Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 2 · Verse 11
VERS. 11.
For lo, Winter is paſt, the Raine is over and gone.
The Church had a longing deſire after a neer communion with Chriſt, who had made ſome diſcoveries of himſelfe unto her: now it remaines that ſhee draw neer unto him: to which end Chriſt uſeth quick Arguments to quicken her up to this duty: his motive is from the opportunity and fitneſſe of the time, and therefore he ſaith firſt of all, for lo, the winter is paſt, &c.
Winter) is a time of cold, hardneſſe, ſtorm, and tempeſt, foreign Inde. foreign Cha'd, Hyems tempeſtas, pluvia.when all things lye, as it were barren, under Froſt, and Snow, and cold Blaſts, there is no pleaſure to be taken then: But in the Spring time all ſweet and pleaſant things ſpring and bud forth, whereas in winter all flowers and fruits are conſumed, and as for Exuſu Chaldaeo um School in Pentaglot.travell it is difficult, and walking is unpleaſant: therefore ſaith Chriſt, Pray that your ſlight be not in the winter, Matth. 24. 20. But in the Spring time all thoſe things are pleaſant, then there is the melody of the ſinging of Birds, then there is comfort and ſolace to be taken in walking abroad.
The Raine is over and gone.
Raine is over) or changed: that is, the ſtormes and tempeſts of the winter is paſt away and gone, and faire and pleaſant weather come in the place. Raine in winter is uncomfortable to travell in, as in Ezr. 10. 9. The people trembled, for the raine was great. And in verſ. 13. The people were not able to ſtand without, becauſe it was a time of much raine. Showres and tempeſts are very troubleſome to thoſe that are abroad, or without doors.
Theſe things may be apply'd,
Firſt, to the bondage of ſin, which may well be compared to the winter; for as a nipping winter deflowreth the beauteous face of a Garden or Orchard, ſo doth ſin deforme and rob a people of their beauty.
Secondly, we may apply theſe winter ſtormes and blaſts to outward trouble and grievances in this life, by the malice and perſecution of wicked men: as when Iſrael was under Aegyptian bondage, and under the captivity of Babylon: ſuch times as theſe were winter ſeaſons, full of trouble and tempeſt. Now we may apply it unto the ſpirituall winter of Antichriſts raigne and rage, after which we begin to ſee buddings of glory and liberty ſhine forth againe
Thirdly, Wee may apply this winter to the menaces and ſhowring threats of the Law; and this I rather underſtand to be the right interpretation of the words; even as by the ſubſequent Spring, I underſtand to be myſtically meant the Goſpell.
Now looke how the winter is to the fruits of the earth, the ſame is the miniſtration of the Law to the ſoule.
The Law was promulgated with enſignes of feare, namely, with burning, fire, Blackneſſe, darkneſſe, and tempeſt: yea, ſo terrible was the ſlight, as Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly feare and tremble, Heb. 12. 18. 21. This ſtormie winter began with the Law in Mount Sinai, when Chriſt came in the fleſh to publiſh the Goſpell of joy and peace, the ſhowres of judgement ended: or rather the ſhowres were changed, from windie tempeſtuous ſhowres, to refreſhing ſhowers of the Springtime.
Hence Obſerve.
That the Saints under the Goſpell, are under a more glorious and comfortable diſpenſation, then the Saints were under the Law.
Hence it is, that Chriſt uſeth this as an argument to quicken and ſtirre up his Church, to draw neere to him: namely, becauſe The winter was changed, and the raine gone.
Now the nipping ceremoniall impediments were removed, and a greater diſcoverie of love and grace manifeſted. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of the New-covenant ſaith, Now that which is old, (meaning the Law) is ready to vaniſh away, Heb. 8. 13. that is, ſeeing Chriſt is come, and the time is now of the New-covenant, the Leviticall ordinances (which he calleth in another place carnal) and all the whole forme of the legall Covenant and ceremonies, formes of worſhip are abrogated. And now ſaith the Apoſtle, in Heb. 12. Wee are not come unto Mount Sinai, but unto Mount Sion, that is, to the Church under the Goſpell, whereof Mount Sion was a Type, Pſal. 14. 7. Hence it is that the Prophet Iſaiah foretelling of the glorie of the times of the Goſpel, ſayth, And it ſhall come to paſſe (ſaith he) in the laſt dayes, that the mountaine of the Lords houſe, ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains, and it ſhall be exalted above the hils, &c. that is, the ſpiritual glorie and grace of Chriſts Kingdome, ſhall be advanced above all worldly ſtate and power, and ſaith he, The Nations ſhall flow unto it; and many people ſhall ſay, come ye, let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Jacob, &c. Iſa. 2. 2, 3. that is, they ſhall embrane the wayes of Chriſt readily, and ſpontaneouſly, with a free ſpirit, they ſhall not be filled with that terrour and amazement, as the people of Iſrael were at Mount Sinai; that when they heard the words of the Law, deſired to heare them no more: but they ſhall ſay, He will teach us his wayes, and wee will walke in his pathes: for out of Zion ſhall goe forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem: That is, the doctrine of the Goſpell ſhall be firſt preached in Jeruſalem, and from thence ſent abroad into all the world.
Chriſt having uſed a motive to quicken his Church to come away, taken from the pleaſantneſſe of the ſeaſon, to wit, the ſpring time.
Now let us conſider the particulars, whereby this Spring is deſcribed.