S O N G. Chap. J. outwardly black like Kedars tents ; yet is the in- wardly beautiful.] as Salomon curtaines : for, 7be Kings daughter if all glorious within, Pfalme 45. r 4. The Chaldce paraphrafèth on this verfe thus: When the Iwufe of Ifrael made the Gaffe, (Exodus 3 r.) their faces were hi .146 like the Tunes of Cufh (the IEthiopianz) whicbrentable in the T a- 1 ernaehf of Ked.er: and when they turned by repen- tance, and were forgizen , the brightttef of the glory of their faces was increafed,like the Anyeh; for that they made the curtaines fir the 7abernnde , and the divine Adajeflie ¿:pelt ahwng them : and Mofes their maßer I went up to the firmament, and made peace between them and their King. 6 Verte G. Laoke not upon me] or, Behold me not, to , seit, with contempt for my blackneffe ; that is, Dtfif me not : as in Job 41. 34.. He beholdetb all _high things , that is , defßifeththem. Or, bake not upon me , with delight and gladneffe for my atfli- &ion : as in Obad. v. 12. thou fhouldeß not have look- ed on the day 4' thy brother. Or, Looks, not upon mee with aftonifhment, as the Apoltle teacheth, 7bat no man fhould le moved for tbef afflillicnr; fir your fazes know that we are appointed thereunto i Thee 3.3. blackifr] or fomewhat-blecke; inGreeke, madeblack! the old Latine verfion tranflateth it, brown. The forme of the Hebrew word here,dif- fering from the former, feemeth to dim inifh the fignification : as in Levit. 13. 19. a word in the like forme meaneth,fomewhat reddiflo. By this, the would teach, not to judge of her citate by her skin, by the outward appearance; where aftliCti- ' ons and infirmities onely are to be fecne. she Sun bath hlooked dewne] Hereby aflliftions and per - fecutions are meant ; as that in the Parable,NThen the Sera was up, they were fcorched; is expounded, when tribulation or perfecution arifeth, becaufe of the word, they are offended, Mat.r 3.6,21. So thefigni- beth that this her blacke huewas not her proper colour,who is fire in Chrift her beloved, Song 1. 8, 15. but by accident ; God from heaven thus ' chaftifing her hnnes, and exercifìng her faith and patience,Lam.t. 6,13,[4, &c. the fins ofmyma- ther] that is , either the children of the Church, falfe brethren, falfe Prophets, and deceivers: or, inordinate tufts, and fins which dwelt in her,and were conceived with her in the wombe; for with both there is the Spoufe of Chrift afflifted. Of i the fiat, David complaineth, I am become ßranger unto my brethren , and an allant unto my mothers fns, Pfalme 69. 9. And the Apof ie faith, Of your Drone films frail men aril, fpeaking perverfe things, to draw away difiples after them, AEU to. 30. Such are raped by the name of Ifrael, and are come forth out of the waters of Jydah, which furore by the name of the Lord, and make mention ofthe God of Ifael, but not in truth, nor in righteeufnc f,e, fir they pall themfelves of the holy Citie, Efay 48. 1, 2. Such might be called the children of her mother (though not of her fa- ther) falfe brethren, among whom the Saints are often in perill, Gala .4.. z Cor.11. 26. who pre- . tending faith and godlineffe, do dangeroully op- , pole the fame: as the true Church, Prophets, 'Chrift himlclfe, & his difoiples have found in all ages. Of the fecond, the Apoftles tell us of' heile that war in ourmembera, James 4. 1. offfef{lykls, which warm againff thefoule, s Peter z. ix. and there may be called our mothers children, becaufe in firneand ininiquitie, we have beene conceived and brought forch,Pla.5 t .7. which fin reviveth in us, when the commandemcnt of God cornmeal, de -. ceiveth us , and ilayeth us, and under it wee are fold ; fo that the good which we would, that do we not; but the evil! which we would not, that doe we : Rom.7.g,t I04,19. angry with me] or, incenfed againß me , or, inflamed in me, to wit, with wrath; to refill, fight, and war in me and a- gainft me: as the Greeke verfion faith, feught in me (or againß me.) So this phralè is ufed in Elà.41. It. All they that were incenfed againß thee fball be a- framed, &e. and in Efa.45.24. all that are incenfeda- gainß (the Lord) frail beofhamed; which being 1poken there of outward enemies , may alfo be applied to our inward lulls, as in Jam.4 t. 1 Pet. 2. II. they made me] or , fit, put, affigned me. the keeper of the vineyards] where the Sun bath burnt me; as in Mat.2 0.1,1 2. they that laboured in the vineyard, do complain how they haze barn the burden and heat of the day. So in the captivitie of Babylon, the peore of the land of ¡five!, were left to be Vim- dre firers, and Hucbandmen, z Kings z 5. 12. And fpiritually it is Iàid unto the Church,t/,e fans of the a/iant, (hall beyour plowmen auction,. vine -dref- fir , Efa. it I. 5. and the Kingdome of God coummit- ted into the hands of the Jewes, is likened to a Vinyard, let out unto Husbandrneh, Mar: z I.33, 34. and in Song8. s t. Soloman let out the vineyard unto ktepers. But here the vineyards, opp oled to her owns vineyard, feeme to meant falfe Churches, and in then[ thecorruption of religion,wherunto her mothers fon fought to draw her : Petting her to obferve the ordinances and traditions ofuuen,or otherwife to undergoe their cruelty and wrath. Thus the Pharitèes made the word of God of none of e&, through their tradition which they delivered, Mark. 7. 13. and hound heavie burdens, and grievous to be borne, andlaid them on mens fit culders, Mat.z3.4. and Co did falfe Teachers in the Chri- ltian Churches, Achs 15.1,10. Ga1.6.1 2, t 3. Col. 2.2o,-23. my vineyards which is minejor ,which appertaineth tome : the keeping whereof is com- mitted tome of God. This phraCe is again tiled -in Song 8. 12. my vineyard whisk is mine, is before me. Spiritually the Vineyard is the Church, as in Ira. 5.7. the vineyarde /the Lord ofhofio. is the boufeofIf- rael, and the men ofJudah his peafint plant, the keep- ing of, or labouring in this vineyard, is the per- forming of the charge and duty which God bath laid upon every one therein: that lò they may yeeld unto him the fruits of his owne graces, Mat.21.33,34 Efa.5 .2,7. I haze not kept]either through her owne infirmity or negligence, or o- thers tyrannie, or both. For as the Apoltle cotn- plaineth, that bee did not what bee would, but what he hated: and found not how to performe that which isgood,Rom.7.15,08, fo of the floathfull man Salomon fheweth, how he went by the vineyards of the man void of underßanding, and foe it was all grown az er
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