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

The second way how our Lord expresseth his love to his Bride, is in the beginning of vers. 8. and it's by expressing of his resolution to accompany with her, beyond any in the world: She was compared to a Palm-tree in the former verse, Now (saith he) I will go up to the Palm-tree (that is, to the Palm-tree before mentioned) It's on the matter the same with that promise, chap. 4. 6. I will get me to the mountain of Myrrh, &c. Consider here, 1. the thing promised or proposed, and that is, his going up to the Palm-tree, and taking hold of the boughs thereof: That the scope is to hold forth his purpose of manifesting himself to her, is clear, 1. By the dependence of this on the former, He had said, Thou art a Palm-tree, and now (saith he) I will go up to the Palm-tree, which speaks his prizing that tree above all others. 2. The effects also of his going up, in the following words, do clear it; It's such a going up as hath refreshful and comfortable influence upon her: The importance of the similitude is, as men love the trees they converse much about (and it's like, Palm-trees were much used for that end) or as climbing up upon trees, and taking hold of their boughs, do show the delight and pleasure men have in such or such a tree, and how refreshing it is to them to be near it; So having compared her to a Palm-tree, he expresseth his delight in her, and his purpose of manifesting himself to her, under the same similitude, as is ordinary in the strain of this Song. 2. Consider, that this resolution is laid down as no passing thought, but is a deliberate and determined resolution, I said I will go, &c. I will take hold, &c. Which doth show, 1. Christ's inward thoughts and conclusions with himself, this is his heart-language. 2. The ⟨p. 397⟩expression of these, and so the words come to be a promise, which the believer may make use of, as of a thing which Christ hath said. 3. It shows a deliberateness in both, that they were not sudden, but the advised result of a former deliberation, and that of old, I said it: In a word (saith he) my Bride is my choice in all the world, the tree that I have resolved, for my delight, to climb up upon, beside all others. Obs. 1.

The second way how our Lord expresseth his love to his Bride, is in the beginning of vers. 8. and it's by expressing of his resolution to accompany with her, beyond any in the world: She was compared to a Palm-tree in the former verse, Now (saith he) I will go up to the Palm-tree (that is, to the Palm-tree before mentioned) It's on the matter the same with that promise, chap. 4. 6. I will get me to the mountain of Myrrhe, &c. Consider here, 1. the thing promised or proposed, and that is, his going up to the Palm-tree, and taking hold of the boughs thereof: That the scope is to hold forth his purpose of manifesting himself to her, is clear, 1. By the dependence of this on the former, He had said, Thou art a Palm-tree, and now (saith he) I will go up to the Palm-tree, which speaks his prizing that tree above all others. 2. The effects also of his going up, in the following words, do clear it; It's such a going up as hath refreshful and comfortable influence upon her: The importance of the similitude is, as men love the trees they converse much about (and it's like, Palm-trees were much used for that end) or as climbing up upon trees, and taking hold of their boughs, do shew the delight and pleasure men have in such or such a tree, and how refreshing it is to them to be neer it; So having compared her to a Palm-tree, he expresseth his delight in her, and his purpose of manifesting himself to her, under the same similitude, as is ordinary in the strain of this