Exposition of the Song of Solomon, Chapter 5 · Verse 14
Vers. 14.
His hands are as Gold-rings set with the Beryl: his belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphirs.
The sixth and seventh particulars instanced to commend Christ, are in vers. 14. The sixth is, his hands: The hands are the instruments of action, as the lips are of speaking: They are commended, that they are as Gold-rings, that is, as men or womens hands are adorned with Gold-rings, so his hands have a native lovelinesse beyond these: yet, this commendation (as all the former) answers not fully, therefore it's added, they are set with Beryl: This was a precious stone put in Aaron's breast-plate, Exod. 39. 13. To be set with it, signifies, as preciousnesse, so rare artifice, and such is seen in the right setting of precious stones. By our Lord's hands, may be understood that powerfull activity whereby he is fitted to bring about what he pleaseth, and that power which he exerciseth especially in the works of grace, as on vers. 4. was cleared: Or, we may understand the effects produced by that his power, or his works which are exceeding glorious, as, Psal. 109. 27. That they may know, O Lord, that this is thy hand, that is, that thou Lord hast done it: So his hands signifie such works especially wherein his Divine power, art and skill doth manifest themselves for the good of his people: Both agree well together; for, excellent power and skill produce excellent effects, and excellent effects demonstrat the excellent qualifications of the worker; this being a main piece of Christ's commendation, and which doth hold him forth to be exceeding lovely above all to the believer (which is the scope) may well be taken here as the meaning, especially being subjoined to the commendation of his words; for, our Lord Jesus doth not only say well, but also doth well: he is a prophet, mighty both in word and deed, Luk. 24. 19.
The commendation suits with his works, as if there were none of them, but what are adorned (as it were) with excellent Gold-rings, there being much glory, grace, wisdom and skill shining in them all, they are honourable and glorious, Psal. 111. 3. Yea, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord God Almighty, Rev. 15. 4. These are the deserved epithets of his actions: In sum, it is, as if she had said, Ask ye what my beloved is, more than others? If ye saw but a glimpse of the white and red that is in his cheeks, and if ye heard the sweet words that proceed from his mouth, and if ye knew the excellent works which he hath performed, even to admiration, for the good of his people, and how much lovelinesse appears in all these, ye would (no doubt) say with me, He is the chiefest among ten thousand.
Obs. 1. Christ is an active husband, having hands, and working with them for the good of his Bride: A piece of his work we heard of, chap. 3. 9. in that noble Chariot: He is no idle spectator; he worketh hitherto, Joh. 5. 17. 2. All our Lord Jesus his works, are exceeding excellent and beautiful, and when rightly discerned, they will appear wonderful, honourable and glorious, as proceeding from him who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, Isa. 28. 29. What a curious and excellent piece of work is that Chariot, or the Covenant of Redemption signified thereby, chap. 3. 9? There are many shining well-set Jewels, and Rings upon every finger of his hands: There is nothing that can be done better than what he hath done. The works of Christ in our redemption, do hold forth infinit skill, and gloriousnesse to be in the worker, all of them are so wisely contrived, and exquisitly execute. 3. Christ's works do exceedingly endear him, and that deservedly to his people, and do infallibly demonstrate his worth above all beloveds in the world; Who is like unto him? and who can do great works, such as he hath done? This makes heaven to resound with the praises of what this beloved hath done for his people. 4. Believers would be acquaint both with Christ's words and his works, and would be well vers'd in the knowledge of the excellencies that are in them both, that so they may be the more affected with him themselves, and be more able to commend him to others. 5. Where Christ is lovely, all his works will be delightsome: and it's by acquaintance with, and observation of, his excellent works, that the hearts of his people come to take him up, and to be rightly affected with him. 6. As ignorance of the excellency of Christ's works (especially of the work of Redemption) makes many slight Christ, and prefer others to him (for, she would discover the daughters of Jerusalem their mistake of him, by instancing this amongst other things) so it's a kindly-like thing, to have a honourable esteem of Christ's works in the heart. 7. Although the devil and mens idols seem to promise much to their lovers, when they suit and intice them; yet never one indeed can equal Christ, or compare with him, in respect of what he hath done for his Bride; and this sets him up incomparably above them all: His hands, in respect of his magnificent works, are adorned, as it were, with Gold-rings; whereas they have hands, but work not for the help and relief of their lovers, Psa. 115. 7.
The seventh part of this demonstration of Christs worth, is from his belly: The word in the Original is the same word, which, vers. 4. is rendered bowels, and we rather use it so here as it signifieth bowels, the native signification of it, as not knowing why it should be altered in this verse; especially considering, that wherever it is attributed to God, it's translated bowels, as, Isa. 63. 15. where is the sounding of thy bowels? and, Ier. 31. 20. my bowels are moved for him: Reading it then thus, his bowels are as bright ivory, &c. The words at the very first, would seem to signifie the intense love and tender affection, wherewith our Lord Jesus (who is full of grace) is filled and stuffed (to say so) for the behove and good of his people, so that no mother is so compassionatly affected towards the fruit of her womb, as he is toward his own. This exposition is, 1. confirmed from the ordinary signification of the word bowels, when it is applyed to God, as, Isa. 63. 15. and, Ier. 31. 20. and it is borrowed from the affection that mothers have to their children, whose bowels yerns on them, as, 1 King. 3. 26. and so Ioseph was affected toward his brethren, Gen. 43. 30. Hence the word, both in the Hebrew and Greek, in the Old and New Testament, which is made use of to set forth the Lords tender compassion, flowes from a root that signifieth bowels. 2. The scope will confirm this: for, is there any thing that makes Christ more lovely and admirable than his love? which makes the Prophet cry out, Mic. 7. 18. who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity? &c. because thou delights in mercy; or, is there any other thing that more commends him as a beloved preferable to all, than his love? Love in a husband is a special property. Now Christ loved his Church, and gave himself for it, Eph. 5. 25. it is not like therefore, that this is omitted: And, 3. it followes well on the commendation of his works for, and about, his people, as shewing the fountain from whence they proceed; The commendation of this is excellent. 1. It is as bright Ivory: Ivory is rarely and singularly pure and pleasant, being made of Elephants teeth: bright, is added, to shew, that it's of the best sort, as all that is in Christ is. 2. It's overlaid with Saphires; that was a stone in Aarons breast plate, and also is reckoned one of the foundation-stones of the new Ierusalem, Rev. 21. 19. which shews, that it is very precious, though we know not the particular properties of it: The word overlaid, may be from the Original rendered curiously set, or, enambled: In sum, here, his love is described as most lovely, clean and pleasant, like Ivory; rich and precious like Saphires; and well ordered and wisely vented for the good of his people, as bright Ivory curiously enambled with Saphires: His love is a most excellent, curious and pleasant object, the like whereof is not to be found amongst all the beloveds of the world. This verse commends Christ's heart and in-side, which is unsearchable as to it's heighth, depth, breadth, and length: It may therefore be hard, and some way hazardous to offer doctrines on, or to form expressions concerning, that which passeth knowledge, Eph. 3. 18, 19. the comprehending experimental knowledge of it, will be the best commentary on it; yet these things are clear and safe,
1. There is singular love, affection and bowels in our Lord Jesus to his people; so singular, that there is none can compare with him in this, no husband, nay nor wife, it passeth the love of women; No tender-hearted mother, and much lesse any idol can compet with him in this; It's inconceivable in it self, and it's wonderful in it's effects. 2. There is nothing that will contribute more to make believers see Jesus Christ as admirable in himself, and lovely to them, than the right apprehension of his love: This is the constraining, ravishing, ingaging, and soul-in-ebriating consideration of Christ, the conceiving of him rightly in his admirable love; and they will never esteem of Christ rightly, who discerns not that, it is (as it were) his crown; and the believing of it, is in a sort the putting of the crown on his head: Amongst all his excellencies, none takes the believer more up than his love, and nothing is more remarkable in him than that, and right thoughts of Christ's love is no ill token. 3. Our Lord Jesus his love and bowels are a rich Jewel when seen, a precious stately sight; bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires is but a small and dark shaddow of it; Christ's love is a possession beyond Jewels, a very beautiful object to look on, beyond the most excellent creature: It's both a wonder and a heart-break that it is so little thought of, and that men are not more delighted in it.
4. Although there be much in many mouths of Christ's love, yet there are few that really knows and believes the love that he hath to his people, 1 Ioh 3. 1. As this is the cause that so few loves him, and why so many sets up other beloveds beside him; so, the solid faith of this, and the expectation of good from him, hath a great ingaging vertue to draw sinners to him, Heb. 11. 6. and for that end it's made use of here. 5. Whatever seeming smiles, idols may give to their lovers, yet will they not prove lovers in the end to them; for, that is proper to Christ, he only hath strong love and bowels of affection to his own to the end, but other lovers in the end will fail men, Only our Lord Jesus continueth a loving Husband to the end; for, whom he loves, he loves to the end. 6. It is beyond all peradventure, good and desirable to be matched with Jesus Christ, where so much honour, riches, power, wisdom, lovelinesse and love meet all together; for, the scope of this, and of all the rest of the commendations, is to ingage sinners to match with him. 7. There is no cause to be jealous of Christ's love, his people have a most loving Husband, and never a sport or ground of jealousie hath defiled his bowels since the world began, but they to this day are, and will be for ever as bright Ivory. 8. Christ's love is excellent in it self, and is also excellent in the way of it's communicating it self to his people; therefore it's not as Saphires that are confusedly casten together, but that are artificially set; or, our Lord Jesus vents not his love fondly (to speak with reverence) or imprudently, but most wisely, skilfully, and seasonably, so as it may be for the good of his people; not as a fond and too indulgent mother, that gives that which is even hurtful because the childe desires it, but as a wise father who gives that which is useful, though it be unpleasant: He guids his love by discretion, and according to expediency, as Ioh. 16. 7. It's expedient for you that I go, and therefore he will go, though they were even made sad with it. 9. Although some pieces of Christ's love, being considered in themselves, seem not so pleasant and lovely, like precious stones not rightly set, yet when all are seen together, and every thing taken up as in it's own place, and proportionably corresponding with one another, and especially in respect of the fountain of love from which they come, they will then (being all lookt on together) be seen to be very beautiful and pleasant and well ordered, like bright Ivory, that is regularly and curiously enambled, or indented with Saphires: The time comes, when Christ's love will be thought to be exquisitly and wisely let out and conveyed, even in these things wherein it is most suspected now by his own.