John Trapp on Song of Solomon 1:5

Verſ. 5. I am black, but comely] Heb. Black as the morning, or day-dawning, which hath light and darkneſs (dimneſs at leaſt) mixt together. It is not [non-Latin text not transcribed],Eustath. in Hom. Odyſſ. p. wherein there is more light than darkneſs, but [non-Latin text not transcribed], wherein there is more darkneſs than light, as the Grammarians diſtinguiſh. This morning light is lovely, though not pure, ſo is the Church comely, though not clear. The Coy Daughters of Jeruſalem might make a wonderment, that ſo black a doudy, as the Church appeared to them that ſaw not her inward beauty, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Act. 7. ſhould ever hope to have love from the faireſt among men. (Wee read how Aaron and Miriam murmured againſt Moſes, (who was fair to God) becauſe of the Tauny-Moor-woman whom hee had married, Numb. 12.1.) For anſwer to whom, the Spouſe here grants that ſhee is black, or blackiſh, at leaſt: (1) As having ſome hypocrites in her boſome, that as that blaſted corn, [non-Latin text not transcribed] frumentum aduſtum. Mat. 13.25. ſmutcheth and ſullieth the better ſort. (2) As being not fully freed from ſin till after death. Sin is dejected indeed in the Saints, but not utterly ejected, while they are here. For why? it is in them as the ſpots of the Leopard, not by accident, but by nature, which no Art can cure, no water can waſh off, becauſe they are not in the skin, but in the fleſh and bones, in the ſinewes and the moſt inward parts.Job 30.30 Lam. 4.8. Jer. 8.21 Howbeit the Church is freed from the damning and domineering power of ſin. And whereas (3) Shee is looked upon as black, becauſe of her afflictions (thoſe fruits of ſin) and ſeems to have lain among the pots (as the Pſalmiſt hath it) places where Scullions uſe to lye, and ſo are black and collied, yet ſhall ſhee bee as the wings of a Dove that are covered with ſilver, &c. Pſal. 68.13. though ſhee ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall give her light, Micah 7.8. And as black ſoap makes white cloathes: ſo do ſharp afflictions make holy hearts:Act. & Mon. 1486. Where God is pleaſed to ſet in with his battle-door, as that Martyr ſaid. Puriores coelo afflictione facti ſunt, ſaith Chryſoſtome of thoſe that were praying for Peter, Act. 12. And ſome of them of underſtanding ſhall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, ſaith the Prophet, of thoſe ſuffering-Saints, Dan. 11.35. The face of the Church is never ſo beautiful, as when it is waſhed with its own tears: as ſome faces appear moſt orientally fair, when they are moſt inſtampt with ſorrow. Chriſt did ſo, Iſa. 52.14.

But comely] Or, goodly, lovely, deſirable, delectable, viz. For my double Righteouſneſs (thoſe righteouſneſſes of the Saints, Rev. 19.8.) imputed, and imparted. Hence the Church may better ſing than Sappho did, Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit,Ovid. Epiſt. Juſtitia formae damna rependo meae. Ingenio formae damna rependo meae.

As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon] Kedar ſignifieth black; Plin[illegible: 1 letter] lib. 6. cap. 28. Solin. cap. 26. Iſa. 13.20. and the Kedarens (a people of Arabia, deſcended of Iſmael) dwelt in black tents made of hair-cloath, and had no other houſes; they alſo dwelt not far from the Ethiopians, or Black-moors, 2 Chron. 21.16.

As the curtains, &c.] i. e. As his coſtly tapeſtry,Joſeph. Antiq. lib. 8.5 and other ſumptuous houſhold-ſtuff, whereof, read 1 King. 10.1, 2, &c. Joſephus alſo makes mention of the Babyloniſh rich furniture, wherewith Solomons rooms were hanged. Theſe are to ſet forth the Churches comelineſs, as the other did her homelineſs. Let none be deſpiſed for his outward meanneſs: for within that leathern purſe may bee a Pearl. Chriſt himſelf was hidden under the Carpenters ſon, and a poor outſide, Iſa. 53.2.

Saepe ſub attrita latitat ſapientia veſte.