CONTENTS There is an immediate connection between the first verse of this Chapter, and the last of the preceding: for no sooner hath the church invited her Lord to come into his garden, than he declares himself come. The church professeth herself to be in a sleepy state, but awakened by Jesus, she... [ Continue Reading ]
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. We have here the description of the soul under a state of coldness and indifferency to h... [ Continue Reading ]
I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? If this verse affords as that it doth indeed afford, an awful example to what a degree of baseness and ingratitude our nature is capable of falling; it will serve at the same time to manifest the wonderfu... [ Continue Reading ]
My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. See Reader! the sovereignty of grace, and behold at the same time the whole source of our mercies. All calls, all entreaties, are lost upon our poor unthinking hearts, until the Lord that calls makes willing also... [ Continue Reading ]
I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. We have the Church here recovered from her sleep, and the sweet effects of grace moving in her heart towards Christ, are set forth in the charming figures of han... [ Continue Reading ]
I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. This is a very interesting verse, and full of divine matter. The departure of Jesus from his people doth not mean... [ Continue Reading ]
The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. Some observations have been already made upon the watchmen finding the Church. Song of Solomon 3:3. So that on that part I need not enlarge. But by wounding her; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. The Church had twice before in this Song given a charge to the daughters of Jerusalem. Song of Solomon 2:7. and Song of Solomon 3:5. But here she adds a more earnest request. Tell my Lord, saith... [ Continue Reading ]
What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? We have in this verse a question put to the Church by the daughters of Jerusalem. They call her the fairest among women, and by twice asking what the... [ Continue Reading ]
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. The Church in this verse begins her answer, and had she said no more than what she saith in the commendation of Jesus, this is a final reply to all. First, she describes his double nature, He is white; alluding, most probably, to his Go... [ Continue Reading ]
His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. The Church now having given as before a general idea of her Lord, here begins to descend into particulars. And as Jesus in the preceding Chapter had been commending the beauty of his Church, she now holds forth in the bes... [ Continue Reading ]
His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. The Church now describes the eyes of her, beloved. Blessed it is to know that Jesus's eye is upon all his people, and with the love and meekness of the dove. Perhaps the influences of his Holy Spirit may be... [ Continue Reading ]
His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. Two features of her beloved in description the Church joins together in this verse: the cheeks of Christ and his lips. Perhaps by the former may be meant the beauties of his Person; and by the... [ Continue Reading ]
His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. The Church again unites in one view two representations more of Jesus. The hands, which set forth his bounty, and the belly, which being the tenderest part of the body, represents his wonderful con... [ Continue Reading ]
His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. The Church still prosecutes the pleasing subject, and from the legs to the countenance, points to her beloved. Perhaps the strength of Christ by the former, and his mildness by... [ Continue Reading ]
His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. And having now so largely particularized, she here sums up in one the whole description: as if she had said, time would fail to enumerate all: but such is my beloved, and such... [ Continue Reading ]