John Trapp on Song of Solomon 8:5

Verſ. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderneſs] See the Note on chap. 3.6. There are continual aſcenſions in the hearts of Gods people, whiles here. And whereas the men of this world, which have their portion here, (Pſal. 17.14.) animas etiam incarnaverunt, as Bernard complaineth, and are born downward to hell by their own weight; the Saints of God are ever aſpiring, and do groan being burdened; as knowing that whileſt they are at home in the body, (ſuch an home as it is) they are abſent from the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.4, 6. from their heavenly home. Either Egypt was not Moſes his home, or but a miſerable one: and yet in reference to it, hee called his ſon born in Midian, Gerſhom, i. e. a ſtranger there. If hee ſo thought of this Egyptian home, where was nothing but bondage and tyranny, what marvell though the Saints think of that home of theirs above, (and haſten to it in their affections) where is nothing but reſt and bleſſedneſs?

Leaning upon her Beloved] For otherwiſe ſhee could not aſcend, as unable to ſuſtain her ſteps, Jer. 10.23. The Church, as the Vine, is the moſt fruitful, but the weakeſt of all trees, and muſt have a ſupporter: hence ſhee leans upon her Beloved: Brightman. Sunt qui exponunt Delicians. which phraſe, beſide recumbency, denotes a more than ordinary familiarity, qua ſolent amantes inſinus amaſiorum ſc projicere, like as Lovers throw themſelves ſometimes into their ſweet-hearts arms or boſomes. Now thus to lean upon Chriſt, is an act of faith, of the faith of Gods Elect. Others ſeem to lean upon Chriſt, but it is no otherwiſe than as the Apricock which leaneth againſt the walls, but is faſt rooted in the earth. So theſe lean upon Chriſt for Salvation, but are rooted in the world, in pride, filthineſs, &c. and though they make ſome aſſaies, yet like the door upon the hinges, they will not come off. See the folly and confidence of theſe wretched men, (the ſame Hebrew word ſignifies both; and may both waies be taken, Pſal. 49.13.) graphically deſcribed by the Prophet, Mich. 3.11. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and ſay, Is not the Lord among us? none evill can come upon us. Theſe men periſh by catching at their own catch, hanging on their own fancy, making a bridge of their own ſhadow: they will not otherwiſe believe but that Chriſt is their ſweet Saviour, and ſo doubt not but they are ſafe, when it is no ſuch matter. They grow aged and crooked with ſuch falſe conceits, and can ſeldome or never bee ſet ſtraight again. Theſe muſt know, that to rely upon Chriſt, is to bee utterly unbottomed of a mans ſelf, and of every creature: and ſo to lean upon Chriſt alone, that if hee fail, thou ſinkeſt; if hee ſet not in, thou art loſt for ever. Papiſts think, that as hee that ſtandeth on two firm branches of a tree is ſurer than hee that ſtandeth upon one: ſo hee that truſteth to Chriſt and his own works too. But it muſt bee conſidered, firſt, that hee which looketh to bee juſtified by the law, is fallen from grace: Chriſt is of no effect unto him, Gal. 5.4. Hee will not mingle his purple-blood with our puddle-ſtuff, his rich robes with our tattered rags, his Eagles feathers with our Pigeons plumes. There can bee but one Sun in heaven (Sol quaſi Solus) and they ſet up ruſh candles to the Sun, that joyn other Saviours to this Sun of righteouſneſs. Secondly, hee that hath one foot on a firm branch, another on a rotten one, ſtands not ſo ſure, as if wholly on that which is ſound: Away then with all ſuch mock-ſtays: See the fruit of creature-confidence, Job 6.17. & 8.15. and know, that no man truſts Chriſt at all, that truſts him not alone. Hee that ſtands with one foot on a rock, and another foot on a quick-ſand, will ſink and periſh as certainly, as hee that ſtandeth with both feet on a quick-ſand. See Pſal. 6.2.2.5, 6.

I raiſed thee up under the Apple-tree, &c.] Here the Bride anſwereth to the Bridegrooms queſtion, Who is this, or What woman is this that cometh up from the Wilderneſs, &c? that goes in a right line to God, leaning on her Beloved? that will not break the hedge of any commandment to avoid any peece of foul way? I am ſhee, ſaith the Church, even the very ſame that raiſed thee up under the apple-tree, &c. viz. by mine earneſt prayers. When thou waſt aſleep under the apple-tree, and I had ſtraightly charged the Damoſels of Jeruſalem not to diſquiet thee by their ſins, yet I took the boldneſs to arouſe thee, and ſay, as Pſal. 44.23. Awake, why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord? ariſe, caſt us not off for ever; and with thoſe drowning Diſciples, Maſter, eareſt thou not that wee periſh? Sometimes (ſaith one) God ſeems to loſe his mercy, and then wee muſt finde it for him, as Iſa. 63.10. ſometimes to ſleep, and then wee muſt waken him, quicken him, Pſal. 40.17. Iſa. 62.7. God will come, but he will have his peoples prayers lead him, Dan. 10.12. I come for thy Word. Chriſt himſelf is the apple-tree here mentioned, as Cant. 2.3. Though there are that interpret it of the Croſs, that tree whereon hee bare our ſins in his own body, 1 Pet. 2.24. Others better, of the tree of offence, the forbidden fruit, Gen. 2. And that when Eve taſted of that fruit (which they here-hence conclude to have been an apple, though the word bee more general, Nux enim pomum dicitur) then, as Chriſts mother, ſhee brought him forth by believing the promiſe there made unto her, that Meſſiah of her ſeed ſhould break the Serpents head. Look how the Virgin Mary conceived Chriſt when ſhee yielded her aſſent: When the Angel ſpake to her, what ſaid ſhee preſently? Be it as thou haſt ſaid, Let it bee even ſo, ſhee yielded her aſſent to the promiſe, that ſhee ſhould conceive a ſon, and ſhee did conceive him: So Eve believed the promiſe of pardon and ſalvation, ſhee ſaw it afar off, was perſwaded of it, and embraced it, Heb. 11.13. and is therefore ſaid here to bear and bring forth Chriſt, yea, to travell of him with ſorrow, as the word ſignifies: for as there is no other birth without pain, ſo neither is the new birth. Thoſe that have paſſed through the narrow womb of repentance, and been born again, will ſay as much, See Iſa. 26.17. If God brake Davids bones, and the Angels back (ſaith one) hee will break thy heart too, if ever hee ſave thee. No ſound heart ever went to heaven as (in another ſenſe) none but ſound could ever come thither. Cor integrum cor ſciſſum. Rent your hearts, &c.