4 The Bridegroom gives this charge to his Briedemen or Friends whoſe Office it is ro attend upon him,and to obſerve his Commands. By whom he underſtands thoſe Magiſtrates and Miniſters ro whom, under Chriſt, the cuſtody of the Vineyards, to wit, the Churches principally belong. Thetz he commands to zake the Foxes, i.e ro reſtrain them from doing this miſchief. 6 Heb. forus, F. e at our inſtance,and for our common good,as thisfpoiling of the Vines was injurious and grievous to.th:m both. c The diſturbers of the Vine- yard, or the Church, Seducers or falfe Teachers,whoare fitly com- pared to F-xes here, and Ezck, 13. 4- partly to diſtinguith them from great T'yrants and Perſccutors,who are compared to wild Boar;,or 0- ther wild Beaſts, Pſa]. 80. 13..as to Lions, 2 Tim.4, 17- and partly for their fox-like qualities and aCtions,becauſe they are very crafty and deceitful, 2 Cor. 11+ 13, 14: Eph. 4« I4r and very miſchievous alſo, Ezek. 34. 2, 3. 2 Tim. 2. 17. Tit. 1.10.lte 2 Pet. 2. 2, He mentions F-xes, becauſe theſe abounded in that Country,as is mani= feſt fronr Judges 15. 4. Pſal. 63, 10, Lam: 5. 18, &c, but under them he comprehends all noxious Creatures, upon the ſame reaſon.
d This he adds, not as if the greatFoxes were exculed or exempred |
bur for more abundan: caution, ' toteach the Church ro prevent Er- rors and Hereſies in the beginnings of them before they ſpread,and
grow ſtrong and incurable. e Which Foxes do' many ways, as thoſe | who write of them have obſerved, by gnawing and breaking the lit= |
tle Branches and Leaves,and the Bark,by digging holes in the Vine- yards,and ſo ſpoiling the Roots, by eating the . Grapes, and other, ways. f Which gives ys hopes of .a good Vintage. and which are” eaſily ſpoiled, if great care be not aſed to prevenr. it, 16 * My beloved is mine,and I am among the lilies h. g Theſe are the words ofthe Bride, . who
þ Either r. He feedeti his flock in ſweet and lovely Paſtures, where
there is not only Herbage to fe:d rhem, bur Lilies ro dehght chem. ] *Oh.as Or rather 2, He feedeth himſelf; :,e,heabiderh and refreſheth him-"" ſclf amongſt his faithful People, which are compared to Lil:et,above
. , 4 ,
V. 2. and Hof. 14. 5. a$ Chriſt aiſo is here, v. 1. ;
17 * Until the day j- break, and the. ſhadows flee | | 163.14 away ;: turn & my beloved, and be chou *like a ros
vin or a young hart upon. the mountains || of Bether ”:.| Char6b» Dyk «ll pattigulars
his g: be feedech | . .. | her: Fathers Houſe becauſe the Men and the Women had ſeveral and . having come to him * upon his gracious Invitation, now maketh her boaſt of kim, and of that intimate Union and Communion which was. between rheriv:
The Church ſeeking ChriÞt, 1 3- Her great joy ſhe findeth hire. 4. Her
charge tothe Daughters of Jeruſalem nat to awake her Beloved, 5. The mannzy of Chriſts coming out of the Wilderneſs, 6, His Bed, Guard and Chariat, q — 9. Its Maker, Matter, and Furniture, 10. .n in- vitation of the Faithful tothe Kingdom of Glory, 11.
loveth,T ſought him c,butl found him not &,
s Either 1. In atime of Tribulaticn, which is commonly fienified by the N:ghr,and ſomerinies by a Bed,as Revel. 2. 22. Or 2, When I expetted ro find kim;for the Husband who by his occaſions is oft forced to be abſent from his Wife in the day time, bur at nightree turns to her,and beds with her. Or 3. When others compole them- ſelves to reſt and ſleep, my Thoughts were troubled, and my Affe. tions were working towards him, and 1 was very deſirous to enjoy him, 6 I ſought for Chriſts gracious and powerful Preſence, in, and by the Word. and Prayer, and Meditation. c This Repetition de- notes her perſeverance,and unweatiedneſs in ſeeking him, 4 For he had withdrawn himſelf, and the manifeſtations of his Love from me, either becauſe I had not ſought him diligently,or becauſe I had abuſed his favour, or to try and exerciſe my Faith and Patience,and Love, and other Graces. | : % :
2Now I will riſe e and go about the city f in the ſtreets and in the broad ways &-l will ſeek him whom my ſoul loveth : I ſoughthim, but T found him north _eIwill NY apgry my ſelf ro ſeek him, without whom my bed can give me no reſt nor comfort: f The City of God, the
Church in which Chriſt reſides.g Nor finding him in private Pray; er and Meditation,I ſought him in the places of publick Aſſemblies, & Ordinances;for the People frequently met together in the ſtreets nor only for civi\, but for religious ends, 2 Chron: 3 2: 6: Neb: 8:1, : 16. Prov: 1: 20, 2t: Luke 13: 26. h He ſaw fit ſcill to delay the diſco= veries of his Grace, partly to chaſtiſe my former folly, partly torry
my ſincerity and conitancy,and partly that he might be more wel- come when he came tome,
3 * Thewatch-menz that go about the city L, found me / : to whom I ſaid m, Saw ye bim whom my ſoul lovethn? S 6 |
; The Miniſters of Chriſt, and Rulers of the Church,who are oft called Watchemengas 1/a: 62: 6. Ezekz 3: 17, and elſewhere. k To pre vent diſorders & dangers by night./Whilſc they walked round about the City, accordivg to their duty. m Without either fear or ſhame a5 being tranſported and wholly ſwallowed up with Love.- = She doth not name him, becauſe ſhe thought it needleſs, as ſyppoſing that a Perſon of ſuch rranſcendanrexcellencycould nor be unknown to men in that publick capacity. . Their anſwer is not mentioned either becatiſe theygave her no anſwer,at leaſt no ſatisfatory anſwer or becauſe bytheir filence the gathered that theywere unable or un- willing to inform her;and being. eager in tbe purſuit of her beloved, ſhe would not loſe time in impertinent diſcourſes with them.
4 Irwas but A little that I paſſed from them, but T
would not lethim go p, until Thad brought him into my mothers houſe 4z and into the chamber ofher that conceived me 7. A ENTREL | |
o Chriſt mer me, 'and manifeſred his Love to megaccording to his \Promiſe made to thoſe that ſeek him conſtantly and diligently, Pro; 8. 17; Mat: 7; 7, &Cc...p Being taught by my late experience how doleful a thing it was to loſe him, and how. hard it was to find and recover him when he was loſt; q That there I might entertain and embrace him, and gain my Mothers conſent,and fo proceed to che conſummation of the Marriage. She ſaith her Mothers, rather than