and in a prudent way delivers her self from it Thy nose is like the tower Of Lebanon so high From whence the foes great power From Siria men did spy Thou cry'st arm arm Lest enemies when they do rise Should do thee harm 5 i Christ is the head of his Church he both rules and governs her is also her defence and glory Thy head that ruleth well The rest of thy body Is like unto Carmel In glorious dignity Thy hair also Upon thy head like purple red Doth neatly grow k The spiritual glory which Christ hath put upon his Church is a thing that holds him in continual delight and greatest pleasure The beauty which thou hast It doth me captivate That I am held full fast In a delightful state Of sweetest pleasure Each sight of thee affecteth me Above all measure 6 l Christ still affected with the Churches beauty continues or rather renews his praises of her How fair art thou my dear For pleasure of each kinde Such beauty any where I yet could never finde I must admire Thy comelines which I profess My heart doth fire 7 m The Church of Christ holds fast what she has received will grow in grace and spiritually flourish though adversarys rise up against her to depresse keep down or root her up Thy stature's like the tree Whereon the palms do grow That flourishing will be Though men will keep it low Like grapes well fild Thy brests are such and comfort much To souls they yeild 8 n Christ being ascended on high will have a special eye to his Church preserve her from evil comfort in and under her trouble and make her abundantly fruitful in good To th' palm-tree I will go For it is my decree To comfort mine and to Protect and oversee Each bough so green I 'le take and dress that fruitfulnesse May there be seen o Those cannot be barren but abandant in all good fruit over whom Christ hath a spiritual eye with whom he is in sweet Communion Like clusters of the vine Now shall thy brests be such There is not one of mine But fruit is yeelding much They do abound In heavenly grace that have my face And favour found p Those that are faithful labourers in the Lords work shall not be without honour here and a great reward hereafter Thy nose like apples sweet Doth send it's smell abroad Great fame is for them meet That watch the flock of God Their memory It shall be blest when they in rest And silence lye 9 q Saints of all sorts have learn'd the language of Canaan their mouths fild with words full of goodnesse speeches gracious tending to edify all that hear them The pallate of thy mouth Is like the purest wine Thy words are for thy growth And edifying mine It glads their heart And doth enlive like wine revive Them in each part r The word of the Lord is quick and powerful of a piercing dividing discerning nature so known to those that feel the vertue thereof How efficacious then Are words thou givest forth They please me and all men That tast their precious worth Their power is much If men digest what 's soundly prest Their souls to touch s Those that have tasted of the good word of the Lord and felt the working power thereof will not cannot be be silent but declare to others what God hath done for their souls For it the sleep doth break Of those that sleepy are Causing their lips to speak In praises and in prayer They 'l publish soon And tell abroad the things that God For them hath done 10 t When souls partake of the sweetness of Christs love they are then caryed forth to give up themselves to him becoming wholy his Now my assurance is From it I 'le not be mov'd That I am wholy his That is my best belov'd And yet more see His whole desire which I admire Is toward me 11 u Christ is a Christians best companion whose presence they beg and â—â—ize above all things else Now come with me my dear Let 's go into the field w Gospel fruit is most pleasing to and acceptable to Christ Jesus The fruit that 's gathe'rd there Doth great contentment yeild x The poor low and humble in spirit and places mean and poor are fit receptacles for Jesus Christ Let 's lodge and rest In places poor for they full sure By thee are blest 12 y Those souls that have miscarryed and are once humbled for it will be diligent for time to come Oh let us rise betime And to the vinyards go Much sleeping was the crime That made my heart full wo Let 's up and see Though some repines whether the vines Flourishing be z The stronger the Christians are and most indued with grace the greater care will they have of those that are weak and tender in the growth of Christianity Whether the grape so young And tender be in growth And pomgranate among The other fruits bud forth a All that the saints have or can do is too little for Christ hence it is they resigne all they have unto him who is worthy of more then they have or can give There I am free For to resigne all that is mine My loves to thee 13 b The saints are always ready and prepared with oyl in their lamps furnisht with all things excellent to meet and entertain Christ Jesus The mandraks sweetly smell And at our gates be there Such things as most execl And for thee ready are Fruits of all kinde That can be told both new and old Thou maist there finde c Saints do all they do for and unto Christ have received of his fullnesse and return to him and lay up for him as it is their duty obedience thankfulnesse and love Which I lay up and save As in a treasure The choycest that I have Is not too good for thee None can me move But had I more I would it store For my dear love CHAP. VIII 1 a The Church of Christ is ever desirous Communion with him do readily embrace him cheerfully obey him not mattering the worlds reproaches OH that thou werst even as my brother dear That suckt the brests of her that did me bear Where I should find thee there I would thee kiss And should not be despis'd a jot for this 2 b Christians having found and layd hold on Christ hold him fast will not let him go still desirous of his presence I would thee lead and bring thee to no other But to the mansions of my own sweet mother Thither full readily I will conduct thee c The truths of Christ for instruction correction and comfort are And there full readily she will instruct me d Kept and to be found in his Church every true Christian hath the pure juyces of faith obedience and love to please and delight Christ There of pure
fast they bind To praise the Lord that sav'd them from the deep And all their day's this vow they mean to keep When God in wond'rous manner doth appear And to mens souls in mercy doth draw near Observ from the sea-mens devoting themselves to God When he puts forth his power to touch the heart Men are made willing from their sins to part Till by the fear of God their souls are mov'd They will not leave what they so long have lov'd But when Gods power doth form a creature new The divel world and flesh they bid adieu They break their bonds with them that tied them fast And cleave to God with purposes to last Come view the care and providence of God Who though he did chastice with 's angry rod Yet mercy shews when justice might take place And after frowns shews forth a pleasant face And now to satisfy his love and care A mighty whale before hand did prepare For to devour and in devouring save His belly now it must be Jonah's grave In which dark vault the Lord did him imbarque Three days and nights as safe as in an arke Where deaths black terrors do surround his soul His passing bell in 's eare doth always toul Where now we leave him thus begirt with fear Till in another wonder God appear CHAP. II. The Argument How Jonah unto God did pray Now he is in his grave God heard and in a wondrous way How he did Jonah save NOw see how good afflictions often prove They are not only tokens of Gods love Observa from Jonah's reducement by his affliction Sins past correct and future sins prevent But for some other causes they are sent The wandring roving steps for to bring back And quicken souls to dutyes that are slack Then Jona in the depth of misery Who seeks not God in time of liberty But runs and flees and hides him from his face Doth now cry to him in this dismal case He now is cast into deaths darksome bed It s sable curtains wrap about his head The king of terrour terrible appears And Jonah's heart doth melt away with fears Out of the fishes belly Jonah's grave Jonah had hope that God would Jonah save His faith begetteth prayer he prays in faith And to the Lord his God these words he saith When faith gets strength and hope takes ancor hold The soul that feard before doth now grow bold With great and greivous troubles being prest He knocks at heavens gates and will not rest Until his suit do finde acceptance there And gracious answer be return'd to prayer Hee 'l seek hee 'l sue hee 'l cry and not give ore Till God do open what was shut before Oh Lord my soul is brought into distress I have deserv'd it yet a great deal lesse Then what I do deserve I undergo Thou art a gracious God then mercy show 'T was my affliction great that made me cry And 't was thy mercy t' hear so speedily My earnest sute thou didst it not say nay When I out of this hellish grave did pray Thou heardest me when I thy face had sought And thou hast for me great salvation wrought No labor 's lost when we are in distresse To make to heaven by humble addresse With hearts all melting Observa from the good success Jonah had in turning cleaning to God in his affliction broken and contrite A thing in which God takes so much delight When in this frame of spirit we make sute To God alone in Christ then that will do 't When we confesse our sins with grief and shame And do reform our lives the flesh to tame Such blest endeavours never proves in vain Though God were gone it brings him back again 'T was not the seamen but it was the Lord That took me up and cast me overboard They did fulfil even as thou Lord didst please 'T was thou by them cast me into the seas Into the midst and heart of them where those Proud waters did me secretly inclose The floods the seas rais'd high with winde and tide They do encompass me on every side All thy proud billows which do mount on high At thy command yet else do smoothly lye And towring waves which I poor fool alas Thought to get ore yet now all ore me pass When gracious souls are brought under the rod That is i' th hand of a displeased God Observation from Jonah's looking at the hand of the Lord and not at the instrument be made use of Nor this nor that who is the instrument But God they eye who hath affliction sent Not like the dog that gnawing is the stone Regarding not the hand by which it s thrown And then I said for I was in great fear And lab'ring was betwixt hope and despair The darknesse having dim'd the clearest light Then said I Lord I 'm cast out of thy sight Yet notwithstanding all the grace thou hast Seemeth to me as if 't were lockt up fast And that no beam of light I can espy Yet will I look again with stedfast eye Toward thy temple and that holy place Where Lord thou promist hast to shew thy face Two contraries are in the best of men The party vanquisht Observa from the warr between the flesh and spirit in the best fain would rise again The flesh and spirit do oppose each other The elder 's loth to serve the younger brother Great contestation is twixt faith and doubt Hopeless despair strives hard true faith to rout These two opponents bicker in the feild Nor one nor other of these two will yeild Till faith puts forth at last and striketh home With blows that doubting fear do overcome A man that 's brought into a woful state Will oftentimes his misery relate And will enlarge himself to tell his grief Thinking by telling it to finde relief So Jonah does his misery repeat And says the water 's plentiful and great They did inviron me they did me wrap As swadling bands the babe in mothers lap Three days and nights they do about me roul And deaths black herse encompasses my soul The waters deep were dayly ore me spread And stinking weeds did wrap about my head Unto the bottome of the mountains steep Then I went down still fathoming the deep Sometimes I was aloft upon the main And soon plungd down into the depths again I was in prison and the earth did barr me And horrid fears do every minute scar-me For ever hopeless to set foot on shore Unlesse thou by a wonder me restore Yet thou O Lord my God was pleas'd to save And brought my life again up from the grave That cruel corrupt loathsome stinking pit Where death had almost swallow'd me in it There 's no condition that can be so sad Observa from Jonah's obtaining deliverance and his thankfulnesse for the same Nor state of man that ever was so bad There is no burden can so heavy lye Nor vexing grief nor pressing misery But
that the king of glory may enter in My well-beloved put His hand in at the door And opened what I shut That kept him out before n The more a soul feels and discerns Christ in his most inward workings the more it is inflam'd with love to Christ less love to self and greif for former failings O rare effect My bowels move for my dear love And my neglect 5 o Where there is true repentance that soul is rouzd up from sleepy security and is found readily and graciously acting the thing that is good When I did rise and stir To open to my dear My hands did drop with mirrh That on the lock was there who ' f grace partake Those souls will never want endeavor When once awake 6 p Christ being slighted and neglected withdraws his spiritual presence and so leaves a soul in darkness and misery I opened now in huste It was no time to stay But now the time is past My lover 's gone away A just reward For he that su'd and beg'd and woo'd Had no regard q A refusing the sweet and gracious words of Christ when seriously considered will break the heart with sorrow But when I heard him speak My soul did melt away That heart with grief must break That ever said him nay r Those that stop their ears when Christ calls unto them they shall cry and call yea his own dear ones for a time and not be heard I sought in vain My prayers and crys he still denys To entertain 7 The watchmen they are found Of whom I look't for ayd They smote me and my wound By them was deeper made Each one of those That did pretend to be my friend are turn'd my foes t Sinful security breaks the Churches staves of beauty and bands robs her both of her glory and defence exposes to great shame and misery The keepers of the walls They took my vail away What mischeif them befalls That err and go astray Alack alack How soon our fame is turn'd to shame When we draw back 8 u Vnder spiritual desertions there is want of consolation 't is a mercy to have the faithful to pray for us and our duty to call in for their help Jerus'lems daughters ye That loving be and kinde Who seek in the right way That you my love may finde w Love and zeal warm the heart the prayers of the faithful are fervent and so avail much I charge ye when Your hearts desire ascends in fire To minde me then x A gracious soul languishing in love to Christ grieves for former neglect longs to be sensible of reconciliation to Christ calls and cries to the faithful to present in prayer its sad condition to him Oh tell him be ye sure That I am sick of love My heart cannot endure Unless his bowels move For though I were To slumber bent and negligent My heart 's sincere 9 y The more a Christian knows of Christ the more he desires and longs to know him and therefore enquires of those that have experience what beauty loveliness excellency glory and worth they see know and have found to be in him Why what is thy belov'd More then another is That thou so much art mov'd For this absence of his Why dost so charge Is he of worth then set thou forth His praise at large 10 z Those that are affected with Christ spiritual glory and have tasted the sweetness that is in him are fittest to describe it to others and will fully and freely communicate what they know feel and are affected with that others may love and admire him as themselves My wel-beloved then Which ravisht hath my heart Chief of ten thousand men Is glorious in each part A mixture fine Of red and white to breed delite In him doth shine 11 His head whereon he wears And 's glistering crown doth hold In glory it appears Much like the finest gold His locks together Are bushy set as black as jet Or ravens feather 12 a Christ is meek humble holy perfectly pure who cannot look on sin with the least allowance teaching us hereby that as he is so should we be in this world As are the eyes of doves In springs that take delight So are his eyes who loves No evil in his sight His gentle eyes With milk are wet and even set Impartiall-wife 13 b The face of Christ is transcendantly comly blest are all such who live in the light of his countenance and whose souls are sweetned and delighted with his presence His cheeks much like the bowers Or beds of spices are The sweetest of all flowers With his may not compare c The words of Christ have a distastful relish to the misled sinner but to the obedient believer are pure precious being hid in his heart preserves it from all rottenness corruption sin and filth whatsoever His lips distills Sweet smelling mirh sure none can err Whose heart it fills 14 d Christ is alway ready abundantly to supply the wants of his people and to help them by his power in time of need His hands like to gold rings Set with a precious stone The choycest of good things He freely gives his own e Christs Compassions are great to all and his heart is most affectionately set upon his own humble and holy ones His belly much Like ivory bright with saphirs dight And heart is such 15 f Christ by his almighty power hath overcome and vanquisht all for the good and sakes of his and they shall vanquish and overcome all that opposes them by the same power of the Lord Jesus His legs his feet and thighs Like marble pillars are Whereon such strength there lies None may with it compare And more behold His feet are set in sockets neat Of finest gold g The spiritual glory of Christ surpasses all glory beheld only by those whose eyes are open'd to look into those abstruse and hidden things of the Gospel His countenance whereon To look doth dim the eye Is like to lebanon Sweet glorious comely high It doth excell The cedars tall and also all That tongue can tell 16 h Every word proceeding from the mouth of Christ was a word of grace peace and comfort and sweeter then the honey comb Most gracious are his words That from his mouth distils Great comfort it affords Each gracious heart it fils i Christ in every part absolutly perfect or the rare and excellent perfection of Christ is all that a gracious soul can desire ravishing the heart of a true believer my whole desires He is alone and there is none My heart so fires CHAP. VI. 1 a A powerful and plain description of Christ drawn out to the life in truth and reallity is of great efficacy or Christ powerfully preacht to the hearts and consciences of men is of great force to draw them out to enquire and seek after him WHere
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.
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
more acceptable then the choicest of things My sister spouse thy love is wondrous fair And in my eye beyond all imitation The choicest wines that ever were or are Like thy love are not in my estimation q Saints have received of the anoynting from the father who by diffusion into all actions spiritual civil makes them have a fragrant and sweet savour every where Thy oyntments smells so odoriferous The sweetest spice is not so sweet as those 11 r The words of the Lord in the mouths of his servants are not only pure precious and sweet in themselves but also pleasing to God and profitable to them that receive them Thy lips drop like an honey combe my spouse Each open eare thy gracious words are filling Beneath thy tongue honey and milke it flows Much like a fountain pleasantly distiling s Christs righteousness is the saints rayment and spiritual clothing who by faith puts it on is of incomparable redolency admirable sweetness The garments pure that I have put thee on Smels sweeter then the scent of Labanon 12 t The Church of Christ is as a garden fruitfull and delectable beset with enemies on each side yet encompast with the power and presence of Christ so that they cannot waste nor spoyle it Thou art a garden both for fruit and flower My sister spouse a garden well inclos'd And fenc'd with walls of my almighty power T'keep thee from foes to which thou art expos'd u In the Church of Christ there doth always rise up a fresh-spring of spiritual life and grace from Christ the head to water and refresh it A spring shut up a fountain sealed casting Up waters in thee to life everlasting 13 w Those plants set by Christ fenc'd by his power and watered by his grace cannot be barren but bring forth much fruit by which the father is glorifyed here and they with the father and son glorifyed hereafter Thy plants an orchard of pomegranats are Thy branches are a paradice of pleasure All sorts of fruits most excellent and rare Are found in thee without compare and measure Camphire with spiknard oh what fruits are growing There where my grace is always overflowing 14 x Christ out of his fulness doth communicate freely abundantly and in divers kinds his graces to his Church so that nothing can be wanting for his edification and comfort There 's spikenard sweet and cordiall saffron too Mirh aloes calamus and cinamon All trees of frankincense in it do grow Each thing it hath a precious operation Her spices choice for vertue for worth Nor man nor angels tongue can set them forth 15 A garden full of fountains precious pure y Christ the living fountain set open for sin and uncleanness is to be found in his Church with grace in abundance ready and willing to supply succour support and comfort every soul that waits for him A well of living waters springing still Each sinful sickly silthy soul to cure And all are cal'd to wash and drink that will And as the streams do flow from Lebanon So flows all streams of grace from Christ alone 16 z A gracious soul doth earnestly desire and much long after the powerful workings of the spirit of Christ producing its divers yet all glorious effects in the soul Breath holy spirit on my garden now That every spicy flower may bloome and spread a Nor will expect solid sound comfort before some Gospel breakings and spiritual castings down For as the north-wind thou mak'st me to bow And with thy southern gales lifts up my head b From Christ we have all of his fulness we receive we must therefore return him his own for it is not ours or that from as but his own and that which proceeds from himself that is acceptable to him Come my beloved I have thee invited And eat the fruit in which thou art delighted CHAP. V. 1 a The prayers of saints are very prevailing Christ is prone and ready to hear no sooner can we call but we have our answer NOw I am come my spouse Into my garden gay Thy call it did me rouse I hear when thou dost pray It doth suffice b Christ doth inable and impower his people to labour and bring forth pious pure precious fruits of faith love holynesse self-denyal and suffering for his sake all very pleasant unto him I gather'd have that which I gave my mirrh with spice c No comb of wantingness weaknes imperfection in grace or dutys can harm the saints while there is the honey of sweet sincerity and truth of grace to be found Oh with what great delight My honey comb I eat And feed my appetite With sucking honey sweet And though the best May fail or fall yet sincere all Of them are blest d As wine and milk are to us so the pure holy sincere services of saints are unto Christ My wine and milk together Being my delightful fare I took and drunk for neither Of them that I can spare e Christ prepares his table sets on his spiritual daintys invites his friends and feasts their souls with his fat things in great abundance Sure 't none offends That ye eat such with me drink much That are my freinds 2 f A gracious soul is ever sensible of its security and will ingenuously confess it I sleep and slug which makes Me sorely to complain g Findes an opposition between flesh spirit the part regenerate and wakefull heart is always working upward towards Christ though lust and the part unregenerate would refrain But yet my heart it wakes Though lust would it restrayn h Christs sheep both know and hear the voice of Christ which doth powerfully awaken and rouze up the sloathful sleepy soul His voyce doth move Who knocks and says clear thou my ways My spotlesse dove i When Christ begs and sues for admission he gives power to open it is then the wisdom and duty of every Christian to let him in Oh let me enter in And lodge within thy breast Ingratitude 's thy sin Receive me as thy guest k The more and greater things Christ hath suffred for us the greater obligation lyes upon us to love and serve him and the greater is the sin to refuse and neglect him For my head 's fill'd With dews of wet and vapours great Cold night doth yeild 3 l Man is apt to frame vain excuses and cast in small obstructions to prevent the kindly entertainment of Christ though the chiefest of ten thousand and none so worthy to be received I am disrobed quite And may not take the cold My feet are washen white If I rise they 'le be foulld I 'le take my ease Sad are the shifts when fleshly drifts Are flesh to please 4 m When Christ puts forth his spiritual power he breaks in sunder the strongest bars sets wide open the closest heart and makes way
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
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
much provoks the Lord To punish man and beast not man alone But for the sins of men the creatures groane The sinless beast nor need nor can repent Yet with the sinner needs they must lament May sinful man stand then all in a maze When on the sinless creature he doth gaze Groaning with grief for the just God therein Shews how he is displeas'd with men for sin And further by the foresaid thority We do decree and to all signify That every man put off his rich aray And every beast his ornaments this day This darksome day wherein none can be glad Let man and beast in sackcloath rough be clad And while that all thus sadly mourning ly Let every one to God lift up his cry With earnest powerful prayers now make your suit For weak nor feigned prayers now will not do 't By sins we have displeased God on high And if he shew not mercy we must dy We guilty are of many great offence And most of all we have us'd violence Within this city it cleaves to our hands Let 's clense our selves from it now he commands And with our prayers tears outward mourning Let every of us from our sins be turning When thus by king and Counsel 't was decreed Signed and seal'd Observ from the kings decree for repentance and hast to the execution thereof it hasts with winged speed It flys abroad and runs through every street Each tels another of it whom they meet For why it was proclaimed in his name And heralds fit to execute the same Where true repentance gods there goes confession Repentance true nere goes without contrition Self judging too repentance doth call in Whereby t' escape Gods judgments due for sin Unfained prayer doth assistance lend And reformation life for to amend For where â—mendment joyns with hearty grief Hope may be had that it will bring relief And cary'd on with strength of resolution To spend and hast the work to execution The penitent he can no longer stay But meets an angry God half on his way When God against him comes tho's pace be flack He mends his pace and runs to turn him back But now behold what mov'd this heathen king To constitute ordain appoint this thing It was not only thoughts of present fear But God in mercy also might appear For who can tell sayth he or who doth know Whether this city he will overthrow If we persist not on but do repent May be for this end Jona he was sent Perhaps returning we shall mercy finde For I have heard to mercy hee 's inclin'd We do not know therefore let us make tryal But if we turn from sin and be found loyal But God may turn away from his feirce wrath And will repent of what the prophet hath Pronounc'd against us that we may not dy Although he says that he will us destroy Gods mercys great Observ from the Ninivâ—â—s encouragement to turn of to God because he is a mercyfull God they â—ave bâ—en eveâ— found Good ancre-hold for souls hopes surest ground Poor sinner when at loss then do make bold To graspe at mercy and there take fast-hold 〈…〉 â—oul to save from horrid desperation 〈…〉 get a blessed expectation 〈…〉 means for to escape the fire 〈…〉 â—nkindled wrath and burning ire Mercy to finde yet 't is but peradventur Thy soul had wasted all thy mercy lent-her And now it 's come to this I do not know Whether I shall finde mercy yea or no What though it be to thee a doubtful thing Thy soul into the hands of mercy fling Concerning Niniveh see how 't appears Who now sit mourning all bedew'd with tears Nor mirth nor musick heard not one is glad But every one in hairy sackcloath clad Yet this is judg'd to be the smallest part Of works that manifest a trve convert With it they turn'd from all their evil ways God saw they did it and they did him please For 't is not sorrow much nor protestation Gainst sin that pleaseth God but reformation The evils all God said he would do to them Are now remov'd and turned away from them They are suspended upon this condition That they amendment joyned with contrition For the most gratious God repents of what He said that he would do and does it not Great is the force of faith and true repentance Though judgment passe Observ from Gods forbearing to punish upon their turning to him it will reverce the sentence When sin is left that sinful souls beguiles Gods frowns are turned into pleasant smiles His threatned judgments often are suspended When as the people threatned are amended CHAP. IV. The Argument How Jonah's angry cause the word He preacht had not success As he would have God by a gourd Reproves his foolishnesse BUt now when Jona saw the strange event His sermon had it made him discontent He now is angry and doth take displeasure His anger 's great and doth excel all measure He frets he pets he peevishly fume o◠〈◊〉 bluâ— Cause God does not as he will have â—nâ— do For God repents the Sirians scapt his â—and And enemies they 'l be to Judahs land May Jonah think and so his country men Abundantly had fared better then If they had been destroy'd as was the word That Jonah preached to them from the Lord. Blinde â—eal and carnal ends do oft misguide The best of men and cause them turn aside Time after time Observ frow Jonah's bâ—ing angry at the Lords sparing Niniveh their lust they will fulfil If God his actions steare not as they will Self would be serv'd whether God will or no If God say yea self never will say so Gods will and mans each other oft opose 'T is hard for mans with Gods will for to close What this is strange a prophet be displeas'd That to'ards a people God is now apeas'd And shews them mercy whom he might destroy Turning their days of mourning into joy Can any soul but Jonas be offended Instead of judgment to see grace extended But that 's not all why Jonah he is crost His fame his name and honour now is lost To be a prophet false he is afraid Lest that among them such a thing be said And now unto the Lord he doth address Himself by prayer that signifies no less In it he doth the Lord his God accuse To be in fault when as he did refuse To hear his voice at first and did rebell Pleading as if thereby he had done well Unbridled passion is a thing that will Transport the soul of men so long Observ from Jonah's casting his rebellious fault on God thinking to clear himself untill God and themselves they totally forget And go beyond the bounds that reason set And reasonless they foolishly will reason And think 't is loyalty when 't is but treason They think and speak and act against the Lord Such fruits self-love and passion do afford For this he says I pray