An exposition of the Song of Solomon: called Canticles Together with profitable obseruations, collected out of the same. Perused and published by William Gouge, preacher of Gods Word in Black-Friers, London.

CHRIST.

VERS. 1.

Thou art faire my fellow friend, as Thirtza, comely as Ierusalem, terrible as an armie with banners.

CHRIST here comforteth his Church against all the feares and terrours which the conscience of her own sinne might iustly pull vpon her; telling her that hauing by faith and the teares of true repentance washed away her former spots, she was now as faire in his eyes, and as amiable as euer she was before: all bewtifull and faire (being iusti∣fied & sanctified thorough Christ) as Thirtza, Iero∣boams stately Cittie: seemely as Ierusalem the glory of all the Cities of the East, built as a Citie com∣pact and knit together, wherein are all those wor∣thies of the Lord of hoastes, Pastors, Teachers, &c. in a most comelie order and gouernment of the Church: terrible in the Church-ministery and dis∣cipline, which is a rod to keepe in subiection eue∣ry thought, and to reuenge all disobedience: yea, terrible against Sathan and all the powers of hell. And howsoeuer she had caught asore below, which

might seeme to bee an argument of her cowardli∣nesse, yet in truth she was of an inuincible faith and courage, and fearfull to her foes.

VERS. 2.

O turne thine eies ouer against mee, that they may left mee vp. Thine haire is as of a flock of Goates that sheareth on Gilead.

VERS. 3.

Thy teeth like to a flock of sheepe which come vp from washing, which all of them doe bring forth twinnes, and there is not a mis∣carying one amongst them.

VERS. 4.

As a peece of pomegranet are thy temples from betweene thy locks.

And therefore (saith hee) be of good comfort, looke vpon mee, haue faith in the promises of the Gospell: That shall be my ioy, and the crowne of my glory, who haue alwaies a sense and a fellow∣feeling of thy miserys, and am like affected to thee, mourne when thou mournest, and am glad when thou reioycest. If thou doubt whether thy bewty still continue, whether it remaine fresh and con∣stant, I assure thee it doth; and no fault or infirmi∣tie of thine can make it for to fade: for it wholy resteth in my grace and goodnesse. Thy haire, thy teeth, thy temples, all thy parts and members are euery one as comlie, as faire, as well featured as be∣fore. Thy bewty doth excell.

VERS. 5.

Let there be threescore Queenes, and foure∣score

Concubines, and maidens without num∣ber.

Thinke not, because there bee so many that glit∣ter and flourish in the world, liuing in all wealth and ••ollity, and at their hearts ease, when it is ill with thee, when thou art humbled and fightest with many difficulties, hast warres without, and terrours within, that their condition is better then thine owne: as if they onely were happy and to be admired, thou base and contemptible▪ No, if they were euery one a Queene, or Concubines, and La∣dies, neuer so many that attend vpon them, yet thou onely dost excell.

VERS. 6

That one, my doue, mine vndefiled one, that one with her mother, that pure one with her that bare her: assoone as the maidens see, they shall account her blessed; the Queenes and Concubines shall praise her, saying,

VERS. 7

Who is shee, goodly as the morning, faire as the Moone, cleere as the Sunne, terrible as an armie with banners.

For thou art mine owne, most deare vnto mee, (with whose iudgement it is fit thou content thy selfe more then with all the glittering shew and pompe of the world) elect and chosen out of all kinred, nations, and tongues to bee my peculiar in∣heritance: Innocent, simple, chaste, sincere, and vp∣right before me. Who though now thou haue thin

aboad on earth in this sinfull and wretched world, yet doest cleaue so close to thy mother the heauen∣ly Ierusalem, that the whole world hath thee in ad∣miration. Such a starre of glorie and excellency shineth in thy forehead, for inward sanctity, and outward maiesty in the ministery and gouernment of the Church: Insomuch as there is none of all these braue and gallant Ladies, but though they thinke not as thou thinkest, nor walke as thou wal∣kest, yet in their consciences they are all conuinced that the trueth is with thee alone. Thee they will admire, as soone as they doe behold thee; to thee they will giue the prize, and count thee onely bles∣sed; attribute as much vnto thee, and say as much of thee as I haue said and attributed: for bewty, pruity, vertue, continually encreasing.

VERS. 8

To the pruined gardaines I went downe to see the geene plants of the valley: to see whether the vine flourished, the pomegra∣nets budded.

And albeit I left thee for a while, yet with euer∣lasting mercies will I resort vnto thee: I did indeed withdraw my selfe, but it was not for any mislike or indignation conceiued against thee: The trueth is, I had a longing to see how neer the time approa∣ched of our ioyfull and happy marriage, and there∣fore betooke me to my place of glory.

VERS. 9.

When I discerned it not, my minde set mee vpon the chariots of my free-hearted people, to say,

But perc••iuing that day was not yet at hand, I came back with speed vnto thee, together with all my people, and retinue: by the ministerie of those my free-willing seruants, with all speede and earnestnesse to giue thee comfort. And now mark and lay vp in thy heart what I shall say,

VERS. 10.

Returne, returne O Shullamite: returne, returne that wee may behold thee. What, behold you in that Shullamite? as the daunse of the Machanaijmites.

Thou hast indeed gone astray: that had almost marred thee: but in mee is thy health and safety. Returne, returne vnto me, that I and mine, all the Angels of God, may haue ioy in heauen to see the fruits of thy faith spring anew. For notwithstan∣ding thy slippes and fales, I esteeme thee most per∣fect in mine eternall counsell and decree, and put∣ting all the robes of mine innocencie & righteous∣nes vpon thee, doe now so make thee by the pow∣er of my Word and spirit, my friends here and fel∣lows being iudges. Looke vpon her, tell me how you finde her: Is shee not most braue, glorious, and gallantly attended? Verely when I doe behold her, and all her troupes comming forth to meete mee, me thinkes I am in the middest of the Tribes of Is∣rael,

and of all those worthies, that skipping and lepping with songs and daunses, and all kinde of holy meriments, came to receiue Dauid at Macha∣naim, when God brought him back into his king∣dome.

VERS. 11

How bewtifull are thy feete with these shooes, O daughter of a Prince? The com∣passe of thy thighs are like browches, the worke of the hand of a cunning worke∣man▪

And yet the neerer I come vnto thee, the more I admire thy bewty from the toppe vnto the toe, from one end vnto an other. To beginne at the lowest, and so to ascend. Thy feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace. Thou daugh∣ter of a Prince! O thou of noble birth! borne not according to the flesh, but by the faith of the pro∣mise. The girdle of pure truth aboue thy hippes, framed by the most cunning workeman, the Spi∣rit of God himselfe.

VERS. 12.

Thy nauell like a round bowle. Let not the Liquor of it faile. But let thy belly bee as a heape of wheate, hedged about with Lil∣lies.

Thy nauell round as a bowle, a token of thy fruitfulnesse. O let it neuer be drawne drie; but as a full cuppe wanting not any liquor; let thy wombe be alwaies fruitfull, and thy fruit precious

and fragrant as a heape of wheate hedged about with Lillies: So great a desire I haue of thine in∣crease.

VERS. 13.

Thy two breasts are like two young roes, the twinnes of a hinde.

VERS. 14.

Thy neck like to a tower of Iuorie: thine eies to the fish-pooles made with art at the populous gate: thy nose like to the tower of Lebanon, that looketh towarde Da∣mascus.

Thy two brests as two hindes, fit to nourish and giue suck. Thy neck, the neck of discipline straight, and steddie, like vnto a tower to beare vp the ministerie as it were the face of the Church: and white and bewtifull as a tower of iuory for the order and grauity thereof. Thine eies bright and cleere, as the fish-pooles made with great art at Ie∣rusalem in the broade gate of the flocks, (for such is the ministery of the Church, placed where the godlie doe flock into the Lords assemblies) which shine as the cleere waters in the pond, for iudge∣ment and knowledge: for deliuery of doctrine are as the flowing of those waters: for wisdome in searching and waighing, preparing and fitting of it, may be compared vnto the workemen by whom those pondes were artificiallie made, and to their cunning workemanshippe. Thy nose straight and comely; as quick a iudgement in discerning doc∣trines, as the nose hath in discerning smelles.

VERS. 15.

That which on thy head is put vpon thee, is like to crimson, and the fillet of thy head is like to purple, a King might bee tyed to these walkes.

The ceremonies, as it were the ornaments of thy head, both the haire-lace & the borders, & all thy whole attire are for comlines & good order of spe∣ciall account, and a great grace vnto thee: no lesse then skarlet and purple. There is no King in the world but might finde in his hart to be tied to these walkes, and to be held prisoner in the sight of thee, and of the bewty of thy assemblies. So great is thy glory in comparison of all the vaine pompe of this present world.

VERS. 16.

How faire thou art, and how delectable O Loue with these pleasures.

I cannot hold, but I must cry out with an admira∣on of thy bewty, that thou art exceeding faire and amiable, not thy selfe onely, but all that is about thee: O loue onely to bee beloued.

VERS. 17.

This thy stature is like a palme tree, and thy brests like clusters of grapes.

Thy whole body straight, strong, and of a comely stature. Thy Teates as berries.

VERS. 18.

I say I will get vp vpon the palme-tree, I will take hold of her branches, and thy brests shall now be like the clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples.

But I will not leaue thee so, I giue thee my word for it, (and that I promise be sure I will per∣forme) I will prune and purge thee that thou shalt bee all fruitfull, redolent, and fragrant. Thy teates as the clusters of grapes, full of the sweete iuce of the milke of the Word of God. Thy nose shall both giue and receiue a smell of apples, that thou maist be as wel meate as drink vnto the soule.

VERS. 19.

And thy pallat as wine of the best smell, frisking, liuely, vpright, making the lips of those that are asleepe to speake.

Yea thy tongue (the preaching of the Gospell) shall bee as pure, strong and pleasant wine of the best smell and sauour, sprinckling, and leaping loue∣ly, frisking in the cuppe; whereby euen those that sleepe, and are dead in their sinnes and trespasses shall be awakned, and with new lippes and words sound forth thy praise.