Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_600.lzh/4_640.TXT

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frequently used in this .sacred poem, both with respect
to the bride and bridegroom; see ch, ii. 14. and iv. 1.
 and v. c2, lo.. and vi. 9. and it may easily be observed,
thaf. this creature furnishes much matter for poetsf,
which they apply to lovers: and here the eyes of the
bride are compared to the eyes of doves; meaning
either the ministers of the Gospel, who are to the
church what eyes are to the body; are set in the more
eminent part in the church, to order, guide, and direct
the members of it; to watch over them, lest any hurt
come to them, and give warning of danger; to hold
forth the word of light to them, and instruct them how
to behave in the church and. in the world: and they
may be compared to the eyes of doves, for their clear-
ness and perspicuity in discerning Gospel truths; and
for their sincerity and simplicity, uprightness and
faithfulness, in preaching them; and for the dove-like
gifts of the spirit, whereby they are qualified for it;
and for, their meekness and humility; or rather the
eyes of her understanding are meant, being spiritually II
enlightened; and particularly the eye of faith. by|l
which-believers take a view of Christ, of his giory.,
fulness, and suitablehess, and look to him alone for
life and salvation. And it may be compared tO:the
eyes of doves for the clearness and quickness, of it,
being the evidence of things not seen; and, foor its
singleness and chastity, the dove looks only to its mate,
ancl destroys those that look with lustful eyes on
others {g}; believers, being espoused as a chaste virgin
to Christ, look only to him as their beloved, to him
only for acceptance, righteousness, pardon, and' eternal
life; and for its modesty and humility, excluding all
boasting in the creature, and giving all glory to Christ;
and for its beautifuluess in the sight of Christ, so that
he is even ravished with it, oh. iv. 9.
Ver. 16. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, &c.]
These are the words of the church, giving back to
Christ his commendation of her, and much in the same
words, as more properly belonging to him than her; he
calls her my love, she calls him my beloved: he says
that she was fair; the same she says of him, with a
like note of wonder, attention, and asseveration, he
had prefixed to the commendation of her; suggesting,
that his fairness and beauty were essential, original,
and underived, but her's was all from him; and there-
fore he only ought to have the character: he, as man,
is fairer than the children of men; as Mediator, is full
of grace and truth, which makes him look lovely in
the eyes of his people; and, as a divine Person, is the
brightness of his Father's glory. To which she adds,
yea, pleasant; looks pleasantly, with a smiling coun-
tenance on his people, being the image of the invisible
God; pleasant to behold, as the sun of righteousness,
and Saviour of men; pleasant in all Iris offices and
relations; the doctrines of Iris Gospel are pleasant
words; his ways, his ordinances, are ways of pleasant-
ness; and especially having his presence, and com-
munion with him in them; and which mav be designed
in the next clause. Also our bed is green; the same
wieh his bed which is Solomort's; his by gift and pur-
chase; the church's, by having a right thr9ugh him,
and an admittance to all the privileges of it: where the
word is preached, ordinances administered, souls are
begotten and born again, there Christ and his church
have fellowship with each other; said to be green, in
allusion to the strewing of beds with green herbs and
leaves, and branches of trees {h}; particularly the nuptial
bed, called from thence thalamus{l}: and it may denote
the fruitfulness of the saints in grace and holiness, like
green olive-trees, in the house of God: or else nu-
merous converts in the church, a large spiritual seed
and offspring of Christ and the church, as were in the
first times of the Gospel, and will be in the latter day:
agreen bed is an emblem offruitthlness in the conjugal
state; so the Targum and Jarchi interpret it.
Ver. 17. The beams of our house are cedar, &c.]' Or
houses {K}; where their bed was, and where they had fel-
lowship and communion together. By which may be
meant particular congregations or churches, in which
houses Christ has a property, being of his building
and beautifying; where he takes up his rest and re-
sidence, and where he feeds and feasts with his people,
and to the privileges of which all the saints have a
right: and by the beams of these houses may be ire-
tended the ministers of the word, who are pillars here,
as James, John, and Cephas, were; and who are the
means of supporting and strengthening such commu-
nities, by their excellent doctrines and exemplary lives:
or common saints may be meant, who are also beams
and pillars in thechurches of Christ; and serve greatly
to support, strengthen, and cement the spiritual build-
ing, fitly framed together: and these beingof cedar-wood,
of a pleasant smell, and durable, may denote their
gratefulness and acceptableness to Christ and his
church, in the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty;
and of their continuance and perseverance therein,
having in them the incorruptible and immortal seed of
divine grace; see Psal. xcii. 12. And our rafters of
· fir; which Pliny says {l} is the best and strongest wood
for roofing and raftering: by these may be meant the
ordinances of the Gospel, which are that to the churches
as rafters are to a house, the means of supporting
and strengthening it; so by the ordinances saints
are supported in their spiritual state, and by them
their spiritual strength is renewed; and these being
said to be of fir, which is a pleasant and lasting wood,
may signify the delight that is had in ordinances, and
the continuance of them. Some render the word by
cypress'"; which is also of a pleasant smell ", and very
durable, never admits of worms, nor ever rots, nor is
ever sensible of old age *; and so may denote the plea-
sure that saints take in ordinances, and the long con-
tinuance of them, as of the present ones, which will
remain until the second coming of Christ. Some think


{f} Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian. in Nupt. Honor. Ode 4. v. 21.
{g} Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 34. AElian. Hist. Animal. l. 3. c. 5. p. 44.
{h} Vid. Alstorph. de Lectis Veterum, c. 1. p. 2, 8, 9, 10. Viridante
toro consederat herbae, Virgil. AEneid. 5. v. 388.  In medio torus est de
mollibus ulvis impositus lecto, Ovid.  Metamorph. 8. v. 685.
{i} Alstorph. ibid. c. 13. p. 73, 74.
{k} \^wnytb\^ domorum nostrarum, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c.
aedium nostrarum, Marckius.
{l} Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 42.
{m} \^Mytwrb\^ \~kuparissoi\~, Sept.; cypressina, V. L. Tigurine version; so
David de Pomis, and others.
{n} Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 33. \~euwdei kuparissw\~, Theocrit. Epi-
gram. 4. v. 7.
{o} Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 33, 40, 42.