do proceed from the Mouth of Christ her Beloved For when Satan rageth the Law threatneth and her Conscience accuseth yet then the Mouth of her Beloved is most sweet and Lovely His Lips are like Lillies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe The kisses of an Enemy are deceitful Prov. 27.6 Can. 5.16 therefore she desireth her Friend The Law cannot comfort her in the day of distress therefore she desireth after her Lord. She forsaketh the Servant and desireth to be kissed with the kisses of Christ's mouth Now the reason why she desireth the kisses of Christ above all others is set down in the next words For thy Love is better than Wine In which words she setteth out the excellency of his Love far beyond all his Gifts Wine is an excellent gift of God having many excellent Properties in it 1 Tim. 5. it helpeth the infirmity of Man's Body it is delightful to the Eye pleasant to the Tast but above all this the Psalmist saith Psal 104.15 It maketh glad the Heart of Man These things she denieth not but that they are very delightful but yet she esteemeth them as nothing in comparison of his Love Wine also was in much esteem at Marriages as we see by the Wedding Christ was at when he turned Water into Wine yet notwithstanding all these the Bride is more imflamed with the Love of his Person than with the Love of Wine and the reason she giveth is because his Love is better than Wine Which sheweth us the right way how to have a light esteem of all things under the Sun which is to fasten our Eyes upon something that is better And also that when we are in the greatest Misery by reason of Sin and the Cross it sheweth us what to do even then to desire the apprehension of Christ's Love and to assure our selves by Faith that he speaketh good and comfortable words unto us and not as the Law and our own evil Consciences doth these things thou hast done and therefore thy Misery is just I say Christ doth not thus speak to the humbled Soul but ceaseth then from Rigour parteth with his Right and speaketh the words of Grace and Consolation to us Therefore must we embrace his Heavenly kiss with thankful Hearts and then shall we find by experience that to be true which the Bride here singeth Thy Love is better than Wine VERSE III. Because of the savour of thine Ointments HEre it is farther shewed by the holy Ghost why the Bride doth so much esteem of his Love and why her Affection is so much drawn to him it is because of the savour of his Ointments his Person is most excellent and sweet for being anointed with the Godhead all his Actions became meritorious for her in the sight of the Father For it must be noted that when the nature of Man was taken by the Godhead in Unity of Person it was filled with notable and excellent Graces both with all created and uncreated Perfections with Wisdom in the Understanding Holiness in the Will Purity in the Affections in all points whereby the Body it self became a worthy Instrument for the great Work of Man's Redemption And these the Bride calleth his Ointments by which he became a Person whose sacrifice was a sweet smelling savour not only in the sight of God but also in the Consciences of all the Elect. And this anointing of Christ was shadowed in the Law Exod. 20.30 when God did appoint that there should be an anointing Oyl made of the Oyl of Olives and other notable Perfumes for the anointing of Aaron and his Sons and the Vessels of the Sanctuary which holy Oyl was to be as a Sacrament of that most excellent sweetness that should be found in Christ the high Priest of his Church That even as Aaron and his Sons being anointed therewith were made to smell sweet in the Nostrils of the People so the Godhead did persume the Humanity of Christ with such most excellent sweetness whereby the smell of his Actions did make a most pleasant Persume for us in the fight of God the Father But besides these Ointments of the Sanctuary there were other Ointments also that Kings did use who had as it seemeth the fairest and sweetest things that could be invented for themselves and their Queens to perfume their Clothes withall as appears by Queen Esther Esth 2.12 who for certain days before she came to the King perfumed her self with Oyl of Myrrhe and sweet Odours and other things which were appointed for the purification of Women And Solomon also being a Type of Christ Psal 45. is said to have his Garments perfumed with Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia out of the Ivory Palaces Now either of these Ointments whether those that were made for Priests or the Perfume that was made for Kings do serve to set forth the most excellent sweetness that is in Christ whereby distressed Consciences when once perfumed therewith do become an Odour of a sweet smelling Sacrifice in the sight of God And therefore Christ under the Figure of Solomon is said to be anointed with the Oyl of Gladness Psal 45. because when the Merits of his Actions are given to the distressed Conscience it is delivered from the guilt of Sin and wrath of God And therefore it is that the Bride here speaketh of the savour of his Ointments She looketh not upon any thing of worth in her self but smelleth the savour of the good Ointments of her Beloved which are as a Soveraign Balm to heal her of all her wounds and of infinite sweetness to drive away the stinking and loathsom smell of all her Sins from the presence of God whereby she comes to be filled with sweet and Heavenly delight Which teacheth us the true nature and use of Faith which is that when we feel the stink of our Sins the grievousness of our Wounds and the loathsomness of our filthy Nature not then to look after any worthiness in our selves but only to smell to the sweet and precious Ointments of our Beloved which being presented before the Justice Seat do send forth such a smell that causeth the Father to forget the stink of all our Sins and will also fill our Minds and Consciences with Heavenly delight For to this purpose was the Lord Jesus Christ anointed that our Minds and Consciences might be fill'd with the savour thereof Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth In which words the Bride farther amplifieth why she doth so much esteem of his Love it is from his Name For it was promised concerning Christ That a Virgin should Conceive and bring forth a Son and his Name shall be called Emanuel which is God with us The understanding of this Name she saith is as precious Ointment because through this Name she hath her Mind perfumed and her Conscience discharged from the wrath of God for if God be present the scar of his wrath must needs be absent If God be with us who can be
against us There is nothing in Heaven Earth or Hell can possibly dismay us where God is present being apprehended by Faith But there is another thing here which maketh her esteem his Name not only because his Name is as Ointment but also as Ointment poured forth His Name is not as Ointment kept in a Box but as Ointment poured out If Ointment were kept in a Box always and not poured out then no Man could smell it but being poured out it will make an excellent Persume as may be seen by that Ointment which Mary brought in an Alabaster Box to anoint Christ withall She breaketh the Box and poureth it out and it is noted John 12. the whole House did smell of the Odour of it Before the Box was broken it did not smell so much but after the Box was broken and the Ointment poured out it did smell exceedingly So although the Humanity of Christ be filled with all Grace that a Creature can be capable of yet if no Man knew it what were it the better But when he is declared and manifested to Man then he is as an Ointment poured out and this is done by the preaching of the Gospel There is a double consideration to be had about the pouring out of Christ's Ointments the one is the pouring them out upon his own doings the other is when the Ointment is poured out upon the Virgins The one of these pourings out respecteth himself but the other respecteth fainting distressed Minds The one is the pouring forth of his Ointments upon the Actions of the Redeemer the other is the pouring them forth into the Consciences of the Redeemed For the case standeth thus If the Actions that were Christ's own had not been perfumed with the excellent savour of his Ointments they had not been fit nor of sufficient worth for a Redemption but seeing they were all perfumed with the Infinite Odour of the Godhead therefore they became a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour acceptable to the Father And as the Grace that is in Christ Jesus did make him shine and glitter in the sight of the Father so when his Ointments are poured out in the preaching of the Gospel it maketh him shine and glitter in the Consciences of the Elect. And this is that which the Bride here hath an Eye unto even to that which is poured upon the Virgins whereby they came to love him which could never be if it were only poured upon his own doings and no man knew it therefore that the Virgins may love him they must smell the sweetness of the Ointments themselves And this is done when it is poured out in the preaching of the Gospel This sheweth us that without we are persum'd by these Ointmenes we are no better in the sight of God than stinking Carrion and that until the Gospel hath poured out the Ointments we can never be perfumed thereby Therefore when thou feelest the stink of thy Sins make hast to the Box of Perfume that the sweet Ointments may be poured upon thee Pitiful it is if thou know not the stink of thy Sins and worse not to know of this Heavenly Box of Perfume but worst of all to those that cannot abide this Heavenly Ointment but stop their Nostrils at the breaking of the Box what will become of such But that the word to them will become a savour of Death unto Death Learn thou therefore to smell this sweet and heavenly Perfume then shalt thou find in thy self the same Effects that were wrought in the Virgins as here followeth Therefore the Virgins love thee The Church in general and all the Members thereof in particular are called Virgins in respect of the purity of their Faith being formed without the works of the Law In this sence the Church is called a Virgin by St. Paul 2 Cor. 11.2 I have presented you a pure Virgin to Christ So that she is a Virgin in regard she is delivered from the Law and married to Christ by Faith alone She is ignorant of the Law knowing nothing of the Law and her own Righteousness in the matter of her justification before God She hath a single Eye beholdeth not a double object in distress of Mind but fixeth her Eye upon Christ alone If thou formest thy Faith only by the promise then thou art delivered from the Law and Curse of God but if thou countest thine own Works to be Essential to Faith then the Virginity of Faith is lost then thou dost Adulterate from the Promise and art overwhelmed with the Curse This Virginity is preserved where there is a right distinction taught between Faith and the Law man's Reason when it heareth the promises to be annexed to the Law it presently concludeth as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai All that the Lord commandeth us we will do thinking it self sufficiently able to perform the Law Which opinion in Man causeth not only the loss of true Virginity but also of true and everlasting Happiness Now there being so wide a difference between Faith and Man's opinion of the Law it will not be amiss to consider what true obedience to the Law is There is a double Consideration to be had about Obedience to the Law Active and Passive Active Obedience is when thou puttest forth all thy Abilities to perform the Law Passive Obedience is when thou submit test thy self to the condemning Power of the Law and utterly renouncing the Law flyeâ— to Christ by Faith This Passive Obedience goeth before Justification forgiveness of Sins and imputation of Righteousness being promised to it and Active Obedience followeth after This Passive Obedience I call Obedience to the Law because it is required in the first Command ment which forbiddeth thee to depend upon thine own Righteousness which is by the Law and requireth thee to lay hold on the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 which is manife-fested without the Law So that all those Scriptures that require a necessity of the Law as the doers of the Law shall be justified and bless those only that are the doers of the Commandments intend this Active and Passive Obedience in order as hath been said And therefore must be understood according to the first Commandment which first teacheth us to hear the word of the Curse and to justifie God and next it driveth us to the promise which justifieth us And this is the true obedience of Faith which I here call the Passive Obedience which as soon as thou enterest into thou becomest a pure Virgin to Christ and yieldest thy self in Marriage to the Son of God which as soon as thou apprehendest by Faith thy Conscience is made joyful and glad by the Righteousness of thy Redeemer which also breedeth in thee Active Obedience whereby thou joyfully dost good works unto thy Neighbour Faith then separateth between Active and Passive Obedience and so preserveth pure Virginity in the Church for it placeth the one before and the other after justification Where
this Virginity of Faith is the Conscience resteth hopeth and rejoyceth in Christ his Saviour and the outward Man joyfully doth good works unto his Neighhour Love thee The holy Ghost here sheweth the reason why the Virgins fall in Love with Christ which is as was said before drawn from the savour of his Ointments The first Commandment is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart But now the Question is how this Love of God shall be wrought in the Soul that what is commanded in the Law may be attained to That which is here set down resolves this Question Therefore the Virgins love thee Not because of the Law but because of the Gospel So that the Gospel teacheth thee how to attain to all those things which are required in the Law namely To love God and thy Neighbour otherwise thy Obedience is nothing worth This had need be well understood by those in the Ministry lest instead of teaching Men to love God they drive them from God and cause them to hate and abhorr him more than they did before Lest instead of teaching the Passive Obedience which breedeth Love to God they press nothing but the Active Obedience which driveth all Men from God for it breedeth in Men an opinion of Righteousness by the Law which is a Sin directly against the first Commandment Therefore Christ calleth this manner of Teaching a teaching Men to break the Law He that breaketh the least Commandment Mat. 5.19 and teacheth Men so shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven This teacheth Men to break the Law because it establisheth in Men a false opinion of the Law which bindeth all Men under the Curse of God Now to teach Men to break the Law is when no other Righteousness is required to make Men Holy and Righteous in the sight of God and Conscience but only the Righteousness of the Law These are the least least of all accounted in the sight of God and least of all accounted on in the Church of God because they forsake the true and lay another Foundation of Faith and Holiness which is contrary to the testimony of the holy Ghost here and also contrary to the Doctrine of the first Commandment as hath been shewed before VERSE IV. Draw me IT is not here said Command me or Compel me and we will run but draw me This sheweth what Doctrine it is by which the Soul is united to Christ it is not done by pressing or requiring the works of the Law but by giving or infusing into the Soul the Righteousness of the Gospel For the Church is here in heaviness and weariness being not able of her self to go nor stand by reason of her Sin and the greatness of her Affliction by which she is filled with so many fears and perplexities that the Heart is even ready to sink into despair and to conclude that God hath cast it off for ever Now what shall be said to this miserable Woman in this condition that may be sutable in order to her Peace and Comfort Shall it be said go thy way amend thy Life keep the Commandments of God and then thou shalt have full deliverance This is even as for a Malefactor that is condemned by the Law and nothing can help him but Mercy to be sent to his Accuser for help and deliverance This is not to draw the Soul to Christ but to wrap it up in Guilt and Bondage Therefore when thy Conscience is in distress thou must then hear no Law but harken only to the voice of the blessed Son of God which draweth thee to himself not by the Law but by the Gospel which delivereth thee from all thy fears and distresses and settleth thee in a Kingdom of Peace and Joy Christ doth not put the Conscience in fear as the Law doth but speaketh comfortable words to the trembling afflicted Conscience John 8. The poor Woman that was taken in Adultery no doubt was in a trembling and very sad condition when she was so vehemently accused by the Pharisees when they brought her before Christ Master say they this Woman was taken in the very act must she not be stoned For so Moses wrote what sayest thou But Christ maketh no answer to them only writeth with his Finger on the ground and biddeth them He that is without Sin cast the first Stone at her and they being all convicted went out one by one But the Woman stayed and heard Christ No doubt the poor Woman could not chuse but fall in Love with Christ greatly which appeared by her staying until the Pharisees were all gone and none left but only Christ and her self For Christ did not put her in fear neither was she afraid of him but he asked her this Question Woman where are thine Accusers Hath no Man condemned thee She said No Man Lord. And Jesus said Neither do I Condemn thee This was comfortable to the poor Woman that had broken the Seventh Commandment for it is thus much in effect in as much as thou hidest not thy Sin nor flyest away but abidest with me and expect mercy and forgiveness from me therefore behold I will not Condemn thee but forgive thy Sin Go and Sin no more And by this means was this poor distressed Woman drawn to Christ even by the loving and gentle carriage of Christ her Lord For she regardeth not the Accusation of the Pharisees nor yet the Accusations of her own Conscience but listeneth and harkeneth very diligently to the comfortable News that the Gospel bringeth And this is the request of the Bride in this place when she says Draw me and this must we all do when we are in misery and distress even desire to hear and rest upon the blessed voice of the Son of God And we will run after thee That is to say in all times of Misery and Affliction we will make hast after thee Having once found how and after what manner Christ doth draw which is by presenting himself and his merits unto the Conscience in distress against the Accusations of the Law and the fear of God's wrath she finding him to be a Person so gentle and amiable one that will not upbraid her and discomfort her adding Affliction to the Afflicted but that speaketh kindly and friendly to her saith here We will run after thee This running is nothing but with readiness of Affection and speediness of Action to make application of the Promises in time of distress and therefore it is said After thee that is after thee for Succour and Comfort in the time of great Affliction and Misery The KING hath brought me into his Chambers The Church desireth to be drawn before after Christ began to pull her once she ran speedily after him Now here she sheweth whither she was pulled or drawn it was into his Chambers and also by whom she was drawn even by the King the Lord Jesus Christ her Beloved He that might disdain her as a Begger
we therefore that Doctrine which breedeth and feedeth faith then shall we also love God and be fill'd with all Divine and Heavenly qualities Now the bride having found her beloved mark what she did I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mothers house and into the chamber of her that conceived me First she held him she laid up those experiences of his merciful deliverances fast in her mind and memory and would not lose them nor yet declare them before scoffers and scorners that contemn the word and ways of God but to those of her Mothers house meaning the Church of God by whose Doctrine she was regenerated and brought up in the faith of Christ to her brethren and sisters there thither she brought her beloved and not only into her mothers house but also into the Chamber where she was conceived meaning the Conscience to which Christ must be made known where ever the knowledg of him comes to be effectual She is not contented that the knowledg of him should be setled only in the head but also in the hearts of others therefore she bringeth Christ into the very Chamber and cannot be satisfied until he be there Which sheweth us the true nature of faith where ever it is which is never to rest satissied until Christ be brought into the Conscience it is not at quiet but in performing the same office for others after a certain manner that Christ hath done for us that even as Christ is become bountiful and beneficial to us so also it studieth which way to be bountiful and beneficial to all men first to the Soul and then to the body First by teaching the Doctrine of Christ aright next by teaching the Doctrine of good works and this is rightly to bring Christ into our mothers house works cannot breed faith faith cannot but breed good works Therefore when good works are required the Gospel must go before which must deliver and free the Conscience from the guilt of sin and wrath of God and work in it with the bride here a certain sense of faith that it may by a sure and certain light perceive the reason why it bursteth forth into all good works and from what fountain they spring and whither they are directed VERSE V. I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love until he please THe voice of Christ who being delighted in the faith and practise of his Church when she consulteth not with the flesh and reason but being as it were in an holy sleep with himself chargeth the daughters of Jerusalem the second time who are always disturbers of the peace and security of the Church from the example of those loving creatures that will not part that trouble not nor seek to make any separation between him and his spouse until he himself please which is never VERSE VI. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke BY the wilderness is meant a dark solitary Esa 35.1 and sad condition which the Church meeteth with in this world which is a very wilderness barren and empty of all things which concerns the happiness and comfort of the bride of Christ Into this wilderness the Church is brought where she findeth nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit therefore Christ here setteth her out by way of admiration who is this that cometh out of the wilderness That mounteth up above the world and pineth not away in a sad condition For according to the wisdom of the flesh there is no man under Heaven knoweth which way to get out but the Church by faith in Christ cometh out which is a service highly accepted in the sight of God and which also preserveth the Soul from sinking in the day of adversity for when a man seeth others in prosperity and himself in affliction others to be highly esteemed and magnified for their outward pomp and he himself to be incontempt man is ready to judg such persons to be beloved of God and he himself to be hated but faith joineth us to the words of Christ in this place who doth not as the world do praise and extol those that are high honourable and prosperous therein but setteth out by words of admiration those that do not faint in a sad condition What wonderful excellent creature is this that doth not languish and pine away in her affliction Which words must comfort us in an evil time and cause us to rejoyce and sleep merrily in the woods through faith although according to the flesh and reason we see not which way to get out And it is said she cometh out like pillars of smoke Some write that the Artificers in Egypt could by their Art make smoke to assend directly upright like unto a pillar and that the spirit of God may here have an allusion to that similitude But whether that be so or not we know this to be true that smoke is offensive to the eyes now as smoke is troublesome to the eyes that they cannot behold things aright So is the Churches faith by which she cometh out of her afflictions offensive to the wicked darkneth their sight that they cannot behold the inward glory of the Church nor yet how she cometh out of her afflictions Faith is like the cloudy pillar which gave light to the Children of Israel but was darkness to the Egyptians The godly stand upright in all their tribulations when others hang down their head like a bullrush The Church understandeth well enough how she cometh out of her afflictions but they that know not what the life and exercise of true faith is cannot understand Therefore the bride cometh out like pillars of smoke Also some write that there is an Art in some with the use of certain powders to perfume smoke but this we are certain of Rev. 8.3 that the smoke of the incense in the golden censer which is offered with the prayers of all the Saints ascendeth up before God and perfumeth the Church Therefore when thou art in the wilderness and hast lost thy way there meetest with the wild-beasts by which thou art in danger to be made a prey be not tormented nor disquieted but remember who brought thee in the Lord thy God led thee into the wilderness Deut. 8.2 he did not hurl or throw thee as having no care of thee but lovingly took thee by the hand and led thee to shew thee the great and terrible wilderness before thou comest to Canaan the promised Land Be not thou dismayed therefore seeing the Lord thy God is with thee but learn thou to become a smoking pillar Psal 141.2 let thy prayers ascend up as incense before God then although thou art in the wilderness for a little while in respect of the body yet thou art in Heaven in respect of thy faith And shalt also come out of the
the ground of faith be ever so well opened which is the first gate if the terms of the Law be not also opened and the signification made known no man can enter for the Law will be a stumbling block to his faith and keep him out But admit this gate be also opened if the third be shut the reason why Sacraments were instituted no man can pass into the City For if the Sacraments belong not to me before I am worthy then is the ground of my faith which is the first gate shut again then also is the first Commandment and the sense of the whole Law which is the second gate also shut Nay then are all the gates kept fast lock'd up that no passenger can pass into the holy City new Jerusalem for evermore but must remain without and suffer the loss of Eternal life and happiness Consider of these things with wisdom and see whether his mouth be not most sweet and whether he be not altogether lovely as the bride here singeth And when she saith this is my beloved and my friend she sheweth the Daughters what the true Preaching of the Gospel is and that where this order and method is not observed Christ is very little known or regarded Therefore she saith he that thus Preacheth the Gospel is my friend This is the beautiful person that bringeth the glad tidings of peace and good things This is the interpreter one of a thousand O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and the chiefest of ten thousand unto me for although I had ten thousand instructers yet this is the Doctrine which begetteth and preserveth me in Christ and in this Doctrine will I rejoyce CHAP. VI. VERSE I. Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved turned aside That we may seek him with thee AFTER the Bride had set forth the praises of her beloved in the former Chapter and the benefits that she receiveth from him through faith alone the Daughters in stead of receiving of him make this enquiry whether is thy beloved gone When the Kingdom of Heaven is brought near even to the very dores as it is wheresoever Christ is truly Preached yet the Daughters know not how to fasten upon him by faith alone but imagine to find him some other way In stead of embracing the true Christ which is present to faith they seek after an imaginary Christ which is to be found as they conceive in the works of the Law So great an enemy is carnal reason to faith that it cannot endure to receive any thing from God but still dreameth to bring something to him first thinking thereby to procure acceptance with him So that this question whether is thy beloved gone Sheweth their ignorance in the faith and knowledg of the Son of God And this is the misery of all men until God openeth the eyes of their understanding that when Christ is preached and nothing is wanting but only faith to receive him then to dream of a Christ that we think may be found in the Law Which is no better then to forsake that Doctrine and Religion which bindeth us to Christ that is come and to cast our selves under the prophecy of a Christ to come which Christ is no where to be found We must therefore believe that where the true Gospel is preached Christ is not gone but come there he is present and no where else to be found which must also quicken our understandings to seek him in the Gospel and stop our imaginations from seeking after him in the works of the Law Note also here that the daughters give the Bride the Title of the fairest among women and yet affirm that she is too seeking of her beloved which is a plain contradiction For if she be the fairest then it is because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to her whereby she is made fair but if she be yet too seeking of her beloved then she remaineth without the righteousness of Christ imputed and abideth in her filthiness under the Law and condemnation Therefore the Daughters when they call her the fairest amongst women affirm nothing less then that she is made so by faith alone the principal cause thereof to be her own rightousness the works of the Law It is agreed between them that it is the righteousness of Christ alone that maketh righteous persons in the sight of God but the difference lieth in this whether it be the righteousness of Christ inherent in himself and imputed to faith or the righteousness of Christ communicated whereby good works are wrought to become righteousness before God The Bride saith it is by his righteousness imputed and therefore in drawing the benefits of Christ into the Conscience she teacheth faith alone The Daughters say it is by his righteousness communicated therefore in teaching the Gospel they always reprove an idle faith and require a working faith The Daughters do not deny the righteousness of faith according as they define faith which is to believe the History of Christs sufferings and that there is an all sufficiency in them to satisfy Divine Justice if they make them their own but say they thou art yet wanting in this until thou findest some thing inherent in thy self which must evidence thy faith to be true Therefore thou must further seek after thy beloved to have an evidence from thy works to witness thy faith So that all they do upon the matter is but this to give her a name to live but by their principles they judg her to be dead For they tell her that she is not compleatly justified because the righteousness of Christ is but begun in her She wanteth the righteousness of the Law to make it perfect For whether is thy beloved gone say they Whether is thy beloved turn'd aside that we may seek him with thee Thou hast lost thy beloved by thy faith if thou definest faith after no other manner Therefore leave off thy strange definition of faith that we may seek him with thee and let us be unanimous in matters of love and good works and let such niceties alone in matters of faith So that the Daughters in this place do not only take away from the Bride the white raiment the pure righteousness of Christ whereby she is cloathed from the wrath of God and leave her in her own filthiness as in the day of her Nativity but also they take away from Christ his name his office and glory making of Christ in stead of a Justifier and Saviour nothing but a Minister of sin and condemnation According to St. Paul in his allegations against the false Apostles If while we seek to be made righteous by Christ we our selves are yet found sinners that is have need of the righteousness of the Law to evidence or perfect our faith without which evidence we remain yet sinners and unjustified then Christ is nothing to us but a Minister of sin for then have we no more by Christ then
the Word and Sacraments but because of Men's corruptions neither is the ground of their uniting into another Church fellowship because of the word of God but the works of Men. Now because they make another ground of Church fellowship which is not the Gospel preferring the abominable works of Men before and beyond the Word and Righteousness of God having nothing to glory in but only in the Act of Separation therefore by the very Act of Separation the Fruits of the Vineyard are lost And this is that which the Bride here toucheth upon and confesseth she did yield too much this way and about this point most that are godly first or last are tottering yet she recovered her self and confesseth that she had rather forsake her Mother's Sons although they be angry with her than by following their Doctrine and way to lose the Fruits of her own Vineyard and purchase the displeasure of her Beloved Therefore let every Man in the Church of God keep to his own Vineyard and do the Lord's work first in looking to himself then in planting the young Vines Also in nourishing those that are planted there is work for every Man to do and God will give a liberal Reward in the end every Man at the last shall have his Penny VERSE VII Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flocks to rest at Noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the Flocks of thy Companions IN this temptation the Bride sheweth what she did she made her request to her Beloved and to win him to hear and grant her request she calleth him not by such Titles as are usually given to him in Scripture as the Messias or the Anointed of the Lord or the wonderful Councellour but by that Title she felt to be due to him in her own Affections Oh thou whom my Soul loveth Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest I know that where thou feedest there is thy Presence and where thy Presence is there is thy Flock and therefore I pray thee tell me For I am a poor silly Woman thy Spouse and have some Troubles upon me by reason of my Mother's Sons and am many times troubled in Conscience because I do things contrary to my Conscience and cannot tell where to have Peace but in thee therefore I pray thee tell me where thou usest to feed and also makest thy Flocks to rest at Noon What that Doctrine is that is thy People's rest and in what Company of People the Principles of that Doctrine are taught that so even as Shepherds in Countries near the Sun do not only feed their Sheep in fit Pastures but also drive them to shade at Noon So also in the time of Persecution from my Mother's Sons I may know in the heat of the day whither to run to be safe under thy Couch For if thou dost it not I may very much hurt my self by degenerating into a strange Vine for others feed Flocks and make shews to be thy Companions which are but Seducers and Deceivers and why should I be as one that turneth aside following after those Flocks for want of understanding the place where thou art always resident But what is the cause the Church so loveth Christ whom she never saw Quest The cause is Answ because she perceiveth in him the nature and properties of Love for he giveth unto her freely that which she lost in Adam which is deliverance from the Curse and everlasting Condemnation Therefore it is that she loveth him with her Soul and this knowledge she hath by Faith alone and not from her Works for although by Works she manifesteth her Faith before Men yet nothing can evidence Faith to her own Conscience but only Faith it self The last Resolution of Faith is when the Evidence of Works is lost and nothing is left to assure us but the Word alone For nothing can evidence Faith in the last Resolution of it to be Faith but the infusing of Grace into the Soul without precedent preparation but in all Works there must be some precedent Preparative to make them good Now what ever that precedent Preparative is that makes them good Works the same is the Light and Evidence of Faith it self and nothing can evidence Works to us to be good but Faith therefore Faith alone must evidence it self in the last Resolution of Faith it alone being infused into the Soul without any precedent preparation Now Faith is an Evidence because it being a rational Faculty knows what is given us of God and also knows what is by us received And one thing more amongst many is chiefly to be noted The Bride here loveth Christ with her Soul and yet she is ignorant in many things which are also of concernment she knoweth not where he feedeth but scruples she hath about the place nor where to rest her self in the heat of the day nor how to answer something objected against her by Seducers yet she is not dismayed and driven out of her Faith notwithstanding all this but loveth Christ with her Soul Which must comfort those poor wretches that are ignorant in many points that cannot tell how to discourse of high Matters nor to answer many Objections that are made against them by Seducers yet if they know but this one thing that Christ hath given them freely that which they have lost in Adam in this may they rejoyce and by this they may certainly know that they are of the number of Christ's Flock that do pertain to the Bride-bed VERSE VIII If thou know not O thou fairest among Women go thy way forth by the Footsteps of the Flock and feed thy Kids besides the Shepherds Tents THese words are the Answer of Christ to the Churches request wherein he sheweth his Compassion to her although she was ignorant in some things and therefore he answereth her thus If thou knowest not aright the place where I feed yet I account of thee therefore be not dismayed thy Person is in favour for thou art to me the fairest amongst Women therefore hearken to me and follow my direction Go thy way forth by the Foot-steps of the Flock Mark the track of all the Flock that went before thee Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and other holy Men of God that both knew my voice and followed me and see where they did feed and what they rested on in the heat of the day and when thou hast found the track there feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents Christ here termeth his Bride The fairest amongst Women although she hath many imperfections in her and the reason is because he covereth all her deformities with his own Righteousness and Merits therefore he taketh pleasure in her hideth all her stains and blemishes and mentioneth nothing but her fairness and beauty This is contrary to the practice of the World who walk after another Rule who if they see a Man that professeth Religion to
faith in the time of tribulation commendeth her for the same which sheweth that he is well pleased And the word behold sheweth his willingness she should know it And when he pronounceth her fair he meaneth free from the guilt of sin And when he saith my love he sheweth that her person is accepted And by the word thou he meaneth to exclude all those that are not of faith from shareing in the benefits of his Death and Resurrection Now the doubling of the words sheweth how hard it is for us in the hour of Temptation to apply our selves to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and also how willing the Lord Christ is that then we should not forget but remember his loving and comfortable words All these things are written that we might believe and that when the hour of Temptation cometh we should put them into use and practise otherwise we cannot possible please our head and Husband who came into the world on purpose and is ascended into Heaven on purpose that we might receive his benefits and rejoice in the same Thou hast doves eyes Now that which he chiefly praiseth the bride for is the eye as a thing which tendeth most of all to the setting out of her fairness other parts draw not the affection as doth the eye therefore Christ chooseth the eye to set forth the praise of his Church which standeth in a comparison thou hast doves eyes The doves eye is simple harmless is not crafty seeketh not greedily after a prey doth not peck with the Bill nor hurt any thing as other Birds do but here it is chiefly used to set forth the chastity of the Bride towards her Husband the Lord Jesus Christ who notwithstanding all her afflictions and temptations chuseth no other refuge to fly unto but with the Dove she cleaveth fast to her mate And also the eyes are here commended because through faith the killeth the Law and liveth in the service and freedom of her beloved and doth good works freely and of choise VERSE XVI Behold thou art fair my beloved THese are the words of the Church wherein she returneth the praise of all her beauty to her beloved who is fairer then the Sons of Men from whom all her fairness is derived She dareth not to appear before him in her self therefore prayeth him to behold his own fairness as being the only cause of her acceptance in his sight which is a rule and pattern for every man to imitate yea pleasant Thou art not only fair but also pleasant in thy self in the enjoyment of me and pleasant to me in that thou speakest so kindly to me and acceptest of me Which words do shew us what manner of person Christ is and what his carriage is to us altogether pleasant and lovely So that as soon as ever we look upon him by faith Esa 62.2 and humble our selves before him he rejoyceth in us and over us as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Therefore when we are overwhelm'd with heaviness and sadness of heart this doth not come from Christ but from the Law and our evil conscience being not well purged and cleansed of unbelief for to those that are humbled before him Christ is pleasant Also our bed is green This is likely to be the joint speech of Christ and his Church rejoyceing together in the place of meeting for the bed is the place either in publick or private where Christ and his people meet together And by the greens of the bed is meant the fruitfulness that cometh by reason of the meeting of Christ and his Church Rom. 7. according to Saint Paul being married to Christ ye bring forth fruit unto God that is many Children unto glory The Gospel is the Doctrine that converts the Soul and the reason why so few are converted is because the Gospel is seldom Preached therefore the labours of the Ministry are not blest but men are smiten with barrenness become dead and withered Trees bringing forth no fruit at all unto God because they want the company of the Lord Jesus Christ in the bed therefore it being said our bed Agar the bondwoman is excluded from the priveledge of the bed as one who although she hath many Children before men yet she hath none at all before God and the reason is because she entertaineth not Christ in the bed she imbraceth the servant and forsaketh her Lord therefore that heavy judgment spoken of by the Prophet Esay follows in its time Esa 47.19 the loss of Children and Widdowhood shall come upon thee in one day in their perfection This is the heavy doom that will one day fall upon the bondwoman and all her Children her bed being too short and the covering too narrow to hide her from her sin and the wrath of God Almighty Learn we therefore that Doctrine which maketh the fruitful bed and sheweth the fruitful Mother that is so to understand the Law as it may further us to faith in Christ and so to understand the Gospel that it may further us in the duties of the Law This is a most rare and Heavenly Art which none can teach but the Holy Ghost let us therefore pray unto him without ceaseing to bestow this gift upon us who hath promised to bestow upon us all things that we shall aske which are according to his will Then shall the bed become fruitful then shall we rejoyce in the meeting place and say with the bride here our bed is also green VERSE XVII The beams of our house are Cedar and our rafters of Fir. NOw here is shewed the reason why the bed comes to be so fruitful and how the family of God comes to be so much enlarged it is by reason of the beams and rafters which are the strong supporters of all the building 1 Tim. 3.15 Where first note that by the house is meant the Church of God And by the beams and rafters the builders of the Church of God And the beams being of Cedar Isa 44.40 Isa 20. it signifies strength and also such timber that will not rot but is dureable and sweet Now the godly are often said to be Cedars and the chief in the Church are said to be pillars Also the house having rafters it sheweth it hath a covering or defence and they being of Fir which some think is another Tree call'd the Brutine Tree which is of pleasant smell signifieth purity of Doctrine Such beams and pillars that are well versed in pure Doctrine are always used in building the house of God in every age therefore the bed is always fruitful and the Church can never decay because the builders thereof are always lasting And as it is a house very sweet and pleasant for a man to live in So it is infinite in strength and for safety It is therefore a vain thing for any man to think to undermine the Church of God seeing it is a house built upon a Rock and although men
Christ For all men naturally are of this opinion that God will justify those that keep the Law morally and reject the rest and to strengthen this opinion many Scriptures are alleaged with being not understood this opinion is increased Now until this wall be thrown down there is no entrance for Christ therefore when the bride says he standeth behind our wall she meaneth to throw down the wall Christ is as a lover that will come in although the opposition be ever so great the walls must go down and the house must be pulled in pieces and a new foundation laid So that a man would judge when Christ cometh that all were going to ruin even then when he is about to lay a new foundation This opposition Christ findeth more or less even in his own people while they are in this world and therefore he standeth behind the wall and the first thing he doth by his Ministry is to throw down the wall that is those imaginations in man that are the roots and grounds of unbelief He doth not as some other builders do prop up the old foundation or piece up the old wall but maketh all things new And this was prophecied of him in Num. Num. 24. 24. he shall smite the corners of Moab and cast down the walls of all the sons of Seth. Looking forth at the windows shewing himself through the Lattice These words do expound the former and shew the reason why the imaginations in man must be thrown down it is that light may be in the Soul For the windows and lattices are instruments to convey light into the house and when there is any obstruction between the light and the window it must be took away otherwise the house will be dark Now Christ is our light and the understanding is the window of the Soul and the first light that Christ bringeth is by teaching a right understanding of the Law and by throwing down mans natural opinion of the Law by discovering of our original and actual sin by which we sencibly feel that we are lost this is the first light and a matter of great weight because it teacheth man a true knowledg of himself therefore it behoveth all people rightly to study the same otherwise the windows will remain shut and nothing but darkness will appear in the house VERSE X. My beloved spake and said unto me rise up my love my fair one and come away AFter the windows are opened by a right understanding of the Law she saith my beloved spake that is of the promises of the Gospel saying come away by which she meaneth to receive his own righteousness and merits Nothing is here placed between the revealing of sin and giving of righteousness but only faith in Christ And when 't is said rise up it sheweth that the Law casteth all men down and that Christ is not delighted to see us too long in sorrow and heaviness And seeing he saith my love it sheweth he owneth us in our sorrows and setteth his heart upon us And in that he says my fair one he taketh from us the guilt of all our sins and imputeth to us his own righteousness and merits These are the true foot-steps of faith and are written on purpose that we might upon the true sight and confession of our sin after the same manner apply unto our selves the comfortable words in the Gospel VERSE XI For lo the winter is past the rain is over HEre it is shown that so long as the Conscience is under the Law the feeling of Sin and the wrath of God it is as the time of winter wherein flowers and fruits do seem to be consumed by reason of Storms and Tempests and frosty nights And as in the time of rainy weather when little benefit of the Sun appears for it is for the present as if there were no Christ or Saviour when all former experiences of Gods love and favour are forgotten and lost Which condition no man can speak effectually of unless he have in some measure found it in himself But as soon as the Conscience is humbled confesseth sin and lifteth up through faith his eyes and heart to the voice of his Redeemer the winter is past and the rain is over All fears and doubts do then begin to vanish away According to the saying of the Prophet Isa 35.10 they shall hear of joy and gladness and sorrow and mourning shall flee away So that the Gospel putteth an end to the Law in respect of the Conscience that Christ alone may there rule and govern I say in respect of the Conscience not in respect of the conversation but in removing the guilt of sin and filling of it with peace and joy for in saying the winter is past it sheweth us also that Summer is come All a mans life may be said to be winter in respect of the flesh and the manifold sins vexations cares and dayly calamities it is subject to in this mortal life but in respect of the Conscience it is sometimes winter and sometimes Summer Therefore no man must be too much cast down with discouragement when he feeleth his sin and the wrath of God as though the winter would never be past nor yet be too much overcome with rejoicing when the Gospel shineth within him as though the rain would never come again VERSE XII The flowers appear on the earth THese are tokens of the spring which causeth all people to rejoice when they behold the buds and blossomes of the herbs trees and flowers when there is as it were a new face upon the Earth when all things appear like a new Creation which maketh all Creatures to rejoice and sing Which sheweth the proper effects of the Gospel which is tidings of greater joy and gladness to all those that by faith receive it And therefore whatsoever Doctrine it be that by the nature of its principles maketh the heart of man sad and cannot truly comfort it again but leaveth it in sadness is not the Doctrine of the Gospel By this then we may know when the Gospel is taught Deu. 18. when a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord that is that says the Doctrine which he delivereth is the Gospel yet if the principles of his Doctrine do not nor cannot produce that effect which the Gospel worketh which is righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost the Prophet speaketh presumptuously his Doctrine is not the Doctrine of the Gospel The time of the singing of Birds is come Another mark that the spring is come Now as the pleasantness of the spring is seen by the cheerfulness of the Birds in their pleasant notes so the joyful and pleasant news of the Gospel is seen and manifested in the voices and harmonies of men Who even as Birds in time of spring So in their nests do sit and sing Now in that it is here said the time of the singing of Birds is come we must note that a Christian man
Soul shall easily overcome his unbelief and experimentally feel the benefit of faith And also Christ here declareth unto us how willing he is that we should receive him He speaketh not one word of discomfort to the afflicted Conscience as Satan by his instruments doth as the Law doth or as the accusing Conscience it self doth but biddeth us arise and come away that is not to hearken to those discomforts but to set our faith and affections upon his words whereby he doth only and wholly appropriate us to himself For when he faith my love he doth it to assure us of the contrary to that which in time of distress we most of all fear which is that we are not beloved And when he says my fair one he taketh that away from us which causeth us to question his love that is to say the guilt of all our sins And what can discomfort us in Heaven Earth or Hell when God which is greater then all things doth assure us that he loveth us and hath forgiven us all our sins VERSE XIV O my dove thou art in the clefts of the Rock THe Church having made rehearsal of the sweet comfortable words of her beloved Christ here speaketh again and commendeth her in that she is in the clefts of the rock And first he calleth her his dove which hath many excellent properties to which the bride is refembled which are not so much respected in this place as this one thing is in that she delighteth to make her nest in the Rock that she may be safe from the prey of the Hawk and other devouring Birds Now as the dove delighteth to be in the clefts of the Rock that she may be safe from devouring fowls when they make wings after her So the dove of Christ delighteth also to hide her self in a place of safety when she is hunted after by an accusing Conscience the wrath of God the malice of Satan or any of his instruments And this hiding place is in the clefts of the Rock and for this she is commended Some say that God is the Rock and that the Eternal Councel and Decree of God is the cleft wherein the dove of Christ is in safety and that 's one hole And then there is the providence of God by which many times he maketh way for the dove to escape that they make to be another cleft But that I most think on is this Cer. 10.4 The Rock is Christ But then the Rock must open and divide else how can there be a cleft for the dove to get in Understand then by the cleft a right division betwixt Christ and the Law when the Conscience is in distress which distinction thou must learn to make by faith For when the Law putteth thee in fear justly by reason of thy sin if thou humblest thy self by faith thou killest the voice of the Law and makest the cleft but if thou lookest upon the Law in that time after thou hast humbled thy self and asked forgiveness to be the voice of Christ thou makest no cleft thou canst have no hiding place to keep thee safe from fear Make this account therefore with thy self that the Law is crucified dead and condemned unto thee in respect of the Conscience as soon as thou humbless thy self and by faith layest hold upon Christ then thou makest a right division betwixt Christ and the Law and hidest thy self in the cleft of the Rock so that if the Hawk or other devouring fowls do wing after thee to hanch upon thee thou sittest in safety from fear of evil and it is but lost labour for Satan or any of his instruments to endeavour thy ruin For want of this knowledg many peoples hearts do shake when they are like to be made a prey by ravenous Birds and the Law and fear of Gods wrath begins to seize on the Conscience they are even at their wits end being wholly dismayed These are not in the cleft But the bride of Christ that rightly understandeth these things as she presumeth not upon her own worthiness So neither is she dismayed at her unworthyness but sitteth in the cleft of the Rock with Moses Ex. 33.22 where by faith she beholdeth the back parts of God condemning her for sin and by the same faith she heareth proclaimed to her his merciful and gracious name In the secret places of the stairs There are certain craggy places in Rocks that stand out like stairs by which the dove geteth up into her hole After the same manner the Church of Christ ascendeth by certain foot-steps of faith to a communion with Christ in this life and to a perfect communion with him in the life to come These are said to be secret places because the righteousness of faith by which we ascend to this communion is secret and unknown to man's reason for it consisteth in the destroying of the grounds of unbelief which is the mother and root of all sin and the bane of all Christian and holy duties It sheweth a man from the nature of its principles how to love God and keep his Commandments how to behold succour and help to be near in time of tribulation when no help nor succour is seen or perceived All which things are foolishness to reason yet are the foot-steps and track of all the flock of Christ gone before Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is comely That is I would have thee to countenance my Doctrine and manner of teaching against all opposers without being abashed or discouraged for the destruction of Antichrist and the whole Kindom of Satan this countenance we ought to shew to our friend And when he saith let me hear thy voice it meaneth that the true Gospel be Preached to poor sinners and that we call upon the name of God by prayer in Christs name in the day of trouble in faith with fervency that we may receive help and deliverance from him which is very sweet and delightful to Christ Jesus and is that joyful voice and comely countenance which is here commended by him VERSE XV. Take us the foxes the little foxes that spoil the vines for our vines have tender grapes NOw here it is shewed that one special and principal means for the preserving of this kind of righteousness in the Church is to take the foxes for they spoil the vines Some write of the foxes that they make holes in the roots of the vines and that by undermining the root the root withers and the vine starves Others say that the fox having venemous teeth fastneth his teeth in the rind of the vine and so spoils the vines And that sometimes also by bruising the young sprigs and shuts they spoil the vines But they that have vines and are much troubled with foxes know best the truth of this But this is certainly known that the fox loves grapes and when they are ripe makes great spoil of
peace on earth For go into what Nation City Family or Tribe so ever thou wilt and wisely enquire into this matter and thou shalt find that the cause of all divisions whatsoever both in matters of Religion and civil differences lyeth in this one thing because mans opinion of his own wisdom and righteousness reigneth Therefore men are fill'd with complaints one against another but no man complaineth against himself which maketh it manifest that all men have an high conceit of their own wisdom and goodness prizing of themselves at an higher rate then all the world For their opinion of themselves is so great that all men must stoop unto it worship and adore it And so also in matters of Religion this opinion is so strong and mighty that it will not endure to hear that any man should perswade himself that the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is given to him unless he first find in himself such qualifications as in his opinion make him worthy of the same Now because this opinion in man fighteth directly against the Gospel which forbideth it in the first place it being the only sin that defileth the bed and which banisheth Christ out of the mind and Conscience therefore against this opinion that man hath of his wisdom do every one of these valiant ones set themselves and use all their heavenly skill and cunning to destroy the same as being the strongest hold of Satans Kingdom And this they do for this reason because of fear in the night This is the work of these valiant men to banish by their Doctrine the fear of Gods wrath and everlasting damnation out of the mind and Conscience and to settle it in peace and joy That when a man is in a dark and sad condition in the night of affliction by reason of his sin the forerunner of fear and fearfulness he might learn to remove and overcome his fear by a right understanding and application of the Gospel No man being able to overcome his fear by the righteousness of the Law and his own works but by cleaving to the promise of God by faith without the Law Therefore if thou wilt be one of the number of these valiant men learn thou rightly how to guard King Solomons bed how to dispossess the Conscience of fear that Christ may lodge in the chamber with his bride otherwise thou art not fit to be of the guard Learn thou therefore to be expert in handling thy weapons to this purpose for the pulling down of strong holds and the casting down of imaginations that every thought may be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Chro. 10.4 5. If thy Doctrine setteth up strong holds in man and raiseth up mans imaginations of himself then thou sowest in the heart the principles of fear but if by thy Doctrine thou pullest them down then thou banishest fear If thou thinkest by an outward reformation to be possessed of Christ and to banish fear in stead of banishing fear thou wilt banish Christ for as much as that very opinion in thee crucifieth the son of God that bed being to short and the covering to narrow Esa 28.20 to wrap thy self in from the wrath of God Learn therefore to be skilful and very cunning in this point If thou groundest thy faith upon the Law thou utterly losest Christ but if thy faith be formed by the Gospel without the Law then shalt thou have righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost Then shall thy faith be undefiled and the marriage bed preserved pure Then shalt thou be of the number of the threescore valiant men spoken of in this place that all hold Swords because of fear in the night VERSE IX X. King Solomon made himself a Chariot of the wood of Lebanon He made the pillars thereof of Silver the bottom thereof of gold the covering of it of Purple the midst thereof being paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem IN the former Verse is set down wherein the delight of Christ lyeth even to be in the bed with his Church and also the guard that is set about the bed that the Churches Doctrine and faith might be preserved pure Now here is set down the Magnificency or stateliness of the place and how it comes to be builded under the similitude of King Solomons Chariot Bed-Chamber or Coach wherein King Solomon and his Queen might rejoyce and have communion together Where the first thing respected is the builder which is King Solomon He describ'd the fashion of it and gave his Artificers or workmen a plot for the making of it Then here is the matter that Solomon used in building the Chariot the wood of Lebanon Cedars choise wood which will not rot and consume but is durable and beyond all timber for sweetness The pillars being made of Silver and the bottom of it covered with gold signifies the stateliness and the durableness of it and that it was no ordinary thing being not made of corruptible matter The covering of it with purple a most rich and sumptuous kind of hanging and of a most Princely colour And the midst of it paved with love or as some will have it wrought with needle work in divers colours which made it delightful to behold And this was done for the daughters of Jerusalem for those Ladies of Honour to behold and delight themselves in that did pertain to the Kings Court. Now to apply the Similitude The Chariot is the Church or people with whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath communion The maker of the Chariot is Christ by the righteousness of his own person The materials Christ maketh use of in the building of the Church or the Artificers Eph. 4.8 12. or instruments be men Psal 9. â— he doth it by the Ministry of men who are oftentimes compared to Cedars in Lebanon The pillars are also men Gal. 2.9 so the godly are often said to be And the silver and the gold here mentioned Rev. 3.12 of which those pillars are made is the pure Doctrine of the Gospel which is sweet 1 Pet. 25. and said to be immortal which endureth for ever The purple covering is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ covering the sinful Conscience from the wrath of God and the fear of everlasting condemnation And the paving of it with love is the making of the way plain and easie to come to Christ that all stumbling blocks being removed men may run to him with joy and rejoycing And all this is done for the daughters of Jerusalem All which being well considered Note sheweth plainly that the chief and principal thing that is needful in the building of the Church of God is the right understanding of the Scriptures For it must be built with Silver and Gold and if you consult with Esai 54. with precious stones also all which signifie the pure Doctrine of the Gospel Which building cannot go forward without a right understanding
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
Law Gal. 4.5 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 2.14 Hos 13.14 Joh. 3.16 Satan sin and death which victory is given to thee as soon as thou believest And it is further added here the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him by which is meant the Church And by Crowning him the right preaching of the Gospel and also receiving of the same Gal. 4.26 For even as Batsheba the Mother of Solomon became instrumental for the setting of King Solomon on his Regal Throne 1 Kings So doth the Church which is the Mother of us all become instrumental in the Crowning of Christ by the Preaching of the Gospel Now Christ is Crowned by his Mother when she so interpreteth the Law that she taketh away all glory from man and attributeth the praise of her Salvation to Christ alone In the Crowning of Christ she afflicteth her Children with the feeling of sin by the Law and comforteth them again with the Crown and victory of the Lord Jesus Christ without the Law The Mother of Harlots Rev. 18. Crowneth Christ in words calling him her Lord King and Law-giver but by her practice she denyeth him For she so interpreteth all those Scriptures that are branches of the Law that she draweth the Law into the Doctrine of justification Thus she taketh off the Crown from Christs head Heb. 2. who is Crowned with Glory and Honour and putteth upon his head a Crown of Thornes There is a two fold Crowning of Christ in Scripture by his Father and by his Mother The first was at his Resurrection 2 Acts 36. when he was declared to be Lord and Christ that was by his Father the second when the benefits of his death and Resurrection are infused into the Consciences of men by the Preaching of the Gospel this is done by his Mother Therefore we are not only to behold him Crowned by the Father although that we must do first but also to learn the true way of Crowning him as the Mother that he alone may reign in the heart and Conscience This is the day of the gladness of Christs heart it being the day of his espousals when he marrieth us unto himself in an everlasting Covenant and rejoyceth in us and over us as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Now when we have learn'd by faith to be separated from the Law and to go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown then must we come into the practice of the Law which is to go forth and behold him in his afflicted members to help those that are in misery Tit. 3.8 to comfort all that are in distress Thus all that have believed in God must be careful to maintain good works which are good and profitable unto men So that although the Gospel divorceth us from the Law in the matter of justification yet it joyneth us to the matter of Sanctification and causeth us to do that freely for others according to our power which our Lord Jesus Christ out of his abundant kindness hath freely done for us For who can choose but shew kindness joyfully to his brother that hath apprehended by faith the love of Christ towards himself All works before the Gospel is received are naught because they are not directed towards men but drawn into the judgment seat to make us righteous but faith separateth works from the judgment seat and directeth them towards our neighbour and so it makes our works good works This wisdom the world understandeth not therefore it is Condemned for despising the Gospel which it will not be subject to Let us learn therefore to lay aside our works when we come before God that we may be justified by faith and live in the practice of all good works before men that we may want no qualification which the Gospel requires CHAP. IV. VERSE I. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast doves eyes within thy locks thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Mount Gilead CHRIST having in the former verse directed the Church how to receive his righteousness by faith alone here he commendeth her for her fairness and calleth her to behold it and doubles it again that she may believe it In which commendation he setteth her forth by the parts and features of the body by which are meant the Spiritual beauty of the Church First he commendeth her eyes which are the instruments of sight whereby she beholdeth her beloved and compareth them to the eyes of doves in regard she continually respecteth her mate as the dove Which sheweth that when she is disowned and forsaken of the Law yet then she looketh up by faith unto her Redeemer In regard therefore that she spieth out by faith the comforts of her beloved in a sad condition she is pronounced to be fair and called to behold it And after the same manner it is also with us as soon as we humble our selves for our wretchedness and do behold his righteousness to be given unto us it is pronounced in Heaven thou art fair my love thou art fair Therefore this being the decree that is pronounc'd in Heaven we must learn by faith to behold and receive it into the Conscience The next thing commended is her hair which seemeth to mean the whole company of believers as may be gathered from the similitude of the Prophets hair Ezek. 5.1 12. which signified the dividing of the people of Israel and also in regard of the Original from whence the hair proceedeth which is the head having its nourishment from the moisture and strength of the head And also it being likened to a flock it doubtless meaneth the flock of Christ These hairs are likened to the Goats that appear from Mount Gilead which was a Mountain beyond Jordan Num. 32 39. where the tribe of Manasseh dwelt Which Mountain being excellent for feeding those that dwelt there had many Goats and also there were Trees of price and estimation for the Goats to breuse on and to rub themselves against therefore the Goats were of good liking and also smooth Now the hairs being likened to a flock of these Goats it sheweth that they have rich seeding in green pastures because they all hang upon their head the Lord Jesus Christ VERSE II. Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn which came up from the washing whereof every one bear twins and none is barren among them THe teeth are the instruments of the stomach whereby the meat is fitted for disgesture by which are signified the Ministers of the word and breakers of the bread of life whose office is so to chew the Spiritual meat that it may be digested and become nourishment to the Soul These are said to be like a flock of sheep Esa 40.9 because they receive their nourishment from Christ of whom it is said he shall feed his flock like a shepherd And to go up from the washing being made white in the blood of the
but to hear and believe the voice of the Son of God The sum of all is this That the spiritual plants in the Lords Church do bring forth variety of excellent fruits in regard they grow and blosom after the similitude of an Orchard And the cause why they grow after this manner is because the workmen in Gods Orchard do plant and graft after the same form They do not plant and graft according to their own natural way of grafting to make men holy by works but in a way which is contrary to nature to make them righteous by faith Their business lies in compounding of ointments to make persons Holy In sprinkling perfuming spices made after the Art of the Apothecary that poor distressed consciences may become fruitful in faith and all good works Another cause is because the plants themselves are willing to become Passive after the manner of an Orchard They are willing when Gods time is come to be cut out of that Olive tree which is wild by nature and to be grafted contrary to nature into a right Olive tree They are willing to be planted in Gods Orchard where they must stand against every storm without fear of being shaken to pieces So that although the winds blow and the flouds come and the trees are shaken at the very roots yet they are willing to stand against every storm and after the similitude of an Orchard even then to receive the moisture and nourishment that floweth from the Gospel which is the ground wherein they stand Now because the planters plant after this form and also the plants themselves are willing to yield and conform to the same way of planting and grafting therefore it is that they are fill'd with sweet and most excellent fruit otherwise it could never be This sheweth us the reason why there are so many plants in Gods Orchard that grow not so as to bring forth any manner of choice fruit suitable to such an Orchard the reason is because they grow not after the same similitude They complain that they cannot master their sins nor perform their duties that they have not that understanding in the Scriptures that others have the reason is because they are not planted nor grafted according to the right form They work and toil they labour and take pains both the planters and the plants themselves to grow and increase in the opinion of works but bring forth none of these sweet and pleasant fruits because they are not willing to be cut and hewen down digg'd and prun'd and dressed after the similitude of an Orchard Therefore it is that when storms come they are not able to stand when calamities arise they are not able to endure but one runs one way another runs another way to look for help and succour because they have not learn'd to stand and receive the sap and moisture of the Gospel which is the ground from whence they grow after the similitude of an Orchard And hence it comes to pass that in stead of bringing forth Camphire Spiknard and Saffron which is sweet and pleasant fruit they sprout forth roots of bitterness gall and wormwood In stead of bearing the sweet Calamus and Cynamon to make the holy annointing oyl to make the spiritual Tabernacle and all the vessels thereof holy before the Lord and the sweet Frankincense Myrrhe and Aloes to make a most holy and sweet perfume they send forth a noisom fume of their own compounding which causeth them most horribly to stink in the presence of God So that the end of their labour and pains is but this the fruit which they think to be the only fruit that healeth the Nations when it is rightly tasted and the scent of it truly smelt and compar'd with the fruits that grow in the Orchard of the Lord it is found to be but of an evil savour fruit that withereth and comes to nothing So long as it is look'd upon by it self the scent pleaseth but when it is compar'd with the sweet Frankincense and other sweet and principal spices which are prepar'd to perfume the spiritual Tabernacle of the Lord and every vessel pertaining thereunto it is found to be nothing else but meat that perisheth fruit that withereth and the trees themselves that bear the fruit to be such that are marked out to be hewn down and cast into everlasting fire According to our Saviours saying Joh. 15. if a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men cast them into the fire and burn them And every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Therefore seeing it is the commendation of the Church in this place in that she is like unto an Orchard of such sweet and pleasant fruits in that she receiveth her self and bringeth forth and as an instrument conveyeth the sweet and pleasant fruits of Christs death and Resurrection into the hearts and Consciences of others that they may be fill'd with all the chief spices and be so becensed and perfumed therewith as to become a sweet favour unto God in every place let us also endeavour to be fill'd with all these chief and principal spices that we may know what to do in the time of tribulation and great distress when we feel the terrors of the Almighty and begin to be sore afraid when we can see no way nor means of deliverance but the tree seems to be blasted and all hope of fruit to be lost yet then let us consider that we are plants in Gods Orchard where we must stand against every storm so that although the winds blow and storms come and we are even shaken at the very roots yet there must we stand and receive the sap and nourishment of the Gospel which speaketh comfortable words to the miserable Soul And not only so but also that we may be able to anoint and perfume distressed minds that a poor distressed Conscience may be comforted by us in a sad condition that the cluster of Camphire may appear in the Conscience that the scent of the Calamus and Cynamon may be smelt and the Spikenard Myrrhe and Frankincense may become as a Posey to refresh the spiritual senses under the apprehension of Sin and the wrath of God Then shall it become apparent that we are the trees of Frankincense here spoken of filled with the kernels of the Pomegranates and rightly planted in the Orchard of God VERSE XV. A Fountain of Gardens a well of living waters and streams from Lebanon IN the twelfth Verse of this Chapter the Church is said to be a fountain Sealed in this Verse she is said to be a Fountain of Gardens that is a fountain opened to water gardens When the Church is compar'd to a garden in the singular Number understand the universal Church but when she is compar'd to gardens as here it meaneth every particular Church and every particular member in each Church A fountain sealed Quest and a fountain
and destruction In this condition the Bride falleth asleep she is content to have sense and reason silenc'd and to be stricken dumb and she is not discouraged but constantly dependeth upon the promises of God And therefore she says here I sleep but mine heart waketh I sleep in regard of sense and reason but my heart awaketh in respect of God and his promises And this is also the meaning of David when he says he giveth his beloved sleep or by sleep So that when the Bride doth thus begin to sleep then doth she begin to awake and live by faith in the promises of God After the same manner must we with the Bride fall into this holy sleep and be contented to live in the use and practice of faith For every man in his condition shall find all things fall out contrary to his expectation in all estates and conditions of life and also shall seem to appear directly contrary to the promises of God Who promiseth that no good thing shall be wanting to those that fear him and yet a man shall seem in likelyhood to be in want of every good thing That wealth and riches shall be in his house and yet a man shall behold nothing but penury and want This breedeth a wonderful temptation in the godly so that a man is ready in this condition to fall into one of these evils either to accuse and condemn God of lying or else to conclude that he is not the person to whom the promises are made What must be done then in this condition Even to fall a sleep with the Bride and to be contented that reason may be slain and to lead a new life by faith in promises of God This slaying of reason is the awakening of the heart and then it doth begin to hear and rightly to understand the words of Christ according to the next words here following It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled This knocking is when the Church is cast into the use and exercise of faith To knock is to make a noise and it may be defined thus It is an noise in the Conscience arising from the sense of sin and apprehension of danger It is when the very voice of the curse is felt in the Conscience and the miserable effects thereof are feared This she says is the voice of her beloved because the right opening of the Law that maketh the stroke and that the stroke of it may be felt belongeth to the Gospel And further when her beloved knocketh he saith open so that as soon as the knock is heard the Bride is to open According to Rev. 3. If any man hear my voice and open the dore I will come in and sup with him and he shall sup with me I will take from him the hurt of all evils whatsoever that shall be my supper and I will bestow all things upon him to make him comfortable and happy that shall be his Supper So that here is a twofold Supper Christ suppeth and the Bride suppeth Christ hath his delight in taking away her calamities the Bride hath her delight in receiving all blessings and comforts And this comes to pass by opening Now to open is rightly to understand the meaning or end of the knock Which in sum is this To inform the Bride that all her wants shall be supplyed by the Gospel which cannot be supplyed by her own ways and works Thus Christ after the manner of a Lover stands and knocks waiting to enlighten the Church in this point So that whether her wants be spiritual or temporal for this life or the life to come they shall all be supplyed when she is lost by the Law by ways and means unknown if she believeth And this is the end of every knock But for want of understanding the meaning of the knock the noise is many times of long continuance For many instead of studdying how to believe that they may attain all things by the Gospel do strive to relieve themselves by their own wisdom and works and in the end lose their labour and the Gospel too Therefore when we begin to hear a noise in the inward man and to fall into great fear either in regard of our sins and the everlasting judgment of God or by reason of some grievous temporal judgment which we apprehend to hang over our heads let us be sure then that Christ knocketh not to put us in feare for he affrighteth no man but to take away our fears from us so that although it seem terrible to us upon the first apprehension of the knock yet it is but the voice of our beloved who standeth and knocketh not to execute the Law upon us but to take all our evils upon himself that we may be made joyful and happy The hearing then of the noise must cause us to open the dore that is to believe in Christ and call upon his name and to suffer him to come in and sup with us then shall we be freed from all our fears and although we have forfeited all things by the Law yet we shall inherit all things by faith in the Gospel Also we must open that the captivity of the Conscience may first be turned into liberty and freedom before we seek for deliverance in respect of the outward man according to Christ saying seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness thereof and all things else shall be given unto you That so from that liberty and freedom which the Conscience possesseth through faith in Christ the merciful care and providence of God might flow in upon us and the nature of the whole Creation might be changed to us Now because in times of distress the Church is apt to be discouraged Christ here useth words that shew relations between them as my sister my love my dove my undefiled Which in brief is this Thou art my sister and I am thy loving brother and companion in tribulation and am affected with all thy afflictions Thou art my love my only joy and delight therefore I cannot forsake thee but do stand and knock to join my self unto thee to take all evils and miseries from thee and to settle thee in peace and joy Thou art my dove that forsakest not thy mate in a mournful condition And because thou runnest not from me but yeeldest thy self unto me therefore thou art mine therefore thou art undefiled thy sins are washed away and thou art clean I came down from Heaven on purpose to Cloath my self with thy flesh that I might free thy Conscience from all distress and fill it with peace and joy Open therefore unto me and receive that by the new and living way which according to the Law and works thou hast utterly lost These are the words of faith which we must have recourse unto in times of distress being comfortable to us and useful for us For my head is fill'd with dew and
righteousness of faith begins and to this confession the righteousness of Christ belongs Which every man must learn to believe and this is the true doing of the Law in faith by which means we receive the grace and favour of God in Christ and power to do good works before men Therefore the Bride saith here my bowels were moved for him After my beloved had once opened the door and discovered unto me this heavenly mystery my bowels were moved I was altogether made new I was changed and transformed into another manner of Creature my bowels were moved with love and thankfulness to God for his Infinit mercy to me and also fill'd with love mercy and compassion towards others which is the sum and substance of both Tables This hole of the dore must therefore be rightly known otherwise the obedience of faith can never be taught but all people shall remain in darkness but the hole being found and the dore opened Antichrist is revealed and the Kingdom of Heaven is opened The Conscience is eased and God is pleased Then shalt thou easily reconcile all Scriptures by the same rule that seem to be at variance in this point and walking in the practice thereof thou shalt find such a light opened in thy mind that thou thy self shalt say thou never knewest before VERSE V. I rose up to open to my beloved and my hands dropped with Myrrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the look IN the former Verse the Church sheweth that the Bride-groom openeth the dore that the true Gospel may be understood which is done by the Ministry of the Gospel In this Verse the behaviour of the Church is set down in her receiving of the same She rose up to open to her beloved As soon as her beloved put in his hand by the hole of the dore to open and unlock the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven she set her self with all attentiveness and dilligence to hear and receive the same She did not fight against the Doctrine of her beloved nor judge it before she heard it but rose up to open and receive the same And then she declareth the effects that followed my hands she saith dropped with Myrrhe and my singers with sweet smelling Myrrhe which meaneth into the hearts and Consciences of others It is not much material to observe the distinction here betwixt the hands and the fingers A thing is said to be handled or taken in hand according to Saint Luke Luk. 1. when an orderly Declaration is made to others of those things that are firmly believed by those that make report of the same And it may also be said to be touched as it were with fingers when it is more briefly and compendiously drawn up into a short sum or sentence of words Now both these do drop the Myrrhe not only when the Doctrine is throughly and perfectly handled but also when it is more briefly touched for so the Bride saith here my fingers dropped with sweet smelling Myrrhe and it was upon the handles of the Lock A Lock is that which fastneth the dore that nothing within the House can be seen unless the dore be unlock'd Therefore by the Lock we must understand that bar or hinderance that hindereth the Gospel from entring into the Soul which Lock or bar is only unbelief which sin alone standeth in direct opposition to the Gospel And the business of the Church is to open the grounds and reasons of the same And when she was discovering the mystery of iniquity by opening the grounds of unbelief and laying the foundation of faith she saith her hands dropped with Myrrhe and her fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe Exod. 30. That is she dropped true holiness and righteousness into the Souls of those that heard it For the annointing oyl which was made for the Priests and also for the Tabernacle and his vessels which was compounded with Myrrhe was holy whosoever was annointed with it was holy and whosoever touched it was holy Therefore wheresoever this Myrrhe is dropped it maketh the person holy And for this reason she calleth her Doctrine the sweet smelling Myrrhe because it maketh those where it is dropped sweet in the sight of God sweet in the sight of Conscience and also a sweet Savour in every place By this the practice of the Church may be seen in all ages Which is first to open and receive the annointing oyl from above next to touch upon those points which drop the Myrrhe into the Consciences of others Now the Myrrhe cannot drop unless the Lock be opened for it droppeth in handling of the Lock Neither can the Lock be opened without the Key which turneth and openeth the Lock Now Christ not Moses Esa 22.22 hath the Key of the house of David by which the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven is unlocked For the Law saith do it and thou shalt live and so it maketh works to be the ground of faith but the Gospel saith believe and thou shalt live Believe what Faith driveth us to that righteousness that is re-required by the first Commandment See Song 3d. Verse 10. Even this very thing that thou doest it not That thou lovest not God fearest not God neither delightest nor trustest in him as thou oughtest to do nor yet lovest thy Neighbour in any measure as thou shouldest And this all men will confess in word but their faith is grounded upon another bottom Therefore all men without the knowledg of the Gospel are unbelievers When thou canst once begin to rest upon the Gospel not because of thy works or duties done but because thou understandest and believest that the righteousness of Christ is given to every poor humbled sinner that trembleth before him and asketh the forgiveness of his sins then hast thou the right use of Davids Key then shalt thou joyfully perform good works unto thy neighbour which works although they are not perfect yet then are accepted because the nature of thy faith is changed touching thy justification and remission of sins When thou understandest the nature of this Key well then shalt thou easily perceive how to drop the Myrrhe into the hearts of others According to the saying of the Bride in this place my hands dropped with Myrrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the Lock VERSE VI. I opened to my beloved but my beloved had with-drawn himself and was gone IN the former Verse it is shewn how the Church opened and received the Doctrine of her beloved and taught it unto others now here we find the case and condition she was cast into after she was well armed and furnished with the Gospel She was cast into such a condition that no appearance of her beloved could be perceived This as I conceive may very well be understood in respect of his care and providence concerning outward things a condition which many that are godly are often cast into In this respect she
mighty hand and grace alone and letteth us see that he casteth us down into reproach and contempt for no other end and purpose but to exalt us again by ways unknown and to magnify his grace and mercy in us who can chuse in this condition but be sick of love And to have his heart enlarged with praise and thankfulness to his holy name Now she chargeth the Daughters if they find her beloved to tell him of her sickness If they find the true Christ in the Ministry and also in the way of his providence as she hath done that they also become thankful to him and praise his name which is her own condition Now although the charge here be if they find him yet this doth not make it a matter of indifference whether they find him or not but implies that they ought to seek him so as to find him The Daughters were no doubt Ministers that bare a great sway in the visible Church for they dispute much with the bride and they are often charged by the Bridegroom not to disturbe her yet they were such as had not the knowledg of the true Christ as appears also by the next Verse Now in that they are charged so to seek as to find the true Christ it sheweth That there ought to be a principal care in the Ministers of the Gospel to see that the true Christ be Preached For otherwise all men must of necessity be everlastingly lost And how shall God be glorified in his mercy or men receive any comfort by Christ merits if Christ be never known Besides if this point be not continually beat upon no man can possibly ever understand it being so contrary to mans natural opinion of God Which sheweth us one reason why there is so little knowledg of the true Christ in the World it is because there is so little care taken in this that the true Christ be Preached Therefore many seek after Christ but few find him because they seek him not aright With these it comes to pass even as Christ said to the Jews Joh. 8.21 ye shall seek me and not find me and shall die in your sins And why Because they sought him not by faith but in the works of the Law Rev. 9.32 They that seek him in the Law can never find him because the true Christ is not revealed in the Law Neither can any man define by the Law what true faith in Christ is The Daughters of Jerusalem cry out all upon this thou must do the Law which all men will grant ought to be done but to what end and purpose works are Commanded or which way the Law doth further us to faith in Christ this they can say nothing to This I conceive to be the scope of this place which I only touch they that have a mind may inlarge it as they please Now the Daughters question in the next Verse what the beloved is which makes it apparent they had not the knowledg of the true Christ VERSE IX What is thy beloved more then another beloved O thou fairest among women what is thy beloved more then another beloved that thou dost so charge us IT is as much as to say what is the righteousness of faith more then the righteousness of the Law or wherein lieth the difference Such is the abominable ignorance of all men till God open the eyes of the mind they see no difference between Christ and Moses And in this point the Language of the whole earth is confounded as it was at the building of Babel Thou makest a great doe say the Daughters about thy beloved and when all comes to all thy beloved is no more then another beloved For thou art justified by faith we grant but thy faith must be a working faith otherwise thy faith is dead and not a living faith Wherein then lies the difference or what is thy beloved more then another beloved So that in a word the Daughters attribute justification to faith but when they go to define what justifying faith is they can define it no otherwise but to be a working faith From whence it must follow that he hath will find the beloved must find him first in his own righteousness or works which must be the form or essence of his faith Also it is to be noted here that when they call the Church the fairest among women they give unto her the same Title that Christ doth but they deny that she hath that righteousness which is essential to that Title which is faith alone For as was said before they understand no other faith but a working faith Therefore how to define that faith which is alone and to distinguish it from a working faith they know not And how can the Bride be the fairest amonst women when she wanteth that faith which uniteth her to Christ without whose righteousness she cannot be fair For say they what is thy beloved more then another beloved What doth thy faith avail thee if it hath not works Can faith save thee Is it not of far less worth then that which bringeth forth works So that although in words they call the Church the fairest yet in heart and opinion they own and acknowledg no other righteousness whereby she is purified from her sin but the righteousness of the Law and her own works Such confusion the want of understanding in this point breedeth where faith as it is alone and justifieth is not distinguished from faith joined to works which Sanctifieth And this most horrible confusion is in the Church amongst many great Doctors at this day where this point is not rightly understood For we are justified by faith say they without the works of the Law but as soon as they come to treat of the Law they will affirm most strongly that without the works of the Law a man can have no evidence at all of his faith As if a man were justified by faith in the sight of God but by works in his Conscience These with the Daughters call the bride the fairest amongst women by faith but when they come to define what that faith is they mean no other thing then what is bred and nourished in the bride by her own works So that in a word she is the fairest but by their Doctrine she is the filthiest of all Creatures despised and condemned of God These run into a most deadly evil through a false definition of faith for many times the evidence of works is lost how then shall I be assured of my faith And so of Christ and also of Everlasting life Or else must I despair and die in unbelief Such confusion destroyeth the very nature of faith for faith hath an evidence in it self and the nature of it is to assure Heb. 11.1 from the light and testimony it receiveth from the word of God it speaketh perswasion as well as it worketh sanctification to believe is not only an act but sense of faith So that he
that believes knows that he believes And it is impossible for a man to believe any thing firmly but he must know that he doth believe it for faith is to receive and to receive is by an act of the will and no man can receive a thing willingly but he must needs know that he doth receive it Now in that the speech is here doubled by the Daughters it sheweth that they were very proud and stiff in their opinion What is thy beloved say they more then another beloved that thou dost so charge us What are we blind Here although the confusion be so great that it separateth all men from Christ yet they must not be charged with it nor be thought to err in the least tittle Such a most pestilent Heritick is mans opinion which will not be contented unless it live in the greatest Heresy which separateth all men from Christ and yet it must go for the greatest vertue Now in the next Verse and so to the end of this Chapter in answer to the Daughters the Church setteth down the Excellency of her beloved beyond any other beloved VERSE X. My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand IN which words we must note that she looketh not upon Christ by way of reflection as the Daughters do but directly by faith Therefore that Christian righteousness may be truly known she speaketh of such excellencies as are proper only to his own person And first she says my beloved is white by which she meaneth his righteousness imputed which being of Infinite purity Rev. 19.8 was fit for a Redemption And also ruddy because the guilt and punnishment of mans sin was laid upon him Now by this description of her beloved Esa 63.1 2. she totally overthrows the Religion of the Daughters and learneth rightly to teach the Law For if the white garments of her beloved must cloath her from the wrath of God then the Law which saith do this and live must have a new signification which the Daughters understand not Also if her beloved be ruddy or red being crucified for her sin as she confesseth then is she also white being clothed with his righteousness According to Saint Paul he was made sin for us Cor. 5.21 who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him But on the contrary the Daughters by resting in an opinion of works by a false understanding of the Law do uncloath Christ of his ruddiness and draw the guilt of sin upon themselves and are bound to make an Everlasting satisfaction to the Justice of God Therefore the Bride say here my beloved is more then another beloved And thus it is with us also if we so understand the Law as to make it the condition of the promises then do we uncloath Christ 〈◊〉 his ruddiness and by that Principle in 〈◊〉 suffer only whiteness to remain in his own person which person of Christ being strippeâ— of our guilt his whiteness remains on himself and to us can never be imputed But 〈◊〉 we so understand and teach the Law that 〈◊〉 may be suitable or subordinate to the Gospelâ— then all our redness or guiltiness shall be laâ—â— upon Christ our beloved and his righteousneâ—â— shall be imputed unto us To teach this poinâ— rightly and also to practice it in time 〈◊〉 distress and misery is so exceeding pleasant that no heart can chuse that rightly understanâ— it but burst out into joy and singing Now she further saith that he is the chiefest among ten thousand Meaning the chief Prophet or Teacher and also the chiefest standard Bearer alluding to the heads of the triâ—es who were standard Bearers when they were numbred to go out to War Num. 2. In which War of the Children of Isarel against the Canaanites and also when they were to go out against the Benjamites Judah must go first he must be the chief standard Bearer Reuben according to the Order of the Genealogy was to be first in respect he was the eldest Son of Isarel yet because our Lord sprang out of Judah and because the War against the Canaanites was a type of a greater matter therefore Judah must go first To shew us this that Christ himself must tread the Wine-press of the wrath of God Now seeing Christ hath trodden the Wine-press alone hath banished the curse and overcome death therefore must he stand in the Conscience alone without the Law or works And even as Judah was the first and chiefest in the War against the enemies of Israel and not Reuben although he was the eldest Son even so must Christ and not works be look'd upon first in receiving comfort into the afflicted Conscience And thus the Bride confuteth the Daughters My beloved she faith is more then thy beloved my beloved standing alone in my Conscience separateth me from the Law and the guilt of sin But thy beloved standing not alone in thy Conscience but leaveth thee under the Law and in thy sin VERSE XI His head is as the most fine Gold his locks are bushy and black as a Raven BY the head of Christ is meant his Divinity by which he went through his Kingly Office 1 Cor. 11.3 and got the victory over the Law sin death and Satan Which is compar'd to fine Gold Acts 17.29 not that the Godhead is like unto Gold but to shew that his Kingdom which is purchased by the merits of his Divinity is like unto Gold Luke 1.33 in that it is durable being an Everlasting Kingdom and the Churches cloathing is said to be of wrought Gold Psal 45.13 So that in regard of the golden effects that come to us by the deity his head is said to be as the fine Gold But what is meant by the blackness and bushiness of his Locks Quest If you look in to Dan. Ans 1.9 Rev. 1.14 his hair is said to be white as the pure wooll but here to be bushy and black as a raven Understand then that the whiteness of his hairs in Daniel sheweth him to be the Ancient of days therefore it signifieth his Divinity and that the bushiness and blackness of his locks here sheweth him to be youthly and strong therefore it signifieth his Humanity By this description also the bride overcometh the Daughters and sheweth her beloved to be more then another beloved for the righteousness of my beloved is the righteousness of God and man in one person and therefore accepted for me of the Father but the righteousness of thy beloved is but the righteousness of thine own sinful person whereby thou art accursed and condemned VERSE XII His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the Rivers of waters washed with Milk and fitly set BY his eyes are meant his understanding whereby he knoweth how to pitty us and help us Psal 33 13 18 34 15. having now in Heaven a fellow feeling of our extremities Esa 63.9 For although he knew not sin
by the Law which is life if we keep it but death if we break it This speech of the Daughters is the true picture of what manner of Preachers there shall be in some places of the Church in all ages even such that shall speak of the righteousness of Christ and much extol the same but nothing in comparison of the righteousness of the Law That although they lay down the righteousness of Christ to a Conscience in distress upon no other ground but that it believeth yet they shall with the Daughters understand faith after no other manner nor teach the principles of it any otherwise but by requiring the works of the Law accounting the chief beloved to be wanting until that righteousness be had For say they the business that Christ came into the world for was to Redeem us from our Sins and this Redemption is ours by faith but when they come to define what this faith is they can teach no other definition of it but a mans actual conformity to the Law of God And therefore by their Doctrine and manner of teaching they require nothing but only a strict conformity to Gods Law that so an evidence may be had of faith in Christ This is with the Daughters to call the Bride the fairest amongst women by reason of her faith and yet to hide the righteousness of Christ from the Conscience whereby she is made fair Besides if a man must have the righteousness of Christ and of the Law both before he can be justified before God and have any assurance of it in his Conscience why do they not then prescribe a measure how far a man must go in matter of works before he can be assured that his faith is true that so a man may know when his labour is at an end That manner of Doctrine reproveth not unbelief but establisheth in man an opinion of his works and plainly sheweth that our inherent righteousness contrary to St. Rom. 3.5 Paul and not our confessed unrighteousness doth commend the righteousness of God These are they whose Doctrine ends in contradictions who confess the Bride in word to be the fairest amongst women by faith alone but in deed and in truth that even then she is too seeking of her beloved For whether say they is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee To which it is answered by the Bride in the next verse as followeth VERSE II. My beloved is gone down into his Garden to the beds of spices to feed in the Gardens and to gather Lillies IN which words she sheweth where her beloved is to be found namely in his garden among the spiritual people that hear and follow his voice So that although he be gone yet he is not gone from her self but from the Daughters whose Doctrine doth wholly abrogate the Gospel and crucifie the son of God darken and deface all the benefits of his victory and Kingdom Therefore doth Christ depart and rest himself where his word is entertained and kept According as St. Paul said to the Jews seeing ye judg your selves unworthy of Eternal life Lo we turn to the Gentiles And when she saith to the beds of spices she meaneth to all those in all places of the world whose minds and Consciences are persumed with the sweet smell of his Heavenly Doctrine there Christ feedeth helpeth comforteth and refresheth them in all times of misery and distress And by gathering Lillies she meaneth that by that Doctrine which is despised of men doth Christ gather all his Lillies unto himself Which sheweth us what the the true Office of the Ministry is namely to feed those that are already planted in the Church of God and to gather to the faith of Christ those that are ignorant of the same And so to besprinkle the Heavedly spice into the minds and Consciences of the hearers that every one in the Garden may smell even as a bed of Spices VERSE III. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine he feedeth among the Lillies BY these words the Bride overcometh the Doctrine of the Daughters totally who endeavour by their principles to strip her of the Title of Bride because she wanteth the righteousness of the Law to perfect her faith To which she answereth If my beloved hath owned me then am I his Bride but my beloved hath owned me therefore am I his Bride Again If I am my beloveds then is my beloved also mine by an inseparable union which can never be broken By this argument she dasheth in pieces at one blow the whole Kingdom of Satan For grant their arguments might be cunning yet can they never overcome so long as this faith of application remaineth And when it is said he feedeth among the Lillies she meaneth with this faith of application which is rich feeding by which he feedeth all that are his against the fear of death and all evil unto Eternal life With this argument also must we learn to overcome when the Conscience is in fear and distress by reason of any adversary Joh. 15.16 Then must we lay down this for a certain proposition that we are the elect and chosen of God Now if I am chosen of God then am I my beloved's and if I am my beloved's then is my beloved also mine This argument Satan can never endure therefore he will muster up his forces against it because hereby we build our foundation upon Christ alone upon Gods laying claim unto us first and not by way of reflection This foundation will never fail us because we ground our faith from a principle that is true Our way is not the true way to life because we believe 't is the true for then Hereticks and Seducers were in the right but we do and ought to believe a thing because 't is true This is to give honour and glory to the truth of God which is the highest and greatest service that can be given unto him Therefore when thou art in misery and knowest not what to do be thy calamity what it will begin thy faith where God begins to thee But thou wilt say how is that I answer fear not Israel thou art mine Esa 43.1 Psal 50.7 hear O Israel I am thine Mark those two places of Scripture and make thy application accordingly From whence also note that he calleth thee by a new name Israel a prevailer with God on purpose that thou mightest learn thereby to believe in him and love him When thou hast learned thus to ground thy faith and to make application of Gospel then shalt thou easily understand and find by thine own experience the meaning of that Text I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not and lead them in paths that they have not known Forasmuch as the common way that is known is that first we must please God before he will own and accept of us but the way which is not known and that God reveals is that he loveth and owneth us
Saviour all people seek after every man maketh unto himself some God or other Exod. 1.32 Make us Gods to go before us say the people to Aaron but few there are that seek after the Saviour The Isralites sought after a Christ when they sought him in the works of the Law but could never find him Rom. 9.32 but the Gentiles which sought him by faith without the works of the Law found the Christ And in this sense it is said I was found of them that sought me not Now if the Queens and Concubines do bless and praise themselves as in heart they do in seeking after a Christ then they do also bless and praise the Bride in seeking after the Christ Also if it be good in them as in their opinion it is good to seek for a Christ then it is also good and very good in the bride to seek for the Christ which is the true Christ indeed They all agree in word It is the duty of all men to live in obedience to the Law but to seek for a Christ in the Law is to deny the Gospel that Jesus is the true Christ but the Question is how to seek him so as to find him The Queens and Concubines say thou must live in an active conformity to the Law of God then shalt thou have an evidence of thy faith in Christ but the Bride saith in the first place thou must seek him by faith without the Law otherwise thou must die in thy sins For so saith Christ to the Jews ye shall seek me and not find me Joh. 3. and shall die in your sins This sheweth us the reason why the Daughters the Queens and Concubines are so earnest in pressing the works of the Law why they require it of necessity under the penalty of Everlasting damnation and also why they are so rigid so severe and look so loftily upon those poor Creatures that have grosly broken the Law as if they themselves were made of purer metal the reason is because they seek for a Christ in the Law And also it sheweth us why the godly can submit give place to all do not count themselves for a rule for all men to conform unto in respect of their outward carriage but are willing to yeild to obey not to separate themselves from sinners but to equalize themselves with the worst to shew kindness and respect to all to friends and foes good and bad worthy and unworthy on purpose to gain their hearts and win their affections if it be possible to love and embrace the Gospel the reason is because they have found thee Christ the true Messias without the Law Hence it comes to pass that when the Daughters come to die for want of a right understanding in this point and sin begins to appear in the Conscience they know not how to fasten upon any one promise nor to pray with any manner of confidence but are even forc'd to cry out with those that had crucified the Lord of life Acts 2.37 men and brethren what shall we do to be saved All this comes to pass because they have spent all their time in seeking for a Christ a supposed an imaginary Christ but none for the Christ which is the true Christ indeed According to S. Paul The Gentiles which followed not righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness of faith but Israel which followed after righteousness Rom. 9.30 have not attained to the law of righteousness because they sought it not by faith but in the works of the law Therefore seeing Christ saith here That the daughters blessed her also that the Queens and Concubines by their practise praised her in seeking after a Christ which they sought only in the works of the law and therefore they could not find him Let us learn rightly to seek after Christ by faith that so when we seek him we may not seek him in vain VERSE X. Who is she that looketh forth as the Morning BY looking forth as the morning Christ meaneth the preaching of the Gospel which is the light of the World for even as the Night is a time of darkness and while the darkness remains no man can tell whether he goeth So before the Gospel cometh there is nothing but abominable darkness blindness and blasphemy in the world And also as when the Morning cometh it expelleth darkness and bringeth light so the Gospel is that bright and morning Star that sendeth into the world the light of life The Gospel doth not find men holy but maketh them holy for the Morning doth not find men light but bringeth the light therefore the Gospel is not to be so preached to a people as if they were all Believers before only shewing them how they should walk in the world but so taught that it may make Believers Therefore Christ saith As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world which could not be if the Gospel did not teach us a certainty of our faith for how can that be a light unto me that only requireth certain things to be believed and done if it doth not also shew me a certain way how I may attain the same This Light we have by the Gospel which maketh a merry heart and a joyful conscience Let us learn then so to hear and understand the Gospel that we may come under this note of Admiration and also that by the shining light of that bright and Morning-Star we may learn to cast off the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light Fair as the Moon The Church is likened to the Moon because her brightness is by a borrowed light even from Christ the Sun of righteousness and Fountain of light And this light she preacheth in the World And also because as the Moon she shineth in the Night and is created to rule the Night For God set two great Lights in the Firmament of Heaven to give light upon the earth Gen. 1. the greater light to rule the Day and the lesser light to rule the night For although the Moon hath her defects and risings sometimes increaseth and is sometimes more obscure appearing in divers forms and figures in the Firmament yet is she a Planet created to rule the Night Therefore the Bride is here likened to the Moon because she is set to give light upon the Earth and because by the light that she giveth she is to rule the Night She giveth not her own light upon the earth which she hath naturally but a borrowed light which she receiveth from the Sun the Fountain of light which light she infuseth into the midst of darkness to expel the same for although for a time the light of the Moon may be hidden yet as soon as she appeareth the darkness expels Now in that the light of this heavenly Planet is from the Sun the Fountain of Light and that the light which she receiveth is to rule the Night
are naught which sheweth that she hath no small opinion of her self but that she prizeth her own sinful works far beyond the righteousness of Christ else why doth she separate from Church assemblies accounting all men to be Anti-christian if they be wanting only in the works of the Law There is a mixed multitude the Minister is not rightly called and many other things are done or not done which as she supposeth are besides the rule but what of all this Something 's were ever wanting in men and ever will be so long as the Church is on this side perfection Now because she forsaketh the Church only for her blemishes not because faith is not Preached but in that works are wanting therefore she holdeth not the King in the Galleries but preferreth Moses before Christ And what follows all but only this because she prizeth the sinful works of men far beyond the gifts of God and righteousness of Christ therefore she condemneth the Gospel and is condemned by the Gospel According to the saying of our Saviour he that believeth not is condemned already This way must we also walk in in pacifying and quieting the afflicted Consciences even to hold the King in the Galleries For if when the Conscience is in distress the Law be then acknowledged to be the Lord then shall it be shut up fast in prison and bondage then shall it be held under the Law whereby it is accused and condemned this is to hold Moses in the Galleries not the King Therefore Moses the servant must be cast out of the afflicted Conscience by faith in Christ and not suffered to lodge in the Chamber with his Lord. Let us learn therefore to behold by faith Moses with his Sepulchre to be vanish'd away in respect of the Conscience that Christ with his Righteousness may rule and reign Thus must we hold fast Christ our King against all Enemies without and within Now in that the Churches hair is commended it meaneth believers as is shewed elsewhere and by purple their clothing shewing that all those that are fruitful in this Divine and Heavenly Art are clothed in purple even with the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ which is a Princely Robe For they are those that do overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of his Testimony VERSE VI. How fair and pleasant art thou O love for delights THis is a pashionate speech of Christ being as it were overcome with the delights of his Church in excercising her self in the points aforesaid Therefore he pronounceth her fair and pleasant with admiration VERSE VII This thy Statute is like unto a Palm-tree and thy breasts like clusters CHrist having before commended his spouse in respect of the parts and features of the body under divers and sundry similitudes here he setteth forth her full growth under the similitude of the Palm-tree concerning which Tree there are divers things written by Historians As first that they grow in Couples Male and Female and are full of seed but the Female is only fruitful yet not except growing by the Male. And also that it is of this nature that although never so huge and pondrous a waight be put upon it yet never to yield to the burden but still to resist the Heaviness thereof and to endeavour the more to lift and raise it self upward Now the Stature of the Bride being likened to the Palm-tree it sheweth what the nature of faith is in all the godly even to lift it self upwards in the midd'st of the greatest fears and perplexities and notwithstanding all burdens and waights yet still to grow through them all Therefore in Rev. 7.9 Those that had gotten the victory over Satan and the world by faith in Christ appeared in white Robes and Palm-branches in their hands as tokens of joy and victory And this is also promised in the Psalms Psal 92.12 that the Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree There is no doubt but every Christian shall be put to the tryal by having a heavy weight layed upon him at some time or other in his life which weight according to the flesh and reason shall seem to press him down to the very ground so that in appearance he shall never be able to grow upright again Therefore we find that in the description of the Temple there were round about the House figures of Cherubims and Palm-trees Eze. 41.18 where a Palm-tree was between a Cherub and a Cherub and every Cherubim had two faces the face of a man and the face of a Lion the face of a man was towards the Palm-tree on the one side and the face of a Lion towards the Palm-tree on the other side This face of a Lion is doubtless Satan who hath his face always towards the Palm-tree using all means to crush it down by casting heavy weights and burdens upon it but the face of a man is the loving countenance of our Lord Jesus Christ clothed in our humanity which always looks upon us to comfort and strengthen us against all the assaults and Temptations of the Devil Therefore in such conditions we must live by faith and pray without ceasing for as it is sure and certain that the face of our Lord Jesus Christ is towards us upon the one side by whose loving countenance we shall be sure of the Victory So is it also as certain that the face of the Lion is upon us on the other side even Satan the roaring Lion that waiteth continually to devour us Therefore must we continually watch and pray and look unto Christ by faith for as was said before the Palm-tree groweth not to be fruitful except it grow by the Male therefore let us hold fast our head and Husband the Lord Jesus Christ that we may be fruitful to Eternal life Then shall the breasts of consolation be full like clusters which when we have the true use thereof shall wonderfully comfort and strengthen us against all the heavy weights and burdens that Satan shall cast upon us VERSE VIII I said I will go up to the Palm-tree I will take hold of the boughs thereof now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the Vine and the smell of thy Nose like Apples THe Palm-tree as was said before is the Church and the boughs are the Children of the Church Now here it is shewed how they grow to be so fruitful it is because Christ taketh hold first therefore the breasts are full of the Wine of consolation and the nose smelleth variety of fruit in the word of God The sum of these words is this That the principal means for the Children of the Church to be fill'd with variety of excellent fruits is to suffer the Lord Jesus Christ to take hold of them first To suffer him to begin and to perfect his own work by his own means and in his own way And the reason is because God hath decreed that all men that shall ever be made holy and
early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender grapes appear and the Pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves THis Verse setteth forth the care and dilligence of the Church in looking to those that were planted in it Where by Vineyards she meaneth Esa 1. those particular congregations where the word is taught And by the Vine Christ And by the tender grape Joh. 15. the Conscience made tender by the word of God And by the budding of the Pomegranate the growth of the Church in Heavenly Doctrine and in shewing forth all good works before men And in that she says let us go up early to the Vineyards it meaneth before false Teachers creep in and spoil the fruit For as soon as the Fox cometh he falleth upon the Vine he endeavoureth to spoil Christ of his name and glory Therefore to prevent this she saith let us get up to the Vineyards meaning the principal members in the Church both in the Magistracy and Ministry whose care ought to be that the Church be rightly instructed in sound Doctrine and that order be taken with those that are perverters of the Gospel There she saith I will give thee my loves that is in so doing I will testify my loves unto thee meaning to Christ She speaketh in the plural number because it is more then a bare single love it being not only to Christ but also to his Members The sum of all is this That it is a very great Testimony of love to God and a principal means in causing the Lords Vineyard to become fruitful when an early care is taken by the principal Members in the Church that the word be purely taught and that the mouths of false Teachers be stopped If the word be not rightly taught no man's Conscience can be edified if the mouths of seducers be not shut Satan will quickly pervert the Gospel of Christ Either of these wants hindereth the fruitsulness of the Vineyard and in a manner layeth it wast Such therefore must be charged by Timothy that they Preach no other Doctrine or else by Titus their mouths must be stopped Want of care in this thing betimes spoileth the flourishing of the Vine the budding of the Pomegranate neither doth the tender grape hardly every appear Care therefore must be taken in this that no person be suffered in the Vineyard that is a Seducer nor set to work in the Vineyard unless he be a cunning Artificer a man of skill that is able to succour the tender grape and to refresh the Pomegranate that his buds may shoot forth and appear This is a work highly acceptable to the Father who is the great Husbandman and to the son who is the Archbishop of his Church and therefore I humble conceive it ought to be the care of every Bishop If any man offend in his life the Magistrate is to punish him but if any man go about to pervert the Gospel Paul and Barnabas must go up to Jerusalem about the Question where should always be some that are able to hear and determin the same Whatsoever care is taken or ought to be taken about matters of Discipline yet it is most certain that the main and principal thing to be cared for and looked after is matter of Doctrine that mens Consciences be rightly instructed otherwise no man can be saved What misery is come upon us for many years past for want of this care we have seen by woful experience VERSE XIII The Mandrakes give a smell at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits both new and old which I have laid up for thee O my beloved THese are the words of Christ which are of the nature of a promise to supply his Church with the variety of all pleasant fruits And first of all he speaketh of the sweetness of the Mandrakes of which we read in Gen. 30.14 which were found by Reuben in the time of Wheat Harvest All that I gather from it is this Reuben was the first born son of Jacob which first born son was a type of Christ the first born among many brethren Now the Mandrakes being brought by Reuben to his Mother Leah which were very delightful as it appears by Rachel it sheweth unto us the Excellency of the fruits that come to us by Christ who is the first begotten of the dead which are the fruits of his Death and Resurrection manifested by the Preaching of the Gospel Which are said to be pleasant Fruits meaning to the tender afflicted Conscience The time when they appear so pleasant is when the gates are opened when the Gospel of Eternal life is opened and rightly applyed to the tender Conscience These Fruits are said to be New and Old not in respect of substance of Doctrine but the variety And it being said Note which I have laid up for thee my beloved it sheweth that all the secret Misteries of the Kingdom of Heaven that have been hid from ages are laid up on purpose by Christ himself to bestow upon those that put an high estimation upon them And this I conceive to be the meaning of the words And the Reason why they are laid up only for such is because the Misteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are of an Infinit value therefore must not be bestowed upon those that will despise them they are of so great a price that no man is able to put an estimate upon them they are beyond Silver Gold and Rubies and all things that can be desired Now who can imagine that Jewels of such inestimable worth Prov. 3.15 shall be given to such that shall only Trample them under ther Feet Therefore Christ hath laid them up for his beloved Even for those that esteem of them most highly above their appointed food Which openeth the cause and sheweth us the Reason why there are so few that are acquainted with the secrets of the word of God that understand so little of the Misteries of the Kingdom of Heaven it is not because Christ is not willing to open the Secrets and reveal the Misteries but the reason is because men put no estimation upon them Christ hath laid up all manner of pleasant Fruits hath abundance in store to bestow of things both New and Old upon all those that are willing to receive them but no man cares for the taste of them The Mandrakes give a most Excellent smell but no man careth for the scent At wisdoms gates are all manner of pleasants Fruits even those that heal the Nations that save us from the Everlasting wrath of God but we value them not we look not after them but set an higher estimation upon Transitory things that perish then upon those Everlasting things that shall never decay Just like unto Children that more esteem of a Counter of little or no value at all than of a rich Jewel that is of great price Therefore no man must blame the Lord Jesus Christ but
Pomegranate because it being freely bestowed upon the Church by Christ himself she also freely giveth it to all that are willing to receive it This sheweth us what kindness those that are strong in the faith ought to shew towards those poor wretches that are newly coming on Even to take them as it were by the hand and bring them into their Mothers house to bring them acquainted with the Spiritual people that they may be well instructed in the Gospel even to those that are fill'd with spiced wine that have store of the juyce of the Pomegranate that are able by Divine arguments and by a holy kind of violence to fasten the words of Eternal life upon them All men must be willing and no man must think himself too great or too good to stoop to help poor dejected creatures this way Most men will be willing to discourse with those that are able and great in the Church that have least need of help but what shall be come of poor silly creatures that are ignorant Why should not poor people when they are found without and much distressed in consideration of their own barreness and by reason of the cross and great tribulations be saluted with the kiss of the Gospel seeing it hath been and is the practise of the godly rather then those that are better able to help themselves The want of this thing sheweth that there are but a very few that do live in the right Practice of Piety VERSE III. His left hand should be under my head and his right hand should embrace me THese words seem to prevent an objection that may be made by a Conscience in distress for when once a man feeleth himself under the curse and in great tribulations he begins to be afraid and to cry out for help What shall I do To this the Church answereth here after the manner of a Lover his left hand shall be under my head meaning his humanity And his right hand shall embrace me meaning his Divinity She speaketh in the first person but the whole company of believers are included being all one body by faith The Church teacheth this Divine and Heavenly art how to unlade the Conscience of sins burthens cares and calamities upon the humanity of Christ who nail'd them all to his cross and burried them in his grave and how to receive the embraces of Christ from his Divinity whereby he conquered all the enemies of man After the same manner must we also learn and teach others even when the Conscience is in distress to unlade it by faith upon Christs humanity and when we stand in need of any help or succour then by faith to receive it from the Divinity Then shall we by the blessings of his left hand be eased of our burthens and sorrows and by the blessings of his right hand shall have a supply of all our wants from him VERSE IV. I charge you O yee Daughters of Jerusalem that yee stir not up nor awake my love until he please THis charge is given by Christ to the Daughters of Jerusalem not to disturb the Bride in this her holy faith and confidence wherein she sweetly sleepeth and resteth secure in the promises contrary to reason and not to awake her until himself please which is never VERSE V. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved THese are the continued words of Christ and so to the eight Verse And it is a Note of admiration at the spouse in that she leaneth upon Christ by faith in all the tribulations that she meeteth with in the wilderness of this world by which faith she also cometh out of them all She is not commended nor admired at for her Riches Honour Prosperity and esteem amongst men For in the wilderness she is commonly without all these things being afflicted with Poverty Reproach and all manner of Calamities Counted as an object and as the off-scowring of all things Yet in that she doth not faint and pine away in this Condition but humbleth and submitteth her self to the cross and leaneth upon her beloved through faith she is look't upon with a Note of admiration Who is this We see this then clear That at the self same time that the Church is look't upon as an object of reproach and of no esteeem by men of the World she is look't upon with admiration by the Lord Jesus Christ In that she is in the Wilderness where she is afflicted being without the glory of the World she is despised of men but in that she is not offended at her condition but leaneth upon her beloved by Faith she is look't upon with admiration by the Lord Jesus Christ And the reason why she is so much admired is because she fighteth with the word of God against all enimies at once she setteth the Gospel against all oppositions therefore Christ says here Who is this She hath not only Enemies without but also within she hath the World the Flesh and the Devil yet with one weapon she over-comes them all and that is Faith in her beloved Which consideration must wonderfully comfort all those poor wretches which are much afflicted by men that are despised and rejected of the World who by reason of their blemishes and staines or poverty or any outward calamity which things are common in the Wilderness are despised and reproached and even utterly rejected of the World yet in that they are willing to submit unto the Cross without being offended to humble themselves and cleave to Christ by Faith their comfort lies in this that at the very same time that they are despised of men they are look't upon with admiration by the Lord Jesus Christ Which must encourage every man to submit himself to his Heavenly Father if he please to exercise him in such a condition This course must we also take when the Conscience accuseth us the Law threatneth and we can apprehend nothing but death Eternal even then must we fall down before him confessing our sins and hearken to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ who at the very self same time that we humble our selves before him doth speak good and comfortable words unto us on purpose to draw us to himself therefore must we hearken to him and believe his words then shall we not only feed upon the hid Manna that will comfort us in the wilderness but also joyfully shall come forth of the wilderness leaning upon our beloved I raised thee up under the apple-tree there thy Mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee These words shew how this faith and dependance was wrought in the Church I raised thee up under the Apple-tree By the Apple-tree is meant Christ himself And it being said under the Apple-tree it sheweth that no man can be raised to any degree in the faith without the fruits of the Tree And also that the fruits of Christs death and resurrection do naturally and freely drop upon
obtain Christs love it would utterly be contemned that is of Christ Now by substance of the House he meaneth all works done in the flesh none of all which can procure the love of God to a Soul but are all utterly contemned and despised the assurance there of being attained unto by faith alone These words therefore must utterly confound all opinion of works within us and destroy all confidence in the flesh and it being the Gospel it must teach us also so to expound all those Texts of Scripture that seem to attribute something to works in attaining to the love of Christ that the sense may be agreeable to what is here writen VERSE VIII We have a little Sister and she hath 〈◊〉 breasts What shall we do for our Sister in the day when she shall be spoken for THese are the words of the Church wherein she bemoaneth her little Sister when the day comes that she is even ready for marriage what shall we do for her in the day when she shall be spoken for We are not to understand by the little Sister only the Gentiles as the most do which then when Solomon wrote this Book were without the word for then how shall it be understood now seeing the Gentiles are called Therefore seeing this bemoaning of the little Sister is the voice of the Church in all ages such a sense must be found as will agree to all times Understand then by the little Sister all those that are unlearned in the Doctrine of the Gospel whither they be Jews or Gentiles within the Pale of the Church or without all that belong to the Election of grace and are yet uncall'd All these are comprehended under the Title of the little Sister which first or last shall be spoken for Little she is not in number but in regard of knowledg of the way to Life and Salvation A Sister she is yet not of whole blood she is Sister by the Father but not by the Mother For as Abraham had two Sons which were brethren by the Father but not by the Mother So hath God Almighty two sorts of people in the world and but two which are brethren by generation but not by regenertion They are brethern by the Father as proceeding all from Adam but not brethren by the Mother being not yet new born in the Church And therefore she says she hath yet no breasts that is she hath not breasts of the true Mother being not yet born This little Sister she bewaileth and bemoaneth not so much for the time present as she doth in thinking on the day when she shall be spoken for What shall we do for our little Sister in that day Which bemoaning is always among the Godly in the Church and will be to the end of the world What shall I do for my Husband my Wife my Son my Daughter my Friend But what is meant here by the day when she shall be spoken for Quest I answer Ans the spouseman is the Lord Jesus Christ himself and the day when the little Sister is spoken for is when she feeleth her condemnation by the Law They and all they that feel their condemnation by the Law they and all they are spoken for by the Lord Jesus Christ Now she bemoaneth her little Sister in this condition what shall we do for her that she may be married to Christ And in that she doth so bewail her and make it her principal care to help her it giveth us to understand this That the principal care of the true Church of God for her little Sister is that as soon as she perceiveth her to be spoken for or condemned by the Law to make dilligent enquiry how to give her in marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ And the Reason is first because to Solemnize the Marriage between Christ and the Soul is a work of the greatest difficulty that ever was therefore the Church may well say what shall we do for our little Sister in that day And also it is the most destructive to Satans Kingdom of all things and therefore the marriage is most strongly opposed by the Devil and his Angels But chiefly because unless the Soul be married to Christ the compound between the Conscience and the Law can never be dissolved or untied but the same bargain or Covenant that was made with man at first remains in force which bindeth all men to the penalty which is to endure the wrath of God for ever This informeth us that there are but a very few that pertain to the true Church of God because there are so few that make it their principal care to comfort their little Sister in the day of her distress When she is afflicted with her sin and feeleth her condemnation by the Law and is much broken and distressed by reason of great tribulations and by these things is spoken for by the Lord Jesus Christ that she might be matched to himself instead of making it the principal care to give her in Marriage to the Son of God by faith alone they endeavour with great earnestness to present her to Christ by the works of the Law Instead of dissolving the compound and making void the Covenant that was made with man at first and matching the Soul to Christ in an Everlasting Covenant that the guilt of her sin might be removed and that she might be justified in the sight of God they endeavour in the first place as the only thing needful to Solemnize the contract between her Conscience and the Law Which is according to St. Rom. 7. Pauls Allegory but to present her an Adultress before God for which sin seeing she is separated thereby from the true God she is bound in captivity under the guilt of sin and is in bondage to Satan and the wrath of God for evermore All people therefore must learn from hence to imitate the true Church of God which is to lay down the true grounds of consolation for their little Sister to rest on in the day of her distress that as soon as she is spoken for and feeleth her condemnation by the Law and that she hath no breasts of her own to nourish her in her misery then to become instrumental to marry her to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone Now that the match may be made and that she may be wedded to the Son of God she must acknowledg her death by the Law and aske forgiveness for her sins with a believing heart Rom. 7. then is she free according to St. Paul from her first Husband the Law being dead unto it through faith in the Son of God For in that she feeleth and confesseth her death by the Law the Law is also become dead having lost its power and dominion Then may are assure her that the compound made with man at first is dissolved between the Conscience and the Law and may also Solemnize the contract between Christ and the Soul This is the duty we
liveth under a double time in this world the time of the Law and the time of grace A time when the voice of sorrow and mourning must be heard and a time when the voice of joy and gladness must only be heard and sorrow and mourning must fly away And Solomon being inspired by the holy Ghost treateth of both these times which every Christian must apply himself diligently to learn No man must think the Gospel to be such a Doctrine that bringeth with it nothing but pleasure for it being contrary to the Doctrine and Religion of the World it bringeth the cross and many tribulations where the true Gospel is taught And when the fear of any judgment guilt or calamity begins to seize on the mind and to overwhelm it then doth the time of the Law begin and holdeth us in captivity which time doth not always last to the Godly but only till Christ for as soon as we confess our sin and make application of the promises of God then doth the Law begin to vanish from the Conscience and then the time of the singing of Birds is come as the holy Ghost here writeth The voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land The Turtle useth as some say to depart out of the Land of Jury in winter by reason of the cold and to return again in spring for to make an abode in which time her voice is only heard calling to her mate So that the voice of the Turtle is a certain sign that the spring is come So when we hear the Nittingale the Thrush the Black-bird and other harmonical voices and pleasant notes we know the spring is come Now as the voice of the Turtle and the chirping of other Birds do shew unto us that Summer is come So also we know that the Gospel is come when the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ is heard amongst the Saints For as the warmness of the spring causeth a cheerfulness amongst the Brids So doth the truth of the Gospel being rightly understood cause a cheerfulness amongst the Saints which causeth all the Heavenly host to break out in singing lauding and praising the Lord. When once they begin to shake off the winter and the frost begins to melt and their hearts begin to be warmed with the spirit of God then they begin to set their voices in Tune and with sweet and Heavenly descant to make melody to the Lord in their hearts When this comes to pass then is the voice of the Turtle heard and then the Summer is come Then the Nightingale singeth and all the Birds of Heaven begin to chirp They that have nothing in their mouths but ribaldry and filthiness that can talk of nothing but couetousness and greediness shew no tokens at all of the spring neither can such make any Musick at all to the Lord. Therefore let us learn rightly to understand the voice of the Turtle that we may have this heat of affection within us and so lively a feeling of the Lords mercies that we may sing forth the praises of the Lord and shew the Turtle to be amongst us and that the spring is come that so by our spiritual and Heavenly joy begun in this life we may give a glymps of that everlasting joy which one day we shall have with the Lord in glory VERSE XIII The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell THe vine and the fig-tree do also note the spring especially in Jury where the Country is hot and the spring comes sooner then with us to make the earth fruitful Both these Trees bear pleasant fruit especially as some say those about Libanus And as their fruit is pleasant to the tast so the tender grapes when they first shoot out and blossom give a good smell chiefly in hot Countrys where the Sun hath greater force then else where in causing nature to thrust forth her sweetness This sheweth that where the Gospel cometh it maketh men fruitful for the godly are not compared to Trees that bring forth no fruit when once God pardoneth the imperfections and blemishes of his Church but to Trees that bring forth most sweet and pleasant fruit Those that bring forth no fruit in their conversation but sower grapes are not the Lords plants but are degenerated from the true vine And they whose Doctrine by reason of the nature of its principles bringeth no Children unto glory are not the Lords fig-trees but are like brambles thorns and thistles that scratch and prick the Church but bring forth nothing that is sweet and pleasant these serve for nothing but to be cut down and cast into the fire Therefore we must learn to tast of the sweetness of the fig-tree and the vine and to shew forth the fruits thereof that we may give a testimony that the Gospel is come which when once we have well tasted of we will not lose the sweetness of it for a world When the Trees went out to chuse them a King Judg. 9. the fig-tree would not lose his sweetness for a Kingdom Nor would the vine lose his pleasant wine that cheared God and man for a Kingdom If once we had but tasted the fruit of the vine and of the fig-tree and did rightly know the use thereof we would not part with it for all the pleasures under the Sun Although the grapes be not fully ripe we must not be dismayed and the figs but green and small yet the Lord taketh pleasure in them and counteth our poor beginnings to be tokens of the spring If we humble our selves before him for our frailties and weaknesses and aske him forgiveness for the same he looks upon us with gracious eyes and telleth us that Summer is come When we are ashamed of our fruit and begin to be dismayed and hang down our heads like a bullrush yet then doth he speake friendly and comfortable words unto us as appeareth in the words next following Arise my love my fair one and come away Which words are the conclusion of what was spoken to the bride by her beloved and it is the second time by which she is call'd upon to come away Now in that he calleth again it sheweth how untractable the Soul is to come out of her missery and affliction so wicked a thing is unbelief which setteth nothing before our eyes in the time of tribulation but only this that God hath no respect unto us but that he is about wholly to cast us of Now because there is no cure for unbelief but only faith and faith can have no footing but only from truth therefore our beloved in these words openeth his good heart unto us and telleth us the very truth that we are his love his fair one He that can make use of these words in time of Temptation and can perswade himself that they are spoken unto him setting himself to prayer in good earnest for the establishing of this very truth in his
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
but if thou hast learned this Divine and Heavenly Art to expound the Law by the Gospel then shall the Law vanish out of thy Conscience and Christ alone shall rule and govern Therefore in such a condition as this enter into thy closet and pray after this manner Lord I am in great distress and know not what to do and the evils that I fear are justly coming upon me by reason of my sin and if I should now expound the Gospel by the Law which is now upon me then should I be totally ruined without all hope of recovery but seeing thou hast taught me to expound the Law by the Gospel and not to make construction of things according to sense and reason but according to thy holy and gracious promise teach me to stick unto it so long as life shall last When once thou enterest into this excercise of thy faith thou wilt quickly find the sweet of it and wilt not care a rush for any affliction Then shalt thou experimently feel in thy self that although there be in the Shulamite as it were the company of two armies the flesh warring against the Spirit and the Spirit warring against the flesh inwardly against the accusations and terrors of the Law and outwardly against false Prophets and Seducers yet that thou mayest easily overcome them by the Gospel And also shalt find that this Battel cometh not to pass from the principles of the Gospel but from the natures of men who by reason of blindness and wilfulness will not understand the same CHAP. VII VERSE I. How beautiful are thy feet with shoes O Princes Daughter BY reason of the Churches Victory in this Battel against Satan within and Satan without Christ commendeth her again And first her feet and shoes are commended she being so well shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace for then the feet are said to be beautiful when they are well furnished with the glad tidings of peace and good things then do the feet stand upon holy ground Now when the Gospel is made the standard to try all Doctrines by and also the only weapon to drive away the guilt of sin and all fears out of the Conscience then doth the Church obtain this Title to be call'd the Princes Daughter Then is she looked upon no longer as coming from Adam but as one who by her new birth or Nativity is the Daughter of a Prince even fo the Lord Jesus Christ For so Christ is said to be the Everlasting Father and Prince of peace because by his word he generateth Children to himself Psal 45. to make them Princes in all the Earth For this cause also must we endeavour to receive the Gospel that our feet may be well shod that our inward man may be made beautiful with the righteousness of the Son of God then shall we be look'd upon no longer in respect of the Conscience as Children of Adam but as Sons and Daughters of the living God For being separated from Adam we are likewise separated from the curse that lyeth upon Adam and all his posterity Therefore this must teach us whither to go when we are disturbed either in our inward or outward peace even to him that is the Prince of Peace And also what to do in case of wants even to humble our selves upon our knees before the Prince who being the Kings Son and heir of all things can deny us nothing who are become the Princes Daughter We must not therefore be faithless but believing then shall we also perform good works joyfully and thankfully before men but if we forget or dispise this Heavenly Title then shall we remain in our old natural condition under the curse and the benefits of the new Nativity shall be utterly lost The joints of thy thighs are like jewels the work of a cunning Artificer Next to the feet the joints are here commended which must be understood as they are instruments to convey nourishment into the body Col. 2. For the body is said to increase by reason of the joints and bands Eph. 4. which minister nourishment one to another from every part which causeth it to increase with the increasings of God The joints then are here commended in respect of their use and Office which is to minister nourishment from the head to the rest of the body These joints are the particular Members in the Church which are like jewels being wonderful precious in the estimation of the owner Where these joints do rightly perform their Office the body groweth strong but where there is a coldness and benumendness in the joints the body groweth lame and little agility will be seen and there also are the Bridegrooms jewels Therefore all those that live in this Exercise and do supply the Office of the joints must believe that they are in high account in the sight of their beloved which must comfort and encourage every one in the body to perform his Office Next these are said to be the work of the hands of a cunning Artificer By the Artificer I understand the Preacher of the Gospel who is skilful in forming or planting Christ in the Soul Who is able through the holy Ghost to teach a right division between the Law and Gospel in use and practice that Christ may rule in the Conscience and the Law may govern the old man which cannot be done but by the hand of a cunning workman This is he that Paul speaks of when he says a workman that needeth not to be ashamed dividing the word of truth aright where this skilful Artificer is the Conscience is kept pure and undefiled but where there is daubing with untempered Morter the Conscience is often out of joint Therefore he that is the Artificer must be a cunning workman that knoweth how to break the stone in the heart by the hammer of the Law and also how to bind up the broken hearted by the Gospel without the Law Where this Artificer is nourishment is conveyed from the head into the body and every part is supplyed as it were by joints and bands to the edifying of it self in love there is nothing done but the framing and fashioning of Jewels for the Lord and the presenting as it were of a Royal Diadem into the hands of God Therefore it is said of the holy City the new Jerusalem that it is all of pure gold and that it is garnished with all manner of precious Stones which is the business of the Jeweller to garnish the City Therefore seeing he is to work in Gold and Silver and precious Stones even with the pure Doctrine of the Gospel seeing he must break in pieces stony hearts and grind them as it were to powder and also must set in order poor distressed Consciences that are altogether out of joint that they may be armed and fortified against so mighty an enemy as the Devil he had need be a cunning workman a wise Master builder that is able so