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. 8.

They all hold Swords, being expert in war, every man hath his Sword upon his Thigh, because of the feare of the night.

IN this Verse these men of the guard are described by a second qualification, and that is externall. This is denoted by their hands holding the Sword, by which posture they shew themselves to be expert in war, and their readinesse to fight, having every man his Sword upon his thigh. And lastly, the end of all this watching, because of the feare of the night.

They all hold Swords, &c.

They hold) or, are apprehended of the Sword: that is, girded about with it: what this Sword is, may ap∣peare from Heb. 4. 12. namely, the living power of the

word of God, and is called in Revel. 1. 16. A two edged Sword; and the Sword of the Spirit, Ephes. 6. 17. And hence the Apostle uses the terme of holding forth the word of life, Phil. 2. 16.

Being expert in war.

Expert, or taught, God is said to teach the fingers of his people to war, and their hands to fight. So they are taught of God to vse the Sword of the Spirit, that so they wax skilfull in the Lords Battells, and have their senses exercised to discerne good and evill; Heb. 5. 14. That is; they that are tried of God, and have ex∣perience, are such as have their senses exercised, or School'd, as the Greeke word signifies. So that here the Saints are commended for their skill and dexte∣ritie.

Now followeth their readinesse to fight.

Every man hath his Sword upon his thigh.

This was the manner and custome of the people of the Jews, to stand with their swords, as appears in that it is said unto Christ, Gird thy Sword upon thy Thigh, O mighty one, Psal. 45. 4. This denotes readi∣nesse in the Spouse to fight against all her enemies, in the use of all her spirituall weapons. Thus the Lord appointed the Children of Israel to put every man his Sword by his side, and to goe in and out from gate to gate, throughout the Camp, and slay every man his Brother, and e∣very man his Companion, and every man his Neighbour. So the Saints are ready (as with Swords upon their thighs) to stand against, and resist their spirituall ad∣versaries.

Now followeth the end, or the reason of this strict Guard.

Because of the feare of the night.

Feare, or terrour in the night. The night is a time of the greatest feare and dread, and the time of most e∣vill and cruell actions: Christ compares his last com∣ming to a Thiefe in the night, because it will be suddain and dreadfull to some. The greatest dangers are for the most part by night, as the Disciples were in perill of drowning in the fourth watch of the night, Matth. 14. 25. And at night the Angell smote the first-borne of Aegypt, Exod. 11. And as for Thefts, Murthers, and other such like mischiefs, they are often done in the night, as appears, Job 24. 14. The murtherer rising with the light, killeth the poore and needy, and in the night is as a Thiefe. And the enemies of Judah said, Let us goe up by night, and destroy her Pallaces, Jer. 6. 5. There∣fore the night is a time wherein we need to stand ar∣med, and to be ready upon our watch, as we have ex∣ample in Nehem. 4. 22. Those that laboured in the day, were a Guard in the night. So the Saints are to fight with the Prince of darknesse, and to withstand the powers of the world, and against spirituall wickednesses in high places: therefore it is needfull, that they stand upon their Guard, putting on the whole Armour of God, that they may be able to stand in the evill day: we must therefore stand with our loines girt about with truth, having on the Brest-plate of righteousnesse, Ephes. 6. 12. 14.

Hence Observe,

That the Saints are always to keep a spirituall Guard a∣bout them. They are alwayes to take hold of the

Sword of the Spitit: he that wants his materiall Sword is not fit for the field of this world, no more is he for the regiment of Christ, that wants his spirituall Sword. And then Christians had need be expert and skilfull in applying of the Sword of the Spirit, and not onely expert, but alwayes ready, having their loins girt, that is, being filled with strength and valour, because of spirituall wickednesses that war against them, and seeke to destroy them. It followeth.