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

First, The title is a sweet and affectionate one, O thou whom my soul loveth. In this title these things are implied, 1. A loveliness in Christ, and such a soul-affecting and ravishing loveliness, as no creature-beauty hath, nor can have. 2. An ardent and vehement love in her towards him, so that she might say, her soul loved, honoured desired, and esteemed him. 3. A dis-relishing of all things beside Christ, as nothing; He is the only object her soul loves, he alone hath her heart, and is in the throne as chief in her affections, and hath no allowed co-partner there, to whom this title may be applied. 4. It's implied, what title Christ will best accept of, even that which bears out most affection to him; there can be no greater honour, or more acceptable piece of respect put on him by a Believer, than this, to own him and avow him as the only object of his souls love; as the Bride doth here, O thou whom my soul loveth!

First, The title is a sweet and affectionat one, O thou whom my soul loveth. In this title these things are implyed, 1. A lovelinesse in Christ, and such a soul-affecting and ravishing lovelinesse, as no creature-beauty hath, nor can have. 2. An ardent and vehement love in her towards him, so that she might say, her soul loved, honoured desired, and esteemed him. 3. A dis-relishing of all things beside Christ, as nothing; He is the only object her soul loves, he alone hath her heart, and is in the throne as chief in her affections, and hath no allowed co-partner there, to whom this title may be applyed. 4. It's implyed, what title Christ will best accept of, even that which beares out most affection to him; there can be no greater honour, or more acceptable piece of respect put on him by a Believer, than this, to owne him and avow him as the only object of his souls love; as the Bride doth here, O thou whom my soul loveth!

2. The thing that is here sought by the Bride, is set down in two petitions, meeting with the two-fold strait she was in, to wit, of crosses and infirmities; and because fear of sin weighed her most, she begins with the suit that might guard against that, and in the reason presseth it most. The first Petition then is, Tell me where thou feedest, (to wit, thy flock,) for feeding, here is to be understood actively, that is, where he feeds others; and not passively (as in other places) where he feeds and delights