Horſes were preferred before others, 1 King 10. 28. Iſa. 31 to and Pharaohs own Charior.Horſes were doubtleſs the beſt of their kind Or 2. Fr excellent order and uſefulneſs as thoſe Horſes did equally and orderly draw the Chariot, and carry Pharaoh with eiſe and ſpe:d whetber he deſigned to go» Or rather 3. Fo ſtrength anv courage, to overcome all thine En-mies. For Horſes are famous for that property, Job 39. 21, &c And the ſtrenigrh of
- the Batte] was then thought ro conſiſt very much in Horſes, Prov. 21. 31 and Chariors, ani eſpecially in a Company or Mulrirude of them. ' And the Church in this Book is repreſcnted not only as fair and beautiful, but alſo as teyr:ble ro her enemies, Cant. 6 10. Comes pare Rev. 19. 11, 14. ' |
xs *Thy checks are comely with rows of jewels «, thy
vs Which being faſtened to the Heads of Brides,uſed to hang down upon, .and. to adorn their Cheeks, according to th: manner in thoſe
times. -He mentions the Cheeks as then chief: feat of Beairy : and he Intimates thar che Chuxches Beauty is ror datural,ncr from -her ſelf, but from the jewels wherewith Chriſt adorns her. x Which is men-
3 Tf thou knownot », * O thou faireſt among wo- ;#.0 the vineyards of Engedi &.
men o,go thy way forth by the foorſteps of the flock p, |
ed to be poured out upon theHeads of the Gueſts,of which ſeeMark 14: 3. Luke 7: 38: in which Ointments Spikenard was a chief ingre» dient. Joh; 12; 2, 3- e Which notes the exerciſe and manifeſtation of her Graces, which is a ſweet ſmelling ſavour in the noſtrils of. her Husband, and of her Companions.
I 7 A bundle of mirche fis my beloved unto me g; he ſhall lie all night betwixt my breaſts.
} Or, a bag of myrrhe, in which there was a conſiderable quantity of the Gum which droppeth from the Myrrh-Tree. Mycrrhe is bitter to the taſte, but ſweer to the ſme!], and ther: fore was ever reckoaed amonglt the beſt perfumes. See Exod. 3o: 23: Pſa: 45: 8 Joh. 19: 39: g He is moſt precious and comfortable ro me, and the Author of
. my ſweer ſmell Jaſt mentioned: þ In the place where bundles or
bags of Myrrhe,or other perfumes hang down, being faſtened about their Necks, which yes were taken away,and Jaid aſide by night. But the Church intimates that ſhe will not part with Chrift,neit: er day nornight, Or this Phraſe may note the Churches intimate Union with, and hearty AffeRion unto Chriſt.
14 My beloved is unto me,as a cluſter of
z Or, Cypreſs, as others render ict. Ir was an odoriferous plant growing in Vineyards, and ſome think thar it wasa moſt pleaſant kind of Vine, like that which bears Muſcarel'a Grapes ; yea ſome very learned men anderſtand ir of that Plant wrich dropped balm, which grew in,or near,the place here ſpecified,as is affirmed not on- Iy by the Jews,but alſo by Pagan Writers ; as D:odorus and Trogys.
or are we concerned to know which or what .ir was ; it heing con= feſſ-d and evident, that it was ſome pleaſant and grateful Pl-nt, and that ir ſets forth that great delight which the Church hath in the en« Jjoyment of Chriſt. k A pleaſanc and well watered placein the Tribe of Judah, Joſ: 15. 62: Exzeks 47: 193 where there were many pleaſang Plants, whence it was called Hezaz0u Tamar,2 Chron: 20: 2,
15 * Behold,thou art fair, || my love, behold, thou EY C2020
art fair 1, thou ha#f doves eyes m,
{ This is the Speech of Chriſt. The words are doubled, partly to 1Or, wa note the certainty of te thing, norwitaſtanding her mean and mo-. 77990
det cpinion of herſelf, and partly ro manifeft his higheſteem and
fervenr affetion for her, and ro aſſure her, that norwirhſranding all
her infirmitics, he was very wellpleaſed with her. m Which are. 1. Comely and pleaſant. 2. Modeit and hymble, not lofty, as the looks of ſome other Creatures are. 3. Mild and harmleſs,not fierce
an fiery,nor lnoking and watching for prey,as the Eves of ravenous
Birds are, 4. Chaſt and faithful looking only ro their Mats: fo
that if any of h:m coſt 4 luftful eye upon another, her companions are en«
raged againſt her, and quickly tear her in pieces; asfome variiral Hiſto=
rian$ write, Andſuch are the Charches Eyes ſaid ro bs And by
the Eyes he ſeems to d:fign partly her Looks, and ontward behaviour
or Converſation, and partly and chiefly the inward diſpoficion of her
Mind, which is commonly diſcovered, and in Scripture is oft ſigni- fied by the Eye, in which ſenſe we read of an evil Eye, Prov: 23: 6: . Mat. 6: 23: of 4 bountiful Eye, Prov: 22: 9: of 4 ſingle Eye, Luk un: 34: of 4 proud or lofty Look, all which fſignifie ſuch tempers of Mens | \;1nds.
16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved », yea pleaſant
'o: alſo ourbedp 3s green 9.
» The Church here again ipeaks, and retorts Chriſts words npon i himſelf, if Tam fair, it 1s ooly by thy Grace, and favourable accep- {tation 3 thou,and thou only art fair indeed, thy beauty is exquiſite and perfet. o As thou art beautiful in thy ſelf, ſo thou art amiable and pleaſant in thy condeſcenſion to me, and converſe with me, in communicating thy bleſſzd Counſels, and Graces, and Comforts to me. p Either 1. upon which we fir at meat, as the manner then was, Eff. 8. 5, 6. Ezek; 23: 41: Or rather 2. Upon which we lie, our -uptial Bed : for the Union 2nd communion betweey Chriſt and his Church is here repreſeated under the norion of Marriage. And accordingly the Bed ſeems ro denore the pl:ce or places where the nurch enjoyerh ſweer fellowſhip with Chriſt, by his Spiritaccome panying his Ordinances, and imparting his Merirs and Graces, and Comforts to her. 9qIspleaſant, as that colour is to the Eye ; is pre- pared for us, being adorned with green Garlands, or Boughs, and Herbs, as the manner ſeems ro have been with Country Brides, ſuc a5 the Spouſe in this Book is repreſented to ke: Or, as others, bork
5 N 2 aACl-
[ camphire lIOr,cpreſee
fl ap Hl. ancient and later Interpreters, render it, 1s fouriſbing, 7. e. fruitful. So it is an happy preſage, that the Church ſhould not be barren,but
Or, galle-
ef,
SS
+Heb.houſe
bring forth many Children to Chriſt ; of which ſee Iſa: 54: 1: &c. By theſe and the following words, the Church invites Chriſt to her Bed and Hoeuſe,where ſhe may freely and fully enjoy ſpiritual Com- manion with him.
17The beams of our houſe ere cedar r,and our || raf- ters s of firree.