Ver. 1. Oh that thou wert as my brother.] Heb., Who will give thee for a brother to me?— q.d., Men may give me many other things, but God alone can give me thy brotherhood, love, and communion, which I wish above all, saith the bride here. “Spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3) are chiefly to be desired and endeavoured after. Quaerite primum bona animi, saith philosophy, Seek first the good things of the mind. Quaerite primum regnum Dei, saith divinity, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”: and then other things shall seek you, shall be cast into the bargain as it were. Let the “many say, Who will show any good?” David prefers one glance from God’s countenance before all the world’s wealth. (Psalms 4:7) “Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight,” said Abraham. Oh that he might be “written among the living in Jerusalem,” be an heir of life truly so called, for Aeterna vita vera vita! “The Lord make his face to shine upon you,” said the priests to the people. (Numbers 6:24,25) “Grace be to you, and peace,” saith Paul; whatever else be wanting, “Covet earnestly the best things,” saith he. (1 Corinthians 12:31) “With all thy getting, get understanding,” saith Solomon. (Proverbs 4:7) He desired wisdom above wealth; and despatched the temple in seven years’ time, whenas he was thirteen years ere he finished his own house, as holding it a work of less haste and care. Elisha begs a “double portion”: the spouse (Song of Solomon 2:5) calls for whole “flagons”; nothing less would content her. The prophet Isaiah chides men for laying out their money on “that which is not bread,” (Isaiah 55:1,2) or but panis lapidosus, bread made of gravel; and our Saviour bids, “Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endureth to eternal life.” (John 6:27) Mors privare potest opibus, non operibus: these die not with us (as Hortentius’s orations did with him), but follow us to heaven when we die, and shall be “found to praise, honour, and glory at that day.” (1 Peter 1:7) Hence the Church so earnestly desireth here to have more close conjunction and consociation with Christ “as a brother”; yea, as a most natural and kind hearted brother that had “sucked the breasts of her mother,” that had been her collactaneus, and so more inwardly affected toward her, as Joseph was toward his brother Benjamin. (Genesis 43:29,30,34) In sum, she wisheth that she may feel Christ dwelling in her heart; that he would remove all impediments of their happy conjunction, and hasten the accomplishment thereof in heaven. When I should find thee without (or at the door), I would kiss thee.] As the bride was wont to do the bridegroom, receiving and welcoming him with all comely familiarity and sweetness. “Kiss the son,” and covet his kisses. (Psalms 2:12 Song of Solomon 1:2) Be not ashamed or afraid to perform all duties of a holy love and sound obedience towards him. He was not ashamed of us, when we had never a rag to our backs. (Ezekiel 16:3-13) He stretched the skirt of his love over us, and said unto us, “Live”; when he might well enough have loathed to look on us. [ib. Ezekiel 16:6] Yea, I should not be despised.] Heb., They should not despise me; or if they did, yet they should not dishearten me from duty. “If this be to be vile, I will be yet more vile,” said David to his mocking Michal. (2 Samuel 6:22) We may not suffer ourselves to be mocked out of our religion. Barren Michal hath too many sons that scorn the holy habit and exercises; but they shall be plagued, as their mother was, with continual fruitlessness; they shall also one day—viz., when they are in hell—behold those with envy whom now they behold with scorn; as the scoffers of the old world, from the tops of the mountains that could not save them, beheld Noah’s ark floating upon the waters. It is as impossible to avoid, as necessary to contemn, the lash of lewd tongues, whether by bitter scoffs or scurrilous invectives, as full of scorn commonly as the wit of malice can make them. The Church here resolveth so to deport herself, as that none shall have cause to contemn her; or if they do, bravely to slight all contumelies and contempts for her conscience, taking them as crowns and confirmations of her conformity to Christ. Aug., De Pec. Mort., lib. i. cap. 11.
Ver. 2. I would lead thee and bring thee.] With solemnity and joy. She speaks it twice, as fully resolved to do it; and hereby to bind herself more straitly to a performance, I would not only kiss thee at the door, but bring thee into the house. Many are strict abroad and in company, but much too loose at home and in their own houses; follow these stage players to their dressing rooms, where they disrobe themselves, and you shall soon see what they are. Heed must be taken, say the very heathen, Aedibus in propriis quae prava aut recta gerantur. Religion admits not of that distinction between a good man and a good governor. If you will be for the public, be good in private; bear your own fruit, work in your own hives, reform your own hearts and houses, man your own oars, and make good your own standing. Cato could say that he could pardon all men’s faults but his own. And Augustus, going about to redress some abuses in the state, was upbraided with his own domestic disorders. Abraham had a well ordered family; so had Joshua, (Joshua 24:15) David. (Psalms 101) And although his house were not so with God, yet that was all his desire. (2 Samuel 23:5) And he well knew that it was the care, not the cure, of his charge that he stood charged with. Noah may bring the Lord Christ into his house, and labour to set him up in the hearts of his children, speaking persuasively to that purpose; but when all is done, God must “persuade Japheth,” and speak to his heart. Now this the Lord doth, Monendo potius quam minando, docendo quam ducendo. Hence the Church in the next words cries out, Thou shalt instruct me.] For so the text is to be rendered. Thou who art the arch-prophet, a teacher sent from God, anointed and appointed for the purpose to put divine learning into us, “thou shalt instruct or learn us.” Now, quando Christus magister, quam cito discitur quod docetar? saith Augustine. Christ is a quick teacher; and all his scholars are very forwardly. Nescit tarda molimina gratia Spiritus Sancti, saith Ambrose. God’s people must needs be well taught, because they are “all taught of God.” I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine.] Such as we call Ipocras, which, besides the nature and strength of the wine itself, hath, by the mixture of many spic es with it, great power and pleasantness, to the comforting of the heart, and satisfying of the smell. And this was the διδακτρον Minervale, recompense, that Christ should have for teaching her. She resolveth to testify her thankfulness by her obedience, rendering unto him such fruits of faith and holiness as should be sweetened and spicened with his own Spirit in her, and should exceedingly delight him. Contrary to these λιπαρα και λαμπρα, these “dainty and goodly fruits,” (Revelation 18:14) are those nasty and naughty ones, (Isaiah 5:4) that, besides their stench, are so offensive to the taste that they cannot be eaten, they are so naught. (Jeremiah 24:2) Wicked men’s grapes are of gall, and their wine is venom; (Deuteronomy 32:32,33) both their natures and practices are abominable. Plut.; Dio. Curam exegeris, non curationem. -Bern. Θεοδιδακτοι. (John 6:45)