r Not only ſtrong and incorruptible, bur alſo fragrant and de. lightful. Theugh I am in my ſelfbut amean and ruſtick perſon, yet the Houſe to which I invitethee, and where thou and I ſhall dwell together, is, by thy favour, built with Cedar. Whereby is here ſignified the ſtability of Gods Church upon Earth,which is cal- led God's Houſe, x Tim. 3: 15: and the firmneſs and ſureneſs of Gods Word and Promiſes. s The leſſer Beams. Or,as itis rendred in our Margent, and by others, Galleries, wherein we may walk. x Or, as the ancients and others render it, of Cypreſs, which was uf- ed in buildings, which alſo was ſtrong and fragrant, and therefore ſuits well with Cedars.
CHAP. IL The excellency of the Majeftly of Chriſt, 1, and of his Church, 2. The bene- fits which the Church receives from him, 3. Chrif's love to hu Church, S; 44 The Church ſick of love ; her Prayer for help, 5. His care for het in ths condition 6. The Hope and Calling of the Church, 10 13s
Chriſt's care of the Church, 14,15. The Profeſſion of the Church, her
Faith and Hope, 16, 17. ;
[| Am the roſe ef Sharon ; and the lilly of the val- leys as ey
#s Theſe are the words either 1. Of the Spouſe, continuing her diſcourſe. Or rather 2. Of the Bridegroom, drawing forth .the Churches Affe&ions to him- He compares himfelfto the Roſe and Lily, for fragrancy and beauty. Nor is it in the leaſt degree indecenty that Chriſt thould thus commend himſelf, partly becauſe his excel. lency is ſo tranſcendently great, that he is free from all ſuſpicion of Vanity and Self-flattery;and partly becauſe it is ſuitable to the ſtile of ſuch Writings, and to the preſent deſign of recommending him- ſelfto the af:&ion of his Spoiſe. He mentions the Roſe of Sharon, which was a very fruitful Place, as is evident from x C#ron: 27: 29: Iſs; 33: 9: & 65: 10. and famous for Roſes, as may ſeem probable from 1/s: 35: 1,2. Or, as others tranſlate it, the Roſe of the field, which may note that Chriſt is not only pleaſant and beautiful, bur free and communicative, offering himſelf to all rhat come to. him.
- The Lilyis a beautiful and glorious Creature, Mat: 6; 29; eſpecially to one who beholds it through a magnifying Glaſs. He ſaith, The Lily of the valleys, becauſe they grew and flouriſhed beſt in ſuch low and wateriſh grounds.
2 As thelilly among the thorns b, ſo is my love a-
mong the daughters c.
6 Compared with Thorns,which it unſpeakably exceeds in Glory and Beauty. c So far, and much more, doth my Church or People excel all other Aſſemblies or People. The title of Daughter, is ofc given to whole Nations; whence we read of the Daughter of Babylon, and of Egypr, and of Ecem, &c. Is. 47: 1. Jer: 46: 11: Lam: 4: 21;
'* _ Theſe are Chriſt's words, to which the Spouſe makes the following
Reply. And it is obſervable here,that as Chriſt is here repreſented as 2 Shepherd, ard the Spouſe as a Country Virgin, ſo the ſimilitudes here uſed are agreeable to that eſtare.
3 Asthe apple-treed among the trees of the wood c,
ſo is my beloved among the ſons. + I fat down under +Heb. ; Þis ſhadow f with great delight, and his fruit g was ekighted {weet to my Þ taſte. | |
and [at. 4 Whoſe fruit is very pleaſant and wholſome. e Which are either
down, &c;) barren, or bearungrateful and worthleſs fruir. f Being weary and
'+ Heb. pa- heavy laden with manifold fins and rroubles, inward and outward, I
late; confidently repoſed my ſelf under his Prote&tion ( which is com- monly ſignified by a {basow, as I/#: 4: 6» & 25:4, &c.) and by him was defended from the ſcorching heat of Gods Wrath,and frem the Eurſe of his fiery Law, and from the miſchief or hurt of all ſorts of diſtrefſes. g The benefits which I received by him, the clear,and
full, and certain knowledge of Gods Will,and the way of Salvation, Adoption, and Remiſſion of Sins, Faith and Repentance, and all manner of Grace,and Aſſurance of Glory. Thus he was to me borh a Sun, . and a ſbield, as is ſaid, Pſal: 84: 11. i
4 He brought me to the F banqueting houſe h,and
of wine, © His banner over me # was love k,
: þ Heb, Houſe of wine, or, by a common Synecdoche, of feaſting. By which he underſtands the places in which, or the means and in- ſtruments by which Believers receive the Graces and Bleſſings of Chriſt, to wit, the Holy Scriptures, Miniſters, and Publick Afſem- blies, and all Chriſts Inſtitutions. z Or, t9, or towards me, by the lifting up or diſplaying whereof I was invired and encouraged to come in to him,and to liſt my ſelf under him, as Soldiers are by
the lifting up of a Banner or Enſign, of which ſee 1/a: 11: 10; and
49: 22. & The Loveof Chriſt crucified, which, like a Banner, is diſplaid in the Goſpel, whereby Sinners ar2 drawn and engaged to come to Chriit, ſee Joh, 3: 14: and 12: 32: 2 Cor: 5: 14: The Mot-
to or Deviee of Chriſts Bannner was not like thoſe of other great
Generals,a Lion,or Leopard or Eagle, but Love, by which alone
Chriſt made all his Conqueſts.
, Heb. 5 Stay me / with flagons w, { comfort me with ap- —_ me. ples; for I a» ſick of love 6. Wit appies. © | Or, Suppor: me, keep me from ſinking or fainting. The Spouſe
ſpeaks this ro her Bride-maids, the daughters of Jeruſalem, as it is expreſled wv. 7. or to the ſervants or Friends of the Bridegroom there waiting, and tothe Bridegroom himſelf; asa perſon ready to faiat cries tO any or all that are nearte him, or her, for help. » With Wine, which is a'good cordial, Pſal: 104: 15: Prov: 31: 6, 7: and which was there preſeat, v. 4+ Flagons are here, and x Chr: 16: 3: pur for Flagens of ine, as it is fully expreſſed, Hof: 3: 1. or for the Wine contained in them, as the Cup is put for Wine, Luke 22 204 by a common Metonymy. » With oderiferous Apples, ſuch as
EN 1ICLE $
Chap. jr, the Spirit. o Either 1. With tranſports of joy, which ſomtimes x cauſes a fainting of the Spirits as Gen: 45. 26. 1 Kin: 50: 5 Oc
2. With grief for his departure from her, of which we read. Ch:
3: 1, 2: or for fearof it. Or rather 3. With ardent deſire of a ſtricter Union,and clearer diſcoveries of his Love, and perte& anduninter.
rupted communion with him in Glory. That ſickneſs is ſometimes
the effe& of Love hath been oft obſerved by Phyſici-ns.
6 * His lefc hand{| is under my head p, and his right * Cha.s: 33 hand || doth embrace me. 'Or, was. > As a pillow for me to reſt upon. No ſooner did T cry out for l|Or, dig, help, but he was at hand to ſuccour me, and did manifeſt his ten. der Care and dear Loveto me.