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A29278
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An exposition upon the Canticles, or Solomons song of songs written by an unworthy witnesse of the truth of the most high God, John Brayne.
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Brayne, John.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing B4324; ESTC R35785
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48,810
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44
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AN EXPOSITION UPON THE CANTICLES OR SOLOMONS Song of Songs Written by an unworthy Witnesse of the Truth of the most high God JOHN BRAYNE Orig. in Cant. Cant. Hom. 1. Quatuor mihi in his videor invenisse personas virum sponsam cum sponsa adolescentulas cum sponso sodalium greges Idem Ibid. Audi Canticum Canticorum festina intelligere illud cum sponsa dicere ea quae sponsa dicit ut audias quae audivit sponsa si autem non potueris dicere cum sponsa quae dixit ut audias ea quae dicta sunt sponsae festina vel cum sponsi sodalibus fieri porro si illis inferior es esto cum adolescentulis quae in sponsae deliciis commorantur Hom. 3. Intelligatur sponsus ut pote vir non semper in domo neque semper assidere sponsae intra domum positae sed exeat frequenter illa eum quasi amore ejus sollicita requirat absentem ut ipse interdum redeat ad illam LONDON Printed by Robert Austin 1651. To my ever honored dear and faithfull friend 〈◊〉 JOHN SADLER Esquire Sir IT hath been the way of the most gracious God in the Gospel to make precious the memory of his Saints as in the woman that poured the box of Balm upon his head Mar. 14.9 by which they are said to die wel reported of Heb. 11.2 God speaking well of them Paul did the like by Onesyphorus 2 Tim. 1.16.18 to which may be added the Church Book called the Book of Life or of the living believing souls to which David alludes Psal. 87.6 by which their memory was continued among the blessed when dead Sir these waies cease yet the Doctrine contained therein remains which is a thankfull acknowledgement of the favors we have received from God by such God raised up to do us good in this world of which as Paul said 2 Timoth. 1.18 in how many things you have ministered unto me not Timoth. but God knoweth very well the Lord be be mercifull to you and to your house and so sanctifie this unworthy Treatise and brief Exposition to your soul that the sense of Christ the savour of the Divine Life and the grace of God may be stirred up in you and increased thereby to eternall life which instead of Silver and Gold I presume to present you with and remain Yours alway to observe you and seek God for you John Brayne THis Book of the Canticles is a Prophecy of the state of the Church as under Christ and the rule of the world as under Moises to be restored according to the pattern of the Judiciall or Morall Law and the pattern of the Gospell 1. He begins his first Chapter with the call of the Gentiles occasioned by his marriage with the Egyptian Queen a type of the call of the Gentiles and their marriage to Christ 2. It appears that in this book Solomons eye was altogether on the Gospell estate and not the time before as Mr. Brightman hath expounded and applied much of the same 3. In that of the Jews estate if in any part be would have spoken of the Mosaicall rule but he only passeth it over with the Winter is past Cap. 2. Ver. 11. and then begins with the Voice of Christ the Baptist the Turtle Christ himself the flowers the Apostles the pruning of the Vine the call of men from the Jewish old state in Johns baptism and the Apostles gathering believers into the Church out of the world {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is translated the singing of Birds but contrary to the scope of the Prophecy which Gal. 4. is admirably illustrated in the Allegory of Hagar and Ismaels abode in Abrahams house a while that is untill the time of the new Covenant when the Vine is cut and they cast out of doors so that this Song may be called the Song of Songs as the Gospell is the Wine of Wines the Wisdome that excells all Wisdome so this being of the Gospell estate of the Church it excelled his Songs of the Law estate or those that commended his wisdome and knowledge in the discovery of the Nature of the Plants and trees friend the things done lately with those now doing and what else are to be done are so set forth herein as in none of the Prophecies else where they are not to be found let not my brevity used herein be offensive because I am necessitated thereunto diversly time may inlarge me and it and gain me oportunity to present unto thy view the other Key of Prophecy and Councell which I have long intended by an Exposition on the Revelations then which two Scriptures I know none for History Mistery Prophecy and all other fullnesse of variety to exceed by understanding whereof thou mayest be abundantly made rich in knowledge and wise to understand the Salvation Purposes and Councell of God whereunto thou shalt do well to give heed as to a light shining in a dark place that thou be not comprehended by the now darknesse nor deceived in thy hopes and happinesse which thou shalt do well to beware that thou mayest be saved from the now immediate burnings of the man of sin and that thou mayest stand before the Son of Man who shortly will appear on the Clouds of the Truth in the glory of the Gospell which is all and only that is sought for at thy hands by the Author hereof Who is an unworthy witnesse of this and the other truth of the most high God JOHN BRAYNE AN EXPOSITION UPON THE CANTICLES CAP. I. IT hath been the way of the Spirit to shadow out under severall Metaphors one and the same thing to illustrate and set forth his mind the more clear thereby as in the Revelations and the Histories of the life of Christ many Parables diversly set forth the same Kingdome and visions the same truth In this Book ye have the rise the fall and restoration of the Gospell Church as set up among both Jews and Gentiles most excellently predicted and shadowed out unto you 1. The Prophet begins with the Gentile Church Ver. 1. Kisse me c. Psalm 2. Ver. 12. Servants were bound to their Master by a Kisse in which she begins to shew her love to her Lord in desiring love and sign of favour from him which is spiritually in Gods speaking love to her and lovely of her as after he calls her his Love Dove and perfect one as men shew an inward love by an outward complement of a kisse so God loves inwardly those whom he speaks well of and unto it being the first of her acquaintance with sight of God 2. The reason why she demands this favour is because therein she apprehended an excellency above other things for sayes she thy loves are better then wine wine is good but the Church discernes an excellency in the loves of God it 's beyond all compare which shews that Christ wins the soul to himself by
was in their being in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ and therefore was above all Note Now the Spirit speaks of the head and the parts thereof who had an immediate representation of Christ and intrustment by him in the church Thy eyes are as the fish pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bathrabim 1. The eyes set forth the ministeriall Authority and place which Christ gave them who as his Embassadors represented him 2 Cor. 5.20 2. It shews how they were honored of and in Christ so that he that despised them despised him c. 3. It shews that they should have especiall light and illumination from Christ 4. That they should see for the whole body and shadowed out his prophetical Office 5. That none of himself might be Minister unlesse placed by God and made overseer by the Holy Ghost Acts 20.28 in the constituted church 6. In that they are said to be pools it shews an especiall part of their watchmanship to consist in a carefull respect whom they admitted in to the church by baptism 7. In that they are said to be at the gate of Bathrabim serves much to illustrate and confirm the same being the daughters of the multitude and chosen of the church 8. As this was the prime and first part so in it was intended the whole in which one was not to act without the other but together Thy Nose is as the Tower of Lebanon which looketh towards Damascus 1. Which sheweth that the favour and sweetnesse of Christ was manifested in the satisfaction of the Law for man signified by the Tower of Lebanon and shadows his Priesthood 2. It is said to look to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a word compound of dam which signifieth bloud and punishment {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth sackcloth and metaphorically sorrow as having respect to the bloud and destruction the misery and affliction of man in his naturall estate and Christ undergoing all these for man whence as from a most sweet perfume arose a sweet favour of Christ to man 2 Cor. 2.15 Ver. 5 Thy head upon thee is like Carmel 1. It is remarkably set forth in this that the true constituted Church was understood in this description and not in that Cap. 4.1 nor that Cap. 6.5 there are hair and eyes expressed but no head as in this place They signified the State this the Church 2. The Head of the Church is Christ Ephes. 5.23 who is compared to Carmel 1. As a Mount exceeding far all the rest of the body 2. As carmell which signifies a green ear of corn which shews that the Saints in Christ did flourish or were fed as corn in a green ear Note The hair of thine head is as purple 1. Here is not meant ordinary hair but as Brightman observes tenuior coma and after hic veluti linum tenuissimum tinctum purpura quasi singulis tunc fideles tunc principes forent 2. I cannot indeed assent to the hairs being set for the faithful but by the purple covered the head of Christ I understand the regall Office of Christ which some particular men in the restoration of the church shall officiate under the Lord Jesus 3. All these Offices of King the last and highest the Priest and Prophet are in Christ the Head fresh and green as carmell and full of fruit as a green ear of corn 4 The eye of the spirit was on these things the word after shews when he saith the King mark the King is held in the gallery The seventy read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ligatus in transcursibus Brightman and other look on this place as one of the obscurest of all others and indeed it is become so because the way of the Gospell hath been of a long time hid from us 1. The word as Pagnin understands it signifieth aedificium quod sit in domibus altis ad currendum de uno domo ad alterum as a stair case from the lower chamber to that of the second story above it and to the third above that signifying the Saints going from the first Society of the Teacher where they were as children to that of the Pastor as young men to the Society of the Evangelists as fathers 1 John 2.13.14 which is called a going from the glory of one to the glory of the other unto the image of Christ the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 by David prophetically called a going read but of these I have in my book of the smoke of the Temple cleared by the light of the Scriptures written more fully and in my other Treatises which signifie that the Christian growth was from Christ immediately Note In these Christ is said to be shut up his whole delight being in beholding the Saints growing in grace and increase of knowledge which now is not in use 1. The Ministery that is destroy'd 2. The differing administration 3. And with these the precious way of knowledge and understanding 4. In the beholding of this with which the eyes and heart of Christ were taken up and held he cryeth out Ver. 6. How fair and how pleasant art thou O love for delights It is said of Christ under the name of wisdome that his delights were with the sons of men Proverbs 8.31 2. Among the Saints he found much matter of delight for himself yea as being made up of matter for delight unto him so as that in a way of admiration he crieth how fair and lovely art thou as if herein she excelled all praise and commendations Ver. 7. This thy stature is like the palm tree and thy breasts as clusters 1. By breasts are meant the second Ministery or Pastor another from that in ver. 3. 2. The spirit by a speciall foresight only here saith clusters but expresse not grapes to shew that this yet was not the perfecting Ministery 3. Under this Ministery the church is compared to the Palm for greennesse and stature Ver. 8. I that is the Lord said I will go up to the Palm tree which I rather read thus I will ascend that is in the stair case from the first to the their Society 2. I will ascend {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Palm tree that is in her stair case which is meant of Christ mysticall and take hold of the branches which were as the chambers of the house 3. Now also shall thy brests be as the clusters of grapes here is the last Ministery the perfecting Ministery of the Evangelist whose brests were as clusters of grapes having in them abundance of most sweet wine the peace and joy of the spirit and Kingdome of God being held forth among them 4. The smell of thy Nose like apples the intercession of Christ was as a most sweet refreshment to the Saints apprehended in the teaching thereof by those that believe Ver. 9. The palat of thy mouth is like the best wine for my beloved 1. Brightman non minus