The Canticles, or Song of Songs Opened and Explained

BY night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loveth, I sought him, but I found him not. verse 2 I will rise now, and goe about the city in the streetes, and in the broad wayes, I will seeke him whom my soule loveth: I sought him but I found him not. verse 3 The watch-men that go about the city found me, to whom I said, Saw you him whom my soule loveth? verse 4 It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soule loveth: I held him and would not let him goe, untill I had brought him into my mothers house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. verse 5 I charge you, O yee daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes, and by the Hinds of the field, that yee stirre not up, nor awake my love till he please. verse 6 Who is this that commeth out of the wildernesse like pillars of smoake perfumed with mirrhe and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? verse 7 Behold his bed, which is Solomons: three-score valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. verse 8 They all hold swords, being expert in warre: Every man has his sword upon his thigh, because of feare in the night. verse 9 King Solomon made himselfe a charet of the wood of Lebanon. verse 10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottome thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the middest thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. verse 11 Goe forth, O you daughters of Sion, and behold King Solomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals: and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart.

*Cant. 3. ver. 1.*By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loveth, I sought him, but I found him not, &c.

This Chapter setteth forth the estate of the Church from after the dayes of Nehemiah, to the time of Christs sojourning here on earth, in a two-fold period:

First, under the Maccabees, ver. 1.–6.

Secondly, in John Baptist's time, verse 6.–11.

The state of the Church in the Maccabees time was, partly, full of calamities, as a time of darkenesse, By night I sought him; and partly sweetned with some more comfortable issue.

This calamity is set forth,

First, By resemblance to night, By night I sought him.

Secondly, By the absence of Christ, whom she sought in vaine:

First, In her bed, verse 1.

Secondly, In the streets of the City, verse 2.

Thirdly, Among the watchmen, ver. 3.

The comfortable issue of her seeking Christ is set forth,

First, By her finding of him, verse 4.

Secondly, By her holding of him, ver. 4.

Thirdly, By her bringing of him into her mothers house, verse 4.

Fourthly, By her charge to the daughters of Jerusalem, to walk circumspectly, that this estate be not interrupted, verse 5.

By night:] that is, in time of darknesse, and publicke calamity; when Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horne waxed exceeding great, wasted the pleasant land, cast some of the host and starres of heaven to the ground; when hee tooke away the daily sacrifice, and trode downe the Sanctuary, and cast downe the truth to the ground; when he robbed the Temple, murthered the people, spoiled the City, made lawes for profaning the Sabbath, for offering Swines flesh, for neglecting Circumcision, when he set up the Statues of Jupiter Olympias, the abomination of desolation in the holy place, when he burnt the bookes of the Law, and made it death to have a Testament; when he brake downe the Altar and set up another, when hee put women to death who had caused children to be circumcised, and hanged children upon the neckes of their mothers (1 Mac. 1. 23. to the end).

In my bed:] Not in my bed of ease and sloth, (as some take it) for what ease could the Church take in the night time of calamity? but in my bed, that is, in the place and duties of Gods worship, the Temple and the ordinances.

I sought him whom my soule loveth.] I desired and endeavoured to have fellowship with Christ, but I found him not, the Sanctuary being polluted and the daily sacrifice taken away, and profane Idols set up in the place.

In the streets of the City:] that is, in the open assemblies of the faithfull, in the Synagogues, in the cities of Judea and Jerusalem; but behold there Altars erected to Idols, and incense burned, and the books of the Law cast into the fire: Yea, behold the citizens of Jerusalem all fled and gone: and the rest went in procession to Bacchus.

The watch-men that goe about the citie:] To wit the Levites, who answered her with silence; but a little after she found succour at Modin, for the Priests, Mattathias and his sonnes, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, and the rest that went about to repaire the ruines of the Church and Common-wealth; to these the faithfull Church repairing, and finding deliverance and comfort, by Judas especially, or rather by Christ in him, Shee left him not till shee had brought him into the Temple, where she soone after cleansed the Sanctuary, and restored the purity of Gods worship, and offered sacrifice according to the Law, so that she found great comfort and joy in the duties of Gods worship. Thus againe found they Christ in a typicall Savior, held him by faith, and, with courage and zeale, brought him into the Temple and Sanctuary, the house and chamber of her mother; that is, of the former Church of Israel, or of the Catholike Church, for the Church of the former ages is the mother of the latter; or the whole Church is the mother of each part in usuall phrase of Hebrew speech: The Temple is the house of both, the Sanctuary is the chamber of her that bare her.

I charge you, O yee daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field, that you stirre not up, nor awake my love till he please.

I charge you, &c.] See the same words opened, Chap. 2. 7. The Church chargeth all her daughters, all her members, to take heed, lest by their undiscreet dealing, or any wicked practise, they stirre up the neighbor Princes of Syria and Egypt; not to disturbe the peace of the Church, and to provoke Christ againe to leave them desolate; which though Jason and Menelaus and Alcimus broke, yet they prevailed not so farre, but Christ was still found in the Temple of the faithfull till his comming in the flesh.

Who is this that commeth out of the wildernesse lake pillars of smoake, perfumed with mirrhe and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

Who is this that commeth out of the wildernesse.] This is a description of John Baptist, and of the Church gathered by his Ministery in the wildernesse: which is set forth,

First, by the admiration and inquisitiveness of the old Synagogue after him and his baptism: Who is this that comes, or arises, &c. which was fulfilled: To whom the Jews sent Priests and Levites to ask him, Who are you? and all men mused whether he were not the Christ.

Secondly, by the place of his arising, and the Church with him in the wilderness.

Thirdly, by the manner of arising, like pillars of smoke, which

First, arises from fire, as the Church arose from zeal and fervency of John's ministry.

Secondly, ascends on high, as the propagation of this Church did, even to Jerusalem.

Thirdly, fills the country, as the Church did with rumor and increase of it.

Fourthly, by the excellent fragrance and sweetness of the graces thereof perfumed, preserving from putrefaction: such was the powerful zeal of John and his ministry, strongly fragrant as myrrh, and preserving his hearers from pharisaical hypocrisy; frankincense is of like strong fragrance, and of chief use in making of the holy incense; by which prayer was signified, to intimate the fragrance and fervency of his prayers, who taught all his disciples to pray.

With all powders of the merchant.] to wit, perfumed with the sweet graces of God, filled with the Holy Ghost above all Prophets, yes above all that were born of women; from where also he seasoned all sorts of his hearers with graces and directions fit for their several callings.

Fifthly, by the doctrine of John, who expressly preached the Lord Jesus manifested in the flesh.

Behold his bed which is Solomon's, threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

Behold his bed which is Solomon's.] this doctrine the Church of that time received and believed: In which doctrine, that first Church first discerned and believed,

First, the Temple of Christ's body; for the bed was taken, as also it is here, for the Temple, which was the type of Christ's body.

Now, this as John pointed, Behold the lamb of God; as here it is said, Behold his bed. This Temple it is the Temple of Solomon, of Christ; in him the Godhead dwells bodily.

Secondly, the guard of Angels attending it, to prevent the fear of Herod's enmity and others.

Thirdly, the maker of his humanity, verse 9. King Solomon made himself a Couch, the word may be translated Coach or Couch: this latter I rather take, partly for the Etymology of Apirion, fol. 38. to be fruitful as the bride's bed is, and partly for agreement with the former word Bed, ver. 7.

No earthly father, but Christ by his own Spirit made his own body, and his own bed in his mother's womb.

Fourthly, the matter of it, the wood of Lebanon, for the Virgin Mary dwelt in Nazareth of Galilee at the foot of Lebanon.

As Solomon's Temple, the type of Christ's body, was made of the wood of Lebanon, the cedar which is free from corruption; so was the body of Christ sound from seeing corruption.

Fifthly, the ornaments of it, which were

First, partly his offices:

1. Priestly, as pillars of silver abiding the fire of God's wrath, and pure as silver tried in the fire.

2. Prophetical, delivering us a word precious as gold, even as fine gold.

3. Kingly, from where it is said, ver. 10. The covering of it of purple, the royal ornament of kings.

Secondly, partly, the affection wherein he undertook and executed these offices, love of the daughters of Jerusalem, ver. 10. All these John declares.

Secondly, he exhorts and stirs up the faithful to behold,

First, Christ.

Secondly, the ornaments wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals. The day of his espousals was the day when God the Father contracted him with the Church; from where after he is called the Bridegroom, and John the Bridegroom's friend, his disciples the children of the Bride-chamber: And the Church henceforward in this book is called the Spouse, not before. The crown wherewith his mother crowned him, is the testimony of Christ's sovereignty, which John and the faithful gave him.

First of the estate of the Church under the Maccabees.

Use 1 First, this does teach us with what intent we are to come before God in the public assemblies, namely, to seek Christ the love of our souls; not to show our fine garments, wantonly to gaze at beauties; not to satisfy the Law or friends, for fashion's sake; but to seek Christ instructing us in temptations: Some come to catch something from Christ to entrap him, &c. but it is our duty to come to him, as a Spouse to her husband, for seed; so we must come to Christ, that he may cast the seeds of grace into our souls, that we may bring forth fruit to him.

Use 2 Secondly, this lets us see the changeable estate of the Church; she that rejoiced in the presence and fellowship of Christ, and could say, My beloved is mine, and I am his, now seeks him everywhere, and with much difficulty and anguish. And so it is oft with every true member of the Church, as we may see it was with David: so it is now with our brethren beyond the seas, whom you might have commended a year or two ago, and have found Christ there; but now he is gone, she seeks him but finds him not: See the Church of God sometime enjoys all the ordinances of God, sometimes none; so a Christian soul sometimes has Christ's left hand under her head, and his right hand to embrace her, soon after she finds him not so: We must not condemn the Church for this; for they that are tenderly beloved of Christ may sometimes seek him and not find him.

Use 3 Thirdly, this may comfort such as seek Christ in all his ordinances: they shall either find him in them; or, after the use of them, in some unexpected or extraordinary help. The Church here that found not Christ in the Temple, nor in the assemblies and recourse of Christian people, nor in conference with the Priests, found him soon after in an unexpected and extraordinary help, even Judas Maccabeus, verse 4. for indeed it was extraordinary for the tribe of Levi to take up the sword and scepter, which indeed belonged to Judah: so you see when ordinary means fail, God will be found in extraordinary: Whoever then would find Christ, and seek him everywhere, they shall surely find him either in his ordinances, or out of them.

Use 4 Fourthly, this lets us see the affectionate cleaving of such to Christ, as have long sought him and not found him till at last: such lay hold on him, and will not let him go, verse 4. which is one reason why Christ sometimes hides himself from us, that we might seek him the more diligently, and, having found him, cleave to him more steadfastly; and this God looks for at the hands of his.

Use 5: Fifthly, this does exhort Christians that live among bad neighbours to walk the more circumspectly, as the daughters of Jerusalem are here charged upon oath to doe (ver. 5), being between the Syrians and Egyptians. It is a charge given by the Church to her daughters, to take heed they stirre not up her love, nor awake Christ till he please.

Two reasons are given for it.

First, it may provoke Christ or bring another estate upon the Church which will not bee good for it.

Secondly, in regard of fearefull Christians, for they will start away; many are willing to come into the Church, but if the profession of Christ be troublesome and hot, they will not abide it: therefore this charge is needfull that we may walke holily, that Christ be not stirred up, nor these fearefull Christians discouraged. See this handled, Chap. 2, verse 7.

Thus farre the first part, in the time of the Maccabees. Now secondly of the estate of the Church in John Baptist's time.

Use 1: This is first to shew us, that God can raise up a Church even in the wildernesse, to the admiration of observers: and so hee can raise up our neighbor Churches, now brought to a wildernesse. This may comfort us in regard of them; for though they be now desolate, yet we may hope a time will come when they shall rise againe.

Use 2: Secondly, see here is a part of the duty of ancient Christians, not to maligne the graces of God in those that come after them, but to admire them, Who is it that commeth out of the wildernesse like pillars of smoake, perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincense, &c.

Use 3: Thirdly, this shewes what gifts and graces are most requisite in a Minister, and doe most adorne him, even zeale in his Ministery, and fervency in prayer, and all sorts of sweet graces to season and direct all sorts of his people in their severall callings, as John did, when the people came and said, What shall we doe? He answered and said, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none, &c. So John was perfumed with graces for all men: for men must not come into the Ministery with judgement and learning alone, for these may come from nature; but they must come perfumed with graces, to keepe themselves and others from putrefaction; yes, they must labor for those graces which will give a strong sent to save themselves and others.

Use 4: Fourthly, this shewes us the manhood and Godhead of Christ; Christ's humane nature is the temple, or bed wherein the Godhead resteth bodily, and the Godhead made this temple or bed for himselfe, no earthly father for him.

Use 5: Fifthly, see here the protection and guardiance the Angels give to Christ, and in him to the Church and all his members (verse 7, 8).

Use 6: Sixthly, wee may here see in Christ whatever is behoovefull for all our salvations. In regard of his priestly office hee is pure as silver, to cleanse our impurity, and to abide the fire. In regard of his prophetical office hee is precious as gold, to enrich our poverty. In regard of his royal and kingly office he is glorious as purple, and cloathed with it, to advance our basenesse. His heart, or middest, is even paved with love of us: his heart is an hearth (for so the word signifieth) whereon the fire of his love towards us burneth continually. Let us then love the Lord Jesus againe, and receive the seeds and fruits of his grace, and then shall we see his heart flaming with love to us: and then whatever befals, bloudshed, warre, captivity, &c. all comes from love; his whole heart is paved with love.

Use 7: Seventhly, let us take up our thoughts and meditations about Christ; let us goe forth and behold him; let his abundant graces fill our empty soules.

Use 8: Eighthly, if you are a daughter of Sion, you are contracted to Christ; and know it by this, Do you read his letters? Are you delighted with them? And do you rejoyce to speake to him again by prayer? If you do, it may be the joy of your heart, for your estate is good.

Use 9: Lastly, this does exhort us all to give up our selves as spouses to Christ, and that with all gladnesse of heart, since he is affected to us, who yet has nothing from us but debts and beggery: and they that doe give themselves up to Christ, need not feare wanting comfort; for no spouses shall finde such comfort as they. Shall he be glad to have us, a company of beggars; yes, as I may say, a company of deaths? And was it the gladnesse of his heart to be espoused to us, which was when his Father contracted him to us, and shall we think it a day of deading to set our feet into Christ's bed? All the merchants cannot set forth our excellency, when he shall pay all our debts, and adorn us with all his graces; therefore let us go forth, and bring him home to us, we shall then finde him comfortable to us in the day of espousals.