrown down there is no entrance for Christ therefore when the bride says he standeth behind our wall she meaneth to throw down the wall Christ is as a lover that will come in although the opposition be ever so great the walls must go down and the house must be pulled in pieces and a new foundation laid So that a man would judge when Christ cometh that all were going to ruin even then when he is about to lay a new foundation This opposition Christ findeth more or less even in his own people while they are in this world and therefore he standeth behind the wall and the first thing he doth by his Ministry is to throw down the wall that is those imaginations in man that are the roots and grounds of unbelief He doth not as some other builders do prop up the old foundation or piece up the old wall but maketh all things new And this was prophecied of him in Num. Num. 24. 24. he shall smite the corners of Moab and cast down the walls of all the sons of Seth. Looking forth at the windows shewing himself through the Lattice These words do expound the former and shew the reason why the imaginations in man must be thrown down it is that light may be in the Soul For the windows and lattices are instruments to convey light into the house and when there is any obstruction between the light and the window it must be took away otherwise the house will be dark Now Christ is our light and the understanding is the window of the Soul and the first light that Christ bringeth is by teaching a right understanding of the Law and by throwing down mans natural opinion of the Law by discovering of our original and actual sin by which we sencibly feel that we are lost this is the first light and a matter of great weight because it teacheth man a true knowledg of himself therefore it behoveth all people rightly to study the same otherwise the windows will remain shut and nothing but darkness will appear in the house VERSE X. My beloved spake and said unto me rise up my love my fair one and come away AFter the windows are opened by a right understanding of the Law she saith my beloved spake that is of the promises of the Gospel saying come away by which she meaneth to receive his own righteousness and merits Nothing is here placed between the revealing of sin and giving of righteousness but only faith in Christ And when 't is said rise up it sheweth that the Law casteth all men down and that Christ is not delighted to see us too long in sorrow and heaviness And seeing he saith my love it sheweth he owneth us in our sorrows and setteth his heart upon us And in that he says my fair one he taketh from us the guilt of all our sins and imputeth to us his own righteousness and merits These are the true foot-steps of faith and are written on purpose that we might upon the true sight and confession of our sin after the same manner apply unto our selves the comfortable words in the Gospel VERSE XI For lo the winter is past the rain is over HEre it is shown that so long as the Conscience is under the Law the feeling of Sin and the wrath of God it is as the time of winter wherein flowers and fruits do seem to be consumed by reason of Storms and Tempests and frosty nights And as in the time of rainy weather when little benefit of the Sun appears for it is for the present as if there were no Christ or Saviour when all former experiences of Gods love and favour are forgotten and lost Which condition no man can speak effectually of unless he have in some measure found it in himself But as soon as the Conscience is humbled confesseth sin and lifteth up through faith his eyes and heart to the voice of his Redeemer the winter is past and the rain is over All fears and doubts do then begin to vanish away According to the saying of the Prophet Isa 35.10 they shall hear of joy and gladness and sorrow and mourning shall flee away So that the Gospel putteth an end to the Law in respect of the Conscience that Christ alone may there rule and govern I say in respect of the Conscience not in respect of the conversation but in removing the guilt of sin and filling of it with peace and joy for in saying the winter is past it sheweth us also that Summer is come All a mans life may be said to be winter in respect of the flesh and the manifold sins vexations cares and dayly calamities it is subject to in this mortal life but in respect of the Conscience it is sometimes winter and sometimes Summer Therefore no man must be too much cast down with discouragement when he feeleth his sin and the wrath of God as though the winter would never be past nor yet be too much overcome with rejoicing when the Gospel shineth within him as though the rain would never come again VERSE XII The flowers appear on the earth THese are tokens of the spring which causeth all people to rejoice when they behold the buds and blossomes of the herbs trees and flowers when there is as it were a new face upon the Earth when all things appear like a new Creation which maketh all Creatures to rejoice and sing Which sheweth the proper effects of the Gospel which is tidings of greater joy and gladness to all those that by faith receive it And therefore whatsoever Doctrine it be that by the nature of its principles maketh the heart of man sad and cannot truly comfort it again but leaveth it in sadness is not the Doctrine of the Gospel By this then we may know when the Gospel is taught Deu. 18. when a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord that is that says the Doctrine which he delivereth is the Gospel yet if the principles of his Doctrine do not nor cannot produce that effect which the Gospel worketh which is righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost the Prophet speaketh presumptuously his Doctrine is not the Doctrine of the Gospel The time of the singing of Birds is come Another mark that the spring is come Now as the pleasantness of the spring is seen by the cheerfulness of the Birds in their pleasant notes so the joyful and pleasant news of the Gospel is seen and manifested in the voices and harmonies of men Who even as Birds in time of spring So in their nests do sit and sing Now in that it is here said the time of the singing of Birds is come we must note that a Christian man
understanding The other is the Mountain of dispair which standeth in a false opinion of the Gospel For even as before a man is humbled he presumeth upon his own wisdom and power thinking thereby to accomplish whatsoever he imagineth and to climb up into the presence of God So after a man is humbled he thinketh his sins to be so many and foul and his afflictions so many and great that he cannot tell how to depend upon God for mercy and deliverance Now Christ delivereth us from these two Mountains by getting into two other Mountains The one is the Mountain of Myrrhe when he destroyeth in us our false opinion of the Law the other is the hill of Frankincense when he teacheth us rightly to define the Gospel These are sweet and pleasant hills because of the sweet and heavenly Poseys that are given unto us in these deliverances and this is the proper work and office of the Gospel and the foundation of love and all good works to men And this is that which Christ here promiseth and will perform even till the day break and the shadows flee away From whence also note That the day will break the joyful morning of the Resurrection will come when all shadows sins crosses and calamities shall totally flee away and everlasting joy shall come and in the mean time Christ is with us in his sweet and pleasant Mountains which Mountains must cause us to rejoyce and sing In these Mountains the nature of God is seen and his hearty love and affection towards poor sinners Therefore seeing Christ our Bridegroom dwelleth in these sweet and pleasant hills it ought to be our constant prayer that he will grant us this gift that we may continually hear his word and submit unto it that we may receive the benefit and comfort of the same VERSE VII Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee These words are foolishness to reason which concludeth when it seeth the godly in great misery and affliction in reproach and contempt of the world that they are the fowlest of all people and those that are in prosperity and favour with the world to be the only people that are beloved of God For it beholdeth nothing but the out side it understandeth nothing of the Churches glory But Christ here pronounceth the Church to be fair and without spot even then when she is oppressed with shadows sins sorrows and calamities for as soon as she humbleth her self and by faith layeth hold upon his merits then is it pronounced in Heaven thou art all fair my love and their is no spot in thee Therefore faith is the only righteousness of a Christian man and the highest service and worship that can be given to God forasmuch as it attributeth truth and faithfulness to him Therefore God faith in answer to faith because thou judgest me faithful and countest me not for a Lyar but to be true and just therefore will I stick unto thee and forgive thee all thy sins behold thou art all fair and there is no spot in thee Mark then and behold that when ever thou feelest the Myrrhe to drop into thy understanding causing thee to give unto God the glory of his truth either when he destroyeth thy natural opinion and principles concerning righteousness by the Law or when he teacheth thee to scent the perfume of the heavenly Frankincense given thee without the Law then know thou for certain that the day and hour is come that thy inward man is made beautiful with the glory of God For then is it pronounc'd in Heaven thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee These things it behoveth us to know that we may be certain what true Christian righteousness is and when we have it and this benefit we learn to receive when Christ getteth into the Mountain of Myrrhe and the hill of Frankincense In the Doctrine therefore that droppeth from these two Mountains must we rejoyce and sing thereon must be the Scituation of our faith and the rise of all our comfort Then shall we become beautiful for Scituation and the joy of the whole Earth forasmuch as where the Gospel is received the hearts of all men are fill'd with joy and gladness VERSE VIII Come with me from Lebanon my spouse with me from Lebanon look from the top of Amano from the top of Shenir and Hermon CHrist having pronounc'd his Church to be fair calleth her from those people whose Doctrine and Society causeth defilement Therefore he calleth her from Lebanon Amana Shenir and Hermon Lebanon was a Forrest wherein dwelt the Cananites Hittites Jud. 3.3 5. Amorites Perizites and Jebusites Which people were left to prove Israel to know whither they would hearken to the Commandment of the Lord which he Commanded their fathers 2 King 1 9. Which Forrest also was haunted of wild beasts Now both the Nations that were left there and also the wild beasts that did haunt there do signifie false Prophets as is frequently to be seen in Scripture Amana was a Mountain in the Land of Syria from whence Naaman the Assyrian came to the Prophet to be cured of his Leprosie 2 King 18. which was also a place of Idolatry Shenir and Hermon was a Mountain possessed of old by Og King of Bashan where also the Amorites dwelt which was taken away from the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og Deut. 3. by the Children of Israel as Moses sheweth All those were places of Idolatry wherein lived such people whose principles were against the Gospel Therefore the holy Ghost in the last clause of this Verse calleth them Dens of Lions and Mountains of Leopards in regard of their great enmity to the faith of Christ And as it was said before it is usual with the Holy Ghost to set forth those that are enemies to the Gospel under the Title of Lions and wild beasts and many other strange kind of Creatures Psal 57. David complaineth his Soul was among Lions And when the Lord threatned to punish the Nations for their Idolatry Esa 34. by giving them up to the Sword and also to their own imaginations he calleth the people that after should inhabit there by a borrowed speech an habitation of Dragons And further saith that the Cormorant which is a foul flying over the Sea and the bittern shall possess it that the Owl and the Raven shall dwell in it Ver. 11. that it shall be an habitation of Dragons and a Court for Owles By these and such other similatudes the Holy Ghost often setteth forth Idoliters which also sheweth us how little they are esteemed in the sight of God and also as it follows in the Chapter how their meetings are looked upon Esa 34.14 and to what they are likened The wild beasts of the desert shall meet with the wild beasts of the Island they shall come out of one Country to another to hold up their meetings
mighty hand and grace alone and letteth us see that he casteth us down into reproach and contempt for no other end and purpose but to exalt us again by ways unknown and to magnify his grace and mercy in us who can chuse in this condition but be sick of love And to have his heart enlarged with praise and thankfulness to his holy name Now she chargeth the Daughters if they find her beloved to tell him of her sickness If they find the true Christ in the Ministry and also in the way of his providence as she hath done that they also become thankful to him and praise his name which is her own condition Now although the charge here be if they find him yet this doth not make it a matter of indifference whether they find him or not but implies that they ought to seek him so as to find him The Daughters were no doubt Ministers that bare a great sway in the visible Church for they dispute much with the bride and they are often charged by the Bridegroom not to disturbe her yet they were such as had not the knowledg of the true Christ as appears also by the next Verse Now in that they are charged so to seek as to find the true Christ it sheweth That there ought to be a principal care in the Ministers of the Gospel to see that the true Christ be Preached For otherwise all men must of necessity be everlastingly lost And how shall God be glorified in his mercy or men receive any comfort by Christ merits if Christ be never known Besides if this point be not continually beat upon no man can possibly ever understand it being so contrary to mans natural opinion of God Which sheweth us one reason why there is so little knowledg of the true Christ in the World it is because there is so little care taken in this that the true Christ be Preached Therefore many seek after Christ but few find him because they seek him not aright With these it comes to pass even as Christ said to the Jews Joh. 8.21 ye shall seek me and not find me and shall die in your sins And why Because they sought him not by faith but in the works of the Law Rev. 9.32 They that seek him in the Law can never find him because the true Christ is not revealed in the Law Neither can any man define by the Law what true faith in Christ is The Daughters of Jerusalem cry out all upon this thou must do the Law which all men will grant ought to be done but to what end and purpose works are Commanded or which way the Law doth further us to faith in Christ this they can say nothing to This I conceive to be the scope of this place which I only touch they that have a mind may inlarge it as they please Now the Daughters question in the next Verse what the beloved is which makes it apparent they had not the knowledg of the true Christ VERSE IX What is thy beloved more then another beloved O thou fairest among women what is thy beloved more then another beloved that thou dost so charge us IT is as much as to say what is the righteousness of faith more then the righteousness of the Law or wherein lieth the difference Such is the abominable ignorance of all men till God open the eyes of the mind they see no difference between Christ and Moses And in this point the Language of the whole earth is confounded as it was at the building of Babel Thou makest a great doe say the Daughters about thy beloved and when all comes to all thy beloved is no more then another beloved For thou art justified by faith we grant but thy faith must be a working faith otherwise thy faith is dead and not a living faith Wherein then lies the difference or what is thy beloved more then another beloved So that in a word the Daughters attribute justification to faith but when they go to define what justifying faith is they can define it no otherwise but to be a working faith From whence it must follow that he hath will find the beloved must find him first in his own righteousness or works which must be the form or essence of his faith Also it is to be noted here that when they call the Church the fairest among women they give unto her the same Title that Christ doth but they deny that she hath that righteousness which is essential to that Title which is faith alone For as was said before they understand no other faith but a working faith Therefore how to define that faith which is alone and to distinguish it from a working faith they know not And how can the Bride be the fairest amonst women when she wanteth that faith which uniteth her to Christ without whose righteousness she cannot be fair For say they what is thy beloved more then another beloved What doth thy faith avail thee if it hath not works Can faith save thee Is it not of far less worth then that which bringeth forth works So that although in words they call the Church the fairest yet in heart and opinion they own and acknowledg no other righteousness whereby she is purified from her sin but the righteousness of the Law and her own works Such confusion the want of understanding in this point breedeth where faith as it is alone and justifieth is not distinguished from faith joined to works which Sanctifieth And this most horrible confusion is in the Church amongst many great Doctors at this day where this point is not rightly understood For we are justified by faith say they without the works of the Law but as soon as they come to treat of the Law they will affirm most strongly that without the works of the Law a man can have no evidence at all of his faith As if a man were justified by faith in the sight of God but by works in his Conscience These with the Daughters call the bride the fairest amongst women by faith but when they come to define what that faith is they mean no other thing then what is bred and nourished in the bride by her own works So that in a word she is the fairest but by their Doctrine she is the filthiest of all Creatures despised and condemned of God These run into a most deadly evil through a false definition of faith for many times the evidence of works is lost how then shall I be assured of my faith And so of Christ and also of Everlasting life Or else must I despair and die in unbelief Such confusion destroyeth the very nature of faith for faith hath an evidence in it self and the nature of it is to assure Heb. 11.1 from the light and testimony it receiveth from the word of God it speaketh perswasion as well as it worketh sanctification to believe is not only an act but sense of faith So that he
first teacheth us to be displeased with our selves and so maketh us a people for his glory This is the way of the Lord and thus he feedeth his Lillies and they that well tast hereof are nourished up in peace and comfort With this one argument thou mayest drive the Divel and all his instruments into Hell from whence they came For those words I am thine and thou art mine are not thy words but the words of God thy Heavenly Father who owneth thee and hath given himself unto thee Rest thou therefore in this conclusion and if any quarrel thereat send them to thy Heavenly Father that made the promise and bid them aske him why he look'd upon so vile a person as thou art and why he made the way to life so easy as to believe and live Then shalt thou also find his word to become an hiding place in all storms and a Sanctuary in the day of heat VERSE IV. Thou art beautiful my Love as Tirza comely as Jerusalem terrible as an Army with Banners THese are the words of Christ who beholding the faith of his spouse can no longer hold but breaketh out into this commendation of her thou art beautiful my love And the cause is in regard she sticketh to the true principles of faith whereby she is imputed fair Therefore he telleth her thou art the Royal Diadem thou bearest the renown Which sheweth us clearly wherein the praise of the Church consisteth even in believing and contending for that faith which was once given to the Saints First he likeneth her beauty to Tirza a City where the Kings of Israel did reign and keep their Courts The King was present there which made the City beautiful And that which makes the Church so beautiful in Christs eye is because she liveth in the Kings Court she holdeth Christ by the hand of faith alone Others contend for works first to all those Christ is absent All such do want the beauty of Tirza and may rightly be called Ichabod because from them the glory is departed Next she is commended for her comeliness comely as Jerusalem Jerusalem was comely in regard God himself chose to dwell in it In which City the Temple was built wherein the Ark was kept and also the golden Pot that had Manna which was to shew the wonderful works of God to posterity And Aarons rod that budded which was kept to still the murmerings of the people against the Magistracy and Ministry And the two Tables of the Covenants For these things Jerusalem is said to be comely And also by the Psalmist Psal 48.2 to be fair in Scituation the joy of the whole Earth In these things likewise the praise of this Heavenly City the New Jerusalem consisteth In that she alone liveth in the sight of peace in the sight of the Temple and the Ark hath the right use of her Baptism the true knowledg of the Tables feedeth upon the hid Manna in the Golden Pot and hath the true understanding of Aarons Rod that budded herein lyeth her happiness beauty and glory in that she conformeth in all these things Therefore she is said to be comely and the joy of the whole Earth in that she receiveth and teacheth the free grace of her Redeemer and cheerfully obeyeth him in all things And in that she is Terrible as an Army with Banners it meaneth against all those that are adversaries to her Faith and Doctrine And so Terrible that by this one argument I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine all her adversaries are confounded and driven down to Hell This argument therefore is the Banner of the Church and also a matter of commendation with this Banner must we defend our selves and under it must we rejoyce VERSE V. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me thine hair is like a flock of Goats that appear from Gillead IT is as if Christ had said this thou art so beautiful and comely in my sight and so Terrible to all mine adversaries in regard of thy faith and Doctrine that thou hast even overcome me which sheweth us wherein the delight of Christ chiefly lyeth namely in this when the word of God is so understood and stuck unto by faith that by it the Kingdom of Satan may be broken in pieces Now in that Christ says turn away thine eyes from me he meaneth not to another lover but explaineth his meaning in the next words thine hair is like a flock of Goats by which he meaneth the faithful who are likened to hair because even as hair groweth from and hangeth on the head so do they all hang upon their head the Lord Jesus Christ Therefore Christ saith turn about thine eyes to them and Preach the Gospel to them that they also may be strong in the Lord. See Song 4. 2. As also for the Churches Teeth and Temples VERSE VIII There are threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines and Virgins without number BY Queens I understand all those that make separation from the worship of God in Church assemblies These are said to be threescore which is an indefinite speech meaning there are multitudes of them And they are all Queens that is in their own conceit and imaginations they all think themselves so to be The opinion of them all is set down in Esai 47. I am and none else And in Rev. 18. I sit a Queen and am no widow The meaning I conceive is this I am the only Bride or Queen of Christ and there is none else but only those of my way and this is the opinion of every Sect. And their opinion is not only set down but also the reason of it I am no widow Now to be a widow cannot be until the Husband be dead Rom. 7. but when the Husband is dead the woman is a widow And she that calleth her self a Queen They that glory in the Law are condemned by the Law is the Church in her own esteem and her Husband is the Law And in that she glorieth in her married condition it sheweth she is not dead to the Law but under the dominion and power of the Law So that I am no widow is as much as to say I am not divorced from nor dead in respect of the Law but I dilligently follow the works of the Law therefore am I the true spouse or Queen of Christ The sum is she boasteth in the righteousness of the Law because as she supposeth she walketh according to the Law which is the opinion of every Sect. The Concubines are those that do not make a local separation from the Church but live in visible communion with her yet have no part nor share in the inheritance of God For Concubines it seemeth were such as were taken into the Family as appears by Hagar Abrahams Concubine and also by Solomons Concubines yet bare no rule in the Family as Wifes neither did their Children pertake of the inheritance as is to be seen by the
all those that are willing to sit under the Tree and receive them By the Mother is here meant the Church and by her bringing forth regeneration which new birth is under the Apple-tree for there she brought thee forth that bare thee Now in that he says I raised thee up he distinguisheth himself from Moses or the Law not but that Christ maketh use of the Law in the raising up of the Church but in a different respect to those that do not rightly teach the Law Christ maketh use of the Law to humble the sinner that it may be driven to Christ by faith to be justified without the Law but the Ministry of Moses promiseth justification and life to none but those that turn from sin Morally according to the the Terms of the Law and herein lies the difference between the true and the false handling of the Law and by this mark only may we discern the voice of Christ from the voice of Moses Now Moses casteth all men down but raiseth up no man by his Ministry because he setteth them not under the Heavenly Apple-tree but endeavoureth to raise them first by other fruit therefore he maketh the heart of the righteous sad whom the Lord hath not made sad But Christ casteth down all men by the Law but raiseth them up again by his own fruits even the fruits of the Heavenly Apple-tree And after this manner doth the true Mother exercise all her Children by the Ministry First she casteth them down by a right administration of Moses next she raiseth them up again by Christ her Heavenly Apple-tree Thus must we also suffer our selves to be hewen down by the Law that we may be stripped of all our glory and boasting principles and also be willing to receive the fruit that droppeth from Christ our Heavenly Apple-tree that our Consciences may be healed of the guilt and filth of all our sins VERSE VI. Set me as a Seal upon thine heart as a Signet upon thine Arm for love is strong as death jealousie is cruel as the grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement Flame THese words are not to be understood of the Churches speech to Christ as some imagine but of Christs words to the Church Wherein he plainly instructeth her how her faith and dependance shall be continued and strengthned Which is thus set me as a seal upon thine heart Me Meaning the promises of the Gospel As a seal that they may make an impression and leave the print of it behind such an impression that the word may be rooted and grounded in the Soul And on thine arm meaning the visible sign or seal the Gospel being a double seal the word and Sacraments and all is to arm and prepare us against the evil day Then he gives the reason for love is strong as death by which he meaneth his own love My love to thee is strong as death therefore build upon it For as death is of most invincible strength which swalloweth up and overcometh all things so saith Christ is my love to thee So that the love of Christ manifested to us in the Preaching of the Gospel being received by faith swalloweth up Death Hell the Grave the Curse and briefly all things else whatsoever that may make us any way miserable But jealousie is cruel as the Grave meaning cruel to the spouse when through the strength of Temptation she begins to Question the love of Christ to her and grows jealous of the same and can hardly be perswaded to the contrary this wheresoever it reigneth is even as the Grave which swalloweth up and putteth an end to all the comforts of man The coals of it are coals of fire Meaning that even as fire where it once catcheth hath a most vehement Flame so that if it be not suddenly quenched it burneth up and consumeth all things So it is with every dejected Soul when once it begins to grow jealous of the love of God and will not have the comforts of the Gospel to fasten upon it So grievous a thing is unbelief that where it is lodged it burneth up and consumeth all true opinions of God and of his Holy Word Therefore seeing our loving Lord Jesus Christ out of his wonderful care and love to us to strengthen us in our faith and to preserve us from this dreadful and bitter Temptation says here set me as a seal upon thine heart let us suffer the Gospel to make an impression within us and look upon it as the decree of Heaven that can never be changed And seeing it must be as a Seal also upon our arm let us never leave till we are able to find out the true Mystery and meaning in the Sacraments and to receive it by faith And seeing his love is so strong unto us as death that putteth an end to all our discomforts whatsoever let us never Question his favour nor be jealous of his love any more but let his word serve for all So that although our Sins and Temptations are many and our afflictions as great as any that are common to man yet as soon as we humble our selves before him and call upon him in faith and confidence let us assure our selves that he can look upon us no otherwise but as objects of his love which love he having once set upon us it continueth for ever so that no afflictions whatsoever we meet with must be an argument sufficient to disswade us from believing the same According as here next followeth VERSE VII Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned IT is as much as if Christ had said this the many afflictions that thou meetest with in this world be they ever so many and like waters that do overflow yet they cannot quench my love to thee For I do not love thee for thy prosperity and hate thee when thou art in in adversity as the world doth but have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction and came down from Heaven on purpose to carry thy sorrows to bear thy burdens and to help thee in all thy distresses Therefore when afflictions come like floods that would seem to drown all upon a suddain yet they cannot drown my love to thee which always remaineth one and the same These words are written on purpose for us to have recourse unto in time of distress that when Satan leaveth no means unattempted but useth all his skill to devour our faith we might overcome him by these words of our beloved by laying them up in our hearts as a most sure and certain creasure Now because the nature of man is proud it is apt to make an Objection as thus If I were better qualified then I might have more assurance of Christs love to this Christ answereth If a man would give all all the substance of his House for love meaning thereby to