John Trapp on Song of Solomon 8:9

Verſ. 9. If ſhee be a wall, wee will build upon her, &c.] Chriſt anſwers, If ſhe be, as ſhe ought to be, ſtrong and well-grounded in the faith, able to bear a good weight laid upon her, as a wall, pillar, and ground of truth, not ſinking or fainting under the heavieſt burden of theſe light afflictions, which are but for a moment; but patient and perſeverant in the faith unto the death; then will I do all for her that may bee done, to make her happy. This ſpeech is ſomewhat like that of Solomon concerning Adonijah, 1 King. 1. If hee ſhew himſelf a worthy man, &c.

We will build upon her a palace of ſilver] The whole bleſſed Trinity will have an hand in building the Church of the Gentiles upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief corner-ſtone,Iſa. 51.16. John 6.44. Eſth. 2.20. God plants the heavens, and laies the foundation of the earth, that hee may ſay to Zion, Thou art my people. None can come to Chriſt except God the Father draw him. Chriſt the ſecond perſon is both Authour and Finiſher of our faith, Heb. 12.2. The Holy Ghoſt is the ſame Spirit of faith in David and Paul, 2 Cor. 4.13. and is received by the hearing of faith, Gal. 3.2. Hee is the God of all grace, 2 Pet. 1.19. antecedent, concomitant, ſubſequent: We have nothing of which any of us can ſay, Mihi ſoli debeo, I am not bound to God for it.

And if ſhee be a door, &c.] As ſhee is the houſe of God, and gate of heaven, Gen. 28.17. If ſhee will open the everlaſting doors to the King of glory, Pſal. 24.7. and open a great door and effectual to his faithful Miniſters, 1 Cor. 16.9. who come to build her for an habitation of God through the Spirit, Eſther 2.22. If ſhee open the gates, that the righteous nation, which keepeth the truth, may enter in, Iſa. 26.2. then will the Lord Chriſt incloſe her,] board her, and beautifie her with fair, ſweet, and ſtrong cedars, as with curious and coſtly weinſcot, which ſhall be monimentum, munimentum, ornamentum, &c. But all this is promiſed upon condition, that ſhee bee a wall and a door, that is, that ſhee receive and retain Chriſt with her; for otherwiſe ſhee can claim nothing. Hee may deſert her without breach of Covenant, as hee did the old Church, and many particular Churches of the New Teſtament now under the Turk for their perfidy and Apoſtaſie. The Church of Rome, though utterly revolted, yet laies ſtrong claim to Chriſt ſtill; and concludes, I ſit as a Queen, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. Therefore ſhall her plagues come in one day, &c. For, ſtrong is the Lord God who judgeth her, Rev. 18.7, 8. See the Note there. About the year of grace 1414. Theodoricus Urias an Auguſtine-Frier in Germany, ſaid,Jac. Revius de vit. Pontif. pag. 229. that the Church of Rome was (even ſo long ſince) become ex aurea argenteam, ex argentea ferream, ex ferrea terream, ſupereſſe ut in ſtercus abiret, of gold ſilver, of ſilver braſs, of braſs iron, of iron clay: there remains nothing now, but that of clay ſhee become dung, to be ſwept out of doors with the beeſome of deſtruction.