AN
EXPOSITION,
W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E R V A T I O N
S,
OF THE
S O N G O F S O L O M O N
All scripture,
we are sure, is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for the
support and advancement of the interests of his kingdom among men, and it is
never the less so for there being found in it some things dark and hard to
be understood, which those that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own
destruction. In our belief both of the divine extraction and of the
spiritual exposition of this book we are confirmed by the ancient, constant,
and concurring testimony both of the church of the Jews, to whom were committed
the oracles of God, and who never made any doubt of the authority of this
book, and of the Christian church, which happily succeeds them in that trust
and honour. I. It must be confessed, on the one hand, that if he who barely
reads this book be asked, as the eunuch was Understandest thou what thou
readest? he will have more reason than he had to say, How can I, except
some man shall guide me? The books of scripture-history and prophecy are
very much like one another, but this Song of Solomon's is very much
unlike the songs of his father David; here is not the name of God in it; it is
never quoted in the New Testament; we find not in it any expressions of
natural religion or pious devotion, no, nor is it introduced by vision, or any
of the marks of immediate revelation. It seems as hard as any part of
scripture to be made a savour of life unto life, nay, and to those who
come to the reading of it with carnal minds and corrupt affections, it is in
danger of being made a savour of death unto death; it is a flower out
of which they extract poison; and therefore the Jewish doctors advised their
young people not to read it till they were thirty years old, lest by the abuse
of that which is most pure and sacred (horrendum dictu--horrible to say!)
the flames of lust should be kindled with fire from heaven, which is intended
for the altar only. But, II. It must be confessed, on the other hand, that
with the help of the many faithful guides we have for the understanding of
this book it appears to be a very bright and powerful ray of heavenly light,
admirable fitted to excite pious and devout affections in holy souls, to draw
out their desires towards God, to increase their delight in him, and improve
their acquaintance and communion with him. It is an allegory, the letter of
which kills those who rest in that and look no further, but the spirit of
which gives life, 2 Cor. iii. 6; John vi. 63. It is a parable, which makes
divine things more difficult to those who do not love them, but more plain and
pleasant to those who do, Matt. xiii. 14, 16. Experienced Christians here find
a counterpart of their experiences, and to them it is intelligible, while those
neither understand it nor relish it who have no part nor lot in the matter. It
is a song, an Epithalamium, or nuptial song, wherein, by the
expressions of love between a bridegroom and his bride, are set forth and
illustrated the mutual affections that pass between God and a distinguished
remnant of mankind. It is a pastoral; the bride and bridegroom, for the more
lively representation of humility and innocence, are brought in as a shepherd
and his shepherdess. Now, 1. This song might easily be taken in a spiritual
sense by the Jewish church, for whose use it was first composed, and was so
taken, as appears by the Chaldee-Paraphrase and the most ancient Jewish
expositors. God betrothed the people of Israel to himself; he entered into
covenant with them, and it was a marriage-covenant. He had given abundant
proofs of his love to them, and required of them that they should love him
with all their heart and soul. Idolatry was often spoken of as spiritual
adultery, and doting upon idols, to prevent which this song was penned,
representing the complacency which God took in Israel and which Israel ought
to take in God, and encouraging them to continue faithful to him, though he
might seem sometimes to withdraw and hide himself from them, and to wait for
the further manifestation of himself in the promised Messiah. 2. It may more
easily be taken in a spiritual sense by the Christian church, because the
condescensions and communications of divine love appear more rich and free
under the gospel than they did under the law, and the communion between heaven
and earth more familiar. God sometimes spoke of himself as the husband of the
Jewish church (Isa. lxiv. 5, Hos. ii. 16, 19), and rejoiced in it as his
bride, Isa. lxii. 4, 5. But more frequently is Christ represented as the
bridegroom of his church (Matt. xxv. 1; Rom. vii. 4; 2 Cor. xi. 2; Eph. v.
32), and the church as the bride, the Lamb's wife, Rev. xix. 7; xxi. 2, 9.
Pursuant to this metaphor Christ and the church in general, Christ and
particular believers, are here discoursing with abundance of mutual esteem and
endearment. The best key to this book is the 45th Psalm, which we find applied
to Christ in the New Testament, and therefore this ought to be so too. It
requires some pains to find out what may, probably, be the meaning of the Holy
Spirit in the several parts of this book; as David's songs are many of them
level to the capacity of the meanest, and there are shallows in them learned,
and there are depths in it in which an elephant may swim. But, when the
meaning is found out, it will be of admirable use to excite pious and devout
affections in us; and the same truths which are plainly laid down in other
scriptures when they are extracted out of this come to the soul with a more
pleasing power. When we apply ourselves to the study of this book we must not
only, with Moses and Joshua, put off our shoe from off our foot, and
even forget that we have bodies, because the place where we stand is holy
ground, but we must, with John, come up hither, must spread our
wings, take a noble flight, and soar upwards, till by faith and holy love we enter
into the holiest, for this is no other than the house of God and this
is the gate of heaven.
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