John Trapp on Song of Solomon 4:3

Verſ. 3. Thy lips are like a threed of Scarlet] Which hath two comely properties, Small and Ruddy. A thin lip is a ſign of eloquence, Job 12.20. Pitho ſits upon it: as on the other ſide, a thick lip is an uncircumciſed lip Exod. 6.12. a polluted lip, Iſa. 6.5. Scarlet or Coralline lips are counted a great grace, as white, black, blewiſh lips are held no ſmall deformity. The Churches lips are her Chriſtian confeſſions, whether to God or men. To God, when ſhe acknowledgeth his favours, (and ſo covereth his Altar with the calves of her lips) or confeſſeth her ſins with all the aggravations, bringing them forth as they did the veſſels of the Sanctuary, Ezra 8.34. by tale and by weight; bewailing and begging pardon of all their tranſgreſſions in all their ſins, as the words are, Levit. 16.21. To man ſhee confeſſeth, when ſhee makes a wiſe and bold profeſſion of the truth; not afraid with any amazement, 1 Pet. 3.6. but ready to reſiſt even unto blood, Heb. 12.4. The Tabernacle was covered over with Red (and the Scarlet Whore would fain perſwade us, that ſhee takes up that colour for the ſame intent) to note that wee muſt ſtand to the profeſſion of the truth, even to effuſion of blood: This confeſſion of the mouth, Rom. 10.10. is ſet forth here by lips red as Scarlet, becauſe it muſt be lively, not fady or frigid, but full of Faith, and died in Chriſts blood. It is alſo deſcribed by a threed of Scarlet, becauſe (as a threed) it muſt bee drawn out to the full length, and not cut off, ſo long as life laſteth, for any fear, or other by-reſpect whatſoever. Surely as Auſtin ſaid of the feaſt of Pentecoſt, Gaudet produci haec ſolennitas, ſo may wee ſay of Chriſtian confeſſion, It rejoyceth to bee held out to the laſt breath. And as the ſilk-worm ſtretcheth forth her ſelf before ſhee ſpin, and ends her life in her long wrought clew: ſo is it with the faithful Confeſſour.

And thy ſpeech is comely] Becauſe grave and gracious, framed in Scripture-phraſe as much as may bee: and therefore comly and delectable. Loquamur verba Scripturae, utamur ſermone Spiritus Sancti, &c. ſaid that incomparable man Peter Ramus, Let us ſpeak the very words of Scripture, let us make uſe of the language of the Holy Ghoſt, and for ever abominate thoſe Logodaedali, learned Aſſes, that prophanely diſdain at the ſtately plainneſs of Gods bleſſed Book; and that think to correct the Divine Wiſdome and eloquence with their own infancy and ſophiſtry. It is the Church onely that ſpeaks handſomely, becauſe holily, and as the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. Shee is (as one well ſaith of Baſil) ſuaviter gravis, & graviter ſuavis, nihil habens affectatae loquacitatis, ſweetly grave, and gravely ſweet, neither troubleſomely talkative, nor ſinfully ſilent: verborum parca, Caſaub. ſententiarum dives (as another ſaith of Livy) few words, but full of matter.

Thy Temples are like a peece of a Pomegranate] A Pomegranate hath many grains within his caſe, and a little round circle or Crown without, upon his head. Now theſe grains being ſweet in taſte, and red in colour, are orderly ſet one by another, and point up, and as it were look up altogether unto the Crown. To intimate thus much (ſay Beda and Haimo) that the children of the Church muſt grow on ſtill toward the mark, not onely when they enjoy the ſweet taſte of pleaſant proſperity, but alſo when they bear the red colour of bloody perſecution. And conſenting in a kinde of conformity and perfect peace, they muſt point up all together with the finger of Faith, to Chriſt, and look up continually with the eye of love to their head Chriſt, who being firſt croſſed, is now come to be crowned with honour and glory. Some do explain this peece of a Pomegranate when it is cut, to ſignifie the reverend and modeſt countenance of the Church; as fearing and taking heed leſt ſhee ſhould ſpeak or do amiſs; or bluſhing, if ſhee hath failed. Others expound it of the good works of Gods people (compared verſ. 9. to an Orchard of Pomegranates) beautiful, and comely, but yet imperfect: like as there is no Pomegranate that hath not one rotten grain in it.