King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
Ver. 9. King Solomon made himself a chariot.] Hic locus lubricus est et difficilis. This is a hard text, saith one. It had been easier, perhaps, if commentators had not made it so hard. The word rendered chariot, is by others rendered a bridechamber, a bed, a throne, a palace. The Hebrew word is found in this place only; a it hath the name of fairness and fruitfulness. Rabbi Solomon saith it is thalamus honorificus, a bedchamber of honour, whereby we are to understand again the Church, as we did by "bed" in the former verse. She is oft compared to a house, here to a bridechamber, and Solomon's bridechamber, which must needs be supposed very trim, and set forth to the best. It is further set forth here by the causes: efficient, Solomon himself; material, cedar, silver, gold, &c.; formal, paved with love; final, for himself first, and then for the daughters of Jerusalem. First, Solomon himself made it, though a king. Stupenda sane dignatio, a wonderful condescension. The Church is Christ's own "workmanship," his "artificial facture," or creature (as the Greek word signifieth, Ephesians 2:10, ποιημα), that masterpiece of his architecture, wherein he hath showed singular skill, by erecting that glorious fabric of the new man, that "new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2Pe 3:13 For "he planteth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth, that he may say to Zion, Thou art my people," that he may "rejoice in the habitable part of God's earth," Pro 8:31 that he may say, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 1Co 6:16 Christ wrought the centurion's faith, as God; he wondered at it, as man. God wrought, and man marvelled; he did both to teach us where to bestow our wonder. Paul prays for his Ephesians, that their eyes might be enlightened to see the power that wrought in them. Eph 1:18
Of the wood of Lebanon.] See Trapp on " Son 1:17 " The saints are the Church's materials. Romans 1:7 1Co 1:2 "The precious sons of Zion are comparable to fine gold." Lam 4:2 "Her Nazarites are purer than snow, whiter than milk, more ruddy than rubies; their polishing is of sapphire." Son 3:7 And yet Bellarmine is not ashamed to say, Nos etiamsi credimus in ecclesia inveniri omnes virtutes, &c. b Although we doubt not but that all virtues are found in the Church; yet that a man may be absolutely called a member of that true Church spoken of in Scripture, we hold not that any inward virtue is required, but only an external profession of the faith, and participation of the sacraments. Belle hoc convenit Ecclesiae Romanae, saith a learned man. c This description suits very well with the Church of Rome. For certainly if there be any virtuous persons in that Church, id eis convenit per accidens, it is by mere accident, and not as they are in that Church, but as they dissent from it; like as Cicero saith wittily of the Epicureans, that if any were good among them, it was merely from the goodness of their nature, for they taught and thought otherwise. And as Peter Moulin said of many of the priests of France, that they were for their loyalty not beholden to the maxims of Italy; and yet Bellarmine hath the face to say, Sunt quidem in Ecclesia Catholica plurimi mali, sed ex haeriticis nullus est bonus: d Among Papists there are many bad men, but among Protestants not one good man is to be found.
a Aπαξ λεγομ .
b Lib. iii. cap. 2, De Eccles. Militante.
c Cameron, De Eccles., p. 167.
d De Notis Eccles., lib. iv. cap. 13.