John Trapp on Song of Solomon 4:10

Verſ. 10. How fair is thy love] Heb. Loves in the plural, noting, not onely their multitude, but excellency alſo, ſuch as do far praeponderate all carnal affections. Theſe are ſaid to bee inexpreſſibly fair and lovely (noted by the exclamation and repetition here uſed, as if words were too weak to utter it) becauſe it is undiſſembled. A man may paint fire, but hee cannot paint heat. A man may diſſemble actions in Religion, but hee cannot diſſemble affections. 2. It is rare, and in reſpect of common Chriſtians it may bee ſaid, as Epheſ. 3.18. to paſs knowledge: ſith moſt have little of the life of it in their breaſts, leſs of the light and luſtre of it in their lives.

How much better is thy love than Wine] This ſame ſhee had ſaid of him, chap. 1.2. Now hee returns it upon her as is uſual among Lovers. Hee had confeſſed himſelf raviſhed with her love, verſ. 9. Now here hee ſhews why hee was ſo. Hee found her not lovely onely, but loving: hee had made her ſo, and now takes ſingular delight and complacency in his own work, as once hee did in his work of Creation. Hee well perceived that hee had not loſt his love upon his Church, as David did upon his Abſalom, as Paul did upon his Corinthians, (of whom hee complains, that the more hee had loved, the leſs hee was beloved) as Job upon his miſerable comforters, whom hee compares to the Brooks of Tema, Job 6. that in a moiſture ſwell, in a drought fail. But Chriſt findes no ſuch fickleneſs or falſe-heartedneſs in his Beloved, hee had love for love: and as hee had been a ſweet friend to her, ſo was ſhee to him. Her love was better than the beſt Wine (which yet is both coſtly and comfortable) yea than all the delights that this life can afford; ſo much is implied by Wine here, and ſo hee is pleaſed to eſteem it. Unworthy ſhee of ſo kind acceptance of that little ſhee can do this way, if ſhee do not her utmoſt: if ſhee cry not out with her ſon David, I will love thee dearly, or entirely, with mine utmost bowels, (with the ſame tenderneſs of affections as is in Mothers towards the fruit of their bodies, ſo the Hebrew word ſignifies) Pſal. 18.1. And again, I love! (ſo hee abruptly expreſſeth himſelf by a paſſionate pang of love) becauſe the Lord hath heard the voice of my ſupplications, &c. Pſal. 116.1. Hee ſaw (and wee may all ſee) ſo much cauſe to love the Lord, as that hee muſt needs bee a monſter, and not a man, that loves not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity. It was a miracle that thoſe Worthies in Daniel ſhould bee in the midſt of a fiery furnace, and not burn. It is no leſs that men ſhould bee in the midſt of mercies on all hands, and not love Chriſt. It would bee as great a wonder men ſhould fail here, as for a River to run backwards. I have drawn them by the bands of love, by the cords of a man, Hoſ. 11.4. that is, with reaſons and motives of love befitting the nature of a man, of a rational creature.Oculis in utram partem fluat judicari non poteſt. Caeſar. de bello. Gal. lib. 1. But moſt men, alaſs! (and thoſe that profeſs to bee the children of the Church too) move like the River Araris; backward or forward, who can tell? This is to give Chriſt Vinegar for Wine: this is as lukewarm water to his nice and nauſeating ſtomack, Rev. 3.16. There is a Propheſie reported in Teleſphorus, that Antichriſt ſhall never overcome Venice, nor Paris, nor London. But wee have a more certain word, and let us take heed, leſt for our lukewarmneſs Chriſt ſpues us out of his mouth. What hath been the opinion and fear of ſome not inconſiderable Divines, that Antichriſt, before his abolition, ſhall once again overflow the whole face of the Weſt, and ſuppreſs the whole Proteſtant Churches for a puniſhment of their loſs of their firſt love, I pray Chriſt to avert.

And the ſmell of thine Oyntments, than all ſpice!] That is, of thy ſweet graces actuated and exerciſed. See Pſal. 89.20. John 2.20, 27. It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul, that hee fell as though hee had not been anointed, 2 Sam. 1.21. So for the Saints to fall from their firſt love, or from their own ſtedfaſtneſs. Such a dead fly will cauſe their once-ſweet Ointments to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour, Eccleſ. 10.1. Corruptio optim[illegible: 1 letter] eſt peſſima.