MY SPIRIT here shall strong appear, Dark sayings, ne'er observ'd by Man, Were spoke of ME, though none did see Then know, the WISDOM given she, As at the FIRST the thing was plac'd, And place the wISDOM here, The WOMAN should her PROMISE claim- Solomon's Song, viii. 3. 5, 6-His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave. Chap. vi. 10, 11-Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? 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. Chap. v. 2, 3-I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that 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. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? Chap. iv. 15, 16-A fountain of gar SONG OF SOLOMON. 155 dens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.-The contents of this chapter: CHRIST setteth forth the GRACES of the CHURCH. Ver. 8-He sheweth his love to her. Ver. 16.-the Church prayeth to be made fit for HIS PRESENCE. Ver. 8-Coine with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon. Chap. ii. 11, 12, 13. 15, 16-For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his: he needeth among the lillies. THE ANSWER OF THE LORD. Now I'll begin from Solomon, E'er thou dost further go. They say that all is to the CHURCH And I shall make it so: But unto all can they now call, And let the CHURCH appear, To say "we 're thine, and thou artmine," And boldly answer here, That from the HEART they can impart TO PROVE they're so with ME? I tell thee, no: all hearts I know, Though unto aut is now the call, But all will not comply; The CHURCHES here cannot appear To say in us does lie "That we are thine, and thou art mine :" No: every heart I see, They cannot bring it to the CHURCH, Till all in heart like thee Do join the same to have ME come- Till they with thee united be To strike unto the root. To join with thee; all flesh must see, That all the branches in the Church, But unto all it so must come Before the CHURCH be MINE, That they are clear, the TRUTH is here; To bring in PEACE, let tumults cease: HOW PEACE from HER did first appear, So now the turtle's voice is here, To tell you all your fate- And all the foxes shall be seen So here's the call, to one and all— And if with ME you join'd will be, And you the same may claim MY NAME, So here's the CHURCH I'll never blame; I'll take away, I now do say, All that do hurt MY VINE. Now see MY BIBLE how't doth lay, Chap. ii. 15. † Ver. 2. + Fer. 12. § Fer 14 SONG OF SOLOMON. If I appear the whole to clear, The Foxes to destroy; Then where's the man with ME can stand That won't the whole enjoy? So now appear, the sword is near, That will destroy my Foe; Till they bring in their EVERY KING, My SPOUSE you'll see is join'd with ME;" And MY BELOVED, all shall see, Till I shall come to dwell with them, As it is said before; Because their LOVE I now shall prove Like SISTERS here for to appear 1 Wishing to bring MY KINGDOM here, But I am thine, and thou art mine, Is now their every cry. Now tell ME if there was a time, This Earth shall so be found; For as at FIRST it so was plac'd, Like PARADISE the whole shall burst, When I do end MY PLAN. My SPICES here shall then appear, And in the SPIRIT I am here, To let Men know their LORD For now see plain, ye sons of men, It is of WOMAN, I'll maintain, To make MY LOVE to burst. MY SISTERS here and SPOUSE appear- When you stand out so full of doubt, The mysteries no man did find out, "That Men might GOD despise; And see if they will join with ye, Now if't be so, MY LOVE they'll know For where I see your Love to flow, For as the words are mention'd here, That do the truth deny, To prove to all this is the call, MY KINGDOM is at hand?- And as the words are mention'd here The Vision see, was shewn to thee Wet with the dew I'm come t; So every way, I now do say, The likeness doth appear; Tho saw'st the sweat upon MY face, With wet disorder'd hair. See the Vision in the Book printed at Stourbridge, by the Res Mr. Foley, in 1804, p. 109. † Chap. v. 2. |