Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 5 · Verse 16
VERS. 16.
Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou faireſt among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aſide? that we may ſeeke him with thee.
THeſe Daughters hearing of ſuch a high commendation of Chriſt from the Spouſe of her beloved, hearing of his riches and glory, of his beauty, & excellency, they are enflamed with deſire to ſeek Chriſt alſo, and this is the effect which her ſpeech in commendations of Chriſt wrought.
The firſt queſtion propounded by the Daughters of Jeruſalem, was before, when they demanded, What is thy beloved? &c. whereupon the Spouſe deſcribes him to be very excellent, cloſing up her diſcourſe with this exclamation, This is my beloved, and this is my friend, &c.
Now here is a ſecond queſtion put by the Daughters of Jeruſalem, ſaying, Whither is thy beloved gone? At firſt they were ignorant what Chriſt is, and here they enquire where Chriſt is: and truely, if people did know the worth and excellency of Chriſt, they could not ſit downe in quiet without him, but would ſay, Whither is he gone, where might we ſeek him? where might we find him?
Hence Obſerve, That it is the knowledge of Chriſt makes men ſeeke and ſearch after him. See here, after the Spouſe had painted out her beloved to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, and had deſcribed his complexion, members, ſpeech, and other excellent vertues, qualities, and graces in him, that if they had but either ſeene him, or heard him ſpeake, they might have knowne him: the effect whereof is here ſeene in their hearts, namely, it ſo enflamed them with an earneſt love towards him, that preſently they will be companions with her in ſeeking of him. Now then, what a worthy thing is it, to open the riches, and ſpread the glory of Chriſt before men, for hereby they may draw men to know, and to ſeeke Chriſt.
Here the Miniſters of the Goſpell may learne what their chiefe duty is, and what is their work, but chiefly to draw men to love and ſeek after Chriſt. O then! diſplay all the riches and treaſures of Chriſts grace, and that ſplendent, ſhining glory of his, that men may be allured and drawne to Chriſt. Who will ſeek after that which he knows not off? and who will not ſeek after a precious Jewell? Then tell where this Jewell, this Pearle, this treaſure is, that ſo men may ſeeke and ſearch, and become Merchants for to adventure all for Jeſus Chriſt.
Whither is thy beloved gone? &c.
The Daughters doe not now enquire what he is, for by that glorious deſcription which the Spouſe made unto her, of her beloved, hath given her to underſtand what he is. We ſee theſe Daughters are better inſtructed now, they know what Chriſt is, and therefore deſire to know where he is, that they may be joyned to him, and enjoy his preſence and communion: now from this further degree of deſires in the Daughters, Obſerve
That where there are the leaſt deſires after Chriſt in the ſoule, thoſe ſmall deſires are increaſed by Chriſt. Here we ſee there was a growth of deſire in the Daughters of Jeruſalem, they have ceaſed to aſke what Chriſt is, and enquire where Chriſt is, where they may finde him, where they may injoy his preſence. Chriſt will cheriſh the leaſt deſires or breathings in the ſoul after him. He will not breake the bruiſed Reed (though never ſo weake) neither will he quench the ſmoaking flax, (but will rather encreaſe it into a flame) untill he hath brought judgement unto victory. That is, untill the blindneſſe and enmity of the carnall mind be wholly brought under.
There is nothing leſſe then grace at the firſt: the Kingdome of Heaven is compared to a graine of Muſtard ſeed, that is, as well the work of grace in the ſoul, as the word of grace in the Goſpell, is ſmall and contemptible. Here thoſe breathings and deſires in the Daughters after Chriſt at the firſt, were like a graine of Muſtard ſeed, when they enquire, what is thy beloved? But now theſe ſparks are turned into flames, when ſhe ſaith, Whither is thy beloved gone?
Againe, Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou faireſt among women? From this appellation, Obſerve,
That if we would be inſtruments of good to others, we ſhould ſhew forth our ſelves to be holy and gracious. O thou faireſt among women? The Daughters had a good conceit of the Spouſe, and thought her to be gracious and holy, and therefore her ſpeech took the more with them.
The Daughters double the queſtion, Whither is thy beloved gone? Whither is thy beloved turned aſide? As the Spouſe before doubled her deſcription, This is my beloved, and this is my friend.
Hence Obſerve,
That thoſe that kindle others, muſt be enflamed in their owne hearts. Thoſe that ſpeak with experience and confidence, doe often make impreſſions upon the hearers. The Apoſtle John, in the beginning of his Epiſtle, to perſwade others to imbrace his doctrine, he affirmeth, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeene with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life, he delivered to them. That which comes from the heart, often goeth to the heart, and that which comes from the affections, many times reacheth the affections.
The Apoſtle Peter ſaith, We followed not deceiveable fables, when we preached unto you the power and comming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but with our eyes we ſaw his majesty, 1 Pet. 1. 16. O beloved! It is an excellent thing to ſpeake of the excellency of Chriſt, from knowledge and experience, and this many Chriſtians can doe: but the watchmen before-mentioned (Chap. 3. 3. & 5. 7.) had no ſuch knowledge or experience, but in them the ſaying was fulfilled, The Paſtors are become bruitiſh, and have not ſought the Lord, they ſhall not proſper, Jer. 10. 21.
Laſtly, in that ſhe ſaith, Whither is thy beloved turned aſide, that we may ſeeke him with thee? Towit, with thee his Spouſe.
Hence Obſerve,
That the right way to ſeeke Chriſt, and the onelyonly way to find him, is to ſeeke him with his Saints. Here the Daughters enquire for Chriſt of the Spouſe, and to ſeek him with her, for ſo it is ſaid, That we may ſeeke him with thee. We doe not know how God hath appointed us, though weake inſtruments, yet as profitable means to further one another in the knowledge of Chriſt. When the two Diſciples went to Emaus, they talking together of Chriſt, it came to paſſe, that as they communed together, Jeſus himſelfe drew nigh, and went with them, Luke 24. 13. Though their eyes were holden for a time that they could not know him, yet after further communication he lodged with them; and ſitting at the Table, at length cauſed their eyes to be open, and he manifeſted himſelfe unto them: And ſo it is in this place, on a ſuddaine it is revealed to the Spouſe, where he is whom ſhe ſeeketh. Thus much for the queſtion propounded by the Daughters of Jeruſalem: Now the reſolution of the Spouſe followeth in the next words.