Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 5 · Verse 8
VERS. 8.
What is thy beloved more then another beloved, O thou faireſt among women? What is thy beloved more then another beloved, that thou doſt ſo charge us.
THe ſame words of well-beloved, are repeated againe and againe, to ſhew, that the ſtronger is love. But by the anſwer of the daughters of Jeruſalem, in which they ſeemed not yet to know Chriſt fully, as is apparent by their anſwer, for inſtead of giving ſatisfaction to her, they reply with aſking new queſtions, ſaying, What is thy beloved more then another beloved, &c.
In this anſwer here are two parts.
Firſt, A ſweet and loving compellation, O thou faireſt among women.
Secondly, The queſtion is doubled, What is thy beloved, more then another beloved? And againe, What is thy beloved, &c. that thou doſt ſo charge us? As if theſe Daughters had ſayd, there is ſome great matter in it; there is ſome excellency ſuperhumane, that thou layeſt ſuch a charge upon us, that thou doſt ſo enquire after him.
But firſt of the compellation.
O thou faireſt among women.
The Spouſe is the faireſt among women in the judgement of Chriſt himſelfe, ſo he cals her, O thou faireſt among women, Cant. 1. 8. And here the fellow-Members of the Church, terme her ſo too, faire, and the faireſt, yea, incomparable faire.
Hence Obſerve.
That the Spouſe is ſurpaſſing faire and beautifull, not only in the eyes of Chriſt, but alſo in the judgement of her own members, and that in the time of her greateſt perplexities and ſorrows.
Here the Spouſe, though perſecuted and abuſed by wicked watchmen, who beate her, wounded her, and tooke away her vaile from her, is not withſtanding diſcerned, and acknowledged to be faire and glorious, by ſuch as are the faithfull of Jeſus Chriſt. Thus Moſes eſteemed the reproach of Chriſt greater riches, then the treaſures of Aegypt, Heb. 11. 26. And the Theſſalonians received the Goſpell, with joy; though in much affliction, 1. Theſſ. 1. 6. It was becauſe they ſaw greater glorie, and richces in Chriſt, then evill in all afflictions whatſoever. And though the Spouſe may be in great affliction and miſerie, yet her glorie doth farre ſurmount that, ſo that ſhe appeares to the godly, to be the faireſt of all, though under much trouble and perſecution. Afflictions doe make baſe and contemptible to the outward ſhew: but the beautie of the Spouſe is not outward in things of this life, but in ſpirituall ornaments, which are not diminiſhed or dimmed by afflictions, but doe then indeed ſhine brighteſt of all, for the times of the greateſt perſecutions, when the Saints are impriſoned, racked, and tormented: you ſhall behold their ſtedfaſt faith and patience, their contempt of the world, with many other vertues: for which the daughters of Jeruſalem, even the weaker ſort, which are not as yet fully come to Chriſt, doe commend the Spouſe to be the faireſt among women: and indeed the Church cannot be otherwiſe then faire, and the faireſt, being cloathed with the Sun, as it is in Revel. 12. that is, being cloathed with Chriſt, as Chriſt was cloathed with the glorie of the Father: in reſpect of which, All fleſh is as graſſe, and as the flower of the graſſe, Iſa. 40. 6. that is, a I worldly excellency is as the flower of the graſſe, that withereth and fadeth away: but the ſpirit, life, and glorie of God, which is the Churches clothing remaines and abideth for ever. Thus much for the compellation. Now to the queſtion.
What is thy beloved more then another beloved? what is thy beloved, more then another beloved, that thou doſt ſocharge us?
Here is a queſtion, and a queſtion anſwered by a queſtion, wherein the Daughters of Jeruſalem ſeeme to be as much inquiſitive after Chriſt, as the Spouſe herſelfe, They double the queſtion, for the more vehemencie, as alſo for the ſtrangeneſſe of the matter.
What is thy beloved more then another; to wit, any other Gods: for, when Chriſt is preached, the wicked take occaſion to crie up and magnifie other Gods, But the Saints deſire to be informed further in the truth, and to know the difference between Chriſt and falſe Chriſts, between Chriſt and Antichriſt, as appears in Acts 18. 19. 34. &c.
What is thy beloved more then another beloved, that thou doeſt ſo charge us? Viz. So hardly, and ſtraightly, & even as it were, by vertue of an Oath. Something there is in the matter that thou layeſt ſo hard a burthen, and ſtraight charge upon us, or elſe thou wouldeſt not doe it. This is the firſt queſtion moved to the Church, concerning the perſon of her beloved, they marvelling, as it were, what excellency ſhould be in him, that ſhe ſhould ſo highly eſteem of him, by occaſion of which demand ſhe entereth into a notable deſcription of Chriſt, as in the verſes following. Theſe words being ſomewhat plaine, need no further explication; but let us take notice of ſome Obſervations from them. Firſt Obſerve,
That the earneſt ſeeking of the faithfull after Chriſt, is a meanes to ſtir up others to inquire what he is, or what there is in him. Common reaſon will lead men thus far, when they ſee that no threatnings, no affliction, bonds, tortures nor ſufferings whatſoever, can prevaile, but that the Saints doe become more earneſt in ſeeking Chriſt, to ſay within themſelves, it's out of queſtion there is ſome great thing that carrieth theſe men, it's no ſmall benefit for which they will endure all theſe things. Hereupon theſe daughters begin to inquire what Chriſt is, What is thy beloved more then another beloved, &c. What is he more excellent then others, that are called Gods? Surely ther is ſome excellency ſuper-humane in him. That thou doeſt ſo charge us. What an excellent thing is it therefore to be earneſt in ſeeking after Jeſus Chriſt? O it winneth ſouls to enter into the conſideration, what Chriſt is, and what excellencies there be in him, when they ſee that others be bent, and cannot by no meanes be driven back from ſeeking after him. And therefore know, that whoſoever he be, though meane in the world, that with earneſtneſſe and meekneſſe doth ſeeke the Lord, he ſhall be a meanes to win others to the ſeeking of him alſo.
Secondly Obſerve,
That many that profeſſe Chriſt know but little of him. What is thy beloved more then another beloved? Wherein doth he excell other Lords, that the men of the world doe truſt in? By this anſwer, the daughters of Jeruſalem ſeemed to know little of Chriſt. It is true, that David ſaith, God is knowne in Judah, and his name is great in Iſrael, for in Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion, Pſal. 77. 1, 2. yet he is not ſufficiently known among ſome in Judah, as he ſhould be, but he ought yet to be better knowne in Judah, and his name to be greater in Iſrael. I confes many Chriſtians know Chriſt in the Hiſtory and letter of the Goſpell, many know him after the fleſh, but how few know Chriſt after the Spirit? How few know the dying, reſurrection, and aſcenſion of Chriſt in them? Many know a Chriſt dying upon the Croſſe, without them, but how few know Chriſt within them. Truely I feare, that in many Congregations where the name of Chriſt is profeſſed, there be ſuch ignorant ones among them, which like the Athenians, erect an Altar to the unknowne God, as we read, Acts 17. 23. That is, take upon them to worſhip God whom they know not. But O Chriſtians! This is not your work, to goe on in blind devotion, but to be ſtrenthned by the Spirit of God in the inner man, that Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, that being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the bredth, length, depth, height, and to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge; that they may be filled with all the fullneſſe of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith to the Epheſians, Chap. 3. 16, 17, 18, 19.
Thirdly Obſerve,
That it is an excellent thing for Saints to conferre one with another. The excellency of holy conference is ſeen here in the Spouſe, comming to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, ſpeaking of her beloved, and telling them, that ſhe was ſick of love, &c. upon this the daughters of Jeruſal: grow very inquiſitive to know more of Chriſt, till at length they begin to be warmed and kindled with the conſideration of his excellency. This demand of the Spouſe, I charge you, if ye find my beloved, to tell him that I am ſick of love, breeds queſtions in the daughters of Jeruſalem, what is thy beloved, &c. whence upon the deſcription of her beloved, their hearts are kindled and enflamed with love to Chriſt, and they become earneſt ſeekers of him. Thus it was with the Diſciples, when they were in a damp for the loſſe of Chriſt, after he comes and meets them, and opens the things of the Kingdome of God unto them, Their hearts begun to burne within them, Luke 24. 32. We ſhould be very inquiſitive after Chriſt, his wayes, his Kingdome: queſtions many times end in reſolutions: the ſoul reſts and injoyes in ſatisfaction. Thus much for the anſwer of the daughters of Jeruſalem, which was by way of queſtion or demand, What is thy beloved more then another beloved? &c. Now followeth the deſcription which the Spouſe makes of her beloved; and firſt in generall, ſhe deſcribes him thus.