Exposition of Song of Solomon 1, Treatise · Verse 2, 3, 4
Vers. 2, 3, 4. Let him kiss me, &c.
IN these three Verses, you have, I. The Churches confession of Christs favour towards her, vers. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers, amplified by the effects of that favour; to wit, 1. Spiritual joy; We will be glad and rejoyce in thee. 2. The recording of Christs love; We will remember thy love more than wine. II. The Churches Profession of her spiritual affection unto Christ, The upright love thee; amplified by a reason thereof, vers. 3. Because of the savour of thy good oyntments, thy name is as oyntment poured forth; therefore do the Virgins love thee. III. The Churches Prayer, wherein, 1. She affectionately desireth the manifestation of his favour and pledge of his love in the Ministery of the Gospel, vers. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, and gives a reason of her desire; For thy love is better than wine. 2. She begs the attractive power of the Spirit of Christ upon her heart, vers. 4. Draw me; and promiseth her Evangelical Obedience unto Christ in all his wayes; We will run after thee.
In the letter or Historical part of these three Verses, Solomon declared the state of the Church during the time of his Reign and Dominion over all Israel, which was a time of Peace to the Church of the Jewes, 1 King. 4.25. The Prophetical mystery of this part of the Song may fitly be accommodated unto the peaceable state of the Churches of Christ under the Gospel in the dayes of the Apostles; Then had the Churches rest, and walking in the fear of the Lord, [that is to say, Worshipping God in his Ordinances, for they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread, and in prayers, Act. 2.42, 46.] and in the comfort of the holy Spirit, Act. 9.31. The spiritual sense of this Scripture is applicable unto the condition of every Saint, with respect unto the first love of his Espousals, Jer. 2.2, 3. In the day of the gladness of his heart, Cant. 2.11. When the King brought him into his Chambers Cant. 1.4.
Thus Solomon brings in the Spouse of Christ personating the Church of the Jewes under the Law, in the Letter, the Churches of Beleevers under the Gospel, in the Mysterie; and every particular Saint in the Spirit, Singing,
Let him kiss me, with the kisses of his mouth, &c.] Let him. She doth not name him, but it appeareth (vers. 4.) that she intended King Jesus her Beloved: as Mary did Iohn 20.15. Sir, If thou hast born him hence, &c. She meant her Lord Jesus Christ. Neither doth she Name her self, but it was the Church of Christ, his Spouse, his Dove, Cant. 2.14. who is here personated.
1 Meditation. Christ and his Spouse know each other better than by Name [that is, by outward appearance] I know my sheep, and am known of mine, Joh. 10.14. They know each others Voyce, Isa. 30.19. & Joh. 10.4. They know each others Face, Cant. 2.14. & 2 Cor. 4.6. They know each others Hearts, Jer. 20.12. & Cant. 8.6.
Let him kiss me] It was the custome of friends to salute with a kiss, as a pledge of Compassion, Luk. 15.20. Also of Blessing, 2 Sam. 19.39. and of Love, Gen. 29.11, 13. Greet one another with a kiss of love, 1 Pet. 5.14. Let him kiss me; that is, Let Christ, my Beloved, manifest his Compassion, Blessing, and Love unto me, his Spouse. It is usual in Scripture by a Kiss, to understand the things signified thereby. Every one shall kiss the lips of him that giveth a right answer, Pro. 24.26. that is to say, shall favour and honour him. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other; that is to say, are joyned together.
2 Meditation. Gracious Soules do greatly desire some Pledge or Manifestation of Christs love, favour, grace, and blessing. The Spouse was love-sick for Christ, and longed for some love-token from him: She could not live without the loves of Christ, nor be satisfied without some Pledge of his Love, some Manifestation of his favour, and some communication of his grace, Cant. 2.4, 5, 6.
With the kisses of his mouth] Kisses, one Pledge of Christs love, one Manifestation of his Grace, one Injoyment of himself could not satisfie the Spouse, She doth affectionately desire and pray for Kisses, that is to say, abundance of Grace and peace, joy and comfort, blessings and favours from Christ, which God blesseth his poor Saints withall in Christ Jesus, Ephes. 1, 1.2, 3, 4. Of his mouth, that is, the words of Christs mouth. And all wondred at the gracious words, which proceeded out of his mouth, Luk. 4, 12. to wit, the Doctrine of the Gospel preached by the Apostles, Act. 15.7. The Promises of grace which Christ speaketh into the hearts of his Saints with spirit and life, Joh. 6.63. The Fruit of the Lip, which God creates to speak peace peace, to him that is near, and to him that is far off, Isa. 57.19. that is, both to Jew and Gentile through beleeving, Rom. 15.13. in Christ, his mouth is most sweet, Cant. 5.16.
3 Meditation. The gracious words of Christ spoken in the Ministery of the Gospel to the ear, and applyed by the Spirit of God to the heart of his Spouse and people, do communicate abundant grace, peace, and spiritual blessings unto their Souls, Ephes. 1.1, 2, 3. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, Revel. 2.17.
For thy Love is better then Wine] Love or loves, to wit, Nuptial loves, Conjugal loves, Divine and spiritual loves of Christ, whereof his Kisses were a Pledge; She speaks in the plural number to note, 1. The Abundance and increase of Christs love. 2. The constancy and continuance of Christs love. And 3. The endless and everlastingnesse of Christs love unto his Spouse, his Churches, and his Saints.
4 Meditat. The love of Christ [to wit, his heart-affection] unto his Spouse, is abundant, constant, and everlasting 1. Christs love is abundant. The love of God is shed abroad … our hearts by the holy Spirit, Rom. 5.5. 2. Christs love … constant, Having loved his own he loved them unto the en… Joh. 13.1. And 3. Christs Love is everlasting, Jer. 31.3. have loved thee with an everlasting love. Christ cannot, will not cease to love his Saints; he may hide his face, but he will not, cannot withhold his bowels, Isa. 57.17, 18. compared with Jer. 31.18, 19, 20. & Isa. 49.14, 15, 16.
Is better then wine [or, good before wine] that is to say, more pleasant, sweet, comfortable or refreshing then wine: Wine maketh glad the heart of man, Psal. 104.15. It maketh the heart merry, Eccl. 10.19. It causeth a man of an heavy heart to forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more, Prov. 31.6. Wine being an excellent creature is [Sinecdochically] put for all Creature-comforts, wherewith the Loves of Christ being compared, doth far far excel. [Thy loves are good before wine] Good, that is to say, Positively good, or Absolutely good; to wit, good in its self, and good in its communication. 2. Comparatively good, if compared unto Wine, or any other creature Comfort, it is better then wine; 3. Superlatively good, if by Wine you understand all the good things of this life, all Creature excellencies whatsoever; the Loves of Christ are preferred by his Spouse before them all: Thy loves are good before wine, as exceeding and excelling all the things of this world in the highest degree.
5 Meditation. The Loves of Christ to his Spouse do exceed and excell all the Creature-comforts, enjoyments, and excellencies of this world whatsoever. Psal. 30.7. How excellent is thy loving-kindness? Beyond all expression. Thy loving-kindness is better then life, Psal. 63.3. better then Honour, Riches, &c. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. Who can comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge? Ephes. 3.18, 19. The exceeding unsearchable Riches of his grace is shewed in his loving-kindness towards his Spouse and people, Ephes. 2.7. & 3.8. Which made the Apostle cry out, Rom. 11.33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God!