A paraphrase on the canticles, or, Song of Solomon by the late learned and pious Protestant, Thomas Ager.

VERSE VI. Look not upon me because I am black, because the Sun hath looked upon me; my Mother's Children were angry with me, they made me the Keeper of the Vineyards, but mine own Vineyard have I not kept.

IT is as much as to say this, Look not upon me with contempt, to despise the Doctrine I profess, nor yet upon my stains and blemishes, as if I were cast off and rejected of my Belo∣ved; for although my Skin be of an evil colour, this doth not proceed from any evil there is in the Gospel, but from an outward cause, to wit,

the Sun; the Sun hath looked upon me, there∣fore I would not be despised, and counted a Cast away, for it is not my natural hew, I am comely in the sight of my Beloved. True it is, I have some troubles upon me, my Mother's Children do afflict me. There be many of the same Linage I am of, in respect of the outward state of the Church, we have all one Mother; but they have not the Spirit of Adoption, to become the Children of my heavenly Father. My Mother's Sons have not true Faith in Christ, nor Hearts to live, as Brethren and Sisters ought to do: For although we were born in one House, and brought up in one Family, did all eat the same Spiritual Meat, and drink the same Spiritual Drink; Yet they are fallen away by evil Principles, and into an evil course of Life; and because I am not willing to follow their evil ways in Life and Doctrine, therefore they are angry with me. They have canker'd Minds, full of malice, and very much enflamed against me; for when I was about mine own business in the Lord's Vineyard, to do good to every Vine, according to my power and skill, they made me (through my own frailty and weakness) to look to other Vines; not only to do such Or∣ders, observe such Ceremonies, and preach such Doctrines, as I was never appointed to do; but also sought to draw me quite away from the Lord's Vineyard, to other Vineyards: And to persuade me hereunto, they would make me a Keeper; they would set me in an Office to

keep out the defiled and unclean, lest their Vineyard should be spoiled by evil Beasts: And while I was thus imployed, yielding my self too much this way, they brought me quite out of Love with my own Vineyard, mine own Vineyard have I not kept; and in forsaking mine own Vineyard, which I too much con∣sented to, I had even lost the benefits of Christ my Lord and Saviour.

The Bride here sheweth, that although she be black and stained, and out of countenance, yet she would not be look'd upon proudly, with disdain and contempt, but as an object of Pity and Mercy; yet this she sheweth to be the practise of the Daughters of Jerusalem in all Ages of the Church, to cover all things that is comely in the Bride, to bury that in Oblivion, but to fasten their Eyes very heedfully upon that which is her blackness and deformity. Such is the infirmity of Man's nature, that if there be any blemishes and stains in others, that we curiously observe, and suffer our Affections to be even quite abated from them therefore; but if there be any thing worthy of Praise, that we skip over and take little notice thereof. That which is good in us, we would have all Men look upon, and have us in high estimation for; but in dealing with other Men, we behold every spot, blemish, and stain. All Men are willing to have their own deformities skipped over, and their vertues highly praised and ho∣noured; but are loth to take any notice of the

vertues in others, although they be ever so excellent and worthy of praise. But why do we look upon that which desameth the Person in some things? And do not as well behold that which will set him out in other things. If there be some blemish in an House, we take not much notice of it, but, most of all, behold that which will make it saleable: Or, if a ground be infected with Herbs and Roots, that in some respects may be unprofitable; yet, if in other respects they are useful, we account of them, and cherish them. Now, if in Herbs and Roots we respect the vertues, as well as the baseness, why do not we the like by the Church of God? Why do not we mark the best things to help to inflame Charity, and to nourish true Christian Love, as well as to fasten our Eyes upon the deformities of the Church, which is the ready way to separate our Affections from it.

She also complaineth farther, than in leaning too much to her Mother's Sons, she forsook (as it were) the fruit of her own Vineyard, even the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of this sort of People the Church of God hath ever been pestered withall, such that fall away themselves, and then seek to draw Disciples after them; some to follow Rules and Orders which are not commanded, that live within the Church, and to draw Men into an evil course of Life, and others which seek to draw Men from the Lord's Vineyard, unto

other Vineyards, whereby they come to lose the Fruits of Christ's Death and Resurre∣ction. For it must well be noted, that although in separation from Churches, a great shew of Holiness, may be pretended; yet under that shew of Holiness, the greatest Sin lyeth hid, which is a departing from the Gospel.

And the reason is, because the ground of separating from one Church to another, is not because the gifts of God are wanting, in the Church separated from, which are the Word and Sacraments, but because of Men's corru∣ptions; neither is the ground of their uniting into another Church fellowship, because of the word of God, but the works of Men. Now because they make another ground of Church fellowship, which is not the Gospel, preferring the abominable works of Men, before and beyond the Word and Righteousness of God, having nothing to glory in, but only in the Act of Separation; therefore by the very Act of Separation, the Fruits of the Vineyard are lost. And this is that which the Bride here toucheth upon, and confesseth she did yield too much this way; (and about this point most that are godly, first or last are tottering) yet she reco∣vered her self, and confesseth, that she had rather forsake her Mother's Sons, although they be angry with her, than by following their Doctrine and way to lose the Fruits of her own Vineyard, and purchase the displeasure of her Beloved.

Therefore let every Man in the Church of God keep to his own Vineyard, and do the Lord's work; first in looking to himself, then in plan∣ting the young Vines: Also in nourishing those that are planted, there is work for every Man to do, and God will give a liberal Reward in the end; every Man at the last shall have his Penny.