Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 5 · Verse 2
VERS. 2.
I have put off my Coat, how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them.
THe Spouſe doth here acknowledge, that notwithſtanding all the former ſweet drawings of Chriſt, yet ſhe drawes back, and that upon ſome ground of pretence, I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on, &c. As if ſhe had ſaid; I have put off my garments and apparell, and am ready as it were to goe to bed, and therefore, how ſhould I put it on? there is no reaſon I ſhould doe ſo now. I havi waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? I will not come upon the foule ground to defile my feet, that I have ſo cleanſed, neither… is there any reaſon, ſeeing they are cleane already, that they ſhould be defiled againe. Both the ſimilitudes tend to one purpoſe, viz. to expreſſe the deniall of the Spouſe in opening to Chriſt, and to let him in, for even as they that be undreſſed are loath to put on their cloathes againe till the morning, that they muſt needs riſe, and as they that have waſhed their feet, are unwilling to foule them, and many times alledge theſe things for excuſes, that ſo they may with the more ſafety neglect their duties: even ſo doth the Spouſe here. Tis a metaphor taken from thoſe that are gone to bed, and are loath to riſe for any mans pleaſure, and the meaning may be this, that ſhe had now ſhaken off many feares and troubles; ſhe was free from perfecution, and delivered from many afflictions and miſeries formerly endured; ſhe had now throwne off theſe things, as one going to bed doth his garments; ſhe had waſh't them off, as in the Eaſtern countries, travailers were wont to waſh off the ſoile of their feet, when they went to their reſt, and ſhe was now in the bed of fleſhly eaſe, and worldly contentment, loath to diſreſt her ſelfe, loath to riſe and be pincht with cold againe, loath to ſet her feet into the dirt of former ſufferings, though in her heart ſhe preferred Chriſt above all; yet ſo ſweet were thoſe earthly accomodations, that ſhe would rather forbear intercourſe with him for a while, then loſe her ſhare in thoſe fleſhly enjoyments. Hence ſhe faith, how ſhall I put it on? that is, I cannot put it on, without trouble and reluctation of my fleſh. The like phraſe God uſed in Hoſ. 11. 8. How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim, &c. how ſhall I make thee as Admah, &c. that is, I cannot deſtroy thee, as I did other Cities, that rebelled againſt me, ſuch is my comiſeration and p…rtic towards thee. Now ſuch are the worthleſſe excuſes, that our fleſh doth alledge, the time is unſeaſonable, the night is cold, the weather wet, ſo that wee cannot ariſe to entetaine Chriſt without much trouble and reluctition of the fleſh.
Thoſe that underſtand by putting off her garments, the renouncing of the old man, and by waſhing of her feet, the ſanctification of her affections, are much miſtaken, for the more ſhe had of either the one or the other, the neerer ſhe was to Chriſt, and the more ſoone ſhe might have entertained him; but the true naturall ſenſe is as before. In ſum, ſhe meaneth, that ſhe reaſoned to and fro in her heart, and that her faith did greatly waver, yea, that her owne weakneſſe did ſo farre prevaile with her, as not only to thinke, but to ſay, that ſhe could not without ſome paine of cloathing herſelfe againe, or without ſome hurt by the cold, if ſhe came without her apparell, or without ſome diſcommoditie of fowling her faire feet, as ſhe thought, riſe up, and to open the doores, and let Chriſt in: yea, unwiſe, as ſhe was, ſhee more eſteemed ſo ſmall a diſcommoditie, in doing and executing of her dutie, then the unſpeakeable pleaſures ſhe might have had by Chriſt, who willingly for her ſake, had taken upon him many inconveniencies, and ſufferings.
Hence Obſerve.
That a great hinderance of our communion with Christ is, the falſe pretences, reaſons, and excuſes of the fleſh.
The fleſh never wants excuſes and pretences, there was never any ſinfull courſe, but the fleſh would ſeem to juſtifie it by one reaſon or other. Thus the friend anſwereth (in Luke 11. 7.) Trouble me not, the doore is now ſhut, and my Children are now with me in bed, I cannot riſe and give thee. Therefore as it is good to know the truths of God, as they are revealed in Jeſus, ſo it is alſo to know the falſeneſſe and deceitfullneſſe of our owne fleſhly and carnall ſpirits, they are both myſteries almoſt alike, hard to be knowne. It is true, God made man right, but ſince the fall he hath ſought out many inventions. Carnall wit ſerves the carnall will, and carnall luſts never want an advocate to plead for them, namely, carnall reaſon. There is a Lyon in the way (ſaith the ſluggard) a Lyon is in the ſtreets, Prov. 26. 3. And the ſluggard will not plough by reaſon of the cold, Prov. 20. 4. So the people that dwelt in their ſeiled houſes, ſaid, The time is not come that the Lords houſe ſhould be built, Hag. 1. 4. Such kind of ſhifting there is in loſt man, ſince the fall, having loſt the image of God in holy wiſdome and knowledge. Corrupt courſes never want fleſhly excuſes. Hence it is, Paul ſaith, I conſulted not with fleſh and blood, that is, he conſulted not with the reaſonings of the fleſh, and the carnall will, but was obedient to the heavenly revelation. Thus Peter conſulted with the fleſh, when he counſelled Chriſt, ſaying, Maſter pity thy ſelfe. Now therefore we ſhould arme our ſelves with reſolution, and ſay with Chriſt, Get thee behind me Satan, &c. Mat. 16. 23. And with Paul, when he ſaith, We are no more debtors to the fleſh, &c. Rom. 8. as if he had ſaid, we owe nothing to the fleſh, as to yield obedience and ſubjection unto it.
But we ſhall now ſee in the next Verſe, what becomes of all thoſe excuſes, and backwardneſſe of the Spouſe, whereby ſhe delays and puts off Chriſt.