A paraphrase on the canticles, or, Song of Solomon by the late learned and pious Protestant, Thomas Ager.
About this Item
Title
A paraphrase on the canticles, or, Song of Solomon by the late learned and pious Protestant, Thomas Ager.
Author
Ager, Thomas.
Publication
London :: Printed by A. Godbid and J. Playford and are to be sold by Samuel Sprint ...,
1680.
Rights/Permissions
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Subject terms
Bible. -- O.T. -- Song of Solomon -- Commentaries.
Bible. -- O.T. -- Song of Solomon -- Paraphrases, English.
Cite this Item
"A paraphrase on the canticles, or, Song of Solomon by the late learned and pious Protestant, Thomas Ager." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A26545.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 6, 2024.
Pages
VERSE XI. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over.
HEre it is shown that so long as the Con∣science is under the Law, the feeling of Sin and the wrath of God, it is as the time of winter; wherein flowers and fruits do seem to be consumed, by reason of Storms, and Tempests, and frosty nights. And as in the time of rainy weather, when little benefit of the Sun appears; for it is for the present as if there were no Christ or Saviour, when all former experiences of Gods love and favour are forgotten and lost. Which condition no man can speak effectually of, unless he have in some measure found it in himself. But as soon as the Conscience is humbled, confesseth sin and lifteth up through faith, his eyes and heart to the voice of his Redeemer, the winter is past, and the rain is over. All fears and doubts
descriptionPage 97
do then begin to vanish away. According to the saying of the Prophet,
they shall hear of joy and gladness, and sorrow, and mourning shall flee away. So that the Gospel putteth an end to the Law in respect of the Conscience; that Christ alone may there rule and govern. I say in respect of the Conscience, (not in respect of the conversation, but) in removing the guilt of sin and filling of it with peace and joy; for in saying the winter is past, it sheweth us also, that Summer is come. All a mans life may be said to be winter in respect of the flesh, and the manifold sins, vexations, cares, and dayly calamities, it is subject to in this mortal life; but in respect of the Conscience it is sometimes winter, and sometimes Summer. Therefore no man must be too much cast down with discouragement, when he feeleth his sin and the wrath of God, as though the winter would never be past; nor yet be too much overcome with rejoicing, when the Gospel shineth within him as though the rain would never come again.