Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 6 · the Song of Solomon · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
LEt him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better then wine. This is the voyce of the Church, or Vers. 2. The Bride. Justus Orgel.of the Soule touching Christ, saith Justus Orgelitanus, being sensible of Gods wrath for our sinnes, and desirous of the reconciliation, which is by him offered, 2 Cor. 5. 20. O, saith the soule of the penitent Sinner, let God bee friends with me againe through his Christ, and kisse me, as the Father of the prodigall did him, returning with a Luk. 15.kisse of the greatest love; as when man and wife have been at variance, and the fault hath been only in the wife, if she can get a kisse of him, a reconcilement is made, and this cheareth the heart more then wine, although it be specially given to cheare Psal. 104.mans heart. Therefore man being exhorted to reconcile himselfe to God, is exhorted in these words, kisse the Son lest he be angry.Psal. 2.
Gregory saith, he kisseth us, when he inspireth his grace and love into our hearts, Gregory.for by thus doing, he maketh us, through the delight that we have herein, to come out of our selves, joying now in nothing else, but in him, and desiring nothing else; as Paul said of himselfe, when he was thus inspired, that he esteemed the Phil. 3. 7, 8.things, which before he highly accounted of, yea, all of them, but as drosse, and dung. And the soule saith, Let him kisse me, because that unlesse he preventeth Note. me with his inspirations, I cannot move towards him to kisse him.
The beginning of the love and grace of God in us then, is in his love towards us, according to that of John, we love him, because he loved us first; but although 1 Joh. 4. 10.there be no good motions in us towards our Saviour, of any availe to make us to goe unto him, yet we must desire him, as we are able, and say, Let him kisse me, that we may be thus inspired, as we are stirred up to doe continually, by the Word, Psal. 45. Ioh. 7.where he is set forth to be the fairest of all men, and his lips full of grace, and he that thirsteth, let him come unto me; and taught exemplarily in David, saying, As the heart panteth after the rivers of water, so my soule thirsteth after thee, Psal. 42.O God. And when the soule doth thus, then Christ, her most loving Husband, is ready to answer her desire, to intimate which, the soule, as being here-with refreshed, saith, thy love is better then wine; Gregor. Thy dugges are better, out Gregor.of which milke cometh, to nourish the faithfull in all piety, to the great refreshing thereof; and the word Hebr. is foreign by Jerom commonly rendred Dugges; and Gregory saith, that these two Dugges are the love of God, and of our Neighbour, which we have from Christ, and have more refreshing hereby, then by all the things of the world, because these nourish, the cares of the world kill.
Justus by these Dugges; and the Milke coming here-from, understandeth the Justus Orgel.Doctrine of the Gospel, set forth by Christ, and his Apostles, which excelleth that of the Law, because it reacheth more perfect love, not only of our neighbours, but even of our enemies; whereas the Law saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But neither the Law, nor worldly cares are here related to, but the most chearing thing to the heart, which is wine; but the love of Christ shed abroad in the heart, makes it more glad, then the best wine in the world, when once by faith the soule comes to be made sensible hereof; for it pacifieth the mind, and strengthens it to beare all tentations, and it giveth quiet thereunto, it being thus made the seat of wisdome. It seemes to me, that it is better rendred Loves, as by Ainsworth, because it is the speech of a Bride to her Bride-groom, as Christ and his Church are compared, Joh. 3. and therefore these two are the interlocutours throughout all this Song; and to a Bride-groome it is improper, to ascribe Dugges, as to a woman.
Because of the savour of thy good oyntments, thy name is as an oyntment poured Vers. 3.forth, therefore doe the virgins love thee; That is, because of the gifts and graces of thy Spirit given to thy faithfull people, making them gratefull, wheresoever the fame hereof is diffused, thy name Jesus cometh to be famous every where, for this name is delectable above all names, and hereunto all things doe reverence Phil. 2. 9.by bowing the knee. The oyntments giving so gratefull a savour, were gifts of miraculous operations, Faith, Patience, Meeknesse, Righteousnesse, Love, and Joy, for which the soules of these, to whom the sweet smell hereof came in every Nation that loved Christ; according to this the Apostle saith, We are a sweet smelling 2 Cor. 2. 15.savour to God in every place.
Draw me, we will run after thee, the King brought me into his chambers, Vers. 4.we will be glad, and rejoyce in thee, we will remember thy love more then wine, the upright love thee. Here is further implyed, where the love of the Soule to Christ beginneth, and what is the efficient cause hereof, viz. his drawing of it by his unspeakeable love, and by his Spirit unto him, according to which he saith, No man can come to me, except the Father draweth him. But being thus drawne, all Joh. 6. 44.beleevers, as one, not only goe, but run after him, which is implyed by the change of the number, draw me, and we will run.
They that are taken with the true love of Christ cannot by any impediment be stayed from following him, so farre doth their love of him exceed the love of all worldly things, so that they now delay not the time of following him; Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, Brethren and Sisters, House or Land cannot stay them, nor the love of worldly pleasures, or profits, one day or houre from beginning Note. this their happy race, the end whereof will be a Crowne incorruptible. And this makes against those, that like Lot and his Wife, and Daughters, linger still in Sodom, and make no haste to turne from their sinnes, as thinking that they may doe this time enough afterwards. But Paul according to that which is here, saith, I 2 Tim. 4. 8.have fought a good fight, and run a good race, and so was sure of the Crowne; the King brought me into his chambers.
What are these chambers, saith Gregory, or cellars, as he calleth them, but the Gregor.Mysteries of the holy Scriptures, into which Christ, the King, bringeth the Soule, when he giveth it the understanding hereof, as he said to his Apostles, To you it is Matth. 13. 11, 12.given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of Heaven, who so is brought hither, immediatly cryeth out, we will be glad and rejoyce in thee. Now it being knowne what the incomparable love of Christ is towards us, in shedding his bloud for us, we have joy herein above all joyes, even above that which is in wine, all worldly things being despised in comparison, the upright shall love thee; That Note. is, all who walke not in crooked wayes of sinne, but in the right and streight way, understanding this, will love thee with the like love of the highest degree, and worldly things no more; so that if he, who so liveth in sinne, hath not the love of Christ in him, although outwardly he carrieth the matter never so closely, as Hypocrites doe, that live in sinne, but it cometh not out till afterwards, as the Apostle saith, Some mens sins goe before, and in some they follow after. They say, they 1 Tim. 5. 24.love him, but in their deeds denying him they are proved lyars, for the upright only love him, because no man can love sinne and Christ also, for what agreement betwixt 2 Cor. 6. 17:righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse?
I am blacke, but comly (O yee Daughters of Jerusalem,) as the tents of Vers. 5.Kedar, and as the curtaines of Salomon. Because it was before said, the upright wil love thee, lest for this it should be thought, that the righteous and faithfull Servants of God are without sinne, and might thinke themselves so, the Church here confesseth; I am blacke, yet comly; the vulgar, faire, and as the skin of Salomon.
Kedar, saith Gregory, setteth forth blacknesse, for so it signifieth; Salomon is pacifique; That is, Christ who maketh peace betwixt God and man. I am black Gregor.then, saith the faithfull soule, by reason of my sinnes, as Kedar, but comly, or faire through the love of this Salomon, who hath washed us with his bloud from every Ephes. 5.spot and wrinckle; through the corruption then that still remaineth in us, we that beleeve, and love Christ, are blacke, but through Christs righteousnesse, made ours by faith, we are faire, as one saith well; Christ loved a filthy and soul Church, Ecclesiam foedam & turpem amavit, ut Pulchram redderet.that he might make her faire. Now for as much as the true faithfull soule confesseth her selfe to be black, through sinne still cleaving unto her, what is to be thought of the Antinomians, who say, that they are without sinne, and God can see no sin Note. in them, and therefore they condemne in the justified all confessing of sins? Surely they are not led by the Spirit, whereby the truly faithfull are led, and therefore are not of that body; and so whilst they are this conceitedly righteous, they have no true righteousnesse at all; and whilst they say they are without sinne, they have in them nothing but sinne, instead of their imagined righteousnesse.
Justus Orgel. saith the same with Gregory, touching the Churches confessing her selfe black by sinne; but he further saith, Shee calls her selfe blacke for Persecutions, Justus Orgel.and sufferings, and debasements by Tyrants, of which Paul saith, We are made the off-scouring of all things; and the Psalmist, Though yee have laine Psal. 68. 13.among the pots, and have been black, yet yee shall be as a Dove, that hath silver wings, and her feathers of gold.
Where both black and faire is spoken of, and by the skin of Salomon, he understandeth death, in which, as Beasts that be killed and flayed, Christians were in the Primitive Church continually, according to that also of the Apostle, who further saith, in speaking of the sufferings of the Church, We beare about in our bodies the death of our Lord Jesus. And this speech is directed to the daughters of Jerusalem to intimate, that the Gospel should goe first out from thence, but by the Jewes be rejected, and persecuted, and by the Heathen also, whereby the Jewes were more hardned, as judging the Christian religion hated of God, sith the professours thereof were so persecuted, and mocked.
The word here used, foreign signifieth either skin, or curtaine, which may be thought to be all one, because the Tabernacle was covered with skins, and hereby hidden, as a roome with Curtaines drawne; but by Salomons skin I cannot understand another comparison that setteth forth blacknesse, but because all things about him were faire and glorious, beauty, and this best answereth to these words, but comly, or faire, as the tents of Kedar to these, I am blacke; the Arabians tents, meant by the tents of Kedar, being black and foule, as best fitted a rude and poore people, such as they were in Arabia Petroea.
Looke not upon me because I am blacke, because the Sun hath looked upon Vers. 6.me, my mothers children were angry with me, they made me the keeper of the Vine-yards, but mine own Vine-yard have I not kept. Here by the Sun, Gregory understands Christ, in comparison of whom the Soule of the most holy man is black, Gregor.and by mothers children, the Apostles, the children of the Jewish Church; and he will have her that speaketh, the Church, or Congregation of them that first imbraced the Gospel, whether Jewes or Gentiles, and their anger against this Church, their anger at their Idolatries, and Superstitions, from which yet the Apostles having converted them, set them up, to keep and stablish them in the faith, whereinto they had converted them, many Nations; but saith he, that was a Jew by nature, but now faithfull, Mine owne vine-yard have I not kept; That is, the Jewish Church, which still remained in infidelity, and put the Gospel away from her. But in this Exposition things are much forced, in that the Sun making blacke is here expounded of Christ, and the Brethren of the Church, or her mothers sons angry with her, of the Apostles: I rather conceive that by the sunne is meant heat of persecution, as in the parable, for that tanneth and maketh blacke, and so this Matth. 13.blacknesse answereth to that, vers. 5. according to one exposition thereupon; and then in saying, Look not upon me because I am black, she meaneth to despise me, for her Mothers children that were angry with her, and set her to keep the Vine-yards, these more probably were enemies then friends, for brethren are angry with their brethren, that are not of their owne minde; but contrary, although their wayes be never so evill, as David saith, that his brethren stood afarre off from him, and the Scribes and Pharisees were angry at any Disciples that followed Christ, and Hereticks with the Orthodox, that opposed them in their Heresies. And it is here to be noted, that he saith, My mothers children, implying hereby such as were of Israel, but not Israel, or Jews indeed, as the Apostle saith, All are not Israel, Rom: 9. Rom. 2. 28, 29.that be of Israel & he is not a Jew that is one outward, but he that is one within, and therefore it is not said, My Fathers Children; that is, Gods children, and therefore they were not the Apostles, but the superstitious Jewes, the Phairsees. Then in saying, they set me to keep the vine-yards, it must be meant, by their wrath against me, and unkinde usage of me, they put me from them, and taking care any more about their conversion, that going from them I might keep other Vine-yards; That is, teach the Gospel amongst the Gentiles for their conversion, and then watch over and keep them; yet this is my griefe, My owne vine-yard I have not kept; That is, the Congregation or Church of the Jewes, Esa. 5.which the Prophet Esay setteth forth, as the Vine-yard of the Lord of Hosts, and this is spoken in the person of any Apostle sent out by our Lord Christ then, to preach only to the Jewes, but not to the Gentiles, or Samaritans, which therefore either of them calleth his owne Vine-yard; and what a griefe it was to them that they could not keep this, and dresse it to fructification, we may see by the Apostle Paul, who Rom. 9.professed, that he had continuall heavinesse for those his brethren in the flesh.
In all this Ainsworth agreeth, except in that of their setting her to keep the Ainsw.Vine-yards, which he understandeth of agreeing to Superstitions, and Heresies, which because the truly faithfull would not doe, they were angry with them.
Justus Orgel. agreeth with him in this also, but he saith the same in the premises Justus Orgel.with that which went before, and addeth, that they also are meant who imbraced the Gospel, but not so sincerely, that stood for the ceremonies of the Law, as necessary to be observed, as appeareth, Act. 15. and in the Epistle to the Galathians, for they were angry with such as would not observe them, and made contention hereabout. Bernard followeth Gregory, to me it seemeth cleare, that this setting of her to keep the Vine-yards is, as I before said. Thus the Jewes raising persecution against Christians, caused their flying from Jerusalem, and scattering amongst the Gentiles, by meanes whereof both Vine-yards were planted, Acts 8.and kept in other places.
7 Tell me (O thou) whom my soule loveth, where thou feedest, where thou Vers. 7.makest thy flock to rest at noon? for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? All such as are without Christ, are without Gregory.rest, or shadow, in the heat of the day at noon, because they live in sin, which burneth in them by divers lusts, they are tossed with many evill cogitations, as the waves Esa. 57. 20, 21 Psal. 91. Rom. 5. 1.of the Sea, that never is quiet, only when the spirit of faith, and the feare of God cometh into the heart, there is shadow, and rest under this shadow, being justified by faith we have peace with God; where the Flock of Christ resteth, there the soule inquireth, that knowing it, she may with all speed come hither, and rest securely, being delivered from the dominion of sinne, which causeth torment in the conscience, as by the heat of fire in such as are without the grace of Sanctification, to lead holy and new lives. In particular, an evill tongue is a fire, and by fleshly Jam. 3. Rom. 7.lusts men are said to burne, where rest in this shadow is to be had none knoweth, but he that is come to it; till this time we inquire, and are seeking, and who so doth, is happy, for he beginneth to be the Spouse, if he doth it with an heart desirous hereof above all other things, and Christ will answer the desire of his soule, as appeareth, vers. 8.
But who are the Flocks of his companions, of turning aside, by whom the soule is so much afraid? they are degenerated Christians, who sometime joyned themselves to Christ, by professing his faith, and so in outward appearance were his brethren, and companions, or friends, as he told his Disciples that they were, but falling into divers errours, their chiefe indeavour after this is to corrupt and seduce others into the same errours. And it is to be noted, that having spoken of Christs Flock as one, of these, it is spoken as divided into divers Sects, as Hereticks alwayes are, and so they make not one, but many flocks, some holding some errours, and some others, as the Sectaries of these times doe, some being Anabaptists, some Brownists, some Antinomians, &c. the true reformed Protestant Religion being forsaken. And this is a manifest signe of degenerated Christians, that they who are gone out from us, are at such difference amongst themselves, some being for Presbytery, and some for Independency, even at daggers drawing, as we ay; at this the Romane Catholicks rejoyce, nothing doubting now, but that all we Protestants are the Apostatizing companions here meant, and that they are the true Catholike Church of Christ.
But although falling from the true faith, and so of a flock being turned to be divers flocks, argueth apostatizers, and degenerating companions, yet this speakes not for the foresaid Catholicks, in what unity soever they agree amongst themselves, they having made so foule a defection from the true faith in many things, no more then the unity, into which Herod and Pontius Pilate came, when they agreed together against Christ, spake for them; but those amongst us, that doe so degenerate, may well be confounded, to thinke into what a predicament they have brought themselves by their new Opinions, and repent.
Ainsworth by the resting at noone here spoken of, understandeth in time of persecution, Ainsworth.according to the allegory of the Sun before going; the Cald. Paraphrast, and other Rabbins understand it of the time of the Jewes captivity, as here Prophesied of, the Church living amongst Idolaters, then being sollicitous about her being directed so, as she might not be drawne away by the errours of Heathen Idolaters.
Justus Orgel. by resting at noon day, understandeth the light of the Gospell Justus Orgel.brightly shining, the soule desireth to be directed to the true Church, that she may not erre after flocks of Hereticks, called Christs companions, because for their beleeving of Christs Nativity, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension aright, they are taken to be true Christians, and so there is danger of being deceived by them, without good direction from Christ.
If thou knowest not (O thou fairest among women) goe thy way forth by the Vers. 8. The Bridegroome.foot-steps of the Flock, and feed thy Kids besides the tents of the shepheards. As the Church, the Bride, spake hitherto, and said; Although I be black, yet I am comly; so now the Bridegroom saith, (O thou fairest amongst women) That is, by the beauty by me given unto thee, as was noted before; and he giveth her direction how to know assuredly where he feeds his flocke, that she may not be curned aside by the inticements of the flockes of his counterfeit companions. Goe thy way forth by the foot-steps of the Flocke, and feed thy Kids besides the tents of the shepheards; That is, goe in the way of the faith and obedience, wherein other servants of mine of old have gone, and yee that are shepheards now, feed your Kids; that is, young and tender Christians, besides, or nigh to the tents of the ancient Shepheards, the Prophets, under the Old Testament, and the Apostles under the New, teaching nothing, but what they have taught, and laid thee downe sure grounds for, he that doth thus, pitcheth his tents nigh their tents, and shall be sure not to erre. Of walking in the steps of the obedience of Abrahams faith, see Heb. 11. Rom. 4. 12. and 2 Cor. 12. 18. Walke in the same Spirit, in the same foot-steps; and for Kids figuring out the best, as well as the worst, see Exod. 12. 5. where a Lambe or Kid is indifferently appointed to be taken for the Passe-over, typifying Christ, and two Goates in the day of expiation, the one taken and Sacrificed, the other the scape Goatlet goe into the Wildernesse, represented him more fully, both in his Humanity and Divinity. Lastly, for having regard to the Shepheards, or Teachers, who are approved for sound, to follow, and to keep our tents near theirs, or upon theirs. as the word also signifieth, Ephes. 2. 20. Built upon the Prophets and Apostles, &c. Heb. 13. 7. Looke at them that preach the Word unto you, to follow them, &c. 1 Cor. 11. Follow me, saith Paul, as I follow Christ.
Hitherto Ainsworth agreeth, who also alledgeth Salom. Jarchi, and the Chalde Ainsw.Paraphrast speaking to the same effect. But whereas he rather by the tents of the Shepheards, understands such Ministers of Satan, as transforme themselves into Angels of Light, the companions before spoken of, vers. 7. I can by no meanes assent unto him, or the said Jarchi, who saith the same, because such are no where simply called shepheards, but with some further addition, expressing them to be evil, as Joh. 10. and in many other places. Much lesse can I ascribe to Gregory, or Gregor. Justus Orgel.Justus here, who understand these words, as no direction to keepe them from errour, bat as if he had said; If thou knowest not, goe forth by the steps of the Flocks, or Herds of Sinners, and Hereticks, and feed thy uncleane young ones by the tents of such shepheards. But saith Gregory, the faithfull soule shall never be left thus without direction, as being in a dangerous warfare, but shall be as courageous Horses, prepared to the Battell, to shew which, it followeth, vers. 9.
I have compared thee (O my soule) to a company of Horses in Pharaohs Vers. 9.Chariots; But although this implieth warre indeed, yet I cannot see how the Spouse without direction by externall meanes, only through internall inspirations, should be strenghened like Warre-Horses against Seducers, sith that wicked Hereticks themselves pretend inspirations also. Therefore this cometh in aptly according to the sence before given, it implyeth warre, and opposition, presently to be made after her going in the steps of the Flock, not Flocks, which is also to be noted against that of Gregory, as evincing the Flock of Christ to be meant, which is one, and not the flockes of Hereticks, which be many.
Now the Spouse of Christ, to animate her here-against, is compared to a company of Warre-Horses with Chariots, and the best, such as the Horses of Aegypt, where Pharaoh reigoed were, for which they are often most highly commended 2 Chron. 1. 17in the holy Scripture. And here by victory, to follow to the Church, is intimated, as also Zech. 10. 3, 4, 5. The Lord hath visited his flocke, the house of Judah, and made them as his goodly Horse in the Battell, and they shall be as mighty men, that tread downe their enemies as the mire in the streets, Habac. 3. 8. 15. Thou didst walke through the Seawith thine Horses, speaking of the victory gotten over Pharaoh at the red Sea. See also of Horses conquering, Revelations Exod. 14.19.
And to those invisible Horses over-throwing Pharaohs Horses and Chariots, Gregory seemeth to thinke it to have been alluded here, adding further, that as Gregor.the Israelites then, after this exploit done, came not presently into the Land of Canaan, but wandred first in the Wildernesse many yeares, and then fighting against many enemies, and over-coming them also, inherited the Land; so the faithfull soule having escaped Pharaohs Chariots through the red Sea of Baptisme, wherein her sinnes are forgiven her, must incounter with more enemies in a Spirituall fight, and we meet with many miseries in this world by reason of her renewed sinnes, but in fine, over-coming them all by faith, and patience, she shall attaine the heavenly inheritance for ever, and so be perfectly blessed. And for this exposition maketh the word foreign Iesusathito my troop of Horses; That is, Gods invisible power, whereby he fought for Israel, being here-with against Pharaohs Chariots, and confounding them in the red Sea: Or my horse, Equitatui meo.
Thy cheekes are comly, with rowes of jewels, thy neck with chaines of gold. Vers. 10.The vulgar, for rowes of jewels, hath it, as the Turtles; so likewise the Sept. and the Hebr. word is foreign, and foreign, signifieth either Turtles, or Statutes, or Ordinances: as other women to make their faces appeare the more comly hang Jewels at their eares, which hang downe to their cheekes, and put chaines of gold about their necks; so the Spouse of Christ is adorned with chassity, as the Turtle Dove, and with the golden chaine of wisdome, and all her graces, making her most amiable in the sight of God, and of all good men; of wisdome, as a chaine about the neck, see before, and of good womens adorning themselves Peter saith; Pet. 3. 3, 4.Let it not be outward with plaited haire, and gold put about, but the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit; so that from comparing her to Horses, he proceedeth here to speak of her againe, as a Bride prepared for the King.
Although Ainsworth doubteth, whether he goeth not on in the comparison of Ainsworth.Horses, because the Horses of Kings used to be adorned on their Bridles with precious stones, and their neckes with chaines of gold; but it is most probable, that this is another similitude taken from a glorious woman, because although the Bride be compared to a company of Warre-Horses for strength, and victory, yet the comparison with Horses in respect of beauty and ornament were too meane to set her forth, and the word foreign agreeth not; her comlinesse lyeth in Statutes, and Ordinances of God, according to which she walketh, and this is the greatest grace that can be to any soule.
We will make thee borders of gold, with studs of silver; by borders, which Vers. 11. Gregor. AinsworthGregory rendreth murenulas, he understands the Holy Scriptures, whereby the Preachers tye the gold chaine before spoken of: they are, according to Ainsworth, further additions, and increases of Grace wrought by God in the faithfull, who giveth to him that hath, and it is said we, to intimate the Trinity.
Salomon Jarchi saith, I and my judgement-hall; wherein it was alluded to the Counsell amongst the Jewes in every City, or Village, for that consisted of three; and for studs of silver, he hath speckes of silver, noting this phrase to be like unto that, where apples of gold are spoken of, with pictures of silver; That Prov. 25. 11.is, most glorious things.
The word rendred borders, is foreign, the same before going, ver. 10. but there it goeth alone, here with an addition of gold, to intimate additions, as hath been said, and increases of graces.
Whilst the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell Vers. 12. The Brides second speaking. Revel. 3. 20.thereof. By sitting at table is meant his, That is, Christs communion with his Church, to expresse which, the Table of the Lord is spoken of, 1 Cor. 11. and it is said, If any man openeth unto me, I will come in, and sup with him, and he with me; it is meant then, when Christ communicates the graces of his Spirit to the Church, or to any faithfull soule, Faith, Love, Zeale, Piety, the feare of God; these, like precious Oyntment made of Spicknard, give a most fragrant smell, and this communication is made by meanes of their sitting at table together, according to that ordinance, Take, eate, this is my body, &c. Justus takes it to be a Prophesie, Justus Orgel. Mark 14. Ioh. 12.of that which was done before Christs death and buriall, when he sitting at table, Mary came with a box of Oyntment of Spicknard, and poured it upon his head, making all the house to smell thereof.
And the next words, A bundle of Myrrhe, is my well-beloved to me, set forth Vers. 13.his Death and Buriall, and that, which was done to him being dead, with Myrrhe, and other Spices, which were very sweet, as in the Gospell is related, after that, of his preparing to the buriall by the costly Oyntment before spoken of; and because he dyed for our sins, this is a sweet and comfortable thing to the faithfull, as a Rom. 4.bundle of Myrrhe, Psal. 45. to shew the sweetnesse of Myrrhe it is said, All thy garments smell of Myrrhe, Aloes, and Cassia, he shall lye all night between my breasts; That is, I shall be comforted and refreshed by him all the time of this darknesse of misery in this life, as by the sweet smelling of Myrrhe, a bagge whereof lyeth between my breasts.
My beloved is to me, as a cluster of Camphir in the Vine-yards of Engedi; The word rendred Camphir, by some Cipresse, signifying redemption, or propitiation, Vers. 14.it is foreign, the abundant and all-sufficient redemption that we have by Christ, is hereby set forth, if the Cipresse be understood here, the fruit thereof being sweet, may most aptly be a figure of this cluster of redemptions, because it is berries growing together in bunches; Engedi was a fruitfull place in the Tribe of Ju-dah, Engedi signifieth a fountaine of flockes, the place being so called for the Ainsworth. 2 Chron. 20.springs being there; and Ainsworth noteth, that in this place the enemies comming against Jehoshaphat were destroyed miraculously, whereby he got great spoyles, so that in mentioning it, that victory is alluded to, and that gotten by Christ over sinne, and Satan, for our comfort, and the making of us rich, that were poore before.
Justus saith, that the wood of the Crosse was Cipresse, and therefore most aptly Justus Orgel.Christ hanging thereupon is compared to this cluster, for the manifold sweet odours that were in him, not to himselfe, but to us that beleeve; and for Engedi, he hath Engaddi, the eye of temptation, as he rendreth it, because to bring him to suffer death, the Scribes and Pharisees tempted him by questions, that they might intrap him▪ and bring him into danger of his life.
Behold; thou art faire my Love, thou art faire, thou hast Doves eyes, thou Vers. 15. Vers. 16. The Bridegroomes second speech. Eph. 5. 30.art faire, yea pleasant also, our bed is green. Christ had said before, thou art the fairest amongst women. Now he praiseth his Spouses beauty againe, which beauty of Grace and Sanctification he indeed putteth upon her; and he addeth, thou hast Doves eyes, whereby her simplicity, humility, and innocency are set forth, her looking only at Christ for Justification, and at his precepts, to walke accordingly, not at vanity, or the glittering of gold and silver to be drawn hereby.
The next words, Thou art faire, yea pleasant also; the vulgar hath, tu pulcher es, The Brides third speech.in the Masculine Gender, as spoken to Christ by the Church, as if she had said; Am I faire! nay, thou art faire, I have no beauty but what I have from thee, and through thee; our bed is green or flourishing, where by bed also the table may be understood, because this was one use of beds of old, to sit and feed upon, as wel as to lye down and sleep; and then hereby is meant both flourishing, and increasing in Children, and a prosperous estate; and so both Justus, the Chald. Paraphrast and others generally understand it, and for the vulgar reading, makes the Hebr. for it is a masculine, foreign ver. 14 foreign amica mea.
The beames of our house are of Cedar, and our rafters of Firre. The house of Vers. 17. 1 Tim. 3. 15Christ is his Church, and this is said to be made of Cedar for sweetnesse and durability, and for rafters, some have Galleries to walk in, and for Firre, Cipresse; and Aquila Boratine, Ainsworth noteth, that this word is no where else found in all Ainsworththe Bible but here; many similitudes are used, the more fully to set forth the Graces of God in the congregation of his people.