Spiritual Melody, Part 3
PART III. Containing Sacred Hymns of Praiſe ON THE Glorious Excellencies of the Holy Ghoſt, Or Third Perſon of the bleſſed Trinity.
HYMN 67. The Spirit a Comforter.
Joh. 14.16.
But I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter.
1
LOrd we thy People here on Earth
Do meet with great ſorrow;
Tho' each Soul knows what now he hath,
Yet knows not what to morrow
2
May him befall; Afflictions are
Oft great, and may encreaſe;
Both from without and from within
We meet with little peace.
3
A Comforter, O Lord, we want,
O ſend us one we pray
For to ſuſtain each drooping Saint!
O ſend him ſtrait away!
4
Thou told'ſt us, Lord, thou wouldſt ſend one
To live with us for ever,
And thou didſt, Lord, aſcend thy Throne
His preſence to procure.
5
The Holy Ghoſt, O it is he!
Our comfort in him lyes!
There's none elſe, none can have we
Beſides to ceaſe our cryes.
6
We know, O Lord, he able is
To ſpeak unto our heart;
For troubles he, whate're they be,
Can joy to us impart:
7
And willing he is always too
His helping-hand to lend;
He loves us dear, and will appear,
We han't a ſweeter Friend.
The Second Part.
1
Thy Spirit, Lord, is in thy ſtead
Sweet comfort to afford,
And of him we do ſtand in need
I 'th' abſence of our Lord.
2
He viſits us, and oft does grieve
To ſee our Souls ſo ſad,
And in our troubles doth relieve
Us, though our caſe be bad.
3
He ſearches and does try our hearts
To find our ſorrows out,
And ſtrives all cauſes to remove,
And ſo joy work about.
4
According as he finds our ſtate,
So unto us doth ſpeak;
He does reprove as he ſees cauſe,
Which makes our hearts to ake;
5
But preſently he ſmiles again
When we do ſee our ſin,
And puts a period to our pain,
And brings much comfort in.
6
O he is God, and can't miſtake
The ſtate of any one,
And never will our Souls forſake,
Nor leave us all alone;
7
But if he doth withdraw at all,
It is our Souls to try;
Where e're we be when we do call,
Ah, he is always nigh!
The Third Part.
1
If thy Spirit, Lord, doth ſpeak peace,
We peace beſure have;
He can make all our ſorrows ceaſe,
And in all troubles ſave.
2
All Comforters beſides him be
Unable to relieve,
Inſtead of comfort Job did ſee
They did of joy bereave.
3
The beſt of them we have below
Can ſpeak but to the Ear,
But, Lord, thy Spirit we all know
Can make our hearts to hear.
4
O then let us not grieve him, Lord,
He is our bleſſed Fsiend;
If he to us don't help afford,
Our Souls will die i'th' end;
5
But if we are truly ſincere,
He will us never leave,
But in our ſtraits he will appear,
And to us cloſe will cleave.
6
O then let us break forth and ſing,
We ſhall have peace at home;
Our ſighs ſhall go, for we do know
The Comforter is come.
HYMN 68. The Spirit compared to Wind.
Joh. 3.8.
The Wind bloweth where it liſteth, &c.
1
THe Wind, Lord, is inviſible,
Its way we can't find out;
No Mortal can thy Spirit ſee,
Though he does ſearch about.
His motions they moſt hidden are,
Myſterious in their kind,
That thou doſt them oft times compare
To motions of the Wind.
3
The Wind at thy command doth blow;
Lord 'tis as thou doſt pleaſe,
Thy Spirit moves on us below
To wound, or to give eaſe:
4
According to thy Soveriegn Grace
It operates on Men;
Sometimes he doth ſharply rebuke,
Then cheriſhes agen.
5
Like as the Nort-wind, ſo does he
The Worms and Weeds destroy;
Thoſe filthy Vermin which we ſee,
Our Souls ſo much annoy
6
He tryals and afflictions lays
On us, and does reprove;
And then ſweet Southern-gales diſplays▪
Our ſorrows to remove.
The ſecond Part.
1
He like the Wind doth Cloulds expell,
And makes a clearer Air;
Our ignorance he doth repeal,
And makes our Sun ſhine clear.
2
He, like the Wind, does ſearch and try,
And pierces ev'ry part,
By which he does diſcern and ſpy
The ſecrets of each heart.
3
He dryes up all our ways ſo ſoul,
And makes our paths more clean;
He makes a holy gracious Soul,
Which had moſt filthy been.
4
His influence and bleſs'd effects
We oftentimes do feel;
He makes the tender Willows bend,
And mighty Cedars reel:
5
He makes the glory of Man to fade
Like Flowers of the Field,
And throws down houſes ſuch have made
Who on the ſands do build.
6
He blows oft times till Rain does fall,
Or Tears do pour amain;
And afterwards we ſee withall
He clears our sky again.
The Third Part.
1
Men with much care and obſervance
Do mind how the Winds blow;
So we th' Spirits influence
Likewiſe ſhould ſtrive to know.
2
Our Souls becalm'd ſometimes we ſee
For want of a freſh gale,
Without the Spirit move can't we,
Thy Wind muſt fill our ſayl.
3
Sometimes thy Spirit blows ſo ſlow
As if it quite were ſtill,
Yet at ſuch times his work doth do
With ſtrange and wondrous skill:
4
From all which things it doth appear
Th' Spirit Operations
Are ſometimes leſs, and ſometimes more,
He differs in his motions.
5
Let's cry to God who holds Winds
In his Almighty Fiſt,
Who makes it blow this way or that,
As he himſelf doth liſt;
6
That he would ſend a freſher gale
Upon his Garden ſo,
That our ſweet Fruit may never fail,
But Spices forth may flow.
HYMN 69. The Spirit compar'd to Wind.
1 Theſſ. 5.22.
Quench not the Spirit.
1
O Lord 'tis ſharp, 'tis very cold,
A Fire let us have;
We ſeem benumm'd both young and old,
Thy Spirit we do crave,
2
'Tis that will warm and quicken us
Who are ſo flat and dead;
Shall we lye ſtarving and chill'd thus,
As if all joys were fled?
3
There is in us ſo little heat,
Our Spirits are ſo faint,
O blow thy fire we intreat,
That ſpark in ev'y Saint:
4
It does give light, and alſo warmth,
Yea 'twill revive us ſo,
That we ſhall mount and high aſcend
Above all things below.
5
Let it conſume and ſeize upon
That Chaff which is within;
O let it burn in every one,
And quite conſume our ſin!
6
Ye Saints take heed ye quench it not,
But let it vehement burn,
And kindle ſo, that every ſin
It may to Aſhes turn.
7
Without this fire we can't work,
Nor any buſineſs do,
Life, motion, and activity,
Always from him does flow.
HYMN 70. The holy Spirit like Oyl.
1 Joh. 2.20.
But ye have an Ʋnction from the holy One.
1
OUr wounds do ſtink, and are corrupt,
Hard ſwellings we do ſee;
We want a little Oyntment, Lord,
Let us more humble be:
2
Thy Spirit will allay our pride,
And bring us to thy feet;
And when that we are ſoftened,
Thy Image on us ſet.
3
This Oyl will heal and mollifie,
O pour it quickly in,
That we may live and never die,
Lord, by our curſed ſin!
4
This Oyl of thine, O it is good
All Poyſon to expell!
It by the vertue of thy Blood
Does heal thy Iſrael.
5
Though worſt of Venom in us lye,
And has corrupt each part;
Yet if thou doſt this Oyl apply,
'Twill heal our very heart:
6
And if our face anoynted be,
'Twill make it glorious ſhine,
'Twill ſtrengthen us, and make us fat,
Such is this Oyl of thine.
7
Thy Oyl will not incorporate
With any liquid things;
An Underlin it won't be made,
But to the top it ſprings.
8
O then afford us Oyl we pray
To chear and make us glad,
And we thy praiſe will ſing always,
And never more be ſad.
HYMN 66. The Spirit an Earneſt.
Eph. 1.13.
After ye believed, ye were ſealed with that ſpirit of promiſe which is the earneſt of our inheritance, &c.
1
A Great Eſtate is purchaſed,
We would Poſſeſſion have
Of that bleſſed Inheritance,
An Earneſt therefore crave:
2
Was it not purchaſed, O Lord,
For us by our dear Friend?
O then a Pledge do thou afford,
An Evidence to end
3
The Controverſie that doth riſe
Continually within,
If we'll believe our Enemies,
Our Title's loſt by ſin:
4
But we a promiſe of it have
From thee who can'ſt not lie,
And therefore now we humby crave
An Earneſt ſpeedily.
5
Like as an Earneſt doth confirm,
And give an aſſurance
Of ſome great purchaſe, even ſo
We all may ſee from hence
6
God's Spirit is unto our Souls
An Earneſt of all good,
Which Jeſus Chriſt did buy for us
With his moſt precious Blood.
7
And as an Earneſt when 'tis given
Doth make the Bargain ſure,
So certain ſhall he have Heaven
This Earneſt doth procure.
The ſecond Part.
1
He that God's Spirit doth obtain
Shall grace and glory have;
For he an Earneſt of it hath
From one that can't deceive.
2
O then come down, O bleſſed Dove,
Abide thou in our breaſt,
To be an Earneſt of God's love,
And quietly we'll reſt;
3
But ceaſe will not, but always cry
With confidence of Soul,
Thou art our God, O ſtrengthen us,
That none may us controul.
4
To God the Father, and the Son,
And Holy Ghoſt therefore,
Be bleſſing, honour, and renown,
Now and for evermore.
HYMN 72. The Spirit a Seal.
Eph. 1.30.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed to the day of redemption.
1
O Lord, now we perceive moſt clear
Thy love is great indeed;
Ah we ſhall the Inheritance have
Which thou to buy didſt bleed.
2
Thou wouldſt not, Lord, bought it ſo dear
Had not thy purpoſe been
To make it ſure unto our Souls
In 'ſpite of World, or Sin;
3
And as for us thou didſt it buy,
And we the Earneſt have,
So now we alſo do eſpy
A Seal to us does cleave.
4
We ſealed are, O that's a thing
Which highly's valued,
And great aſſurance doth it bring
Of what is purchaſed.
5
It alſo doth impreſſion make
Upon the wax always;
So we thy Image have hereby,
And ſhall have all our days:
6
But as the wax muſt melted be
Before it can receive
Th' impreſſion of the Seal, ſo we
Are ſoftned who believe:
7
And this doth thy bleſs'd Spirit do,
That holy Fire divine
His influences this does ſhow,
Thus doth his glories ſhine.
The ſecond Part.
1
And as a Seal ſome ſtrive to change,
Or it do counterfeit;
So Satan, who about doth range,
Does ſtrive our Souls to cheat.
2
A Seal is uſed to ſecure
Things ſecret and cloſe, ſo
Thy Saints preſerved are hereby
From Men and Devils too.
3
Now ſee ye who Profeſſors are
That you have melted been,
As ſoften'd like the wax; have you
Been broken for your ſin?
4
Hath any promiſe been ſet home
With power on your heart?
Did ever ſo God's Spirit come
His Image to impart?
5
O what Impreſſion do you find?
Is holineſs in you?
Do you now in the Lord delight
More than in things below?
6
Take care you who are ſealed Ones
Ye don't the Spirit grieve;
Don't make him ſigh with bitter groans,
Since ſuch a Seal you have.
7
O prize him, and unto him live!
He is your deareſt Friend;
Due glory ſee to him you give
Always unto the end.
HYMN 73. Grieve not the Spirit.
Eph. 4.30.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, &c.
1
THe holy Spirit grieve do not,
Which God to you doth give,
From whom ye have all that rich grace
By which to God we live.
2
It is the Spirit that renews
The Souls of every one
That are brought home to Jeſus Chriſt,
Whoſe darkneſs now is gone.
3
All light and comfort doth proceed
From his ſweet influence;
'Tis dangerous then him to grieve,
You may perceive from hence.
4
By him you live, by him you walk,
Without his help can't we
Do any good; O therefore now
Let him not grieved be.
5
But bleſs the Lord he's not withdrawn,
O ſing his praiſes forth,
And live to him as long as you
Do live upon the Earth.
HYMN 74. The Spirit a Witneſs.
Rom. 8.16.
The Spirit it ſelf beareth Witneſs with our Spirit.
1
O Lord we have a bleſſed grant
Of an Inheritance,
And ſo hath every holy Saint;
And thy grace to advance,
2
Thou doſt to us an Earneſt give
Of it to make it ſure,
And Sealed 'tis when we believe
Unto us too for ever:
3
But that we might by no means doubt
To make it firmer yet,
A Witneſs, Lord, thou haſt found out,
Which thou ſaw'ſt requiſite.
4
Sure 'tis ſome great and glorious thing
That purchas'd was ſo dear;
And 'twill eternal comfort bring
To have a title clear.
5
O let thy Spirit, Lord, come in,
We'll hear what he can ſay,
Before we dare once, Lord, attempt
A Claim unto it lay.
6
But ſince one Witneſs may not do,
And two required are,
Let Conſcience with thy Spirit now
His witneſs alſo bear.
The Second Part.
1
Thy Spirit muſt, Lord, teſtifie
That we are born again;
Is all ſin dead? Let Conſcience ſpeak
To put us out of pain.
2
Two Witneſſes, nay ſuch as theſe
We'll prize, for they are true;
Ah! they will free us from all fear,
VVhatever does inſue.
3
If they together do agree,
The Controverſie's gone;
If we new Creatures truly be,
VVe ſafe are ev'ry one.
4
They'll make us to lift up our head
VVith joy triumphantly;
All ſorrow will be vanquiſhed,
O then let's ſearch and try
5
By thy own Law; for 'tis thy Word
The matter muſt decide;
Thy Spirit from thy Word, O Lord,
VVe never muſt divide.
6
O happy Soul, art thou ſincere,
Upright in life and heart?
Do both theſe joyntly witneſs bear,
That thus alſo thou art?
7
Then ſing the praiſe of God above,
VVho clears to thee this thing;
O with the Spirit fall in love,
And praiſe our glorious King.
HYMN 75. The Spirit a River.
Joh. 7.30.
He that believeth, out of his Belly ſhall flow Rivers of living water.
1
VVE of a River now will ſing,
A Stream that ſweetly runs;
And praiſe the high and glorious King,
That he the Channel turns
2
This way, to us in theſe dry Iſles,
I'th' ſolitary place,
Sweet ſtreams of water doe riſe up,
God doth pour forth his grace.
3
This makes our Wilderneſs rejoyce,
It Sion doth make glad;
And Saints to ſing with chearful voice,
That mourn'd, and were ſo ſad.
4
This River ſweetly ſoaks the Earth
VVhere-e're its ſtreams do run,
And plenteouſly he will pour forth
His waters e're he's done.
5
This River, O 'tis very deep,
The bottom none can know;
Freſh always doth its waters keep,
And yet they over-flow.
6
Its Banks they are God's holy VVord,
That is his laſting bounds;
Oh! where God doth his Name record,
There are theſe waters found.
7
Over theſe Banks it will not go,
Nor ever break them down;
VVhoe're they be who make a breach,
They ſhall be overthrown.
The Second Part.
This River when it ſwiftly runs
With an impetuous ſtream,
It drives the Soul to Jeſus Chriſt,
O there's no ſtopping them:
2
Trees that are planted by its ſide
How ſweetly do they grow?
Like Willows by the Water-courſe
And Drought ſuch never know
3
This River brings things from afar.
The beſt Navigation
Is in this River to ſet out,
'Twill bring us to Salvation.
4
That Soul which doth imploy himſelf,
And work herein each day,
He ſhall be rich eternally,
And a bleſs'd Scepter ſway.
5
The Waters of this River are
Excellent good to drink;
If thou doſt taſte, thou wilt no more
Upon your ſorrows think.
6
No Wines ſo rare, ne're cou'd compare
With theſe Waters beſure;
And ſuch who do drink of them too,
Ah! he ſhall live for ever.
7
Sing to the River, River of God,
Let Sion much rejoyce;
O ſing ye Saints with one accord
To Chriſt with chearful voice.
HYMN 76. The holy Spirit Waters of Life.
Ezek. 36.25.
I will ſprinkle clean water upon you.
Joh. 7.30.
Out of his belly ſhall flow living water, &c.
1
THis River flows from God above,
It from his Throne proceeds,
And ſweetly too this way doth move,
It many millions feeds.
2
Theſe Waters purge from filthineſs,
Come waſh and be you clean;
It makes the barren Soul flouriſh,
And ſpread his Branches green.
3
It's cooling to a ſweating Soul
That Satan hunts about;
'Twill quench the fire of luſts within,
It does allay our drought.
4
It makes the Seed of Grace to grow,
It mollifies our Earth;
All ſuch its influences know
Who witneſs the new birth.
5
It heals the wounded Soul likewiſe,
There's no diſeaſe within
But by theſe Waters cur'd have been,
O drink, and drink agen!
6
O come unto theſe Waters ye
Who very thirſty are!
To all that come they are moſt free,
O drink, and do not ſpare!
The Second Part.
1
Do not be fooliſh and miſtake,
To go to the wrong Well;
Theſe Waters 'tis that you muſt take,
Which far, alas, excell
2
All Waters you can go unto;
Ah! would you healed be?
To Chriſt by his own Spirit come,
And ſickneſs ſoon will flee.
3
Ye Fools, what is't that you do drink?
'Tis puddle-water baſe,
It ſtinks, 'tis filthy, God it loaths,
O taſte of his ſweet grace,
4
And ſinful joys will hateful be,
And you will ſpue them up;
Come taſte a little Water: See!
Come try! Take one ſmall ſup,
5
And you will ſay God's love, O 'tis
Moſt pleaſant to your taſte!
But the chief ſweetneſs is reſerv'd
For us to drink at laſt.
6
O praiſe the glorious God above
Theſe Waters overflow!
Sing praiſe to Jeſus Chriſt our Lord,
And praiſe the Spirit too.
HYMN 77. The Holy Ghoſt a Teacher.
Luk. 12.12.
The holy Spirit ſhall teach you, &c.
1
VVE many things are yet to learn,
Lord, we inſtructions need;
We fain would all thy Truths diſcern,
And from all doubts be freed.
2
Some things be dark, and hidden are
That we can't underſtand,
And therefore, Lord, to make them clear
By a moſt skilful hand
3
Thy Spirit haſt ordain'd to be
A Teacher unto us,
All praiſe and glory unto thee
For dealing with us thus.
4
He has all knowledge of thy Laws,
And opens ev'ry thing,
And can diſcover ev'ry flaw
That up may ſeem to ſpring
5
VVi…hin our minds about the way
VVherein we ought to go;
Out of a Book he teaches us
The meaning he does ſhow.
6
He did himſelf this Book compile,
'Twas he who gave it out,
And therefore can it open well,
And Anſwer ev'ry doubt
7
Unto the ignorant and blind,
If they his counſel take,
God's Kingdom they at laſt ſhall find,
And them he'll perfect make.
The Second Part.
1
He doth not teach to go aſtray
From thy own written VVord,
That's not thy Spirit, nor the way,
VVhichWhich doth not juſt accord
2
In every thing we ſure are
VVith thy New Teſtament,
Lord, all ſuch Spirits we'll not hear,
By thee they were not ſent;
3
Thy VVord it is a ſure Rule,
O let thy Spirit come
And witneſs too't moſt graciouſly,
And ev'ry Nail drive home.
4
Let all Convictions cloſe abide
Of ſin and duty too,
And let us find each promiſe firm
VVhichWhich unto us doth flow:
5
And we thy Praiſes will ſing forth,
And never go aſtray,
VVhen in our Souls thy Spirit doth
Tell us this is the way.
HYMN 78. The holy Spirit like a Dove.
Mat. 3.16.
And he ſaw the Spirit deſcending like a Dove, and lighted upon him.
1
DOwn from above the bleſſed Dove
Is come; Ah! ſhall he reſt,
Thou Holy and Eternal One,
VVith me, O in my Breaſt!
2
There let thy Spirit dwell, O Lord,
VVho has a Dove-like Eye,
Moſt quick to ſee; before his ſight
All things do naked lye.
3
O he is innocent indeed,
Moſt harmleſs, and moſt meek;
VVhoever would from wrath be freed,
His nature they muſt ſeek.
…
All ſuch who are gentle and kind,
Moſt humble in their heart,
This Dove infus'd it in their mind,
He did that grace impart.
5
Ah! he is ſwift as any Dove,
And quickly can be here;
Though he deſcended from above,
Yet is he ev'ry where.
The ſecond Part.
1
From ſight of thy All-ſeeing Spirit
O whither can we go?
His Eyes do ſearch all places out,
He walketh to and fro
2
Through the Earth, where can we hide?
O whither can we fly,
Lord, from thy preſence? 'cauſe thou art
Far off, and alſo nigh.
3
Shall we to Heaven mount aloſt?
Lo, thou art preſent there!
Or if we ſhould go down to Hell,
Ev'n there thou doſt appear!
4
Yea, ſhould we take us Morning wings,
And dwell beyond the Sea,
There would thy right-hand have faſt hold,
And with us quickly be:
5
Nay, if we ſay the darkneſs ſhall
Yet ſhroud us from thy ſight,
Alas! the thickeſt darkneſs is
To thee like to the light:
Yea, darkneſs hideth not from thee,
But night doth ſhine as day;
To thee the darkneſs and the night
Are both alike alway.
The Third Part.
1
Thy Spirit's ſwift, he's ſwift in flight,
From him there's none can fly;
VVe ever be, Lord in thy ſight,
Thou canſt us ſoon ſupply
2
VVith all good things which we do need,
And could we get thy VVings,
VVe ſhould mount up, from fear be freed,
And hate earth's empty things.
3
Behold he's come, an Olive-leaf
VVithin his mouth we ſee;
God's wrath is o're, it is aſſwag'd,
O therefore joyful be.
4
Let's ſee thy face, and hear thy voice,
And taſte thy ſweeteſt love!
O Souls aſcend! but O for Wings,
The VVings of Noah's Dove!
5
Then ſhould we fly away from hence,
Leaving this world and ſin,
And ſoon wouldſt thou, Lord, reach thy hand,
And kindly take us in.
HYMN 79. The holy Spirit a Guide.
Joh. 16.13.
He will guide you into all truth.
1
WE Strangers are, Lord in the world,
Ah! 'tis a wilderneſs,
And many crooked ways there are,
VVe therefore do confeſs
2
VVe want a Guide who skilful is,
Thy Spirit, Lord, is come,
No Guide like him be ſure there is,
O let him guide us home.
3
Thy Spirit points unto thy VVord,
And ſhews where dangers lye;
Let's yield our ſelves with one accord
To him continually;
4
And we ſhall all be rid of cares,
And never loſe our way;
He true Directions always gives,
VVe may not go aſtray.
5
O well it is for us, O Lord,
VVho naturally are blind,
That we have ſuch a Guide as this
To ſtay our doubtful mind.
6
Then ſing to him with heart and voice,
No counſel like to his;
He will not leave us till he hath
Brought us to laſting bliſs.
The End of the Third Part.