Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_600.lzh/4_653.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-30 | 7KB | 131 lines

prising and distinguishing grace: or else the world
itself may be meant, the wilderness or' the people,
l';zek. xx. 35. so called because of the roughness of the
way, the many tribulations the saints pass throu.gh in
it; and because of the traps and snares that are in it,
through evil men, the lusts of the flesh, and the
temptations of Satan; because of the many evil beasts
in it, ungodly men, false teachers, and Sat. an the roar-
tug lion; and because of' the plentiful table God fur-
nishes here for his people, feeding them in the wilde:'-
hess with Gospel doctrines and spiritual ordinances,
Rev. xii. 14. and because of the many windings and
turnings of Pr<>videuce in it, through all which they
are led in a rig'hi way to the city of their habitation:
now though they are in the world, they are not of it;
they are called out of it, and quit as much as may be
the compaoy and conversation of the men of' it; and
through the grace-of God are more and n|ore weaned
from it, and long after another and better world; all
which may be intended by their coming out of this:
or else this may design a state of sorrow and distress
when under desertion, and without the presence of
Christ; which had lately been the case of the churchf
who ha{l been in a bewildered. conditiou, and u6t
knowing where her beloved was, ran about here and
there in quest of him, like one in a wood, seeking him
and calling after him; but now having sight 9f him,
and some communion with him, is reprcsented as
coming out of that state. She is fnrther described as
being like pillars of smoke, perfumed with ,m?/rrh and
frankincense; her heart being inflamed with love to
Christ, her affections movcd upwards, heavenwards,
and were seton things above; and which wcrc sincere
and upright, rose up in the form of palm-trees, as the
word {n}signifies, a very upright tree; and these moved
steadily towards Christ, and could not be diverted from
hitn by the winds of temptation, affliction, and perse-
cution; and though there might be some degree of
dulness and imperfection in them, hence called pillars
of smolce; yet being perfumed with the sweet-smelling
myrrh of Christ's sacrifice, and the incense of his
mediation, became acceptable to God. It is added,
with all powders of the merchant : odorous ones, such
are the graces of the spirit, wllich Christ the mer-
chantman is full of; and makes his people, their af-
fections and prayers, of a sweet-smelling savour with.
Ben Melech interprets it of garments perfumed with
spices; see Psai. xlv. 8. Some rendcr the words,
above or more excellent than all powders of the merchant o,
druggist or apothecary {p]; no such drug nor spice to be
found in their shops, that smell so sweet as Christ, his
-race and righteousness.
Vet. 7. Behold his bed which is Solomon's, &c.]
Not Solomon the son of David, and penman of this
song, but a greater than he, the antitype of him; so
it is interpreted of the Messiah by many Jewish
writers {q}: they were both sons of David and sons of
God, and kings and preachers in Jerusalem. Solomon
was a type of Christ in Iris wisdom and wealth, in the
iargeness and peaceablehess of his kingdom; in his
marriage with Pharaoh'/dangrater, and 'in building the
temple, a fignrc ofthc church: and by his bed is meant
the place where saints meet together for religious
worship, his churcti visible, which is his resting and
dwelling place; where sot|is are begotten and born
again, and have fellowship with Christ; and which he
has a property in by gift and purchase: and a behold
is prefixed to it as a note of attention, directing the
daughters of Jerusalem to turn off the discourse from
her, and from commendation of her, to consider the
greatness of Christ her beloved; who might conclude,
that if his bed was so stately as after described, bow
great must hc himself be; and as a note of admiration,
tO S[ICW hOw IBtlCh she was affected with the greatness
of his grace to her, and the privileges she enoyed of
having nearness to him, and fellowship with him.
Threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of
Israel; nlinisters of the Gospel, such as are Israelites
indeed, hithful and upright; and who are valiant, and
heartily concerned for the good and welfiu'e of Christ's
people, and are careft|l tliat nothing hurt them, nor
disturb their rest and repose. In the number of them,
the allusion may be to the guard about Solomon's bed;
which might consist of so many, partly for the security
of his royal person, and partly for grandeur and ma-
jesty: anti were just double the number of his thther'a
worthies, he excelling him in greatness and glory;
though it may be a certain number is put for an un-
certain; and this is a competent and sufficient one.
Ver. 8. Tkhey all hold swords, &c.] Or a swords;
the word is singular, which designs the word of God,
called the sword of the spirit, and said to be sharper
than a two-edged sword, Ephes. vi. 17. Heb. iv. 12.
which every one of the ministers of the Gospel hold in
their hands; and which denotes not only their appre-
hension, but their retention of it, and firm adherence to
it; it cleaves to them, and they to that; they and
their sword cannot be parted, as Gussetins{s} observes
the word signifies; these ministers could not be pre-
vailed upon to drop it, or part with it, bnt retained it
to the last; which shews them to be valiant men. Being
erpert in war; in military straits, in the spiritual war
ag'ainst sin, Satan, and the world, in common with
other Christians; and in fighting the good fight of
faith, against all opposers of the doctrines of the Gos-
pel; knowing how to use to the best advantage the
spiritual sword, the Scriptures of truth, to defend the
Gospel, and refute error. Ever!! man hath his sword
upon his thigh; as a preparation for war, and an indi-
cation of readiness to engage in it, Psal. xlv. 3. for,
bciug on the thigh, it is near, easy to come at, at once
upon occasion, and so always in a posture ofdefence;
all which expresses the familiar acquaintance ministers
have with the word of God, its nearness, so that they
can easily come at it, and furnish themselves with a
sufficient proof of truth, and with proper arguments
for the refutation or' error. And this is done because
of fear in the night: when there is most danger; hence


{n} \^twrmytk\^ ut colnmnae ad formam palmae assurgentes, Buxtorf; ut
palmae, Mercerus, Cocceius; instar palmarum, Tigurine version,
Michaelis.
{o} So Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.
{p} \^lkwr\^ \~mureqou\~, Sept. pigmentarii, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus;
pharmacopolae, Tigurine version; seplasiarii, Mercerus, Cocceius;
aromatarii, unius & Tremellius, Marckius.
{q} Targum, Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, Ben Melech, and Abendana.
{r} \~romfaian\~ Sept. gladium, Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius.
{s} Ebr. Comment. p. 28.