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.

My Dove,! &c.

Christ here calleth the Church a Dove; a title some∣times attributed unto Christ himselfe: the Holy-ghost sometimes appeared on Christ in the shape of a Dove, to discover unto us thus much, that Christ should have the propertie and disposition of a Dove, as meek∣nesse and gentlenesse, for indeed he became man for that end, to be a mercifull Saviour. I will not quench the smoaking stax, nor breake the bruised reed, saith he, Matth. 12. 20. So that the mercifulnesse of Christs nature,

and the mercifulnesse of his Office is set forth by the resemblance of a Dove. Now as Christ had the Spirit in likenesse of a Dove: so all that are Christs, to wit, the Spouse of Christ, have the disposition of Christ: that spirit that framed Christ to be meeke, and gentle like a Dove, doth also frame the Church into the same likenesse and disposition: hence he saith, My Dove, &c.

Observe hence.

That as Christs, so is the Churches temper and disposition framed after the likenesse of a Dove.

Now wee must know, that there is some good in all the creatures: there is a beame of Gods majesty, and an image of vertue, even in the inferiour creatures, wherefore the Scripture sends us to such creatures for many excellencies, that are to be found in them. Now the Church may well be compared to a Dove, and that for such properties as these.

First, The Dove is a mournfull creature, and there∣fore Hezekiah saith, I did mourne like a Dove, Isa. 38. 14. And the Jewes are said to mourne like Doves, Isa. 59. and it is said of those that should repent, that they should mourne like Doves, Ezek. 7. 16. This was Davids con∣dition, in Psal. 120. 5. Woe is me that I sojourne in Me∣sech: that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar.

The State of the Saints is like Doves, who mourne to God in their desertions, afflictions, and tentati∣ons, who heares the bemonings of his owne spirit in them.

Secondly, A Dove is an innocent, harmelesse crea∣ture, & simple, without guile: hence the advice of Christ is to his Disciples, Be innocent as Doves, Matth. 10. Now there is a simplicity that is sinfull, when there is no mixture of wisedome in it: for it is said in Hos. 7. 11.

Ephraim is like a silly Dove without heart, they call to Aegypt, they goe to Assyria: that is, when they did rely more up∣on friends, and outward helps, then upon God: But there is also a pure, holie simplicity, and so God is said to be simple, because there is nothing in him contrary to himselfe, or to his owne nature. In this respect, the Church may be said to be like the Dove, in respect of a good and holie simplicitie, when there is no no mixture of fraud, no duplicity in in the soule; A double hearted man is unconstant, and unstable in all his wayes, saith the Apostle, Jam. 1. 8.

Thirdly, The Dove is weake and impotent, not be∣ing able to help her selfe against the Birds of prey: it hath nothing but flight: So the Saints are unable to defend themselves, but only they can flye to God as to their mountaine, and flye to Christ as to their Arke and strength, for they have no other re∣fuge then God, nor any hiding place besides Christ.

Fourthly, The Dove is a very weake creature: Hence it is said of Ephraim, that He shall tremble as the Dove, out of the Land of Assyria, Hos. 11. 11. So the Saints are called, The meeke of the earth, Zeph. 2. 1, 2, And wee are exhorted by the Apostle, As the Elect of God, to put on the bowels of meeknesse and compassion, &c. Colos. 3. 12. Because this grace disposeth us to a neerer com∣munion with God then other graces: it is a grace that God much delights in, and would have all his Saints adorned with, as is manifest in 1 Pet. 3. 4. it is the best jewel or ornament, that the Saints can be adorned withall, because it empties the soule of all fleshly con∣ceits, and so makes it the more capacious to receive any good from God.

Fiftly, The Dove is loving, chast, and faithfull, to her mate, alwayes keeping close unto her: So the Saints, they will not leave Christ to turne to Idols. It is reported that in the dayes of Julian, when Idols were set up in every corner of the Christians Temples, yet then they made a shift to turne their eyes from behol∣ding them. The believing soule is faithfull to Christ, and will set up nothing in the heart above Christ,: Whom have I in Heaven but thee? (saith David) and what is there in earth that I desire besides thee? Psal. 73. 25. The Church is brought in like a chast virgine contracted, and her Members to be such as follow the Lamb where∣soever he goes, for they have not defiled themselves with wo∣men, Revel. 14. 4. that is, those that are chast to Christ, have not desiled themselves with idolatrie and spiri∣tuall fornication.

Sixthly, The Dove is a cleanely Bird, and it feeds cleanely upon pure graine, and will not lodge but in a cleanely place, where it may not be annoyed with a∣ny unsavourie stentch, and the like: so it is with the faithfull soule, it will not feed upon the dung or dogs meat of this world, or on sinfull pleasures, but upon Christ and spirituall things. The carnall man useth to feed upon dust, and earthly things, when as the faith∣full soule, that hath tasted the heavenly Manna, it will not feed upon that which is base and earthly, neither can it indure to feed upon mens inventions or ly∣ing legends, but it loves to feed upon the pure word of God, and upon heavenly and spiritual things.

Seventhly, The Dove is a Bird that loves commu∣nion and fellowship, as the Prophet speakes, Who are those that flock to the windowes like Doves, Isa. 60. 8.

C0^For so they use to flock to their houses by companies: So the Saints love to have fellowship with the Father, and the Sonne, as the Apostle John speakes, and also they love to have communion one with another. Doves will consort with Doves: so will Saints have communi∣on with Saints and none else.

Eightly, and lastly, the Dove is a low priz'd crea∣ture, as appeares by that allowance under the Law, that they who could not compasse a Lambe, might offer a paire of Turtle-Doves, and yet by the reason of the apparition of the spirit in the likenesse of a Dove, it is stamp'd with no small worth and excellen∣cie: So the Saints are of very low esteeme in the world, and lightly accounted of: but in regard of those spirituall and divine appearances of God in their soules, they become of great worth, and excell in di∣vine excellencie; so saith the wise man, The righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour, Prov. 12. 26.

Thus I have touched upon some properties of the Dove, unto which Christ doth resemble his Church, and so farre of the loving attribute given by Christ to his Church, in saying, my Dove, &c. Now followeth the second thing in this description of the Church, to ••wit, the manifestation of her mansion place, and that first in saying.