The church's love BEFORE CHRIST cir. 977. f Gen. 3. 19. Job 34. 15. Ps. 90.3. 8 ch. 3. 21. b Num. 16. SOLOMON'S SONG, I. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 8 ¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. 9 And 2 moreover, because the 22. & 27. 16. preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. Job 34. 14. Is. 57. 16. Zech. 12. 1. 1 Ps. 62.9. ch. 1. 2. 2 Or, the more wise the preacher was, &c. 3 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even k 1 Kings 4. words of truth. 32. John 14. 2. Ephes. 2. 6. 6 Or, they love thee uprightly. 6 Or, as one that is veiled. f ch. 5. 9. & 6. 1. unto Christ. goads, and as nails fastened by the| masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and 'much 2 study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 T Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: m Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or 11 The words of the wise are as whether it be evil. 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. 3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. i 10 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. 11 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. 12 ¶ While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. 13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. 14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi. k Or, my mych. 4. 1. & love; behold, thou art fair; thou 15 Behold, thou art fair, hast doves' eyes. 4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the uprighted, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. love thee. 5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 6 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. 7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? 8 ¶ If thou know not, 'O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed & 5.2.& 6.4. thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. 9 I have compared thee, O my 8 ch. 2. 2,10, 13. & 4. 1,7. John 15. 14, 15. 16 Behold, thou art fair, my belov 17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir. companion. 6 Or, galleries. 7 Heb. I delighted and down, &c. 8 Heb. palate. 9 Heb.house of wine. 2 Heb. straw me with apples. e ver. 13. f ver. 10. 8 ch. 8. 13. 8 The voice of my beloved! 3 10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For, lo, the winter is past, the 12 The flowers appear on the 13 The fig tree putteth forth her She glorieth in Christ. 6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? 7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. 8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1014. d ch. 8. 5. 9 King Solomon made himself 2 a 2 Or, a bed. chariot of the wood of Lebanon. 10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. 11 Go forth, Oye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart. CHAPTER IV. 1 Christ setteth forth the graces of the church. a ch. 1. 15. 14¶Omy dove, that art in the clefts Bove; behold, thou art fair; thou EHOLD, a thou art fair, my 5.12. of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. 15 Take us the foxes, the little Luke 13.32. foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. h Pg. 80. 13. Ezek. 13. 4. i ch. 6. 3. & 7.10. k ch. 4. 6. 1 ver. 9. ch. 8. 14. 4 Or, of division. a Is. 26. 9. b ch. 5. 7. c ch. 2. 7. & 8. 4. 8 Or, cypress. ch. 1. 14. n 12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: 15 A fountain of gardens, a well John 4. 10. of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. & 7.38. A description of Christ. ye than salem, if ye find beloved, "that my tell him, that I am sick of love. 9 ¶ What is thy beloved more another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? 10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. 11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are 'bushy, and black as a raven. 12 h His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and 'fitly set. 13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as 'sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. 14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. 15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. 16 'His mouth is most sweet: yea, palate. he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, Ŏ daughters of Jerusalem. I AM come into my garden, my 1 sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink John 3.29. abundantly, O beloved. c Luke 15. 7.10. & 15. 14. 4 Or, and be drunken with loves. 2 ¶ I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that a Rev. 3. 20. knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. 3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? 6 Or, (as some read) in me. Heb. pass ning about. ing, or,run ⚫ ch. 3. 1. ? ch.3.3. 4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. 5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. 6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 7 'The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my vail from me. 8 I charge you,O'daughters of Jeru CHAPTER VI. The church professeth her faith in Christ. 4 Christ graces of church, 10 and his love towards her. HITHER is thy beloved gone, a thou fairest among women? ch. 1.8. whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee. 2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. 3 I am my beloved's, and my be-bch. 2. 16. loved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies. 4 T Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. 5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. The graces of the church. SOLOMON'S SONG, VII. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1014. 8 ver. 4. h ch. 7. 12. 2 Heb. I knew not. 8 Or, set me on the chariots of my willing people. 10 ¶ Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? 11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. 12 2Or ever I was aware, my soul 3made me like the chariots of Amminadib. 13 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shu4 Or, of Ma- lamite? As it were the company of hanaim. Gen. 32. 2. . Ps. 45. 13. 5 Ileb. mixture. b ch. 4. 5. • ch. 4. 4. 6 Or, crim son. 7 Heb. bound. 8 Heb. straightly. 9 Or, of the ancient. d ch. 2. 16. & 6.3. e Ps. 45. 11. f ch. 6. 11. two armies. CHAPTER VII. 1 A further description of the church's graces. How beautiful are thy feet with 2 Thy navel is like a round goblet, 3 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins. 4. Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which 7 Many waters cannot quench love, looketh toward Damascus. neither can the floods drown it: fif a Prov. 6.35. 5 Thine head upon thee is like Car-man would give all the substance of mel,and the hair of thine head like pur- his house for love, it would utterly be ple; the king is held in the galleries. contemned. 6 How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights! 7 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. 8 I said, I will go up to the palm 9 And the roof of thy mouth like 11 Come, my beloved, let us go 2 12 Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, 2 Heb.open. whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. g Gen. 30.14. b Matt. 13. 52. 13 The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of 11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; "he let out the vineyard unto Matt. 21. keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. 12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred. 13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: 'cause me to hear it. 14 Make haste, my beloved, and 'be thou like toa roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 760. a Num.12.6. b Deut.32.1. Jer. 2. 12. & 6. 19. & 22.29. Ezek. 36. 4. Mic. 1. 2. & 6. 1, 2. THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. CHAPTER I. 1 Isaiah complaineth of Judah for her rebellion. 5 He lamenteth her judgments. 10 He up braideth their whole service. 16 He exhorteth to repentance, with promises and threatenings. 21 Bewailing their wickedness, he denounceth God's judgments. 25 He promiseth grace, 28 and threateneth destruction to the wicked. HE vision of Isaiah the son of 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of 2 he goats. 12 When ye come to appear beTamoz, which he saw concern fore me, who hath required this at ing Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 b Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled c ch.5.1, 2. against me. d Jer. 8. 7. e Jer. 9. 3,6. fch. 5. 12. 2 Heb. of heaviness. g ch.57.3,4. Matt. 3.7. 3 Heb. alienated, or, separated, Ps. 58. 3. h ch. 9. 13. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel ⚫ doth not know, my people doth not consider. f BEFORE CHRIST cir. 760. 22. m. 15. 8.50.8,9. & 16. Prov. 15.8. & 21. 27. ch. 66. 3. Jer. 6. 20. & 7.21. Amos 5. 21, 22. Mic. 6. 7. 2 Heb.great your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more "vain oblations; he goats. incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your "new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. your 15 And when ye spread forth hands, I will hide mine eyes from a yea, when ye 5 make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people 2 laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, you: g children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto 'anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and h 3 Jer. 2. 30. & the whole heart faint. 5. 3. 3 Heb. to be seen. r Ex. 23. 17. & 34. 23. 8 Matt. 15.9. t Joel 1. 14. & 2. 15. 4 Or, grief. n Num. 28. 1. x Lev. 23. 2, &c. Lam. 2. 6. y ch. 43. 24. z Job 27.9. P. 134. 2. Prov. 1. 28. ch. 59. 2. Jer. 14. 12. Mic. 3. 4. a Ps. 66. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 5 Heb. 16 ¶ Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings multiply from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 7 d prayer. b ch. 59. 3. 6 Heb. bloods. © Jer. 4. 14. & 37.27. Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12.9. 1 Pet. 3. 11. 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judged Ps. 34. 14. the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and flet us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, & they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. g 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: hfor the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 16. Jer. 22. 3, fic. 6. 8. Zech. 7.9. & 8. 16. 7 Or, righten. f ch. 43. 26. Mic. 6. 2. g Ps. 51.7. Rev. 7.14. 19. 21. 21 ¶ 'How is the faithful city be-Jer. 2. 20, come an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. k Jer. 6. 28, 30. 19. 22 Thy silver is become dross, Ezek. 22.18, thy wine mixed with water: 23 1 Thy princes are rebellious, and m companions of thieves: "every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 1 Hos. 9. 15. m Prov. 29. 2.1. Jer. 22. 17. Ezek.22.12. Mic. 3.11. Hos. 4. 18. & 7.3. o Jer. 5. 28. Zech. 7. 10. |