geneva Songs:1-8 SEEK
Seeker Overlay ON
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An excellent song which was Salomons .
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Let (
note :)
This is spoken in the person of the Church ,
or of the faithful soul inflamed with the desire of Christ ,
whom she loves .(:
note )
him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth :
for thy love [
is ]
better than wine .
*
Because of the (
note :)
The feeling of your great benefits .(:
note )
savour of thy good ointments thy name [
is as ]
ointment poured forth ,
therefore do the They that are pure in heart and conversation .
virgins love thee .
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*
I [
am ] (
note :)
The Church confesses her spots and sin ,
but has confidence in the favour of Christ .(:
note )
black ,
but comely ,
O ye daughters of Jerusalem ,
as the tents of Kedar was Ishmael '
s son ,
of whom came the Arabians that dwelt in tents .
Kedar ,
as the Which within were all set with precious stones and jewels .
curtains of Solomon .
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Look not upon me ,
because I [
am ] (
note :)
Consider not the Church by the outward appearance .(:
note )
black ,
because the The corruption of nature through sin and afflictions .
sun hath looked upon me :
My own brethren who should have most favoured me .
my mother '
s children were angry with me ;
they made me the keeper of the vineyards ; [
but ]
my own vineyard have I not She confesses her own negligence .
kept .
*
Tell me , (
note :)
The spouse feeling her fault flees to her husband only for comfort .(:
note )
O thou whom my soul loveth ,
where thou feedest ,
where thou makest [
thy flock ]
to rest at noon :
for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of Whom you have called to the dignity of pastors ,
and they set forth their own dreams instead of your doctrine .
thy companions ?
*
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I have compared thee ,
O my love ,
to a company of horses in Pharaoh '
s (
note :)
For your spiritual beauty and excellency there was no worldly treasure to be compared to you .(:
note )
chariots .
*
Thy cheekes are comely with rowes of stones ,
and thy necke with chaines .
*
We will make thee borders of golde with studdes of siluer .
*
*
A bundle of myrrh [
is ]
my wellbeloved to me ;
he shall lie all night between my (
note :)
He will be most dear to me .(:
note )
breasts .
*
My welbeloued is as a cluster of camphire vnto me in the vines of Engedi .
*
My loue ,
beholde ,
thou art faire :
beholde ,
thou art faire :
thine eyes are like the doues .
*
Behold ,
thou [
art ]
fair ,
my beloved ,
yea ,
pleasant :
also our (
note :)
That is ,
the heart of the faithful ,
in which Christ dwells by his Spirit .(:
note )
bed [
is ]
green .
*
The beames of our house are cedars ,
our rafters are of firre .
*
I am the rose of the fielde ,
and the lilie of the valleys .
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As the lily among thorns ,
so [
is ]
my (
note :)
Thus Christ prefers his Church above all other things .(:
note )
love among the daughters .
*
*
Hee brought mee into the wine cellar ,
and loue was his banner ouer me .
*
Stay me with flagons ,
and comfort me with apples :
for I am sicke of loue .
*
His left hande is vnder mine head ,
and his right hand doeth imbrace me .
*
*
*
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart :
behold ,
he (
note :)
For as his divinity was hidden under the cloak of our flesh .(:
note )
standeth behind our wall ,
he looketh forth at the windows ,
gazing himself through the So that we cannot have full knowledge of him in this life .
lattice .
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My welbeloued spake and said vnto me ,
Arise ,
my loue ,
my faire one ,
and come thy way .
*
For ,
lo ,
the (
note :)
That is ,
sin and error is driven back by the coming of Christ ,
who is here described by the springtime ,
when all things flourish .(:
note )
winter is past ,
the rain is over [
and ]
gone ;
*
The flowers appeare in the earth :
the time of the singing of birdes is come ,
and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land .
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The figtree hath brought foorth her yong figges :
and the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour :
arise my loue ,
my faire one ,
and come away .
*
O my dove , [
that art ]
in the (
note :)
You who are ashamed of your sins ,
come and show yourself to me .(:
note )
clefts of the rock ,
in the secret [
places ]
of the stairs ,
let me see thy countenance ,
let me hear thy voice ;
for sweet [
is ]
thy voice ,
and thy countenance [
is ]
comely .
*
Take for us the foxes ,
the (
note :)
Suppress the heretics while they are young ,
that is ,
when they begin to show their malice ,
and destroy the vine of the Lord .(:
note )
little foxes ,
that spoil the vines :
for our vines [
have ]
tender grapes .
*
My welbeloued is mine ,
and I am his :
hee feedeth among the lilies ,
*
Until the day shall break ,
and the shadows flee away ,
turn ,
my beloved ,
and be thou like a (
note :)
The church desires Christ to be most ready to help her in all dangers .(:
note )
roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether .
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By (
note :)
The Church by night ,
that is ,
in troubles ,
seeks Christ ,
but is not incontinently heard .(:
note )
night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth :
I sought him ,
but I found him not .
*
I will rise now ,
and go about the city in the streets ,
and in the broad ways I will (
note :)
Showing that although we are not heard at first ,
yet we must still continue in prayer ,
till we feel comfort .(:
note )
seek him whom my soul loveth :
I sought him ,
but I found him not .
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The (
note :)
Which declares that we must seek to all of whom we hope to have any help .(:
note )
watchmen that go about the city found me : [
to whom I said ],
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth ?
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When I had past a litle from them ,
then I found him whom my soule loued :
I tooke holde on him and left him not ,
till I had brought him vnto my mothers house into the chamber of her that conceiued me .
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Who [
is ]
this that cometh out of the (
note :)
This refers to the Church of Israel which was led in the wilderness for forty years .(:
note )
wilderness like pillars of smoke ,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense ,
with all powders of the merchant ?
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Behold his (
note :)
By the bed is meant the temple which Solomon made .(:
note )
bed ,
which [
is ]
Solomon '
s ;
sixty valiant men [
are ]
about it ,
of the valiant of Israel .
*
They all hold swords , [
being ]
expert in war :
every man [
hath ]
his sword upon his thigh because of fear (
note :)
He alludes to the watch which kept the temple .(:
note )
in the night .
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King Salomon made himselfe a palace of the trees of Lebanon .
*
Hee made the pillars thereof of siluer ,
and the pauement thereof of gold ,
the hangings thereof of purple ,
whose middes was paued with the loue of the daughters of Ierusalem .
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Go forth ,
O ye (
note :)
All you that are of the number of the faithful .(:
note )
daughters of Zion ,
and behold king Solomon with the Christ became man ,
was crowned by the love of God with the glorious crown of his divinity .
crown with which his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals ,
and in the day of the gladness of his heart .
*
Behold ,
thou [
art ] (
note :)
Because Christ delights in his Church ,
he commends all that is in her .(:
note )
fair ,
my love ;
behold ,
thou [
art ]
fair ;
thou [
hast ]
doves '
eyes within thy locks :
thy hair [
is ]
as a He has respect for the multitude of the faithful ,
which are many in number .
flock of goats ,
that appear from mount Gilead .
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Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheepe in good order ,
which go vp from the washing :
which euery one bring out twinnes ,
and none is barren among them .
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Thy lippes are like a threede of scarlet ,
and thy talke is comely :
thy temples are within thy lockes as a piece of a pomegranate .
*
Thy necke is as the tower of Dauid builte for defence :
a thousand shieldes hang therein ,
and all the targates of the strong men .
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Thy two (
note :)
In which are knowledge and zeal two precious jewels .(:
note )
breasts [
are ]
like two young roes that are twins ,
which feed among the lilies .
*
Vntill the day breake ,
and the shadowes flie away ,
I wil go into the mountaine of myrrhe and to the mountaine of incense .
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Thou art all faire ,
my loue ,
and there is no spot in thee .
*
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Thou hast ravished my heart ,
my (
note :)
Christ calls his Church sister in respect that he had taken the flesh of man .(:
note )
sister , [
my ]
spouse ;
thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy In that he made his Church beautiful and rich ,
he loved his gifts in her .
eyes ,
with one chain of thy neck .
*
My sister ,
my spouse ,
how faire is thy loue ?
howe much better is thy loue then wine ?
and the sauour of thine oyntments then all spices ?
*
Thy (
note :)
Because of your confession and thanksgiving .(:
note )
lips ,
O [
my ]
spouse ,
drop [
as ]
the honeycomb :
honey and milk [
are ]
under thy tongue ;
and the scent of thy garments [
is ]
like the fragrance of Lebanon .
*
My sister my spouse is as a garden inclosed ,
as a spring shut vp ,
and a fountaine sealed vp .
*
Thy plantes are as an orchard of pomegranates with sweete fruites ,
as camphire ,
spikenarde ,
*
Euen spikenarde ,
and saffran ,
calamus ,
and cynamon with all the trees of incense ,
myrrhe and aloes ,
with all the chiefe spices .
*
*
Awake ,
O (
note :)
She desires Christ to comfort her and to pour the graces of his Spirit on her ,
which is meant by the North and South wind .(:
note )
north wind ;
and come ,
thou south ;
blow upon my garden , [
that ]
its spices may flow out .
Let my beloved come into his garden ,
and eat his pleasant fruits .
*
I have come into my (
note :)
The garden signifies the kingdom of Christ ,
where he prepares the banquet for his elect .(:
note )
garden ,
my sister , [
my ]
spouse :
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice ;
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey ;
I have drank my wine with my milk :
eat ,
O friends ;
drink ,
yea ,
drink abundantly ,
O beloved .
*
*
I have put off my (
note :)
The spouse confesses her nakedness ,
and that of herself she has nothing ,
or seeing that she is once made clean she promises not to defile herself again .(:
note )
coat ;
how shall I put it on ?
I have washed my feet ;
how shall I defile them ?
*
My welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore ,
and mine heart was affectioned toward him .
*
I rose up to open to my beloved ;
and my hands flowed [
with ]
myrrh ,
and my (
note :)
The spouse who should be anointed by Christ will not find him if she thinks to anoint him with her good works .(:
note )
fingers [
with ]
sweet smelling myrrh ,
upon the handles of the lock .
*
I opened to my welbeloued :
but my welbeloued was gone ,
and past :
mine heart was gone when hee did speake :
I sought him ,
but I coulde not finde him :
I called him ,
but hee answered mee not .
*
The (
note :)
These are the false teachers who wound the conscience with their traditions .(:
note )
watchmen that went about the city found me ,
they smote me ,
they wounded me ;
the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me .
*
I charge you , (
note :)
She asks of them who are godly (
as the law and salvation should come out of Zion and Jerusalem )
that they would direct her to Christ .(:
note )
O daughters of Jerusalem ,
if ye find my beloved ,
that ye tell him ,
that I [
am ]
sick with love .
*
*
My welbeloued is white and ruddie ,
the chiefest of ten thousand .
*
His (
note :)
She describes Christ to be of perfect beauty and comeliness .(:
note )
head [
is as ]
the most fine gold ,
his locks [
are ]
bushy , [
and ]
black as a raven .
*
His eyes are like doues vpon the riuers of waters ,
which are washt with milke ,
and remaine by the full vessels .
*
His cheekes are as a bedde of spices ,
and as sweete flowres ,
and his lippes like lilies dropping downe pure myrrhe .
*
His hands as rings of gold set with the chrysolite ,
his belly like white yuorie couered with saphirs .
*
His legges are as pillars of marble ,
set vpon sockets of fine golde :
his countenance as Lebanon ,
excellent as the cedars .
*
His mouth is as sweete thinges ,
and hee is wholy delectable :
this is my welbeloued ,
and this is my louer ,
O daughters of Ierusalem .
*
Where is thy beloved gone , (
note :)
Hearing of the excellency of Christ ,
the faithful desire to know how to find him .(:
note )
O thou fairest among women ?
where is thy beloved turned aside ?
that we may seek him with thee .
*
My beloved is gone down into his (
note :)
That is ,
is conversant here in earth among men .(:
note )
garden ,
to the beds of spices ,
to feed in the gardens ,
and to gather lilies .
*
I am my welbeloueds ,
and my welbeloued is mine ,
who feedeth among the lilies .
*
Thou [
art ]
beautiful ,
O my love ,
as (
note :)
Which was a fair and strong city , (
1Ki_14
:17 ).(:
note )
Tirzah ,
comely as Jerusalem ,
terrible as [
an army ]
with banners .
*
*
Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheepe ,
which goe vp from the washing ,
which euery one bring out twinnes ,
and none is barren among them .
*
Thy temples are within thy lockes as a piece of a pomegranate .
*
There are (
note :)
Meaning that the gifts are infinite which Christ gives to his Church :
or that his faithful are many in number .(:
note )
sixty queens ,
and eighty concubines ,
and virgins without number .
*
But my doue is alone ,
and my vndefiled ,
she is the onely daughter of her mother ,
and shee is deare to her that bare her :
the daughters haue seene her &
amp ;
counted her blessed :
euen the Queenes and the concubines ,
and they haue praised her .
*
*
I went down into the (
note :)
He went down into the synagogue to see what fruits came from the law ,
and the prophets .(:
note )
garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley , [
and ]
to see whether the vine flourished , [
and ]
the pomegranates budded .
*
*
Return ,
return ,
O (
note :)
O ye people of Jerusalem ,
for Jerusalem was called Shalem which signifies peace .(:
note )
Shulamite ;
return ,
return ,
that we may look upon thee .
What will ye see in the Shulamite ?
As it were the company of two armies .
*
How beautiful are thy (
note :)
He describes the comely beauty of the Church in every part ,
which is to be understood spiritually .(:
note )
feet with shoes ,
O prince '
s daughter !
the joints of thy thighs [
are ]
like jewels ,
the work of the hands of a skilful workman .
*
Thy nauel is as a round cuppe that wanteth not licour :
thy belly is as an heape of wheat compassed about with lilies .
*
*
Thy necke is like a towre of yuorie :
thine eyes are like the fishe pooles in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim :
thy nose is as the towre of Lebanon ,
that looketh toward Damascus .
*
Thy head upon thee [
is ]
like Carmel ,
and the hair of thy head like purple ;
the king [
is ] (
note :)
He delights to come near you ,
and to be in your company .(:
note )
held captive by [
its ]
locks of hair .
*
Howe faire art thou ,
and howe pleasant art thou ,
O my loue ,
in pleasures !
*
This thy stature is like a palme tree ,
and thy brestes like clusters .
*
I saide ,
I will goe vp into the palme tree ,
I will take holde of her boughes :
thy breastes shall nowe be like the clusters of the vine :
and the sauour of thy nose like apples ,
*
And the roufe of thy mouth like good wine ,
which goeth straight to my welbeloued ,
and causeth the lippes of the ancient to speake .
*
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Come ,
my welbeloued ,
let vs go foorth into the fielde :
let vs remaine in the villages .
*
Let us get up early to the vineyards ;
let us see if the (
note :)
If the people that are called to Christ bring forth any fruit .(:
note )
vine flourisheth , [
whether ]
the tender grape appeareth , [
and ]
the pomegranates bud forth :
there will I give thee my loves .
*
The mandrakes haue giuen a smell ,
and in our gates are all sweete things ,
new and olde :
my welbeloued ,
I haue kept them for thee .
*
O (
note :)
The Church called of the Gentiles speaks thus to the Church of Jerusalem .(:
note )
that thou [
wert ]
as my brother ,
that was nourished at the breasts of my mother ! [
when ]
I should find thee outside ,
I would kiss thee ;
yea ,
I should not be despised .
*
I will leade thee and bring thee into my mothers house :
there thou shalt teache me :
and I will cause thee to drinke spiced wine ,
and newe wine of the pomegranate .
*
*
* (
Who is this that commeth vp out of the wildernesse ,
leaning vpon her welbeloued ?)
I raysed thee vp vnder an apple tree :
there thy mother conceiued thee :
there she coceiued that bare thee .
*
*
Much water can not quench loue ,
neither can the floods drowne it :
If a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue ,
they would greatly contemne it .
*
*
*
*
*
But my vineyarde which is mine ,
is before me :
to thee ,
O Salomon appertaineth a thousand pieces of siluer ,
and two hundreth to them that keepe the fruite thereof .
*
Thou that dwellest in the (
note :)
Christ dwells in his Church ,
whose voice the faithful hear .(:
note )
gardens ,
the companions hearken to thy voice :
cause me to hear [
it ].
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