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.

Wee will run.

The word Run signifies readinesse of affection, and * 1.1 inclination of mind; so we have in 1 Kings 19. 19. Eli∣sharun after Elijah, he run with a full intention of mind; his affections run strongly after Elijah: and thus the Gentiles are said to run to Christ, Isa. 55. 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not, and Nations that know thee not shall run unto thee. That is, the Gentiles that know thee not, neither had they any notice of thee before, shall with all eagernesse and readinesse of mind run unto thee.

Secondly, it signifies celerity and great speed, to passe through a Race, 1 Cor. 9. 24. They which run a Race run all, saith the Apostle: and so the commanding word of God is said to Run very swiftly, Psal. 147. 15. And David saith, I will run the way of thy Commandements, Psal. 119. 32. And he saith againe, I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy Commandements, Verse 60.

Thirdly, it signifies perseverance and constancy, to hold out to the end. So run (saith the Apostle) that yee may obtaine, 1 Cor. 9. 24. And againe, Heb. 12. 1.

Run the race that is set before you: That is, so runne as to continue & hold on in your race, until you come to the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. This is that wee have in the Prophet Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall runne, and not be weary, they shall walke, and not faint. It is in the Hebrew, they shall change, or double their strength: That is, they shall have a new supply of strength, to hold up their spirits, when they seeme to befeeble, and weak, and al∣most spent: and they shall as Eagles, flie strongly, and soare aloft: and they shall walke (that is, be enabled to persist and persevere to the end) and not faint.

4. To run, argues strength in the runner: this wee read in Daniels vision, of a Ram that had two horns (mea∣ning the Persian & Median Empire.) Now this Ram with his two horns was pushing West-ward, and South∣ward, and North-ward, so that no beast might stand before him. But afterwards he seeth a hee-goat, that came from the West, &c. (which is thought to be Alexander the great) and this hee-goate came to the Ramme that had two horns, and ranne unto him in the fury of his power, Dan. 8. 6. That is, by his mighty power and strength he over∣came him.

5. It signifieth our whole Christian: conversation, which is called a race, 1 Cor. 9. 24. And saith the Apo∣stle, Gal. 2. 2. I went up by revelation, and preached the Gospel, &c. Lest (saith he) I should run, or had run in vain. He meaneth here by running, his earnestnesse and dili∣gence to preach the Gospel. And again, Gal. 5. 7. Yee did runne well, who did hinder you. That is, you were in the right way, and you made a good progresse therein, you out-stript others in way of life. Our life is called

a course or race, which is run; as it is said, John fulfilled his course, Act. 13. 25. And Paul saith, I have finished my course, 2 Tim. 4. 7.

6. To runne, signifies a desire to obtain the prize, as well as swiftnesse and strength: Hence the Apostle la∣bours, that his preaching might not be in vain; for then saith he, I should runne in vain, Gal. 2. 2. And a∣gain, he saith, So runne that you may obtain, 1 Cor. 9. 24. That is, that yee might obtain the prize, which is eter∣nall life. So here the Church hath Christ in her eye, as a rich and glorious prize, unto whom she runs, say∣ing, Wee will runne after thee: And these follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth, Revel. 14. 4. They doe reckon Christ a good prize whithersoever they run after him: they will run through thick and thin (as we use to say) through good report and evill report, that so they may en∣joy him.

Observe first, From the Churches prayer, Draw me, &c.

The efficient cause of our comming unto Christ, is not in our selves, but from Christ alone, who by the efficacy of his word, and by the sweet operation of his spirit and grace, draweth us unto himselfe.

1. By nature we are utterly unable to do any thing in this respect; for we are wholly destitute of the saving knowledg of God, and of Christ, according to the say∣ing of David, Psal. 14. 3. There is not a man that under∣standeth, &c. And of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The na∣turall man perceives not the things of the spirit of God, be∣cause they are spiritually discerned. That is, they are to be taken and understood in a spirituall and heavenly sense, to which the carnall man's reason cannot reach, unlesse hee be enlightned by the holy spirit. And a∣gain

in 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost. That is, no man can say Jesus is the Lord, who hath bought and redeemed him, but by the instinct of the holy Ghost.

2. In conversion we are meerly passive in respect of the grace, which commeth from without a man, and preventeth him, because there is no power in man to prepare himselfe to grace, or to receive grace being offered unto him, or to will any thing that is good; for we are dead in sin: Now the dead man is only pas∣sive in respect of his quickning. Eph. 2. 5. Even when we were dead in sinnes, hath hee quickned us together with Christ: That is, he is dead in sin, who hath not the life of grace in him: so that by the quickning power and operation of the spirit, is begotten in the will of man a spirituall principle of grace; for the will is the most proper and prime subject of this grace, because the conversion of the will is an effectuall principle of the conversion of the whole man: but notwithstanding the understanding doth also concur, not to the conversion, but in the conversion; because mans conversion is not wrought without his consent: so that the holy Ghost worketh, and of unwilling he makes us willing, not as free Agent, but only in respect of obedience and subjection, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Because God who hath said, that light should shine out of darkenesse, he it is who shined in our hearts. And again the Apostle saith, Phil. 2. 13. It is * 1.2 God who worketh in us both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure. Where the will, is not understood of the sub∣stance of the will, but of a new quality. Agreeable hereunto is that of a Father: It is certaine that wee will, when we will, but hee causeth us to will, who worketh in us to will.

But we must note also, that the will is active in con∣version, and it followeth the holy spirit, who draw∣eth it; for the holy Ghost doth so bend and incline our wills, that he causeth us to will good perfectly: so there is Act us elicitus, an act of the will drawn forth, whereby it doth close with Christ, which indeed is an act of faith. But this act of the will doth not onely depend upon a principle or habit of grace ingenerated, but also upon the secret operation of the holy spirit, according to that in John 6. 44. No man can come unto me unlesse the Fa∣ther draw him. And though this act of the will be drawn out freely, yet unavoydably and efficaciously. John 6. 37. Whatsoever my Father giveth mee, shall come unto mee. Now in all the actings of the will in conversion, it is but as an instrument of the holy Ghost; it is first acted by the spirit, and then it acts according to the actings of the spirit upon it.

3. The Saints are insufficient of themselves, after conversion to follow Christ. Without me (saith Christ) yee can doe nothing, John 15. 5. That is, you can do no∣thing that's good or acceptable. Thus the Apostle testi∣fieth of his spirituall life: I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, Gal. 2. 20. And again the Apostle saith, By the grace of God I am that I am, and the grace in mee was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I. It is not I that have taken such pains, though he did it in much travail and wearinesse, YET NOT I. Neither was it the grace of Christ that was in me, but the grace of Christ which was with me, 1 Cor. 15. 10. That is, I was thus inabled for the work of the Gospel; not by any power that was in me, but it was by the flowings in, and the actings of the Spirit of grace upon my soule.

Obserue, 2. From the effect of the Churches pray∣er,

We will run after thee. That the Saints when drawn by Christ, have a will to follow Christ. This the Apostle te∣stifieth of himselfe, Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I know not. This will appeare, if we observe the nature of the will; it is eli∣cita, not coacta, inclined and drawn forth, not compel∣led and constrained: will should be no wil if it were so; for the will is absolute and free, no coactive force can be used against it, unlesse it be such as is pleasing and delightfull to it. The old saving is, ducimus volentem, and trahimus nolentem: we lead him that is willing, and draw him that is unwilling: but when Christ is said to draw us, he useth no compulsion ot coaction, but it's done by the sweetnesse and efficacy of grace, and by the secret operation and working of the spirit, convin∣cing the judgement, perswading the affections, incli∣ning the heart, and swaying the will. There is in the bringing of the soule to Christ, Trahere, and Venire: the Father is said to draw us, John 6. 44. And here Christ is said to draw us: now this notes to us the efficacy of grace, and that Almighty power, by which wee are drawn unto Christ. Hence it is, that the Apostle saith, God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, &c. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Now Gods word by which he commanded light to shine out of darkness, is a very operative word: Let there be light (saith God) and there was light, Gen. 1. 3. Such an Almighty, ope∣rative, and powerfull word goes out from Christ to draw a soule to himselfe. And thus his grace works so sweetly upon our hearts, whereby wee come freely and cheerfully, and therefore we are said to come un∣to Christ.

Now the will being 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉

drawn to Christ; it is made to will good freely, really, and compleatly.

The office of the will is either,

• 1. To choose.
• 2. To refuse.
• 3. To suspend.

1. The regenerate will doth will all good, and no∣thing but good; for good is it's proper object, there∣fore it can properly choose nothing but good: there∣fore saith the Apostle; If then I doe that which I would not, I consent unto the law, that it is good, Rom. 7. 16.

2. It refuses all evill, and nothing but evill: the re∣generate will cannot properly choose any evil, because it is not it's proper object: it may fall into evil, but still there is a secret dislike of it, so saith the Apostle: For that which I doe, I allow not; for what I would doe, that I doe not, but what I hate, that I doe, Rom. 7. 15.

3. The will suspends it's actings in dubious things: when it knows not whither a thing be good or evill, it suspendeth; and when it knows not whether such a thing be truth or errour, it will suspend it's either choosing or refusing of it: it will not venture in the dark, like unto the unregenerate will, but suspendeth it's actings because whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Quest. Whether the regenerate will may not choose that which is evill, and be unwilling to that which is good.

Answ. 1. The regenerate will cannot will any evill fully and compleatly: So saith the Apostle, what I doe, I would not. But there may be a kind of veleity or wil∣lingnesse to evill, but not a compleat will: even as corrupt nature may have a kind of veleity to that which is good: as a corrupt regenerate man may have some kind of willingnesse to do a good action, but hee never

wills the good of the action his will to good is there∣fore incompleat: and so it is with the regenerate will in respect of evill, it never wils evill, as it is evill, it goes not out with full purpose and consent.

2. The holy will cannot properly refuse anything that is good, because it is it's proper object; but the will that's good, may be so much depressed and kept under by temptation, or by desertion, and such like distempers, that it cannot draw it selfe up to the height of it's actings; so that there is not that agility, strength, and vigour, as there is, when it acts more strongly; but however it wil's good truly, and it goes forward still, though not with that vigour and eagernesse, as (if o∣therwise) it would.

Put though the will of the regenerate be set free un∣to good, yet wee must so understand it, that the rege∣nerate will cannot doe good of himselfe: Hence it is, the Church desireth, that Christ would draw her con∣tinually, without whose help shee is not able to runne after him. Where grace over-swayes the heart, there is a readiness to obey, and constantly to follow Christ, but so as it always proceedeth from Gods spirit, lead∣ing and drawing forth of the will: even as a Mother by leading her child, causeth it to goe, which other∣wise could not: so the Lord draws forth, leads and di∣rects our affections according to the actings, and good pleasure of his owne spirit: our wills are but instru∣ments for the holy Ghost, and can doe nothing with∣out the breathings in of his spirit upon them. This the Apostle testifies of himselfe, I am able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me, Phil. 4. 13. And a∣gain he saith, He that hath begun his good worke in you, he will also finish it, untill the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1. 6.

We cannot work that which is good with grace recei∣ved, unlesse there be the continuall flowings in of Christ's Spirit, to carry forth the soul in it's workings. So that free grace is in the beginning, middest, and end of all our workings. Herein we are made happy with∣out any merit, that wee should be unto the praise and glory of the riches of his free grace.

3. Observe, The life of a Christian is as the running of a race.

1. The whole life of a Christian is here termed a running, and by the Apostle called a race, 1 Cor. 9. 24. And again saith hee, I have finished my course, 2 Tim. 4. 7.

2. In respect of the readinesse of the minds and affe∣ctions of the Saints; they are said to delight in the law of the Lord, Psalm. 1. 2. The word Chephets, is voluptas & prompta voluntas, a delightfull and ready will, as one * 1.3 that taketh abundance of joy & delight in that which he doth; it is to embrace with love and good will, yea, with a pleasurable love, and an affectionate will and desire unto a thing: Hence the Lord promiseth to call the Church, Chephtsabah, that is, my pleasure in her, Isa. 42. 4. And so David saith of the Saints, Cheptsi∣ham, that is, my pleasure in them, Psal. 16. 3. And so * 1.4 in Psal. 111. 2. The workes of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. This denotes to us the election of the will, the readinesse of the affecti∣ons, and the complacency and delight of the heart of a Christian in walking with Christ: the wayes of Christ yeeld nothing but pleasure and delight to a graci∣ous heart.

3. In respect of speedy performance of actions: Sa∣tans industrious compassing the earth, caused Job to

send speedily for his children to sacrifice unto the Lord, Job 1. 5. And it is said, Abraham rose up early in the morning and sadled his asse, &c. when he was to offer up his son a Sacrifice. And David saith, I will runne the way of thy commandements, Psal. 119. 32. And in vers. 60. I made hast, and delayed not to keepe thy commandements, or, I di∣stracted not my selfe, to wit, with the cares, profits, plea∣sures of this life: Agreeable hereunto is that of Paul, when he was called by God to preach the Gospel among the Heathen, he saith, I conferred (or I consulted) not with flesh and blo••d, Gal. 1. 16. That is, I did not con∣sult with carnall reason, or with fleshly arguments, but was obedient to the heavenly revelation or vision.

4. The Saints run in respect of perseverance; hence saitht the Apostle, So runne, that yee may obtain, 1 Cor. 9. 24. Which implyeth, there be some that run, which do not obtain; but the Saints do renew, or change their strength, Isa. 40. 31. That is, when they are weak and feeble, they shal have a new supply of spiritual strength from Christ the fountain of strength, whereby they shall runne, or persevere to the end, and not be weary.

The Apostles hearty perswasion and confidence is, That he who hath begun a good worke in the Philipians, will perfect it untill the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1. 6. And to this purpose saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1. 23. You are re∣newed not of mortall seed, but of immortall, by the word of God, which abideth for ever: And 1 Joh. 3 9. He that is born of God sinneth not, because the seed of God remaineth in him: nor can be sinne, because he is born of God: That is, he that hath the immortall seed of God's word and spi∣rit within him, cannot (notwithstanding his infirmi∣ties) finally faile, or give over his hope, but shall per∣sist and persevere in faith and holinesse.

5. The Saints run in respect of their strength, ha∣ving received a new principle of life from Christ, by which they are enabled for all things: They that want up∣on the Lord, renew, change, or double their strength, saith the Prophet. And saith David, I will run the wayes of thy commandements, when thou shalt enlarge my heart, Psal. 119.

6. We are said to run, in that we earnestly looke af∣ter the prize which is set before us; and therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 9. 24. They that run a race, run all: That is, forasmuch as all desire the prize. Now then in all our seekings and enquiries after Christ, in that we long after him, and desire to be joyned in the nearest communion with him, we may be said to runne after Christ. So much for the Petition, and the first reason or effect thereof: now followeth the second effect or fruit of the prayer.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Significat currere, cum promp〈…〉〈…〉 ne & pro∣pensione.
• * 1.2

  Certum est nos velle cum volu∣mus sed ille fecit ut ve∣limus qui operatur in nobis velle, Aug. lib. Arbitrio, cap. 2.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Voluit, op∣tavit, desi∣deravit, de∣lectatus, be∣ne affectus fuit, placu∣it, compla∣cuit.
• * 1.4

  Eis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sept.