fre Graces ofthe Spirit are oft compared to Garments,as Rom.13.14+ Eph. 4. 24. 1%. 5.5 * Which is alſo mentioned and commend- ed. Bf. 14.6: which muſt needs be very ſweet and grateful in re» gard ofthe great numbers of ſweet- ſmelling Spicesand Trees which grew in that Mountain. | | | 12 A garden « + incloſed 6 is my ſiſter, wy ſpouſe :| a ſpring c ſhut up 4d, a fountain ſealed e. - OE s For order and Beauty, for pleaſant Walks, and Flowers. and Fruits: 6 Either r. Defended by the care of my Providence: Or, 2. Reſcrved for my proper uſe. She will not admit of other Lovers, either falſe Teachers, or worldly Luſts, but keeps her ſelf clote for me* She is chafſt, and pure, and modeſt, as Virgins are or ſhould be. «© Either 1. For others, ſending forth the wholſome ſtreams of ſaving D»E&rine, for the refreſhing, and healing, and cleanſing of thoſe who receive it, Or 2. wichin herſzIf, being well watered, 7. e. replenifhed with ſpiritual Graces Had Bleſſings, which are frequently compared to Warers.both in the Old and New Teſtament, as 1/a:44:3 John'q- 10. & 7: 38.for which the Church is compared to a watered Garden,or ſpring of water, Iſa. 58, ir. Either 1. To preſerve it from all pollution, or injury : Or 2. To reſerve it for the uſe and ſervice'of its owner, for which reaſon Springs were ſhut up in thoſe Countries where water was ſcarce and precious.as Ger. 29, 3. e The ſame thing is here repeated in other words: 13 Thy plants f are an orchard g of pomegranates, with other pleaſant fruits, || camphire with ſpikenard h. f The plants of thy Garden, Belivers whichare planted in thee, Z Are like the plants or fruits ofan Orchard, # which are pleaſant to the Eye and delicious tothe raſte or ſmell,fuch as are here mentioned in the following words. W hereby he ſignifies the variery and excel- lJency of Gifts and Graces in the ſeveral members of the Church. h Which he mentions both here with campiire or cypreſs. and in the next verſe with ſaffron, becauſe it is mixed with buth theſezand bes ing ſo mixed, yieldeth the more grateful ſmell. 14 Spikenard and ſaffron, calamus and cinnamon, | with ail trees of frankincenſe 3, myrrhe and aloes,with
all che chief ſpices.
# Such Trees as produce Frankincenſe? Or as others, both anci- ent and modern, render it, Trees of Lebanon, ſuch ſweet ſmelling Trees and plants as grew in Lebanon, of which ſec above on v: 17.
15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters &, and ſtreams from Lebanon [. | h
k Theſe are the words eicher 1 Of the Bride, who returns this
Anſwer to the Bridegroom, Thou calleſt me a Fountain, but in truth thou gnly aretharFountain fromwhence I derive all my ſtreams of comfort: Or rather, 2», Of the Brid?groom, who hath hitherto been ſpeaking. te-and of the Church,and itill continues his Speech. Heſeems to add this by way of correQtion to, or expoſition .of what he ſaid, v. 12. Though my Spoulebe in ſome ſort a Fountain ſhut up or ſealed, yet that is not ſo tobe underſtood asif ſhe kept herWa- ters to her ſelf,for the 1s like aFountain orWell of living or running water, which floweth into Gardens, and miaketh its Flowers and Plants to grow anc flouriſh; The Church conveyeth thoſe Waters of Life which he zeceiveth from Chriſt unto particular Believers & Congregations: 1Like thoſe ſweer and refreſhing Rivers which flow down from Mount Lebanon, of which Jordan is one.
16: Awake , Onorth-wind, and come thou ſouth,
hk —
FIGS NTICLES Chap. y. |
blow upon my garden », that the ſpices thereof may How out 8; let my beloved come into his garden p,and
eat his pleaſant fruit 9.
-m Or, Ariſe, either 1. To be gone, as being . cemmon!y hurtful to Plants and Gardens : Or rather 2. To come, as the next clauſe explains it;For both the North-wind and the South-wind have their ſeveral uſes in Gardens,the former to purge and cool the Air, and to bring fair weather, the latter ro warm and moiſften the Earth. and cheriſh the lanes, And theſe Winds may ſignifie the ſeveral Diſpen«. ſations either of Gods Providence, or rather cf his Spirit, which is compared rothe wind, John 3, 8, whereby the following eſfects are produced. » This Verſe is ſpoken by the Spouſe, as appears from the laſt clauſe cf it- And ſhe calls the Garden both hers and his, bea cauſe of that oneneſs which is betwecn them C5: 2:171whereby they havea commen Intereſt one in anothers perion and concerns.o That my Graces may be exerciſed to thy Glory,the Edification of others, and my own comfort. p Let Chriſt afford his gracious preſence more and more to his Church. q And let him delight himſelf in thar Ser vice and Glory which is given to him, borh by the religious Wore ſhip, and by the holy converſations of his Peoples.
CHA ÞF Chriſt an[wereth the Church's invitation, and fheweth her the delight hs took in her fruit, 1. She acknowledges hr negligence toChriſt, in not ope= ning the da00y, 2 <———- 6, Of the harſh uſage ſhe me: with, 17. She rells rhe: Daughters of Jeruſalem ſhe is ſick of Lowe ro Chrift, 8 Their que fron concerning him, 9. A deſcription of Chriſt by hs Graces, to» ==1 5, In
whom ſhe boaſteth, 16. || Am come into my garden a, my fiſter, my ſpouſe, I
have gathered my myrrhe with my ſpice,l have ea- ten my honey-comb with my honey, Thave drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O fjiends c,drink, || yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. || Or,ond
# This is the Bridegrooms Anſwer to her Requeſt, delivered in vedrunken the next foregoing words. b I have eaten my pleaſant fruits, as thou with hug didſt deſire. F have taken norice of, and delight in the ſervice and obedience of my People, £ The friends of the Bridegroom. Wheres by he underſtands either 1. The holy Angels and glorified Saints, who in a ſublime and ſpiritual ſenſe may be ſaid to eat and drink in Heaven, the happineſs whereof is frequently repreſented under the n:me and notion of a Feaſt: Or rather 2. Believers or Members of che Church militant upon Earth,who by the Argument ofChriſts gracious prefence with them,and acceptation of their works figni« hed in the Jaſt words, are here invited and encouraged with great freedom and chearfuineſs to eat and drink their ſpiritual Food, to feed upon Gods Hely Word and Sacraments, to eat the Fleſh and
drink the Blood of the Son of God, who here gives them an hear»
ty welcome to this Feaſt.