visible Church that are yet unconverted being contrary in their Principles and Practise to the Bride For Jerusalem is not only to be understood of the Free-Mother and Spiritual City which bringeth forth Children free in Spirit free from the Bondage and Curse of the Law but also of that Mother which gendereth all her Children unto Bondage Gal. 4.25 In my judgment they define not aright that understand by the Daughters of Jerusalem in this Song the Elect of God And by the Queens and Virgins mentioned in some part of this Song Regenerate Persons and to be all waiters on and well-wishers to the Bride setting forth the Bride to be as it were a stately Queen and all the rest in the visible Church to be as it were Ladies of Honour that do attend and wait on the Bride True it is that in the sight of God she is a thing much set by she hath the holy Ghost for her Comforter the Angels to be her Ministring Spirits and there is joy in Heaven at her Conversion But in this World she is reproached and lightly esteemed even by those that seem to carry great esteem in the visible Church I understand then by the Daughters of Jerusalem when they are spoken to by the Bride as in this place to mean the Children of the Bond-woman that build upon Principles that do exclude them from the Inheritance of God but when they are spoken of jointly as in Song 3. then to mean all the Children of the Church visible united into Church Fellowship by the Signs and Seals of God's Covenant For the holy Ghost setteth down the two Covenants under the similitude of two Mothers Gal. 4. Agar and Sarah which brought forth two sorts of Children in Abraham's Family Now as in Abraham's Family which was the visible Church of God two sorts of Children were born the Children of the Bond-woman and the Children of the Free so likewise are there two sorts of People brought forth in the visible Church throughout all the World the People of the Law and the People of Grace Also as Agar the Bond-woman brought forth a Son to Abraham mocking and persecuting Isaac so likewise Mount Agar or Sina bringeth forth unto God a Son which is an Enemy to the Faith of Christ This Enmity ariseth for want of a right understanding of the promises annexed to the Law therefore the Bond-woman requireth the works of the Law to be done for the obtaining of the promise and about this point she quarrelleth and contendeth with the Free Mother who teacheth a contrary Doctrine namely that the Righteousness of the Gospel is to be obtained by Faith without the Law and this point she teacheth and herein lieth the Controversie These two Mothers are often in this Song brought in speaking one to another chiefly in the Fifth and Sixth Chapters where each side commendeth and boasteth her own Beloved The right understanding of this one thing I humbly conceive is the principal Key to unlock the Mystery of the whole Song Now in this place the Children of the Free-Mother are brought in speaking and the sum of the Speech is to justifie her Doctrine against the Daughters who conclude that therefore she is laden with so many and heavy Afflictions in regard she holdeth so wicked a Doctrine to which she maketh this Answer O ye Daughters of Jerusalem ye judge my Principles to be false because of my outward colour which proceedeth as she sheweth afterwards from an outward Cause to wit the Sun and not from any inward Principle I hold and teach And this I tell you farther that although I am black and deformed in your sight yet am I a comely Person in the sight of my Beloved for being covered with his white Rayment his own Righteousness my blackness is taken away and I am comely in his sight She confesseth that she is black in regard of her own Righteousness yet she holdeth this fast notwithstanding that she is comely in Christ's sight which teacheth us the true Rule of Faith which is first to confess our blackness before God before we apply unto our selves that we are made comely through Christ For as he that presenteth his own Righteousness before God excludeth himself from Christ so he that by Faith presenteth himself a Sinner before him joyneth himself to Christ And this Rule must we all learn which is First by Faith to present our selves before God confessing our Sins that so by the same Faith we may be joyned to the Righteousness of Christ our Lord then although we are of an evil colour in respect of our outward hiew yet shall we appear of a comely colour in the sight of Christ our Beloved And also then may we easily overcome the Daughters who all stick upon this Proposition and conclude thou wantest the Righteousness of the Law therefore thou art condemned To which we must answer I grant the premises but deny the Conclusion I confess I want the Righteousness of the Law but I have another Righteousness even the Righteousness of Christ by which I am justified and saved As the Tents of Kedar Now here she setteth out her deformity by a comparison The Tents of Kedar The Kedarims dwelt in black and hairy Tents were a Warlike People and never built Houses but being keepers of Cattel had their Tents in open Fields such as Gentlemen have at Court or Men of War lying open to the Air. These Tents of theirs were deformed partly by the Sun and partly by Storms and Weather and were not of any outward beauty therefore the Bride is compared to these Tents Yet some think the comparison is of the Kedarims that dwelt in those Tents who were of the Posterity of Ishmael Gen. 25.13 for Kedar was the second Son of Ishmael whose Posterity lived in Tents these living so near the Sun were even as Black Mores but which way so ever it be taken the comparison serves to set out the deformity of the Church which yet notwithstanding her blackness outwardly she will not lose the Righteousness of Christ her Lord and therefore she addeth As the Curtains of Solomon King Solomon had a very rich and sumptuous Bed as is to be seen in Song 3. for the entertainment of Pharaoh's Daughter and other of his Queens And as he made himself a Bed so he had Curtains also pertaining to the Bed which Curtains were not only for Ornament to adorn the Bed but also for use to preserve it from defilement And Solomon being a King excelling in Riches and Wisdom no doubt his Curtains were very rich and glorious Now as King Solomon had a Bed for the entertainment of his Queen so the Lord Jesus Christ hath a Bed wherein he entertaineth his Queen and the Bed of Christ is his Church in which Company he delighteth himself And the Curtains about this Bed are the Saints which do adorn the Bed in keeping the Doctrine of Christ pure from being defiled Song 3. These are
which is the only thing and foundation whereupon all our happiness doth depend Let all men therefore learn to humble themselves for their wants in this thing and earnestly beg of God that his word may be purely taught Where this knowledg is not little fruit appears in the Valley the Vine flourisheth not there but the miserable Conscience is shut up in Prison and darkness but where this spiritual skill is learn'd there and there only the Pomegranates do bud and a wonderful and suddain change is made according as it here followeth VERSE XII Or ever I was aware my Soul made me like the Chariots of Amminadib AMminadib as some think was the chiefest Chariot driver either in Solomons or in Pharaohs Chariot and which had the most Famous Horses which upon a suddain would be at the place desired This was the Churches condition as soon as she came into the Nut Garden she understood upon a suddain the right way to her beloved as soon as ever the nut was crack'd she began to tast of the kernel and or ever she was aware she became like the Chariots of Amminadib She met with that upon a suddain which she had long desired for And thus it is with us when ever we come into the garden of the Lord where nuts are plenty where the vine flourisheth aright or ever we are aware the Pomegranates begin to bud the fruits of the valley begin to appear within us and we are setled in peace and joy And in that she says my Soul made me It meaneth the understanding which being illuminated and sanctified filleth the will and affections with joy and Heavenly delight VERSE XIII Return return O Shulamite that we may look upon thee return return THese words are also the voice of the Church and by the Shulamite she meaneth a party in the Church which do dissent from her principles in matters of faith and life which she notwithstanding calleth the Shulamite being a general Title belonging to all in the visible Church from Shulamith which is peaceable so call'd being under a Covenant of peace and being the Daughter of Jerusalem Heb. 7. or Shalem which signifies peace and his Tabernacle is also said to be in Shalem To this Shulamite or contrary party in the Church she saith return return which words being so often doubled do shew that she is not only confident of her own Doctrine and way but also that she earnestly desireth the welfare of the Shulamite and a more near and Spiritual communion with her for she says return that we may look upon thee that is with delight and comfort for what inward and comfortable fellowship can there be so long as there remains a contrariety in points of Faith Therefore it is the longing desire of the Bride that they might dwell together in unity But mark we what followes What will ye see in the Shulamite as it were the Company of two Armies These words I conceive to be the voice of Christ and it is as much as to say that which thou wouldest see in the Shulamite thou canst not for in the Shulamite there are two Companies of Prophets are Preachers of the word and they band themselves one against the other like two Armies And the difference between them is the case being rightly stated about this one Question Which is the proving principle in the Scriptures Whether the Law must be expounded by the Gospel or the Gospel expounded so as it may accord with the Law The answering of this Question The extent of the principles of all Heriticks Sects and Seducers being rightly examined they will be found to clash against the Gospel in the Doctrine of justification endeth all controversies in the Church Forasmuch as all differences about Religion do Center in this point Hence it is that what is affirmed by the one overthrows the Law in the matter of justification and what is affirmed by the other overthrows the Gospel in the same point For when the Bride defineth faith to be a believing in Christ without works only because of God the promiser totally excluding the Law the Shulamite and all others that are enemies to the Gospel do define faith to be a believing in Christ by reason of works totally excluding the Gospel Now to decide this controversy it must be noted that the first principles as is shewed elsewhere in this Song are proving and therefore all other Scriptures must be expounded by them Song 3.10 And that as the first principle in Divinity is the Scriptures Hos 13.4 so the first principle in the Scriptures is the Gospel or the first Commandment which drives us to the Gospel which comes all to one for the first word of all is hear O Israel I am the Lord thy God Mark 12.29 which words are the Gospel Wherein God bindeth himself to us without any thing of ours then follows the first Commandment This point rightly understood draweth us into the practise of all good works because it unbindeth us from the rigour of the Law and filleth the mind and Conscience with the love of God which is the ground of all obedience which prohibites our dependance upon any other righteousness but the righteousness of God set before us in the Gospel And also forbids all such definitions of faith and all such interpretations of the Law which strengthen in man an opinion of the Law and works Now the Gospel being the first word and proving principle therefore such a sense must be found of all those Scriptures that promise justification to mans Active doing of the Law as may be suitable to the Gospel and mortify mans opinion of the Law and works But thou wilt say how shall I do that I answer doing in Divinity hath by reason of the Gospel a new signification which is to justify God and is not to be understood when justification is promised to it of a moral doing but of such a spiritual passive doing which is incomprehensible to mans reason whereby thou submittest to the wrath of the Law and flyest from it by faith to Christ who createth in thee a new opinion of the Law which is to walk in the works thereof without dependance upon them which obedience Paul teacheth thee to call a serving in newness of Spirit And thus mayest thou easily give an answer to all opposers of the Gospel Moreover this must also comfort us when we are in great tribulations when we are in doubt of his care and providence in respect of outward things or any way perplexed with the fear of Gods wrath For then will the Law begin to work in us after this manner these things thou hast done and thou canst not deny it and therefore thy judgment is just and nothing shall appear before thine eyes which way thy fears shall be prevented now in this condition if thou expoundest the Gospel according to the Law then shall thy faith be overwhelmed and only the Law shall reign
be filled with many excellent Vertues that be worthy of praise yet if they can with their curious Eyes but see any imperfection in him they quickly set him upon the Stage to make him a spectacle to all the World They are willing to behold his stains and blemishes and to cover him with Infamy and Reproach but they bury all things that are comely in him in the Grave of Oblivion These by their despising others do highly magnifie themselves but if they follow the Rules of Christ in other things as they suppose they do why do they not also follow the Example of Christ in this which of all others is so worthy of imitation Why do they walk so directly contrary to Christ and to that which is the principal Duty in practical new Obedience Christ by his Righteousness covereth the deformities of the humbled Sinner and calleth him the fairest these by their Righteousness cover all things that are worthy of praise and upon the sight of some imperfections count him the filthiest of all others This is a shame to all that account themselves Christians especially to those that esteem themselves great in the Church being Teachers of others who talk much of the Gospel in their Doctrine but why do they throw it down by their practice Doth not the Gospel principally teach Pity and Compassion towards Men even as God hath shewed Pity and Compassion towards us If these Men were so Righteous indeed as they seem to be in their own Eyes would they not then do to others as they would be done unto themselves They themselves are willing to have their own Vertues praised and their Deformities buried and this they greedily gape after but in dealing with others they make them as the filth of the World and the off-scouring amongst Men. Now who shall cover the Deformities of these Men before God when they will shew no Pity nor Compassion to their Brethren before Men How far these Men are besides the Mark it is easie for all Men to judge Let every poor humbled Sinner therefore receive the Consolation of Christ here and not be too much dismayed at his own deformity nor yet too much dejected with the Reproaches of Men. Christ saith If thou know not yet thou art to me the fairest amongst Women Knowledge is the Eye of the Soul which ought to be the guide of all Men's Actions and the Eye being blemished a great part of the Churches beauty is stained and defaced yet then if we seek unto him as the Church doth here and humble our selves before him he will speak loving and comfortable words unto us The Church is also directed in this Verse to feed her Kids by the Shepherds Tents It must be noted that the Shepherds Tents were always where the Ark was which was the visible Sign of God's Presence When the Ark of God was in Shiloh 1 Sam. 1. the Shepherds Tents were there And when the Ark was brought into the Temple at Jerusalem then the Shepherds Tents were there And in Num. 2.17 we read that the Children of Israel were to pitch their Tents about the Tabernacle of which the Levites had the charge because the Ark was there And as the Camp of the Levites was set forwards with the Tabernacle so every Man in his place was to set forwards by his Standard But with us the Ark of God is Baptism Mat. 28. because Baptism is the visible Sign to which the promise of Christ's Presence is made Now in that it is said There feed thy Kids it sheweth where the true Church is even where the Ark is Baptism and the Lord's Supper then are the Shepherds Tents Not a resting in the work done but where the right reason of their Institution is preserved and taught there are the true Shepherds and there is good feeding Now in that it is said Feed thy Kids it sheweth that the Flock of Christ consisteth of little Kids as well as of greater and stronger Cattel Isa 40. so Christ is said to gather the Lambs in his Arms Which sheweth he hath not only Sheep but also Lambs in his Flock And also it being said there feed thy Kids it teacheth us this that the Mother cannot have any feeding for her little Kids unless she bring them first under the promise of God So that even as the natural Mother cannot feed her Babe unless she give it the Teat no more can the Spiritual Mother feed her little Kids unless she first bring them to the Ark. Learn therefore the true knowledge of the Ark then thou hast found the Shepherds Tents thither bring thy Kids and feed them with Heavenly nourishment VERSE IX I have compared thee O my Love to a company of Horses in Pharaoh 's Chariot THis sentence seems to hang upon the former and sheweth how well Christ is pleased with the request of the Bride in the former Verse and declareth his loving Affection to her And therefore he begins with a Note of Admiration O my Love I have compared thee I am loth to set thee out by thy self alone I will do it by a similitude and many things there are I might compare thee to but of them all I will set thee out by Horses and not by Horses of the meanest sort but by Horses in Pharaoh's Chariot Egyptian Horses were the chiefest in all the World both for Battel and Courage 1 Kin. 28. and also highest in Account And the Horse is a Warlike Creature that rejoyceth in his strength Job 39. and goeth on to meet the Armed Men. Zac. 10.3 And the Lord did make the House of Judah as his goodly Horse in the day of Battel which treadeth down the Enemy as mire in the Streets and therefore the Bride is here compared to Horses in regard of her Faith and Doctrine by which she treadeth down and spoileth all her Spiritual Enemies And also to Horses in Pharaoh's Chariot that as a company of Pharaoh's goodly Horses well harnessed together running with courage and swiftness made much for the Honour of the King so the Church in shouldering together couragiously for the destruction of Antichrist and his Kingdom maketh much for the Honour of Christ her Beloved Which sheweth that the Lord's delight is in exercising his Church with Enemies and Seducers not only for the tryal of her Faith and Patience but also that the Kingdom of Satan may thereby be overthrown and totally destroyed Therefore no man must take offence if he be exercised in this kind but set forth himself manfully to defend the Gospel and patiently to continue in the Exercise thereof VERSE X. Thy Cheeks are comely with rows of Jewels and thy Neck with Chains of Gold IN the former Verse the Church is commended for her Courage and Skill in making War against her Spiritual Enemies here she is commended for her Beauty Some say the modesty of the Church is here praised which appeareth in her Cheeks when she blusheth for shame having sinned
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
were always to pray towards Jerusalem So that who ever he were that sought after God either to hear any thing from him or to receive any thing of him he must seek him in Jerusalem But now the corporal Jerusalem is destroyed the Ark is to be sought for in the new Jerusalem Which Ark is Baptism For as the promise of Gods presence then was where ever the Ark by Gods appointment was plac'd So the promise of Christs presence now is where Baptism is preserved aright Mat. 28. Baptism then is the Ark in the new Jerusalem Not a resting in the work done and corrupting the nature of it but where the true reason of its institution is taught and preserved Rev. 21.3 Therefore the Tabernacle of God is said to be with men and our bodies to be the visible Temples of the Holy Ghost Cor. 2.6 in regard of Baptism our Spiritual Ark. Wherefore the Chariot being made for the Daughters of Jerusalem it meaneth for those that are brought up under the Ark. For Jerusalem is the Mother because she abideth by the Ark she sticketh fast to the promises of God and instructeth all her Childeren in the same To those and to all those that are visible members of the Church is the word of God sent for although the blessing in the word be received but by a few yet the tender on Gods part is universal and must not be denied that those for whom it is prepared may receive it and they that refuse may be left without excuse Some will allow that all shall hear the word but deny their free admission to the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper But the Ark being the ground of Church-communion as aforesaid so long as the Ark remains right to the Lords Supper doth remain For nothing can cause the loss of any Church priviledg but the want of that which is Essential to its being now Baptism being Essential to all Church priveledges till Baptism be renounced right to all Church priviledges must remain Besides Heb. 11.4 Deut. 14.23 Rom. 15.8 all the Sacraments that ever were were incitements to faith and piety instituted on purpose to teach men to believe as is easy enough to be seen being all preparatives to faith and holiness and not effects therefore none must be debarr'd but all admitted Exod. 12.23 Else how shall the faith of the Church become Sacramental which faith was never wanting to the Church in any age And as the word belongs to the Children of the Ark and to all of them Joh. 1.31 Luk. 22.20 so it belongs to none but only them None can demonstrate that ever any people had a visible interest in the Scriptures Psal 147. Rom. 3. Acts 10.17.13 24. and to the interpretation thereof but only those people whom God first plac'd and also preserved under the external signs of his Covenant Jerusalem is the Mother because she bringeth forth Children under the Ark not in bringing forth Children before she cometh to the Ark So likewise they are not daughters of Jerusalem that count themselves holy and Saints before they come to the Ark all that teach that Doctrine pertain to another Mother and not to Jerusalem which is above the Mother of us all All those pertain to Sinai which is in bondage with her Children and not to the new Jerusalem the celestial and Heavenly City Therefore let us not despise the Riches of our beloved and lose so great a Treasure but seeing he is so bountiful unto us as to let us hear his word to make us his Chariot that we might have communion with himself be saved from an evil Conscience and from his everlasting wrath and be brought to live in glory with him for ever hereafter let us thank and bless his holy name and joyfully embrace his favour And let us also learn so to understand his word that we may receive the Heavenly gift of God that is sent unto us and so to understand the Sacraments that thereby we may be drawn to faith and true repentance Which that we may learn we must diligently mark what here next follows VERSE XI Go forth ye Daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart IN which words the Holy Ghost directeth the Daughter of Zion to a right behaviour of Soul in receiving that Doctrine wherewith the Chariot is made which is to go forth and behold By which words he rightly teacheth what the righteousness of the Gospel is not to rest in our selves but by faith to behold King Solomon with his Crown And also how the righteousness of Christ shall be received and kept even by going forth from depending upon our own inherent righteousness These are the two most Excellent and most useful points above all others and ought above all things to be preferred Which Doctrine we rightly learn when we submit our selves to the comdemnation of the Law and suffer our selves by faith to be divorced from the Law Else what doth it avail us to hear that the righteousness of Christ is ever so excellent a thing if we be not instructed by the Gospel how to be divorced from our own Now in this thing Christ differeth from all Teachers for the wisdom of man Teacheth after this sort if thou wilt attain to faith in Christ and be assured thereof do the Law keep the Commandments of God but the wisdom of the Holy Ghost saith the clean contrary go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown For this Act of faith in going forth to behold is not to do the Law but wholly to depart from the Law So that rightly to behold King Solomon with his Crown is wholly to forget and lose the Law This place therefore teacheth us how the righteousness of the Ten Commandments may be attained not by our doing the works of the Law but by faith in Christ without the Law Even by beholding the Kingdom and victory of our Lord Jesus Christ to be given to us freely This matter concerneth the conscience and therefore it had need be well learned Therefore when thou feelest thy sin and fearest the wrath to come confess it to God and ask forgiveness for Christs sake with a believing heart then hast thou spiritually fulfill'd the Law forasmuch as the righteousness of Christ is given to thee as soon as thou feelest and confessest thy condemnation by the Law which thing thou oughtest to beleive it being the chief Corner-Stone in building the Kingdom of Christ in thy distressed Conscience Therefore who ever thou art that wouldest attain to righteousness before God and also to true peace and comfort in thy Conscience learn thou the way how to attain the same even by faith in Christ without the works of the Law to go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown Now the Crown betokeneth the victory that Christ hath gotten over the
saith my beloved had with drawn himself and was gone This condition she fell into for the exercise and tryal of her faith after she had opened to her beloved and well understood the Gospel And this complaint she made in Song third Where she complaineth of the very same condition Which sheweth that such sort of tryals do often befal the godly in this miserable and wretched World when our beloved Christ will seem to hide himself and to cast off all care and regard of us when we are in misery that we shall have no sense or feeling at all of his love but will seem to be as a stranger that hath no relation to us even as one that hath forgotten all his promises And therefore she complaineth further in the next words My Soul failed when he spake I called upon him and he gave me no answer When he spake to me in his promises that no good thing should be wanting but that all my wants should be supplyed and bid me cast my care upon him because he cared for me my Soul did even fail and my confidence was even shaken and gone because I saw that all things were promised but nothing seem'd to be perform'd And further she saith I call'd upon him and he gave me no answer I prayed and humbled my self much before him and cryed aloud unto him in my sad condition and yet he gave me no answer By all which we see that it is no new way of excercising the faith of the Church when the godly are cast into poverty reproach and contempt of the world and when they see no way nor means appearing which way to get out In this condition therefore must we be content to live in and not to despaire of help whensoever it shall please our beloved to exercise us in it This great and sore affliction fell upon the Bride after she had done her duty faithfully and carefully for she had opened to her beloved and her hands had dropped the Myrrhe therefore it was for the tryal of her faith that she might learn by being exercised not to faint in a sad condition but to believe in the promises of God although nothing appeared to reason why she should believe the same According as it is said of Abraham that he believed in God who calleth things that are not as though they were Therefore I say this being mark'd out to be the condition of the Church many times no man must take offence at his beloved if he please to exercise his faith this way but quietly and patiently to depend upon him and call upon his name But mark we further what she complaineth of in this condition VERSE VII The watchmen that went about the City found me they smote me they wounded me VVE are not to understand by the watchmen the Ministers of the Gospel but such as continually watch to see the people of God in misery and to add affliction to the afflicted As is opened more at large in Song third Of these the Prophets David and Jeremy do often complain The Church says of these they smote her that is behind her back with words of reproach and wounded her in her name credit and reputation And this bitter temptation the godly shall be cast into by reason of the watchmen oftentimes of which sort of people let all that love God and their own peace and comfort learn in time to beware The keepers of the walls took my vail from me We are not to understand by the vail in this place Cor. 2.3 that which Paul speaketh of which is spread over the heart in the reading of Moses Nor yet such a vail as was wont to be worn by the Daughters of Zion for ornament Esa 2. she being here in the habit of a mourner But the vail here spoken of or rather the image of a vail is that reproach and infamy which was cast upon her by the watchmen whereby they thought to spoil her of her Title the Bride and to set her as much as in them lay in the shape and attire of an Harlot For even as it was the manner of Harlots to cover their faces with a vail Gen. 38.16 as is to be seen in Tamar that they might never afterwards be known or appear to be Harlots So it was the manner of the watchmen so to cover the Church with infamy and reproach that as much as in them lay she should never afterwards appear to be the Bride And this she calleth her vail And this the keepers of the walls took from her By the keepers Esa 62. understand the watchmen of the walls that do continually watch for the preservation of the spiritual City That do always help to preserve the Church in her faith and confidence lest she should be dismayed by the afflictions of the watchmen these do endeavour to build up the walls of Jerusalem and to pray day and night until she be made a praise in the Earth These keepers took off the vail of reproach Psal 59.6 that by reason of the watchmen was cast over the Bride They mentioned her condition at the Throne of grace comforted her in all her tribulations and endeavoured so to still the noise and smitings of the watchmen that at length all her reproach and infamy vanished and came to nothing This being the lot of the Church every one that is godly must expect that at some time or other in his life he shall be covered with this vail although he carry himself ever so exact and uprightly The watchmen are in every corner they go round about the City as David speaks and make a noise like a Dog which barketh sometimes at a very shadow sometimes because other Dogs bark but be it for what cause it will the least blemish that may be in the Bride sets them all a barking Therefore as we must expect the vail So we must beware of giving occasion Moreover as we must look to be in the condition of the Church so we must imitate the practice of the keepers that so when the afflictions of the Bride do become the musick of the wicked and when she is covered with great reproach when the Sons of Zion are esteemed but as earthen pitchers then we must begin to set to our Shoulder and take of the vail First by our prayers next by our endeavour to remove all the reproaches that are cast upon her and Lastly by comforts and consolations Then shall the breaches of the wall be repaired and the spiritual City preserved from those that desire her ruin VERSE VIII I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye finde my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love THe Churches vail being taken of by the keepers she is sick of love She finding so wonderful a deliverance out of so bitter a Temptation is even sick with joy and thankfulness to God And thus it is with us when God turneth our Captivity by his own
given and thinkest that thou thy self art not intended in the gift because thou findest so many promises made to righteous persons when thou thy self art a miserable sinner then dost thou totally banish Christ out of thy Conscience remainest in thy sins and must suffer the loss of Eternal life and glory and if thou teachest that point unto others thou dost not only discover thine unbelief but also professest thy self to be an unbeliever and dost by thy Doctrine establish the world in the grounds of unbelief directly contrary to the office of the holy Ghost which is to convince the world of sin because they believe not Joh. 16. Thou seest then first wherein the sweetness of Christs mouth lies in that he teacheth thee to believe first by destroying the ground of unbelief which nothing can do but only the Fathers gift next in shewing thee upon what ground thou must begin to build thy faith not because he first loveth thy works but thy sinful person that thou mayest love him bless him confess thy sins unto him and mourn for the depravation of thy sinful nature not out of dispaire but of love and thankfulness to thy Heavenly Father who hath shewed mercy to thee and given thee his Son Secondly His mouth is most sweet in that he teacheth thee the new signification of the terms of the Law he that sate upon the throne said behold I make all things new Rev. 21.5 So that since the fall of man the terms of the Law do this and live have a signification which is new and therefore mans obedience is said to be new But what is it to make all things new Quest I answer to make all things new Ans is to make a new way to attain to the righteousness of the Law and Everlasting life The Covenant of grace maketh the signification of the terms of the Law to be new by the righteousness of faith alone Understand it thus the terms lay'd upon Adam were do this in thine own person and live but do this since the fall is do it in the person of thy Redeemer and live so that do this before and since the fall have a double signification the one is old the other is new to receive grace from the Redeemer to do the Law in thine own person doth not make a new signification of the terms When Moses saith Lev. 18.5 do this and live he speaketh of the old signification of the terms of the Law do it in thine own person according to the Covenant made in Horeb. Exod. 20. But when Moses speaketh of the righteousness of faith Deut. 30.14 Which he calleth also also the keeping of the commandments Ver. 10.11 Rev. 22. He speaketh of the new signification of the terms of the Law according to the Covenant made in the Land of Moab Deut. 29. Ver. 1. The first of these pertains to the self justiciary the latter to the broken hearted nor thy obedience to be new for that is doing in thine own person the same terms which were lay'd upon Adam and not in the person of thy Redeemer nor canst thou ever believe that God loveth thee by that obedience nor yet be brought to love God but to do in the person of the Redeemer is to believe that he hath done it for thee and given his obedience to thee before he requireth any of thee that so by a new and living way thou mightest learn to love him fear him and obey him Therefore when the Law was given the Gospel is set before wherein God giveth himself unto us that we might love him before he requireth any thing from us And in the first Commandment he layeth this prohibition upon us which also runneth through all the ten Commandments that we seek after no preparative righteousness to precede the Gospel So that to do the Law is to do it according to the Gospel and the first Commandment which is not to depend upon the Law Therefore when it is said blessed are they that do his Commandments that their right may be in the tree of Life thou must understand it according to the Gospel and the first Commandment where by doing his Commandments is meant not depending upon the Law which opinion in us of self dependance is the first thing which is taken away by the Gospel and goeth imediately before our establishing in Christ All this hinders not but that the Law is to be done before men to the utmost of our power in the Kingdom of the Law our obedience must be personal which not withstanding helpeth nothing to righteousness because it is prevented by faith in Christ Now herein also the sweetness of Christs mouth is seen in that he teacheth by the Gospel a new understanding of the Law Thirdly The sweetness of Christs mouth is seen in this also in that he teacheth the true reason of the institution of Sacraments which in all ages of the Church were to teach faith in Christ Sacraments were not instituted to assure us that we have faith or to confirm to us that we do believe but to assure us by a figure of the visible ground of our faith that we might believe that our faith might be Sacramental as well as verbal that we might learn the mistery of our faith by and from the figure Thus by Circumcision God did establish his Covenant with Abraham to be his God Gen. 17.7 and the God of his seed and why was this But only from the figure to teach him to believe And when circumcision is said to be a Seal of the righteousness of faith it is Rom. 4. because it confirmeth by a figure the righteousness which faith layeth hold upon And under the figure of the Passover they were taught to believe their deliverance Exod. 12.13 from sin and the wrath of God by the blood of Christ So the reason why Baptism was instituted was to manifest Christ unto Israel John 1.31 It looketh not upon the worthiness of the person but teacheth to behold our unworthiness that we may be made worthy in Christ So the Lords Supper Luk. 22. was instituted to fulfil the Passover and shew us the Lords death that we might have a visible and Sacramental ground to believe that he is crucified and risen for us Now these being the causes why Sacraments were instituted it is proving and not to be proved therefore no unworthiness in the Subjects must be alleaged to bar their priviledg that stands in opposition to the reasons of their institution So that we see Christs mouth is sweet in that he openeth these three points the ground of our faith the sense of the Law and the reason of the institution of Sacraments Which I conceive are the three gates spoken of Rev. 21. which pertain to the holy City new Jerusalem on the East West North and South side of the Heavenly City without the opening of which three gates there is no entrance into the new Jerusalem For let
first teacheth us to be displeased with our selves and so maketh us a people for his glory This is the way of the Lord and thus he feedeth his Lillies and they that well tast hereof are nourished up in peace and comfort With this one argument thou mayest drive the Divel and all his instruments into Hell from whence they came For those words I am thine and thou art mine are not thy words but the words of God thy Heavenly Father who owneth thee and hath given himself unto thee Rest thou therefore in this conclusion and if any quarrel thereat send them to thy Heavenly Father that made the promise and bid them aske him why he look'd upon so vile a person as thou art and why he made the way to life so easy as to believe and live Then shalt thou also find his word to become an hiding place in all storms and a Sanctuary in the day of heat VERSE IV. Thou art beautiful my Love as Tirza comely as Jerusalem terrible as an Army with Banners THese are the words of Christ who beholding the faith of his spouse can no longer hold but breaketh out into this commendation of her thou art beautiful my love And the cause is in regard she sticketh to the true principles of faith whereby she is imputed fair Therefore he telleth her thou art the Royal Diadem thou bearest the renown Which sheweth us clearly wherein the praise of the Church consisteth even in believing and contending for that faith which was once given to the Saints First he likeneth her beauty to Tirza a City where the Kings of Israel did reign and keep their Courts The King was present there which made the City beautiful And that which makes the Church so beautiful in Christs eye is because she liveth in the Kings Court she holdeth Christ by the hand of faith alone Others contend for works first to all those Christ is absent All such do want the beauty of Tirza and may rightly be called Ichabod because from them the glory is departed Next she is commended for her comeliness comely as Jerusalem Jerusalem was comely in regard God himself chose to dwell in it In which City the Temple was built wherein the Ark was kept and also the golden Pot that had Manna which was to shew the wonderful works of God to posterity And Aarons rod that budded which was kept to still the murmerings of the people against the Magistracy and Ministry And the two Tables of the Covenants For these things Jerusalem is said to be comely And also by the Psalmist Psal 48.2 to be fair in Scituation the joy of the whole Earth In these things likewise the praise of this Heavenly City the New Jerusalem consisteth In that she alone liveth in the sight of peace in the sight of the Temple and the Ark hath the right use of her Baptism the true knowledg of the Tables feedeth upon the hid Manna in the Golden Pot and hath the true understanding of Aarons Rod that budded herein lyeth her happiness beauty and glory in that she conformeth in all these things Therefore she is said to be comely and the joy of the whole Earth in that she receiveth and teacheth the free grace of her Redeemer and cheerfully obeyeth him in all things And in that she is Terrible as an Army with Banners it meaneth against all those that are adversaries to her Faith and Doctrine And so Terrible that by this one argument I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine all her adversaries are confounded and driven down to Hell This argument therefore is the Banner of the Church and also a matter of commendation with this Banner must we defend our selves and under it must we rejoyce VERSE V. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me thine hair is like a flock of Goats that appear from Gillead IT is as if Christ had said this thou art so beautiful and comely in my sight and so Terrible to all mine adversaries in regard of thy faith and Doctrine that thou hast even overcome me which sheweth us wherein the delight of Christ chiefly lyeth namely in this when the word of God is so understood and stuck unto by faith that by it the Kingdom of Satan may be broken in pieces Now in that Christ says turn away thine eyes from me he meaneth not to another lover but explaineth his meaning in the next words thine hair is like a flock of Goats by which he meaneth the faithful who are likened to hair because even as hair groweth from and hangeth on the head so do they all hang upon their head the Lord Jesus Christ Therefore Christ saith turn about thine eyes to them and Preach the Gospel to them that they also may be strong in the Lord. See Song 4. 2. As also for the Churches Teeth and Temples VERSE VIII There are threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines and Virgins without number BY Queens I understand all those that make separation from the worship of God in Church assemblies These are said to be threescore which is an indefinite speech meaning there are multitudes of them And they are all Queens that is in their own conceit and imaginations they all think themselves so to be The opinion of them all is set down in Esai 47. I am and none else And in Rev. 18. I sit a Queen and am no widow The meaning I conceive is this I am the only Bride or Queen of Christ and there is none else but only those of my way and this is the opinion of every Sect. And their opinion is not only set down but also the reason of it I am no widow Now to be a widow cannot be until the Husband be dead Rom. 7. but when the Husband is dead the woman is a widow And she that calleth her self a Queen They that glory in the Law are condemned by the Law is the Church in her own esteem and her Husband is the Law And in that she glorieth in her married condition it sheweth she is not dead to the Law but under the dominion and power of the Law So that I am no widow is as much as to say I am not divorced from nor dead in respect of the Law but I dilligently follow the works of the Law therefore am I the true spouse or Queen of Christ The sum is she boasteth in the righteousness of the Law because as she supposeth she walketh according to the Law which is the opinion of every Sect. The Concubines are those that do not make a local separation from the Church but live in visible communion with her yet have no part nor share in the inheritance of God For Concubines it seemeth were such as were taken into the Family as appears by Hagar Abrahams Concubine and also by Solomons Concubines yet bare no rule in the Family as Wifes neither did their Children pertake of the inheritance as is to be seen by the
casting out of Hagar and her Son Nevertheless they had great gifts bestowed upon them Gen. 25. for although Abraham as a figure of God gave all his inheritance to Isaac yet unto the Sons of the Concubines Hagar and Keturah Abraham gave gifts and sent them away into the East Coutry These Concubines jointly considered are nothing else but the bondwoman who although she liveth in visible Society with the Bride yet she gendereth her Children unto bondage These are said to be fourscore which is also a certain number for an uncertain meaning there are multitudes of these sort of people that keep a wonderful stir in the Family of God chiefly about government and ruling that would if they knew how fain bear sway in the Family in outward goverment yet have no authority as the Wife who ruleth all things through faith in Christ By the Virgins without number understand the companions of the Bride who are not yet converted yet not opposers but well wishers to the Bride that are not yet brought but that shall be brought unto her Psal 45. according to the Psalmist These are called Virgins because they ought to be undefiled in respect of their faith and to look with a single eye upon the Lord Jesus Christ VERSE IX My dove my undefiled is but one she is the only one of her Mother the choise one of her that bare her THe Queens and Concubines are many and are also of many opinions in matters of Religion but my dove is but one One in regard of universality and one in respect of unity She endeavoureth to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4. And in that she is said to be undefiled it sheweth that the Queens and Concubines are such as are defiled in heart and Conscience before God though outwardly they may seem to appear righteous before men The cause of their defilement is because they all say I sit a Queen and am no widow they all boast in the Law therefore saith the Holy Ghost shall her plagues come at one day death and mourning and famine Rev. 18. for strong is the Lord God that will condemn her Because she trusteth in the wickedness of her own opinion therefore her own opinion shall condemn her By all which we see that although the Queens and Concubines are the only righteous persons in their own eyes yet she that mourneth for her sins is the only excellent creature in Christs sight And why is she so excellent Even because she presenteth her self before him not a righteous person but a sinner by her principles and asketh forgiveness of the same The Queens and Concubines are sinners in word but by their principles they seek justification in the Law which sheweth that in heart and opinion they are not sinners by the Law That they seek justification by the Law appears in that they teach a necessity of the Law from which also flowes another evil which consisteth in destroying the right end of all obedience to the Law which is not to become righteous and just before God but that I may with a cheerful heart do good unto my Neighbour But the Bride teacheth no necessity of the Law Vnderstand this no necessity only in the matter of justification therefore by her principles she presenteth her self a sinner before God by the Law now because she separateth the Law from the judgment seat therefore she layeth down the ground of all good works and also sheweth the right end of the Law And therefore she is said to be as it here followeth the only one of her Mother The Mother is Jerusalem which is above the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 By which is meant the universal Church For Sarah the freewoman which Paul is there treating of was the Mother of Isaac and a type of the New Testament which Isaac was born by promise For Abraham had Isaac by Sarah and he had also Ishmael by Hagar his Concubine Both these Sons were born in Abrahams Family which was the visible Church of God Isaac was born by promise but Ishmael was born without the promise of God In Abrahams Family then there are the two Testaments and a twofold Mother The one is Agar figuring the Law which being without the promise of God gendereth all her Children unto bondage The other is Sarah which is called the freewoman being a type of the true Church which giveth the Gospel freely without the works of the Law She that after this manner gendereth Children unto God is the only one of her Mother The Concubine is without this praise because she gendereth from Sina therefore is she under the curse and wrath of God Now as Isaac is the heir because he is born by promise So the Children of the freewoman are the only Sons and heirs of God by Adoption And as Ishmael was a servant cast out of Abrahams Family and never to have any share in the inheritance with Isaac So the Law only maketh men servants subject to the wrath of God and separateth them from the glorious inheritance of the Saints for evermore Let us learn then so to understand the Gospel that we may become Children of the free-woman which thou canst not do unless thou renounce the bondwoman and her Son Therefore when thy Conscience is in distress and thou feelest thy self to be in bondage under the curse of the Law and wrath of God and thou beginnest to humble thy self before him stop thine ears then from hearing the Law either for what thou hast done or what thou oughtest to have done and hearken only to the comfortable voice of the promise which speaketh nothing but grace and mercy to a poor Creature that feeleth his misery and suffer the same to make an impression within thee Then shalt thou have a certain feeling within thy self that although thou art defiled in thine own eyes because thou hast broken thy bounds yet that thou art undefiled in the sight of thy beloved in regard thou receivest grace and mercy from him The Daughters saw her and blessed her yea the Queens and the Concubines and they praised her To bless in Scripture sometimes signifies to justify Psal 32.1 2. so God blesseth us when he justifieth us But a man may be said to justify another when he followeth the practice of another Thus Jerusalem is said to justifie her Sisters Samaria and Sodom Eze. 16. by following their abominations And this I understand in another sense to be the meaning here by the Daughters blessing and the Queens and Concubines praising the Bride Which is they followed the practice of the Bride They do not condemn but bless or justify the practice of the Bride But it may be said in what I answer in seeking after a Christ All manner of Sects and Hereticks do seek after a Christ but not after the true Christ There is a great difference in seeking after a Christ and the Christ A
only himself if he should one day see many to come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Father and he himself to be thrust out If he should at the last day for despising of the Gospel be separated from the presence of the Lord in whose presence there is fulness of joy and should be driven to suffer the punishment of loss and the punishment of sense for ever yet I say no man can complain or once open his mouth against the Lord Jesus Christ who is willing to bestow all blessings upon men but they do not value them nor esteem them All men will put a must and necessity upon themselves in other matters to rise early and to go to bed late and to eat the bread of carefulness but scarce any man counts it a necessity to attend at the gates of wisdom to seek after knowledg to call and cry for understanding without which every man must perish for evermore Learn we then before it be too late to put an high price upon the things of the Gospel then shall the Mystery be opened to us which is lock'd up and hid from the wicked despisers thereof Which thing we can never do unless we feel our need of the Gospel and the Infinit worth that there is in it to serve our necessities Let us therefore learn to behold the evil scent that our sins do cast into the nostrils of God that we may be afflicted with the same next we must smell to the Mandrakes which are brought unto us by the first born Then shall we find the blessedness that is at wisdoms gates and begin to tast of the pleasant fruits of Christ death both New and Old which are for all those and only those that do esteem them according as Christ says here which I have laid up for thee O my beloved CHAP. VIII VERSE I. O that thou wert as my brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother when I should find thee without I would kiss thee yet I should not be despised THE Church hearing from Christ the Excellent things that are laid up for her and only her which esteemeth of the same wisheth that all those that live in the same Society with her might partake of the same pleasant Fruits Therefore she says O that thou meaning a visible brother unconverted or the whole company of those that do dissent from her in the true principles of faith and good works We rt as my brother that is my natural brother in the faith That sucked the breasts of my Mother meaning Jerusalem which is above the Free mother and Mother of us all which the Children of the bond-woman pertain not unto These words amount to as much as this there is a difference between thy Mother and my Mother my Mother freely giveth the milk of the Gospel without the works of the Law thy Mother giveth nothing without but for the observance of the Law Now because she gendereth Children by the Law therefore thou art not without but under the Law If I could find thee without that is to say the Law or thine own opinion of Righteousness by the Law then would I kiss thee which meaneth with the comforts of the Gospel but because thou dependest upon the Law thou therefore excludest thy self from the promises of God and despisest me when I offer the kiss but if I could find thee without the Law then would I kiss thee yet I should not be despised This sheweth us that there is a wonderful difference between people that are born under the same Covenant of promise The one she says is my brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother the other is but as Abraham said of his Wife the Daughter of my Father but not the Daughter of my Mother For it cannot be denied but that they are the people of God visibly to whom the Oracles of God are given yet that doth not make them Children of Adoption unless they suck the breasts of the true Mother whereby they learn the true knowledg and sense of the Scriptures Therefore she saith O that thou wert as my brother that suck'd Which sheweth that they never yet tasted of the Teat The same thing must we also desire earnestly and heartily for our brethren that live with us in the same visible Society which yet are averse to the faith of Christ That if it be possible we might find them without that so they being divorced from their opinion of Righteousness by the Law we might freely bestow upon them a kiss by the Gospel without being scorned contemned or despised This also sheweth us clearly what the condition of the Gospel is namely to be without the Law to be found without our own works and righteousness for mark it if I should find thee without then would I kiss thee as much as to say then would I upon this only condition Administer the the comforts of the Gospel unto thee Nothing can be more clear to settle us in the ground of our faith then what is here written Therefore when thou art afflicted for thy sin and comest before God thou must learn to believe in Christ without and against the Law and fully to perswade thy self that the Gospel is thine because thou art without an opinion of the Law Then shalt thou be enabled and encouraged when thou comest before men to live in the use and practise of the Law VERSE II. I would lead thee and bring thee into my Mothers house who would instruct me I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juyce of my Pomegranate THese words set forth the kindness of the Church towards those that are coming on in the faith I would lead thee that is if I could find thee without I would guide thee and become instrumental to bring thee with Honour and Solemnity Into my Mothers house amongst the Spiritual people that belong to the Family of God that are fill'd with Heavenly liquor and are willing freely to bestow it by whose acquaintance thy Conscience should be covered with the voice of joy and gladness for my Mother to whom I would bring thee would instruct me She changeth the person here to shew the unity that faith maketh amongst the Saints I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine I would cause thee by Divine reasons and arguments to receive not only wine without any thing to compound with it meaning the Righteousness of a man only but I would cause thee to drink of spiced Wine Which is made more Excellent by reason of art in mixture even of the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ which being spiced and perfumed with the Merit of his Godhead preserveth the Conscience from the wrath of God and the fear of Eternal death This I would cause thee to drink of even by a holy kind of violence and compulsion that thou shouldest not forgo it Which she calleth here the juyce of her