Song of Solomon 8

Song of Solomon 8:1

as my brother] That she might have more close conjunction and consociation with him, more intire familiarity and sweetnesse, more intimate union and communion with him.

kisse thee] Chap. I. 2. Psal. II. 12. and publikely professe thee, notwithstanding any danger.

yet they should not despise me] 2 Sam. VI. 22. not dishearten me from duty and affection: but she would bravely sleight all scorning Michols, all contumelies and contempts for her conscience sake, and Christs sake.

Song of Solomon 8:2

my mothers house] The universal Church she calls her her mother; in her universal latitude of al her members; yea, somtimes comprehending in that notion Christ the head also, as, v. 5. And so again in the New Testament, the whole Church in all her members with her head Christ, is called Christ, i. e. mystical Christ, 1 Cor. XII. 12. Thither from without, would she bring him with solemnity and joy; and there humbly welcome and entertaine his presence with all honour and obedience.

instruct me] The Church would do it instrumentaly and subordinately, from God primarily and originaly, John VI. 45. Esay LIV. 13. Jer. XXXI. 34.

of spiced wine] Prov. IX. 2. This should be her hospitality and kindnesse to Christ: nothing too dear for him, as he doth the like for her, Esay LV. 1, 2, 3.

Song of Solomon 8:5

who is this, &c.] Chap. III. 6. Some would have this to be the speech of the Church; some, of Christ; some, of the Angels.

that cometh up] Sure whosoever speaks it, this is meant of the Church; it is she comes up. There are continual ascensions in the hearts of Gods people whiles here; they are ever aspiring to heaven-ward.

from the wildernesse] Of this world and the tribulations of it, of sin, and the temptations and miseries of it.

Leaning] For otherwise without him she could not ascend. No more then the Vine without its supporter; or the Ivy without its Oak. And leanes truly; not as those, Micah III. 11. And leanes wholy and solely upon him; utterly unbottomed of her self, and of every creature. All other are but as, Job VI. 17. and, VIII. 15. and, Esay XXXVI. 6.

I raised thee up, &c.] Some understand these words as spoken by the Church, and in answer to Christs question; That namely, I is she her self, and no other; even she that raised him up and awoke him from under the apple-tree, by her prayers; as, Psal. XLIV. 23. Matth. VIII. 25. Esay LXII. 7. And there by acts of faith, and beleeving on the promise, did after a sort conceive, bear, and bring him forth.

And that it is she also that in the extreme height and heat of her love and zeal, so prayes to him, and so professes, as is in the two verses following. Others under stand all these words as spoken by Christ to the Church, whose grace alone did, and doth raise up his Church, depressed and fallen under the tree of offence after the eating of the forbidden fruit, lying in her blood, as it is, Ezek. XVI. 5, 6. then and there he said unto her, and be the mother of the living, as, Gen. III. 20. And so they make the rest of the words to be his command to his Church, naturaly following as her duty, from the consideration of his foresaid benefits to her vouchsafed. But yet, however the words in the fifth verse be taken, I do rather incline to understand the words in the six and seven verses to be the Churches; by reason of their masculine idiome.

She so begging Christs dearest love to her: and so professing her own love to him, as riding in a Chariot o triumph, victorious over all oppositions, unconquerable, unquenchable. And such indeed is the Divine mutual love between Christ and his Church, thus exalted to the highest.

Song of Solomon 8:6

Set me as a seale] Have me in precious esteeme: bear me on thy breast, and shoulders, as Aaron did the Tribes, Exod. XXVIII. 11, 12, 20, 21, 29, 30. Thus she begs to be highly remembered, preserved honoured, by Christ; in his heart dearly cherished and valued; by his arme mightily defended.

strong as death] Death conquers all; is the King of terrors, Job XVIII. 14. yet Love as strong as death: Jonathan would have died for the love of David; and David for Absalom. See Rom. XVI. 4. Apoc. XII. 11. She would not refuse to die for him: but shall die, if he grant not her desire. Wherein the irresistible and undaunted vigour and courage of holy love and desire after Christ, is exalted to the highest.

as the grave] Which is never satisfied and filled, Prov. XXX. 16.

coales of fire] Luke XII. 49. This was her fever and sicknesse, in this Song. She was carried up, as it were, in a Chariot of fire; and consumed, as it were, in her love towards Christ in the zeale of it, Psalme LIX. 9. and CXIX. 139. See 2 Cor. V. 13. Not lukewarme she.

Song of Solomon 8:7

Many waters, &c.] As no good can match it, so no evil can overmatch it. Nay, the floods of afflictions are so farre from drowning this Love, that they do rather inflame and increase it; as the water that is cast upon lime, Rom. VIII. 35.

all the substance of his house] To buy this love of me, or to get it from me; or to bribe and corrupt it. Yea, his house it self, lands, life and all.

utterly oontemned] As, Acts VIII. 20. Phil. III. 8. Matth. X. 37. Luke XIV. 26. IX. 24.

Song of Solomon 8:8

we have a little sister] Thou Lord and I have such a one; meaning the Church of the Gentiles; so thy holy Prophets have foretold me. So as this continues to be the speech of the Church; or of them both.

no breast] Not marriagable yet immature yet. As once the Church of the Jews also was, Ezek. XVI. 7, 8.

What shall we do] Love is laborious, Sichem will do all that can be done for his beloved Dinah. So Paul for the Jewes, Rom. IX. 1, 2, 3. True Love is not in word only, but in deed, John XIV. 15.

when she shall be spoken for] For her good, and advancement; for to have an husband, Gal. IV. 4. Rom. XVI. 25.

Song of Solomon 8:9

If she be a wall] The answer to the foresaid question: Parabolical, very obscure, and difficult: Yet seems plaine in this, that Christ and the Jewish Church are contriving here and mentioning some good, which they purpose to do to their sister, the Church of the Gentiles: That in nothing they will be wanting unto her; but in love provide and do all for her that they can in her respective conditions. If she be a wall, strong, and well-grounded; Or when she shall be so; we will do thus and thus for her. Or, they will make her a Wall first; and afterwards enlarge her; pulling down that partition-wall, which formerly was between Jew and Gentile; and then making a new wall, larger, and able to comprehend both Jew and Gentile.

We will build] We both; yea the whole blessed Trinity, will have an hand in building the Church of the Gentiles.

a palace of silver] A royal precious Palace; that she may beseeme to be the City of the great King, Psal. XLVIII. 2.

and if she be a doore] Or, when she shall be a doore: to open to the righteous Nation, &c. Esay XXVI. 2. to open to the faithful Ministers, 1 Cor. XVI. 9 that come to build her for an habitation of God through the Spirit, Eph. II. 22. to open to the King of glory, Psal. XXIV. 7. And thus become, as it were, the gate of heaven; as Gen. XXVIII. 17.

enclose her with boarde of Cedar.] Board her, and beautifie her with faire, sweet, and strong Cedars; Compasse her with my everlasting mercies; and preserve her walls and her gates, that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against her, Esay XXVI. 1. and LX. 18. Matth. XVI. 18.

Song of Solomon 8:10

I am a wall] Saith this Church of the Gentiles; answering that in the former verse. Or, when I shall so be, as I desire to be?

and my breasts like towers] Not, as once, without breasts, verse 8. but now, as, Ezek. XVI. 7. yea, beyond those of my elder sister, new like towers, farre greater then those. See Esay XLIX. 21. and LIV. 1. and LX. 4, 8. and LXVI. 8.

then was I, &c.] Or, then shall I be, &c. Here is the effect and issue of her being built up through Christ. For when God shall have united these two sticks, Ezek. XXXVII. 19. And made way for those Kings of the earth, Apoc. XVI. 12. then it shall be said of both, what hath God wrought? as, Num. XXIII. 23. then she shall be neare her compleat happinesse, her heavenly and everlasting peace. And all this through the free favour, and meere mercy of God in Christ.

Song of Solomon 8:11

Solemon had a vineyard] This, and the two next evrses, are the last speech of Christ to and of his Spouse, in this Song. Wherein he magnifies the price and praise, the precious fruitfulnesse and worth of his Church, by the comparison of a Vineyard, the best of Vineyard, even Solomons in Baalhamon; a very fruitful place, a Lord of multitudes of wine; as the word signifieth. And yet is that far short of Christs Vineyard.

he let out, &c.] Solomon set and let out his to keepers and farmers.

every one] Every Tenant and Keeper, for his share.

a thousand pieces of silver] See Esay VII. 23 a thousand Vines for a thousand silverlings. Every keeper then likely had so much ground as would plant a thousand Vines. And wonderful then was the fruitfulnesse and increase that would raise the rent to so high a rate. Of silverlings and shekels, See the Observations on Exod. XXXVIII. 24.

Song of Solomon 8:12

My vineyard] The Church often called a Vineyard, Esay V. 1,—7. Psal. LXXX. 8. Here is the other part of the comparison, the difference between Christs Vineyard, and that of Solomons. This superiour to that.

which is mine] He ownes it: And it is his by a manifold right of donation, purchase, conquest, plantation, preservation, fructification, 1 Pet. I. 18. 1 Cor. III. 7.

Is before me] Ever in his sight, dear and tender in his eyes. He is alwayes with his Church, Matth. XXVIII. 20. He walks among her candlesticks; having engraven her upon the palms of his hands, and her walls being continualy before him, Esay XLIX. 16. and under his constant never-slumbring charge and protection, ch. XXVII. 3.

Thou, O Solomon] Solomon could not be ever with his Vineyard; nor dresse it himself. But the Keepers and Tenants must have their share of the fruits of it to themselves, as good reason they should. But I look to my Vineyard my self, 1 Cor. III. 7, 9. Nor suffer I any part of the profits to go from me.

Song of Solomon 8:13

Thou that dwellest, &c.] Thou Church here called the inhabitresse of the gardens, because she is divided and branched into many particular Congregations, which are no lesse delightful to him then so many Edens and Paradises.

the companions] The Angels, say some, Eph. III. 10. 1 Cor. XI. 10. 1 Pet. I. 10. Or rather, Those Partakers of the same precious faith and grace with her self, 2 Pet. I. 1.

hearken to thy voice] Thine obedient children will hearken to their mothers counsel, Ier. XIII. 15, 16. set to their seals, Iohn III. 33. glorifie the Word, Acts XIII. 48.

cause me to hear it] Chap. II. 14. In holy exercises, preaching, prayer, conference, &c. uttered by the Spirit of grace and supplication. Or, as some, cause them to hear me; by thy preaching of me, of my Word of truth, without mixture of hay or stubble, 1 Cor. III. 12.

Song of Solomon 8:14

Make haste] See chap. II. 9, 17. They then waited for the consolation of Israel. Here is the Churches last speech and prayer; like that Apoc. XXII. 17, 20. She loves, and longs, and looks for his second Advent, 2 Pet. III. 12. As the espoused Virgin doth after the day of marriage.

like to a Roe] In nimblenesse and swiftnesse. Come with all speed, quickly, cut off of delaies. Yet his coming seemes long to us, because we are short; we set the Sun by our Dyal.

upon the mountaine of spices.] Where Christ is, and whence the Church expects him; and whither she longs to be brought by him. Those high and heavenly, those sweet and precious pleasures, Ps. XVI. 11. are the issue and upshot of all, and the end of this spiritual heavenly Song.