2 Sam. â— David made an excellent Funeral Song at the burial of Saul and yet the Name of God is not mentioned in it and shall it not therefore be Canonical If this Argument were good then many Chapters in the Bible must be accounted not Canonical for want of the Name of God being used in them Again they say Object 3 that there is nothing expressed of this Song in any of the Writings of the New Testament So there are divers Books in the Old Testament that are not mentioned in the New besides this Answ neither is all that Christ himself spake set down or alleaged in the New Testament Now then it must follow that if this Book must be rejected because none of it is expressed in the Writings of the New Testament then all other Books in the Old Testament that are not set down in part in the New must be accounted not Canonical And also that whatsoever Christ spake and alleaged that was not written must be accounted not to be agreeable to the Writings of the New Testament All that Christ spake was not written but only the Abridgment of things And although the sentences of this Song are not set down in the New Testament yet the Doctrine herein contained is therein expressed Therefore abiding by the Authority of it it being a matter from Heaven let us bring Faith along in reading of the Ditty that our Hearts may be ravished with the Spiritual excellency herein contained And so I come to the Title CHAP. I. VERSE I. The Song of Songs which is Solomon's THE Holy Ghost giveth this Title to the Book to draw our Hearts and Affections unto it that being throughly affected with the Title of it we might learn the more perfectly to sing it Two things here are commended in the Title First the Comparison between this and other Songs Secondly the Author of it The Comparison is in these words A Song of Songs The Author of it in these words Deut. 10. Rev. 19. Which is Solomon's Some say it is said to be a Song of Songs because it was the manner of the Hebrews in extolling or abasing of things to double their Words as when they say The God of Gods it is God above all Gods And The Lord of Lords and King of Kings it signifies an excellency above all Lords and an Authority above all Kings And so also in abasing of things as when Noah curseth Cham A Servant of Servants shalt thou be that is a most vile Servant But I suppose there is something more to be considered in the words For it must be noted that Psalms and Songs are Arguments of joy and gladness and singing is a token of joy and deliverance out of some great Affliction and Misery When Deborah and Barack had gotten the victory over King Jabin King of Canaan they sung a Song unto the Lord. And when the Lord saved Moses and the Children of Israel out of the hands of the Egyptians they also sung a Song And so it was also when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistines the Women came out of all the Cities of Israel singing and dancing with Tabrets of joy and Instruments of Music Now in that the Holy Ghost calleth this Book a Song he sheweth that there is matter of great joy in it And seeing it is a Song of Songs it far surpasseth all other Songs that Solomon made as also all other Songs in holy Scripture so that no Song can be match'd with it For as to the matter of it and thing it handleth it is the Scriptural Communion between Christ and his Church when she is in the lowest and saddest condition by reason of her Sin and Misery even then this Song setteth out unto her the Love and tender Compassion of Christ her Bridegroom And as for the manner of setting of it forth it is in a Dialogue or borrowed Speech taken from Lovers that are betrothed together in the Marriage knot wherein the Bridegroom and the Bride declare their Affections one to another with great rejoycing the Bridegroom praising and commending his Bride in that in her misery she looked upon him and the Bride her Bridegroom in that he sheweth pity and compassion upon her So that this Song goeth beyond all other Songs in regard of the subject Matter of it and thing it handleth the very burden of it being to instruct us in this That Christ is ours and we are his when Flesh and Reason saith the contrary Which is Solomon's The next commendation of the Song is from the Author which is Solomon Solomon was a Man besotted in his Life 1 Kin. 11.4 and stained with many foul blemishes was not so upright in Heart as David his Father being drawn away by his Wives to the horrible Sin of Idolatry yet the Lord passed by his great and foul stains and made choice of Solomon to be the Pen-man of his holy Spirit and an Instrument where his Glory should shine The Lord did not cast off Solomon for his stains and blemishes but had an Eye still to that good which was in him whereby he would make him a worthy Instrument to set forth his Praise How much the practice of Men differs from this Example of God is easie to be seen who will presently cast off all that is good in a Man if he be but any way stained or polluted in his life if it be a Man of ever so excellent Parts and Gifts able to set forth Heavenly mysteries and do good to the Church of God yet if he be but any way blemished or defamed they presently set him aside as altogether useless and make no more account of him than of a broken Pitcher The Lord did not do this when he saw Solomon in his filthiness but had an Eye to that good which was in him which made him useful for the good of his Church If God should have followed the Example of Men how should this excellent Song of Songs have been had Or how should the Epistles of Paul have been had if Paul had been wholly set aside for his persecuting the Church These make themselves more pure than their Maker else they would not go about to teach the Lord what Instruments to chuse to set forth his Glory by They cannot be content that the Lord shall chuse such Instruments as best please him but must needs have such as best please them or none at all Like mad Men that will rather starve for hunger than receive any Food unless it be presented in a silver Dish and dye for Thirst if you bring them not Drink in a golden Goblet All Men therefore must humble themselves must stoop and give Honour and Glory to the Lord and suffer him to make choice of such Instruments as best please himself to make his Glory shine and to raise up his Church with Divine Contemplations For Solomon although he was unworthy and unfit to be chosen for such an Instrument by reason of
of the Scriptures The Silver pillars can never be made the golden bottom can never be laid the Church can never be covered with the purple covering the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ if there be not a right understanding of the Scriptures taught Those that are builders of the Lords Chariot and understand not the Scriptures in stead of making Silver pillars and laying the golden bottom they lay a foundation of wood and trash In stead of building with Gold and Silver and precious stones which will not decay they build with timber hay and stubble which will rot and consume And hence it comes to pass that in stead of cloathing the distressed Conscience with the righteousness of Christ and paving the way for the Soul to come to Christ and making of those Scriptures easy to be understood which seem to stand in direct opposition to faith it so falls out that the way to justification and life seems to be crooked rough and unpaved even to the builders themselves so that in the midst of their work they are many times at a stand and in stead of building fall at difference amongst themselves some build for Christ and others build for Antichrist and all this comes to pass for want of a right understanding of the Scriptures Not that there is a necessity of the understanding of all Scripture in building the Chariot but of the principal parts of the word such as are essential to a mans being and living in the state of grace Such Scriptures as concern the Doctrine of justification and life Eternal without the works and righteousness of man and of the behaviour of the Soul under the sight and feeling of sin and the apprehension of mercy by which Doctrine only the Church is built And there are two principal parts in the Scripture the Law and the promise both which in respect of their use and office are of great concernment Some when they make use of the Law do so interpret it that they take away the glory of mans Salvation from God and give it to men these interpret without a rule and for want of the rule to understand the Scripture by which is the Divine Testimony of the holy Ghost their building falls and all their labour is lost For all Scripture is given by Divine inspiration therefore seeing the holy Ghost is the inditer he ought also to be the interpreter No Scripture being of any private interpretation from which it follows that he that will be sure that the sence which he giveth is right must have his authority from the holy Ghost to warrant his exposition to be true To believe as the Church believes is not the rule to understand the Scriptures by for the Church may erre and when she erreth from the publick interpretation of the holy Ghost her interpretation is private and not to be received Now as in all Arts and Sciences the first principles are proving and not to be proved so in the Scriptures And as the first principle in Divinity is the Scripture So the first principle in the Scripture is the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods but me Mar. 12.28 Hos 13.4 Esa 43.11 Thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Saviour besides me Which if thou understandest according to the Gospel it is this Thou shalt know no other love no other delight in nor depend upon any other righteousness but mine whereby to become righteous in the sight of God Which righteousness of God is not the righteousness of the Law perform'd in thine own person but the righteousness of faith which is manifested without the Law So that the first Commandment driveth thee from the Law Rom. 3.21 This seemeth to be the meaning also of Paul I through the Law am dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 Gen. 19.17 1 Sam. 20.38 He that will spiritually perform the Law must wholly renounce it in the matter of justification Esa 40. to seek for righteousness in Christ The Gospel calleth thee to come and the first Commandment biddeth thee begon It saith to thee as the Angels did unto Lot hast thee thither escape for thy life stay thou not in all the plain And as Jonathan said to David when Saul intended evil against him run make speed hast stay not the arrows are beyond thee By which thou mayest see that the Law notwithstanding it requireth of thee Active obedience before men yet it requireth thee to become passive and wholly to renounce it in thy obtaining Righteousness before God Wherefore if thou wilt be a builder of King Solomons Chariot to make the Sillver pillars and to lay the golden bottom learn thou by the first Commandment to pave the way to make the crooked places straight and the rough places plain that poor distressed Consciences may come to Christ that so when any stumbling block is cast into the way about the righteousness of the Law to hinder the distressed Conscience from closing with Christ thou mayest easily remove it by the proving principle Otherwise if thou drawest the Law into the matter of justification thou walkest contrary to the first Commandment and also sinnest against the Gospel blockest up the way and shuttest fast the door of the Kingdom of Heaven Pro. 25.4 Learn therefore by thy Doctrine to separate the dross from the Silver so shall there proceed a vessel for the finer 2 Tim. 2.20 Then shalt thou make vessels of Gold and Silver even vessels of Honour Some stones in the building of the Temple were set for glittering stones 1 Cor. 29.2 to make a shining if thou receivest no other interpretation of any Scripture but what is agreeable to the first Commandment then shalt thou become a glittering stone in the Church of God then shall the house of God be magnifical 1 Chro. 22.5 and full of Fame and Dignity then shall thy Doctrine shine and make a great light Hitherto hath been shewed what the Chariot is and what is principally needful for the building of it now next it is shewed for whom the Chariot is made or why men are made so skilful by Christ to work in Gold and Silver and Purple and other curious works to cover the sinful Conscience from the wrath of God it is for the daughters of Jerusalem But why Jerusalem In all ages of the Church the people of God were to seek him where he had promised to be found And God made promise that where ever he should place the Ark there he would meet his people and bless them Which Ark of God was sometimes in Shiloh Exod. 25.22 sometimes in Zion the City of David but when Solomon had builded the Temple then it was brought by the Priests and Levites into the Temple at Jerusalem and then the promise was there And as God made promise to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple that his eyes and his heart should be there perpetually So the faithful in their prayers
of the Cedars of Lebanon So that the streams of this River do water the holy Land The waters issuing out of the Sanctuary do run into the desert and refresh the weary and the solitary place The water in this River runneth not to the high and mighty in their own eyes but to the poor and miserable that are forsaken of the Law they only refresh themselves with these pure and holy streams when the rich are sent empty away VERSE XVI Awake thou North-wind and come thou South-wind and blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits BY the North and South-winds are meant Doctrine for so the winds do usually signify in Scripture And seeing they are of contrary qualities they signify the Doctrine of the Law and the Doctrine of the Gospel The North-wind is usually cold and dry and maketh us sensible when we feel the blast of it that 's the Doctrine of the Law which being truly opened and applyed maketh us very cold revealeth unto us our sin dryeth up all the wisdom and righteousness that is within us blasteth it and bringeth it to nothing Therefore Christ here appointeth the North-wind to awake that is to awake the spouse Now when the North-wind hath done blowing Christ here Commandeth the South-wind to blow which is of a contrary quality hot and moist very sweet and full of content This signifieth the Doctrine of the Gospel By which we understand that when the Law hath done its Office in condemning us and we are made sensible of our guiltiness before God it is the will of Christ that we hear and apply our selves to the Gospel When by the blowing of the North-wind those fruits that grow naturally are blasted then we must desire for the blowing of the South-wind When ever the winds do blow after this manner in order upon the garden then the spices thereof begin to flow out then the light of the Gospel begins to shine in the Conscience and men are hot or cold according to the quality of the wind that blows When the North-wind blows we are cold in respect of the righteousness of the Law and when the South-wind blows hot and comfortable in respect of the righteousness of the Gospel Both these winds we must have an equal respect unto and observe a right distinction between them otherwise we may take that for the South-wind which comes to short of the South by many points and that for the North-wind which is as many points to wide of the North and so fruits of the garden for want of a right distinction between the winds and a right knowledg of the compass may receive a blast and be utterly ruin'd This I conceive was the sin of the Church of Laodicea in that she was neither hot nor cold she neither understood the Law nor the Gospel had she been hot or cold she had been well either would have served for her commendation because they are never alone But because she could not make an exact distinction betwixt the North and South-winds therefore she was neither hot nor cold but luke warm and for that cause Christ saith I will spue the out of my mouth And therefore it is that Christ also wisheth I would thou wert either cold or hot for then she had been in a right Condition As if Christ had said this If thou wert awakened by the North-wind then the South-wind should blow in thy Conscience and if the South-wind did blow in thy Conscience then should'st thou rightly understand how to follow the North-wind in thy Life Where these winds of Heaven do after this manner blow the use and office of the Law and Gospel is rightly Taught and the reason of all good works is perceived then the spices of the Garden do flow out but when the Law is stretched beyond its limits or the Gospel turn'd into the Law then men are neither hot nor cold but luke warm and under the same dreadful and heavy Sentence of Christ which can never be revoked I will spue thee out of my mouth for ever This thing is necessary to be understood of all men especially of the Angels of the Churches that are the holders of the winds of Heaven and are to blow upon the garden of Christ for if they should not understand the contrary nature and quality of these winds in stead of causing the spices to flow out they may by a contrary wind cause a blast to come upon the garden to the spoil and utter ruin of all the fruits For want of a right distinction between the nature of these winds it oftentimes comes to pass that so many winds of Doctrine are blown about that many are thereby blown into Everlasting destruction In the next words here is a prayer of the Church wherein she desireth her beloved to come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Two things are hence to be inquired Quest First What is meant by eating Secondly What is meant by pleasant fruits In answer to the first observe Ans that eating in Divinity signifies union whither it be on Christ part or on our part Christ is said to eat when he takes upon himself all our sins and miseries as if they were his own and undertakes for them and also to swallow up and consume all the miserable effects of sin which we either feel or fear Our eating is when we firmly believe that Christ joineth himself unto us feeleth our present infirmities and careth for us Job 6. Therefore it is often said when speech is made of our union with Christ he that eateth me shall live by me And except ye eat the flesh of the son of manye have no life in you all which setteth forth our union with Christ by faith alone And by fruits here she meaneth the fruits of his death and Resurrection which is freedom and liberty to poor sinners These are called his fruits because freedom from sin and deliverance from Everlasting Condemnation are purchased by him And his pleasant fruits because when we believe that Christ owneth us Esa 53.11 and taketh away our sins and miseries from us Christ rejoyceth and is satisfied So that the meaning of the Churches request here is this That Christ would take from her all her sins and miseries which she feeleth and feareth and give unto her all those blessings and favours that he hath purchased for poor sinners In that she calleth these his pleasant fruits acknowledging it to be Christs delight to grant her request this sheweth her faith in Christ And although it be very delightful to Christ to hear her request yet her desire is prevented before hand by reason of her faith as appears by the next words CHAP. V. VERSE I. I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse WHICH words contain the answer of Christ to the faith of his Church for in these words he doth not say I will come
have their sins destroyed if they must not eat Secondly others think that by friends here and in other places of Scripture Christ meaneth those that strive much about the Law and works and require a necessity of doing to obtain the promises Let such consider of the second point before named and shew how the friendship comes in that way and see what need they have to eat Lastly some are affraid to eat because they are unworthy by reason of sinful works But the discontent of these in the want of works shews that they do depend upon works therefore such must examine themselves by the third point and they shall find that they also have great need to eat for the destroying of that opinion in them We see then that all sorts of people have need to eat Open gross sinners and those that are righteous in their own eyes and also those that are fearful at their own unworthiness But why doth Christ call all that are invited his friends Quest When they are not all reconcil'd to him I answer Ans because there is no enmity remaining on Gods part Christ having slain the enmity Eph. 2.15 the enmity is on our part God is reconciled to us through the death of his Son but we are not reconciled to God Now God being reconciled 2 Cro. 5.19 20. sendeth the Gospel which is the word of reconciliation to publish the same wherein he calleth us friends on purpose to woo and invite us to himself And if we receive the Gospel then there is no difference between God and us but if we despise his bounty and will not have his merits then are we his enemies Neither doth God account any for his enemies but those that refuse to have life and salvation by that new and living way which he hath appointed This news is brought unto us by the Gospel by which Doctrine the Law is opened which sheweth us as in a glass our miserable and wretched condition and that Christ came to purchase deliverance for us and to bring it into our Consciences that we might serve him with cheerfulness all the days of our lives This is the feast he provideth and biddeth us eat which is to make a right application of the Law and Gospel in order as aforesaid And calleth us friends because the Gospel maketh us friends And biddeth us drink also because he would assure us hereby of his real and hearty good will to us and that he giveth to us freely of the bread and water of life And to drink abundantly to shew that he doth not grudge us any thing that he hath purchased for poor sinners or that might beget in us a good opinion of himself towards us And telleth us that we are his wel-beloved as much beloved as ever were any upon the face of the earth that his heart is upon us and his care for us and that he cannot nor will not ever be wanting to us These things are written on purpose that we might believe and that we might have no other opinion of God but according to these words that we might acknowledg him to be free and bountiful to us and our God Such a faith can never want any help or protection that is in God Heaven and Earth yea the whole Creation shall work together to accomplish what is wanting for the believing man Let us see therefore that we believe the Gospel to be no other Doctrine but that which destroyeth the opinion in us of all worth in our selves and that poureth forth unto us of the bounty and loving kindness of God most freely that we might serve him with a willing service Those that define the Gospel any otherwise do set forth a strange God by extolling the righteousness in man which is but to bless an Idol of their own brain And let us also see that we join our selves to the Gospel and count it great riches to behold our spiritual poverty and to have our filthy rags to be taken from us and the best robe to be put upon us that we may do good works not in fear but with joyfulness then shall we rightly eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God and have eternal life through his name And seeing he calleth us friends being reconciled to us let us also be reconciled to him and not be offended And whatsoever we want let us aske it of him who can deny us nothing because he is our friend And seeing he bideth us drink and drink abundantly let us be sure that what ever is promised in the Gospel is certainly ours as if we had it in present possession And sith he telleth us that we are his welbeloved let us believe him and never question his love to us any more and what calamities soever we meet with in this World let us be sure although they are tedious and irksom to the flesh to indure they are for nothing but to manifest his free and everlasting love to us What remaineth then Seeing Christ is so willing so free so full of bounty and loving kindness to us but that we store our selves with rich and heavenly provision against a rainy day In this world we shall see little appearance of any thing but Satan using all Art and skill by his instruments to take away our peace and blast our comforts and many times hath great power given him so to do therefore he attempteth to devour us which he knoweth he cannot do unless he can destroy our faith and deprive us of our Christ therefore we had need to eat and drink abundantly of this heavenly provision that when we feel our selves oppressed with the tribulations of the world and malice of Satan we may be so strong in the Lord and in the power of his might that we may be able to conquer all our spiritual enemies VERSE II. I sleep but my heart waketh THese words are the voice of the Church who when she heareth Christ pour out himself so abundantly to her falleth asleep Sleep is a rest or ceasing from the use of the outward senses and in this place signifies the silencing of sense and reason in the use and exercise of faith For when Christ biddeth her in the former verse eat and drink abundantly he promiseth all things both for this life and the life to come yet notwithstanding she seeth not how nor which way those promises shall be accomplished for the word seemeth to promise incredible things to reason as that Abraham shall have a Son in his old age contrary to nature that Sarah shall bring forth the promised seed when she is past Child bearing Also it setteth forth unto us that Isaac must be offer'd and yet in him all Nations shall be blessed Moreover it promiseth help to the afflicted when no means appeareth how or which way deliverance shall come but in stead of apprehending any help or deliverance according to sense and reason there shall nothing appear but utter ruin
practice of the Law All men ought to be well learn'd in this point chiefly those that are Teachers of others that are to enlighten the world that they may so Preach the Gospel that the Churches feet may be washed and so teach the Law that no mans feet may be defil'd again If thou urgest a necessity of the Law thou Preachest not the Gospel but defilest thy mind and Conscience Forasmuch as the Gospel first of all destroyeth that opinion Or if thou totally lay aside the Law as useless to a believer thou also defilest thy feet because by that Doctrine thou drivest the sense and feeling of sin out of the world and also all sensible need of a Saviour Every man hath something yet to learn in this point the very best of all are too short in it How to perform this duty aright is a question made by the Church in all ages as in this place we see Therefore all must be learners And all consisteth in two points how to be righteous before God and how to be righteous before men Which that it may be learned and the way known how to attain it it is further added VERSE IV. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him MY beloved taught me how to distinguish betwixt faith and the Law in Teaching the point of justification and also how to join them together in Scripture and Doctrine This is a rare and wonderful mistery which none can teach but Christ alone In the Preaching of this point all men are at a loss until they are Divinely inspir'd by the Holy Ghost As for example St. Paul telleth us in one Text Rom. 3.28 that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law And in another Text that the doers of the Law shall be justified before God Rom. 2.13 In both which Scriptures justification is attributed both to faith and also to the Law I question then Quest how faith and the Law shall be separated in this point seeing justification is attributed to both Some will answer Ans that by doing is meant sincerity which God accepts of all though there be some wants This is true after justification but this maketh no distinction between faith and the Law in the former point but joineth them both together in the Act of justification Therefore sincerity being a term pertaining to the Law and prefer'd so high as to justifie before God it must be perfect every way according to the Law which perfection no man ever had but Christ alone Others say that God gives a power with his Commands to enable those that are his to perform the Law so that he accepts of them in Christ which is no more then this That by Christs merits we have an infusion of grace whereby we deserve our justification which comes to no more then the former Now if no separation be made between faith and the Law in the matter of justification they cannot be joined together in Doctrine without repugnancy Forasmuch as no man can be justified by the Law wherein he is wanting in many things when it pronounceth the curse upon all those that continue not therein in all things Neither can any mans works be accounted good before men when they are drawn up into the judgment seat and not directed towards men Therefore I say as before that this Cardinal point is so high and secret a mystery that none of the Scribes nor disputers of the World can possibly reach unto by any art or humane skill So that unless the door be opened the mystery is hid and all men remain in darkness but the door being opened all things in the house are visible and manifest Therefore the Church saith here my beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door that is to open all those Scriptures that seem to clash against the Doctrine of faith and to hinder mans righteousness before God and also which being not understood do spoil him of his righteousness before men Now our beloved openeth when we begin to understand what true obedience to the Law is Namely to believe and confess that we do it not According to Saint Paul Rom. 3.10 Which is not to be understood of an outside confession but such as ariseth from the sight of sin and hope of mercy there is none that understandeth there is none righteous there is none that feareth God but altogether are become unprofitable and abominable This to believe and confess is the first point in true obedience to the Law Another is when we submit to the curse which the Law pronounceth against us and confess the sentence of it to be most just The last is wholly to renounce the Law and to seek after the righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 manifested without the Law according as is required in the first Commandment as is to be seen more largely in Song third and Verse ten And let us also note this that as soon as we feel and confess our death and condemnation by the Law then are we become dead to the Law and the Law is become dead unto us So that even as death dissolves the compound and makes a separation between the Soul and Body So doth this death also untie the compound and make a separation between the Conscience and the Law And the reason is because in renouncing the Law and flying to Christ for righteousness the bargain or Covenant that was made with man at first touching righteousness by the Law is dissolved or untied This obedience it seemeth good to me to call the Passive obedience which is clean contrary to the Active for in this obedience thou workest nothing but sufferest thy self to be driven from the carnal bed to Christ by faith In this sense the doers of the Law are justified before God Rom. 2.13 And in the sense they that do his Commandments have right to the tree of life And in this sense Rev. 22. understand all the promises of God that are made to mans obedience This Doctrine separateth faith and the Law in the matter of justification and yet joineth them together in Scripture and Doctrine For it sheweth that doing the Law to be justified is to be understood of faithful and spiritual doing and not of the active or moral doing And also as it setteth before us nothing but Gods free grace in justifying of us So it breedeth in us that love to God and man which is required in the first and second Table which setteth us on to active obedience For as a false opinion of the Law within us spoileth us of our righteousness before God and men So also doth the destroying of that opinion within us by the Gospel work in us a true and right obedience towards God and men The sum of all is this that to believe and confess our own unrighteousness is the first point in Evangelical obedience With this confession the
By the break of day is meant the arising of the day-star in the heart or coming of Christ into the Conscience and also his last coming in the morning of the Resurrection And by shadows understand sin and all manner of tribulation which are call'd shadows of death Psal 23. by which the comforts of a mans life are oftentimes eclipsed By the flying away of the shadows is meant the removeing of all fears out of the mind by the spiritual coming of Christ and the total vanishing of all shadows by the morning of the Resurrection Then comes the joyful Summers morning when all the Birds of Heaven shall rejoice and sing for evermore Here the Church siteth in misery and darkness but then comes the breaking of the day of all consolation and the expelling of all misery and darkness for evermore Therefore she prayeth her beloved to turn to her with his sweet embraces and to feed her among Lillies until that time come and prayeth him to be like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether to come speedily to her upon all occasions like those nimbler creatures Bether signifies division 2 Sam. 2.29 and is as some say the place call'd Bithron which was divided from the plain of Jericho and the land of Gilead where the battel was fought between the house of David and the house of Saul by the River Jordan Now sins reproaches and calamities are like Mountains which seem to make division between Christ and the Soul until they are removed therefore in regard the Church is oftentimes oppressed with such calamities insomuch that she is scarcely able to bear up her head and heart therefore she prayeth Christ to make hast and to be like the nimble Roe or the skipping Hart in coming to her upon all occasions for the removing of them lest for want thereof there should seem to be in regard of her own feeling and apprehension an Everlasting division between them CHAP. III. VERSE I. By night on my bed I sought him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not THIS is the continued speech of the Church who after she was well instructed in the use and practise of faith She lost on a suddain through her own negligence the sense and feeling of her beloved and fell into most grievous and bitter afflictions And not to reject but omitting other interpretations of this place I understand it principally to be meant of outward crosses and calamities of all sorts especially when she could not see nor by any means understand which way the promises of God should be fulfill'd unto her in respect of outward things A condition which many of those that are truly Godly are for the tryal of their faith subject to fall into in this miserable World This is very probable as I humbly conceive to be the meaning of this place as will better appear by the words in the following Verses And therefore understand it thus By night on my bed When I was in great affliction and misery and when I had most leasure to meditate on my own condition I sought him whom my Soul loveth I diligently look'd about to see whether I could find the way by which my beloved would provide for me and mine for he hath made me many great and precious promises of all good things not only for my spiritual but also for my temporal condition and I earnestly and diligently sought how or by what means those promises were likely to be accomplished this I earnestly sought for but I found it not So that my beloved seemed to have forgotten to be gracious and to have cast of all care and love of me This is a great and wonderful tryal of faith when all things are promised and nothing seems to be performed when the things that discomfort us are present but all things that should comfort us are absent in this condition are we full heavy and sad This giveth a wonderful blow to faith when we behold those that have no fear of God before their eyes to live in wealth and prosperity and those that truly fear him to live in penury and want This hath bred a wonderful temptation in the Godly in all ages and in this condition must we be content to live in and not despair of help when it is so for the bride here sought him still although for the present she found him not But mark what course she resolveth on next VERSE II. I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and broad ways I will seek him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not THe Church sitteth not still in this condition expecting to be fed of Angels or to have bread rain down from Heaven but riseth and goeth about the City She goeth amongst those people that pertain to the visible Church that have some shew of godliness in them such as are most likely to help her in the day of her extremity And also into the streets and broad ways that is into such places where such men usually meet together 2 Chro. 32.6 Neb. 8.1.3 there she was driven to open her case and make her condition known there she also sought her beloved she sought him but she found him not This then being marked out to be the condition of the Church no man must take offence at his beloved if he please to exercise his faith this way if he drive him into necessity cast him into a condition of penury and want of outward necessaries wherein of necessity he must make known his case in the streets yet no man must be offended in this condition although he stand in need of help and no man helpeth but in stead of receiving succour he undergo reproach yet I say no man must be discouraged for Christ himself made himself poor that he might know by experience how to succour us in a poor condition and sometimes also will make his members poor that they also by experience may learn to pity those that are poor He doth not send his spouse into the streets because he wanteth love or power to help her but to make her comformable to his own condition and that she may taste in part of that cup which he himself hath perfectly tasted of and be Baptised with the Baptism that he was Baptised with that so she being made pertaker of his afflictions here she may rejoyce with him with joy unspeakable and full of glory hereafter Neither doth he cast her down because he doth not mean to lift her up again but that she may see him creating all things out of nothing providing help and deliverance for her by ways and means contrary to mans reason and imagination But mark what befel the Church in this condition VERSE III. The watchmen that go about the City found me BY watchmen here we are not to understand the Ministers of the Gospel although they are frequently called watchmen in Scripture But those
watchers that do continually watch to see the people of God in misery and to declare the same in in the streets of the City with great rejoycing These are Satans watchmen Isa 21. who in managing the affairs of his Kingdom doth imitate our Lord Jesus Christ for even as when judgments were threatned against the enemies of Gods Church it was in a vision declared unto the Prophet under the similitude of a watchman standing whole days and nights on the watch Tower to descry the coming in of the enemy upon those that had afflicted the people of God Ver. 6. and to declare what he saw for the comfort of the Godly So Satan by way of imitation hath also watchmen that stand continually upon their watch on purpose to espie the calamities that are coming upon the people of God and to declare it in the streets of the City and in the broad ways where men usually meet together with great rejoycing for the discomfort of the Godly These are the watchmen here spoken of which Satan hath in every corner these are like the spies that were sent into the Land of Canaan Num. 13.22 that brought an evil report upon the Land that sit in the lurking places of the villages to murther the inocent Psal 10.8.9 that lie in wait secretly as a Lion in his Den to catch the poor of such David complains of when he says they watch for my halting and of those that gathered themselves together Psal 35. and rejoyced in his adversity and in another Psalm they take councel together they whisper and devise my hurt These are the watchmen that Satan sendeth into the streets to declare what they see to the discomfort of the Bride and to cast her as much as in them lies into everlasting reproach This breedeth a wonderful temptation in the godly and is the greatest tryal of faith that may be when in stead of shewing pity and compassion the enemy shall laugh and cry aha this is the day that we looked for lo we have seen it These be the watchmen that found the poor Church in this condition which in stead of ministring any comfort to her in her distress did add affliction to the afflicted These watchmen must we expect to meet with who in stead of comforting will use all means to hinder us from help and succour by casting us into reproach and covering us with contempt yet we must not be one jot dismayed but pray with David Lord rescue my Soul from their destructions For although they hold a Councel together whisper and make bold to propose the time of our downfal and utter ruin yet shall the promise of God prevent them all for it was but a little that the Bride passed from these but she found him whom her Soul loved But mark here what she said to these watchmen To whom I said saw ye him whom my Soul loveth It 〈◊〉 not said here that the watchmen said any thing to the Bride yet in Song 5.7 'T is said they smote her and wounded her that is behind her back with reproachful words and disgraceful terms This shews what manner of people the watchmen here spoken of were such as could belch out with their mouths and had swords in their lips to slay the upright in heart but this their mischief was not open but privily and secretly done But what doth the Bride say to these watchmen To whom she said saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Which is not to be understood so much of any private conference as by her speaking to them in the Ministery when she came into the sanctuary of God For the watchmen reproach the Church because of her sins and afflictions and will scarcely afford her the title of bride because of her stains and blemishes therefore the bride telleth them here they sin against the Gospel and she dealeth very plainly ye never saw him whom my Soul loveth The Gospel breedeth in men pity and compassion a willingness to think the best to speak the best of all men to cover and hide transgressions to help those that are in distress and misery these things the watchmen never learn'd and being in prosperity themselves they speak loftily and their tongues walk through the earth Therefore she telleth them this Ye have no knowledg of Christ ye never saw him whom my Soul loveth So that although these watchmen of Satan are high and lofty in their own eyes and having more then heart can wish do Lord it outwardly over the bride yet in the sanctuary of God she declareth their end she casteth them down into desolation and utter destruction After the same manner must we also learn to overcome the watchmen even by making a right application of the word of God against them before which they cannot stand and also by comforting our selves through faith in Christ against what they published of us in the streets then although they may seem to carry it over us outwardly before men yet shall we inwardly reign over them through faith in Christ who must reign in his members till he hath put all his enemies under his feet VERSE IV. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my Soul loveth THis passing from the watchmen is the overcoming of that temptation which the bride fell into by reason of their smitings with the tongue in respect of her name and reputation This seemeth to be the last temptation in her sad condition which fell upon her immediately before deliverance came for it was but a little time after she passed from them but she found him whom her Soul loved She was not dismayed at that bitter and heavy cross but still continued seeking for help and deliverance and at length she found him whom her Soul loved that is she found him createing help and deliverance by such ways and means as she never thought on nor expected And thus shall it assuredly come to pass for all those that put their trust in Christ all things shall come to pass where nothing is seen And when Satan and all his instruments have done what they can then shall the power of Christ appear above them all Therefore faith is a most victorious thing that hath all the attributes of God knit fast unto it that it is as possible for God to become no God as it is for any thing to be wanting where faith is used But first we must suffer a tryal not being offended but rejoycing in the cross then shall we find by experience that faith is no idle quality in the Soul but a certain kind of Divinity within us which cleaveth fast unto God and obtaineth help and succour from him Moreover this is to be noted that in the midst of this bitter and heavy temptation she calleth Christ still he whom her Soul loveth which cometh from a perswasion of Christs love to her otherwise it could not be This assurance ariseth from faith learn