according to her request but I am come according to her faith going before Which also sheweth us the meaning of the Prophet when he saith before they call I will answer And yet he willeth us to call upon him for all things which he promiseth to bestow because Prayer must put in execution the decree of God concerning what he hath promised to give us neither can we chuse but pray as soon as we believe After the same manner shall it be to us as with the Church here when we believe and confess that it is Christs delight to help us and to our faith do joyn Prayer when we can pray unto God for Christ his sake to shew mercy to us to bear our burdens to carry our sorrows to come down into his garden and own us then doth Christ speak the same word to us as he doth to the Church in this place I am come into my Garden my Sister my spouse By which we see that Christ cometh to us before we are aware for as soon as we believe the benefits of Christs death and Resurrection to be given to us that are most unworthy of the same our faith incloseth Christ as a Jewel is inclosed in a Ring then doth Christ say unto us I am come my Sister my Spouse Neither could he possibly say otherwise forasmuch as he hath made over himself and all that he hath to that person that believeth This is a rare and Heavenly mistery which whosoever understandeth shall quickly find that of Christ which he never knew before Thus Christ was present to the Patriarchs of old as soon as they believed Abraham by faith saw his day and rejoyced He had not only faith but also a sence of faith which was bred in him by a certain knowledg of the righteousness of Christ imputed So all the holy Fathers that rightly understood the figures and shadows had Christ present in spirit as soon as they believed the use of a figure being to represent something to faith which is absent to sense and reason So Baptism which is a figure Heb. 10.1 9 19 20. hath Christ present as soon as we hear and believe that we are buried with Christ in Baptism Rom. 6. and also assureth us of our communion with him And it is impossible as was said before that it should be otherwise forasmuch as all things being established in faith Christ cannot be absent where faith is present No man by his works can possibly obtain this union because no work can cleave unto the word of God but faith attaineth possesseth and enjoyeth Christ for ever because all things in Heaven and Earth are given to them that believe Mary took pains in seeking after Christ she went to the Sepulchre she wept because she could not find him and why could she not find him Because she sought him where he was not to be found she sought him in the Sepulchre the living amongst the dead but as soon as Christ said Mary she said unto him Rabboni Christ inclosed Mary by his word and Mary by her faith inclosed him After the same manner Christ wrappeth us up in his word when he giveth himself and all that he hath unto us and we after the same manner do inclose and wrap up Christ and all his merits within us by faith So when we come to the Lords Supper Christ is Spiritually present in these words this cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you now he that feeling his own miserable condition can give so much credit to the word of God as to believe that under the figure of the cup the New Testament is given to his own poor Soul in particular that 's the person to whom Christ is then come Therefore when the Law condemneth us of right and by just desert and we are griev'd and burthened with our misery and do feel our wants and would have a supply then must we fly to the Gospel for help and succour and chiefly to our Baptism which assureth us if we learn it well that Christ by his promises is present to rid us of all evils and to supply us in all our wants This consideration freeth us from condemnation because we are under the sign and seal of absolution and remission of sins And thus Baptism is the figure that saveth us The Law condemneth and the Conscience accuseth but faith bringeth into the mind the right use of the sign and seal of absolution and forgiveness To seek for Christ in our works is with Mary to seek him in the Sepulchre where he cannot be found and to look for a Christ yet to come For holiness of life is yet to come cannot be present in this miserable flesh but is still to be waited for Now if we cannot apprehend Christs spiritual presence to be with us until we are better sanctified then we can never apprehend him to be come at all Forasmuch as a better degree of Sanctification is yet to come and still will be to come so long as we are on this side Heaven Learn we then firmly to believe the word of Christ and to deny our selves and call up on his name then shall we feel to our comfort that Christ is spiritually come to us according as Christ says here to his spouse I am come Next here Christ calleth his Church his sister and spouse Which words are often used in this Song to draw the Church to this holy faith and confession and are also full of faith and consolation For if Christ doth own us for his sister and spouse then is he our brother and husband Therefore these words my spouse must teach us to believe and to claim these benefits that belong to the spouse For the wife so long as the husband liveth is free and out of danger by reason of the Marriage knot Now Christ liveth for ever for he being raised from the dead dyeth no more Rom. 6. Therefore all evils that oppress and trouble us must die and vanish away For either Christ must die and depart the Conscience Rom. 6.9 or else sin and the curse must die not Christ therefore the curse Therefore Christ himself saith I am he that liveth Rev. 1. and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore And when he says my sister he draweth us to believe that he is our loving brother and if so then also is God our Father Now if God be our Father then it must needs follow that we are the Children of God and after this manner we must learn to receive the Spirit of adoption even by hearing of the word of faith The true effects of the Spirit of adoption cannot be found till the spirit be received which is not given nor received by the requiring of works but by the hearing of faith Preached I have gathered my Myrrhe with my spice I have eaten my Honey-comb with my Honey I have drunk my Wine with my Milk In these words
found which is yet to come then there is no object to be found for such a faith to rest upon By which one argument if thou manage it skilfully thou mayest easily send the former proposition to Satan from whence it came and sit down and rest thy self in peace and joy For one of these propositions must needs be granted that either our faith must be in a Christ that is come or else in a Christ that is to come if in a Christ that is come then Baptism is necessary which manifesteth the same Job 1.31 if in a Christ to come then is our faith and Religion ended ever since the days of John the Baptist Learn thou therefore to be very cunning in the right use of the figure that as Satan hath built up his Kingdom by bringing Baptism into contempt So thou mayest break his head and batter his Kingdom in pieces by teaching a right knowledg and understanding of the same then shalt thou be a right Souldier for thy beloved and also with the bride here shalt sit down under his shadow with great delight His fruit was pleasant to my tast That is the fruit of his shadow because the shadow representeth to us the benefits of Christs death and Resurrection which must needs be pleasant where the benefit is felt But where there is no faith to understand and receive the mystery in the shadow to them they are of no use at all but otherwise they are very pleasant for as much as they make the benefits of Christ which are represented to be as certain to faith as the figure representing is certain to sense and reason VERSE IV. He brought me to the banquetting-house HEre she sheweth the great provision that Christ made for her when once she grew to have a Sacramental faith he entertaineth her with a Banquet As Kings when they entertain their Queens do use to lead them into the Wine Cellar So doth the Lord Jesus Christ by his Queen he bringeth her into his banquetting house or house of Wine By the banquetting house understand the place where the Church of God do use to meet together whether in publick or in private for the hearing and receiving of the Gospel Pro. 9. Which is said to be wisdoms feast where the table is furnished with all manner of varieties and nothing is wanting for this life or the life to come there is comfort in all crosses deliverance in all distresses provision for all wants and necessities pardon for all sins healing for all iniquities there is nothing that the heart of man can possibly stand in need of but in this banquetting-house it is to be found And when she says hath brought me she meaneth not idle and prophane persons that scorn and contemn the word and Sacraments the banquet is not provided for such but I that feel my transgressions and am wearied with the burden of the same that am continually oppressed with heaviness and sadness of heart I that do highly esteem and prize the Heavenly banquet above all things under the sun 't is I for whom the delicates are provided But by whom is she thus brought She answereth my beloved hath brought me she did not come her self but he out of his tender pity and merciful compassion brought her Into this banquetting house he bringeth all those that earnestly and heartily desire the same and that prize the provision that there is made above all earthly things those he feedeth with rich and Heavenly dainties even with such things as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever entered into the heart of man to conceive but those that are scorners and contemners of the same he sendeth empty away and none of those shall ever tast of his supper And his banner over me was love The banner or standard signifies the Kings presence in the field and also it being a warlike sign signifieth fighting with joy and victory Psal 20 6. The use of the banner is when the Standard-bearer holds it up to draw the Souldiers to march to it that they may keep order and attend upon their Colours that the Battle be not disordered Now as the use of the Ensign is to draw Souldiers together that they may march accordingly So is Christ banner to draw all his Souldiers to himself that they may joyfully fight against the world the flesh and the Devil And as in all ages the Churches banners were the signs of Gods presence so have we also the signes of his presence in the Sacraments and by gathering to those Ensigns the love of God comes to be shed abroad in the heart by which we joyfully fight against all our Spiritual enemies Therefore those that come not to their Colours but forsake their Ensigns are blind and senseless and not only remain without the feeling of Gods love but also when they should set themselves in rank and order to fight against the temptations of Satan the wrath of God and Eternal death they lose their strength with Sampson and fall down before the enemy Therefore seeing our beloved hath placed us under his banner we must March to it and attend upon our Colours that so when the wrath of God and the fear of Eternal damnation begins to ceize upon us when the enemy comes in upon us like a flood we may through faith behold the spirit of the Lord to lift up a standard against him Then shall we feel by experience that within us which the bride here rejoyceth in his banner over us to be love VERSE V. Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love THe bride having been in the banquetting-house and there met with the fruit of her Apple tree which did so wonderfully comfort her in her afflictions desireth for more She speaketh to those that bear the flagons and carry the Apples to help her to some more those that often use the Wine Cellar and have the banquetting cheer in a readiness to them she says stay me for I am even ready to sink The bride is even overcome because she hath been in the Cellar Others have no mind to the banquetting-house because they never tasted of the Wine The Church is not satisfied with one banquet or one cup of Wine but she must have a flagon or two more stay me with flagons She findeth a continual need of the fruit of her Apple-tree therefore she must be continually comforted with Apples others that see not their need care not a rush for the Wine-cellar but seek for comfort in other things but she cryeth out stay me with flagons and comfort me with Apples Now she sheweth the reason why she desireth after the flagon so much it is because she is sick of love To be sick of love is to be restless till one hear good news from the Lover Now Christ is her Lover and she having heard from him before is even sick till she hear from her beloved again It is as if
we therefore that Doctrine which breedeth and feedeth faith then shall we also love God and be fill'd with all Divine and Heavenly qualities Now the bride having found her beloved mark what she did I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mothers house and into the chamber of her that conceived me First she held him she laid up those experiences of his merciful deliverances fast in her mind and memory and would not lose them nor yet declare them before scoffers and scorners that contemn the word and ways of God but to those of her Mothers house meaning the Church of God by whose Doctrine she was regenerated and brought up in the faith of Christ to her brethren and sisters there thither she brought her beloved and not only into her mothers house but also into the Chamber where she was conceived meaning the Conscience to which Christ must be made known where ever the knowledg of him comes to be effectual She is not contented that the knowledg of him should be setled only in the head but also in the hearts of others therefore she bringeth Christ into the very Chamber and cannot be satisfied until he be there Which sheweth us the true nature of faith where ever it is which is never to rest satissied until Christ be brought into the Conscience it is not at quiet but in performing the same office for others after a certain manner that Christ hath done for us that even as Christ is become bountiful and beneficial to us so also it studieth which way to be bountiful and beneficial to all men first to the Soul and then to the body First by teaching the Doctrine of Christ aright next by teaching the Doctrine of good works and this is rightly to bring Christ into our mothers house works cannot breed faith faith cannot but breed good works Therefore when good works are required the Gospel must go before which must deliver and free the Conscience from the guilt of sin and wrath of God and work in it with the bride here a certain sense of faith that it may by a sure and certain light perceive the reason why it bursteth forth into all good works and from what fountain they spring and whither they are directed VERSE V. I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hindes of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love until he please THe voice of Christ who being delighted in the faith and practise of his Church when she consulteth not with the flesh and reason but being as it were in an holy sleep with himself chargeth the daughters of Jerusalem the second time who are always disturbers of the peace and security of the Church from the example of those loving creatures that will not part that trouble not nor seek to make any separation between him and his spouse until he himself please which is never VERSE VI. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke BY the wilderness is meant a dark solitary Esa 35.1 and sad condition which the Church meeteth with in this world which is a very wilderness barren and empty of all things which concerns the happiness and comfort of the bride of Christ Into this wilderness the Church is brought where she findeth nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit therefore Christ here setteth her out by way of admiration who is this that cometh out of the wilderness That mounteth up above the world and pineth not away in a sad condition For according to the wisdom of the flesh there is no man under Heaven knoweth which way to get out but the Church by faith in Christ cometh out which is a service highly accepted in the sight of God and which also preserveth the Soul from sinking in the day of adversity for when a man seeth others in prosperity and himself in affliction others to be highly esteemed and magnified for their outward pomp and he himself to be incontempt man is ready to judg such persons to be beloved of God and he himself to be hated but faith joineth us to the words of Christ in this place who doth not as the world do praise and extol those that are high honourable and prosperous therein but setteth out by words of admiration those that do not faint in a sad condition What wonderful excellent creature is this that doth not languish and pine away in her affliction Which words must comfort us in an evil time and cause us to rejoyce and sleep merrily in the woods through faith although according to the flesh and reason we see not which way to get out And it is said she cometh out like pillars of smoke Some write that the Artificers in Egypt could by their Art make smoke to assend directly upright like unto a pillar and that the spirit of God may here have an allusion to that similitude But whether that be so or not we know this to be true that smoke is offensive to the eyes now as smoke is troublesome to the eyes that they cannot behold things aright So is the Churches faith by which she cometh out of her afflictions offensive to the wicked darkneth their sight that they cannot behold the inward glory of the Church nor yet how she cometh out of her afflictions Faith is like the cloudy pillar which gave light to the Children of Israel but was darkness to the Egyptians The godly stand upright in all their tribulations when others hang down their head like a bullrush The Church understandeth well enough how she cometh out of her afflictions but they that know not what the life and exercise of true faith is cannot understand Therefore the bride cometh out like pillars of smoke Also some write that there is an Art in some with the use of certain powders to perfume smoke but this we are certain of Rev. 8.3 that the smoke of the incense in the golden censer which is offered with the prayers of all the Saints ascendeth up before God and perfumeth the Church Therefore when thou art in the wilderness and hast lost thy way there meetest with the wild-beasts by which thou art in danger to be made a prey be not tormented nor disquieted but remember who brought thee in the Lord thy God led thee into the wilderness Deut. 8.2 he did not hurl or throw thee as having no care of thee but lovingly took thee by the hand and led thee to shew thee the great and terrible wilderness before thou comest to Canaan the promised Land Be not thou dismayed therefore seeing the Lord thy God is with thee but learn thou to become a smoking pillar Psal 141.2 let thy prayers ascend up as incense before God then although thou art in the wilderness for a little while in respect of the body yet thou art in Heaven in respect of thy faith And shalt also come out of the
which is the only thing and foundation whereupon all our happiness doth depend Let all men therefore learn to humble themselves for their wants in this thing and earnestly beg of God that his word may be purely taught Where this knowledg is not little fruit appears in the Valley the Vine flourisheth not there but the miserable Conscience is shut up in Prison and darkness but where this spiritual skill is learn'd there and there only the Pomegranates do bud and a wonderful and suddain change is made according as it here followeth VERSE XII Or ever I was aware my Soul made me like the Chariots of Amminadib AMminadib as some think was the chiefest Chariot driver either in Solomons or in Pharaohs Chariot and which had the most Famous Horses which upon a suddain would be at the place desired This was the Churches condition as soon as she came into the Nut Garden she understood upon a suddain the right way to her beloved as soon as ever the nut was crack'd she began to tast of the kernel and or ever she was aware she became like the Chariots of Amminadib She met with that upon a suddain which she had long desired for And thus it is with us when ever we come into the garden of the Lord where nuts are plenty where the vine flourisheth aright or ever we are aware the Pomegranates begin to bud the fruits of the valley begin to appear within us and we are setled in peace and joy And in that she says my Soul made me It meaneth the understanding which being illuminated and sanctified filleth the will and affections with joy and Heavenly delight VERSE XIII Return return O Shulamite that we may look upon thee return return THese words are also the voice of the Church and by the Shulamite she meaneth a party in the Church which do dissent from her principles in matters of faith and life which she notwithstanding calleth the Shulamite being a general Title belonging to all in the visible Church from Shulamith which is peaceable so call'd being under a Covenant of peace and being the Daughter of Jerusalem Heb. 7. or Shalem which signifies peace and his Tabernacle is also said to be in Shalem To this Shulamite or contrary party in the Church she saith return return which words being so often doubled do shew that she is not only confident of her own Doctrine and way but also that she earnestly desireth the welfare of the Shulamite and a more near and Spiritual communion with her for she says return that we may look upon thee that is with delight and comfort for what inward and comfortable fellowship can there be so long as there remains a contrariety in points of Faith Therefore it is the longing desire of the Bride that they might dwell together in unity But mark we what followes What will ye see in the Shulamite as it were the Company of two Armies These words I conceive to be the voice of Christ and it is as much as to say that which thou wouldest see in the Shulamite thou canst not for in the Shulamite there are two Companies of Prophets are Preachers of the word and they band themselves one against the other like two Armies And the difference between them is the case being rightly stated about this one Question Which is the proving principle in the Scriptures Whether the Law must be expounded by the Gospel or the Gospel expounded so as it may accord with the Law The answering of this Question The extent of the principles of all Heriticks Sects and Seducers being rightly examined they will be found to clash against the Gospel in the Doctrine of justification endeth all controversies in the Church Forasmuch as all differences about Religion do Center in this point Hence it is that what is affirmed by the one overthrows the Law in the matter of justification and what is affirmed by the other overthrows the Gospel in the same point For when the Bride defineth faith to be a believing in Christ without works only because of God the promiser totally excluding the Law the Shulamite and all others that are enemies to the Gospel do define faith to be a believing in Christ by reason of works totally excluding the Gospel Now to decide this controversy it must be noted that the first principles as is shewed elsewhere in this Song are proving and therefore all other Scriptures must be expounded by them Song 3.10 And that as the first principle in Divinity is the Scriptures Hos 13.4 so the first principle in the Scriptures is the Gospel or the first Commandment which drives us to the Gospel which comes all to one for the first word of all is hear O Israel I am the Lord thy God Mark 12.29 which words are the Gospel Wherein God bindeth himself to us without any thing of ours then follows the first Commandment This point rightly understood draweth us into the practise of all good works because it unbindeth us from the rigour of the Law and filleth the mind and Conscience with the love of God which is the ground of all obedience which prohibites our dependance upon any other righteousness but the righteousness of God set before us in the Gospel And also forbids all such definitions of faith and all such interpretations of the Law which strengthen in man an opinion of the Law and works Now the Gospel being the first word and proving principle therefore such a sense must be found of all those Scriptures that promise justification to mans Active doing of the Law as may be suitable to the Gospel and mortify mans opinion of the Law and works But thou wilt say how shall I do that I answer doing in Divinity hath by reason of the Gospel a new signification which is to justify God and is not to be understood when justification is promised to it of a moral doing but of such a spiritual passive doing which is incomprehensible to mans reason whereby thou submittest to the wrath of the Law and flyest from it by faith to Christ who createth in thee a new opinion of the Law which is to walk in the works thereof without dependance upon them which obedience Paul teacheth thee to call a serving in newness of Spirit And thus mayest thou easily give an answer to all opposers of the Gospel Moreover this must also comfort us when we are in great tribulations when we are in doubt of his care and providence in respect of outward things or any way perplexed with the fear of Gods wrath For then will the Law begin to work in us after this manner these things thou hast done and thou canst not deny it and therefore thy judgment is just and nothing shall appear before thine eyes which way thy fears shall be prevented now in this condition if thou expoundest the Gospel according to the Law then shall thy faith be overwhelmed and only the Law shall reign
but if thou hast learned this Divine and Heavenly Art to expound the Law by the Gospel then shall the Law vanish out of thy Conscience and Christ alone shall rule and govern Therefore in such a condition as this enter into thy closet and pray after this manner Lord I am in great distress and know not what to do and the evils that I fear are justly coming upon me by reason of my sin and if I should now expound the Gospel by the Law which is now upon me then should I be totally ruined without all hope of recovery but seeing thou hast taught me to expound the Law by the Gospel and not to make construction of things according to sense and reason but according to thy holy and gracious promise teach me to stick unto it so long as life shall last When once thou enterest into this excercise of thy faith thou wilt quickly find the sweet of it and wilt not care a rush for any affliction Then shalt thou experimently feel in thy self that although there be in the Shulamite as it were the company of two armies the flesh warring against the Spirit and the Spirit warring against the flesh inwardly against the accusations and terrors of the Law and outwardly against false Prophets and Seducers yet that thou mayest easily overcome them by the Gospel And also shalt find that this Battel cometh not to pass from the principles of the Gospel but from the natures of men who by reason of blindness and wilfulness will not understand the same CHAP. VII VERSE I. How beautiful are thy feet with shoes O Princes Daughter BY reason of the Churches Victory in this Battel against Satan within and Satan without Christ commendeth her again And first her feet and shoes are commended she being so well shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace for then the feet are said to be beautiful when they are well furnished with the glad tidings of peace and good things then do the feet stand upon holy ground Now when the Gospel is made the standard to try all Doctrines by and also the only weapon to drive away the guilt of sin and all fears out of the Conscience then doth the Church obtain this Title to be call'd the Princes Daughter Then is she looked upon no longer as coming from Adam but as one who by her new birth or Nativity is the Daughter of a Prince even fo the Lord Jesus Christ For so Christ is said to be the Everlasting Father and Prince of peace because by his word he generateth Children to himself Psal 45. to make them Princes in all the Earth For this cause also must we endeavour to receive the Gospel that our feet may be well shod that our inward man may be made beautiful with the righteousness of the Son of God then shall we be look'd upon no longer in respect of the Conscience as Children of Adam but as Sons and Daughters of the living God For being separated from Adam we are likewise separated from the curse that lyeth upon Adam and all his posterity Therefore this must teach us whither to go when we are disturbed either in our inward or outward peace even to him that is the Prince of Peace And also what to do in case of wants even to humble our selves upon our knees before the Prince who being the Kings Son and heir of all things can deny us nothing who are become the Princes Daughter We must not therefore be faithless but believing then shall we also perform good works joyfully and thankfully before men but if we forget or dispise this Heavenly Title then shall we remain in our old natural condition under the curse and the benefits of the new Nativity shall be utterly lost The joints of thy thighs are like jewels the work of a cunning Artificer Next to the feet the joints are here commended which must be understood as they are instruments to convey nourishment into the body Col. 2. For the body is said to increase by reason of the joints and bands Eph. 4. which minister nourishment one to another from every part which causeth it to increase with the increasings of God The joints then are here commended in respect of their use and Office which is to minister nourishment from the head to the rest of the body These joints are the particular Members in the Church which are like jewels being wonderful precious in the estimation of the owner Where these joints do rightly perform their Office the body groweth strong but where there is a coldness and benumendness in the joints the body groweth lame and little agility will be seen and there also are the Bridegrooms jewels Therefore all those that live in this Exercise and do supply the Office of the joints must believe that they are in high account in the sight of their beloved which must comfort and encourage every one in the body to perform his Office Next these are said to be the work of the hands of a cunning Artificer By the Artificer I understand the Preacher of the Gospel who is skilful in forming or planting Christ in the Soul Who is able through the holy Ghost to teach a right division between the Law and Gospel in use and practice that Christ may rule in the Conscience and the Law may govern the old man which cannot be done but by the hand of a cunning workman This is he that Paul speaks of when he says a workman that needeth not to be ashamed dividing the word of truth aright where this skilful Artificer is the Conscience is kept pure and undefiled but where there is daubing with untempered Morter the Conscience is often out of joint Therefore he that is the Artificer must be a cunning workman that knoweth how to break the stone in the heart by the hammer of the Law and also how to bind up the broken hearted by the Gospel without the Law Where this Artificer is nourishment is conveyed from the head into the body and every part is supplyed as it were by joints and bands to the edifying of it self in love there is nothing done but the framing and fashioning of Jewels for the Lord and the presenting as it were of a Royal Diadem into the hands of God Therefore it is said of the holy City the new Jerusalem that it is all of pure gold and that it is garnished with all manner of precious Stones which is the business of the Jeweller to garnish the City Therefore seeing he is to work in Gold and Silver and precious Stones even with the pure Doctrine of the Gospel seeing he must break in pieces stony hearts and grind them as it were to powder and also must set in order poor distressed Consciences that are altogether out of joint that they may be armed and fortified against so mighty an enemy as the Devil he had need be a cunning workman a wise Master builder that is able so
fruitful shall have it his way Therefore Christ says here I said I will take hold and my word shall stand Therefore the Palm-tree and all his branches shall be made fruitful his way or not at all Which sheweth us the reason why there is so much unfruitfulness amongst the Children of the Church why men remain so blind in their understandings so perverse in their wills and affections and grow to so little stature in Christianity the reason is because they will not suffer the Lord Christ Jesus to begin with them first to take hold and begin his own work in his own way Nothing will serve the turn unless they themselves begin first unless they can bring something of their own whereby to deserve his favour Hence it comes to pass that in stead of being fill'd with Clusters of the Vine which yield the Wine of Consolation and of scenting that variety of fruit which groweth in the Orchard of the Lord they bring forth soure grapes wild fruits such as are fit for nothing but to be cast away From this ground also it comes to pass that so many forsake the Church of God and run some to one Sect and some to another until they have quite lost themselves and run to nothing the reason is because they will not suffer Christ to begin but they themselves must take hold first therefore they forsake the way where he begins the dore by which he enters the gate by which he openeth Everlasting life to Men and every man chooseth his own way his own work his own rule hoping thereby to please God so as to receive something from him as large as life Eternal And from hence also proceeds another evil which is that when great crosses and tribulations come which is the way by which God doth use to govern his Church no man will give him so much honour as to confess that it is the Lord that taketh hold upon him but instead thereof we fall to quarrelling and contending with second causes with those instruments by which God doth afflict us and govern us and in so doing we quarrel and contend against the Lord. So that when God provides the cross on purpose to humble us and drive us into the excercise of our faith that we might learn experimentally to know him to be our God in creating ways and means for our deliverance which we never understood we will by no means suffer him to begin with us or lay hold on us we humble not our selves before him seek not nor submit unto him but rather seek how to revenge our selves upon him Therefore it is just with the Lord seeing we will not suffer him to take hold upon us to enter within us and open Everlasting life unto us that when death judgment the Law Conscience the Devil and Hell do begin to stare in our faces that we should be forsaken of him and left in a most desperate and sad condition Therefore let us suffer Christ to go up to the Palm-tree and take hold of the boughs thereof which he first doth visibly when we are Baptized in his name Secondly invisibly when he giveth us the Holy Ghost who teacheth us to understand our Baptism which leadeth us to submit to the condemnation of the Law which is justly due unto us and to fly to Christ by faith and walk in newness of Spirit But if we put a false construction upon our Baptism and think that Christ doth not begin with us and own us thereby we then suffer him not to take hold on the boughs but forsake the visible foundation of our faith Baptism is like the Pillar of Stone between Laban and Jacob which was a witness between them that neither of them must pass beyond that pillar towards the other for hurt Therefore it witnesseth unto us that God beareth us no grudg which witness he cannot deny if we stick unto it by faith then shall we love fear and obey him and flourish like the Palm-tree but if we forsake his witness and break Covenant with him then will God be constrained to enter into judgment with us then shall we never feel the comfort of the breast the wine of consolation neither shall our nose ever smell that variety of excellent fruit which otherwise we might have found in the word of God VERSE IX And the roof of thy mouth like the best Wine for my beloved that goeth down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak THis is another effect that follows from the understanding of the former point it causeth the roof of the mouth or palate to be like the best wine There is a twofold use of the palate which is to tast meat for ones own use and it is also the instrument of speech both which are here meant For first of all as soon as the understanding is rightly enlightned in the way how the Palm-tree grows so strong and tall the palate can tast nor relish no other wine that is it cannot endure the prescribing of any other way to faith and Holiness but by the righteousness of Christ Those that prescribe any other way never tasted one cup of the best Wine This is that which Christ saith goeth down sweetly and that it is for his beloved it is not for strangers to tast of but the family of God that are willing to hear and understand the way to the Tree of life Such cannot endure to spend money for that which is not bread to have that dressed and set upon the Table which will not satisfy but are only delighted with the Wine that is provided at wisdoms feast This is the first use of the palate And the next is it is the instrument of speech which causeth an utterance of things Divine For when once the roof of the mouth hath tasted the Wine of consolation for its own use it communicates the same also unto others which goeth down sweetly as soon as the goodness of it is once known and also causeth the lips of those that are asleep to speak That even as Wine maketh men Talkative so doth this Heavenly liquor of consolation cause those that drink well thereof to utter forth the secret and wonderful Misteries of God Now from what hath been spoken by the Bridegroom in this Chapter in the commendation of the Bride she learneth to make application of his love as appears in the following words VERSE X. I am my beloveds and his desire is toward me IN which words are set down the Conclusion the Bride maketh from the commendation of her beloved mentioned before Which conclusion is this I am my beloveds And the cause of her yielding her self thus unto him is from the confidence she hath of his affection to her which is set down in the words next following his desire is towards me But how commeth the Church to this confidence I answer by the word of God for being Baptized in his name and in learning the use of her Baptism