Clavis cantici, or, An exposition of the Song of Solomon

There ought not only to be in a believer, a thriving of graces distinctly, but a right joining, ordering, and compacting of them together, that they may keep a proportionableness, and make up complexly a lovely stature: that is, not only should all graces be kept in exercise together, but as members of one new man, each ought to be subservient to another, for making up of a sweet harmony in the result; love ⟨p. 395⟩should not wrong zeal, nor zeal prudence; but every grace, as being a distinct member of the new man, should be settled in it's own place, to make the stature lovely. 2 When this proportion is kept, and every grace hath it's own place, it is exceeding lovely, like a beautiful stature; whereas grace, when acting unorderly (if then it may be called grace) is like an eye, beautiful in it self; but not being in the right place of the face, doth make the stature unlovely and disproportionable: It's not the least part of spiritual beauty, when not only one hath all graces, but hath every one of them acting according to their several natures, even when they are acting jointly together. 3. This furthers much believers fruitfulness, and continues them fresh and green, when the whole stature of grace is right, and kept in a due proportionableness.

There ought not only to be in a believer, a thriving of graces distinctly, but a right joyning, ordering, and compacting of them together, that they may keep a proportionablenesse, and make up complexly a lovely stature: that is, not only should all graces be kept in exercise together, but as members of one new man, each ought to be subservient to another, for making up of a sweet harmony in the result; love ⟨p. 395⟩should not wrong zeal, nor zeal prudence; but every grace, as being a distinct member of the new man, should be settled in it's own place, to make the stature lovely. 2 When this proportion is kept, and every grace hath it's own place, it is exceeding lovely, like a beautiful stature; whereas grace, when acting unorderly (if then it may be called grace) is like an eye, beautiful in it self; but not being in the right place of the face, doth make the stature unlovely and disproportionable: It's not the least part of spiritual beauty, when not only one hath all graces, but hath every one of them acting according to their several natures, even when they are acting joyntly together. 3. This furthers much believers fruitfulnesse, and continues them fresh and green, when the whole stature of grace is right, and kept in a due proportionablenesse.