Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 6 · the Song of Solomon · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
O That thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother, Vers. 1.when I should finde thee without I would kisse thee, yet I should not be despised. Here the Church is brought in, speaking to Christ in those dayes, wherein this was written, he being not yet come in the flesh; and it serveth to shew the longing desire of the faithfull after his coming, as is expressed by the Prophet Isaiah saying, O that thou wouldest breake the heavens, and come downe; and likewise by David, who saith the same. And the Spouse's ready receiving of Christ, which was without, that is, the Church of the Gentiles, is here intimated, in that he saith, When I should finde thee without; that is, standing without doores, being by the Jewes, through their hardning their hearts, shut out. See chap. 5. 2. I would kisse thee; That is, for love submit my selfe unto thee, as Princes are exhorted to kisse the Sonne. Yet I should not be despised; Hebr. yea they will not despise me; That is, so doing. I should not make my selfe despicable, as an impudent woman, that findeth a man and kisseth him, as Prov. 7. because this expression of my love cometh from the Spirit, setting me at liberty to serve God for love, whereas before being in bondage, I did it for feare. Thus the Church before the coming of Christ, shewing her expectation of his coming of woman, such as every other mans mother is, and of his sucking her breasts, and being nourished and brought up, as other children are.
I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mothers house, who would instruct Vers. 2.me, I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine, of the juyce of my Pomgranats. This, saith Gregory, is Prophesie of the Jewish Church, which at the first rejected Christ, but afterwards being converted, brings Christ into her mothers Gregor.house, that is, by setting up the preaching of him in her Synagogues; and shee saith, I would cause thee to drinke spiced wine, of the juyce of my Pomgranats; that is, refresh thee with the courageous suffering of my Martyrs in fighting against the Antichrist. Ainsworth referreth it to the same Church spoken of, verse 1. and Ainsw.for her saying, who would instruct me, he understandeth this of Christ, thus entertained into the heart by faith. for such as feare him, he teacheth in the way wherein they should goe; and the Church, or Soule, being thus taught by her graces, delighteth Christ, as with spiced wine, to make it taste more pleasantly a man is delighted. For my part, I hold that the Church of the Gentiles which was said before to finde him without, goeth on in expressing her great desire of Christ, come by his Incarnation, shewing, that she would make him most welcome, by all the meanes that she could.
For the next words, verse 3. they are the same with chap. 2. 6. His right hand Vers. 3. 4.should be under my head, &c. and therefore see the exposition there, and likewise verse 4. with chap. 2. 7.
Who is this that cometh up from the wildernesse, leaning upon her beloved, Vers. 5.I raised thee up under the Apple-tree, there thy mother brought thee forth, &c. She that is said here to ascend out of the Wildernesse, saith Gregory, is any faithfull soule, which being converted cometh, as it were, out of a wildernesse of sinne and Gregor.misery, affording no true comfort to such as continue therein, that is, in the state of corruption; but now such a soule is said to leane upon her beloved, that is, to depend only upon Christ for the comfort of justification from all her sins.
Then Christ her beloved speaketh, I raised thee up under the Apple-tree; The eighth speech of the Bride-groom.shewing whom she might thanke for her coming into this comfortable estate, and from the other so miserable, even that sweet fruit which hung upon the Crosse, compared before to Apples, and now the Tree of the Crosse for his hanging thereon called the Apple-tree, bearing this precious fruit, by beleeving in, and turning to whom we are raised up from the death of sinne, to the life of Grace, and Righteousnesse, and shall finally be raised up after death to life everlasting.Chap. 2, 3.
For the next words, There thy mother brought thee forth, the vulgar followed by Gregory hath it, there thy mother was corrupted, and the word foreign signifieth either to corrupt, or to bring forth; but he expounds it of the foule sinne, whereby the Jewish Synagogue corrupted her selfe, by causing Christ to be crucified, under which Apple-tree he findeth at length the Daughter of this Synagogue lying still in the same sinne, by infidelity, and raised her up, by converting her to the faith, through his great grace and mercy; and this exposition I take to be right, although Ainsworth expounds, and renders the last words otherwise; there thy Ainsw.mother brought thee forth; that is, the Preachers of the Gospel, by great labour and paines formed thee to this: and these words, I raised thee up under the apple-tree; he expoundeth of the Church, speaking to some new company of beleevers coming in, from the multitude of the wicked of this world, as from a wildernesse, where no comfort is to be had, but all misery: but how forced this is, let the Reader judge. That a new company of beleevers not before converted is here spoken of, I deny not; for I conceive it to be spoken againe of the converted Jewes, of whom so much was said before: but because it is not in man, but God only, to raise up from sinne and infidelity to faith, how can it be spoken in the person of any Church, I raised thee under the Apple-tree? but I thy Redeemer raised thee under my selfe, from that miserable estate, to that hope wherein thou now standest; Chap 2. 3.but thy mother that bare thee corrupted thee, by oppugning me, and teaching thee to curse, and abjure me; yea she most shamefully corrupted thee, and therefore to he disgrace I speake it over againe.
Set me as a seale upon thy heart, as a seale upon thine arme, for Love is strong Vers. 6.as Death, Jealousie is cruell as the Grave; the coales thereof as coales of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Christ is set upon the heart of the Spouse, saith Gregory, who taketh these words to be his also, when the soule Gregor.heartily loveth him; for Love is his Seale, or Marke, as it were, whereby we may be knowne to be his Disciples; and he is set upon her armes when she doth so, as a most earnest affection to Christ requireth, that is, feedeth his poore members, followeth him in meeknesse, holinesse, lowlinesse, and suffering for his sake. And to shew that such love is meant, it followeth, For Love is strong as Death, and Jealousie is cruel, &c. As if he had said; If thou lovest me, as thou shouldest doe, an impression of the love of me being made in thy heart, as by a seale, this love would be as strong in thee to subdue any contrary motions arising from the flesh as Death, against which nothing living can stand, when it striketh, and thy jealousie arising from this love, and the hatred of any thing done against me, would be as one raging▪ and cruell against any corrivall wronging him in his love; for in this case he will shew him no favour, but killing, and slaying; so the soule, in which the love of Christ is sealed, is hot and zealous, as coales of fire against any thing, wherein Spirituall whoredome, which is against him, lyeth, whether by the worshipping of Idols, or Images, or the great Idols of the World, Profit, causing stealing, lying, forswearing, cursing, fraud, oppression, or any other unjust dealing; or Pleasure, causing Gluttony, Drunkennesse, Adultery, Fornication, or sensuall living any way; First, not to endure any of these things in himselfe; Secondly, neither in others, but to his power opposing them, with all fervency and heat, as of the most vehement fire.
Junius, and Ainsworth, and some others, taking this to be the speech of the Junius. Ainsw.Spouse, expound it of her desiring Christ to thinke continually upon her, as having an impression of the love of her made in his heart, and to manifest it, by stretching out his arme to defend her in all dangers, and for this she pleadeth her earnest love to him, so that threatnings with death, or the greatest rage of Tyrants, could not beat her here-from. I preferre the former.
Many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the flouds drowne it; if a Vers. 7.man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned. He goeth on in setting forth the nature of this love unto Christ, many waters cannot quench it; That is, he in whom the love of Christ is, by sufferings to which he is put for his sake, cannot be made to doe any thing here-against, yea although Persecutions increase like a floud; for he that so loveth him, will rather bear any thing, to the losse of his life, then to the extinguishing of the fire of his love. If a man would give all the substance of his house, &c. That is, the love of Christ is so predominant in the heart of a true Christian, that if he must lose all his goods, and be exposed to extreame poverty for his sake, yet he would not weigh it, or be moved hereby, because he counteth all these things vaine in comparison of Christ, and the benefit coming by him to his soule,; thus Gregory. But Justus Orgel. understandeth, as a further commendation of the love of Christ thus; Justus Orgel. 1 Cor. 13. Ainsworth.It is so excellent, as that if a man would give all his goods to the poore, thinking for this to be accepted, without it, all this would be taken before God as nought worth. Ainsworth, it is meant, That Love, as none other grace of God, is to be attained by money, but is Gods free gift. Junius, Love is not only unextinguishable by the waters of calamity before spoken of, but by any the greatest gifts, Junius.or rewards. For as he that truly loveth God, cannot by sufferings be terrified so, as not courageously to persist herein; so if he should be offered abundance of treasure to forsake the Lord, and his Law, he would utterly contemne it; and this I take to be the best, because it is most probable, that both sorts of temptations to make men Apostatize are here spoken of; the one by threatnings, the other by promises: 2 Machab. 7.as one of the seven brethren that suffered death for Gods Law, having ample rewards promised him, if he would yeeld to the Tyrant, despised them all, preferring for the love of God rather to dye in his cause. And herein Balaam himselfe spake right religiously, when Balac promised to promote him to honour; If he would give me his house full of gold and silver, I will speake none other words, but what God shall put into my mouth. This then is a Touch-stone, whereby to try our love; not every one that saith, I love God, loveth him, but he Note. that being tried, shrinkes not from his truth, for any feare of danger, or hope of reward.
We have a little Sister, and she hath no breasts, what shall we doe for our Sister, in the day when she shall be spoken for? The Lord having hitherto confirmed Vers. 8.the Church of the Jewes in his love, never more to be beaten from it, after that she hath once imbraced it; now beginneth to declare another new Church yet remaining to be gathered after the fore-said conversion of the Jewes, of such Countries and Nations, as never before received the Gospel, as of Turkes, and Tartars, Chinois, and Americans: for all Nations are Christs inheritance, and Psal. 2.the uttermost parts of the earth his possession: and he must rule from Sea to Sea, and to the worlds end; and of this the Prophet Esay speaketh, as which should Psal. 72. Esa. 2. 2.be fulfilled in the last daies, when an universall peace shall be, and no more wars, as have alwayes hitherto been; neither hath the Mountaine of the Lords house ever yet been so high exalted, that is, the Jewish Nation; but this is yet to come, when the whole Nation shall imbrace the faith. If that of the Apostle shall seeme to make against this, where he saith, Blindnesse is hapned to Israel in part, till the fulnesse Rom. 11. 25.of the Gentiles shall come in, as I have also sometime thought, those words, I take it now, doe not necessarily imply it, but the coming in to the faith of all those Acts 2. 5. 9.who are called, all the Nations under heaven, Act. 2. and of all others then knowne, as the Americans were not, and many others, amongst whom the Gospel hath been received, have againe revolted from it, but must come in againe; or else how can Christ reigne over them all at the same time? Of this Church then here. after to be gathered, I thinke it may be best conceived, that it is prophesied here; And she is called a little Sister, having yet no breasts, because not growne to the state of a woman, to afford the nourishment of teaching to her young ones; yet she is a Sister, so called, because she shall be one. And the Lord speakes in the plurall number, saith Ainsworth, We have a little sister, to intimate the triplicity of persons Ainsworth.in the unity of the God-head; and he also saith, that this is spoken of a new Church arising. But touching the Trinity herein implied, I assent not unto him, because that chap. 7. 11, 12. it is likewise spoken in the plurall, where Christ and the Church are manifestly brought in together speaking; and so likewise, as I rather take it, here he joyneth faithfull teachers to him, who are said to be Labourers together 1 Cor. 3. 9.with the Lord, because that by the Ministry of such this new Church should be built.
Gregory by this little Sister, understandeth the Apostles, before the coming Gregor.downe of the Holy Ghost upon them, for then they were little in courage for Christ, when as Peter, the chiefe of them, was afraid of a silly Maid, and denied Christ at her speech, and they all fled from him, and hid themselves, keeping close in an upper roome for feare; but the Holy Ghost being given, they were as a strong wall, or tower, as a doore of utterance of the marvellous things of God, which they spake with all boldnesse; and closed in with Cedar, that is, a company of beleevers coming about them, as an ornament unto them, as a Cedar Porch is to a doore of an house.
Justus Orgel. understands the Church of the Gentiles, being at their first conversion Justus Orgel.very ignorant, and without Teachers, and so without breasts, till that they had some ordained them by Paul and Barnabas, and after that by Timothy, and Titus; which being done they were as a wall, with a tower, and a doore, so set forth, as was said before. But the order of time agreeth not to either of these, sith this is spoken after that of the Jewes coming in, towards the end of the world, and being so excessively zealous for Christ; wherefore I thinke it evident, that such a new Church is meant, as I have spoken before of, the time of whose Espousals is not yet come.
If she be a wall, we will build upon her a Palace of silver; if she be a doore, we Vers. 9. Ainsworth.will inclose her with boards of Cedar. By wall here we may understand with Ainsworth, a City fenced with walls and gates; because a doore is also spoken of, the meaning is, when by our labours she shall become strong in the faith, as the walls of a City, to which the Church is compared, Matth. 5. she shall be beautified, as by a palace of silver, through purity and holinesse, which shall shine in her, and being as a doore, or gate, to let in friends, and to keep out enemies, through vigilancy, and watchfulnesse, she shall now, as a compleat temple, as the Temple of old, be inclosed, and be an house, made as it were, of Cedar, goodly to behold, sweet and incorruptible. And by this name of walls and gates the Church of Christ is often spoken of, as Esa. 26. 1. Chap. 66. 18. Thou shalt call thy walls salvation; and such she saith by and by that she is.
I am a wall, and my breasts as towers, then was I in his sight as one that Vers. 10.found favour. And such is every true Church of Christ, and every true faithfull soule, neither can he be in favour with Christ that is not such, that is, strong through faith, to stand against the assaults of all Spirituall enemies, and persecutions of Tyrants in the world; as God said to Jeremy, that he would make him as a brazen Note. wall, and an Iron pillar. 2. As a palace for God to dwell in, as being one in Jer. 1. 18. & 15. 20. Ephes. 2, 20.whom there is an heart continually lifted up in prayer. 3. Having breasts, as towers, so great, and so full through abundance of the Milke of Divine doctrine contained therein, whereby to be defended in all times of being assaulted by temptations, as Christ by the word confounded the Devil tempting him. 4. A doore of a mouth, to utter words to edification of the Hearers, and that incorruptible, as out of which no corrupt communication ever cometh, for such is this Church that findeth favour, in these two verses propounded to be.
Salomon had a vine-yard at Baal Hamon, he let out the vine-yard to Keepers Vers. 11.every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand peices of silver. The Vine-yard of Salomon, otherwise rendred the Pacificke here spoken of, saith Gregory, Gregor.setteth forth the Church of the Jewes, according to Esa, 5. who are the Lords vine-yard, which Lord, for his peace-making by his bloud, is called the Pacificke. This vine-yard he had, and let it out to Husband-men, that is, Moses and the Prophets, but by and by, as if he had forgotten himselfe, he saith, that these Husband-men were the Apostles, and other Beleevers of the primitive Church, who brought for the fruit each one a thousand peices of silver, when they left all to follow Christ, and sold all, and brought and laid it at the Apostles feet, because a thousand is the number of perfection, and so may well set forth all that a man hath. And likewise he expoundeth ver: 12, both of their parting with all, and their remuneration two hundred; and Justus will have the 12. Apostles with their reward herein intimated, because that twelve multiplied by a hundred make twelve Justus Orgel.hundred, every one having an hundred fold for all, which he left for Christs sake, as the Lord hath promised; Who so leaveth father and mother, house and land, &c. Matth. 19.shall have a hundred fold, &c. But if Christ be meant by Salomon, the Vine let out by him was that which was taken from the Jewes, and let to other Husbandmen, the Preachers of the Gospel, to be kept by them, and the thousand silverlings cannot be the worldly goods which they left, but some benefit by them brought in to Christ. I rather hold therefore with Junius, that a comparison is here made betwixt Salomons vine-yard, planted in a fruitfull soyle (as he renders it for Baal Haman signifying the Lord of a multitude, that is, bearing abundance of fruit) and the Church of Christ: As if he had said, Salomons vine-yard indeed was a very fruitfull one, but the fruites were not so great, as the fruites of my vine-yard, for it yeelded but a thousand silverlings to him, mine a thousand to the Lord of the vine-yard, and two hundred to the Keepers; and whereas that was committed to the Keepers, the King being in another place, and the worke done by his servants.
Mine is before me; mine eye being continually upon it, and my helping hand Vers. 12.put to, for the causing of it upon my Keepers labour to yeeld the more fruits. These words then are manifestly the words of Christ, extolling his vine-yard, his Church, above Salomons, for the fruitfulnesse thereof, although Ainsworth inclineth rather to thinke them to be the words of the Church; and whereas these words, mine is Ainsworth.before me, may seeme to make against it, he saith, she calleth the vine-yard hers, as chap. 1. 6. because committed to her keeping. But if the vine-yard be hers, in that sence, who be the Keepers, that share in the benefit, reaping two hundred silverlings to the Kings thousand. It is cleare then, that Christ is brought in speaking here; but what meane these summes of money paid, as it were, rent to him, and wages to them? Sol. Fulnesse of glory to him set forth by a thousand, the number of perfection, and a great proportion of heavenly glory to the Apostles, and other Labourers in the vine-yard, the prime Preachers of the Word, set forth by two hundred, because whosoever leaveth friends, or possessions for Christ, shall receive an hundred fold; but when the Sonne of Man shall sit upon his Throne, yee that have followed me, saith Christ, shall sit upon twelve Thrones, &c. implying a greater reward, here set forth by two hundred, for their one hundred fold; or the words may have this exposition, Salomons vine-yard put out to Keepers, yeelded him from every Keeper a thousand silverlings, whereupon it is concluded by way of comparison, betwixt Christs vine-yard and his, Thou (O Salomon) hast a thousand peeces of silver; and (which I omitted to speake of before) thy Keepers each one two hundred, but the vine-yard, which is mine, is before me; that is, I have more joy of my vine-yard, which is my Church, my Wife, for she is alwayes with me, invested with heavenly glory, and so we together reap farre more. Jun: I in the delight that I take in her being thus glorified, and she and her keepers in their partaking with me, of my Kingdome for ever; so that here is Note. a Prophesie of the final end, to which all the amorous expressions before going tended, namely, the fulnesse of joy, which the Bride-groom and Bride have together in heaven, at the consummation of this world.
Thou that dwellest in the Gardens, the companions hearken to thy voyce, cause me to heare it. Seeing these things shall be so, now I turne my speech againe Vers. 13.to thee (my Spouse) saith Christ, whilst thou art as a Garden, my pleasant place upon earth, let all my friends, thy companions hearken to thee, teaching how this felicity may be finally attained, and let me heare thy voyce from time to time, uttered in prayers and praises continually.
Make haste my beloved, and be as a Roe upon the mountaines of spices; See the like speech, chap. 2. 17. but here the Spouse desireth, that Christs second coming Vers. 14.may be with speed, as Revel. 22. that together with him she may be for ever in the mountaines of Spices; this wicked world being left, wherein there is nothing but sinne and misery. And heaven, which is sometime set forth by the name of Hills, as where it is said, I have lifted up mine eyes to the hills, is here called mountaines, as in the Garden of the Church, before a bed of Spices was spoken of, to intimate the surpassing pleasures, and joyes, that shall be to the faithfull there for ever and ever.
The end of the Exposition of the Song of Salomon.