+ ileb. ty for + thy love 4d is better than wine e. . brves. - c Th: beginning of this Book is abrupr, and may ſeem diſorder. ly ; but 15,very ſuitable to, and uiual in Writings of this nature, wherein things are not related in an hiftorical and exquiſite order, bur that which was firſt done is brought in as it were accidentally after may other paſſages; as we ſee in Homer, and 77-gil, and in the Greek and Latine Comedians. Theſe are the words of the Spouſe, as all acknowledge, wh-rein ſhe breatheth forth her paſſionate Love to the Brid-oroom, whom ſhe doth not name bur only intimate by the Pronoun Relative,him, which is here put withour and for the antec-dent, as P/a. 87 1. & 114. 2. John 20.15, Which manner .of Expreſſion ſhe uſeth becauſe it was needleſs ro name him, as be- ing ſo well kno «n to the perſon, or perſons, to whom ſhe ſpeaks | and being the only perſon who was continually in her thoughts and 3 ſpeeches. By kiſs, which were the uſual tokens of Love and good- | will, the means noching elſe but the cemmunicatiens and maniſeſta. tions of his Love and Favour to her,as the following clauſe explains echishis Gr:ces and Comforrs breathed into her from the mouth and Spirir of Chriſt, 4 This ſudden change of the perſon is frequent, eſpecially in {ſuch pathetical! diſcourſes. Firſt ſhe ſpeaks of him as abſent, and ata drſtance,bur ſpeedily grows into more acquaintance with him,aad by ardenr deſire and faith,embraceth him as preſenr. e Than the moſt delicious meats or drinks,or than all ſenſual de- lights, this one kind being Synecdochically pur for all the reſt;as it is Eft.5. 6. Job 1. 13. Prov. 9.2. Ecel. 2. 3. :
3 Becauſe of the favour of thy good ointments f, thy name g is as ointment poured forth þ, therefore do the virgins 4 love thee.
f B-cauſe of thoſeexcellentGifts and Graces of Gods Spirit where. with rhou art repleniſh:d,and which flow from thee upon thy Mem- bers. g Either 1. Thou thy ſelf, Names being oft put for Perſons as Afts 1. 15. Rev. 3. 4. Or rather 2. Thy fame or report, the very mention of thee, and allthoſe things by whichthou makeſt thy {eif known to men,thy Word,and particularly thine offers and promiſes of Pardon and Salvation made to finners,and all thy works, both ordi- nary and miraculous.eſpecially that great work ofRedemption.bMofſt lovely-and acceptable,and refreſhing. ; Called the companions of the
' Bride, Pſa. 45.14. particular believers, who are called Yirgins, 2 Cor. b it. 2. Rev. 14. 4. who have their ſenſes exerciſed to perceive this JS ſweetneſs and fulneſs :of Chriſt.
=Foh.6.44. 4 * Draw me &, we 1 will run after thee m:the king *P[.45-14,*hath brought me o into his chambers p; we will be x 4 I5. ,,, and rejoice in thee q ; we will remember r thy love
lOr *”Y Lore than wine : || the upright love thee.
love thee k hy G d. holy Spirit effe&tual] lini
io btly- By thy Grace ang. hoy SPINE oh y enclining my Heart to WpY'g come unto thee, as this Phraſe implies, Jer: 31: 3: Hoſs x1: 4: Joh: 6: 44; 45+ As thoa haſt ourwardly-called and invited me, fg dg
1 2h;.h Chrift is Expreſly declared ts be the Bridegroom or Husband of his Church, as Mat. 9. 15. & in which preſly Rev. 19, ofa 2I, 2. © 22. 17. 4. That the 5 4th Plalm, which is a kindof abridg. ment of this Book, although it had its riſe from, or alludes to. the Marriage between Solomon and Pharaoah's Daughter, as written concerning the Meſſias, as all Interpreters, bath Ch riffian and Fewiſh agree, and concerning the myſfical | of which ſee My notes upon that Pſalm. might be ſuggeſted, and which will offer themſelves to our thoughts from ſeveral paſbages of it, it is ſufficiently manifef#, that the
: main ſcope and buſineſs of this Book is to deſcribe the mutual Love, Union and Communion which is between Chriſt and his Eburch in the various conditions to which it is liable in this World as in the ftate of Weakneſs, and Deſertion, and Perſecu. tionfrom fooliſh Shepherds, and thel;ke, Chap. 1. 6, 7. & 3. I, 2,34 Solomon doth bere wary bis Speech, ſometimes ſpeaking of the Church in general, as on Perſon or Body ; and ſemtimes of the particular Members of it, or of ſeveral Believers, both of ſuch as really and fincerely are ſo, or ſuch asProfeſs te be ſo,and of
And bence comes the difference of Perſons here mentioned, the Mother, or Spouſe, aud
the Children, er Daughters of Jeruſalem, Sixty queens, and Eighty Concubines, ſome that are Strangersto the Bridegroom, and Theſe things being premiſed will give great light to the ſeversl paſſages of this
LG LE $
and owns himſelf th: Husband vf his People, Ifa. 54 5. Hol. 2. 16, 19, 20. In which places, by comparing theſe with many other Texts of Scripture, by God, or the Lord is meant Chri#F, down, and ſince did come from Heaven to Earth, for the conſummation of that eternal projet of Marriage between God and
which alſo is fully confirmed by writings of the New Teftament which were deſigned for the Explication of the O[d,
the Second Perſon in the God-head, who then was to come
22. 2,
John 36s
Marrie
From theſe conſideratiens,and many others which
& 5. 2,7, &c. Mereover it is to be conſidered, that