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

3. This exhortation is twice doubled, Return, return, and again, return, return: 1. To show the hazard she was in. 2. Her duty to prevent it. 3. The necessity of speedy putting the exhortation in practice. 4. The difficulty that there was to bring her over her discouragements. 5. His great and earnest desire to have them all removed, and to have the duty performed. These words show, 1. That there may be a distance betwixt Christ and his Bride; even the beautiful believer may fall into a distance of sin, 2. of indisposition, 3. of comfortlessness, and 4. of discouragement and heartlessness, which follows on the former. ⟨p. 372⟩2. There is often a loathness to come home, when there hath been a straying; discouragement and shame may prevail so far, as to s•ar fainting believers (who fain would have him) from hearty applying of his allowances to themselves. 3. Souls that are at distance with Christ, whatever kind of distance it be, would not sit down under it, or give way to it, but wrestle from under it, over all difficulties that are in their way. 4. This would be done speedily, and without all delay, dispute or dallying, therefore doth the Lord so double his call; there will sure, be no advantage by delaying, or putting off this great business of returning from our distance to him. 5. The return of a believer after a slip, to confident walking with Christ, and comforting of themselves in him, is allowed by him and well pleasing to him, as well as the conversion and coming home of a sinner at first. 6. Believers after their slips, are not easily persuaded of Christ's kindness, in the measure that he hath it to them; nor are they easily brought to that confidence of it, that formerly they had. 7. Our Lord Jesus allows his people to be fully confident of his love, and of obtaining welcome from him; for which reasons this return, as a sure evidence and testimony of his kind and hearty welcome, is four times repeated, to show that he is entreating and waiting for it, and cannot abide to have it delayed.

3. This exhortation is twice doubled, Return, return, and again, return, return: 1. To shew the hazard she was in. 2. Her duty to prevent it. 3. The necessity of speedy putting the exhortation in practice. 4. The difficulty that there was to bring her over her discouragements. 5. His great and earnest desire to have them all removed, and to have the duty performed. These words shew, 1. That there may be a distance betwixt Christ and his Bride; even the beautiful believer may fall into a distance of sin, 2. of indisposition, 3. of comfortlessnesse, and 4. of discouragement and heartlessnesse, which follows on the former.