Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Canticles · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Verſ. 1. Behold thou art fair, my Love, behold thou art fair.]
THou art, thou art, and I am much taken with it, ſo that I cannot but ſet an Ecce admirantis upon it, I am ſo rapt and raviſhed: yea I would that others alſo ſhould behold it, and bee enamoured with it. As the Church called upon her Daughters of Zion, in the laſt verſe of the former chapter, to go forth and ſee her Bridegroom in all his bravery, and to help to crown him:Ezek. 16.14 ſo here interchangeably, Chriſt calls upon all ſorts to contemplate his beautiful Bride in all the comelineſs that hee hath put upon her, and that Crown of twelve Stars that hee hath ſet upon her head, Rev. 12.1. ſo that in every thing ſhee is enriched by him, and cometh behind in no gift, 1 Cor. 1.5, 7.
Thou haſt Doves eyes] Particularly Chriſt commendeth her eyes, hair, teeth, lips, temples, neck and breaſts. Hee that would praiſe another, is careful to take in whatſoever of him may bee thought praiſe-worthy. Chriſt onelyonly is able to give his Church her due commendation; becauſe hee onelyonly knows all men; And needeth not that any ſhould teſtifie of man, for hee knoweth what is in man, John 2.24, 25. All others that ſhall undertake ſuch a buſineſs, had need ſay as Mr. Bradford the Martyr ſaith of that Peerleſs King Edward the Sixth.Serm. of Repent. 37 So many things are to bee ſpoken in commendation of Gods graces in this childe (who yet was but one of thoſe many that make up the Church, but yet ſuch an one, that as hee was the chifeſt, ſo I think the holieſt and godlieſt in the Realm of England, Pictores pulchram abſolutamque faciem raro niſi in pejus effingunt.ſaith the ſame bleſſed Bradford,) that as Saluſt writeth of Carthage, I had rather ſpeak nothing, than too little, in that too much is too little. An exact face (ſaith Pliny) is ſeldome drawn but with great diſadvantage: how much more when a bungler hath it in hand? In which regard Alexander the Great forbade his pourtraiture to bee painted by any other than Apelles, or to bee carved by any other but Lyſippus, men famous in thoſe faculties. Behold here one that goes far beyond them both, (the greateſt Artiſan in the world) penſilling out to the life, and ſetting forth a complete Character of his deareſt Spouſe, whom hee had in his heart to dye, Exod. 28.29 2 Cor. 7.3 2 Cor. 11.and to live with, as the High-Prieſt had the twelve Tribes, and St. Paul his Corinthians, though the more hee loved, the leſs hee was beloved. But to come to her particular praiſes, Thou haſt Doves eyes, that is, fair, full, clear, chaſt. See the Note on chap. 1.15. Eyes the true Church hath, and thoſe both opened and enlightened, Act. 26.18. Shee cries not up ignorance as the Mother of Devotion, neither doth ſhee ſend forth blind guides, to require blind obedience, as the Popiſh Padres do with their novices; to put out the eyes of thoſe poor miſ-lead and muzzled Ignoramuſſes, and to lead them blind-fold into the midſt of their deadly enemies, as Eliſha did the Syrians into Samaria. The Church here deſcribed, hath (as Solomons wiſe man) her eyes in her head: yea, ſhee hath two eyes, when the reſt of the world hath but one, (as the Chinois vainly brag of themſelves) a praiſe proper to the Church of Chriſt,Deſcription of the world, chap. of China. Shee lifteth not up her eyes unto Idols, Ezek. 18.6. but to the Holy One of Iſrael, Iſa. 17.7. her eyes are Doves eyes. Every childe of Chriſts Church hath a ſpiritual eye-ſight, an inſight into the Myſtery of Chriſt, communication of Chriſts ſecrets, the mind of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.15. Shee hath no blind children: for though born blind, yet Chriſt hath anointed them with his eye-ſalve, Rev. 3.18.and given both light and ſight. But by eyes here wee are chiefly to underſtand Paſtours and Miniſters, thoſe Seers (as they were called of old, 1 Sam. 9.9.) thoſe lights of the world,John 5. Mat. 5.14, 15, 16. burning and ſhining lights, as the Baptist was called, whoſe Office is to bee to Gods people, inſtead of eyes, Numb. 10.31. and to open the eyes of the blind, to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to God, &c. Act. 26.18. And theſe are to have Doves eyes, ſeeking to preſent unto Chriſt every man chaſt and pure in the ſimplicity of the Goſpel, 2 Cor. 11.2, 3.
Within thy locks] Seemly tied up and covered (as the word imports) without pride or affectation, not laid out, as the manner is, of vain and unſhame-faced women, but thick, fair, and modeſtly made up: to ſhew the Churches modeſty and humility, which is the knot of every virtue,foreign. and ornament of every grace, as St. Peters word holds it forth, 1 Pet. 5.5.
Their hair is as a flock of Goats, &c.] They are fat and well-liking; and ſo their hair lay ſmooth, ſlick, and ſhining: By the Churches hair here, may bee meant the community of true Chriſtians, that, being as the hair innumerable, do adhere to Chriſt, as to their head; and have a promiſe that not one hair of that ſacred head ſhall fall to the ground: and that if any ſon of Belial ſhall offer to ſhear or ſhave them,2 Sam. 10. hee ſhall anſwer it as dearly as the Ammonites did the like abuſe done to Davids Embaſſadours.
Verſ. 2. Thy teeth are like a flock of ſheep, &c.] Handſome teeth ſet forth a woman very well: and they are then held handſome, when they are 1. Even and well matcht; 2. Fair and white; 3. Thick and full. All this wee have here daintily ſet forth in an allegory. And by teeth the Chaldee Paraphraſt will have meant (and I diſſent not) the Prieſts and Levites of the Law, the Paſtours and Preachers, think I, of the Church: who as they muſt bee eyes to ſee, ſo they muſt bee teeth in another regard, viz. 1. To chew, 2. To bite. Firſt, they muſt champ and chew the childrens meat for them as good Nurſes: ſuch as Paul was, 1 Theſ. 2.7. and before him, Iſaiah, chap. 28.9. Whom ſhall hee teach knowledge, and whom ſhall hee make to underſtand? Not the wiſe and prudent, not conceited perſons, that make Divinity onelyonly a matter of diſcourſe, or come to hear, onelyonly to exerciſe their Criticks, and to ſit as Judges, on their Miniſters gifts: But ſuch as are weaned from the Milk, and drawn from the Breaſts. And how will hee do to deal with ſuch, and to divide the word aright to them? Hee will praemanſum cibum in os indere, foreign. 2 Tim. 2.25mollifie their harder meat for them, that it hurt not the tender toothleſs gumms of theſe weanlings, weaklings. Precept, ſaith hee, ſhall bee upon Precept, Precept upon Precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, and there a little. They ſhall have it as they can take it, neither will hee put that upon them, that is not fit for them. They ſhall have Milk, and not ſtrong meat, or if they have, it ſhall bee ready chewed for them. Our Saviour ſpake, as the people could hear, and not as hee could have ſpoken.Mark 4.33 If wee have ſpoken to you (ſaith hee) of earthly things, (that is, of ſpiritual matters under earthly ſimilitudes borrowed from wind, water, &c.) and yee beleeve not, how ſhall yee beleeve, John 3.12.if I tell you of heavenly things? that is, of more ſublime matters and myſteries of eternal life: Miniſters muſt ſtoop to their hearers capacities, and not bee up in their Altitudes; or deliver their diſcourſes in an high language, in a Roman Engliſh, &c. For what is that but to beat the air, to loſe their labour, and to bee as Barbarians to their hearers, &c? Non oratorum filii ſumus, ſed piſcatorum: nec verborum foreign, ſed Spiritus foreign, ſaid that great Divine to Libanius the Rhetorician. Wee are not Oratours, but Preachers: neither come wee with excellency of words, but with evidence of the Spirit, and of power, and by manifeſtation of the Truth, commending our ſelves to every mans conſcience in the ſight of God, 1 Cor. 2.4. 2 Cor. 4.2. This is preaching: the Art whereof plus operis habet quam oſtentationis (as Quintillian ſaith of the Art of Grammar) is not a matter of ſhew, but of ſervice: And to the ears of that which St. Peter calls the hidden-man of the heart, the plain ſong alwaies makes the beſt muſick.
But (ſecondly) As Miniſters muſt maſticate the childrens meat,foreign. Cuttingly. and make it fit for their eating, ſo they are bound to bite, that is, to rebuke ſharply thoſe that are unſound in their Faith, or enormous in their practice, Tit. 1.13. to gore their very ſouls with ſmarting pain, and to ſting their conſciences to the quick, with the forked arrows of biting reproofs, and unqueſtionable convictions. Thine arrows art ſharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies, whereby the people fall under thee, Pſal. 45.5. Miniſters muſt not onelyonly whet their teeth againſt the wicked (as Boars do their tusks when provoked) but ſet their teeth in the ſides of thoſe Boars that root up the Vineyard, and thoſe Foxes that deſtroy the Grapes. Thus the antient Prophets prickt and peirced the hearts of their hearers: ſo did the holy Apoſtles, St. Peter for inſtance, Act. 2. hee ſo handled the matter,foreign. that they were punctually prickt at heart, Act. 2.37. they felt the nails wherewith they had crucified Chriſt, ſticking faſt in their own ſpirits, and driven home to the head by that Maſter of the Aſſembly, Eccleſ. 12.11. Penitency and pain are words of one derivation, and are very near of kin. Hardly will men bee made to repent, till toucht to the quick, till the Preacher do mordaci radere vero, Horat.deal plainly and roundly with them, ſtab them to the heart with the menaces of the Law, and lay them for dead at Chriſts feet, that hee may revive them, as the Pellican doth her young ones with her blood.O…iand. hiſt. Eccleſ. Cent. 5. l. 1. c. 6. It is ſaid of Chryſoſtome, that hee took the ſame liberty to cry down ſin, that men did to commit it. Of Mr. Bradford, that as hee did earneſtly perſwade to a godly life, and ſweetly preach Chriſt crucified, ſo hee did ſharply reprove ſin, and zealouſly impugn errours. Of Mr. Perkins, that …ee came ſo cloſe in his Applications, that hee was able almoſt to make his hearers hearts fall down, and their hairs to ſtand upright. This was preaching indeed, preaching in the life of it. I know well, that moſt men are ſick of a Noli me tangere, and are apt to hate him that reproveth in the gate. As loth they are to bee ſearched, as Rachel, when ſhee ſate upon the Idols; to have their luſts mortified, as David was to have Abſalom executed: Handle him gently, for my ſake, &c. Cannot Preachers meddle onelyonly with toothleſs truths, ſay they, as Balak bade Balaam neither curſe, nor bleſs at all. But why hath Chriſt given his Miniſters teeth, but to bite and bee bitter againſt ſin and wickedneſs? perſonal invectives indeed proceeding from private grudge hee allows not. Spiritus Chriſti nec mendax, noc mordax. The Rule here is, Parcere nominibus, dicere de vitiis.
Of Eraſmus it is ſaid, that hee was Mente & dente potens, ſharp with diſcretion. Every Miniſter ſhould bee ſo: and his Doctrine ſhould diſtill as hony, as the property whereof is to purge wounds, but to bite Ulcers, it cauſeth pain to exulcerate parts,foreign. Alex. Aphrod. Probl. though of it ſelf ſweet and medicinable.
That are even ſhorn] The commendations of a ſet of teeth, whereof before. 1. Even they muſt bee and well matcht: ſo ſhould Miniſters bee like-minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, and of one mind, Phil. 2.2. ſerving the Lord with one ſhoulder, Zeph. 3.9. not ſhouldering one another, and ſtriving for precedency, but content with a parity, and in giving honour going one before another. The ſix branches in the golden Candleſtick joyned all in one; and the Cherubims in the Temple looked one toward another: which ſome think ſignified the agreement and oneneſs that ſhould bee between the Miniſters of the Goſpel.
Which came up from the waſhing] 2. Fair and white: waſhed in the Kings Bath of Chriſts blood, famous and eximious for their extraordinary and exemplary holineſs. It is their office to bee fullones animarum, to make and keep white the fleeces of their flocks, the peoples ſouls. And therefore themſelvs had need bee as Jeruſalems Nazarites were, Lam. 4.7. Purer than Snow, whiter than Milk, &c.
Whereof every one bears Twins] Gemelliparae. It muſt bee Miniſters care to bring many to God, whom they may one day preſent with, Here am I, and the children whom thou haſt given mee. Aarons ſonnes by generation, are ſaid to bee Moſes his ſonnes by inſtitution and inſtruction, Numb. 3.1. See Gal. 4.19. 1 Cor. 4.15. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.
Verſ. 3. Thy lips are like a threed of Scarlet] Which hath two comely properties, Small and Ruddy. A thin lip is a ſign of eloquence, Job 12.20. Pitho ſits upon it: as on the other ſide, a thick lip is an uncircumciſed lip Exod. 6.12. a polluted lip, Iſa. 6.5. Scarlet or Coralline lips are counted a great grace, as white, black, blewiſh lips are held no ſmall deformity. The Churches lips are her Chriſtian confeſſions, whether to God or men. To God, when ſhe acknowledgeth his favours, (and ſo covereth his Altar with the calves of her lips) or confeſſeth her ſins with all the aggravations, bringing them forth as they did the veſſels of the Sanctuary, Ezra 8.34. by tale and by weight; bewailing and begging pardon of all their tranſgreſſions in all their ſins, as the words are, Levit. 16.21. To man ſhee confeſſeth, when ſhee makes a wiſe and bold profeſſion of the truth; not afraid with any amazement, 1 Pet. 3.6. but ready to reſiſt even unto blood, Heb. 12.4. The Tabernacle was covered over with Red (and the Scarlet Whore would fain perſwade us, that ſhee takes up that colour for the ſame intent) to note that wee muſt ſtand to the profeſſion of the truth, even to effuſion of blood: This confeſſion of the mouth, Rom. 10.10. is ſet forth here by lips red as Scarlet, becauſe it muſt be lively, not fady or frigid, but full of Faith, and died in Chriſts blood. It is alſo deſcribed by a threed of Scarlet, becauſe (as a threed) it muſt bee drawn out to the full length, and not cut off, ſo long as life laſteth, for any fear, or other by-reſpect whatſoever. Surely as Auſtin ſaid of the feaſt of Pentecoſt, Gaudet produci haec ſolennitas, ſo may wee ſay of Chriſtian confeſſion, It rejoyceth to bee held out to the laſt breath. And as the ſilk-worm ſtretcheth forth her ſelf before ſhee ſpin, and ends her life in her long wrought clew: ſo is it with the faithful Confeſſour.
And thy ſpeech is comely] Becauſe grave and gracious, framed in Scripture-phraſe as much as may bee: and therefore comly and delectable. Loquamur verba Scripturae, utamur ſermone Spiritus Sancti, &c. ſaid that incomparable man Peter Ramus, Let us ſpeak the very words of Scripture, let us make uſe of the language of the Holy Ghoſt, and for ever abominate thoſe Logodaedali, learned Aſſes, that prophanely diſdain at the ſtately plainneſs of Gods bleſſed Book; and that think to correct the Divine Wiſdome and eloquence with their own infancy and ſophiſtry. It is the Church onelyonly that ſpeaks handſomely, becauſe holily, and as the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. Shee is (as one well ſaith of Baſil) ſuaviter gravis, & graviter ſuavis, nihil habens affectatae loquacitatis, ſweetly grave, and gravely ſweet, neither troubleſomely talkative, nor ſinfully ſilent: verborum parca, Caſaub.ſententiarum dives (as another ſaith of Livy) few words, but full of matter.
Thy Temples are like a peece of a Pomegranate] A Pomegranate hath many grains within his caſe, and a little round circle or Crown without, upon his head. Now theſe grains being ſweet in taſte, and red in colour, are orderly ſet one by another, and point up, and as it were look up altogether unto the Crown. To intimate thus much (ſay Beda and Haimo) that the children of the Church muſt grow on ſtill toward the mark, not onelyonly when they enjoy the ſweet taſte of pleaſant proſperity, but alſo when they bear the red colour of bloody perſecution. And conſenting in a kinde of conformity and perfect peace, they muſt point up all together with the finger of Faith, to Chriſt, and look up continually with the eye of love to their head Chriſt, who being firſt croſſed, is now come to be crowned with honour and glory. Some do explain this peece of a Pomegranate when it is cut, to ſignifie the reverend and modeſt countenance of the Church; as fearing and taking heed leſt ſhee ſhould ſpeak or do amiſs; or bluſhing, if ſhee hath failed. Others expound it of the good works of Gods people (compared verſ. 9. to an Orchard of Pomegranates) beautiful, and comely, but yet imperfect: like as there is no Pomegranate that hath not one rotten grain in it.
Verſ. 4. Thy neck is like the Tower of David] i. e. Fair and forcible, erectum & celſum, upright and lofty. It betokeneth the invincible courage, and comfortable carriage of the Church, not giving place to her enemies by ſubjection, no not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. Many a time have they afflicted mee from my youth, may Iſrael now ſay, yet never have they prevailed againſt mee, &c. Pſal. 129.1, 2, &c. Neither ſhall the gates of Hell ever do it: Shee ſhall ſet her feet in the necks of her enemies, but her neck (as the horſes, Job 39.19.) ſhall bee cloathed with thunder, ſo long as with ſtretcht-out neck, ſhee looks up unto the Hills from whence cometh her help, Pſal. 121.1. Even thoſe everlaſting Hills, Gen. 49.26. where her David (the Lord Chriſt) dwells as in a Tower,foreign. and from thence ſuccours her, as the people ſaid once to David, 2 Sam. 18.3. Beſides the freſh ſupply of his free Spirit, Phil. 1.19. fortifying their hearts againſt the tyranny of ſin, and terrour of hell, hee hath furniſhed for her a moſt admirable Armory, viz. the Sacred Scriptures, with armour that is poliſhed and prepared for moſt neceſſary uſes.Juſtin. So that the Saints are thoſe true Argyraſpides (as Alexanders old ſouldiers were called) for defence they have (beſides that privy armour of peace with God, Phil. 4.7. and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Nehem. 8.13.) the breaſt-plate of righteouſneſs, the girdle of truth, the ſhield of faith, and ſhooes of patience. And for offence, they have the ſword of the Spirit, and darts of Prayer, Epheſ. 6, 14, 15, 16.
All weapons of mighty men] Meet for ſuch, and not for mean men: and all to bee fetcht out of the Armoury of the Scriptures, by our Saviours own example, Mat. 4.4. The Word of God hath a Power in it to quail and quell all our ſpiritual enemies, far better than that wooden dagger, that leaden ſword of the Papiſts, their holy waters, croſſings, Medals, Reliques, &c. This the Devil knows, and therefore ſets his Antichriſtian inſtruments on work, to take away this Armoury from the common people (as the Philiſtims took away all weapons from the Iſraelites) and to give this wicked advice (as Briſtow did) to get Hereticks out of their weak and falſe Tower of holy Scriptures, Motive. 48.into the plain field of Councils and Fathers, &c. Which if they ſhould do, as wee truſt they never ſhall,Whitak. in Campian. yet wee dare bee bold to ſay with learned Whitaker, Patres in maximis ſunt noſtri, in multis varii, in minimis veſtri: The Fathers in moſt material points are for us, and not them. As for the Papiſts, wee know how diſdainfully they reject the Fathers,De Chriſto, lib. 1. cap. 9. when they make againſt them. Bellarmine ſaith, to Irenaeus, Tertullian, Euſebius and Luther, I anſwer, Omnes manifeſti haretici ſunt, They are all manifeſt Hereticks. When any thing in Gregory or other Antients pleaſeth them not, the Gloſs upon that ſaith, Hoc non credo, or ſets Palea upon it, or Hoc antiquum eſt, and happened in illo tempore. And Cornelius Mus, on Rom. 3. ſpeaks out the ſenſe of the whole rabble of them, Plus uni Pontifici crederem, quam mille Auguſtinis, I would ſooner beleeve one Pope,Quaeſt. An Papa ſit ſup. concil. than a thouſand Auguſtines. How much better that learned Picus Mirandula (a Papiſt too) Simplici potius ruſtico & infanti & aniculae magis quam Pontifici Maximo & mill… Epiſcopis credendum eſt, ſi iſti contra Evangelium, il…i pro Evangelio faciant, wee ſhould ſooner and rather beleeve a plain Country-man, an infant, or an old wife, than the Pope, and a thouſand Biſhops, if the former ſpeak or do according to the Scripture, the latter againſt it. And what a ſtrong neck had Luther, ſcorning to ſtoop to Antichriſts yoke, when hee profeſſeth, that if the Pope (as Pope) ſhould command him to receive the communion in both kinds, hee would but receive in one kind (though hee were otherwiſe very earneſt to have it adminiſtred in both, according to the Goſpel) leſt hee ſhould ſeem to receive the mark of the beaſt?
Verſ. 5. Thy two Breaſts are like two young Roes, &c.] From the neck hee deſcendeth to the breaſts: and by theſe deſcriptions of beauty in all parts (for the reſt are to bee underſtood, though not here ſpecified) is ſignified, that the Spirit of Regeneration worketh upon the whole man in all manner of virtue. Holineſs in the heart, as the Candle in the Lanthorn, appears in the body,1 Theſ. 5.23. and every member thereof. Spirit, ſoul and body are ſanctified throughout: like as the moſt holy place, the Sanctuary, and the outer Court of Solomons Temple were filled with the cloud. The Churches breaſts here are ſaid to bee fair, full, and equally matcht. Hereby ſome underſtand the two Teſtaments, thoſe breaſts of conſolation, Iſa. 66.11. fair and full ſtrutting with ſincere milk, that her children may all ſuck and bee ſatisfied, viz. batten, grow up and increaſe with the increaſe of God, to a full ſtature in Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.2. Theſe breaſts are alſo ſuitable and equal, as twins: the two Teſtaments are ſo in ſundry reſpects. For as the Old Teſtament hath four ſorts of Books, viz. Legal, Hiſtorical, Sapiential, Prophetical, ſo hath the New in a due proportion. Anſwerable to the Legal are the Evangelical, to the Hiſtorical are the Acts of the Apoſtles, to the Sapiential or Dogmatical are the Epiſtles (wherein, as St. Paul principally preſſeth Faith, ſo St. Peter Hope, and St. John Charity) and to the Prophetical, Apocalyps, ut ſic mira ſit conformitas, (ſaith Bonaventure) non ſolum in continentia ſenſuum, ſed in quadriformitate partium, ſo that there is a wondrous conformity of one Teſtament to another, not onelyonly in the ſameneſs of ſenſe, but in the quadriformity alſo of parts. And this was myſtically ſet forth, ſaith hee, by Ezekiel in his Viſion of the wheel with four faces, and this wheel within a wheel, implying the Old Teſtament in the New, and the New Teſtament in the Old.
Verſ. 6. Until the day break, and the ſhadows flee away] i. e. Till that laſt and great day of the Lord dawn, that day of refreſhing,Bemicha…a, Iſa. 35.10. Act. 3.19. that day of Conſolation, as the Syriack hath it, John 11.24. When everlaſting joy ſhall bee upon the heads of all beleevers; they ſhall obtain joy and gladneſs, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away. Till that bleſſed time Chriſt (in anſwer to his Spouſes requeſt, chap. 2.17.) promiſeth to get him to the mountains of myrrhe, that is, not to Heaven (as ſome ſenſe it) but to his Church Militant, frequently called Gods Holy Mountain, and here Mountains of Myrrhe, and Hills of Incenſe] as in alluſion to Mount Moriah, whereon the Temple was builded, ſo eſpecially in reference to the prayers and good works of the Saints, thoſe Evangelical Sacrifices wherewith God is well pleaſed. Some there are, that comparing this with chap. 2.17. make theſe to bee the Churches words: that as there ſhee requeſted ſpeedy help of Chriſt in the time of her ſorrow; ſo here in like temptation ſhee fleeth for refuge to the mount of myrrhe, and hell of frankincenſe, to the holy Ordinances where ſhee hopeth for comfort.
Verſ. 7. Thou art all fair my Love] Chriſt having graciouſly anſwered his Spouſes Petition with a Promiſe of his gracious preſence with her, and providence over her, proceeds in her commendation. A perfection of parts hee here grants her (though not of degrees) a comparative perfection alſo in regard of the wicked, whoſe ſpot is not the ſpot of his children, Deut. 31.5. Hee calls her his Spouſe in the next verſe:Calab of Calol to profit. the Hebrew word imports that being dreſſed in all her Bride attire, ſhee is all fair, and hath perfection of beauty, Jer. 2.32. and is all glorious within and without, not having ſpot, wrinckle, or any ſuch thing but holy and ſpotleſs, Epheſ. 5.26, 27. Fair hee called her before, verſ. 1. but now
All fair] And therefore the faireſt among women, a meet Mate for him who is fairer than all the children of men, Pſal. 45.2. Not but that ſhee hath whiles here, her infirmities and deformities, as the Moon hath her blots and blemiſhes: but theſe are ut naevi in vultu Veneris, theſe ſerve as foils to ſet off her ſuperexcellent beauty, or rather the ſuperaboundant grace of Chriſt, who ſeeth no ſin in Jacob; that is, imputeth none: but freely accepteth of his own work in his people, and ſweetly paſſeth by whatſoever is amiſs in them: Perfection is that they breathe after, and that which is already begun in them: they have the firſt-fruits of the Spirit, and all their ſtrife is to attain to the Reſurrection of the dead, that is, to that perfection of holineſs that accompanieth the State of the Reſurrection, Phil. 3.11.
There is no ſpot in thee] i. e. None in mine account, none ſuch as the wicked are full of, Deut. 32.5. (See the Note there) no Leopard ſpots that cannot bee waſhed away with any water.Eubhorm. James 3 Faults will eſcape the beſt man betwixt his fingers: Nimis Anguſta res eſt nuſquam errare: In many things wee offend all: But as David ſaw nothing in lame Mephiboſheth, but what was lovely, becauſe hee ſaw in him the features of his friend Jonathan; ſo God beholding his offending people in the face of his Son, takes no notice of any thing amiſs in them; they are, as that tree of Paradiſe, Gen. 3. fair to his eye, and pleaſant to his palat: or as Abſalom, in whom there was no blemiſh, from head to foot: ſo are they irreprehenſible, and without blemiſh before the Throne of God, Rev. 14.5.
Verſ. 8. Come with mee from Lebanon, &c.] Or, Thou ſhalt come with mee, &c. by way of promiſe. And it is doubled for more certainty, q. d. Nothing ſhall hinder thee, but thou ſhalt indeed come with mee, and enjoy my continual preſence. This ſhee had begged hard for, in the former chapters, and this ſhee is now ſweetly aſſured of, with a new largeſſe of love ſealed up in the kindeſt compellation, Spouſe: which ſignifieth the wife married, and already joyned to her husband. Yea in the next verſe hee calleth her both Sister and Spouſe. The neareſt affinity is Spouſe, and the neareſt conſanguinity Siſter. Thus Chriſt is better to his people than their prayers, better than their hopes. Hezekiah asked one life, God gave him two; adding fifteen years to his daies.Pſal. 21.4 John 16.24 David asked life, and God gave him life for ever and ever. Hitherto yee have asked mee nothing, ſaith Chriſt: that is, nothing to what I am ready to give you. Hee ſtands diſpoſed to his ſuiters, as Naaman did toward Gehezi, 2 King. 5. Gehezi asked but one talent: nay take two, ſaith Naaman: one is too little, take two. And hee preſſed him, and heaped them upon him.2 King. 4 God deals with his ſervants, as the Prophet did with that widow, when hee bade her borrow veſſels, and the cruſe never ceaſed running till there was no room. Or as hee dealt with the Shunamite in the ſame chapter: when hee bade her ask what ſhee needed, and ſhee found not any thing to requeſt at his hands, hee ſends for her again, and makes her a free promiſe of that which ſhee moſt wanted and deſired, and tells her that God would give her a Son.
From Lebanon, Look from the top of Amana] Or Abanah, as the River running under it was called,Strabo, lib. 14 2 King. 5.12. And Strabo ſaith, that it was a Mountain forcibly poſſeſſed by many tyrants. Of Shenir and Hermon, ſee Deut. 3.9. Theſe all were haunted with wilde beaſts, even Lebanon alſo, 2 King. 14.9. though otherwiſe a pleaſant and plentiful place, Deut. 3.25. Hereby is ſignified, that the Lord Chriſt from all parts will call and collect unto himſelf a people: and although hee finde them Lions and Leopards, (as here) untameable and untractable, hee will ſoon ſubdue them to the obedience of the Faith; ſo that the Lion ſhall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard lie down with the Kid, Iſa. 11.6. all bloodineſs and rapine ſhall bee laid aſide, as it was with the wilde beaſts in Noahs Ark. Thus Paul, that ravening Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin, (Gen. 49.27.) is made to preach the Faith, which once hee deſtroyed, Gal. 1.23. Thus the Antient Britains our Forefathers, though like that Demoniack in the Goſpel, fierce above meaſure, and inhoſpital Salvages, ſo that the Romans could not come at them, Chriſto tamen ſubditi, ſaith Tertullian, Bond in Horat. Carm. lib. 3. od. 3. Act. and Mon. 924. & 1555. Ibid. Anno 1755yet they were eaſily ſubdued by Chriſt: and then ſenſim evanuit feritas indies, exulavit immanitas, corruit crudelitas, ſaith one, they were ſuddenly and ſtrangely altered; not civilized onelyonly, but ſanctified. So was Juſtin Martyr, Cyprian, Auſtin, Vergerius, Latimer, Julius Palmer, that Popiſh Prieſt of Canterbury, who ſaid Maſs on one day, and the next day after came into the Pulpit, and made a long Sermon againſt it, deſiring the people to forgive him,Speed. 761 for hee had betrayed Chriſt, &c. As long before him in Wickliffes daies, and by his means, one that was the Popes Chaplain renounced him, profeſſing that hee came out of his Order,Act. and Mon. 1565. as out of the Devils neſt, &c. And although not a Scholar in Oxford would look upon the good Biſhops Ridley and Cranmer priſoners in Bocardo, Speed. Ibid.but generally ſet againſt them, yet the whole body of that Univerſity gave a glorious teſtimony under their publick ſeal of Wickliffes religious life, profound learning, Orthodox opinions, exquiſite writings, all furtheſt from any ſtain of Hereſie. See what Chriſt can do where hee pleaſeth to come in by his mighty Spirit.
Verſ. 9. Thou haſt raviſhed mine heart, &c.] Thou haſt caught it, and carried it from mee; ſo that I am leaſt Maſter of it: for Animus eſt potius ubi amat, quam ubi animat, The heart is where it loves, and not where it lives.Auſtin. The Hebrew is, Thou haſt be hearted mee, (as wee ſay, one is beheaded, behipt, &c.) Thou haſt robbed mee of my heart, and laid thy ſelf in the room: thy love is fixed in the Table of my heart, ſo the Chaldee expoundeth it.Greg. in Rev. 3 Excellently ſpake hee, who called the holy Scripture, Cor & animam Dei, the heart and ſoul of God: and another Father is bold to ſay, Cor Pauli, Chryſoſt.eſt cor Christi, Chriſt and Paul had exchanged hearts, as it were. For, wee have the mind of Chriſt, ſaith hee, communication of Chriſts ſecrets.1 Cor. 2.16 And ſurely when the Saints hide Chriſts words in their hearts, as his Mother Mary did,Col. 3.16 when they give themſelves wholly up to it, as the Macedonians did, ſo that the word of Chriſt indwelleth richly in them in all Wiſdome, and hee, by his Spirit putteth his Laws into their minds, ſo that they aſſent unto them,Heb. 8.10 and into their hearts, ſo that they conſent unto them, and have the comfort, feeling and fruition of them, then is his heart raviſhed with his own handy work: then is hee ſo far in love with ſuch a ſoul, as that, Eſther-like, ſhee may have any thing of the King. The King is not hee that can do any thing againſt you: Jer. 38.5Chriſt ſaith ſeriouſly ſo. His heart is become a very lamp of love toward his Siſter, as neareſt unto him in conſanguinity, his Spouſe is neareſt alſo in affinity, Sanctior eſt copula cordis, quam corporis. Chriſt is indeared to his people in all manner of neareſt relations. For whoſoever ſhall do the will of his Father, the ſame is his Brother, and Siſter, and Mother, Mat. 12.50.Act. 10.35 And in every Nation hee that feareth God, and worketh righteouſneſs, is accepted of him.
With one of thine eyes] With that ſingle eye of thine, Mat. 6.22. that looks on mee ſingly abſtracted from all other things, and affects thine heart with pure love to mee for my ſelf, more than for my love-tokens; that eye of Faith that looks up to my Mercy-ſeat, yea that peirceth Heaven, as St. Stephens bodily eye did, (hee being full of the Holy Ghoſt, looked up ſtedfaſtly into Heaven, and ſaw Jeſus ſtanding on the right hand of C…, Act. 7.55.) Heaven is ſo high above the Earth, that it is a juſt wonder that wee can look up to ſo admirable an height, and that the very eye is not tired in the way. But Faith hath a viſive faculty peculiar to it ſelf, it is the evidence of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1. whiles it looks not at the things which are ſeen, ſcil. with the eye of ſenſe, but at the things that are not ſeen, viz. but by the eye of Faith,2 Cor. 4.18. whereby Moſes ſaw him who is inviſible, Heb. 1….27. Let as many as would behold the King in his beauty, ſtudy Moſes his Opticks, get a Patriarchs eye, ſee Chriſts day afar off, as Abraham did, and ſet him at their right hand, as David, Pſal. 16. So ſhall the King greatly deſire their beauty, yea ſet them at his right hand with the Queen his Spouſe, in gold of Ophir, Pſal. 45.9, 11. But then Chriſt muſt ſee their chain of obedience, as well as their eye of Faith, even the whole chain of ſpiritual graces linked one to another. Theſe are the daughters of Faith, and good works, the products of them, are the fruits of Faith. As chains adorn the neck, ſo do true virtues a true Chriſtian: theſe as chains are viſible and honourable teſtimonies of a lively Faith, which works by love. Theſe make the true Manlii Torquati, See the Notes on chap. 1. verſ. 10.
Verſ. 10. How fair is thy love] Heb. Loves in the plural, noting, not onelyonly their multitude, but excellency alſo, ſuch as do far praeponderate all carnal affections. Theſe are ſaid to bee inexpreſſibly fair and lovely (noted by the exclamation and repetition here uſed, as if words were too weak to utter it) becauſe it is undiſſembled. A man may paint fire, but hee cannot paint heat. A man may diſſemble actions in Religion, but hee cannot diſſemble affections. 2. It is rare, and in reſpect of common Chriſtians it may bee ſaid, as Epheſ. 3.18. to paſs knowledge: ſith moſt have little of the life of it in their breaſts, leſs of the light and luſtre of it in their lives.
How much better is thy love than Wine] This ſame ſhee had ſaid of him, chap. 1.2. Now hee returns it upon her as is uſual among Lovers. Hee had confeſſed himſelf raviſhed with her love, verſ. 9. Now here hee ſhews why hee was ſo. Hee found her not lovely onelyonly, but loving: hee had made her ſo, and now takes ſingular delight and complacency in his own work, as once hee did in his work of Creation. Hee well perceived that hee had not loſt his love upon his Church, as David did upon his Abſalom, as Paul did upon his Corinthians, (of whom hee complains, that the more hee had loved, the leſs hee was beloved) as Job upon his miſerable comforters, whom hee compares to the Brooks of Tema, Job 6.that in a moiſture ſwell, in a drought fail. But Chriſt findes no ſuch fickleneſs or falſe-heartedneſs in his Beloved, hee had love for love: and as hee had been a ſweet friend to her, ſo was ſhee to him. Her love was better than the beſt Wine (which yet is both coſtly and comfortable) yea than all the delights that this life can afford; ſo much is implied by Wine here, and ſo hee is pleaſed to eſteem it. Unworthy ſhee of ſo kind acceptance of that little ſhee can do this way, if ſhee do not her utmoſt: if ſhee cry not out with her ſon David, I will love thee dearly, or entirely, with mine utmost bowels, (with the ſame tenderneſs of affections as is in Mothers towards the fruit of their bodies, ſo the Hebrew word ſignifies) Pſal. 18.1. And again, I love! (ſo hee abruptly expreſſeth himſelf by a paſſionate pang of love) becauſe the Lord hath heard the voice of my ſupplications, &c. Pſal. 116.1. Hee ſaw (and wee may all ſee) ſo much cauſe to love the Lord, as that hee muſt needs bee a monſter, and not a man, that loves not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity. It was a miracle that thoſe Worthies in Daniel ſhould bee in the midſt of a fiery furnace, and not burn. It is no leſs that men ſhould bee in the midſt of mercies on all hands, and not love Chriſt. It would bee as great a wonder men ſhould fail here, as for a River to run backwards. I have drawn them by the bands of love, by the cords of a man, Hoſ. 11.4. that is, with reaſons and motives of love befitting the nature of a man, of a rational creature.Oculis in utram partem fluat judicari non poteſt. Caeſar. de bello. Gal. lib. 1. But moſt men, alaſs! (and thoſe that profeſs to bee the children of the Church too) move like the River Araris; backward or forward, who can tell? This is to give Chriſt Vinegar for Wine: this is as lukewarm water to his nice and nauſeating ſtomack, Rev. 3.16. There is a Propheſie reported in Teleſphorus, that Antichriſt ſhall never overcome Venice, nor Paris, nor London. But wee have a more certain word, and let us take heed, leſt for our lukewarmneſs Chriſt ſpues us out of his mouth. What hath been the opinion and fear of ſome not inconſiderable Divines, that Antichriſt, before his abolition, ſhall once again overflow the whole face of the Weſt, and ſuppreſs the whole Proteſtant Churches for a puniſhment of their loſs of their firſt love, I pray Chriſt to avert.
And the ſmell of thine Oyntments, than all ſpice!] That is, of thy ſweet graces actuated and exerciſed. See Pſal. 89.20. John 2.20, 27. It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul, that hee fell as though hee had not been anointed, 2 Sam. 1.21. So for the Saints to fall from their firſt love, or from their own ſtedfaſtneſs. Such a dead fly will cauſe their once-ſweet Ointments to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour, Eccleſ. 10.1. Corruptio optim… eſt peſſima.
Verſ. 11. Thy lips, Oh my Spouſe, drop as an Hony-comb] Heb. drop the Hony-comb: So Chriſt calls the doctrines and prayers of the Church, her thankſgivings, confeſſions, conferences, &c. which are things moſt pleaſing to Chriſt, and do much comfort and edifie the faithful. That golden-mouthed Preacher did ſo pleaſe the people, that it was grown to a Proverb, Better the Sun ſhine not, than Chryſoſtome preach not. Bilney the Martyr, a little before hee was burned, entreated much on that Text, Iſa. 43.2. Fear not, when thou walkeſt thorow the fire, thou ſhalt not bee burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee: ſo that ſome of his friends preſent took ſuch ſweet fruit thereby (ſaith Mr. Fox) that they cauſed the whole ſentence to bee fair written in Tables,Act. and Mon. 923. and ſome in their books: the comfort whereof in divers of them was never taken away from them to their dying day.Ibid. 1559. The ſame Author ſaith of Biſhop Ridley Martyr, that hee uſually preached every Sunday and Holyday: to whoſe Sermons the people reſorted, ſwarming about him like Bees, and coveting the ſweet juice of his heavenly doctrine. How pleaſant and profitable to Latimer was the private conference hee had with Bilney? and the like benefit had Ridley by Bradford, Luther by Stanpicius, G…leacius by Peter Martyr, Junius by a Country-man of his not far from Florence. Hom.foreign.
Hony and Milk are under thy tongue] The language of Canaan is thy proper dialect: for Canaan was a Land that flowed with Milk and Hony, 1. With things both pleaſant and profitable. Yea I doubt not, (ſaith an Interpreter) but that under theſe tearms the Holy Ghoſt meaneth fit food as well for ſtrong men, as for weak ones in the Church. Milk moſt properly belongs to children, 1 Cor. 3.2. Heb. 5.12.13. and hony to them of more ſtrength, as examples of the word, and reaſon it ſelf teacheth ſufficiently in Jonathan, 1 Sam. 24.27. and John Baptiſt, Matth. 3.4. By theſe compariſons alſo may well bee underſtood the good Houſe-keeping that is in Chriſts Church. Hony and Milk ſhee hath ever at hand. And why hath hee put theſe proviſions under her tongue, but that ſhee ſhould look to lip-feeding? Prov. 10.22. Let our words bee alwaies with Grace, Col. 4.6. Mel in ore, verba lactis, this becomes the Churches children. Felin corde, fraus in factis, is for thoſe brats of fathomleſs perdition, that have Adders poiſon under their lips, Pſal. 140.3. that being in the gall of bitterneſs, and bond of perdition, ſhew themſelves by their words and actions to be the ſons of the ſorcereſs, the ſeed of the Adulterer, and of the Whore, whoſe lips alſo drop the hony-comb, but her end is bitter as wormwood, Prov. 5.3, 4. Iſa. 57.3.
And the ſmell of thy garments is like the ſmell of Lebanon] Which was paſſing pleaſant, by reaſon of the odoriferous, and ſweet-ſmelling trees, that grew there. Now what are theſe garments, but the Churches inward graces, ſay ſome, outward behaviour, ſay others, which is moſt gracious, amiable, and ſweet, as far above all worldly grace, as the ſmell of Lebanon is above the ſavour of common woods.
Verſ. 12. A Garden incloſed is my Siſter, my Spouſe] Fair and ſweet hee had before affirmed her: Now (becauſe Lis eſt cum forma magna pudicitiae)
Fair women have many that wiſh them, and lye in wait for them,Aul. Gell. foreign, ſaid hee to his friend, diſſwading him from marriage. If ſhee bee fair, ſhee will lightly be common; Chriſt therefore here commends her for her purity and chaſtity, and ſhews that hee was ſo hedged and defenſed by Diſcipline and Government, that none could come at her to hazard her Virginity, no more than they could enter into a well-walled Garden. Shee openeth the gates, that the righteous Nation, which keepeth the truth, may enter in, Iſa. 26.2. thoſe which ſubſcribe with their hands, unto the Lord, Iſa. 44.5. that (when hee ſhall ſay, Who is on my ſide? Who?) do heartily avouch him for their God, Deut. 26.17. that fly to her as a cloud,Iſa. 60.8. and flock to her as a flight of Doves. As for the unclean, or any thing that defileth ſhee hath her Porters on purpoſe to keep them out, 2 Chron. 23.19. Rev. 21.27. no dirty dogg ſhall trample on her golden pavement.foreign. Plut. foreign. See Iſa. 5.2. & 35.8, 9, 10. & 62.8. 1 Cor. 5.11, 12, 13. It was not permitted to a dogg to enter into the Acropolis, or Tower at Athens, for his heat in Venery, and for his ill favour, ſaith Plutarch. Goats likewiſe, ſaith Varro, come not there, leſt they ſhould hurt the Olive. Iriſh Air will ſooner brook a Toad or Snake to live therein, than the true Church (if ſhee may freely exerciſe her power) ſcandalous and heretical perſons. Papiſts teach,Bell. lib. 3. cap. 2. de Eccleſ. Militan. that the Catholick Church conſiſteth of good and bad; and that a man may bee a true member thereof, though hee have no inward virtues. Wee confeſs that in all particular Congregations there are hypocrites, as appears in the parable of the Tares, of the Net, &c. But yet wee deny, that the holy Catholick Church mentioned in the Creed hath a mixture of good and bad: ſith ſhee is the chaſte Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt, who owneth no wicked man or hypocrite in her: for how ſhould hee love ſuch, unleſs it bee with a common (not with a conjugal) love, ſo as hee loved that tame young man, Mark 10.21. whom hee pittied as a ſelf-deceiver, like as wee pitty moderate and devout Papiſts. In Chriſts Garden, as there is no ground but what is ſpecial good, ſet apart for the purpoſe, fit for him to ſit and walk in for his recreation,Iſa. ….1. (My Well-Beloved hath his Orchard in a very fruitful hill, in a cornu-copia Country) ſo it is furniſhed and filled with the choiceſt fruits and flowers, plants of renown, and pleaſant trees, yeelding fruit according to their kind; and though all cannot bear Cinnamon and Balſam, yet (as in Spain there is ſaid to bee nihil infructuoſum, nihil ſterile, nothing barren or unfruitful, ſo) all that are planted in the houſe of the Lord, do flouriſh in the Courts of our God, they do ſtill bring forth fruit in old age, they are fat and flouriſhing, Pſal. 92.13, 14. they are both actuoſi, and fructuoſi, 2 Pet. 1.8. neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And indeed how can it bee otherwiſe with Gods Garden, when as hee himſelf keeps it, and watereth it every moment, leſt any hurt it, hee keepeth it night and day, Iſa 27.3. God fenceth it with his Omnipotent arm, keepeth it from the wilde Boar, and other devoratory evils (as Tertullian phraſeth it) better than the Garden of Eden was kept with the flaming Sword. And whereas the Church may ſeem to lye open to all incurſions, this verſe ſhews that it hath a Well within it, and a Wall without it: Yea himſelf is a Wall of fire round about Jeruſalem, Zach. 2.5. in alluſion to the cuſtome of thoſe Eaſt-countries, where, by reaſon of the great number of wilde-beaſts, ſhepherds and travellers guard themſelves by making great fires round about their night-lodgings to keep oft their approach.
A ſpring ſhut up, a fountain ſealed] A preciouſly-purling current of grace, a ſpring of water, whoſe waters fail not, Iſa. 58.11. and whereof whoſoever drinketh ſhall never thirſt, John 4.14. For which end it is carefully ſhut up, nay ſealed, that the ſtranger meddle not with his joy, and that the envious man ſtop not up this well-ſpring with earth, as the Philiſtims ſerved Iſaac: or caſt baggs of poiſon into it, as the ſpightful Jews did once in this Kingdome; and were therefore baniſhed hence for ever. It was wittily ſaid of Polydor Virgil, Regnum Angliae, Regnum Dei, the Kingdome of England, is the Kingdome of God. Hee meant, becauſe God ſeemed to take ſpecial care of it, as having walled it about with the Ocean, and watered it with the upper and nether ſprings; like that Land which Caleb gave his daughter: Hence it was called Albion quaſi Olbion, the happy Country: whoſe vallies are like Eden, (ſaith our Engliſh Chronicler) whoſe hills are as Lebanon, Speed.whoſe ſprings are as Piſgah, whoſe Rivers are as Jordan, whoſe walls is the Ocean, and whoſe defence is the Lord Jehovah: Forraign writers have tearmed our Country the Granary of the Western world, the fortunate Iſland, the Paradiſe of pleaſure, and Garden of God. All this may much more fitly bee applied to the Catholick Church. If Judea were called the glorious Land, becauſe of Gods preſence there, Dan. 11. and an Iſland (though part of the continent) becauſe ſurrounded with Gods powerful protection, Iſa. 20.6. and the Common-wealth of Iſrael, foreign, by Joſephus, a Godlike polity, what ſhall wee think of that Jeruſalem above, that is the Mother of us all? of thoſe ſealed Saints, Rev. 7.3, 4. this ſealed fountain, ſealed up, as to keep it filth-free, that no Camels ſtir up the mud, nor great Hee-goats foul it with their feet, Ezek 34.18. ſo to denote an excellency (as Iſa. 28.25. hordeum ſignatum, is put for excellent Barly) and a propriety, 2 Cor. 1.22. who hath alſo ſealed us, and given the earneſt of the Spirit in our hearts. Like as the Merchant ſets his ſeal upon his goods, and marks them for his own.
Verſ. 13. Thy plants are as an Orchard of Pomegranat…s] By plants are to bee underſtood,Emiſſiones. propagines. either particular Churches, or ſeveral Saints; theſe are thoſe ſhoots or ſorouts that ſpread abroad Gods Paradiſe (that the word here uſed, and no where elſe in Scripture, ſave Eccleſ. 2.5. Neh. 2.8.) ſo called for the curious variety and excellency of all ſorts of pretious and pleaſant trees there growing: ſome for profit, as Pomegranates, which are known to bee healthful and preſervative: ſome for pleaſure; and theſe again were either more common and copious in Jury, as Camphires and Spikenards (plurals both in the Original, for the plenty of them in thoſe parts) or more rare and coſtly, as thoſe mentioned in the next verſe.
Verſ 14. Nard] called Mark 14.3. & Joh. 12.3. Spikenard very coſtly, foreign, melius vero foreign ab oppido prope Babylonem Op… dicto. Scultet: ex Hartungi criticis.or rather (as ſome learned men wil have it) Nard of Opis, a town neer Babylon, where grew the moſt pretious Spikenard: and whence it was tranſported to other places. Of this plant ſee Pliny, Lib. 12. c. 11. as of Cypreſs or Camphire, Lib. 12. c. 14. of Saffron, ib. &c. 15. of Calamus, lib. 12. c. 23. of Cinnamon and Myrrhe, lib. 12. c. 23.19. For Pomegranates ſee the note on ver. 3. of this chapter. For Camphire ſee the Note on c. 1.14. Saffron is in the Hebrew Carcom: Shindler ſaith it ſhould be read Carcos with Samech; and ſo it will exactly agree with foreign, crocus, the one, likely, comming of the other. Our Engliſh comes of the Arabick Zaphran; ſo called of the yellow colour. Calamus or ſweet Cane is a precious aromatical reed bought and brought out of far countreys,Gal. l. 1. Antidot. as appeareth by Jer. 6.20. Iſa. 43.24. Cinnamon was very rare in Galens time, and hard to be found, except in Princes Storehouſes. Pliny reports, that a pound of Cinnamon was worth a thouſand Denarii, that is, 150 Crowns of our money: As for thoſe trees of Frankincenſe, Myrrhe, and Aloes, &c. Brightman thinks they betoken tall and eminent Chriſtians, as Calamus and Cinnamon (ſhrubs of two cubits high or thereabouts) do Chriſtians of a middle ſtature: and Nard and Saffron, herbs that ſcarce lift up themſelves above the ground, repreſent thoſe of a lower rank, and leſſer degree of holineſs: Which yet have all of them their place in Gods garden, and their ſeveral ſweetneſſes: the Spirit of grace being magnus in magnis, nec parvus in minimis, as Auguſtine hath it, great in Gods greater children, and not little in the leaſt. And though there be diverſity of gifts, yet are they from one Spirit, as the diverſe ſmels of pleaſant fruits, and chief ſpices are from the ſame influence: and the divers ſounds in the Organs, from the ſame breath. The Spirit of grace are thoſe two golden pipes, Zach. 4. through the which the two Olive-branches empty out of themſelves the golden oyls of all pretious graces into the Candle-ſtick the Church. Hence grace is called the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Yea, Spirit, Verſe 17. And albeit, as the man is, ſo is his ſtrength, as they ſaid to Gideon: and God hath his children of all ſizes, babes, young men, old men, 1 John 2.13. yet Philadelphia with her little ſtrength may keep Chriſts Word, and not deny his Name; (which thoſe Churches that had more ſtrength are not ſo commended) and, in that little ſtrength, I have ſet open a door for thee, even the door of Heaven, wide enough; ſo that none could ſhut it, Rev. 3.8. Why then ſhould any deſpiſe the day of ſmall things? God who hath begun a good work, his hands ſhall finiſh it: and hee that hath laid the foundation, ſhall in due time bring forth the Topſtone thereof with ſhouting, crying Grace, Grace unto it, Zech. 4.7, 9, 10. An infant of daies ſhall proceed from degree to degree, till hee be like the Ancient of daies: and thoſe that bee planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall once flouriſh in the Courts of our God. They ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old age: they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing, Pſal. 92.13, 14. The ſeeds of the Cypreſs tree are ſo very ſmall, that they can ſcarce be ſeen with eyes,Plin. l. 11. c. 2. Heb. 5.14. & tamen in …is tanta eſt arbor, tamque procera, and yet in ſome one of them is potentially ſo large and ſo tall a tree. Deſpair not therefore of further meaſures, but aſpire ſtill to perfection, Phil. 3.12, 13. The bleſſing on man in the firſt creation, was, Increaſe and Multiply, in the ſecond, Grow in Grace, Iſa. 61.3, 11. And remember that growth is not alwaies to be meaſured by joy, and other acceſſory graces. Theſe ſweet blooms may fall off, when fruit comes on, &c.
Verſe 15. A fountain of gardens, a well, &c] Or, Oh fountain of the Gardens, &c. For they do beſt in mine opinion that make this to be the Churches ſpeech to Chriſt: grounded upon his former commendation of her. And it is as if ſhe ſhould ſay, Calleſt thou me, Lord, a Garden encloſed, a Spring ſhut up, a Fountain ſcaled? True it is, I am the garden which thine own right hand hath planted, walled, watered, &c. but for all that I am or have, the entire praiſe belongs to thee alone. All my plenty of ſpiritual graces, all my perennity of ſpiritual comforts, all my pleaſancy and ſweetneſs is derived from thee, no otherwiſe than the ſtreams of Jordan are from mount Lebanon, all my ſprings are in thee, as in their Well-head. Certum eſt nos facere quod facimus, ſed Ille facit, ut faciamus, ſaith Auguſtine. True it is that wee do what wee do; but it is as true, that Chriſt maketh us to do what wee do. For without him we can do nothing, John 15.5. In him is our fruit found, Hoſ. 14.8. It is hee that works all our works in us, Iſa. 26.12. Hence it is, that the Church is no where in all this book deſcribed by the beauty of her hands or fingers: becauſe hee alone doth all for her. The Church of Rome that will needs hammer out her own happineſs, (like the Spider climbing up by a threed of her own weaving, and boaſting with her in the Emblem, Mihi ſoli debeo) ſhews thereby of what Spirit ſhee is. That wretched Monk died blaſphemouſly, who ſaid, Redde mihi aeternam vitam quam debes, Pay mee heaven which thou oweſt mee. And what an arrogant ſpeech was that of Vega, Coelum gratis non accipiam, I will not have heaven of free-coſt? Haec ego feci, haec ego feci, ſhews men to be no better than meer Feces, ſaid Luther wittily. This I have done, and that I have done, ſpeaks them dregs, and dogges that ſhall ſtand without doors, Rev. 22.15. Hear a childe of our Church, ſpeaking thus of himſelf.
Georg. Fab. Chemnicenſis de ſcipſo.Fabricius ſtuduit bene de pictate mereri;
Sed quicquid potuit, gloria, Chriſte, tua eſt.
This was Matriſſare, to be like his mother, whoſe Motto hath ever been, Non nobis Domine, Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give the praiſe, Pſal. 115.1. If I be thy garden, Thou art my fountain; from whence unleſs I be continually watered, all will be ſoon withered, and I ſhall bee as one that inhabiteth the parched places in the wilderneſs, in a ſalt land and not inhabited,Abbot his Georg. 251. Jer. 17.6. In the Iſland of St. Thomas (on the back-ſide of Africa) in the midſt of it is an hill, and over that a continual cloud, wherewith the whole Iſland is watered. Such is the Lord Chriſt to his Church, Hoſ. 14.5, 6, 7. which therefore as Gideons Fleece muſt needs be wet and moiſt, when all the Earth beſides is dry and deſolate; as the mountains of Gilboah, or as St. Davids in Wales, which is ſaid to be a place, neither pleaſant, fertile, nor ſafe.
A well of living] Or, A pit of living and life-giving waters. Chriſtus & coelum non patiuntur hyperbolen: 2 Sam. 1.20. Godw: Catal. Giral. Camb. Puteus effoſſus ubi eſt aqua viva ſcaturiens & clara. Merc.A man cannot ſay too much in commendation of Chriſt, and his Kingdome: Hence the Church here cannot ſatisfie her ſelf. A Fountain ſhee calls him, a well, a ſtream, ſuch as makes glad the City of God, even that pure river of the water of life proceeding out of Gods Throne, Rev. 22.1. with Ezek. 47.6. Gregory makes this Fountain to bee the Scriptures; which bee ſaith, are like both to a Fountain, and to a pit. Some things in them are plain and open, and may be compared to a ſpring, which runs in an open and eminent place. Other things therein are dark and deep, and like unto a pit, that a man muſt dive into, and draw out with hard labour.
And streams from Lebanon] Watering the whole Church (as Jordan did the holy Land) and taſting, no doubt, of that ſweetneſs mentioned before, verſ. 11. Even as we ſee by experience, (ſaith one) that the waters that come out of the hills of ſome of the Iſlands of Molucca, taſte of the Cinnamon, cloves, &c. that grow there.
Verſe 16. Awake, O North winde, come thou South, &c.] Theſe windes ſhe ſuppoſeth to be aſleep, becauſe they blow not. Rupertus calls the windes Mundi ſcopas, the worlds Beeſomes: becauſe God makes uſe of them to ſweep out his large houſe, and to purge the air. The Spirit of God firſt purgeth, and then watereth the faithful, whom the Church here calleth her garden, (though indeed it bee Chriſts) by reaſon of the nigh conjunction that is between him and her, Epheſ. 5.30. ſo that they both make but one myſtical Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12.12. Now wee all know, that to a compleat Garden are neceſſary, 1 that it be well encloſed, 2 Well planted, 3 Well watered, 4 that it bee amaena coeli aſpiratione perflabilis, well ſituate for winde and air, 5 that it bee fruitful and profitable. The Churches Garden hath every of theſe good properties, as appears here: And for the fourth, Chriſt is all the diverſe windes both cold and hot, moiſt and dry, binding and opening, North and South, fit for every ſeaſon. What winde ſoever blows, it blows good to the Church, for Chriſt ſpeaks to them, as David did to his Captains; Do this young man no hurt, handle him gently for my ſake: The Sunne may not ſmite him by day,Pſal. 121. nor the Moon by night. The nipping North of adverſity, the cheriſhing South winde of proſperity muſt both make for him.
That the ſpices thereof may flow out] That I may be ſome way ſerviceable to God, and profitable to men. Shee knew that in Gods account, to be idle, is all one as to bee evil, Matth. 25.26. to bee unthankfull,Horat. is to bee wicked, Luke 6.35. Paulum ſepulta diſtat inertia, Celata virtus, could one Poet ſay, and another,
Vile latens virtus: quid enim ſubmerſa tenebris
Proderit, obſcuro veluti ſub remige puppis,Claudian. de Conſul. Honor.
Vel lyra quae reticet, vel qui non tenditur arcus?
Chriſt had made his Church a garden of ſweeteſt ſweets. Her deſire is therefore that her fruits being rightly ripened, her graces greatned, and made mature by the benign breath of the Holy Ghoſt, (compared here, as elſewhere, to the ſeveral windes,) their ſweetneſs may bee diſpread, and conveyed to the noſtrils of ſuch as have their ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil. Heb. 5.14.As for others, their heads are ſo ſtuffed with the ſtenches of the world (that great muck-hill) and themſelves ſo choaked up with earth, as Core and his complices were, that they cannot reſent or ſavour the things of the Spirit; but, as vultures, they hunt after cation carcaſes: and as Tygers, they are enraged with the ſweet ſmell of the Churches ſpices.
Let my Beloved come and eat his pleaſant fruits] For who plants a Vineyard or Orchard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? 1 Cor. 9.7. The Garden is Chriſts: the pretious graces of his Spirit, and all acts of grace, thoſe pleaſant fruits are all his. Hee alone is the true proprietary: for of him, Rom. 11.36.and through him, and to him are all things. Of him, as the efficient cauſe; Through him, as the adminiſtring cauſe; and to him, as the final cauſe. Well therefore may it follow, to whom bee glory for ever. Chriſt counts the fruits that wee bear to bee ours, becauſe the judgement and reſolution of will whereby we bear them, is ours. This he doth to encourage us. But becauſe the grace whereby wee judge, will, and work aright, comes from Chriſt, aſcribe wee all to him, as the Church doth in the former verſe:Gen. 43.11. Cedren. ad an. 32. Justin. and preſenting him with the beſt fruits (as they did Joſeph) ſay as David, and after him Juſtinian, foreign, Of thine own have wee given thee, 1 Chron. 29.14.