banner of Christ love to display and to whom in Peters person he sayes to all and every one Pasce oves meas These then by office being the stewards of the Lords house 1. Cor. 4. 1. under whose hand to divide aright and distribute are the childrens bread and these flaggons and fruits therefore she desireth them that they with the comfortable doctrines and promises of the Gospell applyed to her conscience and present estate prudently would uphold her now ready to swoon and so languishing for love for by these as nurses the Lord will have his children nourished with the sincere milk of his word that they may grow thereby by them as stewards he wil have them fed in his family by these as teachers he will have them to be instructed and Disciplinated in his school and by these as spirituall Physitians he will have them lanced bound up that are broken-hearted cared for cured and comforted with the cordialls of his word 3. Thirdly and last of all we have the reason why she desires to be thus stayed with flaggons and comforted with apples and this is because she was sick of love that is languishing with desire to injoy the comfortable presence and comforts of her beloved and as love is one of the strongest affections so is the sickness that comes of it the strongest and â—orest afflicter of any as we may see 2. Sam. 13. 1. and therefore the Greek Septuagint has wounded of love Indeed there are two sorts of the soules sickness the one common to all but the other proper to a few the first is a sickness of sinne whereof all are sick naturally but alas all are not sensible and this came from Satan to us and the first Adam and this sicknesse is unto deathâ— Spirituall and Eternall the second is this love-sickness whereof too few are sick and the church is here sensible of and this comes from God and the second Adam and this sickness is unto life arguing the spirituall life of grace to be in the soul here and that the same shall live the life of glory hereafter This spirituall love-sickness as other naturall love sickness has 1. A preceeding sight and knowledge of the person loved beholding in his word and by the eye of faith having gotten a sight how amiable and lovely Christ is to the Soul which so works on her affection as we see c. 5. that she cannot sufficiently expresse his praise and commendation 2. This love-sickness has a continuall longing and languishing till she injoy him whom she loves as Amnon languished till he injoyed Tamar and Jacob longed till he injoyed Rachel therefore David said that as the Hart panted after the water-brookes so did his soul till he should come and appeare before the Lord Ps 42. And the Apostle professed that he desired to be dissolved that he might be with Christ 3. To the love-sick party till this injoying be no other thing can give content or satisfaction and even so neither to the love-sick soul till she injoy Christs presence againe after a spirituall desertion can any earthly thing afford her rest or comfort she being therein like Rachel that could not be comforted till she find him againe whom her soul loves as we see Cant. 3. 2. 4. and 5 6 7 8. and as David speakes till she be restored againe to the joy of her salvation here and at last be brought to that fulness of joy which is in his presence and pleasures evermore 4. One that is love sick thinks on the party continually yea the same so takes up his thoughts as talk with him of any other purpose or party and it is as with one absent even so is it with the soul that is love-sick of Christ and 5. Such a one is restles as Ahab was till he got Naboths vinyard till they get and enjoy whom they do love and even so is the soul till it injoy Christ Observations 1. Whereas the church having received of Christ's fruit which was sweet to her taste and of his wine in his banquetting house thereof which did cheer or rejoyce her Heart cannot content therewith but does here desire to be yet more stayed with flaggons and comforted with apples we see that the godly can never enough be satiate with grace and the sweetness that is in Christ having once truly tasted thereof and therefore we ought to try if this be our disposition and thereby if we have gotten true grace to be true members of Christ's church which if we have then assuredly this is a sure token thereof that we will have a further desire to grow therein 2. We see Gods wise dispensation of his grace not giving the same but by degrees and as it were drop by drop whereby we may by a holy wholesome appetite be exercised in prayer and asking and by a comfortable senâ—e of his renewing bounty be exercised in praise and thanksgiving 3. Whereas she desires to be stayed with flaggons we see wherein solid comfort in all our soul-faintings or spirituall swoonings is only to be found to wit in Gods word the old and new Testaments which whosoever leave to seek comfort in any other doctrine or dotages of mans invention or foolish superstition they leave the fountaine of living waters to dig unto themselves broken cisternes that can hold no water 4. Seeing her speech is directed to her friends in the plurall number and not to her beloved husband in the singular which friends are the pastors of the Word to whom is committed the ordinary dispensation of the word of comfort as apples of Gold with pictures of silver spoken in season to a perplexed soul therefore both their persons ought to be reverenced and loved for their works sake and much more the word which they preach remembring that who heare them heares him that sent them and who despises them despises him that sent them as the Lord said unto Samuel They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not raigne over them 1 Sam. 8. 7. 5. Let Pastors also for the performance of this Ministry of comfort furnish themselves with these flaggons and variety of the word of comfort that in all purdence and plenty they may come to love sick-soules with the blessing of the Gospell of Christ that as Job speaks of himself the care that hears may blesse them Job 29. 11. 13. The blessing also of them that were ready to perish may come upon them and they may cause the wearied heart to rejoyce and sing for joy 6. Let also those who are comforted and raised up by their word remember that the comfort it self comes mainly from Christ who is the true vine able only to afford the cheering liquor thereof and the apple-tree which produces the sweet fruit thereof and that theirs is only the externall ministry or exhibition but his only is the inward efficacy and application that so from him chiesly the same may be sought and to him for
6. As the Shepherd seeks any of his sheep who are gone astray seems to be lost to find bring the same back againe as we see in that parable Matth. 18. 12 Ezek. 34. 16. So has Christ Jesus come from the Heaven to the earth to seek and find out his lost sheep And dayly seeks and follows after them in the ministry of his Word to reclaime them from their sinfull and dangerous straying away from him 7. As a shepherd heals the diseased and sick amongst his sheep and binds up that which is broken amongst them as we see Ezek. 34. 4. Even so was our Saviour the Lord Jesus sent as he declares Isay 61. 1. to bind up the broken hearted and proclaime liberty to the captives and as he promiseth Ezek. 34. 16. He will seek that which was lost and bring againe that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and strengthen that which was sick for he is that Heavenly Physitian who is able to cure all diseases Psalm 103. 3. and more loving then that Samaritan who out of his tender compassion towards our wounded souls suffered himself so to be wounded and pierced both in soul and body that of his precious blood a soveraigne plaister might be made for us to apply by faith to our sick soules 8. As a shepheard tenderly deales with the weake and young Gen. 33. 11. Even so is it said of Christ Jesus Isay 40. 11. That he shall gather his Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead them that are with young which the Psalmist expresles Psal 103. 13. Saying like as a father pittyeth his children so the Lord pittyeth them that feare him for he knowes our-frame and remembreth that we are but dust He layes no more upon them nor they may beare yea he helps them secretly to beare and wisely mixes their cup and makes his grace to be sufficient for them 9. As the shepheard separates from his flock the goats or such as are not his owne So sayes the Lord Ezek. 34. 17. Behold I judge between cattell and cattell between the rammes and the Hee-goats and will separate at the last day his own sheep who heard his voice and followed Him here from the wicked that are none of His but petulant goats setting the one at his right hand unto Eternall life and the other as his left hand unto eternall destruction But here is a great difference between other shepheards and this shepherd spoken of here for 1. Others may lose some of their sheep but not so he therefore sayes he to his father Joh. 17. 12. These that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost neither is any one able to take them out of his hand 2. His sheep are the workmanship of his hands but other shepherds though they feed their sheep yet they may not say that they made their sheep 3. Other shepherds make gaine of their sheep and kill some of them for their owne food but no gaine redounds to this shepherd by his sheep their goodnesse not extending to him as David sayes Psal 16. 2. And for saving of his sheep from death he was killed and gave himself to the death for them Thirdly she assimilats all the true members of Christs church to sheep calling them His flock even as our Saviour also calles them his little flock for whom the Father has prepaired a kingdome which style of a flock of sheep is frequently ascribed to them in Scripture Ezek. 34. 2. To remember them 1. Of their infirmity for their humiliation Joh. 10. 2. 21. 16. 2 Of their duty for their instruction and 3. Of the care that is had of them for their consolation 1 Pet. 5. 2. 1. Their infirmity then is this that like sheep they are of themselves ready and prone to stray as we see it told us Isay 53. 6. And in that parable Matth. 18. 12. both by reason of externall temptation and that bosome-enemy which we have of our own corruption as we see in the parable of the prodigall sonne and in the examples of Gods dearest saints as David and Peter c Ezek 34. 6. 1. For admonishing them of their duty 1. Christs flock being of sheep they are therefore neither of wild beasts as Tigers or Lyons Foxes or Wolves nor yet are they of uncleane beasts as dogs and swine or the like but of such as are â—amed from all such ferity and purged from impurity by the power of God and his soveraigne grace yea in a manner metamorphosed from such like as they were before by nature as we see in the examples of Manasseh Mary Magdalen and Paul 2. As sheep are simple and not like crafty foxes as Cant. 2. 15. and as Christ called Herod so are the godly by a Holy simplicity and sincerity yet mixt with serpentime prudence and are like Nathaniel Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile 3. They are meek and harmlesse and so are the godly having learned that Lesson of their Master and being ready to do good to all but not to requite evill with evill at the hands of any this meekness and quietness of spirit as Peter tells us being of great price in the sight of God 1. Pet. 3. 4. 4. Sheep are patient in suffering therefore it is said of our Saviour that as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearer is dumb Isay 53. 7. so he opened not his mouth Even so are the godly patient in suffering either Immediatly what is laid upon them for their sinnes or tryall by the Hand of God or what is done unto them mediatly by the Hand of man as we see in the examples of Job David Joseph Stephen and others 5. Sheep as they are patient so they are profitable both in their lives and by their death for mans food and clothing even so are the godly profitable many wayes both for their company as we see in Josephs being in Poâ—iphars house Jacob in Labans and if ten righteous had been in Sodom as also by their conversation and holy example both in word and deed making their light shine before men that men seeing their good works may glorifie God their Heavenly father And as they are profitable many wayes in their life so are they likewise in their holy deaths and comfortable departure wherein a man may see a strange change of the nature of death in them and a great difference betweene them and the ungodly therein 6. Sheep are obedient and follow whither the shepherd leads them even so as our Saviour showes Joh. 10. 4. his sheep they hear his voice and they follow Him making his precepts to be the directory of their life and his practice their pattern for imitation as we see in Paul who said to the Corinthians Follow me as I follow Christ 2 Cor. 11. 1. 7. Sheep after they have fed in greene pasture they thereafter
perplexity need resolution binding up so what is broken and strengthning that which is sick and like a bruised reed or smoaking flax Thirdly her question to them If they saw her well-beloved because it was fittest that they should know Christ or see him who were as the light of the world to give knowledge of him and show or like the Baptist point him forth to others this being it which is said by Malachi That the Priest's lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth Mal. 2. 7. for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts And therefore they are compared to that star that led the Wise-men to the place where Christ was Wherefore suitably she enquires at them for Him whom her foul loves But unto this question we see not here any answer made mention of which behoved to be either because they made none at all which is not like to be the true cause or else because upon their answer at that present she found not the good thereof which is that comfortable resolution and finding of him whom her soul loved as she found within short space thereafter The seed of God's Word like other seed having its own time to brier and bring forth its fruit which the husbandman is bidden to wait for in patience And God's Spirit having his own time of efficacious working with the Word and of the comfortable application to the soul of that which it hath been ruminating upon that so all comfort may be known to come from him onely who is the promised Comforter in and by the means of the Word and all glory may be given to him therefore Observations 1. By the Church's constant inquiry and indefatigable pains notwithstanding all discouragements of seeking and not finding as before we see a most worthy and imitable example to follow of constant cleaving to Christ as Job firmly resolved and as Ruth did to Naomi and that we should never desist to seek till we find to ask till we get and to knock till it be opened unto us 2. In respect that Pastors are called watchmen and especially as Ezek. 34. 10. at whose hands the Lord will require the blood of such as perish through their default 1 They ought to consider the weightinesse of their charge and beg earnestly strength and abilities from God to discharge the same And 2 People for their encouragement should obey that exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 13. 17. Vers 4. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loved I held him and would not let him go untill I brought him into my mothers house and into the chamber of her that conceived me The Church getting no resolution that can satisfie her soul she yet continues seeking and by constant seeking as Joshua and Caleb followed the Lord when means fail she finds him to her comfort for neither can the most comfortable speeches of brethren who can tell with David what the Lord hath done for their souls nor the resolution of Pastours raise up a cast-down soul cure a wounded spirit and comfort an afflicted conscience till Christ himself come and show himself to the soul as there was no cure by the waters of Bethesda till the Angell came down and moved the same nor no calm of the storm till Christ awaked and spake to the sea Matth. 8. Next when she has found him as Jacob did the Angell that wrestled with him she held him and would not let him go and so she practises that Precept of Solomon Take fast hold of instruction let her not go but keep her sure for she is thy life Prov. 4. 13. Which holding of him whom her soul loveth is by the hand of Faith gripping fast to the promises of his Word and to him in them Neither is this rudenesse as it would seem in her that she should lay hold on so glorious a King and not let him go 1 In respect of that mysticall matrimonial union between them And 2 in respect that such sort of dealing is most acceptable to Christ who delights in such a holy violence whereby the godly take the heavens by force And as we see in Jacob's example which has such power with God and in the end never wants the blessing Wherein the marvellous kindnesse of the Lord is seen that he yields himself as it were to be so held and detained by us yea who furnishes ' to us both the hand and strength whereby he is held see Col. 2. 18. Neither thinks he it any rudenesse or unmannerlinesse in us so to do although Papists and enemies to the truth would suggest that it is too much sawcinesse for sinfull men to come directly to Christ and lay hold on him and not rather in a more humble manner to seek unto some Saint or Angell to intercede for them But his true Church here doth not so but seeks onely to him and by a holy confidence layeth hold on him alone who crieth out to all Come to me all ye that are weary and loaden and I will refresh you Neither is she content onely to lay hold on him and not to let him go but she brought him to her Mother's house and into the chamber of her that conceived her that there He might abide and dwell with her by which house or chamber is meant the heart as it is said Ephes 3. 17. That Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith and as the Apostle declares Rom. 8. 9. by his Spirit which if a man have not dwelling in him he is none of his Which is called the house of her Mother or chamber of her that conceived her because in the heart the seed of the Word is received as in the womb of the Mother and faith thereby is begotten as it were and the new birth or inner man is conceived The marks of which finding and bringing home of Christ to the soul or heart are these 1 There is light or illumination which must be 1 a humbling light 2 a warming light 3 a changing or renewing light making the heart a new heart new words new actions 2 There is a life known by the motions thereof and care of its self preservation c. and with it a death of and to sin 3 There is peace joyned with righteousnesse and care not to return again unto folly 4 There is joy such as Psal 51. 12. and 4. 6 or like that of Simeon's And 5 There is liberty from sin's slavery and spirituall bondage as Esay showes That they may be trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord and that they may be glorified Esa 61. 1 3. Observations 1. This example that the Church found her well-beloved at last serveth both for comfort and encouragement to all those who with a hearty affection diligently and constantly seek after Christ for howsoever he come not so soon as they would yet let them not faint nor give over but be assured at last
him and to seperate her from the society of the wicked and conformity with them who are but as barren trees in a wild forrest or father cruell untamed beasts who resort in hills or dens as Lions and Leopards whereunto the wicked are compared to the Lion's for cruelty therefore saies David My soul is among Lions Psal 57. 4. And again speaking of the wicked man whom he so calleth thrice altogether he saith He lyeth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den to catch the poor Psal 10. 9. And again Like a Lion that is greedy of his prey and as it were a young Lion lurking in secret places Psal 17. 12. And therefore when he prayeth to be delivered from his wicked persecutors he saith Save me from the Lion's mouth Psal 22. 21. And again Save me from all them that persecute me and deliver me Psal 7. 2. lest he â—ear my soul like a Lion rending it in pieces while there is none to deliver In like manner the wicked are compared to Leopards that haunt the mountains 1 Because of their being full of spots and all sorts of indelible or incorrigible vices therefore saies the Prophet to the wicked Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Jer. 13. 23. then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evill 2 They are compared to Leopards both for craft and cruelty who use craftily to couch and hide themselves that without being seen they may observe and catch their prey see examples hereof Exod. 1. 10. Matth. 2. 7. therefore saies the Lord by his Prophet Hosea Therefore I will be unto them as a Lion and as a Leopard by the way will I observe them Hos 13. 7. And again the Prophet Jeremy speaking of the enemies that he should bring against his people for their sins and what they should do unto them saies That as a Leopard they should watch over their Cities Jeâ— 5. 6. 3 The wicked are compared to Leopards because of their swiftnesse to all wickednesse as we see Habac. 1. 8. where it is said That the Caldeans horses that should come against Jerusalem should be swifter than the Leopards And so in like manner it is said of the wicked That as they have a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations so they have feet that be swift in running to mischief Prov. 6. 18. Lebanon also whereof mention is made here sometimes is praised and taken in good part as Hos 14. 6 7. from the sweet smell of odoriferous spices flowers herbs and vines that grew there so also in this same chapter vers 11. 15. and 5. 15. c. Sometimes it is taken in a worse part as a place where wicked enemies of God's people had their habitation as Judg. 3. 3. to wit the Philistins Canaanites and Hivites c. in which sense it seemeth to be taken here when the Bridegroom calleth his Bride to come with him from Lebanon Amana otherwise called Abana is also a mountain in Syria whereof the valley and river at the foot thereof took the name as we see 2 King 5. 12. Shenir likewise which the Sidonians call Syrion as we have Deut. 3. 9. and Psal 29. 6. and Hermon were those mountains which were of old possessed by Og King of Bashan and after by the Israelites It is then from these places that were inhabited by wicked men and in respect thereof which were like mountains of Leopards and dens of Lions that the Bridegroom calls his Bride As he saith to his people concerning Babel Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Rev. 18. 4. Observations 1. We see the duty of all such who are washed from their spots and made fair and clean by Christ not to continue any longer in sin but to forsake the same and all wicked society who like spotted Leopards delight therein and to follow Christ with the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 1. by the imitation of a holy life that he may be our pattern on earth who is our patron in the heavens And when any Church leaves Christ and he it as Rome we should leave it also and follow Christ chiefly when it turns to a den of Lions and Leopards 2. We see that sinne changes men to beasts as Dogs and Swine Foxes and Wolves Lyons and Leopards and makes them of no better account with God nor the Godly 3. We may perceive the happiness of the death of gods Saints that frees them from being any more amongst such and places them in the blessed society of God his Saints and Angells for ever Vers 9. Thou hast ravish't my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravisht my heart with one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy neck From this verse to the last the bridgroom proceedeth in the larger commendation of his bride and first that her beauty is such that it hath ravished his heart see Pro. 6. 25. Which to show the truth and vehemency of his affection towards her he repeateth twice and sho weth how the eye of her faith that looks onely to him and the concatenation of his graces and spirituall ornaments like a chain bestowed on her makes her so amiable and hath such a wonderfull efficacy But if faith be one of her eyes may some say which is the other I answer that in respect the church is brought in under the person of a woman therefore there are two eyes ascribed unto her which two eyes are the eyes of faith but in respect that there are divers degrees of faith to wit a weake faith and a stronger faith therefore here he would comfort his Church showing the efficacy even of a weake faith being true and sincere that it is powerfull to ravish his heart as the trembling touch of the woman diseased of the bloody issue drew vertue out of Christ and got a blessing as well as the strong hand of Jacob who wrestled for the same and the dimmest bleared eye that looked up upon the serpent in the wilderness got cure of the fiery stingings as well as the clearest And of these two degrees of one and the same faith as of the stature and strength of one and the same person in infancy and riper age doth the Apostle speak saying that the Gospell is the power of God to salvation unto every one tâ—… beleeveth adding this reason that the righteousness of God is revealed in it from faith to faith not speaking as if there were two faiths but one and the same but a weaker increasing to a stronger Next to the solution of this doubt and the better cleering of these words we have a new style which she receives he calling her his sister c. Which is 1. In respect of his incarnation whereby God became like one of us and he took upon him our nature as the Apostle showes and was made like to us in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 2. 16. 17.
watch harden themselves like beaten souldiers against all difficulties resist temptations which are the assaults of the enemie like Gideons souldiers imitate their captaine fight that good fight whereof the Apostle speaks and be constant to the death and they shall receive the crown of life 2. This should teach us to welcome death when it comes which ends our fight gives the full victory and enters us in the triumphant estate of glory 3. We see that that which is terrible to the enemies of Christ's Church spirituall or corporall is when she is like a well ordered army wherein is no mutinie or conâ—usion but unity of faith and decency of order whereas on the contrary if she be as Midians army Judg. 7. or the builders of Babel by heresie or schisme confusion and disorder this is the greatest joy advantage and ground of courage unto all her enemies Vers 5. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me thy haire is as a flock of goats that appeare from Gilead The like of these words we have chap. 4. 9. Which we have already expounded and as for any variation which we find here Christ does not meane thereby that she should turne away the eyes of her faith from him he being the constant object thereof and wherein he so delights that the doing thereof ravishes his heart to her as he showes there but this is a kind of speech whereby he expresses how much the beauty of her eyes does inamour him that it makes him in like case with her self that is to be sick of love such is the excellency and force of true faith which for that cause we should be so carefull to obtaine The rest to the eight verse we have expounded before in the fourth Chapter verses 1. 2. 3. Vers 8. There are threescore Queens and fourscore concubines and virgins without number 9. My dove my undefiled is but one she is the onely one of her Mother she is the choice one of her that bare her the daughters saw her and blessed her yea the queens and concubines and they praised her In this eight verse is set down the glorious attendance of the spouse of Christ as we have the like Psal 45. 12. and 14. And as it is likewise said that kings shal be her nursing fathers and queens her nursing mothers a definite number of which queens and concubines being here put for an indefinite and by virgins all chaste worshippers whatsoever being to be understood and therefore they are said to be without number as we find the like speech of such in the Revelation c. 7. 9. All which forenamed queens for birth beauty or busking are no wise comparable to these three in her for all hers is from heaven and spirituall but all their's from the earth and naturall yea as the Psalmist saies This King's daughter is all glorious within with the beauty of holinesse spoken of Psal 110. which by age cannot fade sicknesse cannot blast nor death can quite abolish Next vers 9. the Church is praised from her chastity and unity for which she is blessed and praised blessed by the Daughters and praised by the Queens and Concubins In respect of which her spirituall chastity she is called Vndefiled and in respect of her unity she is called One yea the onely one of her mother that bare her The title that he gives her here calling her his Dove of it we have spoken already cap. 2. 14. whereunto this onely may be added That as every thing in the dove is amiable as her eyes Cant. 1. 15. and her feathers Psal 68. 13. and what not so is the Church in the eyes of Christ who sees no iniquity in Jacob nor perversnesse in Israel not that his justice sees any thing otherwise than it is but that his mercy will not see some things as they are Likewise how he calls her his Dove we have spoken in like manner Therefore 1 She is not her own 1 Cor. 6. ult because bought with a price 2 Neither is she the world 's for so it would love her whereas on the contrary it hates her as it did her Head before her The first property then from whence she is described is her chastity implied in this that she is called Vndefiled not that she is free from all sinning so long as she is in this life but she is so perfectly by justification and reputed so in Christ by gracious acceptation and inchoatively made holy by sanctification and made perfect by the perfection of parts which is evangelicall though not of degrees as the Law requires and is not competent to her estate militant Next she is called One all perfection rising from unity and returning thither so that every thing the neerer it comes to perfection gathers it self up the more towards unity Therefore God is one there is one Heaven one Earth one Church in the earth one King of his Church one Law one Faith one Baptism c. And as there is perfection in unity so there is strength as on the contrary a City or Kingdome divided against themselves cannot stand therefore it is said That for the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart The Church then is called one 1 as not being divided 2 as not being multiplied To begin then with the former Whether we consider the Church as an aggregation of the outward visible particular Churches of Christian professors in common or as the invisible and universall Church of the Elect onely it is still one professing one Lord and so being one in the Head one Faith and so being one in the heart and one Baptism and so being one in the outward face thereof No naturall body being more one than this mysticall is which one head rules one spirit quickens one blood washes one food nourishes and one roab covers c. And so it is one in it selfe and one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father Joh. 17. 22. What Church then has one onely head the Lord one onely faith in the Lord built upon one onely foundation Ephes 2. 20. and one baptism in that faith â—hat is Christ's Dove And as the Church of Christ is one not being divided so is she one not being multiplied For as the Lord gave but one Evaâ— to the first Adam so he will take but one Spouse to himselfe who is the second Adam therefore many particular Churches whether Congregationall or Nationall make up but one Universall Neither are there two Churches when we say Militant and Triumphant but we distinguish onely the divers condition of the divers members of Christ's Church which is but one as they are either in via or else already in patria Observations 1. By this glorious attendance of the Spouse of Christ of the greatest and most honourable persons on earth as Queens who are her nursing mothers beside the glorious attendance of the glorious Angells which is invisible and who are ministring Spirits sent out for her good
grace in and upon us has here two names whereby it is expressed to wit the one is a raising of her up whence also it is called the first resurrection and the other is a birth whence it is called our regeneration And is partly ascribed to Christ as a raising up or first resurrection and partly to the Church as a birth or regeneration his part being in both the inward efficacy and her part onely the outward ministery he then that raised the dead and shall raise them at the Last day can onely raise the dead soul that all the glory may be to him alone and his Church as a Mother may well conceive and bring forth but he that onely has the key of the womb as he has of the heart the clouds and of death who also marvellously frames our tender bodies therein and gives strength to the Mother to bring forth the birth he likewise has the chief hand in our spirituall conception and in that forming of his Image in us spoken of by the Apostle Gal. 4. 19. which is our new birth or regeneration And in which work as the dead has no power in themselves to rise or the birth to conceive and form it self in the womb and thereafter to come forth out of the same so neither is it any way in the power of nature or mans free will to raise themselves or be agents in the first act of their regeneration and conversion to God Observations 1. Seeing in our coming up out of the wilderness of this world and of our Pilgrimage therein to our heavenly Canaan we have no strength of our selves either to walk or wrestle with any temptations with which we will encounter let us here with the â—pouse relye onely for strength and supporting upon Christ alone and so leane upon our beloved 2. Seeing he is author of all grace and specially of that work of grace in us whereby being dead in sinne we are raised to newness of life here and regenerated to the hope of eternall life hereafter therefore let us ascribe all the glory to him alone and not to any merit or free-will in us for who has made thee O man but God onely to differ from another or what hast thou but that which thou hast received 1 Cor. 4. 7. 3. Seeing as he ascribes her raising to himself so does he her birth to his Church and Ministry thereof therefore if we would be partakers of grace and the work thereof which tends and ends into Glory let us not despise Christs Church her ministry and instruction as was said in the former verse but reverence the same knowing that he has not God to be his father who has not or reverences not the Church as his Mother Vers 6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thine arme for love is strong as death jealously is cruell as the grave the coales thereof are coales of fire which have a most vehement flame 7. Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be utterly contemned In these words out of the consideration and proof of his manifold love to her as has been showne in sundry particulars she breaks forth now into an earnest prayer or petition that the same may continue sure and constant towards her and that she may be assured and confirmed thereof therefore she sayes Set me as a seal upon thy heart and as a seale upon thine arme desiring so of him who is the onely true High Priest of his Church that as the names of the tribes of Israel were graven like seals upon Aarons breast-plate of judgment upon his heart Exod. 28 29. when he went into the holy place for a memoriall before the Lord continually even so 1. That he should be continually mindfull of her in his intercession before God his father as we see that to be his priestly office Heb. 9. 24. 2 That he should intirely and constantly affect her as there is no neerer conjunction then of that which is set as a seale and makes a deep impression on the very heart Neither doth she onely desire to be set as a seale on his heart but likewise on his arme to show that she desires not onely his continuall remembrance of her as by the Prophet the Lord sayes For that cause behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hand Isay 49. 16. but likewise that she desires the manifestation of his affection by his actuall aid by supporting her in all her infirmities and his help of her against all her enemies and all this by his mighty power which is called the arme of the Lord Isay 40. 10 11. Exod. 15 16. Zech. 11. 17. Luk. 1. 51. Joh. 12. 38. And elsewhere in scripture Thereafter she rendreth the reason of her desire from the nature and force of that sprirituall and fervent love which makes her so to sute this at his hands which she compares to three most strong things 1. To death which overcomes all men as the Churches fervent love to Christ overcomes all temptations and most cruell sufferings as we see in the example of Martyrs 2. To the grave which is likewise invincible and devours up all and even so doth Christ's love likned here to jealousie for the vehemency thereof that can abide no corrivall overcome all difficulties 3. To coales of fire which have a vehement flame that consume all the combustible matter of earthly trash that is cast into it yea unto such a flaming fire which all the waters of afflictions as the Prophet expounds the same Isay 43. 2. yea the floods thereof as we have Rev. 12. 15. cannot quench or drown it as the Apostle showes us Rom. 8. 35. And which being of a Heavenly nature by all that a man has of earthly and worldly things cannot be ballanced nor sufficiently appretiated which makes the merchant in the Gospell who overvalued the same above all these things to be accounted therefore the wise and prudent merchant Matth. 13. Observations 1. We see what should be the very upshot of all our desires to wit to be in Gods favour above all things as David did choose Psal 4. 6. and to be neerly united to Christ precious in his sight and had by him in perpetuall remembrance and in a word to be as a seal on his heart and a signet on his arme 2. If we would have our selves to be so to Christ then we must labour that he be so to us to wit as a seal upon our heart in tender love to him neer conjunction with him mindfulness ever of him and having the stamp of his Image imprinted on our soules that thereby we may be known like Cesars coine that we belong to him neither let us set him onely as a seal on our heart by inward piety but likewise on our arme by outward practice thereof 3. We see that That which makes her