100

The Song of Songs.

are twins, which feed among the lillies.

Ch.4

6 Untill the day breake, and the fhadowes flee away; I will get I will get me to the mountains of Myrrbe, and to the hill of Frankincenfe.

7 Thon art all faire, my love, there is no Spot in thee.

8 Come with me from Lebanon (my spouse) with me from Lebanon:look from the top of Amana,from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the Lions dens,from the mountains of the Leopards.

9 Thou haft ravished my heart, my fifter, my Spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy necke.

10 How faire is thy love, my fifter my spouse! how much better is thy love then wine! and the Smell of thy oyntments then all spices!

11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb:honey and milke are under thy tongue & the fmell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. 12 A garden inclofed is my fifter, my spouse,a Spring Shut up a fountaine fealed.

13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranats, with pleafant fruits, Camphire, with Spikenard. 14 Spikenard and Saffron, Calamus and C namon, with all trees of Frankincenfe, Myrrhe, and Aloes, with all the chiefe fpices.

15 Afountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and ftreames from Lebanon.

16 Awake, ONorthwind, and come thou South,blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out: let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleafant fruits.

THE

Ch.4.The eftate of the Church in Chrifts time101

THE EXPLANATION.

Cant.4.1-6.Behold thou art faire my love, behold thou art faire, thou hast doves eyes within thy locks:thy haire is as a flock of goates, that appeare from mount Gilead, &ć.

T

"His Chapter defcribes the estate of
the Church in her periods:

First,in Christs time,under his Ministery, verfe 1.-6.

Secondly, after his ascension, under the Apoftles, verfe 7.-11.

Thirdly, after their departure, during the first ten perfecutions, verfe 12.16. The Church in Chrifts time is commended and defcribed,

First,by her beauty in generall, Behold, thou art faire my love, behold,thou art faire. Secondly, the beauty of her feverall parts, at that time moft confpicuous, as First, of her eyes, verfe 1.

Secondly, of her haire, verfe 1.
Thirdly, of her teeth, verse 2.

Fourthly, of her lips, verfe 3.

3.

Fifthly, of her temples, verfe
Sixthly, of her necke, verfe 4.
Seventhly, of her breasts, verse 5.

H 3

Secondly,

-102

The Church faire in Chrifts time. Ch.4. Secondly, the death of Chrift falling out in her time, verse 6:

Behold thou art faire: ] faire twice repeated implies, by an ufuall Hebraifme, that thee was very faire: and beloved twice repeated, argues her eminent beauty was very confpicuous; fuch was the eftate of the Church gathered by his Miniftery and flocking after him.

First, it was faire and beautifull, parta Mat. 4. ly in her flocking after him 2.

25.

Secondly, leaving all to follow him, *Mat.19.hanging upon his mouth, and wonLuk. 19. dring at the gracious words and deeds comming from him.

19.27.

48.& 9

43•< :

Secondly, In his both,

broh.3.29 Firft, prefence with her,as her light. Secondly, decking of her by his Mi

Ioh.12.35

c Mat. II.

19.

niftery.

This beauty of the Church was well knowne, yet ought to have beene better obferved:

First of all, by the children of wifedome c.

Secondly, of all the a Greekes, even dIoh. 12. ftrangers of the Pharifees and Elders. Thou haft Doves eyes within thy lackes:] Doves (as before Cha.1.15.) are noted,

20, 21.

e Ioh.12.

19.

First,

Ch.4. How the Church hath Doves eyes. 103

First, for their chafteneffe.

Secondly, loathing of uncleanneffe: but there is with all in their eyes,

1. Cleanneffe.

2. Simplicity.

This implies that the Church at that time

First, faw more clearely fundry

truths about Chrift then the Fathers fLuk. 10. had done, or the prefent Governours g. 23,24 Secondly, was of a fimple and inno

cent looke and demeanour h

inno-Ioh.9.

39.

h Mat.10.

Thirdly, looked with a chafte eye, Ioh. 1.47. after Christ alone i.

Fourthly, loathed the uncleanneffe of Pharifaicall fuperftitions k.

Within thy lockes.] For their knowledge, though cleere in many things, yet perceived not fundry plaine points: as, First, the death and refurrection of Chrift*.

Secondly, the leaven of the Phari

fees t.

As the eye within lockes of haire is hindred from difcerning things lying open before it.

Thy haire as a flocke of Goats that appeare from mount Gilead.]

H 4

Haire

iloh.6.68

k Mat.15.

1,20

* Luk.18.

32,33,34.

+Mar.8.15 Luk.12.1 Mat. 16.6

104 Chriftians how call'd haire and goats. Gh.4.

* Ioh. 6.

66.6.

Haire, though it hang long upon the head, yet it may in time either, First, fall of it felfe.

Secondly, be cut off: fo were the common Christians of that time (as it were) haire,

1. For multitude.

2. Hanging on Chrift the head.
3. Falling many of them from him:
First, either of themselves *, Or
Secondly, cut off by the practises of

*Mar. 27. the *Priefts:hence it was that Jefus durft not commit himselfe to them t.

$20.

Ioh. 12.
42,43.
† Ioh. 2.
23. 25.

* Mat 9.

36.

7

"As a flocke of Goats,] which are wont, First, to affemble themselves in companies; fo did the people gather after Chrift.

Secondly, to be without a shepheard, as this people were

*

Thirdly, to feed a farre off, and that fomewhat dangerously, upon Rocks. So the people came from farre to

*Mar.8.3 heare Chrift, and were in danger for feeding on him *.

*Ioh.9.

32.

Verse 2.

Thy teeth are like a flocke of fheepe that are even fhorne, which came up from the washing: whereof every one beare twins, and none is barren among them.]

The