An exposition of the divinely prophetick Song of Songs which is Solomons beginning with the reign of David and Solomon, ending in the glorious kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ / adjusted to the expositor's line of time, and illustrating it, and composed into verse by T. Beverley.

CHAP. III. (Book 3)

The Spouse.

Antiochus Epiphanes, Defiling the Temple, and ta∣king away the Daily Sacrifice, is now set out in this following Canticle.

Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.1 HOw quick theNotes explaining Words. 1 1.2 Night o'ertakes me, yet inNotes explaining Words. 2 1.3 Bed I thought to find thatNotes explaining Words. 3 1.4 Princely Loved Head: * 1.5 Whom my Soul clasps in dearest Tyes, but He Was thence withdrawn, the Temple could not be Our Bed in this Black Time, when violate * 1.6 By th' Bestial Fury ofNotes explaining Words. 4 1.7 Antioch's Hate; Our ravish'd Bed could then no longer ease * 1.8 My Thoughts so full of Anguish, nor appease My boyling Heart one minute, I start out From its now-loathedNotes explaining Words. 5 1.9 Shroud, and search about The Streets and open'st Ways, if in the Throng * 1.10 I meeting Him Remonstrate might my Wrong: But Oh, I foundNotes explaining Words. 6 1.11 the Publick had betray'd * 1.12 Their Faith to th' Tyrant, I no longer stay'd In such a Fruitless search,Notes explaining Words. 7 1.13 the Watchmen I apply, * 1.14 Who are in Trust such Questions to unty; The sacred Guard my Love fix'd to their Bounds, My quick Enquiries visit all their Rounds, * 1.15 With this one Question; Have ye seen the Him The Him, whom my Soul Love's, that only Him?

* 1.16 They durst notNotes explaining Words. 1 1.17 loudly Speak, but silent Guides Of Truth they gave me unto him, who slides * 1.18 Into my Chast Embrace; Just as I mov'd From that so happy Watch; Him my Soul lov'd INotes explaining Words. 2 1.19 soon espy'd, By Faith and Love I hold, * 1.20 Arm'd with my Prayers, strongest when most bold; AndNotes explaining Words. 3 1.21 Jacob-like my Love I'de not let go Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.22 Once from me more, till he had Bless'd me so, * 1.23 That humane Nature should theNotes explaining Words. 4 1.24 Temple be, Where I might Worship His Divinitie.

* 1.25 Thus dwelt the Word in Flesh, as in theNotes explaining the Sense. b 1.26 House MyNotes explaining Words. 5 1.27 Mother bred Poor Me; Here me t'Espouse In Promise first he graciously did deign; AsNotes explaining Words. 6 1.28 private Chambers, here His Mystic Reign InNotes explaining Words. 7 1.29 Servants humble Form began; In this HeNotes explaining Words. 8 1.30 climb'd A Glory yet not seen, but duely tim'd For its Appearance: While thus my Love rests * 1.31 Contented not to stir, my Care contests A-new, You Salem's Daughters, by the Hinds And Roes o'th' Field, Gentiles whom nothing binds, But my Love's Power; Which if You displease, * 1.32 These Roes and Hinds, as Wolves and Tygers seize You as their Prey; Oh then let noNotes explaining the Sense. c 1.33Notes explaining Words. 9 1.34 Offence Till my Love please Him waken, and Incense:

Let no false Sects presume to Antedate My True Love's coming, and awake Debate 'Twixt Him and Salem's Daughters till He come An humble Shepherd to his Flock, and bring them Home.

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ, set out by the Chorus of Saints.

While sevenNotes explaining Words. 1 1.35 Decads of Prophetick Weeks HadNotes explaining the Sense. a 1.36 almost run their Course, whatNotes explaining Words. 2 1.37 all Time seeks, Some noble Product, that may guild its Sphere Doth here Ennoble it; One 'gins to appear, NoNotes explaining the Sense. b 1.38 Age can second;Notes explaining Words. 3 1.39 Wonder, Fear, Desire Are each its Harbingers; Natures dull Fire CanNotes explaining the Sense. c 1.40 no such BirthNotes explaining Words. 4 1.41 Calcine;Notes explaining Words. 5 1.42 Incarnation Empales this Mysterious Generation, All vulgar Style's too low;Notes explaining Words. 6 1.43 Schelom Wise King Inspir'd Divinely, does this Secret sing By us, who with profoundest Reverence Of Love, and Wonder, thusNotes explaining Words. 7 1.44 Caroll our Sence.

* 1.45Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.46Who'sNotes explaining Words. 1 1.47 this that comes as from aNotes explaining Words. 2 1.48 Wilderness, Unknown and unattended? Who'll confess To Glorys hid'd?Notes explaining Words. 3 1.49 Pillars indeed arise * 1.50 With him, but still of Smoke, which does disguise The flame of Ether; oyl'd yet with Perfumes * 1.51 Of Myrrh, of IncenseNotes explaining Words. 4 1.52 Frank, of all the Gumms, And Powders, that from far the Merchants bring: Notes explaining Words. 5 1.53 Three Sages Homag'd thus the Infant King: * 1.54 Far Richer yet in▪s native Glory He, The Treasures of his own Divinity. Thus rose the Miracles of his whole Life, Where Cloud and Lustre still maintain'd a strife: The out-side Meanness, and the in-side Glory Enrich the whole most mysterious story. * 1.55 Consider well theNotes explaining Words. 6 1.56 Bed, where the Word lay, 'Twas Schelom's humane Nature, which had stay Truely Divine; AngelicNotes explaining Words. 7 1.57 Guards attend, Who can this Sacred Bed safer defend, * 1.58 Then Schelom's threescore Valiant Israelites; * 1.59 Whom Skill and Valour shield 'gainst all affrights, While they arm'd at all points defie the Dread, Wherewith the Night can threat the Royal Bed.

* 1.60 This Schelom, God with us, His Body fram'd So rich with all the Graces, that are nam'd, That Schelom'sNotes explaining Words and Sense together. 1 1.61 Chariot of sweet Lebans Wood, Which on its Silver Pillars firmly stood, Founded in Gold, and with the Purple crown'd Is Emblem faint this Myst'ry to expound: But yet which all Types still excels in Grace, While SchelomNotes explaining Words and Sense together. 2 1.62 Salem's Daughters did enchase In beauteous Images throughout this State, That thus Triumphing He might celebrate His love to them;Notes explaining Words and Sense together. 3 1.63 Great Schelom was inspir'd With hotter Flames, which his whole Body fir'd In•••• Sacrifice to Justice, while He bore These Salems Daughters on his Heart, and wore Their Names wrought into his with Love so high, No parallel can e'er be found to Vye: And in this Chariot, thus inflam'd He rode InNotes explaining Words and Sense together. 4 1.64 Triumph over Hell, it captive show'd; * 1.65 And as theNotes explaining Words and Sense together. 5 1.66 Royal * Bathsheba receiv'd The Crown from David's Mouth, that Schelom wreath'd, With which to Salem's Daughter He espous'd Himself, and swelling Bowls of joy Carous'd. Thus Zion's Daughters, Holy Souls, come forth From meaner Thoughts to those of higher Worth, Behold King Schelom risen from the Dead, * 1.67 A Crown of Majesty Empales his Head: His Mother Crown'd Him; For to th' Womans Seed By promise of the Father 'twas decree'd:

And yet his greatest Joy is to Espouse His Church, till He his Crowned Glory shows;

In Seal of which, this Eulogy of praise, That follows next, is like a Crown of Raies, Set on his Spouses Head by his own Hand, Whose Act no Gate of Hell can countermand.

Notes

• Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.1

  Although the Jews, after their Captivity met with many Troubles, and were a low Tributary Government, as before declared by the Apple-tree; Yet there was no Calamity from the days of Cyrus till Christ, so renowned by Daniel's Prophecy, and Explained by the Maccabean History, and the Hi∣story of Josephus, provided by God on purpose, as for that Tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes: and its so Renowned, that it might be a Type of Antichrist.
• Notes explaining Words. 1 1.2

  The Night of Adversity and Troubles.
• Notes explaining Words. 2 1.3

  Solomon's Temple was the Bed.
• Notes explaining Words. 3 1.4

  The Enjoyment of Christ.
• * 1.5

  [By Night on my Bed I sought Him whom my Soul lo∣veth]
• * 1.6

  [I sought Him but I found Him not]
• Notes explaining Words. 4 1.7

  Who according to Daniel's Prophecy, cast down the Sanctuary by his prophane Tyranny, 1 Mal. c. 1. &c.
• * 1.8

  [I will rise and go about the City in the Streets, and the broad Ways]
• Notes explaining Words. 5 1.9

  The Temple so defil'd could not be used for Sacrifice; But as Dan. foretold the Daily was taken away, Dan. 8. 13.
• * 1.10

  [I will seek Him whom my Soul lo∣veth]
• Notes explaining Words. 6 1.11

  The Multitude were corrupted by Fear and Flatteries, according to Dan. 11. 31, 32. Compared with the Maccabean History▪
• * 1.12

  [I sought Him, but I found Him not]
• Notes explaining Words. 7 1.13

  The Priests whose Lips preserve Know∣ledge, of which Judas Maccabeus was a Principal.
• * 1.14

  [The Watch-men that go about the City found me]
• * 1.15

  [I said, saw ye Him whom my Soul loveth?]
• * 1.16

  [It was but a little I passed from them]
• Notes explaining Words. 1 1.17

  The Violence of the Tyranny of Antiochus was so great, there was no publick Ministry.
• * 1.18

  [But I saw him whom my Soul lo∣veth]
• Notes explaining Words. 2 1.19

  Yet the Action, and the Example was such, and the Zeal for Truth, and Resistance to that Corruption so bold, that Christ soon appeared, 1 Mac. c. 1.
• * 1.20

  [I held him, and would not let him go]
• Notes explaining Words. 3 1.21

  Jacob wrestled with the Angel, and would not let him go, Gen. 2. 32. 28. &c.
• Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.22

  There is nothing so Remarkable in prophecy as the Re-settling Jerusalem, after the Tyranny of An∣tiochus, so that on that Account the Church is said to hold Christ, and not to let him go till the In∣carnation; for notwithstanding the after Troubles of the Jews, the Publick Worship of God was not disturbed till the very coming of Christ.
• * 1.23

  [Ʋntil I brought him into my Mo∣thers House]
• Notes explaining Words. 4 1.24

  The Body of Christ, representing his Humane Nature, He Calls a Temple, John 2. 19.
• * 1.25

  [And into the Chambers of her that conceived me]
• Notes explaining the Sense. b 1.26

  There cannot be a more significant Representation of the Incarnation, than of Christ brought into the House of the Churches Mother, and into the Chambers of Her that Conceived the Church, that is Eve the Mother of all Living, from whom the Blessed Virgin descended, and out of whose Chambers Christ came so peculiarly.
• Notes explaining Words. 5 1.27

  The Promise was especially vested in the Seed of the Woman, of which Eve was the Mother.
• Notes explaining Words. 6 1.28

  The humane Nature of Christ was as private Chambers.
• Notes explaining Words. 7 1.29

  Christ began his Spiritual Reign in the Form of a Servant, in the Preaching the Gospel.
• Notes explaining Words. 8 1.30

  In that Nature he As∣cended on High.
• * 1.31

  [I charge you, O ye Daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes and by the Hinds of the Field]
• * 1.32

  [That ye stir not up, nor awake my Love till he please]
• Notes explaining the Sense. c 1.33

  There was no Offence of Christ so great at that time, as not to wait the Messenger of the Cove∣nant coming into his Temple, and aright to prepare for Him, who was as a Refiners Fire to Purifie the Sons of Levi, to which the fore-nam'd Sects were such Enemies.
• Notes explaining Words. 9 1.34

  The Great Offence, that at this time might provoke Christ, was not waiting for the true Messiah, and disacknowledging the true Signs of Him, by those prejudic'd Sects among them, viz. the chief Priests, Scribes, Pharises, Sadducees, and Sanhedrim of the Jews.
• Notes explaining Words. 1 1.35

  Seventy or seven Tens of Weeks, making 490 Years.
• Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.36

  About the end of the sixty fifth of the seventy Weeks, Christ was born.
• Notes explaining Words. 2 1.37

  Time is as it were Ambitious of the most noble Productions.
• Notes explaining the Sense. b 1.38

  The greatest Production Time can hitherto boast of, is, the Coming of Christ in the Flesh.
• Notes explaining Words. 3 1.39

  The Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come into his Temple; But who may abide? &c. The Desire of all Nations, so was the Reception of Christs Birth by the An∣gels, the Shepherds, and other holy Persons in the Gospel History.
• Notes explaining the Sense. c 1.40

  One of the greatest Mysteries of Religion, is, God Manifest in the Flesh.
• Notes explaining Words. 4 1.41

  Refine and exalt Nature unto a higher pitch.
• Notes explaining Words. 5 1.42

  Who can declare this Generation? The Word was made Flesh, John 14. 5.
• Notes explaining Words. 6 1.43

  Schelom speaks in the name of the Saints.
• Notes explaining Words. 7 1.44

  Sing With Triumph.
• * 1.45

  [Who is this that cometh out of the Wilderness]
• Notes explaining the Sense. a 1.46

  As nothing followed more fitly according to Daniel's Prophecy, than the Incarnation of Christ, (Messiah on the troublous Times of Antiochus) so all humane Wit and Phancy may be appeal'd to, whether any thing can be more fitly express'd.
• Notes explaining Words. 1 1.47

  A Question of Holy Admiration
• Notes explaining Words. 2 1.48

  In regard of the Solitude and Meanness in which Christ was born and liv'd.
• Notes explaining Words. 3 1.49

  Triumphant Pillars of Divine Knowledge, Power, Grace, but cover'd with the Smoke of outward Poverty, and the malicious slanders of the Pharisees.
• * 1.50

  [Like pillars of Smoke]
• * 1.51

  [Perfum'd with Myrrh and Frankincense]
• Notes explaining Words. 4 1.52

  Richly yet perfum'd with all Heavenly Graces.
• Notes explaining Words. 5 1.53

  His very Infancy was Homag'd by the three Magi or Wise Men from far with Gold, Myrrh, and Frankincense, as an Emblem hereof, but the Glory of his own Divinity far excell'd.
• * 1.54

  [With all the Powders of the Merchant]
• * 1.55

  [Behold His Bed, which is Solowons]
• Notes explaining Words. 6 1.56

  The humane Nature may be compar'd to a Bed, where the Divinity lodg'd as in a Temple.
• Notes explaining Words. 7 1.57

  Angels continually attended upon Christ, as his constant Guard; when He bringeth his first Begotten into the World, He said, Let all the Angels of God Worship Him.
• * 1.58

  [Threescorevaliant Men are about it]
• * 1.59

  [Every Man hath his Sword on his Thigh, because of Fear in the Night]
• * 1.60

  [King Solomon made himself a Cha∣riot of the Wood of Lebanon, he made the Pillars thereof of Silver, the bot∣tom thereof of Gold, the covering of it of Purple, the midst thereof being pav'd with Love for the Daughters of Jeru∣salem]
• Notes explaining Words and Sense together. 1 1.61

  Solomon's Royal Chariot is described with all its rich and costly Materials from top to bottom.
• Notes explaining Words and Sense together. 2 1.62

  Solomon's Chariot was adorn'd with the most beautiful pictures of the Daughters of Zion, to express his Love to them.
• Notes explaining Words and Sense together. 3 1.63

  This was a faint Image of the Excellent Humane Nature of Christ, in which, even to the Death of the Cross; He bare the Names of the People on his Heart, and offered himself a whole Burnt-offering for them through the greatness of his Love.
• Notes explaining Words and Sense together. 4 1.64

  The Crown of Christ is that which he receiv'd at his Resurrection, when he was Annointed with the oyl of Joy above his Fel∣lows, (as Solomon was Crown'd with highest Joy,) a Pledge of his Eternal Kingdom, and Espousal to his Church; Revel. 19. 1.
• * 1.65

  [Go forth, oh ye Daughters of Zion, Behold King Solo∣mon with the Crown]
• Notes explaining Words and Sense together. 5 1.66

  As Bathsheba receiv'd the Crown from David for Solomon, so God made good his Promise to Eve, the Seed of the Woman, &c. by this Crown of Christs Resurrecti∣on and Kingdom.
• * 1.67

  [Wherewith His Mother Crown'd Him in the Day of his Espousals, and in the Day of the Gladness of his Heart]