Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Title page – Dedication
LOVES ENTERCOVRS BETWEEN The Lamb & his Bride, Chriſt and his Church. OR, A clear Explication and Application of the Song of Solomon.
By WILLIAM GUILD, D. D. and Preacher of God's Word.
Epheſ. 5. 32.
This is a great Myſtery; I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and his Church.
Revel. 21. 2.
And I John ſaw the holy city, new Jeruſalem, comming down from God our of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband.
LONDON, Printed by W. Wilſon for Ralph Smith, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the Bible in Cornhill. 1658. 7
To the right Honorable, Andrew Ramſey, Provoſt of Edinburgh, Archbald Sydſerf, Robert Murray, Archbald Ker, and Alexander Helleburton, Balies, David Wilkie deane of Gild, Frances Kinloch Treaſurer, and to the remanant of the Honorable Councell of that Citty.
Right Honorable,
IT is a wonderfull love that the Lord hath ever carried towards Man (paſſing by the faln Angels) not onelyonly electing him before time, creating him in time, redeeming him in the fulneſſe of time, and preparing glory for him after all time; but likewiſe in the manifeſtation of this his matchleſs love, dealing therein ſo indulgently, that he unfolds to us the higheſt myſteries that may be, for our conſolation, in the lowlieſt termes and reſemblances that can be, for our inſtruction; ſtooping downe ſo to us that we may ſtep up to him, and making earth to be (as it were) Heavens trenchman; and that conjugall chaſte love that is between the bridegroom and bride, or the loving ſpouſe and his dearely beloved, to poynt and paint out in ſome meaſure that cordiall and matchleſſe affection, that without meaſure Christ carries to his Church: ſo that the Lord demits himſelfe ſo to our capacities, for our eaſier admiſſion to his heavenly myſteries, that if ſenſe have any power on the ſoul, the ſame cannot want many conſtant inſtructers, as if things below were made by divine providence, beyond their ordinary uſe or courſe, to ſpeak out things above, and to be like the ſteps of that Ladder which Jacob ſaw at Bethel, by which from the earth the ſoul may mount to Heaven; or like that Veſſel full of all variety which in a Viſion was let down to Peter, that by things terreſtriall the ſame may be inſtructed in things that are celestial.
A cleere inſtance whereof we have in this notable Song of Songs, or ſublime book of the Canticles, wherein that great Lord and King of whom David ſpeaks, Pſalm. 45. and his glorious Spouſe and Queen are to the life deſcribed, together with that mutual holy and chaſte love which each one of them beares to another. The ſerious and ſanctified meditation whereof as it requireth an elevated and heavenly diſpoſed mind: ſo it cannot likewiſe but raviſh ſuch a ſoul with ſpirituall ioy and comfort, and inflame the ſame with a holy fervour of heavenly affection, and a ſutable care to expreſſe the ſame by a correſpondent obedience of practicall action, to be wiſhed as the diſpoſition of all faithfull Christians, and for excitation whereunto I have taken theſe pains in unfolding (as the Lord has inabled me) the ſublime Myſterie of this heavenly and mutuall intercourſe of love, communion and communication between Chriſt Jeſus and his bride or spouſe, in her eſtate here by grace, till at laſt ſhe come to the full and uninterrupted fruition of himſelfe in glory, when all teares ſhall be wiped from her eyes, and ſhe ſhall enjoy that plenitude of ioy, and perpetuity of pleaſures for ever, whereof the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, Pſalm. 16. 11. And which I ſhall wiſh to be the Lot of every faithfull Chriſtian.
Theſe paines then, which I have taken in the unfoldingof this great and ſublime myſterie, I have dedicated to your honours: which as it is a Song of Love, ſo it may be a ſign and ſignification of my Love and reſpect to yourſelves, and to that place the moſt eminent Citie of our Kingdome, whoſe proſperity and dayly increaſe of all ſaving Knowledge, and believing on that bleſſed bridegroom he deſcribed, and of your ſpirituall union with him as his beloved (wherein only ſtands true happineſſe) ſhall be the heartie and earneſt wiſh of
Your affectionated ſervant in Chriſt, W. GUILD.