The Song of the Beloved Concerning His Vineyard, Title page – Dedication
THE SONG OF THE BELOVED, Concerning his Vineyard.
Modulated, and applied, to moue men to know and embrace that, which belongeth to their peace, in this their time.
By Iohn Carpenter of Norleigh in Deuon.
Iere. 2. 21.
I planted thee a noble Vine, and wholly a right ſeed: How art thou turned then into a bitter, vnfruitfull, and ſtraunge Grape?
LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede. 1599.
TO THE RIGHT Worſhipfull Sir Iohn Stawell Knight, in the Countie of Sommerſed, the grace and bleſſing of God, with all proſperitie, in Ieſu Christ our Lord.
THe Iewes beeing captiued in Babilō (Right worſhipfull Sir) were not a little ſorrowfull, not onelyonly for their miſerable thraldome of body: but alſo for this, that they could not then, and there exerciſe themſelues in the right ſeruice of the true God, as they might ſometimes freely hauehave done in the Citie of Ieruſalem and land of Iudah: therefore, when the Babilonians (in their merrie moode) required them to ſing one of the Songs of Zion: they in their heauineſſe anſwered them: How ſhall we ſing the Lords Song in a ſtrange land? howſoeuer it was delightſome to the Babilonians, now triumphing ouer thoſe Iewes, to heare them to ſing one of the Songs of Zion: it was (doubtleſſe) no Ieſſe wofull to the Iewes, to ſing the Lords Song, then and there among ſuch as ſcorned and cōtemned both them and their holy religion: then it was ſometimes loathſome vntounto thoſe Iewes, to heare the holy Prophets to ſing and modulate ſuch diuine Canticles and Songs at home in their owne land. But thus did the Lord deale with thē in his vpright iudgements, that for as much as they neither loued, nor delighted in, but altogither loathed and diſdained, both the Lords meſſengers and their holy Songs & diuine Sermōs, euen then, when they had a time of grace and peace, with fit opportunitie to heare & ſing the ſame to their owne ſolace and the glorie of their God: and therein reſembled them that would not daunce vntounto them that piped, and proued like the barren and vngratefull vineyard: therefore a time & place ouertooke thē, where in (they being miſerably captiued) were thralls vntounto ſuch, as did (in the like ſort) both diſdaine them, and deride thoſe holy Songs and ſolaces in the which their ſoules ſhuld take the greateſt delight and cōmodity: neither had they the like peace and opportunitie to vſe and exerciſe that which they had both neglected and groſſely abuſed in the due time: wherein as their vnthankfulneſſe was deciphered towards the Lord God after his manifold benefites on them beſtowed: ſo his iudgements laid on them for the ſame, were likewiſe expreſſed and made knowne. The Lords Prophets foreſeeing ſuch things to enſue on that vnthākfull people, did not omit, nor forbeare, to foreſhew them therof, and the ſame by many Arguments to approue, wiſhing and admoniſhing them to accept gratefully, and to vſe reuerently the graces of Gods ſpirit offered them, the which would bee for their good; and that the neglect thereof, would ſurely bring vponupon them intollerable troubles & woes both of body and mind: the which gentle admonition, when the Prophets perceiued, how lightly the Iewes did regard & looſely obſerue, it grieued them not a little, howſoeuer thoſe hard hearted Iewes could not bee moued to lament for themſelues, vntill their dayes of ſorrowes came. Hereat Ieremy wept bitterly for them, whereof alſo hee made a Booke of mournfull Songs, entituled, …s Lamentations. And this Iſayah the Pro…het perceiuing (being now moued by …e ſpirit of God in the anguiſh of his …fflicted mind) did not onelyonly reprooue … threaten thē in his ordinarie Sermōs, …ght wofull that they ſo little regarded …heir owne health▪ but alſo compoſed a …ertaine mournfull Song, which he en…tuled, The Song of his Beloued, touching is Vineyard. In the which he depainted …nd ſet forth before them, their horrible …ngratitude towards their God, whom …hey had moued to ſigh and complaine …hereof, and prognoſticated their future …iſeries. And ſurely, as theſe Sōgs were …ompoſed and ſung vntounto them for teſti…onies againſt them, and to admoniſh …hem: ſo alſo were they both written & …reſerued in the holy Regiſter for ex…mples vntounto vsus, on whom the ends of …he world are come; to teach, inſtruct, …nd warne vsus, not onelyonly to accept, em…race, and highly regard the Songs of …he Lord and his diuine religion in this our owne land and time: but alſo, to yeeld vntounto him the ſweete and timely fruites of the ſame: leſt (peraduenture) being iuſtly depriued both of this benefit, & of al meete opportunities towards the recouery of this loſt treaſure, we ſhall not only deſire to ſee one day of the Sonne of man, and ſhall not ſee it; thirſt after that which we neglected & not hauehave it; and long for that which we loathed and not obtaine it: but alſo full longſomly lament the loſſe of our happineſſe, and the ſenſe of our miſerable condition with thoſe wretched Iewes.
All theſe things (Right worſhipfull Sir) when I had deepely waighed, and wel cōpared both this our time, & the people and condition of the ſame, with that ſtate & conditiō of the Iewes (being yet at home in their ownland, then whē the Prophet Iſayah was moued to ſing this heauy Song) I was alſo moued in that my meditation, …o renew & modulate the ſame, though thus ſimply, yet (as I preſume) in right concord & harmony, for the ſolace, inſtruction, & ad…onitiō of my brethren & countrymē, …d to publiſh it vnderunder this Title, The …ong of the Beloued, &c. And this being …us compoſed and modulated, I hauehave …ought it good to dedicate & cōmend …hiefly to your Worſhip, therby to ex…reſſe my willingnes, not only to bene…t others (though not with ſiluer and …old, yet with ſuch as I hauehave) but alſo …y deſire to vtter ſome ſparkle of my …hankful mind towards your W. whoſe …nciēt good wil, bonnty & right friend…y courteſies extended towards me & …ine, as I gladly acknowledge & keep …n grateful memory▪ ſo would I with all …y hart indeuor to requite to my pow…r▪ Let it pleaſe your W. therfore to take …his poore preſent, & to eſteeme y• ſame …ccording to my good meaning: but …hiefly after the goodnes of the thing it …elf, being (indeed) the Lords Song, and …herfore worthy to be ſo entitled: & the which being weyed in equal ballāce, is …ightly preferred aboue ſiluer & gold: …nd is no leſſe comfortable to them that are ſorie for the affliction of Ioſeph, an… louelove the Lord Ieſus: and therefore … nothing doubt, but that as your Worſhip hath vttered your louing affection to the Lord and his truth, by hearing of his word preached, by reading of the Scriptures, by peruſing the godly labours of the beſt learned, and by th… friendly entertaining and defence of hi… Miniſters, with other Chriſtian vertues: ſo ye will gladly accept, embrace… and defend the truth of this excellen… Solace of the glory of God, the comfor… of the Saints, and the right good ſeruic… of her royal Maieſtie, in that high function wherein ye are now placed. An… thus I commend your Worſhip, wit… my good Lady, to the Lord God, who euer bleſſe you and your familie, an… giuegive you all proſperitie in Chriſt Ieſu…
Your Worſhips ready to be vſed in the Lord. Iohn Carpenter.