Commentary on Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel

CHAP. V. Vers. 1. I am come into my Garden.]

SO ready is the Lord Christ to fulfill the desires of them that fear him, Sometimes he not only grants their prayer, but fulfills their counsel, Psal. 20.4. fits his mercy ad cardinem desiderii, as Austin hath it, lets it be to his, even as they will. Or if he cross them in the very thing they crave, they are sure of a better: their prayers they shall have out either in money, or moneys worth. Christ, though he be a God that hideth himself, yet he scorns to say unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain, Isaiah 45.15, 19. that's enough for the Heathen Idols, verse. 16, 18. He is not like Baal, who pursuing his enemies, could not hear his friends: or as Diana, that being present at Alexanders birth, could not at the same time rescue her Ephesian Temple from the fire. He is not like Jupiter, whom the Cretans painted without ears, as not being at leisure to attend small matters: and whom Lucian the Atheist feigneth to look down from heaven through certain crevisses or chincks, at certain times: at which time, if Petitioners chance to pray unto him, they may have audience, otherwise not. No, no: the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are always open to their prayers, Psal. 34.15. Flectitur iratus voice rogante Deus. Basil compares prayer to a chayn, the one end whereof is linked to God's ear, and the other to man's tongue. Sozomen saith of Apollonius, that he never asked anything of God in all his life that he obtained not. And another saith of Luther, Iste vir potuit apud Deum quod voluit. That man could do what he would with God; it was but ask and have, with him.

I have gathered my myrrh with my spice] i.e. I have highly accepted of thy graces and good works: these are to be gathered only in Christ's Garden. Hedge-fruits and wild-herbs, or rather weeds, are everywhere almost to be had. Moral virtues may be found in a Cato, who was homo virtuti similimus, a man as like virtue as may be, saith Velleius: And he adds (but I am not bound to believe him) Qui nunquam recte fecit, ut facere videretur, sed quia aliter facere non poterat, that Cato never did well that he might seem to do so, but because he could not do otherwise than well: But why then (might a man have asked the Historian) did your so highly extolled Cato take up the trade of griping usury? Why did he so shamefully prostitute his wife, so cowardly kill himself? Was it not because he lived in the wild Worlds waste, and grew not in the Churches garden, hence his fruits were not genuine? his moral virtues are but shining sins, beautiful abominations, a smoother way to hell. Civil honest men are but Wolves chained up, tame Devils, Swine in a fair meadow, &c. Operam praestant, natura fera est, (as the Civil Law saith of those mixed Beasts, Elephants and Camels) they do the work of tame Beasts, yet have the nature of wild ones. They are cried up for singularly honest as ever lived, by such as are strangers to the power of Godliness, and aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel; like as in Samaria 's famine, a cab of Doves dung was sold at a great rate, and an asses head at four pound. But Christ, and such as have the mind of Christ, are otherwise minded: they look upon an unregenerate man, though sober, just, chaste, liberal, &c. as a vile person; and upon all their specious works, as dead works: when as (contrarily) they honor them that fear the Lord, and set an high price (as Christ here doth) upon their good parts and practices. Myrrh and spices, or aromatical fruits, are but dark shadows and representations of them.

I have eaten mine honey-comb with mine honey] As it were crust and crumb together: not rejecting my people's services for the infirmities I find cleaving unto them, but accepting what is good therein, and bearing with the rest, I take all well a worth, and am as much delighted therewith, as any man is in eating of honey; whereof he is so greedy, that withal he devours the comb too sometimes. Christ feedeth (saith an Expositor here) upon all the fruits of his garden, he so much delighteth in it, as he eateth not only the honey, as it were the most excellent duties or works of the Church, (see Heb. 13.15, 16, 21.) but also the honey-comb as it were the baser services and fruits of his Spirit, of least account: that he receiveth of all sorts most sweetly mingled together, both the common and daily fruits of godliness, understood in milk, and the more rare of greater price, as solemn fasts and feasts, signified by wine: both which he drinketh together, that is, accepteth of them all.

Eat, O friends] That is, O you holy Angels, (saith the former Interpreter) which as my Nobles, accompany me the King of Glory in Heaven, and have some communion with me in the gifts I bestow on you. Mr. Diodate also thinks the same: But I rather incline to those that by Christ's friends here understand those earthly Angels, the Saints, (see John 15.14. Isa. 41.8. Jam. 2.23. whom he cheereth up and encourageth to fall to it lustily, and by a sancta crapula (as Luther calls an holy gluttony) to lay on, to feed hard, and to fetch hearty draughts, till they be even drunk with loves, (as the Hebrew here hath it) being ravished in the love of God, where they are sure to find it (as in honey-pots) the deeper, the sweeter. Such as so eat, are called Christ's friends, (by a specialty) and such as so drink, his beloved, as Gregory here well observeth: and they only do thus that hear the Word with delight, turn it in succum & sanguinem, concoct it, incorporate it, as it were, into their souls, and are so deeply affected with it, that like drunken men, they forget and let go all things else, that they may retain and practice it. These are not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but filled with the Holy Ghost, Ephes. 5.16.

Vers. 2. I sleep, but my heart waketh] It was no sound sleep that she took: She did not short aloud in the Cradle of security (as those do whom the Devil hath cast into a deep Lethargy) but napped and nodded a little, and that by candle-light too, as those wise Virgins did, Matth. 25.5. She slept with open eyes as the Lion doth: she slept but half-sleep: the Spirit was willing to wake, but the flesh was weak and overwayed it, as it fared with those sleepy Disciples, Matth. 26.41. Fain would this flesh make strange of that which the Spirit doth embrace. O Lord, how loath is this loitering sluggard to pass forth into God's path, said Mr. Sanders in a letter to his wife, a little afore his death, with much more, to like purpose? As in the state of Nature, men cared not for grace, but thought themselves well enough, and wise enough without: so in the state of Grace, they are not so careful as they should. Heaven must be brought to them, they will scarce go seek it, 1 Pet. 1.13. And as the seven tribes are justly taxed by Joshua for their negligence and sloth in not seeking speedily to possess the Land God had offered them, Josh. 18.2. So may the most of God's people be justly rebuked for grievous security about the heavenly Canaan. They content themselves with a bare title, or hang in suspense, and strive not to full assurance: they follow Christ, but it is (as the people followed Saul ) trembling: they are still troubled with this doubt, or that fear, and all because they are loath to be at the pains of working out their salvation, Phil. 2.12. Something is left undone, and their conscience tells them so. Either they are lazy, and let fall the watch of the Lord, neglecting duty, or else they lose themselves in a wilderness of duties, by resting in them, and by making the means their Mediators, or by pleasing themselves (with the Church here) in unlawful liberties, after that they have pleased the Lord in lawful duties. The flesh must be gratified, and such a lust fulfilled. A little more sleep, a little more slumber in Jezebel's bed, (as Mr. Bradford was wont to phrase it) Solomon must have his wine, and yet think to retain his wisdom, Eccles. 2.3. Samson must fetch a nap on Delilah's knees, till God, by his Philistines, send our summons for sleepers, wake them in a fright, cure security by sorrow, as Physicians use to cure a Lethargy by casting the Patient into a Burning Feaver. Cold diseases must have hot and sharp remedies: The Church here found it so. And did not David, when he had sinned away his inward peace, and wiped off, as it were, all his comfortables?

It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh] She was not so fast asleep, but that the hidden man of the heart (as St. Peter calls him, 1 Ep. 3.4.) was awake, and his ears arrect and attent, so that she soon heard the first call, or knock of Christ; whose care was to arrouse her, that though she slept a while through infirmity of the flesh, yet she might not sleep the sleep of death, Psal. 13.3. die in her sins, as those Jews did, John 8.21. In the sweating sickness (that reigned for many years together in this Kingdom) those that were suffered to sleep (as all in that case were apt to do) they died within a few hours. The best office therefore that any one could do them, was, To keep them waking, though against their wills. Sembably our Savior, solicitous of his Churches welfare, and knowing her present danger, comes calling and clapping at the door other heart, and sweetly woos admission and entertainment: but misseth of it. He knocketh and bounceth by the hammer of his Word, and by the hand of his Spirit, (see Revel. 3.20. with 2 Pet. 1.13.) and if the Word work not on his people, they shall hear the rod, and who hath appointed it, Mic. 6.9. that they may by some means be brought to summon the sobriety of their senses before their own judgments; and seeing their danger, to go forth and shake themselves, as Sampson did, Judge. 16.

Open to me, my Sister, my Love, &c.] What irresistible Rhetoric is here? what passionate and most pithy persuasions! Ipsa Suada, credo, si loqui posset, non potuisset 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ubi quot verba tot tela, quae sponsae animum percellant, fodicent, lancinent, she was not so dead asleep, but that she could hear at first, and tell every tittle that he said. And this she doth here very finely, and to the full; that she may aggravate against herself the foulness of her fact in refusing so sweet an offer, in turning her back upon so blessed and so bleeding an embracement: the terms and titles he here giveth her, are expounded before. Undefiled or perfect he calleth her, for her Dove-like simplicity, purity, and integrity.

For mine head is filled with dew] i. e. I have suffered much for thy sake, and waited thy leisure a long while: and must I now go look my lodging? Doest thou thus requite (repulse) thy Lord, O thou foolish woman and unwise? Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem: wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? It is the ingratitude that makes the Saints sins so heinous; which otherwise would be far less than other men's; since his temptations are stronger, and his resistance is greater. Oh when God's grace shall come suing to us, nay kneeling to us; when Christ shall come with Hat in hand, and stand bare-headed, as here, and that in foul weather too, begging acceptance, and beseeching us to be reconciled, and we will not, what an inexcusible fault is this!

Vers. 3. I have put off my Coat] Thus the flesh shows itself, not only weak, but wayward, treacherous, and tyrannical; rebel it doth in the best, and reign it would, if it might be suffered. This bramble would fain be playing Rex, and doth so other-whiles, till he be well buffeted (as St. Paul served it, 1 Cor. 9.27.) and brought it into subjection. But what a silly excuse maketh the Church here for herself? Trouble me not, for I am in bed, as he said to his friend, Luk. 11.7. My clothes are off, my feet are washed, and I am composed to a settled rest. But are you so? (might Christ have regested.) And is that the part and posture of a vigilant Christian? Might it not better have beseemed you to have had your loins girt up, your lamp in your hand, and yourself to have waited for your Lord's return, that when he came and knocked, you might have opened unto him immediately, Luk. 12.35, 36? Or, being got to bed, must you needs mend one fault with another? Is it such a pains to start up again and let in such a guest, as comes not to take anything from you, but to enrich you much more than once the Ark did Obed-Edom? And in this sense some take those words in the former verse, for mine head is filled with dew, &c. as if Christ came unto her, full of the dew of blessings to enrich her. Sure it is, that Christ is no beggarly or niggardly guest. His reward is with him: he brings better commodities than Abraham's servants did to Laban, or the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, even purest gold, whitest raiment, sovereign eye-salve, anything, everything, that heart can wish, or need require, Revel. 3.17, 19. How unworthily therefore deal they, and how ill do they provide for themselves, that either deny or delay to entertain him, when either by the motions of his Spirit, by the words of his mouth, or by the works of his hands, he knocks at the doors of their hearts, and would come in to them? How do they make void or reject the counsel of God against themselves, with those unhappy Lawyers, Luk. 7.30. being ingrati gratiae Dei, as Ambrose speaketh, and judging themselves unworthy of ever-lasting life, with those perverse Jews, Acts 13.46? Who can say it is otherwise than righteous, that Christ should regest one day upon such ungrateful Gadarenes, Depart from me ye wicked? that such as say to him, as Felix did once to Paul, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for thee ( Acts 24.26.) should hear from him, Get you to the God's whom ye have chosen, for I will not help you, &c. and that those that would not obey this sweet precept, Open to me, &c. Come down Zachaeus, for today I must abide at thy house, &c. should have no other left to obey, but that dreadful, Go ye cursed, &c. The Church here did but lust a while and linger, when she should have been up and about, and she soon rued it dearly, bewailed it bitterly. Now what was it that she did? Did she rate Christ for coming at such unseasonable hours? did she answer him currishly, or drive him from her door? No surely, but only pleads excuse, and pretends inconvenience: She had put off her clothes, washed her feet, &c. A great chare she had done: and it would have undone her, doubtless, to have dressed her again, and set her fair feet on the foul ground. There is none so wise as the sluggard, Prov. 26.16. He hath got together a great many excuses, which he thinks will go for wisdom: because by them he thinks to sleep in a whole skin. Sin and shifting came into the world together. But what saith the Apostle? Surely his counsel is most excellent, and worthy of all acceptation, Heb. 12.25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, sc: by his Blood, Word, Sacraments, motions of his Spirit, Mercies, &c. Look to it, (as the Greek hath it) that ye refuse not, Gr: that ye shift him not off by frivolous pretences, and idle excuses, as those recusant guests did, Mat. 22.5. as Moses would have done, Exod. 3.11, 14. & 4.1, 10. and Jeremiah, c. 1.6. So again Heb. 2.3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? He saith not, if we reject, renounce, persecute, but if we neglect, let slip, undervalue, &c. If when God sends forth his mercy, and his truth, Psal. 57.3. and looks that we should send a Lamb to that Lamb of God the Ruler of the land, Isa. 16.1. we send messages after him, saying, We will not have this man to rule over us, Luk. 19.14. We break his cords, those cords of love, Hos. 11.4. and kick against his bowels; and instead of serving him, make him to serve with our sins, and even weary him with our iniquities, Isa. 43.24. How shall we escape? What hill shall hide us? What will ye do in the end thereof?

Vers. 4. My Beloved put in his hand by the hole] Or, He let fall his hand from the hole, where he was lifting at the latch, or see • ing to put by the bar: he took it so unkindly to be so ill answered, that he •• parted in displeasure, and would be no further troublesome. Sleep on no • (quoth he, as Mark 14.41.) and take your rest. He that will hear, let him •• ar, and he that hath a mind to forbear, let him forbear, Ezek. 3.27. but at his own peril, the best that can come of it, is repentance, that fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother. Delicatares est Spiritus Dei, saith one, The • pirit of God is a delicate thing; and he that grieves that holy thing whereby • ee is sealed, by giving way to a spirit of sloth and slumber, may lose his joy of faith, and go mourning to his grave. And although with much a do he ma • get assurance of pardon, yet his conscience will be still trembling, as David's, Psal. 51. till God at length speak further peace: Even as the water of the Sea, after a storm, is not presently still, but moves and trembles a good while after the storm is over. Take heed therefore: Cavebis autem si pavebis, Rom. 11.21. But to take the words as they are here translated, My Beloved put in his hand by the hole, that is, he touched mine heart by his holy Spirit: and notwithstanding my discourteous dealing with him, left a sweet remembrance of himself behind him. As he would not away, but continued still knocking till he had an answer, so, though the answer pleased him not, yet he called not for his love-tokens back again, he cast her not off, as Ahasuerus did Vashti, (no, he hates putting away, Mal. 2.16.) but as the Sun with his bright beams follows the passenger that hath turned his back upon it: So deals Christ by his backsliding people, Jer. 3.22. (Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, saith David, follow me though I forsake mine own mercies, saith Jonah. ) And as the same Sun-beams do convey the heat and influence thereof to the earth, thereby calling out the herbs and flowers, and healing those deformities that winter had brought upon it: So doth Christ that Sun of Righteousness, arise (to his servants that are benighted with sin and sorrow) with healing in his wings, that is, with the gracious influence of his holy Spirit, conveying the virtues of his blood to their consciences, and causing them, as by a new spring of holy desires and endeavors, to reflourish, Phil. 4.10.

And my Bowels were moved for him] They rumbled, tumultuated, and made a humming noise, as the Hebrew hath it. She means, that she had no rest in her Spirit, her heart (that chiefest of the bowels, or inwards) did even quake and ache within her; her thoughts afflicted her, she was greatly disquieted, and all for him, for the unkindness she had offered him, or concerning him, or over him, as those Penitentiaries in Zacharias, that looked upon him whom they had pierced, and (by an instinct of the Spirit of grace poured plentifully upon them) mourned for him, or over him, till their hearts became a very Hadadrimmon, and fell asunder in their bosoms like drops of water; and all for the indignities and injuries they had done to Christ. This is a sorrow according to God, or, as God would have it, 1 Cor. 7.9. this is a repentance never to be repented of, verse. 10. This is that Rain-bow, which if God see shining in our hearts, he will remember his holy Covenant. The Church here for instance. That she sorrowed after a godly sort appears by those seven signs set down, 2 Cor. 7.11. and here in this Chapter exemplified and evidenced. I sleep, there's Indignation, but my heart waketh, there's Apology, or clearing herself. I arose to open, there is study, or carefulness and diligence. My soul failed when he spake, there is her Zeal. I called on him, I sought him, there's her vehement desire. The Watchmen found me, they smote me, they unveiled • ee, there's her self-revenge, whiles she shrank not for any danger, but bearing patiently the Lord's indignation, because she had sinned against him, she followed him through thick and thin, in the night, among the watch, &c. followed him hot-foot, and would not rest till she had recovered him. Lo this is the guise of a godly heart: it runs into sin sometimes, but riseth again soon after by repentance: it is at as much unrest till reconciled to God, as he that hath broke a bone, till it be well set again. When as a profane Esau can sell his birth-right, (and with it his title to heaven) and when he hath so done, he can eat, and drink, and rise up, and go his way without any the least remorse or regret, Ge • . 25.34. Wicked men grow worse and worse, saith the Apostle: and take long strides towards hell, as if they feared it would be full ere they • ome there. Some seek to out-sin one another, like unhappy boys, that str • ve who shall go furthest in the dirt: Noluit solita peccare, saith Seneca: et pudet non esse impudentes, saith Austin; Sin hath woaded an impuden •• • n their faces: their spot is not the spot of God's children, Deut. 32. • .

Vers. 5. I rose up to open to my Beloved] This was repentance from sin, as that in the former verse was repentance for sin. To repent; and yet to lie still in sin, is to repent with a contradiction, saith Tertullian; Optima et aptissima paenitentia est nova vita, saith Luther. A new life is the best repentance. Up gets the Church, when once soundly sensible of her sin: and leaving her bed of carnal security, makes after Christ with all her might, with a redoubled diligence; to make some amends for her former negligence. Nunquam sero, si serio. Late though it were ere she started and stirred, yet better late than not at all. We are too much after-witted, for most part, Postmasters, Epimetheusses: we see not our folly (but cry with him, In crastinum seria ) till we have smarted for it, and then wish, O mihi praeteritos, &c.

And my hands drop with myrrh] That is, with the testimonies of his sweetness left behind him on the lock-handles, the better to allure her to his love. Philip Beroaldus, and many others, tell us of a very precious unguent Cinnamimum, because made of Cinnamon and other sweet odors; whose chief commendation is, that the very smell thereof, (if a man carries it about him) draws any woman, though passing by, and minding other things, to draw nigh to him. What truth is in this relation, I know not: but sure it is, that the smell of the Gospel, and those spiritual blessings which the presence of Christ had left behind it, did notably attract and draw after him the Churches affections. Goodness is of itself attractive: The Greeks call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : because it doth as it were, invite and call to it; and every man is willing to run after it. Christ puts a secret instinct into his people to do so; like as nature hath put an instinct into the Be, the Stork, and other creatures. And as the needle in a Sundial that hath been touched with an adamant, though it may be forced this way, and that way, yet it rests not till it look toward the North-pole: So the soul that hath aliquid Christi in it, that hath been once hand-fasted to Christ by a lively faith, though for a season it may, by the malice of Satan working with corruption, suffer some decays of her first love, be drawn aside by some lust, and enticed so as to fall from former stedfastness; yet after a while her thoughts will work, and the sweet remembrance that Christ hath left behind him, will make her to say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me th • n now.

Vers. 6. I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had with-drawn himself and was gone] Or, He was gone, he was gone; a passionate complaint for his departure; which lay so much the heavier upon her spirit, because by her unworthy usage of him, she had foolishly occasioned it. Fools, because of their transgression and because of their iniquity are afflicted: And when affliction comes with a sting in the tail, it is very grievous. But then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble: he saveth them out of their distress; He sendeth his word and healeth them, he sendeth for them by his Spirit, and brings them back again into his own bosom, that his banished be not expelled from him (2 Sam. 14.14.) though to themselves and others, they may for present seem to be as water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. Those fragrant foot-steps and heart-attracting stamps of his favor, that sweet smelling Myrrh, mentioned in the former verse, had so eneagered and edged her affections, that she could not rest till she had recovered him. She opened unto her beloved, and, presuming upon his patience, was in good hope to have had him at hand: But patientia laesa fit furor, Christ will not always bear with our evil manners, but hide his face from us, like as we have behaved ourselves evil in our doings, Micah 3.5. And whereas spiritual desertions are of three sorts, 1 Cautional, for preventing of sin, as Paul's seems to be. 2 Probational, for trial and exercise of grace, as Jobs. 3 Penal, for chastisement of spiritual sloth and sluggishness, as here in the Church; this last is far the heaviest.

My soul failed when he spake] Or, because of his speech, that sweet speech of his when he so passionately wooed her, ver. 2. Then he could have no audience nor admittance, now if he would but offer himself, he might be sure of both. The word spoken doth not always presently take effect in the hearers, but lies long as the seed under a clod, till Christ the good husbandman, come with some temptation, as with his clotting-beetle, and give it room to rise. Then as the water casts up her dead after a time, so do their memories cast up that which seemed buried therein, by the help of the Holy Ghost their remembrancer: John 14.26. John 2.22. The new birth of some, (the recovery of others out of their relapses) is like the birth of the Elephant, fourteen years after the seed is inserted into the womb. Peter remembered Christ's words, and repented, Mat. 26.75. If we remember not what hath been preached unto us, all is lost, 1 Cor. 15.2. If we leak, and let slip, actum est de nobis, Heb. 2.1. If we keep the Word, the Word will keep us, Prov. 6.22.

I sought him] So soon as recovered out of my swoon, I set to seek him; The Church went not to bed again, to sleep as before, neither stays she longer within, than to cast her veyl or her scarf over her head, without any further dress, abroad she gets to seek him whom her soul loveth. She sought him by serious and set meditation of the word and promises, but after all that royl and travel she took therein, she found him not. This is the greatest grief that can befall a good heart in this present world: it is to such little better than hell itself. Thou hiddest thy face and I was troubled, saith David, Psal. 30.8. Non frustra praedicant meptes hominum nitere liquido die, coactanube flaccescere, saith Symmachus. Men's minds are either clear or cloudy, as the weather is: but more truly, good men's minds are as God's countenance is. It is with the godly in desertion, as with vapors drawn up by the Sun; which when the extracting force of the Sun leaves them, fall down again to the earth. And as in an Eclipse of the Sun, there is a drooping in the whole frame of nature: so it is with the Saints, when Christ withdraws himself. Hell itself is said to be a separation from his presence: the pain of loss there is worse than the pain of sense: the tears of hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of heaven. Laetemur igitur in Domino, sed caveamus a recidivo.

I called him, but he gave me no answer] And it was but just: for she had dealt so by him, ver. 2. Christ loves to retaliate. Such a proportion many times one may see between sins and punishments, that you may say, such a sin brought forth this affliction, it is so like the father. Howbeit, his ear is not heavy that he cannot hear: but your iniquities have hid his face from you that he will not hear, Isa. 59.1, 2. And this the Saints take (as well they may) for a sore affliction, Lam. 3.8. when to all other their miseries, he addeth this, that he will not come at them, that he casteth out their prayers, that he deals by them as the Lionness doth by her young ones, which she seems sometimes to leave, till they have almost killed themselves with roaring. This is to make them more careful another time. None look at the Sun but when it is in the eclipse: Neither prize we (for most part) God's loving countenance, till we have lost it. In this case the course is, to set up a loud cry after him, as Micah did after his God's, Judge. 18.23. Or rather as the Church here doth after her beloved, in many strong cries and bitter tears, continuing instant in prayer, Rom. 12.12. The Greek word imports a metaphor from hunting dogs, that give not over the game, till they have got it. For encouragement; See the happy success the Church here had: and further, take that saying of Brenz, Etiamsi fides tuae nec lucem hominibus, nec calorem cordi tuo afferat, tamen non abjicit Christus, modo incrementum ores, i. e. Although thy faith, as smoking flax, yield neither light to others, nor heat to thine own heart, yet Christ will not cast thee off, so thou pray for more, and follow thy work close, till thou have gotten it.

Vers. 7. The Watch-men that went about the City, &c.] See the Note on Chap. 3.3. The Ministers that walk the round, that watch for men's souls, Heb. 13.17. Isa. 61.6. that know how to time a word, Isa. 51.4. these smote her with the tongue, they buffeted her by just and sharp reproofs for her negligence, they unveiled her for being abroad at that time of night (which she needed not to have been, but for her own slothfulness) they dealt little better with her, than as if she had been some light and lewd woman: and all this they might well do out of zeal to God, and godly jealousy for her souls good; Unless it were that Hypocrisy of jealousy exercised by the false Apostles over the Galatians, Chap. 4.17. Not Pastors, but Impostours; not Over-seers, but By-seers; potius grassatores; quam custodes, homonym • s tamen sic dicti, out-throats rather than Keepers, wicked men taking upon them to be Watch-men, Church-officers in name, but Church-robbers in deed. Such were those, Isa. 66.5. that hated and cast out the true worshippers, under a pretence of, Let the Lord be glorified. Such an one was Diotrephes, that prating prelate, that villainously entreated God's faithful people, 3 John 9.10. And such is that Man of sin, that Antichrist of Rome, who, for so many hundred years together, hath smitten with the fist of wickedness, hath wounded and drawn blood from Christ's dearest Spouse, and despoiled her of her veyl: that is, labored to dispriviledge her, and deprive her of that purity and soundness of Doctrine that he hath committed unto her, as a means to hold her in the duty of all holy obedience and subjection unto him. 1 Cor. 11.5, 6, 10. Of these false friends, and deadly enemies, the Church here heavily complains, and might well have proceeded against them, as those six Martyrs, burnt by Harpsfield, Archdeacon of Canterbury, when Queen Mary lay a dying. One of those six that were then burnt (and those were the last) John Cornford (stirred with a vehement zeal of God when they were excommunicated) pronounced sentence of excommunication against all Papists in these words: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the power of his holy Spirit, and authority of his holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, we do give here into the hands of Satan, to be destroyed, the bodies of all those blasphemers and heretics that do maintain any error against his most holy Word, or do condemn his most holy truth for heresy, to the maintenance of any false Church, or feigned religion: so that by this thy most just judgment, (O most mighty God) against thine adversaries, thy true religion may be known, to thy great glory, and our comfort, and the edifying of all our Nation: Good Lord, so be it.

Vers. 8. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem] Being evil entreated by her enemies, she turns her to her friends; those damsels, or daughters of Jerusalem: (See chap. 2.7. & 3.5.) so the Lord Christ being tired out with the untractableness of his untoward hearers, turns him to his Father, Mat. 11.25, 26. Kings, as they have their cares and cumbers above other men, so they had of old their friends (by a specialty, as Hushai was David's friend, 2 Sam. 15.37.) to whom they might ease themselves, and take sweet counsel, Psal. 55.14. The servants of God are Princes in all lands: and as they have their crosses not a few, so their comforts, in and by the communion of Saints. The very opening of their grievances one to another doth many times ease them: as the very opening of a vein cools the blood: Their mutual prayers one with and for another prevail much, if they be fervent, or thorough-well wrought; as in this case they likely will be; for as Iron whe • s Iron, so doth the face of a man his friend. And as ferrum potest quod anrum non potest, Iron can do that sometimes that Gold cannot (An Iron-key may open a chest wherein Gold is laid up) so a meaner man's prayer may be more effectual sometimes than a better man's, for himself. His own key may be rusty, or out of order, and another man's do it better. Hence the Church is so importunate with the daughters of Jerusalem (who were far behind her in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, as appears by that which follows) to commend her and her misery to Christ, to tell him (where ever they meet with him) Behold, she whom thou lovest is sick, thy Church (in whom thy love is concentrate, as it were, and gathered to an head) doth even languish with love, and is in ill case. Tell him, saith she, What shall ye tell him? as the Hebrew hath it. An earnest and passionate kind of speech (somewhat like that in Hosea, Give them O Lord, What wilt thou give them? ) as if she should say, would you know what you should tell him? even that which followeth, that I am sick of love. See chap. 2.5.

Vers. 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved] This capital question is here doubled for the more vehemency; as also for the strangeness of the matter, wherein they desire much to be better informed; and the rather, because she so straightly chargeth, or rather sweareth them. Something they must needs think was in it more than ordinary: since good people do not use to be hot in a cold matter. But as in the Revelation, whensoever heaven opened, some singular thing ensued: So when the Saints be so serious in a business, sure it is of very great concernment: Great matters are carried with great movings: as, for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart, great impressions, great searchings. It is a common saying, Admiratio peperit Philosophiam, Wonderment at the works of God, set men a work to inquire into the natural causes of them. Semblably these damsells of Jerusalem, friends to the Church, little knowing the love of the Spouse to Christ (which passed their knowledge ) and yet willing to comprehend with all Saints the several dimensions thereof; first, they acknowledge her, amidst all her miseries, to be the fairest among women] (See chap. 1.8.) as gold is gold, though found in the dirt, or cast into the furnace; and stars have their glory, though we see them sometimes in a puddle, in the bottom of a well, nay, in a stinking ditch. Secondly, they propound to her two most profitable questions: The one concerning his person, Whereof we have here a very lively and lofty description, both generally, and in his parts. The other concerning the place of his abode, and where he may be had, chap. 6.1. to the which she makes answer, verse. 2. and so her faith begins to revive, verse. 3. which was the blessed effect of this their gracious communication. Conference in all arts and sciences is a course of incredible profiting. Est aliquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias, the very sight, nay, thought of a good man oft doth good: how much more when he openeth his mouth with wisdom, and in his tongue is the Law of kindness? And surely it is a fine art to be able to pierce a man, that is like a vessel full of wine, and to set him a running. Elihu would speak that he might be refreshed, Job 32. It would be an ease to him, it would be a great benefit to others: as the mother is in pain, till the child hath sucked, and the child not at quiet till he hath done so. Foolish and unlearned questions about those things whereof we can neither have proof nor profit, we are bound to avoid, 2 Tim. 2.23. knowing that they do gender strifes, and breed crudities, fill men with wind, and make them question-sick, 1 Tim. 6.4. But profitable questions are frequently to be propounded with a desire to learn, and resolution to practice: as the Virgin Mary demanded of the Angel, Luk. 1.34. the Disciples of our Savior, John 16.17, 19. &c. and he resolved them: which he refused to do for the Jews, that asked him the same question, John 7.35, 36. because not with the same mind and desire. So that frollick self-seeker, with his fair offer of following Christ, was rejected: when those that had more honest aims and ends, heard, Come and see, Mat. 8.19, 20. John 1.46. These daughters of Jerusalem do not therefore ask, because they were utterly ignorant of Christ: but 1 That they might hear the Church what she had to say of him, as they that love Christ, love to hear talk of him; his very name is mel • in ore, melos in aure, &c. 2 That by her discourse they might better their knowledge: for the very Angels know not so much of this mystery, but they would know more, and do therefore curiously pry into it, 1 Pet. 1.12. Yea, to these very Principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, in contriving man's salvation by Christ: they cannot but see an abundance of curious variety in this divine wisdom: such as is to be seen in the best pictures or textures, as the Apostles word importeth, Eph. 3.10.

Vers. 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy, &c.] Love lacks no Rhetoric to lay forth the thing beloved in liveliest colors; White and ruddy, What can be more laudable and lovely? What can come nearer to a perfect symmetry, to a sound and sure constitution and complexion? Sure it is, that these two being comelily mixed, do make the most beautiful or orient look or color; (see the Prophets description of the Nazarites, Lam. 4.7.) And note (saith an Expositor) that the Holy Ghost joineth both these together: the whiteness making the ruddiness more fresh and fair, and the ruddiness discerning the whiteness from paleness of face, or phlegmatic complexion. Sed sunt in his mysteria investiganda (saith another) ita{que} candor refert divinam Christi naturam, rubor humanam. White and red may signify Christ's God-head and Man-hood. God is called the Ancient of days, Dan. 9.7. his head and his hairs are white like wool, as white as snow, Rev. 1.14. Man had his name Adam of the red earth, out of which he was taken, Gen. 2.7. Christ also, the second Adam, became red with his own blood, whereby he purchased the Church, Act. 10.28▪ (a bloody Spouse she was unto him) and paved for her a new and lively way into the most holy place, Heb. 10.20. Upon the battlements whereof he hangs out still, (as once that war-like Scythian did) a white flag of grace and mercy to penitent persons, that humble themselves at his feet for favor: but a red flag of justice and severity to those his enemies, that will not have him to rule over them: in token whereof his raiment is said to be red, Isa. 63.1, 2, 3. his vesture dipt in blood, Rev. 19.13.

The chiefest among ten thousand] Heb. vexillatus praedecem millibus, that is, famous and conspicuous among and above many, as Saul was higher than the people by the head and shoulders, as the Hachmonite was the chief of David's mighties, 1 Chron. 11.11. Or the standard-bearer of ten thousand. Now the goodliest, and withal the ablest men use to carry the banner or standard. Christ standeth for an ensign of the people, Isa. 11.10. and hath ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him, following him wheresoever he goeth, Rev. 7.9, 14. and singing, We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God, vexillabimus, we will set up our banner, Psal. 20.6. The Churches design here is to hold out Christ as altogether matchless and incomparable, that there is none like him in the earth, (as God said of Job, chap. 1.8.) to teach us to esteem him, as the people did David, more worth than ten thousand others, 2 Sam. 18.3. to set him upon the chief chariot, and to give him the sole command of all, as Pharaoh dealt by Joseph. And as the Sun, Moon, and eleven stars in Josephs vision did obeisance to him: so let our souls, bodies, all our temporal, natural, moral, and spiritual abilities be subject and serviceable to Christ; who, if he be the chiefest of ten thousand, ought to have as much love as ten thousand hearts put into one, could hold.

Vers. 11. His head is as the most fine gold] Here she begins her particular praise of his several parts: and here she may seem to speak with the tongues of men and of Angels; performing (as Lovers use to do) that for him, that he had done for her before, chap. 4.1, 2, 3, 4, &c. though all she could say falleth far short of him; and well she might say after all, as Nazianzen sometime said of Basil, There wants but his own tongue to commend him with. Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus, sed quantum possumus. In speaking of Christ's excellencies men may speak what they can, they cannot possibly speak so much as they ought, they cannot hyperbolize. If any shall think the Church doth here, he must needs be of those that either know him not, or are not able to judge aright of his worth, as once Cicero said of Crassus and Antonius the Orators. Nusquam Origines non ardet, sed nusquam est ardentior, &c. saith Erasmus. Origen is never but earnest, howbeit he is never more earnest, than when he discourseth of Christ: in other things he may seem to excel others, but in this he excelleth himself. The same we may well say of the Church in this place, in setting forth the surpassing purity and perfection of her Spouse: Quem manibus propriis finxit cordata Minerva. And first she makes his head to be of the finest and firmest gold, Fess-gold, so the Arabic, from the Hebrew, calleth it: and the land of Fess seemeth to be named of such gold there. David's Michtam or Golden Psalm comes from one of the words here used. For in the Original thus it is, His head is most glistering gold, yea, most solid gold. That is, his deity which dwells in him, is most pure and glorious, (for the head of Christ is God, 1 Cor. 11.3.) and that fullness of grace which is communicated to his human nature, is wondrously beautiful: and so sets it forth, as black curled locks do a fresh countenance.

Ver. 12. His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water, &c.] i. e. they are full of all innocence, singleness, and chastity: See the Notes on chap. 1.15. & 4.1. where Christ had attributed the very same to the Church, who is his image and glory, as the woman is of the man, 1 Cor. 11.7. the very looking-glass of his dignity, and reflex of his comeliness. His eyes are elsewhere said to be as a flame of fire, sharp and terrible, such as pierce into the inward parts, and need no outward light. Here they are as the eyes of Doves, casting an amiable, gracious, joyful, and comfortable look upon his Church. As, his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men (the one points out his knowledge, the other his critical descant) Psal. 11.4. So he casteth an eye of singular providence and tender affection upon his afflicted people, I have seen, I have seen, saith he, the sufferings of my people. I know their sorrows, and am come down to deliver them; His eye affects his heart, and his heart sets his hand awork for their succor and safety. Ezek. 1.8. we read of faces, eyes, wings, hands, &c. all to express the sufficiency of God's providence for all means of help. See Psal. 33.18, 19. & 34.16. The Church is like the land of Canaan, which is said to be a land which the Lord careth for: the eyes of the Lord are always upon it, &c. Deut. 11.11. He seeth that loveliness in her, that he overlooks all, as it were, to look upon her: he beholds that worth in her, that the buzzards of the world cannot ken. Therefore the world knows us not, respects us not, because it knew not him, 1 John 3.1. saw no such beauty, that they should desire him, Isa. 53.2. Nicostratus in Elian, himself being a cunning Artisan, finding a curious piece of work, and being wondered at by one, and asked by one what pleasure he could take to stand gazing as he did on the picture? answered, Hadst thou mine eyes, thou wouldst not wonder, but rather be ravished as I am at the inimitable art of this piece. Semblably, had men those dove-like single eyes that Christ and his people have, washed in milk, that is, in milk-white waters, cleansed from the dust of sinful prejudice, and fitly set, as a precious stone in the foil of a ring, or as the precious filling-stones in the holy Ephod, Exod. 25.7. they would kiss the Son, and admire his Spouse. Whereas for want of Spiritual eyes, the Northern proverb is verified, unkent, unkist, unknown, unrespected.

Vers. 13. His cheeks are as a bed of spices] i. e. comely and pleasant to the sight, sweet also to the smell; areolis similes aromatum plenis: flourishing with a goodly, comely, fresh, and sweet beard; so declaring his face not only to be gracious and amiable, but also full of gravity, glory, and majesty. There are that would have all these things to be taken literally of Christ's natural body: and that here is set down his Prosopography: But this was written long before Christ was incarnate; and therefore it must needs be meant in a metaphorical and allegorical sense, hard to be explained. Ego quid de singulis statuam fateor me nescire, saith a learned Interpreter. Allegorically to handle all these is not in my purpose or power, saith another: since the graces of Christ, as they cannot well be expressed, so, by reason of our weakness, they cannot better be declared. The drift of the holy Ghost is to paint out unto us the spiritual and heavenly love of his Church to Christ, who doth not, nor cannot satisfy herself with any words, or comparisons of this kind. And secondly, to stir up our heartiest and liveliest affections to him, that hath such a world of worth and wealth in him. As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is in one piece of gold, so all the petty excellencies scattered abroad in the creatures are united in Christ; yea all the whole volume of perfections which is spread thorough Heaven and Earth, is epitomized in him: why do we not then make out to him, and despise all for him with Paul? Why do we not with David chide ourselves and others for loving vanity, and seeking after leasing? How long wilt thou go about, O backsliding daughter, and fetch a compass? knowest thou not that the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth? a woman shall compass a man, Jer. 31.22. that is, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, even the Man Christ Jesus, in whom it pleased the Father that there should dwell all fullness, Col. 1.19. Make we therefore straight paths for our feet, Heb. 12.13. Let us go speedily to Christ, Zech. 8.21. as Bees do to a Meddow full of flowers: as Merchants do to the Indies that are full of fruits and spices; that we may return from him, full fraught with treasures of truth and grace.

His lips like Lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh] i. e. His word and doctrine is white, sweet, pleasant, far-spreading as Lilies; sweet to the smell, and yet bitter to the taste as myrrh, no way pleasing to the flesh which it mortifieth, calling upon men to repent, reform, walk by rule, strive to enter in at the straight gate, resist unto blood, striving against sin. These things are good and profitable to men (as the Apostle speaks in another case, ( Tit. 3.8.) but they naturally care not to hear of them. Drop not ye, say they, (we like not your Lilies dropping myrrh and nitre) Let those drop or prophesy, that preach pleasing things; We like your Lilies, but care not for your Myrrh: or if we smell it, we like not to taste of it, because little toothsome, however it may be wholesome.

Vers. 14. His hands are as gold Rings set with the Beril] Or Chrysolite. Heb. Tarshish, whence our word Turkeis (as it may seem) a precious stone, of color blew like the Sky, or (as others say) green like the Sea: Asher was graven upon this stone, who dwelt near the Sea, Exod. 28.20. Some write, that in former times this stone was most usually set in such Rings as Lovers did use to give one to another, or in Marriage-Rings; because of the power that was thought to be in it to procure and continue love and liking one of them towards another. Whatsoever stone it is, whether a Beril, Chrysolite, Carbuncle, Hyacinth, Onyx (for all these ways it is rendered) the Churches meaning is, that all the works of Christ, whether in the state of Humiliation, or of Exaltation (for redemption we have by his Abasement, application of it by his Advancement ) are most rare, dear, precious, and glorious, as numbers of Rings filled with all manner of costly stones: they are acceptable and honorable before God and man. And like as great men are known by their Rings, and rich Jewels, so is Christ by his Saints, the work of his hands, Isa. 64.8.

His belly is as bright Ivory, overlaid with Sapphires] Heb. His bowels, in the dual; meaning his breast and belly, and there, the heart and lights, those seats of the will and affections; here, the liver, stomach, entrails, which serve for nutrition and generation. By all this we may well understand Christ's inward affections outwardly manifested. These are true and sincere, as bright and white Ivory; they are also hearty and heavenly as Sapphires: various also and manifold, sicut Sapphiri caeruleae sunt, His bowels yearn toward his afflicted people, his heart is turned within him, his repentings are kindled together, Hos. 11.8, so the Poet,

Vers. 15. His legs are as pillars of marble] A sign of Christ's firmness in his Kingdom, works, word, and government (saith a learned Expositor) and of his strength to trample upon his enemies, as also of his united power to accomplish the course of his three-fold office. Pillars both bear up the building, and beautify it: neither can anything be more sure and solid than these, if set upon a firm foundation. The Pillars here mentioned are said to be set upon fine gold, that is, upon a foundation both fine, and firm, for gold hardly rusteth or cankereth: whence it was (likely) that Tithonus and his Son Memnon, when they built the City of Susa in Persia, they joined the stones together with gold, as Cassiodorus writeth: Christ's power is founded upon his divine Nature; and this is the Rock upon which the Church is built, and whereby it is set in safety from all miseries and molestations satanical or secular. The gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. Christ and the Father are one; therefore none shall take her out of his hands. God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, even upon Immanuel the mighty strong God, as he is called, Isa. 9.6. declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Rom. 1.4. that your Faith and hope might be in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. Trust perfectly therefore to, or hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus: since he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, 1 Pet. 1.13. Heb. 7.25.

His countenance is as Lebanon] His aspect, his look or general view, i. e. Whatsoever of himself Christ is pleased to manifest and lay open unto us is pleasant and delightful, goodly and glorious, excellent and eximious, choice as the Cedars, that are chosen before other trees; and why, see the Note on chap. 1.17.

Vers. 16. His mouth is most sweet] Heb. His palate, (that is, his word and promises, which are as it were the breath of Christ's mouth) is all sweet. This she had celebrated before, verse. 13. but, as not satisfied therewith, she repeats it, and rolls it again as sugar under her tongue. She doubles this commendation, to show, that that is the chief lovely thing in Christ, his Word; this fruit she had found sweet unto her palate, chap. 2.3. and she spareth not to set it forth, as here, the second time, Mallemus carere, &c. We had rather be without Fire, Water, Bread, Sun, Air, &c. (saith a Dutch Divine) than that one sweet sentence of our blessed Savior, Come unto me all ye that are weary, &c.

Yea he is altogether lovely] Totus totus desiderabilis, wholly amiable: every whit of him to be desired. Moses thought him so, when he preferred the reproach of Christ, the worst part of him, the heaviest piece of his cross, before all the treasures in Egypt, that Magazine of the world, Heb. 11.26. Those of this world see no such excellency and desireableness in Christ, and his ways, ( Psal. 22.7.) nor can do, till soundly shaken, Hag. 2.7. I will shake all Nations, and then the desire of all Nations, that is Christ, shall come with stirring affections, saying, as Isa. 26.9. with my soul have I desired thee in the night: yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. Loe this is the voice of every true child of the Church; and these desires of the righteous shall be satisfied, Prov. 10.24.

This is my Beloved, &c.] q.d. You may see I have cause to seek after him; neither can you do better than to do likewise: howsoever, when you see him, do my errand to him, as verse. 7. And here we have most excellent Rhetoric, which in the beginning of a speech, requires 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , milder affections: in the end of it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , stronger passions, that may leaved deepest impressions.

CHAP. VI. Vers. 1. Whither is thy Beloved gone, &c?]

ALL Christ's Disciples are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , inquisitive after the truth that is in Jesus, Ephes. 4.21. and are fellow-helpers to it, John 3.8. There is also quid divinum in auscultatione, as one well noteth, that is, a strange and strong energy or forcibleness in hearing (whether publicly or in private conference) Christ and his excellencies displayed and discoursed of. Let but his name, as an ointment, be poured out, and the Virgins can do no less than love him. Cant. 1.3. These daughters of Jerusalem are by hearing the Church describing her Spouse, and painting him out in lively colors, fired up to an holy contention in godliness: and might they but know where to have him, they would be at any pains to partake of the benefit, 1 Tim. 6.2. They wondered at first why she should make such ado about Christ: But when they conversed a while with her, and had heard her speak with such affection and admiration, they are turned, and will now go seek him with her. God is pleased many times to water the holy meetings and conferences of his people with blessing, beyond expectation or belief. We should frame ourselves to an easy discourse of the glory of Christ's Kingdom, and talk of his power, Psal. 145.8, 9. Our tongues in this argument should be as the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 45.1. that we may be able to speak oft to one another, with profit and power in the best thing, Mal. 3.10. Little do we know what a deal of good may be done hereby. Mr. Fox speaking of God's little flock in the days of Henry the 8. saith, in such rarity of good books and want of teachers, this one thing I cannot but marvel and muse at; to note in the registers, and consider how the word of God did multiply so exceedingly amongst them. For I find that one neighbor resorting and conferring with another, eftsoons with a few words of their first or second talk did win and turn their minds to that wherein they desired to persuade them, touching the truth of God's Word and Sacraments, &c. In all ages such as were ordained to eternal life, believed. Acts 13.48. after that they had heard the Word of truth, they believed, and were sealed. Contrariwise reprobates either refuse to hear the Church preaching Christ, John 8.47. Of else they hear and jear, (as Pilate with his What's truth? in mere mockage, John 18.38.) hear and blaspheme, Acts 13.45. or, at best, hear and admire, and that's all: they leave the Word where they found it, for anything they will practice. They think they do a great chare to sit out a Sermon, and then commend it. But Wisdoms children will not only justify her, Mat. 11.19. but also glorify her, Acts 13.48. they will seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face evermore, Psal. 105.4. Seek him in his holy Temple, seek him in and with the Church, as here. They know that extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. in as much as by her ministry, the authority, dignity, knowledge, virtue, and use of the truth of the Gospel is preserved in the world, and held out, Philip. 2.16. as the hand holds forth the torch, or the watch-tower the light, and so the haven, to the weather-beaten Mariners.

That we may seek him with thee] For he is not like to seek long that seeks alone; there being a notable tie to constancy in the Communion of Saints. Surely as sincerity is the life of Religion: so society is the life of sincerity. The Philippians had no sooner received the Gospel, but they were in fellowship, to a day, Phil. 1.5.

Vers. 2. My Beloved is gone down into his garden] Now she can tell where Christ is, and inform others: who before was to seek of him, and sought information from others. Post tenebras lux, is the Churches Motto. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord shall give me light: he will with the temptation give the issue, a way to get out of it, as the Moon wades out of a cloud, as the Seed gets up from under a clod. And see how forward she is to communicate: her friends shall know all that she can tell them. There is no envy in Spiritual things, because they may be divided in solidum: one may have as much as another, and all alike: Yea, God's people know, that the manifestation of the Spirit is given them to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12.7. and that it is not pouring out, but want of pouring out, that dries up the streams of grace, as that of oil, 2 Kings 4.6. What is meant by Christ's garden, see chap. 4.17. with the Note: He is said to go down to it, in allusion to the situation of Jerusalem, which was on an hill: their gardens being below in the fruitful valleys. Christ came down to his Church: he descended into the lower parts of the earth, that is, into his mothers womb, Eph. 4.9. with Psal. 139.15. yea, he emptied himself of all his excellencies, and took upon him the form of a servant, yea, of an evil servant that was to be beaten. Yea more, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, Phil. 2.9. Oh humble Savior, whether wilt thou descend? Facinus vincire civem Romanum, It was much for the Son of God to be bound, more to be beaten, most of all to be slain, Quid dicam in crucem toll • , &c? well might the Apostle say, He humbled himself.

To the beds of spices] i. e. To the particular Churches, or to the companies of Believers: these beds, or rouse of renewed souls, Christ, as a good Gardener, treadeth out, soweth, planteth, watereth, fenceth, filleth with sundry gifts and graces.

To feed in the Gardens, and to gather Lilies] Like as men go to their Gardens, either to make merry (as we say) or to gather fruits. So Christ here, either to eat his pleasant fruits, Cant. 4.16. his people's holy performances, better to him than any Ambrosia: and then to gather his Lilies, to transplant them into heaven. Pascitur Christus, quando suorum virtutes videt (saith one) Lilia decerpit, quando optimum quemque ex hac vita traducit. Christ feedeth in the Gardens, when he beholdeth the virtues of his people: he gathereth Lilies, when he translateth good souls into his Kingdom above.

Verse 3. I am my Beloveds, &c.] Or, I am for my Beloved, and he is for me, i. e. for me only: he resteth in his love, and I in mine, we will seek no further. And here her faith reviveth, who in her late temptation, and desertion, was in a mist, and could not read her own graces. (See the Note on chap. 2.16.) It reviveth, I say, and fetcheth out Christ that had hid himself, as that brave woman did, Mark 7.24, 25.

Vers. 4. Thou art beautiful, O my Love, as Tirzah] A most neat and elegant City, where the Kings of Israel kept their Courts. A place of pleasure it was, as the very name imports: hence the Greeks translate it here, Good pleasure, like as the Italians call a City of theirs, Placenza. Of the Churches exquisite beauty much hath been said before: let it ever be remembered, that all her beauty is but borrowed, Ezek. 16.14. Uxor fulget radiis mariti, as they say in the Civil Law. Isaac, when he was to marry Rebecca, sent her jewels aforehand; that having them she might be more lovely in his eye: So doth Christ the Spirit of faith, and other graces (besides the imputation of his own perfect righteousness) that he may delight in his Spouse. And albeit she had so discourteously dealt with him, as chap. 5.3. and thereupon he had stepped aside for a while: yet, that she might know that he was still the same, without shadow of change, and that he hated putting away, Mal. 2.16. meeting her again, he doth marvelously commend her, that is, his own graces in her, and all is as well as ever betwixt them. Homo agnoscit, Deus ignoscit: it is but acknowledging the debt, and Christ will soon cross the book, and cancel the hand-writing, Col. 2.14. Quem poenitet peccasse, pene est innocens. Repent, and the amends is made▪ Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.

Comely as Jerusalem] That City of the great King, great among the Nations, and Princess among the Provinces, Lam. 1.1. the glory of the whole earth, urbium totius Orientis clarissima, saith Pliny, the most famous of all the Cities of the East, Orbis totius lumen, as another calls it: yea, an earthly paradise, (as Josephus) soli coelique fertilitate omnes civitates superans, a City compact together, Psal. 122.3. The Church is all this in Christ's esteem: and though the least, yet not the least among the Princes of Judah, as it is said of Bethlehem in a different respect, Mic. 5.2. Mat. 2.6.

Terrible as an army with banners] i. e. Of invincible faith, and Spiritual courage: terrible also and full of majesty, either to draw hearts, or to daunt them; as Nazianzen saith of Athanasius, that he was Magnes, & Adamas, a Loadstone in his sweet gentle drawing nature: and yet an Adamant in his resolute stout carriage against those that were evil, and erroneous. How terrible were the Israelites encamped and bannered in the wilderness unto the Moabites, Canaanites, &c? And the like may be said of the Hussites in Bohemia (when all Germany were up in arms against them, and worsted by them:) of the Britain's under the conduct of Germanus, fighting against a mighty army of Pelagian Picts and Saxons in this Kingdom, and prevailing only by the three times pronouncing the word Hallelujah. Of the Protestants in France at the siege of Mountalban, where the people of God using daily humiliation, immediately before their sallying forth sang a Psalm, which when the enemy heard, they would so quake and tremble, crying, They come, they come, as though the wrath of God had been rushing out upon them. God is both Van and Rear in the Churches Army, Isa. 52.12. The Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rearward: Even he that is the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, Nehem. 9.32. So that although, Loricatus incedat Satan, & cataphractus, as Luther hath it, Satan muster up all his forces, Tyrants, Heretics, &c. that invade the Church, and assault her on all sides; yet they shall find her invincible: Oppugnatur, sed non expugnatur. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel say, yet they have not prevailed against me, Psal. 129.1, 2. Populus Rom. saepe prae • io victus, nunquam bello, saith Florus. The people of Rome lost many battles, but were never overcome in a set war, at the long run they crushed all their enemies. So the Church: Nay, it may be truly affirmed of her, that she conquereth, even then, when she is conquered; as Christ overcame as well by patience, as by power. So that more truly it may be written upon her gates, that is at this day upon the gates of Venice, Intacta manet, because it was never yet subdued by any enemy.

Vers. 5. Turn away thine eyes from me] Or, Turn thine eyes right upon me, so verse. 13. he calls Return, return, O Shulamite, &c. And then the sense is, Look up unto me by Faith. Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth, Isa. 45.22. See chap. 31.1. & 42.18. But to keep to our Translation. Christ had before confessed himself ravished with one of her eyes; and here he saith the same in effect. Stupenda sane dignatio, a wonderful condescension. We use to say, Majesty and love cannot meet, or cohabit: because love is the abasing of the soul to all services. But it is otherwise in Christ: Majesty and Love (even unto ravishment) meet in his holy heart. If the Church be sick of love toward him, he would she should know, that he is overcome with love towards her; and that there is no love lost betwixt them.

Thy hair is as a flock of Goats, &c.] Grazing upon, and gazing from Gilead, q. d. I like thee as well as ever I did, thy late relapse notwithstanding: for I find thee more humble, watchful, thankful for a Savior, merciful to others, desirous of the state of perfection, &c. And as a limb once broke, and well set again, knits and grows stronger there, than in any other place: so by thy late falling in some sort from me, I find thee more firmly fastened unto me; Thus God changeth (saith one) out griesly wounds into beauty-spots; and maketh the horrible sting of Satan, to be a pearl-pin to pin upon us the long white Robe of Christ, and to dress us with the garment of gladness. See chap. 4.1, 2, &c. And observe here an addition of some other parts described, and a more full description of some of the former: to show, that his love was no whit diminished, but rather increased. Something it was surely that made Mr. Fox, the Martyrologue say, that he got by his infirmities, and lost by his graces.

Vers. 6, 7, Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep, &c.] See verse. 4, & 5. chap. 4.2. with the Notes there.

Vers. 8. There are threescore Queens, and fourscore, &c.] Or, as some read it, hypothetically, Be there sixty Queens, and eighty Concubines (which were secondary wives, usurary the Lawyers call them, that had right to the bed, but no rule in the family) and Virgins, or waiting Gentlewomen without number; although there be of other sorts never so many, yet My Dove (albeit but one ) is an only one, and beloved accordingly; see Jer. 31.20. For the allegory here; some go one way to work, some another. Let there be never so great a number (saith one) of Peoples and Nations, of Churches and Assemblies, which challenge my name, and love, and perhaps by their outward prosperities may seem to plead much interest in me, and much worth in themselves; yet My Dove, &c. Others think, that by Queens are meant, true Believers, by Concubines, Hypocrites, and formal professors, and by Virgins, profane persons, that have not yet so much as a form of godliness. The first are the fewest, and the last are the greatest number. Lastly, There are that make Queens, Concubines, and Virgins, to signify three several sorts or degrees of true Christians in the Catholic Church, which yet is but one. Some have made but small progress in piety; these are compared to Virgins, and are the far greater in number. Some are got further onward, and are of better proof; these are like Concubines, and do exceed the Queens in number; quo enim perfectiores, eo pauciores. Some again are eminent and eximious Christians; these are Queens, and have more close communion with Christ: and to this highest degree we must all aspire and endeavor, striving to perfection. Nature, Art, Grace, do all proceed from less perfect to more perfect. We read in Scripture of a Christians conception, Gal. 4.19. birth, 1 Pet. 1.23. & 2.2. child-hood, 1 Cor. 3.1, 2. 1 John 2.13. youth or well-grown age, Ephes. 4.13. old age, Act. 21.15. M • ason was a gray-headed experienced Christian, a Father, 1 John 2.13. All must exact of themselves a daily growth, and be still bringing forth fruit in their old age, Psal. 92.13, 14. so shall the King take pleasure still in their beauty: so shall he one day set them upon his right hand, (as place of dignity and safety) in gold of Ophir, Psal. 45.9, 11.

Vers. 19. My Dove, mine undefiled is but one] For though all the forenamed may be called Spouses; yet they all make but One. He that hath the Bride (not Brides) is the Bridegroom, saith the Baptist. And this is a great Mystery (saith Paul ) but I speak concerning Christ and the Church, not Churches, Ephes. 5.32. Una Ecclesia, quia ex una fide, per unum spiritum nascitur, saith Epiphanius, Beware therefore of the concision, Phil. 3.2. that is, of those that make divisions, and cut the Church in minutula frustula (as Austin saith of the Donatists ) into little pieces, and sucking Congregations, making separations. Peter himself was blamed for this, and others branded for profligate professors, Jude 19. These are they that separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit. The Primitive Christians were famous for their unity, animo animaque inter se miscebantur, saith Tertullian. The very Heathens acknowledged that no people in the world did hold together, and love one another, so as Christians did. As the curtains of the Tabernacles were joined by loops, so were they by love. And as the stones of the Temple were so close cemented together, that they seemed to be all but one stone: so was it among them. Neither need we wonder, since Christ's Dove is but one; neither is there any such oneness or entireness anywhere, as amongst the Saints. Other Societies are but as the Clay in the toes of Nebuchadnezzar's Image: they may cleave together, but not incorporate one into another.

She is the only one of her Mother] i. e. Of the world, say some, of the flesh, say others: but they say best that expound it of Jerusalem, that is above, the Mother of us all. Epiphanius makes Faith and Religion the Mother of the Church.

The Daughters saw her, and blessed her] i. e. Called and counted her blessed above all other people. Happy art thou O Israel Who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord, &c? Deut. 33.29. And yet at that time, they seemed to be nothing so happy as the Moabites, Edomites, &c. as being in a very unsettled condition in the wilderness. So David, What one Nation in the earth is like thy people, like Israel? 2 Sam. 7.23. O blessed is the people whose God is the Lord! Psal. 144.15. Est Ecclesiae Scoticanae privilegium rarum prae multis, inquo ejus nomen apud caeteros fuit celebre, &c. It is the singular privilege of the Church of Scotland, and they are deservedly famous for it, that for this fourscore years and upwards, they have kept an unity, together with purity of Doctrine, without heresy, or so much as schism. This the daughters (other Christian reformed Churches) have seen, and blessed her: yea, the Queens and Concubines, and they praised her.

Vers. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning] This is the commendation that the Queens and Concubines give her: and it is expressed by way of question: not because they doubted, but for that they admired her excellency. See the like, Psal. 77.13. Mic. 7.17. First, the Church is compared to the morning, which hath no full light, but mixed: so that light seems to strive with darkness. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, Isa. 58.8. The Hebrew word here used hath its name from blackness or dimness. Next she is said to be fair as the Moon, which is called here Lebanah, ab albedine, from her whiteness, or bright shining. In her full the Moon is a very beautiful and fair creature: And even in her Eclipse, though she appear dark toward the earth, yet is she bright and radiant in that part which looketh toward heaven: So is the Church. The Papists would have this Moon always in the full: And if she show but little light to us, or be eclipsed, they will not yield she is the Moon. And yet (except in the Eclipse) Astronomers demonstrate that the Moon hath at all times as much light, as in the full: but oftentimes a great part of the bright side is turned to heaven, and a lesser part to the earth: And so the Church is ever conspicuous to God's eye, though it appear not always so to us. The Church waxeth and waneth as the Moon, non nunquam etiam in debquio est & aspici non potest: adeo exiguns numerus fidelium aliquando apparet. Elias complained of his aloneness. Christ, when he came, scarce found faith upon the earth. Papists themselves yield, that there was but Mary, and some few others, that looked for the consolation of Israel. Christ came to his own, and his own received him not, John 1.11. he wondered at one good Nathaniel, and sets him forth with an Ecce admirantis. Behold an Israelite indeed. The mad multitude cried Crucifige with one consent. The whole world went wondering after the Beast; Revel. 13. • , 4. Of Luther it is said, Iste vir • o • iu • orbis impetum sustinuit, that he had all the world against him, as once Athanasius had. Latimer saw so few good in his time, that he thought the last day had been come. Our Savior foretold that toward that day, the love of many should wax cold, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Lo it is but a He, a single man (a very few) that holdeth out, in comparison of the many Apostates, that fall from their own stedfastness. Here then falls to the ground that Popish and sottish mark of the true Church, Universality and visibility. We deny not, that the Church is a multitude of Believers, and a Catholic company, to the which we must join ourselves: but that she is always visible and aspectable, as a City on an hill, as the Sun in heaven, can never be proved. As the Moon, she hath her wa • es, and non-appearances: and when at the very brightest and broadest, she may be m ••• led up, and overcast with a cloud of persecution. Such was the paucity and obscurity of Christians in the Arian times, that Basil cries out, An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus? Hath the Lord utterly left his Churches, &c? The Ship of the Church was then almost overwhelmed, saith Jerome. The Church was not then to be sought intectis & ex • eriori pomp▪ in places and external pomp, but in dens, mines, and prisons, saith Hillary. God hath set the Moon lowest in the heavens, and nearest the earth, that it might daily put us in mind of the constancy of the one, and inconstancy of the other; herself in some sort partaking of both.

Clear as the Sun] As having put on Christ that Sun of Righteousness, Gal. 3.27. Mal. 4.2. Rev. 12.1. The Sun is so glorious a creature, that the Heathens over-admiring it, deified it: and from the Hebrew word Chammah here used, called it Jupiter Hammon. The Greeks called it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from gnelion the most high God. Eudoxes said, that he was made for no other purpose but to behold it: and that he could be content to be presently burnt up by the heat of the Sun, so he might be admitted to come so near it, as to learn the nature of it. Chrysostom cannot but wonder, that whereas all fire naturally tends upwards, the Sun should shoot down his rays to the earth, and send his light abroad all below him. Christ (the Father of lights ) doth the like for his Spouses, Jam. 1.17. And as the Pearl by the often beating of the Sun-beams upon it, becomes radiant and orient as the Sun itself: So doth the Church, and shall do much more when she shall appear with him in glory. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their father. Mat. 13.43. The Sun in his strength, compared to them, shall be but as a clod of clay, or as those things that shine in the dark, but it is only from their rottenness. Three glimpses of this surpassing glory expected by the Saints, were seen in Moses his face when he came from the Mount, in Christ's transfiguration, (when his face did shine as the Sun, his raiment was white and glistering, so as no fuller can white them ) and in St. Stevens countenance when he stood before the Council. It should suffice for the present that the Church looketh for (or is looked for, so some render this Text) at first, as the morning, somewhat dark and duskish: She shall be fair as the Moon, at least, in regard of Sanctification: and for Justification, she is clear as the Sun, so that God seeth no sin in her; or if he do, yet (as the Sun) he blots out the thick cloud as well as the cloud, the thickest mist as well as the thinnest vapor, Isa. 44.12. And therefore to the Devil and his Angels she must needs be terrible as an Army with Banners: because, as she marcheth under the banner of Christ's mercy and love, chap. 2.4. so the weapons of her warfare are not carnal but mighty through God, &c. and do strike as great a terror into her enemies, as once Christ did into those ruffian soldiers that came to apprehend him; or as Basil did into Valens the Emperor, that came to disturb him when he was in holy exercises. See the Note on v. 4. of this chapter.

Vers. 11. I went down into the garden of Nuts] Or, Nutmegs, Tremellius and those that follow him, render it the well-dressed or pruned Gardens: These are the particular Churches, and several Saints; Christ's mystical and spiritual garden, that need much pruning and trimming. Of all possessions, Nulla majorem operam requirit, saith Cato, none requireth so much pains to be taken with it as a Garden or Orchard. Corn comes up and grows alone: ripeneth and cometh to perfection, the husbandman sleeping and waking, &c. ( Mark 3.) he knows not how. But Gardens must be dressed, trimmed, pruned, pared almost every day, or else all will be out of order. Christ therefore as a careful Gardener, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Putat, purgat, amputat, weeds, lops, prunes his garden, John 15.2. Be careful therefore (saith a Worthy Divine) Christ walks in his Garden, spies how many raw, unripe, indigested prayers, &c. hang on such a branch: What gum of pride, what leaves or luxuriant sprigs and rotten boughs there are; and with his pruning-knife cuts and slashes where he sees things amiss, &c. Thus he. Neither may we think that Christ doth this or any of this in ill-will, but out of singular love and faithfulness to our souls, which else would soon be woefully over-grown with the weeds of wickedness, as a neglected garden. The wicked, God never meddleth with (as I may so say) till he come with his ax to hew them down to the fire: because he finds them incorrigible. Let him alone, faith God concerning Ephraim; And, why should ye be smitten anymore, since ye revolt more and more? They have a great deal of freedom for present: but the end is utter extirpation. Non surget hic afflictio, Nehem. 1.9. they shall totally and finally be consumed at once.

To see the fruits of the valley] Green valley-plants: that is, the humble spirits which tremble at God's Word, and present him with the first ripe fruits, which his soul desireth, Mic. 7.1.

And to see whether the Vine flourished] These Vines and Pomegranates are the faithful: who are compared to th • se trees, for the plenty and sweetness of their fruits. Christ came to see whether the former were flowring, and the latter budding; to see if there were any hopes of ripe fruit in due time: for he liketh not those out-landish plants, that every year bud and blossom, but never bring any fruit to its perfection. No: when he hath done all that can be done for his Vineyard, he looks for fruit, Isa. 5.2. Matth. 21.34. For who, saith he, planteth a Vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Danda igitur est opera ut hujus agricolae votis respondeamus. Answer Christ's expectation, or else he will lay down his Basket, and take up his Axe, Luk. 13.7.

Vers. 12. Or ever I was aware, my soul, &c.] Heb. I knew not. So Christ speaketh after the manner of men: And it is as if he should say, I could not conceive that my people were in so good a forwardness, as indeed I found them; for they have over and above answered mine expectation, being full of goodness, as those believing Romans, chap. 15.14. filled with all knowledge, and always abounding in the work of the Lord; from whom therefore they shall be sure to receive a full reward, 2 John 8. Or thus; I know not, that is, I perceived not, that the Vines flourished, the Pomegranates budded, that all was ripe and ready; therefore I withdrew myself for a season, O my Spouse: And therein I dealt with thee no otherwise, than as good Gardiners and Vinedressers do; who coming (perhaps before the time of fruit) to look for fruit, and finding none, depart for present, till a more convenient season. But that thou mayest know my dear love and tender care of thy comfort, behold my haste to call thee to thy former feelings again: for dicto citius, my soul set me on the Charrets of Amminadib, who may seem to be some famous Charret-driver of Solomon's, that could out-drive all the rest. There is another sense given of these words, and perhaps a better. For by some, these are thought to be the words of the Church confessing her ignorance: I knew not, Lord, saith she, that thou wast gone down into the Garden to do those things. I thought rather that thou hadst departed in great anger against me for my negligence; and therefore I sought thee carefully, I made out after thee with all my might; my soul made me like the Charrets of Amminadib; Amor addidit alas, I drove furiously, till I had found thee: I was like unto those two women in Zacharias, that had wings, and wind in their wings, chap. 5.9. This was well; that missing her Spouse, she followed so hard after him, Psal. 63.8. My soul cleaveth after thee, saith David, thereby showing his love, constancy, and humility. But then that was not so well: that she so far mistook Christ, as to think that he went away from her, in deep displeasure, and kept away from her, as loathing her company: Such hard conceits of Christ, and heavy conceits we are apt to have of ourselves, as if he had forsaken us, because we cannot presently find him (when as he is only gone down in his Garden to prune it, or to see how things thrive there) as it he had cast off the care of us; because, finding us too light, he make us heavy (as there is need) with manifold temptations, 1 Pet. 1.6. We are therefore judged of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. He leaves us on the other side the style (as Fathers sometimes do their children) and then helps us over, when we cry. To say God hath cast us off, because he hath hid his face, is a fallacy fetched out of the Devils Topics. Non est argumentum aversi Dei quemadmodum diabolus interpretatu • , sed potius paternae ipsius benevolentiae, saith learned Lavater. It is not an argument of God's wrath and displeasure, as the Devil would make it, but rather of his fatherly love and affection, he hides his love, as Joseph did, out of increasement of love. And yet how apt are we to say in this case, with those male-contents in Malachi, In quo dilexisti nos? Wherein hast thou loved us? and with those Israelites in the Wilderness, Is God amongst us? as if that could not be, and they athirst. O my Lord, said Gideon, If the Lord be with us, why then is all this evil befallen us? And, Lord God, (said Abraham, when he had received many gracious promises) What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless? Gen. 15.1, 2. We see then how ready the best of us are to cast the helve after the hatchet, as they say; and, like little children, because we may not have what we would, sullenly to say, God loves us not, and we will not have what he thinks good to give unto us. My soul refused comfort, saith he, Psal. 77.2. And I said, my hope and my strength is perished from the Lord, remembering mine afflictions, and my misery, the wormwood and the gall: This our folly and fault we must confess to Christ, as the Church here doth; and beseech him, by his Spirit, to teach us better things; that we may not mistake the cause of our calamities, and make them heavier than God meant them, by our frowardness and impatience: Pondus ipsa jactatione incommodius fit, saith Seneca.

Vers. 13. Return, return, O Shulamite] The Church is so called of her peace and perfection with God in Christ. Brightman gathers from this word, that the Church of the Jews in special is meant, (the Church in general being usually before signified by the daughters of Jerusalem ) and applies it to the recalling of the Jews, according to Rom. 11.25, &c. which is yet to be fulfilled. Solomon's wife, saith another, was after his name called the Shulamite, according to Isa. 4.1. And as Christ in this Book is named Solomon, so the Church is called Shulamite, to show the communion that she hath with him: and therefore also the forming of the Hebrew word is rather passive than active. That which she is again and again called upon to do, is, to return. It seems she had so posted apace after Christ (as on swift chariots, verse. 12.) that she had gone quite beyond him. He therefore as it were by houting and shouting to her, calls her back. How easily we overshoot and run into extremes, may be seen in Peter, John 13.9. and the Galatians, chap. 4. It is best to hold the golden mean. Howbeit, as in falling forward, is nothing so much danger as backward: so he that is earnest in good, though he may over do and carry some things indiscreetly: yet is he far better than a lusk, or Apostate; especially if he afterwards return, and discern, and hearken to better counsel. But some are so set upon it, that (like a man that is running a race) though you give them never so good advice, they will not stay to hear it. Of these the Proverb is verified, He that hasteth with his feet, sinneth, Prov. 19.2. See the Note there.

That we may look upon thee] Or, contemplate thee with complacency and delight. This is the speech of the Bridegroom and his friends. The Church though in her fright and grief for want of her Beloved, though unveyled and evil-entreated by the Watch-men, &c. and so not so sightly as at some other times, yet wanted not that beauty that made her desirable: like as some faces appear most oriently beautiful when they are most instampt with sorrow: and as the sky is most clear after a storm.

What will ye see in the Shulamite? as it were the company of two Armies] Ready to join battle, or maintaining Civil War within her: for in the Christian conflict, the very same faculties are opposed; because in every faculty the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other: These maintain civil broils within the Shulamite, (as the two Babes did in Rebecca's womb) so that she cannot do what she would. And this the Apostle spake by woeful experience, as appears, Rom. 7.21. & 15. Something lay at the fountain head, and stopped it. There is a continual contest with spiritual wickednesses about heavenly privileges. Eph. 6.12. Put fire and water together, there is no quiet, till one of them get the victory. So in sicknesses: Let a man have a strong disease and a strong body, he shall never have any rest, as long as they both continue in their strength. When Christ was born, all Jerusalem was troubled. When Paul came to Ephesus, there arose no small stir about that way, Acts 19.23. So when grace is wrought once, there's somewhat to do within; though till then all was jolly, quiet. When cold Salt-Peter and hot Brimstone meet, they make a great noise: so do the flesh and spirit in their skirmishes and encounters. Now these two duellars meet and fight in every faculty of the soul; as hot and cold do in luke-warm water; as light and darkness meet in the morning light; or as wine and water in a cup mixed of both. In the wicked one faculty may, and sometimes doth oppose another: as sensual appetite may resist natural reason, &c. But in such as are sanctified, the understanding is against the understanding, the will against the will, &c. as the sick patient both wills and nills, those physical slibber-sauces. But Satan is not so divided against himself, Luke 11.18. No more is the flesh. It is in the Shulamite only, and in every part of her, that this conflict is found: which maketh her cry out with Rebecca sometimes, If it be so, Why am I thus? and with Paul, Wretched creature that I am, &c.

CHAP. VII. Vers. 1. How beautiful are thy • eet with shoes, &c.]

BEfore he had described her from head to foot, now back again, from foot to head; taking in ten parts of his Spouse, concerning whom (such was his love) he thought he could never say sufficient: He begins at the lowest and most abject part, the feet, not without admiration of them. O quam pulchri sunt pedes tui! O how beautiful are thy feet with shoes, &c! A temporal calling honors our profession: so some understand it. Others make the meaning to be, the Churches being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; ready pressed to run with patience the race that is set before her; To run, is active, to run with patience, is passive. This Princes daughter, ( Atalanta -like) can only skill of this running with patience: as being shod with Tachash-skin, Ezek. 16.10. (bestowed upon her by her Spouse, as a love-token) that is, with sound affections, and holy actions. Whereas wicked men are carried captive by the devil, (as the Egyptians once were by the Assyrians, Isa. 20.4.) naked and bare-foot, and so perish from the way, Psal. 2.12.

O Princes daughter] Thou that hast him for thy father, in whose hands are all the corners of the earth, and is supreme King of the Universe. This is such a privilege and preferment, as St. John stands amazed at, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold, saith he, qualem & quantum, what manner of love the Father hath shown unto us, that we should be called the sons and daughters of God Almighty, 2 Cor. 6.18. All privileges are summed up in this, and John 1.12. it is called a power or prerogative royal: it is to be of the blood Royal of heaven: It is to be an heir of God, and coheir with Christ. Kings can make their first-born only heirs, as Jehoshaphat, 2. Chron. 21.3. But all God's children are first-born, and so, higher than the Kings of the earth, Psal. 89.27.

The joints of thy thighs are like jewels, &c.] i. e. Thy loins are compassed with the girdle of truth: for so some render it, The compassing of thy thighs or loins. And here, if ever, ungirt, unblest. Gird up therefore the loins of your minds, 1 Pet. 1.13. gird yourselves and serve God, Luk. 17.8. Girding implies readiness, nimbleness, handiness, handsomeness. A loose, discinct, and diffluent mind, is unfit for holy actions.

Vers. 2. Thy navel is like a round goblet, &c.] There be that expound this text of the two Sacraments. The navel is Baptism that nourisheth new-born babes in the womb of the Church. See hence the use of it, even to Infants; who can receive nourishment by the navel, though they can neither take nor chew, nor suck meat with hand or mouth. Note this against Anabaptists (saith Mr. Cotton upon these words) this navel never wants liquor: there is a continual matter of instruction and comfort to be fetched from Baptism against all temptations. A Christian (saith Chrysostom ) should never step out of doors, or lie down in his bed, or go into his closet, but he should remember that word, Abrenuncio, I forsake the devil and all his works, &c. Luther tells of a certain holy virgin, that used to quench the Devils fiery darts with the water of Baptism: For as often as she was tempted to do anything not beseeming her profession, she would resist the devil, steadfast in the faith, and stop his mouth with this short, but full answer, Christiana sum, I am a Christian, I have been Baptized into the death of Christ, I have also put on Christ by Baptism, I am a votary, the vows of God are upon me, &c. But what an horrible shame is that to the Papists, and what a sore stumbling-block must it needs be to the poor Jews that live amongst them, that in Rome a Jewish maid may not be admitted into the stews of whoredom, unless she will be first baptized? This is related and bewailed by Espencaeus a moderate Papist.

Thy belly is like an heap of wheat, set about with Lilies] Some understand hereby that other Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, called an heap of wheat, for its store of excellent nourishment: and said to be set about with lilies, that is, with Christians, white and of holy conversation. Basil calls such, stars of the world, and flowers of the Churches. Chrysostom calls them earthly Angels: and saith, that they were Puriores coelo, purer than the heaven in their common conversation: but especially when they came to the Lord's table, that dreadfultable, as he calleth it; whereunto all must come with the best preparation they can make, wash and be clean, wash their hands in innocence before they compass God's Altar: wash their hearts, Jer. 4.14. their feet, John 13.10. He that is washed (sc. for the outside) needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. An allusion to those, that having bathed their bodies, foul their feet by going out of the Bath, and so are fain to wash them again. The inwards and the feet in a sacrifice were to be washed above the rest, because the entrails contain the excrements, and the legs tread in the dirt. The soul is apt to gather soil by meddling with earthly things, though lawful: how much more to be defiled with the soot of sin, as if she had lain among the pots? All Christ's Nazarites, his Votaries, must come to his feast purer than snow, whiter than milk, &c. Lam, 4.7. since at this Sacrament they do renew the Nuptials of Christ; and take a corporal oath to cleave close to him with full purpose of heart all the days of their lives. As for those that presume to come unpreparedly, that want their wedding garment, they are no otherwise bidden to the feast of the King, than Haman was to Queen Esther's. Sin brought to the Sacrament, petitions against a man, as Esther did against Haman at the banquer of wine; pick out that time, and he shall find God no less angry, than Haman did Ahasuerus. For this is that which the Lord hath said, I will be sanctified in all them that draw near unto me. Of communicants God seems to say, as Solomon did of Adonijah, If he show himself a worthy man, there, shall not one hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die, 1 King. 1.52.

Vers. 3. Thy two breasts are like two young roes] Fresh and lusty, even and equal. Understand the two Testaments; hereunto resembled for their perfect agreement, amiable proportion, and swift running all the world over in a short time. Eusebius saith, that the Doctrine of both Testaments was presently after our Savior's resurrection carried abroad into all countries as it were, upon Eagles wings. The like may be said of Luther and his Collegues in Germany at the first Reformation there, which, as lightning, was soon seen from one end of the heaven to the other. So mightily grew the Word of God, and prevailed, Act. 19.20. See the Notes on chap. 4.5.

Vers. 4. Thy neck is as a Tower of Ivory] Most smooth, white, and upright. Some do hereby understand Magistrates, that support the State, as the neck doth the head. I bear up the pillars of it, saith David. Others will have the Ministers meant, who being aloft in the Church, are to the same instead of watch-towers, or towers of defense. And especially then when they are in their pulpits (called towers in the Hebrew, Neh. 8.4.) reading and expounding God's law unto his people.

Thine eyes like the fish-pools in Heshbon] Glazed with tears of compunction and compassion ( Nam faciles motus men's generosa capit ) and well cleared to look into her own heart and life. Tears instead of gems, were the ornaments of David's bed, saith Chrysostom: And surely that sweet singer never sang more melodiously, than when his heart was broken most penitentially, Psal. 6. & 51. Thus birds in the spring sing most sweetly when it rains most sadly: and tears of true contrition are pillulae lucis, pills made on purpose to clear the eye-sight. When John wept, the sealed book was set open to him, Lilium lachryma sua seritur. Light is sown for the righteous.

Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon, &c.] Si verborum faciem consideremus, quid poterit magis dici ridiculum? saith Titleman upon the words. If we look upon the outside only of this text, what may seem to have been spoken more ridiculous? Is it so great a commendation to have a nose like a tower? That which we must here-hence learn, is, that seeing Christ is now risen again, and ascended up into heaven, we ought to bear our noses aloft, as it were: savouring things of the Spirit of Christ, discerning things that are excellent, and by a Spiritual sagacity, aspiring to eternity.

That looketh toward Damascus] The chief City of Syria, having its name from the bloody excursions of thieves, as Peter Martyr thinketh: or else, as others, from the blood of righteous Abel there spilled, whence the place was called Damsech, a bag of blood.

Vers. 5. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel] This head is Christ himself: for he is the sole head of his Church. God hath put all things under his feet (hence he is here compared to Carmel, because he is high over all) and given him to be head over all things, (that is, over all persons) in the Church, Ephes. 1.18, 22. Angels are under Christ as an head of government, of influence, of confirmation, not of redemption, as the Saints are. The Angels are great friends to the Church, but not members of it, Heb. 2.16. The Church, Christ sanctified and washed with his blood, Ephes. 5.26. Not so the Angels: He was but a poor patron of the Popes Head-ship, that said, (and as he thought, very wisely too) that he had read in some Vocabulary that Cephas signified an head; therefore Peter was head of the Church. But if that should have been granted him, yet it would not follow, that the Pope is therefore so too: For Belarmine (a better scholar by far) is forced to say, Forte non est de jure divino Rom: Pontificem Petro succedere, Perhaps it is not by any divine right, that the Pope succeedeth Peter. And again, Rom: Pontificem Petro succedere non habetur express in Scriptures, It is not expressly set down in the Scriptures, that the Pope succeedeth Peter.

And the hairs of thine head like purple] Which was the color of Kings and Princes. The Saints (called here the hair of the Churches head, for their number or multitude) are Princes in all lands, Psal. 45.16. yea, they are Kings in righteousness, as Melchizedek was a King, but somewhat obscure. Compare Mat. 13.17. with Luke 10.24. Many righteous (saith one) Many Kings (saith the other) have desired to see those things that ye see, &c.

The King is held in the galleries] i. e. There is no King in the world so great and glorious, but might find in his heart to be tied to these walks, and to be held prisoner in the sight of thee and thy bravery: Like as King James (coming first into the public Library at Oxford, and viewing the little chains wherewith each book there is tied to its place) wished, that if ever it were his destiny to be a prisoner, that Library might be his prison, those books his fellow-prisoners, those chains his fetters. Psal. 138.4, 5. & 119. 72. The Psalmist shows by prophesying, that even Kings, coming to taste the excellency of the comforts of godliness, and to feel the power of God's Word, should sing for joy of heart, and greatly acknowledge the excelling glory of Christ's Spouse the Church. See David's desire, Psal. 27.4. & 84. throughout. Constantine and Valentinian (two Emperors) called themselves Vasallos Christi (as Socrates reports) the Vassals of Christ: and Theodosius, another Emperor, professed, that it was more honor and comfort to him to be membrum Ecclesiae, quam caput Imperit, a member of the Church, than head of the Empire. Nay, Numa, second King of Rome (though but a Heathen) held it an higher honor to serve God, than to reign over men. Some Interpreters by the King here, understand Christ, coveting the Churches beauty, Psal. 45.12. and held fast bound unto her in the bands of pure affection, of spiritual wedlock.

Vers. 6. How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delight] Emphatica haec admodum sunt, cum toties exclamatio ponatur, saith one. This is a most Emphatical exclamation, proceeding from admiration; and importing, that all that he could say of her, was too little; Well might the Prophet say, As the Bridegroom rejoiceth over his Bride, so doth thy God over thee, Isa. 62.5. Hence he can make no end here of commending her: but, having finished one praise, he presently begins another. This yields infinite matter of comfort to the Saints, that Christ loves them so dearly, prizeth them so highly, praiseth them so heartily: Howbeit, let not them hereupon turn again to folly, Psal. 85.8. or give way to carnal security. Laetemur in domino, sed caveamus à recidivo. Argue not from mercy to liberty, (that's the Devils Logic) but from mercy to duty, as those good souls do, Ezra 9.13, 14. Having received such and such, both privative and positive favors, should we again break thy commandments? There is so much unthankfulness and dis-ingenuity in such an entertainment of mercy, that holy Ezra thinks heaven and earth would be ashamed of it; Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound, saith the Apostle, Rom. 6.1? And it is as if he should say, that were most unreasonable, and to a good heart, impossible. A man may as well say, the sea burns, or fire cools, as that assurance of Christ's love breeds careless and loose living: They that hold so, know not the compulsive power of Christ's love, 2 Cor. 5.14. nor what belongs to the life of God, Eph. 4.18.

Vers. 7. This thy feature is like to a palm-tree] This thy whole stature and feature of body (that hath been already pourtraied and described particularly and piece-meal) is like to a palm-tree, strong and straight, fresh and flourishing; so that thou mayest say with the palm in the Emblem, Nec premor, nec perimor. Pliny, Aristotle, Plutarch, and Gellius, have written of the palm-tree, that it is always green, bearing pleasant fruit: and that it will not bow downward or grow crooked, though heavy weights be hanged upon it. The Church is all this and more, ever green, even in the winter of affliction, when the oak loseth her leaves. (See the Note on chap. 1.16.) full of the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God, Phil. 1.11. (See the Notes on chap. 4.14. & 6.11.) Neither can she be long kept under by any pressure of persecution or heavy affliction: Premi potest, opprimi non potest. As Paul, when stoned, started up with Sic petitur coelum, Sic, Sic oportet intrare. Tyrants might curse the Saints (as he did that cried out to those ancient Confessors, O miseri, num vobis desunt restes & rupes? O wretches, cannot you hang or drown yourselves, but that I must be thus troubled with you to put you to death?) but crush them they never could. The valor of the patients, the savageness of the persecutors have striven together, till both exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers. Hence Trajan forbade Pliny to seek after Christians: But if any were brought to him, to punish them. Antoninus Pius set forth an Edict in Asia, that no Christian should be persecuted. For, said he, it is their joy to die, they are conquerors, and do overcome you, &c.

Trucidabantur & multiplicabantur, saith Augustine of the ancient Martyrs: they were Martyred, and yet they were multiplied. Plures efficimur quoties metimur, saith Tertullian, the more we are cropped, the more we are increased; as the Lily is increased by its own juice that flows from it. Hence, Rev. 7.9. the Saints, that by their victorious faith overcame the world, are brought in with palm-branches in their hands, in token of victory. Plutarch tells us, that the Babylonians made three hundred and sixty commodities of the palm-tree: and did therefore very highly honor it. The world hath a great deal of benefit by the Church, could they but see it. (For Abs{que} stationibus non staret mandus, were it not for the Saints, a short work would the Lord make upon the earth, and cut it short in righteousness, Rom. 9.28.) And great is the gain of godliness; even an hundred fold here, and life eternal hereafter. Who would not then turn spiritual merchant? who would not pass from strength to strength, and flourish in God's house like a palm-tree, till he attain to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ? Eph. 4.13.

And thy breasts to clusters of grapes] Not well-fashioned only, as Ezek. 16.7. but full-strutting with milk, yea, with wine, plenty and dainty, to lay hunger, and slake thirst, to nourish and cherish her children, even as the Lord doth the Church. Eph. 5.29. See the Note on chap. 4.5.

Vers. 8. I said, I will go up to the palm-tree, &c.] I said it, and I will do it: for Christi dicere est facere, together with Christ's word there goes forth a power, as it did, Luk. 5.17. David said he would confess his sins, and take heed to his ways, Psal. 32.5. & 39.1. and accordingly he did it. Shall Christ purpose and promise mercy to his people, and not perform it? Is he yea and nay? 2 Cor. 1.19. can he say and unsay? doth not the constant experience of all ages fully confute any such fond conceit of him? The Saints will not lie, Isa. 63.8. Christ cannot, Tit. 1.2. He will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips, Psal. 89.33. All his sayings are the issue of a most faithful and right will, void of all insincerity and falsehood. Now when Christ promiseth to climb his palm-tree, and to take hold of the boughs thereof, he meaneth, that he will dwell most familiarly with his Church, even in the branches thereof: pruning and trimming it, and accepting the fruits of his Spirit in his Spouse. Or thus, He will so join himself unto his Church, as he may cause her to be fruitful, he will lay hold on her boughs, which are very fit, and apt to climb; so covertly and elegantly noting the work of spiritual generation. The effect follows.

Now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine] Whatsoever they have been heretofore, now at this time, and forever hereafter they shall be delightful to me, and nourishable to thy children, who shall suck and be satisfied, Isa. 66.11. Albeit some Interpreters of good note conceive, that all this is nothing else but a figurative description of Christ's perfect conjunction with his Church in the Kingdom of heaven, and of the unspeakable pleasure which Christ will take in her forever.

And the smell of thy nose like apples] i. e. The breath that comes out of thy nostrils is sweet as spice-apples. The breath that the Church draweth into her lungs, and sends out again, is the spirit of grace: without which she can as little live, as we can without air. This sweet Spirit is the joy of her heart, and the breath of her nostrils: and thereby she draws many into her company. If that be true that one here noteth, that the fruit of the palm partaketh of the nature, both of the grape, having a sweet and pleasant juice, and of the apple, for pleasant meat, it may well signify, that the Word of God is both meat and drink to the soul.

Vers. 9. And the roof of thy mouth like the best vine] Her word and doctrine (for the palate is an instrument of speech) often before commended by Christ, and here again, like as she comes over it in him the second time, chap. 3.13.16. See the Note there. This he resembleth to the best, and most generous wine: Such the Word of God's grace is to those that have Spiritual palates, that do not carry fell in aure, their galles in their ears, (as some creatures are said to do) that have their ears healed, (as Demosthenes said of his Athenians ) and their inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil. The doctrine of the Church seems to some bitter and grievous: it goeth down like the waters of Marah, or that water that caused the curse in case of jealousy, Numb. 5. It becomes a savor of death unto him, as the viper is killed with palm-branches, and vultures with oil of roses. But this is merely their own fault; For doth not my Word do good to them that are good? saith the Lord, Micah 2.6. Excellently St. Austin, Adversarius est nobis, quamdin sumus & ipsi nobis: quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es, inimicum habebis sermonem Dei. God's Word is an enemy to none but to such as are enemies to themselves, and sinners against their own souls. This holy word in the mouths of God's Ministers is like Moses his rod; which, while held in his hand, flourished, and brought forth almonds: but being cast to the ground, it became a serpent. The application is easy. See the Note on chap. 1.2.

For my Beloved] These are Christ's words: but he speaks as if the Church spake; to show her great affection, that had dedicated all her good things to him. Some read it thus, which goeth straight to my well-beloved, q. d. It is such excellent wine as I would wish it, or send it even to the dearest and best friend I have, even to her that I love as myself, if not before myself. Or thus, which springs and sparkles in the cup.

Causing the lips of those that are a sleep to speak] Utterance is called a gift, and dumb Christians are blame-worthy as well as dumb Ministers. We should all strive to an holy ability and dexterity of savoury discourse. And for this end, the Word of Christ should dwell richly in us in all wisdom: our hearts should endite a good matter, that our tongues might be as the pen of a ready writer. Let there be a good treasure within in our hearts, and the law of kindness will soon be in our lips: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Graceless men are gagd by the devil, they cannot so much as lisp out one syllable of good language; if they attempt it, they show themselves but bunglers, and say Sibbolath for Shibboleth: you may soon see they speak by rote, and not by experience. But those that have well drunk of this wine of the Word, made effectual by the Spirit, talk lustily, yea, their tongues never lin talking and preaching forth the praises of him who hath drawn them out of darkness into his marvelous light: they speak as the Spirit gives them utterance. Those that were in a dead sleep of sin, are soon set a work to awake and sing, Isa. 26.19. This should stir us up to study the Word of God, and there-hence to learn language. The hundredth and nineteenth Psalm is by David set before it as a Poem of commendation, mentioning it in every verse, testimonies, laws, statutes, &c. Like as when a book is set forth, verses of commendation are oft prefixed. Such another, but far shorter is that, Psal. 19. verse. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The Holy Ghost doth so much the more highly there extol it, because men are wont to have it in very light account, and to hold it a disparagement, to be eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures.

Vers. 10. I am my Beloveds] I see I am so, saith the Spouse, by that ample commendation that he hath now again given me, notwithstanding all my former failings in duty towards him. There fall out some fallings out betwixt married couples sometimes; but then they fall in again: they cannot fadge together haply so well at first, but being well pieced again, they love better than before: So is it here, The sins we commit make no change in Christ, no substantial alteration. For, first, upon the same grounds he chose us, he loves us still: he chose us freely because he would; he chose us for his love, and loves us for his choice. Secondly, there is the same bent of mind and frame of heart towards him remains in us still. And therefore, as there is a transient act of sin passeth from us, so a transient act of chastisement for sin may pass from him. Christ looked upon Peter, after his denial, with the same familiarity as before. Jehoshuah the High Priest, though he were so ill clothed, and had Satan at his right hand to accuse him, yet he stood before the Angel, Zech. 3.1. Christ did not abhor his presence, nor reject his service. Ephraim repenting after his revolt, is re-entertained with all sweetness, Jer. 31.20. See the Note on chap. 2.16. & 6.3.

And his desire is towards me] His desirous affection, he loves me as passionately as any woman doth her dearest husband, Gen. 3.16. his love to me is wonderful, passing the love of women; His desire is so toward me, that as Livia, by obeying her husband Augustus, commanded him, and might have what she would of him: so may I of Christ. Compare Gen. 4.7. with Isa. 45.11. The Church here well understood the latitude of that royal charter: and makes it a prop to her Faith, and a pledge for her perseverance.

Vers. 11. Come my Beloved, let us go forth into the field] Being now fully assured of Christ's love, she falls a praying; she makes five requests unto him in a breath as it were. 1 That he would come. 2 Go forth with her into the field. 3 Lodge with her in the villages. 4 Get up early to the vineyards. 5 See if the vine flourish, pomegranates bud, &c. And further promiseth, that there she will give him her loves. Assurance of Christ's love is the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience, said Father Latimer. Now it were to be wished, that every good soul whiles it is banqueting with the Lord Christ by full assurance (as once Esther did with Ahasuerus ) would seasonably bethink itself what special requests it hath to make unto him, what Haman's to hang up, what sturdy lusts to subdue, what holy boons to beg, &c. How sure might they be to have what they would, even to the whole of his Kingdom! Suitours at Court observe their mollissima fandi Tempora, their fittest opportunities of speaking, and they speed accordingly. A Courtier gets more many times by one suit, than a trades-man can do with twenty years pains-taking: So a faithful prayer, made in a fit season, in a time when God may be found, (as David hath it) is very successful. Beggary here is the best trade, as one said; Common beggary is indeed the easiest and poorest trade: but prayer is the hardest and richest. The first thing that she here begs of him, is, that he would come, and that quickly: and this we all daily pray, Thy Kingdom come, both that of grace, and the other of glory. The Jews also, in their expectation of a Messiah, pray almost in every prayer they make, Thy Kingdom come, and that Bimherah Bejamenu, quickly, even in our days; that we may behold the King in his beauty. Let our hearts desire and prayer to God be for those poor seduced souls, that they may be saved: And the rather, because they have a zeal of God and his Kingdom, but not according to knowledge, Rom. 10.1, 2. As also, because their Progenitours prayed hard for us: and so some take it to be the sense of the Spouses second request here. Let us go forth into the field, that is, into the world, (for the field in the parable is the world, Mat. 13.38.) let us propagate the Gospel all abroad, and send forth such as may teach all nations, Mat. 28.19. and reveal the mystery that hath been kept secret since the world began, that obedience may be everywhere yielded to the faith. Rom. 16.25, 26.

Let us lodge in the villages] That is, in the particular Churches: for, vilissimus pagus, est palatium eburneum, in quo est Pastor & credentes aliqui, saith Luther: the poorest village is to Christ and his Spouse an ivory palace, if there be but in it a godly Minister, and some few believers. Melanchthon going once upon some great service for the Church of Christ, and having many fears of the good success of his business, was much cheered up and confirmed by a company of poor women and children, whom he found praying together for the laboring Church, and casting it by faith into Christ's everlasting arms.

Vers. 12. Let us get up early to the Vineyards] Heb. Let us morning it: Manicemus (that's Gellius his word) Let's up betime, and at it. Here she promiseth not to be found henceforth, unready, drowsy, sluggish: but night and day to watch and attend that hour, and to inquire and learn out all the signs and tokens when she may come to be perfectly knit to Christ. But it is worthy our observation, that she would neither go any way, or do anything without Christ's company: for she had lately felt the grief of being without him, though but for a small moment, as the Prophet hath it. She had felt herself that while in the suburbs of hell, as it were. She therefore holds him as fast as the restored cripple did Peter and John, Acts 3.11. she cleaves as close to him, as Ruth did to Naomi, or Elisha did to his master Elijah, when now he knew he should be taken from his head, 2 Kin. 2.2. She seems here to speak to Christ, as once Barach did to Deborah, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go. And whereas she seemeth (as the forwarder of the two) to excite and exhort Christ to get up early, to visit the Vines, &c. we may not imagine any unwillingness in him to the performance of his Office, as Shepherd and Bishop of our souls; or any need on his part to be quickened and counseled by her, (as Manoah was by his wife, or Aquila by Priscilla, whence she is set before him, Rom. 16.3.) for who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor, hath taught him? Isa. 40.13. But the Church requesteth these things of Christ for her own encouragement, and further benefit; that having his continual presence and fellowship, she may the more cheerfully and successfully go on with her duty. So when we press God with arguments in prayer, it is not so much to persuade him to help us, (for the Father himself loveth you, saith Christ, and needs no arguments 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to incite or entice him, to show us mercy) as to persuade our own hearts to more faith, love, humility, &c. that we may be in a capacity to receive that mercy, that of his own accord he hath for us; and even waits to confer upon us. Isa. 30.18. Look how a man that would make a bladder capacious to hold sweet spices, he blows it, and rubs it, and blows it, and rubs it many times over, to make it hold the more: so it is here. And as when a man that is in a ship plucks a rock, it seems as if he plucked the rock nearer the ship, when as in very deed, the ship is plucked nearer the rock: So when God's people think they draw God to them with their arguments, in truth they draw themselves nearer to God; who sometimes ascribeth that to us which is his own work, that we may abound more and more. Certum est nos facere quod facimus, sed ill facit ut faciamus: True it is, that we do what we do, but it is he that giveth us to do what we do in his service. The bowls of the Candle-stick had no oil, but that which dropped from the Olive-branches.

Whether the tender grape appear] Heb. open, and so prove itself to be a grape; which in the bud can hardly be discerned. True grace may be doubted of so long as it is small and feeble. Weak things are oft so obscured with their contraries, that it remaineth uncertain, whether they be or no. He that cried out, and that with tears, I believe, Lord help mine unbelief, (that is, my weak faith,) could not well tell whether he had any faith at all or not. Add growth to grace, and it will be out of question. Mean while that's a sweet promise, Isa. 44.3. I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy buds. And again, Isa. 65.8. Thus saith the Lord; As the new wine is found in the Cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants sake, that I may not destroy them all.