The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
ARGUMENT.
Here begins a new Colloquy, which hath two principal Parts. In the firſt of which the Bridegroom owns the praiſes to belong unto Him, which had been beſtowed upon Him, in the Concluſion of the foregoing Chapter, v. 1, 2. and the Bride again declares her high admiration of Him, and ſatisfaction in Him and his love; as infinitely ſurpaſſing all other injoyments, and deſerving greater love to Him, than could be expreſſed (v. 3, 4, &c.) With which Ecſtacy of love He declaring Himſelf to be highly pleaſed, v. 7. then follows the ſecond Part wherein ſhe ſets forth the wonderful power of Divine love to enlighten their mind, and to obtain the favour of illuminations from above. For now ſhe ſpeaks (v. 8, 9, &c.) as if ſhe ſaw Him, and beard his voice, inviting her to partake of the Bleſſings, which his appearing brought to Mankind. The ſecure poſſeſſion of which ſhe alſo hears him promiſing to her, v. 14, 15. and thereupon promiſes Him moſt faithful obedience, v. 16, 17.
Bridegroom.
1. I Am the roſe of Sharon, and the lilie of the valleys.
1. I Am indeed the Fountain of all true delight and pleaſure: the Roſe of Sharon being not more grateful to the ſmell, nor the Lily of the Valleys to the ſight, than the knowledge of me is to the mind of thoſe who are acquainted with me. See Annot. [a].
2. As the lilie among thorns, ſo is my love among the daughters.
2. Whereby thou, my dearly Beloved, art become not unlike to me; appearing in ſuch luſtre and beauty among the Nations of the World, as the Lily doth among the Thorns that grow in deſert places. See Annot. [b].
Spouſe.
3. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, ſo is my beloved among the ſons. I ſat down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte.
3. And Thou appeareſt far greater and more lovely in my eyes, than the greateſt Princes of this World; who are no more to be compared with Thee, than the wild Trees that bring forth nothing but Leaves, or only harſh or inſipid Traſh, with the goodly Apple-tree, when it is laden with its beautiful and pleaſant Fruit. Who can expreſs the ſatisfaction which his protection affords! Under which I have conſtantly enjoyed a ſweet repoſe; pleaſing my ſelf in the delightful thoughts of the bleſſed Fruits of his coming among us, and of what He hath purchaſed for us. See Annot. [c].
4. He brought me to the banquetting-houſe, and his banner over me was love.
4. Which adminiſters the higheſt joys to thoſe who taſte of them; and hath entertained, or rather feaſted me, with ſuch delicious hopes, that I cannot but glory in this, that I am liſted under his Banner whoſe Motto is Love: whereby He hath overcome, ſhall I ſay, or over-powered my heart, to ſubmit my ſelf wholly unto his wonderful love. See. Annot. [d].
5. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am ſick of love.
5. Under the weight of which, who can ſupport himſelf, when it ſenſibly touches his heart? I faint, I languiſh, I die, when I am deeply affected with that love: which overwhelms my ſpirit; and makes me call for a greater Power than my own to enable me to bear the thoughts of his mighty love. See Annot. [e].
6. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
6. And whence ſhould I have that power but from Himſelf? who then communicates moſt of the Grace of his Holy Spirit to us (which is the greateſt token of his love) when he ſees our hearts fulleſt of love to Him. See Annot. [f].
Bridegroom.
7. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jeruſalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye ſtir not up, nor awake my love till he pleaſe.
7. In which He would have us take an uninterrupted pleaſure, ſaying; I beſeech, I charge you (all you that are her Companions) I conjure you by all that is dear to you; not to diſcompoſe, or give the leaſt diſturbance to that love: but let it enjoy its ſatisfaction, to the height of its deſires. See Annot. [g].
Spouſe.
8. ¶ The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
8. Which Words of Grace can come from none but Him, who is worthy of all our love: whom, behold, I ſee, though He be afar off: I ſee with what delight He comes ſurmounting all difficulties and diſcouragements, to do the Will of God, XL. Pſa. 7, 8. See Annot [h].
9. My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart: behold, he ſtandeth behind our wall, he tooketh forth at the windows, ſhewing himſelf through the lattiſe.
9. The ſwift motion of the Roes and wild Goats is but a weak Emblem of his readineſs to come down to us. And, though He do not yet actually ſhow Himſelf among us, I ſee notwithſtanding ſomething of Him; and behold Him approaching nearer and nearer to us: like one, that reſolving to be our Gueſt, doth not preſently enter; but firſt ſtands behind the Wall of our Houſe; then looks in at the Window, and through the Lattiſes or Grates; whereby He is ſtill more fully diſcovered. See Annot. [i].
10. My beloved ſpake and ſaid unto me, Riſe up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
10. And I hear his voice (who is worthy of all our love) calling unto us to meet Him with our moſt forward deſires, ſaying; Awake thou, who art moſt dear unto me, thou who art moſt beautiful in my eyes; ariſe and ſtay no longer, but come away from theſe dark repreſentations of me.
11. For lo, the winter is paſt, the rain is over and gone.
11. For now that diſmal time is paſt, wherein ignorance, errour, and wickedneſs overflowed the World, as Floods do the Earth in the Winter-Seaſon: thoſe cloudy and uncomfortable days are over, wherein you couldſt ſee and enjoy but little of me. See Annot. [k].
12. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the ſinging of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
12. All the tokens of a new World appear, and invite thee to come and partake of thoſe joys and pleaſures which the nearer approaches of the Sun of righteouſneſs produces: Who makes all manner of Bleſſings ſpring up in ſuch abundance that it cauſes the heavenly Hoſt to ſing for joy; and therefore cannot but fill all Mankind with joyful Hymns unto Him. See Annot. [l].
13. The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good ſmell. Ariſe, my love, my fair one, and come away.
13. And for this eſpecially, that their dead hopes are revived, and they receive the earneſt and beginnings of that future bliſs: the expectation of which is our greateſt comfort in this life, and the conſummation of it our higheſt happineſs in the next: And therefore I ſay again, Awake, and ſtir up thy deſires, thou who art moſt dear unto me, thou who art moſt lovely in my eyes; ariſe, and go, and take poſſeſſion of thoſe ineſtimable benefits. See Annot. [m].
Bridegroom.
14. ¶ O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the ſecret places of the ſtairs, let me ſee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for ſweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
14. And be not afraid of thoſe who, ſeeking to deſtroy thee, force thee to flee, like an innocent Dove, to hide thy ſelf and ſeek for ſafety in Holes of the Earth, in Caves, and Dens and ſecret places; but from thence look up unto me, and call upon me, with praiſes and thankſgivings, and I will ſave and deliver thee; for I love thee inſeparably, who art moſt amiable in my eyes, whoſe prayers and praiſes I delight to hear, and to behold my own Image that is formed in thee. See Annot. [n].
15. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that ſpoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
15. And therefore I require all thoſe that act by authority from me, and to whom I have committed the care of my Church, to uſe their early diligence alſo to diſcover and confute the ſophiſtry of Deceivers, who craftily inſinuate their falſe Doctrines into weak and incautious Souls; and thereby ſeduce thoſe who are newly converted, or but infirm in the Faith. See Annot. [o].
Spouſe.
16. ¶ My beloved is mine, and I am his, he feedeth among the lilies.
16. Unto which I hear the Church reply, I will preſerve my fidelity to Him, who is my only Beloved as I am his; I will have nothing to do with thoſe ſeducing Spirits, but adhere to Him alone: whoſe Dwelling is not among ſubtile and crafty, but with ſimple and candid Souls. See Annot. [p].
17. Until the day break, and the ſhadows flee away: turn my beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
17. Only let Him be pleaſed to vouchſafe his gracious preſence with me, and to enlighten me more and more; till we have a full knowledge of Him and of his Will, (XIII. Rom. 11, 12.) and the light of it ſcatter all the ſhadows of the law: Let my Beloved alſo make haſte to ſuccour and relieve me in all difficulties and diſtreſſes; and ſhow the ſame readineſs for my preſervation, that he did (v. 9.) for my firſt ſalvation. See Annot. [q].