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

Vers. 11. Solomon had a Vineyard at Baalhammon, he let out the Vineyard unto keepers: every one for the fruit thereof, was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.

Vers. 12. My Vineyard which is mine, is before me: thou (O Solomon) must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof, two hundred.

It is a great assertion which the Bride laid down, vers. 10, that she was a wall, and had found favour in his eyes, and it being of high concernment, if well grounded; therefore, to make out the warrantableness thereof, she proceeds to demonstrate it, vers. 11, 12. thereby to give believers advertisement, that they should be well seen in the grounds of their own peace, and to show the solid way how the well groundednesse thereof may be found out: And because, the conclusions, asserting our union with Christ and interest in him, follow on premisses, whose major proposition is in the word, and whose assumption is to be searched, and confirmed from the conscience, speaking from inward experience and feeling, she doth formally proceed, First, by laying down a sum of the Gospel, in a complex general doctrine, vers. 11. to this purpose, Christ had a Church, which he took pains on, for this end, that it might be fruitful, and that in such a measure. Then in the twelfth verse, she compares her practice with that rule, and finds it suitable, therefore the conclusion follows. We may take it up thus in form, They who improve the trust well that is put upon them, to bring forth such fruits as Christ calls for in his. Covenant, may conclude that they are a wall, and have found favour in his sight: This truth is confirmed in the eleventh verse, ⟨p. 460⟩because it's for that very end, and on these very terms, that Christ hath appointed the Ordinances in his house, and made the promises to his people, that they should bring forth a thousand for the fruit thereof to him, and he will not reject a consequence drawn from that which he himself hath appointed in his Covenant; for, such grounds, as the Word and Covenant confirm, are only sure to reason from. Then she assumes, vers. 12. but I have been sincere in that trust which was committed unto me, conform to the terms of the Covenant, and have a thousand (according thereto) to give to Christ, Therefore, &c. And because this hath need to be well grounded also, she proves it, partly, by instancing the fruits that belonged to him and to the keepers, which she had brought forth, to show that his Ordinances were not in vain to her;