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cause_n	great_a	know_v	part_n	2,878	5	4.1381	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29507	A commentary on the Canticles or the Song of Salomon wherein the text is analised, the native signification of the words declared, the allegories explained, and the order of the times whereunto they relate observed / by Thomas Brightman ; unto which is added brief notes out of severall expositors of the Revelation touching the rising and fall, progresse and finall destruction of the enemies of the church with some other observations out of divers writers.	Brightman, Thomas, 1562-1607.	1644 (1644)	Wing B4681; ESTC R19776	96,242	119

her self made brown and black by the losse of her children and much of her former beautie The two similitude● in the end seem to agree with the two distinct members in the beginning of the verse I am black as the Tents of Ked●r but co●ely as the Curtains of Solomon The Kedarens are Arabians living i● hair-cloth Tents made of Goates hair Solinus chap. 45. which they carried with them whither they would Pliny lib. 6. chap. 28. But the curtains of Solomon were such as did not only exceed the Kedaren haircloth by almost infinit● degrees but also they had a setled abode whence the Jews figur●●ively used them for every part of the house as with Ieremiah chap. 4 20. Suddenly are my Tents spoiled and my curtains in a moment This also sheweth that he wrote this song after his repentance for i● he had known these things before his fall A prophet needed not to have been sent to admonish him of renting the Kingdom from hi●● and giving it to his servant 1. Kings 11. 11. Vers 5. Look not upon me because I am black because the sunn●●ath looked ●pon me my mothers children were angry vvith me They made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine ovvn vineyard have I ●ot kept In this verse is a speciall description of the two Tribes as there is of the other and in the two verses following In this verse in the first words he preventeth the contempt which might be objected and then sheweth the causes of her calamitie Look not upon me saith she that is to say behold me not disdainfully which words do not only command but also foretell in what e●timation she should be among her own people The causes are three first the principall bec●use the Sun hath looked upon me that is heaven hath inflicted this calamity on me as God hath threatned it before 1 Kings 11. 11. 30. 31. And Rehoboam regarding not the hand that smote him heareth of Shemaiah Thus saith the Lord this thing is from me 1 Kings 12. 24. The wrath of God is here very well described by the heat of the the sunne Secondly the in●trumentall cause My mothers children not only by kindred but also by Religion being grievously offended at me have broken off their former conjunction with me and consulting privately by themselves are altogether separated from mine acquaintance See the History 1 Kings 12. 16. c. The third cause giveth occasion to the former causes They made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine o●n vineyard have I not kept do you ask the cause why God and her brethren were so offended Thus it was The chiefe authority deferred to the Tribe of Iuda both by Gods decree and the consent of their brethren was ill administred by her The Lords vineyard was committed to her to be kept For ●e despised the tent of Joseph and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim but chose the Tribe of Iuda even mount Sion whom he loved Psal 78. 67. 68. yet through Solomons Idolatry and defiling Gods worship by the just judgement of God the other Tribes were offended at Iuda and by separating themselves made the Church deformed and polluted Vers 6. Tell me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flock to rest at Noon for why should I be as one that is vailed by the fl●cks of thy companions Having spoken of the state of Religion in the two Tribes how and for what cause they were afflicted Now he speaks of the scattered reliques in the other ten This verse containeth a question of the beloved and the next the Lovers answer This hath a petition in the first part and an inquiry in the rest The Petition sheweth the great care of the godly their minds were inwardly inflamed with his love though hee were out of their fight They ask of him himsel● but whom should they ask else where hee is whom they seeke They knew he was alwayes in heaven but not without cause they doubted where he fed and folded his flock on earth They saw their brethren falne away from Iudah yet they knew there was neither God nor Priesthood nor Law in Israel 2 Chr. 25. 3. The question is Why should I be as one that is covered among the flocks of thy companions A woman veyled or covered is taken for a Whore as Gen. 38. 14. Their manner was to cover themselves It is also much used in mourning as the Leaper was commanded Lev. 13. 45. and Mich. 3. 7. It signifieth in this place as if he should say Why should I be like a woman pining my self with grief and sorrow in beholding the wiked Idolatry of the Israelites Why should I live among these Idolaters Where I am inforced to hide and cover my self not daring to speak what I think It is to be observed that the seducers of the people are called his fellowes not by a true name but by reason of their ambition wherby they boasted to be equall to the high Shepheard and carryed themselves as his fellowes For the ten Tribes had forsaken the true God and coyned a new Religon at their pleasure as yet they had the same right which the chief Shepheard had to make lawes for their flocks how God should be worshipped of them As the Pope now boasteth to be Christs fellow making new Religions with punishment inflicted on those which observe them not Such was the pride of Ieroboam and the other Israelites who would be fellowes with him to whom all are servants Vers 7. If thou know not O thou fairest among women goe thy way forth by the footsteps of thy flocke and feed thy Kids beside the Shepheards Tents This is the answer of the Bridegroom comforting his beloved in her grief who whilest she which was defiled with such deformity was adjudged by him to be the fairest of women and to excell all other congregations in the world For although these reliques lurked here and there in the Kingdome of Ieroboam yet made they but one Church with the two Tribes Then he shewes her the path where shee should go and with his finger pointeth to the pastures where he rested whom she sought The flocke are the two Tribes among whom the Church was more apparant the Kids are the scattered reliques of the Israelites When he appointeth them pasture besides the Shepheards Tents hee bids them goe into Iudea and worship the Lord after the institution of the true Priests Vers 8. I have compared thee O my Love to my Mare or to my Troope of horses in Pharaohs Chariots This comparing of his Love to a Mare may seem a grosse similitude to distressed Lovers but to the Counsell of the Spirit most sweet and Divine We have seen in what case Religion was aswell among the two Tribes as among the dispersed reliques This one verse toucheth the Civill state what can be more servile then to be joyned like a Horse to a Chariot to draw therein at the Drivers pleasure

Spring or not long after The figurative Winter is the wrath of God which of late fell upon the Iewes like a horrible ●torm and scattered them hither and thither like straw or stubble This wrath at length pacified was changed into a great calme and quietness● Vers 12. The flovvers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of Birds is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our land This and the verse following shew the helping causes which are also proper or metaphoricall Proper the commodity of the time most pleasant whereupon hapned the decree and the counsell of returning and the preparation thereof whereof was spoken in the former verse Metaphoricall God was not only mercifull as already hath been said but partly also the reconcised will of strangers partl● the exceeding readin●sse of the Ievvs themselves The nations hearkning to the Edict of Cyrus and God inwardly stirring up their hearts with how great desire did they further the return helping them abundantly and furnishing them plentifully with gold and with silver with aid and with cattell and with other precious things Ezra 1. 6. The Ievves delight and pleasure therein no doubt was that it might well be compared with flowers with singing of Birds and the blooming of trees Also among the Ievves were divers orders of men which seem here to be signified by the severall ornaments of the Spring which Ezra divideth into three ranks The Elders of Families The Priests and Levites and the Common People Chap. 1. 5. and 2. 70. Here Salomon proceede●h by an inverted order making no reckoning of the dignity but of the deed and of the nature of it I supp●se the common people are the flowers appearing in the earth which grow confusedly here and there one among another and prevent the trees themselves in their hasty ripening Well expressing the headlong study of the common people who are wont to run before the industry of the Magistrate The ●●nging Birds and Turtles are men of the Leviticall Order which went before the people some with holy songs and some with sa●rifices c. Vers 13. The Fig-tree hath brought forth her young figs and the Vines with their small grapes have cast a savour Arise my love my fair ●ne and come away Hitherto the mean●r helping causes here we have the mightier and more principall As if hee should say not only the Flowers of the grasse but also the shrubs and tallertrees which should guide and governe the people and multit●de should set their hands to worke and bend all their force to bring back the people Cyrus restored to them every instrument of silver and gold which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away Zerubbabel Joshua Nehemiah and other excellent men made themselves Captains over the people that by well ordering they might bring all their desires to a wished end So in this preparation here shine as Stars the Edict of Cyrus the time of the yeere the office of the Nation● and the divers orders and degrees of the people returning which are all declared more at large in the first and second of Ezra he useth the same compellation or calling by name in the end which hee did before that hee might shew as it were with bounded limits in what space of time this description of the Spring is included Vers 14. My Dove thou art in the ●oles of the Rocke in the secr●t places of the staires shew me thy countenance let me heare thy voice for thy voyce is sweete and thy sight comely The delivery it selfe is declared in this one verse which that it might appeare and sinke the deeper in their mindes he remembreth them of their late Condition by the holes of the Rocke and the secret places of the staires that the Church should as well remember to attribute her received safety to God who all this while yeelded her no lesse refuge from the rage of her enemies then the high rocks and darke lurking places are wont to be to the Doves As also to put her in minde that the was not in her own habitation but in a lurking place ●it to keepe her in safety in Exile and not appointed to dwell in ●he must therefore depart out of that prison and make haste to the Palace which her beloved had built her No doubt they exhorted one another at that time that they should pre●er the promise of God in their Country seates before the delights of the place whereinto they were banished wherewith many were so taken and ●●●nared that they altogether neglected a returne Now whereas he requireth that she should shew him her countenance and should cause her voice to be heard he sheweth them that at length the Church should be seene againe openly which had long lyen hid from mens sight in darknesse And that voyce which her lover is so desirous to here is the voyce of mourning and weeping whereby the faithful in the time of deliverance should acknowledge their former offences whereby they had provoked God and should ●arnestly and heartily bewaile them When ye shall call upon me saith the Lord by Jeremy that ye may go and pray unto me then will I heare you and seeking yee shall sinde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Chap. 29. 12 13. This is that countenance all overwhelmed with teares in whose sight God is so much delighted this is that mournfull and suspicious voyce then which nothing is to him more sweete or pleasant for so the second company which Ezra brought backe beginning their progresse with a Proclaimed fast shewed the same aspect to their lover causing him to heare a most sweete voyce of the confession of sins Ezra 8. 23. Vers 15. Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the vines for our Vines have tender Grapes Hitherto of the Captivity now followeth the restored condition of the Church And first of that State which it obtained next the returne in this and the verses following It appeareth not plainly whether these be the words of Christ or the Church or of both truely that which is here commanded concernes them both yet seeing it belongs to his government and authority to take away all h●rtfull things which may damnifie the Church they seeme rather to be his These words teach three things of the Church of that time First she hath little Foxes lying in waite Secondly those Foxes are to be taken and their deceipts made vaine Thirdly the beginnings of the restored Church were so tender that they might be grievously hurt by the feeblest enemie As to the first The Foxes betoken a craf●y subtile and dissembling enemy whereunto also the Hebrew word very well agreeth which signifies to destroy under a shew of friendship As Usurers use who seeming to helpe poore men utterly undoe them with borrowed money How to the life happened these things For we know with what craft the Enemies endeavoured to hinder the building of the Temple craftily offering ayde and corrupting the

of juyce not dry and without blood A heape of wheat declareth the belly like a furrow well stored with the best seed which watered and made fruitefull by mixture of the Goble● would at length breake forth into an infinite harvest These things are more plaine with Esay cap. 49. 19. 20. The belly set about with Lillies sheweth that this field unlike other fields shall not be fenced with bushes and quicksets but shall every way lye open and ●e altogether so pleasant not onely in the middle where the more fruitfull increase is wont to be but also in the uttermost borders And mo●t ●itly also are lillies joyned to the rest seeing nothing is more fruitfull bearing often 50. heads upon one Roote Plin. l. 21. 5. Ver● 3. Thy two breasts are like two young Roes that are twins Excellent shall this Church be in doctrine whose ministers God shall water with fatnesse Ier. 31. 14 They shall be ba●e and simple at the beginning like young Roes wallowing in the dust when they are first brought forth for as yet a setled Church shall not be fully gathered together as by the labour of some certaine Apostles who staying in no certaine places shall go hither and thither to Preach according as the cause requireth In the same manner as it was done in the first Church as before Chap. 4. 5. See also what hath beene observed upon Esay at the last verse of the former Chapter Verse 4. Thy necke is as a Tower of Ivory thine eyes like the fish-pooles in Hes●bon by the gate of Bathrabbim Thy nose is as the Tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus Mer●erus doubteth whether there were a Tower of this name Rabbi Selom and the Chald●● paraphrasts thinke there was And I am of their minde for all these similitudes seeme to be taken from true things and not ●eigned Yea for most weighty causes as anon it will appeare some more eminent places are chosen of purpose for this part of the description This Ivory Tower I suppose to be the Ivory throne spoken of 1 King 10. 18. The neck of the first Church was also a Tower in the same Mount where this Throne was built namely an Armory for David and the warre wherein all the instruments of war were put as before Chap. 4. 4. But this Tower is Solomons of peace not of war of Judgement not of Armour That though triumphing yet afflicted with many troubles of warres This her enemies overcome very easily shall raigne in peace like Solomon for such a flourishing estate doe the Prophets promise this Church all her enemies put to flight Esay 41. 14 15. Ier. 30. 31. Ez●ch 39. 3 4. 25. c. Thine eyes like the fishpooles in Heshbon Tremelius translateth it appellatively to most artificiall fish-pooles But I suppose those places to be noted out by name ●●iefely for this reason that by choosing out of some notable places as we shall see Solomon seemeth to appoint out the territories and borders of that land which the Jewes at length converted to Christ delivered from the Nations and restored to their Country seates shall obtaine proper and their owne But what will ye say dost thou turne ●●w God forbid I dreame not of that returne which as yet they do That they may renew the Temple restore the Ceremonies and possesse the land in times past promised and given as an earnest of the heavenly These things are eternally buried not worne out by time but utterly abolished by Christ But I speak of a re●●oring to their Country wherin they shall worship Christ according to his Ordinances which is not contrary to Religion every one knoweth and all the Prophets seeme to foretell it with one consent When I think hereof it seemeth no light Argument that untill this day that people remaine although dispersed through the whole world divided and separated from the Nations with whom they live A thing truely wonderfull marvellous but that it appeares plainely to be Gods doing We know the Gothes Vandals Hunnes and very many other Nations forsaking their Countries have also changed their speech names and natures So that were it not for letters they cannot be disce●ned from the people of the Country with whom they live But the Iewes like the River Roane in the poole Lausan● suffer none of our customes to be fastned on them but in the midst of us keepe their old name and Ordinance would we know the cause First God would have them for the ●ale of his despised Sonne be a ●pectacle to the world then also to advise us le●t the people commonly accounted superstitious should perhaps make saving doctrine suspected by their consenting Lastly that he might make plaine his infinite and unmeasurable favour and truth at length in restoring this people We have far digressed from our pu●pose but not altogether into a strange matter and whereof a briefe Declaration was necessary Seeing then that Hesh●on is to be properly taken know that it was once a City beyond Iordan common to the Gadites and the Rub●●ites Numb 21. 26 27 28. At first Noble known by the Proverb and once the Palace of Sihon which City seemeth to teach the recovery of their old possession of whose Eastern coast this City is placed as it were the Meere-stone And most fitly are the eyes compared to Fishpooles not so much for the cleereness● which sheweth the brightnesse of the 〈◊〉 as for the abundance of teares flowing from true repentan●● ●●re 31. 9 18 19. Isay 46. Z●char 12. 10. Neither without 〈◊〉 likewise are the gates mentioned by which these Fishpooles are seated which as they are called Bathrabbim the daughters of many or of a multitude most frequented by resort of people so they teach that there shall be at length an infinit● multitude of this people gathered to the truth by repentance It might seem harsh to compare the No●e to a Power but that the Counsell of the spirit alwaies puts ●s in minde that things and places are chosen whereby the borders of the land may be decribed ●er 31. 8. Esa 49. 20. The hou●e of Libanus is famous in the Scripture But that the Tower thereof looketh toward Damascus seemeth to be added for difference sake There were two houses of the forrest of Lebanon one built on the hill as this place plainely sheweth See 2 Chro. 9. 16 17 18. Another at Ierusalem in the forrest not far from the house of Salomon which for likenesse was called the house of the forrest of Lebanon whereof mention is made 1 King 7. 2. For the whole provision wherewith Salomon built this house proveth that to be another from that in Lebanon 1 King 10. 17 21. What need such sumptuous houshold-stuffe in houses so farre a sunder when there was scarce any hope that the King would see them twice But most cleerely Shishack carried away the shields of gold which were found in the house of the forr●●t of Lebanon 1 King 14. 26. It seemeth that house was then