The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
ARGUMENT.
The firſt ſeven Verſes of this Chapter I take to belong to the foregoing: and they are the Words of the Bridegroom, who praiſing the incomparable beauty of his Spouſe, and aſſuring her ſhe ſhould ſtill appear more lovely and illuſtrious, concludes the third Scene, as ſome call it, of this Dramatick Poem. And then begins a new repreſentation at the eighth Verſe; which continues to the ſecond Verſe of the fifth Chapter, and compoſes the IVth part of this Song. Wherein the Bridegroom expreſſes his love to his Spouſe, his eſteem of her, and joy in her in Words of greater dearneſs, and higher kindneſs, than have been hitherto uſed. Which ſhe prays may be continued; and he graciouſly grants, inviting all to partake in their joys.
Bridegroom.
1. BEhold, thou art fair, my love, behold, thou art fair, thou haſt doves eyes within thy locks; thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from mount Gilead.
1. GReat is thy Beauty, O my Beloved, admirable is thy beauty, and worthy of all mens contemplation. Whom I can like to nothing better than to a pure and chaſte Virgin 2 Cor. XI. 2.) whoſe modeſt eyes fixed only upon Him to whom ſhe is eſpouſed, ſparkle within her Locks, when ſhe is unveiled: and who appears to want none of thoſe comely Ornaments, which are wont to ſet off the natural beauty of the face. See Annot. [a].
2. Thy teeth are like a flock of ſheep that are even ſhorn, which came up from the waſhing: whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
2. Part of whoſe grace lies in the ſweetneſs of the mouth, full of white and even teeth; none of which ſtand out, or are longer than the reſt, but all cloſely ſet both above and below in exact order and equality: being firm and ſound alſo, without any breach, or want of ſo much as one of them. See Annot. [b].
3. Thy lips are like a thread of ſcarlet, and thy ſpeech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
3. To which add fine and delicate lips, of a bright and lively Crimſon-colour; with a ſweet and charming voice; and cheeks that appear of as pure a white and red, when the Veil is off, as the Bloſſoms of Pomegranates. See Annot. [c].
4. Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thouſand bucklers, all ſhields of mighty men.
4. And all this upon a goodly Body, of a proper and tall ſtature; whoſe round and well-formed Neck reſembles that lofty Structure of the Tower of David, which may be a Pattern of all other neat and elegant Buildings; and is not more adorned with the Shields and Bucklers of his Worthies, which hang there in great abundance, than it is with Pendants, and a Necklace of Pearl, and other Jewels, which have been the Treaſure of mighty Princes. See Annot. [d].
5. Thy two breaſts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
5. Below which the two Breaſts riſe up, purely white, exactly round, of a juſt ſize and equal bigneſs: which put me in mind of two young Kids, that being formed together, and brought forth at the ſame time, are ſo perfectly like, that none can know the one from the other; the tops of whoſe heads I have ſeen, at a diſtance, appear like the Teats of theſe Breaſts, as they fed in the ſame Field among the Lilies. See Annot. [e].
6. Until the day break, and the ſhadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrhe, and to the hill of frankincenſe.
6. Such as this is the beauty of my Church, as will be ſeen more fully, when the Night of Perſecution is gone which hides it from the eyes of worldly men: though in the mean time ſhe is moſt lovely in mine; and no leſs precious than the Mountain and the Hill, from whence are fetcht the moſt excellent Perfumes and the richeſt Spices. See Annot. [f].
7. Thou art all fair, my love there is no ſpot in thee.
7. To ſay all in one word, Thou, my Love, art the perfection of beauty: there being a moſt admirable harmony between the ſeveral Orders, Eſtates, and Degrees of men in the Church; and not the leaſt ſpot or blemiſh (V. Epheſ. 27.) to be found in its conſtitution. See Annot. [g].
Bridegroom.
8. ¶ Come with me from Lebanon, my ſpouſe, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
8. And now that all the World may ſee I have eſpouſed, nay married thee unto my ſelf (XXI. Rev. 2.) come from thoſe horrid Mountains whither thou haſt fled for ſafety (II. 14, 17.) where, tho' I was preſent with thee; yet, thou waſt not free from danger, but expoſed to the rage and cruelty of furious and troubleſome men: Come, I ſay, and dwell there no longer; but look down from thence, and behold the goodly heritage, and the pleaſant ſtate that I have prepared for thee. See Annot. [h].
9. Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe; thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
9. Thou haſt ſtrongly engaged my affection; thou haſt indeared thy ſelf unto me, my tenderly beloved Spouſe; thou haſt intirely poſſeſſed thy ſelf of my heart, by that lovely unity which I ſee between thy Paſtors, and between the people that live in holy obedience to them. See Annot. [i].
10. How fair is thy love, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe! how much better is thy love than wine! and the ſmell of thine ointments than all Spices.
10. Thy love to me and my Commandments, O how amiable is it! how doth it indear thee unto me, my beloved Spouſe! How much more delicious is that love, which thy Members have one for another, and for all men, than the beſt entertainments the World can give! How much more grateful are the reſt of thy Vertues, than the odours of the richeſt Spices, even of thoſe that are burnt at the Altar. See Annot [k].
11. Thy lips O my ſpouſe, drop as the honey-comb: honey and milk are under thy tongue, and the ſmell of thy garments is like the ſmell of Lebanon.
11. Nor are thy words leſs pleaſing than thy deeds, the Honey that drops of it ſelf from the Comb, being not more ſweet, ſincere, and pure, than thy Doctrine, O my beloved Spouſe: which is the delicious Food of young and old, of weak and ſtrong, and moſt powerfully recommended to their affections by the famed holineſs of thy life; which like the ſtrong Perfumes that come from the Aromatick Plants of Libanus, fill all places with the delightful ſcent thereof. See Annot. [l].
12. A garden encloſed is my ſiſter, my ſpouſe: a ſpring ſhut up, a fountain ſealed.
12. For as a Garden well planted, watred and defended abounds with all ſort of Flowers, and with variety of pleaſant Fruit; ſo doth my well-beloved Spouſe, by the ſingular care and ſpecial Providence of God over her, with all the fruits of righteouſneſs; admitting none to her Myſteries, but thoſe who are pure and holy, and waſht from all their defilements. See Annot. [m].
13. Thy Plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleaſant fruits, camphire, with ſpikenard.
13. Which makes the ſeveral orders and Ranks of thy young Novices (ſuch is the exemplary purity of their lives) look like the young Setts of Pomegranates, and other odoriferous Fruit: ſuch as the Cyprus, and Spikenards, which are growing up into a Paradiſe. See Annot [n].
14. Spikenard and ſaffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincenſe, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief ſpices.
14. Planted only with the like precious Herbs, Shrubs and Trees to thoſe now mentioned; as Saffron, ſweet Cane, Cinnamon, with thoſe that yield Frankincenſe, Myrrh, Aloes, and the choiceſt Spices: which are not more ſerviceable to our health or pleaſure, than that rare compoſition of Graces, which is viſible in the Church, make her Members acceptable unto God, and uſeful unto men. See Annot. [o].
15. A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and ſtreams from Lebanon.
15. Whoſe Vertues are preſerved in life and vigour by that heavenly Doctrine, which flows from me as plentifully and perpetually, as Waters do from thoſe Springs that break out of the high Mountain Libanus: which run continually a in large Stream; and, ſupplying all the Gardens in the neighbouring places, keep them freſh and flouriſhing. See Annot. [p].
Spouſe.
16. ¶ Awake, O north-wind, and come thou ſouth, blow upon my garden, that the ſpices therefore may flow out: let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleaſant fruits.
16. O let not then the inſpirations of the Holy Spirit, and its manifold Gifts be wanting unto me; but breathe perpetually upon me, as the North and the South Wind do upon this Garden: and then ſhall I be a Paradiſe indeed; and not only fill the World with the ſweet odour of the knowledge of Chriſt; but take the boldneſs to invite Him, the Beloved of my Soul, to come and reap the delightful Fruits (v. 13.) of his own care and labour. See Annot. [q].