Exposition of the Song of Solomon, Chapter 1 · Verse 12-14
Part 3. BRIDES Words.
Vers. 12.
While the King sitteth at his Table, my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
Vers. 13.
A bundle of Myrrhe is my beloved unto me; he shall lye all night betwixt my breasts.
Vers. 14.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of Camphire in the Vineyards of En-gedi.
The third Part of the Chapter followes in these three verses, 12. 13. 14. In it, the Bride expresseth how refreshful Christ was to her, and how she did solace her self in him: This she holds forth, not only in the sweet and warm title she gives him; But further in these three things, 1. She declares the comfortablenesse of the fellowship she had with him, vers. 12. 2. By two comparisons she illustrats it, in the beginning of the 13. and 14. vers. 3. She sets forth the warmnesse of her own affections to him in the end of vers. 13.
The titles she gives him are two, 1. The King, whereby his Soveraignty and Majesty is set forth. The second is beloved or welbeloved, a title importing much love and affection: It differs from that title, my love, which he gave her, vers. 9. for that is a compellation given to her by him, as from a Superior to an in…e…ior, or as from an Husband to a Wife; this title which she here gives him, is as from an inferior, as a wi…e to her husband. The first, holds forth condescending tendernesse; the second, respective love; but both agree in this, that they are most loving, and affectionat titles.
She sets forth the comfortableness of Christs fellowship, vers. 12. Where, we are to consider these three things, 1. The priviledge of his sweet company, which she injoyed, in these words, The King sitteth at his Table. 2. The effect thereof, held forth in this similitude, my spikenard, &c. 3. The connexion of these two, in this expression, while the King sitteth, &c.
First, The King here spoken of, is Christ, as was cleared, vers. 4. His Table or feasting-hou…e is the Gospel, Prov. 9. 1, &c. where the feast of fat things is prepared, Isa. 25. 6. His sitting at his Table, or her sitting with him at it, imports familiar fellowship with him by the Gospel; So the Table of the Lord is taken, 1 Cor. 10. 21. and Matth. 22. 4. The comfortable fellowship that is to be had with him by the Gospel, is held forth under the similitude of a great feast; as fellowship in glory and injoying of him there, is set out by eating and drinking with him at his Table, Luke 22. 29, 30. Now this is most friendly, when Christ not only furnishes a Table, Psal. 23. 5. but he comes and sits down, and sups with them, and admits them to sup with him, Rev. 3. 21. It is called His Table, because he both furnishes it, and is Master and Maker of the feast, yea, the matter of it also.
2. The effect of this fellowship, is my spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof. Spikenard here signifies the graces of the Spirit, wherewith the believer is furnished out of the treasure of the sweet spices that are in Christ: Which are compared to spikenard, because grace is precious in it self, and savoury and pleasant to God, Psal. 141. 2. and to others also, who have spiritual senses. To send forth the smell, is to be in lively exercise, and to be fresh and vigorous; Grace without smell or lively exercise, being like flowres somewhat withered that savour not, or like unbeaten spice, that sends not forth it's savour.
3. There is the connexion of this effect (which is so comfortable to her) with Christs presence, as the cause: It's while he sits, that her Spikenard sendeth forth it's smell, it's then and not else, that her graces flow; Such influence hath his presence on her, as a cool-wind hath on a garden, for making the smell thereof to flow out, as it's chap. 4. 16.
Here Obs. 1. Christ the Bridegroom is a King. 2. It makes all his condescending to sinners the more lovely, admirable and comfortable, that he is so excellent; that he being such a King; sitteth at the Table with poor believers, is much; Love in Christ, brings his Majesty, as it were, below it self, to feed and feast his poor people. 3. There is a way of most sweet, and comfortable communion to be had even with the King, in his own Ordinances. 4. There is a great difference betwixt an ordinance or duty, and Christ's presence in it; These are separable. 5. It's Christ present that makes a feast to a believer, and makes all Gospel-ordinances and duties so refreshful. 6. Believers may, and will observe, when Christ is at the Table, and when not: and it will be empty to them when he is absent. 7. All the provision wherewith believers table is furnished, and they are …easted, is Christ. 8. Christ should have a continued dwelling in the believer, and they a continual conversing with him, as these who dyet ordinarily at one table.
The effect (namely the flowing of her graces) and it's connexion with his presence, as the cause, shewes, 1. There is a stock of grace, and Spikenard in them, with whom Christ useth to sup, and there is no other but such admitted to his table. 2. The graces of the Spirit in believers, may be in a great part without savour, void of lively exercise, almost dead as to it's effects. 3. It is exceedingly refreshful to believers, to have their graces flowing and acting. 4. Christ's presence hath much influence to make all things lively and savoury, where he sits, all things that are beside him (as it were) blossoms and savours; The graces of his people are then very fresh and lively. And, 5. though grace be savoury in it self, yet in Christ's absence, that savour will be restrained, and not sent forth; For, it's implyed, that when the King sat not at his table, her Spikenard did not send forth it's smell. 6. Christ's company or fellowship with him, will not only be prized by believers, as it brings sensible comfort to them; but also as it revives their graces, and makes them lively.
2. Her satisfaction in Christ's fellowship, vers. 13. and 14. is illustrat in two similitudes, whereby her holy fondnesse (to speak so) on him appears. The 1. similitude is, a bundle of myrrhe. Mirrhe was a precious and savo…ry spice, made use of in the anointing oyle, Exod. 30. …3. and in embalming Christ's body. A bundle of it, signifies abundance of it, not a stalk or a grain, but a bundle that must be of more worth, and vertue than a lesser quantity. The 2. similitude, to the same scope, is, a cluster of Camphire, or Cypresse; a sweet, odoriserous and precious wood in these parts; and a cluster of it, implyes a congeries of it, having much of it's excellency bound up together: and under these two similitudes (because one is not enough to set forth the thing) is understood a most precious, refreshful excellency which is to be found in Christ, and wherewith the most desirable excellency amongst the creatures being compared, he is much more excellent than they all; He is more sweet and precious than a cluster, even of that Camphire which growes in the Vineyards of En-gedi, where it's like the most precious of that kind grew. Now these expressions hold forth, 1. Christ's preciousnesse. 2. His efficacy and vertue. 3. His abounding in both; the worth and vertue that is in him, cannot be comprehended, nor told. 4. The Brides wisdom in making use of such things to describe Christ; and her affection in preferring him to all other things, and in satisfying her self in him; which is the last thing in these verses.
This respect of hers, or the warmnesse of her affection to him, is set forth two wayes, 1. In that expression, he is unto me (which is both in the beginning of the 13. and in the beginning of the 14. verse) whereby is signifyed, not only Christ's worth in general, but, 1. His savourinesse and lovelinesse to her in particular; she speakes of him, as she her self had found him. 2. To expresse what room she gives him in her affection, he was lovely in himself, and he was so to her, and in her esteem; He is (saith she) a bundle of Myrrhe unto me, a cluster of Camphire to me: This is further clear from that other expression, namely, he shall lye all night (saith she) betwixt my breasts, even as one hugges and embraces whom they love, or what they love; and keeps it in their arms, and thrusts it in their bosom; so (saith she) my beloved shall have my heart to rest in, and if one room be further in, than another, there he shall be admitted. Which imports, 1. Great love to him. 2. A satisfying her spiritual senses on him. 3. Tenaciousnesse in keeping and …etaining him, when he is gotten, and great loathnesse to quit or part with him. 4. It shewes his right seat and place of residence; The bosome and heart is Christ's room and bed. 5. It shewes a continuance in retaining him and entertaining him, she would do it not for a start, but for all night. 6. A watchfulnesse in not interupting his rest, or disquieting of him, he shall not be troubled, (saith she) but he shall ly all night, unprovocked to depart. These are good evidences of affection to Christ, and offer ground for good directions how to walk under sensible manifestations, when he doth communicat himself.