A Brief Exposition of the Book of the Song of Solomon, Chapter 5
THE CANTICLES, OR SONG OF SONGS opened and explained.
THE TEXT. CHAP. 5.
I Am come into my garden, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, I have gathered my Myrrhe with my ſpice, I have eaten my honey-combe with my honey, I have drunke my wine with my milke: eate, O friends, drinke, yea drinke abundantly, O beloved.
verse 2 I ſleepe, but my heart waketh, it is the voyce of my beloved that knocketh, ſaying, Open to mee my ſiſter, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my lockes with the drops of the night.
verse 3 I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them?
verse 4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the doore, and my bowels were moved for him.
verse 5 I roſe up to open to my beloved, and my hands dropped with Myrrhe, and my fingers with ſweet ſmelling Myrrhe, upon the handles of the locke.
verse 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawne himſelfe, and was gone: my ſoule failed when hee ſpake: I ſought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no anſwer.
verse 7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they ſmote me, they wounded me, the keepers of the wals tooke away my vaile from me.
verse 8 I charge you, O daughters of Jeruſalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am ſicke of love.
verse 9 What is thy beloved more then another beloved, O thou faireſt among women? What is thy beloved more then another beloved, that thou doſt ſo charge us?
verse 10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt among ten thouſand.
verse 11 His head is as the moſt fine gold, his lockes are buſhie and blacke as a Raven.
verse 12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water, waſhed with milke, and fitly ſet.
verse 13 His cheekes are as a bed of ſpices, as ſweet flowers: his lips like lillies, dropping ſweet ſmelling Myrrhe.
verse 14 His hands are as gold rings ſet with the Beril: his belly is as bright Ivorie overlaid with Saphires.
verse 15 His legs are as pillars of marble, ſet upon ſockets of fine gold, his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars.
verse 16 His mouth is moſt ſweet, yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jeruſalem.
THE EXPLANATION.
Cant. 5. verſe 1.
I am come into my garden, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, I have gathered my Myrrhe with my ſpice, I have eaten my honey-combe with my honey, I have drunke my wine with my milke: eate, O friends, drinke, yea drinke abundantly, O beloved.]
COnſtantine came into the Church,Chap. 5. verſe 1. enjoyed the fellowſhip of it, did partake in all the parts of it, yea and richly endowed it; ſo that the Church and all her friends did eat and drinke, yea and did drinke abundantly of wealth, preferments,Cha. 4. 12. &c. whence it was that ſhee fell into a deepe ſleepe.
Uſe 1 Firſt, this ſerves to ſtirre us up to thankefulneſſe and fruitfulneſſe to God, who hath planted us not in the wilderneſſe of the world, but in the garden of his Church. If wee now tranſgreſſe as Adam did, eating of the forbidden fruits, *Gen. 3. 6 11, 12, 24 & 2. 17.God will take his garden from us, and caſt us out of it.
Uſe 2 Secondly, this lets us ſee, all the goodly ſituations of the earth are but dunghils and deſarts, in compariſon of the Church; the Church is a garden, and in it are fountaines of living waters for every thirſty ſoule.
Uſe 3 Thirdly, though the Church be ſometimes in open view of all, as a City ſet on a hill;Mat. 5. 14. yet it is ſometimes alſo otherwiſe, incloſed, ſhut up, ſealed.
Uſe 4 Fourthly, when the Church is ſhut up in corners and conventicles, the members of it hatch not treaſons, ſchiſmes, factions, but ſtill remaineth as a garden, orchard, fountaine, yeelding ſweet waters, ſavoury and wholeſome fruits.
Uſe 5 Fifthly, ſee the wonderfull uſe of afflictions and perſecutions to the Church; what ſavoury, and wholeſome and precious graces are thereby exerciſed; yea, how mightily doth the Church then ſpread when it is moſt reſtrained?
Uſe 6 Sixthly, ſee then what the weapons of the Church were againſt their perſecutors; not daggers, dags, powder, piſtols, rebellions, treaſons, &c. but prayers for more ſeaſonable times.
Uſe 7 Seventhly, we are to be ſtirred up to pray, that God would now ſtirre up a wholeſome Northwinde, to blow favourably upon the Churches beyond the ſeas, and ſtrongly againſt their enemies.
Uſe 8 Eighthly, this may teach us whileſt we enjoy at home theſe faire blaſts, not to ſtreame forth the unſavoury corruptions of our owne ſpirits, but the ſweet graces of God; elſe wee abuſe theſe ſweet opportunities we doe enjoy.
Uſe 9 Laſtly, it is a time of much rejoycing when God ſtirreth up Kings and Princes to come into the fellowſhip of the Church, and to partake of Gods ordinances in the ſame.
I ſleepe,Cant. 5. ver. 2. to chap. 6. ver. 4. but my heart waketh, it is the voyce of my beloved that knocketh, ſaying, &c.]
Now followeth the deſcription of the eſtate of the Church from Conſtantines time to the time of reſtoring of the Goſpell, and reforming of the Church by the Miniſtery of Luther, and other late Divines.
After that Conſtantine had largely endowed the Church with peace, and wealth, and honour; it fell into an eſtate of carnall ſecurity; which carnall ſecurity is deſcribed,
Firſt, by a compariſon, reſembling it to ſleepe; which ſleepe of hers is amplified by the divers conditions, yet my heart waketh.
Secondly, by the carriage of Chriſt towards her in this her ſleepe; where obſerve,
1. The meanes hee uſeth to awake and ſtirre her up: which were,
Firſt, calling to her and knocking, as verſe 2.
Secondly, putting in his hand by the hole of the doore, verſe 4.
2. The ſucceſſe of thoſe meanes, or the reſpect ſhe gave to them, or the uſe ſhe made of them; which was double,
Firſt, his calling and knocking ſhee neglecteth wholly, upon very ſlight pretences and excuſes, verſe 3.
Secondly, his putting in his hand by the hole of the doore,
1. She is affected with it, My bowels were moved for him, verſe 4.
2. She upon it ſought him: which is further ſet forth,
Firſt, By the degrees of her ſeeking him:
1. She aroſe to open to him, verſe 5.
2. Her hands and fingers dropped Myrrhe upon the handles of the locke, verſe 5.
3. She opened to her beloved, ver. 6.
Secondly, by the fruits or ſucceſſe of her ſeeking, where is interpreted the fruit or ſucceſſe of theſe two degrees of her ſeeking, in regard,
1. Of Chriſt, hee was gone, hee had withdrawne himſelfe, &c. verſe 6.
2. Of the watchmen, of whom ſhe asketh not for her beloved; but they finding her ſeeking Chriſt, they
Firſt, ſmote her.
Secondly, wounded her.
Thirdly, tooke away her vaile from her, verſe 7.
Fourthly, ſhe, not diſcouraged with this bad dealing and hard uſage of the watchmen, added a fourth degree in her ſeeking of Chriſt; ſhee chargeth the daughters of Jeruſalem to move Chriſt for her, verſe 8. The ſucceſſe or fruit whereof is added, for upon this charge,
1. The daughters of Jeruſalem are ſtirred and occaſioned to enquire of her, who Chriſt is, verſe 9.
2. She by their enquiry is occaſioned to deſcribe him,
Firſt, by his colours, verſe 10.
Secondly, by his eminency, verſe 10.
Thirdly, by his ſeverall members and parts, verſe 11,—16.
Fourthly, by his amiableneſſe, verſe 16.
3. The daughters of Jeruſalem by this her deſcription of him, are ſtirred up to affect him, and to promiſe their fellowſhip in ſeeking of him with her, Chap. 6. 1.
I ſleepe:]Verſe 2. The Church ſurfeiting with abundance of proſperity in Conſtantines time, neglected the purity and power both of doctrine and worſhip, and received corruptions; of which were prayers to Saints, building of Temples to them, Superſtitious regard of their reliques, Images, and their worſhip, Ceremonies annexed to their ſacraments, choyce of meats, affecting and applauding Monkiſh life, Purgatory, &c.
My heart waketh:] The Church was ſtill awake,
Firſt, to hearty devotion, according to their knowledge, and beyond it.
Secondly, to diſcerne ſome ſuch groſſe hereſies as quenched the heart and life of Chriſtianity; as the impiety of Arius, denying the God-head of Chriſt; of Macedonius and Eunemius, denying the perſon of the holy Ghoſt; of Neſtorius, dividing the perſons in Chriſt; of Eutiches, confounding their natures: other ſtraw and ſtubble built upon the foundation they neglected.
It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, ſaying, Open.] Chriſt uſed good meanes to awaken his ſpouſe, and to raiſe her up from this carnall ſecurity.
Firſt, he calleth to her in the voice of ſundry good Divines, who complained of the intolerable burthen of humane inventions, wherewith the common Chriſtians were defiled and dabled, as Chriſt here complaines: His locks & haire were full of the drops of the night;Auguſt. ep. 119. drops with coldneſſe of Religion and darkneſſe of ignorance ingendred.
Secondly, he knocked by the raps and blowes which Conſtantius, Valens, and Julian gave to the Church; the two former perſecuting the orthodox Biſhops and Miniſters and other Chriſtians, in favour of the Arians; and Julian making flat Apoſtacy from the Church, and ſubtlely ſupplanting the nurſing of Religion.
I put off my coat,Verſe 3. how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them?
I have put off my coat.] Thus upon ſleight pretence the Church refuſeth to open to Chriſt: ſhe pretends, Religion & the worſhip of God would appeare too naked, if it were not clothed with goodly & comely humane inventions; how then ſhould ſhe in ſo naked a manner open to Chriſt? Humane inventions do not clothe Religion, or the Church profeſſing it with any comely ornaments; but, as it were with warme blankets, lap her and lull her aſleep in the bed of perfunctorie worſhip and carnall ſecurity.
I do not here conceive that the Church acknowledgeth ſhe hath caſt off her garments of Chriſts righteouſneſſe; for then how ſhould ſhee remaine the ſpouſe of Chriſt? yea, how then ſhould her heart have beene otherwiſe then aſleepe too? but onelyonly ſhee pleadeth ſhee ſhould appeare too naked if ſhee ſhould open to Chriſt, if ſhee ſhould worſhip him in the ſimplicity and nakedneſſe of his ſimple ordinances.
I hauehave waſhed my feet:] Not with the laver of regeneration, for that would have beene no impediment, but a furtherance to the pure worſhip of God; but ſhee had waſhed her feet, ſhee had freed and cleanſed her converſation from defilements of ſecular affaires: ſhee had taken up a devout regard of virginitie, or hermitiſh or monkiſh ſolitary retiredneſs; ſhee being cleanſed and waſhed in theſe devices, cannot betake herſelfe to worſhip the Lord in his ſimple ordinances, and in the waies of her calling, without ſome defilement: Thus marriage and worldly buſineſſe (though both allowed by God, yet) ſeeme a defilement, in compariſon of more ſtrict ſuperſtitious devotion.
My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door,Verſe 4. and my bowels were moved for him.
My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the doore;] Or, My beloved put downe his hand by the hole of the doore.] Either of which imply, that Chriſt did at firſt uſe meanes for himſelfe to open the doore, when ſhee would not; attempting to remove the impediments which hinder him from enjoying his ſpouſe: Firſt, put his hand by the hole of the doore, when he ſtirred up Chriſtian Emperours, ſuch as Martianus, and both the Theodoſii, to call Synods, and to command the Fathers aſſembled, to give all diligence to roote out all hereſies, and depravations of doctrine and worſhip, that the pure and holy faith might ſhine forth.
How eaſily might the Church, upon ſuch encouragements, have broken the barres and bolts of ſuperſtition crept into the worſhip of God, whereby Chriſt was debarred from drawing neer to them? The Biſhops aſſembled in thoſe Councels of that time, condemned thoſe groſs hereſies which blaſphemed the doctrine of the Trinity; but how deeply did they neglect to redreſſe all other enormities and corruptions? Beſides, Chriſt is ſaid to put in his hand by the hole of the door, when he puts his ſpirit, which is the power & finger of God*Mat. 12. 28. with Luke 11. 20., into the hearts of his people, whereby they are enlightened to know him better, and ſtirre up men honeſtly to ſeek after him. So Chriſt enlightned and ſtirred up Leo Eſauricus, Conſtantines ſonne, and Leo Copronimus, to bend their beſt endevours to roote out Idolatry, and to remove Images, which were one of the chiefeſt abuſes in Gods worſhip.
My bowels were moved for him.] Theſe good Princes, and other Chriſtians at that time were ſtrongly and inwardly affected to the purity of Gods worſhip, in which alone Chriſt is found.
I roſe up to open to my beloved,Verſe 5. and my hands dropped with myrrhe, and my fingers with ſweet ſwelling myrrh, upon the handles of the locke.
I roſe up to open to my beloved.] The Church under theſe good Emperours roſe up out of the blankets of theſe humane inventions wherewith ſhee was covered, in a bed of ſleeping devotion, and endeavoured to reſtore openly the ſimplicity of Gods worſhip, rejecting Images and Idolatry.
My hands dropped with myrrhe, and my fingers with ſweet ſwelling myrrhe, upon the handles of the lock.] The endeavours of the Church were ſweet & delectable and acceptable to Chriſt, and ſavoury to the people, to preſerve them, as myrrhe, from further perſecution, when Conſtantine the ſonne of Leo Iſauricus, called the ſeventh Conſtantinopolitan Councell, and there truly and ſolemnly convinced and condemned the worſhip of Images: As alſo when Charles the Great did the like ſome fortie yeares after, at a Synod in Frankford.
I opened to my beloved,Verſe 6. but my beloved had withdrawne himſelfe, and was gone: my ſoule failed when he ſpake: I ſought him, but I could not finde him: I called him, but he gave me no anſwer.
I opened to my beloved.] This attempt of the Church in executing in ſome places the decrees of theſe ſynods was an opening of the doore to Chriſt: Images and Idolatrie being ſhut forth, there is a doore open for Chriſt to enter.
But my beloved had withdrawn himſelfe, and was gone.] Chriſt did not delight to reveale himſelfe in their publike aſſemblies, though Images were in ſome places well removed, both becauſe thoſe decrees for removing of Images were not generally received and executed, through the comming in of the Biſhop of Rome; and becauſe the worſhip of God was ſtill full of heatheniſh and Jewiſh ſuperſtitions, which Chriſt tooke no pleaſure in.
My ſoule failed when he ſpake:] The faithfull in thoſe times were aſſembled with feare and griefe, to conſider how Chriſt now ſpeaketh to them afarre off, comes not neer to their hearts and conſciences; ſo that now, though they uſed ſuch meanes to finde him as the times afforded, yet Chriſt did take no pleaſure in thoſe meanes, in thoſe worſhips, nor, to their ſenſe, in thoſe that uſed them.
The watchmen that went about the Citie found me,Verſe 7. they ſmote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walles took away my vaile from me.
The watchmen that went about the Citie found me:] Theſe watchmen are the Biſhops and Miniſters of that time; as alſo the keepers of the wals may well bee the Magiſtrates; for civill government is a wall of defence to the Church of God.
They found me,] And yet the Church enquireth not of them, as ſhee had done before of other watchmen,*Chap. 3. 3. Have you not ſeen him whom my ſoule loves? for ſhe knew theſe watchmen were of another ſpirit, rather wolves in ſheeps cloathing, and more ready to beat her from Chriſt, then to bring her to Chriſt. They ſmote me with cenſures of excommunications, as Gregorie the third Pope of Rome did Leo Iſauricus for his endeavours. Afterwards, when ſundry Chriſtians, having intelligence that the Biſhops and Doctors were aſſembled in a Temple at Byzantium, to give ſentence for reſtoring of Images, in the daies of the Empreſſe Irene, came upon them, and forced them with weapons to leave off ſuch decrees; theſe people were afterwards diſ-armed and baniſhed into ſundry Iſlands. Thus were the faithfull ſmitten with the cenſures of Excommunication by the watchmen of the Citie; of baniſhment by the keepers of the walls.
They wounded me,] With the Canons of the ſecond Councell of Nice; whither that Councell, aſſembled in the Temple of Byzantium, & ſcattered by the people, was afterwards tranſlated by the counſell of the Biſhops of Rome. In this Councell Images were againe reſtored, to the great griefe of the godly, yea to the wounding of their hearts. The ſentence of a generall Councell in the behalfe of any error is no ſmall wound to the whole Church.
They tooke away my vaile from me,] when they forced the Biſhops of Rhodes, Nice, Neo-Ceſarea, Hierapolis, and others to recantation, who before had worthily oppoſed Images. To bring men to open recantation, to lay open their nakedneſſe, eſpecially when they recant from the trueth, is to take away the vaile.
I charge you,Verſe 8. O daughters of Jeruſalem, if ye finde my beloved, that ye tell him that I am ſicke of love.
I charge you, O daughters of Jeruſalem.] The Church, finding her ſelfe ſo hardly dealt with by the Miniſters and Magiſtrates, would not give over her ſearch after Chriſt; yet now ſeeketh him in the fellowſhip of private Chriſtians, and ſtirreth them up to pray for her.
Tell him I am ſicke of love.] That is, in your prayers acknowledge that the Church is ready to faile and periſh for want of his preſence and fellowſhip in his publike ordinances.
What is thy beloved more then another beloved,Verſe 9. O thou faireſt among women? &c.]
The Chriſtians, the daughters of Jeruſalem, from this day forward, to the daies of Petrus Waldus (of whom the Waldenſes tooke their name) were very ignorant of Chriſt, and therefore they ask who hee was, and wherein better then another: But in ſtead of him they magnified the Church; Holy mother Church was all in all with them: Her they acknowledged to be faireſt among women, though they ſee nothing in Chriſt better then in another.
My beloved is white and ruddy, &c.]Ver. 10. Thus Petrus Waldus, a Citizen of Lions, opened Chriſt to the daughters of Jeruſalem, to the children of the Church, ſetting before them the white innocency of true holineſſe in him, and the ruddy ſcarlet dye of his death. The righteouſneſſe and death of Chriſt plainly, yet powerfully, opened by him, brought many to behold Chriſt, and to profeſſe him; who (when by perſecution ſtirred up againſt them by the Biſhop of Rome they were diſperſed into many places) multiplied exceedingly; and being then called Albingenſes, in many battels fought againſt the ſouldiers which Pope Innocent the third had ſent againſt them, under conduct of Simon Mounteford, and others ſigned with the croſſe: in many of which the Albingenſes prevailed, helped by Reymund Earle of Thelus, and Peter King of Aragon; though afterwards they were overcome and ſcattered further into many places of Chriſtendome. So in regard of theſe troupes of many thouſands, Chriſt is here called the ſtandard▪ bearer, as the word ſignifieth, or the choice of ten thouſand. Again, at that time Chriſt may be ſaid to be white and ruddy in regard of his members, who were then white with innocency of life, yet ruddy, enduring perſecution.
His head is as the moſt fine gold,Ver. 11. his locks are buſhie, and black as a raven.
His head is as the moſt fine gold.] Chriſt comes now to be deſcribed in his members more particularly: This head of gold Chriſt ſhewed on the earth in the perſon of Frederick, the ſecond Emperour of Rome, a Prince of much purity and worth, as an head of the Church of fine gold: He contended with many Popes about the headſhip of the Church, advanced the headſhip of Chriſt and of himſelfe, his Vice-gerents, above he counterfeit head of the Popes Supremacy. He wraſtled for Chriſt againſt them with much difficulty, yet prevailed; ſo that even in the popiſh ſchools his election of God was agreed and condeſcended unto by ſundry.
His locks are buſhie, or curled, and black as a raven.] Curled black haire is a ſigne of heat and courage, and wit in him that it groweth upon: Such was the Emperour himſelfe, & ſuch were the common Chriſtians of that age that did depend upon their Emperour; they ſtuck cloſe to him: learned men with wit, more then former ages had yeelded, and ſouldiers with courage maintained his perſon and cauſe.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water,Ver. 12. waſhed with milke, and fitly ſet.]
Doves, diving in rivers of waters, dive their bellies deepe into the waters; ſo that their eyes looke cloſe and narrowly upon it.
Firſt, the eyes are here ſet forth by their care of the Church; he is not ſo farre off removed from it, that he had need of the Pope to be his viſible Vicar to looke to it.
Secondly, by their milde innocency, implied, in that they are doves eyes and waſhed with milke; whereas the Popes eyes were as hawkes eyes, looking eagerly after the prey.
Thirdly, by their fit ſtanding, ſoe as they may well looke to the whole bodie; whereas the Popes eyes cannot poſſibly watch to looke well to the eſtate of the Church ſo far off him.
To this purpoſe tended the doctrine of the faithfull Divines in the following age, ſuch as Michael Ceſenus, Petrus de Carbania, Johannes de Poliaco, and ſuch as followed them.
His cheekes are as a bed of ſpices,Ver. 13. as ſweet flowers: his lips like lillies, dropping ſweet ſmelling myrrhe.
His cheeks are as a bed of ſpices.]
Cheekes implie the outward face of the faithfull Church, for the cheekes are a place moſt conſpicuous, which ſhewes that the faithfull of thoſe times were as beds of ſpices and ſweete flowers, to wit, not gathered into any ſet garden, as afterward in Luthers time,*Cha. 6. 2. but ſcattered here and there, yet of ſweet and precious ſavour in the noſtrils of Chriſt: yea one Nicholaus de Bibrath, living about that time, compareth faith and pietie in the Church to ſpice rare and deare.
His lips like lillies, dropping ſweet ſmelling myrrh.] The doctrine of the Church at thoſe times was ſuch as, like myrrhe, ſerved to preſerve the faithfull from putrefaction, according to that,*Rev. 2. 25. That which ye have already, hold faſt till I come. In the Primitive Apoſtolique Church her lips dropped like an hony-combe, being of ſtrong ſweet reliſh to delight and nouriſh to full growth:*Can. 4. 11. But the lips of this Church drop rather myrrhe then hony; they rather preſerved ſome trueth of grace, then yeelded any abundant nouriſhment to procure increaſe to the Church.
His hands are as gold rings ſet with the Berill:Ver. 14. his belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires.
His hands are as gold rings ſet with the Berill:] Hands are inſtuments of action; their being ſet with gold rings implyeth their purity and dignitie: The Berill cleereth moiſture and dimme ſight: Franciſcus Rudis, de Goma. libr. 2. cap. 8. All theſe ſhew that the Miniſtry of the Goſpell ſhould be then more powerfull; and indeed God, about that time, Anno 1300. ſtirred up Dantes, Marcillius, Potavinus, Ocham, Gregorius Ariminenſis, Petrarchus, Wickliffe, and many moe, whoſe Miniſtry brought on ſo many, that ſome have counted it the firſt reſurrection; yea, the Magiſtrates of that time, Ludovicus Bavarus the Emperour, Philip of France, Edward the third of England, ſtood out in many things againſt the Pope, as thoſe whoſe hands had got more ſtrength, and better felt their owne worth, and whoſe eies were cleered to ſee more light then their predeceſſours.
His belly as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires.] The belly is an hidden part of the body, yet ſuch from which the reſt is nouriſhed; which fitly reſembleth the Sacraments here, as alſo ch. 7. 2. which being hid from thoſe that are without, yet nouriſh the whole body, as an heap of wheat. The doctrine of the Sacraments, and the pure adminiſtration of the ſame, was at this time reſtored by John Wickliffe, and embraced by his followers, though condemned in the Councell of Conſtance. Theſe Sacraments are ſaid to be overlaid with Saphires, whoſe property is to ſtrengthen and cheriſh the principall ſolid parts,*Rucus Deginus l. 1. cap. 2. becauſe of the efficacy of the Sacraments truely taught and adminiſtred, to ſtrengthen and quicken Gods graces in us.
His legs are as pillars of marble,Ver. 15. ſet upon ſockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars
His legs are as pillars of marble, ſet upon ſockets of fine gold.] Theſe two legs ſeem to be John Hus, and Jerome of Prague, who ſtood conſtantly in defence of the trueth, even unto death, being eſtabliſhed in the trueth and grace of God, as it were pillars of marble, ſet upon ſockets of fine gold.
His countenance is as Lebanon.]
The faithfull grew ſo plentifully in Bohemia, that they ſeemed even to the adverſarie to be like a thick wood (as many and firme) which they were not able to hew downe; and therefore they were forced, in the Councell of Conſtance, to allow them the uſe of the cup in the Lords Supper, becauſe they could not by ſtrong hand keep them from it.
Excellent as the Cedars.] The Cedar is a tree eminent for taleneſſe, and ſoundneſſe or durablneſſe: ſuch was then the face and countenance of the Church, obſerved to grow up in conſpicuous eminencie, and in ſoundneſſe of love to the trueth, that the Popiſh teachers were not able to corrupt them any longer with their ſeducements.
His mouth is moſt ſweet,Ver. 16. yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jeruſalem.
His mouth is moſt ſweet.]
The doctrine of the Goſpell was taught more and more ſavourly by Johannes Rocheſana, and other Miniſters in Bohemia.
He is altogether lovely, or deſireable.] Chriſt then began againe ſo to diſpenſe himſelfe to his Church, in giving them the faith and ſenſe of his goodneſſe, that now they ſaw or found nothing in Chriſt, or in the profeſſion of his name, but what was wholly deſirable.Heb. 11. 26. The rebukes of Chriſt began now to ſeeme greater riches, then the treaſures of Egypt or Babylon in ſome former ages: they that ſaw the trueth were often brought to yeeld and recant; but theſe ſaw nothing to bee more deſired then Chriſt. Beſides, hee is now called holy and deſirable, becauſe ſo many ſo generally were ſtirred up to deſire and ſeeke reformation. The Regions were white and ready to the harveſt, elſe Luther had not found ſuch good ſucceſſe in his Miniſtry.
This is my beloved, and this is my friend.]
The doctrine of certainty of our adoption, Iuſtification, Salvation, began now more plainly to be diſcerned and acknowledged: Chriſt is not onelyonly faire and deſireable in himſelfe; but then the Church could more boldly ſay, This is my beloved, this is my friend.