27.8 • SA L. Song of Songs. 5· Regard ye menot,ktca•fil•m klack: for the Sunne h.zh loDictd upon me; the Jinnts A ofmy mothtr wtrtAngryagainjlme:thty madtmt keeper •fthtVINtS;hut I ktpt n01 t»inu 11WfJVi1fU. Look not therefore difdainfully upon me,bc:caufe I am blackilh,and dark ofhiew: for this colour is notfo much oaturall to me,~s caufed by that continuall heat of aftlil:tions whertwith I have bc:en ufually fcorched : neither this, fo much upon my ownjuftdeferr asuponthc:rageand envy ofmyfalfc ,brerhren, the world: who would needs fo;ce upon me the obfervation oftheir idolatrous religions, and fuprrftitious impieties; through whofe wickrd importuniry, and my own weakndfc, 1 have not fo entirely kept tile Ctncere truth of God commitred to me,as I oughr. 6. She"'me, 0 thou 'lflhom myfo•le l1vtth, where th1u feedeft,whertthou litfl "' .,.,,: for whyjhot1ld I be 41 Jhe that tur•tthaftdt to thtjl~eks ofthy e~mpanlons? B Now therefore that I am fome liule ftarted afide from thee, 0 thou whom my foule notwithftandiogdearly loverh, lhewmee, I befecch thee, where, and in what wholefornc and divine paftures thou (like agood lhepherd) feedeft and refteft thy flocks withcomfortable refrelhings,in the extremity of thefe hot perfecutions: fot howcan it llalld with thy glory,that I lhould,through thy neglel:t, thus fufpicioufly wander up and downamongft thecongregationsofthemthatboth command and pratlife theworlhipoffa!legods ~ CRRtsT, totheCh•rch. 7·1fthlu kno., nil, 0 th1Nthtf.tirtj/41nong women,gtt thte fmh hy the .Jitps ofthe C flock, anJfttd thJ KidubnJt the ttnts •fthejhtpherds. I F thou know not,O thou my Church, whom I both elleem and havemade moft beautifull by mymerits,and thy fanttification,tlray notamongll thefe falfe wor• lhippers,but follow t!)e holy lleps ofthofc bleffed Patriarks, Prophecs,Apoftles, which have beenmy true and ancient flock, who have both known my voyce, and followed me;and feed thou rgy weak and tenderones with this their fpirituall food of life,farre above the carnall reach ofthofeother falfe teachers. 8. I hAvt e~mp•red thee,O mylove,to thttTIDft ofhorftsin the ch,qiot"fPharaoh. Such is mine ellimation ofthee,O my Love, that fo far as the choifelllEgyptian horfes ofph.,..h, for comely lhape, for honourable fervice, for llrength and fpeed, D exceedall other,fo farrc thou excelleft all that may be compared with the<. 9· Thy cheeks Art Clmt/y,.ilh"'"" off/.,es,•ndthJ neck wit!. chllints. Thofe parts ofthee,which both are the feats ofbeauty, and melt confpicuous to the eye,are glorioufly adorned with the graces ofmy fanD:ification ; which are for their worth as fo many precious borders of the good1ieft llones, or chaines ofpearl. 1 o. Wt 11illmde tlm bmlm •fgotd,..ithJludsoffllvtr. · And though thou be: already thus fet forth; yet I and my Father have purpofed a further ornament unto thee, in the more plcntifull effufion of our Spirit upon ther: which lhall be to thy former deckings, in ll:ead ofpuregold curioufly wrought with fpecks offilver. The church. u. Whilttht Kl11g w,u •• hu ret•ft, myfpikmudg4vttht[mtll thereof. BEhold(O yee daughtm)even now, whiles my Lord and King feemes farre ditlant from me,andfits in theThrone ofheaven amongll the companiesofAngels(whoattend around upon him)yet nowdoe I find him prefem with me in fpirit: even now the fweet intluente ofhis graces, like to fome precious oynrmem, (preads it felfe over my foule, and returnes a pleafant favour into his own nofthrils. 11• My welbtllvtd;. •sa bundle •fmy"h •nllmt,lying between "'1 brtjls. And though I be thus delightfull to my Saviour,yer nothing fo much as he is unto me: for loe,as fome fragrant pomander ofmyrrh,laid between the brefts, fends up a mol! E
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