Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 2 · Verse 8,9
VERS. 8.
The voyce of my Beloved, Behold, he commeth leaping upon the Mountaines, skipping upon the Hills.
VERS. 9.
My Beloved is like a Roe, or young Hart, &c.
The Church ſtill continueth ſpeaking, either declaring her owne ſenſe, or the actions of her Beloved: all tending to expreſſe the mutuall affections one towards another; and in reſpect of Chriſts neare approaching, either in the diſcoveries of his grace, or his comming in the fleſh; the Spouſe breaketh out and rejoyceth to heare the Bridegrooms voyce, and declaring this joy of hers unto her friends, ſhe ſaith, It is the voyce of my Beloved, &c.
In the words we have uttered,
1. The Churches ſenſe and feeling of Meſſiah's approaching in the gracious diſcovery of himſelfe.
This ſenſe and feeling of Meſſiah's approaching is laid downe.
1. From the knowledge ſhee hath of his voyce.
2. From the knowledge of his pace.
The voyce is made excellent by the ſubject, when ſhee ſaith, It is the voyce of my Beloved.
The Pace is made excellent.
1. From the word of attention, Behold.
2. From the ſpeedineſſe thereof, by ſaying, He commeth leaping over the Mountaines and Hills. Afterwards by comparing him in that reſpect, to the Roe, or young heart, in Verſ. 9.
The voyce of my beloved.
By the voyce here is meant the word of Chriſts grace, and the Preaching of the Goſpell, which the Church knoweth to be Chriſts voyce, and therefore receiveth it with joy: now in that ſhee doth acknowledge his voyce notwithſtanding her former diſtempers. Hence Obſerve,
That the Saints doe and may diſcerne the voyce of Chriſt, yea, and that in a weake and diſtempered condition. This is teſtified by Chriſt, when he ſaith Every one that is of truth heareth my voyce, John 18. 37. And againe he ſaith, My Sheep heare my voyce, John 10. 3. And they know not the voyce of Strangers, Verſ. 4. It is ſaid of the Jewiſh Rulers that dwelt in Jeruſalem, that they knew not the voyce of the Prophets, Acts 12. 27. That is, they ſlighted their doctrines, and hearkned not unto them. Hence it is ſaid, to day if yee will heare his voyce, Heb. 3. 7. Now the Sheep of Chriſt they can diſcerne Chriſts voyce, they can (as Job ſaith) taſt words by the eare, Job 12. 11. They have a ſpirituall taſt, a diſcerning reliſh in their ears, becauſe they have the Spirit of God, and therefore reliſh what is ſuitable and agreeable to the Spirit.
But now the great Queſtion is, How we ſhall know the Voyce of Chriſt from the voyce of ſtrangers? How ſhall we underſtand the word, and know the truth from error, light from darkneſſe, &c?
For anſwer hereunto, conſider.
1. That the Voyce of Chriſt hath a ſupernaturall power and majeſty in it, which carries its owne evidence with it. How doe we know light to be light but by that evidence of light that it hath in it ſelfe? How doe we know fire to be fire but by that evidence of heat that it hath in it ſelfe? So the word and voyce of Chriſt carries ſuch a majeſty and power with it, to caſt downe, to raiſe up, to kill, and make a live, that it carries its owne evidence in it ſelfe. Hence it is that the Apoſtle ſaith, that the word of prophecy doth judge and convince the unbeleiver, and it makes manifeſt the ſecrets of the heart, 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. That is, the unbeleivers falſe perſwaſions of God, and his luſts and deſires ſhall be diſcovered and convinced by the word. And againe he ſaith, For the weapons of our warfare (meaning the ſpirituall applying of the word to the reſiſting of their enemies) are not carnall (ſuch as naturall men have recourſe unto, and d…e great things by: As namely, riches, friends, honour, eloquence, favour of Princes, and the like) but mighty through God, or to God, for the accompliſhing of his will, moving the heart, and convincing the Conſcience by the Spirit, and puniſhing thoſe that withſtand the Goſpell, by the pulling downe of ſtrong holds, caſting downe imaginations (or the reaſonings of the ſoul) and every high thing that exalteth it ſelfe againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. No adverſe power being able to ſtand before the power of Chriſts voyce, or to withſtand it.
2. The Saints have the ſpirit of Chriſt to lead them into all truth, John 14. 16. That is, not ſimply and abſolutely, but into all truth neceſſary for them to know, whereby they may judge and diſcerne of the voyce of Chriſt: So that the Saints have a faculty to diſcerne of ſuch food as is agreeable unto them: and alſo to reject that which is not fit nouriſhment, and to let it goe. As there are in nature, paſſages fit for concoction, and digeſtion, and alſo for rejection; ſo there is in the ſouls of the Saints, to receive that which is wholeſome food, and fit for the ſoul and Spirit.
Object. But ſome may ſay, How ſhall we out of our owne breaſts, without the allowance and approbation of thoſe that are learned, be aſſured that it is the holy Ghoſt that doth ſo guide us in the way of truth?
Anſw. That whereas the Apoſtle Paul for aſſurance of our ſalvation, and that we are undoubtedly the Children of God, alledgeth, That we have received the Spirit of adoption, and that Spirit beareth witneſſe to our Spirits, that we are the Children of God, Rom. 8. 16. Now it may as well be demanded of them, that feel this aſſurance in their ſouls, how they know it to be the true Spirit of God which doth aſſure them? which is to contradict the Apoſtle, and to deny the principles of Religion, againſt ſuch there is to be no diſputation. The ſame Spirit which doth witneſſe unto us, that we are the Children of God, and cannot deceive, doth alſo aſſure us of the true voyce of Chriſt, in the interpretation of the Scriptures, and it doth aſſure us ſo, that we cannot be deceived. It is true, that the naturall man (as Paul ſaith) perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe unto him: neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The divine writings of God will not ſtoop to the naturall ſpirit of man, neither will the divine Scriptures be underſtood, but of ſuch as have received the Spirit of Heaven, and them unto whom the Lamb Jeſus Chriſt ſhall unſeale the Book of Life, Rev. 5. Therefore we muſt bring the Spirit of the Scriptures, for the underſtanding of the Scriptures, and he that is ſpirituall (ſaith the Apoſtle) judgeth all things, &c. 1 Cor. 2. 15. That is, the ſpirituall man diſcerneth and underſtandeth all things which are of God, and that belong unto eternall life.
Secondly, in that the Church ſaith, It is the voyce of my beloved, Obſerve,
That Chriſt is beloved of his Church in what condition ſoever ſhee is in.
Although the Church were weake and ready to faint, and felt but little divine aſſiſtance, neither had ſhee but ſmall diſcoveries of Chriſt, yet ſhee ſaith, It is the voyce of my beloved. The Saints, even in ſpiritual deſertions, when Chriſt hideth his face, and vaileth himſelfe from the ſoul: I ſay, then the Saints are enough wel-pleaſed in Chriſt, though the tentation be full of amarulency and bitterneſſe, yet in Chriſt himſelfe there is abundant ſweetneſſe and ſatisfaction. Hence was that reſolution of Job, Though he kill mee, yet I will truſt in him. Hence it is alſo ſaid of the Children of God, That 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. Believers can ſay in the middeſt of feares, tentations, and afflictions, It is the voice of my beloved. Thus much for the Churches acknowledgement of her ſenſe, and feeling of Meſſiahs approaching, and gracious diſcovery of himſelfe unto her, and that by the diſcerning of his voice.
Now followeth the acknowledgement ſhe makes of Chriſt by his pace, which is prefaced with a word of attention, and after ſet forth, to be very ſpeedy in theſe words.
Behold! he commeth leaping upon the Mountaines skipping upon the Hils.
Behold! is a word of attention, of admiration, and of aſſeveration, as you heard in chap. 1. 15. Behold how my beloved comes running like an Hinde.
Hence Obſerve.
That the approaches and drawings neere of Chriſt unto us, is matter of great obſervation.
When the Prophet Iſaiah foreſaw Chriſt comming to aſſume fleſh, he cries out, Behold a Virgin ſhall conceive &c. Iſa. 7. 14. The Ancients ſaw Chriſt comming afarre off. Abraham ſaw his day and rejoyced: but when John Baptiſt commeth, he ſaith, Behold the Lamb of God, for the ſucceeding ages of the Church, the Saints beheld Chriſt aſcending to heaven, from whence he firſt deſcended: ſurely it ſhould be our worke to contemplate Chriſts approachings to us in his ſpirit, and in the gracious diſcoveries of himſelfe unto us, in this laſt age of the world.
Thus farre the preface: Now followeth the manner of his comming, which is firſt ſet forth to bee ſpeedy.
He commeth leaping, &c.
The manner of Chriſts comming, is ſet forth unto us by the ſimilitude taken from the Roes and Harts (whereunto Chriſt is likned in the next verſe) which are ſwift and ſpeedy in their running, and skip upon hills and rocks: as the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaking of the glorious effects of the Goſpell, ſaith, The lame man ſhall leape as an Hart, Iſaiah 35. 6. that is, he ſhall goe on evenly and ſtraightly, he ſhall walke nimbly and cheerefully in the wayes of God. Hereby then is meant the ſpeedineſſe and readineſſe of Chriſts comming, either to help and ſupport his people, or elſe his comming in the fleſh, when he would more fully diſcover himſelfe in a Goſpel-miniſtration.
Ʋpon the mountains.
Theſe words doe marvelouſly expreſſe Chriſts ſingular love, as though the Church ſhould ſay, the danger of the journey, the hardneſſe of the way, neither any thing elſe as mans power, or the like, can hinder him from comming to comfort me: but he will paſſe all impediments whatſoever, as the ſinnes of his people, and the oppoſition of the world, and the like. And that mountains and hils are thus uſed, may appeare, Iſa. 40. 4. the Prophet ſpeaking of John Baptiſts comming, to prepare the way before Chriſt, ſaith, Every mountaine and hill ſhall be made low. So the adverſaries of the Church are compared to a Mountaine, in Zach. 4. 7. Who art thou, O great mountaine? before Zerubbabell, thou ſhalt become a plaine. So that notwithſtanding the ſinnes of his people, and the oppoſition of the world, Chriſt declareth his comming, by his voice, to comfort his people.
Hence Obſerve.
That nothing can keepeback, or ſeparate Chriſt from his Church, his love is ſo great towards her.
There be as it were high hils and mountaines of ſins, in the people of God, which might ſeparate: and the Devill raiſeth up bankes to make the way unpleaſant, but he paſſeth over all theſe high mountaines: The Apoſtle tels us, that his love is ſo abundant, As neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, Rom. 8. 38, 39. Hence it is, even from that unſeperable love of Chriſt, towards his Church, ſhe ſo glorieth ſaying, Behold he commeth leaping over the mountaines, &c. that is, he commeth without let or hinderance, though our ſinnes be as great hils and mountains, which make a great ſeparation or diſtance betweene us, yet he paſſeth over them all. The Prophet Iſaiah compareth the pride of the Jewes, and their phariſaicall preſumption upon their owne merits, to the mountains, as likewiſe too much dejection of minde, to the valleys, declaring, that by the preaching of John Baptiſt, to prepare the way of Chriſt, Every valley ſhall be exalted, and every mountaine and hill ſhall be made low, and the crooked ſhal be made ſtraight and the rough places plaine, Iſa. 40. 4. That is ſuch as in their owne conceit of workes, are exalted like mountaines, ſhall be caſt downe by the miniſtery of the word; and ſuch as are dejected and caſt downe in their ſpirits, ſhall be comforted and raiſed up.
To the godly are incident ſmaller imperfections, which are common to all the Saints, and they are compared to little hils, according to that of the Apoſtle Wee know that the Law is ſpirituall, but I am carnall ſold under ſinne, ſaith he; for I allow not that which I doe, for, What I would, that I doe not, and what I hate, that I do, Rom. 7. 14. 15. And theſe ſmalleſt imperfections are great enough to ſeparate us from God, were it not for Jeſus Chriſt: But ſaith the Apoſtle, There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt, Rom. 8. 1. The Church doth yet further declare the manner of Chriſts comming.