Section 685
II. She declares the end of his going down into his garden, or what it is he employs himself about when there
And, 1st, She says, it was "to feed in the gardens." By gardens, I understand particular congregated churches;[4036] for though there is but one "general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven;" which is redeemed by Christ's blood, and will be presented "a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing," and therefore before called a garden, in the singular number; yet there are many distinct and particular churches; such as those of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, Thessalonica, and the seven churches of Asia, were; which were as so many distinct gardens, or plots of earth, that the one garden was subdivided into. And by feeding, here, is meant, either, 1. His feeding himself;[4037] which as to be understood of that pleasure and delight which Christ takes in being among his saints, and seeing their graces exercised upon their proper object; for as believers feed themselves by exercising their grace on Christ, so he feeds or delights himself in observing this; this is his meat and drink; this is his supping with them, as the other is their supping with him; and this Christ is invited to, in chapter 4:16, to which he complies, in chap. 5:1. Or else, 2. It may be understood of his feeding his flock, as R. Sol. Jarchi observes; for "he feeds his flock like a shepherd," though in such places as other shepherds do not; he feeds them in the gardens, which are unusual to feed sheep in; commons or enclosed grounds, and not gardens, being the most usual places for that purpose: and she makes mention of gardens, in the plural number, to show that Christ is not tied to one particular church, but feeds in all his churches, in all his gardens; where he feeds his people with himself, who is "the bread of life, the hidden manna;" whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed: O precious food! delicious fare! he feeds them by and with his ordinances, which are those "breasts of consolation" which convey much strength and nourishment to them; those green pastures into which he leads them, and "the fatness of his house" with which he feeds them; and particularly the Lord's Supper is that "feast of fat things," by which he sweetly refreshes them; he feeds them also by his ministers, who are his under-shepherds, to whom he has given a commission and also ability, to feed his people "with knowledge and with understanding:" and so he does likewise by his Spirit; who takes the things of Christ, and sheds it in us; and the promises of Christ, and applies them to us; for which reason he is called "the spirit of promise." And now this may serve to direct poor hungry souls where to go for food, and where to expect it, even in Christ's gardens, in his churches and in his ordinances, where he himself feeds.
2dly, Another end of his going down into his garden, is "to gather lilies or roses, as the Targum renders it; to crop them with the hand;[4038] lilies are liable to be cropped; hence Horace[4039] calls the lily, breve lilium, the short-lived lily: by which may be meant, either the good works of the saints, which he is well pleased with, and takes notice of; insomuch that he writes them down in "the book of his remembrance," as R. Solomon Jarchi observes; for he "is not unrighteous to forget their work, and labor of love," but will reward them in a way of grace: or else, by them is meant, the sweet-smelling graces of his own Spirit, growing in his churches, as Ainsworth thinks, with which he is wonderfully delighted: or rather, the persons of the elect, and members of his church, who may be compared to lilies, for the glory, splendor, and beauty in his righteousness; of which see chapter 2:2. Now there was, 1. A gathering of these lilies at Christ's death: as all the Sins of the elect were collected together and were laid on Christ, when he hung upon the cross; so all their persons were collected and gathered together in one head, Christ Jesus; they all met in his person, and were represented by him; for this purpose Christ came down from heaven, took our nature, and suffered in it (see John 11:51, 52; Ephesians 1:10). 2. There is a gathering of these lilies in effectual calling, through the ministry of the word, by the mighty power of divine grace; and this work Christ is daily concerned in, in his church, and will be until all his elect are gathered in. 3. There is a gathering of them into church-communion, which is also Christ's work; who takes "one of a city, and two of a family," and brings them to Zion; and in doing this, he shows his regard to the good of souls, and at the same time "glorifies the house of his glory," (see Isaiah 60:7, 8). 4. There is a gathering into nearer communion with himself, which he often does after great desertions (see Isaiah 54:7). 5. This may be expressive of that great delight and pleasure which Christ takes in his people: no man can take more delight in plucking fruit, or gathering flowers in a garden, than Christ does in his own people, and in his own grace in them (see Song of Solomon 5:1). 6. This may be meant of their being gathered by death; so Abraham and Isaac, when they died, are said to be "gathered unto their fathers," (Genesis 15:8, 35:29). Christ comes into his garden, the church, sometimes to plant new lilies, and sometimes to crop and gather old ones, when they are fully ripe; not to destroy them, but to remove them into his paradise above; and at the last day, by the means of angels, he will gather in all his elect ones from the four winds, as wheat into his barn, and as lilies into his garden (see Matthew 3:7, 13:48, 24:31). This sense of the word is given by several Jewish writers.[4040] And now, lest any should think that this was a mere surmise, conjecture, and imagination of hers; or if any should call in question her knowledge in this matter, she declares in the following verse, that she was not only well acquainted with him, but was nearly related to him; and therefore was capable of informing any person where he was, and what he was about.