Exposition of the Song of Solomon, Chapter 1 · Verse 16-17
Part 5. BRIDES Words.
Vers. 16.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
Vers. 17.
The beams of our house are Cedar, and our rafters of Fir.
We come to the last part of the Chapter, in the two last verses, in which the Bride commends Christ's beauty, and the sweetnesse of fellowship with him: He had been commending her, and now she hastens to get the commendation turned over on him, Behold, thou art fair, &c. And there are two things which she here commends. 1. She commends the Bridegroom himself, Behold, thou, &c. 2. She commends fellowship with him under the similitude of bed, house and galleries, vers. 16. 17. From the connexion of this with the former purpose, ye may see how restlesse believers are, when they meet with any commendation from Christ, till they get it turned over to his commendation and praise: And this is the property of a believer, to be improving every good word they get from Christ, to his own commendation that speaks it; This is the end and design why grace is bestowed upon believers, that it may turn in the upshot and issue to the commendation of his grace. 2. That there is nothing more readily warms the hearts of believers, with love, and looses their tongues in expressions of commending Christ, than the intimation of his love to them; this makes their tongue as the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 45. 1.
More particularly in this commendation the Bride gives him, ye will find these four things. 1. There is the stile she gives him, my beloved. 2. There is the commendation given, and it's the same with the commendation which in the former verse he gave her. 3. The note of attention prefixed, Behold. Lastly, an addition to the commendation Christ gave her, while she turns it over upon him, and which is as a qualification of Christ's beauty; because one expression will not do it, she makes use of two, thou art fair (saith she) yea pleasant: He had said she was …air, nay (saith she) thou art fair, &c. she turnes it over to him, because the same things that are commendable i… her, are infinitly and much more commendable in him; that which is in the believer, being the extract of the principal which is in him, Christ being the principal, and the graces that are in the believer but the transumpt or copie: All these things are in Christ like the light in the Sun, and in the believer but like the light in the Moon, communicat to it by the Sun; and they are in Christ as in their own element and ocean, and in the believer but like some litle stream communicat from that infinit fountain; and it's upon this ground, that the same commendation given by Christ to her, is tu…ned over by her to him: And it's even as much as if she had said to him, My beloved, what is my …airnesse? It's thou who art fair, I am not worthy to be reckoned fair, the commendation belongs to thee, thou art worthy of it: And this is the nature of love in believers, to blush (in a manner) when Christ commends them, and to cast all such commendations back again upon him, that they may rest upon Christ, as the party who deserves them best.
From the title ye may see here, 1. Much humility in the Bride, and also much reverence and respect to Christ, which is the reason why she will not let the commendation lye upon her, but puts it back upon him: Love to Christ, and estimation of him, aimes alwayes at this, that whatever is commendable in the believer, should ultimatly resolve upon him. 2. Here is much familiarity, notwithstanding of her humility, in that she calls him my beloved, as he called her my love. Humility and reverence, an high estimation of Christ, and confidence in him, and familiarity with him go all well together in the believer; and the believer would labour to have all these in exercise together, and would never let one of them part from another. In a word, it is a humble familiar way in believing, which we would aime at. 3. One special thing that makes Christ lovely to believers, and natively stirreth them up to commend him, is when they are clear anent his love to them.
If it be asked, why she turnes over this commendatien to him in the second person, Thou art, &c? Ans. She doth it, 1. To testifie her sincerity, that she was not flattering nor complementing, but she durst make him witnesse of what she said. 2. To shew that there are many spiritual con…erences, and sweet soliloquies between the souls of believers and Christ, wherein they are very …amiliar with him, which none knowes, nor can know, but Christ and they; for, she is speaking to him when no body knowes, and he to her. 3. Because there are many divine experiences of believers, that are scarcely communicable to any other, but Christ: and therefore she will tell them over to him.
The commendation she puts upon him, is even the same which he before gave her, Thou art fair (saith she) And that which she aimes at in this, is, 1. To set forth the exceeding great beauty that is in our Lord Jesus; which beauty is spiritually to be understood, n…mely of the qualifications wherewith he is furnished, having grace poured into his lips, Psal. 45. 2. Ioh. 1. 14. 2. The great esteem that the believer hath of Christ, and that both for what he is in himself, and for what he is to him: Thou art fair in thy self (saith she) and fair to me; and it sayes, a litle glimpse of Christ's beauty, hath an attractive efficacy upon the heart of a believer: When Christ Jesus is seen, it puts a wonderful stamp of love upon the hearts of his people; he hath a very amiable aspect, that cannot but get love in the beholders, as they said that heard him, never man spake as he speaks; so they that have seen him, will say, never mans countenance looked like his, amongst all the sons of men he bears the standard, and hath a lovelinesse wherein he is beyond them all: No wonder, he being the brightnesse of his Fathers glory, and the expresse image of his person. 3. It is to shew, wherefrom all her beauty was derived (as was hinted before) it was from his; If I be fair (saith she) it is because thou art fair, it's thy beauty that puts beauty upon me.
The third thing, is the Behold prefixed, and it holds out these three. 1. The excellency and admirablenesse of the matter: Christ's beauty, is a subject of a most transcendent and admirable excellency. 2. Her seriousnesse in the expressions of his commendation, as having her heart at her mouth, while she speaks of it, being so affected and taken up with it. 3. Though he needed not, yet she needed up-stirring, her self: and there was need she should stir up others, and therefore this word, for her own, and others cause, is prefixed.
The last part of this commendation, is (as was said) an addition to what he spoke in her commendation: yea, pleasant saith she; This pleasantnesse, and lovelinesse doth relate to the communicativenesse of Christ's worth, his communicating of what is lovely in him to others; It had not been enough for us, that he had been lovely in himself as God, if he were not also lovely by that relation that is between him and a believer in the Covenant of grace, whereby there is not only a communicablenesse, but also an actual communication of these things to a believer, which may make him lovely, and beautiful before God. And this makes Christ pleasant, that of his fulnesse we receive and grace for grace, Ioh. 1. 16. When the believer shares of Christ's fulnesse, he cannot but be beautiful, and Christ cannot but be pleasant. And indeed if we could expresse any thing of the importance of the word, it is a most material and massy expression, of that inexpressible worth that is in him, and likewise of a believers estimation of it; And, 1. In the general it imports this, A difficulty in commending Christ rightly, there cannot be words gotten for it; the thing that is commendable in him, is so large that words, yea, the most superlative of them, come far short in setting him forth. 2. It sets forth, how unsatisfied believers are with their own expressions of that worth, which they see to be in him; they think the first word unsuitable, and therefore they passe on to another, and in the close, they are forced as it were to give it over, and to say, Thou art altogether lovely. 3. It imports, that there is no kind of thing that may commend Christ, wherein he is defective; he hath not only the materials of beauty (so to say) but he hath the form. All things that are in Christ, are wonderfully delightsome and pleasant to look on. Lastly, this expression implyes, an exceeding great refreshfulnesse and contentednesse, which Christ Jesus doth yeeld to a believer; and that exceeding great satisfaction and delight, that a believer may have in looking on Christ: This word pleasant, speaks their actual feeding upon the beautiful sight they have gotten of him, so that they cannot be withdrawn from it: Must not Christ be lovely, when his people get eyes to see him? and must it not be a heartsome life to be in heaven, where they behold him, who is fair and lovely, as he is, and have their eyes fixed on him for ever, when he is so beautiful even hereaway, where we see him but darkly, thorow a glasse, and much of his beauty is vailed from our eyes?
That which followes, is the inlargement of the Brides commendation of Jesus Christ, as he is called a beloved or husband, for she followes that Allegory in commending his bed, house, and galleries; And this is the scope, to shew how excellent & stately a husband he was, And, 2. How happy and comfortable a life his Bride had in communion and fellowship with him. In the words these three are to be cleared, 1. What is commended, as bed, house, &c. 2. The several commendations given to these. 3. The title of claim, or relation under which they are commended, Our bed, &c.
That which is commended, is expressed by three words. 1. Bed 2. The beams of the house. 3. Rafters. In sum, it is this, that as husbands (who are in good condition) have beds to solace in with their Brides; houses to dwell in, and galleries to walk in, for their refreshing, and have these excellently adorned according to their rank; so our blessed husband excells in these. By bed, is understood the special means of neerest fellowship with, and injoying of Christ; The bed being the place of rest, and of the neerest fellowship between the Bridegroom and the Bride.
It's commendation is, that it's green: That is, 1. Refreshful, like the Spring. 2. Fruitful, and so the similitude of greennesse is opposed to a disconsolat, barren, unfruitful condition, Psal. 92. 12, 13. and Ier. 17. 8. So then, that which is here pointed at, is, that neernesse with Christ, is both exceeding heartsome and refreshful, and also hath much influence on believers to keep them fresh, and make them fruitful.
The second thing commended, is the beams of the house; The house is of a larger extent than the bed: It signifies the Church, wherein Christ dwels with his Bride; The beames of it, are the Ordinances, Word, Sacraments, promises of the Covenant, &c. whereby the house is both compacted together, and sustained; there being no living with Christ, nor fellowship with him, without these. The commendation is, that it's of Cedar. 1. Cedar was a durable wood. 2. Excellent and precious. Chap. 3. 10. 3. It was typical of Christ, and therefore used in the ceremonial services: So this commendation holds forth the excellent nature of the ordinances, and promises, being of great worth, precious, and perpetual in their use to the Church, while upon earth: But it doth especially hold forth the eternal excellency and worth, and the durable power and strength of Christ, the main cornerstone of this building, Eph. 2. 20, 22.
The third word is, rafters: It's on the margent, galleries, and so we take it, being rendred so, Chap. 7. 5. The word signifies to run alongst: and the scope here, is to shew what pleasant walks there are with Christ; or, how pleasant a thing it is to walk with him, as to dwell with him, and lye, or bed with him,. So to walk with him, must needs be pleasant: And this Metaphor (with the rest) is here made use of, it being ordinary in this Song, under such expressions, to hold forth the love, fellowship, that is betwixt Christ and his Church: Now these galleries are said to be of Fir, or Cypresse, a durable wood. This word is not else-where in Scripture, but the scope shewes, it's some fine thing, and points out the unspeakable satisfaction, and pleasure which is to be had in a life of walking with him.
3. She claimes title to all these, bed, house, galleries: she saith not thy bed, nor my bed (whereby Chap. 3. she signifies her own carnal ease and rest) but our bed, our house, &c. whereby she points at somewhat which both of them had joint interest in, and did together converse into; although her interest be communicat from him; yet she keeps the manner of speech suitable to husband and wife.
These words shew, 1. That th…re be several degrees of fellowship with Christ, and several wayes and means, for entertaining of it; some more neer, as when he lay betwixt her breasts; some more mediat (when, as it were) he and she only live together in the house, which may point at her trading with Christ in the Ordinances, but without sensible manifestations; and also believers walking with him in their ordinary callings, even when they are not in duties of immediat worship, which is signified by galleries. 2. Any of these degrees and means of fellowship, are excellent in themselves, and to be pressed and sought after by the believer. 3. The neerest mean of fellowship with Christ, is most refreshful to spiritual sense, the bed more than the house. 4. Yet though it be so, believers would not divide them; but would think much of all the means and ordinances, even as long as they abide here. 5. There is a mutual relation betwixt Christ and his Bride, which gives a mutual interest in, and relation to all that is his; What ever is his, it's ours, his bed is ours, his house ours, &c. 6. Believers that can lay claim to Christ, may and should claim interest in all that is his. 7. This makes every dispensation lovely, and every step of our walk heartsome, when under every dispensation, and in every step of our walk, we are living a life of fellowship with Christ, to be spending all our time in lying, dwelling and walking with Christ, O how sweet a life were that! 8. The meanes of fellowship with Christ, in all places and times, are so well contrived, and so large and refreshful, as they contribute exceedingly to make a believer cheerful in all duties of worship, and in all his conversation; For we here see, there are bed, house and galleries provided in order to her keeping company with Christ.