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

Vers. 1, 2, 3. BRIDEGROOM.

This Chapter hath two parts: In the first, reaching to the tenth verse, Christ continueth in the commendation of his Bride: In the second, thence to the close, the Bride expresseth her complacency in him and in his love, her enlarged desires after communion with him, and that she might be found fruitful to his praise.

THis Chapter hath two parts: In the first, reaching to the tenth verse, Christ continueth in the commendation of his Bride: In the second, thence to the close, the Bride expresseth her complacency in him and in his love, her inlarged desires after communion with him, and that she might be found fruitful to his praise.

That it is Christ, the Bridegroom, who was speaking in the end of the former Chapter, that continues his speech throughout the first part of this, there is no just ground to question, the scope, stile and expressions being so like unto, and co-incident with what went before; and what is spoken in the first person, vers. 8. can be applied to none other, neither would it become any to speak thus but himself, his love is enlarged and loosed (as it were) in it's expressions, and this love of his is indeed a depth, that is not easily reached. In this commendation, he doth first enumerat ten particulars (as she had done when she commended him, Chap. 5.) Then, 2. he shows his acquiescing in her, as being ravished with her beauty, vers. 6. &c. We had occasion to say something in the general of such commendations, Chap. 4. 1. which is now to be remembered, but not repeated; we take this to be understood after the same manner as that was, and although the visible Church be in some respect Christ's Bride, and therefore, we will not condemn the application of some of the parts of this commendation to her, as so considered; yet, since the scope is mainly to comfort true believers, as differenced from others, and that it is she to whom he speaks, who had ravished him with her eyes in the former Chapter (which can agree properly to the true believer only) and considering also, that some parts of the commendation do respect inherent grace in his people (and indeed it is this which is the great ground of the Brides commendation) we therefore incline still to take these commendations, as holding