Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 1 · Verse 9,10,11
VERS. 9, 10, 11.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horſes in Pharaoh's Chariot.
Thy cheeks are comely with rowes of jewels, thy necke with chains of gold.
Wee will make thee borders of gold, with ſtuds of ſilver.
CHriſt having inſtructed his Church, now entereth into an high commendations of her, to the end hee might comfort her againſt her manifold temptations: ſhee was poſſeſſed with blackneſs, verſ. 5. ſhee wanted Chriſts preſence, verſ. 7. The firſt cure Chriſt giveth in the two firſt verſes, declaring how beautifull and glorious ſhee is in his ſight, even at preſent, and that ſhe far exceeds the chiefeſt Aegyptian horſes of Pharaoh, both for comely ſhape, and honorable ſervice: and alſo that ſhee is gloriouſly adorned with the graces of his Spirit, which are for their worth and beauty, as ſo many precious borders of precious ſtones, or chains of pearl. The ſecond cure is in verſ. 11. wherein Chriſt doth further declare what good ſhee ſhall afterward be poſſeſſed of, namely, a more plentifull effuſion of his Spirit ſhould be powred out upon her, which ſhall adde to her former ornaments, as it were pure gold beautified and curiouſly wrought with the ſilver ſpecks of a new encreaſe of holineſſe, whereby ſhee ſhall ſhine more gloriouſly by the Brightneſſe of his glory.
Now all theſe graces and excellent gifts, which the Church is poſſeſſed of already, and promiſed to receive of Chriſt hereafter, are ſet forth by a compariſon, with Chariot-horſes, furniſhed with all complements, beſeeming King Solomon in the middeſt of all his royalty.
The words in the Originall run thus:
To the company of horſes in the Chariots of Pharaoh, I have compared thee, O my Love.
In the words are two things conſiderable,
1. The ſweet Epithite Chriſt giveth unto his Church, O my Love.
2. The compariſon by which hee ſets her forth, namely by the horſes in Pharaoh's Chariot.
O my Love.
The word regneh, tranſlated love, ſignifies a companion, a familiar, a fellow-friend: it hath it's name in Hebrew, foreign Pavit, unde. foreign Amious, ſocius, proximus.of feeding together; and ſo generally of ſociety, friendſhip, and neighbour-hood; of converſing together, and ſo pertaking of each others good or evill.
This title Chriſt giveth to his Church often in this ſong, in verſ. 15. and Chap. 2. 2. 10. 13. and Chap. 4. 1. 7. and 5. 2. and 6. 4. And this he doth to ſhew, that the Church is the only object of his love. All the beames of Chriſts love meet in the Church, it is united to that, and is not ſcattered to their objects.
Hence obſerve,
That the greateſt out-goings of love and friendſhip from Chriſt, is toward his Church.
Chriſt and his people feed together, walk together, and do ſweetly converſe together; their hearts are knit one to another, as the hearts of Jonathan and David; Chriſt cannot content himſelfe with his happineſſe and glory, untill he hath communicated of the ſame unto his Saints. The generall love of Chriſt is ſcattered and branched out to all creatures in the world; but his ſpeciall, his exceeding great and rich love is faſtned only upon his Church. Chriſt doth declare wherein hee hath manifeſted his love unto his Diſciples, ſaying, I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you, John 15 15. That is, I have in a friendly manner revealed the ſecrets of my Fathers boſome unto you, and declared unto you the myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, which I ſhould not have done, if you had not been my friends. Chriſts love to his people is,
1. Infinite and unmeaſurable, beyond all imagination or compariſon. As the Father hath loved me, ſo have I loved you, ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples, John 15. 9. Now who can underſtand with what love the Father hath loved the Sonne? no more can we define and fully ſet out what is the love of Chriſt unto his Saints. The Apoſtle indeed would have the Epheſians able to comprehend with all Saints the bredth, and length, the depth, and height of the love of Chriſt: but yet for all that he concludes, that it paſſeth knowledge, Eph. 3. 18, 19.
2. A gracious love: I will heal their backeſliding, I will love them freely, ſaith the Lord, Hoſ. 14. 3. Wee hauehave nothing to invite Chriſt to love us; but his love is free, without the leaſt deſert at all.
3. A liberall and a bountiful love: Chriſt hath parted with that for his people, which was moſt deare unto him, the ſoule in his body, the blood in his veines, and (which was more deare unto him then all the reſt) the ſweet and raviſhing apprehenſions of his Fathers love, which was ſo ecclipſed in his agonies, that hee cryed out with a loud voyce, my God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? It is reported of the Pelican, that ſhee openeth her breaſt with her bill, and feedeth her young ones with the blood diſtilling from her: and therefore (ſaith mine Author) the Aegyptians uſed to make that kind an Hieroglyphick of piety and pitty; and upon that conſideration they ſpared them at their Tables. Such, and far greater is Chriſt's love to his Saints; for ſaith he, Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, John 15. 13. And the Apoſtle ſaith, that he loved his Church, and gave himſelfe for it, Epheſ. 5. 25.
4. An eternall love is Chriſt's towards his Church. I have loved thee with an everlaſting kindneſs, ſaith the Lord, Jer. 31. 3. And again he ſaith, with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy upon thee. Though the Saints are black and deformed, though they have been negligent and ignorant; yet Chriſt doth not leſſen or detract his love from them: but ſtill he gives them this Epithite, O my beloved, &c.
How ſhould this warm and kindle all our affections unto him again: Chriſt's love ſhould be a load-ſtone attractive to draw our love unto him: there is nothing doth more conciliate and attract love, then love it ſelf. Hence it is the Lord ſaith, I have drawn them with loving kindneſſe, Jer. 31. 3. Surely if love will not draw out our affection to Jeſus Chriſt, nothing will. Oh what an infinite and wonderfull love is it, that majeſtie and love ſhould dwell together in the heart of Chriſt! Chriſt doth much condiſcend in his love to us: ſo that here is the greateſt Majeſtie, and the greateſt debaſement that ever was, met in Chriſt, and all out of love to poor ſoules.
I have compared thee to a company of horſes in Pharaoh's Chariots.
I have compared, or, I have imagined, or thought thee to be like. The word ſignifies to frame a likeneſſe of a foreign Aſſimila vit, comparavit, cogitavit, imaginatus eſt. In Phiel. cogitavit, putavit, intentus fuit, conſideravit, obſervavit, Schind. in Pentaglot.thing in the mind, or to impute a thing to be this or that. So that though the Church had been negligent and ſlow in the work of Chriſt, and thought ſhee had been unable to withſtand all her temptations, yet hee accounts her as one that was ſtrong and active, as one that was glorious and beautifull.
Hence obſerve,
That Chriſt doth eſteeme of his ſervants and people, not as they are in themſelves, but as they are in himſelfe.
Chriſt did not account his Church to be ſloathfull and ignorant to be black and ſun-burnt, as before ſhee thought of her ſelfe: but ſaith he, thou art fair & beautifull, thon art ſtrong and active, I have compared thee to Pharaoh's horſes, &c. Chriſt doth alwayes eſteem of his Church according to the better part, not according as they have made themſelves, but according to that, which he hath made them; and not onelyonly according to that he makes them to be now, but according to what he intends to make them hereafter.
To a company of horſes.
The word ſuſah, which being the feminine of Sus, a foreign Equus, unde foreign Equitatus; unde foreign Equitio, cum paragogico, Buxt. in lex.horſe, may in propriety ſignifie a mare, but here it ſignieth a troop of horſes: there be many things in Scripture ſpoken of collectively, as in Exod. 15. 1. The horſe and his rider, for the horſes and their riders. The horſe is a warlike beaſt, as he is deſcribed, Iob 39, 19, 20. He is terrible, neighing like thunder, he makes a breath, which covers his neck, and ſhews his courage: he is ſo fierce, as if hee would devour and ſwallow down the ground under him. And Solomon ſaith, The horſe is prepared againſt the day of battle, Prov. 21. 31.
We may read it, my company of horſes; the Hebrew letter Iod, uſually ſignifies mine, although ſometimes it is added in the end of a word without ſignification, as in Lam. 1. 1. Now according to this reading, my horſes, the Lord doth liken his people to goodly horſes, thereby noting the ſtrength and victory which hee giveth them over the enemies. Thus the Prophet ſpeakes of the children of Iſrael, in reſpect of their victory over Pharaoh, ſaying, Thou diddeſt walke through the ſea with thine horſes, through the heape of great waters, Hab. 3. 15. Thus Chriſt fighting againſt Anti-Chriſt, is accompanied with all the Warriours in heaven (that is, all the faithfull in the Church) following him upon white horſes, Rev. 19. 14.
In the Chariots of Pharaoh.
Pharaoh was a name common to all the Kings of Aegypt, See Schind. in Pentag.and in the Aegyptian tongue ſignifies a Prince or Ruler. Now we know the Horſes and Chariots of Aegypt were in great requeſt and eſtimation, not only in Aegypt, but in other Countreys, as the Scripture ſheweth, Solomon had horſes brought out of Aegypt, 1 King. 10. 28. And in Ezek 17. 15. The King of Judah ſent his Ambaſſadors into Aegypt, that they might give him horſes and much people. And the Prophet pronounceth a woe againſt ſuch as truſted on the horſes of Aegypt, forſaking the Lord, ſaying. Woe to them that goe downe to Aegypt for help, and ſtay on horſes, and trust in Chariots, becauſe they are many, &c. Iſa. 31. 1.
Now by this compariſon Chriſt ſetteth forth the glory and renown of his Church in reſpect of her victories and achievements; for he having directed his Church to follow the foot-ſteps of the Flock, and to feed above the tents of falſe Shepheards, no queſtion now but theſe falſe Shepheards, who before were called Chriſt's companions, will perſecute and afflict her: now for the comforting and ſupporting of her, Chriſt tells her, ſhee ſhall be ſtrong and victorious, ſhe ſhall be like the horſes of Aegypt, ready for the battell. And thus when the Lord threatneth wars againſt the daughters of Sion, he ſaith, The ſhepheards with their flocks ſhall come unto her, they ſhall pitch their tents againſt her round about, &c. Jer. 6. 2, 3. Now the Lord to comfort his Church againſt the fury of theſe falſe ſhepheards, compareth her to the horſes in Pharaoh's chariots; wherein hee ſheweth, that his Church ſhould be ſtrong, cheerefull, prompt, and ready for the warre, ſhee ſhould be valiant and victorious. Thus the Lord promiſeth victory to his Church, againſt thoſe falſe ſhepheards which ſhould ariſe againſt her, in Zach. 10. 3. hee ſaith, (by a like ſimile) mine anger was kindled againſt the ſhepheards, and I puniſhed the goats; for the Lord of hoſts hath viſited his flocke, the houſe of Iudah, and hath made them as his goodly horſe in the battell, &c. Hence they ſhall obtaine the victory over their enemies, and therefore he addeth in verſ. 5. And they ſhall be as mighty men which tread downe (their enemies) in the mire of the ſtreets in the battell, and they ſhall fight, becauſe the Lord is with them, and the riders on horſes ſhall be confonded. By the ſhepheards and goats are meant the cruel Governors, which did oppres the poor ſhreep: but now when God ſhall turne his favourable countenance towards his people, hee will cloath them with ſuch valour and ſtrength, ſo that of Sheep they ſhall become great War-horſes, with which the Lord will overcome and trample downe his enemies. So in that Chriſt compares his Church to Pharaoh's Charriot. Horſes, he doth promiſe and declare that they ſhall obtaine the victory over all their enemies whatſoever.
Hence Obſerve,
That Chriſt hath armed his People with ſpirituall armour, power, fortitude and valour to overcome all their enemies. Antichriſt ſhall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb ſhall overcome him, Revel. 17. 14. But marke the reaſon he giveth why the Lamb ſhall overcome: For they that are with him are called and choſen, and faithfull: Theſe are the Army that follow Chriſt in Heaven, who are of high account with God, though the World call them Hereticks; yet theſe are called to deſtroy Antichriſt, and will faithfully performe it. Now though their Enemies be ſtrong, and the war ſharp, yet the Saints are ſure of victory, they ſhall ſurely become Conquerours. Thus it is ſpoken of the two Witneſſes in Revel. 11. 4. That if any man will hurt them, that is, if any way perſecuting or afflicting them, or attempt to hinder them in the courſe of their Prophecy, Then fire ſhould proceed out of their mouths to devoure their enemies. Their Enemies ſhall be deſtroyed becauſe they deſpiſed their Teſtimony. Thus all the Army in Heaven which follow Chriſt upon White Horſes, Revel. 19. 14. they ſhall make war with principallities and powers, and with all the rulers of darkneſſe of this World; they war againſt all the Devills in hell, and againſt all ſpirituall wickedneſſe, having received power and Commiſſion from Chriſt, and therefore ſhall overcome. The Saints are ready prepared unto this Battaile, they are pro…p… and ready, they are full of fortitude and valour, yea and far beyond the Horſes of King Ph…raoh. The Horſes of Aegypt were ſtrong and ready for the Battaile, but yet they were but fleſh and not ſpirit, Zech. 4. 6. But the Saints are cloathed with all ſorts of Spirituall weapons, yea, with the whole armour of God, Ephel. 6. and thus all the Saints with Paul are more then Conquerours.