practice of the Law All men ought to be well learn'd in this point chiefly those that are Teachers of others that are to enlighten the world that they may so Preach the Gospel that the Churches feet may be washed and so teach the Law that no mans feet may be defil'd again If thou urgest a necessity of the Law thou Preachest not the Gospel but defilest thy mind and Conscience Forasmuch as the Gospel first of all destroyeth that opinion Or if thou totally lay aside the Law as useless to a believer thou also defilest thy feet because by that Doctrine thou drivest the sense and feeling of sin out of the world and also all sensible need of a Saviour Every man hath something yet to learn in this point the very best of all are too short in it How to perform this duty aright is a question made by the Church in all ages as in this place we see Therefore all must be learners And all consisteth in two points how to be righteous before God and how to be righteous before men Which that it may be learned and the way known how to attain it it is further added VERSE IV. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him MY beloved taught me how to distinguish betwixt faith and the Law in Teaching the point of justification and also how to join them together in Scripture and Doctrine This is a rare and wonderful mistery which none can teach but Christ alone In the Preaching of this point all men are at a loss until they are Divinely inspir'd by the Holy Ghost As for example St. Paul telleth us in one Text Rom. 3.28 that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law And in another Text that the doers of the Law shall be justified before God Rom. 2.13 In both which Scriptures justification is attributed both to faith and also to the Law I question then Quest how faith and the Law shall be separated in this point seeing justification is attributed to both Some will answer Ans that by doing is meant sincerity which God accepts of all though there be some wants This is true after justification but this maketh no distinction between faith and the Law in the former point but joineth them both together in the Act of justification Therefore sincerity being a term pertaining to the Law and prefer'd so high as to justifie before God it must be perfect every way according to the Law which perfection no man ever had but Christ alone Others say that God gives a power with his Commands to enable those that are his to perform the Law so that he accepts of them in Christ which is no more then this That by Christs merits we have an infusion of grace whereby we deserve our justification which comes to no more then the former Now if no separation be made between faith and the Law in the matter of justification they cannot be joined together in Doctrine without repugnancy Forasmuch as no man can be justified by the Law wherein he is wanting in many things when it pronounceth the curse upon all those that continue not therein in all things Neither can any mans works be accounted good before men when they are drawn up into the judgment seat and not directed towards men Therefore I say as before that this Cardinal point is so high and secret a mystery that none of the Scribes nor disputers of the World can possibly reach unto by any art or humane skill So that unless the door be opened the mystery is hid and all men remain in darkness but the door being opened all things in the house are visible and manifest Therefore the Church saith here my beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door that is to open all those Scriptures that seem to clash against the Doctrine of faith and to hinder mans righteousness before God and also which being not understood do spoil him of his righteousness before men Now our beloved openeth when we begin to understand what true obedience to the Law is Namely to believe and confess that we do it not According to Saint Paul Rom. 3.10 Which is not to be understood of an outside confession but such as ariseth from the sight of sin and hope of mercy there is none that understandeth there is none righteous there is none that feareth God but altogether are become unprofitable and abominable This to believe and confess is the first point in true obedience to the Law Another is when we submit to the curse which the Law pronounceth against us and confess the sentence of it to be most just The last is wholly to renounce the Law and to seek after the righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 manifested without the Law according as is required in the first Commandment as is to be seen more largely in Song third and Verse ten And let us also note this that as soon as we feel and confess our death and condemnation by the Law then are we become dead to the Law and the Law is become dead unto us So that even as death dissolves the compound and makes a separation between the Soul and Body So doth this death also untie the compound and make a separation between the Conscience and the Law And the reason is because in renouncing the Law and flying to Christ for righteousness the bargain or Covenant that was made with man at first touching righteousness by the Law is dissolved or untied This obedience it seemeth good to me to call the Passive obedience which is clean contrary to the Active for in this obedience thou workest nothing but sufferest thy self to be driven from the carnal bed to Christ by faith In this sense the doers of the Law are justified before God Rom. 2.13 And in the sense they that do his Commandments have right to the tree of life And in this sense Rev. 22. understand all the promises of God that are made to mans obedience This Doctrine separateth faith and the Law in the matter of justification and yet joineth them together in Scripture and Doctrine For it sheweth that doing the Law to be justified is to be understood of faithful and spiritual doing and not of the active or moral doing And also as it setteth before us nothing but Gods free grace in justifying of us So it breedeth in us that love to God and man which is required in the first and second Table which setteth us on to active obedience For as a false opinion of the Law within us spoileth us of our righteousness before God and men So also doth the destroying of that opinion within us by the Gospel work in us a true and right obedience towards God and men The sum of all is this that to believe and confess our own unrighteousness is the first point in Evangelical obedience With this confession the
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
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