The Mystery of the Marriage Song, License – Dedication
May 9. 1656.
THe whole Book of Pſalms is an eminent part of the Holy Scriptures, and the forty fifth is very eminent among the Pſalms. As Solomons Myſticall Song of the Loves of Chriſt and the Church, ſo, this Song of Loves (that's the Title) written by his Father David, may well be called The Song of Songs, or an Excellent Song. And as the Song is Excellent, ſo he that can hit the Tune of it (I mean the ſpirituall ſence of it) is an Excellent Singer. Having peruſed the enſuing Expoſition, I conceive this Author hath hit it well, ſo well, that I remember none (in our Language) who have hit it better. And though (poſſibly) ſome may not be harmonious with him in all his notions upon it, yet I perceive he intends no diſcord with any. And therefore I judge it fit to be publiſhed for the uſe of the Spouſe and Church of Chriſt, that the hearts of Saints may be enlarged, in the opening of this Song, to know the Excellency of Chriſt, together with the glorious preſent priviledges, and after expectations they have by him; as alſo the thankfull reſpects and humble duties, which they owe to him in Love, and which his tranſcendent Love ſhould Conſtraine them to.
Joſeph Caryl.
The MYSTERY of the Marriage Song.
And Mutuall Spirituall Embraces between CHRIST & his SPOUSE, Opened, in an EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Notes & Obſervations ON The whole Forty-fifth PSALME.
By W. TROUGHTON, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
If any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the Oracles of God,
1 Pet. 4.11.
I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my ſoule ſhall be joyfull in my God: For he hath cloathed me with the Garments of ſalvation; he hath covered me with the Robe of righteouſneſſe as a Bridegroom decketh himſelf with Ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth her ſelfe with Jewels,
Iſa. 61.10.
This is a great Myſtery, but I ſpeak concerning Chriſt and his Church,
Epheſ. 5.32.
LONDON: Printed by M. S. for the uſe of the Author. 1656.
To the Truly Honourable the Lord DEPUTY FLEETWOOD, AND The Lord Chief BARON STEELE: AND To their Vertuous LADIES.
Grace and Peace be Multiplyed.
I Have taken this opportunity to joyn you together in one Chriſtian Epiſtle, as hoping that you are united in one and the ſame Spirit and bond of Chriſtian affection, (which of all bonds is the ſtrongeſt and moſt durable.)
There is (Honourable and Beloved in the Lord) a two-fold knowledge of ſpirituall things.
1 That which is meerly literall and carnall, and
2 That which is ſpirituall and experimentall.
Men may know Goſpel Myſteries in a carnall manner, and be never a whit the better for all their knowledge, nay it will aggravate their condemnation.(a)1 Cor 13.2. 2 Cor. 5.16. Satan himſelf, and the evill Angels, being ſpirits (though ſpirits of darkneſſe) have more ſpeculative literall knowledge of Divine Myſteries, then all the men in the world beſides. And have not many in our dayes abounded in this kind of knowledge? who now manifeſt themſelves to be ungodly men, turning the grace of God into wantonneſſe, and denying the Lord Jeſus, wandring Stars, clouds without water, carryed about with winds, Trees whoſe fruit withereth, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.(b)Ep. Jude 4, 12, 13.
This is that knowledge which puffeth up(c)1 Cor. 8.1. and maketh men high in their own conceits. Ye reigne as Kings without us (ſaith the Apoſtle(d)1 Cor. 4.8, 20. and I would to God ye did reigne [indeed, and that it were not only in conceit] For the Kingdome of God is not in word, but in power.
Theſe times (wherein Satan more then ever transformeth himſelf into an Angel of light)(e)2 Cor. 11.14. call aloud unto us for more then ordinary watchfullneſſe, ſelf-ſcrutiny, and a continuall exerciſe of our ſpirituall Armour, that we may ſtand in the evill day(f)Eph. 6 13. Strong allurements and temptations from within, and from without, require much faith, holy vigilancy, diſtruſt of our own parts and ſufficiencies, and conſtant dependance upon the grace, power, and wiſedome of the Lord Jeſus.
To have our hearts ſuited to a temptation, is one of the greateſt miſeries, but to have them ſuited to the work of the Lord (which he calls us to) is an unſpeakable bleſſing
When there is a confluence of Creature enjoyments (the world putting on a new Vizard, and Satan the God of this world(g)2 Cor. 4.4. repreſenting the honours and riches thereof in a faire and ſpecious gloſſe(h)Mat. 4.8, 9. that he may thereby the more inſenſibly delude us) truly it concerns the Lords people (in ſuch a caſe) ſeriouſly to watch, and to look narrowly to their ſpirits principles and ends, and to keep their Garments pure and cloſe tied about them, leaſt they walk naked, and their nakedneſſe appear.(i)Rev. 16.14.
What theſe Garments are, you will find in this explication of the Marriage Song, which I recommend to all the Lords people, and particularly to you; and wherein (I hope) you will meet with ſome ſeaſonable practicall Truths (from each Verſe) which I have contracted in as little room as poſſibly I could.
Such as are in high places, are in ſlippery places, eſpecially if they walk in pride, and according to the Principles and Rules of carnall wiſedome and pollicy, and not according to the ſimplicity of the word of Chriſt; and hereof we have had many experiments in this laſt Age.
The beſt Rule of pollicy and prudence, is to prefer the doing of Juſtice, before all earthly advantages; honeſty and ſimplicity will be found to be the beſt pollicy; The leſſe of man the more of God, who confoundeth things that are by things that are not.(k)1 Cor. 1.27. Doubtleſſe the Army (and the good people who have adhered thereunto) have cauſe to ſay ſo, Let them not be high minded, let them not deſpiſe and inſult over their brethren, let them not ſeek great things for themſelves. The holy jealous God will more and more witneſſe againſt an ambitious ſelfiſh worldly ſpirit wherever it appeareth.
Certainly there was never any true, reall beauty or excellency in the honours, Titles, riches, pleaſures of this world. Man at his beſt eſtate is but vanity, and walketh in a vain ſhew. Theſe outward things take to themſelves wings, and fly from us. But now God having in a great meaſure ſtained the pride and glory of all fleſh, and the day of his appearance approaching, there is leſſe beauty, ſweetneſſe, reallity in Creature enjoyments then ever. The older the world groweth, the worſe it is: doe we not ſee the earth reeling too and fro like a drunken man, ready to crack and break under the weight and burden of ſin and vanity? May we not behold all parties (ſo far as they judge of things with a naturall eye, and according to humane prudence) even at their wits ends, not knowing what to doe? As for old corrupt formes, cuſtomes, conſtitutions, what are they but as ſo many dead carkaſſes without life and power?
But we expect a new face of things; we look for a reſurrection of Churches, for a reſtauration of righteous and holy adminiſtrations, for a new Heaven and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, peace and joy.(l)Rev. 21.1. Old things ſhall paſſe away, all things ſhall become New; O that men would learn to be wiſe, and not goe about to build the things which God will deſtroy, nor to deſtroy the things which God will build; to do both, or either, is a great tranſgreſſion in the ſight of the Lord.
You are not ignorant (Honoured and beloved in Chriſt) that there are great thoughts and expectations among the Saints at this …ay, concerning the Kingdome of Chriſt, ſome … one way, ſome in another; nor ſhould this …e ſlighted as a meer fancy, a Chymaera, an odd …otion; doubtles there are many ſymptomes of …he approaching glory of this Kingdome. God …ath ſeverall ſeaſons for revealing his Truths, relating to the ſeverall Offices of Chriſt, and …hoſe truths which ſpecially concern his Kingdome and Government, will be more and more required into, and cleared up in this laſt age, ſpecially when God ſhal rent that vail wch is upon the Jews. (m)2 Cor. 3.15, 16.But alas! methinks at pre…ent our hearts are not ſuited to the glory and …iritualnes of this Kingdome (I am ſure mine … not) and truly it is to be feared, that many who ſpeak great ſwelling words, doe luſt after a fleſhly, and not after a ſpirituall Kingdome … for though this Kingdome is and ſhall be more and more outward and viſible (the ſpirit of God breaking forth in the glorious fruits and emanations thereof) yet the riſe of it is inward. The Kingdome of God is within, and comes without obſervation, (n)Luke 17.20. John 18.2.The King, ſubjects, Lawes, weapons, obedience, adminiſtrations and priviledges, relating to this Kingdome, are heavenly and ſpirituall, not worldly and carnall.
And indeed it is no ſmall deluſion, if (upon this conſideration, that the Saints ſhall rule the Kingdomes of the world) any one party whatſoever ſhall graſp and ingroſſe to themſelves, the great things of this old corrupt periſhing world, and carry on deſignes ſutable to the intereſt thereof, and that from an old worldly ſpirit and principle; for though the Kingdome and Dominion, and the greatneſſe of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven, ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt high (o)Dan. 7.27.yet ſhall not the Saints rule in a worldly carnall ſelfiſh manner, but in a way ſutable to the Juſtice, equity, and ſpirituallneſſe of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and to the Government of that new world, or world to come, which is in ſubjection to Chriſt, Heb. 2.5. and which is daily expected by the Saints, I muſt (for my own part) confeſſe that I am an Expectant, humbly waiting on God for more light and more love, and for a more pure ſelf-denying, powerfull Miniſtry, then yet we have attained (the preſent Miniſtry even all of us being deeply involved in the guilt and corruptions of the times) I wait for a Miniſtry attended with the ſpirit of Elias, that will make crooked things ſtraight, rough things plain; that will exalt the valleys, and bring down every mountain, that all fleſh may ſee the ſalvation and the glory of God. This is prophecied of as a fore-runner of the exaltation of Chriſts Kingdome, Iſa. 2. and when the Lord ariſeth to ſhake terribly the earth, we ſhould (according to the Prophets counſell there) hide our ſelves in the clefts of the Rock(p)Cant. 2.14. even the blood and wounds of the Son of God, which is the ſoules ſtedfaſt Ankor and Refuge in an evill and stormy day.(q)Iſa. 4.6. Heb. 6.19.
It is my frequent and earneſt deſire to the Lord, that all his people in theſe Nations (which have been the ſtage of many miraculous providences) may be thoroughly humbled. Such as have ſeen the Lord (with the eye of faith) will cry out with the Prophet(r)Iſa. 6.5. Woe is me I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midſt of a people of unclean lips.
Verily there is none of us that have cauſe to boaſt; we have all ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God; there is none that doth good, no not one. The beſt of us is but a lye and vanity, and we had need pray continually that God would not enter into Judgement with us, for we cannot ſtand before him.
It would be (in my poor apprehenſion a bleſſed thing if there were among the Lord people, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Souldiers (eve… from the higheſt to the loweſt) ſuch an u… verſall ſerious ſelf-abaſement and humiliation, conſidering the guilt and evill which adhereth generally to us all, for our worldlineſs faction, ambition, murmurings, fleſhly zeal and paſſions, ſelf-ſeekings, dallying with Religion, variableneſſe and unſtedfaſtneſſe in the things of God, raſh ſwearing, violation of ingagements and Covenants, complyance with corrupt Opinions, doctrines, intereſts. In … word, for thoſe many evills wherewith eve… good men of ſeverall ranks and employment… have been intangled and inſnared in the management of the late Wars, and publick ſtupendious Tranſactions in theſe Nations. Confident I am, there is no humble watchfull Chriſtian (employed at this day either in Civil o… Military affaires) but upon ſerious examination will be ſenſible of many ſad miſcarriage… and ſiniſter ends.
This univerſall repentance (accompanied with faith in Chriſts blood) might (through Gods grace) produce good effects in this time of our ſojourning in the wilderneſſe. And O that we could at length not only word it with God (who is an all-ſeeing Spirit) but in good earneſt take ſhame to our ſelves, and give glory to him, who will ere long abaſe the pride of all fleſh, that himſelf alone may be exalted.
Give me leave to conclude with a word of humble advice, (which I truſt is from the Lord) Let it be your care (Honoured and beloved in the Lord) in theſe unſetled times, …o keep cloſe (both in Judgement and practice) to Blood, Water, and the written Word, … by which three things the Lord comes into, and hath communion with his people.(s)1 John 5.6. To the blood of Jeſus for your reconciliation …nd juſtification. To water (whereunto the Spirit of God is compared) for your ſanctification, and for cleanſing you from all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit (by the application of …he blood of ſprinkling) and to the written …ord for your direction. To the Law, and to the Teſtimony, if men ſpeak not according to …his, it is becauſe there is no light in them.(t)Iſa. 8.20.
Be not ambitious and deſirous of the Honours of this vain, tottering, inconſtant, defining world; ſeek not after that which will not ſatisfie an Immortall ſoule. Remember the example of Moſes and Nehemiah, men of choice and excellent ſpirits; nay of Chriſt your head and Saviour, who did not pleaſe but deny himſelf. Let your moderation be knowne to all men, the Lord is at hand.(u)Phil. 4.5.
New-Sarum, April 22. 1656. Your Honours affectionate Servant in the work of Chriſt. W. TROUGHTON.