THE BOOK OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON IN MEETER WITH Some Brief Observations from the Text something pleasant but more profitable to the Unprejudiced Reader who loves the knowledge of God and hath his heart inflam'd with the Love of the Lord Jesus By T. S. Who loveth and could willingly serve any that Loves our Lord Jesus in Sincerity LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Signe of the Elephant and Castle near the Royall Exchange in Cornhill 1676. THE PREFACE To the READER Courteous Reader THis is the first time ever I came forth To publique view I now was very loath To have appear'd but being often prest By several Friends at last at their request What by these Poems was my first intention I finde by theirs doth meet with its prevention For now and then according to my leisure I thought to reade what I had writ with pleasure For to delight my self it was my end When first of all these Poems I had pen'd But further here and there now they must go For why 't is providence doth order 't so They must abroad though entertainment kinde I do not say that they shall always finde For why I know it is the common guise Of worldly wisemen others to despise That are unlearn'd although they have their learning From Christ alone whereby they have discerning 'Twixt things that differ and for all the schools Of humane learning men are still but fools Till Christ be learned nothing do they know And knowing nothing nothing can they do As they should do it answering Gods command May then the worldly wise man understand That he 's the wise man that obeys the Lord And with his laws his life doth still accord Such promis't are to know the fathers minde When worldly wisemen seek and cannot finde Yet do I not in this i' th least despise Learning it self nor yet the learned-wise I hope no wise man then will take offence For unto both I give due reverence Let none that reads these lines the same despise B'cause in high flourishes I do not rise For it 's a task a deal beyond my pains To soar aloft in such affecting strains As some that curious are would have but I Am well content much lower for to lye And sith the subject of this my discourse It is divine what can I make it worse Because I do not paint it in that dress Of Eloquence what can it be the less Sacred for that such eloquence but feedeth The outward our none such as that is needed For of it self it 's garnisht with such glory To parallel the same there wants a story The highest strains the most sublimest wit Must lowr their topsayl and bow down to it The stile the matter method and the words Are high and acurate the world affords No Volumes that with it may once compare It is more excellent then all they are Here maist thou see that great transcendant love Christ bears his Church which doth surmount above All other carnal earthly love as far As th' sun ascends above the lowest Star The great delight and pleasure he takes in The souls that are purg'd throughly from their sin Here maiest thou see also the special care He takes of them each good thing to prepare To fill their hearts with comforts and with joy And bear them up in depths of misery And when th 'ave done what they have here to do He will bestow upon them heaven too Here maist thou see also how ready still Each gracious soul is dayly to fulfil What Christ commands for love doth them constrain He loves them first they love him back again They love him so they 'l both suffer and do Whatever thing he 's pleas'd to call them to Here maist thou see the presence of their Lord The greatest comforts to their souls afford But if at any time away he 's gone The soul that wants him then doth sigh and groan And seeks and sues and never is at rest Till with his presence he again is blest Here maist thou see how that Christs lovely spouse Doth sleep and slug sometimes till be do rouze And raise her up she doth a slumber catch But rais'd by Christ she stands upon her watch Here see also the love that truly tyes A soul to Christ it lives and never dyes And how with earnestnesse such pray to be With Jesus Christ in full felicity Reade soberly and ponder what thou read'st Digest it well and then thou 'lt finde it feeds Thy inner man but if thou foolishly Look on these Poems with a wanton eye To please and satisfy a carnal minde No good unto thy soul then thou shalt finde Take heed and prove neither profane nor loose Bringing these Poems into great abuse Of wanton love they treat not in the least But of that love divine which Christ is pleas'd In signes in tipes and figures to make known Then reade full soberly or else reade none Well I have done I am expos'd unto The censures of them all these papers view If I have err'd in any thing then know That every son of Adam may do so Since Adam fell infallibilitie Is found in none much less not found in me If any one that reades some profit gains Then am I well rewarded for my pains If any scoff or jeer go on and spare not For some mens scoffs and jeers know that I care not I am not rais'd by any flatteries Nor yet cast down because some do not prize What I have writ no there is nothing less Shall trouble me for still I am T S. The Reader is Desired to Correct these severall Escapes in Printing this Book IN the Preface p. 2. l. 20. for is needed r. it needeth In the Book p. 1. l. 3. after Gods put in good p. 6. l. 15. for are r. me p. 7. l. 1. for the r. though ib. l. 19. for the r. thy p. 10. l. 29. in marg for comes r. comers p. 19. l. 1. for fairest r. fair'st l. 12. for beaury r. beauty l. 25. for madst r. made p. 21. l. 2. for love r. low l. 17. r. it p. 13. in the marg l. 19. for his r. her p. 15. l. 5. in the marg for refrain r. restrain p. 25. l. 39. for treasure r. treasury p. 28. l. 16. put in this heats p. 31 l. 17. put in it p. 32. l. 2. for maist r. must p. 36. l. 16. for whether r. whither l. 34. after purposes r. of ours p. 38. l. 18. for single r. sinful p. 39. l. 18. for ere r. art p. 40. l. 20. for account r accounts p. 43. l. 31. for satisfy r. testifie p. 46. l. 5. for clearest r. clearer p. 47. l. 29. for thee r. unto thee l. 30. for from thee r. fro thee p. 49. l. 2. for so r. to l. 22. for stops r. stoops p. 50. l. 21. for God r. Gods p. 52. l. 1. for divers r. drivers l. 35. for bear r. bare l. 39. for not r.
God almighty by his mighty strength He can deliver and he will at length Deliver those that do on him rely And pray to him in faith with earnest cry From their low state he can and will them raise And when 't is done they 'l ever give him praise They will confess that he salvation wrought And heard as soon as they his face had sought When my heart broke and soul it fainting lay To ease my self I could devise no way My thoughts to this and then to that were led But still they did return upon my head Then did I think upon for it was time The mercys Lord thou ever hast shewn thine My hope was ancor and it took fast hold And to the throne of grace now I make bold My humble prayer for to present to thee Though like a rebell lately I fled from thee Thou didst not shut it out oh wondrous grace But it came in unto thy holy place Observa from Jonah's encoraging himself to rely on God and cry to him from consideration of former mercys When we poor creatures know not what to do To one shift and another are put to And find no means of help to avoid our trouble Instead of help they are returned double When every vessel leaks and refuge fails And every hold we have nothing avails When each proud wave and billow doth pass ore-us And death with all his terror stand before-us Then it is time full time to call to minde Each thing of God that we did ever finde To strengthen faith and give encouragement Our prayers in heavens court for to present All ye that hunt and follow after lies And are observing idle vanities That have dependency on false deceits That evermore the silly sinner cheats As long as ye these sinfull courses take In choosing these your own mercys forsake Both present happiness and future bliss And I by sad experience tell you this Those that at any time have gone astray Turning aside out of Gods holy way And are whipt for it till their backs do bleed Observa from Jonah's giving warning to others from woful experience Can best of all warn others to take heed Now as for those that follow vanities And unto idol-gods do sacrifice Ascribing to them each deliverance Accounting all things as they came by chance Both th' one and th' other always come to naught But as for my part I am better taught And unto thee O Lord my heart will raise And sacrifice unto thy name with praise I will give thanks unto thy holy name From thee and none else my deliverance came And now I 'le pay to thee that I have vowed Because I know by thee I am allowed For why I know ther 's no salvation wrought But what thy hand O Lord to pass hath brought Observa from Jonah's thankfulness for his deliverance When God appears to us in love and grace And shews again the beauty of his face When he unfolds his armes to let us in And draws a mantle ore to hide our sin When he puts forth his power not to destroy But save and fill our hearts with perfect joy Surely it is an obligation strong To binde our hearts but so unloose our tongue To speak in praise talking t'others abroad 'O th wisdome goodness mercy power of God But when his grace is turn'd to wantonness And mercy move men neither more nor lesse Lives to reform and manners to amend Those mercys turn to judgments in the end Then spake the Lord that hath the sole command Of all the crearures in the sea and land He spake unto the whale within the sea The whale no sooner heard but did obey He said to him Jonah I mean to save Thy belly hath been long enough his grave My mighty power now he shall understand Therefore go bring him quickly to the land Then did the fish launch forrh away he went Unto the place whether the Lord him sent He splits the seas with hast until they roar And vomits Jonah safely on the shore What shall a fish that in the seas doth dwell Hear and obey Gods voice and not rebel Observa from the whales obedience to Gods command One void of reason and religion too At the first bidding as God bids him do God speaks but once unto the mighty whale At his command he stops then hearken all To whom God speaks not only once nor twice But ore and ore he comes with new supplys Of precepts mingled with entreatise dear To stir them up his holy name to fear Crying aloud Oh do this thing and live But yet for all that no attendance give Shall th' queen of Sheba travail from the south To hear the wisdome dropping from the mouth Of a meer man shall Niniveh repent As soon as Jonah unto them was sent Then Sheba's queen the Ninivites and whale Shall rise in judgment and condemn them all CHAP. III. The Argument How Jonah unto Nâ—niveh A s cond time is sent They heare in hearing do obey The Lord did then repent NO sooner were all these things done and past But God his mercy which doth ever last To Jonah shews Observa from the prophets declaring that and only that the Lord commanded him not going before the Lord sent him to grace he doth receive him And though he did provoke he will not leave him Though from his office he might be degraded Yet for his fault he is not now upbraded But now a second time their comes a word Sent unto Jonah from the highest Lord Saying arise begone and do not stay Mine anger will arise if thou delay Thou art commanded make no more excuses Know thou my patience brooks no more abuses Unto that famous City Niniveh I again send thee and see that thou say The word I bid thee when thou comest there Preach that whether they heare or do forbear And though of thee not one would have regard And for such news canst look for no reward Yet be thou strong take courage see thou do it I charge thee turn not off but go unto it I am resolv'd of this and they shall know That within forty days I 'le overthrow Their City great if they within that space Do not repent that I may shew them grace All those that run when God says no such thing Not God but their own errand they will bring The message God commands they 'l not impart But what 's devis'd in their own foolish heart Or that which man commands with zeal they presse But what God bids them preach a great deal less Of care and zeal they spend which doth declare That not the true but prophets false they are But hee 's the prophet true goes not before God send him furnisht with a heavenly store What he commands him still he keeps to that To speak and do regardless always what Men do oppose nor love nor fear that draws him To fail his trust for'ts love and fear that aws
out p. 54. l. 13. for heavy r. hairy l. 29. for do r. to p. 57. l. 18. for from r. fro p. 58. l. 4. for excell r. exceeds p. 61. l. 4. for best r. brest l. 19. for would r. could l. 31. for of falshood r. or falshood Also take notice That whereas in many places on Jona there is no distinction between that part of the history and what is observed from it therefore to avoid confusion know that where you finde it thus marked l there the Observation begins and where it is again thus marked l there it ends CHAPTER I. 1 THe Song of Songs most excellent Of Solomon who by the guide Of Gods spirit doth represent Christ and his Church the lovely bride 2 a Saints do desire to enjoy more simptomes seals and assurances of the love of Iesus Christ Oh let him come and me embrace And with his mouth let him me kiss For my soul's longing for the grace That flows from that sweet spirit of his b In adversity and prosperity the fruition of Christ is better then the choicest chiefest of all things beside For why thy loves are better far And night and day make me more glad Then all the choicest wines that are Or were or ever shall be had 3 c The graces of Christ and the anoyntings of his holy spirit are sweet precious pure and powerful in working Thine oyntments Lord all of the best Are sweeter then the choyce perfume Their vertue heals the soul opprest That sin Satan would consume d His blood powred out and life spilt upon the cross Thou wast pour'd out like ointment pure Thou emptied wast me for to fill e A fountain set open for sin and uncleanness Zach. 13.1 a well of water springing up to life everlasting Yet thou art full and shalt endure An overflowing fountain still f The love of Christ constrains souls to be obedient Thy grace diffus'd the virgins move Thy love shed forth 's the only cause The pure in heart and life thee love g True love is made manifest in keeping Christs precepts And loving thee they keep thy laws 4 h The Church of Christ sensible of her own and members nothingness weakness backwardness and remisness prays for assistance and promises a good improvement Draw me and mine to goodness slack Perswad 's to come to thee in hast Put forth thy power when we draw back We 'l run and follow thee full fast i There is a special intimacy between Christ and saints he will shew them his secret which angels desire to peep into Psal 25.14 The Royall king just strong and wise Not only outward kindness shews But all his chamber secresies To them that fear him he 'l disclose k Christ is the object of a Christians joy a divine contemplation of Christ begets divine affection unto Christ Much more then wine thy love we mind With joy most pure it glads our heart More we think on thee more we finde Thou by the upright loved art 5 l A sensibleness of deformity works deep humility ingenious confession I now deformed am and black As black as kedars tents by name Afflictions great and sin alack Hath brought me to confess the same m The saints are beautiful through grace without spot through Christ yet their glory is within Yet daughters of Jerusalem Like to the curtains bright and fair Which once surrounded Solomon I comely am through Christ as they 're 6 n The Churches discoulorings last not always 't is but for a moment in wrath the Lord hides his face therefore divide not despise not enemies dispare not friends With evil eye behold me not Though beauty mine be turn'd to stain The suns hot beams hath caus'd this spot And time will wipe it off again o Friends degenerate do often if not always turn the most implacable enemies My mothers children angry were To keep the vinyards when they stept Aside they made me oh severe p The Churches devastation gives cause of sad complaint Therefore my vineyard is not kept 7 q A fense of ignorance and weakness drives to Christ for strength and direction Oh tell me where thy flock doth feed Thou whom my soul doth dearly love r Christ is a Christians sweetest shade in the hottest persecution Where they lie down i' th days of dread When scorching heat their faith doth prove s Christs sheep are careful to follow him John 10. and fearful of false teachers and corrupt and false assemblies For fear lest I should go astray After the flocks to turn aside Of thy companions in the way Thy faithful followers never try'd 8 t They that abase themselves shall be exalted and they that ask shall receive directions Mat. 7.7 If thou know not that art so fair My word and spirit shall thee guide u New converts are as meek lambs Joh. 10. gathered into flocks must keep from those folds Christ hath not appointed Thy tender kids them take with care And feed the shepherds tents beside w We must follow the faith and good works of those before us and make their pattern our example Go thy way forth get out with speed From all false ways and worships go To th' footsteps of the flock take heed Conform thy ways their ways unto 9 x The Church of Christ is orderly powerful and speedy in executing the good pleasure of Christ her head Much like to Pharaohs chariot horses My love my dear I thee compare Who goodly are and keep their courses Through me thou' rt as choice as they are 10 y A conversation becoming the Gospel is the Churches duty and outward beauty Phi. 1.19 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Thy cheeks with jewels thou dost deck A sight most comely to behold z The Church observing Christs appointments is not enthrald thereby but in glorious freedome And thou hast round about thy neck Chains that are wrought of purest gold 11 a The three and yet but one are ingag'd by promise to make the Church very glorious through divers precious spiritual Gospel endowments Both father son and holy Ghost Will make for thee borders of gold With studs of silver things that most Will make thee glorious to behold 12 b True grace is not idle cannot be hid but is powr'd out like the sweetest perfume or most pretious oyntment in our solemn approaches to God to the pleasing of him greatly and the good and benefit of our brethren That I may please the King full well When at his table he sits there My spiknard shall send sorth its smell In love in mercy praise and prayer 13 My welbeloved is to me For mine he is and one we are c Nothing can be more sweet then Christ to that soul that once tasted how gracious the Lord is More sweet then bags of mirrh can be Or precious gums or things most rare
d The greatest troubles worst of times and things cannot draw a Christians love from Christ but still in his heart he hath his lodging place In darksome night in time of fear When others leave him yet will I 'Twixt my brests lay him because there Within my brest he loves to lye 14 e The fruit received from Christ as redeemer is both abundant and full durable and lasting Much like the clustring camphire-tree In Engedi her vineyards grows My welbeloved's such to me Vertue from that more from him flows 15 f A Christians holiness is his chiefest comliness and Christ doth ever praise and delight in that grace which himself bestows Th' art fair my love thy comeliness Doth far exceed the brightest day Doves eyes thou hast not wantonness But chastity they do bewray 16 g A soul enriched decked and beautified with grace from Christ cannot but be affected with praise and delight in him who is the fountain and welspring of all grace Behold beloved thou art fair Yea and most pleasant to be seen With thine no beauty may compare h Where Christ can joyns in spiritual union great increase follows thereon Also our fruitful bed is green 17 i The Church of Christ which is the house of the living God is both firm and stable built upon the rock and cannot be moved to decay Our glorious house is very strong The beams thereof sweet Cedar tree The rafters firr both lasting long And stand it shall though shaken be Chapter II. 1 I k Christ describes his glorious excellency which the worldling despises but is owned and honoured by the godly Am the rose in Sharon grows Decking each heart that doth me wear And lilly white pure sweet and bright l The heart of the humble and lowly person is a fit habitation for Christ In lowest valleys am found there 2 m The way to heaven is a thorny way sin affliction and wicked men are always as thorns in the sides of the godly As lillys fair when found they are Among the thorns by thorns are rent Yet them exceeds as lillys weeds In beauty bravery sweetness sent So my love she must galled be With vexing thorns which her surround n The spouse and true Church of Christ excels all other assemblies in grace here and shall exceed them in glory hereafter Yet she 's alone and like her none Amongst the daughters can be found 3 o Nor angels nor men comparable to Christ he is the only one that surpasses all other Him I love best excels the rest Of all the sons though ne're so good As apples do the fruits that grow Upon the wild trees of the wood p Christ is a Christians sweet refreshment when most weary and heavy loaden When I am spent what great content I take to sit me down and rest Under the shade which he hath made For weary souls and sore opprest q Every true believer by a living faith doth pluck from this tree of life both remission of sin sanctifying grace inward peace and the comforts of the holy Ghost flow in continually How various are the fruits so rare That on this living tree still grows Their vertu's much there is none such The sweetness he that tasteth knows 4 r Christ in and through his holy appointments affords gracious souls sweet refreshment thereby filling the heart of every true believer with joy and comfort He did me leade my foul to feed With his fine dainties choice and rare Into the place of sweetest grace Where purest joys and comforts are s Christ doth guide preserve and incourage all his servants in what he requires at their hands though they meet with never so many difficulties in the performance For to protect and me direct His banner o're me is display'd When strength abates it animates None fighting under it are dismayd 5 t The comforts of Christ are full satisfying and yield the greatest refreshment to the thirsty soul broken in heart and languishing spirit Let thy comforts be my supports With flagons full me overflow With apples stay me from decay That on the tree of life do grow u The glorious excellencies transcendent beauty and unparallel'd love of Christ doth so deeply strike and wound the heart of a Christian that nothing can cure it but the injoyment and possession of Christ himself Why there is need my heart doth bleed Thy love it gave my heart the wound And wounded I love-sick do lie To cure me none els can be found 6 w The dear embraces of Christ his vehement affection and almighty power is the preservation and restoration of souls when sinking or falen into the lowest state His left hand 's layd under my head To bear it up each day and hour And he doth cover me all over With his right hand of love and power 7 x Each gracious soul will be very careful of displeasing Christ and use all lawfal means to prevent the sins of others and stir them up to their duty Church members all both great smal I charge you as you 'l answer me By roes and hindes or any kindes Of things besides that lovely be That my dear love ye do not move Provoke stir up nor 's spirit greive By evil ways nor till he please Awake him not but still believe 8 y Christs sheep know his voice from a strangers they hear and follow him Lo he appears my soul now hears The voice of my beloved one z When Christ will save his people and destroy his and their enemies he will be both speedy therein and successful Loe he doth come my foes to doom And judge them to perdition He leaps in hast and skips full fast Ore hills and mountains in his way When he will save no let he 'l have Nor enemy to make him stay 9 a The Lord Christ is both ready and present in time of trouble No roe can be more swift then he No hart though young can run so fast b He wayes to be gracious He stands and calls behind our stalls Knocking to let him in at last c And takes a strict survey of all things done whether good or evil Oh do not sin for he looks in As at a window he espies What we are doing while he is shewing Himself so plain to open eyes 10 d The best of Saints have an aptness to and somtimes are found upon the bed of security My best belov'd with mercy mov'd Seeing me sluggish and secure And in my minde to sin inclin'd A thing his grace cannot endure e The voyce of Christ and his gracious call doth strongly move a sleepy soul to arise from sinful rest to have communion with himself He calls and crys to me arise My love my fair one come away Forsake thy rest vain things detest Make hast and have no longer stay 11 f No affliction
spiced wine I 'le make thee drink And of pomgranate juyce for why I think Thou well deserv'st to drink the sweet'st of all Though some once gave thee vinegar and gall 3 e Saints as they want and stand in need of Christs power to support and strengthen them they may be assured to have and injoy in all seasons Now that I may not want my full comfort His left hand shall my feeble head support To chear my heart his right hand shall embrace me That neither sin nor weakness do disgrace me Such close embraces I can tell by trying They will revive a fainting soul a dying 4 f See chap. 2 and 7 ver I charge adjure and do forbid all them That are cal'd daughters of Jerusalem They stir not up my love by wicked ways Nor him awake until himself do please For whosoever doth him so provoke Must feel the force of his most angry stroak 5 g See chap. 3 and 6 ver Oh who is this we cannot but admire That doth ascend and rise up daily higher Out of the desart forlorn wilderness Into a state of happiness and bliss For she both lies and leans and still depends Upon her best belov'd as she ascends She rests she rowls she hopes on him she stays That her upholds and keeps in all her ways h By Jesus Christ all his are spiritually raised from a dead and filthy state to live a new life here and shall by him be rais'd again at the last day When thou wast fal'n my spouse I pittyed thee And rais'd thee from under the apple tree There did thy mother bear and bring thee forth In such uncleannesse as my soul did loath But through my blood and passion thou and she From sin and death are perfectly set free 6 i Christs favours conferd upon Christians are strong obligations to love and thinkfulness Now sith thou hast for me so great things done My heart thou hast for everlasting won And now I beg and pray dear love to be Yet more assur'd how well thou lovest me k To be in and upon the heart of Christ is the great priviledge and earnest desire of every Christian And therefore set me as a seal is set Upon thy heart that thou maist not forget Thy kindness to me and t'free me from harm Set me also as seal upon thine arme l That true divine spiritual love which is shed abroad in the hearts of the saints is powerful conquering and of a durable lasting nature For why the love I bear to thee my dear It is for strength much like the king of fear Whose deadly fatall stroak kills all but I If thou deny my suit for love must dye For like the grave that cruelly devours And every living creature overpowers Such is the zeal and love within my brest It quite consumes me I can have no rest The coals thereof are coals of heavenly fire Whose burning flames do mount my soul up higher This works this shines this upward flys This burning lyes and lives when t'other dyes 7 m There is no calamity misery or affliction no persecution so great that can extinguish the fire of divine loue to Christ Jesus Though men and devils daily go about Thinking to quench extinguish and put out This heavenly flame of love by often trying By feirce affliction whether 't will be dying Though many floods and waters overflow it n The more the Church of Christ is persecuted the more it flourishes The more they seek to quench the more they blow it Into a perfect flame of love divine To him that loves not less for ought that 's mine o Where there is true love to Jesus Christ it will make them to contemn despise yea to hate all things in comparison of him Such is the strength of love and more behold Not pearls nor precious stones nor purest gold Can force or flatter me to be disloyall My love is stronger and can bide the tryal It hates it scorns it loaths that mans great riches Or substance of his house which some bewitches To turn aside yet though 't were offer'd to me I would condemn and put it away from me So high is my resolve I do disdain All things for Christ for whom all loss is gain 8 p True love to Christ draws out the heart to love others also to pitty them pray for them and seek by all means their everlasting wellfare Thus unto thee my love I have exprest And yet with thee alone it must not rest I am constrain'd by it to make petition For our poor sister whose yet low condition Requires thy pitty for she is but small And little too having no brests at all To yeild refreshment oh what shall we do What grace desire what furtherance yeild unto Our little sister for whom 't is our care That she and we at last alike may fare Oh think upon her do her not forget She now is low but thou her time hast set When thou wilt for her speak and somthing say To shew thy grace in her appointed day 9 q The Church of Christ hath a wall for defence a door for entrance admission and exclusion is distinct from others by obedience to Christs laws and holyness surrounded on every side with the never fading mercys and favours of God If that she be a wall for so we would Have her to be then upon her we could As on a firm foundation raise and build Such palaces as silver pure doth yeild Let 's her divide from others by a name And then increase her glory to her fame And if she be or have a door which shows The building perfected as each man knows Oh when we can but see her this compleat Then will we compass her with mercys great Which will endure and are more lasting farr Then all or any boards of cedar are No gates or strength of hell shall once prevail To do her any harm though they assayl Her with great force for she 's the habitation Of him that makes her gates and wals Salvation 10 r Christians are then both amiable and useful when grown well in grace being united by faith and obedience are stedfast and immoveable Now I am grown into a perfect wall Such growth all have that hearken to Christs call My brests like towers they are erected high Others to help my self to beautify Now I am knit unto the corner stone My ground-work's sure and cannot be o'rethrown s Men in a natural state are filthy impure unpolisht rough unlovely but partaking of the grace of God in Christ Jesus unto conversion and faith are most precious and so esteemed by him From that time I found favor in his eyes Though once I was like stones that men despise When they among the rubbish lye unsquar'd Such was my state and so it with me far'd But now being hewn and squar'd and polisht bright I am become so precious in
nor presecution should keep from Christ for they are but for a moment of no continuance The winters blast is gone and past Tempestuous storms no more arise Gods wrathful shours no more he pours On freinds but on his enemies 12 g The hearts of men are like barren earth till planted by the spirit and sown with grace then they are fruitful the flowrs appear shew summer's near h There is a time to mourn a time to rejoyce Saints know it and in due season warble forth Gods praises Each chirping bird doth fit and sing The turtles voice doth make a noise All which bespeak a glorious spring 13 The figtree puts forth her green shoots Her unripe figs are sweetned well The vines also do dangling grow With graps that give forth a good smell Each token says that summer days Are hasting on without delay i though men be unwilling to come yet Christ is not weary to call to them over and over by many moving arguments to come to him Wherefore arise from worldly toys My love my fair one come away 14 k Christs spouse is both harmless and pure neither without presecution nor then without a hiding place in God Now oh my dove what can thee move Sith thou art in the secret stairs And rocky clifts free from the drifts And storms of foes and other fears The barb'rous foes do thee inclose And thou lyest hid in secret place l Faith prayer the best practise very requisite in time of affliction Yet let me hear thy voyce in prayer m Good works joyned with prayer and a conversation becoming the Gospel is acceptable to and lovely in the eye of the Lord Jesus And see the beauty of thy face For there 's no creature hath a feature Like thine so comely to behold Thy praying voice it hath a noise More sweet then by words can be told 15 n Those that hurt the Church by fraud or force doctrine or manners ought to be reproved punished The foxes take that spoyl do make Upon our vines for every tree o The weak and infirm in Christs Church must be cared for for they are equal with others in his love and Favour Young grapes do bear and with great care Such tender plants preserv'd must be 16 p Every true Christian is given up wholy to Christ and by faith makes Christ his own Mine my love is and I am his My all on him I will bestow q Christ is much delighted with the sweet and beautifying graces of his people He rests and feeds not among weeds But where the purest lillys grow 17 r Till Christ the sun of glory break in upon a soul it sits in darkness and shadows of death Whilst it is night and till the light Of day do break it grow clear Whilst shady clowds the brightness shrouds Till they disperse and thou appear s The true Church begs Christs speedy and special presence to support her under all her pressures and to put an end to all differences Be like a roe young hart or doe On mountains where divisions are Turn dearest one and be thou known Of me to take a special care CHAP. III. 1 t Carnal security will give Christ cause to withdraw and hide himself WHen I had lost the present sight u True love is always working and puts thee upon to seek for Christ when withdrawn Of him whom my soul loveth best I sought him in the darksom night His absence gave me such unrest I sought him and must seek him still be found at first he seldome will 2 x That soul that makes Christ her beloved will rise and rouze up to seek him without delay I will arise up from my ease And seek my love in every street w Falne Christians are not easily restor'd and those that do desert Christ do not quickly see the light of his countenance shining upon them y Christ is not always found in those places that men seek him in yet must we not leave to seek him in any of his appointments From thence I 'le pass to the broadways To seek him where the assemblies meet I sought him there to please my mind But seeking there him could not finde 3 Thus restless I still wandring was z Sometimes gratious souls wanting Christ do enquire for him of those that know not how to direct to him Till by the watchmen I was found As they along the City pass Tending their watch walking the round To whom I said for grace did move Saw ye him whom my soul doth love 4 a We must leave men and their devices and wayt upon the Lord in his own ways and he will soon discover manifest himself gratious to us No answer good they gave to me Direction from them I had none How my soul satisfi'd should be But when I left them and was gone Away from them a little time I found him that was wholly mine b We must hold what we have of Christ stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free When I of him fast hold had caught Again I would not let him go c A Christian desires to enjoy Christ in the inner man mostly and to see his goings in his sanctuary also Till my late-found dear love was brought My mothers dwelling house into And till my souls most secret place Were lodging chambers for his grace 5 * Every true Christian hath a care lest he should offend Christ and will use his best endeavour that others also do neither provoke nor displease him Ye daughters of Jerusalem I charge you have a special care By roes and hindes and each of them Or other things that lovely are That ye wake not by wicked ways Nor stir my love untill he please 6 d Those souls delivered from a lost and bewilder'd estate by Christ their redeemer must needs rise up heaven-ward in fervency of spirit and dear affection What glorious one oh who is this Like smoaky pillars doth ascend Out of the desart wilderness Sure 't is my love my dove my freind e The prayers praises and all the spiritual sacrifices of Saints are exceeding sweet when perfumed by the intercession of Christ the mediator Who 's all persumd as it is meet With mirrh and frankincense so sweet 7 f Each true believer beds his beloved in his bosome which is Christ Jesus Behold the bed that bed of his The great and mighty Solomon Each gratious heart a lodging is For him to take his rest upon g A Christians priviledge is to be kept by Christ and he as a good souldier doth resist the adversary There valiant Israelites and stout Compass this princely bed about 8 h Gods people have many enemies to withstand are always in danger to be surpriz'd and therefore have need of skilfulness and courage As valiant so they many are They
him Now Jonah doth arise away he gets And toward Niniveh his face he sets He trudges on regards not wind nor weather Nor takes not up his rest till he come thither For God had strictly charg'd him by his word And now his care is therewith to accord Men for their sins do often feel the rod And heavy hand of a displeased God Observ from Jonah's hasting now to perform what God gave him in charge Before affliction comes they go astray But learn by it their master to obey Now this same great Assirian city where The prophet with his sermon must appear It was exceeding great greater then other And of all cities well might be the mother It was so long so broad spacious and wide Three days to travail it from side to side Might be a journey for a man most fit For so recorded 't is in holy writ Besides some say that humane histories Do make report some say they are not lies That threescore miles would but this city round And fifteen hundred towrs in it were found The walls in height full thirty yards and more The like was surely never seen before The bredth o' th walls was equal to the rest They say two chariots might well pass in brest And space enough for divers left between Such walls in height and breadth besides nere seen And sixscore thousand infants were found there As the next chapter makes it to appear Unto this city mighty and of fame At last full tir'd and weary Ionah came Passes the streets one day begins to thunder Out his unwelcome news makes them to wonder And stand like men afright with gastly fear Their ears do tingle at the news they hear With fainting fits th' are ready to drop down Each tells another news that 's come to town All thus alarm'd they stand as in a maze And every one at other seems to gaze The larum runs apace through every street And all that hear tell others whom they meet For Jonah went along with dolefull cry Yet fourty days and then God will destroy This city great then he will overthrow it And charg'd me straitly unto you to show it To threaten you with judgment I was sent My errand I have said repent repent If that a hand appear but on the wall Debaucht Belshazers countenance will fall His joynts unloose his knees together dash Observ from the Ninivits disponding as the judgment threatned by Jonah When God puts forth his rod to scourge and slash Oppressing Pharoahs heart it will come down When God in ferious manner 'gins to frown Let churlish Nabal hear what might come on His heart within him 's cold like to a stone The proud and lofty Ninivites do fear When God in threatned wrath doth but appear The wicked great proud persecuting ones That naught regard the poor mans sighs and groans If God come forth and beare his powerfull arme And cause his trumpet give them one alarm When time is not and judgment cannot stay Their hearts do faint and fainting melt away Much more proud wretches when they once do feel The force and smart of his sharp-glitt'ring steel The Ninivits no sooner heard the word And dreadfull judgments threatned by the Lord But they believe him and think he had sent Jonah to warn each person to repent Wherefore they do agree with one accord To turn from sin unto the living Lord And to prepare them fitly for the same A Solemn fast the people do proclame Of pleasant food they will not now partake Their joviall feasting they do now forsake Of dainty delicates they tast no more Instead of mirth and musick now they roar Each face grows pale and blackness now doth gather Instead of play and sports now they had rather Sit in the dust with heavy sighs and groans And tears in eyes to heaven making moans Their brave attire and gorgeous rich aray In which they proudly deckt themselves each day Their broydred shining garments and such things As hoods and cauls their jewels and their rings Are layd aside by all and there is none That doth adventure now to put them on Instead whereof they put dust on their head And sackcloth on each person now is spread Wherewith to cloath themselves now they think fit And all in sable wise in ashes sit Their eyes distill their cheeks are wet with tears And hearts no doubt are swallowed up with fears when Jona had scarce three days mongst them taught His sermons on them wonderfully wrought Observ from the Ninivits believing Jonah and humbling themselves May be he preacht three years in Israel And 's Sermons never wrought on them so well when God puts forth his power mens hearts to reach They soon are toucht with what his prophets preach And when they lye under a fearfull sentence O then or never they fall to repentance And then great present changes will be found Yet such repentances ate seldome sound When men repent for fear or smart o' th rod T is more for love to self then love to God No sooner did this news arive at court But then their king leaves of his princly sport This mighty monarch glorious and high Descends the throne of his great majesty His golden chayne and kingly robe so royall He now puts off and puts on self deniall He rents his cloaths and sits in ashes too And now the king doth as his subjects do In heavy sackcloath he is humbly drest Expressing grief thereby as do the rest This heathen king Observ from the heathens kings patient reception of Jonah's sad tidings takes all full patiently Though judgment judgment still was Ionah's cry He neither frets nor fumes nor rails nor rages As others that have liv'd in clearer ages Who would imprison him that tidings brought Of their destruction but he 's better taught May all in power and place learn to submit And hear the rod and him that 'pointed it Now with consent of all his nobles great That do attend upon his royall seat His privy Counsel great Assirian Lords With whom in this sad junto he accords Be it enacted let it be decreed That from this time not any one do feed On any thing their natures do sustain But from all kind of food they do refrain Our pleasure is nor good nor bad they tast So long as this our royall act doth last Let all take notice both the great and least Not men alone we say but every beast And flock and heard that grazeth in the feild To gain the succour grass and herbs do yield Shall tast no food nor water drink no more Untill for pining want each beast doth roar With bellowing cry that they may us excite To lay aside all pleasures and delight To weep and wayle and mournfully lament Thereby to signify we do repent O what is sin so much to be abhor'd Observ from not only sinfull man repenting but the beasts of the feild mourning also O it is sin so
thee Lord hear me While I expostulate the case with thee Have I not cause to be in angry mood Was any man so serv'd that ever stood His credit with thy glory to maintain If none were so then well may I complain Ere I went out of my own countrey dear This was the very thing that I did fear Not only fear it but I said it too For why I thought full well what thou wouldst do Thou would not bring to pass what I must say And preach and cry aloud at Niniveh I thought full sure that thou wouldst soon repent Yet to denounce their doom I must be sent I know O Lord what these men now do find That thou art gracious mercifull and kind Full slack thou art and slow pac'd unto wrath But winged speed always thy mercy hath And if a people truly do lament For sin and do reform thou wilt repent Consid'ring then it would not be avoided By heathen ones thy word would be derided And my ambassage too they would despise And say I thundred out a heap of lies For which so saying I must bear the blame And be cal'd prophet false to my great shame This is the reason it seems right to mee Why formerly to Tarshish I did flee And thou hast judg'd it for a heinous crime But whos 's the fault whether 't is thine or mine These things so sadly do my spirits grieve No earthly thing O Lord will me releive It is far better for me for to dye And in the dust in silent darkness lye Then longer live sith nothing but disgrace My portion is whilst I am in this place I do beseech thee let my life expire And take it from me that is my desire Thus when fond passion sways and goes uncurb'd The minds of men thereby are soon disturb'd Soon out of order gotten out of frame Observ from Jonah's pettish choosing death rather then life because God did not act according to his mind They glory in the things should be their shame The Lord in patience all this while did bear With Jonah's angry passion and did hear His words reflecting on his Majesty Yet like a loving father passes by His great offence seeing him frais and weak Did thus in gentle manner to him speak How now what Jona darst thou angry prove Dost thou not think it will my patience move How darst thou once presume to be so bold Dost think with wickedness that I will hold Or dost thou think that this is well in thee Oh wondrous strange what Jonah angry be Did not my mercy and my justice strive To kill thee els for to keep thee alive Hast thou forgot how mercy did thee save When justice would the whale should be thy grave Mercy prevaild and thou canst not deny it Then cease thine anger canst thou justify it Hast thou not learnd and been taught in the schools That anger resteth in the best of fools Thus God in goodnesse labour'd to convince The pettish prophet of his foul offence Observ from Gods patience and forbearance though provokt by Jonah Imputing all to his infirmities As parents do to children whom they prize Jonah is angry yet it did not move God to be angry cause he did him love So great is love love cannot finde its like So great is love love spares when it should strike So great is love not easy to provoke Love suffers long before it give one stroke So great is love so high and broad it grows It covers sins all multitudinous Now Jonah had a longing great desire To see th'vent when th' forty days expire For at this time he would not come to know Whether God would destroy them yea or no Perhaps for one or other end God may The execution of the judgment stay For this a maxim is receiv'd of many Forbearance never yet acquitted any Out of the city great and populous Jonah departs and now away he goes And when he came to th' east side of the town He goes not further but there sits him down He makes a booth and in it is his seat The shade thereof defends him from the heat Untill the truth of falshood shall be tride Of his late message there he doth abide But now perhaps soon after he comes thither His booth he made begins to dry and wither The Country's hot the sun with mighty heat On Jonah's head continually did beat By reason of which heat his soul is greiv'd Then God in mercy wills he be releiv'd The Lord 's a present help in time of trouble And mercy upon mercy he doth double And treble too Observ from Gods compassion providing shelter to releive Jonah always in time of need His power and pitty is put forth with speed To save and succour his distressed ones His bowels yearn to hear their sighs and groans Fear we not then in depths of misery To help us then 's his oportunity For he then brought an herb out of the earth Turns Jonah's sorrow into pleasant mirth A mighty plant he quickly made to grow With boughs and branches on it high and low That they might shade and shelter him all over And from the scorching heat be Jonah's cover Under the shadow of it he doth rest Thinking thereby that he is greatly blest Such great refreshment he hath lately found In his new house springing out of the ground He doth rejoyce he is exceeding glad So great his joy is all the grief he had Sustaind by reason of the heat before Seemeth as though he thought on it no more A suddain change begets experience sad To day he mourns that yesterday was glad His suddain joys are turn'd to suddain greif His plant it dyes that gave him such relief For now alas before he was aware In readinesse a worm God did prepare Who with his sharp teeth and his cruel jaws As bit with hunger eagerly he gnaws Who smote the gourd and now the gourd is dead And with it Jonah's joys are withered Such is the nature of all earthly things Which for a while so great contentment brings They fade they vanish perish and decay Observ from the withering of Jonah's gourd shewing the fickle state of all things With winged haste th' are gone and passe away Th' are but a puff a blast a watry bubble That soon is gone or like a fiery stubble That in a moment is consum'd and past Or like a post that on the way makes hast Or like the dusky clouds that break before The sun appears and then are seen no more Or like the flower or herb or fruit that 's sown That wither will as soon as it is mown Or like the vapours drawn into the ayr Or like the thing that 's gone when 't doth appear Such are the things in which men take such pleasure And too too much account their chiefest treasure The sweetest joys that are upon the earth Are dying still so soon as they draw breath To day they are injoy'd but