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

Where Christ is a friend, there is he also the souls beloved; or, believers choosing of Christ for their beloved, and his being kindly to them as a friend, go together; these two relations, my beloved; and my friend are never separate. Now to be the souls beloved, implies these things, 1. That comparatively, Christ is eminently and only loved by his people, and nothing is admitted to share in their affections with him, Phil. 3. 8. 2. That there is in the soul an high esteem of him, which begets this love. 3. That there is such an ardent affection to him, as makes them long for union with him, as love naturally desires union with that which it loves, it desires to be with Christ here, and hereafter, as that which is far the best of all, Philip. 1. 23. 4. It suppons a delight and […] that their souls take in Christ, and expect from union with him; their happiness lies in it, and they are disquieted, and someway holily discontented and weighted, when they miss it, and under desertion and absence, easily fear, lest their heart beguile and de•ude them in that concerning-matter, as the scope of this place, and her present exercise shows. 5. It suppones a kindliness in their love, and a well groundednesse, such as a wife hath to her husband, and not such as it betwixt the adulteress and the adulterer, which is all the love that the men of the world have to their idols, but the love that the Bride hath to Christ, is a native and avowed love, of which she hath no reason to be ashamed (as men will one day be of all their idols) but to boast and glory in him; and Christ is to the believer, ⟨p. 333⟩not what idols are to the men of the world, but what a most loving husband is to his wife, being the object of her heart-contenting and satisfying love: where ever these properties of true love to Christ are, there may the soul lay claim to him as it's friend, and be confident to find him it's true and kindly friend; for, where he is the souls beloved, he is the souls friend. 8. This is implied, that whatever other beloveds men set their love upon beside Christ, they will prove un•ound, and unfaithful friends in the time of need; or, confidence in any thing but Christ, will •ail a man at the last; for, he is their friend, and no other beloved deserves that name, all other things will be like a broken tooth, or a foot out of joint,