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

Now, it's their in-bringing, and the making of them ready to be Christ's Spouse and Bride, that she breaths after, and prayeth for. Next, it's said, We have a sister, and so she is called our sister, that is, thine and mine, Christ's sister, because of his purposed respect to her; the believers sister, not only because of their native and kindly sympathy, but also because of the common adoption, to which they are designed. She is called a little sister, and that hath no breasts, 1. To show the sad condition that the unconverted elect are in, like little young children that are unfit to do any thing for themselves, and altogether unmeet for the duties of marriage, as these at age, who have breasts, are: Thus, Ezek. 16. 7. ⟨p. 448⟩the wretched condition of that people, before they were taken in to God's Covenant, is set out by this, that their breasts were not formed; and the good condition that followed their being in Covenant is expressed thus, that their breasts were fashioned. This then is the scope here, to show that this little sister was yet in nature, unmarried to Christ, yea, (as to many of the unconverted elect) not spoken for, or called. 2. She is called little, to express the Brides pity and sympathy, as one would say of a young one, that cannot do any thing for her self, what will become of her? she is a little one.

Now, it's their in-bringing, and the making of them ready to be Christ's Spouse and Bride, that she breaths after, and prayeth for. Next, it's said, We have a sister, and so she is called our sister, that is, thine and mine, Christ's sister, because of his purposed respect to her; the believers sister, not only because of their native and kindly sympathy, but also because of the common adoption, to which they are designed. She is called a little sister, and that hath no brests, 1. To shew the sad condition that the unconverted elect are in, like little young children that are unfit to do any thing for themselves, and altogether unmeet for the duties of marriage, as these at age, who have brests, are: Thus, Ezek. 16. 7. ⟨p. 448⟩the wretched condition of that people, before they were taken in to God's Covenant, is set out by this, that their brests were not formed; and the good condition that followed their being in Covenant is expressed thus, that their brests were fashioned. This then is the scope here, to show that this little sister was yet in nature, unmarried to Christ, yea, (as to many of the unconverted elect) not spoken for, or called. 2. She is called little, to expresse the Brides pity and sympathy, as one would say of a young one, that cannot do any thing for her self, what will become of her? she is a little one.