CONTENTS We have here the Lord Jesus commending the beauties and graces of his Church. He invites her to a more close and Intimate communion with him, and dwells again somewhat more fully upon her loveliness. The church in return, as one overcome with the goodness of his love, very humbly ascribes... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. (2) Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof everyone bear twins, and none is barren... [ Continue Reading ]
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. The Church once before had expressed herself in regard to the dispersion of the shades of night, by the break of day, see Song of Solomon 2:17; and here she adds, that she will wa... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. What a rich thought is contained in those words of Jesus concerning his Church. In his eye the Church is not only fair but spotless. So that, Reader, while, God's dear children are mourning over the innumerable errors they feel in themselves, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards. I would have the Reader observe in this verse how Jesus calls his church by a new name, not before made use of in the S... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. The Lord Jesus continues the same strain of affection in this verse as in the former, and here adds another title, that of sister to his beloved, to testify his relation... [ Continue Reading ]
How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! The love of Christ to his Church, and the love of the Church to Christ in return, are the whole subject of this song. And here the Lord Jesus declares how precious, he... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. The dropping of the lips no doubt implies the conversation, which Jesus saith in sweetness surpassed even the honey-comb; for both honey and milk are in it:... [ Continue Reading ]
A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Jesus is still prosecuting the subject in the commendation of his love. And here he compares her, by two or three very striking similitudes She is a garden distinguished from the world's wide wilderness; but she is inclo... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, (14) Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: Jesus is not tired of the subject, for in both these verses he prosecutes the same... [ Continue Reading ]
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Here it should seem the Church takes up the discourse, and having heard her Lord thus enlarging upon the graces, which she well knew if she enjoyed she had them all and everyone from him, she breaks out in the highest commenda... [ Continue Reading ]
Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. It should seem, but I do not presume to determine, that the former part of this verse is the call of Jesus to the Holy Ghost to brea... [ Continue Reading ]