Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 1 · Verse 13
VERS. 13.
A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved unto mee, he ſhall lie all night betwixt my breaſts.
THe Church having praiſed her Beloved for his graces beſtowed on her: Shee now declareth farther how delightfull, and how really welcome Chriſt is to her: And leſt any ſhould think it vain-glory for her to commend her own graces, ſhee now ſheweth by what meanes ſhe became ſo ſweet and ſavoury: ſhee plainly declares, that it was not of her ſelfe; but ſaith ſhe, my beloved is unto me a bundle of myrrhe, &c.
In this verſe we have,
Firſt, The Churches declaration of her Beloved's ſweetneſſe.
In which Declaration conſider,
1. A note of propriety; My beloved is unto me.
2. Of her affection; Beloved.
3. Of Chriſts ſweetneſſe, expreſſed by a bundle of myrrhe.
Secondly, we have Chriſt's entertainment from the Church; he ſhall lie and lodge with her.
This is amplified by two adjuncts.
1. Of the time; all night.
2. Of the place; betwixt my breaſts.
A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved unto me, &c.
A bundle of myrrhe: Myrrhe is an odoriferous tree, and ſaith Plyny, it ſweateth out a ſweet gumme called Plin. lib. 12 cap. 16. foreign Ligavit, colligavit: Ʋnde. foreign Faſciculus, eculus.ſtacte, which is preferred before all others. This gum is alſo called myrrhe, from the tree whereon it grows: it is gathered and bound up in baggs; and though the word in the Hebrew be rendered a bundle, yet according to the nature of myrrhe, it being a gum or liquid thing, it may be more aptly called a bag of myrrhe. ſo the word is rendered, Prov. 7. 20. A bag of money. And in Gen. 42. 35. A bundle of money. The word may indifferently be uſed for any thing that is made up in a bag or bundle.
As for this Myrrhe, it is an Indian Tree, and it is very ſweet of ſmell; and leniter amara, meanly, or ſomewhat bitter in taſt, as the Naturalliſt writeth, and of the ſecond degree hot and dry, and of a preſerving nature, & it is reckoned of God for one of the moſt prinpall & chiefeſt of ſpices, Exo. 30. 23. which holy ointment figured out the graces of Chriſt, and the graces of the Saints. Chriſt is ſaid to be anointed by the Spirit, Iſa. 61. 1. And with the oile of gladneſſe, or of grace, Pſ. 45. 7. And the Saints have an unction from the holy one, 1 Joh. 2. 20. This was one of thoſe precious things with which the wiſe men honored Chriſt at his birth, Mat. 2. And it is of much uſe for embalming; for which cauſe Nicodemus in John 19. 39. doth mixe myrrhe with Aloes, for the embalming the body of Jeſus. Hereby the Church declareth how ſweet and comfortable Chriſt is to her, and how well pleaſed ſhee is with all his diſpenſations, and that hee is alwayes as a ſweet odour unto her heart.
A bundle, or bagge is for to keepe ſafe thoſe things which are in danger to be loſt: As the ſoule of my Lord ſhall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah, 1 Sam. 25. 29. And thus Job ſaith, his iniquities are ſealed up in a bag, Job 14. 17. And when Chriſt wiſheth his Diſciples to get an heavenly treaſure, he ſaith, provide your ſelves bagges which wax not old, Luk. 12. 33. And for thoſe things we loſe and waſt, we are ſaid to put in a bagge with holes, Hag. 1. 6. Now this denoteth the Churches care to enjoy and poſſeſſe Chriſt, with all his graces and communications, and with the benefits of his death and reſurrection: all theſe are bound up ſafe in a bundle, or bag; ſhe is carefull that ſhe loſe not the ſweetneſſe or vertue of any of the graces of her Beloved: and theſe are all ſafe in Chriſt, as bound up in a bundle.
My beloved.
Chriſt having called the Church his love, verſ. 9. Here the Church returneth the ſame Epithite to him again, and calls him her Beloved: not that ſhe firſt loved him, but he loved his Church, and gave himſelfe for her, Epheſ. 5, 25. Whereupon ſhee loveth him again, becauſe he loved her firſt, 1 John 4. 10.
The Hebrew word, Dod, wel-beloved, is written with the ſame letters that David, whoſe name ſignified Beloved, he was a figure of Chriſt, and his Father after the fleſh, Rom. 1. 3. And Chriſt is called David, Jer. 30. 9.
Ʋnto mee.
A ſpeech of faith & propriety, applying Chriſt and all his graces unto her ſelfe: A like example the Apoſtle gives us, when he ſaith, Chriſt loved me, and gave himſelfe for me, Gal. 2. 20. He applyeth the benefit of Chriſt's death to himſelfe in particular, to teach us ſpeciall faith, and to enflame our love to him, as if he had ſhed his blood for us alone, and in particular.
He ſhall lie all night betwixt my breaſts.
He ſhall lodge, or he ſhall abide: The word lun, which foreign Pernoctare.ſignifies to lodg, or ſtay all night, is of the future tenſe, which yet frequently in the Hebrew bears the ſignification of the time paſt. And though the word properly ſignifies a nights lodging, or abiding, as in Gen. 28. 11. yet it is uſed for a longer continuance, as in Pſal. 49. 12. Adam lodged not in honour: that is, he ſtayed no long time in honour. And in Pſal. 25. 13. his ſoule ſhall lodge in goodneſſe: that is, it ſhall continue in goodneſſe, And in Pſal. 55. 7. I would lodge in the wilderneſs, That is, I would remaine in the Wilderneſſe. This denotes unto us the Churches deſire, that Chriſt might continue and abide with her, that he might lye downe, and ſettle his abode with her for ever.
Or we may underſtand it for the adjunct of time, to wit, All night, &c. the night commonly ſignifieth the time of darkneſſe and affliction, it being the time of ſolitarineſſe and meditation, as in Pſal. 77. 3, 4. 6. & Pſal. 63. 7. And ſo in Iſa. 26. 9. With my ſoule have I deſired thee in the night; yea, with my ſpirit within me, will I ſeeke thee early. That is, in the greateſt fears and dangers, I have made my addreſſe unto thee. That noteth, that Chriſt with his conſolations, ſhould be her continuall joy and comfort, whom ſhee would reſt on in the times of the greateſt tentations and troubles.
Betwixt my Breaſts.
The Hebrew word that ſignifies a Breaſt, or Pap, is foreign Mamma, a Child. foreign Effudit, quia mammae effunduns lac.derived of a Chaldae word, that ſignifies to powre out, becauſe Milke is powred forth from the Breaſt. The Church ſeemeth to allude to the manner of women and Maids, who were wont to weare betwixt their Breaſts, or in their boſomes, Noſegays, as we call them, made of very odoriferous and ſweet ſmelling flowers, of which they made great account, eſteeming of them as a principall part of their Ornaments. So the Church here finding and feeling her wel-beloved to be ſo ſweet unto her, ſaith, that he is as a bundle of ſweet Myrrhe, and that ſhee will ſet him in her boſome, even betweene her Breaſts, and there he ſhall remaine, that ſhee may alwayes ſmell his ſweetneſſe. Shee ſheweth alſo of what great account Chriſt was to her, that ſhee would place him ſo nigh her heart, as it were, as betweene her Breaſts; that as the Apoſtle ſaith, Chriſt might dwell in her heart by faith, Epheſ. 3. 17.
Or the Breaſts may ſignifie the miniſtry of the Church, feeding of the Saints with the ſincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2. 2. According to this the Prophet ſaith, Rejoyce yee with Jeruſalem, &c. that yes may ſuck and be ſatisfied with the Breaſt of her Conſolations, that yee may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory, Iſa. 66. 10, 11. According to this Interpretation the Church declareth how exceedingly ſhee ſhould be nouriſhed and fed by the ſweet adminiſtrations of Chriſt unto his Church; and that ſhee ſhould be ſpiritually nurſed with her, and receive abundance of conſolation from her, being nouriſhed together by the doctrine of the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt. Let us take a few Obſervations from hence.
A bundle of myrrhe, &c.
Myrrhe you heard was very ſweet in ſmell, but better in taſt, and it was a precious ingredient in the holy Oyle.
Hence Obſerve,
Firſt, All the diſpenſations of Chriſt are very ſweet and ſavory unto a beleiving ſoule. There is ſuch a kind of complacency, or well-pleaſedneſſe in the hearts of the Saints, that they doe as it were acquieſce and reſt well pleaſed in his grace and goodneſſe. It is true, Chriſt is in this world a kind of a bitter ſweet unto his Saints, as I may ſo ſay: but his ſweetneſſe doth ſwallow up all his bitterneſſe: his bitterneſſe is in the loweſt degree, but his ſweetneſſe in the ſuperlative, ſo that let his diſpenſations be what they will, his Saints are never weary of him; yea, they take pleaſure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſſities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes for his ſake: and when they are weake in themſelves, then they are ſtrong in him, and more then Conquerours, as ſaith the Apoſtle. And thus Chriſt is wellcome to the Saints upon any conditions whatſoever: Let him come with a ſmile or with a frowne; with a rod or with ſweet imbracings; in what ſhape ſoever he repreſents himſelfe, he is accepted of them. Thus it was with Peter, Lord, if it be thou (ſaith he) bid me come unto thee on the water: So it is with the Saints, they refuſe not to venture, even upon the Boiſterous waters to goe unto Chriſt. When Samuel told Ely of judgement to come upon his Family. It is the Lord (ſaith he) let him doe what he will. So David, I was dumb and opened not my mouth becauſe thou didest it, Pſal. 39. And Job, Though he kill me, I will truſt in him. Hence it is that the Children of God, though they walke in darkneſſe, and have no light at all, yet they will truſt in the name of the Lord, and ſtay themſelves upon their God, Iſa. 50. 10. Though Chriſt be like myrrhe, ſomewhat bitter in taſt, in reſpect of the amarulency and bitterneſſe of trouble, tentation, and the Croſſe, yet he is alſo ſweet, like a bundle of myrrhe, refreſhing the ſenſes of the ſoule, yeilding of them abundance of ſweetneſſe and ſatisfaction.
Secondly Obſerve,
That all our comforts in Chriſt are very ſure comforts. All his graces, goodneſſe and ſweetneſſe is as a bundle, or bag of myrrhe, bound up ſafe for us. Hence the Apoſtle ſaith, there is laid up for him a Crowne of righteouſneſſe, 2 Tim. 4. 8. It was kept ſure for him, yet was treaſured up for him, as we uſe to treaſure up Jewells and precious things. So the Apoſtle Peter ſaith, our Inheritance is reſerved in Heaven for us, 1 Pet. 1. 4. Theſe things are kept ſure and certaine for us, they are not given to us, as grace was given to Adam, who might loſe it at his pleaſure; but we are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation, Verſ. 5. Hence it is, the Covenant of grace and of eternity is called, The ſure mercies of David, Iſa. 55. 3. So are all things we have in Chriſt, very ſure and ſafe; our comforts in him are ſure comforts, our peace a ſure peace, our joy a ſure joy, and the ſweetneſſe and redolency of his graces are ſure unto us, they are in him as myrrhe bound in a bundle, or put into a bag which cannot be loſt.
My Beloved.
Chriſt having called his Church, his Love, here ſhee returnes the ſame Epithite unto him againe.
Hence Obſerve,
That the Saints returne love to Chriſt, for his love firſt manifeſted unto them. Thus we have the Apoſtle, We love him becauſe he loved us first, 1 John 4. 10. The flame of Chriſt's love warming of our hearts, doth kindle a fire of love burning toward him againe. The Trumpet of his goodneſſe doth cauſe his people to eccho back praiſes unto him. If firſt he love us, we then can love him; if firſt he praiſe us, we then can praiſe him; if he goe before and draw us, we ſhall follow after. Then let us eye Chriſt loving, exalting, and praiſing of us, that ſo we may abundantly love, exalt, and praiſe him.
My Beloved is unto me.
The Church doth apropriate the ſweetneſſe of Chriſt unto her ſelfe.
Hence Obſerve,
That the Saints doe apply all the benefits of Chriſt vntounto themſelves in particular. We have an example of this in the Apoſtle, when he ſaith, Christ loved me and gave himſelfe for me, Gal. 2. 20. He applieth the benefits of Chriſt's death to himſelfe in particular. And Thomas, my Lord, and my God: and Job, my Redeemer: and David uſeth this word of propriety eight times together, in Pſal. 14. 2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortreſſe, and my Deliverer, my God, my ſtrength, in whom I will truſt, my Buckler, and the horne of my ſalvatian, and my high Tower.
He ſhall lodge.
He ſhall continue and abide with me.
Hence Obſerve,
That thoſe that have once felt the goodneſſe of Chriſt, de ſire always to injoy the ſame. This did ſomething appeare in the Jewes that followed Chriſt; when Chriſt told them of the bread of life, they cried, Lord evermore give us of this bread, John 6. 34.
He ſhall lodge all night.
He ſhall continue with me in the night of trouble and Tentation.
Hence Obſerve,
That Chriſt is never neerer his people, then in their greateſt afflictions. Chriſt is neereſt unto his people, when ſometimes they thinke him to be fartheſt off. Thus it was for a time with Chriſt, when he ſaid, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Yet God was never neerer Chriſt, aſſiſting and upholding him by his power, then at that time. And ſo David in Pſal. 77. complaineth that his Spirit was overwhelmed, Verſ. 3. upon which he ſaith, Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? is his mercy cleane gone for ever? doth his promiſe faile for evermore? hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? But ſaith he at laſt, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the moſt high. That is, I will remember his wonderous works of old, how he led his people out of Aegypt by a ſtrong hand, how and therefore is able to keep me in the greateſt troubles, and deliver me out of the greateſt dangers.
He ſhall lodge all night betwixt my Breaſts.
If we take that Interpretation as alluding to thoſe that weare Noſegays in their boſomes, that they may ſmell the ſweetneſſe of them: by which is ſignified the great eſteeme the Church hath of Chriſt.
Then Obſerve,
1. That the Saints have a high account and eſteem of Jeſus Chriſt. They place him betweene their Breaſts, neare their heart; nay, in their hearts: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle in Epheſ. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Chriſt hath the heart for his entertainment in the Saints, he is ſet in the higheſt part and top of all their affections. It is true, that worldlings ſlight, ſcorne, and caſt Chriſt at their heels, as it were; yet all the Saints doe magnifie him, and account him very precious, they give him the higheſt roome in their ſoule, and doe, as it were, make him Commander there in chiefe. And as for carnall men, who mind earthly things, they have nothing but carnall joyes, and carnall comforts, and carnall injoyments, theſe and ſuch like lodge all night betweene their Breaſts, theſe take up the beſt rooms in their ſouls; but the Saints delight that Chriſt and his holy Spirit, and all the operations thereof, ſhould lie all night betweene their Breaſts, that theſe ſhould dwell, and operate in their hearts.
Secondly, if we take the latter interpretation, that theſe Breaſts ſhould be meant of the miniſtry of the Church, feeding and refreſhing of the Saints with the ſincere milk of the word, then it yields us this Obſervation.
2. That Chriſts miniſtry in the Church, is a very ſweet refreſhing, nouriſhing miniſtry. The Members of Jeruſalem might ſuck and be ſatisfied with the Breaſts of her conſolations, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory, Iſa. 66. 10, 11. The Saints may be ſpiritually nurſed and cheriſhed by one another. Thus the Apoſtle tells the Theſſalonians in 1 Epiſt. Chap. 2. Verſ. 7. But we (ſaith he) were gentle among you, even as a Nurſe cheriſheth her Children. That is, we were ſo tenderly affected towards you, as a Nurſe which beareth with a froward Child, that we might cheriſh and nouriſh you, by imparting unto you the Goſpell of Chriſt: Becauſe (ſaith he in Verſ. 8.) yee were deare unto us. And thus the Apoſtle tells Timothy, that he ſhould be a good miniſter, nouriſhed up in the words of faith, 1 Tim 4. 6. And the Saints are abundantly comforted and refreſhed in the Churches Conſolations, as in Pſal. 36. 8. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſſe of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drinke of the River of thy pleaſures. And in Pſal. 65. 4 We ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſſe of thy houſe, even of thy holy Temple. By goodneſſe he meaneth good things, by which good things we may underſtand the principall of all good things, namely, the holy Ghoſt; for that which is called good things in Mat. 7. 11. is called the holy Ghoſt, in Luke 11. 13. So that the miniſtry of the holy Ghoſt is that which refreſheth and comforteth his Saints. It is not the miniſtry of men, or of humane wiſdome, that yeilds the Saints ſo much comfort and refreſhing, but the miniſtry of the holy Spirit, the miniſtry of life and righteouſneſſe, when Chriſt holds out unto us the Breaſts of joy and conſolation.