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.

I have compared thee to a company of horses in Pharaoh's Chariots.

I have compared, or, I have imagined, or thought thee to be like. The word signifies to frame a likenesse of a thing in the mind, or to impute a thing to be this or that. So that though the Church had been negligent and slow in the work of Christ, and thought shee had been unable to withstand all her temptations, yet hee accounts her as one that was strong and active, as one that was glorious and beautifull.

Hence observe,

That Christ doth esteeme of his servants and people, not as they are in themselves, but as they are in himselfe.

Christ did not account his Church to be sloathfull and ignorant to be black and sun-burnt, as before shee thought of her selfe: but saith he, thou art fair & beau∣tifull, thon art strong and active, I have compared thee to Pharaoh's horses, &c. Christ doth alwayes esteem of his Church according to the better part, not according as they have made themselves, but according to that, which he hath made them; and not onely according to that he makes them to be now, but according to what he intends to make them hereafter.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Assimila vit, compa∣ravit, cogi∣tavit, ima∣ginatus est. In Phiel. cogitavit, putavit, in∣tentus fuit, consideravit, observavit, Schind. in Pentaglot.