we beleeve comes upon us the other hand whereby we are troubled is taken off us the spirit of faith comes not but the spirit of the world must be cast out as Hagar and Sarah the bond-woman and free-woman could not live together and you see musick was the instrumental means in those cases Therefore I have chosen a Subject of this nature in the discoursing whereof if the Lord Jesus the wise charmer make me by his spirit to charm wisely I hope it wil be in some measure conducible to the end proposed A Song of Songs which was Solomons So that I desire you to bear me witness I do it not out of respect to the time of the yeer * It being a festivall time when this Sermon was preached which is with unreasonable superstition preferr'd by too many but to the times of the Church the occasions and necessities of the Saints which call for all the help of this nature that we can make I mean to hold up their spirits in the present carriages or miscarriages of things and the truth that this Text travells of bears no smal proporrion of conducibleness to this end and were it but cleerly understood strongly believed and effectually applyed to you by the spirit of Christ it would be like a bundle of mirrhe between your brests the virtue whereof is that is preserves from corruption and infection and a cluster of Camphire which makes men vegetiores et firmiores as Pliny observes Here therefore I shal not spend time about the division of this Text into the Title and the Authour of the Book But the Notion or Observation I shal present to you at this time and press upon you is from comparing the name of this Book with the subject matter of it The name is A Song of Songs The Subject matter what is that There are divers opinions of this chiefly three Some make the Subject to be the mutuall and reciprocall makings out of affections and fellowship between Christ and every Beleever 2ly Others between Christ and the Catholick Church or generall Assembly from the beginning to the end 3ly A third sort of Interpreters make it a brief compendious Prophesie of the mutuall carriages and aspects of Christ and his Churches the particular Churches of the Gospell as wel as the Church of the Jews from Solomons time to the end of the world And though there be as a * M. Cotton of Boston in New England reverend Divine well observes a holy and useful truth in the two former yet this latter might be convinced to be the more adaequate scope and subject of this Book by many Arguments if it were our business now which doth exceedingly commend this Book to us as being a Prophetical history and Historical Prophesie giving us a brief and delightful view of all the acts and Monuments of the Church of particular Churches in their severall and successive times and this book is called a Song This is that which is remarkable that such a Subject should make a Song You wil say wherein lies the remarkableness Herein If this be a compleat and a perfect Prophesie as it is of all times then it must record as wel the evil times of the Church as the Halcion days and the defections of the Church as wel as her perfections Gods chastening dispensations as wel as his affectionate embraces his frowns as well as his smiles his placking up of Churches as wel as his planting of them the calling off the Jews as wel as the calling of the Gentiles And that this should be fit matter for a Song seems strange I beleeve As if one should write the story of Gods dealing with England from the first Reformation to the present or to the end of the present agitations cal it a song you would think it an unfit name though we have had much mercy yet you would think that the Denomination should rather follow deteriorem partem and it should be more proper to call it the Lamentation of England that is fallen from such a height of peace and prosperity then a Song yet are there as sad times as these recorded in this book yea and worse not only these but others worse I say for here Solomon by the spirit of Prophesie touches the very tops and eminent points of all times that should succeed from his own yet this he by the holy Ghost cals a Song yea a Song of Songs 1. to shew you this in some particulars that there are very doleful notes in this Song 2. That yet it is a Song 3. What use we should make of this For the 1. to instance but in a few things in the beginning of this Prophesie First you have the blackness of the Church through the defection of Solomon who kept not his own vines his own v. 5. I am black wives from Idolatry and yet this is one particular that goes to this Song 2. You have the division of the Kingdom the revolt of the 10. Tribes from the house of David for Rehoboams stifness and folly v. 6. My mothers children were angry with me 3. You have the sad estate of the faithful dispersed through those 10. Tribes in that revolt in what distress were they to avoid Idolatry and to enjoy the pure Ordinances of God while they could not injoy their Consciences without exposing themselves to one of these great evils either the wrath and persecution of Jeroboham if they should not go up to the Calves but to Jerusalem or else they must forsake their habitations of a sudden perhaps to their undoing This was a sad strait yet this is part of the Song v. 7. Tell me oh thou whom my soul loveth where c. Then 4ly You have the sad estate of Judahs falling away from God as after 3 yeers of Rehoboam they did then God sent Pharoah Shishack King of Aegypt to yoke them 2 Chron. 12. 8. This you have v. 9. and so I might run through the next Chapter In the 16. v. of this 1 Chap. you have a commendation of the House and Worship of God that it was pure and green yet v. 1. of Chap. 2. I am the rose of Sharon whether you take it of Christ or the Church though Josiah had made the bed green by his Reformation yet Christ comes not to his spouses bed but rather cals his Church abroad Sharon was an open field under Lebanon where the beasts did feed Or take it of the Church she was the Rose of Sharon There was no fence nor culture weeds might grow up with her or the beasts of the field might crop or tread her down and so it was you know Josiah how fair a Rose but how soon cropt by Pharoah Necho and the succeeding Kings were placed and displaced by the Babylonians and the Egyptians at their pleasure and at length the Kingdom was laid waste by the Babylonians yet this is part of the Song and such is the composure of the whole book
But I may not instance in any more but as it is in the world there are hills and valleys all over the earth so is it in this history as you have hills of eminent prosperity so there are valleys of dark adversity yet this is called a Song and that most properly yea A Song of Songs as we might shew in 4. respects viz. the Author the Matter the Form and the End but the Author and the end I shal decline for brevity it may be I may touch upon them in the use The matter and form of this most excellent Song is exprest in these two words Variety and Vnity variety is the matter there are various things spoken of various conditions yet these are made up into one unity is the form 1. Variety is not repugnant to the nature of a Song to have for its subject Gods various dispensations to the Church and the Churches various affection condition and conversation towards God Good and Evil days though they disagree in themselves yet may make up a Song together Here in this Song is all the variety that may be all that was or will be since Solomons time to the worlds end is here couched together Though a deluge of darkness and ignorance hides the particulars of Gods great works from our eyes til they are done as the waters did the old world yet the tops of the Mountains may be seen here 2 Here is Unity in this variety all those several and various Yea we may think contrary passages conditions and times serve to make up one compleat piece of poesie or invention and one glorious piece of administration for there is such a contexture of them and they are so disposed that in stead of fighting one against another and contradicting one another they do mutually illustrate and set off one another The Painters colours should he shake them and mix them all together in a pot he would lose them all they would fight one with another and would either be no perfect colours or but one but being layd on a table by the art of the Painter they serve for excellent use and are exceeding beautiful So it is here the miseries and mercies the defections and perfections of the Church being layd and disposed by so skilful a pensil as is the hand and wisdom of God make up a sight exceeding glorious Now what Use may we make Vse of this that God hath composed the affairs of the Church into a Song certainly the Song is not its own end God did not express them in this form for the form sake as if he were more delighted with a Song then Prose or as if we should be taken with the expression and look no further There is a truth that lies under the expression and this outward expression I mean the form and words of this Song is but a weak shadow of the inward truth Adam put names upon the creatures according to their natures and God gives outward forms to the creatures agreeable to their ranks the most excellent outward form to man because he hath the most excellent inside therefore he hath received a more comely and beautiful outside and the Angels because they come more near to pure Intelligences and to the understanding of God then men therefore if they have any outward form as some think it is necessary they should none being absolutely simple but God yet it is very subtile and spiritual So The Observation then Gods meaning in expressing those things the affairs of Christs Kingdom in all times by the name and in the form of a Song is to tell and teach us what a notion we should have of these things themselves cloathed with this form and called by this name that the series and substance of them is as a Song or is that analogically in a way of resemblance that this form of words is properly Therefore is the description of these things a Song because the things themselves are so As therefore is the picture beautiful because the face in imitation or expression whereof it is made is beautifull I shal shew this analogy between the affairs of Christs Kingdom contained and transacted successively and orderly and a Song in some particulars and herein Ishal take in other considerations besides what the Hebrew Songs do afford for so this subject wil give me leave which is a Song of Songs what ever thing is delightful or admirable in any Song I mean in the Songs of any language is in this First Then the universall and common nature of all Songs requires that they be of measured feet of strict numbers every line consists of so many measures therefore they are called metra All Poems are not alike for feet and measures every language differs from others and hath variety in it self and your Lyrick poems such as Davids Psalmes and this book is have a greater liberty then other kind of verse their feet and measures being very much arbitrary more or fewer in a verse as the composer should choose but numbers there are in all though somewhat latent from us Now what would the Lord teach us hereby but that all the affairs of his Church are foreseen in his Counsell all their times and changes mercies and miseries the administration of Christs Kingdom is a set form even as a Song is it cannot vary a Title from the Counsel of God no more then a verse can without lameness or hobling Known to the Lord are all his works Acts 15. 18. Ephes 1. 11. c. He worketh all things according to the Counsel of his wil. Gods wil which hath an infinite variety in it is determined by his Counsel q So for particular believers all the transactions that concern their souls are a known certain and unvariable form Christ hath set how many temptations and how long how many afflictions and how long how much knowledg and holiness what ever befalls them from the beginning to the end of their days their sins cannot hinder any good determined from coming in its order place time nor can bring any evil upon them unseasonably or uncertainly but as the feet measures of a Song succeed orderly whereby the integrity thereof is preserved so it is here God hath not left himself room to insert one blessing more then he purposed from eternity nor needs he nor left himself liberty to crowd in one Cross more then went to the making up of the Song But as Lyrick verse hath a greater scope for variety and uncertainty then other Poems so doth the Lord shew a great liberty in his administrations both publike and private it is verse as if it were not God observes numbers as if he observed them not he conceals his art from us at least wise He is not bound that this part of the Song that is now singing should have the same measures that was 2000 years ago or to deal with his Church or particular beleevers now according to the
glory in the Ornament of all manner of ellegancies then prose As Metaphors similitudes tropes and figures and most amiable resemblances taken from Jewels spices and vineyards Orchards Gardens Winesellars and the chiefest beauties and greatest varieties of al the works both of God and man the Songs in Scripture are the elegantest parts of Scripture Moses and Deborahs Songs c. Agreeably the Administration of Christs Kingdom is full of elegancies and they that have spiritual eyes and eares that can try words do admire them what elegancies in bringing Israel out of Egypt it is said he bare them upon Eagles wings Deut. 32. Especially now in these latter days this part of the Song that is now fulfilling abounds herein What high strains of providence neat contrivances Every other work is an elegancy The actions of our enemies are nothing but Ironies they speak evil against us but it is intended against themselves The wicked is insnared in the works of his own hands the Bishops made Cyphers instead of making the Parliament so Look abroad amongst the Turks and Indians where Christ hath no visible Church nor people and there is no such needle-work of providence and so it hath been from the beginning Gods name therefore hath been great in Israel only in Israel The Lord Psal 76. 1 Psa 99. 2. would not have us think only that things are administred in a just way but in the most comely excellent and heroical way That which the wise Ladies of Sisera's Mother are supposed to say of Sisera's prey in Deborah's Song may be said of the administration or providence of Christs Kingdom the whole piece of it It is a prey of divers colours of divers colours of needle work of divers colours of needle work fit for the necks of them that take the spoyl Christ is not content to provide things wholsom but through the inlargedness of his heart he makes all toothsom for his Church we have not only meat but sauce For this way he hath chosen to make known his manifold wisdom and to unfold it Ephes 3. 10. And beloved that particular believers do not observe so much in Christs private administrations to them is long of their eyes There are Christians that should another write the history of Christ and their mutual carriages which are transient and little heeded by themselves perhaps they would admire them be exceedingly delighted therewith how Christ governs their spirits answers their prayers subdues their corruptions exercises their graces the lively and lovely touches in all these could they be described by a pen would even proceed to a ravishment of the heart of whoever should understand them The elegant ways that Christ hath to fall off and come on in his love his chastning and cherishing love Therefore let us not look with Vse such dismal apprehensions upon Christs administrations publike or particular It is I says Christ be not affraid so I say it is a Song therefore be not affraid Christs heart was in love in the original invention of it and so it is in the immediate and particular acting of things it is a love-song a marriage-song for so they were wont to have Songs at their weddings in former times and when the Churches marriage with Christ is solemnized who is now espoused then shal this Song be sung with understanding and unspeakable delight Vse 2. 2. Be not weary and impatient we do not use to be weary of hearing a delighful Song Songs have that advantage above prose that they steal away the eare with a great deal of pleasure Certainly if you did but heare the melody of this Song and did discern the curiousness of the composure I mean could you perceive the sweet spirituall strains of Divine working in and Philosophers say If we could hear the musick of the sphears we might live upon it for the Church and particular believers we should not need to crave your patience Why beloved if you do not understand nor admire it your selvs through your dulness and heavines yet give the Lord leave to sing out his Song have that civility and respect to him Christ is taken with it therefore there is great worth in it The long suffering of the Lord is salvation if it were not a lovely Song Christ would never doaze himself with singing of it 3. Let us sing this Song as we find the Church singing some parts of it Rev. 5. 9. 14. 3. and 15. 3. You may see there what the Song is and who they are that sing it such only as are redeemed from the earth i. either such as are truly sanctified or more strictly such as are redeemed from the earthly Kingdom of Antichrist and indeed none but such can see a beauty and a glory in the administrations of Christ none but such can rejoyce in them Therefore I call only upon such you that are the Lambs wife sing this Song with lightsome hearts observe all the ways of Christ with your spirits how he walks towards you in outward and inward things what strict measures and proportions he observes in your temptations that they be not above your mastery and in your comforts that they be not too strong for you neither observe the variety and change that is in your hearts temptations conditions conversations in Christs discoveries and manifestations of himself to you and Oh how amiable a sight it is to see brethren live together in unity but more admirable to see contraries c. This is the glory of Christs scepter it reconciles the Wolfe and the Lamb the Lyon and the Kid. how harmoniously these work together for your good and Christs glory when he makes himself the more welcom to you by keeping from you sometimes observe what musick his hand makes by touching contrary strings q he strikes a base and a treble together many times the publike note is high and thy particular low a spiritual mercy and an outward crosse strike together or an outward mercy and an inward temptation Observe how certain and unmoveable your happyness is the whole Song would be spoyled and run lame q if one particular that God hath determined should miscarry therefore your sins and infirmities shal not be able to hurt you nay these together with your afflictions are part of the Song I am black but comely I speak not this that you should slight sin or not watch against it no he that hath tasted of the grace of Christ will not sin that grace may abound though he loves that grace well Let us sing this Song with lightsom hearts with grace in our hearts David had Songs of pure adversity of his deep waters but here is more sweet then bitter in our conditions whether publike or private 1. Remember the burthen of the Song is Love so God loved his Church and so thy soul must be brought in at the end of every staff yea at the end of chastning Whom I love I rebuke and