Clavis cantici, or, An exposition of the Song of Solomon

Vers. 5. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like Purple: the King is held in the Galleries.

The first part of vers. 5. contains the ninth and tenth particulars, that are commended in the Bride: The ninth is her head; It looks here to be taken for the uppermost part of the head (from which sense and motion do flow) as being distinct from eyes and nose; therefore it is said, Thy head upon thee, to wit, upon and above those parts before mentioned: Next it is said to be like Carmel; which may be understood, 1. as it relates to a fruitful place, mentioned with Sharon, Isa. 35. 2. the excellency of Carmel and Sharon. 2. It may be translated Scarlet or Crimson, as the same word is, 2 Chron. 3. 14. thus it's a rich colour, wherewith princes and great men used to be decored; and the hair being in the next words compared to purple, it's not unlike that it is taken for a colour here also.

By head, we must understand either Christ himself, who stands in that relation to the believer, and in respect of dignity is called a head to all men, 1 Cor. 11. 3. Or, 2. (which is not inconsistent ⟨p. 388⟩with the former) some grace in the believer, acting on Christ, and quickening the new life; and seeing the scope is to commend the believer from inherent grace, and the new nature being compared to an inner-man, which is described from it's several parts, and so must have an head, we think that it is some particular grace that is here especially aimed at. By head then, we conceive the grace of hope may be understood, it being the grace whereby the soul still sticks to Christ, expecting the enjoyment of him; for, not only is hope a grace necessary and commendable (and so it cannot be unsuitable to the scope, to take it in upon one branch or other) but it may be called the head, 1. Because it is above, having Christ himself for it's object; and though the word may be said to be the object of hope, yet it's not so much the word, as Christ held forth in the word; and therefore, hope is said to be within the veil,