_the book of_, in Hebrew, שיר השירים, _the song of songs_.
The church, as well as the synagogue, received this book generally as
canonical. The royal author appears, in the typical spirit of his times,
to have designed to render a ceremonial appointment descriptive of a
spiritual relation; and this song is accordingly considered, by
judicious writers, to be a mystical allegory of that sort which induces
a more sublime sense on historical truths, and which, by the description
of human events, shadows out divine circumstances. The sacred writers
were, by God’s condescension, authorized to illustrate his strict and
intimate relation to the church by the figure of a marriage; and the
emblem must have been strikingly becoming and expressive to the
conceptions of the Jews, since they annexed ideas of peculiar mystery to
this appointment, and imagined the marriage union to be a counterpart
representation of some original pattern in heaven. Hence it was
performed among them with very peculiar ceremonies and solemnity, with
every thing that could give dignity and importance to its rites.
Solomon, therefore, in celebrating the circumstances of his marriage,
was naturally led, by a train of correspondent reflections, to consider
that spiritual connection which it was often employed to symbolize; and
the idea must have been the more forcibly suggested to him, as he was at
this period preparing to build a temple to God, and thereby to furnish a
visible representation of the Hebrew church. The spiritual allegory thus
worked up by Solomon to its highest perfection, was very consistent with
the prophetic style, which was accustomed to predict evangelical
blessings by such parabolical figures; and Solomon was more immediately
furnished with a pattern for this representation by the author of the
forty-fifth Psalm, who describes, in a compendious allegory, the same
future connection between Christ and his church.
2. But though the work be certainly an allegorical representation, many
learned men, in an unrestrained eagerness to explain the song, even in
its minutest and most obscure particulars, have too far indulged their
imaginations; and, by endeavouring too nicely to reconcile the literal
with the spiritual sense, have been led beyond the boundaries which a
reverence for the sacred Scriptures should ever prescribe. The ideas
which the sacred writers furnish concerning the mystical relation
between Christ and his church, though well accommodated to our
apprehensions by the allusion of a marriage union, are too general to
illustrate every particular contained in this poem, which may be
supposed to have been intentionally decorated with some ornaments
appropriate to the literal construction. When the general analogy is
obvious, we are not always to expect minute resemblance, and should not
be too curious in seeking for obscure and recondite allusions. Solomon,
in the glow of an inspired fancy, and unsuspicious of misconception or
deliberate perversion, describes God and his church, with their
respective attributes and graces, under colourings familiar and
agreeable to mankind, and exhibits their ardent affection under the
authorized figures of earthly love. No similitude, indeed, could be
chosen so elegant and apposite for the illustration of this intimate and
spiritual alliance, as a marriage union, if considered in the chaste
simplicity of its first institution, or under the interesting
circumstances with which it was established among the Jews.
3. This poem may be considered, as to its form, as a dramatic poem of
the pastoral kind. There is a succession of time, and a change of place,
to different parts of the palace and royal gardens. The persons
introduced as speakers, are the bridegroom and bride, and their
respective attendants. The interchange of dialogue is carried on in a
wild and digressive manner; but the speeches are adapted to the persons
with appropriate elegance. The companions of the bride compose a kind of
chorus, which seems to bear some resemblance to that afterward adopted
in the Grecian tragedy. Solomon and his queen assume the pastoral
simplicity of style, which is favourable to the communication of their
sentiments. The poem abounds throughout with beauties, and presents
every where a delightful and romantic display of nature, painted at its
most interesting season, and described with every ornament that an
inventive fancy could furnish. It is justly entitled Song of Songs, or
most excellent song, as being superior to any that an uninspired writer
could have produced, and tending, if properly understood, to purify the
mind, and to elevate the affections from earthly to heavenly things.
The church, as well as the synagogue, received this book generally as
canonical. The royal author appears, in the typical spirit of his times,
to have designed to render a ceremonial appointment descriptive of a
spiritual relation; and this song is accordingly considered, by
judicious writers, to be a mystical allegory of that sort which induces
a more sublime sense on historical truths, and which, by the description
of human events, shadows out divine circumstances. The sacred writers
were, by God’s condescension, authorized to illustrate his strict and
intimate relation to the church by the figure of a marriage; and the
emblem must have been strikingly becoming and expressive to the
conceptions of the Jews, since they annexed ideas of peculiar mystery to
this appointment, and imagined the marriage union to be a counterpart
representation of some original pattern in heaven. Hence it was
performed among them with very peculiar ceremonies and solemnity, with
every thing that could give dignity and importance to its rites.
Solomon, therefore, in celebrating the circumstances of his marriage,
was naturally led, by a train of correspondent reflections, to consider
that spiritual connection which it was often employed to symbolize; and
the idea must have been the more forcibly suggested to him, as he was at
this period preparing to build a temple to God, and thereby to furnish a
visible representation of the Hebrew church. The spiritual allegory thus
worked up by Solomon to its highest perfection, was very consistent with
the prophetic style, which was accustomed to predict evangelical
blessings by such parabolical figures; and Solomon was more immediately
furnished with a pattern for this representation by the author of the
forty-fifth Psalm, who describes, in a compendious allegory, the same
future connection between Christ and his church.
2. But though the work be certainly an allegorical representation, many
learned men, in an unrestrained eagerness to explain the song, even in
its minutest and most obscure particulars, have too far indulged their
imaginations; and, by endeavouring too nicely to reconcile the literal
with the spiritual sense, have been led beyond the boundaries which a
reverence for the sacred Scriptures should ever prescribe. The ideas
which the sacred writers furnish concerning the mystical relation
between Christ and his church, though well accommodated to our
apprehensions by the allusion of a marriage union, are too general to
illustrate every particular contained in this poem, which may be
supposed to have been intentionally decorated with some ornaments
appropriate to the literal construction. When the general analogy is
obvious, we are not always to expect minute resemblance, and should not
be too curious in seeking for obscure and recondite allusions. Solomon,
in the glow of an inspired fancy, and unsuspicious of misconception or
deliberate perversion, describes God and his church, with their
respective attributes and graces, under colourings familiar and
agreeable to mankind, and exhibits their ardent affection under the
authorized figures of earthly love. No similitude, indeed, could be
chosen so elegant and apposite for the illustration of this intimate and
spiritual alliance, as a marriage union, if considered in the chaste
simplicity of its first institution, or under the interesting
circumstances with which it was established among the Jews.
3. This poem may be considered, as to its form, as a dramatic poem of
the pastoral kind. There is a succession of time, and a change of place,
to different parts of the palace and royal gardens. The persons
introduced as speakers, are the bridegroom and bride, and their
respective attendants. The interchange of dialogue is carried on in a
wild and digressive manner; but the speeches are adapted to the persons
with appropriate elegance. The companions of the bride compose a kind of
chorus, which seems to bear some resemblance to that afterward adopted
in the Grecian tragedy. Solomon and his queen assume the pastoral
simplicity of style, which is favourable to the communication of their
sentiments. The poem abounds throughout with beauties, and presents
every where a delightful and romantic display of nature, painted at its
most interesting season, and described with every ornament that an
inventive fancy could furnish. It is justly entitled Song of Songs, or
most excellent song, as being superior to any that an uninspired writer
could have produced, and tending, if properly understood, to purify the
mind, and to elevate the affections from earthly to heavenly things.