John Trapp on Song of Solomon 5:13

Verſ. 13. His cheeks are as a bed of ſpices] i. e. comely and pleaſant to the ſight, ſweet alſo to the ſmell; areolis ſimiles aromatum plenis: flouriſhing with a goodly, comely, freſh, and ſweet beard; ſo declaring his face not onely to be gracious and amiable, but alſo full of gravity, glory, and majeſty. There are that would have all theſe things to bee taken literally of Chriſts natural body: and that here is ſet down his Proſopography: But this was written long before Chriſt was incarnate; and therefore it muſt needs be meant in a metaphorical and allegorical ſenſe, hard to bee explained. Ego quid de ſingulis ſtatuam fateor me neſcire, ſaith a learned Interpreter. Allegorically to handle all theſe is not in my purpoſe or power, ſaith another: ſith the graces of Chriſt, as they cannot well bee expreſſed, ſo, by reaſon of our weakneſs, they cannot better bee declared. The drift of the holy Ghoſt is to paint out unto us the ſpiritual and heavenly love of his Church to Chriſt, who doth not, nor cannot ſatisfie her ſelf with any words, or compariſons of this kind. And ſecondly, to ſtir up our heartieſt and livelieſt affections to him, that hath ſuch a world of worth and wealth in him. As the worth and value of many peeces of ſilver is in one peece of gold, ſo all the petty excellencies ſcattered abroad in the creatures are united in Chriſt; yea all the whole volume of perfections which is ſpread thorow Heaven and Earth, is epitomized in him: why do wee not then make out to him, and deſpiſe all for him with Paul? Why do wee not with David chide our ſelves and others for loving vanity, Pſal. 4.2. and ſeeking after leaſing? How long wilt thou go about, O backſliding daughter, Iſa. 7.14. and fetch a compaſs? knoweſt thou not that the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth? a woman ſhall compaſs a man, Jer. 31.22. that is, a Virgin ſhall conceive and bear a Son, even the Man Chriſt Jeſus, in whom it pleaſed the Father that there ſhould dwell all fulneſs, Col. 1.19. Make wee therefore ſtraight paths for our feet, Heb. 12.13. Let us go ſpeedily to Chriſt, Zech. 8.21. as Bees do to a Meddow full of flowers: as Merchants do to the Indies that are full of fruits and ſpices; that wee may return from him, full fraught with treaſures of truth and grace.

His lips like Lillies, dropping ſweet-ſmelling myrrhe] i. e. His word and doctrine is white, ſweet, pleaſant, far-ſpreading as Lillies; ſweet to the ſmell, and yet bitter to the taſte as myrrhe, no way pleaſing to the fleſh which it mortifieth, calling upon men to repent, reform, walk by rule, ſtrive to enter in at the ſtraight gate, reſiſt unto blood, ſtriving againſt ſin. Theſe things are good and profitable to men (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in another caſe, (Tit. 3.8.) but they naturally care not to hear of them. Drop not yee, ſay they, (wee like not your Lillies dropping myrrhe and nitre) Let thoſe drop or propheſie, Micah 2.6. that preach pleaſing things; Wee like your Lillies, but care not for your Myrrhe: or if wee ſmell it, wee like not to taſte of it, becauſe little toothſome, however it may bee wholeſome.