An exposition on the whole booke of Solomons song,: commonly called the canticles. Wherein the text is explained and usefull observations raised thereupon. / By John Robotham, preacher of the gospel.

VERS. 17.

The beames of our house are Cedar, and our rafters of Firre,

This joynt speech of Christ and his Church con∣tains a glorious declaration.

1. The place of conception, or the increase of the children of the Church, in these words, our bed is green.

2. The place of spirituall education and instructi∣on, that is, in the houses.

Which houses of Christ are set forth by their ad∣juncts, Beames and Galleries.

These beams and galleries are set forth by the mat∣ter they were of: the beams were Cedar, the galleries were Firre.

Our bed is greene.

The Hebrew word signifies a bed, or Bed-steed: Beds were used to rest and sleep on, as in Psal. 132. 3, 4. And sometimes they did use to sit upon beds at their Feasts and Banquets, as in Esth. 1. 5, 6. For it was a cu∣stome in those eastern Countreys, to use beds in stead of tables, that so soone as they had eaten, they might

presently goe to sleep: whence it is, that the Prophet prophesieth against those that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eate the lambs out of the Flocke, &c. Amos 6. 4. See also Ezek. 23. 41. And John 13. 25. Again, the high Altars and places of of∣fering sacrifice are called beds, Isa. 57. 7. Ʋpon a lofty & high mountain hast thou set thy bed, even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice, saith the Lord by the Prophet: that is, thine Altars hast thou set up a loft in open view; like an impudent Strumpet, that sheweth her filthi∣nesse in the sight of others, as wee read in Ezek. 16. 24, 25.

Our bed is greene.

The word translated greene, signifies to flourish, to be fruitfull, and to waxe strong, and of force: it is not so much meant of colour, as of budding forth and flourishing, like trees and plants in the time of spring, when things are green and flourishing.

The word is often applyed unto men, setting forth their flourishing and prosperous estate: hence it is said in Iob 15. 32. That a wicked man shall be cut off be∣fore his time, and his branch shall not be greene. That is, his flourishing estate and condition shall end be∣fore his time; for he shall not so exalt himself in pros∣perity, as he had thought to have done. And David speaking of the prosperity of the wicked, saith, I have seene the wicked in great power, and spreading himselfe like a green bay tree, Psal. 37. 35. That is, fresh and flourishing, as Nebuchadnezzar said, I was at rest in my house, and greene (or flourishing) in my Palace. And Da∣vid speaking of his prosperity, likeneth himselfe to a green, or flourishing olive-tree in the house of God, Ps. 52. 8.

Now by this comparision, or similitude of a bed, by which the Church became so flourishing and fruitfull; we may understand,

1. The flourishing, fruitfull, increasing condition of the Saints, who shall bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and greene (or flourishing) Psal. 92. 14. That is, they sprout or grow up in stature and fruit∣fullnesse, through the blessing of God, and the increa∣sings of his grace, in whose house they are planted, ac∣cording to that of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 3. 6. I have planted, Apollo watered, but God giveth the increase. The Saints are fruitfull in every good worke, and increasing in the knowledge of God, Col. 1. 6. 10. or,

2. We may understand it of the spirituall increase of the faithfull, which are begotten by the seed of the word: Christ by the power of his word and Spirit sow∣eth the seed of his word, the Saints as the ground, receive the seed into the midst of their hearts, by which means they as spirituall Sons and Daughters are begotten un∣to Christ. Thus we have it in Psal. 45. 16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make Princes in all the Earth. This is meant of the succeeding Chri∣stians, that by the immortall seed of the word are be∣gotten to Christ and his Church, he being their Father, Isa. 9. 6. And so is that heavenly Jerusalem, which seeketh her salvation, not by the first Covenant of the Law, but by the second of the Gospell, which is said to be above, because it hath its Originall from Heaven: shee is called the Mother of us all, Gal. 4. 26. For as Sara was the Mother of Isaac, the true and proper Heir of his Father Abraham; so is this Heavenly Jerusalem, to wit, the Church of Christ, the mother of all the faith∣full,

who are Heirs of the Kingdome of Christ. We may take either, or both of these Interpretations. Now according to the first, if we take the meaning of these words for the fruitfull and increasing condition of the Saints in the knowledge of God, and in the graces of his Spirit: Observe,

First, That the Saints become flourishing and fruitfull by the communion they have with Jesus Christ. Hence it is the Apostle prays that the Collossians might be fruit∣full in every good worke, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Unto this are all the Saints exhorted, Ephes. 4. 15. But speaking the truth in love (saith the Apostle) that yee may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. The Apostle speaks of the spirituall growth of the whole body of Christ, and every Mem∣ber thereof, who were to beare an earnest affection to the truth, whereby they might grow in Christ, for he quickneth and cherisheth his Church, which consist∣eth of diverse Members, and gives unto each of them a suitable measure and proportion; and by this effectuall working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edisying of it selfe in love, ver. 16. Now we must know, that this spirituall growth doth not flow from any principle of nature, but it is Christ thet mi∣nistreth vigour and strength above nature. For which observe the phrase in Psal. 92. 14. speaking of the righteous, saith, He shall bring forth fruit in old age: In the Originall it is, in graynesse, or hary age. Now in old age, when naturall strength is decayed, none can be fruitfull without a supernaturall supply of strength and vigour. Hence it is, that David prayeth unto the Lord, saying, Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake

me not when my strength faileth, now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God forsake me not, untill I have shewed thy strength unto this Generation, & thy power to every one that is to come, Psal. 71. 9. 18. It is said of Sara, that shee re∣ceived strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child, when shee was past age: And he (to wit Abraham) as good as dead, &c. Heb. 11. 11, 12. So are the Saints, as it were, past age, and dead by nature, therefore they must (as Sara) receive strength from Christ to con∣ceive and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.

Secondly, if we understand the words of the spiritu∣all increase of the Saints, begotten unto Christ by the seed of the word: Observe,

That multitudes of Children are borne unto Christ, which are begotten by the immortall seed of the word. For by this phrase Our bed is greene, noteth unto us the fertility of Children (to wit of Sons and Daughters) arising from the womb of the Church, especially of the Gen∣tiles. The Evangelicall Prophet seing this, it caused him to cry out in this wise. The desolate hath more Chil∣dren then the married wife. And because of the multi∣tudes that should come in and imbrace Christ, he ad∣deth, Enlarge the place of thy Tents, and let them stretch forth the Curtaines of thy habitations, &c. Isa. 54. 1, 2. The Prophet speaks as if so many should come in to Christ, that she should seeme to want roome to receive them; and therefore bids her stretch forth her curtaines, alluding to the Tents in which they dwelt. And in Chap. 66. 8. he crieth out by way of admiration, Who hath heard such a thing? shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a Nation be borne at once? for as soone as Zion travailed, shee brought forth her children. By

this the Prophet doth intimate the multitudes of those that should suddenly be borne a new, and begotten un∣to Christ by the publication of the Gospell, which was figured out by those multitudes that returned on a suddaine from Babylon, as if a whole Nation had been borne in one day. This was the promise that the Lord made to Abraham, and it is not to be limited to his Children after the flesh, but to his Children of the promise, that his seed should be as the starrs, and as the dust for multitude, Gen. 28. 14. And at the first promulgation of the Gospell, there were daily added unto the Church, Acts 2. 47. And the Saviour of the Gos∣pell was manifest in every place, 2 Cor. 2. 14. Hence it was that Beleivers after Christs ascention were cal∣led 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The multitude of them that believed. And it was Prophecyed that Ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations, of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, we will goe with you, for we have heard that God is with you, Zech. 8. 20. 23. That is, many of the Na∣tions should imbrace the truth, which in former times were restrained within the Nation of the Jewes, accor∣ding to the Prophecy in Genes. 9. 27. where it is said, God shall inlarge Japhet, and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem, &c. But we must not make universality the note of the Saints, for universality is common to Antichri∣stian Idolatours. The whore was to set upon many wa∣ters, which were peoples, and multitudes, and Nations, and tongues: and the Kings of the earth were to be made drunk with the wine of her fornications, and all the Nations to drinke thereof, Revel. 17. 15. 18. 3. Therefore we must understand the Church of Christ to be numerous in her selfe, and not comparatively, setting her with the

world; but to be many comparatively with the old Church of the Jewes, for more are the children of the deso∣late then of the married wife, Isa. 54. 1.

To conclude, this spirituall birth is that which con∣cernes both Christ and his Church; for the union of Christ and his Church is the cause of such an everlasting greennesse and fruitfullnesse. Christ is as the Agent, and the Church in her senses and affections is the pati∣ent: Christ soweth the seed of his word, and the Church as the ground receiveth the seed, that so be∣tween them are many spirituall Sons and daughters be∣gotten unto God. Hence they doe mutually and jointly rejoyce and sing at the Churches inlargement. It is not said My bed, but our bed, thereby shewing that it concernes them both. The heavenly procreation of many spirituall Sons and daughters, and the fresh and flourishing springing of those goodly plants which are thus borne of the Spirit of God, is matter of joy and rejoycing both to Christ and his Church.

Thus much for the place of conception, now follow∣eth the place of spirituall education.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lectus, sponda.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 inde. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vires ere.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cunicio.