She hath sent forth her maidens
Not moral virtues, or good works, which subserve the interest of
Christ and religion, adorn the Gospel and its professors; nor the
liberal arts and sciences, said to be handmaids to divinity; nor
angels, ministering spirits to Christ; but the ministers of the
Gospel, who being so called does not suppose or encourage women's
preaching; but have the name to keep up the decency of the
parable, and the propriety of the allegory: for since Wisdom is
represented as a lady, a princess or queen, it is proper that her
attendants should be maidens, or that she should employ such in
inviting her guests; as Rebekah, Pharaoh's daughter, Esther, and
others, are said to have their maidens to wait upon them: and
besides, it very fitly expresses the character of Gospel
ministers; as that they are the servants of Christ, followers of
him, obsequious to him, humble and modest, incorrupt in doctrine,
pure in conversation, and whose voice is soft, pleasant, and
delightful: being not the rough voice of the law, but the still,
small, musical voice of the Gospel; a voice of love, grace, and
mercy; of peace, pardon, and righteousness, liberty, life, and
salvation; very charming, alluring, and drawing. These Christ has
a property in; he chooses and calls them, and fits them for his
service; and they give up themselves to him, and willingly engage
in it. And these he "sends forth": from him they have their
mission and commission to preach the Gospel; to invite persons to
the Gospel feast, to partake of the provisions he has made: he
sends them forth publicly into the world, into all places where
his people are, into the streets and lanes; yea, to the hedges
and highways, to invite, and even to compel them to come in. And
this supposes superiority in him, and authority given to them;
she crieth upon the high places of the city;
this is to be understood of the preaching of the Gospel, both by
Christ himself in person, in the city of Jerusalem, in the
temple, and other public places; and by his ministers, and by him
speaking in them there or elsewhere; and which is not a mere
whisper, but a cry, a proclamation made aloud, and to be
delivered with fervency and earnestness: the "city" may mean the
church of God, and the "highest places" the ordinances thereof;
and may in general denote the publicness of them; which are in
the church, as the wings or pinnacles of the higher parts or
buildings of a city are in that, as the word F12
signifies.
F12 (ypg le) "super alas"; Montanus, so Ben Melech; "super pinnis", Piscator, Amama; "in pinnnaculis": Cocceius; "super convexitatibas", Schultens.