Exposition of the Whole Bible

Christ having given such evidences of his love, larger, have spread themselves, and have been very fatal to the churches of Christ; therefore no error or heresy should be connived at, under a notion of its being a small or a harmless one; for even little foxes are to be taken. Some'' connect the word little with the vines next mentioned; and so it strengthens the reason, why care should be taken to preserve them from the foxes, since they are small and tender.

^dly. Here the motives and arguments proposed to induce a compliance to this command of Christ's.

1. The mischief vvhicli these foxes do to the vines, is made use of as one, which spoil the viues; it has been observed by many,' that these kind of creatures do hurt to the viues; and that by destroying the fences, gnawing the branches, biting the bark, making bare the roots of the vines, devouring the ripe grapes thereof, and infecting all with their noxious teeth aud vicious breath: so heretics and false teachers break down the church's fence, by making schisms and divisions, make bare her roots, sap the very foundation of religion, by corrupting the word of God, and denying the great doctrines of the Gospel; and hurt her fruit, by disturbing the peace of her members, unsettling some, and subverting others. 2. Another argument that is made use of to stir them up to diligence in taking the foxes, is because the vines have tender grapes; by vines are meant the several distinct congregated churches of Christ; by the tender grapes or flowers thereof, we are to understand young converts, whom Christ is very tender I and instances of his care and kindness to the of, and has a particular regard unto; see Isa. xl. church iu the preceding verses; she, in this, declares

11, and xlii. 3, and these having but a small degree of faith, knowledge, and experience, like children, are more easily " tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wiud of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness of these foxes, whereby they lie in wait to deceive: now generally they make their onset upon these, as being more easily wrought upon, and by whom they cau with more facility compass their end; and this being then the case, the ministers of Christ ought to be more sedulous and diligent in the discovering of those foxes, from whom so much mischief may be expected, and more bold, vigorous, and courageous in opposing and rejecting them; seeing the churches of Christ are like to sustain so considerable a loss by them, and in danger of having a promising vintage spoiled. It is true, the foxes love the ripe grapes and devour them, and not when they are blossoming and knotting; which shows Christ's care of his vines to be the greater, that he would have little foxes taken while the vines were blowing; for by such time as the grapes wcfe ripe, these little her faith iu him, and signifies the obligation which she lay under to observe his commands. " My beloved is mine;" he hath given himself to me, his heart is set upon me, aud is always careful of me, and concerned for me; of which he has given the fullest proof^l could wish for: " and I am his; " 1 give up myself to him, and am at his disposal, and think myself obliged to observe whatever he enjoins me, aud to follow him whithersoever he calls me; especially seeing it is for my good; it makes both for my pleasure and profit, as well as for his glory; for " he feedeth among the liles." I need not fear his leading me into danger, or any desolate places, but where lilies grow, where is all delight and pleasure; he will lead me into green pastures, where I may have food, and fulness of it. And,

First. These words are expressive of the mutual interest and property which Christ and the church have in each other; " my beloved is mine, and I am his; " he has interest in me, and I have the same in him.

1st. She says, " ray beloved is 'mine. " She first asserts her interest in Christ, and then his foxes would be great ones, and would be capable interest in her; for Christ is first ours, and tlicn we are his because he is ours; he loves us before we love him; he iirst gives himself to us, and then we give ourselves to him. But hovv comes Christ to be ours? I answer, 1. By the Father's gift; he gave him for us, and he gave him to us; therefore Christ is called, John iv. 10, "the gift of God," and that by way of eminence, he being the iirst and best gift, the most comprehensive one, that includes all others in it, and brings them with it; for he that gives the greater gift, will give the lesser; if he gives his own Son, "he will give all things with him;" him he has given to be a Husband to his church, and a Head over her; he has given him to be a Priest to offer up sacrifice, and to make intercession for lier; to be a Prophet to teach, and a King to rule her; and surely such a gift as this deserves the utmost thanks: so that there is reason to say with the apostle, 2 Cor. ix. 15, " thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift;" and thus Christ becomes ours. 2. By his own gift; he has given himself to us as well as for us; he gave himself a sacrifice for us, and that as an instance of his love to us, as well as a fruit of his having given himself in covenant to us before. 3. By marriage: Christ has not onlv espoused our cause, but has also espoused our persons, and betrothed us to himself" in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies, and in faithfulness," and that for ever; so that, 0 astonishing grace! he that is our Maker is become our Husband. 4. By possession: we have him and all things pertaining to life and salvation with him; v/e have him in us as the hope of glory, dwelling in our hearts by faith, living there as in his own house and temple, and reigning there by his grace and Spirit, as in his own palace; and those souls who can e.-^perience this, may say with the church, my beloved is mine; I have an interest in him, for I am in possession of him. Tims Christ is the church's. But

2ndly. She says also, that she was his; I am his; and that because he is mine. Now how, come souls to be Christ's? I answer, 1. By the Father's gift: he that gives Christ to us, gives us also to Christ; and this he did iu the everlasting covenant, to be his bride and wife, to be his portion and inheritance, and to be kept and preserved by him safe to glory. Christ having pitched his love upon us, chose us for his own, and asked us of his Father, who granted his request; " thine they were," says Christ, John xvii. 6," and thou gavest them me." 2. By purchase: he has bought us with a price, and that not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with his own most precious blood; so that he does, as he justly may, claim an interest in ns upon this accoutt. 3. By the conquest of his grace upon our hearts: he pulls down the strong holds of our hearts; enters in with his glorious train and retinue of bsing his; " for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his;" from whence it may be inferred, that he that has the Spirit of Chiist, is one of his. 4. By a voluntary surrender of ourselves unto him; which cannot be belter expressed than it is in Isa.sliv. 5, " One shall say, I am the Lord's;" which is the language of the church here: " another shall call himself by the name of Jacob;" which is the name of Christ's church; "and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel;" and this in New-Testaraent-language, is. called a giving themselves to the Lord, and to the church by the will of God; so that as Christ is ours by his own consent, we are Clirist's by our consent, being made a willing people in the day of his power. Now from Christ's being ours, it follows, 1. That all he has is ours; all his perfections are ours; not that they are communicated to us, fur that would be to deify us; but they are all engaged for our eternal good and welfare; we have the comfort of them. Is he the Almighty? then he is able to save us from law, sin, hell, and death, and to keep and preserve us safe to his kingdom and glory. Is he omnipresent? heuce saints enjoy his gracious presence, in all places, in all his ordinances; he can be with them, when and where he pleases. Is he omniscient? he knows their persons, fheir wants, their enemies, &c., and is both able and willing to help them. Is he immutable? Is he Jesus, " the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever?" they need not then fear any variation of his mind, any alteration in his love, nor change iu llieir state; and thus all other of hi* divine perfections serve to advance their comfort and happiness. 2. That ail he has is theirs; his Person is theirs, to render them acceptable to God; his blood theirs, to cleanse and pardon them; his righteousness theirs, to justify and acquit them before God; his fulness theirs, to supply their wants; and all covenant-blessings and promises wliich he has in his hands, are theirs. Therefore, 3. It follows, that they can want no good thing; for as he has ability to help them, he has a heart to do it, and will not withhold any thing that may be needful and proper for them, especially seeing they have an indisputable right to and interest in them. Moreover, from our being Christ's it follows, that we are not our own; our persons, our time, and talents, our gifts and graces, are not our own, but his, and therefore we should give up all unto him, and glorify him with all: nor are we any others; we are not Satan's, for Christ has delivered us as lawful captives out of his hands: nor sin's, for Christ has redeemed usfrom it; nor the world's, for Christ has both chosen and called us out of it; and therefore we should serve none but him, who has an iucontestible right to us, and a sovereign power over us.

Secondly, These words are expressive of a near grace, dispossesses Satan, dethrones sin, sets up a union, that there is between Christ and his church; throne for himself, and places his own S])int in the these two are one in a conjugal relation, as husmidst of us, which is the graud evideuee of our band and nife are one; ray beloved is my Husbaud nnJ I am his wife, and wc are both one flesh. ■\Vhich union is, 1. Personal: it is an nnioa of persons, that is to sav, the whole person of Christ as God-man, is united to a believer; and the whole person of a believer, body and soul, is united to Christ; and by virtue of this union, as the souls of the saints shall be received into everlasting habitations till the resurrect ion-morn, so the bodies of the saints shall be raised from their dusty beds, and shall then live with Christ for evermore. 2. It is a spiritual union; " he that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit:" Christ and his church being one, they have one and the same Spirit; Christ has it without measure, and the church in measure; and this she has as the fruit of her union to Christ, and also as the evidence of it. 3. It is a vital union; luch an one as is between the vine and branches: where the Spirit of Christ is given, a princijile of life is implanted; when souls are ingrafted into Christ, they receive life from Christ; nay, he lives in them, and maintains this spiritual life by fresh communications of life frpui himself, who is the Fountain of it; and because he lives, they shall live also; as long as there is life in the Head, there shall be life in the members; and because there is life in the root, the branches shall not wither. 4. It is very mysterious: the union of the three Persons in one divine essence, and that of two natures in Christ's person, are very mysterious; these, without controversy, are the great mysteries of godliness: and next to them is this union of souls to Christ, which the apostle having spoken of, thns says, Eph. v. 33, " This is a great mystery, but I speak of Christ and the church;" that is, of the union there is between Christ and the church -. that it is an ineffable and inconceivable one, appears from its being compared to the union of the divine Persons in the Godhead, John 5vii. 11 — 23. 5. It is an indissoluble one: Christ and the church can never besepnrated; the union-bond can never be broken; and what is that? The generality of divines say, that it is the Spirit on Christ's side, and faith on ours; but neither the Spirit nor faith are tlie bond of union, but the fruits and effects of it: the reason why the Spirit is given, or faith, or any other graces are wrouglit, is, because the soul is already united to Christ. What then is the bond of union? I answer, Christ's everlasting love; it is this which is the cement that knits and joints souls unto him. What was it that knit and united the souls of David and Jonathan together, and made them as if they had been but one soul, but love? What is it that knits the saints together? so as thoy appear to be of one heart and one soul, but love? This is the bond of Union between them; and so it is between Christ and his church; and now who or what can separate from this love? This betrothment, which was done in loving-kindness and in mercies, can never be made void; this marriage-knot can never be loosed; this union-bond can never be broken; Christ's love is everlasting, unchangeable, and inseparable.

Now from tliis union flow, 1. An interest in all he has; he being ours, and we his by marrinf;e; all his goods arc ours, all the aforementioueJ things are ours. 2. A communication of na.ties: the church is called by the name of Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12, Jer. xxiii. 16, compared with Jer. xxxiii. 6; and Christ is called by the church's name, Isa. xlix. 3; which is somewhat remarkable; for though it is usual for the wife to take the name of the husband, yet not the husband the name of the wife. 3. Conformity to Clirist: by virtue of this union, the soul receives the same Spirit that Christ has, and has grace daily communicated from, is indulged with transforming views of, and therefore cannot but bear some resemblance to him; which will more fully appear in the other world, when saints shall be like him, and shall see him as he is. 4. Communion and fellowship with him: communion with Christ follows upon union to him; because his saints and he are both one, he is not ashamed to call them brethren; but takes them into his bosom, indulges them with his presence, grants them nearness to and familiarity with him.

Thirdly. These words are also expressive of the mutual affection, delight, and complacency, which Christ and his church have in each other: it is as if she should say, He is a beloved to me, and I am the same to him; he loves me and I love him; yea, there is no love lost between us. He sa^, that the lines are fallen to him in pleasant places, and that he has a goodly heritage: he is well pleased with his portion, and I am well pleased with mine: for, " whom have I in heaven but him? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides him." He says, that I am in his eye " the fairest among women," the greatest beauty in the world, and so is he in mine; he is white and ruddy, a complete beauty, " the chiefest among ten thousand."

Fourthly. There is in them a manifest declaration of the assurance of that knowledge and faith which she had of her interest in Christ; it shows us, that such a thing is attainable; and, sure I am, next to the enjoyment of the heavenly glory, nothing is more desirable; it is a mercy not only to have an interest in Christ, but also to know it, to be capable of saying with Thomas, ";My Lord and my God;" or with Job, " I know that my Redeemer liveth;" or with the apostle Paul, " I know whom I have believed;" for this makes much for the comfort of souls. The church seems to speak thisi iu the triumph of faith, rejoicing in the comfortable views of Christ as her own; and as it were boasting of it, excluding all other beloveds, as not worthy of her notice, and as not to be mentioned with her beloved.

Lastly. She tells us, that this beloved of hers was feeding among the lilies; " he feedeth among the lilies:" whicli may be regarded either as an apostrophe to him, and may be read thus, " O thou that feedest among the lilies!" thou, and thou only, art mine, and I am thine: or else, these words may be descriptive of his person, and prevent a question that might be asked, viz., who her beloved was, that she thus claimed an interest in? To which she answers, My beloved is that yonder person you see feeding among the lilies; and at the same time also points out to us the place where he was, and what he was about; his employment was feeding, that is, either feeding himself; which Christ does, when he delights and recreates himself in his gardens, the churches, and among his lilies, the saints; observing how their faith grows, and how that all o'her graces are exercised upon himself: or else, feeding his flock, as R. Sol. Jarchi observes; for as he bears the character of a Shepherd, so he performs the work of one; " he feeds his flock like a shepherd;" see chap. i. 7. The place where he is here said to feed, is among the lilies; by which may be meant, either a good, quiet, and delightful pasture, as R. Sol. Jarchi glosses it. Christ leads and feeds his people in " green pastures, beside the still or quiet waters;" and what can be more delightful than to lie down among, or to sit and feed where lilies grow? or else, by these lilies may be meant the scriptures of truth, the precious promises and comfortable doctrines of the gospel, and the ordinances thereof, with which Christ feeds his church: or rather, by them may be meant the saints, who are compared thereunto, inverse 2, of this chapter, iifow it is among these that Christ feeds; and therefore do any want to know where Christ feeds, as the church did, in chap. i. 7? he feeds among his saints, where they are congregated in gospel order, where his lilies grow. It may be observed, it is not said, he feedeth on, or feeds his flock with lilies, but among them; for it is remarked,™ that sheep will not eat them: or tlie sense may be, Christ feeds himself, and feeds his people, and feeds among them, as if he was crowned with lilies, and anointed with the oil of them; as was the custom of the ancients at festivals," thought to be here alluded to by some, who read the words, " that feeds;" tliat is, feeds, sups in, or with lilies, being crowned with them, and anointed with the oil of them. The lily is a summer flower;" the winter was now past, verse 11; and so agrees with the time when those words were spoken.

Verse 17. Until the day hreah, and the shadows flee away; turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart, upon the mountains of Bother.

TiiE former part of these words, " until the day break, and the shadows flee away," may stand connected with either part of the preceding verse, either with those words, my beloved is mine, and I am his,P which are expressive, as has been observed, of that mutual interest, union, communion, satisfaction, and delight, which Christ and his church have in and with each other; and then the sense is, as long as day and night continue, and God's covenant with both stands sure, so long will my covenant-interest in, and union to Christ, who is my beloved, abide solid and unshaken; I can no more be separated from his person, and from his love, than day and night can cease; and when they do, I shall be taken up into everlasting and uninterrupted communion with him, which is now subject to the same vicissitudes as these returning seasons are: or else, they may stand connected with the latter part of the preceding verse, " he feedeth among the lilies, until the day break, "i &c., and so are expressive of the continual presence of Christ in his church, until his second coming, when the everlasting day shall break, and all shadows of darkness flee away; till then, as in chap. iv. 6, he will be on his mountain of myrrh, and hill of frankincense; where he will delight himself with, and feed among his saints, until all his elect ones are called by grace, and till all his lilies are grown up to their full maturity, when he will gather them to himself; though the words may be also considered as connected with the latter part of this verse, " turn my beloved," &c., and so they contain a prayer of the church's for Christ's speedy access unto her, and continued presence with her, until the day should break, aud the shadows flee away. In which may be considered,

I. The favour which she requests of him, which is, 1st, To turn, that is, unto her; and this she desires that he would do speedily, and tlierefore says, " be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether."

II, The time unto which she desires this favour might be continued to her: and that is, until the day break, upon which the shadows would flee away.

I. The favour which she desires of him is, that he would turn unto her; which seems to intimate as though he was about to leave lier; which, upon some account or other, she had a suspicion of, therefore importunes him to stay with her; aud seeing him upon the motion, upon the turn, ready to depart, she desires that he would turn again, and continue with her: or else, it supposes that he was entirely gone, and that she was sensible of it: and having a great value for Christ's person and presence, desires that he would turn again to her: such a petition as this, under a sense of desertion, is frequently put up by the psalmist, particularly in Psalm Ix. 1, and Ixix. IG, 17, and Ixxsvi. 16; though the word may be rendered, turn about or iurronud,^' that is, with thy favour and loving-kindness; let me always be under thy care and protection; be thou a vvall of fire rouud about me; so shall I be safe aud secure from all enemies, until tlie glorious and wished-for-day breaks, when I shall be out of fear, as well as out of dan- 7. p. G79. P So U. Sol. Jarcbi in'loc. « Vid.

uircumito, some in ilicliaclid.

ger: and this favour she desires might be s])ccdily granted to her, and tlierefore says, " be thou like a roe or young hart;" which are not only loving and pleasant, but also swift and nimble creatures. She had experienced Christ to be so before, and therefore might the more comfortably hope that he would be so to her novv: she adds, " upon the mountains of Bether;" by vvhicli perhaps may be meant Bithron, of which we read in 1 Sam. ii. 29, and was so called, because it was parted or separated from Judea by the river Jordan; though some think it should be read Bethel, by a change of a letter: and so the Septnagint reads it in ver. 9; which is there an addition to the Hebrew text; though (hey here render it, oprj KoiXic/j-aTuv, the mountains of cavities, that is, such that were full of clefts and hollow places •, but be they what they will, it is certain that they were such places where roes and fawns used to skip and run. The words may be very well rendered, the mountains of division,^ which, if referred to Christ's first coming in the days of his flesh, may regard the ceremonial law, which made and kept up the division between Jew and Gentile, was the partition wall between them, which was broken down by Christ Jesus: or else, the two people divided by it, to whom Christ came, for whom he made peace, to whom he preached it, and thereby made both one. But if we refer the words to Christ's spiritual coming in a way of special grace to visit his people; then these mountains of division, upon which Christ comes, and over which he leaps as a roe or a young hart, may be our sins and corruptions, which often separate between him and our souls; though, when he is pleased to come, they are no obstacles in his way, but are easily surmounted or removed by him; but if they be applied to Christ's second coming at the day of judgment; these mountains of division may intend the spacious heavens, in which Christ shall then appear, which at present interpose between him and us, and separate us from the enjoyment of his bodily presence; one part or branch of whose awful work theu will be, to separate the sheep from the goats. But,

11. How long does she desire to be indulged with this favour of enjoying his gracious presence, in the discoveries of himself, and of his love unto her, without which she could not live, and therefore desires it might be speedily granted to her? and that is, " until the day break, and the shadows flee away;" which may be landerstood, either,

1st. Of Christ's coming in tlie flesh, which was the break and dawn of the Gospel day, until the day break; or, according to the Hebrew text, " uatil the day breathe or blow,"' and naturalists" have observed, that upon the sun's rising, an air or wind has been excited: so upon the rising of " the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings," were raised some fine, cool, gentle, and refreshing breezes of divine grace and consolation. Before Christ's coming in the flesh, it was night, not only in the Gentile, but in the Jewish world; there was a great deal of darkness, blindness, and ignorance, infidelity, sleepinessi, and security; but upon the arising of this Sun, and breaking or breathing of this day, all this was in a great measure dispelled, and light, nay a great light, was introduced; for Christ's coming was " as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds;" he came as the light of the world, and made that day, that Gospelday, which, by way of eminency, is so often spoken of in the Old Testament, when the shadows of the old law fled and disappeared: so the law is called " a shadow of good things to come," and that because it was a representation of them; which were so sooner come, but this was gone, and, like a shadow, appeared fleeting and transitory; and whilst it continued, was dark and obscure; though there was some glimmering of light in it, which led the faith of the Old Testament saints to Christ, who was represented by it; but now these shadows are gone, Christ the body and substance being come; this middle wall of partition is broken down; this hand-writing of ordinances is taken av^-ay, and the whole Mosaic dispensation and economy is waxen old and vanished; there being a disannulling of it because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; and a glorious dispensation and bright day of Gospel grace introduced in the room of it, and all by the appearance of Christ in our nature; which was the great thing promised, prophesied of, long expected, and earnestly wished for by the Old Testament saints, as it was perhaps by the church here. Or else,

2udly. This may be understood of Christ's second coming to judgment: which, as the former is called that day in tlie Old Testament by way of eminency, as being that great, glorious, and notable day of the Lord, so is this in the New; for the former, see Isa. si. 10, and xxv. 9, and xxvi. 1, and xxvii. 1, 2, 13, and for this, see Phil. i. 6, 2 Tim. i. 12, 1 Thess. v. 2, 4; and this as well suits both with the Hebrew text, and with the natural philosophy of it, as the former: Christ's second coming will be at the evening, both of the world and of the Gospel dispensation, when " the shadows of the evening are stretched out upon us; at a time when there will be a great deal of darkness and ignorance, much want of faith, and a very great bleepiness and security, which will seize upon professors, as well as upon profane; but upon Christ's appearance, a glorious aud everlasting day will break, the shadows of darkness and ignorance will flee away; we shall know as we are kuowu, and see him as he is; not as now, " through a glass darkly, but face to face;" all infidelity, doubts and fears, will be removed; everlasting joy will be upon our heads; no interposing clouds will be bctvveea Christ and our souls; but we shall have the everlastiug enjoyment of him, and uninterrupted commnuion with him: there will then be no need of the sun and moon, of gos-))el-ordiuaaces; for the glory of God will lighten both our persons and the place of our residence, aud the Lamb himself will be the light thereof; so shall we ever be in his presence, see his face clearly, without any mixture of darkness aud unbelief, aud without any fear of the shadows of the evening returning upon us; there will be uo more night, bat one pure, bright, aud everlasting day. Moreover, naturalists"' have observed, that the wind often blows fresh, and fine breezes of air are raised at the sun-setting, as well as at the sun-rising; so tliat the words, until the day blow or breathe, that is, at the cool of the day, when the s\'ind blows fresher, aud there are gentle breezes of air, which often are in the evening; at which time it may be very well supposed that God appeared to Adam in the garden after his fall; I say, these words may be very well applied to the evening of the world, or second coming of Christ; which, though it will be with flames of fire, to take vengeance on the wicked, yet to the saints it wDl be " a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;" which time is earnestly wished for by them; their desire is, that Christ would be as a roe or young hart to hasten it; for, as he says, " I surely come quickly," they return aud say, " ^Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus." So some Jewish* writers interpret these words of the day of judgment, and compare them with Mai. iv. 1.