The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
ARGUMENT.
In the foregoing deſcription, the Spouſe expreſſed ſuch an unfeigned affection to Him (which ſhe again confidently aſſerts in this ſixth Part of the Song, v. 3.) that it not only mightily moved her Companions to join with her in the ſearch of Him, but invited the return of the Bridegroom again. Who graciouſly declares the like affection unto her (from v. 4. to the 11th) in ſuch Words as ſhowed that his kindneſs remained unalterable; and that He delighted in none but her: as incomparably more amiable, even by their own confeſſion, than all thoſe Beauties whom the World moſt admires. With which kindneſs ſhe is ſo raviſhed, that it ſnatches her away from the deareſt Friends ſhe had, though very deſirous of her Company, ver. 12, 13.
Companions, or Daughters of Jeruſalem.
1. WHither is thy beloved gone, O thou faireſt among women? whither is thy beloved turned aſide? that we may ſeek him with thee.
1. THeſe are high commendations indeed, which thou giveſt to thy Beloved, which make us in love with Him, as before we were (IV. 9.) and ſtill are with thee, O thou moſt lovely of all other Women: whither doſt thou think He hath betaken himſelf? He is not quite gone away, ſure, but only diverted into ſome retirement; which way did He go? And where doſt thou gueſs He hath hidden Himſelf, that we may go along, and enquire Him out, with thee? See Annot. [a].
Spouſe.
2. My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of ſpices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
2. I heard my Beloved ſay, that He was gone down into that Garden, which He himſelf hath planted (V. 1.) there He delights to be, among thoſe pious perſons; whoſe Vertues make them like to the Garden-Beds, that are full of Spices: He is always preſent in every part of this happy Company; and hath fellowſhip with them; and is daily adding more and more pure and ſincere Souls, who are without all guile, unto their Society. See Annot. [b].
3. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.
3. Of which I being a Member, hope I may ſtill ſay, that He hath not caſt me out of his favour; but ſtill retains a kindneſs for me: becauſe I am ſtedfaſt and faithful in my love to Him; who takes a conſtant care of ſuch as ſtudy to reſemble Him. See Annot. [c].
Bridegroom.
4. ¶ Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jeruſalem, terrible as an army with banners.
4. It is true, O my Beloved Friend, who art ſtill dear unto me and moſt amiable in my eyes: I have not loſt my eſteem of thee; for I ſee thou haſt not loſt thy affection to me: nor that lovely, that decent and comely order, which makes thee not only beautiful, but venerable; nay, amazes all Beholders, or, at leaſt, ſtrikes them with great admiration of thee. See Annot. [d].
5. Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.
5. Thou needſt not look ſo earneſtly, and with ſuch care and ſolicitude, upon me, as if I had forgotten thee: for I ſee the ſame ſparkling Beauty in thy eyes, which I did before (IV. 1.) and it no leſs affects my heart (IV. 9.) thou wanteſt none of thoſe Ornaments which I formerly commended, but retaineſt them all, notwithſtanding the diſcompoſure, in which thou haſt been. See Annot. [e].
6. Thy teeth are as a flock of ſheep, which go up from the waſhing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
6. The ſame I ſay alſo of thy Teeth, which are ſtill white and clean; even ſet both above and below; firm and ſound alſo; without any breach, or want of ſo much as one of them. See Annot. [f].
7. As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.
7. And to be ſhort (and not to repeat every thing again) I ſee the ſame freſh colour in thy Cheeks; which makes thee look as lovely how thy Veil is off (V. 7.) as thou didſt in the firſt blooming of thy Beauty. See Annot. [g].
8. There are threeſcore queens, and foreſcore concubines, and virgins without number.
8. Wherefore, tho' other Kings and Princes of theſe Countries, have a great many Queens, and more Wives, of an inferiour Rank, and Virgins that attend them without number: whoſe Beauty they highly admire; See Annot. [h].
9. My dove, my undefiled is but one; ſhe is the onelyonly one of her mother, ſhe is the choice one of her that bare her: the daughters ſaw her, and bleſſed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praiſed her.
9. I have one only, and none other, whom I entirely love; and that is thy ſelf alone: who preſerveſt an inviolable faith and affection to me, and therefore art dearer to me, than an only Daughter (and ſhe the moſt accompliſhed perſon and perfect beauty) is to her Mother: Whom all other perſons at laſt ſhall admire; the Queens themſelves beforenamed, calling thee Bleſſed and wiſhing all proſperity to thee; and they of the next degree ſhall praiſe thy excellencies, and confeſs their own imperfections; See Annot. [i].
10. ¶ Who is ſhe that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the ſun, and terrible as an army with banners?
10. Saying, What an aſtoniſhing Beauty is this, that appears like a clear Morning after a dark Night, and encreaſeth in luſtre more and more; looking as bright as the Moon when it is at Full, nay, as ſplendid as the Sun, when it ſhineth in its ſtrength: and no leſs dazles our eyes, and amazes our thoughts, than the Glorious Hoſt of Heaven; or an Army here on Earth, when it ſtands in Battalia's with all their Colours diſplay'd? See Annot. [k].
11. I went down into the garden of nuts, to ſee the fruits of the valley, and to ſee whether the vine flouriſhed, and the pomegranates budded.
11. Only this I expect from thee, that thou bring forth fruit proportionable to my care of thee, and kindneſs to thee: for to that end I went down before (V. 1. VI. 2.) and now go again into my Garden (which I have not neglected to dreſs and prune and water) to take a view in what condition it is; and in what forwardneſs the ſeveral ſorts of Fruit are, which I juſtly look to receive in their due ſeaſons. See Annot. [l].
Spouſe.
12. Or ever I was aware, my ſoul made me like the chariots of Ammi-nadib.
12. Alaſs! what am I, that I ſhould receive ſuch praiſes, who am not worthy of thy care? But they have put ſuch motions into my ſoul, as make me aim at the higheſt perfections; and make all the haſte I can likewiſe to attain them: And therefore I muſt, for the preſent, take leave of you, O my Friends, who have kindly aſſiſted me, in the ſearch of my Beloved. See Annot. [m].
Companions.
13. Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return that we may look upon thee; what will ye ſee in the Shulamite? as it were the company of two armies.
13. Let us have thy Company again, O thou faireſt, and moſt accompliſhed of all the Daughters of Jeruſalem. Come back again, come back, that we may behold thy wondrous perfections. And if any ask, What is that you would ſee? What would you enjoy in her happy Society? Our Anſwer is, ſuch a Divine preſence, as appeared to Jacob, when he ſaw the Angelical Choires; which made him cry out, This is God's Hoſt, and call the name of that place, Mahanaim. See Annot. [n].