100 The Song of Songs. Ch.4. 6 Untill the day breake, and the shadowes flee away; I will get me to the mountaines of Myrrh, and to the bill of Frankincense. 7 Thou art all faire, my love, there is no spot in thee. 8 Come with me from Lebanon (my spouse) with me from Lebanon: looke from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the Lions dens, from the mountaines of the Leopards. 9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my fifter, my fpoufe; thou hast ravished my beart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy necke. 10 How faire is thy love, my fifter, my spouse! bow 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 boney-comb: boney and milke are under thy tongue, and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. 12 Agarden inclofed is my fifter, my spouse, Spring fout up, a fountaine fealed. 13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits, camphire, with spikenard. 14 Spikenard and Saffron, Calamus and Cinnamon, with all trees of Frankincenfe, Myrrh, and Aloes, with all the chiefe fpices. 15 Afountaine of gardens, a well of living wa ters, and ftreames from Lebanon. 16 Awake, O Northwind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out: let my beloved come into his garden, and eat bis pleafunt fruits. THE Ch.4. The eftate of the Church in Chrifts time. THE EXPLANATION. Cant. 4.1-6. Behold, thou art fair my love,behold, thou art fair,thou haft doves eyes within thy lockes: thy haire is as a flocke of goats, that appeare from mount Gilead, &c. THis His Chapter defcribes the estate of First,in Christs time,under his Ministery, verse 1.-6. Secondly, after his Afcenfion, under the Apostles,verfe 7.-11. Thirdly, after their departure, during the firft ten Perfecutions,ver.12.16. The Church in Chrifts time is commended and defcribed, Firft,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, verse 1. Fourthly, of her lips, verse 3. 101 Fifthly, of her temples, verfe 3. Sixthly, of her necke, verfe 4. Seventhly, of her breafts, verse 5. G3 Secondly, 102 a Mat.4. 25. Mat. 19. 19,27. Luke 19. 48. & 9. 43. b Job.3.29 Joh.12.35 c Mat. II. 19. d John 12. 20,21. e John 12. 19. The Church faire in Christs time. Ch.4. Secondly, the death of Chrift falling out in her time,verfe 6. Behold, thou art faire.] Faire twice repeated implies, by an ufuall Hebraisme, that he was very fair: 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,partly in her flocking after him. Secondly, leaving all to follow him, *hanging upon his mouth,and wondring at the gracious words and deeds coming from him. T Secondly, in his both, First, prefence with her, as her light b. Secondly, decking of her by his Ministery. 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 d Greekes, even ftrangerse of the Pharifees and Elders. Thou haft doves eyes within thy lookes.] Doves (as before, Chap.1.15.) are noted, First, Ch.4. How the Church hath Doves eyes. 1. Cleanneffe. 2. Simplicity. This implies that the Church at that time, First, faw more clearely fundry truths 103 23,25. inno-Joh.9.39 about Chrift then the Fathers had done f, f Luke 10. or the present Governours 8. Secondly, was of a fimple and cent looke and demeanour 5. Thirdly, looked with a chafte eye, af ter Chrift alone i. Fourthly, loathed the uncleanneffe of Pharifaicall fuperftitions k. Within thy locks.]For their knowledge, though cleare in many things, yet percei ved not fundry plaine points: as, First, the Death and Refurrection of Christ. h Mat. 10. 16. Joh. 1.47. i Joh.6.68 k Mat.IS. 1 Luke 18. Secondly, the leaven of the Phari-32,33,34 fees m m Mar. 8. As the eye within lockes of haire is hindred from difcerning things lying Luke 12.1 open before it. Thy haire as a flocke of goats that appeare from mount Gilead.] GA Haire Mat.16.6. 104 a Joh.6.66 b Mat. 27. 20. John 12. 42,43. c John 2. 23.-25. d Mat. 9. 36. Chriftians how call'd haire and goats. Ch.4. Secondly, bee cut off: fo were the common Chriftians 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 practifes of the b Priefts: hence it was that Jefus durft not commit himselfe to them c 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 d Thirdly, to feed afarre off, and that fomewhat dangerously,upon rocks. So the people came from farre to hear e Mar.8.3. Chrifte, and were in danger for feeding fJoh.9.22 on him f. Verse a. Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheep that are even (horne,which came up from the washing: whereof every one beare twins, and none is barren among them.] The |