pardoneth iniquity c. because thou delights in mercy or is there any other thing that more commends him as a beloved preferable to all than his love Love in a husband is a special property Now Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5. 25. it is not like therefore that this is omitted And 3. it followes well on the commendation of his works for and about his people as shewing the fountain from whence they proceed The commendation of this is excellent 1. It is as bright Ivory Ivory is rarely and singularly pure and pleasant being made of Elephants teeth bright is added to shew that it 's of the best sort as all that is in Christ is 2. It 's overlaid with Saphires that was a stone in Aarons breast plate and also is reckoned one of the foundation-stones of the new Ierusalem Rev. 21. 19. which shews that it is very precious though we know not the particular properties of it The word overlaid may be from the Original rendered curiously set or enambled In sum here his love is described as most lovely clean and pleasant like Ivory rich and precious like Saphires and well ordered and wisely vented for the good of his people as bright Ivory curiously enambled with Saphires His love is a most excellent curious and pleasant object the like whereof is not to be found amongst all the beloveds of the world This verse commends Christ's heart and in-side which is unsearchable as to it 's heighth depth breadth and length It may therefore be hard and some way hazardous to offer doctrines on or to form expressions concerning that which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. the comprehending experimental knowledge of it will be the best commentary on it yet these things are clear and safe 1. There is singular love affection and bowels in our Lord Jesus to his people so singular that there is none can compare with him in this no husband nay nor wife it passeth the love of women No tender-hearted mother and much lesse any idol can compet with him in this It 's inconceivable in it self and it 's wonderful in it's effects 2. There is nothing that will contribute more to make believers see Jesus Christ as admirable in himself and lovely to them than the right apprehension of his love This is the constraining ravishing ingaging and soul-in-ebriating consideration of Christ the conceiving of him rightly in his admirable love and they will never esteem of Christ rightly who discerns not that it is as it were his crown and the believing of it is in a sort the putting of the crown on his head Amongst all his excellencies none takes the believer more up than his love and nothing is more remarkable in him than that and right thoughts of Christ's love is no ill token 3. Our Lord Jesus his love and bowels are a rich Jewel when seen a precious stately sight bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires is but a small and dark shaddow of it Christ's love is a possession beyond Jewels a very beautiful object to look on beyond the most excellent creature It 's both a wonder and a heart-break that it is so little thought of and that men are not more delighted in it 4. Although there be much in many mouths of Christ's love yet there are few that really knows and believes the love that he hath to his people 1 Ioh 3. 1. As this is the cause that so few loves him and why so many sets up other beloveds beside him so the solid faith of this and the expectation of good from him hath a great ingaging vertue to draw sinners to him Heb. 11. 6. and for that end it 's made use of here 5. Whatever seeming smiles idols may give to their lovers yet will they not prove lovers in the end to them for that is proper to Christ he only hath strong love and bowels of affection to his own to the end but other lovers in the end will fail men Only our Lord Jesus continueth a loving Husband to the end for whom he loves he loves to the end 6. It is beyond all peradventure good and desirable to be matched with Jesus Christ where so much honour riches power wisdom lovelinesse and love meet all together for the scope of this and of all the rest of the commendations is to ingage sinners to match with him 7. There is no cause to be jealous of Christ's love his people have a most loving Husband and never a sport or ground of jealousie hath defiled his bowels since the world began but they to this day are and will be for ever as bright Ivory 8. Christ's love is excellent in it self and is also excellent in the way of it's communicating it self to his people therefore it 's not as Saphires that are confusedly casten together but that are artificially set or our Lord Jesus vents not his love fondly to speak with reverence or imprudently but most wisely skilfully and seasonably so as it may be for the good of his people not as a fond and too indulgent mother that gives that which is even hurtful because the childe desires it but as a wise father who gives that which is useful though it be unpleasant He guids his love by discretion and according to expediency as Ioh. 16. 7. It 's expedient for you that I go and therefore he will go though they were even made sad with it 9. Although some pieces of Christ's love being considered in themselves seem not so pleasant and lovely like precious stones not rightly set yet when all are seen together and every thing taken up as in it's own place and proportionably corresponding with one another and especially in respect of the fountain of love from which they come they will then being all lookt on together be seen to be very beautiful and pleasant and well ordered like bright Ivory that is regularly and curiously enambled or indented with Saphires The time comes when Christ's love will be thought to be exquisitly and wisely let out and conveyed even in these things wherein it is most suspected now by his own Vers. 15. His legs are as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars The eighth and ninth particulars of Christ's commendation are in vers 15. The first of them here commended is his legs The word legs comes from a root in the Original that signifieth to walk and so takes in things and feet which are also useful in motion In Scripture and by Analogy they are made use of to signifie these two 1. A mans way in the series of his carriage and deportment as ordinarily his life is called a walk So Eccl. 5. 1. Take heed unto thy feet that is to thy carriage Hence the iniquities of the heels are spoken of Psal. 49. 5. to set out mens defects that cleave to them in their conversation as their feet leave prints or footsteps
afford many such doctrines as Chap. 3. 3. As 1. The visible Church is a distinct incorporation by it self and all it's members have right to it's priviledges to wit such whereof they are capable It 's the City and they are the Citizens Eph. 2. 19. 2. It s a City that is not without fear and hazard though it have walls but it had need to be watched both within and without Or the visible Church hath many enemies she is in constant war Hence therefore is she called the militant Church and for this cause she hath walls and watchmen 3. The Lord hath provided her with sufficient means against all assaults 4. A lawfully-called ministery or watch-men peculiarly defigned for that end are the great mean Christ hath appointed for preventing the hurt and promoving the good and edification of his Church Eph. 2. 12 13. They are as the sentinels which he hath set on the walls for giving advertisement and warning and this well becomes their office Isa. 62. 6. Ezek. 3. and 33. Chapters and elsewhere 5. Tender believers will put a great price upon publick Ordinances even when they seem to themselves to come little speed in their privat duties privat diligence furthers publick and publick furthers privat These two ought not to be neither will they be separat in a tender person but go together 6. Tender believers may have weights added to their exercise and a load put above a burden even by these whose stations and relations call for much more sympathy and healing 7. Publick Ordinances may be sometimes unfruitful to believers even when they have great need and are under great sense of need 8. When one that is tender gets no good nor ease by publick Ordinances often there is an addition made to his burden thereby 9. Untender unskilful and unfaithful men may creep in and be admitted to the ministery and to watching over the Church as Iudas was 10. When such are gifted and as to order lawfully called they are truly ministers though not true ministers and have authority for discharging of all duties and duties discharged or Ordinances dispensed by them according to Christ's warrand are valide and the word from their mouth is to be received as from him Therefore they are called watchmen which imports them to be really in office which could not be if the former assertions were not true 11. Very often tender believers in their exercises suffer much from such ministers Or an untender minister is often a great affliction to tender exercised believers yea of all men these prove most sadly afflicting to them no man wounds godlinesse more or wounds and affronts the profession thereof more in them that are the most real and tender professors than a gifted untender minister may do and often doth though sometimes the Lord will make use of him for their good to humble them yet more to provoke them to the study of more seriousnesse in secret duties and to more closse and constant waiting on the Lord himself 12. Where enmity against godlinesse once ariseth and vents it self against the godly it often grows from one degree to another as here Men especially Ministers once ingaged in it are not easily recovered and brought out of that evil but are carried yea often hurried from one step to another yet she accounts them watchmen as holding out the respect she bare to their office even then Whence observe 13. That it is a piece of spiritual wisdom and tendernesse to distinguish carefully betwixt the office of the Ministery or the Ordinance it self and the faults and untendernesse of persons who may miscarry in the exercise of that office and not to fall from the esteem of the Ordinance because of them or of what faults may be in them but even then to respect the Ordinance out of respect to Christ and his institution and appointment 14. Believers would observe the fruit of publick Ordinances as well as of secret diligence as the Bride here doth Vers. 8. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love When this mean fails her she gives not over but betakes her self to the use of mutual fellowship with the Saints which is the third step of her carriage v. 8. that she may have their help for recovering of Christ's presence She propounds her case to them and presseth for their bearing burden with her Her case is in the last words I am sick of love a strange disease yet kindly to a believer This sicknesse implyes pain as of a woman in travel whose showres are sharp and pangs vehement till she bring forth The same word is used to this purpose Isa. 26. 17. Like as a woman that draweth near her delivery is in pain c. And it imports in this place these two 1. Vehement desire after Christ from ardent love to him so that she could not indure to want him 2. Much heart-affectednesse following upon that ardent desire which under her former disappointments did beget such pain and fainting that it was as a sore sicknesse though not dangerous This sicknesse differs from that spoken of Chap. 2. 5. as the scope shews That is like the pain procured by an overset of the stomack so the sense of his love being let out in a very great measure was like to master her not that sense of his love is simply or in it self burdensome but she is weak like an old bottle or a queasie and weak stomack that cannot bear much But this is like the pain that proceeds from hunger and a strong appetite when that which is longed-for is not obtained which augments the desire and at last breeds fainting and sicknesse This shews 1. That love to Christ where it is sincere is a most sensible thing 2. That the moe disappointments it meets with in seeking after sensible manifestations of Christ it grows the more vehement 3. That continued absence to a tender soul will be exceeding heavy and painful hope deferred makes the heart sick especially when the sweetnesse of Christ's presence hath been felt and his absence distinctly discerned 4. That Christ's presence is the souls health and his absence it 's sicknesse have else what it will 5. That love to Christ will sometimes especially after challenges and disappointments so over-power the soul that it cannot to it's own sense at least act under it or sustain it it seems so heavy a burden as sicknesse will do to the body if it get not an out-gate The way she takes to obtain Christ after all other means fail her is by making her application to the daughters of Ierusalem Indeed it 's Christ and not they that can cure her he is the only medicine for a sick soul therefore her design is not to rest in their company but to make use of it for obtaining his company For the company although it were even of Angels will not be satisfying to a soul that seeks
than conversion it self 6. Christ hath given a promise to the believer for furthering and perfecting of his sanctification as well as of his justification 7. Where there is any honest beginning or foundation laid by real union with Christ although it be weak yet it will be perfected and that may be expected for Christ's word is here ingaged for it 8. There are none of the promised blessings that can be expected from Christ without performing of the condition of believing in him and they who rest on him by faith may expect all BRIDE Vers. 10. I am a wall and my brests like towers then was I in his eyes as one that found favour In this tenth verse and the two verses that follow the Bride comes-in speaking and accepting the Bridegrooms gracious answer and promise And first she doth confirm the truth of it from her own experience vers 10. and then she doth more fully clear and strengthen her experience by laying down the grounds from which she draweth that comfortable conclusion of finding favour in his eyes in reference unto her self vers 11 12. First then in the tenth verse the Bride brings forth her experience for confirmation of the truth of what the Bridegroom had spoken That they are the Brides words we conceive is clear for this I is she that put up the suit for the little sister and by her description is opposed to her as being a wall and having brests as towers which she the little sister had not and there is none other that hath found favour in Christ's eyes but she What the scope is shall be cleared when we have opened the words which have three things in them 1. A short description of her own good condition 2. An excellent advantage that followed thereupon 3. The connexion of these two First her condition is set forth in two expressions 1. I am a wall That is what the little sister was not and what the condition proposed by the Bridegroom in the former verse required In a word that condition is fulfilled in me saith she by faith I am built on Christ and like a wall stand stable on the foundation The second expression setting forth her condition is and my brests like towers This supposeth a growth and further degree of her faith and other graces as having not only brests which the little sister had not vers 8. but brests like towers i.e. well fashioned Ezek. 16. 7. and come to some perfection and so she is a wall with towers Next the priviledge or advantage which accompanies this her good condition is held out in these words I was in his eyes as one that found favour or peace To find favour in his eyes is to be kindly and affectionatly dealt with and to have that manifested by some suitable evidence So it 's said Esther found favour in the eyes of the King and he held out the golden Scepter to her Esth. 5. 2. The thing that Moses pitcheth on as the evidence that he and the people found favour in Gods eyes Exod. 33. 16 17. is that his presence might go with them whereby saith he should it be known that we have found grace in thy sight is it not in that thou goest with us So then to find favour in his eyes is to have his presence in a gracious manner manifested to his people as Ioh. 14. 23. And in sum this expression implyes these three 1. Love in Christ's bosom to her 2. His manifesting of this by his complacency in her or his making the delight which he had in her manifest in the effects of it on her 3. Her being comforted and delighted in the favour that she found from him 3. The connexion of this comfortable attainment with her gracious state is implyed in the word then Then was I c. That is when I was a wall and by faith rested on him I found this favour and not before It holds out no causality betwixt the one and the other but a peremptory connexion of order and time for though Gods love of benevolence whereby he purposeth good to us such as was his love to Iacob before he had done good or evil Rom. 9. 13. and also his love of beneficence whereby he actively confers and brings about our conversion and regeneration go before our believing in him and our love to him and is the cause of our loving of him who love him because he first loved us yet his love of complacency whereby he shews himself delighted with the graces which by his love he hath bestowed on us doth follow in order of nature upon our faith in him and love to him So Ioh. 14. 21 23. He that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and what is meant by this love the words following clear I will manifest my self to him and so vers 23. having said my father will love him it 's added we will come and make our abode with him This then is the sum of this verse I am by faith founded on him and united to him and so am a wall and have brests who by nature once was not a wall and had no brests by which union my brests becoming as towers I did find favour from him and had his presence friendly manifested to me The scope as appears from the coherence of this verse with the former is to make good from her experience the truth and certainty of the promises which he had made for the encouragement of the little sister and for comforting of her self who had been seriously pleading with him on her behalf Thus these promises are faithful saith she for in my comfortable experience I have found it so I was once without the evidence of his love as now others are but being by faith engaged to him I have found favour of him so as others may be assured of obtaining the like and on the same terms if when he is bespeaking them by the Gospel they will close with Christ and by faith unite with him Obs. 1. There are great real and discriminating differences betwixt one in nature and one that is in Christ The one is not a wall and hath no brests the other is a wall and hath brests which shewâ— a great odds 2. Believers may come to know that marches are cleared betwixt their estate and condition now while they are in Christ and their estate and condition as it was before Or believers should set themselves to know whether marches be cleared or not or if they may say that of themselves which cannot be said of others that are not in Christ. 3. It 's no little advancement to be able upon good grounds to assert our union with Christ to say that I am a wall c. each one cannot do it 4. Although none ought to be proud of their attainments yet may believers humbly where there is good ground acknowledge the reality of grace in them 5. Although the Lord loves the Elect
more sparsly and as it were here and there to be found elsewhere through the Scriptures We have them here compended together in a sort of Spiritual dependance one upon another and in a connexion one with another And they are put in a Song to make them the more sweet and lovely and under such Poetical and figurative expressions as best agreeth with the nature of Songs and Poetical Writings that so Believers may have them together and may sing them together for the help of their memory and upstirring of their affections 2. These figures and similitudes have their own use to make us the better take up and understand the spiritual things which are represented by them when in a manner he condescends to illustrat them by similitudes and so to teach as it were to our senses things which are not otherwise so obvious For which cause Christ often taught by Parables the greatest mysteries of the Gospel 3. Thus not only the judgement is informed but it serveth the more to work on our affections both to convince us of and to deterr us from what is ill when it is proposed indifferently in an Allegory as Nathan in his Parable to David did And also it conduceth the more to gain our affections to love such things as are here set out wherefore even Heaven it self is so described from similitudes of such things as are in account with men Rev. 21. 22. And Christs Love becomes thus more comfortable and our relation to him the more kindly-like when it 's illustrat by Marriage and the kindly expressions of a Husband and Wife for this also God is compared to a Father and his pity to a fathers pity to children to make it the more sensible and comfortable 4. Thus also any knowledge that is attained or any impression that is made is the better fixed and keeped similitudes are often retained when plain truths are forgotten as we may see in experience yea the retaining of the similitude in the memory doth not only keep the words in mind but helps to some acquaintance with the thing which is signified and furthereth us in understanding the manner how such and such things the Lord doth to his People are brought about 5. Thus both the wisdom and care of God and his Spirit appeareth who taketh diverse wayes to commend his truth unto men and to gain them to the love of it that they who will not be affected with plain truth he may be more taking expressions commend unto them the same thing which is the reason why he hath given diverse Gifts and wayes of holding forth his truth unto Ministers some have one way like sons of Thunder some another like sons of Consolation and yet all to carry on the same end that the one may be helpfull unto the other Indeed if God had delivered his truth only in obscure terms the objection might seem to have some weight but when he doth it both in plain and obscure wayes this is his condescendency and wisdom by all means seeking to gain some 6. Thus also the Lord removeth occasion of loathing from his Word by putting it in some lovely Artifice in the manner of it's delivery and also he doth hereby provoke his people to more diligence in searching after the meaning of it It being often our way to esteem least of what is most obvious and most of that which is by some pains attained 7. Thus also the Lord maketh the study of his Word delectable when both the judgment and affections are joyntly wrought upon And to shew that all the Believers conditions may be matter of a sweet song to him whereas somethings if plainly laid down would not be so cheerfully digested Thus he maketh the saddest matter sweet by his manner of proposing it 8. Also the Lord useth to keep the Songs and spiritual allowance of his own somewhat vailed from the rest of the world for they have meat to eat the world knoweth not of that Believers may see and feed sweetly where they discern nothing and that they having this Commented on by experience betwixt him and them may sing that Song which none other in the world can learn as the 144000 do Rev. 14. 1. for thus it 's said Math. 13. 9 10 11 c. that Christ spake in Parables that not only he might condescend to the weaknesse of his own so as they might bear it Mark 4. 33 34. but also that others seeing might see and not perceive Often that same way which his own gets good of pâ—oveth a stumbling to others through their own corruption 9. There may be also something of Gods design here to try the humility and sinceâ—ity of his people if they will stoop to every way he useth because it 's his and if they will love the Word not as so or so proposed but as it cometh from him and is his and as such humbly receive it as being that which though it seem to others foolishnesse yet makes them wise unto Salvation The mockers taunted Ezekiel's Message under this notion that he spake Parables Ezek. 20. 49. but Zâ—ch 11. 10 11. when the Prophet broke the two Staves which was a dark and mysterious-like action the poor of the flock waited on him when as it 's like others stumbled also By all which we may see why the Lord hath so compacted together plain useful Doctrines under such expressions in this Song and also why our undertaking to open it may be well constructed even though these same truthes may elsewhere as clearly arise yet these truths are here in such a way connected together and so not only proposed but also commended unto us as will not any where else be found Obj. 2. If any say the raising of such Gospel-Doctrines makes this Song look more like the Gospel of the New Testament than a Song of the Old Ans. 1. Is it the worse that it look like the Gospel Or are not such Doctrineâ— if they follow from it the better more comfortable Certainly there is no Doctrine more edifying and comfortable to Believers and more like or more becoming Christs way with Believers or their's with him which is the scope and subject of this Song then Gospel-Doctrines are High soaring words of vanity and mysteries having nothing but an empty sound are much more unlike this spiritual Song tâ—an these 2. If it set out Christs way to Believers even under the Old Testament and Believers way of keeping communion with God even then is not that the same Gospel-way which we have now Their faith and communion with God stood not in the outward Ceremonies which were Typical but in the exercise of inward Graces faith love c. which are the same now as then Was not Christ the same to them as to us Had they not the same Spirit Covenant c. and so the cases and experiences of or incident to Believers then are also applicable to us now That Christ was then to come and hath
Table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Vers. 13. A bundle of Myrrhe is my beloved unto me he shall lye all night betwixt my breasts Vers. 14. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of Camphire in the Vineyards of En-gedi The third Part of the Chapter followes in these three verses 12. 13. 14. In it the Bride expresseth how refreshful Christ was to her and how she did solace her self in him This she holds forth not only in the sweet and warm title she gives him But further in these three things 1. She declares the comfortablenesse of the fellowship she had with him vers 12. 2. By two comparisons she illustrats it in the beginning of the 13. and 14. vers 3. She sets forth the warmnesse of her own affections to him in the end of vers 13. The titles she gives him are two 1. The King whereby his Soveraignty and Majesty is set forth The second is beloved or welbeloved a title importing much love and affection It differs from that title my love which he gave her vers 9. for that is a compellation given to her by him as from a Superior to an inâ—eâ—ior or as from an Husband to a Wife this title which she here gives him is as from an inferior as a wiâ—e to her husband The first holds forth condescending tendernesse the second respective love but both agree in this that they are most loving and affectionat titles She sets forth the comfortableness of Christs fellowship vers 12. Where we are to consider these three things 1. The priviledge of his sweet company which she injoyed in these words The King sitteth at his Table 2. The effect thereof held forth in this similitude my spikenard c. 3. The connexion of these two in this expression while the King sitteth c. First The King here spoken of is Christ as was cleared vers 4. His Table or feasting-houâ—e is the Gospel Prov. 9. 1 c. where the feast of fat things is prepared Isa. 25. 6. His sitting at his Table or her sitting with him at it imports familiar fellowship with him by the Gospel So the Table of the Lord is taken 1 Cor. 10. 21. and Matth. 22. 4. The comfortable fellowship that is to be had with him by the Gospel is held forth under the similitude of a great feast as fellowship in glory and injoying of him there is set out by eating and drinking with him at his Table Luke 22. 29 30. Now this is most friendly when Christ not only furnishes a Table Psal. 23. 5. but he comes and sits down and sups with them and admits them to sup with him Rev. 3. 21. It is called His Table because he both furnishes it and is Master and Maker of the feast yea the matter of it also 2. The effect of this fellowship is my spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof Spikenard here signifies the graces of the Spirit wherewith the believer is furnished out of the treasure of the sweet spices that are in Christ Which are compared to spikenard because grace is precious in it self and savoury and pleasant to God Psal. 141. 2. and to others also who have spiritual senses To send forth the smell is to be in lively exercise and to be fresh and vigorous Grace without smell or lively exercise being like flowres somewhat withered that savour not or like unbeaten spice that sends not forth it 's savour 3. There is the connexion of this effect which is so comfortable to her with Christs presence as the cause It 's while he sits that her Spikenard sendeth forth it's smell it 's then and not else that her graces flow Such influence hath his presence on her as a cool-wind hath on a garden for making the smell thereof to flow out as it's chap. 4. 16. Here Obs. 1. Christ the Bridegroom is a King 2. It makes all his condescending to sinners the more lovely admirable and comfortable that he is so excellent that he being such a King sitteth at the Table with poor believers is much Love in Christ brings his Majesty as it were below it self to feed and feast his poor people 3. There is a way of most sweet and comfortable communion to be had even with the King in his own Ordinances 4. There is a great difference betwixt an ordinance or duty and Christ's presence in it These are separable 5. It 's Christ present that makes a feast to a believer and makes all Gospel-ordinances and duties so refreshful 6. Believers may and will observe when Christ is at the Table and when not and it will be empty to them when he is absent 7. All the provision wherewith believers table is furnished and they are â—easted is Christ. 8. Christ should have a continued dwelling in the believer and they a continual conversing with him as these who dyet ordinarily at one table The effect namely the flowing of her graces and it 's connexion with his presence as the cause shewes 1. There is a stock of grace and Spikenard in them with whom Christ useth to sup and there is no other but such admitted to his table 2. The graces of the Spirit in believers may be in a great part without savour void of lively exercise almost dead as to it's effects 3. It is exceedingly refreshful to believers to have their graces flowing and acting 4. Christ's presence hath much influence to make all things lively and savoury where he sits all things that are beside him as it were blossoms and savours The graces of his people are then very fresh and lively And 5. though grace be savoury in it self yet in Christ's absence that savour will be restrained and not sent forth For it 's implyed that when the King sat not at his table her Spikenard did not send forth it's smell 6. Christ's company or fellowship with him will not only be prized by believers as it brings sensible comfort to them but also as it revives their graces and makes them lively 2. Her satisfaction in Christ's fellowship vers 13. and 14. is illustrat in two similitudes whereby her holy fondnesse to speak so on him appears The 1. similitude is a bundle of myrrhe Mirrhe was a precious and savoâ—ry spice made use of in the anointing oyle Exod. 30. â—3 and in embalming Christ's body A bundle of it signifies abundance of it not a stalk or a grain but a bundle that must be of more worth and vertue than a lesser quantity The 2. similitude to the same scope is a cluster of Camphire or Cypresse a sweet odoriserous and precious wood in these parts and a cluster of it implyes a congeries of it having much of it's excellency bound up together and under these two similitudes because one is not enough to set forth the thing is understood a most precious refreshful excellency which is to be found in Christ and wherewith the most desirable excellency amongst the creatures being compared he is much more
influences contribute as well as the more comfortable 7. Believers would walk under the conviction of their own inability to act their graces and of the necessity of the Spirit 's influences for drawing them forth to acting and exercise 8. They who are thus sensible may seek after the Spirit for that end and it 's a good frame in order to the obtaining of life and quickning by the Spirit of Christ when the sense of their own inability their love of fruitfulnesse and the faith of attaining it by his Spirit puts them to seek after it 9. Prayer is a necessary and excellent mean for stirring up one in a secure frame and for attaining the Spirit to revive and quicken the work of his grace 10. Believers may beg the Spirit to quicken them when they find themselves lifelesse as well as they may ask pardon when they find themselves under guilt 11. Believers will be and should be as desirous of livelinâ—sse and fruitfulnesse as of sense yea this is the order by which they must come and should seek to come to the obtaining of sensible presence 12. No commendation of any atainment in believers nor any clearnesse of interest should make them sit down on their attainments or become negligent but on the contrary should stir them up to aim at the more livelinesse and spiritualnesse that they may be answerable to that interest they have in him and to the commendation he allows upon them For which cause this petition follows immediatly upon the former commendation The second petition which goes alongst with the former is for the beloved's presence Let my beloved saith she come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits Her desire here is twofold 1. That Christ would come This doth respect a greater degree of neernesse notwithstanding of any thing she injoyed 2. That he would eat his pleasant fruits that is familiarly and friendly delight in his own graces and therefore it was she prayed for the influences of the spirit that there might be abundance of fruits for his satisfaction The way she presseth this petition is very kindly though the words be short 1. She presseth it from the relation she had to him Let my beloved saith she come This makes her request and invitation warm and kindly 2. From the kind of the fruits they are pleasant fruits that is delectable in themselves and acceptable to him But 3. Lest this should derogat from him and arrogat to her self she adds his pleasant fruits they are his and that makes them pleasant so that he cannot but accept them they are his being purchased by him wrought by him keeped in life by him though he hath made me the garden saith she wherein they grow and the garden as it hath weeds is hers yet all the good fruits in so far as any of them are to be found in me are his In sum all all my desire is this 1. To be fruitful Then 2. To have Christ's company shewing himself pleased and present with me Obs. 1. Whatever believers have they neither will nor can rest upon it nay not in the most eminent measures of holinesse attainable here-away without Christ's presence and company 2. Fruitfulnesse and livelinessehelp and contribute much to the injoyment of Christ's manifestations Ioh. 14. 21. 23. 3. Believers that aim seriously at the exercise of grace in themselves may confidently invite Christ to come and may expect his presence 4. All believers fruits even when quickned by the Spirit are Christ's 5. This would be acknowledged and when we are most fruitful we would look on our fruits not as our own but as his still 6. Christ will seed or delight in nothing but what is his own and is acknowledged by his people to be so And there can nothing which he will accept of be set before him but such 7. Believers end and design in pursuing livelinesse and fruitfulnesse is not and ought not so much to be their own satisfaction and the seeding of themselves as the satisfaction of Christ and the pleasing of him for that is his eating his pleasant fruits which is the Brides great desire and design when she calls for the North and South-wind to blow upon her garden CHAP. V. BRIDEGROOM Vers. 1. I am come into my Garden my sister my spouse I have gathered my Myrrhe with my spice I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey I have drunk my wine with my milk eat O Friends drink yea drink aboundantly O Beloved THis Chapter hath four parts according to the parties that successivly speak In the first part vers 1. Christ speaks And that it is he who speaks doth at the first reading appear they are kindly words well becoming him and are the answer of her suit in the former words And so depend on them for the division of this Song as also of other Scriptures into Chapters not being done by the Penmen of the Holy Ghost but by the Translators is not to be stuck on where there is no question in the matter she desired him verse last of the former Chapter to come and now in this verse Behold I am come saith he c. In it we have 1. His yielding to come 2. His carriage when he is come as to himself And also his intimation of both 3. His invitation to others which may be also a part of his carriage when come taken up in three 1. He makes himself welcome and 2. Others 3. He intimats it The title being spoken of formerly the first thing is I am come into my Garden as thou desired my sister c. Hence observe 1. Christ hath particular and peculiar wayes of coming to his people and of nearnesse with them even as he hath of withdrawing from them 2. There are some peculiar times wherein he is more near than at other times 3. Sometimes he will not only draw near to his people but let them know he is near and put them out of doubt that he is come Again if we look to this as the answer of the former prayer we will see 1. Christ is easily invited and prevailed with to come to his people and sometimes there will not be long betwixt their prayer and his answer it 's the very next word 2. Few words may be an effectual prayer to Christ as the former suit was a breathing or sigh will not be rejected by him where sincerity is 3. Christ will sometimes not only answer prayer in the thing sought but he will intimate and let his people know that he hath answered it More particularly we may consider the answer 1. As it agrees with her prayer 2. As it â—ems defective 3. As it 's beyond it First It agrees fully to her last suit she prayed he would come and eat he comes and eats Obs. Christ will carve and shape out sometimes his answer even according to his peoples desires as if they had the power of prescribing their own answers For when our prayers make
stirring to have the way rid for Christ's entry and to make him welcome which shews it was no confused exercise that her repentance put her unto but distinct and digested like the Prodigals I will arise and go to my Father and say c. Obs. 1. Repentance will put the securest sinners to their feet when it is real 2. There is no settling of an exercised mind but in receiving of Christ and in making of him welcome 3. When the heart is affected with the sense of sin and desire to have Christ it 's not time to delay or dispute what to do but to rise and open and by faith to receive Christ. 4. Where a soul hath been plunged in security or like the Prodigal Luke 15. in prophanity there will be need of gathering composing and rousing of it self for exercising of faith in Christ this is not from any difficulty that is on graces-side to receive a sinner but from the difficulty that is on the sinners side in acting of grace who being at a low ebb must by several steps of grace ascend out of it with a kind of violence to corruption discouragement and unbelief from under the power of which the penitent must arise when they combine to intangle and detain him as she doth here 5. Believers would be distinct in their exercises especially in reference to their end and design that in their activity and stirrings it may be discerned by themselves what they would be at Some exercises are confused neither having a distinct cause nor a distinct end kindly exercise hath both though much confusion may be with it 6. Faith in Christ and making way for him into the heart should be and is the native end of all inward exercises diligence in duties c. This must be the great scope of all pains whatsoever these stings of exercise that put not the soul to open to him though they put the person thorow other are not to be fostered nor laid much weight upon 7. Though faith and duty differ and the most active frame is not to be rested on without faith yet activity in duty and livelinesse in the exercise of faith go together as her rising and opening do even as before her lying still and the keeping of him out went together Yea 8. This activenesse runs especially to perform what he called to He called to open and she accordingly riseth to open which shews that the penitents activity doth principally bend it self towards these duties that Christ in a more especial manner calls for She proceeds to set down her experience which she found when she had risen which is the third effect of the work of grace on her by Christ's putting in his hand when she arose to open Her hands and fingers dropped sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the lock She continues the comparison of opening a shut door he as it were put in the key without and she came to draw the handle or slot within as is usual in some locks The door is the heart as Psal. 24. 7. called the everlasting doors The lock that closeth is unbelief and security indisposition and declining in the exercise of grace whereby as by a fast lock Christ in his accesse to the heart is kept out Now she puts-to her hands and fingers to the sock within which imports her stirring her self again in the exercise of faith and diligence being now arisen to open Therefore by faith we are said to grip and take hold of Christ and to work righteousnesse and by it the heart is opened to him as followes This sweet smelling Myrrhe that drops is the flowing of habitual grace which formerly was not vigorous and active but now it flowes and vents and is to the heart as oyl applyed to moisten and make easie a rousted lock to make it open without difficulty This grace is ordinarily compared to Myrrhe and the anointing typical oyl was made of it and of other spices Exod. 30. 23. It 's said here to drop from her fingers implying the active stirring of her faith because when faith becomes lively it puts all other graces to exercise and thereby as it were by oyl her former hardnesse and indisposition was softned and removed and her heart made meet to act lively In sum it 's this That when she in the exercise of faith and holinesse set her self seriously and effectually to make way for Christ and to remove what formerly had kept him out through her indisposition unexpectedly she found that by his putting in of his hand it went much more easily and sweetly than she expected all had been so anointed and quickned and thus conduced to the opening of her heart as dropping of oyl doth to the easie opening of a lock Which shews 1. That the work of grace upon the heart being applyed by Christ from without doth leave an inward fitnesse on the heart within for the opening of it self to him Grace infused and quickned by Christ's Spirit will make the most indisposed and secure heart to open to him heartsomly 2. That though Christ apply grace from without to open the heart yet will he have the heart formally opening it self to him and though the heart open it self formally to him yet it 's by the vertue of his application from without for this putting-to of her hand and it's dropping Myrrhe is the effect of his putting in his hand first 3. Often when the most spiritual and difficult duties if it were even faith it self are eâ—â—ayed they will be found more easie than was expected and none can tell how they will go with them till they undertake and set about them She while lying in her security thought it impossible to get this done yet now it goes easily and sweetly with her O! but when grace goes along and flows the exercise of duty is a sweet and easie work 4. Although the exercise of grace make duties easy and a supply of help be given thereby for doing of spiritual duties yet the Lord will have the person assaying duty ere he find it so nor can he find or expect that supply that will facilitat duties to him till he first set himself about them as she first rises to open before her fingers drop with Myrrhe 5. These that set themselves to open to Christ and minde that singly from the sense of their need of him and being affected for wronging of him will not find grace wanting and deficient to help them and by this all the mouths of unbelievers will be stopped that are ready to say and usually say they had not grace to open 6. Faith in exercise hath a great influence on the keeping of all other graces in a believer fresh and green because it acts by Christ's strength and therefore when it is in exercise it makes all the rest to drop as it were with sweet smelling Myrrhe Vers. 6. I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when