things my soule set me vpō the chariots of my free people so that I said 10 Returne return O Shulamite return returne that we maye behold thee What shall you see in that Shulamite Euen as a company of tentes 11 O how beautifull are thy feet with these shewes Oh thou daughter of the Prince The ioynts of thy thyes are like iewels the worke of the hande like a cunning workman 12 Thy nauell is as a round cup it shal not want liquor thy belly is as a heape of wheat compassed about with lilies 13 Thy two brestes are like two yong roes that are the twins of a roebucke 14 Thy necke is like a towre of Iuorye thine eyes are like the fish pooles in Heshbon by the gate of Batherabbin thy nose is like the towre of Lebanon that looketh vpon the face of Damasec 15 Thy head vpon thee is as Carmell and the bush of thy head is as purple the king may be tyed in the rafters 19 How fayre art thou And how pleasaunt art thou O my my loue in these pleasures 17 This thy stature is like a palme tree and thy brestes like clusters 18 I sayd I will goe vp into the Palme tree I will take hold of her bowes thy brestes shall now be like the clusters of the vine and the sauour of thy nostrils like apples 19 And the roofe of thy mouth like the best wine which goeth streight to my welbeloued and causeth the lippes of the auncient to speake AS in the former chapter and specially towards the end thereof the church had very highly commended Christe her head and spouse and that not only to stir vp others in soundnesse of loue to imbrace him that was so excellent but also to rais vp and increase the feruency of her affection towarde him so in this chapter Christe againe on the other side doth likewise notably praise her not onely thereby to expresse his harty goodwill towardes her and to let her vnderstand that no loue or commendation bestowed vppon him is lost but that it shalbe required to the full but also to drawe on others in a sounde minde to ioyne them selues vnto her whome hee both so tenderly loueth and highly magnifieth In this chapter wherein Christe comforteth and confirmeth the Church being tossed too and fro with doubtings least Christ for his vnkindenesse should vtterly depart frō hir running vp and down to seeke her head and spouse In this chapter I say ther are are three especiall points propounded vnto vs. In the first because in the other chapter the church was full of mourning griefe and sicknes for her negligence and carelesnesse towardes him hee comforteth her and assureth her that notwithstanding the same she is and shall be as deare vnto him as euer shee was before which thing also that shee mighte be the better perswaded of he doth yeelde her a large and vnfained commendation and this is contained in the seuen first verses In the second he setteth out the earnest and vehement desire he had to haue the mariage betweene him and the church finished and this is comprised in one verse onely to wit the eight verse In the thirde part he declareth his good will and harty affection towardes the Churche by a notable commendacion of her promising as it were his continuall presence and aboade with her euen vntill the day of marriage so that she shall not need any more to bee discomforted by his departure from verse 9. to the end of the chapter In which third part notwithstanding Christ propoūdeth foure speciall thinges The first is that Christe declareth what councell hee tooke when he perceiued that that time of the marriage which was hoped and looked for was not yet come Verse 9. Secondly hee earnestlye calleth the Church to come back againe and to return vnto him she in her seeking hauing as it were ouergone him Verse 10 Thirdly there is a notable description of the former beauty and gorgeousnesse of the church verse 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. And lastlye a promise made to the churche for the faithfull and assured performance of all duties towards her vntill the mariage shal be fully consummate and ended ver 18. 19. And this much beeing sayde both for the connexion and diuision of the chapter into his cheefe partes members we come nowe to the sense of the wordes of the text as they lye Vers 1. Thou art beautifull my loue Christ meeting with the church that laboured and sought to finde him doth after the maner of louers bewraying his great affections maruailously commend the Churche for her excelent beutie All which things as they must be spiritually vnderstood so wee must know that all the glory she-hath how great or how litle soeuer yt bee shee hath it from Christ her spouse So that he doth nothing as it were but commend his own graces in her yet these thinges are not deliuered without cause whether we respecte Christ or y e Church it selfe or others If we respect Christ it propoundeth vnto vs the manifestation of his vnfained and continual loue towards the church if we regarde others it is done to make them in loue and lykinge towardes the Churche which Christ himselfe loueth so tenderly and so highly commendeth if we respect the Church it is don for her comfort q. d. Thinck not that that goodly beuty of thine is decaied or that I haue caste from mee thy loue and lyking by reason of thy former discurtesies and negligences I am not so scornefull and dysdainfull as to thincke thee deformed for that spottes sake thou hast sufficiently washed it a waye with thy teares and repentaunce Wherefore as I said before chap. 4 1. 2. c. So euen nowe I affirme the same still thy fauoure and beutie is moste acceptable and delightfull to mee And Christe doubleth this because it is hard for the Church and the members thereof to beleeue the Worde at the first and specially the worde of promise and then chiefely when wee regarde our euill dealing with the Lorde and oure multiplying of it againste him As tyrtzah It is the name of a moste pleasaunt Citie in the coastes of Israell scituated vppon the riuer Euphrates where after that the kingdome of Israell was rent from the house of Dauid Hieroboam placed as it shoulde seeme his kingly pallace Of this Citie you maye reade 1. Kinges 14. 17. also 15. 21. and 16. 6. c. Neither doubt I but that it had the name giuen it of pleasauntnes beeing deriued of a worde that signifieth to accept or like of because it did by the pleasauntnes and beutie thereof drawe all men as it were to the lykinge thereof Comely as Ierusalem For the beautie and glorye of this Cytie besides that wee haue the commendation of the word it being called therin the praise of the worlde Isaiah 62. 7. See also Psalm 122. 3. Yt did euen as forraine wryters recorde not onelie in beautie and comelynesse
had Wine in great account and took it as a singular blessing from God may appeare Psa 4. 7. But by wine heere he meaneth a very fine sumptuous and wel furnished feast a part of the feast or some of the thinges vsed in the feast for the feast it selfe see Hester 5. 6. Prou 21. 17. Eccles 2. 3. Vers 3. To smell to thy Oyntmentes are bef The Church commendeth Christ for the great and wonderfull graces in him declaring that he was in that respect moste sweete and sauoâ—y yea more excellent then all oyntments This is vsuall by oyntmentes or annoynting to signify Gods graces and benefites they being sygnes thereof put to the thing it selfe as 1. Ioh. 2. 20. Psalm 133. 2 Thy name sprade abroade that is to say thy fame glory and renoun made knowâ— in the world by many meanes but cheefely by thy word is as oyntment that is to say pretious in respect of it selfe and profitable in respect of others see Ecclesiastes 7. â— For hee speaketh as I take it of oyntmentes powred out of one Vessell into another or vsed about men for diuers respectes the profite and pleasure whereof commeth not vnto them selues onely but to other Therefore the Damselles loue thee By Damselles or Virgines the Church meaneth her freendes and welwillers such as were and are particular Congregations who are also called Damselles and Virgins because their conuersation was pure and their heartes right as those are sayde to bee Virgins that were neuer knowne of men as Iudges 21. 12. And in this sense haue yee the word Damsell or Virgine vsed Psalme 45. 14. vz. taken for particuler Churches loue thee that is to say not onely carry an inward and hearty affection towards thee but also testify the same by outward approouing and liking of thee see Psalm 26. 8. Vers 4. Drawe mee These are still the wordes of the Church acknowledging her own weaknesses and crauing not of desert but for free good will that she may come to her spouse which without his assistaunce she cannot perfourm as Ioh. 6. 44. also Iohn 15. 5. We will runne after thee This may either bee a sodaine change of the number a thing often vsed in the Scripture passing from the singuler to the plurall or els the church speaketh it in her own name and the name of her damsels and virgins which though they be many in respect of the seuerall congregations yet are they but all one in respect of y e whole body and the word of running noteth the willingnes and readines of the church in following God and his calling The instruments that God doth vse to draw her by are his word outwardly and his spirit inwardly the ready running of the church consisteth in spirituall and holye affections and in care and conscience euen in outwarde conuersation to shew themselues ready to striue to sanctificatioÌ„ Now the church addeth a promise of praise and thanksgiuing theÌ„ to be yeelded and performed when the Lorde shall in great plentye powre foorth his graces vppon her saying When the King that is to saye when Christ the Lord and Sauiour the king that God hath appointed ouer his Church as Psal 2. 6. Shall haue brought me vz. of his meere mercy and grace for there was neuer any thing in the Church to procure Christ to loue it before he loued it as Ephes 5. 25. 26. 27. Into his inner chambers that is to say into most sure and safe places speaking after the maner of men who hide their moste precious thinges in most assured places as where is locke vpon locke putting also the places where this kinges wonderfull treasures were reserued for the treasures them selues that is for the excellent aboundance and riches of his graces as of the knowledge of his misteries and such like Neither neede we feare to affirme that the Church meaneth hereby the bringing of her as a man would say into the bride chaÌ„ber where shee shoulde haue familiaritie with her husband and spouse Christ and shoulde partake with him of al his graces according to that in y e Gospell after S. Iohn And as of his fulnes haue we all receiued grace for grace Iohn 1. 16. We will reioyce and be glad in thee A suddeÌ„ chaunge of the number as before in this same verse Wee will come after thee for the exposition whereof see before also in the same place and the dubling of the wordes serueth to expresse their earnestnesse q. d. This shall be it that we wil take great pleasure in yea it shalbe the onely matter of our mirth to praise and thank thee We will rehearse that is to saye wee will both think vppon in our mindes and also speak of with our tongues so y t both shal go togeather in expressing thy tender affection towards vs. Thy loues more then wine These wordes are expounded in verse 1. of this chapter Such as loue thee shall speake of righteous thinges q. d. I and these that are with me which loue thee will speake of those thinges that be iust and good opening by these wordes the allegory as a man would say which lay hid vnder the former speeches Verse 5. Blacke I may be These are the churches wordes but not to her spouse as before but to the particular members of her body whereby shee preuenteth that that either her enemies might obiect against her or her friendes conceiue of her as that for her blacknesse she should be vnmeet to match with so great a king By blacke the Church meaneth y t throgh her aduersaries dealings as persecutions imprisonments reuilinges and such like she may seeme in mens iudgementes to be deformed and therefore not so great account to bee made of her but she gyueth them to vnderstande that how il fauored so euer shee bee outwarde yet inward shee is faier beautifull and glorious as Psal 45. 13. see also Psal 68. 13. Yet comely am I that is to saye fayre and beautifull and in that respect to be beloued q. d. Blacknesse shall not turne me awaye from my spouse neither yet will he for all that like the worse of me for though blacke I be yet am I of a comely beautye and of a louely making and knitting of the partes of my body O daughters of Ierusalem Shee vnderstandeth by this speech the faithfull men and women dwelling in Ierusalem as our Sauiour also doth by the same words Luk. 23. 28. But yet so that vnder them hee comprehendeth all the rest of the faithfull wheresoeuer dispersed and the reason is because that the law should go foorth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem to other Nations and people as Isaiah 2. 3. I may be like to the tents of Kedar We maye take these wordes either simplye thus that the Church by reason of the afflictions that she indured should be blacke and deformed euen as the verye tentes of the Arabians were that by the heat of the sun by tempestes and stormes and
church and the great account and regard he hath her in And these wordes Thine eyes be like doues eyes teach the church to stryue to inward and outward chastity and to Abstain from all appearance of euill as 1. Thes 5. 22. And to hate euen the garment which is spotted by the flesh Iude. 23. Verse 16. Teacheth vs to acknowledge that all the good thinges we haue we haue from aboue as Iames 1. 17. And these wordes Our bed is greene noteth the flourishing of the church and the increase thereof of which see before verse 9. Vers 17. Setteth out the firmity and staydnes of the church which thing also our sauiour meaneth when hee sayth that The gates of hell shal not preuaile against it Math. 16. 18. And in an other place that if it were possible the very elect should be deceiued Math. 24. 24. To this purpose also it is called the piller and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. CHAP. the second and the summe thereof The Bridegrome setteth out his owne dignitie and the Brides 1. 2. She againe answearing praiseth him and setteth out the duties that he hath done for her vnder a banquet and her exceeding loue towardes him by fainting or swonning 3. 4. 5. 6. Afterward shee declareth the comming of the Bridegrome vnto her her calling and moste large promises made vnto her 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13 c. And therefore she not onely reioyceth that she shall haue his company but desireth his presence vntill the fulfilling of his promises be perfourmed which shal be in his second comming 14. 15. 16. 17. 1 I Am the Rose of Sharon the Lilie of the vallies betweene the hils 2 As a lilie among Thornes so is my loue among the daughters 3 As an Apple tree among the trees of the forrest so is my well beloued among the sonnes I doe very greatly desire to sit in his shadow for his fruit is sweet to the roofe of my mouth 4 He brought mee into the place of wine and his banner towardes me was loue 5 Proppe me vp with these flagons beare mee vp with these apples for I am sicke with loue 6 His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hand doth imbrace me 7 I charge you and that by an oth O yee daughters of Ierusalem tarry ye abroad with the roes or with the hindes of the field stirre not vp neither wake this loue vntill he will him selfe 8 It is the voyce of my well beloued behold him he commeth leaping vpon these mountaines skipping vpon these hils 9 My well beloued is like a roe or a hindes calfe beholde him standing behinde our wall looking foorth of the windowes springing out of the gates 10 My well beloued speaking saide vnto me arise my loue my fayre one and come 11 For loe winter is past the raine is past it is gone away 12 Flourishing thinges are seene in the earth the time of the singing of birdes is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our land 13 The fig tree it selfe hath brought foorth her very young figs and the vines them selues euen in the first grape do yeeld a sauour Arise my loue my fayre one and come 14 My Doue lyuing in these cleftes of the rocke in a denne all to broken shew mee thy countenances Make mee to heare thy voyce for thy voyce is sweete and thy countenaunce comely 15 Take for vs the foxes yea the little foxes corrupting the vines whilst our vines bring foorth the first grape 16 My welbeloued is mine and I am his that feedeth among the Lilies 17 Vntill that day shall come and these shadowes shall flye away returne belike O my wel beloued to a Roe or as a Hindes calfe running on mountaines one of them sundred from another IN the last end of the first chapter Christe and his church had with an harmonicall conclusion praysed their houses for the excellencye continuaunce and commodiousnesse thereof that beeing dispatched the Brydegrome beginneth againe particularlye to praise him selfe and his spouse and likewise the spouse to praise him and to set foorth her great loue towardes him 1 The chapter hath two speciall parts In the first part the bridegrome commendeth him selfe and his spouse and this is contained in the two first verses of this chapter 2 And in the other the bride praiseth the bridegrome reciteth his benefits towardes her and earnestly calleth vpon him for his continual presence and fauor and this reacheth from verse the 3. to the end of the chapter Verse 1. I am the rose of Sharon I take these to be the wordes of the spouse commending him selfe for his moste excellent sweete vertue testified to all but speciallye to his church by communicating his spirite vnto it If any man maruaile that the Bryde and the Brydegrome doe commende them selues both heere and in other places let him know that in olde time this was not vnseemely as it is now accounted Secondly they did not flatter them selues in their prayses neither extolled them selues more then was meet Thirdly that the Brydegrome in this behalfe could not offend because there was neuer any sinne founde in him as 1. Pet. 2. 22. That Sharon was a plentifull place maye appeare 1 Chr. 27. 29. Also Isaiah 53. 2. One reason of the fertility therof may be giuen y e moderate warmnes of the sun in that place in which places also roses doe most delight and flourish are also by that means as the Philosopher supposeth more sweet of sauor So that when Christ resembleth him selfe to the rose of Sharon hee meaneth nothing els but that he was well coloured fruitful and of very good sauor able inough thorow his sweetnesse and the aboundance of his giftes and graces to allure and drawe his Churche to him selfe And the same I suppose he meaneth by comparing him selfe in the nexte part of the verse to the Lilie of the vallies How glorious and excellent the Lilie is our Sauiour himselfe beareth witnesse Math. 6. 28. 29. And when the Lorde will assure his people of a great blessing hee promiseth them that they shall grow as the Lilie Hosea 14. 5. Much more excellent shall it be when it groweth in a moste fertile place such as the vallies are that lie betweene two hilles which in all reason can not chuse but bee verye fruitefull and plentifull Christe therefore by this manner of speech not onelye noteth his great glorye and excellencye but also setteth foorth the aboundaunce of fruite that these shall yeeld which shall bee ingrafted into him as the true vine For which see Iohn 15. 2. Verse 2. As a Lilie among Thornes so is my loue amonge the Daughters These are still Christes wordes not commending him selfe as before but the Church shewing heereby that the Church in dignitye and honour so much excelleth other companyes and assemblyes as the Lilie in beautye and sauour surmounteth the Thornes He meaneth not that Lilies grow amongest Thornes but
speaketh it by the waye of comparison q. d. there is euen as much oddes betweene the Church and other counterfayt congregations as is betweene Lilies and Thornes or as we would saye betweene Golde and Drosse What hee meaneth by the terme Loue is playne by that which is Chapter 1. verse 9. And by Daughters he meaneth all those that were and are out of the bosome of the Church and I thincke it shoulde not bee amisse for the more plaine sense of the place to ioyne to the worde Daughters these wordes of men As Genes 6. 2. Verse 3. As an Apple tree Heere beginneth the seconde parte of this Chapter which as I take it contayneth three especiall points The firste is a declaration of the excellencie of the Spouse and of the great desire that the Church hath towardes him and that is comprehended in this thirde verse The second is a declaration of the duties of mutuall loue between them and that reacheth from verse 4. to the ende of the 15. And lastlye shee desireth of her Spouse a perpetuall feeling of the frute of this loue and that is in the twoo laste verses Now in that shee resembleth her Spouse to an Apple tree shee myndeth thereby to set out his pleasauntnesse to the sight his goodnesse to the taste and his profitablenes to other in respect of his frute Now when shee addeth Among the trees of the Forrest she meaneth eyther Trees altogeather barren or else such as though they yeelde fruite yet is it not good for menne And when shee saith So is my welbeloued among the sonns you may ad for more playne sense of men as Psalm 45. 2 yea though they be neuer so good and well accepted of in the Church meaning that hee is most fruitfull and sweete both in shadow and in fruite as the wordes following in this verse doe playnly expound it True it is that he is not so esteemed of among worldlings by reason of his basenesse but yet his owne haue him euer in that account and regard howe base contemptible soeuer he be in the world Read Isaiah 53 thoroughout It followeth I doe very greatly desire to sit in his shadow Here the Church expresseth the earnest affection that shee hath to bee kept vnder Christes prouidence from the heate of persecution affliction sinne c. for so I take the word Shadow to be vsed heere as Psalm 91. ver 1. or else as she her self speaketh it verses 16 17. of this chapter that she might he his and he hers for euer or els as our sauiour himself saith Ioh. 7. I in them and them in mee that they may be made perfect in me that they may be there euen where I am ver 23. 24. And by sitting she meaneth continuall abode and residence His fruit that is that that is to be receiued from him and his worde For as Shadow and fruite and apples are acceptable to the faint and wearied Iob. 7. so all thinges that come from Christe are to his moste sweete and comfortable if they stay vppon him and cleaue onely to his word yea his very yoke and burthen shall be easy and light to them as Math. 11. 28. 29. 30. 1. Iohn 5. 3 is sweete to the roofe of my mouth He putteth one part of the man for the whole and namely that part which is moste apt for tasting vnderstanding thereby not only how delightfull Christe was to the outwarde man but specially and cheefely to the inward vnder y ◠outward part also comprehēding the inward Verse 4. He brought me vnto the place of wine These are still the churches wordes celebrating the aboundant kindnesse and loue of his spouse By place of Wine she meaneth the places of delicate fare and feasting as before chap. 1. 2 but all this must bee spiritually vnderstoode to wit that our Sauiour brought the church to life and saluation by the exercises of the worde and sacraments Whereunto the parable of the mariage Math. 22. doth in some sort appertain And his banner towards me was loue that is hee had loue towards me insteed of a bāner Those that are skilled in warre know that by banners and Ensignes the souldiers are called together and kept in awe vnder their owne capitaines Whereunto it should seeme that the church alludeth meaning that the husbande of his onely loue towards the church did by his fauour as it were by a banner set before her eys draw her as it were vnto him Or els it may be thus Sundry people and namely the Turke when hee besiegeth any place doth the first day set vp a banner al of white signifiyng fauour if they wil accept it the next time a red banner betokening the execution of the cheefest and the last time a black one signifying all one and other must to the sworde and fire But Christe the spouse alwaies setteth vp a banner of loue grace and fauor howsoeuer we little deserue the same at his hands The first seemeth to me to bee the more plaine sense Verse 5. Prop me vp with these Flagons These are the wordes of the Church spoken vnto her Damosels or virgins of whom see before chap. 1. 3. and shee seemeth to be so inflamed with the loue of Christ that she is ready euen in the middest of the banquet to sinck down or to swoone as you wold say for loue But she hath two aides and comfortes in this her weaknesse one expressed in this verse the other in the next verse following That in this verse is that those that attend vppon her by the Bridegromes appointment that is the Prophetes Apostles and seruauntes of God See for this purpose Ephes 4. from verse 11. to the ende of the 16 doe minister vnto her at her request the spiritual Treasures and good thinges of her Husband which I take to bee noted and that very forcible and playnly by these wordes Proppe mee vp with these flagons beare me vp with these apples as it were appointing some certain aides which if they were neglected all the rest that coulde bee vsed were worth nothing And by Flagons no doubt she meaneth by the figure Metonimie the thing contayning for the thing contained that is the sweete Water and drinke of life of which see Isaaih 55. 1. which Treasure also wee haue in earthen Vesselles or Flagonnes as 2. Corinthians 4. 7. and is indeede nothing else but the sweet promises of Christ vnto euerlasting life And though by Apples layde vnder her as it were shee meane the selfe same thinge yet there is another order of it For hee alludeth to the custome of men who when other are swooning or faynting are wont to put strong smelling thinges vnto their Nostrelles so the Church meaneth that for her comforte and refreshing and reclayming her agayne as it were from death to life shee woulde haue well smelling Apples fette out of Christes Treasure both helde and applyed to her that by that meanes shee maye bee as it were recouered For I
am sicke with loue q. d. I shall neuer cease nor bee in quiet till I perfectly enioy my Husbandes companye feeling in this life the assured Testimonye of his continuall fauour and possessing the same eternally in the heauenly glory See 2. Corin. 5. 1. 2. c. Philip. 1. 23. Verse 6. His left hande is vnder mine heade and his right hand doth imbrace me These are still the wordes of the church contayning as I sayde before the seconde comfort in her fainting and that is that she had her spouse not onely present with her who alone is able effectuallye to heal the church but shewing singular loue and kindnesse cowardes her staying her vp with the one hand that shee fall not downe and comforting her with the other by lauing imbracing her I know that some put the right hand for length of dayes and the left hande for glory and riches as Prouerb 3. 16. But this is the more simple and agreeth better with the circumstaunce of place person to wit that Christ by vsing the gestures of those that do imbrace their friendes and comfort and ease them in their infirmities doth expresse thereby the singular loue he hath to his church and his tender care ouer her in comforting her Verse 7. I charge you and that by an oth These are still as I take thē the wordes of the church and not of Christ as some suppose resting in the imbrasing of her spouse of which we hearde immediatlye before verse 6. straightlye charging those to whom shee speaketh that no manner of waye they bee troublesome or disquietous to her spouse that resteth him self and taketh pleasure in the imbracinges of her And there is a double reason that leadeth me to thinke that these are the churches words rather then Christes First because that she by reason of the authority shee had might commaunde as shee doth verse 15. of this Chapter Secondly because all the wordes that followe till you come to verse 15 are the Churches wordes When shee sayth that shee chargeth them by an oth she meaneth that shee doth very hardly and straightly charge them and as it were in conscience binde them For the wordes Daughters of Ierusalem see chapter 1 5. she meaneth no doubt such as wished well to the church and had somewhat to doe therein Tarry ye abroad with theroes or with the hindes of the field That is get you abroade for a while take your pleasure and do what you will onely disquiet not neyther vexe my spouse And all this is spoken by the church as though the feast had beene kept abroade in some country towne or Village abroade also it is vttered after the manner of men and their wiues who when they will talke of secrete matters or take their rest and sleepe quietly together will bid their children and seruaunts auoyde and get them abroad to recreate them selues whether they will for a while Stirre not vp neyther make That is disquiet him not any manner of way And this the church speaketh both of her hearty loue that she beareth towards her spouse and also of good wil that she carrieth towards her selfe who earnestly wisheth and destreth to inioy the continuall presence and company of her spouse This loue vz. of mine meaning him whom she most dearly and tenderly loued which thing is also forcible and playnlie expressed by the article this Vntill he will himselfe The Church referreth all to the good will and pleasure of her spouse onely this she taketh care for that he may not be prouoked or disturbed by her or any of hers by anye occasion or offence though neuer so small but sheweth herselfe louing and obedient to him in all thinges See Ephes 5. 24. Verse 8. It is the voyce of my Welbeloued The Church in the verses before going and namely vers 4. 5. 6. had set out one notable duty of our sauiour towards her and that was of life and saluation which he brought her figured vnder the shadow of a banquet and healing Nowe shee recokneth vp another kindnesse shewed to wit the giuing of her pleasure peace and all good thinges necessary for her and this he setteth out vnder the figure of the spring time and of all greene and flourishinge thinges offering them selues as it were to the sight and seruice of the church this reacheth from this vers to the end of the 15. And this speech may be deuided into two partes One is that Christ offereth all good thinges to the church and refresheth her beeing deliuered from the winterly tempestes of sinne this reacheth vnto verse 14. The other is that he putteth back frō her al euil hurtful things and this is comprised in ver 15 both which graces Christ performeth to his church by his word the ministers thereof who are his seruants appointed to y ◠purpose as 2. Cor. 4. 5. But let vs come to the words as they lie It is the voice of my welbeloued These wordes are spoken as though while the bride slept the bridegrome had gone abroad some whither and as though she had bene sodainly waked made meruellous glad by the voice of her spouse returning backe againe q. d. Certainly it is my spouses voice wherin I much reioyce al this while I did but dream it or imagine it so to bee as when straunge thinges and vnlooked for come to passe we can hardly be perswaded at the first that they are so as Psalme 126 1 But now I perceiue of a trueth it is not his voice indeed Behold him q. d. I woulde haue you that are my freendes and welwillers to bee perswaded of this as well as I for I take that she speaketh these wordes to them He commeth leaping vpon these mountaines skipping vppon these hilles These wordes of leaping and skipping do not onely note his great speede and hair to succour and comforte his churche which is also set out in the nexte Verse by the similitude of Roes and Hindes but the other wordes also of Mountaynes and Hilles doe meruelously expresse his singular loue as though the Churche shoulde saye the daunger of the iorneye the hardnesse of the waye neyther anye thing else as mans power aydes and such like can hinder him from comming to me to comfort mee in my distresses And that mountaines and hilles are so vsed may appeare Isa 40. 3. Verse 9 My beloued is like a Roe or a hindes calfe The Church meaneth by these wordes to declare how swift and speedy Christe is to comfort and succour her We our selues knowe by experience that Roes and hindes bee very swift footed but besides our owne knowledge wee haue the warrant of the word as Psalm 18. 33 beholding him standing behinde our wall As though the church should say It is a wonderfull thing be standeth by mee and is present with me sooner then I can speake And when she sayth standing behinde our wall I thinke by Wall she meaneth Gods goodnesse and the promises and
comfortes of his word with which the church in the time of the crosse and triall armeth and defendeth her selfe behind which Christ may be said to stand when the perfourmance thereof is not plainly seene to his children and yet hee is alwayes nigh vnto them in the trueth thereeof alwayes to helpe them as she afterwards addeth For the worde Wall see Isaiah 26. 1. Looking foorth of the windowes I take that by all these speeches the church meaneth nothing else but Christes fauour towards her This speech may be borrowed from great personages and states as kings Queenes and such like who do many times shew themselues at windowes to be seene of their people which thing also the people take as a testimony of great fauour speciallye when out of the windowes they shew them pleasaunt and delightfull countenaunces Springing out of the gates This speech is somewhat darke and yet so it is in the Hebrue text and is a Metaphore taken from florishing trees and flowers to which Christ was resembled before verses 1. 3. The church meaneth nothing by this maner of speech but to set out the most flourishing and pleasant countenaunce that her spouse gaue her In summe all comes to this that the churches wordes do by certaine steppes as it were set out the wonderfull worke of Christe towardes her as first she heareth his voice verse 8. Next shee seeth him comming verse 8. also And lastly shee doth presently behold him present verse 9. Verse 10. My welbeloued speaking faire vnto me In this verse the church taketh vpon her the person of her spouse as it were declaring what wordes he vsed to her who as yet calleth her not to the full and absolute enioying of those good thinges that are layd vp for her in heauen but to the most assured seales and pledges of those good thinges that are to come which Christ woulde haue communicated vnto his Church both in word and deed by his eternall spirite Arise my loue my fayre one and come When our sauiour calleth the church his loue hee sheweth in what great regard he hath her and how tenderly hee fauoreth her and when hee calleth her his fayre one he sheweth how much he doth account of her For so much is the church in deede and the particular members therof as it pleaseth the spouse to esteeme of them And when he saith arise and come he meaneth that he woulde haue her come out of the ignoraunce darknesse and sinne wherin she was to the pleasantnes of righteousnesse and holy conuersation wherin he taketh delight and so you shall finde the worde arise vsed Rom. 13. 11. and the word come Math. 11. 28. Verse 11. For loe winter is past the raine is past it is gone away This is a reason that the spouse yeeldeth why the church shoulde arise and come vnto him it is taken ioyning this 11. 12. and 13. vers following togeather from a comparing of the time before her calling with the time after her calling The former time was winter-like and stormye altogeather and then was the Church straunge from the common wealth of God and wallowing in sinne but the time since her calling is altogeather greene flourishing pleasaunt sweet fruitful and such as should most plentifully replenish her heart and all her senses and this I take to be the meaning of these three verses 11. 12. 13. togeather to wit that by Winter raine c. he meaneth sinne errour ignorance and all crosses either inwarde or outward layde vpon the church as persecution reproch c and by florishing thinges singing of birdes the voyce of Turtles the figge tree and her young ones The Vine and her firste grape c. which are all euident tokens of spring time and Sommer hee meaneth assured testimonies of Gods grace as forgiuenes of sinnes knowledge and light of the truth and all outwarde blessinges of the Lorde as peace plentye prosperitie c. And that by Winter and raine shoulde bee signified sinne and ignoraunce it is not without proportion For as in the winter season all is stormy turbulent and darke so sinne bearing swaye there is nothing but disorder and ignoraunce Now let vs more particularlye consider the wordes of the 12. 13. verses which I take to be so excellent a discription of the spring time and so forward as none either hath beene or can be more liuely giuen For in the spring time florishing things that is flowers shewe them selues and Byrdes sing to the great comfort of men and the figge doth sende foorth her greene figges and the Vine her tender grape whereas other trees for the moste part doe shewe them in flowers firste and afterwarde in fruite For the better vnderstanding of this place see that which our sauiour sayth Mat. 24. 32. of the fig tree And when he sayth The Figge tree it selfe and lykewise addeth the Vines them selues hee speaketh this as a sure proofe that the spring is come For the fig tree and the vine be two of the last trees as we know by experience that make shew of their fruit q. d. If you will not beleeue by beholding the flowres on earth by hearing the byrdes and turtles sing all which are euident signes of the spring time Yet beleeue it because the figg tree and the vine which are more late then other trees haue also yeelded out their fruit And when he sayth Euen in the first grape he meaneth not that the vine yeeldeth fruit twise a yeare as one grape first and an other after but that this was the first appearance of the grape and that yet notwithstanding the vine it selfe did yeeld a sweete smelling sauour both in the leaues and fruite As for that which followeth in this 13. verse Arise my loue my fayre one and come is expounded before verse 10. of this chapiter Vers 14. My doue c. The church still repeateth the wordes of her spouse begun before ver 10. And in that he calleth her doue he meaneth not onelye thereby her beautye and fayrenes because Doues bee commonly white but also hee meaneth her chastitie as before chap. 1. 15 Also her simplicitye and vprightnes togeather with freedome from bitternes See Math. 10. 16. also Psal 74. 19. Wryters also affirme that the doue hath no gall He alludeth also further to the nature of a doue in the next wordes when as he sayth Liuing in these cliftes of the rocke in a denne all to broken For they that wryte of the nature of creatures affirme that the doues doe speciallye delight to be seen in rockes and to lye hid in the Holes and cleftes but by these thinges he meaneth as I take it the modestye or shamefastnesse of the church who somtimes thorow the feeling of her sinnes sometimes for the grieuousnes of persecutions is glad to get her into the rockes which are taken to be places of sure defence and therefore he addeth particularly in these clefies of the rocke In which respect the faithfull manye times
him into my mothers house and into the inner chamber of her that conceiued me 5 I charge you by an oth O yee daughters of Ierusalem tarrye abroade with the Roes or with the hindes of the fielde stirre not vp neither awake this loue till he will himselfe 6 Who is she that would come vp out of the wildernes as it were perfumed with the liftinges vp of smoake perfumed with myrrh and incense better then all the fine powder of the Apothecary 7 Behold his bed which is better then that that is Solomons about which stand threescore mightie men of the mighty men of Israell 8 All taking hold of the sword are expert in warre euery one is gyrded with his swoorde vppon his thigh for feare euery night 9 Yea better then the bed which king Solomon prepared for him selfe of the trees of Lebanon 10 Whose pillers be made of siluer and that that was layd vppon it of golde whose couering was purple coloured the inwardes wherof were as iâ— were paued with loue by the Damosels of Ierusalem 11 O yee damsels of Sion come foorth and beholde king Solomon with the crown which his mother prouided for him in the day of his betrothinges and in the day of the gladnes of his hart THough in this song it maye be that all the chapters thereof do not hang and depende one vpon an other by reason that some thinges were sayde and done at one time and in one place and some at an other time and in an other place yet for the knitting of this with the former this me thinketh may be noted that hauing before declared what passed in the daye season or els when the day was very nigh and that while they were togeather in the country as it were the church doth now declare the matters and speeches had in the night and in the citie as may plainly appeare by the two first verses 1 The chapter I take it may be deuided into two partes In the first the church setteth out the great desire that shee hath to take holde of Christe and to possesse him which appeareth in this that by daye by night at home and abroad in the countrey and in the citie she is wonderfully inflamed with his loue and this reacheth from verse 1. to the end of the 5. 2 In the other she doth as it were correct her selfe desiring rather that hee shoulde take hold of her and that she might abyde with him than he with her where vpon shee entreth into a commendation of his glorye sweetnes c. not onely comparing it with Solomons but preferring it before it and that by manye degrees and this reacheth from verse 6. vnto the end of the chapter Verse 1. In my bedde These are the churches words testifiyng her hunger and thirst after her spouse that in these places and at these times wherein menne giue them selues to their pleasures and rest her soule was tossed and troubled with seeking yea and longing after him whom his soule loued And it woulde be marked that she sayth not onely one night but sundry nights testifiyng her continuance and earnellnesse in this holy hunger and most assured loue to which also appertayneth the dubbling of the word seeking him expressing thereby her earneste affection These wordes whom my soule loueth are expounded before chapter 1. 7. In sum the church vsing this Periphrasis instead of a proper name doth nothing els but expresse the force of his loue and the earnestnes thereof Now where she addeth when I had found him that is when I did not sufficiently perceiue him to bee present with me according to my hartes desire for els Christ is neuer absent from his church but continually present therewith as appeareth Math. 28. 20. True it is that in our vnderstanding to the iudgement of the Church Christ seemeth either to be altogeather absent or els not verye nigh but howsoeuer it be this is the truth that He that keepeth Israell will neither slumber nor sleep Psal 121. 4. But y e Godlye are most greeued with this assault in the time of persecutions trialls troubles sorowes c. Which also may be signified by the word night in this place as it seemeth to be taken Iob. 17. 12. It followeth I sayd vz. to my selfe for al these are the words of the Church speaking vnto herself as it were declaring the consultations which she had with her selfe and resoluing what shee were best to do Verse 2. I will now rise vp q. d. I will delaye it no longer nowe I am resolued diligentlye and carefully to seeke him yea leauing my bed and naturall rest to the ende I maye finde him And I will go about the City vz. to seeke him q. d. I will leaue no place vnsought which also may appeare by the particulers following of streetes and open places I will seeke him vz. with great diligence and earnestnesê whome my soule loueth see verse 7. of the first chapter but seeking him I haue not found him The spouse expresseth these wordes sorrowfully not so much for the paines she tooke as that she could not meet with him whom she so tenderly loued and carefully sought And when she sayth shee founde him not she meaneth so sufficiently as she would and as her heart desired as may appear also by ver 1. of this chapter for the better vnderstanding of these wordes in this place read the notes there for they serue also fitly for the purpose Verse 3. I sayd vnto the watchmen The church meaneth by this manner of speech that she neyther dissembled her loue towardes Christe nor feared to demand euery one that she meetes no though they were publique rulers or preachers for that it is as I thinke she meaneth by watch men Ezech. 33. 2. concerning Christ her husband but that she did openly declare her vnfeyned loue towards him for which see chap. 2. 5. that go about the city she speaketh this according to the custome of men or townes of warre who besides that they haue standing or set watches for euery corner or quarter of their citye haue also certain cheefe men appoynted for their authority and faithfulnesse continually to go from one place to another to oueruew the rest and to see that they are faythful in the charges committed vnto them They finding me that is when they had found me going about the city by the streetes and open places thereof as vers 2. Haue you seene him She speaketh to such as perhaps knewe him not neither by name nor by face though indeede they should haue beene well acquainted with him but such is the force of earnest loue that it many times maketh men beleeue that others know them whome they like of though they do not Whom my soul loueth See this expounded chap. 1. 7. Verse 4. I had but a little passed by from them The Church declareth not what comfort or counsell shee had at the watch-mens handes which perhaps was little or
the lilies 6 Vntill that day shall come these shadowes fly away I will goe into the mountayne of mirrh into the hill of incense 7 Thou art all fayre my loue and there is no spot in thee 8 O spouse thou shalt come with me from Lebanon thou shalt come with me from Lebanon thou shalt looke from the top of Amanah from the top of Shenir and Hermon from the dennes of the Lions and from the mountaynes of Leopardes 9 Thou hast wouÌ„ded mine hart my sister my spouse thou hast wounded mine hart with one of thine eyes and with one chaine of thy necke 01 How fayre are thy loues my sister my spouse How good are thy loues before wine and the sauour of thine oyntments before all spices 11 Thy lips O spouse drop the honie combe honie and milke are vnder thy tongue and the sauour of thy oyntmentes is as the smell of Lebanon 12 Thou art as a Garden inclosed my sister my spouse as a spring shut vp and as a fountayne sealed vp 13 Thy plants are as an orcharde of Pomgranates with sweet fruits as of the cipres tree with nard 14 Euen Nard and Saffron Calamus and Synamome with all the trees of incense myrrh and aloes with all the best of the spices 15 O fountaine of the gardens O well of liuing waters and such as flow from Lebanon 16 Arise O north and come O south blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my welbeloued come to his garden and eat the fruit of his sweetnesses 17 I am come into my garden my sister my spouse I gathered my mirrh with my spice I did eate myne honie combe with my hony I did drinck my wine with my milke eat O friendes drincke and be filled therewith O welbeloued TO the ende that the Church might well perceiue and feele that her loue towardes Christe and her looking for him was not lost as also that shee had not commended him in vaine all which things were largely handled in the other chapter it pleaseth Christe the head and spouse of the Church in this chapter not onely to enter into a singular commendation of the excellency of the church as in sundry speciall partes of the same but also to declare his vnfayned loue againe towardes her and euen as it were to assure her of the same 1 In my minde this whole chapter doth contayne two speciall points The first is a singular commendation that Christ gyueth to the church which beginneth at the first verse so holdeth on to the 14 whereof also there are three partes vz. an excellent and singular description handled allegorically of the partes and members of the church he putting down eight in number vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Secondly Christ professeth his great and wonderfull loue towardes the church making large promises and describing notable duties appertayning thereto vers 6. 7. 8. 9. Thirdly he returneth againe to commend the church and many excellent graces in the same as the sweetnes delightfulnesse and pleasure thereof vers 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 2 The second is a notable speech of the church with Christes answer vnto the same vers 15. 16. 17. In the churches speech there is firste a commendation of her head and spouse vers 15. and a wishe that all graces may be conuayed from him selfe to her she confessing that all the good she had she had it from him vers 16. And in Christes aunswere there is contayned a promise of his gracious acceptation of such fruits as the church shall yeeld him vers 17. Verse 1. Behold thou art fayre my loue He beginneth the commendation of the church and first as you may see he commendeth it generally in these wordes and afterwards in this verse and the verses following he entreth into a particular commendation of the seuerall partes and members thereof Behold thou art fayre The dubbling of this saying serueth not only to set forth the vehemencye of Christes loue towardes the church but also the excellencye of the church it selfe in that Christ can as it were find no words sufficient to expresse the same her beauty beeing so great both outward and inward and excellent also in both respectes See this expounded also before chapter 1. 15. Thine eyes are like the doues vz. eyes Meaning by this that they were cleare and simple no doubt but he vnderstandeth hereby the Preachers and teachers of Gods worde who are or shoulde be the same vnto the church that the eye is to the body vz. watchfull and heâ—dy that nothing annoy it in which respect also y e Prophets were called in the olde Testament Seers 1. Sam. 9. 9. See the same phrase expounded chap. 1. 15. Among thy locks of hayre This is not chapter 1. 15. he speaketh this according to the maner of women in those daies who let their smal locks for ornaments as they tooke it hang downe vppon ther temples forehead and faces vnder which and from amongst which as it were the eyes did very comely shew themselues A man may say that by this he meaneth the large assemblyes of the church in the middest whereof as the eyes in the head doe the Ministers and Teachers of Gods worde moste notablye shine foorth Thine hayre is like the flocke of goates He meaneth that it was verye smoath cleare and fayre as the wooll or fleeces of a flocke of sheepe or goates that are well fedde and looked too which he doth yet more plainely expresse by the wordes following Which looke downe This word beeing vsed heere and ver 4. of the 6. chapter is diuersly taken of sundry men some interpret it thus which rise vp from the mountayne of Gilead some thus which croppe from the mountaine of Gilead some one way and some an other Whatsoeuer it be the holy Ghost meaneth nothing hereby but to note that euen as it was a goodly sight to beholde a flocke of goates looking from the mountayne of Gilead which lying on the further side of Iorden was plentifull of pasture and therfore the cattell fed there must be fayre and well liking so was it a pleasant thing to behold the hayre of the church that is the faythfull multitude and beleeuing people in the church which though there were no other respect yet euen for the infinite number thereof might well bee resembled thereto as the haires of our head are without count See for y e proofe both of the one and the other Psalme 40. 12. Also Reuel 7. 9. Also 14. 1 c. And concerning Gilead and the fruitfulnesse thereof See Numbers 32. 1. and other places Verse 2. Thy teeth are like a flocke as it is in the Hebrue of equall ones in adding eyther the word sheepe for the more cleare sense as before or the word goates which is indeed in the Hebrue text of the other verse Which go vp from the washing that is are made white and cleane for that commodity also do sheepe or
it entereth into the Ocean So likewise these wordes Horeb Synai Pharan are most commonly in the scriptures taken for one and the selfe same mount whereas wee knowe that these words are so vsed eyther because the mount Synai was very large and so according to the diuers partes thereof had diuers names or else they were mountaynes one nigh to an other The like maye we saye of Hermon that part that lay towardes Sydon beeing called Shirron as Moses sayth and that part that the Amorites had gotten being called Shenir and that howsoeuer they seemed to be confounded in the dayes of Moses yet afterwardes they were distinguished one from an other as appeareth not onelye by this place but also 1. Chro. 5. 23. From the dens of the lions and from the mountaynes of the Leopardes These places belike as moste commonlye mountaines and such solitarye places abounded with wilde noysome and hurtfull beastes by which Christ noteth also that he woulde set his church free from daungers This then is the meaning that Christ promiseth to bring the church out of Lebanon and to effect this much for her that from the top of most high mountaines shee shall beholde to her most ioyful contentment who be malicious cruell and fierce subiected vnto her And heere we must know that in all this he alludeth to those places of the lande of promise by which the Israelites firste entred into the same and from whence they might beholde that goodly cuntry Shenir and Hermon were very high mountaines on the farther side of Iorden from whence they might behold y e land of promise Lebanon as also Amanah as it should seem was on this side Iorden but yet in the borders of the land of Canaan towardes the north Now we must vnderstand that many tymes in the scriptures vnder the resemblaunce of these thinges that were done amongest the old people there are set out vnto vs such thinges as Christ should doe for his vnder the new Testament For as much therefore as in all this song Lebanon is taken for a pleasant and plentifull place as also in many other scriptures beside for which see Deut. ◠25. and on the other side the Amorites and other enemies dwelt in Hermon and Shenir the holy Ghoste vnder these shadowes meaneth that as from Libanus and other mountaynes scituated on the borders of the land of promise they did beholde the whole country and at the last come into the land of promise so when they come vnto Christ they should haue a gappe layde open vnto many misteries and by Christe at the last bee brought vnto the knowledge of God and life euerlasting from the attaynment whereof neither the pleasures of Lebanō nor y e dens of Lions wild beastes should hinder them but y t in the midst of persecutions tyrannus oppressions they shold haue free accesse and enteraunce thereto Ver. 9. Thou hast wounded my hart or as the word also may import Thou hast caught my hart or taken it from me meaning by both these termes of loue one thing to wit y t Christ was euen inwardly rauished as it were with the loue of the church and so he beginneth now to come again to the praises of the church speaking notwithstanding as it were a man burning with moste earnest loue for all these thinges are set downe to expresse Christes singular loue to the church which when he hath declared with a maruailous earnest affection set out with graue waighty exclamations in this the next verse following he proceedeth to praisethe church for the graces before rehearsed My sister my spouse Christ gyueth the church both these names his sister because she is the daughter of the heauenly father and as fellow heyre of eternal glory with christ and his spouse because he hath betrothed her vnto him selfe in mercye truth and righteousnesse Hosea 2. and accounteth of her as a most dearely beloued wife thou hast wounded my hart He repeateth the former wordes the more still to expresse the earnestnesse of his loue With one of thine eyes q. d. I need not to beholde both thy beauty is so great in one that I am euen taken therewith Thus he speaketh of spirituall graces as earthly louers do of the outwarde partes of those whome they affect meaning no doubt by this not onelye the excellent wisedome and foresight of the church but also the beauty therof for euen in the eye there is beauty And with one chaine of thy necke q. d. not all thine ornaments but euen one of them alone hath drawne me to loue and like thee by which we maye see what account the Lorde hath euen of the best of the graces that he hath bestowed on the church and here still he speaketh as though the church had beene decked after the maner of costly women with chaines iewels and such like ornaments for the beautifiyng of her Verse 10. How fayre are thy loues that is how glorious and excellent yea and full of delight are those sound affections of a good minde that thou carryest towardes me by which I am also moued euen to loue thee againe and hee speaketh of them in the plurall number not onelye thereby to expresse the multitude of thē but the excellency also My sister my spouse These words are interpreted before verse 9. of this chapter How good are thy loues before wine that is they are better and more delightfull by much then very good wine See chapter 1. 2. where the church speaketh the same wordes of Christ that Christ speaketh here of her rendring as it were like for like which is an vsuall maner among louers and particularly in their words and speeches one of them to an other And the sauour of thine oyntments that is the sweete and pleasaunt smell of such graces as thou hast receiued For it is vsuall in the scriptures by oyle oyntment annoynting c. to vnderstand the graces of God bestowed vpon his children See Psalm 89. 20. Also 45. 7. 1. Iohn 2. 20. 27. And yet no doubt but he meaneth also the pleasantnesse that is in the oyntmentes them selues Of which see Prouerb 27. 9. Psalm 133. 2. vnder these earthlye so the word inclosed doth expresse her chastitye as before and noteth also the aboundaunce of fruite in the same shee lying not open as a pray to bee spoiled The inclosure of the church is Gods ayde and prouidence by which he defendeth her against all her and his enimies The church heere compared to a garden inclosed in Isaiah cap. 5. 1. 2. c. is resembled to a vine or Vineyard See psalm 8. ver 8. 12. 13. 14. My sister my Spouse These are expounded verse 9. of this chapter As a spring shut vp vz thou art like vnto it He meaneth by this not onelye the aboundaunce of waters that the church hath to refresh it selfe withall in that he compareth it to a plentiful spring able to water all the parts of his grounde or Garden as
and sometimes dropping seasons as maye serue moste for the commoditye of his ground or garden Blow on my garden that is euen as it were by blastes or blowing from sundry quarters worke that which thou seest to bee good and profitable for me For it is a request hauing a regard to the former comparison of the windes and Christ togeather It is somewhat darke in that the church calleth the church her garden but shee doth it not as hauing any thing of her selfe For whatsoeuer ornaments flowers plants c. she hath shee hath it from Christe but by reason of the nigh coniunction which is betwixt Christ and his church shee beeing flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Ephes 5. 30. yea and the titles of the one and the other being indifferently attributed to the one and the other As 1. Cor. 12. 12. where the church is called by y e name of Christ That the spices thereof may flow out By spices she meaneth all maner of graces and by flowing out she meaneth continuall aboad and increase in the same so that we see to what end the Church desireth graces for Christe vz. that shee in her seuerall members may bee yet more and more fruitfull Iohn 15. 2. Let my beloued come to his garden An another petition containing the crauing of Christes presence meaninge that shee would haue him come and dwell in her euen as he had promised verse 6. of this chapter And eate the fruit of his sweetenesses The ende of the prayer of the churche vz. that Christe might receiue glory and profite by the graces giuen vnto the same And that worde sweetenesses in the plurall number serueth to two endes to wit to expresse the aboundance of Gods graces and also to denote and set out the excellency of the same Vers 17. I am come into my Garden q. d. Now at y e length I haue yeelded vnto thy request to come more fauorably plainly vnto thee thā before For no doubt but he was continually present though the church either felt it not or hee himself did not so fully manifest y e same My sister my spouse This is expounded alredy ver 9. of this chap. I gathered my myrrh with my spice y t is such pleasant delightfull fruits as y u diddest yeeld did indeed belong vnto me I did eat mine hony comb with my hony He meaneth y t he receiued y e fulnes of fruit from the church namely y t as hee had the hony so likewise he had the honicombe I did drinck my wine with my milke that is both the wine the milk y t did belong to me vnder these seuerall sortes hee meaneth still the sweet pleasaunt and profitable fruites that the church did yeelde vnto him declaring heereby that he did moste fauourablye accept the woorkes of his church and that hee was much more delighted therewith than any man is or can be in gathering most sweete smelling herbes and spices or in eating hony yea though he eat it so greedely that he do with all deuour the combe or in drinking the beste wine and purest milke by which no doubt he meaneth the worde of God and the doctrine of the church as we haue heretofore noted the same because that as wine so it maketh the hart merry and as sincere milke it nourisheth yea and strengtheneth the infirme or weake Eat O friendes vz. of mine hony and hony comb Drincke vz. of my milke and wine And be filled therewith O welbeloued that is drincke plentifully of the same by which we see that he compareth the fellowship and coniunction that is betweene him and the church vnto a banquet or feast q. d. take the same fruite that I haue of the church and be delighted therin and satisfied therwith as it were with most sumptuous banquets or daintie dishes So plentifull and kind harted is the lord y t he can not keep his ioy with in himselfe but stirreth vp his friends companions to eat and drincke and reioyce with him meaning thereby speciallye the ministers of his word because God vseth them as his cōpanions in the aduauncement of the worke of mans saluation and generally all the faithfull who shall be fellow heyres with Christ Vers 1. Teacheth vs that as the beauty of the church generallye shoulde cause vs to loue and like the same so particularly the faithfull Pastors performing their dutie and the holy multitude of Gods people they should make vs most to affect and commend the same For if Christ the head and souse thereof bee carried away euen to the loue and liking yea and to the commendation thereof also with the beholding of those graces who yet notwithstanding as in respect of him selfe needeth not them or to regard them how much more should we do it who need not onely these things for our owne stay but by commending the church or imbracing it doe greatly prouide for our owne good thereby Vers 2. Teacheth what a iust composition and order there ought to be obserued in the church and the holye gouernement thereof and that to these two endes especially namely that Christe might take a singular delight and pleasure therin all thinges beeing there perfourmed decently in order according to y e generall rule of the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. 40. and that his people by the same might be builded vp in all holines and righteousnesse euerye day more then other and in all reuerend regarde of that holy fellowship that maintayneth so right and good a course of holy gouernment Vers 3. Teacheth vs that there is nothing in the church that may or ought to make vs more in loue with the same than the holy exercises vsed there and particularly the exercises of preaching and prayer For as by the one God begetteth vs againe to him selfe thorow the incorruptible seed of the word 1. Pet. 1. 23. which is his effectuall instrument to saue all them that beleeue Rom. 1. 16 so by the other rightly performed he prouideth for his own glory while he is called vpon in faith Rom. 10. 14. And for our good giuing vs the meanes and grace to vse the same whereby we are to lay our needes before him and to obtayne such things as we shal aske according to his will in the name of his sonne Christ Iohn 16. 23. Verse 4. Doth notably paint out vnto vs the great glorye and wonderfull strength of the church of God which we are to set as on the one side against all weaknes of our owne so against all malice and power of the wicked our sauiour telling vs that The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Math. 16. 18. And the Apostle naming it the piller and ground of the truth 1. Timot. 3. 15. what meane weake ones then for feare or sauour in the dayes of persecution to fall away from it Or the wicked in such rage fury to set them selues againste it seeing that al their labor is lost that
purity and cleannesse of Gods sighte who as hee loueth no wickednesse neyther will haue euill to dwell with him Psalme 5. 4. So hee cannot abide to beholde it in whiche respect Abacuck sayth notably of him chapter 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not beholde wickednes And whereas in this verse 12. she mencioneth Christes cheekes lips c. no doubt but by the cheekes she meaneth his comely and fauourable countenaunce as by comparing the same to spices the sweetnesse and pleasauntnes thereof as also by the lippes c the sweetnes of his word and truth full of all maner of ioye and reioycing the heart as the Prophet saith Psalm 19. 6. spreading abroad the sweetnes therof euen farre and wide after the maner of the pleasaunt lilies and most precious pure and sweet myrth For the worde lippes see before chapter 4. 3. also vers 11. attributed there by Christe to the church Thus the scripture vseth to resemble diuine thinges to humaine though it be true deuine thinges can by no humaine either wordes or matters be sufficiently expressed Verse 13. His handes as ringes of golde that is glorious and precious for ringes were counted in those dayes great ornaments and deckinges Isaiah 3. 21. Luke 15. 22. neither doth she saye simply ringes but ringes of gold adding yet somewhat more in the wordes following to expresse his glory Set full of Tarshish that is of precious stones so called which what they were is not certaine and that maketh the interpreters to turne it diuersely some vsing heere the worde Chrisolite other some turning it Beril of the sea If it bee a Chrysolite some take it then to bee a very rich precious stone that came out of Aethiopia glistering as gold whereof it seemeth also in the greek tongue to take the name sparkling as fire but yet as some thinke somewhat greene or as other report hauing the colour of the sea in some sort If we read it Beril it is another stone that groweth as some holde in India Berill it selfe beeing as they suppose an indian word and giuen by the people as a name to that stone in greene colour it resembleth the sucaradge as some suppose and was wonte to be cut of the Indians sixe square which they did to make the dimme or dull colour to shewe better for otherwise as some affirme it did not shewe because it was of a colour like oyle after some or like water in the sea after othersome Some write that in former times this stone was most vsually set in such rings as louers did vse to giue one to another or in mariage rings because of the power that was thoght to be in it to procure and continue loue and liking one of them towards another But to come to the worde it selfe that the holy ghoste vseth here I finde it in the scripture to be vsed sometimes for the name of a man as Genes 10. 4. sometimes for the name of a citye or place in Cilicia as Iona. 1. 3. which it shoulde seeme to take from them it is mentioned in Genes chap. 10. 4. And this place was famous by Paules byrth as appeareth Act. 21. 39. Sometimes it is vsed for the name of a precious stone as here which the interpretors in other places where it is mentioned haue not yet agreed vpon what it should be sometimes they turning it a Chrysolite an other while a Carbuncle an other while a Hyachath an other while an Onix c. such varietie there is Other some will haue it to be a stone of a blewishe colour or of colour like the skie or blackish or darke as water beeing deep which they cal by the name of Turkes this and the name of Tarshish not much differing Some of the Iewish Rabbins take it to be a precious stone whose colour commeth nigh to the colour of Hyacinth or Iamith which some take to bee purple coloured All this is put downe that the godly reader may chuse that which he shal iudg most agreeable to the truth For mine own part I think she meaneth that ther is nothing in her spouse but most rare deare precious and glorious thinges vnderstanding also by his handes not onely his strength and power which is also vsuall in the scripture but also al his workes because Christes power in the perfourmaunce of them is the same that mens handes are to them meaning hereby that the workes of God are pure and beautifull yea most precious yea then gold or precious stones yea as numbers of ringes filled with all maner of costly stones by which also vsing the worde ringes in the plural number no doubt but she meaneth to expresse the varietye and great stoore of these wonderfull workes of which Dauid sayth Psalm 40. 5. If I would declare and speake of them they are more in number than I am able to expresse It followeth His belly vz or his breast She putteth part of him for the whole bodye Like the whitenes of Iuorye Shee meaneth that he was as comely and cleare as the Iuorye which is a thing well knowen vnto us to bee verye white and bright made as some saye of an Elophantes tuske which kinde of beastes are onely in Africa naturally as some hold neither doth she simply compare it to Ioury but addeth couered with Saphirs that is that hath most ritch and sumptuous cost bestowed vpon it Iuory of it selfe because it is a thing rare and farre brought muste needes be very costy how much more then when it is beset wholly with precious stones yea with most costlye precious stones such as Saphirs are of which we can hardly saye anye more certainly than before of Tarshish Some specially of the Iewish wryters take it to bee of the colour of the ayre some a white stone some a red stone some take it to bee an adamant some thinke it to bee of a blewishe colour intermixed with purple hauing certaine sparkes like golde as it were in the same and this last seemeth in my mind to be the likliest iudgement In Medea or amongest the Medes is the best sort of them and yet none of them all are very cleare Whatsoeuer it bee this I take to bee the meaning of the church to shewe that Christe her spouse was not onelye most comely adorned but also most sumptuously and costly euen as Iuory beset with pearles and most precious stones Verse 14. His thies are as pillers of marble She proceedeth in the commendation of his partes and in that shee resembleth his thies vnto pillers shee meaneth thereby his strength which yet is more set out in that she sayth they are of marble by which shee doth not onelye note as before the strength thereof but also the comelynes of the same For marble though there bee sundrye sortes thereof are counted such stones as are commended for seueral colours and spots in the same and hath his name in the Greeke tongue as it should seeme for a
certaine greene kind of glittering greene Set vpon sockets of fine gold She meaneth by this speech that they haue not only a fayre fine foundatiō but euen a sure one also For as those pillers are glorious that are set vpon fine gold and lyke long to laste because golde hardlye rusteth or cankereth so is it with Christe the Church noting by all these thinges the assured soundes strength constancy and durablenes of her spouse because as amongst stones marble so amongst mettall golde is most strong and durable His countenaunce as Lebanon that is pleasaunt and delightfull for Lebanon as we haue heard before was a pleasant and fruitfull place Excellent as the Cedars that is as glorious and as much to be esteemed as the high and mighty Ceders of Lebanon So we read as the Laurix tree which is a tree hauing leaues lyke a Pine tree the wood and timber whereof is very fit for building not onelye because it is easie to worke in but because it will hardlye or not at all perishe either by rotting or wormes yea if that be true which some write of it it will not easely be consumed with fyre but there is a long space before the fire can either take hold of it or burne it to coales By which no doubt also there may be well meant the eternall durablenes of Iesus Christ the sonne of God who though he bee a fyre to consume the wicked and though the wicked thinke by flames as it were to burne him yet they shall not bee able to annoy him Verse 15. The roofe of his mouth is sweetnesses Shee meaneth by one instrument of nature wherewith the voyce is formed to wit the roofe of the mouth euen the voyce it selfe the words vttered therewith and by sweetnesses which she vseth in the plurall number she meaneth not only the pleasantnesse of his worde which as Dauid sayth is more sweete vnto his taste than the hony and the hony combe Psalm 19. 10 but also the great aboundaunce and wonderfull plentye thereof What a sweet voyce is this Come vnto mee all yee that labour and be heauie loden c. Math. 11. 28. And this So God loued the world that he gaue his onelye begotten Sonne c. Iohn 3. 26. See for this Phrase also Psal 45. 2. And he himself is wholly delectable y t is there is nothing neither within him nor w tout him but it may moue mē to take a singular delight pleasure in him she affirming y t we are of him whollye and together which shee had before declared in euery part of him almost And how can this chuse but be true both in the whole and in euerye part seeing that God was in Christe and reconciled the worlde vnto him selfe 2. Cor. 5. 19. and that in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead bodely God beeing manifested in the fleshe and iustified in the spirite Collos 2. 9. 1. Tim. 3. 16. So that whosoeuer doubteth of this or denyeth it may as well call the truth of God him selfe into question This is my welbeloued vz that I haue described vnto you And this is my louer O daughters of Ierusalem As though she should say he is such a one as I haue painted him out vnto you in this excellent shew and beautye that yee maye easelye know him in and amongest others And this dubbling of the wordes that shee here vsed was not onely profitable to expresse her earnest affection towardes him but also to mooue them with whom she talked both to the earneste louing and liking of him whom shee had described and also that they might be the better able either to do her message mētioned vers 7. of this cha to christ or to bring her wher he himself was And in calling him her welbeloued and louer she meanneth to expresse that as Christe had carryed vnfayned good will towards her so she did in some measure of a sound mind vnto him as her dearling best beloued on whō alone she could find in her hart as we say to bestow her whole loue her selfe and all To be short in ending thus emphatically she giueth vs to vnderstand that not beeing able by any figures phrases metaphors similitudes words or speeches to describe him to the full she would in a worde as it were shut vp all that he him selfe within and without both generallye and euerye part of him was altogeather amiable and worthy indeed to be affected both of her and also of all those that either shoulde heare of him or see him Verse 16. O thou the fayrest among women See this expounded before in this chapter verse 8. Whither is my welbeloued This is the second question of the Damselles and friendes of the Church as we haue noted before which they propound not as of euill wil towardes her or her spouse but of a good minde to imbrace him as appeareth by the wordes and to goe with her to seeke him Whither is thy welbeloued vz y t thou hast so notably painted out vnto vs and so plainlye opened Turned a side vz from thee and yet it shoulde seeme that they meane by the worde y t he is not gone far nor will be long absent That we seek him with thee They shew the end of their asking that so they may remooue all doubt and suspition out of the Churches heade that they aske not otherwise than of an vnfayned minde and harty good will both towardes Christe and her in that they offer them selues as it were to be companions with her in seeking him All commeth to this that after the Church had liuelye painted out the person of her loue to the Daughters of Ierusalem that is to the friends of the church and had descrybed his complexion members speech and other excellent vertues qualities and graces in him that if they had but either seen him or heard him speake they might haue knowen him the holy Ghost sheweth what effect this tooke in their heartes namely it so inflamed them with an vnfayned loue towardes him that presently they will be companions with her in seeking of him These questions do the faythfull and elect people of God propound labouring thereby to fetch from the mouth of the Church a profitable instruction and professing that they are desirous to seeke find him euen as she If this seeme straunge we must know vnderstand y t without the church Christ can neither bee sought for as he shoulde neither indeed found Vers 17. My welbeloued is gone down into his garden The churches answere to y t former demand for shee hath nothing in her but she wil acquaint her children and friendes with the same And in that she vseth the word of going downe she speaketh it not onely as hauing respect to the daughters of Ierusalē with whō she talked for their good and instruction but as hauing regard also to the scituation of the city it selfe from whence they could not passe to their gardens of
contende with the Cytties of the East but as somme of them doe report was the moste famouse of them all See PLINIE lib 5 CAP. 14. Thus wee see the pleasauntnes Gorgeousnes and bewty of the Church set out vnto vs by earthlye similytudes And though it bee true in deed y t none of these can sufficiently declare the same vnto vs yet we may perceiue that the Scripture hath taken not only the most excellent thinges of the lands of Iudah and Israel but of the whole world to set forth thesame vnto vs that so vnder these earthly resemblaunces he might the better make vs who are very grosse and dull to conceiue of heauenly and spirituall thinges It followeth Terrible is an army with many ensignes One woulde thinke that this should be no great commendation speciallye sith resembling the church to a woman neither doth it agree to that sexe neither is it prayse-worthy in them as some suppose to strike terror into others But we say first euen for womākinde that it is and shall be no small commendation vnto them If with their grauitye and maiesty they strike terror and fear into impure fellowes euen by sobriety and seuerity of countenaunce driuing suche from them as woulde make them disloyall to their husbands Which thing also maye notably agree to the Churche in a double respect to witte firste when as in respect of her excellente maiestye shee so terrifieth her aduersaries especiallye false teachers who woulde defile her with corrupt doctrine that they dare not so muche as touche her otherwise or further then as GOD permitteth and appoynteth Secondly when as in regard of her disobedient children she woundeth them by the worde and Discipline for a while that by repentaunce they may bee healed and holpen for euer against the subtilty of Sathan and the strength of sinne shee not striking them thereby to confounde them no more then God doth strike his children by his roddes to ouerthrowe them for euer but to reconcile them to their eternal comfort saluation Neither doth the Lord meane this onely by resembling his church to armies with many ensignes but also to set out vnto vs thereby the good order inuincible force of the same For euen as in greate armies the more good militarye orders there are established and practised holye courses kept the greater is their glory and comlinesse and the more do they flourish prosper euen so is it with the church And as it is an impossible thing to preuayle vppon an army consisting of innumerable and valiant people so is it as hard yea altogether impossible to preuayle againste the Churche sithe it is of suche strength power and fayth as though it may bee assaulted yet it can neuer be ouercome See the like phrase to this vers 7. of this chapter Verse 2 Turne thine eyes ouer againste mee That is looke vppon mee aud regarde mee q. d. Though thou bee past yet turne thine eyes backe againe that thou maiest beholde mee That they may lift mee vp that is that so I maye receyue comfort in the sighte of thee Thus Christe speaketh to the churche that hee mighte giue her to vnderstande that he would render to her like for like She had twise before declared that shee was as it were faint and sick thorow loue for which purpose see chap. 2. 5. also chap. 5. 7. The very like strength and power of loue to be in him towards her doth here Christ declare both that so she might know there was no loue loste and also that she might be cōforted in the heauines she was in I know that others do otherwise turne this parte of the verse as thus Turne awaye thine eyes from me for they are stronger than I or they ouercome me giuing also this sense that christ wold haue the church to caste her eye from him because he could hardly keepe himselfe from shewing againe most manifest tokens of his loue c. But the other in my minde is most simple and plaine not onely agreeing best with the circumstaunces and occasion of the place and purpose of Christ but also standing well with the meaning of the Hebrue worde which maye and doth as wel signifie to turne to as to turne from and in this verse rather to turne to because afterwardes in this chapter also verse 10. The Lord calleth the Church vnto him This is then the meaning that I take this first part of the verse to containe in it the wordes of comfort and consolation q. d. bee of good comfort and in an assured fayth looke vp to me y t so I my self also whoe am in some sorte caste downe with thy heauines may receiue both comfort and glorye by thy faith and conuersion for no doubt but sith ther is so great straight a coniunction betwixt Christ his church as the apostle speaketh of 1 Cor. 12. 12. There is also a sympathy fellow-like feeling or suffering together as it were Christe beeing seased with sadnesse as a man would say in the greefe of the church and reioycing again in the gladsomnesse and ioy thereof Thine haire is like the flocke of goates which looke downe from Gilead This is alreadye expounded before chapter 4. 1. Spirituallye by this may bee meant either the multitude of beleeuers or the aboundance of Gods graces bestowed vpon the church or else he meaneth that the beauty of the church is stayed and sure and cannot decay by any infirmity of hir own because it is whollye stayed and vphelde by the grace and power of Christ For as it coulde not fall out otherwise but that the flockes in Gilead must thriue and prosper so it could not otherwise bee but that the church and graces of God in the same must needes continue and increase because it is vnderpropped and nourished with the aboundaunte blessinges of Christe the heade and husbande thereof Verse 3 Thy teeth are like a Flocke of Sheepe which goe vp from the washing that is white pure and clean All which bring out Twinnes That is they are also euen equall as commonly twins are And there is none barren amongest them He meaneth that they were all full and none wanting as I take it for as teeth aunswearing euenly one to an other as in respect of the vpper and nether iawe is comely and as when either inche one iawe or in the other one standeth not further out then an other but all are of an equal height or euennes it is some beuty many times to y t countenance so was it in the church See al this expounded before chapter 4. verse 2. where Christe speaketh euen the same thinges of the church vsing it here not as a vaine or idle repetition but as hauing regarde to the church and that in a double consideration The first is to shew her that notwithstanding her offence hee loueth her still as before which also causeth him to vse the same wordes here that there Secondly because he knew how
glorious shew at which time shee seemeth a very beautifull and fayre creature indeed Pure as the sunne He meaneth not onely simply and of it selfe as the sunne hath not her light from any other but glorious also and full of wonderful maiesty so in Christes transfiguration it is sayde that his face did shine as the sunne Math. 17. 2. and Reuel 1. 16. it is sayd that his face shonne as y e sun shineth in his strength In a word vnder these speeches the holy Ghost woulde not onely note the growth of y e church by comparing it to the morning but the excellency glory of it by resembling it to the moone yea to the sunne the most excellent and glorious of all the heauenlye creatures that we doe beholde And terrible as an armie with many ensignes This is largelye expounded before in the first verse of this chapter Ver. 8. I came down to the fair dressed gardē Many turn it the garden of nuts with what reason let thē see This rather standeth both w t the etimology of y e hebrue word as good expositors note also more agreeth with the circumstance of the place because afterwardes he mentioneth vines pōgranates such like with which mē are wōt to plant their gardens not w t nut trees which besides y t they are cēmō euery wher to be had are of no precious accoāt or estimation I omit y e mistical reasons y t the iewes alledge why they thēselues shold be cōpared to nuts as ful of childish toyes and conceites No doubt but for the clearing of the sense this is to bee noted as before that heere beginning the seconde parte of the chapter in which Christe laboureth to comfort his church he sayth that he did not of lothsomnesse or wrath depart from her but rather of a very earnest desire that he had to finish y e same most holy mariage that therefore indeede hee went away for a while y t so he might be y e more assured of the time And in y t he resembleth the church to a fayre dressed garden he speaketh after the maner of mē who in y e beginning of y e spring prune purge dresse ther gardens orchards y t so it may bear more fruit when he saith he cāe down to the same he speaketh y t also according to y e maner of men who in the summer time come to see how their hādy works thriue and prosper so y t al is as much q. d. Thou shouldest not haue bin dismaide O church y ◠I departed frō thee for therin I dealt but with thee as good gardeners vine-dressers deal w t their orchards gardens vineyards who cōming perhaps before y t time of fruit to look for fruit finding none depart not for euer but til another more conuentēt season when they may receiue fruit And besides y t this agreeth wel w t christs purpose q. d. think not not y t I wil any more lose my labour cost bestowed vpō thee then owners of their gardēs orchards y e words folowing also in this ver do help to strengthen vphold this sense To behold the green plants of the vally y t is things newly plāted set to see also how they did thriue grow he vseth y e word vally which in y e hebrue tong signifieth both a riuer a brooke a vally also thorow which a riuer or brook did or might run because men commōly plant ther as which they take to be more plētiful fruitful To see whither the vine florished the pomgranates budded By 2. wordes he meaneth one thing namely y t as men look not onely to see the growth of their grifts plants but also their fruits whither they were then ripe so he did wait whether y t time appointed for y e mariage were come wherof also he had forerunning signes euen as the flourishing of y e vine budding of pomgranates were tokens of y e spring past of the sommer comming on See for this purpose cap. 7. 3. of this book Which order course our sauior him self obserueth Mat. 24. 32. see also for this end purpose Isa 5. 1. 2 Vers 9 When I perceiued not these thinges Vz. The Vine to flowrish the Pomgranate to bud c. Which are mentioned ver 8. meaning therby that when he perceiued the time of the mariage was not yet come as men know y ◠summer is not come when these thinges sprout not out to which also may be added that when hee perceiued howe greeuously the churche tooke his absence then My soule my louing affection and tender hart for now hee goeth about to declare what councell hee tooke when he perceiued that the long looked for time of mariage was not yet come namely that he made great hast backe againe as it were to comfort his Church which he expresseth by the metaphors following Set mee vpon the chariots that is yeelded mee good and sure meanes to bee caried neither doth hee onely note hereby the meanes of his comming to the Churche but in the wordes following the speede that he made Of my free people q. d. As they they that be willing and free hearted people do the things that they doe cheerefully and therefore also with more expedition and speede then others so came I cheerefully and with a readye minde after I had once resolued vppon the matter to see comfort the churche for this free harted and willing people see Psal 110. 3 I know other giue other sences of these words but me thinketh this is moste plaine and simple So that I sayd As before hee had declared his purpose and resolution of his returning to the church to the great comfort of the same so now hee sheweth what hee spake when hee came to her Verse 10 Returne returne These are the wordes of Christe vnto the Churche who in seeking of him had as a man wold sai gone beyond him And this calling of her backe again is expressed vnto vs vnder the similitude of an earthly man who as it were a farre off whooteth and shouteth euen as lowd as he can by wordes and speech to bring such back as wander out of the right way O Shulamite No doubt but vnder this terme hee meaneth the church which some thinke signifieth made moste perfect thorough the eternall purpose and calling of her by God to himselfe Me thinketh also it may be deriued of Salem by which name Hierusalem was called in former time as appeareth See Psal 76. 2. Gens 14. 18. Heb. 7. 7. 1. 2. and though perhaps it may rather bee sayde Schelemite than Schulamite yet it may be of another forme as in the scripture we reade Schunanite of Schomem 2. King 4. 8. 12. And the rather I would referre it to Hierusalem because that worde is often vsed in the scripture for the church it self Returne returne This is no vayne
4. 3. and by fayth haue ouercome all difficulties that so I might at the length come to the heauenly house Hebr. 12. 22. Neither speaketh shee this as boasting of her selfe for she confesseth that shee was fayne to leane vppon Christe and he as it were to vphold and vnderproppe her in all good thinges Yea and by the wordes following shee sheweth that shee had the beginninges by laying both which togeather we maye set that shee gyueth all vnto him euen as the Apostle doth Phillip 2. 13. shee beeing but the instrument of Gods power and goodnesse in the performaunce of the same Vnder the apple tree Iraised thee vp that is gaue thee life and being euen as men that are in a heauye sleepe and are thorowly waked seeme to be raysed vp from death to lyfe And by the Apple tree he meaneth here not onely Ierusalem from whence the Lorde brought foorth a people vnto him selfe but euen all the places of the worlde in which it pleased God to beget and bring forth a people vnto him self all which and euery one of which may rightly be compared vnto an Apple tree not onelye because vnder the shadowe thereof there is comfort and refreshing but also because that the good profitable and plentifull fruit of that tree may very aptly resemble the good workes of holy obedience that the faithfull yeeld to the Lord in which respect also the Prophet calleth them the trees of righteousnesse Isaiah 61. 3. There thy mother conceiued thee How and in whatsense the church is called a mother See vers 6. of this chapter There she conceiued thee that bare thee A description of a mother and this is repeated not as a vaine word but to shew that the church can not bring forth spirituall children to God but with as much both paine and daunger if not farre greater than earthly and worldly mothers bring foorth theirs Vers 10. Set me as a seale on thy hart As thogh the church should say Seeing thorow thy goodnesse and strength I haue vndertaken and performed all these labours and toyles to attyre thee I beseech thee let me not be cast off or lose my labour but let the remembraunce and loue of me take a deepe impression in thee yea euen in thy hart and minde And as a signet vpon thine arme that is let mee bee as deare and precious vnto thee as the signet that thou carryest about thee which how precious it was and highlye esteemed may appeare in that Zerubbabell hath a promise made him that the Lorde will make him as a signet Hagg. 2. 24. and on the contrary side in that Iehoiakim is threatned that if he were as the signet of Gods right hande yet the Lord woulde plucke him from thence Iere. 22. 24. The summe is that it is a request full of affection and earnestnesse which the church maketh vnto Christ q. d. Seeing I haue yeelded thorow thy goodnesse such testimonies and tokens of an vnfaygned heart and loue I beseech thee againe on the other side to carry me continually in thy mind to haue mee alwayes in thy sight and in thy handes euen as men weare iewels about their neckes and vpon their breastes and put ringes specially their signets and seales vppon their fingers both to haue them alwayes in a readinesse and to shew the speciall account they make of them For loue is strong as death that is the loue that I carry to thee is most earnest vehement and mightye and will ouercome all thinges so it maye bee partaker of thee euen as death it selfe Others expound it thus that shee had rather chuse death than want him that shee loued but the former sense is moste plaine and simple in my minde she vsing this the wordes following as reasons to perswade him to loue hir againe and to continue with her for euer seeing she had so earnestly set her minde and affection vpon him Iealousie is hard as the graue By iealousie shee meaneth not an ill humor of suspition but the ardencye and feruencye of her loue towardes him who coulde not abyde as it were that he should loue any but her For iealousie of it selfe is not euill speciallye seeing the Lorde sayeth hee is iealouse ouer vs. Exod. 20. 5. But when it is carryed into the extreamitye of a suspicious minde And when he saith It is hard as the graue she meaneth y t it wil not be conquered no more then y t graue which as it deuoureth all bodyes cast into it whereof also it hath the name so doth she deuour all difficulties distresses that might hinder her from her loue The coales whereof are coales of fire Shee compareth her vnfayned loue to an other thinge namelye to fire not onelye because it warmeth and maketh hotte but also because it kindleth and increaseth yea and is the meane to consume and purge the church meaning by this that the fire of vnfayned loue in her hearte towardes him shoulde not onelye be euerye daye more and more increased and shyne foorth as light vnto others but also consume all cursed corruptions that might hinder her affectition towardes him euen as fire should licke vp straw or stubble before it and that is the reason also why shee addeth And as a flame from the Lorde or as it is in the Hebrue a flame of the Lorde meaning by that a most excellent fire for the Scripture is wont to ascribe great and excellent thinges to God as Psalme 36. 6. Thy righteousnesse is like the mountaynes of God Others take it as a flame of fire sent foorth from the Lorde to destroye the wicked but no doubt shee meaneth to magnifie the greatnes of it as which God by the most mighty light of his spirite doth not onelye begin in those that bee his but also so kindle and encrease that it endureth euen for euer and euer Vers 11 Many waters can not quench this loue Shee proceedeth in setting foorth the earnestnesse of her affections towardes Christe shewing that sith her loue was as a mighty and excellent fire within it it coulde not bee put out but with manye troubles afflictions and persecutions It is an vsuall thing in the Worde to compare both the troubles of the godlye and the troublers of them also to Waters see for this purpose Psalme 69. 1. Also Reuel 17. 15. Neyther can the Flowdes ouerflowe it Thogh shee meane the same thinge in other wordes yet it is no vain repetition for it is as much as if shee shoulde saye no persecution no not the greatest should preuayle vppon mee to quenche out or drowne vp my loue towardes mee And that the worde Floudes is so vsed in manye places of scripture maye appeare by Psalme 124. 5. 5. Also Math. 7. 25. 27. By which hee meaneth as the apostle sayth that neyther trybulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famin nor nakednes nor peril nor sword shall separate vs from the loue of Christe as Romans 8. 35. If a man woulde giue all
to the troupe of horses that are ioyned to Pharaohs chariots 10 Thy cheekes are comely as it were with rowes of stones thy necke as it were with collers 11 Wee will make for thee borders of golde with studdes of siluer 12 In the mean while that the king is at his repast he sendeth out his sauour of mard 13 My beloued is vnto me as a bundle of myrre remayning between my breasts 14 My beloued is vnto me as a berry of the Cypres tree in the Vineyards of Engedi 15 Behold thou art fayre my loue beholde thou art fayre thine eyes be like the doues eies 16 Behold thee thou art fayre O my beloued yea thou art pleasaunt yea our bed is greene 17 The beams of our houses are of Ceder trees our walking places are of wood like Cypres An exposition vpon the Canticles otherwise called Schelomons song BEfore wee come to open this booke something would ve marked touching the obscuritie and hardnesse therof whereof I suppose a duble reason may be yeelded The one is the sodaine chaunge of the number tense and personne as now speaking singularly then plurally now in the present time anone in the time to come now in the person of the Bride and anone in the person of the Bridegrome or some other The other is for that in parables and darke speeches there is expressed vnto vs verye diuine and heauenlye matter the holy Ghost vsing this maner of speaking not onelye that the eyes of the wicked might be stopped from beholding spiritual comfort but also that the good might know that whatsoeuer light they haue they haue it from him for both which see Math. 13 ver 11. 12. 13. c and also that they might imploy all the vnderstanding they haue to the comprehending of these though darke yet very excellent misteries Letting passe all necessities either of the Iewish Rabbinnes or of the old expositors and namelye of Origen wee will content our selues with a plaine and simple sence of this Booke wherin Schelomon being the holy ghostes instrument doth liuely declare the marter and maner of mariage which is betwixt Christe and his Church somtimes setting out the speeches that passe betweene them making as it were thereby the betrothment otherwhiles declaring the mutuall duties one of them towardes an other but specially that same great loue of the Bridegrome to his spouse which is neuer remooued but alwayes abideth constant how oft soeuer shee fall awaye and seeme as a man would saye to forsake her husband If any think this kinde of dealing to be ouerlight for so graue weighty a matter let them take heed that in the height of their owne hartes they doe not ouer prowdly censure God and his order who in many places vseth this similitude or parable of mariage to expresse his loue to his Church by and the dutie of the Church towardes him one or two places shal serue as Hoschea 2. 19. I will mary thee vnto me for euer yea I will marry thee vnto me in righteousnes c. Also 2. Cor. 11. 2. I haue prepared you for one husbande to presēnt you as a pure virgin to Christ And that by this meanes Christes loue is expressed towardes his Church maye appeare Ephes 5. 25. Husbandes loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church And the obedience of the Church to Christe is declared in the same chapter ver 22. 23. 24. Concerning the time when this Booke should be written nothing can bee sayde of certainty out of the scriptures Wiherfore leauing coniecturall gesses let vs cleaue to the certeinty Gods spirite hath penned it and by the prouidence of our almighty God it hath beene esteemed in all times to the end that we vpon whō the ends of the world are come might reap and receiue profit and comfort thereby and yet see somewhat thereof hereafter 1 This first Chapter I doe deuide into three partes The first comprehendeth the tytle or inscription of the worke together with the authors name this is in the first vers 2 The seconde setteth out the wishes of the Church dersiing effectuallye to be ioyned with her head and spouse Christ And this is from verse 2. to the end of the 7. 3 And the third conteineth Christs ready offering of himself to his church with a mutual cōmendation one of an other vz. of Christ his Church from ver 8. to the end of y e chap. Verse 1. A song of songes That is to say a most excellent and notable song For by dubbling of the wordes the Scripture vseth if it speake of good thinges to vnderstande moste excellent thinges as Deut. 10. 17. The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lordes That is to say most high Lord and God Whereas if it speake of base thinges it doth then on the other side by dubbling debase them as much as Gen. 9. 25. It is sayd of Ham A seruant of seruants shall he be That is to say a most vile slaue or seruaunt Which is Salomons That is to saye which Salomon made putting the time present for the time past And this is the generall title of the whole Booke and conteineth as a man would say not onelye the writers name but the verye chiefe matter it beeing a moste excellent mariage song as you would say beeween Christ and his church That Solomon ment not onely to set out his match with Pharoas daughter if which you may see Psal 45. thorow out but also to ascend on high vz. to the spirituall marriage betweene Christ and his church I take it to be ouer plaine then needeeh to be stood vpon Verse 2. Let him kisse me The Church desireth the vnfained loue and continuall presence of Christ For kissing in old time was vsed as a testimony of loue see Genes 31. 28. Genes 45. 15. Luke 7. 45. 2. Cor. 13. 12. So that he putteth the signe of the thing for the thing it selfe With the kisses of his mouth The church meaneth by kises in the plurall number the aboundaunce am continuaunce of his loue and by the worde his mouth his presence euen as it is ioyfull to parties affiaunced not onelye to see one an other but also to continue togeather And in this part of the verse is contained the churches wish in the nexte part is declared the reason of her wish for thy loues are good By Loues shee meaneth fauour and liking of her and she speaketh thereof in the plurall number both to set out the plentifulnesse of the same in Christe and to declare also what great comfort she did conceiue by the aboundance thereof and by good she meaneth profitable sweete pleasant and as it were ful of saluation vnto her and marke the soudaine change of the person for heere the Church speaketh of Christ in the second person whereas before shee had spoken of him in the third Before Wine that is to say if they are better then Wine if they may be compared therewith that men
the mutability of the ayre were maruailouslie defaced as it were or els that by the figure Metonomy he putteth the tentes for the people dwelling in the tentes which I rather encline vnto by reason of that which is written Psal 120. 5. Kedar was the name of one of Ishmaels Sonnes as appeareth Genes 25. 13. who togeather with their posteritie as it should seeme inhabited some part of Arabia Petrosa and called the name of that quarter where they dwelt Kedar by the name of their first Father see Isaiah 21. from verse 13. to the end of the chapt But I take it to be here vsed more generally that is a parte of the Countrie for the whole and the name of the Country for the people inhabiting the same as Hieremie 2. 10. Hiereme 49. 28. that the people dwelt in Tentes it appeareth not onely by this place but by Isaiah 13. 20 Besides that they were blacke this reason me thinketh is sufficient to proue because they were gyuen muche to trauell from place to place and to sore toile in so often remouing their Tentes which they dwelt in and also by reason of their nigh bordering to the Ethiopians as apeareth 1. Chron. 21. 16. who were black therof were called blackmoores See Hie. 13. 23. but I am like to them that dwell vnder Solomons Tapistry that is to say moste faire and comely for those that dwell in Kinges houses and specially those that are continuallye in the places of most costly furniture and rich hanging are not only verie faire as whose beautie the sun or sharpe weather doth seldome touche but also are comely because of beeing continually in the Kinges presence from which purpose our Sauiour Christes speach Math. 11. 8. doth not much vary And no doubt but by one parte of Solomons househoulde as his tapistrie or curteines shee ment all the glorye and furniture of his house whatsoeuer of which you maye read at large 1. Kinges 10. 1 2. c. Verse 6. Looke not vpon me The church continueth her speach to the particular members thereof willing them not to looke vpon her that is not to be discouraged from ioyning themselues vnto her for all her afflictions which make her outwardly as it were deformed but rather to haue their eyes fixed vppon Christ her husband those inward beauties graces that he hath decked her with all Because I am somewhat blacke She doth in this speech somewhat lessen the word blacke that was vsed verse 5. q. d. My blacknes is not so much as perhaps you take it to be and therefore be not so much discouraged as you woulde seeme to bee because the sunne hath behelde me The Church declareth in these and the wordes following that that blackenesse was not her owne naturall colour as a man woulde saye but that it came by some other meanes as firste because that thorow oppression and persecution shee was as it were by the sunne dryed vp So that the word sunne is taken here for the heat of persecution and so it is Math. 13. 6. 21. because the sonnes of my mother kindled with wrath against me haue appointed me the keeper of other vineyards I know this place is diuersly expounded Some giue this sence of it by sonnes of the same mother they vnderstand originall sin and the sinne that dwelleth in the church and by beeing kindled with wrath they vnderstand sinne increasing and raging as it were and by appoynting the church to Keepe other vineyardes they vnderstand the committing of the workes of the flesh and the deedes of darknesse with which she was as it were holden so that she coulde doe nothing els till the Lorde had loosed her out of these chaynes Others to whome I rather incline expounde it thus The sonnes of my mother that is to say those that seemed moste deare vnto me and were as it were my selfe who also bosted in the name of the church Kindled with wrath against me that is to saye though they pretended good will towardes mee yet were they set on fire with wrath and hatred against mee Haue appointed me the keeper of other vineyards that is to saye haue made mee to take vppon me that which did not in deede appertaine vnto me and to intermeddlein those thinges that did nothing respect me And this sence me thinketh may bee warranted not onely because a mans enemies are they of his owne houshold and of his dearest acquaintance Math. 10. 36. Psal 50. 20. Psal 55. 12. 13. 14. but also because we see by experience howe those that woulde bee counted the brethren and the fathers of the Church vnder the name and title therof haue labored to thrust into the Church the execution of Ciuill causes and offices which do not indeede belong to the Church nor to the ministers thereof as may appeare Luke 12. 13. 14. whereof the Church maye and doth not without cause complaine as of a great burthen too heauie for her to bear and this is the second cause of the Churches blacknesse and now followeth this cause of her blacknesse continued in these wordes Because I would not haue kept to my self mine own vine That is to say I haue departed from the dutie that was prescribed vnto me though it were neuer so healthfull and profitable for me wherein also we see the churches humble confession of her negligence and carelesnesse in executing the calling wherein she was placed Verse 7. Shew me The Church turneth her speech againe to her spouse q. d. Thinke not y â— either by others slanders or mine owne offences I am discouraged to come vnto him no I will call vpon him in your presence and you shal heare him aunswearing me By the word shewing the Church desireth instruction and knowledge so haue you the same worde vsed Iob. 10. 2. O thou whom my soule loueth That is to saye thou whom I loue from my hart For this Periphrasis no doubt hath greater force then if the church had sayde O my beloued or O my deare spouse as the contrary speech Isaiah 1. 14. noteth wonderfull disliking Where thou feedest vz. thy flockes For she compareth Christ to a good sheepheard that prepareth meet and conuenient food for his flocke see Psalm 23. 1. c. Iohn 10. 14. Where thou carest that thy flock may lie downe at noone tide The church here expresseth the great care and loue that Christ hath ouer his people which he calleth by the name of flocke as Luke 12. 32. Actes 20. 28 and also in what a quiet state and condition they are in which follow Christ True it is that he expresseth this vnder a parable of the flockes taking their rest at noone time in the heate of the daye but by such manner of earthlye speeches it pleaseth the Lord many times in his word to set out spirituall and heauenly matters For why should I be as one that spreadeth the tent amongest the flockes of thy companions The church noteth in this speech two thinges the
one is if shee finde not the spouse shee is in daunger of falling into manifest and manifold corruptions The other is that it greeueth her to be conuersant though it were neuer so small a while with counterfeit hipocrites and vngodly persons q. d. what honour shall come vnto thee or profit to me by hiding thy selfe from me and I by falling thereby into societie and familiaritie with others For the church vseth spreading or pitching of tents for familiaritye and felowship speaking according to the people of Arabia who as is sayde before dwelt in tents And when she sayeth Thy companions shee speaketh thus not as though shee made these straunge sheepheardes good shepheards or anye waye comparable with her spouse but rather according to that that they them selues gaue out of them selues and as in name and outwarde shew they woulde seeme to be when as they had nothing in deed and truth See 2. Cor. 11. 14. 15. In a word this me thinketh is the sense the church beeing as it were in daunger wandring vp and downe to seeke her spouse feareth least if shee shoulde not haue the place shewed her where shee might find him she should runne astray and ioyne her selfe to other congregations that do boast them selues to bee Christs companioÌ„s and friends reioyce in the name of the church and yet are neither so nor so Verse 8. Seeing thou knowest not This is Christes aunsweare to the church shewing that he is nigh to them that seeke him as Psal 145. 18. and it consisteth of two partes first hee aunsweareth her and instructeth her and then hee testifieth his good will and kindnesse towardes her Seeing thou knowest not vz. so fully as thou shouldest but in part onelye as all the knowledge of the church in this lyfe is no other 1. Cor. 13. 12. And therefore desirest further instruction I will teach thee O thou the fayrest of women Christ adorneth his church with this title whereby we may see that the church is not as men account of her but as she is esteemed by her spouse Goe out vz. from that companye of counterfeit sheepheardes and sheepe as may appeare by that which hee addeth follow now the steppes of that flocke for their feete tread not in the right path to life but lead the way to eternal destruction And by that worde goe out he noteth not onely the speedy departure from them but that the church shoulde not communicate with them nor with any thing that was theirs See Isaiah 52. 11. which also he noteth by that phrase follow not the steps of that flocke And feed the kiddes I take this particle and heere to be put for but as in other places of scripture q. d. this is it that thou must do not onely shun other mens euils corruptions but do those good thinges that thou art appoynted vnto And by kiddes he meaneth the flockes of faithfull people and euery particular one noting also vnder that manner of speech the tendernesse of the Church and euerye particular member thereof Aboue the tents of other sheepheardes That is to saye with more excellent pasture both for substaunce and forme then these sheepheardes with their tents are conuersant in He meaneth that he would haue the church by the food of the heauenlye doctrine to lift vp the faithfull people far aboue the earth and earthlye thinges as 1. Cor. 2. 14. 15. And he calleth them here shepheardes in the same sence that the church called them verse 7. Christes companions Verse 9. I do compare thee The spouse after instruction of the church entereth into the commendation thereof verse 9. 10. 11. And when he sayth that he doth compare her the meaneth not onely that he doth resemble her no cause thereof beeing in her why shee should be resembled but that he doth and will inable her by his graces euen to the best thinges for that he meaneth by horses ioyned to Pharaohs chariots This we know that Pharaoh was a name common to all the kinges of Aegypt This we know further that the horses of Aegypt were in great regarde and estimation not onely in Aegypt but in other countries also as 1. King 10. 28. 29. Neither is it without force that he speaketh of troupes and multitudes of chariots for for all these things Aegypt was very commendable as Exod. 14. 7. 9. All which layde togeather maketh much for the credite glory and renowne that Christe giueth vnto his church for the excellency therof Vers 10. Thy cheeks are comely The spouse entreth into the commendation of the particular partes of the church and he speaketh of those that are most to be seen because if they be beautifull fayre inquiry is not made of the beautie and fayrenesse of the rest And when he sayth that they are comelye as though they were set with rowes of stones hee alludeth no doubt to the maner of the Easterne princes who vsed to trimm their bridles and other furniture for the fore part of their horses with sundrye kindes of ornaments as golde pearle precious stones c. See Iudges 8. 21. meaning that there was no greater glorye nor comelines in these thinges then was in the outwarde partes and members of the church And to that same end must that be referred when he sayth Thy necke as it were with colours As may appeare in the places of the Iudges before alleadged Now to enquire either heere or in the other partes of this Booke what shoulde bee signified by the Cheekes or by y e necke or other members of the church specified therein would be curiositie because the mind of the holy Ghost is not so much to stand vpon the partes as by recitall of the seuerall partes to commend the whole and yet me thinketh something may now and then be sayd that way without anye preiudice of the truth as in this place to say that the cheekes which in shamefastnesse by meanes of blushing moste commonlye appeareth shoulde be put for shamefastnesse modestye and chastity of the church which neuer lacketh her ornaments and deckinges and the necke for the ministers of the word by whom the word it selfe is deliuered vnto the people euen as the meat by the necke is sent to the stomacke who haue also their glorye and beautifying but of this let euery godly and sober christian Reader iudge Verse 11. We will make for thee These are still the wordes of Christe not spoken as some thinke in his owne name and the name of the friendes of the church such as were some faithful people but spoken in deed as hauing regarde to the miâ—â—ery of the Godhead and Trinity such like kind of speeches see Genes 1. 26. also Genes 11. 7. where God speaketh of him selfe in the plurall number also Borders of golde with studs of siluer vz. set in sundrye places betweene them q. d. though thou be excellently well decked vp yet we will more and more adorne and beautifie thee so that nothing shall be wanting
to make thee comelye and fayre no not Golde and Siluer or anye precious thing what soeuer Verse 12. In the meane while that the king is at his repast These be the wordes of the church spoken as it should seeme to her particular members who were called before virgins or Damselles verse 3. and daughters of Ierusalem vers 5 declaring what graces she receaueth from her spouse For the word king see before verse 4. is at his repast that is at his ease as it were and pleasure and that euen then when he seemeth to haue little regard of his church in mens iudgement and the church to be as it were a pilgrim from him He sendeth foorth vz. vpon me and mine His sauor of Nard that is to saye the most sweet sauor of his graces and this he doth by the word preached and the mighty working of his spirite in the hartes of his children Some of the Rabbins thinke that Nardus was like to Saffron Sure it is that there was diuers sortes of it One sort is called Nardus celtica which the French men call Lawand and we in a terme not far from theirs call Lawander An other sort was called Nardus Assiria which I take to be that that the Euangelistes Marke 14. 3. Ihon. 12. 3. call Spikenard which was verye costly as maye appeare there and reason it selfe also leadeth it because it grew in India or in Assyria places farre distaunt from Iudea and of this I suppose it is that the holye Ghoste speaketh in this place vsinge a verye precious thinge amongest menne to note the most precious giftes of Gods graces and goodnesses to his church Verse 13. My beloued The church proceedeth in the commendation of her spouse whome she calleth here her beloued because she did most tenderly loue like and seeke after him as verse 2. 7. is vnto me that is to say is as deare precious and as sweet smelling to me As a bundle of mirh which was no doubt of a very good sauor as maye appeare Psalm 45. 8. Prouerb 7. 17. Remaining betweene my brestes No doubt he alludeth to the maner of women and maides who are wont to weare in their bosomes nosegaies as they call them made of very odoriferous and sweetsmelling flowres of which also they make no small account esteeming them many times as a principall part of their furniture Whatsoeuer it is the church mindeth to note hath how sweet her spouse should be vnto her and in what great account she would haue him that woulde place him so nigh her as between her brestes as it were Verse 14. My beloued is vnto me The church goeth on in commending her spouse and the graces shee receiueth from him comparing him to an other sweet smelling thing as before she had resembled him to Spikenard verse 12. and to mirth verse 13. As a berrie of the Cipres tree That is to saye sweete pleasaunt and very well smelling for the very Cipres it selfe is a very wel smelling Woode as by experience wee our selues see at this day The interpretors both old and new haue much troubled them selues about this tree and the fruit thereof some affirming one thing and some an other fewe hitting the truth Whatsoeuer it is the holy Ghost did minde in the mouth of the church to expresse a very adoriferous thing The church addeth in the vineyards of Engedi This was the name of a place in the tribe of Iudah as appeareth Iosh 15. 62. It should seeme to be a citie famous for sweet smelling trees and that maketh the holye Ghost to vse it here in this place meaning that the Spouse was more deare and precious vnto her by reason of the wonderfull sweetnesse that she receiueth from him then theâ—e thinges Verse 15. Behold thou art fayre my loue These are Christes wordes commending the church for her fayrenesse and beauty see before verse 8. and he repeateth the wordes againe behold thou art fayre not onelye for the more truth and certainty of the matter and to expresse the excellent beauty of the church which can hardly bee vttered with any wordes but also to comfort the church and the particular members thereof that neither the whole nor the partes of the whole should be discouraged with their blackenesse Thine eyes be like the doues eyes that is simple and chast so that by this similitude he setteth out the singlenes and chastitie of the church not onely in respect of inwarde affection but of outward appearaunce also so that the church hath no vnchast lookes or countenaunces of which we read somewhat Psal 44. 17. 18. 20. but contenteth her selfe with her onely husband Christe and seeketh no other euen as the Doue when shee hath chosen a match keepeth her selfe vnto him onelye and looketh not vpon an other as a man would say as the Philosophers write and affirme And he commendeth her for her eyes because if they be fayre they doe easely couer the spottes and deformities of the rest of the members of the body And we may referre this to the Teachers and ministers of Gods worde in his church who as eyes watch ouer the people of their God Heb. 13. 17. Verse 16. Behold thee thou art fayre c. These are the wordes of the church praising her spouse q. d. Yea rather thou art fayre and whatsoeuer beauty I haue I haue it from thee who hast not the spirite by measure Ihon. 3. 34. but in such fulnesse that of thy fulnesse haue we all receiued Ihon. 1. 16. Thou art pleasaunt vz. not onely in thy selfe but also to me and all mine Our bedde is greene By bed the church vnderstandeth not onely the seat of the church wheresoeuer it bee but also those that in the same place are as it were in bedde spirituallye begotten vnto the Lorde by the Gospell As 1. Cor. 4. 15. and by Greene shee meaneth the prosperous and flourishing estate thereof as Psalme 52. 8. which should appeare by the great increase and multitude that shoulde bee ioyned thereto Verse 17. The beames of our houses I take this to be the wordes of Christe and his church speaking both togeather after they had spoken one of an other and commending not onelye their house but their seuerall houses which also serueth for their great magnificence for the excellencie and wonderfull commodities thereof as for the strength of them and the preciousnesse and pleasures thereof Their strenght is noted in that the beames thereof are sayde to be of Cedar trees which wood as some write will neuer rotte their excellencie and statelynesse is declared in that their walking places were buylded of Cypres or of Wood lyke Cypres which some take to bee Firre whatsoeuer it is they were a certayne kinde of Wood which yeeldeth a moste sweete sauour and the pleasure thereof sette out vnder their walking places or Galleries So that I thinke there is nothing meant thereby but the stability excellency and pleasantnesse of the church and euery particular member
of it both before God as the chiefe and one of them before and towardes an other Verse 1. Teacheth that how soeuer carnall men carnally minded can see nothing of waight in these canticles yet God who hath giuen it so glorious a title can and will open the eies of the spirituall minded man that he shall see wonderfull great misteries contayned therein The want of sight in the one is not in the matter but in the blindnesse of their owne hartes and the beholding of these thinges in the other is not in them selues but in God who of his mercy onely hath opened the eyes of their vnderstanding Verse 2. We learne to wish and pray for the continuaunce of Christes fauor towardes vs because therein onely consisteth all our welfare either inward or outward Some account of one thing and some of an other but in truth nothing is to be regarded but the goodnesse of God towardes vs in Christ Verse 3. The graces that we receiue from Christ are most excellent the reason is because he him selfe is moste excellent and nothing can come from him but it must taste of that singular excellencie that is in him Verse 4. And these wordes Draw me Wee learne that we can not come to Christ except the father draw vs. Ihon. 6. 44. For it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deede Phil. 2. 13. and that of his owne good pleasure such is the strength and power of our freewill whatsoeuer we haue been taught or learned to the contrary And in these wordes When the king him selfe c. We learne that Gods misteries are to darke for vs to attaine to with all the wit and vnderstanding we haue till God by his spirite reueale them to vs. 1. Cor. 2. 10. 14. Also in these wordes We will rehearse thy loues c. That this is and ought to bee the matter of our ioy to thinke vpon and speake of Gods goodnesses towardes vs both generallye and particularly the remembraunce whereof will not onely be profitable to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse but in all causes continually to trust in him who hath so manye wayes shewed him selfe mercifull towardes vs. Verse 5. And these wordes Yet comely am I. We learne that we may praise Gods giftes and graces in our selues keeping alwayes a iuste measure and proportion in that commendation Wee learne further in the same verse that the blacknesse that is the afflictions and trialles of the church shoulde not hinder vs from ioyning our selues thereto For all that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. See also Act. 14. 22. Verse 6. And these wordes because the sonnes of my mother c. We learne that none are greater enemies to the church then those that most brag of her This we see to be true by experience in the papacy who haue nothing in their mouthes but the church the church as the people and Priestes in Ieremies time did the Temple of the Lorde c. See Ieremie 7. 4. and yet for all that both of them were the spoilers of the Temple and Church Also in these wordes the keeper of other vineyardes Wee learne that it behooueth euery one to keepe him within the compasse of that vocation y t God hath committed to him according to the counsell of the holy ghost Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherin he was called 1. Cor. 7. 10. Also Rom. 12. 7. He that hath an office let him waite on the office The Church might haue as much to say for her selfe as some in these daies haue it is giuen mee but that would not stand in steede before the Lord the reason is because euill and vnlawfull thinges many times are giuen which in deed ought not to bee receiued and one must not onely looke to the gyft but to the thing giuen whether it be lawfull or no and to the giuer also whether hee giue it according to the good will of God the giuer of all good giftes Iames. 1. 17. Lastly in these wordes I haue not kept c. We learne humble and vnfayned confession of our sinnes the fruites whereof are described Psal 32. 5. 1. Ihon. 1. 6. Verse 7. Shew me c. This teacheth first that we shoulde bee much mooued with the absence of Christ secondly that we should seek by al the lawful meanes we can to find him and to know the place of his abode of which see an example Ihon. 1. 38. and in these wordes Where the flocke may lye downe at noone both the great care and loue of our Sauiour towardes his people of which see Mat. 9. 36. 37. 38. and the good estate that they are in which follow him See Psalm 23. 1. Mat. 6. 33. Also Math. 14. ver 15. 16. c. Also in these wordes For why should I be c. We learne that though the absence of our sauiour should be grieuous vnto vs yet it should not vtterly make vs to fall awaye from him to others but the more earnestlye to seeke after him Verse 8. Setteth out Christes readinesse and willingnesse to instructe those that of a good minde come vnto him Also these wordes Followe not that flocke Teache the Church to flie as farre from infection of euill as may be and not to come too nigh the persons leaste touching pitch they be defiled therewith See Prouerb 6. 27. 28. Verse 9. Seweth that the church is so glorious as Christ her spouse esteemeth of her It teacheth also the excellencie of the Church and the increase of the particular members thereof because shee is compared to the Horses of Aegypt and to the troupes thereof of which see Psalme 45. from verse 10. to the ende of the Psal Also Act 2. 41. with other places Vers 10. Setteth out the comelinesse and beuty of the church which should also cause vs with all care and reuerence to ioyne oure selues thereto Verse 11. Declareth the assured fauour of the holy Trinitye and the vnspeakable loue thereof towardes the church with the glorious decking and adorning of the same Verse 12. Teacheth that Christ neuer forgetteth his church but is alwayes present with them by his grace and holy spirite Mat. 28. 20. Ihon. 14. 16. Verse 13. Teacheth vs in what great account we shoulde haue our sauiour Christe howsoeuer most reiect him See Math. 8. 34. Mat. 11. 19. Mat. 21. 42. Verse 14. Instructeth vs with humblenesse and loue to acknowledge the manifold blessings of God in others as the church doth it in her spouse I say with humblenesse in respect of our selues because when we see that God hath endued others with greater giftes then our selues he laboureth by that meanes to beat downe the pride of our nature which is alwayes clyming and I say in loue in respect of our brethren because it is very hard to flesh and bloud not to enuie one that is his better any way Verse 15. Setteth out the loue of Christe towardes his
call their Lord their rocke as Psal 18. 2 and somtimes to be content with places of lesse assurance as dens all to broken to the end that for a while she maye hide her self there from the rage and cruelty of the enemy Shew me thy countenaunces that is shew thy selfe in my presence and come vnto me Neither lacketh it some force that he speaketh in the plurall number as that he woulde haue her to leaue none of her particular congregations or members behinde her Make me to heare thy voyce that is to say speake to me walke continuallye with me and be conuersaunt with me O singular loue of Christ to his church that doth thus earnestly seeke for and desire the presence and company thereof and O wonderfull ingratitude of the church if she shold contemne it For thy voyce is sweete and thy countenaunce comelye All this hee speaketh of the church not that she is so of her selfe but it pleaseth her spouse so to accept of her For therefore hath hee giuen him selfe for the church that hee might make it glorious vnto him selfe c. as Ephes 5. 25. 26. 27. And these wordes containe also a reason why Christe so much destreth the presence and company of his spouse Verse 15. Take for vs the foxes I take these wordes still to bee spoken by the church in the person of Christe as though that hee spake vnto his friendes not onely willing but commanding them earnestly to endeuour the remoouing of all thinges great and little that might hinder the groweth of his church which is a peculier inheritaunce vnto him selfe whether it were in vnsound doctrine or in corrupt conuersation See Tit. 2. 14 And whē he saith Take for vs he sheweth that hee hath as great loue to the church as to him selfe which if it be spoyled or hurt it redoundeth also to him selfe By foxes he meaneth not onely euill men as heretickes dissolute persons c. that woulde hinder the groweth of the church but all other thinges whatsoeuer how great or how little soeuer they be which also he signifieth by the next speech in that he calleth them little foxes And when he addeth corrupting the vines hee meaneth marring and destroying yea bringing as it were to vtter corruption and destruction the churches of God That Gods church or the particular churches are resembled to vynes maye appeare by sundrye places of Scripture as Isaiah 5. 1 c. Psalm 80. 8. 14. Math. 21. 33 c. And that foxes are hurtfull to vines our verye proouerb sheweth the foxe will eate no grapes Whilest our vines bring foorth the first grape that is while they are tender and yong as before verse 13. For euē then when the church is beginning to grow woulde it bee looked vnto speciallye which they that haue care of ought heedely to mark and to take heed that it be not deuoured by grieuous Wolues and by men that shall rise vp from among them selues As Actes 20. 29. 30. 1. Iohn 2. 19. aud other places Verse 16. My welbeloued is mine These are the wordes of the church spoken in her owne person and is the conclusion of the former discourse made in this chapter by her wherein she first reioyceth for the most excellent fellowship that shee had with Christe and next shee wisheth as it were his continuall presence all the dayes of her lyfe promising to remayne his vntill shee be perfectlye ioyned with him in heauen Now when shee sayth My welbeloued is mine and I am his It is as much as if shee shoulde saye he will haue no other for his wife but me neither will I acknowledge any other for my Spouse but him wee will eyther of vs delight one in an other and bee contented to take and loue one an other onelye It followeth That feedeth amonge the Lilies I know these wordes are diuerslye interpreted and I thinke it ariseth because the Hebrue word may be taken either passiuely or actiuely Some expound it thus that feedeth among the lilies that is that is most sweet and by the good smell of his sauors that is by his goodnes the sweetnes of his promises calleth allureth me vnto him I will speak what I thinke I had rather expound it thus that feedeth vz. his flockes as chap. 1. 7. among the lilies that is in sweet pleasant soft and well smelling pasture q. d. He that plentifullye pleasantly and sweetlye handleth and intreateth those that are his And to this sence seemeth to agree Psal 23. 1. 2. Verse 17. Vntill that day shall come and these shadowes shall flye awaye These are still the wordes of the church and muste bee ioyned to the latter end of the other verse wherein shee promiseth that shee will remaine to him for euer and euer For though the worde vntill doe moste commonlye note but a peece of time yet here it is vsed for a perpetuitie and euerlastingnes of time as it is also in other places as 2. Sam. 6. 23. Psal 110. 1. Mat. 5. 26. Mat. 28. 20 Which may also appeare in that she saith so forcibly Vntill that day shall come by which he meaneth that same great and last day of iudgement which is vsually pointed out by that maner of speech both in the olde and new Testament as Ioel. 2. 31. 2. Tim. 2. 18. And these shadowes shall flie away By shadows he meaneth both y e troubles of this life and al vanityes whatsoeuer that are set between her and her spouse while shee liueth in this world or els we may vnderstand by shadowes all those thinges that may shadow out vnto vs the hope of eternall life and glorye which may be called shadowes not that they are so of them selues but beeing compared with others that do lead vs vnto those and when shee sayth shall flye away he noteth the suddaine vanishing of the same Returne The church speaketh this as though her Spouse were departed and as though shee coulde not indure and abide his absence though it were neuer so small awhile Belike O my beloued to a roe or to a hindes calfe that is make most haste and speede to come vnto me as before in this chapter verse 9. And depart not any whit at al from me running on mountains whē one of them are sundred from an other He meaneth no doubt the mountaines of Gilead which the riuer of Iorden did seperate from the rest of Iudea See 2. Sam. 2. 29. Now he rather remembreth these mountaines then others of the country of Iudea because they were notable commodious for hunting and well stored with game and therfore much haunted For at what time Solomon wrote these thinges as it should appeare Hamath was not greatly occupied neither was the house builded in the forrest of Libanus see 2. Chro. 8. 2. 3. c. 1. Kin. 7. 1. 2. c. Ver. 1. Teacheth vs that if we wil haue pleasant sweet good things we must look for thē in Christ onelye for it pleased the Father
nothing at all so rechlesse and vnfaithfull manye times are they that should be most forward but proceedeth to declare what issue her diligent searching had namely that shee was scarce gone from them or passed but a little way from them When I found him whom my soule loueth vz. to the great ioy and contentment of my hart I tooke hold of him As in the former wordes she had declared what she did before shee found him so now shee sheweth what she did after she had found him vz. laid fast and sure holde of him as loath to let him depart whome shee had so painefullye sought and did so tenderly loue Neither will I suffer him to depart vz. at any time or by any meanes from me She sheweth the holy purpose she had to detaine and keep Christ with her for the better performance whereof also shee maketh a promise that shee might thereby be the more straightlye bound to the doing of the same Till I shall haue brought him into my mothers house For the word till see before chapter 2. 17. meaning also by her mothers house moste familiar and delightfull dwelling and continuaunce with him by which also for the great loue that mothers beare vnto their children for which see Isaiah 49. as also Isaiah 66. 13. she noteth most comfortable intertainement and friendlye continuing togeather as it were vnder one roofe And into the inner chamber shee meaneth the best place of the house and most secreat and if any one were more secreat better than an other See 2. King 6. 12. Of her that conceiued me A periphrasis or description of hir mother See Psal 51. 5. Verse 5. 1. I charge you by an oth The church hauing obtayned her husband and his holy companye or felowship enioyneth and that verye vehementlye the particular members thereof to doe nothing that may bee grieuous vnto him and no doubt but shee hath a speciall regarde to the custome vsed then and yet euen at this day in some places vsed amongest vs namely that songes are sung before the Bryde chamber and certaine noyses of instruments broght to wake the bride and bridegrome from sleepe See all this verse euen word for word as it is heere expounded before chap. 2. verse 7. which also is an vsuall thing in this booke as we see in many mariage songs and other kind of verses also Vers 1. Who is she vz. beside my selfe q. d. what people is there in the world besides the church that would do this and that that is those things which are expressed in this verse And heere beginneth the other part of the chap in which the church correcting as it were her former speech speaketh thus as it were what shoulde I cause him to remaine with me Nay rather I shoulde striue to enter into his pallace who hath all thinges moste fayre beste furnished and exceedingly sweete and well smelling yea whose very Bedde or Bride-chamber is much more glorious then all Solomons roialty which afterwards shee commendeth in many respectes That would come vp out of the wildernesse that is forsake the world and the things that be therein which may bee aptly compared to a wildernesse because as it is commonly ful of hurtful noysome thinges so is the world As it were perfumed with the liftings vp of smoke that is ascending vp directly euen as pillers of smoke She addeth perfumed with myrh and incense Wee know that these were sweet pleasant things for the sauour and smell of them see Psal 45. 8 Better then all the fine powder of the Apothecarie The worde that is here turned Apothecary signifieth such a merchaunt as selleth all sortes of sweete smelling thinges Our grossers heere amongest vs but specially our Apothecaries haue their shops most stuffed with such sauours and are moste often in the compounding of such things for smell and therefore it is not yll turned Apothecary Whatsoeuer it be the Church mindeth to declare that though she had the vaintiest and delightfullest thinges in the world yet these could not hinder her from comming to her husbaÌ„d Christ in whom were hid al the treasures of God Col. 1. 19. Also Coll. 2. 3. and as in respect of which all the thinges of the world were to be accouÌ„ted but losse dyrt dung and whatsoeuer is most vile see Phil. 3. 8. Verse 7 Behold this bed which is better then that that is Solomons She amplyfieth the excellency of the bed of Christe and his church by comparing it with Solomons first she commendeth it for the safety that is to be had found there and that in this verse and verse 8 all which is conteyned in a parenthesis as you may see Secondly for the deare price and rich furniture of the same vers 9 10. And she entreth into this course of commendation not only to set out the great glory of her husband but thereby also the better to stirre her vp to perfourme her duty towardes him that was of such great state and magnificeÌ„ce About which stand threescore mighty men q. d. The bed is watched least any shold eyther by force or frawd annoy the bridegrâ—me or his spouse neither doth this watche consist of weaklings but of moste stoute and couragious men yea and that of a greate number of them namely threescore and those not heathenish idolaters or prophane professors but as shee sayth afterwards of the mighty men of Israel that is faithfull and godly hauing the knowledge beleefe zeale and obedience of religion towardes the Lord and therefore most likely to be founde trusty towardes other All this is spoken after the manner of earthly princes who as they haue their guard for the day so they haue their watch for y e night and y t in about the bed-chambers as a man would say Verse 8. All taking hold of the swoord He amplifieth this gard or defence shewing that they are not onely godly men but as he sayd before men of valure and courage able to handle this weapon both for the defence of them selues their king and for the annoyaunce and hurt of their enemies Are expert in warre As before shee had commended them for their strength so here shee prayseth them for their skill because one of these without the other are little auaileable Euery one is girded with his swoord vpon his thigh This was the maner and custome then of that people as appeareth Psalm 45. 3. By which also shee noteth their readines in the vse of their weapoÌ„s For feare vz. least any hurt should befaule y e brydgroÌ„e or y e brid Euery night she meaneth y t they vse this course of a watchful care and wise defence continually No doubt but vnder all this the holy Ghost meant to shew in what a safe state and condition they are that are matched with him who haue both infinite numbers of holy aungels to attend vpon them Psalm 91. 10. and of godlye teachers to fence and garde them as it were thorow all
sweet doctrines by which mens mindes may be refreshed and recreated For mine owne part I take it that speaking of spirituall thinges after the maner of men and particularly of louer he doth deale therein according to their maners The brests of women haue bin alwaies accounted to them selues and their good louers not only comely but meanes also to make loue and liking See Prouerb 5. 19. Whatsoeuer it be this me thinketh should be plaine and certaine that all that hitherto hath beene spoken of the comelines beauty of the church doth generallye shew her to bee moste absolute and perfect which also may appeare by verse 7. following neither need we to doubt but that the same also may be vnderstood specially by the waye of proportion euen of all the members of the same euen from the head if you will vnto the soales of the feete for as all the members of the church and euery one of them haue their seuerall functions so may these thinges that be spoken of the seuerall members be applyed to euery one seuerally but howsoeuer in some we haue dealt so because we haue the warrant of the worde and the proportion of faith as a ground for the same yet to stand vpon them all specially where such props faile me were too too much curious Verse 6. Vntill that day shall come and these shadowes shall flye away For the wordes see them expounded before chapter 2. 17. There beeing only this difference betweene this and that place y t there y e church promiseth to remayn w t Christ for euer here Christ promiseth to abide with it continually As Math. 28. 19. Otherwise the sense and meaning is al one And in this and the two verses following ther is contained Christs answere and promises vnto the petitions that the church made before chap. 3. where shee wisheth and seeketh for his presence other good graces in him Christe promising as before is sayd his presence vnto the Church and the particuler members therof so long as in this world they wander as pilgrims from the Lord. 2. Cor. 3. 6. and afterwards vers 8. 9. of this chapter He promiseth that the wearisome dayes of this pilgrimage being finished hee will bring the church euen into his owne house which is eternall in the heauens I will go into the mountaine of myrrh and into the hill of incense Because the church had before exhorted him to go to the pleasant mountains chap. 17. he sayth here that hee will perfourme the same It is vncertain whether there were mountaines of myrrh and hils of incense in y t country yea or no. But whether there were yea or no the meaning is spirituall namely that as in respect of the church militant he would get him to the most pleasaunt places euen to the mountayn of Moriah vpon which it is certain the temple was builded as appeareth 2. chro 3. 1. which mighte rightly bee called the mountaine of myrrh and the hill of incense because of the great store that there was offered vp and burnt to the Lorde Whereof also this may seeme some reason that the word here vsed for Incense differeth not much from the name wherewith that mountayne is called so in respect of the church triumphant he wold get him to the heauenly Ierusalem which is in heauen where also sundrye of his freendes are present with him and whose duties perfourmed vnto him are moste sweete and pleasant for this and other things see Reuel 21. 20. Verse 7. Thou art all fayre my loue Another commendation of the church containing also in it a promise specially of sanctification and holinesse to be bestowed vpon it in this life as in y e next vers folowing he promiseth vnto it eternal blessednes And ther is no spot in thee This must bee referred specially to y e estate of the church which shall be in the life to come or else to men nowe raunged into the Church to whom their sinnes are forgiuen and Christes righteousnesse is imputed who hath washed vs in his bloude from all sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7. see Ephes 5. 26. 27. Verse 8. O Spouse This is the first time that hee calleth her by this name which yet notwithstanding sundrye times after hee giueth vnto her as Verse 9 10 11 12 of this Chapiter Also Chapiter 5 1 And the churche hath this name giuen her both in respect of the betrothement that passeth betweene her and Christe Isaiah 1. 19. 20. As in respect also of that solemne and blessed daie that the Lorde hathe appoynted for oure eternall marryage Thou shalt come It is a promise as I sayde before euen of eternall life With me to wit my selfe Christ meaneth by this not onely his continuall presence with the Churche both in this life and in the life to come but also that he will so wholly and thoroughly gather it that none of those that come vnto him shal eyther be taken out of his handes or perish c. See Iohn 17. 12 other places Frō Lebanon He meaneth hereby a most pleasant and fruitful place where there were many sweete tall and excellent trees meaning hereby that none of those things shold let the church from being coupled with hir husband Christe Of this place wee haue spoken of before It was a mountain vpon the borders of the Lande of promise or Iudea Thou shalt come with me from Lebanon It is doubled both for the more vehemency of him y t speaketh as also for y e more certaintye of the thing pronounced q. d. Nothing shall stay thee but thou shalt indeede come with me and enioy my continuall presence Thou shalt looke from the toppe of Amanah Some thinke it to be a mountayne in that part of Cilicia that bordereth vpō the land of Israel Some of the Rabbins hold it to bee a mountaine in the borders of Iury lying on the north side thereof I shame not to say that for the particuler I knowe not what to affirme howbeit this is the meaning that from all the quarrers of the worlde they shall beholde the eternall kingdom of God From the top of Shenir and Hermon The holy ghost Deut. 3. 9. seemeth to meane by both these names one mountain Wherefore it maye bee thought straunge that Solomon in this place maketh them diuers For the clearing whereof this would bee marked that at the first one and the self same thing might be called by many names as in respect of diuers people dwelling nigh vnto the same and the seuerall proprieties of their tongues which seemeth indeede to be the moste naturall meaning of Deut. 3. 9. and yet notwithstanding in processe of time and multitudes of people increasing some of those names applyed to the whole might be attributed to some part of it And this we see both by scripture examples and otherwise In old time the riuer Danubius was indifferently named Danubius or Ister whereas at this day it is onely called Ister at that place at which
had no better grace to regard and receiue the acceptable time of her visitation See Luke 19. 42. Verse 4 I rose vp to open vz. the dores to my welbeloued The church speaketh this as though she supposed that Christ had not yet bene gone for all the iust occasions that shee had giuen him of departure from her but it was all to late And my handes vz laying holde of the places of the dore that Christ himselfe had handled as verse 3. Did drop downe myrrh What myrrh is hath beene shewed before She meaneth that Christ left such a plentifull and pleasant smell behinde him that euen shee comming after his departure had such aboundaunce of it as if shee had had such stoore of myrrh as woulde haue made her handes to drop This also is an other circumstaunce tending to the amplyfiying and increasing of the vnworthinesse and offence of the church to wit because Christe did notwithstanding her drowsinesse leaue before the dores such sweet smelling steps and pathes of his comfortable comming as were fit to furnish her with fulnesse after his departure which also tended to stirre vp the church beeing drowsie and dull as though the church should say he did so plentifully perfume my dores with his blessing and the sauour of his gospell that I my selfe but onelye touching the same was euen therewith perfumed and made sweete yea called backe and put in minde to thincke vpon the vnworthye fact committed And my fingers vz. dropped downe myrrh y t passed vpō the handles of the lock that is thin pure myrrh which the spouse had left behind him the holy ghost also meaning by this to commend the excellency of the graces as he had done before the aboundaunce of them Vers 5. I opened vz. my dores to my welbeloued vz supposing that he had tarryed there stil but my welbeloued withdrawing him selfe secreatly quietly particularly also putting vp y e great iniury of refusall that I had offered him passed by vz my dores and so went his waye My soule departed vz out of my body as it were meaning that she was in a sowne as it were or halfe dead for the time while he was in speaking or rather because of his speech to me which I had neglected for howsoeuer the Hebrue wil beare both yet I think this latter most agreeable with y e purpose of y e church which as we haue heard before is to aggrauate her offence in this place to shew also the miseries that she fell into for so great neglect I sought him vz after his departure from me but I could not find him vz for all that trauail and toile that I could take so it pleaseth God to punish not onely the wicked in the contempt of his graces offered but euen his owne people in neglect of the same I called him but he aunswered me not She meaneth y e selfe same thing that before namely that sith she neglected his call he regarded not hers And in this verse the church beginnneth to declare the miseries and calamities that fel vppon her for her negligence and idlenes or sloth And in this ver she reckoneth vp two chief ones The first is that Christ her head spouse did for a time withdraw himself from her not y e Christ is at any time absent frō his church for Christ is no partaker with nonresidents but that then he seemeth to be so when he doth withdraw the former testimonies of his free ful fauor for a time which he doth not as thogh he loued not his church still but either therby to try the faith patience of his people or to cause thē more reuerently to regard his excellent mercies bestowed vpon them The second misery is y t the church it self is in great danger euen of death because y t thorow her default shee had after a sort prouoked y e spouse to depart which iudgement also she had iustly pulled vpō her for so great wickednes Vers 6. The watchmen that go about the city found me It is to be noted y t she saith not simply watch men but with an addition that goe about the city wherby she noteth as vnder the word watchmen their painfulnes so vnder y e word going about ther diligence see 1. Pet. 5. 8. This also is expounded before chap. 3. 3. where y t selfe same thing is put down sauing y t there is no mentiō made of their abusing of her but only of her demand who therby could tel where he was y t her soul loued They smote me they wounded me In that she speaketh so w tout a particle to ioin thē which maner of spech y t Rhetoritians cal Asyndeton she doth it both to shew her own vehemency the quick dispatch y t the enemies made in so ill intreating of her in y t she addeth y e word woūding after smiting she doth as it were by a gradatiō paint out their wickednesse and her misery because many maye faint and be smiten and yet not wound or bee wounded The watchmen of the wals She meaneth those that had a continuall standing allowed them both to descrye the enemies and to repell them also if they can q. d. neither the running watch nor the standing watch fauoured mee but both sortes cruelly intreated me Now what it was that these men perfourmed against her is declared in the wordes following Tooke my vaile away from me She sayth not tooke it awaye from her but as it were for the time pulled it off her which they did not onely the better to see her or with an vngodly eye to behold her for which see the storye of Susanna vers 32. but also to bring her thereby the more to the disobedience of her husband for vailes as it doth appeare by many places of scripture were giuen vnto marryed women both to expresse the authoritye that the husbandes had ouer them and also to put them in minde of their obedience and subiection See Genes 20. 16. Also Genes 24. 65. 1. Cor. 11. 5. 6. 10. Such a like phrase is that that is vsed Ruth 3. 9. of spreading the winge of his garment ouer her The word that is here turned vaile is in the Hebrue tongue deriued from thinnesse and I suppose verelye that it was made of the finest and purest linnen that coulde be gotte What shoulde bee meant by it we are not curiously to seeke This I suppose may be safelye sayd that the church falling in the absence of her spouse into the handes of corrupt and false teachers they labour to depryue her of that same puritie and soundnes of doctrine that hee hath committed vnto her as a meane to hold her in the dutie of all holy obedience and faithfulnesse towardes him And more then this I see not If any bee more quicke sighted I pray them in Gods name to reueale it to the benefite of the Church In a worde there is in this verse contained the
third calamity of the Church vz that Christ her head beeing absent from her and she labouring to seeke him shee falleth into sundrie daungers and distresses yea all became noisome and hurtfull vnto hir yea euen those who should haue kept and preserued her from all violence and iniurye they did bounse and beat her yea cruelly wound her and dealt moste vilanouslye with her as the particulars shewe Verse 7. I charge you to writte very staightly as it were by an othe which form also the church vseth both to testifie her vnfeined loue towards her spouse and to prouoke them with whome shee dealeth to deale faithfullye in doing her message O daughters of Ierusalem Shee was il intreated of her enimies as appeareth verse 6. Therefore now shee speaketh vnto her friendes looking to finde fauour and curtesie amongest them See these words expounded before chap. 2. 7. also chap. 3. 5. and at this verse beginneth the seconde part of the chapter containing as is said before a dialogue betweene the Church and the damsells or daughters of Ierusalem in her freendes If ye finde my beloued shee meaneth Christ whom she loued as he likewise y t church Eph. 5. 25. That ye tell him In hebrue what shold ye tell him interrogatiuely which shee speaketh shortly as many times louers doe and yet the interrogation conteineth more vehemency in it and serueth to beautifye the speeche also q. d. Would you know what you should tell him euen that which followeth That I am sicke of loue She can not conceale the heate and vehemency of her loue but euen after the manner of Louers bewraieth the same who the more they are absent one of them from another the more their loue increaseth and the greatlier doe they desire to be ioyned together The meaning of the wordes is that the church is so far of from keeping close her loue that shee doth not onely reueale it to them but intreateth thē rather freely to open it and to declare the same speciallye to her beloued Vers 8. O thou the fairest amongst women This is the title that the faythfull attribute vnto the church in whose iudgement indeede shee is so not so much for anye beautye in her selfe as because she is adorned with the singuler gifts and excellent graces of God What hath thy welbeloued more then another welbeloued They double the Question for the more vehemency as also for the strangenesse of the matter That thou doest so charge vs vz. so hardly and straightly euen as it were by the vertue of an oth q. d. Some thing there is that thou laiest so hard a burden and straight a charge vppon vs or else thou wouldest not doe it And this is the first questiō mooued to the church concerning the person of hir spouse they maruelling as it were what excellent thing should be in him that shee shoulde so highly esteeme him by occasion of which demaund she entreth into a notable description of Christ in the verses following first setting him out generally vers 9. and afterward particlarly by singular recitall of his partes and members euen ten in number beginning as you would say from the highest so comming down to the nethermost the church perfourming that here for her head and spouse both in a general particuler commendation of him and his parts that he had done before for her chap. 4 1. 2. 3. c Which also is vsuall amongest earthly louers to requite one kindnesse with another wherevnto no doubt the churche had speciall regarde though she could not perfourm any sufficient duty that way Verse 9 My beloued is white Shee beginneth to answere their demaund vnder many allegories commending her spouse as first in this verse shee dothe prayse him for the excellente hewe and liuelye coloure and afterwards in the verses following she commendeth his particular parts And first she mētioneth his whitenesse or his fayrenesse which amongest earthly louers is a thing much set by and therefore must be much more glorious in this spirituall husband And ruddie that is red and as you would saye of a sanguine complexion and this colour of ruddines is commended in Dauid 1. Sam. 16. 12. And note that the holy Ghost ioyneth both these togeather the whitenesse makinge the ruddynesse more freshe and fayre and the ruddinesse discerning the whitnes from palenesse of face or flegmatick complexion both which colours if they concurre in an earthlye creature specially such as be yong for these are colours belonging to them make the same to be liked how much more then shoulde they considered spiritually in Christ in respect of whom all the good thinges of this lyfe are not so much as a shadow not onelye be excellent in him but draw vs on vnfaynedly to loue him also Euen a standerd bearer aboue ten thousaand She vseth a metaphor taken from the warre as also putteth a number certayne for an vncertayne to expresse the commendation of her loue Commonly standerd bearers are most tall and mighty men and amongst tenne thousand men a man maye finde manye comely countenaunces but yet saith shee for sound and naturall moysture and for a most temperate and fit colour looke amongst infinite numbers of people you shall not find one or any any way matchable with my beloued she meaning also by this discription of him that he is of a most sound and sure health as those most commonly are that are of so good complexions and constitutions but all this muste bee vnderstood spiritually as before hath been sayd and no carnall or earthly thought must be conceiued here Vers 10. His head is excellent gold yea most pure gold She entreth into the description of the particular partes of her spouse whose head was not of gold as the wordes may seeme to import but that in a certaine proportion shee resembleth it thereto Gold for the excellency and purity of it is a mettall highly extolled regarded amongst men so the spirituall beautye of Christ and his excellent puritye is to bee preferred aboue all Neither doth she simply compare him to euerye kind of gold but to that which is most pure and fine if anye one be better then an other as in truth we know by experience there is great difference and all is done to this ende that vnder the same shee might set foorth the moste perfect purity soundnesse and excellencye of her spouse His lockes are curled or the word also may import thicke both of these tending to expresse his might and strength and not to approoue either of curling or crisping of hayre in men or women which is condēned 1. Pe. 3. And blacke as a rauen that is comelye and sightlye for blacknes of it selfe is not an euill or vnseemly colour specially in mens hayres and the rather if we haue regard to the people inhabiting the land of Iury which is meruailous hotte ouer ours is and by these wordes As a Rauen shee meant that it was a naturall and pure black of
pleasure without the city but they must of necessitye goe downward because the city stood vpon the hill and they planted their gardens in the lower places because they were more plentiful and fruitfull and what shee shoulde meane by the worde garden see before chapter 4. 17. To the beddes of spice that is to comely and sweete smelling places in the same this Phrase is expounded verse 12. of this chapter To feed in the gardens The church noteth the endes wherfore Christe is gone downe into the gardens that is to eate and to drincke there and to take therein his pleasure and refreshing And to gather lilies that is sweet and good flowers Men goe to ther gardens commonly as we see by experience amongst vs eyther to make merry as we saye or els to gather such fruites as grow there that doth the church applye in a spirituall sence vnto her head and spouse Christ meaning that Christ is come into that place where his worde is purelye preached and hearde for there in deed is the seate of the church that is Christ his garden set with diuers sortes of plants and decked with excellent flowers this was called before a garden inclosed chapter 4. 12. thorow the beds of sweet smelling spices which he as a good gardiner treadeth out planteth watereth and doth all in all namelye the heartes and consciences of such as he hath regenerated replenishing them with sundrye gyftes and graces as of prayer thankesgyuing obedience c which are vnto him as it were sweete smelling spices or flowres yea he fedeth in his gardens that is to saye particular churches for it is as it were food vnto him to haue churches in which he maye be confessed and serued yea it is his meat and drincke to him either to doe him selfe or to haue others doe his Fathers will Iohn 4. 32. 34. And he gathereth lylies and other flowres for them when he perceiueth them to doe good workes which is an odor that smelleth sweete and a sacrifice farre more acceptable and pleasaunt to him Philip. 4. 18 then all the pleasant flowres in the world can be to any man earthly Verse 18. I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine This is the conclusion of the whole chapter and of all the speech that the church hath with her Daughters and Damsels wherein the church openly professeth that whatsoeuer may bee either staied or done against her y t shee is and will be of a stayed and vnmoueable affection towards Christe and will be continuallye strengthened in an assured perswasiō of his good will towards her and so by this meanes shee fostereth and foodeth her affection and good will towards him for shee meaneth by this speeche that she belongeth so to Christ and Christ so to her that there can bee no separation and therefore good cause why she should continually loue and like him we had the same before chap. 2. 16 Ther being no difference in the meaning thogh as in respect of the order of the words there is some that being put ther in the first place which is here in the latter that there in the latter which is heere in the first the meaning beeing thus As he will not haue an other but whollye delighteth in me so I will not haue another louer but hold my self wholy and onely contented with him Who feedeth among the Lillies That is who liueth most pleasantly and sweetely q. d. as they that eate there me at among the Lillies and other sweet smelling flowers can not chuse but liue in delights pleasantnesse and sweetenesse so doth Christ in his church and those that ther liue with him And the church propoundeth this not only for the singular commendation of Christ her spouse but also thereby as it were by a forcible argument to moue all the faithful cōtinually to loue and like him that hath in him such aboundaunce of sweetenes pleasure Vers 1. Teacheth vs y t howsoeuer God haue bestowed great many spiritual graces vppon his church the particuler members so y t they are indued with knowledge faith many other holy vertues y t yet notwithstanding ther are certain remainders of their naturall corruption in them which will sometimes breake foorth in them to manifest the neglect of their duetye towardes God and men which yet notwithstanding wee shoulde labour all the dais of our life in a holy striuing to set our selues against Of this combate reade Rom. 7. 14. 15. 16. c. Secondlye it teacheth vs as on the one side to confesse our infirmityes as the church doth here her drowsinesse and sleeping that so we may obtayne forgiuenesse at Gods handes for if wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iuste to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1. 9. and receiue instruction comfort and praye for our brethrē who knowing our miseries can not but extend y e bowels of pity compassion towards vs because they haue learned to weep with thē y t weepe c. Rom. 12. 15. So on y e other side notwithstāding to acknowlege the graces of God in vs vpō vs as the church doth here sayng that her hart was awake for otherwise we shal rod God of his glory who hath giuen vs his good things depriue y e brethren of y t comfort they might haue by vs. Satans subtletie woulde be waighed in this assault who if he can not puffe vs vp in pryde of the thinges we haue not woulde cast vs downe in supposing a want of the thinges we haue So hard a matter is it to bee wise according to sobriety as the Apostle willeth vs. Roman 12. 3. Thirdly we may learne for the better feeling of our sinne and the working of a more sound detestation of it in vs to aggrauate the same vnto our selues in all the circumstaunces and occasions thereof howbeit in a iust measure and proportion least otherwise we bee found false witnesse bearers against our own soules This doth the Prophet Dauid in many Psalmes namely Psalm 51. and Daniel also chap. 9. 5. 6. c yea the whole church in sundry Psalmes and particularly Psal 106. 6. But this wil not our cursed generation yeeld vnto and that is the reason why we are so besotted and senseles in our sins yea frosen as the Prophet sayth in the dregs of our owne iniquity Zephan 1. 12. Vers 2. Teacheth vs what shiftes and excuses fleshe and bloud can finde to put the Lorde from them in his gracious calling of them with the refusall also of their own good thorow the want of the graces that hee woulde giue them sometymes they alleadging that it is no conuenient tyme to come as the people did in the buylding of the Lordes house Haggai 1. 2. Sometimes that there profittes and pleasures are to bee followed as in the parable of them that were bidden to the wedding Mat. 22. 1. 2 c. And sometimes one thing somtimes an other And euen as the church here
hard a thing it was for the church to beleeue the promises and therfore for the strengthening of her weaknesse he doubbleth them and trebleth them as you woulde say Verse 4. Thy temples vz of thy head betweene thy lockes he speaketh of the church according to the manner of women who were wont to laye their lockes out yet so that their temples notwithstanding the same and the beauty thereof might be seene Are as a peece of pomegranate that is of a ruddy and beautifull colour and that so as no doubt but there was holines and chastity meant vnder the same All this is expounded before chap. 4. 3. Verse 5. Though there be threscore Queenes As before Christ had commended the church for singular beautye in her selfe so now hee proceedeth to commend her by comparing her with others q. d. put the case that euen there were innumerable Queenes for he putteth a number certaine for an vncertaine and those moste fayre and beautiful as Queenes were wont to be chosen in that respect See Hester 2. 2. 3. 4. And fourescore concubines that is innumerable a certaine number for an vncertaine as before The Hebrue worde turned here concubines doth as the learned note somtimes signifie wyues thogh not iust and lawfull wyues which were maried without any solemnity or betrothing of matrymony And no doubt but he speaketh this according to the corrupt custome both of the age wherein he liued and of former and subsequent times also manye taking it as a thing lawfull whereas it was indeed altogether wicked and vngodly not only to haue many wyues but concubines also as we maye see by the continuall practise of the fathers expressed in the worde though not commended but condemned therein rather as Malach. 2. 15. Some maruaile why Solomon mentioneth onelye threscoore Queenes and fourescoore concubines whereas 1. Kin. 11. 3. It is sayde that he had seuen hundreth Wyues that were queenes three hundred concubines wherevnto though we might aunswere as some learned men do namely that it is likelye that he wrote this before he burst foorth to take so infinit number as it were yet me thinketh the more plaine sense is as before that he putteth a number certaine for an vncertaine which is not onely vsuall in other scriptures but euē in this book also chap. 3. 7. where he maketh mention of threescore mightye men of Israell that stand about Salomons bed Some allegorize here one way some an other Some think that by the queenes there is ment the famous peoples of the world and mightye congregations and by the concubines such as be lesse famous but me thinketh heere that the plaine litterall sense is the best And no number of the damsels q. d. Suppose that they and their maides of honour attending vpon them were as a man woulde saye without number or innumerable yet shoulde they not be able to match the church for beautye comelines glory but shoulde euen of their owne accord giue her place before them all Queenes concubines waiting gentlewomen and al other whatsoeuer Vers 6. Yet my doue that is alone In what sense the church is compared to a Doue hath been oftentimes declared before chap. 2. 14. chap. 5. 1 so y t we shall not need to stand vpō it here She is sayd to be alone or as we say in our speech an odde one both because she was chosen by God out of all the people and nations of the worlde and was most deare vnto him and also because compared with other none of them coulde come nigh her to match with her My perfect one See this expounded cha 5. 1. She that is the onely daughter of her mother An other title attributed to the church by which the holye Ghoste meaneth both that shee was moste tenderly beloued as onely children are See Iudg. 11. 34. Luke 8. 42. and also that shee had or shoulde haue a moste rich and precious portion as the onelye childe or heyre of her mother all this muste bee spiritually vnderstood the meaning whereof is that so long as the church remayneth here vppon the earth and is not gathered into her husbands house shee cleaneth whollye to her mother that is the heauenlye Hierusalem Galath 4. 26. by meanes wereof shee glittereth with such exceeding great glorye that the worlde wondereth at her for the heauenlye gyftes and spirituall excellency that God hath bestowed vppon her See Deut. 4 6. Euen that cleane one to her that bare her An other title attributed to the Churche the commendation thereof to witte that shee is Cleane or as some reade it Pure others elect all which tende to one thing shee hauing not these or anye of these graces from her selfe or of her selfe but off and from the Lorde So soone as the damsels saw her He meaneth by this speech that the beautye of the church was excellent for euen at the first sight and beholding they were constrayned to confesse her to be the most excellent and beautiful of the world They called her blessed that is they accounted her as indued with rare and wonderfull graces euen for the thinges which they sawe at the firste sight and blushe in her See for the phrase Luk. 1. 48. Euen the Queenes and the concubines vz mentioned before verse 5. Praysed her vz for the excellent partes that were in her q. d. high and low mighty and meane of honorable estate and base condition were constrayned to cōmend her and therfore shee must needes be more excellent that was praysed of them al. Saying Now he sheweth what forme they vsed or shoulde vse in the commendation of the church Vers 7. Who is she They propound this question not so much as though they eyther doubted or were ignoraunt what shee was as by that maner of speech the rather to note her excellencye See the like demaund Psalm 24. 8. Also Psal 77. 13. where they demand thus who is so great a god as our god q. d. She is so beautiful glorious y t we know not what to resemble her vnto That is loked for as the morning Vnder this maner of speech the holy Ghost doth not onely note the earnest desire of the faithfull to see and beholde the glory of the church but also her great glory it selfe which is inlarged not only because it is desired yea greatly wished and looked for euen as watch men looke for the day breake of which see Psal 130. 6. but also because it is resembled to the morning which as we know by experience is not onelye freshe and comfortable but glorious also and beautifull as in respect of the liuelye and cleare colours thereof and deth as a man woulde saye more and more increase in light in which respect also it is to bee marked that shee is not resembled neither to the night nor to the dawning of the day or day breake but euen to the glorye and beauty of the morning it selfe Fayre as the moone vz in her full or moste
repetition but profitable to expresse Christes earnestnesse and vehement loue twardes the Churche and the saluation thereof as also to note howe hardly euen y e church it selfe is reclaimed from straiyng y t must haue so many so earnest cals to pul her back That we may behold thee Christ speaketh this in his owne name the name of his friends whom he had mentioned verse 9. before for hee woulde haue them also to bee partakers of the beauty and glory of the church this beeing spoken also according to earthlye customes as the bridegrome hath his friends whō he wold make partakers of the glory of his Bryde so the bryd hath hers whō she would be glad to haue beholders of hir excellency glorye likewise The brydes friends may be sayd to be all y t sound particular mēbers of the church whom shee woulde gladly haue not onely to behold but to be partakers of the maiestye and magnificence of Christ her head and spouse The Bridgromes friendes maye be sayde to bee the same not that they are friendes to Christe or his churche of nature but by grace whome he would haue to beholde the infinite riches and inward beauty of his church that they might in the holy loue of the same liue and dye therein Others thinke the friendes of Christ to be the holy angels but me thinketh the former shoulde bee better because Christe saith Iohn 15. 14. 15. that the faithful are his friends What shall you see in that Shulamite Christ turneth his speech vnto his friendes by asking of whom this question he mindeth not to bewraye in him selfe anye ignoraunce or doubting of the great graces that were to bee founde in the Church but the rather thereby to stirre them vp to bee faythfull beholders and witnesses of that great glorye which is in the church and which hee coulde not otherwise expresse but by a wondrous demaund made of it See verse 7. of this chapter Euen as a company of tentes It is an aunsweare to the former question which whether Christ make or his friendes we will not stand much vpon though we rather thincke that as Christe propounded the question so hee was beste able for his skill as beeing best acquainted with the graces of the church and readiest also for his good will to aunsweare and satisfie the same The meaning is to set out the excellent order glory and power of the church comparing the same to a comelye order of pitching of tents innumerable inuincible people in the same others turne it as y e company of Mahanaim q. d. you see how glorious the church it selfe is by y t which hath beene spoken before but if you woulde beholde with what a notable troupe it is accōpanied you shall doe well to cal to mind that notable number and that same ioyful day also wherin the people returning to Dauid did receiue him with y e great ioye cōfort of them all as he did comfortably entertaine them and all this was done at Mahanaim as appeareth 2. Samuel 19. but I leaue it to the godlye to approue whether hee liketh and listeth to receiue in truth they both tend to one end Verse 11. Oh howe beautifull are thy feete Christ reioyceth at this comming of the church nigh vnto him and his approching to her euen as one tht would say to his freend whome her hath not seen of a long season O howe good and excellent are these feete of thine that broughte vs now at the length to the beholding one of another For the phrase see Isai 52. 7. also Rom. 10. 15. And heere hee beginneth in a liuely descriptiō to commend the church in euery particular member euen as a man woulde say from the sole of the foote to the top of the heade With these shewes which thou meanest and which no doubt Christe as a loue-token bestowed vppon her This may be referred eyther to the ministers of the word or else to the sound affections of the Church which are sometimes signified by Feete as Eccles 4. 17. or to the good workes which the thurch is inabled to perform through Christe O thou Daughter of the Prince That is thou most noble and excellent Damosel who art as it were sprong from a moste famous and honourable stocke Thus Christ compareth the churche to suche because suche eyther are or shoulde bee according to their highe place more excellent then those of more base condition And thus wee see that the Church is thorough Christe become the Daughter of God almighty who gouerneth the whole earth and who maketh her famous noble and glorious by the giftes and graces of his holye spirite bestowed vppon her The ioynts of thy thies From y e feet he ascendeth vpward meaning as it may appeare by that which followeth that they were very cunningly and artificially made We muste imagine heere nothinge but spirituall namely that there was is a most cunning framing and making of the whole churche and all the partes of the same euery part hauing in it comelinesse beauty glorye strength Other turne it thus the compassing of thy thyes Meaning therby y e girdle wherwith she was girded which they did vse to weare in old time lower by much then we do euen vpon their thighes as it should seeme Psal 45. 3. Or about the Loyns as Math. 3. 4. But I thinke that the former so it bee soberly and chastly read and regarded is better and commeth neerer to the purpose of Christe who maketh heere as it were a speciall enumeration or recital of y e parts of the church Are like Iewelles That is very fine and costly if wee reade it as referring it to the girdle which in deed Brydes were wont and are yet accustomed to weare very sumptuous and fine otherwise neat and comely if we referre it to the thighs The worke of the hand of a cunning workman This is added to note the excellencye q. d. moste workmanly or cunninglye made euen like vnto iewelles that haue the moste cunninge and curious workmanshippe bestowed vppon them that canne bee Some vnderstande this of that spirituall begettinge of children which the churche continuallye bringeth foorth vnto Christe by the ministery of the worde and working of the spirite but I rather referre it to the strength beauty comlinesse of y e church it selfe the particuler members thereof Verse 12 Thy nauell is as a round cup. That is very comely and bewtiful to the shew as we see globe glasses or stāding cups made after y t fashiō are It shall not want liquor q. d. it shal alwaies be plentifull as a cup y t is full to the top see Psal 23. 5. Some read it thus Let not the liquor therof fail as though in earnest affection he had cried out or wished rather y t the womb of y e church compared to a round cup in which similitude he persisteth stil might neuer haue bin decaied or consumed rather but might alwaies haue bene
church And there is in this word I say a vehemeÌ„cy coÌ„taining as it were in ita graue senteÌ„ce q. d. I giue thee my promise looke what I promise thee I wil perform I wil go vp into the palmetree He meaneth by this speech that he will bee present with his church whom before verse 17. he had resembled to a palme tree I will take holde of her bowes hee meaneth by this speech that hee will purge it and so not onelye perceiue but receaue notable fruites of her euen as in Palme trees the teader braunches are specially pruned and trimmed because that they yeelde flowres and Buds for fruite By which it should seeme they were not such trees as ours are He that list to read more then this ouer and beside all that which is spoken before let him see Plinie lib. 13. cap. 4 Othersome also affirming that they beare a certayne fruite both pleasaunt and profitable which we call Dates and of this mind are manye wryting of the nature of Plantes and trees both olde and new and particularlye Dodineus And by the worde which is turned heere bowes which properlye signifieth the highest bowes in the tree and is not vsed in any other place of the old Testament but heere this may yet appeare because the palme tree that the Philosophers wryte of doth at the toppe send foorth such long â—â—wes and there it is also whereas they report the fruite it selfe groweth In summe this is Christes meaning that ioyning him selfe vnto the church and beeing present with her he will doe it to this ende that hee maye see how they thriue in the fruites that is in the graces and blessings he hath bestowed vpon them and that he may gather the same and so enioy them and be as it were partaker of them Thy breasts shall nowe be q. d. whatsoeuer they haue beene heretofore to me and yet we may not thinke but y t the Lorde hath alwaies graciously regarded his church now at this time and for euer hereafter they shall be delightfull and pleasant vnto me and that he meaneth by the wordes following Like the clusters of the vine See for this ver 17 And the sauour of thy nostrells that is the breath that commeth from thee Like apples that is like sweete and pleasaunt smelles that come from apples see before chap. 2. 5. By all which wee must note that Christ doth not onely mean to deliuer vnto his church the comfort of his continuall presence but withall to note the effectes of the same because where Christ is indeede he is not in vaine q d. I will not onely be present with thee satisfying my selfe as it were in thy breastes and beauty and delighting in thy loue continually Prou. 5. 19. But also I will make thee strong fresh liuely yea sweet and pleasant to all such as shall come vnto thee by meanes of such graces as I shall indue thee withall and to the same end tend to words of the verse following Verse 19. And the roofe of thy mouth vz shall nowe both vnto mee and others bee like the best Wine vz both for colour strength taste sweetnes for all these concur together in wine meaning that it shall smel well and be most sweete and mighty in operation to which end namelye the commending of the Wine for the goodnesse thereof tend al the words following which goeth straight to my welbeloued q. d. It is such excelleÌ„t wine as I woulde wish it or send it euen to the dearest and best freend I haue euen to her that I loue as my self if not before my self And causeth the lips of the ancient to speake Another commendation of the wine Old folks many times be dull and heauy of speeche but this wine hath suche force in it that it will euen open theire mouths and cause them vtter a voice as a man would say whether they will or no. The worde that is here turned Ancients may also in the hebrue tong be deriued froÌ„ a worde that signifieth to sleepe q. d. the wine is so strong that it stirreth vp the heauy senses and doth after a sort as it were refresh the mind in so much that it maketh them that sleepe to speak Which manner of speeche though as we respect the similitude it may seeme hiperbolicall or verye excessiue yea more then true yet if wee respect the spirituall meaning we shall finde it is the trueth it selfe For what is Christes purpose heere but amongest other Graces giuen to the Churche to shewe that this is one excellent that hee will indue her with suche power and delightfulnesse of speeche which hee vnderstandeth by Roofe of the mouthe because without it nothing canne bee vttered it beeing one of the principall instrumentes of nature giuen vs to frame our voyce by see Chap. 5. 15 y t it shal euen as it were raise vp men not only froÌ„ natural sleep but from y â— sleep death of sin see Ioh. 5. 21. 25. This being perfourmed specially by the preaching of the gospel which is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue Romans 1. 16. and is not mortall but immortall seede 1. Peter 1. 23. By which wee are quickened and raysed vppe together and made to sit togeather in the Heauenlye places in Christe Iesus Ephe. 2. 1. 6. c. Verse 1. Dothe teache vs that there are many thinges in the Churche that may make vs in an vnfeigned affection to loue and to like the same as the spiritual inward glory beauty and comelines thereof Yea it sheweth vs y t the Lord hath furnished the same with maiestye and might not only for y e comfort and defence of the sound members thereof but also both for the correcting of such as wold be straying and stragling from that same holy fellowship as also for the withstanding and ouercomming of such as wold without assault anoy thesame O the deepnes of the riches both of the wisdome mercy of God of his mercy towards his own sonnes and seruaunts and of his wisdom in intrapping the vngodly in his own subtilties and force If the Churche hadde beene beautifull and amiable onely howesoeuer many of her owne children might in a reuerent regard of her haue dutifully behaued them selues towardes her yet some Nimrodes of the earth woulde haue supposed with their giantlike force to haue defloured and defaced her but the Lorde hath gratiouslye prouided meanes againste both extreames that as there is in her many thinges to mooue her vnfained friendes to loue and like her so there is also many things in her againe to terrifie either her counterfeited friendes or her open and knowne enemies Verse 2. Teacheth vs in Christes example speaking comfortablie to the church distressed not onely his great loue towards the same who as a man woulde saye can not endure the heauinesse and griefe thereof which ought to bee no small consolation to the church and the particular members therof sith he that is
both able and willing to helpe them doth pity their case See Heb. 2. 17. 18 but also teacheth vs kindnesse of hart and tendernes of affection towards the afflicted for which see Rom. 12. 15. 16. yea to vse comfortable speeches towardes those that are distressed See Isaiah 40. 1. 2. c. least otherwise we adding bitternesse of wordes to griefe and anguish eyther of the body or mind or both we doe not onelye adde to their affliction but to our owne transgression also the Lorde condemning vs iustly not onely for hardnes of hart but for churlish wordes also Verse 3. Teacheth that the often repetition of one the self same thing in the word of God is not only idle or superfluous as some curious ears deeme but profitable pleasaunt and altogeather necessary whether we respect the Lorde him self who therby testifieth the wonderful hunger and thirst as it were that he hath of our saluation while hee doth so often vrge it vpon vs or we regarde our selues who are not onely heauie to learne good thinges but dull and slow of hart to beleeue the same and maruailously backewarde to performe them or consider the posteritye who by that meanes are put in minde of their owne corruption to good thinges which also maye mooue them more and more to fight against the same See for this doctrine and the proofe thereof Phillip 3. 1. Also 2. Pet. 1. 12. where he sayth that though they haue knowledge and be established in the present truth yet hee will not be negligent to put them alwayes in remembraunce thereof Verse 4. Is no warrant for women to lay out their lockes howsoeuer some out of this place and such like haue gone about to iustisie it First because that this is to be spiritually vnderstood and not in the letter and therefore they do iniury so to abuse the word Secondly because the holy Ghost hath condemned it in the new testament as 1. Timoth. 2. 9. where he condemneth broidred hayre as also 1. Pet. 3. 3. where the self same thing is forbidden but especially 1. Cor. 11. where he will haue a woman eyther to couer or hide her haire or else if shee graunte not that to yeelde to this to haue it shorn or cut off And thirdly because the manner of laying out of hayre in those dais was much more modest or at leaste nothing so garishe as it is now And therefore comparing vnequall thinges together they must learne to conforme them selues to the sobrietye and modestye of holy matrons and suche as haue vnfeinedly professed godlinesse Vers 5. 6. Teacheth vs that the inward glory and beauty of the church is highly to be preferred before all the outward pompe and glittering of the world whatsoeuer for the outwarde thinges bee not onely transitory and vaine but many times are baits layde by sinne and Sathan both to deceiue vs in this life and to destroy vs in the life to come whereas the glory of the church is not onely pleasaunt and profitable for this present world giuing vs directions also howe to walke in the same both towardes God and men but an instrument and a meane to bring vs to the hauen of Heauen and euerlasting blessednesse at the last Godlinesse it selfe being profitable vnto all thinges and hauing the promise of the life presente and of that that is to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. By this also wee maye see that the Church it selfe is to be discerned by better eyes then these of the body yea by better iudgemente then the lighte of reason For if our reason not reformed bee enemye generallye to all religion why not also to the Churche it selfe the mother and Nurse of all sounde Faythe and that is it also wee saye in the Confession of our fayth that we beleue there is a holye Vniversall Churche which is the companye of all Gods elect which also is sometymes Visible and yet then rather to bee descerned as in respecte of vs by the eye of a sounde Faythe and yet in respect of it selfe by the holye exercises thereof as the Worde Sacramentes and Discipline than by antiquitye Vniuersalitye c Or anye other Marke which the Papystes canne giue Lastlye wee learne by the same Verses that the LORDE will haue euen the myghtiest of the People that shall submitte them selues vnto the CHVRCHE and highlye extoll and commend the same See Isaiah Chapter 60. Verse 10. Also Chapiter 49. Verse 23. Wherein also GOD prouideth as on the one syde for the comforte of his owne while hee giueth them Kinges and Magystrates not onelye to mayntayne them but also to professe the Truethe togeather with them for theire better incouragemente So on the other syde hee meeteth with the mallyce of the wicked who manye tymes spare not to thinke but to speake also that the Churche is but the raking of the earth and the off-scoure of the whole world which yet appeareth false by this practise of the Lorde Vers 7. Doth not onelye set out the inwarde glory and beauty of the church vnder many excellent earthly similitudes and comparisons all which shold make vs as it were inamored with the sound and holy loue thereof but also sheweth the glory and excellency of it to be so great that it cannot wel be either resembled by any thing but in part or expressed by wordes but in part And therefore we may see that they are fowlye out of the way that either conceiue basely of the church or speake contemptuously of it as a number of prophane people do who going no further then their outward eye or carnall reason will leade do with Esau preferre base and contemptible things before the glory and beauty of the whole earth See Isaiah 62. 7. Vers 8. Teacheth vs not only Christs great care towards the church he dressing it and pruning it as a good husbande doth his Orchard garden of which our sauiour himselfe saith that the father purgeth euery braunche that beareth fruite that so it may bring foorth more fruite Iohn 15. 2. By which also wee maye see that the Church without Gods manuring and husbanding of it yeeldeth not nor bringeth forth fruite See 1. Corin. 3. 6. 7. 8. 9 But also that he will come to visite the vine that his own hand hath planted and to see what fruite it beareth Isaiah 5. 1. 2. c. And that therefore the church had need alwayes to be fruitfull not onely because the Lord will certainly come but because he will come sodainely See Math. 25. in the parable of the virgins and specially vers 13. Also Math. 24. verse 44 and so forwarde to the end of the chapter Vers 9. Amongst other thinges deliuereth vnto vs this doctrine that in all duties that we are to performe whether we respect God or men we should alwaies do the thinges that we doe willingly and cheerefully The Lord was well acquainted with the dulnesse and lumpishnesse of our hartes which maketh him so often in his worde to vrge this
127. 5. Much lesse shall the Churche or children thereof bee ouertaken there with howsoeuer they may somtimes haue their feares And this we may see performed particularly in Sephen Acts. 6. 15. And generally thorough the whole seuenth chapter of the sayd booke of the Actes Verse 15. Commending vnto vs the excellency and aboundance of Gods graces bestowed vpon the church is another argumēt propounded by the holy ghost to drawe vs on more and more to loue the same Al which is put down not only for the high exceeding commendation of the church of God as which is indued with al manner of louely graces from the Lord but also that so he might win that at our handes eyther by some one of these sundry reasons or by all of thē ioyntly together that otherwise coulde not bee gayned of vs. We learn also that not mean men onely but euen the mightiest of the earth should make this their speciall crowne and glorye to delight in the church of God yea to take delight in the very stones therof as Gods seruants are said to doe Psalme 102. 14. For what could it or can it boote them to liue and not to liue as the principall members or at the least sound members thereof sithe all of them must confesse that without the church there is no saluation And the rather they aboue others should striue hereto because their examples are manye times forcible to fetch that from men eyther for feare or fauour c. that other mens works can not winne Vers 16. Deliuereth vnto vs this doctrine namelye that the Churche contayneth in it not only more glory and beauty then can bee seene with the outward eie but than can either be conceiued in heart or expressed with mouth Which also shold moue vs vnfeinedly to affect the same Wherof also me thinketh we may yeelde a dubble reason the first because of the narrownesse and straightnesse of our owne vnderstanding we being not able sufficiently either to thinke or speak of the least of Gods graces much lesse of the church vppon whome the Lorde hath bestowed euen the very treasures of his goodnesse secondly because of y e excellency of y e graces thē selues whether we consider them generallye or particularly they beeing as in respect of themselues euen of his nature from whom they flow y t is to say altogether infinite incōprehensible Ver. 17. Teacheth vs y t howsoeuer the church both in the whole and in the partes thereof may be greatly by the burthen of afflictions oppressed for the time that yet notwithstanding it shall rise vp againe doe the wicked what they can Which as we know to be truelye performed in Christ our sauiour the head therof whom it was impessible y t the sorrowes of death shold altogether hold down Act. 2. 24 so was it also verefied in the Apostle and other beleeuers who sayth of him self and thē we are afflicted on euery side yet not in distresse persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but perish not 2. Cor. 4. 8. 9. which indeed ariseth in them from the strength of Christes ouercomming we being in him become more then conquerors Roma 8. 37. Oh whom would not this comfort and incourage to suffer any thing yea euery thing for the profession of Christ and the keeping of a good conscience before God and men Vers 18. Teacheth vs that the greatest matter of ioy to the church standeth especially vpon thes two points to wit Christes continuall presence and his making of the same fruitefull in the seueral duties that the church is to perform to God and men One of these maye not nor can not bee sundred from other because where Christe is hee is not there idelly or in vaine though we muste confesse also that the force of Christs grace appeareth not a like at al times because it is darkned many times with the mystes cloudes of our owne corruption but dwelling in their harts by faith he maketh thē fruitfull in all good workes and inableth them to comprehend with all saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height that is all fulnesse as it were of fayth and obedience See for this purpose Epes 3. 17. Vers 19. Doth notably commend vnto vs the excellency gracious effects of the word of god Whereof who so listeth to read may see a large discourse psal 119. And if they suppose that to be to tedious they maye more shortly see it comprised Psal 19. vers 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. which the holye Ghoste doth so much the more highly extoll because men are wont to haue it in very small regard accoūt And yet in y e praising of it he doth not as mē who to win men to the loue liking of such things as they propose giue excessiue or vnture commendations thereof but in all truth and simplicitie exalteth the same if he come short any waye it is because the Lord is too sparing in it not that hee wanteth wordes to expresse the praise of it or that the thing it selfe is not most high excellent but because hee is for our weaknesse sake contented to stoupe downe commending it so farre foorth as we are able thorow his spirit to conceiue of it and not otherwise Is it not then a pitifull thing that this word shall receiue so great a commendation and that we shall be so backewarde in intertayning the same CAP. 7. and the summe thereof The church hearing of the earnest affection and loue of Christ hir spouse towardes hir whollye resigneth vp her selfe vnto him verse 1. and afterwardes doth not onelye seeke to know the signes of the day set for their mariage but doth wishe from hir hart that the time therof were come ver 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. She admonisheth her Damsels handmaides or friendes of their dutie that they should not hinder hir being now conuersant with hir husband Christ vers 8. And lastly she declareth her most ardent and earnest loue towardes him desiring euen for euer to be beloued of him againe ver 9. 10. 11. 1 I Am my welbeloueds for his desire is towardes me 2 Come my welbeloued let vs goe foorth into the fielde let vs remaine in the villages 3 Let vs rise vp earely to the vines let vs see whether the vine flourish and whether the small grape hath opened it selfe whether the pomgranates florish ther will I giue thee my loues 4 The mandrakes haue giuen a smell and in our gates are all sweet thinges new and olde I haue kept them for thee 5 O that some woulde giue thee to be as a brother vnto me that sucked the breastes of my mother though I found thee in the streat I woulde kisse thee neither would they dispise me 6 I would lead thee I woulde bring thee into the house of my mother that teacheth me I would cause the to drinke spiced wine yea sweete wine made of my Pomegranate 7 His left hande shoulde be vnder mine
head and his right hand should imbrace me 8 I charge you by an oth O yee daughters of Ierusalem why should yee stirre vp or why should ye awake this my loue vntill he please 9 Who is she that commeth out of the wildernesse leaning vppon her welbeloued Vnder the apple tree I raised thee vp there thy mother conceiued thee there she conceaued that bare thee 10 Set me as a seale on thy hart as a singet vppon thine arme for loue is strong as death iealousie is harde as the graue the coales therof are coales of fire and as a flame from the lord 11 Many waters cannot quench this loue neither can the floudes ouer-flow it if a man woulde giue all the substance of his house for this loue in contemning they would contemne him OUR Sauiour hauing in the former chapter graciously comforted his poore distressed church partlye by giuing her an high and excellent commendation partly by promising her his continuall and gracious presence euen vntill the time of the solemnization of the marriage betweene them be come The church in this chapter sheweth what notable effectes these comfortable wordes of Christe brought foorth in her namelye they did continuallye strengthen her fayth in the truth of those promises and made her euery day more and more in earnestnes and vnfayneones to wish the approching of the mariage day that so they might be inseperably ioyned together for euer Which thing as Christe had done before in the other chapter so doth the church here thereby to let the Lorde as it were vnderstand that there was no want of loue and affection both towardes him and towardes the thinges also that he him selfe affected In this chapter and the next following for in both are principallye contayned the wordes of the church of Christe the church labouring according to her power to render lyke for lyke unto Christ doth set out her most earnest desire towardes that same wished day of their spirituall mariage But in this chapter she doth principally propound two thinges 1 The first is that the church doth generallye declare her good minde towardes Christe her Spouse and this is contayned in the first verse 2 In the second because there are two principall members of this church that is in subiection to Christ that is the fulnes of the Iewes and the fulnes of all the Gentiles as the Apostle sayth Rom. 11. 25. the old church that is to saye specially and principally the church of the Iews doth declare that shee did very earnestlye wayt for her spouse and diligently performe her duties and this reacheth from verse 2. to the ende of the chapter For as for that part of the church which consisteth in the fulnesse of the Gentiles mention is made of it in the next chapter as you shall see by the church of the Iewes Verse 1. I am my welbeloueds that is I do certainelye and assuredlye in the right of affiaunce and mariage belong vnto him q. d. I am no others but his And these are y e churches wordes manifesting what great good the comfortable speeches of Christ mentioned in the other chapter did her and declaring what assurance and certaine perswasion shee had of his holy graces towardes her and in her and of her constauncye and continuaunce in all sounde affection towardes him For his desire is towardes me that is he doth desire me and in this affection most tenderly loue me q. d. There is a mutuall loue betweene vs as I loue him so hee loueth me and as I belong to none but to him alone so hee belongeth to none other but to me onely whereof I haue amongest manye other graces this as a singular pledge that he loued me when I was his enemy that when I was straying awaye he called me backe that hee forgaue mee when I had sinned and did continuallye powre his benefites and mercyes vppon mee yea that he offered and gaue him selfe vnto mee as appeareth by his dealinges in the other chapter and therefore I can not chuse but loue him and belong vnto him alone So that wee see that the Church maketh the testimonies and tokens of Christes fauour sure proppes vnto her owne continuance in good thinges and obedience of his holy will Vers 2. Come my welbeloued Here beginneth the second part of the chapter in which the church but speciallye that of the Iewes which in the dayes of Solomon was in flourishing estate doth by turning her speech vnto Christe whereas in the former verse he had spoken as it were to some others stirre him vp by common affection as well as shee to wayt for and obserue the time of their holy mariage and this is contayned in this and the third verse Secondlye shee yeeldeth vp all the good thinges that shee had to the glorye of her Husbande and head verse 4. yea euen her selfe for the wonderfull loue that shee bare towardes him verse 5. and so on forwarde to the ende of the chapter So that these wordes Come my welbeloued are woordes of exhortation and prouoking as it were taken also from the loue of the church towardes Christ more effectually to perswade the thing she desireth because men willinglye commit them selues to the companye and easelye yeelde to the requestes of suche as they take to bee their vnfayned friendes Let vs goe foorth into the fielde Shee speaketh it after the maner of men inhabiting cityes and hauing their farme houses abroad in the country will walke they and their people to the same for recreation and to see how forwarde the springe is and whether the tyme of Sommer and haruest doe drawe nigh but all this muste bee vnderstoode spirituallye as though the Churche shoulde saye I beseeche thee doe not aloue and by thy selfe imploy thine affection in searching out the wished tyme of oure marriage as thou seemest to saye before chapter 6. 8. but let vs both togeather imploye our common diligence thereto for I likewyse desyre to haue that Marriage daye drawe yeare and the thinge it selfe perfourmed also Neither muste this exhorting of CHRISTE bee vnderstoode eyther as though hee were of himselfe vnwilling to it or needed the prouocations of the Churche for wee knowe hee is moste ready to all good thinges yea and stirreth vp the church to the dooing of the same or else they would neuer be performed but the churche requesteth it for euer for the strengthning and incouragement of her selfe thereby that so hauing his continuall presence and felllowship she may the more cheerfully go forward Let vs remaine in the Villages This part of the verse is diuersely reade by reason of the diuers significations of the words vsed therein as that worde which we turne remaine signifieth also to lodge all night which acception of the word I rather incline to in this place bicause the church seemeth to exhorte to it as it were of this purpose that so the next morning they mighte bee more ready to looke vpon
and behold the vines and other thinges mentioned in the next verse and that which is turned here Villages others turne Cypres trees which some take to bee a bushe or tree growing in Egypt Syria and the countries thereabout much like to that we call Priuet Yea some haue taken it to bee the very selfe same See Pliny lib 12. cap. 24. Also chap. 1. of this book vers 14. And indeede the word is vsed in scripture both to signify Villages and little towns and also the Cypres But whatsoeuer it bee the meaning is all one q d. I will nowe no more be found vnprepared which was the fault of the Churche mentioned before chap. 5 verse 1. c. I am ashamed of that carelesnesse negligence and slouth it is my duty to watch with thee and therefore I will indeuor the perfourmaunce of it yea I will day night wayte for the assured signes of thy glorious appearing and the rather because that as thy glorye so my chiefe good standeth in the perfourmaunce of this duty and so the church perfourmeth that vnto Christ him selfe as shee her selfe affirmed in his personne before chap. 2. 10. had performed vnto her Verse 3. Let vs rise vp earely to the vines that is to visite and looke vpon the vines The church sheweth what commodity she and her spouse shal get by remayning or lodging all night in the country villages or amongst the sweet Cypres trees out of the citye namely that they shall bee ready earelye to make triall of that that they come and look for Let vs see whether the vine florishe that is what likelyhood there is of the approching of the time of mariage for to this ende tendeth this and all the similitudes and comparisons following And whether the small grape or as you would saye The first grape which is called firste because of the firste sprowting thereof and small not onely because of the littlenes but also because it wareth greater and greater Hath opened it selfe that is hath declared it selfe vnto men that it is now become a grape and groweth which at the first appearing of it or as it were in the bud can hardly be discerned And whether the Pomgranates flourish The budding of this fruite wherof also there was good store in those countries was a signe of the spring nowe and the flourishing thereof as it were of the summer at hand By all which as hath bene sayd before the church laboureth to come to the vndoubted signes of the daye of her marriage with Christ I know others otherwise expound it as though the church should intreat Christe and stirre vp her self to looke vpon the signes of saluation and Gods grace amongest his owne people which are manye times compared to Vines Indeede I deny not but that Gods people is Gods vine and that the bringing foorthe of flowers and fruites may well resemble good works and the outward manifestation of Gods graces wherewith he inwardly adorneth his Seruauntes and that they may well bee compared to Pomgranates which fruite is of it selfe moste pleasaunte and delightfull to the taste also but yet me thinketh the former sense is more playne and simple except wee will saye thus that the more aboundaunce of good fruite that Gods people yeelde and bringe foorthe the more nighe is the marriage but because the perfection and fulnesse of oure Fruite cannot bee in this life but in the lyfe to bee reuealed that therefore the perperfection and consummation of the marriage shall not be till then It followeth There will I giue thee my loues that is there will I make manifest and open declaration of my vnfained affection towardes thee And shee speaketh of loues in the plurall number thereby to set out both the excellency of the same and the aboundaunce or plenty thereof likewise which indeed moste properly is to bee referred to the great and laste daye at what time we shall not onelye by signes most certainly perceiue that the marriage daye draweth nigh but shall in most perfect loue bee most perfectly knit vnto our head and husbande Christ Verse 4. The mandrakes haue giuen a smell Before we speake anye thing of the sense of this verse we will a little looke vppon the wordes The worde that is heere turned Mandrakes is not vsed in all y e old testament but onely in this place and Genes 30. 14. 15. in which almoste all interpretours both Iewes and Christians doe turne it Mandrakes but if the circumstances eyther of that place of Genes or this heere maye be waighed it will be found not to bee so rightlye translated For the place of Genesis if we weigh Rubens childhood we shall perceiue that he was drawen and mooued towards them rather by some pleasaunt shew and colour of them the Her boristes agreeing that the leaues of the Mandrake speciallye of the male are of a whitish greene colour and the apples of it fayre yellow and round then by any vertue or strength he either thoght or knew to be in them Besides that they should not be Mandrakes me thinketh there are yet two circumstances more the one taken from the place where it is sayde Reubens flowres did grow namely in the plain and open field as it were wheras they that write of Mandrakes affirme that it groweth moste gladly in darke shadowie places an other is from the time vz that these flowres were ripe in the dayes of wheat haruest wheras the Herboristes affirme that Mandrakes can not be so soone ripe whereof also this maye bee one reason because they delight in darke and colde places we knowing by experience and reason that thinges growing there can not be so soone ripe as they that grow abroad and haue the power of the sunne to set them forward Concerning this place it selfe mee thinketh there is one speciall reason to lead me why it shoulde not bee turned Mandrakes here namely because a sweet smel and sauour is attributed vnto it whereas they that be experienced in Mandrakes wryte and affirme that they haue no good sent or sauour at all Me thinketh rather that both in Genesis and in this place the circumstances being considred and namely that Rahel was there drawn to a liking of them by the sight of them rather than by their vertue and heere preparation is made and offered in the sweetest maner that can bee to entertayne the Brydegrome that therefore it shoulde be turned as Immanuel turneth it well These louely flowers yeelding a sauour vnderstanding by louely flowres the delight that for their colour and pleasaunt shew they offer to the eye and by yeelding a sauour meaning the sweet sent they giue to smelling q. d. Christe should haue all sweet thinges to smell to pleasaunt to looke vpon prouided for his intertaynement and yet me thinketh I am more confyrmed in this iudgement because the word here vsed is deriued from a worde that signifieth loue or to loue If anye man see more or better let him humbly
thanke God for it and laye it out to the benefite of the church And in our gates are all sweet thinges The word signifieth precious also And when the church sayth They are in the gates she meaneth not onely that they were readye but alludeth also vnto customes and orders obserued on mariage daies men beeing went to straw the houses entries doores yea and streets and all with sweet smelling herbes as we see in vse amongst vs. New and old q. d. There is great stoore and plentye of them for this is an vsuall thing by these termes to expresse aboundaunce See for the phrase Math. 13. 52. where Christe affyrmeth that the Scribes which are taught of God bring out of their treasures new and olde thinges I haue kept them foorth The church protesteth that as shee had carefullye reserued these thinges againste the marriage daye so that time beeing come she will plentifully powre them abroad that so Christ her spouse maye take pleasure in the thinges that shee willinglye offereth for his intertainment Many mistically expound these thinges for the sweet sauor that the godly yeelde in the churche by their good workes and holy conuersation and I doubt not but it maye bee so taken how be it I suppose this to bee the more simple meaning that the church alluding to the outward maner of men in worldly marryages doth meane thereby the great preparation that both she had in former tymes and presently made against the marriage day and would then plentifully powre the same abroad for the greater manifestation of her vnfayned loue towardes Christ Ver. 5. Oh that some would giue thee The church hauing shewed y e great preparatiō she had made for the marriage daye beginneth to declare the earnest affection shee had towardes Christe wishing as many doe in the earnestnesse of their minde specially when they eyther feel the want of good thinges or are moued with the excellency thereof that shee might continuallye enioye him as a moste faithfull friend Now in that shee mencioneth none to whome shee powreth foorth this wishe shee meaneth not that euerye one could graunt this or that shee did at all aduentures speake it but knowing that it was only in God to graunt the same shee doth vnder this exclamation or wish expresse the feruent desire she had to haue this performed vnto her See Iere. 9. 1. To be as a brother vnto me that is most faithfull friendlye and louing see Genes 13. 8. Also Psal 133. 1. That sucked the breastes of my mother She is not contented onely to haue him as a brother but as a most naturall kinde brother because many times it falleth out that brethren also are at great iarres thorow the neglect or forgetfulnes of those bondes wherewith they should be tyed most straitly together she wisheth that she might finde Christ as louing towardes her and as continual with her as one most natural and kindharted brother is to with another that so she might both continually and most familiarly also enioye his loue comfortable both presence and speech Though I found thee in the street that is in so open and publicke place as it were See Luk. 14. 21. I would kisse thee that is I woulde neither be ashamed nor afrayde to performe the dutyes of a holye loue and sound good will towardes thee See chapter 1. verse 2. Also Luke 15. 20. Neither would they despise me vz that knew what it meant otherwise perhaps there might be misiudging We know it is an immodest and vnseemly thing to kisse women and maydes openly as many do but if thou wert my brother as though she shoulde saye no bodye would dislike me for it though I did it openlye because of a holy affection I carry towards thee So here we see that as shee proposed her wishe and desire so here shee beginneth to shew what she would do if that might be graunted proceeding in reckoning vp of other thinges that shee ment to performe meaning onelye heere that in the performance of those holy dutyes shee would set feare and shame aside and not regarde the scornes and reproches wherwith the wicked are wont to exercise her and will still exercise her till the mariage day indeed come Verse 6. I woulde lead thee I woulde bring thee Shee doubleth the worde as it were to note not onely the ioyfulnesse of her hart to thinke vppon this which if it were so delitfull now that shee coulde not tell with what wordes to expresse it what would it be then beeing performed in full measure but also the certaine purpose that indeed shee had to execute the same binding her selfe by the means of this maner of speech more straightly to the performaunce thereof Into the house of my mother Shee alludeth no doubt to the custome in those dayes which was to bring the Bryde and the Brydegrome also into the houses of eyther of their parents see chap. 3. 4. and Genes 24. 97. where Izhac is sayde to haue brought Ribkah into the tent of Sarah his mother And no doubt but here vnder the name of mother the whole vniuersal church which rising vp togeather into one body shall in good time as a pure virgin be presented glorious and vnspotted to Christ See 2. Cor. 11. 2. Ephe. 5. 27. For the better vnderstanding of this point we muste well weigh two thinges the first is the maner of the Hebrues in their speech which vse to call some whole thing or body by y e name of father or mother and the partes deryued from the same by the names of sonnes or daughters whereof also there is some reason because as children be as it were chippes hewen from their parentes so are other things when they are disioyned one of them from an other The second is the consideration that wee muste haue of the church which in the holye scripture is to bee considered after two sortes to wit either generallye or particularly The church generall or vniuersall is likewise to be considered after two sortes For sometimes there is contayned vnder the name or word of the church Christ with all his elect people which therefore by reason of the streight and narrow coniunction that is betweene him and them is also called the Brydegromes mother as ver 9. of this chapter and in which regard also the church is called his sister chapter 4. 9. and also chapter 8. 1. Sometimes vnder the same word there is signified the elect onely as in this place and before in this booke chapter 3. 4. also chapter 6. 6. and such like Where we must marke that the very selfe same distinction muste bee obserued in the new Testament also where the church considered together with her heade Christ is called Christ 1. Cor. 12. 12 Eph. 3. 4. that is to saye misticall Christ as the Fathers were wont to say or Christ in a misterye but when wee consider the church seuered from Christe then it is called Christes church or his bodye Now
the substance of his house for this Loue. Shee meaneth that though a man woulde giue al that he had either to buy this loue of her or to get it from her it were nothing it were but labor lost and therefore shee addeth In contemning they would contemne him that is they would certainly contemne him and all that he offered to making no account neither of him though hee were neuer so great nor of the thing offered though it were neuer so precious For this the maner of the Hebrue tongue when they highlye praise to duble the word and when they greatly dispraise to duble the word likewise See chap. 1. vers 1. In summe this is it that she meaneth by this verse namelye to declare that her loue was so firme and fast to him that it could not be rent or pulled from him to anye other either by anye force or by anye fraud or by any flattery or fayre promises which are not onelye the strongest but the onely way also that the Deuill and his instruments vse to pull men away from the loue and obedience of God Vers 1. Teacheth the whole church and euery particular member of the same to be thorowly assured and perswaded of Gods election and assured fauour towardes them for euer and euer For if it be true in the whole as against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile why should it not be true in euery part and peece of y e same The knowledge whereof is not onelye comfortable in the dayes of a distressed conscience we hauing nothing so strong to leane vppon as the mightye foundation of God which remayneth sure hauing Gods seale set vpon it but also profitable to beat back that point of Popery which teacheth men to doubt of their saluation continuaunce in good thinges euen vnto the ende Neither standeth the strength and staye of this perswasion vpon our selues for then how quickly should we forgoe it sith our first parents kept not their excellent estate in the time of innocency nor vpon any good thing either within vs or without vs for all our righteousnes before God is as a filthye and stayned cloath but vppon the vnchaungeable nature and purpose of the Lorde our God as also vppon those infallible and sure notes that he hath giuen vs of his fauour in which respect also we see that the church heere vpholdeth her self because she was assured of his sound and vnmooueable affection towardes her Indeed if we looke into our selues and into our great sins and manifold vnwoorthines who can then finde any hope either of saluation or any other good grace but if we will feele and beholde this we muste cast our cogitation from our selues and by the eye of faith regarde the Lorde in his eternall loue and mercye chusing vs also in Christe his sonne and that vnto eternall life before the foundations of the world were layde As for that which is obiected by Papistes againste his truth namely that it fauoureth of presumption is most false not only because we renounce all thinges in our selues and disclaime from the same both in whole and in part but also we cleaue vnto God in the truth of his promise in not abusing his mercye nor turning his loue into wantonnesse but making them more forcible meanes to holde vs alwayes in the awe of a good conscience and strength of fayth towards him And if anye doctrine sauor of pride and be intollerablie presumptuous it is that of Popery which teacheth men to trust in the vertue and goodnesse of the thinges they haue perfourmed as auaileable and sufficient not onelye for them selues but for others also and yet we may see the iuste iudgement of God further vppon them not onely while that they them selues are iustly tainted with that cryme which vniustlye they cast vpon others but while they are founde faulty in crossing their owne assertions for how can that doctrine of doubting which is deliuered in their wrytinges and mayntained in their Schooles stande with the matter of mens meryring and deseruing because if there bee desert and that not only of congruitie but of condignity and worthines as they saye in their schooles yea and that there be works of supererogation also what need they to feare clayming onelye of fauour but of that they haue deserued But this we see that the Lorde hath so striken them with the spirite of giddinesse that as they swarue from the truth so they agree not with them selues As for vs we doe so according to truth and godlinesse remooue doubting from men that we establishe no presumption before God but rather teach them stayednesse and strength of perswasion and that not standinge vpon them selues but vppon God the author of all certainty and truth and vpon that infallible verity of his will which he hath reuealed in his word For which see Iohn 13. 1. Also Iohn 1. Verse 2. Teacheth vs in the spirite of all holy loue to exhorte and prouooke one an other and that by all the argumentes and reasons we can to the perfourmaunce of good and holye duties Wherevnto that we may be the better drawen it shall be good for vs to consider that this doctrine is not onelye sanctified vnto vs in the examples of good people but also by the verye commaundement of God in his worde and by that duty of charity which is layde vppon vs towardes other as towardes our selues we furthering their saluation by all meanes possible and lawfull and if there bee anye other reason or reasons besides these rehearsed to vse them al also as knowinge that all is little inough both by reason of our owne corruption as also by the peruersnesse of them that wee are to deale with See for this Leuiticus 19. 17. Math. 18. 16. Colossians 3. 16. Heb. 3. 13. Secondlye we learne by that verse not onelye with speed and earnestnes to pursue good thinges but euen as a man would say to preuent the time It is straunge to see the quicknesse and liuelinesse of men about atchieuing of worldlye thinges how they toyle and moyle very sore and breake their sleepes as we say and how dull and heauie they be in and about spirituall and heauenly thinges No doubt but this carefulnes in the one which are matters of nothing in comparison and carelesnesse in and about the chiefest thinges shall not onely make them voyd of excuse before men but pull vppon them more heauye iudgement in the lyfe that is to come in so much as they haue beene busiliest occupyed about such thinges as they them selues know to haue no durablenes and haue neglected others of whose perpetuity they could not chuse but be perswaded Vers 3. Teacheth the whole church and euery particular member thereof euen with earnestnesse to looke for and hearty desire to wishe the glorious appering of the sonne of God for the perfecting of that betrothing mariage which is begunne betweene him and vs. We say many tymes in the Lordes
the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs. Thou hast gyuen me more ioy of hart than they haue had wheÌ„ their wheat their wine did abound wherof also he seemeth to render a reason Psalm 30. 6. saying that In the Lordes fauour there is life euen for euer more Vers 8. Teacheth vs not onelye to haue care and conscience in our selues to do nothing to the annoyaunce or displeasing of our Lord and Sauiour Christe but also to labour what we can that others doe not disquiet him By which we maye see that the loue and care we carrye towardes him shoulde not bee contayned within the compasse of our owne bosome but bee extended to others as wel as to our selues y â— by y t means also we may not only prouide for y e pleasure profit of him to whom we belong or wish wel to but further and aduance to the vttermost of our poore powers the saluation of other men Secondly we may learne to beware of prescribing any thing or time to the Lord not only because it argueth intollerable presumption and boldnes in vs we seeing by experience y t superiors will not bear it at their hands to bee controlled no not in thinges vnlawfull or wicked then what a sinne must it be in vs to vsurp vpoÌ„ the Lord who can appoint nothing but y t which is good and lawful but also because it secretly accuseth y e Lorde as insufficient in foresight to determine or doe whatsoeuer he shall see to bee good for his own glory and the benefite and behoofe of those that belong vnto him Ver. 9. Teacheth vs two speciall things first the whol church euery particuler meÌ„ber therof y t will vnfeinedly come vnto Christ must vtterly remoue froÌ„ them all impediments and hindrances y t may hinder theÌ„ in that excellent race casting away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth fast on Hebrewes 12 mortyfiyng the old man continually with the lustes and concupiscences of the same that so Christ may take delight and pleasure to dwel in vs. Secondly y t whatsoeuer graces we haue either outward or inward we haue theÌ„ only froÌ„ y e Lord by christ who is not only the mean to conuey theÌ„ ouer vnto vs but to continue increase strengthen the same in vs for in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3 And of his fulnesse haue wee receiued euen grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. So that we may see heereby that not onely preuenting grace as papistes say is his but euen all graces subsequent or following the same For what haue we that we haue not receiued 1. Cor. 4. 7 Speciallye sith we are not sufficieÌ„t to think a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. Verse 10. Teacheth vs that the thing wee should esteeme most precious yea pray and wish for is the assured feeling of Gods fauoure and loue towardes vs in Christ Of this some thing hath bin said before vers 7. of this chapter And this is that also which our sauiour speaketh in Luke vnto his disciples Chapter 10. 20. Reioyce not in this that the spirits are subiected vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen Ieremy also speaketh excellentlye of it chap. 9 23. 24. Let not the wiseman glory in his wisedome nor the stronge man in his strength c but let him that gloryeth glorye in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me sayth the Lord For I am the lorde which shew mercye iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight See also 1. Cor. 1. 31. Also 2 Cor. 10. 27. Secondly that our loue to the Lord shoulde be no colde affection or some meane measure of a good minde but that it should be feruent earnest continuall and as a man woulde say fyery to consume all lets eyther within vs or without vs that might hinder vs from expressing the sound affection that wee carrye towardes the Lorde Jesus This doth Christe notably expresse by sundrye particulars Math. 10. 37. 38. But yet more plainlye in Luke chap. 14. 26. When he sayth He that hateth not his father and mother wife children brethren sisters yea and his own life also cannot be his disciple but most effectually in the abridgement of y e law Luk. 10. 27 Thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy thoght meaning that al that we haue both inward and outward shoulde bee imployed in and about the vnfained loue of Gods maiesty Vers 11. Teacheth vs that no feare or flattery of the aduersaries should cause vs to fal from y e holy loue that wee carry and ought alwayes to carry to Christ our head and sauiour It is the nature of the wicked to assay by fawning and fauour offered to fetch that from vs that otherwise perhaps they could not get from vs What soeuer they do we must be resolute being assured of this that as we will holde and defend nothing but the Lordes vndoubted truth so wee will againe in nothing feare our aduersaries because that all that they doe or can do against vs is to them a sure token of destruction but to vs a pledge of saluation and life euerlasting and that from God Philip. 1. 28. Notable for the ouercomming of this assault are the wordes of the Apostle Paule in the latter end of the eight to the Romans Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perrill or swoord As it is written for thy sake are we killed all daye long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours thorow him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Aungels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. In which wordes and names ver 35. 36. 37. the Apostle sheweth that no terror of the wicked should cause him or the rest of the faithfull to fall awaye from a sound minde towardes Christ and in the other verses vz 38. 39. hee declareth that no shew of good things offered beeing either present or to coâ—â— should pull vs from or should pul from vs either that loue wherewith God in his sonne Christe hath loued vs or wherewith we in some measure of a sound mind do affect and loue him Oh that men woulde duely regarde these thinges that so they might come indeed not onelye to the faith and feeling of the same but also to the sound obedience and performaunce thereof that so God might receiue glory at their handes their owne soules might be saued in the daye of Christe and other men be builded vp by
their examples to do the like The 8. and last Chapter and the summe thereof The olde Church or Church of the Iewes consulteth with Christe her heade and spouse concerning the calling of the Gentiles declaring that it is one part euen of her spirituall ioy to see that they shall be chosen into Christes flocke verses 1. 2. 3. Christe againe on the other side setteth out his affection to the church and wished still to be commended and praysed of her verses 4. 5. 6. Which the Church taking euen as it were out of his mouth shee desireth his continual presence and fauourable aide for euer 1 WE haue a little Sister and shee hath no breastes what shall we do for our sister in the daye wherin speech shal be had concerning her 2 If a wall is to be builded we will build in it a pallace of siluer if the gate is to bee defended wee will fence it about with boordes of Cedar 3 When I my selfe shall be as a wall my brestes like Towres then shall I bee in his eyes as one that findeth peace 4 Shelomoh hath a vine in Baulhamon he gaue the vine it selfe vnto the keepers a man bringeth for the fruite thereof a thousand peeces of siluer 5 My vineyard which is mine is before my face to thee O Shelomoh a thousand and two hundred to them that keepe the fruit thereof 6 O thou that dwellest in these gardens the companions harkening vnto thy voyce cause mee to heare 7 Flye thou O my welbeloued and be like vnto the roe or to the young hart vpon the mountains of spices THe Church especiallye of the Iewes hauing before made mention of her unfayned loue towardes Christe as we maye perceiue by the latter end of the other chapter doth now manifest the sound affection that she carrieth towards him euen by an other circumstance to wit that she taketh wonderfull care for the inlargement of the glory of her spouse not onely by deliberating but also after a sort wishing the calling of the church of the Gentiles yea making as you would say large and great offers for the accomplishment of the same Which though indeed it did at that time most properlye belong vnto the people of the Iewes who in those dayes were in outwarde profession the onelye people of God it doth now concerne the whole church who are the same now because the partition wall is taken away that the Iewes were ought to carry the same sound mind towards them y t are not yet called that the Iewes did to the Gentiles that were then without the Lorde vnder the church of the Iewes resembling no doubt the congregations that should be gathered of all the nations of the worlde and by the Gentiles setting out such as hauing not hearde the worde were yet notwithstanding in good time by the ministerye of the worde and working of the spirite to be effectually called to the Lorde whereof of also this me thinketh maye seeme to be a good reason because y t as the Lord will alwayes haue his church vpoÌ„ the earth so he wil haue y t means continually vsed not only that therby they that bee conuerted maye be strengthened but also that others may by the same meane be mightely reclaymed otherwise as Gods worke should appeare for a time and his glory manyfested in strengthening them so his power should bee hazarded and glory also yea the Church it selfe might quicklye come to an ende in this lyfe if there were not as a dayly remoouing of some of them to eternall lyfe by the meanes of death naturall to triumph with the rest that are gone before so a continual drawing of othersome theron by the exercises of the worde to partake with the reste in that spirituall warfare that they are to vnder-goe in this life And this I woulde haue to bee marked as good profitable and necessary both for the sense and doctrines of this chapter speciallye for the three first verses of it that we maye not be constrayned hereafter to repeat the same againe This chapter consisteth of three partes or doth especiallye propounde vnto vs three thinges The first point is as it were a consultation of the old Church with her head and husbande Christ concerning the chosing and calling of the Gentiles into the selfe same state and condition of eternall grace fauor with her this is contained in the three first ver of this chapter 2 The second thing is a notable manifestatioÌ„ declaration of the sound affection of our sauiour Christ towardes the whole church consisting both of Iewes Gentiles or of all nations as you would saye this beeing set out vnto vs not onely by commending the church but by commending it by comparing it with Solomons vineyard yea by preferring it before the same by stirring vp the sayde church to the holye duetye of praising him from whoÌ„ if he did not highly affect her he would not desire that commendation ver 4. 5 6. 3 The third thing is an earnest request or praier that the church beeing moued with the loue of hir husbande care to obey his coÌ„mandements maketh vnto him for his continual presence comfort and assistance to lead her to guid her into all truth wel-doing and this is contained in the 7. and last ver of this chapter Ver. 1. We haue a little sister She beginneth to propound the matter touching the vocation and calling of the church of the Gentiles WheÌ„ she saith we she meaneth it of Christ her self q. d. O husband spouse thou I haue by y e worde sister she vnderstandeth y e church of the Gentiles which she calleth her sister the sister of Christ Iesus also because they haue both one coÌ„mon father vz the Lorde of whom is named the whole family in heauen in earth Ephes 3. 15. yet so y t we alwaies obserue this true holy distinctioÌ„ that Christ especially as in regard of his Godhead is the verye naturall sonne of God indeed wheras we are his sons daughters whether we be Iewes or Gentiles thorow adoption grace Rom. 8. 16. 2. Cor. 6. 18. in what respect further either y e whol church or the particular churches of Iewes Gentiles maye be called Christes sister or sister one of them to another see before chap. 7. 6. She addeth that shee is little y t is not ripe or growen to any greatnes or as a man would say not come to the yeeres of mariage or mariageable vnderstand it alwaies spiritually because y e fulnesse of y e time for their mariageê as you wold say or calling was not come Gal. 4. 4. euen til Christ him self was ascended had sent forth his Apostles giuing theÌ„ coÌ„mission for that purpose Mat. 28 19. Mark 16. 15. the misterye wherof thogh it were prophecied of long before and euen y e very angels did after a sort desire to beholde y e accomplishment of it yet
end as though Christ should say seeing the increase shall bee so great wee will imploye euen our common trauayle and payne together in this building vp of the whole churche together Vers 3 When I my selfe shall bee as a wall The olde churche hauinge before declared her good minde towardes the churche of the gentiles doth not so stay therein that shee neglecteth her selfe but sheweth that howsoeuer shee hath receiued as yet more graces from GOD then the poore churche of the gentlles had that yet notwithstanding there was muche to bee added vnto her beauty and strength which also she did look should be perfourmed to her euen by the vocation of the gentiles and that maketh her also to adde And my breastes like towers that is fayre and comely by which allo she noteth that thogh shee were then to be discerned from the churche of the gentiles which as was sayde before had no Breastes and shee had some yet there shoulde bee an increase still of that comlinesse and strength Then shall I bee in his eyes that is in the iudgemente and accounte of Christe For because that the iudgemente of the eye is in moste thinges certayne and it is a notable instrumente to conueyghe to our vnderstanding the trueth and certainty of thinges she putteth therefore the eye for the Iudgemente that Christe shall haue of her As one that findeth peace that is very deare and precious and full of delight and contentment For euen as that man that hath liued in long and greate disquietnesse seeking notwithstanding for peace and finding it at the length hath obtayned his heartes delighte and ioy yea that whiche hee preferreth before all that hee hadde so was it and shoulde it bee with the Churche All in effect is as muche as if the Churche shoulde saye when a greate companye of the gentiles beeing ioyned together with mee shall growe vp togeather with them and they with mee and so wee both make but one Citye I shall not bee farre from that same quietnesse of Spirite and blessednesse for whiche I trauayle so sore now I do in deed perswade my selfe now that I am not onely entring therinto but haue made some good proceedinges therein howbeit the time of my perfection and full strength therein is not yet come Nigh it is in deede I confesse but when the time shall come that I shall by the glorious appearing of my spouse Christe bee taken vp into the perfect communion and fellowshippe of peace then shall the marriage indeed bee thorowly finished and that is it which in so manie places of scripture is called the last daie Verse 4. Shelomoh hath a vine in Baulhamon Heere beginneth the Second part of this Chapter which is Christs speach to the Church Wheerin he doth propound two speciall things First by comparing it to a vine yea to a moste excellent vine hee sheweth how deare and precious the Churche it selfe is vnto him ver 4. 5. Secondly hee prouoketh and stirreth her vp to publishe his praise and the great graces that bee in him verse 6. Concerning the wordes The vine is commended in this verse first by the person of the owner to wit Solomon whoe if euer any man liuing might haue moste excellent thinges hee aboue others as a man would saye might haue them both for the wonderfull aboundaunce of his wealth as also for the excellencye of his wytte Secondlye it is commended for the situation or place wherein it was vz. Baalhamon whiche if wee take as the proper name of a place as some of the Hebrewe writers doe and particularlye Alen Ezra no doubt but it was famous not onelye for good Vyneyardes but also for greate store of the same from whiche also as it should seeme it tooke the name for Hamon signifyeth a multitude and if Baal maye bee interpreted as Rabbi Shelomoh thinketh it maye namelye to signifye a playne to whiche ende hee aleadgeth Ioshua 12. 7. Of Baalgad then no doubte but it was so muche the more plentifull because playnes and Vale countryes are moste commonlye accounted moste Fruitefull But if wee take it as a Nowne appellatiue as wee saye or common and turne it as some doe and as also the Worde maye well beare it in the Lorde of the multitude to witte of Wyne meaning thereby as some also doe render it in a fruitefull place the sense and meaning commeth all to one namelye that the Vyne is commended for the fruitefulnesse of the place wherein it grewe Hee gaue the Vine it selfe vnto thee keepers That is hee lette it foorthe to hyre or for a Rente to suche as shoulde keepe Dresse prime cut and trimme the same A man That is euery one of those that hired it or all they togeather for so haue you this word vsed in sundry places of scripture see 1. Cor. 11. 28. Bringeth for the fruit therof vz that hee hath reaped receiued from the same or for the rent thereof as we say A thousand peeces of siluer that is a verye great summe for hee putteth a number certaine for an vncertaine some read sickles meaning no doubt common sickles which was halfe as much as the sickles of the sanctuarye and did amount as some suppose to the valew of our twenty pence He that lusteth to see or read more of this matter maye view the most learned annotations of M. Beza vpon Math. 17. 28. whatsoeuer it be this is the third commendation attributed to the Vine namely that it was hyred or let for a very great rent which also is an argument of the great fruitfulnes therof and in this verse is contained the first part of the comparison Ver. 5. My vineyard which is mine He beginneth here to put downe the second part of his cōparison namely to shew how much Christs vineyard which is his Church differeth from Solomons euen as much as Christe who is greater then Solomon Mat. 12. 42. differeth from him and as much as spirituall thinges exceed bodely And this difference is not onely noted in the word my vineyard but also in the words following Which is mine Christ by dubling the words nothing both the excellency and the certaintye of it as we haue sundrye tymes declared heretofore q. d. It is an excellent vineyard euen as I my selfe and belongeth to none other but to me alone no man shal succeed me in this because he is the eternal Lord heyre of all things Heb. 1. 2. and therefore of the church also Is before my face y t is I do continually looke vppon it haue an eye ouer it or watch ouer it alwaies for good noting not onelye his perpetuall presence in his church by this phrase of which see Math. 28. 19. but his continuall dressing and pruning of the same as the husbandmen do vineyards y t it may bring foorth more fruit See Iohn 15. 2. And this is the second thing for which Christes vine is preferred before Solomons namelye because he is inforced to put ouer his to the
labour and dressing of other men but Christe doth as it were with his owne handes prune and keepe his owne To thee O Shelamoh a thousand vz peeces of siluer or common sickles doe in right appertayne as a rent belonging to thee And two hundred vz peeces of siluer or sickles for all this must be repeated out of the fourth verse To them that keepe the fruite thereof that is to them that labour to dresse it and make it fruitful And al this is spoken by the way of concessiō or graūting q. d. I yeeld to this that thy vineyarde is worth a thousand sickles a yeare yea I consent to more than that that the laborers in it and the dressers of it are worthy for their paynes to haue ouer and besides two hundreth peeces of siluer and yet for all that this vine of mine shall far exceede the same in the respects aboue mentioned To be short The force of this reason taken from comparison or the argument it selfe is this much in effect King Solomon himselfe not for all his wit wealth though hee haue a most fruitful vine and such a one as yeeldeth excellent and good store of wine can not prune it and dresse it himselfe or receiue the whole fruit of the same but is faine to let it out vnto others to dresse and this is the summe and meaning of the forth vers but as for I my self saith Christ I haue a far more excellent and fruitfull vine hauing many branches in it and euery branch bearing many clusters of graps than Solomōs hath grapes as a man would say yea such care and loue do I my selfe carrie to this as that I will not let it out to others to dresse it nor suffer any thing of it to bee taken from me which Solomon can not chuse but graunt to the dressers of his vyneyarde because I am alwaies present with it and haue myne eye ouer it cōtinually for good And yet the truth and worthinesse of this comparison may the better appeare if wee will well looke either into the persons or the things compared Solomon must of necessity by reason that he was a man and weake haue others to labour for him and to dresse the vyneyarde to his vse but Christ as the eternall God head of his church needeth none of those aydes for though he vse men as his Ministers that is not done so muche to derogate from his power who canne without their helpes worke the saluation of his elect as for theire weakenesse sake hee speaking vnto them in persons like to themselues that so they mighte without feare as it were imbrace the truethe Besides they that laboure in Solomons Vyneyarde must because it was worldlye bee recompensed with a worldely wages and eate as you would say parte of that y t they trauelled for but neyther CHRISTE nor his ministers if wee shoulde speake of them but indeede wee are not so muche to weighe that in this place eateth anye bodelye thinge that commeth from the Churche but hee giueth them all their laboure and receyueth as a man woulde saye nothinge in comparison from them agayne If any man list to pursue this further hee maye so bee keepe himselfe alwayes within the compasse of the place and the Analogye or Proportion of fayth Verse 6. O thou that dwellest After that CHRISTE had extolled the excellencye of this Vyne that is of his Churche hee turneth his speeche vnto the same giuinge her therebye as it were to vnderstande that all this he had done not onelye for her comfort but also for her instruction For her comfort in that she was so highly yet truly commended For her instruction y t she might learn therby to extoll him indeed truth that had beene so liberall in her cōmendation In these gardens Hemeaneth the particular Churches vppon the earth in which the vniuersall church is after a sort resident and a continuall dweller Christe yet notwithstanding hauing care both ouer the whole and ouer euery particular one and pruning and dressing them with a singular affection towards them as appeareth by the particular churches mentioned Reuel 1. 2. 3. chapters The companions harkening to thy voyce caused me to heare So it is word for worde in the Hebrue text but the meaning is make me knowne by setting abroad my prayses to such as are thy companions and fellowes and eyther harken to thy speeches or should harken thereto For though by the worde fellowes or companions there be principallye ment the sounde members of the church and namely such as doe willinglye submit them selues to the worde and discipline of God Yet all men because of our common creation and because of our one and common dwelling place which is the earth may be understood thereby speciallye such as will not liue like hogges and dogges to whom we are not to giue holye thinges nor cast our pearles before them as Christe sayeth Math. 7. 6. but yeeld and giue ouer their minds to healthfull and sound doctrine Vers 7. Flye thou O my welbeloued The third part of the chapter wherein howsoeuer the word flying maye seeme to insynuate as though the church wished the remoouing of Christ yet doth shee rather thereby note the speedye approch of Christe towardes her euen as they that goe to thinges they take delight in doe runne rather than goe or as we would say flye And be like vnto the roe or to the young hart To the end that she may the better expresse the speede or swiftnesse that shee woulde haue Christ to vse in comming towardes her shee vseth this dubble symilitude For the swiftnes of these creatures see y t which is written Psalm 18. 33. To which ende also tendeth the worde young because they are farre more lustye and freshe than when they grow to greater yeares Vpon the mountaynes of spices If we referre this as some doe to the roe young hart then it meaneth moste pleasaunt hilles or mountaynes but if wee referre it to Christe as indeed I take that to be the moste true sense q. d. thou that art in the mountaines of spices then it signifieth heauen the same beeing resembled vnto vs which otherwise can not bee expressed by thinges of greatest sweetnesse and delight in this life Neither is it besides the purpose that he speaketh of spices in the plurall number by which he noteth not only the excellency of heauenly ioyes but the wonderful varietie and store of them there beeing more ioyes there by thousandes of degrees then there is or can bee in the mountaynes that are best stored with all kindes of most precious sweet things In summe this is the meaning of this verse that the church imbracing Christes commaundement touching the publishing and spreading abroade of his name and knowing how harde a thing it is to perfourme that duetye as well by reason of the excellency of the matter it selfe as also by reason of the great difficulties and daungers that are on the
it selfe which is farre more excellent both in blacke and all other colours than anye of these that be made by art Verse 11. His eyes are like doues eyes She now describeth his eyes by the sober comelines and beauty of them they beeing full of all innocency singlenes and chastity which he meaneth to expresse by comparing them to doues eyes The church attributeth it here vnto Christ which he before attributed vnto her cha 1. 15. Also chap. 4. 1. where looke for the more full exposition of the same neither doth y e church simply compare them to Doues eyes that is to euery sort of doues eyes but to such doues as be most beautifull and cleare which may appeare by the words following By the riuers of waters that is like the eyes of such doues as haunt and abyde by the riuers of waters where they haue store inough of water to wash them selues and their eies to make them cleare fresh we knowing also by experience y t euery running water is good to fresh and cleare the sight Washing them selues in milke q. d. If that bee not sufficient to resemble him and his eies to Doues haunting the cleare streames let them be compared to such as for the clearing and freshing of their eyes wash themselues in milke that so they maye appeare and bee iudged white and comelye shyning with cleare brightnesse And remayning by fulnesse These wordes haue beene diuersly interpreted and according to the same seuerall senses haue beene gyuen I will onely rehearse two leauing the godly reader to imbrace that which hee shall finde to be most agreable to godlynes and truth Some thinke that by this should be meant that as the doues bee full of moysture that remayne and continue by full vesselles so is Christe the husbande of the church of whose fulnesse we all receiue euen grace for grace Othersome because the word which is here trāslated fulnes signifieth a thing sometimes that is fitted for anye hollow place or roome as the precious Stone in a ring is made meete and fitte to fill vp the hollow place of the ring doe therefore interpret it of the eyes fitted as it were for the holes of the heade q. d As the Stones that are set in ringes are fitted for the place and so make a comely shew so are the eyes of the Spouse none of them standing too farre out of the head for that is full of staring neyther anye of them sincke in for that is piteous to beholde both which thinges are vnseemelye and deformed in the eyes as we see by experience and do after a sort disfigure the countenance but more fitly apted by a thousand degrees than precious stones are to ringes for the beautifiing therof And this I take to be the more simple sense but as I said before I leaue y e reader to his own holy choyse Verse 12. His cheekes are a bed of spice that is comely and pleasant to the sight and sweete to the smell The comlinesse thereof is contayned in the worde bed and the sweetenesse thereof in the worde Spice For beds as we see set out the gardens and spices we knowe smell well then when they haue bene long gathered no doubt also but they are sweete then when they growe And as the flowers of spices I take it that hee meaneth by this speeche they are most sweete and pleasant to looke vpon For the flowers of good things as we see by experience are for the time more delightfull to looke vpon and more sweete to smell too then the bodies themselues yeelding the same His lippes are as Lillies that is glorious and beautifull and faire to beholde for that flowre amongest others is of a goodly colour and fayre to looke vppon This flowre is commended in many places of this book as wherunto somtimes the church it selfe is compared for the beauty of it cap. 2. 2. And in y e same cap. ver 16. it is attributed to Christ Se also cap. 4. 5. Neither is this flowre only beautifull but of a pleasant smell and of good and tall growth al which tendeth still to y e expressing of the glory and beauty of Christ and to the sweet and pleasaunt smelles that are to bee founde in him whereunto also no doubt but he alludeth in the words following saying dropping down pure myrrh This is expounded before vers 4. of this cha In all this as also that which goeth before and followeth after we must mark that the holy ghost meaneth not to mooue men to wanton loue for besides that he knoweth our ouer great inclination thereto wee beleeue according to trueth that no vngodlinesse dwelleth with him nor instructeth men to paynt out their louers according to their fleshly liking but vnder these figuratiue and borrowed kinde of speeches taken from the comlinesse of the creatures y t we our selues are well acquainted with as also frō other porportions in them hee doth liuely paint out the excellent graces in Christ which as in respect of themselues cannot well bee expressed and by reason of our weaknesse can not better be declared yea he paynteth out vnder the same the spirituall and heauenly loue of the Churche to Christe which doth not nor cannot satisfy hir self with any words or comparisons to expresse both the most excellent maiesty and glory of her loue Christe and the holye causes in him that stirre vp her affections of loue towardes him Allegorically to handle all these thinges is not in my purpose or power and yet mee thinketh this much maye bee sayde according to trueth that by his head mentioned vers 10. and there resembled to gold yea to most pure golde there may well bee ment his eternall diety or Godhead or if you wil his whole person which doth as farre exceede all thinges both in colour and glittering and all manner goodnes as gold yea most fine golde all other metalles and by his locks mentioned in the same verse may be signified the innumerable vnmeasurable graces of God bestowed vpon him euen as the hayres of a mans head are without account to proceede by the curling of them may be signified not only the fast twisting and twinding of them one within another they beeing tied together as it were with a chaine but also the preuailing strength of the same as also there maye bee meant by the blacknes that excellent comelinesse beauty and glory thereof And whereas vers 11. she maketh mention of his eyes thereby may well be resembled the quicknesse of sight as you woulde say that is in Christe or his vnderstanding or perceiuing of thinges that beeing more excellente in him then our eyes in vs because our sight maye bee deceiued but hee can not For hee seeth and beholdeth all thinges as the scripture affirmeth in many places as Prouerbes 15. 3. Zecha 4. 10. Heb 4. 13. And whereas shee resembleth them to Doues eies sitting by the riuers of waters c. No doubt but thereby she meaneth the