A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. VI.

MY beloved is gone downe into his garden to the beds of spices, to feed in the garden, and to gather Lillies. This, as Ainsworth well saith, seemeth to * 1.1 be spoken sometime after that which went before, when the faithfull soule after discomfort, and being at a losse for her former negligence, had obtained some glimps of his love and favour againe? for what is his Garden but she her selfe, as was set forth before, chap. 5. His coming then into, his Garden, was his coming into her heart by Divine consolations, where-with she is now fed againe, and the sweet odour of her spices, that is, Graces are a feeding to him, because he taketh as much delight in them, as a man in most delicious meat. For his gathering of Lillies, Gregory expounds it of soules, unto him white like Lillies, when the time by him appointed of their departure out of this life is come. * 1.2

I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine, he feedeth amongst the Lillies. * 1.3

The Spouse being exceedingly affected with joy for her deare Husbands coming a∣gaine unto her, as hath been said, now exulteth thus; Now I am sure that he ac∣cepteth me for his, and hath made himselfe mine; for in his Church, consisting of Beleevers, white through his bloud, and by innocency of life he feedeth; That is, delighteth to be, and feedeth them with delights and joyes unspeakeable. See a speech not unlike to this, Joh. 17. 10. Thine are mine, and mine are thine; and all before this, chap. 2. 16. the very same.

Thou art beautifull my beloved as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and ter∣rible as an Army with banners; the vulgar for these words, as Tirzah, comely * 1.4 as Jerusalem, hath Suavis & decora ut Jerusalem, taking Tirzah, which sig∣nifieth gratefull, for an apellative; but there was such a City, a very delightfull place, and therefore the Kings of Israel dwelt there, and before that one of the Kings of Canaan.

Here Christ commendeth, as Gregory thinketh, the Church of the Jewes newly converted, as he had done the Church of the Gentiles before, chap. 4. for it is not probable that he would otherwise have repeated the same againe of her haire, teeth, and temples, as he doth, ver. 5, 6, 7. of the meaning of which see chap. 4. But I have expounded that of the Jewes, and the same is said over againe here with some inlargement, to set her forth the more, and her continuing in the same estate. As Tirzah, so Jerusalem much more was a faire place, and said to be the joy of * 1.5 the whole earth, and Revel. 22. the Church is set forth in her greatest glory, as new Jerusalem; now Jerusalem signifieth seeing peace, therefore this Church being compared to Jerusalem is hereby intimated to be at unity in her selfe, and being thus, is said to be terrible as an Army well ordered, the Banners whereof, and Souldiers about them stand each one in their proper places, and by this meanes are so strong, that they are terrible to their enemies, being both ready for defence and offence; whereas when discord is in an Army, they are easily oppressed by their enemies; which sheweth both the great indecorum of this our Church of Eng∣land, and the great advantage given to our enemies, by the schismes and divisions [Note.] that are amongst us at this day. Turne thine eyes from me. Jun. turne thy eyes * 1.6 over against me, as if it were meant, marke me; but Justus Orgel. better, turne them from me in the flesh, living with thee, for I shall soone depart here-with from thee, as Joh. 16. 16. for they have prevailed over me; Junius, ut illi effe∣rantur; that is, I may have comfort of thee being led by faith, not by sence, to be left in me when I am gone.

There are sixty Queenes, and eighty Concubines, and Virgins without number. My Dove, my undefiled is but one, she is the onely one of her Mo∣ther, the choyce one of her that bare her, the daughters saw her, and they * 1.7 blessed her, yea, the Queenes, and the Concubines, and they praised her. Here by Queenes Gregory understandeth faithfull soules, in whom sinne reigneth not, as * 1.8 it is said, Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies; but they by the power of the Spirit subdue, and slay them, as a mighty King his enemies, and therefore * 1.9 Queenes they are well called, which doe the like when they reigne. For this Saint Peter saith to the faithfull, Yee are a royall Priesthood. And they are said to be * 1.10 sixty, because of their keeping the Commandements, which are Ten, every day of the weeke appointed for labour, and these being six, if ten be multiplied, hereby they amount to sixty, and these make this their labour all these dayes, to mortifie their sinnes. For the eighty Concubines, they are Hypocrites, who likewise teach the Commandements, and seeme to be wives also for their thus doing, and for their preaching of the Resurrection of Christ, and faith in him, but they are not Queenes rejoycing over, and subduing sinne in themselves, but live in sinne, as the Pharisees, against whose workes Christ gave his Disciples warning; The Scribes and Pha∣risees sit in Moses's chaire, all therefore that they bid you, doe, but after their * 1.11 workes doe not, for they say and doe not. Now these are said to be eighty, because of the ten Commandements to which they seeme to adhere, and of the Resurrecti∣on of Christ upon the eighth day, which they preach, for ten being multiplied by eight, make eighty. For the Virgins without number, hereby are set forth such as

come into the Church at the preaching of the word, but continue void of true grace, and are none of the elect, who are all numbred, but these are without number, they few, a little flocke, the few that finde the narrow way that leadeth to life.

Having thus shewed the case of Christs visible Church, now hee cometh to vers. 9. to shew, that the sixty before spoken of for their agreeing in one faith, and the grace of sanctification, are one most blessed Spouse of Christ, whom all, both Daughters, Queens, and Concubines blesse and praise. Thus Gregory; but for his way of numbring to sixty and eighty, there is no solidity in that: Rather I thinke with Ainsworth, that this number of Queens and Concubines is spoken of, a cer∣taine number being put for uncertaine; and however as Junius hath it, there bee * 1.12 very many Queenes and Concubines in the world, and faire Maidens that attend them; yet thou, my Spouse, art the onely one of thy Mother the visible Church, whom all shall call Blessed. Or herein the Virgin Mary may bee prophesied of, whom the Angel called Blessed among women, and whom all, both Queens, Con∣cubines, and Maidens that imbrace the faith of Christ, call blessed, and praise, though not pray unto, for the incomparable favour of God done unto her, making her the Mother that bare and brought forth his onely Son of the number of sixty; see Chap. 3. 7. Ainsworth conjectureth, that herein it might bee alluded to the number of Wives and Concubines that Salomon had, before that hee increased them to seven hundred and three hundred, or the number of the Nations may bee alluded to; yet in his varying of the words from Wives to Concubines, I deny not but that may bee meant which Gregory hereupon speaketh of, the diversity of those that are in the visible Church.

Who is shee that looketh forth as the morning, faire as the Moone, cleare as * 1.13 the Sunne, terrible as an Army with banners? Here Christ goeth on to praise the onely One before spoken of by this, that shee looketh forth as the morning; that is, sheweth as a light morning after the darke night, as it was in the time * 1.14 that the vaile was before the Jewes eyes, that they could not see into the end of the Law, that is, before their conversion, for hee is to bee understood as speaking still of that Church. Now she is said to looke forth as the morning, being at the first faire as the Moone, which giveth light in the night season, because such of the Nations as before this, and at this time being in the night of errour and ignorance, by her example begins to see, and to be moved to come to Christ; But shee is also cleare as the Sunne, giving light also to those, that before were children of the day, as the godly, faithfull are called, 1 Thes 5. 5. Of her terriblenesse as an Army, enough hath been said already. Ainsworth understands all the Church in generall, * 1.15 the glory whereof increaseth by degrees, being first as the light morning. 2. As the Moone shining. 3. As the Sunne, but then the light of the Moone is as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne sevenfold, as the Prophet Esay speaketh. * 1.16

I went downe into the Garden of Nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the Vine flourished, and the Pomegranates budded. The Garden * 1.17 of Nuts, saith Gregory, are the hearts of the perfect, wherein much sweet grace and divine knowledge lyeth hid under the outside of a fraile body, of which the * 1.18 Apostle saith, We have this treasure in earthen vessels, as under the Nutshell is the sweet kernell, but because this grace in them is not seen to men, they account them but vile and despicable as others. But what meaneth hee to say after these words, To see my Apples, for so he rendreth these words, to see my fruits, it seemeth improper after that he had said, I went into my garden of Nuts, to say, to see the apples of the valleys; but he saith, it is not meant to visite these Apples onely, but the Nuts being first visited, that is, the perfect, and then by them others to whom they are propounded as paterns, and over whom they are set to see unto them. But all this labour might have been spared, for the word signifieth fruits in generall, and so it is rendred by others, and these even Nuts are, from whence this Garden is demonstrated; Ainsworth will have Nutmegs meant.

But why are these fruits said to be the fruits of the valleys?

Sol. To intimate the humility of the most excellent amongst the faithfull, who are as fruitfull Trees growing in vallies, to which waters descend; whereas the proud are as withering shrubs upon high hills, which no raine, or waters of brookes flowing in can make to flourish; wherefore to the humble God saith, That hee * 1.19 is neare, but hee lookes upon the proud afarre off.

To see whether the Vine flourished, and the Pomegranates budded; that is, whether new children were daily borne in the Church, and what the care of the perfect was to winne others to Christ by going before them in a good ex∣ample, and zealous preaching. Thus Gregory and the Chaldee Paraphrase expoun∣deth * 1.20 it of the wise men in Israel, and the plenty of good workes by them brought forth, as the Pomegranates are full of sweet juice and kernels. Hereby is shewed, that fruitfulnesse is by the Lord expected in his Church, and that the faithfull should not onely believe in him, but doe good workes, as the Vine beareth good fruit, and be knit together in love, as the kernels in Pomegranates are, to stirre us up thus to doe; for if contrariwise wee bring forth sowre grapes, as the Vine so care∣fully planted, Esa. 5. wee shall bee in danger of being exposed to all misery, the [Note.] fence of his providence being pulled down from about us; and likewise if there be strife and dissention amongst us.

Or ever I was awake my soule made mee like the Chariots of Aminadab; the * 1.21 Vulgar, I knew not, my soule troubled mee for the Chariots of Aminadab; and this agreeth best with the Hebrew, and is thus expounded by Gregory. I, the Synagogue of the Jewes remained long in ignorance and blindnesse, not being mo∣ved to imbrace the knowledge and faith of Christ; but at length I considered the Qudraigas, or Chariots drawne by foure horses; that is, the holy Gospels, which are foure, and these I may well call the Chariots of a willing people, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, because other peoples of the Nations so willingly imbraced them, and so were carried to Christ, I remaining all this time in my blindnesse, for which I am now in my soule troubled. Justus Orgel. understandeth Christ speaking here, who in saying, I knew not, meaneth, I knew no sinne, neither will I know the * 1.22 wicked at the last day, but say unto them, Depart yee workers of iniquity, I know you not; but he saith, My soule was troubled for the Chariots of Aminadab; that is, I was sollicitous for people carried in the foure Gospels to beleeve in mee, as in the Chariot of Aminadab; these bookes being so called, because Aminadab is there named in his Genealogy both by Matthew and Luke. Ainsworth ren∣dreth * 1.23 it as the Vulgar, I knew not, and my soule put me, the Chariots of a willing people; word for word according to the Hebrew, expounding it as the speech of Christ, who in saying, I knew not, speaketh after the manner of men as God some∣time doth, although nothing be unknowne to him; as when he said touching Sodome, I will goe downe to see, whether it bee so or not. In like manner Christ here touching the Jewes hardening their hearts against him; he saith, I knew it not, * 1.24 or I could not have thought it; and the words Ammi Nadib are two, not one, a pro∣per name, and they signifie a people willing, or noble, or Princely; Christians first imbracing the faith, being called thus for their excellency above others, as those of Berea are said to be more noble, and a free-will offering; where it is said, Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. * 1.25

Touching the Chariots here spoken of next after these words, My soule set me, he saith, it is meant, I earnestly set mee to bring mee in a people with all speed, as upon Chariots, according to which I saiah saith, I will bring them upon horses and Chariots, an offering to the Lord. Junius rendring it, My minde set mee * 1.26 not perceiving these things in the Chariots of my ingenuous, or free people, ex∣pounds it also of Christ, who when he found not fruit in his garden, made haste to his Church, as being carried in a Chariot of a willing people. I hold with those that expound this of Christ, not of the Spouse, and that these words cohere with those before going, vers. 11. where the Lord saying. That he went into his Garden to see for fruit, meaneth the Jewish Synagogue, to which he came in his Incarna∣tion, and to which he first preached, expecting the fruit of their conversion to the faith. But now he saith, that hee knew not, that is, found them not yet to bee the

people which he expected; That is, ready to receive the glad tidings of Salvation through faith in him; but contrariwise unbeleeving, and wicked, and so such as he knew not, that is, accepted not of; whereupon he set himselfe, as it were, upon the chariots of a willing people; That is, leaving the Jewes, he went in the Gospel of the foure Evangelists, who were willing with this Office amongst the Gentiles, being swiftly by them carried, as in a Chariot, by his Apostles, who taught the things in them contained, all over the world.

Returne, returne (O Shulamite) returne, returne, that we may looke upon * 1.27 thee; what will yee see in the Shulamite, as the company of two armies? This Gregory saith, is the voyce of the Church to the Synagogue of the Jewes, inviting * 1.28 her to turne to Christ, and intimating her returne towards the end of the world; and she is called Shulamite, signifying Captive, because that all the time of her infidelity she was carried, and held Captive in sinne by the Devil; and the word Returne, is repeated foure times, to shew the dispersion of the Jewes in the foure parts of the world.

The next words, he saith, are the words of Christ to the Church, desiring the Jewes conversion; what shall yee see in this Shulamite, when she is converted? and he answereth himselfe, as it were, two whole Armies of Jewes, and Israelites, rea∣dy to fight for Christ, as before they persecuted him; and this he speakes congra∣tulating, or rejoycing together with his Church for her conversion. But whereas he saith, that the word Shulamite signifieth captived, it signifieth peaceable, or perfect; so that in calling the Synagogue thus; he implieth, that he was now re∣conciled unto her, and at peace with her, the time of her conversion being now come, and by faith to make her the perfect Spouse of Christ, and compleat in all parts, as followeth chapter seven; in her further description, what more he saith upon this verse I willingly imbrace. Of the foure parts see Psal. 7. 3. here may al∣so be understood many times of calling, as in the Parable, Matth. 20.

He moveth this question, What shall yee see, saith Ainsworth, to make all men * 1.29 the more attentive; and he noteth, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rendred company, signifi∣eth Chorus, a company in a dance, to expresse the great joy that shall be at the Jewes conversion; they shall be all Armies rejoycing, and expressing their joy by dancing, and singing in two companies of Angels and men, after a notable victory; but I thinke rather, as Moses and Miriam with one company of men, and another of women, dancing after the Hoast of Pharaoh vanquished, and drowned in the * 1.30 red sea.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1. Ainsw.
• * 1.2

  Gregor.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 4. The seventh speech of the Bride-groom. 1 King. 14. chap. 15, & 16 Josh. 12. 14. Gregor.
• * 1.5

  Pasl. 4. 2, 3.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 5
• * 1.7

  Vers. 8, 9.
• * 1.8

  Gregor.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 6.
• * 1.10

  1 Pet. 2. 9.
• * 1.11

  Matth. 23.
• * 1.12

  Ainsworth. Junius.
• * 1.13

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.14

  Gregor. 2 Cor. 3.
• * 1.15

  Ainsworth.
• * 1.16

  Esa. 30. 26.
• * 1.17

  Vers. 11.
• * 1.18

  Geregor.
• * 1.19

  Esa. 66. 2. Jam. 4. 6.
• * 1.20

  Cald. Pa∣raph.
• * 1.21

  Vers. 12. Gregor.
• * 1.22

  Justus Or∣gel. Matth. 7. 21.
• * 1.23

  Matth. 1. 3. Luke 3. 33. Ainsworth.
• * 1.24

  Gen. 18.
• * 1.25

  Act. 17. 11. Ps. 110. 3.
• * 1.26

  Esa. 66. 20. Junius.
• * 1.27

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.28

  Gregor.
• * 1.29

  Ainsworth.
• * 1.30

  Exod. 15.