Exposition of Song of Solomon, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION On the whole booke of Solomons SONG, Commonly called the CANTICLES. Wherein the Text is explained and uſefull Obſervations raiſed thereupon.
By John Robotham, preacher of the Goſpel.
PSAL. 45. 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her cloathing is of wrought gold.
EPHES. 5. 32. This is a great myſterie, but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church.
London, Printed by Matthew Simmons, in Alderſgate-ſtreet next doore to the guilded-Lyon 1651.
To the HONORABLE COLONEL DOWNES, Eſquire, A Member of the Honourable Houſe of Parliament, Juſtice of the Peace, and Deputy Lievetenant of the County of Suſſex.
Much Honoured Sir,
THe experience that I have of your candour and ingenuitie, emboldens me here to prefix your name, not from any worth in the worke performed on my part; but in reſpect of the ſubject mattter of this book, which is a declaration of that mutuall intercourſe and viciſſitude of divine love, paſſing betweene Chriſt, and the Church his Spouſe; ſet forth by a moſt ſweet and comfortable, by a moſt excellent and raviſhing Allegorie, of a Marriage-Song: Marriage being the moſt joyfull paſſage of all our life, and a Song being the higheſt expreſſion of joy; by this amiable reſemblance, is the ſouls ſpiritual conjunction with Chriſt, moſt lively delineated: Oh! the ſuperemin nt excellency of divine love; tis the glorie of God, the joy of his heart, tis the fulneſſe of Chriſt, his Crowne and dignitie, tis the worke of the Spirit, in all its operations, tis the Song of Angels, and their continual delight: tis the ſourſe and ſpring of true happineſſe to all Saints: the Sanctuary and ſupport of their dejected ſoules: This opens the Fathers boſome, draws forth the affections of Chriſt, and melts mens hearts into each others; the ſweet ſenſe whereof is the breath of our noſtrils, and the life of our union with him.
Noble Sir, I have but three words to ſpeake, The firſt is, of you: the ſecond, to you: the third, for you.
That of you is to teſtifie, that as the Lord hath called you to high and honourable imployment, ſo he hath raiſed your Spirit ſuitable to the worke in hand; wherein you ſtood as a Rock immoveable in the middeſt of ſtormes and tempeſts, having (like Obed-Edom) owned the Arke, when few would owne it, ventring all that was dear unto you, accounting godlineſſe the greateſt gaine, when others have reckoned it their loſſe, eſteeming that your honour, that others have deemed their ſhame. Though it be granted, that Truth needs no Patron (veritas ſtat in aperto campo) being better able to ſupport, honour, and advance us, then we can that, yet thrice happy and bleſſed are they that owne it: therefore the more you engage for Truth, the more will truth dignifie and advance you. Whatſoever you expend for Chriſt, in Chriſt you ſhall find it againe, and ſhall receive your owne, with the greateſt advantage. The Philoſophers expreſſion of good is, Bonum eſt-ſui communicatum: Good is communicative; the more good therefore you ſhall expend, the more ſhall you diſcover a principle of goodneſſe to dwell in your heart, flowing from the fountaine of fulneſſe, diſtilling from Chriſt.
And that you have engaged me with many undeſerved favours, I ſhould be ingratefull either to deny or forget them: though I cannot make you a retaliation, (Nihil dat quod non habet) yet that you may know, kindneſſes are ner forgotten in a thank full breaſt, give me leave to preſent this as witneſſe, and teſtimony of my gratitude to you-wards; being confident you will receive it. as I preſent it, with the ſpirit of love.
That to you is, that you would fix your affections upon, and let the whole ſtreame of them runne unto that only delectable, and love deſerving Object Chriſt, who is the glorie of all delights, and abſtract of all praiſes. Its the nature of true joy, to delight it ſelfe in ſome ſolid good, and there is no good can be compared cum ſummo bono with that only chiefe and eternall good, that is treaſured up in Chriſt.
When wee ſuffer the creatures to ſteale away our affections, we not only loſe the right uſe of them, but thereby bereave our ſelves of true comfort in God, render our ſelves diſhonourable in the eyes of good men, and unprofitable to our ſelves: for though the creatures may ſerve us, yet they cannot love us; tis only Chriſt that can make ſweet returnes of love, for our love. In which gracious manifeſtations of Chriſt, our hearts are made a Spring of living waters, a garden of ſpirituall delight, the muſick of heavenly joyes, the treaſure of divine comforts, and by the impreſſions of that heavenly love, and the ſweet glimmerings and flaſhes of light, life, and glorie in Chriſt, our ſoules are abundantly refreſhed, and ſatisfied, as with marrow and fatneſſe. Then (Sir,) this will be your Crowne and glory, this is that will heighten your ſpirit, ennoble your minde, enlarge your heart, and make you moſt acceptable to God, precious in the fight of men, and exquiſitely carry you through your weighty imployments. It is ſaid of Solomon (that excellent Sonne of wiſdome) that his heart was as large as the Sea, viz. in judgement and underſtanding: ſo ſhall your judgement, wiſedome, and underſtanding be enlarged, according to the largeneſſe of Chriſts love living in you. The Jewes were to offer thoſe creatures in ſacrifice unto God, which the Nations worſhipped for their God: ſo though other men fall downe and doe hommage to the creatures; yet let it be in your heart, to ſacrifice them all unto the Creator. Surely man is never more ſtraightned, then when he is bound and pent up in the narrow compaſſe, and ſcantineſſe of earthly things: for let his heart ſtoop never ſo low, the World fals beneath it; and let him advance the world to the greatest height, his heart is ſtill above it. But in relation to Chriſt (cujus contrarium verum eſt) the matter is farre otherwiſe: for when mans deſires and affections ſoar never ſo high, as an Eagle; ſtill Chriſt is above them, fils them, anſwers them, yea he doth exceedingly heighten, enlarge, and abundantly ſatisfie them.
Sir, I ſhall conclude with a word for you, expreſſing the deſires of my ſpirit on your behalfe: that the Lord would be pleaſed to fill your precious ſoule with the exceeding riches of his love, grace, and favour, and cauſe his glorie to ſhine upon you ſo, as to transforme you into the image of his glorie: that the ſweet kiſſes of Chriſts lips, may be more precious to you, then fragrant wine, and his name then the richeſt oyniment, that the ſenſes of your ſoule may be more refreſhed with his redolent ſweetneſſe, and filled more with his redundant fulneſſe, then withall the moſt delightfull things in the world; yea, that Chriſt would pleaſe to lodge all night betwixt your Breaſts, continually dwelling in your heart and affections, and that he would come into your ſoule, as into his garden, to eate his pleaſant fruits, his honey, with his honey-comb; and to gather his myrrhe with his ſpices; that by his divine influence, your ſoule may be filled with all the aromaticall fruits of the Spirit: And laſtly, that you would caſt down your Crown and glory at the feet of Chriſt, who will be the glory of your Crowne here, and your Crowne of eternall glorie hereafter.
This is Sir, the hearty deſire of him, who is. Your Obliged Servant. John Robotham.