John Trapp on Song of Solomon 8:7

Verſ. 7. Many waters cannot quench love] Water was proved long ſince to be above fire, in that ancient conteſt between thoſe two Nations, about the precedency and precellency of their Gods: the one worſhipping Fire, and the other Water. But though there be Gods many, and Lords many, yet to the Church there is but one Lord; and to him ſhee will go thorow thick and thin, thorow fire and water. Her love to him is ſuch as no good can match it, no evill over-match it: it cannot be quenched with any calamity; nay, it is much kindled by it, as fire in the ſmiths-forge, or as lime that is the hotter, for the water that is caſt upon it. Elias would have water poured on the ſacrifice, (covered therewith) that the power of God might the more appear in the fire from heaven. Semblably Chriſt ſuffers the ſhip of his Church to be covered ſometimes with waves of perſecutions, and afflictions, that the ſtrength of their love to him may bee the more manifeſted, and the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed, Luk. 2.35. It is eaſie to ſwim in a warm bath, and every bird can ſing in a ſummers day, but to ſwim to heaven (as Queen Elizabeth did to her throne) through a ſea of ſorrows, to ſing, (as ſome birds will do in the ſpring) moſt ſweetly, then when it rains moſt ſadly, that's a true trial indeed. Many will imbark themſelves in the Churches cauſe in a calm, that with the Mariners in the Acts, will flee out of the ſhip in a ſtorm. Many will own a proſpering truth, a bleſſing Ark, but hee is an Obed-Edom indeed, that will own a perſecuted, toſſed, baniſhed Ark, an Ark that brings the plague with it. God ſets an high price on their love that ſtick to him in affliction;2 Sam. 15.18 as David did on thoſe men that were with him at Gath (thoſe Cherethites and Pelethites that ſtuck to him when Abſalom was up.) And notwithſtanding their late mutiny at Ziklag, hee takes them to Hebron with him (where hee was to bee crowned) that as they had ſhared with him in his miſery, ſo they might partake of his proſperity. Lo thus likewiſe deals our heavenly David with all his fellow-ſufferers: Hee removes them at length from the aſhes of their forlorn Ziklog, to the Hebron of heaven. And at the general judgement, in that great Amphitheater of Men and Angels, Chriſt will ſtand forth, and ſay, Ye are they that continued with me in my temptations: and I appoint unto you a Kingdome, &c. Luke 22.28, 29.

Neither can the floods drown it] ſurgit hic afflictio, Neh. 1.9. This is not a vain repetition: but ſerves to ſhew, that no perſecution, tribulation, anguiſh, though never ſo grievous, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. (though the devil ſhould caſt out of his mouth water enough to carry us down the ſtream, as Rev. 12.15.) ſhall be able to ſeparate the Saints from the love of Chriſt. Rom. 8.35.

If a man would give all the ſubſtance of his houſe, &c.] i. e. To buy this love of me, or to get it from me, I ſhould cry out with Peter, Thy money periſh with thee, or with Luther, Contemptus eſt à me Romanus & favor & furor, I care neither for Romes favour nor fury. When they offered to make him a Cardinal if he would be quiet, hee replied, No not if I might be Pope. And when they conſulted about ſtopping of his mouth with money, one wiſer than the reſt cryed out, Hem! Germana illa beſtia non curat aurum, Alack, that German beaſt cares not for money. Galeacius Caracciolus, His Life by Mr. Craſhaw. that noble Italian Convert, left all for the love of Chriſt, and went to live a poor obſcure life at Geneva. Where, when hee was tempted to revolt for money, hee cried out, Let their mony periſh with them, who eſteem all the gold in the world worth one daies ſociety with Jeſus Chriſt and his holy Spirit. And curſed bee that religion for ever, that by ſuch baits of profit, pleaſure, and preferment, ſeeks to draw men aſide from the way of truth and holineſs. The Papiſts propoſe rewards to ſuch as ſhall relinquiſh the Proteſtant religion, and turn to theirs: as in Ausborough, where they ſay, there is a known price for it, of ten Florens a year. In France, Spec. Europ. where the Clergy have made contributions for the maintenance of runagate Miniſters. Stratagema nunc eſt Pontificum ditare multos ut pii eſſe deſinant, ſaith one that was no ſtranger to them:Joh. Bapt. Gell. dial. 5. It is a cunning trick that the Popes have taken up, to enrich men, that they may rob them of their religion. And though Luther would not ſwallow that hook, yet there are thoſe that will, not a few. Tell men a tale of Utile, promiſe them preferment, and you may perſwade them to any thing. Fac me Pontificem, & ero Chriſtianus, ſaid one Pammachius an Heathen once to the Pope; Make mee a Biſhop, and I'le turn Chriſtian. But, as one ſaid of Papiſts, that they muſt have two converſions ere they come to heaven; one from Popery, and another from prophaneneſs (like as corn muſt be firſt threſhed, and then winnowed) ſo this money-merchant, this preferment-proſelyte might have been a Chriſtian at large, had hee had his deſired Biſhoprick: but Chriſt never favoured any ſuch ſelf-ſeeking followers. See Mat. 8.20. John 6.26. their love hee knows to be no better than meretricious and mercenary. It is a ſad thing that any Auguſtine ſhould have cauſe to complain, Vix diligitur Jeſus propter Jeſum, that ſcarce any man loves Chriſt, but for his rewards; like the mixt multitude, that came up with Iſrael out of Egypt, for a better fortune: Or thoſe Perſians, that in Mordecai's daies, for ſelf-reſpects became Jews. All Gods people ſhould bee like thoſe Medes in Iſaiah, that regarded not ſilver, and as for gold they delighted not in it, chap. 13.17. Chriſts love ſhould bee better to them than wine, Cant. 1.2. and when in exchange for it, the devill doth offer them this worlds good, they ſhould anſwer him as the witch of Endor did Saul, 1 Sam. 28.9. Judg. 9.11. Wherefore laieſt thou a ſnare for my ſoul to cauſe mee to dye? or as the vine and fig-tree in Jonathans Parable, anſwered the reſt of the trees, Should I leave my fatneſs and ſweetneſs, derived unto mee from Chriſt, and ſo go out of Gods bleſſing into the worlds warm Sunne? God forbid that I ſhould part with my patrimony, as Naboth ſaid; take an apple for paradiſe, as Adam did, loſe the love of Chriſt for the worlds blandiſhments, &c.