he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer This 6. vers contains five particulars of the Brides experience in this case The first of them I opened c. is the last effect following upon his putting in his hand vers 4. This work of grace left her not in an indifferency whether to open or not but having given her to will in the former verse now he gives also to do and actually determins the will or makes it determine it self to receive him but now Christ is found to be absent whereupon follows the other steps of her carriage and the disappointments that she met with in seeking of him This opening is the very thing called for by him vers 2. which considering the words following is especially to be understood of her exercising of faith in him whereby the heart is delated to receive him hence believing is called a receiving of Christ Joh. 1. 12. And it being a heart-receiving it must be the very thing understood here by opening Now although faith according to it's several acts may be several wayes considered yet that act of faith whereby the heart consents to receive Christ and to rest on him is that which is mainly here aimed at 1. Because this opening is opposed to refusing Psal. 81. 10 11. It must therefore be consenting 2. It 's not giving of consent that mainly keeps Christ at a distance from souls or keeps them without interest in him as opening to him or receiving of him intitles them to him Ioh. 1. 11 12. and Acts 16. 14. 3. This opening is both different from conviction resolutions repentance and what may be supposed to preceed these were in the words going before and is also distinguished from sense and the fruits of believing which follow after It must therefore be the hearts yielding to Christ's call and submitting thereunto Rom. 10. 3. as actually consenting to be his Yet all these acts would not be looked on as distinct in respect of time as they proceed from grace which puts all together but in nature and in respect of the distinct uptaking of the same grace in it's effects In a word saith the Bride the Lord having applyed the work of his Spirit to me it effectuated one step after another and left me not untill I yielded my self to him to be his as a mansion for him to dwell in Which shews 1. That grace doth not only work upon the understanding to enlighten it but that it doth also immediatly work on the will and determins it for this opening of the heart is an effect of that work of grace vers 4. as the former steps were 2. The act of believing and opening to Christ is both the effect of grace and also the work formally of the believer Therefore the Lord is said to open the heart Act. 16. 14. because the effect flows from his putting to his hand and the Bride is said to open her own heart because she formerly brought forth or elicited the act of faith by the strength of grace 3. This being compared with his call vers 3. shews that it 's by faith that way is made for Christ into the heart and it 's that which especially intitles one to Christ closes with his call receives him and enters Covenant with him for if opening or believing be that which he calls for as giving him accesse to the hearts of his people then believing being the performance of that called-for condition must unite the soul to him and enter him into the heart 4. There is some peculiar efficacy in faith in the uniting of one to Christ in accepting of Christ's call and making way for him to come into the heart which is not in any other grace Or it hath a peculiar way of concurring in effectuating the persons union with Christ and so in Justification which no other grace hath Hence this opening is peculiarly to be attributed to it and is distinct from repentance spoken of before vers 4. and from other duties mentioned in the words following 5. Whoever honestly from the sense of sin and need of Christ and desire to have him to supply their need essayes believing and opening their heart to him shall certainly come good speed and without fail attain their design I rose to open saith she and I opened 6. Although the distinct exercise of saith be not attained instantly but there must be first a rising and an offering of violence to our corruptions in the pursueing thereof before we win to the distinct opening of the heart yet it should be prosecute till it be perfected 7. Sometimes the exercise of faith will be distinct and discernable so that a believer can tell he hath believed and it 's no lesse comfortable to be clear from serious reflecting on our selves that we have indeed by faith yielded to Christ than to be clear of it by the fruits following thereupon For she is clear and confident in this that she had opened to him Having opened now the Beloved is gone like as a husband being offended at his wifes disrespect to him should withdraw when she at length with much adoe were brought to rise So our Lord Jesus takes that way of rebuking kindly the former unkindlinesse of believers by after-desertions and withdrawings The word is doubled but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone or he was gone he was gone which doth not only import in his carriage a sad withdrawing and on hers an observation of it but also a sorrowful regrate and weightednesse as having met with a sad disappointment as the following words clear as if she had said at last I opened but alace he was gone and away What this withdrawing of Christ is we may know by considering what his being present is which is not to be understood of the omni-presence of his God-head there being no coming nor going that can be attributed to that infinit Essence which is every-where at all times present but it is in respect of the out-letting of his especial love and that in the peculiar way of manifesting it to his people and not in regard of his love it self or of their interest in him for here her interest stands in him and faith in him is exercised and the lifelesnesse that she was under is removed so that now she is acting faith and there is a presence oâ—grace making her active and lively even under this withdrawing The thing then which is wanting is a sensible manifestation of Christ's love to her which now upon her yielding to open she expected to have been filled with as a wife opening to her husband should expect his embracements and yet in place thereof find that he were gone This withdrawing is no real alteration on Christ's side nor are we to look upon it as if now she had lesse than before she believed and bestirred her self for her union with him and the influence of his grace on her remained
December 12. 1667. IT is Ordered by the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council That none shall Re-print or Import this Book Entituled Clavis Cantici for the space of nintine Years without Licence of the Printers hereof P. W. Clavis Cantici OR AN EXPOSITION OF THE SONG of SOLOMON BY IAMES DVRHAM Late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Eph. 5. 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us 1 Cor. 13. 13 And now abideth faith hope love these three but the greatest of these is love EDINBVRGH Printed by George Swintoun and Iames Glen and are to be sold at their Shops in the Parliament-Yard Anno DOM. 1668. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GOD being the immortal souls chief good it must needs follow that what unites the soul unto God must be the souls chief Ornament and Grace And such is Love that Principium uniens or principle uniting the soul unto God Whence it is that even in good spiritual and elevated reason the Apostle prefers Love among the souls three cardinal virtues 1 Cor 13. 13. And now abideth faith hope and love and the greatest of these is Love Indeed Faith going out from the sinner to rest upon Jesus Christ the Justifier of the ungodly And there is no sinner nor unclean thing in Heaven and Hope looking unto and after a Country that we are not yet possessors of and Love yea love alone filling Heaven unto all eternity it is certain that Love is the souls most adorning Ornament its most Heavenly frame Now of all Books in Holy Scripture it hath pleas'd the Holy Ghost to entitle the Song of Solomon or His Book of Loves thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs All Songs all Loves all outgoings of the soul being invaluable to this Souls-Song and Love uniting Christ and the soul. This Posthume work then of the precious Author Mr. Durham is commendable to the Churches if there be need of â—â—y additional commendation beyond the naming of his Name to it upon moe accounts than one First It 's done upon the highest sweetest deepest subject Love between the soul and it's chiefest good even God in Christ. Secondly It 's done spiritually yet plainly upon a most spiritual yet Mysterious portion of Holy Scripture And Thirdly the Churches of Christ are oblidged to God in this That they have had from this bright Candle amongst the Lord's Candlesticks a light shining upon and discovering those two Mysterious Books of Scripture Canticles and Revelation Fourthly If a word fitly spoken is as Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11. Sure then it was highly commending of Gods goodnesse to the Author That he was led on this work of Preaching Lecturing and Writing on this Song of Loves Those sweet concords and begun Musick of Heaven between Christ and souls and that in time of sad discords and very Immusical Jarrings in the Church An argument of an excellent Soul-frame in a very evil time A demonstration whereof and of his healing disposition O how apparent is it in that rare piece of his upon Scandal I shall not trouble thee any further save that I cordially wish the Lord may be pleased so to blesse thy perusal of this present Treatise as it may tend not only to the present but also to the everlasting wel-being of thy soul. And so I bid thee farewell Clavis Cantici OR A KEY of the SONG Useful for opening up thereof THis is a place of Scripture the Exposition whereof many in all Ages have shâ—â—ned to adventure upon and truly I have looked upon it of a long time as not convenient to be treated upon before all Auditories nor easie by many to be understood especially because of the height of spiritual expressions and mysterious rapts of Divine Love and the sublime and excellent expressions of the Bridegroom therein contained which would require much livelinesse of frame and acquaintance in experience with the things here spoken of and nearnesse in walking with God as being necessary for finding out the mind and meaning oâ— the Spirit of God therein Yet we are now brought by help of his Grace to essay the Interpretation of it upon these following considerations First Because it is acknowledged by all not only to be authentick Scripture but an excellent Piece thereof and therefore is to be made use of by the Church and not to ly hid nor to be laid aside as if the meaning thereof were not to be searched into because it seems dark and obscure 2. Because the Subject and Matter of it is so Divine carrying alongst with it many various cases both of particular Souls as also of the Church both visible and invisible with many excellent commendations of Christ the Bridegroom which ought to be the Subject of his Friends Meditations and cannot but be profitable if he blesse them there being here Maps almost for all conditions 3. Because the style and composition is so Divine and excellent carrying affections alongst with it and captivating them in the very reading so that few can read this Song but they must fall in love with it we would therefore see what is within it if at least we may get a taste of that which doth so sweetly relish 4. It seems the Holy Ghost by putting it into such a mould intended to commend it and if it be true that all the Poetical pieces of Scripture ought especially to be learned and taken notice of so should this it being so commended to us in that frame 5. The strain and subject of it is so very spiritual that it necessitats the Students thereof to aime at some nearnesse with God and ordinarily it leaves some stamp upon their affections which is not the least cause nor the smallest encouragement to me in this undertaking We shall not stand to prove the authority of it It carries a Divine style in its bosome nor is there need to inquire who was the Pen-man of it it being clear that Solomon who was furnished with wisdom and understanding as never a King before or since was is honoured to be the Amanuensis of the Holy Ghost in putting this Song upon record Whether after or before his backsliding it is not much to us though it be most probable that it was after in the warmness of a spirit sensible of this so great a deliverance For here we may as it were see him making use of that experience of the vanity of all things he had found coming to the fear of God as the conclusion of the whole matter whereof this Song of Love is not a little evidence and which looks like his own saying Eccles. 12. 13. The means which are necessary for our more perspicuous handling and your more profitable hearing of this profound Scripture will be
affirm were both dangerous and absurd Beside Christ being still the same in his way with Believers and they having still the same spirit and being still under the same covenant c. we can conceive no other thing here but what he hath expressed concerning himself and them other-where in Scripture And certainly the scope of this Song is rather in a sweet way to compact together the ordinary cases of Believers and their consolations for their edification than to pitch on strange things or make new cases which would not be so profitable unto them and would wrong and enervat the great intent of this Song We proceed now and shall draw some Conclusions from these Propositions First Conclusion We may then warantably read and expone this Song it being Scripture it must be edifying and ought to be made use of It 's true this and some other Scriptures were of old restrained by the Jews from the younger sort that none should read them but these who were at thirty years of age Origen marks four pieces of holy Scripture thus restrained by them The history of the Creation Genes 1. The description of Gods appearance Ezek. 1. and of his Temple Chap. 40. c. And especially this Song because the matters in them were so sublime that there needed more than ordinary humility and experience in those who should meddle with them This indeed saith men ought to be sober and with holy fear search these Scriptures but that restraint if peremptorie was unwarrantable seing the Lord hath put none such on his people as to any portion of sacred Scripture And though this Song be obscurer than many other Scriptures yet generally the reading of it and hearing of it will affect and as to the composing of the spirit edifie as much as other more plain Scriptures which sayeth it 's to be inquired into that the meaning being found out the profit reaped thereby may be the more distinct and apparent 2. Conclus We gather from what hath been said that seing this Song may be expounded Then Doctrines for grounding our saith and directing our Practice may warrantably be drawn from it for the edification of God's people seing it is Scripture and although it be Allegorick it is in a special way useful for edification and may as bread be broken to the children It 's not only consistent with the nature of plain Scriptures but also of Allegories that they be thus extended in their use We shall clear this Conclusion in these three First There may be Doctrines drawn from this Song in reference to all cases that are incident to a Believer As 1. In reference to the case of the Church in all it's considerations visible or invisible Catholick or particular And 2. In reference to the more private and personal cases of Believers Doctrines instructing them both in faith and manners c. For the Doctrines must rise as extensively as there scope and matter and these are of a great reach and extent as formerly hath been said Such Doctrines then when handled in this Song would not be thought strange nor unsuitable to it but the broader they arise the Spirit 's wisdom and contrivance in this Song will be the more wonderful and evident 2. These Doctrines must not be taken from the words properly but Allegorically understood according to the intention of the Spirit in them even as from Parables and other clearer Allegories and figures in Scripture it useth to be done 3. These Doctrines so drawn when rightly concluded from the Text and scope are solide and sure useful for faith and manners as Doctrines drawn from other places of Scripture are For 1. It 's certain that many Scriptures are Allegorically set down and is their authority therefore any way lesse than that of other Scriptures And if their authority be such in themselves as is the authority of other Scriptures Then their Exposition and Doctrines drawn from them must be solide and useful as these that are drawn from other Scriptures Or 2. We must say there is no use of such Scriptures which were blasphemous and if they be useful there may be solide uses drawn from them as from other Scriptures 3. Our Lord useth Parables and Allegories often in the Gospel and that in things relating both to faith and manners which sayeth the use of them is solide and safe when they are rightly understood and applyed All the difficulty is in the right understanding of them and because Allegories are frequent in Scripture and this Song is wholly made up of Allegories Therefore both for removing prejudices and facilitating our way I shall speak something to these three 1. We shall shew what an Allegorick Exposition or rather the Exposition of an Allegory is 2. When it is necessary to understand a Scripture Allegorically 3. How to walk in attaining the solide meaning or how to know if such a thing be the meaning of an Allegorick Scripture For the First There is a great difference betwixt an Allegorick Exposition of Scripture and an Exposition of Allegorick Scripture The first is that which many Fathers and School-men fail in that is when they Allegorize plain Scriptures and Histories seeking to draw out some secret meaning other than appeareth in the words and so will fasten many sense upon one Scripture This is indeed unsafe and is justly reprovable for this maketh clear Scripture dark and obtrudeth meanings on the words never intended by the Spirit As suppose one speaking of Goliah's combat and David's should passe by the letter and expound Goliah to be the Flesh or the Devil and David to be the Spirit or Christ Such Expositions may have some pleasantnesse but often little solidity and such who most commonly thus interpret Scripture often fall in errors As guilty of this fault Origen is generally complained of though moe also be guilty as might be cleared by many instances 2. An Exposition of an Allegorick Scripture is the opening and expounding of some dark Scripture wherein the mind of the Spirit is couched and hid under Figures and Allegories making it plain and edifying by bringing out the sense according to the meaning of the Spirit in the place though at first it seemed to bear out no such thing So Matth. 13. Christ expoundeth that Parable or Allegory for though Rhetoricians make a difference between Similitudes or Parables and Allegories yet in Divinitie there is none but that Allegories are more large and continued calling the Seed the Word the Sower the Son of man c. This way of expounding such dark Scriptures is both useful and necessary and was often used as edifying by our Lord to his Disciples Now it 's this we speak of which teacheth how to draw plain Doctrines out of Allegories and not to draw Allegories out of plain Histories or Doctrines 2. It may be asked then When are we to account a place of Scripture Allegorick and are we to seek out some other meaning than what at first
more sparsly and as it were here and there to be found elsewhere through the Scriptures We have them here compended together in a sort of Spiritual dependance one upon another and in a connexion one with another And they are put in a Song to make them the more sweet and lovely and under such Poetical and figurative expressions as best agreeth with the nature of Songs and Poetical Writings that so Believers may have them together and may sing them together for the help of their memory and upstirring of their affections 2. These figures and similitudes have their own use to make us the better take up and understand the spiritual things which are represented by them when in a manner he condescends to illustrat them by similitudes and so to teach as it were to our senses things which are not otherwise so obvious For which cause Christ often taught by Parables the greatest mysteries of the Gospel 3. Thus not only the judgement is informed but it serveth the more to work on our affections both to convince us of and to deterr us from what is ill when it is proposed indifferently in an Allegory as Nathan in his Parable to David did And also it conduceth the more to gain our affections to love such things as are here set out wherefore even Heaven it self is so described from similitudes of such things as are in account with men Rev. 21. 22. And Christs Love becomes thus more comfortable and our relation to him the more kindly-like when it 's illustrat by Marriage and the kindly expressions of a Husband and Wife for this also God is compared to a Father and his pity to a fathers pity to children to make it the more sensible and comfortable 4. Thus also any knowledge that is attained or any impression that is made is the better fixed and keeped similitudes are often retained when plain truths are forgotten as we may see in experience yea the retaining of the similitude in the memory doth not only keep the words in mind but helps to some acquaintance with the thing which is signified and furthereth us in understanding the manner how such and such things the Lord doth to his People are brought about 5. Thus both the wisdom and care of God and his Spirit appeareth who taketh diverse wayes to commend his truth unto men and to gain them to the love of it that they who will not be affected with plain truth he may be more taking expressions commend unto them the same thing which is the reason why he hath given diverse Gifts and wayes of holding forth his truth unto Ministers some have one way like sons of Thunder some another like sons of Consolation and yet all to carry on the same end that the one may be helpfull unto the other Indeed if God had delivered his truth only in obscure terms the objection might seem to have some weight but when he doth it both in plain and obscure wayes this is his condescendency and wisdom by all means seeking to gain some 6. Thus also the Lord removeth occasion of loathing from his Word by putting it in some lovely Artifice in the manner of it's delivery and also he doth hereby provoke his people to more diligence in searching after the meaning of it It being often our way to esteem least of what is most obvious and most of that which is by some pains attained 7. Thus also the Lord maketh the study of his Word delectable when both the judgment and affections are joyntly wrought upon And to shew that all the Believers conditions may be matter of a sweet song to him whereas somethings if plainly laid down would not be so cheerfully digested Thus he maketh the saddest matter sweet by his manner of proposing it 8. Also the Lord useth to keep the Songs and spiritual allowance of his own somewhat vailed from the rest of the world for they have meat to eat the world knoweth not of that Believers may see and feed sweetly where they discern nothing and that they having this Commented on by experience betwixt him and them may sing that Song which none other in the world can learn as the 144000 do Rev. 14. 1. for thus it 's said Math. 13. 9 10 11 c. that Christ spake in Parables that not only he might condescend to the weaknesse of his own so as they might bear it Mark 4. 33 34. but also that others seeing might see and not perceive Often that same way which his own gets good of pâ—oveth a stumbling to others through their own corruption 9. There may be also something of Gods design here to try the humility and sinceâ—ity of his people if they will stoop to every way he useth because it 's his and if they will love the Word not as so or so proposed but as it cometh from him and is his and as such humbly receive it as being that which though it seem to others foolishnesse yet makes them wise unto Salvation The mockers taunted Ezekiel's Message under this notion that he spake Parables Ezek. 20. 49. but Zâ—ch 11. 10 11. when the Prophet broke the two Staves which was a dark and mysterious-like action the poor of the flock waited on him when as it 's like others stumbled also By all which we may see why the Lord hath so compacted together plain useful Doctrines under such expressions in this Song and also why our undertaking to open it may be well constructed even though these same truthes may elsewhere as clearly arise yet these truths are here in such a way connected together and so not only proposed but also commended unto us as will not any where else be found Obj. 2. If any say the raising of such Gospel-Doctrines makes this Song look more like the Gospel of the New Testament than a Song of the Old Ans. 1. Is it the worse that it look like the Gospel Or are not such Doctrineâ— if they follow from it the better more comfortable Certainly there is no Doctrine more edifying and comfortable to Believers and more like or more becoming Christs way with Believers or their's with him which is the scope and subject of this Song then Gospel-Doctrines are High soaring words of vanity and mysteries having nothing but an empty sound are much more unlike this spiritual Song tâ—an these 2. If it set out Christs way to Believers even under the Old Testament and Believers way of keeping communion with God even then is not that the same Gospel-way which we have now Their faith and communion with God stood not in the outward Ceremonies which were Typical but in the exercise of inward Graces faith love c. which are the same now as then Was not Christ the same to them as to us Had they not the same Spirit Covenant c. and so the cases and experiences of or incident to Believers then are also applicable to us now That Christ was then to come and hath
not do with him as he did with Saul whom he rejected he would not take away his mercy from Solomon as he had done from him And if no more were in these Promises but what is temporal there would be no great consolation in them to David whose consolation is one chief part of the scope of that place Beside these promises Psal. 89. 31 32 33. which are the same with these 2 Sam. 7. are looked upon as special evidences of God's love and peculiar Promises of his Saving-Covenant 2. When he is born the Lord gives him his name yea sends Nathan 2 Sam. 12. with this warrand to name him Iedidiah because the Lord loved him which cannot be a love flowing from any thing in him as if he had been well pleased with his carriage Solomon had not yet done any thing good or evil but it must be a love prior to his works and so not arising from his good deeds and therefore not cut off by his sins which being like the love God had to Iacob before he had done good or evil Rom. 9. 11. must speak out Electing love as it doth in that place 3. He is made use of by the Spirit to be a Penman of Holy Writ and a Prophet of the Lord all which are by our Lord Luke 13. 28. said to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and there is no reason to exclude him seing that universal all the Prophets c. would not be a truth unlesse he were there And though some wicked men have prophesied as Balaam did yet are they never accounted Prophets of the Lord as Solomon was but false Prophets and Inchanters neither were they Penmen of Holy Writ who were as Peter calleth them 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God speaking as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost 4. Neither are the peculiar Priviledges he was admitted unto to be forgotten by him the Lord built the Temple by him the Covenant was explicitly renewed with God 1 King 8. 9. and his prayers are often particularly mentioned to be heard yea after his death some testimonies are recorded of him which cannot consist with his rejection See 2 Chron. 11. 17. where the wayes of Solomon are put in as commendable with Davids though there were defects in both and this being immediatly after Solomon's death it would seem he left the worship of God pure and so had turned from his Idolatry though all the monuments of it were not abolished And especially in this he was singularly priviledged that in a most lively way he was the Type of our blessed Lord Jesus in his Intercession Reign and peaceable Government Beside that by particular Covenant the Kingdom of Christ and his descent from him was established to him 5. It 's of weight also that it seems more than probable that Solomon wrot Ecclesiastes after his recovery it being neither amongst the Proverbs nor Songs which are mentioned 1 King 4. 32. And in it he speaks out the experience he had both of folly and madness and the vanity he had found in all created things even when he had perfected his Essay of all the possible wayes of attaining either the knowledge of their perfections or satisfaction in the injoyment of them The Scripture therefore hath not left his recovery altogether dark yet as to any Historical narration thereof the Lord hath so ordered that he passeth away under a cloud for these good ends First Thereby Solomon is chastised with the rods of men even after death upon his name for his miscarriages are set down expresly but his recovery as to any direct testimony thereof is past over 2. By this the Lord maketh his displeasure with Solomon's wayes known though he had favour to his person and gave him his soul for a prey 3. Thus the Lord would affright others from declining and hereby teacheth his people to be afraid to rest upon Gifts yea or upon Graces seing he hath left this matter so far in the dark as might yeeld an occasion as it were to question the eternal condition of Solomon 4. It may be also that Solomon after his recovery did never recover his former lustre nor attain to such a profitable way of appearing in God's publike matters for which formerly he had been so observable For so it is taken notice even of David after his fall that his following life is stained as different from what went before therefore it is the commendation of Iehoshaphat 1 Chron. 17. 3. that he walked in the first wayes of his father David which certainly is not done to condemn David's state after that time but to leave that mark as a chastisement on his failings And seing Solomon's were greater therefore may this silence of his recovery be more universal as to him Before we draw any thing from this by way of use I shall answer a doubt and it is this How can all these thousand and five Songs mentioned 1 King 4. 32. be lost without â—ronging the perâ—ection of Canonick Scripture Or what is come of them Or what is to be accounted of the losse of them Ans. We say 1. The Scriptures may be full in the articles of faith even though some portions thereof which once were extant were now a-missing except it could be made out that some points of faith were in these Books which are not to be found in other Scriptures 2. Yet seing it is not safe and it wants not many inconveniences to assert that any Book once designed of God to his Church as a canon or rule of faith and manners should be lost And seing it is not consistent with that wise Providence of his whereby he hath still carefully preserved the treasure of his Oracles in his Church We rather incline to say that though these Songs were possibly useful and might be written by the Spirit 's direction yet that they were not intended for the universal edification of the Church nor inrolled as a part of his Word appointed for that end Neither can it be thought strange that it should so be for that a thing be Scripture it 's not only needful that it be inspired but also that it be appointed of God for publike use It 's not improbable but Isaiah Moses David Paul and others might have written many moe writtings upon particular occasions or to particular persons which were useful in themselves for edification and yet were never appointed of God to be looked upon or received as Scriptures for publike use in his Church So do we account of these Songs mentioned in the objection and other writings of Solomon now not extant And it may be the Spirit hath pitched on this Song to be recorded as the sum and chief of all the rest as he did pitch upon some particular Prayers of David and Moses c. passing by others And Lastly We are rather to be thankful for the great advantage we have by this than anxiously to inquire what hath
by them 3. A constant and habitual thinking and meditating on him for though there be no connexion in the words expressed yet what is expressed may have and hath connexion with the thoughts of her heart and if all were seen that were within it would be easily known what Him she meant And so we are to gather it's dependence on the affection and meditation it flows from rather than from any preceeding words for here there are none 4. It 's to shew her thoughts of Christ were not limited or stinted to her words or her speaking of him for though there be no words preceeding to make known who this Him is spoken of yet we may well conceive her heart taken up with desire after him and meditation on him and so there is a good coherence Let him that is Him I have been thinking on Him whom my soul desires he only whom I esteem of and who hath no equal c. This soâ—t of abruptnesse of speech hath no incongruity in spiritual rethorick Whence we may observe 1. That Christ hath a way of communicating his love and the sense of it to a Believer which is not common to others 2. That this is the great scope and desire of a Believer if they had their choise it 's to have sensible communion with Christ This is their one thing Psal. 27. 4. It 's the first and last suit of this Song and the voice of the Spirit and Bride and the last Prayer that is in the Scripture Rev. 22. 17. 3. That Believers can discern this fellowship it 's so sweet and sensible which is to be had with Jesus Christ. 4. That they have an high esteem of it as being a special signification of his love 5. That much inward heart-fellowship with Christ hath suitable outward expressions flowing from it 6. That Believers in an habitual walk with Christ will be abrupt in their suits to him sometimes meditating on him sometimes praying to him 7. That where Christ is known and rightly thought of there will be no equal to him in the heart 2. In the next place she lays down the motives that made her so desire this which are rather to set forth Christ's excellency to strengthen her own faith and warm her own love in pursuing after so concerning a suit than from any fear she had of being mistaken by him in being as it were so bold and homely with him in her desires 1. The reason is generally proposed vers 2. and inlarged and confirmed vers 3. The sum of it is Thy love is exceeding excellent and I have more need and greater esteem of it than of any thing in the world therefore I seek after it and hope to attain it There are four words here to be cleared 1. Thy loves so it is in the Original in the plural number Christ's love is sometimes as the love of God taken essentially as an attribute in him which is himself God is love 1 Ioh. 4. 8. Thus the Lord in his love is the same in all times 2. For some effect of that love when he doth manifest it to his people by conferring good on them and by the sensible intimations thereof to them So it is Ioh. 14. 21 23. We take it in the last sense here for she was in Christ's love but desired the manifestations of it and it is by these that his love becomes sensible and refreshfull to Believers It 's Loves in the plural number although it be one infinite fountain in God to shew how many ways it vented or how many effects that one love produced or what esteem she had of it and of the continuance and frequency of the manifestations thereof to her this one love of his was as many loves The second word to be cleared is Wine Wine is chearing to men Psal. 104. 15. and makes their heart glad under it here is understood what is most chearing and comfortable in it's use to men 3. Christ's love is better 1. Simply in it self it 's most excellent 2. In it's effects more exhilarating chearing and refreshing And 3. in her esteem to me saith she it 's better I love it prize it and esteem it more as Psal. 4. 8 9. Thereby thou hast made my heart more glad c. This his love is every way preferable to all the most chearing and refreshing things in the world 4. The inference for is to be considered It sheweth that these words are a reason of her suit and so the sense runs thus because thy love is of great value and hath more comfortable effects on me than the most delightsome of creatures therefore let me have it Out of which reasoning we may see what motives will have weight with Christ and will sway with sincere souls in dealing with him for the intimation of his love for the love of Christ and the sweetnesse and satisfaction that is to be found in it is the great prevailing motive that hath weight with them And sense of the need of Christ's love and esteem of it and delight in it alone when no creature-comfort can afford refreshing may and will warrand poor hungry and thirsty souls to be pressing for the love of Christ when they may not be without it Which shews 1. That a heart that knows Jesus Christ will love to dwell on the thoughts of his worth and to present him often to it self as the most ravishing object and will make use of pressing motives and arguments to stir up it self to seek after the intimations of his love 2. That the more a soul diveth in the love of Christ it 's the more ravished with it and presseth yea panteth the more after it It was Him before Let him kisse me as being something afraid to speak to him it 's now Thou Thy love c. as being more inflamed with love since she began to speak and therefore more familiarly bold in pressing her suit upon him 3. The exercise of love strengthens faith and contrarily when love wears out of exercise faith dieth These graces stand and fall together they are lively and languish together 4. Where Christ's love is seriously thought of and felt created consolations will grow bare and lose all relish Wine and the best of creature-comforts will lose their savour and sweetnesse with such a soul when once it is seen how good he is 5. An high esteem of Christ is no ill argument in pressing for and pursuing after his presence for to these that thus love and esteem him he will manifest himself Ioh. 14. 21 23. 6. Where there hath been any taste of Christ's love the soul cannot endure to want it it cannot enjoy it self if it do not enjoy him This is the cordial that cheareth it in any condition and maketh every bitter thing sweet Vers. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy name is as Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee The second reason which is also a confirmation and inlargement
is there but that the King himself like the Prodigal's father met her and took her in Christs convoy is much worth and sinners may hazard forward with it and not despair of accesse 4. She attributes it to him that she may keep mind of his grace whereby she stands and injoyes these priviledges and that she may be still humble under them as having none of these from her self It is much under sense and a fair gale of flowing love to carry even and to be humble And it 's rare to be full of this new Wine and bear it well 3. Consider the importance of the word in the Original it is here translated he brought me in as it's Chap. 2. vers 4. but the word in that Conjugation in which it is used in the first Language signifieth he made me come or go in implying 1. A â—ort of aversness and inability in her self 2. Many difficulties in the way 3. An efficacious work overcoming all these and effectually bringing her over all as the same word is used Psal. 78. 71. where God's bringing David from the fold to be King over so many difficulties is spoken of The last thing in the verse is the effect following on this her admission which is both exceeding great spiritual cheerfulnesse in her self and gladnesse of heart also in others whereby both her own and their heaâ—ts were much inlarged in duty as she undertook and therefore the person from me to we is changed again for before she saith he brought me c. but now we will be glad c. The effects by way of gratitude are in two expressions 1. We will rejoyce and be glad in thee And 2. We will remember thy love more then Wine And as she took her motive while she desired Christ's love from that esteem which all Believers under the Title of Virgins had of it so now having obtained what she sought she confirms her estimation of that injoyment from the experience of the same Believers under the name of upright that by such an universal testimony in both assertions she might the more confirm her saith anent the reality of Christs worth seing her esteem of him did flow from no deluded sense in her but was built on such solid reasons as she durst appeal to the experience of all Believers who thought Christ well worthy the loving And so this is not only brought in here to shew the nature of Believers whose disposition inclines them natively to love Christ but also to shew the excellent lovelinesse of Christ as an object worthy to be loved in the conviction of all that ever knew him The first expression holds forth a warm change upon her affections no sooner is she admitted into the Chambers but she cryeth out O we will rejoyce and be glad in thee Where 1. Ye have her exercise and frame it 's to rejoyce and be glad cheerfulnesse and joy disposing the heart to praise are sometimes called-for as well as Prayer If we look on this joy as it stands here It says 1. There are degrees and steps in Communion with Christ and the Saints are sometimes admitted to higher degrees thereof than at other times Sure it is a heartsome life to be near Christ and in his Chambers 2. This joy and that nearnesse with Christ which is the ground of it are both often the effect of Prayer and follows upon it when Faith is in a lively way exercised in that duty 3. That Faith exercised on Christ can make a sudden change to the better in a Believers case Psal. 30. 6 7 c. 4. That a Believer should observe the changes of Christ's dispensations the returns of their own prayers and be suitably affected with them whether he delay the answer or give them a present return The 2. thing in the expression is the object of this joy it 's in thee not in Corn or Wine not in their present sense but in him as the Author of their present comfortable condition and as being himself their happinesse even in their greatest enjoyments according to that word 1 Cor. 1. 31. Let him that rejoiceth rejoice in the Lord and this qualifies joy and keeps it from degenerating into carnal delight when he that rejoiceth rejoiceth in the Lord and it is a good character to try such joy with as may warrantably passe under that name of the joy of the Lord and as will have that effect with it to strengthen us in his way Neh. 8. 10. 3. We may consider a twofold change of the number in the Brides speaking it 's We which was Me The King brought me said she but now We will rejoice The reasons were given on the petition and further we may add here that it 's to shew her being conform in her practice to her undertaking and to shew that that admission of hers redounded to the good of moe and ought to take them up in praise with her The other change of the person is from the third to the second from He the King to Thee in the second Person we will rejoice in Thee which shews a holy complacency and delight sometimes making her to speak of him sometimes to him yet so as she loves to have Christ both the object and subject of her discourse and the more he be to her she is the more satisfied This being another character of spiritual joy and exulting in Christ it still makes him to be the more to them and they are still pressing under it to be the nearer to him The 2. effect is We will remember thy love more then Wine What is understood by Love and Wine as also why the number is changed from the singular to the plural hath been formerly cleared The word Remember doth import these three things 1. A thankful acknowledgment of the favour received and a making of it to be remembred to his praise this remembring is opposite to forgetting Psal. 103. 2. From which we may observe two things 1. The acknowledgment of the mercies we have received is a necessary piece of the duty of praise They will never praise for a mercy who will not acknowledge they have received it forgetfulnesse and unbelief doth much marr praise 2. They that pray most for any mercy will most really praise when it 's received and this last is a duty as well as the former but is not made conscience of nor suitably performed but by hearts that acknowledge God's goodnesse to themselves 2. It imports a recording of this experience of God's goodnesse for her own profit for the time to come Thus every manifestation of his grace is to be kept as an experience for afterward when that frame may be away and he may hide his face whereupon there will follow a change in the Believers frame It 's good keeping the impression of his kind manifestations still upon the heart So the Psalmist endeavoured Psal. 119. 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me
excellent than they all He is more sweet and precious than a cluster even of that Camphire which growes in the Vineyards of En-gedi where it 's like the most precious of that kind grew Now these expressions hold forth 1. Christ's preciousnesse 2. His efficacy and vertue 3. His abounding in both the worth and vertue that is in him cannot be comprehended nor told 4. The Brides wisdom in making use of such things to describe Christ and her affection in preferring him to all other things and in satisfying her self in him which is the last thing in these verses This respect of hers or the warmnesse of her affection to him is set forth two wayes 1. In that expression he is unto me which is both in the beginning of the 13. and in the beginning of the 14. verse whereby is signifyed not only Christ's worth in general but 1. His savourinesse and lovelinesse to her in particular she speakes of him as she her self had found him 2. To expresse what room she gives him in her affection he was lovely in himself and he was so to her and in her esteem He is saith she a bundle of Myrrhe unto me a cluster of Camphire to me This is further clear from that other expression namely he shall lye all night saith she betwixt my breasts even as one hugges and embraces whom they love or what they love and keeps it in their arms and thrusts it in their bosom so saith she my beloved shall have my heart to rest in and if one room be further in than another there he shall be admitted Which imports 1. Great love to him 2. A satisfying her spiritual senses on him 3. Tenaciousnesse in keeping and â—etaining him when he is gotten and great loathnesse to quit or part with him 4. It shewes his right seat and place of residence The bosome and heart is Christ's room and bed 5. It shewes a continuance in retaining him and entertaining him she would do it not for a start but for all night 6. A watchfulnesse in not interupting his rest or disquieting of him he shall not be troubled saith she but he shall ly all night unprovocked to depart These are good evidences of affection to Christ and offer ground for good directions how to walk under sensible manifestations when he doth communicat himself Part 4. CHRISTS Words Vers. 15. Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves eyes These words contain a part of that excellent and comfortable conference between Christ and the Spouse There is here a mutual commendation one of another as if they were in a holy contest of love who should have the last word in expressing of the others commendation In the verse before the Bride hath been expressing her love to Christ and he again comes in upon the back of this expressing his esteem of her and that with a behold Behold c. If ye look upon this verse in it self and with it's dependence on the former words it will hold out these things 1. That love-fellowship with Christ must be a very heartsome life O the sweet mutual satisfaction that is there 2. That Christ must be a very loving and kindly husband so have all they found him that have been married unto him And therefore Eph. 5. 27. He is proposed as a pattern to all husbands and may well be so 3. That our Lord Jesus thinks good sometimes to intimat his love to believers and to let them know what he thinks of them and this he doth that the believer may be confirmed in the faith of his love for this is both profitable and also comfortable and refreshful Lastly from the connexion observe that there is no time wherein Christ more readily manifests and intimats his love to believers than when their love is most warm to him In the former verse she hath a room provided between her breasts for him and in these words our Lord comes in with a very refreshful salutation to her for though his love go before ours in the rise of it yet he hath ordered it so that the intimation of his love to us should be after the stirring of ours towards him Ioh. 14. 21. In the commendation that he here gives her consider these five particulars 1. The title he gives her my love 2. The commendation it self Thou art fair 3. The note of attention prefixed Behold 4. The repetition of both 5. A particular instance of a piece of that beauty he commends in her 1. The title is a very kindly and sweet one and this makes it lovely that therein he not only intimats but appropriats his love to her allowing her to lay claim thereto as her own my love saith he and it sayes that there can be nothing more cordial and refreshful to believers than Christ's intimating of his love to them and therefore he chooseth this very title for that end The men of the world exceedingly prejudge themselves that they think not more of this and study not to be acquaint with it 2. The commendation that he gives her is Thou art fair If it be asked what this imports we may look upon it these three wayes 1. As it imports an inherent beauty in the Bride 2. As it looks to the cleannesse and beauty of her state as being justified before God and this she hath as being clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ. 3. As it holds forth Christ's loving estimation of her that though there were many spots in her yet he pronounces her fair and lovely because of his delight in her his purpose to make her fair and without spot or wrinckle or any such thing From all which these three truths may be gathered 1. That such as are Christ's or have a title to him are very lovely creatures and cannot but have in them exceeding great lovelinesse because there is to be found with them a work of his grace a new creature and a conversation some way lavelled to the adorning of the Gospel 2. Christ Jesus hath a very great esteem of his Bride and though we cannot conceive of love in him as it is in us yet the expressions used here gives us ground to believe that Christ hath a great esteem of believers how worthlesse so ever they be in themselves Lastly comparing this with vers 5. We may see That believers are never more beautiful in Christ's eyes than when their own spots are most discernable to themselves and oftimes when they are sharpest in censuring themselves he is most ready to absolve and commend them The third thing is the rouzing note of attention which is prefixed and this is here added to the commendation of the Bride for these reasons which may be as observations 1. That he may shew the reality of that beauty that is in believers that it is a very real thing 2. That he may shew the reality of the estimation which he hath of his Bride 3. It imports a desire he had
the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land Vers. 13. The Fig-tree putteth forth her green Figs and the Vine with the tender Grape give a good smell Arise my love my fair one and come away Having put by her observation of his carriage she comes to speak to the second part namely what was her carriage and it was to read over or think over with her self or to tell over to others what Christ had said unto her This is a main piece of spiritual wisdom to fill Christs room in his absence with his word and call and to read his mind only from these the best interpreters of it These words prefaced to Christ's Epistle or Sermon my beloved spake and said unto me are not idly set down before she tell what the words which he spake were But 1. It shews she delights in repeating his Name for she had made mention of it before vers 8. 2. It shews what commended Christ's epistle or words to her it was not only the matter therein contained though that was warm and sweet but it 's come saith she from my beloved it was he that said this it was he that sent me this word 3. It shews her discerning of his voice and her assurance that the word call and promise she was refreshing her self with was his word and no devised fable It 's a notable ground of consolation in Christ's absence to believers when they are clear that such and such gracious words come out of Christ's own mouth to them 4. It sayes that fellowship with Christ is no dumb exercise these that are admitted to fellowship with him he will be speaking with them otherwise then with the world And 5. That a believer hath an ear to hear not only what the Minister saith but also what Christ saith 6. It 's the word as from Christ's own mouth that hath any effectual impression and a believer will receive it as such that it may leave such an impression upon his heart 7. When Christ quickens a word it will be sweet and such a word will be retained so that these who have been quickned by it will be able long afterward to repeat it It 's our getting little good of the word of the Lord that makes us retain it so ill 8. It affords much satisfaction to a believer when he can say Christ said this or that to me and that it 's no delusion 9. What Christ sayes unto the spirits of his own in communion with them it may bide the light and is on the matter that same which he sayes in the Word and Gospel as we will see in the following discourse which for this end and for the edification of others and honour of the Beloved she tells over We may take these words or epistles of Christ's as directed to three sorts as the duty here pressed rise and come away will bear 1. To these that are dead in sins whom Christ by his voice quickens and makes to rise Iohn 5. 28. Although this be not the immediat intent of it as it 's spoken to a believer yet considering the scope of recording this and the matter contained in it it may well be thought useful to ingage these who are yet strangers to Christ there being still but the same way of making at the first and afterward recovering nearnesse with him to wit by faith in him and so it will presse receiving of and closing with Christ. 2. We may consider it as spoken to believers but to such as sleep or are sitten up so it presseth quickening And 3. As spoken to believers in a disconsolat discouraged condition so it 's scope is to stir quicken rouse and comfort Christs Bride in any of these two last cases that he may bring her in to more nearnesse of fellowship with himself and to more boldnesse in the use-making of him which is the great scope he aimes at There are three parts of this Sermon or Epistle 1. There is a kindly invitation that mainly respects the pressing of faith from vers 10. to 14. 2. There is a loving direction or two vers 14. looking especially to the practise of duties 3. Least any thing should be wanting he gives a direction concerning the troublers of her peace vers 15. In all these parts there are four things common to be found in each of them 1. Some sadnesse in her condition supposed 2. Some directions given to cure it 3. Some motives used to presse the practise of these directions 4. Some repetitions to shew his seriousnesse in all and the concernment of the thing spoken The case wherein these who are here spoken to are supposed to be in this first part of Christ's Sermon vers 10 c. is 1. Deadnesse total or partial Believers may be under a decay and be in part dead 2. It is supposed that they are secure and not vigorous but insensible in a great part of that ill 3. That they are disconsolat and heartlesse under distance and deadnesse which ills often tryst together The direction he gives in order to the helping of this is in two words 1. Rise 2. Come away Which sayes that as she was now in a case of strangenesse to Christ so there was a necessity of rousing her self and coming out of it such a necessity as there is for a straying wife to return to her husband Now these words are a sweet call of a kind Husband inviting to this return and shewing the remedy of straying and estrangement from him Rising imports 1. One that is setled some way in a condition opposite to walking and running 2. A stirring up of themselves as unsatisfied therewith and desirous to be out of it with some endeavour to be up again Declining from Christ puts souls still down and holds them at under Come away holds forth a term from which she is to come from that condition she was in whatever it was it was not good Men are in no desirable condition when Christ calls them 2. A term to which she is to come and that is Christ it 's to follow the Bridegroom to get her brought to a nearer union and communion with him is the great thing he aimes at 3. An act whereby she passeth from that she was and turning her back on that moves towards him that she may thereby attain nearer union and fellowship with him By both which we conceive the exercise of faith in him is mainly holden forth 1. Because saith is ordinarily in Scripture set forth by coming Isa. 55. 1. Ioh. 5. 40. Ioh. 6. 35. and this expression suits well the act of saith 2. Because it 's the only mean of making up the distance betwixt him and us Decay in the exercise of faith and distance with Christ go together and the exercise of faith and nearnesse with him are also inseparable companions This is the meaning then why lyes thou in this discouraged decayed and comfortlesse condition there is another
their visitation and the Sun of Righteousnesse hath become warm by the Gospel unto them or unto the place and society in which they live 3. He presseth his direction and call by the very presentnesse and now of the season of grace vers 13. The fig-tree putteth forth c. Which shews not only that Summer is neer but that it is even at the door Matth. 24. 32 33. and saith he the vines bud and give a smell whereby is holden forth the thriving of the plants of God's vineyard under the dispensation of grace as we may see vers 15. All these prove that now is the acceptable time and now is the day of salvation and there are lâ—rge allowances of consolation to them that now will accept of Christ's offers and subject to his call Therefore saith he even to us sit not the time when all is ready but up and come away And that the voice of the turtle is heard in our land that is even the Church wherein we live proves it to be the season of grace also for it 's long since the time of the turtles singing hath come to us and their voice is yet still heard And this sayes the chock and season of grace is amongst our hands now when Christ's call comes to our door and therefore it would not be neglected And so he doth in the fourth place repeat the call in the end of vers 13. Arise my love c. And this repetition is to shew 1. His willingnesse to have â—t effectual if sinners were as willing it would soon be a bargain 2. Our sluggishnesse in not answering at once therefore must word be upon word call upon call line upon line precept upon precept 3. To bear out the riches of his grace and love in this call wherein nothing is wanting that can be alledged to perswade a sinner to close with Christ and to presse one that hath closed with him to be chearful in him What a heartsome life might sinners have with Christ if they would embrace him and dwell with him in the exercise of faith they should have alway a spring-time and possesse to say so the sunny-side of the brae of all the world beside walking in gardens and orchards where the trees of the Promises are ever fruitful pleasant and savoury to sight smell taste and every word of Christ as the singing of birds heartsome and delightful to the ear and all of them healthful to the believer Who will have a heart to fit Christ's call or if they do who will be able to answer it when he shall reckon with them It will leave all the hearers of the Gospel utterly inexcusable Lastly this repetition shews the importunatnesse and the peremptorinesse of his call he will have no refusal neither will he leave it arbitrary if we will come when we shall come or what way but he straitly enjoyneth it and that just now It 's alwayes time to believe when ever Christ calls and it 's never time to shift when he perswades All this sayes Christ must be a kind and loving Husband how greatly play they the fool that reject him and how happy are they who are effectualy called to the marriage of the Lamb Vers. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me see they countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely This 14. vers contains the second part of Christ's sweet and comfortable Sermon Wherein beside the title which he gives his Bride there are three things 1. Her case 2. The directions which he propones as the cure of her case 3. The motive pressing it The title is my Dove This hath a sweet insinuation and motive in it Believers are styled so 1. For their innocent nature Matth. 10. 16. 2. For their tendernesse and trembling at the word of the Lord Hos. 11. 11. Isa. 38. 14. Hezekiah mourned as a Dove 3. For their beauty and purity Psal. 68. 13. 4. For their chast adhering to their own mate in which respect that of Isa. 38. 14. is thought to allude to the mourning of the one after the others death This shews what a believer should be and who deserves this name The condition of this Dove is that she is in the clefts of the rocks and in the secret places of the stairs It 's ordinary for doves to hide themselves in rocks or holes in walls of houses And this similitude is used sometimes in a good sense as Isa. 60. 8. sometimes in an ill sense as pointing out infirmity and too much fear and fillinesse Hos. 7. 11. Ephraim is a silly Dove without heart that goes to Egypt c. The Bride is here compared to a Dove hiding it self in the last sense out of unbelief and anxiety taking her to poor shifts for ease and slighting Christ as frighted doves that mistake their own windowes and fly to other hiding-places the scope being to comfort and encourage her and the directions calling her to holy boldnesse and prayer to him implying that these had been neglected formerly doth confirm this Then sayes the Lord my poor heartlesse Dove why art thou discouraged taking thee to holes as it were to hide thee fostering misbelief and fainting that is not the right way What then should she do might it be said seing she is so unmeet to converse with him or look out to the view of any that looks on He gives two directions holding forth what was more proper and fit for her case 1. Let me see thy countenance saith he like one that is ashamed thou hides thy self as if thou durst not appear before me but come saith he let me see thy countenance This expression imports friendliness familiarity and boldnesse in her coming before him So this phrase of seeing ones face is taken Gen. 43. 3 5. and 2 Sam. 14. 32. As the not shewing of the countenance supposeth discontent or fear So then the Lord calls by this to holy familiarity with him and confidence in it in opposition to her former fainting and misbelief The second direction is Let me hear thy voice To make him hear the voice is to pray Psal. 5. 3. and under it generally all the duties of religion are often comprehended It 's like discouragement scarred the heartlesse Bride from prayer and she durst not come before him do not so saith he but call confidently upon me in the day of trouble and time of need Obs. 1. Prayer never angers Christ be the believers case what it will but forbearing of it will 2. Discouragement when it seases on the childe of God is not soon shaken off and therefore he not only gives one direction upon another but also adds incouragements and motives sutable to these directions And so we come to the third thing in the verse the motives he makes use of to presse his direction which are two 1. Sweet is thy voice 2. Thy
met with more grievous and dangerous than what she meets with from such although this be an exercise and tryal ordinarily incident to her 2. The cure the Lord provides is the furnishing of his Church with Discipline and the giving of directions for managing of it in these words Take us c. Wherein consider these four 1. To whom it 's directed 2. What is required 3. A motive insinuat in the expression take us 4. The extent of the direction for the obviating of a question It may be supposed to be directed to one of four 1. Either to the Bride or 2. To Angels or 3. To Magistrates or 4. To Church-guides Now it 's to none of the first three Therefore it must be to the last and fourth First It is not to the Bride For 1. The word take in the Original is in the plural-number and signifieth take ye now the Lord useth not to speak to the Church but as to one 2. He sayes take us and so taking the Bride in with himself as a party for whom this service is to be performed the speech must be directed to some third 2. It 's not directed to Angels these are not spoken to in all this Song and this being a duty to be performed while the Church is militant they come not in to gather the tares from the wheat till the end of the world nor to separate the bad fish from the good till the net by fairly on the shore 3. This direction cannot be given to the Magistrat for beside that he is not mentioned in this Song nor as such hath he any part in the ministry of the Gospel or capable to be thus spoken unto although the duty from the force of it's argument will also reach him in his station because he should so far as he can prevent the spoiling of Christ's Vineyard in his place Beside this I say this direction must take place in all times whenever the Church hath such a tryal to wrestle with otherwise it were not suitable to Christ's scope nor commensurable with her need Now for many hundreds of years the Church wanted Magistrates to put this direction in practice yet wanted she not foxes nor was she without a suitable capacity of guarding her self against them by that power wherewith Christ hath furnished her It remains therefore 4. That it must be spoken to Christ's Ministers and Officers in the Church called rulers in the Scripture and in this Song watchmen and keepers of this Vineyard as by office contradistinguished from professours Chap. 3. 3. and 5. 7. and 8. 11 12. Such the Church never wanted such are required to watch Act. 20. 24. against wolves and such in the Church of Ephesus are commended Rev. 2. 3 4. for putting this direction in execution 2. The duty here required is to take them as men use to hunt foxes till they be taken And this implyes all that is needful for preventing their hurting of Christ's Vines Christ's Ministers are to lay out themselves in discovering confuting and convincing censuring and rejecting them Tit. 3. 11. That is not to endure them that are evil but to try them judicially as it is Rev. 2. 2. Obs. 1. Christ's Church is furnished with sufficient authority in her self for her own edification and for censuring of such as would obstruct the same 2. This Church-authority is not given to Professors in common or to the Bride as the first subject but to their guides Christ's Ministers and servants 3. It is no lesse a duty nor is it lesse necessary to put forth this power against false teachers than against other grosse offenders So did Paul 2 Tim. 1. ult and so commands he others to do Tit. 3. 10. heresie and corrupt doctrine being also a fruit of the flesh Gal. 5. 20. as well as other scandalous sins 3. There is a motive to presse this implyed while he saith take us Which words insinuat that it's service both to him and her and that Ministers are his servants and the Churches for Christ's sake It shews also his sympathy in putting himself as it were in hazard with her at least mystically considered and his love in comforting her that he thinks himself concerned in the restraint of these foxes as well as she is 4. The direction is amplified to remove an objection say some all heresies or all Heretiques are not equal some comparatively are little to be regarded and it's cruelty to meddle with these that seem to professe fair No saith he take them all even the little foxes for though they be little yet they are foxes though they be not of the grossest kind as all scandals in facts are not alike yet none is to be dispensed with so they are saith he foxes and corrupt others for a little leaven will leaven the whole lump often small-like schisms or heresies such as the Novatians and Donatists c. have been exceedingly defacing to the beauty of the Church therefore saith he hunt and take them all How small a friend is our Lord to tolleration and how displeased is he with many errours that the world thinks little of Magistrats Ministers and people may learn here what distance ought to be kept with the spreaders of the least errours and how every one ought to concur in their stations for preventing the hurt that comes by them The last thing in the verse is the reasons wherewith this direction is backed and pressed The first is all of them spoil the vines Errour never runs loose and Heretiques never get liberty but the spoiling of the vines one way or other followes and can beasts be suffered in a garden or orchard and the plants not be hurt 2. If any say they are but little foxes and unable to hurt He answers this and adds a second reason in saying the grapes are tender or the vines are in the first grapes that is as they while scarce budding or sprouting are easily blasted by a small wind so the work of grace in a believer or Christ's ordinances in his Church are most precious and tender wares and cannot abide rough hands even the least of seducers or corrupt teachers may easily wrong them they are of such a nature as they may be soon spoiled if they be not tenderly and carefully looked to Obs. 1. They that have grace would be tender of it it may easily be hurt 2. Gracious persons would not think themselves without the reach of hazard from corrupt teachers for this is spoken of the Bride The foxes spoil the vines 3. Our Lord Jesus is exceeding tender of the work of grace in and amongst his people and where it 's weakest he is some way most tender of it 4. This argument here made use of sayes also that these who are most tender of his Church and the graces of his people will be most zealous against false teachers even the least of them For these two are joined together in him and are in themselves necessary to preserve
will find fault with when they come to look rightly upon it yea even much of their way while they keep up the form of duty is but like the sluggard Prov. 26. 14. turning themselves upon their beds as the door doth upon the hinges not lying still nor altogether darring to give over the form yet litle better on the matter because they make no effectual progress not can they say their soul is in and with their service which they perform 3. Her successe as to this step is but I found him not that is I was nothing the better these sluggish endeavours did not my businesse Every form of seeking will not obtain and one may seek Christ long in their ordinary formal way ere they find him yet it 's good not to give over but to observe the form Life and love is not altogether gone when one discerns absence and their own lazinesse with discontent When this doth not reach her design she proceeds to a more lively step vers 2. and that is to get up and seek him in a more active stirring way Which sayes 1. She observed the continuance of her distance and what came of her prayers and seeking which is a good beginning of ones recovery and wining to their feet after a fit of security and decay 2. It sayes it 's often good for a believer as to their rouzing and their recovering of spiritual life that sense is not alwayes easily obtained this activity had not followed readily had not Christ constrained her to it by cross-dispensations and disappointments In this step we have 1. Her resolving to fall about a more active way in seeking him 2. Her performance 3. Her successe First Her resolution is I will rise now saith she and go about the streets c. In which there are these three 1. What she resolves to do not to give over for that should never be given way to but to bestir her self more actively in duty I will rise and go from the bed to the streets of the city and seek him there By city is understood the Church whereof all members are fellow-citizens Eph. 2. 19. It 's called so 1. For it's order and government so the Church is as a city that hath watchmen and laws 2. For it's unity it 's one Common-wealth and Incorporation Eph. 2. 12. This Jerusalem is a city compacted together Psa. 122. 3. 3. For it's priviledges whereof all believers who are the burgesses and fellow-citizens are partakers Eph. 2. 19. and unto which all others who are without are strangers Her going into the city suppons a communicating of her case to others for help and her using of more publick means opposite to her private dealing within her self on her bed vers 1. even as rising imports a stirring of her self to more activity in the manner of performing these duties opposite to her seeking him formerly while she lay still on her bed The thing then resolved upon is to this sense What am I doing are there not moe means in the use of which I may seek Christ Is there not another way of inquiring after him than this lazy formal way I will up and essay it There are many meanes given for a believers help and when one fails another may be blessed and therefore believers are still to follow from one to another and where true love to Christ is it will make them do so and spare no pains till they meet with him Again 2. Ere she gets to her feet and goes to the streets c. she deliberatly resolves it I will rise c. Which shews 1. That her former disappointment did put her to a consultation what to do and made her more serious And this is the use that ought to be made of disappointments in the duties of religion 2. That there will be heart-deliberations in a Christian-walk when it 's serious and they are the best performances and duties that are the results of these 3. Serious resolutions are often very usefull and helpful in duty for they are ingagements and spurs to stir up to duty when we are indisposed for it 4. It 's good cordially to resolve upon duty when the practice of it is somewhat difficult or obstructed for this both speaks sincerity and also helps to lessen the difficulty which is in the way of duty 5. Resolutions to set about duty are oftentimes the greatest length believers can win at while under indisposition and this much is better than nothing because it draws on more 3. This resolution is qualified I will rise now saith she that is seing these sluggish endeavours doth not avail me I will delay no longer but will now presently fall about it in more earnest It 's the sign of a sincere resolution when it doth not put off or shift duty but ingageth the soul in a present undertaking of it Psal. 119. 59 60. Next her performance or her putting this resolution in practice doth accordingly follow instantly I sought him said she that is in the streets c. Obs. 1. It 's not a resolution worth the mentioning that hath not practice following for every honest resolution is followed with practice whatever short-coming wait upon it 2. Honest resolutions are often to duty like a needle that drawes the threed after it and believers would not star to resolve on duty from fear of coming short in performance if their resolutions be undertaken in the strength of Christ as this was as is clear by considering her former frame which was such as would give no great incouragement to selfy undertakings in duties Lastly her successe or rather her disappointment follows in these words but I found him not even then when I was most serious in seeking him I missed him still which is not only spoken to shew the event but also by way of regrate she is deeply affected with it Obs. 1. When the Lords people have been formerly lazy Christ may keep up himself even when they become more active rather hereby chastening their former negligence than being offended at their present diligence in duty 2. It 's sad when Christ is missed even in duty and that once and again 3. She continues to be a distinct observer of the fruits both of publick and private duties which is a commendable practice and to be made conscience of by all the seekers of his face Vers. 3. The watch-men that go about the City found me to whom I said Saw ye him whom my soul loveth This verse contains the third step of the Brides carriage being now abroad the watch-men found her and she inquires for her beloved at them and her successe in this may be gathered from what follows she doth not upon recourse to them immediatly find him but is put to go a little further In the words there is 1. An opportunity or mean for finding Christ met with 2. Her improving of it 3. The successe which is implyed as is said The mean holds forth these three things 1.
the works of the Law but by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3. 2. 4. A soul that sincerely loves Christ should not and when in a right frame will not give over seeking Christ till it find him whatever disappointments it meets with and sure such will find him at last 5. Christ found after much search will be very welcome and his presence then will be most discernable 6. Believers would no lesse observe and acknowledge their good successe in the means than their disappointments There are many who often make regrates of their bonds that are deficient in acknowledging Gods goodnesse when they get liberty Next In this verse we have her carriage set down when she hath found him She doth not then lay-by diligence as if all were done but is of new taken up with as great care to retain and improve this mercy as before she was solicitous to attain it Whether a believer want or have whether he be seeking or injoying there is still matter of exercise for him in his condition This her care to retain Christ which is the fourth thing in the first part of this Chapter is laid down in three steps 1. She endeavours to hold him that she again lose not the ground she had gained 2. She seeks to have other members of that same Church getting good of Christ also and these two are in this verse 3. When his presence is brought back to the Church and Ordinances her care is to admonish yea charge that he be entertained well with them lest they should provock him to be gone vers 5. The first step then of her care is I held him and would not let him go as a wife having found her husband whom she much longed-for hangs on him lest he depart again so doth she which is an expression both of her fear love care and faith This holding of Christ and not letting him go imports 1. A holy kind of violence more than ordinary wherewith the Bride strives and wrestles to retain him 2. That Christ as it were waits for the believers consent in this wrestling as he saith to Iacob Gen. 32. 26. I pray let me go which upon the matter seems to say I will not go if thou wilt hold me and have me stay 3. It imports an importunat adhering to him and not consenting upon any terms to quit him And lastly it imports the singular and inexpressible satisfaction she had in him her very life lay in the keeping him still with her and therefore she holds him and cannot think of parting with him Now this presence of Christ being spiritual cannot be understood in a carnal way nor can they be carnal grips that retain him and his power being omnipotent it cannot be the force of a frail creature that prevails but it is here as in Hos. 12. 2 3. In Iacob's prevailing he wept and made supplication that is an humble ardent sueing to him by prayer with a lively exercise of faith on his promises whereby he allows his people to be pressing ingageth him to stay He is tyed by his own love that is in his heart and his faithfulnesse in his promises that he will not withdraw and deny them that for which they make supplication to him more than if he were by their strength prevailed over and overcome as a little weeping child will hold it's mother or nurse not because it is stronger then she but because the mothers bowels so constrains her as she cannot almost though she would leave that child So Christ's bowels earning over a believer are that which here holds him that he cannot go He cannot go because he will not Here we have ground to observe the importunatnesse of sincere love which is such as with a holy wilfulnesse it holds to Christ and will not quit him as Iacob said I will not let thee go 2. We may observe here the power of lively â—aith to which nothing is impossible love and faith will stick to Christ against his own seeming intreaties till they gain their point and will prevail Gen. 32. 28. 3. See here the condescending the wonderful condescending of the Almighty to be held by his own creature to be as it were at their disposal I pray thee let me go Gen. 32. 26. and Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone Moses So long as a believer will not consent to quit Christ so long keeps their â—aith grip of him and he will not offend at this importunity yeâ— he is exceedingly well pleased with it It cannot be told how effectual prayer and faith would be if servent and vigorous The second step of her carriage which is the scope of the former namely of her holding him is in these words till I had brought him to my mothers house to the chambers of her that conceived me By mother in Scripture is understood the visible Church which is even the believers mother Hos. 2. 2. Say to Ammi my people plead with your mother So chap. 1. 6. this mother hath children both after the flesh and after the spirit the former hating the latter And chap. 8. 5. It 's the mother that hath Ordinances for the Brides instruction The Church visible is called the mother because 1. By the immortal seed of the Word the Lord begets believers in his Church to which he is Husband and the Father of these children she the wife and mother that conceives them and brings them up 2. Because of the Covenant-tye that stands betwixt God and the visible Church whereby she may claim right to him as her Husband the Covenant being the marriage-contract betwixt God and the Church which is therefore the ground of the former relation of mother Again Christ is said to be brought into the Church not only when his Ordinances are pure in her which is supposed to be here already for vers 3. there were watchmen doing their duty and dispensing pure Ordinances but when there is life in them the presence and countenance of his Spirit going along with them that they may be powerful for the end appointed as it was one thing to have the Temple the type of his Church and another to have God's presence singularly in it So it 's one thing to have pure Ordinances set up in the Church and another to have Christ's presence filling them with power Now saith she when I got Christ I knew there was many fellow-members of that same Church that had need of him and I was importunate that he might manifest himself in his Ordinances there for their and my good Church-Ordinances are the allowed and ordinary mean of keeping fellowship with Christ and they are all empty when he is not there Obs. 1. That even true believers have the visible Church for their mother and it 's written of them as their priviledge that they were born there Psal. 87. 4 5. 2. Believers should not disclaim the Church in which they are spiritually begotten and born nor their fellow-members therein but reverence her as
of love it 's for them who while they are in the way are subject to infirmities it 's fitted for them to role on and rest in even when sense of sin would otherwise sting and disquiet them this suits well with that word 2 Sam. 23 5. Although my house be not so with God but there are many things sinful to be found in it yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant well ordered in all things and sure This saith he when he was to die is all my salvation and all my desire There needs no more for carrying believing sinners through and giving them ease under their challenges and perplexities but this it 's so well suited for believers conditions From all this she proceeds vers 11. to point out Christ as precious this Covenant putting as it were the Crown of grace and lovelinesse on him Obs. 1. The work of Redemption bringing sinners out of a state of wrath and carrying them through to glory is a noble design a wonderfully excellent work and hath been deeply contrived 2. O the excellent wisdom and wonderful grace that shines in this Covenant 3. They who would rest in Christ's bed must ride in his Chariot they who would share in his peace and be admitted to sweet fellowship with him must accept of his offers and enter into Covenant with him 4. The weight of all contained in the Covenant lyes on Christ therefore it 's his workmanship alone as being the surety thereof to the Father the Messenger of the Covenant to us and in effect the sum and substance of it himself therefore is he called the Covenant Isa. 42. 6. 5. Christ hath spared no invention nor cost to make this Covenant large and full for the believers consolation and happinesse 6. Love is a main ingredient in this work of Redemption and the predominant qualification of this Covenant love being the thing which he chiefly intended to make conspicuous and glorious therein 7. Every particular of the contrivance of grace will be found more precious than another every step thereof proceeds to a greater excellency and therefore there is mention made here 1. Of wood 2. Of Silver 3. Of Gold c. The further in we come in the Covenant we will find it the more rich 8. Love is here mentioned in the last place to shew the great excellency of Christ's love unto redeemed sinners there is something beyond Gold but nothing beyond Love especially that of the Mediator It 's left last also in the description to leave the daughters of Ierusalem to consider the more of it as being the great attractive commendation of this work which should make it amiable and desirable unto them Love hath the last word and there is nothing beyond it but himself whose glory and lovelinesse is spoken to in the following verse Lastly her scope is 1. To commend Christ for they will never esteem of him that are not acquaint with his Covenant 2. To ingage both her self and the daughters to fall more throughly in love with him The right uptaking of the Covenant is a most forcible argument for drawing souls to Christ For 1. It hath all fulnesse in it for the matter 2. All wisdom for the manner 3. All gracious condescending in the terms 4. It 's most ingaging in respect of it's end being made for this same very purpose and designed for this very end that it may bring about the peace and salvation of sinners which considerations exceedingly commend it and may much strengthen a sinner in applying himself to it 5. It 's most necessary in regard of the salvation of sinners there is no riding or journeying to Heaven but in this Chariot No other name by which men can be saved but the Name of Christ that is manifested by this Covenant Vers. 11. Go forth O 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 gladnesse of his heart She proceeds in this verse to hold forth the worker of this great work and although all the pieces of the work be admirable yet hath he much more glory in as far as the builder is more glorious and hath more honour than the house and because his commendation is her scope therefore she propounds him in his beauty and glory with an exhortation filled with admiration If saith she ye would wonder O daughters c. here is a wonderful object Christ himself on whom all eyes should be fixed up therefore come forth and behold him There are four things in the verse 1. The parties spoken unto 2. A glorious object propounded to them 3. This glorious object being Christ is qualified and set out in his most lovely and wonderful posture by three qualifications 4. A duty in reference to him so qualified is called for and pressed upon the daughters 1. The parties excited and spoken to here are the daughters of Zion By Zion oftentimes in Scripture is understood the Church wherein Christ is set as King Psal. 2. 6. and elsewhere and so by daughters of Zion we are to understand members of the Church They are the same with the daughters of Ierusalem mentioned vers 5. and her scope being to speak to them who spoke vers 6. and they being the same to whom she spake vers 5. doth confirm it for the words run in one context They are called here daughters of Zion 1. Because it was for Zions sake that the Lord so much prized Ierusalem Psal. 87. 2. his Temple and Ordinances being especially there 2. To put the daughters of Ierusalem in mind what was the especial ground of the relation which God owned in them namely their being incorporat into his Church whereby they had accesse to his Ordinances And that so they might know whoever was deficient yet this duty called for did exceedingly become them Christ being King of Zion for which cause elsewhere Zech 9. 9. the exhortation runs in these terms Tell the daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh c. It 's no little thing to get professors taking up the relation they stand under to Christ and ingaged to walk accordingly 2. The object proposed to these daughters is King Solomon even the King of Zion the King of Peace and King of Saints in a word their King This relation makes him lovely to them yet it 's not Christ simply that is here proposed to their veiw but Christ with a Crown in most stately magnificence such as Kings use to be adorned with when they are in great state or on their Coronation day While it 's said he hath a Crown hereby is not signified any material Crown but majesty and glory as Psal. 21. 3. Thou set a Crown of pure Gold on his head c. And so Christ conquering on the white horse Rev. 6. 3. is said to have a Crown And Rev. 19. 12. it 's said he hath on his head many Crowns To
therefore is there here a particular repetition of the term which had been mentioned Chap. 2. 17. 6. He would by this repetition also expresse that some way he longs for that day of the consummation of the marriage as well as she doth and that he would gladly have all shadows gone betwixt him and her which serves much to confirm her in the faith of it and comfort her till it come Vers. 7. Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee This verse contains the last piece of the commendation which Christ gives to his Bride and it is the scope of all whereby having spoken of some particular parts he now sums up all in a general 1. Positively exprest Thou art all fair my love Then 2. Negatively There is no spot in thee The reason why thus in a general he closes up her commendation is to shew that his forbearing the enumeration of the rest of her parts â—s not because of any defect that was in her or that his touching of some particulars was to commend these parts only but to shew this in general that all of her parts as well not named as named were lovely This universal commendation is not to be understood in a popish sense as if she had had no sin for that will not agree with other expresse Scriptures nor with this Song where she records her own faults as Chap. 1. 6. and 3. 1. and 5. 2 3. And also this commendation agrees to all believers who yet â—â—cknowledged by themselves not to be perfect Neither is it to be taken in an Antinomian sense as if their sins and failings were noâ— sins to them and did not pollute them for 1. That is not consistent with the nature of sin Nor 2. With the Brides regrates and confessions in this Song Nor 3. With the present scope which is to shew the Brides beauty And he doth thus highly commend her beauty not because her sins were not sins in her as they were in others but because her graces were more lovely which were not to be found in others Hence the particular parts of the new creature or inherent holinesse are insisted on for proof of this Further this commendation did agree to believers before Christ came in the flesh And this love-assertion thou art all fair holds true of the Bride in these four respects 1. In respect of Justification and absolution she is clean though needing washing in other respects Ioh. 13. Ye are clean by the word that I have 〈◊〉 yet they needed to have their â—eet washen Thus a believer is in a justified state and legally clean and fair so as there is no sin imputed to him or to be found in him to condemn him because the Lord hath pardoned them Ier. 50. 20. 2. It 's true in respect of Sanctification and inherent holinesse they are all fair that is they are wholly renewed there is no part but it is beautiful in respect of God's grace though in degree it be not perfect Thus where grace is true it 's extended through the whole man and makes an universal change 3. It 's true in respect of Christ's acceptation and so where there is sincerity in the manner he over-looks and passeth by many spots thus thou art all fair that is in my account thou art so I reckon not thy spots but esteem of thee as if thou had no spot Christ is no severe interpreter of his peoples actions and where there is honesty and no spots inconsistent with the state of children Deut. 32. 2. he will reckon of them as if there were none at all 4. It 's true of Christ's Bride that she is all fair in respect of Christ's design He will make her at last without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5. 25 c. And because of the certainty of it it 's applyed to her now as being already entered in the possession thereof in her Head in whom she is set in heavenly-places Hence we may see 1. The honest believer ere all be done will be made fully fair and without spot 2. Christ often expounds an honest believer from his 〈◊〉 of heart-purpose and design in which respect they get many titles otherwise unsuitable to their present condition and believers themselves may someway reckon so also If all were put together it were a great matter for a believer to conceive and apprehend these words as spoken to him in particular from Christ's mouth thou even thou art fair And without this they will want their lustre for certainly Christ speaks so upon the matter to some and he allowes that they should believe that he speaks so unto them Vers. 8. Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon Look from the top of Amana from the top of Shenir and Hermon from the Lions dens from the mountains of the Leopards From this 8. vers to vers 16. follows a second way how the Bridegroom manifests his love to his Bride in other three steps 1. He gives her a kind invitation and call vers 8. 2. He sheweth her how he was taken with her love and in a manner could not want the injoyment thereof vers 9 10. 3. Upon this occasion he proceeds to a new commendation of her And all of these are wonderful being considered as spoken by him The invitation in this 8. vers beside the title 〈◊〉 gives her which we take in as a motive hath three parts 1. The state wherein the Bride was is set down and this is contained in the term from which she is called 2. The duty laid oâ— included in the term to which she is called 3. The motives preâ—â—â—g and perswading her to give obedience thereto First The term from which she is called gets diverse names 1. Lebanon 2. Amana 3. Shenir and Hermon 4. The Lions dens and mountains of Leopards which are added for explication of the former Lebanon is a â—ill often mentioned in Scripture excellent for beauty and therefore Christ's countenance is compared Chap. 5. 5. to it Moses desired to see the goodly Lebanon Deut. 3. 25. It was profitable for Cedar-wood and sweet in smell by the flowers that grew on it vers 11. and Hos. 14. 6. It was on the north-side of Canaan a stately place Isa. 35. 1. Therefore Solomon built his dwelling for pleasure there in the forrest of Lebanon as some conceive though others think it was built at Ierusalem and gets the name of the forrest of Lebanon for the pleasantnesse thereof As for Amana we read not of it except it be that which is mentioned 2 King 5. 12. called Abana but on the margent Amana It 's like that river there spoken of flowed from it which being pleasant and stately is preferred by Naaman to Iordan in which the Prophet appointed him to wash Next Shenir and Hermon were two hills or two tops of one hill mentioned Deut. 3. 9. beyond Iordan pleasant and fertile and from which they might see
kindly-believers love to breath into That both these are the Brides words may thus be collected 1. Because they look prayer-like and it 's more suitable for her to say come than for him yea the Spirit being invited to come to the garden it 's clear the party that speaks hath need of his presence And that it 's not said go but come with reference to the necessity of the party that speaks doth make it evident that it cannot be spoken by the Bridegroom but by the Bride for so the phrase every where and in the next words Let my beloved come Imports 2. That the last part of the verse is her suit none can deny and there is no reason to conceive two different parties seing both the matter of the suits and the manner of speaking will agree to the same party In the first petition we may consider these two 1. The thing sought 2. The end wherefore that which she seeks and prayes for is held forth as it were in three steps or degrees in three expressions awake O north-wind come thou south blow upon my garden For understanding whereof we are to look 1. What these winds signifie 2. What this garden is And 3. What these act of awaking coming and blowing are By winds often in Scripture is understood the Spirit of God in his mighty operations as Ezek. 37. 3. and 14. And the special work and operation of the Spirit is compared to wind 1. For it's purifying nature 2. For it 's cooling comâ—orting refreshing power and efficacy 3. For it 's fructifying vertue winds being especially in these hot countries both exceeding refreshful and also useful to make trees and gardens fruitful Lastly for it 's undiscernable manner of working as Ioh. 3. 6. the wind blows where it lists c. yet hath his operation real effects with it And it 's clear that the Spirit is here intended because it 's the Spirit 's blowing that only can make the spices or graces of a believer to flow as the wind doth the seeds and flowers in a garden Next by north and south-wind are understood the same Spirit being conceived and taken up in respect of his diverse operations as it 's 1 Cor. 12. 6 7 8. c. and therefore called the seven spirits of God Rev. 1. 4. sometime cooling and in a sharper manner nipping as the North-wind sometimes working in his people more softly and warmly and in a still and quiet manner like the South-wind yet as both winds are useful for the purging and making fruitfull of a garden so are the diverse operations of the Spirit to the souls of believers In a word hereby is understood the different operations of the Spirit whether convincing and mortifying or quickning and comforting c. Both which contribute to make her lively and fruitful which is the scope of her petition 2. By garden is understood the believer called a garden vers 12. and an orchard vers 13. because the believer doth abound in diverse graces as a garden doth in many flowers And she calls it my garden as he calleth the plants her plants that were planted there vers 13. and as she called the vineyard hers Chap. 1. 6. and 8. 12. which also is his vers 11. as also this garden is called his in the following words Chap. 6. 1. It 's his by propriety as the heritor and puchaser as also all these graces in her are hers as being the servant that hath the over-sight of them and who hath gotten them as talents to trade with for the Masters use All that we have viz. a soul gifts graces c. are given to us as talents which we are to dâ—esse for bringing foâ—th fruit to the owner as the following words do clear 3. The actings and workings of the Spirit are held forth in three words which are as so many branches of her petition The first is awake This word is often used by God's people in dealing with him awake put on strength O arm of the Lord c. Isa. 51. 9. It is not as if the Spirit were at any time sleeping but she desires that by some effects sensible to her he would let it be known he is stirring The second word come is to the same purpose the Spirit considered in himself cannot be said to come or go being every where present But this is to be understood in respect of the effects of his presence and so he is said to come and go Thus while she saith come the meaning is Let me find some sign of thy presence quickning and stirring my graces The last word is blow upon my garden Blowing holds forth the operation whereby the Spirit produceth his effects in believers It 's not the Spirit himself nor the fruits of the Spirit that are in believers that are here understood but the operation of the Spirit whereby he influenceth or if we may so speak infuseth them as God breathed in Adam the breath of life and whereby he stirrs excits and quickens them for acting The prayer then is directed to the Spirit as Rev. 1. 14. considering the Spirit essentially as the same God with the Father and Son in which respect to pray by name to one person of the Godhead is to pray to all the three who in our worship are not to be divided that he would by his operations which are diverse and various for believers good so stir and quicken his own graces in her that seing she is a garden wherein the beloved takes pleasure her graces for his satisfaction may be exercised and made to savour to the end that he may the more manifest himself in sweet communion with her Next the end wherefore she presseth this suit so much is that her spices may flow out In a word it is that she might be fruitful for though there were many graces in her yet without the Spirit 's breathings and influences they would be as unbeaten spices that did not send forth their smell Obs. 1. Although a believer have grace yet it is not alwayes in exercise yea it may be and often is interrupted in it's exercise 2. That the believers great desire is to be fruitful and to have grace in exercise that they may be delighted in by Christ It 's not only their desire to have grace habitually but actually to have it in exercise 3. There is nothing can make a believer lively and fruitful but the influences of the Spirit and that same Spirit that works grace must quicken it and keep it in exercise 4. There may be an interruption of the influences of the Spirit so as his blowing may in a great measure cease 5. The same Spirit hath diverse operations and diverse wayes of working and manifesting himself sometimes as the South-wind more smoothly sometimes as the North-wind more sharply 6. All his operations how rough soever some of them may appear are alwayes useful to believers and tend to make them fruitful And to this end the most sharp
may know it is not right with them and yet as it 's here with the Bride may continue under it and lye still 6. Spiritual lazinesse and security is incident to the strongest believers The wise virgins may slumber and sleep Matth. 25. 7. Yea after the greatest manifestations and often on the back of the fullest intimations of Christ's love and the most sweet invitations they have from him and most joyful feastings with him they may be thus overtaken as the words preceeding bear out The Disciples â—ell in this distemper that same night after the Lord's Supper 8. Believers may fall over and over again in the same condition of sinful security even after they have been rouzed and raised out of it as this being compared with chap. 3. will clear 9. The more frequently believers or any other relapse in the same sin they will go the greater length readily in it and by falling more dangerously be more hardly recovered than formerly Now she sleeps and when put at will not rise but shifts which is a further step than was chap. 3. 10. Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty do more frequently steal in upon believers than positive out-breakings and commissions and they are more ready to please themselves in them and to ly still under them 11. Believers should be so acquaint with their own condition as to be able to tell how it is with them whether as to their unrenewed or renewed part So here I sleep but my heart waketh 12. Believers in taking up their condition would advert both to their corruptions and graces and in their reckoning would put a distinction betwixt these two otherwayes they will misreckon on the one side or other They would not reckon themselves wholly by the actings of nature lest they disclaim their graces nor yet their renewed part lest they forget their unrenewed nature but they would attribute every effect in them to it 's own cause and principle where-from it proceeds 13. It 's good for a believer when overcome with corruption and captivate by it to disallow and disown it from the heart as not allowing what they do and to present this to God as a protestation entered against their prevailing lusts In some sense a believer may both condemn himself as sinful and absolve himself as delighting in the law of God at one and the same time and where he allowes not his corruption but positively dissents from it he may disclaim it as not being his deed This being her case follows the Bridegrooms carriage Which is expressed in the rest of vers 2. and her carriage implyed only in this verse is more fully expressed vers 3. His carriage holds out the great design he drives and that is to have accesse to her and to have her roused up for attaining of which 1. He doth something and that is knocks at the door 2. He endures and suffers dew and drops in the cold night and yet doth not give over 3. He speaks and useth many perswasive arguments for that end All which she observes and yet lyes still It is in sum as if a loving husband that is shut out by a lazy yet a beloved wife would knock call and waiting on still use many arguments to perswade her to open so doth our Spiritual Bridegroom wait upon believers whom he loves to have them brought again to the lively exercise of faith in him and to a frame of spirit meet for communion with him To take the words as they ly there is 1. The Brides observation as it were in her sleep of the Beloveds calling at the door 2. There is set down his call 3. The arguments he useth for prevailing with her By knocking is understood the inward touches of the Word upon the conscience when the efficacy of the Spirit goeth alongst which raps at the Brides heart as knocking doth at a door and is the mean of awaking her from spiritual sleep as knocking at a door is a mean of awaking from bodily sleep So it is Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock In which sense the word is compared to a hammer Jer. 23. 29. It takes in these three 1. A seriousnesse in him that so knocks 2. A power and efficacy in the word that some-way affects the heart and moves it 3. It implyes some effect it hath upon the heart as being somewhat affected with that touch Therefore it 's his voice or word that not only calleth but knocketh implying some force it had upon her By voice is understood the Word as Chap. 2. 8. 10. yet as backed with the Spirit and power and as commended thereby to the conscience 1 Cor. 2. 4. and convincingly demonstrated to be the very voice of Christ yet so as rods inward and outward and other means may have their own place being made use of by him yet still according to the word His great end for which he knocks is in that word open which as it implyes her case that her heart was in a great measure shut upon him and that by some carnal indisposition he was kept out of it and was not made welcome So it requires the removing of all that stopt his way and the casting open of the heart by saith to receive his Word and by love to receive himself and in these two especially this opening doth consist 1. In the exercise of faith Act. 16. 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia and that is expounded she gave heed unto these things which Paul spoke 2. An inlarging and warming of the affections towards him which ever comprehends the former as Psalm 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it What that is the refusal following declares my people would not hear that is believe Israel would none of me or loved not me as the words in the Original import they cared not for me they desired me not and would not quite their Idols as in the foregoing words vers 9. is mentioned 3. There resulteth from these two a mutual familiarity as Rev. 3. 20. If any man will open I will come in and sup with him and he with me This opening then imports the removing of every thing that marred fellowship with Christ and the doing of every thing that might dispose for injoying of it as awaking rising c. all which follows in the 4. vers and while he commands to open he calls for the entertaining of fellowship with him which now is by her drousinesse interrupted Which two parts of the verse put together hold forth 1. That Christ's own Bride may shut the door on him and so make a sad separation betwixt him and her 2. Christ's word is the great and ordinary external mean whereby he knocks at mens hearts and which he makes use of for begetting faith in them 3. That in a believers secure condition there will be sometimes more than ordinary convictions stirrings and motions by the Word 4. That the Word of God
her The reasons hinted Chap. 3. 3. do confirm this beside there being so much spoken of their wounding of her either she or they must be wrong Now she is for the main in her duty and under a fainting condition seeking after Christ and there is no warrand to wound a poor seeker of Christ in such a condition even where there have been former failings 2 Cor. 2. 7. The Apostle will have the incestuous person in such a case tenderly dealt with lest he should be swallowed up but it 's duty rather to bind up their wounds and to pour oyl into them by speaking a word in season to such weary souls This was no doubt their duty and the Lord himself doth so Isa. 50. 4. Neither could her former security be a ground to reach her such blows now especially her offence being betwixt Christ and her their alones and so no object of publick reproof and she being a burthen to her self ought not to have been made more heavy by them Beside Chap. 3. 4. the watchmen dealt more tenderly with her when yet she had been in security also This dealing of theirs cannot be to speak a word in season to the weary soul of a tender person whose carriage is so convincing even to others that vers 9. they give her a high commendation which is a clear testimony against the malignity of these watchmen they must therefore be lookt on as untender or unskilful or both who do thus misapply the Word contrary to the end for which it is appointed and as miserable comforters talk to the grief of such as he hath wounded The first step is They found me It is not the finding of a friend as Chap. 3. 3. but as the effects clear the finding of an enemy and is as if a Minister should digresse of purpose to take in the case of some poor tender soul that he might reach it a blow though beside his Text Thus Ezek. 34. 21. The Idol-shepherds who it may be had a true external call are said to thrust with the side and shoulder and push all the diseased with the horns And vers 4. to rule with force and cruelty And in Ezek. 13. 20. they are said to hunt the souls of God's people A part of which cruelty and oppression is vers 22. in making the righteous sad This is their finding a seeking occasion to load them with bitter invectives and reproaches It 's observable also that here at the very first finding they hurt her without so much as suffering her to tell her own case as she did to the watchmen Chap. 3. 3. So that without taking notice of her condition they presently fall upon her which saith that in their smiting her they did not respect her case 2. They smote her that is more gently at first however they suffer no occasion to slip whereby they have any accesse to give a wipe to such heart-exercised souls but it 's laid hold upon and what infirmity is in any of them or inconsideratnesse in their zeal that is casten up and often somewhat of lesse moment is much aggreged The word takes in also wronging with the tongue Ier. 18. 18. Come let us smite Ieremiah with the tongue and it 's like by the words following in that verse the prophane Priests had no little accession to it 3. They wound her This is a further step and imports such a smiting as continues till the person be wounded denoting a higher degree of cruelty such as is the persecuting of these whom God hath smitten and talking to their grief Psal. 69. 26. which will exceedingly wound a tender exercised soul who is soon affected and the Psalm especially points at Iudas who Ioh. 12. 4 5 6. was ready to condemn the holy zeal of an honest soul which our Lord vindicats and leaves on record to her eternal commendation 4. The last step is They took away my vail from me The word that 's rendered vail comes from a root that signifieth to subdue it 's that fame word which we have Psal. 144. 2. who subdues the people c. It had a threefold use 1. For decorement as Isa. 3. 23. 2. For a sign of modesty pleaded for by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 6. 3. And mainly for a sign of womens subjection to their own husbands for which cause Rebekah puts on her vail when she meets Isaac Gen. 24. 65. And therefore it 's called power as being the sign of the wifes being under the power of her husband 1 Cor. 11. 10. Here her vail is the tendernesse of her profession whereby in a decent modest and humble way she profest her self to be a believer seeking after Christ Jesus as one bearing the bâ—dge of subjection to him as her husband The taking away of the vail is their wronging of that honest profession she had and the giving of her out not to be that which she profest her self to be and so not worthy of a vail but that her profession was hypocrisie her painfulnesse and tendernesse conceitinesse even as Iudas Joh. 12. 5. nicknames that good work wrought upon Christ by that honest woman calling it wastry And by these and such other means often tender souls are affronted and proposed as a reproach to the multitude even as if a wife that is chast were denuded of her vail and reputed as an gadding harlot while she is seeking her own husband So when the Lord threatens his people that their leâ—dnesse should be made to appear he useth this expression Ezek. 23. 26 27. They shall stripe thee out of thy cloaths c. that being a manifest shame to a woman that should be covered 1 Cor. 11. 6. This is added to shew that they pretend they have reason for their smiting They disgrace her and take away her vail that they may not be thought to smite holinesse or tendernesse but a hypocrite under such a vail or a whore more decently adorned than became her to be This is the sum when I prevailed not in privat diligence I frequented the publick Ordinances but these who were watchmen and healers by office being untender as if they had intended it did by malice or want of affection or through unskilfulnesse and want of experience so apply the word that they sowed pillows under the arm-holes of the prophane and made the righteous sad Whereby I was not only nothing profited but returned more weighted and ashamed and had no encouragement to seek any more of their help as I had done Chap. 3. 3. but was necessitat to turn to others Which shews that she accounts them untender and therefore sets it down here as a piece of her sad tryal whereas had it been the wounding of a friend it had been a kindnesse to her Psal. 141. 5. and would have ingaged her to follow on for healing from that same hand so far would it have been from being the matter of her complaint neither would it have been complained of by her These words
and confirmed to his people and when a little glimpse of him doth this how much more would a full view of him demonstrate it and indeed such a view doth effectually demonstrate it to these who have experimentally known the excellency that is in him although others who are unacquaint with his face do therefore undervalue him which may be hinted at as a cause of their so doing 3. This agrees with the commendation which sets him forth in this as pleasant to the spiritual sense of smelling and so would imply that it must be somewhat whereby Christ becomes sensibly sweet and refreshful as his sensible manifestations make him more delightsome and refreshing to the souls senses than towers of perfume are to the bodily senses Therefore is his love compared to ointment Chap. 1. 3. and else-where However these things are certain 1. That the least glimpse of Christ's countenance is exceeding refreshful and savory to the spiritual senses 2. That Christ's excellencies are delightsome to all the spiritual senses to the smell as well as to the eye ear c. the whole soul and all it's faculties have abundant matter in him for delighting and refreshing them all 3. The moe senses be exercised on Christ and the more sensible to speak so he become unto us he will be the more lovely and pleasant beds of Spices and towers of perfume in a garden to them that lye amongst them are not so savory as Christ is when the senses of the soul are exercised to discern him The fifth thing instanced is his lips The Brides lips were spoken of Chap. 4. 3 11. and cleared to signifie her speech By proportion they hold forth in him the lovelinesse of his Word wherein he is especially lovely in that he magnifies it above all his Name Psal. 138. 2. and makes it often sweet as the honey and the honey-comb to his people This may be looked on 1. as it respects the matter spoken by him out of whose mouth many gracious words proceeded while in the flesh even to the admiration of his hearers Luke 4. 22. So that upon conviction they say never man spoke as this man speaks Joh. 7. 46. Or 2. It may look to Christ's manner of speaking and his fitnesse to communicate his mind to his people as lips are the organs of speaking so he hath grace poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. that makes all his words gracious as being formed or anointed by it Thus it takes in that holy Art skil and dexterity wherewith Christ is furnished to speak for the consolation of believer especially under sad exercises as it is Isa. 50. 4. He hath the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to him that is weary Both these in the result come to one and this being a special piece of Christ's lovelinesse to his people conducing exceedingly to the Brides scope here and the Analogy being clear and lips being frequently made use of in Scripture to signifie speech or words we conceive that they may well be taken to here especially considering that all the parts of the commendation will agree well to his words 1. They are like Lilies that is pleasant and savory so words spoken in season are often called pleasant and sweet like honey Prov. 16. 24. yea they are said to be like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. His words then may well be compared to Lilies 2. They are not common words therefore it must not be ordinary Lilies that will set them forth but they are like Lilies dropping sweet-smelling Myrrhe such Lilies we are not acquaint with and nature though excellent in it's effects yet comes short in furnishing fit resemblances to represent Christ and what is in him to the full These Lilies dropping Myrrhe signifie 1. A favorinesse and cordial efficacy in the matter like Myrrhe proving comfortable to these it falls or drops upon 2. Dropping shews abundance seasonablenesse and continuednesse therein so as he still furnisheth such strengthning efficacy and influence as if it were ever dropping and never dryed up as the phrase was Chap. 4. 11. All these agree well either to Christ the speaker who never wants a seasonable word or to the word spoken which in respect of it's effects endures for ever This must be an excellent Beloved saith she who speaks much and never a word falls from his lips but it 's precious and savory like any cordial to the souls of his people especially in their fainting fits and there is ever some good word to be gotten from him far from the rough speeches that many uses but O so pleasant and kindly as all his words are Obs. 1. There is a special lovelinesse in our Lord Jesus words to his people how much of this appears throughout the 4. Chapter of this Song and what love appears in all his promises yea in the titles that he gives his people every one is as it were big with childe of strong consolation to them 2. Christ's words have a special refreshing efficacy in them and can comfort refresh and sustain drooping sick souls he sends out his Word and it healeth them 3. These who love Christ himself truly have also an high esteem of his Word and are much delighted with that and where there is little esteem of his Word there is but little esteem of himself They who have tasted the sweetnesse of the Word do highly esteem of Christ himself 4. The word of Christ is as Christ's own lips and doth sweetly set out his thoughts of love to sinners It 's good reading of Christ's lovelinesse out of his own Word and from his own mouth 5. Where there hath been a sweetnesse felt in the Word it should be turned over to the commendation of Christ that spoke it as a proof of the reality of his excellent worth 6. The Word is never rightly made use of though it should fill the head with knowledge till it be savory to the inward man and spiritual senses and it 's that which makes it lovely when the vertue and consolation that flowes from it is felt 7. All the consolations of the Word they come not out at once neither can we so receive them but it drops by little and little in continuance and therefore daily should men draw from these wells of Salvation 8. Observe from the scope that Christ's Word known by experience will lift and set Christ up in the heart beyond all beloveds and that the unacquaintednesse of many with Christ's lips and the consolations that abound in his Word makes them so ready to â—light him and set up their idols above him The scope saith further that she was acquaint with his words and the refreshfulnesse of them and in this she is differenced from others Whence Observe 9. that believers are acquaint with the sweetness of Christ's Words otherwise than any in the world are Christ is another thing to them and his Word is so also than to all the world
beside It 's a good sign where Christ's lips are so lovely Vers. 14. His hands are as Gold-rings set with the Beryl his belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphirs The sixth and seventh particulars instanced to commend Christ are in vers 14. The sixth is his hands The hands are the instruments of action as the lips are of speaking They are commended that they are as Gold-rings that is as men or womens hands are adorned with Gold-rings so his hands have a native lovelinesse beyond these yet this commendation as all the former answers not fully therefore it 's added they are set with Beryl This was a precious stone put in Aaron's breast-plate Exod. 39. 13. To be set with it signifies as preciousnesse so rare artifice and such is seen in the right setting of precious stones By our Lord's hands may be understood that powerfull activity whereby he is fitted to bring about what he pleaseth and that power which he exerciseth especially in the works of grace as on vers 4. was cleared Or we may understand the effects produced by that his power or his works which are exceeding glorious as Psal. 109. 27. That they may know O Lord that this is thy hand that is that thou Lord hast done it So his hands signifie such works especially wherein his Divine power art and skill doth manifest themselves for the good of his people Both agree well together for excellent power and skill produce excellent effects and excellent effects demonstrat the excellent qualifications of the worker this being a main piece of Christ's commendation and which doth hold him forth to be exceeding lovely above all to the believer which is the scope may well be taken here as the meaning especially being subjoined to the commendation of his words for our Lord Jesus doth not only say well but also doth well he is a prophet mighty both in word and deed Luk. 24. 19. The commendation suits with his works as if there were none of them but what are adorned as it were with excellent Gold-rings there being much glory grace wisdom and skill shining in them all they are honourable and glorious Psal. 111. 3. Yea great and marvelous are the works of the Lord God Almighty Rev. 15. 4. These are the deserved epithets of his actions In sum it is as if she had said Ask ye what my beloved is more than others If ye saw but a glimpse of the white and red that is in his cheeks and if ye heard the sweet words that proceed from his mouth and if ye knew the excellent works which he hath performed even to admiration for the good of his people and how much lovelinesse appears in all these ye would no doubt say with me He is the chiefest among ten thousand Obs. 1. Christ is an active husband having hands and working with them for the good of his Bride A piece of his work we heard of chap. 3. 9. in that noble Chariot He is no idle spectator he worketh hitherto Joh. 5. 17. 2. All our Lord Jesus his works are exceeding excellent and beautiful and when rightly discerned they will appear wonderful honourable and glorious as proceeding from him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa. 28. 29. What a curious and excellent piece of work is that Chariot or the Covenant of Redemption signified thereby chap. 3. 9 There are many shining well-set Jewels and Rings upon every finger of his hands There is nothing that can be done better than what he hath done The works of Christ in our redemption do hold forth infinit skill and gloriousnesse to be in the worker all of them are so wisely contrived and exquisitly execute 3. Christ's works do exceedingly endear him and that deservedly to his people and do infallibly demonstrate his worth above all beloveds in the world Who is like unto him and who can do great works such as he hath done This makes heaven to resound with the praises of what this beloved hath done for his people 4. Believers would be acquaint both with Christ's words and his works and would be well vers'd in the knowledge of the excellencies that are in them both that so they may be the more affected with him themselves and be more able to commend him to others 5. Where Christ is lovely all his works will be delightsome and it 's by acquaintance with and observation of his excellent works that the hearts of his people come to take him up and to be rightly affected with him 6. As ignorance of the excellency of Christ's works especially of the work of Redemption makes many slight Christ and prefer others to him for she would discover the daughters of Jerusalem their mistake of him by instancing this amongst other things so it 's a kindly-like thing to have a honourable esteem of Christ's works in the heart 7. Although the devil and mens idols seem to promise much to their lovers when they suit and intice them yet never one indeed can equal Christ or compare with him in respect of what he hath done for his Bride and this sets him up incomparably above them all His hands in respect of his magnificent works are adorned as it were with Gold-rings whereas they have hands but work not for the help and relief of their lovers Psa. 115. 7. The seventh part of this demonstration of Christs worth is from his belly The word in the Original is the same word which vers 4. is rendered bowels and we rather use it so here as it signifieth bowels the native signification of it as not knowing why it should be altered in this verse especially considering that wherever it is attributed to God it 's translated bowels as Isa. 63. 15. where is the sounding of thy bowels and Ier. 31. 20. my bowels are moved for him Reading it then thus his bowels are as bright ivory c. The words at the very first would seem to signifie the intense love and tender affection wherewith our Lord Jesus who is full of grace is filled and stuffed to say so for the behove and good of his people so that no mother is so compassionatly affected towards the fruit of her womb as he is toward his own This exposition is 1. confirmed from the ordinary signification of the word bowels when it is applyed to God as Isa. 63. 15. and Ier. 31. 20. and it is borrowed from the affection that mothers have to their children whose bowels yerns on them as 1 King 3. 26. and so Ioseph was affected toward his brethren Gen. 43. 30. Hence the word both in the Hebrew and Greek in the Old and New Testament which is made use of to set forth the Lords tender compassion flowes from a root that signifieth bowels 2. The scope will confirm this for is there any thing that makes Christ more lovely and admirable than his love which makes the Prophet cry out Mic. 7. 18. who is a God like unto thee that
Spices c. Yea 2. like such Gold Lilies and Ivory as are not in the world and finally she hath left and given over comparisons and betaken her self to the abstract sweetnesse it self yet all comes short and she must quite the thing as unexpressible It 's the very hight of souls love-rhethorick to close with a kind of holy amazement and admiration which ends in silence because they cannot say enough when they have said all they can say O what a lovely Object then must Christ Jesus be They never knew him rightly who were satisfied with their own apprehensions of him or expressions concerning him 3. There is an universal lovelinesse in Christ whole Christ is lovely neither is he to be divided in our apprehension and esteem but as every thing in him is wonderful and lovely so is it to be admired and loved even his lowest sufferings and seeming infirmities his frowns and seeming greater austerity are lovely and profitable he is altogether lovely 4. There is a wonderful desirablenesse in our Lord Jesus and incomparable satisfaction to be gotten in him there can be nothing more to draw a soul to love it than what is here whatever may be attractive is here and there is nothing wanting to satisfie the soul that injoyes him and hath yielded to his call to such he is all desires 5. Christ is never rightly taken up so long as any thing desirable is supponed to be gotten elsewhere he must be all desires and therefore where any thing hath the least share of the affections beside him he hath not his own place 6. Empty and undesirable are all beloveds in the world befide Christ and broken cisterns will they all prove and it 's no marvel for all desires are in him and therefore not one desirable thing is or can be found in them 7. They have a good bargain who have Christ It 's the short cut to say so and compendious way to happinesse and to the inheriting of all things to unit with Christ by faith and to possesse him for all desires are in him and miserable will the persons be who shall misse Christ although they were gainers of the whole world Having somewhat answered the daughters of Ierusalem their question by insisting in this excellent description of Christ now by way of application and holy boasting in the close of the verse she reasons thus Ye asked what my beloved was more than other beloveds and for your satisfaction I have described him as I can many several ways though all fall very far short of full expressing of his matchlesse worth Now saith she this excellent person is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Ierusalem bring all other beloveds and compare them with him and see if he be not the chiefest and standard-bearer amongst them all and in this confident boasting of the excellency of her beloved she closes Which sweet discourse wants not it's fruit on them as we will see in the Chapter following Consider the words four wayes 1. In the matter they hold forth two sweet relations betwixt Christ and the believer and this sweetens all not only that this beloved is an excellent person but that he was hers she saith he is my beloved and also my friend he is her friend as she is his friend vers 1. that is one that is friendly to her and will do for her beyond what a brother or mother or the nearest of all relations will or can do he is one that is born for the day of her adversity and one whom she trusts as her own soul he is so dear to her and she to him for this â—ye of friendship is mutual betwixt them In a word saith she he is much in himself and much to me unspeakably excellent in himself and very dear and precious to me my husband and my friend In sum my friendly husband and my loving friend Obs. 1. There are many sweet relations that Christ â—stands in to the believer as husband friend brother c. even as there are many relations that she stands in to him as spouse sister dove c. 2. Christ fills all the relations that he stands in to his people and that exceedingly well he is a singularly loving faithful kind and tender husband and a singularly kind faithful unchangeable friend the best friend that ever a believer had for the expression this is c. saith that what Christ is he is indeed and singularly so as having no equal he is a matchlesse husband and friend this is the scope 3. Christ and the believer are upon one side they are friends there is a league of friendship betwixt them and they have common friends and commonâ— adâ—ersries 4. These who are Christ's friends as vers 1. eat O friends Christ may be claimed by them as their friend and what that canâ—infer they may expect from him for he hath no bare title neither sustains he any empty relation 5. Believers should lean much to Christ trust him and expect good from him as their friend 6. It 's a notable and singular consolation for solks to have Christ their friend it 's comfortable in life death and judgement in prosperity and adversity It implyes these things in which he is forth-coming to his friends 1. Constant kindnesse and faithfulnesse at all times he loves at all times Prov. 17. 17. and chap. 18. last he never fails nor can at any time be charged with that which Absalom casts up to Hushai 2 Sam. 16. 17. Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend 2. Sympathy and condescending to supply their wants he cleaves closer than a brother Prov. 18. 24. It 's such a love as one hath who aimeth at his friends good as well as his own 3. Familiarity in mutual communion as useth to be betwixt friends and freedom in conversing as Exod. 33. 11. the Lord spoke with Moses as a man doth with his friend 4. It takes in a mutual confidence that one may have in another as in his very own self and more than in any other all which are eminently in Christ as ointment and perâ—ume rejoice the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a man's friend and eminently of this friend by hearty counsel Prov. 27. 9. No other friends are comparable to this friend happy happy for evermore are they whose friend Christ Jesus is 7. Where Christ is a friend there is he also the souls beloved or believers choising of Christ for their beloved and his being kindly to them as a friend go together these two relations my beloved and my friend are never separat Now to be the souls beloved implyes these things 1. That comparatively Christ is eminently and only loved by his people and nothing is admitted to share in their affections with him Phil. 3. 8. 2. That there is in the soul an high esteem of him which begets this love 3. That there is such an ardent affection to him as makes them long for union with him
the affections of his people therefore when they ask what he is more than other beloveds she answers not by crying them down or by discovering their worthlessenesse but by the describing of his worth and thereby giving them a solid proof of his excellency to be a ground of their faith which doth necessarily inâ—er the other for who is he that overcomes the world but he that believes that Iesus is the Son of God 1 John 5. 5. 4. We may consider this close as it holds forth the holy insulting and boasting of her soul in Christ who is so far in excellency beyond all others This is clear from her claiming of interest in him and her repeating of the phrase this this singular this is my beloved and again this is my friend especially compared with the scope whereby now she holds him out not only as a matchless beloved and friend but to be hers and she thinks no shame of him her heart with holy gladness and joy doth exult in this excellent choise of hers above all others As if she said Ask ye what he is this now so described is he that is mine he is not like the worthlesse empty and stinking beloveds which others have I avow him and count my self happy and well come to in him the contentment I have in him is incomparably beyond the counterfiet contentment that all other beloveds can give This the manner of expression and the frame of her heart in the utering of it and the scope which is to shew her confidence in this his commendation as most worthy to be commended do imply Observ. 1. That there is matter of boasting and holy bragging in Christ Jesus whether we consider the excellency that is in himself or the confidence that his people may have in him as one who will make all that is in him forthcoming to the outmost for the good of his own 2. That there is nothing beside him that one can confidently boast of for this her boasting is so appropriate to him as it 's implyed to be utterly unsuitable that men should boast of any other thing Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord that is in him and in no other thing beside him 3. That believers who have interest in him and have taken him to be their Beloved and their Friend may make their boast in him Psal. 34. 2. may glory in him Isa. 45. 25. and may blesse themselves as happy eternally in him Isa. 65. 16. This holy boasting implyeth 1. an high estimation of him 2. Confidence in him without fear 3. Satisfaction with him and having full contentment in him 4. An eminent joy resulting from these which cannot be shaken all the former being in an eminent degree 4. Obs. That it is incumbent to the believer who hath chosen Christ sometimes to boast in him and in a lovely and holy way to vaunt and boast if we may so speak of him above all so are we commanded to glory in his holy Name Psal. 105. 3. and this is one of the wayes we are to commend him and Christ will take it as a piece of notable respect put upon him when it is seriously done 5. When a believer is in a right frame and clear anent his interest he will boast himself in Christ as having the lines fallen to him in pleasant places Psal. 16. 6. whatever else be his lot in the world Christ is a bargain that one day will be found worth the boasting of CHAP. VI. Vers. 1. Whether is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women whether is thy Beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee THe sweet conserence begun in vers 8. of the former Chapter and continued to the end thereof betwixt the Bride and the daughters of Ierusalem is further drawn out in this Chapter and first they return a new serious question vers 1. In the second place she replyes vers 2. and 3. After which in the third place the Bridegroom himself comes in with a notable expression of his love to his Bride and an affectionat commendation of her graces And so according to the number of the parties that speak we have three parts of the Chapter The question proposed by the daughters of Ierusalem is vers 1. and it supposeth them to be convinced of Christ's worth by the former discourse and that they now are provocked as being deeply in love with him to desire and thirst after him and communion with him Now as it depends upon the former discourse and is the continuance thereof it gives ground to observe 1. That serious and faithful endeavours to gain these that are weak are often followed with a blessing on these upon whom such pains are taken for now the daughters are ingaged to seek him with the Bride And this should notably encourage to the discharge of this duty 2. As it 's the duty of one to admonish and instruct another so it 's all mens duty to accept of admonition and instruction from others and in the Lord to yield themselves thereunto as these daughters do 3. It makes christian-fellowship sweet and pleasant where there is faithful tendernesse upon the one-side and submissive yielding on the other A wise reprover upon an obedient ear is an excellent jewel even as an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Prov. 25. 11. 4. Yielding to instruction and acknowledging of a conviction after a mistake especially concerning Christ is one of the first things whereby desire of obtaining Christ doth appear whereas such grumblings as who made thee a reprover or instructer c. evidence an unhumbled frame out of case for any true desire after Christ. 4. This may give some directions for Christians profitable conversing one with another as 1. A necessary and profitable subject would be proposed to be spoken of for so much the matter of the daughters question imports 2. It would be entertained by both sides when once tabled and all diversions barred out and the subject proposed closely followed with answers suitable to it 3. The end designed would be practice and edification for so it 's here to seek him with them and not a meer notional contemplation 4. The manner would be grave and serious suitable to the matter 5. Compellations and expressions that are used would be respective of each one to another 6. These who â—re weak would not shun to speak and move questions in these things that may edifie them as we may see in the daughters carriage here 7. They who have knowledg would not despise these who are weak but condescend unto them 8. It 's sometimes useful to suspend explicit following of our own case especially when these who are present seem strangers to it and to condescend to insist upon the case of others for their edification thus doth the Bride with the daughters More particularly in the words of vers 1. Consider 1. the title which the daughters give the Bride O thou fairest among women It 's the
hath given the promise of his presence Believers are to him as Tirzah and Ierusalem the most beautiful Cities of that Land for the time Or the first similitude taken from Tirzah may look to outward beauty for Tirzah was a beautiful City and the other similitude taken from Ierusalem may look to Church-beauty as the Ordinances were there and so the sense runs my love thou art to me as the most excellent thing in the world yea as the most excellent thing in the visible Church which is more precious to him than any thing in the world 3. She is terrible as an army with banners An army is strong and fearful a banner'd army is stately and orderly under command and 〈◊〉 readinesse for service an army with banners is an army in it's most stately posture The Church is terrible as such an army either 1. Considered complexly or collectively her Ordinances have power authority and efficacy like a banner'd army So the Churches spiritual weapons are said to be mighty and powerfull through God 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. This being compared with the 9. and 10. verses may have it 's own place But 2. the scope here and the words following look especially at the statelinesse majesty and spiritual valour that is in particular believers who are more truly generous valorous and powerful than an army with banners when their faith is exercised and kept lively they prevail wheresoever they turn they carry the victory over the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. over devils which are enemies whom no worldly army can reach but by the power of faith they prevail even to quench the violence of fire as it 's in Heb. 11. 34. and by faith they waxed valient in fight But mainly this holds in respect of Christ himself they prevail over him in a manner by their princely carriage as Iacob did Gen. 32. 28. As a prince hast thou had power with God and men and hast prevailed See Hos. 12. 4. he had power over the Angel and prevailed And indeed no army hath such influence upon him as believers have which is such that he cannot as it were stand before them or refuse them any thing that they with weeping and supplications wrestle with him for according to his will Now that it is in this respect mainly that the believer is called terrible as an â—â—my with banners is clear 1. From the scope which is to comfort a particular believer who hath been wrestling with him already under desertions 2. The next words confirm it Turn away thine eyes from me saith he for they have overcome me What statelinesse or terriblenesse might one say is in a poor believer It 's easily answered that this is not any awful or dreadful terriblenesse that is here intended but the efficacy of faith and the powerful victory which through the same by Christ's own condescending the believer hath over him and so in his account as to prevailing with him Christ's Bride is more mighty than many armies in their most stately posture therefore saith he thine eyes that is her faith have overcome me that 's her terriblenesse turn them away I cannot to say so abide them And these three together make the believer or rather Christ's love who useth these expressions wonderful 1. The believer is beyond all the world for beauty 2. The visible Church and believers in her in respect of Ordinances and her Ecclesiastick estate is very comely and lovely and yet the believers inward beauty is beyond that also the Kings daughter is all glorious within 3. Believers in regard of the power of their faith are more terrible than armies or all military power among men Thou art saith he so to me and hast such influence on me and may expect thus to prevail with and in a manner to overcome me And so Christ is so far from quarrelling with her for her by-gone carriage now that he effectually comforts and commends her Hence Observe 1. Our Lord Jesus is a most friendly welcomer of a sinner and the sweetest passer-by of transgressions that can be there is no upbraiding here for any thing but every word speaks how well he takes with her 2. Our Lord Jesus his manifestations are seasonable and wise Seasonable that now he comes when the Bride hath left no mean unessayed and was at a stand wise that he comes not until she had found the bitternesse of her own way and was brought to a more lively exercise of faith repentance holinesse and profitable experiences therein of which we have spoken in what goeth before 3. The Lord is not displeased with humble believing and with the claiming of interest in him by his own even when his dispensations to sense are dark but takes very well with it and hath a special complâ—â—ncy in it and therefore comes in with this intimation of his love here importing his hearty accepting of her 4. The Lords commendations of his people and the intimations of his love to them are such as it may be seen he conforms and proportions them to their condition and exercise and when they have been under any long and sharp exercise as the Bride was in the former Chapter he makes when he comes his manifestations the more sweet and full as here 5. Believers when grace is exercised must needs be beautiful creatures and much esteemed of by Christ who thus commends them 6 Grace and holinesse in a believers walk is much more beautiful and acceptable to Christ than the external Ordinances though excellent in themselves as separable from it for Ierusalem that was very beautiful as to Ordinances is but an emblem of this 7. There is an awfulnesse and terriblenesse in believers as well as lovelinesse which makes them terrible to the prophane even whether they will or not a godly carriage puts a restraint on them 8. Lovelinesse terriblenesse and authority in holinesse are knit together when a particular believer or Church is lively in holinesse then have they weight and authority and when that fails they become despicable 9. The believer hath great weight with Christ he is the only army that prevails over him as faith is the only weapon being humbly exercised by which they overcome This is more fully expressed in the next verse Vers. 5. Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me The first part of the fifth verse contains the amplification and heightening of the Brides lovely terriblenesse and the great instance and proof thereof is held forth in a most wonderful expression Turn away thine eyes from me and as wonderful a reason for they have overcome me saith the beloved Wherein consider 1. That wherein this might and irresistable terriblenesse of hers consisted It 's her eyes which are supposed to be looking on him even when she knew not to her sense where he was By eyes we shew Chap. 4. 9. were understood her love to him and saith in him whereby she was still cleaving to him under desertion and in
and this makes for the scope of commending the Bride and points out two things 1. That all the excellencies in believers combine in one and that must be excellent every one of them partakes of anothers excellency by vertue of the mutual union and communion they have with Christ the Head and Husband and one with another as the beauty of the face adornes the leg and the straightnesse of the legs commends the face because both hold forth one glorious body 2. It illustrats her commendation thus There are many Queens stately many Concubines and Virgins lovely amongst men yet one cannot be all but saith he although there be many of these in the Church yet is she one and although she be one yet is she all collectively suming up all 2. She is the only one of her mother This sets her out singularly and exclusively there is not another but she By mother here is understood the Catholick Church wherein children are conceived and brought forth she is the mother of all that believe Gal. 4. 26. Ierusalem that is above is free which is the mother of us all This Church considered as from the beginning of the world to the end is one and is the mother in respect of the Church considered as being in this or that place for the time present which is understood by us all wherever we live we belong to that mother Gal. 4. 26. There is no Church but that one and who are begotten to God are brought forth by her and belong to her 3. She is the choice one of her that bare her This sets her out comparatively 1. She is the choice one in respect of the world this one Church is more excellent than the multitude of all the societies that are there 2. She is the choice one in respect of all visible professors as such she is beyond the daughters amongst all her mothers children or prosessing members of the Church the believer doth excel 3. The Church considered complexly doth excel particular believers as having all their excellencies combined together Or the scope of these two verses being to prefer the Bride as singular and eminently beyond all other beloveds whether Queens Concubines such as are joyned unto men or Virgins such as are yet suited and sought for we may conceive it thus my love saith he my dove hath not a match but is chief and as she called him the chief of all beloveds Chap. 5. 10. so here he commends her as the most lovely of all Brides that can be wedded or wooed although there be many of these Yet 1. my dove is but one that is in respect of her singular excellency she comprehends all 2. She is the only one of her mother there are no moe of that family that are born of that mother beside her self that I can set my heart on or can match with And thus all the world beside the believer is cryed down 3. Comparatively she is the choice one of her that bare her that is not only by comparing her with the world but by comparing her with all meer external professors she is still the choice of all That this is the scope is clear and the enumerating of so many Queens Concubins and Virgins doth illustrat it either by shewing her singularity and perfection as having all in her alone which is to be had in many or by preferring her to all although they be many and thus in his commending of her he is even and equal with her in the commendation she gave him which was both comparative that he was chief of ten thousand and also absolute and comprehensive that he was all desires that nothing was wanting but that all things desirable were comprehended in him so now he commends and extols her above all others as having more in her alone than was to be found in all others to shew that his love to her and his estimation of her was nothing inferiour to hers of him and that he was satisfied with her alone without seeking to multiply Queens or Concubins as many men of the world did This commendation out of Christ's mouth of a Bride so undutiful may seem strange therefore to make it unquestionable he brings in a double confirmation both which respect what goeth before to make it the more convincing The first is in the end of the ninth verse and it is taken from that esteem that others had of her The daughters saw her and they blessed her c. This beauty saith he is real and singular even such that it makes on-lookers the most glorious and discerning not only the Daughters but even the Queens and Concubines to be much affected the beauty of my Bride is such as takes them all up The daughters that is professors saw her they beheld this beauty of hers as Chap. 3. 6. and they blessed her that is 1. They were convinced of her excellency and accounted her blessed and happy as Mary saith of her self Luk. 1. 48. And 2. they wished well to her desiring God to blesse her as Psal. 129. 8. We blesse you in the Name of the Lord for these two are comprehended in one man's blessing of another Next the Queens and Concubins that is these who either in the world or in the Church are thought most of they praised her by which is understood some external expression of their esteem of her and their endeavour to paint out her excellency and beauty to the view of others so as they might fall in love with her As the first then looks to the high thoughts and inward esteem they had of her so this looks to the outward expression of that esteem by which they study to set her out in the eyes of all others So they yielded the Bride to be excellent and called her fairest among women Chap. 5. 9. which is an evidence of her lovelinesse and of the lovelinesse of grace in an exercised believer and whatever others thought of her yet that such praised her it shews there was reality in the ground thereof This is also spoken to their commendation who did thus commend her And it holds out 1. the notice which he takes of the thoughts and words which men have of his Bride our Lord knows what men say or think of his people and records it 2. How pleasing it is to him to have them speaking respectively of her especially when she is exercised with any dark or afflicting dispensation Vers. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an army with banners The tenth verse may be taken as the expression of his own esteem of her and so it begins the second proof of her excellency that not only they but He esteems of her Or the words may be looked on as the continuance of their praise and be read thus They praised her saying as often that word is to be supplied who is she c If they be thus
an inner-man which is described from it's several parts and so must have an head we think that it is some particular grace that is here especially aimed at By head then we conceive the grace of hope may be understood it being the grace whereby the soul still sticks to Christ expecting the injoyment of him for not only is hope a grace necessary and commendable and so it cannot be unsuitable to the scope to take it in upon one branch or other but it may be called the head 1. Because it is above having Christ himself for it's object and though the word may be said to be the object of hope yet it 's not so much the word as Christ held forth in the word and therefore hope is said to be within the vail Heb. 6. 19. for properly we hope for him because of his word and so he is our hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. 2. Hope is a grace which hath it's rise from faith and is supported by it as the head is by the neck though hope be some way above faith yet doth faith sustain it and give it a being the believer hopes because he believes 3. It hath much influence on all spiritual duties and especially on our consolation and is useful in the spiritual war as being an essential piece of the believer's spiritual armour and is therefore called the helmet or head-piece of salvation 1 Thess. 5. 8. and the head-piece may be some way called the head So hope which keepeth to say so graces head may not unfitly be called the head seing without it the head will be at least without it's helmet And taking it so for this special piece of the believers armour it follows well on watchfulnesse however it is certain that hope bears up the believer under difficulties Rom. 8. 24. and that it rests on Christ who therefore is called our hope And so corelatively being considered as acting on him it may get the name of head as faith is upon the like account called our righteousnesse and thus our head is Christ hoped upon And the commendation that it 's like Crimson will suit well with this interpretation the red or Crimson colour having a special reference to Christ's death and sufferings which puts the right colour on our hope and makes it of this dye that it 's never ashamed nor stained Rom. 5. 3. Obs. 1. The exersing of hope is a necessary piece of a believers beauty and as to have the heart sustained and comforted in the hope of what is not seen is both necessary and profitable so when by the power of hope a believers head is helpt up and kept above in all waters that he fink not it is his singular ornament 2. Hardly will a believer be in good case without this grace of hope and when other graces are lively hope will be so also These pieces of armour and spiritual decoring go together 3. There is no other in the world that hath a well grounded hope but the believer it 's only the believer whose head is like Crimson all others their hope makes ashamed and their confidence shall be rooted out whileas his will be alwayes fresh and green The tenth and last particular here commended in the Bride is her hair This was spoken of Chap. 4. 1. But here both the word in the Original and the commendation that is given of it do differ from that which is there recorded The word here translated hair is not elsewhere to be found It comes from a root that gives ground to expound it smalnesse or tendernesse therefore it 's taken by some to signifie a pin or some of the small decorements of the head and it is compared to purple for it's preciousnesse lovelinesse and other reasons formerly mentioned in speaking of that colour We take the scope here to be to shew the universal loveliness and preciousnesse of grace in a believer even in the least things What shall I say saith he that thy feet navel eyes and head are beautiful even thy hair or the pins that dresse it are lovely and excellent so glorious princely and stately a creature is this Bride that there is not a wrong pin or hair to be found upon her And thus all the commendation is well closed with this By the hair then we conceive is understood even the meanest gestures and circumstances of a believers walk which being ordered by grace are beautiful and serve much to the adorning of the Gospel Obs. 1. That grace makes an observable change upon the whole man it regulats even the least things it orders looks gestures and circumstances wherein often men take too much liberty 2. Grace vented in the meanest piece of a Christian carriage is very beautiful it puts a special beauty and lustre upon the meanest circumstances of the Christians actions Or when a believer squares all his walk even in the least things by the right rule it makes his way exceeding lovely whereas often a little folly or unwatchfulnesse in such proves like a dead flee that makes a whole box of ointment to stink Eccles. 10. 1. 3. Our Lord takes notice of the smallest things in a believer even of the hair yea of the smallest thereof There is nothing in his people so mean but he takes notice of it and there is nothing so little but grace should be exercised therein In a word all things in a believer should be suitable eyes hair head c. The particulars of the Brides commendation of which we have spoken if they were understood certainly they contain much but as if these were little he proceeds in expressing this beauty of or rather his love to his Bride in three wonderful expressions as proofs of what he hath said concerning her lovelinesse and beauty or if we may improperly so call them aggravations thereof whereby that commendation is raised and heightned to an exceeding great height The first is in the end of the fifth verse and it is this the King is held or bound in the Galleries The sense in a word is what ravishing lovelinesse is this that is to be found in this Bride that the King is thereby as it were held and bound and must stand to look upon it he is so delighted with it 1. This King is our Lord Jesus the Prince of the Kings of the Earth he is not only here but elsewhere often styled the King because he is eminently so and it 's much to the believers consolation that he is so if the faith of it were fixed in them Our Lord is a most royal kingly person 2. The Galleries here are the same that were Chap. 1. 17. called there Rafters The word there is our Galleries Galleries are places where great men use to walk and here Christ and the believer having one house wherein they dwell together the Galleries signifie the means or Ordinances wherein in a more special way they come to walk together 3. To be held or bound as the word is
shews what kind of wine is understood and so it must be excellent wine being that which is allowed on Christ's special friends Or it 's an abrupt expression whereby he speaks in name of the Bride It 's such wine as I as if she were speaking allow on thee my beloved and which I reserve only for thee For which reason she is called a Fountain sealed and Garden inclosed as being set a-part for him and not common to others and thus is he expressing in her name what she expresseth her self in the last words of this Chapter It 's all for thee my beloved And it implyeth both a commendation of its sweetnesse and her devoting of it to him However the words hold forth something that proves it to be excellent and not common but such as is found amongst these who stand in this spiritual relation 2. It 's commended from this that it goeth down sweetly that is it 's pleasant to the taste and is not harsh but delightsomely may be drunk of Or it may respect that property of good Wine mentioned Prov. 23. 31. that it moves it self rightly if the words be translated as the margent imports 3. It 's commended from the effects It drinks sweetly and when it is drunk it causeth the lips of those those that are asleep to speak Wine is cordial and refreshful but this Wine must be in a singular way refreshful that makes men that are infirm or old as the word may be rendered and almost dead to revive and speak or those that were secure as the Bride was Chap. 5. 2. and in a spiritual drousinesse it can quicken them and make them cheerfully speak Thus the Wine is commended Now we conceive by this comfortable effect that is promised to her upon Christ's coming to her these two things are here holden forth 1. How refreshing it shall be to her self all her senses shall be taken with it both the smell and the taste it shall be singularly sweet to her spiritual taste as it is Chap. 2. 3. And thus the Wine of the Spirit is commended which accompanies his manifestations and is reserved for his Beloved Chap. 5. 1. and is a joy that no stranger is made partaker of This Wine is indeed peculiar for his beloved and is suitable to himself and is the Wine that goeth sweetly down and is most refreshful and makes secure sinners to speak and those that are â—aint it revives them as Eph. 5. 18. Be not filled with wine c. but be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord This effect agrees well to the Spirit yea only to this Wine of the Spirit and it suits well the scope which is to shew what comfortable influence Christ's presence should have on her so that when he comes to his Palm-tree her taste shall relish as with the best Wine his presence shall thus revive and quicken her and be a special evidence of his singular respect to her 2. It holds out which follows on the former that not only her breath shall savour well to him and others and her inward senses abound with refreshings to her self but also the expressions of her mouth to others shall be savoury and to him refreshful as a delightsome fruit flowing from her Thus saith he when I betake me to fellowship with thee and comes near by sensible embracements to take hold of thy boughs as a man embracing one whom he loves for thus the Allegory is spiritually to be understood thou shalt be to me and in my esteem exceeding lovely thy brests smell and mouth will be cheâ—ring and savoury like Grapes Apples and the best Wine And here spiritual affections and holy reason would be made use of to gather the life of Christ's love from the effects of it with some resemblance of what useth to be betwixt man and wife in their mutual loving carriage for so runs the strain of this Song although our carnalnesse makes it hazardous and unsafe to descend in the explication of these similitudes And thus as Chap. 5. 16. by his mouth or palat was understood the kisses thereof or the most sensible manifestations of his love to her So here by her palat or mouth is understood her most affectionat soul-longings of love to him which being warmed and melted by his presence doth manifest it self in a kindly way in spiritual embraces and kisses as from vers 11. and 12. will be clear which are exceedingly delightsome to him and so the sense of this promise is when I come to thee then yea even now thy love with the sense of mine shall be warmed and refreshed so that it shall in an affectionat way vent it self on me and that shall be as the most exhilerating cordial unto me as the manifestations of my love will be chearing and refreshing unto thee both which are notably comfortable to her and special evidences of his respect which is the scope Obs. 1. Ther are some secret flowings of love and soul-experiences betwixt Christ and believers that are not easily understood and that makes the expressions of this love so seemingly intricat 2. These flowings of love that are betwixt Christ and his people how strange soever they be are most delightsome to the soul that partakes of them they are as wine that goeth down sweetly 3. Christ's presence hath many benefits and advantages waiting on it which contribute exceedingly both to the quickning and comforting of the believer many things hang on this one his going up to the Palm-tree 4. The joy of the Spirit hath notable effects and can put words in the mouth of these that neverspoke much before yea can make the dumb to sing with a sensible warming of the heart and inward affections stirring up melody in their souls which yet will be distinct in the impressions and effects of it 5. Our Lord Jesus hath designed the comfort of the believer which he holdeth out in comfortable promises and alloweth them to make use of it and it is pleasant and delightsome to him to have them so doing BRIDE Vers. 10. I am my Beloveds and his desire is towards me The Bride hath been long silent delightsomely drinking in what she hath been hearing from the Bridegrooms sweet mouth and so suffering him to say on Now in this tenth verse and these that follow she comes-in speaking and having well observed what he said the result and effect thereof upon her heart doth appear in what she saith And 1. she comforts her self in her union with him as now being clear in it from his owning of her and she layes down and begins with this conclusion vers 10. Now saith she I may say I am my Beloveds c. Then 2. looking to his promise vers 8. she puts up her great desire after communion with him that according to her interest in him she might be admitted to injoy him which suit is put up qualified or inlarged and by
to conform their desires to them but to ground them upon them 4. The more tender believers be in their frame they will the more carefully gather up all Christ's words and promises and strengthen their faith thereby in their dealing with him Next she contents not her self to put up this suit but she further qualifies it in several repeated petitions whereby the ardency of her desire and the strength of her faith doth appear all which are recorded both as a pattern to teach believers how they should carry in prayer and also as evidences what will be their way and manner in that duty when their spirit is in a good condition The first qualification of the former petition is Let us go forth into the field Going forth into the field holds forth these two 1. The extent of her desire she would have him at home and abroad also she desires not to go out of doors without him 2. A desire of retirednesse with him that she might be alone in his company as a wife going abroad to fields alone with her husband as Gen. 24. 63. It 's said that Isaac went out to the fields to pray that is that he might be the more retired in that duty Obs. 1. That where desire of fellowship with Christ is right it breaths after a walk with him every where at home and abroad they cannot endure to go out at doors or to the fields without him 2. Dilight in Christs company seeks to be retired with him to be alone with him to be freed from all other companies and abstracted from all distraction the more freely to be solaced with him Again the Pronown us Let us go is not without good purpose added It 's not Go thou nor I will go but Let us go as bearing in it a double motive and evidence of her affection 1. That she offers her self to bear him company Obs. When Christ's company is loved and respected the soul will be content to leave all others and go with him for the entertaining of it 2. It implyes that though she had an errand and desire to be abroad yet she could not endure to go about it without him therefore saith she Let us go Obs. 1. The fields and most pleasant recreations are heartlesse and wearisome without Christ's company in the believers esteem 2. His company is the believers great incouragement to undertake any thing and that which makes his out-going and in-coming pleasant She is content to go with him and cannot abide to go without him Lastly it shews her respecting that which was her part in the exercise as well as his and her resolution to conform her practice to her prayers for as she desires him to go so she is willing to go her self If we would expect the answer of prayer our practices should be like our prayers The second qualification is Let us lodge in the villages Villages are rural or land-ward places by that name distinguished from Towns or Cities In these men travelling or continuing a time in the fields for their recreation or businesse do lodge as retired from their ordinary vocations in Cities Her desire Let us lodge in these or as the word is Let us night or dwell there shews that she desired him abroad with her not for a piece of a day to return at night but for a greater length and continuance of time as loving rather to lodge with him in the villages and to take what might be had in his company for lengthning their reteirment than to return hastily to the City or businesses whereby she might be distracted and in hazard of an interruption of her communion with him Obs. 1. True desire of communion with Christ in the injoyment of his presence as it presseth for retirednesse with him so is it desirous to have that lengthned and cannot endure to think of parting with him when it gets him in a corner 2. A back-side or a corner alone with Christ's company is good lodging to a lover of Christ Solitarinesse with his presence is more frequented and delighted in by such than more publick fellowship and societies In the twelfth verse we have some moe qualifications of her petition and some of the motives that presse her to seek after Christ's company The third qualification is in these words Let us go up early to the Vineyards The similitude is continued but this word early is added And it implyes as it 's used in Scripture 1. timousnesse so the women came to Christ's grave early Luk. 24. 1. while it was dark 2. Seasonablenesse so it 's taken in that expression the Lord will help and that right early Psal. 46. 5. 3. Seriousnesse so Hos. 5. 15. they shall seek me early that is seriously Here it implyeth that she as one impatient of delayes desires to go with expedition and for that end offers him her company Obs. 1. Sincere desire of fellowship with Christ cannot endure delayes but would presently be at enjoyment 2. There is a season or earlinesse a fit opportunity of keeping company with Christ and that would not be neglected 3. As privacy is a great friend to communion with Christ so is earlinesse and timousnesse in setting to it The more early one begin they may expect to speed the better 4. As no duty would be put off or delayed so especially this great and concerning-duty of endeavouring for fellowship with Christ would by no means be delayed or shifted but early and timously would be gone about The fourth qualification follows in the motives that she might see how the several fruits budded And it shews that she desired not his company only for her satisfaction but for her profit also that thereby she might be helped to thrive in her spiritual condition and might be enabled the better to do her duty Obs. A sincere and right desire of communion with Christ studieth to improve it for spiritual advantage when it is attained So then all these put together shew that she desires Christ's presence retiredly constantly timously and in order to her spiritual advantage and profit This last will appear more in the motives especially the first This is indeed a main desire and therefore in what follows she presseth it with motives which put her to it and also as being well pleasing to him give her ground to expect it from him And though she useth these motives as if they were arguments to induce him to grant her desire yet they are mainly for strengthening her own faith in pressing her suit The using of motives and her thus qualifying of her desire saith That believers in their petitions would insist and presse them for although Christ be not informed by words nor perswaded by our arguments yet this both helps to warm the affections and strengthen the saith of the believer himself and is becoming believers in their prayers to him who calls for and admits of reasonable service The motives in particular are four The first is taken from
great thing that guards off and prevents despising and procures freedom from reproach or at least is a Bull-wark to the soul against reproaches It 's no little advantage that familiarity with Christ brings alongst with it for by his owning of believers either their carriage is made so convincing that malicious mouths are stopped as having nothing to say against them or they are so sustained under all these outward or inward despisings that they trouble them not and so they are to them as if they were not 5. Christ's keeping up of himself is the dispensation under which the believer is most obnoxious to be despised The devil tentations and men usually cast up to them then Where is their God Psal. 42. 9 10. and that pierces them So our Lord was dealt with on the Crosse Iob calls this the Lords renewing of his witnesses against him whereby as it were tentation is confirmed in what it asserted There follows in the second verse four moe arguments she makes use of to presse her suit We heard of three in the first verse The fourth is in these words I would lead thee The word in the Original signifies such a leading as useth to be in triumph a leading that is joyned with respect and honour to the person who is led Christ leads his people as a shepherd doth his flock or a nurse her child and this signifies tendernesse in him and weaknesse in them The believer again leads Christ as a servant or usher doth the master or as men do Kings and victorious Conquerors whom they honour and this suppons statelinesse in him and respectivenesse and attendance in the Bride she looks upon him as a glorious magnificent person in whom and with whom she desires only to triumph In sum the meaning is this If saith she thou wert as my brother when I found thee my self I would not soon quite thee but wait with all honourable attendance upon thee Obs. 1. Honourable attendance on Christ and respective service is a duty that well becomes believers 2. To give him this honour is a thing which they mainly aim at 3. It 's a great mercy to them and they will so look upon it when they are helped in a way suitable to his Majesty and statelinesse to wait upon him and do him service 4. Christ's familiar presence both gives believers the occasion and also the fitnesse and disposition for giving him this honourable attendance she speaks here as if one would say to another whom they respected If thou wert in our quarters I would wait on thee and think it a favour to have the opportunity to do so This or the like is alluded unto here The fifth Argument follows on this and it is I would bring thee into my mothers house This is a resolution to perform what she had practized Chap. 3. 4. and was spoken to there The sense is If thou wert familiar with me saith she I would usher thee in to the Church whereof I am a member for the good of all the family as if a Virgin living in her mothers house should presse one whom she loved and with whom she might be familiar as with a brother when she had found him without to go in and abide with her in her mothers house as the greatest evidence of her respect and that they of the family might have the benefit of his company as well as she So it is here And it shews 1. That she would leave no respect that was possible to her unexercised towards Christ She would not only honour him her self but she would endeavour to have him made known to others that they might have a high esteem of him also Believers whom Christ is familiar with they will not be satisfied with any respect they can put upon him but are careful to have him known and honoured by all others that live in the Church with them 2. That in her seeking for him she minded the publick good of the Church as well as her own which teacheth us to propose to our selves the publick good as well as our own particular advantage whenever we haunt the means wherein we are called to seek him 3. That she thought it a great mercy to be any ways useful for the good of her mothers house And so believers will look upon it not only as their duty but also as their mercy to be useful to others 4. That Christ's presence familiarly manifested to particular believers doth exceedingly capacitat them for being usefully instrumental in the Church wherein they live The sixth Argument amplifies this from the benefit that she she would have by his being brought into her mothers house in these words who would instruct me That is then she would instruct me if thou wert there the Ordinances in the Church whereby believers are edified and instructed would then be lively and profitable in a greater measure than formerly Whereby it appears that by Mother is understood the visible Church for there only are the Ordinances which do instruct and by the Bride is understood particular believers because it is to them that these Ordinances become the power of God unto Salvation Or the words may be read Thou would instruct me that is if thou wert brought to the Church thou by thy Ordinances would teach me The scope in both these readings is one To shew that by Christ's presence in the Church she expected to be taught which she looked for no otherwise nor by any immediat way therefore she would have him there Obs. 1. The most grown believer needs instruction and is still a Scholar while he is in the Church upon earth 2. The Ordinances in the visible Church are the means whereby Christ ordinarily teacheth his people otherwise there were no force in this reasoning to desire him to her mothers house that she might be instructed 3. The most eminent believer even the Bride of Jesus Christ is no above the reach of Ordinances but is to be instructed by them in the visible Church 4. Believers should endeavour the enjoyment of Christ's company in the same Church that was their mother and seek to be instructed there and should not endeavour to carry Christ away from their mother-Church 5. Christ hath a more full way of manifesting his presence in his Church at one time than at another even as also at different times there are different measures of his manifestations to particular believers 6. Christ's presence in his Church and with his people singularly furthers their edification and instruction and gives a blessing to the Ordinances 7. Believers when in a right frame will account it no little mercy to be instructed by Christ in his Ordinances and to have the word blessed unto them 8. The most sensible and full manifestations of Christ should not yea will not lessen the esteem of the Ordinances but both should and will put the Lords people in a capacity to be edified by them and will incline and fit them to profit
under them The last motive is taken from the entertainment she would give him If saith she thou wouldst familiarly manifest thy self and if once I had found thee and gotten thee brought to my mothers house then I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my Pomegranate In a word I would entertain thee as well as I might and thou should be very welcome and kindly taken-with as Guests who are respected use to be By spiced wine and the juice of the Pomegranate is understood the most excellent entertainment as in these Countries it 's like as we may see from Prov. 9. 2. and Song Chap. 5. 1. they used to mix the wine they gave their friends that it might be the more favoury Now through this Song by such similitudes are understood the graces that are in believers as Chap. 4. 10 13. c. Chap. 5. 1. and in sum the sense comes to this if thou wert familiar with me and by thy presence in my mothers house were making the Ordinances lively then I would feast thee on my graces and my love faith hope c. which are to thee more savoury than wine with which men use to entertain their most special friends should flow out abundantly on thee Hence Obs. 1. That believers design and aim at the feasting and entertaining of Christ when they have his company as well as to be entertained thereby themselves 2. It 's no little mercy to get respect to Christ discharged and a believing soul will think it no small priviledge to get him to entertain if he have wherewith to entertain him 3. Christ's coming to a soul brings sufficient provision for his own entertainment The Bride makes no question but there shall be a feast if he will come and if he come not there will be nothing but emptinesse there She doubts not but if once he would come to her mothers house his presence would make enough of good provision 4. The Lord respects even the offer of welcome from his people when he is not actually entertained as they would or though they be not in case for the time to entertain him yet their serious desire to do it is very acceptable to him Otherwise this would be no argument for our Lord Jesus to grant her suit Vers. 3. His left hand should be under my head and his right hand should embrace me The third verse is the same and to the same scope with vers 6. of Chap. 2. and the words being the same in the Original we conceive they will read better here as they are there His left hand is under my head Here it is should be under my head but should is supplyed And so the words hold out here as in Chap. 2. 6. a return which the Bride had to her suit Our Lord Jesus coming and putting in his left hand under her head and as a kind brother taking her in his arms answereth her suit and satisfieth her desire This agrees best with the words as they were formerly used Chap. 2. 6. and with the scope here The verse following confirms it also where she chargeth the daughters not to stir him up which suppons him to be present So we find the same charge following the same words Chap. 2. 7. as also her finding him and bringing him to her mothers house is followed with the same charge Chap. 3. 5. and she is said to be leaning on him here vers 5. and yet is by the daughters commended and not despised which is a proof that he was present for this is it that made her not to be despised The meaning then is Now saith she I have obtained what I desired and he is become very friendly and familiar with me like a brother which was my desire And this shews 1. that Christ easily condescends to his longing Bride to give her such a degree of his presence as she called for and that he doth this so suddenly is great kindnesse and confidence Christ will in this sometimes condescend very quickly to the desires of his longing people 2. That she observes and acknowledgeth it It 's no lesse duty to observe and acknowledge a return than to put up a prayer 3. Christ hath a singularly tender way of communicating his love and of embraceing his people he can take them in his arms and make much of them when he sees it fit 4. There is a sweet satisfaction and unspeakable heart-quieting refreshment to be found in Christ's arms She thinks it so good to be here that she speaks of it with much complacency and carefully sets her self not to have it interrupted in the verse following Vers. 4. I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my Love untill he please Having now accesse to much familiarity with Christ as she desired and being in his arms she expresseth her care in this verse to prevent any new interruption of his blessed presence as if a woman having her friend or husband sleeping in her arms should command all in the house to be quiet lest he should be awaked So the Bride sets her self to watch so tenderly over every thing that is in her that nothing give him just ground to withdraw and though she speak to the daughters of Ierusalem yet the scope shews she looks to her self but it 's thus expressed partly to keep the form used in this Song and so having spoken of bringing him to her mothers house she makes use of the similitude of keeping the house quiet partly to shew her seriousnesse and reality in this her care and the great need that there is of being watchful even as David often provokes all creatures to praise and layes that charge on them thereby to shew his own seriousnesse in the thing and the greatnesse of the work of praise which he was taken up with so to the same purpose is this resemblance here The same words were found Chap. 2. 7. and Chap. 3. 5. where they were opened there are two little differences in the Original which yet alter not the scope 1. That expression by the Roes and Hindes which was formerly used is here left out not because this charge is lesse weighty but it shews a haste and abruptnesse in her speaking which makes her omit that the more speedily to expresse her charge 2. It was before If ye stir or awake Here it is as the margent reads from the Original why will ye stir or awake Which doth more plainly import 1. a readinesse or benâ—il in them to stir him up 2. A certainty of the effect of his withdrawing if they should stir him up or awake him 3. An unreasonablenesse and absurdity in the doing of it Why will ye do it saith she 4. A pressing seriousnesse in her proposing of this question and urging it so vehemently From this and the frequent repetition of this charge Obs. 1. That it 's a difficult piece of work to keep the heart tender and watchful for
the question Chap. 6. 1 2. even when Christ is a-seeking and she was inquiring after him Obs. 1. Christ's care of his Church and love to his Bride is no lesse under absence than when his presence is sensibly injoyed 2. The consideration of this tends much to further the consolation of believers and it becomes them well to believe this when under desertion and absence and so to ward off tentations The solid exercise of faith never wants hope waiting on it therefore 2. vers 17. that follows for compleating the Brides consolation in these words untill the day break and shadows c. Though there be shadows saith she and vails betwixt him and me in this night of desertion yet there is a day coming when these by his presence shall be made to flee away and I shall see him as he is There is a twofold day spoken of in Scripture 1. A day of Christ's presence here upon earth Luk. 1. 78. The day-spring from on high hath visited us 2. The day of his glorious appearing commonly called the great day and in a singular way called here the day because it hath no night of interruption following thereupon and because it goes as far beyond what believers possesse now as day exceeds the night Therefore it 's called the morning Psal. 49. 14. in which the just shall have the dominion and the dawning of the day and the rising of the day-star in our hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. which is there opposed to the clearest prophesies and ordinances which are but as a candle in a dark place in respect of that day Now we conceive the last and great day is signified here 1. Because that is her scope to comfort her self in the hope of what is coming 2. Because she opposeth it to the present means as to shadows even to faith it self for that she injoyed for the time and also to sensible preâ—ence which in the next words she prayes for till that day dawn By shadows is meant whatever marres the immediat full and satisfying injoying of Christ which as shadows hide him from us or darken him that we do not see him as he is or give but small and dark representations of him like shadows of the body which are very unproportioned unto his own excellent worth They are said to flee away because a glimpse of Christ then when he who is the Sun of Righteousnesse shall shine at the break of that day shall dispell and dissipate them more fully and quickly than this natural Sun when rising doth scatter darknesse and shadows that go before it And by untill we understand the setting of a fixed term which distinguisheth one time from another as Gen. 32. I will not let thee go untill thou blesse me so saith she untill that day of immediat presence come let me have love-visits as is expressed in the following words Obs. 1. There is an excellent day coming to believers wherein Christ shall be immediatly injoyed and seen and wherein the soul shall be comforted with no mediat object or created excellency but shall see his face and be filled with the fulnesse of God 2. While here there are many shadows even betwixt Christ and the strongest believers we see but darkly as in a glasse 1 Cor. 13. 12. There is 1. a shadow of desertion and his hiding of himself 2. A shadow of Ordinances where he is seen yet but darkly like a face in a Looking-glasse 3. A shadow of sinful infirmities drawing vails betwixt Christ and us and hiding his face from us Isa. 59. 2. 4. A shadow of natural infirmity for not only are we ready through unbelief to slander him but by reason of weaknesse like narrow or old bottles we are not capable of him and unable to contain him 3. At that day of his appearing all these shadows will instantly be done away there will not one tear be left on any believers cheeks there will be no affliction or desertion to hide him from them but they shall be for ever with him there will then be no Ordinances nor Temple Rev. 21. 22. but the Lord God and the Lamb himself shall be the Temple and light of his people Nor will there be any sinful infirmities then to interpose betwixt him and them death the curse and corruption will be cast into the lake no unclean thing accompanies the believer into the new Jerusalem nay no imperfect thing is there for whatever is imperfect and whatever was in part is then done away 1 Cor. 13. 10. and what is perfect will then come the soul in it's faculties will then be perfected capacitated and dilated to conceive take up and delight in God and the body perfected made glorious and spiritual like the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Philip. 3. ult 4. The hope of that day and of the fleeing away of all shadows then is and no marvel it be very refreshful to the Lord's people and believers in all their darknesses should comfort themselves and others from the hope of it 1 Thes. 4. ult 5. All that are Christ's or whoever have faith in Christ and fellowship with him by vertue of his Covenant may expect at that day to enjoy Christ immediatly and fully and to see him as he is O that men believed this and that many were thâ—onging in to his Covenant now as they would not desire to be cast from his presence in that day Yet 6. All shadows are never removed till then the believer must and some way will submit to Christ's way of ordering it so and not seek it should be otherwayes till then In the last place the Bride falls about the exercise of prayer in the rest of this verse faith and hope in exercise alwayes stir up to prayer for these graces do not foster lasâ—nesse and security but incite and provoke to duty it 's a good token when faith and hope are so accompanied therefore she turns her to prayer in which she speaks to him as to her beloved Clearnesse of interest as it helps notably to many things so to confidence in prayer especially The petition importing still absence hath these two in it 1. The suit it self turn 2. The inforcing and inlarging of it be like a Roe c. Turning her implyes 1. Sense and feeling of his absence 2. Her serious desire to have Christ again 3. That his absence may be removed by his own returning and so the change of her case to the better must flow from him And 4. That she may ask this from him and expect by prayer in saith to obtain it believing prayer being the best mean to effectuat this Next she enforceth and inlargeth her petition Be thou like a Roe c. that is seing saith she all shadows will not be removed till that time what is my suit for the time It 's even this that thou will give me visits of thy presence and be like a Roe or young Hart on the mountains of Bether The word Bether
signifies division and so it may be made use of here so long saith she as these mountains divide betwixt me and thee Lord be not a stranger but swiftly easily and kindly as the Roes come over mountains to their mates Prov. 5. 19. come thou to me and comfort me with frequent love-visits untill that time come that thou take me to thee to injoy thee fully and immediatly Obs. 1. It 's lawfull for believers to desire sensible presence even here-away Yea it 's suitable they should often long and pray for it 2. Where the hope of heaven is solide sensible manifestations of Christ's love will be most ardently sought for It will never prejudge one of their satisfaction and full payment then that they have gotten a large earnest-penny here she knows that will never be reckoned up to her 3. Much prayer flowing from and waiting upon the exercise of faith and hope is a notable way to bring the soul to the injoyment of sense 4. The believer hath a heartsome life and a rich inheritance Christ here and Christ hereafter the lines are fallen unto him in pleasant places 5. She grounds her suit on the marriage-relation and tye betwixt him and her my Beloved saith she a Covenant-claim to Christ is the most solid ground upon which believers can walk in their approaches before him and in their pleadings with him 6. He allowes believers to plead for his company from this ground that he is theirs by Covenant as he pleads for their company on that same ground vers 10. c. CHAP. III. BRIDE Vers. 1. By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not Vers. 2. I will rise now and go about the city in the streets and in the broad-wayes I will seek him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not THis Chapter hath three parts 1. The Brides sad exercise under the want of Christ and in seeking after him till she find him to vers 6. 2. The Daughters of Ierusalem come in commending the Bride vers 6. 3. The Bride from vers 7. to the end returns to discourse of and commend the excellency and amiablenesse of Christ. In her exercise consider 1. Her case 2. Her carriage in several steps 3. Her successe in every step 4. Her practice when she hath obtained her desire Or we may take them all up in these two 1. Her sad condition and her carriage under it 2. Her outgate and her carriage suitable thereto Her case is implyed in two words in the beginning of vers 1. 1. It was night with her 2. She was on her bed By night is ordinarily understood darknesse and affliction opposit to light of day and joy and here her exercise being spiritual it must imply some spiritual affliction or soul-sad spiritual exercise So night is taken Psal. 42. 8. He will command his loving kindnesse in the day and in the night while the day come that his loving kindnesse be intimate his song shall be with me c. The scope-shews that it is a night of deseâ—tion she is under thorow the want of Christ's presence whom she loves His presence who is the Sun of Righteousnesse with healing under his wings makes the believers day and his absence is their night and makes them droop as being under a sad night of soul-affliction therefore is it that she seeks so carefully after his presence 2. Her being on her bed is not taken here as implying neernesse with him for the scope shews he is absent but a lasinesse of frame on her spirit opposite to activenesse and diligence as it 's taken Chap. 5. vers 3. and so it 's opposed to her after-rising and diligence and therefore it 's also called my bed implying that she was here alone in a secure comfortlesse frame and therefore for this it 's distinguished from our bed Chap. 1. 16. and his bed afterward vers 7. Where she is allowed rest and spiritual ease and solace in his company but here on her bed she hath no such allowance whatever earnal ease and rest she take to her self Believers have their own fits of carnal security when they give their corruptions rest that is their own bed and it 's a heartlesse lair to speak so to ly alone and want the beloved This is her case wanting Christ yet lying too still as contented some-way in that condition though it cannot continue so with believers it will turn heavy and perplexing at last to them as it doth here to the Bride and sure the easiest time under security is not so comfortable as profitable to believers as is an exercise that takes them more up Therefore afterward she prefers rising and seeking to this woful rest It shews 1. That believers distance and darknesse may grow for in the former Chapter Christ was absent yet as through a window or lattesse there were some glimpses of him but here it 's night and there is not so much as a twilight discovery of him 2. Often distance with Christ and security and deadnesse as to our spiritual life go together When Christ is absent believers then usually fall from activity in their duty Isa. 64. 7. No man stirreth up himself to lay hold on thee and the reason is thou hast hid thy face c. Matth. 25. 5. While the Bridegroom tarrieth even the wise Virgins slumbered and slept Her carriage or way that she takes in this case is set out in four steps The 1. Is in these words I sought him whom my soul loveth Consider here 1. The title Christ gets him whom c. Christ got this name before and now several times she repeats it And it holds forth 1. The sincerity of her love it was her soul and heart that loved him 2. The degree and singularity of it no other thing was admitted in her heart to compare with him he bears the alone sway there in respect of the affection she had to him it 's he and none other upon whom her soul's love is set otherwise this title would not suitably design him Christ loves well to have such titles given to him as may import the hearts special esteem of him 3. It shews that even in believers lowest conditions there remains some secret soul-esteem of Christ and that in their judgement he is still their choice and waill above all the world Yet 4. That their practice while security prevails is most unsuitable to their convictions and judgement 2. Consider her practice and carriage while Christ is absent her practice is not altogether a laying by without the form of Religion for saith she on my bed I sought him that is I prayed and used some means but in a lazy way not stirring up my self vigorously in it Obs. 1. Believers in a secure frame may keep some form of duty yet their duties are like the frame of their heart lifelesse and hypocritical 2. There is much of a believers practice such as themselves
the present dark condition she was in seeking to find him out 2. This phrase Turn away thine eyes is not so to be taken as if Christ approved not her looking to him or her faith in him but to shew the exceeding great delight he had in her placing her faith and love on him which was such that her loving and believing looks ravished him as it 's Chap. 4. 9. and as it were his heart could not stand out against these looks more than one man could stand out against a whole army as the the following expression clears It 's like these expressions Gen. 32. 28. I pray thee let me go and Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone Moses which shews that it 's the believers strength of faith and importunity of love exercised in humble dependence on him and cleaving to him which is here commended for saith he they have overcome me This shews that it is no violent or unwilling victory over him But in respect of the effect that followed her looks it holds forth the intensnesse of his love and the certainty of faiths prevailing that to speak so with reverence and admiration he is captivat ravished and held with it as one that is overcome because he will be so yea according to the principles of his love and the faithfulnesse of his promises whereby he walks he cannot but yield unto the believing importunity of his people as one overcome In sum it 's borrowed from the most passionat love that useth to be in men when they are so taken with some lovely object that a look thereof pierceth them This though in every thing especially as implying defects it cannot be applyed to Christ yet in a holy spiritual manner the effects for the believers comfort are as really and certainly but much more wonderfully in Christ. These expressions are much of the same nature with these spoken of upon Chap. 3. 4. and Chap. 4. 9. and therefore the doctrines there will follow here But further from the scope and repetition Obs. 1. That the believers eyes may look that is their love and faith may be exercised on Christ even in their dark and deserted conditions and it 's their property to look alway to him even when their eyes are as it were blind through desertion he is still the Object they are set upon 2. That when these graces of faith and love are exercised on Christ they are never fruitlesse but alwayes prevail and obtain though it be not alwayes sensible to the believer 3. The love and faith of believers have weight with Christ and affect him even when he keeps up himself he may be overcome even then for the expression in the text looks to what was past 4. Faith working by love is a most gallant and holy darring thing bold in it's enterprises to pursue after to grip and stick to Christ over all difficulties as may be seen in her former carriage and most successful as to the event 5. The more stayedly and stoutly with love humility and diligence that â—aith set on Christ it 's the more acceptable to him and hath the greater commendation as the eleventh of the Hebrews and his commendation of that womans faith Matth. 15. 25. do confirm Tenaciousnesse and importunity in holding of hanging on and cleaving to Christ by faith may well be marvelled at and commended by Christ but will never be reproved nor rejected They greatly mistake Christ who think that wrestling by faith will displease him for even though he seem to keep up himself it is but to occasion and to provoke to more of the exercise of these graces in which he takes so much delight Vers. 5. Thy hair is as a flock of Goats that appear from Gilead Vers. 6. Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing whereof every one beareth twins and there is not one barren among them Vers. 7. As a piece of a Pomegranate are thy Temples within thy locks The following particulars of her commendation in the end of the 5. and in the 6. and 7. verses are set down in the same words Chap. 4. 1 2 3. and therefore we need say no more for their explication only we would consider the reason of repeating them in the same words which is the scope here and it 's this Although he commended her formerly in these expressions yet considering her foul slip Chap. 5. 2 3. and his withdrawing on the back of it she might think that he had other thoughts of her now and that these priviledges and promises which she had ground to lay claim to before did not belong to her now and therefore she could not comfortably plead an interest in them now as before to remove this mistake or doubt he will not only commend her but in the same very words to shew that she was the same to him and that his respect was not diminished to her therfore he will not alter her name nor her commendation but will again repeat it for her confirmation intimating his love thereby and also for her instruction teaching the Bride her duty by these particulars of her commendation and shewing her what she should be And this commendation had not met so well with her case nor expressed so well his unchangeable love if it had been given in other terms From this we may Observe 1. as believers are ready to slip and fail in their duty so are they ready to suspect Christ to be changing towards them because of their failings they are very apt from their own ficklenesse and changes to apprehend him to be changeable also and to refuse comfort from all byâ—gone evidences and intimations of his love and from all words that have comforted them till they be restored and set right again 2. Our Bridegroom is most constant in his affection to his Bride continuing still the same and as he is the most free forgiver of wrongs to his own so he is the most full forgetter of them when they return and therefore he continues speaking to her in the same terms as formerly without any alteration as if no such wrong on her side had been committed 3. Renewing of repentance and faith by believers after failings puts them in that same condition and capacity with Christ for laying claim to his love and their wonted priviledges and comforts wherein they were before even as if such failings and miscarriages had never been 4. Our Lord Jesus would have his people confirmed and strengthned in the faith of the constancy of his love the unchangeablenesse of their interest and the priviledges following thereon And seing he thus loves his people he allowes them to believe it 5. It is not easie to fix and imprint Christ's words on believers hearts and to get them affected with them therefore often both promises and duties must be repeated and what was once spoken must be again repeated for their good especially after a slip and fit of security the same word hath need
to be made lively again and fresh to their relish which the Lord doth here 6. Unlesse Christ speak and make the word lively the sweetest word even that which once possibly hath been made lively to a believer will not savour but will want it's relish and luster if he repeat it not Vers. 8. There are threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines and Virgins without number Vers. 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 the Concubines and they praised her This kind Bridegroom proceeds in the commendation of his Bride vers 8 9. and shews the rich excellency that is in her by considering her several wayes whereby she is preferable to what is most excellent And then in the following verses he confirms this by a twofold proof and lastly vers 13. closeth the Chapter with a kind invitation whereby as it were by a new proof of his love he puts the commendation given her out of doubt For understanding the 8. and 9. verses we are to conceive that by Daughters Virgins Queens Concubines by this Dove that is one and the mother that bears are not understood any party distinct from the Church or Bride but the same Bride diversly considered taking-in first the Church as visible which is beautiful in her Ordinances external profession and order for she is the mother that bears the daughters who are the daughters of Ierusalem and that is said to be seen both which expressions hold forth this and accordingly mother and daughters have hitherto been understood in this Song Chap. 3. 4 5. Secondly and especially the Church as invisible and the real believers who are members of the Church invisible for the scope here is to commend her graces and if we consider the commendation preceeding and the proofs given it will appear that they especially belong to her and by Analogy agree to the visible Church wherein she is comprehended This diverse consideration of the Church as one and moe Is not 1. disagreeable to other Scriptures in which Christ useth to commend her as we see Psal. 45. 9 13 14. where there is the Queen called the Kings daughter and the Virgins or Daughters her companions who are with her yet by all is understood the same invisible Church considered collectively as one body or distributively in her several members Nor 2. is it unsuitable to the strain of this Song nor is it absurd as was shown in the Preface and needs not now be repeated And 3. it agrees well with Christ's scope here where he is to say so seeking how to expresse fully the commendation of his Bride as singular and eminent thus to consider her for the moe wayes she be considered her excellency appears the more she being excellent whatever way she be lookt on And if as visible she be glorious and someway one in him much more as invisible she is so which is the scope as is clear vers 9. By Queens Concubines and Virgins then we understand believers of different growths and degrees I say believers 1. because these titles agree best to them according to the strain of this Song and of Psalm 45. 2. They are supposed to be of one mother 3. They praise the Bride which is an evidence of honesty and sincerity and a greater argument of her excellency that she is praised and commended by such as had discerning I say we are here to understand believers of different growths and degrees so that some believers are Queens that is more glorious and admitted to the highest priviledges Some are as Concubines who were accounted lawful wives as to conjugal fellowship but differed in this that they had not such government over the family and their children had not right to inherit therefore they are as half wives as the word in the Original will bear Some are Virgins that are not so far admitted yet are of a chast carriage and so differenced from others as was said on Chap. 1. 3. Next the commendation is that though there be many Queens moe Concubines and Virgins without number that is though there be many believers of different 〈◊〉 and degrees yet there is but one Bride which is a singular excellency in her and an unheard-of thing that so many make up but one Bride the like whereof is not to be found in any marriage that ever was in the world Or we may conceive thus though men for their satisfaction sought out many Queens Concubines and Virgins because there was not to be found in any one what was satisfying yet saith he my one Bride is to me many virtually as if the worth of so many Queens Concubines and Virgins were combined in one And thus as she set him out chief of all husbands so doth he set her out as chief of all Brides and as comprehending in her alone all that was desirable as the next part of the 9. vers clearâ— By the number 60. 80. and without number we conceive an indefinit number is to be understood that is they are many only they of the inferior ranks are manyest that is there are moe Concubines than Queens far advanced in Christianity and again moe Virgins than Concubines because experienced believers of an high degree are most rare and these who are not grown up to have their senses exercised are most numerous In a word there are moe weak than strong believers Which saith 1. that there are degrees amongst true believers all have not the same degree of grace though all have the same grace for kind and though all be in the same Covenant there are old men or fathers young men and little children or babs 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. 2. Among believers there are many moe weak than strong 3. He accounts of them all as honorable and reckons even the Virgins as commendable though they come not up to be Queens Yet 4. where grace is most lively and faith most strong there he dignifies believers with a most special and ample commendation vers 9. The 9. vers makes up the scope with the former By Dâ—â—e and undefiled we said is understood the Church especially the invisible Church of believers who all partake of the same nature and property and so of the same priviledges the titles are spoken of before The commendation is threefold 1. She is one which sets her out not only with unity in her affections but to say so with a kind of onenesse in her self Thus the visible Catholick Church is one garden vers 2 comprehending many beds of spices one Church made up here of many particular Churches And thus onenesse or unity is a great commendation to her or a special part of her excellency But 2. the invisible Church is but one all believers make up one body though there be many of different growths yet there is but one Bride This is a singular thing