The Songs of the Old Testament Translated into English Measures, Song 7 – Song 8
THE Firſt Song of ESAY. Eſay 5.
The Argument and the Vſe.
THis Song, you ſhall finde in the fift of Eſay: and the Prophet here, vnderunder the ſimilitude of a Vineyard, excellently deſcribes the eſtate of Iuda and Ieruſalem; with what God had done for them. And therein complaineth againſt his vineyard, becauſe, after the paines beſtowed in fencing and manuring therof (inſtead of the ſweet fruit he expected) it neuertheleſſe brought forth ſower grapes. Next, he ſummoneth their owne conſciences, (whom he had couertly vpbraided) to be iudges of his great louelove and their vnprofitableneſſe. Thirdly, he foretels, how he intends to deale with his Vineyard. And laſtly, he directly declareth whom he meanes by the Parable.
According to this propheticall Hymne, euen ſo hath it fallen out with the Nation of the Iewes, whether you vnderſtand it of them temporally, or ſpiritually. And therefore we are to make a two-fold vſe of this Ode. Firſt, to memorize thereby the mercy, iuſtice, and foreknowledge of God. His Mercy, in ſhewing what he hath done for his people. His iuſtice, in declaring how ſeuere he is, euen to his owne vineyard if it continue vnfruitfull in good works, anſwerable to his husbandry. His foreknowledge, in relating how thoſe things which we know are come to paſſe on the Iewes, were long before reuealed by him, vntounto his Prophets. The ſecond vſe, is by ſinging and meditating thereon, to warne our ſelues to conſider what benefits we hauehave receiued at Gods hands, and to ſtirre vsus vp to be fruitfull in ſpirituall graces and thankeſgiuings, leſt he take away his bleſſings, and leaue vsus vnguarded to be ſpoiled, and laid waſt by our Aduerſaries, as he did the Iewes. For; by this Vineyard the holy Ghoſt did not onelyonly meane Iuda and Ieruſalem, but eueryevery congregation of Chriſtians alſo, who bearing the face of a viſible Church, hauehave heretofore abuſed or ſhall hereafter neglect the grace of God. As we may aſſure our ſelues by the deſtruction of Antioch, Laodicea, Epheſus, and many other particular Churches, who hauing (after God had a long time manured them (by the husbandry of his Apoſtles, and other miniſters) in ſtead of the ſweet Cluſters of pure doctrine and good life, brought forth the ſower grapes of hereſies and vncleanneſſe: Were depriued of their defence, and had both the dewes of Gods ſpirit, and the ſhowers of his word, with-held from them, till they brought forth nothing but thornes and bryars, the fruits of their owne naturall corruption.
The Song.
… A Song of him whom I louelove beſt, And of his vineyard ſing I will. A vineyard once my louelove poſſeſt, Well ſeated on a fruitfull hill, He kept i… cloſe immured ſtill, The earth from ſtones he did refine. An… ſet it with the choi-ſeſt vine. …
He in the mid'ſt a Fort did reare,
A Wine-preſſe therein alſo wrought:
But, when he look't i… grapes ſhould beare,
Thoſe grapes were wilde one, that it brought.
Ieruſalem come ſpeake thy thought,
And you of Iudah, Iudges be,
Betwixt my vineyard here and me:
VntoUnto my Vineyard what could more
Performed be, then I hauehave done?
Yet looking it ſhould grapes hauehave bore
Saue wilde ones, it afforded none.
But goe to, (let that now alone)
I am reſolu'd to ſhew you to,
What with my Vineyard I will doe▪
The hedge I will remoue from thence,
That what ſo will deuoure it may,
I will breake downe the walled fence,
And through it make a trodden way.
Yea, all of it, I waſte will lay.
None ſhall to digge, or dreſſe it care
But thornes, and bryars it ſhall beare.
The Clouds I alſo will compell,
That there no raine deſcend for this:
For loe, the houſe o… Iſrael
The LORD of Armies vineyard is;
And Iudah is that plant of his;
That pleaſant one, who forth hath brought,
Oppreſſion, when he iudgement ſought.
He Iuſtice ſought but found therein,
In ſtead thereof a crying ſinne.
THE Second Song of ESAY. Eſay 12.
The Argument and Vſe.
THe Prophet Eſay being extraordinarily enlightned with foreſight of the miſteries of our Redemption, and hauing in the eleauenth Chapter of this Prophecie, foretold many things concerning the incarnation of Chriſt, and the excellency of his Kingdome; doth in his next Chapter, fore-ſhew the Church, what Song ſhe ſhall ſing in that day. And it is this, which here followeth. Wherein are theſe particular actions of the Church obſeruable. Firſt, that ſhe doth perceiue, and to the praiſe of her Redeemer acknowledge, that although God had formerly afflicted her for ſinnes; yet now, he turnes his wrath into conſolation. Secondly, that without feare ſhe vnderſtands, (and confeſſeth to others) how God is aſſuredly become her ſtrength and ſaluation. Thirdly, ſhe exhorteth all to come and draw the ſpirituall waters of life from their owne Fountaines. Laſtly, vponupon conſideration of Chriſts extraordinary workes and miracles, ſhe earneſtly ſtirreth vp her ſelfe, and others ioyfully to ſing the praiſes of him, her Lord and Sauiour.
This Song, eueryevery Childe of God ought often to r… peate, to the honour of Ieſus Chriſt, for his gratious redemption of mankinde. And ſeeing the holy Prophet (foreknowing the good cauſe ſhe ſhould hauehave to make vſe thereof) hath prophecied that this ſhould be the Churches Hymne, after the manifeſtation of our Sauiour in the fleſh: Doubtleſſe, it would be very properly vſed vponupon thoſe dayes, which we ſolemnize in memory of our Sauiours Natiuitie, and Epiphany: and vponupon all ſuch other occaſions as the Congregation may hauehave, to giuegive thankes for that great worke of our Redemption.
The Song.
… LOrd I will ſing to thee, For angry though thou waſt, Yet thou with-drewſt thy wrath from me, And ſent me comfort haſt. …
Loe, God's my health; on whom,
I feareleſſe▪ truſt will …ay,
For oh the LORD, the LORD's become
My ſtrength, my Song, my ſtay.
And you, with Ioy (for this)
Shall water fetch away,
Out of thoſe wels, where ſafetie is:
And thus, then ſhall you ſay.
Oh ſing vntounto the LORD,
His Name and works proclaime▪
VntoUnto the people beare record,
That glorious is his Name.
VntoUnto the LORD oh ſing:
For, wonders he hath done,
Yea, many a renowned thing,
Which through the earth is knowne.
Sing forth, aloud all yee,
That doe in Sion dwell:
For loe, thy holy-One in thee,
Is great, oh Iſrael.