hath given more pledges of his love in the times of the Gospel then in the times of the law Lastly The will and mind of God is more fully and more plainly revealed to his people under the Gospel then it was under the Law God let out light by little and little till the sun of righteousnesse arose So we have it in Heb. 1. 1. God spake unto the Fathers by the Prophets at sundry times and in divers manners but in these dayes he hath spoken by his sonne Vers 2. That is he hath spoken morefully and plainly The antithesis or opposition which the Apostle sets between Gods speaking by the Prophets of old and by his Son in the latter age of the world shews plainly the dimnesse and darknesse of those former ages in comparison of those which have been since the comming of Christ 3. In that the word of the Gospel is called the kisse of Christs mouth Observ That the Doctrine of the Gospel is very sweet and desirable From hence it is that David doth so highly commend the holy Doctrine of the Lord that it is perfect pure and infallible and of such mighty operation and effects that he saith it is more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter then the honey or the honey-comb Psal 19. In the Originall the words run thus sweeter then the dropping of the honey-combs It is meant of that which commeth forth without pressing and therefore counted the sweetest and purest honey of all other All the Epithites given in Scripture unto the Gospel do shew that it is sweet and comfortable it is called the good word of God Heb. 6. 5. A good doctrine 1 Tim. 4. 6. A faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. The word of life Phil. 2. 16. The word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. The Gospel of peace Ephes 2. 17. The Gospel of salvation and the word of truth Eph. 1. 13. Besides the Gospel brings glorious effects along with it as liberty to Captives and blessed joy and comfort to those in distresse as in Isa 61. 1 2. It is tidings of great joy viz. of reconciliation to God by Christ and of peace and joy in the holy Ghost It is no other then the sweet kisses of Christs mouth and those heavenly Oracles of his mouth whereby he calleth enlightneth comforteth and worketh faith in his people Christs affections were as I may so speak dyed in love and sweetnesse and his heart was as a fountain of grace therfore needs must his mouth be sweet which is as it were the instrument by which he utters what is in his heart Christ conveyeth all his graces and all good things into his people by the word of his mouth No marvail then though the Church be enflamed with the desire of the kisses of his mouth 4. Observe from the reason which the Church renders of her most earnest longings and desires after Christ For thy loves c. That those strong desires and those earnest longings of the faithfull after Christ they flow from a principle of love Love is impulsive and constraining it hath a sweet kind of violence to draw out all the affections of the soule unto Christ see this in 2 Cor. 5. 15. The love of Christ constrains us saith the Apostle So again in Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with mercies have I drawn thee saith the Lord. And in Hos 11. 4. I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love c. Now wee must understand this principle of love to be either Christs love to us or our love to him for there is an interchange of spiritual love between Christ and his people First Christs love to us in respect of the extrinsicall part of it is the expressing of his love to us by the evident testimonies of his favour grace and by uniting of himselfe unto us making of us to partake with himselfe of his own goodnesse Now by the manifestation of Christs love to us he begets in our souls a love of him his love is as the cause our love as the effect and as Solomon saith of the rivers that they both come from and return again into the Sea Eccles 1. 7. So Christ is the ocean of spiritual love from whence we derive and in to which we return our love so that our love proceeds from Christ's love his love is as a load-stone attractive drawing our affections to him our love is as the reflecting backe to him again the beames of his owne love Now that principle of love by which wee are drawn to Christ is both Christ's love to us and the fruits thereof namely our love to him Now there are three things in love whereby the affections of the soul are drawn unto Christ 1. An affection of the will whereby we are inclined unto the thing beloved Now the nature of the will is elicita not coacta inclined and drawn forth not compelled and constrained will should be no will if it were so but there is that divine excellency that excellent dignity in Christ which is as a load-stone very attractive an object very tempting and alluring to bend to draw and to incline the will making of it to close with Christ as with the best and most excellent object in all the world 2. A desire of union and enjoyment of the thing beloved Now when the soule eyes such an excellent object as Christ is in respect of his spirituall beauty and super-eminent worthinesse and dignity it presently covets the enjoyment and function of him the soule desires nothing more then union then peculiarity and interest then the everlasting possession of him who is that love-deserving object 3. A complacency or wel-pleasednesse whereby we rest our selves well pleased in the goodnesse of the thing beloved now nothing in the world is more pleasing to a believing soule then Christ so that let his dispensations be what they will his Saints are never weary of him Yea they take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for his sake and when they be weak in themselves then they are strong in him and more then Conquerours as saith the Apostle Now by these 3. acts or effects in love are the affections of Believers eminently drawn out toward Christ 5. Observe from her form of speech thy loves speaking in the plurall number That the love of God in Christ is an infinite and a manifest love The Apostle would have the Ephesians to comprehend with all Saints the breadth and length the depth and heighth of the love of God in Christ but yet for all that he concludes that it passeth knowledge Ephes 3. 18 19. God's love is of one nature and substance but it is various in respect of the dispensations thereof Love is an internall affection in God and therefore it passeth understanding so that we cannot conceive of it as it is in
Hence observe That young and tender Christians must be fed with wholsome food Those that are weake are the most like to be turned out of the way and therefore should not be fed with superstitious ceremonies but with solid truth their feeding should not be only morall observation but divine Doctrine they are to be fed above the Tents of false Shepheards and be brought neer the Shepheards of Jesus Christ they must not be fed with the husks and hog-meat of the world but with heavenly Manna that comes down from heaven If those that are naturall know how to give good gifts to their children and will not feed them with scorpions and stones in stead of wholsome foode surely then Jesus Christ the great Shepheard of soules would not have his Saints fedde with the hard stones of the world or with the husks of mans invention but with pure and spirituall food Christ would not have his sheep put under the hands of Wolves to be fed but he would have them feed above such Shepheards Tents 4. From the phrase Tents observe That our estate and condition here is of no long continuance The Apostle calleth his abode in this world as the building of a Tabernacle referring to the Tabernacle in the Wildernesse which was removed from place to place so it is said of Christ John 1. that he came and dwelt or pitched his tent among us as one that was not long to continue So our life is but as a Shepheards tent now pitched down and by and by raised up now spread forth and anon folded up in a bundle now we are strong faire soone after weake and deformed Hence it is that Job saith man commeth up like a flower all glorious and faire and is cut downe he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Job 13. 2. And again in Chap. 8. 9. For we are but of yesterday and know nothing because our dayes upon earth are a shadow Bildad stileth himselfe and his friend to be of yesterday to declare the shortnesse of their lives and therefore wee know nothing in comparison as if we had lived a long time for our dayes are like a shadow which is moveable and unconstant short and transitory And the Apostle telleth us we have no continuing City here The life of man from the beginning to the end is but a shadow a vapour a smoak as a blast of wind as passeth by and returneth not again such an uncertainty there is of the life of man that hee never stands at one stay but is continually subject to changes VERS 9 10 11. I have compared thee O my love to a company of horses in Pharaoh's Chariot Thy cheeks are comely with rowes of jewels thy necke with chains of gold Wee will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver CHrist having instructed his Church now entereth into an high commendations of her to the end hee might comfort her against her manifold temptations shee was possessed with blackness vers 5. shee wanted Christs presence vers 7. The first cure Christ giveth in the two first verses declaring how beautifull and glorious shee is in his sight even at present and that she far exceeds the chiefest Aegyptian horses of Pharaoh both for comely shape and honorable service and also that shee is gloriously adorned with the graces of his Spirit which are for their worth and beauty as so many precious borders of precious stones or chains of pearl The second cure is in vers 11. wherein Christ doth further declare what good shee shall afterward be possessed of namely a more plentifull effusion of his Spirit should be powred out upon her which shall adde to her former ornaments as it were pure gold beautified and curiously wrought with the silver specks of a new encrease of holinesse whereby shee shall shine more gloriously by the Brightnesse of his glory Now all these graces and excellent gifts which the Church is possessed of already and promised to receive of Christ hereafter are set forth by a comparison with Chariot-horses furnished with all complements beseeming King Solomon in the middest of all his royalty The words in the Originall run thus To the company of horses in the Chariots of Pharaoh I have compared thee O my Love In the words are two things considerable 1. The sweet Epithite Christ giveth unto his Church O my Love 2. The comparison by which hee sets her forth namely by the horses in Pharaoh's Chariot O my Love The word regneh translated love signifies a companion a familiar a fellow-friend it hath it's name in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pavit unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amious socius proximus of feeding together and so generally of society friendship and neighbour-hood of conversing together and so pertaking of each others good or evill This title Christ giveth to his Church often in this song in vers 15. and Chap. 2. 2. 10. 13. and Chap. 4. 1. 7. and 5. 2. and 6. 4. And this he doth to shew that the Church is the only object of his love All the beames of Christs love meet in the Church it is united to that and is not scattered to their objects Hence observe That the greatest out-goings of love and friendship from Christ is toward his Church Christ and his people feed together walk together and do sweetly converse together their hearts are knit one to another as the hearts of Jonathan and David Christ cannot content himselfe with his happinesse and glory untill he hath communicated of the same unto his Saints The generall love of Christ is scattered and branched out to all creatures in the world but his speciall his exceeding great and rich love is fastned only upon his Church Christ doth declare wherein hee hath manifested his love unto his Disciples saying I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you John 15 15. That is I have in a friendly manner revealed the secrets of my Fathers bosome unto you and declared unto you the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven which I should not have done if you had not been my friends Christs love to his people is 1. Infinite and unmeasurable beyond all imagination or comparison As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you saith Christ to his Disciples John 15. 9. Now who can understand with what love the Father hath loved the Sonne no more can we define and fully set out what is the love of Christ unto his Saints The Apostle indeed would have the Ephesians able to comprehend with all Saints the bredth and length the depth and height of the love of Christ but yet for all that he concludes that it passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. 2. A gracious love I will heal their backesliding I will love them freely saith the Lord Hos 14. 3. Wee haue nothing to invite Christ to love us but his love is free without the least desert at all 3.
A liberall and a bountiful love Christ hath parted with that for his people which was most deare unto him the soule in his body the blood in his veines and which was more deare unto him then all the rest the sweet and ravishing apprehensions of his Fathers love which was so ecclipsed in his agonies that hee cryed out with a loud voyce my God my God why hast thou forsaken me It is reported of the Pelican that shee openeth her breast with her bill and feedeth her young ones with the blood distilling from her and therefore saith mine Author the Aegyptians used to make that kind an Hieroglyphick of piety and pitty and upon that consideration they spared them at their Tables Such and far greater is Christ's love to his Saints for saith he Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15. 13. And the Apostle saith that he loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. 4. An eternall love is Christ's towards his Church I have loved thee with an everlasting kindness saith the Lord Jer. 31. 3. And again he saith with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy upon thee Though the Saints are black and deformed though they have been negligent and ignorant yet Christ doth not lessen or detract his love from them but still he gives them this Epithite O my beloved c. How should this warm and kindle all our affections unto him again Christ's love should be a load-stone attractive to draw our love unto him there is nothing doth more conciliate and attract love then love it self Hence it is the Lord saith I have drawn them with loving kindnesse Jer. 31. 3. Surely if love will not draw out our affection to Jesus Christ nothing will Oh what an infinite and wonderfull love is it that majestie and love should dwell together in the heart of Christ Christ doth much condiscend in his love to us so that here is the greatest Majestie and the greatest debasement that ever was met in Christ and all out of love to poor soules I have compared thee to a company of horses in Pharaoh's Chariots I have compared or I have imagined or thought thee to be like The word signifies to frame a likenesse of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assimila vit comparavit cogitavit imaginatus est In Phiel cogitavit putavit intentus fuit consideravit observavit Schind in Pentaglot thing in the mind or to impute a thing to be this or that So that though the Church had been negligent and slow in the work of Christ and thought shee had been unable to withstand all her temptations yet hee accounts her as one that was strong and active as one that was glorious and beautifull Hence observe That Christ doth esteeme of his servants and people not as they are in themselves but as they are in himselfe Christ did not account his Church to be sloathfull and ignorant to be black and sun-burnt as before shee thought of her selfe but saith he thou art fair beautifull thon art strong and active I have compared thee to Pharaoh's horses c. Christ doth alwayes esteem of his Church according to the better part not according as they have made themselves but according to that which he hath made them and not onely according to that he makes them to be now but according to what he intends to make them hereafter To a company of horses The word susah which being the feminine of Sus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equus unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equitatus unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equitio cum paragogico Buxt in lex horse may in propriety signifie a mare but here it signieth a troop of horses there be many things in Scripture spoken of collectively as in Exod. 15. 1. The horse and his rider for the horses and their riders The horse is a warlike beast as he is described Iob 39 19 20. He is terrible neighing like thunder he makes a breath which covers his neck and shews his courage he is so fierce as if hee would devour and swallow down the ground under him And Solomon saith The horse is prepared against the day of battle Prov. 21. 31. We may read it my company of horses the Hebrew letter Iod usually signifies mine although sometimes it is added in the end of a word without signification as in Lam. 1. 1. Now according to this reading my horses the Lord doth liken his people to goodly horses thereby noting the strength and victory which hee giveth them over the enemies Thus the Prophet speakes of the children of Israel in respect of their victory over Pharaoh saying Thou diddest walke through the sea with thine horses through the heape of great waters Hab. 3. 15. Thus Christ fighting against Anti-Christ is accompanied with all the Warriours in heaven that is all the faithfull in the Church following him upon white horses Rev. 19. 14. In the Chariots of Pharaoh Pharaoh was a name common to all the Kings of Aegypt See Schind in Pentag and in the Aegyptian tongue signifies a Prince or Ruler Now we know the Horses and Chariots of Aegypt were in great request and estimation not only in Aegypt but in other Countreys as the Scripture sheweth Solomon had horses brought out of Aegypt 1 King 10. 28. And in Ezek 17. 15. The King of Judah sent his Ambassadors into Aegypt that they might give him horses and much people And the Prophet pronounceth a woe against such as trusted on the horses of Aegypt forsaking the Lord saying Woe to them that goe downe to Aegypt for help and stay on horses and trust in Chariots because they are many c. Isa 31. 1. Now by this comparison Christ setteth forth the glory and renown of his Church in respect of her victories and achievements for he having directed his Church to follow the foot-steps of the Flock and to feed above the tents of false Shepheards no question now but these false Shepheards who before were called Christ's companions will persecute and afflict her now for the comforting and supporting of her Christ tells her shee shall be strong and victorious she shall be like the horses of Aegypt ready for the battell And thus when the Lord threatneth wars against the daughters of Sion he saith The shepheards with their flocks shall come unto her they shall pitch their tents against her round about c. Jer. 6. 2 3. Now the Lord to comfort his Church against the fury of these false shepheards compareth her to the horses in Pharaoh's chariots wherein hee sheweth that his Church should be strong cheerefull prompt and ready for the warre shee should be valiant and victorious Thus the Lord promiseth victory to his Church against those false shepheards which should arise against her in Zach. 10. 3. hee saith by a like simile mine anger was kindled against the shepheards and I punished the goats for the Lord of
a terme not far from theirs call it Lawander Another sort was called Nardus assiria of which was made an ointment of all others most precious and saith Pliny of all other spices Spikenard is of greatest estimation the ointment of Spikenard was very precious which Plin. l. 12. cap. 12. they used to powr out and anoint men with such was the ointment that Mary anointed Christ with as hee sate at Table and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment John 12. 3. Mar. 14. 3. This Spiknard was very costly and precious as may appeare in that it grew in India or in Assyria And for this most precious oyle which was made of this sweet plant of India it had the nature of a warming piercing digesting The herb it self is hot in the first degree and dry in the second whereby it falleth out that it is of an excellent comforting nature and also repercussive Now under this odoriferous nard we may mistically understand the most precious gifts and graces of the spirit of Christ either First as the sweetnesse of them flows from him unto the Saints or Secondly as they are planted in the hearts of his people sending forth a sweet savour from thence First we may understand this sweet ointment made of Spikenard to be meant of Christs graces in himself from which a sweet and redolent savor descends down to all his Saints The words in the originall will indifferently bear a double translation because the letter which is the affix sometimes formeth the adjective and so wee may translate it thus that which is of spikenard gave the smell thereof And so Junius renders the words According to this translation the Church praiseth the sweetnesse of Christ setting forth how Nardinum edit cdorem suum Jun. sweet he is unto her as if shee should say even now while the King my Beloved is sitting in the Heavens compassed about with his holy Angels and I here upon earth below there is a wonderfull distance between us and yet the sweet savour of him commeth unto me yea I doe smell his sweetnesse even as it were the precious ointment made of Spiknard or Secondly Wee may take the words as they are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mea nar dus our translation My spikenard so Arius Montanus renders â—t And then wee may understand the graces of Christ in the Saints as the fruits of faith love and all the sacrifices of prayers and praises of the Saints these and many such like fruits the Saints shew forth by vertue of their communion with Christ The Apostle in Rom. 6. 3 4. sets forth this communion of the Saints with Christ under an elegant metaphor representing unto us that as Plants engraffed do receive moysture juyce and nourishment from the stock whereby they sprout out budd and bear fruit so the Saints being as it were in serted into Christ doe receive vigour and life from him whereby they walke in the spirit and become spirituall holy gracious active in all good works Now good and gracious works flowing from the Spirit of Christ are called fruits which signifie not only an issuing from the stock but the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of them And thus the Wise man saith A good name is better then ointment Eccl. 7. 3. because it hath a good savour with it And on the contrary the Israelites said to Moses and Aaron Yee have made us stincke before Pharaoh and his servants That is in their credit good name and estimation And again in Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight That thing is most abominable to the Lord which the wicked think to be most excellent and whereby they think to be most of all accepted but the prayers and praises of the godly are delightfull in his eares they have the savour of a sweet odour before him First observe hence from the first interpretation That the graces which are in Christ cast a sweet odour and perfume into the hearts of all believers Ointment and perfume rejoyce the heart saith Solomon Prov. 27. 9. So all Christs graces which are the anointings of the Father upon him are sweet rejoycing the hearts of the Saints Christ was anointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fellows Psal 45. 7. His graces were matter of joy and gladnesse to himselfe and to all his Saints Christ's love is better then wine because it revives strengthens and refresheth the hearts of his servants All Christs graces are very fragrant and redolent refreshing the sences of the soule his very word and Gospel is a savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 16. Secondly according to the latter interpretation observe That the graces of the Saints are very savoury and delightfull Their graces are delightfull 1. To God 2. To Man 1. They are delightfull to God as being the fruits of his own Spirit God loves and delights in none but in himselfe but when hee communicates any of the graces of his Spirit they are part of himselfe and hee greatly delights in them As a Father delights in his Child because he seeth part of himselfe in his Child so the Lord conveyeth his owne grace and image into our hearts and then delights to see them there 2. The graces of faith love prayer and praises of the Saints are acceptable to God by the mediation of Jesus Christ Thus the Apostle saith his preaching of the Gospel was unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. Hee alludeth to the ointment of the Priest and the sweet incense which they offered unto the Lord. And David prayeth that his prayer might be directed before the Lord as incense Psal 141. 2. He meaneth such incense or perfume which was a confection of sweet spices made after the Art of the Apothecary pure and holy and was by the Priests burned upon the golden Altar every morning before the Lord Exod. 30. 34 35 36. Which Incense was a figure of the prayers of the Saints acceptable to God through the mediation of Jesus Christ And thus it is said of Noah's burnt-offerings which he offered after the deluge of waters ceased that the Lord smelled a savour of rest in them Gen. 8. 20. And Christ is called that Angell that stood before the Altar having a golden Censor and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne Rev. 8. 3. That is Christ the Angell of Gods presence who had a golden Censor as the High Priest had to offer Incense Heb. 9. 4. unto whom was given much incense like those sweet spices which the Priests burnt upon the golden Altar Exod. 30. 34. which he was to offer with the prayers of the Saints mingling the sweet odour of his own merits with their prayers and so
is wrought in our hearts by the displaying of the banner of Christ's love over us All that we can doe is nothing if there be not this principle of love hence saith the Apostle The love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5. 14. And we read of the woman in the Gospell which washed the feet of the Lord with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head from whence proceeded all this Was it not because shee loved much And why did shee love much Because saith Christ Many sins were forgiven her Shee had felt the banner of his love spread over her in forgiving her many sins and this did draw her to love him exceedingly The Apostle doth reckon up all the fruits of Christs spreading of his love abroad in the hearts of the Saints saying We rejoyce in tribulations being justified by saith knowing that tribulation bringeth patience patience experience experience hope hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given to us Rom. 5. 3 4 5. When the soul comes to the assurance of faith by the displaying of Christs banner of love in the Gospell then neither tribulation nor anguish persecution or famine nakednesse or perill of sword shall be able to separate them from the love of Christ but they shall be more then Conquerours through him that loves them as the Apostle saith Hence learn what is the chiefe duty of the Ministers of the Gospell namely to spread before men the Banner of Christ's love yea to publish and lay open the riches of his love to mankind in offering himselfe to be a ransome for the sins of the world to draw men out of carnall misery unto a most happy spirituall and blessed condition Then extoll and lift up the Ensigne of Christ's love and display the banner thereof that men may be gathered in unto it The Ministers of the Gospell should spend their whole force this way that men may be drawne to Christ who will seek after that which he knows not of And who would not seeke after some precious Jewell O then tell people where this Jewell this pearle this treasure is that they may seeke after it Display the Ensigne of Christ's goodnesse mercy grace and love that people may be provoked to praise Christ and yeild obedience unto him So far concerning the narration of Christ's favours now followeth the Churches request Vers 5. Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Here we have a wonderfull effect of those former things which shee spake of she compared Christ unto an Apple tree under whose shadow she tooke delight and sat downe and his fruit was pleasant unto her pallate He brought her into the house of wine by the displaying over her the banner of love Hence it is her heart is so much taken and ravished with love towards him againe that shee is love-sick and ready to swoon therewith and cryeth out to have them stay her up with Flagons and to comfort her with Apples In the words we have First a request of the Church and this is two-fold shee saith 1. Stay me with flagons 2. Comfort me with apples Secondly we have the Churches reason of her earnest request in these words For I am sick of love The thing shee so much requesteth is spirituall sustentation and strength compared with flagons of wine and the savour of Apples So that looke how comfortable wine is to the heart and the savour of pleasant apples to the sense such and much more is the sense and sweetnesse of Christs graces to his Church Stay me with flagons c. Stay or sustaine strengthen prop or uphold ye me The similitude is drawne from hence when a Virgin is betrothed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inniaeas fuit imposuit fulcivit sustentavit and through the vehemency of her love towards her beloved is sick and swooneth So here the Church having tasted the sweetnesse of those Apples and of that heavenly wine hath such a desire of Christ that makes her breake forth into this patheticall exclamation or suddaine outcry Stay me with flagons c. But unto whom doth shee cry out for these flagons and for these sweet Apples She seemeth not to direct her words unto Christ for she speaketh in the Plurall number and not unto one single person saying Stay or uphold ye me Most thinke that shee speaketh unto the Ministers of Christ and other Christians that they might uphold and stay her applying the comfortable doctrines of the promises of the Gospell unto her heart and conscience because of her owne infirmities and the want of the feeling of Christs love and graces For spiritually we are sustained and strengthned by words and promises of Christ these comfort the heart these quicken the spirit these strengthen the weake faith as the Apostle James saith Be yee patient strengthen your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh Jam. 5. 8. And saith Paul I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spirituall gift to the end you might be established or strengthned Rom. 1. 11. Now then the Church calleth unto those into whose hands Christ hath committed these treasures to deliver unto her towit those faithfull Servants the Apostles and Prophets and all holy teachers for by the ministry of these the Lord hath delivered unto his Church all those heavenly mysteries of Salvation and so the Apostle speaks That which I have received of the Lord saith he I also have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 23. And thus the Apostles were said to Confirme or establish the souls of the Disciples Acts 14. 21 22. Now the Church doth direct her Speech unto them not as unto the Authors but as unto the ministers of those things for shee knoweth that they be wholly and altogether in Christ They are but as Stewards and dispensors of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. Hence Observe That Christians in distresse desire to be comforted of others Many times when we are not able to apply the promises of comfort unto our selves yet others may so apply them that we may be comforted The Church addeth With flagons By Flagons no doubt she meaneth by the figure Metonimie the thing containing for the thing contained to wit the Wine in those Flagons which must needs be meant of the wine of consolation and of grace and favour So the cup is put for the wine therein Luk. 22. 20. Now by Flagons is meant of the distribution of all good things in the Banquet of this Gospell of Christ When David had brought the Arke of God unto his place and had Offered Burnt-offrings and Peace-offrings and blessed the people He dealt to every one of Israel both man and woman to every one a loafe of bread and a good piece of flesh and a Flagon 1 Chron. 16. 1 2 3. Meaning a Flagon of wine And there is mentioned in Hos 3. 1. Flagons of
person of her beloved as it were declaring what words he used unto her who calleth her up to higher attainements and to a morefull communion with himselfe The Church heard Christs voice a farre off she saw him approaching neerer unto her an comming swiftly and now being come so neere as through the grates he made himselfe knowne unto her he answers her loudly and speakes more comfortably unto her In these foure verses wee have First Christs call unto his Church yet uttered by the Church herselfe as she before had desire Christ to draw neere unto her so now Christ desireth his Spouse to draw neere unto him in these words My Beloved spake and said unto me rise up my love c. Secondly Observe the reason given of Christs call and that is drawne from the opportunity and fitnesse of the time for coming unto him First Because the Winter is past ver 11. Secondly Because the Spring was come vers 12. 13. Lastly Wee have the former call and exhortation of Christ renewed verse 13. Arise my love my faire one and come away First we have Christs Exhortation to his Church My beloved spake and said unto me arise my love my faire one and come away In this speech of Christ unto his Church are to be considered two things First Those amiable Epithites given by him unto her Secondly The words of his exhortation and both these in this tenth verse and for the rest you shall have the particulars in their due place First The Epithites or Titles given to the Church are two First My love Secondly My faire one Secondly The exhortation Arise thou and come away First Wee have Christs speech calling his Church from her present estate and place of affliction unto a better and more glorious condition or from her carnal security wherein she lay to follow him in faith and love of the Gospell saying My Beloved spake and said unto me Christ is the Churches Beloved The Hebrew word dodi my beloved whereof comes David in English beloved a terme given by the father from heaven to his Sonne here on earth when he said This is my Beloved Sonne Matt. 3. ult figured out by the ancient beloved David Christ is the Husband of his Spouse and nothing will content a believer but the enjoyment of the Beloved Spake or answered the word Gnanah signifies so to speake as is by way of answering Arias Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Respond it 〈◊〉 signifies also to sing by 〈◊〉 when one part answereth another in singing renders it delectus meus respondit my beloved answered Now in that the Church saith he answered it doth not only argue Christs readinesse to help his Church but also that there was some question or demand used before of the Church whereunto this answer of Christ was framed Wee finde such sudden answers often in the Gospel even before any question was propounded And 〈…〉 answered and said c. which some terme an Hebâ—â—isme or forme of speech used of the Hebrews even then when no demand went before But I rather thinke that Christ answereth something that the Church desired before Now wee must consider that the Church speakes unto Christ two manner of ways First By a vocall speech whereto the voice of the bodie is required and such speech as this wee finde not divers times in the Gospel nor here whereto the answer may have relation Secondly The Churches speech is only mentall which is only begotten in the minde and Christ doth very often in the Gospell frame an answer to the thoughts of his hearers and so Moses was heard to cry when he uttered never a word and thus the souls of the Martyrs under the Altar are introduced crying How long Lord holy and true Revel 6. Now wee may guesse the Churches demand by the answer which tends to the drawing of her forth of an uncomfortable condition to a comfortable state as it were out of winter stormes into a pleasant spring her demand then by Analogie of reason must be this O my beloved Saviour how long will it be before I am delivered from this calamitie and bondage when shall I be freed from the burthen of legall ceremonies and from the rudiments of the world and carnall Ordinances When shall I be taken from under the School-master of the Law that I may be no longer under Tutors and Governours whereunto Christ answereth in effect thus Even now is the time of the flourishing Spring therefore arise and come away Hence Observe That Christ doth answer every gracious desire of his Saints The Church had not uttered one word but only desired more comfortable times and Christ gives her in the answer of her desire The Lord prepares the heart and heares the prayer Psal 10. 17. The Lord doth as well heare and answer the prayer of the minde and of the heart as the prayer of the lips Davids purpose to build the Lord an house was accepted as well as Solomons actuall building of it Thus farre Christs speech in generall containing Christs answer to the secret desire of his Church Let us come to the Speech it selfe And first of those two Epithites given by him unto his Church My love my faire one My love Or my fellow friend my companion familiar so named of feeding together and conversing one with another and so partaking each of others good or evill This title of love is often given by Christ to his Church sometimes a Husband is called by this name friend as in Jer. 3. 20. there is mention made of a wife that deales treacherously with her friend So Christ gives a title unto his Church suitable unto her as she is his Spouse and he her Husband Hence Observe That Christs love seates it selfe in his Church The Church is the maine object of his love it is united to that and is not scattered to other objects who can imagine what Christs love is to his Churh As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you saith Christ to his Disciples Joh. 15. 9. None can understand with what love the Father lov'd the Son no more can any define and fully set out what Christs love is unto the Saints The Apostle would have the Ephesians able to comprehend with all Saints the bredth and length the depth and height of the love of God in Christ but yet for all that he concludes that it passeth knowledge Ephes 3. 18. 19. And indeed there is no love comparable to this love of Christ which is above the love of women of father or mother or any earthly love whatsoever Thus much for the first Epithite The second followeth My faire one The Hebrew word Japheh faire signifieth not onely faire and beautifull in colour but in comely proportion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pulcer elegans venusius and elegancy such as draweth love and liking The Churches fairnesse is by reason of the graces and spirituall beauty of faith hope love patience and such like graces
nearest in Christs heart to be alwayes in Christs mind That which is in the heart of man is nearest unto him and that which he mindeth most he loveth most So the Spouse desireth here to be deep in Christs heart and affection to be engraven on his armes The Spouse would be neerly joyned to Christ as a precious Jewell both in his heart and upon his hand so that he may alwayes minde her and have her in his sight for we know that whatsoever a man loveth with the greatest love that he desireth to be nearest unto yea fastned unto it And the Spouses confidence in her beloved is that he will esteeme her as an unseparable Ornament of his glory so she is to him as Aarons Pectorall unto his breast and his stones of remembrance upon his shoulders In the Pectorall or Breast-plate were twelve stones like the ingravings of a Signet or Seale in which were engraven the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel to shew that the High Priest should carry about him a memoriall of the people continually Exod. 28. 21. The Priest did not onely beare the names of the Tribes upon his heart but also upon his shoulders before the Lord for a memoriall Exod. 28. 11. 12. So in like manner here the Spouse desireth Christ to be her mercifull high Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 2. 17. That he would guide feed comfort her that he would be all mercy love and sweetnesse to her and that he would shew unto her more then Motherly affection according as his title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One of many commiserations Jam. 5. 11. And now she rendereth the reason of her desire from the nature and force of love in that she saith For love is strong as death This is the first comparison whereby she doth expresse the force of her love Death is exceeding strong it seduceth all sorts of people high and low young and old and overcommeth the strongest man Psal 89. 48. neither will it accept of any compassion nor yield to any opposition we can make no agreement with it for if we consider the great might of Princes of Kings and of Emperours yea of all the mighty Monarches in the world death hath subdued and cast them downe Who hath been so strong as to resist death where hath that might been found that could ever eschew his stroake Hence Observe That the strong affection of a Saint towards Christ cannot be subdued by any trouble or force whatsoever Christ hath been ever welcome to the Saints though they enjoyed him with the greatest affliction Peter would venture to goe to Christ upon the boisterous waves of the Sea Lord saith he if thon bid me come unto thee The Saints finde abundance of sweetnesse in Christ which doth more then countervaile with all the afflictions and troubles they meet withall for his sake Hence was that resolution of Job though he kill me yet I will trust in him such is the force of that indeared affection of the Saints unto Christ that though they walke in the middest of feares and troubles yet none of such things can take off the edge of their affection towards him The second comparison of her love followeth in the next clause Jealousie is cruel as the grave Jealousie is a mixt affection of zeale or servent love and carries wrath and rage with it and it is sometimes used in a good and sometimes in an evill sense In an evill sense it s taken for envie Acts 5. 17. sometimes for a blinde misguided zeale Rom. 10. 2. Sometimes for bitter zeale or envying Jam. 3. 14. and lastly for counterfeit jealousie or pretended love Gal. 4. 17. But in a good sense zeale is taken for a godly jealousie 2 Cor. 11. 2. for an holy emulation 1 Cor. 12. 31. and also for an extreame heat of all the affections towards one whom wee esteeme burning in our love to him our desire of him our joy in him our indignation against any that speake any thing against him of such a jealousie wee are to understand here which the Spouse saith is Cruel or hard as the grave She meaneth that this godly jealousie wherewith her heart was so affected towards Christ could not be conquered any more then the grave it being fierce and inexorable as hell it selfe which devoureth all that are cast into it Hence note That the love of jealousie and zeale in the Saints is a consuming love So saith Christ the zeale of thy house hath consumed me it causeth one to spend all his strengh for the person whom he thus loves and so saith the Apostle in respect of his great love I am ready to be spent for you for the love of Christ is a constraining love 2 Cor. 5. 14. And the godly are eaten up for Gods glorie Psal 69. 9. To the force of the grave she compareth the heat and vehemencie of her love so that still she doth shew that she must needs covet to be joyned as a signet most neere unto her beloved In the next clause she saith The coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame The Spouse compareth her love to another thing namely to fire not only because it warmeth and maketh hot but also because it kindleth and increaseth to a burning flame In the first part of this speech it is said the coales thereof are coales c. that is they are exceeding hot coales fierie darts or arrows the word signifieth that which flieth and burneth and sometimes is applyed to judgements that flie abroad as in Deut. 32. 24. And to arrowes Psal 76. 3. Here it is taken for the burning coales of inflamed love that pierce and inflame the heart and cannot be quenched and that is the reason also why she addeth Which hath a most vehement flame This declares it to be a great wonderful flame for in the Hebrew it is Shalhebeth-jah the consuming flame of God that is excellent or extraordinary flames piercing and devouring lightning for in scripture phrase the things of God are transcendently excellent as the Harpes of God Revel 15. 2. The Trees of God Psal 1. 3. And the mountaines of God Psal 36. 6. by this fire is meant the fire of the Spirit which is compared to fire Matth. 3. 11. So the Spirit is as a fire in the Saints that kindles a flame of divine love towards God Hence Observe That the fire of divine love is kindled in us by the Spirit of God It is the peculiar worke of the Spirit to inflame our hearts to Christ for here the Spouse setteth out the greatnesse of the effect by the greatnesse of the cause so the flame of God is a most mighty flame so the love of the Spouse is most fitly compared unto a vehement fire where there be hot burning coales and a great flame because it is kindled by the divine flame of everlasting burnings where the soule feeleth the love of Christ it is even set on
All this shews how precious and how deare the Spouse was to Christ that he keepeth it himselfe and how faithfull the Spouse is to him that doth bring forth her fruits to none but him Christ having thus declared the care he had over his Church he now layeth a charge on her in the Verse following VERS 13. O thou that dwellest in the Gardens the companions bearken to thy voyce cause me to heare it AFter that Christ had extolled the excellency of this Vine that is of his Church he turneth his speech unto her giving her thereby as it were to understand that he had done all this not onely for her comfort but also for her instruction for her comfort in that she was so highly yet truly commended for her instruction that she might learne thereby to extoll him in deed and in truth that had been so liberall in her commendation O thou that dwellest in the Gardens Christ giveth a solemne charge and prescribeth a duty to be performed which is described first by the place of her abode Among the Gardens c. The Participle being of the Feminine Gender sheweth that it is the Church not Christ that is here spoken to we may render it O inhabitresse Christ speaks to his Spouse dwelling in the Gardens that is in the Churches in which the universall Church is after a sort resident and a continuall dweller Christ yet notwithstanding having care both over the whole and over every particular one pruning and dressing them as appears by the particular Churches mentioned Revel 1 2 3. Now in that the Churches are called the Gardens Observe That the Churches of Christ are the severall Gardens of the Lord. The whole Church is called a Garden full of all sweet plants as we had before in this Song The particular Churches which are parts of the whole be called Gardens now in that the universall Church even the Spouse of Christ is spread over all she is said to dwell in Gardens that is in all the particular assemblies which know and worship Christ aright throughout the world Her care is over all they be all her Children and her plants and so she is said to dwell in the Gardens she dwelleth in her judgement heart and affections in all the Churches The companions hearken to thy voyce cause me to heare The Spouse is enjoyned to publish adn preach the Gospel of Christ and the persons to whom shemust preach are her Companions By Companions he seemeth to meane her fellow-Christians partakers of the same faith and Spirit and grace 2 Pet. 1. 1. These Companions or Fellows doe attend to the voyce of Christ published by the Spouse Now in that it is added Make me to heare it our English Translation hath the particle It added which is not in the Hebrew Text the words are no more then make me to heare and it doth signifie to Preach because they that preach make those to heare whom they preach unto so that we may understand the words thus Preach me c. for that is the great office of the Church to preach and publish Christ as if Christ had said Preach me to thy Companions and fellow-Christians that attend to thy voyce let thy doctrines be my Gospell not mens traditions Hence Observe First That it is the Office of the Church and Saints to preach and publish Christ This the Apostle exhorteth unto when he saith Let the word of God dwell in you plentifully in all wisdome teaching and admonishing your selves in Psalms and Hymmes and spirituall Songs singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord Col. 3. 16. This preaching of Christ is a special argument of the love of the Spouse unto her members as appears by the words of Christ when he saith Peter lovest thou me feed my Lambs John 21. 15. As if he should say this is a great fruit of thy love which I require preach me to my people So the Spouse professing that great abundance of her love to Christ a little before in this Chapter Christ requireth that she will manifest it in preaching him before the Saints As if Christ should say manifest thy love unto me by preaching and publishing me laying open the treasures of life and salvation that are in me unto those that hearken Herein then lieth the performance of a great duty of the Spouse a singular declaration of her love to Christ that she preach him that she publish and lay open all the treasures of life and glory that be in him Secondly Observe That such as preach the Gospell to the Saints must preach to them as to fellow Christians This implieth that those that preach to the people must not Lord it over them not as to be Lords over their faith as the Apostle saith but to be helpers of their joy Paul thoughan Apostle yet he was a Servant of Jesus Christ as in Rom. 1. 1. The Angell said to John which would have fallen downe before him See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-servant Rev. 21. 9. Those that preach the Gospell must preach as to fellow-members of the same body companions in the faith and Spirit of Christ they should communicate unto them the things they have received from Christ as unto brethren and fellow-members of the same body Thirdly Observe That the most precious treasures of the Gospell should be especially discovered and preached to the Saints So here the companions are said to be such as heare and unto them the Spouse is enjoyned to Preach Christ It is most true that the Gospell is to be Preached to every creature under Heaven yet Christ saith Give not holy things to dogs neither cast Pearls before Swine The precious treasure of the Gospell is to be communicated especially to the Saints and such as have a high esteem thereof to those that have their ears boared of God and made to heare and receive those precious things The Apostle saith We preach Christ crucified even to the Jews a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles foolishnesse but unto them which are called both of Jews and Grecians we preach Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God 1. Cor. 1. 23. And againe the Apostle saith I am not assamed of the Gospell for it is the power of God unto salvation unto them that believe to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Rom. 1. 16. The Gospell is most effectuall to the Saint they are the companions that hearken to the doctrine of Christ Lastly Observe That the Spouse is to preach Christ onely without mixture of mens traditions Cause me to heare cause me and none besides me to be heard Preach not the doctrines and traditions of men but preach onely the doctrines of my Gospell Christ condemned the Pharisees for that they preached for doctrines the traditions of men and so neglected the doctrine and word of God And now followeth the last verse VERS 14. Make hast my beloved and be thou like a Roe or young Hart
Christ a greater then Solomon Matth. 12. 42. For in him are the treasures of wisdome Col. 2. 3. That is Christ had in him the perfection of all wisdome and knowledg and the Apostle calleth him in 1 Cor. 1. 24. The wisdome of God Christ is essentiall wisedome and understanding Counsell is mine and sound wisdome saith he I am understanding Prov. 8. 14. This song therefore is commended unto us by the holy Ghost in the highest degree of excellency in respect of the Author who was such an eminent type of Christ both in peace and wisdome Observe from hence that Solomon is a canonized Saint else he had not been the Pen-man of Canonicall Scripture and so to have been a Scribe of the holy Ghost The Apostle Peter speaks thus of all the holy Prophets and Pen-men of holy writ in his 2 Epist Chap. 1. vers 20 21. First know this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any private interpretationâ— For prophesie came not in old time by the will of man that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Now Solomon being one of those holy men of God he must need be a deare and beloved Saint of God 2. Hee was a most excellent type and figure of the Messiah's in love peace wisdome and glory and Christ himselfe is called Solomon in Chap. 3. 11. It would be therefore more then absurd rashnesse to conclude him a reprobate 3. The promise which God makes to David that if Solomon sinned hee should be chastised but that God would never take away his mercy cleane from him as he did from Saul 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. This cannot be meant of succession in the Kingdome for it would have been no comfort to have enjoyed the Kingdom for a while and afterwards to perish for ever therefore it must be taken for a promise of an estate of life 4. God speaks well of Solomon after his death making an honorable mention of his name joyns him with his Father David the Lord commending Rehoboam his people for their first 3. years government 2 Chr. 11. 17. Three years long they walked saith the Lord in the way of David and Solomon Now God never made any such honourable mention of a reprobate after his death in all the Scripture 5. Consider that name of love and favour which God gave unto him Jedidiah beloved of God 6. Solomon himself is said to have loved the Lord 1 King 3. 3. which thing being true else it would not have been recorded in Scripture he could never fall finally from God 7. It is said in Luk. 13. 28. that Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets of which number Solomon is one are in the Kingdom of God Yet the false Prophets are excepted as Balaam by whom God spake sometimes in a compulsitory way but the Lord used no such instruments to be Pen-men of the holy Ghost 8. And lastly his owne 3. Bookes evince his repentance and reconciliation with God For this glorious light of Israel for a season was clouded and overshadowed by Idolatry for it is said Solomon worshipped strange gods Now upon these words the Romanists conclude that Solomon died a reprobate but Mr. Broughton is of another opinion concerning these words I have oftentimes mused saith hee what should be the meaning of these words And Solomon worshipped strange gods For saith he I could Brought generall view of the Scriptures p. 154. never thinke that he could esteem the idolls of the heathen for gods considering he had such wonderfull knowledge but surely this is the meaning that by allowing his Concubines to worship them and in that it was done by his Commandement it was as his act and this I hold till I be better instructed If he had come to so open a folly as to worship them as God this his sinne must needs have been of very high nature if not the sinne against the holy Ghost which is unpardonable But however it must be confessed that Solomon fell grievously by giving the reins to his lusts yet as it was said already his 3. last Books will declare what the frame and temper of his spirit was in his old age 1. The book of the Proverbs wherein by allegories taken from the most excellent of the creatures and also from those of the lowest ranke and esteem he sheweth the wisdome of God in the government of the world from whence hee perswades men to seek after the wisdom of God admonishes the people to beware of strange women and labours to settle them in the grounds of Religion 2. His Booke called the Preacher which book was made in his old age and after his recovery out of sin he beginneth Vanity of vanities all is but vanity saith the Preacher He preached worldly vanity from selfe-experience admonishing others to beware by his evill In which Book he sheweth in generall the transitory estate of all things in the world For saith he consider the Sun it riseth and setteth and returneth again to his place The winde goeth toward the South and turneth about into the North it whirleth about continually and it returns again according to his circuits All the rivers run into the Sea yet the sea is not full unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again So by this he sheweth that there is no felicity in any thing under the sun but all is vanity He goes on and tries wisdome and knowledg but saith he in much wisdome is much griefe and he that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow He went yet further and tryed all pleasant things for saith he I made great works I built houses set Gardens and Orchards and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits I made mee pooles of water c. In a word I was full and much encreased I wanted nothing that my heart could desire but when I began to consider what felicity these things could bring unto mee I beheld nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit and that there was no profit under the Sun 3. This most divine song penned as was hinted before in his old age his affections and his mind is taken up in contemplating and celebrating those sweet mysteries of Christ and his Church and of that intercourse of love passing between them his heart is now lifted up higher then all the things under the Sun reckoning of them nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Now by what hath been said wee may conclude Solomon a glorious Saint of God and therefore should be stirred up to the study and meditation of this Book the more for Solomons sake the Pen-man thereof CHAP. 1. VERS 2 3. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore doe the Virgins love thee IN this Chapter observe two parts 1. The earnest desire of the Church to be effectually
First we have the Churches Petition the reason subjoyned with Draw me we will run after thee or take it more fully thus O my beloved because I find and feel an utter inability to come unto thee doe thou with the sweetnesse and efficacy of thy grace powerfully incline my will and affections toward thee and then both I and all my severall Members shall readily and earnestly run after thee Draw me The same Originall word is used for diverse kinds of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traxit pertraxit prehendit apprehendid tenuit retenuit continuit prohibuit retraxit drawings First to draw with violence and force to invade or set upon thus God promised to draw Sisera unto the River Kishon that he might be taken Judges 4. 7. Secondly to draw with power and strength It is said A man drew a Bow at a venture 1 Kings 22. 34. To draw a Bow requires strength and in Job 24. 22. He draweth the mighty by his power He means that after wicked men have destroyed such are weake they set upon the strong Thirdly to draw with love and mercy the word signifieth sometimes to draw with words and reasons perswading by Arguments and the like so God is said to draw us with the Cords of a man and bands of love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interdum signisicat trahere verbis atque rationibus Hos 11. 4. And the Lord declareth what signes of his love and favour he had shewed to his People Israel he saith Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving-kindnesse have I drawne thee Jer. 31. 3. Fourthly to draw noteth also the lengthning or enlarging of mercies and favours as in Psal 36. 10. O draw thy loving-kindnesse to them that know thee That is O that thou wouldest enlarge bring home and continue thy loving-kindnesse Now that which the Church desires here is that Christ would draw her by the efficacy and power of his word and spirit and by the sweetnesse of his grace into a close and neer communion with himselfe Wee will run after thee Here we have the first reason or condition of her Petition We will run c. Or take it more fully thus O my Beloved draw me with the power of thy Spirit and by the sweetnesse of thy grace neerer unto thee then I thy whole Church will follow thee Here shee changeth the number but not the person and saith in stead of I will we will run c. because shee would comprehend in her Speech every particular Member as in the former Verse Wee will run The word Run signifies readinesse of affection and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat currere cum promp 〈…〉 ne propensione inclination of mind so we have in 1 Kings 19. 19. Elisharun after Elijah he run with a full intention of mind his affections run strongly after Elijah and thus the Gentiles are said to run to Christ Isa 55. 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that know thee not shall run unto thee That is the Gentiles that know thee not neither had they any notice of thee before shall with all eagernesse and readinesse of mind run unto thee Secondly it signifies celerity and great speed to passe through a Race 1 Cor. 9. 24. They which run a Race run all saith the Apostle and so the commanding word of God is said to Run very swiftly Psal 147. 15. And David saith I will run the way of thy Commandements Psal 119. 32. And he saith againe I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandements Verse 60. Thirdly it signifies perseverance and constancy to hold out to the end So run saith the Apostle that yee may obtaine 1 Cor. 9. 24. And againe Heb. 12. 1. Run the race that is set before you That is so runne as to continue hold on in your race until you come to the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls This is that wee have in the Prophet Isa 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint It is in the Hebrew they shall change or double their strength That is they shall have a new supply of strength to hold up their spirits when they seeme to befeeble and weak and almost spent and they shall as Eagles flie strongly and soare aloft and they shall walke that is be enabled to persist and persevere to the end and not faint 4. To run argues strength in the runner this wee read in Daniels vision of a Ram that had two horns meaning the Persian Median Empire Now this Ram with his two horns was pushing West-ward and Southward and North-ward so that no beast might stand before him But afterwards he seeth a hee-goat that came from the West c. which is thought to be Alexander the great and this hee-goate came to the Ramme that had two horns and ranne unto him in the fury of his power Dan. 8. 6. That is by his mighty power and strength he overcame him 5. It signifieth our whole Christian conversation which is called a race 1 Cor. 9. 24. And saith the Apostle Gal. 2. 2. I went up by revelation and preached the Gospel c. Lest saith he I should run or had run in vain He meaneth here by running his earnestnesse and diligence to preach the Gospel And again Gal. 5. 7. Yee did runne well who did hinder you That is you were in the right way and you made a good progresse therein you out-stript others in way of life Our life is called a course or race which is run as it is said John fulfilled his course Act. 13. 25. And Paul saith I have finished my course 2 Tim. 4. 7. 6. To runne signifies a desire to obtain the prize as well as swiftnesse and strength Hence the Apostle labours that his preaching might not be in vain for then saith he I should runne in vain Gal. 2. 2. And again he saith So runne that you may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. That is that yee might obtain the prize which is eternall life So here the Church hath Christ in her eye as a rich and glorious prize unto whom she runs saying Wee will runne after thee And these follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth Revel 14. 4. They doe reckon Christ a good prize whithersoever they run after him they will run through thick and thin as we use to say through good report and evill report that so they may enjoy him Observe first From the Churches prayer Draw me c. The efficient cause of our comming unto Christ is not in our selves but from Christ alone who by the efficacy of his word and by the sweet operation of his spirit and grace draweth us unto himselfe 1. By nature we are utterly unable to do any thing in this respect for we are wholly
and Nations and Languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. The Heathen are his Inheritance and the ends of the Earth his possession Psal 2. 8. And the Apostle speaking of the Preachers of the Gospell saith Their sound went into all the Earth and their words to the end of the World Rom. 10. 18. Secondly in respect of all sorts and conditions of men this is elegantly set forth by the Prophet Isa 41. 19. Where God promiseth To plant in the Wildernesse the Cedar the Shittath Tree the Myrtle the Oile-Tree the Fir-Tree the Pine and the Box-Tree together This is also sweetly represented unto Peter by a Sheet knit at fowre corners wherein were all manner of fowr-footed beasts of the Earth and wild beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Aire Acts 10. 12. By this we are taught that not onely the Gentiles as well as the Jewes were to be received into Christ's Kingdome but also that in every Nation as himselfe afterwards Expounds it he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Vers 35. Thirdly Christ is King universall in respect of all ages and times of the World God is my King of old saith the Church Psal 74. 12. It is meant of Christ because it is said of him in the following words Hee worketh Salvation in the midst of the Earth It is Christ that worketh Salvation in the midst of the Earth and he is called a King eternall immortall 1 Tim. 1. 17. Thirdly Christ rules alone he hath no colleague or partner he carries the Government upon his owne Shoulders as we read Isa 9. 6. He alone hath received power from on high in Governing of his Church Fourthly Christ is an everlasting King He receives a Kingdome that cannot be shaken The God of Heaven saith the Prophet shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed neieher shall it be left to other people but it shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. Fifthly and lastly Christ is matchlesse and eminent above all other Kings in all royall vertues and endowments First he is wise and sapient and therefore called Counsellour onely wise the wonderfull numberer which sealeth up the sum full of wisdome Secondly a most magnificent and warlike King hence Christ is called A man of War the Lord of Hosts the Captaine of our Salvation he overcomes all his Enemies and his foes are made his foot-stoole Thirdly Christ is a most just and righteous King he reigns in righteousnesse his Scepter is a Scepter of rectitude and uprightnesse He is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. Secondly Observe That Christ sweetly draws and perswades his people to a neer communion with himselfe The King hath brought me c. Christ doth win the hearts of his people by love and goodnesse This is manifested Chap. 2. Vers 4. where it is said He brought me into the Banqueting House and his banner over me was love A flag or ensigne is a warlike signe whereby Souldiers are drawne from place to place So here Christ sets up a Banner of love and goodnesse whereby he draws his people after him when he displayes his Banner then all the Armies in Heaven and Earth follow him It was by love we were redeemed for Christ loved his Church saith the Apostle and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. By love we are sanctified and cleansed as we have it in Revel 1. 5. Christ hath loved us and hath washed us in his blood He hath washed us both from the guilt and pollution of sin and all from love It is also by the same love wherewithall Christ doth win and draw his people after him Thirdly Observe Christ revealeth to his Saints the secret and hidden Mysteries of the Gospell Christ leads his people into his privy Chambers and displayeth the secrets of God to them that feare him Psal 25. 14. Consider first Chambers are the places in which the Bridegroome and the Bride use to rejoyce together Joel 2. 16. So Christ as the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride and doth communicate spirituall comforts unto her Such as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God and thus we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 16. This is that the Apostle doth earnestly desire that the Church of the Collossians might have their hearts comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the fulnesse of understanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Collos 2. 2 3. When Christ revealeth such Mysteries unto his Saints he may be said then to lead them into his Chambers Secondly touching these Chambers or inner rooms they import a sight of rich Treasures or pretious Jewells Kings have the greatest treasures upon Earth and they keep their richest Ornaments and pretious things in their Chambers Now Christ is the richest of all Kings and he like a Kingly Bridegroome leadeth his Spouse into his Chambers and sheweth her all his riches and glory which he hath laid up for her in the Heavens Christ is rich in love rich in mercy rich in grace rich in wisdome and rich in knowledge yea as rich as God himselfe now Christ spreadeth these his riches before his Saints that they may see how rich they be in him But we must know Christ leads his people into his Chambers by degrees he led his Church into his Chambers in the time of the Law and shewed her the riches and glory of his Kingdome but this he hath done more fully under the Gospell since his manifestation in the flesh since the rising of the sun of righteousnesse and the shining of that morning Starre and most fully it shall be done at the consummation of the Marriage of Christ and his Spouse Here the Spouse hath some glimmerings of these riches but then shee shall have them in perfect sight here shee injoys them by vertue of a promise but then shee shall have the full fruition of them Lastly Observe The Saints are most safe and secure in Jesus Christ Chambers are places of great security therefore the Lord saith Come my people enter into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy selfe for a very little moment untill the indignation be over past Isa 26. 20. And thus Christ comforteth his Disciples against the Persecution of men These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the World yee shall have Tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World John 16. 33. Thus David susteineth his faith by the power and protection of God For in the time of trouble saith he he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he
are perfect in respect of their justification For by one offering Christ hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. And they are perfect in parts in respect of sanctification being sanctified in every part they are sanctified throughout in soule and body and Spirit 1 Thess 5. 23. Or thus the Saints are perfect and upright comparatively being compared to others that are weak or lesse perfect Lastly uprightnesse may be opposed unto hypocrisie or to one that will pretend much and intend little one that hath a double heart a heart and a heart So it notes to us one of an upright heart of a sincere mind one that is single and plaiue hearted and of a simple disposition without guile or wickednesse The Greeks expresse this by such words as signifieth one that is without complaint none can justly complaine of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irreprehensibilis inculpatus and one that is blamelesse or without blemish The word Tamin be thou perfect upright or sound or honest and plaine in thy walking Gen. 17. 1. comes from the same roote that the word Thummim doth which we read of Exod. 28. 30. the High-Priest was to beare Vrim and Thummim on his Breast-plate and Thummim was to signifie the uprightness and integrity of his heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and life as the Vrim did the light of his understanding and knowledge Uprightnesse being opposed to that which is crooked is that which is streight and right it being opposed to that which is lame and defective it is perfect sound and firme it being opposed to hypocrisie it is sincere pure and holy The upright love thee That is the righteous are confirmed and increased in love towards him more and more thus the Apostle writeth to the Saints That they might believe on the Son of God 1 John 5. 13. That is that they might continue and persevere and that they might increase and grow strong in faith So the sence is this whereas Christ leadeth his Saints into his Chambers and there discovers to them the secrets of the Fathers bosome and giveth them glorious sights of those Heavenly riches and treasures which he hath prepared for them now by their remembring and mentioning of Christs love they are confirmed and increased in love towards him againe The words being thus unfolded yeild us these Observations First That those glorious discoveries of Christ made towit in his Chambers to the Saints causeth in them glorious and unspeakable joy It makes them to rejoyce inwardly and to triumph outwardly yea they leap for joy their joy is like the joy in Harvest and like to those that divide the spoile Isa 9. 3. As John Baptist leapt in his Mothers Womb at the tidings of Christ So the Saints cannot but rejoyce in the spirituall revelation of Christ whose Kingdome is not meat and drink but righteousnesse and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Wherefore the Prophet saith I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of reghteousnesse as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her selfe with Jewells Isa 61. 10. It is in the Hebrew In rejoycing I will rejoyce that is with exceeding great joy this joy is called unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. forasmuch as the thing it selfe wherein we rejoyce and the workings of Christs Spirit causing this joy is more Heavenly and divine then we can either conceive or expresse And this is that which the Apostle exhorteth us unto Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord. And he saith further take it upon good grounds forasmuch as you have the true cause of joy And again I say rejoyce Take a Virgin which is betrothed to some great Prince and lead her into his Chambers and shew unto her all his rich Treasures and Jewells which are reserved for her will it not make her greatly to rejoyce Thus the soul is led into the Heavenly Chambers of Christ and there is shewed unto her the glory and riches given her by Christ how is it possible but she should rejoyce and be glad and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Secondly Observe The Saints record and make mention of all Christs manifestations of love to their souls Come and heare said David ye that feare the Lord and I will declare what he hath done for my soule As if he had said I shall tell you of many strange passages of love which the Lord hath shewed towards me And this is that the Prophet calls for saying Praise the Lord call upon his name declare his doings among the People make mention that his name is exalted Isa 12. 3 4. And againe I will mention the loving-kindnesse of the Lord the praises of the Lord according to all that he hath bestowed upon us and the great goodnesse towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercye◠and according to his loving-kindnesses Isa 63. And so in Psal 45. 18. I will make thy name to be remembred in all Generations therefore shall the people praise or confesse thee for ever and for ever That is I shall for ever confesse and celebrate the glory of thy Kingdome Now the Memory is the Store-house of the soule if it were not for this faculty all the favours we receive from Christ would be lost and forgotten it would be as the Prophet speaketh of him that earneth wages to put it in a bag with holes Hag. 1. 6. And forgetfullnesse is complained of very much in Jer. 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number as if the Lord had said I am much better unto you then your garments or attire and if it be such a hard thing to forget such things as they how is it that you have forgotten me All the service that is expected of us is comprehended under the Memory Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. Remember is put for fear honour obedience the like Christs love cannot be forgotten in a gracious heart but it maketh us never to be satisfied with the setting forth publishing to others the sweet refreshing comforts we find in his love yea of his loves that is of all his particular loves even from election unto glorification a beleiver wil celebrate set forth every new act of grace which he receives from Christ he will not commit any of them unto oblivion or forgetfulnes 3. Observe That all a Beleivers faculties senses affections are dedicated given up to Jesus Christ The memory the will the affections of joy and delight of love areall fixed upon that love-deserving object Christ if it were not so what do we differ
from Beasts and a beast in the shape of a man is the worst of all Our affections are very pleasant delightful to us this object is as pleasant as our affections there is no object in the world but there is a wil inclinable to close with it now what better object can our wil affections have then Christ 4. Observe The affections of the Saints are more ingaged to â—hrist consecrated to his love then unto the greatest delights in the World More then wine Wine is put by a Synechdoche for all pleasant and delightful things in the World yet saith the Church we will remember thy loves more then worldly minded men do remember Wine yea more then we our selves doe remember our worldy injoyments A Saint may love the Creature according to that Character God hath stamped upon it but still he setteth Christ on the top of his affections witnesse David in Psa 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in Earth that I desire besides thee When we let our affections run out upon the Creature we doe but lose them and they become unprofitable unto us but when they are set upon Christ we lose them not he makes them Heavenly and gracious and gives them to us againe whatsoever we expend on Christ in Christ we shall find it again The upright love thee Hence Observe That the Saints are perfect and upright in a Gospell account A man is that in Gospell account which he sincerely desires to be a beleiver aims at perfection and therefore he is called a perfect man his desires carry the denomination of the thing desired Now that part in man that hath the predominancy and is most active that part carrieth the denomination of the whole now uprightnesse and righteousnesse holinesse and sincerity these carry the greatest sway in the hearts of the Saints they being sanctified in every part in soule and body and Spirit hence they are called holy righteous pure undefiled and clean having their Conscience clean by the blood of sprinkling and the like Secondly Observe That holy and righteous men are onely fit to praise and make mention of the love of Christ All the righteousnesse of the will of the mind of the affections will praise and celebrate Christs love but as for unrighteousnes it is enmity against Christ and unfit to mention or to praise his love And therefore the exhortation is to the righteous Ps 33. 1. Rejoice in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright The word translated comely denoteth a fair and comely grace for which a thing is to be liked or desir'd The Apostle expresseth it in Greek by fair and beautifull Rom. 10. 15. How beautifull are the feet of those that preach the Gospel c. That is how desireable are the feet of those that preach the Gospel For the beauty of a thing makes it to be desired now the praises of Christs love are most desireable and glorious in the Saints none but they are fit to record and make mention of Christs loves Lastly Observe The Saints by remembring and making mention of Christs loves are the more confirmed and increased in love towards him The Church had declared before that those chast and pure virgins loved Christ but here she doth mention it again to declare that now the Spouse had been in the Bed-chamber of the King and had a sight of those heavenly treasures which are reserved for her whereupon shee rejoyceth with exceeding great joy and doth also record and rehearse all his loves and by this means all the upright are enflamed more more with love to Christ As fire is encreased by adding of fuell unto it so is our love to Christ upon fresh and new manifestations of his great love toward us VERS 5 6. I am blacke but comely O yee daughters of Jerusalem as the Tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon Looke not upon me because I am blacke because the Sunne hath looked upon me my mothers children were angry with me they made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine owne vineyard have I not kept IN the precedent verses we had the Churches first speech unto Christ professing her faith and love now we have an Apostrophee or her aversion or turning of Speech from her Beloved unto the Daughters of Jerusalem to prevent those scandals and offences which might arise in respect of the Churches afflictions and infirmities which she was subject unto in this life It falleth out sometimes that some do love them that do not love them again and so the objection might be thus Thou art enflamed with a vehement and passionate love but is it not towards one that careth not for thee and one that doth farre excell thee For thou hast set him forth to be a glorious and great King so gracious and loving so sweet and pleasant so faire and beautifull so rich and compleat as that nothing under heaven is any way comparable unto him Now how is it possible that thou shouldst be a Spouse to such a glorious Bridegroom how should he love or delight in thee thou art but a black hued Virgin therefore canst not be fit to match to such a beautiful sweet King as is Messiah Now she answereth all this fully and that first by a double adjunct of colour or hue one contrary to the other 1. By confession I am black 2. By refutation but comely Both which are illustrated by two comparisons 1. To shew her blacknesse As the tents of Kedar 2. To shew her fairnesse As the curtains or the hangings of Solomon vers 5. Now she proceedeth unto a more full answer because none should take offence at her blacknesse as to impaire her dignity or worth or more lightly to regard or esteem of her and this she doth 1. By admonition to the daughters of Jerusalem not to despise or disdain her in these words Looke not upon me because I am black 2. Shee rendereth a reason of her admonition and that is drawn from the cause of her blacknesse and the cause is three-fold 1. From the supream cause The sunne hath looked upon me 2. From the instrumentall cause my mothers children were angry with me c. 3. From the impulsive cause which was internal wholly in her selfe that is though they made her the keeper of the Vinyards yet she kept not well her own Vineyard I am blacke but comely The Hebrew word here translated blacke signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Denigrari Nigresceie nigrnm esse In pih diluculo manè sedulò studiosè quaerete a nomine blacknesse or darknesse and therefore the Hebrew word Mishchar is taken from the same roote which signifies the morning or the day-dawning because of the blackness or darknesse thereof 1. By blacknesse or darknesse we may understand affliction or tribulation so the Prophet calleth tribulation night because the solitarinesse and fear thereof is like the darknesse Isa 26.
understand it for the adjunct of time to wit All night c. the night commonly signifieth the time of darknesse and affliction it being the time of solitarinesse and meditation as in Psal 77. 3 4. 6. Psal 63. 7. And so in Isa 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seeke thee early That is in the greatest fears and dangers I have made my addresse unto thee That noteth that Christ with his consolations should be her continuall joy and comfort whom shee would rest on in the times of the greatest tentations and troubles Betwixt my Breasts The Hebrew word that signifies a Breast or Pap is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mamma a Child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effudit quia mammae effunduns lac derived of a Chaldae word that signifies to powre out because Milke is powred forth from the Breast The Church seemeth to allude to the manner of women and Maids who were wont to weare betwixt their Breasts or in their bosomes Nosegays as we call them made of very odoriferous and sweet smelling flowers of which they made great account esteeming of them as a principall part of their Ornaments So the Church here finding and feeling her wel-beloved to be so sweet unto her saith that he is as a bundle of sweet Myrrhe and that shee will set him in her bosome even betweene her Breasts and there he shall remaine that shee may alwayes smell his sweetnesse Shee sheweth also of what great account Christ was to her that shee would place him so nigh her heart as it were as betweene her Breasts that as the Apostle saith Christ might dwell in her heart by faith Ephes 3. 17. Or the Breasts may signifie the ministry of the Church feeding of the Saints with the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. According to this the Prophet saith Rejoyce yee with Jerusalem c. that yes may suck and be satisfied with the Breast of her Consolations that yee may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Isa 66. 10 11. According to this Interpretation the Church declareth how exceedingly shee should be nourished and fed by the sweet administrations of Christ unto his Church and that shee should be spiritually nursed with her and receive abundance of consolation from her being nourished together by the doctrine of the Gospell of Jesus Christ Let us take a few Observations from hence A bundle of myrrhe c. Myrrhe you heard was very sweet in smell but better in tast and it was a precious ingredient in the holy Oyle Hence Observe First All the dispensations of Christ are very sweet and savory unto a beleiving soule There is such a kind of complacency or well-pleasednesse in the hearts of the Saints that they doe as it were acquiesce and rest well pleased in his grace and goodnesse It is true Christ is in this world a kind of a bitter sweet unto his Saints as I may so say but his sweetnesse doth swallow up all his bitternesse his bitternesse is in the lowest degree but his sweetnesse in the superlative so that let his dispensations be what they will his Saints are never weary of him yea they take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for his sake and when they are weake in themselves then they are strong in him and more then Conquerours as saith the Apostle And thus Christ is wellcome to the Saints upon any conditions whatsoever Let him come with a smile or with a frowne with a rod or with sweet imbracings in what shape soever he represents himselfe he is accepted of them Thus it was with Peter Lord if it be thou saith he bid me come unto thee on the water So it is with the Saints they refuse not to venture even upon the Boisterous waters to goe unto Christ When Samuel told Ely of judgement to come upon his Family It is the Lord saith he let him doe what he will So David I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didest it Psal 39. And Job Though he kill me I will trust in him Hence it is that the Children of God though they walke in darknesse and have no light at all yet they will trust in the name of the Lord and stay themselves upon their God Isa 50. 10. Though Christ be like myrrhe somewhat bitter in tast in respect of the amarulency and bitternesse of trouble tentation and the Crosse yet he is also sweet like a bundle of myrrhe refreshing the senses of the soule yeilding of them abundance of sweetnesse and satisfaction Secondly Observe That all our comforts in Christ are very sure comforts All his graces goodnesse and sweetnesse is as a bundle or bag of myrrhe bound up safe for us Hence the Apostle saith there is laid up for him a Crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 8. It was kept sure for him yet was treasured up for him as we use to treasure up Jewells and precious things So the Apostle Peter saith our Inheritance is reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. 4. These things are kept sure and certaine for us they are not given to us as grace was given to Adam who might lose it at his pleasure but we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Vers 5. Hence it is the Covenant of grace and of eternity is called The sure mercies of David Isa 55. 3. So are all things we have in Christ very sure and safe our comforts in him are sure comforts our peace a sure peace our joy a sure joy and the sweetnesse and redolency of his graces are sure unto us they are in him as myrrhe bound in a bundle or put into a bag which cannot be lost My Beloved Christ having called his Church his Love here shee returnes the same Epithite unto him againe Hence Observe That the Saints returne love to Christ for his love first manifested unto them Thus we have the Apostle We love him because he loved us first 1 John 4. 10. The flame of Christ's love warming of our hearts doth kindle a fire of love burning toward him againe The Trumpet of his goodnesse doth cause his people to eccho back praises unto him If first he love us we then can love him if first he praise us we then can praise him if he goe before and draw us we shall follow after Then let us eye Christ loving exalting and praising of us that so we may abundantly love exalt and praise him My Beloved is unto me The Church doth apropriate the sweetnesse of Christ unto her selfe Hence Observe That the Saints doe apply all the benefits of Christ vnto themselves in particular We have an example of this in the Apostle when he saith Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. He applieth the benefits of Christ's death to himselfe in particular And Thomas my
we on the contrary should labour as much as in us lies to cherish and keep it burning In this metaphor the Apostle seemeth to allude to the type of the Priests under the Law who were to cherish the holy fire on the Altar that it might not goe forth thus our faith and other graces must be blowne and stirred up and however we may have the graces of Christ in respect of the habits of them yet we should stir them up unto their acts else they may lye dead in us as fire covered with the ashes Christ would raise our hearts from earthly things unto those that are heavenly from worldly glory unto that which is divine and from carnall joy unto spirituall delight Christ had told the Church before that shee was beautifull but least her dull and misgiving heart should not believe it he adds Behold thou art faire c. Secondly It is a note of wonder and admiration as Behold a Virgin shall be with Child What greater wonder can there be then for a Virgin to conceive and bring forth a Son So here Behold thou art faire this must needs be a wonderfull thing that shee that was black and deformed should be thus beautifull and fair and that her naturall deformity should be cover'd with a supernaturall comelinesse this is an admirable thing indeed and well may it be prefaced with a note of admiration Behold thou art faire c. Thirdly it importeth to us an assurance of our spirituall beauty for this word Behold is a note of asseveration as I said before to assure us of the truth of the thing Our hearts are apt to misgive us and very unapt to believe the bounty and goodnesse of Christ we can hardly thinke he will bestow such glory and happinesse upon us as he hath promised now that he may take us off from this unbeliefe he doth declare it to us by this asseveration Behold thou art faire c. Thus much for the word of attention admiration and asseveration the next thing in the Preface followeth which is his love title unto his Spouse My love The same word is used here as was in Vers 9. and it signifieth a familiar a fellow-friend a companion it hath its name of feeding and conversing together And thus Christ declareth the reason of that intercourse of love betweene him and his people saying I have called you friends not Servants for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you And saith he you are my friends if you doe whatsoever I command you Joh. 15. 15. Now in that Christ doth so often give unto his Spouse this sweet and lovely title of friend and love and the like it manifests unto us his sweet everlasting undying affection unto his Saints by which he is one and the same to his Church for ever Hence Observe That Christs love unto his Saints is an everlasting and an undying love Christs love is eternall and everlasting a love that never decayes or waxeth cold like the stone Jul. Solin in Polyhist cap. 12. Albestos of which Solinus writes of that being once hot it can never be cooled againe The love of Christ towards his Saints is like a Fountaine ever flowing and never dried up or like the sacred fire which never went out The love of Christ whose gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. is an undying affection that never will decay Hence saith he in Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love And in another place With everlasting kindnesse will I have mery upon thee Though the Saints offend Christ often yet he loves them still he onely purges them and heales them of their spirituall maladies which cannot be done without some smart but he doth not a whit lessen or detract his love from them Though his people come upon him every day for new supplies yet his goodnesse is never wearied or tired out yea though thousands millions of his Saints presse upon him at once yet he hath for them all and the Fountaine of his love and grace is never emptied O what a whetstone should this be to our Spirits and how should this flame of Christ's eternall love towards us kindle a fire of love in our hearts towards him againe Nothing doth more concilliate and attract love then love it selfe it would be horrible ingratefull in us not to spend and be spent for him that hath lov'd us so much as Christ hath done certainly if love doe not draw us unto him nothing will The acts of Christ's love are the cords wherewith he draws souls unto himselfe I drew them with cords of love saith he Hosea 11. 4. And I drew them with loving-kindnesse Jer. 31. 3. Nothing will draw us unto Christ effectually if love will not Thus much for the Preface the Proposition followeth Thou art faire thou art faire The word Japhah signifies faire or beautifull not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pulcer elegans venustus decorus fuit in colour but in comely proportion and elegancy such as draweth love and liking as you heard in Ver. 8. The Church is called faire by reason of the graces and the spirituall beauty of faith hope love patience wherewith Christ hath beautified her The doubling of the word increaseth the signification it expresseth the superlative degree it is an usuall Hebraisme to expresse that which doth excell by the doubling of the word as faire faire that is most excellent and very faire for it doth expresse the vehemency of the mind when the Speech is so doubled Sometime we use the same forme of Speech even among our selves when we would most of all villifie one we say he is naught he is naught as Solomon saith of the buyer Prov. 20. 14. In like manner when we would expresse something most rare and exellent we use to say it is excellent it is excellent Even thus the Lord Jesus commendeth the beauty of his Church to be most rare excellent and transcendent that which can hardly be uttered with any words And thus Christ praiseth the excelling beauty of his Church not onely to comfort her with all the members thereof that neither the whole nor the parts of the whole should be discouraged with their blacknesse and deformity but also to declare thereby that shee is not onely faire but excellent transcendent and wonderfull faire and glorious in his sight Hence Observe That the Saints excell in beauty and are most amiable in Christ's sight It must needs be so for Christ is made unto them of God Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wisdome for covering their ignorance Righteousnesse for bearing their iniquity Sanctification for making them holy Redemption for her full and absolute Salvation Although the Church be black and there be many deformities and spots in the Saints while they are here yet Christ beholdeth his people according to those comely graces and vertues of faith love hope patience and the like wherewith he
love is gone joy and light is gone O! how dejected how disconsolate is the soule then It is a perfect hyeroglyphick or resemblance of A wounded spirit as Solomon cals it when the soule is full of perplexities and feares and can see no comfort then it must returne to Christ as to its strong hold there is my stay there is my comfort there I shall finde reliefe and refreshment or else no where Or else Secondly Wee may take the cause of the Churches sicknesse the object to wit the sight of Christs loves displayed by his banner and by tasting of his banquet even all the varietie of his sweet graces now because her minde which is the eye of the soule could not sustaine the glittering shine of his love no more then Job could shut up the Sea with doores Job 38. 8. or Agur close up the winds in his fist Prov. 30. 4. hereupon she is as one in a Syncope or fit of swooning being overcome with the bright and glorious beams of his love as it was said of the Queene of Sheba according to Historians who had no Spirit left in her because she was astonished at Solomons glorie riches wisedom and the like So here the Church having both sights and tasts of Christ love and sweetnesse is as it were overcome with it Hence Observe That the fulnesse of Christs love to his Saints doth as it were transport and overcome them The Church had been in the house of wine banquetting with Christ and under the displaying of the banner of his love upon which she cryeth out I am sick of love I am overwhelmed and overcome with his sweetnesse hereupon her heart was so much ravished with love that she is love-sick and ready to swoon therewith Or Thirdly Wee may take her sicknesse to be her exceeding love towards Christ that her heart is so ravished with love towards him that she is sick Love hath a strong appetition of peculiarity or private interest in the thing beloved Here is a marveilous passion of love in the Church towards Christ Now according to this interpretation the similitude is drawn from hence when a Virgine is betrothed and through the vehemencie of her love towards her Spouse is sick and swooneth a greater or a more vehement love cannot be Hence Observe That the Saints love to Christ is vehement and strong Here the Church is so taken and ravished with love towards Christ that she is love-sick and ready to swoone and with a patheticall exclamation crie th out as one that is ready to depart and dye she desireth to be refreshed with the sweet water of life distributed unto her in flagons and the sweet smelling Aples fetch out of Christs treasury and both held and applyed to her that by that meanes she might be as it were recovered of her sicknesse The faithfull soule tasting the sweetnes of those Aples of that heavenly wine hath such a desire of Christ as that she cannot be any meanes be satisfied without the enjoyment of him Here then is a sicknesse but not to death but unto life and satisfaction Christ himselfe pronounceth such Blessed that doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for saith he they shall be filled Matth. 5. 6. The sweetnesse of these Apples which she tasted and of that precious wine brought her into this passion yet her appetite and desire of them is not any thing at all diminished but she desireth to be more refreshed and comforted with those flagons of wine and to have applyed unto her self those sweet apples of Christ When Christ doth first lead a soule into his Wine-Cellar and doth refresh it at the heavenly banquet of heavenly delights and comforts he doth not distribute out a full measure of his spirit and grace but as it were some tasts or small drops of them which the Apostle cals The first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. And The earnest of the Spirit Ephes 1. Now by these drops the Saints are so taken and ravished with the wonderfull sweetnesse there is in those heavenly things that they are insatiable in their desire after a more plentifull measure of them Thus for the Churches request with the reason thereof Now followeth the fruit or effect of her request Vers 6. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth imbrace me In the last Verse we had the Churches disease described here we have the remedy Shee called out to the Ministers of Christ to help her in the former verse but it appears here that it is onely Christ that can apply cure Indeed they be instruments and no more for Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God that can give increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. It is Christ himselfe that is able to support his Church by his divine power Hence it is the Church addeth to her former Speech saying His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth imbrace me So that though shee had called unto others for help yet here she confesseth that all the efficacie is from Christ himselfe declaring that he doth stay her up with both his hands In these words observe The Churches declaration of Christs exceeding loue towards her and this love of Christ appeareth in one generall act of favour namely his sweet embracing her which embracements must needs argue love and favour In Christs embracements of his Church wee have two particulars First in his left hand conveighed under her head Secondly in his right hand amiably embracing her His left hand c. Some understand it prayer-wise Let it be under my head and then the Church prayeth unto Christ for supply of strength and sustentation and that he would comfort her heart by his word and Spirit as a loving Husband doth his wife in her sorrow and sicknesse for so the Apostle tels us That Christ nourisheth his Church Ephes 5. 29. Seeing these things are spirituall what may be meant by the left and right hand for the resolution of this mystery wee cannot bring in that of Christs right and left hand spoken of in Matth. 25. because the left hand is turned to the wicked but both hands here doe uphold the Church Some understand by the left hand of Christ his man-hood and by his right hand his God-head But I understand it here of whole Christ embracing of her with both hands as it were both his God head and man-hood his life death resurrection and ascension even all that is Christs is imployed for the good and comfort of his people The forme of speech may also seeme to allude to their feasts when they lay on the ground so that if any fainted they put one hand under them to lift them up and gave them some comfortable potion with the other In like manner Christ doth not leave his Church in her sorrow and sicknesse but imbraceth her with his owne hands in the manifestation of all love and mercy and keepeth her safe from evill Now if wee
Saints walk on high places and not remaine below on Mountaines of Earth but we should Mount up to Heaven in our hearts the hill of Gods holinesse and of our happinesse unto which Paul ascended in the vision of his soul and unto which Stevens heart and eye was lifted up in the end of his Apology because his defence was in the Heavens All our Salvation joy and happinesse commeth not from the Mountaines of flesh and blood but from the Heavens 5. These creatures were often made a prey and over-reached by the Huntsman therefore Christ himselfe is called Aijeleth Kashacar The Hind of the morning Psal 22. 1. Who in that Psalme is extreamly hunted with Doggs of the Evening so are all the Saints hunted by the men of the world 6. These Hinds are very charitable one unto another it is reported of them that when they swim over a River the first sustaineth the second and the second upholds the third c. Thus the Saints are exhorted by the Apostle to beare one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. Not looking every man on his owne things but every man also unto the things of others Phil. 2. 4. Thus in some measure all the Saints may be likened to the Roes and Hindes of the field not that they were to sweare by them but for whose sake and by whose means they were to take themselves bound as by a Solemne Oath not to stir or provoke Christ by any miscarriage whatsoever Thus far for the manner of his charge now followeth the matter thereof That yee stir not up nor awake my love The words may be read If yee stir and if yee stir up or If yee awake and if yee awake up for they are both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilavit excitatus fu it Trausitive excitavit of one signification save they differ in forme and being both referred to the Love after mentioned they meane a stirring up more or lesse The word If used in Oaths and adjurations is a prohibition upon penalty as in Gen. 21. 23. Sweare unto me here by God If thou shalt lie unto me That is that thou wilt not lie as Psal 89. 35. Once have I sworne by my holinesse if I lie unto David That is I will not lie unto David And in Mark 8. 12. If a signe be given which is explain'd in Mat. 16. 4. A signe shall be given And so if they shall enter into my rest Heb. 3. 11. Psal 95. 11. which the Apostle openeth thus He sware that they should not enter Heb. 3. 18. It is an imperfect Speech where an imprecation is understood Stirring is opposed unto sleep and quietnesse as sitting still The Lord is said then to stir up or awake when he delivereth his Church out of trouble as in Psal 78. 65. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep c. That is he stirred up himselfe to punish the Philistims whereas before he seemed to sleep And the Church then stirreth up the Lord when it earnestly prayeth for such deliverance as in Psal 44. 23. Awake why sleepest thou O Lord saith the Church but these things are spoken Ad captuâ— humanum after the manner of men for properly he â—hat keepeth Israel slumbereth not nor sleepeth not Psal 121. 4. We may apply this unto the stirring provoking of Christ by sin for which he doth often chastise and correct his people as appears in Exod. 23. 20 21. Behold saith the Lord I send an Angell to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voyce provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him The Angell here spoken of is Christ as appears by this that he hath power to pardon sin and Gods name is in him that is he is essentially God for Gods name and attributes are his very essence So that the charge is not to provoke or stir up Christ to indignation by sin or any miscarriage It followeth the title here given unto Christ My Love This word My is not found in the Originall but we may understand it my love to wit Christ her beloved who is called Love by an excellency as in Song 1. 4. Righteous persons were called righteousnesses God is love 1 John 4. 8. and is most worthy to be loved The Church is called by the name of love in Song 7. 6. Lastly we have the duration or continuance of this charge Vntill he please Vntill it please or untill he please meaning Christ and if we take it for provoking of Christ by sin it is meant never for so the word untill doth often signifie as in Isa 22. 14. this iniquity shall not be purged from you untill yee die that is never and it is said Michal had no Child untill the day of her death 2 Sam. 6. 23. That is shee never had any Child Or it may be meant of Christ's comming in the flesh and then we must take it thus the Daughters of Jerusalem are charged to suffer affliction under the Law being shut up unto the faith that should be revealed which Law was a School-master unto Christ Gal. 3. 23. And the Church was as a Child in her nonage under Tutors and Governors under the Law Vntill the appointed time of the Father Gal. 4. 1 2. Now I say according to this Interpretation they were charged to waite in faith and patience unto the comming of the Lord as it is in Jam. 5. 7. 1 Pet 5. 6 7. and not to provoke him by Murmuring or otherwise through feare or unbeliefe Now from this weighty charge Observe First That we ought to be carefull not to disquiet Jesus Christ whilst he seeks our quiet The Apostle adviseth us not to grieve the holy Spirit adding this reason Because saith he by it yee are sealed unto the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. So are we also on the other hand to please the Spirit as we would not turne away the Seale of our salvation The Prophet tells the reason why the Lord fought against his people Because saith he they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Isa 63. 10. Secondly Observe That Christ is the Churches love The love of the Saints may be divided and branched out to creatures some love to one creature and some to another but all the streame of their affections meet in Christ as the Rivers meet in the Sea and as the Sun-beams meet in the Sun As Christ eternall exceeding rich love is fastened onely upon the Church for indeed his love grows and plants it selfe there So a believers love is fixed onely upon Christ as upon its proper and onely object Thirdly in that this adjuration is limitted to the Beloveds will and good pleasure if we take it for provoking by sin Observe That our great care must be not at any time to sin against Christ to provoke him to wrath Job saith that faire weather commeth
fruitful by grace Hence it is the Lord promiseth to be As dew upon Israel that he shall grow as the Lilie and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shal spread his beautie shall be as the Olive-tree c. Hos 14. 4 5 6. that is as if the Lord had said I will heale their backslidings and love them freely for I will so water them with the dew of my grace and heavenly blessing that they shall be like the Olive-tree which is alwayes greene and flourishing as in Psal 52. 8. Hence Observe First That the Saints in respect of their graces are very sweet and fragrant They are compared to the flowers of the spring which are appointed rather to savour unto then to seed upon all the gracious speeches thanksgivings and prayers are as so many sacrifices of sweet smelling savour unto God by Jesus Christ The Prophet Zeph. in ch 3. 9. calleth it a pure language which the Lord would give to his people under Messits the face of the earth should be changed by the calling in of the Gentiles by their sanctification in heart tongue when they should speake the language of Canaan as the Prophet Isaiah speakes Chap. 19. 18. Secondly Observe That the Gospell makes men that are barren by nature to be exceeding fruitfull The flowers appeare in the earth c. which was naturally drie and barren Hence the Prophet Isaiah saith The Wildernesse and solitary place shall be glad for them and the Desart shall rejoyce and blossome as the rose it shall blossome abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing c. Isa 35. 1 2. that is the Wildernesse and the solitary place or as it is in the originall the land of drinesse or drought that is without moisture shall be a most plentifull and beautifull place by the glorie of Gods presence in his Church And in verse 6. he saith For in the Wildernesse shall waters breake out and streames in the Desart that is those that were barren before shall become fruitfull in grace and holinesse Being as the Apostle saith Filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 1. 11. So much for the first description of the Spring The second followeth The time of the singing of Birds is come The time of singing to wit by Birds The clause by Birds is not in the Originall but is necessarily understood seing not any other singing but such a singing of Birds as afterwards namely of the Turtle can here be understood that being one glorious effect of the Spring The old Latine turnes it Tempus putationis the time of lopping or pruning the Vines The Hebrew word Zamir indeed sometimes so signifieth as it signifieth also a singing as here it cannot be taken for cutting but for singing because afterward we have Vines brought in with their fruit and therefore cannot be the time of pruning and lopping Arius Montanus renders it Tempus cantus a time of singing Birds in Scripture are considered Sometimes in a good part Sometimes in an evill  1. They are taken in the evill part Matth. 13. where the Birds of the Aire steale away the seed of godlinesse 2. They are taken in a good sense as Levit. 12. 6. where Doves and Sparrows are an analogical Sacrifice to God as also in flocking of Fowles for such supply of oblation unto Noah's Arke Now for the first sort of Birds they are such as John speaks of in Revel 18. they be a Cage of uncleane and hatefull Birds whose Song is vanity and discord but for the singing here introduced intimates unto us the Song of Christs people who feeling the comforts of the Gospell and of the Spirit doe sing his praise and with Psalmes and Hymmes and spirituall Songs doe sing and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord Ephes 5. 19. The holy Ghost here alluding to the sweet accents of Birds Let us Observe hence First That the Gospell of Christ fills mens hearts and mouths with joy and praises The Gospel is cal'd good tidings Isa 61. 1. And tidings of great joy Luk. 1. 19. 8. 1. Rom. 10. 13. And thus we have the Prophet saying They shall lift up their voyce they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord c. From the utmost parts of the Earth have we heard songs glory to the righteous Isa 24. 14 16. And againe speaking of the times of the Gospell he saith Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb sing c. Isa 35. 6. That is they shall sing Songs of joy and praise to the Lord when the Gentiles began to appeare a Church then shee began to sing the praises of Messiah Secondly Observe That the ministration of the Gospell is much more comfortable then that of the Law The Law was the ministration of the Letter of death and of condemnation but the Gospell of Spirit of Life and of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3. The Law was given with terrible sound of thunder the Gospell in forme of delectable singing the first Song was an Elegie or sad dump the second an Eulogie an Hymme a Psalme of joy and gladnesse The Gospell puts Songs of joy and notes of delight into our mouths So much for the second description of the Spring The third followeth The voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land This Bird in the Originall called Tor which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dispositio forma gurtur appellatively is order as if this Bird above others were a Bird of order This Bird is a kind of Dove addicted to the Desart and solitary places true to his Mate whose Song is mixed with sadnesse in the winter season couched in some hollow Tree comming forth in the Spring with his mournfull Song By this Bird is sometimes meant the Church as in Psal 74. 19. O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle Dove unto the multitude of the wicked That is deliver not the life of thy Church to be pierced by the wicked shee being mournfull weake and timerous and unable to helpe her selfe And so the Church is called in Song 2. 14. 5. 2. but here it cannot be meant of the Church seing shee is stirred up to arise by the voice of the Tirtle What Bird of order can this be then but that which was appointed for a burnt Sacrifice in Levit. 1. 5. even Christ himselfe who during the time of the Laws winter was couched under shadows and therein lay as dead but when his Gospell was to be set up when he should appeare in the flesh and show himselfe in our nature then he sung personally to the Jewes and to the first fruits of the Gentiles afterwards by the glorious and plentifull mission of his spirit for thus Christ's spirit is resembled to a Dove as at his Baptisme Mat. 3. 16. So then by the voyce of the Turtle Dove is meant the voyce of the Spirit whereby they are refreshed and doe mutually comfort one another and doe jointly
the fruitfulnesse of the Vine in these words For our Vines have tender grapes For in the Hebrew and which word is often used instead of for as in Psal 60. 13. And in Genesis 12. 19. Our Vines or our Vineyards By the Vinyard and Vine is understood the Church of Christ and the Gospel The Prophet saith I will sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved of his Vine-yard Isa 5. 1. and the Vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant c. chap. 5. 7. But now wee must know that there are two sorts of Vines the one of Jerusalem the other of sodome as Moses speaketh For their Vine is the Vine of sodome and of the Vines of Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gaule their clusters be bitter their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruell gaule of Aspes c. Deut. 32. 31. Therefore it must not be the Vine of sodome but the Vine of Jerusalem which wee are to understand here This Vine is the Spouse of Christ and all the faithfull are labourers in the Lords Vineyard Tender grapes which doe but begin to bud and shew themselves even in the beginnings of the fruits of religion Foxes labour to destroy these as Herod sought to destroy Christ at the beginning of his dayes and Pharaoh the men Children of Israel at their birth that so Israel might be no more a Nation These Foxes therefore both great and small must therefore be taken and destroyed The words being thus unfolded let us take notice of these observations First Observe That the Spouse of Christ is alwayes troubled with some enemies There are alwayes those of greater or lesser power to afflict the Church there will alway be some San-bal-lat or Tobiah or some such to nible at the Vines of Christ of this the Scripture is full of testimonies Secondly Observe That these enemies of the Spouse are of a devouring nature That spoile our Vines c. Foxes are hurtfull to the labour of the husband-man samson being wrongd by the Philistims tooke three hundred Foxes and with their tailes set on fire burnt their corne with their Vineyards and Olives There have been alwayes false Teachers as in Moses time their stood up Jannes and Jambres and how many of Baals Prophets were there in the time of Elias and when was the Spouse of Christ free from persecution of tyrannicall Kings and Princes This is then the Churches portion and therefore not to be wondred at Thirdly Observe That Christ doth cherish the least buddings of grace in his Saints For our Vines have tender grapes When a Vine brings forth wild grapes Christ will take away the hedge of his vineyard and it shall be eaten up Isa 5. 4. But on the contrary Christ tels us that every branch that beareth fruit shall be purged that it may bring forth more fruit Joh. 15. 1 2. so that Christ hath great care to preserve young and tender fruit Fourthly Observe That such as would by subtiltie and tyrannie destroy the tender plants of Christ are to be restrained Take us the Foxes First for false Prophets they are to be discovered and refused of their errour and after all judg'd and cast out of the Church he that will deny the doctrine of the Gospell wee must not receive him neither bid him God-speed Joh. 2. 10. But in the end Christ himselfe will restraine both the Beast and the false Prophet as in Revel 19. 20. And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought miracles before him c. These were both cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with brimstone Therefore let all persecuting emperours Kings and Priests know that the time will come that Christ will take them and chaine them up or else destroy them and in that he sayes these shall be taken alive it notes out unto us the great and horrible torments that they shall indure and that is called the Lake of fire to wit an exquisite torment thereby resembled VERS 16 17. My beloved is mine and I am his he feedeth among the Lilies Vntill the day breake and the shadows flee away turne my beloved and be thou like a Roe or young heart upon the mountaines of Bether THe Church having finished Christs speech shee now concludeth this divine act with a kinde of a triumphant acclamation upon the former passages for now she begins to feele some comfort from Christs drawing neer unto her after her soule-sicknes Hence she breaketh out First With praise verse 16. Secondly With prayer verse 17. First Wee have the praise of Messiahs love and feeding his love is laid downe First In the gift of himselfe to his Spouse expressed in these words My beloved is mine c. Secondly In that she was made his And I am his He being hers she therefore became his Lastly She praiseth his feeding affirming that to be among the Lilies In these words My Beloved is mine and I am his there is a mutuall intercourse and vicissitude of claiming interest betwixt Christ and his Church the Church indeed glorieth in this but not so much in her selfe as in her beloved according to that of the Apostle He that glorieth let him glorie in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 31. And observe what it is she glorieth in namely in that communion which is betweene her and Christ and this shee declareth by a passionate expression of comfort and that from the highest pitch of affection from a heart enflamed with love saying I am my Beloveds and my beloved is mine First Note from these words My beloved is mine c. That there is a union betweene Christ and his Saints from whence ariseth all sweet communion Christ is the head of his Spouse and she by the Spirit united unto him as his mysticall body he is Christ the giver of all spirituall influence to his Church Christ is also the Churches as by marriage if the person of the Husbands be the wives his goods and titles of honours are hers also he having passed over the right of his owne body unto her so is it in the mysticall marriage betweene Christ and the Spouse that union and conjunction of persons betweene them doth intitle the Church in the communion of all his graces Now from this union of persons comes a communion of all good things so that the Church can say if Christ be mine all that he hath is mine what he hath done and what he hath suffered is mine and why because he is mine for union is the foundation of all blessed communion And so againe on the other side the Church can say I am his my person my life and strength and all is his to glorifie him so there is a union and communion mutually betweene Christ and his Church The originall and spring hereof is Christs uniting and communicating himselfe first to his Church for the Spring begins to the streame what hath the streame but it first was
in the Spring Now there is an evidence of right and propriety that Christ doth communicate unto his Saints whereby they have a comfortable interest in him First In all his workes and performances they are in a peculiar respect for every Saint his making of the world setling of policies and governments rooting up of Kingdomes executing of judgements in the earth rewarding some and punishing others and the like all these and in all other generall providentiall workes of Christ the Saints have a kinde of interest and proprietie in next unto his owne glorie Christ aimed at the good of his Church in all these things and doth alwayes make them instrumentall for her welfare in which sense are the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours saith he whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all is yours Secondly The Saints have a claime also in the dignities and honours of Christ There is a reciprocation as it were betweene him and his people they are mutually and interchangeably glorified in one another as Christ is glorified in them Joh. 17. 10. so they are unspeakably dignisied and graced by him The glorie of Children saith Solomon are their Fathers Prov. 17. 6. If the father be heroicall or any way excellent this is the Sonnes glorie unlesse he degenerate now the Saints are called the Seed and the Children of Christ whatsoever therefore he excels in it is their dignitie and their glorie Besides Christ doth impart of his glorie and honour to them making them like himself Is Christ a sonne and heire of all so are thy sonnes and heirs and Co-heirs with Christ shall he judge the World So shall they in some sort Doth he breake in pieces the Nations with a rod of Iron so doe they is he ascended into glory so shall they ascend there is not any whit of his glory unlesse it be that which is utterly incommunicable but they have a touch of it if I may so say yea and that which is incommunicable redounds to their glory also Thirdly the Saints have interest in the Offices of Christ Every Saint may say of Christ he is my Prophet and Teacher he is my Priest and Reconciler he is my King and Governour yea the Saints have such an interest in these Offices of Christ that vertue comes out of him to make them even Prophets and Priests and Kings also Prophets in some measure to teach themselves and others Priests to offer spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ and Kings to rule over their owne lusts and corruptions Fourthly the Saints have interest in the graces of Christ he that hath the field hath also the treasure that is hid in it It was the greatest consolation and joy of the Spouse that shee could say My Beloved is mine So all that is in Christ a Believer may appropriate to himselfe he may say his riches his love his goodnesse his greatnesse his power and all that is his is mine I have interest in all those transcendent graces of his his mercy his truth his promises they are all mine Thus the Saints have a peculiarity and right in Christ which is as the Spring of all mutuall love betweene them Now to joine the words together My Beloved is mine and I am his they imply 1. A mutuall interest as Psal 73. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and what is there in Earth in comparison of thee He is mine yea and I am his there is propriety with peculiarity and interest 2. The words imply a mutuall love Christ is the object of the Saints best affections and the Spouse is the very Center of Christs love his love rests on the Church and scatters not to other objects Thus the Apostle applyes the love of Christ saying He loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. And we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4. 19. So that the Church may say Christ is mine and his love is mine and I am Christs he hath my soule my affections and all that I have is his he hath my love to the uttermost 3. The words doe also imply mutuall familiarity Christ is my familiar my fellow-friend and Companion he discovers himselfe unto me in the secrets of his love So the Saints have a spirit of fellowship and familiarity with God in Christ so that they can unbosome and let open their hearts to him upon all occasions as unto a familiar 4. And lastly they imploy complacency or resting one in the other Christ hath a complacency and resting in his Spouse he is well pleased in her taking the greatest satisfaction and content in her that possible can be thought on So the Church hath a complacency or well-pleasednesse in her beloved whereby shee doth approve and like of all that is in him resting in his goodnesse as in the most lovely and desireable object in the World Hence shee saith in Chap. 1. Verse 1 2. Thy love is better then Wine Because of the savour of thy good Ointments powred forth therefore doe the Virgins love thee This shews what a pleasing and delightfull object Christ is to a believer what more acceptable to the tast then fragrant wine Christ is far more acceptable to a Saint What more pleasing to the smell then sweet Ointments of an exquisite composition Christ is the same and far sweeter to the heart of a believer so that the Saints from this complacency and wel-pleasednesse in Christ doe sweetly acquiesce and rest in him as in the loveliest object in the world Having spoken of the union and communion betwixt Christ and his Church where was set forth the mutuall interest and owning between Christ and the Church Now it will be necessary that I speake something of the order of this union Christ is first ours then we are his My beloved is mine and I am his Hence Note That Christ is first ours and then we are his because he is ours For this there are foure grounds 1. Christ is the well-spring of all grace in us our grace comes from his grace and our love from his love as appears 1 John 4. 10. 9. 2. Because the lesse is first beloved of the greater the nature of love is first to discend the superiour first loves the inferiour as the love of a Father discends to his Child first then the Childs love ascends back to the Father So Christ first condiscends to love us then we ascend in our love to him againe 3. From the attractivenesse of Christs love Magnes amoris est amor love is the attractive loadstone of love now our nature is such that we will love onely where we are first loved as the heat of the Sun-beams reflect from a wall so Christs love to us cannot but cause a reflexion of ours upon him our love is but a sparke of his We loved him saith the Apostle because he loved us first when he
is most true that God hath advanced Christ and set the crowne of glorie and dominion upon him Psal 8. Heb. 2. 9. but yet withall his Mother doth also after a sort set the Crowne of glorie upon his head Seeing the Spouse is the fullnesse of him that filleth all in all Ephes 1. 2. and the Church is said sometimes to be the Mother of Christ Rev 12. As for the Crowne it is a signe of victorie and dominion Psal 21. And when Christ fighteth with his enemies He hath on his head many crownes or diadems Revel 19. 11. 12. So when Christ ruleth over the Saints they by their submission doe put a Crowne upon his head acknowledging his power Hence Observe First That Christ is invested with a Crowne of soveraignty and power He is crowned with glorie and honour Psal 8. 5. The Father hath exalted him and put all things under his feet Heb. 2. and hath given all things into his hands John 3. 35. Secondly Observe That Christ is crowned with honour and dignitie by his Church As the Father hath honoured his Sonne by setting a Crowne upon his head and putting a Scepter into his hand so the Saints by submitting unto his Law and authority doe honour him also acknowledging all his dignitie that the Father hath put upon him Thus it is said of the Church of the Gentiles that they should be a Crowne in the hand of the Lord and a royall diadem in the hand of God Isa 62. 3. The Apostle calleth such as he had gained by the preaching of the Gospell his Crowne and glorie Phil. 4. 1. How much more may Christ himselfe account his Church which he hath purchased by his owne blood his crowne and glorie This Crowne is also made excellent from the circumstance of time In the day of his espousals c. This must needs be meant of the time when Christ was espoused to his Church even the day of the Covenant made betwixt Christ and his people Ezek. 16. 8. And the Lord saith unto Jerusalem I remember thee the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wildernesse Jer. 22. Hence Observe That the Saints are espoused unto Christ This is that which the Apostle tels the Corinthians when he saith For I have espoused you unto one Husband that I might present you as a chast Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. And the Lord saith I will betroth thee unto me c. Hos 2. 19. that is I will establish my Covenant of grace with thee to forgive thy sins and to take no notice of thy unworthinesse Now followeth the second circumstance of time And in the day of the gladnesse of his heart These words plainly intimate that Christ did not only marrie himselfe unto his Spouse but also that he did it freely with a gladsome spirit Hence Observe That the espousing of the Saints unto Christ is matter of great joy unto him Thus it is said in the Prophet As the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Isa 62. 5. So that looke with what kind imbracings and what great affection a bridegroome receiveth his Bride with the same and greater doth Christ receive his people So much for the third Chapter CANTICLES Chap. IIII. VERS 1 2 3 4 5. Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire thou hast Doves eyes within thy locks thy haire is as a flock of Goats that appeare from Mount Gilead Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn which come up from the washing whereof every one bare twins and none is barren among them Thy lips are like a thred of scarlet and thy speech is comely thy temples are like a peece of pomgranate within thy locks Thy neck is like the Tower of David builded for an armory whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all sheilds of mighty men Thy two breasts are like two young Roes that are twins which feed among the Lilies TO the end that the Church might well know and feele that her love towards Christ and her seeking after him was not lost as also she did not commend him in vaine all which things were largely handled in the former Chapter it pleaseth Jesus Christ the bridegroome and head of his Spouse in this Chapter to commend the excellency of his Church as in sundrie speciall parts of the same and also delareth his singular love to her againe and doth as it were assure her of the same This Chapter may be divided in two parts The First is a singular comendation that Christ giveth to the Church which beginneth at the first verse and so holdeth on to the 14. wherein also there are three parts First An excellent and singular description handled allegorically of the parts and Members of the Church he putting downe seven in number this is contained in the five first verses of the Chapter Secondly Christ professeth his great wonderfull love towards the Church making large promises and also descrbing notable wayes unto her vers 6 7 8 9. Thirdly Christ againe returneth to commend his Spouse with all those excellent graces that were so sweet delightfull and pleasurable in her from verse 10. to verse 14. The second part of the Chapter contains an excellent speech of the Church with Christs answer to the same verse 15 16 17. In the Churches speech there is First A commendation of her head Christ uers 15. Secondly A desire of all good things to flow downe from her head Christ unto her selfe acknowledging all her enjoyments to be from him vers 16. In Christs answer there is contained a promise of his most gracious acceptation of such fruits as his Spouse should yeild unto him VERS 1. Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire c. HEre beginneth Christs commendations of his Church and first he commendeth her beauty in generall in the words Behold thou art faire my love c. And afterwards he entereth into a particular commendation of her severall parts and members And 1. Of her Eyes vers 1. 2. Of her Haire vers 1. 3. Of her Teeth vers 2. 4. Of her Lips vers 3. 5. Of her Temples vers 3 6. Of her Necke vers 4. 7. Of her Breasts ver 5. Thus Christ enumerates and reckons up all the parts of the Church which sheweth what a pleasant harmony and specious consent of parts shee hath whereby shee is exceeding beautifull But first of the praise in generall Behold thou art faire my Love thou art faire When the Scripture doth prefix this word Behold to any sentence it noteth for the most part a thing to be wondered at as was noted in Chap. 1. 15. Faire or beautifull not onely in colour but in comely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puliher elegans venustus decorus fuit proportion and elegancy such as draweth love and liking This is meant of the graces of the spirit and that spirituall beauty wherewith God
the great Rabbies and Doctors of the world and no marvaile for God ordaineth strength out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings Psal 8. And he hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and the base things of the world and things that are dispised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That no flesh should glorie in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29. No fleshly nor carnall man shall boast in Gods sight and therefore by his wisedome and power he will overturne the wisedome and power of flesh that his owne spirit wisedome power and righteousnesse might be exalted in his Saints Now followeth the thing it selfe given the charge If yee finde my beloved tell him that I am sick of love If yee finde my beloved which sheweth they had but little knowledge of Christ they had not the cleare manifestation of his love and favour they apprehended him but darkely being ignorant almost of him as appeares by their answer in the next verse Hence Observe That many Saints know but little of Christ Hence the Spouse saith here if ye finde him that is if you come to a more cleare knowledge and revelation of him many Christians know Christ after the flesh and after the letter but how few know him after the Spirit many know Christ as he is set forth in the historie of the Gospell to be crucified and risen but few know Christ found in them by the spirit It followeth Tell ye him that I am sick of love Tell ye him or as it is in the Hebrew What shall yee tell him interogatively which he speaketh shortly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est quid indicabilis ci as many times lovers doe and yet the interogation containeth more vehemency in it and serveth to beautifie the speech also It is an earnest and passionate kind of speech shewing her earnest affection after her beloved Would you know what you should tell him even that which followeth That I am sick of love She cannot conceale the heat and vehemencie of her love but even after the manner of lovers declareth the same who the more they be absent one of them from another the more their love increaseth and the more greatly doe they desire to be joyned together The truth is that the Spouse is so farre off from keeping closse her love towards her beloved that she doth not only reveale it to them but intreateth them rather freely to open it and declare the same especially to her beloved But what will yee tell him This demanding question sheweth that her love did so appeare that they must needs if they tell him any thing tell him That shee is sick of love The Greeke rendereth it wounded with love that is with languishing desires after him This is exceeding great love that she commeth to be love-sick as one ready to languish and faint away with love here 's a sicknesse but not unto death but unto life a sicknesse that still bringeth comfort and satisfaction with it a sicknesse that shall be cured with Christ the great Phisition Hence Observe First That true affections towards Christ will desire inenlargement from others The Spouse here desireth these daughters to tell Christ of her affection towards him to the end that Christ might more and more discover his love and favour unto her The Apostle desired that the Thessolonians would pray for him That he might be delivered from unreasonable men 1 Thess 3. 2. Secondly Observe That there is a distemper and unquietnesse in the affections of the Saints in the want of the full enjoyment of Christ There is no contentment without union and enjoyment and the more excellent the thing is that is loved the more contentment there is in communion with it and where it is hindred in the least degree or measure there is disquietnesse such as is the contentment in injoying such is the sorrow and sicknesse in parting The greatest happinesse of the Spouse was in the injoyment of her beloved and the greatest of her sorrow and sicknesse is in parting with him But now if the flesh had borne sway that would have reasoned after another way as thus I opened the doore and he withdrew himselfe and by that occasion I have suffered great calamitie therefore I have small cause to love him seeing he doth hide himselfe from me and cause me to be thus stricken and wounded why should I set my heart upon him The flesh I say would minister such kinde of reasons but the Saints are not led by the flesh and its wisdome but by the Spirit which teacheth them the more they suffer for Christ the more to love him This is a thing beyond the reach of humane reason the Spouse having fallen into so great affliction by seeking after her head Christ is thereupon sick of love The Saints rejoyce in tribulation and count it their honour to suffer for Christ and the more they suffer in his name he doth so strengthen them and worke in them by the Spirit that the more they love him Thus having heard what the Spouse saith to the daughters of Jerusalem let us now see what answer they doe make VERS 8. 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 THe same words of well-beloved are repeated againe and againe to shew that the stronger is love But by the answer of the daughters of Jerusalem in which they seemed not yet to know Christ fully as is apparent by their answer for instead of giving satisfaction to her they reply with asking new questions saying What is thy beloved more then another beloved c. In this answer here are two parts First A sweet and loving compellation O thou fairest among women Secondly The question is doubled What is thy beloved more then another beloved And againe What is thy beloved c. that thou dost so charge us As if these Daughters had sayd there is some great matter in it there is some excellency superhumane that thou layest such a charge upon us that thou dost so enquire after him But first of the compellation O thou fairest among women The Spouse is the fairest among women in the judgement of Christ himselfe so he cals her O thou fairest among women Cant. 1. 8. And here the fellow-Members of the Church terme her so too faire and the fairest yea incomparable faire Hence Observe That the Spouse is surpassing faire and beautifull not only in the eyes of Christ but also in the judgement of her own members and that in the time of her greatest perplexities and sorrows Here the Spouse though persecuted and abused by wicked watchmen who beate her wounded her and tooke away her vaile from her is not withstanding discerned and acknowledged to be faire and glorious by such as are the faithfull of Jesus Christ Thus
come now to the sense of the words of the text as they lye Thou art beautifull O my love as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem terrible as an Army with banners In this generall description of the glorie of the Spouse by which Christ maketh her glorious unto himselfe he doth commend her by comparing her to two goodly Cities 1. To Tirzah 2. To Jerusalem In the next place he doth commend her terrible fortitude when he saith Shee is terrible as an Army with banners Thou art beautiful O my love Christ having met with his Spouse who laboured and sought to finde him doth after the manner of lovers declaring his great affections marveilously commend her beauty wee must understand this in a spirituall sense for the Spouse hath no beauty but she receives it from Christ so that Christ doth but commend his owne beautie in the Spouse Now as this respects Christ it propoundeth unto us the manifestation of his unfeined and continuall love towards his Spouse Or if we respect the Spouse herselfe then this commendation is for her comfort as if Christ should say thinke not that that surpassing beauty of thine is decayed or that I have cast off my love and liking towards thee by reason of thy former discourtesies and negligence I doe not disdaine and scorne thee for thy spots and defilements but as I said before in chap. 4. 1 2. So I even now affirme the same still thy beautie and thy favour is most acceptable and delightfull to me Hence Observe first That Christ's love towards his Saints is a beautifull and continuall love Christ doth not sometimes love and sometimes hate but whom he loves once he loves to the end Although the Saints offend Christ often yet he loves them still he only purges them and heales them of their spirituall maladies which cannot be done without some smart but he doth not a whit lessen or detract his love from them though his people come upon him every day for new favours and new supplyes yet his goodnesse is never wearied or tired out The love of Christ towards his Saints never decayes or waxeth cold like the stone Asbestos of which Solinus writes of that being once hot it can never be cooled againe The love of Christ is like a fountaine overflowing and never Jul. Solin Poly histor Cap. 12. dryed up yea though thousands millions of his Saints presse upon him at once yet he hath enough for them all for the fountaine of his love is never emptyed Secondly note That Christs love towards his Saints is not only everlasting but an exceeding great and magnificent love Here behold the greatnesse of the love of Christ who doth quite forget all offences committed against him as if they had never been he doth not so much as once upbraid his Spouse for her unkinde dealing it 's without question the Saints having experience how sweet the Lord is being made partakers of his great benefits when the flesh prevailes upon them are much dismayed fearing that now they cannot be beautifull and deare in his sight Now they have deformed themselves how should he love and delight in them Here is therefore a speciall comfort ministred that those breathing after his presence he doth refresh them he doth imbrace them he doth love them he doth commend them and delight in them even as if they had never done evill against him what a sweet gracious and exceeding love is here who can expresse the riches of this grace who can be able any way to set forth this bountifulnesse of the Lord Now this beautie which is thus set forth in general whereby the Spouse is commended by comparing her in respect of her glory to two famous Cities 1. To Tirzah 2. To Jerusalem Thou art faire as Tirzah Tirzah is the name of a most pleasant Citie in the coasts of Israel scituated upon the River Euphates where after that the Kingdome of Israel was rent from the house of David Jeroboam the King of Israel built his Palace or dwelling house there it being the most pleasant place in all the borders of Israel of this Citie you may reade 1 Kings 14. 17. also 15. 21. and 16. 6 c. This Citie was the dwelling place of one of the 31. Kings whom Joshua conquered Josh 12. 24. It hath its name of pleasantnesse or wel-pleasednesse being derived of a word that signifieth to accept or like of because it did by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Voluit bene volus delectatus placatus reconciliatus fuit acceptavit contentus fuit the pleasantenesse and beauty thereof draw all men as it were to the liking thereof which shews it to be a goodly pleasant place such as Kings delight to dwell in A like beauty is here ascribed to the Spouse being made faire and beautifull in her beloved by the indwellings of God and his glorious spirit the Father Son and Spirit these take up the soul for a Pallace or delightfull place to dwell in so that the souls of the Saints are made glorious by the indwellings of God when he sets up his Throne there and doth administer life spirit and glory It 's added Comely as Jerusalem As for the beauty of this City we have it much commended in Scripture where it is called the praise of the whole Earth Isa 62. 7. See also Psal 122. 3. 48. 2 3 c. It was the place where the Lord chose to dwell and had his Temple built there on Mount Sion and the Church under the New Testament is called Jerusalem holy and heavenly Revel 21. Besides forreigne Writers report it to be the most famous See Plln. Hist Lib. 5. cap. 14. City in the East Jerusalem signifies in the Hebrew the sight of peace Thus we see the beauty and glory of the Spouse set out unto us by Earthly similitudes And though it be true indeed that none of these things can sufficiently declare the same unto us yet we may perceive that the Scripture hath not onely taken the most excellent things of the Land of Judah and Israel but of the whole world to set forth the same unto us that so under these earthly resemblances he might the better make us who are very gross and dull to conceive of heavenly and spirituall things Now in that the beauty glory and splendour of the Spouse is set forth by these two pleasant and famous Cities which were both places of renown So then comparing the Spouse to Tirzah which was the Kings Pallace it is as much as if he had said I will dwell in my Church I will be neer her and make her the place of my residence And as for Jerusalem she is not onely commended for her sanctity that she is the holy City but also for her peace and glory above other places Hence Observe That the Spouse is made glorious by the presence of Christ and by that peace and tranquillity that accompanies the same The Spouse is glorious by the presence and indwellings
downe sweetly and makes those that are asleep to speake I said I will goe up to the palme-tree and take hold of the boughes c. These words as you heard before containe a promise of Christ to his Spouse wherein he doth declare what he will doe for her what excellent things he will performe and bring to passe for her First The actions of Christ are declared in these words I will goe up to the palme-tree I will take hold of her boughes I said that is I doe vehemently affirme the speech containes as it were a grave sentence I give thee my promise and looke what I promise thee I will performe c. I will goe up into the palm-tree that is I will draw nigh unto thee I will afford thee my presence It 's added I will take hold of the boughes thereof he meaneth by this speech that he would purge it that so he might not only perceive but receive fruit of her even as the palme-trees the tender branches are specially pruned and trimmed because they should yeild blossomes and buds for fruit The Hebrew Sansinuim here translated boughs or branches properly signifies the highest branches in the Tree and is not used in any place of Flin lib. 13. cap. 4. Scripture but in this because the palme-tree as writers say hath not boughes on the sides like other Trees but doth only at the top send forth such long bowes and there also the fruit it selfe groweth In summe this is Christs meaning that he will goe up into the palm-tree that is joyn himself to his Spouse who before was resembled to the same and will take hold of her boughes to the end he may prune and dresse her that she may bring forth abundance of fruit such as Christ himselfe may accept of Hence Observe First That the Saints stand in need of pruning and loping and to have their superfluous branches taken off to make them fruitfull Hence it is that Christ saith here I will get up into the Palme-tree and take hold of her branches which doth shew he had the possession of his Spouse his love and care was over her to prune and dresse her to purge her that shee might bring forth more fruit as it is said of the Fathers purging of the Vine that it might bring forth more fruit John 15. 1 2. Secondly Observe That it is onely Christs worke to purge his Saints Christ doth elsewhere compare himselfe to the Vine but here to a Husbandman to prune and lop off the superfluous branches of his Spouse this is the proper worke of Christ and none can doe it besides him for he saith Without me you can doe nothing John 15. 5. None is able to act or any way purifie himselfe but by the spirit and life of Christ within him Thus much for Christs performance the effects follow Now also thy breasts shall be as the Clusters of the Vine and the smell of thy Nose like Apples The Breasts of the Spouse were before compared to Clusters but now to the Clusters of the Vine This denotes a greater measure of the sweet juyce of the Spirit to be powred out upon her and doth in a more plenteous manner draw forth her breasts and minister food and divine nourishment unto her Children Hence Note That Christ doth fill the Spouse with the sweet juyce of his spirit whereby she is able to nourish her Children The Spouse doth alwayes minister food to her members but here her breasts are not onely likened to Clusters but to clusters of the Vine intimating that as Christ doth more abundantly administer unto her so she doth more plentifully administer unto others The breasts of the Spouse are then alwayes like clusters of the Vine there is in them a right wholesome and sweet juyce but when the Lord powreth forth upon her the greatest measure of his spirit then doth she in a most plenteous manner draw forth her Breasts and minister food unto her Children Now followeth the second effect where he saith And the smell of thy Nose like Apples The Nose of the Spouse was before commended for the comely forme thereof in verse 4. which denoted her courage and behaviour now here it 's commended for the sweet breath that commeth from it it 's said to be like the smell of Apples that is like sweet and pleasant smells that come from Apples Hence Observe That Christs divine presence with us is so excellent it maketh us fragrant to himselfe sweet and comfortable unto others The sweet odour of the Spouse is her fame spread abroad and is comfortable to those that smell the sent thereof The Lord doth manifest the savour of his knowledge by his people in every place 2 Cor. 2. 14. This savour is like the savour of Apples which refresh those that languish and are sick of the love of Christ The Spouse can breath nothing but sweetnesse all that approach neer her shall smell the savour of her sweet breath The breath of Antichrist is loath some to all that can smell but the breath of Christ through the Saints is to the savour of their Nose as the savour of Apples Therfore the sum of all is thus much as if Christ had spoke thus much to his Spouse I will not onely be present with thee satisfying my selfe as it were in thy breasts and beauty and delighting in thy love continually but I will also make thee strong fresh lively yea sweet and pleasant to all such as shall come unto thee by meanes of such graces as I shall indue thee withall and to the same effect tend the words of the next verse VERS 9. And the roofe of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved that goeth downe sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speake HEre is the last effect of Christs approaching neer his Spouse namely that it maketh the roof of her mouth like the best wine which wine is amplified by the effect of it above other wine in that first it 's said To goe down sweetly Secondly It causeth the lips of those that are asleep to speake The roofe of thy mouth is like the best wine c. The roofe or pallate of the mouth is to discerne and tast withall as it 's said Job 34. 3. The pallate tasteth meat But in relation to others it is the instrument of speech as in Prov. 8. 7. My pallate shall speake truth So that by the roofe of her mouth is here signified that which proceedeth out of her mouth towit her holy word and doctrine which she doth declare and publish This lively word is here likened unto good wine Viz. both for colour strength tast and sweetnesse for all these concur together in good wine meaning here by good wine the best most excellent sweet and wholesome wine that it shall smell well and be most sweet and mighty in operation and hence it is that this wine is commended for the goodnesse thereof as it is described in the next
whereby it hath declared it self unto men that it is now become a grape and groweth which at the first appearing of it or as it were in bud can hardly be discerned It followeth Whither the Pomegranates flourish The nature and use of the Pomegranate hath been spoken of in Chap. 4. 13. the budding of this fruit whereof also there was good store in those Countries was a signe of the Spring time and the flourishing thereof as it were of the Summer at hand by all these similitudes and comparisons the Spouse declareth what the fruits of Christs presence will be that there will be nothing but fruitfullnesse and flourishing when Christ shall draw neere Christ comes not empty to his Spouse but he brings abundance of grace and sweetnesse with him Hence Observe That when Christ fils any soule with a divine presence there is a great flourishing and springing forth of all divine grace and glorie To this purpose is that in the Prophet Isa 27. 3. 6. where it is said He causeth them that come of Jacob to take root Israel shall blossome and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit And againe it 's said in Isa 56. 9. And I will bring forth saith the Lord a seed of Jacob and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountaines and mine elect shall inherit it and my servants shall dwell there And in Ezek. 20. 40. 41. There shall the house of Israel all of them in the Land serve me there will I accept them and there will I require your offerings and the first fruits of your oblations with all your holy things I will accept you with your sweet savour c. by all these similitudes the excellency beautie sweetnesse and glorie of the Spouse is set forth and that shee shall flourish by vertue of the divine presence of God and fellowship with Christ This is further expressed in the last clause of the verse There will I give thee my loves This is the returne that the Spouse makes to her beloved namely that shee will returne Christs loves upon him againe that is shee will manifest and make an open declaration of her unfeigned affection towards him And she speaketh of loves in the plurall number thereby to set out both the excellency of the same and also the abundance and plenty thereof When the soule comes to be united to Christ it is as it were swallowed up of love and doth make evident manifestations thereof Hence Observe That the Saints doe manifest most love to Christ when he is manifesting most of himselfe in them When the Spouse is made as a fruitfull field as a flourishing Vine and Pomegranate then shee gives Christ her love then her heart is full of divine love and she will let out the whole streame of her sweet affections towards Christ In the next verse she mentioneth her fruits and that she reserveth them wholly to Christ her welbeloved VERS 13. The mandrakes gave a swell and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits new and old which I have laid up for thee my beloved THese are most commendable things that the Spouse speaketh of First That she doth so flourish and abound in sweet things which are all the sweet fruits of the Spirit Secondly That shee keepeth them only for the Lord for the true Spouse is chast and faithfull unto Christ Hence she saith My love I have kept them for thee Before wee speake any thing of the sense of this verse wee will a little looke upon the words The Hebrew Dudaim is here turned Mandrakes which is not used in all the old Testament but only in this place and Gen. 30. 14 15. in which almost all Interpretours both Jewes and Christians doe turne it Mandrakes these Mandrakes have allusion in name to Dodim loves forementioned and Dod that is beloved as she after calleth Christ Some take the word more generally for all amiable flowers such as be faire and lovely for the Spouse is as a garden of sweet flowers Mandrakes grew in the field and were found in the dayes of wheat Harvest as in Gen. 30. 14. c. It appeares by Rachels desire of them and by the smell here they are said to give that they were lovely and pleasant these lovely flowers yeilding a savour sheweth that the Spouse had sweet things to smell unto for the entertainement of her beloved These Mandrakes are said to give a smell or sweet odour At our gates are all manner of sweet fruits The word signifieth precious things And by the gates or doores which seemeth to be opposed unto the fields where Mandrakes grew signifieth that both at whom and abroad neere and farre the fame and odour of the Saints spread it selfe or by the gates wee may understand it as an allusion unto customes and orders observed on marriage dayes men being wont to strow their houses doores yea and streets and all with sweet smelling herbes New and old There is great store and plenty of them for this is an usuall thing by these termes to expresse abundance see the phrase in Matth. 13. 52. where the Kingdome of heaven is like the housholder which bringeth out of his treasurie things new and old New and old signifieth variety and plenty Leviticus 26. 10. And old fruits are often times better then new as Luke 5. 39. It s added Which I have laid up for thee O beloved The Spouse declareth that these things are for to welcome her beloved she desires that Christ may take pleasure and delight in them she willingly offereth them all for his entertainment Now from this verse thus opened Observe First That the Spouse is as a garden full of sweete flowers She is the Lords garden the Lords field where all kinde of divine and heavenly flowers grow where is varietie and abundance of all sweetnesse and fragrancie she is an Orchard of Pomegranates Camphire and Spiknard with the Trees of frankincense myrrhe and aloes with all the spices the sweet Vine is in her and the Mandrakes of a goodly smell with pleasant fruits new and old namely all the sweet incomes of spirit and life from Christ all the sweet refreshing delights of the Spirit Observe Secondly That the Spouse doth entertaine Christ with all her sweetnesse These are things saith she that I have kept for my beloved The Spouse honoureth Christ with all her sweet pleasant fruits As the favour love and goodnesse of God is great which he hath layed up for those that feare him Psal 31. 20. so all the goodnes and fruits of spirit and grace that flow from them are unto his honour and prayse consecrated unto his use and service thus saith the Apostle for of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for ever Rom. 11. 36. Israel is holinesse glorie and honour to the Lord. So endeth the seventh Chapter Canticles Chap 8. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. O that thou wert as my Brother that sucked the breasts of
fire with love towards him even with a hot burning love this flame is the flame of God because it is kindled in the heart of a Saint by the Spirit These flames of God these divine and vehement flames being kindled by the Spirit cannot be quenched with earthly things as it is declared in the next verse VERS 7. Many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drowne it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned THe Spouse proceedeth in setting forth the earnestnesse of her affections towards Christ shewing that since her love was as a mighty and excellent fire within it could not be put out no not with many afflictions troubles and persecutions Many waters cannnot quench love c. By waters and floods is usually meant in Scripture of afflictions persecutions troubles and tentation which accompany the Saints and also of persecutors themselves who are often called waters and floods of water as appeares in Psal 69. 1. Also Rev. 17. 15. Psal 124. 4 5. And Matth. 7. 25. 27. Isa 8. 7 8. Dan. 9. 26. So here is signified that the Love of Christ wherewith the Saints are inflamed is such as cannot be quenched with any calamities or persecutions whatsoever Hene Observe That the love of the Saints towards Christ is an invincible love As it is written of Christ love that nothing can separate his people from it so here the Spouse affirmeth that her love towards him cannot be put out wee may observe the frame of the Spouses speech according to her former cocmparison when she said The coales thereof are coales and the fire of the flame of God for what fire is there but many waters will quench at least if floods of waters doe overflow it but this heavenly fire cannot be quenched the floods cannot put it out The Dragon doth cast a flood out of his mouth Revel 12. but all in vaine for his love cannot be quenched So the Apostle teacheth when he saith Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednesse perill the sword as it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neverthelesse in all these things wee are more then conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8. 35. There is one clause to come wherein she saith If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be utterly contemned If a man would give all his substance as silver gold all wealth and riches it could not purchase this love neither could the love of these winne the heart of the Spouse from Christ for she affirmeth here that if all treasures should be offered her to draw her love from Christ she would utterly contemne them So that if any man did thinke either to buy this love of her or to get it from her it were nothing it were but labour lost and therefore she addeth It would utterly be contemned or as it is in the Hebrew In contemning they would contemne it that is they would certainly contemne it or it would be altogether wholly contemned for this is the manner of the Hebrew tongue when they highly promise to double and when they highly dispraise to double the word also See chap. 1. vers 1. In summe she meaneth by this verse namely to declare that her love was so firme and fast to Christ that it could not be be rent or pulled from her to any other either by any force or by fraud nor by flatterie or faire promises Hence Observe That worldly riches cannot purchase divine love nor get it away from those that have it All the treasures and pleasures and credit which the substance of any mans house may procure shall be of no reckoning either to get or purchase the love of Christ or to withhold the Saints from loving him The Spouse doth so set her heart upon Christ that she desires to be neere him in his heart upon his arme yea she doth so desire him that she contemneth all other things in comparison of him for what is the glorie and the pompe the riches and honours and the pleasures of the world unto her more then vile drosse in comparison of Christ The nature of man is much addicted to love riches and the treasures of this world yet there is not any thing of such force to winne the heart from Christ but the Spouse here affirmeth that if all treasures should be offered her to draw her love from Christ she would utterly contemne them And as the Saints cannot be drawne off from the love of Christ by any worldly good so no earthly treasure can get on purchase this love for the gifts of the Spirit cannot be bought with money it being the free gift of God who bestows at his owne pleasure Act. 8. 18 19 20. And so it 's said of wisdome that it cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for its price Job 28. 15. Now a little to recapitulate How excellent is this divine love which carries such an excellent description and denomination with it As first That it s as strong as death which overcommeth all Secondly That it's jealousie which is love inflamed and therefore cruell as the grave the bed of darkenesse which is called Sheal because it allwayes craveth and is never satisfied but it devoureth all Thirdly It s hot as the fire which not only withstandeth but also burneth all things which stand against it Fourthly It s everlasting and victorious in all labours and sufferings that no troubles terrours nor persecutions can quench it though whole floods of water were cast upon it Fifthly It is so precious that no commodities or pleasures can answer or countervaile the value and estimation of it VERS 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Wee have a little Sister and she hath no Breasts what shall wee do for our Sister in the day when she shall be spoken for If shee be a wall wee will build upon her a Pallace of silver and if she be a doore wee will inclose her with boards of Cedar I am a wall and my Breasts like Towers then was I in his eyes as one that found favour Solomon had a Vinyard at Baal-hamon and let out the Vineyard unto keepers every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver My Vineyard which is mine is before me thou O Solomon must have a thousand and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred Thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions hearken to thy voice cause me to heare it Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices WEE are come to the conclusion and shutting up of this Song Here be three speciall things to be handled in the close of all As First Here is a motion a consultation or demand of the old Church of the Jewes
under a cloud of ignorance 392. Christ's approachings expell the ignorance upon the Saints 393 Impediment No impediment can hinder Christs approaching neere his Church 326 327. Neither the Saints seeking Christ 403. Invite Christ invites his people to partake of his good things 342. Joy Mans reconciliation with God is matter of great joy 7. Christs approaches to his people is matter of great joy 324. Christ revealing himselfe to his Saints causeth in them unspeakeable joy 76. Christ espousing himselfe to his Saints is matter of great joy 444. The Gospel fils mens hearts with joy 351. Injoy The Saints desire alway to injoy Christs goodnesse K. Kingdome the Kingdom of Christ illustrated in five particulars 66 67. 68 The Knowledge of Christ makes men seeke after him 620. L Lawes fy the observation of Christs laws the Saints are 1. Beautifull 181. 2. Victorious 182. Lilies Christ and Saints like lilies 268 Love The love of God in Christ is manifold 31 32 33. Chists love to Saints is 1. Drawing love 24. 2. Gospel love 25. 3. Pleasant 33 34. 4. Peculiar 171 172 173 339. 5. Everlasting 227. 935. 6. Increasing 288. 7. Overcomming 301. 8. Magnificent 635. The Churches love to Christ is 1. A memoriall love 77 78. 2. Increasing love 80. 3. Collective 126. 4. Ardent 127. 301. 5. Returned love 212. 6. Beautifull 489. 7. Invincible 745 746. 8. Of jealousie and fire kindled by the spirit of love 743 744. The love of a Saint is caused 1. By a principle of love 29 439. 2. By the sweetnesse of Christ graces 47 48. 3. By Christs love 291. 708. 4. By the manifest at ion of Christ to the soule 714. Lovely Christ is all lovelie 616. M Members The Spouse is glorious in her members 677. The Church doth nourish her owne members 416. Manifest Christ doth manifest himselfe to his people upon their desires 529. 2. With delight 530. 3. by degrees 333 334. Mutuall Christ and the Saints have mutuall interest with each other 1. In union foure wayes 379 380. 2. In communion foure ways 381. Mysteries Christ revealeth hidden mysteries by the Gospel to the Saints 69 70. N. Negligent To be negligent in the things of God is a great evill 120 O. Oyntment Christs name spirit and grace powred forth in the Gospel is compared to oyntment in five particulars 40 41 42 45 46. Ordinances Gospel Ordinances more glorious then those of the Law 190 191 192 193. P. Parentage The Saint are rich and glorious in their parentage 651. 675 Particular The Saints apply the benefits of Christ to themselves in particular 213. Patience Christ exerciseth abundance of patience towards his people 554. Persecute False Brethren persecute the Church with great indignation 115 116. Pretences the Spouse put off Christ with false pretences 556 557. Presence Christs presence with his people is 1. Powerfull 614. 712. 2. Comfortable 655 702. 3. Desireable 524. 4. Everlasting 563. 5. Not long vailed 625. 6. He is present when seemingly absent 571. Publish The Office of the Church is to publish Christ 768. Proprietie Saints have proprietie in Christ foure wayes 383 Christ hath proprietie in saints foure wayes 384 385. Pure Such only as love Christ are pure 49 50. Pruned The Church needs sometimes to be pruned 700. It is Christ alone can prune his Church 701. Principle Saints are drawne to Christ by a principle of love 29. 400 Professe Many professe Christ that know little of him 590. Q Qualified Christ is fitly qualified for the adminstration of his Church 601. R. Rose Christs excellency set forth by a rose in six particulars 259 260 261 262 263. Repose Christ doth repose himselfe with his Saints 428. Race The life of a Christian is the running of a race illustrated in six particulars 61 62 63. Raise Christians should not raise Christ untill he please 730. Christ doth raise up himself in his Saints 735. Refreshed Christ is refreshed in his Saints 721 Redemption The fruits of redemption are very delightfull to the Saints 219. Righteous Righteous men are only fit to mention Christs love 79. Related Christ stands related to his people 1. As a Brother 476. 2. As a Sister 477. Those neerest related to the Spouse persecute her 113. Saints are neerely related one to another 150. S. Saints are satisfied with all good things in Christ 284 285. Saints are satisfied in the armes of Christ 729. Christ doth satisfie his people with plenty 534. Saints Saints behold the excellency of Christ 442. Saints are serious in the things of Christ 309. There remaineth corruption in Saints 341. Saints make their approaches to God through Christ 365. The sacrifice of Saints is acceptable 425 Saints must looke to their guard 432. Saints are Christs Chariot 434. Saints should seeke Christ toge 〈…〉 622 623. Saints are neerely related one to another 750. Saints have flesh as well as Spirit 544. Sense Christ is not alwayes present with his people according to sense 400 568. secure The Saints are most secure in Christ 70 71. 429 430. Shadow Christ is a shadow of protection to his people 282. The Saints are much delighted with Chrsts shadow 282. 283. Shepheard Christ is a most compleat Shepheard 129 130. scriptures The Scriptures are a perfect rule of life 164 165. The Scriptures cannot be understood but by the spirit 166 167. Sinne. Sin darkens a Saints 91. The sense of sinne causeth soul-sicknesse 299 300. Spouse The Church is Christs Spouse 477. The Spouse is sometimes in a languor of Spirit 542. Christ preferreth his Spouse above all the world 649. Spirit The Spirit compared to wind in six things 521. Saints have the Spirit of Christ 1 To blow upon them 520. 2. To operate in them 286. 3. To put life into them 523. 4. To enlighten them 441. 5. To spiritualise them 545. 6. To give them divine impression upon their hearts 560. 7. To change their nature 561. 8. To make them active 561. The Spouse is not alwayes in one frame of Spirit 542. She hath flesh as well as Spirit 544. Solomon Solomon a glorious type 13. Solomon a glorious Saint 14 15. Sweet Christ is very sweeet 1. In his communications 288. 2. In his pastures and feeding 386. 3. In his Ministrie 215. 4. In his graces 203. 552. 5. In his dispensations 210 211. 6. In his Spirit 565. Sweetnesse Christs sweetnesse is 1. Sensible only to Saints 222 2. Displayed in the Gospel 49. 3. Of a drawing nature 68. 4. The cause of the sweetnesse in saints 566. The Spouse is sweetnesse 1. In her annointings 491. 2. In her perises and prayers 493. 3. She is a garden of sweetnesse 716. 511. 4. she doth entertaine Christ with all sweetnesse 716. Seeke Saints seeke Christ 1. Through all impediments 403. 2. Diligently 406. 3. Constantly 408 409. Sorrow Christ is brought forth in the Saints with much sorrow 736 737. T. Truth Saints discerne what is Truth 686. Truth is the Pillar of the Church 436. Teachers It is
AN EXPOSITION On the whole booke of Solomons SONG Commonly called the CANTICLES Wherein the Text is explained and usefull Observations raised thereupon By John Robotham preacher of the Gospel PSAL. 45. 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold EPHES. 5. 32. This is a great mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and the Church London Printed by Matthew Simmons in Aldersgate-street next doore to the guilded-Lyon 1651. To the HONORABLE COLONEL DOWNES Esquire A Member of the Honourable House of Parliament Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lievetenant of the County of Sussex Much Honoured Sir THe experience that I have of your candour and ingenuitie emboldens me here to prefix your name not from any worth in the worke performed on my part but in respect of the subject mattter of this book which is a declaration of that mutuall intercourse and vicissitude of divine love passing betweene Christ and the Church his Spouse set forth by a most sweet and comfortable by a most excellent and ravishing Allegorie of a Marriage-Song Marriage being the most joyfull passage of all our life and a Song being the highest expression of joy by this amiable resemblance is the souls spiritual conjunction with Christ most lively delineated Oh! the superemin nt excellency of divine love t is the glorie of God the joy of his heart t is the fulnesse of Christ his Crowne and dignitie t is the worke of the Spirit in all its operations t is the Song of Angels and their continual delight t is the sourse and spring of true happinesse to all Saints the Sanctuary and support of their dejected soules This opens the Fathers bosome draws forth the affections of Christ and melts mens hearts into each others the sweet sense whereof is the breath of our nostrils and the life of our union with him Noble Sir I have but three words to speake The first is of you the second to you the third for you That of you is to testifie that as the Lord hath called you to high and honourable imployment so he hath raised your Spirit suitable to the worke in hand wherein you stood as a Rock immoveable in the middest of stormes and tempests having like Obed-Edom owned the Arke when few would owne it ventring all that was dear unto you accounting godlinesse the greatest gaine when others have reckoned it their losse esteeming that your honour that others have deemed their shame Though it be granted that Truth needs no Patron veritas stat in aperto campo being better able to support honour and advance us then we can that yet thrice happy and blessed are they that owne it therefore the more you engage for Truth the more will truth dignifie and advance you Whatsoever you expend for Christ in Christ you shall find it againe and shall receive your owne with the greatest advantage The Philosophers expression of good is Bonum est-sui communicatum Good is communicative the more good therefore you shall expend the more shall you discover a principle of goodnesse to dwell in your heart flowing from the fountaine of fulnesse distilling from Christ And that you have engaged me with many undeserved favours I should be ingratefull either to deny or forget them though I cannot make you a retaliation Nihil dat quod non habet yet that you may know kindnesses are ner forgotten in a thank full breast give me leave to present this as witnesse and testimony of my gratitude to you-wards being confident you will receive it as I present it with the spirit of love That to you is that you would fix your affections upon and let the whole streame of them runne unto that only delectable and love deserving Object Christ who is the glorie of all delights and abstract of all praises It s the nature of true joy to delight it selfe in some solid good and there is no good can be compared cum summo bono with that only chiefe and eternall good that is treasured up in Christ When wee suffer the creatures to steale away our affections we not only lose the right use of them but thereby bereave our selves of true comfort in God render our selves dishonourable in the eyes of good men and unprofitable to our selves for though the creatures may serve us yet they cannot love us t is only Christ that can make sweet returnes of love for our love In which gracious manifestations of Christ our hearts are made a Spring of living waters a garden of spirituall delight the musick of heavenly joyes the treasure of divine comforts and by the impressions of that heavenly love and the sweet glimmerings and flashes of light life and glorie in Christ our soules are abundantly refreshed and satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse Then Sir this will be your Crowne and glory this is that will heighten your spirit ennoble your minde enlarge your heart and make you most acceptable to God precious in the fight of men and exquisitely carry you through your weighty imployments It is said of Solomon that excellent Sonne of wisdome that his heart was as large as the Sea viz. in judgement and understanding so shall your judgement wisedome and understanding be enlarged according to the largenesse of Christs love living in you The Jewes were to offer those creatures in sacrifice unto God which the Nations worshipped for their God so though other men fall downe and doe hommage to the creatures yet let it be in your heart to sacrifice them all unto the Creator Surely man is never more straightned then when he is bound and pent up in the narrow compasse and scantinesse of earthly things for let his heart stoop never so low the World fals beneath it and let him advance the world to the greatest height his heart is still above it But in relation to Christ cujus contrarium verum est the matter is farre otherwise for when mans desires and affections soar never so high as an Eagle still Christ is above them fils them answers them yea he doth exceedingly heighten enlarge and abundantly satisfie them Sir I shall conclude with a word for you expressing the desires of my spirit on your behalfe that the Lord would be pleased to fill your precious soule with the exceeding riches of his love grace and favour and cause his glorie to shine upon you so as to transforme you into the image of his glorie that the sweet kisses of Christs lips may be more precious to you then fragrant wine and his name then the richest oyniment that the senses of your soule may be more refreshed with his redolent sweetnesse and filled more with his redundant fulnesse then withall the most delightfull things in the world yea that Christ would please to lodge all night betwixt your Breasts continually dwelling in your heart and affections and that he would come into your soule as into his garden to eate his pleasant fruits his honey with his honey-comb and
likewise they are arguments of praise and honour to them whom they concern according to the exhortation of the Prophet David in Psal 66. 2. Sing forth the honour of his name make his praise glorious In the Greek it is read give glory to his praise that is make his praise glorious and honourable In Ephes 5. 19. there is mention made First of Songs which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cantavit unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canâ—icum or laye it is also called by the Hebrews Shir a song which was chiefly made for the voyce and it contained matter of exultation and rejoycing Secondly hymns called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hymne or praise by the Hebrews Tehilleh and signifies land and praise in commemoration of benefits received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lausâ—laudatio from God An hymne is uttered by the voyce only Thirdly Psalms which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrews Mizmor which commeth of a roote that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Landavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Putavit praecidit signifies to prune or cut off superfluous twigs from trees this is a kind of an artificial song in a proportioned number of words A Psalm is played on an Instrument as well as with the voyce it contained Arguments of all sorts for exhortation to morall doctrine or holinesse of life petition thanksgiving and instruction Many times any of these are put indifferently for all but this most excellent song contains them all in one it is as a song for joy and rejoycing it is as a hymne for praise and thankesgiving it is as a Psalme exhortation and instruction Again for as much as we find sundry parties singing and the one side answering to the other for which it may be called a Responsorie and hence the forme of this song differs from all other songs in Scripture For as there are divers singing at once so there seems to be many songs in this one and all treating of the mutuall love between Christ and his Church Hence observe First The Church and servants of Christ have alwaies matter of joy and singing these only have the true cause of joy and their joy shall never be taken from them The joy of carnall men is nothing but madnesse Eccles 2. 2. Believers only have true and solid joy flowing from the spirit of Christ within them they onely can sing making melody in their hearts unto the Lord Ephes 5. 19. Secondly note That the Church can rejoyce in affliction as well as in prosperity David can sing of his deep waters and calamities as well as of his great mercies and deliverances and the Apostle saith in Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Not only in times of prosperity and mirth but also in times of adversity and distress the troubles of the Saints are not so many or so great but spirituall joy will mitigate and overcome them all Afflictions are turned into matter of rejoycing when they are a meanes to stir up our faith and patience according to the Apostle Jam. 1. 2. Thirdly Mans reconciliation with God by Jesus Christ is matter of great joy This Booke treating of mans reconciliation with God and of his sweet conjunction with Christ with joy in the holy Ghost is called a Song yea it is a marriage song a song of betrothings Now what passage of our life is more sweet than that of marriage and what sweeter expression then by a song It thus is set forth unto us the sweet conjunction between the soule and Christ It is the nature of joy to delight in some solid good now no good can be compared cum summo bono with that chiefe eternall good it is no wonder then if the soul doth much rejoyce to be joyned to Christ who is the very top of all felicity and happinesse Fourthly observe How the Lord takes all advantages to win our affections unto himselfe He presents before us the pure free perfect eternall and constant love of Christ towards his Church with all his incomparable and heavenly riches wisdom beauty and graces by that amiable and pleasant that sweet and comfortable allegory of a marriage song to the end that he might carry up the soule to things of a divine and heavenly nature The holy Ghost doth many times frame arguments most suitable to the nature of man as that in the Prophet Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love c. That is as if the Lord had said I used arguments suitable to mans nature I did not use violence and rigour but rather chose to overcome them with mercy and loving kindnesse Secondly We have the transcendent excellency of this song A song of songs That is the chiefest and most excellent song for by doubling of the words the Scripture useth when it speaketh of good things to understand most excellent things as Deut. 10. 17. The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords That is to say most high Lord and God and wheras if it speak of base things it doth on the other side by doubling debase them as much as Gen. 9. 25. A servant of servants shall he be That is he shall be a most vile and base servant In like manner it is spoken of Christ Revel 19. 16 17. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords That is the most high and mighty King and supream Lord of all The doubling of the words make an Hebrew superlative by which this is noted to be the chiefest song First of all Solomons other songs for hee made a thousand and five 1 King 4. 32. Secondly of all other songs in Scripture David was the sweet singer of Israel in his time and had his golden Psalms besides many other songs there be in Scripture and all of them very precious yet this song excelleth them all and that in these respects First Because this song speaketh of Christ's love to his Church and the Churches love to Christ more largely sweetly and comfortably then any other song in Scripture and by such allegories and amiable resemblances taken from the most beautifull and stateliest things under heaven the sweetest therichest and the most precious things that are found among men as the richest Jewels the sweetest Spices Gardens Orchards Vineyards Wine-sellers and the like these with the like set forth and expresse the spirituall and heavenly Ornaments and Jewels which Christ bestoweth upon his Church with the fruits of her love to him again Secondly This song admitteth more variety of interpretation then any other some understand it of the Catholicke Church some of particular Churches from Solomons time to the last judgment some of the mutuall affection and love betwen Christ and every Believer We deny not but that there may be usefull truths in each one of these interpretations but sure it is
I may present you as a chast virgin unto Christ These love Christ with a chast but not with an adulterous love 2. For their purity These are they saith the Apostle which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God Rev. 14. 4 5. These as virgins abstaine from all things that might be offensive to their beloved Love thee These Virgins love Christ for the odour of his good ointments which they receive by his word and spirit for by the preaching of the Gospel his name is powred out like odoriferous ointment to the exceeding great joy and delight of the Saints drawing and inluring their minds as Virgins are drawn with the offer of some great and lovely match their sences are so exceedingly taken with his sweetnesse which causeth in them a very high and worthy esteem of Christ and of all those heavenly graces which flow from him This Verse being thus opened let us draw some conclusions from it 1. Observe in that the Church seeks out the most precious ointment to set forth her Beloved and his graces it teacheth us That all the most excellent things in nature are but types and shodows of Christ and his graces What is more pleasing to the smell then pretious and sweet ointments of an exquisite composition Christ is the same and far sweeter to his Saints First By ointment were annointed to their Offices Kings Priests and Prophets so by the annointings of the spirit Christ was consecrated to his three-fold office of King Priest and Prophet this was prefigured by the annointing of Aaron and his sons whereby they were consecrated unto the Priests office Exod. 30. 30. It is said of Christ The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel c. Isa 61. 1. For God hath annointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellows Psal 45. 8. So the Prophet tells us that there should come a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch out of his roots and the Spirit of the Lord was to rest upon him and the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of counsell and of might the Spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord Isa 11. 12. It is said that God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him John 3. 34. That is he did not bestow it upon him imperfectly and in part onely but fully and intirely for measure is not opposed to that which is infinite but to that which is not whole intire and perfect Christ was full of knowledge wisdome and of all Heavenly gifts The Apostle saith That in Christ dwells all the fullnesse of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Colloss 2. 9. That is not by naked and bare communicating of vertue as God is said to dwell in his Saints but by a substantiall union of the two natures whereby they become one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one person or substance Here is then the Vessell which as a rich treasury is full of all Heavenly wisdom knowledge Divine revelations and all sweet graces even Jesus Christ the Anointed of God Secondly By the savour and by the powring out of these Ointments is represented the powring forth of the Spirit upon all the Members of Christ the graces of Christ which are called his sweet Ointments they cast a sweet savour and are powred out into all Christian hearts and doe flow from him the head into all the Members of his Mysticall body as it is written Of his fullnesse we all receive and grace for grace John 1. 16. That is we receive suitable graces for his graces we receive part of every communicable grace of his This sacred Oile was powred as upon Aaron so upon Christ who was the head of all Saints and from him that was the head this Ointment of the Spirit runs downe his Mysticall body even to the hem of his Garment And the Apostle saith But yee have an unction from the holy one and yee know all things 1 John 2. 20. That is you have the Spirit of Truth which leadeth you into all Truth And in Revel 1. 6. But he hath anointed us and made us Kings and Priests to God his Father This anointing of the Saints by the Spirit of Christ was prefigured in that the Tabernacle a figure of the Church of the new Testament and all the Vessels of the Tabernacle which figured out the particular members were all anointed with the holy Oile and consecrated unto the Lord Exod. 30. 23. 25. Christ hath received the Spirit as a publique person as a common head of all his Church he then is the head and seat of all spirituall influence from which the mystical body receives life and motion this is the Apostles Similie in Collos 2. 19. He makes Christ there to be the head and the Church the body knit together by certaine joints and ligaments as it is in nature and by this means doth minister supply to all parts of the body whereby it increaseth with the increasings of God Thirdly in that the holy Oile from which the comparison was taken was not to be powred upon any man besides the Priest onely neither were they to make any other Oile after the composition of it because it 's consecrated Oile Ex. 30. 32. It doth demonstrate unto us that none have the anointings of Christ upon them but the Saints onely a stranger intermeddleth not with this joy For saith Christ He meaning the Spirit shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Joh. 16. 14. He doth not say the Spirit shall declare those things it received of him unto the World but to his owne Servants See also Joh. 14. 26 27. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Even the Spirit of truth whome the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be in you And the Apostle saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. By these Scriptures it is plaine that Unbeleivers neither have nor understand the spirit of Christ Now by what hath been said it is evident that these precious Ointments here mentioned in the Text were but tipes and shaddows of Christ's graces First as they were in himselfe Secondly as they are conveyed in his Members Thirdly as they are denied to Unbeleivers being too holy to be cast unto Dogs all which doe shew of what a redolent savour and of what odoriferous sweetnesse all the anointings of God are in Jesus Christ Secondly observe That though the name of Christ towit his glorious Gospell be very redolent
and savory in it self yet the Saints come to the sense and feeling thereof most of all by the publishing and displaying of the Gospell The Virgins were most sensible of Christs graces when his name was an Ointment powred forth The most full and perfect odours that are and the most sweet and pretious Ointments in the World are never felt so savory as when they be powred forth As the Box of pretious Ointment when it was broken and powred on Christs head the savour thereof filled the house Mark 14. 3. For by the Preaching of the Gospell or the powring forth of Christ's name his fame glory and renowne is made knowne in the World according to that in Luke 4. 14. There went out a fame of him throughout all the Region round about and he taught in their Synagogues being glorified of all This was that the Apostle rejoyced in and said Now thanks be unto God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place for we are unto God a sweet savour in Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one a Savour of death unto death and to the other a Savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 14 15 16. Now the name of Christ is powred forth when all his vertues and graces are displayed and laid open when it is declared that he hath fullfilled all righteousnesse and that he hath offered up himselfe by the eternall Spirit without spot unto God and that he hath appeased the wrath of his Father and made perfect reconciliation for the sins of his people thus is Christs name as a pretious Ointment powred forth Againe when Christ is set forth in his beauty to be Fairer then the Children of Adam to be the chiefe of ten thousand in his love free rich and everlasting in his graces to be compleat and full in his Offices to be a most excellent Prophet Priest and King in his riches to be the Heire of God and of Heaven in all the operations of his Spirit working Sanctification and all needfull graces in his Saints in all those rich and costly gifts which he doth bestow on his people redeeming of them with his pretious Blood sanctifying of them with his pretious graces enriching of them with his pretious promises reviving of them with his pretious love comforting of them with his pretious Spirit and enabling of them with pretious Priviledges when all these things as I said are opened and displayed then is Christs name as it were as a Box of the good Ointment broken and powred forth then there is smelt that blessed savour that causeth the Virgins to love him The Ministers of the Gospell may learn here and see what their duty is and which way they should imploy their whole strength namely to display those treasures of grace and to publish and spread before men those manifold transcendent excellencies and all those wayes of shining glory which are in Christ to draw and allure poor souls to come unto him Who will seek after that which he knows not of But who will not seeke after a pretious Jewell O then Let Christ be laid open in his natures in his graces in all his shining excellencies dignities and vertues that so his fame being spread and his name powred out as sweet Ointment by this means multitudes may be drawne unto him Againe the powring forth of Christ's name by the Publishing of the Gospell will be as effectuall unto those that receive it as Ointment is to the body unto which it is applied So that looke of what effects or use the most pretious confections are to the body of man of the same effect and of far greater use is the powring forth of Christ's name to the soule First Ointments are compounded of very rich and costly things In this respect the Ointment that Mary anointed Christ withall was called Pretious because saith Judas Much might have been given for it Mark 14. And of the pretious things which King Hezekiah shewed to the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon this was one namely the Good Ointment 2 Kings 20. 13. So is the Gospell a compound of rich and costly things it is a treasury full of Heavenly wisdome and Divine Revelation it is called Riches of glory Col. 1. 27. And the wisdome and power of God 1 Cor. 1. The Gospell is rich in its priviledges in its matter in its effects in all the promises therein contained In a word the divulging of the Gospel is a displaying and spreading before men all the riches of God and of Christ the riches of wisdome the riches of power the riches of love the riches of mercy all which are eminently shewed forth in the Gospell This is that the Lord told Moses when he said I will make all my goodnesse to passe before thee Exod. 33. 19. Now what doth the Lord meane by all his goodnesse but onely a Proclamation of the Gospell unto Moses The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. Exod. 34. 6 7. Secondly Ointment is a signe of joy and comfort and with such they were wont to be anointed at Feasts Amos 6. 6. And they used it in signe of joy Eccles 9. 7 8. Thus the Gospel is called Tidings of great joy Luk. 1. 19. And good Tidings Isa 61. 1. The Gospell of great joy Luke 2. 10. because it brings a glorious joy along with it Thirdly Ointment healeth wounded bodies and knitteth up the joints which are broken Luke 10. 34. So the Oile of Gods grace heals the bruises of the Souls of those that are broken in Spirit Thus we have it in Isa 61. 1. The Lord anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the meeke and he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted c. Fourthly Oile doth make the face to shine Psal 104. 15. Eccles 8. 1. So the Gospell putteth a shining and glorious lustre on the faces of those to whom it comes It is said of Stephen That the Jewes looked stedfastly on him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angell Acts 6. 15. It makes mens faces shine as did the face of Moses when he had beene with God on the Mount Fifthly By Ointment were Kings Priests and Prophets Anointed to their Office So by those graces brought by the Gospell the Saints are Anointed by Christ to be Kings Priests and Prophets they are so made by Christ unto God and his Father Revel 1. 6. The Gospell giveth men the highest Priviledges in the World to be Kings and Priests unto God to be a royal Priest-hood a holy Nation a peculiar people yea a whole Nation of Kings Priests and Prophets Thus the Gospell is as Ointment powred forth to the unspeakable delight of the Saints drawing and ravishing the minds of them that heare it sweetly to imbrace Jesus
Christ Thus much for the cause the effect follows Therefore doe the Virgins love thee Whence observe Thirdly That the sweetnesse of Christ causeth love in his Saints The Originall of our love is Christs communicating of goodnes to us there is nothing in the streams but what comes from the Fountaine he is the Fountaine of love and sweetnesse who by his streams flowing into our hearts causeth in us to abound a Divine love towards him the fire of his love kindles the flame of our love to him againe our Ointment is from Christs Ointment the head being Anointed the Oile ran downe to the Skirts as it was said of Aaron Love is the inclining of the will to something that is excellent and agreeable to it selfe now the nature of the will is Elicita not Coacta inclined and drawne forth not compelled and constrained The will is absolute and free no violence can be offered to it therefore nothing but the sweetnesse and efficacy of Christs grace can be a Load-stone attractive to draw out incline the will Againe the object of the will is something that is good Bonum est objectum voluntatis sayth the Moralist whither it be Bonum reale a substantiall good or Bonum apparens a seeming good yet both are the object of the Will Hence it is that the transcendent excellency beauty love goodnesse and thato verflowing Fountain of grace and sweetnesse apprehended by the Saints to be in Christ these make him to be the best object these also incline the Will attract the heart and draw the souls of Beleivers unto him Againe observe that the object of the will must be a thing suitable Bonum sibi conveniens a good agreable to it selfe Now such a proportionable good as this is found to be in Christ which is respondent or answerable to all our desires or Capacities he is suitable in all his Offices and communications in his blood for pardon in his grace to adorne us in his love for lost sinners in his fullnesse for empty and poore souls Now when the Saints can take a spirituall view of Christ and observe all the dimensions of his love and sweetnesse they apprehend him to be Summum bonum the chiefest good farr beyond all worldly things though of never so exquisite and delicate an extraction and therefore desire most of all to have the possession of him according to that in Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee saith David Fourthly in that the Church changeth her Speech from the whole to the parts for shee doth not say I but the Virgins love thee Observe That as the whole Church so every Member of Christ hath the sence and feeling of Christs love and graces by the powring forth of his name John 1. 10. Of his fullnesse wee have all received and grace for grace Every Member hath received a measure and proportion from Christs fullnesse The Apostle speaking of the Gift of Continency saith Every man hath his proper gift of God 1 Cor. 7. 7. And so he speaketh concerning spirituall gifts and saith There are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall for to one is given by the same Spirit the word of wisdome c. 1 Cor. 12. 4 6 7 8. And so the whole Chapter goes on and tells us that the Church is the mystical body of Christ and though the body be but one yet the Members are many and that the same Spirit divideth to every Member as it pleaseth himselfe As in the naturall body there is not any one member but receives an influence from the head So it is in the Mysticall body of Christ And againe the Apostle saith in Ephes 4. 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Christ doth measure out proportionable gifts and graces for every Saint therefore as the whole Church is the Spouse of Christ so is every particular Member and all the priviledges and graces belonging to the whole Church belong to every Beleiver Fifthly Observe Such as are true lovers of Christ are onely those that are holy and pure By Virgins here are not understood those that are single or un-married but it signifieth the chastity and spirituall purity of those that truely love Christ These are chast in their lives holy in their thoughts sanctified in their actions These are not defiled with the World as to give themselves up to uncleane lusts of the flesh nor to commit spirituall whoredome against God the Saints studdy to possesse their Vessells in Sanctification and honour their bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost they labour to be like unto their head and Spouse holy as he is holy pure as he is pure These are they which are not defiled with women for they are Virgins Revel 14. 4. That is that are not polluted with spirituall Fornication as the Apostle calls it 2 Cor. 12. 2. These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth They will not follow Antichrist for their head and guide but they follow Christ though it be with the hazzard and losse of all their worldly enjoyments their love ro Christ is pure and chast like unto Virgins whose affections will not easily be drawn unto any besides their Beloved VERS 4. Draw me we will run after thee the King hath brought me into his Chambers we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more then wine the upright love thee IN these words we have a second request of the Spouse unto Christ that he would not onely call her outwardly by the voice of the Gospell but forasmuch as the word Preached profiteth not if it be not mixt with faith in them that heare it Heb. 4. 2. that he would open her heart Acts 16. 14. and enlighten her by his Spirit that he would give unto her his Spirit of wisdome and revelation that the eyes of her understanding might be opened that shee might know what is the hope of her calling Ephes 1. 17. In these words there are two things considerable 1. The Prayer of the Church 2. The Reason of it First The Churches Prayer in these words Draw me c. Secondly The Reasons are drawne from the effects or fruits thereof which are two The first in these words We will run after thee The second is set downe in these words The King hath brought me into his Chambers From which effects we have the Churches protestation of ingagement declared by a three-fold respect which shee bears to Christ First shee doth exalt and rejoyce in him We will be glad and rejoyce in thee Secondly her mind or senses are set at work We will remember thy love more then wine Thirdly her engagement of affection The upright love thee
there is a secret dislike of it so saith the Apostle For that which I doe I allow not for what I would doe that I doe not but what I hate that I doe Rom. 7. 15. 3. The will suspends it's actings in dubious things when it knows not whither a thing be good or evill it suspendeth and when it knows not whether such a thing be truth or errour it will suspend it 's either choosing or refusing of it it will not venture in the dark like unto the unregenerate will but suspendeth it's actings because whatsoever is not of faith is sin Quest Whether the regenerate will may not choose that which is evill and be unwilling to that which is good Answ 1. The regenerate will cannot will any evill fully and compleatly So saith the Apostle what I doe I would not But there may be a kind of veleity or willingnesse to evill but not a compleat will even as corrupt nature may have a kind of veleity to that which is good as a corrupt regenerate man may have some kind of willingnesse to do a good action but hee never wills the good of the action his will to good is therefore incompleat and so it is with the regenerate will in respect of evill it never wils evill as it is evill it goes not out with full purpose and consent 2. The holy will cannot properly refuse anything that is good because it is it 's proper object but the will that 's good may be so much depressed and kept under by temptation or by desertion and such like distempers that it cannot draw it selfe up to the height of it's actings so that there is not that agility strength and vigour as there is when it acts more strongly but however it wil 's good truly and it goes forward still though not with that vigour and eagernesse as if otherwise it would Put though the will of the regenerate be set free unto good yet wee must so understand it that the regenerate will cannot doe good of himselfe Hence it is the Church desireth that Christ would draw her continually without whose help shee is not able to runne after him Where grace over-swayes the heart there is a readiness to obey and constantly to follow Christ but so as it always proceedeth from Gods spirit leading and drawing forth of the will even as a Mother by leading her child causeth it to goe which otherwise could not so the Lord draws forth leads and directs our affections according to the actings and good pleasure of his owne spirit our wills are but instruments for the holy Ghost and can doe nothing without the breathings in of his spirit upon them This the Apostle testifies of himselfe I am able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. And again he saith He that hath begun his good worke in you he will also finish it untill the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. We cannot work that which is good with grace received unlesse there be the continuall flowings in of Christ's Spirit to carry forth the soul in it's workings So that free grace is in the beginning middest and end of all our workings Herein we are made happy without any merit that wee should be unto the praise and glory of the riches of his free grace 3. Observe The life of a Christian is as the running of a race 1. The whole life of a Christian is here termed a running and by the Apostle called a race 1 Cor. 9. 24. And again saith hee I have finished my course 2 Tim. 4. 7. 2. In respect of the readinesse of the minds and affections of the Saints they are said to delight in the law of the Lord Psalm 1. 2. The word Chephets is voluptas prompta voluntas a delightfull and ready will as one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Voluit optavit desideravit delectatus bene affectus fuit placuit complacuit that taketh abundance of joy delight in that which he doth it is to embrace with love and good will yea with a pleasurable love and an affectionate will and desire unto a thing Hence the Lord promiseth to call the Church Chephtsabah that is my pleasure in her Isa 42. 4. And so David saith of the Saints Cheptsiham that is my pleasure in them Psal 16. 3. And so Eis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. in Psal 111. 2. The workes of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein This denotes to us the election of the will the readinesse of the affections and the complacency and delight of the heart of a Christian in walking with Christ the wayes of Christ yeeld nothing but pleasure and delight to a gracious heart 3. In respect of speedy performance of actions Satans industrious compassing the earth caused Job to send speedily for his children to sacrifice unto the Lord Job 1. 5. And it is said Abraham rose up early in the morning and sadled his asse c. when he was to offer up his son a Sacrifice And David saith I will runne the way of thy commandements Psal 119. 32. And in vers 60. I made hast and delayed not to keepe thy commandements or I distracted not my selfe to wit with the cares profits pleasures of this life Agreeable hereunto is that of Paul when he was called by God to preach the Gospel among the Heathen he saith I conferred or I consulted not with flesh and bloâ—d Gal. 1. 16. That is I did not consult with carnall reason or with fleshly arguments but was obedient to the heavenly revelation or vision 4. The Saints run in respect of perseverance hence saitht the Apostle So runne that yee may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. Which implyeth there be some that run which do not obtain but the Saints do renew or change their strength Isa 40. 31. That is when they are weak and feeble they shal have a new supply of spiritual strength from Christ the fountain of strength whereby they shall runne or persevere to the end and not be weary The Apostles hearty perswasion and confidence is That he who hath begun a good worke in the Philipians will perfect it untill the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. And to this purpose saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 23. You are renewed not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which abideth for ever And 1 Joh. 3 9. He that is born of God sinneth not because the seed of God remaineth in him nor can be sinne because he is born of God That is he that hath the immortall seed of God's word and spirit within him cannot notwithstanding his infirmities finally faile or give over his hope but shall persist and persevere in faith and holinesse 5. The Saints run in respect of their strength having received a new principle of life from Christ by which they are enabled for all things They that want upon the Lord renew change or double their
tâ—es but the traditions of men as appeareth by ver 22 23. opinions and with the traditions of men you do but mancipate and enslave your consciences in subjecting of them to humane ordinances This oppression of the Saints is a spirituall-bondage typified by the Aegyptian bondage Pharaoh's Task-masters were cruell oppressors of the Jewes so are all spirituall Task-masters which would compell the Saints to worke in their Vinyards and to bear the heat of their indignation and wrarh which is more then the heate and burthen of the day 2. In that the Church is called the Lords vineyard and the false Church and false members are in opposition to the Church of Christ called the vinyards Observe hence The Church is the Lords husbandry Thus Christ comparing his Church to a vineyard calleth himselfe the vine his members the branches and his Father the Husbandman John 15. 1 2. I am the vine and my Father is the husbandman every branch in me c. By this kind of phrase we are taught that the Saints are by the Father spiritually ingraffed into Christ as the branch in the Vine and by vertue of their implantation in him they become the trees of righteousnesse bearing fruit of holinesse by the working of his Spirit in their hearts So the Lord speaks in Jer. 2. 21. I planted thee a noble vine The Lord had taken in the Nation of the Jewes from the world to make it his Vinyard on whom he had bestowed many vinyard-mercies as we may see in Isa 5. 1 2. My beloved Church of the Jewes hath a vineyard in a very fruitfull hill or in the horn of the sonne of oyle that is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sepivit maceria munivit a rich and fat soile and he fenced it or made a wall about it He by his power defended them against their enemies round about and he gathered out the stones thereof As if the Lord had said I removed those enemies of yours out of the Land or I gave you meanes to cast out them that offend out of the congregation And planted it with the choisest vine or Sorek which is a kind of the best and most laudable vine of all And I built a tower and also made a wine presse in it A tower for watch-men to look to the Vineyard to wit the Prophets and good Kings and a Wine-press to presse the grapes of the Vineyard by which is signified to us the Temple where they offered up their Sacrifices the blood of the Sacrifice being powred out was like the pressing out of the juice of the grape Thus the Lord fitly resembles his Church to a vineyard God hath like an excellent Husbandman enclosed a vineyard and set Christ as the vine in whom all the Saints are implanted and by the shining sun of love and the Howing forth of his Spirit as water he makes his pleasant vinyard a fruitfull garden where he delights to see his own pleasant fruits But my owne Vineyard I have not kept That vineyard which was given me in trust and committed to my charge Hence observe That G O D doth intrust his Church with heavenly treasures The Church calls it her vineyard because the Lord did intrust her with those heavenly mysteries which shee was made to partake of Christ saith to his Disciples to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but not unto others Matth. 13. 11. And saith God Shall I hide from Abraham my counsell The Lord doth intrust his people with precious jewels and with rich treasures of knowledge and revelation of his grace and spirit hee puts a large stock into their hands he lends them talents he makes them his Stewards of all his Laws and Ordinances Hee hath given his law unto Iacob he hath not dealt so with every nation Ps 147. 20. God had not intrusted any other Nation with his Laws and Ordinances as he did them 2. Note That it is a great evill to be negligent in those things wherewith God hath betrusted us This is that of which the Church complains of here and one of the reasons which shee giveth of her blacknesse my owne vinyard I have not kept This is verified in him that received a talent and hid it in the earth Mat. 25. 18. 28. To be negligent in the Lords trust is to be like the unjust Steward spoken of in Luke 16. 1. which wasted his Masters goods but his Lord called him to an account Now when we shall leave Christ to follow Antichrist when we leave God for man when we leave Divine Ordinances for humane Traditions when we leave the substance of Christ's will and follow the empty huske of mans fancie we greatly dishonour God and Christ we give away Christs honour to man we set man in Christs Throne now there is no greater evill then to lift up the Creature and depresse the Creator Thirdly in that the Church brings her neglect as a cause of her blacknesse Observe That the evill of sin is seen in the evill effects that it brings forth Here we see the evill of neglecting of Gods trust in the Churches blacknesse We may see the evill of unfruitfullnesse in Isa 5. 2. 5. 6. I looked for Grapes saith God and it brought forth wild Grapes But what is the effect I will tell you saith God what I will doe with my Vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and I will breake downe the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe and I will lay it wast and it shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up Briars and Thornes and I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it Here is nothing but blacknesse and deformity and we have a complaint of the Church to this purpose in Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous but I have sinned against his Commandement but what is the effect Behold is there any sorrow like to my sorrow my Virgins and my young men are gone into captivity And in Vers 17. Zion spreadeth her hands and there is none to comfort her We might read their sin in their punishment and so God may justly let his people be oppressed by their oppressours when they first yeild unto them in matters of worship and service Lastly in that the false Church and false members are called a Vineyard as well as the true Church and members Observe That those Enemies and false Brethren that afflict the Church they will come as near the Saints in outward forme and worship as possible they can And in this respect the false Church is called a Vineyard as well as the true And so they that serve Baal will offer Sacrifice as well as they that serve the Lord. Balaam went to meet the Lord as well as the trne Prophets Antichrist sits in the Temple of the Lord as well as Christ sits upon his Throne Hence it is the Lord reprehended the people of Israel
other things meet in Christ as in a Fountaine Christ is as the Center and resting place of all the affections of the Saints Secondly Observe The love of the Saints towards Christ is a hot vehement and an ardent love The Saints burne in their love towards Christ all their affections are as it were set on fire by the flames of his love kindling and enflaming of their hearts When we bring our hearts to the fire of Christ's love they must needs wax hot within us United love must needs be very strong like unto the Sun-beams when they are contracted and meet in a Burning-glasse are of great force and strength such are the affections of the Saints unto Christ Where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flocks to rest at Noone Here we have the substance or matter of the Churches Petition shee desires to know the place 1. Of feeding 2. Of lying downe Feedest In the Originall it is Where or how thou wilt feed That is where thou art wont continually to feed thy flocke The word Flock being omitted in the Originall is supplied as is usuall in Scripture as in Gen. 29. 7. Water ye the Sheep and goe and feed that is feed the slock The word Feed comprehendeth all the duties of Pastor or Shepheard as feeding guiding governing and defending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pascere pascere se pasci depascere St Metaphorice pavit homines rexit gubernavit docuit the flock Hence it is Kings are said to feed their people in which respect they have the title of Shepheards as in Psal 78. 71 72. David was taken by the Lord from the Sheep folds from following the Ews great with young and he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance Hence it is Christ is called the Shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lingua sancta proâ—rié pastoiuÌ„ est aut ovium ponitur enim transitivé intransitivépro subjectorum ratione in transitive cum ovibus attribuitur aut hominibus seipsos pascentibus Rivertus in Psa 23. 1. of our souls 1 Pet. 2. 25. Therefore it is that the Church desireth to be so guided and directed by Christ to the place of his feeding that shee might be fed of his heavenly food and be refreshed by drinking the water of life shee desireth to know where or how Christ feeds alone by himselfe yea where he feeds his flock opposed to the flocks of his companions shee desires not onely Christs feeding and guiding her but also to feed with his Lambs with his Sheep that so shee and they may be mutually refreshed one of another Thou makest to rest The word rest in the Originall signifies to lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cubare recubare succumbere Fortasse inde verbum Eng. Rabbet becaus it is a creature much given to couch or lye down Est accumbere vel accubare sicuti solent armenta dum ruminant post past um Muscul in Psal 104. 22. downe because we take our rest by lying downe To desire repast and to desire rest after repast it is agreeable to nature as first to eat and so to rest after meat so that after the heavenly Banquet of spirituall dainties shee may ruminate and chew the cud as it were by spirituall meditation such Beasts as under the Law did chew the cud and part the hoofe were accounted cleane Lev. 11. 3. So the cleane soule doth ruminate upon the spirituall food by which Christ refresheth it But the rest here is meant chiefly of that rest and safety shee desireth of Christ in respect of persecution and trouble as appears by the next words At Noone This is meant of the heat of the day the mid-day is called Zeharajim and it is put in the duall number because it divideth the day into two equall parts and containeth a part of the forenoon and a part of the afternoone the medium or middle part is a distance or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucere Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Merid es quia diem in duas partes aequas dividit geminae'ucis ansemeridanae vespertinoe medium est interstitium terminus Buxt in Lex space between both when the Sun is come to the Meridionall point by which means it sendeth forth a most scorching and burning heat Now this must needs be meant of the scorching and burning heat of Persecution tribulation and affliction which is figured out by the heat of the Sun in Mat. 13. 6. 21. This being an unseparable companion with the Gospell as appears Tim. 3. 12. Shee desires to rest under the shaddow of Christ's wings where shee may enjoy rest and peace when the Sun of persecution is at the highest even at noon-day when the scorching beams thereof doe cast the greatest heat and extremity Now from the matter of the Churches request unto Christ Observe First That Christ is a most compleat spirituall Shepheard feeding guiding governing and directing his flocke The Scripture doth often ascribe the title of Shepheard unto God and unto Christ as in Psal 80. 2. Heare O Shepheard of Israel And Christ is the Shepheard of our souls 1 Pet. 2. 25. And saith he I am the good Shepheard John 10. 11. Christ hath all the properties of a good Shepheard and they are such as these First a good Shepheard is carefull to feed his Flock so is Christ as carefull and much more then any earthly Shepheard can be to feed his people The Lord is my Shepheard or feeder saith David and what is the effect Why saith he I shall not want he will feed me plentifully and abundantly so that I shall want nothing So in Isa 40. 11. He shall feed his Flock like a Shepheard Christ doth excellently feed his flock First Plentifully with abundance with the greatest variety of all good things thus the Lord did promise to feed his people in Ezek. 34. 14. I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high Mountaines of Israel shall their fold be there shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the Mountaines of Israel There is a redundancy and an overflowing good in Christ so that when he gives any good thing he gives abundance of it if he give life peace joy or any refreshment he doth not give a scanty measure of it but he filleth the empty soule with good things Christ is both able and willing to doe for us far more abundantly then we are able to aske or thinke Ephes 3. 20. Secondly Christ doth not onely feed his people with plenty but also with the choicest food he doth extract the very quintiscence of all good things for them He makes a feast of fat things and the marrow of fatnesse and Wine on the Lees well refined Isa 25. 6. For such preserveth the strength and doth most of all refresh nature So Christs comforts are the best comforts his joy the best joy his peace the best peace his Spirit the best Spirit Christ doth
he knows any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. That is he that hath an opinion that his knowledge is perfect knows nothing at all But Christ doth not upbraid the Church with her ignorance but is ready to imbrace and instruct her Hence Observe Secondly That Christ takes not advantage from the sins or from the ignorance of his people to utbraia them but doth rather help them against their infirmities The Church had many deformities and failings shee had observed mens traditions and neglected those things which Christ had given her in trust shee was ignorant of the wayes of Christ and yet Christ deals very tenderly and sweetly with her Seing thou knowest not c. Christ is so far from casting off his people for weaknesse that he delights in helping and sustaining his people under their infirmities When I am weake then I am strong saith the Apostle And Christ himself hath commanded us that we receive him that is weake in the faith not to cast him off from our fellowship and society surely then he will not cast off his people for their weaknesse and ignorance neither will he any way neglect them for some failings Christ doth beare with the infirmities of his people in relation to his Office of Priest-hood so saith the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 2. 17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that be tempted That is Christ was like to his Brethren in all things sin excepted to the end he might be a faithfull High-priest never to neglect his people at any time but in all their flips and oversights to shew them mercy and hence it is he hath taken our weaknesses upon him as a pledge to testifie and assure us that he will both pity and help us Now in that the Apostle saith He being tempted is able to succour them that are tempted He doth not mean that Christ received any ability by his temptatations but he would assure us thereby that Christ is willing to succour us under temptation as one that hath undergone temptations himselfe Now the truth of this appears yet more in the following words wherein we have a sweet compellation or ravishing forme of words O thou fairest among women Christ doth here commend the excellent and surpassing beauty of his Church not withstanding all her deformities and blacknesse spoken of before She was deformed and black in the eyes of the world and also in her owne apprehension but faire and beautifull in Christ's eye and shee was not onely of some meane or ordinary beauty but the fairest among women The Hebrew Japhet faire signifies faire or beautifull not onely in respect of colour and complexion but also in a just symmetry or proportion of parts for both fairnesse of complexion and proportion of members makes the most compleat beauty The word doth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pulchrum esse venustus decorus fuit import such a beauty as attracteth love and draweth approbation or good liking Sometimes the word is used in a double forme to increase the signification of it and then it signifies the most transcendent and very excellent beauty so it is used concerning Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psa 45. 3. Thou art fairer then the Children of men Psal 45. 2. That is thou art much fairer then all the Sons of Adam this fairnesse is not onely meant of the body but of the mind and of the understanding such beauty is called The beauty of wisdome Ezek. 28. 7. This beauty consisteth in wisdom and holinesse it is the beauty of all spirituall graces of the Saints as faith love patience humility c. it is not an outward beauty of the body but an inward beauty of the soule The word importeth as I hinted before such beauty as attracteth love and approbation for the same word is attributed sometime to Cattell Genes 41. 2. Sometime to Trees Jer. 11. 16. And to all the works of Gods hands Eccles 2. 11. So that it is applied to such things as doth draw and win the affections of man yet Christ addeth to this beauty by saying The fairest among women The most comely beauty is usually set forth by women as strength and valour is set forth by men and when he saith Faire among women he meaneth more faire then other women or the fairest of woman-kind thus Mary the Mother of Christ is called Blessed among women Luke 1. 28. That is more blessed then other women so the Lyon is said to be strong among Beasts Prov. 30. 30. That is the strongest among Beasts Now the meaning must needs be thus that the Church is far more excelling in all spirituall beauty beyond all earthly and temporall beauty however shee seemeth black in her owne eyes as all the Saints are privy to their own deformities and however others doe contemne her esteeming her to be void of beauty yet unto Christ shee seemeth to be most faire There are many in the world that have a shew of externall beauty and are adorned with many externall Ornaments but their beauty in the eyes of Messiah is nothing comparable to the beauty of the Saints who indeed are base and contemptible to carnall view but yet by their spirituall beauty and Ornaments they excell them all Hence it is Christ calleth the Church the fairest among women Now from this insinuating sweet compellation of Christ to his Church Observe First That Christs doth win the affections of his Saints by sweet insinuations He doth as it were insinuate and get into our affections before we are aware Hence it is that he useth such sweet termes of relation to his people as Love Dove undefiled Spouse Brethren Children Friends Sonnes and the like all to insinuate and get within their hearts and that for these ends First to assure them of his good will love delight and acceptation I call you no more Servants but friends saith he Because that I receive from the Father I declare it unto you John 15. 15. That is you are my Friends and I deale with you as a friend and by this you may take notice of my love and friendship towards you because I reveale unto you the mind of my Father Secondly to cause them to take notice of his grace and love The Saints of Christ are often complaining of blacknesse and deformity but seldome acknowledgeing their beauty and fairnesse they can often see their meannesse but not their riches their weaknesse but not their strength their sins but not their graces The Church here had called her selfe black but Christ calleth her faire shee was something blackish in her owne eyes but exceeding faire in Christ's eyes Now that the Church might apprehend her owne beauty
meant of eare-rings and Jewells which adorne the face as we have it in the Prophet I have decked thee with Ornaments I put Bracelets upon thine hands and a chaine on thy neck and I put a Jewell on thy forehead and ear-rings in thy eares and a beautifull crowne upon thine head thus wast thou decked with Gold and silver and thou wast exceeding beautifull c. Ezek. 16. 12 13. 14. Now the spirituall signification is one and the same according to either similitude And to the same end must that be referred when he saith Thy neck with chains of gold as may appeare in the places of the Judges before alledged We must know also that by the recitall of the particular parts doth recommend unto us the whole These rows and chains signifie the Ordinances wholsom Laws of God which were binding like chains directive to guide the Church as his goodly horse in the battaile Zech. 10. 3. and being managed and guided by Christ shee might overcome all her enemies And all the Ordinances of Christ were as so many Ornaments of Jewells and chains of gold to adorne the face and neck of the Church and also by her conformity and obedience to them shee becomes beautifull in the eyes of Christ and in the eyes of all his people Hence Observe That the observance of the Laws and holy rules of Christ doe adorne the Saints as pearles and chains of gold doe the outward man The doctrines instructions and councells of Christ received by his Church are as so many Ornaments unto her even as Pearles and Jewells are Ornaments in the Bridles of Horses This is that we have in Prov. 20. 15. There is gold and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a pretious Jewell And againe My Son heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother for they shall be an Ornament of grace unto thine head and chains about thy neck Prov. 1. 8 9. The observance of the rules of Christ makes men orderly gracious holy and upright all which are comely Ornaments unto Beleivers patience humility love self-deniall these and such like graces are the pearles and Jewells of the Saints Secondly Observe That by the observance of Christs Laws the Saints are guided protected and made victorious Hence the Church is said to have her Cheeks comely with rows of Jewells or Ornaments upon her Bridle wherewith Christ guideth and directeth her Thus the Lord saith that he made Judah as goodly Horses for the Battaile Zech. 10. 3. That is he hath endowed his people with valour and strength so that they are as goodly War-horses who being managed and guided by the hand of God should be able to overcome and trample downe all their enemies Thirdly Observe That Christ hath not onely indowed his people with inward strength and valour but also with outWard glory and beauty In the former Verse he compared her unto Pharaoh's Charriot Horsesâ— in respect of her inward strength and vigour so here in this Verse for her outward deckings and Ornaments such as is the trimming of the horses Bridles and such like furniture of gold pearle and pâ—etious stones This is also demonstrated in Psal 45. 13 14. where it is said The Kings Daughter is all glorious within That is shee is honourable inwardly having the heart and inward man adorned with faith hope love c. and being inwardly indowed with spirituall strength shee is able to withstand her enemies And it is added Her cloathing is of wrought gold and shee shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-worke c. That is her outward cloathing should be of purled works of gold set with pretious stones This outward adorning of the Saints was figur'd out by Aarons Brest plate wherein there was Twelve pretious stones Exod. 28. 11. And the Garments of the Priests were holy made of white linnen all which did shaddow forth the outward beauty righteousnesse and glory of the Saints Vers 11. Wee will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver Christ having shewed the present happinesse of the Church in respect of her strength and comelinesse he now declareth what should be her future happinesse namely a further encrease of her graces and some addition of rich Ornaments Shee is richly decked already but her decking shall be yet more and more shee shall have the most excellent Ornaments of gold and silver which wrought together doe set forth each other In the words observe two things First the maker or framer of these works Wee spoken in the Plurall number Secondly the worke thus framed or made which is considered in two degrees 1. In borders of gold 2. In studs of silver We will make c. By the Plurall number wee most doe understand of the Father Sonne and Spirit as in Genes 1. 26. Let us make man which is meant of those three in Heaven the Father the word and the Spirit 1 John 5. 7. Hereupon he is called God our maker Job 35 10. and so the Apostle wisheth Grace and peace from the Father Sonne and holy Spirit Rom. 5. 7. And the Apostle speaking of the diversities of gifts in 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. saith that the diversities of gift are of the Spirit and the diversities of ministries to be of the Lord that is of Christ and the diversities of operations meaning the effectuall working of the Spirit to be of God Againe the effectuall teaching and Revelation of the glorious Gospell is attributed to the Father Son and holy Spirit as a joint worke belonging to them all 1. The Father revealeth the Mystery of the Kingdome thus Christ tels Peter in Mat. 16. 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed thus unto thee but my father which is in heaven And againe saith he in Joh. 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me 2. The Sonne likewise teacheth the same glorious Mysteries unto men and is therefore called the Angell of Gods Covenant Malach. 3. 1. And saith he No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 1. 18. And therefore is said to be a Teacher sent from God John 3. 2. And the Lord which speaketh from Heaven Heb. 12. 15. 3. The holy Ghost is also a revealer of these Mysteries unto men hence the Apostle saith The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. And therefore it is called the Law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. The ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. the revelation of the Spirit Ephes 1. 17. And no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 1. And so for the sending of the holy Spirit the Comforter the Father is said to send the holy Spirit For I will pray the Father saith Christ
we use to say at his owne cost he first sends a spirit of faith a spirit of love a spirit of holinesse a spirit of humility and then comes and makes a feast of such provisions as himselfe sends Now what ever may be said in the praise and commendations of a plentifull Feast the same and much more may be said in the high commendations of this Feast that Christ makes for his Saints 1. In Feasts there are the chiefest provisions of meat and drink c. So in Christ we have the chiefest food in all the World My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed saith Christ John 6. 55. That is his flesh is that spirituall Manna that came downe from Heaven with which our souls are fed to eternall life The Crucified flesh of Christ by which divine justice was satisfied is the onely meat to refresh our souls what greater rarity is there in all the World for the soul to feed on then the graces of Christs spirit flowing out abundantly upon our hearts 2. A Feast hath all sorts of provisions So Christ is variety of food unto the souls of his people All the promises are yea and in him amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. There are promises suitable to every condition and relation of his people there is most pretious and pure blood to wash away their guilt there is strength to support them in weaknesse there is a Garment of righteousnesse to cover the shame of their nakednesse a Spirit of truth to lead and guide them into all truth sweet mercies and consolations to comfort them in all their droopings Gold and Pearles and pretious stones to enrich them In a word there is a plenitude and fullnesse of all grace to feed and fill their empty and destitute souls And thus we have the Apostle in 1 Cor. 1. 30. least we should not be too much cast downe with our owne folly saith Christ is made unto us of God wisdome and for our uncleannesse and corruption he is made unto us holinesse and sanctification and for our misery and bondage he is made unto us redemption The Spirit of the Lord anointed Christ and did solemnly designe him to be home unto every Saints condition and to be made as the Apostle saith of himselfe all things to all men Hee was anointed to preach glad tidings to the meeke to bind up the broken hearts to proclaime liberty to captives to appoint beauty for ashes joy for mourning and garments of festivity and praise for sad and heavy spirits Isa 61. 1 2 3. So that Christ hath in him sufficiency relative and suitable to all the conditions of the Saints they may feed on him with all sorts and varieties of good things 3. In Feasts there is great plenty of Meats and Drinks and such like provisions so that none use to goe away hungry from a Feast So there is abundance of satisfaction in Christ yea in him is a redundancy and an overflowing of all good things when Christ giveth his people good things he gives them in abundance As for our redemption the Apostle saith we have it according to the riches of his grace Ephes 1. 7. That is we have a full and bountifull redemption by him And the glory that Christ gives to his people is cal'd riches of glory Ephes 3. 16. And Christ is said to give us all things richly to injoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. And to powre his Spirit richly into our hearts Titus 3. 6. If Christ gives of his Spirit he gives abundance of it if he gives us peace he gives it in abundance yea he fills the soule with good things 4. A Feast is intended for joy and rejoycing So Christ doth rejoyce and make glad the hearts of his people he feeds them with inward tranquillity and joy in the holy Ghost shedding abroad his owne love in their souls It is true that the world feeds the Saints with the bread of affliction but Christ gives them to drinke the wine of consolation In the world saith Christ to his Disciples yee shall have tribulation but be of good cheere I have overcome the world John 16. 33. Hence it is that the Apostle exhorteth Believers to rejoyce in Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce alwayes in the Lord saith he Forasmuch as you have the true cause of joy you may take it upon good grounds and therefore I say againe rejoyce Christ doth make a feast of triumph and rejoycing with every soule that is brought home unto him an instance whereof we have in the Prodigall Son Luke 15. 24. The Father of the Prodigall brought his fatted Calfe and kill'd it to eat make merry with his Friends O what greater joy and rejoycing can there be then that sweet harmony betweene the soule and God reconciled unto it through Jesus Christ The soule that was dead is now alive and that was lost is now found and sweetly entertained by the Father what peace and joy is like that which flows from the Spirit of Jesus Christ 5. At a Feast there is a meeting of many friends together So here is a good company at Christs Table it is surrounded by Christ and all his faithfull Servants The Father himselfe is present at this Feast for saith the Apostle Our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. The Saints being united to Christ by faith have fellowship with him and by him they are united to the Father whereby they have communion with him also The Angells are likewise at this feast rejoycing with the Saints 6. The Master of a Feast doth use to welcome and cheare up his Guests It was the custome of the Jewes to welcome their Guests by powring out precious Oiles upon their heads as appeareth in Luke 7. 46. John 12. 3. Hence it is that David alluding to the Jewish custome saith Thou preparest my Table and thou anointest my head with Oile Psal 23. 5. Thus Christ as the Master of this heavenly Feast cheereth up his Guests by powring forth the Oile of grace and of gladnesse upon the heads of his people and by filling of their hearts with joy and gladnesse Thus we find Christ welcomming of his Church in Song 5. 1. saying Eat O my friends drinke yee drinke abundantly O Beloved Thus Christ feasteth with his people and conveyeth all the dainties of salvation unto them and thus his people come to injoy Christ and all his comforts and graces here they have a Feast of grace and at last shall come to a Feast of glory My Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Here we have the effect of this communion My Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Christ hath his communion with his Church and his Church hath her odour from that communion Spiknard is a very pleasant fruit Some of the Rabbins thinke that Nardus was like to Saffron It seems there was diverse sorts of it One sort is called Nardus celtica which the French-men call Lawand and we in
all mercy grace and love compacted together there is no grace but it is in the cluster of mans redemption as mercy justice power wisedome love and free grace all these are gloriously manifested in the worke of our redemption Now all the graces of our redemption in Christ have a fragrancy and a sweet odour with them they are likea cluster of camphire for their sweet odoriferous smell whereby the Saints are continually refreshed and comforted In the Vineyards of Engedi Engedi was the name of a place in the Tribe of Judah appeareth Josh 15. 62. It should seem to be a City famous for sweet smelling trees and of a very fruitfull soile for Gardens and Vineyards This City Engedi was sometimes a place of safeguard and defence unto David when he hid himself from the fury of Saul as in 1 Sam. 24. It was called Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. where Jehosaphat prayed and was delivered from his Enemies It was also a place full of rocks and wild goats adjoyning to the Sea-cost This noteth unto us the great victories which the Church obtaineth by Christ hee hath brought a full redemption unto his people and will give them victory over all their enemyes The word Engedi 〈◊〉 or Gnen-gedi is a compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word the first part signifieth an eye or fountaine the latter part of the word signifies a Kid or a company hereof it was that Leah's adopted sonne Gad tooke his name which signifies a troop or company Considering the rocks and wild Goats in the bounds of Engedi here may be an allusion from those young Goats who from the Rocks would not onely cast their eyes upon the Fountaines below which were their watering places but also upon the Vineyards desiring to root up and spoil the Plants there But as the owners of the Vines would wall and fence their Vineyards in such a manner that these Goates or Kidds which longing and bleating after the pleasant plants could not come to spoile them even so it is with the wicked persecutors of the world they may see and cry after the Saints and much desire their destruction but Christ the owner of this Vineyard hath set a hedg about his Saints as hee did about Job so that Satan could not touch his soule and Christ himself is a wall of fire round about his Church Zech. 2. 5. where the holy Ghost alludeth to the practice of Travailers in the Wildernesse who surrounded themselves with a fire and did thereby fray away the wild beasts and kept them off from annoying them Christ is such a defence unto his people and therefore they must needs be in great safety who have such a defence notwithstanding all the attempts of the wicked against them As for these words of propriety and affection My beloved is unto me c. Having spoken of them in the precedent verse I shall not repeat them again but shall only give you two or three Observations from this verse First Observe That redemption by Christ and the fruits thereof are very savoury and delightfull unto the Saints The pardon of sinne and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ with that spiritual peace flowing from thence with all those heavenly graces that follow and accompany this redemption these cannot but be very delightfull and precious unto the Saints yea and much more precious and sweet then all camphire and Cyprus trees are unto any worldly sense Here is as it were a cluster of graces compacted together and that do shine forth together most gloriously being the very life of a Christians joy and comfort In our redemption there is as I said before a cluster or heap of mercies and graces compacted together as rich mercy extended to the vessels of mercy the Sts are made vessels of mercy by redemption these vessels are filled full of mercy mercy is manifested upon them There is also rich love in our redemption in that the Father gave his Sonne to death for us and the Son also gave himselfe and laid down his life for us greater love then this was never shewn by any Again Free grace doth exalt it selfe in this work also for we were bought with a price that not with our own but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ In a word in our redemption all the attributes of God shine forth most gloriously as for justice it is honoured because it is satisfied and for mercy it is enlarged and hath a portion aswel as justice his power is magnified in effecting such a glorious work and his wisdome in finding out and in contriving and in finishing the worke of our redemption Here are graces compact together even as clusters of berries on the Cyprus tree Thus Christ is sweet to his Saints in redeeming and saving of them hee is like a cluster of camphire or of cyprus Secondly observe That Christ will be a safeguard and shelter for his Saints in the middest of the greatest dangers Wicked men may look down from their mountain and behold the Saints in Christs vineyard and desire much to spoile those tender plants but Christ will be a wall of defence unto them Thus David declareth the Lord to be his defence and hee expresseth it nine times together in Psal 18. 2. The Lord saith he is my rocke and fortresse c. Two names of a rock are in this verse the first is Selaugh a firm stony rock the latter is Tsur a strong or sharp rocke he is saith hee My deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower A horn signifieth power and strength Psalm 92. 11. and therefore they signifie the great Monarchs and Kings of the world Dan. 8. 21. An high tower hath it's name in Hebrew Misgah which is an exaltation that is an high Tower or Fort wherein men are protected from danger and invasion and he addes my refuge that is saving me from all wrong and violence of men And this is that which Christ hath promised to his Sains never to leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13. 5. There are no lesse then five negatives in this place to strengthen and confirm our faith in the truth of the promise And it is as if he should have said I will in no wise whatsoever come of it at any time forsake thee mine eye shall be still over thee and I will watch over thee for good continually So the Lord promiseth to be with his people in the greatest danger when they passe through the water and when they walke through the fire Isa 43. 2. Fire and water are two most devouring Elements good servants but bad masters as we say and therefore here they are put for all other perillous and dangerous kinds Christ will save and deliver his people from them all We read Dan. 3. 25. That the three children were cast into the fiery furnace but what said the Tyrant I see foure saith hee and
the fourth is like the Sonne of God And in all probability it was so it being usuall under the Old Testament for Christ upon some weighty occasions to appeare in humane shape Thus Christ will be with his people in the furnace of affliction and either he will preserve them in or deliver them out of trouble hee will so sanctifie affliction that it shall prove a very blessing unto them 3. From the note of propriety my beloved is unto me c. Observe That the Saints only have the right feeling and sense of Christs sweetnesse They only are redeemed and sanctified by Christ they alone feele the free remission of sins and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ from whence ariseth this sweet refreshing peace and spirituall joy in their souls The men of the world doe smell the sweet savour of many earthly things and doe abundantly delight in them but this divine and spirituall sweetnesse of Christ they do not smell This is no great wonder neither for let the sun shine never so bright and yet hee that is blind cannot perceive it So let him that is without sense of smelling come among sweet savours yet he smelleth no sweetnesse at all Thus Christ is preached abroad in the world and he is as it were a box of precious ointment powred forth but yet for all this the men of the world are so stuffed with the stinking savours of carnall lusts which seem more delightsome unto them as that they cannot smell any spirituall sweetnesse in Christ at all so that when the Saints are exceedingly moved and taken with the sweet savours of Christ yet others are nothing taken with those spirituall savours and that because they savour not the things of God Then the Saints only are perfumed with Christs sweetnesse so that their hearts for love of him doe despise unclean lusts and carnall pleasures aspiring unto the heavens in their soules where Christ is who is their happinesse their joy and their treasure whom they fix as it were a bundle of sweet myrrhe between their breasts and doe smel a sweet savour in his redemption and mediation even as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi Thus much for the commendations of the Spouse concerning her Beloved VERS 15 16 17. Behold thou art faire my Love behold thou art faire thou hast doves eyes Behold thou art faire my beloved yea pleasant also our bed is green The beams of our house are Cedar and our rafters of fir CHrist and his Church having already mutually commended each other now again they doe renew the prayses one of another and that more succinctly then before For this commendations Christ beginneth and the Church followeth after 1. Christ commendeth his Spouse vers 15. 2. The Spouse praiseth her Beloved vers 16. 3. Wee have a conclusion of praise joyntly between them both vers 17. First Christ commendeth his Spouse his Eulogie is laid down First By way of preface or introduction and this is two-fold 1. By a word of attention Behold 2. By a love-title my love Secondly we have Christs assertion of his Spouse and that is double thou art faire thou art faire Thirdly this assertion is inlarged by a comparison thou hast doves eyes Or wee may take it for Christs commending his Spouse for her properties First for her beauty as shee was made glorious in him and without spot thou art fair c. Secondly For her spirituall chastity thou hast doves eyes Behold my love thou art faire c. It was the whole desire of the Church to be well favoured comely and beautifull in the eyes of Christ now for Christ thus to acceept of her is all shee can wish or desire A singular joy it must needs be unto her to be assured and made certain that she is indeed made beautifull in his sight And therefore the Lord to cheer and to comfort her in the assurance thereof doth pronounce her excellent beauty which can hardly be uttered with any words and therefore hee doth preface his speech with a note of attention saying Behold thou art faire my love c. The Scripture useth this word behold when it would stir up the minds of men to consider some rare some excellent or wonderfull matter As Behold a virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eu ecce adverbium demonstrandi usurptur in rebus motabilibus shall be with child c. And behold the day of the Lord shall come To behold in it's proper signification is to looke on a thing with our fleshly eys but it is used to signifie a due consideration or a due regard of a thing as Behold therefore the beautifulnesse and severity of God Rom. 11. 12. Sometimes the word is taken by way of derision as in Gen. 3. 22. where God saith concerning Adam behold the man is become as one of us but this is least of all meant in this place Again the word behold is taken by way of asseveration to assure us of the truth of a thing And thus it is used here for the Church being sensible of her blacknesse and deformity in Vers 5. Christ comforteth her against that deformity which shee saw in her selfe by telling her that shee was the fairest among women Ver. 8. but now to assure her of the truth and certainty thereof he doth preface his commendations with this word of asseveration saying Behold thou art faire c. Lastly Behold is prefixed to such phrases by which the Lord would raise up our thoughts to the highest pitch of attention and admiration to quicken us against our dull and misgiving hearts The Saints many times thinke worse of themselves then happily Christ would have them and they are hardly drawne to believe that Christ hath made them so glorious and so happy as he hath done now that Christ might raise the hearts of his people against such misgiving thoughts he doth rouze and stir them up by this note of attention Behold thou art faire c. So this word of attention Behold notes unto us three things First how backward and slow of heart we are to beleive the things of-Christ how dull we are at the best so that we alwayes stand in need of being quickned and rouzed up by such a word of attention as this Behold c. Hence it is that the Apostle exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God that was in him 2 Tim. 1. 6. where the word stir up signifieth to stir up fire or to give life to fire as fire burneth under ashes and is revived or rekindled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to vivifie and put fire by stiring up This notes unto us that the gift of God is as it were a certaine flame kindled in our hearts but our natures are as the ashes which are ready to cover and choak this fire in us and the flesh and the Devill goe about to put it out and therefore
love and affection wholly and entirely towards him alone To this purpose tends that of the Prophet when he prophesies of a remnant that should forsake idolatry he saith At that day shall a man looke to his maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel and he shal not looke to the Altars the work of mens hands neither shall respect that which his fingers have made either the groves or the images Isa 17. 7 8. In that he nameth groves images he hath respect to the diverse sorts of places which they had to worship their Idols their groves and shady places were such as they used in the heate of summer and their sunne-images set in sun-shiny places which they made use of in colder weather by these two therefore are all sorts of Idols and idolatrous services designed but the Prophet tells of a remnant that should escape all these and should look to the holy one alone They then that embrace the doctrines and inventions of men worshipping stocks and stones they commit abominable whoredome according as the word of God chargeth them Such as imbrace this world be called adulterers and adulteresses Jam. 4. 4. And covetousnesse which is idolatry Col. 3. 5. And such as did forsake the Lord their eyes went after their idols Ezek. 20. 24. And such are called eyes beholding strange women Prov. 23. 33. Those then that will be faithfull unto the Lord and be beautifull in his sight must have doves eyes they must with a single eye of faith looke upon Jesus Christ and love him and stay upon him alone and not upon the world or upon riches honours pleasures or any worldly contentment whatsoever The corporall eye must be like the Dove for simplicity and chastity this eye as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 6. is the light of the body and without the eye there is nothing but darknes in the bodie it is the window of the bodie which if it be not carefully watched will be a great inlet of evill The mentall eye which is the eye of the soule must also assimilate the Dove in all simplicity and so much the rather must the mind be simple chast innocent because it is the light of the soule and it sitteth at the soules helme steering all the outward senses according as it's selfe pleaseth And for those that are personall eyes the Ministers of the Gospel they should prepare the Church for one Husband even to present it as a pure Virgin unto Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. To conclude the eye of the soule is the light of the soule and that is faith the delight then that Christ taketh in his Saints is the beauty of this eye of faith and this beauty shall never decay but wax more and more beautifull So much for the commendations given by Christ now followeth the like praise which his church returneth to him again VERS 16. Behold thou art faire my beloved yea pleasant also our bed is greene THe Church doth expresse the great liking she hath of Christ's beauty and thus she doth 1. By returning back his praise saying Thou art faire c. 2. By amplifying and enlarging his beauty or by adding to his praise by his amiable delectablenesse whereby he enflameth her heart yea pleasant As for the last clause Also our bed is green I think it is to be joyned with the last verse being a part of that joynt praise which belongeth both to Christ and his Church unto which I shall refer it Behold thou art faire c. The Church returneth the word Japhet faire unto Christ as if she should say yea rather thou art faire and whatsoever beauty I have I have it from thee I am Iaphet faire but it is because thou art Japhet fair my fairnesse springs out of thee who art the fountain of spirituall beauty and hast not the Spirit by measure John 3. 34. But in such fulnesse that of thy fulnesse wee have all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Christ is the fairest of all the sonnes of Adam Psal 45. 2. From whom the Church receiveth all her fairnesse and beauty so that shee doth not assume the praise unto her selfe but giveth back to her Beloved from whom she had received it and unto whom it was due according to the practice of the Church in Psalm 15. I. Not unto us O LORD but to thy Name let bee the praise Shee addeth the praise of his amiable delectablenesse Yea pleasant The Church addeth another Epithite of love saying thou art Nagnim turned of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jucundus amabilis decorus gratus fuit which implyeth the very spring or flowre of beauty a tearm far before the former which signifies pleasant amiable delightfull beautifull Now the Covenant which the Lord made with his people in Zech. 11. 10. is called beauty or pleasantnesse And Moses desired that the beauty of the Lord might be upon them in the performance of his Covenant Psal 90. 17. And David desireth to remain in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his life that hee might behold the pleasantnesse of the Lord Psal 27. 4. Now all these things were fulfilled and compleated in Christ who by his heavenly Doctrines and words of grace and consolation to his people doth become sweet as the honey comb unto them and very pleasant All Christ's administrations of the covenant of grace are his staves of beauty and pleasantnesse From this high commendations of the Church given unto Christ Observe First That Christ is the fountain of all that spirituall beauty of the Saints As Christ had commended her graces so shee praiseth him for the cause of those graces For it is cleare that the Church hath all her beauty ornaments from him it is he that washeth her and makes her glorious Ephes 5. 26. It is most true that the beauty and glory of the heavenly new Jerusalem is exceeding great as it is set forth Revel 21. Yet the glory of the Bridegroom Jesus Christ far exceeds in beauty even as much as the Ocean doth the lesser streams for he is the fountaine of all glory and beauty Hence it is the Church returneth this praise unto him for he indeed is fair and comely Who can set forth the glory of Christ who can describe his beauty and comelinesse Not the carnall men of the world in whose account Christ had no forme or comelinesse upon him Isa 53. 3. And in respect of his depressed condition in the world and by reason of his deep sufferings his visage was marred more then any man and his forme more then the sonnes of men Isa 52. 14. Therefore hee was rejected of men Isa 53. 3. Hee was scarce deemed worthy the name of a man hee had no respect or estimation in the eys of the men of the world these see not his beauty and therefore praise him not but the Saints doe glory in Christ's beauty and comelinesse
and withall siignifying how she is afflicted and pricked with them as with Thorns In this verse we have Christs comparison betweene the Church and such a Lilie as growes among Thornes Now let us consider First What and who is this Lili Secondly The Thorne Thirdly The love Fourthly the Daughters First what this Lilie is it may necessarily be concluded of the Church notwithstanding Christ himselfe was compared unto the Lilie in the former verse It is not unusuall in Scripture for Christ and his Church to be set forth by one and the same thing Christ is called the light Joh. 1. 7 8. his Church is called the same Matth. 5. 14. So in the former verse Christ is termed a Lilie which for a new consideration the same terme is given unto the Church and that in these respects First in respect of spirituall beauty the Church is compared to a Lilie that is white of colour and very beautifull The Church is washed and sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 6. 11. Secondly The Saints rely upon God as Lilies are said to be glorious by his providence Why care ye for rayment saith Christ learne of the Lilies of the field how they neither labour nor spin yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glorie is not clothed like one of these Matthew 6. 28. Hence we should be taught to relie wholly upon God casting all our care upon him Thirdly It is incident to this delicate and daintie flower to grow among the perverse and unbeleevers the Saints as Lilies flourish and shine among the Thornes Hence it is that the Apostle saith Wee must be blamelesse and pure as the Sonne of God without rebuke in the midaest of a naughty and crooked generation among whom yee shine as lights in the world Phil. 2. 15. Secondly what and who these thornes be is easily decided The naturall thorne is no tender herbe or flower but a sturdie hard Tree not smooth as the Lilie but knotty and full of dangerous pricks who these thornes be let David declare in that he saith The wicked be every one thornes 2 Sam 23. 6. where the word wicked is expressed in the originall by the word Belial which well declareth the nature of wicked men for that they be as some expound the word Beli. gnol without yoake that is such as will not come under the yoake of obe di ence Others derive it of Beli and Gnalah not ascending because their matters prospered not or because they were such as ascended not to the Temple nor to Mount Zion the Tabernacle of the Lord. Such base earthly spirits such beastly rude libertines they be these Thornes Now wicked men are compared to Thornes and that in these respects First Bryers and Thorns were the fruit of God's curse upon the earth Gen. 3. 17 18. So are the wicked men of the world Secondly Bryers and Thornes they are of a perplexing nature being full of dangerous prickles such thornes are the wicked who are continually pricking and fretting and galling the people of God Hence it is that when the Lord promiseth to free his people from such he saith There shall be no more a pricking bryer to the house of Israel nor any grievous thorne of all that are round about them that despised them Ezek. 28. 24. Thirdly Bryers and thornes the best use that is commonly made of them is but to hedge and fence in So it is that God often times makes use of these Bryers and thornes for the good of his people so as by this meanes he keeps them from wandring and stragling abroad as Cattle doe out of unfenced pastures Thus the Lord tells his people in Hosea 2. 6. Therefore Behold I will hedge up thy way with thornes and make a wall that shee shall not find her paths A like place we have in Numb 33. 55. If yee will not drive out the Inhabitants c. Those which ye let remaine of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thornes in your sides and shall vex you in in the Land wherein you dwell Fourthly The end of bryers and thornes is to be burned Heb. 6. 8. they shall be dried and made fit fuell for the fire and at last burned for which see 2 Sam. 23. 6. They shall be burnt together Such will be the end of all ungodly ones and such as dye in their sin Who would set the Briars and thornes against me in battaile saith the Lord I would goe through them I would burne them together Thus we see what and who these thornes be and in what respect wicked men are so called Now it followeth that we enquire concerning the love here spoken of 3. The love here spoken of is the Church as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socius amious 〈◊〉 in Chap. 1. 9. My love companion or fellow-friend who loveth Christ because he loved her first 1 John 4. 19. and whose love is kindled by the flames of Christs love The love of Christ is as a lilie among the thornes 4. and lastly as for these daughters amongst whom she converseth they be as thornes by Daughters may be meant the great multitudes of people as the Scripture mentioneth The daughters of Babylon Psal 137. The Daughters of Iyrus Psal 45. So here we may understand multitudes of false brethren hard hearted and knotty conditioned being full of prickles such as are very offensive to the Saints This then is the condition of the Church of Christ though she be as faire and glorious as the lilie yet it is allotted to her to suffer persecution and hard entreaties of the wicked even as Christ did before her Christ is a lilie in the open fields of Sharon exposed to the wild Beasts that be there so is his Church as a lilie among thornes by whom she is persecuted and prick'd but yet she remaines passing glorious and beautifull though among thornes VERS 3 4 5 6. As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sonnes I sat downe under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my tast He brought me into the Banquetting house and his banner over me was love Stay me with flagons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth imbrace me IN the two former Verses we had Christ praising of himselfe and his Spouse upon which the Church in these fowre Verses doth returne praise to him again as he set forth her praise that shee excelleth all the daughters as far as the lilie excelleth the thornes so she commendeth him that he in dignity surmounteth all the Sonnes as far as the Apple tree excelleth all the trees of the forrest The Church doth declare Christ's excellency 1. By comparison she compareth him with all other for beauty fruitfullnesse comfort and delight unto the Apple tree above all other trees which bring forth no fruit but are barren in
her forasmuch as the fruit of the Vine excelleth the fruit of the Apple-tree and is much more comfortable unto the heart Hence Observe That Christs love unto his Church increaseth more and more It is like Nilus and Jordans waters overflowing their banks not that Christs love doth admit of any increasings or decayings but in respect of the manifestations thereof it is sometimes augmented for the spirituall consolation of his Church for so saith the Apostle For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. And Israell shall grow from strength to strength Psal 84. 7. Christs love never lessenneth nor decayeth but it is constant and firme it is like the water of the sanctuarie which abounded more and more it begins in a drop and ends in an Ocean and like a sparke converteth into such a flame as that it shall consume all drosse and stubble before it Secondly By this banquetting house is noted all those rich and costly things which Christ and his Church doth banquet withall which are not trash and drosse and beggarly scraps but those rich and precious delicates of Heaven Hence Observe That Christ communicateth all his sweet gifts to his Church Christ doth communicate his Spirit unto his Saints with all the fruits thereof as love joy peace long-suffering gentlenes meeknesse temperance Gal. 5. 22. 23. And the Saints are never satisfied untill Christ have filled their soules with divine graces which they are made partakers of by faith they feed upon Christ Crucified My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinke indeed John 6. That is true spirituall food In Christ there is all fullnesse whom then can the Saints want For if there be light in the Sunne the Aire cannot be darke if there be sap in the stock the branches cannot be dry if there be fullnesse in the Fountaine the streams cannot be empty Christ is the Olive-tree that standeth before the ruler of the whole Earth and emptieth it selfe by the pipes and Conduits of his word into the golden Candlesticks of his Church Zech. 4. Light and grace in the ministration of holy Ordinances flow from him for in him there 's righteousnesse there 's life there 's peace there 's joy even unspeakeable and glorious as the Apostle saith I Peter 1. 8. Thirdly by this house of wine we may understand it of the Scriptures or of the assembly of the Saints who are the house of God and unto whom is afforded all spirituall comforts signified by wine And thus wisedome which is meant of Christ is said to have built her house Prov. 9. 1. That is Christ who is the supreame wisdome yea wisdome it selfe hath prepared him a Church and 't is added shee hath hewn out her seaven pillars that is he hath many chiefe props and stayes which are principall parts of his Church his house being built in Vers 2. he prepares for to make a great Banquet the Text saith She hath killed her Beasts shee hath mingled her wine shee hath also furnished her Table Wisdome is compared to a stately Queene that makes a Feast and keeps open house as we use to say for all commers So is the Kingdome of Heaven likened to a King that married his sonne Mat. 22. 2. And they are blessed and happy which are called to this supper Revel 19. 9. And in that it is said shee hath mingled her wine it alludeth to the custome of the Jewes who because of the hotnesse of their Countryes did use to powre out or mingle their wine with water to allay the heat of it So doth Christ quallifie and fit heavenly food and makes it suitable to our appetites Now wisdome hath built her house and mingled her wine c inviteth the simple to come and eat of her bread and drinke of her wine Vers 5. And so Christ in Song 5. 1. saith Eat O my Friends drinke yee drinke abundantly O beloved Thus much for the first favour of Christ towards his Spouse to wit his conveying her into the house of wine The second favour manifested by Christ to his Church followeth And his banner over me was love The spreading of a Banner or the lifting up of a Standard is mentioned in Isa 49. 22. Behold saith the Lord I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people c. The end of Gods seting up his standard here is noted to be for the drawing in of the Gentiles which banner must needs be meant of the displaying of the Gospell And Christ layed open in the Gospell is said to stand for an Ensigne of the people and to him shall the Gentiles seeke Isa 11. 10. And he shall be set an Ensigne for the Nations Vers 12. This Banner or Ensign hath allusion to the manner of Captaines who by their setting up of their Ensigne doe gather their Souldiers together So Christ the Captaine of our salvation doth gather and draw a people to himselfe by the setting up his Standard of the Gospell and by displaying the colours of his truth The standard of his word of life he lifts up among his people calling them by the display of his banner unto himselfe Secondly the displaying of a Banner signifies terrour to the adversaries and victory to the Church shee is said to be terrible as an Army with Banners Cant. 6. 4. 10. And the Church in signe of victory saith Wee will shout joyfully in thy Salvation and in the name of our God we will set up the Banner Psal 20. 6. The Israelites were every one to pitch by his owne Standard Numb 2. 2. So must the Saints pitch under Christs Standard of victory and defence Hence Note That Christ obtaineth victory over all his enemies and is a defence to his owne people But we are farther told whereof this Ensigne was made and set up and that was of Love His banner over me was Love Love here is meant of that wherewith Christ hath loved us 1 John 4. 10 by which he redeemed his Church Ephes 5. 26. This love is the Ensigne that he displayes over us for provoking us to come unto him yea all his severall loves are displayed in his glorious Gospell as an Ensigne or Banner to gather together unto him all his Saints Hence Observe That all the Saints and chosen of God are drawne unto Christ by his love For the love of Christ is the Ensigne spread by which he draweth all his Saints unto him and none are drawne but those onely over whom the same Ensigne is displayed Now this banner is spread when the Gospell is preached and the riches of Christ's love laid open whereby the faithfull are drawne to Christ What love is like to his who hath given himselfe for us when we were his Enemies Rom. 5. Who washed us in his owne blood Rev. 1. Here then is the principle and ground of all our obedience or of our praise and that is love which love
there are in nature passages fit for concoction and digestion and also for rejection so there is in the souls of the Saints to receive that which is wholesome food and fit for the soul and Spirit Object But some may say How shall we out of our owne breasts without the allowance and approbation of those that are learned be assured that it is the holy Ghost that doth so guide us in the way of truth Answ That whereas the Apostle Paul for assurance of our salvation and that we are undoubtedly the Children of God alledgeth That we have received the Spirit of adoption and that Spirit beareth witnesse to our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. Now it may as well be demanded of them that feel this assurance in their souls how they know it to be the true Spirit of God which doth assure them which is to contradict the Apostle and to deny the principles of Religion against such there is to be no disputation The same Spirit which doth witnesse unto us that we are the Children of God and cannot deceive doth also assure us of the true voyce of Christ in the interpretation of the Scriptures and it doth assure us so that we cannot be deceived It is true that the naturall man as Paul saith perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. The divine writings of God will not stoop to the naturall spirit of man neither will the divine Scriptures be understood but of such as have received the Spirit of Heaven and them unto whom the Lamb Jesus Christ shall unseale the Book of Life Rev. 5. Therefore we must bring the Spirit of the Scriptures for the understanding of the Scriptures and he that is spirituall saith the Apostle judgeth all things c. 1 Cor. 2. 15. That is the spirituall man discerneth and understandeth all things which are of God and that belong unto eternall life Secondly in that the Church saith It is the voyce of my beloved Observe That Christ is beloved of his Church in what condition soever shee is in Although the Church were weake and ready to faint and felt but little divine assistance neither had shee but small discoveries of Christ yet shee saith It is the voyce of my beloved The Saints even in spiritual desertions when Christ hideth his face and vaileth himselfe from the soul I say then the Saints are enough wel-pleased in Christ though the tentation be full of amarulency and bitternesse yet in Christ himselfe there is abundant sweetnesse and satisfaction Hence was that resolution of Job Though he kill mee yet I will trust in him Hence it is also said of the Children of God That though they walke in darknesse and have no light at all yet they will trust in the name of the Lord and stay themselves upon their God Isa 50. 10. Believers can say in the middest of feares tentations and afflictions It is the voice of my beloved Thus much for the Churches acknowledgement of her sense and feeling of Messiahs approaching and gracious discovery of himselfe unto her and that by the discerning of his voice Now followeth the acknowledgement she makes of Christ by his pace which is prefaced with a word of attention and after set forth to be very speedy in these words Behold he commeth leaping upon the Mountaines skipping upon the Hils Behold is a word of attention of admiration and of asseveration as you heard in chap. 1. 15. Behold how my beloved comes running like an Hinde Hence Observe That the approaches and drawings neere of Christ unto us is matter of great observation When the Prophet Isaiah foresaw Christ comming to assume flesh he cries out Behold a Virgin shall conceive c. Isa 7. 14. The Ancients saw Christ comming afarre off Abraham saw his day and rejoyced but when John Baptist commeth he saith Behold the Lamb of God for the succeeding ages of the Church the Saints beheld Christ ascending to heaven from whence he first descended surely it should be our worke to contemplate Christs approachings to us in his spirit and in the gracious discoveries of himselfe unto us in this last age of the world Thus farre the preface Now followeth the manner of his comming which is first set forth to bee speedy He commeth leaping c. The manner of Christs comming is set forth unto us by the similitude taken from the Roes and Harts whereunto Christ is likned in the next verse which are swift and speedy in their running and skip upon hills and rocks as the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the glorious effects of the Gospell saith The lame man shall leape as an Hart Isaiah 35. 6. that is he shall goe on evenly and straightly he shall walke nimbly and cheerefully in the wayes of God Hereby then is meant the speedinesse and readinesse of Christs comming either to help and support his people or else his comming in the flesh when he would more fully discover himselfe in a Gospel-ministration Vpon the mountains These words doe marvelously expresse Christs singular love as though the Church should say the danger of the journey the hardnesse of the way neither any thing else as mans power or the like can hinder him from comming to comfort me but he will passe all impediments whatsoever as the sinnes of his people and the opposition of the world and the like And that mountains and hils are thus used may appeare Isa 40. 4. the Prophet speaking of John Baptists comming to prepare the way before Christ saith Every mountaine and hill shall be made low So the adversaries of the Church are compared to a Mountaine in Zach. 4. 7. Who art thou O great mountaine before Zerubbabell thou shalt become a plaine So that notwithstanding the sinnes of his people and the opposition of the world Christ declareth his comming by his voice to comfort his people Hence Observe That nothing can keepeback or separate Christ from his Church his love is so great towards her There be as it were high hils and mountaines of sins in the people of God which might separate and the Devill raiseth up bankes to make the way unpleasant but he passeth over all these high mountaines The Apostle tels us that his love is so abundant As neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38 39. Hence it is even from that unseperable love of Christ towards his Church she so glorieth saying Behold he commeth leaping over the mountaines c. that is he commeth without let or hinderance though our sinnes be as great hils and mountains which make a great separation or distance betweene us yet he passeth over them all The
Prophet Isaiah compareth the pride of the Jewes and their pharisaicall presumption upon their owne merits to the mountains as likewise too much dejection of minde to the valleys declaring that by the preaching of John Baptist to prepare the way of Christ Every valley shall be exalted and every mountaine and hill shall be made low and the crooked shal be made straight and the rough places plaine Isa 40. 4. That is such as in their owne conceit of workes are exalted like mountaines shall be cast downe by the ministery of the word and such as are dejected and cast downe in their spirits shall be comforted and raised up To the godly are incident smaller imperfections which are common to all the Saints and they are compared to little hils according to that of the Apostle Wee know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne saith he for I allow not that which I doe for What I would that I doe not and what I hate that I do Rom. 7. 14. 15. And these smallest imperfections are great enough to separate us from God were it not for Jesus Christ But saith the Apostle There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. The Church doth yet further declare the manner of Christs comming VERS 9. My beloved is a Roe or young Hart behold he standeth behinde our wall he looketh forth at the window shewing himselfe through the lattice THe first clause of this verse would better have been placed in the eight verse it being the same for substance with it and only an illustration thereof we have the manner of Christs comming set forth by a comparison taken from a Roe or young Hart. Christ in approachings and drawing nigh to his Church is first compared to a Roe for swiftnesse because the Roe is a creature light of foot as appears 2 Sam. 2. 18. And so is a Fawne or young Hart as appears 2 Sam. 22. 34. where David praising God for victories saith He maketh my feet like Hindes feet that is very swift and nimble So that what the Church declares by this comparison is that Christ is swift and nimble like a Roe or young Hart to draw neer and comfort her Hence Observe That Christ is ready and maketh much speed to helpe and comfort his Church Whither we take the meaning of the words for Christs approaching neer the soul in the discoveries of his love and grace or Christs comming in the flesh for the more generall comfort of his Saints yet in both Christ is swift and ready and delayeth not when the appointed time is come Christ is more ready to helpe his Saints then they can imagine he is neer unto them that doe not thinke of him and he is most strong when his people are most weak Hence it is that the Prophet crieth out in his extremity saying Hast thee O God to deliver me make hast to helpe me O Lord Psal 70. 1. And againe he saith I stretch forth my hands to thee my soul gaspeth after thee as a thirsty Land Heare me O Lord and that right soone for my Spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me lest I be like one which goeth downe to the pit O let me heare of thy loving-kindnesse betimes in the morning Psal 143. 6 7 8. And in Psal 9. 4. O satisfie us early with thy mercy saith the Psalmist that is early in the morning after the darke night of afflictions Thus the Church listning and looking after Messiah's approaching shee having seene him but afar off now in the next words shee exulting-wise seeth and declareth him to be far neerer and introduceth him in a familiar way speaking unto her Behold he standeth behind our wall he looketh forth at the window shewing himselfe through the Lattesse The Church doth here signifie a more neer communion with Christ then shee had before when he was leaping upon the Mountaines and Hills and yet not so neer but the sight shee now had of him was imperfect there was still a wall betweene her and him which separated them The Church within doth see Christ but as under her walls looking in by the windowes and grates This neer sight and yet imperfect sight which the Church had of Christ may be considered three wayes in respect of the impediments to the sight 1. In respect of the Wall 2. In respect of the Windows 3. In respect of the Grates All which impediments were betwixt Christ and his Church Behold he standeth c. Behold is a word of attention as you have heard in the former Verse He standeth Or he waiteth or ministreth for the word that signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stetit perstitit mansit to stand metaphorically is put for waiting or ministring It is said in Nehem. 12. 44. that Judah rejoyced for the Priests and for the Levites that waited or stood that is that stood and ministred in the Priest's Office And so in 1 Sam. 16. 21. 21. David came and stood before Saul and Saul desired that David might stand before him that is to wait and minister before him This may well be applyed to Christ who is the minister of the true Tabernacle to wait and minister unto his people he waits how and when he may be gracious unto his Saints Hence Observe That Christ waiteth to doe his people good Standing is a posture of one that waiteth Christ is often said to stand and wait upon us for our good as Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock c. Behind our Wall Some understand by this Wall the Incarnation of Christ when he appeared in our flesh John 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth For Christ incarnate stood as it were behind the wall because his God-head was hidden in his Man-hood so that his deity being hidden under our flesh he is said to shew himselfe not fully but through the windows and grates Secondly others understand it of the wall of mans heart for such an expression we have in Jer. 4. 19. the Prophet bewailing the destruction of the walls of the City saith I am pained at my very heart it is in the Orig. I am pained at the walls of my heart Agreable unto this is that saying Behold I stand at the doore and knock c. Rev. 3. 20. Meaning at the doore of the soul The heart is called a Wall and a Door because of the power and Authority of it it rules and swayes the whole body As in Cities the strength of the City is in the gates and the walls there were their seats of justice in ancient times and there was munition stored up for war so that open the gates to the enemy and you give them all Now all the naturall senses and understanding of our hearts are as a wall to hinder us from Christ till
praise God with and for his graces Hence Observe That the voyce of the Spirit of Christ sounding in the Gospell is very comfortable And therefore the comfortable givings out of the Spirit in the days of the Gospell is compared to the voyce of the Turtle Dove in the Spring who had hid her selfe in the holes of Trees all the winter before So Christ that was hid under types and shadows to appeare in the plentifull powrings out of the Spirit this must needs be very comfortable The Spirit is called the Oyle of gladnesse Psal 45. And the Comforter John 14. and all the effects of the working of the Spirit in the soul are of joy and peace and the joy of the Spirit is like the intercession of the Spirit unspeakable and glorious as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. 8. Thus we have the first part of Christs Spring described 1. By the flowers 2. By the singing of Birds Now followeth some further fruits of the Spring represented to us by the Trees fruit 1. Of the Fig-tree 2. Of the Vine-tree and these fruits make up the Springs perfection and stand for a prologue to the Summer season as in the following words Vers 13. The Fig-tree putteth forth her greene Figs and the Vines with tender Grapes give a good smell arise my love my faire one and come away For the Fig-tree Christ maketh the budding thereof a signe of the Summers approaching and also of a fruitfull yeare following Learne a Parable of the Fig-tree saith he when her branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves yee know that summer is nigh Mat. 24. 32. And Plinie doth count the Fig-tree amongst the Trees that are of quick nature so that the time of young Figs appearance must argue the forwardnesse of the Spring ready to entertaine Summer Now the blessed effects of the Spirit and grace of Christ upon his Church is manifested by the Fig-tree as when the Lord threatneth destruction by the Prophet he saith There shall be no Grapes on the Vine nor Figs on the Fig-tree c. Jer. 8. 13. So that when the voyce of the Spirit shall be heard as the voyce of a Turtle Dove then the Saints shall be fruitfull as Fig-trees in the time of summer The second Trees fruit followeth And the Vines with tender Grapes give a good smell Grapes of themselves casting no savour it must necessarily be understood of that time wherein there be small Grapes budding forth and flowers or blossoms falling off which flowers give a true pleasant odour and therefore shee saith The Vine with the tender grape c. The young or small grape called in the Originall Smadar a word used not above three times in Scripture By this variety of fruit is signified the graces and fruits of the Spirit in the Saints in the dayes of the Gospell and of more plentifull effusions of the Spirit then before when the Saints are reconciled unto God by Christ the sweet odour of their graces are like the buddings of the Fig-tree and the Vine The people of God are likened to Grapes and Figgs as in Hos 9. 10. I found Israel like Grapes in the Wildernesse I saw your Fathers as the first ripe in the Fig-tree at her first time It is noted of some that the Fig-tree bears fruit three or fowre times a yeare Now in that he saith they were like the first ripe in the Tree it noteth the forwardnesse of the Saints to bring forth fruit even as the Fig-tree that hastens to bring its first fruit that it may hasten to bring forth more fruit Now in that the Saints are likened to the Fig-tree and to the Vine for fruitfullnesse Hence Observe That the Spirit by a Gospell ministration makes the Saints to abound in all fruitfullnesse The Apostle tells us of the fruits of the Spirit in Gal. 5. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit saith he is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance c. The Saints abound in such fruits as these they are such as bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7. 4. Now the Saints in respect of their fruitfullnesse in grace may well be assimilated unto the Fig-tree and the Vine First the Fig-tree bears fruit very often at least Plin. Lib. 13. Cap. 7. fowre times a yeare and Plinie saith of the Aegyptian Fig-tree that it brings forth fruit by the very stock not by the Branches So are the Saints very fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and therefore they are called by the Prophet The Trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified Isa 61. 3. that bring forth much fruit to his glory And Christ saith unto his Disciples Herein is my Father glorified in that yee bring forth much fruit John 15. The second note that the naturalist observeth of Idem Lib. 13. Cap. 7. the fig-tree is that when it is cut downe and cast into the water it presently sinketh being drie but when it is throughly steeped in the water then it will rise againe contrary to the nature of other trees who in their drinesse swimme and when they are thorow wet then they sinke to the bottome Thus it is with the Saints when they are first cast into the water of affliction they begin to sinke as Peter did when he walked upon the Sea with Christ but when they have been long in affliction and more exercitate that have been as it were tried Soldiers such as have their senses well exercised or school'd as the Apostle saith such I say never will utterly sinke in their trouble but they can beare reproaches and persecutions for Christs sake and when they are weake in themselves then they are strong in him and more then conquerours Thirdly It is further reported of the figg-tree that Scalpendo tantum ferreis unguibus aliter non 〈◊〉 rescit it will not ripen any otherwise then only by Plin. lib. 13. cap. 7. scratching it with Iron hookes or rakes and it being so scratcht it will bring forth seven fold saith Plinie Such is our nature that it will not bring forth any fruits unto righteousnesse unlesse it be quickned and stirred up by the Word and Spirit of God Wee shall never be fruitfull trees in Christs Orchard unlesse we be pruned by the Father unlesse he purge us and make us bring forth fruit as Christ speaketh Joh. 15. So much of the fig-tree now followeth the simile of the Vine First A Vine is good for no use if it beare not fruit for so saith the Prophet Ezek. chap. 15. 1 2. The Vine-tree is for his wood lesse regarded for building then any Tree of the Forrest insomuch as none will make a pin thereof to hang any Vessel thereon but rather cast it into the fire and burne it Wee may apply this to our selves for what substantiall thing is in our nature that may be depended upon he that makes any naturall abilitie as a pin to depend on will leane on a broken
reed Secondly A Vine is very fruitfull it brings forth abundance of grapes as appeares Psal 128. 3. and Ezek. 32. 12. So the Saints are made exceeding fruitfull by the flowings out of the Spirit of Christ upon their hearts Thirdly The Vines and their fruit come to nothing except they be underproped and lift up from the earth so it is with the Saints both they and their fruits come to nothing unlesse Christ underprop them by his power spirit and grace but being underpropped by the flagons of Christ and by the distributions of his grace they become very fruitfull The Spring thus described First figured by flowers and Birds singing Secondly From the budding and sprouting forth of the fig-tree and the Vine wherein is set forh the gracious and pleasant voice of Christ in the Gospell with all the effects and fruits thereof upon the Saints Now it remaineth that wee speake of the exhortation subjoyned Arise my love my faire one and come away This exhortation is the same that wee had in the tenth verse aforegoing and therefore the lesse may be said of it now only two things we may note from the iteration of this exhortation First It notes the backwardnesse of our natures and the untowardnesse of our hearts for yeilding unto Christ and therefore the Lord doth graciously call his people againe and againe to come up to a more full enjoyment of himselfe Secondly It notes his exceeding great love and rich mercie that doth call us to arise from the evill wherein we lay captivated by sinne and from the winter blast of the Law even from the curse and bondage thereof and also he calleth us into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God so that in all our troubles and tentations wee may come to him and finde rest where wee may sweetly enjoy our selves in him all which is represented to us by the flourishing and joyfull time of the Spring which Christ useth as a motive to perswade us to come unto him VERS 14 15. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me heare thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the Vines for our Vines have tender grapes THe Church continueth here in her repetition of Christs speech unto her which speech begun verse 10. In which wee may Observe First An exhortation Secondly A reason thereof The exhortation is given forth unto us First In a description of the Church Secondly In the thing exhorted unto The discription lieth First In a sweet and friendly compellation given by Christ unto his Church My Dove Secondly In a description of her dwelling place First In saying Thou art in the holes of the Rock Secondly In adding In the secret of the stairs The thing exhorted unto is the Churches manifestation of her selfe First In saying Shew me thy face Secondly In adding Cause me to heare thy voyce The reason of this exhortation is drawne from the Churches excellent qualification and this is laid down in a twofold assertion First he saith For thy voice is sweet Secondly he concludeth And thy face is comely As for the next exhortation in the 15. verse you shall have the resolution in its due place Now to the exhortation and the parts thereof My Dove c. Christ here calleth the Church a Dove a title sometimes attributed unto Christ himselfe the Holy-ghost sometimes appeared on Christ in the shape of a Dove to discover unto us thus much that Christ should have the propertie and disposition of a Dove as meeknesse and gentlenesse for indeed he became man for that end to be a mercifull Saviour I will not quench the smoaking stax nor breake the bruised reed saith he Matth. 12. 20. So that the mercifulnesse of Christs nature and the mercifulnesse of his Office is set forth by the resemblance of a Dove Now as Christ had the Spirit in likenesse of a Dove so all that are Christs to wit the Spouse of Christ have the disposition of Christ that spirit that framed Christ to be meeke and gentle like a Dove doth also frame the Church into the same likenesse and disposition hence he saith My Dove c. Observe hence That as Christs so is the Churches temper and disposition framed after the likenesse of a Dove Now wee must know that there is some good in all the creatures there is a beame of Gods majesty and an image of vertue even in the inferiour creatures wherefore the Scripture sends us to such creatures for many excellencies that are to be found in them Now the Church may well be compared to a Dove and that for such properties as these First The Dove is a mournfull creature and therefore Hezekiah saith I did mourne like a Dove Isa 38. 14. And the Jewes are said to mourne like Doves Isa 59. and it is said of those that should repent that they should mourne like Doves Ezek. 7. 16. This was Davids condition in Psal 120. 5. Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar The State of the Saints is like Doves who mourne to God in their desertions afflictions and tentations who heares the bemonings of his owne spirit in them Secondly A Dove is an innocent harmelesse creature simple without guile hence the advice of Christ is to his Disciples Be innocent as Doves Matth. 10. Now there is a simplicity that is sinfull when there is no mixture of wisedome in it for it is said in Hos 7. 11. Ephraim is like a silly Dove without heart they call to Aegypt they goe to Assyria that is when they did rely more upon friends and outward helps then upon God But there is also a pure holie simplicity and so God is said to be simple because there is nothing in him contrary to himselfe or to his owne nature In this respect the Church may be said to be like the Dove in respect of a good and holie simplicitie when there is no no mixture of fraud no duplicity in in the soule A double hearted man is unconstant and unstable in all his wayes saith the Apostle Jam. 1. 8. Thirdly The Dove is weake and impotent not being able to help her selfe against the Birds of prey it hath nothing but flight So the Saints are unable to defend themselves but only they can flye to God as to their mountaine and flye to Christ as to their Arke and strength for they have no other refuge then God nor any hiding place besides Christ Fourthly The Dove is a very weake creature Hence it is said of Ephraim that He shall tremble as the Dove out of the Land of Assyria Hos 11. 11. So the Saints are called The meeke of the earth Zeph. 2. 1 2 And wee are exhorted by the Apostle As the Elect of God to put on the bowels of meeknesse and compassion c. Colos
reveales his love to us such a fire must needs kindle and melt our affections without which our hearts will be key-cold and frozen 4. It must be the same spirit that tells our souls that Christ loves us that must make us give up our affections to Christ The spirit of Christ doth sweetly display before the soule the rich free and liberall love of Christ and also with the discovery of his love causes the soul to love him againe The next thing to be enquired into is 1. How Christ comes to be ours 2. How we come to be Christ's Christ becomes ours by such means as these 1. Christ is ours by the free donation and gift of the Father as appears Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. 2. Christ freely gave himselfe unto us so that Christ is ours by his owne consent he hath as it were passed over himselfe unto us The Apostle saith Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. As the Father freely gave his Sonne unto us so Christ freely and spontaneously gave his consent to be ours 3. Christ hath passed himselfe over unto his Church by Marriage although we had nothing to bring to him but poverty and misery yet he tooke upon him our nature to discharge all that he might marry us and so passe over himselfe unto us as a husband passeth over himselfe unto his wife Hence it is that the Lord saith I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and I will bring you to Zion Jeremiah Chap. 3. Verse 14. 4. And lastly Christ is ours by communicating o his owne Spirit to us for the Spirit is given for thaf end to shew us all things that are given us of God whereof Christ is the chiefe this is that the Apostle tells us when he saith No man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God Now saith he we have not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God and thus we have the mind of Christ 1 Corinth 2. 11. 12. 16. Having declared how Christ is ours and that he is ours in the first place before we can be his It followeth that we speak of the reflexion on the other hand and shew how we become Christs The Saints are Christs these fowre wayes 1. Christ hath propriety in us by the donation of the Father God hath made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Ephes 1. 22. And now saith Christ behold I and the Children whom thou hast given me Heb. 2. Thine they were and thou gavest them to me John 17. 6. For as in respect of Gods justice we were bought by Christ in our redemption so in regard of his love we were given unto Christ in our Election that he might Redeeme us 2. We are Christs by Choyse I have chosen you out of the World saith Christ John 15. 19. And the Saints are said to be chosen in Christ Ephes 1. 4. And they are called chosen and faithfull Revel 17. 14. 3. The Saints are Christs by Purchase we were in the hand of our Enemies and could not free our selves from the bondage of the Law therefore Christ redeemed us from under the Law Gal. 4. 6. And the Apostle saith we were bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. He was our surety and stood in our stead and was set forth to declare the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3. 26. So then we are Christs by right of redemption 4. And lastly We are Christs by combination and Covenant I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16. 8. That is I did make a solemn Covenant or stipulation with thee that I would take thee to be my people Thus much for the mutuall union and communion and for that mutuall interest and propriety betweene Christ and his Church Now it followeth that the Church commendeth Christs feeding He feedeth among the Lilies After the Church had extolled Christ for his love shee praiseth his feeding affirming that to be among Lilies These words are diversly Interpreted because the Hebrew word may be taken either actively or passively If it be taken passively it may be meant of Christs feeding himselfe Or we may take it actively of Christs feeding Viz. his Flock among Lilies Or we may take it for Christs feeding of himselfe and his Church he feeds his Church among Lilies and delights himselfe to be there the one follows the other but especially it is meant of the Church those that are his Saints he feeds them among the Lilies Lilies are such kind of flowers as require a great deale of nourishment and they flourish and prosper best in Valleys and low ground where the soile is most fat and therefore when shee saith He feeds among Lilies the meaning is he feeds his Church and people in sweet pleasant soft and well-smelling pasture he plentifully and pleasantly intreateth those that are his for Lilies we know are faire sweet soft and pleasant and therefore the Church saith that her beloved seedeth his flock among the Lilies which is to let us understand that he feedeth her with most excellent things And it is most sure that there is nothing under Heaven that can be esteemed as a full shadow and resemblance of the Heavenly Manna wherewith Christ feedeth the souls of his Hence Observe That Christ feeds his Church and people fully sweetly and comfortably He feeds among Lilies Agreeable to this is that in Psal 23. 1 2. c. The Lord is my Shepheard saith David or my feeder my Pastor and what is the use he maketh of it I shall not want How is this made good why saith he He maketh me to lye downe in green pastures or in the budding grasse That is in pleasant pastures where greene and tender Herbs doe spring he makes me to lye downe and refresh my self And he addeth He leadeth me beside the still waters or he gently leadeth me unto the waters of rest That is he doth comfortably guide me with sustaining my infirmity he nourisheth me by the refreshing waters of his Spirit The like place we have Isa 40. 11. He shall feed his flock like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his Armes and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young So Christ leads his people as it were among Lilies and feeds them plentifully with sweet and pleasant things and in his bosome he carries them softly and tenderly that such as are weake may not be wronged Another place suitable to this purpose is Ezek. 34. 14. I will feed them in good pastures upon the high mountaines of Israel there shall their fold be there shall they lye in a good fold in a fat pasture will
of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Or we may take the Bed here for the place and duties of Gods worship the Temple and the Ordinances as in Chap. 1. 16. where it is said Our Bed is green meaning the place and means of bringing forth converts unto Christ I sought him whom my soule loveth The Hebrew word Translated Sought signifies to seeke by suing and praying by asking direction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaesvit requisivit postulavit petijt siuduit conatus est counsell and by making a strict inquiry after the thing seeked for So that the Church sought by much prayer study and meditation shee made a diligent search after her beloved Whom my soule loveth towit Christ whom shee called her beloved Chap. 1. 7. The Church using this Periphrasis instead of a proper name doth nothing else but expresse the force of her love and the earnestnesse thereof It was the strong affection of love that set the Church on seeking Christ shee could not indure his absence nor sit downe contented without him Thus the Church sought Christ in his absence her successe followeth which for the present is non availing for shee saith But I found him not I found him not towit presently or I did not sufficiently perceive him to be present with me according to my hearts desire I find not such sweet discoveries of his love nor such glorious apprehensions of him as my soul desireth This was the Churches successe for the present The verse being thus opened let us take notice of some Observations from it First Observe That Christ may sometimes be absent from his dearest Saints This is implyed by the Churches seeking Christ for inquisition implyes absence Christ may and doth many times vaile himselfe for a time and withdraw his light and comfort from the soule but we must know also that he takes not away his love but onely suspends the acts of it he doth but seeme to frowne when he doth abscond and ecclipse himselfe from the soule so that the soule looseth the sence of his love and favour so that Christ seemeth to be altogether absent or at a great distance from the soul Secondly Observe That when Christ is absent from the Saints they are in great unquietnesse of mind for want of the feeling of his presence Hence the Church saith shee sought Christ upon the bed of tribulation and sorrow in the night of solitarinesse and affliction for when Christ is gone from a Believer in his apprehension then the comfort and assurance of his love is gone joy and light is gone O how dejected how disconsolate is the soul then So far as a man is spirituall the flame of love to Christ is kindled in him and then he cannot sit down without him He is the Fountaine of all supply he is the staffe of strength the support of joy and the very life of the soule O that I might see him saith the Christian O that I might live in his presence Nothing in the world will content him neither honour nor riches nor pleasures nor friends nor any thing else will content him till he find the Lord Jesus Christ his Beloved whom formerly with unspeakable pleasure he injoyed Thirdly Observe That the Church makes earnest inquisition and dilligent search after Christ when he is absent I sought him c. Shee seeks Christ with meditation study and strong endeavours shee seeks him diligently as appears in the Verses following shee never gives off untill shee finds her beloved All the Ordinances wherein shee seeks Christ are as I may say a walke wherein he meets his people therefore the Saints put themselves upon that way but if they find not Christ present their spirits faile but when Christ is to be found by them it is as life from the dead Fourthly Observe That the principle from which a believer seeks Christ is love I sought him whom my soule loveth The love of iChrist cannot be concealed a man may sooner keep in the wind with his fist or stay the Ointment of his light hand from bewraying it selfe as the Wise man peaks Prov. 27. 16. then not utter his love to Christ Love is such a fire as will break forth it is the strongest affection of the soule and cannot be satisfied without the enjoyment of the thing beloved Lastly Observe That Christ is not always to be found in our sence and feeling though we use all good means to attaine it This is from the Curches successe in that shee saith I found him not Christ is not alwayes found on the suddain he may a good while suspend the acts of his love from a soule to the end he may make it earnest in seeking after him and with endurance wait for his returne and this effect we see in the following words wherein shee persists in her Narration thus Verss 2. I will rise now and goe about the City in the streets and in the broad wayes I will seeke him whom my soule loveth I sought him but I found him not In this Verse we have the Church stirred up to make a farther search after her beloved And herein observe First her resolution to make farther inquiry after Christ I will rise now c. This resolution was enforced from her not availing in her former search Secondly her action of so seeking and that is shee goes 1. Into the City 2. Into the Streets and broad places Lastly we have the effect of her further search it is as the former nothing at all availing for saith shee I sought him but I found him not I will arise now c. In the words the Church declareth her increase of grace of faith love zeale and fervency of spirit as if shee had said I will not delay my searching after my beloved no longer for all these are the words of the Spouse speaking unto her self as it were declaring the consultations which shee had within her selfe and resolving what shee were best to doe therefore now saith shee I am resolved diligently to seeke him now I will leave my former seeking in bed and I will seeke him in the City c. Thus we have the Churches resolution Now followeth her action in seeking And goe about the City in the streets and broad places c. I will goe about the City towit to seeke my beloved for I will leave no place unsought as if shee had said which shewed her earnest desire to obtain that which shee look't for By the City we may understand Jerusalem the holy City where the Temple was seated and the practise of all the Ordinances whither all Israel repaired thrice every yeare which was a figure of the Church as appears Isa 26. 1. In that day shall be sung in the Land of Judah we have a strong City c. This is spoken of the Church under the Gospell for whom the Lord would appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks So that the Church sought her beloved among
Christus ecclesia unum intilligantur esse per fidem naturall body as the Apostle sheweth Ephes 5. 30. so that thereby the faithfull become members of his body mysticall As a Father saith as a man and a woman are one by nature so Christ and his Church must be understood to be one through faith Now Christ is said to dwell in the heart by faith Ephes 3. 17. Now the Spouse doth as well retaine Christ as take hold of him I would not let him goe or leave him Herein the Church declares her resolution to retain her beloved as Jacob when he wrestled with the Angell Genes 32. 26. I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me The Spouse having now obtained her beloved was loath to part with him againe upon any termes whatsoever Hence Observe That the soule that hath once got Christ will surely keepe Christ The Spouse was not onely diligent in seeking her beloved but shee had also a prudentiall care to keep Christ when found I would not let him goe saith the Church shee came by him hardly therefore shee will not part with him lightly shee obtained him with much hazzard and danger much losse and suffering and therefore shee will not part with him for the greatest advantage in the world Shee knows nothing in this great and wide universe though never so lovely or desirable can be equivalent to such a Jewell shee knows that with him is the well-spring of life and all blessing and therefore shee cannot be induced or perswaded upon any termes to part with him Many of Christs followers forsooke him and went no more with him but will yee also forsake me saith he to his Apostles Peter answers for himselfe and the rest Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life John 6. 68. As if he should have said Lord if we leave thee we leave our life and our comfort we forsake our owne mercy it was motive enough to stay by him and to keep close to him to consider that eternall life and consequently the very quintessence of all happinesse was with him The Merchant that found a treasure of great price went and hid it and joyfully sould all that he had to purchase it and therefore he will not part with it for any good The Merchant man is an Embleme or figure of a Beleiver who when he hath found Christ will not forgoe him by any means no but will say of him Whom have I in Heaven but thee And on Earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee Christ is the strength of his heart and his portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. It is the voyce of the Church The Lord is my portion saith the soule not onely her tongue without but even her soule and her Spirit within speaks it with unconceiveable joy and delight shee was in deep affliction when shee spake it Lam. 3. 24. yet the apprehension of such a portion as the Lord was solace and refreshing enough to her And David is in thesame mood too The Lord is my portion and mine inheritance saith he The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Psal 16. 5 6. He alludes to the manner of dividing the Land of Canaan to the Children of Israel which was done by line Now unspeakable happy are all those that have such an heritage can we thinke they will part with it No verily they will not so dote on any thing in the world as to leave heaven for earth infinite and eternall joyes for a short blaze or a little flash of myrth they will not part with such an inheritance as Christ is rich fat alwayes fruitfull and never decaying An inheritance where there is no dirt no winter or withering no dying or decaying of fruits but ever green ever flourishing ever bearing infinitly profitable and delightfull to the Possessors of it Naboth would not part with the heritage of his Fathers no more will the Saints part with theirs Thus for the Churches taking hold of and keeping her beloved Now follows her drawing of him into her Mothers mansion Vntill I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me These words declare how effectually the Church did lay hold upon Christ that so shee retained him to dwell with her for ever The expression which the Church useth here My Mothers house c. signifies a chief City or solemne place of assembly But now it may be demanded What Mother hath the Church And who is shee that conceived her Is there any Spouse of Christ but one I answer there is but one mysticall body of Christ and one Spouse but always that part of the Church on Earth is called the Daughter of the Church of former times and Christians doe beget Christians and the new Church came forth of the old Church Or the whole Church is the Mother of each part as in the usuall phrase of Hebrew speech Now of old the Temple and Sanctuary might be the Chamber of her that conceived that is the place where they of the former Church did meet So now Jerusalem that is above is called the Mother of us all Gal. 3. which was figured by Sarah the free woman and signifieth the Covenant of grace Gal. 4. 24. Now the house and Chamber wherein we are conceived by the Gospel of the Covenant of grace is outwardly the Church but inwardly the heart where faith dwelleth Rom. 10. 10. Now into this house the Church saith shee will lead her beloved we may take it eyther 1. For her leading of him into the Church and displaying of Christs goodnesse manifested to her soul to others Or 2. For her leading Christ down into her own soul enlarging her owne affections by dilating upon the copious theme of his divine love delighting in a close and neer communion with him From the first of these Interpretations Observe That he Saints having received consolation from Christ doe labour to make others partakers of the same comfort Here the Spouse having found her beloved manifesting his love and favour to her saith I will bring him into my Mothers house towit into the Church and assembly of Saints to spread all his goodnesse discovered unto me Shee bringeth her beloved home that so he may not onely dwell with her but also be a solace to her Mothers Children shee doth labour to communicate the comfort of Gods Spirit unto others that so they may rejoyce with her Thus Philip who finding Nathanael did with much joy manifest the finding of Christ John 1. 45. Thus was the Woman of Samaria who having found the Messiah could not but cast her Pitchar aside and goe into the City to reveale that comfort to others John 4. 28 29. Nor can there be any soule that finds the sweet discoveries of Christs love but there is likewise a strong desire to acquaint others with their souls comfort It is an easier thing to carry
in Christ hath beautified his beloved Spouse My love or my fellow-friend my Companion so named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pavit comedit med of feeding together and so participating each of others good or evill This title Christ often giveth to his Spouse in this Song as in Chap. 1. 15. 2. 10. 5. 2. c. The doubling of the word by an usuall Hebraisme implyes that shee was exceeding beautifull and eminently glorious it doth not onely set forth the vehemency of Christs affection and love towards his Spouse but also the excellency of the Church it selfe in that Christ can as it were find no words sufficient to expresse the same her beauty being so great both outward and inward and also excellent in both respects This beauty and fairnesse of the Church hath been spoken of in Chap. 1. 15. therefore I shall speake but briefly of it onely something to the present occasion of repetition The Church was called forth in the former Chapter to behold her Kings Coronation and Nuptialls and here is prevented of an Objection which secretly might be made on her part The Objection is this Should I one that am so poore and unworthy come into the presence of such a stately King as Christ who was typified by Solomon in respect of his glory This Objection Christ takes away in saying Behold thou art faire my love Hence Observe That the Saints have a peerlesse beauty and purity communicated to them from Jesus Christ By the communication of this beauty and grace they are the Jerusalem spoken of in Revel 21. 2. which comes downe from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband and is free with her Children Gal. 4. 26. into the communion whereof there can really enter no uncleane thing neither whatsoever worketh abhomination or lies Revel 21. 27. By this grace the Saints are Temples of the holy Spirit the Tabernacle of God with men The Spouse of Christ is faire and the fairest grace is a transcendent good all the excellency of civility and morality is nothing in comparison of it The Church is faire in her head Christ being his mysticall body and therefore is of a pure composition made holy and gracious by the spirit of grace It will be Objected How can this be spoken of the Church here on Earth in which condition even the best have great deformities I Answer The Lord looks upon his Church not onely as shee is but also as he meanes to make her hereafter even all glorious and beautifull Againe he looks on her not onely as shee is in her selfe but as shee is in himselfe that is washed and cleansed from all impurity and also decked with his glory Thus we have the praise in generall now it followeth to consider of the praises in particular We have the praises of the Church in particular by describing a peerlesse or matchlesse woman from the face to the breast part He mentioneth seaven particulars the Eyes Haire Teeth Lips Temples Neck and Breast The number of seaven is often the number of perfection as appears Rev. 5. 6. where Christ is likened to a Lamb with seaven hornes and seaven eyes which are the seaven spirits of Grd. Now by the seaven parts thus enumerated are meant the manifold and plentifull measure of graces bestowed on the Saints they being made partakers of all heavenly blessings in Christ as the Apostle saith Hence Observe That the Saints have a compleat and full supply of all grace and beauty from Christ This is that for which the Apostle giveth thanks in behalfe of the Corinthians namely that they were enriched by Christ and came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1. 5. 7. We must know that all the Saints are knit together by one spirit and doe make but one mysticall body in Christ 1 Cor. 12. 13. So then as there be in the naturall body of a man diverse Members which according to their severall gifts have diverse functions and operations so the holy Spirit ascribeth the like to the mysticall body as the Apostle sheweth at large 1 Cor. 12. Secondly Observe That the Saints are beautifull in all parts Christ doth particularize every part giving praise to every member That beauty must needs be very rare and excellent which ariseth from the comelinesse of all parts If one part be comely and another deformed then there is no perfect beauty but the Church justified and sanctified in Christ is glorious in all parts Now followeth the particular parts The first and second particulars doe lye in the following part of this verse The first uttering the state of her Eyes the second shewing the condition of her Locks Thou hast Doves eyes within thy Locks c. Now the eyes of the Spouse are here commended by comparing them to the eyes of Doves which are chast full cleare beautifull to looke upon and the like Some understand by these eyes the Pastors and Teachers of the Church because they are to give light to the whole body through the Heavenly and pure doctrine and so it may be taken here for in the old Testament the Prophets were called Seers 1 Sam. 9. 9. but I rather take it in this place that the eyes are the faith of the Saints for by faith they looke up to the Lord and behold things invisible Heb. 11. 27. And they have by faith the eyes of their understanding opened to know what is the hope of their calling Ephes 1. 18. Hence Observe That the eye of faith is very chast simple and beautifull in the eyes of Christ The Apostle tells us it is impossible to please God without faith Heb. 11. 6. Therefore with the eye of faith he is much delighted By faith the soule seeth him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. The eye of faith hath respect to the holy one of Israel Isa 17. 7. And it doth observe the wayes of the Lord according to that saying in Prov. 23. 26. My Sonne give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes Who would not be glad to cast up such an eye to the Lord as he may be delighted withall as with an eye that is simple chast and beautifull The next clause followeth Within thy Locks Some read it from within or through thy Locks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inde niphil quod significat ligatus conjunctus Inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per metaphoram atque id in pihel tantum de pilis eapitis barbae which are so called in the Hebrew of binding because womens locks are seemly and modestly bound up and covered The covering of women was a signe of their subjection to their Husbands 1 Cor. 11. It is also a signe of modesty and shamefastnesse Some would have the words signifie that the locks of Haire hang downe so as the eyes doe appeare from within them And others are of the mind that he saith Beside thy locks or as it were thy locks removed However we take it this is
joyned to the temples Now by the temples or cheekes is commended the beauty and modesty of the Church The Pomgranate was of use in the old Tabernacle and Temple Aarons Coat was hanged with Pomegranates and bels Bels for the sound of doctrine and prayer and pomegranate for restraining and healing the distempers and diseases of the people The Pomgranate when it is broken in pieces hath many graines and kernels in it and also much juyce whereby it is medicinable These are commended for repressing the heat of the choler and the malignity of fevers also for comforting and strengthning the stomack and bowels keeping from fainting and the like Now some do apply this to the Pastors of the Church and the similitude of the Pomgranate to denote the fruit and benefit that commeth by such But I rather take it to be meant of the spirituall beautie of the Church for the Pomgranate being broken or cut is of a glorious or ruddie colour like unto Roses So that the temples or cheekes of the Spouse is commended for beautie that together with faire and white there is a mixture of red Hence Observe That the Spouse of Christ is very beautifull and glorious The chiefest grace of the countenance lying in the Temples they are set forth by a comparison taken from the Pomegranate and also her temples shine forth at her locks beyond her haire that so the beautie of the Spouse is so naturall unto her that it needeth not vaine and wanton adorning I doe not meane that her beautie is a naturall beautie yet though it be supernatural it is made connaturall unto her so that the Spouse need not seeke after worldly glorie to beautifie her spirituall beautie withall for her glorie farr surpasseth all the glorie of the world the glorie of the world is but an outside painted excellency there is no substantiall glorie in it but the glorie and excellencie of the Spouse is a reall and divine excellencie and beautie The Spouse is beautifull in respect of her spirituall graces received from Christ A deformed person of a meane complexion and constitution yet notwithstanding when he shall shew himselfe to be of a lovely gracious and sweet disposition this breeds love and likeing towards such a one though wee see nothing in the outward man to be lovely so though the Saints are cloathed with no outward beautie yet in respect of that spirituall wisedome goodnesse and love that is in them they are very excellent and desireable So much for the commendation of the first particular The sixth followeth VERS 4. Thy neck is like to the Tower of David builded for an armourie whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men THe eyes the hair the teeth the lips and temples have been spoken of Now followeth a sixth particular to be considered in this verse and that is the Churches neck and this is done by a comparison to alcertaine Tower of King Davids ordained for a martiall purpose The neck of the Spouse is set forth by an excellent comparison to wit from Davids Tower Thy neck is like the Tower of David c. The excellencie of this Tower is set forth First For its defence builded for defence or for armorie Secondly In that it was a treasure or house of store for amunition in that it is said Whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Thy neck is like the Tower of David c. It is the neck that joyneth the head and the body together so faith joyneth Christ and his Members into one whereby the Members become strong and valiant and therefore fitly compared to the Tower of David which he built at the end of his owne house upon Mount Zion for a defence of which wee reade somewhat in Neh. 3. 19. 25. And wee reade of Davids taking of the strong hold of Zion in 2 Sam. 5. 7. and he built a Fort upon it verse 9. By the neck some understand the Pastors of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Collum sic dictum quod oneribus arctatur premitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus fuit vel â—factus est Inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turris a magnitudine seu celsitudine Church as before But rather wee may understand it of the strength of the Church being joyned to Christ by faith as the body is joyned to the head by the neck for the neck it is named in Hebrew Tsauvaar of strength and firmenesse and the Tower is here named Migdall which signifies a building great and high as appeares Isa 2. 15. The same word is used for a Pulpit or Tower of wood whereon the Scribe stood Neh. 8. 4. This denotes the magnanimitie and courage of the Spouse whilst she being by faith united unto Christ her head she is now able to encounter with all her spirituall adversaries by the strength she receiveth from her beloved Hence Observe That the Spouse being joyned by faith unto her head Christ becomes magnanimous and valiant to encounter with all her spiritual enemies The neck of the Spouse is like the Tower of David for strength and firmenesse it is also like the neck of the horse cloathed with Thunder as Job speakes of Job 39. 19. The Apostle tels that the weapons of the Churches warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling downe of strong holds c. that is the meanes by which she fights against sinne are not carnall such as natural men have recourse unto and gain authority withall and do great things as namely riches friends honour eloquence or the like but on the contrary povertie weaknesse infamie rudenesse and plainnesse of speech and foolishnesse in the worlds account These weapons are made mighty through Gods power who by infamie confoundeth honour and by weaknesse confoundeth power and confounds wisedome by that the world accounts folly In the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great warrier the Lord of Hosts that manageth this warre for the Church The Apostle in another place tels us that wee are more then Conquerours through him that loveth us that is through Christ the Captaine of the Lords hoast the neck of the Spouse being thus described it followeth the end and use of this Tower and that is double First For defence Secondly For hanging therein shields and targets Builded for an armory whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Builded for an armorie or defence The Hebrew word Talpijoth is turned by some for defence of some others for an Armory of some others for teaching or instructions namely of passengers The difference ariseth from the Hebrew word it being of rare use and I think not to be found in any other place of Scripture But it seemeth to be derived of Thalah to hang and pijoth two edged Swords So we may conclude it to be a place where they did hang swords and other weapons of warre even all instruments to offend the enemy and defend
it Thy love is fixed in the Table of mine heart The Hebrew is but one word and used onely in this place and signifieth a most ravishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In pihil Incordiastime rapuisti animum meum vel traxisti animummeum and delightfull drawing of the heart by love I cannot expresse it neerer the Originall word then to say Thou hast unhearted me that is in effect thus Thou hast wounded or taken away my heart from me thou hast even ravished and overcome me with thy love Christ speaketh here to his Spouse as a man overcome with love for it doth exceedingly set forth the passion of love when the Bridegroome shall tell his Bride that shee hath gotten away his heart Hereby appeareth the super-abounding love of Christ towards his Spouse in that there be not any words sufficient fully to expresse the same Hence Observe That Christs heart and affections are exceedingly taken with his people Hence it is said that the Lord will rejoyce over his people as the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62. 5. Like unto this is that where the Lord saith in Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing That is he will rest well-pleased and much delighted in his love and he will rejoyce over his Spouse with the highest pitch of joy yea he will rejoyce with singing which is the highest expression of joy and delight So then the heart of Christ being thus taken is meant his exceeding love whereby he rejoyceth over his people according as it is said in Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee c. Thus Christ hath declared how neer and deare his Spouse is unto him by the simpathy of like mind and affection which is betweene him and his Church Now it followeth that he shews how neerly they are related one to the other by the band and consanguinity and conjugall amity My Sister my Spouse My Sister so Christ calleth his Church out of that respect and love he bears unto her We are told in Heb. 2. 11. That both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren This tearme needs no explanation but let us observe hence That Christ stands neerly related to his people as a Brother c. This relation of brotherhood betweene Christ and his people is two-fold 1. By the right of nature as the Apostle saith Forasmuch as the Children were partakers of flesh and blood he also likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death which is the Devill for he in no sort tooke on him the nature of Angells but he tooke the seed of Abraham wherefore it became him in all things to be made like his Brethren Heb. 2. 14. 16. So that Christ tooke our nature and was cloathed with our flesh to be made like unto us his brethren and in the same flesh The second right is of adoption for it is said when the fulnesse of time came God sent his sonne made of a woman and made under the Law that he might redeeme them that were under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4. 45. And againe the Apostle saith As many as are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God Ro. 8. 14. whence the Apostle reasons thus If wee be Children we are also heires annexed with Christ Rom. 8. 17. So that the Saints lay claime to the riches and treasures of glorie by right of adoption and brother-hood with Christ Thus much for the band of consanguinitie That of conjugall amitie followeth My Spouse Christ calleth his Church Spouse named in Hebrew Callath of the perfection of her attire and ornaments as was intimated in verse 7. of this Chap. The Spouse is one that is alreadie maried unto her husband so that this title of Spouse shews how the Church is to Christ The Spouse is most deare to her husband saith Solomon for she is the crowne of his head Prov. 12. Hence Observe That the Church is the Spouse of Christ Hence it is that she is called the bride the Lambs wife who is prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Revel 21. 2. 9. And the Lord saith I have married thee to my selfe in righteousnesse judgement mercie and compassion Hos 2. 19. Wee are not to take the words in a carnall sense but that God hath framed words to our capacitie only for what termes could be more effectuall to expresse his love then the names of Sister and Spouse The last thing in this verse wherewith Christ was so much taken in his affections with his Spouse is by the commendable things which he saw in her which made him so to fix and ground his affection First The comelinesse of her person Secondly The ornaments wherewith she is decked With one of thine eyes and the chaine of thy neck With one of thine eyes or one looke from thine eyes The eyes of the Spouse were commended in verse 1. where they were likned to Doves eyes for being simple chast pure by this is meant the chast eye of faith whereby the Saints looke up to Christ Hence Observe That Christ is much taken with the least looke of faith from his Saints For Christs beholding of the faith of the Spouse it maketh such deep impressions in him of her idea and forme of beautie that his affection is so rooted in her heart that it cannot be removed nor concealed It is added And the chaine of thy neck The chaine of the neck is an ornament added to naturall beautie and doth often signifie Gods Laws and Ordinances as appeares Pro. 10. 9. and also signifies the graces of the Spirit and fruits of faith as was opened at large in chap. 1. 10. So he meaneth by the chaine of the neck the ornaments of the Spirit and of grace which is the Law of Christ in the inner man Hence Observe That it is Christs owne graces in the soule that he is so much affected with in his Saints God cannot delight in any thing besides himselfe and therefore it is the manifestation of himselfe in his Saints that draweth such high expressions of love and delight in him towards them Therefore he indueth his Church with gifts of his owne spirit to make her seeme beautifull where he saith I have cloathed thee with broidered worke shod thee with badgers skins girded thee with fine linnen covered thee with silke decked thee with ornaments put bracelets on thy hands and a chaine upon thy necke Ezek. 6. 10. By these outward ornaments are meant the inward graces of the Spirit which proceed Si ergo dona dei sint bona merita non deus coronat merita tua tanquam
tua 〈◊〉 sed tanquam dona sua August de gratia et lib. arbit cap. 7. Dona sua coronat deus non merita tua cap. 6. from God and not from the Spouse according as a Father saith if the good things which be in us are the gifts of God God crowneth those good things not as ours but as his owne And againe he saith God crowneth his owne gifts not thy deservings And therefore wee have the Prophet saying Thy name was spread among the Heathen for thy beautie for it was perfect through my beautie which I had set upon thee saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 14. Lastly in that he saith with one eye and one chaine Observe That where Christ seeth the least grace he is much taken with it It is as if Christ had said if I see but one of thine eyes to wit one single chast pure looke of faith and if I see but one chaine to wit one spirituall discoverie of my selfe it is enough for ever to take up my heart and affections Now Christ proceedeth to shew the ground of his deep affection towards his Spouse and that by a discoverie of the properties of her beautie and goodnesse all which is expressed with a vehement and passionate crying out and repetition of the former title saying VERS 10. How faire is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love then wine and the smel of thine ointments then all spices IN this verse Christ sheweth how delightso me and pleasant the love of his Spouse is unto him he doth expresse it by way of admiration how faire is thy love c. The love of the Spouse is set forth First By the fairnesse of it How faire is thy love c. Secondly By the strength sweetnesse cheerefulnes in that it is preferred above wine How much better is thy love then wine Secondly the divine anointings of the Spouse is commmended in that the graces of the spirit in her are set forth by fragrant and odoriferous ointment And the smel of thine ointments then all spices How faire is thy love my Sister my Spouse Sister and Spouse are the same titles as we had in verse 9. and carrie the same affection as there How faire or how beautifull how gracious are thy loves Her love is faire because in her there is no blemish as was before delivered It is as if Christ should say how glorious and excellent yea and full of delight are these sound affections that thou carriest towards me by which also I am moved even to love thee againe and he speaketh of them in the plural number not only thereby to expresse the multitude of them but the excellency also Or we may understand by loves not onely those gracious affections of the Spouse but also her holy actions which proceed from love as the fruits thereof as faith hope and the like these are also goodly and faire in the eyes of Christ Hence Observe That the gracious affection of love with all the fruits flowing from them are gracious and lovely in Christs sight Hence it is that Christ commendeth her love even to admiration saying How faire is thy love c. The Spouse being washed and cleansed by Christ and cloathed with his beauty whereby she became fair in his sight without spot or wrinkle all her affections of love and delight towards Christ must needs be very acceptable It followeth How much better is thy love then wine In the former clause as the love of the Spouse was set forth by its fairnesse and beauty so here for its fragrancy and sweetnesse in that it is preferred before wine How much better or how good are thy loves better then wine that is they are better and more delightfull by much then the most fragrant wine It was noted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quam boni sunt Arius Mont. in Chapter 1. 2. that wine is put for all dainty things in a Banquet where the Church speaking of Christs love did manifest that his love was exceeding pleasant sweet and comfortable here Christ returns the like expression concerning the love of his Spouse towards him rendering as it were like for like which is an usuall manner among lovers and particularly in their words and speeches one of them unto another Hereby then is set forth unto us how marveilous acceptable and well pleasing the love of the Spouse is unto Christ the heavenly bridegroome Hence Observe That Christ is exceedingly delighted and wel-pleased with the fruits and graces of his owne Spirit in his Saints Christ cannot but delight in his owne image and grace hence it is said that God delighteth in his Spouse and rejoyceth over her as a Bridegroome rejoyceth over his Bride Isa 62. 4 5. There is nothing more pleasant and refreshing to the nature of man then sweet and fragrant wine no more is any thing more delightfull and acceptable to Christ then the graces of his owne Spirit in the Saints Now followeth the high commendations of the Spouse in respect of her divine anointings by the Spirit And the smell of thine ointments then all spices By the smell of the Spouses ointments is meant the sweet and pleasant smell of such graces as she hath received from Christ The pleasantnesse that is in ointments we may see in Prov. 27. 9. And Psal 133. 2. Under these earthly things understanding the Spiritual graces before mentioned is set forth the excellency of the divine anointings of the Spirit in the Spouse for it is usuall in the Scriptures by oyle ointment annointing c. to undestand the graces and anointings of the Spirit in the Saints See Psal 89. 20. also 45. 7. and 1 Joh. 2. 20. 27. we may remember that the Spouse did commend Christs ointments for the sweet savour of them in Song 1. 3. Here Christ returns the same conditions unto the Spouse in respect of her anointings And he addeth Then all spices or before all spices viz. though they be never so costly and deare because there is no spice without some dust as gold cannot be tryed so spice cannot be brayed in the morter without some losse The anointing-oyle of which we read of in Exod. 30. 23. was made of sweet smelling spices and with such sometime women were purified Esth 2. 12. and the dead imbalmed 2 Chron. 16. 14. They were meet presents for Kings as appeares 2 Chron. 9. 1. 9. Now all earthly ointments were confected and made sweet smelling and costly spices but here it is meant of divine and heavenly ointments of the Spirit Hence Observe That the divine anointings of the Spouse is full suavity and sweetnesse Christ doth here preferre the annointings of the spirit in his Spouse before any earthly confection whatsoever though made of never so sweet and costly spices What is more pleasing to the smel then sweet ointments of an exquisite composition such and much more is the Spirit and its graces in the Saints unto Christ The judgement that Christ
there is not only abundance but a redundancy and overflowing of all good things Christ is able yea is willing to doe for us farre more abundantly then wee are able to thinke or speake Ephes 3. 20. Christ doth not bestow some small measure of grace life peace c. on his people but he gives it in abundance It followeth O friends O beloved Christ out of the abundance of his affections doth multiply new titles for his Spouse calling her friend and beloved They that doe his commandements are his friends Joh. 15. 14. Abraham is called the friend of God Isa 41. 8. friendship is the sweetnesse and strength of love therefore he addeth O beloved so plentifull and kind hearted is the Lord that he cannot keep his joy within himselfe but stirreth up his friends and companions to eat and drinke and rejoyce with him Those good things that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard that are above our reach to conceive of are for those that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. Now in that Christ doth invite his Spouse to this heavenly banquet by new Titles of love and friendship Hence Observe That there is sweet love and friendship between Chaist and his Saints All kinds of love and friendship meet in Christ towards his Spouse and so againe in the Spouse towards him here is the friendship of all relations in the world as of husband brother friend c. here is a free opening his bosome to the Saints and they againe opening of their hearts to him Here 's mutuall delight in one anothers good and happinesse Christ is much delighted in all the good and hapinesse of the Spouse and she is as much delighted in the happinesse and glorie of Christ So much for the fourth Chapter CANTICLES CHAP. V. VERS 1 2 3 4 5 6. I sleep but my heart waketh it is the voyce of my Beloved that knocketh saying open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my Feet how shall I defile them My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the Door and my bowells were moved for him 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 I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone My soule failed when he spake I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no answer The Watchmen that goe about the City found me they smote me they wounded me the keepers of the walls tooke away the Veile from me WEE had in the former Chapter almost nothing but the praises and commendations which Christ giveth to his Church so highly and with so many speeches doth he magnifie and extoll her beauty and her glory and excellency Here in this Chapter we have another manner of song even an accusing and a bewailing Song for here shee accuseth her self and bewaileth her owne unkindnesse and undutifullnesse which she shewed to her most kind and loving Spouse reporting also the great affliction and calamity that came upon her by that meanes And after all this we have the meanes whereby shee recovers her selfe againe In this Chapter observe two things First a complaint of the Spouse which she maketh accusing her selfe for some negligences towards her beloved and this is contained in the six first Verses Wherein also there are two especiall matters delivered unto us First an open acknowledgment of her offence committed Vers 1 2 3 4. Secondly a recitall of the miseries that fell upon her by meanes of her neglect Vers 5 6. The second thing set forth unto us in this Chapter is a familiar parly had betweene the Spouse and such as were her friends and acquaintance who demanding some questions of her the Church instructeth them concerning the state dwelling and mutuall fellowship that is betwixt her and Christ This matter beginneth at Vers 7. and reacheth to the end of the Chapter The questions with the answers thereto concerne two things 1. There is something demanded about Christ himselfe in Vers 8. whereunto there is a large answer beginning at the 9. Vers and holdeth to the 15. wherein the Spouse doth set forth her beloved by many elegant expressions the issue whereof was that the daughters of Jerusalem became likewise enamour'd with him and therefore question the place of his abode the question being contained in Vers 16. and the answer in the two last verses the occasion both of the one and of the other was that vehement charge that the Spouse giveth her friends in the seaventh verse both concerning Christ himselfe and the place where they should find him The first thing that offers it selfe to our consideration is the Churches complaint accusing of her selfe saying I sleep but my heart waketh c. Here is a description of the Churches temptation which is worldly drowsinesse and security wherein to the godly sometimes fall She had enjoyed a comfortable intercourse with Christ but now she falleth into a deep temptation from the strength and prevalency of corruption Hence Observe in the generall That the Spouse is not alwayes in one and the same temper It was not long agoe that the Spouse was in a sweet lovely gracious temper and now on the suddaine shee falls into a fit of drousinesse and security Thus it was with Abraham somtimes strong in faith and somtimes fearfull as when he denyed his wife David was somtimes full of confidence and boldnesse triumphing in the Lord saying Whom shall I feare And somtimes againe I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul So Peter somtimes confident and againe somtimes overcome with feare But to come to the words in particular I sleep but my heart waketh The words containe 1. A Confession I sleep 2. An acknowledgement But my heart waketh These words declare a two-fold condition of the Spouse The one is a sleepy drowsie estate which proceedeth from the flesh and unregenerate part the other a waking or watchfull condition which proceedeth from the spirit of Christ within her I sleep or I sleeping as it is in the Originall these are the words of the Spouse declaring what befell her in the night season while she slept The sleep of the body is a deading and benuming of the outward sences insomuch that it is the very image of death and it is dangerous because when man sleepeth his enemy watcheth as in the parable of the seed When the husbandman slept the envious man sowed Tares Matth. 13. 25. Now we must consider here three things especially 1. What this sleep is 2. Whence it proceedeth 3. What the effects thereof be 1. We cannot understand this of a bodily or naturall sleep for the Spouse is considered according to her heavenly and spirituall birth and therefore must
needs be meant of a spirituall slumber even a drousinesse in the heart and minde touching Heavenly things 2. As naturall sleep proceedeth from wearinesse and want of spirits or from sloathfullnesse and want of exercise so spirituall sleep ariseth from want of exercise in spirituall things and from a spirituall wearinesse that comes from the too much expence of the strength of the soule upon matters of the world So that spirituall slumber is from the fleshly part and the remnants of the old man remaining in the godly The flesh saith the Apostle lusteth against the spirit and the spirit is against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things that yee would Gal. 5. 17. When the flesh doth much prevaile then there is a damping of the spirituall graces even as it were a slumber that falleth upon the mind 3. The effects of sleep is deadnesse and darknesse men when they sleep love to be in the darke there is also a cessation of joy and delight of all activity and the like so in a Christians spirituall sleep faith hath not its full and lively operation love sheweth not her zeale and heate the joy and activity of the soule is much decayed c. Now though sleep be often meant in Scripture in a good sence for the repose and rest that the Saints have in God Psal 3. 5. Psal 4. 8. yet here and in many other places it signifieth neglect of holinesse and spirituall security and drowsinesse as in Isa 56. 10. Rom. 13. 11. 1 Thess 5. 6 7. This sleep proceedeth from affliction or wearinesse as in Luke 22. 45. Isa 5. 27. The Spouse having eaten and dranke largely of Christs dainties begins to be negligent being pressed thereunto by the remnants of the flesh she gave place to this carnall ease and drousinesse Hence Observe First That the Spouse of Christ is ingenuous to lay open her owne defects We have large examples of this in David and Paul with many other eminent persons in Scripture Herein the Saints yield unto God his chiefe prerogatives as the honour of his power and authority over us his wisedome in knowing our secrets and his mercy in sparing of us and the like Secondly Observe That the Spouse of Christ may sometimes fall into a spirituall languor Sometimes weaknesse and drowsinesse may overtake the most eminent Saints as Solomon David Peter and the rest The flesh that is alwayes opposed to the spirit may somtimes for a season prevaile as to sleepinesse and distemper And this the Apostle testifieth in Rom. 7. 14. when he saith The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin That is the Law requires a heavenly life and disposition But I am carnall in part or in regard of the remainders of flesh that are in me so that the godly themselves in respect of some weaknesse that is yet remaining in them may be called carnall sold under sin not willingly but as one that is yet detained though his ransome be paid But we must note here that the Spouse was not in such a dead sleep as that she was without any life or stirring at all though there be flesh opposing the spirit yet there is spirit opposing the flesh and therefore she doth not onely confesse her defect but also acknowledge her life and excellency by adding But my heart waketh My heart waketh or watcheth that is is lively and active still meaning thereby that howsoever she was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilavit excitatus fuit overtaken in the outward man or corruption of flesh and of the members thereof yet she could not but in her heart and spirituall affections thinke upon her head and Spouse The heart is taken for the whole soule for the understanding will men ory and affections so it includeth all the powers of the soule The Apostle calleth it the inward man the spirit or regenerate man opposed to the flesh or outward man Rom. 2. 28 29. This flesh and spirit lusteth oue against another even in the Saints as the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 17. And when the spirit is willing the flesh is weake Mat. 26. 41. So then in that the Spouse saith My heart waketh it signified that though she had given her selfe to fleshly case and security yet her heart and spirit was otherwise disposed The heart is the last part which liveth and moveth in the body and in it life and sence first beginneth and therefore it is the most principal part it is like Primum mobile inter sphaeras the first spheare celestiall which is moved and by it others are moved It is like the Sunne among the Planets which by its lustre giveth light unto the rest it is like the Center from which the lines are first defixed and derived from it to the circumference all the lines being deducted are of equall distance But here by the heart is not understood the substance but the quality of the heart where David saith Create in me a new heart Psal 51. 10. We must not understand it of the substance for that is still the same but the quality of the heart with its integrity But now the Church maketh a difference between her selfe and her heart as if her selfe and her heart were not the same where she saith I sleep she speaketh in the person of her outward man of the flesh not of the spirit but where she speaketh of her heart she speaketh of her inward man there was readinesse of spirit Hence Observe First That there is an antithesis or contrariety betweene the flesh and the spirit in the Saints The Saints have a fleshly backwardnesse but there is still a readinesse of spirit but the outward man which is flesh perisheth but the inward man that is spirit is renewed day by day So the Apostle comparing himselfe with himselfe is not himselfe where he saith I am carnall sold under sin for in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good but I allow not that which I doe I find a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind There the flesh sleepeth But to will is present with me and I delight in the Law of God there is the inward man or the spirit waking Secondly Observe That the Saints cannot fall from grace Though they sleep yet their heart is awake The work of the new birth or Spirit can never be quite put out or extinguished The Saints may many times fall into great security but yet the heart waketh there remaineth somewhat within the sleep is not deadly The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Church and Saints of God saith It shall be as a Tree as an Oake whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves Isa 6. 13. This is also testified by the Apostle John where he saith Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is borne of God 1 John 3. 9. So that
his Spouse saying open unto me c. Hence Observe That Christ desires a neerer and neerer fellowship with his Spouse Hence it is that he knocks for a farther entrance and communion he had communion before but he comes to renew and enlarge it Christ doth not delight in strangenesse but makes forth abundance of love to the soules of his Saints that so he might have a further entrance into their hearts and affections You know what he sayes to the Church of Laodicea Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock So here It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh c. But some may object Christ hath power to open to himselfe why doth he stand knocking man hath no power to open of himselfe c. The answer is First Here Christ speakes to the Spouse that had the spirit of God by which she could open to her beloved for the Saints are first acted by the Spirit and then they act by it not in their owne power but in the power of the spirit But Secondly When Christ comes for an entrance at conversion then there goes a power that shall open for his knocking 's are effectuall his words are operative words such as was in the creation Let there be light and there was light Genes 1. 3. And such wherewith he raised Lazarus saying Come forth of the grave c. Joh 11. 43. So Christ by his Spirit cloathes his words with majestie and power his words are spirit and life and when he speakes effectually he opens and unlocks the heart with the power of his voice Now followeth the particular compellations which are as so many motives Christ useth to move and stirre the affections of his Spouse Open to me my Sister my love my dove my undefiled These things are spoken after the manner of earthly lovers who come in the night season some times to visit their friends and provoke them as it were by faire speeches to open unto them when they knock to which end Christ useth these alluring titles saying My Sister my Love c. My Sister Christ is our elder Brother and the first borne of many Brethren and what neerer bond of consanguinitie than a Sister So that whatsoever is strong in any bond Christ knits us to him by it and therefore stiles himselfe in all the sweetest relations to shew that he hath the love of all relations towards his Spouse Will a Sister shut a Brother out of doores and that when a Brother comes to visit her and to shew kindnesse unto her Thus Christ comes to make out his love unto us calling us by the name of Sister See this more expounded in Chap. 4. 9. My love Christ loves all his creatures with a generall love and lets the beames of his goodnesse scatter out to them because there is some beames of his excellency in every creature but his Spouse is his beloved in a more peculiar and eminent way then any other and though the beames of his generall love are scattered out to al his creatures yet his especiall love is united and fixed only upon his Church See this more largely opened in Chap. 1. 9. Christ cannot but love what he sees of himselfe in us he loves his owne Image It followeth My Dove The Church is resembled to a Dove in respect of the disposition that is or should be in her resembling that creature A Dove is of a meeke disposition without guile faithfull to her Mate and of neat and cleanly feeding and the like So the Saints are called The meek of the earth Zeph. 2. 1. 2. And are accounted to be without fraud or duplicitie in the soule Jam. 1. 8. They are faithfull and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth they have not defiled themselves with women Revel 14. 4. And they feed upon Christ and spirituall things In these and many more things there is an apt resemblance betwixt a Christian and a Dove But this hath been largely spoken of in Chap. 2. 14. My undefiled Some reade it my per sect one The Hebrew word signifies most properly and most commonly perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Integer perfectus corpore vel animo absolutus completus consum matus Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sound of a religious honest and simple disposition without guile or wickednesse The Greekes translate it unfained This word undefiled is an expression of Christ which he applies to his Church But now in this expression we are to consider Christ and his Spouse one the Spouse having the field she hath the Pearl also having Christ she hath his righteousnes and perfection so the Spouse is perfect and compleat in her head there being a neere conjunction between the head and the Members Againe the spouse is undefiled in respect of that disposition in her which tends to perfection and Christ respects her according to what she shall be in her perfection and glorie Now in that Christ comes thus to awak his Church and by such sweet words to perswade her alledging the unitie of her nature which is she is his Sister her fellowship with him she is his love her chastitie she is his Dove her sinceritie she is his undefiled and all these sweet words are to melt the heart of the Spouse Hence Observe That Christ useth all the sweetest words and actions in drawing his Spouse neere to himselfe Here he useth as it were all heavenly Rhetorick to perswade and move the affections of the Spouse Thus Christ drawes his Spouse by the bands of love calling of her by the name of love Dove undefiled making out his love to her in the sweetest Titles and tearmes of relation yea notwithstanding her infirmitie and drousinesse before mentioned she is highly esteemed of him he imputes not her sins unto her but lookes upon her graces which he hath endued her withall as if she were perfect and undefiled It followeth For my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night In these words wee have declared the patience and sufferings of Christ which he under went in waiting for the returne of his Spouse The reason why he would have the doore opened and be let in is because he had refused no hardship or incommoditie but undertooke all for the good of his Spouse as appeares in that he saith For my head is full of dew c. The head of Christ being filled with dew seemeth to meane his manifold troubles and calamities which he suffered for her sake which sufferings of his are of two sorts In himselfe in his people In his owne person what did he endure how hid he undergoe the contradictions of sinners while he was upon earth and at his death his head was not only filled with drops of dew but also with drops of blood besides the anguish of his Spirit by losing the sense of his fathers love And then what he suffers in his Members who are often Troubled on every side perplexed
and sweet and therefore compared here to myrrhe The graces and prayers of the Saints are said to be sweet as it is Revel 8. 4. Christ ming leth them with his owne sweet odours and so perfumes them before his Father The wicked are abhomination to the Lord because he abhorrs them their services and whatsoever in them is but the righteous man is his delight Prov. 15. 8. Christ will burne up sinne and consume all the drosse of his Saints and accept that which is sweet of his owne spirit in in them All the actions of the flesh are nothing but sinfull workes but the actions wrought by the hand of Christ the finger of God and power of Spirit these actions are sweet holy and gracious Secondly Observe That the sweetnesse of the Saints proceeds from Christs sweetnesse Christ first leaves myrrhe and the fingers of the Spouse drop myrrhe He was anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellows and out of the fulnesse of his divine annointings we receive grace for grace The head being anointed the oyle ranne downe to the skirts of Aarons garment wee have all from our head grace for his grace love for his love priviledge for his priviledge he is a sonne so are wee sonnes we are heires of heaven as he is heire of God all his dignities offices priviledges graces and preferrements are ours So that looke whatsoever grace or priviledge is in the head it descends downe to the Members who share with the head in every vertue so that all our graces are from his grace our life from his life our myrrhe from his myrrhe It followeth in the next verse VERS 5. I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone my soule failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer HEre wee see the troubles and sorrows which befall the Spouse because of her former negligence and securitie Christ will not let her lye asleep on her bed of ease but will come to awaken her In the verse wee have First The action of the Spouse I opened to my beloved Secondly The discouragements of the Spouse and they are three First Christs leaving of her My beloved had withdrawne himselfe Secondly Her inward griefe and sorrow My soule failed c. Thirdly She had no answer notwithstanding all her seeking I sought him but he gave me no answer c. I opened or I my selfe opened to my beloved as before this noteth a further degree of grace in the Spouse that she did not only rise up but opened the doore giveth up the strength and power of heart and affections unto him willing that the everlasting King of glorie should come in and reigne there Hence Observe That gracious affections produce gracious actions Where there is the truth of affection it will discover it selfe in holy action after her affections were moved she presently openeth to her beloved The will minde and understanding guide the outward man therefore if these be touched and wrought upon it will quickly appeare in outward action as soone as her bowels were moved and that her fingers dropt myrrhe she shews the truth of her affection in opening unto and making after her beloved Thus much for the action of the Spouse her discouragements follow But my beloved had withdrawne himselfe Withdrawne or passed away to wit secretly and quietly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transivit particularly also putting up the great injurie of refusall that shee had offered him passed by to wit the doores and so went away The doubling of the complaint for his departure sheweth her passion and griefe in that she thought he had been at the doore when she opened but now he was gone she could not enjoy his presence and favour as formerly she had to her unspeakeable comfort This is strange that he calleth and knocketh when she was asleep and lay in her bed and now when she is risen out of her bed and openeth the doore to let him in he withdraweth himselfe and will not be seene her unkinde dealing did deserve this Hence Observe That Christ doth sometimes withdraw himselfe from his Saints according to their sense and apprehension So God did withdraw from Christ when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but yet at that time God was neere him and did uphold him by his power and so for the Saints such desertions as these proceed from love from him that doth withdraw himselfe he doth it of purpose for their good and that out of a singular love but seeing Christ doth alwayes dwell in the Saints how can it be said that he doth withdraw himselfe out of their sight especially when he hath made their hands to drop with myrrhe This is out of question that Christ is alwayes present in the souls of the faithfull and yet to their thinking and apprehension he seemeth to be absent He doth still support them by his power and spirit and yet they have not the lively and comfortable feeling of his presence which they desire and sometimes happily did enjoy Then the heart is troubled then they mourne then they seeke and call after him for shee saith My soule failed when he spake My soule went forth or it left me and was gone it failed and fainted within me I was as one without life even as one dead through feare and griefe The departure of the soule from the body is death she was now as it were in a swoone or halfe dead for the time Alas now shee is afraid that her unkinde dealing should cause him to forsake her Who is able to expresse the griefe and sorrow the godly soule hath when it seeketh to feele the consolation of Christ and he hideth his face True it is that the Spouse could not lament she could not open the doore seeking and calling after him unlesse he were present and did worke these things in her for all these things proceed from his grace but yet he doth seeme to be absent which makes her crye out my soule my strength my life my comfort is departed from me When he spake When he spake or while he was speaking or rather because of his Speech to me which I had neglected for however the Hebrew will beare both yet I thinke the latter most agreeable with the purpose of the Spouse which is to agravate her offence and also to shew the miseries that she fell into for so great neglect So the sence is My soule failed because of speech or for the words which he had used when he so lovingly called unto me as before in verse 2. saying Open unto me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is full of dew c. Now when the Spirit had moved upon her heart and affections then she remembred the words of her beloved Hence Observe First That Christ's words makes after impressions in the hearts of the Saints though
beloved that thou doest so charge us My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand His head is as the most fine Gold c. IN the former part of the Chapter we have heard how the Bridegroom calling and knocking to raise his Spouse out of her sleep even from her carnall security what excuses she made how unkindly and undutifully she dealt with him Moreover we have heard how he for the same unkindnesse did withdraw himselfe from her she seeketh after him and falleth into the hands of the watchmen even into the hands of false Pastors which dealt with her very cruelly they beat her they wounded her and tooke away her Vaile from her But what doth the Spouse now Doth she give over seeking her beloved No verily she goeth on in her search still and is more vehement then before when she was under the power of the flesh she thought it somewhat unreasonable to seeke after her beloved and began to excuse her selfe saying I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Christ seemeth to require that at her hands which was without all reason but after he had touched her inwardly by his spirit she doth not say I have sought him and by seeking him have been beaten wounded and disgraced how shall I seeke him any longer There is now a fire kindled in her which none can quench the flesh now with all the excuses which it can make is put to silence Hence Observe in the generall That the Saints doe never more prise Christ nor seek after him with more affection then in the time of hot persecution The practise of the Spouse here doth plainly demonstrate this beside all experience sheweth the same It was to this purpose that Christ put in his hand at the hole of the door left that sweet myrrhe with which his fingers did drop The truth is that though Christ seemed to withdraw and to absent himselfe from his Spouse yet by the inward workings of his spirit by putting in his hand he is very neer unto them and doth by his wisdome power and goodnesse exceedingly support and comfort them Now let us descend downe to the particulars themselves And first take a generall resolution of this latter part of the Chapter The Spouse having thus long sought her beloved and not finding him no not among the watchmen that should have given her best instruction yet because of that never dying affection in her she doth nor let her beloved goe altogether but still seeketh him even among such friends as know him not so well as her selfe as one that will refuse no meanes to find him So at last by degrees first uttering her earnest desire and making diligent search after him she findeth comfort in her selfe In these words we have therefore First the Spouse enquiring among her acquaintance for her beloved vers 7. Secondly they make answer as if they knew him not vers 8. Thirdly she maketh unto them a description of him how he might be knowne from other men This description is made First In generall My beloved is white and ruddy c. vers 9. Secondly She descends downe to that which is more particular setting him forth by all the members and lineaments of his body and doth set him forth as we use to say from top to toe beginning at his head which is the most eminent part of the body saying His head is as most fine gold c. verse 10. c. and so to verse 15. and so concludeth in a generall commendations of him shewing that he was precious and amiable in his whole selfe saying He is altogether lovely or he is lovely in all parts yea he is all over lovely he is wholly delectable crying out with an exclamation This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Jerusalem Fourthly These Daughters of Jerusalem are inamored with Christ as well as the Spouse herselfe and desire to joyne with her in seeking him out as appeares in the following words Whither is thy beloved gone that wee may seeke him with thee Fifthly and lastly it was made knowne to her at length where he is to be found My beloved is gone downe into his garden c. Now to the first verse that I read I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem if yee finde my beloved that yee tell him that I am sick of love In these words observe First A charge given I charge you Secondly The Persons charged The daughters of Jerusalem Thirdly The particular thing wherewith they are charged that is if they find Christ to tell him shee is sick of love But first of the charge given I charge you The Spouse having escaped the injurious watchmen now meetteth with her friend The Daughters of Jerusalem layeth this weighty charge upon them saying I charge you that is by oath or I adjure you that is I lay a very strict and weighty charge on you as it were by an Oath which forme also the Spouse useth both to testifie her unfeined love towards her head Christ and to provoke them with whom shee dealeth to deale faithfully in doing her message Now from the charge or manner of the speech of the Spouse Observe That the Saints are reall and serious in their affections towards Jesus Christ Here the Spouse layes a weight upon the daughters of Jerusalem saying I charge you c. She was very reall and cordiall in her affections and in this weighty charge she doth but breath out by hearty expressions that those in ward affections of her soule were Thus much for the charge it selfe The next thing is the parties charged O daughters of Jerusalem The Spouse was ill intreated of her enemies as appeareth verse 6. therefore now she speaketh unto her friends looking to find favour and courtesie amongst them the daughters of Jerusalem were her felllow-members of whom wee have spoken of largely from chap. 2. 7. And also chap. 3. 5. Now this verse being the beginning of the second part of the Chapter containing a dialogue between the Spouse and the damosels or daughters of Jerusalem which sheweth that the Spouse leaveth the watchmen and enquires for her beloved among her owne friends her owne Members Hence Observe That the Lord doth many times convey comfort and satisfaction to his people by poore weake dispised instruments The Spouse expected more help from these poore dispised daughters of Jerusalem her owne members then from the watchmen of the walls What comfort could the Saints receive from the false Priests and Prophets in the time of the Law or what satisfaction may the godly receive from the Scribes and Pharisees in Christs time and as little may the Saints expect now from many that pretend to the Office of Priesthood or ministry Surely many a Saint knows by experience that more satisfaction and comfort is to be had from many a poore dispised Member of their congregation then from
Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11. 26. And the Thessalonians received the Gospell with joy though in much affliction 1. Thess 1. 6. It was because they saw greater glorie and richces in Christ then evill in all afflictions whatsoever And though the Spouse may be in great affliction and miserie yet her glorie doth farre surmount that so that she appeares to the godly to be the fairest of all though under much trouble and persecution Afflictions doe make base and contemptible to the outward shew but the beautie of the Spouse is not outward in things of this life but in spirituall ornaments which are not diminished or dimmed by afflictions but doe then indeed shine brightest of all for the times of the greatest persecutions when the Saints are imprisoned racked and tormented you shall behold their stedfast faith and patience their contempt of the world with many other vertues for which the daughters of Jerusalem even the weaker sort which are not as yet fully come to Christ doe commend the Spouse to be the fairest among women and indeed the Church cannot be otherwise then faire and the fairest being cloathed with the Sun as it is in Revel 12. that is being cloathed with Christ as Christ was cloathed with the glorie of the Father in respect of which All flesh is as grasse and as the flower of the grasse Isa 40. 6. that is a I worldly excellency is as the flower of the grasse that withereth and fadeth away but the spirit life and glorie of God which is the Churches clothing remaines and abideth for ever Thus much for the compellation Now to the question What is thy beloved more then another beloved what is thy beloved more then another beloved that thou dost socharge us Here is a question and a question answered by a question wherein the Daughters of Jerusalem seeme to be as much inquisitive after Christ as the Spouse herselfe They double the question for the more vehemencie as also for the strangenesse of the matter What is thy beloved more then another to wit any other Gods for when Christ is preached the wicked take occasion to crie up and magnifie other Gods But the Saints desire to be informed further in the truth and to know the difference between Christ and false Christs between Christ and Antichrist as appears in Acts 18. 19. 34. c. What is thy beloved more then another beloved that thou doest so charge us Viz. So hardly and straightly even as it were by vertue of an Oath Something there is in the matter that thou layest so hard a burthen and straight charge upon us or else thou wouldest not doe it This is the first question moved to the Church concerning the person of her beloved they marvelling as it were what excellency should be in him that she should so highly esteem of him by occasion of which demand she entereth into a notable description of Christ as in the verses following These words being somewhat plaine need no further explication but let us take notice of some Observations from them First Observe That the earnest seeking of the faithfull after Christ is a meanes to stir up others to inquire what he is or what there is in him Common reason will lead men thus far when they see that no threatnings no affliction bonds tortures nor sufferings whatsoever can prevaile but that the Saints doe become more earnest in seeking Christ to say within themselves it 's out of question there is some great thing that carrieth these men it 's no small benefit for which they will endure all these things Hereupon these daughters begin to inquire what Christ is What is thy beloved more then another beloved c. What is he more excellent then others that are called Gods Surely ther is some excellency super-humane in him That thou doest so charge us What an excellent thing is it therefore to be earnest in seeking after Jesus Christ O it winneth souls to enter into the consideration what Christ is and what excellencies there be in him when they see that others be bent and cannot by no meanes be driven back from seeking after him And therefore know that whosoever he be though meane in the world that with earnestnesse and meeknesse doth seeke the Lord he shall be a meanes to win others to the seeking of him also Secondly Observe That many that professe Christ know but little of him What is thy beloved more then another beloved Wherein doth he excell other Lords that the men of the world doe trust in By this answer the daughters of Jerusalem seemed to know little of Christ It is true that David saith God is knowne in Judah and his name is great in Israel for in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Zion Psal 77. 1 2. yet he is not sufficiently known among some in Judah as he should be but he ought yet to be better knowne in Judah and his name to be greater in Israel I confes many Christians know Christ in the History and letter of the Gospell many know him after the flesh but how few know Christ after the Spirit How few know the dying resurrection and ascension of Christ in them Many know a Christ dying upon the Crosse without them but how few know Christ within them Truely I feare that in many Congregations where the name of Christ is professed there be such ignorant ones among them which like the Athenians erect an Altar to the unknowne God as we read Acts 17. 23. That is take upon them to worship God whom they know not But O Christians This is not your work to goe on in blind devotion but to be strenthned by the Spirit of God in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth length depth height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that they may be filled with all the fullnesse of God as the Apostle saith to the Ephesians Chap. 3. 16 17 18 19. Thirdly Observe That it is an excellent thing for Saints to conferre one with another The excellency of holy conference is seen here in the Spouse comming to the Daughters of Jerusalem speaking of her beloved and telling them that she was sick of love c. upon this the daughters of Jerusal grow very inquisitive to know more of Christ till at length they begin to be warmed and kindled with the consideration of his excellency This demand of the Spouse I charge you if ye find my beloved to tell him that I am sick of love breeds questions in the daughters of Jerusalem what is thy beloved c. whence upon the description of her beloved their hearts are kindled and enflamed with love to Christ and they become earnest seekers of him Thus it was with the Disciples when they were in a
apprehension of his presence Secondly Observe That Christ doth not long together hide his divine presence from his Spouse It is true he may veile himselfe for a while and withdraw his light and comfort from the soul though he take not away his love yet he may suspend the acts of it he may seem to frowne and to hide and ecclipse himselfe that the soul for a while looseth sence and feels not its owne happinesse Now when it is thus with a believer Christ is gone the comfort and assurance of his love is gone joy and love and delight and all is gone O how disconsolate and sad is the soul then this is very irksome to the soul that is indeared to Christ and desires his communion yet notwithstanding these things are but short Christ will not be long absent from his Saints his great delight and affection towards them will constraine him to manifest himselfe Joseph concealed himselfe for a while but he was much streightned in his spirit untill he had made himselfe knowne unto his brethren So it is with Christ he may keep at at a distance from his people for a while but it will not be long before he returne againe and manifest himselfe unto his Spouse Now followeth the end of Christs going downe into his Garden Viz. To feed in the Gardens to gather Lillies First Christs end in going downe into his Garden is to feed there that is to associate himselfe and communicate with his people in the graces of his owne spirit eating his owne pleasant fruits as in Chap. 4. 16. And also to Feast and refresh his people with divine things giving them of the heavenly Manna to eat and of the River of life to drinke he doth impart unto his Saints the graces of his spirit he doth refresh his Gardens Viz. All his particular Churches with all variety of Heavenly dainties Hence Observe That Christ doth associate himselfe with his people abundantly satisfying their souls with his sweetnesse He feeds in the Gardens by communicating of himselfe and his glory unto his Saints You may remember in Chap. 5. 1. Christ declares that he had eaten his honey with his honey-comb and here he feedeth in the Gardens The Prophet saith He shall seed his flock like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his armes and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young Isa 40. 11. So that Christ doth plentifully and sweetly and that with the greatest care that possible can be feed and refresh his people Another place paralell to this is in Ezek. 34. 14. I will feed them in good pastures upon the high Mountaines of Israel there shall their fold be there shall they lye in a good field in a fat pasture I will feed my slocke and cause them to lye downe saith the Lord God I will seeke that which was lost and bring back that which was driven away I will bind up that which was broken and strengthen that which is sicke and destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement Here is store of all supply yea suitable supply for every want a fit salve for every soare Thus we see Christ doth feed in his Gardens he doth communicate himself his spirit and makes a comfortable supply to all our wants Secondly Christs end in going into his Garden is to gather Lillies that is to accept the sweet-smelling fruits of his owne graces growing in his Churches or to gather his people to himselfe which are as Lillies among thorns Christians are compared to Lillies for their purity and whitenesse being cleane through the word as the Apostle saith that is through Christ who is the word The Lillie as it is white and glorious so it is a very tall goodly plant therefore the Spouse is compared to it Other men are compared to thornes because they are noxious and hurtfull they are good for nothing but to cumber the ground and to be offensive and to be burned So the wicked are compared to such because they are hurtfull and offensive but the Saints are compared to Lillies for beauty and fairnesse Hence Observe That the Saints are beautifull persons Here they are compared to the glorious and beautifull Lillie God cloatheth Lillies of the field with excellent beauty their glory is brought into competition with Solomons whose glory came far short of the Lillies whitenesse and beauty and if God take care for Lillies will he not take care for you O yee of little faith Mat. 6. 29. Doth God care for Lillies that are to day and to morrow are cast into the Oven and shall he not care for these living holy Lillies Yes undoubtedly he will Christs argument is undeniable he that puts such a beauty upon the poore plants that flourish to day in the morning and wither before night he that puts such beauty upon the grasse of the field will he not put more excellency upon his Saints Without question he will The Saints are as faire and much fairer in Gods eye then all the Lillies of the field The Church is said to be cloathed with the Sun in Revel 12. 1. That is she was cloathed with God and with Christ with the Spirit with the white robes of his righteousnesse and therefore she must needs be glorious And the Armies in Heaven which are the Saints that follow Christ are said to be Cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane Rev. 19. 14. The Saints are a chosen people to be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1. 4. God looks upon the Saints without blame not as concerning the flesh and the carnall mind which is enmity against God but according to the Spirit and the new man which is created of God after his owne image And thus Christ is said To wash and cleanse his Church by the washing of water and the word that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5. 26 27. This is the pure holy and glorious condition of the Spouse The Saints are Lillies being cloathed with the white Garments of Christs righteousnesse not having any naturall or fleshly glory of their owne The whitenesse and purity of the Saints is borrowed as the Moone borrows all her light from the Sunne so the Saints derive their glory and excellency from Christ Lastly in that she saith the end of Christs going into his Garden is to gather Lillies Hence Observe That Christ doth graciously accept of the fruits of his owne Spirit Christ planteth a Vineyard and delighteth to eat the fruit thereof and so in Chap. 4. 16. Let my beloved come in and eat his pleasant fruits That is let him accept of and partake of all the fruits of his owne spirit fruits of union and fruits of communion when Christ becomes as a dew upon Israel Israel becomes his pleasant plant and is found to be fruitfull in
and in this affection most tenderly love me It is as if the Spouse had said there is a mutuall love between us as I love him so he loveth me as I belong to him so he belongs to me his love is the ground of mine and my love to him is the effect of his love Hence Note That the manifestation of Christs love to us is the cause of our love unto him His love is as the cause preceding and our love as the effect following after Thus the Apostle John testifieth saying We love him because he first loved us The Spouse declareth the same here the summe of her speech being thus much in effect seing my beloved hath set his affections so upon me freely loved me when I was lost and an enemy to him as in Rom. 5. when dead in sin Ephes 2. when I was altogether abominable Rom. 3. yea that his affection was towards me so as that he hath called me into the neerest fellowship with himselfe and doth sweetly imbrace me not withstanding all my fleshly actings is there not cause why I should be his Such abundant love doth cause love againe As the desire of a woman is towards her husband and the desire of a man towards his wife so Christs love and affection is towards his Spouse her desire is also towards him If the Spouse first apprehend the love and affection of Christ this love of Christ as the Apostle speaketh will constraine the Spouse to love Christ againe And now behold how forward and ready the Bride is to draw neer to Christ and to have the day of the marriage approach She is not the woman that she was before in the fifth Chapter where she made excuses and would not arise to open to Christ for now she calleth unto him to come to her and to walk with her as in the next verse VERS 11. Come my beloved let us goe forth into the field let us lodge in the Villages THe Lord had promised in the former Verses that he would goe up into the Palm-tree and take hold of her boughs he would dresse and prune his Church and she thereupon should become most flourishing fruitfull and delectable unto this here the Spouse offereth her service The Spouse doth not name the Palm-tree but Cypres trees and Vines but the matter is all one seing the Church is resembled by the one as well as by the other Then thus it is the Lord promiseth to draw neer his Spouse and to dresse and trim her and she offereth her selfe most cheerfully thereunto He will bestow his rich grace and presence upon her and she is brought to be on a flame of thirsting and desiring after the same Come my beloved These are words of exhortation and provoking as it were taken also from the love of the Spouse towards Christ more effectually to perswade the thing she desireth because men willingly commit themselves to the company and easily yeild to the requests of such as they take to be their best friends hence she useth this kind of exhortation or invitation Come my Beloved Let us goe forth into the fields Into the fields or into the Countrey a place of corne Vines fig-trees Pomegranate trees c. as Joel 11. 12. The Spouse speaketh this after the manner of men inhabiting Cities and having their farme-houses abroad in the Country whither they may walke for recreation and to see how forward the Spring is and whither the time of Summer or Harvest doe draw nigh but all this must be understood spiritually and mystically as if the Spouse should say I beseech thee doe not alone and by thy selfe walk out into the field and retire thy selfe but let us both walke together and be retired from the trouble and distraction of this world and flesh and walke into the field of sweet meditation and heavenly delight She addeth Let us lodge in the Villages This part of the verse is diversly read by reason of the diverse significations of the words used therein as the word turned lodge signifies also to remaine or continue also the word Cepharim doth not only signifie villages but Cypresse-trees So that the word is used in Scripture to signifie villages and also the Cypres The Greek turneth it by villages such common villages are distinguished from such Townes or Cities as are fenced in 1 Sam. 618. Now in this that the Spouse doth desire to goe with Christ and to lodg with him the fields in and villages doth note unto us that the Spouse is drawne off from all fleshly delight and from sheltering her selfe in any outward glorie or strength Hence note That the soule brought up to live in the light of God and in neere fellowship of Christ is taken off from the continuance or trusting in any outward glorie The Spouse desires not to goe with Christ into the fenced Cities and places of worldly delight and pleasure but into the Villages and fields and to lodge among the Cypres-trees that she may rise up early to goe to the Vines She is now wrapt and overcome with the desire and love of heavenly things that her minde and affections are carryed out of the world she will now lodge in a continuall meditation and delight of divine things yea she will dayly raise up her selfe to behold the fruit that doth spring from them The case is altered with the Spouse now from what it was when she was asleep in fleshly security and was loath to be raised up even when the flesh had so much prevailed upon her then these things of Christ these holy breathings out after him seemed to lie buried but now when the Spirit quickneth and raiseth her herheart is drawn off from fleshly glorie and prosperity and she desireth to lodge continurlly with Christ in the large field of heavenly delights Now the Spouse is sweetly imbracing of spirituall and heavenly things now she can stay among those heavenly joyes and comforts of her beloved And now behold how the Spouse doth proceed in this matter VERS 12. Let us goe up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whither the tender grape appeare and the Pomegranates bud forth there I will give thee my loves IN this verse the Spouse declareth what the benefit she and her beloved shall get by remaining or lodging all night in the Country Villages or amongst the sweet Cypres trees out of the Citie namely that they shall be ready early to make triall of that that they come and looke for Let us goe earely to the Vineyards saith the Spouse let us see whether the Vine flourish that is what appearings or likelyhood there is of the approaching of the time of marriage or of a neerer communion and fellowship with her beloved she addeth Whither the tender or small grape appeare Wee may reade the words thus whither the first small grape open it selfe The first grape is that which is first in sprouting and by opening it selfe is meant its appearance
my Mother when I should find thee without I would kisse thee yet I should not be dispised I would lead thee and bring thee into my Mothers house who would instruct me I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine of the juyce of my Pomegranate His left hand should be under my head and his right hand should imbrace me I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my love untill he please Who is this that commeth up from the Wildernesse leaning upon her beloved I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy Mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee Set me as a Seale upon thine heart as a Seale upon thine Arme for love is strong as death jealosie is cruell as the Grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame VVEE have had in this Song the condition and state of the Spouse which hath been variable and after diverse sorts as even now calling and crying out for her well-beloved Not long after we have her as it were set down and the Bridegroome calling upon her to arise and come away yea sometimes she is not onely set downe but also she is laid downe and asleep the Saints doe not continue alwayes alike but however they swarve for a time yet they returne and their end is commendable And therefore the Church is here even to the end of the Song declaring her faith and good affection towards Christ But to come to the words themselves of this Chapter First in generall the Spouse doth declare what a great desire she hath to be in his presence and to retaine him with her which ariseth from a vehement love whose heat cannot be quenched as she expresseth in the sequell of the Chapter Christ and the Spouse be of one family as Brothers and Sisters doe dwell together in familiarity each doth usually know where to find the other According to this she saith O that thou wert as my Brother that sucked the Breasts of my Mother when I should find thee without I would kisse thee yet I should not be dispised In this verse the Spouse declareth her earnest affection unto Christ wishing that she might continually enjoy him as a most faithfull friend We have in this verse First an exclamation or wish expressing her fervent desire O that thou wert as my Brother This wish is amplified by saying That sucked the breasts of my Mother Secondly the resolution of the Spouse in case she had obtained her desire in these words When I should find thee without I would kisse thee This also is amplified wherein she doth as it were set feare and shame a side by adding Yet I should not be ashamed O that thou wert as my Brother c. Some read the words thus O if some would give thee or who will give thee Such phrases are often used for formes of wishing in the Scripture as in Psal 14. 7. Who shall give Salvation to Israel That is O that the Salvation of Israel were come The Apostle alludes to this forme of speech when he saith Who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. It is an expression of an earnest wish or desire in the Spouse here wherein she doth declare her earnest desire of the brother-hood love and fellowship of Christ whereby she might manifest her love to him againe Her desire of him is that he would be to her As a Brother That is most faithfull friendly and loving See Gen. 13. 8. Psal 133. 1. Brother-hood signifies some neer conjunction and relation either by nature or by Covenant Zach. 11. 14. Such as are companions in like condition quality or action are called brethren Prov. 18. 9. Gen. 49. 5. Now Christ is not onely the Brother of the Spouse in respect of his humanity taking on him the same flesh and blood Heb. 2. 14. but also by that onenesse in fellowship and communion in the Spirit having one father one blessednesse and glory Thus Christ calls his Saints Brethren Heb. 2. 11 12. in respect of that spirituall union and fellowship between them It 's added That sucked the breasts of my Mother The Spouse is not contented onely to have Christ as a Brother but as a most naturall kind Brother because many times it falleth out that brethren are at great jarres through the neglect or forgetfullnesse of those brotherly bonds between them therefore the Spouse desireth that Christ may be a most naturall kind-hearted brother to her as one that sucked her Mother for betweene brethren of the same Mother the love and affections are the most ardent as is testified by Joseph in his affections toward his Brother Benjamin Gen. 43. 29 30. By the Mother here we may understand the heavenly Jerusalem which is above which the Apostle calls The Mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. To suck the breasts of this Mother is to partake and enjoy the sweet refreshing comforts of the Church or assembly of the first borne to be refreshed with the fatnesse and sweetnesse of Gods house towit the sweet consolations of the Spirit Isa 66. 10. 11. Now we must know that Christ and his people make but one body and is mystically called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. and therefore here where it is said that Christ doth suck these breasts it is meant of Saints or Christ in the Saints is refreshed and comforted Hence Observe First That the Spouse is very earnest and desirous of a neer brotherhood and communion with Christ O that thou wert as my Brother c. Nothing satisfies the Saints but fellowship with the Father and the Sonne nothing but a sweet communion with Christ in all his graces The Saints are onely delighted with his love and sweetnesse and continually desire in a most comfortable and familiar way to enjoy his divine presence Secondly Observe That Christ is refreshed in his Saints refreshments For as you heard before he and his Saints are one body and hence it is that when Saints are begotten unto God Christ is formed in them Gal. 4. 19. and as they are nourished by the sincere milke of the word so is Christ also nourished grows more more in stature and fullnesse For that which is properly the person of the Saint or the Saint-ship it selfe is part of Christ Christ is diffused into all his Saints and they all make but one compleat body and therefore as the body is said to suck the breasts of spirituall consolation Christ may also be said to suck those breasts for it is Christ in the Saints that is nourished so when the Saints encrease it is the increasings of the Lord and the growth of the Saints is the growth of Christ It followeth When I should find thee without I would kisse thee yet I should not be despised Here is the resolution of the Spouse When I finde thee or though I find thee in the streets that is in open and
publique place as it were See Luke 14. 21. This shew the readinesse and willingnesse of the Spouse both to goe forth and meet and also to wellcome and entertaine Christ it noteth her dilligence and care to find and to retaine Christ as in Song 3. 2. 4. I would kisse thee yet I should not be despised To Kisse is a signe of honour love and obedience as was noted in Song 1. 2. and the meaning is that the Spouse would neither be ashamed or afraid to perform the office of love and affection towards him neither should any contemne or scorne her that is either they should not scorne her having obtained her beloved or else she would not regard any scorne that should be cast upon her Hence Observe First That Saints are ready to entertaine and wellcome Christ Hence it 's said here that the Spouse would meet him with all readinesse to take hold of him and to imbrace him The Saints are impatient withont Christ and are most ready to give entertainment unto him Secondly Observe That it is an honourable action and worthy of much praise to entertaine and imbrace Christ It is true the world is apt to vex scorne and contemne the Saints but yet they are never ashamed to owne Christ but she doth meet kisse and imbrace him even in the open streets But though the blind world should contemne the Saints yet the Lord will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. 20. 30. And if any man serve Christ him will the Father honour John 12. 26. The Saints shall appeare in the brightnesse of Christs glory which is far above the contempt of the world and being thus cloathed they are not afraid or ashamed of Christ of professing his name and truth in the open streets of the world Thus much for the Spouses wish as also her resolution in which she doth farther proceed in the next verse VERS 2. I would lead thee and bring thee into my Mothers house who would instruct me I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine of the juyce of my Pomegranate AFter the Spouse had expressed her wish and what advantage she gained thereby she sheweth what returne she would make unto Christ for granting her desire I would lead thee and bring thee c. We must understand in these words that the Spouse taketh on her the person of Christ and speaketh that of her selfe which belongeth to him and by declaring what she would doe unto her beloved shews what she would have Christ doe unto her And therefore we must consider the Spouse together with her head Christ and so she is called Christ in 1 Cor. 12. 12. That is Christ mysticall or Christ in a divine mystery I would lead thee I would bring thee c. She doubleth the word as it were to shew the joyfullnesse of her heart in thinking of the matter she is now in speaking of And in that she saith I would lead thee she meaneth with all honour and solemnity with joy and gladnesse Thus Kings and great ones are said to be lead and brought along Isa 60. 11. Psal 45. 15 16. So here the Spouse speaking in the person of Christ declares what she desires he should doe unto her towit that he would lead and bring her into his holy Mountaine as in Psal 43. 3. that he would comfortably lead her by the light of his Spirit Hence Observe That the Saints desire onely to be led and directed by Christ For the Spouse here by declaring her resolution sheweth what she desireth Christ to doe unto her it is true that the Saints in some sence may be said to lead Christ by seeking of his face by stirring up themselves to take hold of his strength as in Isa 64. 1. 7. yet most properly it is Christ that leadeth his people his truth and the light of his Spirit is like the cloud of fire that led the Children of Israel in the Wildernesse and doth continually direct and guide them Now followeth the place into which she would lead him Into the house of my Mother Here the Spouse alludeth to the custome in those dayes which was to bring the Bride and Bidegroome also into the house of either of their Parents See Gen. 24. 97. where Isaac is said to have brought Rebeckah into the Tent of Sarah his Mother It is the manner of the Hebrews as hath been noted heretofore in this Song to call some whole thing or body by the name of Father or Mother and the parts derived from the same by the names of Sonnes and Daughters So here Christ and the Saints making up one Church or body which is called the new Jerusalem which commeth downe from God out of which Christ and all Saints spring this new Jerusalem is called the Mother of us all in Gal. 4. 26. But of this we have spoken already in Chap. 3. vers 4. and therefore I shall passe this and proceed to the next words Who would instruct me This clause standeth doubtfull whither we shall Translate it Thou shalt teach me or she shall teach me for in the Hebrew tongue in the future the same word standeth for the third person feminine that is for the second Masculine And so it standeth in different here by the word whither we say thou shalt teach me or she shall teach me true it is that Christ is the teacher of his Church in a double respect 1. In that he alone teacheth by the light of his Spirit But the Church who is the heavenly Jerusalem and Mother of us all doth as an instrument teach and instruct her particular Members with the heavenly doctrine of the Gospell We may take it that she saith to Christ Thou shalt teach me for so runs the new Covenant That every man shall not teach his neighbor saying know the Lord for they shall all know me saith the Lord. So that the Saints should not depend upon mans teaching but upon Christ's the true Prophet Hence Observe That the Saints desire most of all to be under the teachings of Christ This was the end of the Spouse in bringing Christ in to her mothers house namely that he might teach and instruct her by his Spirit And thus it is prophesied how that in the last dayes many people should say Come and let us go up tothe house of the God Jacob and will teach us of his wayes c. Isa 2 2 3. See also Michah 4. 1 2. Christ tels his Disciples in John 16. 25. That the time was comming he would shew them plainely of the Father its Christ that doth unmaske and unvaile the face of his Father and helpe us to a manifestation and sight of it Christ is the lively Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4. He is the Brightnese of his glorie and the expresse Character of his person Heb. 1. 3. there is no excellency in the Father which is not manifest in the Sonne and by the Sonne wee may come to know it so saith the Apostle God who
hath commanded light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 6. 6. If there be such a bright vision of divine glorie manifested by Christ how sweet how comfortable and how much to be desired are the teachings of Christ then who is as it were the beames and brightnesse of Gods glorie shining out upon us The effects of Christs teaching is set forth in the next words I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine of the juyce of my Pomegranate According to the similitude in earthly things the Spouse professeth to entertaine Christ with a dainty banquet in her mothers house for that is meant by spiced wine and juyce of the Pomegranate By Spiced wine she meaneth such wee call Ipocras which besides the nature and strength of the wine it selfe it is much strengthned by composition mixture or confection of many Spices with it So that by the strength and pleasantnesse of this composition of sweet spices the heart is strengthened and warmed and the senses much refreshed and satisfied with the pleasant smell thereof Such compositions as these were put into the holy incense and oyle Exod. 30. 24 25. Such were also used for banquetting as this place manifesteth The juice of my Pomegranat Or The sweet wine made of my Pomegranate the word here turned juyce or sweet wine signifies generally al moisture which either by expressing or treading is fetcht from any fruit for it is derived of a word that signifieth to expresse or tread downe but because he addeth Pomegranates we may take it for the moisture juyce or liquor that is or may be wrung from them In a word she meaneth that if she might indeed be partaker of Christ and enjoy sweetnesse and fellowship with him she would most comfortably and joyfully entertaine and receive him for under these metaphors taken and borrowed from an earthly banquet she meaneth nothing else but the spirituall entertainment of her beloved and that his teaching shold not be fruitlesse in her but she would honour Christ with graces and being sweetned with the spices of his spirit the fruit thereof should redound to him Hence Observe That the Saints honour Christ with the fruits of his owne Spirit When Christ administreth to us by his Spirit he giveth us wine to drinke as in Isa 55. 1. 3. And when wee bring forth the fruits of the Spirit he counteth himselfe as refreshed with wine as in Chap. 5. 10. This is the spirituall entertainement that the Spouse giveth her beloved she presents him with a dainty banquet of spiced wine the fruits of his owne spirit praise and glorie which is very pleasing unto him which is contrary to that cup in the womans hand full of abhominations and filthinesse of her fornication to wit the fruits of the flesh and Antichrist with which wine the inhabitants of the earth were made drunke Revel 17. 2 4. The fruits of divine presence and of the spirit of Christ in the Saints is sweet comfortable and pleasant like to spiced wine and the juice of the Pomegranate It followeth in the next verse VERS 3. His left hand should be under my head and his right hand should embrace me AS before the Spouse had set out how she would receive and entertaine her beloved so now she being privie to her owne infirmities and desirous of strength from Christ desireth sustenance and strength of him whose grace would be sufficient for her whose strength is made perfect in weakenesse 2 Cor. 12. 9. wee may understand the words prayer-wise Let thine hand be under my head c. she sheweth how he would comfort her namely that for her ease he would put his left hand under her head as men commonly do to sick and infirme persons And his right hand doth embrace me viz. most comfortably and lovingly as dearest friends doe one another See this verse wholly expounded before in Chap. 2. 6. there being no difference but this namely that she affirmeth the thing in present action and hereby weighing the earnest love of Christ towards her she increaseth in her hope and confidence in him assuring her selfe that if she may enjoy his comfortable and continuall presence it would be a very happie thing Hence Observe That the Saints only rest satisfied in the armes of Christ Hence it is that the Spouse doth desire that Christ should support comfort and uphold her with both his hands were it not for the armes of Christs love and protection the Spouse could not subsist but Christ doth as it were comfort embrace and sustaine his Church with both his armes These words having been spoken of before I shall passe to the next verse VERS 4. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem that ye stirre not up nor awake my love untill he please THe Spouse enjoying these great mercies and blessings from Christ chargeth all her daughters to wit her fellow-members to walke so thankfull and fruitfull toward God and lovingly and helpfully one towards another that no occasion be given of any alteration of their happinesse and in this Charge she deales very seriously saying I charge you or I adjure you that is by oath that you grieve not this my beloved Spouse that may hinder our comfortable societie one from another and this she speaketh unto the daughters of Jerusalem or fellow-friends of the Spouse See this expounded before chap. 2. 7. Also chap. 3. 5. Why should ye stirre up that is doe not stirre up there is no reason or cause why you should deale so discourteously with him sith in his rest standeth your owne good or it will not be for your profit and ease to disturbe this my love whom I so tenderly affect Vntill he please that is till he himselfe will and the Spouse useth this as a reason to discourage them from awaking him be not over confident to thinke it will be good for him and for you that he should be raised up or awaked before he please for he knows the best and fittest time Hence Observe That Christians should not go about to raise up Christ till himselfe is pleased to arise Where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty there is power to act indeed if the Lord be risen and awake in thee there is life and activitie and therefore why should wee awake the Lord till he please there is so much formalitie in Professors as draws their resolutions into a method as because such a day or such a time is come I must doe such or such a thing and so take up things by custome and Christians must discourse and performe duties whither the Spirit saith yea or no but God will bring judgement into victory and the Spirit of the Lord shall carry all before it but wee must stay till the beloved please VERS 5. Who is this that commeth up from the Wildernesse leaning upon her beloved I raised thee up
under the apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that beare thee THE Church going about to declare the love she carried towards her head and husband Christ doth in this verse in the first part of it by way of demand speake of her selfe and the latter part taking upon her the person of Christ she sheweth what great favours and graces she had received from him There is nothing by the speech it selfe that discovers whether Christ or his Spouse uttered these words But the Hebrew text declareth it to be spoken by the Spouse because this clause I raised thee up c. And also this Thy mother conceived thee are spoken in the masculine gender as to a man and not as unto a woman and so wee take them for the words of the Spouse setting forth the vehement and ardent loves of hers unto Christ in respect of those many favours she had received from him In the words then shee setteth forth the vehemencie of her love First as it were by comparison saying Who is this that commeth up c. Secondly the place from which she ascended from the Wildernesse Thirdly The manner of her ascension leaning upon her beloved Fourthly the meanes of her ascension I raised thee up under an Apple-tree there thy Mother brought thee forth c. Who is this or who is she for so we may reade the words that commeth up c. some thinke that this speech implyeth the springing up of a new Church conducted by Christ through the Wildernesse of this world others understand it to be the speech of the daughters of Jerusalem admiring at the encrease of faith and grace in the Spouse but we may understand it of the Spouse her selfe admiring at her selfe being filled with grace and being cloathed with so many mercies by Christ as if she should say where is she to be found that hath shewed the like love to her welbeloved that I have shewed unto mine that hath taken such travaile and indured so many afflictions passed through so many perils to come to her beloved as I have done to come unto mine Hence Observe That the Saints do admire their own ascension unto Christ It is their glorie and Crowne it is their joy and boafting all the day but wee must also know that the boasting of the Saints is not from any thing of their owne they cannot so admire their own strength or parts as in the power and strength of Christ by which they are brought up unto him Now that then which the Saints doe so much admire is that shee should ascend up from the earth to live in Christ and that in the power and goodnesse of Christ Secondly The place from whence she ascended is mentioned From the Wildernesse The Wildernesse is sometimes taken for the people of this world out of which the people of God are called and chosen Ezek. 20. 35. John 15. 19. but wee may rather take it here for the former state of the Spouse in the state of sinne and ignorance under the bondage of the powers of darkenesse from which she escaped by Christ for the Wildernesse was a drie and thirsty land a land of drought and of the shadow of dearth Ezek. 19. 13. Jer. 2. 6. The Wildernesse is cloathed with no beautie whereby men should delight in it or desire to dwell there but it is rather a place of Dragons Foxes and Tigres and all wilde ravenous Beasts Hence Observe That the Saints ascend up to Christ out of a low darke desolate Wildernesse Their state is a Wildernesse condition desolate lost and forlorne till they ascend up unto Christ there be many dangers ina Wildernes so the soule is in a lost dangerous condition till it ascend unto Christ the true Canaan and Land of plenty and rest A man in a Wildernesse knows not which way he goes whither forward or backward no more doth the soule while it walks in the Wildernes of darknesse and confusion under the power of hell and death surely this must needs be a blessed ascension to ascend out of a desolate Wildernes unto Christ the true center and rest of the soule It followeth Leaning upon her beloved Here is set downe the manner of the Spouses ascension Leaning upon her beloved or adjoyning associating her selfe with her beloved The Spouse doth not use this speech onely to note her love towards Christ as it was the custome for men to leane upon them whom they best liked as appears 2 Kings 5. 18. but also to set out the strength and comfort she had from him without whom by reason of her owne weaknesse she had never beene able to get out of the Wildernesse Hence Observe That the Saints ascend up unto Christ by the assistance of divine power from Christ All the strength of the Spouse was in the power of Christ who upheld her and sustained her steps carrying her through all dangers and difficulties The Spouse is by Christ made perfect stablished strengthned and settled 1 Pet. 5. 10. This divine assistance was foretold by the Prophet in Gods dealing with the people of Israel when he put his holy Spirit in his people and led them through the deep as an horse in the wildernesse they stumbled not as a beast goeth downe into the valley the spirit of the Lord quietly led them so didst thou lead thy people to make thy selfe a glorious name Isa 63. 11. 13. 14. So here the Spouse acknowledgeth all her strength and stay to be from Christ and from the power of his might It followeth in the next verse I raised thee up under the Apple tree The Spouse is said sometimes to raise up Christ as in Psal 44. 24. Stir up why sleepest thou Lord And the Saints are said to stir up themselves and take hold of his strength in Isa 64. 7. but the Spouse being but the instrument of Gods power and goodnesse she doth as it were speake in the person of Christ and as Christ gives life to his people so his people are said to give life to him and raise him up as it were from sleep and from death This raising up was under the Apple-tree the tree of life and grace whose shadow and fruit had beene delightfull to her to which tree Christ himselfe was likened Chap. 2. 3. So that the Spouse is said to raise up Christ in his owne power under the Apple-tree towit under his shadow and fruit whereby she her selfe was comforted and refreshed Hence Observe That Christ is raised up by or in the Saints by his owne power Though the Saints are said to raise up Christ it 's under the Apple-tree it 's in Christs owne power so it is no more but Christs raising himselfe in the Saints Christ by the divine power raised himselfe out of the Grave so by that divine power he doth rise in the Saints by which power they are said to raise up Christ and therefore what Christ is said to doe unto the Saints
they likewise are said to doe the same unto him as to raise him up c. The Saintship or the proper person of the Saint is Christ as he is given out and distributed to all Saints who all make up the body of Christ So that as Christ is said to raise and stir up the Saints so also they may be said to raise and quicken Christ It followeth There thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee It is the heavenly Jerusalem the generall assembly and Church of the first-borne which are written in Heaven that bring forth Christ into the world Christ is begotten and brought forth in these This heavenly Jerusalem or Church of the first-borne is the Mother of Christ this is she that brought him forth into the world or as it may be rendered That painefully brought him forth that is did travell with much paine and sorrow So that as there is paine and sorrow in women that bring forth Children so there is in the Spouse in her bringing forth Christ Hence Observe First That Christ is conceived and brought forth in all his Saints The Spouse is hereby Christs mother even all the faithfull that travell with Christ The Apostle saith in Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travell in birth untill Christ be formed in you so that Christ is formed and brought forth in every Saint And in Rev. 12. 2. the Church is compared to a woman with child The Prophet tells us That unto us a Child is borne Isa 9. 6. So this holy Child Jesus is begotten and brought forth in his divine appearance in all the Saints Secondly Observe That the travelling with and bringing forth of Christ into the world is with much trouble and paine Hence it is said in Rev. 12. the Church was in travell and pained to be delivered for as Child-birth is accompanied with many pangs and sorrows so is the bringing forth of Christ in the hearts of men There is outward sorrow and trouble according to the words of the Apostle when he saith In much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in tossings to and fro in labours in watchings in fastings c. 2 Cor. 6. 4 5. And thus the Church declareth in Isa 26. 17. Like as a woman with Child that draweth neer the time of her delivery is in paine crieth out in her pangs so have we beene in thy sight O Lord. So there is abundance of inward pain and trouble when Christ is formed in the mind and spirit there is a strugling and resisting by all the powers of flesh and darknesse this Dragon seeks to destroy the Child Jesus there was a type of this in Herod when he sought to kill Christ when he was borne upon the earth So the powers of flesh and darknesse set against this delivery they hinder what they can but cannot destroy this Child it is preserved still though it be in Aegypt yea though it should be crucified in Aegypt it shall rise againe and live and prevaile Now in the next verse the Spouse breaks forth into a vehement request that she may be joyned more neerly unto her beloved and that he will alwayes have her in mind rendring a reason that the vehemency and strength of her love is such as by no meanes it can be overcome this is set forth in this verse and the next following but first commeth her request in the first verse that followeth VERS 6. Set me as a Seale upon thine heart as a Seale upon thine Arme for love is strong as death jealousie is cruell as the grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame THe Spouse here desireth a farther testimony and evidence of Christs divine love to be given in unto her that she may be the more confirmed in his love towards her that she may be firmely engraven as the engraving of a Seale or Signet upon his heart First then we have the Spouses earnest desire of Christs deep affection to her and continuall remembrance of her Set me as a Seale upon thine heart as a Seale upon thine arme Which request of hers is urged by a motive taken from the strength and depth of her affection to him which she declareth First by comparing her affections to 3. things 1. To Death It 's strong as death 2. To the Grave It 's cruell as the grave 3. To Fire It hath a most vehement flame Secondly it is set forth by comparing her affections to two things as lesse then her affections yet they be of great force this is in the seventh verse 1. Her affections are such as many waters cannot quench them 2. She prized them to the whole substance of any mans house which would be contemned if it were offered for to withdraw her affections from her beloved But first her request Set me as a Seale upon thine heart c. Set me or put me as a Seale c. That is let me be deeply engraven as a Seale is into thy heart and affections let the love and remembrance of me take a deep impression in thee yea even as a Signet in thy heart and minde And as a Seale or Signet on thy Arme that is let it be continually in thy sight and remembrance and let me be as dear and pretious unto thee as the Signet that thou carriest about thee and how precious that was and highly esteemed may appeare in that Zerubabell had a promise made to him that the Lord would make him as a signet Hag. 2. 24. And on the contrary side in that Jehoiakim is threatned that if he were as the Signet of Gods right hand yet the Lord would pluck him from thence Jer. 22. 24 The heart signifieth inward love and affection and the arme signifieth the remembrance or outward manifestation of that love by helping and sustaining and therefore it 's said Thou redeemest thy people with thy arme Psal 77. 16. And also it 's said He will feed his stock like a Shepheard he will gather the Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome Isa 40. 10. 11. The summe is that it is a request full of affection and earnestnesse which the Spouse maketh unto her beloved as if she had said Seing I have yeilded through thy goodnesse such testimonies and tokens of my unfeigned love I beseech thee againe on the other side to carry me continually in thy mind to have me alwayes in thy sight to be as was promised to the Daughters of Zion engraven upon the palmes of his hands and continually before him Isa 49. 15 16. that she might be alwayes before his eyes on his hands and fingers as men use to weare Jewells about their necks and upon their breasts and put Rings especially their Signets and Seals upon their fingers both to have them alwayes in readinesse and to shew the high account they made of them Hence Observe That the Saints earnestly desire to be
words by the property and by the effect For my beloved that goeth downe sweetly By the beloved usually in this Song is meant Christ by going downe sweetly or streightly or to righteousnes for so we may read the words That goeth to my beloved to righteousnesse That is straightly or according to righteousnesse Hereby is signified the nature or quality of pure wine which sheweth the goodnesse thereof by moving and springing in the cup whereby it is discerned to be the best wine and most pleasing to those that drinke it Like to this is the phrase that Solomon useth in Prov. 23. 31. Looke not on the wine when it is red when it giveth his colour in the Cup when it moveth it selfe aright Or as we may read it when it moveth or walketh in righteousnesse The nature of the best wine is thus described whereby men are allured to drinke of it so here the wine of the Spouse towit that holy word and pure doctrine of hers is declared to be pleasing and right in the eyes of Christ her beloved The Spouse is filled with the Spirit and not with wine as the Apostle speaks and this is that which is so pleasing unto Christ it is such a wine that the Spouse sends unto her beloved The effect of this wine follows Causing the lips of those that are asleep to speake Another commendation of the wine it causeth the lips to speake or it maketh to speake or it giveth utterance to the lips of those that be asleep The Hebrew word Jashan translated asleep signifies both to sleep and to wax old therefore some Translations read it Causing the lips of the ancient to speake Old folk many times be dull and heavy of speech but this wine hath force in it that it will open their mouths and cause them to utter the language of the Spirit of God And the word may also be turned to sleep this wine is so strong that it quickneth up the heavy senses and doth after a sort as it were refresh the mind even of those that are asleep This manner of speech though as we respect the similitude it may seeme hiperbolicall or very excessive yea more then true yet if we respect the spirituall meaning we shall find it is truth it selfe for what is Christs purpose here but that his Spouse should be filled with the fullnesse of God whereby she should be able to speake of the things of God in such power and delightfullnesse of speech that it shall raise men up from the dead not onely from naturall death but from the sleep of death and sin Hence Observe That the Saints declaring the Gospell of Christ from the fullnesse of God in them doe raise men out of the sleep of death and sin and makes them speake with new tongues the praise of the glory of God The Saints are filled with the Spirit as with the best wine whereby they declare the excellent things of God which we may understand by the roofe of the mouth which is the principall instrument of nature given us to frame our voyce by See Chap. 5. 15. this excellency is pleasing to Christ it is as wine for the beloved it is such wine as the Spouse can commend to her best friend it is such as goeth downe straightly or in righteousnesse it is so pure it allureth all that seeth it to drinke of the same This wine is the immortall seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. it is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. By which we are quickned and raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places with Christ Ephes 2. 1. 6. This wine maketh men talkative Prov. 23. 29. it maketh men utter the mysteries of the Kingdome of God as the Disciples when some thought they were full of new wine prophecyed and spake with other tongues the great works of God as the Spirit gave them utterance Acts 2. 4. 11. 12. c. by this those that are a sleep yea in a dead sleep of sin it raiseth and quickneth such it causes their lips to praise God which before had no power that way When sinners are awakened by the internall word of the Gospell it 's said Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee life Ephes 5. 14. And so it 's prophecyed Thy dead men shall live with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust Isa 26. 19. And thus the dead bones of the house of Israel are said to be raised at the Prophecy Ezek. 37. And not onely dead men that are asleep but those that are ancient having their senses dulled and are very slow to speak this wine shall revive the spirits of the aged or such as are in a state of security as the Spouse acknowledgeth her selfe in Song 5. 2. are inabled by this spirituall wine to speake yea The Tongue of the dumb shall sing for in the wildernesse shall breake forth waters and streams in the desart Isa 35. 6. when the Saints are filled with the streams of living waters and made drunk with the spirituall wine of the Kingdome of God then they shall sing forth the praise of God Thus far we have had Christs commendations of his Spouse with his promises unto her Now followeth the answer of the Spouse or her returne of love unto Christ in the residue of the Chapter VERS 10. I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me CHrist having commended his Spouse before to the end he might comfort her by leting her know that her blot was wholly taken away and that her comelinesse and beauty was perfect and pleasing in his eyes And having promised what he would doe for her in uniting himselfe unto her and also declared how fruitfull sweet and precious she should become thereby Now the Church answereth expressing at large her affection and duty towards Christ that seing his kindnesse hath been so great towards her she doth even as it were dedicate vow and consecrate her selfe and all that she hath unto him hasting in desire and longing for a neerer communion with him But to come to her words I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me The conjunction of the words may be taken thus Seing or because his affection is towards me For in the first clause of the sentence she consecrateth her selfe wholly unto Christ saying I am my beloveds and in the latter clause she rendereth a reason saying Because his affection is towards me His kindnesse towards me wrought this effect that she and all hers shall be dedicated unto him The cause alwayes goeth before the effect Here the Spouse then as full of the wine of the Spirit and consolation from the Lord testifieth her assurance in him and that she doth in the right of a ffiance and marriage belong unto him in that she saith I am my beloveds And the ground of it is For his desire is towards me That is he doth desire me