Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 1 · Verse 5,6
VERS. 5, 6.
I am blacke, but comely, O yee daughters of Jeruſalem: as the Tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Looke not upon me, becauſe I am blacke, becauſe the Sunne hath looked upon me; my mothers children were angry with me, they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine owne vineyard have I not kept.
IN the precedent verſes we had the Churches firſt ſpeech unto Chriſt, profeſſing her faith and love: now we have an Apoſtrophee, or her averſion or turning of Speech from her Beloved, unto the Daughters of Jeruſalem, to prevent thoſe ſcandals and offences, which might ariſe in reſpect of the Churches afflictions and infirmities which ſhe was ſubject unto in this life. It falleth out ſometimes, that ſome do love them, that do not love them again: and ſo the objection might be thus; Thou art enflamed with a vehement and paſſionate love; but is it not towards one that careth not for thee? and one that doth farre excell thee? For thou haſt ſet him forth to be a glorious and great King, ſo gracious and loving, ſo ſweet and pleaſant ſo faire and beautifull, ſo rich and compleat, as that nothing under heaven is any way comparable unto him. Now how is it poſſible that thou ſhouldſt be a Spouſe to ſuch a glorious Bridegroom? how ſhould he love or delight in thee, thou art but a black hued Virgin, & therefore canſt not be fit to match to ſuch a beautiful ſweet King as is Meſſiah. Now ſhe anſwereth all this fully, and that firſt by a double adjunct of colour, or hue, one contrary to the other.
1. By confeſſion, I am black.
2. By refutation, but comely.
Both which are illuſtrated by two compariſons.
1. To ſhew her blackneſſe; As the tents of Kedar.
2. To ſhew her fairneſſe; As the curtains, or the hangings of Solomon, verſ. 5.
Now ſhe proceedeth unto a more full anſwer, becauſe none ſhould take offence at her blackneſſe, as to impaire her dignity or worth, or more lightly to regard or eſteem of her: and this ſhe doth
1. By admonition to the daughters of Jeruſalem, not to deſpiſe or diſdain her, in theſe words, Looke not upon me becauſe I am black.
2. Shee rendereth a reaſon of her admonition, and that is drawn from the cauſe of her blackneſſe, and the cauſe is three-fold.
1. From the ſupream cauſe; The ſunne hath looked upon me.
2. From the inſtrumentall cauſe, my mothers children were angry with me, &c.
3. From the impulſive cauſe, which was internal & wholly in her ſelfe; that is, though they made her the keeper of the Vinyards, yet ſhe kept not well her own Vineyard.
I am blacke, but comely.
The Hebrew word here tranſlated blacke, ſignifieth foreign Denigrari, Nigreſceie, nigrnm eſſe. In pih. diluculo, manè, ſedulò, ſtudioſè quaerete, a nomineblackneſſe, or darkneſſe: and therefore the Hebrew word Miſhchar, is taken from the ſame roote, which ſignifies the morning, or the day-dawning, becauſe of the blackneſs or darkneſſe thereof.
1. By blackneſſe or darkneſſe we may underſtand affliction or tribulation: ſo the Prophet calleth tribulation night, becauſe the ſolitarineſſe and fear thereof, is like the darkneſſe. Iſa. 26. 9. With my ſoule have I deſired thee in the night: Yea my ſpirit within me, will I ſeeke thee foreign Aarora ſic a nigrore di cta qui eam comitatur, Buxtorf. in lex. Inde. foreign Jer. 2. 18. Nilus ob aquarum nigredinem ſic dictus, uti etiam a Graecis foreign.early. And Job complaineth; My skinne (ſaith hee) is blacke upon me, and my bones are burnt with heat, Job 30. 30. And thus Jeremie lamenteth the blackneſſe of the Nazarites viſage, ſaying, their viſage is blacker then a coale, Lam. 4. 8. The words in the Originall run thus, their viſage is darker then blackneſſe: that is, it is darke and ſad with griefe and famine.
Again, in Jerem. 14. 2. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languiſh, they are blacke unto the ground: that is, they are made to bow downe to the ground, as David ſaith, Pſal. 38. 6. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly: or elſe for faintneſſe they ſinke and fall down to the Schiod. in lex. pentag. lot.ground, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh in Pſal. 89. 44. Thou haſt caſt his Throne downe to the ground: that is, I will afflict him, and lay his glory in the duſt: thus darkneſſe and blackneſſe may be taken for affliction.
2. Blackneſſe may alſo imply ſinne, and that in reſpect of her negligence, which ſhee confeſſeth, in that ſhe did not keep well her own Vineyard. The Apoſtle calleth ſinne darkneſſe, Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered you from the power of darkeneſſe: that is, from the power and dominion of ſin. And again, in 1 Theſ. 5. 5. The Apoſtle ſpeaking to Believers, ſaith, Yee are the children of the light, and the children of the day: wee are not of the night, or of darkneſſe: hee meaneth the night and darkneſſe of ſin. Now darkneſſe is called ſin in theſe foure reſpects.
1. Becauſe ſin proceedeth from darkneſſe, that is, from the ignorance of the unregenerate underſtanding and will: As the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Gentiles that did not glorifie God, as God, ſaith, They became vaine in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned, Rom. 1. 21. And in Epheſ. 4. 18. Having their underſtanding darkned, or (as it is in the Original) being darkned in the underſtanding, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindn…ſse of their heart.
2. Sin darkneth the very light of nature, and men by ſinne come to encreaſe their darkneſſe: this is the meaning of the Apoſtle in the place before mentioned, Rom. 1. 21. Becauſe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned: that is, it became darker then it was by nature; for the Apoſtle telleth us in verſ. 20. That the light of nature would reach thus far, as to know the inviſible things of God, by thoſe that were viſible, that is, by the creatures; but ſaith the Apoſtle in v. 22. Profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe, they became fooles: that is, they were grown more ſottiſh then they were before.
3. They that commit ſinne, love to act in darkneſſe; they that doe the works of darkneſſe, love to work in darkneſſe. John 3. 19, 20. Light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe rather then light, becauſe their deeds are evill: that is, they love darkneſſe, becauſe their deeds are deeds of darkneſſe: For he that doth evill, hateth (and ſhunneth) the light: neither commeth to the light loſt his deeds ſhould be reproved, or diſcovered, and made manifeſt.
4. Becauſe darknes of ſin brings (unles it be pardoned in Chriſt) darkneſſe of miſery: Everlaſting puniſhment is called everlaſting darkneſſe, Lu. 8. 12. & 22. 13. Darkneſſe leads to darkneſſe; that pure darkneſſe upon the underſtanding, leads to everlaſting darkneſſe of miſery. Now in all theſe reſpects ſinne may be called darkneſſe and blackneſſe: and ſeeing this is the nature of ſin, the Church in reſpect of the remainders of ſinne may ſay, I am blacke.
3. By blackneſſe we may underſtand her ſorrow and mourning for her preſent miſeries; for black colour was the habit of mourners; For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: aſtoniſhment hath taken hold on me, Jer. 8. 21. That is, I go in black, as mourners uſe to do; or elſe, I mourn and am in heavineſſe. Now wee may take either of theſe interpretations, concerning the Churches blackneſſe; for ſhe was under the ſcorching ſun of perſecution, and under the darkneſſe of ſin by her negligence; and under blackneſſe of ſorrow and mourning, becauſe of the two former, to wit, trouble and ſin: ſo the ſumme of all is this much, I am blacke: If you look upon me with carnall eyes, my fairneſſe doth not appear to the eye of ſenſe and reaſon: I have no externall beauty, and therefore if you look upon me, as the world looks upon me, I ſhall ſeeme to be black, and without any comelineſſe at all. Now to prevent this objection, ſhe addeth:
But comely.
Here by way of refutation; though I am black, yet I am alſo comely: elſe it might have been reaſoned againſt her thus: Thou art black, and therefore not to be beloved, neither art thou a fit Spouſe for this gloririous King, that thou ſo magnifieſt; for it is moſt fit, that ſuch a worthy Prince ſhould have a glorious and a beautifull Wife. Shee anſwereth, ſaying, notwithſtanding blackneſſe, yet I am lovely, and to be deſired.
The Hebrew Navah, ſignifieth deſireable, comely, amiable, beautifull: It is uſed to expreſs that deſire, by which we long earneſtly after a thing, even with a greedy appetite: according to this the Prophet uſeth it, when he ſaith, My ſoule deſireth the firſt ripe fruit, Mic. 7. 1. The Greeks turn it, by foreign, to deſire; and by foreign, to wil, Job 23. 13. And alſo they tranſlate it goodly, faire, and foreign Deſideravit. In Niph. foreign Deſiaerabitis, & per metalepſin, pulcher, decorus, conveniens ſuit, decuit.beautifull, Rom. 10. 15. How beautifull are the feet, &c. That is, how amiable, and how deſireable are the feet of thoſe that preach the Goſpel of peace, and bring tidings of great joy.
Now comelineſſe conſiſteth in two things.
Firſt, in fairneſſe of Complexion: thus Chriſt is ſaid to be beautifull by his countenance and complexion. Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy. White and red ſhew the beſt temperature in man, & the mixture of theſe two colours makes a beautifull and good complexion. Herein the Church is alſo beautifull, and commended for the comelineſſe of her countenance, Song 2. 14. And thy countenance is comely, ſaith Chriſt.
2. In a juſt ſymmetry or proportion of parts: and thus Chriſt is ſet forth to be comely, by that pleaſant harmony and ſpecious conſent of parts, which is found to be in him. Song 5. 10, &c. where the Church doth ſumme and reckon up all his parts, from top to toe, (as we uſe to ſay) from his head to his feete; and at laſt concludes thus, he is altogether lovely. But this is not meant of the outward lineaments and proportion of his body, but of his ſpirituall beauty and grace. Now the Church muſt needs be alſo beautifull, in reſpect of inward and ſpirituall beauty; foraſmuch as ſhee is the workmanſhip of God created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, Epheſ. 2. 10. So that as we were Gods workmanſhip in our firſt creation, ſo likewiſe in our regeneration or ſecond creation. This workmanſhip of God is that whereby he doth renew us by his ſpirit, and change our wills to holineſs and righteouſneſſe, wherein conſiſteth his own glorious image: So that now all parts of man are renewed, and ſanctified; they have all received a proportion of grace, and they all ſweetly concurre with one harmonious conſent to act for Chriſt, even as they are acted by his Spirit.
Now it appeareth that the Churches comelineſſe is not any naturall beauty; but it's ſupernaturall, it is a derivative beauty. Thus we have it in Ezek. 16. 12, 13, 14. Where the Lord ſaith; I cloathed thee with broidered worke, verſ. 10. And I decked thee with ornaments, &c. verſ. 11. And I put upon thee jewels of ſilver and gold, verſ. 12. And ſaith God, Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comelineſs which I had put upon thee, ſaith the Lord, verſ. 14. The Lord gave of his own beauty and excellency, and therby Jeruſalem became beautifull and glorious: So all the Saints ſhine in the glory and excellency of Jeſus Chriſt. Hence we are ſaid, to put on the new man, Coloſ. 3. 10. The Apoſtle uſeth a metaphor, taken from the putting on of garments, to ſhew, that thoſe graces which wee receive from Chriſt, are ſo many additions to our nature; and that we are wholly deſtitute and naked by nature, having no form nor comelineſs upon us: but thoſe renewed graces, which are after the image of God; they are as beautifull ornaments to our ſoules. Now in this reſpect the Church is comely, yea, and ſhee is much more comely then ſhee is blacke; ſhee is not ſo black in her ſelfe, as ſhee is comely in Chriſt.
O yee daughters of Jeruſalem.
Theſe are they unto whom ſhe directs her ſpeech, who (as ſhe conceiveth) might have framed objections againſt her. The Church often ſpeaketh to theſe daughters in diverſe places of this ſong. We muſt underſtand by theſe daughters of Jeruſalem, the friends of Chriſt, and of his Church. Now it was the cuſtome of the Jewes to call the whole the mother, and the parts the daughters: So the Villages round about a City, are called the daughters of the Citie, 1 Chron. 7. 18. And ſo Jeruſalem which is above, is called the mother of us all, Gal. 4. 26. whoſe daughters are all particular Churches and Saints. And the children of the Church are called daughters, in that they are preſented as a pure virgin to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11. 2. And Pſal. 45. 13, 14. The Kings daughter (meaning the Church) is brought unto the King in raiment of needle-worke: the Virgins her companious follow her. Now theſe may may be called daughters in either of theſe reſpects.
1. In that they were not ſo well inſtructed in the way of Chriſt, as other believers were: they were not ſo confirmed and grounded in the knowledge of God, or
2. They were ſuch as were newly converted, and ſo not joyned to any particular congregation, or
3. They were the particular congregations, into which the Church was diuided, and this agrees with the Hebrews form of ſpeech.
Now the ground of the Churches turning her ſpeech to theſe daughters, is, that they might not be offended with her blackneſſe, to take off all diſcouragements which might befall them, by reaſon of the croſſe, or of weakneſſe, which the Church was ſubject unto: ſo that ſuch like things as thoſe, might not be a cauſe of ſcandall, or of ſtumbling unto them.
As the Tents of Kedar.
Here we have her Compariſon, by which ſhee doth demonſtrate her blackneſſe to be as the Tents of Kedar, Kedar was the ſecond Son of Iſhmael, Geneſ. 25. 13. The Kedarites which came of his race, dwelt in Tents and open Fields, where they were expoſed to the ſcorching Sun: they were Scenites, being ſuch as did wander up and down, feeding their Flocks in Tents, which they Plinle, foreign Hiſt. Lib. 6. Cap. 28.made of Goats-haire, as Pliny reporteth. And the Prophet ſaith, they dwelt in the Wilderneſſe, Iſa. 42. 11.
Kedar, hath his name of blackneſſe and darkneſſe: foreign Obſcurus, luce privatus fuit, nigruit.And David lamenteth that he was ſo long converſant in the Tents of Kedar, Pſal. 120. 5, 6. The Church is likened to theſe Tents, in reſpect of her adverſity and ſorrow: hence the Church is called the Tents of Jacob, Jer. 30. 18. And the Tents of Judah, Zech. 12. 7. That is, in reſpect of her miſery and diſtreſſe.
But we may further take notice, that theſe Tents were in Arabia, and they were very rich and glorious, as is ſhewn by diverſe Scriptures: The Prophet Ezekiel ſaith, in Arabia was all kind of Merchandize, Ezek. 27. 21. and it was full of Flocks and Heards of Gattell, Jer. Aliena non emunt, vendunt ſua.40. 28. and their men were given to their Bow and to Warrs, Iſa. 21. 13. Beſides humane Hiſtories doe largely treat of the excellent and pretious things of Arabia Solinus in Polihiſt c. 46.deſerta. Solinus ſaith, They buy not of others, but ſell to others. And Plinie reporteth, that it commeth behind no Country in the world for largeneſſe and greatneſſe, Plinie nat. Hi…t. Lib. … 6. Cap. 28.being full of people, and richly ſeated; from whence it hath its name Foelix, happy, becauſe in it were plenty of Pearls, and Mines of gold: there was alſo thoſe Trees that brought forth the ſweet gums of Frankinſence and myrrh; and there was all kind of ſweet odours and Spices, beſides plenty of Honey and Wax. Now the Church drawing her compariſon from Kedar, may as well meane beſides blackneſſe, matter of deſire: as if ſhee ſhould ſay, It is true, I am black as Kedars Tents, yet in mether earepretious things for which I am comely and to be deſired: for as Kedars Tents have been deſired, not for their outward beauty or comelineſſe, being made of Goats-haire, a Stuffe very courſe and black: but for the moſt precious Jewells, and precious Stones, for riches and gold, for the ſweet odours of frankincenſe, and myrrh, and ſuch like pretious things as was contained in it: yea, in it was the Phoenix (if ever there was ſuch a Bird in the world who might reſemble both Chriſt and his Church, in that there is ſaid to be but one at a time in the World: ſo Chriſt and alſo his Spouſe are both ſaid to be one: Meſſiah is one, and his Dove, his Spouſe is but one. Now I ſay, in that the Church doth demonſtrate her blackneſſe by the Tents of Kedar in Arabia, it may ſignifie, not onelyonly her outward blackneſſe, as ſhee ſeemeth to the World, by reaſon of ſin and ſorrow; but alſo her inward riches and glory. It is as if ſhee had ſaid, I am black of colour, and outwardly void of forme or beauty, but in wardly I am comely, and much to be deſired.
As the Curtaines of Solomon.
Theſe Curtaines are to ſet forth her Comelineſſe, as Kedars Tents did her blackneſſe. Sometimes Curtains ſignifie Tents, as the Ark of the Lord remained under Curtaines, 1 Chron. 17. 1. but Solomons Curtaines ſeem here to be meant of thoſe Hangings that were in his houſe, and about his bed. Solomon was glorious, in riches, in wealth, and in honour: he built great Houſes, ſet Gardens, Planted Vineyards, and Trees of all ſorts; he was glorious in his Man-ſervants and Maids, and had Children born in his Houſe, &c. Eccleſ. 2. 4, 5. Now as all that Solomon had was glorious, ſo in all probability his Curtaines (or Hangings) were anſwerable to all the reſt of his glory.
Joſephus ſaith, that Solomons Chambers were adorned with Planks of Carved Cedar, and of ſtone, and of curious Marble. And (ſaith he) that which made it more beautifull, were three panes of Tapiſtry, and the fourth admirable for artificiall engraving: it ſeemeth that the inward Hangings were more rich then thoſe that were more outwardly. This ſets forth to us the ſurpaſſing glory of the Church, who ſhines in the graces of Chriſt, which exceeds all ordinary glory. So though the Church be black outwardly like the Tents of Kedar, yet ſhee is in wardly beautifull as Solomons Curtaines. Let us collect ſome Obſervations from hence.
Firſt, from the Churches confeſſion, I am black, &c. Obſerve,
That ſin and the effects thereof, towit, trouble and ſorrow, doth very much darken and overcloud the Saints of God. You heard that ſin was darkneſſe it ſelfe, and therefore darkneſſe muſt needs follow it: nothing doth more debaſe and deforme men then ſin, and the effects of it. Hence it is David complaineth, Mine eyes are conſumed becauſe of griefe, it waxeth old becauſe of all mine Enemies. Pſal. 6. 7. That is, his affliction and trouble did caſt him very low, ſo that he was like ſome old deformed man that had loſt his eyes. And Chriſt counſelleth the Church of Laodicea, to buy of him white Rayment, that ſhee might be cloathed, and that the ſhame of her nakedneſſe might not appear, Revel. 3. 18. That is, take a cloathing of white rayment (towit, of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe) that ſo thy defects and defaults be not diſcovered, and lie open to thy diſgrace. Thus it is ſaid of the people of Iſrael, that Moſes ſaw that they were naked: For Aaron had made them naked unto their ſhame, amongſt their Enemies, Exod. 32. 25. That is, their fin was diſcovered as the deformity of a nakedman, who wanteth cloaths to cover it: or they were naked as being ſtript of the chiefe Ornament of their ſouls, towit, righteouſneſſe and holineſſe. And the Lord ſaith in Ezek. 23. 29. I will diſcover the nakedneſſe of thy Whoredomes. That is, I will make knowne thy ſhamefull forſaking of me, to ſerve Idolls. Nothing in the World doth ſo much deforme men, as ſin doth; it defiles the Conſcience, it darkens the underſtanding, it overſhadows the affections: yea, it defiles the whole man from top to toe (as we uſe to ſay) it makes him altogether unbeautifull and deformed.
Secondly Obſerve, from the Churches confeſſion,
That true Chriſtians are ingenious to acknowledge their own defects. The Daughters of Jeruſalem were prevented in laying this charg upon the Church, by her own confeſſion. There are two ſpecial grounds of this ingenuity in the Saints.
Firſt, the glory of God: hereupon Joſhua exhorteth Achan to this duty: My Son, give glory to God, &c. We honour God exceedingly by acknowledging our owne defects; we ſhew forth the honour of his mercy that will not take every advantage againſt us, the honour of his power to pardon; the honour of his faithfullneſſe, in that he keepeth Covenant with ſinfull Creatures: the honour of his wiſdome in knowing all things, even the very ſecrets of the heart: yea, we give God the glory of all his Attributes, for in debaſing our ſelves we lift up Gods glory.
Secondly, the Saints doe by confeſſion eaſe their owne Conſciences: this we ſee in the example of David, Pſal, 32. 3, 4, 5. When I kept ſilence (ſayth he) my Bones waxed old: I was in great diſtemper of Spirit, and unquiet in my body, My moiſture was turned into the drought of Summer: that is meant of an airy ſubſtance, whereby the life is cheriſhed, which if it be ſpent it cauſeth death: now for eaſe in this condition, what courſe doth he take? I ſaid (ſaith he) I will confeſſe my ſin, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin: hereby the Saints doe not onelyonly glorifie God, but alſo obtaine reſt and peace in their owne ſouls.
Thirdly Obſerve,
The Saints are deformed, and without beauty to the outward view of the World. The carnall eye ſeeth no beauty at all in the Diſciples of Chriſt; they appeare in the ſame forme that Chriſt appeared in to the World: in reſpect of the ſufferings of Chriſt: the Prophet ſpeaketh thus. His Viſage was ſo marred more then any man, and his forme more then the Sonnes of men, Iſa. 52. 14. That is, he had no reſpect or eſtimation in the eyes of worldly men: He ſeemed a Worme and no man, Pſal. 22. 6. Againe, the Prophet brings in worldly men ſpeaking thus of Chriſt, He hath no forme nor comelineſſe, and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him, Iſa. 53. 2. And therefore he is deſpiſed and rejected of men, &c. Verſ. 3. That is, he was ſcarce accounted worthy the name of a man, or to be reckoned among the number of men. Now if the men of the World could ſee no beauty in Chriſt, much leſſe can they ſee any beauty in his Servants; if they cannot ſee beauty in the head, much leſſe in the body; if Chriſt were accounted a dry ſapleſſe Tree, what eſteem can there be of the branches; If they call the maſter of the Houſe Belzebub, how much more ſhall they call them of his Houſhould, ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 10. 25. And if the World hate you, yee know (ſaith he) that it hated me before it hated you, John 15. 18. Hence it is that the Apoſtle ſaith, We are made as the filth of the World, and are the offſcouring of all things, 1 Cor. 4. 13. The Apoſtle uſeth two words to expreſſe the vile account foreign. Sordes, purgamentum.that the World have of the Saints, towit, filth and offſcouring: the words are of a like import, and doe ſignifie properly filth or dirt ſcraped off mens ſhoes, or from the pavement of the ground. It alſo ſignifies (ſaith godly Maſter Borroughs) the Dung-cart that goes Mr. Borroughs in his Moſes Choice.through the City, into which every one brings his filth and caſts in. So that it is as much as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, we are deſpiſeable and odious to the outward view of the People, and loaden with reproaches and revilings not worthy to be accounted of, or eſteemed among men: yea, as men not fit to live in the World.
But comely.
Hence Obſerve,
Though the Saints are black in themſelves, yet they are faire in Chriſt. Elſe they were not fit to match with Jeſus Chriſt; it is confeſſed they are black of themſelves, but when Chriſt comes to marry the ſoule unto himſelfe, he putteth a kind of divine luſtre and beauty upon it, whereby he makes it glorious like himſelfe yet it's true that we have ſinned and have come ſhort of the glory of God; but Chriſt reſtoreth this glory in us againe: this is that the Apoſtle telleth us, when he ſaith, Chriſt loved the Church and gave himſelfe for it, even as a Huſband giveth himſelfe unto his Wife: but to what end doth Chriſt thus give himſelfe unto his Church? That he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it with the waſhing of water, by the word: that he might preſent it to himſelfe a glorious Church (or Spouſe) not having ſpot or wrinckle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh, Epheſ. 5. 26, 27. And againe he ſaith, Col. 1. 22. Chriſt hath reconciled us in the body of his fleſh through death, to preſent us holy & unblameable, & unreprovable in his ſight. The Saints are thus glorious in the eyes of Chriſt in two reſpects.
Firſt, in reſpect of Juſtification, ſo they are abſolutely faire and compleat in him. They are abſolutely freed and diſcharged of ſin, being cloathed with Chriſts righteouſneſſe, they ſhine forth moſt gloriouſly in the beauty thereof. And in this ſence the Church is pure and undefiled in this World, and yet not free from ſinfull imperfection. But ſtill we muſt remember our beauty is not connaturall with us, but it is a derivative and a borrowed beauty: the Saints who are the Members, ſhine in the glory and dignity of him that is head; and the Church who is the Spouſe of Chriſt, ſhineth in the beauty of him who is her Huſband.
Secondly, the Church is comely in ſanctification; ſhee is not onelyonly faire from Chriſts fairneſſe, and from his imputative righteouſneſſe, but alſo in thoſe graces which ſhee hath received from Chriſt, even in thoſe inherent graces infuſed into her ſoule by the Spirit of grace. Sanctification is a reſtoring of the Image and of duplicate page duplicate page the glory of God in mans heart, making of it conformable and like unto the image of God: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Col. 3. 10. Having put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of him that created him. Now the new man here ſpoken of, is nothing but the changing of the will to holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, wherein conſiſteth the image of God.
Secondly, in that the Church doth ſet forth her fairneſſe, by oppoſing it againſt her blackneſſe, Obſerve, That the Churches fairneſſe appears the more, in that it is oppoſed to her deformity. Thus it is in nature, thoſe that are beautifull appeare to be ſo moſt of all, when they are compared to them that are deformed. As that which is evill appears to be more evill when it is ſet againſt that which is good: ſo that which is good, appeareth to be more good, when it is ſet againſt that which is evill. The Apoſtle ſaith, That ſin by the Commandement became exceeding ſinfull, Rom. 7. 13. The Law (ſaith he) is holy, juſt, and good, and ſin wrought in me death by that which is good. That is, by the Law, Was that then which is good made death unto me, God forbid ſaith he, but ſin, that it might appeare ſin. That is, being oppoſed to a holy Law. And ſo the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in reſpect of the grace of God, Where ſin abounded, grace … much more abound, Rom. 5. 20. That is, grace did not onelyonly countervaile with ſin, but above meaſure out-paſſed it. So that if ſin reigned unto death, even ſo might grace reigne unto eternall life. The power of grace appeareth to be moſt potent when it's oppoſed to the power of ſin. As black ſpots in the face make it ſhew the fairer, ſo the deformity of the Church makes her beauty to be the greater. It muſt be excellent beauty that muſt cover ſuch deformity; it muſt be infinite and divine beauty that can make the Church, in the middeſt of ſin and ſorrow, ſay, I am comely.
As the tents of Kedar: as the curtains of Solomon.
Now foraſmuch as the Church doth illuſtrate her blackneſſe by the tents of Kedar, or by thoſe that dwelt in thoſe tents, who though they were black in colour, yet very rich in precious things, as gold, and precious gems: Obſerve,
That though the Church be deformed and blacke outwardly, yet ſhee is very deſireable and beautifull inwardly.
Notwithſtanding, Kedars tents were not deſireable, yet Kedar was full of riches and ſubſtance, for which it might be deſired. So the Saints, although they are diſeſteem'd by the world, yet they are deſireable of Chriſt. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, Pſal. 45. 14. That is, ſhee hath her heart adorned with divine grace, as faith, hope, love, &c. The Apoſtle prayed that the Epheſians might be ſtrengthened in the inner man, and that Chriſt might dwell in their hearts by faith, Epheſ. 3. 16, 17. And again he ſaith in 2 Cor. 4. 16. For this cauſe we faint not; but though the outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. By the outward man is meant our bodies, our perſons, and condition by nature, which is much depreſſed by ſin and miſery: and by the inner man, he meaneth the regenerate part, which is renewed by the holy Ghoſt, and alſo ſtrengthened daily, to beare preſſures and afflictions. The Temple at Jeruſalem was a type both of Chriſt and of the Chriſtian Church, and the greateſt glory was inward, in the holy of holies; and all the glorious Veſſels in the Tabernacle did prefigure the glory of the Saints.
2. Whereas ſhe doth illuſtrate her beauty by Solomons curtains, obſerve: The graces of Meſſiah are farre more glorious then all the glory of the world.
The curtains of Solomon, unto which the alluſion is made, muſt needs be very glorious, anſwerable to the reſt of his glory. Wee read in Scripture, that there was no glory in the world comparable to his glory: the Queen of Sheba was aſtoniſhed when ſhe beheld it. Alſo we may underſtand by the tapiſtry or curtains of Solomon, all the glory of his houſe, of which we read of, 1 King. 10. 1, 2. How ſurpaſſing them muſt the glory of thoſe graces be, which Chriſt adorneth his Saints withall, whereof Solomons curtains was but an earthly ſhadow or type. Now if the ſpirituall comelines and beauty of the Spouſe, now in the time of her blackneſſe and imperfection be comparable unto, yea, far beyond Solomons curtains, and all his royalty beſides: what will her beauty be, when all her blackneſs ſhall be taken away, and when ſhe ſhall appear in her full and everlaſting beauty, being cleanſed from all her ſpots and dimneſſe, yea when ſhee will ſhine in glory, in the ſight of all her beholders.
O yee daughters of Jeruſalem.
This ſhee ſpeaks to ſtrengthen and confirme thoſe that were weake, and not ſo well grounded or confirmed in the knowledg of Chriſt; to the end ſhe might remove all occaſion of ſcandall, which otherwiſe might have been a cauſe of ſtumbling unto theſe daughters of Jeruſalem.
Obſerve hence,
That thoſe that are ſtrong Chriſtians, ſhould by all meanes endeavour to ſtrengthen and confirm thoſe that are weak.
Here the Church ſeeks to ſatisfie the daughters of Jeruſalem concerning her blackneſs, by telling them that notwithſtanding her blackneſſe, yet ſhe was deſirable.
An example of this we have in Chriſt, when he ſheweth what a hinderance riches are in the way of the Kingdome of God, Matth. 19. 23, 24. Chriſt counſelleth the young man to ſell all that he had, and give to the poore: the Text ſaith, he went away ſorrowfull, for he had great poſſeſſions. Preſently upon this, Chriſt turned to his Diſciples, and ſaid, That a rich man ſhall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heaven. Now the aime and drift of Chriſt was, to uphold the ſpirits of his Diſciples, in reſpect of their poverty, having left all to follow him. And on the contrary, the Apoſtle ſaith, give none offence neither to the Jewes, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God. That is, do not ſcandalize any by the uſe of your liberty, whether they be without, or within the Church; but rather labour to win them by love. And again, for his own particular he ſaith, I will eate no fleſh while the world ſtandeth, rather then make my brother offend, 1 Cor. 8. 13. That is, as if he had ſaid, I will rather abſtain for ever from all kind of fleſh, then put a ſtumbling-block before, or give occaſion of ſin to any of my brethren. So in Rom. 15. 1. We then that are ſtrong (ſaith the Apoſtle) ought to beare the infirmities of the weake, and not to pleaſe our ſelves.