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Only Patrons of the Library may be permitted to use its books. __ '..',.. _. 'Class Book QO*iAjf" , University of Chicago Library GIVRN BY TYWUI W Ha, Besides the main topic this book also treats of Subject No, On page Subject No. On p age -*- l (T f II ^ A COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SOLOMON. BY GEORGE BURROWES, D.D. PHILADELPHIA: WILLIAM S. & ALFRED MARTIEN, 606 CHESTNUT STREET. 1860. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. CONTENTS PAGE. PREFACE 5 INTRODUCTION 9 SUMMARY OF THE SONG ... 75 TRANSLATION. CHAPTER I. - - - - - 78 CHAPTER II. ... 79 CHAPTER!!!. - - - - 81 CHAPTER IV. - - - 82 CHAPTER V. - - - - - 83 CHAPTER VI. - - - - 85 - - - - CHAPTER VII. 86 CHAPTER VIII. .... 87 ANALYSIS OF THE SONG-. CHAPTER I. - - - - 89 " - - - - CHAPTER II. .- 93 CHAPTER III. - - - - - 99 CHAPTER IV. - - - 102 CHAPTER V. - - - - - 107 CHAPTER VI. 110 CHAPTER VII. - - - - - 114 f CHAPTER VIII. - - - - 115 4 CONTENTS.. COMMENTARY ON THE SONG:. CHAPTER I. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - - - 218 ' - - - - CHAPTER III. -. 274 CHAPTER IV. - - - - 298 CHAPTER V. - - - - - 342 CHAPTER VI. - - - - 383 - - - - - CHAPTER VII. .'.' 401 CHAPTER VIII. ... 424 PREFACE. -*- THE notes which have grown into the following pages were begun amid the pious exercises and duties connected with the pastoral charge of a retired congregation, and without any idea of making a volume for the press. They have gradually taken their present form. The Analysis now stands, with no material, alteration, as it was written some years ago; and subsequent research has brought to light no reason for changing the views then adopted concerning the general mean- ing of this portion of Scripture. To those who consider the misapprehension that has prevailed in reference to the Song, the Introduction may not seem unnecessarily long, inasmuch as an answer to 6 PREFACE. objections, an argument in defence of the alle- gorical meaning, and a statement of the principles of interpretation, are required before proceeding to the exposition. The Summary and Analysis give the writer's idea of the meaning of the Song. In the exposition, the aim has been to unfold the truth, in the way supposed the most desirable to a soul animated with fervent love for the Lord Jesus, and craving the hidden manna which the Holy Spirit has lodged in this precious portion of the Scriptures. The heart hungering and thirst- ing for righteousness, does not rest satisfied with the stalk and husks, but is anxious for the luscious kernel, of these fruits of eternal life. As here viewed, the Song is a continuous and coherent whole, illustrating some of the most exalted and delightful exercises of the believing heart. According to our exposition, there will not be found in the book a single passage to which the most fastidious taste can take the least exception. A correct interpretation of the book is its only proper vindication. Those who engage in the work of Scripture exposition, become best FREE A CE. t aware of the difficulties of the undertaking; and while the writer is sensible of the difficulty attending a Commentary on the Song, and sub- mits this volume with diffidence to those who love the adorable Redeemer, he shall be happy if any- thing has been done, in however humble a degree, for enabling them to value this book, and draw herefrom truth for nourishing a more vigorous affection for their Beloved and their Friend. INTRODUCTION. -**- THE effect of sin has been to destroy in the human heart the love of God, and substitute for it the love of unworthy things. The object of redemption is the res- toration of man from his condition of enmity against God, and from all the consequences of sin, to the posses- sion and enjoyment of perfect love to God. Hence, as hatred of God is the spirit of sin, love is represented as the essential grace, as the fulfilling of .the law. The growth of the soul in holiness must be estimated, not by . deep excitement, whether of ecstasy or of overwhelming sorrow, not by burning zeal or untiring activity, not by acquaintance with all mysteries and all knowledge, not by giving our goods to feed the poor and our body to be burned; but by the love which beareth all things, be- lieveth all things, hopeth all things,, endureth..all things. Long before the time of the apostle Paul, Plato had celebrated the excellence of this affection, though exer- cised in an inferior sphere. "It is proper to exhort every man to behave in all things piously towards the gods, that we may escape from the ills, and obtain the good to which Love is our guide and commander; who confers on us the greatest benefits for the present, and for the future gives us the strongest hopes that if we pay the debt of piety to heaven, he will restore us to our original nature, and make us happy by healing our ills. 2 10 INTRODUCTION. to be himself the most beautiful Love appears and "best ; and to be the cause of such like beautiful things in other beings. He it is who produces Peace amongst men, upon tlie sea a calm; Stillness on winds, on beds of sorrow sleep. It is he "who divests us of all feelings of alienation, and fills us "with those of friendship; gracious to the good; looked to the wise admired the inhabitants of up by ; by heaven; the parent of refinement, of tenderness, of ele- gance, and of grace; in labour, in fear, in wishes, and in discourse, the pilot, the encourager, the assistant, and best of and taken the protector ; gods men, altogether, a leader the most beautiful in ornament ; and best, whose train it is the duty of every one to follow, bearing a part in that sweet song which he sings himself when soothing the mind of every one among divinities and men."* To this love we are restored in sanctification. Per- fect sanctification carries with it perfect love. The death of Christ, the agency of the Holy Spirit, all the means of grace, all the dealings of Providence with the saints, converge on this one point, the forming anew in man of this lost love. As the sanctification of the soul is through the truth, we might therefore suppose, that in giving us the Scriptures, God would give full elucida- tions of this very important principle or affection. This he has been careful to do. He has shown love to be not 1 xiii. only important but essential, Cor. 1 3; has * Banquet, Stallbaum's ed., p. 156. "Love is the leading passion of the soul; all the rest conform them- selves to it, desire and hope and fear, joy and sorrow." Leighton. "The entire economy of salvation is constructed on the principle of restoring to the world the lost spii-it of love." Harris. NT . R'O DUO TIO N. 11 of it as the root of given a full and excellent definition xiii. 4- has our best and holy feelings, 1 Cor. 7; shown and its perpetuity, its superiority to knowledge, faith, hope, and its inseparable connection with the happiness xiii. 8 13 he and existence of the soul of man, 1 Cor. ; has embodied it for our benefit in the living example of Jesus Christ; has shown that Grod, to whose image we must be restored, is love, 1 John iv. 8; has given the blood of his Son for removing the difliculty in the way his of establishing in us this principle; and has sent Spirit for forming it within us by a new creation, and for opening channels in the heart, through which its influence may reach and control all our other powers. All this has been necessary, because divine love is so perfectly opposite to our natural disposition. Its pre- sence makes us new creatures, gives us new workings of the affections, and prompts to new language from the lips. Now, it is not unreasonable to suppose that He who has given us such means for cherishing this heavenly affection would go farther, and add a description of the actual operations of a heart in which this love is found, and would give us language such as these emotions would naturally adopt in using the words of men; so that in giving utterance to this love, the saints should not be left to the uncertainty and danger of adopting such words as human error might suggest; but have readily furnished language of precision and beauty made ready to our hands by the same Spirit who is working within us this affection.