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

The 11. vers. showeth where he was, and what he was doing, ⟨p. 366⟩when he was absent: The 12. vers. how he returned. The place whether he went, was to the Garden of nuts, that same which was called the Garden and beds of Spices, vers. 2. His going down, is his withdrawing from her sense, and as in that same place, so here, his end is set out in two expressions (which expounds how he feeds in his Gardens.) 1. It is to see the fruits of the valley: The Church, called the Garden formerly, is here called the valley, because she is planted, as it were, in a good valley-soil, where fruits use to thrive best. His going to see them, holds forth his accurate observing in general how it is with them, and his taking delight (as it were) to recreate himself by beholding of them, as men do who visit their Gardens. Next, and more particularly, it is to see whether the Vine flourished, and the Pomegranates budded: By Vine and Pomegranate, are understood particular believers, who are as several trees of his Garden, as was cleared on Chap. 4. 13. Their flourishing, or budding, looks to the beginnings of grace, scarce come to ripe fruit, but (as in the bud, Chap. 2. 15.) being exceeding tender; and these are mentioned distinctly, beside the former general, of seeing the fruits; To show, 1. his taking particular notice of every particular believer, as a man that goes from tree to tree in his Garden. 2. His special notice taking of beginners, and of the beginnings of his work in them, as being especially delighted with the first buddings of grace, and careful that nothing wrong them: This is his feeding in his Gardens, and his gathering Lilies, to be delighted with fruitfulness in his people, even with their weak and tender beginnings, and to be solicitously careful of their good, as men use to be of the thriving of their fruit-trees.

The 11. vers. sheweth where he was, and what he was doing, ⟨p. 366⟩when he was absent: The 12. vers. how he returned. The place whether he went, was to the Garden of nuts, that same which was called the Garden and beds of Spices, vers. 2. His going down, is his withdrawing from her sense, and as in that same place, so here, his end is set out in two expressions (which expounds how he feeds in his Gardens.) 1. It is to see the fruits of the valley: The Church, called the Garden formerly, is here called the valley, because she is planted, as it were, in a good valley-soil, where fruits use to thrive best. His going to see them, holds forth his accurat observing in general how it is with them, and his taking delight (as it were) to recreat himself by beholding of them, as men do who visite their Gardens. Next, and more particularly, it is to see whether the Vine flourished, and the Pomegranates budded: By Vine and Pomegranate, are understood particular believers, who are as several trees of his Garden, as was cleared on Chap. 4. 13. Their flourishing, or budding, looks to the beginnings of grace, scarce come to ripe fruit, but (as in the bud, Chap. 2. 15.) being exceeding tender; and these are mentioned distinctly, beside the former general, of seeing the fruits; To shew, 1. his taking particular notice of every particular believer, as a man that goes from tree to tree in his Garden. 2. His special notice taking of beginners, and of the beginnings of his work in them, as being especially delighted with the first buddings of grace, and careful that nothing wrong them: This is his feeding in his Gardens, and his gathering Lilies, to be delighted with fruitfulnesse in his people, even with their weak and tender beginnings, and to be solicitously careful of their good, as men use to be of the thriving of their fruit-trees.