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

The case wherein these who are here spoken to, are supposed to be, in this first part of Christ's Sermon, vers. 10, &c. is, 1. Deadness, total or partial: Believers may be under a decay, and be in part dead. 2. It is supposed that they are secure, and not vigorous; but insensible in a great part of that ill. 3. That they are disconsolate, and heartless under distance and deadness; which ills often tryst together.

The case wherein these who are here spoken to, are supposed to be, in this first part of Christ's Sermon, vers. 10, &c. is, 1. Deadnesse, total or partial: Believers may be under a decay, and be in part dead. 2. It is supposed that they are secure, and not vigorous; but insensible in a great part of that ill. 3. That they are disconsolat, and heartlesse under distance and deadnesse; which ills often tryst together.

The direction he gives in order to the helping of this, is in two words, 1. Rise. 2. Come away. Which says, that as she was now in a case of strangeness to Christ, so there was a necessity of rousing her self, and coming out of it; such a necessity as there ⟨p. 135⟩is for a straying wife to return to her husband. Now these words are a sweet call of a kind Husband, inviting to this return, and showing the remedy of straying, and estrangement from him. Rising imports, 1. One that is settled some way, in a condition opposite to walking and running. 2. A stirring up of themselves as unsatisfied therewith, and desirous to be out of it, with some endeavour to be up again: Declining from Christ puts souls still down, and holds them at under. Come away, holds forth a term from which she is to come, from that condition she was in, whatever it was, it was not good: Men are in no desirable condition, when Christ calls them. 2. A term to which she is to come, and that is Christ; it's to follow the Bridegroom; to get her brought to a nearer union and communion with him, is the great thing he aims at. 3. An act whereby she passeth from that she was, and turning her back on that, moves towards him, that she may thereby attain nearer union and fellowship with him. By both which, we conceive the exercise of faith in him, is mainly holden forth, 1. Because, saith is ordinarily in Scripture set forth by coming,