The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
ARGUMENT.
The firſt four Verſes belong to the end of the foregoing Chapter; wherein the Spouſe continuing her ardent deſire to ſee his Kingdom enlarged, He agreees to it. And then begins (v. 5.) the ninth and laſt part of this Song; in which all the perſons ſpeak in their turns. Her Friends admiring her new advancement; and the Spouſe declaring the mighty power of love, whereby ſhe had attained it, and hoped to keep it, and was made deſirous to propagate it unto thoſe that wanted it, v. 6, 7, 8. Which the Bridegroom favours, v. 9. and they all promiſing greater induſtry in his ſervice, He teſtifies his acceptance of it, and ſhe her longing to ſee all this accompliſhed, v. 10, 11, &c.
Spouſe.
1. O That thou wert as my brother that ſucked the breaſts of my mother; when I ſhould find thee without, I would kiſs thee, yea, I ſhould not be deſpiſed.
1. AND now, having finiſhed this Bleſſed Work, I hope to enjoy more intimate fellowſhip with thee. I cannot but wiſh, at leaſt, to be made ſo happy as to have thy gracious preſence always with me: and, by familiar acquaintance and converſation, to be ſo united with thee, that I may not be aſhamed openly to own my love; but look upon it as an honour to make a publick profeſſion of my relation to Thee. See Annot. [a].
2. I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mothers houſe, who would inſtruct me: I would cauſe thee to drink of ſpiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
2. Whereby I would carry the knowledge of Thee from place to place, till I had introduced Thee into the acquaintance of my neareſt Kindred: which would enlarge my knowledge, and make new Diſcoveries to me; and cauſe no leſs joy unto Thee, and unto all the World, to ſee them give entertainment to Thee. See Annot. [b].
3. His left hand ſhould be under my head, and his right hand ſhould embrace me.
3. And, thanks be to his Goodneſs, I I feel Him communicating the power of his Spirit to me: which is the greateſt token of his love; and then works moſt ſtrongly in our hearts, when he ſees them fulleſt of love to Him. See Annot. [c].
Bridegroom.
4. I charge you, O daughters of Jeruſalem, that ye ſtir not up, nor awake my love until he pleaſe.
4. Who, with his wonted care, or rather with a more earneſt concern than ever, repeats his charge to my Companions; ſaying, I conjure you to take heed, leſt you diſcompoſe, or give the leaſt diſturbance to this love: but let it enjoy its ſatisfaction, to the heighth of its deſires. See Annot. [d].
Daughters of Jeruſalem.
5. (Who is this that cometh up from the wilderneſs, leaning upon her beloved?) I raiſed thee up under the apple-tree: there thy mother brought thee forth, there ſhe brought thee forth that bare thee.
5. And who can chuſe but admire at the power of Love! which hath advanced her to ſuch a degree of Greatneſs, that it aſtoniſheth thoſe that behold it, and makes them ſay, Who is this, that out of a low condition, is raiſed to ſuch familiarity with her Beloved, that ſhe leans upon his Arm; being made one with Him, and enjoying all manner of happineſs in his love? Which I have excited towards me, ſaith ſhe, by the pains I took in thy ſervice, when I laboured in the Country-Plantations (VII. 11, 12.) ſuch pains, as thy Mother felt, when ſhe travelled with thee, and brought thee forth out of her Womb. See Annot. [e].
Spouſe.
6. ¶ Set me as a ſeal upon thine heart, as a ſeal upon thine arm: for love is ſtrong as death, jealouſie is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a moſt vehement flame.
6. Place me therefore hereafter ſo near unto thy heart, that I may never ſlip out of thy mind; but conſtantly receive freſh marks and tokens of thy love and favour: Deny not this Suit, which proceeds from moſt fervent love; which can no more be reſiſted than Death, and is as inexorable as the Grave; eſpecially when it flames to the degree of jealouſie, and is afraid of loſing what it loves: Then it inceſſantly torments the Soul, if it be not ſatisfied; it wounds incurably; it burns and rages with ſuch a violent and unextinguiſhable heat, as I feel in my Breaſt, now that it is mightily moved by the Lord. See Annot. [f].
7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it: if a man would give all the ſubſtance of his houſe for love, it would utterly be contemned.
7. Though Fire may be quenched, yet Love cannot; no, not by the greateſt difficulties, nay, troubles and ſufferings: which though they come pouring in continually, are ſo far from being able to ſuppreſs it, that they cannot abate it; no, nor tranſlate it to any other, from the perſon it loves: For, as it is ineſtimable in it ſelf, ſo it cannot be purchaſed by Money; nor will they whom it poſſeſſes, part with it for the greateſt Eſtate that they might enjoy without it; but perfectly ſcorn and reject ſuch proffers. See Annot. [g].
8. ¶ We have a little ſiſter, and ſhe hath no breaſts: what ſhall we do for our ſiſter in the day, when ſhe ſhall be ſpoken for?
8. And as for thoſe that want it, or in whom it is but juſt kindled, it makes us very ſolicitous what we ſhall do for them: particularly for one that is as dear to us as a Siſter; but of a ſmall growth in this moſt deſirable quality; and therefore not capable of that happineſs which we enjoy: What ſhall we do for her, when it ſhall be ſaid, The time is come that ſhe ſhould be diſpoſed of in Marriage; and yet it ſhall be ſaid withall, that ſhe is not fit for it? See Annot. [h].
9. If ſhe be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of ſilver: and if ſhe be a door, we will encloſe her with boards of cedar.
9. We will not deſpair of her; nor caſt her off; but be both patient with her, and do our utmoſt to make her ſuch as we deſire: Let her but be faithful and conſtant, and we will do for her, as we do for a Wall that is low; which we pull not down, but build up higher, and adorn alſo with fair and goodly Turrets: or as we do with the Door of a noble Houſe; which, if it be too weak or too mean, we ſpare no coſt to mend it, but encloſe in a Caſe of Cedar. See Annot. [i].
Little Siſter.
10. I am a wall, and my breaſts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.
10. And our labour, I foreſee, will not be loſt; for I hear her ſay, I am ſuch a Wall; and my Breaſts riſe and grow big like ſuch Turrets: I am no longer of a low and deſpicable Stature, nor unmeet for his love; but from this time forth I ſhall be acceptable unto Him, and find ſuch favour with Him, as to enjoy all the happineſs which He imparts to thoſe that are moſt dear unto Him. See Annot. [k].
11. Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon, he let out the vineyard unto keepers: every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thouſand pieces of ſilver.
11. Which I will endeavour to anſwer by my beſt diligence in his ſervice; and from thence ſtill promiſe my ſelf a greater encreaſe of happineſs: For though Great Perſons let out their Lands to others; as King Solomon doth the Vineyard he hath in Baal-hamon unto ſeveral Tenants, from every one of which he receives a vaſt revenue, beſides the gain which they have to themſelves as a reward of their labour; (v. 12.) See Annot. [l].
12. My vineyard which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, muſt have a thouſand, and thoſe that keep the fruit thereof, two hundred.
12. Yet I will not commit the Vineyard which I am entruſted withal, to the care and management of other perſons; but cultivate it my ſelf, with my utmoſt Induſtry: my own eye ſhall be ever upon it, and I will let nothing be wanting for its improvement; and therefore, if he receive ſo much profit, beſide the benefit that acrues to others, what Fruit may not I expect from a far better Soil than his, and from far greater pains and providence that I will uſe about it? See Annot. [m].
Bridegroom.
13. Thou that dwelleſt in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cauſe me to hear it?
13. Which coming to the ears of her Beloved, He ſaid to her in the preſence of all that waited on her, Thou haſt taken up a worthy reſolution; nothing can be more acceptable to me than that thou fix thy habitation in thy Vineyard; nor canſt thou poſſibly be better employed, to thy own as well as my content, than about the Gardens (VI. 2.) committed to thy Charge: and therefore ask what thou wilt of me, and I tell thee before all thy Companions, who are Witneſſes of what I ſay, I will do it for thee. See Annot. [n].
Spouſe.
14. ¶ Make haſte, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of ſpices.
14. I have nothing to deſire but this, that Thou, who art my only Beloved, wouldſt come and accompliſh all theſe things: Make all the ſpeed, that is poſſible, to come and ſave us, and perfect thy loving kindneſs to us; ſuch ſpeed as the ſwifteſt Creatures make to ſave themſelves from danger: Let nothing hinder this; but by thy love, which makes all things ſweet and eaſie, overcome the greateſt difficulties in thy way to us. See Annot. [o].