raptures The Word berach which we translate make haste is twice translated by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to go or run thorow to the very end XXVI Exod. 28. XXXVI 32. And no doubt denotes here most vehement and restless endeavours in a speedy course like that of a Roe Buck or wild Goat rather whose agility both in running and jumping is celebrated by all Authors and said to be such as is scarce credible The young hart called here opher is still more swift and nimble than the old the exceeding great fear wherein it is adding Wings as we speak to its feet Whence Xenophon saith there is nothing comparable to their swiftness when the old ones are absent and they are pursued by Dogs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. then there is no speed like to that of such young Harts as his Words are quoted by Bochartus Who well observes L. III. C. XVII Part. 1. de Animal that the sense of the last Words upon the mountains c. is to be made out by adding one Word in this manner Be thou like the young Harts running or when they run upon the mountains of spices i. e. the Mountains where Spices grow such as those mentioned IV. 6. Such perhaps was Bether II. 17. where we meet with these Words before and I have sometime thought that they should be so translated here the Mountains of Besamim as there the Mountains of Bether But what these Mountains were we are now ignorant though this is certain that the Creatures here mentioned were bred in the highest Mountains of the Country as Aelian testifies in the latter end of his fifth Book The Harts in Syria are bred in their highest Mountains Amanus Libanus and Carmel For there they were safest and most secure from danger there it was difficult to pursue them especially when they climbed up the steepest places And therefore the Psalmist and the Prophet Habakkuk when they would represent themselves as in a state of perfect security say God had made their feet like hinds feet and made them to walk upon their bamoth high places XVIII Psal 33. III. Hab. ult Which Words allude to the inaccessible Mountains which those Creatures frequented especially the Females that they might there secure their young ones Besides as there they could feed and bring forth their young most securely so there was the sweetest feeding In short Solomon here seems to long for the first coming of the Messiah as St. John doth for his last who concludes his Book of the Revelation in the same manner as Solomon doth this saying Come Lord Jesus XXII Revel 20. There are those who fansie that in the foregoing Verse the Bridegroom asks her consent for the perfecting their love in Marriage and desires her in the audience of her Companions to lift up her voice and sing the Nuptial Hymn Which she now say they in this Verse professes her self to be ready to do if He would but be present with her and assist and direct her to do it aright And then it is thus applied and paraphrased by the fore-named Almonazit Thou commandest me that I should with Morning and Evening Hymns and Songs celebrate thy Omnipotent Wisdom and Goodness c. vouchsafe then speedily to adjoyn the eternal force and flame of thy Holy Spirit unto my voice that in spirit and truth and sanctity of heart I may sing thy praises and not only with my mouth and sound but in my mind and heart especially worthily worship thy incomprehensible Majesty Whence it is that the Church being moved by a Divine Inspiration saith thus in all her Prayers O Lord open Thou our lips And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise O God make speed to save us O Lord make haste to help us Amen FINIS BOOKS Printed for and Sold by Luke Meredith at the Star in St. Paul's Church-yard Books written by the Reverend Dr. Sherlock Rector of Winwick PRactical Meditations upon the Four Last Things viz. Death Judgment Hell Heaven The Principles of Holy Christian Religion Or The Catechism of the Church of England Paraphrased The Objections against it answered With short Prayers for the Morning and Evening annexed The Eighteenth Edition By the Reverend Dr. Goodman THE Penitent Pardoned Or A Discourse of the Nature of Sin and the Efficacy of Repentance under the Parable of the Prodigal Son The Fourth Edition corrected A Winter Evening Conference in Three Parts The Old Religion demonstrated in its Principles and described in the Life and Practice thereof A Serious and Compassionate Enquiry into the Causes of the present Neglect and Contempt of the Protestant Religion and Church of England With several seasonable Considerations offered to all English Protestant tending to persuade them to a Compliance with and Conformity to the Religion and Government of this Church as it is established by the Laws of the Kingdom By the Reverend Dr. Patrick Lord Bishop of Ely THE Christian's Sacrifice A Treatise shewing the Necessity End and Manner of Receiving the Holy Communion together with suitable Prayers and Meditations for every Month in the Year and the principal Festivals in Memory of our Blessed Savour In Four Parts The Fourth Edition corrected The Devout Christian instructed how to Pray and give Thanks to God Or A Book of Devotion for Families and particular Persons in most of the concerns of Humane Life The Eighth Edition in Twelves Advice to a Friend The Fourth Edition in Twelves A Friendly Debate between a Conformist and a Non-conformist Two Parts in Octavo Jesus and the Resurrection justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth In Two Parts Octavo The Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christians Love to it In Octavo The Book of Job Paraphras'd In Octavo The whole Book of Psalms Paraphras'd Two Volumes in Octavo The Proverbs of Solomon Paraphras'd with Arguments to Each Chapter which supply the place of Commenting A Paraphrase upon the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon with Arguments to each Chapter and Annotations thereupon In Octavo The Truth of Christian Religion in Six Books written in Latin by Hugo Grotius and now translated into English with the Addition of a Seventh Book against the present Roman Church Octavo Search the Scriptures A Treatise shewing that all Christians ought to read the Holy Books with Directions to them therein In Three Parts A Discourse concerning Prayer especially of frequenting the daily Publick Prayers In Two Parts A Book for Beginners Or a Help to young Communicants that they may be fitted for the Holy Communion and receive it with Profit A Treatise of the Necessity and Frequency of Receiving the Holy Communion with a Resolution of Doubts about it In Three Discourses begun upon Whit-Sunday in the Cathedral Church of Peterborough 1684. To press the Observation of the Fourth Rubrick after the Communion-Office In Twelves The End of the Catalogue
present possession be not much moved with this fond humour nor make any great matter of it as neither Scylla nor Tiberius did nay they smile it is possible at the levity of men and do not stand to fight with Dreams for Hope is but the Dream of a man awake yet it cannot but inwardly vex them to see themselves slighted even by those on whom they have bestowed many benefits merely in hope of receiving more from their next supposed Successor For they cannot reasonably expect more perhaps from him that now reigns and therefore they make timely applications to the next Heir He hath done enough for them and therefore they betake themselves to him who hath yet done nothing And besides old men grow tenacious morose and sowre whereas Youth is commonly liberal jocound without care and ambitious to do great things especially at his entrance upon the Kingdom This saith another learned Writer makes the long life of Princes and their power troublesome and grievous both to Courtiers and people of which they that live at Rome do not want ocular demonstration There is nothing more needful for the explication of this Verse but only to observe that the Child or Youth who is here called the second doth not suppose another Child or Youth that is first but only signifie that this Youth is second in the Kingdom Not second in respect to another Son but second in respect to his Father who reigns before him and when he dies this Son succeeds him i V. 16. The first words of this last Verse L. de Dieu seems to me to have expressed better than any other Interpreter they running thus word for word in the Hebrew There is no end to any people That is no end of their fickleness no bounds to their inconstancy but one Nation is as subject to it as another And as this Age follows the former so the next will follow this in its levity and mutability And therefore those young Princes who are transported with the acclamations of the people do but feed upon Wind as some I observed upon the first Chapter translate those words which we render vexation of Spirit For their applauses are like to their affections as changeable as the Wind which will turn another way to some other person when this present Prince grows old or he rules ill or the peoples fancy and humour alters And then it will indeed be a sore affliction to him to see himself despised by those who formerly cried him up as if he had been their Darling It may be referred also to the very Government it self with which the Israelites were not pleased For when they were under Judges they desired a King and then they were not pleased with the Monarchy but wished for the old Aristocracy again Though that in truth was the most exeellent Monarchy which they would not understand under the immediate Government of God Himself CHAP. V. ARGUMENT Under an ill Government in the State Religion it self is commonly corrupted in the Church And therefore having set forth the miseries people endure under the oppressions of an abused Power and the extreams of folly into which it drives them he begins this Chapter with a Correction of those errours that are in Religion Which is the only remedy indeed the only comfort we have against all the troubles to which we are subject in this World but such is the Vanity of Mankind they spoil their very remedy and take away all the Vertue of that which should be their support turning it into mere Ceremony whilst their minds remain impure and without any true sense of God For they do not consider that He who is a pure mind Himself must be better pleased with pure thoughts and affections composed to the observance of his Will and acquiescence in his pleasure than with all the Sacrifices and Offerings in the World which the wicked may bring Him as well as the good To prevent therefore this new folly into which men are apt to run when they intend to cure all the rest Solomon shows all those who would attain true tranquillity of mind what they must do and what they must avoid in the Worship of God And about the middle of the Chapter as I shall observe in the Annotations proceeds to consider the last of those four things wherein men place their happiness 1. KEep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evil 1. AND now lest any man add to the affliction and torment of his Spirit even by that which is the only cure for it let every one who would be a true Worshipper of God in whom alone lies the happiness we seek take care to avoid that negligence which is observable in many people and to opproach with all reverence both of Body and Soul into his Blessed Presence but do not think to please Him with mere postures of Devotion no nor with Sacrifices and Incense without the Oblation of an obedient heart disposed to do what He would have thee For the worst men in the World may be able to offer Him the richest Sacrifices but are very impious as well as foolish if they think He delights in the fat and the Blood of Beasts save only as testimonies of love to Him and acts of obedience unto his Will for in that very thought they offend Him and make no conscience what evil they do while they believe their Sacrifices atone for all See Annot. a 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few 2. And next to this when thou makest thy Prayers to God or givest Him thanks for his benefits deliberate with thy self beforehand what it is fit for thee to ask of Him or to vow unto him and let not any sudden passion make thee inconsiderately either with thy mouth or in thy mind desire what is nor fit for thee to have or promise what is not fit for Him to receive or thou art not able or willing to give But remember first how infinitely great the Lord and Governour of the World is who comprehends all things and then how little and vile thou art who prostratest thy self before Him and therefore do not dare to speak to Him as an Equal whatsoever comes into thy mind much less to make Him large promises which thou canst not perform but let a sense of his Majesty and of thy meanness overcome thee into a profound Reverence of Him expressing it self rather in ardent sighs and groans than in abundance of words which signifie nothing but want of a serious apprehension of Him See Annot. b 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business and a fools voice is known by multitude of words 3. It is so difficult at the same time
whom they invited to their house VII Luke 45. so many kisses were a token of abundant love and excessive affection as appears from what is there said by our Saviour of the Woman who had not ceased to kiss his very feet And therefore the beginning of this Verse may be thus paraphrased Let Him declare his love unto me in the most familiar and most ample manner Of which matter I have noted something elsewhere * Mensa Mystica and therefore shall only add here That in the Mystical Divinity of the Cabbalists these are the Words of Malcuth the Spouse speaking to her Tipheret the Bridegroom beseeching Him to influence her with the gift of the Holy Ghost or with Binah as they speak that is understanding and intelligence which is called by them the mouth of the Sephirot or emanations of light better than wine Wine was the highest Entertainment for those Guests before-mentioned and therefore used by the Hebrews to express the greatest pleasure There was a portion of it also to be poured out on the Altar in their Offerings to God and so may comprehend their Sacrifices which were the principal part of their Religion Unto both which I have had respect in the Paraphrase c V. 3. savour of thy good ointments Ointments also were not wanting at all their Entertainments with which some were wont to anoint their whole Heads or at least their Nostrils which they lookt upon as conducing much to health as well as pleasure According to those famous Words of Alexis the Poet in Athenaeus his Diepnosophists L. II. Cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of which Ointments there were exceeding great variety four he mentions in that place which were in common use but a vast number more in his XVth Book Chap. 11. out of Apollonius Herophilus Who shows in a Book on purpose about it that several Countries afforded Unguents that were most excellent in their kind As the best of Roses was made at Phaselis and some other places the best of Crocus came from Soli in Cilicia that of Spikenard from Tarsus c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Syria anciently though not in his time afforded excellent of all sorts especially of one which he there names Now to this use of Ointments some think Solomon here alludes but I rather think he hath respect to his Fathers Words XLV Psal 8 and intended hereby to signifie the glorious Offices of the Messiah whose very Name signifying anointed carried in it all that could be desired He being anointed by God to be the great Deliverer and Saviour of his people And these first Words of the Verse the LXX seem to me to have most rightly understood whom I have therefore followed who translate them thus The smell of thy Ointments is above all Spices taking to vim which we translate good for the best of ointments therefore do the Virgins love thee The attractive power of sweet Ointments to which Solomon here alludes is notably declared in that which Basil Epist ad Julittam relates of the manner of catching Doves Which was by breeding up one tame and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anointing her Wings with Ointment they let her flee away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and the sweet odour of the Ointment drew abundance of Pigeons after her which She brought to the Coat of her owner See this further explained in the Next Note d. d V. 4. Draw me In the beginning of this Verse I suppose he comprehends all the Nation of the Jews as persons conjunct with him in these Words Draw me And then speaks in the name of all other people We will run after thee For so the Hebrew Writers themselves by Virgins in the foregoing Verse understand those who out of Paganism came into the Church and embraced the true Religion such as Jethro and Rahab who having heard of the Miracles in Egypt and in the Wilderness joined themselves to the people of God And indeed wonderful ardent was the love of those who came from Gentilism unto Christ such as the Woman of Samaria IV. Joh. the Centurion VIII Matth. the Canaanitish Woman XV. Matth. who had such faith as was not found in Israel the king hath brought me c. Here now he seems on a sudden to have had a glance of the Messiah the great King of Israel and in the Spirit of Prophecy to have beheld a glimpse of those things which eye had not seen nor ear heard neither did they enter into the heart of man Which I understand here by the Word chadarau which we translate chambers wherein he alludes to the Chambers of the Temple 1 Chron. XXVIII 11. but especially to the most secret place of it into which no man might enter but the High Priest alone till Christ came and made way for us into the holiest of all which was typified by it the upright love thee The two last Words of this Verse being capable of various Translations I have expressed the sense so largely as to comprehend them all in my paraphrase And shall only add that the whole Verse may be understood after this manner that the first Words draw me are the voice of the Spouse the next we will run after thee the Words of the Chorus of Virgins And then she speaks again the King hath brought me into his Chambers and then they again express their joy at it in the following Words we will be glad and rejoyce c. This came into my mind since I wrote the Paraphrase and seems to be the plainest account of this Verse e V. 5. I am black c. The principal Mystery of the Kingdom of Christ being the calling of the Gentiles into fellowship with Him which is oftner called a Mystery in the New Testament than any one thing whatsoever Solomon seems to speak of that in this Verse having beheld in the rapture wherein he was the Gentiles flocking to Him not without the great displeasure of the Jews Who contemned and would have excluded them as people uncapable of his love unto which the Gentiles are here introduced making their Answer to the Exceptions of the Jews in these Words I am black but comely c. The literal sense of which and of the next Verse I have expressed so fully in the Paraphrase annexing the spiritual sense at the end that I do not think fit to enlarge upon it here But desire the Reader to take notice that the Word Sechora which we translate black denotes such a duskishness as is in the Morning called Sechar in the Hebrew when some little light begins to appear and the darkness to fly away Which aptly represents the condition of the Gentile World when they were upon the point of receiveing the knowledge of Christ Which this wise King Solomon might well foresee would be imparted to them by observing a Type of it in his own Marriage as well as in the Marriages of other Great Men in
to return for such infinite obligations f V. 6. His left hand c. This is a representation of the tenderest affection of an Husband to his Wife when he sees her in danger to faint and being applied to Christ and his Church sets forth his readiness to succour us in all our needs by the power of his Spirit I go not about to divine what is distinctly meant by the left hand and what by the right which I look upon as too great a curiosity in Interpreters but take them both to express one and the same thing And the hand of the Lord signifying oft-times in Scripture the power of the Spirit I have applied them to that g V. 7. I charge you c. It is dubious whether this Verse be the voice of Christ or of the Church I take it to be his who is the good Shepherd represented in this Pastoral Song Which suitable to its nature is still full of Rural Similitudes taken from the Roes and the Hinds which are most amiable Creatures as hath been observed upon VI. Proverbs with which not only Shepherds but the greatest Persons in the World have delighted themselves And that Word which we well translate I charge you I take to be only a solemn form of earnest beseeching and entreaty which all persons are wont to make by those things that are dearest to them not an adjuration which it is not lawful for any to make but only by God I have contented my self therefore with this simple Paraphrase of that Passage and sought for no mystical Interpretation as the manner is which may be found in most Interpreters Who among other things by Roes and Hinds understand the Angelical Powers to which the Cabbalists apply these Words and would have them to signifie as much as I adjure you by the Tribunal of Justice whence the wicked are punished h V. 8. he cometh leaping c. To the same sort of Creatures and to young wild Kids he alludes in this verse For they are numbred among those Creatures which are most nimble in running jumping and leaping even to the tops of Mountains as Bochartus hath largely shown demonstrating that what we translate young Hart v. 9. is the young wild Goat I seek therefore for no Mystery here neither but take the Words to be a description only of our Lord's alacrity and cheerfulness to come down from the Heavens which may be meant by Mountains to dwell among us who live here below upon the Earth Yet I shall note that they seem to be most ingenious who hereby understand his passing by Angels for so some translate the Words skipping over the Mountains and leaping as it were over their heads to take upon Him the nature of Man i V. 9. In like manner it is a very ingenious conjecture that his standing behind the Wall in this Verse may be applied to his showing Himself in those days only in the Law of Moses which was the Wall of partition between the Jews and us and his looking through the Window or in at the Window c. to his showing Himself then in Figures and Prophecies which they had of Him by which He was known but obscurely to them But I have not medled with this in the Paraphrase k V. 10 11. lo the winter is past c. In these Verses Solomon represents his voice speaking to them by the Prophets though He himself was not come and calling them to Him as if He was just appearing For by the Winter and the Rain I understand with Theodorer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time before his coming when the Gentile World was buried in Dismal darkness and the Jews themselves saw things only through Clouds and neither of them had much of the warmth of the Divine Love l V. 12. The flowers appear c. And then here follows a description of the Spring which is set forth by three things the appearing of the Flowers which had lain as if they had been dead the singing of Birds and the voice of the Turtle Which as Aristotle observes L. VIII Histor Nat. C. 3. disappears in Winter and comes forth again when the Spring is a little advanced and therefore is here very properly mentioned in the last place among the Notes of the Spring Which being the time of all other most welcome to Shepherds for the feeding of their Flocks and for all manner of pleasures represents as the same Theodoret conceives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the joyful time after our Saviours coming When a new World appeared and there was a greater abundance of Divine Blessings especially of the Spirit poured forth which the Chaldee Paraphrast takes to be meant by the voice of the Turtle Which is a kind of Dove in the form of which the Holy Ghost descended at our Saviour's Baptism And then the singing of Birds may be applied to the Songs of the heavenly Host at his Birth Others will have this Turtle to have been the Figure of John the Baptist which is also pat enough But I have only toucht upon such things and do not think fit here to enlarge upon them But conclude this Note with this Observation that Benjamin Tudelensis in the Conclusion of his Itinerarium expresly applies these Words to the coming of the Messiah saying that they cannot be gathered to their own Land till that time of the singing of Birds come and the voice of the Turtle and till they come who preach glad tidings saying alway the Lord be praised R. Alschech also applies the voice of the Turtle to Elias glossing thus The voice of the Turtle also hath it not been heard in our Land by the means of the Prophet according to that which is said Behold I will send to you Elias the Prophet IV. Mal. 5. m V. 13. The fig-tree putteth forth c. After the Spring-time here follows a description of the entrance of Summer of which the putting forth green Figs and the blowing of the Vines nay the knotting of the Grapes were a sign In the end of which the Harvest coming hereby is denoted saith the same Father Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World which we expect hereafter unto which I have applied this Verse Where it may be observed that Fig-trees and Vines are fitly joined for they were wont to be planted together XIII Luke 6 7. n V. 14. O my Dove that art in the Clefts c. Some of the Hebrew Writers whose sense the Chaldee Paraphrast expresses refer this to the people of Israel flying from Pharaoh like a Dove before the Hawk that is ready to seize her but may be better referred to the Church of Christ in danger to be torn in pieces by her Pagan Persecutors and by the Jews themselves as it was in the beginning of our Religion Which forced Christians to hold their Assemblies under ground in obscure places where they sung Hymns to our Blessed Lord before the break of day and made the Church perfectly like a Dove
of all the Daughters of Jerusalem Come back again come back that we may behold thy wondrous perfections And if any ask What is that you would see What would you enjoy in her happy Society Our Answer is such a Divine presence as appeared to Jacob when he saw the Angelical Choires which made him cry out This is God's Host and call the name of that place Mahanaim See Annot. n ANNOTATIONS a Verse 1. The Daughters of Jerusalem mentioned V. 8. here justifie what the Spouse had said in the Conclusion of the former Chapter And declaring themselves in love with Him whom she had described are desirous to join themselves to her Company and go in quest of Him In order to which they would know Whither she thought He was gone when He went from her b V. 2. Unto which she replies in this Verse and seems to tell them in his own Words what she had heard Him say about that matter V. 1. And it signifies that He was still in his Church and in every part of it though sometimes they were not sensible of it For so Theodoret well observes here is distinct mention made of a Garden and of Gardens i. e. of the Catholick Church which is but one and of the several parts thereof For sometimes St. Paul mentions only the Church in the Singular Number and sometimes the several Churches even in the same Nation as in the Epistle to the Galatians I. 1. and in the same Province or City 1 Cor. XIV 34. He is said here to go down into his Garden with respect to the Mountains mentioned IV. 8. And to feed in the Hebrew is either to do the Office of a Shepherd to his Flock or relates to his Communion with his people mentioned Chap. IV. 16. V. 1. Which may be the meaning also of gathering Lilies or as Theodoret will have it by this last Clause is to be understood his gathering holy and pure Souls that are like Him and joyning them unto his Church And so the Arabick Translation is to gather together the Lilies following the Septuagint who translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed I find the Hebrew Word lakat signifies to collect things into an Heap or Bundle as Stones XXXI Gen. 46. Manna XVI Exod. 27. Fruit XIX Lev. 9. Silver XLVII Gen. 14. The whole denotes that Communion with Him is only to be sought in his Church especially in that part of it which preserves the Order wherein He hath disposed all things like the Walks and Beds in a Garden and keep themselves also in the purity of his Religion c V. 3. Now she seems to have so perfectly recovered her self out of the slumber wherein she had been as to have regained her former sense of Him and of her interest in Him repeating those Words which we met withal before Ch. II. 16. Of the latter part of which he feedeth among the Lilies I think fit here further to note that to feed may relate either unto Himself or unto others for there are Examples of both Of the former XLI Gen. 2. I. Job 14. Of the latter XXIX Gen. 7 9. XXXVII 12. I take it here rather in this latter sense and suppose it signifies his doing the Office of a Shepherd and that he is said to feed among the Lilies as in the Revelation to walk in the midst of the seven Candlesticks i. e. there to have his conversation to take up his abode with them c. as He often saith in the Gospel of St. John XIV 23. that He would with those who love Him and keep his Commandments And such persons are here compared to Lilies which being a name given by Christ to Himself Greg. Nyssen and Theodoret hereby not unfitly understand such as are conformed to Christ their Head and have his Image wrought in their Souls in righteousness and true holiness For saith the former of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just c. see IV. Philip. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the Lilies in which Christ delights d V. 4. And now we must conceive either that they went to the Garden together and there found Him or that He hearing this hearty profession of unmoveable love to Him meets them and to revive her drooping Spirits falls again into a new commendation of the Spouse in the very same terms as before and in some higher And first He compares her to Tirzah which was a beautiful Situation in the Country of Ephraim and therefore made choice of after these times by Jeroboam for the Seat of his Kingdom and so continued till the Building of Samaria as we read 1 King XIV 17. XV. 21 23. and several other places to which add XII Josh 24. The very original of the Word signifies as much as Urbs amabilis or a City that pleaseth one and therefore chosen by one of the ancient Kings of Canaan for the place of his residence And lest this should not be high enough He next compares her to Jerusalem which was the most lovely place in the Territories of Judah and indeed of the whole Country For which cause as it had been the Seat of one of the Kings of Canaan so the Royal Palace of David nay the House of God himself was afterward there built and is called by Jeremiah in his Lamentations the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth II. 15. It is mentioned by Pliny likewise L. 5. C. 14. as the most famous City in the East And as she had commended Him before not only for his Beauty but Majesty so He doth here in the last place call her terrible as an Army standing in Battalia's striking an awe that is into Beholders So I think it is to be expounded as referring still to the goodliness of her aspect and not to her being invincible inexpugnable and striking terrour into her Enemies as some interpret the whole Verse Every part of which seems to me to be a new proof that Solomon speaks not in this Book of one single person whom some fansie the Shulamite others Pharaoh's Daughter whom others take for one and the same under the name of the Spouse but of a Body or Society of men for none else can be fitly compared to Cities nay to great Armies drawn up under their Banners Which last part of this Verse may be applied to the comely Order which Christ appointed in his Church which while it was preserved made the Church very venerable in the World So Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For they are astonished who behold thy Order there being nothing disorderly nothing uncertain or undetermined nothing confused and indistinct but all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orderly appointed and judiciously determined Some refer this terribleness as we translate it to the gravity or rather severity of her countenance which forebad all wanton approaches to so great a Beauty e V. 5. In this