Exposition of Song of Solomon 1, Treatise · Verse 14
Vers. 14. My Beloved is unto me as a cluster of Champhire in the Ʋineyard of Engedi.
In this verse the Spouse further setteth forth the Excellencies of Christ her beloved, by another Metaphor, to wit, Camphire, amplifyed first, by the plenty of it, A cluster of Champhire, secondly, by place thereof, in the vinyards of Engedi.
My beloved is unto me, &c.] That which I would have you especially to observe in these words is the Spovse's Propriety of faith unto whole Christ, My beloved, doth expresse an act of faith; My Lord and my God. Joh. 20.28, 29. also of affection, My beloved freind, Cant. 5.16. This is my beloved, and this is my freind. My Beloved Father, Isa. 9.6. & 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall bee my Sons and Daughters, and my beloved husband, Hos. 2.7, 16, 19, 20. Thou shall call me Ishi, that is to say, my Husbond.
1 Meditation. They who are espoused unto Christ in spiritual relation, should be constant in their spiritual affection unto him; Christ loveth his to the end, Joh. 13.10. so should every Beleever love him for ever, Psa. 116.1. & Mat. 22.37.
Souls ought not to coole sn their spiritual affections unto Christ Jesus; Jer. 2.5.13. Thus saith the Lord, what Iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone, far from me? Christ doth take it unkindly that any beleevers should leave their first love, Rev. 2.4. And this they do, first, when they neglect to live by Faith, Heb. 3.12. Secondly, when they growing secure & carelesse, do neglect holy duties, Cant. 5.2, 3, 4. Thirdly, when they either fall into some grosse Sin, or allow themselves in some secret lust, Heb. 3.13. which hardeneth the heart.
The Spouse did not only professe her faith in owning Christ, and declare her affection towards him in calling Christ her beloved, My beloved is mine, Cant. 6.3. But she doth also testify her Experience of Christ, saying, My beloved is unto me, &c. whereby the Spouse doth appropriate whole Christ unto her selfe, and speaking in the Singular Number, she would teach every particular Church, and every individual Saint, to apply whole Christ by faith unto themselves.
2 Meditation. Faith doth apply whole Christ unto every particular Saint, and makes them sing, My beloved is mine, Christ is mine, My Lord and my God, Joh. 20.28, 29.
My beloved is unto me, &c.
All that Christ is, that he is to me, A friend to me, A Father to me, an husband to me, Christ is light to me, and life to me, He is Wisedome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification and Redemption unto me, 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ is my joy, my Comfort, my peace, my Mediator, my Advocate, my Saviour, yea Christ is all and in all to me, Col. 3.11.
Whatsoever the Scripture of truth witnesseth that Christ is unto those who have union in him, relation to him, and communion with him by the Spirit and Faith, Christ is the same unto every individual beleever. And none know experimentally what Christ is to his Spouse his Churches, his Saints but those Souls, that have the Communications of himself, of his holy Spirit & of his saving-sanctifying grace, applyed by faith unto themselves, Rev. 2.17. None knowes but he that receives.
Who knoweth that divine light, life and glory, which is revealed by the Spirit in the heart of a beleever but himself? 1 Cor. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. Or who can tell what spiritual comforts what refreshing joys, and what unspeakable peace, Jesus Christ is unto any poor Soul, save he or she, that do enjoy it, and himself with it, 1 Pet. 1.3, 5, 8. Ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory through beleeving in Christ. O blessed Saint! What is Christ to thee?
My beloved is unto me, the cheefest of Ten-thousand, He is my Lord, Phil. 3.8. my King, Rev. 15.3. my Saviour, Tit. 1.4. and my All, Col. 3.11. O sinner! What is Christ to thee?
Christ is nothing to me, I see no form nor comlinesse in him, saith the ignorant, impenitent, unbeleeving sinner, Jsai. 53.1, 2, 3. that I should desire him. Away with him, crucify him, We will not have this man to reign over us, Luk. 19.14.
Say ye to the Righteous that it shall be well with him, wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him, wo unto their Soul, For they have rewarded evill unto themselves, Jsa. 3.9, 10, 11. & Luk. 19.27.
As a Cluster of Camphire] The word [foreign] is sometimes taken for the Name of a Tree called a Cypresse Tree, which preserveth from putrefaction, and yeeldeth a sweet Savour. And so the Septuagint Translation renders the word here, [foreign] A Cluster of Cypresse is my beloved unto me. This Cypresse, is a Tree, shrub, or plant of rare virtue and operation, whose fruit grew in great Clusters, which were both beautifull, and medicinall, also it signifyeth a Propitiation, Deu. 21.8. an Expiation, Pro. 21.18. and a Ransome, Isa. 43.3. And so the Spouse here may have reference to the work and fruit of Christs death, whereby he became a Cluster of Redemption unto his Church; for as a Cluster consisteth of many berries compact together in one bunch; so the Redemption of Christ hath all saving mercy, sanctifying grace, and everlasting love compacted together, and all have their fragrancy, and spiritual Operation in the Application thereof unto beleevers, Ephes. 5.2. Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an Offering, and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour.
3 Meditation. The Benefits which beleevers have by the Redemption of Christ crucifyed are very many, very efficacious, and very sweet.
First, In general, all Spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus are the Benefits of our Redemption by Christ. Ephes. 1.3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Secondly, In the particular, Our union by Faith, the Pardon of sin, our Reconciliation with God, the Sanctification of our hearts and lives, our peace of conscience, and the Salvation of our Souls, are the Benefits of our Redemption by Christ, 1 Cor. 1.30. These areas a Cluster of Camphire, full of divine virtue, and spiritual sweetnesse unto beleevers, when they can apply these benefits unto themselves by Faith.
In the vineyards of Engedi.] Engedi was the name of a place in the land of Canaan, the lot of the Tribe of Judah in the wildernesse, Josh. 15.62. A very fruitfull Soyl, famous for vineyards, and fruitfull Trees, also strong holds, 1 Sam. 23.29. & Ezek. 47.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. This Engedi was the place where the Children of Moab, and the Children of Ammon came against Jehoshaphat to battel, called Hazazon-Tamar, which is Engedi. 2 Chron. 20.1, 2, 3, 14, 15, 17, 22, 23, 24. This noteth unto us the great Redemption, Salvation, and Victory which the Church and every particular Saint shall obtain by Christ crucifyed over all their Enemies. 1 Cor. 15.57. & Rom. 7.24, 25. & Rom. 8.37, 38, 39.
4 Meditation. Christ will be a strong hold, and horn of Salvation unto his Churches, and his Saints, in the midst of their greatest dangers. Isai. 4.5, 6. & Psal. 18.1, 2, 3. Christ hath been with his people in six troubles and in seven, he will not forsake them, Job. 5.19. For he hath said, No, I will not leave thee, no no I will never forsake thee, Heb. 13.5, 6. Five negatives are here used by the Spirit to confirm their Faith.
Also by the vineyards you may understand the Churches of Christ. Isai. 5.7. The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant. The Church of the Jewes was Gods vineyard, Cant. 8.12. My vineyard which is mine is before me. The vineyards of Engedi, do resemble the Churches of Saints in Gospel-times, (especially in the dayes of the Apostles) for fruitfulnesse, which was the Spouse's commendation both Metaphorically and Prophetically sung by Christ, Cant. 4.13, 14, 15, 16. Thy Plants are an Orchard of Pomegranats with pleasant fruits, Camphire, and Spikenard, all the Tree of Frankincense, Myrrhe, and Aloes, with all the cheefe Spices. Such vineyards were the Churches in Galatia, Asia, and Thessalonica, 2 Thes. 1.3. We are bound to thank God alwayes for you Brethren, as it is meet, because your Faith groweth exceedingly: and the love of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth.
These fruits of the Spirit did flow from Christ. Hos. 14.8. From me is thy fruit found. Christ is the vine, Joh. 15.1. And the fruits of his Spirit are the Clusters of grapes, Gal. 5.22, 23. And his Churches of Saints are the vineyards, Cant. 8.12. And the Saints are the grape-gatherers. Cant. 7.11, 12.13. And the Ordinances of God are the Baskets, wherein the bunches of grapes are put by the Husband-man (who is God the Father, Joh. 15.1.) that the Saints may receive them by the hand of Faith, Jer. 6.9. Turn back thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the Ba…kets. Go again to Gods holy Ordinances, where by the hand of faith thou mayest receive Spiritual gifts and fruits from Christ, and enjoy abundance of sweet Communion with Christ; who will be as a Cluster of Camphire in the vineyards of Engedi unto thy Soul.
5 Meditation. The Saints have most constant sweet Communion with Jesus Christ at his holy Ordinances in his Churches. 1 Joh. 1.3. & Psal. 132.13, 14, 15. I will abundantly blesse her provision, and her Saints shall shout for joy.
When a gratious Soul comes to the Church of God, and enjoyeth communion with Christ in his holy Ordinances, he is like one in the vineyards of Engedi gathering the first ripe fruits, such as his Soul desireth: And Christ is as a Cluster of Camphire unto him, full of divine sweetnesse, and spiritual blessings. There the Saints have hidden Manna, sincere Milk, spiritual bread, and living water: meat and drink which others know not of, Spiritual joyes, peace, and comforts, which strangers do not inter-meddle with: Psal. 65.4. Blessed is the Man, whom thou chusest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts, he shall be satisfyed with the goodnesse of thy house, even of thy holy Temple: To wit, the Church and Ordinances of God. There the Saints have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, 1 Joh. 1.3. There Christ and his Saints Sup together, Rev. 3.20. And he makes them a feast of fat things full of marrow, Isai. 25.6. That maketh the Spouse sing unto her well-beloved, a Song of her beloved, touching his vineyard, Isai. 5.1.
O how are the hunger-thirsty Soules of the poor Saints revived, refreshed, comforted, and satiated with the Communications of the Spirit and grace of Christ, in his holy Ordinances? when the Lord meets them, manifesteth himself to them, speaketh gracious words unto their hearts, and witnesseth his love, and sealeth it by his Spirit in the promisses of the new Covenant.