The Canticles, or Song of Songs Opened and Explained

Behold; you are faire my love, behold, you are faire, you have doves eyes within your lockes: your haire is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. verse 2 Your teeth are like a flocke of sheepe that are even shorne, which came up from the washing: whereof every one beare twins, and none is barren among them. verse 3 Your lips are like a thread of scarlet, and your speech is comely: your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within your lockes. verse 4 Your necke is like to the tower of David, builded for an armory, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. verse 5 Your two breasts are like two young Roes, that are twins, which feed among the lillies. verse 6 Vntill the day breake, and the shadowes flee away; I will get me to the mountains of Myrrhe, and to the hill of Frankincense. verse 7 You are all faire, my love, there is no spot in you. verse 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. verse 9 You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chaine of your necke. verse 10 How faire is your love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is your love then wine! and the smell of your oyntments then all spices! verse 11 Your lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb: honey and milke are under your tongue, & the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon. verse 12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountaine sealed. verse 13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranats, with pleasant fruits, Camphire, with Spikenard. verse 14 Spikenard and Saffron, Calamus and Cynamon, with all trees of Frankincense, Myrrhe, and Aloes, with all the chiefe spices. verse 15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streames from Lebanon. verse 16 Awake, O Northwind, and come you South, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out: let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

Cant. 4. 1.–6. Behold, you are faire my love, behold you are faire, you have doves eyes within your locks: your haire is as a flock of goates, that appeare from mount Gilead, &c.

This Chapter describes the estate of the Church in her periods:

First, in Christs time, under his Ministery, verse 1.–6.

Secondly, after his ascension, under the Apostles, verse 7.–11.

Thirdly, after their departure, during the first ten persecutions, verse 12.–16.

The Church in Christs time is commended and described,

First, by her beauty in generall, Behold, you are faire my love, behold, you are faire.

Secondly, the beauty of her severall parts, at that time most conspicuous, as

First, Of her eyes, verse 1.

Secondly, Of her haire, verse 1.

Thirdly, Of her teeth, verse 2.

Fourthly, Of her lips, verse 3.

Fifthly, Of her temples, verse 3.

Sixthly, Of her necke, verse 4.

Seventhly, Of her breasts, verse 5.

Secondly, the death of Christ falling out in her time, verse 6.

Behold you are faire:] faire twice repeated implies, by an usuall Hebraisme, that shee was very faire: and beloved twice repeated, argues her eminent beauty was very conspicuous; such was the estate of the Church gathered by his Ministery 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 comming from him.

Secondly, In his both,

First, presence with her, as her light.

Secondly, decking of her by his Ministery.

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

First of all, by the children of wisedome.

Secondly, of all the Greekes, even strangers of the Pharisees and Elders.

You have Doves eyes within your lockes:] Doves (as before Cha. 1. 15.) are noted,

First, for their chastenesse.

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

1. Cleannesse.

2. Simplicity.

This implies that the Church at that time

First, saw more clearely sundry truths about Christ then the Fathers had done, or the present Governours.

Secondly, was of a simple and innocent looke and demeanour.

Thirdly, looked with a chaste eye, after Christ alone.

Fourthly, loathed the uncleannesse of Pharisaicall superstitions.

Within your lockes.] For their knowledge, though cleere in many things, yet perceived not sundry plaine points: as,

First, the death and resurrection of Christ.

Secondly, the leaven of the Pharisees.

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

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

Haire, though it hang long upon the head, yet it may in time either,

First, fall of it selfe.

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

1. For multitude.

2. Hanging on Christ the head.

3. Falling many of them from him:

First, either of themselves, Or

Secondly, cut off by the practises of the Priests: hence it was that Jesus durst not commit himselfe to them.

As a flocke of Goats,] which are wont,

First, to assemble themselves in companies; so did the people gather after Christ.

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

Thirdly, to feed a farre off, and that somewhat dangerously, upon Rocks.

So that people came from farre to heare Christ, and were in danger for feeding on him.

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

The sheepe whereto these teeth are likened, are set forth,

First, by their even-shornenesse.

Secondly, by their cleannesse, comming up from the washing.

Thirdly, by their fruitfulnesse, Every one bringeth forth twins, none barren.

First, even set, none gaping out.

Secondly, white and cleane.

Thirdly, each answering to his fellow in the other jaw, none wanting, as it is a praise to the teeth to be. The teeth are such as chew the meat, and prepare it for the rest of the body; such in that Church were the Apostles, whom our Savior calls a little flocke: they were all,

First, even set, and even shorne, none bursting out beyond his fellowes: Peters supremacy stretched not beyond the rest of the Apostles.

The teeth of innocent sheepe are even set: They that have tushes longer then the other teeth are hurtfull and ravenous beasts, as Dogs, Bears, Lions, &c. Ten of the Apostles disdained the motion of supremacy.

Secondly, came up from Johns baptisme, and therefore when Judas fell aaway, they must needs supply his place out of the number of such as had continued with them from Johns baptisme.

Secondly, they were sutable each one to his fellow, and therefore the seventy were sent out by couples.

But especially they were fruitful in bringing home many lambs to Christ; and hence the seventy returned with joy to Christ; and Satan is said to fall down from heaven before them like lightning.

Your lips are like a thread of scarlet, and your speech is comely: your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within your locks.

Your lips are like a thread of scarlet, and your speech is comely.] Both signifying the delivery or utterance of the doctrine of the Church at that time, which was

First, as a thread slender (tenui filo,) not plump or swelling with humane eloquence, but savouring of fisher-like tenuity and simplicity.

Secondly, as a thread of scarlet; for as scarlet or purple is a princely and royal wear, so their doctrine was,

First, touching the kingdom of heaven.

Secondly, though tender, yet deeply dyed in grain with royal majesty and authority of the Spirit of God.

Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within your locks.] Temples of the head are they by which the whole body watches or rests; they are such therefore as watch over the body, and for it. The pomegranate was of much use in the old Tabernacle and Temple: Aaron's coat was hanged with pomegranates and bells; bells for sound of doctrine and prayer, pomegranates for restraining and healing the distempers and diseases of the people. Pomegranates are commended by Fernelius

First, for repressing the heat of choler.

Secondly, the malignity, rottenness and agrimony of fevers.

Thirdly, the looseness of the belly.

Secondly, for comforting and strengthening the stomach and bowels, to the keeping back all fainting. This office the ecclesiastical governors of the Church do perform to it; they repress the heat of fallings out among brethren, the notorious abuses, the looseness, or distemperdness of the people; they comfort the feeble, and bind up the weak, and are therefore fitly resembled by pomegranates, yes by a piece of a pomegranate: for it is not the whole body of the pomegranate that does this; but it, broken in pieces, by his juice and rind is medicinable.

Within your locks:] Because though Christ established discipline, and delivered it to the Church in his time; yet it was not displayed, nor showed itself in open execution till after his resurrection on.

Your neck is like the tower of David, &c.] The neck is that part that joins head and body together; now that which joins Christ and his Church together, is our faith: which faith in some of the members of that Church in Christ's time, was observed to be strong and great; and therefore is here fitly compared to the tower of David, for an armory, (whereof we read) whereon there hanged a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. It seems David's mighty men hanged up their shields in this armory against times of war; and so in like manner all the worthies of Israel; all the faithful before Christ, hanged their shields of faith upon Christ, in whom the faith of his Church was as a strong armory. Faith is not so much a tower of strength in itself, as in Christ whom it apprehends.

Your two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

Your two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.] The breasts give milk: now the breasts that give milk to the Church, the sincere milk of the word, are the ministers, which in the Church of Christ's time were first the Apostles; secondly, the seventy: and are therefore here called two breasts, and both as roes, because not tied to any certain place within all the people of the Jews; for roes stay not long in a place: and both as twins, because of equal commission, being both sent alike to the whole house of Israel, though, after the Resurrection, the Apostles' commission was enlarged further than that of the seventy.

Which feed among the lilies.] For they were sent not only among the Gentiles or Samaritans, but among,

First, the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Secondly, the true-hearted or well-affected of the Israelites.

These faithful are here compared to the lilies,

First, for their whiteness and purity of innocency.

Secondly, for their amiableness.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away: I will get me to the mountains of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away.] That is, until the light of the Gospel break forth, and the shadows of the Mosaical ceremonies vanish.

I will get me to the mountains of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.] That is, to the mounts, first of Olivet, secondly, of Golgotha, where he suffered in the garden, and on the cross, and nailed to his cross all the shadows of the Law, and, in fulfilling them, abolished them.

Myrrh and frankincense, are wont to be used in embalming, and with such like Christ himself at his death was to have been embalmed, if his resurrection had not prevented the women. Besides, the passion of Christ was a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor to God, and therefore the place thereof is fitly called the mountain of myrrh, and hill of frankincense; though otherwise the mountain of myrrh may well be Mount Calvary, or Golgotha, the place of his death; and the hill of frankincense Mount Olivet, in regard of his ascension into heaven; yes, even heaven itself, whither he ascended, may be well called the hill of frankincense for sweetness.

This first does teach us that a Church may be beautiful in God's sight, though consisting

Use 1 First, of mean persons.

Secondly, of such as were sometimes notorious offenders, as publicans and harlots: and from hence

First, poor people,

Secondly, sinners, yes ugly sinners are to be exhorted to repentance and seeking after Christ: it makes them truly amiable in Christ's eyes, though otherwise in themselves never so mean and foul.

From hence also poor sinners may take comfort; though laden with the sense of their deformities, they in Christ's eyes are very beautiful.

From hence also the Separatists may learn, that notwithstanding many abuses in their teachers, or others of the Church, as the Scribes and Pharisees whom the people were to hear, yet the Church may be denominated from the better part very fair, as a heap of wheat, though covered over with abundance of chaff.

Secondly, this may teach ministers how to frame themselves to be amiable in God's sight, (namely,)

First, by carrying themselves evenly with their brethren.

Secondly, by cleansing their hearts and lives by the power of baptism.

Thirdly, by fruitfulness, and faithfulness in their ministry.

Fourthly, by not affecting carnal eloquence, but gracious and deep-dyed powerful utterance; for swelling words of humane wisdom make men's preaching seem to Christ (as it were) a blubber-lipped ministry.

Fifthly, by restraining abuses and offences among the people, and strengthening and comforting the feeble minded.

Sixthly, by feeding their people with sincere milk, and not being dry nurses.

Seventhly, by taking most delight in conversing among lillies, their well-affected people, though seeking also to winne all, and therefore sometimes conversing with them as the physicians among the sicke.

Use 3 This may teach ecclesiasticall governours their office in the former vertues of the pomegranate, to represse the heat of abuses, the loosenesse and distemprednesse of the people, to comfort the feeble, and binde up the weake, &c.

Fourthly, this may teach the people how to approve themselves to Christ, in looking after Christ in knowledge, simplicity, chastity of spirit, loathing superstitions, and places of bad resort.

Aspicis ut veniunt ad candida tecta Columbae.

You see'st how pigeons take their flight,

To houses that be faire and white.

For, what should Christians doe in filthy taverns, ale-houses, stews, &c. in strength of faith rooting and building themselves upon Christ.

You are all faire my love, there is no spot in you.] In these words we have a description of the estate of the Church soone after Christ's ascension, gathered and built up by the ministery of the Apostles, which they call the Apostolicke or primitive Church.

This Church is here set forth,

First, by her compleat beauty, her full fairenesse, ver. 7.

Secondly, by Christ's calling her to behold the calling of the Gentiles, ver. 8.

Thirdly, by the ravishing beauty of a sister Church at that time: 1. In one of her eyes. 2. One chaine of her necke. verse 9.

Fourthly, by her love, which is set forth, 1. By the fairenesse of it. 2. By the sweetnesse of it above wine, verse 10.

Fifthly, by the flowingnesse, sweetnesse, and wholsomnesse of her doctrine, v. 11.

Sixthly, by the smell of her garments, like that of Lebanon, ver. 11.

You are faire:] The fairenesse of the Church was acknowledged before, but never till now the perfect fairenesse. All compleat fairenesse or beauty standeth in these three things:

First, in the integrity of all the parts and members of the body; for if any be wanting, it is a maimed, a blemished body.

Secondly, in the symmetry, or fit proportion of all the members one to another.

Thirdly, in the good complexion, or color of them all. Looke what parts are requisite for the compleat integrity of a faire Church, they are all found in the Apostolicke Church in comely proportion of beauty; for looke,

First, at their doctrine, and it was,

1. Free from all errour, so farre as it was dispensed by the Apostles, prophets, evangelists of that time, who likewise suffered no weeds of false doctrine to grow under them.

2. Their doctrine was compleat, even the whole counsell of God.

3. It was dispensed in powerfull simplicity.

Secondly, looke at their worship, and you may see,

1. The purity of God's ordinances, without mixture of humane inventions.

2. Order, decency, edification of all aimed at in all the duties administred.

3. Fervency and frequency in prayer and fasting.

Thirdly, looke at their Christian communion, and you may see

1. Their unity one with another.

2. Love, and large-heartednesse one towards another, especially to their ministers.

Fourthly, looke to their discipline, and you may see the Apostles, prophets, evangelists, presbyters, pastors, teachers, first, teaching; secondly, exhorting; thirdly, ruling: and all by, first, preaching, secondly, writing, thirdly, private conference, fourthly, good examples: (No Churches unprovided of presbyters, in the plurall number.)

Thirdly, the deacons providing for the poore (Acts 6:3–6).

Fourthly, both sorts chosen by the Church (Acts 6:3, 5).

Fifthly, excommunications dispensed upon weighty occasions, and with great reverence, and with good successe.

Sixthly, synods imposing no other but necessary things, either in themselves, or for the present use of the Church (Acts 15:26).

This comely frame and order of the Church Paul beholding, joyed in it. The Church was now called a spouse after Christ had taken our nature upon him.

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.

Come with me from Lebanon.] It is a famous hill in the uttermost border of Israel northward: Amana a hill more northward on the west of Syria, looking into Syria, Mesopotamia, Cilicia, & all Asia the less.

Hermon and Shenir.] Two names of the same hill, though happely given to divers parts, called also Syrion or Sien.

The lions dens and mountaines of the leopards:] Jerusalem and the Temple in our Saviour's time was made a den of theeves and robbers; but in the Apostles time, after the Ascension, the rulers grew more fierce and cruell, spilling the bloud of Stephen, and making havocke of the Church: So then, in this verse, Christ cals his Church of the Christian Jewes,

First, to behold from Lebanon, Hermon, Amana, the Church of the Gentiles gathered in Antioch, Phenice, Cyrene, Cyprus, &c.

Secondly, to come out from those dens of ravenous persecutors at Jerusalem, and to prepare her selfe to dwell among the Gentiles. Upon the persecution of Stephen the faithfull wandred into these parts, and preached the Gospell partly to the Jewes, and after to the Gentiles also; whereupon great numbers of the Gentiles beleeved: Which when tydings thereof came to Jerusalem, it was as the voyce of Christ calling the Church of Jerusalem to send Barnabas to them, to see the Churches there, and to establish them. Afterwards when the Church of the Gentiles increased in number and grace, and the Jewes increased and grew up in blasphemy and rage against the Gospell, Christ called his Church at Jerusalem to leave those dens and mountaines of lions and leopards.

My sister.] This implieth that Christ now speaketh not to the mother Church of the Jewes, but to a sister Church, the Church of the Gentiles; such a sister as is also a spouse, a true Church, now first called a sister by reason of the accession of the Church of the Gentiles.

You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, you have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chaine of your neck.

You have ravished my heart, you have ravished my heart.] This implies that Christ was overcome exceedingly with the love of the Church: for such repetitions imply, in the Hebrew phrase, a superlative excellency.

This Church so affecting Christ was Antioch, the first Church of the Gentiles, seated between Amana and Lebanon: for Barnabas, seeing the grace of God upon them, was not a little glad of it, so that his spirit was stirred up to exhort them to continue and grow up: yes, hee went out and sought Saul, to bring him among them; and they both spent a whole yeare there, and did winne much people, so that that Church was first called Christian, they first had their husband's name, the name of Christ first put upon them, for the forwardnesse of his love to them, and theirs to him.

With one of your eyes.] The eyes of the Church are several, according as the Church may be severally considered: for if the Church be considered as assembled together to public duties, so the ministers of the Church are the eyes, among whom they at Antioch excelled, as Agabus and others; among whom the Lord was especially delighted with Barnabas and Saul, who were sent immediately by the Spirit of Christ to enlighten all the neighbor countries. So they two, joined in one office, were as one eye to enlighten all the parts. But if the Church be considered in the members apart, the eyes thereof are knowledge and faith: in this Church faith excelled, resting upon Christ alone without Moses his ceremonies, which the Jews would have thrust upon them.

With one chain of your neck.] Chains signified laws binding as chains. Now the Church of Antioch sending up Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, about the contention which Cerinthus (as the stories think) and others raised at Antioch concerning the necessity of the ceremonial laws; the Apostles or Elders made a law or decree to abrogate the ceremonies, and yet enjoin some things, partly necessary in themselves, as to avoid fornication; partly necessary to avoid the offences of the Jews, as to abstain from blood, &c. This law the Apostles and Elders hanged as a chain upon the neck of the Church of Antioch and other churches: from where that Church received great consolation, and the other churches establishment and increase.

How fair is your love my Sister, my spouse! how much better is your love than wine! and the smell of your ointments than all spices!

How fair is your love, my Sister!] Sister implies the same, and such like gentile churches, whose love is here set forth,

First, by the fairness of it.

Secondly, by the strength, sweetness, cheerfulness, implied in the preferring it above wine.

How fair, and strong, and sweet, and cheerful was the love of the Church of Antioch; which aforehand prepared a contribution of their own accord for the poor saints at Jerusalem, even every man according to his ability! The like or greater love seemed in the poor churches of Macedonia. A fair love for poor men to send relief to others: a strong love for deeply poor to send rich liberality; yet more strong and sweet to pray the messengers with much entreaty to receive it, and a cheerful love to do all this in abundance of joy, and beyond the Apostle's own expectation.

This kind of benevolence the Apostle calls an odor of a sweet smell; it was sweeter and better than wine. All this love showed to the poor saints Christ takes here as done to himself, as he will also take it at the last day. The decays of this first love shows how great this love was at the first.

The smell of your ointments than all spices.] Ointments, are the graces of God's Spirit: these gave a sweet report far and near in those primitive churches.

Your lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb: honey and milk are under your tongue, and the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

Your lips, O my Spouse, drop as the honey-comb: honey and milk are under your tongue.] This commends the doctrine and ministry of those first churches, in these four respects:

First, for the readiness and flowingness of it; it dropped forth of itself, it needed not to be pressed and constrained, as a honey-comb.

Secondly, for the sweetness of it, as the honey or the honey-comb.

Thirdly, for the wholesomeness of it, as milk.

The smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.] Lebanon is full of sweet trees of spices growing in it, which yield a fragrant smell even a far off. Garments are,

First, partly the wedding garments of Christ's righteousness.

Secondly, partly the gracious carriage wherewith they clothed themselves in their outward conversation: they clothed and decked themselves with Christ, not only to their justification, but with his Spirit to their sanctification; which shows forth itself in their humility, meekness, patience, honesty, faithfulness, diligence, serviceableness of their outward carriage, so far forth as that the Heathen smelled a sweet favor in their whole course; yes, even in Trajan's time, when the smell of garments was not so strong: yet what a sweet testimony does Pliny himself (though a persecutor) give of them, when he said, he could find no fault with them but that they rose early, and went into the woods to sing hymns to one Jesus?

Use 1 This first is to reform their judgements who speak of the Apostolical Church as an infant and rude church, whereas Christ, whose eyes were as a flame of fire, and who best knew it, commends it for perfection of beauty, and says it was fair: so that if a church were such, Christ might embrace it with both his arms.

This is the Church excellent for her ministers, excellent for common Christians, which had pure eyes of knowledge and faith; so that by how much nearer any church comes to this, by so much the fairer it is; and by how much any church comes short of it, by so much the fouler it is.

Use 2 Secondly, this does teach us that not abuses, but the toleration of them does blemish a church, and detract from the perfect beauty of it; for otherwise in the primitive churches were found schisms, heresies, a denying the resurrection, uncharitable going to law, incest, love-feasts in the Lord's Supper, strange tongues in the public worship; and yet because the Apostles stood out against these and reformed them, the Church still retains her perfect beauty. In the Church of Ephesus there were false apostles, yet it was a church; so it is, corruptions not cut off defile a church. As we then desire the Church should be pure, leave we all our sins and corruptions which may any way blemish the beauty of the Church.

Use 3 Thirdly, this teaches us to be ready to extol and acknowledge (as occasion serves) other men's labors above our own. Christ gathered a church in his own time which he called, Fair; but this church gathered by his Apostles he calls, All fair. It grieves him not to ascribe thousands to himself, and ten thousands to them; yes, he foretold it, and promised it freely aforehand: how far was he from a spirit of envy and emulation, though indeed all their success was by his grace and blessing, as Paul said, By the grace of God I am that I am? The contrary spirit of emulation hinders churches from taking that which is their own from one another.

Use 4 Fourthly, hence we learn in what cases one church may step from another, to wit,

First, when Christ leaves a church, and goes away with us from it; Come with me from Lebanon (my spouse,) with me: so when Christ leaves and forsakes a church, we may leave it and go out with him.

Secondly, when a Church is become a universal spotted Leopard, and a cruel Lion, blaspheming and persecuting the Gospel of Christ, as

These things were found in Rome, from where we departed not in England, (blessed be the Lord) from whom the Separatists would have us to depart: but Christ still vouchsafes to be with us, converting souls, feeding his lambs, hearing our prayers; we may also worship Christ in truth without fear of laws, yes with acceptance. When Christ goes, let all his faithful spouses go with him; when there are dens of Lions, and men cannot keep the profession of Christ, but fall into their mouths, then it is time to go. But are there these causes now? Does not Christ dwell here in the simplicity of his ordinances? As long as Christ is here in England, let us not go away: but say, as Peter and John, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. As long as Christ is pleased to feed us, to drop milk and honey into our souls, let us not depart.

Use 5 Fifthly, this may teach us how to knit the heart of Christ to us in ravishing affection, by cleaving to Christ with settled purpose, by abounding in helpfulness to the Saints, by procuring and keeping faithful shepherds, by burdening the Church not with many chains of laws, but only with few, and those necessary: all these are formerly mentioned in the Church of Antioch. As ever we desire to have the Lord Jesus Christ to love us, let us grow in knowledge, faith, and all saving graces of his Spirit, and hereby show our love to him, and then we shall find Christ ravished with our love.

Use 6 Sixthly, this does teach us what kind of love Christ acknowledges and embraces; to wit, fair, strong, sweet, cheerful, in an enlarging ourselves to the relief of his poor Saints.

Use 7 Seventhly, this does teach Ministers how to make their Ministry amiable to Christ, (not to preach once a month, or quarterly, by the preaching of the Law, but) to be full as the honeycomb dropping out of itself, to preach sweet doctrine as honey, and wholesome as milk, for the nourishment of Christ's lambs.

The Pastors and Ministers of the Primitive Church did this without help of Universities; what a shame then is this for us to come short of them in such abundance of outward helps and means? Would you be a faithful Minister? Let your doctrine drop as honey, preach willingly, freely, sweetly, comfortably.

Use 8 Lastly, this may learn and stir up Christians so to walk, and so to furnish ourselves with inward graces, and with outward commendable carriage, as may yield a sweet savor and smell to God and man, that it may be like the smell of Lebanon, that men may smell a sweet savor that come near them: let our hearts be inwardly furnished with the graces of God as with sweet ointments; and our outward garments, our outward conversation so directed with honesty, integrity, humility, meekness and love, &c. that our names be not dishonored, much less God by our means. Cast we aside stinking drunkenness, whoredom, malice, covetousness, &c. And thus doing, we shall take away all offense; so doing, Christ shall look at us as his fair spouse, and say, You are all fair my love, verse 7.

A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse.]

After the Church gathered by the Ministry of the Apostles, next follows that under the ten persecutions; which is here described,

First, by her restraint, verse 13.

Secondly, by her privacy, verse 14.

Thirdly, by her fruitfulness, refreshing and watering others, verse 15.

Fourthly, by her prayer in this estate: wherein consider,

1. The Petitions; which are three,

First, for the arising of the wind, and coming into the South, verse 16.

Secondly, for favorable blasts of it, and that for this end, the flowing forth of her spices.

Thirdly, that Christ would come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits, verse 16.

2. Christ's answer thereunto:

First, he comes into his garden.

Secondly, he gathers and enjoys the fruits of it.

Thirdly, he fills his Church's friends with a large measure of plenty, Chap. 5:1.

A garden:] The Church is here so called, as verse 13. an orchard; or as it is in the original, a Paradise, as if this were the garden of Eden. All the world is as a wilderness, or at least a wild field; only, the Church is God's garden or orchard, in these three respects,

First, as the garden of Paradise was the habitation of Adam in the estate of innocency, so is the Church of all those who are renewed into innocency.

Secondly, as in that garden were all manner of pleasant and wholesome herbs and trees growing, so in the Church are all manner of useful and savory spirits.

Thirdly, as a man walks in his garden to refresh himself; so does Christ walk in his Church, yes and calls his friends there to walk with him.

A spring, a fountain:] Not because the Church is the fountain of grace; but because, Christ being in it, it is the spring or fountain of the waters of life to all

A garden, spring, fountain, enclosed, shut up, sealed;] Not by a pale or wall of defense by Christian Magistrates, but rather shut up by restraint; for the word signifies to enclose or shut up, as with locks and fetters.

Again, the Church prays for the enlargement of the flowing of her spices, verse 16. and therefore her present shutting up was uncomfortable to her.

The Church was then said to be shut up,

First, because under the persecutions it was shut up in prisons, and other places of punishment, as under locks and fetters.

Secondly, because the Church then assembled in private close places, woods, dens, &c. and not in the open places of towns or cities.

Thirdly, because it was shut up from free access of foreigners, men without; neither were the Emperors willing their Subjects should repair to them, nor the Church willing to admit all promiscuously.

Your plants:] That is, your children or members, as an orchard of Pomegranates, Camphire, verse 14. Spikenard, Saffron, Calamus, Cinnamon. The children of the Church are compared to these wholesome and sweet fruits, trees, herbs, in a double respect.

First, because the virtues of these fruits and spices are especially seen when they are cut and poured out, or beaten, or burned, or bruised: so it is with the graces of God's children; they are chiefly exercised by the hard dealing of persecutors.

Secondly, there was in the faithful then persecuted a resemblance of the virtues of these fruits and spices.

Pomegranates repress and restrain the heat of Choler, the malignity of fevers, the looseness of the belly, they also comfort the stomach and bowels, and prevent faintings and swoonings.

Camphire with his sweetness of smell delights and strengthens the Spirits, cheers up the mind, helps the stone, restrains ulcers.

Spikenard stays distillations from the head, strengthens the stomach, digests cold humors, helps conception.

Saffron thins phlegm, helps lethargies, coughs, and pleurisies, furthers digestion, comforts the heart, redresses the rottenness of the other parts, which also are strengthened.

Calamus helps the passages of the urine, and the faults of the reins, helps also the womb and conception.

Cinnamon strengthens and cheers the spirits and mind, dries up rotten matter, helps against poison, warms and strengthens the stomach to digestion.

Frankincense restrains and helps ulcers, gouts, fluxes of blood, cleanses and glues up wounds and ulcers.

Myrrh refreshes the brain, dries up superfluous humors, helps straitness of breath, restrains ulcers and itchiness, fills ulcers and wounds with flesh.

Aloes cleanse tough phlegm and choler, dry up raw and cold humors, preserve the rest from putrefying, open obstructions, strengthen the stomach strongly.

Suitable to the virtues of these fruits and spices, persecution bred and stirred up in the faithful graces of like efficacy, to restrain heats of emulation, contention, ambition, to repress ulcers of malignity and dis-affection one to another, to heal the coldness, hypocrisy, and rottenness of their spirits; to stay distillations of cold raw matters, dropping from the head Bishops of Rome; as also to strengthen appetite to the word, to comfort the faint-hearted, to knit the members together.

A fountain of gardens, &c.] For the Church, pouring out her confessions and martyrdoms for the truth, propagated and watered many Churches; for, sanguis martyrum was semen Ecclesiae, a well of living waters. The Church was not then dried up, but plentifully stored with the graces of the Spirit. Streams from Lebanon: The Churches were stored with such graces of the Spirit, as streamed and issued out from the mountains of Israel, the writings of the Prophets and Apostles.

Awake, or arise, O Northwind, &c.] The Churches desire that a wind might arise in the North, and come into the South: to wit, that Constantine, born in York, would come into the southern parts, and take the Empire upon him, (and blow upon my garden) driving away the blasts of Easterly persecutions, and breathe favourably and wholesomely upon the Church, cooling the tempestuous heats of the persecutions which the Church endured. The Church prays not the South to come, but the North to come into the South, else

First, the word blow, if it had reference to both winds, should have been of the plural number.

Secondly, Northwind and Southwind blowing together, would interrupt and cross one another by their contrariety.

That the spices thereof may flow forth:] That the Gospel and ordinances of Christ and the graces of his children, which were there restrained from their free manifestation by the persecutions, might have free passage.

Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat of his pleasant fruits.] Let Constantine come to them, and partake of the benefits of the Churches serviceable graces to God and him.