John Trapp on Song of Solomon 8:1

CHAP. VIII. Verſ. 1. O that thou wert as my Brother]

HEb. Who will give thee for a Brother to mee] q. d. Men may give mee many other things, but God alone can give mee thy brother-hood, love, and communion, which I wiſh above all, ſaith the Bride here.Epheſ. 1.3. Spiritual bleſſings in heavenly things in Chriſt are chiefly to bee deſired and indeavoured after. Quaerito primum bona animi, ſaith Philoſophy, Seek firſt the good things of the minde. Quarito primum regnum Dei, ſaith Divinity, Seek yee firſt the Kingdome of God, and his righteouſneſs: and then other things ſhall ſeek you, ſhall bee caſt into the bargain, as it were. Let the Many ſay, Who will ſheir any good? David prefers one caſt of Gods countenance before all the worlds wealth,Aug. de pec. mort. l. 1. c. 11. Pſal. 4.7. Oh that Iſhmael might live in thy ſight, ſaid Abraham, Oh that hee might bee written among the living in Jeruſalem, bee an heir of life truly ſo called, for, Aeterna vita vera vita! The Lord make his face to ſhine upon you, ſaid the Prieſts to the people, Numb. 6. Grace bee to you, and peace, ſaith Paul; what ever elſe be wanting. Covet earneſtly the beſt things, ſaith hee, 1 Cor. 12.13. With all thy getting get underſtanding, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 4.7. Hee deſired wiſdome above wealth: and diſpatcht the Temple in ſeven years ſpace, when as hee was thirteen years ere hee finiſhed his own houſe; as holding it a work of leſs haſte and care. Eliſha begs a double portion: the Spouſe (chap. 2. of this Book) calls for whole flagons: nothing leſs would content her. The Prophet Iſaiah chides men for laying out their mony on that which is not bread,Iſa. 55.1, 2. or but panis lapidoſus, bread made of gravell: And our Saviour bids, labour not for the meat that periſheth, but for the meat that endureth to eternal life, John 6.27. Mors privare poteſt opibus, non operibus: theſe dye not with us, (as Hortenſiu his orations did with him) but follow us to heaven when wee dye, and ſhall be found to praiſe, honour and glory, at that day, 1 Pet. 1.7. Hence the Church ſo earneſtly deſireth here to have more cloſe conjunction and conſociation with Chriſt as a brother: yea, as a moſt natural and kinde-hearted brother, that had ſucked the breaſts of her mother, that had been her collactaneus, and ſo, more inwardly affected toward her, as Joſeph was toward his brother Benjamin, Gen. 43.29, 30, 34. In ſum: ſhee wiſheth that ſhee may feel Chriſt dwelling in her heart: that hee would remove all impediments of their happy conjunction, and haſten the accompliſhment thereof in heaven.

When I ſhould finde thee without (or at the door) I would kiſs thee] As the Bride was wont to do the Bride-groom, receiving and welcoming him with all comely familiarity and ſweetneſs. Kiſs the ſon, and covet his kiſſes, Pſal. 2.12. Cant. 1.2. Bee not aſhamed or afraid to perform all duties of an holy love, and ſound obedience toward him. Hee was not aſhamed of [illegible: 1 word] when wee had never a rag to our backs, Ezek. 16. Hee ſtretcht the ski[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word] love over us, and ſaid unto us, Live: when hee might well enough have loathed to look on us, ib. verſ. 6.

Yet I ſhould not bee despiſed] Heb. they ſhould not deſpiſe mee. Or if they did, yet they ſhould not diſhearten mee from duty.2 Sam. 6.22. If this bee to be vile, I will be yet more vile, ſaid David to his mocking M[illegible: 1 letter]chal. Wee may not ſuffer our ſelves to bee mocked out of our Religion. Barren Michal hath too many ſons, that ſcorn the holy habit and exerciſes; but they ſhall bee plagued, as their mother was with continual fruitleſneſs, they ſhall alſo one day (viz. when they are in hell) behold thoſe with envy, whom now they behold with ſcorn: as the ſcoffers of the old world, from the tops of the mountains that could not ſave them, behold Noahs Ark floating upon the waters. It is as impoſſible to avoid, as neceſſary to contemn the laſh of lewd tongues, whether by bitter ſcoffes or ſcurrilous invectives; as full of ſcorn commonly as the wit of malice can make them. The Church here reſolveth ſo to deport her ſelf, as that none ſhall have cauſe to contemn her: or if they do, bravely to ſlight all contumelies and contempts for her conſcience; taking them as crowns and confirmations of her conformity to Chriſt.