of the Scriptures The Silver pillars can never be made the golden bottom can never be laid the Church can never be covered with the purple covering the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ if there be not a right understanding of the Scriptures taught Those that are builders of the Lords Chariot and understand not the Scriptures in stead of making Silver pillars and laying the golden bottom they lay a foundation of wood and trash In stead of building with Gold and Silver and precious stones which will not decay they build with timber hay and stubble which will rot and consume And hence it comes to pass that in stead of cloathing the distressed Conscience with the righteousness of Christ and paving the way for the Soul to come to Christ and making of those Scriptures easy to be understood which seem to stand in direct opposition to faith it so falls out that the way to justification and life seems to be crooked rough and unpaved even to the builders themselves so that in the midst of their work they are many times at a stand and in stead of building fall at difference amongst themselves some build for Christ and others build for Antichrist and all this comes to pass for want of a right understanding of the Scriptures Not that there is a necessity of the understanding of all Scripture in building the Chariot but of the principal parts of the word such as are essential to a mans being and living in the state of grace Such Scriptures as concern the Doctrine of justification and life Eternal without the works and righteousness of man and of the behaviour of the Soul under the sight and feeling of sin and the apprehension of mercy by which Doctrine only the Church is built And there are two principal parts in the Scripture the Law and the promise both which in respect of their use and office are of great concernment Some when they make use of the Law do so interpret it that they take away the glory of mans Salvation from God and give it to men these interpret without a rule and for want of the rule to understand the Scripture by which is the Divine Testimony of the holy Ghost their building falls and all their labour is lost For all Scripture is given by Divine inspiration therefore seeing the holy Ghost is the inditer he ought also to be the interpreter No Scripture being of any private interpretation from which it follows that he that will be sure that the sence which he giveth is right must have his authority from the holy Ghost to warrant his exposition to be true To believe as the Church believes is not the rule to understand the Scriptures by for the Church may erre and when she erreth from the publick interpretation of the holy Ghost her interpretation is private and not to be received Now as in all Arts and Sciences the first principles are proving and not to be proved so in the Scriptures And as the first principle in Divinity is the Scripture So the first principle in the Scripture is the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods but me Mar. 12.28 Hos 13.4 Esa 43.11 Thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Saviour besides me Which if thou understandest according to the Gospel it is this Thou shalt know no other love no other delight in nor depend upon any other righteousness but mine whereby to become righteous in the sight of God Which righteousness of God is not the righteousness of the Law perform'd in thine own person but the righteousness of faith which is manifested without the Law So that the first Commandment driveth thee from the Law Rom. 3.21 This seemeth to be the meaning also of Paul I through the Law am dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 Gen. 19.17 1 Sam. 20.38 He that will spiritually perform the Law must wholly renounce it in the matter of justification Esa 40. to seek for righteousness in Christ The Gospel calleth thee to come and the first Commandment biddeth thee begon It saith to thee as the Angels did unto Lot hast thee thither escape for thy life stay thou not in all the plain And as Jonathan said to David when Saul intended evil against him run make speed hast stay not the arrows are beyond thee By which thou mayest see that the Law notwithstanding it requireth of thee Active obedience before men yet it requireth thee to become passive and wholly to renounce it in thy obtaining Righteousness before God Wherefore if thou wilt be a builder of King Solomons Chariot to make the Sillver pillars and to lay the golden bottom learn thou by the first Commandment to pave the way to make the crooked places straight and the rough places plain that poor distressed Consciences may come to Christ that so when any stumbling block is cast into the way about the righteousness of the Law to hinder the distressed Conscience from closing with Christ thou mayest easily remove it by the proving principle Otherwise if thou drawest the Law into the matter of justification thou walkest contrary to the first Commandment and also sinnest against the Gospel blockest up the way and shuttest fast the door of the Kingdom of Heaven Pro. 25.4 Learn therefore by thy Doctrine to separate the dross from the Silver so shall there proceed a vessel for the finer 2 Tim. 2.20 Then shalt thou make vessels of Gold and Silver even vessels of Honour Some stones in the building of the Temple were set for glittering stones 1 Cor. 29.2 to make a shining if thou receivest no other interpretation of any Scripture but what is agreeable to the first Commandment then shalt thou become a glittering stone in the Church of God then shall the house of God be magnifical 1 Chro. 22.5 and full of Fame and Dignity then shall thy Doctrine shine and make a great light Hitherto hath been shewed what the Chariot is and what is principally needful for the building of it now next it is shewed for whom the Chariot is made or why men are made so skilful by Christ to work in Gold and Silver and Purple and other curious works to cover the sinful Conscience from the wrath of God it is for the daughters of Jerusalem But why Jerusalem In all ages of the Church the people of God were to seek him where he had promised to be found And God made promise that where ever he should place the Ark there he would meet his people and bless them Which Ark of God was sometimes in Shiloh Exod. 25.22 sometimes in Zion the City of David but when Solomon had builded the Temple then it was brought by the Priests and Levites into the Temple at Jerusalem and then the promise was there And as God made promise to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple that his eyes and his heart should be there perpetually So the faithful in their prayers
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
were always to pray towards Jerusalem So that who ever he were that sought after God either to hear any thing from him or to receive any thing of him he must seek him in Jerusalem But now the corporal Jerusalem is destroyed the Ark is to be sought for in the new Jerusalem Which Ark is Baptism For as the promise of Gods presence then was where ever the Ark by Gods appointment was plac'd So the promise of Christs presence now is where Baptism is preserved aright Mat. 28. Baptism then is the Ark in the new Jerusalem Not a resting in the work done and corrupting the nature of it but where the true reason of its institution is taught and preserved Rev. 21.3 Therefore the Tabernacle of God is said to be with men and our bodies to be the visible Temples of the Holy Ghost Cor. 2.6 in regard of Baptism our Spiritual Ark. Wherefore the Chariot being made for the Daughters of Jerusalem it meaneth for those that are brought up under the Ark. For Jerusalem is the Mother because she abideth by the Ark she sticketh fast to the promises of God and instructeth all her Childeren in the same To those and to all those that are visible members of the Church is the word of God sent for although the blessing in the word be received but by a few yet the tender on Gods part is universal and must not be denied that those for whom it is prepared may receive it and they that refuse may be left without excuse Some will allow that all shall hear the word but deny their free admission to the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper But the Ark being the ground of Church-communion as aforesaid so long as the Ark remains right to the Lords Supper doth remain For nothing can cause the loss of any Church priviledg but the want of that which is Essential to its being now Baptism being Essential to all Church priveledges till Baptism be renounced right to all Church priviledges must remain Besides Heb. 11.4 Deut. 14.23 Rom. 15.8 all the Sacraments that ever were were incitements to faith and piety instituted on purpose to teach men to believe as is easy enough to be seen being all preparatives to faith and holiness and not effects therefore none must be debarr'd but all admitted Exod. 12.23 Else how shall the faith of the Church become Sacramental which faith was never wanting to the Church in any age And as the word belongs to the Children of the Ark and to all of them Joh. 1.31 Luk. 22.20 so it belongs to none but only them None can demonstrate that ever any people had a visible interest in the Scriptures Psal 147. Rom. 3. Acts 10.17.13 24. and to the interpretation thereof but only those people whom God first plac'd and also preserved under the external signs of his Covenant Jerusalem is the Mother because she bringeth forth Children under the Ark not in bringing forth Children before she cometh to the Ark So likewise they are not daughters of Jerusalem that count themselves holy and Saints before they come to the Ark all that teach that Doctrine pertain to another Mother and not to Jerusalem which is above the Mother of us all All those pertain to Sinai which is in bondage with her Children and not to the new Jerusalem the celestial and Heavenly City Therefore let us not despise the Riches of our beloved and lose so great a Treasure but seeing he is so bountiful unto us as to let us hear his word to make us his Chariot that we might have communion with himself be saved from an evil Conscience and from his everlasting wrath and be brought to live in glory with him for ever hereafter let us thank and bless his holy name and joyfully embrace his favour And let us also learn so to understand his word that we may receive the Heavenly gift of God that is sent unto us and so to understand the Sacraments that thereby we may be drawn to faith and true repentance Which that we may learn we must diligently mark what here next follows VERSE XI Go forth ye Daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart IN which words the Holy Ghost directeth the Daughter of Zion to a right behaviour of Soul in receiving that Doctrine wherewith the Chariot is made which is to go forth and behold By which words he rightly teacheth what the righteousness of the Gospel is not to rest in our selves but by faith to behold King Solomon with his Crown And also how the righteousness of Christ shall be received and kept even by going forth from depending upon our own inherent righteousness These are the two most Excellent and most useful points above all others and ought above all things to be preferred Which Doctrine we rightly learn when we submit our selves to the comdemnation of the Law and suffer our selves by faith to be divorced from the Law Else what doth it avail us to hear that the righteousness of Christ is ever so excellent a thing if we be not instructed by the Gospel how to be divorced from our own Now in this thing Christ differeth from all Teachers for the wisdom of man Teacheth after this sort if thou wilt attain to faith in Christ and be assured thereof do the Law keep the Commandments of God but the wisdom of the Holy Ghost saith the clean contrary go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown For this Act of faith in going forth to behold is not to do the Law but wholly to depart from the Law So that rightly to behold King Solomon with his Crown is wholly to forget and lose the Law This place therefore teacheth us how the righteousness of the Ten Commandments may be attained not by our doing the works of the Law but by faith in Christ without the Law Even by beholding the Kingdom and victory of our Lord Jesus Christ to be given to us freely This matter concerneth the conscience and therefore it had need be well learned Therefore when thou feelest thy sin and fearest the wrath to come confess it to God and ask forgiveness for Christs sake with a believing heart then hast thou spiritually fulfill'd the Law forasmuch as the righteousness of Christ is given to thee as soon as thou feelest and confessest thy condemnation by the Law which thing thou oughtest to beleive it being the chief Corner-Stone in building the Kingdom of Christ in thy distressed Conscience Therefore who ever thou art that wouldest attain to righteousness before God and also to true peace and comfort in thy Conscience learn thou the way how to attain the same even by faith in Christ without the works of the Law to go forth and behold King Solomon with his Crown Now the Crown betokeneth the victory that Christ hath gotten over the