A34663:1112
A brief exposition of the whole book of Canticles, or Song of Solomon lively…
A brief exposition of the whole book of Canticles, or Song of Solomon lively describing the estate of the church in all the ages thereof, both Jewish and Christian, to this day ... / written by that learned and godly divine, John Cotton ...
London: printed for Philip Nevil, 1642
Chapter 8: THE CANTICLES, OR SONG OF SONGS, opened and explained.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THE Church of the Jews, both in City and Country thus gathered, do here express her ardent affection to Christ, and due respect of him, which the old Synagogue showed towards her whilst he was conversant amongst them in the flesh. (Since saith she) O that thou wert as my brother, &c. Christ was made our Brother by taking our Nature upon him at his Incarnation, and then he sucked the breasts of the Church, attending to the Ministry of John, and other Jewish Teachers: she therefore to show her affection, desireth that he were now amongst them conversant in their streets again in bodily presence, she would not do then as the old Synagogue did, be ashamed of him, or come to him by night; but she would kiss him, and embrace him in the open streets, and yet no man should then despise her for her so doing,1 as they did; but every one should encourage ⟨p. 238⟩her in her obsequiousness to him: She would not reject him,2 and thrust him out of the Synagogue, as her old Ancestors had done; but if she found him without, she would lead him, and invite him into their Synagogue, or Temple, there to instruct her, and teach her the will of her father;3 she would not give him gall to eat, and Vinegar to drink, as her forefathers had done; but she would cause him to drink of the best delicate spiced wine, and the juice of her Pomegranate.
THE Church of the Jewes, both in City and Country thus gathered, doe here expresse her ardent affection to Christ, and due respect of him, which the old Synagogue shewed towards her whilst he was conversant amongst them in the flesh. (Since saith she) O that thou wert as my brother, &c. Christ was made our Brother by taking our Nature upon him at his Incarnation, and then hee sucked the breasts of the Church, attending to the Ministry of Iohn, and other Jewish Teachers: she therefore to shew her affection, desireth that he were now amongst them conversant in their streets againe in bodily presence, shee would not doe then as the old Synagogue did, be ashamed of him, or come to him by night; but she would kisse him, and embrace him in the open streets, and yet no man should then despise her for her so doing,