John Trapp on Song of Solomon 7:1

CHAP. VII. Verſ. 1. How beautiful are thy [illegible: 1 letter]eet with ſhooes, &c.]

BEfore hee had deſcribed her from head to foot, now back again, from foot to head; taking in ten parts of his Spouſe, concerning whom (ſuch was his love) hee thought hee could never ſay ſufficient: Hee begins at the loweſt and moſt abject part, the feet, not without admiration of them. O quam pulchri ſunt pedes tui! O how beautiful are thy feet with ſhooes, &c! A temporal calling honours our profeſſion: ſo ſome underſtand it. Others make the meaning to bee, the Churches being ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpel of peace; ready preſt to run with patience the race that is ſet before her; To run, is active, to run with patience, is paſſive.Epheſ. 6.15. Heb. 12.1. This Princes daughter, (Atalanta-like) can only skill of this running with patience: as being ſhod with Tachaſh-skin, Ezek. 16.10. (beſtowed upon her by her Spouſe, as a love-token) that is, with ſound affections, and holy actions. Whereas wicked men are carried captive by the devill, (as the Egyptians once were by the Aſſyrians, Iſa. 20.4.) naked and bare-foot, and ſo periſh from the way, Pſal. 2.12.

O Princes daughter] Thou that haſt him for thy father, in whoſe hands are all the corners of the earth, and is ſupream King of the Univerſe. This is ſuch a priviledge and preferment, as St. John ſtands amazed at, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold, ſaith he, qualem & quantum, what manner of love the Father hath ſhewed unto us, that wee ſhould bee called the ſons and daughters of God Almighty, 2 Cor. 6.18. All priviledges are ſummed up in this, and John 1.12. it is called a power or prerogative royal: [non-Latin text not transcribed]. it is to bee of the blood Royal of heaven: It is to be an heir of God, and coheir with Chriſt. Kings can make their firſt-born onely heirs, as Jehoſaphat, 2. Chron. 21.3. But all Gods children are firſt-born, and ſo, higher than the Kings of the earth, Pſal. 89.27.

The joynts of thy thighs are like jewels, &c.] i. e. Thy loyns are compaſſed with the girdle of truth: for ſo ſome render it, The compaſſing of thy thighs or loyns. And here, if ever, ungirt, unbleſt. Gird up therefore the loyns of your mindes, 1 Pet. 1.13. gird your ſelves and ſerve God, Luk. 17.8. Girding implies readineſs, nimbleneſs, handineſs, handſomeneſs. A looſe, diſcinct, and diffluent minde, is unfit for holy actions.