Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 1 · Verse 17
Verſe. 17. The beames of our houſe are Cedars, and our rafters of Erre.
Before was the praiſe of the place of procreation of Gods children; followes now the praiſe of Gods houſe, the place of their education: where we have to conſider, 1. What is meant by this houſe, and why the Church is ſo called, 2. What are the parts thereof here mentioned; and, 3. What is the matter thereof, from which it is commended; and, 4. Why ſhe calles it our houſe.
Firſt then; by this houſe is meant the Church, called Gods Houſe expreſly, 1. Tim. 3. 15. Heb. 3. 6. Eph. 2. 22. and, 1 Pet. 2. 5. For theſe enſuing reaſons;
1. For inhabitation, becauſe there the Lord dwells, as he promiſed, Ero vobiſcum, And we ſee, Rev. 2. 1. Numb. 5. 3. Pſal. 80. 1. 9. 11. Joh. 14. 17. Eph. 3. 17. Rev. 18. 9. 11. 2▪ Tim. 1. 14. and 1 Ioh. 2. 17.
2. For decoration, with ſaving graces, and diverſity of edifying gifts, as a man adornes his Houſe, with ſundry ſorts of ornaments.
3. For delectation, whence he gives his Church here ſo many goodly titles importing the ſame.
4. For domination, in a ſpeciall and gracious manner ruling therein.
But herein is a great diſparity between His houſe and others.
1. He is both owner and builder of this, 2. He is both builder and buyer, 3. The ſtones whereof this houſe is built are living, 1 Pet. 2. 5. 4 As he is the builder, ſo himſelf is both foundation and corner-ſtone, 5. Himſelf is the indweller, and no other by elocation, as ſome are. 6. He is ever preſent in, and with his Houſe; and, 7. No time can make this houſe decay, no fire conſume it, nor ſtorme overthrow the ſame.
Secondly, the parts of this Houſe here mentioned, are beams which are ſtrong and laid in walls, as we ſee ordinarily in buildings, and rafters which are leſſe in quantity, and for another uſe; and whereby are underſtood the diverſe office-bearers, and other members of the Church of Chriſt: Some ſtronger, as thoſe, Gal. 2. 9. who are called pillars, and upon whom the weighty burden is incumbent in church or common-wealth. And others againe weaker gifted or graced, and in meaner and more private ſtations, as we ſee in the parable of the talents, ſome having more, ſome fewer, and ſome but one talent, and who had moſt, having moſt to count for, and who ought not deſpiſe thoſe, who had fewer neither thoſe who had the feweſt, to envy with an ill eye ſuch as had moſt, but to be carefull to gaine proportionally.
Next, as the beams are made ſtrong, not for themſelves, but for the ſupportation of other parts of the houſe, as the floores and ſuch like; even ſo the ſtronger in Chriſts church have their ſtrength not only for their own ſtability, or ſtanding, but for the good of thoſe who are weaker: as it was ſaid to Peter, tu converſus confirma fratres.
Moreover as beams and rafters, and ſuch other parts in a Materiall houſe although divers in ſtrength and for divers places and uſes in the fabrick, yet have all a firme connexion amongſt themſelves to make up one compleat ſtructure: even ſo in Chriſts church though there be divers members, diverſly gifted, and placed, as we ſee in the members of the body naturall, 1. Cor. 12. 14. Yet, as the Apostle there ſhowes, v. 25. there ſhould be no ſchiſm in the body, but ſuch a conjunction of love, that the members ſhould have the ſame care one of another, as they have of themſelves, and a holy ſympathy in ſuffering or rejoyſing.
Thirdly the matter whereof thoſe parts are, and from which they are ſo commended, is, that the beams are of Cedar, and the rafters, (or as Some expound, the galleries or walks) of firre, alluding, as ſeemeth, to that of Solomon's Temple, 1 King. 6. 15. where both theſe ſorts of timber are mentioned, whereof that Temple was built, and both grew in Lebanon, 2 King. 19. 23. and were of greateſt account. And firſt the Cedar, in that ſame place, and Ezech. 17. 22. is commended, 1. From talneſſe, or growing high; and ſo do the godly grow in grace, reaching in their affections upward, quaerendo quae ſuprà. 2. The Cedar is ſaid to caſt forth his roots ſure, for withſtanding rooting up by any wind or violence, Hoſ. 14. 5. denotating thereby, the ſtability of God's Saints, who build upon the rock. 3. The Cedar is called Excellent, Cant. 5. 15. and ſo are the godly called, Pſal. 16. 3. in reſpect of grace, and their new birth. 4. The Cedar-wood was moſt durable, and therefore the Ark, and orher parts of the Tabernacle, was made thereof; and ſo are the godly by grace, againſt prevailing corruption here, and fitted for eternall glory hereafter. 5. The Cedar-tree was ſuch a one, as brought forth fruit, as we ſee, Ezech. 17. 23. and ſo are the godly, fruitfull in holineſſe and good works.
Next, her rafters, or galleries for walks, are ſaid to be of Firre; which, beſides that it is likewiſe a tall, ſtreight, and durable ſort of tree, it has theſe two properties: 1. It is alwaies green in winter, as in ſummer; and ſo are the godly, in ſtedfaſt confidence by grace, alwaies vigorous, without decaying or falling away from Chriſt and his truth, as well in adverſity as proſperity. 2. The firre-tree is a fat, ſavoury, and well-ſmelling tree, through the aboundance of …ap and roſen that it has in it; even ſo are the godly, fat with the fatneſſe of ſpirituall grace, ſpoken of, Eſa. 25. 6. and ſavoury not onelyonly through Chriſt to God, but ſending forth a good ſmell, of a holy life, and converſation, to allure and delight others: And therefore ſaies the Lord of his people, Hoſ. 14. 6. that their ſmell ſhould be as the ſmell of Lebanon.
But it may be asked, why ſhe ſpeaks of the beams and rafters, and not of the walls of this houſe? I anſwer, If theſe parts made of timber or wood, be ſo firm and durable, then the firmity, durableneſſe, and ſtrength of the reſt, as the walls, which are made of ſtone, is out of all queſtion; and ſo this houſe, in all the parts thereof, is ſo durable and ſtrongly built, that the very gates of hell ſhall never prevail againſt it.
Laſt of all, ſeeing the Church ſpeaks here, how ſaies ſhe, (Our houſe) being her ſelf God's houſe? I anſwer, She ſpeaks this, in the perſon of the mother of the family of God's children, who make up this houſe; and as Chriſt's Spouſe, who by that myſticall and matrimoniall union with him, hath likewiſe a communion with him in all which is his, as there is a threefold communion between married perſons, of hearts in affection, of bodies in fruition, and of goods in poſſeſſion. And therefore in this reſpect, ſhe ſaid in the preceding verſe, Our bed, as in this verſe, Our houſe.
Or elſe, the Catholick Church ſpeaks here, of particulat, nationall, and other Churches, of which ſhe is made up; and therefore the word in the originall Hebrew, is Bathenu, or Houſes, in the plurall number.
Obſervations.
1. Seeing there is ſuch diverſity of parts, and diverſly gifted members in Chriſt's houſe, what ever be the Lord's diſpenſation to us, or others, let us reverence the ſame, and be content with our own meaſure and ſtation, if it were to be but ſnuffers, or ſnuff-diſhes, in the Sanctuary, or, as David ſaid, a door-keeper in in the Lord's houſe; and labour to glorifie God in our place, and by our gift to benefit the body.
2. Seeing the parts of this houſe are commended from the marter whereof they are made, excellent, durable, and ſavoury, &c. Therefore if we be the true parts and members of this houſe of God, let us examine our ſelves, if we have this true excellency of grace, and durable riches thereof, whereby we ſend forth a ſweet ſmell, of a holy and good example to others; or, if we ſend forth onelyonly a noiſome ſcandalous ſtink, ſavouring of corruption and much filthineſſe within.
3. In reſpect of the Churches deſponſation to Chriſt her husband, ſeeing ſhe calls and claims to all that is his, to be hers likewiſe, as, Our b…d; and, Our houſe; Therefore let us get Chriſt firſt, and eſpouſe our ſouls to him, that we may ſay, as, Cant. 6. 3. My beloved is mine, and I am his. And then having right to him, we have right to all good things in him; as, right to his righteouſneſſe and obedience, right to his merits and ſatisfaction, and right to his purchaſe and poſſeſſion But if we want him, we want all, and like Laodicea, think what we will, weare but poor, miſerable, and wretched.
Finis primi capitis.
Soli Deo gloria.