Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_600.lzh/4_681.TXT

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of wheat on the corn-floor which is meant, but a field
of standing wheat, enclosed and fenced, not with
thorns, but lilies; and these lilies may Signify grown
saints, who are often compared to lilies in this book,
by whom young converts are encomp. assed and de-
fended; or the beauties of holiness, m which they
appear as soon as born again, Psal. cx. 3
Ver. 3. Th!! two breasts are like two young roes that
are twins.] See the note on ch. iv. 5.
Ver. 4. Thy neck is as a tower of ivory, &c.] Two
things recommend the neck, erectuess and white-
ness; both are here expressed, the one by a tower, the
other by ivory; hence a fine beautiful neck is called
au ivory one {t}; and for the same reason it sometimes
has the epithet ofsnow!l {u}, and sometimes of marble".
Of the church's neck, as it may design either the mi-
nisters of the word, or the Scriptures of truth, see the
note on ch. iv. 4. where it is compared to the tower of
David, and here to a lower of ioortj : Marckius con-
jectures that they may be the same, or that this is
the name of ,vine ancient structure known at this
time; however, it is used as expressive of the purity
of the lives of Gospel ministers, and the evenness of
their doctrines, and of the purity, beauty, glory, axial
harmony of the Scriptures. Thine elles like the. fish
pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim ; Heshbon
was formerly the seat of Sihon, king or' the Amorites,
Numb. xxii. 26. of which Bath-rabbim was one of its
gates; so called, either because it led to Rabbath, a
city near it, and mentioned with it, Jet. xlix. 3. or
because of the great numbers that went in and out by
it; for it may be rendered, the daughter of many, or of
great ones{x}: near this gate, it seems, were very delight-
ful fish-pools, to which the eyes of the church are
compared. In the Hebrew language, the word for
eyes and fountains is the same; the eyes having hu-
ngours in them, and so fit. ly compared to fish-pools.
Of the eyes of the church, as they may design either
the ministers of the word, or the eyes of her under-
standing, particularly faith, see the note on ch. i. 15.
here they are said to be like fish-pools, whose waters
are clear, quiet, constant and immovable; and, seen
at a distance, between trees and groves, look very beau-
tiful: and, if applied to ministers, may denote the
clearness of their sight in discerning the truths of the
Gospel; and their being filled with the fulness of the
blessing of the Gospel of Christ; and their being bless
ings to the churches of Christ, and to the souls of men
the word for fish-pools comes from a word which
signifies to bless{y}; and such being observed as were
near the gate of Bath-rabbim, may have respect to the
rauititude that attend their ministry, and receive be-
nefit by it; in which they are constant and invariable,
and all of a piece, and appear very beautiful to those to
whom they are useful. And if applied to the church's
eyes of understanding, those of faith and knowledge,
may denote the perspicuity of them, in the discern-
ment of spiritual things; and the fixedhess and ira-
movablehess of them on the person, blood, and righte-
ousness of Christ; looking alone to him, and off of
every other object, and so very attractive to him, and
beausit,d in his sight, as well as their abounding
with the waters of evaugetic repentance and humilia-
lion; see oh. iv. 9. and vi. 5. Th:,! nose is as the tower
of Lebanon, which lookeft towards Damascus ; a tower
on that part of Mount Lebanon which fronted Da-
mascus, which lay in a plain, and so open to view, as
well as exposed to winds; hence called, by Lucan {z},
Veutosa Damascus; which tower was so high, as
Adrichomius · says, that from thence might be num-
bered the houses in Damascus: by which also may be
meant the ministers of the word; nor need it seem
st,'ange that the same should be expressed by diffe-
rent metaphors, since the wcrk of ministers is of dif-
ferent parts; who, as they are as eyes to see, so like
the nose to smell; and having a spiritual discerning of
Gospel truths, both sayour them themselves, and dif-
fuse the savour of them to others; and are both the
ornament and defence of the church: the former is
signified by the nose, which is an ornament of the face,
and the latter by the tower of Lebanon, and this is look-
ing towards Damascus, the inhabitants of which were
always enemies to the people of Israel; and so may de-
note the vigilance and courage of faithful ministers,
who watch the church's enemies, and their motions,
and, with a manful courage, face and attack them.
Moreover, this description may respect the majestSr
and magnanimity of the church herself; the former
may be intimated by her nose, which, when of a
good size, and well proportioned, acids much grace
and majesty to the countenance; and the latter by its
being compared to the impregnable tower of I, ebanon,
looking towards Damascus, signifying that she was
not afraid to look her worst enemies in the face: or the
whole may express her prudence and discretion in
spiritual things: by which she can distinguish truth
from error, and espy dangers afar off, and guard against
them.
Vet. 5. Thine head upon thee is like Carreel, &c.] Set
With hair, thick and long, as Carmel with plants and
trees. Now Christ is the church's Head in various
senses; he is her federal and representative Head in
eternity and 'time; her political Head, as a King to hi,
subjects; an economical Head, as the husband to the
wife, as parents to their children, and a master to ser-
vants; and, as such, may be compared to Carreel; for
the multitude dependent on him, whom he represents,
and is connected with under various relations; for his
height, being higher than the kings of the earth, and all
other heads; and for fruitfulness, all the fruits of the
church, and of all true believers, coming from him.
Some render the word, as crimson, or scarlet {h}; which
may set forth his royal dignity and majesty, this colour
being wore by kings and great personages; or the
ardent love of Christ to his body, the church, and the
members of it; or his bloody sufferings for them. And


{t} Eburnea cervix, Ovid. Epist. 20. v. 57. Eburnea colla, ib. Meta-
morph. l. 3. Fab. 6. v. 422. & l. 4. Fab. 5. v. 335.
{u} Ovid. Amor. l. 2. Eleg. 4. v. 41.
{w} Ib. Fasti, l. 4. v. 135. Virgil. Georgic. 4. in fine.
{x} \^Mybr tb\^ \~yugatrov pollwn\~ Sept.; filiae multitudinis, V. L. magna-
tum, Montanus; nobilium, Pagninus.
{y} \^twkrb\^ a rad. \^Krb\^ benedixit.
{z} Pharsal. l. 3. v. 215.
{a} Theatrum Terra Sanctae, p. 100.
{b} \^lmrkk\^ veluti coccinum, Pagninus, Vatablus, Mercerus; simile
est coccineo, Junius & Tremellius; est ut coccus, Piscator; so Ains,
worth; sicut carmesinum, Schindler.