Exposition of Song of Solomon 1, Treatise · Verse 16
Vers. 16. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea pleasant, also our bed is green.
THe Spouse doth return praise unto Christ her beloved, expressing his beauty; which she setteth forth 1. by a note of admiration, Behold, 2. by a Title of affection, My Beloved, 3. by an assertion of his excellent beauty, Thou art fair, 4. by an addition to his praise, yea pleasant. And 5. by the blessing of their mutual marriage Communion, Also our bed is green.
Behold thou art fair, my beloved] As if she should say, my beloved Lord Jesus Christ; I have in obedience unto thy command, considered of that Spiritual beauty and comlines, which I received from thee, and do admire that beauty in its fountain, even thy self my beloved, for thou art fair, and whatsoever beauty I have, I have it from thee, and from thy fulnesse have we all received grace for grace.
1 Meditation. Christ is most beautiful in himself, and the fountain of all the spiritual beauty in the Churches and Saints. Cant. 5.9, 10, 16.
Christ is beautiful in himself, if considered, 1. In the form of a Servant. Phil. 2.7. Isai. 42.1. Behold my Servant, in whom my Soul delighteth. Isai. 49.6. It is a light thing, that thou shouldest be my Servant, to raise up the Tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Jsrael: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the ends of the earth. If the feet of the Messengers (who bring glad tidings of Salvation to the ears of poor lost and perishing Sinners, Rom. 10.15.) be beautiful; How beautiful is Christ crucifyed (who purchased that Salvation for them, and brings the glad tidings thereof into their hearts, and preacheth the Gospel of peace to their Soules, Ephes. 2.16, 17.) unto his Saints, who hath done all this for them in the form of a Servant. Christ is more beautiful if considered, 2. in the form of a Son, Dan. 3.23. bearing the Image of the Father, Heb. 1.3. In whose face the Saints do behold the light of the glory of God, 2 Cor. 4.6. And in beholding are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18. By whom beleevers are made Sons. Joh. 1.22. And receive the Spirit of Sonship or Adoption, Gal. 3.26. & 4.6. Whereby they can call God their Father. Rom. 8.15.16. And by that Spirit of Adoption & Sonship all the Saints have accesse through him unto the Father. Ephes. 2.18. And many other dignities and privileges of Sonship, which are the glorious liberties of the Sons of God.
Christ is most beautiful, if considered, 3. in the form of God, Phil. 2.6. The brightnesse of his glory, Heb. 1.3. The Appearence of the likeness of the Glory of God, Ezek. 1.26, 28. The full knowledge of God in Christ is too wonderful and high to be attained by Beleevers, whilest they are in this corruptible state, and tabernacle of clay, Job 11.7, 8. & 1 Tim. 6.16. He dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see. Yet Christ is that living Word of God, whereby God speaks forth himself, and the riches, yea and fulness of his grace and glory, in such a measure, and by such wayes and means as the Creature is made capable to receive the discovery thereof. 2 Cor. 4.6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. And when the Saints are in the visions of the glory of God, and sees by faith that invisible glory in the face of Jesus Christ, they can experience this admirable transcendent beauty of Christ, which the Spouse here sings of, and say Amen to it, Thou art fair my Beloved.
Christ is the fountain of all the spiritual beauty in the Churches, and in every Saint: It is he that decketh his Spouse, his Churches and his Saints with spiritual ornaments of grace, Ezek. 16.11, 12. cloaths her with the garments of Salvation, and covers her with the robe of righteousness, Isa. 60.10. Christ beautifieth his Saints with the gifts and fruits of his holy Spirit, and adorneth them with faith, love, patience, zeal, meekness, humility and self-denial. Thus they are beautiful through Christs comeliness which he puts upon them, Ezek. 16.13, 14. To every one is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Eph. 3.7. & Joh. 1.16. And from his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace. Thus the Spouse gives the praise of the grace of God in her unto Christ, from whom she received it, admiring and commending his beauty, and that with lively and spiritual affection unto himself.
My beloved] Something hath been spoken of the Spouses, the Churches, and the Saints affections unto Christ, in the 7, 13, & 14 verse. The sweet gradation in her variety of expression, noteth the ardency of her affection unto Christ, whom the Spouse stileth, My beloved, v. 14. My wel-beloved, v. 13. O thou whom my Soul loveth! v. 7. Christ was the sole object of her Souls love in the day of her Espousals, whereof Christ keeps a divine record, bearing the remembrance of their kindness and cordial loves in his heart, Jer. 2.2. Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals. And doth the Spouse cool in her spiritual affections unto Christ, or fall off, and leave her first love? Nay, she is constant in her love to Christ, as appears by this continued Epithte, My beloved. Which words express, 1 Her Propriety in Christ. 2. Her Affection to Christ [the word Beloved (being an Adjective, must have a Substantive supplyed) and implyes] 3 Her Relation unto Christ, who is her Beloved friend, Cant. 5.16. Father, 2 Cor. 6.18. and Husband, 2 Cor. 11.2.
2 Meditation. Gracious Souls are greatly in love with the Lord Jesus Christ, and being espoused unto him, they own a propriety in him, have near and dear relation to him, and he is the onelyonly object of all their spiritual affections.
Love is such a boundless affection, that when it is once fixed upon a suitable or desirable object, it knows no measure nor no end of its longing and thirsting desires to enjoy its Beloved: It was so with David's Soul, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. And thus it was with the Spouse, Cant. 2.5. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love. Oh! how highly doe gracious Souls esteem Christ? Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. How doe they love him? Cant. 5.8. and prize him? 1 Pet. 2.7. They love his presence, long for his appearance, mouth after him, rejoyce in him, and delight in his love. Espoused Souls challenge a Propriety in Christ. Cant. 6.3. My beloved is mine. Joh. 20.28. My Lord, and my God. Phil. 3.8. Christ Jesus my Lord. Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my Soul. It's the property of Faith to own a Propriety in Christ. Faith saith, All that Christ is, and all that Christ hath, that he is to me, and that he hath for me, Gal. 2.20. Whole Christ is mine, my Righteousness, my Sanctification, my Redemption, 1 Cor. 2.30. and my All in All, Col. 3.11. Ad this propriety of Relation doth exceedingly engage the Spouses affection to love Christ, to admire Christ, and to style Christ her Beloved.
Yea pleasant] This is another Epithite of love, and an addition of praise, which the Spouse gives unto her Beloved, Lord Jesus Christ. The word [foreign] signifieth pleasant, amiable, delightful, beautiful: And so is Christ, he is altogether lovely, Cant. 5.16. most desirable, none like Christ, none so amiable as Christ, Cant. 5.10.
3 Meditation. The Saints take delight and pleasure in her Covenant-union and Marriage-communion with Jesus Christ their spiritual Husband. Psal. 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.
The Saints do delight themselves in the Lord, the messenger of the Covenant, Mal. 3.2. And ought to doe so. Psal. 37.4. They delight in his commandements. Psal. 119.35, 47. O how pleasant is Christ for delights? Look what pleasure men and women find in earthly things, and Creature-contentments, and what delight they take in the empty, fading vanities, honours, riches, and glories of this world; the like, and far greater pleasure and delight doe the poor Saints in their measure, take in Christ, and the things of Christ. Ps. 119.14. I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches.
No Friend like Christ, no Father like Christ, no Husband like Christ, to a gracious Soul. My beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand, Cant. 5.10. What love is like Christs? 1 Joh. 3.1. What worldly riches is to be compared with the exceeding unsearchable riches of Christ? Eph. 3.8. What are earthly dignities unto the glorious liberties & dignities of the Sons of God? How are the hearts of beleevers ravished with the loves of Christ? How exceedingly are the Saints delighted with beholding of the glory of God in the face of Christ? They care not who frown, so Christ smile, so they doe but live in the light of his countenance, and have the communications of his Spirit and grace in his holy Ordinances, and in other dispensations of God towards them.
Our bed is green] By Bed you are to understand, First, the Ordinances of God, wherein Christ and his Saints enjoy mutual Marriage-communion together. Our bed, that is to say, our Marriage-communion together, which is mutually enjoyed in the holy Ordinances of God, wherein Christ and his Spouse, his Churches, his Saints do sup together, Rev. 3.20. In which respects the Church of God is called his House, 1 Tim. 3.15. And the Ordinances of God being the means of Grace wherein Christ and his Saints have spiritual communion together, they are fitly resembled by a Bed; for Souls are converted in Zion by those means of grace. Psal. 87.2, 5, 6. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her.
Secondly, by Bed you may understand also the Hearts of beleevers espoused to Jesus Christ. The Churches of God are his Garden, and the Saints are his beds of spices. Cant. 6.2. My beloved is gone down into the garden, to the bed of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather Lillies. These beds of Spices are the Breasts of his Saints, where Christ lieth all night, Cant. 1.13. called Solomon's Bed, watched and guarded with the weapons of our spiritual warfare, because of the fear in the night. Cant. 3.7, 8. A bed of Love. Ezek. 23.17.
This adjunct [green] signifieth the flourishing and fruitful condition of the Churches and Saints, who are like a green Olive-tree in the House of God, Psal. 52.8. & 92.12, 13, 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree these that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall be fat and flourishing.
4 Meditation. The conversing with Jesus Christ in his holy Ordinances, maketh a spring of graces, comforts, experiences, and all other spiritual fruits in the hearts of Beleevers, Eph. 4.15. 2 Thes. 1.3. Your faith groweth exceedingly. And Col. 2.19. increaseth with the increase of God.
The spiritual dews, showers, and shinings of Christ upon the beds of spices, the hearts of his Saints, in their spiritual communion with him in his holy Ordinances, maketh them grow as the Lilly, and as the Vine. Hos. 14.5, 6, 7, 8. I will be as the dew unto Israel, and Ephraim shall say, I am like a green fir-tree.
All the Saints greenness and fruitfulness springs from their union and communion with Jesus Christ, he giveth more grace, Jam. 4.6. Thus Zion cometh to have many Converts, Psal. 87.2, 5, 6. called, the precious Sons of Zion, and the comely daughters of Jerusalem, begotten by the Word of truth, Jam. 2.18. and born again of the incorruptible seed of the Spirit, 1 Pet. 1.23. And every Son and Daughter of Zion doe hereby grow in grace, and are made fruitful in faith, love, patience, meeknesse, humility, zeal and self-denial; in both which respects the Spouse sings, Our bed is green. Zion is not like a desolate Widow, or like a barren woman, but like a married woman, whose Maker is her Husband, by whom she hath many children, and much spiritual fruit, Isa. 54.1, 2, 5, 13.