Or 2. Confederate together,and ſo this may ſignifie either 1. The re-
collettion and Union of Jews and Gentiles which fſhal one day te
under Chriſt as their common head,Fph: 2: 15. Or 2. The ſafety and
ſtrength of the Church, which is compared to an army with banners,
above wv: 4, 1o. and here to a numerous Hoſt diſtributed into two |
Armies. Wherein alſo there may be an allufion to that ſtory, Gen:3 2;
1: where this very word, here rendred,two armies,is uſed.
CHAP. YH
A furthcy deſcription of the Churches Graces, iu=———=7. His deſign to viſt
the Church, with the Bl:(:& effe# thereof, 8, 9. Sheprofeſſeth her Faith,
and d:ſire, 10. She inviteth him to eemmunion- with her, 11, The end
thereof, 12, 13, |
The Bridegroom who ſpake the laſt words, here continueth his ſpeech,and breaks forth into an elegant and particular deſcription & commendation of the Spoule,partly from the parts of ker Body, and partly from her Ornaments. In which the ſame thing 1s to be ob« ſerved whichwas noted concerning her deſcription of theBridegroom that there is no neceſlity of a diſtinct application of every parcel of it,the deſign being only this,to deſcribe the Beauty and Glory of
the Church under the repreſentation of a beauritul & nobleWoman
This alſo is obſervable,that in the deſcription of Chriſt ſhe begins ar
the Head, and ſo goeth downwardgCh: 5: 11, ©&c. but Chriſt in the
deſcription of the Spouſe proceedeth from the Feet upwards. Ow beautiful are thy feet « with ſhoes b, O princes . daughter c ! the joints of thy thighs d are like
jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman e. a Which being the chief inſtrument of our motion from place to placegis oft uſed metonimically for the motion ar ſelf,& ſo mayhere ſignifie either the inward motions,the workings of the affections, or the outward motions; the ſteps or actions of the Life,both which are right and amiable in Believers. 6 Which were anciently evidences of a free and comfortable ſrate, whereas ſlaves and movrners uſe to go barefoot; 2 Sam: 15:30.1ja: 20: 4. which alſo in Women of high quality were adorned with Gold & other Ornaments;of which fee I/a; 3; 18, Theſe may alſo ſignifie that the Feet of Believers ſhould be ſhod with the preparations of the Goſpel of Peace,Eph: 6:15. cBoth by Birth, being born of God, & by diſpoſition and deportment agrec= able to that quality. d Either 1) The hollow place in which theHip or Thigh-bone movethand turneth it ſelf:Or rather 2. The Hip 'or Thigh-bone which moveth there-for this is more fitly compared toa jewel we!l ſer. Some underſtand this of ſome Ornaments worn by Women upon thoſe parts:for the word rendred joints may fignifie girales,or any Ornament which encompaſi:th any part of the Body,& the ſame words which ſignifie :h/ghs are both in Hebrew, and: other Languages,ſnmetimes uſed concerning the /egs. Which being admit. ted,this mightſeem to be underſtood of the Brides Garters about her Legs, which not unfitly follows the Shoes upon her Feet laſt mentio« ned.But this fenſe feems not to ſuit ſo well with the following com« { pariſon as the former doth. e Like jewels order'y and excellently ſet by a skilful Artiſt, So this ſignifies the uprightnefs and decency of her going, which depends very much upon the right ſituation of the Hip or Thigh-bone,which when it is diſlocated or diforder- 8 edcauſeth a lameneſs or. uncomelineſs in going;whereby he under. ſrands the orderlineſs and amiableneſs of her converſation. 2 Thy navel 3s like a round goblet f which wanteth notÞ liquor g: thy belly þ is /ikean heap of wheat ;, ſet + 1yeb! about with lilies &, mixrure + 7 To which it is not unfitly compared becauſe it is cf a rovrdform, and hollow,and hath windings and circlings in it. g Thy Navelis not only comely but fruitful. For the Navel is the proper 1mnitrus ment of nouriſhing the Child or Children which are in the Womb. And fo this ſeems to ſignifie the Churches fruitfulneſs partly 21 her ſelf,in cheriſhing & improving all the Graces and good motions of Gods Spirit within herzand principally in reference ro thoſe ma« ny Children which ſhe bears and feeds in her Womb with the whol. ſom 1iquor of Gods Ordinances, þ Ia which thy Chaldren are ove ime
Fond
au 4
FIN £moern CRE HE au, ES.
a
Heb!
uixtur0i ?
"CT af»
VIL. rimecontain-d and £1; 77, e, Of wheat corn,round and ſwelling. aS it is in Women with Cnild,and full of nouriſhment, not only of Liquor,as w:s lait (aid,bur a!ſo of Meat, which may note the variou: proviſions which Chriſt hath laid up in. his Church according to th2 ſeveral capacities of her Children Malk for Babes,and ſtronger Meat for thoſe who are grown up. & Not for defer:c2, which rhe Church doth notnzed, having the ſtrong, God for her ProteCtor, - but for Ornament and Beaury, Whereby is implyed,rhar the 1s nor only fruirful but beautifu),and thar ber Children are not only nume= rous and: we!l fed,bur alſo comely and delightful to the Eye,zs Li- lies are;and withal pure and innocent,in which. reſpe& both Chriſt and the Church are compared to Lilies, Cant. 1. 1, 2: þ |
2 * Thy two breaſt are like ewo young roes !har are twins l. — He
IWhichis repeated from Ch; 4+ 5. where 1t is expained.
4 Thy neck m is as a tower of ivory n, thine eyes o like the filbpoolsp in Heſhbon 4, by the gate of Bath- rabbim: thy noſe r is asthe tower of Lebanon s which looketh towards Damaſcus e.
m Of which ſee on Ch. 4. 4- 2. Clear, and ſmeoth,and long, and ftraighr, anderefted, o Ot which ſee on Ch; 1; 15.& 4.1. .p Full, and clear, and quier,and pleaſant. Poffibly here were rwo filhpools,
* Cli4: 5.
which being c-nveniently ſeated in a large field might bear ſome re- ſemblance to the Eyes placed in the Head. q A pleaſant and well|
watered City, beyond Fordamnas we may guels from Numb. 32,where
doubtleſs there were ſomeeminent and well known fiſhepools,as fur-
ther appears bythe exaCt deſcription of the parricular place berefol-
lowing, in which they were. r The inſtrument of ſmelling and
diſcerning between pleaſant and loathſome things; which may fig-
nifie. the Churches 1agzcity in diſcerning between good and evil.
s Which though ir be not elſewhere mentioned, was in all probabili-
ty built by Solomon in the Mountain of Lebanon which was theNor-
thern Border of the Land of 1ſra«l towards Damaſcus, and therefore
a very fit place for a watch Tower. To this Tower her Noſe is
compared, not for its greataeſs,bur for its comely and convenient