Song of Solomon 2:12

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

Ver. 12. The flowers appear on the earth.] Here we have a most dainty description of the spring or prime time - prin-temps, as the French call it - far surpassing that of Horace and the rest of the poets, who yet have shown themselves very witty that way. For the sense; by "flowers" (made rather to smell than to feed upon) are understood, saith an interpreter, the firstfruits of the Spirit, whereby the elect give a pleasant smell; and therein lieth sweetness of speech, and words going before works, even as flowers before fruits. For the which cause, as the apostle exhorteth that our speech be gracious always, "ministering edification to the hearer," Col 4:6 so the prophet calls it a "pure language," which the Lord will give to as many as love him, as are called according to his purpose. Zep 3:9

The time of the singing of birds is come.] Hic autem garritus avium plurimum facit ad veris commendationem, this chirping of birds makes much to the spring's commendation, saith Genebrard. How melodiously sing the ministers of the gospel, while they are unto God's people as "a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice." Eze 33:32 It is mel in ore, moles in aure, to the elect, as it was to Augustine, who, coming to hear Ambrose, had his ears tickled, his heart touched; so had that unlearned Corinthian, 1Co 14:25 and the whole city of Samaria, wherein there was "great joy" at the receiving of the gospel. Act 8:8 "Behold we bring you good tidings of great joy to all people," Luk 2:10 said those angels to the shepherds that sang Christ into the world, and from whom the preaching of the gospel was afterwards taken and given to the ministers, whose proper office it is "to publish peace, to bring good tidings of good." "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing." Isa 52:7-8 If they do otherwise to any, if they sing doleful accents to guilty persons, if the voice of these gospel birds be to such, like that of Abijah to Jeroboam's wife, "I am sent to thee with heavy tidings," 1Ki 14:6 they may thank themselves. To fall out with the minister is as great folly, as if some fond people should accuse the herald or the trumpet as the cause of their war; or as if some ignorant peasant, when he sees his fowls bathing in his pond, should cry out of them as the causes of foul weather. What do faithful ministers do more - what can they do less, if they will be true to their souls? - than tax men's sins, foretell their judgments? This when they do, it is diversely taken. Ravenous and unclean birds, like the ravens of Arabia, screech horribly, scratch terribly. Turtles and doves a (whose voice is here said to be heard in the land when other birds are sweetly singing) come in with a mournful tone, mixed with a groaning sadness (whence also the turtle hath its name, scil., a sono quem edit, per onomatopaeiam), and may well serve to set forth the unutterable groans of gracious spirits grieving for their sins, mourning bitterly Zec 12:10 over Christ crucified before their eyes, Gal 3:1 and evidently set forth by their faithful ministers (so that they need no other crucifix to draw tears from them) "tabering upon their breasts with the voice of doves," Nah 2:7 yea, smiting upon their breasts, with the penitent publican, and saying, or rather sighing, out each for himself, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." And here affert solatium lugentibus suspiriorum societas. b It is a heavenly hearing when a church full of good people, wrought upon by their godly preachers, send up a volley of sighs to God; and as "hinds by calving," so they by weeping "cast out their sorrows," Job 39:3 such as show their hearts to be as so many Hadadrimmons. Augustine c persuades a preacher so long to insist upon some needful point, until by the groans and looks of his hearers he perceive that they understand it, and are affected with it. Such hearers Paul had at Athens, that wept as he did; Act 20:37 but this is but few men's happiness. Turtle doves are rare birds in our land.

a See Ezekiel 7:16. Isidor.

b Basil.

c Aug. in Psa. x.