Songs of Zion, Poem 3 – Dedication 7
The first speach.
The spouse speakes to Christ.
1.
IN …ed I sought my louelove by night,
But could not find him there,
I sought him but he vvas farre off,
And did not come me neere.
2.
I rose, & vvalkt the streates to see
If my soule could him find
Whom I did vvant, yet found I not
The day starre of my mind.
3.
Thē rā I straight to those that teach
And vvatch, & vvaite for me
And sayd to thē cā ye shevve novve
Where I my louelove might see.
4.
And thus halfe spent vvith care, & cost,
My soule gan faint, & faile
Loe then my louelove did shevve himselfe,
& vvould not let me quaile
The spouse speakes to Christ.
5.
So that by a nevve acte of faith▪
I savve vvhere he vvas not.
We misse him in our beds of rest
The vvorld is not his lott.
6.
The streets are strayts of cost, & care
Where vve doe lose him quite,
But in the vvord, & soule of man
We feele him in his might.
7.
But vvhē I found him hold I tooke
Fast hold on him I layd,
Noe more to part vvith him at all
Then he to me thus sayd.
The second speach.
Christ speakes to his spouse.
1.
NOvve that my spouse hath toyld all night
And lokt, & longd for me.
I charge you all that are my frends,
And looke to liue in glee.
2.
Stirre her not vp, nor vvake my deere
With toyes, or tales of yore
But let her rest in peace, & ioy,
And vexe her novve noe more.
3.
Oh vvho is this that comes so faire
From out the foule vvorlds lane,
And hath shakt of her slough of sinne
That vvould hauehave beene her bane
4.
It is my Church, my chaire of state
Where I doe louelove to be
It is my doue my stay my deere
It glads me her to see.
Christ speakes to his spouse.
5.
That is so quitt from vvorld of wo…
From sinke of sinne, & shame▪
She seekes to me for all her vvants
Shee trusts to my great name,
6.
She smells as myrrh, & spice of cost
Gracd vvith my chaines of louelove,
She is my spouse▪ no spott she hath,
She is my milke vvhit doue.
7.
All faire, and full of grace most bright
She comes, she rūns to me
Come on my deere, make thou noe stay
Thy louelove, thy life to see.
The third speach.
The spouse speakes.
1.
O novve my soule thou hast a glymse
Of ioy that is on highe,
O blest are they that vevve it all,
Or doe that place come nighe.
2.
The courts on earth of kings most greate
Are rich, & rare to vevve,
But this vvhere my Christ rules, & raignes
For aye is faire, & nevve,
3.
The gard of this great court of state
Are Saincts, & sprights of might
That doe his vvill at all his beckes,
And dvvell vvith him in light.
4.
The courts of kings are made vvith hands
Their care, their cost is vaine,
But heres a Court not made by mē
Where my svveet Christ doe raigne.
The spouses speaketh.
5.
He in him selfe is all the state,
He giues his court the grace,
He is the light, the hight, the all,
That is still in that place
6.
Come forth ye Saincts of god in▪ Christ,
& see this court of rayes
O take a vevve of this your life
O seeke it all your dayes.
7.
Christ is your Bride groome, & you are
To him a spouse most bright.
He hath you bought vvith bloud most decre
And gaynd you vvith his might.
The fourth speach.
Christ speakes to his spouse.
1.
HOvve faire art thou my deare, my spouse
With out, & eke vvith in.
Hovve voyd of filth, or spotts of shame
Of sinke, or stinch of sinne.
2.
For I doe purge thee of the same
My vvord doth make thee free,
& they that teach to thee my lore
Are all most svveet to thee
3.
Their speach is full of grace, & louelove
To those that heare the same
…heir vvords are impt vvith zeale of louelove
To keepe thee frō all blame
4.
Those that doe rule, & giude the stearne
Are as the necke to head
They are both strong, & stout to gard
The soules that they hauehave fed?
Christ speakes to his spouse.
5.
The tvvo svveet bookes of league most nevve
Are breasts full fraught vvith milke,
And all that sucke the ioyce of thē
Are clad in robes of silke.
6.
That is the grace of Saincts, & such
Shall shine in rayes of rest
Till day doth davvne, & shad doth fade,
And they for aye be blest.
7.
Thus art thou faire, my louelove in me
In thee there is noe spott.
I vvill in blisse sett thee my deere
Cleane voyd of sinne, or blott.
The fift speach.
Christ speakes still.
1.
O novve my louelove I hauehave thee sought,
And brought thee frō the lands
I hauehave the led in bands of grace
From out the curse, & bands.
2.
To me from all parts of the earth
I vvill the giude, & call,
& quite thou shalt be frō the bands
Of them that did thee thra…l.
3.
Who once did vexe, & greeue thee sore
In bane, in bloud, in vvoe,
But I vvill set thee safe from them,
And rid thee from thy foe.
4.
For thou my hart hast caught with louelove
One cast of thy faire e…e
Of faith I meane doth vvound my hart
which made me faint, & die
Christ speakes still.
5.
All svveets the vvorld can yeald to me
Are banes to thy svveet …mell,
Thou art my spouse, in life, & death
The graue shall not thee quell.
6.
The vvords vvhichwhich from thy lipps doe droppe
When thou dost pray, or praise.
Are farre more svveet to me then svveets
That sunne doth see by dayes
7.
Thou art a spring to me shutt vp
A vvell seald by my ring,
Frō vvhēce doth flowe pure streams of louelove
To me thy lord, & king.
The sixt speach.
Christ speakes.
1.
THou art closd vp my spouse, my Deere
That none might doe thee ill,
That force of foes, nor rage of fēds
On thee might doe their vvill.
2.
That noe vvild Boore of vvood so fell
Thy rootes, thy plants might marre
For I looke on thee vvith mine eies,
And vevve their ire a farre.
3.
Thy plants are like svveet fruits of choice
My deere ones all they are
Of thee, & them, as of mine eies
I vvatch, & hauehave a care.
4.
Svveet sent as Myrrhe, & cane ye yeald
As all cheefe spice of choice
So are thy plants o Deere to me
For they doe heare my voice.
Christ speakes.
5.
For tast, for touch, for smell, for hevve
Thy fruits are all most pure
I ioy to see them in this plight,
And in my louelove so sure.
6.
From thee o spouse doth flovve full farre
Thy streames to dales, & hills▪
And I the spring doe flovve to thee
To sill thy spouts, thy rills.
7.
Who so of thee doth drink is drencht…
And thirsts noe more for aie
Thou art the streames of god to flow…
To soules that faint in vvaye.
The seuenth speach.
The Church speakes to Christ.
1.
…f I be then so svveet my deere
My Christ, my God, my LoueLove
…he breathe on me with thy svveet breath
That it my hart may moue.
2.
… all ye povvers of my svveete god
Blovve on me North, & South
…hat these my plants of my poore soule
May blest be by his mouth
3.
And make thē svveet to him, as are
The Plants of louelove, & grace
So shall my louelove ioy still to come,
And glad him in this place.
4.
Yea he vvill come to me his ovvne
vvhichwhich he hath bought full deere
And vvill take of the fruit that he
Hath made to him so neere.
Christ speakes.
5.
I come my louelove to thee myne ovvne
As thou hast cald to me
And as thou vvilt, so vvill I take
These fruits a part of thee.
6.
I see thy vvorkes, thy vvords, thy thoughts
They all to me are svveet,
For they are mine I gaue thē thee,
And all else that is meete.
7.
Novve all ye blest of me, & Sainct…
Cheere vp, & glad your mind
That yett in this deere louelove of min…
Such grace, & louelove doe find.
A Canticle, or song.
Betweene Christ, & his church of the fift, & sixt chapters of the Song of Solomon metaphrased into Monosyllabls of Great Brittains language, & is to be vsed by eueryevery deuout soule in his priuat conference vvith his god.
And is set to the tune of Lord be my iudge, & thou shalt see PSAL. CXXVI.
To his much esteemed good frend Mr. WALTER PELL one of the assistants of the most vvorthy cōpanie of the marchants-Adventurers residing at Hamb:
Ioy of both vvorlds.
LOuing frend. If you vvould die vvell, you must endeuour to liue vvell. Then let your death be neuer so suddaine, It vvill not come vnexpected neither vvill you be vnprepared. The daies, & houers of daies that you hauehave spent in gods seruice either in praying, or praysing him shalbe so many cordialls of comforts, … consciences of vvell led purposes, & vvill so take vp your hart in ioye, & solace, that noe terrour of death, or darkenes shall appale yt. Who vvould not then be busie in this so serious, so sacred a busines? Let vsus neuer thinke to be soundly merry, if this be not our musique. Reason, & Religion guides vsus here vntounto. For veary Reason shevveth vntounto vsus that vve must all die, & Religion enlighteneth vsus hovve vve may dye vvell. Fooles iudge actions by euents, But the vvise for see by iudgmēt of reason, & faith vvhat vvill inevitably ensue. To this purpose all this is sayd. That as I hauehave in myne endeered louelove sent you an introduction herevnto in this paper token so you vvould accept, & practize it. So shall I euer rest your votary praying to god for your eternall happines in Christ Iesus his sauing mercies.
Your perpetuall votary. W. LOE.