Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 2 · Verse 17
Verſ. 17. Untill the day break, and the ſhadowes flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart, upon the mountains of Bether.
Here the Spouſe of Chriſt cloſeth this Chapter, with an earneſt and holy prayer to her Beloved, that during the night-time of this life, which is obnoxious to much ſin and ignorance, troubles and temptations, ſignified by the ſhaddowes here, that ſhall flee away at laſt; and till that happy change come, ſignified by the break of day, or dawning; that all theſe forenamed ſhall be removed, and have an end, and ſighing and ſorrowing ſhall paſſe away, by Chriſt's glorious comming in the clouds on high, like a Roe or young Hart upon the mountaines of Bether, that till then, he would never remove his comfortable preſence from her, but be ready ever at hand for her help, by the comfort of his Word and Spirit.
The mountains then that are ſpoken of here, are called the mountains of Bether, called alſo Bithron, 2 Sam. 2. 29. which is by interpretation, ſeparation, or diviſion; and were on the yonder ſide of Jordan, in the land of Gilead; ſo called, becauſe by Iordan they were ſeparate, or divided from the reſt of Iudea; and on theſe mountains, Harts and Roes uſed to skip and feed; and therefore the Church, ſpeaking of Chriſts ſecond comming to judgment, when he is to ſeperate the ſheep from the goats, ſhe alludes to theſe mountains, that are by interpretation, Separation; and by the Harts and Roes that did feed and skip thereon, ſhe alludes to the manner of his comming, which ſhe wiſhes to be ſpeedily; as the Church in the Revelation anſwereth, with a like holy Eccho, ſaying, Even ſo, come Lord Ieſus, come quickly, Rev. 22. 20.
Obſervations.
1. Her being his, and Chriſt hers, makes the Church to think of the Laſt-day with joy, and ſo, earneſtly to wiſh the ſame; And therefore, if either we would have the remembrance of death and judgment, particular or generall, comfortable, and not to torment us before the time, and make us tremble with Foelix, or the Devills, who believe and tremble; let us labour to have Chriſt to be ours, and give our ſelves over wholly to be his, in like manner.
2. We ſee what our life is here on earth, till that joyfull break of day come, when Chriſt ſhall appear as the Sun of righteouſneſſe, and come in the clouds; even a longſome and dark night, wherein there is troubles and temptations; and in the very beſt, much ignorance and ſinning, and therefore is rather to be loathed than loved, the daies thereof (as Jacob profeſſeth) being but few and evill; and time thereof, (as Job ſaies) being but of ſhort continuance, and full of trouble; during which time, this is the comfort of the godly, that at laſt theſe ſhaddowes wherewith the ſoul is over-clouded here, ſhall flee away, and Chriſt Jeſus ſhall come to the ſame at laſt, like a Roe or young Hart on the mountains of Bether.
3. During the time of this ſhaddowiſh and dark night, till the day break, and the ſhaddowes flee away, the Church for comfort, help, and reliefe, has her onelyonly recourſe to Chriſt, and deſireth his preſence to be with her; for then in the darkeſt, and moſt cloudy or gloomy night-time, ſhe cannot want light, and lightſome comfort enough; which made David to ſay, that although he ſhould walk through the valley of the ſhaddow of death, he would fear no ill, the Lord being with him, his rod and ſtaff comforting him. And therefore, in whatſoever diſconſolate, gloomy, or cloudy time we be in, till the ſet time of the Lord's delivery come, let us in like manner deſire the Lord's gracious preſence to be with us, and that he leave us not, but that his grace may be ſufficicient for us; and then, as our Saviour ſaid, Let his will be done, and not ours.
4. When Chriſt ſhall at laſt come from on high, like a Roe or young Hart on the mountains of Bether, then onelyonly the ſeperation ſhall be, of the goats from the ſheep; and therefore till then, the godly muſt be content with their lot, the lilly to be amongſt the thorns, the clean to be with the unclean in the Ark, the Iſraelite to be with the Canaanite in the land, and the good grane to be in one field with the …ates.
Finis ſecundi Capitis.
Soli Deo gloria.