Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 5 · Verse 17 – Verse 18
VERS. 17.
My beloved is gone downe into his Garden, to the bed of ſpices, to feed in the Gardens, and to gather Lillies.
THe queſtion in the former verſe, was not ſlightly propounded by the Daughters, neither was it a bare deſire of ſatisfaction, but from ſtrong affections of ſeeking Chriſt. So the Spouſe here doth not returne any ſlight anſwer, ſhe is not wanting, but directly anſwers to the queſtion: for there is no envy in ſpirituall things, becauſe all may ſhare alike: therefore ſhe giveth a punctuall anſwer, ſaying.
My beloved is gone into his Garden, to the bed of Spices, &c.
In the anſwer of the Spouſe obſerve two things. Firſt a declaration whither Chriſt is gone, where he is to be ſought and found. My beloved is gone into his Garden, to the bed of ſpices.
Secondly, the end of his going downe is alſo declared, and that is, To feed in the Gardens, and to gather Lillies.
My beloved is gone downe into his Garden, &c.
The Garden of Chriſt is his Church, as in Chap. 4. 16. & 5. 1. The Catholique Church is his Garden, and the particular Churches are his Gardens and beds of ſpices, where companies of believers grow, in whoſe hearts are ſowne the precious ſeed of the ſpirit, which the Apoſtle John calls, The ſeed of God: So the Saints become as a bed of ſpices in the Garden, comely, and ſweet ſmelling, in whom Chriſts ſoul delights, as in ſweet ſpices. Now the Spouſe comes to know that Chriſt is in her, he was there preſent all the time of her ſeeking, but ſhe perceived him not, but now he was manifeſt to her. Hence Obſerve,
That Chriſt is never abſent from his Saints, though they cannot ſometimes diſcerne his preſence. Chriſt was with his Spouſe when ſhe fainted for want of his preſence, when ſhe was ſick of love, and when ſhe made ſuch a diligent ſearch and enquiry after him, but ſhe diſcerned him not all that while, but now he manifeſteth himſelfe unto her, ſo that now ſhe hath a plaine diſcovery of him, when ſhe ſaith, My beloved is gone into his Garden, to the bed of ſpices, &c. Chriſt is neer his Spouſe, as well when ſhe hath not, as when ſhe hath the manifeſtation of his preſence. God was never neerer Chriſt, upholding him by his divine power, then when he cried out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? So the Lord is neare, yea, in the middeſt of his people, afflicting, ſtrengthning, and ſupporting them, when they have little or no ſight, or apprehenſion of his preſence. Secondly Obſerve.
That Chriſt doth not long together hide his divine preſence from his Spouſe. It is true, he may veile himſelfe for a while, and withdraw his light and comfort from the ſoul; though he take not away his love, yet he may ſuſpend the acts of it: he may ſeem to frowne, and to hide, and ecclipſe himſelfe, that the ſoul for a while looſeth ſence, and feels not its owne happineſſe. Now when it is thus with a believer, Chriſt is gone, the comfort and aſſurance of his love is gone, joy, and love, and delight, and all is gone. O how diſconſolate and ſad is the ſoul then: this is very irkſome to the ſoul that is indeared to Chriſt, and deſires his communion: yet notwithſtanding theſe things are but ſhort, Chriſt will not be long abſent from his Saints, his great delight and affection towards them will conſtraine him to manifeſt himſelfe. Joſeph concealed himſelfe for a while, but he was much ſtreightned in his ſpirit, untill he had made himſelfe knowne unto his brethren: So it is with Chriſt, he may keep at at a diſtance from his people for a while, but it will not be long before he returne againe, and manifeſt himſelfe unto his Spouſe. Now followeth the end of Chriſts going downe into his Garden. Viz.
To feed in the Gardens, to gather Lillies.
Firſt, Chriſts end in going downe into his Garden is to feed there, that is, to aſſociate himſelfe, and communicate with his people in the graces of his owne ſpirit, eating his owne pleaſant fruits, as in Chap. 4. 16. And alſo to Feaſt and refreſh his people with divine things, giving them of the heavenly Manna to eat, and of the River of life to drinke: he doth impart unto his Saints the graces of his ſpirit: he doth refreſh his Gardens, Viz. All his particular Churches, with all variety of Heavenly dainties.
Hence Obſerve,
That Chriſt doth aſſociate himſelfe with his people, abundantly ſatisfying their ſouls with his ſweetneſſe. He feeds in the Gardens, by communicating of himſelfe and his glory unto his Saints. You may remember in Chap. 5. 1. Chriſt declares that he had eaten his honey with his honey-comb; and here he feedeth in the Gardens. The Prophet ſaith, He ſhall ſeed his flock like a Shepheard, he ſhall gather the Lambs with his armes, and carry them in his boſome, and ſhall gently lead thoſe that are with young, Iſa. 40. 11. So that Chriſt doth plentifully, and ſweetly, and that with the greateſt care that poſſible can be, feed and refreſh his people. Another place paralell to this, is in Ezek. 34. 14. I will feed them in good paſtures upon the high Mountaines of Iſrael, there ſhall their fold be, there ſhall they lye in a good field, in a fat paſture, I will feed my ſlocke, and cauſe them to lye downe, ſaith the Lord God. I will ſeeke that which was loſt, and bring back that which was driven away; I will bind up that which was broken, and ſtrengthen that which is ſicke, and deſtroy the fat and the ſtrong, and feed them with judgement. Here is ſtore of all ſupply, yea, ſuitable ſupply for every want: a fit ſalve for every ſoare. Thus we ſee Chriſt doth feed in his Gardens, he doth communicate himſelf, his ſpirit, and makes a comfortable ſupply to all our wants.
Secondly, Chriſts end in going into his Garden is to gather Lillies: that is, to accept the ſweet-ſmelling fruits of his owne graces, growing in his Churches: or, to gather his people to himſelfe, which are as Lillies among thorns. Chriſtians are compared to Lillies, for their purity and whiteneſſe, being cleane through the word, as the Apoſtle ſaith; that is, through Chriſt who is the word. The Lillie, as it is white and glorious, ſo it is a very tall, goodly plant, therefore the Spouſe is compared to it: Other men are compared to thornes becauſe they are noxious and hurtfull, they are good for nothing but to cumber the ground, and to be offenſive, and to be burned. So the wicked are compared to ſuch, becauſe they are hurtfull and offenſive, but the Saints are compared to Lillies, for beauty and fairneſſe. Hence Obſerve.
That the Saints are beautifull perſons. Here they are compared to the glorious and beautifull Lillie. God cloatheth Lillies of the field with excellent beauty, their glory is brought into competition with Solomons, whoſe glory came far ſhort of the Lillies whiteneſſe and beauty; and if God take care for Lillies will he not take care for you, O yee of little faith? Mat. 6. 29. Doth God care for Lillies, that are to day, and to morrow are caſt into the Oven, and ſhall he not care for theſe living holy Lillies? Yes, undoubtedly he will. Chriſts argument is undeniable, he that puts ſuch a beauty upon the poore plants, that flouriſh to day in the morning, and wither before night, he that puts ſuch beauty upon the graſſe of the field, will he not put more excellency upon his Saints? Without queſtion he will. The Saints are as faire, and much fairer in Gods eye, then all the Lillies of the field. The Church is ſaid to be cloathed with the Sun, in Revel. 12. 1. That is, ſhe was cloathed with God, and with Chriſt, with the Spirit, with the white robes of his righteouſneſſe, and therefore ſhe muſt needs be glorious. And the Armies in Heaven, which are the Saints that follow Chriſt, are ſaid to be Cloathed in fine linnen, white and cleane, Rev. 19. 14. The Saints are a choſen people, to be holy, and without blame before him in love, Epheſ. 1. 4. God looks upon the Saints without blame, not as concerning the fleſh, and the carnall mind, which is enmity againſt God, but according to the Spirit, and the new man, which is created of God, after his owne image. And thus Chriſt is ſaid, To waſh and cleanſe his Church, by the waſhing of water, and the word, that he might preſent it to himſelfe a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh, Epheſ. 5. 26, 27. This is the pure, holy, and glorious condition of the Spouſe. The Saints are Lillies, being cloathed with the white Garments of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, not having any naturall or fleſhly glory of their owne: The whiteneſſe and purity of the Saints is borrowed, as the Moone borrows all her light from the Sunne, ſo the Saints derive their glory and excellency from Chriſt.
Laſtly, in that ſhe ſaith, the end of Chriſts going into his Garden is, to gather Lillies. Hence Obſerve, That Chriſt doth graciouſly accept of the fruits of his owne Spirit. Chriſt planteth a Vineyard, and delighteth to eat the fruit thereof; and ſo in Chap. 4. 16. Let my beloved come in, and eat his pleaſant fruits. That is, let him accept of, and partake of all the fruits of his: owne ſpirit, fruits of union and fruits of communion when Chriſt becomes as a dew upon Iſrael, Iſrael becomes his pleaſant plant, and is found to be fruitfull in returns to Chriſt againe: now Chriſt will accept of all thoſe returnes of his owne ſpirit, from his owne people, he comes into his garden to gather Lilies, to accept of the returnes of his owne ſpirit.
The Spouſe having thus reſolved the daughters of Jeruſalem, ſhe begins to feele ſome comfort and refreſhing from Chriſt, who had before eſtranged himſelfe from her, and therefore ſhe now concludeth with a kinde of triumphant acclamation upon all the former paſſages, both of her ill dealing with Chriſt, and Chriſts withdrawing from her: notwithſtanding all former paſſages, ſhe doth as it were glorie in her union and communion with Chriſt, as followeth in the next verſe, whereſhe ſaith.
VERS. 18
I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine, he feedeth among the Lilies.
THis is the concluſion of the whole Chapter, and of all the ſpeech that the Spouſe hath with the daughters of Jeruſalem, wherein ſhe openly profeſſeth that whatſoever may be done againſt her, that her affections are ſtill the ſame towards Chriſt, and is alſo perſwaded of his good will towards her: I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. The Spouſe boaſteth and glorieth in the renewed peace made betweene Chriſt and her, and their mutuall union and communion by the Spirit, notwithſtanding her former infirmities and afflictions. Wee had the ſame words before in Chap. 2. 16. only here they differ in reſpect of the order of them: That firſt there, is laſt here: Here in the order of the words the Spouſe ſaith, I am my beloveds. and afterwards, my beloved is mine: but however in order of the words, the Church ſaith, I am my beloveds firſt; yet in order of nature, Chriſt is ours firſt, though not in order of diſcoverie. The cauſe is knowne by the effect, though the cauſe be firſt in being, yet the effect is ſometimes firſt in diſcoverie: ſo it is here, Chriſts love and goodneſſe is the cauſe of ours: yet many times we ſee our owne before wee ſee his. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. In theſe words you ſee a mutuall intereſt and an owning between Chriſt and his Spouſe, as if the Spouſe had ſaid, as he will not have another, but will content and delight himſelfe wholly with me. Who feedeth among the Lilies; that is, who liveth moſt pleaſantly and ſweetly, as they that eate their meate among Lilies, and other flowers, cannot but live in pleaſure; but I ſhall not enlarge on this, having ſpoken largely of it in chap. 2. 16. So endeth the fifth chapter.