He made the pillars thereof [of] silver, the bottom thereof [of] gold, the covering of it [of] purple, the midst thereof being paved [with] love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
Ver. 10. He made the pillars thereof,] i.e., The faithful ministers, called "pillars," Gal 2:9 and that, Atlas-like, bear up the pillars of it. Psa 75:3 Those that offer violence to such, Samson-like, they lay hands upon the pillars to pluck the house upon their own heads. Yea, they attempt to pull stars out of Christ's hand, Rev 1:16 which they will find a work not feasible.
Of silver.] For the purity of matter, and clearness of sound; for their beauty, stability, and incorruption. Let ministers hereby "learn how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth." 1Ti 3:15
The bottom thereof of gold.] Understand it either of God's Word, which is compared to the finest gold, or of that precious grace of faith, the root of all the rest; whence it is laid by St Peter as the bottom and basis, the foundation and fountain of all the following graces: 2 Peter 1:5, "Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge," &c. They are all in faith radically. Every grace is but faith exercised; hence we read of the " joy of faith," the " obedience of faith," the " righteousness of faith," &c. She is the mother grace, the womb wherein all the graces are conceived. Hence the bottom of Christ's fruitful bed, the pavement of his glorious bride chamber, the Church, is here said to be of gold; that is, of faith, which is called gold, Rev 3:18 1Pe 1:7 "that the trial of your faith" (or your well tried faith, for it seems to be a Hebraism), "being much more precious than that of gold." And here, Melius est pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum, a gold, though paler, is better than glittering copper. The faith of God's elect is far more precious than the shining sins b of the beautiful abominations of mere moralists. Suppose a simple man should get a stone, and strike fire with it, and thence conclude it a precious stone; why, every flint or ordinary stone will do that. So to think one hath this golden grace of faith, because he can be sober, just, chaste, liberal, &c.; why, ordinary heathens can do this. True, gold will comfort the fainting heart, which alchemy gold will not. Think the same of faith.
The covering of it of purple.] I am of their mind that expound it of Christ's blood, wherewith, as with a canopy, or a kind of heaven overhead, the Church is covered and cured. Revelation 5:9,10 ; Rev 7:14; Rom 6:3-4 Purple was a rich and dear commodity among them. Proverbs 31:22 ; Pro 7:5 Mark 15:17 Luk 16:19 The precious blood of Christ is worthily preferred before gold and silver. 1Pe 1:18-19
The midst thereof being paved with love.] For Christ loved us, and washed us with his blood. Rev 1:5 He also fills his faithful people with the sense of his love, who therefore cannot but find a great deal of pleasure in the ways of God, because therein they let out their souls into God, and taste of his unspeakable sweetness; they cannot also but reciprocate and love his love. So the bottom, the top, and the middle of this reposing place are answerable to those three cardinal graces, faith, hope, and love. 1Co 13:1-13
For the daughters of Jerusalem.] This chariot or bridal bed he made for himself, he made it also for the daughters of Jerusalem; for all his is theirs, union being the ground of communion. As we must do all for Christ - according to that, Quicquid agas propter Deum agas; and again, Propter te, Domine, propter te; choice and excellent spirits are more taken up with what they shall do for God than what they shall receive from God - so Christ doth all for us, and seeks how to seal up his dearest love to us in all his actions and achievements. "Christ's death and bloodshed," saith Mr Bradford, "is the great seal of England, yea, of all the world, for the confirmation of all patents and perpetuities of the everlasting life whereunto he hath called us. This death of Christ, therefore, look on as the very pledge of God's love towards thee, &c. See, God's hands are nailed, they cannot strike thee; his feet also, he cannot run from thee. His arms are wide open to embrace thee, his head hangs down to kiss thee; his very heart is open, so that therein look, nay, even spy, and thou shalt see nothing therein but love, love, love to thee. Hide thee, therefore, lay thine head there with the beloved disciple, join thee to Christ's chariot, as Philip did to the noble eunuch's. This is the cleft of the rock wherein Elias stood. This is for all aching heads a pillow of down," &c. c
a Bernard.
b Splendida peccata.
c Sermon of Repent., 63.