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

The qualification of her suit is, What shall we do for her, in the day that she shall be spoken for? This phrase, to speak for her, is in allusion to the communing that is used for the attaining women in marriage: We find the same phrase in the Original, 1 Sam. 25. 39. David sent messengers to commune with Abigail, that he might take her to wife: Now (saith she) our little sister is not ready, nor spoken for, but when she shall be suited or communed with, what shall we do then? This communing, is the Lord's dealing by his Ministers in the Gospel with people to marry and espouse his Son Christ Jesus, so it is often called, Matth. 22. 3. He sent forth his servants, to call them that were bidden to the wedding: ⟨p. 449⟩The Ministers of the Gospel are his Ambassadors, to tryst this match, and to close it, 2 Cor. 5. 19. and 11. 2. The day when they shall be spoken for, is either whilst the means are amongst people, and so that is the acceptable time, 2 Cor. 6. 2. or more especially, when the means have any force on them, and God seems in a more than ordinary way to treat with them, then it's the day of their visitation, as it was in the days of Christ's Ministry, though that people were treated with before. In sum, the meaning of the vers. is this, There are many who in thy purpose are designed to be heirs of life, who yet are strangers, and not suited or engaged; now when the Gospel comes amongst such, or, by stirring them now and then, puts them in some capacity to be dealt with, what shall we do for them, to help on the bargain, that the marriage be not given up, when it hath come to a treaty, and thou hast by the Gospel bespoken them, and propounded it? It may look to sister-Churches, and no question the believing Jews, who understood the Prophesies of the Gentiles conversion, did then long for their in-gathering, and the in-Churching of them (for we were then to them a little sister without breasts) yet we cannot astrict it to that, but now, and to the worlds end, it speaks out the believers desire of the perfecting of the Saints, and the building up of Christ's body, as well as it spoke out their desire after this then: And by the same sympathy, the converted Gentiles long, and should long for the in-bringing of the elder sister, the Jews, who now have no breasts, and also of the fullness of the Gentiles, who are as yet unconverted;