Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Canticles · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Verſ. 1. The Song of Songs.
NOt a light Love-ſong (as ſome prophane perſons have fancied; and have therefore held it no part of the ſacred Canon:Theodoret. lib. 5. de Provid. Sic coena a Dionyſio caeremonia caeremoniarum, & ab alio Paſcha celebritas celebritatum dicitur.) But a moſt excellent Epithalamium, a very divine Ditty, an heavenly Allegory, a Myſtical-marriage-ſong, called here, The Song of Songs, as God is called the God of Gods, Deut. 10.7. as Chriſt is called the King of Kings, Rev. 19.16. as the Moſt Holy is called the Holy of Holies, to the which the Jew-doctors liken this Canticle; (as they do Eccleſiaſtes to the Holy place, and Proverbs to the Court:) to ſignifie, that it is the treaſury of the moſt ſacred and higheſt myſteries of holy Scripture. It ſtreams out all along, under the parable of a Marriage,Hieron. prooem. in Ezech. that full torrent of ſpiritual love that is betwixt Chriſt and the Church. This is a great myſtery, ſaith that great Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5.32. It paſſeth the capacity of man to underſtand it in the perfection of it. Hence the Jews permitted none to read this ſacred Song, before thirty years of age. Let him that reads, think hee ſees written over this Solomons porch, Holineſs to the Lord, T. W. on Canti….Procul hinc, procul eſte profani, nihil hic niſi caſtum. If any think this kind of dealing to bee over-light for ſo grave and weighty a matter, let them take heed (ſaith one) that in the height of their own hearts they do not proudly cenſure God and his order, who in many places uſeth the ſame ſimilitude of marriage, to expreſs his love to his Church by, and interchangeably her duty toward him, as Hoſ. 2.19. 2 Cor. 11.2. Epheſ. 5.25. with verſ. 22, 23, 24. where the Apoſtle plainly alludeth and referreth to this Song of Songs in ſundry paſſages, borrowing both matter, and frame of ſpeech from hence.
Which is Solomons] Hee was the Pen-man, God the Author. Of many other Songs hee was both Author and inſtrument, 1 King. 4.32. Not ſo of this; which therefore the Chaldee Paraphraſt here entituleth, Songs and Hymns (in the plural, for the ſurpaſſing excellency of it) which Solomon the Prophet, the King of Iſrael, uttered by the ſpirit of Prophecy, before the Lord, the Lord of all the Earth. A Prophet hee was, and is therefore now in the Kingdome of Heaven, notwithſtanding his foul fall, whereof hee repented.Luk. 11.28 For as it is not the falling into the water that drowns, but lying in it: So neither is it the falling into ſin that damns, but dying in it. Solomon was alſo King of Iſrael, and ſurpaſſed all the Kings of the Earth in wealth and wiſdome, 2 Chron. 9.22. yea hee was wiſer than all men, 1 King. 4.31. And as himſelf was a King,Pſal. 45.2 ſo hee made this ſingular Song (as David did the 45 Pſalm) concerning the King (Chriſt and his ſpiritual marriage to the Church) who is alſo called Solomon, Cant. 3.11. and greater than Solomon, Matth. 12.42. If therefore either the worth of the writer, or the weightineſs of the matter may make to the commendation of any book, this wants for neither. That is a ſilly exception of ſome againſt this Song, as if not Canonical, becauſe God is not once named in it; for as oft as the Bridegroom is brought in ſpeaking here,Rom. 9.… ſo oft Chriſt himſelf ſpeaketh, who is God bleſſed for ever. Beſides, whereas Solomon made a thouſand Songs and five, 1 King. 4.32. this onelyonly, as being the chief of all, and part of the holy Canon, hath been hitherto kept ſafe (when the reſt are loſt) in the Cabinet of Gods ſpecial providence, and in the cheſt of the Jews (Gods faithful Library-keepers, Rom. 3.2. Joh. 5.39.) It being not the will of our heavenly Father, that any one hair of that ſacred head ſhould fall to the ground.
Verſ. 2. Let him kiſs mee with the kiſſes of his mouth] It muſt bee premiſed and remembred, that this Book is penitus allegoricus & parabolicus, as one ſaith, allegorical throughout, and aboundeth all along with types and figures, with parables and ſimilitudes. Quot verba, tot ſacramenta, So many words, ſo many myſteries, ſaith Hierome of the Revelation, Apocalypſin fateor me neſcire exponere, &c. exponat cui Deus conceſſerit. Cajet. Poſſev. in Biblioth. ſelect.which made Cajetan not dare to comment upon it. The like may bee truly affirmed of the Canticles: nay, wee may ſay of it in a ſpecial manner, as Poſſevinus doth of the whole Hebrew Bible, tot eſſe ſacramenta, quot literae, tot myſteria, quot puncta, tot arcana, quot apices. Hence Pſellus in Theodoret asketh pardon for preſuming to expound it. But difficilium facilis eſt venia; &, In magnis voluiſſe ſat eſt. In hard things the pardon is eaſie; and in high things, let a man ſhew his good will, and it ſuffiſeth. The matter of this Book hath been pointed at already: as for the form of it, it is Dramatical and Dialogiſtical. The chief ſpeakers are not Solomon and the Shulamite (as Caſtalio makes it) but Chriſt and his Church.John 3.29 Chriſt alſo hath his Aſſociates (thoſe friends of the Bridegroom) viz. the Prophets, Apoſtles, Paſtors, and Teachers, who put in a word ſometimes. As likewiſe do the fellow-friends of the Bride, viz. whole Churches, or particular Chriſtians. The Bride begins here abruptly (after the manner of a Tragedy) through impatience of love, and an holy impotency of deſire after, not an union onelyonly, but an unity alſo with him whom her ſoul loveth. Let him kiſs mee, &c. Kiſſing is a token of love, 1 Pet. 5.14. Luk. 7.45. and of reconciliation, 2 Sam. 14.33. And albeit foreign (as Philo obſerveth) Love is not alwaies in a kiſs; Joab and Judas could kiſs and kill, (Caveatur oſculum Iſcarioticum) conſign their treachery with ſo ſweet a ſymbol of amity, yet thoſe that love out of a pure heart fervently, do therefore kiſs,1 Pet. 1.22. as deſiring to transfuſe, if it might bee, the ſouls of either into other, and to become one with the party ſo beloved, and in the beſt ſenſe ſuaviated. That therefore which the Church here deſireth,Heb. 1.1 is, not ſo much Chriſts coming in the fleſh (that God, who at ſundry times, and in divers manners had ſpoken in times paſt unto her by the Prophets, would now ſpeak unto her by his Son, as ſome have ſenſed it) as that ſhee may have utmoſt conjunction to him, and neareſt communion with him, here as much as may bee, and hereafter in all fulneſs of fruition. Let him kiſs mee, and ſo ſeal up his hearty love unto mee, even the ſure mercies of David; with the kiſſes of his mouth; Not with one kiſs onelyonly, with one pledge of his love, but with many (there is no ſatiety, no meaſure, no bounds or bottome of this holy love, as there is in carnal deſires, ubi etiam vota, poſt uſum faſtidio ſunt) Neither covers mee to kiſs his hand (as they deal by Kings) or his feet (as they do the Popes) but his mouth; ſhee would have true kiſſes, the baſia, the buſſes of thoſe lips, whereinto grace is poured, Pſal. 45.3. and where hence thoſe words of grace are uttered,Prov. 31.26 Mat. 5.2, 3, &c. Hee openeth his mouth with wiſdome, and in his lips is the Law of kindneſs. Hence her affectionate deſires, her earneſt pantings, inquietations, and unſatisfiableneſſes. Shee muſt have Chriſt, or elſe ſhee dies; ſhee muſt have the kiſſes of Chriſts mouth, even thoſe ſweet pledges of love in his word, or ſhee cannot bee contented, but will complain, in the confluence of all other comforts, as Abraham did, Gen. 15.2. Lord God, what wilt thou give mee, ſeeing I go childeleſs? Or as Artab…zus in Xenophon did, (when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold, and Chryſantas a kiſs in token of his ſpecial favour) ſaying, that the cup that hee gave him was nothing ſo good gold, as the kiſs that hee gave Chryſantas. The Poets fable, that the Moon was wont to come down from her orb to kiſs Endymion. It is a certain truth, that Chriſt came down from Heaven to reconcile us to his Father, to unite us to himſelf, and ſtill to communicate unto our ſouls the ſenſe of his love, the feeling of his favour, the ſweet breath of his holy Spirit.
For thy Love is better than Wine] Heb. Loves. The Septuagint and Vulgar render it Ubera; Thy breaſts; but that is not ſo proper, ſith it is the Church that here ſpeaks to Chriſt, and, by the ſudden change of perſon, ſhews the ſtrength and livelineſs of her affection: As by the Plural Loves, ſhee means all fruits of his love, righteouſneſs, peace, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, aſſurance of Heaven, which Mr. Latimer calls the ſweet-meats of the feaſt of a good conſcience. There are other dainty diſhes at that feaſt, but this is the banquet, this is better than Wine, which yet is a very comfortable creature, Pſal. 104.15. and highly ſet by, Pſal. 4.7. Plato calls wine a muſick, miſeriarum humanarum foreign, the chief allayments of mens miſeries.
Verſ. 3. Becauſe of the ſavour of thy good ointments] Or, To ſmell to, thy ointments are beſt. Odoratiſſimus es. As the Panther caſts abroad a fragrant ſavour, as Alexander the Great is ſaid to have had a natural ſweetneſs with him, by reaſon of the good temperament of his body: So, and much more than ſo the Lord Chriſt,Euſeb. that ſweeteſt of ſweets. Hee kiſſeth his poor perſecuted people, as Conſtantine once kiſſed Paphnutius his loſt eye: and departing (for here hee comes but as a ſuter onelyonly, till the marriage bee made up in Heaven) hee leaves ſuch a ſweet ſcent behinde him, ſuch a balmy verdure, as attracts all good hearts unto him; ſo that where this all-quickning carkaſs is, there would the Eagles bee alſo. Mat. 24.The Iſraelites removed their tents from Mithcah, which ſignifies ſweetneſs, to Caſhmonah, which ſignifies ſwiftneſs, Numb. 33.29. To teach us (ſaith one) that the Saints have no ſooner taſted Chriſts ſweetneſs, but they are carried after him preſently with incredible ſwiftneſs. Hence they are ſaid to have a noſe like the Tower of Lebanon, Cant. 7.(for their ſingular ſagacity in ſmelling after Chriſt) and to flee to the holy Aſſemblies (where Chriſts odors are beaten out to the ſmell) as the clouds, Iſa. 60.8.or as the Doves to their windaws. For why? they have their ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5.14. and their love abounds yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement, Phil. 1.9.
Thy name is as ointment poured forth] There is an elegant alluſion in the Original betwixt Shem and Shemen; that is, Name, foreign.and Ointment. And Chriſt hath his name both in Hebrew and Greek from ointment; for theſe three words in ſignification are all one, Meſſias, Chriſt, Anointed. See the reaſon, Iſa. 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord (that oil of gladneſs, Heb. 1.9.) is upon mee, becauſe hee hath anointed (and appointed) mee to preach good tidings to the meek,2 Cor. 2.2, 14, 15, 16 &c. Now when this is done to the life, when Chriſt crucified is preached, when the Holy Ghoſt in the mouth and miniſtry of his faithful ſervants ſhall take of Chriſts excellencies, (as it is his office to do, Joh. 16.14.) and hold them out to the world: when hee ſhall hold up the tapeſtry, as it were,2 Tim. 2.5 and ſhew men the Lord Chriſt, with an Ecce virum, Behold the man, that one Mediatour betwixt God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus; See him in his Natures, in his Offices, in his Works, in the bleſſed Effects of all: This cannot but ſtir up wonderful loves in all good ſouls; with hearty wiſhes,1 Cor. 16.22. that If any one love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hee may bee Anathema, Maranatha, accurſt upon accurſt, and put over to God to puniſh.
Therefore the Virgins love thee] i. e. All that are adjoyned to mee in comely ſort, as chaſt Damoſels to their Mother and Miſtreſs. The elect and faithful are called Virgins for their ſpiritual chaſtity. They are Gods hidden ones (as the word here uſed ſignifieth, as they are called,foreign Paellae abſconditae; propter ſecretiorem educationem. Riv. Speed. 1236. Pſal. 83.3.) they are not defiled with the corruptions that are in the world through luſt, for they are Virgins, Rev. 14.4. Elſe, the Bride would not ſuffer them about her, Pſal. 45.14. (Of Queen Elizabeth it is ſaid, that ſhee never ſuffered any Lady to approach her preſence, of whoſe ſtain ſhee had but the leaſt ſuſpition) Theſe follow the Lamb whereſoever hee goeth, ib. as the other creatures follow the Panther for his ſweet odors; as birds of prey are carried after carkaſſes. Whom having not ſeen, yet yee love, and can do no leſs, 1 Pet. 1.8. becauſe hee firſt loved you, and hath ſhed abroad his love in your hearts by his holy Spirit, 1 John 4.19. Rom. 5.5. Amate amorem illius, O love his love, ſaith Bernard, and cry out with Ignatius, foreign, My Love was crucified. If the Centurion in the Goſpel were held worthy of reſpect becauſe hee loved our Nation (ſaid thoſe Jews) and built us a Synagogue: Luk. 7.5what ſhall wee ſay of Chriſt, who loved us, and waſhed us with his own blood, &c? Rev. 1.5 Cos amoris amor.Herein was love, &c. And ſhould not love bee the whetſtone of love? ſhould wee not reciprocate? ſhall wee bee worſe than Publicans? ſhall not the love of Christ conſtrain us, &c? 2 Cor. 5.14.
Verſ. 4. Draw mee] Thoſe very Virgins, though they love Chriſt, and are affected with his incomparable ſweetneſs; to the ſlighting of earthly vanities, and all taſtleſs fooleries of this preſent life, yet are they ſenſible of ſundry obſtacles and backbyaſſes, which cauſe them to call for help from Heaven, Draw mee, &c. ſcil. by the effectual working of thy mighty Spirit, and by the cords of kindneſs, Hoſ. 11.4. that irreſiſtible grace of thine, whereby thou doſt fortiter, but yet ſuaviter, powerfully, but yet ſweetly work upon the wills of them that belong to thee; and by a merciful violence pull them out of Satans paws, yea bring them from the jaws of Hell, to the joyes of Heaven, Jer. 31.3.
Wee will run after thee] Wee will not onelyonly follow thee, as the ſtraw follows the jet, or as Iron the load-ſtone; as the Sea-mans needle doth the North-pole,Numb. 14.24 John fulfilled his race. Act. 13.25 Pſal. 119.32 2 Tim. 4.7 or as the Hop in its growing follows the courſe of the Sun from Eaſt to Weſt, winding about the pole, and will rather break than do otherwiſe; But wee will fulfil after thee, as Caleb did, wee will run after thee, as David did, yea wee will ſo run, that wee may obtain, finiſh our courſe, and receive our Crown, whereof wee ſhall not fail, if wee run regularly, run forthright, Prov. 4.25. run after Chriſt, as the Church here promiſeth to do, and not ſtep before him, as Peter preſumed to do, and therefore heard,Mat. 16.13 Get thee behinde mee Satan. Chriſt is ou… fore-runner, gone before us into Heaven, Heb. 6.10. Wee muſt come after him, Luk. 9.23. preſs his footſteps, 1 Pet. 2.21. follow him cloſe, Mat. 16.24. Epheſ. 5.1. and, having him ever in our eye, run with patience the race that is ſet before us, Heb. 12.1, 2. Rubs and Remoraes wee ſhall bee ſure to meet with, but that muſt not make us ſtop or ſtep back.Pet. 1. Chriſt ran with a courage, though hee ran with the croſs upon his ſhoulders all the way. Gird up your loins, and do likewiſe. Run to get the race, ſaid bleſſed Bradford to his fellow-ſufferers, You are even almoſt at your journies end. foreign. Heb. 11.26 foreign. Heb. 12.3If there bee any way to Heaven on horſe-back, it is by the croſs. Look to the joy that is ſet before you, as Chriſt did, ſteal a look from glory, as Moſes did, leſt yee bee wearied and faint, or Looſened, as the Nerves are in a ſwoon or palſie. Lift up the hands that hang down to the feeble knees, Heb. 12.12. Lift up your feet,Gen. 29.1. as Jacob did, after the viſion at Bethel, and take long ſtrides to Chriſt. Think thou heareſt him ſay, as Tully did once to his friend, Quam-obrem, ſi me amas tantum, Cicer. Epiſt. famil.quantum profecto amas, ſi dormis, expergiſcere; ſi ſtas, ingredere; ſi ingrederis, curre; ſi curris, advola. Credibile non eſt quantum ego in amore & fide tua ponam, i. e. Wherefore if thou loveſt mee, as I am ſure thou doſt, if thou bee aſleep, wake thy ſelf; if thou ſtandeſt ſtill, ſet forward; if thou art upon thy way, run to mee, if thou art a running, flye to mee. Little doſt thou think how much I ſet by thy love and faithfulneſs. Therefore haſte, haſte, Neh 8.10haſte. The joy of the Lord ſhall bee thy ſtrength, ſo that thou ſhalt walk and not bee weary, run and not faint, Iſa. 40.31.
The King hath brought mee into his chambers] Into the Bride-Chamber of Heaven, and hath made mee ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus mine Head and Husband, Epheſ. 2.6. yea into the inward part of the Bed-chamber (as the word here uſed ſignifieth, Cant. 3.4.) there to have familiarity with him, that I may be filled with his graces, John 1.16. and bring forth fruit to God, Rom. 7.4.
Wee will bee glad and rejoyce in thee] Bee glad inwardly, and rejoyce outwardly; not in thy love-tokens ſo much, as in thy ſelf. Vix diligitur Jeſus propter Jeſum. They that rejoyce in any thing but Chriſt, rejoyce in a thing of nought, Amos 6.13. with verſ. 4, 5, 6. The beginning of Epiſtles and Letters antiently was Gaudete in Domino, Rejoyce in the Lord.
Wee will remember thy love] Or rehearſe it. Men cannot but think and ſpeak much of what they love and like. If Davids heart bee enditing a good matter (a ſong of loves) his tongue will ſoon bee the pen of a ready writer, Pſal. 45.1, 2. And as people, when drunk with Wine, wherein is exceſs, are apt to ſing and hollow: ſo thoſe that are filled with the Spirit, cannot but utter thoſe magnalia Dei, the wonderful works of God, Act. 2.11. yea expreſs their ſpiritual jollity in Pſalms, and hymns, and ſpiritual Songs, Epheſ. 5.18, 19.
The upright love thee] Heb. Uprightneſs, the abſtract, for the concrete, as Pride for proud, Jer. 50.31. rebellion for rebellious, Ezek. 2.7. This ſeemeth to bee added for to exclude hypocrites, thoſe Hang-byes. They ſeem to love God (none more) but it is from the teeth outward onelyonly: and Chriſt may well ſay to them,Judg. 16. as ſhee did to Sampſon, how canſt thou ſay thou loveſt mee, when thy heart is not with mee? their hearts are upon their covetouſneſs, then when with their mouths they make love, Ezek. 33.31. as the Eagle hath his eye upon the prey, when hee ſoareth higheſt toward Heaven. They follow Chriſt more for the loaves,Rom. 16.18 than for love, Joh. 6.26. they ſerve not God, but ſerve themſelves upon him; they ſerve him for gain, as children will not ſay their prayers, unleſs wee promiſe them their breakfaſts. Sincerity is an utter enemy to Siniſterity.
Verſ. 5. I am black, but comely] Heb. Black as the morning, or day-dawning, which hath light and darkneſs (dimneſs at leaſt) mixt together. It is not foreign,Eustath. in Hom. Odyſſ. p. wherein there is more light than darkneſs, but foreign, wherein there is more darkneſs than light, as the Grammarians diſtinguiſh. This morning light is lovely, though not pure, ſo is the Church comely, though not clear. The Coy Daughters of Jeruſalem might make a wonderment, that ſo black a doudy, as the Church appeared to them that ſaw not her inward beauty,foreign. Act. 7. ſhould ever hope to have love from the faireſt among men. (Wee read how Aaron and Miriam murmured againſt Moſes, (who was fair to God) becauſe of the Tauny-Moor-woman whom hee had married, Numb. 12.1.) For anſwer to whom, the Spouſe here grants that ſhee is black, or blackiſh, at leaſt: (1) As having ſome hypocrites in her boſome, that as that blaſted corn,foreign frumentum aduſtum. Mat. 13.25. ſmutcheth and ſullieth the better ſort. (2) As being not fully freed from ſin till after death. Sin is dejected indeed in the Saints, but not utterly ejected, while they are here. For why? it is in them as the ſpots of the Leopard, not by accident, but by nature, which no Art can cure, no water can waſh off, becauſe they are not in the skin, but in the fleſh and bones, in the ſinewes and the moſt inward parts.Job 30.30 Lam. 4.8. Jer. 8.21 Howbeit the Church is freed from the damning and domineering power of ſin. And whereas (3) Shee is looked upon as black, becauſe of her afflictions (thoſe fruits of ſin) and ſeems to have lain among the pots (as the Pſalmiſt hath it) places where Scullions uſe to lye, and ſo are black and collied, yet ſhall ſhee bee as the wings of a Dove that are covered with ſilver, &c. Pſal. 68.13. though ſhee ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall give her light, Micah 7.8. And as black ſoap makes white cloathes: ſo do ſharp afflictions make holy hearts:Act. & Mon. 1486. Where God is pleaſed to ſet in with his battle-door, as that Martyr ſaid. Puriores coelo afflictione facti ſunt, ſaith Chryſoſtome of thoſe that were praying for Peter, Act. 12. And ſome of them of underſtanding ſhall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, ſaith the Prophet, of thoſe ſuffering-Saints, Dan. 11.35. The face of the Church is never ſo beautiful, as when it is waſhed with its own tears: as ſome faces appear moſt orientally fair, when they are moſt inſtampt with ſorrow. Chriſt did ſo, Iſa. 52.14.
But comely] Or, goodly, lovely, deſirable, delectable, viz. For my double Righteouſneſs (thoſe righteouſneſſes of the Saints, Rev. 19.8.) imputed, and imparted. Hence the Church may better ſing than Sappho did,
Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit,Ovid. Epiſt.
Juſtitia formae damna rependo meae.
Ingenio formae damna rependo meae.
As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon] Kedar ſignifieth black; Plin… lib. 6. cap. 28. Solin. cap. 26. Iſa. 13.20.and the Kedarens (a people of Arabia, deſcended of Iſmael) dwelt in black tents made of hair-cloath, and had no other houſes; they alſo dwelt not far from the Ethiopians, or Black-moors, 2 Chron. 21.16.
As the curtains, &c.] i. e. As his coſtly tapeſtry,Joſeph. Antiq. lib. 8.5 and other ſumptuous houſhold-ſtuff, whereof, read 1 King. 10.1, 2, &c. Joſephus alſo makes mention of the Babyloniſh rich furniture, wherewith Solomons rooms were hanged. Theſe are to ſet forth the Churches comelineſs, as the other did her homelineſs. Let none be deſpiſed for his outward meanneſs: for within that leathern purſe may bee a Pearl. Chriſt himſelf was hidden under the Carpenters ſon, and a poor outſide, Iſa. 53.2.
Saepe ſub attrita latitat ſapientia veſte.
Verſ. 6. Look not upon mee, becauſe I am black] Look not upon mee, viz. with a lofty look, with a coy countenance, fix not your eyes upon mine infirmities and miſeries, ſo as to diſdain mee, or to diſeſteem mee for them. Blackiſh I am, I confeſs, tanned and diſcoloured. The old Latine tranſlation renders it brown, (lovely brown wee call it, belle brunette, the French) Others, ſomewhat black, q. d. My blackneſs is not ſo much as you may think for: Judge not therefore according to the appearance. Stumble not at my ſeeming deformities. A faithful man may fall far, but the ſeed abideth in him, the new nature cannot bee loſt: the oyl of Gods Spirit, wherewith hee is anointed, ſetteth the colours, which are of his own tempering, ſo ſure on, and maketh them cleave ſo faſt together, that it is impoſſible hee ſhould ever return to his own hiew, to bee coal-black, as before. Howbeit hee is ſubject to much affliction, anguiſh and diſtreſs, as it were to the ſcorching of the Sun: and that, with many that have not ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, renders him deſpicable; but that ſhould not bee. Of Queen Elizabeth, it is ſaid,Camb. Eliſ. that ſhee hated no leſs than did Mithridates, ſuch as maliciouſly perſecuted vertue forſaken of fortune: as when a Deer is ſhot, the reſt of the Herd puſh him out of their company.
Becauſe the Sun hath looked upon mee] By Sun here ſome have underſtood the Sun of Righteouſneſs, whom when the Church looks intently upon, ſhee is bedazled, and ſees her own nothingneſs, in compariſon of his incomparable brightneſs. Others by Sun here will have original ſin to bee meant; which indeed hath brought the blackneſs of darkneſs upon the ſpirit of our minds, and bored out the eye of our underſtandings. The ſame Original pravity they underſtand by the following words, Sons of the ſame Mother, and by being kindled with wrath, they underſtand ſin encreaſing and raging as it were; And by appointing the Church to keep other Vineyards, they underſtand the committing of the works of the fleſh, and the deeds of darkneſs, with which ſhee was as it were holden, ſo that ſhee could do nothing elſe, till the Lord had looſed her out of theſe chains. But they do beſt that by Sun in this place underſtand the heat of perſecution, and the parching of oppreſſion, according to Mat. 13.6, 21. Lam. 1.6, 13, 14, &c. What Bonefires were here made in Queen Maries daies, burning the dear Saints of God to a black coal, lighting them up for tapers in a dark night, as they did in Neroes daies? After John Huſſe was burnt, his adverſaries got his heart, which was left untouched by the fire, and beat it with their ſtaves. The ſtory of the Maccabees perſecutions prophecied of Dan. 11.36. and recorded, Heb. 11.35. to the end, is exceeding lamentable. Oppoſition is (as Calvin wrote to the French King) Evangelii Genius, Luth. in Gen. 29.and Eccleſia eſt haeres crucis, ſaith Luther, The Church hath its croſs for its inheritance. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus (if they bee ſet upon it ſo to do) ſhall ſuffer perſecution, there is no avoiding of it, 2 Tim. 3.12. When Ignatius came to the wilde Beaſts, Now, Act. and Mon.ſaith hee, I begin to bee a Chriſtian, and not till now. That Chriſtian, ſaith Mr. Bradford, hath not yet learnt his ABC in Chriſtianity, that hath not learned the leſſon of the Croſs,Luth. &c. Omnis Chriſtianus Crucianus. This the worldling cannot away with: and although he make a fair ſhew in the fleſh, or ſet a good face on it (as the word ſignifies) as if hee had ſet his face toward Sion, foreign.yet when it comes to a matter of ſuffering, hee ſtumbles at the Croſs, and falls backwards: hee will not ſuffer perſecution for the Croſs of Chriſt, Gal. 6.12. Hee looks at the Church with a Vultures eye, as though hee would behold nothing in her but corruption and carrion. Hee makes an ill conſtruction of her infirmities, and will not ſtick to ſay, if hee have a mind to ſhake her off, that ſhee is black and deſpicable, that ſhee provides but poorly for her followers, that the great ones favour her as little, as the Lords of the Philiſtims did David, Cic. pro. L. Flavio.&c. Cicero veram religionem ſplendore imperii, gravitate nominis Romani, majorum inſtitutis, & fortunae ſucceſſibus metitur. Cicero's marks of the True Religion were the largeneſs of the Roman Empire, their ſpreading fame, their Anceſtours Ordinances, and their ſingular ſucceſs. The Papiſts have the like Arguments for proof of their Church.Luth. T. 2 But what ſaith Luther? Ego non habeo aliud contra Papae regnum robuſtius argumentum, quam quod ſine cruce regnat. I have no ſtronger argument againſt the Popes Kingdome than this, that hee reigns without the Croſs.
My Mothers children were angry with mee] i. e. Worldly men that are of the ſame humane race that I am; theſe fretted at mee, as Moab did at Iſrael (becauſe they were of a different Religion) Numb. 22.3, 4. or as Tobiah and his complices did at Nehemiah and his Jews: Neh. 6.1it was quarrel enough to Jeruſalem, that it would not bee miſerable. Hypocrites and Hereticks eſpecially, are here underſtood (as ſome conceive) ſuch as pretend to bee children of the Church, and her greateſt friends, as the Donatiſts would bee the onelyonly Chriſtians, and after them the Rogation Hereticks called themſelves the onelyonly Catholicks. So did the Arians, and ſo do the Papiſts, whoſe anger againſt the true children of the Church is far hotter than Nebuchadnezzars Oven after it had been ſeven times heated for thoſe three conſtant Worthies. Hypocritis nihil eſt crudelius, impatientius & vindictae cupidius (ſaith Luther, who had the experience of it) plane ſunt ſerpentes, &c. there is not a more cruel creature, more impatient and vindictive, than an hypocrite. Hee is as angry as an Aſp, as revengeful as a Serpent, &c. Hee is of the Serpentine ſeed, and carries the old enmity, Gen. 3.15. Cains club, Gen. 4.8. with 1 John 3.12. Your Brethren that hated you, that caſt you out for my names ſake, ſaid, Let the Lord bee glorified, Iſa. 66.5. Here was a fair glove drawn upon a foul hand.Act. & Mon. In nomine Domini incipit omne malum, was grown to a Proverb here in times of Popery.
They made mee the Keeper of the Vineyards] No marvel therefore that I am Sun-burnt, ſith I have born the burden and heat of the day, as Matth. 20.12. it hath been my task to keep out Boars, Foxes, and other noiſome creatures; yea it hath been my lot to bee put upon ſome ſervile offices (as thoſe poor Vinedreſſers were, 2 King. 25.12.) not ſo ſuitable to my place and ſtation aſſigned mee by God: Yea, although I am dead with Chriſt from the rudiments of the world, yet as though living in the world, foreignI have by theſe Impoſtours and Impoſitours been made to dogmatize after the commandements and doctrines of men, Col. 2.20, 22.
But mine own Vineyard have I not kept] q. d. Being burdened with humane rites and traditions, and having been the ſervant of men, 1 Cor. 7.23. I have departed from the duty that God preſcribed unto mee. Sane bene, Full well truly have I rejected or ſlighted the commandement of God, that I might keep mens tradition, Mark 7.9. Thus ſhee ſhames and ſhents her ſelf: ſhee bluſheth and bleedeth before the Lord for her careleſneſs in duty. Yea ſhee tells the world the true reaſon of her preſent blackneſs: ſomewhat ſhee had to ſay againſt others, but moſt againſt her ſelf. After I was made known to my ſelf, Poſtquam oſtenſum fuerit mihi. Trem.laid Ephraim, ſcil. by looking in the glaſs of Gods Law, I repented, Jer. 31.19. Get thee this Law, as a glaſs to look in, ſaid Mr. Bradford, ſo ſhalt thou ſee thy face foul arrayed, and ſo ſhamefully ſawcy, mangy, pocky and ſcabbed,Serm. of Repent. pag. 26 that thou canſt not but bee ſorry at the ſight thereof. Thus hee. Phyſicians in ſome kinde of unſeemly Convulſions, wiſh their Patients to look themſelves in a Glaſs, which will help them to ſtrive the more, when they ſhall ſee their own deformities. It is fit wee ſhould oft reflect, and ſee every man the plague of his heart, the errour of his life, keeping our hearts ſoft,1 King. 8. Pſal. 19. ſupple and ſoluble: for ſoftneſs of heart diſcovers ſin, as blots do run abroad, and ſeem biggeſt in wet paper. When the Cockatrices egg is cruſhed, it breaks out into a viper, Iſa. 59.5.
Verſ. 7. Tell mee, O thou whom my ſoul loveth] The ſins of Gods Elect turn to their good (Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit, ſaith Seneca, De Benef. l. 2. c. 18.Poiſon is by Art turned into a Medicine) make them cry more upon Chriſt, love him more with all their ſoul, deſire more earneſtly to bee joyned unto him, uſe all holy means of attaining thereunto; and that with ſuch affection, that when others are at their reſt, or repaſt, the Chriſtian can neither eat nor reſt, unleſs hee bee with Chriſt.
Where thou feedeſt] This Book of Canticles is a kind of Paſtoral, a ſong of a Beloved concerning a Beloved. The Church therefore gives, and Chriſt takes oft herein upon himſelf the tearm and carriage of a loving and skilful Shepheard, that feeds his flock daily and daintily, feedeth them among the Lillies, and beds of ſpices, makes them to lye down in green paſtures,Ezek. 24.13 John 10.1, 1 Pet. 5.2 Jer. 3.10, 13 Rev. 13.1 and leads them beſide the ſtill waters, Pſal. 23.2. (his Word and Sacraments) makes them alſo to lye down at noon, i. e. (as the chief Paſtor of his ſheep) hee wholly ordereth them in all their ſpiritual labours, toils, and afflictions; giving them ſafe repoſe in the hotteſt ſeaſons, Iſa. 49.10.
For why ſhould I bee as one that turneth aſide] q, d. This would bee no leſs to thy diſhonour, than my diſadvantage. If I miſcarry, thou wilt bee no ſmall loſer by it.Exod. 32 To urge God with the reſpect of his own glory lying now at ſtake, is a moſt effectual way of ſpeeding in prayer. If thou deſtroy this people, what will the Egyptians ſay? how will the very banks of blaſphemy bee broken down,Joſh. 7.9. and they ſpeak evil of thee with open mouth? If the Canaanites beat us, what ſhall become of thy great name? Interpone, quaeſo, tuas preces, apud Deum pro me, Scultet. Annal.& or a Chriſtum cujus eſt cauſa haec, ut mihi adſit: quam ſi obtinuerit, mihi obtenta erit: ſin vero cauſa exciderit, nec ego eam obtinere potero: atque ita ipſe ſolus ignominiam reportabit. Prethee pray for mee (ſaith Luther to a friend of his that feared how it would fare with him when hee was to appear at Ausborough before the Cardinal) pray for mee to Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe the cauſe is, that hee would ſtand by mee; for if hee carry the day, I ſhall do well enough. As, if I miſcarry, hee alone will undergo the blame and ſhame of it.
By the flock of thy companions] Why ſhould I have fellowſhip with thy pretended fellows,1 Theſ. 5.23. and ſo incur the ſuſpition of diſhoneſty. Chriſtians muſt abſtain from all appearance of evil, ſhun and bee ſhy of the very ſhews and ſhadows of ſin, Quicquid fuerit male coloratum, as Bernard hath it, whatſoever looks but ill-favouredly;2 Cor 8.20, 21 foreign. providing for things honeſt, not onelyonly in the ſight of the Lord, but in the ſight of men: and avoiding this, that no man ſhould blame us, avoiding it, as ſhip-men ſhun a rock or ſhelf, with utmoſt care and circumſpection. Joſeph would not breathe in the ſame air with his Miſtreſs, nor John the Evangeliſt with the Heretick Cerinthus; foreign. Euſeb.but ſprang out of the bath, aſſoon as hee came into it. St. Paul would not give place by ſubjection to thoſe falſe brethren, no not for an hour, leſt the truth thereby ſhould ſuffer detriment, Gal. 2.5. Conſtantine would not read the Arians Papers, but tear them before their eyes. And Placilla the Empreſs beſought her Husband Theodoſius ſenior, Sezom. li. 7. c. 7.not once to confer with Eunomius; leſt being perverted by his ſpeeches, hee might fall into hereſie. Memorable is the ſtory of the children of Samoſata, that would not touch their ball, but burnt it, becauſe it had touched the toe of an heretical Biſhop, as they were toſſing it, and playing with it.
Verſ. 8. If thou know not, O thou faireſt among women] So Chriſt is pleaſed to ſtyle her, who erſt held and called her ſelf black and Sun-burnt, verſ. 5. Nothing more commends us to Chriſt, than humility and lowly-mindedneſs, 1 Pet. 3.5. The daughter of Zion, for this is likened to a comely and delicate woman, her enemies to Shepheards with their flocks, Jer. 6.2, 3. Falſe Prophets alſo have their flocks, ſeducers drag Diſciples after them, Act. 20.30. Faciunt favos & veſpae, faciunt Eccleſias & Marcionitae, ſaith Tertullian, Waſps alſo have their hony-combs, Apes imitate mens actions. Theſe Conventiclers the Church muſt ſtudiouſly decline, and not viam per avia quaerere, ſeek truth by wandring thorow the Thicket of Errours, as Junius, ſaith one, in his time did; who confeſt hee had ſpent two and twenty years in trying Religions, pretending that Scripture, Prove all things. The Spouſe is here directed by the Arch-ſhepheard to repair to the foddering-places, to frequent the publick Aſſemblies; to tread in that Sheep-track; the foot-ſteps of the flock, the Shepheards tents. There Chriſt hath promiſed to feed his Lambs (that have golden fleeces,Exod. 33.12, 7. Acts 10.1, 2. precious ſouls) to call them by name, as hee did Moſes, Cornelius, &c. to teach them great and hidden things, ſuch as they knew not, Jer. 33.3. to give them ſpiritual ſenſes, ability to examine what is doctrinally propounded to them,Joh. 10. to try before they truſt (for all Chriſts Sheep are rational, they know his voice from the voice of a ſtranger) to bee fully perſwaded of the truth that they take up and profeſs, Col. 2.2. Luk. 1.1. to feel the ſweetneſs and goodneſs, the life and power of it within themſelves, Col. 1.9. Job 32.8. to hate falſe doctrines, and thoſe that would perſwade them thereunto, Pſal. 119.104. buzzing doubts into their heads, Rom. 16.17. John 10.5. So that though man or Angel ſhould object againſt the truth they have received, they would not yeeld to him,1 Cor. 11.15 Gal. 1.8, 9. They know that Satan can, and doth transform himſelf into an Angel of light, and can act his part by a good man alſo, as hee did by Peter once and again, Matth. 16.23. Gal. 2.13. and as hee did in our remembrance by Mr. Archer, a holy man, who yet held and broached helliſh opinions. Swenchfeldio non defuit cor bonum, ſed caput regulatum, ſaith Bucholcerus: Swenchfeldius had a good heart, but a wilde head, and ſo became a means of much miſchief to many ſilly ſhallow-headed people, whom hee ſhamefully ſeduced. This to prevent, Chriſt hath given gifts to men, Paſtours and Teachers after his own heart. Guides, to ſpeak unto them the word of God, Heb. 12.7. to ſet in order for them acceptable words, words of truth, that may bee as goads and as nails faſtened by thoſe Maſters of the Aſſemblies, which are given from one Shepheard, Eccleſ. 12.10, 11. in fine, to take heed to themſelves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghoſt hath made them Over-ſeers, to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchaſed with his own blood, Act. 20.28. that they might go in and out, and finde paſtures, ſuch as will breed life, and life in more abundance, John 10, 9, 10.
Go thy way forth by the foot-ſteps of the flock] Add indeavour to thy deſire, up and bee doing: for affection without action is like Rachel (that antient Shepheardeſſe) beautiful, but barren. Get thee forth therefore by the foot-ſteps of the flock, tread in the ſame track that good old Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, David, Paul, &c. did; who followed the Lamb whitherſoever hee went. Keep to that good old way (the way that is called Holy) and yee ſhall finde reſt to your ſouls. Walk in the foot-ſteps of faithful Abraham, Jer. 6.16and yee ſhall one day reſt in the boſome of Abraham. Walk in the ſame ſpirit, in the ſame foot-ſteps with Paul and Titus, 1 Pet. 1.92 Cor. 12.18. ſo ſhall you ſhortly and ſurely receive the end of your faith, the ſalvation of your ſouls.
And feed thy Kids] The Church alſo is a Shepheardeſſe (as were Laban's and Jethro's daughters) and hath a little little flock of young Goats, that is, of green Chriſtians, who are to bee fed with the ſincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2.2.
Beſide the Shepheards tents] Turn to the Under-ſhepheards (the godly Miniſters) and ſo return to the great Shepheard and Biſhop of your ſouls, 1 Pet. 2.25. Hold you cloſe to theſe, and hold faſt the form of wholeſome words, 2 Tim. 1.13. and linger not after unſound and unſavoury doctrines, ſo rife abroad; thoſe murthering morſels that fat men indeed, but it is to the day of ſlaughter. Silly ſheep do eat no graſs more greedily than that which rots them. But thou, O man of God, flye theſe things, and from ſuch ſtand off, 1 Tim. 6.5, 11.
Verſ. 9. I have compared thee, O my love, &c.] My Paſtoral-love, or Shepheardeſſe-companion, my Fellow-friend, or familiar Aſſociate in the function of ſpiritual feeding: My Neighbour, or Next, as the Greek renders it. For the Saints are not onelyonly like unto Chriſt, 1 John 3.2. but alſo next unto him, Luk. 22.30. yea one with him, John 17.21. and ſo, above the moſt glorious Angels, Heb. 1.14. as being the Spouſe, the Bride; whereas Angels are onelyonly ſervants of the Bridegroom: and as being the Members of Chriſt, and ſo in a nearer union than any creature. This the Devil and his Angels ſtomacked, and ſo fell from their firſt principality.
To a company of horſes] Or, to my troop of horſes in the Chariots of Pharaoh. The Palfreys, His, the Chariots Pharaohs, ſaith an Interpreter. What is this? but that the Spirit of ſtrength and ſpeed, it is Chriſts:Clapham. and the untoward fleſh (which is to be drawn by the ſame Divine Spirit) it is of the world, and the very Chariot of Satan. Soul and Body (as wheels and axletree) do run which way the Devil drives; till the ſtronger Man Jeſus have freed our Charret-nature from that power of hell, and joyned himſelf by his own Spirit unto our nature, that ſo (with Ezekiels Charret) it may go forth, and return as his Divine Spirit directeth. Thus hee.
Verſ. 10. Thy cheeks are comely] i. e. Thy whole face (by a Synecdoche) though the cheeks are inſtanced, as being the ſeat of ſhame facedneſs, modeſty,Omnium hominum pulcherrimus. Aenil. Prob. Aeliat. 12. cap. 1. and beauty; ſuch as was found in Eſther (whoſe ſon Artaxerxes Longimanus was held the faireſt man alive) Aſpaſia Mileſia the wife of Cyrus, who was ſtiled foreign, Fair and wiſe; and the Lady Jane Gray, whoſe excellent beauty was adorned with all variety of virtues, as a clear sky with ſtars (ſaith the Hiſtorian) as a Princely Diadem with Jewels.Sir John Heywood. Hence ſhee became moſt dear to King Edward the ſixth, who appointed her his ſucceſſour. But nothing ſo dear to him, nor ſo happy in her ſucceſſion, as the Church is to Chriſt; who lively deſcribes her inward beauty, which hee looks upon as a rich pearl in a rude ſhell, or as thoſe tents of Kedar aforementioned, verſ. 4. which though courſe and homely for the outward hiew, yet, for the precious gemms, jewels, and ſweet odours that were couched in them, were very deſirable.
With rows of Jewels] A metaphor from fair women richly adorned. Holy women may bee coſtly attired, Gratior eſt Pulchro, &c. though Seneca thinks that hee was in an errour that ſaid ſo, ſith virtue needs no garniſh, but is magnum ſui decus, & corpus conſecrat, its own greateſt glory, and conſecrates the body wherein i… dwelleth. St. Peter alſo preſcribes Ladies an excellent dreſs, 1 Pet. 3.3, 4. Tertullian comes after with his Vestite vos ſerico pietatis, &c. Cloathe your ſelves with the ſilk of Piety, with the ſattin of Sanctity, with the purple of Purity. Taliter pigmentatae Chriſtum habebitis amatorem, Being thus arrayed and adorned, you ſhall have Chriſt to bee your Suter.
Thy neck with chains] ſcil. Of pearl or precious ſtones, that is, of heavenly graces drawn all upon that one threed of humility, which is the ribband or ſtring that tyes together all thoſe precious pearls. Humility is foreign, ſaith Baſil, the treaſureſſe of the rest of the virtues. It is foreign, ſaith Chryſostome, the bond of all good things, the bond of perfection, as St. Paul ſaith of Charity. Hence St. Peters word foreign, (1 Pet. 5.5. Bee yee cloathed with humlity) comes of foreign, for a knot: and it ſignifies not onelyonly alligare, to knit the graces together, and to preſerve them from being made a prey to pride, but alſo innodare (ſay ſome) to tye knots as delicate and cutious women uſe to do of ribbands to adorn their necks, or other parts: as if humility was the knot of every virtue, and the ornament of every grace. On the contrary, Pride is ſaid to compaſs evil men about as a chain, Pſal. 73.6. which, oh how ugly and unſeemly is it on the neck of beauty, back of honour, head of learning.
Verſ. 11: Wee will make thee borders of gold with ſtuds of ſilver] Wee, the whole Trinity will joyn together (as wee do in all our works ad extra) in framing for thee theſe glorious ornaments, in putting upon thee our own comelineſs, Ezek. 16.11, 12, 13, &c. in increaſing, and imbelliſhing thy graces, thy pure gold of holineſs, with ſilver ſpeks, ſtudds or imbroiderie. Thus the Spouſe promiſeth to make his Bride (though hee finde her fair and fine) much fairer and finer by an addition of more and more graces and gifts, both ordinary and extraordinary; till ſhee bee transformed into the ſame image from glory to glory. Hee will ſpare for neither gold nor ſilver to beautifie her, ſuch is his abundant love unto her.foreign. Epheſ. 3 Hee cloathes her with the party-coloured Garment of multivarious graces, and this hee borders with gold and beſpangles with ſilver. Her cloathing is of wrought gold, far more ſtately and coſtly than that of Eſther in all her beauty and bravery; than that of Dionyſius, whoſe mantle was ſold to the Carthaginians for an hundred and twenty talents;Athenaus. than that royal Robe of Demetrius King of Macedony, that was ſo maſſie and magnificent, that none of his ſucceſſours would ever wear it, propter invidioſam impendii magnificentiam, for the unparalleld ſumptuouſneſs thereof.
Verſ. 12. While the King ſitteth at his table, &c.] Heb. at his round table, or Ring-ſitting. In accubitu circulari: in orbem enim antiquitus ad menſam ſedebant, 1 Sam. 16.11. Send and fetch him, for wee will not fit round till hee come hither.Turk-hiſt. The manner of the Turks at this day is, to ſit round at meat on the bare ground, with their leggs gathered under them. By the King is here meant Meſſias the Prince, Dan. 9.25. Chriſt the Lord, Act. 2.36. Et omnes ſancti in circuitu ejus, all his Saints ſit round about him, Pſal. 76.11. (as the twelve Tribes were round about the Tabernacle Numb. 2.2. as the four and twenty Elders are round about the Throne, Rev. 4.4.) they are a people near unto him, Pſal. 148.14. they are thoſe Bleſſed that eat and drink with him in his Kingdome, firſt of grace, and then of glory.Luk. 14.15 And whiles they thus ſit with their King (a ſign of ſweeteſt friendſhip and fellowſhip: it was held a great honour and happineſs to ſtand before Solomon) in his circled ſeſſion.1 King. 10.8
My ſpikenard ſendeth forth the ſmell thereof] Saith the Church, that is, my faith is actuated, and all mine other graces exerciſed and encreaſed at the Lords Table, that heavenly Love-feaſt: Ubi cruci haeremus, Cyprian.ſanguinem ſugimus, & inter ipſa Redemptoris noſtri vulnera figimus linguam, whereat wee climb the croſs, as it were, ſuck Chriſts blood, ſuck hony out of the Rock, (Deut. 32.13.) feed heartily and hungerly upon his fleſh, as Eagles do upon the ſlain, Matth. 24, 38. This Luther calls crapulam ſanctum, a gracious gourmandiſe;Luther. whiles wee lean upon his boſome, and feed without fear; ſending forth our ſweet odours, our pillars of incenſe, by lifting up many an humble, joyful and thankful heart to him, living by his Laws, and being a ſavour of life to others. But what ſhall wee think of thoſe that ſtink above ground, poiſon the very air they breathe upon, defile the viſible Heavens, which muſt therefore bee purged by the fire of the laſt day: and by their rotten communication, and unclean converſation, ſpread their infections, and ſend the Plague to their neighbours, as thoſe Aſhdodites, Gittites and Ekronites did, 1 Sam. 5.
Verſ. 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my Well-beloved, &c.] The Bride proceeds to return all the glory to her Bridegroom (of all that good that hee had praiſed her for before) by a ſecond ſimilitude here, and by a third in the next verſe: for in this argument ſhee thinks ſhee can never ſay ſufficient. It is the manner of Maids to wear Noſegaies of ſweet flowers in their boſomes, and to make no ſmall account of them. Myrrhe is marvellous ſweet and ſavoury, Pſal. 45.8. Prov. 7.17. See Plin. lib. 12. cap. 15, 16. but nothing ſo ſweet as the Lord Chriſt is to thoſe that have ſpiritual ſenſes; Whom therefore the Spouſe here placeth between her breaſts, that there-hence the ſweet ſavour may aſcend into her Noſtrils. Again, Myrrhe hath a bitter root, Mark 15.23. Chriſt ſeems bitter at firſt, becauſe of afflictions; but if wee ſuffer with him, 2 Tim. 2.12 Matth. 2wee ſhall alſo reign together with him. Thirdly, Myrrhe was very precious: Hence the Wiſe-men offered it to Chriſt at his birth. Chriſt is of that eſteem with his people, elect and precious, 1 Pet. 2.6. That as wiſe Merchants they make a thorow-ſale of all to purchaſe him, Matth. 13. Laſtly, Myrrhe is of a preſerving nature, and was therefore made uſe of at funerals, ſee John 19.39. In like ſort Chriſt, as hee doth by his Spirits heat exſiccate or dry up the ſuperfluity of our degenerate nature, whereby body and ſoul is preſerved to eternal life; ſo, after our bodies are turned to duſt, hee ſtill preſerves a ſubſtance, which hee will raiſe again at the laſt day. Hence the Saints are ſaid to ſleep in Jeſus, to bee dead in Chriſt, who ſhall raiſe our vile bodies, and make them like unto his own glorious body, in beauty, brightneſs, grace, favour, agility, ability,Phil. 3.21. and other Angelical excellencies.
Hee ſhall lye all night betwixt my breaſts] This is Chriſts proper place: My ſon, give mee thine heart, Chriſt ſhould dwell in the heart by Faith, Epheſ. 3.17. But too too often hee is ſhut out, and adultery found between the breaſts, as Hoſ. 2.2. there they carried the ſigns of their Idolatry (as Papiſts now do their crucifixes) to teſtifie, that the Idol had their hearts. But what ſaith Mr. Bradford Martyr in a certain letter? As the wife will keep her bed onelyonly for her husband, although in other things ſhee is content to have fellowſhip with others, as to ſpeak, ſit, eat, drink, go, &c. So our Conſciences (which are Chriſts wives) muſt needs keep the bed, that is, Gods ſweet promiſes, a lonely for our ſelves and our husband to meet together, to embrace and laugh together, and to bee joyful together: If ſin, the Law, the Devil,Act. & Mor. 1503. or any thing would creep into the bed, and lye there, then complain to thy husband Chriſt, and forthwith thou ſhalt ſee him play Phineahs part, &c. And again, in another Letter, Think on the ſweet mercies and goodneſs of God in Chriſt. Here, here is the reſting-place, here is the Spouſes bed: creep into it, and in your arms of Faith imbrace him.Ib. 1…9 Bewail your weakneſs, your unworthineſs, your diffidence, and you ſhall ſee hee will turn to you. What ſaid I, you ſhall ſee? Nay, I ſhould have ſaid, you ſhall feel hee will turn to you, &c.
Verſ. 14. My beloved is unto mee as a cluſter of Camphire] My Beloved, and unto Mee. This particular application is the very quinteſſence and pith of Faith.foreign. foreign. It is the property of true Faith to individuate Chriſt, to appropriate him to her ſelf, as if hee were wholly and ſolely hers: Shee adjudgeth him in ſpecial to her ſelf, with My Beloved, my Strength, and my Redeemer, my Lord, and my God. This when Thomas did, Now thou beleeveſt, ſaid our Saviour, John 20.29. Were it not for this word of Poſſeſſion (Mine) the Devil might ſay the Creed to as good purpoſe as any of us. Hee beleeves there is a God, and a Chriſt: but that which torments him is, hee can ſay (My) to never an article of Faith. Wicked men likewiſe may Credere Deum, & Deo, ſed non in Deum, they may hear with joy, and have a taſte, yea and apply the promiſes, but they do it preſumptuouſly and ſacrilegiouſly; becauſe they accept not of Chriſt upon Chriſts tearms, take not whole Chriſt in all his Offices and Efficacies, would have him as a Saviour, but not as a Soveraign, they make not a total reſignation of themſelves to Chriſt as Paul did, Ga…. 2.19, 20.
As a cluſter of Camphire] Or, As the Cypreſs-berry, within his white flower ſweet,Plin. lib. 12. cap. 14. pleaſant, and very fragrant. They tha… talk here of the Iſland Cyprus, are as far from the ſenſe, as that Iſland is from Engedi, which was a place in the Land of Canaan, in the tribe of Judah near unto the Dead Sea. Hither fled David one time, when Saul purſued him. And here Jehoſaphat had that notable victory over his enemies by the power of prayer, 2 Chron. 20. This was a fruitful ſoil for Gardens and Vineyards, Ezek. 47.10. Now the Cypreſs-tree, as alſo other Aromatical-trees, grow beſt in Vineyards. And the Church forgetting her ſelf, as it were, and tranſported with love to Chriſt, heaps up thus one ſimilitude upon another. Amor Chriſti eſt ecſtaticus, neque juris ſe ſinit eſſe ſui. R. Solomon Jarchi doth out of their Agada note,Rev. 22.2. that this Cophir in the text, is a tree that bringeth fruit four or five times yearly. Chriſt is that tree of life, that yeelds fruit every month, being more fruitful than the Lemmon-tree,Sol. cap. 45. or the Egyptian Fig-tree▪ that bears ſeven times a year, as Solinus reporteth. Our Engliſh Bibles call it Camphire, which being ſmelled unto, doth naturally keep under or weaken carnal luſt, ſaith one. Now if that ſhould bee here intended, how fitly is it here placed among the Vines of Engedi, that is a medicine for bridling luſt, over-ſoon ſtirred up by Wine, which one well calls lac Veneris, the milk of Venus.
Et Venus in vinis, ignis ut igne, furit.
Verſ. 15. Behold, thou art fair my love] Or, My fellow-friend, as verſ. 9. And as ſhe is his Love, ſo he is her Beloved, verſ. 16. and as hee commends her, ſo ſhee him no leſs. This ſhould bee all the ſtrife betwixt married couples, who ſhould out-ſtrip the other in mutual melting-heartedneſs, and all loving reſpects either to other, in all paſſages, carriages, and behaviours whatſoever betwixt them: accuſtoming themſelves, as here, to ſpeak kindly and cheerfully one to the other. This is that that will infinitely ſweeten and beautifie the married Eſtate: it will make marriage a merry-age, which elſe will prove a marr-age. And here, let husbands learn to love their wives, as Chriſt loved the Church, Epheſ. 5.25. celebrating her beauty in a ſong, repeating her juſt praiſes, to ſhew his heartineſs therein, and inviting others with an Ecce, to the due contemplation thereof. Behold thou art all fair, my Love, behold thou art fair: Non eſt ficta aut frigida haec laudatio, this is no feigned or frigid commendation, but ſuch as proceeds from entire affection, and breathes abundance of good will. Full well might the Prophet tell the Church: Surely as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, ſo ſhall thy God rejoyce over thee, Iſa. 62.5. And again, The Lord thy God will rejoyce over thee with joy, hee will reſt in his love, and ſeek no further, hee will joy over thee with ſinging, Zeph. 3.17. The Church had acknowledged, verſ. 5. that ſhe was black, or at leaſt blackiſh, and yet, by way of Apology too, ſhee had pleaded that ſhee was comely, and ſo, not to bee ſlighted. But Chriſt affirms her fair, yea twice fair, yea the faireſt among women (ſic ſuum cuique pulchrum, ſo doth hee even erre in her love, as the Wiſe-man phraſeth it, Prov. 5.19.) as himſelf is ſaid to bee the faireſt amongſt men, foreign. Theog.Pſal. 45.2. where the Hebrew word likewiſe is of double-form (Thou art fair, thou art fair above the Sons of Adam) to note out double, that is excellent beauty, ſuch as draweth love and liking: Now it is a Maxim in the Civil Law, Ʋxor fulget radiis mariti, The wife ſhineth with her husbands beams, ſo doth the Church with Chriſts graces, wherewith ſhee is decked, as Rebecca did with Iſaac's Jewels. Read Ezek. 16.2, 3, 4, 5, &c. and you will ſee that all the Churches beauty is borrowed. The Maids that were brought to Ahaſhueroſh, beſides their own native beauty, they were firſt purified and perfumed before hee choſe one, Eſth. 1. But here it is otherwiſe altogether. For when the Church was in her blood, in her blood, in her blood (three ſeveral times it is ſo ſaid, that wee might the better obſerve it, and bee affected with it) Chriſt ſanctified and cleanſed her with the waſhing of water by the word, that hee might preſent her to himſelf a glorious Church, holy and without blemiſh, Epheſ. 5.26, 27. But a bloody Spouſe ſhee was to him,Rev. 1.5. who loved her, and waſhed her with his blood.
Thou haſt Doves eyes] Sweet, amiable, ſingle, and chaſte. In the eyes beauty ſits, and ſhines more than in any part of the body beſides. foreign, &c. apud Homerum. Blunts voyages.The Turks tell their deſperate Devotoes of beautiful women, with full eyes, in their fools paradiſe; and thereby hearten them on to bold attempts. The Hebrews ſay, that in oculis, loculis, poculis, the heart of a man ſhews it ſelf. The Church is here ſaid not to have Eagles, Vultures, Foxes, Apes eyes, but Doves eyes. Now,
Felle columba caret, roſtro non caedit, & ungues
Poſſidet innocuos, puraque grana legit.
The Dove hath her name in the Hebrew, from a root that ſignifieth to oppreſs and make a prey of any, as poor people, ſtrangers, fatherleſs,foreign &c. Jer. 50.16 becauſe (belike) this creature is ſubject to the prey and ſpoil of Hawks, when purſued, they ſave themſelves by flight, not fight. (The Prophet Jonah was ſo called, as ſome think, quod columbae inſtar aufugeret, becauſe hee fled as a Dove, when God ſent him to Nineveh, but not with the wings of a Dove) Sometimes ſitting in their Dove-cotes, they ſee their neſts deſtroyed, their young ones taken away, and killed before their eyes, never offering to reſcue or revenge, which all other fowls do ſeem in ſome ſort to do. This is very appliable to the perſecuted Church;foreign. as may bee ſeen in the Lamentations, and Martyrologies. In Greek, the Dove hath her name from her exceeding love to her Mate and young ones. foreign, ſaith Ariſtotle, they kiſs one another: the Church likewiſe kiſſeth Chriſt, and is interchangeably kiſſed of Chriſt,foreign ab foreign ſimul & foreign, traho. Pſal. 2.12. Cant. 1.1. being drawn together by a mutual dear affection (as the Apoſtles word imports, Heb. 11.13.) As if at any time the Dove and her Mate fall out and fight; ſhortly after,
Quae modo pugnarunt, jungunt ſua roſtra columbae,
Quarum blanditias, verbaque murmur habet.
Differences may ariſe between Chriſt and his Spouſe (ſhee may thank her ſelf, for hee grieves her not willingly, Lam. 3.35. Ille dolet quoties cogitur eſſe ferox) and ſome houſhold-words ſhee may have from him: but ſoon after, hee takes her into the wilderneſs, and ſpeaks to her heart, Hoſ. 2.14. yea hee takes her into his Wine-cellar, Cant. 2.4. then when one would think hee ſhould carry her into a dungeon rather. Hee kiſſes her (as Doves do one another) with the kiſſes of his mouth, then when one would think hee ſhould, upon ſuch high provocations, kick her, nay kill her, then hee ſhews her matchleſs mercy, ſuch as no man would ſhew his wife, Jer. 3.1.22. For hee is God, and not man, yea ſuch a ſin-pardoning God as never was heard of, Micah 7.18. If there bee but a Doves eye in the heads of any of his, a columbine ſimplicity, if ſimple to do evil, bunglers at it, and have nothing to ſay in defence of it, when it is done, Rom. 16.19. the amends is made: and love, with her long mantle, covers a multitude of ſins, Prov. 10.12.
Inter Romanos dicebatur, Tu Caius ego Caia. So here the Spouſe, I am Japha, becauſe thou art Japhe. Joppa a fair haven Town had its name from this root; like as the fair havens, Act. 27.8. and the beautiful gate. Act. 3.2.Verſ. 16. Behold thou art fair my Beloved, yea pleaſant] Behold thou art fair my Love, &c. ſaid hee to her. It were fitter a fair deal for mee to ſay ſo to thee, ſaith ſhee here to him: ſith all my beauty is but borrowed of thee, it is but a ſpark of thy flame, a drop of thine Ocean: if I ſhine at all, it is with thy beams onelyonly: if I bee any whit comely, it is with the comelineſs that thou haſt put upon mee. Chriſt as a man (how much more as God bleſſed for ever?) was fairer by far than all the children of men, Pſal. 45.2. becauſe free from ſin, and full of grace and truth, as in Ezek. 28.7. there is mentioned beauty of Wiſdome. And the*Plato. Heathen Philoſopher could ſay, that if moral wiſdome (how much more ſpiritual?) could bee ſeen with mortal eyes, it would draw all mens hearts unto it ſelf. But beſides his inward beauty, which was unconceiveable (inaſmuch as in him, as in a Temple, the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt bodily, that is, perſonally) in the body of Chriſt, there was a moſt fair form, and a Divine face. Hee had a good complexion, and ſuch a comely countenance, as did expreſs a Divinity in him. If St. Stephens face, when hee ſtood before the Council, ſhone like an Angels face, Act. 6.15. and if his eye could peirce the Heavens, Act. 7.55. how much more (may wee think) Chriſt did? True it is, that by reaſon of his ſufferings in the fleſh, his viſage was marred more than any mans, and his form more than the ſons of men, Iſa. 52.14. And, hee had no form nor comelineſs, viz. in the eyes of his perverſe Country-men, who when they ſaw him, they could diſcern no ſuch beauty wherefore they ſhould ſo deſire him: Hee was deſpiſed and rejected of men: for why? Hee was a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief, which had ſo drunk up his ſpirits,John 8.57 and furrowed his fair face, that at little paſt thirty years of age, hee was reckoned to bee towards fifty, hee ſeemed to the Jews to bee much elder than hee was indeed, as ſome are of opinion.
foreign Sept. The Spring or flower of beauty.Yea pleaſant] Sweet as a flower, ſweet as an hony-comb, Mell in ore, melos in aure, jubilum in corde, ſweet to the ſoul, and health to the bones, Prov. 16.24. Hee that hath once but lightly taſted how ſweet the Lord Chriſt is, doth ſoon diſ-reliſh, yea loathe, in compariſon, all this worlds homely fare, taſteleſs fooleries.
Ovid. Met. lib. 15Clitorio quicunque ſitim de fonte levarit,
Vina fugit, gaudetque meris abſtemius undis.
Yea our bed is green] Our Bridal-bed: which was wont to bee decked with Garlands and green bows. Or, our Bedſted (ſo it may bee rendred) is green, made of green and growing timber, as Chriſts houſe is built of living and thriving ſtones, 1 Pet. 2.5. There is a perpetual greenneſs (the fruit of the vegetative Spirit of God within them) upon all Chriſts Olive-trees, Pſal. 52.8. And theſe green things muſt not bee hurt, Rev. 9.4. Or if they bee by a wound at the root, ſo as that they ſuffer a fit of barrenneſs, or ſeem to be ſapleſs, yet they ſhall revireſcere, recover their former greenneſs, as the Philippians did, and had a new ſpring after a ſharp winter: they had deflouriſhed for a time,foreign. but now reflouriſhed, Phil. 4.16.
Verſ. 17. The beams of our houſe are Cedar] Not My, but Our houſe, as before Our bed, and after Our galleries. All is common betwixt the Bridegroom and the Bride, bed, board, houſe, all. It ſhould bee ſo betwixt married couples, who ſhould not have ſeveral purſes, intereſts, &c. but both bring in what they have or get, to the common hive. The Church is Chriſts houſe,1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 Iſa. 51.16 and every faithful ſoul is Gods building: hee plants the Heavens, and laies the foundation of the Earth, that hee may ſay to Zion, Thou art my people. The great Architect of the world doth as wonderful a work in converting a ſoul to himſelf, as hee did in ſetting up this goodly Edifice of the Univerſe. This ſtately ſtructure of the new creature hee makes of the beſt materials, Cedar, Cypreſs, Bora…ine, &c. A mud wall may bee made up of dirt, ſtraw, ſtones of the ſtreet, &c. Not ſo a ſtately Palace, a Marble Monument. Solomons Temple was built of Cedar-wood: So was the Temple of Diana of the Epheſians, as Vitruvius teſtifieth: the Devil will needs bee Gods Ape. Hee knew that Cedar is a tree ſtrong and durable; and for the drineſs of it, the timber chawneth not, rotteth not: yea it hath a property to preſerve other things from putrefaction. A late writer obſerveth of it,Hinc Horat. Cedro dignum, & Cerite cera. Scribon. in Phyſic. lib. 2. that viventes res putrefacit & perdit, putridas autem reſtituit & conſervat. The Church is alſo ſtable, and cannot bee ruinated; it is founded upon a Rock; the Elect cannot bee finally deceived: the faithful Miniſters, by preaching Law and Goſpel, kill the quick Phariſee, and quicken the dead Publican, Rom. 7.9. 2 Cor. 2.16. they declare unto man his righteouſneſs, Job 33.23. and ſhew him how hee may be found in Chriſt, (viz. when ſought for by the juſtice of God) not having his own righteouſneſs, thoſe filthy garments,Phil. 3.9 Rev. 19.14 Zech. 3.4. but the Brides fine white linnen and ſhining: and after a few turns taken here with Chriſt in the terrace or galleries of the Church Militant made of Firr, hee ſhall have places given him in Heaven, to walk among thoſe that ſtand by, Zach. 3.7. that is, among the Seraphim, as the Chaldee Paraphraſt expounds it.