Section 742
II. The particular things she invites him to, are now to be considered
1st, She desires him to "forth into the field with her:" which may be expressive, 1. Of her desire after Christ's presence, both at home and abroad; she would not stir out of doors without him; when at home, nothing so delightful as his presence; and, having some business in the field, she is loth to go without him; O happy soul, that is thus blessed! of such an one it may be truly said (6), "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field; blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out." 2. Of her desire after solitariness, or of being alone with Christ: thus (Genesis 24:63), "Isaac went out to meditate in the field;" where he could be retired, and have his thoughts more free, composed, and fit for such an employment: the field is also a place of more secrecy, as well as retiredness; and therefore (1 Samuel 20:11), "Jonathan said to David, come, let us go into the field;" that they might more freely tell their minds, and impart their loves to each other; thus the church desired Christ to go with her into the field; that there being alone with him, she might tell him all her heart, and let him know how much she loved him; which she could not so freely do in company. 3. She might design some recreation by it; it may be an allusion to persons who keep their country-houses, who, being retired from the city, take their walks in the fields, to see how the fruits of the earth grow, as well as to enjoy the benefit of the country air: so the church, she is for going abroad into the fields; but then she would have Christ go with her; for no recreation is so, unless he be with her; walking abroad in the fields will yield her no pleasure, unless Christ be there. 4. It may signify her desire to have the gospel spread in the world, especially in those parts of it, in which it had not been as yet preached; and which looked very much like an uncultivated field: thus the field in the parable (Matthew 13:38), is said to be the world; which, being overrun with the thorns and briars of sin and corruption, moves her pity and compassion, and excites desire in her to have the gospel planted there, that so it might become a fruitful field; and therefore she is desirous to have her husband, and the true husbandman, go along with her, to manure, cultivate, and plant it; and perhaps the Gentile world may be particularly intended.
2dly, She farther invites him to lodge in the villages with her. There is a manifest gradation in these words of hers, which shows her end and design in all; she first invites him to go forth into the field with her, and that is in order to lodge with her in the villages; and their lodging there, is in order to get up early next morning to the vineyards; Junius and Tremellius read the words thus, "let us lodge by the cyprus-trees;"[4209] for the Hebrew word םירפכ cepharim, signifies both villages and cyprus-trees; see chapter 1:13 and 4:14, by which may be meant the saints; who may be compared thereunto, for their excellency, fragrancy, and fruitfulness; and an invitation to lodge by or with these, could not be unwelcome to Christ; seeing they are with him, "the excellent in the earth, in whom is all his delight:" though the word may as well be rendered villages, as it is by the Septuagint and others. From whence may be observed, 1. The villages being places of mean entertainment, both for food and lodging; that a mean condition of life, with Christ, is more eligible and much preferable to the greatest affluence of the good things of this world without him: the church had rather have hard lodgings in a country village with Christ, than to dwell in a city, have her lodgings in a king's palace, or lie upon a bed of down without him: as one,[4210] once said. "Brown bread and the gospel are good fare;" so it may be also said, "A country lodging with Christ is good lodging." 2. Villages being places of retirement, and free from the noise and hurry of the city, might occasion her desire to lodge there; she wanted to be at liberty from the world, that she might have some solitary communion with Christ; so David, being almost worn out with the fatigues of the camp, the hurries of the court, thus passionately wishes, saving (Psalm 55:6, 7), "O! that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away, and be at rest; lo, then would I wander far off, and remain," or as in the Hebrew text, "lodge in the wilderness, Selah." The cares of this life, and the hurrying employments of it, do much interrupt and break in upon a believer's comfortable communion with Christ; and therefore, with the church, he desires sometimes to be retired from them, and lodge with him in the villages. 3. She desires not only communion with Christ, but that it might be continued: she would lodge with him all night, as she says, in chapter 1:13, "He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts," it is not merely for an hour or two, that she would have his company, but all night: believers, who have got some knowledge of Christ's pet son, and have tasted the sweetness of communion with him, are like the Samaritans (John 4:40), who "besought him that he would tarry with them;" they are never weary of his company, and do not care how much they have of it. Though, 4. These words may signify her desire to have the gospel preached in the villages, as well as in the cities: thus our Lord Jesus Christ, in the days of his flesh, "went about all the cities and villages, preaching the gospel of the kingdom," (Matthew 9:35), as did also his disciples after him; though, as one[4211] well observes, the gospel was first preached in cities mostly, and from thence spread itself in time into the neighboring villages, where the heathen idolatry lasted longer than in cities; from whence it had the name of paganism, pagus signifying a village; which the church here observing, desires Christ to go along with her, and spread the gospel there.[4212]
3dly, She signifies her desire also to get up early to the vineyards: for which reason she thought at most proper to lodge in the villages, and not in the city; from whence she could not have been so early at the vineyards, as she desired to be. By the vineyards, the Targum, R. Solomon Jarchi and Alshech understand the synagogues and schools of the Jews and so it is explained in the Talmud:[4213] though it seems much more probable, that by them are meant, the several particular churches and congregations of the saints; which are distinguished by sovereign grace, planted with a variety of fruitful vines, watered every moment by Christ, and fenced about with his almighty power; and by her getting up unto them, may be meant her visiting of them; which is much such an act of kindness and friendship as that of Paul's, who said to Barnabas (Acts 15:36), "Let us go again and visit our brethren, in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do." And what still more shows how intent she was upon it, and how much her heart was in it, she is for getting up early; that is, betimes in the morning, or in the most seasonable time, as the word early is sometimes used: she is for losing no opportunity, and making use of the most suitable one to visit the churches; and that her visit may not be in vain, she is for taking Christ along with her; she is not willing to go alone; she knew of what service Christ's presence would be to the churches, and to what little purpose hers would be without him; and therefore she says, "let us get up early," etc. But,