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

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.

In this commendation, she, 1. asserts Christ's preferablenesse in the general, vers. 10. 2. She confirmes 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.

The first general in this 10. vers. sets out Christ positively, and comparatively: Do you ask (saith she) what my Beloved is? he is a non-such, an incomparable Beloved, he is white and ruddy, O so lovely as he is in himself! and being compared with all others, he hath the preeminence by far, as being the chiefest among ten thousands, By white and ruddy, we are to conceive Christ's qualifications, according to the strain of the Allegory, there being no bodily qualification set out here, Christ at that time not being incarnate, yet even then was he white and ruddy: The due and just mixture of these colours maketh a man lovely, and evidenceth a good complexion of body; so by them in Christ is understood a concurrence of all fit qualifications and excellencies, that may make him lovely to the soul, when by faith looked upon, and taken up; there is sweet beauty and comeliness, or a comely, beautiful sweetness that lustres and shines in him, through the excellent qualifications wherewith he is furnished, as the Husband of his Church, that ravisheth spiritual affections far beyond the greatest beauty that can be in the fairest face; for, indeed he is fairer than the sons of men, There is nothing that may make a Mediator