offering of them up upon the golden Altar to wit his own selfe which was figured out by that golden Altar upon which Incense was offered Numb 4. 11. and overlaid with gold Exod. 30. 3. And thus hee makes our prayers acceptable unto God that hee smels a sweet savour in them 2. The graces of Christs spirit in the Saints are not only savoury and delightfull to God by Jesus Christ but they are savoury to men also To this purpose tends that of the Apostle Peter when he exhorts us to have our conversation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake evill of us as of evill doers may by our good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2. 12. This odour is bonae famae the savour or smell of a good name for a good name is better then ointment Eccles 7. 3. And this the Apostle calls pure religion and undefiled before God even the Father to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their adversity and to keepe our selves unspotted of the world Jam. 1. 17. And the Apostle Paul willeth u◠to walke wisely towards them which are without Coloss 4. 5. That is wee should walk in-offensively towards them giving of them no offence but rather to win them by a sweet holy and godly conversation VERS 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved unto mee he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts THe Church having praised her Beloved for his graces bestowed on her Shee now declareth farther how delightfull and how really welcome Christ is to her And lest any should think it vain-glory for her to commend her own graces shee now sheweth by what meanes she became so sweet and savoury shee plainly declares that it was not of her selfe but saith she my beloved is unto me a bundle of myrrhe c. In this verse we have First The Churches declaration of her Beloved's sweetnesse In which Declaration consider 1. A note of propriety My beloved is unto me 2. Of her affection Beloved 3. Of Christs sweetnesse expressed by a bundle of myrrhe Secondly we have Christ's entertainment from the Church he shall lie and lodge with her This is amplified by two adjuncts 1. Of the time all night 2. Of the place betwixt my breasts A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved unto me c. A bundle of myrrhe Myrrhe is an odoriferous tree and saith Plyny it sweateth out a sweet gumme called Plin. lib. 12 cap. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ligavit colligavit Vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fasciculus eculus stacte which is preferred before all others This gum is also called myrrhe from the tree whereon it grows it is gathered and bound up in baggs and though the word in the Hebrew be rendered a bundle yet according to the nature of myrrhe it being a gum or liquid thing it may be more aptly called a bag of myrrhe so the word is rendered Prov. 7. 20. A bag of money And in Gen. 42. 35. A bundle of money The word may indifferently be used for any thing that is made up in a bag or bundle As for this Myrrhe it is an Indian Tree and it is very sweet of smell and leniter amara meanly or somewhat bitter in tast as the Naturallist writeth and of the second degree hot and dry and of a preserving nature it is reckoned of God for one of the most prinpall chiefest of spices Exo. 30. 23. which holy ointment figured out the graces of Christ and the graces of the Saints Christ is said to be anointed by the Spirit Isa 61. 1. And with the oile of gladnesse or of grace Ps 45. 7. And the Saints have an unction from the holy one 1 Joh. 2. 20. This was one of those precious things with which the wise men honored Christ at his birth Mat. 2. And it is of much use for embalming for which cause Nicodemus in John 19. 39. doth mixe myrrhe with Aloes for the embalming the body of Jesus Hereby the Church declareth how sweet and comfortable Christ is to her and how well pleased shee is with all his dispensations and that hee is alwayes as a sweet odour unto her heart A bundle or bagge is for to keepe safe those things which are in danger to be lost As the soule of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah 1 Sam. 25. 29. And thus Job saith his iniquities are sealed up in a bag Job 14. 17. And when Christ wisheth his Disciples to get an heavenly treasure he saith provide your selves bagges which wax not old Luk. 12. 33. And for those things we lose and wast we are said to put in a bagge with holes Hag. 1. 6. Now this denoteth the Churches care to enjoy and possesse Christ with all his graces and communications and with the benefits of his death and resurrection all these are bound up safe in a bundle or bag she is carefull that she lose not the sweetnesse or vertue of any of the graces of her Beloved and these are all safe in Christ as bound up in a bundle My beloved Christ having called the Church his love vers 9. Here the Church returneth the same Epithite to him again and calls him her Beloved not that she first loved him but he loved his Church and gave himselfe for her Ephes 5 25. Whereupon shee loveth him again because he loved her first 1 John 4. 10. The Hebrew word Dod wel-beloved is written with the same letters that David whose name signified Beloved he was a figure of Christ and his Father after the flesh Rom. 1. 3. And Christ is called David Jer. 30. 9. Vnto mee A speech of faith propriety applying Christ and all his graces unto her selfe A like example the Apostle gives us when he saith Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. He applyeth the benefit of Christ's death to himselfe in particular to teach us speciall faith and to enflame our love to him as if he had shed his blood for us alone and in particular He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts He shall lodge or he shall abide The word lun which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pernoctare signifies to lodg or stay all night is of the future tense which yet frequently in the Hebrew bears the signification of the time past And though the word properly signifies a nights lodging or abiding as in Gen. 28. 11. yet it is used for a longer continuance as in Psal 49. 12. Adam lodged not in honour that is he stayed no long time in honour And in Psal 25. 13. his soule shall lodge in goodnesse that is it shall continue in goodnesse And in Psal 55. 7. I would lodge in the wilderness That is I would remaine in the Wildernesse This denotes unto us the Churches desire that Christ might continue and abide with her that he might lye downe and settle his abode with her for ever Or we may
Christ a greater then Solomon Matth. 12. 42. For in him are the treasures of wisdome Col. 2. 3. That is Christ had in him the perfection of all wisdome and knowledg and the Apostle calleth him in 1 Cor. 1. 24. The wisdome of God Christ is essentiall wisedome and understanding Counsell is mine and sound wisdome saith he I am understanding Prov. 8. 14. This song therefore is commended unto us by the holy Ghost in the highest degree of excellency in respect of the Author who was such an eminent type of Christ both in peace and wisdome Observe from hence that Solomon is a canonized Saint else he had not been the Pen-man of Canonicall Scripture and so to have been a Scribe of the holy Ghost The Apostle Peter speaks thus of all the holy Prophets and Pen-men of holy writ in his 2 Epist Chap. 1. vers 20 21. First know this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any private interpretationâ— For prophesie came not in old time by the will of man that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Now Solomon being one of those holy men of God he must need be a deare and beloved Saint of God 2. Hee was a most excellent type and figure of the Messiah's in love peace wisdome and glory and Christ himselfe is called Solomon in Chap. 3. 11. It would be therefore more then absurd rashnesse to conclude him a reprobate 3. The promise which God makes to David that if Solomon sinned hee should be chastised but that God would never take away his mercy cleane from him as he did from Saul 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. This cannot be meant of succession in the Kingdome for it would have been no comfort to have enjoyed the Kingdom for a while and afterwards to perish for ever therefore it must be taken for a promise of an estate of life 4. God speaks well of Solomon after his death making an honorable mention of his name joyns him with his Father David the Lord commending Rehoboam his people for their first 3. years government 2 Chr. 11. 17. Three years long they walked saith the Lord in the way of David and Solomon Now God never made any such honourable mention of a reprobate after his death in all the Scripture 5. Consider that name of love and favour which God gave unto him Jedidiah beloved of God 6. Solomon himself is said to have loved the Lord 1 King 3. 3. which thing being true else it would not have been recorded in Scripture he could never fall finally from God 7. It is said in Luk. 13. 28. that Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets of which number Solomon is one are in the Kingdom of God Yet the false Prophets are excepted as Balaam by whom God spake sometimes in a compulsitory way but the Lord used no such instruments to be Pen-men of the holy Ghost 8. And lastly his owne 3. Bookes evince his repentance and reconciliation with God For this glorious light of Israel for a season was clouded and overshadowed by Idolatry for it is said Solomon worshipped strange gods Now upon these words the Romanists conclude that Solomon died a reprobate but Mr. Broughton is of another opinion concerning these words I have oftentimes mused saith hee what should be the meaning of these words And Solomon worshipped strange gods For saith he I could Brought generall view of the Scriptures p. 154. never thinke that he could esteem the idolls of the heathen for gods considering he had such wonderfull knowledge but surely this is the meaning that by allowing his Concubines to worship them and in that it was done by his Commandement it was as his act and this I hold till I be better instructed If he had come to so open a folly as to worship them as God this his sinne must needs have been of very high nature if not the sinne against the holy Ghost which is unpardonable But however it must be confessed that Solomon fell grievously by giving the reins to his lusts yet as it was said already his 3. last Books will declare what the frame and temper of his spirit was in his old age 1. The book of the Proverbs wherein by allegories taken from the most excellent of the creatures and also from those of the lowest ranke and esteem he sheweth the wisdome of God in the government of the world from whence hee perswades men to seek after the wisdom of God admonishes the people to beware of strange women and labours to settle them in the grounds of Religion 2. His Booke called the Preacher which book was made in his old age and after his recovery out of sin he beginneth Vanity of vanities all is but vanity saith the Preacher He preached worldly vanity from selfe-experience admonishing others to beware by his evill In which Book he sheweth in generall the transitory estate of all things in the world For saith he consider the Sun it riseth and setteth and returneth again to his place The winde goeth toward the South and turneth about into the North it whirleth about continually and it returns again according to his circuits All the rivers run into the Sea yet the sea is not full unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again So by this he sheweth that there is no felicity in any thing under the sun but all is vanity He goes on and tries wisdome and knowledg but saith he in much wisdome is much griefe and he that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow He went yet further and tryed all pleasant things for saith he I made great works I built houses set Gardens and Orchards and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits I made mee pooles of water c. In a word I was full and much encreased I wanted nothing that my heart could desire but when I began to consider what felicity these things could bring unto mee I beheld nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit and that there was no profit under the Sun 3. This most divine song penned as was hinted before in his old age his affections and his mind is taken up in contemplating and celebrating those sweet mysteries of Christ and his Church and of that intercourse of love passing between them his heart is now lifted up higher then all the things under the Sun reckoning of them nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Now by what hath been said wee may conclude Solomon a glorious Saint of God and therefore should be stirred up to the study and meditation of this Book the more for Solomons sake the Pen-man thereof CHAP. 1. VERS 2 3. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore doe the Virgins love thee IN this Chapter observe two parts 1. The earnest desire of the Church to be effectually
all mercy grace and love compacted together there is no grace but it is in the cluster of mans redemption as mercy justice power wisedome love and free grace all these are gloriously manifested in the worke of our redemption Now all the graces of our redemption in Christ have a fragrancy and a sweet odour with them they are likea cluster of camphire for their sweet odoriferous smell whereby the Saints are continually refreshed and comforted In the Vineyards of Engedi Engedi was the name of a place in the Tribe of Judah appeareth Josh 15. 62. It should seem to be a City famous for sweet smelling trees and of a very fruitfull soile for Gardens and Vineyards This City Engedi was sometimes a place of safeguard and defence unto David when he hid himself from the fury of Saul as in 1 Sam. 24. It was called Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. where Jehosaphat prayed and was delivered from his Enemies It was also a place full of rocks and wild goats adjoyning to the Sea-cost This noteth unto us the great victories which the Church obtaineth by Christ hee hath brought a full redemption unto his people and will give them victory over all their enemyes The word Engedi 〈◊〉 or Gnen-gedi is a compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word the first part signifieth an eye or fountaine the latter part of the word signifies a Kid or a company hereof it was that Leah's adopted sonne Gad tooke his name which signifies a troop or company Considering the rocks and wild Goats in the bounds of Engedi here may be an allusion from those young Goats who from the Rocks would not onely cast their eyes upon the Fountaines below which were their watering places but also upon the Vineyards desiring to root up and spoil the Plants there But as the owners of the Vines would wall and fence their Vineyards in such a manner that these Goates or Kidds which longing and bleating after the pleasant plants could not come to spoile them even so it is with the wicked persecutors of the world they may see and cry after the Saints and much desire their destruction but Christ the owner of this Vineyard hath set a hedg about his Saints as hee did about Job so that Satan could not touch his soule and Christ himself is a wall of fire round about his Church Zech. 2. 5. where the holy Ghost alludeth to the practice of Travailers in the Wildernesse who surrounded themselves with a fire and did thereby fray away the wild beasts and kept them off from annoying them Christ is such a defence unto his people and therefore they must needs be in great safety who have such a defence notwithstanding all the attempts of the wicked against them As for these words of propriety and affection My beloved is unto me c. Having spoken of them in the precedent verse I shall not repeat them again but shall only give you two or three Observations from this verse First Observe That redemption by Christ and the fruits thereof are very savoury and delightfull unto the Saints The pardon of sinne and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ with that spiritual peace flowing from thence with all those heavenly graces that follow and accompany this redemption these cannot but be very delightfull and precious unto the Saints yea and much more precious and sweet then all camphire and Cyprus trees are unto any worldly sense Here is as it were a cluster of graces compacted together and that do shine forth together most gloriously being the very life of a Christians joy and comfort In our redemption there is as I said before a cluster or heap of mercies and graces compacted together as rich mercy extended to the vessels of mercy the Sts are made vessels of mercy by redemption these vessels are filled full of mercy mercy is manifested upon them There is also rich love in our redemption in that the Father gave his Sonne to death for us and the Son also gave himselfe and laid down his life for us greater love then this was never shewn by any Again Free grace doth exalt it selfe in this work also for we were bought with a price that not with our own but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ In a word in our redemption all the attributes of God shine forth most gloriously as for justice it is honoured because it is satisfied and for mercy it is enlarged and hath a portion aswel as justice his power is magnified in effecting such a glorious work and his wisdome in finding out and in contriving and in finishing the worke of our redemption Here are graces compact together even as clusters of berries on the Cyprus tree Thus Christ is sweet to his Saints in redeeming and saving of them hee is like a cluster of camphire or of cyprus Secondly observe That Christ will be a safeguard and shelter for his Saints in the middest of the greatest dangers Wicked men may look down from their mountain and behold the Saints in Christs vineyard and desire much to spoile those tender plants but Christ will be a wall of defence unto them Thus David declareth the Lord to be his defence and hee expresseth it nine times together in Psal 18. 2. The Lord saith he is my rocke and fortresse c. Two names of a rock are in this verse the first is Selaugh a firm stony rock the latter is Tsur a strong or sharp rocke he is saith hee My deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower A horn signifieth power and strength Psalm 92. 11. and therefore they signifie the great Monarchs and Kings of the world Dan. 8. 21. An high tower hath it's name in Hebrew Misgah which is an exaltation that is an high Tower or Fort wherein men are protected from danger and invasion and he addes my refuge that is saving me from all wrong and violence of men And this is that which Christ hath promised to his Sains never to leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13. 5. There are no lesse then five negatives in this place to strengthen and confirm our faith in the truth of the promise And it is as if he should have said I will in no wise whatsoever come of it at any time forsake thee mine eye shall be still over thee and I will watch over thee for good continually So the Lord promiseth to be with his people in the greatest danger when they passe through the water and when they walke through the fire Isa 43. 2. Fire and water are two most devouring Elements good servants but bad masters as we say and therefore here they are put for all other perillous and dangerous kinds Christ will save and deliver his people from them all We read Dan. 3. 25. That the three children were cast into the fiery furnace but what said the Tyrant I see foure saith hee and
Christ far excelleth all the great ones of the world for beauty sweetnesse and comfort So is my beloved among the sonnes c. Christ was the first-borne of God and therefore he was set above all the Kings of the Earth Psal 89. 28. The first borne among the Jewes was the principall and had three prerogatives first a double portion of goods Deut. 21. 17. Secondly the rule or government 2 Chron. 21. 3. Thirdly the Priest-hood Numb 8. 14. 15. Now Christ is called the first-borne of God to shew that he is to be worshipped and honoured above all things he is said to be the first-borne of every creature and the first-borne of the dead that in all things he might have the pre-eminence Col. 2. 15. 18. And therefore was to be worshipped of all the Angells of God Heb. 1. 6. And is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Revel 1. 5. Thus much for the comparison it selfe now followeth the fruits or effects thereof I sat downe under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was pleasant unto my tast Here the Church declareth the fruit of Christs shaddow and fruitfulnesse and withall expresseth her earnest affection that she hath to be kept under Christs power and under his protection from persecution and affliction Vnder his shadow c. This comfortable shadow is the shield of protection and defence The tree shaddoweth from the heat of the Sun so Christ shadoweth from the wrath of God and from the persecutions of men The shaddow of Aegypt that we read of in Isa 30. 2. and the shadow of Heshbon Jer. 48. 45. signifie the defence wherein men trusted now such a shadow of defence is Christ unto his people I sat downe with great delight We may read the words thus I much desired that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desidera vit optavit cupivit concupivit might sit c. The forme of the Hebrew word doth increase the signification so that it noteth a continuall and fervent desire of that which is pleasing delightfull or profitable so that the sence is as much as this I did much please and delight my selfe to sit under his shadow c. By siting is meant abiding or resting as in Psal 91. 1. He shall lodge or abide under the shadow of the most high The shaddow of a tree is comfortable and doth refresh those that are parched with the boyling heat of the Sun The Church is under hot persecutions being in the world as a lilie among thornes she is also under wrath reveiled by the Law therefore she taketh so much delight under Christs shaddow in him she findeth rest and peace and therefore she siteth downe and remaineth under his shaddow because he hath delivered her from the wrath to come 1 Thess 1. 10. In whom she hath peace though in the world she hath tribulation John 16. 33. now she proceedeth to an other fruit of his goodnesse And his fruit was sweet to my tast The Church acknowledgeth that she is not delivered only from evill but made partaker of his goodnesse Fruits signifie graces and good workes Mat. 3. 8. and Gal. 5. 22. and they also signifie a comfortable reward Psal 58. Prov. 27. 18. but here wee may take them for the words and workes of Christ First Christ's words are sweet for David cries out most pathetically saying How sweet are thy speeches to my palate beyond hony unto my mouth Psal 119. 103. The Jewes confesse That never man spake like him and Peter saith Lord thou hast the words of eternall life Joh. 6. 68. Secondly Christ's workes are sweet his worke of incarnation taking our nature upon him his worke in our nature killing of sinne by his death and resurrection and all the fruits of them which are communicated unto us by the Gospel his glorious ascension in our nature leading captivity captive and giving spirituall gifts unto men his sitting at the right hand of Majesty in our nature making continuall intercession for his people his protection in times of trouble his presence in the middest of persecution in a word all the workes of his mediatourshipp are sweet yea pleasant and pleasure it selfe unto us From the first of these effects Observe That Christ is a shadow of protection unto his people As Trees are a shadow from the hot scorching sun so is Christ a shadow unto his people from the heat of the wrath of God and from the persecutions of the world Thus the Lord promseth in Isa 4. 6. There shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storme and from raine The Lord doth promise by this Tabernacle to be a defence unto them against all dangers and annoyances set forth by allusions as to the cover of the Tabernacle Exod. 36. 19. and the use of the cloud Psal 105. 39. And thus wee have the Prophet saying Thou Lord hast been a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in his distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storme against the wall Isaiah 25. 4. Secondly Observe That the Saints are much delighted and refreshed by this shaddow of Christ's protection I fate downe under his shadow with great delight c. Hence it is that the Psalmist cryeth Hide me from the conspiracie of the wicked and from the rage of the workes of iniquitie Psal 64. 2. This comfortable shadow this sheild of protection the Saints most of all desire in the suns heat of persecution hither they flie as Doves unto their culture house as the Child in the mother lapp Christ was a shadow unto his Church in respect of the weight of her sinnes she being terrifyed with the curse of the Law which herselfe could not beare now under this distresse of mind she flyeth unto Christ for succour to be shrowded and protected by his grace and to be covered by his righteousnesse from that terrible curse When the soule is full of restlesse vexations fluctuating and tumbled up and downe in a whole Ocean of perplexities and fears and can see no shoare no land no creek or haven of comfort then it must into the Arke then it uses the Soliloquie of the Psalmist returne unto thy rest O my soule then it cries out with the blessed Martyr O! none but Christ none but Christ there 's my Arke there 's my rest there 's my refuge there I shall fiinde reliefe and releasement or else no where Christ will be a calme to me after a storme he will dispell and drive away all these clouds he will hold my head above the water and keepe me from sinking he will be light and joy and unspeakable solace after al these distempers thus the poore afflicted soule as a Prisoner of hope as the Prophet speakes Zach. 9. 12. returnes unto Christ as to it 's strong hold Christ is called the propitiat orie Rom. 3.