Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 4 · Verse 15,16,17
VERS. 15, 16, 17.
A fountaine of gardens, a well of living waters, and ſtreames from Lebanon.
Awake, O north-wnide, and come thou ſouth, blow upon my garden, that the ſpices thereof may ſlow out: let my beloved come into his garden, and eate his pleaſant fruits.
I am come into my garden, my Siſter, my Spouſe, I have gathered my myrrhe with my ſpice, I have eaten my honeycombe with my honey, I have drunke my wine with my milke, eate, O friends, drinke, yea, drinke abundantly, O beloved!
HAving diſpatched the firſt part of the Chapter: now followeth the ſecond part thereof, wherein wee may Obſerve.
Firſt, the prayer of the Spouſe, verſe 15, 16.
Secondly, the anſwer of Chriſt, verſe 17.
The prayer of the Spouſe, deſireth the preſence of Chriſt, who doth indeed miniſter power to her to be a garden, and water, to water her withall: therefore firſt, ſhe ſetteth forth Chriſt under theſe ſimilitudes, which are agreeable to ſuch things, as cauſe fruitfulneſſe in the garden.
Firſt, That he is the fountaine of the garden, a well of living waters, the very flood of God excelling the waters which flow from Lebanon.
Secondly, That he is all the winds, both hot and cold, binding and opening, North, and South, fit for every ſeaſon, to make the garden proſper. Then ſhe ſetteth downe the parts of her prayer, for his preſence, in two reſpects.
Firſt, To miniſter unto her the cauſe of all fruitfulneſſe, both for winde and weather, and nouriſhment of water, all which is meant in theſe words, Ariſe North, and come South, and blow on my garden, let the waters of his ſpirit overflow all my ſpices.
Secondly, To accept from the Church the pleaſant fruits of holy ſervices, the oblation of men renewed by the Spirit, the fruits of the lips in praiſe and thankſgiving, &c. in ſaying, Let my beloved come into his garden and eate his pleaſant fruit.
A fountaine of gardens, &c.
This ſeemeth to be the ſpeech of the Spouſe unto Chriſt, O thou fountaine, &c. Now whereas the Lord had commended the Spouſe in the former verſe, to be a ſweet garden, ſo well watered, and of ſuch precious plants: ſhe now aſcribeth all the praiſe thereof unto him, as if ſhe had ſaid thus: I humbly acknowledge the things to be in me, that thou haſt ſaid, howbeit I confeſſe, that they are not of my ſelfe, but from thee, the fountaine of all good things, and though that I do performe the dutie of a fountaine towards mine, yet thou art he, to whom indeed the name of fountaine and living waters, yea of life it ſelfe doth only appertaine: yea, thou art the only fountaine, and I doe but water others as from thee, O fountaine of gardens, &c. It is from the fonntaine, that all the Rivers flow, (in Pſal. 104. 10.) which water the gardens and plants in them, ſo making them greene and fruitfull. The Prophet Ezekiel, ſpeaking of the glorie of Aſſiria, comparing him to the Cedars of Lebanon, with faire branches, ſaith The waters made him great; the deep ſet him on high, with her rivers running about his plants, &c. Ezek. 31. 4, 5. And ſo when deſolation is threatned to the Church of the Jewes, it is likened to a garden that hath no water, Iſa. 1. 30. It is to be noted alſo, that the univerſall Church is but one garden, and all the particular Churches be gardens, ſo that her ſpeech and his doe not differ, when he calleth her a garden, and ſhe calleth him a fountaine of gardens, when he calleth her a fountaine ſealed up, which doth water all the plants, ſhee doth acknowledge the truth thereof unto his praiſe, affirming that he is the fountain of the gardens: that is, looke whatſoever waters of life be in her, yea, in all particular Churches, they flow from him, he is the fountaine.
Hence Obſerve.
That Chriſt is an overflowing fountaine of living water, refreſhing the garden of his Church, with ſtreames of his fulneſſe.
The Spouſe doth acknowledge all her ſupplies from him, in one word, when ſhe calleth him, a fountaine of gardens. It pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all falneſſe dwell, Col. 1. 19. And in him dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the God-head bodily, Col. 2. 9. Now of his fulneſſe have we all received, and grace for grace, Joh. 1. 16 And he he is made unto us of God, wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Chriſt by his Spirit doth refreſh his Churches, and all their plants, ſatisfieth their ſoule in drought, and maketh fat their bones: that their ſoule is Like a watered garden, and they ſhall not ſorrow any more at all, Jer. 31. 12. She addeth.
A well of living waters.
The Spouſe meaneth by this word, continuall waters, and ſuch as cannot be drawne drie: thus the well that Iſaacs ſervants diged in the valley, is called a well of ſpringing waters, Gen. 26. 19. in the Hebrew it is, living waters, that is, ſuch as ſpringeth continually, and drieth not up: ſo that by living water here is meant, ſpringing and running water, ſuch as is not dry with heat, neither putrifies, but is alwayes wholeſome, and giveth life continually.
Hence Obſerve.
That Chriſt is a continuall ſpring of living water to refreſh and comfort his Church with all ſupplies.
The graces, and waters of life, which doe flow from Chriſt upon his Church, are ſuch as can never be dryed up, they flow from a bottomles fountaine, albeit he beſtoweth his graces and gifts from time to time, in never ſo great abundance, yet they be not diminiſhed. Chriſt is a fountaine never drawne drie, though he communicate never ſo much, yet he hath never the leſſe in himſelfe: ſo Chriſt giveth water of life, of which, whoſoever drinketh, It ſhall be in him a well of water, ſpringing up into everlaſting life, Joh. 4. 14. And againe, ſpeaking of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, ſhould receive, he ſaith, He that believeth on me, &c. out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water, Joh. 7. 38. Chriſt is an everlaſting ſpring, alwayes ſending forth waters of life to refreſh his Saints: the ſupply that he gives is conſtant: 'tis not like a winter-bourne, that failes, and dries up in the Summer: but like an ever ſpringing fountaine, whoſe ſtreames are never drie. Now ſhe ſtill proceedeth in the commendations of her beloved, and ſaith.
And ſtreames from Lebanon.
Streames, running, or flowing from Lebanon, the water that came from Lebanon, was pure and cleare water, yea, Jordan it ſelf watering the Land of Iſraell, came after a ſort from thence, and no doubt but the water of Lebanon, taſted of that ſweetneſſe, that is mentioned before, in veſe 11. of this Chapter Lebanon being a place of ſo many ſweet Trees and Plants, the ſtreames flowing thence muſt needs be ſweet alſo: even as the waters that flow out of the hils, where Cinamon, and Cloves grow, do alſo partak of the ſweetneſſe thereof. Then the ſumme of all is thus much; the Spouſe commendeth Chriſt, firſt, for the fulneſſe and plenitude of all graces, in that ſhe calleth him, The fountaine of gardens.
Secondly, For the perpetuitie of the graces, in that ſhe calleth him, The well of living waters.
And laſtly, For the ſweetneſſe and pleaſantneſſe of the ſame, in that ſhe reſembleth him to the moſt ſweet and pleaſant waters, flowing from Lebanon.
Hence Obſerve.
That the water of life flowing from Chriſt to his Saints, is very ſweet and plevſant.
David ſaith, Thou leadeſt me by the ſtill waters. In the Hebrew it is, Waters of reſt, that is, moſt quiet, calme, and ſtill waters, ſuch as give reſt and refreſhing. Chriſt which is in the middeſt of the throne of God, ſhall lead his Saints to the (ſweet, pleaſant, and) lively fountains of waters, Revel. 7. 16. 17. This water is excellently reſembled by the water of the ſanctuarie, ſpoken of in Ezek. 47. 6. 10. where waters iſſuing out of the Sanctuarie, ranne along Galilce, and to the plaine, and into the Sea, &c. and every living thing that moveth whitherſoever the Rivers come, ſhall live, &c. and every thing ſhall live whither the River commeth. So in Revel. 22. 1. Out of the Throne of God, and of the Lamb, a pure River of water of life proceedeth. Water of life muſt needs be ſuch as doth cheere and refreſh the ſpirits. This living water flowing from Chriſt doth give life, and preſerve life in all thoſe that drinke it. And it is ſaid to be cleare as Cryſtall, Rev. 22. 1. that is, tranſparent, and exceeding all Fountaines in cleerneſſe, moſt pleaſant to the eye, as ſhewing all that is therein to the very bottome; and moſt pleaſant to the taſt, as free from mud and filth.
Now we ſhall proceed to the other part of the Spouſes ſpeech, which is expreſſed in the next verſe, wherein ſhe maketh earneſt prayer, ſaying,