Song of Solomon 8

Song of Solomon 8:1

O That] the Bride speaketh: the meaning is, I would desire to have thee present: and familiar with 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 man during this life, to enjoy thy sweet communication, and not bee scoffed by the world; because I repose all my trust and love in thee being absent, then might I receive from thee, the fruit of thy doctrine, and thou reciprocally take delight in my services, faith, and good works: But since I cannot obtaine this, doe thou beare me up in my weaknesse, by the power of thy Spirit.

Song of Solomon 8:4

I charge you] the Italian, I conjure you, the Bridegroome finding the Bride fallen asleep languishing in these holy desires, will have her let alone to rest awhile, untill shee awake againe of her own accord, to entertaine his visit.

Song of Solomon 8:5

Who is this] these are the Bridegroomes friends, namely, the holy Angels who doe admire the Church wakened out of her sleep, and by a lively faith embracing her Bride-groome, and lifting her selfe up out of the world to him, Son 3:6. [I raised thee] the Italian, I awakned thee,this is the Bride who saith that shee hath with her prayers and zeale oved the Bridegroome to come and visite her from heaven; where Gods Paradise is, and the repose of Christs glory; where hee was ingendered from everlasting [Thy mother] by this name is understood the everlasting father, who hath engendred the Sonne of his own proper substance; as Cant. 11.

Song of Solomon 8:6

Seee] that is to say, keep mee straightly and dearly joyned unto thee, Isaiah 49:16. Ier. 22. 24. Haggai 2:23. and so appease the great fervour of my heart, and the feare of being deprived of thee, which would cause me to faint if I were not refreshed by the comfore of the presence of thy grace [〈◊〉〈◊〉] which swalloweth up every thing.

Song of Solomon 8:7

Many waters] all other meanes pleasant and delightfull objects are not able to quench this love, thy presence onely can doe it.

Song of Solomon 8:8

We have] words of the Iewish Church to Christ concerning the Gentiles Church, both sisters amongst themselves by the Covenant of the Gospel, and Christs stors by the heavenly Fathers adoption: [She hath no] the time prefixed by Gods providence, is not yet come wherein shee may be capable to bee joyned in spirituall matrimonie to Christ, or be incorporated into the Church,Ezech. 16. 7. [What shall wee doe] what graces shall shee receive from thee O Christ, by the ministery of me that am the Church [When she shall] when wilt thou call her to the communion of the Covenant of grace by the preaching of the Gospel.

Song of Solomon 8:9

If she bee] the Bridegroome replyeth as if hee should say, if you consider her body as one of the two walls, whereof I am the corner stone that doe binde the Iewes and Gentiles together,Ephes. 2. 20. I will upon that wall build the palace of my abode in grace and everlasting glory: If you consider her ministery which is as the doore of this Temple or Palace, I will endow her, and strengthen her with excellent graces of my Spirit, to the end, that the gates of Hell may never prevaile against her.

Song of Solomon 8:10

I am] the Bride saith that shee is the Congregation of Saints; composed of divers living stones, joyned together with the ciment of faith, and of the spirit, whereof is built a Temple holy to the Lord, Ephes. 2. 21. and that her ministery is, to feed Gods children which are borne in her with her breasts, which are the Old and New Testament [Like Towers] a similitude which is not answerable to the figure, but to the thing figured, namely, Gods word, which is most firme and invariable, 2 Peter 1:19. whose manifestation and use is maintained by the Church, 1 Timothy 3:15.[Then was I] that is to say, when I, namely the Iewish Church was well ordered, and whilst I did performe the true 〈◊〉 of a mother, I was and shall bee I so long as I continue such) in Gods favour: Intimating by this speech, that when shee should goe astray, shee should bee reproved and cast off.

Song of Solomon 8:11

Solomon] that is to say, Christ sigured by Solomon hath committed the care of his Church to his Servants, Matthew 21:33. not to appropriate the fruit of glory and service to themselves, but to referre it to God only [Baathamon] that is to say, the plaine of the multitude, which might be some fruitfull plaine, not mentioned elsewhere; Or, it is a name fained according to the signification of the word, a Isaiah 5:1 [Vnto 〈…〉ers] whereby are understood all other duties belonging to good 〈◊〉 dressers.

Song of Solomon 8:12

My Vineyard] the Bridegroome declareth that though hee hath given such a commission to his Servants; yet he himselfe hath also a continuall care of his Church which is his own proper Inheritance, Isaiah 27:3. Or, that hee continually enjoyeth the fruites of this vineyard, which are alwayes presented unto him by his saithfull servants [must have] the Bride sheweth that the chiefē revenew of this Vine; namely, the glory and service must be reserved for Christ, who neverthelesse, will reward his servants in this life, and in the life everlasting with some degree of grace and glory, Daniel 12:3.

Song of Solomon 8:13

Thou that] this is the Bridegroome which speaketh to the Church, which he hath brought cut of the wildernesse of the world, into places consecrated by him, as into orchards and fruit-bearing gardens, and admonisheth her never to give over causing her voyce to sound in prayer and preaching; whereat the Angels, the Bridegroomes friends are present, and give eare unto, seeEccles. 5. 6. 1 Corinthians 11:10. Ephes. 3. 10. 1 Peter 1:20.

Song of Solomon 8:14

Make hast] the Bride saith, that though shee much desireth that Christs presence might bee perpetuall, yet shee doth accept of and is contented with this enjoying of it at times, Son 2:17. [Vpon the mountaines] that is to say, in heaven, see Cant. 2. 17. & 6. 2. 11.