Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 1 · Verse 12
Verſe. 12. While the King ſitteth at his Table, my ſpikenard ſendeth forth the ſmell thereof.
Here the Church ſpeaks of the fruits of Chriſts former graces under a new compariſon, and how in her and from her ſo indowed by her Beloved, the ſweet fragrant ſmell of theſe graces as of a precious Oyntment flowed forth and ſpread abroad to the delight of her ſelfe and others▪ which ſmell her ſpikenard ſends forth, as ſhe ſayes, while the King did ſit at his table, whereby is underſtood that ſweet fellowſhip & ſpirituall communion between Chriſt & his Church by mutuall banquetting as it were, as we ſee Rev. 3. 20. and at which times annoynting was uſed, as we ſee, Pſalm. 23. 5. and Math. 26. 7. and bringing alſo of things that gave or ſent forth ſweet ſmels to perfume the place, and pleaſe or delight the banquetters.
1. Firſt then, we ſee the ſtyle that ſhe gives her Beloved, which is that ſame whereof we have ſpoken, v. 12.
2. Secondly by his banquetting, or his ſitting at table, we have ſhewn what is underſtood; which banquetting is either ſpirituall as here, or caeleſtiall in heaven, whereof Pſalm. 36. 8. and Luke 22. 30. And againe this which is ſpirituall, is either whereby he feaſts, and feeds us, in the miniſtry of his Word and Sacraments, or whereby we feaſt him with his own graces and delightfull fruits thereof, as Mary Magdalen did with her teares of true repentance, and expreſſions of her holy love, and (which is ſtrange) the feaſt that he moſt delights in, is our hungring and thi…ng after righteouſneſs; and ſuch he mutually invites to feaſt with him, Iſai. 54. 1. but alas we feaſt him rather with Wormwood and Gall, and with ſuch grapes as are ſpoken of Iſai. 5.
3. Thirdly, we have to conſider. 1. What this Spikenard is. 2. How called hers. 3. How it ſends forth the ſmell thereof. Firſt then ſpikenard is a very precious and odoriferous Oyntment, as we ſee Mark. 14. 3. & Joh. 12. 3. and by which is meant, the precious and ſavory or fragrant graces of Gods Spirit comming from our head of Chriſt, and powred down upon his members like that, Pſalm. 133. 1. which is that Unction whereof John ſpeaks, and whereby all true Chriſtians are ſpiritually annoynted to be a Royall Prieſthood unto God.
2. This Spikenard is called hers, 1. by donation, as it is ſaid quid habes, quod non accepiſti? 2. by inheſion, becauſe it is gratia gratis data, quae nobis inhaeret, being ſown and rooted in ſuch, who are ingraft truly, and rooted in Chriſt; but is not ours, as if it were either from our ſelves, or like Chriſts Righteouſneſſe which is imputed to us, and is like Eſau's veſture, that ſweet ſmelling garment, wherewith being clothed we get our fathers bleſſing.
3. This Spikenard is ſaid to ſend forth the ſmell thereof when theſe graces manifeſt themſelves by the fruits, or effects, and operation thereof in that new obedience which becommeth Chriſtians, expreſſing the vertue of Chriſts death and reſurrection, the truth of their converſion, the livelineſſe of their faith, the fervencie of their zeale, and the reality of their charity, and the like; the ſmell whereof, like that Joh. 12. 3. fills every place where it is ſent forth, aſcending upwards to God, like that of Noah's ſacrifice, or Cornelius almes deeds, and pleaſing him, reflecting inward to the conſcience, rejoycing the ſame, and giving an aſſurance of our election by welldoing, and extending to others: as, Pſal. 16. 2. who ſeeing our good works, and getting good thereby do glorify God our heavenly Father.
Obſervations.
1. We ſee the great love of Chriſt to his Church, not only in beſtowing gifts and graces upon her, but likewiſe familiarly banquetting with her, as he ſayes Rev. 3. 20. If any man will open unto m… I will ſup with him, and he ſhall ſup with me: therefore alſo. c. 2. verſe 4. it is ſaid, he brought me, into his banquetting houſe, and his banner over me was love: which ſhould teach us to walk worthy of ſuch a favour and ever to have on the banquetting Garment of holyneſſe, unſpotted with the fleſh.
2. By her Spikenard its ſending ſorth the ſmell thereof, we ſee that there is no better way to entertain him, than with the fruits, and fragrant ſmell of his own ſaving graces; and therefore it is ſaid, c 4. v. 16, Let my Beloved come into his garden, & eat his pleaſant fruits, ſo that as it is ſaid of the vertuous woman, Prov. 31. 31. give her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her own works praiſe her; Or, as David ſaid to the Lord, 1 Chron. 29. 14. of thine own have we given thee: even ſo, give the Lord of the fruit of his own graces planted in thy heart, and let his own work thereof praiſe him. But alaſs the ſmell we ſend forth is as that of a filthy puddle which diſpleaſes the Lord and provokes him to wrath.
3. We ſee likewiſe here, that what edifying gifts we get from God, like ſo many talents, we ought not to keep them cloſe as that improfitable ſervant did, or hiding our light as it were under a buſhell, but we ſhould do as Mary Magdalen did with her Box of Spiknard, precious and coſtly, powre it out for the benefit of others, even upon Chriſts feet, Math. 26. and lovveſt or meaneſt members of his body; even as that Pſalm. 133. 2. coſtly oyntment, that was povvred on Aarons head, drenched down to the loweſt skirts of his Garment.