Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	israel_n	lord_n	redemption_n	2,132	5	10.1091	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69777	The intercourses of divine love betwixt Christ and his Church, or, The particular believing soul metaphorically expressed by Solomon in the first chapter of the Canticles, or song of songs : opened and applied in several sermons, upon that whole chapter : in which the excellencies of Christ, the yernings of his gospels towards believers, under various circumstances, the workings of their hearts towards, and in, communion with him, with many other gospel propositions of great import to souls, are handles / by John Collinges ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1683 (1683)	Wing C5324; ESTC R16693	839,627	984

easily be gathered the reasonableness of this duty There are four things that call to us for it and make it our duty 1. The first is the honour and glory of God This is the great end of all our actions for this cause we were born for this cause we came into the World I have before told you that we have no other way to glorify God but by the predication or speaking of his greatness or goodness or some other of his attributes and by our holy life and conversation in obedience to his will Now of all Gods attributes there is none wherein he more delighteth then in shewing mercy and whoso tells of Gods acts of grace doth eminently glorify God for the riches of his grace and goodness are discovered in Christ and as in his giving of Christ for poor lost sinners so in the application of that purchased redemption to the Souls of his poor creatures Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David Psal 103. v. 1 2 3. and all that is within me bless his holy name Blessthe Lord O my Soul forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thy iniquities healeth all thy diseases 2. The Second reason is the good of our Brother Next our immediate magnifying and glorifying of God there is nothing more our duty then the consulting the good of our Brethren and he is highly serviceable to God who is any way serviceable to the Souls of others either in winning them to God or advantaging them in their walking with God The Souls of Christians have often great advantages by hearing what God hath done for the Souls of others in their circumstances It incourageth them to make their applications to God to hope and trust in his mercy to wait untill he will be pleased in like manner to be gracious to them David Psal 69. 32. makes this as an argument with which he pleadeth with God for mercy for his Soul He promiseth first v. 30. That he would praise the Lord with a song and magnify him with thanksgiving then he addeth v. 32. The humble shall see this and be gladand your hearts shall live that seek God for the Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his Prisoners By the humble is to be understood as in many other Texts of Scripture Persons in low mean and afflicted conditions It much conduceth to the raising up of the Spirits of a man under torments of bodily pain and affliction if one comes and tells him I was in the same condition and had the same pain yet I by such and such applications recovered and it is of no less usefulness to one of a poor and broken Spirit for one to come to him under his doubts and fears and despondency because of the guilt of sin when another Christian comes to him and tells him I also was a blasphemer a drunkard an injurious Person yet I obtained mercy I bless God my doubts are resolved my fears scattered and I am inabled through grace to hope in the frèe gerace and mercy of God through the Lord Jesus Christ Wher now such an opportunity as this is which is not very frequent there the good of our Brother calls to us for such a declaration what God hath done for our Souls 3. A third reason is the duty of a Christian so far as he may to avoid Scandal and Offence Offences and mutual dissatisfactions one in another destroy all the freedom and sweetness of Christians communion each with other and it is our duty so to walk as to give no offence to Jews or Gentiles much less to the Church of God 2. Cor 20. 32. There are two ways by which offence is given 1. By doing some actions as to which we are at a perfect liberty by which we cause our Brother to sin against God As to these the Apostle cautioneth Christians very largely both in his Epistle to the Romans and to the Corinthians But these kind of offences are not obviated by Christians declarations of what God hath done for their Souls as to the influences of saving grace but rather by the declaration of his knowledge and forbearing such actions as he hath a liberty to but no necessity that presseth him to the doing of them at least till his Brother be Satisfyed in the lawfulness of them 2. By some Scandalous actions these indeed are Scandala data Scandals that are given and such sores as a Christian ought by all means in his power to endeavour healing of and whether such things have been done before or after a change wrought in our hearts it is our duty to do what in us lyeth to remove the Scandal of them which I know not how it can at first be done without some declaration to the party or Church offended what God hath done for us what a change he hath wrought in us until by a contrary conversation which is a work of time the best evidence we can make it more really to appear to them 4. Lastly The Credit of our professions some times calls to us for it and this is the reason of the performance of this duty with reference to the men of the World who seek all advantages to reproach the good and right ways of the Lord. But this is enough to have spoken doctrinally upon this argument From hence in the first place we may observe That a Child of God may know that he or she is comely Indeed this is not the lot of every Child of God at all times and for them that do know it there are degrees of their knowledge Some have a more some a less certain knowledge but I say a good Christian may know it The Papists indeed make all a Christians faith to be languid and uncertain but Paul was perswaded that nothing should separate him from the Love of God The Spouse knew she was sick of Love and here that altho she was black yet she was also comely tho as the tents of Kedar yet as the Curtains of Solomon also Peter knew that he loved his Master so as he durst appeal to him and say Thou that knowest all things knowest that I Love thee and St. John giving us rules how we might know that we are translated from death to Life supposed that it might be known and if it had not been possible surely Peter would not have quickened us to the use of all diligence to make our calling and election sure That every good Christian doth not certainly know his Spiritual Estate is unquestionable That he who doth know it this day may fall into doubts and fears concerning it is also certain But it is as plain in Scripture that a Christian may walk in the sense and view of his own sincerity and uprightness he may know it by the more special influence of the holy Spirit which witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and this is of all other the most certain and comfortable knowledge He may also

grace are made to the exercises of grace Christ will be alwaies giving to those who are alwaies working out their Salvation with fear and trembling exercising themselves to Godliness These exercises are those sacred means in the use and not without the use of which he hath promised the influences of further grace Men mistake the promises of further grace if they apprehend them made to any who do not their duty as to the fulfilling of them when God had made those large promises of which you read Ezek. 36. He concludeth v. 37. Thus faith the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will do it faith God but yet I will be inquired of to do it for them And for that promise Matth. 13. 12. Whosoever hath to him it shall be given and he shall have more abundance though by the foregoing verse where our Saviour giveth a reason why he soake to his disciples more plainly then to others Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given It seems to be a promise of further grace to those to whom the first grace is given Yet in Matth. 25. 29. where the same promise is repeated and annexed to the parable of the talents it is plainly to be understood of those who have and use and improve what they have so as take those two Texts together they are a promise indeed of further grace to be given but to such as make a just improvement of what grace God hath first bestowed upon them 2. Secondly Our exercises of Godliness are indeed the wearing of these Jewels God gives men and women grace for their uses exercise is the use of the habit and the end for which the Lord giveth it What man will be continually buying clothes and Ornaments for his Wife who when she hath them will not wear them They are no Ornaments if they do not adorn us how shall they adorn us in the sight of the World which cannot look into our hearts unless we use and wear them How can we wear and exercise our grace but by works of piety towards God and goodness towards men I will add yet one thing more 3. It is but ingenuity in us when our Lord is never weary of giving out to us never satisfied never thinking that he hath done enough for us to be thinking we have not done enough nor can ever do enough for him when we hear Christ saying to us I will make them borders of Gold and Ornaments of Silver Should not we be saying We will take some new steps in the ways of God do some further acts of obedience then we have yet done forget what is behind and press on to what is before unto the price of the high calling Shall my beloved never think me fine enough Adorned enough And shall I ever think my self holy and Spiritual enough Serviceable enough to him in my generation Shall not I be ever trying some new ways to advance Christ in the World in my family in my own Soul Christ asks his disciples what do you do more then others Matth. 5. You receive more but what do you do more Every good Christian should ask himself these two questions 1. What do I more then others I have more mercy then others what do I more than they It is a shame for a Christian to do no more than a Publican a poor wretch that never tasted how good the Lord is yea it is a shame for him to do no more than he who hath not received the measures of grace which he hath received The 2d Question I would have him propound to himself is What do I do more than I was wont to do Wherein do I go on from strength to strength Wherein do I exceed my self Christ is preparing new measures of grace for giving out new measures of grace to me What new affections have I for Jesus Christ What new performances do I do for him The second thing in which I told you Holiness lay was in mortification of lusts and vitious habits in eschewing evil c. Is our Lord making and preparing new Ornaments for Believers How should they be afraid to grieve and dishonour him This Notion affords a double Argument whereby to press this second part of Holiness 1. From Ingenuity It is no way ingenous and becoming Christians to be pulling Jewels as it were out of Christ's Crown while he is adding Jewels to our Crown to be spoiling Christ of his Honour and Glory while he is consulting our honour and satisfaction O therefore grieve not his holy Spirit 2. There will by it arise a disadvantage to your Immortal Souls What Husband will still be bringing new Ornaments to a froward and disobedient Wife that taketh no care to please him Duty may oblige him to see that she shall not want necessaries but he will certainly cut her short of superfluities God in this as I have shewed you deals after the manner of men God's Cove nant his Truth and Faithfulness to that will oblige him notwithstanding his Peoples frowardness to give them what grace is necessary to bring them to Heaven but they must look to be cut short of that more grace which they otherwise might receive from him The Soul of a Christian who giveth himself too much liberty may be saved but it will be as through fire When David had fallen into those two great sins of Adultery and Murder I remember God sent Nathan to him with this Message 2. Sam. 12. 7 8. I anointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the hands of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters Houses and thy Masters Wives into thy bosom and gave thee the House of Israel and Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight c. God there aggrava●eth 〈…〉 not only from those mercies which he had already received from God but from that Love which was yet in his heart for him and his readiness to do much more for him than he had yet done Think when you have any temptations to sin against the Lord that you hear Christ saying to you I died upon the Cross for you I washed you in my Blood I have pardoned thy sins clothed thee with my Righteousness changed thy heart put my 〈◊〉 into thee and if that had been too little I was ready to do for thee such and such things to make for thee Borders of Gold and Studs of Silver and shouldst thou now favour thy lusts which are the Enemies of Christ shouldst thou now despise the Commandments of the Lord and do evil in his sight Let this ingage all of us to fulfil the Precept of the Apostle 2 ●et 1. 5. Giving all diligence To add to our faith

that Gods appointed time to shew mercy either to a people or to a Soul is come when the Lord poureth out upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication he more specially moveth and inciteth his people to ask when it is in his heart to give the mercy that they ask of him and on the other side the restraining of prayer from God on our part or the with-holding the Spirit of Prayer on Gods part is an ill sign that our mercy is yet afar off 2. A second exercise of grace the exciting of which God aims at is that of faith Zech. 13. 9. They shall say the Lord is my God this is now when a Soul for the mercy which it desireth is brought off all dependances upon the creature and brought to a sole Eying of and dependency upon God and this is true both as to more publick and national mercies and also as to more private and personal mercies Israel were a great way off mercy when they trusted on the broken reeds of Ae●ypt and Assyria instead of helping them they ran into their hands and more wounded them but they were very near mercy when they said Hos 14. 3. Ashur shall not save us neither will we ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the Fatherless finds mercy Mark what God addeth in the very next words I will heal their backslidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon Hence again it appeareth that when People for the mercies they want and would ask of God are brought off all forreign dependencies all creature confidence and brought to a single sole confidence in God this is an excellent sign that the day is dawning upon them and the time come which God hath set in his eternal thoughts wherein he intendeth to shew them favour 3. A third end which God aimeth at in and by our afflictions is the probation and trial of grace I will melt them and try them Jer. 9. 7. I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as Silver is refined and will try them as Gold is tryed Faith and Patience are those two graces which are more eminently tryed in an hour of affliction you have them both mentioned together James 1. 2 3. My Brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trial of your faith worketh patience and again let patience have its perfect work 1 Pet. 1. 6. You are in heaviness through manisold temptations that the trial of your saith being much more precious then that of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be sound unto praise honour and glory c. by faith here is meant a relieance and dependance upon God notwithstanding our trials Job expresseth it well Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Hence again if a Soul findeth that its affliction be it of what nature it will hath humbled it to Gods foot made it quiet and patient resolving meekly and without repining or murmuring to bear the indignation of God because he hath laid it upon it and that it hath brought him to a reliance and dependance upon God though it doth not see him this again is an excellent sign that Gods set time is come 2. A second rule to know Gods set time by is this When a people or a particular soul is wrought into such a frame as the promise of mercy is made unto David saith of God Psal 20. 17. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou will cause thine ear to hear Mark first God prepareth the heart then he causeth his ear to hear first he prepareth the hearts of people to receive the mercy then he gives out the mercy now how doth God prepare the heart but by working of it up into such a frame as he hath promised the mercy upon and unto 1. He worketh the heart into a patient meek humble submissive frame he heareth the desire of the humble as you have it in that text but of this I have spoken but now 2. In the mountain of the Lord it shall be seen We are then prepared for mercy when we know not how longer to uphold and subsist without it Isaiah 57. 16. I will not saith God contend for ever neither will I be alwaies wroth for the Spirits would fail before me and the Souls which I have made v. 18. I have seen his ways and will heal him and will lead him also and restore comforts unto him When Peter cried out that he sank then Christ lent hhim is hand when the Soul apprehends itself as it were at the last gasp that is often Gods time for he will not suffer his peoples Spirits to fail nor the Souls which he hath made 3. In such dispensations of mercy to the People of God as must depend upon the destroying or removing of their Enemies the exceeding wickedness of the enemy is a good sign that Gods set time is near for the Salvation of his people from them I build this conclusion upon Gods Word to Abraham Gen. 15. 16. where God gives this as the reason why the seed of Abraham should not till after four hundred years take a possession of the land of Canaan for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full The wicked have their day and their day is with reference to the people of God the very power of darkness but as it is with the darkness of the night they say it is darkest just before the dawning of the day so the darkness caused to the Church of God by the wickedness of the wicked when it is at the thickest is a good presage of approaching light So as though the day of the gteatest malice oppression and wickedness of wicked men be a very sad day even the power of darkness yetin this it speaketh well that the salvation of Gods people is nevernearer 4. Lastly In regard the set times of our mercies are hidden from the best of Gods people in case they have not a present answer in kind they must be content if they have it in value I pray observe this God answereth the prayers of his people more ways then one sometimes he answereth them by denying them nor is this a way of answering to be despised for whatsoever the particular thing be which a reasonable Soul desires its general desire is some good Our reasonable natures will not suffer us to ask any thing which is bad if we so apprehend it now such is the infirmity of our state that we in all circumstances do not know what is good for our selves So that God often in denying a particular desire of our Souls answereth the general desire of our Souls we ask what would do us

poor things to be the price of the least mercies when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants but where one prayer is more conformable to the will of God than another it may move God further and may obtain a more speedy answer from Gods hand 3. Finally there may be some reason given on the account of the parties praying Some of Gods people may be greater favourites with God then others God loves all his Saints with an equal elective and redeeming love but there may be differences as to the manifestations of his love Samuel and Moses Noah Daniel and Job are mentioned by the Prophets as Persons that had a mighty power with God above others God therefore in the expression of his anger against Israel saith if they stood before him they should only save their own Souls God sent Abimelech to Abraham and Jobs Friends to Job to pray for them assuring them that those he would accept God had a David whom he calls the man according to Gods own heart and Christ had a John who was called the beloved Disciple all the Disciples were beloved but he was loved with a more special signal love this the Disciples knew and therefore when he had told them that one of them should betray him Simon Peter beckned to John that he should ask him of whom he spake Now it is no wonder if the prayer of him who is highly beloved in some singular degree of favour with God should receive a quicker answer then anothers this is but after the manner of men 2. The state of Gods people may be such as will admit of no delay If the Lord doth not come in with some present help they must be lost and undone their Spirits must fail and the Souls which he hath made now in such cases as these it is no wonder if the Lord gratifies his people with quicker answers and returns to their prayers but who is he that can pretend to give a reason of Gods differing dispensations of his grace all that we can do in this case is but to shew you that the ways of the Lord are reasonable though the reason of them be a depth past our finding out We should not sufficiently adore and admire God if we did perfectly understand him but I shall add no more doctrinally to this discourse much of which though it may look like something of a digression yet I hope it will not be altogether unprofitable This notion wonderfully commendeth the love of God to the Sons and Daughters of Men. There is not any one name of God that more commendeth the love of God to us or which we have more reason to glory in than that he is a God that heareth prayers It is true God needeth not our tongues to tell him what we have need of he knoweth what things we need before we ask him nor do our prayers merit any favour It is the goodness the free goodness of God that relieveth us in any streight in any distress but you know it is very natural to us when we are in any misery in any distress or streight to cry for help and a wonderful relief to our thoughts to know that our sighs and cries and groans are not lost in the air Oh! 't is a sad and uncomfortable thing to cry and to have none to help none to deliver What a comfortable thing it is to cry in hope nay in confidence for we have this confidence saith the Apostle that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Now that the great and mighty God who needeth not our supplications should lend an ear to them and give us an assurance of his hearing and answering them what a mighty thing is this to set up God high in our thoughts for the Majesty of Heaven to stoop to the worms of the Earth when they but turn up their heads to him What a condescension is this what an humbling of the Divine Majesty what a relief to poor creatures infirmities to know that not a sigh not a groan not a prayer shall be lost But this is yet something beyond this That the Lord should oft-times give a present answer and prevent our impatience by an answer so swift as gives our Eyes no leave to fail through a frustrated expectation this is yet a great deal more In receiving our petitions and promising us an answer God shews himself a gracious King though we wait some time for an answer but in his present answers he shews himself a gracious Father that is not patient that his Child should be one hour in distress and misery Nor is the love of our Heavenly Father alone commended in this particular but the love of Jesus Christ also is remarkably commended for it is through him that we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and he is the High Priest over the House of God O let every quick return of prayers which God makes to our Souls bring us more in love with Christ more into the admiration of his love and raise up our hearts more in thankfulness for the death resurrection and intercession of Jesus Christ Secondly How should this incourage us to prayer and to such a performance of that duty as we may have a quick return and answer Prayer is not so slighty a duty as the most of people do make it it ought not to be made such a formal performance It is one of our great priviledges to have an access a freedom of access to the Throne of Grace to ask of God such things as we stand in need of it is that which bringeth down the Protection and influences of common providence and the influences of his special grace it openeth and shutteth up Heaven By prayer Elijah brought down rain and fire from Heaven Samuels Prayer brought thunder and lightning Hezekiahs prayer brought down an Angel that destroyed the Host of Sennacherib it obtained a blessing for Jacob and turned his name into the name of Israel because as a Prince he had power and prevailed with God nay it often brings down the mercy we want in a very short time while the Child of God is speaking God answereth here am I. This should make us value the duty of prayer and not to think it a mere thing of course and turn it into a formality And what you have heard concerning the nature of that prayer which is of such power and prevalency with God should also mind you to take heed how you pray Prayer doth not lie in a meer uttering or repeating of words expressive of our minds unto God men may call this prayer but they will find it a bodily labour of a little efficacy and avail with God it is true you will hardly find any thing called Prayer in Scripture where words were not

not so easy to give you a just account of her expression and to set out the aptness of the Metaphor which she here used The difficulty of which ariseth from this that the plant to which or to the Gum of which she here resembleth her Beloved is an exotick plant not known to us in these countries neither in the kind nor in the qualities we having no perfect account given us by any of the Natures of those several plants which grew in those Eastern Countries Which hath made that great diversity of Interpreters in translating the Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we and it is but a conjecture translate Camphire The Vulg. Lat. Sept. and Tremellius the Dutch Translators translate it Cypress Castalio the Cyprian Grapes the Arabick a cluster of Flowers Pagnine and Montanus translate it not at all but put in Copher the Heb. word The Tig. Version Caphurd Camphire Let us indeavour as far as we may to find out the truth by way of Explication of the Text we will therefore enquire 1. Qu. What were these Vineyards of Engedi 2. What is this Cluster of Copher or Camphire growing in these Vineyards to which the Spouse here resembleth her beloved 3. Why she resembleth him in this manner to a Cluster of Copher in the Vineyards of Engedi 1. Qu What were these Vineyards of Engedi The name Engedi signifieth Oculus hoedi a kids Eye It was a City the same with Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. Now Hazazon Tamar was a City of the Amorites Gen. 14. 7. called by them Hazazon Tamar taken in by Josuah in the conquest of Canaan and by him set out to the tribe of Judah for a part of their portion Jos 15. 62. From which place you may observe it was a City and in or near the Wilderness it was a place at or near which were strong bolds David fled thither from Saul 1 Sam. 23. 29. 1. 24. where you read of the wilderness and of the strong holds of Engedi But of the Vineyards at Engedi you read no where else in holy Writ Some tell us that the Queen of Sheba brought with her out of her Country some choice and odoriferous Plants which Solomon planted here and that they thrave exceedingly Hazazon Tamar signifies a City of Palms and speaks it anciently famous for rare plants for it was called by that name in Abrahams time Nierembergius tells us it was a place of old famous for a multitude of sweet smelling plants especially Balsams which it brought forth in great plenty Which balsams say he and others were certain shrubby plants which if an incision were made into them with a sharp stone or a knife of bone or Glass a sweet smelling juice dropped from them and they say that Engedi continued such a place till Herods time when Cleopatra transplanted them into Egypt they say there are still in Engaddi some remainders of those plants but of no value But they say there is yet in Egypt a great Garden full of them betwixt Heliopolis and Babylon which Saligniacus saith he saw and many strange stories he and others tell of Christ when he was in Egypt being washed in a fountain nigh this Garden c. But they are Apocryphal and I shall not trouble you with them But Qu. 2. What is meant here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate a Cluster of Camphire We translate it Camphire It is no easy thing to give a just account of it The word in the Heb. according to R. Mordecay Nathan hath 7 distinct significations I shall not need insist upon them all but one or two of them are possibly applicable here for those significations of the word where it signifies the frost or the dew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Exod. 16. 13. A standing cup or a flesh hook as in 1 Paral 18. v. 17. A Village as in 1 Sam. 6. 19. A young Lion as in Judg. 14. 5. It is not in this Text capable of any of these senses by reason of what goes before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cluster or branch c. But besides these there are 3 other significations You read the word Gen. 6. 16. Thou shalt pitch it over with pitch The Heb. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Copher I think Avenarius his conjecture is good who thinks it hath obtained this Signification from its likeness to Gopher which signifies a Pine tree from whence came pitch with which the Ark was covered from this Original signification of the word according to which it signifiesa Covering it hath obtained another it signified the Mercy seat Exod. 25. 17. 37. 6. Either because the Mercy seat was covered with the Cherubims or it self was a kind of covering to the Ark being over it And hence this word also signifies an expiation of sin and is translated Redemption Psal 49. 8. God in pardoning sin provides a covering for it Psal 32. 1. Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered And I find expositors that think there is in this Text a great respect had to that signification of the word But what ever allusion the Spouse may be thought to make to that signification certain it is that she here understands by it a plant which the Jews knew by that name But now what Plant that was is very hard to determine I hinted to you before the various senses of Interpreters some translate it Cypress some Camphire some Cyparis some the Cyprian Grapes Others at a pure loss retain the Heb. word Copher There are three more eminent opnions 1. Some think the sense this As a Cluster of Cyprian Grapes is my Beloved to me Thus Castalio and some others who have observed out of Plin● that the Cyprian Grapes were famous for sweetness But they did not duly consider the distance between the Isle of Cyprus And Engaddi a City in Juda as Mercer well observes therefore although the Vineyards of Engaddi be mentioned yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was no Vine as some think but some other plant which grew with the Vines as was usual 2. Others think that it is that which we call Privet The Latines Ligustrum The Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which in those Countries was of a better Kind then ours and Pliny tells us bare a White Flower with a kind of Seed in Clusters like Grapes and that of this Plant the Vnguentum Cyprinum was made which had a rare smell 3. Others again think that Cypress is meant as a Cluster of Cypress is my well Beloved unto me Now this Cypress they tell us was a plant which flowed with a sweet Gum. It was a rare sweet smelling Balsam and the Best of it grew in the Vineyards of Engaddi You see how much Interpreters are in their sense divided concerning the nature of this Plant from which the Metaphor of the Text is drawn And no wonder then if it be hard to determine the third thing