Exposition of the Song of Solomon, Chapter 8 · Verse 5
DAUGHTERS.
Vers. 5.—
(Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her Beloved?)
The daughters of Ierusalem come in speaking to the Brides commendation, in the first part of the fifth verse, Who is this, say they, (or, who is she?) that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? This part of the verse stops the Bride from following the purpose she was upon, with a kind of an abrupt exclamation to her commendation. The daughters now beholding her resting in her beloveds arms, as it is, vers. 3. to shew the commendablenesse of that posture of leaning on him, they are brought in admiring it; And therefore, both the Bride and the Bridegroom are spoken of in the third person, and that by way of question, which supposeth no doubt in the thing, who it was of whom they speak, but implyeth an exceeding high estimation of the party spoken of, as being (especially in that posture) exceeding lovely. The words hold out a believers walk, 1. In the nature of it, it's a coming up, or ascending. 2. In the term from which, it's from the wildernesse: By which two (as was cleared, Chap. 3. 6.) is understood the believers spiritual progresse heaven-ward, with their backs on all the contentments of the world, as being unsuitable for them to rest in: These two are spoken of, Chap. 3. 3. There is added here a more expresse description of her posture, in this ascending, she is leaning on her beloved; that is, as they who are weak, make use of a staff, in climbing of a strait and steep ground, or ease themselves by leaning upon one that is strong, and especially one whom they love, for helping them in their way; So the believer is said to come up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved, because she being weak in her self, and unfit for such a difficult voyage, by faith rests on Christ, for helping her in the way, whereby she is sustained, and carried through in the duties of a holy walk, and the difficulties in her way, till she come through the wildernesse unto the land of rest. So then, this leaning imports, 1. felt-weaknesse in her self, for encountering with the difficulties of this walk or journey. 2. Strength in Christ, sufficient for enabling her. 3. Her use-making of this strength by faith; for, that is to lean or rest on him, or to be joined or associat to him, as the word is rendered by some; and it is ordinary for faith to be expressed by leaning, resting, taking hold; and so leaning to Christ is opposed to leaning to our own understanding, Prov. 3. 5. 4. Her quieting of her self delightsomly in her leaning or resting on Christ, which gave her security against all fears and difficulties in her way, as Iohn when he leaned on Christ's bosome, Ioh. 13. 23. So the believer thinks himself sure and safe, when admitted to lean his soul there. 5. A progresse that she made by this in her way and journey, and that this leaning had much influence on her advancement therein, and upon this account is her leaning mainly commended. Obs. 1. That even believers are insufficient of themselves, as of themselves, for the duties of a holy walk. 2. That believers should walk under the sense of this their insufficiency and weaknesse, and when they come the greatest length in a holy walk, they should not lean unto themselves, or any inherent stock of gifts or grace; which two suppons, that a believers conversation, when right, is a heavenly and tender walk. 3. Christ Jesus hath a sufficiency and efficacy in him, not only for the justification of believers that rest on him, but for the furthering of their sanctification also, and helping of them to a victory over the world; Hence, 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is our sanctification, as well as our Iustification. 4. Believers in their way, would not only by faith rest on Christ, for attaining pardon of sin by his righteousnesse; but, would also by faith depend on him, for furthering of their mortification and sanctification: And thus, in the exercise of faith and holy dependence, we are to acknowledge him in all our wayes, which is opposed to leaning to our own understanding, Prov. 3. 5. This was practized in an examplary way, by the Worthies, recorded, Heb. 11. 5. The exercising of faith on Christ for sanctification and life, and for performing of the duties of holinesse, hath much influence on the believers successe in all these; for, this is our victory, whereby the world is overcome, even our faith, 1 Joh. 5. 4, 5. And therefore, these that are most in the use-making of Christ, for the helping them foreward in their way, cannot but come best speed; for, leaning on him, and going up, are here joyned together: And so they can never make progresse in holiness, that make not use of Christ in their endeavours after it; God hath so coupled use-making of Christ, and progresse in holinesse together, that Christ may bear all the glory of the believers successe in the way of holinesse, and that he that glories may glory in him. 6. The believers walk toward heaven is both a stately, and also an easie and successful walk; for, he is to go about all duties in the strength of Christ, and so Christ bears the burden, and his yoke becomes easie: It's the neglecting of him, that makes all duties wearisome. 7. It's no little piece of the dexterity of a holy walk, and is the great commendation of it, to do all we do by faith, to walk and go on in the faith of his strength, as leaning on him; This makes the Brides posture wonderful, for it's rarity and commendablenesse. 8. Although doing of duties will not prove an interest in Christ, and although believers come not to perfection, or any exact suitablenesse in them, yet the doing of them in the strength of Christ, and walking, as leaning on him, will make out an interest in him: None can actually imploy him, for bearing them through in duty, who have not first closed with him, as their beloved, for obtaining of pardon: This is the Brides property, Christ is first her beloved, and then she leans upon him, to be helped in her walk. 9. That is solid faith, which doth empty the believer of himself in the performance of all duties, as well as of righteousnesse in the point of his justification: The native work of saith, is to make the soul rest on Christ, yea, and actually it makes the soul rest on Christ alone; for, all true faith layes the burden of all duties and difficulties upon him, and so is it compared to leaning.