Song of Songs 4:16

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Awake, O north wind; and come, you south; blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat its pleasant fruits.

Verse 15 Read Chapter 4

Ambrose of Milan

AD 397

Having thus learned where to seek out Christ, learn now how to merit that he may be seeking you. Arouse the Holy Spirit by saying, “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, and let its fragrance be wafted abroad. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its choicest fruits.” The garden of the Word is the affection of a flourishing soul, and its fruit is the produce of virtue. - "On Virginity 9.54"

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Ambrose of Milan

AD 397

Recognize also the voice of the church inviting us when it says, “Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my garden and let my ointments flow forth. Let my brother come down into his garden and eat the fruit of his apple trees.” For knowing even then, O holy church, that from these also you would have fruitful works, you promised to your anointed one the fruit from such as these. It was you who first said that you were brought into the king’s chamber, loving [Christ’s] breasts above wine. For you loved him who loved you, you sought him who nourished you, and you despised dangers for religion’s sake. - "On His Brother Satyrus 2.118"

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Ambrose of Milan

AD 397

For this reason, too, the church, guarding the depth of the heavenly mysteries, repels the furious storms of wind, and calls to it the sweetness of the grace of spring, and knowing that its garden cannot displease Christ, invites the bridegroom, saying, “Arise, O north wind, and come, you south; blow upon my garden, and let my ointments flow down. Let my brother come down to his garden and eat the fruit of his trees.” For it has good trees and fruitful, which have dipped their roots in the water of the sacred spring, and with fresh growth have shot forth into good fruits, so as now not to be cut with the axe of the prophet, but to abound with the fruitfulness of the gospel. - "On the Mysteries 9.56"

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Aponius

AD 500

By exalting the kingdom of the north above all kingdoms of the world, therefore, Almighty God commands what is [now] the kingdom of the Romans to arise. By inspiring prophets from the south, by revealing his Christ through a Virgin, whom the prophets of the south had celebrated as proceeding from a dense and intact body (as the prophet Habakkuk said, “God will come from the south,” that is, the Word of the Father, and “the holy one from a mountain shadowy and dense,” which refers to the assumed humanity), paradise begins to be redolent with fragrances of the deaths of the martyrs, precious and wonderful aromas, and to give great praise to the Lord, the King of heaven, and to all the heavenly host, as the prophet predicted: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” - "Exposition of Song of Songs 7.49"

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Aquinas Study Bible

AD 2017

wind: that is the winds of persecution. (Haimo of Auxerre) This is meant as God permitting, not commanding. (St. Bede)

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George Leo Haydock

AD 1849

Wind. At different times. Let all nations be convinced of thy beauty. (Calmet) The holy Spirit enabled the apostles to convert the world. (Nys. Rupert.) All temptations, whether proceeding from cruelty or deceit, "make constant souls more grateful to God. "(Worthington)

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Hippolytus of Rome

AD 235

As Joseph was delighted with these spices, he is designated the King's son by God; as the Virgin Mary was anointed with them, she conceived the Word: then new secrets, and new truth, and a new kingdom, and also great and inexplicable mysteries, are made manifest.

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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20