Works of Joseph Hall, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
1. In my bed by night I ſought him whom my ſoule loued: I ſought him, but I found him not.
MY ſecuritie told mee that my Sauiour was neere vntounto my ſoule, yea with it, and in it: but when by ſerious and ſilent meditation I ſearched my owne heart, I found that (for ought my owne ſenſe could diſcerne) hee was farre off from mee.
2. I will riſe therefore now, and goe about in the Citie by the ſtreets, and by the open places, and will ſeeke him that my ſoule loueth: I ſought him, but I found him not.
Then thought I with my ſelfe, Shall I lie ſtill contented with this want? No, I will ſtirre vp my ſelfe; and the helpe I cannot finde in my ſelfe, I will ſeeke in others: Of all that hauehave beene experienced in all kinde of difficulties, of all deepe Philoſophers, of the wiſeſt and honeſſeſt worldlings, I will diligently enquire for my Sauiour: amongſt them I ſought him, yet could receiue no anſwer to my ſatisfaction.
3. The watchmen that went about the Citie, found mee: to whom I ſaid, HaueHave you ſeene him whom my ſoule loueth?
Miſſing him there, I ran to thoſe wiſe and carefull Teachers, whom God hath ſet as ſo many watch-men vponupon the walls of his Ieruſalem, who ſooner found me than I could aske after them; to whom I ſaid (as thinking no man could be ignorant of my LoueLove) Can you giuegive me no direction where I might finde him whom my ſoule loueth?
4. When I had paſt a little from them, then I found him whom my ſoule loueth: I tooke hold on him, and left him not, till I had brought him vntounto my mothers houſe, into the chamber of her that conceiued mee.
Of whom when I had almoſt left hoping for comfort, that gracious Sauiour who would not ſuffer mee tempted aboue my meaſure, preſented himſelfe to my ſoule: Loe then, by a new act of faith, I laid faſt hold vponupon him, and will not let him any more part from my ioifull embracements, vntill both I hauehave brought him home fully into the ſeat of my conſcience, and hauehave wonne him to a perpetuall cohabitation with mee, and a full accompliſhment of my louelove, in that Ieruſalem which is aboue, which is the mother of vsus all.
CHRIST.
5. I charge …ee, O daughters of Ieruſalem, by the R…s, and by the Hindes of the field that to ſtirre not vp nor wake… my LoueLove vntill ſhe pleaſe.
NOw that my diſtreſſed Church hath beene all the night long of my ſeeming abſence, toiled in ſeeking mee, I charge you, (O all that profeſſe any friendſhip with me) I charge you by whatſoeuer is comely, deare, and pleaſant vntounto you, that (as you will anſwer it) you trouble not her peace with any vniuſt or vnſeaſonable ſuggeſtions, with vncharitable contentions, with any Nouelties of doctrine, but ſuffer her to reſt ſweetly in that diuine truth, which ſhe hath receiued, and this true apprehenſion of me wherein ſhe reioiceth.
6. Who is ſhe that commeth vp out of the wilderneſſe, like pillars of ſmoake perfumed with Myrrh and Incenſe, and with all the chiefe of ſpices?
Oh who is this? how admirable? how louely? who but my Church, that aſcendeth thus gloriouſly out of the wilderneſſe of the world, wherein ſhee hath thus long wandered into the bleſſed manſions of my Fathers houſe, all perfumed with the graces of perfect ſanctification, mounting right vpward into her glory, like ſome ſtraight pillar of ſmoke, that ariſeth from the moſt rich and pleaſant compoſition of odours that can be deuiſed?
The Church.
7. Behold his bed better than Salomons: threeſcore ſtrong men are round about it, of the valiant men of Iſrael.
I Am aſcended; and loe, how glorious is this place where I ſhall eternally …oy the preſence and louelove of my Sauiour I how farre doth it exceed the earthly magnificence of Salomon? about his bed doe attend a Gard of threeſcore choiſeſt men of Iſrael.
8. They all handle the ſword, and are expert in warre: eueryevery one hath his ſword vponupon his thigh, for the feare by night.
All ſtout Warriers, able and expert to handle the ſword; which, for more readineſſe each of them weares hanging vponupon his thigh, ſo as it may bee haſtily drawne vponupon any ſudden danger: but about this heauenly pauillion of my Sauiour, attend millions of Angels, ſpirituall Souldiers, mightie in power, ready to bee commanded ſeruice by him.
9. King Salomon made himſelfe a bed of the trees of Lebanon.
The Bride-bed that Salomon made (ſo much admired of the world) was but of the Cedars of Lebanon.
10. He made the pillars thereof of ſiluer, and the ſted thereof of gold, the hangings thereof of purple, whoſe midſt was in laid with the louelove of the daughters of Ieruſalem.
The Pillars but of ſiluer, and the Bed-ſted of gold; the Teſter or Canopie, but of purple; the Couerlet wrought with the curious and painfull needle worke of the maids of Ieruſalem: but this celeſtiall reſting place of my God is not made with hands, nor of any corruptible metall, but is full of incomprehenſible light, ſhining euermore with the glorious preſence of God.
11. Come forth, yee daughters of Sion, and behold the King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his mariage, and in the day of the gladneſſe of his heart.
And as the outward ſtate, ſo the maieſtie of his perſon is aboue all compariſon. Come forth (O yee daughters of Sion) lay aſide all priuate and earthly affections, looke vponupon King Salomon as hee ſits ſolemnly crowned in the day of his greateſt royaltie and triumph, and compare his higheſt pompe, with the diuine magnificence of my Sauiour, in that day when his bleſſed mariage ſhall bee fully perfected aboue, to the eternall reioycing of himſelfe, and his Church; and ſee whether there bee any portion betwixt them.