Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 5 · Verse 1,2,3,4,5,6
VERS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
I ſleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voyce of my Beloved that knocketh, ſaying, open to me my Siſter, my Love, my Dove, my Ʋndefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
I have put off my Coat, how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my Feet, how ſhall I defile them?
My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the Door, and my bowells were moved for him.
I roſe up to open to my Beloved, and my hands dropped with Myrrhe, and my fingers with ſweet ſmelling Myrrhe, upon the handles of the lock.
I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawne himſelfe and was gone: My ſoule failed when he ſpake, I ſought him, but I could not find him, I called him, but he gave me no anſwer,
The Watchmen that goe about the City, found me, they ſmote me, they wounded me: the keepers of the walls tooke away the Veile from me.
WEE had in the former Chapter almoſt nothing but the praiſes and commendations which Chriſt giveth to his Church: ſo highly, and with ſo many ſpeeches doth he magnifie and extoll her beauty and her glory and excellency. Here in this Chapter we have another manner of ſong, even an accuſing, and a bewailing Song: for here ſhee accuſeth her ſelf, and bewaileth her owne unkindneſſe and undutifullneſſe, which ſhe ſhewed to her moſt kind and loving Spouſe, reporting alſo the great affliction and calamity that came upon her by that meanes. And after all this, we have the meanes whereby ſhee recovers her ſelfe againe.
In this Chapter obſerve two things.
Firſt, a complaint of the Spouſe, which ſhe maketh, accuſing her ſelfe for ſome negligences towards her beloved, and this is contained in the ſix firſt Verſes. Wherein alſo there are two eſpeciall matters delivered unto us.
Firſt, an open acknowledgment of her offence committed, Verſ. 1, 2, 3, 4.
Secondly, a recitall of the miſeries that fell upon her by meanes of her neglect, Verſ. 5, 6.
The ſecond thing ſet forth unto us in this Chapter, is, a familiar parly had betweene the Spouſe, and ſuch as were her friends and acquaintance, who demanding ſome queſtions of her, the Church inſtructeth them concerning the ſtate, dwelling, and mutuall fellowſhip that is betwixt her and Chriſt. This matter beginneth at Verſ. 7. and reacheth to the end of the Chapter. The queſtions with the anſwers thereto, concerne two things.
1. There is ſomething demanded about Chriſt himſelfe in Verſ. 8. whereunto there is a large anſwer, beginning at the 9. Verſ. and holdeth to the 15. wherein the Spouſe doth ſet forth her beloved by many elegant expreſſions: the iſſue whereof was, that the daughters of Jeruſalem became likewiſe enamour'd with him, and therefore queſtion the place of his abode: the queſtion being contained in Verſ. 16. and the anſwer in the two laſt verſes: the occaſion both of the one, and of the other, was that vehement charge that the Spouſe giveth her friends, in the ſeaventh verſe, both concerning Chriſt himſelfe, and the place where they ſhould find him.
The firſt thing that offers it ſelfe to our conſideration, is, the Churches complaint, accuſing of her ſelfe, ſaying,
I ſleep, but my heart waketh, &c.
Here is a deſcription of the Churches temptation, which is worldly drowſineſſe and ſecurity, wherein to the godly ſometimes fall. She had enjoyed a comfortable intercourſe with Chriſt, but now ſhe falleth into a deep temptation, from the ſtrength and prevalency of corruption.
Hence Obſerve in the generall.
That the Spouſe is not alwayes in one and the ſame temper. It was not long agoe that the Spouſe was in a ſweet, lovely, gracious temper; and now on the ſuddaine ſhee falls into a fit of drouſineſſe and ſecurity. Thus it was with Abraham, ſomtimes ſtrong in faith, and ſomtimes fearfull, as when he denyed his wife. David was ſomtimes full of confidence and boldneſſe, triumphing in the Lord, ſaying, Whom ſhall I feare? And ſomtimes againe, I ſhall one day fall by the hand of Saul. So Peter, ſomtimes confident, and againe, ſomtimes overcome with feare. But to come to the words in particular.
I ſleep, but my heart waketh.
The words containe,
1. A Confeſſion, I ſleep.
2. An acknowledgement, But my heart waketh.
Theſe words declare a two-fold condition of the Spouſe. The one is a ſleepy, drowſie eſtate, which proceedeth from the fleſh and unregenerate part: the other, a waking or watchfull condition, which proceedeth from the ſpirit of Chriſt within her.
I ſleep, or I ſleeping, as it is in the Originall: theſe are the words of the Spouſe, declaring what befell her in the night ſeaſon while ſhe ſlept. The ſleep of the body is a deading and benuming of the outward ſences, inſomuch that it is the very image of death, and it is dangerous, becauſe when man ſleepeth, his enemy watcheth, as in the parable of the ſeed, When the husbandman ſlept, the envious man ſowed Tares, Matth. 13. 25.
Now we muſt conſider here three things eſpecially.
1. What this ſleep is.
2. Whence it proceedeth.
3. What the effects thereof be.
1. We cannot underſtand this of a bodily or naturall ſleep; for the Spouſe is conſidered according to her heavenly and ſpirituall birth, and therefore muſt needs be meant of a ſpirituall ſlumber, even a drouſineſſe in the heart and minde, touching Heavenly things.
2. As naturall ſleep proceedeth from wearineſſe, and want of ſpirits, or from ſloathfullneſſe and want of exerciſe: ſo ſpirituall ſleep ariſeth from want of exerciſe in ſpirituall things, and from a ſpirituall wearineſſe that comes from the too much expence of the ſtrength of the ſoule upon matters of the world. So that ſpirituall ſlumber is from the fleſhly part, and the remnants of the old man remaining in the godly. The fleſh (ſaith the Apoſtle) luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit is againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary the one to the other, ſo that yee cannot doe the things that yee would, Gal. 5. 17. When the fleſh doth much prevaile, then there is a damping of the ſpirituall graces, even as it were a ſlumber that falleth upon the mind.
3. The effects of ſleep is deadneſſe and darkneſſe; men when they ſleep love to be in the darke: there is alſo a ceſſation of joy and delight, of all activity and the like: ſo in a Chriſtians ſpirituall ſleep, faith hath not its full and lively operation, love ſheweth not her zeale and heate, the joy and activity of the ſoule is much decayed, &c.
Now though ſleep be often meant in Scripture in a good ſence, for the repoſe and reſt that the Saints have in God, Pſal. 3. 5. & Pſal. 4. 8. yet here, and in many other places, it ſignifieth neglect of holineſſe, and ſpirituall ſecurity and drowſineſſe; as in Iſa. 56. 10. & Rom. 13. 11. 1 Theſſ. 5. 6, 7. This ſleep proceedeth from affliction, or wearineſſe, as in Luke 22. 45. Iſa. 5. 27. The Spouſe having eaten, and dranke largely of Chriſts dainties, begins to be negligent, being preſſed thereunto by the remnants of the fleſh, ſhe gave place to this carnall eaſe and drouſineſſe.
Hence Obſerve,
Firſt, That the Spouſe of Chriſt is ingenuous to lay open her owne defects. We have large examples of this in David, and Paul with many other eminent perſons in Scripture. Herein the Saints yield unto God his chiefe prerogatives, as the honour of his power and authority over us; his wiſedome in knowing our ſecrets, and his mercy in ſparing of us, and the like.
Secondly Obſerve,
That the Spouſe of Chriſt may ſometimes fall into a ſpirituall languor. Sometimes weakneſſe and drowſineſſe may overtake the moſt eminent Saints; as Solomon, David, Peter, and the reſt. The fleſh that is alwayes oppoſed to the ſpirit, may ſomtimes for a ſeaſon prevaile, as to ſleepineſſe and diſtemper. And this the Apoſtle teſtifieth in Rom. 7. 14. when he ſaith, The Law is ſpirituall, but I am carnall, ſold under ſin. That is, the Law requires a heavenly life and diſpoſition: But I am carnall, in part, or in regard of the remainders of fleſh that are in me: ſo that the godly themſelves in reſpect of ſome weakneſſe that is yet remaining in them, may be called carnall: ſold under ſin, not willingly, but as one that is yet detained, though his ranſome be paid.
But we muſt note here, that the Spouſe was not in ſuch a dead ſleep, as that ſhe was without any life or ſtirring at all; though there be fleſh oppoſing the ſpirit, yet there is ſpirit oppoſing the fleſh; and therefore ſhe doth not onelyonly confeſſe her defect, but alſo acknowledge her life and excellency, by adding,
But my heart waketh.
My heart waketh) or watcheth: that is, is lively and active ſtill: meaning thereby, that howſoever ſhe was foreign Vigilavit, excitatus fuit.overtaken in the outward man, or corruption of fleſh, and of the members thereof, yet ſhe could not but in her heart and ſpirituall affections, thinke upon her head and Spouſe.
The heart is taken for the whole ſoule, for the underſtanding, will, men ory, and affections: ſo it includeth all the powers of the ſoule. The Apoſtle calleth it the inward man, the ſpirit, or regenerate man, oppoſed to the fleſh or outward man, Rom. 2. 28, 29. This fleſh and ſpirit luſteth oue againſt another, even in the Saints, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Gal. 5. 17. And when the ſpirit is willing the fleſh is weake, Mat. 26. 41. So then, in that the Spouſe ſaith, My heart waketh, it ſignified, that though ſhe had given her ſelfe to fleſhly caſe and ſecurity, yet her heart and ſpirit was otherwiſe diſpoſed. The heart is the laſt part which liveth and moveth in the body, and in it life and ſence firſt beginneth, and therefore it is the moſt principal part, it is like Primum mobile inter ſphaeras, the firſt ſpheare celeſtiall which is moved, and by it others are moved: It is like the Sunne among the Planets, which by its luſtre giveth light unto the reſt: it is like the Center from which the lines are firſt defixed and derived from it to the circumference, all the lines being deducted are of equall diſtance. But here by the heart is not underſtood the ſubſtance, but the quality of the heart; where David ſaith, Create in me a new heart, Pſal. 51. 10. We muſt not underſtand it of the ſubſtance, for that is ſtill the ſame, but the quality of the heart, with its integrity. But now the Church maketh a difference between her ſelfe and her heart, as if her ſelfe and her heart were not the ſame, where ſhe ſaith, I ſleep, ſhe ſpeaketh in the perſon of her outward man, of the fleſh, not of the ſpirit: but where ſhe ſpeaketh of her heart ſhe ſpeaketh of her inward man, there was readineſſe of ſpirit.
Hence Obſerve. Firſt,
That there is an antitheſis or contrariety betweene the fleſh and the ſpirit, in the Saints. The Saints have a fleſhly backwardneſſe, but there is ſtill a readineſſe of ſpirit, but the outward man, which is fleſh, periſheth, but the inward man that is ſpirit, is renewed day by day. So the Apoſtle comparing himſelfe with himſelfe is not himſelfe, where he ſaith, I am carnall, ſold under ſin: for in me, (that is in my fleſh) there dwelleth no good, but I allow not that which I doe. I find a law in my members rebelling againſt the law of my mind. There the fleſh ſleepeth, But to will is preſent with me, and I delight in the Law of God, there is the inward man, or the ſpirit waking. Secondly Obſerve,
That the Saints cannot fall from grace. Though they ſleep, yet their heart is awake. The work of the new birth, or Spirit, can never be quite put out, or extinguiſhed. The Saints may many times fall into great ſecurity, but yet the heart waketh, there remaineth ſomewhat within, the ſleep is not deadly. The Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaking of the Church and Saints of God, ſaith, It ſhall be as a Tree, as an Oake, whoſe ſubſtance is in them when they caſt their leaves, Iſa. 6. 13. This is alſo teſtified by the Apoſtle John, where he ſaith, Whoſoever is borne of God, ſinneth not, for his ſeed remaineth in him, neither can he ſin, becauſe he is borne of God, 1 John 3. 9. So that here is ſtill life in the root, The ſeed remains in them; from whence it is, that when the Spouſe ſleepeth, her heart waketh: and from hence it is, that ſhee cannot loſe the worke of God in her, that ſhe is borne of God, who is immortall and unchangeable. And it is written, Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth, that it may beare more fruit, John 15. No fruitfull branch ſhall be cut off.
Thirdly Obſerve,
That the Saints ſhould as well acknowledge that which is good, as that which is evill in their ſpirits. It is common with ſome Chriſtians to be ever complaining of that evill they ſee in themſelves, but very ſeldome acknowledge any of that good they have received: whereas we ought to acknowledge all the good we have received, to the praiſe of the giver.
Fourthly Obſerve,
That a Christian is what he is in ſpirit. A believer is not to value himſelf acording to what he is in the outward man, or in the fleſh, but as he is in the inward man, or ſpirit. So the Church values her ſelfe by the diſpoſition and temper of her ſpirit. My heart waketh, thus hath the Spouſe in few words ſet forth her eſtate, according to fleſh and ſpirit: and now ſhe ſetteth forth in the next place the great care and love of Chriſt, who ſeeketh to awake, and to raiſe her out of this dangerous ſleep, in theſe words.
It is the voyce of my beloved that knocketh, ſaying, open to me my Siſter, my Love, my Dove, my Ʋndefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
In the former part of the verſe we heard of the Churches ſecurity of the fleſh, where ſhe ſaith, I ſleep, and yet ſhe was not in ſuch a dead ſleep but her heart awoke, her delight in Chriſt was not utterly loſt. It was like the ſleep of the wiſe Virgins, which ſlumbred as well as the fooliſh virgins, yet had their Lamps trimmed, and Oyle in them, which the fooliſh had not. Now Chriſt commeth to her to awake her by knocking: ſhee notwithſtanding her drouſineſſe was ſenſible of all his ſweet words and allurements, whereby he preſſed her to open unto him, ſaying, Open to me my Sister, my love, my Dove, my undefiled, which is ſet forth by the ſufferings of Chriſt in waiting for her returne, For my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. All which aggravates her negligence, and his patience in waiting for admiſſion into her heart by his ſpirit.
In the words obſerve two things.
1. The Churches diſcerning of Chriſts voyce.
2. Chriſts carriage towards his Church.
Firſt, the Churches diſcerning of Chriſts voyce, ſet downe in theſe words, It is the voyce of my beloved.
Secondly, we have Chriſts carriage towards his Church; which is amplified.
1. By a friendly compellation, My Love, my Dove, my undefiled.
2. By his action, He knocks, &c.
3. By his ſuffering unworthy things for her ſake, For my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
It is the voyce of my beloved that knocks, &c.
Chriſt uſeth good meanes to awaken his Spouſe, and to raiſe her up from that carnall ſecurity ſhe was in, and therefore he calleth her by his voyce, and he no ſooner ſpeaks, but ſhe heareth it, ſaying, It is the voyce of my beloved, &c. She ſpeaks as if it were one that being waked out of ſleep and ſlumber, ſhould ſay, that it was ſuch, or ſuch a one, that called, or ſpake. Many being ſo well acquainted with men, that they can certainly, as it were, diſcerne them by their words.
Hence Obſerve.
That the Saints may diſcerne Chriſts voyce, even in a ſleepy condition. Here the Spouſe, though ſhe was ſleepy and drouſie, yet her heart was ſo far awake, that ſhe diſcerned Chriſts voyce. Chriſts Sheep are ſaid, To heare Chriſts voyce, John 10. And to taſt words by the eare, as it is ſaid, Job 12. 11. they have a ſpirituall taſt and reliſh with them. The voyce of Chriſt is ſpirit and life, and hath in it, a ſelf-diſcovering property, it carries along with it, its owne evidence: it hath ſuch majeſty and power, ſuch evidence and life in it, that the Spouſe cannot but heare and diſcerne it, even in a ſleepy and ſlumbring temper.
Secondly Obſerve,
That no temptation that befalls the Spouſe can ſeparate her affections from Chriſt. She acknowledges Chriſt to be her Beloved ſtill, there remained ſo much conjugall amity and friendſhip, though ſhe was untoward, ſleepy, and drouſie, that with a Spouſe-like affection ſhe ſaith, It is the voyce of my beloved. So that take a Saint at the worſt condition, when he is a ſleep, he loves Chriſt, and lets out the ſtreames of his affections towards him. Thus much for the Churches taking notice of Chriſts voyce: we come to Chriſts carriage towards her, which is ſet forth, firſt, by his action, He knocketh, &c.
It is the voyce of my beloved that knocketh, ſaying, open foreign Pulſavit, impetum fecit. The Septuagi. turns it by foreign Ʋrge…, and by foreign Pulſo.unto me, &c.
That knocketh, or, that beateth: the word in the Hebrew fignifies to knock, or beat vehemently, to be very earneſt, or provoking. In generall, it is taken for any knocking, but here, for knocking at the door. This doth intimate Chriſts earneſtneſſe for an entrance, to come in and awake his Spouſe. And thus Chriſt is ſaid to knock at the doore of the Church of Laodicea, Revel. 3. 19, 20. Chriſt hath ſeverall kinds of knockings, as that of his word, his mercy, his Spirit, and ſomtimes his Rod, Mic. 6. 9. yea, all the meanes that Chriſt uſeth to draw us nearer to himſelfe, as his works, ſpirit, word, and the conſcience too, theſe are the knockings of Chriſt at our hearts. Now Chriſt doth not onelyonly knock, but he is moſt earneſt for an enterance, ſaying,
Open unto me.
Here the heart is compared to the gates or doors of a City; for as in Cities, the ſtrength of the City is in the gates, there was their ſeats of juſtice in thoſe days, and there was Munition ſtored up for war, ſo that open the gates to an enemy, and you give him all. So when Chriſt hath the heart, he hath the whole man. The heart is the way of entrance of God into the ſoul, or into the whole man, and hence it is ſaid, The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, Acts 16. 14. That was it, at which Chriſt knocked. When God beſtoweth his bleſſings on us, he is ſaid to open doors unto us, as in Pſa. 78. 23, 24. & in Iſa. 45. 1, 2, 3. The Apoſtle calleth the grace of miniſtry, The doore of utterance, Col. 4. 3. So when we yield unto Chriſt, and his Spirit, and accept of his grace, and the like, it is to open the doore unto him, as in Revel. 3. 20. Now the knockings of Chriſt ſhew how earneſt he is of enterance into his Spouſe, ſaying open unto me, &c.
Hence Obſerve,
That Chriſt deſires a neerer and neerer fellowſhip with his Spouſe.
Hence it is, that he knocks for a farther entrance and communion, he had communion before, but he comes to renew and enlarge it. Chriſt doth not delight in ſtrangeneſſe, but makes forth abundance of love to the ſoules of his Saints, that ſo he might have a further entrance into their hearts and affections. You know what he ſayes to the Church of Laodicea, Revel. 3. 20. Behold I ſtand at the doore and knock. So here, It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, &c.
But ſome may object, Chriſt hath power to open to himſelfe, why doth he ſtand knocking, man hath no power to open of himſelfe, &c.
The anſwer is.
Firſt, Here Chriſt ſpeakes to the Spouſe, that had the ſpirit of God, by which ſhe could open to her beloved: for the Saints are firſt acted by the Spirit, and then they act by it, not in their owne power; but in the power of the ſpirit. But
Secondly, When Chriſt comes for an entrance at converſion: then there goes a power, that ſhall open: for his knockings are effectuall: his words are operative words, ſuch as was in the creation, Let there be light, and there was light, Geneſ. 1. 3. And ſuch wherewith he raiſed Lazarus, ſaying, Come forth of the grave, &c. Joh 11. 43. So Chriſt by his Spirit, cloathes his words with majeſtie, and power, his words are ſpirit and life, and when he ſpeakes effectually, he opens and unlocks the heart with the power of his voice.
Now followeth the particular compellations, which are as ſo many motives Chriſt uſeth to move and ſtirre the affections of his Spouſe.
Open to me my Siſter my love, my dove, my undefiled.
Theſe things are ſpoken after the manner of earthly lovers, who come in the night ſeaſon ſome times to viſit their friends, and provoke them as it were by faire ſpeeches, to open unto them when they knock, to which end Chriſt uſeth theſe alluring titles, ſaying, My Siſter, my Love, &c.
My Siſter.
Chriſt is our elder Brother, and the firſt borne of many Brethren, and what neerer bond of conſanguinitie, than a Siſter? So that whatſoever is ſtrong in any bond, Chriſt knits us to him by it: and therefore ſtiles himſelfe in all the ſweeteſt relations, to ſhew that he hath the love of all relations towards his Spouſe. Will a Siſter ſhut a Brother out of doores, and that when a Brother comes to viſit her, and to ſhew kindneſſe unto her? Thus Chriſt comes to make out his love unto us, calling us by the name of Siſter. See this more expounded in Chap. 4. 9.
My love.
Chriſt loves all his creatures with a generall love, and lets the beames of his goodneſſe ſcatter out to them, becauſe there is ſome beames of his excellency in every creature; but his Spouſe is his beloved in a more peculiar and eminent way then any other: and though the beames of his generall love, are ſcattered out to al his creatures, yet his eſpeciall love is united and fixed only upon his Church. See this more largely opened in Chap. 1. 9. Chriſt cannot but love what he ſees of himſelfe in us, he loves his owne Image. It followeth.
My Dove.
The Church is reſembled to a Dove, in reſpect of the diſpoſition that is or ſhould be in her, reſembling that creature. A Dove is of a meeke diſpoſition, without guile, faithfull to her Mate, and of neat and cleanly feeding, and the like. So the Saints are called The meek of the earth, Zeph. 2. 1. 2. And are accounted to be without fraud, or duplicitie in the ſoule, Jam. 1. 8. They are faithfull and follow the Lamb, whitherſoever he goeth, they have not defiled themſelves with women, Revel. 14. 4. And they feed upon Chriſt, and ſpirituall things. In theſe, and many more things, there is an apt reſemblance betwixt a Chriſtian and a Dove. But this hath been largely ſpoken of in Chap. 2. 14.
My undefiled.
Some reade it my per ſect one. The Hebrew word ſignifies moſt properly, and moſt commonly perfect, foreign Integer, perfectus corpore vel animo, abſolutus, completus, conſum matus. Graecis. foreign.and ſound, of a religious, honeſt, and ſimple diſpoſition, without guile or wickedneſſe. The Greekes tranſlate it unfained. This word undefiled is an expreſſion of Chriſt, which he applies to his Church. But now in this expreſſion we are to conſider Chriſt and his Spouſe one: the Spouſe having the field, ſhe hath the Pearl alſo: having Chriſt, ſhe hath his righteouſnes and perfection: ſo the Spouſe is perfect and compleat in her head, there being a neere conjunction between the head and the Members. Againe, the ſpouſe is undefiled in reſpect of that diſpoſition in her, which tends to perfection: and Chriſt reſpects her according to what ſhe ſhall be in her perfection and glorie.
Now in that Chriſt comes thus to awak his Church and by ſuch ſweet words to perſwade her, alledging the unitie of her nature, which is, ſhe is his Siſter, her fellowſhip with him, ſhe is his love; her chaſtitie, ſhe is his Dove, her ſinceritie, ſhe is his undefiled: and all theſe ſweet words are to melt the heart of the Spouſe.
Hence Obſerve.
That Chriſt uſeth all the ſweeteſt words and actions in drawing his Spouſe neere to himſelfe.
Here he uſeth (as it were) all heavenly Rhetorick; to perſwade and move the affections of the Spouſe. Thus Chriſt drawes his Spouſe by the bands of love, calling of her by the name of love, Dove, undefiled: making out his love to her in the ſweeteſt Titles, and tearmes of relation; yea, notwithſtanding her infirmitie and drouſineſſe (before mentioned) ſhe is highly eſteemed of him, he imputes not her ſins unto her, but lookes upon her graces, which he hath endued her withall, as if ſhe were perfect and undefiled.
It followeth.
For my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
In theſe words wee have declared the patience and ſufferings of Chriſt, which he under went, in waiting for the returne of his Spouſe. The reaſon why he would have the doore opened, and be let in is, becauſe he had refuſed no hardſhip or incommoditie, but undertooke all for the good of his Spouſe, as appeares, in that he ſaith:
For my head is full of dew, &c.
The head of Chriſt being filled with dew, ſeemeth to meane his manifold troubles and calamities which he ſuffered for her ſake, which ſufferings of his are of two ſorts: In himſelfe, in his people: In his owne perſon, what did he endure? how hid he undergoe the contradictions of ſinners, while he was upon earth? and at his death, his head was not only filled with drops of dew, but alſo with drops of blood, beſides the anguiſh of his Spirit, by loſing the ſenſe of his fathers love. And then what he ſuffers in his Members, who are often Troubled on every ſide, perplexed, perſecuted, caſt down, alwayes bearing about in body, the dying of the Lord Jeſus, &c. 2 Cor. 4. 3, 9, 10. Thus Chriſt commeth in the darke night to awake his Spouſe, and communicate good things unto her: the cold dews of the night, eſpecially in thoſe hot Countries, were neither good nor wholſome for the people.
It's added.
And my locks with the drops of the night.
Chriſt being deſcribed as a Nazarite, whoſe head might not be ſhaven, is ſaid to have the cold drops of the night upon his head. Drops ſignifie afflictions and troubles, Amos 6. 11. Some underſtand here by the dew and raine, the ſpirituall bleſſing wherewith Chriſt doth inrich his Church, as he promiſed (in Hoſ. 14. 5.) to be, as dew upon Iſrael, &c. But I rather underſtand by the dew, and drops, the ſufferings of Chriſt, as aforeſaid, noting chiefly one thing, viz. that Chriſt ſtood as a watchman, and that not one night, but many, waiting to have entrance, and could have none, and yet ſtands it out, until the drops of the night fall upon his locks.
Hence obſerve.
That Chriſt doth exerciſe abundance of patience in bringing home people to himſelfe.
How patient hath Chriſt been towards many of us, in waiting for our converſion? And how long doth he wait for the giving up our ſoules to him. It is ſaid, That Chriſt by his ſpirit preached in the dayes of Noah, to the ſoules now in priſon, 1 Pet. 3. 19. He waited then a hundred and twenty yeares, upon the old world. Now marke how unkinde and undutifull the Spouſe ſhewed her ſelfe; for ſhe doth ingeniouſly confeſſe againſt her ſelfe; ſhe was warme in the bed of ſecuritie, and carnall eaſe, ſhe was very loath to ariſe out of it, therefore ſhe maketh theſe excuſes.