Exposition of Song of Solomon 1, Treatise · Verse 11
Vers. 11. We will make thee borders of gold, with studs of silver.
IN the former Verse was set forth the Churches present beauty under the Government of Abijah, and in this Verse you have a promise of the Churches and the Saints future glory illustrated, 1. By a Reformation of Religion. 2. By the Execution of good Laws; both which was performed in the Reign of Asa King of Judah, 2 Chron. 15.12, 16, 18.
We will make thee borders of gold] In this promise of the Churches future glory, observe, 1. The Person promising, God the Father, Word, and holy Spirit, who is three divine Subsistences in one divine Essence, 1 Joh. 5.7. We. 2. The Act of Gods power effecting this promise, We will make; that is, create, Isa. 65.17, 18, 19, 25. 3. The thing promised, to wit, future glory, figured forth here, 1. by borders of gold, 2. by studs of silver. And 4. the person unto whom this gracious promise of greater glory is made, Thee, which is the Church and Saints of God, Isa. 60.1, 2, 7, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22.
The words of this Verse being granted by all Expositors to be (in the Mysterie of this Scripture) Christs promise to his Church of future glory: And this word [We] expressing the Person that made this promise, it must necessarily be understood to be Christ, unto whom this word of the plural Number [We] may as properly be applyed as the word [Us] Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in our image. For by him were all things created, Col. 1.16, 17, 18. We, that is to say, Christ, who is God, Rom. 9.5. the Father, Isa. 9.6. the Word, Rev. 19.13. and the holy Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.17. which are one in Essence, and three in witness, 1 Joh. 5.7. And therefore He is often in the Scripture of truth described by a word of the plural Number; and so here, We will make, &c.
1 Meditation. The great mysterie of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in the Trinity, is unveiled and revealed in the Face of Christ, by the Spirit of God and Word of the Scripture, unto the hearts of Beleevers, 2 Cor. 4.6.
The only way of the true and right knowledge of God, is by Christ. Joh. 1.18. No man hath seen God at any time; the onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him. Christ is the Image of the invisible God, Col. 1.15. the Brightness of his glory, and the Character of his substance, Heb. 1.3. By whom God giveth forth a perfect representation and manifestation of himself. John 14.9. He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. And Vers. 7. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
So that in Christ, God the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit, (who are the Trinity, or three divine Subsistences, that bear record in heaven, 1 Joh. 5.7.) is to be seen and known, as by Name, Image, and Operations; and that in the unity of the divine Nature, for these three are one, 1 Joh. 5.7. It is the incommunicable privilege of Christ, to behold and enjoy the full vision and fruition of God, Matt. 11.27. As he and his Father is one, Joh. 10.3. God doth make known himself unto his Saints by Christ, 2 Cor. 4.4, 6. As he is Emamnuel, God with us, Mat. 1.23. who manifesteth himself unto Beleevers, Joh. 14.20, 21. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you.
We will make thee] Consider here, 1. The good pleasure of Gods will, We will. This favour is not forced, it's free-grace which Christ promiseth his Spouse, his Church, his Saints.
2 Meditation. It's mercy, not merit, that moved Christ to give his Saints grace, and to promise his Church future glory And if God will love the Saints freely, Hos. 14.4, 5. pardon their sins for his owne sake, Isa. 43.21, 22, 23, 24, 25. & justifie them freely, Rom. 3.24. sanctifie them & save them by grace, Eph. 2.8. What hath any poor tossed, tempted, troubled Soul to say against this rich and free grace of God towards poor sinners in Jesus Christ? Rom. 9.15, 16. For he saith, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. It's Gods good will. So if God will glorifie the house of his glory, and make the place of his feet (his Zion) glorious, Isa. 60.7, 13, 15. even an external excellency, Who hath any thing to say against it? We will make thee.
Consider 2. the Act of Christs power. To make is to create, Isa. 65.18. Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoycing, and her people a joy; which is thus expressed, Isa. 60.15. I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations, Isa. 45.8. I the Lord have created it. What the hand of the Lord doth, he is said to create, Isa. 41.20.
3 Meditation. The Saints grace and glory both in the beginnings and encreasings thereof, are the Operations of God the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit.
We will make thee, &c.] 1. A new Creature, Eph. 2.10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus, &c. Whosoever is in Christ is that new creature, 2 Cor. 5.17. II. A Renewed inward man, 2 Cor. 4.16. The inward man is renewed day by day; the inward man is the New man, the Man within, the hidden Man of the heart, the spiritual man, the Man in Christ, who is renewed daily by the Spirit of God, Tit. 3.4, 5, 6, 7. III. A New Jerusalem, Rev. 21.2, 3, 5, 6, 7. Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoycing, &c. Isa. 65.18. I will glorifie the house of my glory, Isa. 60.7, 13, 15.
Now all this grace and glory is figured out here by Borders of gold, and Studs of silver. Or, by Rows of gold, and Specks or knobs of silver. These Borders or Rowes, signifie a comely and orderly disposing of things for honor and ornament. Isa. 54.11, 12, 13. And all thy borders of pleasant stones. And hereby was typed forth the Righteousness of the Israel of God after the Spirit in the Lords portion of his Holy land. Compare Ezek. 45.1, 2. with Isa. 60.…1. And by Studs, Specks, or Knobs of silver, which were for greater beauty, lustre and glory unto the Church and Saints; you may understand the variety of spiritual gifts and graces yet more plentifully bestowed upon the Churches and Saints in Gospel times, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 6.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. which Christ here promised to give unto them.
4 Meditation. The Ministrations of the Spirit under the Gospel, with the gifts and graces accompanying the same, are much more glorious and excellent than those under the Law, 2 Cor. 3.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. therefore called, I. the ministration of the Spirit, Vers. 8. II. The ministration of Righteousness, Vers. 9. And III. the Excellency appeared in that the ministrations of the Gospel are to remain, Vers. 11.