A Commentary on the Song of Solomon, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
IN my bed by night I ſought him that my ſoul loved: I ſought him, but I found him not.
2 I will riſe therefore now, and go about in the city by the ſtreets, and by the open places, and will ſeeke him that my ſoul loveth: I ſought him, but I ſound him not.
3 The watchmen that went about the city, found me: to whom I ſaid, Have you ſeene him, whom my ſoul loveth?
4 When I had paſt a little from them, then I found him whom my ſoul loved▪ I took hold on him and left him not, till I had brought him unto my mothers houſe, into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5 I charge you, O daughters of Ieruſalem, by the roes and by the hindes of the field, that ye ſtir not up, nor waken my love untill ſhe pleaſe.
6 Who is ſhe that commeth up out of the wilderneſſe like pillars of ſmoake perfumed with myrrhe and incenſe, and with all the ſpices of the merchant?
7 Behold his bed, which is Solomons … threeſcore ſtrong men are round about it, of the valiant men of Iſrael.
8 They all handle the ſword, and are expert in war, every one hath his ſword upon his thigh for the feare by night.
9 King Solomon made himſelfe a palace of the trees of Lebanon.
10 He made the pillars thereof of ſilver, and the pavement thereof of gold, the hangings thereof of purple, whoſe mids was paved with the love of the daughters of Ieruſalem.
11 Come forth ye daughters of Zion, and behold the king Solomon, with the crown, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his marriage, and in the day of the gladneſſe of his heart.
The Analyſis.
HItherto hath beene ſpoken of that milder time of the Church after the return▪ from the Captivitie, both of the time neere and farther off. Now ſhall be ſhewed a more troubleſome time by the abſence of her beloved, which in vaine ſhe ſeeketh in her bed, verſe 1. in the Citie, verſe 2. or among the watchmen of the Citie, verſe 3. but at length ſhe findes and holds him, verſe 4. and 5.
And thus …ar to the birth of Chriſt▪ The reſt of the time unto his death is as it were an overſeeing of the marriage, whoſe preparing is in reſpect of the Bride, verſe 6. in reſpect of the beloved and his bed, verſe 7. 8. His Litter, verſe 9. 10. The ſolemnity of the Marriage which giveth us a King Crowned, verſe 11. And his love very comely, &c. Chap. 4. 1, 2, 3, to the 7.
THE EXPOSITION.
Verſ. 1. By night on my Bed I ſought him whom my ſoule loveth: I ſought him, but I found him not.
OF all the ſpace of time untill the break of the day (that is to ſay, that day wherein Chriſt dyed) worthy of memory is that night, which the Spouſe now ſpeaketh of. The weaker ſort might be afraid, leſt Chriſt had altogether forſaken them, now they could not finde him to helpe them▪ whom yet they hoped to be neere at hand in the bordering mountaines, as is generally ſhewed in the laſt verſe of the former Chapter. This calamity is declared in ſeeking her beloved, which is firſt begun in her bed, in this verſe. Now her bed is the Temple, as before Chap. 1. 16. Our bed is greene. This ſearch was made in the night, namely when the true worſhip of God was much obſcured, and altogether over-whelmed with night-like darkneſſe. The Church therefore complaineth it was ſuch a time, wherein true Religion was trodden down, ſo that Chriſt whom the faithfull thirſted for, was no where to be found in his true worſhip. Theſe things then belong to that deſolation which Antiochus Epiphanes brought upon them, who robbed the Temple, forbad Sacrifices, offered Swines fleſh in the Temple, conſtrained them to worſhip ſtrange gods, compelled them to leave circumciſing their children, burned their holy Bookes, and left no manner of wickedneſſe unattempted. This wofull ſpectacle Daniel did manifeſtly declare almoſt 300. yeeres before, Chap. 8. 9, 10, &c. and 11. 28, 29, &c. And it is ſaid to be done, 1 Maccab. 1. from the 23. verſe, to the end of the Chapter. The Temple was not caſt down as by Nebuchaduezzar, but wofully deformed and ſhut up from the true worſhippers, whence ſhe ſaith, She ſought him in the Bed, but found him not. The Bed remained empty and Chriſt was gone.
Verſ. 2. I will riſe now, and go about the Citie, in the ſtreets and in the broad wayes: I with ſeek him whom my ſoul loveth, I ſought him but I found him not.
The ſecond ſearch which ſheweth that Chriſt was not only abſent from the Temple, but likewiſe was not to be found in the holy city. If every corner were ſought never ſo diligently, there could bee found no footſtep of piety. The cruelty of Antiochus wrought this effect, who, after he had ſacked the city, burnt it with fire, overthrew the houſes and walls, carried away the women and children captives, guarded the upper city with murtherers, put the citizens to flight, and made the city an habitation of ſtrangers, &c. 1 Macta… ▪ 1. 33. 34. 35. and 40. No marvell if among the dregs of ſuch moſt deſperately wicked men, her beloved could not be found. But what could be more elegantly ſpoken to foreſhew this deſolation of the city?
Verſ. 3. The watchmen that go about the city found me, to whom I ſaid: Saw ye him whom my ſout loveth?
She ſeeking the city in vaine, ligh…eth on the watchmen of whom ſhe enquireth of her beloved, ſaying, Have ye ſeen him whom my ſoul loveth? She ſtayes not till they examine her, but begins to queſtion them; The watchmen & keepers of the city, are the holy Prieſts who (as much as they may) hold faſt & keep the truth in theſe dark times. And are …aid to have found the Church wavering, being driven from her ſeates. The chief of theſe were Mattathias the father of the Maccabees and his ſons; who valiantly anſwered the Kings ſervant, requiring them to ſacrifice, If all Nations fell away from the worſhip of their elders: yet be a…d his children and brethren would walk in the Covenant of their eld…rs, and not tranſgreſſe their worſhip to the right hand or to the left. 1. Macca. 2. 19. 20. Such faithfull men then found the Church, which yet gave her no anſwer, they were ſo aſtoniſhed as their ſilence here declareth.
Verſ. 4. It was but a little that I paſſed from them, but I found him whom my ſoul loveth: I held him and would not let him go, untill I had brought him into my mothers houſe, and into the chamber of her that conceived me▪
Now ſhe departeth from the high prieſts and governours of the city, getting no comfort of them at that time, ſuffering with the reſt a common deſtruction. But going a little from them, ſhe chanceth on him whom ſhe ſhould have: whereby is taught that the Church did not long lie in theſe miſeries, but was in ſhort time delivered from thoſe chaſtiſements. Neither was this comfort vain, but at length fully ſhewed by Iudas Maccabeus, 1. Mach, 4. 47. In the 142. yeer of the reigne of the Greekes, Antiochus began to afflict Iudea. In the thr…e and forty yeer he ſpoiled the Temple. Af…er two whole yeers he took away the daily ſacrifice and all divine worſhip for the time, 1. Maca. 1. 21. 30. 47. In the eight and fortieth yeer the nineth monethmonth, were the holy houſes purged and divine worſhip reſtored again, 1. Mach. 4▪ 52. 53. &c▪ Now was her beloved found and brought into the houſe of her mother. For we have him preſent with us, as long as we keep his publike worſhip, or as often as we recover it being loſt: wherein he hath promiſed to ſhew himſelfe to his. Theſe darkneſſes for the time they laſted were very bla…k, but not long. After 2300 dayes (limited by the Angel, Dan. 8. 14.) The ſanctuarie ſhall be purged Wherefore her beloved delayed not long to aid her▪ but came ſwiftly from the mountains of Bether; whom the faithfull doubted to be farther off.
So theſe few verſes are an Epitome of the whole hiſtory of the Mac…abees▪ and thoſe books a j…ſt commentary of this place. Now that ſhe would …ot let her beloved go till ſhe had brought him into her mothers chamber, thereby is ſignified (this darknes driven away) divine worſhip ſhould be no more interrupted, untill Chriſt came in the fleſh. The Church is ſaid to bring Chriſt into this chamber, becauſe he deſcended into it and took our nature upon him for her ſake, for he is ſaid to do any thing, for whoſe cauſe it is done. Then from the time of the Maccabees to the comming of the Mo…ias, the courſe of Religion was conſtant, which no common calamitie interrupted. Not, but thoſe times were moſt corrupt.
But in the middeſt thereof, was free leave to worſhip God rightly, whereby the Church might nouriſh her faith, and might cheriſh her ſelf, with the ſweet familiar acquaintance of Chriſt.
V. 5. I charge you, O ye daughters, of Ieruſalem, by the Roes and by the hindes of the field, that you ſtir not up, nor awake my love till ſhe pleaſe.
This verſe ſheweth that there ſhould be no great trouble in the Church from the time of the Maccabees, till the birth of Chriſt as was ſaid in the end of the former verſe. Now there ſhould be ſilence and a tolerable reſt, whereby the Saints might be defended (in their true ſtudies) from fear of their enemies which are here noted by Roes and hindes of the field. For though they were come home, out of the enemies land and ſetled in their own proper ſeat…: yet they found at home, all places full of enemies. Now the Romanes oppreſſed them, and Herods tyranny bridled them. Theſe wilde Roes cauſed Gods people to worſhip him more diligently, and to be the more carefull, le…t with any noiſe of apparant impiety (which only diſturbeth our beloved from his reſt) ſhe ſhould loſe the enjoying of him howſoever.
V. 6. Who is this that cometh out of the wildernes like pillars of ſmo…k, perfumed with myrrhe & frankincenſe with all powders of the merchant.
Hitherto hath been ſhewed, the condition of the Church before the birth of Chriſt; Now what it ſhould be while he lived on the earth. This deſcription containeth a propheſie, eſpecially of things done from the conception of Chriſt untill thirty yeers of his age: when the beautie of the Church ſhould cauſe admiration in the beholders. Who is this? (ſay they) which ſeem to be the words of the legall Church, wondring at the excellent ſmell of the new ſmoke ſtirred up. For at this time, the Church in outward form was twofold. The legall continued yet, and the Evangelicall was new begun. Her threefold propriety was, her admirable coming out of the deſart; her ſmokie enlarging and increaſe; and laſtly her ſweet ſmell▪ She came firſt out of the deſart, by the meſſage of the Angel to the virgine Mary living then in Nazareth of Galilee: a ſolitary place i… reſpect of others more fr…quented. And divinely revealed to Elizabeth in the mountaines of I…dea: as ſhe teſtified when Mary came to ſee her. This report is compared to pillars of ſmoke, for as ſmoke goeth before the flame, breaking forth and ariſing up like branched pillars, yet quickly avoideth and vaniſheth in the air, how thick ſoever it were: So ſhall we finde this report and mens expectation thereof altogether like unto it. As by the propheſie of Zacharie of raiſing up a hor…e of Salvation in the houſe of David. Confirmed by miracles, aſwell of a Son born unto him in his old age, as of his ſpeech reſtored after ten moneths. What feare came upon all the inhabitants of the hill country? Luke 1. 65. 68. 69. &c. This ſmoke ariſing in the wilderneſſe, how pleaſantly ſmelt it, to all the godly waiting for the conſolation of Iſrael, yet foulded up in ſuch thick obſcuritie that men could not ſee the greateſt part of it, whither the thing ſo much deſired would tend. But afterward by the former when the ſhepherds and the wiſe men came ſeeking …o… the new borne King, all …eruſalem was troubled Luke 2. 1▪ 8. Mat. 2. 3. Then the branched ſmoke flew upward, breaking forth with ſuch force, by reaſon of the increaſed hea…e, that it aſcended like a Pillar, yet this ſmoke quickly vaniſhed. Not that the Church ever failed, but becauſe this rumour ceaſing, there was ſo deep a ſilence from that time untill the baptiſme of J…h…, as if all theſe things had vaniſh…d into ſmoke. But who can declare how ſweet this rumour was to all the godly thirſting for the Meſſias? Sime…n taking the … in his Armes and praiſing God very joyfully, deſired to die having obtai…ed that which was moſt to be deſired in this life, Luke 2. 29. And truly all M…r…he, Frankincenſe, and all manner of perfumes are un…avo…y in re…ect of this ſweetneſſe. Thoſe things which hap…ed about the bir h…f Chriſt, could not more ſignificantly and briefly be declared.
Ver…. 7. Behold his bed which is Salomons: threeſcor… valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Iſrael.
Here is deſcribed the proviſion of her beloved before the marriage, which is twofold, A bed, and a Chariot. Of the bed is …rtreated in this verſe and the next. His bed (…aith ſhe, namely her bel…veds) wherein he lay himſelf alone. Not a common bed, ſuch as before, (Our Bed) Chap. 1▪ 16. As alſo ſpeaking of her own …ed, Chap. 3. 1. Wherein her beloved was not found. This bed reſembles that of Solomons, for it was waited on with as ſtrong a guard, as we ſhall ſee in the verſe following.
Verſ. 8. They all …old ſwords, being expert in war: every man hath his ſword upon his thigh, becauſe of fear in the night.
Here the guard is deſcribed, to whom the watch and'a cuſtody of this bed is committed. Their number and nature was expreſſed in the former verſe. Now their readineſſe, skill and diligence is ſhewed, together with the end of their watching in theſe words. Firſt, they are called ſword-men, ready and ſtrong-men, whoſe vertue feareth no danger. Secondly, they are expert in war; that is to ſay, old, hardy, skilfull ſouldiers: every one hath his ſword. Beds are appointed for reſt and ſleep, whereby a man for the time is deprived of his ſtrength, and all power to defend himſelf; wherefore Kings and Princes, (to ſleep the more ſafely) ordained watch-men, ſuch as Salomon is here ſaid to have had. Which teacheth, that this beloved, all the time that he gave himſelf to reſt, was fenced with ſuch a guard, as could keep him ſafe from all feare in the night; that is, from all ſecret deceipts which the wicked could invent. This time of reſt, was the whole infancie of Chriſt, which maketh a man no leſſe able to avoyd dangers then the deepeſt ſleep that is. Herod making uſe of this night, endeavoured (moſt wickedly) his deſtruction: But the Angel (one of the mighties of Iſrael) warning Joſeph to flie with the childe into Egypt, delivered him from the jawes of Herod, and the cruell ſlaughter of the Bethlehemites. Truly this bed was better guarded then Salomons.
Verſ. 9. King Salomon made himſelf a Chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
Such was the bed: Now followeth a deſcription of the Chariot in this and the next verſe. The bed was enough to ſhew, what did belong to private uſe; but by this Chariot is declared with what Majeſty he would ſhew himſelf to the multitude. The King made this Chariot for himſelf alone, although the dignity th…reof belongeth to the Spouſe alſo. The generall matter of it, is wood of Lebanon, whereof likewiſe the Temple was built, 1 King. 5. 6. Other things that concern the beauty of it, are mentioned in the verſe following where yee ſhall ſee the application of the Prophecie.
Verſ. 10. He made the Pillars thereof of ſilver, the bottome thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jeruſalem.
Such was Salomons ſtately Chariot, wherein hee was wont to be carried in publique, whoſe beautifull and glorious ſtructure is here declared, to expreſſe that high and incomprehenſible excellencie of Chriſts humane nature; for this was that triumphall Chariot wh…ch he built for himſelf of the wood of Lebanon, conceived in the womb of Mary of N̄azareth of Galile, at the foot of Lebanon, that rightly the matter may be ſaid to be taken from thence, whence his humanity was built up or framed, yet he made this Chariot for himſelf, not begotten by the company of man, but by vertue of the moſt High overſhadowing the Virgin. Whoſe pillars were ſilver, the ſeats were gold, the coverings purple; all the frame from head to foot, moſt pure, moſt precious, moſt divine, and within the ground and pavement, and that which was (as it were) the foundation to all the reſt of the frame, was wholly love of the daughters of Ieruſ…lem: he had them drawne with the needle, or rather ingraven in his heart and bowels; ſeeing for his elects ſake only, he made him this Chariot of humanity, wherein he would openly be carried in the ſight of the world for men to behold him.
Verſ. 11. Go forth, O yee daughters of Sion, and behold King Salomon with the Crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his eſpouſals, and in the day of the gladneſſe of his heart.
It ſeemeth here, it was the cuſtome for parents at ſuch a ſolemnity, to beſtow ſome ſingular ornament upon their children; and that Bathſheba beſtowed this Crown on Salomon, when he married Pharaohs daughter, (though the Scripture ſpeak not of it) for David was dead before; But it ſhall better appeare in the new Salomon then in the Type: For the Crown which the daughters of S…on are commanded to behold, is that great glory which the Father gave the Sonne, entring into his office, teſtifying from heaven, This was that his beloved Sonne, in whom he was well pleaſed. And likewiſe annoynting him above his fellowes by the Spirit, himſelf deſcending in a viſible ſhape, and reſting on him, Matth. 3. 16, 17. The Church (whoſe husband he is, and by ſome reaſon her ſonne, as we have ſeen before) put this Crown on his head, by acknowledging him to be King and Head of the Church. The Sonne of God, the Lambe which took away the ſins of the world; the Meſſias himſelf, who had all power in heaven and in earth, and whom the faithfull ſought, and obtained of him, to be diſpoſſeſſed of devils, healed of diſeaſes, and a remedy in all their troubles. It was manifeſt what opinion they held of him, and of what incomprehenſible Majeſty indeed he was. All the time from the beginning of his office, until his paſſion, was the day of his eſpouſalls or marriage, as he hath taught himſelf, calling his Diſciples the children of the wedding chamber, and himſelf the Bridegroome, Matth. 9. 15. and by the Parable of a certain King, which made a M…r…iage for his ſon, Mat. 22. 2, &c. This was the day of the gladneſſe of his heart, when with a ready and willing minde he earneſtly indeavoured to effect all thoſe things which belong to our ſalvation; that hee preferred the care thereof before meat, and all other neceſſaries of his life, John 4. 32. The daughters of Jeruſalem ſhould not be moved with this glory, but only the daughters of Sion, the Citizens and free Denizens of the City of the heavenly Ieruſalem; theſe moved with the divine beauty and excellencie of this King and Crown, ſhould ſlock unto him every where by heaps, making the hypoc…tes afraid, leſt all men ſhould believe in him, Iohn 11. 48.