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

From vers. 10. to the end (which contains the fourth part of the Chapter) the Bride speaks: and (in answer to the daughters of Jerusalem their question) in a sweet, pithy, taking-manner commends her Beloved. She is not long in returning answer to their question, as being fully clear and ready to demonstrate Christ ⟨p. 298⟩her Beloved his worth above all; and as impatient that any other should be put in competition with him, (especially by the daughters of Jerusalem, whose edification she studies by this to promove) instantly she steps in with a large commendation of Christ, (though in few words) whereby, she doth so demonstrate him to be an Object infinitely worthy to be her souls Beloved beyond all others, that Chap. 6. 1. they as convinced yield, acknowledging that her Beloved was preferable to all other beloveds, and that therefore they are engaged to love and seek him with her.

From vers. 10. to the end (which contains the fourth part of the Chapter) the Bride speaks: and (in answer to the daughters of Ierusalem their question) in a sweet, pithy, taking-manner commends her Beloved. She is not long in returning answer to their question, as being fully clear and ready to demonstrate Christ ⟨p. 298⟩her Beloved his worth above all; and as impatient that any other should be put in competition with him, (especially by the daughters of Ierusalem, whose edification she studies by this to promove) instantly she steps in with a large commendation of Christ, (though in few words) whereby, she doth so demonstrate him to be an Object infinitly worthy to be her souls Beloved beyond all others, that Chap. 6. 1. they as convinced yield, acknowledging that her Beloved was preferable to all other beloveds, and that therefore they are ingaged to love and seek him with her.

In this commendation, she, 1. asserts Christ's preferableness in the general, vers. 10. 2. She confirms and illustrates it in particulars, to vers. 16. And then, 3. Vers. 16. sums it up in an universal expression, as being in it's particulars inexpressible. Lastly, Having fully proved her assertion, she resumes the conclusion as unanswerable, This (saith she) is my beloved, a singular beloved indeed, and therefore it's no wonder that I am so serious in pursuing after him, and so sick of love to him, and so much pained at the very heart for the want of him.