holy and devout servants labouring in his garden, is always
present with them: but the words is gone down, are to be understood,
that after trying his Church by permitting persecution, he comes to her
assistance and she rejoices at his coming.

6:2. I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the
lilies.

6:3. Thou art beautiful, O my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem
terrible as an army set in array.

6:4. Turn away thy eyes from me, for they have made me flee away. Thy
hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from Galaad.

6:5. Thy teeth as a flock of sheep, which come up from the washing, all
with twins, and there is none barren among them.

6:6. Thy cheeks are as the bark of a pomegranate, beside what is hidden
within thee.

6:7. There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and young
maidens without number.

6:8. One is my dove, my perfect one is but one, she is the only one of
her mother, the chosen of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and
declared her most blessed: the queens and concubines, and they praised
her.

One is my dove, etc... That is, my church is one, and she only is
perfect and blessed.

6:9. Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the
moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?

Who is she, etc... Here is a beautiful metaphor describing the church
from the beginning. As, the morning rising, signifying the church before
the written law; fair as the moon, shewing her under the light of the
gospel: and terrible as an army, the power of Christ's church against
its enemies.

6:10. I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the fruits of the
valleys, and to look if the vineyard had flourished, and the
pomegranates budded.

6:11. I knew not: my soul troubled me for the chariots of Aminadab.

6:12. Return, return, O Sulamitess: return, return that we may behold
thee.

Canticle of Canticles Chapter 7

A further description of the graces of the church the spouse of Christ.

7:1. What shalt thou see in the Sulamitess but the companies of camps?
How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince's daughter! The joints of
thy thighs are like jewels, that are made by the hand of a skilful
workman.

How beautiful are thy steps, etc... By these metaphors are signified the
power and mission of the church in propagating the true faith.

7:2. Thy navel is like a round bowl never wanting cups. Thy belly is
like a heap of wheat, set