The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 2 · Annotations 2
ANNOTATIONS.
[a] Verſe 1.] There is ſo little ground to apply the ſeveral Parts of this Song, to the ſeveral Ages of the Church, till the end of all things, that I cannot think fit to follow ſuch Interpretations. But ſhall purſue the Method I have begun, and obſerve that the Meſſiah is here introduced, as owning the Praiſes which the Church had beſtowed upon Him, in the Concluſion of the foregoing Chapter. And that in ſuch Phraſes, as are becoming a Paſtoral; borrowed from Flowers and Trees (under which Shepherds delight to ſit and eat the Fruit) and from ſuch Creatures as frequent the Fields and Woods, &c.
I am the roſe] And in this Verſe He firſt compares Himſelf to a Roſe: which is ſtill one of the goodlieſt things to which a great Prince can be likened in thoſe Eaſtern Countries. As appears from a Letter, written by the great Mogul in the Perſian Tongue, to K. James, ſent by Sir Tho. Roe: wherein he thus complements his Majeſty of Great Britain, As upon a Roſe in a Garden, ſo are my eyes fixed upon you: God maintain your Eſtate, that your Monarchy may proſper, &c. But it was chiefly prized by Shepherds, and Shepherdeſſes; and accounted by them foreign, as Philoſtratus ſpeaks, the Plant of Love. Inſomuch, ſaith he, that if the great King have his Diadem on his Head, the Souldier his Helmet, as the greateſt Ornament; beautiful Youths ſhould have Chaplets of Roſes, foreign, as near of kin to them both in ſweetneſs and in ruddineſs. And Achilles Tatius (L. 2. foreign &c.) thus commends this lovely Flower. If Jupiter would ſet a King over the Flowers, it would be the Roſe that ſhould reign over them: being the Ornament of the Earth, the ſplendor of Plants, the Eye of Flowers, the bluſhing Beauty of the Field; or refulgent brightneſs, &c.
of Saron] i. e. The moſt excellent Roſe: For ſuch were the Roſes of Saron; as may be gathered from hence: That the Roſe, according to Pliny's Obſervation, delights in dry places; and will not thrive in fat and unctuous Soils, in rich Clays, or Grounds well watred, but in thoſe that are lean, full of rubbiſh, &c. Now ſuch was the Soil about Saron; as we learn from the Miſchneh in the Title Sota, Chap. VIII. where they that built a Brick Houſe in Saron are ſaid to have been deprived of the benefit of that Law, XX. Deut. 5. Upon which Paſſage R. Solomon gloſſes, that the Earth thereabout about was unfit for making Bricks; being ſo dry and crumbling that the Houſes that were built of them, had need to be repaired twice in ſeven years. Inſomuch, that the Jeruſalem-Talmud ſaith, The High Prieſt prayed by name for the Saronites, upon the Day of Expiation, that their Houſes might not be converted into their Graves.
Lily of the valleys] By this Lily we are not to underſtand ſuch as we call Lilium convallium, or May-Lily: but ſome more noble and fragrant Flower; being joined here with Roſes: As it is in ſeveral Poetical Fragments (quoted by Athenaeus L. XV. C. 8, 9.) with Violets, Marjoram, and divers other ſweet Flowers. Inſomuch that he ſaith the Corinthians called the Lily by the name of Ambroſia: and he tells us out of Nicander, that it was eſteemed foreign, the joy and delight of Venus, becauſe of its beautiful colour: And ſmell alſo, I ſuppoſe; for in the XIIth Chapter of the ſame Book, he quotes a Paſſage out of Theophraſtus, who, treating of ſweet Ointments made of Flowers, mentions foreign, that of Lilies, as well as that of Roſes.
But notwithſtanding all this, the Lily being vulgarly celebrated only for its beautiful colour, I have taken notice of that alone in the Paraphraſe.
[b] V. 2. As the Lily, &c.] They that believe in Chriſt partaking of his Excellencies, He here compares the Church to a Lily (i.e. to Himſelf) as much excelling all other people who were not Believers (for Daughters ſignifie people in the Hebrew Language) as the Lilies do Thornes, which grow in deſolate places. For the Word we tranſlate Thornes, is wont to be joined together with thoſe which ſignifie Nettles and Brambles, XXXIV. Iſai. 13. IX. Hoſea 6.
[c] V. 3. As the Apple-Tree, &c.] To this the Church here replies; and expreſſes her reciprocal affection, in ſuch Words as may be applied to ſignifie his preheminence over all other gods; whom they were wont to worſhip under Trees, as we read in XII. Deut. 2. 1 Kings XIV. 23. LVII. Iſai. 5. and many other places.
I ſat down under, &c.] In the latter Part of this Verſe and in thoſe that follow ſhe turns her Speech to her Companions and Attendants; relating the ſatisfaction and joy ſhe took in his love.
[d] V. 4. He brought me, &c.] Which is ſet forth by a Banquet, whereby (it is well known) the Hebrews are wont to repreſent the joys, even of the other World. And what greater joy have we here than to think of the ſtupendous love of God our Saviour towards us? which cannot but ſubdue our hearts to love Him intirely. So I have paraphraſed the latter part of the Verſe (his Banner over me was love) taking in two ſenſes of which the Words are capable. The moſt obvious is that Love was the Inſcription in his Banner: the other that He conquers only by Love; a Banner diſplayed ſuppoſing an Armed Force marching under it. Delherrus in his Electa, L. 3. C. 9. hath not unfitly gloſſed upon the Words, thus; The Banner of our Lord is his love which he hath publickly declared to us, that He might draw us to Himſelf: by which alſo when we are come to Him, He retains us with Him; and ſtrengthens us by the ſame, when we fight with our ſpiritual Enemies. And that we may alway look upon it and never quail, He carries it over us; that is, renders his love moſt familiar to us. He that knows not this Banner, can be none of his Souldiers; and he that deſerts it, is undone, unleſs he preſently return to it. So that as the Roman Legions had their ſeveral names (one of which was called the Pious, and another the Faithful, another the Thundring, another the Victorious, &c.) in like manner the Chriſtian Band may be called Amoris Legio, the Legion of Love.
[e] V. 5. Stay me with flagons, &c.] This Verſe is a deſcription of one falling into a ſwound, by the abundance of her love: In which caſe Cordial Spirits are wont to be called for, to revive ſuch perſons, and keep them from fainting quite away. Comfortable ſmells alſo are wont to be adminiſtred to the Noſe; which is the meaning of calling here for fragrant Apples, Oranges, Citrons, &c. (as well as Wine) which are all comprehended under the name of tappuach in the Hebrew: which is a Word that in its very Original imports an exhalation, or odour-breathing from that which is ſo called. By all which the Church is repreſented to be ſo marvellouſly affected with the love of Chriſt, as to be even oppreſſed under the weight of Divine Benefits: and at a perfect loſs, what to think of them; having little or nothing to return for ſuch infinite obligations.
[f] V. 6. His left hand, &c.] This is a repreſentation of the tendereſt affection of an Husband to his Wife, when he ſees her in danger to faint: and being applied to Chriſt and his Church ſets forth his readineſs to ſuccour us, in all our needs, by the power of his Spirit. I go not about to divine what is diſtinctly meant by the left hand, and what by the right (which I look upon as too great a curioſity in Interpreters) but take them both to expreſs one and the ſame thing. And the hand of the Lord ſignifying oft-times in Scripture, the power of the Spirit, I have applied them to that.
[g] V. 7. I charge you, &c.] It is dubious whether this Verſe be the voice of Chriſt or of the Church. I take it to be his; who is the good Shepherd, repreſented in this Paſtoral Song. Which, ſuitable to its nature, is ſtill full of Rural Similitudes, taken from the Roes and the Hinds: which are moſt amiable Creatures (as hath been obſerved upon VI. Proverbs) with which not only Shepherds, but the greateſt Perſons in the World have delighted themſelves. And that Word which we well tranſlate I charge you, I take to be only a ſolemn form of earneſt beſeeching and entreaty (which all perſons are wont to make by thoſe things that are deareſt to them) not an adjuration, which it is not lawful for any to make, but only by God. I have contented my ſelf therefore with this ſimple Paraphraſe of that Paſſage; and ſought for no myſtical Interpretation, as the manner is, which may be found in moſt Interpreters. Who, among other things, by Roes and Hinds underſtand the Angelical Powers: to which the Cabbaliſts apply theſe Words, and would have them to ſignifie as much, as I adjure you by the Tribunal of Juſtice whence the wicked are puniſhed.
[h] V. 8. he cometh leaping, &c.] To the ſame ſort of Creatures, and to young wild Kids, he alludes in this verſe. For they are numbred among thoſe Creatures, which are moſt nimble, in running, jumping and leaping, even to the tops of Mountains; as Bochartus hath largely ſhown: demonſtrating that what we tranſlate young Hart, v. 9. is the young wild Goat. I ſeek therefore for no Myſtery here neither; but take the Words to be a deſcription only of our Lord's alacrity and cheerfulneſs, to come down from the Heavens (which may be meant by Mountains) to dwell among us, who live here below upon the Earth. Yet I ſhall note, that they ſeem to be moſt ingenious, who hereby underſtand his paſſing by Angels (for ſo ſome tranſlate the Words, skipping over the Mountains) and leaping, as it were, over their heads, to take upon Him the nature of Man.
[i] V. 9.] In like manner, it is a very ingenious conjecture, that his ſtanding behind the Wall, in this Verſe, may be applied to his ſhowing Himſelf in thoſe days only in the Law of Moſes (which was the Wall of partition between the Jews and us) and his looking through the Window, or in at the Window, &c. to his ſhowing Himſelf then in Figures and Prophecies, which they had of Him; by which He was known but obſcurely to them. But I have not medled with this in the Paraphraſe.
[k] V. 10, 11. lo the winter is paſt, &c.] In theſe Verſes Solomon repreſents his voice ſpeaking to them by the Prophets (though He himſelf was not come) and calling them to Him, as if He was juſt appearing. For by the Winter and the Rain, I underſtand with Theodorer, foreign, the time before his coming: when the Gentile World was buried in Diſmal darkneſs; and the Jews themſelves ſaw things only through Clouds: and neither of them had much of the warmth of the Divine Love.
[l] V. 12. The flowers appear, &c.] And then here follows a deſcription of the Spring: which is ſet forth by three things; the appearing of the Flowers, which had lain as if they had been dead; the ſinging of Birds; and the voice of the Turtle. Which, as Ariſtotle obſerves (L. VIII. Hiſtor. Nat. C. 3.) diſappears in Winter, and comes forth again when the Spring is a little advanced: and therefore is here very properly mentioned in the laſt place, among the Notes of the Spring. Which being the time of all other moſt welcome to Shepherds, for the feeding of their Flocks, and for all manner of pleaſures, repreſents, as the ſame Theodoret conceives, foreign, the joyful time after our Saviours coming. When a new World appeared, and there was a greater abundance of Divine Bleſſings, eſpecially of the Spirit, poured forth: which the Chaldee Paraphraſt takes to be meant by the voice of the Turtle. Which is a kind of Dove; in the form of which the Holy Ghoſt deſcended at our Saviour's Baptiſm. And then the ſinging of Birds may be applied to the Songs of the heavenly Hoſt, at his Birth. Others will have this Turtle to have been the Figure of John the Baptiſt; which is alſo pat enough: But I have only toucht upon ſuch things, and do not think fit here to enlarge upon them. But conclude this Note, with this Obſervation, that Benjamin Tudelenſis, in the Concluſion of his Itinerarium expreſly applies theſe Words to the coming of the Meſſiah: ſaying, that they cannot be gathered to their own Land, till that time of the ſinging of Birds come, and the voice of the Turtle; and till they come who preach glad tidings, ſaying alway the Lord be praiſed. R. Alſchech alſo applies the voice of the Turtle to Elias gloſſing thus, The voice of the Turtle alſo hath it not been heard in our Land, by the means of the Prophet? according to that which is ſaid, Behold I will ſend to you Elias the Prophet, IV. Mal. 5.
[m] V. 13. The fig-tree putteth forth, &c.] After the Spring-time, here follows a deſcription of the entrance of Summer: of which the putting forth green Figs, and the blowing of the Vines, nay the knotting of the Grapes, were a ſign. In the end of which the Harveſt coming, hereby is denoted, ſaith the ſame Father (Theodoret) foreign, the World which we expect hereafter: unto which I have applied this Verſe. Where, it may be obſerved, that Fig-trees and Vines are fitly joined, for they were wont to be planted together, XIII. Luke 6, 7.
[n] V. 14. O my Dove, that art in the Clefts, &c.] Some of the Hebrew Writers, whoſe ſenſe the Chaldee Paraphraſt expreſſes, refer this to the people of Iſrael flying from Pharaoh, like a Dove before the Hawk that is ready to ſeize her: but may be better referred to the Church of Chriſt in danger to be torn in pieces by her Pagan Perſecutors, and by the Jews themſelves; as it was in the beginning of our Religion. Which forced Chriſtians to hold their Aſſemblies under ground, in obſcure places (where they ſung Hymns to our Bleſſed Lord before the break of day) and made the Church perfectly like a Dove, who, being in fear of ravenous Birds, flies into Clefts of Rocks, and to ſecret Holes in ſteep places, to preſerve her ſelf.
The Church is ſo often compared by Chriſt to a Dove in this Book, that it is fit to give ſome account of it. And Bochartus de Sacr. Animal. p. 11. L. I. C. 4. takes this to be the principal, if not only reaſon of it; to ſignifie her to be his only Beloved: and that He alone alſo is moſt dear to her. For in Doves there is a wonderful love (obſerved by many Authors) between thoſe that are once paired: who never part, but keep faithful the one to the other. And ſo are a fit Emblem of the Church, whom the Apoſtle ſaith he had eſpouſed to Chriſt as a chaſte Virgin, 2 Cor. XI. 2.
let me ſee thy Countenance] that Word which we tranſlate countenance or aſpect, may be rendred ſhape or faſhion: denoting all the comely proportions of the Church, by her likeneſs to her Lord Chriſt.
[o] V. 15. Take us the Foxes] Foxes abound in Judea, and are obſerved, by abundance of Authors, love Grapes, and to make great devaſtations in in Vineyards. Inſomuch that Ariſtophanes in his Equites compares Souldiers to Foxes; ſpoiling whole Countries, as they do Vineyards. Now the Prophet Ezekiel comparing falſe Prophets to Foxes, XIII. 4. it hath bed all Interpreters (in a manner) to underſtand by Foxes in this place, Hereticks: who appeared very early in the Church, and therefore are compared to young Foxes: in regard of their known craft and ſubtilty, windings and turnings, ſhifts and evaſions; whereby the more ſimple ſort eſpecially, and ſuch as were newly converted (compared here to tender Grapes, as the Church it ſelf is to a Vine) were in danger to be undone, unleſs a timely care was taken to prevent it. And therefore this Verſe ſeems to be an Anſwer to the Churches Prayers, flying to her Lord for refuge. Who ſeeing her danger not to be greater from Tyranny, than from falſe Teachers, calls upon his Companions; that is, the Apoſtles, Biſhops, and Paſtors of the Church to look after them, and to take them in their craftineſs. And that whilſt they were young; in the beginning, that is, of their appearance in the World: becauſe their vain bablings were apt to encreaſe to more ungodlineſs, and their words did eat as a Gangrene, &c. 2 Tim. II. 16, 17. Eſpecially when the Church was but newly planted, and thoſe Seducers applied themſelves chiefly to ſuch as had but newly received the Faith, or to weak and unſettled people: who were eaſily caught by them, unleſs great care were taken to diſcover their frauds, and to confute their Sophiſtry.
Which was the taking of theſe Foxes, as Theodoret expounds it: And St. Bernard alſo; who obſerves that he ſaith take to us the Foxes: that is, Sibi & Sponſae, to Himſelf, and to his Spouſe. As much as to ſay, if it be poſſible, let them be reconciled to the Catholick Church, and brought back to the true Faith. If that could not be, then other methods ſucceeded; and the Apoſtles delivered up ſuch dangerous Deceivers unto Satan (which was a puniſhment that included in it bodily affliction) that they might learn not to blaſpheme, 1 Tim. I. ult.
[p] V. 16. My beloved is mine, &c.] As the former Verſe was his Anſwer to the Churches Prayers; ſo this is the Churches acknowledgment to Him for his care: together with a profeſſion of ſuch firm adherence to Him, as ſutes with the name of a Dove which he had beſtowed on her, v. 14.
he feedeth] To feed, viz. his Flock, is to have his abode among them. See VI. 2.
[q] V. 17. Until the day break, &c.] All that ſhe deſires further, is only his gracious preſence with her; which ſhe begs in this Verſe He would vouchſafe her upon the Mountains; that is, thoſe ſteep places mentioned before, v. 14. (where the Church was fain to Worſhip Him in great ſecret, becauſe of the preſent danger) eſpecially while any Diſputes and Controverſies remained about the Jewiſh Ceremonies which were a great diſturbance to the Church; as well as the afflictions and perſecutions ſhe endured, which are compared to the night and darkneſs, as the other to ſhadows.
turn, my beloved] The Word turn doth not ſuppoſe Him abſent: but only that He did not immediately attend, or ſhow the regard He had to her Prayers in diſtreſſes.
like a Roe] See Chap. VIII. v. ult.
mountains of Bether] Bether is the ſame with Bethel, theſe two Letters, r and l, being eaſily and often changed, as Bochartus hath obſerved (in his Geograph. Sacra, Part. 2. L. I. C. 33.) in many inſtances. As for Example, an Iſland in the Perſian Gulph, is indifferently called Tyrus and Tylus: and Tavila in Spain is the ſame with Tabira: and Caralis in Sardinia the ſame with Calaris, &c. In another Work indeed of his de ſacris Animal. he takes mountains of Bether for Mountains full of Clefts. Which would agree well with what went before, v. 14; and might be handſomely applied to the State of the Church, when there were many breaches and rents in it: but the other plainer and more literal.