He hath a twofold exercise in his gardens, for he is not idle,
he is gone there, 1. To feed in the gardens. By gardens, in the
plural number, are understood the subdivisions, and particular
plots of that one garden, formerly mentioned; the Jews had
their Synagogues, where the people did meet, and the Law was
read (as we have our distinct congregations) as, Psal. 74. 8. and
Act. 15. 21. do evidence. To feed, taken actively (as chap. 1. 7.
where thou feeds, &c.) signifieth his taking care, to provide for
his own in the Church; if taken passively, he is gone down to feed,
that is, that himself may eat, and it is the same with what was,
chap. 5. 1. I have come to my garden, I have eaten, &c. and the
scope in both, looks to be the same, and so the meaning of the
similitude is, that as men have their gardens, wherein they solace
themselves, and feed upon the pleasant fruits that are in them,
so doth Christ delight himself in his Church, and take pleasure
therein, as, Psal. 147. 11. he taketh pleasure in them that fear
him; and he delighteth in the habitable parts of the earth, Prov.
8. 31. that is, where Saints dwell, and where the place of his rest
and haunt is; other places being but as an unhabited wildernesse
to Christ, the Church is the garden, wherein he delights and finds
fruit. He is said to feed in the gardens, and not in the garden,
1. To shew, that the way of his manifesting himself to his Church,
is by erecting his Ordinances in particular societies, and thus he
derives his blessings. 2. To shew, that though there be diverse so∣cieties,
or particular Churches, yet his presence is not excluded
from, or tyed to, any one of them: He walks amongst the Candle∣sticks,
as observing every one of them, and manifesting himself
among them, as he seeth good.
The second part of his exercise is, to gather lilies: By lilies, in
this garden (as often hath been said) are understood believers,
chap. 2. 2. 16. To gather, is a borrowed expression from men
that use to gather some flowers they delight in, to bring to their
chambers with them, or some fruits, that they may dresse and
prepare them, as we heard, chap. 5. 1. Christ's gathering of his
lilies, points, 1. At his calling of them effectually who belong to
him; the elect may be called lilies to be gathered, as they are
called sons of God to be gathered, Joh. 11. 51, 52. Thus also,