Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_600.lzh/4_669.TXT

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gave them is, that ye tell him that I am sick of love;
or, what shall ye, or should ye tell hitn {q} ? not her
blows and wounds, the injuries and aftrouts she had
received from the watchmen and keepers of the
wall; nor many things, only this one thing, which
was most on her heart, uppermost in her mind,
anti under which she must dic, if not relieved, tell
hitn that I am sick of love; and that for him, through
his absence, and her eager longing after him, and the
discoveries of his love to her; and which, though not
incurable, nor a sickness unto death, for Christ suffers
none to die through love to him, yet is a very painful
one; and is to be known by a soul's pantrag after
Christ, and its prodigious .jealousy of his love, and by
its carcfifincss, diligence, and industry, to enjoy the
manifestations of it. Of this [ovc-sickncss, sec more
on cb. ii. 5.
Ver. 9. What  is thy beloved more than another beloved,
0 thou fairest  amon,g wome. ? &c.] The same title
Christ gives her, ch. i. 8. and from whom these daugh-
ters seem to have talien it; and, in giving it to her,
might be assured they were right, since he, who knew
her perfectly well, so calla her; in what sense she was
so fair, see the note there: and this they used ,to
shew their esteem. of her, and that they were willing
to do all the service they could for her; and what
made them so attentive to her charge, and so desirous
of knowitig her beloved; since they coucluded he
must be some extraordinary person that one so thir
and benntiS11 as she was should inake the object of
her love and choice: for this question they put, not
in a scornful and disdainful way; nor to shift off' any
trouble from themselves, through the charge she gave
them; nor as altogether ignorant of her beloved, for
some knowledge they had, though but small; but as
desirous of knowing more of him, and or' hearing his
excelleudcs set fortti, 'and especial iy those which dis-
tinguishcd him from the,beloveds of all others: with
some, the world, its riches and grandeur, are their
beloved; with others, the sinful lusts and pleasures of
this life; with ottiers, the praises and applause of men;
and with others near and dear relations; and, with all,
self: but with a true believer in Christ, he is prefer-
able to them all; to riches, pleasures, banours; toall
all creatures, and creature enjoyments; and self, in
every sense of it, is parted with tbr him; he is fairer,
wiser, and richer, than all others. And this question
is repeated by the daughters, lVhat is thy beloved
vzore than another beloved? to shew their surprise it
the charge given them ;. the suspicion they had of pe-
culiar excellencies in her beloved; and to decinto their
seriousness and earnestness to know more of Christ;
and their importunity to have a speedy answer; and
the rather for what follows: that thou dost so charge
us ? so awfully and solemnly, so seriously and strictly,
with so much wartnth and vehemence.
Ver. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy, &c.] This,
and the following verses, contain the churcWs answer
to the question ofthe daughters; she first gives a ge-
neral description of her beloved, and then descends to
particulars: the description of him in general is, that
he is white and ruddy; having the whiteness of the lily,
and the redhess of the rose, ch. ii. 1. which make a per-
fect beauty. Some understand this of the two natures
in Christ, divine and human; with respect to his di-
vine nature, white, expressive of his simplicity, purity
and holiness; which colour, Cicero says{r}, is chiefly be-
coining God, it being simple, and having no mixture
and composition in it: with respect to his human na-
ture, red, being a partaker of the same flesh and blood
with iris people. Othera, only of the human nature;
white denoting the purity and holiness of it, being
without either original or actual sin; red, or ruddy, his
bloody sufferings in it for the sins of his people. But
it may denote, in general, his fairness, beauty, and
glory; being, as a divine Person, the brightness of Iris
Father's glory; as man; fairer than the children of
men; as the Mediator, full of grace and truth; and in
all his offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King, and in
all the rdations he stands in to his, as Father, Hus-
band, Brother, and Friend, he appears most lovely
and amiable. The chiefeat among- ten thousand; whe-
ther angels or men; he iS the Creator of angels, the
object of their worship; and has a 'more excellent
name and nature than they, to whom they are subject,
and are ministoring' spirits; he is superior t.o men,
good anti bad, high aud .low; Lord of all, King of
kings, and Head of saints, and has the pre-eminence
over all creatures. The Septuagint version is, chosen
out of or from ten thousand; Christ, as man, is chosen
of God, from among the myriads of the individuals
of human nature, to union with the divine Word, or
Son of God; see Psal. Ixxxix. 19. as Godman and Me-
diator, to be the alone Saviour and Redeemer of his
people; to be the Head of the body, the church; and
to be the Judge of quick and dead; and he is chosen
by sensible sinners to be the object of their love; to
be their only Saviour; and to be their Ruler and Go-
vernor, whose laws, commands, and ordinances, they
choose to obey; see Psal. lxxiii. °,4. The words may
be rendered, the standard-bearer, or one standarded by
or over ten thousand{s}; the church is militant, and has
many enemies;in the name of the Lord, she sets up
her banners against them, and the banner over her is
the love of Christ, ell ii. 4. and he is the standard-
bearer, who has a multitudeof angels and saints under
his standard; and how stately and majestic does he
look, and what a noble sight is it to see him bearing
the standard before such a company! Roy. vii. 9. Or
the sense is, Christ is a more excellent standard-bearer
than all others{t}; there may be ten thousand persons
that carry a .flag, but none to be compared with him,
for comeliness, strength, and courage: or he is lifted
up, as a standard, above others, angels and men; as-
he was upon the cross, and now, in the ministry of
the word, that souls may gather unto him, and enlist
themselves in Iris service; see Isa. xi. 10.
Ver. 11. His head is as themost.fine ,gold, &c.] Here
the church enters into a particular description and
commendation of her beloved, which continues to the


{q} \^wl wdygt hm\^ quid narrabitis ei? Pagninus, Michaelis; quid in-
dicabitis ei? Montanus, Marckius.
{r} De Legibus, l. 2.
{s} \^hbbrm lwgd\^ vexillatus a decem millibus, Montanus; sub signis
habens exercitum decem millium, Tigurine version.
{t} Insignis prae decem millibus, Pagninus, so Cocceius, Marckius.