The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

The .viij. Chapter.

2 The Church wyll be taught by Christe. 3 She is vpholden by hym. 6 The vehement loue wherwith Christe loueth her. 1•• She is the vine that bryngeth foorth fruite to the spirituall Solomon, which is Iesus Christe.

[unspec A] 1 O That (a) I might finde thee without and kisse thee, whom I loue as my brother whiche suckt my mothers brestes, and that thou shalt not be dispised,

2 I wyll leade thee and bryng thee into my mothers house, that thou myghtest teache me, and that I myght geue thee drynke of the spiced wine, and of the sweete sappe of my pomegranates.

3 His (b) left hande shalbe vnder my head, and his ryght hande shall imbrace me.

4 I charge you O ye daughters of Hie∣rusalem that ye wake not vp my loue, nor touche her, tyll she be content her selfe.

5 (What is she this that cometh vp from the wildernesse, and leaneth vpon her loue?) I wake thee vp among the apple trees where thy mother conceaued thee, where thy mother [I say] brought thee into the worlde.

6 (c)O set me as a seale vpon thine heart, and as a seale vpon thine arme: for loue is myghtie as the death, and gelousie as the hell.

7 Her coales are coales of fire, and a very vehement flambe [of the Lorde]: so that many waters are not able to quenche loue, neither may the streames drowne it: Yea yf a man woulde geue all the good of his house for loue, he shoulde count it nothyng.

8 dOur sister is but young and hath no brestes: what shall we do for our sister when she shalbe spoken for?

9 If she be a wall, we shall builde a siluer bulwarke thervpon: yf she be a doore, we shall fasten her with boordes of Cedar tree.

10 I am a wall, and my brestes lyke towres, then was I as one that hath founde fauour in his syght.

11 Solomon hath a vineyarde at Baal-Hamon: and this vineyarde deliuered he vnto the kepers, that euery one for the fruite therof shoulde geue hym a thousande peeces of siluer.

12 My vineyarde which is myne, is in my syght: thou (O Solomon) must haue a (f) thousande, and the kepers two hun∣dred, which kepe the fruite.

13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, (g)O let me heare thy voyce, that my companions may hearken to the same.

14 (h)O get thee away my loue, and be as a roe or a young hart vpon the sweete smellyng mountaynes.

A. P. E.

Notes

• (a)

  The fa∣thers of the olde testament desireth to see the incarnati∣on of Christe.
• Cant. ii. a.
• (b)

  His gra∣tious fauour shall preserue me from des∣peration in aduersitie, and frō presump∣tion in prospe∣ritie.
• (c)

  The Churche de∣sireth to be ioyned vnto Christe by the seale of the holy ghost.
• d

  The Iewes Church spe••¦keth this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Church 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gentiles 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 both testa¦mentes
• The Apostles preacheth to them that are called inward∣lye of God to saluation,
• (f)

  By this thousand is signified the greatest pro∣fite, which is lyfe euerla∣styng, which is obteined by the grace of God, & not by our merites.
• (g)

  Christe dwelleth in his Church, and his sheepe heare his voyce.
• (h)

  The Church doth pray that Christe de∣parting with his bodyly presence, he woulde assist her in all kinde of ne∣cessites with the grace of his heauenly spirite.