John Trapp on Song of Solomon 3:6

Verſ. 6. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderneſs] Who is this, ſay the Angels, thoſe friends of the Bridegroom (as ſome will have it) admiring the Churches high expreſſions, and continual aſcenſions in her affection to Chriſt? But I rather think it is the voice of the Bridegroom himſelf, raviſhed with the beauty and ſweetneſs of his Spouſe, and wondring at his own comelineſs put upon her; as well hee may; for quantum mutatur ab illa? Virg. Such a change hee hath wrought in her, as never was known in any. See Ezek. 16.6, 7, 8, &c. Moſes married an Ethiopian woman, and could not change her hiew. David married a ſcornful dame, a mocking Michol, and could not mend her conditions. Jobs wife continued to bee (as it is ſaid of Helena after the Trojan troubles cauſed by her) [non-Latin text not transcribed], the ſame woman ſtill, no changeling Shee: but the Church, and all her genuine children are ſtrangely altered and metamorphoſed (as the Apoſtles word is, Rom. 12.2.) and this change is not moral, formal, meerly mental, temporal, partial, but ſpiritual, real, univerſal, both in reſpect of ſubject and object: for it is an intire change of the whole man, from the whole ſervice of Satan, to the living and true God in ſincere obedience to the whole Law, the whole courſe of his life throughout. A change ſo conſpicuous, and ſo ſtupendious, that not onely ſtrangers take notice of it, ſtrange at it, 1 Pet. 4.4. and marvel much at the matter, ſaying, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Who is this? Mat. 21.10. What is come to the man of late, that now it is, Ego non ſum? but Chriſt himſelf ſtands wondring at his own work, as hee did once in Nathanael, Behold an Iſraelite indeed (an Iſhmaelite by nature, but an Iſraelite by grace, as Gether, 1 Chron. 7.17. 2 Sam. 17.3.) John 1.47. and as before that in Araunah, that famous Jebuſite, 2 Sam. 24.18. compared with Zach. 9.7.

That cometh out of the wilderneſs] ſcil. Of this world, fitly called a wilderneſs, for the paucity of good people in it (the wilderneſs of Judea, where John preached was ſo called, becauſe but thinly inhabited) and plenty of Bears, and Bores, Lions, and Leopards, and other wilde creatures, whereunto wicked men for their ſavageneſs are commonly compared in Scripture. This aſcending of the Church out of the world, as Iſrael did out of Egypt, and their orderly marching thorow the wilderneſs into the promiſed inheritance, is worthily called a wonderful ſeparation, Exod. 33.16. And as that Angel that appeared to Manoah, by aſcending up in the flame of the Altar, is ſaid to do wondrouſly, Judg. 13.19, 20. So do the Saints by their daily devotions, as ſo many pillars of ſmoke, elationibus fumi, aſpiring to eternity, and coming up, (as Cornelius his prayers and alms did) for a memorial before God, Act. 10.4. And albeit their beſt performances are as ſmoke, black and ſooty in regard of infirmities and imperfections, yet they have a principle in them to carry them upward: they have alſo the High-Prieſt of the New Teſtament, not to preſent them onely, but to perfume and becenſe them, as it is here, with myrrhe and frankincenſe, and ſweeteſt powders of the ſpice-merchant, that is, with the merit and mediation of his own moſt precious paſſion, Heb. 9.24. thoſe ſweet odours poured as out of Vials, into the prayers of Saints, Rev. 5.8. & 8.4. and ſo making both them and their ſervices acceptable to his Father. And as hee promiſed, John 12.32. that being lifted up himſelf by the croſs to the Kingdome, hee would draw all his to him; ſo wee ſee it fulfilled in the Saints, thoſe heavenly Eagles, ſoaring out of ſight: lowly in their ſpeeches, lofty in their actions, but eſpecially in their affections carried above all earthly objects, Col. 3.2. and not content till they are gotten home to Heaven; their commoration is here, their converſation above. Theſe heavenly Stars, though ſeen ſometimes in a puddle, though they reflect there, yet they have their ſituation in Heaven. Theſe birds of Paradiſe, though they may touch happily upon earth, yet they are moſtly upon the wing, and thoſe outward comforts and creatures are to them but ſcalae & alae, wings and wind in their wings, Zeph. 5.9. to carry them upward. Let ſhallow men wonder at worldly things, as the Diſciples did at the huge and fair ſtones of the Temple, Mat. 24. let them bee nailed faſt to the earth, as Siſera was by Jael, let them ever bow down-ward, as that woman in the Goſpel that had a ſpirit of infirmity, let them grovel and go upon their bellies, and feed upon earth, as the Serpent, Gen. 3. The Saints are of another alloy: their civil converſation is in Heaven, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Phil. 3.20. their politick bent, aim and fetch is for Heaven: They are immortalitatis candidati, as the Ancients called Henock and Elias, they do paradiſum mente deambulare, as Hierome bids the young Hermite, take a turn ever and anon in paradiſe: and, after ſome ſerious thoughts of that bleſſed place, they break out, as Monica, Auſtins Mother did, into a Quid hic facio? What make I here? why haſten I not home to mine own Country? They ſend up many pious ejaculations, many holy ſallies, and as it were egreſſions of ſoul, many an humble, joyful and thankful heart to God. Mittunt preces & lachrymas cordis legatos, as hee ſaith, pillars of prayers, vollyes of hearty wiſhes they ſend up continually; laying up treaſure in Heaven, and thinking long of the time or ere they get thither.