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

This being her case, follows the Bridegrooms carriage: Which is expressed in the rest of vers. 2. and her carriage (implied only in this verse) is more fully expressed, vers. 3. His carriage holds out the great design he drives, and that is to have access to her, and to have her roused up: for attaining of which, 1. He doth something, and that is, knocks at the door. 2. He endures and suffers dew and drops in the cold night, and yet doth not give over. 3. He speaks, and useth many persuasive arguments for that end: All which she observes, and yet lies still. It is in sum, as if a loving husband, that is shut out by a lazy, yet a beloved wife, would knock, call, and waiting on still, use many arguments to persuade her to open; so doth our Spiritual Bridegroom, wait upon believers whom he loves, to have them brought again to the lively exercise of faith in him, and to a frame of spirit meet for communion with him. To take the words as they lie, there is, 1. The Brides observation (as it were in her sleep) of the Beloveds calling ⟨p. 257⟩at the door. 2. There is set down his call. 3. The arguments he useth for prevailing with her. By knocking is understood the inward touches of the Word upon the conscience, when the efficacy of the Spirit goeth alongst, which raps at the Brides heart, as knocking doth at a door, and is the mean of awaking her from spiritual sleep, as knocking at a door is a mean of awaking from bodily sleep: So it is, Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock: In which sense the word is compared to a hammer, Jer. 23. 29. It takes in these three, 1. A seriousness in him that so knocks. 2. A power and efficacy in the word, that some-way affects the heart, and moves it. 3. It implies some effect it hath upon the heart, as being somewhat affected with that touch; Therefore it's his voice or word that not only calleth, but knocketh, implying some force it had upon her: By voice is understood the Word, as Chap. 2. 8. 10. yet, as backed with the Spirit and power, and as commended thereby to the conscience, 1 Cor. 2. 4. and convincingly demonstrated to be the very voice of Christ; yet, so as rods inward and outward, and other means may have their own place, being made use of by him, yet still according to the word. His great end for which he knocks, is in that word open;