1603–1699. It was to be expected that John Cocceius, the founder of the theological school bearing his name, whose doctrine was, that the whole history of the Old Testament is a mirror, accurately reflecting the transactions and events that were to happen under the New Testament dispensation to the end of the world, would find in this Song something in accordance with his views. Enlarging upon Aponius’ and De Lyra’s mode of interpretation, and, like Brightman, still more approaching the Chaldee, in a manner peculiar to himself Cocceius regards this book as a prophetical narrative of the transactions and events that are to happen in the Church, and divides the whole into seven distinct periods, similar to the seven trumpets and seven seals in the Revelation of St. John. Chapter. 1. The period of the preaching of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles i.–ii. 2. The period of the increase of the Church, and persecution from without iii.–iv. 3. The period of peace from without and danger within v.–vi. 8. 4. The period of the Reformation vi. 9–vii. 10. 5. The period of unsettlement after the Reformation vii. 11–viii. 3. 6. The period of the persecution viii. 4–6. 7. The period of rest after the sufferings and longing for the spread of the Gospel viii. 7–14. [87] 1648. Strange as this mode of interpretation may appear, yet, as we have seen, it is not confined to a single individual or country. John Cotton also affirms that Solomon in this book “describes the estate of the Church towards Christ, and his respect towards her from his (i.e. Solomon’s) own time to the last judgment.” [88]