constant in euery part because it wholly resteth in the power and grace of God Let there be 60. Queenes c. All the glory excellency in the world the courts of Princes and their pompous traine are not to bee compared to the happinesse of a Christian That one c. There is but one company society in the world wher saluation is to be had that is the Church of God which is one because there is no more but she one because she is only entirely beloued of God my done One because she is elect out of all the world mine vndefiled one One because shee keepeth her selfe one and the same vnto her spouse pure chast and vndefiled that one with her mother To this Church euery Christian man ioyneth himselfe and professeth to be a member thereof neuer making rent schisme nor diuision from it those that goe out from it it is a token they were in truth neuer of it assoone as they see c. God in his Church vtereth all his glorie Psal 29. That is hee graceth his people with such blessings of his spirit as makes them an admiration to the world This is the priuiledge of those that dwell in the Church of God the maydens shall account her blessed the Queenes and Concubines shall praise her The profane worldlings are forced to preferre the state of Gods children before their owne and to wish they vvere like vnto them As Saul Pharaoh Balaam and other did Goodly as the morning faire as the moone pure as the Sunne The way of a righteous man is like the Sunne shining that shineth still more and more vnto the steddie day Prou. 4. 18. Or as Paul saith Rom. 1. 17. we goe from faith to faith our faith continually growing as the morning doth and from one degree of perfection to an other from the beauty of the moone to the cleerenesse of the Sunne To the pruined gardaines The kingdome of God the glorie of the heauenly Ierusalem is that which we ought alwaies to meditate of and to haue the eyes of our soules fixed and bent vpon beeing like the gardaines that are kept dressed most pleasant and goodly to the eye and that yeeld all sweet and delectable fruit I went downe Christ himselfe by his example inuiteth vs to take pains to watch and obserue the time of his comming whereunto he doth exhort Math. 24. 42. To see the greene plants of the valley to see if the Vine flourished if the Pomegranets budded By earthly things wee must learne to meditate on heauenly and if wee be able to discerne of the times and seasons of the yeere that when wee see the trees to put forth leaues wee know Summer is neere is it not a shame to haue a lesse insight into those things that are the signes and forerunners of the comming of the Sonne of God to iudgement This wisedome our Sauiour teacheth vs. Matth. 24. 32. 33. There be manie signes of this glorious comming of Iesus Christ for which see that whole chapter Mathew 24. When I discerned it not my minde set me Christ loueth not to be longer absent from vs then needs he must vpon my free hearted Christian men are free-hearted people and of a willing minde seruing Christ cheerfully ioifully readily Psalm 110. not of necessity or constraint peoples chariots In such doth Christ delight to dwell to be borne vp by them to haue them for his chariots 2. Corinth 9. 7. God loueth a cheerefull giuer Returne The voice and calling of Christ is the meanes of our conuersion Returne ô Shull c. returne returne Who calleth vs earnestly continually to come vnto him and not to delay nor put it off for that doth the doubling and trebling and fowre times repeating of the word returne import O Shulamite Yea he vseth all manner of kind and louing speeches to perswade as O my Shullamite or my perfect one for all which see before Chapter 5. 1. A Christian man is perfect by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse perfect also with an Euangelicall not a legall perfection that is to say of a sound and vpright heart longing for perfection euen in regard of their renued holinesse or sanctification that we may behold thee Sinne obscureth Gods graces in vs and maketh that Christ hath no delight to looke vpon vs but faith and repentance restoreth vs to his fauour What behold you in that Shulamite as the daunse of the Machanaijmites Christ comforteth his soule by the beholding of our holinesse and righteousnesse How bewtifull c. Yea he boasteth and reioyceth of it so is there ioy in heauen for sinners that repent Luke 15. 7. O daughter of a Prince The excellencie of a christian standeth in this that hee is born again and by faith become the sonne of the great king that life of the spirit incompatably more excelling the life of a naturall man take the godliest and the gallantest then that excelleth the life of a bruite beast Let not c. There is not anie thing more pleasing to him then the spread of the Church of God and a continuall encrease of the fruites of it which are as glorious in his sight as a heape of wheate hedged about with Iâ—illies Let not the liquor faile But let thy belly be c. The duties required of him are First Faith continually fructifying Thy two breasts c. Secondly A teachablenes to sucke the milke of the word of God Thy necke c Thirdly Constancie to hold vp the truth of God Thine eyes c. thy nose c. Fourthly Iudgement to weigh and discerne of doctrines That on thy head is like skarlet c. Fiftly Grauitie and a wise cariage in all our actions A King might be tyed c. Which good graces being in vs and abounding not onely knit mens hearts vnto vs How faire c. But make God himselfe to loue and to admire vs. I say c The word of Christ ought to be an assurance to vs that wee shall be sanctified more and more howsoeuer when we looke on the one side to the resistances that are against vs and on the other side to our owne weaknes and corruptions wee haue iust cause to despaire But hee that sayd the Word is able for to doe it as casie it is for him to make vs all whole as it was to say take vp thy bedde and walke Ioh. 5. 8. I will get vp vpon the Palme-tree take hold of her branches c. The best man that is hath need of much hand to be continually pruined and lopped and to haue his superfluous branches shred from him to make him fruitfull I will c. This must be the worke of Christ himselfe Who as else where he is compared to a Vine so heere compareth himselfe to the Husbandman that taketh vs in hand to trimme and looke vnto vs Without him wee can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. Thy teates shall now be like the clusters of the Vine and the sauour
Lattice for now wee see but darkely and in a riddle Shewing himselfe cheerefully Yet neuer the leâ—â—e which is the fourth thing this fight of his is most cheerefull most sweet vnto the soule that loueth him no pâ—ant no tree no flower so delightfull to the outward senses as Christ is to the true beleeuer My well-beloued spake But the dull heart of a Christian man had neede of the continuall voice of Christ that hee should call and crie vnto vs speake and speake againe arise c. And the same words againe elegantly repeated in the end of the thirteenth verse Yea vâ—e all art and eloquence that may be to stirre vs vp to seek him my fellow friend my faire one And speak with all kindnesse vnto vs that we may the better be perswaded he doth it for our good And here is the honour a Christian man hath that Christ calleth vs not any more seruants but his friends and fellowes It is Christ that speaketh in the ministery of the Word And we must heare the messengers whom hee doth send as if Christ by them besought vs be reconciled vnto God 1. Cor. 5.20 For behold The cause why Christ withdraweth himselfe is our owne security and negligence in seeking to him our slacknes in prayer and other holy exercises The winter c. The time whilest wee lie in sinne is a heauy and discomfortable time there is no pleasure to be taken in the base seruice of such a master for what fruit can we haue of those things whereof wee must be ashamed the whole life of a wicked man what is it else but a sea of misery full of feares terrours and expectation of the iudgement to come which should make vs hastely and with speed to labour to winde out of it The flowers appeare c. Contrariwise a Christian mans life whatsoeuer the world deeme is the onely sweete and comfortable life like to the pleasant spring that refresheth all the sences as hauing all things fresh and greene and flourishing to the eies all dainty to be cut and pruined with the hands all cheerefull to the eares in the melodious noise and singing of the birds all fruitfull and sweete to the taste all odoriferous and pleasing to the smell For a Christian man hath peace of conscience that passeth vnderstanding which the world hath not nor knoweth what it meaneth a Christian man is full of ioy wrought in him by the holy Ghost whom the world cannot receiue a christian man whatsoeuer his estate bee good or bad strengthneth himselfe in his God as Dauid did when his Cittie was spoyled onely the bare walles left both his wiues carried away captiues and the people ready to stone him to death for well he is assured that nothing falleth out but for his good and in loue and mercy to him a Christian man hath accesse to God in all his troubles and aduersities familiar conference and communication with him goeth boldly vnto the thron of grace a christian man is endued with spirituall glorie and wisedome which doubleth the beautie of his countenance and maketh his face to shine a Christian man hath the holy Angels of God those glorious and most renowmed creatures to be as it were his seruants for they serue Christ with whom he is one Lastly a Christian mans honour is not in regard of this life onely but as a crowne of future excellencie hee hath fastened in his heart the anchor of hope to stay and quiet his minde in all the stonnes and tempests here till he arriue at the hauen of all his rest Arise â— Now the more these things excell the more we must enforce our selues to follow after them to pursue them speedily to goe out of our selues and to come to Christ by anie meanes taking heede that the pleasures of Sodome the filthie pleasures of our former life and of this wicked world make vs not looke backe vnto them but to cast them off with all our might and to flie aware from them My fellow-friend my faire one c. There is not anie so effectuall an argument to prouoke men hereunto and to stirre vs vp to godlinesse as the consideration of Gods mercie and of the dignity we haue by Christ My Doue that dwelleft in the cliftes c. But though the state of a Christian man be such and so excellent as before hath beene described yet to humble him that hee be not proude God leaueth as it were prickes and thomes in his side as he did to the Israelites manifold infirmities which make him to blush for shame and not to dare to shewe his face thinking in very truth most basely of himselfe and that hee is of all the world the meanest not worthie to come almost in the sight and presse of men how much lesse into the glorious sight and presence of God Shew me thy face make me heare thy voice Notwithstanding the testimonie of his conscience walking in simplicitie and sinceritie as before the Lord maketh him emboldned by the word of God to lift vp his head to come before him and to call vpon his name For thy voice is sweete and thy face comelie Which the Lord graciously accepteth and is well pleased with accounting his person holie and his praiers and other the fruites of his faith sweet and acceptable through Christ Foxes It is the perpetuall lot and condition of the Church to nourish in her bosome secret enemies that closely vndermine the good of it for all that are in Israell are not of Israel and manie are among vs that are not of vs but God in his good time will discouer hypocrites how foxe-like soeuer they carrie themselues Take vs c. Some mens sinnes are manifest aforâ—hand going before vnto iudgement and some mens follow after but those that are of this sort cannot be hidden The sword of discipline is to be drawen by the Ministers and other into whose hand God hath put it for the cutting off of knowen offendours and remouing of all offenses The Foxes Great ones are not to bee spared though they be as iolly foxes as Herod was The little Foxes The small cubbes are not to bee neglected though they can but nibble at the Vines Which destroie the Vines All euill and occasion and shew of euill is to bee remoued so much the more carefully because from little beginnings growe great proceedings and a small offence in the Church of God manie times turneth men awaie from the loue of the truth before they be setled in it Whilest our Vines are bringing forth the first grape Sathan also is euer busiest to seduce and drawe vs from the faith when Christ is first borne within vs waiting to eate vp and destroy the children of the Church as soone as she is deliuered Hereby the vse the excellencie the necessitie of discipline is seene it restraineth offences that they breake not forth it staieth them where a breach is begunne My Welbeloued After manie conflicts with our
of thy nose like Apples The fruite of Christs presence with vs and of his taking vs in hand is excellent it maketh vs sweete before him fragrant acceptable and comfortable vnto other Thy pallat as wine making to speake the lippes of those which sleepe The preaching of the Gospell is that which raiseth men out of the sleepe of sinne and maketh them to speake with newe tongues to the prayse of the glorie of God CHAP. VII VERSE 1. I am my Welbeloueds since his desire is towards me THe mercies of God in pardoning and forgiuing our sinnes and taking vs to his fauour are so farre from opening a window of libertie vnto vs that contrariwise it ioyneth and knitteth our soules more neere vnto him maketh vs more entirely to loue him and rowzeth vs vp from drowsinesse and negligence to a greater watchfulnesse ouer our waies and a care to please him That is true repentance which groweth from a consideration of Gods mercies and of his loue not that so much which the feare of wrath and of his iudgements doth wring from vs. Let vs goe forth c. True repentance is seene by walking in a quite contrarie course to that wee walked in before therfore it is called a turning as if a man whose face is bent Westward should wholly turne himselfe and set it vnto the East Let vs lodge by the Cypres let vs rise in the morning c. It is the certaine note of the childe of God to waite with all watchfulnesse and obseruation for the glorious comming of Iesus Christ The day of whose comming is that happie time of our spirituall mariage and most straight and neere coniunction with Christ for then shall wee enioy him fully and perfectly and see him as he is These louely flowers c. To him we must consecrate our selues and all we haue for whatsoeuer he hath giuen vs all the graces of his Spirit all the good things we doe enioy are not too good to be bestowed vpon him to entertaine Christ the better that is the true vse of the blessings of God O that thou wert as a brother vnto mee c. A Christian man is impatient for the desire of Christ and longeth that euen this day before too-morrow were the time of our perfect enioying of him Finding thee without I would kisse thee Our loue to Christ where it is sincere and sound will manifest it selfe to all and by all meanes I should not bee despised The perpetuall state of Gods children is to be vexed scorned and despised of the world But against this we must comfort our selues with the remembrance of that time when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes I Would bring thee into the house of my Mother which teacheth mee In the Church the word of God is to sound and there it is that men are to bee taught and enformed in his waies I would giue thee to drinke of spiced wine c. There is nothing we haue or can come by that is too costly or sumptuous to bee bestowed vpon Christ Wherefore the woman in the Gospell hath her iust commendation for powring the Alablaster boxe of Spicknard most costly ointment vpon the head of our Sauiour Christ though Iudas the traytour repined at it His left hand vnder c. I adiure you c. Our former offenses and the fearefull effects comming from them must teach vs when we haue Christ againe to make more of him and to take heed that by our loosenesse and negligence he withdraw not the comfort of his presence Who is shee that commeth out of the wildernesse readie to ioyne her selfe to her welbeloued There is no sound pleasure to be found but in true pietie all the delights of the world without that are but as the wildernesse in comparison of pleasant and fertile soyle A Christian must denie himselfe and forsake this wicked world it is a hard peece of worke and a matter of no small difficulty thus to doe and such as none hath any hart or stomack to perform saue but those that are borne anew yet euery one must enforce himselfe vnto it and so doing wee haue the same as a sure argument of hearty and sound repentance True valour in despising dangers is onely to be found in the childe of God whose faith ouercommeth all difficulties and the tediousnesse of this world vnder the very apple-tree I awaken thee For faith as it hath winges to flie vp to heauen to the very seate of glory and there to apprehend Christ sitting at the right hand of his father so in his humility here it beholdeth that excellency which the world is not able to conceiue Where thy mother was in labour of thee Christ vouchsafeth to account himselfe as one of vs a childe of our mother that is to say one of the Church being the head of it and wee his members O set me The faith zeale and repentance of Gods children though it merit nothing at the hands of God yet giueth vs assurance of obtaining good things and maketh vs with boldnesse to craue fauour and a blessing againe To loue vs as wee loue him So our Sauiour hath taught vs to pray Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue c. True repentance maketh vs more zealous and more to loue Christ then we did before A Christian aboue all things in the world desireth to be ioyned to Christ as neerely and by as straight a bond and coniunction as may bee as a seale on thine heart God hath vs alwaies as a seale vpon his heart and in his minde how is it possible he should forget vs as a seale on thine arme Hee hath vs alwaies as a seale vpon his arme Who can pull vs from him Being vpon his arme wee are continually in his sight his eies are vpon vs alwaies and his prouidence watcheth ouer vs wheresoeuer wee â—oe become what euill can betide vs Loue zeale c. Zeale is the proper vertue of a Christian wherein hee can neuer satisfie his owne soule strong as death c. True zeale breaketh through all difficulties as death and as the graue that subdue all and cannot themselues bee ouercome a fire of the flame of Iah It is kindled in vs by the Spirit of God and is the peculiar worke of his grace Much waters cannot quench c. A Christian is endued of God with the gift of constancy and perseuerance Many temptations assault a christian man to shak his faith pleasures afflictions promises hopes rewards but hee remaineth vnmoued in them all If a man would giue all the substance of his house Wicked men spare no cost to drawe men from Christ how much lesse should wee be sparing or thinke any thing too deare to stire vp men to loue him Wee are to take most heede of those that come with fairest shewes and pretences to vs for vnder the sweetest flowers lie commonly hidde the most venemous serpents it should vtterly bee contemned A man must learn to despise
assemblies is very profitable for the quickning raising vp of our soules but I could not finde him but hee answered me not Christ to trie the faith of his children seemeth many times to deale very hardly and vnkindely with them the fountaine of mercy to haue no drop of mercy in him So hee dealt with the woman of Canaan Mat. 15. 22. c. First when shee cryed vpon him hee made himselfe deafe hee would not answere one word but turned himselfe away and when his disciples besought him to speake how vntowardly and techely as a man with reuereâ—ce may say doth hee seeme to answere her ' I was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell Shee for all that humbling her selfe yet more and falling at his feete in what reproachfull manner doth hee vse her calling her a dogge or rather for more disgrace a whelpe How must not this wound her very soule He that biddeth all men learne of him because he is meeke and lowly in heart to bee so rough to a poore sillie weoman so deiecting herselfe before him but wherefore did he so to discourage or driue her from him No but that her faith being tryed in the furnace might come forth purer then the gold and after many a pluck and wrestle like a true Israelite supported by his Spirit shee might preuaile with God and so at the length he suffereth himselfe to be ouercom by the greatnesse of her faith The watchmen that goe about the Citie found mee A Christian truely repenting will not thinke much to throw himselfe into neuer so great perills and hazards for the recouery of Christ And so is expressed the sixt marke of repentance consisting in a reuenge or taking the peny-worths of our selues for our former transgressions not shrinking now for any danger but running thorough thick and thinne as wee say in the night among the watch to come vnto him All this sheweth the feare that a Christian man hath least hee should bee ouertaken with drowsinesse as he was before which is an other and the last of those seauen notes of true repentance mencioned 2. Cor. 7. 11. And so haue you in this Chapter besides the falles and infirmities of Gods children and how and wherein they differ from other men a worthy example of the cause the means the parts the steppes and degrees and lastly of the notes and markes of their repentance they smote me they wounded me An other punishment of our sinnes is affliction outward trouble and persecution which God is wont to send vpon vs to chastise and correct vs and to make vs come to him the keepers of the walles tooke Those that should bee the greatest friends vnto vs for the truths sake proue many times our greatest enemies such as carrie the name of watchmen in Gods Church whose office it is to encourage and protect vs in well doing none more then they do oppose themselues and discourage vs in the waies of godlinesse my vaile from me This is a great offence and stumbling block to Gods children who by reason heereof lose their vaile that is the hold of their purity and integrity and begin a little to decline and to waxe fainter in the seruing of God I adiure you Till by the company of Gods children in the communion of Saints they begin to take heart againe and to recouer their spirits and so afresh follow after Christ ye daughtâ—rs of Ierusalem The society of the godly is an excellent meanes to stirre men vp and to kindle in them the holy fire of the loue of Christ for with them wee may boldly conferre of such things as the world sauoureth not nor hath any relish in if ye finde c. Yea though they be not come so far as we in comprehending the length breadth and depth of the excellency of the loue of Christ What is there in thy well-beloued c. If to those that dwell in the Church it be strange to see the passions that many of the godly are exercised with in their longing thirsting after Christ what shall we thinke of other men White ruddie fit to heare the banner aboue 10000 his head c. The things which wee are specially to consider in Christ are First his spirituall glory and power shining euen in his humanity His eyes as doues eyes c Secondly The eies of his prouidence or the perfection of the graces of the Spirit dwelling in him whereby hee pearceth euery where and entreth into mens harts seeing the things that are most secret his lippes his pallat c. Thirdly his doctorshippe or Propheticall office Vpon his hands c. his lagges are pillars of marble c. Fourthly his gouernment and administration of the world in glory maiestly and power chrushing to peeces the wicked and vngodly and whatsoeuer doth set and oppose it selfe against him in his bowels is a shining as of iuory couered with Suphires his looke as of Lebanon c. Fiftly The glorifying of his humane nature which he hath purchased by his death and sufferings that me â—ay seeke him c. The fruit of a Christian mans temptations is that other by our vehemency are stirred vp to seeke Christ My well-beloued in gon downe c. I am my well-beloueds c. Christ in the end is found of those that seek him though he absent himselfe for a time as he was of the woman of Canaan Mat. 15. 28. And this is our comfort that God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our strength but in euery temptation how great soeuer will giue vs a meanes how to come out of it 1 Cor. 10. 13. By mutuall conference and communication of of our faith we haue the same strengthened and nourishe and kindle in our selues a holy longing after Christ CHAP. VI. VERS 1. Thou art faire c. TRue repentance washeth off all the spots and deformities that our sinnes bring vpon vs. terrible as an armie with banners The life of Christian is a warrefare vpon earth For the enabling of him to fight the Lordes battailes God infuseth into his heart an heroicall and noble courage for though hee fall yet he riseth vp againe though hee bee ouertaken yet hee getteth out and recouereth his strength Which maketh Sathan to feare the faith of a Christian because hee knoweth it is built vpon that rocke which the gates of hell cannot preuaile against O turne thine eyes ouer-against me Our slippes and falles must not discourage vs but wee must looke vp to Christ with a liuely faith and bee of good comfort that they may lift me vp For Christ glorieth and taketh pleasure in the faith of his people it reioyceth his heart and he thinketh himselfe the better for it being affected with their miseries and is glad when they are comforted Thy haire is c. The holinesse and righteousnesse of a Christian is not lost by the manifold infirmities hee falleth into But it remaineth firme and