Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 1 · Verse 14
Verſe. 14. My beloved is unto me as a cluſter of Camphire, in the vineyards of Engedi.
Still ſhe inſiſts in his praiſe as not being able to commend him enough, in whom ſhe found ſuch abundance and ſtore of all comfort and ſweetneſſe, wherein 1. we have to conſider, what is this Camphire to a cluſter, whereof ſhe compares him: and 2. vvhat is this Engedi, in the vineyards whereof this Camphire grew. Firſt then Camphire, (or as ſome expound it, Cypreſſe,) is a white and aromaticke Floure, which from the ſtem groweth forth in a Cluſter as the vvine grapes do from the Vine, wherein we have 1. the colour repreſenting Chriſts innocency; wherefore he is likewiſe compared to a Lillie; and 2. the fragrant ſmell vvhichwhich it yeelds repreſenting the ſweet comforts that flow from him abundantly to every believing ſoul, as likewiſe the acceptableneſſe of his ſacrifice of himſelfe to his father, wherein as in Noah's oblation, he ſmelled a ſweet ſavour of reſt and acquieſcing. Whence alſo the Hebrew name copher, ſignifies propitiation or redemption, according to which the holy Ghoſt ſeems here to have reference to the worke and fruit of Chriſts death, whereby he became a cluſter of abounding conſolation; & alſo of redemptiō for the ſins of the whole world; 1 Joh. 2. 2. & like the braſen Serpent has cured us of the biting of the fiery ſerpents; as Pliny reports, that Camphir has this property; to cure the ſtinging of ſerpents, Lib. 21. c. 18.
Likewiſe Engedi is the name of a place or City in the Land of Canaan, which fell to the tribe of Judah, of whom Chriſt came: and being neer the dead ſea, was fruitfull for gardens and vineyards, whereof we read Joſua. 15. 62. Situate (as Adrichomius ſhowes) in the mountains, and called the City of Palme-trees, and of Balme, wherewith the vineyards thereof did abound, as of other odoriferous herbs and flowers li… Camphire here ſpoken of.
Obſervations.
1. We ſee that a godly ſoul that findeth the plenty and variety of ſweetneſs that is in Chriſt Jeſus can never enough or by any one thing expreſſe the ſame; but that whatſoever ſweetneſs and excellency is in any other thing ſeverally, is in the higheſt meaſure and eminent manner in him copulatively: ſo that thoſe who are ſparing in acknowledging this and praiſing of him therefore, it is a token that they never traſted how good the Lord is, and therefore cannot acknowledge or tell what he has done to their ſouls.
2. Seeing Chriſt Jeſus ſmells ſo ſweetly and fragrantly to every true Chriſtian, here then is a rule whereby each one may trye himſelf, whether he be a true Chriſtian or not, to wit, See what ſmells beſt to thee, whether Chriſt and heavenly things, or the world and wickedneſs; and if it be not Chriſt it is not for defect of aboundant ſweetneſs in Him, but becauſe thou haſt a dead ſoul, and wants the ſpirituall ſenſe of diſcerning, like a blind man that cannot ſee the Sunne, or becauſe thou art of a ſwiniſh nature gruntling in the earth, and to whom nothing but what is baſe and filthy, ſmells well, as it is ſaid, Sus quod habet ſapit hoc, ſapit hoc quod ſtercore ſorpſit.
3. This cluſter of Camphir is to be found in the vineyards of Engedi, which are the Lords Ordinances, or Aſſemblies of his Saints, Iſai. 5. 7. Pſ. 80. 15. Even as he is ſaid in like manner to be in the midſt of the golden Candleſticks, Rev. 2. 1. and according to his promiſe, I will be with you to the end of the world: whereby we ſee, if we would find the ſweetneſs that is in Chriſt, we muſt have our recourſe and delight in the means whereby as by conduit pipes this ſweetneſs is conveyed unto us; for faith comes by Hearing, Rom. 10. 17. and God's word muſt be to us as, Pſ. 19. 10. and therefore no marvell that theſe men feel no ſweetneſs in Chriſt, nor any power for mortification, or quickning vertue, who feel no ſweetneſs in the lovely oracles of God, which is the power of God to ſalvation to every true believer.