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

The 2. thing in the expression, is the object of this joy; it's in thee, not in Corn or Wine, not in their present sense, but in him as the Author of their present comfortable condition, and as being himself their happiness, even in their greatest enjoyments, according to that word, 1 Cor. 1. 31. Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord: and this qualifies joy, and keeps it from degenerating into carnal delight, when he that rejoiceth, rejoiceth in the Lord; and it is a good character to try such joy with, as may warrantably pass under that name of the joy of the Lord, and as will have that effect with it, to strengthen us in his way, Neh. 8. 10.

The 2. thing in the expression, is the object of this joy; it's in thee, not in Corn or Wine, not in their present sense, but in him as the Author of their present comfortable condition, and as being himself their happinesse, even in their greatest enjoyments, according to that word, 1 Cor. 1. 31. Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord: and this qualifies joy, and keeps it from degenerating into carnal delight, when he that rejoiceth, rejoiceth in the Lord; and it is a good character to try such joy with, as may warrantably passe under that name of the joy of the Lord, and as will have that effect with it, to strengthen us in his way, Neh. 8. 10.

3. We may consider a twofold change of the number in the Brides speaking; it's We, which was Me: The King brought me, said she, but now We will rejoice. The reasons were given on the petition; and further, we may add here, that it's to show her being conform in her practice to her undertaking; and to show that that admission of hers redounded to the good of moe, and ought to take them up in praise with her. The other change of the person is, from the third to the second, from He, the King, to Thee in the second Person, (we will rejoice in Thee) which shows a holy complacency and delight, sometimes making her to speak of him, sometimes to him, yet so, as she loves to have Christ both the object and subject of her discourse, and the more he be to her, she is the more satisfied: This being another character of spiritual joy, and exulting in Christ, it still makes him to be the more to them, and they are still pressing under it, to be the nearer to him.