The Banqueting House, Part 6
PART VI. Containing divers SACRED HYMNS, Setting forth The Nature, Work, Office, and Excellencies of the holy Angels, and the Spirit or Soul of Man.
HYMN 109.
Dan. 4. 17.
This matter is by the decree of the Watchers.
THe holy Angels have a charge
To watch continually;
They do not sleep, but evermore
Have us in their sweet eye.
2
They have a charge to keep us here,
And compass us about,
And warning give oft-times also
When trouble's breaking out.
3
Watch-men are useful in the night,
They dangers do prevent;
So Angels useful are to those
Unto whom they are sent.
4
Was not Elisha safe whilst he
Was compassed quite round
With these blest Chariots and Horsemen
Who did his Foes confound?
5
O what are we, most holy God,
That thou shouldst take such care
Of us who so unworthy be,
And sinful Creatures are!
The Second Part.
1
Behold the Angels of the Lord
Do encompass round about
All them that fear him, for their Guard,
To keep all dangers out;
2
For he hath giv'n his Angels charge
To keep thee day by day,
That thou mayst walk abroad at large
With safety in thy way;
3
For they this charge must execute,
And bear thee in their Arms,
Lest ever thou shouldst dash thy feet
Against a stone for harm;
4
For are they not all Ministers
Sent forth for ministration
In their behalf, that shall be Heirs
Of God's assur'd Salvation?
5
Ye Saints, behold the Love of God,
And sing his Praises forth;
No wicked Prince has such a Guard
As th' meanest Saint on Earth.
HYMN 110.
Job 38. 7.
When the Morning-stars sang together, &c.
HOw glorious are the Morning-Stars!
How doth their glory shine!
Angels most glorious Creatures are,
Yea, holy and divine:
They sang together at the first
Jehovah's glorious praise,
And we of them also learn must
To sing to God always.;
Nay, with united voices sing
In Consort with much joy,
…ince Christ has overcome our Foes,
Who would our Souls destroy:
4
And did they not a second time
Sing unto God on high,
When Jesus Christ our Lord was born?
And yet shall Saints deny
5
This is our work? No, no, it doth
Sharply indeed reprove
Such who would rob the holy God
Of that which he doth love.
6
It is his due, and it belongs
To him as his just Right;
His Praise to celebrate in Songs
Is lovely in his sight.
Psalm 89.
7
Thy Mercies, Lord, then we will sing
Thy Truth to all proclaim;
The heav'nly Angels sacred Choir
Shall celebrate the same.
8
These never with the Lord dispute,
Nor his Commands contest,
But give attendance at his Throne,
With awful fear possess'd.
HYMN 111.
Job 38. 8.
And all the Sons of God shouted for joy.
1
SOns in their Father do rejoyce,
Whose Off-spring all they be,
And hence the Angels lift their voice
In Songs, Lord, unto thee,
2
By whom they all created were,
And on whom they attend,
And from whom all their dignity
Doth unto them descend:
3
They cloathed are like unto Sons
With might and glorious power,
And serve the Lord most willingly,
With greatest zeal each hour:
4
One part of their sweet work's to sing
To God melodiously,
And we by them also are taught
To sing continually.
5
Then as God's will is done by them,
Let us do it on Earth;
Like flames of fire let us be,
And sing God's Praises forth.
HYMN 112.
Gen. 32. 1.
This is God's Host, &c.
1
THe glorious God, the Lord above,
Hath a most mighty Host,
Who have a Prince their General,
Of whom they daily boast:
2
Christ is their Head, he's Head of all
Princ'palities and Powrs,
And these do keep and save the Saints
From him that Souls devours.
3
This mighty Host and Army's rais'd
Under their Prince to fight,
And one of them hath thousands slain
Of Rebels in a night.
4
This Host sometimes does suddenly
Vile Sinners so invade
By Plague and Famine, and by War,
That all are soon dismaid.
5
They slaughtering Weapons have each one
And Execution do;
And as Commission they receive,
They save, or do o'nethrow.
HYMN 113.
Ezek 1. 6, 10.
And every one had four Faces, the Face of a Man, of a Lion, of an Oxe, and of an Eagle.
1
THe Face of a Man has majesty,
And shews a Soul doth dwell
In him that hath rare faculties,
In knowledge doth excell:
2
So Angels look with awful frowns
When they in wrath appear,
And are endu'd with wisdom great
Beyond what Mortals are.
3
Th' Face of a Man also denotes
What beauty is in them,
Who are most glorious in themselves,
And so in our esteem.
4
Face of a Lion shews their strength,
A Lion is so strong
That he will turn away from none,
Nor fears he any wrong.
5
Face of an Oxe may signifie
How painful they all be,
And any service patiently
Perform, O Lord, for thee.
6
An Eagle hath a piercing Eye,
And swift she is in flight;
The Angels do God's Face behold,
And fly with greatest might.
HYMN 114.
Psal. 104. 4.
He maketh his Angels Spirits, and his Ministers a flaming Fire.
1
ANgels as swift as Air, as bright
As Flames, with quick obedience move,
To publish and effect below
That charge given to them above.
2
As Fire burns and doth consume,
So th' Seraphims signifie
A burning to shew what zeal's in them
Who do attend on God most high:
3
And also how with flaming zeal,
When they from God Commission have,
They do break forth at his dread Word
To kill his Foes, his Saints to save.
4
Let wicked ones amazed stand,
Who can escape a flaming Fire;
Let Saints also do God's Command
With zeal, like to the heavenly Quire:
5
And let them learn likewise from hence
What comfort this to them may bring;
These Angels come for your defence
Swift, like to Flames, or Eagles Wings.
HYMN 115.
Zach. 1. 8.
Behold a Man upon a red Horse, and behind him were red Horses, speckled, and white.
1
A Horse is strong, and nothing fears,
And swift they are to run,
Angels are cloath'd with mighty strength,
And fly like to the Sun.
2
Horses and Chariots of Fire do
Shew how fierce and agil
The glorious Angels are always
In doing of God's Will.
3
By Horses red thou dost, Lord shew
Those dreadful slaughters they
Do make of Men, when thou bids them
*Ezek. 9. 2, 4.Go forth with Swords and slay.
4
By speckled Horses thou mak'st known
A mixed Dispensation,
When Mercy mingled is with Wrath
In any sinful Nation.
5
The white Horses notes that sweet peace
Which thou at last will send;
For Wars on Earth thou wilt make cease
Before the World end:
6
And that in Christ's dread Government
He Angels oft doth use;
And they are often also sent
To shew what next ensues.
HYMN 116.
Prov. 20. 27.
The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord, &c.
1
ONce was our Candle lighted, Lord,
And did most clearly burn;
But soon did Satan blow it out,
And we were all undone:
2
Left in the darkness of the night,
And were bewilder'd so,
That we for want of thy sweet light
Knew not which way to go.
3
O let our Candle lighted be!
O light it once again,
And by it search to find out sin
Which may in us remain.
4
'Tis thou must light our Candle, Lord,
With th' Fire of thy Grace;
O let it burn and ne're go out
Till we have run our race;
5
That in thy sight we may see light,
And thereby may rejoyce,
And sing thy Praises day and night
With heart and chearful voice.
HYMN 117.
Rom. 9. 1.
My Conscience bearing witness in the Holy Ghost, &c.
1
COnscience a Witness is, O Lord,
Of all we do and say,
And such who sin against their Light,
He will the matter lay
2
Before the Soul, because he knows
The Thoughts of each Man's Heart,
And never will be brib'd by them,
Nor from his Charge depart.
3
How careful should each Person be
They do not him offend;
For if God's Word doth side with him,
It will appear i'th' end;
4
The Soul as Guilty will be found,
And Cast too shall such be,
And by the Judge Condemn'd also
To all eternity;
5
Then wo to such who treach'rously
Their Conscience do abuse,
Or stifle him whom God thinks good
In this great Case to use
6
Ev'n as a Witness for himself
In ev'ry Man's own Heart,
To Evidence to Matter of Fact,
And Judgment to impart,
7
As God's true Witness, for to clear
Him who would judge aright,
And make it also to appear
So in each Man's own sight.
The Second Part.
1
Then look to it, ye Sinners, who
Your Conscience stifle now;
For he against you will be call'd
One day, and make you bow;
2
And though you think to silence him,
So that he cannot speak,
Yet in the Judgment-day he'll rouse,
And make your hearts to ake.
3
If you live not up to your Light,
Then fear what will ensue;
For when he doth receive more sight,
He quickly will renew
4
His dread Commission from the Lord,
And you condemn'd shall be;
If he accuses by God's Word,
No help there is for thee,
5
Unless thou dost leave off thy sin,
To end the bitter strife,
He'll make thee quickly to cry out,
As weary of thy life.
6
But O how happy is the Man
That Conscience by God's Word
Doth quite discharge from guilt of sin
In sight of the bless'd Lord!
7
From this great Witness none can fly,
He will also appear
At the last day, and will accuse,
Or otherwise will clear.
HYMN 118.
The Third Part.
Sing this as the Hundredth Psalm.
1
IF Conscience is become my Friend,
And chearfully doth speak to me,
And I do to his motions bend,
No matter though I hated be:
2
No matter 'tis who doth revile,
If Conscience doth his witness bear
For us, and doth upon us smile,
Most easie will all things appear.
3
If Conscience now doth give us rest,
And from all burthens sets us free,
Again we would not be opprest
In the old bonds of misery,
4
For Kingdoms, nor for Crowns of Gold,
Such inward joy doth he afford,
That nothing can the lame unfold,
It so aboundeth in the Lord.
5
'Tis Conscience which with peecious Food
Doth feed God's Saints continually;
Its Dainties also are so good,
All other Sweets they do defie.
6
This Banquet lasting is also,
'Tis here they feast both night and day,
With all supplies they meet with do,
And none their joys can take away.
7
'Tis Conscience which doth chearful make
When Saints possessed are with grief;
And when they suffer for his sake,
He brings them joy and sweet relief.
The Fourth Part.
1
When Troubles rise and do encrease,
And Sinners to the Mountains fly,
Conscience to Saints doth speak much peace,
And makes them sing when they do die.
2
When others do amazed stand,
A place of shelter, Lord, have we,
And Conscience will lend us a hand,
That we may hide our selves in thee;
3
And in safe Chambers lock us up
Whilst all the Troubles here shall last,
And free us from the bitter cup
'Till all the indignation's past.
4
At Death, and in the Judgment-day,
What would Men give for such a Friend?
All those which do him disobey,
They'll find themselves undone it' th' end.
5
How will such Souls repent too late,
And wofully will howl and cry!
But whilst such do condole their sate,
Our Souls shall sing continually
6
In joyful Hymns unto our God,
Who has preserved us from harms,
And ever will protect us still
From Satan's base alluring Charms.
The End of the Sixth Part.