each PERSON aif¢ìnetly. q9r men watchful ; and the a&aal fenfiblepoffeflìon of him, in whom are all the riches and treafure of God, will make men look about them for the keeping of him. The line of choiceft communion, is a line of the great-, eft fpititual folicitoufnefs ; carelefnefs, in the enjoyment ofChrift pretend- ed, is a manifeft evidence ofa falfe heart. a.) The fpoufe manifefls her delight in him, by her utmoft impatience of his abfence, with (a) delires Rill of nearer communion With him, chap. 8. 6. Set me asafoal upon thy heart, as a foolupon thine arm, fer love is flronq as death, jealoufy is cruel as the grave, the tolls thereofare coal,., of fire, which bath a meßf vehement fame. The allùfion is doübtlefs from the high prieft of the Yews, in his fpiritual reprefentationof the church be- fore God. He had a breaft-plate which he is laid to wear on his heart, Exocl. xxviii. 29, wherein the naines of the children of ffrael were ingraveri after the mannerof feats or fignets, and he bare them for a memorial be- fore the Lord. He had the like alto upon his fhotilder, or on his arms, v. I, Ia. both reprefenting the priefthood of Chrift, who bears the naives of all his, before his father, in the holieft of hohes, Heb, ix, 24. Now the Peal on the heart, is near, inward, tender, love, and care, which gives at( impeefhon and image on the heart of the thing fo loved. Set ine, faith the fpoufe, as a feal upon thine heart; let me he conftantly fixed in thjy molt tender and affeftionate love; let me always have a place in thine heart, let me have an engraving, a mighty intprefiion of love upon thine heart, that (hall never he obliterated. The foul is never fatisfied with thoughts of Chrilt's love to it. Oh that it were more, that it were more, that I were as a feat on his heart, is its language! The foul knows indeed on ferious thoughts, that the love of Chrift is inconceivable, and cannot be incrcfed, but it would fain work up its fell to an apprehenlion of it3 and therefore the adds, here, Set me as afeel t psn thine arm; the hearth the fotntain, but dole and hidden; the arm is manifeltation and power, Let, faith the fpoufe, thy love be manifefted to time in thy tender and pow- erful perfuafion of me. Two things are evident in this requeft; the con, tinual mindfulnefs of Chrift of the foul, as having its condition £till hi his eye, efigraven on his arm, Ifa. xlix. mg, 16. with the exalting of his power for the prefervation of it, fáitable to the love of his heart unto it; and the manifeftation of the hidden love and care of the heart of Chrift, unto the foul, being made vifible on his arm, or evident by the fruits of it. This is that which the would -be aflùred of; and without a fenfe where- of, there is no red to be obtained, The realen file gives of this earneftnefg in her (application, is that which principallyevinces her delight in htas, Love ieflrong as death, jealszfy is cruel as thegrave, or hare/ ac hell. This is the intendment of what is fo loftily fet out by fo many metaphors in this and the following verfe. I amnot able to hear the workings of my love to thee; uniefs I may always have fociety and fellowship wtth,tliee; there is no fatisfying of my lovewithout it. It is as thegrave that frill fays give, give (b) death is not fatisfied without its prey, if it have not all, it hash nothing, let what will happen, if death bath not its whole defire it bath nothing at all. Nor can it be withftood in its,appointed feafon. No rsitfom will be taken, Su is nay love, if I have thee not wholly, I have nothing, ,nor can All the world bribe it to a diverfion, it will be no more turned afide than death in its :time, Alffo I sax not able to hear my jealous thoughts; I fear thou doff not love me, that thou haft forfalten ape, ,be- caufe I know I deferve not to be beloved. Thefe thoughts are liard as hell. (5) Hag. it ¢4. jer. Kieft. -m4. (b) Prov, 403. 14. They
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=