Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 2 · Verse 7,8,9
VERS. 7, 8, 9.
I charge you, O ye Daughters of Jeruſalem, by the Roes, and by the Hindes of the Field, that yee ſtirre not up, nor awak my love till he pleaſe.
The voice of my beloved; behold! he commeth leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hils.
My beloved is like a Roe, or a young Hart, behold! he ſtandeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the Window, ſhewing himſelfe through the Latteſſe.
IN the former part of this Chapter, wee have ſeene how Chriſt calling himſelfe a Roſe and a Lilie, giveth us to underſtand, that in him is the Fountaine of all grace, and the fulneſſe and perfection of all ſweet and heavenly treaſures. Alſo, that from his ſweetneſſe and beautie, his Church is made ſo ſweet and com…ly that ſhe excelleth all other Daughters, as farre as the pure white Lilie doth the Thornes. Then ſhe ſetteth forth the praiſe of her well beloved, by a like compariſon; namely, that as the Apple-tree excelleth the trees of the forreſt: ſo doth he excell the Sonnes.
And further ſhe declareth, that by the comfortable ſhadow, and fruit of this tree, ſhe being led into the houſe of wine, ſhe is made partaker of all heavenly bleſſings in him, and by the feeling of his love, ſhe is ſick of love towards him, calling for a further ſupply of grace, and is embraced, comforted, and ſupported by Chriſt. All which is contained in the firſt ſix verſes of this Chapter.
Now to proceed. In theſe three Verſes we have.
Firſt, A ſtrict charge given, that this peace ſhe enjoyed, may not be interrupted, verſe 7.
Secondly, A Declaration of Meſſiahs comming, together with the diſcovery thereof, verſes, 8, 9.
Firſt, Wee have a vehement charge given to all the Members of the Church, I charge you O ye Daughters of Jeruſalem, &c.
Secondly, The manner of the charge, By the Roes and Hindes of thee Feild.
Thirdly, The matter of the charge, That yee ſtirre not, nor awake my love.
Fourthly, The duration or continuance of the charge, untill be pleaſe.
Here ariſeth ſome difficultie, to finde out whether it be Chriſt or his Church that giveth this charge; by ſome of our Engliſh tranſlations, it ſeemes to be Chriſt, becauſe it is read, That you awake not my love untill ſhe pleaſe; for if it were the Church, ſhe ſhould ſay, That you awake not my love untill be pleaſe. But it is not very eaſily diſcuſſed by the Hebrew text: for the word Ahabhah, love, is feminine: and if the Church call Chriſt her love, the conſtruction is with a verbe of the feminine gender. Some doe expound this charge to be Chriſts, which he ſhould give unto the falſe Brethren, and falſe Churches, ſuch as were degenerate Aſſemblies of Idolaters, that they doe not moleſt that ſweet peace and reſt of the Church, which ſhe had obtained in him. But I rather take it, to be the charge of the Church, not to her falſe Siſters, but unto her companions, that they doe not by any miſcarriage or rude behaviour of theirs, cauſe Chriſt to withdraw himſelfe, or to hide or ecclipſe his love.
The reaſons of this interpretation are,
Firſt, The originall will indifferently beare either.
Secondly, She had authority to command, as ſhee doth in verſe 15. ſaying, Take us the Foxes, &c.
Thirdly, The words preceding, and following after, are the words of the Church.
Fourthly, She doth apply the words unto the Daughters of Jeruſalem, her fellow friends, unto whom ſhee often ſpeaketh, as in Chap. 1. verſ. 5.
Let us now deſcend downe unto the words in particular.
I charge you, &c.
The Hebrew word here tranſlated, I charge, ſignifieth to ſweare, or to adjure, or earneſtly to charge, foreign Septem, Inde Niphal foreign …uravit. foreign Cum, puncto ſiniſtie, ſatiatus ſaturatus fuit.&c. It hath alſo the ſignification of ſeven, which is a myſticall number, Gen. 2. 3. and ſome give the reaſon of it to be this, becauſe an oath is confirmed by ſeven, that is by many witneſſes. The word alſo ſignifieth to ſatisfie, becauſe he to whom we ſweare muſt be contented. An adjuration is neere of kinde to a curſe, and ſometimes one is put for an other, as appears in Gen. 24. 8. Joſh. 6. 26. Hence it ſheweth the weightineſſe of this ſpeech.
Hence Obſerve.
That the Saints are very ſerious in the things of Chriſt.
Here the Church layes ſuch a weighty and ſtrict charge on the Daughters of Jeruſalem. True, good, gracious, and heavenly impreſſions upon the heart, will be very ſtrong and vehement in expreſſions, as here the Churches are, ſaying, I charge you, &c. Now followeth the parties thus charged.
O ye Daughters of Jeruſalem.
By theſe Daughters, no queſtion, ſhe meaneth ſuch as wiſhed well to the Church, and had ſomewhat to do therein, ſuch as were the ſeverall Members of her. But though theſe Members are expreſſed by the daughters of Jeruſalem, yet ſo, as there by is comprehended all the faithful, whereſoever diſperſed. Hence it is ſaid, that the Law ſhall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem, to other Nations and people, as the Prophet ſpeakes, Iſa. 2. 3. Wee had occaſion to ſpeake of the Daughters of Jeruſalem already, in Chap. 1. 5. yet give me leave to add one thing, which I omitted there, namely, to obſerve that the Church is called by the name of Jeruſalem, or the holy Citie. The Church may well be called Jeruſalem, and that from ſuch reſemblances as theſe.
Firſt, Jeruſalem was the chiefe metropolitan Cittie of the Jewes. So the Church hath the greateſt advantage or precedencie above all other ſocieties whatſoever, becauſe unto her Members are committed the Oracles of God, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the Church of the Jewes, Rom. 3. 2. unto whom alſo pertained the Adoption, and the glorie, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the ſervice of God, and the promiſes, Rom. 9. 4.
Secondly, Jeruſalem was eminenter then other places, for it is ſaid, they went to Jeruſalem, and down to Aegypt, and other places: ſo the Church, is from above, Gal. 4. 26. becauſe it hath its originall from above, and ſteeres its courſe towards heaven above.
Thirdly, Jeruſalem was a Cittie compact in it ſelfe, Pſal. 122. 3. So is the Church the body of Chriſt, compact and knit together, by joynts and legiaments, as it is in the naturall body: for ſo the Apoſtle telleth us, that The whole body (of the Church) is fitly joyned together and compacted, by that which every joynt ſupplyeth, &c. Epheſ. 4. 16.
Fourthly, Jeruſalem is a free Cittie, and had many, Citie-priviledges and immunities: ſo is the Church, Ga…. 4. 26. Jeruſalem (or the Church) which is above is free. The Law was delivered in a moſt terrible manner on Mount Sinai, and the effects thereof was nothing but bondage; but after it was ſent out of Zion, and out of Jeruſalem, with the Spirit of grace and adoption, and brings with it cheerefulneſſe and libertie, ſo though Agar ge…dereth to bondage, yet Jeruſalem which is above is free.
Fifthly, Jeruſalem was the ſeat of God, choſen from all places of the world, as appeares, Pſal. 132. 13, 14. For the Lord hath choſen Zion, …he hath deſired it for his habitation: this is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell, for I have deſired it. So the Church of Chriſt is his ſeate, where he dwels, and holds forth the word of life, and diſtributes the rich treaſures of grace and glory, and doth beutifie it with all heavenly excellencies and priviledges of ſalvation.
Sixthly, Jeruſalem was the joy of the whole earth, Pſal. 48. 2. So is the Church, the joy and comfort of the word; what are all the men in the world beſides? the Church is the ſeate of ſaving truth, and is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, ſo that the Church is the depoſitory of the truth, that orbe out of which this glorious light ſhines forth; and unto the Church pertains the Covenant, and the promiſes as you heard before. So much for the Parties charged.
Now wee proceed to the manner of the charge.
By the Roes, and by the Hindes of the Field.
Some render theſe words thus: Tarry ye abroad with the Roes, or with the Hinde of the field. Wee may underſtand it thus, Yee that are by the Roes, that is, yee that feed your flocks abroad in the Feilds, where the Roes and Hindes runne. The meaning may be this, get you abroad for a while, take your pleaſure, and doe what you will, only diſquiet not, neither vexe my beloued. This is ſpoken by the Church, after the manner of men and their wives, who when they would talke off ſecret matters, or take their reſt and be quiet, will bid their Children and ſervants get them abroad, and recreate themſelves, where they will, for a while. Indeed ſome take the words, as if the Oath were by the Roes and by the Hindes, which cannot be but improper and onelyonly figurative, becauſe Oathes and Adjurations are by the name of God onelyonly, Deut. 6. 13. We may read it among the Roes, ſo doth Arius Montanus, rather then by the Roes, becauſe the Letter Beth is here prefixed, which ſignifieth foreign In capreis.in, Or among, more properly then by. The Church doth in her charge to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, take theſe creatures, to wit the Roes and Hinds, as witneſſes againſt them if they neglect their charge: an example we have in Deut. 30. 19. I call Heaven and Earth (ſaith Moſes) to record this day againſt you, &c. This obteſtation of Heaven and Earth, is meant the creatures in Heaven and Earth. We have the like expreſſion in Joſh. 24. 27. This ſtone ſhall be a witneſſe (ſaith Joſhua) unto us, for it hath heard all the words of the Lord. This figurative Speech is as much as if Joſhuah had ſaid to the people thus, this ſtone ſhall as truely witneſſe againſt you, if you ſhall falſifie your promiſe and Covenant, as if it had heard the words that were ſpoken.
Hence Obſerve,
That unreaſonable creatures are called to teſtifie againſt men that deale falſly with Chriſt. Suitable to this is that in the Prophet, Jer. 2. 12. Be aſtoniſhed O yee Heavens at this, and be yee horribly afraid, be yee very deſolate, ſaith the Lord. Implying, that the very ſenſeleſſe creatures, were they apprehenſive of ſuch evills, would abhor ſuch dealings, and tremble to thinke what the iſſue of them would be, or that ſuch courſes were ſuch as might juſtly fill Heaven and Earth with aſtoniſhment.
And ſo in Iſa. 1. 2. Give eare O Heavens, and heare O Earth, &c. Becauſe men are obſtinate and ſenſeleſſe, the dumb creatures are called upon as more ready to heare and obey Gods word then they, and are therefore witneſſes for God againſt them. And in Pſal. 50. 4. He will call to the Heavens to judge his people, that Heaven & Earth may beare record. And in Job 20. 27. The Heavens ſhall reveale his iniquity, and the Earth ſhall riſe up againſt him.
Let us conſider the nature and condition of theſe Roes and Hinds, and then we ſhall ſee how fitly they are here brought in, in this obteſtation or adjuration.
1. The Roes and Hinds are wild Beaſts of the Field, foreign Militia, congregatio populi, axercitus.and have their names of Armies and Powers: and by wild Beaſts, the people of the world, who are not of God, are named: ſo that his people are admoniſhed not to provoke Jeſus Chriſt, leaſt theſe wild Beaſts among whom they live, ſhould be made inſtrumentall to afflict them.
2. Theſe Roes and Hinds are ſet forth in Scripture for their ſwiftneſſe of foot, as in 2 Sam. 2. 18. which being referred to Gods judgements, may ſignifie the ſwiftneſſe of Gods judgement on them that ſhal break this adjuration.
3. Theſe creatures are alſo commended for their mutuall love one to another: by them is the love betweene man and wife ſet forth, as in Prov. 5. 19. Let her be as the loving Hind, and as the pleaſant Roe, &c. That as the Males and Females of theſe Beaſts doe dearly love one another, ſo is the unfeighned love betweene man and wife, and alſo betweene Chriſt and his Church; for Chriſt himſelfe is likened to a Roe, or young Hart, in Verſ. 9.
4. Theſe Beaſts are very much deſirous of the higheſt places: this is a property given by the Prophet Habakkuk to the Hinds, when he ſaith, The Lord will make my feet like the Hinds, and he will make me walk upon mine high places, Habak. 3. 19. So ſhould the Saints walk on high places, and not remaine below on Mountaines of Earth, but we ſhould Mount up to Heaven in our hearts, the hill of Gods holineſſe, and of our happineſſe, unto which Paul aſcended in the viſion of his ſoul, and unto which Stevens heart and eye was lifted up in the end of his Apology, becauſe his defence was in the Heavens. All our Salvation, joy, and happineſſe, commeth not from the Mountaines of fleſh and blood, but from the Heavens.
5. Theſe creatures were often made a prey, and over-reached by the Huntſman; therefore Chriſt himſelfe is called Aijeleth Kaſhacar, The Hind of the morning, Pſal. 22. 1. Who in that Pſalme is extreamly hunted with Doggs of the Evening: ſo are all the Saints hunted by the men of the world.
6. Theſe Hinds are very charitable one unto another: it is reported of them, that when they ſwim over a River, the firſt ſuſtaineth the ſecond, and the ſecond upholds the third, &c. Thus the Saints are exhorted by the Apoſtle to beare one anothers burthens, and ſo fulfill the Law of Chriſt, Gal. 6. 2. Not looking every man on his owne things, but every man alſo unto the things of others, Phil. 2. 4.
Thus in ſome meaſure all the Saints may be likened to the Roes and Hindes of the field: not that they were to ſweare by them, but for whoſe ſake and by whoſe means they were to take themſelves bound, as by a Solemne Oath, not to ſtir or provoke Chriſt by any miſcarriage whatſoever. Thus far for the manner of his charge, now followeth the matter thereof.
That yee ſtir not up, nor awake my love.
The words may be read, If yee ſtir, and if yee ſtir up, or, If yee awake, and if yee awake up: for they are both foreign Vigilavit, excitatus fu it. Trauſitive excitavit.of one ſignification, ſave they differ in forme, and being both referred to the Love after mentioned, they meane a ſtirring up more or leſſe. The word If uſed in Oaths and adjurations is a prohibition upon penalty, as in Gen. 21. 23. Sweare unto me here by God, If thou ſhalt lie unto me. That is, that thou wilt not lie, as Pſal. 89. 35. Once have I ſworne by my holineſſe, if I lie unto David. That is, I will not lie unto David. And in Mark. 8. 12. If a ſigne be given, which is explain'd in Mat. 16. 4. A ſigne ſhall be given. And ſo if they ſhall enter into my reſt, Heb. 3. 11. Pſal. 95. 11. which the Apoſtle, openeth thus, He ſware that they ſhould not enter, Heb. 3. 18. It is an imperfect Speech, where an imprecation is underſtood.
Stirring) is oppoſed unto ſleep, and quietneſſe, as ſitting ſtill: The Lord is ſaid then to ſtir up, or awake, when he delivereth his Church out of trouble, as in Pſal. 78. 65. Then the Lord awaked as one out of ſleep, &c. That is, he ſtirred up himſelfe to puniſh the Philiſtims, whereas before he ſeemed to ſleep. And the Church then ſtirreth up the Lord, when it earneſtly prayeth for ſuch deliverance, as in Pſal. 44. 23. Awake, why ſleepeſt thou O Lord? ſaith the Church; but theſe things are ſpoken Ad captu… humanum, after the manner of men, for properly, he …hat keepeth Iſrael, ſlumbereth not, nor ſleepeth not, Pſal. 121. 4. We may apply this unto the ſtirring & provoking of Chriſt by ſin, for which he doth often chaſtiſe and correct his people, as appears in Exod. 23. 20, 21. Behold (ſaith the Lord) I ſend an Angell to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place, which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voyce, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your tranſgreſſions, for my name is in him. The Angell here ſpoken of, is Chriſt, as appears by this, that he hath power to pardon ſin: and Gods name is in him, that is, he is eſſentially God: for Gods name and attributes are his very eſſence. So that the charge is not to provoke or ſtir up Chriſt to indignation by ſin, or any miſcarriage: It followeth the title here given unto Chriſt.
My Love.
This word My is not found in the Originall, but we may underſtand it my love, to wit, Chriſt her beloved, who is called Love, by an excellency, as in Song 1. 4. Righteous perſons were called righteouſneſſes. God is love, 1 John 4. 8. and is moſt worthy to be loved. The Church is called by the name of love in Song 7. 6.
Laſtly, we have the duration or continuance of this charge.
Ʋntill he pleaſe.
Ʋntill it pleaſe) or untill he pleaſe, meaning Chriſt: and if we take it for provoking of Chriſt by ſin, it is meant never: for ſo the word untill doth often ſignifie, as in Iſa. 22. 14. this iniquity ſhall not be purged from you untill yee die; that is, never: and it is ſaid, Michal had no Child untill the day of her death, 2 Sam. 6. 23. That is, ſhee never had any Child.
Or, it may be meant of Chriſt's comming in the fleſh, and then we muſt take it thus: the Daughters of Jeruſalem are charged to ſuffer affliction under the Law, being ſhut up unto the faith that ſhould be revealed, which Law was a School-maſter unto Chriſt, Gal. 3. 23. And the Church was as a Child in her nonage, under Tutors and Governors, under the Law, Ʋntill the appointed time of the Father, Gal. 4. 1, 2. Now I ſay according to this Interpretation, they were charged to waite in faith and patience, unto the comming of the Lord, as it is in Jam. 5. 7. 1 Pet, 5. 6, 7. and not to provoke him by Murmuring, or otherwiſe, through feare or unbeliefe. Now from this weighty charge, Obſerve,
Firſt, That we ought to be carefull not to diſquiet Jeſus Chriſt, whilſt he ſeeks our quiet. The Apoſtle adviſeth us not to grieve the holy Spirit, adding this reaſon, Becauſe (ſaith he) by it yee are ſealed unto the day of redemption, Epheſ. 4. 30. So are we alſo on the other hand to pleaſe the Spirit, as we would not turne away the Seale of our ſalvation The Prophet tells the reaſon why the Lord fought againſt his people, Becauſe (ſaith he) they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit, Iſa. 63. 10.
Secondly Obſerve,
That Chriſt is the Churches love. The love of the Saints may be divided and branched out to creatures, ſome love to one creature, and ſome to another, but all the ſtreame of their affections meet in Chriſt, as the Rivers meet in the Sea, and as the Sun-beams meet in the Sun. As Chriſt eternall, exceeding, rich love is faſtened onelyonly upon the Church, for indeed his love grows and plants it ſelfe there: So a believers love is fixed onelyonly upon Chriſt, as upon its proper and onelyonly object.
Thirdly, in that this adjuration is limitted to the Beloveds will and good pleaſure: if we take it for provoking by ſin: Obſerve,
That our great care muſt be, not at any time to ſin againſt Chriſt, to provoke him to wrath. Job ſaith that faire weather commeth out of the North, but with God is terrible Majeſty, Job 37. 22. The meaning of it is this, that though the creature may be pleaſing and flexible enough, and there may be faire quarter betweene man and man: yet not ſo with God; if he be once provoked, with him is terrible and dreadfull majeſty: and thus it is ſaid of Chriſt in the forenamed place, Exod. 23. 21. Beware of him, and obey his voyce, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your tranſgreſſions, for my name is in him. When we ſin againſt God, we have a Mediator to goe unto: but when we ſin againſt Chriſt we have no Mediator unto him, therefore it is a dangerous thing to ſin againſt Chriſt, for then indeed we ſin againſt a Mediator.
Laſtly, if we take this limitation to the beloveds good pleaſure, for his comming in the fleſh, when ſhe might injoy a greater manifeſtation of his preſence: then Obſerve,
That the Saints are patiently to wait for thoſe good things that are promiſed them in Chriſt. Here the Daughters were adjured not to provoke Chriſt by unbeliefe, or impatience or murmuring, but patiently to wait for Chriſts appearance. Suitable unto this is that of the Apoſtle when he tells the Hebrews that after they had done the will of God, they had need of patience, that they might receive the promiſe, Heb. 10. 36. That is, they were patiently, without grudging or murmuring, to wait for the good things promiſed them. The Saints that lived before Chriſts comming in the fleſh, were to wait with patience for the day of his appearance: and ſo now the Saints ſince his comming in the fleſh, muſt alſo wait for his laſt comming in glory, as we have it in the Apoſtle James. Be patient therefore Brethren, foreignunto the comming of the Lord, James 5. 7. The word Tranſlated Patient, ſignifies to be long patient, or to ſuffer with long patience: ſo that the Saints are exhorted to wait with patience and long-ſuffering, untill they receive the Crowne of glory which is laid up for them.
Thus far of the Charge given to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, not to provoke or ſtir up Chriſt by ſin, or to be impatient of his comming. Now followeth a declaration of Meſſiah's comming, together with the diſcovery thereof.