kindly-believers love to breath into That both these are the Brides words may thus be collected 1. Because they look prayer-like and it 's more suitable for her to say come than for him yea the Spirit being invited to come to the garden it 's clear the party that speaks hath need of his presence And that it 's not said go but come with reference to the necessity of the party that speaks doth make it evident that it cannot be spoken by the Bridegroom but by the Bride for so the phrase every where and in the next words Let my beloved come Imports 2. That the last part of the verse is her suit none can deny and there is no reason to conceive two different parties seing both the matter of the suits and the manner of speaking will agree to the same party In the first petition we may consider these two 1. The thing sought 2. The end wherefore that which she seeks and prayes for is held forth as it were in three steps or degrees in three expressions awake O north-wind come thou south blow upon my garden For understanding whereof we are to look 1. What these winds signifie 2. What this garden is And 3. What these act of awaking coming and blowing are By winds often in Scripture is understood the Spirit of God in his mighty operations as Ezek. 37. 3. and 14. And the special work and operation of the Spirit is compared to wind 1. For it's purifying nature 2. For it 's cooling comâ—orting refreshing power and efficacy 3. For it 's fructifying vertue winds being especially in these hot countries both exceeding refreshful and also useful to make trees and gardens fruitful Lastly for it 's undiscernable manner of working as Ioh. 3. 6. the wind blows where it lists c. yet hath his operation real effects with it And it 's clear that the Spirit is here intended because it 's the Spirit 's blowing that only can make the spices or graces of a believer to flow as the wind doth the seeds and flowers in a garden Next by north and south-wind are understood the same Spirit being conceived and taken up in respect of his diverse operations as it 's 1 Cor. 12. 6 7 8. c. and therefore called the seven spirits of God Rev. 1. 4. sometime cooling and in a sharper manner nipping as the North-wind sometimes working in his people more softly and warmly and in a still and quiet manner like the South-wind yet as both winds are useful for the purging and making fruitfull of a garden so are the diverse operations of the Spirit to the souls of believers In a word hereby is understood the different operations of the Spirit whether convincing and mortifying or quickning and comforting c. Both which contribute to make her lively and fruitful which is the scope of her petition 2. By garden is understood the believer called a garden vers 12. and an orchard vers 13. because the believer doth abound in diverse graces as a garden doth in many flowers And she calls it my garden as he calleth the plants her plants that were planted there vers 13. and as she called the vineyard hers Chap. 1. 6. and 8. 12. which also is his vers 11. as also this garden is called his in the following words Chap. 6. 1. It 's his by propriety as the heritor and puchaser as also all these graces in her are hers as being the servant that hath the over-sight of them and who hath gotten them as talents to trade with for the Masters use All that we have viz. a soul gifts graces c. are given to us as talents which we are to dâ—esse for bringing foâ—th fruit to the owner as the following words do clear 3. The actings and workings of the Spirit are held forth in three words which are as so many branches of her petition The first is awake This word is often used by God's people in dealing with him awake put on strength O arm of the Lord c. Isa. 51. 9. It is not as if the Spirit were at any time sleeping but she desires that by some effects sensible to her he would let it be known he is stirring The second word come is to the same purpose the Spirit considered in himself cannot be said to come or go being every where present But this is to be understood in respect of the effects of his presence and so he is said to come and go Thus while she saith come the meaning is Let me find some sign of thy presence quickning and stirring my graces The last word is blow upon my garden Blowing holds forth the operation whereby the Spirit produceth his effects in believers It 's not the Spirit himself nor the fruits of the Spirit that are in believers that are here understood but the operation of the Spirit whereby he influenceth or if we may so speak infuseth them as God breathed in Adam the breath of life and whereby he stirrs excits and quickens them for acting The prayer then is directed to the Spirit as Rev. 1. 14. considering the Spirit essentially as the same God with the Father and Son in which respect to pray by name to one person of the Godhead is to pray to all the three who in our worship are not to be divided that he would by his operations which are diverse and various for believers good so stir and quicken his own graces in her that seing she is a garden wherein the beloved takes pleasure her graces for his satisfaction may be exercised and made to savour to the end that he may the more manifest himself in sweet communion with her Next the end wherefore she presseth this suit so much is that her spices may flow out In a word it is that she might be fruitful for though there were many graces in her yet without the Spirit 's breathings and influences they would be as unbeaten spices that did not send forth their smell Obs. 1. Although a believer have grace yet it is not alwayes in exercise yea it may be and often is interrupted in it's exercise 2. That the believers great desire is to be fruitful and to have grace in exercise that they may be delighted in by Christ It 's not only their desire to have grace habitually but actually to have it in exercise 3. There is nothing can make a believer lively and fruitful but the influences of the Spirit and that same Spirit that works grace must quicken it and keep it in exercise 4. There may be an interruption of the influences of the Spirit so as his blowing may in a great measure cease 5. The same Spirit hath diverse operations and diverse wayes of working and manifesting himself sometimes as the South-wind more smoothly sometimes as the North-wind more sharply 6. All his operations how rough soever some of them may appear are alwayes useful to believers and tend to make them fruitful And to this end the most sharp
love as to bestow it on any creature whorishly but who reserve it for Christ only So the Church is called 2 Cor. 11. 2. A chast Virgin And so these who were kept unspotted and sealed for the Lord Rev. 14. 4 5. are called Virgins They are here called Virgins in the plural number because this denomination belongs to all Believers distributively and in particular They are said to love Christ that is whatever others do who have no spiritual senses and whose example is not to be regarded yet these saith she desire thee only and delight in thee only and this differenceth true Virgins from others If it be asked whether that be single love which loves Christ for his Ointments We answer Christ's Ointments may be two ways considered 1. As they make himself lovely and desirable so we may and should love him because he is a most lovely object as being so well qualified and furnished 2. As by these many benefits are communicat to us thus we ought to love him for his goodnesse to us although not principally because no effect of that love is fully adequat and comparable to that love in him which is the fountain from which these benefits flow yet this love is both gratitude and duty taught by Nature and no mercenary thing when it is superadded to the former Hence observe 1. All have not a true esteem of Christ though he be most excellently lovely for it 's the Virgins only that love him 2. There be some that have an high esteem of him and are much taken with the savoury Ointments and excellent qualifications wherewith he is furnished 3. None can love him and other things excessively also they who truly love him their love is reserved for him therefore they are called Virgins It is but common love and scarce worth the naming that doth not single out it's object from all other things 4. They who truly love him are the choise and waill of all the world beside their example is to be followed and weight laid on their practice in the essentials of spiritual communion more than on the examples of Kings Schollars or Wise-men So doth she reason here from the Virgins and passeth what others do 5. True chast love to Christ is a character of a Virgin-believer and agrees to them all and to none other 6. The love that every Believer hath to Christ is a proof of his worth and will be either a motive to make us love him or an aggravation of our neglect Vers. 4. Draw me we will run after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers we will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more then Wine the upright love thee Being now more confirmed in her desire from the reasons she hath laid down she comes in the 4. vers more directly to propound and presse her suit for rational insisting upon the grounds of grace in pressing a petition both sharpens desire and strengthens the soul with more vigour and boldnesse to pursue it's desires by Prayer In the words we may consider 1. the petition 2. The motive made use of to presse it 3. The answer or grant of what was sought 4. The effects of the answer following on her part suitable some-way to her ingagement The petition is Draw me a word used in the Gospel to set forth the efficacious work of the Spirit of God upon the heart ingaging the soul in a most sweet powerful and effectual way to Jesus Christ None can come to me saith Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44. It is used here to set forth the Brides desire to be brought into fellowship with Christ by the power of this same Spirit that as she desires a visit from Christ so she desires his Spirit that he may by his powerful operations draw her near to him And although a Believer be not at a total distance with Christ and so needs not renovation as one in nature doth yet considering what a Believer may fall into a deadnesse of frame as to the lively exercise of grace and a great distance as to any sensible sweet communion with Jesus Christ and that it must be by the power of that same Spirit without which even these that are in Christ can do nothing that they must be recovered and again brought to taste of the joy of his salvation as is clear from David's prayer Psal. 51. 10. to have a clean heart created in him c. See vers 12. of that Psalm And that there are degrees of communion with him and nearnesse to him none of which can be win at without the Spirit 's drawing more then being made near at the first in respect of state I say all these things being considered it 's clear that this petition is very pertinent even to the Bride and doth import these particulars 1. A distance or ceasing of correspondence for a time and in part betwixt Châ—ist and her 2. Her sense and resentment of it so that she cannot quietly rest in it being much unsatisfied with her present case 3. An esteem of Christ and union with him and a desire to be near even very near him which is the scope of her petition to be drawn unto him that she may have as it were her head in his bosome 4. A sense of self-insufficiency and that she had nothing of her own to help her to this nearnesse and so a denying of all ability for that in her self 5. A general faith that Christ can do what she cannot do and that there is help to be gotten from him upon whom the help of his people is laid for acting spiritual life and recovering her to a condition of nearness with himself 6. An actual putting at him so to speak and making use of him by faith for obtaining from him and by him quickening efficacious and soul-recovering influences which she could not otherwise win at 7. Diligence in Prayer she prays much and cryes for help when she can do no more The motive whereby she presseth this petition is We will run after thee wherein we are to consider these three things 1. What this is to run which is in short to make progresse Christ-ward and advance in the way of holinesse with chearfulnesse and alacrity having her heart lifted up in the wayes of the Lord for the Believers life is a race Heaven is the prize 1 Cor. 9. 24. and Philip. 3. 13 14 c. and the graces and influences of the Spirit give legs strength and vigour to the inner-man to run as wind doth to a ship to cause her make way as it 's Psal. 119. 32. Then I shall run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart which is on the matter the same with drawing here And this running is opposed to deadnesse or slowness in her progresse before Now saith she I make no way but draw me and we shall go swiftly speedily willingly and chearfully Hence we may
That she hath moe ornaments than one there are here Iewels in the plural number and chains of Gold also one grace goes never alone neither is imputed righteousnesse and sanctification ever separat who ever hath one grace hath all 3. That this beauty which is to be seen on believers is universal as to the subject for here one part of the body is adorned as well as another both neck and cheeks the whole man is renewed and the person is justified 4. This comelinesse growes not of any stock within the believer nor is it natural to him but it 's communicat or imparted beauty such as is put on a comelinesse proceeding from the beneficence of another and is the work of a cunning workman See Ezek. 16. 10 11. where similitudes like these in this Text are made use of Vers. 11. We will make thee borders of Gold with studs of Silver In the 11. Vers. for confirming of the former consolation he gives her a promise the scope whereof is to obviat an objection which jealous sense might make against what he hath said How shall beauty be obtained or continued might she say whence shall it come seing I am so black and loathsome To this he answers as it were by a sweet promise We will make c. Wherein we may consider 1. The thing promised it's borders of Gold and studs of Silver 2. The party promising and undertaking the performance of it We will make them to thee saith he Borders of Gold and studs of Silver it's like have been some special ornaments in these dayes and that which is here pointed at by them in general seems to be an addition to what formerly the Bride possessed he would add to her beauty and gloriously compleat it And certainly it must be an excellent work which needs such workers as are here spoken of We take the thing promised to comprehend the increase continuance and perfecting of her comelinesse and beauty in which work the blessed Trinity are ingaged and so the second thing is who undertakes it We will make thee saith the Bridegroom This word make in the Original is used for making of man at first Gen. 1. 26. As also for renewing of him and begetting holinesse in him Psal. 100. because it 's no lesse work to renew than to creat man The number here is changed from the singular I have compared c. Vers. 9. to the plural We will c. As it is also in the first making of man from the singular He made Heaven and Earth to the plural let Vs make man according to our Image as if the Holy Ghost purposly in mentioning this renewing-work of grace did allude to the first work of mans creation And this 1. To shew the excellency of it not that God was put to any deliberation but that the work was and is exceeding excellent and thereâ—ore deliberatly as it were gone about 2. To shew that man hath no more hand in his renovation than his first creation that is he is no more of himself able to bring about the one than the other By this We we do not understand God speaking of himself in the plural number as in some languages for honors cause Kings do of themselves For 1. If that were more honorable then it would have alwayes been used for Gods honour especially at solemn times such as when the Law was given but we find the contrary true from the Scripture 2. Although that manner of speaking be used in some other languages yet it is never so used in the Hebrew tongue as by these who understand it is asserted and by some of the most Learned Iews is acknowledged and therefore we understand the Trinity of Persons in one God-head to be here understood for this One is also Three the Father Son and Spirit having a joynt design in promoving the Salvation of the Elect Isa. 61. 1 2. And grace being a work and gift prayed for from them all Rev. 1. 4 5. it must be understood of these three blessed Persons of the holy Trinity this work being common to the three Persons of the God-head and communicable to no other This then makes the consolation strong for saith Christ although the perfecting of your grace be a great task and far above your reach yet fear not We the Father Son and Spirit have undertaken it and shall make it out to you Hence we may leaâ—n 1. That grown believers even the Bride hath need of more grace and spiritual comelinesse There is a necessity of looking after a further growth in those even to be transchanged from glory to glory 2. Cor. 3. ult 2. That growing ingrace and perseverance therein is a great consolation and comâ—ort to a true believer and therefore the promise of it is given to the Bride for that end here 3. That neither growth in grace nor perseverance therein is a work of the believers own working but the omnipotency of grace is exercised here 4. There is plurality of persons in the one God-head The God-head that is I is also We. 5. All the persons of the blessed Trinity concur and are ingaged in promoving the holinesse and in perfecting the beauty of a believer 6. All the graces of a believer are pieces of the workmanship of the holy Trinity Grace then must be an excellent thing 7. The perfecting and perseverance of a believer is infallibly sure and certain seing all the persons of the Godhead are ingaged in this work and they who this day are believers may promise this to themselves 8. Much of believers beauty is yet in the promise and in the perfecting so that it hath it's defects and imperfections while they are here 9. What is promised is so sure that it ought to be no lesse comfortable than if it were injoyed for the promise ought to have no lesse weight for that end than the former commendation 10. Christ allowes his people freedom from anxiety because of things that are to come and to be comforted in him against the feares of those as well as to draw consolation from him against any evil that is present therefore is this intimat unto them 11. Believers ought still to hold all their injoyments and priviledges as from him and the expectation of what is coming as well as the performance of what is past 12. Faith in the promise hath a large comprehensive object to rest upon and to draw consolation from even the power of the Godhead and what may be by the Father Son and Spirit created and brought about for a believers good even though it have not at present a being we will make thee what is wanting and what is needful sayes the promise creating power is ingaged to through his work concerning them I creat the fruit of the lips Isa. 57. 19. and I will creat Ierusalem a joy c. more cannot be desired and lesse the Lord allowes not Part 3. BRIDES Words Vers. 12. While the King sitteth at his
welcome is four times repeated to shew that he is intreating and waiting for it and cannot abide to have it delayed 2. The end proposed that makes him so serious is in these words that we may look upon thee It doth him good to speak so to get a sight of her This looking of his is not for curiosity but for delightsome satisfaction to his affection as one desires to look upon what he loves so Chap. 2. 14. speaking to his Bride Let me see saith he thy face for thy countenance is comely This is to take away all jealousie from the Bride and to shew how he was taken with her so that her returning would be a singular pleasure to him which is indeed wonderful Obs. 1. Our Lord Jesus allows the Bride when returning to him after her departings from him to be confident in him and familiar with him 2. The more that nearnesse to him be sought after and entertained he is the more satisfied 3. When believers hide themselves from Christ even though it be through discouragement and upon just ground and reason as they think yet doth it some way mar Christ's delightsome complacency and he is not satisfied till they shake off their discouragement and shew themselves to him with confidence Again we would consider that it is not said that I may look on thee but that we c. Which is to shew that she is delightsome to many her beauty may be seen by any that will look upon her This word we 1. may import the blessed Trinity the Father Son and Spirit as Chap. 1. 11. we will make c. A returning sinner will be welcome to all the persons of the Godhead 2. We that is I with the Angels who Luk. 15. 10. rejoice at the conversion of a sinner And 3. we may import I and all the daughters that admire thee The thriving of one believer or the returning of a sinner may make many cheerful and is to be accounted a lovely thing by all the professors of Religion 3. The third thing in the verse comes-in by way of question either to highten the lovelinesse that is in Christ's Bride what is it that is to be seen in her as Luk. 7. 24. c. what went ye out for to see No common sight or it is to meet with an objection that strangers may have what delightsome thing is to be seen in her that seems so despicable Or she her self might object what is in me worth the seeing It may be when it is well seen that it be lesse thought of The Lord to prevent such doubts especially in her moves the question that he himself may give the answer what saith he will ye see in the Sâ—â—lamite that is which may be pleasant and delightful and he answers as it were the company of two armies which in general holds out 1. We will see much majesty and statelinesse in her even so much as I have asserted in comparing her to an army with banners 2. Two armies may be mentioned to shew that when she is rightly and with a believing eye looked upon her beauty will appear to be double to what it was said to be and so two armies signifie an excellent army as Gen. 32. 1 2. God's hosts of Angels get the same name in the Original it 's Mahanaim that same which Iacob imposeth as the name upon the place where these hosts of Angels met him and there may be an allusion to this these two wayes 1. Ask ye what is to be seen in her even as it were Mahanaim that is for excellency she is like an host of Angels such as appeared to Iacob she is an Angelick fight more than an ordinary army this is a notable commendation and serves his purpose well which is to confirm her and therefore that his poor Bride may be incouraged to presse-in on him and return to him he tells her she may be as homely with him as Angels that are holy and sinlesse creatures which is a wonderful priviledge yet such as is allowed on his people by him who hath not taken on the nature of Angels but of men that he might purchase them a room amongst Angels that stand by Zech. 3. 6 7. 2. It may allude thus what is to be seen in her whatever it be to the world it is to me saith he excellent and refreshful as these hosts of Angels were to Iacob at Mahanaim when he had been rescued from Laban and was to meet with Esau either of these suits well the scope and saith it will be and is a sweet and refreshful meeting that is betwixt Christ and a returning sinner a little view whereof is in that parable Luk. 15. 20. of the Prodigal his fathers hearty receiving of his lost son and making himself and all his servants merry with him Obs. 1. Our Lord is very tender of believers doubts and perplexities and therefore prevents their objections which they may make by giving answers to them before the objections be well formed or stated in their hearts 2. Believers may and usually do wonder what ground there is in them for such kindnesse as Christ shews to them when he magnifieth them and their graces so much that are so defective and full of blemishes And indeed it 's such that are readiest to wonder most at his love and esteem least of themselves whom he makes most of and of whom he hath the greatest esteem 3. It 's a wonderful welcome that Christ gives to repenting sinners he receives them as Angels and admits them to such freedom with him and hath such esteem of them as if they were Angels for to be received as an Angel signifies honourable and loving entertainment Gal. 4. 14. 4. The returning of sinners to Christ and Christ's loving welcome which he gives them upon their return makes a heartsome and refreshing meeting betwixt him and them And O what satisfaction and joy shall there be when they being all gathered together shall meet with him at the last day CHAP. VII Vers. 1 2 3. BRIDEGROOM THis Chapter hath two parts In the first reaching to the tenth verse Christ continueth in the commendation of his Bride In the second thence to the close the Bride expresseth her complacency in him and in his love her inlarged desires after communion with him and that she might be found fruitful to his praise That it is Christ the Bridegroom who was speaking in the end of the former Chapter that continues his speech throughout the first part of this there is no just ground to question the scope stile and expressions being so like unto and co-incident with what went before and what is spoken in the first person vers 8. can be applyed to none other neither would it become any to speak thus but himself his love is inlarged and loosed as it were in it's expressions and this love of his is indeed a depth that is not easily reached In this commendation he doth first enumerat ten
that is the little sister yet unconverted who is mentioned in the former verse 2. The promiser is we that is the Bridegroom and the Bride to whom this sister stands in relation vers 8. Or rather we the Father Son and Spirit as we took the like expression Chap. 1. 11. for this work which is undertaken and engaged for in the promise doth belong especially to them 3. The promise is in two expressions as is also the condition 1. We will build upon her a palace of silver A palace if the word be so rendred is a place for dwelling in and here it signifieth the adorning of her to be a mansion for his Spirit and wherein himself will dwell which is a priviledge that the believer in him is admitted unto 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. and 6. 19. and this is more than to be a wall which is an house but not so compleated and adorned He is no common Guest that is to dwell there therefore it 's no common palace but of silver both precious and also durable and stately for it's matter which he must have to dwell in We will make her such saith he The condition proposed in this part of the promise is If she be a wall A wall is different from stones considered in themselves and supposeth them to be built on a foundation Now Jesus Christ being the only foundation 1 Cor. 3. 10. upon which the believer who is the spiritual Temple is built This to be a wall suppones her to be by faith united to him whereby she becomes fixed and settled as a wall who before was unstable And so the sense runs thus If she the little sister when she shall be spoken for by the Gospel shall receive the word and by faith close with Christ then saith he we will throughly adorn her as a mansion fit to be dwelt in and we will make our abode with her Ioh. 14. 23. If we render the word towers We will build on her towers of silver it comes to the same scope Walls are for defence and they are defective till towers be built on them And so the promise is to strengthen and adorn her more if Christ be received by her The second part of the promise is we will inclose her with boards of Cedar Cedar was a precious wood and durable as hath been often said And to be inclosed with it signifies the adorning of her and strengthning of her more The condition annexed to this part of the promise is If she be a door Doors makes way for entry and are the weakest part of the wall The opening of the heart to receive Christ is compared to the opening of a door Psa. 24. 7. and Chap. 5. 4. here he saith although she be weak possibly like a door of â—ir yet if she be a door and give entrance to Christ for all without saith are as houses without doors to Christ that cannot receive him we will not only adorn her but also fix and strengthen her more From all which it appears that these two things are clearly to be found in the scope 1. That there is an accesse and addition of beauty and strength promised to the little sister even so much as may fully perfect her beginnings and carry them on unto perfection as a palace or towers of silver are beyond a wall and boards of Cedar beyond an ordinary door 2. That these things promised are here made to hang upon the condition of her receiving Christ and being by faith united unto him and built on him That this is the meaning of the supposed condition is clear 1. From the promise that is annexed to it faith in Christ is the condition upon which all the promises of increase of grace and establishment do hang and the thing promised her can be no other thing therefore the condition must be her union with him by faith 2. It agrees with Scripture to expound her being a wall to signifie her union with Christ for Christ being the foundation and believers being the wall there must be supposed an union betwixt them otherwise these names could not denote that relation which is betwixt Christ and the believers even such as is betwixt the wall and the foundation Now this union by which believers are built on him is made up by coming to him which is believing 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as unto a living stone or foundation ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house Their coming to him builds them upon him as the foundation And Eph. 2. these that are by nature aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel as the little sister is here while she hath no brests are by their believing on Christ said to be of the houshold of faith and to be built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles doctrine whereof Christ is the chief corner-stone vers 19 20. c. 3. It 's clear by the opposition implyed for to be a wall supposeth her to be that which she is not now when she hath no brests and what that is is clear from the next verse where the Bride saith I am a wall and my brests like towers and so I have found favour in his eyes Therefore to be a wall is to be a believer whatever it includes more for none is a wall but the Bride and who find favour in his eyes as her argument will conclude and therefore to be a wall must include faith So then the meaning of the words comes to this I tell thee saith he what we will do with our little sister when she shall be spoken for if she by faith come to Christ and be built to him we will perfect that work for her eternal communion with him yea though she be weak and unstable yet if she yield to Christ we shall make her grace to grow till she be stable and firm even as thou by becoming a wall hath thy brests made as towers and hath found favour to be friendly dealt with so shall she and upon the same terms Obs. 1. That receiving of Christ by saith puts them that have been strangers to him in that same capacity for acceptation and communion with Christ that his Bride hath or that these who were formerly believers have by their union with him 2. All that are bespoken by the Gospel have not interest in the things promised nor can they apply them till by faith they be united to Christ and fulfill the condition to which the promise is annexed and that is saith 3. One may really close with Christ and so be a wall and yet have many things to be perfected Grace is not perfect at the beginning but that wall hath a palace or tower to be built upon it 4. The believers growing in grace even after his union with Christ is a great mercy and is as such promised here 5. Growth and increase in grace after conversion is no lesse a work of Christ's and a gift of Gods
Or whether Solomon had such vineyards or not let out at such a rent these things make not to the scope Again that they are the Brides words is clear not only from the scope and matter thereof but also from these things 1. She not only speaks of Christ by the name of Solomon in the third person vers 11. but to him Thou O Solomon c. in the second person vers 12. It cannot therefore be the Bridegroom that here speaks but the Bride as personating a believer 2. She is differenced from strangers and hypocrites in this that she hath fruit to give him and hath that proposed to her self for her end and she is differenced from the keepers of the vineyard the Ministers vers 12. they get from her two hundred It must therefore be the Bride as personating a believer who was speaking in the former verse and continueth here in speaking 3. The expressions vers 12. where she applyeth to her self what she had in the general asserted vers 11. agree well to her as the opening of them will clear The words do contain the proof of a believers sincerity and reality in the Covenant of God made out by two things put together 1. By laying down distinctly the nature and terms of the Covenant vers 11. 2. By comparing her self exactly and impartially therewith vers 12. The general doctrine of the Covenant vers 11. runs on three heads The first looks to the sum and end of all that Christ had a Church or Vineyard committed or given him The second looks to Christ's administration in his Church by external Ordinances he let it out to keepers The third holds forth the ends of his letting out this Vineyard or the terms upon which it is leaâ—ed Every one was to bring for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver For explaining of the first we are first to remember that by Solomon we are to understand Christ for as ever hitherto so here the Allegory is continued to expresse and set forth Christ in his way with his Church under that name Next the Vineyard here is 〈◊〉 Church Isa. 5. 7. c the visible Church in some respect is his Vineyard as she is separat from others and appointed to bring forth â—ruits to him but especially the Church invisible and elect who in a peculiar respect are Christ's as given to him and purchased by him and so frequently in this Song the believer is called a garden or vineyard 3. The place where this vineyard is planted is called Baal-hammon which is the name of no proper place any where mentioned in Scripture but is borrowed for it's signification and it signifieth father of a multitude and so it points out that Christ's vineyard is planted in a foil that is fruitful and bringing forth much and it is on the matter the same with that Isa. 5. 1. my beloved had a vineyard in a fruitful hill or horn of oyl as the word there in the Hebrew signifieth to shew that it was well situate in a good soil and did lye well and was by his industry well fitted for bringing forth of fruit Now Christ is said and that in the preterit time to have had this vineyard which shews his interest and propriety therein and title thereto and that by an eternal right and a far other kind of title than he hath to the rest of the world beside Now this right of Christ's in respect of which it is said he had this vineyard is not to be understood with relation to his essential dominion and soveraignty whereby with the Father and holy Ghost he created all things and so as Creator hath a conjunct interest in them but this looks to that peculiar title which Christ hath to the Church of the Elect especially as Mediator by the Lords giving of such and such particular persons to him to be saved Ioh. 6. 38. 39. c. for he hath this Vineyard as distinct from the world and claims title to the given ones when he disclaims the world Iohn 17 6 8. They are mine saith he because thou gavest them to me yet in so far as the visible Church is separated to him by external Ordinances and so all Israel are said to be elected Deut. 6. they may be said to be Christ's but it 's these who are by Gods election separated from others given to Christ and undertaken for by him in the Covenant of Redemption that especially are intended here And it 's necessary to advert that there are four diverse parties to which the Church in diverse respects is said to belong 1. She is the Lords the Father Son and Spirit his by eternal Election This is the first right Ioh. 17. 6. Thine they were to wit by thy eternal purpose And from this flowes the second to wit the Mediators right and thou gavest them me The Father is the owner and proprieter of the Vineyard Matth. 21. 40. called Ioh. 15. 1. the husband man for the Church is first his and next Christ's who as Mediator is the great Deputy and universal Administrator of grace to whom the Elect are given as to the great Bishop and Shepherd and to whom all the ordering of what concerns their good is committed This right is by donation and differs from the former 3. The Vineyard is said to be the Brides vers 12. and Chap. 1. 6. in respect of the believers particular trust with oversight of and interest in these things that Christ hath purchased for them and bestowed on them which they are to improve and trade with In which respect Mat. 25. and Luk. 19. the talent is said to be not only the masters but also the servants because the right improving of it brings advantage unto the servant more properly than to the master and each believer in some kind hath a Vineyard because each of them shares of all the graces priviledges benefits c. that are saving 4. The Vineyard is also the Ministers they have a title as under-keepers overseers and dressers therefore it 's said to be let out to them by Christ they are as farmers Hence when Christ Rev. 2. 5. writs to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus speaking to the Angel he calls the Church thy Candlestick and Chap. 2. 15. while the vines are called our vines the Ministers interest is asserted as well as Christ's so all these interests mentioned in these two verses are well consistent Obs. 1. That our Lord Jesus hath some who beyond all others are his by peculiar right and title and he had this title to them before ever actually there was a Church this Vineyard did belong to him otherwise than others in the world even before it was which could not be but the Fathers giving the Elect to him 2. Christ hath a notable right to and propriety in these Elect who are given to him so that the Vineyard is his and it cannot be that one of these perish without the imparing and