MY design, in choosing this Text, is, to oc­curr and prevent (if it be not too late) that weakness which the unbelieving fears of the peo­ple of God may bring them into, of the like dangerous Conse­quence, as the losing of blood and spirits. The Cure of fear is Faith; but for as much as to the exercise of Faith Men had need have cleer and composed spirits, therefore have I pitched upon this Subject.

Saul was often troubled with an euil spirit (a sickly, hair-braind, raging spirit) and that which did him ease, was Davids playing upon a Harp before him. And Eliahs spirit being muddied, as it were by passion, cannot Pro­phesie til the mud was setled a­gain by a minstrel. 2 King 3. 15. The spirit of the world, either carnal love, or fear, or any other passion, is like the evil spirit that troubled Saul and Eliah — and faith is as Prophefying; Now when the hand of the Lord; whereby we beleeve comes upon us, the other hand, whereby we are troubled is taken off us; the spirit of faith comes not but the spirit of the world must be cast out, as Hagar and Sarah, the bond-woman and free-woman, could not live together; and you see musick was the instrumental means in those cases. Therefore [Page 3] I have chosen a Subject of this nature, in the discoursing where­of, if the Lord Jesus, the wise charmer, make me by his spirit to charm wisely, I hope it wil be in some measure conducible to the end proposed. A Song of Songs, which was Solomons. So that I desire you to bear me wit­ness, I do it not out of respect to the time of the yeer, It being a festivall time when this Ser­mon was preached. which is with unreasonable superstiti­on preferr'd by too many; but to the times of the Church, the oc­casions and necessities of the Saints, which call for all the help of this nature that we can make, I mean to hold up their spirits in the present carriages or miscarriages of things; and the truth that this Text travells of, bears no smal proporrion of con­ducibleness to this end; and were it but cleerly understood, strong­ly believed, and effectually ap­plyed [Page 4] to you by the spirit of Christ, it would be like a bun­dle of mirrhe between your brests, the virtue whereof is, that is preserves from corrupti­on and infection, and a cluster of Camphire which makes men vegetiores et firmiores, as Pliny observes.

Here therefore, I shal not spend time about the division of this Text into the Title, and the Authour of the Book. But the Notion or Observa­tion I shal present to you at this time, and press upon you, is, from comparing the name of this Book with the subject mat­ter of it: The name is, A Song of Songs, The Subject matter, what is that? There are divers opinions of this, chiefly three: Some make the Subject to be the mutuall and reciprocall ma­kings out of affections and fel­lowship, [Page 5] between Christ and e­very Beleever. 2 ^ly. Others be­tween Christ and the Catholick Church, or generall Assembly, from the beginning to the end. 3 ^ly. A third sort of Interpreters, make it a brief, compendious Prophesie of the mutuall carria­ges and aspects, of Christ and his Churches, (the particular Churches of the Gospell, as wel as the Church of the Jews,) from Solomons time to the end of the world. And though there be (as a M. Cotton of Boston in New England. reverend Divine well ob­serves) a holy and useful truth in the two former; yet this latter might be convinced to be the more adaequate scope and sub­ject of this Book (by many Ar­guments, if it were our business now) which doth exceedingly commend this Book to us, as be­ing a Prophetical history, and Historical Prophesie, giving us [Page 6] a brief and delightful view of all the acts and Monuments of the Church, (of particular Chur­ches in their severall and succes­sive times,) and this book is cal­led a Song. This is that which is remarkable, that such a Sub­ject should make a Song. You wil say, wherein lies the remar­kableness? Herein: If this be a compleat and a perfect Pro­phesie (as it is) of all times, then it must record as wel the evil times of the Church, as the Halcion days; and the defections of the Church, as wel as her perfecti­ons; Gods chastening dispensati­ons, as wel as his affectionate embraces; his frowns as well as his smiles; his placking up of Churches, as wel as his planting of them, the calling off the Jews, as wel as the calling of the Gen­tiles. And that this should be fit matter for a Song, seems strange [Page 7] I beleeve: As if one should write the story of Gods dealing with England from the first Reforma­tion to the present, or to the end of the present agitations, & cal it a song; you would think it an unfit name: though we have had much mercy, yet you would think that the Denomination should rather follow deteriorem partem, and it should be more proper to call it the Lamentation of Eng­land, (that is fallen from such a height of peace and prosperity) then a Song, yet are there as sad times as these recorded in this book, yea, and worse, (not only these but others, worse I say;) for here Solomon by the spirit of Pro­phesie touches the very tops and eminent points of all times that should succeed from his own, yet this he, by the holy Ghost, cals a Song, yea, a Song of Songs.

1. to shew you this in some par­ticulars, [Page 8] that there are very dole­ful notes in this Song. 2. That yet it is a Song. 3. What use we should make of this.

For the 1. to instance but in a few things, in the beginning of this Prophesie: First, you have the blackness of the Church, through the defection of Solomon, who kept not his own vines (his own v. 5. I am black. wives from Idolatry;) and yet this is one particular that goes to this Song. 2. You have the di­vision of the Kingdom, the re­volt of the 10. Tribes, from the house of David, (for Rehoboams stifness and folly) v. 6. My mo­thers children were angry with me. 3. You have the sad estate of the faithful, dispersed through those 10. Tribes in that revolt: in what distress were they to a­void Idolatry, and to enjoy the pure Ordinances of God, while they could not injoy their Con­sciences [Page 9] without exposing them­selves to one of these great evils, either the wrath and persecution of Jeroboham, if they should not go up to the Calves but to Jeru­salem, or else they must forsake their habitations of a sudden; perhaps to their undoing! This was a sad strait, yet this is part of the Song. v. 7. Tell me, oh thou whom my soul loveth, where &c. Then, 4 ^ly You have the sad estate of Judahs falling away from God, (as after 3 yeers of Re­hoboam they did) then God sent Pharoah Shishack King of Aegypt, to yoke them. 2 Chron. 12. 8. This you have, v. 9. and so I might run through the next Chapter. In the 16. v. of this 1 Chap. you have a commendation of the House and Worship of God, that it was pure and green, yet v. 1. of Chap. 2. I am the rose of Sharon, whether you take it of Christ or [Page 10] the Church; though Josiah had made the bed green by his Refor­mation, yet Christ comes not to his spouses bed, but rather cals his Church abroad. Sharon was an open field under Lebanon, where the beasts did feed; Or take it of the Church, she was the Rose of Sharon. There was no fence nor culture, weeds might grow up with her, or the beasts of the field might crop or tread her down; and so it was you know: Josiah, how fair a Rose, but how soon cropt by Pharoah Ne­cho; and the succeeding Kings were placed and displaced by the Babylonians and the Egyptians, at their pleasure; and at length the Kingdom was laid waste by the Babylonians; yet this is part of the Song, and such is the composure of the whole book.

But I may not instance in any more; but as it is in the world, [Page 11] there are hills and valleys all o­ver the earth, so is it in this hi­story; as you have hills of emi­nent prosperity, so there are val­leys of dark adversity; yet this is called a Song, and that most properly, yea, A Song of Songs; as we might shew in 4. respects, viz. the Author, the Matter, the Form and the End; but the Au­thor, and the end, I shal decline for brevity; it may be, I may touch upon them in the use. The matter and form of this most excellent Song, is exprest in these two words, Variety and Ʋnity; variety is the matter; there are various things spoken of various conditions, yet these are made up into one; unity is the form. 1. Variety is not repug­nant to the nature of a Song, to have for its subject, Gods various dispensations to the Church, and the Churches various affe­ction, [Page 12] condition and conversati­on towards God. Good and Evil days, though they disagree in themselves, yet may make up a Song together: Here in this Song is all the variety that may be; all that was or will be, since Solomons time, to the worlds end, is here couched together. Though a deluge of darkness and ignorance hides the particulars of Gods great works from our eyes til they are done, (as the wa­ters did the old world,) yet the tops of the Mountains may be seen here.

2 Here is Unity in this variety; all those several and various (Yea we may think contrary) passages, conditions and times, serve to make up one compleat piece of poesie or invention, and one glo­rious piece of administration; for there is such a contexture of them, and they are so disposed, [Page 13] that in stead of fighting one a­gainst another, and contradicting one another, they do mutually illustrate and set off one another. The Painters colours, should he shake them and mix them all to­gether in a pot, he would lose them all, they would fight one with another, and would either be no perfect colours, or but one, but being layd on a table by the art of the Painter, they serve for excellent use, and are exceeding beautiful. So it is here, the mi­series and mercies, the defections and perfections of the Church, being layd and disposed by so skilful a pensil, as is the hand and wisdom of God, make up a sight exceeding glorious.

Now what Use may we make Ʋse. of this, that God hath composed the affairs of the Church into a Song; certainly the Song is not its own end; God did not express [Page 14] them in this form, for the form sake, as if he were more deligh­ted with a Song then Prose, or as if we should be taken with the expression, and look no further: There is a truth that lies under the expression; and this outward expression; (I mean the form and words of this Song) is but a weak shadow of the inward truth. A­dam put names upon the crea­tures, according to their natures, and God gives outward forms to the creatures, agreeable to their ranks; the most excellent out­ward form to man, because he hath the most excellent inside, therefore he hath received a more comely and beautiful out­side; and the Angels, because they come more near to pure Intelligences and to the under­standing of God, then men, there­fore, if they have any outward form (as some think it is neces­sary [Page 15] they should (none being ab­solutely simple but God) yet it is very subtile and spiritual. So The Ob­servati­on. then, Gods meaning in expressing those things, the affairs of Christs Kingdom, in all times, by the name and in the form of a Song, is to tell and teach us, what a notion we should have of these things them­selves, cloathed with this form, and called by this name, that the series and substance of them is as a Song, or is that analogically in a way of resemblance, that this form of words is properly. Therefore is the de­scription of these things, a Song, because the things themselves are so: As, therefore is the picture beautiful, because the face, in imitation or expression whereof it is made, is beautifull. I shal shew this analogy between the affairs of Christs Kingdom (contained and transacted suc­cessively and orderly) and a Song, [Page 16] in some particulars; and herein Ishal take in other considerati­ons, besides what the Hebrew Songs do afford, for so this sub­ject wil give me leave, which is a Song of Songs, what ever thing is delightful or admirable in any Song, (I mean in the Songs of any language) is in this.

First, Then the universall and common nature of all Songs re­quires, that they be of measured feet, of strict numbers, every line consists of so many mea­sures, therefore they are called metra: All Poems are not alike for feet and measures; every language differs from others and hath variety in it self, and your Lyrick poems (such as Davids Psalmes and this book is) have a greater liberty then other kind of verse, their feet and measures being very much arbitrary, more or fewer in a verse, as the compo­ser [Page 17] should choose, but numbers there are in all, though somewhat latent from us. Now what would the Lord teach us hereby, but that all the affairs of his Church are foreseen in his Counsell: all their times and changes, mercies and miseries, the administration of Christs Kingdom, is a set form, even as a Song is; it cannot vary a Title from the Counsel of God, no more then a verse can without lameness or hobling. Known to the Lord are all his works Acts 15. 18. Ephes. 1. 11. &c. He worketh all things accor­ding to the Counsel of his wil. Gods wil, which hath an infinite varie­ty in it, is determined by his Counsel, (q) So for particular believers, all the transactions that concern their souls, are a known, certain, and unvariable form: Christ hath set how ma­ny temptations, and how long; how many afflictions, and how [Page 18] long; how much knowledg and holiness; what ever befalls them, from the beginning to the end of their days, their sins cannot hinder any good determined from co­ming in its order, place & time, nor can bring any evil upon them unseasonably or uncertainly, but as the feet & measures of a Song, succeed orderly, whereby the in­tegrity thereof is preserved, so it is here, God hath not left him­self room to insert one blessing more then he purposed from e­ternity (nor needs he) nor left himself liberty to crowd in one Cross, more then went to the making up of the Song: But as Lyrick verse hath a greater scope for variety and uncertainty, then other Poems; so doth the Lord shew a great liberty in his admi­nistrations, both publike and private, it is verse, as if it were not: God observes numbers, as [Page 19] if he observed them not, he con­ceals his art from us, at least wise. He is not bound, that this part of the Song that is now singing, should have the same measures that was 2000, years ago, or to deal with his Church, or particular beleevers, now, ac­cording to the same Tenor that he did formerly: Because he did not spare Israel for those sinnes that are rife amongst us, shal we say he cannot spare us? I might instance in many things, wherein God hath vindicated his liberty already; and for particular be­lievers, there is a manifest diffe­rence professed by the Lord him­self and his pen-men, in his carri­age to us and former beleevers. We are come not to the Mountain Gal. 4. 1. Heb. 11. 40. Heb. 12. 18. &c. Better things are reserved for us: We are not children in non-age, but heirs grown up, and so we have more love and grace, [Page 20] and are less snib'd then they: God is not bound to lead us about in the wilderness, as he did them; Nay, he hath promised to shorten his work in righteousness. Rom. 9. 28. So that, though Christ spins a long thread of patience, yet at length, and even on the sudden, he will cut the thread: agreeable to Esa. 10. 22. The con­sumption upon the earthly, Antichristian Church State, shal overflow of a sud­den, as the deluge of the old world. this, some think that this last di­vision that is going upon the se­venth Thousand of yeers, shal not be above 700 yeers, yet as much and more shal be done in this space, then in any 1000. before; for as all things draw neerer their Center and period of their mo­tion, they make more speed. Thus the times and things of the Church, and of each particular beleever, are a Song, both as they are contrived and acted by Christ.

2. It is a Song of Songs; here­in, I shal take in some Conside­rations, [Page 21] not essential to al Songs, or the Songs of all languages; though the Hebrew hath a resem­blance of all the delightful pro­perties of any kind of Song (the Hebrew and our English have greater store of these properties I shal mention, then any lan­guage) I shal instance but in 3. things. 1. The Variety that is in some Songs. 2. The Rhime. 3. The Elegancies. First, it is the commendation of a Song, if it be of a delightful, pleasing sub­ject, and variety is a great com­mendation, and bestows much delightfulness upon a subject, when the invention is copious and various, when there be various persons and various parts acted by those persons various times, tempers, conditions; as this is the snare of Romant's (invented stories) they have such a pleasing variety of passages and accidents, [Page 22] as steal away too much time and heart from those that read them; why, here is all the variety in the world, in Christs and the Chur­ches actions, sweetly tempered and subdued to a delightful har­mony, all is an exchange of love, between Christ and his Church, but here is sometimes amantium irae, and then redintegratio amo­ris, sometime Christ making love to his Church, and slighted by her, then the Church as much in love with Christ and as little satisfied; sometimes the husband casts his wife into prison, and then fetches her out and sets her upon a throne: My beloved, the variety of conditions that the Church appears in, as in several dresses, is like Josephs Coat of many colours, commends the my­stery the more (being subdued and tempered as before,) even as many flowers of a various co­lour [Page 23] and smel, bound up in a po­sie are more delightful, and do catch the sense more then any single flower; or as many colours curiously disposed by a skillfull pensil, make up a lovely picture, which one colour alone would not do, and as that is the chief instrument which hath most strings, and that the best musick that is playd upon most strings, and that the best lesson that hath most division, so is it here: The mystery of Christs Administra­tions to his Church, were not so beautifull, were it all of a colour, were it all plain work, though all prosperity &c. No, but a ground work of black, sets off the brighter colours with a greater grace, so doth the Churches Ad­versity, the Churches Prosperi­ty, and her straits inlarge her mercies, the Long suffering of our Lord is Salvation.

So for particular believers, there is a variety in their conditi­ons outward and inward, and this is the excellency thereof; there is hope and fear, comfort and discou­ragement, health and sickness, temp­tations and inlargements, sin and grace; and the ground-work be­ing laid in these black colours, sin, and desertion, and affliction &c. the light, and life, and love of Christ are illustrated hereby; sin abounds, grace super-abounds; Rom. 5. 20. 21. they are cast down and laid low with temptations, raised high w ^th consolations. That ship mounts up neerest to the heavens that hath its vicissitudes of descen­ding very low, by reason of une­qual waves. Jam jam tacturos tartara &c. jam jam sydera sum­ma; their prayers are the better, their love the sounder, their faith is more exercised. Thus you see, how Christs administration is as [Page 25] a lovely Song, the subject where­of is variety it self; and this the Lord would have us to consider, when he calls it a Song of Songs, and would have us delighted with it as he is, and if we could but get up to the top of some mountain to see all the variety, and how it is ordered and dispo­sed beautifully, it would ina­mour us: what variety of dispen­sation hath there been since God made Adam, and put him in pa­radise! We see man up & down, and up again, what then is the va­riety of the whole mistery, which though we cannot see distinctly and particularly, yet the Lord hath given us an abstract of it, (q) in the Prophesies, though a deluge hide the particulars! And thus the Lord would have us to look upon one time and passage with another. If you look upon a most beautifull pi­cture, [Page 26] and look upon one colour of it, especially if it be the sad­dest and darkest, there is no beau­ty in it; but set the whole varie­ty in your eye, and then it is de­lightful; So let your eye be up­on the Churches beauty, as wel as her blackness; look on the issue God gives out of temptation, as wel as his action in leading into temptation.

2. There is Rhime in some Songs, and herein the Hebrew doth Symbolize with the Eng­lish more then the Greek or La­tine do; Rhime is when one line answers another in sound, as wel as in number of feet; Thus God makes one time or age to Rhime to another, one Christians heart, condition, temptations to Rhime to another; our Chastisement to Rhime to our sins, that such a sin is suited in the Chastisement; returnes of mercies to Rhime to [Page 27] our prayers, Rhime makes the Song the more pleasant, though the matter be but ordinary, and this commends the administra­tion of Christ, that it is all har­mony, all Rhime (q) crosses and mercies, sins and duties altoge­ther, All work together for good, Rom. 8. 28 through the love of Christ, the love of Christ makes the same ending of all his dispensations, they sound all alike, and that sound which ends all, is Love.

3. Songs do, in a more emi­nent manner, glory in the Orna­ment of all manner of ellegancies, then prose. As Metaphors, simi­litudes, tropes and figures, and most amiable resemblances, taken from Jewels, spices, and vineyards, Orchards, Gardens, Winesellars, and the chiefest beauties, and greatest varieties of al the works, both of God and man; the Songs in Scripture are the elegantest [Page 28] parts of Scripture, Moses and Deborahs Songs &c. Agreeably, the Administration of Christs Kingdom is full of elegancies, and they that have spiritual eyes, and eares that can try words, do admire them: what elegancies in bring­ing Israel out of Egypt! it is said, he bare them upon Eagles wings; Deut. 32. Especially now in these latter days; this part of the Song that is now fulfilling abounds herein. What high strains of providence & neat contrivances! Every other work is an elegancy. The actions of our enemies are nothing but Ironies; they speak evil against us, but it is intended against themselves; The wicked is insna­red in the works of his own hands: the Bishops made Cyphers, instead of making the Parliament so. Look abroad amongst the Turks and Indians, where Christ hath no visible Church nor peo­ple, [Page 29] and there is no such needle-work of providence, and so it hath been from the beginning. Gods name therefore hath been great in Israel, only in Israel; The Lord Psal. 76. 1 Psa. 99. 2. would not have us think, only, that things are administred in a just way, but in the most comely, excellent and heroical way. That which the wise Ladies of Sisera's Mother, are supposed to say of Sisera's prey in Deborah's Song, may be said of the administrati­on or providence of Christs King­dom, the whole piece of it. It is a prey of divers colours, of divers colours of needle work, of divers co­lours of needle work fit for the necks of them that take the spoyl; Christ is not content to provide things wholsom, but through the inlar­gedness of his heart, he makes all toothsom for his Church; we have not only meat but sauce. For this way he hath chosen to make [Page 30] known his manifold wisdom, and to unfold it. Ephes. 3. 10. And beloved, that particular belie­vers do not observe so much in Christs private administrations to them, is long of their eyes. There are Christians, that should another write the history of Christ and their mutual carria­ges (which are transient, and lit­tle heeded by themselves, per­haps) they would admire them, & be exceedingly delighted there­with; how Christ governs their spirits, answers their prayers, subdues their corruptions, exer­cises their graces, the lively and lovely touches in all these, could they be described by a pen, would even proceed to a ravishment of the heart of whoever should un­derstand them. The elegant ways that Christ hath to fall off, and come on in his love, his cha­stning and cherishing love.

Therefore let us not look with Ʋse. such dismal apprehensions upon Christs administrations, publike or particular, It is I, says Christ, be not affraid; so I say it is a Song, therefore be not affraid, Christs heart was in love, in the original invention of it, and so it is in the immediate and parti­cular acting of things, it is a love-song, a marriage-song, for so they were wont to have Songs at their weddings in former times, and when the Churches marri­age with Christ is solemnized [who is now espoused] then shal this Song be sung with understan­ding and unspeakable delight. Ʋse. 2.

2. Be not weary and impatient, we do not use to be weary of hearing a delighful Song; Songs have that advantage above prose, that they steal away the eare with a great deal of pleasure. Certainly, if you did but heare [Page 32] the melody of this Song, and did discern the curiousness of the composure: I mean, could you perceive the sweet, spirituall strains of Divine working in and Philoso­phers say, If we could hear the musick of the sphears we might live upon it. for the Church, and particular believers, we should not need to crave your patience. Why be­loved, if you do not understand nor admire it your selvs, through your dulness and heavines, yet give the Lord leave to sing out his Song; have that civility and re­spect to him: Christ is taken with it, therefore there is great worth in it; The long suffering of the Lord is salvation: if it were not a lovely Song, Christ would ne­ver doaze himself with singing of it.

3. Let us sing this Song, as we find the Church singing some parts of it. Rev. 5. 9. & 14. 3. and 15. 3. You may see there what the Song is, and who they are that [Page 33] sing it, such only as are redeemed from the earth, [i.] either such as are truly sanctified, or more strictly such as are redeemed from the earthly Kingdom of An­tichrist and indeed none but such can see a beauty and a glory in the administrations of Christ, none but such can rejoyce in them. Therefore I call only up­on such; you that are the Lambs wife, sing this Song with light­some hearts, observe all the ways of Christ with your spirits, how he walks towards you in outward and inward things, what strict measures and proportions he ob­serves in your temptations, that they be not above your mastery; and in your comforts, that they be not too strong for you neither; observe the variety and change that is in your hearts, temptati­ons, conditions, conversations, in Christs discoveries, and manife­stations [Page 34] of himself to you, and Oh how amiable a sight it is to see bre­thren live together in unity; but more admirable to see con­traries &c. This is the glory of Christs scepter it reconciles the Wolfe and the Lamb, the Lyon and the Kid. how harmoniously these work to­gether, for your good and Christs glory, when he makes himself the more welcom to you, by kee­ping from you sometimes; ob­serve what musick his hand makes by touching contrary strings (q) he strikes a base and a treble together: many times the publike note is high, and thy par­ticular low; a spiritual mercy and an outward crosse strike to­gether, or an outward mercy and an inward temptation: Ob­serve how certain and unmovea­ble your happyness is: the whole Song would be spoyled and run lame [q] if one particular, that God hath determined, should miscarry: therefore your sins and infirmities shal not be able to hurt you: nay these together with your afflictions, are part of the Song; I am black but comely, I [Page 35] speak not this, that you should slight sin, or not watch against it: no, he that hath tasted of the grace of Christ, will not sin that grace may abound, though he loves that grace well.

Let us sing this Song with lightsom hearts, with grace in our hearts; David had Songs of pure adversity of his deep waters, but here is more sweet then bit­ter in our conditions, whether publike or private.

1. Remember the burthen of the Song is Love: so God loved his Church (and so thy soul) must be brought in at the end of every staff, yea at the end of chastning: Whom I love, I rebuke and cha­sten.

2. The Angels have begun the Quire, when Christ was first ma­nifested, glory to God in the high­est.

3. It is a Song worth our ad­miration, [Page 36] for it was penned by the best wit that ever was, even the wisdom of God himself. It was framed for the glory of his dearest Can we not with­out such affection read the tragicall fiction of some one dying for a deare friend, or the passa­ges be­tween two passionate lovers, the several hard for­tunes they ran for one another, with one another; and have we no af­fections for these more reall parts and transacti­ons? Son, and his spouse the Church, in whom he so delights. We love to see such passages acted in a sto­ry or a shew: why should we not much more be taken with this real Song? If the invention of the Father himself, could con­trive a sweet and glorious piece, then this is such. Can we he de­lighted [says one] to hear a heathen Poet sing a fabulous story of Hercu­les, their great Champion, go­ing down to Hell, and bringing thence the Lady Proferpina, and shal we not take more pleasure in hearing of Christs descen­ding into the grave for us, and re­covering his Church out of the hands of Death and Hell.

I have one thing more to com­mend unto you, and that is that [Page 37] you would so observe and sing this song, I mean, be so taken with the workings of Christ for us, and in us, as to be turned thereby into such a mind, and into such a­ctions as please Christ. Historians, and Poets tell us wonderfull ef­fects of Songs and Musick upon hearers; how Amphion with the musick of his Harp, drew stones and trees together for the buil­ding of Thebes. Oh now that my discourse this day of this Song, or rather your reall sence of the sweetness of it, might draw you together as materials for the new Jerusalem, that your bodies, your spirits, your purses, your pray­ers, your word and deed might all be ready for advancing the honour of Christ and your own happyness, in the present de­signs! You wil say, should we give all for a Song, then we were fools indeed? My beloved, it is [Page 38] such a Song, as God the Father, and Christ, and the Angels sing, and are delighted with continu­ally, and to hear how the Saints shal sing it one day in the kingdom of their Father, wil be a torment to those that are shut out of this Quire, and provoke their how­ling. To reconcile you to the present administration, I name but 3 things.

1. Compare and lay together I am black but come­ly. v. 5. one passage with another, one string makes no musick.

2. Cover the unpleasant and uncomely parts, with cleanly names and notions, as we do in our bodies, put most honour upon those parts that have least in themselves: thus the subjection of Judah to Pharoah is set forth by an heroical expression. v. 9. of this Chap. A company of horses in Pharoahs Chariot: a Magnifi­cent expression of servitude, not [Page 39] Asses but Horses, not Jadesina Cart, but Horses in a Chariot, yea a Kings Chariot.

3. Consider your acceptable­ness to God in every passage, time, change or condition: Christ loves you as wel in your night gown; as in your cu­rious dress, as in the verse fore­mentioned. I have compared thee O my love, to a company of Horses: I have compared thee; Thou hast sold thy self thither, but I have put glory upon that condition, for thy sake: I have compared thee, O My Love, My Love still, though a slave, a Cap­tive to Pharoah!