Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 2 · Verse 10
Verſ. 10. My Beloved ſpake, and ſaid unto me, Riſe up, my Love, my fa…r one, and come away.
Here ſhe ſhows the end of Chriſt's ſwift comming unto her, like a Roe or young Hart, and of his patient attendance when he came, which was, to call her by his Word and Spirit, from the ſloth and ſecurity wherein ſhe lay, to follow him in the faith and love of the Goſpell, and of ſuch heavenly things, whereof he would have her participant.
In which words we have: 1 His loving compellation. 2 His earneſt exhortation. And 3 His motive, or reaſon of perſwaſion.
Firſt then, he calls her, His love and fair one, whereof we have already ſpoken.
Next, the exhortation is, to riſe up, and come away, which imports, that ſhe was ſitting or lying, a poſture not fitting a Chriſtian here, whoſe life is compared to a race, Pſal. 119. 32. 2 Tim. 4. 7. Phil. 3. 12. &c. This riſing is either from ſecurity, wherein oftimes the very godlieſt lye aſleep, as we ſee in the example of David, before Nathan's awakening him; and in the Parable of the ten Virgins; and here, Cant. 5. 2: whereunto alſo belongs that exhortation, Epheſ. 5. 14. Or elſe it is from that earthly diſpoſition, whereby the very Elect, through carnall corruption, too much cleave to the things of this world, and have their affections tied and entangled with the cares and pleaſures thereof, like Martha, being buſied about many things, whilſt one thing is neceſſary.
The ſecond action whereunto he exhorts her, is, to come away, which imports … 1 a leaving of the place and poſture wherein ſhe was; and 2 a comming to him, and following after him, who was calling her; as it is ſaid of Matthew, when Chriſt called him, that he aroſe, and then followed after him, Matth. 9. 9.
Firſt then, the Church is exhorted to leave ſomewhat, from which ſhe muſt come; and this is ſinfull ſecurity, and the love of the world, and vanities thereof, as Abraham left Ʋr, Matthew his receipt of Cuſtom, and Mary Magdalen her former courſe of life, wherein ſhe had lyen ſo long.
Next, ſhe muſt come away, and follow after Chriſt, as it is ſaid of the Elect, Rev. 14. 4. in the courſe of a watchfull and holy converſation, that being the end of her leaving that which was evill, that ſhe might cleave to that which was good; as Abraham left Ʋr, to go whitherſoever the Lord ſhould direct him, and, as the Apoſtle ſhewes, that his deſire to be diſſolved, or to be ſreed from this life, was, that he might be with Chriſt, and be made partaker of a better.
Not that we are able of our ſelves to perſorm that, whereunto we are here exhorted, being ſo naturally addicted to the earth, as heavy things bend downwards, and ſo dull in minding or meditating of heavenly things; but it is he who raiſed Lazarus, who muſt by his powerfull grace, rouſe up and raiſe us, and make a happy divorce between our hearts, and the love of ſin and the world, and ſet the ſame upon himſelf, and thoſe things that are above; and therefore unto him we ſhould pray, ſaying, Da Domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis.
Next, after her riſing, in that ſhe is willed to come away, it ſhowes, the progreſſe that a true Chriſtian muſt make, walking from ſtrength to ſtrength, till he ſee God in Sion; and not thinking it enough to begin well, as the Galatians did. Gal. 3. 3. but to proceed, as the Apoſtle did, Phil. 3. 12▪ till he may ſay, I have finiſhed my courſe, &c. without being either retroſpicients, with …ot's wife, or retrogradients, like thoſe who would have returned into Egypt; but conſtant goers on, as Joſhua and Caleb did, till they came to Canaan.
Neither muſt there be any delay in riſing or comming away, but preſent performance; this being Satan's policy, that with Pharaoh he may put off till to morrow, or with Foelix, to a more convenient time, and ſay with Solomon's ſluggard, Yet a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, Prov. 24. 33. before we ſhould riſe, and come away to follow after Chriſt.
Obſervations.
1. From the manner of Chriſt's exhortation to his Church, to ariſe from ſecurity, and that earthly diſpoſition ſhe was in, by ſo loving a compellation of her, notwithſtanding thereof, calling her his Love, and fair one, and not chiding her for her lazineſſe, and worldly mindedneſſe; we ſee the admirable indulgence of ſo meek a Saviour, who doth as Pſal. 103. 9, 10. and as verſ. 13. As a father pittieth his children, who pittieth them that fear him.
2. We ſee, that the imperfections that remain in the Regenerate, diminiſh not the love of Chriſt to them, nor makes them deformed, or loathſome in his eyes, for he calls them his love and fair one; which teaches us: 1 To imitate our Maſter herein, that though we behold ſome imperfections in thoſe, who profeſſe the truth with us, yet that we ſhould not deſpiſe, or uncharitably judge them; but rather look on the good that is in them, and for that eſteem and dearly love them. 2 This ſerves for our comfort, in time of Satan's tempting us, by reaſon of our ſins, and many infirmities, and to magnifie his love towards us, who howſoever we be ſo of our ſelves, yet he in mercy and love, (which covers many infirmities) eſteems otherwiſe of us.
3. By this exhortation, to ariſe and come away, we ſee, That the beſt are regenerate onelyonly in part, and that a lump of naturall corruption remains in them, which makes them cleave to the earth, and ſit down as it were in the world, and on the love thereof, not conſidering, that we are but pilgrims therein, whoſe time is both ſhort and uncertain; and though worldlings find no taſte in ought but the world, yet we ſhould not do ſo.
4. We ſee, that it is by the power of Chriſt's word, that he rouſes and raiſes up the ſoul from ſecurity, and love of earthly things, to the affecting of heavenly; whence it is called, The power of God to ſalvation unto every believer; and therefore, that we ſhould highly eſteem thereof, as the ordinary means of grace, and eternall ſalvation.
5. It is not enough to ariſe from ſin or ſecurity, or to wean our affections from worldly things; but we muſt alſo come away, and cleave to holineſſe, and ſet our affections on heavenly things, and ſuch as are above.