Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 2 · Verse 5
Verſ. 5. Stay me with flaggons, comfort me with apples; for I am ſick of love.
Here is a wonderfull effect of theſe former things, whereof ſhe ſpake: ſhe compared Chriſt before to an apple-tree, whoſe fruit was ſweet to her taſte; and ſhewed, that he brought her in into his banquetting-houſe, or houſe of wine, and his banner over her was love; hereupon then ſhe ſhowes, that her heart is ſo raviſhed with love towards him again, that ſhe is love-ſick, and ready to ſwound therewith, and therefore cries out to be ſtayed with flaggons, and comforted with apples. The ſimilitude then is drawn from a Virgin, who is betrothed, and through the vehemency of her love towards her future Spouſe, is love-ſick, and ſwoundeth.
In the words then we have, 1 What ſhe ſeeks. 2 Of whom ſhe ſeeks. And 3 Wherefore ſhe ſeeks.
Firſt then, ſhe ſeeks to be ſtayed with flaggons, having relation to the houſe of wine, whereinto ſhe was lately brought. 2. To be comforted with apples, having relation to the apple-tree, whereto ſhe had before compared him.
Therefore we muſt conſider: 1. what is meant by theſe flaggons, and how ſhe is ſtayed therewith; and 2. what is meant by theſe apples, and how ſhe is comforted therewith.
Firſt then, flaggons are mentioned, becauſe at banquets, wine was diſtributed and brought in, by ſuch, as we ſee, 1 Chron. 16. 2, 3. Alſo by flaggons is underſtood, by a certain figure of ſpeech, the wine contained in them, as Luk. 22. 20. the Cup is taken for the wine contained in the cup; and by this wine again in theſe flaggons, is meant the cordiall comforts contained in the Goſpell, or Word of God, and promiſes thereof, that are onelyonly able to cheer up a ſick and dejected ſoul, or wounded conſcience, as David clearly confeſſeth, ſaying, In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts have rejoyced my ſoul, Pſal. 94. 19. And again, Ʋnleſſe thy law had been my delight, I had periſhed in mine afflictions. This is therefore that ſoveraigne balme of Gilead, thoſe ſtill and cooling waters whereof David ſpeaks, Pſal. 23. 2. and like that wine and oyle, poured in by the loving Samaritan, into the wounds of the wounded Iſraelite; or that cheering liquor and flaggons ſpoken of here, whereby the ſainting ſoul is ſtayed from falling into deſperation, and powerfully comforted, ſtrengthned, and eſtabliſhed.
Likewiſe ſhe ſpeakes of flaggons, to ſhow wherein theſe comforts are to be found, to wit, not in that gilded cup of the Popes decretals and mens traditions, Rev. 17. wherein onelyonly is the giddy wine of ſpirituall fornication, wherewith that Whoore of myſticall Babylon made drunk the indwellers of the earth, but in the flaggons of the old and new Teſtament, or written word of God, which is that Pedum et virga ſpoken of by David, Pſ. 23. 4. The two witneſſes, the two Olives, and Candleſticks ſpoken of in the Revelation, that ſtand before the God of the earth, Rev. 11. 4. and that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereon the Church is built, Epheſ. 2. 20. beſide which if any, though an Angell from Heaven, ſhould preach any other Doctrine of faith and manners, Let him be accurſed, Gal. 1. 8.
Next, ſhe deſires to be comforted with Apples, by which apples is meant nothing, elſe, but that which we ſhewd already is meant, v. 3. by the fruit of the apple-tree which was ſweet unto my taſte, and here, with the fragrant ſmell whereof ſhe deſires to be comforted, and ſo the ſame being both for taſte and ſmell cordiall and comfortable, whereby is given us to underſtand the excellency of Gods word, and that it delights not only one of the ſpirituall ſenſes of the ſoul, but likewiſe all of them, being light to the eye thereof, muſick to the eare thereof, delightfull to the touch thereof, ſweet to the taſte, and comfortable to the ſmelling, 2. By theſe flaggons, or wine therein, and by theſe apples, the ſtaying of her by the one, and comforting of her by the other, is likewiſe repreſented unto us the diverſe operations of the word of God upon the godly ſoul, ſtrengthning the weake, confirming the ſtronger, enlightning the blind, quickning the dead, reclaiming the ſtrayer, guiding the ignorant, reſolving the doubtfull, making wiſe the ſimple and many other operations, which we may ſee, Pſ. 19. and 119. and here, ſtaying them that are ready to fall, comforting the languiſhing, and as, Pſ. 19. 8. rejoycing the heart, ſweeter alſo then hony and the Hony-comb.
2. Having ſpoken of that which ſhe ſeeks, we come next to conſider from whom ſhe ſeeks ſo to be ſtayed with flaggons, and comforted by apples: where we find that the Church in this her ſoul-ſickneſs ſpeakes to her friends in the plurall number to whom are committed the myſteries of the Goſpell to manifeſt, and the banner of Chriſt love to diſplay, and to whom in Peters perſon, he ſayes to all and every one, Paſce oves meas. Theſe then by office being the ſtewards of the Lords houſe, 1. Cor. 4. 1. under whoſe hand to divide aright and diſtribute, are the childrens bread and theſe flaggons and fruits, therefore ſhe deſireth them that they with the comfortable doctrines and promiſes of the Goſpell applyed to her conſcience and preſent eſtate prudently, would uphold her now ready to ſwoon, and ſo languiſhing for love: for by theſe, as nurſes, the Lord will have his children nouriſhed with the ſincere milk of his word, that they may grow thereby, by them as ſtewards he wil have them fed in his family, by theſe as teachers he will have them to be inſtructed and Diſciplinated in his ſchool, and by theſe as ſpirituall Phyſitians he will have them lanced, bound up that are broken-hearted, cared for, cured, and comforted with the cordialls of his word.
3. Thirdly, and laſt of all, we have the reaſon why ſhe deſires to be thus ſtayed with flaggons and comforted with apples, and this is, becauſe ſhe was ſick of love, that is, languiſhing with deſire to injoy the comfortable preſence and comforts of her beloved, and as love is one of the ſtrongeſt affections, ſo is the ſickneſs that comes of it, the ſtrongeſt and …oreſt afflicter of any, as we may ſee, 2. Sam. 13. 1. and therefore the Greek Septuagint, has, wounded of love.
Indeed there are two ſorts of the ſoules ſickneſs, the one common to all, but the other proper to a few: the firſt is a ſickneſs of ſinne, whereof all are ſick naturally, but (alas) all are not ſenſible, and this came from Satan to us, and the firſt Adam; and this ſickneſſe is unto death…, Spirituall and Eternall: the ſecond is this love-ſickneſs, whereof too few are ſick, and the church is here ſenſible of; and this comes from God and the ſecond Adam, and this ſickneſs is unto life, arguing the ſpirituall life of grace to be in the ſoul here, and that the ſame ſhall live the life of glory hereafter.
This ſpirituall love-ſickneſs, (as other naturall love ſickneſs) has, 1. A preceeding ſight and knowledge of the perſon loved, beholding in his word, and by the eye of faith having gotten a ſight how amiable and lovely Chriſt is to the Soul, which ſo works on her affection (as we ſee, c. 5.) that ſhe cannot ſufficiently expreſſe his praiſe and commendation.
2. This love-ſickneſs has a continuall longing and languiſhing till ſhe injoy him whom ſhe loves, as Amnon languiſhed till he injoyed Tamar, and Jacob longed till he injoyed Rachel: therefore David ſaid, that as the Hart panted after the water-brookes: ſo did his ſoul, till he ſhould come and appeare before the Lord, Pſ. 42. And the Apostle profeſſed that he deſired to be diſſolved, that he might be with Chriſt.
3. To the love-ſick party, till this injoying be, no other thing can give content or ſatisfaction; and even ſo, neither to the love-ſick ſoul, till ſhe injoy Chriſts preſence, againe after a ſpirituall deſertion, can any earthly thing afford her reſt or comfort; ſhe being therein like Rachel that could not be comforted, till ſhe find him againe whom her ſoul loves, as we ſee, Cant. 3. 2. 4. and 5, 6, 7, 8. and as David ſpeakes, till ſhe be reſtored againe to the joy of her ſalvation here, and at laſt be brought to that fulneſs of joy which is in his preſence, and pleaſures evermore.
4. One that is love ſick, thinks on the party continually, yea the ſame ſo takes up his thoughts, as talk with him of any other purpoſe or party, and it is, as with one abſent; even ſo is it, with the ſoul that is love-ſick of Chriſt; and 5. Such a one is reſtles, as Ahab was, till he got Naboths vinyard, till they get and enjoy whom they do love; and even ſo is the ſoul till it injoy Chriſt.
Obſervations.
1. Whereas the church having received of Chriſt's fruit which was ſweet to her taſte, and of his wine in his banquetting houſe thereof, which did cheer or rejoyce her Heart, cannot content therewith, but does here deſire to be yet more ſtayed with flaggons, and comforted with apples; we ſee, that the godly can never enough be ſatiate with grace and the ſweetneſs that is in Chriſt, having once truly taſted thereof, and therefore we ought to try if this be our diſpoſition, and thereby if we have gotten true grace to be true members of Chriſt's church; which if we have, then aſſuredly this is a ſure token thereof, that we will have a further deſire to grow therein.
2. We ſee Gods wiſe diſpenſation of his grace, not giving the ſame but by degrees, and as it were drop by drop, whereby we may by a holy wholeſome appetite be exerciſed in prayer and asking, and by a comfortable ſen…e of his renewing bounty be exerciſed in praiſe and thanksgiving.
3. Whereas ſhe deſires to be ſtayed with flaggons, we ſee wherein ſolid comfort in all our ſoul-faintings or ſpirituall ſwoonings is only to be found, to wit, in Gods word, the old and new Teſtaments: which whoſoever leave, to ſeek comfort in any other doctrine or dotages of mans invention or fooliſh ſuperſtition, they leave the fountaine of living waters to dig unto themſelves broken ciſternes that can hold no water.
4. Seeing her ſpeech is directed to her friends, in the plurall number, and not to her beloved husband, in the ſingular, which friends are the paſtors of the Word, to whom is committed the ordinary diſpenſation of the word of comfort, as apples of Gold with pictures of ſilver, ſpoken in ſeaſon to a perplexed ſoul, therefore both their perſons ought to be reverenced, and loved for their works ſake, and much more the word which they preach, remembring that who heare them heares him that ſent them, and who deſpiſes them deſpiſes him that ſent them, as the Lord ſaid unto Samuel, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I ſhould not raigne over them, 1 Sam. 8. 7.
5. Let Paſtors alſo for the performance of this Miniſtry of comfort, furniſh themſelves with theſe flaggons and variety of the word of comfort, that in all purdence and plenty they may come to love ſick-ſoules, with the bleſſing of the Goſpell of Chriſt, that, as Job ſpeaks of himſelf, the care that hears, may bleſſe them, Job. 29. 11. 13. The bleſſing alſo of them that were ready to periſh may come upon them, and they may cauſe the wearied heart to rejoyce and ſing for joy.
6. Let alſo thoſe who are comforted and raiſed up by their word remember, that the comfort it ſelf, comes mainly from Chriſt who is the true vine able only to afford the cheering liquor thereof, and the apple-tree which produces the ſweet fruit thereof, and that theirs is only the externall miniſtry or exhibition, but his only is the inward efficacy and application, that ſo from him chieſly the ſame may be ſought, and to him for the ſame the praiſe may be given.
7. We ſee what prudence Paſtors ſhould have, and not ever to be ſonnes of thunder, or as upon …ball to denounce threatings, but ſometimes and to ſome perſons to ſpeake as from Gerizim; and not come with the terrors of Sinai, but the comforts of Sion, leſt they break the bruiſed reed, and quench the ſmoking flax, contrary to their Maſters practice, and eeke affliction to the afflicted, whereas rather they ſhould bind up the broken heart, miniſter the oile of gladneſs to the ſpirit of heavineſs, or (as here) ſtay the flaggering ſoul with flaggons and comfort her with apples who is ſick of love.
8. From the reaſon which ſhe gives of her deſire to be ſtayed with flaggons, and comforted with apples, becauſe ſhe was ſick of love, we obſerve that it is not uncouth to ſee the deareſt children of God to be ſubject to ſpirituall ſwoonings, faintings and deſertions, as we ſee, c. 3. 5. and here; and to be ſenſible, ſorrowfull and ſolicitous therefore. Yea I may ſay, happy are they who are ſo ſoul-ſick, and moſt erronious is the blind worlds judgment of ſuch, who think them the contrary.
9. Her ſickneſs is here called, love-ſickneſs, in reſpect of the vehemency thereof, where with ſhe was inflamed: where we ſee not only whereon, or on whom the love of every godly ſoul is ſet, but that their love of Chriſt is not a lukewarme love, but a fervent love kindled by the fire of Gods ſpirit, and joyned with a fervent zeale of his glory, whereby they preferre him to all things, and the love of his truth, yea to their very lives which is not deare to them, in compariſon of him, or it, when they are called to hazard the ſame for his name.
10. It is ſhe only who is thus love-ſick, that calls for theſe flaggons, and apples that are mentioned, to ſhow unto us, that ſuch only hunger and thirſt after the word of God, and to theſe only the ſame is ſweeter then hony and the Hony comb, as David ſayes, Pſal. 19. and Mary Magdalen ſhews; and therefore it is no marvell to ſee a Soul wherein the love of Chriſt was never yet ſetled, to have ſmall or no appetite to the word of God, or delight therein.