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

4. If this whole Song be one piece, and of one nature, driving all along the same general scope, then such Doctrines, as the places in it which are clear, do yield; Such, I say, must be contained (if we could discern them) in these places of it which are most obscure: But what is most plain in this Song, speaks out such plain Doctrines, experiences, &c. Therefore what is more obscure, may be resolved in such also: For we may best know what kind of Doctrines floweth from what is obscure, by the places that are more clear, seeing God in the most dark Scriptures ordinarily hath insert some plain passages, or given some hints of his mind, to be as a key for opening all the rest. Now if we will for instance, consider some such places as these, My beloved is mine, &c. I called, but he gave me no answer, they yield plain Doctrines, as other plain Scriptures do: And therefore, seeing it's one continued Song, and each of these dark, and plain places answer one another, to continue the series of the Discourse upon the same subject, we may know by what is plain, how to understand what is couched, within that which is more dark.

4. If this whole Song be one piece, and of one nature, driving all along the same general scope, then such Doctrines, as the places in it which are clear, do yeeld; Such, I say, must be contained (if we could discern them) in these places of it which are most obscure: But what is most plain in this Song, speaks out such plain Doctrines, experiences, &c. Therefore what is more obscure, may be resolved in such also: For we may best know what kind of Doctrines floweth from what is obscure, by the places that are more clear, seing God in the most dark Scriptures ordinarily hath insert some plain passages, or given some hints of his mind, to be as a key for opening all the rest. Now if we will for instance, consider some such places as these, My beloved is mine, &c. I called, but he gave me no answer, they yeeld plain Doctrines, as other plain Scriptures do: And therefore, seing it's one continued Song, and each of these dark, and plain places answer one another, to continue the series of the Discourse upon the same subject, we may know by what is plain, how to understand what is couched, within that which is more dark.

5. As one piece of the Allegory is to be resolved, so by proportion must all the rest, there being one thread and scope: Now that some pieces of the Allegory, may be expounded in