Works of Joseph Hall, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
1. How beautifull are thy goings with ſhooes, O Princes daughter? the compaſſe of thy hips like iewels: the worke of the hand of a cunning workeman.
HOw beautifull are thy feet, O daughter of the Higheſt; being ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpell of peace, and readily addreſſed to run the way of the commandements of thy God! thou art compaſſed about thy loines with the girdle of veritie; which is both precious for the matter of it, and cunningly framed by the skill of the ſpirit of truth.
2. Thy nauell is as a round cup, that wanteth not liquor: thy bellie is as an heape of wheat, compaſſed about with Lillies.
The nauell, whereby all thy ſpirituall conceptions receiue their nouriſhment, is full of all fruitfull ſupply, and neuer wants meanes of ſuſtenance, to feed them in thy wombe: which alſo is ſo plenteous in thy bleſſed increaſe, that it is as an heape of wheat, conſiſting of infinite pure graines, which conſort together with much ſweetneſſe and pleaſure.
3. Thy two breſts are as two young Kids that are twinnes.
Thy two Teſtaments (which are thy two full and comely breſts, by whoſe wholſome milke thou nouriſheſt all thy faithfull children, once borne into the light) are for their excellent and perfect agreement, and their amiable proportion, like two twinnes of Kids.
4. Thy necke is like a Tower of Iuorie: thine eies are like artificiall pooles in a frequented gate: thy noſe is as the Tower of Lebanon, that looketh toward Damaſcus.
Thoſe, who by their holy authoritie ſupport thy gouernment (which are as ſome ſtraight and ſtrong necke to beare vp thy head) are for their height and defence, like a Tower; for their order, pureneſſe and dignitie, like a Tower of Iuory: thy Teachers and Miniſters (which are thine eies) are like vntounto ſome cleare and artificiall ponds of water, in a place of greateſt reſort: wherein all commers may ſee the faces of their conſciences; and whence they may plentifully draw the Waters of life. Thy noſe, by which all ſpirituall ſents are conuayed to thee, is perfectly compoſed, and featured like ſome curious Turret of that goodly houſe in Lebanon; ſo as thy iudgement, and power of diſcerning the ſpirits, is admirable for the order and excellencie thereof.
5. Thine head vponupon thee is as ſcarlet, and the buſh of thine head like purple: the King is tied in thy beames.
The whole tyre of thine head (which are the ceremonies vſed by thee) are very gracefull, and of high eſtimation and price to all the beholders: and as for me, I am ſo enamoured of thee, that I am euen tied by my owne deſire, to a perpetuall preſence in thine holy aſſemblies.
6. How faire art thou, and how pleaſant art thou, O my louelove, in pleaſures!
Oh how beautifull and louely art thou therefore (O my Church) in all thy parts and ornaments! how ſweet and pleaſant art thou (O my LoueLove) in whatſoeuer might giuegive me true contentment!
7. This thy ſtature is like a Palme-tree, and thy breſts like cluſters.
Thy whole frame is, for goodlineſſe and ſtraight growth, like vntounto ſome tall Palme-tree; which the more it is depreſſed by the violence of perſecutions, riſeth the more; and the two breſts of thy Teſtaments are like two full iuicie cluſters, which yeeld comfortable and abundant refreſhing.
8. I ſaid, I will goe vp into the Palme-tree; I will take hold of her boughs: thy brests ſhall now be like the cluſters of the Vines, and the ſauour of thy noſe like Apples.
Seeing then thou art my Palme-tree, I hauehave reſolued in my ſelfe to adioine my ſelfe to thee; to enioy thee, to gather thoſe ſweet fruits of thy graces, which thou yeeldeſt; and by my preſence alſo will cauſe thee to be more plentifull in all good workes, and doctrine; ſo as thou ſhalt afford abundance of heauenly liquor vntounto all the thirſtie ſoules of thy children; and an acceptable verdure of holineſſe and obedience vntounto me.
9. And the roofe of thy mouth like good wine, which goeth ſtraight vp to my Wel-beloued, and cauſeth the lips of him that is aſleepe, to ſpeake.
And the deliuerie of my Word, by the mouthes of my Miniſters, ſhall be as ſome excellent wine, which ſparkleth right vpward: being well accepted of that God, in whoſe name it is taught, and looketh moſt pleaſantly in the glaſſe, being no leſſe highly eſteemed of the receiuers: which is of ſuch wonderfull power, that it is able to put words both of repentance, and praiſe, into the lips of him that lies aſleepe in his ſinnes.
The Church.
10. I am my Wel-beloueds, and his deſire is toward me.
BEhold, ſuch as I am, I am not my owne; much leſſe am I any others: I am wholly my Sauiours: and now I ſee, and feele, whatſoeuer I had deſerued, that hee is mine alſo in all intire affection; who hath both choſen mee, and giuen himſelfe for mee.
11. Come, my Wel-beloued, let vsus goe into the fields, let vsus lodge in the villages.
Come therefore, O my deare Sauiour, let vsus ioine together in our naturall care: let thy Spirit and my ſeruice be intent vponupon thy Congregations here below on earth; and let vsus ſtay in the place where our ſpirituall Husbandrie lieth.
12. Let vsus goe vp early in the morning to the Vines, and ſee if the Vine flouriſh, whether it hath diſcloſed the firſt Grapes, or whether the Pomegranats bloſſome: there will I giuegive thee my louelove.
Let vsus with all haſte and cheerfulneſſe viſit the fruitfull vines of our beleeuing children; and to our mutuall comfort, be witneſſes and partakers of all the ſignes and fruits of grace, of all thoſe good workes, and thankſgiuings, of thoſe holy endeuours and worthy practices, which they yeeld forth vntounto vsus: let vsus iudge of their forwardneſſe, and commend it: whereupon it will eaſily appeare, that the conſummation of our happy mariage draweth neere, in which there ſhall be a perfect vnion betwixt vsus.
13. The Mandrakes hauehave giuen a ſmell, and in our gates are all ſweet things new and old; my Well-beloued, I hauehave kept them for thee.
Behold: thy godly ſeruants, which not onelyonly beare fruit themſelues, but are powerfull in the prouocation of others, preſent their beſt ſeruices vntounto thee; and euen at our doores (not farre to ſeeke, not hard to procure) is offer made vntounto thee, of all variety of fruit; whether from thy young Conuerts, or thy more ſetled Profeſſors: and all theſe I ſpend not lauiſhly; but in my louing care, duely reſerue them for thee, and for the ſolemne day of our full mariage.