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. 5.

I charge you, O yee daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes, and Hinds of the field, that yee stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

THe Spouse having long sought her beloved, and now having found him, and brought him home unto her Mothers house, and resolved to retaine him there, reneweth her contestation and charge to the Daughters of Jerusalem, not to awake or disquiet her beloved.

These words being the same with the words in Chap. 2. 7. I shall not stand upon repetitions, but onely mind you of the occasion of the repetition of them.

1. Consider the Church having found her belo∣ved, and is very willing to keep him, and to injoy sweet fellowship with him; shee giveth this straight charge to the Daughters, that they doe not provoke him by sin, and so grieve his holy Spirit, and thereby cause him to depart from his Church againe. For as Moses said unto Israel, If yee turne away from after him, he will yet againe leave them in the Wildernesse, and yee shall destroy all this people, Numb. 32. 15. And the like place we have in Exod. 23. 20, 21. Behold (saith the Lord) I send an Angell before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared: be∣ware of him, and obey his voyce, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. The Angell here spoken of, is Christ, as appears by this, that he hath power to pardon sin, and Gods name is

in him: for Gods name and attributes are his very es∣sence. Thus the Apostle willeth us not to provoke Christ, when he saith, Grieve not the holy Spirit, and withall addeth this reason, Because (saith he) by it ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, Ephes. 4. 30. So on the other hand, we must please the Spirit, by being acted by it, least we turne away the seale or assurance of our salvation. Or,

2. We may take it thus, the Daughters were char∣ged to wait patiently for Christs comming in the flesh, and to be contented with their present enjoy∣ment of Christ, that they should not stir him up, or provoke him by murmuring, or otherwise, through feare or unbeliefe: neither was shee to be discontent to suffer affliction, as being under the Law, being shut up unto the faith that should be revealed, which Law was a School master unto Christ, Gal. 3. 23. for the Saints were under Governours, untill the appointed time of the Father, Gal. 4. 1, 2.

So much for the Charge.