John Trapp on Song of Solomon 1:3

Verſ. 3. Becauſe of the ſavour of thy good ointments] Or, To ſmell to, thy ointments are beſt. Odoratiſſimus es. As the Panther caſts abroad a fragrant ſavour, as Alexander the Great is ſaid to have had a natural ſweetneſs with him, by reaſon of the good temperament of his body: So, and much more than ſo the Lord Chriſt,Euſeb. that ſweeteſt of ſweets. Hee kiſſeth his poor perſecuted people, as Conſtantine once kiſſed Paphnutius his loſt eye: and departing (for here hee comes but as a ſuter onely, till the marriage bee made up in Heaven) hee leaves ſuch a ſweet ſcent behinde him, ſuch a balmy verdure, as attracts all good hearts unto him; ſo that where this all-quickning carkaſs is, there would the Eagles bee alſo. Mat. 24. The Iſraelites removed their tents from Mithcah, which ſignifies ſweetneſs, to Caſhmonah, which ſignifies ſwiftneſs, Numb. 33.29. To teach us (ſaith one) that the Saints have no ſooner taſted Chriſts ſweetneſs, but they are carried after him preſently with incredible ſwiftneſs. Hence they are ſaid to have a noſe like the Tower of Lebanon, Cant. 7. (for their ſingular ſagacity in ſmelling after Chriſt) and to flee to the holy Aſſemblies (where Chriſts odors are beaten out to the ſmell) as the clouds, Iſa. 60.8. or as the Doves to their windaws. For why? they have their ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5.14. and their love abounds yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement, Phil. 1.9.

Thy name is as ointment poured forth] There is an elegant alluſion in the Original betwixt Shem and Shemen; that is, Name, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and Ointment. And Chriſt hath his name both in Hebrew and Greek from ointment; for theſe three words in ſignification are all one, Meſſias, Chriſt, Anointed. See the reaſon, Iſa. 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord (that oil of gladneſs, Heb. 1.9.) is upon mee, becauſe hee hath anointed (and appointed) mee to preach good tidings to the meek,2 Cor. 2.2, 14, 15, 16 &c. Now when this is done to the life, when Chriſt crucified is preached, when the Holy Ghoſt in the mouth and miniſtry of his faithful ſervants ſhall take of Chriſts excellencies, (as it is his office to do, Joh. 16.14.) and hold them out to the world: when hee ſhall hold up the tapeſtry, as it were,2 Tim. 2.5 and ſhew men the Lord Chriſt, with an Ecce virum, Behold the man, that one Mediatour betwixt God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus; See him in his Natures, in his Offices, in his Works, in the bleſſed Effects of all: This cannot but ſtir up wonderful loves in all good ſouls; with hearty wiſhes,1 Cor. 16.22. that If any one love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hee may bee Anathema, Maranatha, accurſt upon accurſt, and put over to God to puniſh.

Therefore the Virgins love thee] i. e. All that are adjoyned to mee in comely ſort, as chaſt Damoſels to their Mother and Miſtreſs. The elect and faithful are called Virgins for their ſpiritual chaſtity. They are Gods hidden ones (as the word here uſed ſignifieth, as they are called, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Paellae abſconditae; propter ſecretiorem educationem. Riv. Speed. 1236. Pſal. 83.3.) they are not defiled with the corruptions that are in the world through luſt, for they are Virgins, Rev. 14.4. Elſe, the Bride would not ſuffer them about her, Pſal. 45.14. (Of Queen Elizabeth it is ſaid, that ſhee never ſuffered any Lady to approach her preſence, of whoſe ſtain ſhee had but the leaſt ſuſpition) Theſe follow the Lamb whereſoever hee goeth, ib. as the other creatures follow the Panther for his ſweet odors; as birds of prey are carried after carkaſſes. Whom having not ſeen, yet yee love, and can do no leſs, 1 Pet. 1.8. becauſe hee firſt loved you, and hath ſhed abroad his love in your hearts by his holy Spirit, 1 John 4.19. Rom. 5.5. Amate amorem illius, O love his love, ſaith Bernard, and cry out with Ignatius, [non-Latin text not transcribed], My Love was crucified. If the Centurion in the Goſpel were held worthy of reſpect becauſe hee loved our Nation (ſaid thoſe Jews) and built us a Synagogue: Luk. 7.5 what ſhall wee ſay of Chriſt, who loved us, and waſhed us with his own blood, &c? Rev. 1.5 Cos amoris amor. Herein was love, &c. And ſhould not love bee the whetſtone of love? ſhould wee not reciprocate? ſhall wee bee worſe than Publicans? ſhall not the love of Christ conſtrain us, &c? 2 Cor. 5.14.