k Numerous an1 placedin due order. 1 Which is here fitly ſup- plied our of Cart, 6- 6, where it 1s expreſſed, m Smooth and even, as alſo clean & white, whereas unſhorn ſheep retain much filth in their wool,even after their waſhing. » Which ſeems to note the two rows of Teeth,like Twins,one dire&ly anſwering co the other; which is a great part of the Beauty or comelineſs belonging to the Teeth.Nor let any wonder to hear of ſbeep bearing Fwins, for that there were many ſuch in the Eaſtern Countries is apparent, nor only from ko- 1Iy Scripture.but alſo from the expreſs Teſtimony of 4riſto:le, and other ancient Writers. o Not one Tooth is lacking. By the Tech ſome underſtand the Teachers, which may be compared to Teeth, becauſe they prepare,and as it were chew ſpiritualFood for the Peoe ple, and to ſuch Teeth as are here deſcribed for their great number and excellent order,and for that purity and fruitfulneſs which is re- quired of them, others underſtand ſome gracious qualification or ation of the faithful, eirher their Faith, which is compared to eat- ing,John 6:41,&c.and elſewhere,which alſo puriiies the Heart&Life, and produceth good works in abundance : or their Meditation or Study of God,and of his Word, whereby like the clean Beaſts un- der the Law,they chew the cud; which alſo much promotes their purity and fertility. But, as I ſaid on the firſt verſe, there is no need of a diſtin& Application of every particular, as it is in Parables, where many things are added for decency,which belong net to the main ſcope,& therefore are negleQed in the interpretation of chem The ſcope of this place is only to ſer forth the Churches Perfe&ion and beauty by the reſemblance of a beautiful Woman, and one parr of beauty conſiſts in the colour and order ofthe Teeth,
3 Thy lips are like a threed of ſcarlet p, and thy ſpeech 3s comely 9:* thy temples r are like a piece of a pomegranate s within thy locks x.
p Fine, and ſmooth, and ſofr, and round, and red, in which the beaury of the Lips confiſteth. q Which is added parcly as anorher ingredient of an amiable perſon;and partly to explain rhe foregoing Metaphor. TheCommunication or Diſcourſe of Believers is edifying and comfortable, and acceptable to God,and to ſerious Men. Com- pare Pſal: 4.5: 2.Col: 4: 6, r Under which doubtleſs he comprehends the cheeks, which are joyned to them, and in which a great part of beauty lies, which therefore would not have been omitted 1n this deſcription. 5 In which there isa lovely mixture of red and white. This may note both the Churches beauty and her modeſty, which ſheweth it ſelf by bluſhes in thoſe parts when ſhe hath fallen into a- ny ſin as the higheſt Believers in this World ſometimes do, 7 a fur- ther evidence both of beauty and modeſty. See on v. 1. ;
4 Thy neck 5 is like the tower of David 7 built for an armory, whereon there hang a thouſand bucklers all {hields of mighty men «,
s This may ſeem to repreſent theGrace of F —_— which we are united to Chriſt,as the Body is to the Head by the Neck,& through which Chriſtians receive their ſpiritual Food,and conſequentlytheir ſtrength and ability for ation, # Round, and ſmooth, and white, lorrg and ſtraight, and upright, firm, and ſtrong ; and moreover a> dorned with chains of Gold or Pear], or the like Ornaments. All which things as they ſet forth the beauty of the Neck, ſo they may ſignifie the various excellencies and uſes of Faith. By rhis Tower he underſtands either 1- The ſtrong hold of $'0n, of which ſee 2 Sam. 5: 9. Or rather 2, Some other Tower built by David, when he re- paired, and enlarged, and fortified his Royal City, x Chr, 11.8.and uſed by him as an Armory. See Neb; 3: 19, 25, 26,27. « Either
; theſe are rather Chriſts than the Church-s Breaſts, Churches fervent Love to Chriſt,and ro all the Saints,for the Breaſts
|; ſome underſtand the two Teſtaments, cr ive two Sacraments ; but
Others, the
fgnifie Love, Prev: «; 19. Cant: 1813, Others her fruitfulneſs, both 11 good works, and in bringing up Children unto Chriſt, like a | Nurſe with her Breaſts. But the following ſimilirude ſeemeth not to reſpett the uſe of the Breaſts,or the Love which is ſignified or mani- feſted by them, bur their comelineſs. And therefore this is generally to be und-rſtood of the Churches Beauty in all parts, as hath been ſaid. y 7:6 In the fields where Lilies grew,as is evident both from Mat. 6. 28. where they are called the Lil:es of the field,and from other Scriptures, and from the Teſtimony of other Writers. The Lilies being white and ſwelling,and the Roes of a reddiſh colour,and their Bodies being hid from fight by rhe Lilies, their Heads only appeare ing above them, bear ſome reſemblance to the red nipples appearing in the top ofthe Lilie white Breaſts. Bur we muſt remember that this | Book is a ſacred Paſtora),& the Bridegroom is repreſented asa Shep= ! herd,and the Bride as a Country=Maid,and therefore ſuch ſimilitudes are uſed as are agreeable to Perſons of that Qualiry, and ſuch are u- ſual in prophane Writers of this kind,as the learned have obſerved. They are co-npared to Roes for their lovelineſs, of which ſee Prov, 5. 19. t2 young ones for their ſmalneſs, which in Breaſts is a beauty; to Twins for their exatt likeneſs.
6 * Until the day fbreak,and the ſhadows flee away hill of frankincenſe a.
rurned by the Bridegroom as an. Anſwer to that Requeſt. And this place may be underſtood either 1. Of the day of the Goſpel, when all legal ſhadows ſhal vaniſh ; Or 2. Of the day of Glory, or of rhe general Reſurre&ion,when all manner of ſhadows and Ordinanceg thal ceaſe.Till which time either the Spou!e feeds among Lilies, as was now faid, wv. 5. or the Bridegroom ge:s him tothe Mountains, &c.as it follows. For the words are by moſt joined with rhe foregoing, and by ſome with the following clauſc. a Either 1 To the Temple at Jeruſalem, which is oft and fitly exprefled by the name of a moun- tain or hill, becauſe it was built upon a Mountain,and which may be
Myrrhe and Frankincenſe which was there uſed & cffered; in which place theChurch was to feed,and Chriſt would continue his preſence until the dawning of the Goipeleday. Or 2. To my Church upon Exrch, which was ty ro by the Mountain of Moriah, and the Tems ple upon it, and w
tain, as Iſa. 2, 2, 3. Mich. 4. 1, 2. and elſewhere, and which may well be called a « Mountain of Myrrhe and frankincenſe,both for the ac-