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A26545
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A paraphrase on the canticles, or, Song of Solomon by the late learned and pious Protestant, Thomas Ager.
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Ager, Thomas.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing A760; ESTC R6006
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180,518
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449
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2 Sam. â— David made an excellent Funeral Song at the burial of Saul and yet the Name of God is not mentioned in it and shall it not therefore be Canonical If this Argument were good then many Chapters in the Bible must be accounted not Canonical for want of the Name of God being used in them Again they say Object 3 that there is nothing expressed of this Song in any of the Writings of the New Testament So there are divers Books in the Old Testament that are not mentioned in the New besides this Answ neither is all that Christ himself spake set down or alleaged in the New Testament Now then it must follow that if this Book must be rejected because none of it is expressed in the Writings of the New Testament then all other Books in the Old Testament that are not set down in part in the New must be accounted not Canonical And also that whatsoever Christ spake and alleaged that was not written must be accounted not to be agreeable to the Writings of the New Testament All that Christ spake was not written but only the Abridgment of things And although the sentences of this Song are not set down in the New Testament yet the Doctrine herein contained is therein expressed Therefore abiding by the Authority of it it being a matter from Heaven let us bring Faith along in reading of the Ditty that our Hearts may be ravished with the Spiritual excellency herein contained And so I come to the Title CHAP. I. VERSE I. The Song of Songs which is Solomon's THE Holy Ghost giveth this Title to the Book to draw our Hearts and Affections unto it that being throughly affected with the Title of it we might learn the more perfectly to sing it Two things here are commended in the Title First the Comparison between this and other Songs Secondly the Author of it The Comparison is in these words A Song of Songs The Author of it in these words Deut. 10. Rev. 19. Which is Solomon's Some say it is said to be a Song of Songs because it was the manner of the Hebrews in extolling or abasing of things to double their Words as when they say The God of Gods it is God above all Gods And The Lord of Lords and King of Kings it signifies an excellency above all Lords and an Authority above all Kings And so also in abasing of things as when Noah curseth Cham A Servant of Servants shalt thou be that is a most vile Servant But I suppose there is something more to be considered in the words For it must be noted that Psalms and Songs are Arguments of joy and gladness and singing is a token of joy and deliverance out of some great Affliction and Misery When Deborah and Barack had gotten the victory over King Jabin King of Canaan they sung a Song unto the Lord. And when the Lord saved Moses and the Children of Israel out of the hands of the Egyptians they also sung a Song And so it was also when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistines the Women came out of all the Cities of Israel singing and dancing with Tabrets of joy and Instruments of Music Now in that the Holy Ghost calleth this Book a Song he sheweth that there is matter of great joy in it And seeing it is a Song of Songs it far surpasseth all other Songs that Solomon made as also all other Songs in holy Scripture so that no Song can be match'd with it For as to the matter of it and thing it handleth it is the Scriptural Communion between Christ and his Church when she is in the lowest and saddest condition by reason of her Sin and Misery even then this Song setteth out unto her the Love and tender Compassion of Christ her Bridegroom And as for the manner of setting of it forth it is in a Dialogue or borrowed Speech taken from Lovers that are betrothed together in the Marriage knot wherein the Bridegroom and the Bride declare their Affections one to another with great rejoycing the Bridegroom praising and commending his Bride in that in her misery she looked upon him and the Bride her Bridegroom in that he sheweth pity and compassion upon her So that this Song goeth beyond all other Songs in regard of the subject Matter of it and thing it handleth the very burden of it being to instruct us in this That Christ is ours and we are his when Flesh and Reason saith the contrary Which is Solomon's The next commendation of the Song is from the Author which is Solomon Solomon was a Man besotted in his Life 1 Kin. 11.4 and stained with many foul blemishes was not so upright in Heart as David his Father being drawn away by his Wives to the horrible Sin of Idolatry yet the Lord passed by his great and foul stains and made choice of Solomon to be the Pen-man of his holy Spirit and an Instrument where his Glory should shine The Lord did not cast off Solomon for his stains and blemishes but had an Eye still to that good which was in him whereby he would make him a worthy Instrument to set forth his Praise How much the practice of Men differs from this Example of God is easie to be seen who will presently cast off all that is good in a Man if he be but any way stained or polluted in his life if it be a Man of ever so excellent Parts and Gifts able to set forth Heavenly mysteries and do good to the Church of God yet if he be but any way blemished or defamed they presently set him aside as altogether useless and make no more account of him than of a broken Pitcher The Lord did not do this when he saw Solomon in his filthiness but had an Eye to that good which was in him which made him useful for the good of his Church If God should have followed the Example of Men how should this excellent Song of Songs have been had Or how should the Epistles of Paul have been had if Paul had been wholly set aside for his persecuting the Church These make themselves more pure than their Maker else they would not go about to teach the Lord what Instruments to chuse to set forth his Glory by They cannot be content that the Lord shall chuse such Instruments as best please him but must needs have such as best please them or none at all Like mad Men that will rather starve for hunger than receive any Food unless it be presented in a silver Dish and dye for Thirst if you bring them not Drink in a golden Goblet All Men therefore must humble themselves must stoop and give Honour and Glory to the Lord and suffer him to make choice of such Instruments as best please himself to make his Glory shine and to raise up his Church with Divine Contemplations For Solomon although he was unworthy and unfit to be chosen for such an Instrument by reason of
A PARAPHRASE ON THE CANTICLES OR SONG of SOLOMON By the late LEARNED and Pious PROTESTANT THOMAS AGER LONDON Printed by A. Godbid and J. Playford and are to be sold by Samuel Sprint at the Bell near the Grate in Little-Britain 1680. THE PUBLISHER TO THE CHRISTIAN READER ALthough many profane persons as much as in them lay have debased the Authority of the Song of Solomon and not only excluded it from being Canonical but ranked it amongst those profane Writings which Heathen Poets were too much guilty of as if the wisest of Kings had meant nothing else by this but to serenade his Mistress yet certainly those that have a more deep Judgment and pious Consideration look upon it as the most exact piece of Poetry next to the Biblia bibliorum as the Psalms are particularly called that ever came forth into the World and it 's being received as Canonical for so many Hundred of years commented on by so many Worthy and Famous Men the several Parts and Members being so often treated on in Pulpits must needs be a great Argument that the Subject was something more than ordinary Had it been nothing else but a wanton Poem Posterity would never have so much admired it learned and curious Judgments never have Composed so many Paraphrases upon it A Song of Love indeed it is but of so great so good so glorious a Love as is reciprocal between Christ and his Spouse the Church wonderful and passing the Love of Women But I suppose the intricacy and difficulty of understanding it has been no small reason why some persons either out of laziness or impiety have so much disrespected it yet lest the Poyson should spread it self any farther in these following Sheets is laid down a sufficient discovery of the whole Mystery every Verse nay almost every Word being dissected and laid open in all their Significations proper and figurative and delineated so to the Life that he that runs may read in a stile as humble as the Author as pious and passionate as the Subject of the Book and with all possible Care and Industry that Human Learning sanctified by the especial Grace of God could shew or endeavour And certainly nothing can more need a Commentary than that which is altogether a Parable a form of speaking that Christ himself so much delighted in and sometimes condescended to interpret and the Doctrine of it being so useful and comfortable to to Mankind The Author of this ensuing Treatise as his Learning and Piety were very eminent so his Modesty was exemplary in so much that in all his life time he could not be induced by the intreaty and importunity of his Friends to Publish it yet least so precious a Jewel should lye in darkness first for the good of Souls and benefit of Human kind and next to perpetuate the Memory of this good and pious Man I have with the advice of his Friends and Relations thought fit to make known to the World the knowledge and goodness of the Author by the sufficiency of the Work Not at all doubting Christian Reader but that it will be acceptable to all pious and devout Spirits especially at this time when the Church of God is under Afflictions and the Enemies thereof are continually undermining and disturbing the Peace of it Yet God be praised though she be Black under Sorrows and Temptations yet she is Comely and the Knot of Love between Christ and his Spouse no mortal Hand will be able to untie which is and ought to be a Comfort to all Christians God give thee Grace to make a right use of the things herein contained and it shall be the greatest satisfaction that can happen to Thine in the Lord J. H. AN ENTRANCE Into the most Excellent SONG of SONGS WHICH IS SOLOMONS COncerning the time when SOLOMON wrote this Book whether before his Fall or after his Repentance it skills not much to know neither will any wise Man much contend about it as being a thing tending to Strife and Debate rather than to any godly Edifying in the knowledge of the Truth And to speak much for the Authority of it seeing it hath been received by the Church of God for so many Hundred years past both before Christ's coming and since and kept as it were in the Ark and Sanctuary of God with the rest of the holy Scripture when all the rest of his Songs were cast aside may seem to be ridiculous yet because that some in former times have endeavoured to blemish it counting it but a wanton Toy or Ballad about the gestures of Lovers it may not be amiss to speak a few words briefly in Answer to their Objections First then let it be considered that the matter herein contained must either pertain to Solomon and some Queen of his or else to the Lord Jesus Christ and his Queen Not to Solomon for the King that is here spoken of is set out as one keeping Sheep as in Chap. 1. which was not a thing proper for Solomon's Royalty And also to be without shut from his Wife as in Chap. 5. until the Dew fell upon his head which agreeth not to Solomon's Princely State For what Queen of his would offer him so much disgrace And for what is said of the Bride in this Song can never agree to any Queen of Solomon's for it is said that she was without spot and that her Bridegroom was gone she had lost him and that she was fain to seek him up and down the City and that she was taken of the Watchmen and beaten And who durst do this to any Queen of Solomon's Therefore seeing it cannot agree to Solomon nor to any Queen of his it can agree to none but the Lord Jesus Christ and his glorious Bride which is the Church But it is objected Object 1 that the Song speaketh want only of the gestures of Lovers and therefore they disdain it and account it not Canonical For Answer So the 45th Psalm Answ wherein the same matter is handled that is handled in this Book may as well be accounted not Canonical the whole Psalm being but an Abridgment of the matter herein contained They that will take exceptions against this Book because Christ expresseth himself after the manner of a Lover may as well except against that Scripture where the Lord says Behold I come as a Thief Now as Christ compares himself to a Thief not because he dealeth unrighteously but to shew the suddenness of his coming So he also compares himself to a Lover not because he delighteth in wanton gestures but because the Love between Man and Wife is a worthy and most excellent representation of the Love between Christ and his Church But they Object farther Object 2 that the Name of God is not at all used in this Song This proves nothing For it doth not follow Answ that because the Name of God is often used in great Volums that therefore it must be used in every Song