man hathhis {word upon his thigh e, becauſe of fear in the nightf.. | e Is prepared and ready to fight,as this Phraſe notes, Exo, 32. 27: Pſal. 45. 3* f To prevent-thoſe dangers and miſchiefs which are moſt frequent and moſt dreadful in the night ſeaſon: The nighr may note either.r, The time of Tribulation, Temptation,or Delertion; Or, 2: The whole rime of this Life, which may well be called n:ght in reſpect of that Ignorance and Error, and other kinds of Darkneſs wherewith ir isatrended,as the future Life-is compared to a day,this 'Life being the only cime wherein ſuch a Gaardis neceſlary,
9 King Solomon made himſelf a ||chariot g of the wood of Lebanon h.
4 £4 Chap. 1V,
for whichLebanon was famous;which wood being incorruptible doth firly ſfignifie rhs Wordof t he Goſpel, which endureth for ever, 1 Pet.s, 25; and 1s called the everlaſting Goſpel, Rev. 14. 6. in oppoſition to the Legal inſtitutions, which were to continue only «nil the time of Ree formation, as we read Heb. 9g. '10. io He madethe pillars thereof ; of ſilver, the |]bot-
tom & thereof of gold, the covering / of it of purple m; "m the midſt » thereof being payedowith love p, Þ for the j,,j ws daughters of Jeruſalem 9. Heb. fom
; Whereby the Chariot is either ſupported or adorned, Which the daugh. may fignitie either cr. Miniſters, who are called P:llars,Gal.2.9 and ters, that of ſilver, becauſe they are,or ſhould be, pure and precious like ſilver. Or, 2« The firmneſs and certainty of Chriſts Word,both of his DoCtrines and Promiſes, which alſo are pure as filver,Pſal. 12, 6. Although there is no neceflity that either this or the following par« tculars ſhould be diſtia&tly applied ro ſeveral things in or about the Goſpel;but this in the general mayſuffice,that as all theſe particulars are added to ſhew the perfe&ion & beauty of the Chariot,ſo they do imply that Chriſts Word isevery way amiable,and perfe&,and able to make the man of God perfe&. & Either r. The couch or ſeat which was mad: of,or covered with cloath of Gold.Or 2. The uns der & lower part,which was at leaſt covered withpureGold, Where« by he may ſeem to underſtand the foundation of the Word & tro. miſes,which is eitherGods Covenant,or Chriſts Mediation,jin whom all the Promiſes are Yea and Amen. /Either 1. The curtains whereby Perſons in the Chariot are covered or hid from the fight of thePeo. ple. Or rather 2 The uppermoſt part of it;cither in the outſide or the inſide of it. Some render the word,the ſeat or ſeats, m Which rc- preſents Chriſts Blood, which is our Propitiatory or covering to ſhel- ter us from Gods Wrath. » The inward parts, eſpecially thoſe be. tween the upper and lower parts, which have been already menrione ed. o Covered and adorned p With beautiful and lovely Ornaments luch as curious Embroidery,enriched with Gold and precious ſtones, Lwe being here put for lovely ObjeQs as Fear is oft put for terrible things, as hath been oft noted. Whereby we may underſtand the Love of Chriſt to the Sons of Men, or his lovely Life, and Death, and Reſurre&ion, &c. which is the moſt amiable part and matter of the Word or Goſpel. q For their delight and comfort, who: are all concerned, and bear a part in this Marriage.
' 11 Go forth », Oye daughters of Zion s,and behold
king Solomon r with the crown wherewith his mother crownedhim# in the day ofhis eſpouſals x, andin the day of the gledneſs of hisheart y. r The Bride, to wit, the Church, bids particular Believers go forth to ſee this ſight. Whereby is implied, that Chriſtians muſt go our ot the World, to wit, in affffe&ion,and out of themſelves,by de- nying rhemſelves,and putting off the old man,their corrupr Nature, if they deſire to ſee and enjoy Chriſt. 5 The ſame with daughtersof J-ruſalem ; for Zn and Jeruſalem are oft times promiſcuouſly uſed in Scripture. 7 Looking in and through him ppon the Meſſias, who 1s the King of Peace, ans of whom Solomon was an illuſtrious Type. « Wrich being applied rc Solomon, may deſign either 1. Che Crown Royal, wherewith h# Mother, Bathſheba, is ſaid to have crowned him, becauſe Solomon was crowned. by Davids Order upon her ſuggeſtion, and by virtue of his Promite confirmed by an Oach to her, x Kin.r. 16, &c. Or 2,That Garland or Crown which was uſually worn in nuprial Solemnities as may be gathered from Etek. 16. 12. and is ex* pr-ſly affirmed oy divers ancientWriters.But being applied toChriſt ir nores that Honour and Glory, which was given ro him, which trongh principally done by his Father, yet is here aſcribed to his Mother. i. e. tothe univerſal Church, or Congregation of Believers, which in reſpett of his Humanity may. be called his Mother, partly becauſe he was born in, and of her, and one of her Members, and therefore was ſubje& ro her Inſtitutions, whence ſhe is repreſented as a Wornan in travail, bringing forth a Man child, to wit, Chriſt, Rev. 12. 1 5 and partly becauſe in'a Spiritual ſenſe ſhe is ſaid to conceive and bring forth Chriſt in particular Believers, Gal.4.19. Ard this Mother miy be ſaid to crown Chriſt, both becauſe it is the great deſign and buſine!s of rhe Church to advance Chriſts honour in the World,and becau'e ſhe brings forth Believers, whom Chriſt eltcems as his Crown and Glory, as God calls them, 1a. 62.3. x When the Churc\ is betrothed or married to-him, Jer. 2.2,Hoſ. 2.19, 2 Cor. Il, 2. whiCh is done when the Covenantis made or conficmed be- tween them, or when faithful perſons are converted and uvired te Chriſc, and more co. plearly when they arereceived by Chriſt into his more full and immediate fellowfhip in the Kingdom of Glory. y When he rejoicethover his Bride, as the Phraſe is uſed, Iſa, 62. 5. So this is the tame thing expreſſed' in other words, The Convere- fion and Salvation of ſinners is the jay of Chriſt, as appears from Jia. 53.11, Inke 15. 32 ; _ many other places of Scripture.
Chriſt commendeth his Church for her beauty, 1——— 7. He callcth her to go with him; 8, Manifeſting his Love and Affetion for her, 9. A