p A certain number for an uncertain. The ſenſe ſeems to this. There are many beautiful Queens and Concubines in the World, in the Courts of Princes, & particularly in Solomons Courr, but none of them is to be compared with my Spouſe,and my heart is fet upon none of them,burt only upon my Spoule,as the following verſe de- clareth» Or, the Bueens and Conculinezs may note the particular Con- gregati2ns which are called by Cariſt's name, and rhe Virgins may ſig- nifie the particular Believers or Profeſlors;all which do make up one Catholick Church, as it follows. Compare the notes on Pſa): 45:10, 14, 15. 9 Either 1. Which wait upen the Queens and Concubines. Or 2, Which were reſerved as a Nurſery,out of which Queens and Concubines were to be taken. ; :
9 My dove, my undefiled is but oner; ſhe is the only one of her motker 5s 3 ſhe 75 the choice one of her that bare hec:the daughters ; ſaw her,and bleſſed her;zea,the queens and the concubines,and they praiſed her .
r The only beloved of my Soul,my only Spouſe, in compariſon
_ of whom deſpiſe all others. 5 Of Jeruſalem above, which is the Moe
ther of us all, Gal: 4: 26. Or, if this ſeem to confound the Mother and D-ughter, the words may be thus rendred, ſhe is the only one of her Mother, i; e. ſhe is as dear and as precious to me as only Chil- dren uſe to be to their Parents and eſpecially to their Mothers. $9 there is only a defe& of the note of ſimilirude, which is frequenty underſtood, as hath been formerly noted and proved by undenya- ble inſtances. . 7 Called Yirgins, v. 8. u As more beauriful and wor- thy than themſelves, which was ſo evident that they were forced to confeſs it. - |
10 Whois ſhe x that looketh forth as the morning y,
fair as the noon z, clear astheſun a, and terrible «5 a»
army with banners b. |
x Theſe are the wordseither 1. Of the Bridegroom ; Or 2 Of the Queens and Concubines laſt mentioned,as prailing of her. And they are either words of enquiry,or rather of Admiration and com- mendation : Who, 7, e.what manner of perſon is this, how excellent and glorious! and fo this pronoun, who, is underſtood, Pſal, 24.8. Mar: 4; 41« compared with Mat: 8. 27, y AS the morning light, which coming after the darkneſs, of the night is very pleaſant and amiable, which alſo ſuddenly ſpreadeth it ſelf from the Eaſt tothe Weſt: z To wit, when it is full and walking in brightmeſs, as the Phraſe is, Job 31. 26 But withal he ſeems to intimate that the Church, lke the Moon, may have her Eclipſes, and be in darkneſs for a time, @ Without any ſuch ſpots or dark ſpecks as are inthe Moon. Which isJto be underſtood in the ſame ſenſe, that ſhe is ſaid to be w:thout ſpe. or wrinkle, or blemiſhb, Eph. 5: 27. which ſhe is partly by Gods gracious acceptation of her as ſuch in Chriſt, and through his Righteouſneſs; and partly becauſe ſhe ſhal be ſuch in the future Life. b See above, v: 4.
'1x I wentdown c into the garden of || nuts 4,to ſee the fruits of thevalley e,and * toſee whether the vine
a2. flouriſhed, and the pomegranates budded f.
c To wit, when I went away from thee.So this is a1 account of the reaſon of his former departure from her. Or, 1am come down to viſit thee,y garden, Cant. 44 12. .Either way theſe are the words of the Bridegroom. 4 In which Nuts and other fruits are planted. By Nuts may be meant either 1. Ordinary Nuts,and fo this is ſup- poſed to intimate the mean & contemptible condition of the Church in heroutward Efſtate,and that her ſweetneſs is all inward & ſpiri- tual. Or 2. Aromatical Nuts,to wit, Nutmegs, and 1o this notes how acceptable theChurch and her produGtions are roChriſt.eW hich being low, and well watered. is moſt fruitful. f Whar Beginnings or appearances there were of good fruits or works among Believers;
whether their Pra&ices anſwered their Profeſſions, | 12 f Oreverl was awareg,my foul || made me /ike the chariotsof Ammi-nadibz, |
: |
C £8: Chap. VII;
gl] was furprized with a ſudden and veherent deſire of enjoying fy Spouſe, which is to be underſtood figuratively, ard ſo as to as gree with the Majeſty and Omniſciency of Chriſt.h F made my ſelf; which may ſignifie Chriſts a&ivity in. ſtirring up his AffeRions to the Church ; or I was made;for rbe attive Phraſe is oft underſtood paſſively ; and the Soul is commonly put for the Perſcii. 7 Eager in my deſire,and ſwift in my motion towards the Church, Amminaais is ſuppoſed to be ſome eminent Charioreer then well known. and famous for his ſpeed in driving Chariots. Burt this clauſe with the former 1s otherwiſe readred,both in the margent and by others,an#
f | that very agreeable to the Hebrew words,my ſoul ſet me on the chariots
of my willing ( or as others, noble or princely ) people, i: e. which mine and the Brides friends had prepared to bring me to the Bride with more expedition,into which I aicended with all my Soul,as longing to come to my Bride. 13 Return &,return /,O Shulamite m.return, return, thatwe may look upon thee »:what will you ſeeo in the ory ugg
Shulamite?as it were the company p || of ewo armies q, hanain, k Chriſt recalls kis Spouſe,who as when Chriſt was gone ſhe purs
ſued after him,ſonow whenChriſtwas coming or come to her,ſhewas
ready ro wander and go aſtray from him,according to the common
and corrupt diſpoſition and cuſtom of Mankind, and therefore he
ſeeks to ſtop or to reclaim her,and to oblige her to return to herfirſt
Love and to repent more throughly than ſhe had yet done. / This
word is here repeated four times to {ignifie both Chriſts paſſionate
Love to her, and earneſt deſire of her return, and her backwardneſs
toit, which made ſo many calls neceſſary. m This title ſignifies ei=
ther 1. Oneborn in, or belonging to Jer/alem, called alſo Salem,
Pſ[. 76: 2. Or 2. The Wife of Solm2n,thus called after herHusbands
name, ſee 1(a, 4: 1. Andas Chriſt is called by the name of Solemon,
Chi 3: 7,9, 11. fo the Church is fitly deſcribed by the title of Solo.
mm's Wife. n That I and my companions, and friends may conteme
plate thy Beauty o But what do you my fiiends expett to diſcover
in her? Chriſt propoſeth the queſtion,that he may give rhe follows
ing anſwer;and that they ſhould take ſpecial notice of this as a very
remarkable thing, in her.p Whereby he intimates that this one & on
ly Spouſe was made up of the whole multitude of Believers.qEither
1. Oppoſite one againſt theother; and ſo this may note the confli&t be.
tween the Fleſh and Spirit, which is in all the faithful in this Life,