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

These words contain a part of that excellent and comfortable conference between Christ and the Spouse: There is here a mutual commendation one of another, as if they were in a holy contest of love, who should have the last word in expressing of the others commendation. In the verse before, the Bride hath been expressing her love to Christ, and he again comes in upon the back of this, expressing his esteem of her, and that with a behold, Behold, &c.

If ye look upon this verse in it self, and with it's dependence on the former words, it will hold out these things; 1. That love-fellowship with Christ, must be a very heartsome life, O the sweet, mutual satisfaction that is there! 2. That Christ must be a very ⟨p. 104⟩loving and kindly husband; so have all they found him, that have been married unto him: And therefore, Eph. 5. 27. He is proposed as a pattern to all husbands, and may well be so. 3. That our Lord Jesus thinks good sometimes to intimate his love to believers, and to let them know what he thinks of them; and this he doth, that the believer may be confirmed in the faith of his love; for, this is both profitable, and also comfortable and refreshful. Lastly, from the connection, observe, that there is no time wherein Christ more readily manifests and intimates his love to believers, than when their love is most warm to him. In the former verse, she hath a room provided between her breasts for him, and in these words our Lord comes in with a very refreshful salutation to her: for, though his love go before ours in the rise of it; yet he hath ordered it so, that the intimation of his love to us, should be after the stirring of ours towards him, Joh. 14. 21.

If ye look upon this verse in it self, and with it's dependence on the former words, it will hold out these things; 1. That love-fellowship with Christ, must be a very heartsome life, O the sweet, mutual satisfaction that is there! 2. That Christ must be a very