My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
Ver. 2. My beloved is gone down into his garden.] Now she can tell where Christ is, and inform others who before was to seek of him, and sought infor mation from others. Post tenebras lux is the Church's motto. "Though I sit in darkness, the Lord shall give me light"; he will, with the temptation, give the issue - a way to get out of it, as the moon wades out of a cloud, as the seed gets up from under a clod. And see how forward she is to share; her friends shall know all that she can tell them. There is no envy in spiritual things, because they may be divided in solidum. in the whole. One may have as much as another, and all alike. Yea, God's people know that the "manifestation of the Spirit is given them to profit withal," 1Co 12:7 and that it is not pouring out, but want of pouring out, that dries up the streams of grace, as that of off. 2Ki 4:6 What is meant by Christ's garden? See Trapp on " Son 4:16 " He is said to go down to it, in allusion to the situation of Jerusalem, which was on a hill, their gardens being below in the fruitful valleys. Christ came down to his Church; he "descended into the lower parts of the earth"; that is, into his mother's womb; Eph 4:9 Psa 139:15 yea, he "emptied himself" a of all his excellencies, and took upon him the form of a servant, yea, of an evil servant that was to be beaten. Yea, more, he "humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Php 2:9 Oh, humble Saviour, whither wilt thou descend? Facinus vincire civem Romanum. b It was much for the Son of God to be bound, more to be beaten, most of all to be slain. Quid dicam in crucem tolli, &c. Well might the apostle say, "He humbled himself"
To the beds of spices,] i.e., To the particular churches, or to the companies of believers. These beds or rows of renewed souls, Christ, as a good gardener, treadeth out, soweth, planteth, watereth, fenceth, filleth with sundry gifts and graces.
To feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.] Like as men go to their gardens, either to make merry, as we say, or to gather fruits. So Christ here, either to "eat his pleasant fruits," Son 4:16 his people's holy performances, better to him than any Ambrosia, and then to "gather his lilies," to transplant them into heaven. Pascitnr Christus, quando suorum virtutes videt, saith one. Lilia decerpit, quando optimum quemque ex hac vita traducit: Christ "feedeth in the gardens," when he beholdeth the virtues of his people. He "gathereth lilies" when he translateth good souls into his kingdom above.
a εκενωσεν εαυτον, ex omni ad nihilum seipsum redegit. - Beza.
b Cicero.