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

She had told them that her Beloved was withdrawn; Now they (when convinced of his worth) ask, whether? &c. which is a further step of their desire of being acquaint with Christ and his way, than what was holden out in their question, Chap. 5. 9. yet having infirmity also: And it shows, 1. that where there is any conviction of what Christ is, then the great design and main enquiry should be to know where he is, and how he may be attained. 2. There may be some acknowledgement of Christ's worth, and affection to him, where yet there is much ignorance of the way how to come by him. 3. It's no less necessary for a person, to know rightly where and how to seek Christ, than to know what he is. 4. There may be some honesty of desire after, and love to Christ, where faith dare not claim him as the believers own; for, say they, where is thy Beloved? they say not, where is our Beloved? beginners are often very anxious and afraid to make this application, although it may be, before their conviction and conversion, they did never question it.

She had told them that her Beloved was withdrawn; Now they (when convinced of his worth) ask, whether? &c. which is a further step of their desire of being acquaint with Christ and his way, than what was holden out in their question, Chap. 5. 9. yet having infirmity also: And it shews, 1. that where there is any conviction of what Christ is, then the great design and main enquiry should be to know where he is, and how he may be attained. 2. There may be some acknowledgement of Christ's worth, and affection to him, where yet there is much ignorance of the way how to come by him. 3. It's no lesse necessary for a person, to know rightly where and how to seek Christ, than to know what he is. 4. There may be some honesty of desire after, and love to Christ, where faith dar not claim him as the believers own; for, say they, where is thy Beloved? they say not, where is our Beloved? beginners are often very anxious and afraid to make this application, although it may be, before their conviction and conversion, they did never question it.

Next, we would consider, that the daughters here leave the Brides case, and enquire for instructing of themselves, whence Observe, 1. Whosoever have any affection to Christ, and any opportunity to be instructed anent him, would thriftily improve it; if they had but the fellowship of an intelligent private Christian, it should be made good use of to that purpose. 2. Young beginners often forget all others cases but their own, and the more experienced should bear with that, and for others good pass over their own case, and be content it be laid aside and forgotten for a time. 3. They ask this, that they may be the more enabled to sympathize, and concur with her, in what she required of them: which teacheth, that they can be most useful to others, that have some distinctness in their own condition; for, confusion in our own condition, doth much obstruct the sympathy, and faithful burden-bearing that we owe to others in theirs.