me continue to beleeue in me by faith because he may be truly sayd to followe after Christ which beleeueth in him then the spirit of Christ the bridegrome of the faithful speaketh after this maner vnto the elect dispersed throughout the face of the whole earth Rise vp my faithfull spouse by a liuely faith in Gods wordes and put all thy trust and confidence in him that calleth thee vnto him he sheweth that there is a conueniēt time for all things to be done in by reason of the vicissitude and change of thinges for wheras her welbeloued had but earst before visited her in her greene bed now he wils her to dresse the vineyard and driue away the wilde beasts out from it that is to say to build vp his Church and weede out all manner of heretickes out of it and it is as if Christ should haue said vnto her Rise vp out of thy bed of contemplation and rest wherein thou now slumberest yet thinke not that I will vtterly forsake thee because thou art my loue but go gather the faithfull together in the spirit of gentlenesse and lenitie because thou art my doue come thy way and suppresse thy aduersaries because thou art faire and adorned or beautified with all manner of vertues for behold the winter is past the raine is changed and is gone away That is to say the old and ancient errors are vanished away at the comming of the glorious Sonne of God Christ Iesus and the tedious darke and dyrtie time of winter is past and gone when all things were wrapt and infolded in ignorance and blindnesse in neglect and contempt of Gods good will and benefits but loe now the ioyfull and hopefull time of Spring is come when the pleasant and wholsome blast of Gods fauor shall blow vpon all the hearts and mindes of the faithfull filling and inspiring them with the word of God sent downe from heauen for the behoofe and benefit of vs mortall men and now is the time or neuer to repent and amend our liues by awaking out of sinne and preparing our minds consciences vnto the study or godlinesse meekenesse and to do the true works of piety to roote vp the concupiscences of carnall senses and follow the old and ancient discipline of the Church The voyce of the Turtle doue hath beene already heard vppon the earth which is a signe of a most happie yeare or spirituall aboundance and plentie of all manner of goodnesse and gladnesse in the hearts and consciences of the faithfull and the pleasantnesse of the Gospell is comming vpon you with all maner of comfort and consolation and now the time approcheth whē you shall reape the fruit and receiue the benefit of your godlinesse the figge tree bringeth foorth her young figges and the vines begin to bud foorth so that we haue all the signes of a rich and plentifull yeare which is likely to abound in all manner of loue and true holinesse perfect ioy and euerlasting comfort and we haue certain infallible true tokens of the Churches perfection which consisteth in the true vnitie therof and knowledge of Gods loue in the multitude of the Gentiles and faithfull soules which are called Moreouer we may if we will allegorically interpret the hardnesse of the winter to be the hardnesse and rigor of the law which is alreadie vanished away because of the comming of the Gospell of glad tydings and therefore we see the promises of the Prophts to flourish and the gracious proceedings therof which we may call the floures which appearing in the spring time do shew forth a fruitfull and happie yeare and the time of pruning or dressing is when laying aside all manner of lying and deceit euerie man shall speake the truth vnto his neighbour And by the voyce of the Turtle is signified the voice of the Preachers of Gods word which beginneth to be heard abroad in the world And the figge tree doth bring forth her young figges that is to say the Apostles are alreadie come into the world which bring forth the most delectaable and pleasant food of the Gospell and minister it vnto the faithfull according to their necessities The Bridegrome speaketh vnto the Spouse My doue that art in the holes of the rocke in the secret places of the stayres shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet thy sight comely By the doue is signified the holy Ghost as it is euident out of the third of Matthew the first of Marke the third of Luke and 1. of Iohn Wherefore the Church which is inspired and filled with the holy Ghost made altogether spirituall may well be called here in this place a doue and whereas he replyeth and calleth her his loue we are to note that all her loue commeth frō him which is the fountaine of loue and that it is from him and for him that she is called beautifull and faire or a doue that is to say spirituall and she is prouoked and stirred vp afresh by the Bridegroome to come but in the holes of the rockes and secret places of the stayres This rocke is Christ 1. Cor. 10 v. 2. We did all drinke of the spirituall rocke that followed them the rocke was Christ and by the secret places of the stayres is meant the inward ascention and lifting vp of the heart which euery faithfull man must needs haue And it followeth shew me thy sight because the bridegrome was desirous to see the face of the Church as I shewed you before in the holes of the rockes and in the secrete places of the stayres and to heare her voyce or rather his because otherwise the wordes of God cannot be acceptable vnto her neither is it possible for her to find her husband by any other meanes for thy voice is sweete and thy sight comely here we see the goodnesse of her louing spouse towards her For without all question it is indeede his voice and his words which the Church speaketh and to conclude all that the Church hath is his but why then calleth he it her voice thy voice is sweete because we should know that his voyce is common betweene him and the spouse for Christs voice is nothing else but the ministerie of Gods word in the Church so that alwayes Christs words do concerne and regard the Church and the good of the people It followeth and thy sight comely We are to obserue in these wordes that whereas euery one is knowne by his face that the Church here in this place is said to be known by her sight face or countenace Now the face of the spouse is the righteousnesse of the iust I meane the beleeuing iust of the light of whose countenāce it is written to the end that they may turne the hearts of fathers vnto their sonnes and the vnbeleeuers vnto the wisedome of the iust And whosoeuer hath this wisedome walketh not after the will of man but after the
of God the spouse vnto euery faithfull soule and generally vnto al the Church Neither are we to look for any precise order in this dialogue or cōmunication which is not vsuall amongst perfect louers where all things how soeuer and where soeuer done are taken in very good part where euen errors ignorances and mistakes are accepted of and laught at and where quarrels contentions strife anger and blowes also many times are heard of approued and in most friendly sort admitted And in this booke there be foure sundry sorts of persons to be obserued of vs. The bridegrome and the friends of the bridegrome the spouse and her young damsels or waiting maides and as the bride saith one thing and the bridegrome another so the young virgins that waite on the spouse and the friends of the bridegrome are brought in speaking contrarie and diuerse things yet all of them betokening godly kind affections Now by the bridegrome we may as we have before declared vnto you vnderstand Christ by the spouse the Church by the friends of the bridegrome the Preachers of the Gospell such as shew vs the way vnto Christ and direct vs vnto his eternall marriage and heauenly banquet The young virgins are the faithfull soules which do alwayes accompany the Spouse and we must note that the Spouse doth alwayes long to bee in the house bed or other secret and inward place with her welbeloued according vnto the custome of women and the bridegrome after the manner of men calleth the Spouse foorth into the vineyeard or abroad into the fields or vnto some such places because so it is and it is most true that the Church of it selfe would willingly if so be that it were possible bring vp her children in quiet rest and tranquility but he on the other side thinketh it good to exercise her with many tribulations and persecutions to the ende that she may the better come vnto the consideration of eternall things and also that if matters do happen well and happily yet that amiddest her prosperity she may not bee too far delighted with the pleasures and entising baits of this present world but alwayes hope and grone after an heauenly countrey Thus endeth the preface the Commentarie followeth The first Chapter of the Canticles 1 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is better then wine 2 Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointmēt powred out therfore the virgins loue thee 3 Draw me we will run after thee the king hath brought me into his chambers we will reioyce and be glad in thee we will remember thy loue more then wine the righteous do loue thee The Commentarie THe wordes of the Spouse are these Let him kisse me Where first of all we must consider what is the meaning of these kissinges which the Church doth so earnestly desire and long after A kisse is a testimonie of friendship loue and goodwill therfore the Church desireth a kisse of our Sauior that is as much as to say to purchase and obtaine his friendship loue and goodwill Her request is then that her sinnes may be forgiuen her and that she may reobtaine the fauor of God by him she confesseth her sinnes vnto God crauing pardon for the same and she calleth for the Gospell because she would faine heare the comfortable and pleasant voyce of remission of sinnes pronounced through Iesus Christ and the spouse requesteth the amiable kisses of the bridegromes owne mouth to shew testify the great desire which she had to heare Christ alone and no other speake to make knowne the vehemencie of her goodwill towards him For it had bene sufficient to haue said Let him kisse me but the loue of faith holy delight of the soule made her adde these wordes with the kisses of his mouth as if she shold haue said The greatest thing that I can wish for in this world is to obtaine the loue fauor of God which I see I can not obtain by any other but by thee my Sauior Christ For I know this and am most certainly perswaded of it that I shall neuer be able to cōpasse my saluatiō by the merits of my works but by thee alone when it shall please thee to vouchsafe me the benefite of thy sweete kisses that is to say of thy grace and loues For thy loue is better thē wine Here the spouse yeeldeth a reason why she wold so willingly be kissed of him because his loue is better thē any precious thing whatsoeuer which she expresseth by wine Where by the way we must note that by his loue is meant the doctrine of the Gospell and the graces which the bridegroome brought into the world with him especially if we consider howe much this doctrin which so proceedeth from the loue of the spouse is better then that wherewith she was sustained and comforted before the coming of the bridegrome and therefore seeing the abundant grace goodwil of this her bridegroome towards her she breaketh forth into these words Thy loue is better then wine that is to say aboue that doctrine wherewith she was comforted of the auncient fathers so that this is the sense of the whole verse I desire the kisses of thy mouth that is I looke for my redemption at thy hands because thy precepts and instructions are milke and food to nourish me vp vnto eternall life and they are better then the Law which strikes vs downe to the ground with remembrance of our sinnes and aboue all other doctrines which do not strengthen but kill the simple and weake ones as wine which either killeth young children or else maketh them drunke Thus then the Church being inflamed as the spouse towardes her bridegroome crieth out continually Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth That is to say let the Bridegroome himselfe come to teach and instruct to saue and deliuer mee neither let him teach me any longer by the mouth of the Patriarkes and Prophets but let him come himselfe to informe mee with the words of his own mouth and so be content to receiue the kisse of my mouth that is let him not despise mee or turne away his face from me seeking asking after the way of saluation And this was then fulfilled as we do verily beleeue when sitting on the mountaine he taught his disciples whē speaking as the Bridegrome is woont to do vnto the spouse he said Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdō of god many other things which follow there in the same chapter Here he gaue the Spouse his Church a kisse and opening his mouth promised vnto his Apostles that is to say vnto his spouse the Church the ioyes of the kingdom of heauen Here I say the Bridegroome sheweth his loue towards his spouse better thē wine that is to say then the doctrine of the Lawe or any other doctrine because the very instructions of the new
of his meere good will fauour I will rise therefore now that is to say whiles that I doe goe about to seeke him out of me and go about in the citie by the streetes and by the open places to seeke my Sauiour and husbande the foundation of my happinesse and that in the religion of the Gentiles and doctrine of the Philosophers I found him not likewise And to seeke Christ is to bee willing to trust in him and sincerely to beleeue all his sayings and be directed and gouerned by them and lastly to hope most constantly for their saluations by the merits of Christs workes wherefore the spouse here in this place sheweth that she was not a litle deceiued when she sought him diligently but with humaine diligence and industrie and vpon the full confidence of her owne workes Go to then rise vp and goe about the citie that is to say all humaine counsels because they which seeke Christ without the word and spirit of God doe as i◠were fetch a compasse and goe the farthes◠way about Now the wicked do trace vp and downe in this way in vaine because tha◠wheras no care industry of man is auaileable vnto the finding of him they can neuer finde him out this way The watchmen that went about the citie found mee to whom I sayd haue you seene him whom my soule loueth The watchmen c. that is to say those which follow the constitutions of auncient fathers reuelations and studies of men which seeme to ward and keepe the Church I asked them also whether they could certainely tell mee of any place where to find out my louing and gracious spouse whe◠I might securely embrace him and secretly comfort my selfe To conclude I asked them whether they could bring me any certaine tydings of my saluation but hauing past a litle from their humaine studies and speeches to see whether I could find anie more certaine steppes and footings as it were of my saluation and peace of conscience which I had sought a long time but neuer as yet found at the length leauing all humaine helpes and Doctors I busied my selfe to make inquirie after him in the bookes of the holy scripture being written by the instinct of the holy Ghost whom I doe loue most entirely as being the sense of pietie and solide truth for it is onely Gods spirit which satisfieth and filleth the mind of man desirous of knowledge and leadeth his disciples into all manner of truth by teaching them the wordes of God And here I finde that not onely my vnderstanding is informed but also that my affections are inflamed within me and that I am presently able to discerne errors and falsehood from the veritie of true doctrine and to receiue and intertaine in my heart the true peace of conscience quieting and contenting my selfe in my husband and all this happeneth for no other cause but because I haue found out Christ my Sauiour and redeemer that is to say him who hath obtained the spirit of grace which is neuer separated and abstracted from the truth that which is his is mine for otherwise I knowe that I should suddenly perish and come to nought and forthwith Christ doth seeke the saluation of those which liue in wickednesse and error Wherfore the Church being once conuerted from the wicked promiseth to bring in Christ whom shee findeth in the house of his mother that is to say in the Synagogues and congregations of the wicked from whence he came and verily the true beleeuers do study and endeuour by praiers by the ministerie of the word and by all maner of meanes possible to reduce the poore wandring soules of the Church to the truth of Gods word that they may receiue Christ into their houses and into the secret chambers of their hearts because it is not enough for the seruants of God to seeke their owne saluations vnlesse they may compasse it for others also and direct them as well as they may vnto the like speeches of God which they ought to seeke so carefully and diligently that they should not leaue off seeking of it vntill they know that they haue receuied mercie as well as they which is declared vnto vs in the next words following I left him not till I had brought him into my mothers house into the chamber of her that conceiued me That is I left him not till euen the wicked such a one as I my selfe had heretofore for a certaine space beene being turned and conuerted vnto him receiued him The wordes of the Bridegrome vnto the Virgins I charge you ô daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that ye stirre not vp nor waken my loue vntill shee please I charge you The faithfull spouse of Christ doth most willingly obey his will and commaundement by seeking the saluation of her mother which conceiued and bare her which yet wandreth vp and downe in darkenesse and in the daunger of death so that the word of truth doth not a litle thing profite by her by making her fit to receiue him that was comming Christ Iesus and to change her by the power of his spirit to the end that they that were wise should become fooles and they that were fooles should become wise Hence is it that she is become one of the Churches daughters or rather to speake more properly a true member of the Church and spouse of Christ afterwardes the Bridegroome dispatcheth vnto her heart the pleasures of his spirite and peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Therefore both the mother and the daughter being both of them together made a faithfull spouse of the Lords do reioyce and are merrie whereupon she sleepeth and taketh her quiet rest in the holy Ghost whom the holy Ghost doth so preserue and keepe from feare of any danger that the quiet rest and peace of their minds and consciences cannot be disturbed or hindered at all He saith vnto the yong virgins * I charge you which words were expounded before He chargeth them not to stirre or waken his loue vntill shee please but then he would haue the young maydes to waken her when they are moued thereunto by the word of God and this verse is repeated in the Canticles to shew that God hath no lesse care ouer the Church which is made of the Gentiles and wicked being once conuerted then hee hath of the Iewes and others which in the beginning were made righteous by him but that hee hath an equall care and loue of them both being made one in him and thorough him The friends of the Bridegrome vnto the young maydes 6 VVho is she that commeth vp out of the wildernesse like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrhe and incense and with all the spices of the merchant 7 Behold his bed which is Salomons threescore strong men are round about it of the valiant men of Israell 8 They all handle the sword are expert in warre euery one hath his sword
And these loues are better then wine because neither wine nor any other outward thing can be more pleasant or acceptable thē the workes of Christian charitie And finally the sauour of thine oyntments is better then all spices because the Church is made partaker of Christs ointments which yeeld foorth a farre more precious gracious and louing smel then the smell of any outward vnguent or any thing else whatsoeuer Thy lippes my spouse droppe honycombes hony and milke are vnder thy tongue and the sauour of thy garmēts is as the sauour of Lebanon Thy lips The lips of the church are euer like honycombs dropping but what do they drop or distill milke and hony which is vnder their tongues By which words we are to note the hony sweet and milke white vnspotted words of God These words may be said to drop from the mouth of the chast spouse whiles she deliuereth them vnto her neighbours they flow from her most easily and fluently which is signified by these words in that they are said to be vnder her tonge Indeed she is indewed with her husband Christs spirit by meanes whereof she both perfectly knoweth and easily pronounceth all things because it is a generall rule the more perfectly we know a thing the more ready shall we be able to vtter and pronounce the same And it followeth in the text and the savour of thy garments is as the sauour of Lebanon What garments are these which the Church weareth vnlesse it be these wherewith shee which is Christs most sacred body is couered and apparelled withall and these are the garments indeede wherwith the grace of Christ his iustice spirit truth peace and all those good gifts and graces which do accompany them are greatly glorified The sent smell of these things is wonderfull strong and strange for it is as the sauour of the hill of Lebanon or of many odoriferous trees and yet neuerthelesse the garmēts of the spouse are more odoriferous and well smelling then all these things But it is God alone and his Christ the Angels and elect which do smell the odor thereof are delighted therwith because it is not possible at all for them to please either God or man which haue not receiued of the fulnesse of Christs spirit The text 12 My sister my spouse is as a garden inclosed as a spring shut vp and a fountaine sealed vp 13 Thy plants are as an orchard of pomegranates with sweete fruits as camphire spikenard 14 Euen spikenard and saffron calamus and cinnamon with all the trees of incense myrrhe and aloes with all the chiefe spices 15 O fountaine of the gardens ô well of liuing waters and the springs of Lebanon 16 Arise ô North and come ô South and blow on my gardē that the spices therof may flow out let my wel beloued come to his garden and eat his pleasant fruit The Commentarie The Bridegrome in this first verse commendeth the spouse for abounding in all manner of fruit of good workes and he vseth the similitude very fitly of a garden which because it may the better bring forth herbes trees spices and all sorts of fruits men do vse to set a hedge round about it to keepe out cattle from hurting of it and last of all it is watered with wholesome sound and vnpoysoned waters and euen so for all the world is it with the Church What booteth it then for the Church to be neuer so fertile and fruitfull in good workes vnlesse God preserue and keepe it with a fatherly prouidence and care setting as it were a hedge round about it vnlesse he water it with the water of life and shadow or refresh it with the comfortable gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and therefore it is said as a spring shut vp and a fountaine sealed vp because it is confirmed and strengthened with the protection of the Almightie as also for an other reason because it is not lawfull for vs either to adde or diminish any thing from the fountaine of the Gospell because it must not be infected with the puddle of mens filthy doctrines or wicked constitutions Thy plantes are as an orchard of pomegranates with sweet fruits as camphire spikenard Thy plants That is to say the fruits of good workes which follow the planting of faith are as deare vnto me as a garden and as pleasant vnto me as any orchard can be in the world and thus by the varietie of costly spices and odoriferous trees of a paradise that is to say of a wide orchard or delectable garden wee are to learne that the elect although distinguished by degrees and persons yet are they notwithstanding all of them within one paradise that is to say within the odoriferous and pleasant trees of the Church which abound in most precious and sweet plants of the elect and faithfull ones and euery tree that is to say euery one which is not planted in this pleasant Eden or garden bringeth forth poysoned and corrupted fruit And to conclude there is no good herbe or fruit growing in the world out of this garden and contrariwise all that groweth here is wholesome pleasant and a fruit to be desired The words of the Bride vnto the Bridegrome O fountaine of the gardens ô well of lyuing waters and the springs of Lebanon O fountains This sentence appeareth to be an exclamatorie sentence of the spouse breaking foorth into the prayse of her husband for all the good things which she hath receiued of him as if shee should haue said in other wordes Thou ô my gracious and louing spouse art the cause of all my good the fountaine of eternall life all our gardens had neede to be watered with this liuely water thou art the well-spring of all heauenly graces from whō all good things are powred downe vppon vs in most plentifull sort thou art the conduit which conuayest these wholesome waters vnto thy Church which is Lebanon For as Lebanon is full of odoriferous plantings of the faithfull so the particular Churches may be called small orchards and pettie-gardens of the great paradise of the Church and there is but one fountaine of liuely water which runneth thorough out all the gardens of Lebanon that is to say there is but one fountaine of grace and truth namely the holy Ghost wherewithall the seuerall congregations of the faithfull must be watered and refreshed So then the fountaine of the gardens that is to say of the particular Churches and congregations is nothing else but the fountaine of the Catholike and Vniuersall Church because it is in her first and from thence deriued vnto all the rest Arise ô North and come ô South and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my welbeloued come to his garden and eate his pleasant fruit Arise ô North. The spouse inuocateth the succour helpe of the holy Ghost by whose inspiration her young and tender plants may as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie flourish increase
Church knew full well that the young virgins could neuer find out Christ vnlesse they were first ioined with him in perfect charitie and therefore she teacheth and instructeth them how they should seeke Christ if they meant to find it is as much as if she shold haue said in other words my louing spouse the only begotten sonne of God came downe from heauen out of the bosome of his father into his garden here in this world which he created for the elects sake adorned beautified it commending it to them as a paradise of delight for to dresse and keepe it to the end that they hauing once rooted out the thorns of errors and impieties might make deepe furrows in it with the plough of Gods word wherein might be sowen spices and sweet odors which afterwards taking deepe roote might growe vppe that is to saye the elect and faithfull soules might receiue profit thereby and in processe of time gather roses that is to say the sonnes of God diuided in the world but vnited in faith and charity and afterwards translate or lay them in the barne or heauen of all happinesse And there she saith I will embrace and loue my welbeloued and my welbeloued shall embrace and loue me in such sort that I cannot hope for greater happinesse and ioy to bring me vnto the top of felicitie because this is the cause why the bridegrome came into the world to draw all things vnto him to the end that amongst the elect and regenerate the fulnesse of ioy of the Bridegrome might bee fulfilled in the Spouse as it were among those that feede among roses and lillies And the second verse is an exaggeration shewing that her minde was pricked with wonderfull great zeale of charitie because it was inflamed and burned within her as if she should haue said He descended and came down into me and therefore if you will finde him you must seeke him in me The words of the Bridegrome vnto the Bride Thou art beautifull my loue as Tirzah comely as Ierusalem terrible as an armie with banners Thou art beautifull c. Whence is it that the chast spouse of Christ is so courteous and charitable vnles it be of Christes spirit in whom she beleeueth and therefore he doth well to call her beautifull and comely And he calleth her his loue or friend by grace because by nature she merited not this loue of the Bridegrome But therefore was shee comely and faire because he elected chose decked and trimmed her and so loued her that he prouided all things necessarie for her saluation in most plentifull and aboundant sort And because Ierusalem in the time of king Salomon was richer then any other city in golde siluer strong men peace ioy and aboundance of all corporall and temporall goods therefore was there no better way to set foorth the beauty of the Church but by cōparing it vnto Ierusalem the citie of God especially whereas the Church is a certaine pleasant city of God abounding in all maner of spirituall goods Neither is the Church only beautified and adorned with all maner of graces and vertues which shine in her but she is terrible also or rather maiestical portly made inuincible by the power of the Bridegrome and alwayes triumphing ouer all the world and wicked worldlings therin contained Turne away thine eyes from me for they ouercome me thine haire is like a flock of goats which look downe from Gilead Turne away c. The Bridegrome falleth afresh in commēding praising of the bride vsing the very same wordes which shee vsed before in the 4. chap. wherefore whereas the spouse is so glorious and great by meanes of the bridegrome he desireth no further thing at her hands but that she would withall maner of confidence trust behold looke vpon him nothing distrusting his loue or kindnesse towards her assuring her self that it could not but be right pleasant in his eies which is the husband of the Church that his goodnes louing kindnesse shold be beleeued embraced of the faithful and he goeth forward in cōmending the spouse for manie good parts which were in her because he him selfe is the head of the Church therfore he shold not seeme so much to cōmend himself as his spouse but he cōmendeth the haires of her head which may bee taken here in this place for the chiefe of the Church as Apostles teachers and expounders of the word hanging downe his head that is depending vpō the spirituall influences of his graces for the better ornament of the bridegrome with mutuall loue and concord And these haires are likened vnto a faire flocke of goates which come from the pleasant pastures of mount Gilead the spouses eyes as it hath beene aboue declared in the fourth cha signifie the iudgement of the holy Ghost and whereas it is said that the Spouse was ouercome waxed proud or tooke great glorie in them and all this after a good and godly sort therefore the bridegrome willeth them to turne them away from him not but that he was greatly pleased with them for so wee must alwayes vnderstand him least we mistake him and be deceiued our selues for the meaning of the words is this I am already delighted pleased with thy eyes that is to say with the knowledge of the godly righteous iudgemēts of the spirit of God which fully resteth in them in so much that they do is it were kindle my loue towards thee inflaming my zeale increasing the ioy which I conceiue by thee so that I can hardly endure the vehemēcy of my loue it so burneth within me The other words which folow are expoūded in the aforenamed place and chapter There are 60. Queenes and 80. concubines and of the damsels without number The Church of God is one Church in the true vnitie of the spirit this Church hath two mothers one a fleshly mother and the other a spirituall mother of the first wee haue intreated alreadie in the third chap. of the second that is to say of the spirituall mother are these wordes spoken here in this verse for out of doubt these words are not intended of the carnall Church and therefore they must needs be meant of that Church which consisteth in the spirit The Bridegrome calleth this Church a doue that is to say spirituall and hee addeth moreouer his doue because it is by means of his spirit that she is spirituall for without it she could not bee accounted a doue Furthermore we may for ought that I know take this mother for the regenerating grace of God which electeth the simple and sustaineth and vpholdeth the elect this is commended of the Queens concubines and yong damsels by whom we are to vnderstand the faithfull because they are made of a wicked and incredulous generation a Church and congregation of the elect which is continually reuiled blasphemed contradicted Furthermore these concubines and Queenes are the kings wiues because