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

Observ. 1. Malice in rotten Professors against godliness, will sometimes come to a great height. 2. Malice in wicked men thinks nothing of true tenderness, or of these who truly are so; but esteems them, and useth them as if they were most base and vile. 3. Often in outward things, the profanest members of the Church have the preeminence; and the most godly, as to these things, are in the meanest and basest condition; so as sometimes, they appoint the godly as their slaves, to their work. 4. Often while wicked professors are in power, the truly godly are under affliction.

Observ. 1. Malice in rotten Professors against godlinesse, will sometimes come to a great height. 2. Malice in wicked men thinks nothing of true tendernesse, or of these who truly are so; but esteems them, and useth them as if they were most base and vile. 3. Often in outward things, the prophanest members of the Church have the preeminence; and the most godly, as to these things, are in the meanest and basest condition; so as sometimes, they appoint the godly as their slaves, to their work. 4. Often while wicked professors are in power, the truely godly are under affliction.

Though this suffering was sharp, yet she resents her sinful infirmities much more sadly, in the words following, But (saith she heavily) mine own Vineyard have I not kept; and this her slothfulness and unwatchfulness made her black, and also procured the blackness that was on her by her sufferings. This part of the verse implies, 1. The Brides privilege. 2. Her duty. 3. Her sin. 4. Her sense of it. 1. Her privilege is, she hath a Vineyard of her own, beside these she was put to keep. The similitude of a Vineyard here, is to be taken in another sense, than in the former expression; Neither are we to think strange of this, seeing similitudes are to be interpret according to the different scope of expressions, and places in which they are used. By Vineyard ⟨p. 83⟩then here, is to be understood the particular privileges, graces and talents of any sort, which are given of God to a Believer: these are the things she should have watched over; the neglecting thereof, brings blackness on her, and procures heavy challenges, called a Vineyard here; and also, Chap. 8. 13. partly, because there are many several graces to be found in Believers, as plants planted in them; partly, because these will furnish them matter of continual exercise and labour; and partly, because what they have, they are to improve, that there may be fruit on them, and rent brought in to the master that entrusted them. Chap. 8. 12. 13. This Vineyard is called hers, because the special oversight and charge of it, was committed to her. 2. Her duty is to keep and watch over this Vineyard, that is, to improve the talents she hath gotten, to see that no plants be unfruitful, and that no hurt from any cause inward or outward annoy them: Christianity or Godliness is no idle task, every privilege hath a duty waiting on it. 3. Her sin is, that what with other diversions, and what from her own unwatchfulness, she had neglected the keeping of this Vineyard; so that this one task, which was put in her hand, she had not discharged it; but laziness came on, and the Vineyard was not dressed, thorns and nettles grew, and tentations brake in, and this marred her fruitfulness: In a word, she was no way answerable to the trust was put on her by Christ. 4 She resents this: where these things may be taken notice of, 1. She sees it, and observes it. 2. She acknowledges it. 3.